Seafood Expo North America & Seafood Processing North America Expo Today 2024 Issue

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WELCOME LETTER

Nathan Strout Content Specialist, SeafoodSource

Let’s make some waves.

Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America is back again in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. with a mix of familiar and new faces, spaces, and opportunities for its 42nd edition.

This year, expo organizers are shaking things up with the brand-new Wave Makers’ Zone, a dedicated space for networking with peers and exploring industry innovations. The Wave Makers’ Zone will host several exciting special events, including returning favorites like the New and Featured Product Showcases, the Seafood Excellence Awards, and the ever-popular Oyster Shucking Competition. The Wave Makers’ Zone will also feature live podcast interviews, sampling opportunities, and more.

Attendees can also explore the exhibit hall, which is even larger than it was in 2023 – at time of publication, the 2024 event was 100 booths ahead of last year. Moreover, several countries have expanded their presence or are exhibiting for the first time.

“The presence of exhibitors from more than 45 countries in the exhibit hall demonstrates the significance of the North American market on the seafood industry at large,” Diversified Communications Vice President of Seafood Wynter Courmont said. “Countries including Norway, U.K., Ecuador, and Chile have increased their presence at this year’s event, and we are excited to welcome new exhibitors from countries including Azerbaijan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Tanzania, and Uganda.”

The annual event will also highlight sustainability and aquaculture innovations, with companies like Integrated Information Systems SA, Seawise Innovative Packaging, and Cesit Mensucat showcasing sustainable practices. Other companies showcasing at this year’s event include Mowi, Cermaq, Anova Foods Inc, Leroy USA, Samuels Seafood, Multi X, Phillips Foods Inc, Hofseth International AS, Seaborn AS, Harbor Seafood Inc., Balfego & Balfego, ULMA Servicios de Mantencion S. Coop., Hiddenfjord, Thermogreen, and Full Measure Oyster. A full map of the exhibit hall can be found on page 38.

As in previous years, the 2024 expo includes a full slate of educational conference sessions covering everything from artificial intelligence to consumer trends. Groups participating in conference programming include Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE), the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, H-E-B, Riverence, FishWise, Aqua-Spark, the Marine Stewardship Council, the National Fisheries Institute, COMEPESCA, the Global Seafood Alliance, Pew Charitable Trusts, Atlantic Sea Farms, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Giant Eagle, Publix Super Markets, as well as U.S. government agencies. Check out the conference program details included in this publication to make sure you don’t miss your favorite speakers or subjects.

SeafoodSource’s editors will be out covering all the action on the expo floor, so be sure to subscribe to all our free e-newsletters on SeafoodSource.com for daily coverage, exclusive interviews, and to keep on top of all of the exciting expo scoops dropping this week. If you don’t run into us on the floor, be sure to visit us at Booth #1301 to introduce yourself, drop off business cards, and share your story.

The event will be over before you know it, so get out and explore the exhibit floor, attend an educational panel, meet new peers, and – most importantly – have fun!

– Nathan Strout

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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CONTENT MANAGER

Madelyn Kearns mkearns@divcom.com

CONTENT SPECIALIST

Nathan Strout nstrout@divcom.com

EDITOR

Chris Chase cchase@divcom.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Bhavana Scalia-Bruce bscaliabruce@divcom.com

COPYEDITOR

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Kathleen Montana kmontana@divcom.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Theresa Slusher

@seafoodsource seafoodsource @seafood_source @seafoodsourcenews

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Unveiling innovation, inspiring leaders, and fostering discovery

on-site experiences, latest market innovations, and foster professional relationships with other industry leaders. VISIT BOOTH #3165

Don’t miss these exciting special events! All events listed below are free to attend with any badge type. Schedule subject to change. Sunday,

March 10 FREE TO ATTEND

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SeafoodSource Presents Podcast Recordings Download the Expo mobile app for the live recordings schedule. Wave Makers’ Zone (Booth #3165) 10:00am-5:00pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Surfsnax

Makers’ Zone (Booth #3165) 11:00am-11:45am SEAFOOD TASTING – Handy Seafood

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KEYNOTE ADDRESS – presented by Mark Blyth, The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University Room 153CB

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1:00pm-1:20pm PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSION: Elevate Your Brand Presence

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3:00pm-4:00pm Seafood Excellence Awards Announcement & Reception

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4:15pm-5:00pm Connecting Women in Seafood Reception & Networking Event

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SPONSORED PRESENTATION: Tuna Transparency Pledge: Driving Fisheries Transparency and Market Value with On-The-Water Monitoring – Tuna Transparency Pledge Room 155

SPONSORED PRESENTATION: On-Demand Fishing in the U.S. and Canada – Opportunities and Barriers in the Supply Chain – International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

FEATURED PRODUCT SHOWCASE

10:00am-5:00pm FREE professional headshots and career coaching

10:00am-5:00pm LIVE SeafoodSource Presents Podcast Recordings

Download the Expo mobile app for the live recordings schedule.

10:00am-5:00pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Surfsnax

11:00am-11:45pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Full Measure Oyster Company

12:00pm-12:45pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Australis Aquaculture LLC.

12:30pm-1:30pm OYSTER STEWARDSHIP & SENSORY MASTERCLASS: Join Oyster Master Guild co-founders

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Patrick McMurray and Julie Qiu for an interactive 1-hour Oyster Stewardship & Sensory Masterclass

1:00pm-1:20pm PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSION: 8 Ways to Master Digital Body Language

1:00pm-1:45pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Ocean Beauty Seafoods

2:00pm-2:45pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Aquamar

2:30pm 16th Annual Oyster Shucking Competition

Wave Makers’ Zone (Booth #3165)

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COMPLETE

LOOKING BACK: 2023 SEAFOOD EXCELLENCE AWARDS-WINNING PRODUCTS

BY BHAVANA SCALIA-BRUCE

TWO COMPANIES WERE RECOGNIZED at the 2023 Seafood Excellence Awards – a competition rewarding innovation in the North American seafood industry that is held annually at Seafood Expo North America – for delivering in the Best New Retail Product and Best New Foodservice Product categories.

Last year’s winners – Thunder’s Catch and Netuno USA – were selected from a pool of finalists by a panel of judges comprised of seafood buyers and industry experts.

Sandpoint, Idaho, U.S.A.-based Thunder’s Catch received the Best New Retail Product honor last year for its Wild Salmon Chowder. The prize-winning chowder features shelf-stable packaging and is designed to be eaten on the go.

Since winning the Seafood Excellence award in 2023, Thunder’s Catch CoFounder Kara Berlin told SeafoodSource that interest in the company’s products has spiked, with sales skyrocketing 127 percent.

“It’s rare to find a ready-to-eat product that is clean. It uses real, whole ingredients that you’d find in your own kitchen at home, it doesn’t contain any preservatives, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, it has a two-year shelf life, and it is delicious,” Berlin said. “We’re able to seal in the fresh ingredients in the process, [making the product] comparable to a freshly home-cooked meal, rather than a can of soup. The packaging also lends itself to total convenience. It’s ready to ‘heat-and-eat.’ You can microwave it or place the pouch itself in boiling water and have a nutritious, delicious, and nourishing meal in fewer than three minutes.”

Berlin and her husband Taran White started the company over a decade ago, when they began distributing Alaska-sourced seafood products at local farmers markets in Idaho. They eventually grew their product offerings to incorporate provisions such as smoked salmon, salmon spreads, burgers, and jerky.

“We’ve received so much traction and momentum in the grocery and retail sector that we’re continuing to propel forward. But, we also see ample opportunity in the outdoor industry’s retail space, which was the initial concept for the chowder,” Berlin said. “There is so much opportunity that feels within very close reach. Production is no longer a limitation, but focusing where to put our energy and bandwidth as two individuals takes some strategy.”

The company is currently finalizing its “pantry” product line to include two new varieties of sockeye salmon soups, as well as a shelf-stable smoked sockeye salmon pouch.

“Winning the award certainly propelled an increase in demand from both retailers and direct customers. It’s so encouraging how a handshake and personal conversation with a retailer at SENA immediately after winning the award can quickly catapult into large purchase orders,” Berlin said.

Thunder’s Catch does not yet plan to expand internationally, Berlin said, with the company continuing to focus on the North American market for the time being.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A.-based seafood company Netuno USA was recognized for its Tambaqui Ribs product, which won Best New Foodservice Product at the 2023 Seafood Excellence Awards.

WINNERS

“This product includes Amazonian freshwater fish from Brazil that replaces and complements chicken wings and drumsticks, as well as pork ribs, for a seafood alternative for pescatarian customers,” NETUNO Marketing Coordinator Salvatore Frosceno said.

A familiar product to South Americans, Tambaqui Ribs feature a fish the remains little-known in the North American market. The product can be consumed as a snack, appetizer, or main course dish.

“The hope is to continue to educate consumers about it and get them to give it a try, allowing us to grow to additional markets expanding from South Florida,” Frosceno said.

Since winning the award, the Tambaqui Ribs have been picked up by a sports bar chain in Florida. NETUNO also has launched its garlic and herb shrimp burgers and has plans to launch additional products via its Passion Foods brand this year.

“We are also launching a high-quality, once-frozen line of yellowfin tuna, all of which will be either Marine Stewardship Council-certified or [involved in a] fishery improvement project. It will come in different forms like saku blocks, steaks, ground meat, and of course loins,” Frosceno said.

Finalists for the 2023 Seafood Excellence Awards in the foodservice category included King & Prince Seafood and Multiexport, while finalists for the retail category included Aquamar Seafood, Choice Canning Company, East Coast Seafood, Peter Pan Seafood, Secret Island, Tai Foong USA, and Wholey Seafood.

The 2024 Seafood Excellence Awards will be presented on Sunday, 10 March, in the Wave Makers’ Zone in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Finalists’ and winners’ products will be on display in the New Product Showcase throughout the duration of the three-day expo.

SEAFOOD INDUSTRY PREPARES TO BOUNCE – AND BITE – BACK AFTER TURBULENT 2023

BY MADELYN KEARNS

Ask any seafood industry professional, stakeholder, or analyst about 2023 and they’re likely to groan.

“AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME to say this, 2023 was a year of headwinds and struggles for seafood, including fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable,” 210 Analytics Principal Anne-Marie Roerink said when queried about last year. “The seafood retailing industry certainly did all the right things to kickstart sales, including increased levels of promotion, keeping prices flat, and even driving more favorable prices for the consumer. But, the reality of the marketplace was a harsh one for seafood.”

Inflation was once again a primary antagonist for the U.S. economy in 2023, Roerink said, with American consumers paying 30 percent to 35 percent more for food overall last year compared to 2019. As 2024 gets underway, the “sustained impact of inflation ... has a lot of consumers scrambling to balance their budgets,” she said.

According to FMI—The Food Industry Association

Vice President of Fresh Foods Rick Stein, the impact of inflation last year was particularly intense for the seafood industry.

“Inflationary price increases certainly had a negative impact on the sale and consumption of seafood in 2023, with many shoppers turning to more affordable proteins as they adjusted their spending habits to the economic environment,” Stein said.

Data from Circana revealed a 3.8 percent decrease in sales by volume for refrigerated finfish during 2023, and a 1.8 percent dip in sales by value for the category. Meanwhile, frozen finfish sales by volume and value fell 4.2 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively. Refrigerated shellfish sales dropped 5.6 percent by value in 2023, though sales by volume actually rose 0.9 percent, thanks in part to crab sales growth. Frozen shellfish sales dropped 2.9 percent by volume and 7.3 percent by value.

2023 DATA FROM CIRCANA

Refrigerated SHELLFISH 0.9%

Inflation certainly wasn’t the only obstacle obscuring U.S. seafood consumption, Roerink said, noting that “the nation as a whole is facing record credit card debt, now exceeding [USD 1 trillion, EUR 924 billion], in addition to the savings built up during the first pandemic year now being depleted.”

“On top of all this, the end of the emergency SNAP/EBT allotments in Q1 and student debt repayments resuming in Q4 meant a marketplace with a lot of economic pressure on America’s pocketbook,” Roerink said.

These troubles pushed consumers to opt for familiar, routine meals more often – an unfavorable trend for seafood, Roerink said, as “it is a very thin slice of the population who routinely purchase seafood” compared to the American majority, “who only purchase it a few times a year.”

“That meant a loss of household penetration to just 53 percent of households purchasing fresh seafood in 2023, a loss of 2 percent,” she said. “Additionally, those who did buy seafood bought it less frequently, with [shopping] trips down to less than eight per year.”

Retailers were hit hard by the category’s decline, Roerink said, with some choosing to do away with their full-service seafood counters in response, while others downsized the size and scope of cross-merchandizing displays.

“When starting with household engagement of 53 percent versus, say, 87 percent for beef, it is harder to justify cross-merchandising displays involving seafood than beef,” Roerink noted.

Stein said it is in retailers’ best interests to reverse this trend in 2024.

“In terms of format, we continue to see that shoppers value a well-stocked seafood counter with knowledgeable and engaging staff,” Stein said. “At the end of the day, the frequent seafood shopper is a desirable customer with typically higher baskets, so appealing to them with a well-stocked seafood counter, knowledgeable staff, and resourceful online seafood shopping experiences can help differentiate a food retailer. However, there are labor, training, and resource limitations that can make this difficult for food retailers. Innovative and creative solutions can help overcome those limitations and build real loyalty with shoppers.”

Success stories

Of course, 2023 wasn’t all doom and gloom for pockets of the seafood industry, with sellers of crab and salmon weathering the tumultuous year well.

“Fresh and frozen crab was one bright spot we saw in 2023 due to favorable pricing,” Stein said.

Brisk crab sales showed that “deflation can indeed move more pounds on rising consumer demand,” Roerink added.

“We continue to see that shoppers value a well-stocked seafood counter with knowledgeable and engaging staff.”

– RICK STEIN, FMI

“The trick for next year will be dialing up pounds and units to such an extent that it offsets the gap left by deflation in dollar sales,” she said.

Salmon also did well in 2023, as consumers turned to a familiar species to them, according to Roerink.

“Frozen salmon did have an encouraging performance and we may continue to see some pounds move from fresh to frozen as a way to manage food waste at home – one of the main money-saving measures among consumers,” Roerink said.

Salmon has also played a supporting role in sushi’s latest rise. Cooke Director of Global Supply Brett Cooke said the seafood company, which specializes in salmon, plans to expand its sushi-style offerings.

“We’re seeing increased interest in being able to provide a sushi-ready or a sushi-cut frozen product for delivery to different foodservice operators,” Cooke said.

Prepared sushi has become a segment staple with staying power for grocery providers. Over the past four years, sushi’s share of promotional activity among supermarkets shot up to 5 percent, “more than doubling its share in 2019,” foodservice research and consulting firm Datassential reported.

“While sushi can be found at a variety of restaurants, it is primarily found at Japanese restaurants. There are just over 20,000 Japanese restaurants in the U.S. and just over 5,000 of those are limited-service restaurants, where takeout and delivery are primary service segments,” Datassential Chief Business Officer Dave Jenkins said. “With sushi, supermarkets have found a product that is difficult to prepare, growing in popularity, and has very limited distribution … a formula that is not too different from fried chicken and pot pie.”

This formula has served Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.-based Kroger well, with the grocery chain becoming the top seller of sushi in the U.S. In 2022, Kroger sold 44 million sushi rolls, a spokesperson for the company told Business Insider in August 2023.

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76%

Caviar sales have increased by 76 percent globally since 2020, according to the Daily Mail, and a recent social media fad has chefs adding more caviar to their menus.

Kroger, which contracts with Snowfox/JFE Franchising as a primary source for its prepared sushi products, offers an array of ready-to-eat sushi items, including crunchy combo and spicy combo boxes. The company’s California crunch roll is its most popular cooked sushi product, while its rainbow roll is its leading raw offering.

“When customers think of sushi, we want them to think of Kroger,” Kroger Chief Marketing Officer Stuart Aitken told the Wall Street Journal in August 2023. According to the newspaper, sushi sales at U.S. retailers rose 72 percent from 2022 to 2023.

Younger consumers have played a large part in enhancing sushi’s retail popularity. In early 2023, Morning Consult asked Generation Z consumer respondents what their favorite foods were, and rounding out the top five –behind pizza (20 percent), chicken (13 percent), pasta (11 percent), and burgers (7 percent) – was sushi (6 percent). Cooke has witnessed this phenomenon first-hand.

“We were on the way home from a road trip once and my 6-year-old son asked to stop for sushi instead of McDonald’s,” Cooke said. “I was like ‘Man, I was 25 years old before I tried sushi for the first time.’”

Caviar is also seeing a surge in sales thanks to younger consumers. The delicacy starred in a recent social media trend where Gen Z TikTokers take “bumps” of sturgeon roe. Using the hashtag #CaviarBumps, Gen Zers have been recording themselves placing a dollop of caviar on the back of their hands and then eating it, and garnering millions of views in the process.

Caviar sales have increased by 76 percent globally since 2020, according to the Daily Mail, and this latest social media fad has chefs adding more caviar to their menus. Just like sushi, caviar has morphed from expensive treat to a more affordable and accessible item heading into 2024.

“Wild caviar is completely unaffordable, but now China, [the] Netherlands, France, Uruguay, and the United States have nailed the farming practices,” Ariel Arce, the owner of digital caviar delivery service CaviAIR, said. “Caviar now can be approachable and affordable.”

Looking ahead

FMI and Stein are anticipating a seafood category rebound in 2024.

“Shoppers who became more comfortable cooking seafood during the COVID-19 pandemic continue to appreciate the health benefits of preparing seafood at home,” Stein said. “In addition, according to data from Circana, food retailers that were promoting refrigerated fresh seafood saw a significant bump in volume, but the same was not true for frozen seafood. Promoting fresh seafood might be a way forward for seafood departments. Given shoppers’ increasing interest in health and well-being, adding more variety to their diet, and eating more sustainable foods in general, we expect the category to rebound in the coming year.”

