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FAQ
- Certification for the Marine Aquarium Trade
1. What is
certification?
Certification is a procedure to assure that a product, process
or service conforms to specified requirements. There are several
ways in which certification can be developed and applied. |
- First Party This type of certification
is based upon a self-declaration by the producer that
it meets the requirements of a certain standard. There
is no independent oversight agency for first party certification.
This type of claim is generally of limited value, as most
consumers do not trust self-declaration. In the case of
environmental issues, self-declaration is usually seen
as a “green wash” approach, i.e., paying lip
service to certain issues such as sustainability.
- Second Party This type of certification
is based upon an assessment that the producer meets the
requirements of a standard set by a group of consumers,
by government or by a non-government organization. This
type of certification is usually better than first-party
certification because the producers do not make the standards
and assessment of compliance themselves. However, the
standards are often less than objective and comprehensive
as they are often subject to the interests of the group
that sets them and assesses compliance, e.g., national
interests or a narrowly defined agenda taking precedence
over the integrity of the certification.
- Third Party This type of certification
is based upon internationally accepted standards created
by a transparent, inclusive, international, multi-stakeholder
process. Compliance with the standards is voluntary and
is assessed by an accredited, independent third party
that has no vested interest in the standards, certification,
product or any particular stakeholder group. The International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines third party
certification as the highest order for proof of compliance.
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| 2. Why is there an interest
in developing certification for the marine aquarium trade? |
Most purchasers of marine aquarium organisms
prefer that the animals and the reefs that provide them are
healthy and that collection practices do not contribute to
their degradation. There is thus significant potential to
utilize consumer demand for certified marine aquarium products
and practices to ensure optimal health of the organisms and
an environmentally sound and sustainable industry.
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| 3. How is the Marine
Aquarium Council involved in developing certification? |
The Marine Aquarium Council (MAC) was established
as an independent, international multi-stakeholder institution
to undertake the following: |
- Develop standards for quality products and sustainable
practices in the marine aquarium trade;
- Establish a system for certification and labeling of
compliance with these standards, including accrediting
certification companies and licensing the use of the MAC
label; and
- Create consumer demand for and confidence in certification
for the marine aquarium trade.
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| 4. Who or what is certified
and “labeled” by MAC? |
MAC Certification covers both products and practices,
in other words, both the aquarium organisms and the industry
operators involved in supplying those organisms.
Industry operators at each link in the chain of custody will
be evaluated for compliance with the appropriate MAC Standard.
If the company is certified, the facility will be allowed
to display the MAC Certification label on its premises, letterhead,
web site, etc.
¾e.g., from collector to
exporter to importer to retailer¾can be considered
“MAC Certified.”
For the aquarist, this means seeking out a “MAC Certified”
retailer and then looking for the tanks with “MAC Certified”
organisms in that shop.
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| 5. When will certification
be available? |
Certification will be available following the
accreditation of third-party independent certification companies
by MAC. Several major certification companies have indicated
their readiness to be among the first to be accredited to
undertake assessments according to the MAC Core Standards.
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| 6. What does the certification
label look like? |
The design of the certification label is being
finalized and will be unveiled when the MAC Core Standards
are launched in late 2001.
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| 7. How will MAC ensure
that all involved in the chain of custody from reef to retail
comply with requirements? |
To ensure that the MAC Certification scheme
is credible and internationally acceptable, MAC itself does
not verify compliance with its own standards itself. Instead,
it will accredit independent third-party certification companies,
which in turn will assess industry participants to evaluate
their compliance to the MAC Standards.
The MAC Accreditation Committee will directly oversee MAC
accreditation in accordance with the international standard
ISO Guide 60 Series. This ensures that accreditation will
be fair, equitable and effected internationally in a consistent
manner.
To ensure that the certification companies have the necessary
technical expertise, competence and employees capable of undertaking
certification assessments at consistently high levels, all
certification company personnel will be required to participate
in the MAC certifier-training program.
