The Monterey Bay Aquarium and ARAMARK, a world leader in professional facilities management and food services, have entered into a partnership under which ARAMARK commits to new practices that will guide its purchases of sustainable seafood for all ARAMARK operations across the United States.
As part of the partnership, ARAMARK is beginning immediately to shift its seafood purchases toward sustainable sources. The company will complete the transition by 2018.

ARAMARK’s operations in the United States alone employ about 180,000 people and serve tens of millions of consumers at businesses, universities, schools, sports and entertainment facilities, parks and other locations. This includes scores of major league sports facilities, convention centers, leading zoos and aquariums, and national parks and attractions, including Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas, Anaheim Convention Center, the University of Pennsylvania, New Jersey's Adventure Aquarium and Denali Park Resorts in Alaska.

ARAMARK’s action is the latest in a series of significant commitments by leading retailers and food service providers to work with the Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Initiative and similar programs around the world.

Since 1999, the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Initiative has made recommendations – based on sound fisheries science – about which seafood to buy and which to avoid with the ultimate goal of transforming the seafood market to create incentives that protect the health of ocean wildlife and ecosystems.

The Aquarium will help ARAMARK to make the transition by providing timely, expert information about what sustainable seafood is available in the market; advice and assistance about finding sources of sustainable seafood; and providing staff support and a suite of programs to help ARAMARK with staff training and education efforts among its clients and customers.

ARAMARK is already working with its suppliers, chefs and managers to:
·         Identify and encourage the purchase of seafood listed on the Aquarium’s “Best Choices” and “Good Alternatives” lists, and discourage purchase of seafood on the “Avoid” list;
·         Combine operator feedback and Aquarium research so that seafood recommendations are progressive yet achievable;
·         Create marketing and training materials for managers and front-line staff that clearly convey ARAMARK’s commitment to sustainable seafood; and
·         Distribute the Aquarium’s Seafood Watch consumer pocket guides to its customers.
In recent years, Monterey Bay Aquarium and other members of the Seafood Choices Alliance (www.seafoodchoices.org) have announced partnership agreements with a number of major retailers and food service companies to support the shift to sustainable seafood, including Wal-Mart and Wegmans.

Internationally, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC, www.msc.org) recognizes – via a certification program – well-managed fisheries and encourages consumers to select seafood products bearing the MSC seal of approval.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

ARAMARK