| The problems surrounding depleting fish stocks around | | | | Organization, or in line with a programme promoted by |
| the world has been steadily increasing, and many | | | | the Earth Island Institute (EII) a US based |
| companies are facing increasing pressure to promote | | | | non-governmental organization. |
| environmentally friendly practices. A major high street | | | | In response to the growing demand in Japan for |
| retailer in Europe, Marks and Spencer has taken a | | | | eco-labelled products, MEL-Japan was established in |
| step in this direction, as the company is collaborating | | | | 2007 to support fisheries that work to conserve |
| with WWF to sign a charter to protect Europe's | | | | marine resources and the oceans. The objective is to |
| waters from overfishing. | | | | foster and advance fisheries that actively address |
| There are many third-party fishery environmental | | | | protection of marine resources and ecosystems by |
| schemes in place around the world to tackle the | | | | certifying such fisheries and differentiating their |
| dwindling fish stocks. The Friend of the Sea was | | | | products from others with the Marine Eco-Label. The |
| initiated in 2005, works by approving products if target | | | | Krav is the Swedish certification for organic products. It |
| stocks are not overexploited and the seabed is not | | | | includes all parts of the chain of custody, from the |
| impacted by certain fishing methods. The Naturland | | | | fishery to the retailers, and certification involves |
| Association promotes organic agriculture. Up till now | | | | assessment of thefishery followed by individual vessel |
| they had only been concerned with aquaculture | | | | certification. |
| certifications. However, recently they initiated a wild | | | | However, it was the Marine Stewardship Council that |
| fisheries certification scheme, starting with a trial | | | | came out on top, in comparison to other assessed |
| certification programme in Tanzania on Lake Victoria. | | | | seafood eco-labelling schemes by a report |
| Before the enactment of the U.S. Marine Mammal | | | | commissioned by the WWF. According to the report, |
| Protection Act (MMPA) in 1972, as many as half a | | | | the Accenture Development Partnerships compared |
| million dolphins died. By the late 1980s, increased | | | | and ranked seven fishery certification schemes, |
| pressures by consumers led to the initiation of the | | | | including Friend of the Sea, Naturland, and Krav. The |
| 'Dolphin Safe Label'. This label was designed to certify | | | | report found that except for the MSC, the other |
| that tuna was caught in a way that protects dolphins. | | | | assessed schemes do not evaluate fisheries across all |
| This is based on the Agreement on the International | | | | criteria to the extent required to support sustainable |
| Dolphin Conservation Program (AIDCP), a multilateral | | | | fishing and healthy oceans. |
| agreement under the IATTC Regional Fisheries | | | | |