Fraser Sockeye Salmon fishery deemed sustainable, but critics disagree
Jes Abeita
August 3, 2010
The Vancouver Sun
VANCOUVER - The Fraser River Sockeye Salmon fishery was certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council Friday, but conservation groups called the certification misleading to consumers.
The certification review, conducted by an independent assessor, was “a very thorough scientific process,” said Kerry Koughlin, the MSC’s regional director for the Americas, in defence of the decision.
The certification report lists 17 conditions the fishery must meet, including continued improvement of the sockeye runs and provisions to protect and rebuild both the Sakinaw and Cultus salmon populations — considered endangered by conservationists.
If conditions are not met, Koughlin noted, the fishery will lose the certification.
Also, the report mandates yearly audits to track compliance, which “set the stage for significant fishery improvement,” she said.
The MSC certification can translate into significant economic benefits for a fishery. “Some fisheries see a price premium because MSC-certified seafood is very much in demand,” Koughlin said. Others have to obtain the certification just to be able to sell their catch.
Koughlin said the MSC’s recommendations have helped other fisheries improve their practices and health, but conservationists say some of the fish in the Fraser River Sockeye fishery are endangered.
The fishery comprises genetic groupings or populations of fish that spawn in specific streams and lakes within the Fraser watershed.
Aaron Hill, an ecologist with the Watershed Watch Salmon Society, said some of those populations are critically endangered, meaning the lakes and streams where the endangered fish spawn could wind up with no sockeye salmon — even though there are still seemingly plenty of sockeye in the Fraser.
“We’re hemorrhaging biological diversity among the Fraser River Sockeye ... and we’re continuing to harvest these endangered stock,” Hill said.
Read the full story In The Vancouver Sun
Read related stories:
- World Fishing Today; August 9, 2010; "Fraser River sockeye salmon certification under criticism"
- Nanaimo Daily News; July 31, 2010; "Salmon designation is controversial"
- Seafood Source; July 30, 2010; "It's official: Fraser Sockeye gets MSC eco-label"
Posted August 4th, 2010
