Responsible Seafood Summit Recap: Catch Up On All The Coverage Post Event

The Global Seafood Alliance’s 2023 Responsible Seafood Summit, held in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, wrapped up on Thursday after four days of informative sessions and networking opportunities.

The theme of this year’s summit centered around a call for greater unity amongst members of the aquaculture and wild caught industries. And SeafoodNews was there to report on the panels and ongoing conversations. Find all of our coverage from the event below and mark your calendar for the 2024 Responsible Seafood Summit...

Seafood Nutrition Partnership Debuts “Fall In Love With Seafood” Campaign  

The Seafood Nutrition Partnership announced the soft launch of their new “Fall In Love With Seafood” campaign at the Global Seafood Alliance’s Responsible Seafood Summit in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, this week. 

Linda Cornish, the founder and President of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, showed off two of the new ads while on stage as part of the “One Industry, One Voice” panel. The campaign is having a soft launch during National Seafood Month this October before being launched in key target markets in January 2024...

Responsible Seafood Summit: TCRS to Work on Challenge of Improvement Projects in Shrimp Space

George Chamberlain, President of The Center For Responsible Seafood (TCRS), kicked off the final day of the Global Seafood Alliance’s Responsible Seafood Summit in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, by talking about the challenges of improvement projects and the work TCRS is starting in the shrimp space. 

Global shrimp production in 2023 is at 6.3 million MT, which makes it the perfect species for TCRS to focus their initial efforts. The main issue, according to Chamberlain, is that shrimp is mainly made up of small family farms who can’t necessarily afford the costs associated with getting certified.

Group of Experts Present Solutions to Boost Seafood Sales at Responsible Seafood Summit

“Inflation is eating into disposable income, consumers are starved for time and the pandemic-fueled cooking-seafood-at-home fad has faded, flattening seafood sales that boomed during the pandemic.”

Things sound pretty grim for the industry. But at the Global Seafood Alliance’s Responsible Seafood Summit in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, a group of experts presented some interesting solutions.

On Wednesday afternoon moderator Molly Jacques, VP of Market Development Operations at the Global Seafood Alliance, was joined on stage by David Parker, Head of Aquaculture...

Responsible Seafood Summit Kicks Off In Saint John With Call For Greater Unity

Around 300 members of the seafood industry gathered at the Saint John Delta Hotel in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, for the Global Seafood Alliance’s (GSA) Responsible Seafood Summit. And while we’re only at the start of the early morning plenary, the common theme is a “call for greater unity.”

The theme is a call to GSA’s recent rebranding from the Global Aquaculture Alliance to the Global Seafood Alliance. The rebrand was introduced in 2021 to “reflect GSA’s budding involvement in wild-capture fisheries” through the introduction...

Global Seafood Alliance Hires Seafood Veteran Steve Disko in Market Development Role

Seafood veteran Steve Disko has joined the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) in a market development role. He’ll be reporting to Chris Keller, GSA’s VP of Market Development for North and South America.

“We are very excited to get an opportunity to work with Steve Disko,” said Keller. “Steve has an incredible depth of knowledge, not only with seafood but also with sustainability and responsible sourcing. This is a space that Steve has been a leader in for many years, and Steve is very well respected in the industry...

GSA, TCRS, Choice Canning Partner to Uplift Small-Scale Aquaculture Farmers

The Global Seafood Alliance, The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS) and Choice Canning Co. on June 21, 2023, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) designed to uplift small-scale aquaculture farmers in India by offering more education and training opportunities on responsible aquaculture practices.

Dubbed the Responsible Farming Practices, the two-year initiative is meant to bring more economic stability to farming communities challenged by a lack of infrastructure, capital, insurance, financial planning, market exposure and access to information on responsible aquaculture practices...

GSA Report: ‘What Is the Expectation of Worker Voice and Grievance Mechanisms on Certified Vessels?’

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) has released the final report from an action research project undertaken through 2022 entitled, “What Is the Expectation of Worker Voice and Grievance Mechanisms on Certified Vessels?” Supported by the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, the project engaged with over 150 stakeholders across more than 30 countries. Key Traceability was contracted to lead the research.

Findings include that on fishing vessels working at, or towards, best practices, it is expected that crew have safe, fast access to appropriate grievance...

GSA Reveals “Proposed Reorientation of Leadership” Following Exit of CEO Brian Perkins

Last week the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) dropped a bombshell when they revealed that CEO Brian Perkins would no longer be serving as head of the organization after coming on two years ago. Now, some more information on his departure - albeit it very vague - has been released.

