Abigayil Blandon PhD Defence
Welcome to Abigayil Blandon's PhD Defence of her thesis "Gyotsugi: Relational approaches to sustainable seafood". Opponent: Professor Maki Hatanaka, University of Vermont Examination Commitee: Professor Magnus Boström, Örebro Universitet Professor Per Hilletofth, University of Gävle Associate Professor Hilde Toonen, Wageningen University and Research Professor Maria Tengö, Stockholm Resilience Centre and Wageningen University and Research (Reserve) Abstract: Seafood has the potential to contribute to a sustainable food system, yet much work is needed to ensure its production is socially and ecologically sustainable. The current dominant approach with-in the sustainable seafood movement is that of certification schemes to incentivise sustainable pro-duction. Although effective for certain fisheries and markets, this approach has been widely cri-tiqued and found to be difficult or ineffective to implement in broader country contexts, particularly outside of North America and Europe. This thesis aims to broaden the theories of change towards sustainable seafood to provide a diversity of alternative approaches beyond certification. In first half of the thesis I map the current conceptualisations of and approaches to sustainable sea-food in a descriptive way. In Paper 1 I explore how actors in the seafood system conceptualise “sustainable seafood” in Sweden and Japan, two countries with different approaches to sustainabil-ity. Using Q method and structured interviews, I find that the meaning of “sustainable seafood” differs primarily along country lines, determined by the discourses around national seafood man-agement. However, I also find indications that participants from both countries think similarly about social sustainability and trust, and could frame seafood as a common good. In Paper 2, I critically review current non-state-led approaches to sustainable seafood. I describe three types of approaches that can be found in current academic and grey literature: pre-competitive collabora-tions, landscape-based approaches and relational approaches, which I then overlay with theories of change from the transformations literature. I use this and examples from the literature to discuss compatibilities and tensions between different types of approaches and their theories of change. In the second half of the thesis I further explore so-called “relational approaches” empirically (Pa-per 3) and conceptually (Paper 4). These are an under-researched set of approaches that aim to incentivise sustainability through building relationships. In Paper 3 I use semi-structured inter-views and field observations to describe a case study of a cooperative retailer, Pal System, in Ja-pan. Pal System works directly with its seafood producers through a “sanchoku” (direct-purchasing) scheme to encourage sustainable practices. I find that the relational aspects of the ap-proach motivate stewardship as well as promote embeddedness. In Paper 4, I further the concep-tualisation of alternative food networks, an example of a more “relational approach”, by incorporat-ing the relational values concept. I find that examples of alternative food networks have a gradient of relationality and do not necessarily focus on developing relationships between all components of the supply chain, such as between consumers and nature. I advocate for relational values to be brought into the design of such supply chains to trigger environmental stewardship. By reviewing, describing and explaining alternative, non-state-led approaches beyond certification, I contribute to pluralising the ways sustainability can be achieved in the seafood sector. A key con-tribution of this thesis is the conceptualisation of relational approaches, with the Japanese case study filling a geographical gap in the literature. The synthesis and discussion provide important points for consideration and reflection when implementing such relational approaches.
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Abigayil Blandon