Summary
In this chapter, the author considers the role of ecolabelling in developing countries, focusing on the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) programme, and primarily on their certification of South Africa's hake fishery. In the South African case study it is found that black-owned fishery groups were excluded from certification, allowing for further marginalization. The argument is put forward for increasing flexibility in standards in order to adapt to the needs of developing countries, and especially for small-scale or data-deficient fisheries.