Fish for Good is a four-year project aimed at guiding fisheries in South Africa, Indonesia and Mexico towards more sustainable fishing practices.
Fish for Good is sponsored by the Dutch National Postcode Lottery.
Why South Africa?
South Africa is flanked by two highly biodiverse and productive large marine ecosystems, the Benguela and Agulhas currents. A wide variety of fisheries take advantage of the fish stocks in these two marine ecosystems, ranging from large industrialised fleets to small artisanal operations. Together, these fisheries are very important to the national economy and to the livelihoods of coastal communities.
678 million
How does it work?
Stage 1 - mapping
The MSC conducted a scan of the 63 fisheries in South Africa and, based on the results, selected 18 fisheries for deeper mapping. Those fisheries are mapped according to their target species, areas fished, gear(s) used and catch volumes. Stock status, environmental impacts and market potential are also taken into account.
Stage 2 - pre-assessments
The Fish for Good advisory group evaluated the findings and selected nine fisheries to be pre-assessed against the MSC Fisheries Standard.
The pre-assessment process measures the performance of each fishery against the MSC Standard and identifies areas for improvement. Pre-assessment of the nine fisheries is undertaken by an accredited third-party assessor.
Stage 3 - action plan development and implementation
The advisory group has selected five of the nine fisheries to undertake action plan development and proceed into Fishery Improvement Projects. The five selected fisheries, shown on the map below, are:
• Yellowfin tuna
• Albacore tuna
• East Coast rock lobster
• Mussel
• Squid
During the action plan stage, the gaps identified in Stage 2 are translated into a 'to do' list for each fishery so that stakeholders can work together towards improved sustainability. This stage will be undertaken by the project’s implementing partner WWF South Africa. After stage 3, some fisheries may be in a position to enter full assessment for MSC certification.
Project stages
Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | |
| When? | April 2018 – June 2018 | June 2018 – June 2019 | June 2019 onwards |
| What? | Mapping fisheries in the region | Assessing baseline performance and identifying areas for improvement | Developing action plans to improve fisheries' performance against the MSC indicators |
| How | Building fisheries profiles through desk research | Conducting large-scale gap analysis of fisheries' performance against the MSC Standard | Agreeing on actions and stakeholders' responsibilities to address the gaps defined in Stage 2 |
| By who? | The MSC | Accredited third-party assessor | Collaborative stakeholder effort |
| Result | 18 fisheries mapped | 9 fisheries pre-assessed | 5 fisheries' action plans |
Advisory group
The advisory group represents stakeholders in South Africa’s fishing and seafood sectors. It is tasked with providing co-ordinated advice on the development and continuing implementation of the Fish for Good project. The advisory group offers independent views representing a variety of informed perspectives in addressing the effectiveness of project activities. Nominations to the advisory group were made at stakeholder focussed meetings that incorporated the commercial fishing industry, seafood market professionals, government, small scale fishers and non-governmental organisations.
South Africa Fish For Good stories
| Description: | Find out more about Fish for Good and how it is helping South African fisheries set a course for sustainable fishing. |
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| Language: | English |
| Date of issue: | 18 August 2020 |
PDF - 2 MB
Contact us
Please contact [email protected] to find out more about how the MSC is supporting small-scale fisheries in South Africa in becoming more sustainable.
Find out more
Fish for Good (project home)
Fish for Good is a four-year project aiming to guide fisheries in Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa on their journey towards sustainability.
Southwest Indian Ocean Octopus Project (SWIOCeph)
An increased global interest in octopus creates potential for export market opportunities. This project will assist octopus fishing communities in the southwest Indian Ocean regions towards more sustainable practices.
Fish for Good - Indonesia
Indonesia is the world's second largest fish producer. Some stocks are being overfished. Local food security, economy and marine biodiversity are at risk.
Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs)
The MSC recognises the important contribution that FIPs can make to improving overall fisheries health and in promoting sustainable seafood. We work to provide technical support and capacity to credible FIPs.