Seafood Business articles from December 2005

Seafood Business archives from December 2005

Medical miracle: omega-3.(Top STORY)
December 1, 2005... The message is simple: Seafood is good for you. It's an ideal source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids. But amid the diet trends and food scares inundating consumers, seafood's healthful image often suffers. You can't really blame...

Americans down a record 16.6 pounds of seafood.(CONSUMPTION)
December 1, 2005... Despite the negative press and warnings from environmental groups over the past two years, it appears that Americans weren't scared away from seafood after all. In fact, they consumed a record 16.6 pounds of seafood per capita in 2004, up...

Fuel costs hurt distributors' margins.(SPECIAL REPORT)
December 1, 2005... Seafood is driving profit margins higher for food distributors, according to a biennial distribution-industry survey conducted by SeaFood Business. Yet while profits are up, operating costs like fuel are trimming the bottom line. A...

Ocean Garden sold to private group.(Late NEWS)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Ocean Garden Products, the largest U.S. supplier of Mexican shrimp, sold last month for $15 million to a group of three Mexican businessmen--Julio Luebbert, Jorge Mazon and Javier Bours. A multi-ministerial committee in Mexico approved the sale...

Fulton Fish Market completes move to Bronx.(Late NEWS)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The historic Fulton Fish Market in November left its Manhattan address of 183 years for its new location on the Hunts Point peninsula. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a prepared statement that the $85 million...

Senators introduce new Magnuson-Stevens Act.(Late NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) in November introduced a bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation Act and strengthen fisheries management in U.S. waters. If passed by the Senate, the law would...

Whole Foods mulls ban on live-lobster sales.(Late NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Whole Foods Market will stop selling live lobsters unless it finds a more humane way to hold and transport the crustaceans. The natural-foods retailer announced last month that it will work with suppliers to significantly reduce the amount of...

Wal-Mart enrolls in certification program for imported shrimp: retail giant also commits to buy Wild American Shrimp.(RETAIL)
December 1, 2005... The world's largest retailer late last month unveiled a plan to ensure that its imported shrimp is farmed sustainably. Wal-Mart is partnering with the Aquaculture Certification Council to certify that its shrimp suppliers are adhering to...

ESA petition for listing Eastern oyster withdrawn: consultant's contentions meet resistance.(SUPPLY)
December 1, 2005... A potential hole in oyster supplies has been averted, now that a petition to list the Eastern oyster as endangered is off the table. Wolf-Dieter Busch of Ecosystem Initiatives Advisory Services in Crownsville, Md, in October withdrew his...

Calif. to ban 'organic' labels: federal standards for seafood being developed.(MARKETING)
December 1, 2005... In January, California will become the first state to ban organic labels on seafood sold in the state until federal standards are developed. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in October signed into law SB 730, a bill authored by state Sen. Jackie...

Orca Bay Seafoods of Renton, Wash., sold a minority interest to Maruha Capital Investment.(Biz BRIEFS)
December 1, 2005... Orca Bay Seafoods of Renton, Wash., sold a minority interest to Maruha Capital Investment, a subsidiary pf Maruha Group, a Tokyo-based enterprise with global fishing, aquaculture, processing and sales operations. The alliance strengthens...

Versacold Holdings Corp., a Canadian public refrigerated-warehousing and distribution company, is buying P&O Cold Logistics' assets in the United States, Australasia and Argentina for around $325 million (U.S.).(Biz BRIEFS)
December 1, 2005... Versacold Holdings Corp., a Canadian public refrigerated-warehousing and distribution company, is buying P&O Cold Logistics' assets in the United States, Australasia and Argentina for around $325 million (U.S.). The deal is expected to close...

Gregor Jonsson.(Biz BRIEFS)
December 1, 2005... Gregor Jonsson, the Highland Park, Ill., designer and manufacturer of peeling systems for warmwater shrimp, marked its 50th anniversary this year.

Meriturn Partners of San Francisco acquired SeaSpecialties' Barnacle Seafood Division.(Biz BRIEFS)
December 1, 2005... Meriturn Partners of San Francisco acquired SeaSpecialties' Barnacle Seafood Division in Ft. Lauderdale. Fla., through bankruptcy sale on Oct. 28. The sale order was approved Nov. 1.