According to the organization, their executive committee, consisting of board of directors members, met in early March and “proposed a reorientation of GSA leadership to accelerate the growth of GSA’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and Best Seafood Practices (BSP) certification programs...

Global Seafood Alliance CEO Brian Perkins Out; Wally Stevens To Serve as Interim CEO

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) confirmed on Friday that Brian Perkins is no longer serving as CEO of the organization. 

Perkins joined the Global Aquaculture Alliance in January 2021 as their Chief Operating Officer. His appointment came at a “critical time” as they expanded from aquaculture to wild fisheries, ultimately rebranding as the Global Seafood Alliance. In December 2021, when CEO Wally Stevens announced that he would be retiring after 14 years, Perkins was named as the group’s new CEO...

RFM Certification Program and GSA Announce Collaboration to Promote Responsible Seafood Practices

The Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification program and the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) have agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for collaboration. Given their aligned missions, both organizations are focused on global expansion for promoting choice in responsible seafood practices while aiming to reduce costs for certifications, audits, and other assurances.

The collaboration will support RFM’s goal of extending the program’s reach to other wild-capture fisheries and customer base to new markets.

“It’s long been the goal of RFM to expand beyond Alaska...

Global Seafood Alliance Rebrands GOAL Conference, Announces Dates, Venue for New Event

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) will enter a new era as its Global Outlook for Aquaculture Leadership, or GOAL conference has been rebranded to the “The Responsible Seafood Summit.”

The GSA said the new name “better represents GSA’s vision of a world that embraces the role of responsible seafood in meeting global nutrition needs, for both farmed and wild seafood.”

The logo of the event has also changed that now looks similar to the GSA’s brand and its Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and Best Seafood Practices (BSP)...

OP-ED: NWAA To Public Lands Commissioner Franz: You Got It Wrong!

Just four days after she announced that she would not renew Cooke Aquaculture’s fish farming leases, Washington state Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz held a press conference where, flanked by her anti-aquaculture supporters from the Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC), she declared an end to the proud 40-year tradition of fish farming in Puget Sound.

In response, the Northwest Aquaculture Alliance, joined by six other leading seafood trade associations—the National Fisheries Institute, National Aquaculture Association, Global Seafood Alliance, Best Aquaculture Practices, California Aquaculture Association...

Global Seafood Alliance Shares Retail, Foodservice Partners for First Consumer Campaign

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA)’s first consumer marketing campaign will culminate during National Seafood Month with retail and foodservice promotions and consumer communications focused on GSA's Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification.

The campaign aims to educate consumers “using earned and social media through GSA channels and via participation by key retailers and foodservice operators.” GSA wants to increase awareness of the BAP brand and boost sales of responsibly sourced seafood...

Responsible Seafood Summit: “Some Fails But Overall Success” With Ropeless Gear In Snow Crab Fishery

“Ropeless is hopeless.” It’s a phrase that many snow crab and lobster harvesters can likely relate to following the declaration of the unusual mortality event for North Atlantic right whales in 2017. 

Martin Noël, a snow crab fisherman and Captain of the FV Jean-Denis Martin in New Brunswick, has been fishing for 29 years. And on the “ Close To Home: Innovation and Adaptation Amongst Canadian Snow Crab and Lobster Fisheries” panel at the Global Seafood Alliance’s Responsible Seafood Summit...

Find Out Who Won The Responsible Seafood Innovation Awards At GSA’s Responsible Seafood Summit

On Tuesday afternoon the Global Seafood Alliance announced the 2023 winners of the Responsible Seafood Innovation Awards. This year the awards, which were sponsored by the U.S. Soybean Export Council, had over 200 applications from over 50 countries. And from there, the applications were narrowed down to six finalists in two categories: fisheries and aquaculture.

The finalists this year in the fisheries category included:

Ava Ocean, a Norwegian fishing company that developed technology to harvest scallops without damaging the seabed...

“One Industry, One Voice” Panel Encourages Industry To Come Together For National Seafood Council

We’re stronger together!

Unity is the theme at the Global Seafood Alliance’s Responsible Seafood Summit in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, this year. And while the topic was broached early on in the day by GSA Executive Director Wally Stevens, the afternoon panel on “One Industry, One Voice: Can Aquaculture and Fisheries Build a More Unified Front?” really took things home.

The panel was moderated by Susan Marks of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and featured...

