Understanding Sustainability in the Fish and Seafood Industry and the Related Certification Schemes...

Understanding

Sustainability in the

Fish and Seafood

Industry and the

Related Certification

Schemes and

Consumer Guides

31 May 2016

ASEAN SIAL 2016

World Trade Center

2

OBJECTIVES

Revisit the importance of sustainability in the fish and

seafood industry

Gain an appreciation of the various sustainability schemes

Look at the role of retailers in driving sustainability and

identify other factors that affect sustainability in the

seafood industry

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THE STATE OF WORLD FISHERIES AND

AQUACULTURE

“People have never consumed so much fish or depended

so greatly on the sector for their well-being as they do

today”

Source: FAO State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2014

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AQUACULTURE

Fish consumption also continues to rise


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AQUACULTURE

10 to 12% of the world’s population depends on fishing

and aquaculture as their livelihood (est. 60 million people)


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AQUACULTURE

Fish is among the world’s most traded food commodities.

Worth almost USD 130 billion in 2012


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AQUACULTURE

18 countries account for

more than 76% of global

marine catches.

Eleven of which are in Asia

Philippines is one of them


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AQUACULTURE

Share of aquaculture continues in total fish production continues to grow.


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AQUACULTURE

Philippines

is one of

the top 15

farmed fish

producers

in the world


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AQUACULTURE

In terms of fish stock, 71% of the commercially important

marine fish stocks monitored by FAO are fished within

biologically sustainable levels (in 2011)


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AQUACULTURE

An estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food are lost per year --

to about one-third of all food produced.

In small-scale fisheries, quality losses are often far more

significant than physical losses.

The report also notes that illegal, unreported and

unregulated (IUU) fishing remains a major threat to marine

ecosystems and also impacts negatively on livelihoods,

local economies and food supplies.

Food chain traceability is increasingly a requirement in

major fish markets, especially in the wake of recent

scandals involving the mislabelling of food products


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WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?

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DEFINING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE SEAFOOD

INDUSTRY

Defined By: Definition of “Sustainability”

Government Development that meets the needs of the present

without compromising the ability of future generations

to meet their own needs. (UNCLOS, 1982)

Seafood Certification

Scheme

Involves the main certification organization establishing

the criteria for certification (the standard), and

independent accredited ‘certifying bodies’ (CBs)

conducting the assessments against the criteria.

Seafood Consumer Guides While not specifically trying to define ‘sustainability’ the

guides instead communicate through a traffic light

system (i.e. red/avoid, yellow/consider, green/buy) in

order to influence consumer behavior. This in turn is

aimed at promoting ‘best choice’ consumer purchases

and as a result improve the sustainability of the ocean

environment.

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ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN SEAFOOD

SUSTAINABILITY SCHEMES

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS TO BOOST

SUSTAINABILITY

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS TO BOOST

SUSTAINABILITY

Comprehensive National Fisheries Industry Development

Plan (Medium Term 2016 – 2020)

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GOVERNMENT ADVISORY BODIES

Food and Agriculture

Organisation (FAO) of The

United Nations

The FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture

Department is the principal repository of

global fishery statistics and a recognized

authority on fisheries and aquaculture.

Food and Agriculture

Organisation (FAO) of The

United Nation - FISHCODE

Programme

The FAO, through an Interregional Assistance

Programme and as a special programme of

Global Partnerships for Responsible

Fisheries, established the FishCode

Programme and the FishCode Trust. The

combined activities of the Trust Fund and

Regular Programme, allow FishCode to utilise

the FAO’s multidisciplinary technical

knowledge to ensure the CCRF has the best

possible chance of successful implementation

in developing countries.

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European Commision:

Directorate - General for

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

(DG MARE)

DG MARE is responsible for the

implementation of the Common Fisheries

Policy (CFP). The CFP aims to preserve

traditional fishing patterns, promote

conservation, control market measures and

structural actions, and improve international

relations relating to fisheries.

National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA)

The NOAA is the federal agency responsible

for the stewardship of offshore living marine

resources and habitats in the USA, and the

integration and coordination of aquaculture

policies, research and compliance with

international obligations.

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Regional Fishery Bodies

(RFBs) & Regional Fisheries

Management & Organisations

(RFMOs)

RFBs & RFMOs manage fish stocks across

areas within and beyond national jurisdictions.

Their mandate and scope is at the discretion

of member States and actions can include:

the collection, analysis and dissemination of

information and data; coordinating fisheries

management through joint schemes and

mechanisms; serving as a technical and

policy forum; and taking decisions relating to

the conservation, management, development

and responsible use of resources.