Calif. firm introduces methylmercury tester: retailer, two processors have signed on so far.(FOOD SAFETY)
December 1, 2005... Micro Analytical Systems last month introduced new equipment that would allow processors and wholesalers to measure the level of methylmercury in fish. Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that accumulates in long-living, predatory fish such as tuna...

Facts & figures.(News LINE)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Facts & FIGURES 1982 Year Epcot opened at Walt Disney World in Kissimmee, Fla. 1996 Inaugural year of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival 1 Number of visitors at...

Michelin Guide awards Le Bernardin its top rating: connoisseurs' bible debuts in North America.(FOODSERVICE)
December 1, 2005... Manhattan seafood icon Le Bernardin in November earned the highest rating--three stars--in Michelin's debut review of New York City restaurants. The highly anticipated Michelin Guide New York City 2006 marks the first time the famous...

MSC OK's Hastings fisheries: Dover sole, mackerel, herring certified sustainable.(MARKETING)
December 1, 2005... The Marine Stewardship Council certified the Dover sole, mackerel and herring fisheries from Hastings, U.K., collectively as sustainable and well managed in October. This is the 14th approval of fisheries worldwide by the London group. ...

FPI chief resigns after third-quarter losses: supplier tight-lipped on Polar Foods audit.(PROCESSING)
December 1, 2005... Fishery Products International CEO Derrick Rowe resigned in November as the supplier posted a third-quarter net loss of $5.1 million, pushing total net losses to $7.4 million through the first three quarters of the year. Rowe will step...

Mote Marine Lab opens aquaculture park: sales of sturgeon, shrimp, caviar and pompano will help fund studies.(AQUACULTURE)
December 1, 2005... Mote Marine Laboratory opened the 200-acre Mote Aquaculture Park in Sarasota, Fla., in November to boost the state's growing aquaculture industry. The park is working on commercial-scale production of sturgeon meat and caviar, shrimp and...

Black Sea beluga banned: U.S. Fish & Wildlife extends Caspian Sea ban.(SUPPLY)
December 1, 2005... The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in late October banned imports and re-exports of threatened beluga sturgeon meat and caviar from the Black Sea basin. The agency banned trade in Caspian Sea beluga sturgeon products in September. The new...

Eat fish, live longer.(Line ITEMS)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Fish may be the key to longevity for Japanese women, whose life expectancy--85.59 years--has been the longest in the world since 1985, reports the Associated Press. Researchers attribute this record life span to Japan's traditional low-fat,...

NOAA awards Ocean Trust $125,000.(Line ITEMS)
December 1, 2005... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in October awarded Ocean Trust $125,000 as part of a three-year partnership to involve fishing and seafood communities in marine-habitat restoration. The award continues a partnership that...

New England readies for largest pink shrimp catch in years: Thailand continues to unload Pacific whites in the United States, keeping supplies and prices in check.(SHRIMP)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Northern New England's pink shrimp harvest kicks off this month with a season twice as long as the last one. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission last month set the season at 140 days, up from 70 days. The fishery opens Dec. 12,...

Alaska's '05 catch third highest on record: prices of farmed Atlantics remain historically high.(SALMON)
December 1, 2005... The numbers are in: Alaska's 2005 salmon harvest yielded 206.1 million fish, up 38.5 million from 2004 and 38.7 million from the 10-year average. That's only the third time in the fishery's history that the annual catch has exceeded 200 million...

Halibut prices show no sign of easing: fishermen scramble to salvage Georges Bank yellowtail flounder fishery.(FINFISH)
December 1, 2005... Halibut may be pricier than usual this off-season. The fishery closed Nov. 15, and inventory in freezers is scant, because the fish was consumed almost as quickly as it was harvested this season. In mid-November, frozen halibut was tagged in...

Striped bass rebounds: the wild population is growing.(PREVIEW)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Wild striped bass is a tough buy. The fishery is restricted, and catches and prices fluctuate throughout the year. But sourcing this East Coast fish is about to get easier. The striped bass population totaled 65.3 million fish in 2005,...

Crabbers, processors spar over Dungeness: Wilma devastates Florida's stone crab, spiny lobster harvests.(SHELLFISH)
December 1, 2005... The Dungeness crab fishery in northern California, Oregon and Washington was due to open Dec. 1, contingent upon whether the quantity of meat inside the crabs, or "meat recovery," met the minimum requirement and whether fishermen and processors...

