Dr. Werner Kiene, Chair of the Board Marine Stewardship ......mammals. Indeed, most Antarctic marine...
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January 19, 2017 Mr. Rupert Howes,Chief Executive Dr. Werner Kiene, Chair of the Board Marine Stewardship Council Marine House 1 Snow Hill London EC1A 2DH Dear Mr. Howes and Dr. Kiene: On behalf of the undersigned conservation and animal protection organizations and the millions of citizens which support them worldwide, we are writing to express our deep concern regarding the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process, especially for those fisheries that involve the bycatch of chondrichthyes (sharks in particular) and cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). Many of our organizations have commented on fishery assessments under the MSC process, and over the years we have noted an apparent, and deeply worrying, lack of concern regarding the potential impacts on these species, as well as certain target species. It is our view that many of the fisheries that have been assessed via the MSC certification process have not been subject to an adequate review of information available on bycatch of non-target species. Often the Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) involved in an assessment fails to provide a robust and consistent evidence base for bycaught and Endangered, Threatened and Protected (ETP) species. There also appears to be a great deal of subjectivity in interpreting evidence and deciding on the severity of impacts of a given fishery, to the detriment of non-target species affected by that fishery. For many species of marine mammals and pelagic sharks, there is a lack of available stock assessments, leading to a high level of uncertainty as to their status. 1 The scoring guidelines under MSC Principle 2 aim to maintain bycaught secondary and ETP species above a “biological based limit” where the fishery does not hinder recovery. However, given that in-depth stock assessments are not available for such species, it means that biologically based safe limits have not been established, often making MSC guidelines under Principle 2 impossible to apply. It is a scientific principle that an absence of evidence should not be taken as evidence of an absence of impacts. This is an essential part of the precautionary approach to fisheries management. However, even when the CABs involved in the certification process acknowledge this lack of 1 In addition, the few studies which have been made on the evolution of these species numbers over time are not very promising. See for example Myers, et al. (2007) Cascading effects of the loss of apex predatory sharks from a coastal ocean. Science 315: 1846-1850, Myers and Worm (2003) Rapid worldwide depletion of predatory fish communities. Nature 423, Dulvy, et al. (2014) Extinction risk and conservation of the world's sharks and rays. Elife, Collette, et al. (2011) High value and long life - Double jeopardy for tunas and billfishes. Science 333: 291-292.
Transcript of Dr. Werner Kiene, Chair of the Board Marine Stewardship ......mammals. Indeed, most Antarctic marine...
January19,2017Mr.RupertHowes,ChiefExecutiveDr.WernerKiene,ChairoftheBoardMarineStewardshipCouncilMarineHouse1SnowHillLondonEC1A2DHDearMr.HowesandDr.Kiene:On behalf of the undersigned conservation and animal protection organizations and themillionsofcitizenswhichsupportthemworldwide,wearewritingtoexpressourdeepconcernregarding the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process, especially for thosefisheries that involve the bycatch of chondrichthyes (sharks in particular) and cetaceans(whales, dolphins and porpoises). Many of our organizations have commented on fisheryassessments under the MSC process, and over the years we have noted an apparent, anddeeplyworrying, lackof concern regarding thepotential impactson thesespecies,aswellascertaintargetspecies.It is our view that many of the fisheries that have been assessed via theMSC certificationprocesshavenotbeen subject toanadequate reviewof informationavailableonbycatchofnon-target species. Often the Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) involved in an assessmentfails to provide a robust and consistent evidence base for bycaught and Endangered,ThreatenedandProtected(ETP)species.Therealsoappearstobeagreatdealofsubjectivityininterpreting evidence and deciding on the severity of impacts of a given fishery, to thedetrimentofnon-targetspeciesaffectedbythatfishery.For many species of marine mammals and pelagic sharks, there is a lack of available stockassessments, leading to a high level of uncertainty as to their status.1 The scoring guidelinesunderMSCPrinciple2aimtomaintainbycaughtsecondaryandETPspeciesabovea“biologicalbased limit”where the fisherydoesnothinder recovery.However, given that in-depth stockassessmentsarenotavailableforsuchspecies,itmeansthatbiologicallybasedsafelimitshavenotbeenestablished,oftenmakingMSCguidelinesunderPrinciple2impossibletoapply.Itisascientificprinciplethatanabsenceofevidenceshouldnotbetakenasevidenceofanabsenceof impacts. This is anessential part of theprecautionary approach to fisheriesmanagement.However, evenwhen the CABs involved in the certification process acknowledge this lack of
1Inaddition,thefewstudieswhichhavebeenmadeontheevolutionofthesespeciesnumbersovertimearenotverypromising.SeeforexampleMyers,etal.(2007)Cascadingeffectsofthelossofapexpredatorysharksfromacoastalocean.Science315:1846-1850,MyersandWorm(2003)Rapidworldwidedepletionofpredatoryfishcommunities.Nature423,Dulvy,etal.(2014)Extinctionriskandconservationoftheworld'ssharksandrays.Elife,Collette,etal.(2011)Highvalueandlonglife-Doublejeopardyfortunasandbillfishes.Science333:291-292.
