A fishery cooperative, or fishing co-op, is a cooperative in which the people involved in the fishing industry pool resources, in their certain activities from farming, catching, distribution, and marketing of fish.
Fishing cooperatives encompass a spread of all different fish. Through cooperatives, fisherman are allotted specific amount of fish to ensure one group isn't hogging all the catch. Fishing cooperatives then partner with a distributor so they always have a larger company to buy and sell their fish.
Types A fishery cooperative can be a "marketing cooperative" that pools resources for the sale of marine products caught by individual fishermen, or "supply cooperatives" that are involved in raising and releasing fish eggs, sharing a fish farm, and operating a larger fishing vessel.
Fishery cooperatives in the world
Costa Rica
CoopeTárcoles In Costa Rica, the fishery cooperative of CoopeTárcoles was founded in 1985. The community of Tárcoles has historically depended on artisanal fishing practices, and artisanal fishing represents both an economic cornerstone and a local identity. Prior to the formation of CoopeTárcoles, fish populations in this region were on the decline due to unsustainable fishing methods and pollution. This severely impacted the fishing community economically, an issue compounded by competition both for resources and markets with industrial fishers. To address these problems, the artisanal fishers of Tárcoles formed a united front and agreed to adopt sustainable fishing techniques. This provides representation for the fishing community and ensures the long-term economic viability of their livelihoods. The organization was founded as the Fishers' Cooperative of Tárcoles R.L., later shortened to CoopeTárcoles.
In 2003, CoopeTárcoles established a "Code of Responsible Fishing" based on the "Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries" published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This code represents guidelines to be adopted voluntarily by cooperative members.
The primary fish caught by participants in the organization are white snook (centropomus viridis), seabass (cynoscion sp.), snapper (lutjanus guttatus), and sharptooth smooth-hound shark (mustelus dorsalis).
In January 2009, the Marine Area of Responsible Artisanal Fishing of Tárcoles was legally recognized. This provides a legal basis for the community fishing guidelines already established by CoopeTárcoles.
As of 2012, the cooperative consists of 35 members: thirty men and five women.
CoopeTárcoles has developed the largest fishing database among small-scale Costa Rican fishing communities. This database, established in 2006, records information about the fishing activities of individual fishers, and provides valuable analysis for fishers to maximize their efficiency. Additionally, it has assisted in the monitoring of fish population levels, and is used to observe the impact of different fishing practices on fish populations. The National Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture of Costa Rica (INCOPESCA) has legally recognized this database for use in collaboration between the cooperative and the government.
India In India, many fishermen are socially poor, and there are 14,620 fishing cooperatives in various places. At the top of these cooperatives is the "National Federation of Fishermen's Cooperatives" (FISHCOPFED).Uniting India's Fishing Cooperatives (Stories.coop)
Japan In Japan, surrounded by the seas on all sides, the modern fishery cooperatives (漁業協同組合 in Japanese) have been set up in each fishing village and town after the Fisheries Cooperative Law enacted in 1948,Japanese coastal fishery co-management: an overview ( and are grouped at the national level by JF Zengyoren (全漁連).JF Zengyoren - Japan Fisheries Cooperatives (FIS - Fish Information Service
Norway In Norway, from two fisheries associations that began in 1926/1928, six offshore fish cooperatives were formed in 1936, called Norges Sildesalgslag, through which seafood is sold.
Russia In Russia, the Lenin Fishery Kolkhoz, a fishery cooperative, in Kamchatka, celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2019 since its establishment in 1929 and is thriving.
United Kingdom Scotland, surrounded by abundant fishing grounds, has a commercial fishery cooperative called Scottish Seas. It exports, among other activities, marine products (such as haddock, saithe and cod) to Europe and North America, making sure they meet the seafood standards set by the United States Department of Commerce's National Marine Fisheries Service or the international Marine Stewardship Council.CERTIFICATIONS (Scottish Seas)
In Brighton, England, an attempt was made in 2013–14 to establish a community-supported fishery cooperative called Catchbox to enable sustainable fishing. Cooperative members benefited from low prices (a flat rate of £6/kg) but had no choice as to the species delivered, thus encouraging dietary experimentation and diversification, and reducing wasted catch.Fishing co-operatives offer a more sustainable catch (The Guardian, 2014)
United States In the United States, since the Fishermen's Collective Marketing Act of 1934, many fishery cooperatives have been formed.LIST OF FISHERY COOPERATIVES IN THE' UNITED STATES (Department of Interior, 1961)An Overviewof Fishing Cooperatives (A study at Louisiana State University)
Alaska Fishing cooperatives have made it possible for fishermen to collectively harvest, price, and sell their catch. Alaska is home to several different fishing cooperatives which has helped distribute the harvest and production amongst members in efforts to keep the fishing industry a monopsony. There are different cooperatives for different species of fish and different harvesting locations, and they aim to de-monetize the fishing sector of a particular area which pertains to markets at the national and global level. They also promote sustainable practices.
