Boundary Management, Exclusive Access and Certification Schemes The Challenge of Change: Managing for Sustainability of Oceanic Top Predators April 12, 2007 Santa Barbara, California Frank Alcock Assistant Professor of Political Science New College of Florida

Actors Fisheries Managers Fishing Industry Environmental NGOs Fisheries Scientists

Evaluative Criteria for Policies Ecological Sustainability Economic Efficiency Distribution & Equity

Why do fisheries policies fail to adopt scientific advice? Primacy of Distributive Concerns Time horizons and discount rates Subjective perceptions of scientific assessments

Attributes of Influential Assessments Salience – –Relevance of information for decision-making needs Credibility – –Technical accuracy of information/model projections Model specification Indicator choice Measurement error Legitimacy – –Fairness of the assessment process Who participates and how? What questions get asked? What concerns are addressed? What options are considered?

Boundary Management Fisheries Managers Fishing Industry Environmental NGOs Fisheries Scientists Communication Translation Mediation Self-Assessment

Distribution EEZ extension was a partial distributive solution for allocating global fisheries resources Did not solve internal distribution problems Did not solve distributive problems for highly migratory species, straddling stocks and high seas fisheries

Distribution Existing international fisheries institutions do not provide consistent focal points (allocation principles) Freedom of the seas principle not sustainable Exclusive access/quota rights

IUU Fishing - Enforcement Consider the entire commodity chain Consider the entire commodity chain Traceability & Transparency Traceability & Transparency Chain of custody certification schemes Chain of custody certification schemes Incentives throughout commodity chain (especially on the retail end) Incentives throughout commodity chain (especially on the retail end)

How do we questions… How do we structure institutions so that scientific information will be better incorporated into the policy process? How do we structure institutions so that scientific information will be better incorporated into the policy process? Boundary Management Boundary Management –Assess whether this function is being performed in RFMOs, who performs it and how –Develop internal assessment tools for RFMOs –Insights for institutional structure and process

How do we questions… How do we deal with conflicts over values and allocation and deal with fairness and equity? How do we deal with conflicts over values and allocation and deal with fairness and equity? Move away from freedom of the seas principle Move away from freedom of the seas principle Move toward exclusive access/quota rights, comprehensive ocean zoning, etc. Move toward exclusive access/quota rights, comprehensive ocean zoning, etc.

How do we questions… How do we increase compliance, end IUU fishing and enhance enforcements? How do we increase compliance, end IUU fishing and enhance enforcements? Explore chain of custody certification schemes and consumer behavior Explore chain of custody certification schemes and consumer behavior