data, as has been noted above, fisheries have still been recommended to receive theMSCstampofapproval.WhiletherearealargenumberofMSCclientfisheriesaboutwhichwehaveseriousworries,weidentify below certain fisheries that best represent our concerns with the current MSCassessmentprocess,anditsfailuretoadequatelyaddresstheconservationoftargetandnon-targetspecies.TheAtlanticCanadianSwordfishLonglineFisheryAdeeply troublingcase inwhichMSCcertificationwasgranted,despiteknownhigh levelsofshark bycatch,was the 2011NorthwestAtlantic Canadian Swordfish Longline Fishery. At thetimeofcertification,thisfisherywasacknowledgedtokill35,000endangered,vulnerableandnear-threatened sharks per year, as well as impacting 200-500 endangered sea turtlesannually.2Despitetheknowledgethatthisfisheryhasaveryhighbycatchtotargetcatchratio,and that the quantity of bycaught species can even exceed that of the target species,3MSCgranted certification. In addition to the concerns regarding mortality rates of non-targetspecies, the certification of this fishery also highlighted another key deficiency with MSCcertifications--the failure to place strong conditions on the fishery to reduce and hopefullyeliminatebycatch.Indeed,innumerousMSCcertifiedfisherieswithknownbycatch,thereisafailuretoapplyanyconditionsatall.4Several organizations objected to this fishery obtaining MSC certification (the David SuzukiFoundation, the Ecology Action Centre, Oceana and Sea Turtle Conservancy), but thecertification was upheld. However, a recent doctoral thesis that looked at the conditionsplacedonthisfisheryintermsoftheirabilitytoaddressbycatchmitigationfoundthattherehasbeen,interalia,alackofaccountabilitybytheclient,concernsoverthequalityandquantityofobserver coverage, and a failure to include all bycaught species in logbook reports,5 thus 2Seee.g.CatchcompositionfromobserverreportsonETPspeciestoCanada’sDepartmentofFisheriesandOceans,2002to2009,BraznerJCandMcMillanJ.2008.Loggerheadturtle(Carettacaretta)bycatchinCanadianpelagiclonglinefisheries:RelativeimportanceinthewesternNorthAtlanticandopportunitiesformitigation.Fish.Res.91:310–324;Caruthers,E.H.et.al.(2009)Estimatingtheoddsofsurvivalandidentifyingmitigationopportunitiesforcommonbycatchinpelagiclonglinefisheries.BiologicalConservation,volume142,Issue11,November2009,Pages2620–2630.Forfurtherconcernsraisedaboutthecertificationofthisfishery,seehttp://www.davidsuzuki.org/media/news/downloads/2011/Expert-letter-opposing-Atlantic-Canadian-Swordfish-Longline-Fishery.pdf3Seee.g.Campana,S.E.,Brading,J.,&Joyce,W.(2011).EstimationofpelagicsharkbycatchandassociatedmortalityinCanadianAtlanticFisheries(CSASResearchDocument2011/067)andLewison,R.L.,Crowder,L.B.,Read,A.J.,&Freeman,S.A.(2004).Understandingimpactsoffisheriesbycatchonmarinemegafauna.TrendsinEcologyandEvolution,19,598-604.4Ofmajorconcernisthelackofconditionsmandatingasufficientlevelofobservercoveragetoguaranteerobustestimatesofbycatch.Atleast20percentormorecoveragemaybeneeded,andwhererarespeciesareinvolved,thisneedrisestobetween50to100percent.Seee.g.Gilman,E.etal.2012.PerformanceAssessmentofBycatchandDiscardsGovernancebyRegionalFisheriesManagementOrganizations,IUCN,GlandandDebski,I.etal.2016.Observercoveragetomonitorseabirdcapturesinpelagiclonglinefisheries,WCPFC-SC12-2016/EB-IP-07.However,formanyoftheMSCcertifiedfisheries,thereislittletonoobservercoverageinplaceandconditionsfailtocallforthelevelsmentionedabove.Evenwhenconditionsareputinplace,theyoftenfailtoimproveinformationcollection.https://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ABC_Analysis_of_MSC_Certification_on_Seabird_Bycatch_Pt_1_Report.pdf5Wang,R.2013.AnalyzingbycatchmitigationintheMSC-certifiedCanadianNorthwestAtlanticlonglineswordfishfishery. ThesissubmittedforthedegreeofMasterofMarineManagementatDalhousieUniversity,Halifax,NovaScotia.95pp.
