The MSC program has established three main principles that fisheries must meet before they can be certified as sustainable. First, the fishery must be conducted in a way that does not take more fish than can be replenished naturally or kills other species through harmful fishing practices. Second, the fishery must operate in a manner that ensures the health and diversity of the marine ecosystem on which it depends. Finally, the fishery must respect local, national, and international laws and regulations governing responsible and sustainable fishing.
Fisheries volunteer to be assessed by an independent, third-party certifier.
If successful, companies that fish or sell fish from these sustainable fisheries will be able to carry the MSC logo on their products. Consumers will be able to buy clearly labelled products knowing that they come from sustainable sources. Major buyers of Canadian salmon are telling us that we must get certified or they will stop buying from us. Loss of these markets would immediately impact the landed price for salmon in 2001, as well as the market price of fresh and frozen salmon. Over the last five years, the BC salmon fishery has changed dramatically.