Market-driven conservation: Social issues in certification schemes for capture fisheries Chandrika Sharma International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF)

Fish and fish products most traded food commodity. About half of global fish production for food consumption traded Developing countries contribute 50 per cent (quantity) and 46 per cent (value) of the world exports of fish and fishery products Fish Trade

Growing concern about status of fish stocks spurred ecolabelling initiatives Aim to use market incentives to – promote consumer demand for fish caught in environmentally sustainable ways – reward producers practising responsible fisheries Ecolabelling

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Friends of the Sea (FOS) Naturland Dolphin-safe (EII) KRAV (Swedish ecolabel for wild-caught seafood, life-cycle assessment) Ecolabelling Schemes

Fairfish (animal welfare, sustainability and fair trade) Carrefour (French supermarket chain: own label “peche responsable”) Industry schemes: Canada, UK, Iceland (proposed)... Fishermen-led labels (Breton fishers, blue crab, Thailand, catch shares, USA…) Ecolabelling Schemes

First party labeling (self-declaration regarding adherence to own standards) Second party labeling (established by industry associations for their members products, internal audit procedures or audit by external certifying companies) Third party labeling (independent certification, high credibility) Ecolabelling Schemes

Proliferation of ecolabels, concerns of developing countries regarding trade barriers Led to 2005 FAO “Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries”. Set out principles, minimum requirements and criteria--provide a benchmark against which schemes can be compared. FAO Guidelines

Specify that ecolabelling schemes should be voluntary, transparent, non-discriminatory, and should recognize the special conditions applying to developing countries. Recommend independent, third party certification Three substantive minimum requirements: the fisheries management system, the status of the target stocks, and ecosystem considerations FAO Guidelines

Claims to be the main seafood certification scheme—more than 10mn MT of wild catch assessed (including non-food fish) Certified products from all continents including Morocco. Maldives, Sri Lanka, Senegal, Brazil, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam (tuna, shrimp, squid, sardines, cuttlefish, clam) Claims to be the only scheme that follows the FAO Guidelines Friends of the Sea

Has developed “Standards for Sustainable Capture Fishery” Explicitly aligned with the three dimensions of sustainability (social, ecological, and economic). Addresses issues of livelihoods, fair working conditions Recent initiative: Lake Victoria Nile Perch Naturland Germany

Focus only on environmental sustainability 42 fisheries certified during the first ten years of MSC certification About 4 mn MT of seafood certified—over 7% of total global capture production for direct human consumption Real volume of MSC-labeled products is likely to be less than 1% of global fish (Globefish study) Marine Stewardship Council

Concentrated markets—5 markets (UK, USA, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland) account for 3/4 of MSC sales Popular in certain kinds of markets (aware population, supermarket shares high, demand for processed products high...) Concentrated species—about 50% of MSC products are hake type fish, 42% is Alaska salmon Information from Globefish study Marine Stewardship Council

Few examples of MSC certified fisheries (South African hake, Mexican Baja California spiny lobster) Certification is difficult (data deficiencies, weak fisheries management, costs prohibitive, multi-species fisheries) No immediate economic imperative/ perceived threat MSC and developing countries

Developing World Fisheries Programme to address data-deficient fisheries/ SSF Assessment guidelines include the use of TEK and traditional management systems, and risk assessment component for data-deficient fisheries Certified Ben Tre Vietnamese clam fisheries, India oil sardine fishery in Kerala being assessed Will MSC be able to certify large catch fisheries, operating within a multi-species regime, in developing countries? MSC and developing countries

No clear evidence of price premiums accruing to producers, though markets are are likely to be more secured/ assured/ new markets Producers assume the bulk of the costs of certification Information from Globefish study Certification: Benefit to Producers?

Certification often of fishery that is already sustainable (countries of the North are better able to meet the standards) Globefish study found that retailers (Walmart, Marks and Spencers, Sainsbury, Tesco, Metro, Carrefour, Lidl, ICA Sweden) committed to ecolabelling (mainly MSC), see it as a marketing tool, good publicity, CSR Other issues

Bangkok statement (2008): “Reject ecolabelling schemes, while recognizing area-specific labeling that identifies socially and ecologically sustainable fisheries” Reject narrow focus on environmental sustainability only—most fisheries certified are industrial fisheries, often under quota management, that marginalize SSF Can SSF benefit?

Short-term Build on comparative advantages (rich culture, traditional knowledge systems, sustainable small-scale gear, unique processing techniques, use of sails/ wind power), support their certification, promote niche markets (incl. domestic mkts) Work in partnership with communities/ fishworker organizations What can be done?

Short-term Support self-certification initiatives by small- scale fishers and fish processors (eg. improve management/ enforcement, technology/ inputs) Explore schemes that balance various dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social and economic) Explore Geographic indications (GIs) (e.g., nuoc mam anchovy fish sauce from Phu Quoc, Viet Nam) What can be done?

Long-term Need to proactively improve fisheries management, balancing biological, social and economic objectives Management methods should draw on traditional knowledge, co-management approaches, keeping in mid multi-species nature of fisheries and diverse local cultures What can be done?

Thank you