Kvarøy, Norway-based Kvarøy Arctic is the first company to receive Fair Trade USA certification for farmed finfish and farmed salmon. The Fair Trade mark will be included on all Kvarøy Arctic fresh, frozen, burgers, hot dogs, and smoked salmon sold in the U.S.
Kvaroy is the first to achieve the standard for farmed finfish, but isn’t the first seafood company with that distinction from Fair Trade USA. There are several other seafood products that carry the seal – including Anova’s Natural Blue tuna along with products from Phillips Foods, Northern Wind, Bristol Seafood, and other suppliers.
Fair Trade USA standards go beyond fisheries and farms by protecting the rights of workers within the certified company and its supply chain, Kvarøy said in a press release.
As part of this process, all of Kvarøy Arctic’s processors – including Vega Salmon, Het Urner, Eat Salmon of Norway, and Santa Barbara Smokehouse – now also carry the Fair Trade USA certified seal, “which assures customers the products were grown, harvested, manufactured, and traded in ways that improve livelihoods and protect the environment,” Kvarøy said.
Through the Fair Trade USA program, an extra sum paid by Kvarøy Arctic will go directly to its farmers and workers to support community development projects and education. A democratically-elected body of farmers will manage the premium funds and projects, which will focus on improving the livelihoods and futures of the workers and their families.
“Through our seafood program, fishers, farmers and workers have earned an additional USD 2 million (EUR 1.7 million) in premium funds, which they have put to use on environmental impact projects like habitat protection, pollution cleanup, and much more,” Fair Trade USA Founder and CEO Paul Rice said. “With aquaculture supplying more than half of all seafood for consumption today and continuing to grow, we’re bringing these same protections and benefits to producers of cultured seafood and fostering socially responsible growth in the industry.”
Kvarøy products, which are also Aquaculture Stewardship Council-certfied and Best Aquaculture Practices-certified, are currently available through wholesale distribution in the U.S., via Pod Foods, for direct delivery on FultonFishMarket.com, and at retailers including Whole Foods Market.
Photo courtesy of Kvarøy Arctic
