"The MSC's new approach to assessing data-poor fisheries will help make the ecolabel more accessible for sustainable community fisheries. Fisheries from developing countries provide much of our global food supply, and it is important that they have the same opportunities for certification as larger, more industrial fisheries."

Meredith Lopuch, Deputy Director, WWF Sustainable Seafood Initiative
Visit the WWF Community Fisheries Program website

The MSC is committed to fair and equal access for all fisheries seeking MSC certification. We are piloting a project on assessments of fisheries that lack sufficient detailed data to make a conclusive, scientific case for certification. The aim is to provide small-scale and data-deficient fisheries with an alternative route to certification, while maintaining the scientific rigor that characterizes the MSC program.

The project is part of the MSC Developing World Fisheries Program and seeks to develop Guidelines for the Assessment of Small-Scale and Data-Deficient fisheries. It features a risk-assessment approach to help MSC-accredited certifiers evaluate the key environmental indicators that are the backbone of the MSC environmental standard for sustainable fishing.

If the pilots are successful, this will mean that fisheries lacking extensive scientific data can be assessed against the MSC standard in a robust way and could become certified sustainable. This is likely to enable more small-scale and data-deficient fisheries to participate.

“Demand for eco-certified fish and seafood is high all over the world. Certification under the MSC program could open doors to trade for these fisheries and contribute to long-term social, environmental and economic benefits in their communities,” says Oluyemisi Oloruntuyi, MSC Developing World Program Manager who is leading the project.

Participating fisheries

The project is not limited to developing countries, but is likely to have the greatest uptake among them. The first fisheries taking part in the study began their assessments in November 2007:

• The National Park of Banc d’Arguin mullet fishery, Mauritania
• The Cornish sardine fishery, UK
• The mahi mahi fishery, Ecuador and Peru
• The coastal and River Gambia sole fishery, Gambia
  
• India oil sardine, Pallithottam-Thankassery, Kerala India
  
• The Samborombon Bay mullet fishery, Argentina. 
• Vietnam Ben Tre clam
  

Assessments are due to complete by the end of 2008. If the project is successful, the findings of the study will be presented to the MSC’s governing bodies for formal adoption.