Global Seafood Alliance launches Best Seafood Practices standard

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) – formerly the Global Aquaculture Alliance – has announced the launch of Best Seafood Practices (BSP), a third-party certification standard for wild-capture fisheries.

The new standard, GSA said, will be the world’s only standard that links responsible wild capture fisheries, Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS)-certified vessels, and Seafood Processing Plant Standard (SPS)-certified facilities through the Chain of Custody standard. The new standard will be the equivalent of the organization’s Best Aquaculture Practices third-party aquaculture certification program.

“We value our relationship with the Global Seafood Alliance and commend their continued commitment to expanding seafood certification programs,” US Foods Senior Director of Category Management-Seafood Jennifer Wandler said in a release. “The Best Seafood Practices program can provide the third-party assurances that companies like US Foods can use to support ongoing responsibly sourced seafood programs, and we look forward to exploring these opportunities.”

A new landing page has been created for the new BSP standard, with information on both the RFVS and SPS – in addition to details for companies looking to participate in the program.

“Atlantic Capes Fisheries is an early supporter of the BSP program because we believe in GSA’s vision and see value in one organization providing assurances for both the wild and farmed seafood supply chains,” Atlantic Capes Fisheries Director of Quality Assurance Matthew Grolnic said. “By attaining certification of our processing plants, sourcing from responsible fisheries and starting the certification process of our vessels, we have greater access to the marketplace and demonstrate to our customers that we use safe and responsible practices.”

The launch of the new standard comes in the wake of GSA’s name change from the Global Aquaculture Alliance, following votes from its board of directors.

“All along our goal has been to expand supplies of responsibly produced seafood and provide the marketplace with the third-party assurances that it has come to expect,” GSA CEO Wally Stevens said. “Best Seafood Practices does just that. It truly is a one-of-a-kind program linking responsible wild-capture fisheries to vessels certified against RFVS and seafood processing plants certified against SPS.”

Alongside the new standard, the GSA announced two new members on its 12-member Standards Oversight Committee.

Shakunthala Thilsted – this year’s World Food Prize Laureate and the global lead for nutrition and public health at WorldFish – and Jenna Stoner – an aquaculture program director at the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership – both joined the committee on 24 May.