confirmingissuesraisedbyNGOsovertheefficacyoftheconditionsappliedtotheNorthwestAtlanticCanadianSwordfishLonglineFishery.AntarctickrillfisheriesTheAkerBiomarineAntarctickrill (Euphausiasuperba)fisherywascertifiedin2009.Althoughnot directly through bycatch, this fishery has a significant ecosystem impact on marinemammals.Indeed,mostAntarcticmarinemammalsfeedonkrill,andresearchrevealsthatthecumulative impact of the fishing activity and climate change on krill is leading to declines intheir predators.6 Certification of this fisherywas objected to by the Antarctic and SouthernOceanCoalition,buttheobjectionwasnotaccepted.In 2015, despite the fact that the new public certification assessment report for the fisheryacknowledgedthat“thereisnoannualorupdatedstockassessmentofkrillavailable,justnewassessments of old data sometimes with fresh assumptions or different interpretations ofparameters”andanacknowledgmentthatrapidclimatechange intheAntarctichasa“directcausal relationshipbetweenvariability in sea-icecover,krill recruitment,preyavailabilityandpredator foraging ecology”,7 the Aker Biomarine krill fishery was re-certified. Another krillfishery,theRimfrostAntarctickrillfisherywascertifiedin2015,despitesimilarconcernsastodatadeficiencyandecosystemchangesbeingacknowledged8andthefactthatkrill-dependentcetaceanstocksremaindepressedinAntarctica.9TheNZOrangeroughydeep-seabottomtrawlfisheryTheNewZealandorangeroughyfisheryhashadalonghistoryofserialdepletionandrepeatedstockcrashes.10Throughouttheassessmentprocessforthisfishery,NGOsraisedconcernsastothe unsustainability of orange roughy fish stocks, and the fact that there had been knownunder-reportinganddumpingoffishspecies, includingmisreportingoforangeroughylandingdata. A recent report –cited by those groups contesting the certification-- showed that for
6Jacquet,etal.(2016)‘Rationaluse’inAntarcticwaters.MarinePolicy63:28-34. 7Hønneland,G.,et.al.(2015)AkerBiomarineAntarcticKrillFishery-PublicCertificationReport.FoodCertificationInternationalLtd,January2015.167pp.20150116-PCR_v2-KRI001.8Hønneland,G.,et.al..(2015)OlympicSeafoodAntarcticKrillFishery-PublicCertificationReport.FoodCertificationInternationalLtd,August2015.2015082-PCR-KRI481.9Ainley,D.G.andPauly,D.(2014).FishingdownthefoodweboftheAntarcticcontinentalslopeandshelf.PolarRecordVolume50,Issue1,January2014,pages92-107.10Seee.g.Clark,M.R.et.al.(1999)Theeffectsofcommercialexploitationonorangeroughy(Hoplostethusatlanticus)fromthecontinentalslopeoftheChathamRise,NewZealand,from1979to1997.FisheriesResearch45(2000)217-238andNorse,E.A.(2012).Sustainabilityofdeep-seafisheries.MarinePolicy36,pages307-320.
