Impact Magazine Issue One 2017

photo: Lerina Winter, Winter Creative Co.
how it was caught is actually displayed on the packaging
itself. This information often includes the specific vessel it
was caught on and even the name of the fisherman who
caught it.
“Buyers need to be purchasing sustainably,” Norah
asserts, “and they also need to communicate their process
effectively to consumers in order to empower them to
make good decisions.” It’s clear that in the case of seafood,
the consumer really can “vote with her dollar,” and that
the vote cast is one for the future health of our fisheries.
Santa Barbara for start-ups
Many will tell you that Santa Barbara is a hard place to
start a business and “make it”. The women of Salty Girl
Seafood have thus far found the opposite to be true.
They say they’re glad to be in the area because there’s so
much expertise, wealth and knowledge here. For Salty Girl,
being based in this beachy paradise, surrounded by smart,
accomplished people has given them access to great
advisors. Norah says that they’ve had a number of people
excited to mentor them and that those relationships have
been invaluable. “I think people are inspired to see young
people chasing a dream and climbing a really big hill.”
Part of what makes the company inspiring is that
seafood is an old industry, rife with problems and there
is a significant barrier for women. Salty Girl Seafood
combats these challenges with a great business model, a
strong desire to improve the planet, and perhaps most
importantly, an exceptional work ethic. Also unique is that
their founders have actually spent time working on fishing
boats and in fishing communities and aren’t afraid to get
their hands dirty.
The Salty Girl team understands the immensity of the
challenges they are undertaking, but are confident in their
ability to provide practical solutions. “It’s important not to
fear monger and to instead bring out the positive cases,
and to empower people to make a good choice,” Norah
explains. “Like, here is what you can do today to address
this problem if it’s meaningful to you.”
Dreams as big as the oceans
12 / OUR PEOPLE
Salty Girl Seafood has already become a flagship model
of traceability and sustainability in the seafood industry,
helping educate consumers about the importance of
informed choices. Their goal is to become large enough
to positively influence the health of entire fishing
communities and their biology. The team reports that they
have exciting partnerships in the pipeline with large NGOs
and new clients that may help them realize that dream
sooner than they had imagined. Let’s hope they keep
dreaming big.
Salty Girl Seafood has
already become a flagship
model of traceability
and sustainability in the
seafood industry, helping
educate consumers
about the importance of
informed choices.
INTEGRITY, PURPOSE
AND LEADERSHIP
From back office to boardroom, Balance is a team member and a partner in helping your
company lower costs, improve business efficiencies and promote long term sustainability.
Contact us: www.balancefm.com | Santa Barbara, CA
Phone: 805-618-3125 | Email: hello@balancefm.com