August 4, 2020 — In significant news for the lobster industry, the Marine Stewardship Council has suspended its certification of lobster as sustainable, citing concerns about the lucrative industry’s effect on critically endangered North Atlantic right whales.
The suspension, effective Aug. 30, applies to all lobster in the Gulf of Maine, according to the council, a London-based nonprofit that sets international standards for sustainable fishing.
“The suspension comes following an expedited audit and thorough review … during which it was determined that the fishery no longer meets the MSC fisheries standard,” said Jackie Marks, a spokeswoman for the council.
The suspension was linked to a federal district court ruling in April that found that the National Marine Fisheries Service had violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to protect right whales from becoming entangled in millions of lobster lines.