Seafood Summit 2006

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29

7:00 – 9:00 pm

Welcome Reception at the Seattle Aquarium

MONDAY, JANUARY 30

8:00 – 9:00 am

Continental Breakfast

9:00 – 9:30 am

Seafood Choices Alliance Welcome Address
Mike Boots, Director, Seafood Choices Alliance

9:30 – 10:15 am

Keynote Speaker – Andreas Merkl, Chairman of Sea Change Management, LLC and Executive Director of the Conservation and Community Investment Forum (CCIF)

10:30 – 11:30 am

Closing In on Environmentally Sound Carnivorous Finfish Aquaculture: A Fresh Look at the Economics of Closed Tank Systems

Given concerns about the impacts of farming carnivorous finfish in open net cages, a few aquaculture operations are leading the way in creating new technologies to farm carnivorous finfish in environmentally sound closed tank systems. This panel explores the feasibility and market potential of such systems, while highlighting new developments in technology and successful closed tank systems for a variety of finfish.

Moderated by Jay Ritchlin (Marine Campaign Strategist, David Suzuki Foundation & Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform) with panelists Josh Goldman (President & U.S. Executive Director, Australis Aquaculture, LLC) and Richard Buchanan (President, Agrimarine Industries).

Branding Sustainable Seafood – Steps to Successful Differentiation

Seafood that is high quality and provides environmental benefits creates a compelling opportunity for product differentiation, which can lead to greater market share. Throughout the seafood supply chain there are opportunities for companies to create a brand by focusing on sustainability. Whatever aspect of the seafood business they compete in, this panel explores the opportunity to rise above selling a product to the level of building a brand with enduring consumer value.

Moderated by Shelly Benoit (Executive Director, Sustainable Fishery Advocates) with panelists Laura Flemming (Public Relations Director, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute), Mike Mondello (President & CEO, SeaBear), and Sarah Miles (Marketing Director, New Leaf Community Markets, Food Marketing Institute member).

11:45 – 12:45 pm

Luncheon Panel: Selling Sustainable Seafood at the Global Scale: The Perspective of Major Corporate Leaders

The purpose of this session is to bring together the leaders of some of the largest seafood purveyors in the world to share their experience in tackling the issue of sustainable seafood within their businesses. Each of the high-profile participating companies operates at a global scale and has made a variety of procurement, distribution and operational changes related to this issue. The proposed outcome is a greater awareness among attendees of some of the tools that exist for corporations to support sustainable seafood choices and of the potential power of purveyors to green their supply chains.

Moderated by Howard Johnson (President, H.M. Johnson & Associates) with panelists Dr. Dierk Peters (International Marketing Manager, Sustainability Initiatives Frozen Foods Europe, Unilever), Bruno Correard (Principal, CB Consulting and Former Manager for Sustainable Marine Resources at Carrefour) and Carl Salamone (Vice President Seafood, Wegmans Food & Pharmacy).

1:00 – 2:00 pm

Offshore Fish Farming: A Solution to a Seafood Trade Deficit or the Next Catastrophe?

This panel will discuss open ocean aquaculture and the Bush administration’s attempt to pass legislation that will open federal waters to fish farming. Panelists will explore the environmental, socio-economic and consumer impacts of this proposed expansion on the global seafood marketplace.

Moderated by Zach Corrigan (Legislative Analyst, Food and Water Watch) with panelists Chris Mann (Executive Director, Marine Aquaculture Taskforce), Neil Sims (Vice-President, Kona Blue Water Farms), Becky Goldburg (Senior Scientist, Environmental Defense), and Jeremy Brown (fisherman, Washington Trollers Association).

Beyond the White Tablecloth...

This panel steps outside the traditional "back and front of house" to invite conversation about sustainable seafood choices with an expanded audience. The discussion will highlight the interaction between suppliers and the next generation of cooks and restaurant managers, retailers, and larger scale food service operations.

Moderated by Jennifer Hall (Executive Director, Chefs Collaborative) with panelists Henry Lovejoy (President, EcoFish, Inc.), Bill Stewart (Owner, Agua Verde) and Bruce Sherman (Executive Chef, North Pond Cafe).

