Saving Seafood

Ocean Harvesters Responds to Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s August 7 Press Release

August 8, 2025 — The following was released by Ocean Harvesters:

A press release issued yesterday by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) continues a multi-year pattern of gross dishonesty, as it presented an incomplete and misleading narrative regarding menhaden management in the Chesapeake Bay. CBF’s misleading release includes a statement from Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore that ignores and disparages the established science, and the regulatory framework that ensures the fishery remains sustainable and responsibly managed.

In response, Ocean Harvesters has issued the following:

The CBF release refers to “growing warning signs around the Chesapeake Bay”:

“There are clear signs of peril in the Chesapeake, and menhaden are one of the connecting threads.“

This claim is not supported by any independent, peer-reviewed science, but rather represents the biased opinion of a special interest group. The assertion that “there are clear signs of peril in the Chesapeake, and menhaden are one of the connecting threads” overstates both the available scientific evidence and the known ecological dynamics of the Bay. While ecosystem concerns merit monitoring, attributing broad Chesapeake Bay challenges to already conservative menhaden harvest regulations is not supported by the best available science.

In 2024, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) presented data to the ASMFC on osprey populations which showed osprey reproduction challenges and nest failures occurring on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coast, including many areas with no menhaden fishery at all. In a letter to Congress earlier this year, USGS said it found no direct link between regulated menhaden harvests and declining osprey populations. The federal agency emphasized that multiple, complex factors, including weather, predation and prey access, contribute to ecological trends in the Bay.

 

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey present a slide to the ASMFC showing that the recent leveling-off in Maryland and Virginia osprey populations, after years of explosive growth, is a phenomenon also being seen in states across the nation, on both the East and West Coast.

Ocean Harvesters menhaden fishermen.

 

The statement includes: “This new timing of intense fishing pressure may be contributing to the problems facing the Chesapeake Bay.”

Any adjustment in the timing of Bay fishing is minor and reflects natural shifts in the seasonal population dynamics of menhaden, not a quantifiable increase in harvest pressure or ecological harm. No scientific evidence has established any link between this timing shift and the broad ecological challenges described in the release.

While the press release references anecdotal concerns from Maryland fishers, it omits mention of well-documented water quality issues in Maryland that may also explain the localized fishery observations cited.

Another claim in the statement reads: “One foreign-owned company consistently prevents progress in Virginia, and now coastwide at the ASMFC.”

This statement is inaccurate. Omega Protein is a Virginia-based processing company, and the menhaden are harvested by Ocean Harvesters, a separate American-owned and operated company whose crews are overwhelmingly local, unionized, and multi-generational, represented by UFCW Local 400, AFL-CIO. This domestic fleet works in full compliance with harvest controls, vessel reporting, and ecosystem-based management thresholds set by the ASMFC. CBF is clearly attempting to mislead the audience with distorted information and is crossing a very serious ethical line of misinformation that merits further scrutiny.

CBF’s repeated implication that the industry has obstructed scientific research misrepresents the actual facts. Ocean Harvesters supported a comprehensive ecosystem study of the menhaden fishery developed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) in 2021. However, the proposal that later emerged in the Virginia General Assembly used a lower cost, novel methodology that had not undergone scientific peer review. The industry raised legitimate concerns-not about research itself, but about relying on an untested approach for such a politically charged issue. CBF has repeatedly and inaccurately characterized this as blanket opposition to science. In fact, the industry continues to support the original, science-based study design developed by ASMFC, and no menhaden research could be conducted without longstanding industry cooperation.

The statement concludes: “The Chesapeake’s fisheries and predators can’t wait. Menhaden are key to a thriving Chesapeake Bay, and a healthy, productive Chesapeake is vital to the entire Atlantic coast.”

There is simply no Chesapeake Bay crisis that would threaten fisheries or predators. The menhaden fishery is already one of the most scientifically scrutinized in the United States.

The menhaden fishery is currently:

  • Not overfished, and overfishing is not occurring, as confirmed by repeated stock assessments.
  • Certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
  • Governed by ecosystem reference points that account for predator-prey relationships
  • Subject to real-time reporting, seasonal harvest caps, and rigorous monitoring under ASMFC’s management plan

Here is the true threat: CBF’s statements add up to nothing more than scare tactics that threatens the livelihood of hundreds of blue collar, multi-generational employees, many of whom are minority and UFCW Local 400 union workers, in Virginia’s Northern Neck.

