As part of its sustainable seafood initiative, The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in partnership with SeaWeb, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, presented a forum on March 2, 2009 in Washington, DC for professional chefs called, “Sustainable Seafood: What Is It, & How Does It Affect My Bottom Line?”

Forum speakers included Ned Daly, North American Director for Seafood Choices Alliance, Pietro Parravano, President of the Institute for Fisheries Resources, Tim Sughrue, Vice President of Congressional Seafood, Jim Gilmore, Director of Public Affairs for At-Sea Processors Association, Dr. Steven Murawski, Director of Scientific Programs/Chief Science Advisor for NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, and Chef & Restaurateur Rick Moonen.

Each presenter highlighted different ways to combat the issue of a dwindling seafood population, ranging from aquaculture, to better educational and identification tools, to a call for chefs to be more creative when it comes to preparing and serving seafood dishes. All agreed that the implementation of better sustainable seafood practices cannot wait. Overfishing has caused a tremendous decrease in major populations of fish and other types of seafood.

Under the NMSF’s sustainable seafood initiative, the goal of this and future events is to continue the education of current chefs about the benefits of adopting sustainable seafood practices in their restaurants. Restaurant goers can also do their part by recommending that restaurants use only sustainable seafood in their establishment.

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