Kona, Hawaii – Sea Pact announced that Blue Ocean Mariculture has joined the organization as its newest member. Sea Pact is a pre-competitive collaboration of leading North American seafood companies with a mission to drive stewardship and continuous improvement of social, economic, and environmental responsibility throughout global seafood supply chains.
Sea Pact now consists of 12 seafood supply chain members representing both inland and coastal areas of the United States and Canada. Sea Pact members are committed to collective action efforts and provide both in-kind and financial support to projects aligned with the organization’s sustainability priorities.
Over its ten-year history, Sea Pact has funded over 40 projects in 13 different countries. The organization is engaged in a wide range of issues addressing seafood sustainability, and has adopted the following strategic priorities:
Sector-based sustainability improvements
Responsible aquaculture education and advocacy Social responsibility
“Sea Pact has changed the way companies view sustainability of the resource,” says Dick Jones, Chief Executive Officer.
“Empowering the supply chain to make decisions that impact the long-term health of the resources on which they depend is critical. Being transparent and proactive in how you do business is not the future, it needs to happen today. We’re humbled to be part of such a progressive group of change makers.”
“This is a really exciting time for Sea Pact as we grow the organization and welcome another sustainability leader from the seafood industry.” says Sam Grimley, Sea Pact’s Executive Director. “Blue Ocean Mariculture’s environmental and social responsibility initiatives, including being the first U.S. finfish farm to achieve Aquaculture Stewardship Certification, align strongly with Sea Pact’s strategic priorities making them a natural fit for membership. Additionally, their team brings a unique perspective and wealth of knowledge to Sea Pact’s collaborative efforts and project funding program.”
Along with the twelve industry members, Sea Pact is supported by three NGO advisors:
FishWise, Ocean Outcomes, and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, while Multiplier serves as a fiscal sponsor.
About Blue Ocean Mariculture:
Blue Ocean Mariculture is a fully integrated mariculture facility that began as a demonstration project in 2001. The intent was to show how offshore aquaculture could be done in an environmentally and socially responsible way, while creating a viable business model for the citizens of the State of Hawaii who stand committed to preserving the integrity of their ancestral waters while encouraging enterprises that enhance the local economy. Blue Ocean Mariculture is the only open-ocean finfish farm in the United States and is located 1/2 mile off the coast of Kona, Hawaii, where they are responsibly raising Hawaiian Kanpachi in pristine waters at a depth of 200 feet. The company is fully vertically integrated, rearing from egg to harvest within a 15-month period of time and shipping all forms of their fish to customers throughout the U.S, maintaining high quality standards at every stage. The result of this conscious approach is that Blue Ocean Mariculture has been built in a way that will improve the marine environment while responsibly safeguarding the economy for future generations. This demonstrates what is possible when you combine the demand for healthy, abundant mariculture with our commitment to respect the environment and enrich our community. Our customers and stakeholders regard the seafood we produce as the best choice because of its quality, its sustainability, our transparency, and our commitment to excellence. www.blueoceanmariculture.com
About Sea Pact
Sea Pact was founded in 2013 by six founding seafood companies, and membership has now grown to include the following members: Acme Smoked Fish, Blue Ocean Mariculture, Euclid Fish Company, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Inland Seafood, Ipswich Shellfish Group, J.J. McDonnell, North Atlantic Inc., Santa Monica Seafood, Seacore Seafood, Seattle Fish Company, and Stavis Seafoods. Sea Pact member companies work collaboratively to address sustainability issues through the organization’s project funding program as well collective action efforts outlined in the Sea Pact’s annual work plan. www.seapact.org
