About Us
The Label Program is a project launched in 2008 by a group of boat owners and fishermen, all members of the Fishermen and Boat Owners Association (FBOA). The FBOA is an association created in 2003 to defend and promote the traditional fishing sector in Seychelles (More info about FBOA). A group of fishermen later formed the Seychelles Hook and Line Committee to drive and manage the Label Program under the supervision of the FBOA.
WHY A LABEL PROGRAM
Serious threats have been emerging in recent years, both to the 1,700 Seychellois fishermen, but also to fishing resources. These are namely the rise in living and operating costs, environmental degradation, climate change, the influx into the market of fish from multiple sources (industrial, fish farming and fish caught by destructive and unsustainable methods), lower human and operating costs in emerging markets, unsustainable level of growth in marine products consumption worldwide, rarification of fish stocks and upheavals in the marine ecosystem due to overfishing of top predators (tuna, sworfish).
LOOKING FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES
The world is evolving rapidly and the rise of social networks, corporate lobbying, and the impact of globalisation have encouraged the Hook and Line Committee to look for new opportunities and solutions.
The idea to launch a Label Program stems from this need to expand toward new opprtunities and solutions. Some members of the FBOA were told of a regional Label Program in France (by Association des Ligneur de la Pointe Bretagne, ALPB) and agreed that a similar project should be launched in Seychelles. A partnership with ALPB was soon initiated, and with their help, notably in skills and know-how transfers, the Label Program for the Hook-and-Line fishermen of Seychelles was born!
THE LABEL FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
In 2008 the Label Program was launched, with the aim to promote the traditional Fishermen's sustainable ways of fishing, to add value to their catch, and to maintain the resources' availability for generations to come. The principle of the Program is simple: to guarantee the origin of the fish and strengthen the link between fisherman and consumer. The label contains the reference code of the fishing boat by which the fish was caught. Entering this code on our web page enables traceability of the fish. Consumers will be able to retrieve information about the fishermen, the boat, the fishing grounds and the fishing technique used on the products they are consuming.
TOGETHER FOR A SUSTAINABLE FISHING
The FBOA and members of the Label Committee are confident in the future of the project.
The vision is that one day all fish caught by traditional fishing boats will carry the label that proves their authenticity, enabling sustainable management of resources, and garanteeing a future for traditional fishing methods in Seychelles.
The program is opening up new opportunities for Seychellois fishermen, allowing them to demonstrate the uniqueness of their fishing techniques to distinguish themselves from the industrial fishing sector, and to become real stakeholders in the management of marine resources.
Hook-and line fishermen are committed to prove that sustainable fishing is possible, and that customers can choose to consume products sourced in a responsible manner.
The Seychelles hook-and-line fishermen appear set to take charge of their destiny.