Dardanel Önentaş Gıda San. A.Ş., a major major frozen and canned seafood producer in Turkey, has obtained Friend of the Sea certification for its entire tuna and clams product line. Following a thorough third party traceability audit, Dardanel has demonstrated control over its chain of custody and all its product lines are now ready to carry the Friend of the Sea ecolabel.
Tuna marketed by Dardanel will originate only from approved Friend of the Sea fleets, targeting not overexploited stocks and carrying onboard observers to verify compliance to their sustainable fisheries policies. Baby clams are harvested only in Turkey, by the local fleet which is managed under strict precautionary limits.
“To source from only approved Friend of the Sea fleets is an important engagement on behalf of Dardanel,” commented Niyazi Onen, president of the of Dardanel Group.
“We hope that new fleets will accept to undergo Friend of the Sea strict third party audits and provide evidence of compliance with sustainable fishing policies. The Turkish and European consumers in general are more and more demanding for sustainability and Dardanel’s own company policy has always given highest relevance to environmental conservation and respect for marine habitat,” he added.
Founded in 1984, Dardanel’s factory in Cannakale produces tuna, tuna salads, tuna in pouches and jars, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. Products are distributed in Turkey, but also in other countries in Europe, USA and Turkey neighboring countries. Its tuna is Dolphin-Safe, according to the Earth Island Institute.
Founded in 2008, Friend of the Sea is a non-profit NGO. It manages a major international certification program for products from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Over 350 companies from 50 countries worldwide have products certified by Friend of the Sea. Audits are run by accredited independent certification bodies.