decades there had been serial misreporting of New Zealand catch statistics; a governmentreportacknowledgedaswellthattherehadbeengraveconcernsregardingdiscardsoffishforyears.InJuneof2016,WWF,theDeepSeaConservationCoalition,Greenpeace,BLOOMAssociationand ECO-NZ objected to the certification of the fishery, citing the above information aswellhighlighting the negative impacts of deep-sea bottom trawl fisheries on both ETP species ofcoral and vulnerablemarine deep-sea ecosystems. Recent scientific studies have shown thatdeep-sea bottom trawl impacts are “...effectively irreversible on time-scales of naturalecological processes” and that recovery times for impacted deep-seamegabenthos can takecenturies tomillennia.11 However, theobjectionwasnotultimately successfuland theNewZealandorangeroughyfisherywascertifiedinDecember2016.TheGulfofMainelobsterfisheryAnotherexampleofconcernistherecentlyproposedcertificationoftheGulfofMaineLobsterFishery. TheCAB for this fisheryhas recommended certificationdespite the fact this fisherypotentially impacts several species of cetaceans listed by the United States as endangered.Ropesusedbyfixed-geartrap(alsoknownaspot)fishersfromCanadaandtheEastCoastoftheUnitedStatesareknowntooccasionallyentanglelargewhales.12TheCABitselfacknowledgedthat, ““[t]he assessment team has no doubt that U.S. lobster fisheries including the Gulf ofMainelobsterfisheryposeasignificantrisktoendangeredlargewhales.”13Thepopulationsizeofoneofthoseendangeredlargewhales,theNorthAtlanticrightwhale(Eubalenaglacialis),iscurrently estimated to be 450. A single mortality of a right whale is above what could beconsideredabiologicallysaferemovallevel.14AnumberofotherMSCcertifiedlobsterfisheriesoverlap with the right whales’ range, making the potential for cumulative impacts of MSCfisheriesonthisendangeredspeciesevengreater,yetthefisheryhasbeenproposedtoreceivetheMSClabel.
11Clark,M.R.,Althaus,F.,Schlacher,T.A.,Williams,A.,Bowden,D.A.,andRowden,A.A.(2016)Theimpactsofdeep-seafisheriesonbenthiccommunities:areview.ICESJournalofMarineScience,73:i51–i69.Clark,M.,Anderson,O.,Dunkin,M.,Mackay,K.,Notman,P.,Roux,M-J.&Tracey,D.(2015)Assessmentoforangeroughyandoreotrawlfootprintinrelationtoprotectedcoralspeciesdistribution.MSCP12.3.1.February2015.NIWAClientReportNo:WLG2014-56preparedforDeepwaterGroupLimited.57p.12McCarronandTetreault(2012)LobsterPotGearCongurationsintheGulfofMaine.ConsortiumforWildlifeBycatchReduction,MaineLobstermen'sAssociation,NewEnglandAquarium,.36p.13SAIGloballettertoAmyR.Knowlton,ScottD.Kraus,andTimothyWerner,NewEnglandAquarium.August26,2016.WenotethatthereareanumberofotherMSCcertifiedlobsterfisheriesthatimpactrightwhalesacrosstheirrange,leadingtothepotentialforadditionalcumulativeimpactsonthespeciesbyMSC-certifiedfisheries.14ThecurrentUSNationalMarineFisheriesServicedraftassessmentofseriousinjuryandmortalitytorightwhalesfortheyears2010-2015givesanannualaverageof5.16whalesperyearagainstaPotentialBiologicalRemoval(PBR)of1.InSeptemberof2016,andasnotedbytheCAB,tworightwhalesdiedduetoentanglementinfishinggear,andathirdwasreleased,althoughitisnotknownwhetherthiswhalehassurvived.AdditionalinformationonfisheryimpactsonrightwhalescanbefoundatKrausSDet.al.(2016)RecentScientificPublicationsCastDoubtonNorthAtlanticRightWhaleFuture.Front.Mar.Sci.,17August2016
ThisfailuretoadequatelyaddresscumulativeimpactsoffisheriesonwhatisknownasPrinciple2species (i.e.non-targetspecies, includingendangered, threatenedandprotectedspecies) isyetanothermajorconcernregardingMSC’scommitmenttoreducingbycatch.Whiletherewasimprovement in the 2014 MSC revised assessment guidelines as to cumulative impacts fortargetseafoodspecies(so-calledPrinciple1species),theguidelinesforPrinciple2specieswerechanged,butremainweak.MSCstatesthat,“…therequirementsforPrinciple2remainlowerthantherequirementsappliedtospeciesinPrinciple1,whereall impacts(MSCandnon-MSCfisheries)onastockareconsidered.”15GiventhatPrinciple2speciesforafisherycanincludehighlyendangeredspecieswebelievethatthisisamajorfailureoftheMSCguidelines.TheSpanishNorthandSouthAtlanticSwordfishFisheryTheSpanishNorthandSouthAtlanticSwordfishFisheryisanotherfisheryforwhichaCABhasrecently recommendedcertification. Despite