4.) Local and sustainable
Sustainable and local seafood purchases will continue to rise.
“Consumers understand line-caught versus net-caught and they consider that [line-caught] sustainable. They also believe that farm-raised is safe and sustainable,” said Johnson of Foodservice Solutions.
“There is more emphasis on avoiding red meat for sustainability, which means people are moving more to alternative protein choices, including seafood. I think that consumers are just starting to understand that there are other healthful, sustainable seafood options beyond salmon and shrimp,” Sharon Palmer of Today’s Dietitian said.
Chefs are starting to bring other fish, such as local, indigenous fish and bycatch to the forefront, Palmer said. As a result, consumers will start to notice and demand local and underutilized fish.
