Seafood Task Force strengthens collaboration with the Marine Products Export Development Authority to enhance seafood exports and industry growth.
The Seafood Task Force (STF) and the Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) have deepened their collaboration to promote social accountability and traceability across India’s seafood supply chain.
Building on STF’s first India event in Mumbai in April 2024, which gathered industry stakeholders alongside government representatives, the partnership emphasizes multi-stakeholder cooperation to protect worker welfare and enhance India’s global seafood reputation.
Key milestones include the inaugural India Working Group meeting in Visakhapatnam in 2025, followed by strategic engagements in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Hyderabad, and virtual discussions during STF’s annual summit in Bangkok. These meetings brought together MPEDA’s senior leadership and STF members to advance social accountability practices and strengthen India’s export credibility.
MPEDA has actively participated in STF-led capacity-building initiatives. In July 2025, officers from the National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA) and the Network for Fish Quality Management and Sustainable Fishing (NETFISH) attended a Train-the-Trainer program in Visakhapatnam. The program focused on preventing child labor and improving living conditions at worker accommodations, followed by discussions on future collaboration for capacity building at small-scale farms.
During the STF annual summit in Bangkok in October 2025, MPEDA representatives highlighted India’s shrimp export landscape and addressed labor-related concerns raised by international media, underscoring the importance of continued collaboration to uphold social accountability. Immediately afterward, STF leaders met MPEDA’s senior management in Hyderabad to outline next steps for the partnership.
The collaboration focuses on enhancing social accountability awareness at farms, supporting the Shaphari certification standards, exploring grievance mechanism improvements, and sharing insights on electronic traceability and vessel monitoring systems from Thailand.
A Seafood Task Force spokesperson said, “Partnering with MPEDA allows us to strengthen social accountability across India’s seafood sector. By combining training, strategic guidance, and shared best practices, we are helping ensure fair labor practices, traceable supply chains, and sustainable operations that benefit workers, industry stakeholders, and consumers worldwide.”
About the Seafood Task Force
Founded in 2014, the STF is a US-based non-profit trade association working to restore global confidence in seafood supply chains, particularly tuna and shrimp. Its membership includes over 50 major retailers, brands, food service companies, and supply chain partners. STF promotes scalable oversight, helping members meet international standards while addressing human rights and environmental concerns.