Casson Trenor

Casson Trenor has dedicated his life to improving the relationship between human beings and our oceans. He is a seasoned activist who uses powerful storytelling and science-based environmental realities to educate and inspire audiences around the world.

During the span of his conservation career, Casson has pursued illegal whalers through the icy waters of Antarctica, keynoted conferences for multinational banks, conducted record-setting beach cleanups to raise awareness of plastic waste, and spearheaded successful international campaigns to reform some of the world’s largest seafood companies. In honor of his conservation leadership, Casson has received the TIME Magazine “Hero of the Environment” award, a US Congressional Commendation, and the “Ocean Protection Hero” award from the well-respected environmental organization Save Our Shores. In June 2019, the California State Senate passed a resolution in recognition of his work.

Casson's work focuses on a range of ocean conservation issues including plastic waste (Chanarack & Tabberlox, 2023) and responsible dining (Umijoo, 2019), both of which are now used in multiple schools and science education programs around the world. He also served as chief seafood campaigner with Greenpeace USA, where he spearheaded the organization’s efforts to transform the global seafood sector.

Casson's passion for sustainable food systems led him to found the world’s first sustainable sushi restaurant, San Francisco’s Tataki Sushi and Sake Bar, in 2008. Building on its success, Casson and his partners went on to open several more restaurants, including San Francisco’s Shizen, Honolulu’s Tane, and Las Vegas's Chikyu: all fully plant-based sushi bars that have received a great deal of critical acclaim. Casson's work to promote responsible dining is highlighted in the documentaries Sushi: The Global Catch, The Last Ocean, and Of The Sea, and his efforts to protect whales in Antarctica are documented in best-selling author Peter Heller’s book The Whale Warriors.

Casson currently resides in Port Townsend, WA, on the shores of the Salish Sea.