(197words)This paper presents the results of a global review of organisations that provide sustainable fisheries information -including ecolabels, recommendation lists and supermarkets -to consumers and supply chain intermediaries. It examined 17 organisations and key supermarkets that communicate on the sustainability of world fisheries and aquaculture products. Certification schemes assess a relatively small number of specific fisheries and indicate sustainability through labels. Recommendation lists cover more species and areas but in less detail. FAO guidelines for fisheries ecolabelling and aquaculture certification constituted the benchmarks with which improving conformance was found. However, significant variation in fisheries' assessment exists, affecting the accuracy and precision of information and advice provided. Inconsistent approaches and contradictory advice among certification schemes and recommendation lists potentially increase consumer confusion and 2 reduce their credibility. The review identifies seven critical attributes schemes must address -scope, accuracy, independence, precision, transparency, standardisation and costeffectiveness -and recommends that certification schemes and recommendation lists enhance their consistency and credibility through compliance with these attributes and FAO guidelines. Fish sustainability information schemes play an important role in securing a sustainable future for the oceans. Uptake of this review's recommendations should reduce consumer confusion and increase confidence in the benefits of sustainable purchasing.

Marine sanctuaries are increasingly being promoted as tools for conservation and fisheries management. This study investigates the effects of protection over 19 years on substrate composition and fish communities in four marine sanctuaries and corresponding non-sanctuary areas in the Philippines and examines the importance of community support, management measures and enforcement of regulations on these ecological effects. Between 1981 and 2000, substrate cover variables were measured using line transects with scuba and snorkel surveys, and fish censuses (identification to family level) were conducted using scuba within a 500 m2 area. Semi-structured interviews collected data on community support for the sanctuaries, and observations and interviews established management and enforcement aspects of the sanctuaries. Over time, all sanctuaries showed improvements, or maintenance of, ecological variables compared with pre-enforcement times, with maintenance of hard coral cover and average increases of 8.3% in fish species richness and 54.9% in fish abundance. In comparison, non-sanctuary areas showed maintenance of the status quo or declines in ecological variables. However hard coral cover, fish abundances and fish species richness showed significant declines as well as increases in sanctuary areas. Community, management and enforcement factors were significantly related to positive ecological trends in sanctuary areas; management and enforcement were related to a wider variety of ecological factors than community score. Community support was significantly related to an increase in hard coral cover in deep areas. Enforcement of regulations was significantly related to an increase in abundance of fishery target fish species in sanctuary areas, and simple management measures were significantly related to an increase in abundance of large predators. Supportive communities that voluntarily implemented sanctuary regulations, improved enforcement, and small discrete cohesive communities may have facilitated the process of building this community support. Well-enforced sanctuaries that showed an increase in abundance of target species may have contributed to the maintenance of fish yields in adjacent non-sanctuary areas. The effects of sanctuary implementation varied on a case-by-case basis, influenced by environmental, biological, physical and human factors. However, a combination of community support, management measures and enforcement of regulations contributed towards positive ecological trends in sanctuary areas.

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creat ive Commo ns Attri butio n-NonCo mmerc ial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

No abstract

Fisheries management has been a strongly contested aspect of the UK’s position in the EU since UK accession, with the fishing industry frequently questioning both the efficacy and fairness of arrangements. During the campaign for UK exit (Brexit) from the EU, and the subsequent negotiations of a new legal and political relationship from 2016 to 2020, senior UK political leaders strongly committed to deliver radically changed fisheries arrangements with respect to the three central issues: regulatory autonomy; access to waters; and quota shares, all while maintaining minimal trade impacts. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement diverges from this Brexit rhetoric. While some regulatory independence has been achieved, UK fisheries management continues in a state of interdependence and significant EU access to UK waters remains, even in the 6–12 nautical mile territorial waters. While the UK gained an increase in quota shares which is estimated to reach 107 thousand tonnes of landed weight annually by 2025 (an increase of 21.3% for quota species and 16.9% for all species, or 17.8% and 12.4% by value), this pales in comparison to the UK Government’s stated ambitions for zonal attachment (achieving 68% by weight and by value - a potential shortfall of 229,000 tonnes / £281 million). This modest change explains the negative reaction of the fishing industry and claims of betrayal in the face of the UK Government’s announcement of a “successful” deal. The stark delivery gap between rhetoric and reality means the UK government faces a challenging start to managing fisheries outside of the Common Fisheries Policy.