Sustainable Seafood 🐟🦞🦪

msmith627
Sep 2
5 min read

From Dock to Dish: Sustainable Seafood 101

As summer winds down, there’s no better time to savor the season’s last catch with sustainable seafood that supports our oceans—and our local communities.

Read on to learn the basics of sustainable seafood and how you can support Yarmouth’s working waterfront.

What is Sustainable Seafood?

Sustainable seafood is fish, shellfish, and seaweed harvested or farmed in a manner that provides for today’s needs while allowing species to reproduce, habitats to flourish, and productive ecosystems to be available for future generations (as defined by NOAA).

Did you know…

Seafood is the most environmentally friendly source of protein on the planet, as it does not require land and freshwater that beef, pork, and chicken do (Bianchi, M., Hallström, E., Parker, R.W.R.).

That’s largely due to the U.S.’s commitment to strict, environmentally responsible practices in managing wild and farmed seafood. This is because the U.S. fisheries are scientifically monitored, regionally managed, and legally enforced under 10 national standards of sustainability (NOAA).

Aquaculture

Aquaculture is the process of farming fish, shellfish, algae, and other organisms in all types of water environments. In recent years, aquaculture that gained significant attention as a sustainable solution to meet the increasing demand for seafood while reducing pressure on wild fish stocks (MAA). Many of the species cultivated through aquaculture actually aid in water purification and carbon sequestration. Bivalves, particularly Oyster’s filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. Kelp and other algae reduce the amount of carbon in the ocean and store carbon, through a process called carbon sequestration (The Nature Conservancy).

Support Local Gulf of Maine Seafood

In Maine there are many organizations that support sustainable seafood and the working waterfront. One of these organizations is Gulf of Maine Research Institute, who is dedicated to marine research, sustain seafood, and enhancing the blue economy (i.e., the working waterfront).

How to Find Local Seafood

Just like meat or veggies, when you go to buy seafood there are different indicators that let you know you are buying local, sustainable seafood.

At Hannaford there are a couple different varieties of “local” seafood.

“We Love Local” is sustainability harvested seafood from the Gulf of Maine
“Local” is sustainability harvested seafood sourced from the U.S. and processed at a Hannaford’s location.
Hannaford is also partnered with GMRI to ensure local seafood is sustainable.

There are also some nationally and international recognized organizations that help fisheries become more sustainable and recommend options for consumers to buy sustainable seafood.

On the The Seafood Watch website there is a tool to aid in deciding what seafood is sustainable as a global level.
The Marine Steward Council has a label that certifies sustainable seafood in the United States and Canada.

What is Local?

In our area, the term ‘local seafood’ can refer to all of Gulf of Maine’s waters, which stretches from Nova Scotia to Cape Cod, as well as the shores off of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. When you’re buying seafood, consider looking for products fished, farmed, or harvested locally.

Where to Find Local Seafood

Gulf of Maine Research Institute has many resources that help consumers identify where to buy local sustainable seafood.

Gulf of Maine Tastemakers is a program that show cases local businesses and retailers who have committed to sources at least 35% of their seafood as local seafood. The Tastemakers guide helps people like you know where to support local seafood and our coastal communities!
Look out for the Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested ® label, this label signifies a promise from fisheries and farms their seafood is sustainable and comes from the clean, cool waters of the Gulf of Maine. Check out this list of fish markets that sell products with this label.

If you’re an avid seafood eater, connect directly with producers. Two Facebook groups, Maine Fish Direct and The Maine Sea Connection, are spaces to make direct-to-consumer connections. UMaine Cooperative Extension also has an interactive online map to find farms and seafood products around the State, with contact information and directions for purchasing.

Some of the Many Reasons to Eat Gulf of Maine Seafood

Gulf of Maine seafood is highly regulated and some of the most well-managed commercial fishermen in the world.
Eating local seafood supports our coastal economy.
There are plenty of other fish in the sea. Roughly 70%-90% of seafood in the United States is imported. Due to demand of certain species of fish, local fishermen leave hundreds of thousands of pounds of abundant Gulf of Maine species unharvested each year.
It’s good for you and provides a range of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals needed for our bodies.

Sustainability on Yarmouth’s Waterfront

New in Town

At the Town Landing, the Town is installing a gin pole to help fishermen and shellfish harvester unload their harvest easier. In 2026, the Town will also be developing a Working Waterfront Master Plan to determine how best to foster a diverse, thriving, and resilient working waterfront.

Nauti Sisters Sea Farm

Nauti Sisters is a woman-owned and operated oyster farm in Yarmouth producing sustainably sourced and processed oysters from Casco Bay.

They use a 24-foot solar-powered pontoon barge to process their oysters, making their product -and operations- less carbon intensive.

Sea Meadow’s Marina

Sea Meadow’s Marina is also changing the working waterfront by adding electric powered skiffs and Level 2 EV chargers at their facility in Yarmouth. This marina is dedicated to helping Yarmouth’s working waterfront with innovative solutions and ensuring all working waterfront members succeed. They work with companies such as Shred Electric, Nauti Sisters, and The Boat Yard.

Shred Electric

Shred Electric is an organization who helps build carbon neutral sea-farms. This organization utilizes a technology that integrates commercial batteries with solar panels and micro wind turbines and remote monitoring to run long-lasting motors and pumps. An example of their work is “Marge the Barge” for Nauti Sisters Sea Farm. They also offer solar-powered electric coolers and fully electric skiffs.

The Boat Yard

The Boat Yard is an organization that helps working waterfront operations and marinas transition to sustainable solutions that reduce reliance on fossil fuel. They are also a marina construction company, building seawalls, docks/piers, and have equipment that one can borrow. Their equipment is either 100% electric or uses biodiesel fuel for power.

Electrifying Waterfronts

If you’ve read this far, you’ll have noticed that several organizations in Yarmouth are working towards electrifying working waterfronts. From onshore electric marina equipment and EV chargers to fully electric workboats, there is a movement towards decarbonizing the waterfront.

Electrifying waterfront equipment has several benefits beyond lowering carbon emissions, including less noise, fumes, and maintenance. Electric equipment can also reduce water and air pollution and avoid risk of fuel spills and runoff. As the maritime industry decarbonizes over time, the work local businesses are doing in Maine is critical to preparing for long-term resilience and competitiveness.