Difficult as small-scale fisheries are highly heterogeneous and difficult to "follow" (thus also to certify with an ecolabel). I have no case study, but maybe those ideas could be helpful:

- if it is a specific fishing tactic, where the fishery is itself sustainable and with minimal impact on habitats and relatively localized.

- perhaps it's a good idea to try it out where the certification itself comes from a fishermen cooperative in collaboration with the local/regional authority; thus the fishermen are not alienated from the ecolabelling process as they feel it concerns them (their own cooperative/local union) and are also made more open/positive to the management authority.

Regards,

Vangelis

Certification becomes difficult in this domain, because of dimension and diversity

 I will launch ecolabelling project (Type II) if i can find a fund.

I think that ecolabelling in small scale fisheries is easier than in commercial fisheries. One of turkish fishermen cooperative in South Aegean Sea took a bright view of ecolabelling..  If my project is approved, i will keep posted..

Evangelos

your ideas is brilliant. Thanks a lot for it.

Abhijit

Yes, for some situation i think.

Sercan

Yes..i also have some project about that. So, i ask in this forum to get some knowledge, tricks and some case study from another area. I already work for Ecolabelling Certification in Indonesia since 2013, for Clam Fishery. Hope, i can make it.

This is a great question. The problem with small scale fisheries in developing countries is they often have no clear management plan, have poor data collection and regulatory capability, and limited evidence of responsible fishing activity.Ecolabeling schemes typically require demonstrable evidence that a regulatory framework is in existence and is functioning as planned. Without this evidence the fishery has almost no chance of meeting the requirement of the scheme. WWF and SFP are increasingly working in this domain by introducing Fishery Improvement Projects. Before embarking on this journey thought one has to ask why is it necessary for the fishery to be certified? If the catch is for domestic consumption it may not be necessary to seek certification, after all, efforts to improve the fishery do not have to be linked to a certification scheme. 

YES, please refers to the Mexican Pacific lobster fishery within the MSC webpage

Most ecolabelling models have not been developed with small-scale fisheries (SSF) in mind. Certification schemes are frequently  incompatible with SSF for many reasons.

In Spain some collective labelling initiatives have been developed from SSF, in some case combining this with locally developed quality labels. The main challenge for this development is that it requires strong SSF organizations in order to develop all the process and take advantage of the labelling scheme with a mid to long-term perspective.

Frequently ecolabelling schemes are not necessary for local marketing purposes, at least in Spain nowadays. However it may be very useful to differentiate the local catch from global markets produce, and a collective labelling initiative may comply with this requirement.

From some pre-certification study cases there are three majors concerns

1) how selective is the fishery, more selective increases possibilities

2) organization of fishers, which means governability to follow fishing controls

3) the information existing

We are working with artisanal lobster fishers who are mainly skin divers (SCUBA is banned in Kenya for lobster fishing). Steve is right about lack data on population dynamics, stock assessment, impacts of the fishery on the environment and establishment of biological reference points of sustainability. Since we have selected the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Ecolabel, we have for the last 4 years been on Fisheries Improvement Programme (FIP) before we can embark on Full Assessment: We have since then updated information on:

1. Biology, 2. Stock Assessment, 3. Population Dynamics, 4. Harvesting strategy, 5. Established geospatial distribution of the stocks and effort, 6. Evaluated data leakages , 7. Reviewed the policy and legal framework and 6. Prepared a Draft Management Plan for the Lobster Fishery.

I believe it is possibe to attain certification for this fishery since it has very minimal environmental impacts apart from using octopus as bail. There are a few challenges due to use of gillnets and breaking of corals which can be addressed through awareness and education programmes. The main area of this fishery also happens to be within Kiunga Marine Reserve, thereby giving it a strong community based apparoch.

Interesting thread, great comments and questions.  I've always wondered why fisheries can't be certified more like forests are to enable and support best practices at a smaller scale.  Entire species of the Amazon Rainforest are not certified, but certain producers are or rather the product (lumber) that they extract is.  I'm not sure that this is a model that can be directly transferred to small scale producers - particularly given the costs involved - but it might be a framework worth looking into to see what can be transferred. In Brazil - Extractive Reserves began as managed forest areas with the concept being transferred to marine areas (Marine Extractive Reserves - RESEX) many years down the road.  Perhaps fish derived from these reserves - which is not just consumed locally but sold regionally or otherwise - could be?  I

Woow...i just got a wonderfull statements from you guys.

I agree with Steve, some developing countries have the same problem about poor data, no management plan, etc. But, i believe it can be happen.

Yes Fransisco...your three major concerns, i think can be the first step to do..and connected to Julius's answer..we still need Stock Assessment to make a harvest strategies, management plan, others...

from my opinion and what i do now is...Ecolable Certification for small scale fisheries is not main purpose for my case..but, i need the principles from that to apply and adopt in small scale fisheries system...so, Ecolable Certification can be kind of a reward for them who already improve their activities become sustainable and responsible..

Here you have a good example of small scale fishery that have got the MSC certification. It is razor clam hand-caught by divers.

http://www.msc.org/newsroom/news/spanish-cofradia-de-bueu-razor-clam-fishery-in-ria-de-pontevedra-obtains-msc-certification

Have a look at the new Fair Trade USA certification process. Its mainly aimed at the social side of fisheries, not the resource sustainability side. Its only new so tehre is only one certified fishery at this stage.

A lot has to do with better data collection in small-scale fisheries. Here is a short presentation of experiences by Stephen Box who shows concrete examples of how is has been done successfully in Central America and much in demand in SE Asia: http://mundusmaris.org/index.php/en/review/other/1821-ss-fisheries-data

Thanks Cornelia