NFI Red Crab Council renews commitment to improving Chinese crab fishery

The National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) Red Crab Council, along with its partner Ocean Outcomes (O2) and Tao Ran in China, announced the renewal of an annual contract for a comprehensive red crab fishery improvement project (FIP) in China, keeping the work on track.

The re-contracted FIP focuses on improving crab production in Fujian Province, which is China’s leading harvesting region for red crab. The work is funded by the NFI Red Crab Council, a precompetitive collaboration focused solely on the sustainability of red swimming crab, by assessing a fee on its members based on the number of pounds they import each quarter.

Newport International President Anjan Tharakan, who serves as the chair of NFI’s Red Crab Council, said the collective and its partners, O2 and Tao Ran, remain steadfast in pursuing sustainable practices within the red crab fishery.

“For a number of years, the red crab fishery has faced adversity from things like the pandemic, the market, and tariffs,” Tharakan said. “But none of the companies we partner with, and certainly not O2 nor Tao Ran, have lost sight of the importance of working hard towards the most sustainable fishery possible. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. If nothing, this is one committed group.”

O2 Founder and CEO Rich Lincoln seconded Tharakan’s sentiments, noting that “despite all the external challenges this FIP has faced, we’ve never changed our ultimate objectives.”

“We have dedicated companies supporting the work and experts on the ground executing it. Continuing this contract keeps us on track to seeing the best science-based strategies driving red crab fisheries management in the Fujian region,” Lincoln said.

The status of the Fujian Zhangzhou Red Crab FIP is updated biannually on fisheryprogress.org.

Companies taking part in the NFI Red Crab Council include Stavis Seafoods, Chicken of the Sea, Asian Pacific Seafood LLC., Bumble Bee Foods LLC., High Liner Foods, Sea Delight, Supreme Crab and Seafood, Twin Tails Seafood Corporation, Phillips Foods, Miss Sally’s Brand, Red Lobster, and Newport International.

Photo courtesy of the NFI Red Crab Council