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SeaWeb Highlighting Traceability and Seafood Champions at National Restaurant Show

SeaWeb will be hosting a panel discussion and exhibit booth at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show, held this year from May 22 to 25 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. This is the global restaurant and foodservice industry's largest annual trade show, bringing together chefs and restaurateurs from all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 countries.

The NRA provides access to key industry leaders who are interested in innovative ideas and in learning about new growth opportunities for their businesses. Trends show that the sustainable seafood movement is growing roots in this industry and the NRA's own annual chef survey, "What's Hot in 2010," included several questions about sustainable seafood. In addition, as the only wild-caught food sold commercially, seafood offers a unique opportunity to discuss the issues around traceability. With these issues in mind, Seafood Choices is offering NRA show attendees some unique opportunities.

Seafood Traceability and What It Means to You

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., May 25, 2010

More and more, companies in the restaurant and food service community are finding traceability to be a win-win-win situation for their businesses—a win for sustainability, a win for improving their supply chain and a win for sales. Additionally, traceability can provide much-needed assurances on issues like sustainability, short weighting, food safety and species substitution.

However, as global food systems become more intertwined, keeping tabs on where each ingredient in every food product originates becomes ever more challenging. In the United States, for example, incidences like the spinach E. coli crisis and the salmonella outbreak in peanut products have created heightened public awareness of food safety and security issues. The huge product recalls that followed these events was compounded as the ubiquity of the affected ingredients was recognized.

To cut through the complexity of this issue, Seafood Choices is hosting a panel at the NRA show that will examine international standards and regulations regarding food traceability and review different tracing methods in the seafood sector. The panel will also explore innovative solutions and pragmatic recommendations for how the foodservice industry as a whole can better track ingredients and products throughout the supply chain. Seafood Choices North American Director Ned Daly will moderate the panel and the speakers will be: Regional Director of the Americas Marine Stewardship Council Kerry Coughlin, Vice President of Trace Register, LLC, Andy Furner, Program Director of the Americas, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Dick Jones, Chief Executive Officer of TraceTracker Canada Helge Th. Kittelsen and Chef Barton Seaver.

Meet Seafood Champions and Hear How They Have Combined Success with Sustainability

May 22–24, 2010

Seafood Champion Award recipients will be available to talk one-on-one with NRA show attendees at the Seafood Choices Booth (Number 951) in the Power of Partnership Pavilion in the South Hall. First presented in 2006, the Seafood Champion Awards are bestowed annually by Seafood Choices to recognize outstanding leadership in advancing the market for sustainable seafood.

From 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on May 22 and May 23: Seafood Champion Sunburst Trout Company in North Carolina, owned and operated by the Eason family, uses every part of the trout and composts all waste while making its products. Wes and Lila Eason will be available at the booth to talk about how Sunburst Trout has turned trout eggs into nationally acclaimed caviar. Regionally and nationally, the company is a strong voice for promoting economic and sustainable growth in aquaculture.

From 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on May 24: Australis Aquaculture, which farms and distributes Barramundi across the U.S. marketplace, will be at the booth. This company utilizes sustainable aquaculture technology such as innovative feeds and water-reuse systems to improve the environmental performance of its farms. As one of the world’s largest indoor fish farms, Australis is adamant about the high quality of both its feed and fish, and it works closely with several environmental groups to ensure consistency of its products. It also strives to be supportive of its fishermen and their communities.

Bethany Versoy

New Culinary Ideas for Sustainable Seafood, Featuring Seafood Champion and Chef Barton Seaver

12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m., May 25, 2010

Chef Barton Seaver and SeaWeb's Seafood Choices have teamed up to present "New Culinary Ideas for Sustainable Seafood," as part of the NRA Show's 2010 World Culinary Showcase. Beginning at noon on May 25, this 45-minute discussion and sustainable seafood cooking demonstration will focus on preparing local American favorites like Sunburst's trout and non-traditional fish like Australis' barramundi with a bohemian and international flair. Seaver will explain the links between our global food systems, the local community and climate change and show that food can be a powerful starting point for solutions to environmental and social change. And hear how today's best young chefs are using utilizing their restaurants as forums for educating diners about sustainable foods and responsibly sourced fish species.

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