SEAFOOD.COM NEWS [Seafood News] – October 5, 2016 — The White House will recognize a dozen individuals from around the country as “White House Champions of Change for Sustainable Seafood” on Friday.

The fishing industry is critical to the economic health and well-being of communities across the country, supporting 1.8 million jobs and contributing more than $200 billion to the economy in 2014, according to a White House press release. However, marine ecosystems are under threat from multiple stressors, including climate change and ocean acidification and the need for innovation in sustainable fisheries has never been greater,, according to the press release.

Local leaders serve as the backbone of communities, working to build resilient coasts and striving to protect the at-risk towns whose futures depend on the recovery of fisheries.

“The administration applauds the hard work, collaboration and sacrifice by many across the country to become responsible stewards and safeguard our seafood security,” according to the press release.

Friday’s program will feature remarks by Managing Director of the Council on Environmental Quality, Christy Goldfuss; Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan; and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce, Bruce H. Andrews.

The 12 Champions of Change for Sustainable Seafood include:

Brad Pettinger, Brookings, Ore.: Brad Pettinger is the director of the Oregon Trawl Commission, a state commodity commission. He has worked collaboratively in the Pacific Fishery Management Council process to improve the management of west coast groundfish fisheries. Under Brad’s leadership, all three Oregon trawl fisheries — Pacific whiting, Oregon pink shrimp and several species of rockfish — have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as well-managed and sustainable fisheries. Brad’s work has been instrumental to recovery of many rockfish species, which will provide sustainable, healthy, delicious seafood for local communities.

Linda Behnken, Sitka, Alaska: Linda Behnken is Executive Director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, which represents longline fishermen in securing sustainable access to healthy halibut, sablefish and rockfish stocks. Linda was a commercial fisherman for 34 years and served on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Linda participated in the last two re-authorizations of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and was an active advocate for the Sustainable Fisheries Act amendments. She also is a founding member of the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust,  a cutting-edge financing tool to help new and young fishermen break into Alaska’s fisheries and connect communities with their natural resources.

Christopher Brown, Point Judith, R.I.: Chris Brown serves as President of the Seafood Harvesters of America and spends around 200 days per year aboard his fishing vessel the Proud Mary. Under Chris’s leadership the Harvesters champion accountability, stewardship and sustainability in fishing practices, fisheries science and fisheries management. Chris also serves as President of the Rhode Island Commercial Fishermen’s Association and is the founder and executive director of the Rhode Island Fluke Conservation Cooperative.

Brown said in a press release he will use this opportunity to deliver a strong message in support of fishing families, accountable fishing practices, effective fisheries management, sound science and the bedrock principles that support the seafood industry.

Robin Alden, Stonington, Maine: Robin Alden is the founding Executive Director of Penobscot East Resource Center, Maine’s center for coastal fisheries in Stonington, Maine. She led a path-breaking effort to bring shared management to Maine’s lobster fishery, now recognized internationally as a model for sustainable fisheries. Robin is the former Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources.

Jason DeLaCruz, Largo, Fla.: Jason DeLaCruz is the President of Wild Seafood Co., which provides high quality sustainable fish to eco-minded customers. He also is the Executive Director of Gulf Wild, a company dedicated to setting the standard for genuine, responsibly caught, traceable and reliable wild domestic seafood, and the Vice President of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance.

Byron Encalade, Pointe-A-La-Hache, La.: Byron Encalade is President of the Louisiana Oysterman Association. He engages in harvesting seafood, oysters and shrimp and in transporting seafood along the Gulf Coast states. Byron has been a leader in his community by pushing for the sustainable management of oyster grounds.

Monica Jain, Carmel, Calif.: Monica Jain is the founding director of Fish 2.0, a social enterprise that brings entrepreneurs and investors together to grow the sustainable seafood sector. Fish 2.0 works with businesses developing technologies or processes that reduce waste in seafood supply chains and create value-added products from waste.

Bun Lai, Woodbridge, Conn.: Bun Lai is the owner and chef of Miya’s Sushi, the world’s first sustainable sushi restaurant. Miya’s also offers the world’s only invasive species menu, featuring dishes made of foraged ingredients that are threatening to the region’s indigenous species. He is also the owner of two fishing boats that serve as laboratories for sustainable seafood production. He is a Seafood Watch Ambassador.

Alan Lovewell, Moss Landing, Calif: Alan Lovewell is the CEO and Co-founder of Real Good Fish, a community-supported fishery that connects local fishermen with local consumers with weekly deliveries of sustainable seafood. Real Good Fish’s new program, Bay2Tray, brings local seafood to public school children through their school lunch program, and brings local fishermen into their classroom to engage in experience-based learning around ocean health.

Dr. Kevan Main, Sarasota, Fla.: Dr. Kevan Main has been a senior scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory since 2001. Dr. Main and her team are developing sustainable ways to produce marine and freshwater fishes and invertebrates for food and to restore declining fisheries.

Luka Mossman, Hilo, Hawaii: Luka Mossman is part of the Conservation International Hawaii program, where he serves as the Fisheries Outreach Coordinator. The Hawaii program works to merge traditional knowledge with Western science, conservation tools and strategies for changing how people and business value local, sustainable seafood.

Richard Robins, Suffolk, Va: Richard B. Robins Jr. is the owner of Bernie’s Conchs, LLC and Ocean Perfect Seafoods Inc. He also served as chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council from 2008 through August of 2016, where he led the Council through a historic stakeholder-driven visioning and strategic planning process for the management of marine fisheries.

The Champions of Change schedule includes a Thursday evening Washington, D.C., reception to highlight great seafood and the work of the honorees; a Friday morning sustainability roundtable with senior advisers at the White House; a meeting with Commerce Secretary Pritzker and CEQ director Goldfuss; then remarks from the honorees and a moderated panel.

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities. The event will be live streamed on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov/live at 1 p.m ET on Friday, Oct. 7. Follow the conversation at #WHChamps.

This story originally appeared on Seafood.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.