Norway-based Epax omega-3 concentrates have retained its Friend of the Sea (FoS) certification following a renewal audit, and will continue carrying the FoS seal.
Epax was been the first omega-3 processor to be awarded the Friend of the Sea sustainability certification five years ago.
The fish oil is sourced from anchovies fished in the South East Pacific Ocean (FAO Area 87) only by approved FoS purse seine fleets. The fishery is managed according to FoS sustainable criteria, with highly selective fishing methods and from stocks that are neither overfished nor overexploited.
A full traceability system is in place throughout the supply chain, from the fisheries to manufacturing facility and the finished product.
“The Friend of the Sea certification is very important to us because it acknowledges our commitment to sustainable fishing practices and our sense of responsibility concerning natural resources,” said Thomas Gulbrandsen, Epax sales director. “There is an increasingly strong demand for sustainable and traceable production by environmentally aware consumers and we wish to fully enable brand owners to respond to this by using our ingredients.”
“This certification confirms Friend of the Sea eco-label presence in the omega-3 market and its acceptance as standard of sustainability for the omega-3 industry,” said Paolo Bray, FoS director.
