Anecdotes and Lessons of a Decade - SEAFOOD Ecolabelling: Principles and Practice - page 434

developing consumer awareness and engagement that will provide for more effec-
tive voluntary and government programmes of the future. Consumers will continue
to expect governments to play the 'gatekeeper' role as stewards of their ocean re-
sources, setting minimum standards to be achieved by all ventures. As a result,
voluntary certification systems may work in partnership with, but are unlikely ever
to be a major substitute for, the more comprehensive systems of national gover-
nance and international guidance needed to provide for the long-term ecological
sustainability of the fisheries and aquaculture resources of the world's oceans.
However, the one prediction we can make with certainty about seafood ecola-
belling is that there will be major changes over the next decade. The ecolabelling
schemes of today will be unrecognisable in 10 years time. For example, in this
last decade the MSC has moved from its inception as a programme to reward sus-
tainable fisheries and provide leadership to other fisheries aspiring to ecological
sustainability and MSC certification, to adopt a new set of mixed objectives that
include safeguarding the livelihoods of fishers. Whether such objectives are fea-
sible and achievable, and will provide the MSC with an appropriate future as an
ecolabelling programme, remains in the hands of consumers worldwide. However,
we expect that the MSC ecolabel will continue to evolve and be a force in seafood
marketing for many years to come, even though it appears only able to directly
create a very limited suite of real ecological improvements in fish stocks and ocean
ecosystems. Like other voluntary ecolabels, the MSC programme will continue
to rely on government regulatory programmes to create real improvements in the
management of fish stocks and ecological sustainability.
Acknowledgements
These views and opinions have developed and crystallised through many extensive
discussions with Dr Chet Chaffee, of Scientific Certification Systems, California,
and several of our other colleagues with whom we have worked on various MSC
fishery certifications. Annette Green, of Greenward Consulting, Perth, has greatly
assisted us to clarify our thinking and expression in this chapter. We are pleased
to acknowledge their inputs, ideas and criticisms, although the synthesis above is
solely our own.
References
Beddington, J.R., Agnew, D.J. & Clark, C.W. (2007) Current problems in the management
of marine fisheries. Science, 316 , 1713-1716.
Brown, J. (2005) An account of the dolphin-safe tuna issue in the UK. Marine Policy , 29 ,
39-46.
Christie, D. (2007a) Food industry questions Asda's motives over. Sunday Herald
(Scotland) , 16 March 2007. Available at: http://www.sundayherald.com/search/display.