4736 ISS Policy Brief 18.indd

This policy brief examines the expansion of marine fisheries eco-labelling in Southern and Eastern Africa, focusing on the roles of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Friends of the Sea (FOS). It analyzes the environmental and commercial incentives for certification, the challenges of including small-scale fisheries, and the necessity of state support and independent impact studies to ensure sustainable fisheries management.

• The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Friends of the Sea (FOS) are the primary international eco-labelling organizations. The MSC is viewed as the global leader with a rigorous, expensive certification process that requires annual audits and re-certification every five years. In contrast, the FOS certifies more fisheries, including farmed fish, but its assessment process is described as brief, inexpensive, and less rigorous, leading to less influence with international retailers.
• Eco-labelling is expanding in Africa because Western demand for certified products exceeds supply, and international initiatives face pressure to include the Global South to avoid being seen as informal trade barriers. The MSC has opened an office in Cape Town to extend its reach in Southern and Eastern Africa, supported by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
• Certification status in Africa is limited but growing. The South African deep-sea hake trawl industry is the only marine fishery to obtain the MSC label. FOS has certified a French company exporting prawns from Madagascar and a company exporting Southern African tuna. Other fisheries in Namibia (hake), Kenya (rock lobster), Mozambique and Madagascar (prawns), and Tanzania and Madagascar (octopus) have shown interest or begun the process.
• The environmental impact of eco-labels is debated. While some evidence suggests the MSC assessment process leads to improvements—such as reduced by-catch and better management plans in the South African hake trawl fishery—critics argue that sustainability standards may be too low or that labels provide a 'green shield' for industrial companies to avoid more ambitious reforms.
• Fishing companies face a trade-off between the high costs of rigorous certification and the commercial benefits of market access and legitimacy. The MSC label is more expensive due to thorough assessments and required corrective actions, but is considered more reputable. There is a concern that the growth of certification in Southern Africa is overly dependent on donor and philanthropic funding, which may be unsustainable.
• Including small-scale fisheries is a major challenge due to lack of data and the inability of small enterprises to afford certification costs. While the MSC and WWF are exploring adaptations in Kenya and Tanzania, there are concerns that certification may benefit exporters more than local fishermen and could negatively impact local food security by increasing exports and raising local prices.
• The success of eco-labelling depends heavily on state capacity, but many Southern African governments lack the resources to manage the process or suffer from governance and corruption issues. Additionally, the integrity of labels is threatened by potential conflicts of interest where certifying bodies may provide favorable assessments to clients to grow their business.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). 4736 ISS Policy Brief 18.indd. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/NO18NOV09.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. 4736 ISS Policy Brief 18.indd. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/NO18NOV09.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=4736 ISS Policy Brief 18.indd |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/NO18NOV09.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesnd4736, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{4736 ISS Policy Brief 18.indd}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/NO18NOV09.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }