The Marine Stewardship Council and Developing Countries - SEAFOOD Ecolabelling: Principles and Practice - page 300

proceed quickly after the plan was in place. The message is that although the system
is not in place, it would be soon. This should be read in connection with condition 6
on compliance monitoring. In this case, the team observed that measures have been
implemented, and that partial fulfilment is due to 'ongoing issues with staffing'.
Problems with staffing (see also below) should raise alarm about the ability of the
regulatory agency to carry on managing the resource effectively. Yet, here they are
used as a mitigating factor.
The report also noted that 'no regulatory infringements occurred during the cur-
rent reporting period' (Tingley et al . 2005). However, shortly after the publication
of the report, a hake trawler was arrested and fined by MCM for 'illegally catching'
snoek (a low-value fish species consumed locally). The vessel was found in pos-
session of 39 tonnes of hake (for which it has a quota allocation) and 300 tonnes of
snoek, which is supposed to be 'bycatch' ( Cape Times , 20 July 2005). But industry
interviews suggest that trawlers have been using bycatch to make their operations
financially viable for at least 15 years. Evaluated in terms of systemic performance,
the arrest of the vessel is a positive outcome. However, the underlying causes of
bycatch abuse are not addressed.
Condition 3 related to gaps in understanding of ecosystems relationships. This
is one aspect that even MSC recognises as difficult to achieve, even in the most
advanced fisheries. In addition to a new research programme on the topic, the
assessment team noted that the allocation policy of 2006 explicitly recognises
the importance of an ecosystem approach, which will be entrenched in the future
management of all fisheries (Tingley et al . 2005). A policy statement on this matter
appeared to be sufficient to appease the certifiers on this condition.
In its general comments, the surveillance team reflected upon the results of stock
assessment in 2004, which indicated that stock levels had not changed. The team
noted a series of weaknesses in data collection and in the understanding of long-
term historical and ecological implications. Interestingly, the 2006 TAC in South
Africa was reduced by 10 000 tonnes below the 2005 TAC. However, this figure
was arrived at on the basis of the precautionary principle - for the first time since the
1970s, the hake survey did not take place in 2005 due to an unresolved dispute on
overtime payment for the vessel crews that were supposed to operate the survey. This
led to a TAC reduction that could in theory undermine MSC certification because
it appeared to have no scientific basis. The overall assessment of the surveillance
team was a positive one, and continuation of certification was recommended for
the fishery.
No MSC fishery has been de-certified so far (although the Western Australia
Rock Lobster Fishery apparently lost its certification for a short period in 2006
over ongoing environmental issues). Is this an instance of 'path dependency' or a
sign of improved management? South African observers of the fish industry made it
clear that with the current rate of loss of scientists and managers at MCM, there will
be no capacity to properly monitor the use and possible abuse of quotas. Thirty-
five scientists have left MCM between 1996 and 2005 ( Fishing Industry News ,