Seascape

(en)visible provides end to end services for responsible food programs from traceability technology to stakeholder and consumer engagement. Ultimately, they focus on responsible sourcing, technology and sustainability programs that enable brands to deliver better quality, storied products to their customers.

Anchor Lab provides solutions for electronic monitoring for a variety of fisheries monitoring strategies. Their systems can be customized to meet different requirements for different fisheries. They provide both solutions for the automation of data collection onboard, and the tools used to analyze fishing activites. Via their ‘Black Box Video System’, they use video capture to document catch handling/processing procedures, gear setting/retrieval, and discard activities. They also have an additional system, designed for fishing around sensitive areas (such as MPAs). They also provide a Black Box Data Analysis Software – a data presentation system designed for visualizing and reviewing data from their Black Box Systems.

Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Key Data Elements (KDE) project: rollout in Vietnam

In line with ASC’s commitment to continuous improvement, the Programme Assurance Team (PAT) initiated the Key Data Elements (KDE) project aimed at introducing technology to improve digital traceability. The project aims to enhance supply chain transparency, mitigate risk and provide greater verifiable information to meet industry expectations. This involves using software to capture and convey key data elements from certified farm origin throughout the supply chain. The KDE project has been developed in collaboration with farms, industry and retailers and ASC works together with the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) towards industry alignment and interoperability. Some of the collected data will flow through the entire supply system. These data elements will evolve as the standards, requirements and needs of the supply chain evolve. After some delay mainly because of Covid, we are currently rolling out the project among shrimp farmers and processors in Vietnam and accounts have been set up for importers outside Vietnam. We are grateful to these farm stakeholders for their engagement with the new systems and requirements. Our next steps with the project will be to roll out in other countries and also covering other species. For future updates as the project progresses, please refer to our website.

Archipelago offers electronic monitoring products and services for commercial fisheries worldwide. Based on more than 30 years of experience in training and managing certified onboard observers, Archipelago designs solutions that work for fisheries and industry regulators. Archipelago offers training, consulting, and certified data-review services, plus specialized equipment and software needed to monitor and review fishing activity at sea.

Arnold & Porter LLP advises global companies in high-risk industries on anti-corruption and supply chain security compliance and investigations. The firm’s natural resources trade practitioners include a former federal prosecutor who headed the highly publicized Lacey Act investigation and prosecution of the Arnold Bengis international fish smuggling ring, a former high-level State Department official who focuses on international trade and supply chain issues, and a number of attorneys who worked at the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. Their lawyers bring a depth of experience in U.S. trade law, corporate compliance programs, environmental law, and criminal and civil litigation.

A catch reporting smartphone app designed for Android and iOS smartphones. This app requires connection to a cellular network to transmit data, and is meant for inshore fleets. The app is customized for each fishery and offers dropdown menus that collect data for target species, gears deployed and bycatch. The app can also collect location of catch by having fishers select areas on a digital map. As it collects more and more data, the app is able to show fishers their own catch trends and other indicators that are useful for business planning, such as fishing effort expended and areas fished.

Best Seafood Practices (BSP) ensures wild seafood has been caught and processed in an ethical manner, respecting the wellbeing and security of all employees across the supply chain. The BSP program address food safety, social accountability, and environmental responsibility.

Bureau Veritas offers a range of certification, training and digital solutions for players across the seafood value chain, helping to demonstrate that a company’s seafood is safe, healthy, responsibly produced and fully traceable. They offer certification services for the blue MSC ecolabel, ASC, BAP, GlobalG.A.P., organic, as well as Bureau Veritas Recognition, their own proprietary standard and B2B solution for demonstrating responsible and traceable seafood supply chains.

