PRESS RELEASE
Seafood Europe Publishes its Sustainability Manifesto
BRUSSELS, November 10 – Seafood Europe has published its new Sustainability Manifesto – A Fish and Seafood Industry Perspective. The document outlines a unified vision and a concrete framework to guide the sector’s environmental, social and governance commitments for the coming years. Sustainability is a matter of major importance and a core operational priority for the seafood value chain.
The first edition of the manifesto is available for download on the Seafood Europe website. It is designated as a first edition because it is intended to be a living document, evolving to meet new requirements and reflect the industry’s future achievements.
“Sustainability defines the future of our sector,” said Luciano Pirovano, Chair of Seafood Europe Sustainability Working Group. “With this Manifesto, we reaffirm our shared responsibility to protect the oceans, support the people working across the seafood value chain and promote seafood as a key component of healthy and sustainable nutrition worldwide. Together, we are building a responsible and resilient industry for generations to come, one that safeguards our planet, our people and strengthens the trust of consumers who rely on us every day.”
The work is the result of collaboration from a dedicated working group of industry-leading companies and national associations. The group also benefited from the expert advice of the FAO on the vital chapter covering human rights in the sector.
“The manifesto is designed to serve as a practical guide for the industry. With our first edition and through continuous work we will dedicate to this document, the industry will have a clear roadmap to approach sustainable practices throughout the value chain to ensure a more resilient future.” said Jennie Montell, Vice-Chair of the Group at Seafood Europe.
The six chapters of the Manifesto cover: the crucial role seafood plays in global nutrition, responsible management from the initial harvesting in wild fisheries through to the final landing of wild-caught seafood, sustainable farming practices, responsible processing, the pivotal issues of protecting human rights and promoting community development, and the importance of responsible and transparent communication.
“The Manifesto is a remarkable piece of work that gives a clear insight in the ambitions our sector pursues” added Guus Pastoor, President of Seafood Europe. “We have been fortunate that we were able to gather so much expertise in this group of outstanding professionals with different backgrounds and from different companies.”
Seafood Europe invites stakeholders’ comments and suggestions at info@seafoodeurope.eu.
Media Contact: Katarina Sipic, Secretary General Katarinasipic@seafoodeurope.eu