WE ARE HERE WITH A MISSION TO
FEED TOMORROW, TODAY
HOW IT STARTED
WE BEGAN WITH HOPE
Looking back in time, few would have predicted a conversation that began nearly five years ago would build the tenets for Fed by Blue. We were a handful of people, working in different areas of the food space. And we were perplexed by the global divide between farmed vs wild seafood. We saw the imperative for ocean protection, responsible ocean production and equitable human prosperity.
How did we come to this place of the consumptive entitlement of wild ocean resources when we farm everything else in our food system?
Through a relentless search for answers, our mission began in earnest. Thanks to the hard work of researchers, scientists, entrepreneurs, farmers, fishers, and many organizations, we now have options for responsibly sourced blue food and continue to innovate for the future. Expanding responsible fishing and cultivation practices has the potential to protect our waters’ wild resources and even return them to abundance, while providing desperately needed nourishing food options. Today, we have moved past debating farmed versus wild, and we are setting the next conversation about the future of our food systems.
FED BY BLUE
OUR MISSION
The mission of Fed by Blue is to drive awareness and action in supporting a responsible blue food system.
Fed by Blue is working to amplify efforts that are bringing new pathways, new dialogue, new perceptions, and new HOPE. Hope that in the face of what can seem like an insurmountable crisis, we continue striving to restore a bountiful resource that can nourish us in unimaginable ways.
FED BY BLUE
OUR LEADERSHIP
Fed by Blue is a science-based communications initiative established by three veterans in the culinary, marine conservation and strategic communications communities.
JENNIFER BUSHMAN
CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FED BY BLUE
Jennifer Bushman is a sustainable seafood expert, communicator, and strategist who has been championing ethical aquaculture for more than two decades. She has been on a mission to transform the food system, preserve the oceans, nourish the world’s ever-growing population, and offset carbon emissions. With those goals in mind, she launched the Sea Pantry initiative which educates consumers on how to make responsible seafood choices every day. Food leaders such as the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals have recognized Jennifer’s culinary contributions as groundbreaking in terms of palate experience, health benefits, and climate impact. Because Jennifer believes that policy changemaking is as important as what we put on our plates, she sits on the boards of numerous ocean advocacy organizations, among which is Alexandra Cousteau’s Oceans 2050 and the Marine Mammal Center.
Daphné Halley
Program Coordinator, FED BY BLUE
A regenerative food systems advocate, Daphné grew up in Belgium to French parents. She is expanding the reach of the Fed by Blue docuseries “Hope in the Water” and coordinating various campaigns. As an undergraduate at Middlebury College, she published research in Nature and the Journal of Chemical Ecology. She also managed a student-run fine dining restaurant, sparking her interest in food sovereignty, agriculture and aquaculture. Daphné began her climate advocacy career as the Distribution Manager for the award-winning documentary “Common Ground,” a film about regenerative agriculture, which played in thousands of theaters around the world and received the Human/Nature Award at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.
BOARD OF ADVISORS
OUR NAVIGATORS
Imani Black
founder and CEO of Minorities In Aquaculture
Minorities In Aquaculture is a nonprofit that empowers and supports underrepresented demographics in the aquaculture industry by educating coastal communities of traditional watermen legacy while providing training and other career-development opportunities in commercial fisheries. Imani received a master’s degree at University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, researching historical minority engagement in commercial fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay..
KATHERINE BRYAR
co-founder, Fed by blue + Technical expert
From a dairy farming family in Australia to spending decades engaged with farming improvement initiatives and strategic communications, Katherine has worked with eggs, dairy, and seafood across the world. She has led several science-based educational communication campaigns including the multi award-winning Egg Nutrition campaign which dispelled myths around eggs. Katherine has also been involved with the creation and adoption of several responsible farming certification programs and cutting-edge technologies empowering farmers to use better farming practices. She regularly engages in advocacy work sitting on several advisory panels including the United Nations where she bridges the needs of conservationists, governments, and businesses.
