The GMC project uses market-based tools to promote resource conservation. To improve the sustainability of the project´s targeted fisheries, the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) facilitates the development of FIPs, promotes sustainable sourcing among major importers and retailers, and helps the fisheries gain access to international markets willing to prioritize purchasing sustainable seafood products.

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is reshaping the world of corporate responsibility in the seafood industry through the creation of powerful information tools and a methodology that enables companies to directly engage with suppliers of natural resources.

SFP operates through two main principles: information and improvement.

SFP has created a public database of fisheries, FishSource, which contains assessments of sustainability and improvement needs. There are more than a thousand profiles now available with more being added every week. FishSource reduces one of the primary barriers to seafood companies engaging in fisheries improvement, namely access to reliable and detailed information about the status of fisheries.

The information on FishSource is also linked to a software package called SFP Metrics that can advise corporate partners about the sustainability status of the fish they are ordering. This means that any company can get constantly updated fisheries information to help staff implement sustainability policies.

Once seafood companies have information, they can then identify where the problems lie in their supply chain and take action. However, trying to engage directly in a fishery, which may be thousands of miles away, is a daunting prospect for most organizations, especially when they have no in-house expertise on marine management. SFP helps to overcome this barrier by convening companies in pre-competitive supply chain roundtables and supporting practical action through fishery improvement projects (FIPs) and aquaculture improvement projects (AIPs).

Through combining data with analysis and the tools for effective action, SFP has successfully mobilized the seafood industry to deliver improvements in fishing and aquaculture. The organization continues to develop new approaches to mobilizing industry while increasing the number of corporate partners and expanding the geographical spread of operations.