On the Hook has launched an external review of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), on the basis that the MSC is failing to deliver on its vision of ‘an ocean teeming with life’. This recent trajectory change in the campaign comes with a consultation survey currently open to all stakeholders to gather their perspectives and recommendations for improvements to the MSC program.
In the article, the MSC stated that it is disappointed in the launch of this review and sees it as an ‘unnecessary distraction’ and disagrees with On the Hook’s claims that the MSC is not fit for purpose in driving progress in sustainable fishing.
Our thoughts: While we have been trying to work with MSC by engaging in the FSR to achieve the critical improvements to ensure this new Standard will deliver on its intent there has been growing frustration in the stakeholder community about the MSC’s unwillingness to listen and transparently engage with stakeholders during this FSR, resulting in a call for a completely independent review challenging the MSC’s governance structure as such.
The huge degree of discretion provided to CABs for decision making within the current Standard and the apparent intended continuation of this “expert knowledge” being allowed to overrule requirements or define critical definitions like “negligible” or “alternative measures” in the new Standard are major problems. Without the improvements we have requested in our letter being applied, this new Standard will not result in improvements on the water and MSC risks losing credibility with stakeholders, both from the NGO sector and scientists, as well as with the retail sector and with consumers. Therefore, it is now up to the MSC to either reinvent itself or risk being reinvented by others.
