Seafood Business articles from January 2005

Seafood Business archives from January 2005

Fuel drives costs up.(seafood business)
January 1, 2005... Mohamed Jeddy, the seafood buyer for 50 Fiesta Mart grocery stores in Texas, is in a bind. He's paying about 5 to 8 cents per pound more for seafood due to higher fuel costs but fears losing customers if his prices are too high. He charges...

Shrimp tariffs hit China harder than Vietnam.(Trade)
January 1, 2005... Many of Chinas shrimp exporters may be forced to abandon the U.S. market following the U.S. Department of Commerce's Nov. 30 decision to raise tariffs against Chinese product from an average of 59.7 percent to 60.5 percent. The same ruling will...

Fred Meyer faces fraud lawsuit.(Retail)
January 1, 2005... Fred Meyer, Kroger's western division, faces a class-action lawsuit alleging it has illegally overcharged customers in five states for packaged meat and seafood, cheating them out of an estimated $1 million per year for the past 10 years. ...

Shrimp tariffs issued, importers try to stop petition.(Late News)
January 1, 2005... The U.S. Department of Commerce on Dec. 20 reduced shrimp tariffs against the majority of exporters in four of the six countries targeted by the antidumping petition Gulf Coast and Southeast fishermen and processors filed just over a year ago....

Bumble Bee nets shelf-stable seafood and meat businesses.(Late News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Bumble Bee Seafoods agreed Dec. 22 to acquire Castleberry/Snow's Brands, which markets a variety of shelf-stable seafood and beef products, for $93 million and the shelf-stable meat business of Sara Lee Corp. for $45 million. The deal is...

South American scallops undergoing MSC review.(Marine Stewardship Council)(sustainability certification)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The Patagonia scallop fishery is the world's first scallop fishery to undergo full scientific assessment under the Marine Stewardship Council's sustainability certification program. If certified, Patagonia scallops will be eligible to bear the...

Louisiana Seafood Board wins Emmy.(Louisiana Seafood Promotion 86 Marketing Board)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The 2004 Sugar Bowl pre-game show sponsored by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion 86 Marketing Board won an Emmy award for excellence in regional sports broadcasting. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented the Emmy Dec. 11 to Doug...

Captain D's sale to two investment firms nears completion: Charlesbank and Grotech acquisition expected to close by the end of 2004.(Foodservice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Charlesbank Capital Partners, a middle-market buyout firm in Boston, and Grotech Capital Group, a Maryland investment firm, are expected to purchase Captain D's quick-service seafood chain by the end of 2004 from Lone Star Funds in Dallas. ...

Reports urge consumers to shun farmed shrimp: Ocean Trust disputes Public Citizen's allegations against shrimp aquaculture.(Aquaculture)
January 1, 2005... Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C., non-profit consumer-advocacy group, issued two reports in late 2004 urging Americans to avoid eating farmed shrimp. The reasons the group gave consumers included the environmental and social effects of shrimp...

International Seafood Ventures.(Biz Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... International Seafood Ventures moved its Los Angeles office to 10833 Wilshire Blvd., No. 309, Los Angeles, CA 90024. The corporate phone, fax and address are unchanged,

American Seafoods Group revised its Web site (www.americanseafoods.com) to include company and industry information.(Biz Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... American Seafoods Group revised its Web site (www.americanseafoods.com) to include company and industry information, an extensive reference section of industry links and closer integration of ASG's operating units, American Seafoods Co. and...

EcoFish of Portsmouth, N.H., now distributes IQF organic shrimp from Ocean Boy Farms.(Biz Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... EcoFish of Portsmouth, N.H., now distributes IQF organic shrimp from Ocean Boy Farms in central Florida and will donate a portion of the proceeds from every bag sold to help support global sea-turtle-restoration projects.

P&O Nedlloyd.(Biz Briefs)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... P&O Nedlloyd instituted a global "carrier security charge" of $6 per container Jan. 1 to defray the cost of complying with the International Ship and Port Facility Security code, which is designed to protect ports and international shipping...

President unveils ocean plan: new committee to pick up work of commission.(Government)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... President Bush on Dec. 17 announced a U.S. Ocean Action Plan that established a new cabinet-level committee on ocean policy and calls for greater use of individual fishing quotas for fisheries management. The plan is the president's...

Seattle processor fined for exceeding Alaska-brown-king-crab quota: $3.44 million penalty is one the largest under the American Fisheries Act.(Processing)
January 1, 2005... The National Marine Fisheries Service fined Icicle Seafoods $3.44 million in late November, accusing the Seattle-based processor of violating the American Fisheries Act by exceeding its Alaska-brown-king-crab quota by 3.8 million pounds over a...

