Certification is First for FISH in the Western Central Pacific Region

San Diego, CA— March 7, 2023— FISH Standard for Crew Inc. is pleased to announce that 33 Fishing Industry Association Papua New Guinea (FIA PNG) tuna purse seiners have been awarded FISH certification. The certification, issued by SGS, follows extensive policy and procedure review, on-site vessel inspections, and face-to-face interviews of staff, captains, and crew members. The Philippine and Papua New Guinea flagged vessels are owned by FIA PNG member companies.

“We are proud to be the first to attain FISH certification in our region. The fourth pillar of FIA PNG’s Responsible Sourcing Policy is crew welfare, an area we have worked hard on for a number of years implementing policies and practices across our member companies while partnering with outside experts to identify best practices,” said Sylvester Pokajam, FIA PNG’s President and Chairman. “FISH certification, whose audits have worked to further improve our practices, was the next logical step in our journey. This independent process demonstrates we have achieved, and maintain, the highest levels of performance with respect to crew treatment, compensation and onboard conditions.”

“In speaking with their team after FISH certification, it was validating to hear that they found the audit process fair and practical yet challenging and an additional driver for improvement,” noted Fridrik Fridriksson, chair of the FISH’s Board of Directors and Chief Human Resources Officer at Brim. “FISH ultimately seeks to better the conditions for fishers and to serve as a tool that harvesters like FIA PNG can use to demonstrate their commitment to crew welfare, compensation, and on-board conditions. Congratulations to the FIA PNG fleets on accomplishing both objectives.”

FIA PNG joins Nueva Pescanova’s NovaNam fleet in Namibia, APA Alaska catcher-processor vessels, and PPLP Alaska motherships in successfully attaining FISH certification. FISH is actively working with organizations and fleets around the world.

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FISH Standard for Crew provides a voluntary, independent and accredited third-party certification program for labour practices on vessels in wild-capture fisheries around the globe. The FISH Standard is based on ILO-C188 and related guidance.

The Fishing Industry Association (PNG) Inc. is a registered “Association” with the PNG Investment Promotion Authority. Its mission is to drive domestic fisheries industrialization to create and enable the maximum long term economic benefit from the sustainable use of PNG’s fishery resources.

We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as a global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,700 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer, and more interconnected world.

Award is Second for FISH in the Alaska Region 

San Diego, CA— December 20, 2022— FISH Standard for Crew Inc. is pleased to announce that the two processor vessels of the Phoenix Processors Limited Partnership (PPLP) have been awarded FISH certification. The vessels M/V Excellence and the M/V Phoenix are American flagged vessels operating in U.S. waters in the Alaska pollock and Pacific whiting fisheries. SGS awarded the certification after extensive policy and procedure review, on-site vessel inspection, and face-to-face interviews of crew members. 

“FISH certification affirms our company’s long-standing dedication to safe operations and responsible treatment of our crew,” said John Henderschedt President and CEO of PPLP. “With our customers increasingly interested in the welfare of workers within their supply chain, the FISH certification provides us an independent process to demonstrate we have achieved, and maintain, the highest levels of performance with respect to crew treatment, compensation and on-board conditions.” 

PPLP joins Nueva Pescannova’s NovaNam fleet in Namibia, and APA Alaska catcher-processor vessels in successfully attaining FISH certification. FISH is actively working with organizations and fleets in Alaska, Papua New Guinea, Iceland, Australia and Canada and is in discussions with additional organizations around the world. 

“We are pleased to see yet another outstanding organization like PPLP be recognized for its commitment to its crew and vessel operations,” noted Fridrik Fridriksson, chair of the FISH’s Board of Directors and Chief Human Resources Officer at Brim. “We believe programs like FISH have a role to play in giving confidence to the supply chain that seafood from sources such as PPLP is coming from crew that are treated with respect and fairness.” 

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FISH Standard for Crew provides a voluntary, independent and accredited third-party certification program for labour practices on vessels in wild-capture fisheries around the globe. The FISH Standard is based on ILO-C188 and related guidance. 

PPLP owns and operates the M/V Excellence and M/V Phoenix as mothership processors in the Alaska Pollock fishery in the Bering Sea and the Pacific Whiting fishery off the West Coast. PPLP and its experienced shipboard teams are dedicated to producing high-quality seafood product for markets around the world.

We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as a global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,700 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer, and more interconnected world. 

Award is First for FISH in North America

San Diego, CA— August 25, 2022— FISH Standard for Crew Inc. is pleased to announce that fourteen catcher-processor vessels of the At-Sea Processors Association (APA) have been awarded FISH certification. The fleet is comprised of American flagged vessels operating in U.S.waters in the Alaska pollock and Pacific whiting fisheries. The APA vessels are owned by its member companies, American Seafoods, Arctic Storm, Coastal Villages, Glacier Fish, and Trident Seafoods. MRAG Americas auditors awarded the certification after extensive policy and procedure review, on-site vessel inspections, and face-to-face interviews of crew members.

“We are very proud to be among the first to attain FISH certification, a recognition that affirms our companies’ long-standing commitments to safety and responsible treatment of our crews,” said Stephanie Madsen, APA’s Executive Director. “The FISH certification process was challenging, yet practical and fair, and pushed our fleet to improve on our already high standards.”

“Congratulations to APA and its fleet. FISH serves as one tool harvesters like APA can use to demonstrate to its customers and to stakeholders that their seafood is harvested from responsible sources with respect to crew treatment, compensation, and on-board conditions,” noted Fridrik Fridriksson, chair of the FISH’s Board of Directors and Chief Human Resources Officer at Brim.

Retailers and food service operators are increasingly committed to providing seafood to their consumers that is not only environmentally sustainable, but socially responsible. The third-party assurance that comes with FISH certification gives confidence to buyers and consumers that the crews who harvest seafood like that from the APA catcher-processor fleet are treated with respect and fairness.

APA joins Nueva Pescannova’s NovaNam fleet in Namibia in successfully attaining FISH certification. FISH is actively working with organizations and fleets in Alaska, Papua New Guinea and Iceland and is in discussions with additional organizations around the world.

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About FISH Standard for Crew

FISH Standard for Crew provides a voluntary, independent and accredited third-party certification program for labour practices on vessels in wild-capture fisheries around the globe. The FISH Standard is based on ILO-C188 and related guidance.

About APA

The At-sea Processors Association is a trade association representing five member companies that own 14 U.S.-flag catcher-processor vessels operating in the Bering Sea / Aleutian Islands Alaska pollock fishery. This abundant and well-managed fishery provides product for billions of seafood meals every year, more than any other fishery on Earth.

About MRAG Americas

MRAG Americas is a private consulting and auditing company focused on activities that support the conservation of marine and freshwater ecosystems through responsible, rational and sustainable use of fish and other aquatic resources. They are an accredited Conformity Assessment Body, authorized to carry out FISH Standard for Crew assessments and certifications.