Russian Crab Boat
Russian efforts to get the Barents Sea King crab harvest certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council might not all be in vain. Jim Humphries, with the MSC office in Portland, Ore., said much will depend on the outcome of a meeting being held by the council last week in Asia. Though the council has a policy of not certifying introduced or exotic species, the council is taking another look at the issue in light of the various fisheries based on introduced species including the oyster industry in Puget Sound, which raises oysters from Japan. Another major issue the group will look at is enhanced wild fisheries like hatchery-driven salmon runs. Humphries said this, among other issues, are key in the MSC re-certification process now taking place for Alaska salmon. Alaska’s salmon fisheries were the first to receive a certificate under the MSC program. The fishery was certified as one fishery, but now the council is looking at breaking it up into regional certificates. Humphries hopes to be able to announce the outcome of the MSC re-certification process for Alaska Salmon within a month or two. Salmon marketers have found that the MSC certification is helpful in marketing the product, especially to high-end markets and in Europe.