Legal

Court rejects Russian Fishery Company's suspension from pollock association, says it can continue using Marine Stewardship Council eco-label

The ruling is the latest in the bitter back-and-forth between some of Russia's largest pollock companies.

Russian Fishery Company's membership in the Pollock Catchers Association (PCA) is safe for now, as is its ability to use the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) logo for fish harvested in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Russian Fishery Company's membership in the Pollock Catchers Association (PCA) is safe for now, as is its ability to use the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) logo for fish harvested in the Sea of Okhotsk.Foto: RFC

An arbitration court in Russia's Primorsky Krai region has suspended a decision by the country's pollock catchers association to expel groups affiliated with Russian Fishery Company (RFC).

The ruling, made at a preliminary hearing on Oct. 27, means that Russian Fishery will be allowed to continue to use the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certificate for product harvested in Russia's Sea of Okhotsk, according to a spokesperson with RFC.

Pollock Catcher Association (PCA) President Alexey Buglak declined to comment to IntraFish on the decision, pending a final court decision, which is scheduled for Nov. 26.

In September, six companies affiliated with RFC were kicked out of the PCA for proposing ways to reform the sector.

RFC said the decision was made after it asked the government to make reforms to the pollock fishery as part of an effort to boost the fishery's sustainability score under the MSC certification program.
RFC said last month it was preparing to apply for an independent MSC pollock certification.

The PCA is the client for Russian pollock's Sea of Okhotsk MSC certification, as well as the client for fresh effort to gain MSC certification for the Western Bering Sea region of the Russian pollock fishery.

The PCA entered the Western Bering Sea fishery into the MSC process on Sept. 25, with certification group Lloyd's Register putting forward a draft assessment based on initial data provided by PCA.

Lloyd’s estimates that the final certification for the fishery could come as early as June 2021.

(Copyright)
Published 9 November 2020, 17:55Updated 10 November 2020, 13:00
Alaska pollockRussian pollockRussian Fishery CompanyRussian Pollock Catcher Association (PCA)Alexey Buglak