A coalition of industry members aiming to advance the sustainable seafood market in Hong Kong through good sourcing practices.
Driving Change Through Industry Voluntary Codes of Conduct
The HKSSC offers a practical and collaborative way to demonstrate good sourcing practices by its members committing to voluntary codes on responsible seafood sourcing.
Buyers and sellers come together to find solutions to shared challenges. HKSSC members drive the agenda with the support of a Secretariat. Expert groups are engaged to ensure sourcing practices tackle pressing issues such as illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, overfishing, traceability, harmful fish farming practices and risks to human health.
HKSSC is not a certification scheme or an eco-label.
MEMBERS
Our current members include:
HKSSC’s founding members include: 178 Degrees, Eat the Kiwi, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd, Indoguna, KLG Fine Food, M&C Asia, Oasis (Aquaculture Technologies Asia Ltd.), Pacific Rich Resources Ltd., and Wing Sang Seafood Holding.
TIMELINE
1999
Call for action plan to combat IUU
The Twenty-third Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) in February 1999 addressed the need to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing.
2001
IUU International Plan of Action
International Plan of Action as a toolbox for all States and Regional Fisheries Management Offices to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing was launched.
2011
Establishment of the Sustainable Seafood Coalition (SSC) (UK)
In 2010, a TV programme 'Fish Fight' campaigned on challenges with environmental claims on seafood, catalysing a group of industry members to form a coalition and develop voluntary codes on responsible sourcing and environmental claims.
2011-2013: The SSC (UK) defined the scope, process and commitments to improve responsible seafood and create clear and consistent environmental claims. These resulted in two Voluntary Codes of Conduct (VCOC) and a Guidance Document for the SSC members to implement. Their development process included two rounds of public consultation.
2014: VCOCs launched.
2015: End of the one-year implementation period of the VCOCs.
2017: Independent review showed 97% consistency in environmental claims among members.
May 2015
First Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Symposium
The first industry focused symposium in Hong Kong brought together suppliers, customers, fishery scientists, eco-labellers, investors and NGOs to discuss sustainability challenges facing the seafood industry.
2015
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) announced
A call to action for government, business and civil society to reach the 17 SDGs. Goal 14: Life Below Water, sets targets to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
May 2017
Second Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Symposium
The second industry focused symposium in Hong Kong, targeting the pervasive challenge of traceability and IUU in the supply chain. A key outcome was the commitment to form an industry collaboration and to draft a Voluntary Code of Conduct on responsible seafood seafood sourcing.
Jan 2018
First HKSSC members meeting
Different sectors of Hong Kong’s seafood industry came together, marking the initiation of the Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Coalition.
Jun 2018
Second HKSSC members meeting
The meeting was attended by the seafood industry, aquaculture experts and academics to help refine the Voluntary Code of Conduct. The chairman of the coalition was also elected.
2019
Third HKSSC members meeting
This meeting marked the launch of the Voluntary Code of Conduct.