We believe sustainability is a never-ending journey. Part of that journey leads us to focus our efforts on a sustainably-sourced seafood supply. We are proud of our seafood, and we want our people and our customers to know about it.
From the fresh seafood counter and the Sushi department, to the Wegmans brand products in the freezer case and the canned tuna in the grocery aisle, we partner only with trusted suppliers who meet our high standards and share our value for making a difference. We require them to follow best practices to help protect natural resources. Our merchants personally visit supplier facilities, and rely on codes of practice and third-party audits to implement and verify our rigorous specifications. These steps help us support fishermen, their families, and their communities while offering affordable seafood of the highest quality to our customers.
Working closely with Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) since 2011, we rely on science and data to help us decide how and where to responsibly source all seafood carried at Wegmans. SFP scientists evaluate fisheries around the world and we use their information to understand our company’s impact on the future of seafood sustainability so we can make responsible sourcing decisions.
Our wild-caught seafood suppliers must meet Wegmans' high standards to source seafood that is caught responsibly and helps prevent depletion and/or destruction of natural resources.
Our best practices:
- Meet all regulatory and licensing quotas and record catches accordingly
- Source from fisheries that are certified sustainable or have a Wegmans-approved Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) in place
- Continually work to harvest with minimal impact on the environment
- Gear chosen to reduce bycatch
- Third-party audits of food safety regulations and Wegmans best practices
- All domestic wild fish fall under the National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Sustainable Fisheries quota system
- Support fishing communities and their local economies
- Meet all local work regulations and safety laws
- Fish fully traceable back to source through Trace Register
- No bisulfites or sodium tripolyphosphates used in processing
Some fisheries have no management programs. Wegmans has made a decision to not offer the following species for this reason:
- Black Tip and Por Beagle Shark
- All species of Marlin
- Blue Fin Tuna (unless farm raised)
- Orange Roughy (unless MSC-certified)
- Wild Sturgeon
- Domestic Atlantic Cod and Pacific Cod (bottom trawler caught)
When no management program exists, Wegmans strongly encourages adoption of a program and/or participation in a Fishery Improvement Project and will consider withdrawing product from our stores until one or both of those steps are in place. Additionally, Wegmans will not sell any seafood products sourced directly from the Ross Sea due to unresolved concerns over the fisheries, and Wegmans believes a no-take Marine Reserve would benefit this area.
Learn more information about U.S. Seafood here.
In an effort to offer high-quality seafood that is more affordable, Wegmans turns to the science of aquaculture. We encourage suppliers to adopt farming standards that reduce the negative impacts on local wildlife and ecosystems and minimize or eliminate the use of wild fish in the feed, pesticides, and antibiotics. When appropriate, we work with organizations such as the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) that specialize in understanding the challenges surrounding farm-raised seafood. In September 2009, we began working with Trace Register, a company that recognizes the importance of understanding exactly where food comes from and how it has been raised, caught, harvested, and shipped before it reaches the plate. Currently, 100% of our farm-raised seafood is completely traceable.
Our best practices for farm-raised seafood:
- Third-party audits of food safety regulations and Wegmans best practices
- Support local economies
- Meet all local work regulations and safety laws
- Fish fully traceable back to source through Trace Register
- No added hormones, bisulfites, or sodium tripolyphosphates
Additional best practices for farm-raised salmon:
- Less than 3% escapement with improvement goal of zero escape
- One pound of wild fish used in feed to grow one pound of farmed fish, with goals to improve
- After each harvest, areas under salmon pens are checked for effects from feed/fish waste. As needed, pens are left fallow and new pens are stocked
- Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels at 0.030 parts per million or less (FDA accepts 2 parts per million), measured by test results prior to every harvest
