Portland, Maine-based company Bristol Seafood has earned Fair Trade certification for its North Atlantic Sea Scallops, making the offering the first U.S. domestic product to bear such a distinction.
Slated to debut on retail shelves on the East and West coasts of the United States starting in April 2017, the North Atlantic Sea Scallops are caught by New England fishermen and, by way of their Fair Trade USA certification, “empower scallop fishermen to contribute to the social and environmental well-being of the fishery while also earning premium to invest in the larger community,” said Julie Kuchepatov, Seafood Director at Fair Trade USA.
“The certification is very exciting for us,” Kuchepatov added. “We look forward to working with Bristol in the future to bring the benefits of Fair Trade to even more fishermen."
Bristol Seafood played an integral part in bringing Fair Trade USA’s seafood program to the U.S., the company said. The certification program helps Bristol get closer to its goal of building sustainable livelihoods in domestic fishing communities, improving working conditions and protecting local marine life, according to the company’s President and CEO Peter Handy.
“We are very proud to be the first to introduce Fair Trade Certified seafood harvested in the United States,” said Handy. “All of our products are based on integrity and sustainable practices, and Fair Trade certification gives our customers third-party validation that we operate in a socially responsible manner as well.”
As is the case with other Fair Trade Certified product categories including coffee, tea, cocoa, produce, apparel and coconut, domestic Fair Trade seafood certification insist that fishermen source and trade in accordance to rigorous, independently audited standards. “These standards help to protect fundamental human rights, prevent forced and child labor, establish safe working conditions and protect the environment,” Bristol explained.
The company, which was founded in 1992, will be exhibiting at this year’s Seafood Expo North America (SENA) event in Boston from 19 to 21 March, at booth No. 1716.
