A group representing 11 Russian fishing companies has entered three pink salmon fisheries for Marine Stewardship Council sustainability certification, the London-based organization announced on Tuesday.
They join Russia’s Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk pollock fisheries, which are also seeking the MSC eco-label.
The pink salmon fisheries all use set nets and trap nets and are managed under the Russian federal and state salmon management systems. The most recent total allowable catch for the 11 companies involved in the assessment is 21,338 metric tons.
The fisheries include the Northeast Sakhalin stock harvested by companies Lovets, Tamara, Dagi and Irida; the Northeast Sakhalin stock harvested by companies Plavnik and Sadko; and the Aniva Bay stock harvested by companies Rybak, Taranai, Priboy Trade, Proster and Compass Plus.
The main commercial market for Sakhalin salmon is Russia, thought a portion is exported to the U.S. and European markets. A substantial portion of the salmon also goes to China and Korea for processing, but only a small portion goes to China and other Asian countries for consumption.
“MSC is the key to unlocking global markets for Sakhalin’s salmon fisheries,” said Howard Johnson, global programs director of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. “The MSC certification is becoming a ‘must-have’ for fisheries selling their products globally.”
The assessment will be carried out by independent certifier MRAG under the leadership of Dr. Robert J. Trumble.
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