MARRIOTT IS LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN WITH SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD POLICY

Blog Entry  by Sarena Ulibarri in Ethical Consumption

February 4, 2011 - 12:59pm

The Marriott International hotel chain is taking their commitment to environmentalism into the kitchen with a new program aimed at bringing more sustainable seafood to guests' plates.  Marriott has partnered with CleanFish Alliance to create the “Future Fish” program, a policy that asks all Marriott hotel restaurants to ensure at least 50% of the seafood it purchases is sustainable.

With more than 3,000 hotel properties around the world, the “Future Fish” policy has the potential to make a big impact on the sustainable seafood industry.  And although the policy only requires half of Marriott's seafood to come from sustainable sources, the intention is to move towards complete sustainability, a shift that will likely take several years.

On a large scale, Marriott is working with aquafarmers and seafood distributors who use sustainable sourcing methods, but the chefs in each individual hotel still have power over which seafood products they order.  Chefs at the Marriott Park Lane Hotel in London, for example, have taken bigger strides toward sustainability, aiming for 100% ethically sourced seafood in this particular location.

Marriott's New Partner 
CleanFish is a California-based company that helps network ocean-friendly aquafarms and fisheries with eco-conscious markets, and Marriott International has chosen CleanFish as their primary source of sustainable seafood.  Officially announced in December 2010, this partnership will help provide sustainable seafood for Marriott hotels around the world, including Renaissance and Ritz-Carlton hotels.  Marriott diners will likely see new CleanFish “brands” on the menu, such as Loch Duart Salmon and Laughing Bird Shrimp.  Overfished species such as Bluefish Tuna and Chilean Striped Bass will no longer be available at Marriott locations, and other controversial seafood will become less available as Marriott moves toward complete seafood sustainability.

Sustainable Seafood on the Menu for Other Hotels?
Marriott is not the first hotel to promote sustainable seafood practices, but it is the largest hotel chain to do so.  Fairmont Hotels, with more than 60 locations around the world, began serving sustainable seafood in 2008, and have planned a special fundraiser in April 2011 to support ocean sustainability.  Chefs at The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia provide only sustainable seafood for their 150,000 annual guests.  And in 2009, Kimpton hotel chain declared its commitment to sustainable seafood by providing only Seafood Watch-approved dishes in its 45 U.S. locations.  There has been much speculation that Marriott's move toward sustainable seafood will influence other big hotel chains to do the same, but so far, none of them have taken the bait.

Photo Credit:  MATAVI@

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