Saving Seafood

Other News

Fisheries Transparency Initiative accepting nominations for board members

July 29, 2021 — The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), a collaborative effort among different seafood stakeholders from governments, business, and civil society, is expanding its membership and is looking for seven new international board members.

Membership in the Fisheries Transparency Initiative is open to any individual nominated by an entity from the government, business, or social sector interested in enhancing transparency and multi-stakeholder participation in fisheries, good ocean governance, or wider areas of open government and access to information.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Chicken of the Sea giving away USD 10,000 in post-COVID “reunion grants”

July 28, 2021 — Chicken of the Sea is encouraging vaccinated Americans to gather together for family occasions with a new promotion.

Consumers can enter to win one of twenty USD 500 (EUR 423) “Reunion Grants” – a total of USD 10,000 (EUR 8,500) – to ensure their outdoor gatherings “are the most memorable yet for family and friends,” Chicken of the Sea said in a press release.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

How the Fishing Fleet Served the U.S. Coast Guard in WWII

July 26, 2021 — In the early days of World War II, demand skyrocketed for vessels to fill the needs of the U.S. sea services. The Coast Guard was no exception as they competed with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army for new construction as well as privately owned ships. Facing a high demand for vessels, the service turned to the U.S. fishing industry as a source for its cutters. These emergency acquisitions included East Coast trawlers, whalers from both coasts, and East Coast menhaden fishing vessels, such as the Emergency Manning vessel Dow (WYP 353).

During World War I and World War II, the menhaden fishing fleet became a ready reserve for the Navy and Coast Guard. Both services needed small, shallow draft vessels for coastal convoy escort, mine planting, minesweeping, and anti-submarine net tending duty. Many of these vessels were purchased or leased, while others were loaned to naval forces by fishing businesses as their contribution to the war effort.

Menhaden fishing vessels were designed to harvest schools of small fish in coastal waters, primarily in the Chesapeake Bay. Their very long and narrow design sported a distinctive plumb bow, elevated pilot house to spot large fish schools, a center hold to store the catch and low freeboard to haul full fishing nets on board the vessel. The ungainly design of these vessels was well suited to harvesting large quantities of fish in sheltered waters, but not high seas combat operations.

The Coast Guard patrol vessel EM Dow, formerly the Menhaden-type fishing vessel Annie Dow, was a wartime acquisition under charter (lease) by the Coast Guard. Vessels like the Dow were given the prefix “EM” for “Emergency Manning.” In preparation for military service, these fishing vessels were armed with one or two one-pound cannons fore and aft. This addition usually required sections of iron plating on the deck, which added to the pilothouse and parts of the superstructure for crew protection. Additional communications gear and combat equipment contributed to making the cutter top heavy. These additions had a negative impact on the stability and sea-keeping qualities of these would be fighting vessels. In World War I, the USS James, a menhaden fisherman converted to Navy minesweeper, capsized in a gale off the French Coast.

Read the full story at The Maritime Executive

Local Catch Network to Host “Find Your Seafood Week” August 2-8

July 26, 2021 — The following was released by Local Catch Network: 

The Local Catch Network (LCN), based in the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine, is launching a new and improved digital “Seafood Finder” designed to help connect community members directly with fishers and seafood harvesters. To kick off the launch, LCN is hosting #FindYourSeafoodWeek, a social media awareness campaign that celebrates small-scale fisheries and local seafood.

“Fresh, sustainable seafood harvested by the same people who live in your community is often closer than people think,” said Joshua Stoll, founder of the Local Catch Network and Assistant Professor of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine. “We created the Seafood Finder to make it easy for everyone to discover local seafood wherever they are.”

The #FindYourSeafoodWeek campaign will run from Aug. 2 – Aug. 8 to help community members discover and engage with local fishermen. The pandemic has exposed the importance of community-based fisheries in building resilient local and regional seafood systems, as many global supply chains, including seafood, faltered at the onset of COVID-19 due to the elimination of traditional export markets. As a result, fishing businesses participating in direct-to-consumer sales saw an uptick in community support. Historically, shorter seafood supply chains have also been more adaptable and less prone to social, environmental and economic shocks to the food system. #FindYourSeafoodWeek is a new way that fishers, seafood organizations and advocates are collaborating to raise awareness about the role of community-based fisheries while strengthening relationships between fishermen and their communities.

#FindYourSeafoodWeek will also promote the launch of LCN’s revamped Seafood Finder tool, a searchable map and database that makes it easy for consumers across the United States and Canada to discover fishing businesses that sell seafood directly to consumers via community-supported fisheries (CSFs), farmers and fisherman’s markets and doorstep delivery. The Seafood Finder will allow consumers to learn more about individual fishing businesses, the locations they operate, the number of fishers they partner with, how long they have been in business, and the types of catch they offer. By making this information more easily available, the new Seafood Finder will increase the visibility and viability of small-scale fisheries and the communities that depend on them.

The Local Catch Network is inviting community members across North America to join the “boat-to-fork” movement by finding fishermen and local seafood near them during #FindYourSeafoodWeek and beyond. For information on how to participate, visit https://localcatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/HashtagFindYourSeafoodWeekCampaign.pdf.

The new Seafood Finder tool will be available on Aug. 2. To access it then, visit https://finder.localcatch.org/.

