Sustainability and valorization of small pelagics: implementation of a shark-free eco-label for pelagic trawling fisheries in the Adriatic Sea

This study analyses the willingness of consumers to pay an extra price for shark-free eco-label products of fresh small pelagics compared to the ordinary ones. The data collected for this study derives from a contingent valuation survey conducted among 200 consumers, in Ravenna and Pavullo nel Frignano, in a fish market and a supermarket each. There have been administrated further questionnaires to one wholesaler and to the sales manager of the two fishmongers and two supermarkets per town. Open-ended questions of the consumers’ questionnaires have been analysed through cross section linear regressions with ordinary least squares (OLS), using software Gretl, while qualitative analyses on the close-ended have been done using Excel. Freshness, origin and method of production are the aspects considered mostly by the consumers. Among all the interviewed, general knowledge of labels of is scarce. Maximum prices proposed by the consumers indicate that future shark-free eco-label of small pelagic could be sold with a price ranging from 7 to 10 €. The regression shows that the extent of the additional price that the consumer is willing to pay is related to the degree of information of the BIO label. Moreover, consumers could be interested in a shark-free eco-label. All vendors currently have no interest in promoting eco-labels, as joining the certification is considered a cost, as well as keeping the certified lines separate from the non-certified ones without mixing the products. None will assume the risk of joining the certification first, preferring to let others pave the way. An economic estimation of the amount of money that fishers gain from the by-catch has been calculated using pelagic trawling shark by-catch data provided by the Experimental Centre for Habitat Conservation (CESTHA) and fish prices from ISMEA and NISEA dataset. The economic loss due to the release of sharks is lower compared to how much the vessels could gain by joining the shark-free eco-label.