2:15 – 3:15 pm

Mercury Rising: Advice on Mercury Levels in Seafood

Learn what the experts are saying about the health impacts of consuming mercury-laden seafood and how global, national, state and local organizations and government agencies are addressing the issue. The panel will discuss the ways in which those selling seafood can address this issue with their customers.

Moderated by Mike Hirshfield (Senior Vice President for North America & Chief Scientist, Oceana) with panelists Sonja Tuitele (Senior Director for Corporate Communications, Wild Oats Markets), Dr. Nicolas Bloom (Owner & Senior Research Scientist, Studio Geogchemica), Dr. Kimberly Warner (Marine Pollution Scientist, Oceana), and Todd Steiner (Executive Director, Turtle Island Restoration Network).

The Future of Seafood Certification

As demand for "sustainable" seafood grows among consumers and businesses alike, the need for a third-party global eco-label for seafood is becoming increasingly critical. For wild-caught fisheries, this panel will examine the latest developments and future directions by the Marine Stewardship Council. Given the expanding reliance on aquaculture products, this panel will also explore the need for an eco-label for farmed seafood and an emerging aquaculture certification program.

Moderated by Aaron McNevin (Aquaculture Specialist, WWF US) with panelists Rupert Howes (Chief Executive, Marine Stewardship Council) and Margaret Wittenberg (Vice President, Communications & Quality Standards, Whole Foods Market).

3:30 – 4:30 pm

The Sustainable Seafood Movement Takes Europe

In 2005, the sustainable seafood movement took a giant leap forward in Europe. Working hand in hand with four key NGOs committed to promoting better seafood choices — Greenpeace International, Marine Conservation Society, North Sea Foundation and WWF — the Seafood Choices Alliance conducted comprehensive market research, made a splash at the European Seafood Exposition and developed a consistent approach to making seafood recommendations across Europe. The panel will showcase the work of these groups, unique perspectives on the European audience, and the future of the sustainable seafood movement in Europe.

Moderated by Shannon Crownover (Manager of European Programs, Seafood Choices Alliance Europe) with panelists Bernadette Clark (Fisheries Officer, Marine Conservation Society, UK), Blake Lee-Harwood (Campaigns Director, Greenpeace UK & Greenpeace International), Esther Luiten (North Sea Foundation) and Katherine Short (WWF International).

Small is Beautiful: Leveraging Lessons of Artisan Fisheries in Advancing Sustainable Practices

The challenges of the seafood industry are vast. For the wild - overfishing, habitat degradation, increasing demand, increasing regulations. For aquaculture - sustainability of feed, water quality, PCBs, disease, use of drugs and chemicals amongst others. In a time of consolidation and challenging economics, what is the role of small, independent fisheries? Are practices in small-scale operations scalable? What is worth a premium in the seafood marketplace? This panel will include a fisherman from a sustainable fishery, a director-owner of an artisan aquaculture operation, a seasoned fishmonger, and a restaurateur. All will discuss possible limitations of small-scale ventures and the differences small, artisan producers can make.

Moderated by Tim O'Shea (CEO, CleanFish) with panelists Eric Hesse (Owner/Operator, Cape Quality Bluefin, Inc.), Peter Hoffman (Chef/Owner, Savoy Restaurant and Chairman, Chefs Collaborative), Nick Joy (Managing Director, Loch Duart Salmon), and Dale Sims (Co-Founder and Vice President of Sales, CleanFish).

4:30 – 6:00 pm

FREE TIME (Private Meeting Space Available)

6:00 pm

Seattle Sustainable Seafood Dine-Around

Presented by Seafood Choices Alliance & Chefs Collaborative

Seafood Choices Alliance and Chefs Collaborative worked with local restaurants to organize this Seattle Seafood Dine Around. We invite attendees to patronize these local restaurants that support sustainable seafood.

