Saving Seafood

U.S. squid producers ally with others to fight illegal fishing

July 21, 2021 — Several prominent U.S squid producers and suppliers have joined with European, Canadian and Australian counterparts in creating a new international working group to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing through their global supply chains.

Working with technical support from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, the new IUU working group includes:

  • Aqua Star, Seattle
  • Beaver Street Fisheries, Jacksonville, Fla.
  • Crocker & Winsor Seafoods, Needham, Mass.
  • Lund’s Fisheries, Cape May, N.J.
  • Netuno, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
  • Panapesca, Pembroke, Mass.
  • Sun Coast Calamari, Oxnard, Calif.
  • The Town Dock, Narragansett, R.I.

The Squid IUU Prevention Working Group was formed by members of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership’s Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable (Global Squid SR), which brings together squid producers and suppliers to work together in a pre-competitive environment to drive improvement efforts in squid fisheries practices, management and policy.

“As importers and distributors of processed squid products, the Working Group members are united in their desire to clearly prohibit IUU-sourced squid product and labor and human rights abuses in their supply chains,” according to a statement from the partnership, an international marine conservation group founded in 2006.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Gulf of Saint Lawrence snow crab fishery withdraws from MSC, launches new FIP

June 16, 2021 — A new comprehensive fishery improvement project (FIP) has been launched by New Brunswick and Quebec seafood processors and fishermen associations, which they hope will lead to reduced entanglements with North Atlantic right whales.

The main objective of the new FIP is to regain Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the fishery, which was suspended for Area 12 and Sub-Areas 12 E and 12 F in 2018 due to incidents resulting in right whale deaths. As part of the launch of the new FIP, the fishery has “decided to withdraw” from the MSC program to focus its efforts on the improvements needed to regain certification – in part because the FIP would run past the expiration date of the suspended certification – according to a release by the recently launched “snow crab zone 12.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Walton Family Foundation grants USD 6.7 million to Sustainable Fisheries Partnership

June 9, 2021 — The Walton Family Foundation has pledged USD 6.7 million (EUR 5.5 million) to support the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, renewing its foundational grant to the seafood sustainability-focused nonprofit.

The Walton Family Foundation support of SFP is aimed at advancing sustainability initiatives covering octopus, tuna, shrimp, squid, mahi, whitefish, reduction fisheries, blue swimming crab, and snapper and grouper. SFP is in the midst of its Target 75 campaign, which seeks to move 75 percent of the global production of crucial seafood sectors into fisheries certified as sustainable (Marine Stewardship Council-certified or equivalent) or classified as improving under a credible fishery improvement project.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

University of Washington and SFP release comprehensive new FIP database

February 25, 2021 — The Hilborn Lab at the University of Washington and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) have released an updated version of their Fishery Improvement Projects Database (FIP-DB). UW and SFP, which released the update on Wednesday, 24 February, are calling the database the “world’s most comprehensive resource for current and historical information on fishery improvement projects (FIPs),” with data from all the globe’s 249 FIPs.

Nicole Baker, a research scientist for the Hilborn Lab, said the database will function as a guide to help analyze and implement new FIP measures.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

SFP report: Global reduction fishery sustainability continues to slip

October 16, 2020 — The latest report by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) on the state of the planet’s reduction fisheries has found that the sector has continued to see a decrease in sustainability since 2018.

The report found that overall the sustainability of reduction fisheries – fisheries which go primarily to producing fish meals and oil – has remained relatively steady, with a few key fisheries showing drops in sustainability. In addition, the share of the catch from the “poorly managed” category of reduction fisheries jumped, and accounts for 22 percent of the global catch of reduction fisheries.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Walmart, Major Retailers Call for Governments to Ensure Sustainably Produced Tuna during COVID-19

May 7, 2020 — The following was released by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership:

The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and more than 50 retailers, brands, and seafood companies,* including Walmart, Publix, Nestle, Carrefour, and Tesco, today called on the United States, European Union, and approximately 45 governments to implement electronic monitoring in tuna fisheries to protect workers and ensure fishing continues to be sustainable.

“We are key stakeholders in these fisheries and strongly wish to see the environmental impact of these fisheries managed in a manner consistent with our procurement specifications for sustainable sourcing,” the companies wrote.

In a letter issued today, the companies urged the governments to move rapidly and urgently through the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) to make electronic monitoring an accepted alternative to human observer coverage in tuna fisheries. This technology already exists, but the governments and RFMOs have been slow to adopt its use.

In April, at-sea observer programs in tuna fisheries were suspended by the RFMOs, the international governmental bodies responsible for their management, due to COVID-19. Observers document activities and collect data essential to conservation.

The companies also called for greater transparency to advance the fully effective implementation of electronic monitoring on all fleets and regular review of the COVID-19 situation and risks of restoring human at-sea observers at the earliest safe and practical date.