Stein said shoppers will seek to reduce food waste and stretch their household grocery budgets in 2024.

“At the same time, convenience is key for shoppers, and value-added seafood that is pre-marinaded or ready-to-heat-and-eat will continue to appeal to shoppers looking to create hybrid meals to mix scratch cooking with preprepared items,” Stein said. “Shoppers are also still focused on their health and well-being and will continue to find seafood options to help them meet their health and well-being needs. I am still bullish that as the year progresses and economic conditions change, the seafood category will begin to see positive volume again.”

Value-added offerings and deli-prepared foods hold a lot of promise for the industry in the new year, Roerink said.

“We can’t underestimate the impact of the deli-prepared food section on seafood. That’s a winning story. While fresh seafood lags in engagement among younger shoppers at the counter or case, we see above-average engagement in deli-prepared. The vast array of ready-to-cook and fully-cooked meal solutions are one of the few growing areas in the store in terms of units and volume. While chicken dominates prepared meats, salmon and shrimp are making inroads,” Roerink said. “Likewise, they’re making inroads in those grab-and-go dishes.”

The hybrid meal concept has “taken over America’s kitchens among all but the Boomer generation,” Roerink noted.

“That means the majority of households mixes some items cooked from scratch with convenience items that are semi- or fully-prepared,” she said. “That is a great spot for seafood to be, given the continued cooking confidence barrier among those who don’t or rarely purchase seafood.”

According to Stein, the value-added category for seafood will continue to be a game-changer for shoppers seeking convenience.

“If prices remain high, I think frozen seafood and shelf-stable seafood will also continue to resonate with shoppers who want the health benefits of seafood and don’t want to waste food,” he said.

Stein advised retailers to “really own the seafood category both in-store and online” in 2024.

“Frequent seafood consumers are more likely to shop for groceries online (75 percent) while less than one-half of non-seafood consumers (48 percent) purchase groceries online. It’s important to create both in-store and online seafood shopping experiences that offer information about freshness, meal ideation, cooking and culinary tips, and help educate shoppers on the health and sustainability qualities. I also see food retailers beginning to promote seafood more, which will help gain volume and help consumers consider seafood options more,” Stein said.

THE STAYING POWER OF SALMON

BY CHRIS CHASE

THE U.S. SEAFOOD CATEGORY as a whole experienced harsh inflationary pressure in 2023 that pushed consumers toward alternatives like chicken, pork, and beef.

Data from consumer behavior analysis firm Circana showed that for the full 52 weeks of 2023, across fresh and frozen finfish and shellfish, almost all major seafood species experienced a slump in sales. Sales of frozen shrimp declined 8 percent by value in 2023, while frozen pollock sales declined 3.2 percent by value, fresh cod dropped 10.4 percent, and fresh shrimp dropped 12.7 percent in value year-over-year.

As most of the industry struggled with the declining demand, salmon continued to grow in popularity, even in the face of high prices.

Frozen salmon spending in the U.S. grew 3.3 percent year-over-year to over USD 672 million (EUR 618 million), while fresh salmon saw a minor 0.9 percent reduction in spending to USD 2.69 billion (EUR 2.47 billion) – a bright spot in the otherwise relatively poor performance of the overall fresh finfish landscape.

Frozen salmon was also one of the few species in the frozen seafood category that managed to maintain positive growth in sales throughout much of 2023, a stark contrast to shrimp, which

has long ranked as America’s most popular seafood item.

“Shrimp is kind of having a bit of a struggle,” Circana Principal and Team Lead Melissa Rodriguez said.

Salmon’s growth came despite the highest prices in history for certain product categories. Last year’s salmon prices were consistently elevated and, in the first half of the year, soared to record highs. The price of head-on gutted Atlantic salmon from Norway reached NOK 127.28 (then USD 12.14, EUR 11.25) in March and hovered around that price point for weeks. Regardless, U.S. consumption didn’t decline, boosting Norway’s seafood export value to new heights.

Norwegian salmon prices remained above NOK 114 (USD 11, EUR 10) at the beginning of 2024.

Salmon’s positive momentum is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, according to Rabobank, which predicted the species will find a “new normal” in terms of supply and may even see supply growth as global fishmeal inventories improve.

In 2023, fishmeal supplies were constrained as El Niño conditions in the Pacific Ocean contributed to the closure of Peru’s key anchovy fishing season.

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Peru’s anchovy fishery is the world’s largest by volume and supplies a significant portion of the raw material used in global fishmeal production, which in turn provides essential ingredients to the world’s salmon-farming industry.

In a January 2024 report, Rabobank predicted as El Niño conditions weaken, the anchovy fishery will recover and fishmeal production will recover with it.

“Normalizing salmon supply and likely better fishmeal and fish oil production will soften prices in 2024, but only marginally, establishing a new higher price norm,” Rabobank Senior Global Seafood Specialist Gorjan Nikolik said.

Most major salmon-producing regions, Rabobank predicts, will be in “growth mode” in the first half of 2024 and see increases in production.

Rabobank predicted positive “but low” growth in the supply of salmon in 2024 and that the sector will again be the most profitable segment of the seafood industry in the first half of 2024. The financial services company also prognosticated that as supplies normalize, the price of salmon will become more competitive with other proteins – which will only add to its success. However, the prices will only ease “mildly” with the improved supply, meaning if sales continue, salmon will once again pull in high value.

So, how did the salmon category, in the face of inflationary pressure that is pushing down sales of almost every other seafood species, manage to keep

“The less prep work that a consumer has to do, the more likely they are to buy something.”

– MELISSA RODRIGUEZ, CIRCANA

growing even as prices for the fish increased?

Rodriguez said there’s a few factors that could explain the phenomenon. One big factor is its ease of preparation and the familiarity U.S. consumers have with it. Sales of pre-packaged skinpacks of salmon that come with a marinade have seen big growth as consumers gravitate toward easy-toprepare meals.

“The less prep work that a consumer has to do, the more likely they are to buy something,” Rodriguez said.

A piece of pre-marinated salmon that can be quickly thrown in an oven and turned into a meal has broad appeal, driving sales growth in both the Baby Boomer and Millennial demographics.

“[It] is rare that you see growth on both. Usually

you either have an older consumer or a younger consumer, and that’s not necessarily the case [with salmon],” Rodriguez said.

Consumers know how to cook salmon, and the fish is also showing up with popular social media trends, Rodriguez said.

“There’s just been a tremendous amount of salmon awareness across social media; that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true,” Rodriguez said. “Salmon in an air fryer is trending on TikTok.”

Short TikTok videos of popular content creators throwing a piece of salmon on rice with some sort of vegetable as a side have generated lots of traction and engagement on the platform, driving sales among younger consumers.

According to Rodriguez, rising inflation has,

perhaps counterintuitively, boosted salmon sales. Consumers are tightening their purse strings, and one of the first things to go in terms of food spending is eating out and trying new, premium species, she said.

“When people have more disposable income, for all the reasons we know to be true, they are willing to play around and spend money on things,” Rodriguez said.

As inflation began to take hold and prices drove consumers toward more value-based decisionmaking, taking a chance on a new species of fish or beef went out the window.

“You’re not going to spend USD 20 [EUR 18.42] on a piece of fish and potentially ruin it,” Rodriguez said.

Furthermore, Atlantic salmon remains a staple on many restaurant menus. Rodriguez said some colleagues who deal with big restaurant chains told her it’s essential for them to specifically have Atlantic salmon on the menu because people are familiar with it and know what they’re getting.

“With the sheer mention of salmon, people just have a better grasp and understanding that it is a species they want,” she said.

Salmon is also benefiting from other trends, like the rise in popularity of grocery store sushi, which typically features salmon front-andcenter.

Rodriguez said that in 2024, salmon can continue to maintain its category dominance so long as the industry keeps promoting the species, focusing on pre-packaged skinpacks and engaging proactively with consumers.

Aloft Boston Seaport

Boston Harbor Hotel

Boston Marriott Copley Place

Boston Marriott Long Wharf

Colonnade Boston

Copley Square Hotel

Courtyard Boston Downtown

Dagny Boston

DoubleTree by Hilton - Downtown Boston

Element Boston Seaport

Embassy Suites Boston - Logan Airport

Envoy Hotel, Autograph Collection

Fairmont Copley Plaza

Four Seasons Hotel Boston

Four Seasons One Dalton

Godfrey Hotel Boston

Hampton Inn Boston Seaport

Hilton Boston Back Bay

Hilton Boston Park Plaza

Homewood Suites Boston Seaport

Hyatt Place Boston Seaport

Hyatt Regency Boston

InterContinental Boston

Langham Hotel

Moxy Boston Downtown

Omni Boston Seaport

Omni Parker House

Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

Revere Hotel Boston Common

Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common

Seaport Hotel

Sheraton Boston Hotel

W Boston

Westin Boston Seaport District

Westin Copley Place

YOTEL Boston

Walking Distance to BCEC

Front Entrance, Curbside on Atlantic Ave.

Curbside on Huntington Ave.

Front Entrance, Outer Driveway

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

Front Entrance on Tremont St.

Broad St. Entrance

At Courtyard Downtown, Front Entrance on Tremont St.

Walking Distance to BCEC

Front Entrance Curbside

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

At Hilton Boston Park Plaza, Columbus Ave. Entrance

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

Corner of Ave. de Lafayette & Harrison Ave.

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

Columbus Ave. Entrance

Walking Distance to BCEC

Walking Distance to BCEC

Corner of Ave. de Lafayette & Harrison Ave.

Front Entrance, Curbside on Atlantic Ave.

Franklin St. Entrance

At Courtyard Downtown, Front Entrance on Tremont St.

Walking Distance to BCEC

Tremont St. Entrance

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Courtyard Downtown, Front Entrance on Tremont St.

Corner of Ave. de Lafayette & Harrison Ave.

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

At Courtyard Downtown, Front Entrance on Tremont St.

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

Walking Distance to BCEC

NOTEWORTHY SEAFOOD AND PROCESSING INNOVATIONS TO EXPLORE AT THE EXPO

BY MADELYN KEARNS

ACME SMOKED FISH CORP

BOOTH #2705

Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.-based smoked fish supplier Acme Smoked Fish launched its new snack kit products, Lox in a Box, in December 2023. The products will be among the company’s portfolio at this year’s Seafood Expo North America event.

The Lox in a Box debuted with two flavor options: Acme’s smoked salmon with cream cheese and smoked salmon with a guacamole spread. Both options come with artisanal crackers and a utensil “so it can be enjoyed anywhere from the picnic table to the conference room,” according to Acme.

In 2024, the company said it plans to roll out three flavors of hot smoked salmon: lemon garlic, Kansas City BBQ, and honey maple. Packaged in 3-ounce, single-serve portions, the cooked, smoked salmon fillets allow consumers to easily add the product to tossed salads, grains, or pastas. The new line features wild-caught, Marine Stewardship Council-certified sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay, Alaska.

“We know customers are looking for ready-to-eat convenient eats, and our new flavored hot smoked salmon is a perfect way to experiment with flavors and have some fun,” Acme Co-Owner Adam Caslow told SeafoodSource in January.

Alongside its new product launches, Acme has also introduced redesigned product packaging for several of its smoked salmon and whitefish salad products. The packaging seeks to give a “joyful and modern experience to consumers,” the company said.

“Acme has evolved over time, and our packaging is catching up. My family has been in the smoked fish business for four generations, and we set out to create a modern visual look that matches our mission and makes our products even more accessible,” Caslow said. •

APTAR – FOOD PROTECTION

BOOTH #1270

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.-based Aptar – Food Protection’s SeaWell Protective Packaging System, which the company hails as a “first-of-its-kind active packaging solution” designed specifically to preserve seafood freshness and quality from sea to table, continues to expand with new offerings.

All entrants into the SeaWell suite of products – such as signature trays and, more recently, stand-up pouches – are crafted “to enhance food safety, improve food quality, decrease seafood waste, and extend freshness,” according to Aptar.

“SeaWell technology absorbs excess liquids that may result from draining, dripping, or thawing of the seafood product while inside the package,” the company said. “The system leverages a proprietary blend of direct food–contact safe materials integrated into the packaging that contains excess fluids and keeps them separated from the seafood itself. The fluids are trapped within the packaging, resulting in extended shelf life, reduced microflora growth, cleaner handling, and improved product integrity. This process is hidden from consumers, who enjoy a pristine product.”

The packaging system has passed 3A testing procedures carried out by both the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA), Aptar noted. The ASTM and ISTA auditing involved SeaWell active pouches being filled with seafood and tested in multiple parcel configurations under small and standard packaging size parameters. The pouches were subjected to drop testing, loose load vibration, low air pressure, and vehicle vibration, Aptar said, and emerged with no damage.

Additionally, home delivery seafood consumers surveyed by marketing research firm Kaplan MRD revealed a preference for the SeaWell technology over alternative, traditionally plain polybags.

“With the ISTA and ASTM standards met and the positive consumer feedback received, Aptar is well-positioned to serve the e-commerce market,” Aptar –Food Protection Vice President and General Manager Neal Watson said. “We are confident these results will broaden access to seafood home delivery, helping this market deliver fresh, high-quality seafood to customers, leading to a better consumer experience.” •

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OR STOP BY FOR A CHAT AT BOOTH #145 5

ARCHIPELAGICS

BOOTH #3425

Indonesia-based Archipelagics will be launching specialty tuna, snapper, grouper, and mahi products – including its signature Sesame Crusted Tuna retail pack – into the U.S. market at Seafood Expo North America in 2024.

“We developed the Sesame Crusted Tuna retail pack in partnership with a retail customer,” Archipelagics CEO Ferry Gunawan said. The product features sashimi-grade ahi tuna seared and topped with sesame seeds.

“As one of the largest fresh/frozen tuna processors operating in Indonesia, we’ve found that the size of our operations – large and sophisticated enough to develop shelf-ready products, yet small enough to develop bespoke items based on customer requests – puts us in a strong position to innovate. Apart from product development, we’re accustomed to meeting customer requirements related to shelf life and product presentation and packaging,” Gunawan added.

Sourced from artisanal fisheries and certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, the products Archipelagics is bringing to the expo are being marketed under the company’s new U.S. brand, it said. In addition to retail, the products can be made available for white label, Archipelagics noted. The firm’s U.S. marketing operations are also vertically integrated, “allowing full supply chain oversight and transparency.” •

AZERBAIJAN FISH FARM LLC

BOOTH #3351

Azerbaijan Fish Farm LLC (AFF) will be spotlighting its Baku Caviar – the world’s first sustainable Caspian caviar brand – at Seafood Expo North America 2024.

“Seafood Expo North America provides a crucial stage for us to demonstrate our commitment to sustainable practices,” AFF CEO Nazaraliyev Mammad said. “We are eager to share our expertise and the unique journey of Baku Caviar from Azerbaijan to global markets.”

The Baku, Azerbaijan-based premier sturgeon breeder and caviar producer “takes immense pride in delivering the highest-quality caviar sourced from six sturgeon species, five of which are native to the Caspian Sea basin,” it said.

These sturgeon species include Huso huso (beluga), Acipenser gueldenstaedtii (diamond sturgeon), Acipenser persicus (Caspian osetra), Acipenser ruthenus (sterlet), Acipenser stellatus (Sevruga), and a crossbreed of Acipenser nudiventris and Huso huso (ship sturgeon mixed with beluga).

AFF’s production process “harmoniously merges traditional and modern breeding techniques, leveraging cutting-edge facilities like recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), cage culture models, and state-of-the-art seaside tanks,” the company said, adding that it is “steadfast in nurturing a conducive environment for sturgeon growth while upholding sustainable aquaculture practices.”

The firm is able to purge fish in saltwater from the Caspian Sea before harvest to create its Baku Caviar, an exclusive process that guarantees that the product “retains its distinctive taste, akin to wild-catch caviar,” AFF said.

The company takes great pride in its “commitment to reviving and preserving biological diversity in the Caspian Sea,” it said. As such, AFF actively organizes sturgeon release events, “contributing to the preservation and reinforcement of endangered sturgeon populations.”

“For each jar of caviar sold, Baku Caviar releases 10 sturgeon, aiding in the replenishment of native sturgeon populations in the Caspian Sea,” AFF said. •

CAMPBELL’S FOODSERVICE

BOOTH #3077

Oaklyn, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based Campbell’s Foodservice is featuring its new Campbell’s Culinary Reserve New England Clam Chowder at Seafood Expo North America 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts – a fitting venue and location for the hearty seafood soup product, the company said.

“New England is the epicenter for clam chowder, so what better way to showcase the high-quality ingredients and delicious flavor of Campbell’s Culinary Reserve New England Clam Chowder than at the largest seafood exposition of the year?” Campbell’s Foodservice Senior Director of U.S. Marketing Chris Graziano said. “Our New England Clam Chowder was developed in partnership with foodservice operators … and tested with consumers –making it a win-win for both operators and consumers.”

Comprised of clams, diced potatoes, onions, and green celery in “a rich, fresh cream,” Campbell’s Culinary Reserve New England Clam Chowder joins the company’s frozen soup portfolio of more than 60 chef-inspired soups, including Lobster Bisque with Sherry, Kickin’ Crab and Sweet Corn Chowder, Boston Clam Chowder, and Maryland-Style Crab Soup.

“The ready-to-serve and condensed formats provide operators with an easy one-stop shop for delicious, scratch-quality offerings at scale,” Campbell’s Foodservice said of its Campbell’s Culinary Reserve offerings. The firm will also be sharing its chowder this week via a food truck at The Boxes along the Boston Fish Pier from 10 to 12 March. •

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CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF SUFFOLK COUNTY

BOOTH #3314

Members of the monkfish industry from Maine to New Jersey have joined forces with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Suffolk County to bring the local U.S. Northeast species to Seafood Expo North America.