Participating restaurants in the Dine Around include: Andaluca at the Mayflower Park Hotel, Dahlia Lounge, Earth & Ocean at the W Hotel, Etta’s, Flying Fish and Oceanaire. Contact information for participating restaurants is included and can be found in attendee materials.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31

8:00 - 9:00 am

Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 am

Making the Grade: Challenges and Opportunities for Food Service

More and more foodservice providers, which cater to hospitals, universities and private corporations, are incorporating sustainability concerns into their seafood purchasing criteria. This panel explores the operational challenges and opportunities that seafood sustainability presents for the food service sector, and provides successful examples of how (and why) companies are making environmentally responsible purchasing decisions.

Moderated by Helene York (Foundation Director, Bon Appetit Management Company) with panelists Jean-Michel Boulot (Executive Chef, University of Washington), Danielle Custer (General Manager, Bon Appetit Management Company) and Eric Eisenberg (Executive Chef, Swedish Medical Center).

Assessing Data Deficient Fisheries

There are a number of fisheries around the world where data about the fishery and its impact are very limited. When this is the case, it can be difficult to make determinations about the health of fish populations in a particular fishery, the impact of the fishery on the ecosystem, and the overall sustainability of the fishery. This panel will explore different approaches being used and considered by organizations involved with fisheries certification and eco-labeling, seafood recommendation cards, and local fishery engagement in the US and internationally.

Moderated by Jim Humphreys (Regional Director – Americas, Marine Stewardship Council) with panelists Meredith Lopach (Director, Community Fisheries Program, WWF) and Dr. George Leonard (Science Manager, Seafood Watch Program at Monterey Bay Aquarium).

10:15 - 11:15 am

Preventing Illegally-Caught Seafood from Reaching the Consumer - A Comparison of Approaches

This presentation will describe and analyze the efficacy of the current range of international trade and marketplace measures to prevent illegally caught seafood products from reaching the consumer. Trade and market-place measures include all efforts (policies and practices) to monitor and track seafood products from ocean to plate, including related border controls that allow countries or territories to regulate, restrict or prohibit trade. The measures may include catch monitoring and enforcement measures, product tracking/chain-of-custody and labeling or similar product-identification schemes, seafood lists, and corporate social responsibility. Recommendations will be made as to how these measures might be improved through: a) changes in World Trade Organization rules, b) further improvements in corporate social responsibility, and c) strengthening of individual government's policies.

Moderated by Cathy Roheim (Professor of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, University of Rhode Island) with panelists Harriet Hall (Director of Fisheries for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands) and Ellen Pitkitch (Executive Director, Pew Institute for Ocean Science).

Organic Labeling for Fish: An Overview and Update

Certifiers outside the US are now certifying various farmed fish as organic, including shrimp, salmon, and tilapia. Some of these fish are now found on US supermarket shelves, despite the fact that US standards for organic aquaculture are still under development. This panel of global experts will discuss what it means for fish to be "organic" including controversies surrounding organic feed, recycling of farm wastes, and organic certification of wild fish and fish feed. The presentations will include an update and overview of USDA's efforts to establish organic standards for farmed fish.

Moderated by Dr. Rebecca Goldburg (Senior Scientist, Environmental Defense) with panelists Michael Mogollon (Senior Vice President of Science and Technology, OceanBoy Farms), Hugh Raven (Director, Soil Association Scotland) and Goldie Caughlan (Nutrition Education Manager, PCC Markets).

11:30 - 12:30 pm

Luncheon Speaker - William T. Hogarth, Ph.D.,
Asst. Administrator for Fisheries, U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service
Chairman, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)

Introduced by Dawn Martin, Executive Director, SeaWeb

12:45 - 1:45 pm

Fishermen-Chef Connections & Fishermen Cooperatives

Due to dramatic consolidation and globalization, food typically travels 1500 miles to reach your plate. These economic forces have devastating effects on food access, food quality, personal health, energy consumption, and ecological health. The fisherman-chef connection fosters collaboration and direct market opportunities for local fishermen, shellfish growers, chefs, and retailers who are committed to expanding and strengthening the local, seasonal, and sustainable food networks. This direct marketing panel will offer participants the opportunity to learn, share ideas, and address current challenges.

