[March 16, 2015]

Seattle-Based Blue North Introduces World's First Initiative to Ensure Humane Harvesting of Wild Fish

Blue North, a natural resource company committed to sustainable practices, today announced the launch of the Humane Harvest Initiative™, an innovative step toward establishing ethical standards for fish harvesting.

"The Humane Harvest Initiative (HHI) recognizes that wild fish are sentient beings deserving of humane harvest," says Kenny Down, President and CEO at Blue North. "This initiative represents a major step forward for Blue North, furthering our goal to provide the purest, healthiest, most ethically sourced seafood."

The HHI deepens Blue North's commitment to sustainability through several components informed by strong scientific evidence, more humane practices, and coordination with the environmental community. HHI has established a global board of advisors consisting of xperts in sustainability, low-impact fishing methods, retail and wholesale marketing and sales, and nutrition.

Board members include:

• Dr. Reza Ovissipour, Ph.D., research associate and food scientist at Washington State University
• Jessica Redmayne, sourcing manager for FishChoice, an organization that helps seafood suppliers and buyers source sustainable seafood products
• Nicole Ricci, industry and technical consultant, who worked for over 16 years for the U.S. government in international fisheries management and conservation science

"The Humane Harvest Initiative takes an innovative approach that integrates health and nutrition while reducing environmental impacts," says Nicole Ricci, a founding HHI board member and industry consultant. "My hope is that this initiative will inspire all fisheries to practice principles of humane harvest."

One of the ways HHI is working to establish more ethical practices is through the development of a device that reduces stress and pain in wild fish during harvest. "Stress conditions during harvesting can induce reactions that decrease the nutritional value and taste quality of the fish fillet," says Dr. Ovissipour. The new HHI harvesting process will be implemented on all of Blue North's vessels, including a soon-to-be debuted boat anticipated to be the most modern, humane and efficient fishing vessel ever built.

Blue North's commercial cod fishery, which produces wild Alaska line-caught cod, was the first be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC (News - Alert)) and designated as a "Best Choice" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program.

Learn more at humaneharvest.org.

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