*Afritex Ventures Limited, Aldi North, Aldi South, Asda, Beaver Street Fisheries, BirdLife International, Carrefour France, Congalsa, Culinary Collaborations LLC, D&E Import LLC, Direct Ocean, Earthworm, Euclid Fish Company, Fish Is Life, Fishwise, Fortune Fish Co., Frinsa, Giant Eagle, IncredibleFish, Inland Seafoods, Ipswich Shellfish Group, Jealsa/We Sea, Maguro Foods, Mercadona, Metro France, Morrisons, Nestle, New England Seafood International, North Atlantic Inc., Profand, Publix, Rema Foods, Sainsburys, Santa Monica Seafood, Sea Delight, Seacore Seafood Inc., Seafood Imports, Sea Pact, Seattle Fish Co., Stavis Seafoods, Sysco France, Tesco, The Fishin Co., True Worlds Food, True Worlds Group, TUPA, Walmart

More FIPs impacting sustainable fisheries for the better, new report finds

March 25, 2020 — The seafood industry continues to show its commitment to improving the sustainability of fisheries worldwide, as evidenced by a new report from environmental research and advisory firm CEA Consulting.

In 2019, 136 fishery improvement projects (FIPs) existed worldwide, a 64 percent increase over 2014’s tally of 83, according to CEA Consulting’s “2020 Global Landscape Review of FIPs” report. What’s more, seafood businesses are now increasingly leading the charge where FIPs are concerned, filling the spots that NGOs once did. Currently, seafood businesses are guiding the implementation of 70 FIPS, up from 49 in 2015, while NGOs are assuming more technical support and advisory roles in the space, the report found.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

SFP launches new directory of aquaculture improvement projects

March 17, 2020 — The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) has launched the Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) Directory to support the seafood supply chain’s engagement with aquaculture improvement projects.

The new AIP Directory currently lists five active aquaculture improvement projects that cover three countries (China, Indonesia, and Thailand) and two species (shrimp and tilapia). Other active AIPs are invited to register on the website for free. The website also includes a range of resources and tools to support those looking to start new projects.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

A new all-in-one website for Aquaculture Improvement Projects

March 9, 2020 — The following was released by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership:

The AIP Directory (www.aipdirectory.org) is a new website that serves as an independent, online platform to showcase active aquaculture improvement projects (AIPs). It was developed by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) as an open platform for information sharing for anyone active or interested in AIPs.

Although less established than the more familiar fishery improvement projects (FIPs), AIPs are increasingly important as a mechanism for the supply chain to support better sustainability practices in aquaculture industries. Until now, there was no online resource to allow those actively involved or interested in AIPs to learn where and how these improvements were taking place or what progress was being made on specific projects. The launch of the AIP Directory will meet these needs.

“AIPs are an important tool to drive sustainability – whether participating farms have certified responsible management practices in place or not. It is important for ensuring impact and credibility that projects have a clear set of goals and a defined workplan, and that they are publicly reporting on progress,” Seafresh Group Director of Sustainability Dominique Gautier said. “The AIP Directory gives project managers a mechanism to tell the world about their progress, and buyers and funders greater insight into what improvement projects are underway and how they can get involved.”

The AIP Directory currently lists five active AIPs that cover three countries (China, Indonesia, and Thailand) and two species (shrimp and tilapia). Other active AIPs are invited to register on the website for free. The website also includes a range of resources and tools to support those looking to start new projects.

“The AIP Directory really is a one-stop shop for all stakeholders in the supply chain,” SFP’s Aquaculture Director Anton Immink said. “As a buyer, you can find active projects; as an AIP implementer, you can showcase your project and report progress. If you can’t find a project that fits your needs, there are tools and resources on how to start a new AIP.”

AIPs are multi-stakeholder efforts that aim to utilize the power of the private sector to promote positive changes toward sustainability, seek to make those changes endure through policy change, and improve performance at the farm and zonal scale. The characteristics of an AIP mirror the core attributes of a FIP: public supply chain commitments, published needs assessments, workplans with time-bound objectives, and regular reporting of progress.

High Liner Foods joins Ocean Disclosure Project

February 11, 2020 — The following was released by the Ocean Disclosure Project:

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is pleased to announce that High Liner Foods is now participating in the Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP) and is the first North American company to disclose farmed seafood sourcing information in the ODP’s 2019 annual reporting.

“SFP is excited to see High Liner Foods, one of our longest-standing partners, further seafood transparency and continue to demonstrate responsible sourcing through participation in the Ocean Disclosure Project,” said Sam Grimley, deputy director of the Programs Division at SFP.

SFP started the ODP in 2015 to provide a valuable information resource for responsible investors, seafood consumers, and others interested in sustainable seafood. To date, 23 other companies in Europe, North America, and Australia have participated.

“Partnering with SFP since 2010, High Liner Foods is pleased to participate in the ODP as part of our continued commitment to sustainability, responsibility, and transparency,” said Bill Dimento, vice president for corporate sustainability and government affairs at High Liner Foods. “We are proud to be the first North American company to disclose farmed seafood sourcing information in the ODP’s annual report and of the role High Liner Foods continues to play in driving global improvements in wild fisheries and aquaculture, ultimately leading to sustainable seafood for all to enjoy.”

High Liner Foods’ long-standing commitment to sustainable seafood sourcing has included participated and coordination of several key sustainability projects over the years, including a whitefish fishery improvement project (FIP) in the Barents Sea that resulted in dramatic improvements in stock levels.

High Liner Foods’ full profile can be viewed at: https://www.oceandisclosureproject.org/companies/high-liner