C4ADS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing data-driven analysis and evidence-based reporting on global conflict and transnational security issues. They use technology to manage, integrate, and analyze disparate data from diverse languages, regions, and sources, incorporating their own field research from conflict zones and fragile states. In particular, they aim to counter illicit and unsustainable fisheries exploitation by investigating the beneficial ownership behind these shadow industries. They have produced a report on the onshore networks behind Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

In collaboration with The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Satellite Applications Catapult has developed ‘Eyes on the Seas’, a technology platform that improves ocean sustainability through actionable insight of global fishing activities, legal and illegal. It utilizes multiple data sources, including satellite data, specialist fishing vessel databases and oceanographic data, to surveil vessel activity at sea and alert fisheries analysts to suspicious activity. The analysis provides independent verification and validation of ‘at-sea’ activities and provides information to governments and industry players who are interested in understanding fishing activities in their waters or supply chains in more detail

Chainparency is a global blockchain technology solutions company focused on the problems of trust and authenticity. Industry agnostic, our work is especially well-suited for verifying claims, advancing sustainability and certifications processes, driving operational efficiencies, and modernizing and ensuring transparent supply chains globally.

For over 30 years, CI has been protecting nature for the benefit of global humanity. They do this through science, policy and partnerships with countries, communities and companies. Their oceans program is committed to sustainable production, ensuring that seafood is environmentally sustainable and socially responsible. They have invested effort in functioning as a catalyst and convener on social responsibility, driving alignment among organizations that work with businesses, governments, and civil society groups involved in the seafood sector on a shared definition and collective action plan for progress: and developing a strong and diverse community of practice, comprised of environmental and social nonprofit organizations, academic researchers, consultants, and other key experts.

The Decent Work in Fisheries Initiative works to address the following questions:
– How might we use qualitative case study information to assess trends in violations of ILO Rights at Work and Decent Work in marine wild-capture fisheries?
– How might we define and measure thresholds for ILO Rights at Work and Decent Work in marine wild-capture fisheries?
– How might we identify the suite of conditions and drivers that interact and combine to produce exploitative labor situations and decent work?
The research will aim to understand these different factors and how they work together to create even more problematic outcomes (such as forced labor), which would help provide context and validation for the Global Slavery Index, and other models at the country level, and ultimately, inform policies, practices, and ratifications of conventions that are needed to protect workers.

Deckhand is an e-logbook mobile application that collects catch data from fishers and uses it to fill out required forms. The mobile app has a built-in GPS function that enables the verification of information input about fishing activities. The mobile app does not require connection; it will continue to store information until it is back within range of a cell tower.

Digital Observer Services (DOS) is a fisheries consultancy and Electronic Monitoring (EM) service provider which uses Satlink equipment (Satlink SeaTube), high definition cameras, GPS systems and other information to produce reports on the vessel’s fishing activity.

DOS analyses the video information collected by the Satlink SeaTube system and generates scientific reports on fishing activity based on scientific methods and visual evidence. DOS also helps establish regional data inspection centers, provides training and performs audits in line with their quality criteria.

DigitalGlobe has developed a vessel observation and intelligence mapping software that uses AIS and oceanographic data to provide a comprehensive view of both vessel behavior as well as atmospheric and ocean conditions. Their program has infringement zone alerts that will identify when vessels are present in EEZs, marine protected areas, etc.

The software also includes a fisheries logbook that enables catch data to be exported and forwarded to government regulatory authorities.

Eachmile Technologies is a firm that implements technologies in global food-supply chains. They have developed the applications mFish and Fishcoin for use in the seafood industry.

EM4Fish is a knowledge base and community of practice for the people driving the change in fisheries management by developing electronic monitoring technologies to analyse and share new methods and data to improve the fisheries sector and traceability practices.

Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is a UK based registered charity working internationally, addressing issues that link environmental security and human rights, focusing on the global south. EJF’s campaigns include addressing illegal fishing (IUU) and associated human rights abuses, sustainability, and rights issues associated with shrimp production. EJF’s work on fisheries focuses on effective implementation of the European Union IUU Regulation, illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea, ending illegal fishing and human rights abuses in the Thai seafood sector, promotion of best practices across the wider Asian region, and an initiative towards greater transparency and traceability in marine fisheries. As part of this project, EJF is calling for a suite of actions: mandatory application of Unique Vessel Identifiers (UVIs) and the development of a Global Record for fishing vessels, the near-term adoption of digital systems in fisheries management, and an end to the exploitation of Flags of Convenience.

EVRYTHNG gathers and organizes product data from raw materials and ingredients, to packaging, production and distribution data, all the way through to purchase, resell or recycle information. Shareable, actionable data all in one place.

