Friend of the Sea used the following guidelines to certify applicants for sustainability:
• Target stocks cannot be considered overexploited
• The applicant's fishing methods cannot impact the seabed
• There must be a generation of less than average (8%) discards
"This is a great result for Friend of the Sea, which would have not been possible without Omega Protein's strong environmental commitment," comments Dr Paolo Bray, director of Friend of the Sea.
"Omega Protein is also a large international fishmeal producer - others are going to be audited in the next few months and a first Friend of the Sea sustainable fishmeal will soon be on the market.
"We expect the collaboration of fishmeal producers: the aquaculture market is ready and already demanding certified sustainable fishmeal."
Omega Protein is the world's largest manufacturer of heart-healthy fish oils containing Omega-3 fatty acids for human consumption, as well as specialty fish meals and fish oil used as value-added ingredients in aquaculture, swine and other livestock feeds.
"Our well managed fishery has gone on for centuries and this is further evidence that it is sustainable," states Joseph L. von Rosenberg III, president and CEO of Omega Protein.
