BAP Among Certification Schemes Undergoing GSSI Pilot Testing

The Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) is among the third-party seafood certification schemes that are about to undergo pilot testing against the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative’s (GSSI) updated Global Benchmark Tool.

The announcement came during Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, on March 17.

GSSI’s updated Global Benchmark Tool include GSSI Requirements, which seafood certification schemes need to meet to be recognized by GSSI. These requirements are grounded in the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) and FAO Guidelines for Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine/Inland Capture Fisheries and FAO Technical Guidelines for Aquaculture Certification.

At the same time, the tool includes GSSI Indicators, which allow schemes to show their diverse approach and help stakeholders understand where differences exist. These are grounded in the CCRF and related FAO documents, ISO normative standards and ISEAL codes. The pilot is co-funded by IDH (the Sustainable Trade Initiative).

“We are confident that GSSI will provide insight to retailers and foodservice companies of what a truly robust third-party, FAO-based certification program looks like, which will assist them tremendously as they perfect their sustainability programs. We have always believed that the BAP program has a robust environmental platform that fully embraces FAO guidelines and we believe the coming months will validate this through the pilot process,” said Peter Redmond, BAP VP of market development.

About BAP
A division of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, Best Aquaculture Practices is an international certification program based on achievable, science-based and continuously improved performance standards for the entire aquaculture supply chain — farms, hatcheries, processing plants and feed mills — that assure healthful foods produced through environmentally and socially responsible means. BAP certification is based on independent audits that evaluate compliance with the BAP standards developed by the Global Aquaculture Alliance.

About GSSI
GSSI is a global platform and partnership of seafood companies, NGOs, inter/governmental agencies and experts. The mission of GSSI is to ensure confidence in the supply and promotion of certified seafood as well as to promote improvement in seafood certification schemes. GSSI is co-financed by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through its develoPPP.de program. GSSI has grown from 17 Funding Partner companies in 2013 to 32 in 2015 and welcomes new partners.