Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification: WFOA

Marine Stewardship Council:

Albacore MSC Sustainability Certification:

The Western Fishboat Owners Association (WFOA) has been awarded Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification for albacore caught in the North Pacific by the U.S. troll and pole and line fleet. Under the terms of this certification, all U.S. registered troll and baitboats are eligible to land fish that can enter the market as MSC-certified.

LINK - MSC QUALIFYING VESSEL LIST: 08/31/10

MSC DESIGNATED BUYER LIST:

Bornstein Seafoods
Jessie's Ilwaco Fish Company - Ilwaco, WA
Ilwaco Landing LLC
Interocean Seafoods Company
Pacific Seafood Group
RPMM,LLC - DBA - Jolly Roger Seafoods - Westport, WA
Seafood Producers Cooperative

Starvin Marvin Seafoods(Pending)
Trident Seafoods
Wild Planet Foods, Inc.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

WFOA Members: If you are a U.S. WFOA member in good standing, with all dues and other obligations up to date by June 30th you are automatically under the certification and buyers can verify your eligibility from the list posted above.

Probation: If you are not a WFOA member in good standing you will be put on probationary status and taken off the listing until you meet the obligations.

Non-WFOA Members: As this certification covers the entire U.S. troll and pole and line (baitboat) fishery it is open to Non-WFOA members through a simple registration process. A FORM LINK is available, to be completed by the owner. Buyers also will have forms the vessel can fill out prior to unloading.

WFOA Canadian Members: Canadian Vessels are under a seperate certification. Buyers also have certain requirements. There is a sign up procedure with the CHMSF - Link, and contact information.

Buyers: WFOA will maintain and post on this webpage a list of designated MSC buyers that are in the MSC chain of custody (CoC). Qualified buyers on this list have agreed to pay a $20/ton fee in 2010 on ALL albacore they buy despite whether it was MSC qualified or not. This fee will NOT be deducted from WFOA member proceeds. These funds will be for cost recovery of funds spent on certification and for future surveillance audits and re-certification. The amount will be reassessed at the end of the season. Buyers abusing any of these conditions will be removed from the designated buyer list and MSC and "MSC CoC Certification Bodies" will be notified.

Off-Vessel Sales WFOA and Non-Member vessels wishing to sell albacore off their vessel must sign a Designated Party Agreement to be able to state the albacore is MSC certified. They do not have to enter the chain of custody. If vessels intend to use the logo on the fish they will have to make arrangments with MSC itself. Contact WFOA for an agreement.

VESSEL QUALIFYING CRITERIA

U.S. Documented or State Registered vessel
Valid HMS permit
HSFCA registration if fishing beyond 200 miles
If fishing west of 150W longitude, vessel must be registered with WCPFC and in compliance with their requirements
Only troll or baitboat methods on that particular trip. No albacore will be MSC eligible if landed on a trip during which albacore were caught by any other method or gear type.
Only owners of MSC-qualified vessels can directly sell MSC-certified albacore off-vessel; otherwise there must be a fish ticket or bill of lading from the first buyer who certifies that the albacore came from MSC-qualified vessels. Secondary sellers of MSC-eligible albacore must also obtain MSC Chain of Custody certification.
To sell MSC-certified albacore directly to the public, vessel owners must comply with MSC Chain of Custody requirements. To meet these requirements, a vessel owner must sign a Designated Party Agreement with WFOA. This also applies to vessels processing at sea or in the harbor. A secondary requirement is a "fish and game sellers license number" issued by your state. (If you do not intend to use the MSC certification, then you have no such requirements.)

MSC Contact for Questions Dan Averill, Fisheries Outreach Manager-Americas, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), 2110 N Pacific St., #102,Seattle, WA,98103
Office: 206-631-2493
Mobile: 206-910-8900
Fax: 206-547-1107
Skype: dan.averill (Seattle)