The world’s most established fisheries certifier, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is failing to protect the environment and should be reformed, according to the world’s leading fisheries experts. In an opinion piece, Seafood Stewardship in Crisis, published in the September issue of Nature, the six scientists from Canada, Italy and the US express their objection to many of the MSC’s procedures and certification of certain species which they do not consider sustainable.

They noted concerns about the certification of Bering sea pollock – the largest MSC-certified fishery, with an annual catch of one million tonnes – which has seen a 64 per cent decline of the population’s spawning biomass between 2004 and 2009. Antarctic krill is also noted as being of concern because of declining stocks and the link between krill population depletion and declining sea ice due to climate change.

The MSC published a statement responding to the criticism, highlighting that the certification process is open and transparent and meets the requirements of the guidelines of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Science Daily article: Seafood Stewardship questionable, experts argue

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