Pollock: Declining Sustainably.
A natural downturn calls an ecolabel into question.
The Pollock fishery is the largest in North America. According to an article in the Seattle Times it is on the decline. A 26% cut in the fishery has been recommended by the US based Fisheries Science Centre.
The Pollock fishery was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as a sustainable harvest in 2005.
While the Fisheries Science Centre chalks the decline up to natural cycle in the Pollock population, the article illustrates the challenge of providing a steady label to a dynamic environment.
Ecolabels, especially those with close links to rapidly changing conditions like those found in fisheries, must be vigilant to changing conditions on the ground and prepared to respond to the questions those conditions may raise.
Business & Technology | Tide turns for pollock harvesting | Seattle Times Newspaper
Tags: fisheries, standards
Posted by Jacob on Friday, November 16th, 2007 | Permalink |
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ecolabelling.org blog - Students Get Good Fish says:
[…] An article in icWales notes that the schools are also launching an education programme on overfishing and its challenges. We could use a little of that forward thinking here on the west coast of North America, where even our sustainable fish stocks are shrinking. […]
Posted by ecolabelling.org blog - Students Get Good Fish on Thursday, November 29th, 2007 at 11:34 | Permalink