Anecdotes and Lessons of a Decade - SEAFOOD Ecolabelling: Principles and Practice - page 432

broad-scale labels like the MSC becoming more focused on delivering ecological
benefits because the costs of certification to such standards will only be acceptable
to the largest and most profitable fisheries. It is more likely that such factors will
be dealt with by finer-scale issue-based ecolabels that will be developed to target
specific environmental issues.

21.11 Certification and ecolabelling systems of the future

As a result of the issues with the contemporary programmes outlined above, we
expect that the successful voluntary seafood certification and ecolabelling pro-
grammes of the future will be of two main types:
(i) ecolabels that are based on direct engagement between producer and reseller
(such as wholesalers, large retailers, restaurants, etc.) where branding and
organisational standing is the key feature of the market; and
(ii) regional and issue-based ecolabels that are short lived (possibly a few years)
and focus specifically on environmental issues of high consumer concern.
The majority of seafood ecolabels of the future will be those of type (i) above,
based on direct sourcing arrangements - store labels, major procurement group
labels, and other such producer-reseller labels - reflecting much closer links and
relationships between sources and consumers (Kaiser & Edwards-Jones 2006). In
addition to sustainability matters, these labels will also probably cover a range of
other issues of importance to consumers, such as nutrition and food safety, all set
in the context of industry-wide standards (such as increasingly the case with store
labels, organic, GLOBALGAP and country-of-origin systems). These systems will
be driven by marketing interests primarily, and while they will portray a flavour of
environmental concern and sustainability, and will not be opposed to such matters,
their primary objective will be to maintain markets, prices and profits, not the
ecosystems or fish stocks. Their main role in sustainability issues will probably
be to contribute to consumer awareness and to work in partnership with the more
traditional fishery management systems of governments and communities to secure
gradual improvements in ecological sustainability.
The regional and issue-based labels of type (ii) above will probably be fewer in
number, but they may belong to a family of ecolabels, or sit within a global and
generic sustainability programme or a global organisation. They will be based on
making direct ecological achievements and publicising the achievements to reassure
consumers that their discretionary purchasing choices are working to benefit the
fish stocks and the ocean ecosystems. Many of these ecolabels we expect will be
directly targeted for regional markets based on regional variations of standards,
including developing country and small-scale fishery and aquaculture ventures, not
truly global standards even though they may be part of a broader global certification
programme.