Unalaska, AK – The Russian pollock fisheries are seeking Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. The process recently began and could take more than two years to complete. The third party assessor will look at the health of the stock, the fishery's impact on the ecosystem and the management practices in the Western Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk.

Jim Gilmore of the At-Sea Processors Association doesn't think the potential certification will affect Alaskan pollock.

"I think our position in the marketplace is pretty steady and I don't think would be eroded too much if the Russian pollock fishery can get certified," he said.

Jim Humphreys of the MSC says it's unclear if certification affects the value of a fishery, though over 100 fisheries have sought it.

"It's very difficult to separate out certification from a number of other factors" that influence the value of a fishery, he said. "But we've certainly seen an increasing growth trend" in the number of fisheries seeking certification "over the past few years and we think that's because of the growing interest and this global trend towards sustainable seafood."

None of Russia's fisheries are currently certified, though two are going through the process. Only Alaska's pollock are certified, but a number of certified whitefish fisheries compete with the pollock.

Humphreys says part of the certification includes input from stakeholders. You can follow the assessment process through the MSC website at www.msc.org.