SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP FOUNDATION

SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP FOUNDATION (SFP) IS WORKING TO ENGAGE AND CATALYZE GLOBAL SEAFOOD SUPPLY CHAINS IN REBUILDING DEPLETED FISH STOCKS AND REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF FISHING AND FISH FARMING, WITH MAJOR PROJECTS IN ASIA, EUROPE, AND NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA. SFP CONVENES, EDUCATES, AND ADVISES SUPPLY CHAIN STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING MAJOR RETAILERS, RESTAURANT CHAINS, SEAFOOD BRAND OWNERS, BUYERS, PRODUCERS (FISHERS), NGOS, AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS, TO IMPROVE FISHERIES PRACTICES AND POLICIES. SFP STRUCTURES MOST OF ITS WORK AROUND FIVE INITIATIVES: SFP LAUNCHED THE TARGET 75 (T75) INITIATIVE IN 2017, AS A DEDICATED AND CONCRETE BENCHMARK ON THE WAY TO OUR ULTIMATE GOAL OF 100-PERCENT-SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD. T75 SEEKS TO CREATE THE LARGE-SCALE CHANGE AND MOMENTUM NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. T75 AIMS TO ENSURE THAT 75 PERCENT OF SEAFOOD (BY VOLUME) IN 13 KEY SECTORS IS EITHER SUSTAINABLE OR MAKING REGULAR, VERIFIABLE IMPROVEMENTS. TOGETHER, THE T75 SECTORS COVER MOST OF THE MAIN TYPES OF SEAFOOD CONSUMED IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE, AND A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF WHAT IS CONSUMED IN JAPAN. SFP'S PROTECTING OCEAN WILDLIFE INITIATIVE ENGAGES AND MOBILIZES RETAILERS, THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY, AND THE ENTIRE SEAFOOD SUPPLY CHAIN TO REDUCE THE WORLDWIDE BYCATCH OF SHARKS, SEABIRDS, MARINE MAMMALS, AND SEA TURTLES. CURRENT EFFORTS INCLUDE FOCUSING ON REDUCING BYCATCH IN LONGLINE TUNA FISHERIES, PROMOTING GEAR INNOVATION TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ENTANGLEMENT FOR CRITICALLY ENDANGERED MARINE MAMMALS, CONDUCTING BYCATCH AUDITS OF SEAFOOD SUPPLY CHAINS, AND MANAGING THE BYCATCH SOLUTIONS HUB A TOOL FOR CONNECTING SEAFOOD COMPANIES AND INNOVATIVE FISHERIES AROUND THE WORLD TO REVERSE THE DECLINE OF OCEAN WILDLIFE. SUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES: ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE LEGAL FISHING RIGHTS AND EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION OF SMALL-SCALE FISHERS IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, SO THAT THE NEEDS OF RESOURCE USERS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE REFLECTED IN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT. SFP'S SUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON BUILDING THE ENABLING CONDITIONS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE IN FISHERIES GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS AND FAIRER DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS THROUGH EFFECTIVE CO-MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES. IMPROVING FISHERIES MANAGEMENT: SFP WORKS TO IMPROVE FISHERIES POLICY AND GOVERNANCE IN KEY COUNTRIES AND AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL TO ACHIEVE STRONGER ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AND ENFORCEMENT, MORE SUSTAINABLY MANAGED STOCKS, AND GREATER BENEFITS FOR FISHING COMMUNITIES. THIS INITIATIVE HAS A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON COMBATTING ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED, AND UNREGULATED (IUU) FISHING IN WILD-CAPTURE FISHERIES WORLDWIDE. PROMOTING REGENERATIVE AQUACULTURE: SFP ENGAGES INTERNATIONAL MARKETS, THE MIDDLE OF THE SEAFOOD SUPPLY CHAIN, FISH