“The American goosefish, better known as monkfish, has a mug only a mother could love, but an out-of-this-world taste worthy of five-star restaurants. With meat that’s mild-tasting and firm, it is often likened to lobster,” CCE said of the species, which is largely caught and processed in Massachusetts, as well as in nearby states such as Rhode Island, Maine, and New Jersey.

The monkfish to be showcased at the expo will be locally sourced from Northeast monkfish fishermen and processed by Northeast seafood companies, CCE noted. Among the products to be highlighted at the event are Monkfish Sliders from Tony’s Fresh Seafood of Rhode Island, and Monkfish Stew from the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association.

“Monkfish is a very versatile fish. It can be prepared any way you want,” CCE Fisheries Department Manager Tara McClintock said.

CCE said its plans for Boston also involve sharing “more ways to utilize monkfish with attendees, such as the preparation of Japanese ankimo using the monkfish’s liver, as well as scratch fish broth that utilizes the monkfish’s large head.”

“The tail meat [of the monkfish] is just the start,” CCE Fisheries Specialist Kristin Gerbino explained. “The whole fish can be utilized to make one great meal after the other.”

Getting the word out at events like Seafood Expo North America “helps people try new things and realize all of the delicious, local options available to them,” McClintock added.

“When people eat local seafood, they support their local fishermen and businesses. Monkfish gives so much potential to do that right here in the Northeast,” McClintock said. •

REGAL SPRINGS

BOOTH #851

MULTIVAC INC.

BOOTH #2365

Wolfertschwenden, Germany-headquartered packaging and processing solutions designer Multivac Group plans to feature its thermoforming packaging machine, R105, at Seafood Processing North America 2024 this week.

Known for its small footprint, flexibility, and budgetfriendly price, the R105 – when paired with Multivac’s MultiFresh packaging film – “creates a beautiful point-ofsale presentation” for seafood processors, according to the company. The MultiFresh film acts as a second skin for seafood products that travel through the R105 thermoformer, “laying closely around the product without added tension or distortion, resulting in a fully secure enclosure,” the firm said. The film is puncture-proof, even with products that have sharp or hard components, such as bones, fins, or shells, Multivac added, preventing shelf-life and product-flow disruptions.

“For decades, we have worked closely with many customers in your industry. As a result, we understand the challenges of processing and packing fish and seafood. Thanks to advanced machine technology, comprehensive know-how, and sustainable packaging development, our packaging material experts and food technologists will support you in remaining successful in the future,” the company said.

In addition to thermoforming packaging machines and films, Multivac’s seafood portfolio also includes traysealers, flowpackers, clamber machines, shrinking and drying units, labeling and printing solutions, inspection solutions, and more. •

Zürich, Switzerland-headquartered premium tilapia farmer Regal Springs will introduce a new value-added product at this year’s Seafood Expo North America, the company recently confirmed.

“We’re thrilled to be returning to Boston for another hotly anticipated conference,” Regal Springs Head of Marketing and Media Relations Vernon Bradley said. “The 2024 program is packed with exciting exhibitors and industry leaders, and we’re looking forward to sharing what we’ve been developing over the past year with new and existing customers.”

Considered a blue food movement pioneer, Regal Springs has “an unwavering commitment to improving sustainability and welfare across its operations,” it said.

The firm raises its tilapia in oxygen-rich deepwater lakes in Mexico, Honduras, and Indonesia and has earned certification from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, Best Aquaculture Practices, British Retail Consortium, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, among others.

Regal Springs said it’s expanding its range with more value-added products in 2024 in an ongoing effort “to encourage more people to discover protein-rich tilapia.” •

SEA PORT PRODUCTS CORP

BOOTH #1117

Kirkland, Washington, U.S.A.-based Sea Port Products – which specializes in the importation and distribution of shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops, and finfish – will be emphasizing its 2024 mission at this year’s Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America event.

“Our commitment to unparalleled service remains steadfast,”

Sea Port Products President Bill Dresser said. “This year, we are intensifying our efforts to enhance the customer experience, improve delivery processes, and integrate cutting-edge technologies. We are confident that these initiatives will fortify our position as leaders in service excellence.”

The company has been honing its sourcing practices and sustainability commitments for more than four decades, it said.

“Offering a diverse selection of premium seafood, including shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops, and finfish, Sea Port continues to be a one-stop shop for quality seafood at competitive prices. [Our] experienced buyers cultivate a network of sustainable suppliers that ensures continuous access to topquality products at the best value,” according to the firm.

Sea Port recently introduced its new same-day pickup and delivery service for the Los Angeles, California area with South Side Logistics. The company supplies seafood products across the U.S., with inventories currently located in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago (Illinois), Honolulu (Hawaii), Boston (Massachusetts), and Miami (Florida). •

SOLIDUS

SEAWISE INNOVATIVE PACKAGING

BOOTH #1288

Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada-based Seawise Innovative Packaging is launching an affordable, sustainable, and high-performing thermal packaging solution – thermoloc – at Seafood Processing North America.

Created to address the “longstanding issue of how to move away from expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging,” the thermoloc system “meets regulatory demands for more sustainable packaging without sacrificing freshness,” Seawise explained.

“Polystyrene (styrofoam) has long been the go-to packaging option for seafood, but with rising concerns of landfill space, ocean and soil contamination, and use of harmful petrochemicals, the seafood industry must make a transition,” the company said.

Its new packaging technology is customizable to fit any pallet and is priced similarly to, or less than, standard EPS options, the firm added. Moreover, thermoloc’s thermal resistance, or R-value, comes in at a minimum of 35 percent or better.

“We recognize the seafood industry has always faced unique challenges in providing fresh products from ocean to plate while also keeping costs down and meeting regulatory demands,” Seawise Innovative Packaging CEO Jesse Knight said. “We searched for and tested sustainable packaging that also kept fish at the right cold temperatures and didn’t leak water; when we didn’t find anything that worked, we created thermoloc.” •

BOOTH #372

A new form of packaging that’s been trending in Europe will be highlighted at Seafood Processing North America by Oude Pekela, Netherlands-headquartered Solidus.

The packaging innovator will have its new Futurline skin packaging system on display for seafood manufacturers prioritizing recyclability. Futurline features a printed solid board base with a transparent skin film to package fish, seafood, meat, and poultry.

“Moving to a cardboard tray enables the packaging to provide additional information of freshness, provenance, or other essentials the manufacturer wants to express about the brand. Whilst reducing the need for additional labels and emphasizing the products at retail, this cardboard skin pack also improves recyclability,” Solidus stated.

The company said it is able to replace up to 90 percent of incumbent non-recycled plastic solutions with Futurline, which contributes “to the demand for circular packaging solutions.”

The firm is also showcasing its solid board transport packaging at this year’s event, it said. Ideal for packaging fresh and round fish as well as salmon, Solidus’ solid board is considered an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to polystyrene and plastic crates.

“Approximately 90 percent of the fibers Solidus procures are recovered paper mainly from municipalities, retail customers, and recovered paper plants. Moreover, the fiber-based packaging material can be recycled at least 25 times without losing its mechanical or structural integrity,” the company added.

Beyond its sustainable bona fides, Solidus’ solid board packaging can be transported flat and in higher capacity per pallet to end users, “reducing the number of transports required for delivery,” the company said.

“Boxes can hold more fish, and more boxes can be stacked on the same pallet so more fish can be transported in the same space,” the firm noted. •

Flexible

Customize to meet individual requirements for cooling, and freezer applications. Perfect for tight transfers and small products.

INVESTMENT IN SMALL-SCALE FIPS PROVING ITS WORTH

BY NED DALY

Approximately 40 percent of seafood caught worldwide comes from small-scale fisheries. While there has been little growth in the total catch from wild-caught fisheries over the last 20 years – it hovers around 90 million metric tons annually – improving the management, stock health, and supply reliability from fisheries can help local communities, seafood supply chains, and international markets deliver high-quality seafood products to consumers.

Fishery improvement projects (FIPs) ensure that verifiable improvements are being made in fisheries, and by improving management and governance of fishery resources and supporting healthier, more productive ecosystems, supply-chain “investors” are rewarded with long-term, assured supply.

These interventions can also return significant benefits for fishers and fishing communities. From a food security perspective, 50 percent to 90 percent of the protein consumed in vulnerable coastal communities comes from fish caught by small-scale, artisanal fishers. Although the industry often focuses on the assured supply benefits FIPs offer the entire supply chain, they can also benefit communities by addressing fundamental challenges to delivering a sustainable product to market, including water treatment and reliable cold chain solutions.

SEAFOODSOURCE: What does the seafood industry need to understand about engaging with small-scale fisheries? What are the challenges and opportunities present in these environments?

LUIS BOURILLÓN (Coordinator at Impacto Colectivo por la Pesca y Acuacultura Mexicanas): Perhaps the most important thing to learn and understand is

the fragile nature of the activities involved and the importance of fishing for people’s livelihoods, food security, and culture in coastal communities.

The industry often sees only a seafood product and not all that is behind this product. There are great examples of small-scale fisheries that can be excellent partners with industry players who understand these characteristics and incorporate safeguards into the business model to support

SeafoodSource spoke with the panelists comprising the FIPsfocused conference session, “Using the power of markets to grow and consolidate fisheries improvement projects in Mexico” [Monday, 11 March at 1:30 pm in Room 153A], to learn more about the opportunities available to unlock trapped value in small-scale fisheries.

[fishers], not only by paying a fair price but [by] sharing the social responsibility that should come with these partnerships. Meaningful and productive collaboration for both sides can be built based on mutual respect and responsibility.

Sometimes, engagement of NGOs can provide support for the above topics, but NGOs also have private agendas; industry and small-scale fishers must understand this element. FIPs offer a clear

Brought

framework and process to collaborate, and if the project is connected to markets interested in the improvement work, the opportunities to differentiate from other seafood products is enhanced.

SEAFOODSOURCE: What has your experience in Mexico taught you about how to engage fishers and connect supply to local and export markets?

CITLALI GÓMEZ-LEPE (President of COMEPESCA):

First, we need to better understand the needs and incentives of the demand side of the market by talking to seafood-purchasing key actors, like chefs and distributors. To do this, we need the best data we can find and connect with experienced actors who trust our efforts to bring more sustainable, legal, and traceable seafood to them.

Second, we must find – by working together – potential avenues for seafood coming from small-scale fisheries engaged in improvement projects and committed to making the necessary adjustments to fit into market needs. There is a great need to create links and understanding among actors across the supply

contributing time, resources, and expertise. This involvement helps ensure the effectiveness of each project and provides companies with opportunities to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices. This, in turn, helps build trust with consumers and other stakeholders, which creates additional sales opportunities for FIP products.

Communication is key. It’s not just about participating in a FIP but how companies communicate this engagement and the impact it has in communities that depend on this resource. We are no longer just selling dead fish; consumers want to connect with the people producing their seafood, and talking about FIPs is an

chain – since all are essential to achieve results –but [it is essential to] add value to each product –in quality, reliability of supply, sustainability, social responsibility, and other important elements – to create a different product.

Our movement, Pesca con Futuro, provides the framework to build connections and trust for working together. We must understand that we need each other to make progress.

SEAFOODSOURCE: How can seafood companies maximize their return on engagement in interventions like FIPs?

ADRIANA SÁNCHEZ (Founder of Seafood Ninja): Companies should actively engage in FIPs by

opportunity to connect with consumers and educate them about the importance of responsible seafood choices, helping create a market demand for sustainably sourced seafood and providing companies with a competitive advantage in the market.

SEAFOODSOURCE: Is the strategy for foundations’ investments in small-scale fisheries evolving?

DAYLIN MUÑOZ (Program Officer at the Walton Family Foundation): Small-scale fisheries provide sustainable and healthy food to millions. At the Walton Family Foundation, we believe those closest to the problem are closest to the solutions. That’s why we work with fishers and seafood

buyers to find solutions that benefit people and nature.

Demand for sustainable seafood can drive change across the supply chain and in the water. When we started investing in improving smallscale fisheries, we thought buyers would flock to them as a reliable source of responsibly caught seafood, but many small-scale fisheries aren’t benefiting from this demand. Additionally, buyers miss out on responsible products all because fisheries lack connections to better markets.

Fishers and seafood companies must share the duty of protecting the oceans. Many U.S. seafood buyers are committed to buying sustainable seafood, but the benefits of the commitments rarely trickle down to the fishing communities. To take care of the oceans and fishing communities, more buyers need to support sustainable, small-scale fisheries.

In Mexico, the foundation works with partners like SmartFish and COMEPESCA to help seafood buyers connect with small-scale fishers. These partners highlight the value of high-quality and sustainable seafood produced by smallscale fishers, and together, they can help feed the world – now and in the future.

SEAFOODSOURCE: How can small-scale producers effectively use and apply certification standards?

BILL HOENIG

(Director of Market Development in Latin America at the Global Seafood Alliance): For small producers, the value of certification programs is not the certification itself; in most cases, it is simply too expensive and time-consuming to go through the process. The worth then lies in the standards themselves; they provide a roadmap toward operational improvement and an opportunity to integrate into the supply chain.

The verification and assurance process will then need to be adapted and simplified toward an improved model that is amenable to the needs of the producer while delivering on visibility to the supply chain.

Clockwise left to right: Luis Bourillón, Citlali Gómez-Lepe, Adriana Sánchez, Daylin Muñoz and Bill Hoenig.

Exhibit Sales Office: BOOTHS 2053, 2047

Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global, Seafood Expo Asia, SeafoodSource, National Fisheries Institute and Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF)

Registration

EXHIBITOR LIST

Cape

Cape

Cassua,

Caviar

Cedar

Changli

Charlie

S.A - Pesca

Argentina S.A. 2005

Cheng Hung Seafood Frozen Produce Co.,Ltd. 2233

Cherrystone Aqua-Farms 424

Chesapeake Bay Packing, LLC 1604

Chiba Prefectural Government. 2333

Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods 519

Chilean Salmon Marketing Council 105

China Aquatic Products Processing & Marketing Alliance (CAPPMA) 2213, 643, 1953, 2117, 1853, 1833, 1917

