Seafood should bring out the best in us.
There’s something about the freshness, the quality, the history and the careful preparation that invites us to want better for ourselves and our loved ones. Eating good seafood reminds us of what we value most in life.
Better Values, Better Seafood celebrates generations of fishermen, shrimpers, oyster farmers, seaweed growers, workers and more who provide the most delicious seafood on earth. As the big seafood corporations grow bigger and sell you a flavorless product pulled from giant sea cages, labs and waters they privatize and overfish, the harvesters you’ll meet here strive to offer you something better.
Seafood that’s better tasting and better for you.
From wild harvesters and responsible-scale growers who know how to leave local waters in better shape than they found them and pour back into their people and surrounding communities.
A love no label can contain
Between “sustainable,” “wild-caught,” “certified local” — choosing seafood that aligns with your values has never been more confusing. There’s no shortage of labels competing for your attention on the menu or at your local fish market. But often, these certifications are out of reach for all but the largest companies and politically connected fishing operations. Some hide a wealth of abuse and exploitation happening outside of these narrow checklists. Better Values, Better Seafood is about growing our tastes for what will truly sustain good seafood for the future. The harvesters we feature work to:
secure a future where diverse, plentiful and culturally meaningful seafood is available
safeguard local ecosystems through harvest, farming and processing methods that work with, not against the delicate balance of life on land, in the sea and in local waterways
place community at the center of seafood by supporting the relationships, local economies and diverse cultures that keep fisheries strong
create opportunity for new and diverse seafood producers and make the field welcoming for people of different ages, genders, cultures, and walks of life.
protect workers along every link in the seafood supply chain by providing living wages, safe working conditions, dignified treatment
honor local knowledge about how to catch and grow seafood in harmony with surrounding ecosystems and communities, often knowledge that’s been held for many generations
respect Tribal rights and the access of nations in their traditional homelands and affirm their legal and moral rights to protected resources
uphold accountability through fair, clear, and transparent regulations
Values-based seafood producers combine time-tested knowledge on how to harvest abundantly while allowing sea life and waters to replenish. Their methods preserve flavor and the safety and dignity of all involved. Values-based seafood also thrives on relationships and collaboration; they see our waters as a shared heirloom to be cherished, not an asset class to be plundered.
Who’s behind Better Values, Better Seafood?
Better Values, Better Seafood is a labor of love led by the not-for-profit storytellers at Resource Media and the team at North American Marine Alliance (NAMA), a global organization rallying the movement to resist big-business control of ocean resources, empower local fishermen, transform problematic supply chains, and establish a fair seafood system for everyone.
This effort also lifts up the longtime work of the Local Catch Network, Slow Fish and many others who protect and advance the future of sustainable, community-led seafood systems.