August 25, 2010–Sea Port Products, a leading importer of seafood products from around the world, today announced it has entered into an agreement with the highly respected New England Aquarium to conduct scientific assessments of the major species that Sea Port buys, both wild and farmed, making Sea Port one of the first U.S. seafood importers to undertake such an ambitious evaluation.
Under the agreement, the New England Aquarium, through its Sustainable Seafood Advisory Services, will assess the environmental sustainability of the products that Sea Port sources as well as help the company modify and improve its sustainable seafood procurement policies. Sea Port currently imports more than 40 species from some 12 countries.
According to Sea Port President William J. (Bill) Dresser, the decision to work with a leading conservation organization such as the New England Aquarium was a natural component of the company’s Go Blue!® initiative. Go Blue! focuses on sustainability, corporate and social responsibility, and seafood as a healthy protein choice. “Seafood deserves to be known as the world’s most nutritious, delicious, and enjoyable food,” Dresser said. “We in the seafood industry must encourage the responsible, sustainable production of seafood, so that this healthy protein will be available today and in the future.”
Heather Tausig, Vice President of Conservation at the New England Aquarium acknowledged Sea Port’s leadership in committing to this partnership: “Sea Port has made the important decision to publicly commit their time, energy and leadership to improving seafood sustainability,” she said. “Such a decision is never easy, but it is a wise one. They know that their business is dependent on the sustainability of our ocean resources, and that sustainability serves corporate, consumer, as well as ecological interests in the long run.”
Sea Port’s move was also applauded by the leading industry trade association, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI). “It’s clear from its Go Blue! program, and now its partnership with the New England Aquarium, that Sea Port has made sustainability a priority,” said NFI President John Connelly. “Committing to source from responsibly managed stocks is an important piece of this initiative that shows a clear focus on not just the future of Sea Port but the future of the seafood.” he added.
Dresser commended the New England Aquarium for its desire to work cooperatively with industry. “The New England Aquarium has advised a number of diverse companies. They understand the importance of engaging the seafood industry as a way to ensure the protection and preservation of the ocean and its supply of seafood as well as to support the development of sustainable aquaculture and wild fisheries.”
He added, “We at Sea Port have long believed that issues related to sustainability and longevity of the seafood supply need to be approached as a collaborative effort that includes all stakeholders—producers, industry, the conservation community, and consumers. We believe that change must be initiated from within, and navigated by industry, first and foremost. The New England Aquarium offers us the scientific expertise that we need to be able to make appropriate choices for procurement and provide our customers meaningful information about the resource.”
Dresser described the collaboration as “helping Sea Port better understand the state of certain fisheries and aquaculture operations, as viewed through the eyes of scientists and experts in the field, and identify what, if anything, needs to be corrected.” Capitalizing on the knowledge and expertise garnered from the New England Aquarium, Sea Port will work with the New England Aquarium to develop fishery and aquaculture improvement projects, he said. “It is our hope that we will be an integral part of encouraging and helping industry make the necessary corrections and changes to improve the sustainability of seafood supply chains. We will invite other industry leaders to join us,” Dresser said. “In that way, we can all make a difference in protecting the precious resources of our Blue Planet.”
Source: Sea Port Products