FARMERS, AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE A RELIABLE AND SAFE SUPPLY OF FARMED SEAFOOD. CURRENT EFFORTS FOCUS ON MANGROVE HABITAT CONSERVATION AND REGENERATION IN SHRIMP FARMING REGIONS AND REDUCING THE CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF AQUACULTURE FEED. A KEY COMPONENT OF SFP'S STRATEGY INCLUDES IMPROVING ACCESS TO INFORMATION USED TO GUIDE RESPONSIBLE SEAFOOD SOURCING. SFP IMPLEMENTS THIS STRATEGY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING BY CATALYZING AND ADVISING INDUSTRY-LED FISHERY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS (FIPS) AND AQUACULTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS (AIPS); ORGANIZING FISH BUYERS INTO SUPPLY CHAIN ROUNDTABLES (SRS); SPONSORING FISHERIES FORUM EVENTS; AND MAINTAINING FISHSOURCE, AN ONLINE INFORMATION RESOURCE THAT RECORDS THE STATUS OF FISH STOCKS. FIPS AND AIPS ARE COLLABORATIONS AMONG RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO INFLUENCE POLICIES AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF FISHING AND FISH FARMING OPERATIONS. ONCE ESTABLISHED, THEY FUNCTION AS A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT VEHICLE THAT ALIGNS THE INTERESTS OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN. THEY SET AND IMPLEMENT THEIR OWN IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES (USING PUBLIC WORKPLANS AND MEASURABLE MILESTONES) AND ARE DESIGNED TO BE LED BY INDUSTRY AND TO OUTLIVE THE INITIAL INVOLVEMENT OF NGOS SUCH AS SFP, FUNCTIONING AS LONG AS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THEIR SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. SFP IS CURRENTLY MONITORING AND ADVISING IMPROVEMENT IN MORE THAN 200 FIPS GLOBALLY, AND MONITORING MULTIPLE AIPS IN INDONESIA AND CHINA. SFP ALSO ORGANIZES SEAFOOD BUYERS INTO SUPPLY CHAIN ROUNDTABLES (SRS), WHICH OVERSEE THE CREATION OF FIPS AND AIPS IN THEIR AREAS AND MONITOR PROGRESS. AN SR IS A FORUM FOR PROCESSORS, IMPORTERS, AND OTHERS THAT BUY DIRECTLY FROM A SPECIFIC SEAFOOD SECTOR TO WORK TOGETHER IN A PRE-COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT TO ACHIEVE IMPROVEMENTS IN FISHERIES OR AQUACULTURE. CURRENTLY, SFP WORKS WITH NINE SRS. IN 2016, SFP BEGAN EMPHASIZING INDUSTRY-DRIVEN EFFORTS OVER SFP INITIATING FIPS, AIPS, AND SIMILAR PROJECTS ON ITS OWN. SFP HOLDS MANY MEETINGS TO COINCIDE WITH THE MAJOR ANNUAL SEAFOOD INDUSTRY TRADE SHOWS, SUCH AS SEAFOOD EXPO NORTH AMERICA (BOSTON), SEAFOOD EXPO GLOBAL (BARCELONA), AND OTHER INDUSTRY EVENTS. THIS GIVES SR PARTICIPANTS A CHANCE TO MEET IN-PERSON TO DISCUSS PROGRESS AND RELATED ISSUES, AND GIVES SFP THE CHANCE TO MEET FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE PARTICIPANTS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, PROVIDE UPDATED DATA CONNECTED TO A PARTICULAR PROJECT, AND OFFER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. ANOTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION TOOL SFP USES TO INFORM IMPROVEMENT IN FISHERIES IS FISHSOURCE, A ONE-OF-A-KIND ONLINE INFORMATION RESOURCE THAT RECORDS THE STATUS OF FISH STOCKS AND FISHERIES AND, SINCE 2018, AQUACULTURE UNITS. SFP CREATED FISHSOURCE (WWW.FISHSOURCE.ORG) 17 YEARS AGO, SO THAT THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY COULD ACCESS UP-TO-DATE, IMPARTIAL, ACTIONABLE INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF FISHERIES AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BECOME SUSTAINABLE. FISHSOURCE CURRENTLY PROVIDES PUBLIC INFORMATION ON MORE THAN 5,000 WILD-CAPTURE FISHERIES AND MORE THAN 70 AQUACULTURE REGIONS. EXAMPLES OF SFP'S