Number of fisheries in the MSC program
MSC’s approach to ‘what is a fishery in the MSC program?’ was set in August 2009. At this time, several fisheries already in the program were redefined, which reduced the total number of fisheries in assessment by 12.
Some key elements of how fisheries in the MSC program are defined, and how this changed in August 2009, are detailed below:
• Target fish species and stock
Prior to August 2009 a single fishery could include multiple fish species or stocks. Now, different species or stocks cannot be included in a single fishery. Where 1 group is fishing more than 1 species and applies for MSC assessment, each species is considered as a separate fishery, even though the 2 fisheries may go through the assessment process simultaneously.
• Fishing method, gear, practice and/or vessel type
Since August 2009, the default approach is that fisheries that use more than 1 gear type will still be counted as a single fishery in assessment. Where this happens, each gear type will be given a separate Principle 2 score in the assessment, to account for the different ecosystem impacts that different gear types have.
• Certificate-sharing and harmonisation
If different fishery clients enter MSC assessment on the same fish stock there may be more than 1 fishery on the same fish stock. The MSC encourages ‘certificate sharing’ in these situations, so that clients work together to get assessed rather than having multiple fisheries on 1 stock, but it is not always possible, for example when different clients enter the program at different times. In such cases, where there are multiple fisheries being assessed on the same stock, MSC requires certifiers to review each others’ assessments to ensure that assessment results are consistent, or ‘harmonised’, particularly in relation to the shared target stock. Impacts in Principle 2 may still differ between such related fisheries, for example if different gears are being used or different locations fished.
Exceptions
Fisheries that were certified before August 2009, when this definition was set, may not meet the above criteria.
More information
Fisheries undergoing assessment against the MSC standard
