Here at Strategic Earth, we always get a little extra excited to travel cross-country. And the excitement is elevated even further when the cross-country trip leads to an opportunity to collaborate with a group of highly motivated, inspirational individuals working to reconnect consumers with local seafood and change the face of the seafood industry.
Battling flight delays, snowstorms, and the onset of a cold, I made my way – together with our incredible colleague Marc Purchin, President of Purchin Consulting – to Norfolk, Virginia. It was upon entering the beautifully restored Slover Library where we were greeted by over 100 community leaders and representatives who gathered for the 2016 Local Seafood Summit. Over the course of the three-day summit, participants were immersed in a range of thoughtfully curated topics. Sessions ranged from strategic planning (the session that Marc and I facilitated) and business development, to designing a framework to certify community supported fisheries and addressing the realities of consumer values and demands.
This summit illustrated the power of community, and reaffirmed the value of building stronger connections with people who share a similar vision for supporting social, ecological, and economic sustainability by way of local and direct seafood marketing. It was an honor to be alongside fishermen, fishmongers, nonprofits, and others who are all committed to maintaining the integrity of a more secure, responsible fishing future – one that is founded in fishermen’s knowledge and local expertise. #knowyourfishermen
For more information, including photos of the summit: http://www.localcatch.org/local-seafood-summit-2016
-ks