“We think you work very hard to make the lobster fishery sustainable, and we think it’s time to tell the world what you do,” said John Hathaway, president of the Richmond-based Shucks Maine Lobster. “Sustainability is not a fad.” Hathaway is a member of the Governor’s Working Group that is investigating Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for Maine lobster. MSC is an international nonprofit organization that developed standards for sustainable fishing practices and seafood traceability that must meet three core principles: fishing activity must be at a level which is sustainable for the fish population, environmental impacts must be minimized, and the fishery must meet local, national and international laws and must have a management system in place to respond to changing circumstances. The MSC program requires assessments to be carried out by independent, third-party certifiers. Fisheries voluntarily enter the assessment process and appoint a certifier to look at the unique circumstances of each fishery. Certification allows seafood within the supply chain – from boat to plate – to carry the MSC's “ecolabel.” The decision whether to carry the label is voluntary, and there is no fee for fishermen. A pre-assessment was completed by Moody Marine in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the working group decided to go to a full assessment, he said. Private money, about $150,000, was raised to move the process forward, Hathaway said. Currently, there are more than 200 fisheries worldwide that are either certified as sustainable or seeking certification with MSC. Certification will not result in more regulations, he said. As part of the full assessment, Moody Marine will be in Maine from April 20-24, to conduct interviews with members of the industry. “Certification will benefit our brand greatly,” by differentiating Maine lobster from those harvested in Canada, Australia and everywhere else, expanding the market, and lifting the price, Hathaway said. |
