South West handline fishermen have given thumbs down to renewing its Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) accreditation for at least one year, industry leaders have said.

At the South West Hand Line Fishermen's Association (SWHFA) annual general meeting at Mevagissey Social Club members were shocked to hear how a "staggering sum" of £12,000 plus VAT must soon be paid to assessors and auditors Moody Marine Ltd for recertification of the MSC accreditation of handline caught mackerel.

One angry member said: "Don't be fooled, that's going to be a rubber stamp job, more or less."

SWHFA achieved its MSC status in 2007, which expires in February next year. But secretary David Muirhead said: "We have to make our decision now as it may take Moody Marine some time to reassess."

Members discussed the pros and cons of accepting financial support from fish merchants and processors to stay within MSC accreditation.

"I have no idea how much the firms may offer, but there is possible grant aid too", explained chairman of SWHFA, Skipper David Bond. However, the "gut feeling" among the 30 or so members present, was to look for an alternative means of promoting "what is a well established product," added Skipper Bond.

Those present said they were "seriously concerned" about the current stalemate in the Iceland and Faroes Mackerel War; and should over-fishing take place, the MSC's threat to withdraw its accreditation from all UK mackerel fisheries.

After discussing the potential of losing all or part of £12,000, a unanimous vote was given to hold back on its forthcoming recertification.

SWHFA member Rob Preston told how MSC accreditation is falling out of favour with some end sellers, saying: "Having spoken many times to a local processor they told me how more of their buyers are not going down the MSC route anymore, it just costs too much for them to get any benefit from it, the same as it does for us, we must ask ourselves what has the MSC accreditation really done for the prices paid to us (for mackerel) over the four years we have had it.

"I feel we should at least consider other ways of promoting our product."

Another member said the biggest short-fall of having MSC accreditation would be its broad brush nature, reminding those present that "rather than limiting MSC accreditation to members of SWHFA, and we worked hard to develop that product and have paid handsomely for it, it gives accreditation to all of the regions handline fishermen, like the St Ives men who are not members, and it isn't right".

Looe skipper and SWHFA member, Graham Jolliff, said: "The MSC is out of hand and giving its backing to the big pelagic boats that can take up to 1,000 tons (of mackerel) per boat per day and the slippage that goes with it, and they can't say there isn't any slippage or dumping, there's plenty of it and can come here to see it, what is the MSC credibility in that?"

Also present was Mick Bacon of Seafish, who runs the Responsible Fishing Scheme (RFS), who explained how by having a "group scheme basis" sampling various boats within the SWHFA fleet each year, and vary that sample year after year, those boats and skippers may achieve RFS accreditation for far less than they would do individually.

He commented: "Unlike the MSC we do not charge for the use of our logo, three times each year we send details and newsletters to all UK processors, wholesalers and retailers giving details of what's going on.

"We have a detailed and active website where anyone can see the RFS boats, each having its own details; basically you as a skipper can have posted on there anything you feel will promote your business. We are here to promote your business."