Sustainable Shrimp Partnership: eight years of raising the bar in the industry

March 2026 marks the eighth anniversary of Ecuador's Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) raising the bar for sustainability in the industry. While in its last two anniversaries, the initiative highlighted "commitment and alliances" in 2024 and "leading by example" in 2025, this year it has decided to place "nutrition and sustainability" at the center of the conversation.

"Talking about healthy proteins also means talking about how they are produced," said Pamela Nath, Director of SSP. "For the past eight years, together with our members, we have demonstrated that it is possible to offer premium-quality shrimp produced under the most rigorous environmental, social, and food safety standards."

"Our goal now is to share this information with those who influence dietary recommendations and show how shrimp can contribute to health, nutrition, and sustainability goals," she continued.

To achieve this, the sustainability initiative that brings together Ecuador's leading shrimp producers has dedicated the month of its eighth anniversary to advancing an agenda that links the nutritional value of shrimp with the sustainability standards under which it is produced, and to promoting a greater understanding of the role of this protein in healthy and responsible food systems.

Focus on the U.S., where shrimp is the most consumed seafood

In addition to the SSP anniversary, March is also National Nutrition Month in the United States, and marks the release of the '2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans', the document that guides the North American country's nutritional recommendations and influences federal food programs, school menus, and institutional purchasing decisions.

In its latest edition, the guidelines significantly increased the recommended intake of protein and placed greater emphasis on high-quality, nutrient-dense sources, including seafood, with at least three servings per week now recommended. The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership highlighted that, in this context, shrimp holds a particularly relevant place as the most consumed seafood in the U.S.

Thus, as part of that agenda, SSP participated in Seafood Expo North America in Boston in the middle of the month, where it held meetings with leaders in the food industry from the fields of academia, nutrition, culinary education, and sustainability. The organization was joined in this effort by Chavanne Hanson, a leader in food choice architecture and nutrition who has led global nutrition and food communication strategies at organizations such as Google and Nestlé.

"Food choices aren't just about nutrition; they are driven by how information is shared and the trust we place in the source," Hanson noted. "While health professionals and academic leaders guide these conversations, industry leaders must provide the substance. With its lean nutritional profile and rigorous production standards, SSP shrimp is a vital part of that evidence-based dialogue," he added.

Building on the work of the past eight years

However, the program launched this month by SPP was not designed solely for this year; rather, it builds on other previous initiatives the organization has undertaken to promote shrimp in the fields of nutrition and science, such as the Shrimp Nutrition Guide.

Launched in 2024 together with Ecuador's National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) and in collaboration with the Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP), the guide is a resource designed for dietitians and healthcare professionals to help them understand the nutritional benefits of shrimp and promote its inclusion in the diet.

The activity undertaken on this eighth anniversary continues to expand the scope of SSP's work beyond production. The organization has not only become one of the leading platforms for pre-competitive collaboration in the seafood sector, but, through a verifiable production model, has demonstrated that it is possible to produce the highest-quality shrimp under the most rigorous environmental and social standards, with zero use of antibiotics, a neutral impact on water, and full traceability.

During this time, the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership has expanded its reach by promoting continuous improvement throughout the value chain. Actions such as the Sustainability Leadership Roundtable, the Scale Up program for small and medium-sized industry actors, and education and awareness platforms such as SustainED, Race to the Top, and the Shrimp Summit have helped drive more responsible practices and bring information closer to retailers, chefs, nutritionists, and other key stakeholders in the shrimp value chain.