Co-op
The Co-op is a leading convenience retailer with more than 2,500 stores across the UK – that’s one in every postal area. As a member-owned co-operative, it is guided by principles that include open membership and concern for community. As set out in the Co-op Future of Food ambition, they are committed to caring for the environment in which ingredients are sourced from. To achieve this, the Co-op support credible certification where it drives change. Co-op members and customers care about protecting the marine environment - that’s why Co-op source seafood using strict criteria as part of their Healthy Oceans strategy, making sure we have fish for the future and thriving marine ecosystems.
This profile covers all the farmed and wild-caught seafood sourced by the Co-op in 2021.
Number of wild-caught species used |
% volume from certified fisheries |
% volume from a FIP |
Number of farmed species used |
% volume from certified farms |
---|---|---|---|---|
Number of wild-caught species used19 |
% volume from certified fisheries62 |
% volume from a FIP38 |
Number of farmed species used5 |
% volume from certified farms100 |
Production Methods Used
|
Summary
Overview
At Co-op, protecting oceans, fish stocks and livelihoods is key to ensuring members can enjoy seafood knowing it has been responsibly sourced. Co-op Food has a public policy to carefully monitor and control its fish supplies, applying this policy to all fresh, frozen and processed fish across our own-brand range, these standards have been in place since 2008 to ensure that all seafood is sourced from well-managed farms and fisheries, and minimising our impact on the marine environment.
Co-op aims to source all seafood from well managed farms and fisheries and has been working with Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) to understand the risk in seafood supply chains since 2012. Back in 2015 the Co-op were one of the first retailers to participate in the Ocean Disclosure Project and were also a founding member of the Sustainable Seafood Coalition back in 2011; a partnership of UK businesses working together to support sustainable seafood. Co-op are committed to ensuring that all seafood is sourced and labelled in accordance with the SSC Codes of Conduct.
Co-op also participated in SFP's bycatch audit program. Summary results can be found here: Bycatch Audit of Co-op’s Wild Supply Chain.
Wild & Farmed Sourcing
As a minimum, Co-op support credible certification where it drives change and work with key partners to take a restorative approach to ecosystems. All farmed Co-op fish is certified to at least one of three independent schemes: Aquaculture Stewardship Council, Global Good Agriculture Practices and Global Aquaculture Alliance Best Aquaculture Practices (4*). All Co-op irresistible Scottish Salmon is RSPCA assured meaning it must conform to high welfare standards.
In 2020, over 75% of Co-op wild-caught seafood products were Marine Stewardship Council certified. As well as meeting our commitment to improve seafood sustainability, this also makes us one of the top retailers in the UK selling sustainable fish. All Co-op tuna is sourced from Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) or MSC Certified and uses the pole & line method. We support FIPs as a key step towards sustainability and certification within a defined 5-year timeframe. We are innovating with the industry by supporting a number of UK FIPs though Project UK.
Our Human Rights Focus in Seafood
At Co-op, we champion the best labour standards in our supply chains, acting responsibly towards the workers who make our products and being proud of how we behave towards the people we do business with.
In our seafood supply chains we have identified three priority labour rights risks: Modern Slavery, Vulnerable Workers & Worker Voice. Fish and seafood sourced from Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam has also been identified as one of eight high risk areas in our Co-op Food own-label supply chains and has been prioritised for activity to drive continuous improvements in working conditions. Click here to find out more about our commitments to greater transparency and active involvement in industry collaboration and advocacy to collectively drive positive change in fish and seafood supply chains.
Beyond Co-op supply chains
More than ever Co-op recognise that their customers care about protecting our oceans for future generations, that is why in 2019 Co-op signed up to the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) to help the reduction of abandoned and discarded fishing gear, a thread to marine life and livelihoods globally. Co-op have also co-funded a PhD research project at Heriot-Watt University to investigate the effected of discarded fishing gear.
Co-op sit on several industry steering groups and governing bodies e.g.), Project UK, The Global Tuna Alliance, Seafood Ethics Action Alliance, and Marin Trust (marine ingredient certification). They continue to be committed not only to ensuring that their own seafood supply chains are responsible sourced, but also in working collaboratively with the industry to improve fisheries and aquaculture for the future.
