High in protein, low in fat, nutritionally rich, and resource-efficient to produce, fish is an ideal food to feed our growing planet. However, even with sustainable practices, traditional methods of wild capture fishing can’t possibly meet the demand. Aquaculture, which already accounts for more than half of global fish consumption, has the capacity to meet global demand while reducing the pressure on wild capture fisheries. But as the aquaculture industry expands to meet demand, care must be taken to avoid a range of adverse environmental and social impacts, including poor site management, water pollution, disruption of local ecosystems and poor working conditions.ASC’s certification programme promotes better managed fish farming, by rewarding responsible farming practices and creates change so we can meet the growing demand while minimising negative environmental and social impacts.

Fair Trade USAis a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable livelihoods for farmers, fishers, and workers; protects fragile ecosystems; and builds strong, transparent supply chains through independent, third-party certification. Its trusted Fair Trade Certified™ label signifies that rigorous standards have been met in the production, trade and promotion of Fair Trade products from over 80 countries across the globe. Recognized as a leading social venture by the Clinton Global Initiative, the Skoll Foundation and Ashoka, Fair Trade USA also provides critical capacity-building programs at origin, and educates consumers about the power of their purchase.

Since its inception in 2014, the goal of the Fair Trade Certified™ Seafood Program is to build resilient fishing communities by ensuring financially stable and sustainable socioecological systems, safe working conditions, access to community services, and healthy fishing resources for future generations. We aim to move the seafood industry toward more socially and environmentally sound practices by adapting Fair Trade’s proven model of certification for use in fisheries.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)is an international non-profit organization which sets globally recognized standards for sustainable fishing and the seafood supply chain. The MSC ecolabel and certification program recognizes and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping create a more sustainable seafood market. The MSC ecolabel on a seafood product means it comes from a wild-catch fishery which has been independently certified to the MSC’s science-based standard for sustainable fishing. Fisheries representing more than 19% of the world’s wild marine catch are engaged in its certification program, and more than 20,000 different MSC labeled products are available on shelves across the globe (figures correct as of 31 March 2021).

TheMonterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch®program is a globally respected source of science-based recommendations for sustainable seafood from wild-caught and farmed sources.

recommendations are developed through a process driven by the program’s vision of sustainable seafood: seafood from sources that can maintain or increase production without jeopardizing the structure and function of affected ecosystems. Based on rigorous criteria, assessments indicate which seafood sold on the North American market are a “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative,” and which ones to “Avoid.”

Seafood Watch recommendations empower consumers and businesses to make choices for a healthy ocean, helping support diverse marine ecosystems for the future. The program also raises awareness through its printable guides, website, mobile app, and partnerships with businesses, zoos, aquariums, culinary leaders and conservation organizations.

Increasingly, Seafood Watch is working on a global scale – taking a markets-based approach that harnesses the purchasing power of businesses large and small in order to shift fishing and aquaculture practices around the world in more sustainable directions.

Founded in 2006, theSustainable Fisheries PartnershipFoundation – known as Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) – is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rebuilding depleted fish stocks and reducing the environmental and social impacts of fishing and fish farming through engaging fishery stakeholders (communities, NGOs, government, etc.) and seafood businesses in every part of the supply chain. The organization works to improve fisheries through fishery improvement projects (FIPs) and aquaculture improvement projects (AIPs), which are multi-stakeholder bodies that seek to advance the sustainability of fishing and fish farming operations. SFP also supports Supply Chain Roundtables which allow seafood suppliers to work in a pre-competitive environment to promote improvement throughout the supply chain.