What Does "Certified Organic" Mean?

If you've ever browsed the grocery store looking for sustainably produced food, you've probably noticed the "Certified Organic" label. It's one of the most recognizable certifications in food — but it's also one of the most misunderstood.

Certified organic is a regulated claim backed by third-party verification. Producers must follow established standards, maintain records, and undergo inspections before using the label. That's why certification can be an important tool for evaluating how many foods are grown and produced.

But it's not the only way to identify high-quality food, and it doesn't apply to every category. In fact, wild-caught seafood can never be certified organic, no matter how responsibly it's harvested.

Here's what "certified organic" actually means — and what it was designed to do.

Why Isn't Wild Seafood Certified Organic?

One of the most common questions around wild-caught seafood is why it isn’t certified organic.

The answer is simple: organic certification only applies to foods raised in controlled environments. 

Wild fish don't live in controlled environments. They live freely in oceans and rivers where manmade systems don’t control what they eat or the ecosystems they move through. While things like water quality, population numbers, and harvests are monitored and documented for safety and sustainability, the fish themselves are wild and exist outside of human control.

By contrast, producers that earn organic certification can control and document everything from soil management and animal feed to fertilizers and pest control because those inputs are managed by people. Certified organic is a regulated claim backed by third-party verification. Producers must follow established standards, maintain records, and undergo inspections before using the label.

Can Salmon Be Organic?

The short answer is: yes — but only farmed salmon can be certified organic.

If a farm meets the requirements of an organic certification program, its salmon may be labeled organic salmon. The same principle applies to organic seafood more broadly. This certification can simply verify that the salmon are being fed engineered pellets derived from organically grown corn and soy. "Organic" in this case doesn't indicate that the salmon was produced in a way that is more "natural." It's not natural for any salmon or species of seafood to eat corn or soy as a source of food. 

The word "organic" may also lead a consumer to believe that something is more sustainable or have less impact on an ecosystem. But the reality is that salmon farms can have a significant impact on their surrounding environment.

Organic Is One Standard. We Look Beyond the Label.

At Wild Alaskan Company, organic certification is something we actively look for when sourcing ingredients that can be certified, such as spices, oils, and pantry items. 

But we want to know the whole story. When evaluating suppliers, we also consider how ingredients are grown or harvested, who's producing them, and whether their practices support healthy ecosystems and responsible food production.

Sometimes that means working with certified organic producers. Other times it means partnering with producers whose practices meet — or even exceed — the values organic certification represents, even if certification itself isn't possible.

Why Organic Certification Is Not Always Possible

Wild seafood cannot be certified organic simply because of its nature — it’s wild, so it cannot be cultivated and controlled. 

But some foods and producers aren’t certified organic because of the barriers that the certification presents. Small producers are especially at a disadvantage when it comes to deciding whether to pursue organic certification.

That’s because certification typically comes with costs: application fees, annual renewal, inspection fees, and sometimes additional costs if you need separate storage or processing to avoid contamination or mixing. A large brand spreads those costs over massive sales volume. A small farm selling at a weekend market has less room to absorb them.

Infrastructure can also be a barrier. For instance, a small producer may follow certified organic practices on the farm, but they may operate in mixed-use facilities, shared kitchens, or storage spaces where organic segregation is difficult. Things that sound minor — like using a shared mill or a storage unit that also holds conventional products — can make certification very difficult.

Is Organic Certification Worth Looking For?

Yes, organic certification is a valuable tool because it gives shoppers confidence that a product meets a verified standard. But like any certification, it only tells one part of the story.

At Wild Alaskan Company, we believe understanding how food is produced is just as important as the labels it carries. That's why we look beyond certifications alone, prioritizing partnerships with producers who share our commitment to responsible sourcing, transparency, and long-term stewardship of the natural world.

Where to Buy the Best Wild Seafood

Be sure to stock your kitchen with sustainably-caught fish and shellfish by sourcing your seafood online from Wild Alaskan Company. You’ll get high-quality, wild-caught seafood delivered straight to your doorstep. Choose your fish subscription box today.