Publix Donates in Honor of World Oceans Day
On World Oceans Day, June 8, Publix announced its continued efforts to support seafood sustainability and protect ocean wildlife. This year’s donations bring the company’s total contributions to more than $600,000 during the 13-year collaboration with Sustainable Fisheries Partnership.
“It is important to Publix that we support and assist seafood industry leaders so that meaningful and lasting steps can be taken to protect marine life while allowing for the responsible and sustainable harvesting of seafood,” said Publix Business Development Director of Seafood Guy Pizzuti.
Over the last year, Publix has donated over $165,000 to SFP to help support fishery and aquaculture improvement projects and other efforts to advance seafood sustainability.
The World Oceans Day donations included more than $83,000 for ropeless fishing gear, more than $42,000 for electronic monitoring to reduce bycatch and Publix’s annual $40,000 donation to support SFP’s initiatives to achieve steady and continuous improvements in fisheries.
Ropeless fishing gear, commonly known in the fishing industry as on-demand gear, includes enhanced traps that catch lobster and crab from the ocean floor but help eliminate the risk of whales getting entangled in the ropes. The gear is supplied through gear libraries to fishers and commercial fisheries free of charge.
Unintended catch, or bycatch, is when fisheries accidentally catch nontarget wildlife, such as whales, sea turtles, sharks, dolphins and seabirds. Five fishing boats within Publix’s supply chain have been equipped with high-quality cameras and monitoring equipment that collect data on the effectiveness of best practices to reduce bycatch in the mahi-mahi, swordfish and yellowfin tuna fisheries in Costa Rica and Panama. The equipment records when and where bycatch occurs, tracks migration patterns and gathers data on the species involved.
The company’s annual donation supports SFP’s initiatives and efforts to advance fishery improvement projects, including addressing bycatch in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery and fostering healthy growth of blue swimming crab in various fishing locations.
“These donations from Publix are important for two reasons,” said SFP Director of Biodiversity and Nature Kathryn Novak. “First, it sends a signal to fishermen that retailers like Publix are interested in seeing these changes made to protect ocean wildlife from fishing impacts and, second, it helps the fishers over the hurdle of investing in new gear or practices. SFP is proud to partner with Publix on these important initiatives.”
SFP is a nonprofit marine conservation organization that works with retailers, seafood buyers and supply chains to help rebuild fish stocks and reduce impacts of the fishing industry on ocean wildlife and the marine environment.
To learn more about Publix’s sustainability efforts, including seafood sustainability, visit publix.com/seafoodsustainability.
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Alaska King Salmon Season Begins, Looks Above Average
The first king salmon from Copper River, weighing 34 pounds, landed in Seattle on an Alaska Airlines flight direct from the pristine waters of Alaska, marking the beginning of what industry leaders expect to be an above-average run for the some of the most delectable salmon in the world. Representatives from Trident Seafoods, the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association, Alaska Airlines and Chef Tom Douglas were on-hand to greet the first of these prized fish.
With 50 years of industry leadership, Trident Seafoods takes pride in distributing Copper River king salmon, known for its delicious, rich taste and high content of omega-3s. Following Trident’s commitment to fleet-to-fork processing, the salmon is delivered from Alaskan waters within 24-48 hours, directly to knowledgeable fishmongers, esteemed chefs, and renowned restaurants nationwide. This ensures consumers with discerning palates can experience the exceptional quality of Copper River salmon at its freshest, leading to unforgettable dining experiences.
“We are very excited to bring in the first king salmon from Copper River and are grateful for all the independent fishermen that continue to choose to be our partners and deliver the best quality and freshest fish to the world. Our history of partnership with Copper River goes back many years and we look forward to continuing working together in responsibly sharing the best from Alaska with the world,” said Joe Bundrant, CEO of Trident Seafoods.
