overview of ownership, Management, standard development process, and board & committees
Program Owner
Since 2020, the RFM program owner is the Certified Seafood Collaborative (CSC), which is a non-profit organization registered in Alaska. The day to day running of the Program is undertaken by the RFM Team and expert consultants who manage the operations of the program and work with the various governance committees and the CSC Board on RFM matters.
RFM Team members are:
- Jeff Regnart, RFM Program Manager. Jeff spearheads the RFM team. Please contact him at jrregnart@gmail.com
- Tricia Sanguinetti, RFM and Sustainability Marketing Consultant. Please contact her at triciasanguinetti@gmail.com
The roles and responsibilities of each team member are included in CSC RFM Job Descriptions
Diagram of RFM Governance and Standard Development Process
The RFM Program has a defined governance structure led by the CSC Board of Directors (BoD), supported by the CSC Management Board (CSC Board). The CSC Management Board is supported by two committees; the Unified Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Fisheries Standard Committee (FSC).
CSC Board and committee details
CSC Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is a subset of the CSC Management Board. It has responsibility for the legal operation of the CSC and financial management only. A set of by-laws cover the requirements for the Board of Directors. The roles within the BoD include:
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- Secretary
The founding members of the Board of Directors was established by the Alaska Marketing Institute (ASMI) in 2020. Responsibility for the strategy and operations of the RFM program has been devolved to the CSC Management Board.
The CSC Management Board
The CSC Management Board provides oversight and strategic direction for the management of the RFM Program and specifically:
- Generate and maintain a Strategic Management Plan and Communications strategy for the RFM Program;
- Provide advice, direction and guidance to the RFM Management Team and to Standards Committees, by way of meeting proceedings, strategic decisions and recommendations.
- Provide an oversight to the Certification Body and Accreditation Board management and performance
- Approve the RFM Quality Management System key changes and the appointment of Certification Bodies or Committees
For more information see the CSC Board Terms of Reference
Members of the CSC Management Board
- Mark Fina, CSC Chairman, Silver Bay Seafoods, LLC and California Wetfish Producers Association
- Allen Kimball, Trident Seafoods & ASMI Board Chairman
- Tomi Marsh, Harvester & ASMI Board Vice Chairman
- Matt Tinning, At-Sea Processors Association (APA)
- Scott Goodman/Jamie Goen Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation (BSFRF), Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers (ABSC)
- Julie Decker, Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA)
- Tom Sunderland, Global Seafood Alliance
- Jeremy Woodrow, ASMI Executive Director, Ex-Officio Member
- Michael “MJ” Jackson, Fisherman/Processor
- Kacy Cole, CMO of Holland America Line
Click here to read CSC Board Member biographies
To contact the CSC Management Board members, please email rfm@rfmcertification.org
Standards Committees
Two standards committees exist and work with the RFM Team and have input into the RFM program. These committees make policy and work product recommendations to the CSC Management Board for approval. The two standards committees are:
- Fisheries Standard Committee (FSC) – appointed by the CSC Board and oversees the ongoing review and development of the Fisheries Standard
- Unified Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) – a joint committee of CSC and Icelandic Responsible Fisheries Foundation (IRFF), which developed and maintains an ongoing review of the Unified Chain of Custody (CoC) standard
Fisheries Standard Committee (FSC)
The Fisheries Standard Committee (FSC) is appointed by the CSC Board and oversees the ongoing review and development of the Fisheries Standard.
Click here to read FSC Terms of Reference
Members of the FSC
- Dr. William Smoker, Chairman, Independent Fishery Consultant, US/Pacific
- Dr. Tom Pickerell, Executive Director, Global Tuna Alliance
- R.J. (Bob) Allain, Independent Fishery Consultant, Canada
- Suzanne Iudicello, Independent Consultant
- Eric Schwaab, Environmental Defense Fund
- Wendy Norden, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Click here to read FSC Member biographies
To contact a member of the FSC, please email rfm@rfmcertification.org
Unified Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
Unified Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) – a joint committee of CSC and Icelandic Responsible Fisheries Foundation (IRFF), which develops and maintains an ongoing review of the unified Chain of Custody (CoC) standard. The TAC was formed in 2021 to benefit
The Certified Seafood Collaborative (CSC), owner of the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification program and Iceland Responsible Fisheries Foundation (IRFF), owner of the Iceland Responsible Fisheries (IRF) Certification program, created a Unified RFM Chain of Custody Standard for accreditation in 2022. This standard has been through a joint 30-day public consultation period and has been ratified by both standards governing bodies.
The Unified RFM CoC Standard is very similar to the existing CSC and IRFF owned CoC’s standards. The greatest difference between the existing standards and the new unified standard involved the inclusion of the requirements of the EA-6/04 M: 2011 EA Guidelines on the Accreditation of Certification of Primary Sector Products by Means of Sampling of Sites.
Click here to read TAC Terms of Reference
Members of the TAC
- Jeff Regnart, CSC
- Mark Fina, Silver Bay Seafoods, LLC and California Wetfish Producers Association
- Wes Toller, Independent
- Kristján Þórarinsson, Chair
- Guðmundur Þórðarsson Fisheries Iceland
- Gunnar Tómasson, Þórbjörn.
- Ingimundur Ingimundarsson, Brím.
- Þorsteinn Hilmarsson, Fiskistofa, Directorate of Fisheries
- Örn Pálsson, Small Boat Owners Association
- Brynhildur Benediktsdóttir, Ministry of Fisheries and industry
- Sigrid Merino, Iceland Responsible Fisheries Foundation