Behind the Signs—A Global Review of Fish Sustainability Information Schemes

Abstract

This article presents the results of a global review of organizations that provide sustainable fisheries information—including ecolabels, recommendation lists, and supermarkets—to consumers and supply chain intermediaries. It examined 17 organizations and key supermarkets that communicate on the sustainability of world fisheries and aquaculture products. Certification schemes assess a relatively small number of specific fisheries and indicate sustainability through labels. Recommendation lists cover more species and areas but in less detail. Most schemes showed improving conformance with FAO guidelines for fisheries and aquaculture certification. However, significant variation in fisheries’ assessment exists, calling into question the accuracy and precision of information and advice provided. Inconsistent approaches and contradictory advice among certification schemes and recommendation lists potentially increase consumer confusion and reduce their credibility. The review identifies seven critical attributes that schemes must address—scope, accuracy, independence, precision, transparency, standardization, and cost-effectiveness—and recommends that certification schemes and recommendation lists enhance their consistency and credibility through compliance with these attributes and FAO guidelines. Fish sustainability information schemes play an important role in securing a sustainable future for the oceans. Uptake of this review's recommendations should reduce consumer confusion and increase confidence in the benefits of sustainable purchasing.

Keywords:

• ecolabeling
• fisheries
• aquaculture
• certification
• recommendation lists
• sustainable fisheries
• market-based measures

Notes

¹Throughout this article the terms ‘seafood’ and ‘fish’ are used holistically to incorporate all kinds of fisheries products including shellfish, aquaculture and those from fresh water.

²A full version of the report is available at: http://www.marketing.stir.ac.uk/News/FSIG_Report.pdf

¹AMCS did not provide any details on their assessment processes and scoring criteria.

¹NOAA and SFP do not have a scoring system. SFP does have ‘SFP's Metric Systems’, which buyers can use to calculate which fish they can purchase to fit in with their sustainable sourcing schemes; this has not been assessed as part of this review.