Saving Seafood

Nutrition

AquaBounty’s GE salmon back under FDA assessment

November 25, 2022 — AquaBounty’s genetically engineered AquAdvantage salmon is once again going through a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) environmental assessment (EA) after a lawsuit by multiple organizations led to a court order for additional analysis.

The FDA granted permission for the salmon to be sold in the U.S. in 2015, but a judge ruled in 2020 the agency needed to perform additional review of the salmon to evaluate the chances it could be introduced into the wild and its subsequent danger to wild salmon populations. A judge in San Francisco ruled the FDA did not do its due diligence when considering the possibility of environmental consequences with its approval of the salmon.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Study suggests tailoring seafood diets to individual populations

October 20, 2022 — Seafood is more nutritious than terrestrial animal protein and has a lower carbon footprint, according to a study published in September 2022 in the research journal Communications Earth and Environment.

The study, a collaboration between the RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Dalhousie University’s School for Resource and Environmental Studies, and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, provides suggestions for maximizing the nutritional value of seafood consumed around the globe and reducing the industry’s greenhouse gas through concentration on specific species and production methods.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Seafood industry to play critical role in feeding growing population as climate change hits harder

October 7, 2022 — The world’s human population is expected to surpass 10 billion by 2050. How to feed that many people, especially as the effects of global warming continue to worsen, was the subject of a 5 October panel at the Global Seafood Alliance’s 2022 GOAL conference in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.

University of Washington Professor of Fisheries Science Ray Hilborn, University of Stirling Aquaculture Professor Richard Newton, Environmental Defense Fund Senior Manager of Climate Resilient Food Systems Willow Battista, and Wittaya Aqua CEO Evan Hall reviewed statistical evidence linking changes in climage to global output of fishing and aquaculture production and debated the industry’s impact on the environment.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

National Fisheries Institute Statement on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

September 28, 2022 — The following was released by National Fisheries Institute:

We applaud the White House for hosting today’s conference on ending hunger and increasing healthy eating so that fewer Americans experience widespread diet-related diseases.  Federal programming and education that clearly and consistently support advice to eat more seafood – fresh, shelf-stable, and frozen – must play a central part in this ambitious goal.

Low seafood intake is responsible for about 84,000 American lives lost to heart disease each year, which makes seafood deficiency the second-biggest dietary contributor to preventable deaths in the U.S.  The 2020-2025Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) encourage Americans to eat 2-3 servings of seafood each week starting at age six months and continuing throughout life.  However, an alarming 94% of children and 80% of adults currently do not eat the recommended amount of seafood.  This means most Americans are missing out on important health benefits – from improved baby brain development to reduced risk of heart disease to bone and muscle strength in older age – that seafood offers.    

One proposed strategy to increase consumption of healthful foods, including fish, is making sure that foods labeled as “healthy” align with current nutrition science and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  To complement the actions outlined in the strategy document, the National Fisheries Institute and its members publicly commit toprovide nutritious and sustainable seafood meals to underserved families; empower consumers by raising awareness of seafood recommendations; and fund seafood science and communication research.

We are pleased to see the White House taking the lead in promoting the role nutritious food plays in combatingdiet-related diseases, disabilities, and deaths. Today’s conference was a good first step and one that we hope will lead to demonstrable public health benefits.

Experts discuss the best ways to boost US seafood consumption

September 27, 2022 — U.S. government experts and seafood industry insiders discussed the best ways to boost U.S. seafood consumption at the Seafood Nutrition Partnership’s State of the Science Symposium in Washington, D.C. on 22 September.

Between 2012 and 2020, U.S. per-capita seafood consumption rose from 16.8 pounds 19 pounds – and with a U.S. dietary guideline of 26 pounds per capita, there are more gains to be had, SNP President Linda Cornish said.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Celebrate Seafood this October to Encourage People to Enjoy Delicious, Nutritious Seafood

September 27, 2022 — The following was released by Seafood Nutrition:

Seafood Nutrition Partnership, the National Seafood Council Task Force and the Seafood4Health Action Coalition are excited to launch a pilot campaign, Celebrate Seafood, for October National Seafood Month. A broad segment of the seafood industry is encouraging more Americans to eat – and celebrate – the delicious, healthy bounty of seafood.

