Saving Seafood

Seafood will get more attention in development of new U.S. dietary guidelines

September 10, 2019 — Federal agencies are meeting through next March to define U.S. dietary guidelines for 2020-25, and a high-powered group of doctors and nutritionists is making sure the health benefits of seafood are front and center.

For the first time in the 40-year history of the program, the dietary guidelines committee has posted the questions it is going to consider. They include the role of seafood in the neurocognitive development in pregnant moms for their babies, and in the diet of kids from birth to 24 months directly, said Dr. Tom Brenna, professor of pediatrics and nutrition at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas.

“We really got jazzed when we saw that because we wanted to figure out what the committee would find when it does its literature search on what medical evidence is out there and boy, did we find a lot,” Brenna said.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

Mom-focused seafood marketing campaign delivers healthy returns in US

May 30, 2019 — Soon after a U.S. pediatric doctors’ group said that children need to eat more seafood, the Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) delivered some hopeful news for the cause, confirming that its recent marketing campaign targeted at mothers was highly successful.

In partnership with seafood suppliers such as Starkist, Trident, Bumble Bee, and Verlasso, the coupon and digital campaign that ran for eight weeks during Lent generated a 300 percent return on investment, SNP said. The organization’s investment of USD 100,000 (EUR 90,000) produced approximately USD 300,000 (EUR 269,000) in sales growth, SNP President Linda Cornish told SeafoodSource.

Notably, sales of seafood in supermarkets in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the pilot campaign took place, rose 2.4 percent during the promotional period. Frozen finfish soared more than 11 percent, far outperforming national sales growth of less than 3 percent, according to SNP.

“We surveyed local moms and poured over a lot of data to really understand the audience. We found that Indy-area moms like seafood and they want to eat it more, but they didn’t think their families would eat it,” Cornish said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Trump Administration Wants to Cut Budget for NOAA, But Congress Unlikely to Accept

February 20, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — Seafood News Editor’s Note: The story below lays out known facts about the cuts to the federal budget made by the Trump Administration. However, it is unlikely that Congress will accept these cuts.

The Trump Administration’s $4.4 trillion federal budget for next year takes some mean whacks to programs that affect fisheries.

Off the top, the spending plan unveiled on February 12 cuts the budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by 20 percent to $4.6 billion. Among other things, NOAA manages the nation’s fisheries in waters from three to 200 miles offshore, which produce the bulk of Alaska’s seafood landings.

It’s the cuts within the cuts that reveal the most.

NOAA Fisheries is facing a $110.4 million drop to $837.3 million, a 14 percent budget cut. That includes a $17.7 million decrease in fisheries science and management, a $5 million cut in data collection needed for stock assessments, a $5.1 million reduction in funding for catch share programs and a $2.9 million cut to cooperative research programs.

The proposals for NOAA law enforcement are even more severe – a decline of $17.8 million is a 25 percent budget reduction.

“The entire law enforcement reduction is coming from the agency’s cooperative enforcement program and will eliminate funding for joint enforcement agreements with law enforcement partners from 28 states and U.S. territories,” reported the Gloucester Times.

The National Weather Service, also under NOAA’s umbrella, is facing a $75 million slice off its $1 billion budget. It will axe 355 jobs, more than a quarter of the NWS staff, including 248 forecasters.

Trump also wants to cut $4.8 million from habitat and conservation programs, wiping out funding and grants for NOAA’s fisheries habitat restoration projects.

The Trump plan proposes gutting $40 million from NOAA climate change programs, which would eliminate competitive grants for research and end studies on global warming in the Arctic, including predictions of sea-ice and fisheries in a changing climate.

The national Sea Grant College Program, which conducts research, training and education at more than 30 U.S. universities, is again on the chopping block.

Funding for programs under the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that monitor earthquakes and volcanoes would each drop by 21 percent. The USGS water-resources program, which includes the national stream-gauge network, would be reduced 23 percent.

