Representatives of the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) kicked off a two-week visit to Australia, in cooperation with GS1 Australia, to promote its recently updated global standard governing information content and data formats, specifically for seafood traceability systems.
Discussions were held with representatives of Woolworths Limited, Coles Supermarkets, Simplot Australia, the governments of NSW and Victoria, and several solution providers.
The GDST standard was built as an extension of the international traceability standard known as GS1 EPCIS, which is widely used by major retailers, brands and supply chains.
The GDST has refined and adapted the EPCIS standard to be ‘fit for purpose’ for the seafood industry, and to include innovations that allow companies to integrate with GS1-based systems, without making commercial commitments to use proprietary GS1 traceability solution products.
“GS1 Australia is delighted to be working with GDST to bring the benefits of standards in the critical seafood industry to Australia. The ability to streamline the seafood supply chain, particularly in the APAC region, will bring huge benefits to Australian seafood supply chains and to exporters,” said Marcel Sieira, chief customer officer for GS1 Australia.
GDST standards are designed to meet operational business needs, while helping ensure that products entering the seafood supply chain originate with legal production practices.
The standards are also adapted to facilitate regulatory compliance with import controls, such as the US Seafood Import Monitoring Program and the EU IUU Regulation.
Importantly, GDST does not impose a ‘one size fits all’ solution, but provides design standards that can be flexibly implemented in multiple proprietary and competitive systems, including cutting-edge technologies like blockchain.
It is also understood that standard implementation will take time and may involve a phased approach for some companies based on their own business decisions and conditions.
“In two important updates – first, the GDST recently launched its much-anticipated Supplier Onboarding Packet to support adoption and implementation of GDST standards throughout fishery and aquaculture supply chains; and secondly, the GDST is transitioning into an industry-led, global dialogue participation and partnership organisation,” explained Greg Brown, GDST’s executive director.
“The reorganisation will create a permanent home for maintaining and supporting the GDST standards, while continuing to provide GDST partners with a global forum to coordinate industry actions, and promote government policies in favour of effective, business-smart seafood traceability.”
The GDST also recently launched a Capability Test that will allow it to verify the ability of software solutions to achieve data sharing interoperability using the GDST standard.
