Sea Pact, an innovative association of ten leading North American seafood companies working together to drive industry sustainability progress- today announce that they have joined the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI).
Ghost gear is lost or abandoned fishing equipment and is one of the biggest threats to our oceans with at least 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear entering our oceans every year. The Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) is the leading global platform tackling this issue, and Sea Pact is inspired by the successful development of solution projects around the world that are delivering tangible results for our oceans.
As a pre-competitive business collaboration and industry leadership platform, Sea Pact is the first organization of its kind to join the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.
“Sea Pact is enthused to bring the strength of its unique position in the industry to the GGGI” states Sea Pact managing director Rob Johnson. “We look forward to driving positive change for people, economies and the environment through our expertise in seafood supply chains and commitment to continual improvement.”
“We are thrilled to have Sea Pact sign on to the GGGI,” says Josey Kitson, Executive Director, World Animal Protection. “World Animal Protection created the GGGI in 2015 to tackle the global ghost gear problem. The GGGI’s aims are to improve the health of marine ecosystems, to safeguard human health and livelihoods and to protect marine animals from harm. We are confident that Sea Pact’s participation will help rid our oceans of the deadliest form of marine debris.”
“Sea Pact recognizes that the Global Ghost Gear Initiative is growing its reach and is demonstrating that the issue of ghost gear in our oceans can be addressed at scale” states Hamish Walker, COO of Seattle Fish Company and chair of the Sea Pact Advisory Council. “Our commitment to support the GGGI reflects our shared vision of collectively creating lasting solutions that restore ocean health and vibrancy.”
About Sea Pact:
Sea Pact consists of ten like-minded, leading seafood companies across North America: Albion Farms & Fisheries in Vancouver, Fortune Fish & Gourmet in Chicago, Ipswich Shellfish Group in Boston, Santa Monica Seafood in Los Angeles, Seacore Seafood in Toronto, Seattle Fish Co. in Denver, J.J. McDonnell in Baltimore, Stavis Seafood in Boston, North Atlantic Inc. from Portland, Maine and Euclid Fish Company from Cleveland. These businesses are united for a sustainable future and are using their collective strength to lead by example and drive improvement of environmental, economic, and social responsibility throughout the global seafood supply chain. Sea Pact receives sustainability council from non-profit organizations Ocean Outcomes, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, and FishWise, and is a project under New Venture Fund’s 501(c)3 non-profit status. To learn more about Sea Pact visit their website at www.seapact.org and follow on twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