Raimundo Espinoza Chirinos
executive director, Conservacion ConCiencia • Impact Advisor
Raimundo Espinoza is the founder and the Executive Director for Conservación ConCiencia. He's been named as one of the 100 most influential Latino's working on climate activism, communications, environmental rights, sustainable policies, and science. With over 20 years of experience in marine conservation, he has closely collaborated with commercial fishers, non-governmental organizations, and governments in the U.S., across the Caribbean and Latin America; his work focuses on creating unique opportunities to further conservation actions that combine sustainable development concepts on the ground and sea that directly benefit local human communities and the environment. Previously, he served as the Nature Conservancy’s founding Cuba program director and was also responsible for successfully establishing the Nature Conservancy’s operation in Puerto Rico. He also served on the US Caribbean Fisheries Management Council’s Puerto Rico District Advisory Panel and previously served for 2 terms on NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, or MAFAC which advises the US Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce. Raimundo continues to serve on NOAA's Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel, and previously served on the Advisory Committee to the US National Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
ALEXANDRA COUSTEAU
Oceans 2050 • Impact Advisor
Alexandra Cousteau is a co-founder of Oceans 2050, a National Geographic “Emerging Explorer”, a filmmaker, and globally recognized advocate on water issues. She furthers her family’s legacy in science, advocacy, and education. Her remarkable storytelling skills inspire audiences on the weighty issues of policy, politics, and action. Alexandra is dedicated to advocating the importance of conservation and sustainable management of water in order to preserve a healthy planet. Her global initiatives seek to inspire and empower individuals to protect not only the ocean and its inhabitants, but also the human communities that rely on freshwater resources.
PAUL DOBBINS
World WildLife Fund • Impact Advisor
Paul Dobbins is the Senior Director of Impact Investing and Ecosystems Services on the World WildLife Fund Aquaculture team. He is identifying companies for impact investment, stakeholder collaboration, and research opportunities that will accelerate the growth of seaweed and shellfish farming. His project, Advancing Aquaculture for Climate Gains, researches the potential market for feed additives for ruminants and the development of seaweed biomass. Before joining WWF, Paul operated shellfish farms and spent a decade leading the development of the USA’s first open ocean commercial kelp farms. He has served on the advisory boards of NOAA SeaGrant, the Aquaculture Research Institute at the University of Maine, the Maine Aquaculture Association, Focus Maine, and the Conservation Law Foundation, and serves as delegate to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
Kate Geagan MS, RD
Co-Founder, Food + Planet • Impact Advisor
Kate is an award-winning dietitian and nutrition pioneer who has helped millions of eaters fall in love with foods that are transformative for people and the planet. She has written the book Go Green Get Lean: Trim Your Waistline with the Ultimate Low-Carbon Footprint Diet (Rodale). Kate serves on the Global Council of Directors of the True Health Initiative, and is a co-founder of Food and Planet, a trail blazing nonprofit on a mission to equip 1 million health professionals with tools to advance sustainable diets by 2025. She is also a columnist at Clean Eating Magazine, an advisor to New Hope’s Influencer Program, a strategic partner to some of the world’s leading purpose-driven companies (such as Clif Bar) and investment funds (such as Drawdown Fund). Kate has shared her insights on how sustainability is rapidly reshaping the future of food with executive, investor, health professional, and consumer audiences worldwide. She has given over 1,500 media interviews, including over 2 dozen appearances on the Emmy award- winning Dr. Oz Show.
Lynn Hirshfield
Media executive, author and impact solutions creative partnershiP | CONTENT Advisor
Lynn Hirshfield is considered to be one of the most influential impact solution experts in the content creation world. Formerly Participant Media’s Head of Strategic Alliances and Publishing. She joined Participant Media in September 2005 and is responsible for leading strategic partnerships for the company. Lynn also launched Participant’s publishing division to complement the company’s films and social action campaigns. She has since published 10 books with PublicAffairs/Hachette, two of which hit number one on "The New York Times" bestseller list and is the author of "Girls Gone Green" and two more books for younger readers, the "Sassafras" series for Penguin Books. She has worked as a development executive for productions garnering a number of awards, including four Emmys, a Peabody Award and two Television Critics Awards -- among them the PBS series “Wishbone.” She belongs to many important boards. In addition to Fed by Blue, she is on the board of the Barbara Bush Foundation focusing on literacy advancement for all and the Lexicon of Sustainability.
