Alaska Seafood Completes Chain of Custody Standard

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) has completed its Chain of Custody Standard, and is now accepting applications for Chain of Custody Certification. This is part of ASMI's ongoing FAO-Based Responsible Fisheries Management Certification Program.

The Chain of Custody Standard ensures that only Alaska seafood products bearing a statement "sourced from a certified Alaska fishery" can make this claim. It will ensure that all certified Alaska seafood can be traced back through the supply chain to the fishery that was certified as part of the Alaska Certification Program. To date, both Alaska Salmon and Alaska Halibut have received the FAO-based certification, and applications have been submitted for Alaska Black Cod, Alaska Pollock, and Alaska Crab.

This Chain of Custody Certification is required for any applicant that buys seafood from a certified fishery and wishes to make the certified claim on any of their packaging. Certified seafood handlers will be able to demonstrate effective traceability and have systems in place to ensure that the certified seafood product is not mixed with non-certified seafood.

If an applicant buys seafood from a certified fishery, but does not wish to make the certified claim on any of their packaging, they will not require certification. A certification to the Chain of Custody Standard takes from one to three months and includes a number of distinct steps.

To learn more about the Alaska Chain of Custody Standard and/or to download the standard (PDF file), click here.

To learn more about the Alaska Chain of Custody Application Process, click here.

To obtain an application form, please contact Mike Platt at Global Trust Certification Ltd. via [email protected].

For more information on Alaska's long history of sustainability, click here.