Join us! Make the commitment to “Feed Sustainable!”
By ‘walking the walk’ and leading by example we can increase consumer awareness and demand for sustainable seafood and accelerate market change toward shark-friendly alternatives.
The SAFE Sharks and Rays Sustainable Feed Working Group is poised to position AZA institutions as champions of sustainable seafood. We have an opportunity to place sharks and rays within the wider narrative on sustainable fisheries and to engage partners by taking collective action on sourcing policies in both animal feed and catering operations.
Along with the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP), SAFE Shark and Ray partner organizations, seafood vendors and participants from the AZA Nutrition Advisory Group (AZANAG) we completed a one-year pilot Business Commitment to “Feed Sustainable Seafood.” This commitment helped the project by auditing our purchasing practices to only sustainably rated feed and/or alternatives for the animals in our care. The pilot wrapped up in December 2025 with the Work Group’s recommendation to open up the commitment more broadly to all ACP members and AZA SAFE Shark and Ray partners to join in order to strengthen our collective impact and ensure that diverse perspectives are represented.
By welcoming additional ACP and SAFE Shark and Ray member zoos and aquariums to make this commitment, we aim to broaden member input, foster collaboration across a wider community, and create a more unified voice in advancing sustainable feed practices. This expansion will allow us to share knowledge, address challenges collectively, and develop solutions that reflect the needs and experiences of a larger network, ultimately supporting the long-term success of sustainable seafood sourcing within the AZA community.
Our Communications Toolkit and Guidance Documents are available to help participating institutions communicate this effort and survey findings to their audiences, in person and online. Download the Sourcing Sustainable Seafood Feed for Animals in Our Care Guidance Document below.
Sustainable Feed Pilot Organizations
We would like to take this opportunity to thank and highlight the eleven ACP/SAFE partners that have pledged the business commitment in year 1, working towards the goal to “Feed Sustainable” seafood to the animals in their care. What they have learned and experienced the past year has provided a foundation for how we can all be successful in the future.
Those organizations include: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium, Shedd Aquarium, New York Aquarium/WCS, Audubon Aquarium of the America’s. Vancouver Aquarium, Aquarium of the Pacific, New England Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium and North Carolina Aquariums on Roanoke Island and Pine Knoll Shores.