Seafood Choices Alliance

History

For centuries the ocean has sustained mankind, providing what once seemed like a never-ending supply of fish and shellfish. Today, three-quarters of the world’s wild fisheries are being fished at or beyond capacity, and more seafood (one-third of the seafood we eat) is being raised through aquaculture – in some cases to the detriment of the ocean environment. The health of the ocean is declining globally. For many people, the most salient connection they have to the ocean is through the seafood on their plates. At the same time, consumers are often in the dark about where their seafood comes from (Wild or farmed? Caught by trolling or longlines?). According to the Alliance's market research, they don’t have the information to make informed choices that support a healthy ocean. Likewise, those in the seafood business also say they need more information about eco-friendly seafood choices, and many buyers in particular want assistance in identifying the best sources.

Influencing purchasing decisions has become a key piece of conservation strategy across a spectrum of issues. As seafood consumption continues to increase (in the U.S., it ’s predicted to become the fastest-growing sector of the protein market, outpacing beef and poultry), more pressure will be placed on an already stressed system unless we fish and farm seafood better than we do currently. Unfortunately, the amount of seafood that is currently available from “eco-friendly” sources is not enough to satisfy the current demand for seafood. In hopes of rewarding sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and providing an incentive to fish and farm in ways that are more environmentally responsible, in the late 1990s many conservation groups began publicizing those fish species in trouble and those being farmed or fished in a sustainable manner.

A Vibrant Global Seafood Movement

Growing consumer awareness coupled with media and conservation groups’ attention to issues of sustainable seafood have collectively spawned a burgeoning seafood choices movement. The successful “dolphin-safe” tuna campaign of the 1980s and later the Give Swordfish a Break (GSAB) campaign (1998-2000) demonstrated a constituency that cares about protecting fish species. In 1997 Unilever (a global consumer products company that has long been committed to eco-friendly seafood sourcing) and WWF created the Marine Stewardship Council to certify the “best environmental choices” in seafood. The organization is now an independent and global one, having certified nineteen such fisheries with dozens more in the various stages of assessment. Four years later, Seafood Choices Alliance entered the scene to bridge the gap between the conservation community and the seafood, retail, and foodservice industries. Established by SeaWeb in 2001 to galvanize the disparate elements and diverse approaches into a cohesive “seafood choices” movement in the United States, Seafood Choices Alliance today operates as the global trade association for the issue of sustainable seafood.

The landscape has changed considerably since the Alliance’s founding. At that time, many in the seafood industry were openly hostile to sustainability efforts. In large part due to the Alliance’s work, things could not be more different today. “Sustainable seafood” has been consistently named as a growing trend and market opportunity since 2004. Industry is now proactively engaging the conservation community, as evidenced by the burgeoning number of partnerships between individual companies with considerable buying power and individual conservation organizations. Sea Change Investment Fund, launched in 2005, has begun making its first investments enabling seafood companies to expand the sustainable seafood market. And there is a growing interest in sustainable seafood. 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. All of this bodes well for the future of the ocean.

A Global Alliance – A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats

The Alliance opened its European office in 2005, releasing first-of-its-kind public opinion research on the European marketplace for sustainable seafood. On both sides of the Atlantic in 2006 and beyond, the Alliance will continue to engage industry and the conservation community through regional and retail promotions, business-to-business dialogues, and high profile events. Seafood Choices brings together the leaders of the seafood and foodservice industries, conservation organizations and education institutions, enabling them to advance actions that reflect a shared concern for the long-term supply of seafood and health of the ocean. The Alliance’s groundbreaking programs and publications – from the innovative Seafood Summits to Sourcing Seafood, the only sustainable seafood supplier directory – provide a platform for change in the marketplace.

Though the landscape has evolved, many of the challenging issues related to fishing and aquaculture remain the same. Only by working together can conservationists and business leaders find solutions that meet both an economic and environmental bottom line.