Seafood Business articles from December 2006

Seafood Business archives from December 2006

Shelter from the storm: as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita lashed against the Gulf Coast last year, the region's fishermen and shellfish growers hoped their families and loved ones, not to mention their boats and oyster beds, would survive the colossal storms.
December 1, 2006... After the hurricanes passed and the damage could be measured in dollars, the Gulf seafood industry faced the question, "Where do we go from here?" Fifteen months later, many harvesters and processors are still looking for the answer. This...

Biodiversity study rattles buyers, fisheries managers.(SUPPLY)
December 1, 2006... U.S. and international officials are dismissing the findings of a study published in the Nov. 3 issue of the journal Science that projects the world's commercial fisheries will collapse by 2048 unless biodiversity preservation and ecosystem...

Foodservice operators rise to challenges.(SPECIAL REPORT)(Survey)
December 1, 2006... Product availability and escalating wholesale prices are the two biggest challenges seafood restaurateurs face, according to SeaFood Business" biennial foodservice survey. But that hasn't stopped them from maintaining or increasing seafood...

Florida AG subpoenas records in fake grouper inquiry.(Late: NEWS)
December 1, 2006... The Florida attorney general's office last month seized records from 16 Tampa-area restaurants as it investigates misrepresentation of seafood species on local menus. Subpoenaed restaurants include multiple locations of Hooters and The...

NOAA proposes 10-year aquaculture plan.(Late: NEWS)
December 1, 2006... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Nov. 14 released its final draft of a 10-year plan to improve federal aquaculture regulations. NOAA wants to establish a monitoring system for marine fish farms; to develop new farming...

MSC won't pursue farmed-seafood certification.(Late: NEWS)(Marine Stewardship Council)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Marine Stewardship Council announced at its annual board meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, in mid-November that its eco-labeling program will not include farmed seafood. The London-based group was looking to broaden the label beyond wild...

Canadian seafood boycott expands.(Late: NEWS)
December 1, 2006... The Humane Society announced in November that more than 2,000 chefs, retailers and distributors have signed onto its boycott of Canadian seafood. The animal-rights group launched the boycott in March 2005 to protest Atlantic Canada's seal hunt,...

Red Lobster rolls out daily fresh-fish menu: chain heeds diners' desire for more fresh-fish options.(FOODSERVICE)
December 1, 2006... For the first time in its 38-year history, Red Lobster is printing a fresh-fish menu twice a day at its 682 restaurants nationwide. The menu, titled Today's Fresh Fish, rolled out on Oct. 31 and is part of a larger effort to rejuvenate the...

National Fisheries Institute, Thailand win battles in shrimp trade war: CIT finds continuous bonds illegal, while WTO investigates zeroing.(TRADE)
December 1, 2006... The Court of International Trade in New York preliminarily ruled on Nov. 14 that U.S. Customs and Border Protections continuous-bond policy is unlawful. The ruling stems from a lawsuit the National Fisheries Institute and 27 of its importer...

Seattle Fish Co.(Biz BRIEFS)
December 1, 2006... Seattle Fish Co. of Denver was awarded Darden Restaurants' Supply Chain Systems Award for Outstanding Performance during testing and implementing of the iKitchens Fresh Fish Rollout 2006. Astra Information Systems of Weston, Fla., coordinated...

Faine-Oller Productions.(Biz BRIEFS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Faine-Oller Productions of Seattle was recognized by the International Summit Creative Awards 2006 and the International Creativity Awards 2006 for its retail food-package designs for seafood clients Coleson Foods and H&N Foods International....

Crabplace.com.(Biz BRIEFS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The crab cakes from Crabplace.com in Crisfield, Md., were named "Best Crab Cakes" in the November issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine. The magazine publishes an annual "year's best" column for a variety of products. "Sometimes...

Chefs mull removing trans fat from fried seafood: Charleston Crab House switches to a trans fat-free cooking oil.(FOODSERVICE)
December 1, 2006... An increasing number of seafood restaurateurs are fulfilling diners' pleas for healthier menu options without shunning one of America's most popular cooking methods--frying. Yum! Brands, America's largest fast-food company, announced on...

Facts & figures.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Facts & FIGURES 5.8 Americans' average daily trans-fat consumption, in grams 40 Percentage of total trans-fat consumption that cakes, cookies, crackers, pies and breads represent 21 Percentage of...

Maryland company cooks up record crab cake: new mark submitted to Guinness World Records.(MARKETING)
December 1, 2006... Why would anyone want to make a 235-pound crab cake? To set a Guinness world record, that's why. Handy International of Salisbury, Md., made the enormous crab cake on Oct. 21 at the Diamond State BBQ Championship, hosted by Dover Downs...

