ECO LABELLING AND SUSTAINABLE FISHIRIES

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ECO LABELLING AND SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES - A REVIEW  T.N. VENUGOPAL INTERLINK FOODS COCHIN – 682 006,INDIA tnvg@sify.com tnvg@airtel.balckberry.com

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FISHES ARE COMMON PROPERTY NATURAL RESOURCES THERE IS FREEDOM OF ENTRY AND EXIT AND NO ONE HAS EXCLUSIVE FISHING RIGHT. WORLD WIDE FISH PRODUCTS PROVIDE 15% OF THE PROTEIN CONSUMED BY NEARLY 3 BILLION PEOPLE AND SUPPORT THE LIVELIHOOD OF 520 MILLION PEOPLE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE WOMEN .

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ACCORDING TO FAO, 52% OF WORLD’S FISHERY RESOURCES ARE FULLY EXPLOITED, 17% ARE OVER EXPLOITED, 7% DEPLETED AND 1% RECOVERING FROM DEPLETION THERE MAY BE NO MORE FISHE STOCKS LEFT IN THE SEA BY 2050 UNLESS ECO SYSTEMS ARE PROTECTED AND BIO DIVERSITY IS REVIVED

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FOR SUSTAINABLE UTILISATION OF FISHERIES, AT THE INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL SEVERAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED.

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THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA (UNCLOS) RECOMMENDS THAT FISHING STATES SHOULD REGULATE SEASONS AND AREAS OF FISHERY, THE TYPES, SIZES AND NUMBER OF GEARS EMPLOYED AND NUMBER OF FISHING VESSELS REQUIRED FOR HARVEST.

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IN 1995 U.N. AGREEMENT ON THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF STRADDLING FISH STOCKS AND HIGHLY MIGRATORY FISH STOCKS (STRADDLING STOCK AGREEMENT) AND IN 1993 FAO AGREEMENT TO PROMOTE COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES BY FISHING VESSELS ON THE HIGH SEAS (COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT) WERE MADE.

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IN 1995 FAO PUBLISHED CODE OF CONDUCT FOR RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES (CCRS) WITH EMPHASIS ON SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT THROUGH MARKET BASED MEASURES.

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ECO LABELS CAN BE EMPLOYED AS AN EFFECTIVE MARKET-DRIVEN TOOL TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE EXPLOITATION OF MARINE RESOURCES. ECO LABELS ARE CERTIFICATIONS GIVEN TO PRODUCTS THAT ARE PRODUCED WITH FEWER IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT THAN FUNCTIONALLY EQUIVALENT OR COMPETITIVELY SIMILAR PRODUCTS. ECO LABLES LINK FISHERY PRODUCTS TO THEIR PRODUCTION PROCESS.

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ECO LABELLING SCHEMES CAN BE EITHER MANDATORY OR VOLUNTARY. MANDATORY ECO LABELS ARE THOSE REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENT. IN THIS CASE, SOME GOVERNMENTS MAY RESTRICT THE IMPORT AND SALE OF FISHERY PRODUCTS THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH MANDATORY ECO LABELS AND PRODUCTS MAY EVEN BE REJECTED FOR THIS REASON. MANDATORY ECO LABELS MAY ACT AS TRADE BARRIERS IN SOME CASES.

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ECO LABELLING SCHEMES VARY WIDELY IN ITS SCOPE RANGING FROM BY-CATCH ISSUES, FISHING METHOD AND GEAR, SUSTAINABILITY OF STOCKS, CONSERVATION OF MARINE AQUA SYSTEM TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS. IN ORDER TO CONTROL AND REGULATE THE GROWING NUMBER OF ECO LABELS, FAO PUBLISHED GUIDELINES FOR THE ECO LABELLING OF FISH AND FISHERY PRODUCTS FROM MARINE CAPTURE FISHERIES.

TYPES OF ECO LABELLING : 

FIRST PARTY LABELLING SCHEMES: THESE ARE ESTABLISHED BY INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES BASED ON THEIR PRODUCT STANDARDS. SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WHICH ARE KNOWN TO THE CONSUMERS CONSTITUTE THE BASIS FOR THESE STANDARDS. THESE ARE ALSO CALLED “SELF DECLARATION”. SECOND PARTY LABELLING SCHEMES: THESE ARE ECO LABELLING SCHEMES ESTABLISHED BY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION FOR THE PRODUCTS OF THEIR MEMBERS. THIRD PARTY LABELLING SCHEMES: THESE ARE NORMALLY ESTABLISHED BY A PRIVATE INITIATOR INDEPENDENT FROM THE PRODUCERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND SELLERS FOR THE LABEL PRODUCTS. A THIRD PARTY ECO LABEL IMPLIES THAT A PARTICULAR PRODUCT WAS PRODUCED IN AN “ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY” FASHION. THE LABEL (SEAL) IS LICENSED TO A PRODUCER AND MAY APPEAR ON OR ACCOMPANY A PRODUCT DERIVED FROM A CERTIFIED FISHERY OR PRODUCER. TYPES OF ECO LABELLING

