Northern Wind’s traceability system will more than satisfy the recent FDA FSMA 204 traceability rule that became effective in January 2023, however, will not be enforced until January 2026. As most seafood companies know, the major deficiency the industry has with this regulation is the inability to access accurate harvest information as well as the cost businesses will incur to configure this first mile of the traceability data.  

Current solutions simply start with information beginning at the processor level as a starting point to be shared downstream without any verification or authentication of the information. These systems do not offer their customers the assurance of accurate origin data. With the recent December 27, 2022, announcement by *NOAA to expand the SIMP requirements the importance of accurately tracing and connecting this harvest information into your supply chain, as Northern Wind has done, will become critical to the effectiveness of a company’s traceability system.   *https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-seeks-to-expand-seafood-import-monitoring-program 

The new FDA 204 rule requirement goes beyond the old FDA requirement of “one up, one back recording, documenting who you bought from and who you sold to” and requires that companies harvesting, cooling, packing, shipping, processing, manufacturing, or receiving any of the foods on the Food Traceability List, are required to keep additional records on these items. The FDA has defined a set of metrics called Key Data Elements (KDEs) that correspond to different events in the supply chain called Critical Tracking Events (CTEs). In the event of a product recall, the industry will be required to provide this complete supply chain information (Not just one up, one back) to the harvest event electronically to the FDA within 24 hours or within some reasonable time to which the FDA has agreed.

https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-requirements-additional-traceability-records-certain-foods%C2%A0 

Our Traceability Team, that has implemented our internal traceability system is reviewing the requirements of this rule and other relevant traceability requirements with our customers and trade partners. Given the diversity of the markets Northern Wind sells into including the EU, there are slight differences that need to be further evaluated by Northern Wind’s Traceability Team before we build out an automated system that delivers this to information downstream to clients in the supply chain.

About Northern Wind®

Founded in 1987, and headquartered on the historic New Bedford, Massachusetts waterfront, Northern Wind is a subsidiary company of Atlantic Sustainable Catch. Northern Wind is a leading direct off-loader, processor and distributor of fresh and frozen scallops. They offer foodservice and retail accounts an array of frozen MSC Certified North Atlantic Lobster products and Ahi Tuna. Northern Wind is a member of the American Scallop Association and provides its customers with the freshest seafood products that have been responsibly harvested using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. Northern Wind’s state-of-the-art facility is MSC Certified and also certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce Seafood Inspection Program for packing of USDC Grade A Fresh and Frozen Scallops. Northern Wind’s scallop brands include Five Star Premium, Captain’s Call, Mariner’s Choice, Sea Spray, and its retail brand Bon Cuisine. Their scallop brands, North Atlantic Lobster products and Ahi Tuna are positioned for international markets where offering seafood from sustainable fisheries is the foremost objective for retail supermarkets, club stores, national restaurant/hotel chains, ecommerce, and wholesalers seeking to provide their consumers with a memorable seafood experience. For more information regarding Northern Wind and its scallop brands and North Atlantic Lobster products contact George Kouri at 508.910.7935 or send us an email at info@northernwind.com.