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How
Standards Were Developed |
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Development of the MAC international
Standards has been an international, multi-stakeholder endeavor.
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- The initial rough draft, developed
in 1999 by the MAC Executive Director, synthesized existing
information and preliminary stakeholder input. The MAC
Board of Directors and Strategic Planning Workshop reviewed
this draft in September. Marine Ornamentals 1999 conference
participants also provided input during MAC workshop sessions.
- The MAC Secretariat developed the initial working
draft of the MAC international Standards in October
2000. It was reviewed by the MAC Standards Advisory Group
(SAG) during November-December 2000 and by participants
of the Pacific Regional Workshop on the Aquarium Trade
(Nandi, Fiji) in February 2001. The multi-stakeholder
SAG included about eighty (80) members, with equal representation
from Asia, the Pacific, North America and Europe.
- The second working draft of the MAC
international Standards was prepared by the MAC Secretariat
during the first quarter of 2001 and posted on the MAC
Web site for general public review during March-April
2001. Participants at the International Workshop on the
Coral Trade (Jakarta, Indonesia) in April 2001 provided
extensive review and comment during working sessions.
In June 2001, the SAG reviewed the results of the public
review and provided further comments.
- The final working version, i.e., Issue
1, of the MAC international Standards was published on
the MAC Web site on July 6, 2001.
- The MAC Board of Directors approved the MAC international
Standards on Nov. 27, 2001, after completion of feasibility
studies and field tests to evaluate the applicability
of the MAC Standards throughout the chain of custody,
from collection to export to import to retail.
- The Standards Committee will revise or amend the MAC
international Standards as needed. The Standards Committee
will be established and operate consistent with the World
Trade Organization (WTO) Code of Practice for standards-setting
organizations. The committee members will be selected
by the MAC Board of Directors and will represent the range
of stakeholder concerns, including conservation, industry,
certification and accreditation. The recommendations of
the Standards Committee will be forwarded to the MAC Board
for its endorsement.
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