Chefs for Fish | The Portland Pact for Sustainable Seafood

As part of a national gathering in Portland, Oregon, I joined a group of leading chefs and fisheries policy experts to help draft the Portland Pact—a chef-led platform focused on advancing sustainable seafood and science-based fisheries management. The initiative was developed in partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, whose mission and work around ocean conservation and responsible sourcing have long been aligned with my values as a chef and advocate.

The Portland Pact reflects a growing movement of chefs stepping into leadership roles far beyond the kitchen—pushing for federal policies that ensure healthy oceans, resilient coastal communities, and traceable seafood supply chains. We know firsthand how climate change and mismanagement threaten our food systems, and we believe that chefs should help shape the future of seafood.

This platform calls for:

• Transparent, science-based fisheries policies

• Strong support for sustainably managed wild stocks

• Investment in responsible aquaculture innovation

• Protection of marine ecosystems and biodiversity

• Equity and access across the seafood value chain

By standing together as chefs—united in purpose and armed with the tools of storytelling, sourcing, and service—we are sending a clear message: we must protect what feeds us.

The Portland Pact isn’t just a document. It’s a signal to legislators, producers, and consumers alike that the culinary world is ready to lead on ocean health, sustainability, and seafood justice.