Trump proposes to cut the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget to $6.1 billion in 2019, its lowest level since the early 1990s and about 25 percent below the current mark.

The EPA budget also eliminates funding for climate-change research while providing $502 million for fossil energy research, an increase of nearly 24 percent.

Seafood sales also could be badly hurt by proposed deep cuts to food stamps, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Instead of shopping at grocery stores, under Trump’s plan recipients would receive boxes of shelf-stable commodity items such as powdered milk, juices, pasta, peanut butter, and canned meats, fruits and vegetables.

“Seafood is the only major food group that is not considered a USDA commodity. If the new food delivery platform is going to put an emphasis on commodity goods, then that will leave out lean, heart-healthy seafood,” said Linda Cornish, president of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

Closer to home, Trump also plans to stop federal funding for the Denali Commission, introduced by Congress in 1998 as an independent agency to provide critical utilities, infrastructure and economic support throughout Alaska.  The plan calls for a $10 million cut out of $17 million, with the difference going to an “orderly closure.”

The White House says that any state that can afford to pay its residents an annual dividend doesn’t need a “unique and additional federal subsidy” such as the commission, wrote longtime Alaska journalist Dermot Cole. Trump added that “the commissions’ effectiveness at improving overall economic conditions remains unproven.”

The FY19 budget, which goes into effect on October 1, now goes before Congress.

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

 

Proposed changes to food stamps program could take a bite out of seafood sales

February 16, 2018 — U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2019 budget proposal, which includes deep cuts to the U.S. food stamp program, could harm seafood sales at U.S. supermarket chains, organizations told SeafoodSource.

The Trump administration proposes slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or “food stamps” program, by USD 17.2 billion (EUR 13.8 billion) in 2019, or around 22 percent compared to last year’s funding.

In addition, the program would shift to a boxed food delivery program. The current system allows SNAP participants to purchase their  groceries at supermarket chains, farmers markets, and other retail locations.

Under the new proposal, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), would deliver packages of U.S.-grown commodities such as shelf-stable milk, juice, grains, cereals, pasta, peanut butter, beans, along with canned meat, fruits and vegetables to recipients.

USDA estimates that it could provide the boxed delivery program at half the cost of the current retail program.

“Seafood is the only major food group that is not considered a USDA commodity. If the new food delivery platform is going to put an emphasis on commodity goods, then that will leave out lean, heart-healthy seafood, which is the only significant source of essential nutrients such as omega-3s EPA and DHA, as well as selenium,” Linda Cornish, president of Seafood Nutrition Partnership, told SeafoodSource.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

Seafood Nutrition Partnership Launches Online Education Resources for Health and Nutrition Influencers

January 23, 2017 — The following was released by Seafood Nutrition Partnership:

ARLINGTON, Va. — The nonprofit Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) has launched online education programs and resources at seafoodnutrition.org/programs and seafoodnutrition.org/resources to assist in teaching communities and individuals about the health and nutritional benefits of a seafood-rich diet. These resources have been developed for use by nutrition educators and influencers within the public health sector, healthcare organizations, schools, workplace wellness programs, and the general public.

“Through our work with health and nutrition influencers, we’ve seen an ongoing need for seafood education resources that supplement current nutrition education initiatives,” says Traci Causey, Director of Programs and Education for SNP. “The online resources we’ve created for them are both accessible and practical.”

While the latest USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating seafood twice per week and taking in at least 250mg of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA per day to support heart and brain health, only 1 in 10 Americans eat seafood twice per week, and on average Americans are taking in just 80mg of EPA and DHA per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). SNP’s online educational resources—based on Eating Heart Healthy, the organization’s community-level nutrition intervention program developed to help individuals and families incorporate seafood into their diets—are part of an effort to reverse this trend.

