Alaska's pollock fishery announced yesterday that it entered assessment for recertification under the Marine Stewardship Council program.
The Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands pollock fishery together account for 100 percent of the targeted catch for U.S.-caught Alaska pollock and were first certified in February 2005. MSC certificates are valid for five years, dependent on annual audits, and full reassessment is required every five years to ensure that fisheries continue to meet the standard.
The At-Sea Processors Association (APA) is the client representing both fisheries. Moody Marine Ltd. is the third-party certifier hired to conduct both fisheries' re-assessments.
In order for a fishery to become MSC-certified, a third-party auditor assesses three major principles based on the MSC standard: the status of the fish stock; the impact the fishery has on the marine ecosystem; and the management system overseeing the fishery.
The MSC also announced yesterday that the Western Fish Boat Owners Association (WFOA) and the Canadian Highly Migratory Species Foundation (CHMSF) have completed a collaborative funding agreement to undertake a full assessment for MSC certification of North American North Pacific albacore tuna.
The certifier, IFQC of Ireland, will perform the chain of custody assessments for the groups.
Wayne Heikkila, WFOA director, said that certification was a necessary step with many retailers and restaurants buying only product carrying the MSC logo, including Sainsbury's in the U.K. WalMart has pledged to make a full switch to MSC-certified fisheries by 2011.
"It's a global market and the MSC logo is an internationally recognized symbol of good management and sustainability," said Heikkila. "We pride ourselves on our environmental record and this is an effective way to communicate it to our customers around the world."
WFOA member-vessels have trolled for albacore for almost a century in the Pacific Northwest. There is near-zero bycatch with this method of fishing.