CHINA MARINE FOISON GROUP CO.,LTD .................................................3421

China Starfish Co. Ltd 1833

China-Japan Corporation 2333

Choice Canning Co Inc ........................ 1549

Chun Cheng Fishery Enterprise Pte Ltd 3333

Cibel Group 3417

Cindy’s Kitchen/Custom Blends, Inc. ... 2949

Circle Seafoods 3445

Clark’s Harbour Seafood Ltd 2873

Classic Seafood Group 548

Clearwater Seafoods Limited 2505

CO MAY Import Export Co Ltd. 2422

Coast Seafood USA LLC 404

COAST TSIMSHIAN FISH PLANT LTD 1433

Cocedero de Mariscos, SA 619

Cofimar S.A. 633

Coinrefri SRL 2513

Coldwater Prawns of Norway AS 347

Colonel Jim’s Breading Company LLC 2876

Comex Andina / Proanco 2513

Conarpesa - Continental Armadores de Pesca S.A 2005

Congel Miramar - Wiriz 2885

Congeladora DAYSA SA de CV 3342

Congelados Noriberica S.A. 2533

CONTINENTAL MARINES 2833

Cooke Seafood Inc. 1133, 1143

Coomarpes Ltda 2005

Copacol - Cooperativa Agroindustrial Consolata 1745

Copper River Salmon Marketing 1720

Copper River Seafoods 3064

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County 3314

Cox’s Wholesale Seafood Inc 2883

Cozy Harbor Seafood........................... 2725

Criaderos de Mariscos Crimasa S.A. 646

Crocker & Winsor Seafoods Inc 1113

Crown Seafood Company 1642

Crustacea Seafood Company, INC. 1449

Crystal Seas Seafood ............................2143

Culmarex S.A. 1133

CV. Giovanni Sukses Makmur 1705

CVALE - Cooperativa Agroindustrial 1745

D & D Seafood Corp. 405

D.C Air & Seafood Inc. ...................... 2583

Dalian Anxin Seafood Co., Ltd. 3149

Dalian Gaishi Food Co., Ltd. 643

Dalian Gourmet Industry Co., Ltd 1404

Dalian Guocai Products Co.ltd 2117

Dalian Haibao Foods Co., Ltd. ..............1657

Dalian Haixiang Food Co., Ltd 1704

Dalian Hengjia Food Co.,Ltd 1853

Dalian Honghefeng International Trade Co., Ltd 1953

Dalian Huaqi Food Co Ltd 1917

Dalian Jidong Food Co. Ltd.................. 2775

Dalian Jinbaiwei Flour Products Co., Ltd 643

Dalian Jinda Condiment Co., Ltd. 1853

Dalian Jinshan Marine Products Co Ltd 2668

Dalian Jinwuxing Foods Co., Ltd 3149

Dalian Kowa Foods Co., Ltd 1404

Dalian Lucky Seafood Co Ltd 2668

Dalian Meihe Foodstuff Co. Ltd. 2685

Dalian Miaochi Supply Chain Management Co.,Ltd 1917

Dalian Minghua Seafoods Co., Ltd 2879

Dalian Rich Enterprise Group Co., Ltd. 2117

Dalian Rongchang Foodstuff Co., Ltd 1657

Dalian Shanhai Seafood Co., Ltd. 141

Dalian Taifu Food Co., Ltd 743

Dalian Tianpeng Food Co. Ltd 1853

Dalian Xintong Aquatic Food Co., Ltd 3149

Dalian Yangyi Food Co., Ltd 1917

Dalian Yihe Food Co., Ltd 1917

Dalian Zhengjun Foodstuffs Co., Ltd 2941

Dalian Zhihui Fishery Group Co.,Ltd 743

Dalian Zhuanghe Export Base Service Center 1917

Dalian Zhudao Foodstuffs Co., Ltd. 1833

Dandong Hailong Foodstuff Co., Ltd. 1917

Dandong Yongming Food Co. Ltd. 2455

Dandong Zhengrun Food Co.,ltd 1853

Dani Group 715

Darik Enterprises Inc. 245

Deep Sea Atlantic North America Inc. 2579

Del Mar Seafoods, Inc 2310

Del Pacifico Seafoods LLC 3217

Delifrost .......................................... 2989

Department of Commerce of Hainan Province 1853

DEVA SEA FOOD 2833

Devi Fisheries Inc 2677

Devi Seafoods, Inc. 2512

Dexim S.R.L. 2513

Grobest

Groupe

Grupo

Grupo

Guangdong

Guangdong

Guerrera

Gulf

Gulf

Gumusdoga

Hai

Hai

Hai Yang International Inc

Hainan

Hainan Excellence Import And Export

Hainan

Hainan

Hainan

Hainan

Hainan

Hainan TropLake Foods Co., Ltd. 1953

Hainan Xiangtai Fishery Co.,ltd 1833

Hainan

Hainan

Handou

India

Exhibitor

IBERCONSA

Iceland

Iceland

OP

Orca

S.A. 2533

Pesquera Buenavista S.A. 2005

Pesquera Exalmar S.A. 2513

Pesquera Hermanos Cordova SAC ........... 2513

Peter

Polar Seafrozen AS 347

POLİTEK İNŞAAT AMBALAJ GIDA VE SU

ÜRÜNLERİ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. 3111

Poseidon Food Development Co., Ltd. 1853

Premier Foods 3056

Premium Aquatic LLC dba

Seagrove Kelp C 2774

Presteve Foods Limited 1123

Prime Seafood Imports 905

Prime Shrimp LLC 3074

Primstar BV ..................................................913

PROCAMARONEX C. LTDA 951

ProChile 715

Produmar ......................................... 1745, 2513

Prodway International - Distribuidora

Marechiare S.R.L 2005

PROEXPO, Procesadora y Exportadora de Mariscos S.A. 633

Promarosa 951

PROMPERU 2513

PT Toba Surimi Industries Tbk 447

PT. Agrita Best Seafood 1705

PT. Dharma Samudera Fishing Industries, Tbk 1705

PT. Fresh On Time Seafood 1705

PT. Inti Lautan Fajar Abadi 1705

PT. Intimas Surya 1705

PT. Kembang Alam Khatulistiwa ................1705

PT. Permata Marindo Jaya 1705

PT. Rajawali Anugerah Seafood 1705

PT. Sari Tuna Makmur ................................1705

Pt. Tamron Akuatik Produk Industri 1705

Qidong Jinhe Foods Co., Ltd. 2117

Qingdao Dencan Seafood Co.,Ltd. 643

Qingdao Fashion Food Co.,Ltd. 346

Qingdao Meixing Foods Co., Ltd 1833

Qingdao Ocean Garden 3072

Qingdao Seaflying Food Co.,Ltd. 2455

Qingdao Sun-Growing Trade Co., Ltd ....... 1833

Qingdao Yize Food Co.,Ltd. 1853

Quirch Foods 1051

Rainbow Seafoods Inc ...............................3412

Rainforest Caribbean 2116

Raoping Yuanteng Frozen Food Co. Ltd 1833

Rappahannock Oyster Co 1609

Raspberry Point Oysters 1354

Raw Seafoods Inc 3304

Red Chamber Argentina S.A. 2005

RedFishCo Inc 2917

Refrigerados Fisholg & Hijos SAC ............. 2513

Regal Springs Tilapia 851

Rhode Island Commerce 2575

Riverence Provisions LLC..........................3055

Riya Seafoods 2913

RIZHAO DINGSHUN

FOODSTUFF CO.,LTD. 3233

Rizhao Smart Foods Co., Ltd. 2117

Robinson Crusoe 715

Rockport Specialty Seafoods, Inc. 2713

Salgado

EXHIBITOR LIST

Ulka

Exhibitor list as of 2/16/2024.

Wholey 1457

Wick’s Kitchens 2020

Wild Alaskan, Inc. 3418

Wild Fish LLC, DBA Red’s Best 2570

Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. 3346

WOFCO (Worldwide Fishing Company) 916

Wood’s Fisheries 405

World Link Food Distributors Inc 1438

Worldwide Seafood Products LLC 1512

Wuhan Xingzhengfa Trading Co.,Ltd 1853

WUJEE BRAND SHANG EASE

INT’L INDUSTRIA 2649

Xiamen East Ocean Fishery Co., Ltd 2818

Xiamen East Ocean Foods Co., Ltd. 2818

Xiamen Granda Import and Export Co Ltd ............................................ 1404

Xiamen Kayida Co.,Ltd.............................. 1404

Xiamen Taisheng Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd. ..... 2455

Xiamen Yuansen Import & Export Co., Ltd. .. 441

Xunta de Galicia - Conselleria do Mar ...... 2533

Yamadai Food Corporation 2333

Yancheng Huijia Aquatic Product Science and Technology Co.,Ltd. 743

Yantai Connor Foodstuff Co., Ltd. 2455

Yantai Haiyu Foodstuffs Co.,Ltd. 1853

Yantai Luxing Aquatic Products Co.,Ltd. 2117

Yantai Taixi Foodstuff Co., Ltd. 1404

Yantai Ted Foods Co., Ltd 2912

Yantai Transocean Foodstuff Co., Ltd. 3149

Yantai Xicheng Aquatic Foods Co. Ltd. 643

Yen & Brothers Enterprise Co., Ltd. 2233

Youngs Lobster Company Ltd. .................. 1248

Yucatan Fish by Marco Vega ..................... 2584

Yundi Information Technology (Hainan) Co., Ltd. 1853

Vietnam

Vietocean

Vikenco

Seafood

Seafood

VSV

Walcan

Sedna

Select

Seven

West Java Province, Indonesia ................. 3440

Western Edge Seafood 1905

Western United Fish Company dba

Annasea Foods Group 3065

Westmorland Fisheries Ltd ..................... 2810

WESTWARD SEAFOODS,INC. 3105

Wheeler Seafood 2851

Whitecap International

Seafood Exporters 1455

Yuzuya Honten Co., Ltd. 2333

Zalmhuys Group 2555

Zaloom Corporation 545

Zaltana Pescados 1745

ZF America 2117

Zhangpu Fengziya Food Co., Ltd 1704

Zhangzhou Excellent Imp.& Exp. Co., Ltd 2941

Zhangzhou Yuanxin Foodstuff Co., Ltd 441

Zhanjiang Manxian Attain Seafood Co., Ltd. 2117

Zhaoqing Evergreen Aquatic Product Science and Technology CO., Ltd 1943

Zhejiang Native Produce and Animal by-products Import and Export Group Co., Ltd ........................................... 3233

Zhejiang Tianhe Aquatic Products Inc., Ltd. 3233

Zhejiang Times 743, 3233

Zhejiang Zhoufu Food Co.,Ltd 3233

Zhenye Aquatic (Huilong) Ltd. 2447

Zhoushan Haohai Aquatic Products Co., Ltd 743

Zhoushan Taihe Foods Co., Ltd 1657

Zhoushan Tianjia Aquatic Food Co., Ltd. 2455

NetYield

New

Ningbo

Inc. 588

Paraclipse Systems 471

Pathward, N.A. 190

Pisces Fish Machinery 2264

Plasti-Chemie North America LLC / FV Group Corp 2481

Plexpack Corp. 2171

Point Five Packaging 1973

Polaris Systems Inc. 2084 PolyConversions Inc. 390

Prawnto Shrimp Machine Co. of Texas 685

Prayon 1670

Pressure Techniques International 469

Proseal America, Inc. 1575

ProtectPak 2364

Provisur Technologies, Inc. 1889

ProXES, Inc. 2477

PSC 2273

Pyramid Transport and Cold Storage 1574

Qingdao Huakang Plastic Packging Co.,ltd 288

Qingdao Risen Packing Industrial Co., Ltd. ... 1375

Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association (RETA) 1984

REISER 1065

RLS Logistics 486

Rome Grinding Solutions 1571

Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc 671

Rotogal, S.L. ................................................ 1387

Royal 4 Systems 1985

Ryco Equipment Inc 1167

S & W Wilson Inc 765

Saeplast Americas 1281

SCHC - Logistics and Packaging 2188

ScottPec, Inc. 1775

SCS Global Services ................................... 2073

Seaboard Marine 381

Seafax Inc. 265

Seasoft - CAI Software, LLC 967

Seattle Marine & Fishing Supply Co. 1589

Seawise Innovative Packaging 1288

SEPAmatic for North America 868

SGS ............................................................... 681

Share-ify 1588

ShrimpWorks® by Nova-Tech Engineering .... 575

Silikal America 2174

Simmons Knife & Saw................................... 586

Sliced2Go LLC 1584

Solidus 372

Sort-Rite International Inc 386

Southeast Packaging and Solutions 2271

Southwest Airlines Cargo 1181

Spartan

The Seafood Marketplace for

NORTH AMERICA

KEYNOTE

Political economist and renowned author Mark Blyth returns to Boston for 2024 keynote address

BY MADELYN KEARNS

What if I were to tell you that we will never get back to 2 percent inflation, that the next decade will see more investment in decarbonization than ever seemed possible (and it will have nothing to do with ESG scores), and that the E.U. will undermine U.S. attempts to isolate China ... would you be interested in what this means for your firm?”

– MARK BLYTH

KEYNOTE IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL BADGE HOLDERS

SCOTTISH-AMERICAN political economist Mark Blyth is known for his bold predictions and keen ability to pinpoint the key forces shaping economic futures for industries worldwide. He will be sharing his talents and insights with the seafood industry as this year’s keynoter, headlining a robust conference program at Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America.

Blyth is the William R. Rhodes ‘57 Professor of International Economics at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University and is the renowned author of several books, including Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea, as well as the forthcoming Inflation: A Guide for Losers and Users and Precipice: 2025, Carbon Politics and the End of American Power, both due to hit shelves this year.

A popular advisor for senior executives, Blyth helps change-makers break down complex issues to gain a better understanding of the intertwined nature of the economy and politics. These days, he’s most concerned with two things: inflation and decarbonization. According to Blyth, inflation won’t be going away anytime soon, and the shift away from fossil fuels over the next decade is likely to upend politics, challenge global political alignments, and alter the risk and return profile of entire industries.

Before leaning into his career as an academic, Blyth was a stand-up comedian, a chef, and a funk bass player. He’s now a contributor to Foreign Affairs and The Guardian as well as several podcasts, and has appeared multiple times on Fox News, NPR, BBC, and Bloomberg.

Blyth – who earned a PhD. at Columbia University – is no stranger to the seafood industry or the big stage at the expo, having delivered the keynote address at the premier event for the North American marketplace back in 2018. At the time, Blyth flagged artificial intelligence (AI) as an upcoming game-changer.

“This could be so transformative, especially in your industry,” Blyth told the seafood industry in 2018. “AI is here; there’s no point whining about it – it’s all a question of what you do with it.”

The 2024 keynote from Blyth kicks off a comprehensive conference program featuring more than 30 sessions covering a range of timely industry topics, including AI, aquaculture, corporate social responsibility, consumer trends, sustainability, food safety and compliance, business strategies, traceability, and more. Explore the array of 2024 conference offerings in the pages ahead.

KEYNOTE

Mark Blyth Political Economist

William R. Rhodes ‘57 Professor of International Economics, Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

11:00AM – 12:15PM

ROOM: 153CB

FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION, INCLUDING PANELIST UPDATES, SCAN HERE

The Seafood Marketplace for CONFERENCE TRACKS

NORTH AMERICA

SUNDAY, March 10, 2024

11:00am – 12:15pm

KEYNOTE Populist Politics, Inflation’s Return, and Why Trade is Back on the Menu: The Outlook for 2025 and Beyond Mark Blyth

POLITICAL ECONOMIST

The William R. Rhodes ’57 Professor of International Economics Room: 153CB

In his keynote address, Mark Blyth will pick up from where he left off in 2018 – the last time he spoke with the North American seafood marketplace. In that talk, he highlighted how populist politics would continue to disrupt international trade, which is hugely significant for an industry that in the U.S. imports much of its product. This year, Blyth picks up that theme, tying the upcoming U.S. election into a broader story about why such politics are here to stay, why inflation might not be dead and buried, and why trade tensions are only likely to rise over the next few years regardless of how the U.S. election turns out.

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Retail Seafood Merchandising –The Science and the Art of Seafood Merchandising

Moderator: Chuck Anderson, Certified Quality Foods

Panelists: Gavin Hatton, Seafish; Shawn Oliver; Philip Walsh, San Isidro Seafood, LLC Room: 153CB

Retail seafood merchandising is science, artistic creativity, and customer relations. Selling the sizzle in full-service seafood markets starts with the display, but the decision-making process of creating and executing seafood marketing and merchandising events is much deeper. How do great seafood merchants plan and execute seafood sales events in collaboration with supplier partners and cross-merchandising with multiple departments in-store?

Learn what works, what doesn’t work, and why from front-line professionals who are driving retail sales today.

Conference sessions, unless otherwise noted, require a conference registration. If you wish to upgrade your badge to include conference sessions, you can do so at the registration desk (Room 154).

Aquaculture

Seafood Business & Leadership

Corporate Social Responsibility

Food Safety, Policy

Sustainability

Traceability, Transparency

Plastics & Climate Change

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Country of Origin Labeling in the Ever-Growing Transparent Landscape

Moderator: Shelby Guillen, USDA - Agricultural Marketing Service

Panelists: Dr. Kenneth Becker, Food Disclosure and Labeling Division (FDLD) USDA / AMS / Fair Trade Practices Program;

Steven W. Bloodgood, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition U.S. Food and Drug Administration;

Steven Wilson, Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce USDC, NOAA Fisheries

Room: 153A

Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) is a labeling law that requires retailers, such as full-line grocery stores, supermarkets, and club warehouse stores, to notify their customers with information regarding the source of certain foods. The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 was amended to define the commodities required to display origin information when sold by retailers. These “covered commodities” are fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; muscle cut and ground chicken, lamb, and goat meat; raw peanuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts; and ginseng. COOL continues

to play a vital role in providing consumers information about the source of their foods to assist them in their purchasing decisions. Transparency regarding the origin of seafood ranks high in importance for buyers. This session will cover the importance and evolution of COOL since implementation, and successes from collaboration across the federal government.

1:15pm-2:00pm

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION:

Why Business Should Support Small-Scale Fisheries and Co-Management

1:00pm - 2:00pm

To AI or Not With Global Marketing

Speaker: Wendy Pease, Rapport International Room: 152

Buyer’s Journey, AI, Marketing, Sales, Oh My! Finding and winning customers is challenging with so many new technologies and ways to reach people. In this session, come ready to look at strategies that work, figure out the key steps in your buyer’s journey, identify where to leverage AI, and find new international markets amid the sea of confusing marketing options and technologies.

2:15pm - 3:00pm

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION:

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

2:15pm - 3:15pm

Seafood Compliance Update for Shipping to the United States

Moderator: Peter Quinter, Gunster

Panelists: Dean Leaman, Certified Group; Sergio Lozano Jr, Alpha Broker Corp./ L&L Trade Law; Danielle Obolevitch, Marky’s; Mike Shooshani, Channel Seafoods Intl; John Verbeten, U.S. Food & Drug Administration

Room: 153CB

This session will cover real-life success stories and unsuccessful stories of ‘lessons learned’ from various seafood shipments to the United States to demonstrate the best practices for seafood suppliers, packers, shippers, transport companies, warehouses, trucking companies, and importers.

Speakers: Andre Brugger, Netuno; Josette Genio, Bluer Sea Philippines; Hugh Govan, The University of the South Pacific; Claudio Pichaud, Comité Productivo de Jaiberos de Ancud Room: 155

Does your seafood come from fishers who have the legal right to fish?

While it might seem self-evident that responsible companies would only buy seafood from legally approved fishers, the reality is quite different. If you buy from small-scale or artisanal fisheries, there is a good chance that some of your producers are not legally recognized by their governments.

Small-scale fisheries produce 40 percent of the world’s total fish catch. They include some iconic fisheries, such as squid, blue swimming crab, mahi, and octopus, that are highly sought-after and widely consumed in large international markets.

Fishers in many of these fisheries are not registered with the government. Consequently, they do not have legal fishing rights and are not recognized in fisheries governance.

Seafood products harvested from unregistered fishers and vessels have potential legal implications that put the sourcing policies and reputation of seafood retailers at risk. Unregistered fishers are also excluded from decision-making processes on fisheries management and are frequently unable to access state benefits, making them vulnerable to labor and other abuses. In this panel, we will hear from representatives of the catch sector, international seafood companies, and technical experts who are working to ensure fishers have legal fishing rights.

By supporting small-scale fisheries, seafood companies have the opportunity to improve global seafood sustainability and benefit the most underserved fishers in commercial supply chains.

The Growth and Benefits of HPP in the Seafood Industry

Speaker: Dr. Errol Raghubeer, JBT Corporation Room 155

The seafood industry is one of the earliest adopters of HPP technology. Processors use this non-thermal method to improve product safety, increase refrigerated shelf-life, and meet regulatory requirements. HPP is an FDA approved method for raw oysters’ decontamination of vibrio bacteria and is now more widely used in unpasteurized crab meat for controlling Listeria monocytogenes and other pathogens. A major application of HPP in the shellfish industry is the enhancement of processing efficiency with the shucking of crustaceans and mollusks. This application increases product yield, improves quality, and maintains nutritional and bio-functional properties like the raw products. This advantage of HPP over conventional process methods has allowed the development of healthy, innovative products that are safe and fresher tasting, with extended shelf-life and quality. This session will touch on:

• Overview of HPP technology

• Vibrio decontamination of oysters

• Results of Listeria monocytogenes inactivation studies in unpasteurized crab meat

• Shelf-life results of HPP seafood products

• Results of studies on yield improvement in shellfish

• Process for desalted, ready-to-cook bacalao.

