Farm Verified Organic Reports on Wild Fish Certification

NEWS RELEASE                  For more information:
Immediate Release                  Contact FVO
February 11, 2000                  Email: farmvo@daktel.com      
Farm Verified Organic Reports on Wild Fish Certification

     Medina, N.D.--In the spring of 1998, a fishery from Alaska contacted Farm Verified Organic (FVO) to inquire about certification of fish from the wild. Since that time, FVO has conducted extensive research and engaged in many discussions with producers, environmental groups, and government agencies in order to better understand the intricacies of certifying fish harvested from the wild.

     Protection of the worlds fisheries from depletion and pollution are objectives worthy of FVOs mission. After over a year of discussion and planning; then a half year of work to design an inspection protocol, inspection visits, audits, follow-up inspections/audits, and planning for the future, the certification of this project was realized in October of 1999. FVO has continued to pursue the process of certification with diligence, clarifying its understanding of the issues, and responding to input from the organic community about its decisions. Through this process, FVO came to the conclusion that organic certification of certain wild harvest projects is possible.

     The constructive feedback FVO received and the further scrutiny it generated not only clarified FVOs work on this project; it provided a greater understanding of the nature of the certification itself.

     FVOs extensive research and experience led to the conclusion that preservation of the link between wild and organic is vital. FVO also concluded that "wild" and "organic" are not identical; however, they are compatible. While certified organic systems are intensively managed, certified wild harvest systems are observed and protected-the sole management strategy allowed is harvesting.

     In order to emphasize both the linkages and differences between wild and organic systems, FVO has expanded its standards and labeling policies regulating products from certified sustainable wild harvest. These standards and policies are available upon request from FVO. Accordingly, FVO has also changed the wording on the original certificate issued. The salmon itself is identified as originating from a certified sustainable wild harvest system, while the processing methods used to produce the final product are designated as organic processing systems. Certificates and product labels clearly identify each production system.

     For those interested in further information on FVOs program for certification of wild fish, the following documents are available from FVO upon request:

Position paper presented to NOSB Livestock Committee from Farm Verified Organic on the Labeling Of Wild And Organic Foods (May, 1999)

Some Facts About FVOs Certification of Wild Fish Products (October 1999)

"Tame and Wild: Organic Agriculture and Wildness" a paper by David Gould and Frederick Kirschenmann (February 2000)
    
FVO Standards regarding Wild Harvest (2000 Edition)