Seattle-Based Blue North Introduces Initiative To Ensure Humane Harvesting Of Wild Fish

Boston – Blue North, a natural resource company committed to sustainable practices, today announced that it is launching the Humane Harvest Initiative, an innovative step toward establishing ethical standards for fish harvesting.

“The Humane Harvest Initiative (HHI) is built on the recognition that wild fish are sentient beings that deserve to be harvested humanely,” says Kenny Down, President and CEO at Blue North. “This initiative represents a major step forward for Blue North, furthering our goal to provide the purest, healthiest whole food to our customers while at the same time being conscientious about how we treat marine life.”

“The Humane Harvest Initiative takes an innovative approach to sustainability that integrates health and nutrition with the goal of reducing the environmental impact of eating an animal based diet,” says Nicole Ricci, a founding HHI board member and industry consultant. “My hope is the success of this initiative will inspire all fisheries to practice principles of humane harvest in order to produce a more nutrient rich and sustainable food.”

The HHI extends and deepens Blue North’s commitment to sustainability through several key components informed by strong scientific evidence, a commitment to more humane practices and coordination with the environmental community. HHI has established a global board of advisors consisting of experts in sustainability, low-impact fishing methods, retail and wholesale marketing and sales, and nutritional and quality assurance.

Founding board members include:

• Dr. Reza Ovissipour, Ph.D., research associate and food scientist at Washington State University, who formerly conducted research on fish protein hydrolysates and amino acid profiles at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology
• Jessica Redmayne, sourcing manager for FishChoice, an organization that helps both seafood suppliers and buyers vet and source sustainable seafood products
• Nicole Ricci, industry and technical consultant, who prior to consulting, worked for over 16 years for the U.S. government in international fisheries management and conservation science, during which time she served as a U.S. representative to the United Nations General Assembly and on other international fisheries negotiations

One of the ways HHI is working to establish more ethical practices is through the development of an innovative device that reduces stress and pain in wild fish during harvest. In addition to being a more humane method, numerous studies have shown that stress reduction prior to processing produces higher quality and healthier products for consumers. Blue North currently uses a pneumatic stunning machine on one of its vessels, which uses air pressure to render the fish’s central nervous system asleep before processing. The company is currently developing a next generation device that relies on electrodes for added efficiency.

“Fish experience the greatest amount of stress during harvesting and the quality of the fillets is adversely affected,” says Dr. Ovissipour. “In addition, stress conditions during harvesting and post-harvest processes can induce reactions that decrease the nutritional value and taste quality of the fish fillet.” The new HHI harvesting process will be implemented on all of Blue North’s vessels, including a soon-to-be debuted boat anticipated to be the most modern, humane and efficient fishing vessel ever built. That vessel is currently under construction and scheduled to go into operation in late 2015.

Blue North has a history of sustainable practices. The company’s primary product, wild Alaska line-caught cod, was the first commercial cod fishery to be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and designated as a "Best Choice" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program. In addition, Blue North is a producer partner of FishWise, a supplier member of FishChoice, and a business collaborator with Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program.

“Blue North,” says its Chairman, Michael Burns, “recognizes, accepts and embraces its responsibility as a steward of sustainability in everything it does.” 

About Blue North

Founded a generation ago by two adventurous brothers, Blue North takes long-standing businesses across industries like fishing, timber, ranching, trading, and boat-building and transforms them into new and profitable enterprises.

As an opportunity seeker and value creator, Blue North is always relevant, always responsible, and always looking ahead. The company uses both cutting-edge technology and high-quality craftsmanship to maintain its strong, respected leadership position. It’s dedicated to the environment as a steward of sustainability on land and in the water. Learn more at http://bluenorth.com.

Source: Blue North