In 2014, Fair Trade USA launched its Seafood Program in an effort to bring the benefits of Fair Trade to small-scale fishermen and their communities. Through Fair Trade certification and improved market access, strong fishing communities are built by ensuring financially stable fishing families, safe working conditions, access to services through community development premium investments, and biologically healthy marine ecosystems. The Fair Trade certification and audit process uses a stepwise approach that requires improvement of social, economic, and environmental conditions over time. To ensure that Fair Trade seafood can be identified and traced along the supply chain, all traders must adhere to Fair Trade traceability guidelines as well as provide and retain Chain of Custody records with Fair Trade-required product information.

The Faria Beede WD750 VMS is Type Approved as an MTU, E-MTU, by the National Marine Fishery Service for all fishery regions and is built to meet the demanding requirements of the commercial fishing industry. The Faria Beede MTU provides 24-hour a day, 7-day a week, 365-day a year monitoring of your main and backup batteries and shows the precise location of vessels as well as a history of all position reports via a secured login.

Fed by Blue aims to reimagine and transform blue food systems through demand for transparency, empowering people to make responsible blue food choices, improving education, and changing policies and practices.

The FISH Safety Foundation is an independent international non-profit organization that is committed to providing relevant practical education, access to resources and promoting a positive safety culture in the global Fishing Industry – an industry recognized as the most hazardous in the World.
The Foundation encourages and promotes safe and sustainable fishing practices, and acknowledges the importance of commercial operators, fishers and fishing communities working together for the betterment of the entire industry.

Fishcoin is a utility token that creates an incentive for data capture in various forms beginning with key data elements captured and communicated by fishermen and fish farmers for the purpose of traceability. Fishermen in developing nations send a restaurant or grocery store information on the seafood they caught. This triggers a smart contract that transfers a certain number of Fishcoins into those fisher’s crypto wallets. The fishers can then use those Fishcoins to pay bills or buy cell phone minutes. With an underlying blockchain that records all this information, Fishcoin looks to provide the incentive to make it happen. By addressing the critical incentive problem, Fishcoin is creating an ecosystem for rewarding fishermen and supply chain intermediaries through micro-transactions, creating a virtuous cycle for sustainable practices that extends beyond government mandates for traceability.

FiTI is a global multi-stakeholder initiative. Its purpose is to increase transparency and participation by national authorities in fisheries governance for the benefit of a more sustainable management of marine fisheries. The FitI:
1) Strives to reveal data that has otherwise been obscured from public scrutiny;
2) Attempts to verify if information in the public domain is reliable and complete;
3) Is designed to reveal where public authorities do not collate information, and requires the national multi-stakeholder group to come to an agreement on how these gaps in knowledge will be addressed. 

The initiative does not focus on a single country or region, but rather seeks to establish a global level playing field among fisheries countries. FiTI is not owned or operated by one organization, and is instead represented by the diversity of stakeholders. It is implemented in countries through National Multi-Stakeholder Groups, consisting of representatives from government, business, and organized civil society.

The core of the initiative is the FiTI Standard, an agreement on what information on fisheries should be published by public authorities. It’s comprised of 12 transparency requirements and is applicable to all countries.

FishTrace is a traceability solution for primary fish processing plants, created by Traceall. It aims to capture all elements involved in the processing plants’ production planning process. It has a web-based monitoring system to track and analyse key metrics such as purchase activity and maintenance status. It supports product safety management, traceability, and brand protection.

Friend of the Sea’s criteria follow the FAO Guidelines for ecolabelling and include traceability. FOS chain of custody standard is designed to ensure certified seafood can be traced back to the sustainable source. The requirements state that a program must be in place to prevent product mixing with uncertified sources, that origin and fishing method are identified, and that the fishery uses all available interconnected traceability methods for larger boats as part of a marking system and non-forgeable document tracing system. Furthermore, one test at the beginning and end of a batch of finished product must be conducted, inspecting relevant documents for conformity to the standard. Audits are run onsite by independent certification bodies.

fTRACE software solution can trace the history of a product down to the individual batch – over the entire manufacturing and processing chain. Manufacturers and suppliers can capture and share batch-specific data (e.g. on catch area, catching gear, farming or fishing practices, as well as the unloading port or vessel owner). fTRACE combines this data with dynamic data relating to the catching or production date, time, and place. Due to customer trust becoming an increasingly important competitive advantage, fTRACE enables companies to deliver the requested product information, as well as additional information about fish species or recipes. To do this, consumers can download the fTRACE app on Apple and Android. fTRACE is a platform operated by GS1 Germany, responsible for the GS1 article identification system GTIN for globally unique identification and other technologies for transparent and efficient value chains.

The Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability is an international, business-to-business platform established to advance a unified framework for interoperable seafood traceability practices. The Dialogue brings together a broad spectrum of seafood industry stakeholders from across different parts of the supply chain, as well as relevant civil society experts from diverse regions.

With three technical working groups, the pre-competitive Dialogue aims to produce an aligned global framework for seafood traceability based on four pillars:

1) internationally agreed key data elements (KDEs) to be routinely associated with seafood products;
2) technical specifications for interoperable traceability systems, along with standard legal and business formats facilitating business-to-business information exchange;
3) internationally agreed benchmarks for verifying data validity; and
4) harmonisation of business-smart national regulations to help reduce compliance burdens.

Global Fishing Watch, a partnership between SkyTruth, Oceana, and Google, is an interactive technology platform that will enable anyone with an Internet connection to see commercial fishing activity anywhere in the world’s oceans in near real-time. It will empower stakeholders by providing transparency, which in turn, will drive the research, advocacy, policy-making, monitoring and enforcement needed for the effective management of our fisheries and oceans. Global Fishing Watch can also serve as a key tool in seafood traceability, validating catch documentation and offering a simple and inexpensive way for fishermen to demonstrate they are fishing responsibly.

The Global Food Traceability Center partners with the global food industry to trace products throughout the supply chain in order to improve food safety, diminish risk, and reduce health and economic consequences to the food system. The GFTC collaborates with key stakeholders in the agri-food system to address research gaps, deliver objective advice to its partners, and provide expertise about global food traceability issues for private benefit and public good.

The Global Record of Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels (Global Record) is a phased and collaborative global initiative to make available certified data from State authorities about vessels and vessel-related activities. The programme aims towards providing a single access point for information on vessels used for fishing and fishing-related activities with the primary objective being to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by enhancing transparency and traceability. The programme’s long-term goals are to strengthen the fisheries’ sector in terms of management and its sustainability, to enhance food security and the livelihoods of populations depending on fisheries including rural coastal populations.

Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) advances responsible seafood practices worldwide through education, advocacy, and demonstration. GSA convenes seafood industry leaders, academia, and NGOs to collaborate on cross-cutting issues like environmental and social responsibility, animal health and welfare, food safety and more. GSA is a membership-driven organization. Members include certified producers, corporations and individuals.

The Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) is a platform bringing together over 40 partners from across the seafood sector worldwide. It was set up in 2013 as a collective, non-competitive approach by industry, NGOs, the FAO and governmental organizations to address the growing confusion in the certification landscape. In October 2015, GSSI’s partners launched the Global Benchmark Tool to reinstate confidence in supply and promotion of certified seafood by recognizing credible certification schemes using the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF), the FAO Guidelines for Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine/Inland Capture Fisheries, and the FAO Technical Guidelines for Aquaculture Certification (FAO Guidelines).

Global Traceability has, since 2012, operated a cloud traceability platform that allows supply chain partners to connect and share product data. The collaborative software allows for supply chain mapping and greater visibility over the supply chain process. Global Traceability has over 85,000 businesses operating on the platform, including global players like Unilever.

Having originally focused on traceability in the timber industry, Global Traceability has in recent years moved into seafood traceability by establishing partnerships with certification schemes including the Marine Stewardship Council and Aquaculture Stewardship Council, as well as major seafood industry stakeholders. With its experience in traceability, certification management, and compliance, Global Traceability can red-flag IUU fishing and enable a more transparent seafood supply chain.

On 5 June, 2017, 66 companies, including retailers and other tuna supply chain businesses, signed the Tuna 2020 Traceability Declaration with the aim of stopping illegal tuna getting to market, and promoting improvements in the environmental sustainability and human rights in tuna fisheries. The declaration was convened by the World Economic Forum and supported by six national governments and 21 civil society organizations.