Gulf of Maine Research Institute Announces Sale of New England Marine Monitoring

July 23, 2021 — The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) has sold New England Marine Monitoring, Inc. (NEMM) to Vesper Company.

NEMM is a leader in video electronic monitoring technology and services for fisheries. Its technology solutions lower the cost of monitoring relative to traditional human at-sea monitors and also improves data quality. Founded by Mark Hager, NEMM was one of GMRI’s first ventures to support and grow the region’s waterfront economy and ocean technology markets. Now, thanks to the sale to Vesper Company, a private firm that partners with entrepreneurs, NEMM will be able to grow its service to New England’s fishing fleet and develop its technology platform.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Seafood Expo Global set to revive global in-person industry events

July 22, 2021 — Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global is set to take place on 26 to 28 April, 2022, in Barcelona, Spain – the first time the event will be held in Spain and the first event since COVID-19 forced event closures in 2020.

According to even organizer Diversified Communications, participants that have already signed up for the event are looking forward to resuming shows as a means of strengthening business relations with partners. [Editor’s note: Diversified Communications also owns and operates SeafoodSource].

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MSC announces two new director appointments for North America

July 21, 2021 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) said it’s strengthening its presence in North America with the appointments of Erika Feller and Kurtis Hayne.

Feller, formerly of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, assumed the role of regional director of the Americas for MSC on 12 July, the organization announced in a press release. She brings more than two decades of experience to the position, specializing in fisheries and cross-sector partnerships, and will be based in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., MSC said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Safe Catch tuna mercury ad claims panned as misleading by BBB, NFI

July 20, 2021 — The Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division (NAD) has determined pouched and canned tuna supplier Safe Catch provided a “reasonable basis” for several mercury and sustainability ad claims, but recommended that others be modified or discontinued.

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI), a trade group representing the U.S. seafood industry including some of the largest processors of canned and pouched tuna in the United States, requested the review of Safe Catch’s ad claims.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

National Seafood Council launches scholarship program

July 20, 2021 — The National Seafood Council Task Force launched a scholarship program in order to engage more small- and medium-sized seafood businesses in participating in developing a national seafood marketing and education program.

The task force is seeking nominations for seafood business leaders whose annual company revenue is less than USD 20 million (EUR 17 million), in order to be representative of the entire seafood supply chain, Seafood Nutrition Partnership said in a press release.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MSC strengthens its presence in North America with senior level appointments

July 20, 2021 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announces two new senior appointments in the Americas strengthening its position as a leader within the sustainable seafood movement. Erika Feller joins the MSC as Regional Director of the Americas from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation where she oversaw its ocean and coastal conservation efforts. She has more than two decades of experience working on marine issues, with a focus on fisheries and cross-sector partnerships. In Canada, Kurtis Hayne has been appointed Program Director to lead the Canada strategy. He most recently was the Senior Commercial and Fisheries Manager, Canada West and brings almost a decade of experience working for various organizations in seafood market analysis, fisheries, and ocean conservation.

Feller joined the MSC senior program management team on July 12 and is based in Washington, D.C. In her role as Regional Director she oversees the MSC’s work in the Americas, continuing to expand the MSC’s work with fisheries, the supply chain, and consumers. She leads a team of approximately 30 staff in Canada, the US, and Latin America, working closely with Program Directors: Cristian Vallejos in Latin America, Eric Critchlow in the US, and Kurtis Hayne in Canada.

Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of MSC, said: “I am delighted to welcome Erika to the MSC. Erika brings a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the sustainable seafood movement, as well as multistakeholder and solutions focused coalition building that will accelerate MSC’s work across the region to recognize and encourage sustainable fishing practices that support healthy marine ecosystems. I’m also pleased to recognize Kurtis Hayne, recently appointed as Canada’s Program Director. There is a huge opportunity to grow public awareness of sustainable seafood in the Americas and I look forward to working with Erika, Kurtis and the broader team in achieving that.”

“Sustainable fisheries help to keep oceans healthy and seafood on our plates; both are important to me,” said Feller. “I’m looking forward to being part of the MSC and for the opportunity to help fishermen and communities who are adopting sustainable practices on the water, as well as connect with consumers who care about where their food comes from.”

Feller brings a breadth of experience in ocean and coastal conservation. Most recently, she directed programs for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, guiding investment in improved fishery monitoring, coastal resilience, and helping to recover resources in the Gulf of Mexico impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She began her career as a legislative and policy adviser on natural resource and environmental issues in the US House of Representatives, and later joined the Nature Conservancy where she led a North America-wide initiative to promote sustainable fisheries. She also served at the White House Council on Environmental Quality supporting interagency efforts on large scale ecosystem restoration around the U.S. Feller currently serves as the Chair of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, which advises the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce.

The new appointments come as the sustainable seafood movement builds momentum in the Americas with fisheries continuing to engage in the program, strong supply chain commitments, and increased visibility of the MSC blue fish label on seafood products. The vast majority (82.31%) of commercially landed seafood in the US, and more than half (57.6%) in Canada, is engaged in the MSC program, accounting for 4.25 million metric tons of seafood caught every year*. A further 1.4 million metric tons originate from fisheries engaged with the MSC program in Latin America* (*figures accurate as of July 2021).