The Washington-headquartered National Fisheries Institute’s Crab Council has confirmed Direct Source Seafood has joined the sustainability group.
Direct Source is the latest member to commit to the council’s policies and begin contributing to the six fishery improvement projects (FIPs) operated by the group. The company has been committed to sustainably sourcing a multitude of products from Argentina to Asia for more than a decade.
“Outside of quality, we’ve always been a company that looks at emerging markets and technology, when it comes to sourcing,” Direct Source Seafood CEO Roman Tkachenko said. “This is the same operational model we see the NFI Crab Council using when it comes to sustainability. They’re investing in science and looking ahead to the next target. That’s the type of pre-competitive collaboration we want to be a part of.”
The NFI Crab Council funds FIPs in Indonesia, The Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
“Keeping focused on the FIPs where we’re active historically is a job in and of itself,” NFI Crab Council Executive Director Ed Rhodes said. “But figuring out where the next sustainability project will be, what our role is, and how to fund it is another. That challenge is one that Roman and his group is committed to being a part of.”
Direct Source Seafood is the 35th member company to join the NFI Crab Council.
“Direct Source joining the Council is an illustration of the focus of not just one company, or 35, but the commitment of a whole sector,” NFI Crab Council Chair Brice Phillips of Phillips Foods said. “And we couldn’t be more pleased to have a company that sees responsibly sourced crabs as a starting point not an ending point.”
Since 2009, the NFI Crab Council has practiced industry led stewardship, addressing fishery needs through scientific, social, and financial channels.