Consumers can find Copper River salmon in numerous restaurants and retailers, including in Chef Tom Douglas restaurants, where he will feature Copper River king salmon in a mouthwatering dish at his Seattle restaurants, including Palace Kitchen, Carlie Room, Lola, Etta’s, and Sea Town. A portion of proceeds from these dishes, from May 16-20, will be donated to the Ballard Food Bank, with Trident Seafoods matching the donation 100 percent.
“I’ve been cooking Copper River salmon for many years and this year I think it’s fitting to partner once again with Trident to support our community by donating proceeds to the Ballard Food Bank and supporting people in need,” said Douglas.
Christa Hoover, the executive director of the Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association reflects, “As this momentous season launches, we are so pleased that we’re also celebrating our 40th Anniversary. It’s been incredible to see and let people know how much the fishery has evolved and yet remains steadfastly committed to quality for the consumer.”
To bring the fish to tables so quickly, it’s imperative to have immediate transportation from Alaska to the rest of the country.
“Alaska Air Cargo has a special partnership with the Alaska seafood industry, which is recognized worldwide for its sustainable fishing practices,” said Adam Drouhard, managing director at Alaska Air Cargo. “Our cargo employees across more than 110 airports are working around the clock to ensure we deliver the first catch of wild Copper River salmon to market, often within 24 hours of being pulled from the water.”
Copper River King Salmon is available through June, at retailers and restaurants across the country.
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Seafood Products Debut in Red Lobster Frozen Food Line
Red Lobster is bringing the heat, and seafood, to the frozen aisle with the launch of its first line of Red Lobster frozen food seafood products available at retail. Inspired by craveable guest favorites, the new Red Lobster frozen food retail entrées include Cheddar Bay Biscuit Shrimp, which combines the Cheddar Bay Biscuit with sweet, succulent shrimp, and Coconut Shrimp Bites, both making it easier than ever to enjoy delicious seafood whenever the craving hits.
A quick and convenient dinner, the perfect party appetizer or a reliable late-night shrimpy snack, the lineup of new seafood products builds on the existing retail line of Cheddar Bay Biscuit offerings and features:
- CHEDDAR BAY BISCUIT SHRIMP – What happens when warm, buttery Cheddar Bay Biscuits and tender, crispy shrimp collide? You get NEW Cheddar Bay Biscuit Shrimp. It’s impossible to eat just one!
- COCONUT SHRIMP BITES – These bite-sized goodies are slightly sweet, perfectly crunchy and dangerously delicious. The Coconut Shrimp Bites are tossed in real shredded coconut and paired with the Sweet Chili Sauce.
- CHEDDAR BAY BISCUIT COD – Wild-caught cod breaded with legendary Cheddar Bay Biscuit seasoning makes this like no other fish you’ll ever get from the sea. It’s so easy to make you’ll want it on the weekly dinner rotation.
- PARMESAN CRUSTED GARLIC & HERB STUFFED SHRIMP – Sweet shrimp stuffed with garlic, herbs and cream cheese coated with a parmesan-crusted breading, it’s the perfect bite of shrimp every time. It’s second to yum at every meal.
The new frozen seafood offerings join a lineup of popular biscuit retail products including Red Lobster’s award-winning FROZEN, READY-TO-BAKE CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS, GLUTEN-FREE CHEDDAR BAY BISCUIT MIX, TRADITIONAL MIX, and HONEY BUTTER BISCUIT MIX. Visit RED LOBSTER AT HOME for recipes and meal inspiration and to find where to catch Red Lobster at Home creations in your local retailer.
Red Lobster is the world’s largest and most-loved seafood restaurant company, headquartered in Orlando, Fla. With a proud heritage and an even brighter future, Red Lobster is focused on serving the highest quality, freshly prepared seafood that is traceable, sustainable and responsibly-sourced. To learn more about Red Lobster’s sourcing standards and where the seafood we serve comes from, please visit WWW.REDLOBSTER.COM/SEAFOODWITHSTANDARDS.
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