Hybrid governance in aquaculture: certification schemes and third party accreditation

Certification and third party accreditation schemes are examples of private-social partnerships that make up a form of hybrid governance. We argue that hybrid governance is changing the way traditional governance is being utilised. In this paper we examine the rise of third party certification and the challenges these governance arrangements bring to traditional governance. We examine this through analysis of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and the application of the ASC standard in salmonid aquaculture in Tasmania, Australia. This example emphasises that market and consumer engagement is challenging government policies and posing key questions over the role of traditional state practice in the evaluation of sustainable aquaculture. A key factor, however, underpinning such engagement is trust. Thus ASC certification is likely to be a necessary, but not a sufficient, condition supporting the granting of social licence to operate.