Below are a number of responsible questions to ask about your fish.

Sustainably sourced?

Retailers and buyers need to be sure that their fish are sustainably caught from stocks that are not overfished and are responsibly managed. MRAG has provided assurance on this based on risk assessments of the fishery or fish farm and their management, leading to a simple measure of the status of the fishery and the risk to the buyer’s sustainability policy or commitment.

MRAG also facilitates MSC fisheries certification and Chain of Custody audits along with Fisheries Improvement Programs leading towards MSC accreditation, for sources where certified material is yet to be available.

Are you getting what you think you are buying?

Many buyers now specify their requirements relating to sustainable or responsible sources and some pay a premium for this. Supplies are often provided without any evidence-based assurance to the buyer that the material provided was that specified. A mixture with non-specified material can end up being embarrassing when it finds its way onto the retailers’ shelves. MRAG can provide that crucial evidence-based traceability from net to shelf using a 36 point audit process based on the methodology of the MSC and ASC Chain of Custody.

Is your fish legally sourced?

This audit process also contains points to check the likelihood of illegal fish entering the supply chain. Again, MRAG has a simple indicator system showing the risks to the buyer of receiving illegal fish.

From socially responsible sources?

Cases exist of significant abuse of workers on fishing vessels and customers increasingly need assurances of fairness towards the people who produce and prepare their fish. MRAG conducts social audits of production systems and processing facilities anywhere in the world based on an SA8000 audit system and the particular concerns of the buyer.