NGO and Global Voluntary Standards in Sustainable Seafood: The Case of Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) in Indonesia

Abstract

This article examines the role of non-governmental organisation in supporting the implementation of global voluntary certification. This article investigates how World Wildlife Fund (WWF) helps implement the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) ecolabel standard in Indonesia. As the world’s second-largest aquaculture fish-producing country, many Indonesian seafood products are rejected in the international market due to quality problems. This makes Indonesia an ideal country for implementing sustainable aquaculture practices. Using transition theory as a framework, we find that WWF has played a key role in three areas: (1) harmonisation of national regulations with ASC principles, (2) establishment of a campaign program to advocate for the public on sustainable seafood consumption behaviour, and (3) creating a special agency to assist to fishery industry players in obtaining ASC certificates. Our finding sheds lights on the importance of strong collaboration between business actors, states, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to implement global voluntary standards.