• Global examples of commercial HPP seafood products

• Video of shellfish shucking

Seafood safety and security remain priorities for the U.S. government, and the regulations, policies, and procedures are constantly changing. Keeping up to date is necessary for any successful business with perishables seafood.

2:15pm - 3:15pm

Casting a Wide Net – Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships to Promote Worker Rights in Fishing

Moderator: Holly Christofferson, Department of Labor

Panelists: Carlos Castaneda, ILO; Sujintana Hemtasilpa, Plan International Thailand; Jose Roberto Morales Salazar, International Labour Organization;

Sita Sumrit, Addressing Labour Exploitation in Fishing Sector in ASEAN (ALFA) Project;

Laura VanVoorhees, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs

Room: 153A

Promoting decent work in distant water fishing depends on strong collaboration between workers, the private sector, and government. In this session, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) will share case studies of effective partnerships forged with worker organizations, seafood processing companies, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to support good working conditions in fishing. USDOL will also facilitate a roundtable discussion on the roles that tripartite partners can play in upholding the rights of fishers.

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responsibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency Plastics & Climate Change

3:30pm-4:15pm

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION: Riding the Wave of the Future: Sustainable Options for Case Ready Seafood

Speaker: Carlo Bergonzi, Harpak-ULMA

Room: 155

Todays’ seafood industry is experiencing a perfect storm of three market challenges - sustainability, product freshness, and consumer expectations. Producers and retailers are responding by seeking out new packaging designed to address these simultaneously. At the same time, where and how consumers purchase seafood is changing. Yes, traditional fishmongers are alive and well, but limited market presence as well as retail scalability issues can’t deliver on market accessibility and growth fronts. Retail operations are increasingly moving to case ready products, which employ higher-quality, attractive packaging designed to preserve product quality, while offering buyers more point-of-sale information. Most importantly, case-ready offers consumers wider product selection and a variety of package sizes. Delivering prepackaged, consumer-ready, portioned products with minimized handling and assured freshness is well-aligned with consumer demands for ready-to-cook/eat options that fit busy lifestyles. Together these factors are helping to fuel the growth and popularity of case ready seafood. But case ready carries baggage as well – the increased use of plastics-based packaging materials.

The answer lies in alternative, more sustainable caseready packaging techniques. The use of paper-based boards combined with advanced films and vacuum-seal technologies have seen notable consumer uptakewhile at the same time offering producers and retailers significant improvements in product presentation, shelf-life, and marketing real estate. Is it a match made in heaven? This presentation will explore what makes this packaging style attractive for the seafood supply chain and consumers alike. Do these alternatives deliver on the promise of enhanced shelf life, reduced food waste, improved sustainability and profitability? Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the economic, environmental, and consumer-centric advantages, positioning them to make informed decisions in embracing this cutting-edge packaging solution.

3:30pm - 5:00pm

Power of Seafood 2024

Moderator: Rick Stein, FMI - The Food Industry Association

Speakers: Rich Castle, Giant Eagle; Steve Markenson, FMI - The Food Industry Association; Christine Ngo, H & N GROUP INC.;

Guy Pizzuti, Publix Super Markets Inc.

Room: 153CB

FMI surveys consumers on their shopping habits in food retail when it comes to all seafood. We then juxtapose those answers against data from Circana on actual seafood sales. This report then gives the implications of how consumers are shopping for seafood and reveals potential strategies for the year ahead. We will discuss findings from the report and then have a panel discussion with retailers and suppliers on their reaction to the findings and how they plan to utilize the information.

3:30pm - 4:30pm

How the World’s Largest Retailers, Seafood Brands, and their Seafood Partners are Building a New Process to Help Efficiently Meet ESG Standards and Growing Due Diligence Requirements

Moderator: Martin Thurley, The Seafood Task Force Panelists: Adam Brennan, Thai Union; Supavadee Chotikajan, Mars Petcare; Mark Eastham, Ahold Delhaize; Mathew Hall, StarKist Ken Kimble, Costco; Traci Linder, Bumblebee; Aaron McNevin, WWF; John Steinmetz, Walmart

Room: 153A

Governments, the media, and NGOs continue to document social and environmental issues in global tuna and shrimp supply chains, threatening to drive up costs and hurt consumer demand. The Seafood Task Force (STF) was specifically formed to tackle these issues with a step-by-step process to help restore global market confidence to trade and keep the seafood

MONDAY, March 11, 2024

9:15am - 10:00am

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION: On-Demand Fishing in the U.S. and Canada: Opportunities and Barriers in the Supply Chain

Speakers: Kathleen Collins, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW); Mike Lane, Commercial Lobsterman, F/V Phyllis P; Katherine Morissette, MKM Global; Marc Palombo, Commercial Lobsterman/Offshore Vessel Captain/Owner; Guy Pizzuti, Publix Supermarkets Room: 153A

Supply chain dynamics for on-demand caught lobster and crab in today’s marketplace are challenging

industry competitive. Whilst many companies have tried to tackle these issues alone or from afar, STF believes that collective action amongst companies can reduce cost and increase effectiveness, and that presence in the supply chains on-the-ground with local experts are key for long lasting change. And with increasing requirements from government, investors, and the consumer – all demanding greater transparency in the supply chain – the need for a more tangible approach throughout the supply chain is more important than ever. The Seafood Task Force’s process pioneers a new, procompetitive approach to supply chain oversight that makes it easier for its members to meet international ESG standards and growing due diligence requirements. This session will share the STF process and impacts to date.

3:30pm - 5:00pm

NOAA Leadership Update: Increasing Seafood Sector Resilience through Science, Management, and Collaboration

Moderator: Kate Naughten, NOAA Fisheries

Panelists: Janet Coit, NOAA Fisheries; Robert Foy, PhD, NOAA Fisheries; Jon Hare, PhD, NOAA Fisheries; Jon Kurland, NOAA Fisheries

Room: 152

U.S. fisheries are among the world’s largest and most sustainable because of our science-based, collaborative management system. In the face of ongoing challenges – including climate change, market disruptions, and new ocean uses – NOAA Fisheries is committed to supporting a thriving U.S. seafood economy and enhancing the resilience of the seafood sector. Last August, the agency released its National Seafood Strategy, based on abundant feedback from stakeholders across the country. The strategy reinforces NOAA Fisheries’ critical science and management support to the industry and is nested within a suite of policies and guidance that directs NOAA Fisheries’ activities. NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit and other members of NOAA leadership will provide updates on agency priorities, discuss regional impacts of climate change, and share some of the tools and resources NOAA is employing to support increased production and resilience across the industry.

and complex. Participants representing fishermen, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and NGOs will share reflections on the historic 2023 U.S. harvest that allowed permitted lobster fishing in federal and Massachusetts closures with on-demand gear; the availability of Canadian snow crab from the first-ofits-kind Gulf of St. Lawrence fishery improvement project; and how retailers are helping bring product to market. This conversation will highlight the supply chain relationships essential to success, challenges around gear affordability and ownership, and what buyers can do to support on-demand fishing.

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responsibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency Plastics & Climate Change

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

9:15am - 10:00am

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION:

High Pressure Processing (HPP) for Seafood: Ensure Food Safety, Automate Shucking, and Extend Shelf-Life

Speaker: Daniela Soto Castro, Hiperbaric Room: 152

High-pressure processing (HPP) brings groundbreaking safety and quality to seafood. This nonthermal pasteurization method uses extreme pressure to eliminate pathogens instantly, extending shelf life without compromising taste or texture.

HPP also allows for automated shucking of lobster and bivalves, reducing labor needs. It enables diverse product development from ready meals and pre-cooked lobster and crab meat to seafood dips and raw marinated fish fillets. We will explore the science behind HPP and how it can improve seafood safety and quality while meeting regulatory requirements. Discover why HPP has become an essential technology for seafood processors seeking to innovate.

9:15am - 10:00am

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION:

Tuna Transparency Pledge: Driving Fisheries Transparency and Market Value with On-The-Water Monitoring

Speakers: Ben Gilmer, The Nature Conservancy; Tracy Murai, THAI UNION GROUP PCL. ; Robert Robinson, Belize High Seas Fisheries Room: 155

2.9 billion people – 40 percent of the global population – depend on fish for protein. Yet, two-thirds of global fisheries are either overfished or cannot sustain further pressure. Tuna ranks as one of the most prized and popular fish in the world with five million tons of fish produced annually and a dockside value of USD 10 billion. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activity threatens the health of tuna stocks, ocean wildlife, and the livelihoods of fishing nations and fishers. One in five wild-caught marine fish are landed from IUU fishing. In addition, IUU fishing generates up to USD 36 billion annually in illegal profits, with untold billions of dollars lost to the global economy in unpaid taxes, customs, license fees, and numerous other pieces of the legal seafood supply chain.

One of the biggest obstacles to sustainably managing global tuna fisheries is the lack of on-the-water data. Fisheries authorities and supply chain actors often

lack the data needed to manage fisheries sustainably and to ensure that vessels are complying with fishing regulations, which ultimately helps level the playing field for law-abiding fishers around the globe.

Many technological advances have enabled fishery managers to better understand what is happening on the water, but without independent monitoring on vessels to verify catch activity, it is difficult to identify when IUU activity is occurring in the first mile of the supply chain. In fact, the vast majority of IUU fishing takes place on legally licensed – but unmonitored –vessels. Companies that are unable to verify compliance with environmental and social standards risk losing valuable sources of income, in addition to increasing business risks throughout the supply chain.

100 percent on-the-water monitoring is the industry future. Reliable data can help retailers and seafood suppliers combat IUU in their supply chains and ensure compliance with environmental and social standards. Increased data on supply chains can also significantly enhance consumer trust in products found on supermarket shelves.

This is why The Nature Conservancy, in collaboration with government and market leaders, has launched the Tuna Transparency Pledge, a global initiative uniting actors throughout the tuna supply chain to deliver 100 percent on-the-water monitoring on all industrial tuna vessels by 2027. In this session, join industry and government leaders to learn why they are signing onto the Tuna Transparency Pledge and how their commitments will help minimize risk in their supply chains while maximizing consumer confidence in their products.

10:30am - 11:30am

The 411 on FDA FSMA 204

Moderator: Lisa Weddig, National Fisheries Institute

Panelists: Angela Fields, U.S. FDA; Margaret Malkoski, National Fisheries Institute Room: 155

The clock is ticking closer to the compliance deadline of January 20, 2026, for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration new Food Traceability rule“Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods”. This new regulation fulfills a major provision mandated in section 204 of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and will have major implications for the entire seafood supply chain. Simply put, the final rule requires companies, both in the U.S. and abroad, to do five things:

1. Develop and maintain a traceability plan;

2. Maintain records of Key Data Elements (KDE) associated with the applicable Critical Tracking Events (CTE);

3. Pass forward certain KDEs when shipping products;

4. Use a Traceability Lot Code to link CTEs;

5. Maintain and provide records to FDA when requested.

With less than 2 years until the compliance deadline, it’s time to have a clear understanding of the requirements and mapping out a traceability plan.

10:30am - 11:30am

The Life of the RAS Farm – Examining Successes and Challenges to Ensure Sector Longevity for Unique Species

Moderator: Chris Chase, SeafoodSource

Panelists: Spencer Gowan, Great Falls; Megan Sorby, Pine Island Redfish; Tom Sorby, Kingfish Maine

Room: 153CB

These experienced operations managers will examine every phase in the life cycle of a recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) development, including critical components to ensure longevity and the challenges faced in the U.S.

• Megan Sorby – CEO/Operations Manager of soon-to-be-announced Red Drum facility: Megan will focus on first phases of pre-permitting and site selection, including design choices to address environmental concerns and establishing sustainability targets. Challenges to be addressed include limited availability of U.S. sites and permitting.

• Tom Sorby – Operations Manager, Kingfish

Maine: Tom looks at the secondary development phase of finalizing site selection, permitting, and hatchery start up. Challenges include social license/community engagement and workforce development.

• Spencer Gowan – Operations Manager, Great Falls: Spencer focuses on the full operational phase, which includes staffing, meeting production targets, and maintaining market interest. Most importantly, how established RAS projects evolve as the industry continues to deploy new technology.

10:30am - 11:30am

Creating a More Diverse, Inclusive, and Innovative Seafood Industry

Moderator: Bhavana Scalia-Bruce, SeafoodSource

Panelists: Imani Black, Minorities in Aquaculture; Gonzalo Campos, Stavis Seafoods; Joseph Wyatt, Bensboyz Premium Foods

Room: 153A

Join SeafoodSource’s Bhavana Scalia-Bruce and panelists for a thought-provoking discussion centered around the crucial topics of diversity and inclusion within the seafood sector. This session will delve into innovative initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive and diverse sector to propel the industry forward. The panelists, industry experts, and advocates will explore strategies to enhance representation and equality, sharing valuable insights on the seafood community.

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responsibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency Plastics & Climate Change

10:30am - 11:30am

Chefs and Restauranteurs Reveal Their Stance On the Use and Purchase of Frozen Seafood

Moderator: Ann Colonna, Food Innovation Center, Oregon State University

Panelists: John Burrows, Alaska Seafood Marking Institute; Rob Dumas, University of Maine Room: 152

Have you ever wondered what chefs think about sourcing and utilizing frozen seafood? A large cohort of chefs specializing in seafood preparation were tasked with evaluating four species of frozen seafood and asked to explain how they might tell their waitstaff to describe the flavor, aroma, and texture in order to sell the fish to a customer. Learn about this first-of-its-kind research, where we will show the methods we used and results depicted in correspondence analysis maps that visually explain, with both sensory descriptors and elicited emotions, how chefs describe and emotionally react to four frozen seafood species. Through mean impact charts, we see which attributes are most associated with both increasing and decreasing the overall liking of the species. Chefs also rated the products on just-about-right scales, which helped inform which product attributes can lead to increased or reduced sales. We will also share the importance sustainability plays in the purchase of seafood for restaurants as well as chefs’ most important reasons to purchase more seafood. Hear about where restauranteurs most often get information about the quality of the seafood they buy and how often they consider purchasing frozen over fresh, including their top reasons for buying more than one service of frozen seafood at a time. We will describe specific information that will increase their confidence in frozen seafood quality and which catchphrases most effectively describe it.

11:45am - 12:45pm

Interoperable Traceability in Seafood is a Business Imperative Becoming More Essential Every Day. The GDST Standard is the Path.

Moderator: Richard Stavis, The Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability

Panelists: Daisy Berg, Seafood New Seasons Market; Jayson Berryhill, Wholechain; Heath England, Trace Register; Steve Philips, Wegmans Food Markets Room: 153CB

NOAA is taking a fresh look at SIMP requirements. FSMA section 204 comes into effect in less than two years. Additionally, customers need actionable, usable traceability data as they work to achieve their public-facing ESG goals. This data must be presented to them in a uniform, interoperable format. The majority of the supply chain has yet to tackle this issue.

Our panel consists of a current GDST retail partner and another retailer not yet on the GDST implementation journey. They will each outline the current limitations that they face within their supply chain, identify how the GDST standard functions, and how software solutions utilize it to provide customers with the data that they need in the format that is required. Additionally, the president of TraceRegister and co-founder of Whole Chain, two leading traceability solution providers, will outline the basics of digitally interoperable traceability in seafood and discuss how they have used the standard to make their systems share data interoperably for their customers.

11:45am - 12:45pm

The Deadliest Profession: What Can the Market do to Reduce Sky-High Mortality In Fishing?

Moderator: Katy Hladki, Pew Charitable Trusts; Panelists: Daphne Guelker, University of Bristol; Katherine Hanly, Pew Charitable Trusts; Georgia Worrall, Seafood Ethics Action (SEA) Alliance Room: 153A

Fishing has long been known as one of the world’s most dangerous professions. However, a recent study by the FISH Safety Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts found that historical fatality estimates are grievously underestimated, and that more than 100,000 fishingrelated deaths occur each year—three to four times previous estimates.

Furthermore, this study shows that death and injury in the fishing industry disproportionately victimize impoverished people, in low-income countries, which is a major reason they are so seldom counted. Seafood is a multibillion-dollar industry, but the current price we are paying in human lives is far too high. Those who profit from seafood should share in the responsibility of protecting vulnerable fishers. This presentation discusses the issues of fisher safety, and highlights the actions needed from both policy makers and retailers to improve fisher safety.

11:45am - 12:45pm

Sustainable Seaweed Making Waves in Restaurants Across the Country

Moderator: Briana Warner, Atlantic Sea Farms

Panelists: Ben Coniff, Luke’s Lobster; Lauren Enz, Searenity Seafood; Ken Toong, UMass Amherst; Andrew Wilkinson, North Coast Seafoods Room: 152

Restaurants are increasingly turning to using U.S.grown seaweed aquaculture products on their menus to highlight their sustainable sourcing story and bring new customers to expanded seafood offerings. With ultimate traceability and a story that promotes climate change adaptation and mitigation, New England-grown kelp is becoming the star of menus in some of the most unexpected places.

1:30pm - 2:30pm

Chefs’ and Retailers’ View on the Future of Responsible Seafood

Moderator: Barton Seaver, For Cod and Country LLC

Panelists: Daisy Berg, New Seasons Market; Laura Peet, Postelsia & Smart Catch; Steve Phelps, Indigenous Restaurant

Room: 153CB

Chefs are our taste makers; from their kitchens, they lead the way in defining responsible seafood. Retailers are the conduit to consumers. In this session, the panel will discuss how chefs and retailers work in tandem, and how they influence one another and the end consumer. This panel will also address how sustainability information is communicated to and through these outlets and what the future of responsible seafood looks like in America. Led by Barton Seaver, the panel will tackle the burning question about how seafood and blue foods can become the hero on our plates.

