Social responsibility in seafood — Seafish
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Social responsibility in seafood

We are helping the seafood industry understand what a business commitment to socially responsible seafood means in practice.

We want to make sure the industry has access to relevant guidance material, business risk assessment tools and best practice examples to allow them to make the right decisions.

For us, being socially responsible means looking at labour and human rights issues, and worker welfare across the whole supply chain. This involves tackling the following issues: human trafficking, labour abuses, child labour, debt bondage, forced labour, migrant workers, and slavery.

Our work in this area is summarised in our fact sheet Social responsibility in seafood - Seafish's role and is described below.

Seafood Ethics Common Language Group (SECLG)

The SECLG provides a safe meeting space to discuss the key ethical issues faced by the international seafood industry. The group looks at social welfare issues that affect the UK seafood supply chain, whether in the UK or seafood imported into the UK.

Tools for Ethical Seafood Sourcing (TESS)

Our Tools for Ethical Seafood Sourcing (TESS) online tool signposts stakeholders to resources that can help businesses manage and reduce the risks associated with labour issues and worker welfare in seafood supply chains. 

Assessment of worker welfare issues

To help the seafood supply chain understand the landscape of risk assessment information sources and the different tools available to assess the social risks of different supply chains we have produced a quick guide to what is freely available. We have also produced 19 country profiles that detail the social risks in regions supplying the UK market. These profiles are to help inform buying decisions in seafood businesses. 

Seafood Ethics Action Alliance (SEA Alliance)

SEA Alliance has been established by the seafood industry to provide a platform for businesses to work together to share information on emerging issues and agree best practice solutions. We help run the SEA Alliance.

Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS)

We developed and implemented the Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS) in partnership with Global Seafood Assurances (GSA) using a robust and collaborative standard development process. It is the next iteration of our Responsible Fishing Scheme. The RFVS is now owned and operated by GSA globally.

Responsible Fishing Ports Scheme (RFPS)

We developed and have implemented the Responsible Fishing Ports Scheme. It sets standards for good operational practices within UK fishing ports and harbours, including the welfare of fishing port workers.

Modern slavery statement guidance

The Modern Slavery Act came into force in March 2015. Our guidance note provides specific information about how companies in the seafood sector might think about the content of their Transparency in Supply Chain statement.

Briefing notes and guidance on ethical issues

We have produced a number of briefings and guidance documents to help improve seafood industry awareness of ethical issues across the supply chain. These can all be downloaded below.

UK focus

Global risk assessment indicators

Overviews

Contacts

  • Please contact Karen Green.
  • T: 01480 431500
  • M: 07515 993499
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