Whitefish trawler Gadus has been certified by Global Seafood Assurances in accordance with the Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS), making it the first Faroese boat and one of only 10 vessels worldwide to be certified, its owner, Klaksvík, Faroe Islands-based JFK, has confirmed.
Gadus specializes in producing cod fillets from the Barents Sea, which are mainly supplied to fish-and-chip shops in the United Kingdom market.
“The RFVS certification process is for us a good way forward, not just to tick the boxes of what we are doing right, but also to bring ourselves in line with internationally accepted best crewing practices. Such certification enables us to provide our customers with independent assurance that we, as their supplier, engage, employ, pay, and treat all our crew equally, fairly, and further that they are trained in safety,” JFK CEO Hanus Hansen said. “There are several benefits to JFK in getting Gadus certified. Most obvious is in the marketplace by customers and consumers. But more importantly, all of us in the company can hold our heads up and confidently say that we are doing the right thing, safely and fairly. And we’ve got a respected international organization providing us with the certificate to prove it.”
National Federation of Fish Friers (U.K.) President, Andrew Crook, congratulated the Faroese fishing vessel operator on the achievement.
“Sustainability is a huge issue for all, but it is so important for the fish-and-chip sector. It is essential that we ensure fish stocks are preserved, and JFK are Marine Stewardship Council-certified for that purpose. Now they have added certification that ensure the crews on the boats catching that fish are trained and looked after to the highest standards too,” Crook said. "It is great to see such important suppliers to our industry operating to the highest global standards meaning we will be able to enjoy fish and chips for another 160 years and beyond."
The revised RVFS was finalized in 2020. Offered to vessel owners on a voluntary basis, it comprises two core principles – vessel management and safety systems; and crew rights, safety and well-being. Its focus on crew welfare on board fishing vessels is underpinned by adherence to the Work in Fishing Convention (ILO 188) and other global conventions on labor conditions.
The first vessel achieved RFVS certification in January this year.
Photo courtesy of JFK
