Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM)

What is it? 

Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) is a third-party certification program for wild-capture fisheries, similar to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) on the aquaculture side.

Fisheries Standard Version 2.1 and Version 1.3 address surveillance audits of existing certified fisheries.

The remit of the RFM Fisheries Standard and Program is: “To establish and maintain a program that provides for independent third party certification of Responsible Fisheries Management, including enhancement practices (but excluding full-cycle aquaculture), up to the point of landing, with the main objective being the biological sustainability of the “stock under consideration”, with consideration for conservation, biodiversity, and ecosystem integrity; and due regard to social responsibility and the economic viability of the fishery.”

These requirements must be achieved by North American fisheries operating within the U.S. and Canadian 200 nm EEZ for Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification.

The RFM Fisheries Standard V 2.1 focuses on 6 Key Principles for evaluating fisheries:

• The Fisheries Management System;
• Science and Stock Assessment Activities;
• The Precautionary Approach;
• Management Measure;
• Implementation, Monitoring and Control; and,
• Serious Impacts of the Fishery on the Ecosystem.