MSC Wants Industry Input on Major Changes to Their Certification Process
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - September 5, 2017
The Marine Stewardship Council is soliciting comments from the public on several proposed changes to the certification process, a process that has been criticized recently for allowing vessels in a certified fishery to fish using unapproved methods and, keeping those fish separate, deliver a part-certified, part non-certified load.
Industry and the environmental NGOs have called out inequities in the certification process for years, but they are key components of MSC’s business model. MSC relies on licensing fees and royalties for use of its ecolabel -- the well known blue checkmark. The more clients that have certification and thus have earned access to the label (although cannot legally use it until the fees are paid), the more revenue for MSC.
So from the beginning MSC has allowed their certification to be purchased by clients who fish part of a fishery, creating a steeply sloped playing field for other fleets, catching and processing the same fish in the same area with the same gear, during the same time but without the ecolabel. MSC had to change the meaning of "fishery" to make their concept work, but other problems developed over the years as a result of that decision.
However, MSC changing its business model is not part of their request on September 1 for...
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