Wild seafood certification programme launches

Designed to be both effective and affordable, the programme seeks to give assurance while broadening access for high-performing fisheries around the world. One key feature of the CSI certification will be the ability to identify the harvest origin directly on the label.

“All of us want wild-capture fisheries to remain healthy and productive for generations to come,” said Christine Penney, chair of the CSI board and vice president of sustainability and public affairs at Clearwater Seafoods.

“Credible third-party certification programs have an important role to play in recognizing responsible management practices and providing assurance to the market. We are pleased that CSI will expand the choices available to global seafood stakeholders.”

CSI is being introduced in collaboration with regional certification bodies and will build on their established strengths.

A major milestone in this effort is the integration of the GSSI-benchmarked Responsible Fishery Management programme into CSI. As a result, CSI inherits certification coverage for approximately 3 million tonnes of fishery landings.

The programme is governed by a newly formed international board with representation from Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico the UK and the US.