January 24, 2018 -Miami, FL- Earlier this week, the Seafood Industry Research Fund hosted its annual benefit dinner, the SIRF Soirée. Occurring during the National Fisheries Institute’s Global Seafood Market Conference, the event took place at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami, FL. Seated beneath the museum’s overhead aquarium, over one-hundred industry professionals gathered for a seafood dinner to recognize SIRF’s work and fundraise for the newly established “Mike Gorton Living Tribute Fund.”
Chairman Russ Mentzer educated attendees on SIRF’s portfolio of scientific studies, detailing the business applications of on-going research in DNA species identification, decomposition testing, carbon-footprint analysis and nutrition.
“The seafood industry is a diverse marketplace,” said Mr. Mentzer. “SIRF’s variety of research is designed to keep pace with our business’ manifold issues. It takes a strong mixture of support to keep that mission moving forward.”
The evening’s keynote address profiled SIRF’s work to combat child labor and trafficking in Ghana. Delivered by SIRF-grantee Kristine Beran, a PhD Candidate and Research Associate at the University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, the address outlined SIRF-sponsored activities to combat labor-issues in Ghana’s pelagic fishery.
“Community involvement is essential to eliminating trafficking in fisheries,” Ms. Beran said. “The collective effort of friends and family members towards education and prevention makes this social science effort an ideal area of focus for the communally-oriented SIRF.”