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World-leading certification standard concludes revision process and publishes updated Wild Caught Standard and Audit Guidance.
Friend of the Sea Publishes New Sustainability Criteria
(ITALY, 3/26/2020)
Friend of the Sea, the world’s leading certification standard for products and services that respect and protect the marine environment, has concluded the revision process and published version v.4 of its Wild Caught Standard and v.2 of its Audit Guidance. The organization sought and received expert input from a task force of scientific stakeholders on these standards for the last six months. They have been improved based on the best scientific evidence available.
“These updated standards are at the heart of what we do,” said Paolo Bray, Director of Friend of the Sea. “With the input of the best minds in the field, we are adapting our process for certifying wild catches and beyond.”
Paolo Bray.
The new Wild Caught Standard and Audit Guidance documents are available on the Friend of the Sea website. The organization’s Technical Committee voted to approve the new Wild Caught Standard and audit guidance. Both achieved a majority of positive votes. Accredia also validated the new documents.
The new standard is part of the organization’s Sustainable Fisheries and Fleets program. The program’s goals include improving the health of the ocean and reducing damage to species and the marine environment caused by commercial fishing operations. The updated Wild Caught Standard has changes that include banning shark finning and ghost fishing gears while requiring TEDs (Turtle Excluder Devices). The new standard will become mandatory after a three-year transition period.
The new standard is part of the organization’s Sustainable Fisheries and Fleets program.
About Friend of the Sea
Friend of the Sea was founded by Paolo Bray, Director of International Programs – Dolphin-Safe Project / Earth Island Institute. The Dolphin-Safe Project saved millions of dolphins from death in tuna fishing nets and started the sustainable seafood movement.
Friend of the Sea is currently a project of the World Sustainability Organization, an international trademark registered with humanitarian and environmental conservation mission. Friend of the Sea has become the leading certification standard for products and services which respects and protects the marine environment. The certification awards sustainable practices in Fisheries, Aquaculture, Fishmeal and Omega 3 Fish Oil. Friend of the Sea also promotes pilot projects related to restaurants, sustainable shipping, whale and dolphin-watching, aquaria, ornamental fish, UV creams and others.
Friend of the Sea is the only sustainable fisheries certification programme recognised and supervised globally by a National Accreditation Body. Several benchmarks have confirmed the strength and reliability of the Friend of the Sea certification and chain of custody.
Yearly audits are carried out onsite by independent international certification bodies in consultation with stakeholders, against the strict Friend of the Sea environmental sustainability and social accountability criteria.
Friend of the Sea also promotes conservation projects for protection of the ocean.
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(ITALY, 3/26/2020)
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