Appropriate knowledge and expertise in each accreditation
and certification assessment team are requirements in both
the MAC accreditation manual and certification methodology.
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| 8. How will MAC ensure
that the accredited certifier’s assessment of compliance
to the MAC standards is consistent? |
All MAC accredited certifiers will have to comply
with the MAC accreditation manual and the MAC methodology
during assessments.
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| 9. What will certification
cost? |
Marine aquarium operators that are certified
will have to pay for the certification process itself, i.e.,
the visit and report of the certification company. In addition,
if they do not meet any of the standards, they will incur
the cost of the actions to ensure they can comply with the
appropriate MAC Standard. This can be such things as upgrading
their facilities, buying equipment, adjusting operating procedures
and training staff. This cost of meeting the requirements
of the standards obviously depends on how far off the standard
the company was initially.
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| 10. Who will pay for
certification? |
The individual, company or organization requesting
the certification (i.e., the certification client) will bear
the cost of certification. The “certification client”
will depend on which part of the standards that is being certified
for:
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- Ecosystem and Fishery Management Core Standard: Collectors
co-operative, exporter, government agency, etc.
- Collection, Fishing and Holding Core Standard: Collector,
collectors co-operative, exporter, etc.
- Handling, Husbandry and Transport Core Standard: Exporter,
transshipper/consolidator, importer, retailer
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| 11. Will certification
result in higher retail prices for marine ornamentals? |
Certification is a commercial activity and thus
requires a contract to be entered into between the independent
third-party certifier and the certification client to assess
compliance with any of the MAC Standards. Once a certification
contract between a certification company and the client has
been drawn up, certification should be completed within one
to four months.
Depending on the complexity of the client/organization seeking
certification, the certification process can be summarized
as follows:
Stage 1 Initial
Discussions The certifier and the client determine the client’s
readiness for certification.
Stage 2 Self-Assessment Questionnaire The client completes a self-assessment
questionnaire provided by the certifier. The client highlights
any areas of non-compliance with the appropriate MAC Core
Standard.
Stage 3 Self-Assessment
Questionnaire Review The certifier reviews the results of
the self-assessment questionnaire with the client. The certifier
can advise whether the corrective action proposed by the client
will overcome any weaknesses highlighted. When both the certifier
and the client are confident that all issues raised by the
self-assessment questionnaire have been addressed, the on-site
assessment is planned and undertaken.
Stage
4 Assessment Visit The certifier undertakes an on-site
assessment following the certifier’s own MAC-accredited
procedures and the MAC Certification methodology.
Stage 5 Assessment Report The certifier produces
a report describing the outcome of the assessment visit. After
reading the report, the client proposes to the certifier how
it intends to address any and all non-compliance with the
standard. The certifier advises whether the corrective action
proposed by the client will overcome the non-compliance. When
both the certifier and the client are confident that all issues
raised by the assessment are addressed, certification is issued.
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| 12. Will there be an
appeals process to deal with disputes over certification decisions? |
A certification client can appeal to its certification
company if it disagrees with certification decisions. The
MAC accreditation manual and certification methodology both
describe the process that must be followed by all accredited
certification bodies in resolving these disputes.
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| 13. How will MAC Certification
be enforced? |
MAC accredited certifiers will carry out surveillance
on certified clients at least annually to ensure that standards
are being maintained. Each certification client must also
agree to unannounced visits by the accredited certifier to
check compliance. The media and hobbyists will become an important
commentator on the MAC scheme. However, the industry itself
will be its own best “watchdog.” Those who strictly
comply with MAC Standards will quickly alert the industry
to their less conscientious competitors.
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| 15. Has MAC considered
international trade issues? |
To comply with World Trade Organization rules
to ensure that standards non-discriminatory, any certification
and labeling scheme has to be globally applicable and developed
through a transparent, inclusive, international process. Otherwise,
it could be constructed as a de facto trade barrier. Addressing
this issue, the MAC Certification and accreditation schemes
and the MAC Core Standards have been developed to comply with
WTO guidelines.
