Global Seafood Communicators Announce Seafish’s Jane Smernicki as New Chair
March 18, 2026 | 2 min to read
Reston, VA – The head of Public Relations and Communications for the United Kingdom’s Seafish, Jane Smernicki, is the new Chair of the Global Seafood Communicators. The group is a sister organization to the International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) and is dedicated to advancing effective communication within the seafood sector. It plays a critical role in shaping public understanding of the industry’s contributions to sustainable food systems.
“We are pleased to welcome Jane to this important role,” said ICFA Chair Ivan López Van der Veen, Vice President of CEPESCA (Spanish Confederation of Fisheries.) “Clear, credible communication about seafood and fisheries has never been more important. Jane is a highly respected strategic communicator, and her experience will help the Global Seafood Communicators Group bring together expertise from across the sector to share knowledge and support informed discussion about the role of responsible fisheries in feeding people around the world.”
Prior to Seafish, Smernicki held senior communications roles across the UK food production and agri-food innovation sectors, supporting strategic engagement on issues including sustainable production, innovation and workforce skills. She takes over the Chair role from Fiona MacMillan, the former General Manager of Communications and Marketing at Seafood New Zealand.
“Whether it’s nutrition and regulation or science and sustainability, the ability to speak with one voice on issues and policies that effect us all is a valuable tool for fisheries,” said Smernicki. “I am proud to take on this leadership role amongst a group of professionals who understand the power of precompetitive collaboration, especially in the communications space.”
The Global Seafood Communicators first organized in 2018 as an ad hoc assembly of 6 associations that grew into a twenty-six-member organization representing 11 countries.
Since 1988 the International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) has been a unified seafood policy voice committed to the sustainable use of marine resources and dedicated to global food security. For more information, please visit www.fishcoalition.org