1:30pm - 2:30pm

Using the Power of Markets to Grow and Consolidate Fisheries Improvement Projects in Mexico

Moderator: Citlali Gómez-Lepe, COMEPESCA

Panelists: OB Bera, Beacon Fisheries Inc.; Luis Bourillón, Impacto Colectivo por la Pesca y; Acuacultura Mexicanas; William Hoenig, Global Seafood Alliance; Daylin Muñoz, Walton Family Foundation; Adriana Sánchez, Seafood Ninja Room: 153A

It is widely recognized that fishery improvement projects (FIPs) are an important tool for developing public-private alliances to engage commercial fisheries in long-term sustainability projects. However, a lack of understanding of the market from the FIP implementors (primarily NGOs) could undermine the opportunity to develop such partnerships and, as a result, hamper the growth of FIPs in their total numbers and the seafood volume involved in the projects. In addition, competition among NGOs in certain fisheries for funding resources from philanthropy and a need for incentives to collaborate among them and with industry to grow the ecosystem of FIPs creates a challenging environment for new, more extensive, and more robust projects that have leverage in the markets.

This panel will bring together experts from NGOs, philanthropy, and industry to discuss solutions to expand understanding of the market and move together to expand the use of this tool. The panel will include the participation of seafood buyers, including importers from the U.S. who are part of the larger ecosystem of actors engaged in sustainability that could incentivize investment in more extensive projects for export markets.

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responsibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency Plastics & Climate Change

“Translating innovative technology into your fish processing solution.”

1:30pm - 2:30pm

Seafood Business – A View From the M&A, Investment and Financing Angle

Moderator: Ignacio J. Kleiman, Antarctica Advisors

Panelists: Jason Brantley, Bank of America; John Doucette, M&T Bank; Matthew Swanson, Proterra Investment Partners

Room: 152

A panel of experienced North American finance professionals will provide attending seafood industry participants with updated insight into aspects of the world of finance and investing that affect the running of their business and the value of their companies.

2:45pm - 3:45pm

Value-Added Seafood – What Customers

Want and How to Win

Speaker: Claire Morgan, LEK Consulting

Room: 153CB

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers have seen sustained growth in the fresh prepared foods section of the store. An under-developed part of fresh prepared foods is value-added seafood – which has significant growth potential going forward. Join L.E.K. Consulting to discuss key segments within valueadded seafood, the needs / expectations of consumers, and how retailers and suppliers can stand out in this growing space.

2:45pm - 3:45pm

Everyone’s Targeting Seafood – CBP Forced Labor, Proposition 65, PFAS and FDA

Moderator: Benjamin L. England, FDAImports.com & Benjamin L. England & Associates

Panelists: Eric Choy, Office of Trade/U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Jennifer Gross, Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC; Jessica Rifkin, Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC

Room: 153A

Everyone seems to be targeting seafood, but for very different reasons. This session will address FDA/CFSAN/ Office of Seafood enforcement strategy changes and recent and significant increases in robust scrutiny on imported seafood shipments. Additionally, we will discuss FDA’s recent activity related to PFAS in the seafood industry. There has been a marked increase in Prop-65 60-day notices being issued to seafood importers, distributors, and retailers – Why? What does it mean and what can you do to protect yourself? Find out during this session. Finally, this session will provide a high-level update of recent CBP compliance and enforcement activity related to forced labor in seafood and where it is going. What are things you can do to better prepare for a more aggressive FDA, money hungry private litigants in CA, and CBP forced labor investigations?

2:45pm - 3:45pm

The NFI Sushi Council: A Pre-Competitive Collaboration for Food Safety

Moderator: Richard Barry, NFI

Panelists: Robert Bleu, True World Group; Daryl Gormley, Aquamar; Michael McNicholas, Culimer USA; Dick Jones, Blue Ocean Mariculture

Room: 152

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) Sushi Council seeks to provide food safety guidance throughout the sushi supply chain. A newly formed pre-competitive collaboration of sushi harvesters, processors, distributors, and end-users, the Sushi Council will produce best practices for each cold chain segment to ensure seafood destined for use in sushi and sashimi preparations is handled in a responsible manner. The session will feature leading industry voices reviewing the U.S. sushi market, the Sushi Council mission, and the need for industry-led food safety guidance on raw and ready-to-eat sushi and sashimi products.

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Empowering Conscious Consumers:

Sustainable Seafood in the Digital Cart

Moderator: Kristen Stevens, Marine Stewardship Council

Panelists: Greg Hulme, Whole Foods Market; Jackie Marks, Marine Stewardship Council; Judy Olsen, Vital Choice Seafoods; Room: 153CB

Online shopping and e-commerce are a mainstay in the modern economy and saw a big boost during COVID lockdowns as consumers moved online during the pandemic. Seafood, once a hold-out for online shopping along with other items consumers prefer to select in person, has seen mass adoption. Within the last year, 77 percent of consumers report purchasing seafood online and by 2025, 10 percent of all fish and seafood sales are projected to be online. But will this trend stay? Do we really understand how consumers shop for seafood online versus in-store? And what importance does sustainability play into their decision making?

Sustainability messaging is an untapped opportunity for seafood e-commerce. Through consumer research conducted in 2022-23, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has seen that consumers shop for seafood differently than shopping in-store. Online seafood consumers shop with more intention and care, spend more time researching, and seek sustainable signposting to increase their likelihood of purchase. Join the MSC, e-commerce leaders, and other sustainable seafood advocates for a conversation and case studies about e-commerce, online shopping behaviors, and seafood sustainability. The audience will come away understanding why and how to incorporate sustainability messaging into their e-commerce platforms to reach conscious consumers. Data from MSC’s GlobeScan consumer research will be shared and the audience will have the chance to hear directly from consumers with video clips from MSC’s “Watch Me Think” video ethnography research.

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Aquaculture Today. Aquaculture Tomorrow.

Moderator: Philip Walsh, San Isidro Seafood, LLC

Panelists: Daniel Benetti, The University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Academic Science (RSMAES);

Slater Daniels, Hilo Fish Company, Inc.;

Charles “CJ” McGuigan, Ph.D, Frost Museum of Science ; Heather Moretti, Bristol Seafood, LLC

Room: 153A

As farmed seafood continues to displace wild-caught seafood, the trifecta of increased energy expense, novel supply chain challenges, and aggressive pointof-sale pricing has had a dramatic negative impact on sales in both foodservice and retail. The good news?

Innovative marketing, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and robotics are so rapidly changing the focus of commercial fishing from maximizing volume to maximizing value that the line between wild and farmed seafood has grown blurred.

Positive change lies ahead – join Dr. Benetti and two of his students with Masters degrees in aquaculture as they describe the current state of world aquaculture, and how best to position your business for the startling changes that lies ahead.

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Achieving Full Traceability: The Need for Vessel-level Data and Opportunities for Industry-Government Engagement

Moderator: Katie Thompson, Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions

Panelists: Lindsay Ceron, FishWise;

Michael Cohen, International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF);

Renee Perry, Culinary Collaborations LLC;

Huw Thomas, Global Fishing Watch

Room: 152

The Supply Chain Risk Project is a collaboration between the World Economic Forum’s Friends of Ocean Action, FishWise, Global Fishing Watch, and Stanford’s Center for Ocean Solutions, which aims to provide companies with accessible and actionable data about their IUU fishing risks down to the vessel level. This project integrates and standardizes disparate data sources into a single platform and automates the analyses, allowing companies (and their partners) to better identify and mitigate IUU fishing risks and strengthen existing risk assessment and due diligence processes. Through pilot projects with seafood companies, we have demonstrated the importance of collecting and using vessel-level data in IUU fishing risk assessments. Unfortunately, many times companies are lacking the data needed to effectively analyze risk. Data gaps have not been filled through industry-wide action largely because companies are at different stages of collecting and handling supply chain data in their journey to implement full traceability systems. This is exacerbated by limitations on data shared by governments about vessel registrations, activities, and violations that could

Aquaculture Seafood Business & Leadership Corporate Social Responsibility Food Safety, Policy Sustainability Traceability, Transparency Plastics & Climate Change

support industry in ensuring that their suppliers meet regulations.

This roundtable discussion will showcase representatives from seafood companies and coalitions who will share their journeys to implement full traceability systems, with a focus on collecting vessel-level data, as well as their lessons learned from engaging with governments to improve access to supply chain data. Civil society representatives will discuss how industry vessel data can also support fisheries management and be a key step in the journey to understanding vessel operations from a labor perspective.

10:00am - 11:00am

Impactful Company-led Human Rights

Due Diligence through Meaningful Worker Participation and Agency

Moderator: Kelley K. Bell, Fishwise

Panelists: Caroline Brodeur, Oxfam; Mina Chiang, Humanity Research Consultancy; Georgia Worrall, Seafood Ethics Action (SEA) Alliance Room: 153CB

There is rising demand for companies to implement Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) in order to know their supply chains, address human and labor rights abuses, and mitigate risk. To be effective, workers need to be actively included in the process, yet for many companies, it can be unclear how to do so. In this session, FishWise will host a panel of experts to explore how companies can implement impactful HRDD in a way that represents true worker engagement, and enables worker-led efforts and agency.

10:00am - 11:00am

Are Buyers and Suppliers in an Arm Wrestle?

How Digital Aquatech Can be the Ultimate Win-Win for the Seafood Supply Chain

Moderator: Flavio Corsin, Aqua-Spark

Panelists: Daisy Berg, New Seasons Market; Mark Kaplan, Wholechain; Katie Sokalsky, XpertSea; Kristin Veriga, eFishery

Room: 153A

The relationship between seafood buyers and producers is often one of shifting power. Buyers’ requirements are often reflected in additional costs for producers, but when demand outstrips supply, buyers have to tread carefully before adding requirements that they cannot, or do not want to, pay for. Demand for traceable and sustainable seafood has most often increased costs at the expense of either suppliers or buyers. This panel will discuss how aquatech can be a win-win for both suppliers and buyers, in terms of

cost, transparency, traceability, and sustainability. More specifically, we will talk about how digital aquatech can benefit farmers by reducing their cost of production and providing them access to quality inputs like feed and finance. We will further explore how these very same aquatech solutions can simultaneously help buyers reach their sustainability and traceability targets, including assessing environmental footprint, promoting decarbonization, and improving transparency.

10:00am - 11:00am

Sphere of Influence: How Social Media Influencers are Transforming Seafood Marketing

Moderator: Bhavana Scalia-Bruce, SeafoodSource

Panelists: Genevieve Ashworth, Gigieats; Emily De Sousa, Seaside with Emily; James Sibley, Sibley Media

Room: 152

An ever-increasing number of seafood businesses have been turning to social media influencers to showcase their brands and products to potential consumers and industry partners. Some companies are even bringing these tech-savvy professionals in-house – according to a survey conducted by CreatorIQ, 61 percent of general brands grew the number of dedicated influencer marketers with whom they worked in 2022. Whether they’re dedicated marketers on staff or freelance partners, influencers aren’t just here to stay – they’re here to help, especially when it comes to engaging younger generations with seafood. This expert panel will feature some of the seafood industry’s leading influencers in a discussion surrounding the sector opportunities and challenges of social media marketing in the modern age, where TikTok and reels reign.

11:15am - 12:15pm

Building A Business Case for Gender Equality in the Seafood Sector

Moderator: Becca Williams, Seafood and Gender Equality

Panelists: Charmaine Callender, Acme Smoked Fish Corp; Stacy Schultz, Fortune Fish & Gourmet; Hamish Walker, Seattle Fish Company and Sea Pact Room: 153A

Climate change, illegal fish harvest, and environmental degradation disproportionately affect women and genderqueer people and the time to center their voices in addressing these challenges is now. Through our Gender Equality Dialogues (GED), Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) promotes equality in the seafood sector by co-creating a space for industry leaders to align on key issues and build socially responsible and actionable gender equality commitments. Currently in its pilot

phase, the GED has gathered preliminary insights into the complexities around establishing an industry-specific business case for a gender-just sustainable seafood sector, with an eye towards defining what an equitable seafood sector looks like. SAGE’s Program Manager, Becca Williams, will lead members of the pilot cohort in a panel discussion on the challenges and successes of promoting gender equality within their own companies and the broader sector to ensure lasting change.

11:15am - 12:15pm

Driving U.S. Consumer Behavior and Demand for Seafood

Moderator: Linda Cornish, Seafood Nutrition Partnership

Panelists: Sarah Crowley, Seafood Nutrition Partnership; Jason Driskill, H-E-B; Todd English, Riverence Provisions; Valentine Thomas, Author, Chef, Spear Fisher, Sustainability Spokesperson

Room: 152

This case studies presentation and panel discussion, with a range of members from the seafood industry, will provide insights on topics such as:

• What compels consumers to eat seafood?

• How to promote the full breadth and depth of seafood offerings?

• How to move consumers down the purchase path?

• How to craft a communication strategy that is relevant and engages consumers?

• How to break through the social and digital clutter?

• What channels and media are most effective?

• How to measure success?

11:15am - 12:15pm

Seafood Headwinds and Innovations in Foodservice

Speaker: Kelley Fechner, Datassential

Room: 153CB

Kelley Fechner, vice president of client experience from Datassential, will share insights into seafood at foodservice. Fechner will discuss the headwinds that exist due to raising menu prices with all foods, but specifically proteins, and the impact this might have on seafood. She will cover consumer reaction to raising prices and the general state of the economy. Fechner will also share innovative seafood introductions that could entice consumers to visit restaurants that get them excited about visiting more often and hopefully order more seafood. She hopes to share useful information and make you hungry for more seafood data.

DINING Around Boston

Back Bay

Abe & Louie’s

793 Boylston Street (617) 536-6300

abeandlouies.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Atlantic Fish Company

761 Boylston Street (617) 267-4000

atlanticfishco.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Back Bay Social

867 Boylston Street (617) 247-3200

backbaysocial.com

Cuisine: American

The Banks Fish House

406 Stuart Street (617) 399-0015

thebanksboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Bistro du Midi

272 Boylston Street (617) 426-7878

bistrodumidi.com

Cuisine: French

Buttermilk & Bourbon

160 Commonwealth Avenue (617) 266-1122

buttermilkbourbon.com

Cuisine: American

The Capital Grille Hynes Convention Center 900 Boylston Street (617) 262-8900

thecapitalgrille.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Catered Affair at The Boston Public Library

700 Boylston Street (617) 859-2282

thecateredaffair.com/bpl

Cuisine: Contemporary American City Table

65 Exeter Street (617) 933-4800

citytableboston.com

Cuisine: American

Citrus & Salt Boston

142 Berkeley Street citrusandsaltboston.com (617) 424-6711

Cuisine: Mexican

Club Cafe

209 Columbus Avenue (617) 536-0966

clubcafe.com

Cuisine: American

BASILE – Fine Italian Kitchen

162 Columbus Avenue (617) 350-0007

davinciboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse 75 Arlington Street (617) 357-4810

davios.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Grill 23 & Bar

161 Berkeley Street (617) 542-2255

grill23.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

La Voile

261 Newbury Street (617) 587-4200

lavoileboston.net

Cuisine: French

Little Whale Oyster Bar

314 Newbury Street (857) 277-0800

littlewhaleboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Luke’s Lobster Back Bay

75 Exeter Street (857) 350-4626

lukeslobster.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Mistral

223 Columbus Avenue (617) 867-9300

mistralbistro.com

Cuisine: French

Mooncusser Fish House

304 Stuart Street (617) 917-5193

mooncusserboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Rochambeau

900 Boylston Street (617) 247-0400

rochambeauboston.com

Cuisine: French

Saltie Girl

279 Dartmouth Street (617) 267-0691

saltiegirl.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Select Oyster Bar

50 Gloucester Street (857) 239-8064

selectboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Serafina Back Bay

237 Newbury Street (617) 426-1234

serafinaboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Sorellina

1 Huntington Avenue (617) 412-4600

sorellinaboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Summer Shack Boston

50 Dalton Street (617) 867-9955

summershackrestaurant.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Beacon Hill

1928 Beacon Hill

97 Mt. Vernon Street (857) 233-5662

1928beaconhill.com

Cuisine: American

75 Chestnut

75 Chestnut Street (617) 227-2175

75chestnut.com

Cuisine: American

Bin 26 ENOTECA

26 Charles Street (617) 723-5939

bin26.com

Cuisine: Italian

Cheers - The Original

84 Beacon Street (617) 227-9605

cheersboston.com

Cuisine: American

CLINK.

