Saving Seafood

National Fisheries Institute Announces New Additions to its Board of Directors

November 13, 2024 — The following was released in National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) members approved a new slate of Directors of the Board at its Annual Membership Meeting.

NFI’s bylaws allow for a 51-person Board, with 45 at-large Directors. There is an 18-person Executive Committee drawn from the Board and six officers. NFI elects a new slate of board members annually to serve three-year terms.
“This Board is comprised of some of the most knowledgeable individuals in the seafood community,” said NFI President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard. “The NFI Board of Directors’ never-ending commitment to the industry will always impress me, and I’m honored to welcome these new voices and outlooks to the Board.”
The newly elected Board members as well as Executive Committee members in italics are as follow:
Marcy
Bemiller
Candor Consulting, LLC
Founder
Frank
Bodin
Nordic Group Inc.
Vice President of Finance and Administration
Jason
Driskill
H-E-B
Vice President – Seafood
Paul
Jewer
High Liner Foods
President and CEO
Dick
Jones
Blue Ocean Mariculture
CEO
Bart
Lovejoy
Glacier Fish Company
Vice President, Global Sales
Chris
Maze
Pescanova Inc.
CEO
Ben
Medearis
Americold Logistics, LLC
Vice President, Business Development Protein Sector
Roger
O’Brien
Santa Monica Seafood Company
President and CEO
Bret
Scholtes
Cooke Aquaculture USA
Chief Operating Officer
Matthew
Simpson
Monarch LLC
President
Anjan
Tharakan
Newport International
President
Dennis
Williams
Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors
Vice President Seafood Sales & Purchasing
Lisa Webb, Gorton’s Inc. Vice President of Operations, joins the officer’s group as Treasurer and David Melbourne, President and CEO of AquaBounty Technologies, Inc., joins the officer’s group as Secretary.

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

National Fisheries Institute Statement on Emerging Farm Bill Framework

June 14, 2024 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

As the House and Senate continue work on proposed Farm Bill legislation, the emerging framework for the first time reflects a significant focus on fisheries.

Available drafts and outlines include an interest in technical assistance to help improve cold chain capacity and infrastructure, an increased awareness of the need for seafood in nutrition programs, a focus on aquaculture, and an effort to give seafood-related businesses access to much needed credit in the form of the Food Supply Chain Grant and Guaranteed Loan Program.  In addition, proposals note the need to evaluate ways to expand seafood processing in coastal communities and establish a seafood liaison at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve coordination on seafood policy.
Those leading the charge to craft a responsible path forward for the next Farm Bill, like Senators Debbie Stabenow (Chairwoman) and John Boozman (Ranking Member) , along with Representatives G.T. Thompson and David Scott, illustrate a bipartisan interest in incorporating seafood into USDA’s work and programs. The US Dietary Guidelines call for a greater emphasis on this vital protein and this effort is an acknowledgment of the important work done by hundreds of thousands of men and women in the seafood value chain who help feed America.
Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO

International Coalition of Fisheries Associations Releases Resolution Ahead of 9th Annual Our Ocean Conference

April 15, 2024 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Heading into the 9th Annual Our Ocean Conference, the International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) is calling on policy makers to make fisheries management recommendations that are realistic and holistic.

In a resolution posted on the group’s website (fishcoalition.org), they note that without a balanced approach, people starve; active fisheries management works, lines on a map don’t; and the Blue Economy is as green as it gets.

People Starve Without a Balanced Approach: A balance among conservation, sustainable use of natural resources and food security is important.

Active Fisheries Management Works, Lines on a Map Don’t: Effective fisheries management is the strongest tool to simultaneously protect ocean health while also fostering human development. Focusing solely on creating Marine Protected Areas without considering the sustainable use of marine resources and the needs of coastal communities may have detrimental effects on food security and livelihoods.

The Blue Economy is as Green as It Gets: The fishing industry is committed to being an active participant in solutions for climate change resilience. It is crucial to recognize that fisheries products, with their low carbon footprint and essential nutritional value, play a pivotal role in achieving global climate objectives.

ICFA’s Immediate Past Chair Javier Garat will attend the conference and will participate in a side event hosted by the European Bureau for Conservation and Development entitled “Food Security: The Role of Sustainable Aquatic Blue Foods in the Green Transition.” ICFA member Esben Sverdup-Jensen from Danish Pelagic Producers Organisation will be participating in Plenary Session VII: Promoting Sustainable Fisheries, scheduled for April 17.
ICFA includes 24 seafood industry associations from Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Latin America. The coalition participates in the Convention on Biological Diversity, the FAO Committee on Fisheries, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, among others.
ICFA is in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

The NFI Sushi Council Announces Founding Members

April 10, 2024 –– The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Institute Sushi Council has announced its roster of founding members. Following a successful membership campaign, the Council has engaged 26 companies to support its food safety initiative.

