September 13, 2013 — Renner, Hopkins and others involved in Alaska's seafood industry are hoping that this demonstration and talks conducted the following day at Walmart's headquarters in Arkansas by Alaska government and Walmart officials will result in Walmart purchasing more Alaska seafood for sale in the multinational retail company's stores.
The fish harvesters from Cordova "want Walmart as our business partner, not our adversary," said Renner. "Coming off of an all-time record season, we want to move this product," he said, as cars passing by the demonstrators honked their horns in approval.
"We want them as a partner to carefully consider their decision."
"Alaska fisheries have been sustainable long before MSC, and will continue to be sustainable long after," said Greg Gabriel, executive director of the Northwest Alaska Seiners Association. "Walmart should be proud to provide sustainable Alaska salmon to Americans."
At issue is Walmart's decision to purchase for its thousands of retail stores only seafood certified as sustainable by the London-based Marine Stewardship Council. With more than four-dozen seafood processors and others now committed to another sustainability certification program sponsored by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, the fishermen and the state of Alaska are asking Walmart to reconsider its commitment to purchase only MSC-certified seafood.
There is no indication of when that decision, which is potentially worth millions of dollars in sales for Alaska's fishing industry, will be forthcoming. All Walmart has had to say to date is that it was "a productive meeting that gave us the opportunity to learn about Alaska's fishery certification program," said Walmart spokesman Chris Schraeder.
Read the full story at the Cordova Times