Aker QRILL Company's Antarctic Krill Fishery Recertified by MSC Amidst NGO Objections
Aker QRILL Company's Antarctic krill fishery has been recertified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard, marking its continuous certification since 2010. This latest five-year reassessment involved a rigorous process, including an independent review following formal objections from two NGOs, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC) and WWF-UK. The fishery achieved strong scores across all three MSC principles: sustainability of target stocks (86.7), environmental and ecosystem impacts (88.7), and fisheries management system (93.5). The recertification includes two conditions aimed at improving local-scale fisheries management, preventing concentrated fishing activity, and strengthening ecosystem safeguards. These conditions are a standard part of the MSC program, designed to encourage ongoing improvements in fishery performance. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) sets precautionary measures, such as limiting catches to approximate...
