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The Seafood Industry Climate Awards

Empowering seafood industry leaders to turn the tide against climate change—and chart a course towards a low-carbon future. 

Enter your solution for reducing the seafood industry’s carbon footprint.

Apply Now

Application opens

September 25th, 2024

Entries accepted through

November 20, 2024

alaskan salmon fisherperson

The Seafood Industry Climate Awards (SICA) celebrate early stage efforts to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. 

Significant progress has been made in the seafood industry to address sustainability issues. Yet, climate adaptation is a relatively new focus area that is demanding immediate action. 

We believe that if innovators, from applied researchers to product developers to entrepreneurs, have increased attention and resources, they can help turn the tide and transform the seafood industry into a leader in the climate movement. This coming year, three recipients will each receive a $70,000 grant, including a new dedicated TD Bank Award for one recipient whose project is focused on the low carbon transition through workforce development and operating between Maine and Florida.

Click here to see the application for more details. Questions can be directed to climateaward@acmesmokedfishfoundation.org

3 winners

$70,000 Per Award

Featured in Media & At Industry Events

Entries Address one or More Industry Areas

  • On the Water
  • Shipping & Logistics
  • Processing & Manufacturing
  • Energy Usage
  • Waste Management
  • Alternative Proteins
  • Workforce Development

Our SICA Judges

Our SICA recipients are selected by the leading minds in the seafood industry.  

smoked salmon charity judge

Amanda Foster

Corporate Citizenship Manager - TD Bank Foundation

Acme Smoked Fish

Kenneth Halanych

Executive Director - Center for Marine Science at UNCW

smoked salmon charity judge

Bri Warner

Chief Executive Officer - Atlantic Sea Farms

smoked salmon charity judge

Stacy Schultz

Director Marketing and Sustainability Coordinator - Fortune Fish and Gourmet, Board Member of SeaPact Foundation

smoked salmon charity judge

Cari McCall

Sr Strategic Sourcing Specialist - Walt Disney Parks & Resorts

smoked salmon charity judge

Sid Shafin

Plant Engineer - Acme Smoked Fish

smoked salmon charity judge

Rob Snyder

Chief People and Sustainability Officer - Acme Smoked Fish, Acme Smoked Fish Foundation

Criteria

Winning applications must meet and will be evaluated on the following requirements:

Impact

Ability, current or potential, to reduce the carbon footprint of discrete aspects of the seafood industry.

50% of Total Score

Application Question: How would the proposed work reduce the carbon footprint of the seafood sector?

Plan

Clear and realistic approach to achieve application goals including leverage of the award.

25% of Total Score

Application Question: What is the plan for implementation with a focus on 12 months from receiving award?

Diversity

Applying team and/or program improves seafood industry diversity (women, people of color, and marginalized communities).

25% of Total Score

Application Question: How is the team and/or work improving the diversity of the seafood sector?

Selection Process

Awardees will be reviewed and selected by judges representing a broad set of perspectives from across the seafood industry. Judges will evaluate entries based on the criteria, each with equal weighting. Judges may contact applicants for clarification or additional information. Evaluation will begin once the application period has closed and winners will be announced in January 2024.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be formally affiliated with and applying through a legally registered entity that can receive unrestricted grant funding.
  • Be registered and located in the United States or Canada.
  • Meet all submission deadlines, including submitting a completed application form by the required deadline.
  • Ability to fulfill all grant requirements including a minimum of a midterm and final update. 
  • Past Seafood Industry Climate Award winners are not eligible to apply.
  • Agree to all legal terms and conditions of the award.

The Acme Smoked Fish Foundation does not fund the following:

  • Lobbying and activities to influence specific legislation
  • Religious organizations
  • Individuals unaffiliated with a legal entity

Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of good entries?

We encourage applications from a wide range of efforts. These can be from any of the following categories:

  • On the water 
  • Shipping & Logistics
  • Processing & Manufacturing
  • Energy Usage
  • Waste Management
  • Alternative Proteins
  • Workforce Development

Entries can range from researchers diving into the impacts of seafood shipping, nonprofit programs dedicated to improving fishing practices, startups developing alternative proteins and more. Entries can be from the seafood industry or compelling applications from other fields. The opportunity and need for innovative solutions is wide, and we want to find the most impactful ideas and teams, wherever they may come from. 

