Seafood Choices Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Seafood Choices Alliance is a program of the nonprofit ocean conservation organization, SeaWeb. It was established in 2001 to bring together the disparate elements and diverse approaches in a growing "seafood choices" movement in the United States and expanded into Europe in 2005. Seafood Choices Alliance works to promote sustainable seafood and to make the seafood industry socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. Seafood Choices Alliance now operates from bases in North America, Europe and the Pacific Islands.
and healthy oceans. Ultimately, it became clear that the task was not just to bring NGOs together to talk about their work, but to bring business together with NGOs and others to work on solutions. Today, Seafood Choices connects multiple constituencies, with a focus on the conservation community and the seafood value chain.
The sustainable seafood movement is a young one, tracing its origins back to 1996 when Unilever and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) began discussions on how to assure the long-term sustainability of global fish stocks and the integrity of the marine ecosystem. These talks led to the creation of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world’s first seafood eco-label provider, in 1997. Three years later, the first MSC certified fishery was announced. At the same time, the Monterey Bay Aquarium was distributing the first version of the Seafood Watch wallet card for consumers, identifying good and bad seafood choices based on environmental consideration.
During the short time since the sustainable seafood movement began, and as a result of the work of Seafood Choices and others, Unilever is now being joined by a spate of companies – from Wal-Mart and retail giant Ahold USA to Darden Restaurants and McDonald's – seeking to improve their sourcing. Many would agree that those commitments have served as a catalyst across the broader seafood industry.
The seafood summit has been growing since its inception and when held at the beginning of 2009 in San Diego, CA had almost 500 participants.
Seafood Champions 2011
Seafood Champions 2010
Seafood Champions 2009
Seafood Champions 2008
Seafood Champions 2007
Seafood Champions 2006
(MCS), Marine Stewardship Council
(MSC), Seafood Choices Alliance and Sustain. Good Catch is designed to help chefs and the foodservice industry navigate through all of the information available in order to make it easier for them to source sustainable seafood.
, the GRI Seafood Workshops are intended to enable companies and stakeholders to better measure and communicate progress on sustainability (i.e. economic, environmental and social performance) to their key internal and external audiences. This is based on the principle that good measurement supports good management and is a prerequisite for good communication.
History
Following on the heels of SeaWeb's "Give Swordfish a Break" campaign in 1998, there seemed to be a need for an effort that could effectively coordinate the work of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) focusing on sustainable fisheriesSustainable fisheries
Sustainability in fisheries combines theoretical disciplines, such as the population dynamics of fisheries, with practical strategies, such as avoiding overfishing through techniques such as individual fishing quotas, curtailing destructive and illegal fishing practices by lobbying for appropriate...
and healthy oceans. Ultimately, it became clear that the task was not just to bring NGOs together to talk about their work, but to bring business together with NGOs and others to work on solutions. Today, Seafood Choices connects multiple constituencies, with a focus on the conservation community and the seafood value chain.
The sustainable seafood movement is a young one, tracing its origins back to 1996 when Unilever and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) began discussions on how to assure the long-term sustainability of global fish stocks and the integrity of the marine ecosystem. These talks led to the creation of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world’s first seafood eco-label provider, in 1997. Three years later, the first MSC certified fishery was announced. At the same time, the Monterey Bay Aquarium was distributing the first version of the Seafood Watch wallet card for consumers, identifying good and bad seafood choices based on environmental consideration.
During the short time since the sustainable seafood movement began, and as a result of the work of Seafood Choices and others, Unilever is now being joined by a spate of companies – from Wal-Mart and retail giant Ahold USA to Darden Restaurants and McDonald's – seeking to improve their sourcing. Many would agree that those commitments have served as a catalyst across the broader seafood industry.
Issues
Seafood Choices Alliance concentrates on four primary issues that are the focus of its various projects.- Climate Change
- Responsible Aquaculture
- Sustainable Fishing Practices
- Traceability and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
Current Initiatives
Current programs and projects worked on by Seafood Choices include the Seafood Summit, Seafood Champion Awards, Good Catch sustainable seafood manual, GRI Seafood Workshops and Publications and Market research.Seafood Summit
Hosted by Seafood Choices Alliance, the Seafood Summit is the only annual event solely devoted to sustainable seafood issues. The Seafood Summit brings together global representatives from the seafood industry and conservation community for in-depth discussions, presentations and networking with the goal of making the seafood marketplace environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.The seafood summit has been growing since its inception and when held at the beginning of 2009 in San Diego, CA had almost 500 participants.
Seafood Champions Awards
The Seafood Champion Awards were started in 2006 to annually recognize individuals and companies for outstanding leadership in promoting environmentally responsible seafood. Seafood Choices Alliance established the award to honor those in the seafood industry whose past and/or present contributions demonstrate a commitment to innovation that leads to change.Seafood Champions 2011
- Robert Clark and Harry Kambolis (C Restaurant)
- Phil Gibson (SafewaySafeway Inc.Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
) - Dune Lankard (EyakEyakThe Eyak are an indigenous group traditionally located on the Copper River Delta and near the town of Cordova, Alaska.-Territory:The Eyak's territory reached from present day Cordova east to the Martin River and north to Miles Glacier....
Preservation Council/Copper River Wild Salmon Company) - Steve Phillips (Phillips Foods)
- Olivier Roellinger (Relais & ChâteauxRelais & ChateauxRelais & Châteaux is a global fellowship of individually owned and operated luxury hotels and restaurants. Although the total number or members changes as members are added and others drop away, the group currently has some 500 members in 60 countries on five continents. Strongly represented in...
