November 22, 2016 — The following was released by SeaWeb:

The deadline for nominating sustainable seafood leaders for SeaWeb’s 2017 Seafood Champion Awards is fast approaching. Nominations will close at 11:59 EST on Dec. 3, 2016.

The awards recognize individuals and organizations from around the world in four categories: leadership, innovation, vision and advocacy. Nominees should demonstrate outstanding commitment to advancing seafood sustainability in the fishing, aquaculture, supply and distribution, retail, restaurant or food service sectors, or through conservation, science, academia or the media. Self-nominations are allowed.

In addition to providing recognition, the awards can help important initiatives move forward, according to past winners.

“Becoming a Champion opened those slightly locked gates so that our work could be showcased at a higher level. I had access to press, marketing folks and partners that were always just out of reach previously,” said T.J. Tate, formerly of Gulf Wild, the 2015 Seafood Champion for Vision.

Helen Packer of Anova Fishing & Living, the 2015 Seafood Champion for Innovation, said, “Getting the Seafood Champion award was a way for us to know that we had somehow succeeded, and it motivated us even more to keep going. It showed that industry is also part of the equation in moving toward sustainable fisheries.”

Guidelines and the nomination form are available on the Seafood Champions website <http://www.seafoodchampions.org/>.

Finalists will be announced in early 2017, and winners will be named at the 2017 SeaWeb Seafood Summit, taking place June 5-7 in Seattle.