About #SmartCatch
The Smart Catch program provides training and support to chefs so they can serve seafood that is produced in sustainable ways. By becoming a Smart Catch Leader and earning the Smart Catch seal, chefs give consumers a simple way to identify and support restaurants that are working to protect our oceans.
Smart Catch is an educational program created by chefs for chefs with the purpose of increasing the sustainability of the seafood offered on menus. Chefs are uniquely positioned to create positive change in seafood supply chains and influence consumer behavior. While Smart Catch recognizes the best performers, the program emphasizes the importance of improvement in both the culinary space and in seafood supply chains. By connecting producers to chefs, Smart Catch aims to create positive change on the water and for all the people connected to it.
Through Smart Catch, chefs have a chance to use their influence to lead industry efforts to maintain healthy, sustainable food sources today and for future generations. They will be able to expand not only our palates, but also our views.
Get Involved!
Restaurant Engagement
Smart Catch Participant
- Completed assessment
- No minimum score required
Smart Catch Committed
- Completed assessment
- 60% of seafood items approved
Smart Catch Leader
- 80% of seafood items approved
- 2 or fewer red items
- 8% or less red volume
- Red items cannot be an IUCN red listed species
- Remaining 20% can include Unrated or Improving
Smart Catch Ambassador
- 80% of seafood items approved
- No red items
- Remaining 20% can include Unrated or Improving
- Participates in Impact leadership/advocacy
Supplier Engagement
Smart Catch is excited to bring back its work with seafood distributors around the country to promote the use of more diverse, traceable, sustainable, and delicious seafood options. Please stay tuned for more soon!
Partnership
Smart Catch assessments and educational content are produced by Postelsia, a division of Where Food Comes From. Postelsia leads place-based seafood sustainability initiatives to drive transformative change across global seafood supply chains through equitable, inclusive, sustainable improvement programs.
Smart Catch Webinars
The James Beard Foundation Smart Catch program, powered by Postelsia, has returned to help continue shaping what a sustainable seafood plate looks like. In its relaunch, Smart Catch will continue to educate and create opportunities for improvements at the menu level and across supply chains in order to drive an even greater impact on seafood sustainability. We welcome back both previous Smart Catch participants and newly interested chefs alike. In this webinar, we will discuss the importance of the Smart Catch program, cover the updates made for this iteration of the program, and let you know how you can participate.
Feb. 27, 2020 - Technology That Helps Improve Seafood Sustainability