Marine Scotland’s objection related to the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) certification of the Faroese Pelagic Organization North-East Atlantic mackerel fishery have been sent back to the certifier, Det Norske Veritas (DNV) for further review.
In its assessment, DNV scored the fishery as consistent with international laws or standards aimed at achieving sustainable fisheries. But because the Faeroe Islands have not agreed on a way of sharing the quota between coastal states (currently agreed by Norway and the EU), independent adjudicator Melanie Carter concluded that it was unreasonable of DNV to describe the fishery as meeting the minimum level required.
Marine Scotland’s objection has now been remanded to DNV which must now reconsider the scoring of the fishery on PI 3.1.1 and either change it or provide justification for its decision.
Normally, the certifier would be given 10 working days to supply a response but in light of the holidays, Carter extended the deadline to 14 January.
Once DNV has responded, the other parties in the objection will be given an additional five working days to respond. Ten working days after the 14th, Carter will publish her final decision on whether DNV’s response has been “adequate to meet the matters raised in the remand” or if the objection should be upheld.
The IA’s decision should have no effect on the other MSC certified mackerel fisheries which all fall within Norwegian or EU jurisdiction.
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