See how we’ve taken our commitment to responsibly sourced seafood even further in partnership with FishWise.
October is National Seafood Month, and we're celebrating by highlighting our ongoing commitment to sustainability with our longtime partners at FishWise.
At New Seasons, we've always been committed to sourcing our seafood from folks who care about the health of our oceans, environment, planet, and source-to-plate traceability. But now, we've taken that commitment further with a program we co-developed with FishWise tailored to our sourcing best practices.
So, what does that mean? Well, FishWise serves as a seafood industry compass, guiding our sourcing decisions by providing critical information collected from third-party audits of the fisheries and seafood farms we work with. Through their expertise—in data collection, analysis, and visualization—FishWise surveys available materials on fishery health, fish abundance, environmental impact, catch and farming methods, carbon footprint, and social responsibility. This research-based approach allows us to have an in-depth look at the sustainability of the seafood we source and the partners we source it from. The best part is that our approach with FishWise is local-first because we believe that the best food (with the lowest impact) is local food.
FishWise conducts annual audits that not only help us and our seafood partners stick to our sustainability commitments but also help ensure that the new partnerships we create meet our sourcing standards. FishWise also provides staff training. That, in addition to our own ongoing training and the many source trips made by New Seasons Seafood Program and Category Manager Daisy Berg, is how we do seafood.
We do all of this on the back end so that when you shop in our seafood department, your selections always come with our highly vetted, fully traceable seal of approval. Whenever you see our Sustainable Choice icon, you can feel good about your purchase and know that we have done our due diligence to ensure that the seafood products you are taking home support our fisheries, waterways, and ecosystems—now and for generations to come.
Now for some tips and considerations when shopping for seafood:
Wild vs Farmed
Both wild and farmed are great and can be sustainable/responsible, AND they can coexist. In fact, they must coexist to feed a growing global population.
In terms of taste, farmed seafood generally tends to be a bit milder than wild. Wild shrimp, for instance, can range from briny and sweet to robust shrimp flavor due to a diet of algae rich in iodine. On the other hand, farmed shrimp raised in water with lower salinity and brackish water tend to be milder in flavor with a more delicate texture. Salmon is another excellent example: There are five types of wild salmon, and the taste and texture can vary among species. On opposite sides of the spectrum are wild-caught Sockeye and wild-caught Chinook. Sockeye is robust, while Chinook is buttery and rich. Farmed Atlantic is mild and succulent!
Carbon Footprint
Many seafood choices offer a low carbon footprint. Local seafood—like rockfish, black cod, and Oregon Bay shrimp—sustainably harvested off the Oregon and Washington coasts and processed in one of the many working ports, are just a quick ride to Portland, making it a low-carbon choice. Farmed seafood, too, can have a low carbon footprint. The Rainbow and Steelhead trout from Riverence in Idaho is a great example. They're raised in crystal clear Rocky Mountain spring water borrowed and diverted in the raceways, filtered, and released into the Snake River. Farmed mussels and clams are also beyond good for ecosystems due to the increase in micronutrients and the fact that no feed is required when farming.
Diversity
Salmon is fantastic! It's rich in heart-healthy omega 3s, high in protein and essential minerals, and so delicious. But variety is important for our planet and bodies. Have salmon one day of the week, then try something else for the next seafood meal, like tuna, oysters, lingcod, catfish, sole, and much more.
Of course, if you ever have any questions—whether about custom cuts, ideas for preparing your seafood, or thoughts about trying something new—our fishmongers know their stuff and are always happy to help.