Though the COVID-19 pandemic has already upended the outlook for the 2021 Alaska pollock sector -- both on the supply and demand side -- a series of other factors are at play at this year in the industry that could further complicate the market, one being the potential of a significantly higher volume of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish on the market.
Russia's Pollock Catcher Association's (PCA) decision to enter the Western Bering Sea harvesting region into the MSC certification process in September has been a welcome development for both the Russian industry and for buyers in Europe in particular, but exactly when the product will appear on global markets is a bit of a moving target.
