In Blistering Critique, WWF Says MSC Financial Goals Weakened Its Standards for Indian Ocean Tuna
SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton - December 7, 2016
In a blistering paper written at the highest levels of WWF, by Alfred Schumm, Fisheries Director for WWF International, WWF claims that MSC’s conflict of interest over gaining logo revenue from tuna caused it to interfere and weaken its standard. (link)
As a result, the WWF questions whether it should continue to participate as a stakeholder in MSC certifications, especially on tuna, because the application of the MSC standard has been compromised.
While the WWF initially felt that holding tuna fisheries to MSC standards, including conditions required for those fisheries that are certified, would provide long-term management benefit, the organization no longer believes this. The reason is that the MSC has compromised its standards on harvest control rules for tuna fisheries, in a manner that allows it to get revenue and certify fisheries, with no assurance ever that a management body will put a real harvest control rule in place.
As a result, the WWF says MSC tuna certifications actually hinder long-term management success ..
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