Seafood Advocate on the Role of Seafood in Human and Planetary Health

Q&A with Linda Cornish, President and Founder of Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP)

During National Seafood Month, celebrated annually in October, Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) interviewed Linda Cornish, the President and Founder of Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP), about the organization’s mission, the role of seafood in human and planetary health, and how aquaculture will play a role in increasing our seafood supply. SNP is the leading 501(c)3 non-profit organization in the U.S. building awareness of the health and nutritional benefits of seafood.

Can you tell us about the Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP)?

SNP is addressing the country’s public health crisis through education programs that inspire Americans to incorporate more seafood and omega-3s into their diets for improved health as per the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For more information, visit seafoodnutrition.org.

How can SNP work with SATS and industry leaders on their shared goal of educating the public about the need to increase the availability of sustainable U.S. seafood?

Seafood, also known as blue foods, has an essential role to play in achieving food security, ending malnutrition, and building healthy, nature-positive and resilient food systems. Yet they are often neglected in food discussions. It is imperative that we all work together to elevate the critical importance that sustainable seafood is to our health and a key strategy in strengthening our food systems.

How will aquaculture help increase the supply of American seafood sustainably?

It will be imperative for the U.S. and the global community to further develop aquaculture to its fullest sustainable potential to serve as a key solution for our future food security and mitigate the effects of climate change. With the global population expected to reach nearly 9 to 10 billion by 2050, we need to look to seafood as a solution as land-based food production has reached close to its maximum production capability. We will need both well-managed wild-capture fisheries and responsible aquaculture to feed the world.

What is the role of seafood in human and planetary health?

Seafood is the solution to many of the issues we face today. Eating seafood is essential for our heart health, mental health, and well-being. The vital nutrients found in eating seafood can be a game-changer in addressing our public health crisis. Seafood is part of a climate-friendly diet as it has lower impacts to the planet from a food production standpoint when compared to other foods.

What is the goal of SNP’s National Seafood Council?

Seafood Nutrition Partnership is incubating the National Seafood Council with advice and input from the National Seafood Council Task Force, which is comprised of representatives from companies along the diverse seafood supply chain. These industry leaders and advisors offer unique expertise crucial for the success of this initiative. (See full list of companies here).

The vision of the National Seafood Council leverages many of the recommendations from NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Council (MAFAC), published in July 2020, for an industry-led, federally-supported seafood marketing and education campaign. The goal is to build a more resilient seafood sector, improve public health and foster a healthier planet through seafood education, research, promotion, and marketing directly to American consumers.