itsname, this longline fishery ismadeupof75percentsharksandonly15percentswordfish.Asoneofthelargestshark-fishingoperationsinthe world, this fishery impacts blue and mako sharks, as well as ETP shark species such ashammerheads, porbeagle and thresher sharks, all of which are listed on Appendix II of theConventiononInternationalTradeinEndangeredSpeciesofWildFaunaandFlora(CITES).The CAB’s recommendation for MSC certification for this fishery came despite havingacknowledged uncertainty regarding data inputs related to the North Atlantic stock of bluesharks. The CAB further admitted that “the possibility of the stock being overfished andoverfishingoccurring couldnotbe ruledout.” A recentpaper,whichwas referencedby theCAB in its assessment of this fishery, determined that the tracks of Spanish and Portugueselonglinevesselsoverlapwitharemarkable80.7percentofbluesharkrangeand79.6percentofmakosharkpreferredhabitat. Thispaper further stated that “thepersistentuseof localizedareas that overlap fishing effort indicates potential for overexploitation at the ocean-basinscale.”16Yetcertificationhasbeenrecommended.TheNortheasternTropicalPacificpurseseineyellowfinandskipjacktunafisheryAtroublingfisheryproposedforMSCapprovalistheNortheasternTropicalPacificpurseseineyellowfin and skipjack tuna fishery, which is part of the InterAmerican Tropical TunaCommission’smanagement area. The CAB for this fishery has indicated its support forMSCcertification, despite the fact it involves thedeliberate settingof nets ondolphins. Scientistshave noted that there are currently no reliable indicators with which to monitor dolphinabundance in the Northeastern Tropical Pacific, and have called this lack of data
15Seepage9athttps://improvements.msc.org/database/fisheries-standard-review/documents/launch-of-the-fcr-v2.0/Summary%20of%20Changes-Fisheries%20Certification%20Requirements%20v2.0.pdf16 Queiroz,N..Humphries,N.E.,Mucientes,G.,Hammerschlag,N.,Lima,F.P.,Scales,K.L.,Miller,P.I.,Sousa,L.,Seabra,R.andSims,D.W.(2016).Ocean-widetrackingofpelagicsharksrevealsextentofoverlapwithlonglinefishinghotspotsPNAS2016113(6)1582-1587;publishedaheadofprintJanuary25,2016,doi:10.1073/pnas.1510090113.
“problematic.”17 The proposed certification has been objected to by environmentalorganizations.Beyondthe issueof“numbers” is theethicalconsideration involved in thedirect targetingofdolphinsbytunafishers.Inadditiontoknownmortality,anyreleaseddolphinssufferthestressof capture. There is known separation of young dolphins from their mothers, and seriousinjuries can also occur which could eventually lead to additional mortality. Other tunamanagement bodies, including the IndianOcean Tuna Commission andWestern and CentralPacificTunaCommissionhavepassedresolutionsstatingthatthedeliberatesettingofnetsondolphinsshouldnottakeplace.18Whileconcernshavebeenraisedaboutbycatchofnon-targetspecies in floating object-related sets in purse seine yellowfin and skipjack tuna fisheries(promotedasanalternativetodolphinsets),thereisanotheroptionavailabletobothcetaceanand fishaggregatingdevice (FAD) sets, i.e. free school sets inwhich levelsofbycatchare farlowerthanthosefoundinobject/FADrelatedsets.19WeurgetheMSCnotcertifythosefisheriesnamedabovethatarestillpendingcertification,tore-assess the certificationsof thosenamed fisheries thathave receivedMSCapproval,and toclarifyitsstandardssothatitisnotpossiblethatunsustainablefisheriesarecertified.Inaddition,werequestthattheMSC:
Ø forbids the entry of fisheries catching top-predators while using non-discriminatorymethods, and fisheries involving the deliberate encirclement of cetaceans in the fullevaluation,asitdoeswithfisheriesthatinvolvetheuseofdynamite,poison,andsharkfinning.Sortingoutunsustainablefisheriesthroughtheuseofclear-cutpre-assessmentguidelineswoulddiminishtheriskofCABscertifyingthesefisheries.
Ø includes IUCN-listed fish species in the definition of ETP species in V2.0 of the MSCstandard(version2.0.oftheMSCstandardincludedtheamphibian,reptiles,birdsandmammalspecieslistedontheIUCNRedlistinthedefinitionof"ETPspecies",whichisawelcomedimprovementcomparedtoV1.3ofthestandard,yetthisacceptanceofIUCNguidelineshasnotbeenextendedtoincludeIUCN-listedfishes).
