Eco-certification of farmed seafood: will it make a difference?

Area of Science:

• Aquaculture
• Environmental Science
• Sustainability Studies

Background:

• Eco-certification is a widely adopted strategy to mitigate environmental impacts in aquaculture.
• Aquaculture is the world's fastest-growing animal-food production sector, increasing the urgency for sustainable practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the potential of current eco-certification schemes to reduce environmental impacts in the global aquaculture sector.
• To identify limitations and challenges hindering the effectiveness of eco-certification at scale.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of various eco-certification schemes.
• Evaluation based on species focus, market share projections, producer eligibility, and targeted environmental impacts.
• Assessment of geographical market coverage (EU, US, Asia).

Main Results:

• Current schemes primarily target EU/US markets, with limited Asian coverage.
• Projected market share for certified products is insufficient for significant impact.
• Certification applicability is inequitable and non-uniform across the sector.
• Lack of incentives for poor-performing producers and incomplete environmental impact coverage (biophysical, ecosystem perspectives).

Conclusions:

• The effectiveness of eco-certification in reducing aquaculture's environmental footprint at scale is currently uncertain.
• Significant improvements are needed in market coverage, inclusivity, performance incentives, and the scope of environmental impact assessment for eco-certification to achieve its goals.