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| 16. How does the MAC
Certification relate to government efforts to regulate and/or
manage coral and reef fish collection? |
MAC Certification complements and extends the
role and capacity of governments to regulate or manage the
marine aquarium trade and will make stakeholders throughout
the distribution chain, from reef to retail, aware of the
importance of sustainability. In some countries, MAC Certification
will be the only standards of practice available. Hence, MAC
Certification is a positive extension of government regulations
and policies regarding the marine ornamental trade. Among
the items that will be required are the following:
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- Compliance with all relevant international, national
and local laws;
- Management plans and conservation areas for harvested
reefs;
- Monitoring of reefs and stocks for compliance with environmental
and fishery standards
- Industry documentation of compliance to these standards;
and;
- Data provided to an international trade information
system.
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In other words, MAC Certification will require
will the industry to support monitoring, documentation and
conservation and management of reefs as the way it does business.
Coastal communities will be provided with incentives to manage
and conserve reefs, filling a void in many developing countries
which lack the funds to create, implement and enforce enough
laws and management plans to protect all reefs all the time.
Additionally, MAC Certification can reinforce various government
regulations and resource management initiatives: |
- Permits (e.g., export permits) · Data collection
(e.g., statistics on trade)
- Quotas · Limited entry or regulated access to
resources
- Bans on destructive fishing methods · Monitoring
and enforcement
- Clarifying ownership and tenure systems · Conservation
awareness campaigns
- Stock assessments · Coastal zone management plans
- Establishment of marine protected areas · Assessing
ecosystem impacts of human activities
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| 17. Are there national
benefits to and considerations in MAC Certification? |
Most of the marine ornamental exports come from
developing countries, and there are numerous benefits to these
countries from having an international system to certify that
their marine aquarium trade is environmentally sound and sustainable.
MAC is working with hobbyists, retailers, importers, conservation
organizations and governments in market countries to raise
awareness of the environmental issues associated with the
marine aquarium trade and how certification addresses these
issues. This will create an identity, or 'brand,' for MAC
Certified marine ornamentals in the industry and markets--and
governments--around the world. Considerable time and expense
would be required for each exporting country to market a national
certification and labeling program.
Nonetheless, from the very beginning MAC recognized that there
is significant variation in cultural, social, economic and
political conditions among and within the countries involved
in the trade, especially with the export countries. The challenge
has been to develop certification in a way that balances the
benefits of a global “umbrella” system with the
need to address the variety of conditions among and within
countries.
MAC Certification takes local conditions into account by developing
Interpretive Manuals for the Standards in consultation with
stakeholders. Interpretive Manuals provide country specific
guidance on the policy, procedures, work instructions and
forms that are needed to demonstrate compliance with the MAC
Standard to a certifier. For example, the Interpretive Manual
for the Ecosystem and Fishery Management Standard will vary
from country to country to reflect the different rules and
regulations in coral reef area management. In Fiji, the Manual
will need to be customized to indicate how traditional reef
management can be compliant with the requirement for Collection
Area Management. In the Philippines, the Interpretive Manual
will be customized to take into account the Local Government
Unit jurisdiction over the nearshore marine area.
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| 18. Does MAC Certification
address social equity issues? |
The Ecosystem and Fishery Management Standard
requires a collection area management plan to include the
following items, which help ensure stakeholders concerned
about social equity have an opportunity to participate in
the certification process:
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- Identification of the stakeholders with interests in
the targeted marine aquarium fishery.
- Details of consultations leading to the management of
the marine aquarium fishery.
- Arrangements for ongoing consultations with stakeholders.
- Details of decision-making process or processes, including
recognized participants.
- Objectives for the marine aquarium fishery: resource,
environmental, biodiversity and ecological, technological,
social, economic.
- Details of those individuals or groups granted rights
of access to the marine aquarium fishery and particulars
of the nature of those rights.
