ECOLABELING BACKGROUND THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE FISHERIES’ SUSTAINABILITY OVER THE LAST DECADE, OR AN INTERVENTION THAT RESTRICTS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FROM MARKET ACCESS? BACKGROUND Doug S Butterworth MARAM (Marine Resource Assessment and Management Group) Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa

OUTLINE I. HISTORY II. RELATED DEVELOPMENTS III. THE CONTRADICTION IV. THE 2008 WATERSHED V. SCHEME PROLIFERATION VI. CERTIFICATION SUCCESSES VII. CERTIFICATION PROBLEMS

I. HISTORY . [OF THE MSC] ORIGINATED FROM CONCERNS IN THE EARLY 1990s ABOUT OVERFISHING GLOBALLY (e.g. Canadian cod collapse) 1995: JOINT UNILEVER/WWF INITIATIVE TO UTILISE MARKET INCENTIVES 1997: MSC ESTABLISHED 2001: FIRST FISHERY CERTIFIED (West Australian rock lobster) 2004: SA HAKE TRAWL FISHERY CERTIFIED INITIALLY: LITTLE IMPACT; HOBBLED ALONG

II. RELATED DEVELOPMENTS OTHER SCHEMES MOOTED (Norway, Iceland) 2005: FAO GUIDELINES FOR ECOLABELING CONCERNS RELATING TO EFFECTIVE TRADE BARRIERS ARISE (Angola) SCHEME STRUCTURES: 1) Resource status 2) Ecosystem impacts 3) Governance Concerns especially about how to deal objectively with 2)

III. THE CONTRADICTION MAIN SUSTAINABILITY CONCERN IS THE +-30% OF OVERFISHED STOCKS WORLDWIDE ECOLABELING STANDARDS ARE SET TOO HIGH FOR SUCH FISHERIES TO HAVE A REALISTIC CHANCE OF ACHIEVING ADOPT A LOWER STANDARD BUT IF JUST ONE CERTIFIED FISHERY COLLAPSES, THE SCHEME CONCERNED LOSES CREDIBILITY

NO – NOT THE WORLD FINANCIAL CRISIS IV. THE 2008 WATERSHED. NO – NOT THE WORLD FINANCIAL CRISIS WHEN GOVERNMENT FISHERIES MINISTERS TAMELY (UNAWARELY?!) SURRENDERED THEIR AUTHORITY OVER FISHERIES POLICY IN A COUP D’ETAT BY THE BUYERS OF NORTH EUROPEAN SUPERMARKETS NGOs PERSUADED THESE BUYERS NOT TO ACCEPT FISH WITHOUT MSC CERTIFICATION

Fishery participation over time Some 12% of global fishery production is MSC engaged Certified ~ 9,000,000 tons 264 fisheries In assessment ~ 2,500,000 tons 110 fisheries Total ~ 11,500,000 tons 374 engaged

V. SCHEME PROLIFERATION STANDARDS DIFFER/RETAILER CONFUSION GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD INITIATIVE - GSSI (2014?) FORMED BY PRIMARILY RETAILERS AND PRODUCERS OPERATIONALISED FAO ECOLABELING GUIDELINES CONFIRM WHETHER A SCHEME SATIFIES THESE 1) Alaskan Fisheries Management Certification Program 2) Iceland Responsible Fisheries Certification Program 3) MSC (currently in review)

VI. CERTIFICATION SUCCESSES A (THE?) SUSTAINABILITY SUCCESS STORY? MSC: 15% OF WORLD CATCH CERTIFIED OR UNDER REVIEW BUT PROPORTION OF WORLD STOCKS OVERFISHED 1997 – MSC ESTABLISHED: 25% 2016 – CURRENTLY: 31% THE BAD IS GETTING WORSE HAS MSC MISSED THE PLOT?

VII. CERTIFICATION PROBLEMS IS THE MSC THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN? FEW FISHERIES IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD CERTIFIED (e.g. SA hake is only one in Africa) THE DEVELOPING WORLD IS WHERE MOST OF INSTANCES OF OVERFISHING ARE TO BE FOUND LACK OF CERTIFICATION FUNCTIONS AS A TRADE BARRIER? STANDARDS TOO HIGH TO BE ATTAINABLE CERTIFICATION FAILS TO PROVIDE INCENTIVE TO IMPROVE INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS Data-limited assessment methodologies Fishery improvement projects MORE ON THESE TO COME!

Thank you for your attention