Fair Trade Fish (Better Name Pending)
One of our biggest problems is getting the general public to care about the issue of the oceans in the first place.
We know that there do exist sustainable, well-run fisheries in the world (Alaskan Pollock, for instance). If sustainable seafood were marketed as such, the consumer would have a concrete way to make an environmental difference, while getting a likely superior product at a comparable price.
A formalized certification and marketing process seems like a logical extension of existing programs, such as the Monterey Bay Aquariums "Seafood Watch List"
Many of you may be aware of the hype surrounding "Fair Trade Coffee" (the namesake), "EnergyStar," or the "Organic Foods" movement. If similar popular support can be generated regarding sustainable fishing, there would be significant economic pressure to make fisheries more sustainable. There could be a marketing campaign for people to only buy fish marked with a "Gold Star for Sustainability."
This could also be a boon for corporations seeking to improve their public image (i.e. "We serve only Sustainable Fish").
In terms of the actual "fair trade" portion, if fishermen could receive better prices for high-quality, sustainably caught fish, they would be far more motivated to fish sustainably than through traditional management. (Consider, for example, the proliferation of environmentally friendly "shade-grown" coffee in Latin America.
Some Challenges:
Some degree of marketing studies would be needed to see how much of a price increase a consumer is willing to tolerate for sustainability (see Toyota Prius). However, I contend that a certification process does not necessarily mean higher prices. I argue that the average consumer would select a sustainable product, if other factors are relatively equal.
I acknowledge that this is plan uniquely targeted at Developed Countries, but also consider that the majority of environmental damage is caused by such countries.
This would require the creation of Representative, Interdisciplinary "Council" to act as a certification body, and the development of standards for "sustainable fisheries." Note that, such standards already exist in some form in the US, they merely need to be formalized and centralized for maximum effectiveness.