The Mazzetta Co. has become the first corporate partner from the seafood industry for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and will assist in the recovery of depleted river herring stocks in Maine and throughout the Northeast.
The Highland Park, Ill., supplier will support the foundation’s efforts to maintain the sustainability of the marine ecosystem by focusing on coral reefs, oyster reefs and forage fish.
“We are very happy that Mazzetta Co. has become the first corporate partner in this initiative,” says Anthony Chatwin, director of marine and coastal conservation for Washington, D.C.-based NFWF. “We hope that their leadership in supporting marine sustainability will be helpful in engaging the broader seafood industry in these important conservation initiatives.”
The River Herring Initiative will employ a targeted investment strategy to fund abatement of threats in both the freshwater and marine environments. The freshwater strategy will focus on improving access to and enhancing the quality of spawning habitat in coastal Maine streams. The marine environment strategy will focus on creating market-based incentives to eliminate overfishing and minimize bycatch of river herring.
“Mazzetta Co. has always been a strong proponent of sustainable fisheries management and practices,” says Tom Mazzetta, founder and CEO. “NFWF’s River Herring Initiative underscores the vital correlation between the health of the herring fishery as a feeder for the lobster fishery in Maine. Mazzetta Co. maintains a keen interest in the Northeast fisheries and thus this project is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability in that region and to healthy marine ecosystems.”
River herring are born in freshwater, migrate to sea and return to freshwater to spawn. These fish have evolved physiological adaptations to two extreme environments — salt water and freshwater — and everything in between.
NFWF will provide $500,000 toward the initiative this year. Other funding partners include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and large private donors.
