Suspension of the MSC certificate for the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery in the US

The article highlights the suspension of the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery's MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification, effective December 15, 2022, due to the fishery's inability to meet the MSC standard amidst growing concerns over right whale protection. The suspension was imposed by a third-party assessor following a notice of suspension issued in December 2022, marking the end of the fishery's status as an MSC-certified sustainable fishery and the loss of the MSC bluefish eco-label. This suspension was necessary to mitigate the increasing risk of interactions between right whales, fishing gear, and maritime transport vessels, a problem that arose since the initial certification in December 2016.