4.1 SeaBOS

Nutreco and Skretting continue to proactively participate in the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS). CEOs from the 10 largest global seafood companies (including fishing, aquaculture and aquafeed manufacturing) joined forces through SeaBOS to create transformative change. The companies include Maruha Nichiro Corporation, Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Thai Union Group, Dongwon Industries, Mowi, Cermaq (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation), Nutreco and Skretting, Cargill Aqua Nutrition, Kyokuyo and Charoen Pokphand Foods. The work of SeaBOS is advanced through six different taskforces, each led by companies in collaboration with, and supported by scientists, to identify, test and scale solutions related to challenges faced in the seafood industry. Nutreco or Skretting Chairs Task Force 1 which addresses illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and forced labour. Nutreco is joined in Task Force 1 by Dongwon, CPF and Maruha Nichiro.

“For the first time in the history of seafood production, 10 of the largest seafood companies in the world have committed to a set of time- bound and measurable goals that will ensure the industry becomes more sustainable. The goals are the result of four years of dialogues through the science-industry initiative SeaBOS.”
SeaBOS Press release

In October 2020, SeaBOS met virtually with the initiative’s CEOs committing to a number of goals to achieve their original commitments from 2016. By the end of 2021, the SeaBOS members will:

  • Eliminate IUU fishing and forced, bonded and child labour in our operations – and implement measures to address those issues in their supply chains – with public reporting on progress in 2022 and 2025.

  • Extend the collaboration with the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) to solve the problem of lost and abandoned fishing gear; and combine to clean up plastics pollution from our coasts and waterways.

  • Agree on a strategy for reducing impacts on endangered species and the use of antibiotics.

  • Set CO2 emissions reduction goals and reporting approaches from each company.

  • Also in October, the CEO of Nutreco's aquaculture division Skretting Therese Log Bergjord was elected SeaBOS Chair.