Benefits of Certification for Small-scale Fisheries - SEAFOOD Ecolabelling: Principles and Practice - page 312

clear understanding about the complexity of the issues without consulting at least
some of the key stakeholders, thus exposing the existence of the pre-assessment
process. In any case, if the fishery intends to use the pre-assessment as the basis for
identifying specific issues to be addressed within the transition period, it is difficult
to maintain strict confidentiality.
The following sections describe the five categories of hidden benefits that the
CFP has identified through its experience with small-scale fisheries in developing
and developed countries.

15.3.1 Filling knowledge gaps

As the early lessons of MSC certification demonstrated, many small-scale fisheries
struggle with gaps in knowledge about their resource - the data dilemma. Data
limitations about the fished resource plague both developing and developed coun-
tries, and are not unique to small-scale fisheries. However, a lack of precaution in
the management system in the face of such data uncertainty may result in poor
outcomes (or unsuccessful management) (Gerrodette et al . 2002, Holt & Talbot
1978). The CFP has worked with a number of indigenous community fisheries that
have successfully conducted their way of life, including utilisation of ocean re-
sources, for many generations using traditional methods, despite what appear to be
substantial gaps in knowledge. The knowledge gaps range from not understanding
basic life-history information to a lack of knowledge about stock status, range and
dynamics. Typically, small-scale fisheries will have a general sense of the basic
life-history characteristics and ecosystem context of the resource species, but will
lack knowledge that is specific enough to address issues of stock status, range and
dynamics. The MSC certification process has proved to be a good tool for helping
identify the gaps in knowledge and provide the impetus for these to be filled.
In the certification process, gaps in knowledge are most commonly identified as
a result of the pre-assessment (although many also surface as the main assessment
unfolds). The MSC certification process relies on both the expert judgement of the
certification assessors and on stakeholder involvement to ensure credibility in the
process. Stakeholder involvement is encouraged early in the pre-assessment pro-
cess and creates the opportunity for knowledge sharing between stakeholders in
ways that may not be possible or common in the candidate fishery, the management
system or even the cultural context of the country. As a result, questions about the
fished resource can sometimes be answered from the combined knowledge of the
stakeholders at the table. Alternatively, plans can be developed to engage the talents
of the various stakeholders to fill knowledge gaps during a transitional period, hope-
fully leading to the commencement of a full assessment of the fishery. However,
this non-traditional questioning and challenging of the fishery can also create diffi-
culties within the existing management system, as traditionally entrenched powers
may become questioned, and as information accepted previously as dogma comes
under scrutiny.