U.S. Senator Mark Begich sent a letter to a major international food contractor today urging them to reconsider the decision to serve only Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified seafood to federal agencies like the Department of Defense. In his letter to Sodexo, USA President and CEO George Chavel, Begich took issue with reliance on sustainability certification from MSC, an organization that has come under harsh criticism by Alaska fishermen for their growing logo fees, inconsistent standards and increasing licensing costs.
“It’s ridiculous and insulting that the seafood being offered to our troops might come from Russia,” said Begich. “Alaska wrote the book on sustainable fisheries and we don’t need outsiders to tell us how to manage our stocks.”
This is the second letter Begich has written in recent months challenging a corporate decision to rely solely upon the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification.