Alaska is the lead producer of seafood within the United States and inhibits the country's largest fisheries. Within these fisheries are seafood cooperatives and the largest one in the United States is the Seafood Producers Cooperative. It was established in 1944 with the original name of the Halibut Producer Cooperative and it was mainly supplying the military because Halibut was very nutrient rich. It later changed the name to Seafood Producer Cooperative as the nutritional value of halibut shifted due to environmental change and they broadened the species harvested. It currently has 525 fishing members and harvests hook and line caught albacore tuna, halibut, sablefish, salmon and rockfish. This cooperative ensures consumers have the option to buy from certified sustainable fisheries.Crow, Andrew. "Alaska Cooperative Development Program." Rural Cooperative, 1 Sept. 2011.
In Alaska, the objective of fishing cooperatives is to equally distribute all aspects of the fishing market. The United States congress implemented a pilot program in 2003 in the Central Gulf of Alaska called the Rockfish Cooperative Program to protect fishing communities and jobs by expanding fishing privileges. This program focused on the primary species, secondary species, and one prohibited species in which fisheries are allotted a fixed amount for accidental catch.Mcllwain, Karly, and Jos Hill. "United States Central Gulf of Alaska Rockfish Cooperative Program." Catch Shares in Action, 2013. It was implemented to help stabilize the market in Kodiak, Alaska.
This Rockfish Cooperative program includes catcher vessel's and catcher-processor vessels who sell to a contracted buyer. By creating this program, competition amongst harvesters has been drastically reduced due to quotas and restrictions, and safe, high-quality standards have been put in place on the economic side. This cooperatives' primary purchaser is the International Seafoods of Alaska (ISA). In 2018, this program consisted of 8 owners and member vessels in which 5 of them actively fished during the season.Final Report ISA Rockfish Cooperative. Alaska Groundfish Data Bank, Inc, 2018, https://www.npfmc.org/wp-content/PDFdocuments/catch_shares/CoopRpts2018/ISA.pdf .
The Alaska Pollock fishery is economically one of the biggest fisheries in the United States. This fishery includes the Pollock Conservation catcher-processor vessel Cooperative (PCC), High Seas Catcher-vessel Cooperative (HSCC), Mothership Fleet Cooperative, and Seven inshore catcher vessel cooperative. 10% of the fishery is allotted to the QDC, and the remaining is divided up 50% for the inshore sector, 40% for the catcher-processor sector, and 10% for the Mothership Fleet sector.
The Alaska Weathervane Scallop Cooperative was formed in 2000 and there are 6 permit holders within this catcher-processor cooperative. Two to three vessels fish each year.
The Chignik Salmon Cooperative was composed of catcher-vessels. It was formed in 2002 in response to a decline of the Salmon market. This Cooperative only stayed active until 2005 when the Supreme Court found them in violation of Alaska's entry fishery program. During the time this cooperative was active, it was responsible for more than 75% of the Chignik permits and sent out around 20 fishing vessels each year. + Reduction of fishing vessels 2001–2011Name of cooperativeYear startedReduction of active fishing vessels (%)PCC & HSCP199942Pollock mothership200026Pollock inshore C-V200016Weathervane scallop200056Chignik salmon200277 These cooperatives give small fishing vessels the ability to maintain a viable business without facing big corporations. Alaskan fishing cooperatives have rules and regulations regarding quota and bycatch so each member has equal opportunity. They all have purchaser contracts which ensures each member can sell their allotted harvest. By partnering with purchasers, cooperatives also promote a more sustainable food production system and aim to spread the profit amongst each member.
Community benefits of implementing fishing cooperatives