GDST updating standard to version 1.2 on 30 June

The Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) announced it is updating its standard to version 1.2 on 30 June, 2023, and also announced seafood traceability solution provider SFS Trace has been declared GDST Capable. 

GDST said one of the highlights of the new standard from a usability standpoint is a change in data format from XML to JSON-LD, which it said is more commonly used in the software development community. It also puts GDST in line with the GS1 EPCIS standard – the nonprofit standard organization that provides “the common language at the core” of GDST’s traceability standards. 

GDST said it will support both file formats for the next six months as it begins the transition. It also said it is developing open-source libraries to support the development of standardized traceability software.

“We do not see a need for additional updates to the technical requirements in the foreseeable future, providing stability and certainty to the industry,” GDST said.

In addition to the new software format, GDST also announced it is piloting a new tool to help supply chain partners measure implementation progress.  GDST's completeness tool can analyze traceability progress on a specific progress to “help implementors determine where best to focus their efforts,” it said. 

GDST also announced that SFS Trace, a company that was founded in the United Arab Emirates and now serves over 40 markets, successfully passed the “GDST Capability Test.”

The test showed SFS Trace is compatible with GDST’s digital interoperability standards, allowing its software to carry the “GDST Capable” logo. 

“The ‘GDST-Capable’ logo is awarded to a specific software version that has been verified as capable of fully implementing the GDST Standard” GDST Executive Director Greg Brown said. “It’s exciting to see a new player in the traceability field, SFS Trace, achieve GDST Capable status. SFS Trace’s commitment to global digitally interoperable traceability empowers their customers to demonstrate product provenance and make responsible sourcing decisions.”

SFS Trace was created by Seafood Souq, an online seafood market company. The company recently announced it is stepping up support for traceability improvements at its seafood partner organizations in Senegal, Oman, and Bangladesh.  

“Traceability within the seafood supply chain has gone from being nice to have a few years ago to being a must-have in many countries in just a few years,” Seafood Souq CEO Sean Dennis told SeafoodSource in May. “Traceability provides a channel for good actors to show off the work they do and compete on a level playing field that an opaque supply chain fails to provide and also makes it impossible for bad actors, the illegal, unreported, and unregulated [IUU] fishers, to operate.”

SFS Trace Director Sophie Hunter-James said the GDST standards will have a “transformative impact” on the seafood industry. 

“We remain committed to continuous improvement, innovation, and collaboration, as we work towards a future where seafood traceability becomes the norm,” Hunter-James said. “Together with GDST, we aim to make a profound impact and ensure the long-term sustainability of our oceans and seafood resources."  

Photo courtesy of GDST