Jill Kauffman Johnson
co-founder, fed by blue + Marine Conservation Advocate
For decades, Jill has been involved in the environmental movement ranging from roles in the NGO, private, and public sectors. She was the Founding Pacific Coast Director of the Ocean Conservancy and Managing Director at CEA Consulting, a leading firm working at the intersection of policy, philanthropy, and the private sector to address some of today’s most serious environmental challenges. Jill led sustainability and policy efforts for a leading algae producer and is the past President of the Algae Biomass Organization. She has been a featured speaker at TedX and dozens of international environmental, business, and scientific conferences, and interviewed extensively for major media outlets.
ROBERT JONES
THE Nature Conservancy • Impact Advisor
Robert Jones is the Global Lead for The Nature Conservancy’s Aquaculture Program. The program consists of active projects in seven countries designed to ensure aquaculture operates in harmony with nature and provides benefits to people. Robert led the development of “Towards A Blue Revolution: Catalyzing Investment into Sustainable Aquaculture Production Systems,” a first of its kind co-authored report with Encourage Capital that provides guidance for impact investing in the aquaculture sector. Robert’s work with TNC has been featured by organizations including Harvard Business School and the World Economic Forum. Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy in February 2016, Robert served as the Program Coordinator for the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture. Previously, Robert served as Foreign Affairs Officer with the U.S. Department of State focusing on international fisheries agreements.
Mark Kaplan
Envisible/Whole Chain • DIGITAL AND IMPACT Advisor
Mark is a globally recognized sustainability leader in consumer goods and telecommunications. Mark is a Founder and Partner in Envisible, a sustainable food sourcing company and creator of the Wholechain traceability system. Mark is also a Non-Resident Fellow with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs on Food & Agriculture. Previously, Mark has been the Global VP of Sustainable Solutions for Unilever, responsible for digital solutions and partnerships that accelerate impact on Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan. Mark has been also the CEO of Tone Mobile LLC., leading the mFish Initiative with the U.S. State Department, Government of Indonesia and GSMA. mFish was a mobile service for small-scale fishers. mFish won the 2016 D&AD, Hollywood A-List Bronze for Most Innovative Use of Mobile Technology in the World. mFish was also shortlisted for OneShow and Cannes Lions Awards in Mobile.
Dune Lankard
Nature Conservancy
An Eyak Athabaskan Native of the Eagle Clan, Dune grew up in Cordova, in south central Alaska. Born into a fishing family, his life education as a subsistence and commercial fisherman began at age five. He later earned a living as a fishery and processing consultant and commercial fisher in the Copper River Delta and Prince William Sound. He has founded and co-founded several key organizations, including the Eyak Preservation Council (EPC), the FIRE Fund (Fund for Indigenous Rights and the Environment); the RED OIL Network (Resisting Environmental Degradation of Indigenous Lands), and the Native Conservancy (NC).
Jim Leape
Blue Food Assessment • Impact Advisor
Jim Leape is the William and Eva Price Senior Fellow in the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, and co-director of the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions. Through research, writing and direct engagement with private and public sector leaders, Jim looks at how to drive large-scale systemic shifts to sustainability. Jim has worked in conservation for more than four decades. From 2005 to 2014, he served as Director General of WWF International and leader of the global WWF Network, one of the world’s largest conservation organizations. Previously, he worked at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; WWF-US in Washington, D.C.; and the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya. Jim serves on several boards; from 2007 to 2017, he was a member of the China Council for International Cooperation in Environment and Development, which advises the Premier of China.
STEVE MCKENNA
WavyHello • IMPACT Advisor
With two decades of experience as a business and product consultant, Steve has adeptly guided leaders and teams in overcoming substantial challenges and surmounting significant obstacles.
His track record includes collaborations with prominent and innovative brands, where he spearheaded successful product ideas, provided leadership training in innovation, and offered strategic product guidance to businesses. Through these endeavors, Steve has cultivated a conviction: mission-driven entities and brands that integrate passionate individuals with robust business systems are best poised to effect positive global change. His aspiration is to leverage his expertise in support of these endeavors.