About Ocean Harvesters
Ocean Harvesters owns and operates a fleet of more than 30 fishing vessels in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The company’s purse-seine fishing operation is exclusively engaged in the harvest of menhaden, a small, nutrient-dense fish used to produce fish meal, fish oil, and fish solubles. Both its Atlantic and Gulf Menhaden fisheries are certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. Committed to responsible fishing operations, Ocean Harvesters is proud to be heir to a fishing legacy that extends nearly 150 years.

Marine Stewardship Council Appoints Laura McDearis as New U.S. Program Director Amid Rising Demand for Sustainable Seafood

July 31, 2025 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world’s leading certification and ecolabeling program for sustainable wild-caught seafood, has appointed Laura McDearis as Program Director for MSC U.S. – a pivotal leadership move as the nation faces rising consumer demand for sustainable seafood and increasing pressure to safeguard marine ecosystems. In her new role, McDearis will lead the MSC’s U.S. program, supporting fisheries, seafood businesses, and stakeholders as they work to meet the growing demand for certified sustainable seafood.

McDearis steps into the role at a strong moment for the MSC in the U.S. With global seafood demand projected to double by 2050, ensuring fisheries are managed sustainably is critical to food security. The U.S. is the largest supplier of MSC certified sustainable seafood globally; approximately 85% of all U.S. fisheries are MSC certified representing 61 unique species. The MSC blue fish label now appears on over 1,380 unique products available at retailers across the U.S. in canned, frozen, fresh, supplements and pet aisles.  Consumer recognition is also growing and trust remains high: one third of American seafood consumers recognize the MSC ecolabel, and 73% have high trust in the label. As the MSC marks 25 years of certified sustainable fisheries in the U.S., its impact on the water continues to grow, supporting a thriving, resilient seafood industry and driving meaningful long-term sustainability.
“Laura brings extensive experience in the seafood industry, program management, and stakeholder collaboration to this leadership position,” said Erika Feller, MSC Americas Regional Director. “Her proven track record will help us continue to strengthen the MSC’s role in the U.S. and ensure healthy oceans for future generations.”
McDearis’s appointment comes at a time when sustainable seafood is no longer a niche concern – it’s a global imperative. With climate change, overfishing, and shifting consumer expectations reshaping the seafood landscape, the MSC’s role in developing rigorous standards and promoting environmentally sustainable practices has never been more vital.
McDearis brings nearly 15 years of experience in sustainable fisheries to the role. Since joining the MSC in 2017, McDearis has led corporate partnerships and commitments to certified sustainable seafood across the US. Her background includes work in Alaska for a sportfishing lodge, being an observer in the Alaska snow crab fishery, serving as a fisheries management consultant for Ecuadorian spiny lobster, and co-founding a sustainable seafood company in California.
“I am honored to take on this leadership role with the MSC team and look forward to working closely with our fishery and commercial partners to make certified sustainable seafood easily accessible and recognizable around the globe,” said McDearis. “Together, we can ensure that wild seafood remains a vital, healthy, and environmentally sustainable resource for generations to come.”
For more than 25 years, the MSC has worked to demonstrate sustainable fishing practices through its independent, third-party certification. Today, 19.3% of the world’s wild marine catch is engaged in the MSC program.
About the Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to ending overfishing and ensuring seafood supplies for the future. The MSC Fisheries Standard is the world’s most widely used sustainability standard for wild-caught seafood, and the MSC blue fish label helps consumers identify products from fisheries that are independently certified as sustainable and well-managed. For more information, visit www.msc.org.
 

Del Mar Seafoods expanding operations with new facility

July 15, 2025 — Watsonville, California, U.S.A.-based Del Mar Seafoods has expanded its operations with the lease of a new facility.

Founded in 1988, Del Mar Seafoods is a vertically integrated seafood producer and processor in California that produces and supplies over 30 million pounds of squid, anchovies, and other wild-caught species per year. The company was a part of collaboration to obtain Marine Stewardship Council certification for the California squid fishery, which was ultimately granted in 2023.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

MSC announces USD 6.4 million investment in fishery sustainability fund

June 18, 2025 — Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chief Executive Rupert Howes has announced that the organization will make a USD 6.4 million (EUR 5.6 million) investment in its Ocean Stewardship Fund by 2030.