The Commitments of the Tuna 2020 Traceability Declaration are based on the following four pillars:

• Tuna Traceability Commitment
• Commitment to a Socially Responsible Tuna Supply Chain
• Commitment to Environmentally Responsible Tuna Sources
• Government Partnership

To deliver on the World Economic Forum Tuna 2020 Traceability Declaration, retail and other tuna supply chain businesses (referred to as “Global Tuna Alliance”) intend to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in global tuna supply chains, and ensure that the tuna ultimately meets the highest standards of environmental performance and social responsibility.

The GLOBALG.A.P. Aquaculture Standard operates under a third-party accredited certification system. To claim certified status at point of sale, all stages of production must be certified: feed, seedlings, farming, and post-harvest activities. GLOBALG.A.P. Aquaculture Certification requires the Integrated Farm Assurance All Farm & Aquaculture Modules, the Chain of Custody Standard, and the Compound Feed Manufacturing Standard. The voluntary Responsible Operations Standard Add-on for feed mills supplying to GLOBALG.A.P. certified farms adds social, environmental, and marine sourcing sustainable criteria to the compulsory food safety requirements and good manufacturing practices.

Greenpeace’s Ocean Campaign focuses on ocean threats including industrial fishing, bycatch, human rights at sea, habitat impacts, and works to improve fishery management. Greenpeace evaluates U.S. retailers on traceability and other sustainability issues through its Carting Away the Oceans reports, and assesses canned tuna brands through its Tuna Shopping Guide. Greenpeace released Sea of Distress, its first evaluation of seafood sustainability among U.S. foodservice management companies and broadline distributors. Greenpeace is working to address transshipment at sea, inadequate observer coverage, insufficient monitoring, and control and surveillance regimes, which the organization has identified as major barriers to traceability efforts. Greenpeace also houses an IUU vessel blacklist on its website, which combines evidence from its own investigations with a compilation of official listings from around the world.

The High Seas Alliance is a partnership of organizations and groups aimed at building a strong common voice and constituency for the conservation of the high seas. The objective of the Alliance is to facilitate international cooperation to establish high seas protected areas and to strengthen high seas governance. The Alliance is currently made up of 35 NGOs plus the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). High Seas Alliance members commit to work together to achieve these goals either as members of a collaborative effort through the Alliance, or as individual organizations supported by or affiliated with the Alliance.

Human Rights at Sea supports international communities with exposing the truth behind human rights abuses at sea through research and case studies, delivering methods to achieve social justice via legal and policy developments. With the implementation of human right provisions, they raise awareness and transparency of illicit human-rights operations at sea. Following 5 of the total 14 Sustainable Development Goal’s, they work to create accountability by participating in international advocacy to prevent inhumane activities and improve enforcement of legislation.

ICEYE Vessel Detection & AIS Validation Solution for the Maritime Segment enables users to detect vessels operating in the area of interest, with information delivered on collaborative vessels (including AIS information) and dark ships that are likely to operate illegally within the chosen territory.

Inmarsat’s Fleet One offers fishing vessels of any size satellite voice and data services. It has a mobile app that allows users to map their location.

Inmarsat is working with USAID’s Oceans and Fisheries Partnership to provide communication technology to improve fisheries catch documentation and traceability through solutions such as Pointrek. Crew members on medium and large vessels will integrate existing monitoring systems and catch data with Inmarsat’s Fleet One and IsatData Pro technology, a global two-way messaging service for tracking and monitoring ports and vessels. USAID’s Oceans and Fisheries Partnership will pilot the technology in Bitung, Indonesia, and Songkhla, Thailand, where the system has been tested.

Inmarsat is also partnering with Thai Union and Mars Petcare, providing satellite communications to help crews maintain at-sea connectivity for quicker and easier digital catch reporting, communication, and fleet management.

Intact Systems is a software company that specializes in providing integrity management solutions for control and certification bodies, standard setters, and businesses that perform internal and supplier audits. Its main product, Ecert, collects and evaluates data about products across the supply chain, facilitating better traceability to enhance the quality and safety of products and services. Ecert allows users to pull from a vast verified database in order to understand their full supply chain and verify data about products and suppliers.

