Longtime U.S. seafood industry executive Dan Murphy passed away on Friday, 8 June.
Murphy joined Easton, Maryland, U.S.A.-based Sea Watch International in January 2020 as its chief commercial officer, overseeing the company’s sales, marketing, and research and development divisions.
"Dan was a larger-than-life figure who brought his remarkable passion, experience, and energy to SEa Watch. His career, knowledge, and advocacy of the seafood industry compared to few," Sea Watch said in a statement. "We are deeply shocked and saddened. The thoughts of everyone at Sea Watch are with Dan's family and friends."
Between 2012 and 2020, Murphy worked as executive vice president of sales at Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based Trident Seafoods, leading Trident’s sales team and broker network. Previously, Murphy was executive vice president of sales at Iceland USA.
"Dan had a storied career spanning three decades … He was a pillar in the community and industry affairs expert, serving as an Executive Committee member of the National Fisheries Institute,” NFI President John Connelly said. “The seafood community lost a trusted leader, mentor and most importantly, friend.”
Murphy served as a board member of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership beginning in 2019. Connelly called Murphy “a highly-regarded member of the seafood community.”
“He was a long-time advocate in promoting the benefits of eating seafood and marketing our products to a range of customers and consumers,” he said. “Dan could always be counted on to offer a fresh perspective and greatly trusted because of his vast knowledge of the seafood industry, both the fish and the people. Whether in the office or on the pickleball courts, the warm energy he exuded in any room will be greatly missed.”
Linda Cornish, the president and founder of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, also mourned Murphy's death.
"Dan ... was a great champion for working together as an industry to build awareness about seafood’s health benefits for the general public. What a great loss to the industry," she said. "We will dearly miss Dan and his positive energy, generosity, and kind heart."
Photo courtesy of Sea Watch International