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1. MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (MSC)   TODAY MSC IS THE LEADING AND INTERNATIONALLY MOST ACCEPTED ECO LABELLING SCHEME IN FISHERIES. MSC CERTIFICATION IS BASED ON 3 PRINCIPLES :-   A FISHERY MUST BE CONDUCTED IN A MANNER THAT DOES NOT LEAD TO OVER FISHING OR STOCK DEPLETION, AND FOR DEPLETED POPULATION, THE FISHERY SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO FACILITATE ITS RECOVERY. FISHERY OPERATIONS SHOULD ALLOW THE MAINTENANCE OF THE STRUCTURE, PRODUCTIVITY AND DIVERSITY OF THE ECO SYSTEM ON WHICH THE FISHERY DEPENDS. THE FISHERY IS MANAGED BY A SYSTEM THAT RESPECTS LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LAW AND STANDARDS.

CERTIFICATION BODIES : 

MSC NEVER CERTIFIES A FISHERY AND FINAL CERTIFICATION IS DONE BY ACCREDITED THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION BODIES. IN CONFORMANCE WITH MSC STANDARD. CERTIFICATION BODIES

STATUS OF CERTIFIED FISHERIES : 

AS OF NOW, 55 FISHERIES ARE CERTIFIED BY MSC WORLDWIDE CONSTITUTING 7 MILLION TONS OF SEAFOOD, OVER 12% OF TOTAL WORLD CAPTURE FISHERY PRODUCTION . STATUS OF CERTIFIED FISHERIES

MARKET ACCEPTANCE : 

INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED PARTICULARLY IN THE EU AND U.S. THERE ARE MORE THAN 2,500 FISH PRODUCTS CARRYING THE LOGO OF MSC. MAJOR SEAFOOD BUYERS SUCH AS WALMART OF U.S., MARKS & SPENCER (M&S), TESCO, SAINSBURG AND BIRD’S EYE OF U.K. AND METRO AND FROSTA OF DENMARK ACCEPT FISH ONLY FROM MSC CERTIFIED FISHERIES. MARKET ACCEPTANCE

2. FRIEND OF THE SEA (FOS) : 

THIS IS AN ECO LABELLING SCHEME PROMOTED BY THE EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE. FOS PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND ALSO CREATES AWARENESS ABOUT PRODUCTS FISHED IN AN UNSUSTAINABLE MANNER. INTRODUCED IN 2005, TODAY IT IS CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE BEST ESTABLISHED ECO LABELS FOR FISHERIES 2. FRIEND OF THE SEA (FOS)

CERTIFICATION BODIES : 

DEPARTMENT OF OCEANOGRAPHY & FISHERY (DOF) OF THE UNIVERSITY OF AZORES, BRAZIL IS ACCREDITED TO CONDUCT CERTIFICATIONS FOR FOS COMPLIANCE. CERTIFICATION BODIES

STATUS OF CERTIFIED FISHERIES : 

FOS HAS CERTIFIED MORE THAN 140 DIFFERENT PRODUCTS AND SPECIES, A MAJORITY OF THEM ARE PRIVATE WHOLESALERS AND RETAILERS. STATUS OF CERTIFIED FISHERIES

MARKET ACCEPTANCE : 

FOS LABELLED PRODUCTS ARE SOLD IN THE U.S. & EU. RETAILERS LIKE CARREFOUR OF FRANCE, COOP ITALIA OF ITALY, TESCO OF U.K. AND WHOLE FOODS OF U.S. USE FOS LABEL ON THEIR PRODUCTS. MARKET ACCEPTANCE

3.NATURLAND : 

GERMAN NATURLAND ASSOCIATION IS AN IMPORTANT CERTIFYING ORGANISATION IN THE FIELD OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN GERMANY. IT IS ONE OF THE PIONEERING ORGANISATIONS FOR ORGANIC AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT. IN 2005, NATURALAN DEVELOPED GUIDELINES AND A CERTIFICATION SCHEME FOR SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES APPLICABLE TO BOTH INLAND AND MARINE FISHERIES. 3.NATURLAND

CERTIFICATION PROCESS : 

INSPECTION BY ACCREDITED INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY INSPECTION BODIES. CERTIFICATION BY NATURALAND CERTIFICATION COMMISSION. THE CERTIFICATION INVOLVES THE FISHERY AND CHAIN OF CUSTODY. CERTIFICATION PROCESS

STATUS OF CERTIFIED FISHERIES : 

MANY PROJECTS ARE IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF PREPARATION. MAINLY CONCERNED WITH ARTISANAL FISHERIES. STATUS OF CERTIFIED FISHERIES

MARKET ACCEPTANCE : 

