- If certifications exist for a species, vendors may only supply products from fisheries or aquaculture operations that are certified by GAA, ASC, MSC, or RFM, or are engaged in a reputable Fisheries Improvement Program (FIP) where there is a participating fishery.
- All authorized species from non-certified fisheries must undergo annual review to determine whether they can remain authorized.
- Vendors must conduct annual reviews of a species’ FIP and provide a progress report to Raley’s.
- Vendors must have current certification documents for all certified species on file and deliverable upon request.
- Vendors must notify Raley’s immediately upon gaining information about a change in a certification’s status.
- Vendors must maintain and provide, upon Raley’s request, records of traceability to their original source for all species. If such information is not available, vendors must obtain a written waiver from Raley’s allowing the use product.
- Vendors must warrant to Raley’s that there is no importation of species from fisheries in violation of the Federal Lacey Act or the California Transparency of Supply Chains Act. Vendors will exercise due diligence to determine the absence of such violations prior to Raley’s using the products.
- Vendors will maintain accurate records of shipments for all products and provide annual source information upon Raley’s request. Proprietary and privileged information may be reviewed by a third-party auditor protected by a non-disclosure agreement.
- Vendors will not comingle certified and non-certified products together.
All seafood provided to Raley’s must be traceable back through the supply chain to a vessel or a farm’s location, and documentation proving the legality of the harvest must be provided upon request.
Traceability
Seafood traceability is crucial for food safety, improved logistical efficiency, the ability to verify sustainability claims and to ensure products are caught or farmed legally. Seafood traceability is accomplished through third-party certification documents and chain of control documents. We require full seafood traceability, including audits and substantial documentation from vendors proving products do not come from sources that utilize any illegal methods.
Additionally, we only buy from vendors who follow the provisions of the Lacey Act and the California Transparency in Human Trafficking Act. The Lacey Act prohibits trafficking illegal wildlife and falsely identifying fish imported or received from foreign countries. The California Transparency Act ensures that no human trafficking or slavery is used in the seafood supply chain (e.g.,, enslaved).
Certification
Certified fisheries and farms must go through a rigorous process to ensure their practices comply with requirements established by international experts. , which are all recognized internationally as credible by scientific, industry and non-governmental organizations.
- Global Aquaculture Association (BAP)
- Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
- Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM)