MSC Board reduces cap on costs in Objections Procedure

The cost for parties involved in an MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) fishery assessment to lodge an objection under the MSC's Objections Procedure  will be reduced following a decision by the MSC Board of Trustees to reduce the maximum amount payable from £15,000 to £5,000, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to MSC.

The MSC Objections Procedure offers participants in a fishery assessment a fair and transparent review, by an Independent Adjudicator, of contested certifier decisions, that is independent of the certifier, objector and MSC. 

Chris Ninnes, MSC Deputy Chief Executive, said: "The Objections Procedure is a key component of the MSC fishery assessment process and is yet another way the MSC program ensures that decisions are transparent and credible. Previous objections have resulted in changes to final certification decisions and have led to fisheries being required to fulfil additional action plans specifying improvements as part of the certification decision.

"The procedure already made provision for cost-sharing between objectors, a partial or complete waiver of fees and the opportunity to reach agreement through consultation.  This new decision to lower the cap on a contribution to costs further reduces the likelihood that a fishery client or engaged stakeholder will be deterred from lodging an objection to a certification decision by an inability to pay.  The MSC's credibility rests in part upon active stakeholder participation in fishery assessments; this decision helps ensure the full certification process is accessible to a wide constituency, and I welcome it."

The reduced cap on costs will come into effect immediately for all fisheries under assessment, and not subject to an existing objection; and for all fisheries that enter assessment or begin re-assessment after today.