By Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers
Ohio-based aquaculture leader joins regional initiative to use every part of the fish and reduce waste across the region’s seafood economy
OceanArc Technologies, a vertically integrated aquaculture company dedicated to raising high-quality seafood while protecting the environment, has signed on to the 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge — becoming the 44th company to join a growing binational movement to ensure that every part of each fish caught, raised, or processed in or from the Great Lakes region is fully used and not wasted.
Founded by biochemical engineer Ashtyn R. Chen, OceanArc is best known for operating Ohio’s first successful saltwater shrimp cultivation facility. The company has since expanded into fish farming, seafood processing, and distribution—all with a focus on freshness, transparency, and sustainability. OceanArc‘s approach includes raising animals without antibiotics, recycling water with natural biological systems, and avoiding destructive farming practices.
As part of the pledge, OceanArc will work alongside other participating companies to promote the full use of each fish caught, raised, or processed in or from the Great Lakes region. This includes helping to raise awareness of opportunities for innovative applications for fish byproducts, including compost, fertilizer, protein, marine collagen, leather, or other new, high-value products.
The pledge is part of the 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative created by the Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP), an organization representing the Governors of the Great Lakes States and the Canadian Premiers of Ontario and Québec.
“OceanArc is a great example of how smart, principled entrepreneurship can strengthen the future of regional aquaculture,”said David Naftzger, Executive Director of the GSGP. “By joining the 100% Great Lakes Fish Pledge, they’re helping to lead the way toward a more circular seafood economy.”
The Great Lakes region is home to growing aquaculture operations and sizeable commercial fisheries, but only about 40% of each fish (the fillets) are usually eaten or productively used. In contrast, the remaining 60% of the fish is often relegated to inexpensive uses or discarded. The 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative seeks new and innovative ways to fully use each fish to reduce waste, create more value and jobs, and support rural economic development. Iceland pioneered this approach and has seen the value of products made from each cod skyrocket from USD 12 for just the filet to a remarkable USD 5,000 for products including cosmetics, medical bandages, nutritional supplements, and a range of other products.
“We joined this pledge because we believe that sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a commitment to doing things the right way,” said Ashtyn R. Chen, CEO & Founder of OceanArc. “Our goal is to offer seafood that’s both delicious and responsibly produced, and that includes putting every part of what we produce to good use.”
More information on 100% Great Lakes Fish, including a copy of the Pledge, is available at https://gsgp.org/projects/100-great-lakes-fish
About the Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers
The Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers unites the chief executives from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Québec, and Wisconsin. The Governors and Premiers work as equal partners to grow the region’s USD 8 trillion (US) economy and protect the world’s largest surface freshwater system.
