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Developing The Standard

The Trade In Live Reef Food Fish

The Live Reef Food Fish Trade (LRFFT) is used to describe the trade in live reef fish for consumption, mainly in Hong Kong and southern China, involving more than 20 supply countries.

Background To The Live Reef Food Fish Trade

The consumption of live reef fish has a long history in Hong Kong and southern China, the main centres of demand for "live" reef fish. International trading in live reef fish began more recently in the early to mid-1980's in countries close to Hong Kong, China such as the Philippines. In the years since, it has expanded progressively throughout Southeast Asia and into the Indo-west and South Pacific Expansion of Live Reef Food Fish Trade.

The main reason for this expansion was that fish stocks on reefs nearer to Hong Kong had begun to show signs of depletion. As the Live Reef Food Fish Trade has become more established in these other countries, mainly in Southeast Asia, reef fish stocks have also begun to show signs of overfishing in some areas. As well, there is evidenced of widespread damage to reef habitats from the use of cyanide to capture fish. A combination of high demand due to much higher prices for live as opposed to dead reef fish; inadequate management, made more difficult by fragmented fishing grounds with limited management capacity; and unsustainable fishing practices are seen as the main causes of these problems.

As a consequence of heavy fishing pressure in some areas over many years, reef fish stocks in these areas have been overfished to the point where too many fish capable of reproducing (adult or mature fish) have been removed and fish stocks are not being replenished. With fewer adult fish in the populations, immature fish are now making up a greater proportion of total catches. By removing more and more fish before they reach sexual maturity, less fish are getting an opportunity to reproduce and replenish stocks. Because these smaller, immature fish are below the size demanded by markets in Hong Kong and southern China, they are kept in floating cages where they are grown-out until they reach market size. While in these cages, they are fed on fresh fish, which adds further to the pressure on fish stocks.

It is not only the LRFFT's impact on fishery resources themselves that has raised concerns, but also the socio-economic impacts of the trade on coastal communities dependent on these resources. Whilst the trade can provide communities with additional income, there is a general belief that many communities are not receiving fair returns for their fishery resources. Moreover, many of the target species of the trade are also important for both subsistence and local commercial fisheries. In the longer term, where severe overfishing occurs, these fish resources are no longer available for local use and potential income generating opportunities such as ecotourism could be threatened or lost.

The main issues facing the Live Reef Food Fish Trade are the:

• overfishing and consequent depletion of resources that are in many cases used in other subsistence or commercial fisheries;
  
  
• destruction of coral and mortality of non-target fish when using cyanide as a capture method;
  
  
• fishing of spawning aggregations of some target fish, causing depletion of their populations;
  
  
• wastage of fish-many non-target fish are killed during fishing operations but not eaten, while many fish that could be used as food in local communities are caught to feed live reef food fish (LRFF) during grow-out-and because of deaths of target fish before reaching the market;
  
  
• social issues resulting mostly from conflicts regarding access to fish and prices paid; and· effects of growing-out of young wild-caught fish, which contributes to depletion of target fish stocks.

Developing An International Standard

The International Standard for the Trade in Live Reef Food Fish (the Standard) has been developed in response to concerns by regional organisations, national governments and non-government organisations alike over the potentially negative impacts of this trade on fish stocks, ecosystems and fishing communities. In many countries engaged in the trade overfishing in general, and undesirable fishing practices specifically, are at the core of these concerns. Evidence already exists in some locations of large declines in stocks of targeted species from uncontrolled fishing pressure and widespread incidences of destructive fishing.

The Live Reef Food Fish Trade has the potential to "add value" to a region's reef fish resources if those resource are responsibly exploited. Attaining long-term benefits from a LRFF fishery requires responsible development, careful and specific management and strict enforcement to alleviate any potentially negative social and environmental impacts.