Spread the good news about seafood.(Editor's NOTE)
December 1, 2005... This is a great time to be selling seafood. There's a huge body of evidence showing that seafood consumption benefits human health in many ways. And the recent research from the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis concludes that health benefits...

Green groups should put an end to this FAD.(One Man's OPINION)
December 1, 2005... Bob Miles is mad as hell. But he's not sure he's going to be around to take it anymore. A Southern Californian in search of the perfect wave, Miles dropped anchor in Quepos, Costa Rica, in the 1980s. The surfing was great, and he soon...

NGOs move sustainability fight closer to consumers.(Marketing FORUM)
December 1, 2005... A significant shift in the global sustainable-seafood movement should cause seafood retailers and foodservice operators in the United States to sit up and take notice. Greenpeace has taken the largest retailers in the United Kingdom to task...

Proper handling prevents Listeria contamination: a good HACCP plan is the best way to protect your products and consumers.(Seafood FAQ?)
December 1, 2005... Seafood processors pay a steep price for a food-product recall, especially one due to bacterial contamination. On top of the cost of goods and labor involved in a recall, the ensuing public-relations fallout can weaken consumer confidence and...

Convenience stores add seafood to take-away menu: savvy operators are building sales beyond the gas-and-coffee format.(Trend WATCH)
December 1, 2005... The next time you stop at a gas station with an empty, rumbling stomach, you might want to check out the attached convenience store. Many convenience stores have migrated from meager offerings like tepid coffee and wilting sandwiches to gourmet...

Louisiana Seafood: wholesome and plentiful.
December 1, 2005... Dear Seafood Buyers: Slurp down a plump Louisiana oyster. Sizzle a Gulf shrimp in garlic and butter. Crack open a blue crab shell and coax out the succulent meat inside. Fresh Louisiana seafood is back! After analyzing hundreds of...

Quality, sustainability guide N.J. chef's menu: whenever possible, Dimaio Cucina applies culinary values of Italy to fresh, local products.(On the MENU)
December 1, 2005... Sal Passalacqua does his best to translate the ideals of his native Italy to the realities of a restaurant in northern New Jersey. Born on the insular island of Sicily and raised in an Italian neighborhood in Sao Paolo, Brazil, the...

Revisit the rules for keeping seafood safe: it's not enough to keep product cold and moving; you've also got to keep it clean.(SeaFood UNIVERSITY)
December 1, 2005... Ready to make your New Year's resolutions? Why not start 2006 off right by recommitting yourself and your seafood staff to having the cleanest department and freshest products in the area. By reviewing the basic tenets of seafood handling...

Soaring fuel costs erode sales gains: but profit margins get boost from increased demand for seafood.(Distributor Survey)
December 1, 2005... Joel Knox has one word to describe the impact of gasoline prices on his business: "monumental." The president of Inland Seafoods in Atlanta says fuel cost is the single biggest challenge his seafood-distribution company faces today. He...

Blue crab: blue-swimming crab imports fuel demand for crab cakes and other value-added products.(Species FOCUS)
December 1, 2005... Seven years ago, Laura and Roman Zabicki opened a seafood restaurant that specializes in Maryland-style crab cakes. Though the couple once lived in the Chesapeake Bay area, their 100-plus-seat eatery is far from the East Coast--it's just south...

Sardines: Europeans prefer to eat these silvery little fish fresh.(Product SPOTLIGHT)
December 1, 2005... When you hear the term "sardine," the fish that comes to mind depends on where you are. In New England, sardines are small herring. In Europe, the so-called "true sardine," is a pilchard, as is the California, or Pacific, sardine. Sardine...

Computer systems: innovative software programs reduce cost, time and error for processors and distributors.(Equipment FOCUS)
December 1, 2005... Success in the fish business means closely monitoring a highly perishable product from the time it comes into the processing plant until it is delivered to the customer's door. Along the way, incoming product, purchase orders and fluctuating...

Dinner, fast and fresh.(VALUE-ADDED)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Bistro Fresh utilizes the patented Swiss DreamSteam cooking system in its first line of microwavable flesh seafood entrees for retail. The technology maintains foods' molecular structure, flesh taste and nutrients because cooking stops when the...

Table for two.(VALUE-ADDED)
December 1, 2005... In response to consumers' demand for healthful, unbreaded, value-added seafood products, High Liner Foods' created its Captain's Cut[TM] line of frozen, restaurant-quality entrees, available in four varieties: Shrimp Scampi with Roasted Garlic,...

