Sunday, May 18, 2014

The MSC merry-go-round

Back in November, the London-based Marine Stewardship Council said Alaska salmon had earned recertification as a sustainable and well-managed fishery (except for Prince William Sound).

The MSC "client" securing the recertification was the Purse Seine Vessel Owners' Association, a Seattle-based fishing group.

PSVOA, you'll recall, stepped in after most of Alaska's major salmon processors in 2012 decided to pull out of the MSC program.

Well, now the matter has taken yet another twist.

A notice posted May 6 on the MSC website said PSVOA "has withdrawn as the MSC client for this fishery."

The new client, the notice said, is the Alaska Salmon Processors Association.

Never heard of it, you say?

That's because it's very new. State records show the Alaska Salmon Processors Association is a nonprofit corporation formed on April 10.

Four persons are listed as officers in the association. All are connected with processors who apparently see some market value in continuing with the MSC ecolabel.

Here's a rundown of the four officers:

Robert Zuanich, Sitka, president
Affiliated with Silver Bay Seafoods LLC

Cassandra Squibb, Anchorage, vice president
Affiliated with Copper River Seafoods Inc.

Joe Kelso, Seattle, secretary
Affiliated with Ekuk Fisheries LLC

Norman Kilborn, Kodiak, treasurer
Affiliated with International Seafoods of Alaska Inc.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

smart guys jumping on a sinking ship

Anonymous said...

Whether we like it or not, MSC is accepted and embraced globally. It isn't going to be defeated. Those processors that spurn MSC may be doing so to their detriment and to the detriment of their salmon fleets.

Anonymous said...

Is that why everyone in the World is getting on the MSA List 8:01?

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/06/03/west-coast-groundfish-local-fisheries-success-story-and-now-certified-sustainable/

Anonymous said...

MSC continues to gain global acceptance and now trumps the so called "Alaska" brand. While regional branding like Icelandic cod, Alaska salmon, etc., may have meaning to some consumer groups, the MSC tag has more than just regional appeal. However, there is no reason that the regional designation cannot exist alongside the MSC certification and logo. What could be better and more likely to maximize value worldwide than "MSC certified Alaska salmon"