Science for New Solutions

FishWise’s Science team works to build new tools and perspectives that advance change in the seafood industry. We marry our intimate knowledge of seafood businesses with our understanding of ecological systems, to find solutions that serve both industry and the environment.

We actively pursue change via collaborative resources that increase the availability of sustainable seafood and innovative research that drive direct marine conservation gains.

Our work uses the knowledge, experience and data of our producer, distributor and retail partners, then draws on quantitative analysis methods from the fields of ecology, economics and sociology. Best scientific practices, working within the context of current markets, allows us to find novel and economically feasible solutions that will help you to source more sustainable seafood.

Collaborative Resources

FishWise Science staff are currently involved in two major initiatives that will aim to increase and streamline the sourcing of sustainable seafood for retail markets.

Attending WWF’s Aquaculture Dialogues

WWF’s Aquaculture Dialogues aim to develop a series of credible, scientific and performance-based standards for the principle aquaculture-produced seafood species in international markets. Roundtable dialogues involving more than 2000 people are underway for the eight seafood groups that comprise the highest value/largest global trades by volume: shrimp, salmon, trout, bivalves, Pangasius (basa/tra), abalone, tilapia, Seriola and cobia. Staff from FishWise sit on the global steering committees for the shrimp aquaculture dialogue (ShAD) and the freshwater trout aquaculture dialogue (FTAD). The presence of FishWise at these meetings assures that current science and the needs of North American retailers are incorporated into the  Aquaculture Stewardship Council standards.

Creating Conservation Alliance Resources

Within the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions there is the growing recognition that innovative tools are needed to help members of the supply line to navigate the complexities of sustainable seafood. To this end, FishWise – in collaboration with more than a dozen organizational partners – is participating in a series of projects that will leverage the capacities within diverse member organizations, to transform seafood markets.

• Common Vision: An explicit articulation and commitment to preserve the health of ocean and freshwater ecosystems and to ensure a long-term seafood supply. More than a dozen conservation organizations from the United States and Canada have partnered to pursue a common vision for sustainable seafood.
• FishChoice: A website that will help buyers throughout the supply chain to find sources of nearby seafood, color-coded to guide buying practices.
• Online Resources – Environmental non-governmental organization partners within the Conservation Alliance are in the process of building a shared, online reference library to optimize organizational funding.

Innovative Research

The FishWise Science team has a mandate to engage in academic, peer-reviewed research, which is unusual among most organizations currently working on sustainable seafood issues.
Consumer Behavior
In partnership with our member retailers, we have the rare opportunity to explore the effects of FishWise’s seafood labels. FishWise signage, used in many stores across the country, presents the potential for opportunistic experiments to understand how decisions by consumers differ before and after the advent of sustainability information.

Accuracy of Labeling
FishWise is currently piloting genetic studies in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences, examining drivers behind mislabeling within different stages of the supply chain. This work will provide insight into changes needed in policy to assure that customers and businesses receive the products that they choose to support.

Quantifying Improvement
One of the keys to lasting change in the seafood supply chain, is improving the capacity of producers in both fisheries and aquaculture to operate using sustainable practices. Few studies have yet quantified what such changes require in terms of financial investment, nor the direct or indirect effects of such changes on the environment or communities. This is an area that requires research in order to both demonstrate action and reward leadership.