Salmon farming veteran joins GSA board

Cooke Aquaculture veteran Michael Szemerda has joined the board of the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA), which operates the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification programme.

Szemerda, who is Cooke’s global chief sustainability officer, has been with the salmon farmer for more than 30 years and previously worked as vice president of saltwater operations for Cooke Aquaculture’s North American Operations.

In his current role, he oversees environmental programmes, regulatory compliance, industry certifications, and sustainability initiatives across Cooke’s global wild catch and farmed seafood operations.

Responsible practices

The GSA said that during his time at Cooke, Szemerda has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing responsible seafood practices.

Trin Tapanya, senior vice president of operations at Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods/ Thai Union Group, has also joined the GSA board. GSA said he brings diverse expertise spanning the seafood business, supply-chain management, food service and restaurant industries.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael and Trin to our Board of Directors,” said GSA chief executive Mike Kocsis. “Their diverse perspectives and deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the seafood industry will be instrumental in helping us achieve our mission of advancing responsible seafood practices worldwide.”