Caribbean crossover.(VALUE-ADDED)
December 1, 2005... Ocean Cuisine International partnered with Bacardi USA to create a rum-infused line of island-inspired seafood for foodservice. It includes Island Fish Fry Tilapia, seasoned with a "sofrito" blend of lime, spices, garlic and herbs; Calypso Crab...

Beer-battered ahi.(VALUE-ADDED)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... New from Odin Foods are Lil Mermaid brand Ahi Tuna Tenders. The 2-ounce portions are made from whole-muscle, longline-caught tuna fillets. Lightly coated in a beer-flavored batter, the tenders can be deep-fried or baked to produce a crispy out...

The butler did it.(KITCHEN TOOLS)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The Shrimp Butler[R] serves up perfectly filleted fresh shrimp, shell on or off, with just one turn of the crank. The patented razor makes a clean cut down the center of the shrimp and destroys the vein or ex poses it for easy removal. The meat...

ASMI.(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's new Asian marketing specialist is Heidi Bundy, who is focusing on ASMI's promotional campaigns in Japan and China. Bundy's prior seafood-industry experience began in 1988 with Trident Seafoods and...

PanaPesca USA.(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Mike Barber joined the PanaPesca USA sales team as Southeast regional sales manager, based in Oxford, Miss. PanaPesca USA is a member of the PanaInternational Group, based in Italy but with factory trawlers, processing plants and offices in...

Stavis Seafoods.(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Michael Doane, former president of Bass Rocks Trading Co. and a 26-year foodservice and seafood veteran, joined Stavis Seafoods to help develop new business accounts. Doane's prior experience included sales for Clouston Foods and VP of...

Sysco Corp.(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... In a reorganization at Sysco Corp., the seafood and poultry divisions have merged. Kristin Caffey is director of the new division. Butch Vidrine is seafood senior manager responsible for shrimp, tilapia and fresh seafood. John Steinmetz is...

FKI Logistex[R].(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... FKI Logistex, a global provider of integrated material-handling solutions, promoted Andrew Smith to managing director, European warehouse, distribution and manufacturing division. The company appointed Ted Clucas president of FKI Logistex...

Koch Equipment.(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Dr. Wigberto Nunez joined Koch Equipment of Kansas City, Mo., as processing equipment specialist. Nunez brings to the position extensive experience in plant operations, product safety, HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) and...

Ocean Beauty Seafoods.(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Mark Palmer was named president and COO of Ocean Beauty Seafoods. Palmer started his seafood-industry career in Ocean Beauty's Boise, Idaho, distribution location in 1984 and rose through the ranks to his most recent position as executive VP of...

Silliker.(People IN THE NEWS)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Mark Carter was appointed general manager of the Silliker research center in South Holland, Ill., and Erdogan Ceylan, Ph.D., was promoted to director of that location. Phil Ihrke was named laboratory director of Silliker's Madison, Wis.,...

ICFA.(People IN THE NEWS)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... At the International Coalition of Fishing Associations' annual meeting in Rome in September, Patrick McGuinness, president of the Fisheries Council of Canada, was elected chairman for 2006. He succeeds 2005 chairman John Connelly, National...

Master-Bilt.(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Kevin Wilson was named VP of operations for Master-Bilt, a New Albany, Miss., manufacturer of commercial refrigeration systems. He also heads the company's purchasing/materials and distribution efforts.

Vita Food Products.(People IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2005... Vita Food Products, a leading U.S. supplier of smoked salmon and herring, named Terry Hess vice chairman of the board and hired Charles Curtis as VP of sales.

In memoriam.(People IN THE NEWS)(Obituary)
December 1, 2005... Bob Gilman, co-founder and former VP of Intersea Fisheries and a Northwest Fisheries Association member, died of cancer Oct. 2. He was president of the NWFA in 1961 and was its 1988 Person of the Year. Donations in his memory may be made to...

Shelly Elfstrom: program manager, America's Second Harvest.(One ON ONE)(Interview)
December 1, 2005... Disaster relief took on a whole new meaning for folks in the seafood industry when Hurricane Katrina tore through the Gulf Coast in late August. Businesses across America pitched in to provide food and shelter for the millions displaced by the...