Restaurant Program

Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested Program

The Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested branding program enables market differentiation of Gulf of Maine seafood products that meet important criteria around traceability and responsible harvest.

Aquaculture Certification  |  Steps to Certification  |  Chain of Custody Certification  |  Certification Bodies

Aquaculture Certification

The ASC standard for responsible fish farming covers seven principles:

Seafood Recommendations based on Seafood Watch

Final Score for Wild Fisheries = geometric mean of the four scores (Criterion 1-4).
Final Score for Aquaculture = geometric mean of the eight scores (Criterion 1-8).

Fish Stock Sustainability Index (FSSI)

NOAA Fisheries measures the sustainability of the Nation’s fisheries through the Fish Stock Sustainability Index (FSSI). The FSSI tracks the status of rebuilding and maintaining 230 commercially and recreationally important stocks and complexes. The index incorporates critical components of managing fisheries - controlling harvest rates, maintaining population size, and increasing knowledge about the status of fish stocks and complexes.

Shellfish Producers

Food Alliance shellfish certification criteria apply to all North American shellfish production systems that produce shellfish from seed to harvest within a defined area and with clear ownership of the shellfish being cultured. It applies to shellfish farms that produce the following:

• Oysters
• Clams
• Mussels
• Geoducks

*The standard does not cover wild harvest. 

Combined Seafood Recommendations

Symbol

Seafood Rating

Seafood Rating Summary

The Safina Center Scoring Prior to 2014

Seafood Watch Scoring Starting in 2014

Guiding Principles for Responsible Aquaculture

• Shall coordinate and collaborate with national, regional and local governments in the development and implementation of policies, regulations and procedures necessary and practicable to achieve environmental, economic and social sustainability of aquaculture operations.

Fishery Certification  |  Steps to Certification  |  Chain of Custody Certification  |  Certification Bodies

Fishery Certification

Seafood Recommendations

Final Score for Wild Fisheries = geometric mean of the four scores (Criterion 1-4).
Final Score for Aquaculture = geometric mean of the eight scores (Criterion 1-8).