Small pelagic fisheries management is difficult because they exhibit large natural abundance fluctuations and are considered forage fish. We discuss the challenges faced by these fisheries within the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification framework, which evaluates the sustainability of fish stocks, the environmental impact, and effective fisheries management. Certification suspension is frequently linked to the sustainability of stocks. For MSC certification, scientific research will need to play a major role in filling key knowledge gaps, particularly on the nature and causes of ecosystem productivity changes (including climate change), and the role of small pelagics in the ecosystem. Different from other cases where MSC certification creates a direct market incentive through price premiums, in these fisheries, the incentive is related to fisher's public image and improves the bases for negotiation with authorities and the conservation sector. In this context, strategic cooperation between fisheries under the certification process may provide them more benefits than competition.

中文翻译：

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沙丁鱼和An鱼渔业的可持续性认证有未来吗？

小型中上层渔业管理困难，因为它们表现出很大的自然丰度波动，被认为是饲料鱼。我们将在海洋管理委员会（MSC）可持续性认证框架内讨论这些渔业面临的挑战，该框架评估鱼类种群的可持续性，对环境的影响以及有效的渔业管理。暂停证书通常与库存的可持续性有关。对于MSC认证，科学研究将在填补关键的知识空白方面发挥主要作用，尤其是在生态系统生产力变化（包括气候变化）的性质和原因以及小型浮游生物在生态系统中的作用方面。在这些渔业中，与MSC认证通过价格溢价创造直接市场激励的其他情况不同，激励措施与渔民的公众形象有关，并改善了与主管部门和养护部门进行谈判的基础。在这种情况下，认证过程中渔业之间的战略合作可能给他们带来比竞争更多的利益。