The independent adjudicator presiding over the objection process for the Echebastar Indian Ocean purse seine tuna fishery assessment has asked assessment body, Acoura, to review its determination to certify the fishery to the MSC Fisheries Standard.

The Echebastar fishery entered into full assessment on 22 January 2013. Independent adjudication was triggered by objections received from The International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) and WWF. The independent adjudicator, Eldon Greenberg, has considered these objections alongside Acoura’s response to the objections.

The Acoura team responsible for assessing the fishery, and recommending its certification, will now have until 8 September 2015 to consider and respond to the points raised by the independent adjudicator.

Eldon Greenberg, a legal expert with extensive fisheries, legal, and mediation experience, requires the assessment team to review its scoring of Performance Indicator 1.2.2 of the MSC Fisheries Standard for each of the units of certification covered by the Echebastar assessment. This performance indicator relates to harvest control rules.

Following Acoura’s response, WWF and IPNLF will have an opportunity to input into this response by 15 September 2015. The independent adjudicator will then make a final decision on whether the issues raised have been adequately addressed.

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