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MAC Standards prohibit destructive fish practices
and reduce post-harvest mortality by requiring better handling
and husbandry practices. They also create incentives for keeping
out other destructive uses of the ecosystem. Ensuring that
the fishery meets these conditions will contribute to maintaining
the ecosystem and resource base for this generation and future
generations of local resource users and owners.
MAC Certified collectors are required to harvest only in response
to orders from the market. This not only ensures that fishing
effort and resources are not expended on unwanted specimens
for which collectors receive a low (or no) payment, but it
also reduces the unnecessary mortality of these animals, further
contributing to sustainability and a reasonable work program
for collectors. In addition, the standards require collectors
are appropriately trained in dive safety and their equipment
is maintained in good, safe operating condition.
MAC Certification also requires transparency and traceability
in the documentation, e.g., collection numbers, species, locations,
effort. This will level the playing field as sellers and buyers
negotiate the fair price of the product. It will also improve
data on harvest levels and catch per unit effort, information
needed for better management towards sustainable use.
As the benefits of MAC Certification become more known, there
will be an increased consumer preference for certified marine
ornamentals. Marine ornamentals from areas that are considered
to have high quality practices are already sought out by the
market and attract a higher price. Organisms collected and
handled according to MAC Standards will be of verified high
quality, and the market will likely continue to respond with
higher demand and price. This means certified collectors should
be able to make more income on less fish (with associated
benefits to the ecosystem and stocks due to reduced harvest
pressure). In other words, collectors would have an improved
price return per effort and improved access to market with
a product of verified quality.
The increased demand for certified organisms will also create
better positions for certified collectors to bargain the compensation
for the “goods and services” they provide. There
may also possibly be limited access to markets for uncertified
organisms if, for example, governments require certification
for export or import. This will add to the bargaining power
of certified collectors.
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| 19. What is the MAC definition
of sustainable? How will it be measured? |
It is difficult, if not impossible, for the
sustainability of any human use of natural resources to be
clearly documented. Information on the state of the resources,
the ecosystem and the kinds and level of human use and impact
are a prerequisite for determining or estimating how close
or far from sustainability any activity is. Assessment, monitoring
and the precautionary approach are all important to making
the best efforts to ensure the use of natural resources is
as close to sustainable as possible and can continue to move
towards that goal.
MAC Certification has requirements, mechanisms and processes
to collect and analyze information on the state of marine
aquarium resources, the ecosystem and the kinds and level
of human use and impact. This information has not previously
been required or available and will provide the basis to determine
more objectively how close or far from sustainability marine
ornamental operations are. MAC Core Standards provide the
means to integrate this information into the requirements
for industry operations, creating the possibility to continually
improve the sustainability of the marine aquarium trade through
adaptive management.
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| 20. How will consumers
be educated about MAC certified products and services? |
The consumer awareness program has already begun
but will be enhanced when the MAC Certification scheme is
launched. The consumer awareness program is multi-pronged
and involves the following aspects, among others:
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- The ever-growing MAC network of marine aquarium stakeholders
is now 2,500 strong. Members of the network electronically
receive the quarterly MAC News, which provides updates
on the MAC Certification scheme. Many network members
are also involved in developing and reviewing the MAC
Core Standards and accompanying Best Practice Guidance
documents.
- MAC is working with media partners to implement a communications
strategy to heighten awareness of the reef-to-retail process,
explain the need to certify the process, announce launch
of the MAC Certification system, encourage hobbyist and
retailers to seek certified fish and sustain interest
in efforts to ensure sustainability of the marine aquarium
trade. We are compiling a speaker’s bureau, educating
reporters about MAC Certification and responding to under-informed
media coverage of the marine aquarium trade.
- The Ocean Project, a campaign of SeaWeb and the American
Zoo and Aquarium Association, has begun a three-year project
to help aquariums and retailers inform the public and
hobbyists about the marine aquarium trade and the role
of MAC Certification in transforming this trade into a
positive force for sustainable use and conservation.
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