1. 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

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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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?

10. 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!

11. Thank you for your attention