The online programs are designed to build awareness and increase knowledge about the health and nutritional benefits of eating seafood; offer skill-building tools to help individuals confidently purchase and prepare seafood for their family; and provide tips and advice to assist Americans in meeting the seafood recommendation outlined in the USDA Dietary Guidelines. For nutrition educators, the resources are structured to be easily incorporated into an existing program or implemented as a new, stand-alone initiative.

“Nutrition educators are frequently asked about the role of seafood in a healthy diet,” says Dr. Judith Rodriguez, Chairperson and Professor at the University of North Florida’s Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, and an SNP Board Member. “This new online resource from Seafood Nutrition Partnership is a major step towards meeting this informational and educational need.”

Read the release at PR Web

Webinar to Educate Nutrition Professionals About Seafood Benefits

September 19, 2016 — The following was released by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

On September 22, 2016 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm ET, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, and Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP), a non-profit focused on educating Americans about the importance of a seafood-rich diet, will jointly present a live webinar entitled “Seafood Nutrition: Benefits From Sea to Table.”

Designed for professionals in the fields of food and nutrition, the webinar will present research, topics and recommendations found in the 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans regarding seafood and its associated dietary health benefits.

The goal of the session is to provide professionals with the knowledge and tools to better help educate clients about incorporating seafood into their diets. Attendees will learn how to address common myths and misconceptions about seafood; apply the recommendations outlined in the 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines regarding seafood nutrition; and access digital resources about seafood nutrition and aquaculture.

Registration is now open; the fee is $19 for AND members and $49 for non-members.

Presenters include Dr. Judith Rodriguez, chairperson and professor at the University of North Florida’s Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Seafood Nutrition Partnership board member, and 85th president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Chef Jennifer Chandler, cookbook author, restaurateur and ambassador for Seafood Nutrition Partnership; and Linda Cornish, executive director, Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

“The members of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics are interested in learning more about seafood as it was highlighted in the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” says registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy spokesperson Jennifer Bruning. “We look forward to collaborating with Seafood Nutrition Partnership in presenting this valuable information to our group.”

SNP Executive Director Linda Cornish says, “The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is a true leader in nutritional education and advocacy. We’re excited to help bring AND’s members the latest guidance about seafood nutrition, and we are grateful for their work in translating this information to the general public.”

The webinar program is part of SNP’s three-year public health education campaign to help Americans learn how to improve their heart health through increased consumption of seafood. While the 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating seafood at least twice per week—translating to an average consumption of 250 mg per day of omega-3s, which is rich in essential nutrients—only 10% of Americans currently follow this recommendation.

Seafood Nutrition Partnership Celebrates National Seafood Month

September 7, 2016 — The following was released by the Seafood Nutrition Partnership:

In celebration of National Seafood Month in October, the nonprofit Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) is hosting and participating in a series of community events in eight U.S. cities, and is conducting a national seafood recipe sweepstakes.

The programming is part of SNP’s three-year public health education campaign to help Americans learn how to improve their heart health through increased consumption of seafood. While the 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating seafood at least twice per week—translating to an average consumption of 250 mg per day of omega-3s, which is rich in essential nutrients—only 10% of Americans currently follow this recommendation.

In eight target markets with high incidences of chronic diseases (Birmingham, AL; Charleston, WV; Indianapolis, IN; Jacksonville, FL; Lexington, KY; Memphis, TN; Oklahoma City, OK; and Toledo, OH), SNP will hold live events and assist community leaders in encouraging their constituents to take the Healthy Heart Pledge as a commitment to eat more seafood and supplement their diets with omega-3 fish oil.

On October 1, SNP will participate in 250 house parties across its eight target markets. Throughout October, programming will include health fairs and summits, seafood restaurant week events, cooking demonstrations and participation in major community gatherings.

Nationally, SNP is hosting the 2016 Seafood Recipe Sweepstakes, a program demonstrating how easy and delicious it is to add nutritious fish and shellfish to everyday meals. Ten sweepstakes winners, chosen at random from all entrants, will each receive a $250 gift card. The sweepstakes runs through October 21; details are available at snpsweepstakes.com.