215 Charles Street (617) 224-4004

clinkrestaurant.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American Grotto

37 Bowdoin Street (617) 227-3434

grottorestaurant.com

Cuisine: Italian

Ma Maison

272 Cambridge Street (617) 725-8855

mamaisonboston.com

Cuisine: French

Mooo Restaurant

Beacon Hotel 15 Beacon Street (617) 670-2515

mooorestaurant.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Tip Tap Room

138 Cambridge Street (857) 350-3344

thetiptaproom.com

Cuisine: American

Toscano Restaurant

47 Charles Street (617) 723-4090

toscanoboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Cambridge

Alden & Harlow

40 Brattle Street (617) 864-2100

aldenharlow.com

Cuisine: American

Amelia’s Trattoria

Kendall Square

111 Harvard Street (617) 868-7600

ameliastrattoria.com

Cuisine: Italian

ArtBar Restaurant

Royal Sonesta

40 Edwin Land Boulevard (617) 806-4122

artbarcambridge.com

Cuisine: American

Bambara Kitchen & Bar

Hotel Marlowe

25 Edwin H. Land Boulevard (617) 868-4444

bambara-cambridge.com

Cuisine: American

Casa Portugal

1200 Cambridge Street (617) 491-8880

restaurantcasaportugal.com

Cuisine: Portuguese

Evoo Restaurant

Kendall Square

350 3rd Street (617) 661-3866

evoorestaurant.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

Grafton Street Pub & Grill

1230 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 497-0400

graftonstreetcambridge.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

Harvest - Harvard Square

44 Brattle Street (617) 868-2255

harvestcambridge.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

Charles Hotel

1 Bennett Street (617) 661-5005

henriettastable.com

Cuisine: American

Little Donkey

505 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 945-1008

littledonkeybos.com

Cuisine: International

Nubar - At the Commander

16 Garden Street (617) 234-1365

nubarcambridge.com

Cuisine: American

Oleana

134 Hampshire Street (617) 661-0505

oleanarestaurant.com

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Pammy’s

928 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 945-1761

pammyscambridge.com

Cuisine: Italian

Russell House Tavern

14 JFK Street (617) 500-3055

russellhousecambridge.com

Cuisine: American

Summer Shack Cambridge

149 Alewife Brook Parkway (617) 520-9500

summershackrestaurant.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Toscano Harvard Square

52 Brattle Street (617) 354-5250

toscanoboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Urban Hearth

2263 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 682-7295

urbanhearth.net

Cuisine: American

Chinatown/ Theater District

4th Wall Restaurant & Bar 228 Tremont Street (857) 957-0909

4thwallrestaurant.com

Cuisine: American

Artisan Bistro

The Ritz Carlton

No. 10 Avery Street (617) 574-7176

ritzcarlton.com

Cuisine: European/American

Blu Restaurant

4 Avery Street (617) 375-8550

blurestaurant.com

Cuisine: American

GaGa Seafood Restaurant 25 Tyler Street (617) 338-8770

gagaseafoodbostonma.com

Cuisine: Chinese

NEW JUMBO Seafood Restaurant

5 Hudson Street (617) 541-2823

newjumboseafoodrestaurant.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Ostra

1 Charles Street South (617) 421-1200

ostraboston.com

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Bostonia Public House

131 State Street (617) 948-9800

bostoniapublichouse.com

Cuisine: New England

Boston College Club

100 Federal Street (617) 946-2828

clubcorp.com/Clubs/BostonCollege-Club

Cuisine: New England

Casa Razdora

115 Water Street (617) 338-6700

casarazdora.com

Cuisine: Italian

Central Wharf Co.

160 Milk Street (617) 451-9460

centralwharfco.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Fin Point Oyster Bar + Grille 89 Broad Street (617) 348-1234

finpointboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Granary Tavern

170 Milk Street (617) 449-7110

granarytavern.com

Cuisine: Gastropub

Mariel

10 Post Office Square (617) 333-8776

marielofficial.com

Cuisine: Cuban

The Merchant

60 Franklin Street (617) 482-6060

themerchantboston.com

Cuisine: Latin/Asian

Downtown/ Financial District

2TWENTY2

4 Liberty Square (617) 723-3222

222bstn.com

Cuisine: American

Avenue One

Hyatt Regency Boston

1 Avenue de Lafayette (617) 422-5579

regencyboston.hyatt.com

Cuisine: American

Back Deck Grill

2 West Street (617) 670-0320

backdeckboston.com

Cuisine: New England

Mija Cantina & Tequila Bar

1 Faneuil Hall Marketplace Quincy Market (857) 284-7382

mijaboston.com

Cuisine: Mexican

Oceanaire Seafood Room

40 Court Street (617) 742-2277

theoceanaire.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Parker’s Restaurant

Omni Parker House

60 School Street (617) 725-1600

omnihotels.com/hotels/ boston-parker-house

Cuisine: New England

Q Restaurant

660 Washington Street (857) 350-3968

thequsa.com

Cuisine: Asian/Sushi

Ruth’s Chris Steak House 45 School Street Old City Hall (617) 742-8401

ruthschris.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Stillwater 120 Kingston Street (617) 936-3079

stillwaterboston.com

Cuisine: American

Union Oyster House 41 Union Street (617) 227-2750

unionoysterhouse.com

Cuisine: Seafood

North End/ Waterfront

Antico Forno 93 Salem Street (617) 723-6733

anticofornoboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Aria Trattoria 253 Hanover Street (617) 742-1276

arianorthend.com

Cuisine: Italian

Artu Rosticceria & Trattoria 6 Prince Street (617) 742-4336

artuboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Bacco Ristorante & Bar

Boston’s North End 107 Salem Street (617) 624-0454

bacconorthend.com

Cuisine: Italian

Boston Sail Loft 80 Atlantic Avenue (617) 227-7280

thebostonsailloft.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Bricco Ristorante 241 Hanover Street (617) 248-6800

bricco.com

Cuisine: Italian

Cantina Italiana 346 Hanover Street (617) 723-4577

cantinaitaliana.com

Cuisine: Italian

Chart House Restaurant 60 Long Wharf (617) 227-1576

chart-house.com

Cuisine: Seafood

• Optimized cooking oil volume

• Quick Clean & Rinse-In-Place systems

• Lowest operating costs – 4X’s the heat into the product

• Heavy duty construction, built in the USA

• Removes large amounts of debris quickly

• Energy savings - Exchanger fins remain clean

• Superior oil filtration provides superior product quality

The Daily Catch Waterfront 65 Atlantic Avenue (617) 772-4400

thedailycatch.com

Cuisine: Seafood

La Famiglia Giorgio’s 112 Salem Street Boston, MA 02113 (617) 367-6711

www.lafamigliagiorgios.com

Cuisine: Italian

Lucca Restaurant & Bar

226 Hanover Street (617) 742-9200

luccaboston.com

Cuisine: Fine Italian

Mare Oyster Bar

3 Mechanic Street (617) 723-6273

mareoysterbar.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Miel Brasserie Provençal

InterContinental Boston

510 Atlantic Avenue (617) 217-5151

intercontinentalboston.com

Cuisine: French

Neptune Oyster

63 Salem Street (617) 742-3474

neptuneoyster.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Nico Ristorante & Wine Bar

Boston’s North End 417 Hanover Street (617) 742-0404

nicoboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Ocean Prime

140 Seaport Boulevard (617) 670-1345

ocean-prime.com

Cuisine: Seafood/Steakhouse

Quattro Grill & Pizzeria

264 Hanover Street (617) 720-0444

quattro-boston.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

Rabia’s Dolce Fumo

73 Salem Street (617) 227-6637

rabiasdolcefumo.com

Cuisine: Italian

Ristorante Limoncello

190 North Street Boston, MA 02113 (617) 523-4480

ristorantelimoncello.com/contact/

Cuisine: Italian

Ristorante Villa Francesca

150 Richmond Street (617) 367-2948

ristorantevillafrancesca.com

Cuisine: Italian

Rowes Wharf Sea Grille

Boston Harbor Hotel

70 Rowes Wharf (617) 856-7744

roweswharfseagrille.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Smith and Wollensky

Atlantic Wharf

294 Congress Street (617) 778-2200

smithandwollensky.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Strega Restaurant & Lounge 379 Hanover Street (617) 523-8481

stregaristorante.com

Cuisine: Italian

Terramia Ristorante 98 Salem Street (617) 523-3112

terramiaristorante.com

Cuisine: Italian

Trattoria Il Panino

11 Parmenter Street (617) 720-1336

trattoriailpanino.com

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Tresca

233 Hanover Street (617) 742-8240

trescanorthend.com

Cuisine: Italian

South Boston/ Seaport District

75 on Liberty Wharf

220 Northern Avenue (617) 227-0754

75onlibertywharf.com

Cuisine: American

Aura Restaurant

Seaport Hotel

1 Seaport Lane (617) 385-4300

aurarestaurant.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

The Barking Crab

88 Sleeper Street (617) 426-2722

barkingcrab.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Capo Restaurant

443 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127 (617) 993-8080

Cuisine: Italian

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House

250 Northern Avenue (617) 951-1368

www.delfriscos.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Empire

1 Marina Park Drive (617) 295-0001

www.empireboston.com

Cuisine: Asian

Hook + Line

10 Fan Pier Boulevard (617) 860-6003

hookandlinebos.com

Cuisine: Seafood

MORTON’S - The Steakhouse

2 Seaport Lane (617) 526-0410

mortons.com/bostonseaport

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Row 34

383 Congress Street (617) 553-5900

www.row34.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Strega Waterfront

1 Marina Park Drive (617) 345-3992

stregawaterfront.com

Cuisine: Italian

South End

Atlántico

600 Harrison Avenue (857) 233-2898

atlanticoboston.com

Cuisine: Portuguese

Aquitaine Bistro & Wine Bar

569 Tremont Street (617) 424-8577

aquitaineboston.com

Cuisine: French

Barcelona Wine Bar

525 Tremont Street (617) 266-2600

barcelonawinebar.com

Cuisine: Spanish

B&G Oysters Ltd.

550 Tremont Street (617) 669-1073

bandgoysters.com

Cuisine: Seafood

The Beehive Restaurant

541 Tremont Street (617) 423-0069

beehiveboston.com

Cuisine: International

Boston Chops - Urban Steak Bistro 1375 Washington Street (617) 227-5011

bostonchops.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Elephant Walk 1415 Washington Street (617) 247-1500

elephantwalkboston.com

Cuisine: French-Cambodian

Estragon Tapas

Boston’s South End 700 Harrison Avenue (617) 266-0443

estragontapas.com

Cuisine: Spanish

Five Horses Tavern 535 Columbus Avenue (617) 936-3930

fivehorsestavern.com

Cuisine: American

Frenchie Wine Bistro

560 Tremont Street (857) 233-5941

frenchieboston.com

Cuisine: French

Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar

412 W Broadway (617) 917-5626

locosouthboston.com

Cuisine: Mexican/Seafood

Metropolis Cafe 584 Tremont Street (617) 247-2931

metropolisboston.com

Cuisine: Mediterranean

MIDA

782 Tremont Street (617) 936-3490

midarestaurant.com

Cuisine: Italian

Orinoco: A Latin Kitchen 477 Shawmut Avenue (617) 369-7075

orinocokitchen.com

Cuisine: Latin

Petit Robert Bistro

480 Columbus Avenue (617) 867-0600

petitrobertbistro.com

Cuisine: French

SRV - Serene Republic of Venice 569 Columbus Avenue (617) 536-9500

srvboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Toro Boston 1704 Washington Street (617) 536-4300

toro-restaurant.com/boston

Cuisine: Spanish

A World of Seafood

THE SEAFOOD MARKETPLACE FOR NORTH AMERICA

BOSTON, USA | MARCH 16-18 2025

Seafood Expo North America

Seafood Processing North America

THE GLOBAL SEAFOOD MARKETPLACE

BARCELONA, SPAIN | 23-25 APRIL 2024

Seafood Expo Global

Seafood Processing Global

THE SEAFOOD MARKETPLACE FOR ASIA

SINGAPORE | 4-6 SEPTEMBER 2024

Seafood Expo Asia

THE OFFICIAL MEDIA FOR SEAFOOD EXPO EVENTS

SeafoodSource is the most trusted and largest digital knowledge resource for the seafood industry.

News | Expo Coverage | Educational Resources

SeafoodSource.com

U.S. lawmakers renew efforts to bring COOL online

BY NATHAN STROUT

Once again, U.S. lawmakers are pushing legislation that would require online retailers to clearly display country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for their products.

U.S. LAW REQUIRES traditional brick and mortar retailers to provide information on where products, including seafood, originated from. However, those requirements don’t apply to e-commerce websites, enabling online retailers to avoid disclosing that type of information. Some lawmakers looking to close this legal loophole – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) and U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) – introduced the COOL Online Act in 2023 to do just that.

“The American people deserve to know where the products they buy are made, regardless of whether they’re shopping in-store or online,” Vance said. “Our legislation would close a legal loophole by extending current, commonsense labeling requirements to e-commerce. With this proposal, we can give American consumers the confidence that their online purchases support American workers and industry.”

In November, an identical bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Andy Kim (D-New Jersey) and U.S. Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida).

“The American people deserve to know where the products they buy are made, regardless of whether they’re shopping in-store or online.”

U.S. SENATOR J.D. VANCE

U.S. SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN

U.S. REP. CARLOS GIMENEZ

U.S. SEN. J.D. VANCE

“At one of my town halls, a constituent raised a concern they had with me,” Kim said. “They felt that people should know where something they’re buying comes from. It’s about transparency; Americans deserve to know where their products are made.”

Peter Quinter, a U.S. customs and international trade attorney and shareholder with Florida law firm Gunster, said the legislative push has emerged courtesy of a renewed interest among U.S. consumers in knowing where the goods they purchase come from.

“It’s about transparency; Americans deserve to know where their products are made.”

“There is a re-emphasis generally for U.S. consumers to know the country of origin of imported merchandise that is purchased online or at a local retailer,” Quinter said. “Such merchandise includes food, especially perishables such as fruits, vegetables, and seafood. The reason for such a renewed emphasis is both for health reasons, and for political reasons (e.g. no Russian origin seafood or Chinese seafood subject to antidumping duties). ‘Traceability’ and ‘international supply chain’ are terms that are now commonly used and understood by American consumers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Americans realized that they relied upon personal protective equipment (PPE) almost entirely that was produced outside the United States.”

U.S. REP. ANDY KIM

That consumer interest is putting increased pressure on online retailers to display more countryof-origin and traceability information for their products, although many are hesitant to incorporate the burdensome documentation into their e-commerce business.

“Online retailers will have to implement traceability guidelines that require substantial documentation from the manufacturer through the international supply chain,” Quinter said. “This is a daunting task as we have learned from our experience with seafood, but it can be done, as is being done.”

The current bill may face an uphill battle to become a law, and an effort to pass similar legislation in 2022 failed. Proponents also managed to include a COOL Online provision in the 2021 Senate version of the United States Innovation and Competition Act, but it was dropped from the final version of the bill that became law.

“Online retailers will have to implement traceability guidelines that require substantial documentation from the manufacturer through the international supply chain.”

PETER QUINTER, GUNSTER

A coalition of retail and business organizations, including the National Grocers Association, the National Retail Federation, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, opposed the 2022 effort.

“There is a re-emphasis generally for U.S. consumers to know the country of origin of imported merchandise that is purchased online or at a local retailer.”

PETER QUINTER, GUNSTER

“We remain concerned about the broad impact that this provision will have on all retailers and sellers who operate in an online environment, whether they are a marketplace or just have an e-commerce website,” the groups wrote in a joint letter in 2022. “Determining the country of origin for a product is an extremely complex issue that is determined through our trade laws and enforced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”

“The provision will not create parity among brick-and-mortar and online stores,” the letter continued. “It will create a new liability for retailers and sellers to not only post the required information but certify the accuracy of the information provided by product vendors.”

That level of opposition is hard to overcome, Quinter said. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that the concept would eventually become legally binding in some form or another.

“I do not believe that the COOL Online Act will pass into law. There are too few co-sponsors, lack of priority in both the Senate and House, and lobbying organizations opposed to the legislation, which some consider unnecessary and burdensome,” Quinter said. “[But] eventually ventually, the concept will be incorporated into law.”

PETER QUINTER, U.S. CUSTOMS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE ATTORNEY

U.S. REP. ANDY KIM

Upstart innovators float idea to refresh Alaska’s seafood processing industry

BY CLIFF WHITE

Big changes are afoot in Alaska’s seafood processing sector.

IN DECEMBER 2023, Trident Seafoods announced it planned to sell its Alaskan assets in Kodiak, Ketchikan, Petersburg, and False Pass, as well as its South Naknek cannery and its support facilities in Chignik.

Trident Seafoods CEO Joe Bundrant said the moves were being made to “position the company to fund the reinvestments necessary to continue to lead in the Alaska seafood industry.”

The announcement came just a few months after Trident – a vertically integrated seafood harvesting and processing company whose motto is “Anchored in Alaska” – announced it was delaying the development and construction of a processing plant in Unalaska, Alaska, that was supposed to replace an aging plant in Akutan, citing an overall collapse of the seafood market as the reason for the delay.

CIRCLE BARGE ARRIVAL

“Across many species, the combination of declining demand, excess supply, and foreign competition has driven prices down, squeezed margins, and displaced U.S. producers from markets that they developed over decades,” he said. “In this global business environment, Trident is betting that it can remain competitive by attracting customers who value the sustainability, quality, and integrity of wild Alaska seafood while also aggressively reducing costs and improving productivity.”

“It’s clear there is overcapacity in the sector. These companies do have synergies, particularly in Valdez, where the combination would enable canning and freezing for the combined entities. Additionally, consolidating the assets would not only provide operational efficiencies within plants, but also with logistics (tenders, shipping, etc.). There would also be increased pricing power with fishermen,” Mettler said. “Unfortunately for the fishermen, I expect continued downward pressure on the ground prices as consolidation occurs and plants close.”

Though he is not sounding the alarm as much as Schactler, Mettler said he believes Alaska’s seafood industry is struggling through a market downturn that is temporary, but that may have lasting repercussions.

“We may have found the price ceiling for these products where, without improved product quality and product forms, the companies are going to continue having inflationary pressures squeeze margins because they cannot control their end market pricing in the global market; Russia and aquaculture control it,” he said.

– BEN BLAKEY, NORTHLINE SEAFOODS

“The [2023] season was not just hard on fishermen; it was hard on processors.”

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Food Aid Program and Development Director Bruce Schactler said Trident’s announcement heralded a crisis “years in the making.” He called Trident’s announcement “a wake-up call” for the state.

Larsen Mettler – who currently serves as the managing director of S2G Ventures’ oceans and seafood investments and was previously CFO of Alaska processor Silver Bay Seafoods, among other seafood industry roles – pushed back against labeling the current situation facing the sector as a “crisis,” saying Trident’s move is not necessarily indicative of larger trends in Alaska’s processing sector.

