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SFP launches aquaculture Feed Solutions Toolkit for seafood companies

October 23, 2024 — Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) today launched its aquaculture Feed Solutions Toolkit, a one-stop resource for companies to tackle the climate change, habitat, and biodiversity risks associated with aquaculture feed. The toolkit combines over 80 tools, standards, initiatives, and platforms from multiple organizations, along with guidance and case studies on practical steps to improve feed sustainability.

The Toolkit connects seafood companies with tools and resources to make commitments, assess the risks associated with their feed ingredients and implement improvements. Major suppliers and retailers, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Thai Union, and Walmart, have already set goals and targets to improve the sustainability of the feed used to produce their products or the ingredients it contains.
“We want all seafood companies to include aquaculture feed in their sustainability commitments and policies because feed poses significant environmental and climate challenges,” says Paul Bulcock, aquaculture information manager at SFP. “Addressing this issue, along with continued improvements in farm planning and management, will enhance aquaculture’s role as a low-carbon, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible food source.”
Aquaculture now accounts for more than half of the world’s seafood, by volume, and is critical to meeting increasing global demand for seafood while offering a low-carbon alternative to other animal products. However, aquaculture feed remains a significant climate change and environmental hotspot, with risks such as land conversion, deforestation, overexploitation, pollution, and bycatch from the production or capture of feed ingredients. It is estimated that aquaculture’s use of compound feed ingredients is responsible for up to 70-80% of its carbon impact and up to 90% of certain environmental impacts such as land and water use.
While multiple tools, standards, and improvement initiatives have already been developed to assist the seafood supply chain in meeting the challenge of feed sustainability, the Feed Solutions Toolkit represents the first time these resources have been curated in one place.
The Feed Solutions Toolkit was produced with funding support from the Walmart Foundation for the project titled, “Addressing the Carbon and Biodiversity Impacts of Aquaculture by Motivating Responsible Aquaculture Practices at Scale.” The findings and recommendations are those of SFP alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Walmart Foundation.
About Sustainable Fisheries Partnership 
Founded in 2006, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is a marine conservation organization working toward a world where the oceans are healthy, all seafood is produced sustainably, and everyone has access to sustainable seafood. We leverage the power of seafood buyers and retailers in every part of the seafood supply chain to rebuild depleted fish stocks, reduce the environmental impacts of fishing and fish farming, address social issues in fishing, and advance economic opportunities for fishers and their communities. Our Supply Chain Roundtables (SRs) allow seafood suppliers to work together in a pre-competitive environment to promote and support improvements in fishery and aquaculture practices, management, and policy. Visit us at www.sustainablefish.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) Partner to Advance Gender Equity in the Global Seafood Sector

October 15, 2024 — The following was released by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and Seafood and Gender Equality:

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) today signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding to advance gender equity in the global seafood sector. The two organizations – leaders in addressing environmental and social responsibility in fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood production – announced their partnership at the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions annual conference.

The partnership will focus on engaging with SFP’s Supply Chain Roundtables (SRs), to provide them with the knowledge, expertise, and resources they need to address gender inequalities in their respective sectors. SRs, which are convened and facilitated by SFP, bring together major buyers and importers of seafood in a particular sector to work together pre-competitively to scale up individual initiatives and jointly advocate for better fisheries policy and management. This engagement will introduce SR member companies to SAGE’s flagship Gender Equality Dialogues (GED) program, which promotes innovation and workforce development in the sector by co-creating space for industry leaders to develop actionable solutions to address gender inequalities.
“The SRs have a singular purpose – to drive significant and measurable change to fisheries sustainability. We are excited to work with SFP and the SRs to explore the incorporation of a gender component to this work, as it has been shown that, by empowering women and historically excluded groups, we can achieve our goals around environmental improvements faster and at scale,” said Julie Kuchepatov, founder of SAGE.
Because the seafood sector is facing challenges on multiple fronts – from increasing scrutiny around human rights violations in seafood production to an uncertain and volatile business climate – it has deprioritized introspection of its own role in improving the work experience of underserved people in the sector. However, all these challenges are interrelated.
Another key focus of this partnership is to pilot SAGE’s gender equity index tool to assess SFP’s internal operations.
“Diverse workforces attract top talent and reduce employee turnover, and research shows that gender diversity in leadership is linked to higher profitability,” says Jim Cannon, chief executive officer of SFP. “I am keen to assess our own operations and apply what we learn from SAGE’s assessment because we owe it to our current and future workforce to periodically reflect on and adapt our policies to foster inclusivity and, thereby, innovation.”
SAGE is currently recruiting participant companies for the next GED cohort, scheduled to begin in early 2025. If you’re interested in participating in the next GED cohort or would like to learn more about SAGE’s gender equity index tool, contact Becca Williams at becca@seafoodandgenderequality.org. Read more about the GED on SAGE’s website here.

