Sea Pact has announced new funding support for six seafood sustainability projects.
The grant funding will be distributed to the projects, which are all efforts to enhance sustainability in different fisheries around the world. The recipients are Conservation International, Ocean Outcomes, The Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium, Catalina Sea Ranch, Mainland High School’s Aquaculture and Marine Science program, and the City University Hong Kong.
“We congratulate the selected organizations and really applaud the proponents of this diverse range of innovative projects. Over the next year we look forward to interacting with the projects and seeing the demonstration of results and positive change for the sustainability of our industry and for the oceans”, Stacy Schultz, director of marketing and sustainability coordinator for Fortune Fish & Gourmet, and chairwoman of the Sea Pact Advisory Council, said.
Conservation International’s project aims to integrate social responsibility into the fishery improvement project model, and aims to broaden and strengthen the impact of FIPs.
“They will pilot a new, collaboratively developed Rapid Assessment Protocol for Socially Responsible Seafood, and implement an assurance program in a pilot Fishery Improvement Project (focused on Pacific longline-caught tuna), supporting partner co-learning, capacity development for implementation, and data systems for supply chain management,” wrote Sea Pact in a release detailing the allocation of the grant funding.
Ocean Outcomes’ funding will go to the China red swimming crab fishery ghost gear management pilot project, which is working on integrating solutions to ghost gear issues with existing fishery improvement efforts. Those efforts include developing a practical assessment and implementing fleet-wide measures in the fishery to prevent the loss of crab gear.
The Anderson Cabot Center is working on using the organization’s right whale expertise to help Marine Stewardship Council certified fisheries meet new standards in the wake of increased interactions with the endangered species. Recently, Canada’s East Coast snow crab fishery had its certification suspended by the MSC due to interactions with right whales.
Catalina Sea Ranch’s project is developing protocols for cryopreservation of mussel larvae in large-scale commercial aquaculture. The goal is to create a cryopreservation program that can support a “seed-on-demand” supply system, according to Sea Pact.
Mainland High School’s project is aiming to inspire students and steer them toward aquaculture careers. The project is constructing a clam hatchery with locally-sourced materials, which students will then manage through a complete cycle.
Finally, City University Hong Kong’s project is focused on the development of DNA tools for the detection of pathogens relevant to Southeast Asian aquaculture. Using environmental DNA (eDNA) tools, the tool could identify and quantify the DNA of pathogens present in the water column, spotting issues before disease occurs.