“No, I would not describe the sector as in crisis mode for processors,” he said. “2023 certainly wasn’t the best financial year for processors, but they are all coming off of several years of record profitability and extremely high-end market prices.”

Processors got themselves into trouble for three reasons in 2023, according to Mettler.

“Holding onto their 2022 sockeye pack too long, likely believing they could find increased end market pricing, went the wrong way because that level of demand for the product wasn’t there; putting up poor-quality fish, something that happens when you are processing extremely large volumes; and not managing their balance sheets well, spending large sums of money or making distributions to owners in prior record years,” he listed as the reasons for last year’s slowdown. “They were not ready to buy large quantities of fish in 2023 in a falling pricing environment.”

Meanwhile, two other major players in Alaska’s salmon-processing sector, Silver Bay Seafoods and Peter Pan Seafood, have discussed a joint venture involving their neighboring plants in Valdez, Alaska, and even a full-scale merger. Without confirming those discussions have taken place, Mettler said the rumors align with a larger push for consolidation across Alaska’s processing industry.

There are also fundamental shifts underway in the sector as a result of climate change and global geopolitical challenges that will likely result in further consolidation of Alaska’s processing sector, according to Mettler.

“Processors and fishermen will need to find business models to deal with increased supply volatility and ultimately lower stocks,” he said.

One innovative business model coming to Alaska in 2024 that aims to reverse downward trends is being introduced by Northline Seafoods and Circle Seafoods. Each plans to launch a floating processor capable of processing, storing, and shipping huge quantities of salmon, with Northline aiming to station its 14-million-pound capacity Hannah vessel in Bristol Bay, and Circle posting its CIRCLE vessel in southeast Alaska.

“Our plan is to keep the pace of reprocessing more controlled, completing it throughout the course of the year and aiming for 50,000 pounds a day instead of trying to fillet a million pounds a day. That way, it’s far easier to control our costs and our timing and improve our yields so we end up with a higher percentage of usable product that’s better created and easier to meet the specs the customer has asked for,” Northline Seafoods CEO Ben Blakey said. “Beyond there being a need for it, we are simplifying and making the supply chain more efficient. One major part of that will be our use of integrated ultralow temperature facilities, freezing and storing all of our products at 25 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, which allows it to be extremely fresh when it’s thawed out and reprocessed in the lower 48 [U.S. states].”

Blakey said the company’s leadership remains convinced of the need for an innovative solution like the Hannah in Bristol Bay.

“The idea is to cut a lot of costs and make it far more efficient to operate than the existing supply chain coming out of Alaska,” he said.

The difficult 2023 salmon season, marred by low prices and cratering markets, did not deter Blakey; rather, it convinced him of the need for innovation.

“The [2023] season was not just hard on fishermen; it was hard on processors. We’re hoping that we can kind of give an example of what can

Bundrant said Trident’s strategy “reflects the realities facing U.S. seafood producers in global markets.”

be done to improve things,” he said. “Honestly, what happened this past summer reinforces the need for change. The fishermen know that and the processors know that, and we hope to be that change.”

Circle Seafoods Co-Founder and Finance, Operations, and Fleet Manager Charlie Campbell said the company’s long-term vision is to “increase the value of the fishery by deploying innovative barges where we freeze salmon right on the water

“We think more competition is a healthy thing for the industry and maximizes the value of the resource; it pushes people to innovate and to improve.”

– CHARLIE CAMPBELL, CIRCLE SEAFOODS

hours after they’re caught.”

“We freeze them round, fill up our cold storage – which can hold 10 to 12 million pounds of salmon – store them at 40 degrees below zero, and then tug it all down to the lower 48, where we can process it on demand,” he said. “Our model is to freeze round first and then combine the primary and secondary processing later. So, if you’re Whole Foods, you can ask for 100,000 pounds delivered every single week, and we can manufacture it to the specs you want over the course of the year – similar to how other goods are manufactured.”

Campbell said Circle Seafoods’ leadership team is confident enough in their model that it plans to build six barges as quickly as possible, each

eventually handling 1.5 million pounds of daily freezing capacity, to bring the solution to market at scale. This business model is sound enough to be successful in any economic climate, according to Campbell – even if it faced a repeat scenario of the catastrophic 2023 season. Using a floating processor can save up to USD 0.28 (EUR 0.26) per pound of salmon on shipping and can reduce the number of tenders needed, he said.

“We think more competition is a healthy thing for the industry and maximizes the value of the resource; it pushes people to innovate and to improve. It forces everybody to be better,” he said. “At the end of the day, [wild Alaska salmon] is a limited resource. So, to some degree, it is a zero-sum game in processing, and ultimately, we’re in the business of throughput – that’s our key metric to success.”

Ocean Beauty Seafoods and Trident Seafoods take home top honors in 2024 Alaska Symphony of Seafood competition

BY NATHAN STROUT

THE ALASKA FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION (AFDF) has announced first-place winners of the 2024 Alaska Symphony of Seafood competition – an annual challenge that awards high-quality value-added products sourced directly from Alaska seafood.

“The goal of the Symphony is to encourage innovation through product development,” the AFDF said in its announcement. “The Symphony helps diversify markets, increase utilization, and keeps Alaska seafood relevant to consumers.”

The competition has been a mainstay of Alaskan seafood development since its inception in 1994, showcasing the constant creation of new products across a variety of categories, including Retail, Foodservice, Beyond the Plate, and Around the Plate. The Symphony also includes two special regional awards: the Seattle People’s Choice and the Bristol Bay Choice.

Ocean Beauty Seafoods was selected as the winner of the 2024 Retail category for its Echo Falls Smoked Wild Alaskan Sockeye Nuggets. The applewood smoked and honey cured salmon is sourced exclusively from Bristol Bay, Alaska.

“It’s an honor to provide retailers and consumers with creative takes on wild Alaska sockeye, and we’re thrilled that the judges at AFDF liked what we brought to the table,” Ocean Beauty Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ron Christianson said. “We’re especially grateful to our Value-Added team here at Ocean Beauty, who have truly mastered the art of culinary innovation.”

Meanwhile, Trident Seafoods was selected as the winner of the 2024 Foodservice category for its Kraken Stash IPA Beer Battered Wild Alaska Pollock Fillets. The fillets are made with wild-caught Alaska pollock and coated in a crispy batter made from Hop Valley’s Kraken Stash IPA beer.

“The true champions are Trident’s battered/breaded R&D team, whose dedication and creativity shaped this award-winning product,” Trident Seafoods Senior Marketing Manager Katie Hohman said in a LinkedIn post. “The Kraken Stash IPA Beer Battered Wild Alaska Pollock product is a testament to their culinary expertise and innovation.”

Glacier Delights, conducting business as The Bear House in Alaska, won the Around the Plate category for its Wild Fish and Sea Cucumber Alaska Seafood Crunchies,

Beauty Seafoods

and Polkadog won the Beyond the Plate category for its Alaskan Salmon Chips.

The Bristol Bay Choice award – introduced in 2022 to highlight food made from Bristol Bay sockeye – went to E & E Foods for its Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon Breakfast Sausage, while the Seattle People’s Choice award went to Whidbey Island Seafood Company for its Smoked Blackcod Pate.

“Thank you to everyone who voted and celebrated this exceptional achievement with us,” Whidbey Island Seafood Company said on Instagram. “We’re just getting started!”

The first-place winners, as well as the Bristol Bay Choice winner, were awarded booth space at and airfare to Seafood Expo North America. The winners will also be automatically entered into the Seafood Excellence Awards taking place Monday, 10 March, 2024, at the expo, where a panel of experts will judge a variety of products based on several criteria, including uniqueness, appropriateness to the market, taste profile, packaging, market potential, convenience, nutritional value, and originality. Awards will be given for the Best New Retail Product and the Best New Foodservice Product.

The panel of judges for the 2024 Alaska Symphony of Seafood included Michael Mills of Sysco, BT Thompson and Becca Yeardsley of Rogge, John Burrows of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Daniela Klimsova of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, Scott Habberstadt of Alaska Airlines, Craig Morris of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers, Carli Stewart of National Fisherman, Greg Obeso and Dani Camden of Lynden Logistics/AML, and Cynthia Nims of Mon Appetit.

Key sponsors include the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Bristol Bay Regional Development Association, Alaska Air Cargo, At-Sea Processors Association, the Marine Stewardship Council, Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association, American Seafoods, Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, Global Seas, Alaskan Leader Seafoods, Kwik’Pak Fisheries, North Pacific Seafoods/Alaska General Seafoods/Leader Creek Fisheries, Matson, Northwest Fisheries Association, Pacific Seafood Processors Association, Trident Seafoods, UniSea, and United Fishermen of Alaska.

More information on the competition winners can be found on AFDF’s website.

Symphony of Seafood

2024 New Products Contest Winners

GRAND PRIZE, 1ST PLACE BEYOND THE PLATE

Polkadog Alaskan Salmon Chips by Polkadog

1ST PLACE FOOD SERVICE, WHITEFISH CHOICE

Kraken Stash IPA Beer Battered

Wild Alaska Pollock Fillets by Trident Seafoods

BRISTOL BAY CHOICE

Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon Breakfast Sausage by E & E Foods

1ST PLACE RETAIL, BEST GRAB & GO, SALMON CHOICE

Echo Falls Smoked Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Nuggets by Ocean Beauty Seafoods

1ST PLACE AROUND THE PLATE: ALASKA SEAFOOD CRUNCHIES

Wild Fish & Sea Cucumber by Glacier Delights dba

The Bear House in Alaska

BEST PACKAGING Polkadog

SEATTLE PEOPLES CHOICE

Smoked Blackcod Pate by Whidbey Island Seafood Company

GLENN COOKE North American seafood industry poised for growth

BY CLIFF WHITE

SeafoodSource: How has business been for Cooke over the past year? What are some of the company’s highlights from its year?

COOKE: It’s been another busy year at Cooke; our divisions around the globe have continued to move the needle to make sure we’re meeting and exceeding industry standards and providing a full suite of products to our customers in foodservice and retail. We have recently updated our fleet in Argentina with a state-of-the-art scallop vessel that will allow us to continue to provide Patagonian scallops year-round and frozen-at-sea within an hour of harvest to ensure maximum freshness.

In Australia, Tassal acquired that country’s only ocean-grown barramundi farm and added that new species to its ever-growing list of products. In January, our True North Seafood Crab Dip was voted the 2024 Product of the Year Canada Award winner for the Frozen Meals category. We’re excited to showcase this product at our booth this year and share some samples as well. We will be debuting a handful of new products at SENA this year and look forward to introducing customers to new ways of enjoying and preparing seafood. Last year, we announced the acquisition of Slade Gorton at SENA, and our booth this year will include a display of Slade products.

SeafoodSource: What is the state of the seafood industry in North America and globally?

COOKE : Global dynamics have caused changes in seafood channels, which I think caused a fairly strong upset in both the North American and global markets. But we’re seeing things move in a much more positive direction and a lot of new marketing efforts are starting to yield results so far this year.

SeafoodSource: Is the industry in a temporary downturn, or is this a more fundamental and broad-reaching reset?

COOKE: It’s an exciting time in seafood in terms of the rapid rate of change, and we’re continuing to invest and grow to meet evolving customer needs. I think the industry did experience a downturn, and seafood channels have changed significantly over the past few years. But we’re seeing markets strengthen and customer interest increasing. This presents an incredible opportunity for seafood. We plan to continue to invest in the industry, grow our operations, and build our species offering to maintain our commitment to bringing healthy, sustainable seafood to customers in North America and around the world.

SeafoodSource: Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the industry?

COOKE : I’m always optimistic about the future of our industry, and I see great potential in all channels for seafood, and protein in general, for 2024. As a company, we are always seeking opportunities to grow our company and diversify our species offerings. Having that mindset across our organization

lends itself to being optimistic about the future of the industry. What is exciting about seafood is that there is always change, and we are always evolving to better meet our customers’ needs.

SeafoodSource: How have you managed the phenomenal growth Cooke has undergone in the past decade?

COOKE: We have incredible people and a strong culture, and we owe so much of our growth to the team. As we’ve grown over the years, we have been fortunate to add companies and people who are enthusiastic about working towards our mission of cultivating the ocean with care, nourishing the world, providing for our families, and building stronger communities.

SeafoodSource: What has been Cooke’s guiding vision in its expansion and growth? What is the key to continued growth and success for Cooke?

COOKE: At the end of the day, we aim to provide our customers with a wide range of products, so we are continually looking at ways to build on what species we can offer between aquaculture and wild fisheries. We have been working hard over the years to develop products to meet the needs of food customers, while also exploring opportunities to educate and aid retail and foodservice providers to better prepare, serve, and include seafood in their stores and menus. We’re always thrilled to take part in Seafood Expo North America to better demonstrate our products and capabilities.

SeafoodSource: What benefit does SENA provide to the industry? What role does it play in Cooke’s business plan?

COOKE: Seafood Expo North America is a major event in Cooke’s calendar year after year, as it’s an opportunity to showcase our broad portfolio of products in one place. Being an exhibitor is an important venue for launching new products and introducing both existing and new customers to our entire catalog. Our team looks forward to the opportunities to meet and network with industry peers that SENA affords them every year.

This year we will be introducing some of the exciting visuals from our global branding project so folks can expect to see an updated look and feel at our booth this year. We will also be bringing some fantastic innovations, including our lineup of skin-packed products, new breaded scallop medallions, our award-winning Crab Dip, a new flavor of True North Seafood salmon burgers, and a new lineup of hot smoked salmon flavors.

“ Our team looks forward to the opportunities to meet and network with industry peers that SENA affords them every year.”

– GLENN COOKE

Glenn Cooke is the CEO of Cooke Inc., a vertically integrated family of seafood companies based in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick, Canada. Cooke Inc. is the world’s largest family-owned seafood business, with 13,000 employees in 12 countries.

MEET THE SEAFOODSOURCE EDITORIAL & CONTENT TEAM

CLIFF WHITE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Cliff White has served as the executive editor of SeafoodSource since 2016, covering all aspects of the global seafood industry. Previously, he worked as the senior business reporter for the McClatchy-owned Centre Daily Times in State College, Pennsylvania, where he won state and national awards for his coverage of the development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas deposit and the Jerry Sandusky scandal. He also worked as the assistant editor of Pennsylvania Business Central and as a staff writer for State College Magazine, as well as for the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a web editor and multichannel content strategist.

REACH CLIFF AT: cwhite@divcom.com

CHRIS CHASE

EDITOR

Chris Chase is the Portland, Maine-based editor of SeafoodSource and an expert on the global seafood industry. Since starting his foray into seafood, he has traveled to seafood trade shows around the world and hosted multiple informative panels featuring experts on aquaculture, sustainability, market trends, and more. Previously, he worked covering local issues at the Coastal Journal in Bath, Maine, where he won multiple awards from the Maine Press Association for his news coverage and food reviews. Chris is a graduate of the University of Maine, and got his start in writing by serving as a reporter and the state editor of The Maine Campus, an award-winning campus newspaper.

REACH CHRIS AT: cchase@divcom.com

BHAVANA SCALIA-BRUCE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Bhavana Scalia-Bruce is the Portland, Maine-based associate editor of SeafoodSource. She attended the University of Maine studying journalism and Spanish. Before joining the SeafoodSource team, Bhavana worked for DownEast magazine as an editorial intern, and as a columnist and business manager for UMaine’s award-winning student newspaper, The Maine Campus. In her free time, when not writing, Bhavana can be found drinking coffee with her head buried in a book, trying out new restaurants around Portland, or spending time with her Siamese cat. As a newbie to the industry, Bhavana is eager to learn all things seafood.

REACH BHAVANA AT: bscaliabruce@divcom.com

TEDDY HANS COPYEDITOR

Teddy Hans is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based copy editor for SeafoodSource. He attended the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, graduating with an emphasis in magazine editing. Before joining the SeafoodSource team, where he edits feature stories, Teddy worked as a quality assurance editor in content marketing and wrote freelance content for various newspapers and magazines.

REACH TEDDY AT: thans@divcom.com

MADDIE KEARNS CONTENT MANAGER

Maddie Kearns is the content manager for SeafoodSource and the conference program at Seafood Expo North America/ Seafood Processing North America. Before diving into seafood writing, editing, infographic-designing, and more, she was the associate editor for an online publication geared toward small- to mid-sized practice physicians, Medical Practice Insider. Maddie is a graduate of the University of Maine, where she served as a columnist and the opinion editor for the university’s paper, The Maine Campus, and won a Grady Award in Creative Writing for her poetry. She lives under a mountain of books in South Portland, Maine with her cat, Pierre.

REACH MADDIE AT: mkearns@divcom.com

NATHAN STROUT

CONTENT SPECIALIST, SPECIAL PROJECTS

Nathan Strout is a Portland, Maine-based content specialist, for SeafoodSource. Previously, Nathan covered the U.S. military’s space activities and emerging technologies at C4ISRNET and Defense News, where he won awards for his reporting on the U.S. Space Force’s missile warning capabilities. Nathan got his start in journalism writing about several communities in Midcoast Maine for a local daily paper, The Times Record.

REACH NATHAN AT: nstrout@divcom.com

NED DALY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Ned Daly is a sustainability strategist with Diversified Communications. He has worked on sustainable markets in a variety of resources for 25 years. Ned worked in seafood for the last decade with SeaWeb. Previously, he was director of RugMark International (now GoodWeave), a certification program for child-labor-free rugs coming from Southeast Asia. He also served as chief operating officer for the Forest Stewardship Council in the United States, managing relationships with industry leaders and a diversity of key stakeholders including conservation nongovernment organizations, policymakers, and industry trade associations. Ned has also worked on sustainable markets in the agricultural sector and the relationship between resource extraction and ecosystem health. He lives in Alfred, Maine.

REACH NED AT: ndaly@divcom.com

Get to know the team and say hello when you see them in action.