Sustainability
A Way of Life
Wood’s Fisheries has been fishing for over 150 years, and from that time, sustainability and conservation have been a priority. Sustainability practices for shrimp fisheries have been going on since the start of Wood’s commercial harvesting of shrimp; there was just not a formal term put to it.
Many companies from many different industries make eco-statements by calling themselves “green companies” or “pioneers of sustainability,” but what does that really mean? To some, it is just reducing paper usage; to others, it’s protecting the environment; to us, it is protecting our way of life.
Our Efforts
Evaluating Our Practices
Sustainability is much deeper to us; it goes beyond ensuring ample shrimp stock or just protecting the habitat in which they spawn, grow, and live. It goes all the way to the people who are affected by the fishery, directly or indirectly.
When we look at our sustainability practices, we ask these questions:
According to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and NOAA’s FishWatch, the Gulf of America and South Atlantic shrimp populations are abundant and not in danger of being overfished. Read more about shrimp stock and reproduction.
Most shrimp are harvested over barren muddy bottoms. To avoid damage to their nets, fishermen do not trawl in sensitive areas with coral reefs and other known areas of high relief. Read information on the effects of shrimping on habitats.
Bycatch is one main area of concern because of the number of small fin-fish and turtles that are in the same area as the shrimp. Regulation is now in place for all trawl nets to have Bycatch Reduction Devices and Turtle Excluder Devices. Read Woods Fisheries’ response to this area of concern.
The commercial harvest of White Shrimp alone was worth over $200 million. This makes the commercial shrimp fishery in the southeast one of the most economically important fisheries. Wood’s Fisheries is one of the largest private employers in Gulf Counties, with a higher average pay rate for general labor pay rate. Read about our commitment to our boats, employees, vendors, customers, and community.