Partner highlights

High Liner Foods’ longstanding support for fishery and aquaculture improvement

For more than 15 years, High Liner Foods has been one of SFP’s most active and committed partners, using its influence to bring a wide range of stakeholders together to work toward seafood sustainability.

High Liner Foods got its start over 125 years ago and today is one of the largest processors and marketers of value-added frozen seafood products in North America. High Liner was an early adopter of the fishery improvement project (FIP) model and has invested significant time and resources into supporting fishery and aquaculture improvement through Supply Chain Roundtables (SRs) and other pre-competitive platforms.

Highlights of our partnership

In 2007, High Liner was an early participant in whitefish fishery improvement efforts in the Barents Sea, one of the first-ever FIPs. High Liner played a key role in supporting improvements in globally significant whitefish fisheries, convening meetings of suppliers to launch improvements, organizing site visits, and actively participating in numerous FIPs that have since graduated to MSC certification.
After several years of collaboration, High Liner and SFP officially partnered in 2010, committing to work together to develop programs and strategies to support the company’s long-term goal of sourcing 100% of its seafood from responsible fisheries and aquaculture farms.
High Liner was instrumental in helping launch the Shantou-Taiwan squid FIP. Realizing that they couldn’t fix the challenges in the squid fishery alone, High Liner hosted the first organizing meeting in Massachusetts in 2014 and invited many competitors to come and collaborate.

An aerial shot of a High Liner foods plant on the water

High Liner processing plant in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, Canada

Processing facility at High Liner Foods Lunenberg plant

High Liner has been a major supporter of the Northern Cod FIP since it was established in 2015 to support restoration of the collapsed Northern Atlantic cod stock and work toward its long-term sustainability. High Liner made yearly financial contributions to the FIP to support acoustic tracking and other efforts to understand and rebuild the fishery, which was officially reopened in 2024 after a 32-year moratorium.
High Liner has also been a leader in promoting sustainable aquaculture. In addition to being an active participant in SFP’s Asian Farmed Shrimp SR, the company has convened or participated in numerous multi-stakeholder meetings at events such as Seafood Expo North America. High Liner is also an active member and leader with Stronger America Through Seafood, which is working to promote responsible aquaculture development in the United States.
More broadly, High Liner has been an active SFP partner for many years. This commitment includes speaking at numerous SFP events, participation in SFP’s Thought Leaders Group, including SFP in the internal High Liner Sustainability Council, inviting SFP to key events and meetings, and being a champion of SFP’s mission and the expansion of sustainable seafood

“The SFP organization, under Jim Cannon’s leadership, has been a cornerstone partner in High Liner’s sustainability journey for more than 15 years. Together, we have helped advance fishery and aquaculture improvement by convening suppliers, engaging in Supply Chain Roundtables, and supporting FIPs that have delivered tangible, on-the-water progress. SFP’s science-based approach aligns with our own proactive vision, and that shared commitment continues to drive meaningful improvements across our global supply chain.”

– Bill DiMento, High Liner Vice President, Corporate Sustainability & Government Affairs

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