Sea Pact Highlights Q2 2025
Project Updates: Community Catch and Ocean Strategies
As Sea Pact undertakes strategic planning, we have suspended accepting applications for our Project Funding Program to ensure that future funding is more aligned with our long-term goals and collective impact. You can read more about this decision in a previous blog post here. The following projects were funded prior to Sea Pact's strategic planning efforts.
Community Catch: Small-Scale Fishery Pilots in Indonesia and Mexico
Community Catch, an initiative designed to help small-scale fisheries (SSFs) address sustainability and access responsible markets, conducted pilot projects in Indonesia and Mexico. Community Catch tested and refined its model for fishery improvement and market engagement. These pilots delivered insights and tools that informed the global rollout of the Community Catch program. Community Catch has since launched its Version 1.0 Standard and accompanying digital platform, enabling small-scale fishers to begin self-assessments and explore certification.
In both pilot regions, Community Catch evaluated fisheries, identified improvement needs, and provided support infrastructure. This included the development of an Assistant Provider network consisting of a growing database of NGOs, funders, and service providers who can offer technical, financial, and organizational support to fishers in addressing sustainability improvements. Templates for improvement plans were co-created with the fishery stakeholders, ensuring practical and tailored guidance.
The project team also worked to connect the fisheries to potential buyers by mapping local supply chains and documenting production volumes. A business model and fee structure were developed and shared with stakeholders at the 2025 Barcelona Seafood Expo. Community Catch also partnered with FisheryProgress ensuring broader market visibility.
In Indonesia, the pilot focused on a pole-and-line tuna fishery that is currently MSC-certified. With interest from local processors and minimal gaps identified, expectations are for that fishery to be among the first to achieve Community Catch certification. In Mexico, a bottom longline snapper fishery participated in a full evaluation and co-developed an improvement plan addressing fishery management, vessel safety, and labor conditions. It is now moving forward under an active fishery improvement project and exploring certification readiness.
The project built and tested the infrastructure that Community Catch will use globally via a practical support system, a viable path to improvement, and direct linkages to markets. Lessons from the fisheries shaped the tools, templates, and processes now embedded in Community Catch’s strategy. Visit communitycatch.org to learn more.
Ocean Strategies: Stakeholder Engagement & Education to Bridge California Commercial Fishing & Aquaculture Interests
Ocean Strategies completed an initiative to foster collaboration and understanding between California’s commercial fishing communities and aquaculture stakeholders. The project focused on enhancing communication during critical aquaculture development processes in the Port of San Diego and NOAA’s Aquaculture Opportunity Area (AOA) planning.
Over the course of the project, the Ocean Strategies team provided clear, accessible information and served as a trusted convener among historically siloed sectors. Key activities included targeted outreach of public-facing education tools (i.e. FAQs, national AOA report) to over 3,800 stakeholders, as well as cross-regional knowledge sharing with partners including the Gulf of America Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance (a former Sea Pact grantee).
The project supported improved aquaculture literacy and stakeholder dialogue in California, and also laid a foundation for national best practices. Additionally, the effort contributed to increased trust and transparency between commercial fishers, aquaculture leaders, NGOs, and policymakers. Recommendations moving forward include continued region-specific outreach and structured knowledge exchange between California, the Gulf, and Alaska. This work demonstrates the value of proactive, inclusive engagement which is core to Sea Pact’s mission of advancing sustainable seafood through collaboration. Visit Sea Pact's website and oceanstrat.com to learn more.
