Arizona Tribune - Marine Stewardship Council Joins Science Center for Marine Fisheries

The MSC is the world's leading environmental certification for wild-capture fisheries. Meeting the organization's Fisheries Standard is a rigorous process that ensures that any seafood product carrying the MSC-certified blue fish label meets the highest benchmarks for sustainability. Fisheries that are certified against the Fisheries Standard, which is confirmed after an extensive independent audit, have a proven track record of effective management, strong science, and environmental stewardship.

"The Marine Stewardship Council shares the Center's mission of supporting critical scientific research for economically important fisheries," said Dr. Eric Powell, of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Director of SCEMFIS. "Our research has helped our fisheries be better managed and more sustainable, and MSC's membership will help us expand that work."

SCEMFIS is a member of the National Science Foundation's Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program, which brings together leading marine science academics and members of fishing industry to collaborate on relevant research projects, fill gaps in scientific knowledge, and utilize the results of completed research to fill industry needs. As a member of the Center's Industry Advisory Board, MSC will have a role in identifying and funding needed research for some of the country's most important finfish and shellfish fisheries.

"The MSC is delighted to join SCEMFIS as a member to support and contribute to cutting-edge research that deepens our understanding of U.S. fisheries," said Anthony Mastitski, Fisheries Outreach Manager for the MSC. "SCEMFIS plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific research across U.S. fisheries, including many that are MSC-certified. Thanks in part to SCEMFIS, these fisheries have maintained their certifications and continue to offer sustainable seafood options to consumers at home and abroad."

The partnership between SCEMFIS and MSC naturally aligns due to complementary missions focused on sustainable fisheries. SCEMFIS's work has shown tangible impact with helping certified fisheries address and close conditions within the MSC program like improving stock health, reducing environmental impacts, and strengthening the scientific foundations of sustainable management.

SCEMFIS has long supported research that improves the sustainability of our member fisheries. Several fisheries that have benefited from SCEMFIS research have been certified sustainable by the MSC standard, including Atlantic and Gulf menhaden, Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog, longfin and shortfin squid, black sea bass, summer flounder, and scup.

SCEMFIS research has examined important issues facing these fisheries. SCEMFIS researchers have published groundbreaking findings on topics such as how climate change has shifted the habitats of Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog; have found ways to better estimate the ages and population sizes of surfclams and ocean quahogs; are researching ways to better set Atlantic menhaden catch limits; developed a detailed model of how Gulf menhaden and its predators interact in the Gulf food web; and have documented the economic impact of the Atlantic surfclam, scup, longfin squid, and summer flounder fisheries.

"Our industry members are committed to the highest standards of sustainability," said Joe Myers, Senior Director of Innovation & Sustainability of Sea Watch International, and the current chair of the SCEMFIS IAB. "That's why we are thrilled to work with MSC as a partner in supporting the research that is vital to the future of our industries."

About SCEMFIS
The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) brings together academic and industry expertise to address urgent scientific challenges facing sustainable fisheries. Through advanced methods, analytical tools, and collaborative research, SCEMFIS works to reduce uncertainty in stock assessments and improve the long-term sustainability of key marine resources.

SCEMFIS is an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center supported by the National Science Foundation. Industry organizations join SCEMFIS through an Industry Membership Agreement with one of the center's site universities and contribute both financial support and valuable expertise to help shape research priorities.

Its university partners include the University of Southern Mississippi (lead institution) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College of William and Mary. The center also collaborates with scientists from a broad network of institutions, including Old Dominion University, Rutgers University, the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, the University of Maryland, and the University of Rhode Island. These researchers bring deep expertise in finfish, shellfish, and marine mammal science.

Demand for SCEMFIS's services continues to grow, driven by the fishing industry's need for responsive, science-based support. The center provides timely access to expert input on stock assessment issues, participates in working groups, and conducts targeted studies that lead to better data collection, improved survey design, and more accurate modeling-all in service of sustainable, science-driven fishery management.

About the Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to ending overfishing and ensuring seafood supplies for the future. A pioneer in sustainable fishing standards and a trusted nonprofit advocate for ocean sustainability, the MSC program sets environmental criteria to ensure healthy fish stocks, minimal harmful impacts on ocean ecosystems, and to promote effective management. The MSC Fisheries Standard is the world's most widely used environmental sustainability standard for wild-caught seafood, and the MSC blue fish ecolabel helps consumers identify products from fisheries that are independently certified. For more information, visit www.msc.org.

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SOURCE: Science Center for Marine Fisheries

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