The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which will celebrate 20 years next year. It is a series of guidelines and principles for sustainable fisheries management and represents a global consensus on a range of fisheries and aquaculture issues.

Organic and sustainable foods are increasingly popular among consumers particularly in western markets. Th is trend can be confirmed by looking at retail shelves and counters, as well as by the reports of certifi cation companies, which show an increase of products and of countries where these products are marketed. A vast range of sustainable certificates and eco labels can be seen on all types of products. Most of these certifications are led by private enterprise, and certify against a specifi ed protocol or standard to ensure the product comes from sustainable practices. An increase of these products and where the products are offered are driven by several factors including pressure from NGO’s on supermarkets, interest from consumers, and the potential to charge higher prices. Consumers, having more certainty about the origin of their product, are, at least theoretically, willing to pay a premium for sustainably raised or caught seafood products.

This new trend has sparked debate over the number of certifications available, and if they all are held to the same standard. Some call for the continued diversification of product labelling explaining it will give consumers more choices. There have recently been proposals to streamline eco and sustainable seafood certifications. In Alaska and countries like Iceland and Ireland there is a single certification operated at the national level. In January 2015 the European Commission will release a report on the practicality of an EU wide eco certification program. Cohesion and a single standard would offer consumers less choice, however it could present a readily recognisable option. This is not to say that a single regulated label will cut back on the mislabelling of products that is evident in private labelling schemes, but it should make it easier for consumers to decide on the product they want to purchase. Harmonisation of labelling could also help producing companies cut down on costs, and more efficiently follow a single protocol for their seafood product. 

Behind many international standards lies the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which will celebrate 20 years next year. Published by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) this voluntary document consists of 12 articles and has been signed by 170 FAO member countries. It is a series of guidelines and principles for sustainable fisheries management and represents a global consensus on a range of fisheries and aquaculture issues. It has functioned as a guide for countries developing comprehensive certification schemes particular to their own environment and interests. 

In addition to the Code of Conduct, the FAO has released other guidelines, which provide information on, among others, eco-labelling fish and fishery products from marine capture fisheries or from inland fisheries. These universally accepted documents could contribute to the harmonisation of ecolabeling standards for seafood products.

Article from EUROFISH Magazine, Volume 6/2014