Seafood certification schemes are programmes that aim to increase customer awareness of the environmental impact and sustainability of their seafood purchasing choices. It is a means of communicating to customers that the product is sourced from well-managed capture fisheries or aquaculture production facilities that focus on issues related to the sustainable use of fisheries resources. Certification is the procedure by which a third party gives assurance that a product process or service conforms to specified requirements and should be based on a range of inspection activities and carried out by a competent and recognised certification body.

Friend of the Sea has developed a set of seafood certification standards for fisheries and aquaculture products that provide tools for minimising the negative effects of aquaculture operations, and ensuring that fisheries respect the marine environment, thus preserving natural resources for the future. 

Friend of the Sea certified seafood products and services are subject to strict independent audits that verify both environmental and social standards.

Below are a list of companies that fulfil our strict criteria for sustainable seafood certification that include aquaculture and fisheries products and services, dolphin and whale watching enterprises, and fishmeal and fish oil producers and suppliers. 

What are sustainable agricultural products?
Modern day farming practices that promote intensive, industrialised approaches to farming leave an enormous footprint, causing significant damage to our natural environment such as water scarcity, land degradation, deforestation and climate change.
Sustainable products are derived from sustainable agricultural practices that promote climate-resilient, environmentally-sustainable methods. By following simple methods such as recycling nutrients and not using agricultural chemicals, sustainable food systems can potentially enable us to feed our growing population without causing irreparable environmental change and can preserve our valuable natural resources

What does Friend of the Earth’s sustainability certification mean?
Over the last few years we have seen a rapid rise in sustainability-related information about food made available to consumers through the introduction of labels and logos on products. The objectives of these schemes is to increase transparency along the food chain and to allow the customer to make guided choices about the products that they buy.

Our consumer choices can really make a valuable contribution to meeting the current global environmental challenges.