Viewing: traceability

Introduction Selecting a traceability technology provider — or better yet, a group of them — can be a daunting step for any seafood supplier. That’s why we were thrilled to have veterans of the traceability implementation process join us for a panel called “Finding the One” at the 2017 Seafood Summit in Seattle, Washington. In this first-ever all-women panel, representatives from International Pole & Line Foundation (IPLNF), Masyarakat dan Perikanan Indonesia (MDPI) and The Nature Conservancy Belize (TNC Belize) shared their unique business drivers,…

Traceability is a powerful tool for suppliers and consumers alike, so why isn’t it more widespread? We set out to better understand the roadblocks keeping seafood supply chains from adopting full-chain traceability. Drawing on our relationships with seafood processors, suppliers, and fishers, we examined the underlying factors that need to be overcome in order to implement traceability technology. We're proud to announce that our findings have been published in the August 2017 issue of the Journal of Food Science, alongside parallel research from our partners…

Seafood traceability requires reliable data, but the logistics of creating, transferring, and receiving trustworthy, timely data in complex supply chains can be tricky. At every link in the seafood supply chain, a new player handles the fish and either creates or consumes data. Each player has various interests and business needs, which means their data needs can also be vastly different. A harvester might want to know where the fish was caught, for example, while a processor might be more interested in shipment arrival…

How one company is inspiring chefs and restaurants around the country to pair story with seafood. Expanding on the launch of our Storied Fish research report, The Untapped Potential of Story to Sell Seafood, we caught up with Sean Barrett, Co-Founder of Dock to Dish to hear how spreading the message of “know your fisherman” has allowed restaurants to market Storied Fish at top prices, and has inspired chefs to demand story with their seafood. Why did you start pairing fish with story and when did you…

Part 3: Tracing Seafood in the Supply Chain We know them from grocery store checkouts—barcodes and QR codes are ubiquitous on retail shelves. What if that same technology could help us trace our fish? From seafood suppliers and producers to retailers and chefs, the power of technology to promote traceability and storytelling is catching on. In part 3 of our 4-part series on how technology can help save the seas (with a little help), we turn our attention to innovations that help trace seafood…

Part 2: Enforcing Regulations Snapchat, Instagram, remote-controlled drones. Technology is speeding along faster than we can install the latest iPhone update. And with so much time, energy, and money pouring into tech, we’re excited to see new innovations that can help our oceans as well. In part 2 of our 4-part series on how technology can help save the seas (with a little help), we turn our attention to innovations in regulation and enforcement. It might not sound exciting, but these companies are using…

Snapchat, instagram, remote-controlled drones. Technology is speeding along faster than we can install the latest iPhone update. And with so much time, energy, and money pouring into tech, we’re excited to see new innovations that can help our oceans as well. Historically, technology applied to oceans has driven decline. Now there’s a new opportunity for technology to take a role in responsible management: Tech-savvy environmentalists and entrepreneurs are harnessing the power of technology to help enforce regulations, to trace and track fish, to identify…

When we left off, our teams had just finished presenting ideas, building prototypes, and acting out a version of the world in which their ideas come to life. But it still felt hypothetical. The re-convening—as designed by our for-profit partner Flip Labs is when we nail down real, actionable next steps. It’s here that we begin to strategize about funding, and start the critical transition from “teams” to “Pods”. Let’s dive in. Brainstorming After meet and greets, and brief context-setting for newcomers, it’s time to dive…

Supply chains are messy. They’re made up of a whole jumble of people and places, each with their own sets of priorities, motivations, and needs. And they’re always changing. From the outside, it can be difficult to decipher what’s going on. In a supply chain like seafood, that murkiness means it’s often impossible to follow a fish from ocean to plate. That’s why we don’t try to impact supply chains from the outside. When planning a co-design workshop we aim to convene open-minded players…

We're in the final countdown. The public comment period for the Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud Action Plan deadline is midnight ET Friday July 31. Comments from industry, NGOs, and other stakeholders are pouring in — including the following submission from Future of Fish's new Traceability Technology Pod members. Four years ago, Future of Fish identified seafood supply chain traceability as a key lever in achieving a more sustainable global seafood industry. Today, we are excited to…

This article was originally posted as an op-ed on Triple Pundit as part of their ongoing Sustainable Seafood channel. In the last 10 years we’ve seen 25 of the top U.S. retailers make commitments to purchasing sustainable seafood. We’ve seen a lot less traction and follow-through on those commitments. The fact remains that there is not enough responsible fish—whether you define that as Marine Stewardship Council certified, Monterey Bay Aquarium green-listed, or some other eco-label—to satisfy current demand for fish. As a result, many companies are defaulting on their promised timelines, or…

This article was originally posted as an op-ed on Triple Pundit as part of their ongoing Sustainable Seafood channel. Exposés of deception and abuse in food supply chains have become disturbingly routine. Whether we’re hearing about pink slime or horsemeat passed off as beef, the news is consistently unsettling: We can’t trust what we’re eating. Seafood is no exception to this pattern. More than one-third of our seafood is mislabeled in North America. And upwards of 24 million tons of seafood is caught and sold illegally every year. A just-published report from University of British Columbia…