Fisheries and Aquaculture Certification.

105 Pages·2011·2.6 MB·English

by  OECD

Fisheries and Aquaculture Certification
Contents
Chapter 1. Why study fisheries and aquaculture certification?
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Chapter 2. Economics of certification schemes
Chapter 3. Private certification: Main issues
Certification
Chapter 4. Policy observations on certification in fisheries and aquaculture
Further reading
Fisheries: While Stocks Last? (2010)
Advancing the Aquaculture Agenda: Workshop Proceedings (2010)
Globalisation in Fisheries and Aquaculture: Opportunities and Challenges (2010)
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Please cite this publication as: rt
OECD (2011), Fisheries and Aquaculture Certification, OECD Publishing. ifi c
a
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264119680-en t
io
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53 2011 02 1 P
Fisheries
and Aquaculture
Certification
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The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect
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Please cite this publication as:
OECD (2011), Fisheries and Aquaculture Certification, OECD Publishing.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264119680-en
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3
FOREWORD –
Foreword
This report considers the growing trend in information requirements
for seafood products in general with a focus on the distinct sustainability
features of wild capture fisheries and aquaculture. Concerns about
sustainability and the effectiveness of fisheries management have
resulted in demand from NGOs, retailers and consumers for assurances
that the food they purchase has been sustainably produced. This has led
to the development and implementation of a number of primarily private
initiatives that have established eco-labels and certification schemes that
claim to provide credible information to the consumer.
The proliferation of different eco-labels in the marketplace has led to
concerns regarding consumer confusion, which weakens the
effectiveness of the labelling effort. It also risks segmenting markets
according to where different labels are in use. This raises concerns that
retailers may “choice edit” information available for consumers in a
manner that is most profitable for them but may not serve the public
interest and policy objectives of governments. Moreover, multiple
incompatible certification systems and labels may create confusion, may
prevent a level playing field for fishers and aquaculture producers, and
may act as a barrier to trade.
As certification and eco-labels become more prominent in the
marketplace, finding the appropriate role for governments in their design
and implementation has become more important. Even more so as NGOs
and other groups see labels as an opportunity to promote their own
agendas and seek to expand and influence the content of food labels.
This work by the OECD’s Fisheries Committee report focuses on
private eco-labelling and analyses the economics of certification
schemes, discusses key issues at the interface between public authorities,
private labelling schemes, business operators and consumers. It is in part
based on the outcome of a Round Table on Eco-labelling and
Certification in the Fisheries Sector. At the invitation of the Dutch
FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE CERTIFICATION © OECD 2011
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– ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the Round Table was
held in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 22-23 April 2009 and brought
together representatives from the fishing industry (producers, processors,
buyers, retailers), NGOs, eco-labelling schemes, certification bodies,
academia, governments, and relevant international organisations (see
www.oecd.org/dataoecd/17/43/43356890.pdf).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
OECD staff that participated in the development of this work include
Nicole Franz, Roger Martini, Dag-Erling Stai, Stefanie Milowski,
Carl-Christian Schmidt and Michèle Patterson.
FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE CERTIFICATION © OECD 2011
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TABLE OF CONTENTS –
Table of contents
Executive summary .................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 1 Why study fisheries and aquaculture certification? ............................... 11
Origin and scope ................................................................................................. 12
Approach ............................................................................................................ 13
Some key concepts ............................................................................................. 14
References .......................................................................................................... 17
Chapter 2 Economics of certification schemes ....................................................... 19
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 20
Privately initiated certification schemes: Eco-labelling ..................................... 27
Government-initiated certification schemes ....................................................... 55
References .......................................................................................................... 67
Chapter 3 Private certification: Main issues ........................................................... 71
The credibility of private certification schemes ................................................. 72
Policy coherence for development: Market access
implications of private certification .................................................................... 83
References .......................................................................................................... 85
Chapter 4 Policy observations on certification in fisheries and aquaculture .......... 87
References .......................................................................................................... 92
AnnexA Key definitions ........................................................................................ 93
Tables
Table 2.1. Categorisation of certification schemes ....................................27
Table 2.2. Stakeholder groups: Eco-labelling ............................................37
Table 3.1. International reference framework for fisheries and
aquaculture certification scheme development .........................74
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– TABLE OF CONTENTS
Figures
Figure 1.1. Organising framework for certification initiatives ...................13
Figure 1.2. Relationships between the key components related
to certification ...........................................................................15
Figure 2.1. Key stakeholder groups in fisheries and aquaculture
certification ...............................................................................22
Figure 2.2. Overview of common certification scheme
dimensions ................................................................................23
Figure 2.3. Volume of MSC certified fisheries ...........................................29
Figure 2.4. Volume of FoS certified fisheries .............................................29
Figure 2.5. Actor-linkage map: Eco-labelling in fisheries ..........................31
Figure 2.6. Competitive market with certification ......................................39
Figure 2.7. Multiple markets and certification ............................................40
Figure 2.8. Schematic representation of costs and benefits of
certification to different stakeholders .......................................42
Figure 2.9. Policy options for eco-labelling ................................................45
Figure 2.10. Elements of an “aspirational” governance regime for
sustainable fisheries and aquaculture ........................................50
Figure 2.11. Actor-linkage map: Food safety ...............................................56
Figure 3.1. Private and public roles in certification implementation ..........77
Figure 3.2. “Ideal” model of private certification schemes .........................83
Boxes
Box 2.1. Attribute space for fisheries products .......................................26
Box 2.2. Carbon footprint, food miles, water foot print, life cycle
assessment: The next certification frontier? .............................35
Box 2.3. ISEAL Alliance Code of Good Practice for Setting Social
and Environmental Standards ...................................................52
Box 2.4. Food safety regulation for fishery products in selected
OECD countries ........................................................................58
Box 2.5. Country of origin labelling .......................................................65
Box 3.1. The International Chamber of Commerce and its
International Code of Environmental Advertising ....................80
Box 3.2. Traceability ...............................................................................82
FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE CERTIFICATION © OECD 2011
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY –
Executive summary
Concerns about sustainability and the effectiveness of fisheries
management on the part of the public have resulted in demand from NGOs,
retailers and consumers for assurances that the food they purchase has been
sustainably produced. This has led to a number of private entities responding
to this demand by establishing eco-labels and certification schemes that
claim to provide credible information to the consumer. These labels intend
to serve the interest of fishers and processors who need to transmit positive
information to the consumer to maintain their markets, and serve consumers
by providing information not elsewhere available.
As certification and eco-labels become more prominent in the
marketplace, finding the appropriate role for governments in their design
and implementation has gained in importance. Even more so as NGOs and
other groups see labels as an opportunity to promote their own agendas and
seek to expand and influence the content of food labels.
This report is a key component of the OECD Fisheries Committee’s
work under the current Work Programme. It considers the growing trend in
information requirements for seafood products in general and in particular
for the distinct sustainability features of wild capture fisheries and
aquaculture. This work refers primarily to privately driven certification
schemes which have become an established feature of the market for eco-
labels in fisheries and aquaculture. The report focuses on private eco-
labelling, analyses the economics of certification schemes and discusses key
issues at the interface between public authorities, private labelling schemes,
business operators and consumers. Finally, main findings and messages to
policy makers are addressed.
The drivers of private certification are complex. For many, there is an
expectation of a price premium for certified products, but this rarely
materialises. Retailers are a major driving force behind certification, but this
may be part of a greater marketing strategy such that retailers are not
seeking higher prices for fish products, but simply more customers in their
stores. The industry seems to bear the cost of certification without an
obvious benefit in the marketplace. This may be because they pursue
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– EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
certification to maintain rather than increase market share or price. At the
same time, governments often step in to help with the costs of certification,
reducing the need for a premium in the market to recoup these additional
costs.
