Gorton’s Seafood, the Gloucester, Massachusetts-based seafood company, and the New England Aquarium celebrated a 10-year partnership of bringing sustainable seafood to consumers. Due to the partnership with the Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, Gorton’s can claim 100 percent of its principal products are certified sustainable or in full assessment for certification.
The partnership began in 2008, when the Aquarium conducted an assessment of Gorton’s products to evaluate the level of relative environmental sustainability of the species in Gorton’s retail business.
Gorton’s and the Aquarium have a shared commitment to sustainability practices, working collaboratively to conserve the ocean and provide healthy, life-sustaining food to consumers. One major component of this effort is the development of a traceability program that allows for collection and management of relevant fishery and supply information to ensure the fish is certified as sustainable, as well as traceable to the source.
“This partnership is among the first examples of a big brand really focusing on sustainability,” said New England Aquarium CEO Vikki Spruill. “It’s unique in that it combines our scientific expertise from a nonprofit perspective with a long-operating seafood company. This has led to an impressive utilization of science and scale to make a real impact on an industry that’s critical to both feeding the growing population and helping maintain healthy oceans.”
Gorton’s and the Anderson Cabot Center have aided numerous fisheries and farms to employ sustainable practices to achieve environmental certification.
“At Gorton’s, we can only achieve our mission to help consumers lead healthier lives by eating more seafood if the oceans and seafood species remain healthy,” said Judson Reis, president and CEO. “Working with the Anderson Cabot Center has given us the scientific backing to drive change to that end. Together we’re getting more fisheries and farms certified, which means healthier oceans, healthier fish populations and healthier protein options for consumers.”
This partnership will remain at the forefront of advancing sustainability practices as Gorton’s and the Anderson Cabot Center continue to chart the course of continual improvement in 2019 and beyond.
The Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life leads the way in applied marine research and data-driven conservation, offering practical solutions to mitigate human impacts on our ocean.
Gorton’s has been in the frozen seafood industry since 1849, and is one of America’s oldest continuously operating companies.
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