Associated Fisheries
Species and Location |
Production Methods |
Certification or Improvement Project |
Sustainability Ratings |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Species and LocationAlaska pollockTheragra chalcogrammaAleutian Islands, E Bering Sea, Gulf of AlaskaFishery countries:United States |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationAlaska pollockTheragra chalcogrammaSea of OkhotskFishery countries:Russia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationAnchovetaEngraulis ringensPeruvian Northern-Central ArtisanalFishery countries:Peru |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References Fishery Progress, Peruvian anchovy - small scale purse-seine |
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaBarents SeaFishery countries:Faroe Islands, France, Greenland, Spain |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaBarents SeaFishery countries:Norway, , |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaBarents SeaFishery countries:Norway |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaBarents SeaFishery countries:Norway |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaBarents SeaFishery countries:Russia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaBarents SeaFishery countries:Russia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaBarents SeaFishery countries:Russia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences DNV GL, 2018, MSC Public Certification Report for Oceanprom Barents Sea cod and haddock fishery |
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaIcelandicFishery countries:Iceland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences Good Fish Guide - Atlantic cod, Iceland, Bottom trawl (otter), Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) |
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic codGadus morhuaIcelandicFishery countries:Iceland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences Vottunarstofan Tún ehf, April 2017, Public Certification Report ISF Iceland Cod Fishery |
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic herringClupea harengusNorth Sea autumn spawnersFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Species and LocationAtlantic mackerelScomber scombrusNE AtlanticFishery countries:Denmark, Norway, United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectSome product from FIP fisheries |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References FisheryProgress, Northeast Atlantic Ocean mackerel and herring - hook & line, trawl, and purse seine. |
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic salmonSalmo salarNorwayFishery countries:Norway |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: |
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic salmonSalmo salarNorwayFishery countries:Norway |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References Good Fish Guide - Salmon, Atlantic (Farmed), Scotland, Norway and Faroe Islands, GlobalG.A.P. certification |
||||
Species and LocationAtlantic salmonSalmo salarUnited KingdomFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: FishSource - salmon, United Kingdom Good Fish Guide - Salmon, Atlantic (Farmed), Scotland and Norway, Global Seafood Alliance Best Aquaculture Practices (GAA BAP) 3 to 4* certification |
||||
Species and LocationBlue musselMytilus edulisLimfjordFishery countries:Denmark |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationBlue musselMytilus edulisLimfjordFishery countries:Denmark |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences MRAG Americas, October 2021, DFPO Mussel, Cockle and Oyster Public Certification Report |
||||
Species and LocationEdible crabCancer pagurusOrkneyFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationEuropean pilchardSardina pilchardusNW Africa centralFishery countries:Morocco |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References |
||||
Species and LocationEuropean seabassDicentrarchus labraxTurkeyFishery countries:Turkey |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: FishSource - seabass/seabream, Turkey Good Fish Guide - Seabass (Farmed), European Union and Turkey, GlobalG.A.P. certification |
||||
Species and LocationGiant tiger prawnPenaeus monodonVietnamFishery countries:Vietnam |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certification for Giant tiger prawn |
||||
Species and LocationGiant tiger prawnPenaeus monodonVietnamFishery countries:Vietnam |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certification for Giant tiger prawn |
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusBarents SeaFishery countries:Faroe Islands, France, Greenland, Norway, Russia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusBarents SeaFishery countries:Norway, Russia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusBarents SeaFishery countries:Norway |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusBarents SeaFishery countries:Russia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusBarents SeaFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusIcelandicFishery countries:Iceland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusIcelandicFishery countries:Iceland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusIcelandicFishery countries:Iceland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences Vottunarstofan Tún ehf., April 2017, MSC Public Certification Report for ISF Iceland Haddock Fishery |
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusNorth Sea, West of Scotland and SkagerrakFishery countries:Denmark, United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References |
||||
Species and LocationHaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinusNorth Sea, West of Scotland and SkagerrakFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References |
||||
Species and LocationNorthern prawnPandalus borealisAtlantic Canada: SFAs 1-7Fishery countries:Canada |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References |
||||
Species and LocationNorthern prawnPandalus borealisAtlantic Canada: SFA 9 (Gulf of St Lawrence Anticosti)Fishery countries:Canada |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationNorthern prawnPandalus borealisAtlantic Canada: SFAs 13-15 (E Scotian Shelf)Fishery countries:Canada |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationNorthern prawnPandalus borealisBarents SeaFishery countries:Estonia, Norway |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References |
||||
Species and LocationNorthern prawnPandalus borealisIcelandic offshoreFishery countries:Iceland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References |
||||
