Coalition Passes Major Sustainability Initiative

March 20, 2011 Boston, MA Companies that represent more than 60 percent of the U.S. market for imported Blue Swimming Crab have launched a major sustainability initiative designed to end the harvesting of undersized crabs.

Today we adopted a plan that recommends participating companies add a minimum size to their sourcing policies beginning July first, said Crab Council Chair Ed Rhodes of Phillips Foods.

Blue Star, Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods, Handy, Heron Point, Lawrence Street Seafood, Newport, Phillips, RGE, Supreme Lobster and Twin Tails make up the National Fisheries Institutes Crab Council.

Tom Dykstra of Heron Point Seafood and Brendan Sweeny of Handy spearheaded the Councils Minimum Size Task Force.

The Council has been very clear with our sustainability partners in Indonesia and the Philippines that setting an 8cm minimum, thats carapace width measured tip to tip, is a first step. Were following the science and regional regulations to ensure this policy is updated regularly for maximum impact, said Dykstra.

This effort has been a true collaboration that has seen competitors working together to bring not only science but strategy to the table to address this important issue said Sweeney.

The Council members collectively fund nearly half a million dollars in Blue Swimming Crab sustainability work annually and have received three grants from the World Banks Allfish program.

The work they fundand this new industry-leading, minimum-size policy has moved us to tellcompanies we work with that NFI Crab Council members are helping improve BlueSwimming Crab fisheries, and are responsible suppliers, said Howard Johnson,Directorof Global Programs for the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership.

The Council is considering expanding its efforts from Indonesia and the Philippines to other countries.

Contact Information

Gavin Gibbons
(703)752-8891
ggibbons@nfi.org