Is MSC eco-labelling workable in Taiwan? Responses from various sectors of the Taiwanese sergestid shrimp fishery

Abstract

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-labelling is among the widely known market-based management approaches that are considered effective in solving the problem of overfishing. The approach has been applied in several marine capture fisheries worldwide; however, it was found not to be fully workable in many fisheries for various reasons. The sergestid shrimp (Sergia lucens) fishery in Tungkang County of Taiwan has been managed well in recent decades through a bottom-up community-based co-management scheme and is probably the best candidate for obtaining the first MSC certification in Taiwan. This study assessed the fishery in relation to the three principles of MSC eco-labelling and investigated responses from experts, managers, industry representatives, and consumers on improving the fishery in order to obtain the MSC certification. The results suggested that three major problems confronted the fishery: (1) the fishery was unlikely to meet the MSC standards unless it could reduce its high bycatch rate; (2) the economic and/or political benefits were not attractive enough to the relevant sectors for them to cover the high costs and responsibility of obtaining and maintaining the MSC certification; and (3) the fishery was reputed to be well managed without any eco-label, suggesting no strong incentive to obtain one from a management perspective. The benefits of MSC eco-labelling could be consolidated, however, and the role of government was crucial in this regard.