Philippines-Based RD Fishing, Philbest Tuna Supply Chain First to Achieve Best Seafood Practices Certification
RD Fishing Group has achieved Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS) certification for its 12 tuna fishing vessels in the western and central Pacific Ocean, while the Philippines tuna processing plant operated by Philbest Canning Co. has attained certification to the Seafood Processing Standard (SPS), standards-holder the Global Seafood Alliance announced on Nov. 10.
RD Fishing operates purse-seine vessels harvesting skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye tuna in the western and central Pacific Ocean, particularly countries comprising the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA).
The RFVS certificate was issued by SGS, which conducted the third-party audit. SGS is among the certification bodies conducting audits on behalf of the BSP and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification programs, including RFVS.
The combination of RFVS-certified vessels and processing through an SPS-certified plant means that RD Fishing’s customers whose tuna is processed through Philbest can now use BSP in their communications, such as websites and marketing materials. BSP is the world’s only third-party certification program capable of providing third-party assurances linking responsible wild-capture fisheries to RFVS-certified vessels and SPS-certified facilities.
Retailers supporting the development and implementation of fishing vessel standards are encouraged to contact the BSP team.
About Best Seafood Practices
Best Seafood Practices is a third-party certification program administered by the Global Seafood Alliance, an international, nonprofit association dedicated to advancing responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy and third-party assurances. BSP is the world’s only third-party certification program capable of linking responsible wild fisheries to certified vessels and processing plants. BSP provides assurances to the marketplace that wild seafood has been harvested and processed in an ethical manner with respect for the wellbeing and security of all workers across the supply chain. Visit https://bspcertification.org.
About RD Fishing
RD Fishing is one of thirteen fishing companies belonging to the RD Fishing Corporation. The RD Fishing Group has purse seiners that are fully-equipped with state-of-the-art fishing technology and monitoring systems with full reporting, documentation and traceability of the catch. RD’s fishing fleet has 8 fishing licenses and operates in the rich fishing grounds of Western and Central Pacific Ocean, more particularly countries comprising the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), namely: Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, The Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. Visit http://rdgroup.rdphilippines.com.
About Philbest
Philbest Canning Corporation is one of the 50 business units under the RD Corporation, which in turn is becoming the fastest growing and probably now the largest Filipino-owned conglomerate in Southern Mindanao, Philippines. Presently, it has the capacity to process an average of 200 metric tons per day of Tuna raw materials that is converted into tuna products for its customers worldwide. Philbest employs over 2500 workers from a diverse cultural backgrounds and work experiences. Visit http://www.philbest.com.ph.
