Nueva Pescanova’s Namibia subsidiary, Novanam, has become the first in the country, and one of the first worldwide, to be awarded the FISH Standard for Crew certification in recognition of its fair and ethical working practices.
FISH stands for four principles – fairness, integrity, safety and health – and involves 28 criteria against which a company’s approach to international convention and labour legislation is assessed.
The entire Novanam of two freezer vessels and eight wet-fish trawlers hosting around 300 crew was certified during the audit which was carried out by Bureau Veritas.
“The safety and health of our people and responsible and transparent labour relations are two essential aspects in our culture,” said Ignacio González, chief executive of the Nueva Pescanova Group.
“We are proud that Novanam has been one of the first companies in the world to receive a certification for compliance on board, attesting that our crew members have been selected and hired ethically, have decent working conditions, fair wages and that we are transparent in our internal processes.”
The Nueva Pescanova Group has been operating in Namibia for over 32 years, employing more than 2,200 people, including Nelago Kwuedi, Namibia’s first female trawler captain. In 2021, Novanam carried out a total of 111 CSR [corporate social responsibility] actions aligned with UN sustainable development goals.
At present, FISH is also certifying fleets in countries including Alaska, Iceland and Papua New Guinea.
