Publix Donates to Sustainable Fisheries Partnership; Further Commits to Supporting Marine Life Conservation

LAKELAND, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, on World Oceans Day, Publix announced its continued support of seafood sustainability by donating $40,000 to Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). The company also announced its enhanced commitment to marine life conservation by collaborating with SFP to analyze and understand current fishing practices within the supply chain.

SFP is a nonprofit marine conservation organization dedicated to bringing retailers, seafood buyers and their supply chains together to protect the environment while continuing to promote the sustainable productivity of fisheries and fish farms.

This is the 12th year Publix has donated to SFP, contributing a total of $480,000 to support fishery and aquaculture improvement projects and other efforts to advance the sustainability of seafood. Publix and SFP have collaborated since 2009.

This year, Publix was the first U.S. retailer to join with SFP, BirdLife International and Whale and Dolphin Conservation to review and understand the risks from the unintended catch of ocean wildlife in the seafood sourcing supply chain.

Unintended catch, referred to in the seafood industry as bycatch, occurs when commercial fishers accidentally catch nontarget species while fishing, which is a contributor to endangered, threatened and protected species population decline. Affected populations include whales, sharks, dolphins, turtles, seabirds and more.

Publix has already supported several Fishery Improvement Projects, which address the impacts of unintended catch when targeting mahi mahi and tuna from Costa Rica, Canadian snow crab and U.S. Gulf of Mexico shrimp. Additionally, Publix is prioritizing further improvement efforts to reduce the impacts of fishing on marine wildlife at other fisheries where the company sources seafood.

“It’s a priority to Publix to source from healthy, well-managed fisheries,” said Publix Business Development Director of Seafood Guy Pizzuti. “We look forward to continuing to work with SFP and across the seafood industry to address unintended catch of endangered, threatened and protected species.”

“Sustainable seafood includes reducing the harm from fishing to sharks, marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds,” said SFP Global Markets Director Kathryn Novak. “Action by retailers like Publix, as well as the entire seafood supply chain, is essential to preserving ocean wildlife.”

To learn more about Publix’s sustainability efforts, including seafood sustainability, visit publix.com/seafoodsustainability.

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 230,000 associates, currently operates 1,296 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 25 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business. For more information, visit the company’s newsroom at corporate.publix.com/newsroom.