EcoFish
From its inception in 1999, EcoFish has set out to incorporate sustainable measures into everything it does.
EcoFish Founders Henry and Lisa Lovejoy committed to supplying 100 percent of the company’s seafood products from certified sustainable sources just as the broader industry movement was starting to take shape. Nowadays, the company still adheres to this mission with the help of its seafood advisory board, which is made up of marine conservation scientists who hail from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, Environmental Defense Fund, the Blue Ocean Institute, and the New England Aquarium.
The board works together to develop an approved species report, which EcoFish then uses to establish sourcing partnerships. For wild fisheries, the board considers biological characteristics of seafood, population status, management of the fishery, bycatch, and the impact that harvesting methods have on the surrounding environment. For aquaculture, it evaluates escapes, habitat issues, dependence on wild fisheries, pollution and chemical use, and local community. EcoFish approved species include wild Alaskan pollock, wild Portuguese sardines, wild Alaskan salmon, farmed Ecuadorian white shrimp, wild Northwest albacore tuna, wild Alaskan cod, and wild Alaskan sablefish.
The firm, which became the first Marine Stewardship Council-certified seafood company in the U.S. in 2001 and is a MSC North American Chain of Custody partner, has several conservation allegiances, including with The Packard Foundation, Seafood Choices Alliance, and FishWise, among others. Its products are featured in 5,000 retail locations across the U.S.
Company president Henry Lovejoy shared with SeafoodSource how sustainability has guided the business from the very beginning:
SeafoodSource: What kind of trends have informed EcoFish’s latest sustainability/conservation efforts?
EcoFish: When we founded EcoFish in 1999, no one literally knew what “sustainable seafood” was; it hadn’t been defined yet. We partnered with the marine conservation community to help us identify the most environmentally-friendly fisheries to support. It is amazing to fast-forward 20 years and witness how far this movement has come. A large consumer demographic now requires that their food comes from sustainable sources and industry has adapted to this new demand, discovering that it can be profitable. We also now have credible third-party certification for seafood, with numerous fisheries certified. All of these factors have brought sustainability to the forefront. It has been proven that sustainability can be profitable.
SeafoodSource: What key features serve to set EcoFish’s sustainable seafood offerings apart in the market?
EcoFish: All of EcoFish’s brands (Henry & Lisa’s Natural Seafood and Freshé) sell only 100-percent certified sustainable seafood. We have chain of custody certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC, and Friend of the Sea (FOS). We also have an unwavering commitment to quality, which includes 100-percent all natural and healthy ingredients, meaning no chemicals, ever. We try to innovate and stay one step ahead of the market. Our newest brand, Freshé, is changing the way consumers think about canned fish, offering convenient high-protein, ready-to-eat, globally inspired small meals with simple ingredients, vibrant superfoods, and sustainably-sourced protein – all infused with savory herbs and spices.
SeafoodSource: How does sustainability factor into your overall mission and strategy as a business?
EcoFish: EcoFish is a company that was founded in 1999 with the sole mission to bring credibly-sourced sustainable seafood to consumers – 100 percent certified sustainable is the first filter of many that an item needs to pass through at EcoFish to be considered. This can often be a significant limiting factor on sourcing, but a sacrifice we have always been happy to make. Helping save the future of our oceans is what helps get us to work each day.
SeafoodSource: How does EcoFish approach sustainable, responsible development?
EcoFish: One of the most gratifying aspects of EcoFish is the people and communities we’ve been able to interface with. Local fishing communities are endangered. We try to have the fish we purchase be processed in the community they were caught in. All of our tinned seafood is canned where it is caught. All of our wild, frozen seafood is caught and processed in the U.S.A. This is significant, because most brands ship their fish around the world, chasing the cheapest labor. Our long-standing alliance with the Conservation Community has been very rewarding. These are people who really care about the oceans, and they have been invaluable in helping guide our sourcing.
