Sustainable Seafood

SUSTAINABLE FISH STOCKS

SEA HARVEST IS PROUD TO SUPPORT AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO FISHERIES IN OUR WILD-CAPTURE OPERATIONS. WE HOLD OURSELVES TO A HIGH STANDARD OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

We pledge to safeguard the ecosystem in which we fish so that future generations can continue to benefit from the ocean. Our approach to wild capture fishing is to study and protect our finely balanced and highly complex marine ecosystems. We aim to significantly reduce the loss of biodiversity; restore fisheries to their maximum sustainable yields; and prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Our South African hake trawl fishery, as well as our prawn trawl fisheries in Australia, are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – the global gold standard for ocean sustainability practices (www.msc.org). This certification has been retained for many years, which is an indication of the Group’s commitment to operating sustainably where it matters most. MSC certification follows a rigorous assessment process during which an independent certification agency scrutinises every aspect of the fishery’s management to ensure that it is well-managed and sustainable. The main principles of MSC are:

  • A fishery must be conducted in such a way that it does not lead to overfishing or a decrease in the stock harvested;
  • Fishing operations must not impact the health of the marine ecosystem; and
  • Fishing must be managed and regulated in a responsible way.

In our pelagic operations, our fishmeal and fish oil products enjoy Marin Trust certification that guarantees production is carried out to high standards of safety and quality, with sufficient care given to the environment, workforce and local community.

The certification demonstrates a commitment to responsible sourcing, responsible traceability, and responsible production of marine ingredients, such as fishmeal and fish oil, which are derived mostly from small pelagics and provide essential nutrients for human health.

PARTNERSHIPS FOR PROSPERITY

Sea Harvest Corporation, the Group’s South African-based subsidiary, is a founding member of the Groundfish Forum, the world’s leading whitefish industry forum. Alongside WWF-SA, BirdLife South Africa, SANCOBB and other fishing industry players, it is a co-founder and member of the Responsible Fisheries Alliance (RFA), which promotes an ecosystem approach to fishing (EAF).

Successes achieved through the RFA in recent years include a 90% reduction in seabird mortalities because of the introduction of bird scaring devices; improved management of bycatch; improved fisheries management; and skills development for local fishers.

Other threats to the marine environment have also been addressed, such as the call for a moratorium on marine phosphate mining in South Africa, which was an initiative undertaken in partnership with the Safeguard our Seabed Coalition, led by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER).

SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE

Sea Harvest is committed to environmentally responsible and sustainable seafood farming practices. All the Group’s farming operations have undertaken an environmental impact assessment as a mechanism to identify, assess, and report environmental impacts. This ensures that Sea Harvest Group limits its impact on the environment. Aqunion Romansbaai Farm, Whale Rock Farm and Processing Facility have achieved and maintained GLOBALG.A.P. certification (GGN: 4059883983012), recognising our commitment to sustainable production practices.

Throughout its operations, Sea Harvest deploys environmental management tools, such as method statements; inspections; checklists and undergoes rigorous internal and external audits to ensure that we honour our commitment to preserving the health of our environment. All these environmental protection measures are supported with contingency plans in the event of environmental emergencies.