October 3, 2023 — The topic of certifications came up on stage at the Global Seafood Alliance’s Responsible Seafood Summit in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Moderator James Wright, editor of the Responsible Seafood Advocate, was joined on stage by Megan Sorby who recently left Kingfish Maine to launch a new RAS project, Brice Phillips of Phillips Foods and chair of the National Fisheries Institute’s Crab Council, and Curtis Brown of Ready Seafood, for a panel called “Not All Sustainable Seafood Stories Are Simple.” All three individuals brought up some recent challenges that their companies have faced and the importance of outreach in order to educate and connect with both the buyers and consumers. For Kingfish Maine that’s the ongoing court-based issues for the Jonesport aquaculture facility. For Ready Seafood, Brown has been very vocal in Maine lobster’s fight against the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch’s red listing and the subsequent MSC suspension. And for Phillips, it’s been the education on Fishery Improvement Projects (FIP).
“There is a role in the market for [certifications],” explained Brown. “It’s on us as producers and suppliers to make those connections with our customers.”