In 2014, Fair Trade USA launched its Seafood Program in an effort to bring the benefits of Fair Trade to small-scale fishermen and their communities. Through Fair Trade certification and improved market access, strong fishing communities are built by ensuring financially stable fishing families, safe working conditions, access to services through community development premium investments, and biologically healthy marine ecosystems. The Fair Trade certification and audit process uses a stepwise approach that requires improvement of social, economic, and environmental conditions over time. To ensure that Fair Trade seafood can be identified and traced along the supply chain, all traders must adhere to Fair Trade traceability guidelines as well as provide and retain Chain of Custody records with Fair Trade-required product information.