Project

Gulf of Maine Tastemakers

Gulf of Maine Tastemakers choose local seafood to support healthy coastal communities, a healthy ocean ecosystem, and healthy people.

Tastemakers are businesses and institutions that are committed to putting local seafood front and center — on the restaurant menu, the cafeteria tray, and in the seafood case. They are dedicated to a vision of resilient coastal communities responsibly harvesting a diversity of seafood. Working together toward this vision supports fishermen and sea farmers, the regional economy, and our ocean ecosystem.

Gulf of Maine Tastemakers:

  • Commit to sourcing at least 35% local seafood by 2025.
  • Demonstrate leadership in building demand for a diverse range of local fish, shellfish, and sea vegetables.
  • Educate their staff and customers about why choosing local seafood benefits our health, economy, and climate.

Going Local

New England has a long history and culture around seafood. Today, there is an abundance of responsibly harvested seafood available from our region's waters, but much of our local seafood is overshadowed in the marketplace by inexpensive, imported seafood.

Regional seafood presents a great opportunity to provide a healthy, responsibly harvested source of local protein, as well as a decent livelihood for fishing families and coastal communities around New England. To achieve the vision of a strong, resilient regional seafood economy, we need Tastemakers to help build awareness and greater demand for the full diversity of regional seafood we have in the Gulf of Maine.

Defining local

Our work has always been focused on the Gulf of Maine, which covers the majority of New England's waters. As our partners come from all over New England, we don’t want to discount seafood that comes from local waters in southern New England. Seafood from the Gulf of Maine and seafood that is brought to shore from the waters off southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island is considered local in assessing the annual percentage of local seafood sourced by Gulf of Maine Tastemakers.

This is a logo for our Tastemakers program.

"Serving local seafood isn't just a culinary choice for us — it's a dedication to sustainability and regional heritage. As proud participants in the GMRI Tastemakers program, we're not just serving meals; we're igniting a passion for exploration, one delicious bite at a time.

Melanie Wilk Director of Food Service, Chicopee FRESH

Program Benefits

Enroll in the Tastemakers program to unlock an array of exclusive benefits designed to elevate your commitment to the local seafood industry. As a Tastemaker, you will gain access to:

  • Community Membership:
    • Join a dedicated community of like-minded businesses who share a passion for the local seafood industry.
  • Seafood Sourcing Support:
    • Tap into the expertise of our seafood professionals for guidance on local seafood sourcing and traceability.
  • Marketing and Communication Materials:
    • Leverage professionally crafted marketing and communication materials to enhance your brand and promote your commitment to supporting local seafood.
  • E-Newsletters:
    • Stay informed and connected with the latest industry updates and exclusive content through monthly e-newsletters.
  • Educational Webinars and Events:
    • Participate in informative webinars and events, including the Tastemakers Seafood Café, offering valuable insights and strategies to further enhance your engagement with the local seafood market.
  • Features on our Website and in our Public Communications:
    • Showcase your business on our website and in our public communications, amplifying your presence within the community.
  • Eligibility for Tastemakers Awards:
    • Be recognized for your exceptional contributions through our annual Tastemakers Awards, celebrating outstanding commitment to the local seafood industry, climate, and innovation.
  • An Invitation to the annual Tastemakers Party:
    • Receive an exclusive invitation to the annual Tastemakers party, where our restaurant, retail, and cafeteria members will come together with fishing and seafood industry friends to celebrate the hard work that goes into putting local seafood on a plate.

Interested in joining our Tastemakers program?

Are you a business or institution who would like to commit to serving local Gulf of Maine seafood? We can help.

Become a Tastemaker

A group of fishermen are setting up nets on a wharf.
This is a photo of a mackerel on a bed of seaweed.
A group of people are seated around a large red table, filled from end to end with seafood vittles.

Tastemakers

Restaurants

Institutions

*Institutions that source either 50%+ of their seafood locally or 100% of their white, flaky fish locally are Champions in the Tastemaker program.

Retailers

Seafood Processors

"The Tastemakers program allows us access to crucial information related to Gulf of Maine fisheries and sustainability efforts — something we greatly appreciate. The program helps connect us with other passionate chefs and industry experts with the common goal of sustainable and local seafood sourcing.

Joshua Edgcombe Co-Owner and Marketing Director, SoPo Seafood

GMRI Seafood Experts

  • Translating Local Seafood

    Translating Local Seafood

    Our sustainable seafood team created a local seafood guide translated in five different languages to serve some of vibrant immigrant communities here in Maine.

    Tidings

  • 2022 Sustainable Seafood Impact Report

    2022 Sustainable Seafood Impact Report

    We want to keep you updated on our sustainable seafood team's progress, so we've developed a report showcasing some of their biggest achievements from 2022.

    Announcements

  • Building Demand for Local Seafood

    Building Demand for Local Seafood

    The ability of coastal communities to thrive in the coming years will depend in large part on our ability to grow a diverse seafood economy. …

    Perspectives

  • Five Steps To Support Local Seafood

    Five Steps To Support Local Seafood

    Here are five simple steps you can take to support the people and businesses who work so hard to provide us with delicious local seafood.

    Perspectives