17Scott,M.et.al.(2016)DataavailableforassessingDolphinPopulationStatusintheEasternTropicalPacificOcean.http://www.iattc.org/Meetings/Meetings2016/DolphinWorkshop/IATTC-Dolphin-Workshop-October%202016-Background01.pdf18TheIOTCresolutionsreads:“ContractingPartiesandCooperatingNon-ContractingParties(collectively,CPCs)shallprohibittheirflaggedvesselsfromintentionallysettingapurseseinenetaroundacetaceanintheIOTCareaofcompetence,iftheanimalissightedpriortothecommencementoftheset.”Seehttp://www.iotc.org/cmm/resolution-1304-conservation-cetaceans.TheWCPFCresolution,whichcontainssimilarlanguage,canbefoundathttp://bmis.wcpfc.int/docs/decisions/IOTC_2013_Cetaceans_Res_13-04.pdf19Globalbycatchratesintunapurseseinefisheriesis0.6%forfreeschoolsetsascomparedto2.4%forobject/FADsets.FromAgnew,D.(2016).Traceabilitysolutionsfortunafisheriesat-seaandintothesupplychain.SeafoodWebSummitpresentation.
Ø modifyitsstandardsothatitaddressesadequatelyallcumulativeimpacts-fisheryandenvironmental-ontarget,bycatchandETPspecies.
Further,regardingethicalconsiderations,weareconcernedthatMSChascertifiedfisheriesinNorway and Iceland in which vessels and/or processing companies listed as certificateshareholdersarealsoengagedincommercialwhaling.20Webelieve that by certifying fisherieswithout considering theirwider environmental impactandconduct,MSCunderminespublicconfidencein itscertificationprogram,andasareliableenvironmental certification standard. As consumers look to theMSC “brand” to help themmake informed seafood purchasing decisions, our organizations believe that they should bemadeawareof the fact thatanMSCcertificationdoesnot indicatetheabsenceofsharkandcetaceanbycatch.WethankyouforyourconsiderationofourconcernsregardingMSCcertificationsoffisherieswith significantbycatch.Please feel free tocontactKateO’Connell (AnimalWelfare Institute,USA)or FriederikeKremer-Obrock (SharkprojectGermanye.V.) todiscuss if youhave furtherquestions,orshouldyouelecttoreplytothisletter.Sincerely,
KateO’ConnellFriederikeKremer-Obrock(AnimalWelfareInstitute)(SharkprojectGermanye.V.)[email protected]@sharkproject.orgOnbehalfofthefollowingorganizations:
20TheNorwegianinformationisbasedonacomparisonofvesselsholdingwhalingquotasasperNorway’sFisheriesDirectoratevesselregistry(Fiskeridirektoratetsfartøyregisteravailableatwww.fiskeridir.no)andMSCassessments.AmongthoseNorwegianfisherieswithlinkstowhalingaretheNorwayNorthEastArcticandNorthSeaSaitheFisheries.Thepubliccertificationreport(PCR)forthesefisheries(20130614_PCR_SAI118),statesthatallNorwegianvesselsfishingforsaitheareeligibleforcertification;anumberofwhalingvesselsholdquotasforsaithe.ThePCRfortheNorwaySpringSpawningherringfishery(NorwaySSH-PCR20140702)isyetanotherNorwegianMSCcertifiedfisherythatlistsanumberofknownwhalingvesselsamongitseligiblevessels.AnexampleofaNorwegianprocessingcompanythatholdsMSCcertificationistheHopenFiskAScompany(seehttp://www.hopenfisk.no/images/pdf_doc/MSC%2020.02.2012.pdf).Hopenbuys,processesandsellswhalemeat:http://www.hopenfisk.no/index.php/nb/produkter/hvalkjott.InIceland,theHBGrandicompanyislinkedtotheHvalurwhalingcompanywhichhuntsendangeredfinwhales.InthepastHBGrandipremiseshavebeenusedtoprocesswhalemeat,http://awionline.org/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/EIA_Iceland_Whaling_report_0914_FINAL_MEDRES.pdf.HBGrandiisacertificateshareholderforanumberofIcelandSustainableFisheries(ISF),includingcod,haddock,saithe,ling,goldenredfishandgillnetlumpfish.Seelistofclientgroupmembersathttps://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/isf-iceland-cod/@@assessments.ItshouldbenotedthatHvalurdidnotengageinfinwhalingin2016.
