Marine Stewardship Council losing ground with wild salmon fisheries

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Eight major primary processors of wild Alaska salmon are phasing out their financing of the Marine Stewardship Council salmon certification program, prompting a decision by the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation to continue its support only through Oct. 29.

The eight processors, Trident Seafoods, Icicle Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Peter Pan Seafoods, Alaska General Seafoods, Kiwk’pak Fisheries, E&E Foods, and North Pacific Seafoods, account for about 70 percent of the wild salmon harvest processed in Alaska.

“They have given us notice they will support the MSC program for Alaska salmon only through October of 2012, when the current certificate expires,” said James Browning, executive director of AFDF.

AFDF made its decision at a board meeting on Jan. 16, Browning said.

Individual reasons from the companies for the phased pullout are confidential, he said. “MSC has offered independent affirmation of what the Alaska industry and fishery managers have held since statehood; that Alaska salmon fisheries are sustainably managed. However, the majority of these processors now feel it is time to redirect their resources toward a broader marketing message,” he said.

Kerry Coughlin, MSC Americas regional director, responded that MSC regrets that the Alaska salmon industry is withdrawing from the assessment underway for a potential third certification period. “While there are other sources of MSC-certified salmon, Alaska was an early and important leader in the MSC program,” Coughlin said. “We hope that this fishery will re-enter assessment, maintain the market advantage of MSC certification, and continue to showcase their sustainability.”

It is important to emphasize that the transition away from MSC certification of Alaska salmon in no way affects the ongoing MSC certification of Pacific cod in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands or the Gulf of Alaska, Browning said. As fishery client of record for those Pacific cod fisheries, AFDF will continue to represent its industry sponsors and take all action necessary to maintain certification and recertification of the Pacific cod fisheries without restriction, he said.

AFDF is the current fishery client for the salmon harvest in Alaska, representing a total of 35 participants in the third annual surveillance audit of that fishery, Browning said.

A spokesperson for Copper River Seafoods, which is also a participant, said that CRS would have no official comment on this action at this time.

Browning said all Alaska salmon harvested during the 2012 fishing season will remain eligible to carry the MSC logo and be sold as certified as long as the participating entities maintain valid MSC chain of custody certification. However, the second recertification that AFDF just initiated with Intertek Moody Marine would need to be completed in order to continue the MSC certification beyond Oct. 29, he said.

The issue of MSC certification, which represents to international seafood buyers that these fisheries are sustainable, has long been a controversial one for some major processors, who said that Alaska’s constitution mandates that the state’s fisheries must be sustainable and that MSC certification should not be needed. Others maintain that the MSC certification is needed to get their fish into some substantial wholesale and retail markets.

AFDF was asked to take over the clientship for MSC certification of Alaska salmon in December 2009 after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced in July of 2008 that they would no longer carry out the duties required of the client. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute considered picking up the clientship, but voted in December 2009 to delay a final decision.

At the industry’s request, AFDF investigated the level of support on the part of the primary salmon processors and found virtually unanimous industry support for retention of MSC certification for Alaska salmon and AFDF became the client in February 2010.

“Clearly the level of industry support for MSC certification has changed substantially since 2010,” Browning said. “After receiving letters from the seven processors, the AFDF board decided on Jan. 16 that lacking substantial industry support to continue MSC salmon certification, they were compelled to instruct AFDF to proceed only to maintain MSC certification through Oct. 29.

“We understand the course change by Alaska salmon processors and the subsequent vote by the AFDF board may come as a surprise to other Alaska salmon procesors and members of the Alaska-North Pacific commercial fishing industry,” Browning said. “However, the message from major sponsors was clear and swift board action was necessary to resolve the issue and quell speculation and confusion in the salmon market.”

You can reach Margaret Bauman with comments and suggestions at mbauman@thecordovatimes.com