SFP in Boston
Seafood Expo North America 2024
We had a busy three days at Seafood Expo North America. See below for all the highlights from Boston.
Panel focuses on why business should support small-scale and artisanal fisheries
(L-R) Josette Genio, Bluer Seas Phillipines; Hugh Govan, University of the South Pacific School of Law and Social Science; Claudio Pichaud, Ancud Crab Producers’ Committee; Andre Brugger, Netuno USA; SFP Supply Chain Roundtables Director Amber Von Harten
Fishery IDs go global: Updates on pilot projects in South Africa and the Philippines
(Back, L-R) Mark Kaplan, Wholechain; Blake Stok, Thai Union North America; Kurt Hill, Cape Fish; Jayson Berryhill, Wholechain; (Front, L-R) Guy Pizzuti, Publix Super Markets; Brad Spear, SFP Global Policy Director; Michelle Bellinger, ICV Africa/Cape Fish
Fishery and industry representatives came together to highlight two pilot projects designed to test the use of fishery IDs, as part of an SFP-led project supported by the United Nations Development Programme Ocean Innovation Challenge.
Traceability and sustainability are “two sides of the same coin,” Blake Stok of Thai Union said, because if you can’t trace where your fish comes from, you can’t identify if there have been changes or improvements in the fishery.
Guy Pizzuti of Publix Super Markets added that, “The key to being successful in retail is building consumer trust, and trust is about traceability and transparency.” Fishery IDs help build transparency, he said. Publix is updating the packaging on its crab products to feature the fishery IDs, the first retailer to do so.
Publix and Thai Union have been working for the past year with Wholechain to test the IDs in the Philippines blue swimming crab fishery, while ICV Africa/Cape Fish and Wholechain are launching an effort to integrate the IDs across their yellowfin tuna and swordfish fisheries in South Africa.
Bycatch Solutions Showcase highlights projects to protect ocean wildlife
SFP’s Protecting Ocean Wildlife team hosted a Bycatch Solutions Showcase featuring representatives of projects that have already been funded through our Bycatch Solutions Hub, and others that are currently posted and seeking funding.
Supply Chain Roundtable Showcase brings industry together to learn about SRs
Industry leaders and SFP representatives from our nine Supply Chain Roundtables (SRs) gathered at our Supply Chain Roundtable Showcase to present their work and recruit additional supply chain companies to work together pre-competitively to impact the future of sustainable seafood.
Seen on the Convention floor
Thank you to all of our partners and colleagues who displayed our “Proud to Work with SFP” signs at their booths all around the Expo.
Alfa Gamma Group
Beacon Fisheries
Beaver Street Fisheries
Cox’s Shrimp Co.
Dominick’s
Fesba
Fortune Fish & Gourmet
Groupe MDMP
International Fund for Animal Welfare
Incredible Fish
John Nagle Co.
Lund’s Fisheries
Netuno
Ocean Garden
Pacific Coral
PanaPesca
Quirch/Panamei
Seafarers
Thai Union/Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods
WOFCO
Wood’s Fisheries
Supply Chain Roundtables gathered to strategize for the future
Seven of our Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) met in person during the Expo to review past progress, discuss workplans and implementation, strategize on future opportunities, and brainstorm on how to recruit new participants.
The members of the Asian Farmed Shrimp SR shared company efforts to evaluate and address greenhouse gas emissions and committed to working together to align their efforts.
The Global Mahi SR learned about how they can work with their supply chains to address bycatch issues and opportunities to support bycatch reduction projects through SFP’s Bycatch Solutions Hub.
The Global Octopus SR heard from Mohamed al Mamy from SMCP, who spoke to the SR about the Mauritanian government’s commitment to moving forward with the prospective octopus fishery improvement project (FIP) in Mauritania.
The Global Squid SR members brainstormed ways to recruit new companies to the SR, in light of the current risks associated with squid sourcing.
The Indonesian Snapper and Grouper SR met with their Indonesian suppliers to discuss advancing their work on supporting co-management and legal fishing rights in their supply chains.
Mexican Shrimp SR participants had a frank discussion about the challenges and benefits of supply chain companies working collaboratively on sustainability projects, rather than single-supply-chain efforts.
The Mexican Snapper and Grouper SR committed to bringing their peers into sustainability work and ensuring that a critical mass of suppliers on both sides of the border – Mexico and the US – are pushing for improvements in these fisheries.
SFP in the news
SFP and our partners and colleagues were featured in several news stories coming out of the Expo:
American supermarket chain Publix to feature SFP’s universal fish ID codes on crab packaging (Undercurrent News)
Avoiding Bycatch, Greener Packaging, and Local Reliance Touted as Sustainable Solutions at Seafood Expo (eco RI news)
Meet the team
Jim Cannon, Founder and CEO
Markets
Ian Rolmanis, Global Markets Director
Mercedes Mendoza, Global Markets Deputy Director/Advisory Services Director
Jen Levin, Markets Program Consultant
Katie Mihalik, Advisory Services Support Specialist
Supply Chains
Carmen González-Vallés, Supply Chain Roundtables Director (Global Squid, Global Octopus)
Dave Martin, Director of Supply Chain Roundtables and Social Issues
Amber Von Harten, Supply Chain Roundtables Director (Global Mahi, Indonesian Snapper & Grouper)
Megan Westmeyer, Supply Chain Roundtables Director (Mexican Shrimp, Mexican Snapper & Grouper, U.S. Gulf of Mexico Shrimp)
Fisheries and Policy
Braddock Spear, Global Policy Director
Pedro Ferreiro, Fisheries Markets Director
Indrani Lutchman, FIP Evaluation & External Relations Program Director
Biodiversity and Nature
Kathryn Novak, Biodiversity & Nature Director
Alexia Morgan, Ocean Wildlife Manager
Phillip Sanchez, Bycatch Programs Coordinator
Marketing and Communications
Courtney Sakai, Marketing & Communications Director
Chuck Burg, Director, Development & Government Relations
Amy Sweeting, Senior Writer & Content Creator
Charlotte Maiden, Media Relations Manager