SeaBOS, which stands for Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship, is an initiative for promoting the preservation of the marine environment and marine resources and the sustainable use of resources advocated at the "Keystone Dialogue," a conference hosted by the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University (Sweden) in November 2016. SeaBOS is distinctive for its activities based on collaboration among eight of the largest seafood companies in the world while receiving support in scientific aspects as well. In December 2016, Nissui became a signatory to and joined SeaBOS, and at the Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Symposium held in 2017, Nissui expressed its support for the thinking behind SeaBOS and declared its commitment to promoting initiatives for SeaBOS as part of its promoting activities of sustainability.
Efforts are being made to resolve issues in pursuit of a sustainable marine business, together with leading companies in the seafood industry and scientists worldwide.

Participation in External Initiatives​

Connecting Science and Business

One of the major features of SeaBOS is the collaboration by scientists and the major companies of the seafood industry to work toward sustainability with a scientific basis. For example, the companies which form the membership of SeaBOS are selected based on the traditional concept of “Keystone species” in ecological research. “Keystone species” are thought to have a major effect on the ecosystem and serve as the key of each species (The word “keystone” denotes the central stone at the summit of an arch). Based on this concept, SeaBOS believes that the major global seafood companies may become the “Keystone actors” which will have an immense effect on the marine ecosystem and that if these companies assumed leadership in sustainability initiatives, it would have a chain effect on the seafood industry as a whole, and as a result, it would largely improve the management of marine resources and the marine ecosystem.

From SeaBOS materials

Areas Addressed by SeaBOS

SeaBOS has several task forces dedicated, for example, to eliminating IUU fishing and the problem of marine plastics, and engages in various initiatives for the sustainability of marine resources.

From SeaBOS materials

In October 2024, the Ninth SeaBOS Dialogue was held. Discussions were held on each main theme of task forces, including such topics as the elimination of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and forced, bonded and child labor, the reduction of antimicrobials use in aquaculture, the marine plastics problem and the climate change problem, and an agreement was made regarding their respective targets and plans. See below for the main agreements.

SeaBOS KEYSTONE DIALOGUES

The Ninth SeaBOS Dialogue 1

The Ninth SeaBOS Dialogue 2

Within SeaBOS, Task Force V addresses Reducing Plastic Pollution. In this task force, Maruha Nichiro Corporation and Nissui have taken on a leading role. Our efforts to address the plastic problem are based on the understanding that waste generated in urban areas ultimately ends up in the oceans.
With the aim of accelerating, expanding, and publicizing these efforts within SeaBOS to address the plastic problem, three major seafood companies in Japan jointly hold cleanup events on a regular basis. In FY2024, the “2024 Joint coastal cleanup by three major seafood companies” was held on July 27, 2024, at the “Makuhari no hama” at Makuhari Seaside Park, Chiba Prefecture. We will continue our efforts through collaboration at such events in the future.