But in the end these efforts become more of a "niche market" opportunity than a real alternative for the "mass consumption market": these efforts may never become mainstream.
Environmentally, I would like to think most, if not all pearl farmers have the best interest of their inventories at heart. Ethically, I'm not so sure.
Sadly, fair trade policies can be exploited. Anyone can affix this term to their operations, for whatever reason. Afterall, "fat free" food might mean no staturates, but might still contain high levels of carbohydrates, starches and sodium. 2% milk is a perfect example. In reality, it's a by-product of the cream making process and is proportionally higher in lactose than that of homogenized milk. Yet it's touted as a wise choice for dietary weight contol? Clearcut logging is another example. To prevent the massive depletion of coastal rainforests, the term "old growth" can only be applied to "sustainable development", otherwise consumers might dismiss it as destructive. It took almost thirty years for the world to become educated on this front.
The fair trade market in coffee has turned out to be an interesting model. Years ago, farmers were obligated to produce the best quality possible to compete. Lower grades were either not produced or sold at low prices. Since the fair trade model and guaranteed cellar prices, many farmers have lost the incentive to produce premium coffee and are producing lower quality, higher yield varieties.
Standards vary from country to country, especially when it comes to labor. To that end, ethics are a virtue not a policy. While a step in the right direction, policies are only something done over and above the current legal standards, usually to improve the public's perception of a product.
In Canada for example, I could not even begin to perform aquaculture enmass until I've satisfied a huge body of intervenors in the application processes, which include comments from upland holders, navigation, recreationalists, fisheries managers/biologists, environmentalists, first nations... and so on. Likewise, we have minimum wage standards as well as strict regulations in occupational health and safety. These are virtues, thus ethics should never come into question, bet yet they still do from time to time. Not necessarily because of my own doings, but often as a result of other's bad deeds.
So to that end, Douglas hit the mark exactly, as these can only be applied when the consumer is
wholly informed as to the origin and processes of production.