Species and LocationNorthern prawnPandalus borealisWestern GreenlandFishery countries:Greenland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References |
||||
Species and LocationNorth Pacific hakeMerluccius productusNE PacificFishery countries:United States |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
|
||||
Species and LocationNorway lobsterNephrops norvegicusBotney Gut-Silver Pit; Devil’s Hole; Firth of Clyde; Irish Sea East; Firth of Forth; Moray Firth; North Minch; Noup; South MinchFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences Fishery Progress - UK Norway lobster - bottom trawl and creel |
||||
Species and LocationNorway lobsterNephrops norvegicusFarn DeepsFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences Fishery Progress - UK Norway lobster - bottom trawl and creel |
||||
Species and LocationNorway lobsterNephrops norvegicusFladen GroundFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences Fishery Progress - UK Norway lobster - bottom trawl and creel |
||||
Species and LocationNorway lobsterNephrops norvegicusIrish Sea WestFishery countries:Ireland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationNorway lobsterNephrops norvegicusLabadieFishery countries:Ireland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationNorway lobsterNephrops norvegicusThe SmallsFishery countries:Ireland |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationPink salmonOncorhynchus gorbuschaAlaskaFishery countries:United States |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationPink salmonOncorhynchus gorbuschaAlaskaFishery countries:United States |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationPink salmonOncorhynchus gorbuschaRussia - Iturup Island SakhalinFishery countries:Russia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes |
||||
Species and LocationRainbow Trout, Steelhead TroutOncorhynchus mykissUnited KingdomFishery countries:United Kingdom |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References |
||||
Species and LocationSkipjack tunaKatsuwonus pelamisEastern Atlantic OceanFishery countries:France, Spain |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationSkipjack tunaKatsuwonus pelamisIndian OceanFishery countries:Indonesia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences FisheryProgress, Indonesia Indian Ocean skipjack tuna - pole & line |
||||
Species and LocationSkipjack tunaKatsuwonus pelamisIndian OceanFishery countries:Maldives |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationSkipjack tunaKatsuwonus pelamisWestern and Central Pacific Ocean - PNAFishery countries:Solomon Islands |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences Good Fish Guide - Skipjack tuna, Western and Central Pacific, Hook & line (pole & line) |
||||
Species and LocationSkipjack tunaKatsuwonus pelamisWestern and Central Pacific Ocean - WCPFCFishery countries:Indonesia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectFIP |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences FisheryProgress, Indonesia Western and Central Pacific Ocean skipjack tuna - pole and line |
||||
Species and LocationSockeye salmonOncorhynchus nerkaAlaskaFishery countries:United States |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiEcuadorFishery countries:Ecuador |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Good Fish Guide - King prawn, Global, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certifications for Whiteleg shrimp |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiHondurasFishery countries:Honduras |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Good Fish Guide - King prawn, Global, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certifications for Whiteleg shrimp |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiHondurasFishery countries:Honduras |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Good Fish Guide - King prawn, Global, GLOBALG.A.P. certification |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiIndonesiaFishery countries:Indonesia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: FishSource - Shrimp, Indonesia Good Fish Guide - King prawns, Global, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certifications for Whiteleg shrimp |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiIndonesiaFishery countries:Indonesia |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: FishSource - Shrimp, Indonesia |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiNicaraguaFishery countries:Nicaragua |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Good Fish Guide - King prawn, Global, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certifications for Whiteleg shrimp |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiNicaraguaFishery countries:Nicaragua |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Good Fish Guide - Prawn, King (whiteleg), prawns, Global, GlobalG.A.P. |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpLitopeneaus vannameiThailandFishery countries:Thailand |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Good Fish Guide - King prawns, Global, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certifications for Whiteleg shrimp |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpLitopeneaus vannameiThailandFishery countries:Thailand |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Good Fish Guide - Prawn, King (whiteleg), prawns, Global, GlobalG.A.P. |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiVietnamFishery countries:Vietnam |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Seafood Watch Recommended Eco-Certifications for Whiteleg shrimp, Farmed |
||||
Species and LocationWhiteleg shrimpPenaeus vannameiVietnamFishery countries:Vietnam |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General Notes
References: Good Fish Guide - Prawn, King (whiteleg), prawns, Global, GlobalG.A.P.
|
||||
Species and LocationYellowfin soleLimanda asperaBering Sea and Aleutian IslandsFishery countries:United States |
Production Methods
|
Certification or Improvement ProjectCertified |
Sustainability Ratings |
|
Environmental Notes
General NotesReferences |
Profile Download
ODP profiles from previous years are available to download as PDFs below.
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2015
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2016
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2017
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2018
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2019
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2020
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2021
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