Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak and Seafood, a family owned business with locations throughout the Southeast U.S., has become the first Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chain of Custody certified seafood distributor in Atlanta, Ga. Halperns’ will supply its customers with MSC certified fresh and frozen seafood products, starting with Alaska salmon, haddock and cod, that will assure chefs and consumers that the seafood can be traced all the way back to an MSC certified sustainable fishery.
“Halperns’ participation in the MSC program will help build awareness that everyone can make a difference in protecting seafood supplies for future generations,” explained Kerry Coughlin, MSC Regional Director, Americas.
The MSC Chain of Custody certification is a comprehensive traceability program that traces seafood from the point of sale back to an MSC certified fishery. It ensures that MSC-labeled products are sourced from a fishery that is MSC certified, and it protects buyers and the fishery from fraudulent labeling and risks from fisheries carrying products from illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing. As a result, the sustainability of the seafood product is ensured, the MSC-certified fishery of origin receives well-deserved recognition, and incentive is created for other fisheries to commit to environmentally responsible fishing practices.
To obtain MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, wholesalers and distributors must pass an
independent, third party audit that is conducted by an accredited certification body, and it must undergo annual surveillance audits to demonstrate it continues to meet the standard. The CoC standard focuses on having an internal traceability system and reliable operational systems in place to ensure that MSC-certified seafood is kept separate from noncertified seafood.
