Responsibly sourced seafood is caught, farmed and harvested using practices grounded in transparency, traceability and sustainability. There is no one accreditation in the responsible sourcing of seafood but many include factors such as the ability of the species to reproduce, the habitat to flourish and the ecosystem to continue in harmony for generations to come.

Reference: Marine Stewardship Council website “What is Sustainable Fishing?”

We will celebrate seafood, including oysters, clams, scallops and other bivalves, which are shown to have a positive environmental impact, with benefits including supporting biodiversity, sequestering carbon and filtering and improving ocean water quality. We source our scallops, oysters, and some clams from the Gulf of Maine, which plays a critical role in supporting our coastal economies and small fishing communities.

1. We recognize that responsible sourcing comprises both human and environmental considerations.
2. We will celebrate seafood, including oysters, clams, scallops and other bivalves, which are shown to have a positive environmental impact, with benefits including supporting biodiversity, sequestering carbon and filtering and improving ocean water quality. We source our scallops, oysters and some clams from the Gulf of Maine, which plays a critical role in supporting our costal economies and small fishing communities.
3. We are committed to building transparency and traceability throughout our seafood supply chain.
4. We will seek to purchase seafood certified by trusted, industry-leading organizations that specialize in seafood sustainability, when feasible. Our current certifications include Marine Stewardship Council, Best Aquaculture Practices, Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) Responsibly Harvested. 
5. Where certification is not available, we will reference Seafood Watch recommendations for fishery locations and catch methods and request that our suppliers implement those recommendations. We will also encourage our suppliers to participate in Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs), especially those that provide a path to certification.
6. We will leverage emerging resources to understand potential human rights impacts. Longer term, we will work with our suppliers to understand and minimize risk.

Both wild caught and farmed seafood can be responsibly sourced and are each essential to ensuring continued seafood availability for future generations.

Overfishing is one of the biggest threats facing our oceans today. With seafood consumption rising worldwide, well-managed ocean-raised, farmed fish can take pressure off wild fisheries, where 80% of wild fish stocks are harvested at full capacity. It’s easier to manage the production of farmed seafood to keep the supply of fish and shellfish consistent.

For wild caught seafood, responsible sourcing considers several factors including environmental impacts, animal welfare, social accountability and traceability. For aquaculture, or farm raised seafood, responsible sourcing means minimizing impacts to the environment by limiting habitat damage, pollution, escapes of farmed fish and using sustainable feed ingredients.

Reference: Marine Stewardship Council, What is Sustainable Fishing?

Where possible we catch locally, use in season fish and source a wide variety of fish to encourage a healthy marine habitat. As just a few examples of North American sourcing, we are pleased to serve quahog clams from Cape Cod, calamari from the Gulf of Maine and our organic mussels from Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Seasonality and local availability throughout the year are factors that impact our ability to source local seafood. Where possible, we aim to purchase seafood that is third-party certified for responsible sourcing, such as our MSC certified tuna, which we source from Hawaii when in-season. We source seafood globally and encourage our suppliers to participate in fishery improvement projects, which help improve fishery sustainability for seafood that is not certified. Our tuna from the Maldives, Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa, plus our swordfish from Ecuador, all participate in fishery improvement projects.

Learn more here.

We are constantly working to improving our sourcing practices, partnering with our suppliers to evaluate our impact and looking for new ways to make further improvements. This includes our fishing and harvesting policies all the way to our freezing and packaging methods.

There are some fantastic sources on this issue, so if you are inspired to learn more why not check these out:

1. United Nations – the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals include Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. This website has some great information and data on the health of our oceans as well as clear actions that we as individuals can take. Visit the UN website for more information.
2. Blue Planet – A stunning documentary series by Sir David Attenborough on the oceans that are highly educational, beautifully filmed and suitable for the whole family. Streamed on Amazon Prime and other platforms.
3. New England Aquarium: Located right here in Boston, the New England Aquarium offers educational programs, exhibits and resources focused on marine conservation and sustainable fishing practices. They host events, workshops and lectures that provide insights into sustainable seafood choices and the importance of protecting marine ecosystems. Visit: New England Aquarium

Reference: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 14 Life Below Water.

Plastic is the most harmful type of ocean pollution, every year an estimated 5 to 12 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean. About 89% of plastic litter found on the ocean floor are single use items. The biggest thing we can all do is limit our use of plastics, which will in turn help keep plastics out of the ocean. At Legal Sea Foods, we are moving away from using single use plastics, the biggest pollutant in our oceans, with paper straws and paper take away bags. In their everyday lives, our customers can choose a reusable water bottle instead of a single serve plastic bottle, a paper straw over a plastic straw or a reusable bag instead of a single use plastic bag.

When you visit us at Legal Sea Foods, you will notice our menus contain this fish icon to indicate which of our sea foods are responsibly sourced. By choosing these options you are helping us to maintain a healthy ocean through the freshest, best quality, responsibly sourced seafood.