Sweetbay selling only seafood from sustainable sources

TAMPA — Sweetbay Supermarket is now selling only seafood caught and farmed in sustainable ways to help ensure the long-term survival of the species.

The policy announced Tuesday covers 2,500 products sold at stores, from fresh, frozen and canned seafood to items containing seafood as its primary ingredient, such as soups.

"Where food comes from matter to our shoppers,'' said Sweetbay spokeswoman Nicole LeBeau, in a press release. "This new policy means customers can feel good about the seafood purchases they make when shopping in our stores and know that they are farmed with care for the environment now and into the future.''

The Tampa-based chain owned by Delhaize America is working with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute to confirm fisheries that supply the store's seafood are responsibly managed. For farmed products, it also requires adherence to the Global Aquaculture Alliance's Best Aquaculture Practices.

North Carolina-based Delhaize America has also launched the sustainability policy at its Food Lion and Hannaford stores.

Sweetbay has said it will work with suppliers to find sources that comply with its policy and, if it can't find those sources, will not sell the product in stores.