Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
detailed the key requirements for inclusion in a code of best practice for the LRFFT.
At that stage, aquaculture activities had not been incorporated into the overall
Standard document.
8.4.4 The scope of the LRFFT Standard
One of the initial steps in the standards development process was to determine
and outline the scope within which the standard would be produced. This would
identify the principal stages along the chain of custody for LRFF products, and
the stakeholder groups for which best practices would be required. This scope was
reviewed and amended throughout the project until the final iteration, arriving at the
final scope of application for the International Standard for the Live Reef Food Fish
Trade (Figure 8.4). This final version of the scope recognised that on the production
side, not all fish captured are market-ready, with an increasing number captured
as sub-market-size juveniles for short-term grow-out (Sadovy & Vincent 2002).
Moreover, a large number of fingerlings are sourced for longer-term mariculture
production (Sadovy 2001) while small quantities of adult fish are captured for use as
broodstock to supply seed for hatchery-based mariculture facilities. The final scope
also recognised the varying levels of vertical and horizontal integration among buy-
ers and traders along the market chain, and the husbandry, holding and transportation
issues associated with the marketing of LRFF (Muldoon & Johnston 2006).
8.4.5
Defining a preliminary standard structure
Like the FAO Code of Conduct, the Standard was initially conceived as a set of
key principles and criteria, compliance with which would be voluntary. However,
throughout the standard development process, it was recognised that the Standard
might eventually form the basis for an international third-party certification pro-
gramme (Graham
et al
. 2001).
Voluntary codes of conduct are often criticised for being vague, for failing to
be adequately implemented, and for lacking sufficient monitoring of compliance
(Civic Exchange 2001). Any code of conduct must therefore address these issues
in order to be truly effective. After careful deliberation, the drafting team decided
to adopt a
principle
-type approach to the organisation of the Standard. A principle-
type approach is a top-down approach where overarching principles highlight key
considerations accepted as critical to devising or improving the operation and man-
agement of the fishery in terms of biological, ecological, social and economic
considerations. Within each principle a number of sub-principles elaborate guide-
lines or criteria specifying how fishery managers can fulfil their responsibilities in
terms of adhering to these principles (Cochrane 2000).
The primary reason for this approach was the recognition that the Standard itself
should be a concise document and relatively easy to understand, such as that of
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