SNP’s nutritional message continues to resonate: Last year, its ongoing public health campaign generated a total of 250 million earned media impressions nationally and in local markets.

SNP Executive Director Linda Cornish said, “We are excited to introduce more consumer education programs to teach Americans about the critical importance of seafood nutrition in supporting heart and brain health.”

See the full release at the Seafood Nutrition Partnership

Invitation To Host Seafood Nutrition House Party This National Seafood Month

August 22, 2016 — The following was released by Seafood Nutrition Partnership:

ARLINGTON, Va. — The non-profit Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) is inviting 250 people to host a Seafood Nutrition House Party this October 1. The 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating seafood at least twice a week to take in at least 250mg of omega-3s EPA+DHA per day. Currently only 1 in 10 Americans follow this guideline. This program will help build awareness for the need to include critical seafood nutrition in regular meals.

The program overview is as follows: Share a fun meal with some amazing seafood recipes by hosting a Seafood Nutrition House Party! Apply now for one of your own: http://www.houseparty.com/event/seafoodnutrition.
This program is only open to residents located in SNP’s 8 Target Markets in AL, FL, IN, KY, OH, OK, TN and WV.

This is a great chance to get your friends together for a fun meal with some amazing seafood recipes as you learn how eating seafood twice a week is essential for a healthy heart. At your party, you’ll showcase your passion for seafood and heart health, and Seafood Nutrition Partnership will provide everything you need to make it a success. So invite all your friends over to take the Healthy Heart Pledge, enjoy delicious recipes and have a great time learning how important and easy it is to incorporate seafood into your meals every week.

SNP Executive Director Linda Cornish said, “We invite everyone interested in seafood nutrition to plan a Seafood House Party on October 1 and use hashtag #SeafoodParty2016 and #HealthyHeartPledge to kick off National Seafood Month 2016!”

When you use the #HealthyHeartPledge hashtag you’re taking our Healthy Heart Pledge. That means you recognize seafood is a healthy choice for you and your family and you’ll pledge to eat at least two servings of seafood each week and supplement with omega-3s. You can learn more about the Healthy Heart Pledge and sign up for our newsletter for helpful information to help you eat more sustainable seafood on http://www.seafoodnutrition.org/healthy-heart-pledge.html

2016 Seafood Nutrition Partnership Recipe Sweepstakes Launches Nationwide

August 15, 2016 — The following was released by the Seafood Nutrition Partnership:

ARLINGTON, Va. — The non-profit Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) launches the 2016 Seafood Recipe Sweepstakes in the United States to encourage people to incorporate more seafood into regular meals. The 2015-2020 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating seafood at least twice a week and to take in at least 250mg of omega-3s EPA+DHA per day. Currently only 1 in 10 Americans follow this guideline.

As part of SNP’s 3-year public health education Healthy Heart Pledge campaign, the 2016 Seafood Nutrition Partnership Recipe Sweepstakes encourages people to show how easy, delicious, and nutritious fish and shellfish can be to add to weekly meals. “We are excited to introduce this consumer education program to teach Americans about the critical importance seafood nutrition has in supporting heart and brain health,” said SNP Executive Director Linda Cornish. “This program not only highlights the health benefits seafood offers, but also how simple, easy and delicious it is to incorporate seafood at least twice a week into your regular meals.”

Beginning today through October 21st, people are encouraged to share a photo of a seafood dish prepared using 5 ingredients or less (not counting spices/garnishes) on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags #HealthyHeartPledge and #SNPSweepstakes for a chance to win a $250 gift card. A total of ten winners will be randomly selected in accordance with the Sweepstakes Schedule, with winners being announced on http://www.SNPSweepstakes.com and SNP’s Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Official instructions and rules of the sweepstakes are as follows:

  • Share a photo of a seafood dish prepared using five (5) ingredients or less (not counting spices/garnishes) and list the ingredients or provide a link to a page, which includes a list of the ingredients, and, if possible, include the directions in the social post or via a link.
  • Post to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags #HealthyHeartPledge and #SNPSweepstakes.
  • A total of ten winners will be randomly selected in accordance with the Sweepstakes Schedule to win a $250 gift card. People can submit one entry per day, and SNP will announce winners on http://www.SNPSweepstakes.com, and SNP’s Instagram and Twitter accounts.
  • No purchase necessary. The sweepstakes ends on 10/21/16. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. and D.C., 18 and older. For Official Rules, including odds, and prize descriptions, visit http://www.SNPSweepstakes.com. Void where prohibited.
  • By posting the #HealthyHeartPledge hashtag, you are taking SNP’s Healthy Heart Pledge. This means you recognize seafood is a healthy choice for you and your family and you’ll pledge to eat at least two servings of seafood each week and supplement with omega-3s. You can learn more about the Healthy Heart Pledge and sign up for our newsletter for information to help you eat more sustainable seafood on http://www.seafoodnutrition.org/healthy-heart-pledge.html

Seafood Nutrition Partnership Launches National Public Health Education Campaign

WASHINGTON — October 7, 2015 — The following was released by the Seafood Nutrition Partnership:

Today, the Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) is launching a first-of-its- kind, three-year public health education campaign across the country to help the underserved and all Americans better understand the nutritional benefits of eating seafood and its positive impact on improving heart health.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, taking the lives of more Americans prematurely than any other preventable disease. The grassroots education campaign launches in nine cities this October, National Seafood Month, and aims to encourage Americans, especially the underserved, to eat seafood twice a week, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which research has shown can lower the risk of heart disease by 36 percent.

Last year, the Seafood Nutrition Partnership concluded its Eating Heart Healthy pilot program conducted in partnership with Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston targeting low-income women with a high rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The program was designed to help women curb their risk of heart disease through a seafood-rich diet. For four weeks, female residents of Roxbury Tenants of Harvard (RTH), a nonprofit affordable-housing community for low- and moderate-income families, participated in heart health- focused talks and cooking demonstrations, sampled omega-3 capsules, and were provided seafood recipes that can feed a family of four for $10 per meal.

At the end of the program, it was estimated that 92 percent of participants lowered their risk of sudden cardiac death, and 6 in 10 participants were at a lower risk for general cardiac problems.

“I try to eat well, but it’s difficult to cook healthy meals when you work full-time,” said Jacquie Boston, an Eating Heart Healthy program participant and resident of RTH. “The Eating Heart Healthy program transformed my life and my family’s life. Now, I have the skills to prepare heart- healthy meals.”

Based on the success of the pilot Eating Heart Healthy program, American Heart Association recently awarded a Go Red for Women grant to support the effort Boston, as the program expands this year to Seattle, Washington, D.C., and several other cities.

The launch of SNP’s national public health education campaign this month follows the success of pilots in Memphis, TN and Indianapolis, IN, last year. SNP partnered with local chefs, stakeholders, community leaders and health professionals to host cooking demonstrations, free health screenings to check omega-3 levels, week-long restaurant events, and to distribute free health education literature and recipes highlighting the nutritional benefits of seafood.

The campaign is focused on helping Americans, particularly the underserved, in nine cities: Birmingham, Alabama; Charleston, West Virginia; Golden Isles, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Florida; Lexington, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Toledo, Ohio.

“The USDA HHS dietary guidelines recommend eating seafood twice a week for optimal health, yet only 1 in 10 Americans follow this advice,” said Linda Cornish, Executive Director, Seafood Nutrition Partnership. “We hope to inspire a healthier America by promoting a nutrient-rich diet that includes seafood.”

As part of the campaign launch, SNP is making available a white paper, “Breaking Barriers: Empowering America’s Underserved with Resources and Access to a Healthy Diet,” highlighting the health crisis among Americans, and particularly the underserved, who too often lack access to healthy foods, including seafood.

Read the release here