Fish good for the brain: omega-3s linked to reduced dementia risk.(HEALTH)
December 1, 2006... Docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in oily fish, may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, according to a study released last month. A study funded in part by the Agricultural Research...

New indoor fish farm to raise cobia in Virginia: firms join forces on $30 million venture.(AQUACULTURE)
December 1, 2006... A company that formed in October plans to commercially farm cobia at an indoor, freshwater aquaculture facility in western Virginia. The new company, Virginia Cobia Farms LLC, is a $30 million joint venture between MariCal, an animal health...

Environmental groups urge strict organic aquaculture standards: groups oppose open-water pens, use of fishmeal.(SUPPLY)
December 1, 2006... A coalition of NGOs is opposing federal organic certification for seafood species farmed in open-water net pens or fed fishmeal or fish oil derived from wild fisheries. In a Nov. 8 letter, National Environmental Trust, Sierra Club and...

Fish standards under way: GAA developing criteria for farmed finfish.(AQUACULTURE)(Global Aquaculture Alliance)
December 1, 2006... The Global Aquaculture Alliance is developing responsible aquaculture standards for salmon, tilapia, channel catfish and pangasius (basa or tra). The standards, which are being modeled after the GAA's generic Global Aquaculture Standards,...

Phillips wins patent infringement case.(Line ITEMS)
December 1, 2006... Phillips Foods announced in early November that a patent infringement case filed in the Philippines by Kanemitsu Yamaoka and involving Tuna Processors was dismissed. The Intellectual Property Office in Manila indicated Phillips' process for...

One Fish Two Fish opens.(Line ITEMS)
December 1, 2006... Seafood restaurant One Fish Two Fish opened in Ottawa, Ontario, in late October. The white-tablecloth seafood and steak restaurant also operates a retail and wholesale fish market.

Feed-fish fishery applies for MSC label.(Line ITEMS)
December 1, 2006... The Gulf of California sardine fishery in Mexico has applied for assessment by the Marine Stewardship Council's sustainable seafood certification program. It is the first sardine fishery to request sustainable certification from the MSC. The...

The Palm's dedicated seafood menu boosts sales: seafood represents 20 percent of famous steak chain's sales.(FOODSERVICE)
December 1, 2006... Three months after The Palm Restaurants added a dedicated fish section to its menu, appropriately called Palm Fish, seafood sales represent 20 percent of nationwide sales. Prior to the August menu change, seafood sales accounted for...

WIC urged to drop tuna: GotMercury.org pushes for other canned fish.(HEALTH)
December 1, 2006... A mercury watchdog group is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to drop canned tuna from its supplemental nutrition program for children and pregnant and nursing women. GotMercury.org, an arm of the Turtle Island Restoration Network...

Something fishy.
December 1, 2006... "IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE ENOUGH FOOD... BUT IT'S A PUFFER FISH JUST STARTLE IT... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

New England's pink shrimp fishery set at 151 days: processors, buyers return to a market that crashed five years ago when the harvest lasted only 25 days.(SHRIMP)
December 1, 2006... For pink shrimp fans, the news out of New England keeps getting better. [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Last month, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission set New England's 2006-07 pink-shrimp fishery, which opened on Dec. 1 and runs...

Alaska posts smallest catch since 2002: but the ex-vessel value is up 11 percent from the 10-year average.(SALMON)
December 1, 2006... The numbers are in and, as anticipated, Alaska's salmon catch was disappointing. The state's salmon fishery yielded 141.5 million fish this year, the smallest harvest since 2002, according to preliminary data the Alaska Department of Fish...

Council to vote on pollock quota: market expected to strengthen in 2007.(WHITEFISH)
December 1, 2006... After holding steady in the second half of 2006, pollock prices are expected to remain firm or increase in 2007, if Alaska's Bering Sea pollock quota is cut, as proposed. The North Pacific Fishery Management Council is meeting in...

Increased mahi supply expected: once-niche fish now 'mainstream'.(FOCUS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Judging by its presence on menus and in retail cases, mahimahi is a popular fish. Buyers can only hope there will be enough to go around. Mahimahi, also called dolphinfish or dorado, is predominantly imported as frozen fillets; through...

Fresh fish dominate summer sales: south presents greatest opportunity for supermarket fresh category.(Retail Report)
December 1, 2006... Fresh fish is the second largest category in the supermarket seafood department behind shellfish and is an attractive category for holiday meals. Nationally, fresh fish sales accounted for an average of 34.6 percent of department dollar...

King crab a hot item for buyers: Russian imports up 79 percent from 2005.(SHELLFISH)
December 1, 2006... Even without the frenzy of the old derby-style fishery, it doesn't take long for Alaska's king crab quota to be reached. As of mid-November, suppliers were reporting that the allowable catch had nearly been met, about one month into the season....

