Salmon commercial fishing in Alaska. (Photo Credit: Anderson)
Alaska salmon processors considering rejoining MSC certification
UNITED STATES
Friday, April 17, 2015, 03:30 (GMT + 9)
Three years after leaving the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification programme, some Alaska salmon processors are planning to once more join it in an effort to face the current tough market.
The latest assessments indicate that an unusually large number of wild salmon will enter Alaska’s rivers this season, which adds to an abundance of frozen and canned fish from last season.
Besides, the global demand appears to be depressed given the strength of the US dollar, which makes American products relatively more expensive to foreign buyers, Alaska Dispatch News reported.
However, according to sources consulted by FIS.com, it is unknown whether this decision to resume membership in one of the world’s best-known sustainable seafood certification programmes will contribute to increase salmon sales.
The group of Alaska salmon producers that have agreed to rejoin includes Alaska General Seafoods, Icicle Seafoods, Kwikpak Fisheries, Leader Creek Fisheries, North Pacific Seafoods, Ocean Beauty, Peter Pan Seafoods, Triad Fisheries, Trident Seafoods and Yukon Gold.
For his part, Geoff Bolan, the MSC’s US programme director stated: “MSC is happy to learn of these companies' desire to rejoin the group of MSC certified Alaska salmon processors. The MSC has worked closely with the Alaska seafood industry for more than a decade and we look forward to maintaining and strengthening our partnership.”
Alaska's firms have devised this plan after considering that some retailers, including those in Germany and the Netherlands, insist upon MSC certification.
In 2012, several processors decided to leave the MSC for a number of reasons and partnered with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) to form their own certification programme, known as the Responsible Fisheries Management Programme.
“There was an erosion of the Alaska brand in the market. Our products were being promoted as MSC products and not Alaska products,” pointed out Michael Cerne, executive director of the ASMI.
“There was overreach and intrusion into the governance of Alaska fisheries. Then there was the issue of MSC collecting millions of dollars in fees from processors that essentially went to helping to fund our competitors,” Cerne added.
The next step for these processors to take is to negotiate with the Alaska Salmon Processors Association, which holds the current MSC certificate, regarding their terms of entry and participation. The association is led by a growing rival, Sitka-based processor Silver Bay Seafoods.
Related article:
- Alaskan salmon industry drops MSC certification programme
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