Small in scale but big in potential: Opportunities and challenges for fisheries certification of Indonesian small-scale tuna fisheries

Abstract

Achieving sustainable fisheries and certifications can be challenging for developing countries, affecting the achievement of global seafood sustainability and food security. Indonesia is one of the world's leading producers of tuna products but struggles to achieve certification. Small-scale tuna fisheries are an important component of the Indonesian fisheries sector, especially with regard to employment and income. The Marine Stewardship Council is the most recognised fisheries certification scheme worldwide but is criticised for being inaccessible to small-scale fisheries. Fair Trade has traditionally focussed on land-based products, but recently developed a standard for capture fisheries. Traceability systems are important components of many fisheries certifications and are essential in ensuring product quality and food provenance. This paper discusses the challenges and opportunities facing Indonesian small-scale tuna fisheries achieving certification and implementing traceability. The outlook for certification of such fisheries is promising, given recent global and national developments but requires increasing commitment to communicate the importance and value of such schemes in developing countries.