An independent adjudicator for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has upheld a challenge to the assessment that the Russian Sea of Okhotsk pollock fishery meets MSC sustainability requirements, according to the MSC.
The adjudicator, Michael Lodge, presided over the objection process, after the At-Sea Processors Association objected to MSC’s independent assessor, Moody Marine, giving the fishery a thumbs-up.
The objections questioned whether Moody Marine gathered enough information to properly score the fishery in some areas. Lodge also found that Moody Marine’s assessment that the fishery met the MSC’s requirements “is not adequately justified” for at least one of the MSC’s scoring guideposts.
IMM has until July 3 to respond to the IA’s decision. The IA will then review IMM’s response and make a further determination on whether the issues have been adequately addressed.