“The Sushi Council is a total supply chain effort,” Chairman Michael McNicholas, Culimer USA LLC, said. “Our founding member list represents every facet of the raw and ready-to-eat community making a strong and broad foundation for the council to build on.”

In its inaugural year, the NFI Sushi Council has formed as a precompetitive partnership to enhance sushi product integrity and promote industry-led food safety. Coalescing during a period of tremendous growth for the seafood cuisine, the Council will develop and distribute food safety guidance tailored to sushi’s specialized supply chain.

“In just over a month, the Sushi Council has gone from 8 members to 26, a testament to the interest and relevance of our work,” said Council Executive Committee Member Daryl Gormley of Aquamar. “There are still plenty of seats at the Council table for legacy and startup sushi companies alike to assist in creating a more robust and responsible value chain.”

The Council’s founding members are a water-to-table rollcall of leading names in harvesting, processing, distribution, restaurant and retail. This select group is helping chart the course of an evolution in food safety guidance for the sushi sector.

Encouraged by the latest membership surge and to promote council participation from an even broader cross-section of the marketplace, the NFI Sushi Council has extended the window for founding membership status. Those interested in Council membership can contact NFI Sushi Council Liaison Richard Barry, rbarry@nfi.org.

Current founding members of the NFI Sushi Council include AFC, Anova, Aquamar, Bakkafrost, Blue Ocean Mariculture, Blue Sea Products, BlueNalu, Clearwater Seafoods, Culimer USA LLC, DNI Group, Eastern Fish Company, Fisher King Seafoods, F.W. Bryce, Hofseth North America, Jensen Tuna, Kura Sushi USA, Nordic Aquafarms California, Pier Fish Company, Red Shell Sushi, Sea Delight, SeaFresh Group, Shinkei Systems, Slade Gorton & Company, Tokyo Gardens Catering, True World Foods and Ultco.

NFI Shares Seafood Industry Labor Principles Following India Shrimp Labor Abuse Reports

March 27, 2024 — Late last week, following the multiple reports on human rights and environmental abuse within India’s shrimp industry, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) Executive Committee of the Board of Directors adopted and shared the “Seafood Industry Labor Principles, A Commitment By NFI Members.”

“There is no place for labor abuse in the seafood supply chain,” the document reads. “Every worker should have freedom of movement and no worker should be coerced to work.”

The Associated Press, Outlaw Ocean Project, and Corporate Accountability Lab (CAL) all released reports last week exposing alleged labor abuse within India’s shrimp industry. Choice Canning Company, which has been exporting seafood products from India for the past 67 years, was named by a whistleblower in the report put out by Outlaw Ocean Project. According to the whistleblower, a 45-year-old American named Joshua Farinella, some Choice Canning workers were prohibited from leaving the facility. As general manager of Choice Canning’s plant six miles northeast of Amalapuram, Farinella also found himself covering up overcrowding when inspectors came, and even sending out shrimp that knowingly tested positive for antibiotics.

Read the full article at Seafoodnews.com

National Fisheries Institute Breaks Its Own Membership Record

February 27, 2024 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

At a time when there are great challenges within the sector, companies are uniting under the National Fisheries Institute’s umbrella to find collective solutions. In 2023, NFI broke its record for new members in a single year, welcoming 22 companies in 12 months. In just the first two months of 2024, the nation’s largest seafood association has already broken that record welcoming 23 new members.

“We’re hearing from so many companies that now is an important time to engage and help chart the trajectory of the seafood industry,” said NFI President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard. “NFI members agree that seafood is the solution for feeding future generations.”
NFI continues to diversify its membership with the addition of innovative upstart companies and traditional industry powerhouses.
“NFI is in the midst of its own strategic planning that will help design its course for the next 3 to 5 years, and likely beyond,” said NFI Chair Santiago Alvarez, CEO of Alpha Gamma Group. “Shaping seafood’s narrative, growing support for advocacy efforts, and connecting the industry is at the heart of that effort. And as we’ve seen, the seafood community understands that now is an ideal time to be a part of NFI.”

In addition to the membership numbers, the association announced this year’s Global Seafood Market Conference saw its largest attendance ever. NFI is proud to support the upcoming 2024 Seafood Expo North America and Seafood Processing North America with current and new members exhibit booths spanning the expo hall.

