The Maine lobster industry is al gear up to be certified as a sustainable fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Gov. John Baldacci has established a working group on Maine lobster sustainability last month and accepted a “pre-assessment report” concluding that the industry could probably meet MSC certification standards.
According to the governor the working group would explore whether the state’s industry could gain MSC certification. It is fact that MSC certification has become an important marketing tool for “green” retailers such as Whole Foods and many segments of the fishing industry. Currently, MSC has certified some 30 fisheries worldwide as meeting its sustainability standards, and more than 600 companies are certified by MSC as meeting its standards of seafood traceability.
The re-assessment report on Maine’s lobster industry is designed to give members of a fishery a clear look at how well their industry measures up to MSC standards and how difficult it might be to earn certification. According to the report, the Maine lobster industry stands a good chance of meeting the MSC’s requirements. The report pointed out several potential issues that might be raised during the certification process but concluded that none of them appear to be insurmountable.
