South Australian seafood company Ferguson Australia is the first in the world to achieve the prestigious international ‘Friend of the Sea’ (FoS) certification for sustainable fishing practices for six wild caught local fish species.

The family business’ world-first certification covers Giant Crab, Southern Garfish, King George Whiting, Gummy Shark, Ocean Jacket and Flathead species while it also became the first and only fishery in Australia to gain sustainability certification for Southern Rock Lobster.

“We’re enormously honoured to be the first company in the world to achieve sustainable certification for these species – and particularly delighted to lead the way locally when it comes to our prized Southern Rock Lobster,” Ferguson Australia’s Export and Marketing Manager Eliza Ferguson said.

“The certification supports the sustainable fishing practices of some 100 South Australian fishing families from the Great Australian Bight through to Port MacDonnell in the state’s South East and takes in the waters off Port Lincoln, Kangaroo Island and Yorke Peninsula.

“This achievement certainly vindicates our longstanding commitment, as a third-generation family company, to best fishing practices, the environment, sustainability and product excellence.”