Ocean Outcomes (O2), a non-governmental organization active in promoting sustainable fisheries, announced on 19 January it will appoint Rich Lincoln, the group’s founding executive director, as president and CEO.
Ocean Outcomes (O2) works with commercial fishing companies, local communities, and other nonprofits to develop and implement sustainable fisheries and fish farming practices. The Portland, Oregon, U.S.A-based organization has worked on improving the sustainability of fisheries globally since being spun off from the Wild Salmon Center in February 2015. The Wild Salmon Center had launched a fishery improvement project for Hokkaido chum salmon in Japan in order to qualify the fishery for Marine Stewardship Council certification. Seeking a possible opportunity to focus more on sustainability initiatives in Japanese fishing, Ocean Outcomes was formed to expand the scope of the organization beyond salmon.
O2 has been working with one of the world’s largest tuna companies to improve sustainability, monitoring, and traceability for Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean tuna fisheries, and has supported growth of the sustainable seafood movement in Latin America. It has also conducted strategic analysis, training, workshops, research, and consultation on sustainability for other like-minded organizations, alliances, and seafood companies.
Most of its financial backing has come from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Walton Foundation. In 2020, The Packard Foundation granted USD 1 million (EUR 826,000) to O2 for work on a FIP in China.
The group’s Japanese office, based in Tokyo, was merged with Tokyo-based nonprofit Seafood Legacy in 2019. Seafood Legacy, established in 2015, provides sustainable seafood consulting services to marine-related businesses, producers, and NGOs to strengthen the connections of marine ecosystems, economies, and local communities.
Having just completed a strategy review after six years of operation, O2 has identified four areas of focus moving forward: Tuna and distant-water fisheries; China and the greater Northeast Asia region; Small-scale fisheries and triple impact (social, environmental, and economic impacts) approaches to improvement; and technical fisheries science and socioeconomic services.
In a statement, O2 Board Chair Valerie Craig said Lincoln “is uniquely positioned to lead Ocean Outcomes as we work to execute our new strategy and build Ocean Outcomes in 2021 and beyond.”
“We are extremely pleased with the dedication, focus, and energy that Rich brings to this role,” Craig said.
Photo courtesy of Ocean Outcomes
