Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Our 2004 evaluation was geared to help confirm our success and existing strate-
gies to date, and to determine ways to move forward. To most effectively lever-
age the progress made, we needed to, first, determine whether the Seafood Watch
programme was best suited to serve these emerging audiences based on our pro-
grammatic strengths; second, determine whether targeting these audiences would
best serve the end goal of shaping a marketplace for sustainable seafood; and third,
modify our current strategic plan to serve the relevant audiences.
The 2005 evaluation of the broader sustainable seafood movement in the US
identified a paradigm for success that aligned with our programme's strategic plan-
ning. In short, salience-building efforts such as the distribution of pocket guides
and other awareness-generating activities were critical to maintain the sustainable
seafood movement. But more emphasis was needed on partnerships with major
seafood buyers that would ultimately solicit a commitment towards sustainable
seafood purchasing. To support this endeavour, a viable and secure supply of sus-
tainable seafood would need to be identified.
Seafood Watch, based on our own evaluation and that of the broader movement,
drafted a
Theory of Change
to demonstrate how we anticipate creating a marketplace
for sustainable seafood and ultimately improving ocean health (Quadra & Galiano
2004). Our modified strategy entails transforming the purchasing practices of major
seafood buyers towards sustainable sources while continuing to build and leverage
issue salience with seafood consumers and businesses. In order to achieve this
result, the Seafood Watch programme has assumed the following chain of events
for consumers and businesses:
Consumers become interested in and take, request, receive and read Seafood
Watch marketing material including our regional or national pocket guides;
As a result, consumers become aware of seafood issues and may start to change
their buying habits.
Consumers therefore start asking questions and making requests of their pur-
veyors (in businesses such as restaurants and fish markets).
Purveyors become aware that consumers are interested in sustainability infor-
mation and try to better identify and source their products to match that interest.
At the same time, Seafood Watch and our partners approach purveyors with a
practical, cost-effective programme to transform their seafood purchasing.
The purveyors work with their suppliers (wholesalers, procurement brokers,
etc.) to satisfy customer inquiries and their own interest and/or promotion.
Suppliers eventually identify that certain purveyors will not buy unsustainable
products and stop trying to market those products to that segment. Instead, they
identify more sources of sustainable products.
At the same time, Seafood Watch works with partners in the movement to
identify sustainable sources and production standards for large volume needs
(shrimp, tuna, salmon, etc.).
If enough of those purveyors shift their purchasing towards these sustainable
sources, the supplier will not have a need for the unsustainable products.
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