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International Social

Environmental Accreditation &

Labelling (ISEAL) Alliance

The ISEAL Alliance works with companies,

nonprofit and governments around the world

offering guidance on the effectiveness and

impact of voluntary standards systems.

United Nations General

Assembly Resolution on

Sustainable Fisheries

The UN General Assembly Resolution

UNGA 61/105 aims to protect vulnerable

marine ecosystems from bottom fishing

activities in the high seas.

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

ORGANIZATIONS

The Global Aquaculture

Alliance (GAA)

GAA is a non-profit NGO, established in 1997,

which encourages environmentally

responsible aquaculture practises and works

to promote effective, coordinated regulatory

and trade policies.

The Marine Stewardship

Council (MSC)

MSC, an independent nonprofit NGO founded

in 1997, aims to contribute to the health of the

world’s oceans by recognizing and rewarding

sustainable fishing practices. MSC offers two

standards for fisheries and seafood

businesses: the MSC Fishery standard and

the MSC Chain of Custody standard.

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ORGANIZATIONS

Friend of the Sea Founded in 2006, Friend of the Sea is a non-

profit NGO that manages the International

Friend of the Sea scheme. The scheme

provides for the certification of products from

sustainable fisheries and aquaculture by

independent, international certification bodies.

Aquaculture Stewardship

Council (ASC)

Founded in 2009 by the World Wildlife

Fund and IDH (Dutch Sustainable

Trade Initiative), ASC is an independent

nonprofit organisation that is working

with aquaculture producers, seafood

processors, retail and food service

companies, scientists, conservation

groups and the public to promote best

environmental and social practices for

aquaculture.

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ORGANIZATIONS

The Global Partnership For

Good Agricultural Practice

(GLOBALG.A.P.)

GLOBALG.A.P. acts as a private sector

body that sets voluntary standards for

the certification of production processes

for agriculture and aquaculture products

worldwide.

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CONSUMER GUIDES

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) WWF works with stakeholders worldwide to

develop ecolabel systems for sustainable,

wild-caught and farmed seafood.

Monterey Bay Aquarium –

SEAFOOD WATCH

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

program encourages consumers and

businesses to purchase fished or farmed

seafood from sustainable and environmentally

friendly sources.

National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA) – FISHWATCH

Fishwatch is a critical element of the NOAA’s

mission to provide consumers with the most

comprehensive data regarding the state of

fisheries across the USA.

Australian Marine

Conservation Society –

Australia’s Sustainable

Seafood Guide

The Australian Marine Conservation Society is

a not-for-profit organisation focusing on the

creation and protection of large marine

national parks and sustainable fisheries

across Australia.

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CONSUMER GUIDES

Australian Marine

Conservation Society –

Australia’s Sustainable

Seafood Guide

The Australian Marine Conservation Society is

a not-for-profit organisation focusing on the

creation and protection of large marine

national parks and sustainable fisheries

across Australia.

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THE RETAILER ‘PUSH’ EFFECT ON

SUSTAINABILITY

“Retailers have the power to bring about enormous

positive change in our oceans. The buying power that

these companies can leverage is strong enough to rebuild

depleted stocks, create protective measures for vulnerable

habitat areas, and promote smart, strong fishery

management across the globe.”

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THE RETAILER ‘PUSH’ EFFECT ON

SUSTAINABILITY

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/14/3680277/sustainable-seafood-greenpeace-report/

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OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING SUSTAINABILITY

IN THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY

It should also be noted that the sustainability of fisheries is

not only affected by fishing and aquaculture practices but

also subject to over arching environmental and social

concerns as well.

The two major environmental concerns facing the seafood

industry are the increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs) in

the atmosphere, and the amount of waste in the seafood

life cycle.

Potential issues affecting fisheries due to the increased

level of GHGs in the atmosphere include rising average

ocean temperature, decreasing salinity and increasing

acidity.

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Finding a way to reduce our GHG impact is an important

long-term step for the sustainability of the current balance

of marine life.

Another important factor is the estimated 7.3 million tonnes

(reaching as high as 30 million tonnes in some research

figures) of seafood waste that is dumped back into the

oceans globally.

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Social concerns are often overlooked in the definition of

‘sustainability’; however, there is a need, and a

responsibility, for the seafood industry to focus on the

estimated 35 million or more people who rely on fishing or

fish farming as a full-time (i.e. someone who receives 90%

or more of their livelihood from fishing) occupation.

It has been reported that working conditions in some

regions are far from satisfactory and exploit the situation

these fishers find themselves in. According to FAO

estimates, almost 20% of them earn less than $1 a day.

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WWW.SGS.PH/AGRICULTURE-FOOD

http://www.sgs.ph/AGRICULTURE-FOOD

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