NFI will hold its annual Leadership Summit, September 23-26 at the Intercontinental Wharf, Washington, D.C.

The NFI Sushi Council Begins Inaugural Year

February 20, 2024 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Institute is pleased to announce the formation of the NFI Sushi Council. A pre-competitive stakeholder group, the Sushi Council is made up of harvesters, processors, distributors, and end-users at retail and foodservice working to enhance sushi product integrity and promote industry-led food safety.

“Sushi has achieved household status and is a major contributor to U.S. seafood consumption,” Chairman Michael McNicholas, of Culimer USA LLC, said. “The surge in popularity of raw and ready-to-eat products needs to be met with a similarly robust industry voice that advocates and advances the highest standard of handling and preparation for seafood destined for the sushi market.”

The NFI Sushi Council will develop and distribute food safety guidance tailored to sushi’s specialized supply chain. A working group combining industry, government, and academia has formed under the Council’s direction to detail hazards and needed control measures. The resulting guidance will draw on existing compliance documents and stakeholder expertise to produce plainspoken and accessible resources for seafood professionals working in every step of the value chain from fish farms and processing facilities all the way to the sushi counter.

“We rely on strong partnerships throughout sushi’s global supply line,” said Council Executive Committee member Daryl Gormley of AquaMar. “Our goal is to maintain a superior product from harvest to final preparation, and we’re recruiting partners to join this effort now.”

The NFI Sushi Council will next meet in Boston at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) on Sunday, March 10, at 8:30 a.m. NFI Sushi Council’s Executive Committee will host a panel on March 11 at 2:45 p.m. during the SENA Conference Program to discuss U.S. sushi market dynamics and the council’s food safety mission.

Companies joining the NFI Sushi Council before April 1, 2024, will receive the designation of Founding Council Members. Current founding members include Aquamar, BlueNalu, Blue Ocean Mariculture, Culimer USA LLC, Eastern Fish Company, Red Shell Sushi, Shinkei Systems Corp and True World Foods.

Those interested in Council membership and in attending the Council’s SENA events can contact NFI Sushi Council Liaison Richard Barry, rbarry@nfi.org.

On the Russian front

January 26, 2024 — Dealing with Russian fisheries as the war in Ukraine drags on, on Jan. 16, Trident Seafoods announced its decision to terminate its longstanding relationship with the National Fisheries Institute (NFI). While acknowledging their history with NFI, Trident stated in its press release that it had reached a crossroads with NFI on two issues: Trident accused NFI of a lack of neutrality and transparency and mentioned it could not support NFI advocating for the presence of Russian seafood in the US market.

“NFI’s decision to advocate for the continued presence of Russian-harvested seafood in the U.S. market runs counter to national and international efforts to restrict Russia’s ability to prosecute its war against Ukraine, ignores the broad and bipartisan support in Congress for the Administration’s actions, favors keeping U.S. consumers in the dark about their seafood choices, and supports importers of Russian-harvested seafood processed in China over a fair and competitive business climate and the long-term health of the U.S. seafood supply chain,” says the Trident press release.

As Trident takes a bold stand on allowing Russian fish into the U.S., Russian politicians and bloggers are advocating a takeover of Alaska. On Jan. 19, the Russian news agency Tass reported that Vladimir Putin had signed a decree that “will allocate funds for an effort to find, register and ensure legal protection of Russia’s property abroad, including property of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire.”

Read the full article at National Fisherman

Trident drops out of National Fisheries Institute over Russian fish ban

January 21, 2024 — Trident Seafoods has terminated its membership in the National Fisheries Institute – the largest seafood industry trade group in the U.S. – and ended its participation in NFI’s Executive Committee.

In a Jan. 17 statement, Trident said the decision was in response to a disagreement with NFI on the latter organization’s desire for the U.S. to import Russia-sourced seafood.

“Trident has been a proud member of NFI since 1978, and the decision to change our membership status is not one we take lightly. Unfortunately, Trident has hit a crossroads with NFI as it relates to two important areas,” Trident said. “NFI did not stay neutral on a significant public policy disagreement within its membership and made no effort to address opposing views clearly and transparently, contrary to well-established rules of the road for trade associations.”

The U.S. seafood industry has been split in its reaction to U.S. President Joe Biden’s effort to ban Russian seafood through two executive orders – the second of which, issued Dec. 22, includes imports of Russia-originated seafood processed in third countries, including China.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman