Marine Matters
Sustainable Salmon: Marine Stewardship Council's Eco-Labeling Program

Jim Humphreys The Marine Stewardship Council, 4005 20 th Avenue West, #221 West Wall Bldg.,
Seattle, WA 98199; Jim.Humphreys@msc.org

Karen Tarica The Marine Stewardship Council, 4005 20 th Avenue West, #221 West Wall Bldg.,
Seattle, WA 98199; Karen.Tarica@msc.org

Abstract
The world is at risk of losing many of its commercial fisheries, and these losses could have major impacts on societies' economic, cultural, environmental and biological well being. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has developed a new program which uses market-based incentives to encourage improved fisheries management around the world. The MSC's program is an independent third party certification program that is designed to assess individual fisheries against an internationally developed standard for sustainable fisheries. Fisheries that meet the MSC's Standard are awarded the MSC certificate for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. Any products from that fishery can then use the MSC Label once traceability of the product is determined through a Chain of Custody assessment. The MSC Label will identify seafood products as the best environmental choice in seafood and allow consumers to play a role in the conservation of those resources. Under the Marine Stewardship Council program three fisheries were certified in 2000 as meeting the MSC's sustainable fisheries standard. This paper briefly explains the MSC program and the results of those certifications. Marine Matters Sustainable Salmon: Marine Stewardship Council's Eco-Labeling Program

Would you like to get the full article?