Ravi Gautham is the International Technical Director for Friend of the Sea (www.friendofthesea.org), a non profit Organization based in Milan, Italy.

Friend of the Sea is a non-profit, non-generative organization (NGO), whose mission is to conserve the marine habitat. Friend of the Sea was founded by Dr Paolo Bray - European Director of the Earth Island Institute's Dolphin-Safe Project. The Dolphin-Safe Project saved millions of dolphins from dying in the tuna nets and started the sustainable seafood movement. Friend of the Sea is now a main International Certification Project for products originating from both sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.

Products and their origins are audited onsite by independent international certification bodies, against strict Friend of the Sea sustainability criteria. Friend of the Sea Criteria follow the FAO-Guidelines for the Ecolabelling of Fish and Fishery Products from Marine Capture Fisheries. In particular, only products from stocks which are NOT OVEREXPLOITED can be certified (Art. 30 FAO Guidelines).

In line with the FAO Guidelines, Friend of the Sea pricing structure is affordable also to artisanal fisheries and small-scale producers, which represent over 50% of the Friend of the Sea certified products. Friend of the Sea will also assist in marketingthe certified products in niche premium European Retail Markets for importers like Manor A G, Switzerland, Essalunga Italy, Coop Italy etc