NGOs and FIPs
FIPs are required to transparently demonstrate that they are making progress towards sustainability. They may be supported or partnered with an NGO to ensure that this is a credible process. For example in the UK a number of FIPs have been set up and are running with the support of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and they must comply with an MSC approved FIP process.
The Irish Brown Crab FIP works with two NGO's which support its activities and goals. The first is Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) which is a business-focused NGO that works to reduce the barriers to action by industry in creating a more sustainable world. The second NGO is FisheryProgress.org which provides an independent database which tracks the progress being made by FIPs around the world.

Once seafood companies have information, they can then identify where the problems lie in their supply chain and take action. However, trying to engage directly in a fishery, which may be thousands of miles away, is a daunting prospect for most organizations, especially when they have no in-house expertise on marine management. SFP helps to overcome this barrier by creating Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) – essentially multi-stakeholder groups that include catchers, processors, and others with an interest in the fishery who work together to create and implement an improvement plan. SFP now has more than 40 FIPs operating around the world.

Providence House,
Unit H1,
South Link Business Park,
T12CK77, Ireland
Office: +353 21 245 5670
Phone: +353 87 2591376
Email: info@irishbrowncrabfip.ie
Next Meeting of Crab FIP
The next meeting of the Irish Brown Crab Fishery Improvement Project will take place in the Citywest Hotel, Dublin from 10 to 12 on Wednesday the 26th June 2019. All members of the FIP are welcome to attend.