Red Lobster® Announces Partnership With The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® Program
Red Lobster® Announces Partnership With The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® Program
Orlando, Fla. (May 15, 2018) - Red Lobster, the world’s largest seafood restaurant company, today announced a partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program to help achieve the organizations’ shared mission of helping make better seafood choices for healthier oceans, now and for future generations. This strategic partnership builds upon Red Lobster’s existing Seafood with Standards commitment to serve only Traceable, Sustainable and Responsibly-sourced seafood.
“Because of our size and scale, we can use our influence to drive positive change in the industry and lead the way in sustainable and responsible seafood sourcing,” said Kim Lopdrup, CEO, Red Lobster. “Red Lobster is committed to taking a leadership position in conserving and protecting every kind of seafood we source. Our partnership with Seafood Watch is the natural next step in keeping our commitments and driving continuous improvement within our seafood supply chain.”
Red Lobster announced its Seafood with Standards commitment in January 2018 as part of its 50th Anniversary celebration. This commitment supports best fishing and farming practices and eco-certifications in seafood sourcing around the world. Red Lobster works closely with its suppliers who provide detailed sourcing information that empowers the brand to make informed purchasing decisions. The partnership with Seafood Watch builds upon Red Lobster’s Seafood with Standards platform and strengthens its sustainability commitment. Red Lobster will utilize the program’s scientific data and educational tools to help further inform and guide its seafood sourcing decisions as well as educate guests and team members about seafood choices.
“We applaud Red Lobster for its commitment,” said Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “It sends a strong signal to the marketplace: Fishing fleets and aquaculture producers will be rewarded for adopting practices that support healthy ocean ecosystems. Ultimately, that will mean better choices for everyone who enjoys seafood.”
As a global leader in the sustainable seafood movement, Seafood Watch science is referenced by more than 1,000 businesses at 150,000 locations worldwide to help inform purchasing decisions. Red Lobster joins current Seafood Watch partners who are actively working to help shift the market toward environmentally responsible fisheries and aquaculture operations.
Red Lobster has been committed to seafood sustainability since opening in 1968. Today, as the largest seafood-buying restaurant in the world, Red Lobster remains committed to creating and upholding seafood sourcing standards that ensure availability of seafood for generations. To learn more about Red Lobster’s Seafood with Standards commitments, including details about sourcing and sustainability practices, visit www.RedLobster.ca/SeafoodWithStandards.
About Red Lobster Seafood Co.
Red Lobster is the world's largest and most loved seafood restaurant company, headquartered in Orlando, Fla. With a proud heritage and an even brighter future, Red Lobster is focused on delivering the highest quality, freshly prepared seafood at reasonable prices. Red Lobster can deliver great value because of its size and scale as the largest restaurant purchaser of seafood in the world. With more than 55,000 employees in over 700 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, and a growing international footprint, Red Lobster is more committed than ever to be not just the biggest seafood restaurant, but the best. To learn more, visit www.redlobster.ca or find us on Facebook Opens in a new Window or Twitter Opens in a new Window.
About the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program is part of the Aquarium’s comprehensive initiative to improve the sustainability of global fisheries and aquaculture, through policy leadership, scientific research, industry partnerships and consumer engagement. Seafood Watch empowers consumers and businesses to choose seafood that's fished or farmed using responsible methods that protect sea life and habitats, now and for future generations. Seafood Watch’s widely recognized and respected science-based recommendations, indicating which seafood items are Best Choices or Good Alternatives, and which ones to Avoid, are utilized by organizations around the world who wish to purchase and serve more environmentally-responsible seafood. All Seafood Watch recommendations are available in its free app Opens in a new Window and at seafoodwatch.org Opens in a new Window.