Background To The Development Of Industry Standard

The use of an industry standard as a strategy to combat the harmful effects of the trade was first proposed at a LRFFT workshop held in Honolulu in February 2001. The workshop identified a need to develop a code of "best-practice" for the trade along the chain of custody from reef to restaurant and to promote its adoption and application by industry groups and producer-country governments and produced a Collaborative Strategy to Address the Live Reef Food Fish Trade (More Info .. Collaborative Strategy to Address the LRFFT) (Graham, 2001)

In response to outcomes from this meeting, The Nature Conservancy submitted a proposal to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to develop a model Industry Standard for participants that built upon the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Subsequent to this, a paper examining practical models for collaborative resource management, and their application to the LRFFT was prepared by Civic Exchange (External Website .. Civic Exchange), Collaborative Management Models for the Live Reef Food Fish Trade (More Info .. Collaborative Management Models for the LRFFT) (Wan, 2001)

With support of the 21 member economies of the APEC Fisheries Working Group (External Website .. APEC Fisheries Working Group) , the Marine Aquarium Council (External Website .. Marine Aquarium Council), and The Nature Conservancy (External Website .. The Nature Conservancy)were charged with overseeing the development of the Standard.

The process, by which the Standard was developed has been wide-ranging and inclusive, with support and assistance provided by many groups with an interest in the trade. The list of contributors to the development of the Standard is extensive and includes industry bodies, national governments, environmental organisations, fishing communities and researchers with relevant expertise List of Key Contributors. title="View Complete Document as PDF (46KB)"(More Info .. Key Contributors List)

What Is The International Standard

The Standard is a comprehensive reference tool covering all aspects of the trade in live reef food fish. It is a generic document aimed at providing guidance to all participants and managers as to what constitutes:

• management best-practices, including assessment, monitoring, control and enforcement;
  
  
• operational best-practices with respect to targeting of fish, methods of catching fish, and management and maintenance of fish health; and
  
  
• handling, holding and transportation best-practices for maintaining the quality and the condition of live fish.

The Standard has been divided into three parts dealing with the:

1. Capture of Wild Live Reef Food Fish
2. Live Reef Food Fish Aquaculture
3. Trading and Consumption of Live Reef Food Fish

The three parts of the Standard are each comprised of a series of Requirements dealing with those specific aspects of the trade. The Requirements themselves are overview statements that describe in simple terms the preferred conditions under which a LRFF fishery should operate within countries that supply fish, either from the wild or through aquaculture, and within countries that consume live fish.

(More Info .. The International Standard for the Trade in Live Reef Food Fish)

Who Are The Intended Users

The Standard is intended for use by all persons and organisations engaged in the trade in live reef fish including; fishers, traders, buyers, exporters, importers, wholesalers and retailers as well as relevant government departments such as fisheries and aquaculture, environment and trade Chain of Custody. (More Info .. Chain of Custody).

It should be clearly understood that although this International Standard is supported by APEC and its 21 member economies, adoption and incorporation of the elements of the Standard into the operation and management of a country's live reef food fish fishery is completely VOLUNTARY.

It is hoped that the Standard will be a means by which the industry can work together to encourage all its members to operate more responsibly and to contribute to a more sustainable trade in the longer term, including improved economic benefits to all industry stakeholders.

Using The International Standard Toolkit

Because the Requirements are only overview statements, this toolkit has been developed to provide managers, practitioners and participants with additional information as to how the requirements may be satisfied. To assist users of this toolkit, each Requirement is sub-divided into two components, these being:

1. Interpretation; and
2. Responsible Practices

The Interpretation and best-practices component explains in general terms the importance of the Requirement in the context of the LRFFT and addresses the wider connotations of adoption or non-adoption of that Requirement.

The Responsible Practices component identifies key points that are essential to the longer term sustainability and improved operation of LRFF fisheries. Within the Responsible Practices component links to existing reports, manuals, web-sites and organisations are provided to assist managers, practitioners and participants to establish and comply with operational and management best-practices within their LRFF fisheries. Where useful, further information has been collated and highlighted within framed boxes.

This toolkit is a first draft only. It is envisaged that it will be reviewed and revised periodically in response to feedback from practitioners and policymakers, as a result of field-based applications, or as the need arises.

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