NFI Crab Council Announces New Member

Washington, DC – The National Fisheries Institute’s Crab Council announces 3 Fish as its latest member. The Gastonia, North Carolina processor maintains an extensive product list of value-added, fresh seafood and ready-made offerings.

3 Fish sources all its blue swimming crabmeat exclusively from Crab Council members, a purchasing decision reflective of the company’s sustainability focus. In partnering with Crab Council companies, 3 Fish supports the council’s sustainability mission by contributing to the crab resource management in Southeast Asia.

“Crafting products with responsibly harvested material elevates our value-added brand,” said 3 Fish’s VP of Internal Services Eric Kyryliuk. “By joining the Crab Council, 3 Fish rededicates itself to robust, healthy fisheries.”

As the 31st member of the Crab Council, 3 Fish joins an increasing council cohort of non-importing, processor members. The Crab Council is an industry-led sustainability effort whose membership includes U.S. and international crab companies. The Crab Council receives its funding for fishery improvement projects in Southeast Asia from member assessments on every pound of blue swimming crab imported as well as through contributions from other companies in the Blue Swimming Crab value chain, like 3 Fish.

Crab Council Chairman Brice Phillips heralds the participation of non-importing companies as an indicator of the sustainability group’s growth and influence.

“The participation in the Crab Council has reached near-ubiquity among importers,” said Phillips. “Seeing the council’s significance expand to a more diverse set of companies focusing on end-user products speaks to the strength of the council’s efforts.”

The NFI Crab Council was founded in 2009 and funds blue swimming crab sustainability projects through contributions from participating companies and has received grants from the World Bank, the Walton Family Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.