Friend of the Sea, the leading international certification of sustainable
seafood and Omega3, has developed its own enhanced platform based on satellite technology
to monitor the over 2.000 Friend of the Sea approved fishing vessels.
The Friend of the Sea Satellite Monitoring
Program (SMP) is part of a monitoring enhancement program, which includes
among the others, deployment of CCTVs onboard, drones and unannounced
augmented reality audit. These new technologies will eliminate the risk
of non-compliance and further reassure consumers about the
reliability of the Friend of the Sea certification.
By means of the SMP, vessels are monitored
continuously 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Satellite monitoring allows
for verification of compliance with regulations related to fishing season;
authorized fishing areas; transshipment at sea and Social Accountability.
“Consumers and retailers looking for a
certification carrying out not only annual onsite inspections, but also full-time
monitoring of fishing activities, can now rely on Friend of the Sea for a
safer sustainable choice” explains Paolo Bray, Founder and Director of Friend
of the Sea.
“Satellite monitoring is an exclusivity of
Friend of the Sea, making it the first and only certification monitoring
each moment of the fishing activity, to protect the Oceans from
unsustainable fishing. Our aim is to make sure that all industrial vessels
approved Friend of the Sea will, by the end of 2023 have CCTVs on board to
allow Friend of the Sea verification of compliance with issues related to
bycatch, fishing methods, endangered species, fish welfare and social
accountability. New technologies make Friend of the Sea the most reliable
certification in the seafood market”.