For consumers, the bottom line is to be assured that the choices they
make in the marketplace are responsible and sustainable. While the impact
of certification on sustainability remains subject to debate, if certification
results in healthier stocks, everyone benefits. Primary producers see reduced
production costs due to increased catchability. The industry benefits from
reduced resource and management risk, and society as a whole benefits from
moving to a greener growth path. These benefits can be very large relative to
revenue in any season, and do not depend on receiving a higher price for
certified products. Certification can also contribute to improved traceability
of products, which is increasingly seen as a way to ensure public health,
promote efficiency, and deter Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) trade.
The proliferation of different eco-labels in the marketplace has led to
concerns regarding consumer confusion, which weakens the effectiveness of
the labelling effort. It also risks segmenting markets according to where
different labels are in use. This raises concerns that retailers may “choice
edit” what is available for consumers in a manner that is most profitable for
them but may not serve the public interest and the policy objectives of
member countries. Moreover, multiple and incompatible certification
systems and labels may prevent a level playing field for fishers and
aquaculture producers and act as a barrier to trade.
These issues demonstrate that that improved co-ordination both
domestically and internationally can increase the benefits that may arise
from eco-labels to both consumers and fishers, and governments may be the
only actors who can successfully play this role. International standardisation
work related to eco-labelling in wild capture and inland fisheries as well as
in aquaculture has been elaborated, most importantly in the context of the
FAO. In light of the proliferation of different eco-labels, a main challenge is
to ensure that the information given to the public is built on fact, is reliable,
does not make unsubstantiated claims and provides a basis for consumers to
make informed choices.
The drivers for certification schemes involve a mixture of sustainability,
social and ethical considerations and are evolving at a rapid pace. An agreed
definition of sustainability would be a first step to improving harmonisation.
However, such agreement is unlikely without the participation of
governments and will be a challenge to achieve. While private labelling
schemes do not depend on a harmonised definition for success, the benefits
that an agreed definition of sustainability may provide are substantial. Such
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY –
agreement can reduce the potential for labels to inhibit trade, can help
establish better cooperation between NGOs and governments and may
contribute to reducing consumer confusion in the marketplace. Moreover,
progress here would support the development of a broader governance
framework for sustainable fisheries.
Private labels face several challenges that make it unlikely that they can
be successful completely independently from public help. Chief among
these is the credibility of the claims set forth. For a label to be effective, it
must be trusted by the consumer, and often the best way to accomplish this
is for it to be part of a larger certification scheme that clearly defines the
claims made and guarantees their accuracy. When such certification
schemes are international, it also helps ensure fairness for fishers and
aquaculture producers globally. At the same time, private labels have an
advantage over public initiatives when they are perceived as more
independent and having fewer conflicts of interest.
Achieving international agreement on a common definition of
sustainability would be quite difficult. While the definition of fisheries
sustainability is reasonably well agreed in general terms the specific and
more operational aspects are interpreted in very different ways in different
countries, as well as among different stakeholders within countries. Bridging
these differences would likely prove to be a significant challenge. The
processes underway at the FAO and the progress made to date form a solid
foundation in reaching such agreement, but success is likely to come as a
series of smaller steps. For example, a first step could be a checklist of
minimum requirements, and this would then be followed by incremental
steps. The greater the degree of international agreement and harmonisation,
the lower the risk that labels could reduce trade opportunities for producers.
Labels are most likely to succeed when their promoters can argue that
their label is the most credible, provides accurate information and is based
on best practices for certification. Broad international agreement on the
content of an effective standard can support the credibility of an eco-label.
To be successful in the marketplace, coming to agreement on a shared
definition of sustainability is a process that should involve both governments
and stakeholders. This is because any new standard based on the agreed
definitions must be accepted by the market; to do so it must offer benefits to
all stakeholders (consumers, the fishery sector, certifiers and public) in what
remains in essence a voluntary and private system.
FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE CERTIFICATION © OECD 2011