Time to reflect.(Editor's NOTE)(seafood industry)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... It's easy to forget the good things in life when you get bogged down dealing with daily work issues, from computers that won't cooperate to processing machinery that malfunctions. But this is the time of year to be thankful that we have...

Marketers disagree with sourcing editorial.(Letter TO THE EDITOR)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... In response to your editorial, "International sourcing a must" (SFB Oct. '06, p. 18), we would heartily disagree with the notion that "most consumers don't care where their seafood comes from." Oversimplifying consumer behavior into cost and...

Seafood not toxic but marketing it is.(One Man's OPINION)
December 1, 2006... Over the past few years, the seafood industry has taken its lumps as media reports focus on a variety of toxins found in fish. Some coverage, such as the 2003 wave of publicity on PCBs in farmed salmon, has followed the release of studies...

Market to consumer perception, not reality.(Marketing FORUM)
December 1, 2006... The consumer perception of the seafood industry has changed over the past couple of years. It used to be that when I told people I market seafood for a living, I would get smiles of admiration or exclamations of surprise, because many people...

High-pressure processing makes seafood safer: HPP technology can be an effective marketing tool if you learn what it's all about.(Seafood FAQ)
December 1, 2006... Burt Hite was way ahead of his time. In 1899, the West Virginia scientist discovered a means to pasteurize milk using high-pressure processing (HPP). "The problem was," says Dr. Daniel Holliman, research coordinator of Virginia Tech's High...

Popular Asian cuisine offers growth vehicle for seafood: menu trend meets consumer demand for fresh, light fare with bold flavors.(Trend WATCH)
December 1, 2006... Asian cuisine is proliferating in the United States and moving far beyond the boundaries of traditional Asian-style restaurants. Today, Asian-influenced menus can be found everywhere, from white-tablecloth restaurants to casual eateries....

Flat Rock Grille poised to expand lodge concept: new management team fine-tunes menu with seafood for Southern palates.(In the KITCHEN)
December 1, 2006... Preparing for growth can be one of the biggest challenges a restaurant company undertakes. It requires not only financial acumen, but also discipline and focus when it comes to defining the concept itself. Take the case of Flat Rock...

Grocers' battle against theft waged in-house: video cameras, locks, electronic tags and POS software are common safeguards.(case STUDY)
December 1, 2006... An employee of a Southeast grocery chain used to pack fresh meat and seafood from the supermarket into a plastic tote and toss the whole thing in the dumpster. After work, he'd retrieve the merchandise and sell it to nearby restaurants. ...

Blue crab: the demand for crabmeat heats up as producers rush to market with more value-added products.(Species FOCUS)
December 1, 2006... There's no shortage of seafood companies selling crab cakes these days, including the likes of Phillips Foods and Handy International. But the list is about to get longer: At least three major blue crab importers--Crab Associates, Byrd...

Black sea bass: this attractive fish is often roasted and presented whole on the plate.
December 1, 2006... If you want an attractive fish to present whole and roasted on the plate or display live in a tank, you might consider black sea bass (Centropristis striata). This handsome fish sports a distinctive pattern of white diamonds along its dark...

Computer systems: software programs keep producers up to date on inventory and customer labeling requirements.(Equipment Focus)
December 1, 2006... It's almost impossible for any company in this digital age to operate without a reliable computer system. Seafood shipments need to be tracked from the time they arrive at your back door to when they get shipped to your customers. Losing...

Astra software automates distribution.(Equipment Focus)
December 1, 2006... Astra Information Systems' Advance Availability Assessment (A3) eliminates fresh-seafood distributors' need for white-board inventory tracking by integrating incoming and outgoing product orders for real-time inventory assessment. A3 calculates...

Computer Associates updates ERP software with BI Enterprise.(Equipment Focus)
December 1, 2006... Computer Associates has added an innovative business analysis tool to its industry-specific Seasoft ERP software. BI Enterprise is a flexible and intuitive business intelligence solution that provides an interactive and graphical tool for...

Net*Yield v.5.0 unveiled this month.(Equipment Focus)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Net*Yield software handles weight-based, lot-controlled inventory management for both large and small seafood companies. First offered to the seafood industry in 1989, Net*Yield has developed into a completely integrated platform that can run...

Disc, Design & Data to introduce Fishmonger Plus[TM].(Equipment Focus)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Fishmonger Plus[TM], a Java-based Windows version of the Fishmonger enterprise, is scheduled for release by Disc, Design & Data (DDD) in 2007. The new software was developed using the AddonSoftware[TM] Rapid Development Environment in...

>WiseFish v. 4.02 ideal for small to medium-sized producers.(Equipment Focus)
December 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With the latest release of WiseFish Version 4.02, small to medium-sized producers can harness the wealth of information available from their automation investments in an out-of-the-box solution previously only...