PROGRESS TOWARD GLOBALLY SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES IN 2023 INCLUDE: PROTECTING OCEAN WILDLIFE: WE LAUNCHED THE BYCATCH SOLUTIONS HUB, AN ONLINE TOOL THAT CONNECTS COMPANIES AND INNOVATORS AROUND THE WORLD TO REVERSE THE DECLINE OF OCEAN WILDLIFE. THE HUB PROVIDES A MATCHMAKING SERVICE BRINGING TOGETHER INTEREST, FUNDING, AND EXPERTISE TO REDUCE BYCATCH. ALREADY, SEVERAL PROJECTS HAVE BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE HUB. WE ALSO UNVEILED OUR PROTECTING OCEAN WILDLIFE PLEDGE, SIGNED BY SEVERAL MAJOR RETAILERS WHO HAVE COMMITTED TO REDUCING BYCATCH OF VULNERABLE MARINE WILDLIFE IN COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. AND WE EXPANDED OUR INTERACTIVE SOLVE MY BYCATCH PROBLEM TOOL TO INCLUDE POT AND TRAP FISHERIES, IN ADDITION TO LONGLINE FISHERIES. SUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES: SFP SUPPORTED PERUVIAN FISHER AND PROCESSOR ORGANIZATIONS IN ADVOCATING FOR INCREASED RIGHTS FOR SMALL-SCALE FISHERS IN PERU. THE PERUVIAN GOVERNMENT PASSED AN IMPORTANT LAW ENABLING REGISTRATION BY COOPERATIVES IN THE ARTISANAL MAHI-MAHI AND JUMBO FLYING SQUID FISHERIES, REMOVING BARRIERS FOR MORE THAN 900 ARTISANAL VESSELS TO OPERATE LEGALLY IN PERUVIAN WATERS AND CLEARING THE WAY FOR FULL FORMALIZATION OF THE ENTIRE ARTISANAL FLEET. IN ADDITION, SFP SUPPORTED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SMALL-SCALE SNAPPER-GROUPER FISHERS NETWORK IN SOUTH SULAWESI, INDONESIA. THE NETWORK'S MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES MORE THAN 400 SMALL-SCALE FISHERS. IMPROVING FISHERIES MANAGEMENT: WE WERE A FOUNDING MEMBER THIS YEAR OF THE NATURE CRIME ALLIANCE, WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER CRITICAL STAKEHOLDERS TO COMBAT A BROAD RANGE OF NATURE CRIMES. IN THE PHILIPPINES, BETTER SEAFOOD PHILIPPINES (BSP), WHICH IS LED BY SFP AND SUPPORTED BY THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WAS FEATURED AT THE FIRST PHILIPPINES RESPONSIBLE SEAFOOD SUMMIT. PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE: SFP AND LONGLINE ENVIRONMENT UNVEILED A NEW AQUACULTURE MAPPING TOOL THAT IDENTIFIES WHERE SHRIMP FARMING IS LOCATED WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO MANGROVE HABITAT IN INDIA, INDONESIA, THAILAND, AND VIETNAM. WE ALSO SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE AQUACULTURE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL TO COLLABORATE ON SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND PRACTICES AROUND THE WORLD. SUPPLY CHAIN ROUNDTABLES: THE U.S. GULF OF MEXICO SHRIMP FISHERY, WHERE SFP HAS BEEN WORKING FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS, ENTERED INTO SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENTS UNDER THE MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL AND CERTIFIED SEAFOOD COLLABORATIVE RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. THE MEMBERS OF SFP'S GLOBAL SQUID SUPPLY CHAIN ROUNDTABLE SIGNED AN MOU DEMONSTRATING THEIR COMMITMENT TO PREVENTING IUU FISHING IN THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS AND IMPROVING TRACEABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS. THE GLOBAL ROUNDTABLE ON MARINE INGREDIENTS, LAUNCHED BY SFP AND IFFO THE MARINE INGREDIENTS ORGANISATION, RELEASED A HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE SMALL PELAGIC FISH VALUE CHAIN IN SENEGAL AND MAURITANIA, IDENTIFYING SEVERAL ACTUAL AND POTENTIAL HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACTS THAT THE ROUNDTABLE IS COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING.