Earlier this week, standards body MarinTrust, declared plans to mandate recording of key data about fish byproducts for traceability and outlined its vision of blockchain’s role. When you purchase Omega 3 fish oil, you may be capable of discovering all the details about its source. Earlier known as IFFO RS, MarinTrust certifies more than 50% of marine ingredients or fish byproducts like fishmeal utilized in animal feed or food, and fish oil applied in nutritional supplements.

In 2018 fish production totaled 179 million tons. Of that, 88% is eaten as food, with 12% as byproducts. And 80% of the byproducts are fishmeal and fish oil, according to the 2020 SOFIA report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).  Fish byproducts like skin, heads, bones, viscera, and scales are frequently utilized in the seafood industry, representing 70% of processed fish. In the fishmeal and fish oil industry, byproducts make up 30% of the end products.

MarinTrust stated that blockchain could limit wastage of fish and fish products and decrease illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. One of the United Nations SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) is to assure sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG12), so reducing waste directly affects that. SDG14 is to conserve and sustainably utilize the oceans, seas, and marine resources.

The SOFIA report states that 35% of the global harvest from fisheries and aquaculture is wasted. “The complexity of the marine ingredient value chain triggers increasing interest surrounding raw materials that are used and a need for transparency regarding their origin,” said MarinTrust in its announcement.

The organization offered three guidelines to produce a blockchain traceability solution. Firstly, the database would not include an intermediary providing downstream companies to access data, including the fishing area easily, species caught, processing location, and other details. Next, the blockchain must assure transparency and, lastly, ensure that the data stored is immutable and cannot be tampered with.

By leveraging blockchain, it tries to improve communication between the fishmeal/fish oil industry and the industry delivering products for human consumption. Last month, the Norwegian Seafood Association declared it is associating with IBM to use blockchain for traceability in seafood supply chains. Separately, the IBM Food Trust initiative has a few seafood producers as members, including the National Fisheries Institute and Raw Seafoods.  Standards body GS1 US is also examining blockchain for food traceability data, and lately completed the first phase of its trial with FoodLogiQ, IBM Food Trust, ripe.io and SAP.