Integrated Monitoring offers realtime visibility with video monitoring, catch reporting and GPS tracking, enabling fishermen to stay connected while at sea. They focus on streamlining and downscaling data, to ensure faster data transfer. In select markets, they also offer an integrated electronic logbook: providing a single, streamlined data entry process for reporting of catch to the company, national and transnational (RFMO) regulators.

IBM Food Trust provides traceable means to food supply chains worldwide. The application of blockchain technology via a collaborative tool aims to provide participants including suppliers, distributors, retailers and consumers transparency when sharing information regarding global food supply chains.

ILO is working to ensure decent work for all fishers. The ILO’s international labour standard concerned specifically with work on board fishing vessels is the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188). This Convention demonstrates the renewed commitment by the ILO to ensure decent work in fishing.

The International Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) Network was established in 2001 to provide a mechanism for fisheries law enforcement professionals to share information and experiences as they monitor the increasingly complex harvesting and marketing of fish around the world. The International MCS Network is an informal, voluntary network of States, regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) and regional economic integration organizations, as represented by the person or persons responsible for fisheries-related MCS. This includes fisheries managers, investigators, attorneys, foreign service officers, and forensics specialists, among others. Membership is currently limited to these categories, but the IMCS Network works closely with other intergovernmental organizations, in particular the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and considers them important partners.

The Mission of the International MCS Network is to promote and facilitate cooperation and coordination among Members through information exchange, capacity development and collaboration in order to achieve the improved effectiveness and efficiency of monitoring, control and surveillance activities in order to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing and related fisheries activities on local, regional and international levels.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 163 national standards bodies. ISO has developed standards for: traceability of finfish products – specifications to be recorded in captured distribution chains (ISO 12875) and farmed distribution chains (ISO 12877); traceability of crustacean products – specifications on the information to be recorded in captured crustacean distribution chains (ISO 18537) and farmed crustacean distribution chains (ISO 16741); and traceability of molluscan products – specifications on the information to be recorded in captured molluscan distribution chains (ISO 18539) and farmed molluscan distribution chains (ISO 18538).

The long-term conservation and sustainable use of global tuna fisheries is the primary goal of the ISSF. Since 2009, ISSF has adopted conservation measures to promote and accelerate sustainability best practices for processors, traders, marketers, and others in the seafood industry — and improve the long-term health of tuna fisheries. The ISSF also works towards the following:

1. Tuna companies worldwide commit to conform to and be audited on ISSF Conservation Measures on traceability, data collection & transshipment, among others that deter IUU activities.
2. Tuna fishing vessels worldwide can signal their commitment to fishing best practices by registering on the public ProActive Vessel Register(PVR). The PVR uses 3rd-party auditing to validate whether vessels are following science-based, sustainable tuna fishing practices. ISSF also maintains IMO & UVI Databases.
3. ISSF scientific research and advocacy guide outreach to tuna RFMOs and governments:
-Technical advice on best practices for monitoring, control and surveillance in tuna fisheries (electronic monitoring system pilot projects and workshops)
-Recommendations on effective RFMO governance, science-based decision-making, data collection, monitoring, enforcement & compliance mechanisms
-Scientific research reports on best practices for managing vessel records, supply vessels, VMS, observer programs

Working to improve fishers’ lives. ITF represents fishers working at sea and on land, as part of the supply chain. We campaign for better working conditions in an industry that can be harsh and oppressive to those working outside regulation. Help us create a fairer, safer and more sustainable future for our fisheries and their workers.

IUU Risk Intelligence is a consulting firm dedicated to providing technical services on Fisheries Compliance, Monitoring Control, and Surveillance (MCS) as well as illegal fishing for governments and private industry clients worldwide.

KnowTheChain provides aresource for companies and investors to address forced labor in global supply chains.
The benchmarks and practical resources help companies operate more transparently and responsibly, while also informing investor decisions.

