Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action
We examine new dynamics of privatization and collective action in common pool resource situations facilitated by the nonstate multistakeholder institutions of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the global leader in sustainability certification for wild caught seafood. Through a review of the lite...
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Resilience Alliance
2014
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Online Access: | https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/ https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/1/Certifying.the.commons.pdf https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/3/Certifying.the.commons.pdf https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06459-190228 |
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ftmemorialuniv:oai:research.library.mun.ca:6415 2023-10-01T03:57:37+02:00 Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action Foley, Paul McCay, Bonnie 2014 application/pdf https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/ https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/1/Certifying.the.commons.pdf https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/3/Certifying.the.commons.pdf https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06459-190228 en eng Resilience Alliance https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/1/Certifying.the.commons.pdf https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/3/Certifying.the.commons.pdf Foley, Paul <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Foley=3APaul=3A=3A.html> and McCay, Bonnie <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/McCay=3ABonnie=3A=3A.html> (2014) Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action. Ecology and Society, 19 (2). ISSN 1708-3087 cc_by_nc Article PeerReviewed 2014 ftmemorialuniv https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06459-190228 2023-09-03T06:45:50Z We examine new dynamics of privatization and collective action in common pool resource situations facilitated by the nonstate multistakeholder institutions of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the global leader in sustainability certification for wild caught seafood. Through a review of the literature and two case studies of fishing cooperatives in Baja California Sur, Mexico and on Fogo Island in the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), we advance two interrelated arguments. First, certification and eco-labeling institutions privatize fisheries governance in largely unexamined ways through the injection of new forms of exclusive rights or privileges into common pool resource situations already complicated by access and property privileges, creating conditions for confusion and conflict as well as cooperation. Second, the MSC whole stock definition of sustainability places greater demands on certification clients for engaging in collective action by encouraging coordination over all social extractions from targeted fish stocks. Although rules encouraging collective action in common pool situations militate against the narrow private capture of certificate and eco-label rights, they also undermine the ability of small-scale and community-based fisheries that are embedded in larger unhealthy fishery contexts to acquire the right to the MSC stamp of sustainability. We conclude that MSC certification and ecolabeling create new institutions of private property rights and collective action, which can result in exclusionary practices, inclusionary collective action, or both. Much will depend on the specific common pool context and history of the fishery. Article in Journal/Newspaper Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland: Research Repository Newfoundland Baja Fogo ENVELOPE(-54.281,-54.281,49.717,49.717) Fogo Island ENVELOPE(-54.165,-54.165,49.667,49.667) Ecology and Society 19 2 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Memorial University of Newfoundland: Research Repository |
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ftmemorialuniv |
language |
English |
description |
We examine new dynamics of privatization and collective action in common pool resource situations facilitated by the nonstate multistakeholder institutions of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the global leader in sustainability certification for wild caught seafood. Through a review of the literature and two case studies of fishing cooperatives in Baja California Sur, Mexico and on Fogo Island in the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), we advance two interrelated arguments. First, certification and eco-labeling institutions privatize fisheries governance in largely unexamined ways through the injection of new forms of exclusive rights or privileges into common pool resource situations already complicated by access and property privileges, creating conditions for confusion and conflict as well as cooperation. Second, the MSC whole stock definition of sustainability places greater demands on certification clients for engaging in collective action by encouraging coordination over all social extractions from targeted fish stocks. Although rules encouraging collective action in common pool situations militate against the narrow private capture of certificate and eco-label rights, they also undermine the ability of small-scale and community-based fisheries that are embedded in larger unhealthy fishery contexts to acquire the right to the MSC stamp of sustainability. We conclude that MSC certification and ecolabeling create new institutions of private property rights and collective action, which can result in exclusionary practices, inclusionary collective action, or both. Much will depend on the specific common pool context and history of the fishery. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Foley, Paul McCay, Bonnie |
spellingShingle |
Foley, Paul McCay, Bonnie Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action |
author_facet |
Foley, Paul McCay, Bonnie |
author_sort |
Foley, Paul |
title |
Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action |
title_short |
Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action |
title_full |
Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action |
title_fullStr |
Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action |
title_full_unstemmed |
Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action |
title_sort |
certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/ https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/1/Certifying.the.commons.pdf https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/3/Certifying.the.commons.pdf https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06459-190228 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-54.281,-54.281,49.717,49.717) ENVELOPE(-54.165,-54.165,49.667,49.667) |
geographic |
Newfoundland Baja Fogo Fogo Island |
geographic_facet |
Newfoundland Baja Fogo Fogo Island |
genre |
Newfoundland |
genre_facet |
Newfoundland |
op_relation |
https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/1/Certifying.the.commons.pdf https://research.library.mun.ca/6415/3/Certifying.the.commons.pdf Foley, Paul <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Foley=3APaul=3A=3A.html> and McCay, Bonnie <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/McCay=3ABonnie=3A=3A.html> (2014) Certifying the commons: eco-certification, privatization, and collective action. Ecology and Society, 19 (2). ISSN 1708-3087 |
op_rights |
cc_by_nc |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06459-190228 |
container_title |
Ecology and Society |
container_volume |
19 |
container_issue |
2 |
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1778529450463330304 |