Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is pleased to announce US-based retailer Walmart has joined the Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP), and agreed to make some information about its seafood sourcing available through a public profile on the project’s website, including  data such as locations where wild seafood is caught, gear types, fisheries management information, environmental impacts, certifications and fishery improvement projects.

”We are proud of our efforts to make the seafood we sell more sustainable and joining the Ocean Disclosure Project is one more way we can show our passion and commitment for sustainability and transparency,” said Laura Phillips, Senior Vice President of Sustainability for Walmart. “ODP provides an important service to consumers and other stakeholders when understanding where their seafood comes from.”

SFP started The Ocean Disclosure Project in 2015 to provide a valuable information resource for responsible investors, seafood consumers and others interested in sustainable seafood.. To date, nine other companies have participated — ranging from retailers to suppliers and aquaculture feed manufacturers in both the US and UK.

Blake Lee-Harwood, Strategy Director with Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, said:

“It is fantastic news that the largest retailer in the world has now joined the Ocean Disclosure Project. Walmart has made a huge contribution to making seafood more sustainable and is now showing real leadership in adopting a more transparent approach to the sustainability aspects of the fish and shellfish the company sells. We hope this move will encourage other retailers and processors to join the ODP and tell their customers about the sustainability of their seafood.”

Other ODP participants include UK retailers Asda, Co-op Food and Morrisons along with UK seafood supplier Joseph Robertson and French food service company Davigel. Participants also include aquaculture feed manufacturers Biomar, Cargill/EWOS, and Skretting as well as US retailer Publix Supermarkets.

Earlier this year, SFP announced the ODP was moving to its own website. The new site is operated by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership but it is intended that the website will become independent by the end of 2020. The project has been generously funded by the John Ellerman Foundation.