) - Peter Weeden (Paternoster Chop House)
Seafood Champions 2010
- The Co-operative
- Howard Johnson
- KLM In-Flight Services
- Réseau des Journalistes pour une pêche responsable en Afrique de l'Ouest (REJOPRAO)
- Helene York
Seafood Champions 2009
- American Albacore Fishing Association (AAFA)
- Caroline Bennett
- Gary Johnson, McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
- Australis Aquaculture
- OSO Madagascar - Mathias Ismail
- Association des Ligneurs de la Pointe de Bretagne
Seafood Champions 2008
- Association du Grand Littoral Atlantique (AGLIA)
- Mike Mitchell (Foodvest)
- The Plitt Company
- Chef Barton SeaverBarton SeaverBarton Seaver is a chef, author, speaker, and National Geographic fellow in Washington, D.C.-Early years:Seaver grew up in Washington, D.C. and attended St. Albans School. He graduated with honors from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in 2001 and taught meat and fish...
and Hook Restaurant - Sunburst Trout Co.
- Bart van Olphen (Fishes)
Seafood Champions 2007
- Fedele Bauccio, CEO and Co-founder of Bon Appétit Management CompanyBon Appétit Management CompanyThe Bon Appétit Management Company is a Palo Alto, California-based on-site restaurant company, owned by Compass Group, that provides café and catering services to corporations, colleges and universities. The company operates 400 cafes in 28 states. Princeton Review has named Bon Appétit the "No...
- Frontera Grill & Topolobampo Restaurants
- Lindblad Expeditions
- Peter Redmond
Seafood Champions 2006
- EcoFish, Inc.
- Gourmet MagazineGourmet (magazine)Gourmet magazine was a monthly publication of Condé Nast and the first U.S. magazine devoted to food and wine. Founded by Earle R. MacAusland and first published in 1941, Gourmet also covered "good living" on a wider scale....
- Marks & SpencerMarks & SpencerMarks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
- Rick MoonenRick MoonenRick Moonen is a celebrated seafood chef and an early champion of sustainable fishing practices.Moonen graduated first in his class from the Culinary Institute of America and then went on to work at New York City’s La Côte Basque, Le Cirque and The Water Club where he commanded the kitchen for six...
- Jacques PépinJacques PépinJacques Pépin is an internationally recognized French chef, television personality, and author working in the United States. Born in Bourg-en-Bresse, Lyon in France, Pepin was raised by a father and mother who jointly owned a restaurant, where he later credited the start of his love for food. He...
- UnileverUnileverUnilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
Good Catch: cooking for change serving the future
Good Catch aims to help people in foodservice throughout the United Kingdom navigate the subject of seafood sustainability. A partnership of four organizations – Marine Conservation SocietyMarine Conservation Society
The Marine Conservation Society a UK charity for the protection of the seas around the United Kingdom, and for the protection of their shores and wildlife.According to their website MCS's Vision is:Their website also states:...
(MCS), Marine Stewardship Council
Marine Stewardship Council
The Marine Stewardship Council is an independent non-profit organization with an ecolabel and fishery certification programme. Fisheries that are assessed and meet the standard can use the MSC blue ecolabel. The MSC mission is to 'reward sustainable fishing practices’...
(MSC), Seafood Choices Alliance and Sustain. Good Catch is designed to help chefs and the foodservice industry navigate through all of the information available in order to make it easier for them to source sustainable seafood.
GRI Seafood Workshops
A partnership between Seafood Choices Alliance and the Global Reporting InitiativeGlobal Reporting Initiative
The Global Reporting Initiative produces one of the world's most prevalent standards for sustainability reporting - also known as ecological footprint reporting, Environmental Social Governance reporting, Triple Bottom Line reporting, Corporate Social Responsibility reporting...
, the GRI Seafood Workshops are intended to enable companies and stakeholders to better measure and communicate progress on sustainability (i.e. economic, environmental and social performance) to their key internal and external audiences. This is based on the principle that good measurement supports good management and is a prerequisite for good communication.
Publications and Market Research
Seafood Choices Alliance has published professional buyer's guides for the North American, British and French-speaking European markets. These guides attempt to distill complex information into a format that is comprehensive and easy to use. Seafood Choices also publishes the "Marketplace for Sustainable Seafood" series, which includes benchmark market research on segments of the seafood value chain and all of the latest government, NGO, and industry data on the status of the market.See also
- Marine Stewardship CouncilMarine Stewardship CouncilThe Marine Stewardship Council is an independent non-profit organization with an ecolabel and fishery certification programme. Fisheries that are assessed and meet the standard can use the MSC blue ecolabel. The MSC mission is to 'reward sustainable fishing practices’...
- Monterey Bay AquariumMonterey Bay AquariumThe Monterey Bay Aquarium is located on the former site of a sardine cannery on Cannery Row of the Pacific Ocean shoreline in Monterey, California. It has an annual attendance of 1.8 million visitors. It holds thousands of plants and animals, representing 623 separate named species on display...
- Seafood WatchSeafood WatchSeafood Watch is one of the best known sustainable seafood advisory lists, and has influenced similar programs around the world. It is a program designed to raise consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources...
- SustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
- OverfishingOverfishingOverfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce fish stocks below an acceptable level. This can occur in any body of water from a pond to the oceans....
- World Wide Fund for NatureWorld Wide Fund for NatureThe World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
- UnileverUnileverUnilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....