Two separate standards are being proposed, one targeting multiple crew and the other single handed vessels, with both underpinned by five core values:
- Crew safety, health and welfare
- Crew training/professional development
- The legality of the vessel applicant
- Enhancing seafood quality and provenance
- Care for the environment
Seafish Head of Responsible Sourcing Helen Duggan said, "The Responsible Fishing Scheme seeks to assure good practice from sea to quayside. RFS standards have been shaped by Industry Expert Groups, and thoroughly tested in real life scenarios. Our Certifying Body has been out on a number of industry visits to ensure a better understanding of the real life pressures businesses face and a number of auditors are now being recruited with more pilots taking place early next year.
"As we have seen in recent months, the issue of ethics in the supply chain is never far from the news. The industry is firm in its view that practices that undermine the rights of workers cannot and will not be tolerated. The RFS will help fulfil the requirements of the new Modern Slavery Bill by providing accredited businesses with a means to evidence the steps they are taking to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in their supply chains, or in any part of their own business."