Seafood industry DEI initiatives showing staying power

October 11, 2024 — Many U.S. companies across industries swiftly began adopting ambitious diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals in 2020, but work in the field has largely slowed as businesses grow wary of boycotts and other forms of backlash.

However, in the seafood industry, DEI remains integral to many companies’ sustainability goals, according to experts engaged in ensuring the sector supports these types of initiatives.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Our 2024 College and Other-Supported Education Program Students Share Insights

October 11, 2024 — Since 2006, NOAA has partnered with colleges to provide undergraduate students college-funded summer internship opportunities. Students enrolled in one of the partner colleges apply and participate through that college. NOAA collaborates with other universities to offer internship opportunities to help them fulfill their degree requirements. We also mentor students who receive internship and fellowship support from other sources like professional science organizations.

This year, our science center hosted six students from six states and six different colleges and universities. Projects focused on science communication, fish ageing and condition, eDNA, stock assessments, and the impacts of urbanization and contaminants on fish populations.

In each profile, students share a little about what they liked most about their research projects. They also share their insights about their internship experience, what they’ve gained from it, and more.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

US seafood groups celebrate National Seafood Month with promotions, program launches

October 8, 2024 — The National Fisheries Institute (NFI), Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP), and other seafood organizations have promotions running throughout October for National Seafood Month and National Pescatarian Month.

NFI’s annual National Pescatarian Month campaign encourages consumers to eat fish and shellfish through an updated e-cookbook that includes more than 100 pescatarian-friendly recipes. The campaign also includes NFI’s Dish on Fish blog, on-air TV segments, and digital and social media activations.

“We view National Pescatarian Month as a win for our members, for the fish and seafood industry, and for consumers, and we are proud to promote it through Dish on Fish and its sponsorship of the campaign,” NFI Vice President of External Affairs and Councils Brandon Phillips said. “Some of our most important work throughout the year culminates in October, when we all work together to celebrate a healthy and tasty pescatarian diet and lifestyle.”

Through its blog and recipes, NFI aims to “show that adopting a pescatarian lifestyle – for a few weeks, a month, or even longer – can be healthy, versatile, easy, and satisfying,” NFI Registered Dietitian Rima Kleiner said.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Meet the Star of Sushi-Con: A 400-Pound Tuna

September 30, 2024 — “It’s coming! It’s coming!” someone yelled. It was before dawn on a recent Sunday, and a dozen men in matching navy-blue T-shirts were waiting by a loading dock in Manhattan for the headliner of Sushi-Con, which bills itself as the largest expo of Japanese cuisine in the United States.

A truck backed into the brightly lit bay. The rear doors opened and a white Styrofoam box appeared, roughly the shape of a coffin and nearly as wide as the truck itself. Written at one end was the word “head.” Inside was a 399-pound bluefin tuna, a fish that when prepared as sushi can be among the most expensive forms of seafood in the world.

Sangsu Choe, a manager at True World Foods, a wholesaler of sushi-related products and a co-sponsor of the event, began waving his arms and directing. “Take it easy! Don’t rush,” he yelled as the men tried to move the box with a manual forklift. Several times, the white container, now more than six feet in the air, teetered and appeared close to crashing to the ground. Everyone shouted and laid their hands on it to steady it.

The eagerly awaited fish had left Barcelona on Friday morning packed in ice. It spent a night and a day in a New Jersey warehouse before arriving at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea, the site of the $120-a-ticket event.

Part trade show and part consumer-facing forum, the event has taken place four times since 2018. This was the first year it had been branded Sushi-Con. True World Foods was sponsoring it with Noble Fresh Cart, a start-up developing a direct-to-consumer delivery service for sushi-grade fish. The all-you-can-eat event featured over 50 vendors offering samples of their fish and other products. Though the cuisine is Japanese, the fish came from all over the world.

But only one was the star of the “Ultimate Tuna Cutting Show,” the main event where the bluefin tuna, roughly the size of a torpedo and with shimmering silver scales, would be carved up and served to the gathered attendees.

Read the full article at The New York Times

In celebration of National Lobster Day

September 26, 2024 — Every year on September 25, the United States celebrates National Lobster Day. In 2015, Maine Senators Angus King and Susan Collins established it to recognize the importance of this crustacean to the country’s history and culture.

So to further celebrate the lobstermen and women on National Fisherman, we decided to share a few of our favorite articles all about lobster. Show some support to your local fishermen this week and buy some seafood!

