Viewing: Sustainable Seafood

An entrepreneurial approach to sustainable solutions The problem of unsustainable fishing is one often defined by a negative casting, and the discouraged sense that “things are only getting worse.” Our research of the seafood supply chain uncovered reason for tenacious hope. Commissioned by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation in 2008, this report was the first of three phases of research that culminated in the founding of Future of Fish as a non-profit organization dedicated to leveraging the power of innovators to shift the…

Executive Summary Future of Fish was born from a unique partnership between Ashoka, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and Central, a design strategy firm. In its infancy as a stand-alone project, the goal was to find new, market-based solutions to drive increased demand for sustainable practices in the seafood industry. The project team, led by FoF founder Cheryl Dahle, combined Ashoka’s deep knowledge of the entrepreneurial mindset with design thinking, a problem-solving approach that relies on ethnographic research and rapid prototyping. The result…

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The laws of the sea How can you regulate something you can’t see? Though that might seem an impossible task, it is exactly the core mission of fisheries managers, who must negotiate with scientists, industry, NGOs, and various enforcement agencies to govern the living systems of the ocean. Regulating ocean resources has always been a difficult task, with mixed results depending on the model employed and the level of funding and respect given to scientific recommendations, enforcement needs, and community input. Challenges Red tape…

Judging fish and fisheries Buying seafood is easy. Sourcing seafood responsibly is not. Consumers and retailers alike must wade through growing lists of health and environmental considerations in their efforts to purchase a product that doesn’t harm the ocean: species, location, mercury content, catch method, farm type. Eco-labels were designed to simplify the process by doing the vetting for us. But judging fish isn’t easy, and these programs are fraught with design and execution flaws that severely limit the effectiveness of the whole movement.…

Ending overfishing is in everybody's interest

Tales from the 2014 Seafood Expo North America The Seafood Expo North America is the largest seafood trade event on the continent, attracting thousands of seafood buyers, sellers, logistics providers, NGOs, and other industry representatives from over a hundred different countries. The Future of Fish team walked the floor of the 2014 exhibition and asked exhibitors four questions about the state of the industry. Here's what we heard.

  Future of Fish put together this training video to help Sustainable Seafood Week Dine Out restaurant staff talk to diners about the sustainable seafood on their plates.

Future of Fish developed this introduction video to help teach chefs and food-service professionals about the importance of Storied Fish.

The Untapped Potential of Story to Sell Seafood In the quest to boost seafood sales, price has always been king. And for good reason: market studies have shown that for a majority of consumers, price is one of the primary considerations when it comes to buying seafood. Yet, consumers bring other values to the table when it comes to their purchasing decisions, especially around food. The rise of organic and of “locally sourced” products are but two examples. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, seafood…