Moderated by Debra Sohm Lawsom (Director of Food & Farms Market Connections, Ecotrust) with panelists Greg Higgins (Chef & Owner, Higgins Restaurant & Bar), Cindy Walter (Owner, Passionfish restaurant), Dave Dickson (Signature Salmon), and Sara Randall (Project Manager, Institute for Fisheries Resources).

Engines of Change: The Role of Philanthropy in the Sustainable Seafood Movement

In addition to the growing role of businesses, NGOs, governments, the media and others in expanding the marketplace for sustainable seafood, the philanthropic community operates at a pivotal nexus for much of that activity. The support of foundations has led to the development of a worldwide seafood certification and eco-labeling program, the use of market-based tools to educate seafood consumers, and the launch of an innovative venture capital fund to create new incentives in the marketplace. This panel will explore the evolving and unique role of foundations in the future of the sustainable seafood movement.

Moderated by Dennis Kelso (Marine Fisheries Program Officer, Conservation & Science, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation) with panelists Kristian Parker (Trustee, Oak Foundation) and Hugh Raven (Environment Advisor, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation).

2:00 - 3:00 pm

The Consequence of Using Fish to Grow Fish: Growing Sustainability and Contamination Concerns of Aquafeeds

As aquaculture grows rapidly around the globe, a diversity of carnivorous fish are now entering the marketplace. Many of these new species require substantial amounts of fishmeal and fish oil in their diets. In addition to concerns over the long-term sustainability of this practice, recent evidence suggests health concerns can arise when contaminants in the feed can make their way into the farmed fish. This panel will examine the present and future reliance of the aquaculture industry on wild fish and examine problems and innovative solutions related to contaminants in marine-derived feed sources.

Moderated by Dr. George Leonard (Science Manager, Seafood Watch Program at Monterey Bay Aquarium) with panelists Dr. Albert Tacon (University of Hawaii at Manoa), Dr. David Carpenter (Director, Institute for Health & the Environment at the University at Albany, SUNY) and Mr. Jim Willits (Vice President of Sales at De Smet Process and Technology).

Building One Sustainable Food System: Implementing Market-Based Approaches to Food and Seafood

Despite their distinct origins, levels of consumer receptivity and growth trajectories, efforts to create market-based incentives for sustainable agriculture and sustainable fisheries are increasingly becoming intertwined. In collaboration with both the sustainable agriculture and sustainable fisheries communities, retailers, restaurateurs, wholesalers and other food industry players are increasingly integrating the sustainability of both food and seafood into their business practices. This panel will explore how both the conservation community and the food industry are working together to grow the marketplace for all sustainable grown and harvested food products.

Moderated by Scott Exo (Executive Director, Food Alliance) with panelists Bill Shepard (Consultant, Mindgarden Group) and Larry Bain (Executive Director, Nextcourse).

3:15 - 4:00 pm

Food Trends '06: What's Hot and What's Not in Seafood

Bon Appetit Food Editor Kristine Kidd, seafood economist Howard Johnson, and Seafood Choices' Stephanie Faison report on food trends for the coming year, looking at what's in and out in cooking, especially when it comes to seafood and sustainability. They will discuss food from the perspective of ingredients, techniques and cuisines and highlight how shifts in consumer demographics, tastes and preferences are changing the marketplace for seafood.

4:00 - 4:30 pm

Conference Wrap-Up: Sustainability and the Future of Seafood
Mike Boots, Director, Seafood Choices Alliance

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1

8:00 - 10:00 am

WORKSHOP - Madison Avenue Meets the Sea: Getting the Sustainable Seafood Message Out

Hosted by Marine Fish Conservation Network & SeaWeb (Tony Defalco, MFCN; Stephanie Faison & Joey Brookhart, Seafood Choices Alliance)

Oceans and ocean fisheries continue to make headlines, usually spotlighting deteriorating ocean conditions or declining fish populations. How then to get the word out about the sustainable seafood activities of fishermen, chefs and other purveyors? Join media experts for real-world training in media advocacy tailored to seafood businesspeople.