SEAFOOD.COM NEWS by Michael Ramsingh — November 6, 2013 — An Independent Adjudicator has dismissed an objection to the proposed certification of Alaskan salmon under the Marine Steward Council's standard.
The objection was filed by the the Wild Fish Conservancy, Watershed Watch Salmon Society, Skeena Wild Conservation Trust and the Raincost Conservation Foundation. It was filed in direct response to the early October certification of Alaskan salmon under the Purse Seine Vessel Owners Association (PSVOA).
Now under the MSC's Objections Procedure, objectors have an option to submit a new or amended notice within five working days, by November 12.
The MSC said its objection procedure does not require it to disclose details of any objection that is either provisionally or finally dismissed.
The Council said its process includes a final optional step in an assessment to provide an orderly, structured, transparent and independent process by which objections to the Final Report and Determination of a Certifier can be resolved.
Additionally, the purpose of the Objections Procedure is not to review the subject fishery against the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing, but to determine whether the Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) made an error of procedure or scoring that materially affected the outcome of its determination.
An Independent Adjudicator examines the claims made by an objector and determines whether the CAB made an error that materially affected the outcome to inform their decision of whether to dismiss or accept an objection.
Still, even in light of the objection's dismissal, a majority of Alaska's salmon processors have already committed to not carrying Alaskan salmon products labeled with the MSC's eco-label.
"It's important that buyers understand and not be confused by the recent Alaska salmon MSC certification announcement. The PSVOA is the MSC client for Alaska salmon, but this means that even though a portion of the fishery is MSC certified, only about 20% of the salmon harvest could be called out as MSC certified," said Michael Cerne, Executive Director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) back in October. "The announcement of MSC certification of Alaska salmon should not be interpreted as a change in the decision by the dozens of companies to no longer sell and support MSC Alaska salmon."
ASMI added a majority of Alaska's 27 salmon processing companies will not sell MSC certified salmon amounting to about 80 percent of the harvest.
This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.