Legit Fish provides patented cloud-based software solutions to trace seafood supply chains from vessel/farm to processor. It allows supply chain partners and consumers the ability to trace where their food came from with increased transparency and accuracy. Legit Fish develops sets of Key Data Elements (KDE) appropriate for each fishery and/or aquaculture ecosystem. Legit Fish verifies and validates the records using their patented technology. Partners can then share this information with other channel partners or consumers depending upon their market strategy. The Legit Fish technology is interoperable with existing ERP systems and blockchain solutions.

The Marine Conservation Institute’s overarching goal is to help the world create a worldwide system of strongly protected areas – the Global Ocean Refuge System (GLORES) – a way to ensure future diversity and abundance of marine life. As part of that effort, they have developed the MPAtlas (www.mpatlas.org) with a comprehensive online database and mapping tool of existing and planned marine protected areas (MPAs). The organization has worked on U.S. laws affecting IUU fishing or pirate fishing since this illegal activity often targets MPAs, results in degradation of marine environments around the world and food insecurity for those who depend on sustainable fisheries.

Marine Instruments is a Spanish company dedicated to the design and manufacture of electronic equipment, mainly for the fishing sector. They developed a Remote Electronic Monitoring System (REM) that uses automatic image capture for bycatch control on board fishing vessels.

For this REM, Marine Instruments has developed Beluga software, a program for the analysis and visualization of the images obtained by the observer. The program allows for a quick visualization of long hours of fishing, and allows for the review of fishing operations, checking for the amount of catch and bycatch.

Companies that want to use the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) ecolabel must obtain independent verification that the product originated from a certified fishery, which must be demonstrated by a CoC certificate held at each link in the chain. To use the MSC ecolabel companies must also have an MSC ecolabel license. The MSC CoC is an example of combining ‘one-up one-down’ traceability paper documentation and on the ground audits of traceability procedures and protocols.

MarinTrust is an international certification program for marine ingredient certification. MarinTrust works with third party accredited (ISO 17065) certification bodies which audit fishmeal and fish oil producing factories and assess the responsibility of fisheries. The Key principles of the MarinTrust standard are responsible sourcing and responsible production, with full traceability and product segregation as key requirements.

Maritech provides software solutions for the seafood industry, working towards three main principles: control, automation, and traceability. Maritech enables capturing and recording information on harvest, and integrating the inventory record to assist in reporting compliance and traceability.

The three MRAG companies (MRAG Americas, MRAG Ltd., and MRAG Asia Pacific) provide traceability services to help companies ensure that seafood was caught legally and sustainably. Its services include: customized, confidential, and independent traceability audits of products from catch to consumer; confidential risk assessment to combat IUU fishing and ensure seafood has not been caught illegally; audits for the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) ProActive Vessel Register (PVR); MSC chain of custody and fishery assessments and certifications; and confidential third-party supply chain audits.

The NGO Tuna Forum brings together NGOs and other individuals and organizations that work comprehensively on global tuna sustainability issues that fall within one or more of the following core focus areas:
1) RFMO management & advocacy,
2)market-based mechanisms for improving sustainability, and
3)on the water research, activities, and improvements.

NSF Seafood provides independent, third-party consultative services, seafood product inspections, facility auditing services, independent surimi testing, and chemical/microbiological testing. NSF Seafood works with all types of clients, including importers, exporters, processors, aquaculture farms/facilities, retailers, restaurants and distributors to help ensure product safety, quality, consistency, transparency, and sustainability. NSF Seafood tests, assesses compliance with seafood safety, sanitation and GMP requirements, and inspects and assesses product quality attributes against recognized inspection methodology. Additionally, NSF Seafood will perform supplier audits or customize the scope of the audit to meet a company’s needs. NSF provides auditing services for Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), supplier audits to customized and NSF Seafood standards. They also have traceability, recall, and country of origin assistance and system audits.

NSSLGlobal is an independent provider of satellite communications and IT management solutions with innovation and customer service. NSSLGlobal is a marine electronic navigational/communications equipment specialist. Satellite network capabilities offering Ku-Bad coverage in the industry through its own Ku- and C- Band VSAT network and Ka- and L- Band, working in partnership with some of the largest MSS and VSAT satellite operators.

The Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP) is an attempt to bring transparency to the world of sustainable seafood through encouraging companies to report on the sources of the seafood that they buy, along with information about the sustainability of those fisheries. Some data requested are KDEs such as species name and harvest location, in addition to data that reflects the environmental status of the fishery (e.g. the status of management and stocks in specific fisheries). The results are then published as individual corporate profiles on both the SFP website and on company websites. The companies will provide information covering whether they have a public seafood sourcing policy or commitment, and the scope of that policy or commitment, as well as information on any specific objectives or time-bound targets set by the company. They will also include reported progress toward those objectives.

Ocean Outcomes is a science-based sustainable seafood consultancy working hand in hand with commercial fisheries to help them become more sustainable. Ocean Outcomes’ work addresses a range of major fishery challenges contributing to the global fisheries crisis, such as IUU, overfishing, depletion of non-target stocks, habitat impacts, and management system issues.

As a traceability solution to support FIPs and third party certification in Russia, Ocean Outcomes piloted a Catch Tracking System (CTS), implementing best practices in self-reporting and verification of the paper trail to close loopholes in the “first mile,” from producers to processors. By following the CTS protocol, companies capture and upload information to assure customers that they are receiving product traceable back to the source fishery.

Additionally, Ocean Outcomes launched Japan’s first FIP traceability pilot as a part of the Tokyo Bay Sea Perch FIP.

Oceana’s Seafood Fraud Campaign works to stop seafood fraud and ensure that all seafood sold in the U.S. is safe, legally caught, and honestly labeled. To help stop seafood fraud and illegal fishing, Oceana is working to change U.S. policies to require more transparency and traceability in seafood supply chains, including requiring catch documentation for all seafood, end to end traceability, and more information provided to seafood consumers at the final point of sale.

Oceana, in partnership with SkyTruth and Google, helped develop Global Fishing Watch – an interactive technology platform that will enable anyone with an Internet connection to see commercial fishing activity anywhere in the world’s oceans in near real-time.

OceanMind is a not-for-profit organisation that empowers enforcement and compliance to protect the world’s fisheries. They provide insights and intelligence into fishing compliance to those who can most effectively use it. They support government authorities and seafood buyers by providing expertise and knowledge paired with advanced technologies to enable responsible sourcing and effective enforcement.

OceanMind began in 2014 as “Project Eyes on the Seas”, a collaboration between the Satellite Applications Catapult and Pew Charitable Trusts. Initially a collaboration to develop technology fusing satellite data and artificial intelligence to detect illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, it soon developed into a suite of services to help governments and the seafood supply chain to understand the compliance of fishing activities.

In July 2018, OceanMind launched as a new independent non-for-profit organisation with the mission to empower enforcement and compliance in the world’s fisheries. Working with partners such as the UK Government, the Royal Thai Government, the Seafood Task Force, the Pew Charitable Trusts, Conservation International, and Humanity United, OceanMind is supporting enforcement and MCS professionals globally, as well as helping seafood buyers build more responsible supply chains.

Oceans 5 is a global funders collaborative, comprised of new and experienced philanthropists, committed to protecting the five oceans of the planet. The group collectively focuses its investments and support on large-scale, opportunistic projects and campaigns aimed at significantly expanding marine reserves and constraining overfishing. It supports several projects to control illegal fishing and improve seafood traceability in the United States, Europe, and Central America.

An electronic logbook (eLog) software solution for the recording, reporting, and management of commercial fishing data. Solutions for data management include a data harmonisation tool for commercial fishing data and a customizable web-based application. Customizations allow for use by operations ranging from small-scale to entire fleets.

The OpsSmart Software traces seafood from bait to plate in both wild-capture and aquaculture supply chains. Some of the KDEs and CTEs it collects from wild-capture are vessel details, species information, product form, GPS location, dates of landing and catch, expiry of production dates, harvest certifications and audits. For Aquaculture, software traces the entire nursery process including farm details, feed, vaccinations, health inspections, product receipts, harvest dates, parent stock, batch/serial numbers, shipping information, and Chain of Custody Certificates. Traceability goes beyond food safety, and it can help businesses gain efficiency, brand enhancement, revenue growth, reduce risk, and save money. OpsSmart acts as a flexible, scalable central repository for information regarding the trace of ingredients and data for each critical control point in the supply chain.