Nominations for 2017 Seafood Champion Awards Open

SeaWeb, a project of The Ocean Foundation, has opened nominations for the 2017 Seafood Champion Awards. First presented in 2006, the awards annually recognize individual or organizational leadership in promoting environmentally responsible seafood, including the demonstration outstanding commitment to advancing seafood sustainability in the fishing, aquaculture, seafood supply and distribution, retail, restaurant and foodservice sectors, as well as conservation, science, academia and the media. Nominations close at 11:59 p.m. EST on December 3, 2016.

"Faced with the definitive challenge of our time—preserving the natural environment that sustains us all—the individuals and organizations celebrated by the Seafood Champion Awards respond with creativity, dedication, and faith in the future, said SeaWeb President Mark Spalding. "Seafood Champions inspire us all to do more to protect ocean resources and the communities that depend on them. I encourage anyone who strives for a healthy, sustainable ocean to nominate a Seafood Champion."

Four finalists and one winner will be chosen for each of the following: 

1. Seafood Champion Award for Leadership. An individual or entity that displays leadership by organizing and convening seafood stakeholders to improve the sustainability of seafood and ocean health.
2. Seafood Champion Award for Innovation. An individual or entity that identifies and applies creative new solutions to address: ecological challenges; existing market needs; barriers to sustainability.
3. Seafood Champion Award for Vision. An individual or entity that establishes a clear and compelling vision of the future that inspires positive change for sustainable seafood in technology, policy, products or markets, or conservation tools. 
4. Seafood Champion Award for Advocacy. An individual or entity that positively influences public policy, uses the media to raise the profile sustainable seafood, or influences public discourse and engages key stakeholders by publicly championing advances in sustainable seafood.

The 2017 Seafood Champion Awards will be presented at the SeaWeb Seafood Summit, held June 5-7 in Seattle, Wash. To review guidelines or to submit a nomination, visit the 2017 Nominations Guidance page. For more information, visit  www.seafoodchampions.org.