In a landmark collaboration aimed at growing the per capita consumption of sustainable shrimp, the Global Shrimp Council (GSC) has been officially established with essential backing from the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and the initial support of more than 20 companies committed to joining GSC as founding members. This includes producers from India (7), Ecuador (6), Indonesia (2), Guatemala (1), Mexico (1), Honduras (1), Saudi Arabia (1), Sri Lanka (1) and Venezuela (1).

The NFI, a leading voice in the seafood industry, has pledged its support to the GSC, recognizing the importance of a partnership to promote responsible shrimp farming and trade practices.

The Global Shrimp Council aims to educate and inspire American consumers. It aims to increase consumption by reminding consumers, through targeted marketing communications and in-store promotions, about the benefits of adding shrimp to their daily diet. The campaign will showcase the health benefits and incredible versatility of shrimp.

Emphasizing the importance of responsible seafood choices, the campaign will educate consumers about sustainable wild and farmed shrimp and its impact on the environment. By choosing responsibly sourced shrimp, consumers promote sustainability.

“The creation of the Global Shrimp Council marks a significant milestone in the journey of a sustainable and responsible shrimp industry. By bringing together key players and leveraging the support of the National Fisheries Institute, we are confident in our ability to harmonize the interests of participants in this significant industry through a systemic vision. One of these interests is to introduce the global consumer to the benefits of consuming the finest sustainably produced protein sources, such as shrimp,” said David Castro, CEO at Manta Bay, a Mexico-based seafood trading company, and one of the initiators for the meeting.

“This announcement comes after a previous meeting held at the Global Shrimp Forum in Utrecht, Netherlands, where producers from several countries including Ecuador, Mexico, India, Vietnam and Indonesia agreed on the need to establish a global body to promote shrimp consumption across international markets. I want to thank the more than 20 participants at the meeting who pledged immediate support to kick off this initiative supporting the idea we presented along with David Castro, to create the Global Shrimp Council (GSC) under the umbrella of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) in the US,” said Gabriel Luna, GSC founding member.

Sandro Coglitore, a prominent figure and advocate within the shrimp sector, extended his congratulations to David and Gabriel on the establishment of the GSC recognizing the critical role that such a council will play in growing shrimp popularity and consumption worldwide. Mr. Coglitore also extended an invitation to more exporters and seafood organizations to join hands with the GSC emphasizing the importance of collective action, not only to support shrimp promotion but also to deal with issues such as anti-dumping and other industry challenges.