Industry Engagement Archives - WWF Seafood Sustainability

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Category: Industry Engagement

Jul

The Seafood Industry Needs a Net-Zero Commitment: No More Endangered Species Caught, Ever

Seafood is one of the most globally traded food commodities, and demand for it continues to rise. As a result, levels of fishing in many areas of the world are becoming increasingly unsustainable, and the list of endangered marine and freshwater species grows ever longer. Companies are increasingly willing to work with governments and conservation groups to shift the seafood market toward more sustainable and responsible sourcing. At the same time, though, some companies have yet to ban endangered species from their supply chains—a bare minimum requirement on the path to sustainability.

Jun

Certification Yields Greater Resilience for The Bahamas Lobster

Three years into Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, The Bahamas lobster fishery reports greater resilience, increased local awareness, and reinforced collaboration. The fishery continues to harness the benefits of this important milestone to help preserve its classic turquoise coastline, thriving corals and seagrasses, and colorful marine species that are the staples of this paradisiac Caribbean archipelago.

“Despite the pandemic hardship, the fishery was able to maintain its international markets and continue to support well-needed livelihoods for the fishing community”, explains Mia Isaacs, President of The Bahamas Marine Exporters Association (BMEA) which holds the MSC certificate and is a key actor in helping the fishery achieve certification. “We can clearly see the positive impact of MSC certification across stakeholders, fishers, and partners that work together more effectively and are more aware of the importance of sustainable fishing practices”, she adds.

May

Mars Petcare Renews Commitment, Sets Marker for Sustainable Seafood Sourcing

Mars Petcare and World Wildlife Fund announced the extension of their longstanding collaboration on seafood sustainability for an additional five years to continue leveraging the company’s influence on global seafood markets. The two partners will build on the mutual work of the past decade to drive further positive change across the seafood industry.

As the first global pet food company to make a public commitment towards sourcing more sustainable fish back in 2010, Mars will work together with WWF through 2025 to improve the environmental and social impacts of the company’s seafood supply chains and the seafood sector more broadly across four major workstreams: Wild-caught seafood, including the financial support of Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs); farmed seafood; addressing Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing; and ensuring better traceability.

Apr

Bristol Bay is Still at Risk, Businesses Can Help Protect it Permanently

Bristol Bay, Alaska is one the most pristine ecosystems in North America and home to the iconic sockeye salmon species. For nearly two decades, a national coalition of Alaskan Natives, commercial fishermen, conservation groups and other actors have been fighting to save Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble Mine. Although the developer’s permit was denied and the project paused in 2020, large-scale mining continues to be a risk. Today, your business can provide permanent protection for what is often called America’s fish basket.

Bristol Bay is synonymous with commercial fisheries, but without permanent protection from projects like the Pebble Mine Bristol Bay’s future is at risk, creating economic uncertainty for salmon supply-chains and businesses. Over the last few years, major retailers and businesses in the seafood supply chain have stepped up to engage and voice their support for protecting Bristol Bay, including Publix, Whole Foods Market, Hy-Vee, Orca Bay Foods, Seattle Fish Co, Silver Bay Seafoods, and Pacific Seafood Processors Association, among others.

Jan

Sysco Announces 2025 Seafood Sustainability Commitment

Following more than a decade of collaboration on sustainable seafood, Sysco Corporation and WWF are excited to announce the company’s 2025 seafood sustainability commitments and renewed partnership on more sustainable seafood sourcing. The new commitments build on past success and continue to advance Sysco’s position as a global leader on seafood sustainability, set high standards for the seafood industry, establish long-term sustainability goals, and build consumer trust.

Oct

Better Data for Better Business with TruTrace

From pond to shelf, farmed shrimp goes through a complex supply chain made up of thousands of actors. Data about its farm and country of origin, species, embedded environmental impact, and conditions of production can be easily lost along the way. Compelled by consumer and investor demand for better transparency, retailers are beginning to realize the need for full end-to-end traceability systems to ensure they can track products and feed ingredients back to their source.

Sep

Park Hyatt Tokyo Champions a Sector Push for Verified, Credible MSC and ASC Certified Products

When Hyatt first deployed its global sustainable seafood goal in 2014, creating a culture of awareness around the issue of seafood sustainability was one of the primary objectives. At Hyatt, as with many global hoteliers, the purchasing of seafood is decentralized. Hyatt-branded hotels rely on their chefs and purchasing teams around the world, independently working with menu planners, suppliers, and communities to advance the sustainability of the seafood they offer their guests. By looking for certified products and working with supply chains to transition fisheries and aquaculture farms to more sustainable, responsible practices, Hyatt hotels and resorts push to increase both the quality and quantity of more sustainable seafood available around the world.

Sep

Kroger Drives Change by Championing Fishery Improvement Projects

The Kroger Co., one of the world’s major food retailers, is one of the largest US supporters of Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) and driving change on the water by encouraging global fisheries to adopt more sustainable practices. Since the beginning of its partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in 2009, Kroger has engaged in 43 unique FIPs working to improve global seafood supply chains and communities that depend on them.

Aug

WWF and Sodexo Renew Partnership to Strengthen Group’s Environmental Commitments

Partners for ten years, Sodexo and WWF renewed their commitment today to reduce Sodexo’s environmental impact and achieve its carbon reduction target. The renewal of the partnership is a part of Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow 2025 corporate responsibility roadmap.

Since 2010, WWF has been supporting Sodexo to improve its sustainable food offer and sourcing practices. The partnership pairs WWF’s technical expertise and thought leadership on sustainability with Sodexo’s global market to protect and conserve the Earth’s resources by reducing the impact of Sodexo’s operations on the environment. WWF’s partnership with Sodexo presents an opportunity to make a positive impact on the health of the planet as well as the health of Sodexo’s consumers – and to drive larger changes in the food system.

Jul

Mangroves are at Risk, Companies Can Help by Transforming Shrimp Farming

Mangroves are semi-aquatic plants that make up some of the most dynamic and complex ecosystems on our planet. Found along two-thirds of the planet’s tropical coastlines, they are an intricate network bridging life between land and sea. Mangrove forests are host to many rare, threatened, and iconic species and home to millions of people who depend on coastal ecosystems for food and livelihoods.

But this critical ecosystem is disappearing quickly. Since 1940, approximately half of global mangrove cover has been lost. During the 1970s-1990s, especially high rates of land conversion for shrimp farming may be accountable for 30-50% of this habitat loss.

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