Go Blue! Seafood Sustainability

Update:  Sea Port and the Seafood Nutrition Partnership continue to work together to increase the U.S. per capita consumption of seafood

Sea Port attended a Seafood Nutrition Partnership  meeting called by their Executive Director, Linda Cornish, which took place recently in Seattle, Washington.  Sea Port was part of a diverse group of seafood companies, fishing companies, universities, federal fishery managers, and powerful philanthropic foundations who shared the common  goal to convince American consumers to eat a diverse variety of seafood at least two times a week.

At the meeting, the best available science on the health benefits of eating seafood at a minimum of twice a week  was reviewed.  The science showed that at such a consumption level, the health of newborns, children, young adults, and senior citizens would be greatly enhanced.

Currently our per capita consumption of seafood is approximately 14.4 pounds, which is roughy half the recommended consumption level.  If we followed the advice of our USDA and FDA to eat seafood twice a week, we could quickly increase that level to over 20#/year!  Such a modification in our diets would produce profound positive health benefits for our nation.

Meeting highlights:

·         Sea Port suggested that an Ad campaign be initiated that would coin a phrase such as  “20 by 20”, “Seafood 20/20”, or “20 by 2020” that would be used as the rallying cry to advance the U.S. per capita consumption of seafood to 20 pounds by the year 2020

·         Others mentioned that the fearfulness and lack of knowledge about how to cook seafood needs to be addressed with heightened educational efforts

·         It was also mentioned that 75% of seafood is consumed at the restaurant/foodservice level and that we need to work even harder with this food sector to drive increased consumption

·         Others mentioned that increasing sustainable seafood consumption actually increases the health of our environment and that this should be emphasized  as part of the campaign

The passion about the health benefits of seafood ran thick throughout the meeting.  This passion was especially evident with two of the more high profile attendees, former NBA star Detlef Schrempf and Captain Keith Colburn from the “Deadliest Catch”.

Please leave any suggestions you may have on how we can all better work together to increase our seafood consumption.   We would love to hear from you.

Sincerely, Dave Glaubke