Gulf of Maine Research Institute

Restaurants & Retailers

The Sustainable Seafood Initiative engages with harvesters, processors, distributors, retailers, and restaurants to develop strategies for improving sourcing practices and accomplishing traceability. Collaborative efforts between GMRI and a broad spectrum of supply chain participants include:

Sustainable Seafood Sourcing Policies
Consumer Education
Staff Training
Program Evaluation

Retail Collaboration

We are currently working with Delhaize America - inclusive of Hannaford, Food Lion, Bloom, and Sweet Bay supermarkets - to help them realize their commitment to sourcing seafood products responsibly. As part of this work, Hannaford will provide a venue for early efforts to reach consumers with information and regionally local products. Together, we developed sourcing criteria, and we are now evaluating seafood options against those criteria, promoting regionally local and sustainably harvested seafood to consumers, and tracking consumer response to seafood choices. To learn more, please read Hannaford Supermarket's Responsible Seafood Sourcing Policy.

Local Portland Restaurants Support Sustainable Seafood

Restaurants sell 70% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. and many chefs are important thought leaders when it comes to supporting responsible seafood options. GMRI is in the process of engaging local Portland restaurants to provide them with information and to connect them with local, responsibly harvested seafood products. To learn more, check out the Projects tab.

Please consider supporting the following restaurants that are directly contributing to the Sustainable Seafood program:

five fifty-five contributes $1 for every Oceans 10 drink sold.

Trawl to Table Event

In the spring of 2010, GMRI hosted a Trawl to Table event that connected local chefs and restaurant owners with local fishermen. Along with GMRI's Gear Technologist, Steve Eayrs, the fishermen presented the latest information on gear types, fishing selectivity, habitat impacts, and bycatch with the forums participants. In a reversal of roles, the event concluded with Port Clyde fisherman, Justin Libby, preparing a redfish lunch for the groups participants. Read more about the event in GMRI's newsletter Tidings.