Although Steve is rooted in the UK, his professional footprint spans numerous European and American businesses throughout the year. A fervent problem-solver, adept solution architect, team facilitator, and committed lifelong learner, Steve consistently thrives in the realm of challenges and solutions.
AMY NOVOGRATZ
Aqua-Spark • Impact Advisor
Amy Novogratz is co-founder and managing partner at Aqua-Spark, an innovative investment fund focused on sustainable aquaculture and ocean technologies. Amy previously served as director of the TED Conference’s annual TED Prize for almost a decade, leading more than twenty global collaborations across a broad spectrum of sectors, including healthcare, education, science, technology, conservation, art, and activism. Her list of notable projects include: Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, JR’s Inside Out Project, and Bono’s One.org among others. Prior to TED, Amy spent the early part of her career in Washington, DC, where she helped start the Social Policy Action Network. She also helped develop and produce a global media project.
JULIA ORMOND
Actress, Advocate, and founder of Asset • Impact Advisor
Founder and president of the Alliance to Stop Slavery and End Trafficking, the actress Julia Ormond has been a human rights advocate for decades and a passionate voice against forced labor and for transparency in supply chains. She has been honored by CAST and IJM for her work, and has received many awards - the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Charles Wang award, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s Human Rights leadership Award, the World Economic Forum’s “Crystal Award” and Women for Women International’s “Peace Award.” In 2005, Julia became the first Goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) against trafficking and slavery, and traveled the world extensively to understand the issues, solutions, and challenges.
Maddie Southard
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, Environmental Defense Fund • IMPACT Advisor
Maddie serves as Communications Director for the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Resilient Fisheries and Oceans Program. She leads an integrated advocacy campaign focused on supporting policies that provide healthy and sustainable seafood for all Americans. Before joining EDF, Maddie produced a diverse set of communications at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program. She previously led communications for the Florida Wildlife Corridor, an organization advocating for a statewide network of lands and waters that supports wildlife protection. She holds a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of South Florida.
Bart Van Olphen
SEA TALES & fish tales • DIGITAL AND IMPACT Advisor
After years in the restaurant business in France and the Netherlands, Bart learned that every fish had a story. He switched focus from kitchen prep to food procurement and opened Europe’s first sustainable fishmonger and deli in Amsterdam. He personally traveled to countless fisheries worldwide as he is committed to prioritizing the ocean’s health and survival. He lives, fishes, and cooks together with some of the world’s most amazing fishing communities with the target of offering a communication platform. Three years ago, Bart founded the Fish Tales brand in Europe. Fish Tales cooperates with sustainable and secluded fishing communities around the world to offer consumers fish that is certified and fully transparent, from catch to kitchen.
juli-anne russo
founder - caribean world aquaculture society
Dr. Russo is an advocate for the growth of aquaculture and more specifically mariculture in the Caribbean. She has been a consultant for several NGOs such as FAO, EcoLtd, IDB, USAID and Compete Caribbean. Dr. Russo is the founder of the Caribbean Aquaculture Education and Innovation Hub, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit under which are the umbrella organizations for Women in Caribbean Aquaculture, the Caribbean Aquaculture Network and Youth in Caribbean Aquaculture. In 2024 Juli-Anne became a Director of the Latin American and Caribbean Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society.
Brett Veerhusen
OCEAN STRATEGIES • IMPACT Advisor
Brett Veerhusen is lifelong Alaskan commercial fisherman, policy expert, strategist, and communicator. He founded Ocean Strategies in 2017 and built the nation’s go-to public affairs firm focused on seafood, fisheries, and marine resources. Brett has pioneered some of the most influential seafood and fisheries initiatives of the past decade. He helped obtain unprecedented action to protect Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble Mine in both the Obama and Trump Administrations. Previously, he served as the founding Executive Director of the Seafood Harvesters of America in Washington, D.C. Brett has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes and The Hill and regularly speaks at major events. He holds a Masters of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington and Bachelor Degrees in Business and Spanish from the University of Puget Sound.
Fed by Blue is informed by the extensive research of The Blue Food Assessment, which was a joint initiative of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, the Center for Ocean Solutions and Center on Food Security and the Environment at Stanford University, and EAT involving over 100 scientists from more than 25 institutions around the world.
Partners Include:
