FishWise Charts its 2030 Course with Strategic Board Appointments
Santa Cruz, CA | Sept. 8, 2025 — FishWise is welcoming five new leaders to its Board of Directors, as it deepens its role as a connector between business, science and sustainability. This marks a pivotal step forward in the organization’s mission to build a more responsible and resilient seafood system.
This strategic expansion comes at a time of growing urgency across the seafood sector, where intersecting challenges of supply chain transparency, human and labor rights demand bold, coordinated action. With decades of combined experience in global trade, sustainability and equity, this board of directors will help sharpen FishWise’s strategy and scale its influence at a critical moment.
“We’re stepping into this next phase of our work with clarity and purpose, and importantly, with deep gratitude for the board members who helped get us here,” said Jenny Barker, Executive Director of FishWise. “Their commitment helped shape our identity as a trusted partner to industry and government to improve global seafood supply chains. Our new board will strengthen that identity with the vision and pragmatism we need to keep building real-world solutions.”
The new members joining FishWise’s board are:
- Eric Buescher, Attorney specializing in environmental litigation strategy
- Nicole Condon, Seafood sustainability leader; Director of CSR & ESG at Oddisea SuperFrozen
- Chris Giordano, Fisheries and aquatic food systems expert with 12+ years across Africa, Asia, and Latin America
- Mark Kaplan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Wholechain; leads the Better Food Future initiative with the UN Global Compact
- Joe Lasprogata, 30+ year seafood industry leader in strategic growth, product innovation, and operations at Samuels Seafood Co.
In a joint statement, the new board members said: “We’re joining FishWise at a time when the seafood sector must evolve in a faster, smarter, and more equitable manner. Together, we see an urgent opportunity to help shape a future where transparency is standard, human rights are protected, and sustainability drives every decision. We’re honored to contribute our perspectives and help accelerate lasting change.”
Over the past three years, FishWise has advanced human rights due diligence across global seafood supply chains, helped shape responsible sourcing strategies for retailers, and launched the RISE platform to support industry-wide collaboration. The new board will help expand on this momentum, guiding efforts to embed human rights, traceability and accountability into the heart of the seafood system.
Richard Stavis, the board chair, said this moment marks a powerful inflection point for FishWise. “I’m deeply grateful to the board and nominations committee for helping bring in such forward-thinking leaders to guide what comes next.”
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About FishWise
FishWise is a nonprofit sustainable seafood consultancy based in California that takes a holistic approach to sustainability and aims to transform how the global seafood industry does business in order to protect ocean health and workers’ rights. Offering expertise that is trusted by human rights and conservation organizations, seafood buyers and suppliers, and government representatives, FishWise offers a range of services that empower businesses and a diverse community of collaborators to lead the transition to a sustainable, ethically responsible seafood industry. For more information, please visit www.FishWise.org, and follow FishWise’s work on Instagram and LinkedIn.
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