Transformation of Framings of Seafood Sustainability Certification Schemes

International sustainability certification schemes have been widely accepted at industries and markets partially because of their common basic structure represented by transparency, science-based measurable standers, and third-party auditing. In result such certification schemes provide alternative regulatory mechanism goes beyond borders depending on types of commodities targeted. Particularly certification schemes dealing with seafood, both wild and farmed, have been showing great expansion in the world. As they come to the fore, the number of research pointing out their shortcomings also increases.

While maintaining common basic principles of third-party certifications firmly for their credibility purpose, the framings of each scheme shows gradual transformation corresponding to criticisms. Drawing on three different international seafood certification schemes namely Natureland’s organic seafood, Marine Stewardship Council and Aquaculture Stewardship Council, this paper analyzes the transformation of framing of seafood certification schemes in which each scheme integrate knowledge other than scientific ones into standards and structure of scheme. In other words, it is a new function in certification framing to achieve fine balance between credibility and critical mass.