What is the application deadline?

Applications for the U.S. and Canada are being accepted until November 20, 2024 at 5pm EDT. 

When will winners be announced?

All applicants, including winners, will be notified by January, 2024. 

What do winners receive?

Three winners will be selected from the pool of U.S. and Canadian applicants. Each winner will receive a $70,000 grant to be used for the plan outlined in their application. They will also receive recognition in industry press and will be given the opportunity to showcase their work at seafood industry events. 

What makes a good application?

Successful applications have the following:

  • Meet eligibility requirements
  • Complete all required information
  • Address the three criteria– impact, plan and diversity–in their application
  • Clearly articulate how they can continue to reduce the carbon footprint of the seafood industry

Who can I talk to with questions or to get help?

Send an email with any questions to climateaward@acmesmokedfishfoundation.org. 

2024 North American SICA Recipients

Council of Great Lakes Governors, Inc.

The 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative, led by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers (GSGP), addresses climate change challenges in the freshwater fishing industry by valorizing fish by-products and diverting waste from landfills for high value purposes. This process not only reduces methane and carbon emissions, but also captures the maximum value of the fishery and creates a circular economy. The initiative aims to productively utilize 100% of each fish in collaboration with key stakeholders, including indigenous and commercial fishers, processors, researchers, and global industry leaders.

Learn More

Oceans 97, LLC

Oceans 97’s vision for zero waste seafood processing involves developing a curriculum and training program for smoked fish, chitin, and mussel powder production in Carteret County, North Carolina. This research effort will support a formal program in zero waste seafood processing and aims to employ women, people of color, and marginalized communities. The curriculum will be developed and operated in partnership with Carteret County Community College.

Learn More

Gulf of Maine Research Institute

The Aquaculture Apprenticeship Program is a comprehensive, hands-on training initiative designed to build a skilled, sustainable workforce for Maine’s growing aquaculture sector. Managed by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) in partnership with the Maine Aquaculture Association and Southern Maine Community College, the program combines technical education with practical farm experience and prepares apprentices for successful careers in the low-carbon aquaculture industry.

Learn More

2023 Chilean SICA Recipients

Addressing the climate crisis requires a global approach. Through the Chilean awards program, Acme acknowledges that sustainable action and seafood-industry innovation know no borders. 

smoked salmon charity chile

Dryer Chile

Dryer Chile is a company from the Los Lagos Region that seeks to solve the problem of waste in the mussel farming industry. Specifically, mussel meat that is discarded withoutbeing marketed ends up in landfills and translates to an economic cost for the industry and for the environment, through the generation of carbon emissions by the transfer and disposal of organic matter. The aim of this project is to create a more circular economy by upcycling this organic waste and generating a dehydrated “mussel flour” with high nutritional value that can be sold for various uses.

Learn More
smoked salmon charity chile

Biokeikruk

The startup Biokeikruk, from the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region, aims to address the serious problem of plastic pollution in the oceans, incorporating the fungi kingdom to the seafood industry through the design and installation of biodegradable buoys in cultivation centers and other facilities. The jury pointed out the emerging nature of this project, opening the field of applied research of fungi in the substitution of plastics used in various operations, opening an avenue of relevant innovation.

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Our SICA Partners

acme smoked fish

builder's initiative

td bank

acme smoked fish foundation

Support for SICA

acme smoked fish philanthropy

Support for SICA

The Seafood Industry Climate Award is made possible by a fleet of intrepid thinkers, philanthropists, and corporate leaders. Beyond Acme Smoked Fish Corp., SICA’s sponsors include The Builder's Initiative, TD Bank, Northside Packaging, Feature Foods International, Buckhead Capital Corp., Eastern Quality Foods, Rampart Insurance Services, Margolin Winer & Evens, LLP, Cole Scholtz P.C., and Marc Brownstein.

Partner with Us

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