Global Seafood Alliance Promotes Steven Hart, Mike Kocsis

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announced this week that they have promoted Steven Hart and Mike Kocsis.

Hart has been with GSA, then the Global Aquaculture Alliance, since 2015. He joined the organization as the Vice President of Market Development, in charge of overseeing the teams in Europe, the United Kingdom and Asia. Now he’s been promoted to the Senior Vice President of Market Development where he’ll oversee GSA’s market development team.

“The global seafood industry is experiencing unique and challenging times right now,” said Hart...

GSA Builds on National Seafood Month Success with New Consumer Campaign

To celebrate U.S. National Seafood Month in October, the Global Seafood Alliance will launch a new consumer education campaign, “Choose Seafood with Standards,” focused on increasing consumer awareness of GSA’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification program. Designed to build on the momentum created during GSA’s first consumer education campaign last year, this year’s effort will educate consumers using earned and social media through GSA channels and via participation by key retailers and foodservice operators.

Raising awareness of the BAP brand and driving sales of responsibly produced and...

New Quality Monitoring Device Being Trialed in Bristol Bay This Year

Salmon processors in Bristol Bay are using a bioelectrical impedance analysis device as part of a wider commitment to improving product quality, according to an article in the Responsible Seafood Advocate, an arm of the Global Seafood Alliance.

Certified Quality Foods (CQF) has partnered with the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Association (BBRSDA) “to reduce shrink and increase the value of seafood for fishermen and the industry’s supply chain” according to the article. 

The CQR 3.0 System is an objective quality measuring device, companion mobile app ...

Photo courtesy of CQF.

Seafood Expo Global: St Andrews in Scotland Chosen For 2024 Location of Responsible Seafood Summit

Save the date, because the Responsible Seafood Summit is headed to St Andrews in Fife, Scotland in 2024.

It was announced at Seafood Expo Global on Wednesday that the town of St Andrews on Scotland’s east coast will host the Global Seafood Alliance’s (GSA) 2024 Responsible Seafood Summit. The multi-day event will be co-hosted by trade marketing body Seafood Scotland.

"The Responsible Seafood Summit is the largest international seafood business conference of its kind, and I am proud that Scotland will...

Sea Bream Farm is Japan’s First Facility to be Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) Certified

The Ainan Fishery Cooperative Association, which produces red sea bream, has become the first facility in Japan to achieve Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announced in March. Located in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, the Yasutaka Suisan farm and the Hamasui processing plant, both members of the Ainan Fisheries Cooperative, have achieved BAP certification.

Said Hiroki Tachibana, President of the Ainan Fishery Cooperative Association, “We are very pleased that two of our members, Yasutaka Suisan and Hamasui...

Remacan Canarias Commits to Sourcing BAP, BSP-Certified Seafood

Remacan Canarias, located in the Canary Islands, has pledged to source seafood from Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)- and Best Seafood Practices (BSP)-certified producers, the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announced on March 22. Remacan has been carrying out mollusk and crustacean purification activities for over 15 years and serves as a dispatch and distribution center. Headquartered on the island of Tenerife, the company also has branches in Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, while Remacan’s marketing radius covers all of the islands that make up the archipelago.

Remacan offers a range of... 

Global Seafood Alliance Adds Walmart Frozen Seafood Director to Board

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announced that Michael Berto has joined its board of directors on January 19.

Berto is the merchandising director for frozen seafood at Walmart US. He has been with the company for six years, working in a number of roles in various protein departments.

Prior to Walmart, he spent time working in the meat industry. Michael is a graduate of Texas A&M University with degrees in animal science and meat science, per the GSA...

Global Seafood Alliance Releases Preliminary Results of First Consumer Marketing Campaign 

In April the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announced the launch of their first consumer marketing campaign, “Healthy Fish, Healthy Planet, Healthy You.” The campaign kicked off in October, coinciding with National Seafood Month. And now, GSA is sharing the preliminary results of the campaign.

The campaign was designed to build consumer awareness of the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification program and drive sales of BAP-certified seafood products. Of course social media played a role in the campaign, with targeted influencer engagement...

Atlantic Capes Fisheries Becomes First Company to Have Full Supply Chain Achieve BSP Certification

Massachusetts-based Atlantic Cape Fisheries became the first company to achieve Best Seafood Practices (BSP) certification for its entire supply chain, the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announced at the end of September.

The company owns 25, harvesting vessels which are the first vessels to achieve certification to the Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS) in North America and also processing plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The Massachusetts plant was the first to land the Seafood Processing Standard (SPS) back in 2019...