Celebrate Seafood is both a rallying cry to the industry as well as an example of an umbrella tagline that can be customized by companies and organizations to fit their marketing needs for October National Seafood Month. After more consumers purchased seafood at retail throughout 2020 and 2021, now is the time to reinforce consumers’ newfound love for seafood and its health benefits. This is a great opportunity for the seafood community to demonstrate we can work together around a common message that seafood is good for public health and our planet’s health.
Consumer Engagement
Throughout October, there will be fun ways to earn amazing prizes – from free seafood to a one-on-one cooking class with The Godfather of Sustainability, celebrity chef Rick Moonen. We’re encouraging consumers to participate and use #celebrateseafood, compete in recipe and photo contests, and overall have fun celebrating all that seafood has to offer. The exciting prizes and engagement opportunities are made possible by Forever Oceans, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers and Gorton’s Seafood. Many additional partners are supporting social media efforts throughout the month, including Bluehouse Salmon and Secret Island.
SNP is also encouraging all seafood lovers to share their love of seafood! Host a party, a tailgate, a little cooking class or any celebration of seafood to share seafood with friends, family, neighbors and colleagues. We’d love to see a nationwide seafood party in October! Here are some great ideas to inspire amazing seafood parties.
Retail
Throughout October, H-E-B is running a cross-platform in-store and digital program across all of Texas that brings together SNP’s message along with a sampling of their products that support both Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and Best Aquaculture Practices.
At Weis Markets, the Seafood Department is front and center all month with support from their dietitian team to showcase Celebrate Seafood. Here is an example of how Weis is utilizing the Celebrate Seafood messaging and imagery during October National Seafood Month in their magazine. They will then be using it on signage in store, in the circular, on social, in the media, with their RDs and more.
Additionally, a third-party digital advertising program will drive frozen seafood sales at Whole Foods Market and Wegmans, testing sustainability-focused messaging that ties human health with planetary health.
These efforts at retail will all bring more seafood to consumers to encourage them to enjoy and celebrate the benefits. SNP is working with each retail outlet on measurement to evaluate the impact of positive consumer messaging and understand what works best to motivate more seafood consumption. This pilot campaign is made possible through grants from Builders Initiative, H-E-B, Rich Family Foundation and Walton Family Foundation.

Whole Foods, Wegmans, Weis participating in National Seafood Month campaign

September 24, 2022 — The Seafood Nutrition Partnership, the National Fisheries Institute, and other organizations and companies are going all out to educate consumers about the benefits of eating seafood during National Seafood Month and Pescatarian Month, both celebrated in October.

As the highlight of the campaign, SNP, along with the National Seafood Council Task Force and the Seafood4Health Action Coalition, are launching a pilot campaign, “Celebrate Seafood.”

Read the full article SeafoodSource

‘Salmon Wars’ in the media undermines sustainability

September 8, 2022 — To promote their new book, Salmon Wars, the Dark Underbelly of our Favorite Fish, writers Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins published an article attacking salmon aquaculture in Time Magazine. The article, 3 Reasons to Avoid Farmed Salmon, recommended that readers completely avoid all open net pen-reared Atlantic salmon. “Farmed Atlantic salmon from open-net pens is off our menu and should be off yours,” they concluded.

The seafood industry and sustainable aquaculture advocates were quick to rebut, with the National Fisheries Institute and the National Aquaculture Association posting a thorough fact check last week. Saving Seafood and industry expert Jennifer Bushman also added her frustrations.

Read the full article at Sustainable Fisheries

Direct Marketing Seafood Businesses Sought for Second Cohort of No-Cost Business Accelerator Program

September 1, 2022 — The following was released by Local Catch Network:

Small and mid-size seafood businesses across the United
States are invited to apply for the second cohort of Scale Your Local Catch (SYLC), a five-month
virtual business accelerator program designed to train seafood producers on marketing their
catch directly to consumers, scaling their business, and building greater resiliency within local
and regional food systems. Applications are open online through October 14th, for the
program beginning in early December 2022 and concluding in April 2023.

SYLC is produced by Local Catch Network, based at the University of Maine, and is offered at no
cost through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s AMS Farmers Market Promotion
Program (FMPP). SYLC is developed in partnership with Ecotrust with the goal of strengthening
local and regional seafood systems by addressing challenges associated with direct marketing
and by building the knowledge, skills, and networks needed for values-based seafood businesses
to scale up their operations and increase their capacity and viability for long-term resilience.

“As we enter the second year of SYLC programming, we look forward to facilitating
conversations and connections between values-based seafood producers and technical
assistance providers. Creating space for knowledge-sharing and relationship-building has
proven to be essential to strengthening local and regional seafood systems,” said Jordan
Richardson, Coordinator of the Local Catch Network.

“The accounting sessions spurred us to re-organize and set up new categories in our accounting
and bookkeeping systems. With the help of the labor and employment session, we reclassified
our workers, and the marketing sessions motivated us to transition e-commerce platforms, set up
our social media stores, ramp up our analytics tracking, evaluate our branding, and more!”- Scale
Your Local Catch 2021 Cohort Member.

Although the core curriculum of the program includes topics like business structure formation,
taxation, accounting, credit/finance, and market development, a large focus of SYLC is
expanding support and social networks within the cohort. Participants will receive customized
business support from service providers and consultants who understand the unique needs of
fishers and seafood harvesters who want to build financial viability, strengthen their business
structure, and grow with integrity.

Applicants should meet all selection criteria (linked here.)
Preference will be given to fishers and harvesters who:
– Are Black, Indigenous, Latinx, or identify as a person of color
– Are Women
– Live in/serve low income/low access areas
– Produce a value-added product from a raw commodity they are fishing, raising,
or harvesting
Interested applicants can register here to attend an information session on September 14th
from 4-5PM ET. For full program information and to apply, visit https://localcatch.org/scale
your-local-catch/ or contact Jordan Richardson (Jordan.Richardson@maine.edu) and Tyson
Rasor (trasor@ecotrust.org) with any questions.