NATURALAND IS WELL ESTABLISHED IN GERMAN CONSUMER MARKETS. MARKET ACCEPTANCE

4.FAIR FISH : 

FAIR FISH IS A SWISS BASED NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL, ANIMAL WELFARE AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN FISHERIES 4.FAIR FISH

CERTIFICATION PROCESS : 

THE FISHERY IS ASSESSED FOR COMPLIANCE VIS-À-VIS THE STANDARDS OF FAIR FISH BY THIRD PARTY INSPECTION BODY. THE CERTIFICATION ENCOMPASES THE FISHERY AND THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY. CERTIFICATION PROCESS

CERTIFICATION BODIES : 

THE FISHERIES ARE INSPECTED AND CERTIFIED BY INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATION BODIES. CERTIFICATION BODIES

MARKET ACCEPTANCE : 

FAIR FISH IS CONCENTRATING MAINLY ON SWISS MARKET WHERE IT HAS ESTABLISHED COOPERATION WITH MIGROS, THE LARGEST SWISS RETAILER. MARKET ACCEPTANCE

5. KRAV : 

IS A SWEDISH INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION. ENCOURAGES ORGANIC MARKET BY DEVELOPING ORGANIC STANDARDS. ALSO DEVELOPED STANDARDS FOR SUSTAINABLE FISHERY. WIDELY USED IN SCANDINAVIA CERTIFICATION IS APPLICABLE FOR THE STOCK AND INDIVIDUAL FISHING VESSELS THAT CAN FISH IN A CERTIFIED STOCK. 5. KRAV

CERTIFICATION PROCESS : 

CERTIFICATION IS DONE BY INDEPENDENT, SCIENTIFIC LEAD EXPERT BODY THAT ASSESSES THE FISHERY AGAINST THE CRITERIA AND PRINCIPLES SET BY KRAV. CERTIFICATION PROCESS

CERTIFICATION BODIES : 

ACCREDITED INDEPENDENT CERTIFICATION BODIES. CERTIFICATION BODIES

ACTUAL STATUS OF CERTIFIED FISHERIES : 

CONFINED TO ONLY PILOT PROJECTS IN SMALL INLAND FISHERIES OF SWEDEN. ACTUAL STATUS OF CERTIFIED FISHERIES

MARKET ACCEPTANCE : 

ACCEPTED IN SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES ONLY MARKET ACCEPTANCE

6.DOLPHIN SAFE LABEL : 

THIS IS A “SINGLE” ATRIBUTE SELF DECLARATION ADOPTED BY PROCESSORS AND EXPORTERS OF TUNA. THE LABELLING IS DONE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS. THE DOLPHIN PROTECTION CONSUMER INFORMATION ACT (DPCIA) OF 1961 ESTABLISHED CRITERIA IN RESPECT OF CATCHING METHOD FOR DOLPHIN SAFE TUNA. 6.DOLPHIN SAFE LABEL

7.“TURTLE SAFE”SHRIMPS : 

THIS IS ALSO A SINGLE ATRIBUTE LABEL WHICH ADDRESSES THE BY-CATCH ISSUE OF CAPTURE OF MARINE TURTLE. U.S. MANDATES ALL SHRIMP TRAWLERS TO FIT TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES (TED). SHRIMPS HARVESTED USING SUCH TRAWLS ARE CERTIFIED AS “TURTLE SAFE” SHRIMP. 7.“TURTLE SAFE”SHRIMPS

8.”RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES” LABEL OF ISLAND : 

IN 2007 ISLAND ISSUED A STATEMENT ON SUSTINABLE FISHERIES “RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES” LABEL IS USED ON PRODUCTS TO IDENTIFY CATCH OF ICELANDIC VESSELS FROM STRADDLING STOPS WHICH ARE UNDER INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT 8.”RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES” LABEL OF ISLAND

9.EU CATCH CERTIFICATION SCHEME : 

EU REGULATION NO 1005/2008 WILL COME INTO FORCE ON 1ST JAN 2010 AIM IS TO PREVENT , DETER AND ELIMINATE IUU FISHING TO ENSURE TRACEABLITY A CATCH CERTIFICATE IS MANDATORY THE CATCH CERTIFICATE IS THE PROOF THAT THE CATCHS ARE FROM A LEGALLY MANAGED FISHIRIES AND HARVESTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCIPLACABLE LAWS , REGULATIONS. 9.EU CATCH CERTIFICATION SCHEME

CONCLUSION : 

ECO LABELLING SCHEMES CAN BE EMPLOYED AS MEANS OF ENSURING SUSTINABLITY OF FISHIRIES MORE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT IS NEEDED TO POPULARISE ECO LABLES IN FISHIRIES ECO LABELS AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMMES WILL FAVOUR FISHIRIES MANAGEMENT ESPICIALLY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES CONCLUSION

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THANK YOU