Saving Seafood

Responsible Fishery Management standard evolves into new global seafood certification program

April 27, 2025 — The Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) seafood certification standard is being rolled into a new global standard dubbed Certified Seafood International (CSI).

The move marks the latest evolution of the RFM program, which was originally geared toward certifying Alaska’s fisheries as sustainable. Created in 2010, the program was transferred to the nonprofit Certified Seafood Collaborative in 2020 at the same time as it expanded its scope to cover fisheries across North America.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Louisiana blue crab fishery achieves certification first

December 19, 2016 — The Louisiana blue crab fishery has become the first to successfully complete the auditing process for Audubon Nature Institute’s Gulf United for Fisheries’ (G.U.L.F.) Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification, which gauges and encourages responsible practices for the sustainable harvest of Gulf of Mexico seafood.

Carried out by the independent assessment body Global Trust, which specializes in fisheries auditing, the certification is based on internationally accepted principles laid out by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in its Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and Ecolabeling Guidelines for Fish and Fishery Products. The RFM certification by G.U.L.F. was created in sync with those guidelines, as well as with principles set forth by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

“This is the culmination of a comprehensive process to create a certification unique to the fisheries and management systems of the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico,” said Laura Picariello, technical programs manager for G.U.L.F., in a news release.“Throughout the process, G.U.L.F. consulted with a Technical Advisory Committee comprised of researchers, resource managers, industry members, and other stakeholders from the Gulf of Mexico region. G.U.L.F. continues to work closely with fishermen and resource managers to facilitate communication and outreach to ensure the process is transparent and thorough.”

“It’s exciting to see the Louisiana blue crab achieve G.U.L.F. RFM certification,” added Susan Marks, Sustainability Director, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. “Participation by the Gulf States, alongside Iceland and Alaska, provides customers another credible and cost-effective choice in demonstrating responsible sourcing and third party certification.”

With the recent emphasis on sustainability assurances from major retailers and wholesalers such as Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Kroger, Winn-Dixie and Publix, the RFM certification for Louisiana blue crab gives the fishery a leg up.

Read the full story at Seafood Source