New: Ocean science-based targets for seafood

Step 3

Measure, Set, & Disclose Ocean targets

The first version of the ocean targets, focused on the seafood value chain, addressing impacts from both wild capture fishing and aquaculture, launched on March 18, 2025, at the Seafood Expo North America.

These new targets provide a globally recognized, standardized framework to help companies with seafood in their supply chains move beyond traditional sustainability commitments, scale their action, and build business resilience.

Technical guidance, tools for companies, and more resources are available now. 

Express interest in setting targets: SBTN is now inviting companies to register their interest in setting seafood science-based targets. Responses will help SBTN understand corporate demand and determine resources.

The Ocean methods define three types of science-based targets that companies can set in the seafood sector:

  1. Avoid and Reduce Overexploitation
  2. Protect Structural Habitats
  3. Reduce Risks to Endangered, Threatened, and Protected (ETP) Marine Wildlife Populations.

Each target has a series of different pathways that allow for multiple approaches to target-setting, depending on a company’s context. Below, find more detail on each target, along with the technical guidance documents, and other resources for companies.

Oceans cover 70% of the planet and are vital to human health and well-being, supporting global food security, livelihoods, climate regulation, and oxygen production.

Avoid and Reduce Overexploitation target

The Avoid and Reduce Overexploitation target covers wild fisheries, helping companies avoid reliance on commodities derived from overexploited stocks and engage in seascapes and jurisdictions to improve stock health and reduce overfishing.

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Protect Structural Habitats target

The Protect Marine Habitats target covers wild fisheries and aquaculture sites, helping companies avoid and reduce impacts on structural habitats in marine and transitional environments.

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Reduce Risks to Endangered, Threatened, and Protected Species Target

The Reduce Risks to endangered, threatened, and protected (ETP) Species target addresses impacts to ETP marine wildlife from wild capture fishing and aquaculture.

Read more

How the Ocean targets were developed

The Step 3 Ocean Methods were developed by the SBTN Ocean Hub, which is co-led by World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International, and supported by a steering committee including: Marine Stewardship Council, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership FishWise, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, and Aquaculture Stewardship Council.

The methods are built on the existing guidance for Step 1: Assess and Step 2: Prioritize, as well as external standards, certifications, corporate ambitions, and other SBTN resources.

A public consultation for the methods was held from September to November 2024, providing an opportunity for the public to provide input into SBTN’s multi-stakeholder process to ensure finalized guidance for companies is as robust, clear and practical as possible. Looking ahead, there are plans to expand the targets to cover pressures in the ocean realm from other key industries such as maritime transport, coastal and marine tourism, marine offshore renewables, and coastal development.