National Fisheries Institute.(People: IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2006... Sandra Kim is NFI's new director of outreach and communications, joining the organization from Booze Allen Hamilton. Her contact information is (703) 752-8894 or skim@nfi.org. Leaving NFI are Tony Pelegrin, who took a new position as CFO for...

GAA.(People: IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2006... Jim Hirt joined the Global Aquaculture Alliance of St. Louis as executive director. He is based in McLean, Va., sharing office space with the National Fisheries Institute.

Intersea Fisheries West.(People: IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2006... Stephen Clark joined the sales team of Intersea Fisheries West, a Seattle processor, in September. An Alaska native, Clark has worked in the seafood industry for 25 years.

J.P's Shellfish.(People: IN THE NEWS)(appointment of Jefferson Oranellas and James King)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Jefferson Oranellas and James King joined the sales and marketing staff at J.P.'s Shellfish in Eliot, Maine. Oranellas, formerly VP of sales for Great Eastern Mussel Farms, is responsible for business development in the retail seafood segment....

Darden Restaurants.(People: IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2006... Linda Dimopoulos, CFO of Darden Restaurants, announced plans to retire on June 30, 2007, after 25 years with the company, which owns and operates five concepts nationwide, including Red Lobster. Brad Richmond, Darden's senior VP and corporate...

Silliker.(People: IN THE NEWS)(Ann Marie McNamara appointed at Association of Offical Agricultural Chemists)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Dr. Ann Marie McNamara, VP of food safety and scientific affairs for Silliker, was elected to a three-year term on the AOAC Research Institute board of directors. A non-profit subsidiary of the scientific association AOAC International, the...

Cameron Mitchell.(People: IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2006... Cameron Mitchell Restaurants promoted Heather Leonard from regional marketing manager to regional marketing director. Leonard assumes the local marketing duties in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio; Chicago; Louisville, Ky.; and Indianapolis. She...

Pacific NW Salmon Center.(People: IN THE NEWS)
December 1, 2006... Jay Nicholas, a biologist with the Oregon Department offish and Wildlife, was named to the Wild Salmon Hall of Fame in September at the 4th annual induction ceremony. The event, hosted by the Pacific Northwest Salmon Center of Belfair, Wash.,...

Mahi makes a Splash![R].(VALUE-ADDED)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... New for foodservice customers is Splash![R] Macadamia-Coconut-Crusted Mahimahi from Clear Springs Foods. Each 6-ounce, boneless mahi fillet is coated with a blend of macadamia nuts, pieces of real papaya and pineapple and flaky ribbons of...

More than rings.(VALUE-ADDED)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Now available from Tampa Maid are Dipt'n Dusted[R] Calamari Rings and Tentacles, giving foodservice operators an easy seafood option that looks and tastes like it was made from scratch. Premium calamari is dipped in a special home-style batter...

Tilapia on tap.(VALUE-ADDED)(King and Prince Seafood Corp.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... King & Prince Seafood Corp. recently added tilapia to its foodservice line of Mrs. Friday's[R] brand of beer-battered fish fillets. All-natural, farm-raised tilapia fillets are coated in a crispy beer batter made with premium Sam Adams[R]...

Fast and versatile.(PACKAGING)
December 1, 2006... Weighpack Systems offers its XPDIUS high-speed, vertical form-fill-and-seal machine in two models, the XP800 and the XP1200. The high-performance XPDIUS can handle speeds of up to 120 pillow, gusset or stand-up bags per minute. Standard...

Supertaper does it all.(PACKAGING)
December 1, 2006... OK International's newly designed Supertaper 1X top-and-bottom case sealer features extended side belts and an integrated case-forming and pack station. The machine provides an efficient and ergonomic solution for forming, packing and sealing...

Set your brand apart.(PACKAGING)
December 1, 2006... Carroll Manufacturing and Sales has developed FlexOrder[TM], a new custom pouch program offering brand differentiation for clients and convenience for end users. CMS handles packaging projects from concept to final testing and can help with...

Calendar 2007.(Calendar)
December 1, 2006... JANUARY Jan. 11-13 Indaqua 2007 Chennai Trade Center Chennai, India Contact K. Premachandran, deputy director, Marine Products Export Development Authority +91-484 2321722, ext. 400 fax +91-484 2312812 mpeda@mpeda.nic.in www.mpeda.com...

Fernando Salado: category manager, seafood, Foodbuy/Compass Group.(one ON ONE)(Interview)
December 1, 2006... Fernando Salado has learned a lot about seafood since being named seafood category manager at Foodbuy almost a year ago. An MBA from Wake Forest helped Salado become a whiz with numbers, which is critical at Foodbuy, a $5 billion...