Since its inception in 2019, the Ocean Stewardship Fund has channeled USD 8.8 million (EUR 7.7 million) into over 200 fisheries and projects worldwide, nearly 90 of which were in developing economies. The fund’s main goal is to end overfishing, but it also supports a wide variety of initiatives that make fisheries more sustainable.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Workers’ rights campaign continues push for Wi-Fi on distant-water fishing vessels

March 25, 2025 — Silwanus, an Indonesian migrant fisher, was working aboard the Marine Stewardship Council-certified (MSC) Taiwanese distant-water vessel Chang Yi No. 368 in 2024 when a refrigerator door slammed shut during a big wave and severed his fingertips. 

“My fingers are gone. If help would have been there right away, maybe my fingers would not be lost,” he told SeafoodSource through translator Truly Walean during the 2025 Seafood Expo North America (SENA), which ran from 16 to 18 March.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

MSC 2025 Small Pelagic Yearbook calls for action on overfished, vulnerable stocks

March 13, 2025 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has published its 2025 Small Pelagics Yearbook, sharing market data, insights, and suggestions for pelagic fisheries’ stakeholders.

The yearbook included a 2024 survey conducted by MSC and Globescan that found consumers are highly concerned with the fate of the world’s oceans, with 91 percent saying that they are worried about the issue and nearly 70 percent saying they are willing to change their behaviors to protect fish and seafood in the future.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

ALASKA: Alaska’s salmon fishery passes MSC audits, marking 25 years of certification

February 18, 2025 — The Alaskan salmon fishery has met all Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard requirements related to its hatcheries after a recent audit, allowing it to continue possessing its certification.

MRAG Americas, an independent assessment body, determined Alaska’s salmon fishery met the MSC’s hatchery management standards, which include comprehensive marking of hatchery-produced salmon to track the origin of fish to certain hatcheries. The tracking is designed to allow fishery managers to assess and regulate fishery contributions and interactions between hatchery salmon and wild salmon.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Alaska Salmon Fishery Closes Hatchery-Related Conditions on Marine Stewardship Council Certificate in Latest Audit

February 14, 2025 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Alaska salmon fishery has successfully met all Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Standard requirements related to hatcheries, according to a recent audit by independent assessment body MRAG Americas. This achievement was possible through dedicated efforts by the Alaska Fishery Development Foundation, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s (ADF&G) Commercial Fisheries Division and Alaska Private Non-Profit Hatchery Corporations and reinforces Alaska’s commitment to environmentally sustainable fishing under MSC certification.

A Legacy of Sustainability
Alaska has a long history of demonstrated success in sustainable management of wild salmon runs as a constitutionally mandated priority. Alaska salmon fisheries have been MSC-certified for 25 years, making them one of the longest-running certificate holders. Through annual audits and five-year recertifications, these fisheries consistently meet MSC’s globally recognized standards for sustainable fish stocks, ecosystem protection, and effective management. In November 2024, the fishery was recertified, marking a quarter-century of engagement in the MSC program.
Advancements in Hatchery Research & Management
In collaboration with the ADF&G, Alaska fisheries have implemented comprehensive marking of hatchery production salmon in order to track the origin of fish to certain hatcheries and to assess and regulate fishery contributions and hatchery-wild interactions. The MSC audit confirmed that Alaska’s hatchery management practices and strategies align with wild salmon conservation policies, ensuring long-term sustainability.
Science-Driven Conservation
The State of Alaska Hatchery Research Project, led by ADF&G and a panel of state, federal, and academic scientists, played a key role in evaluating hatchery-wild salmon interactions. The latest MSC audit reaffirmed that wild salmon populations continue to thrive, maintaining the necessary genetic integrity to remain productive into the future.
Global Market Trust
MSC certification provides third-party verification of sustainability, ensuring continued access to key global markets that require rigorous environmental standards. This milestone highlights the cooperative efforts of Alaska’s salmon fisheries and ADF&G to uphold sustainable, science-based fisheries management.

Multiple labor activists send letter to MSC demanding action on labor abuse in seafood industry

February 12, 2025 — A group of labor activist organizations have sent an open letter to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) pushing the seafood certifier to do more to combat forced labor incidents.

The letter was sent by the Seafood Working Group (SWG), a coalition of labor rights groups comprising Global Labor Justice, International Transport Workers’ Federation, Humanity United, Freedom Fund, and Greenpeace US. The letter said the MSC needs to do more to combat “rampant labor abuse” in the seafood industry, and criticized the MSC’s stance on the ecolabel not offering assurances that there is no forced or child labor within its fisheries.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource