SeaBOS

What SeaBOS does

SeaBOS (Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship) is a science-business collaboration initiative founded in 2016, organized as a membership-based coalition of six of the world's largest seafood companies—Maruha Nichiro, Nissui, Dongwon Industries, Nutreco (Skretting), Cargill Animal Nutrition, and Cermaq (Mitsubishi). These member companies collectively represent over 10% of global seafood production and operate through 465+ subsidiaries across more than 30 countries spanning Asia, Europe, and North America. The initiative is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden through a Fundraising Foundation, with a small secretariat of 1-10 staff led by Managing Director Martin Exel and Science Director Henrik Österblom of Stockholm University.

The initiative operates through five industry-led task forces (IUU fishing and modern slavery, biodiversity and ecosystems, antimicrobial resistance, climate resilience, and ocean plastics) and two keystone projects (AMR in Thailand and West Coast Africa). It has produced 42 scientific publications in partnership with the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Beijer Institute, Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, University of Tokyo, and other academic institutions. Notable technical outputs include a Tool Kit for IUU Fishing and Modern Slavery, a TNFD-aligned Biodiversity Disclosure Framework, and a Proof of Concept Electronic Monitoring System using facial recognition and blockchain for vessel catch verification. Annual Keystone Dialogues serve as the primary CEO-level engagement mechanism.

SeaBOS is funded through member company contributions and grants from the Walton Family Foundation, David & Lucile Packard Foundation, and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Revenue mechanics are membership-based with no publicly disclosed pricing. As of 2026, SeaBOS announced it is phasing down its current structure to adopt a new model, while member companies have demonstrated measurable impact including an 11.8% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions since 2022, a 5.8% reduction in antibiotic use, and over 700 tonnes of first-use plastic reduction.

Name

SeaBOS

Legal name

Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship

Website

https://seabos.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SeaBOS is a Stockholm-based science-business collaboration initiative uniting six of the world's largest seafood companies—representing over 10% of global production—with leading academic institutions to drive sustainable seafood production through five task forces and measurable industry commitments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oceans, Coastal & Marine Resource Management (BPADALAI), Aquaculture Health, Biosecurity & Veterinary Services (AFAEAAAK)

Keywords

• Sustainable seafood production
• Ocean stewardship initiatives
• Industry science collaboration
• Marine biodiversity conservation
• Seafood supply chain transparency

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Member Company Contributions: The secretariat is fully funded by contributions from the member companies. The SeaBOS Fundraising Foundation receives financial contributions from SeaBOS Association members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SeaBOS is a science-business collaboration initiative that convenes six of the world's largest seafood companies with leading scientists to drive sustainable seafood production and ocean stewardship. It delivers this through five industry-led Task Forces, two location-specific Keystone Projects, annual CEO-level Keystone Dialogues, and published Impact Reports. The initiative is not a product vendor but a membership-funded collaboration platform providing frameworks, research, and collective action frameworks for IUU fishing, biodiversity, antimicrobial resistance, climate, and plastics.

Product overview

SeaBOS (Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship) is a science-business collaboration initiative—not a traditional software product—organized as a coalition of six major seafood companies representing over 10% of global seafood production. The initiative operates through five thematic Task Forces (addressing IUU fishing/modern slavery, biodiversity, antimicrobial resistance, climate resilience, and ocean plastics), two Keystone Projects (AMR and West Coast Africa), annual Keystone Dialogues, and published Impact/Progress Reports. These components work together to drive collective action toward sustainable seafood production and ocean health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered secondary, minor and core.

• International Sustainable Seafood Foundation (ISSF)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaborative development of emissions reduction project planned for initiation in 2026.
• Aspen InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner in collaborative development of emissions reduction project planned for 2026.
• Centre for Development and Environment, University of BernsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Switzerland's centre of excellence for sustainable development. Conducts research and teaching for a more sustainable world aligned with UN's 2030 Agenda.
• EDHEC Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Business school contributing to transformation through education in fast-changing fields like sustainable finance and entrepreneurship.
• University of Tokyo - Graduate School of Agricultural and Life SciencessecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Japan's highest-ranking university. Contributes researchers and students engaged in research on ecosystems and human-nature interactions at various scales.
• CRC SAAFE (Cooperative Research Centre on Solving Antimicrobial Resistance)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023International Centre of Excellence based in Australia providing methodology and testing expertise for AMR Keystone Project. Leads on AMR genetic analytic methodologies and systems understanding.
• Chulalongkorn UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023University in Bangkok providing local sampling and testing oversight for AMR Keystone Project in Thailand. Focuses on building local capacity and capabilities.
• Partner AfricasecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Organization providing on-ground engagement facilitation for West Coast Africa Keystone Project, including capacity-building training on business and human rights, stakeholder workshops, and stakeholder engagement plan development.
• UN Global Compact and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Joint development of guide for setting science-based climate targets in the seafood sector to encourage climate action across the industry.
• Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Framework provider for biodiversity disclosure work. SeaBOS uses TNFD guidance to help companies identify and disclose material biodiversity issues.
• High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean EconomyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021SeaBOS collaboration established including with this intergovernmental body.
• Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration established for addressing abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear.
• Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Platform through which SeaBOS companies make their marine products portfolio publicly available for transparency and accountability.
• Global Dialogue on Seafood Transparency (GDST)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Industry initiative SeaBOS companies engage with to implement traceability solutions. Four companies have been engaging with GDST.
• UN Global Compact (UNGC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020SeaBOS collaborates with UNGC through Ocean Stewardship Coalition for climate action and sustainability initiatives.
• Seafood Ethics Action Alliance (SEA Alliance)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Collaborative partner on responsible recruitment project in global tuna processing operations.
• British Retail ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in collaborative project on responsible recruitment of labour in global tuna processing operations.
• Food Network for Ethical TrademinorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in collaborative project on responsible recruitment of labour in global tuna processing operations.
• Global Tuna AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in collaborative project on responsible recruitment of labour in global tuna processing operations.
• Pentland Centre for Sustainability in BusinesssecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Research centre at Lancaster University delivering research on sustainability in business. Supports mainstreaming social and environmental sustainability into business strategy.
• Stanford Center for Ocean SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Stanford University's centre that catalyzes research, innovation and action to improve ocean health. Leads science team for West Coast Africa Keystone Project and Task Force I.
• Global Economic Dynamics and the Biosphere (GEDB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Research programme at Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences funded by Erling-Persson Family Foundation. Conducts interdisciplinary research on economic dynamics of global change in a biosphere context.
• Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012International research centre on resilience and sustainability science at Stockholm University. Joint initiative with Beijer Institute. Provides scientific leadership and co-produces knowledge with SeaBOS member companies. Science Director Henrik Österblom leads SRC involvement.
• Beijer Institute of Ecological EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012International research institute for global sustainability under the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Contributes interdisciplinary research at the interface of ecology, economics and related disciplines for sustainability.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI): Multi-stakeholder coalition benchmarking seafood certification schemes, directly comparable to SeaBOS as an industry-wide sustainability collaboration targeting the same seafood value chain and membership-based governance model.
• Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP): NGO engaging seafood companies and supply chains on sustainable sourcing and fishery improvement projects, comparable to SeaBOS as a science-based coalition addressing IUU fishing and supply-chain transparency.
• Global Tuna Alliance: Coalition addressing IUU fishing and modern slavery in tuna supply chains — directly overlapping SeaBOS Task Force I and the West Coast Africa keystone project focus on small pelagics and tuna.
• Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC): Operates aquaculture certification and standards with member company engagement across the farmed seafood value chain, directly comparable to SeaBOS's aquaculture-related Task Forces (AMR, biodiversity).
• Global Dialogue on Seafood Transparency (GDST): Industry-led initiative for seafood traceability and data interoperability, with overlapping SeaBOS membership; directly comparable as a seafood transparency coalition targeting shared enterprise customers.
• Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP): Platform for seafood companies to publicly disclose their marine product portfolios; overlaps with SeaBOS transparency efforts (four SeaBOS members use ODP) and serves the same enterprise audience.

Emerging players

• Friend of the Sea: Certification scheme for sustainable seafood and aquaculture, comparable to SeaBOS in targeting seafood sustainability standards but operating as a third-party certifier rather than a member coalition.
• UN Global Compact Ocean Stewardship Coalition: Cross-industry coalition for ocean sustainability co-led with WWF; SeaBOS collaborates through this platform, making it a peer coalition addressing overlapping corporate ocean commitments and climate action.

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Seafood Programs: Largest environmental NGO with major seafood sustainability and aquaculture programs; comparable mission space, broader portfolio, and serves as science/policy partner for many of SeaBOS's members.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): Global standards body for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability. Comparable as a seafood sustainability governance organization with science-based standards and member-company engagement, but larger and certification-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seabos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SeaBOS