In January 2024, the University of New England launched an ambitious research endeavor, decoding the genetic underpinnings of colored lobsters. The hope to unveil the reason behind the crazy-colored crustaceans may be closer than we think.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

SAGE lands $715K for gender equality in seafood

September 20, 2024 — Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) earned two philanthropic grants totaling $715,000 from the Builders Initiative Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation to further its mission to build a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable seafood sector.

Founded in 2020, SAGE is building a strong foundation for future impact and growth, increasing attention around the issues of gender inequality in the seafood sector and sparking a movement to acknowledge the critical contributions of women who are invaluable, yet often invisible. These grants send a strong signal that a dire need to address inequities in the seafood sector exists and that gender equality and empowering women are priorities. Jelani Odlum, Program Officer at Builders Initiative, agrees and says, “By championing gender equality in the seafood industry, we are actively shaping the future we want to see. SAGE is urging seafood companies to evaluate their practices, address biases, and implement decisive measures to promote gender equality within their operations. We are pleased to partner with them to advance change in the industry and cultivate a more inclusive and sustainable seafood sector.”

For the next three years, this funding will support the implementation of the Gender Equality Dialogues (GED), where seafood executives convene to align on the issues, commit to action, and leave equipped with the tools to advance equity within their operations. “We are so grateful to Builders Initiative Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation for this incredible support.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Why choose the hard life of commercial fishing?

September 16, 2024 — Fishing Back When: Story and photos by William McCloskey Jr. from the 1983 Yearbook of National Fisherman.

Why would anyone who has a choice want to fish for a living, given the cold, wet, uncertainty, danger, muck, dependence on weather for make or break, and general ass-busting hardship?

For a skipper of any sized boat, add the government regulations, ruinous cost of fuel and pressure to earn enough to buy (and make payments on) the latest equipment to stay competitive. The romance of it is all very well when contemplated in front of a warm fire, but it’s different when you have to go out every morning.

For many, the answer is simple: They do it to make a living in the way best available to them; they’re more or less stuck with it. For a male growing up in a small coastal community with limited options, fishing is often what his dad, brothers, and uncles do.

As a kid, he probably even dreams of the day he’ll follow the men to sea and walk big himself. He’s lucky if the idea appeals: It may be his only choice, although this has become less so in America than in many other parts of the world.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Seafood Nutrition Partnership Scales Successful ‘Fall in Love with Seafood’ Consumer Campaign

September 12, 2024 — The following was released by the Seafood Nutrition Partnership:

The successful launch of the ‘Fall In Love With Seafood’ (FILWS) campaign has led the charitable non-profit to move forward with plans to scale the consumer campaign into
2025-2026. Following successful efforts at H-E-B, Hy-Vee and Weis Markets during the 1st half
of 2024, Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) will partner with Harris Teeter and Publix to
launch the Fall in Love with Seafood campaign in their markets in September and October
respectively. The expanded effort will be featured at over 1,375 Publix stores and 270 Harris
Teeter locations throughout the southeastern and mid-atlantic regions. The campaign aligns
with SNP’s mission to encourage Americans to eat seafood twice a week to live happier,
healthier, and smarter lives.

“The eye-catching imagery will compel consumers to ‘Fall in Love with Seafood’ and to take
advantage of the health benefits seafood offers along with a myriad of delicious species and
recipe options,” said Linda Cornish, Founder and President at Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

The aim is to continue to drive seafood consumption as well as strong return-on-investment for
the suppliers, brands and retailers supporting the campaign. To date, the promotion has
returned an average of $4 for every $1 invested in marketing,

“The strategy is to reach current seafood consumers in retail partner markets throughout their
day to remind them how delicious, nutritious and easy-to-prepare seafood can be. The plan
spans social and digital media including paid search, META ads, programmatic and recipe
integration as well as out-of-home, influencer, in-store flyers, in-store signage, and
promotions.” added Sarah Crowley, SNP Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

“We are excited to bring this consumer campaign to market during National Seafood Month,”
said Guy Pizzuti, Seafood Director at Publix Super Markets, Inc. “We are proud to highlight
seafood and messages that resonate with our customers. Through the collaboration with SNP
and our suppliers, we believe we will grow the category and gain valuable learnings for future
campaigns.”

The ‘Fall in Love with Seafood’ campaign will continue with seafood suppliers and retail
partners nationwide throughout 2025 and 2026. H-E-B will repeat and expand their successful
2024 campaign in January 2025 as well as planned Q1 efforts at Stop & Shop and Harris
Teeter. To participate in or learn more about an upcoming retail campaign, contact Linda
Cornish at lcornish@seafoodnutrition.org.

About Seafood Nutrition Partnership
Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) is the leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the U.S. building awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of seafood. SNP addresses the country’s public health crisis through education programs that inspire Americans to incorporate more seafood and omega-3s into their diets forimproved health per the USDA Dietary Guidelines. For more information or to support SNP, visit seafoodnutrition.org.