Public Certification Report NE Sakhalin Island Pink Salmon Fishery Nogliki & Smirnykh Districts MRAG Americas, Inc. 12 June 2012 CLIENT DETAILS: Sakhalin Salmon Initiative Center Mr. Sergei Didenko; Email: [email protected] Sakhalin Regional Fisheries Association Mr. Sergei Siyanov; Email: [email protected] Document template tracking no.: MRAG‐MSC‐7a‐v3 MSC reference standards: MSC Accreditation Manual Version 5 MSC Fisheries Certification Methodology (FCM) Version 6 Fishery Assessment Methodology Version (FAM) Version 2.1 MSC Chain of Custody Certification Methodology (CoC CM) Version 7 MSC TAB Directives (All) MSC Policy Advisories (All) Project Code: RU1090_ MF Issue ref: Northeast Sakhalin Pink Salmon – Final Report and Determination Date of issue: 12 June 2012 Prepared by: RB, VT, RT Checked/Approved by: RJT Page 2 of 173 Contents 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 5 2 SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Summary of the evaluation results ...................................................................................... 7 2.2 Previous assessments and harmonization with other MSC assessments ............................ 10 3 BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................... 11 3.1 Authors/Reviewers ........................................................................................................... 11 3.2 Peer Reviewers ................................................................................................................. 12 3.3 Field Inspections ............................................................................................................... 12 3.4 Supplemental consultation ............................................................................................... 15 4 FISHERY DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................... 16 4.1 Area description ............................................................................................................... 16 4.2 Fishing Method ................................................................................................................. 19 4.2.1 Gear ........................................................................................................................................... 19 4.2.2 Seasons ...................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2.3 Organization .............................................................................................................................. 21 4.3 Harvested Species –Pink Salmon ....................................................................................... 22 4.3.1 Description ................................................................................................................................ 22 4.3.2 Stock Structure .......................................................................................................................... 23 4.3.3 Status ......................................................................................................................................... 26 4.4 Harvest ............................................................................................................................. 35 4.4.1 Commercial fishery .................................................................................................................... 35 4.4.2 Sport & Indigenous fisheries ..................................................................................................... 38 4.4.3 Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing .............................................................................. 38 4.4.4 Other fisheries in vicinity ........................................................................................................... 42 4.5 Enhancement .................................................................................................................... 42 4.5.1 Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 42 4.5.2 Facilities ..................................................................................................................................... 42 4.5.3 Production ................................................................................................................................. 46 4.5.4 Practices .................................................................................................................................... 47 4.5.5 Regulation ................................................................................................................................. 49 4.5.6 Evaluations ................................................................................................................................ 50 4.6 Ecosystem Elements .......................................................................................................... 52 4.6.1 Retained Species ....................................................................................................................... 52 4.6.2 By‐catch ..................................................................................................................................... 54 4.6.3 ETP Species ................................................................................................................................ 56 4.6.4 Habitat Conditions ..................................................................................................................... 60 4.6.5 Ecosystems ................................................................................................................................ 61 4.7 Management System ........................................................................................................ 62 4.7.1 Management Structure ............................................................................................................. 62 4.7.2 Preseason Management............................................................................................................ 68 4.7.3 In‐season Process ...................................................................................................................... 69 4.7.4 Enforcement .............................................................................................................................. 70 4.7.5 Protected, Endangered, or Threatened Species ........................................................................ 71 4.7.6 Environmental Protection ......................................................................................................... 71 4.7.7 Research plan ............................................................................................................................ 72 4.7.8 International Management ....................................................................................................... 72 5 EVALUATION PROCEDURE ...................................................................................................... 74 Page 3 of 173 5.1 Assessment Criteria – Performance Indicators & Scoring Guideposts ................................. 74 5.2 Evaluation Techniques ...................................................................................................... 76 5.2.1 Traditional assessment .............................................................................................................. 76 6 ASSESSMENT RESULTS .......................................................................................................... 80 6.1 Determination .................................................................................................................. 80 6.1.1 Scoring summary tables ............................................................................................................ 80 6.1.2 Principle I – Target Stocks (Northeast Region) .......................................................................... 81 6.1.3 Principle II – Ecosystem ............................................................................................................. 95 6.1.4 Principle III – Management System ......................................................................................... 112 6.2 Tracking and tracing fish and fish products ..................................................................... 122 6.2.1 Traceability .............................................................................................................................. 122 6.2.2 Points of landing ...................................................................................................................... 123 6.2.3 Eligibility to enter chains of custody ....................................................................................... 123 6.2.4 Target eligibility date ............................................................................................................... 123 6.3 Stakeholder comments ................................................................................................... 123 6.4 Objections Process .........................................................................................................