Aquarium, Company to Develop Sustainable Seafood Practices
Aramark of Philadelphia, Pa., has committed to help preserve the world's oceans and fisheries through a new partnership with Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program.
The aquarium will help the company develop practices to guide the supply, purchase, and consumption of sustainable seafood for as many as 180,000 U.S. employees and potentially tens of millions of consumers in businesses, universities, schools, sports and entertainment facilities, parks and other locations the company operates.
Sustainable seafood comes from sources, either fished or farmed, that can exist over the long term without compromising species' survival or the surrounding ecosystem.
"We're delighted to partner with ARAMARK and help the company fulfill its commitment to serving seafood that comes from sustainable wild and farmed sources," said Michael Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Center for the Future of the Oceans, which incorporates the Sustainable Seafood Initiative and Seafood Watch program, www.seafoodwatch.org. "This decision by Aramark and similar commitments by other business leaders, will have a real impact in the marketplace. By creating more demand for seafood from sources that protect the health of ocean ecosystems, we're on a path toward improving fishing practices around the world."
Through its Seafood Watch guidelines, the Monterey Bay Aquarium recommends which seafood to buy and which to avoid, helping consumers become stronger advocates for an environmentally friendly seafood supply.
The company has begun working with suppliers, chefs and managers to:
• identify and encourage the purchase of seafood species listed on the Aquarium's Seafood Watch "Best Choices" and "Good Alternatives" lists, and discourage purchase of species on the "Avoid" list;
• regularly seek operator feedback and aquarium research to ensure that seafood recommendations are progressive yet achievable;
• develop marketing and training materials that clearly convey to field management and front line employees the importance of the issue and the company's position on sustainable seafood choices.