Synergy in the Seafood Industry

SeaShare exists to lead the seafood industry in a collective response to hunger in America. We are a voice within our industry - explaining why and how seafood companies can build a minimally-invasive donation program into their current business models. SeaShare participates in events, meetings, and conferences throughout the year, where we advocate for participation, and recognize donation partners who make significant contributions. Our list of donors reflects the breadth and diversity of our domestic seafood industry, and the combined result is greater than the sum of the parts…. 150 Million seafood servings and counting!

Ideas for Importers
(Suggested Donations)

SeaShare needs your support to continue to build and expand our unique hunger-relief programs. Here are the kinds of support SeaShare needs to succeed.

Ideas for Importers
(Suggested Donations)

Seafood Product Donations
SeaShare's primary goal is to supply seafood products to supplement the food resources available to hungry Americans. We welcome your donations of a wide range of seafood products including:

Importers can:
Donate your Challenged Products:

  • Returned items – broken pallets, damaged outer packaging, etc.
    Low Fill – manufactured seafood products that are under (or over) weight
  • Unlabeled or Mislabeled – food banks can re-label products, and are exempt from listing nutrition facts
  • Expired or Close to Code – products that have expired can still be distributed with extended code dates
  • Small Lots / Miscellaneous items – volumes that aren’t worth a directed marketing effort

We accept products that were originally produced for human consumption, are still wholesome, and are of a type generally accepted in the United States. SeaShare will ensure that your donations move out quickly. All your quality assurance concerns will be met, and your products will go straight to people in need and will not re-enter the market.

  • Value-added, portioned items
  • Shatterpack fillets, fillet or mince blocks, and bulk IQF products
  • Frozen, IQF headed and gutted fish packed in totes
  • Any canned or shelf-stable products

Donated Seafood Product Standards

In order to ensure that the seafood products SeaShare distributes can be used and enjoyed by the people who use them, we have established some basic product standards.
  • The products must be frozen or shelf-stable (canned, pouched, etc.);
  • All products must be cleaned, washed and frozen, and/or packaged according commercial seafood industry standards for the individual product type;
  • Products must not exhibit any signs of deterioration or degradation, including offensive odors, oxidation, or ‘belly burn,’ etc.;
  • The products must be of a type generally consumed in the United States.

In some cases, by prior arrangement, SeaShare can accept frozen products which can be effectively trimmed to eliminate bruised or damaged areas of flesh.

If you have a product donation that doesn’t fit these criteria, but is fit for consumption, please contact us to discuss it.

SeaShare staff will work closely with your company to assure that your products move out quickly, that all of your quality assurance concerns are addressed, and that your donated products go straight to people in need and do not re-enter the market.

Donate seafood now

Services and Supplies Donations

SeaShare's strength is derived from the solid base of support provided by the seafood industry service sector and suppliers. The service and supply partnerships we develop make it feasible for us to deliver donated seafood products directly to people in need. We particularly need the following:

  • Product transportation: Shipping, trucking and railcar service
  • Reprocessing: Block portioning, repacking, filleting, steaking
  • Cold and dry Storage
  • Labeling supplies and services, packaging supplies

Donate services or supplies now

Financial Contributions

SeaShare depends on funding from corporations, individuals, foundations and religious organizations to continue our efforts to alleviate hunger. SeaShare is an extremely efficient organization, spending only 10 percent of annual revenue (not including in-kind donations) on administration expenses. The rest of our annual revenue goes directly to ending hunger in America. SeaShare is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Click here for more information about tax incentives.



 

SeaShare Seafood Donation Programs

SeaShare has created a number of innovative programs that add value and increase the volume of seafood donated to feed the hungry. Seafood companies and service providers throughout the country participate in one or more of these programs and many also make independent contributions of fish, other ingredients, logistical services and packaging. Here are some of our current and past programs:

Prohibited Species Bycatch Program
Since 1994, SeaShare has been the only organization authorized to receive donations of salmon and halibut caught as "bycatch" (incidental catches of non-targeted species) in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. SeaShare founder Tuck Donnelly worked with the National Marine Fisheries Service and key fishing companies to reclaim this valuable source of nutrition that was previously being discarded. Fishing boats and processors donate time and effort to retain these fish until they return to port. From there, SeaShare utilizes donated transportation to bring the fish down to Seattle, where it is held by a cold storage partner until it can be re-processed into usable forms for the food bank network.

Wild Alaska Canned Salmon
There isn't a better donation model than our canned salmon project. Every year we work with several companies to produce large volumes of wild Alaska salmon for hunger-relief. This product is particularly valuable to the food bank network because it does not need refrigeration, has a long shelf life, and provides exceptional nutritional benefits. The donors who collaborate on this project include: Alaska fishermen, processors, can suppliers, freight companies, label suppliers, labeling & inspection companies, local warehouses, and financial supporters.

Southeast Alaska Salmon Patties
SeaShare worked with Ocean Beauty Seafoods and Kraft Foods to purchase a large mincer that processes meat from late-season salmon, which is then shaped into patties. We utilize a simple recipe to minimize the ingredients we need to add, and to maximize the nutritional value of the patties. Over the last five years, this partnership has generated over 2 million pounds of salmon patties for hunger relief. We are still benefiting from the mincer that was purchased for this program.

At-Sea Processors Association "Community Catch" Program
Seven fishing companies and two seafood processors combine to donate approximately 500,000 pounds of frozen, breaded seafood portions every year. Beginning in 2000, the At-Sea Processors Association (APA) committed to support hunger-relief, and every year since then they've donated frozen whitefish blocks to SeaShare. We have two processing partners, one on the west coast and one on the east coast, who donate line-time, ingredients, and packaging to turn those blocks into finished, retail-type products. That's over 3 million pounds!

Dented and Lightweight Can Donations
SeaShare's ongoing "gleaning" program with two of the largest canned warehouses results in a consistent volume of canned seafood. Throughout the year, we coordinate the distribution of truckload quantities for the food bank network, as well as smaller donations for our local partner, Food Lifeline.

Regional Seafood Resource Development in New England
SeaShare worked with the Greater Boston Food Bank and Kraft Foods to develop an online donation program through Preferred Cold Storage in Boston. Seafood distributors can donate odd lots held at Preferred with the click of a button. They are moved into the food bank’s account, consolidated, and shipped out on a regular basis. SeaShare and Feeding America hope to duplicate this successful model in other major areas.

Aquaculture for Hunger-Relief
Starting in 2006, SeaShare and Feeding America have successfully developed and expanded a catfish program that includes catfish farmers, processors, a breading supplier, and financial donors. Catfish are the most popular finfish farmed in the United States and this product is particularly enjoyed throughout the southern portion of the United States. SeaShare and Feeding America, working with two catfish processors, supplied 645,000 pounds of catfish nuggets to the network in 2007.