Seafood joins fair trade revolution, a scallop at a time

PORTLAND, Maine – Fair trade certification for seafood products is on the rise in the U.S., where interest is growing in the story behind the fish and shellfish people eat.

To be certified, companies need to submit to an audit to make sure food is produced under fair working conditions and environmental stewardship along the supply chain. Packaged products can then bear a "Fair Trade Certified" seal.

Fair Trade USA says certification of seafood products began in 2014 and the volume of imports grew by more than 350 percent last year.

The first company to offer fair trade seafood harvested from U.S. waters will have scallops on the market this month.

Independent groups such as Fair Trade USA provide certification to many products. The certification is most commonly associated with coffee.