Protein-enriched seafood tested at Hannaford, Sam's: NutraPure[R] said to reduce shrink, increase shelf life of seafood.(Processing)
January 1, 2005... Supermarket chain Hannaford Bros. of Scarborough, Maine, this month will begin testing protein-enriched haddock supplied by North Atlantic of Portland, Maine, in its seafood departments. Frozen enriched orange roughy from Good Harbor Fillet of...

Facts & figures.(News Line)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 1, 2005... 256 Wal-Mart's fiscal 2004 U.S. sales, in billions of dollars 500 Wal-Mart's annual seafood sales, in millions of dollars 165 Wal-Mart's annual shrimp sales, in millions of dollars 50 Wal-Mart's...

Fulton vendor files Chap. 11: Fulton Fish Purveyors owes creditors $4.8 million.(Wholesale)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Fulton Village Purveyors filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York on Nov. 16, citing a decline in business following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the nearby World Trade Center....

Chicken of the Sea introduces pouched Alaska smoked salmon: retail pouch represents new product form for pink salmon.(Supply)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Chicken of the Sea in early December introduced new ready-to-eat Sea Smoked Pacific Salmon in a foil pouch, a product developed with the state of Alaska. Available in 3-ounce pouches at a suggested retail price of $2.99 and made with wild...

Celebrate the supermarket.(Line Items)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... This year marks the 75th anniversary of the self-serve supermarket concept, created during the Great Depression to meet consumers' need for convenient, low-priced groceries. According to the Food Marketing Institute, the first supermarket, a...

ACF to get lobster lessons.(Line Items)(American Culinary Federation)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... There's a lot more to cooking Maine lobster than boiling or steaming, and the Maine Lobster Promotion Council wants to make sure chefs across the country get the message. Starting in February, the council is hosting educational workshops at...

Something fishy.(News Line)
January 1, 2005... I'M SORRY SIR... WE ARE ALL OUT OF CRAB... WE DO HAVE ONE LOBSTER WITH AN INFERIORITY COMPLEX! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Chinese exporters hit hardest by tariffs: Thai, Indian, Vietnamese and Ecuadorian exporters receive tariffs of less than 12 percent.(Shrimp)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The antidumping case fishermen and processors from the Carolinas to Texas brought against exporters in six Asian and South American countries is winding down. This month, the U.S. International Trade Commission will determine, on a final basis,...

Bristol Bay catch to top 25 million sockeye: ex-vessel prices of Southeast Alaska/Yakutat troll kings are up.(Salmon)
January 1, 2005... The Bristol Bay sockeye fishery, the world's largest, is projected to yield 25.6 million fish this summer says the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. That would be down slightly from last summer's catch of 26.3 million fish but up from the...

Halibut, pollock quotas cut in 2005: but reductions are minimal and shouldn't affect prices.(Finfish)
January 1, 2005... The International Pacific Halibut Commission last month recommended a 4 percent cut in the halibut quota, from 76.5 million pounds in 2004 to 73.7 million pounds in 2005. The commission is scheduled to finalize the quota and decide when to...

Lent drives red snapper demand: expect prices to top $4 next month.(Preview)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... After a month-and-a-half hiatus, the domestic Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery is set to reopen Feb. 1 for 10 days. During last February's 10-day opener, landings exceeded 500,000 pounds, and fresh 2- to 4-pound fish commanded around $4 a...

Delay in Dungeness fishery muddles supply: Maryland records highest blue-crab catch since 1999.(Shellfish)
January 1, 2005... Expect a rash of Dungeness crab from northern Oregon and Washington to hit the market this month. The start of the fishery from Cape Falcon, Ore., to the Washington-Canadian border was delayed until after Christmas to give the crabs more time...

Get a handle on hidden costs.(Editor's Note)(seafood prices)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... Nothing in life gets cheaper. Costs are rising on every consumer good imaginable. The price of seafood is increasing due to a variety of factors, including tariffs on imports, the cost of fishmeal to fish farmers and higher labor costs for...

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2005... In our December issue, the Newsline story about an oyster educational campaign (page 10) referred to high-pressure-processed or cooked oysters; the correct terminology is "post-harvest-processed oysters."

Correction.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2005... In the November issue, an incorrect phone number was given for Mintel International Group, whose report on the seafood market was covered in the Late News section. The phone number is (312) 932-0400.

In the Dungeness 'derby,' quantity overrides quality: it's time for fisheries managers on the West Coast from California to Washington to put their thinking caps on and try to fix the ocean Dungeness crab fishery.(One Man's Opinion)
January 1, 2005... Fisheries managers in the United States have made great strides over the past decade to eliminate "derby-style" fisheries characterized by too many boats racing to catch too few fish. The best examples of commercial fishing made safer,...

NFI takes new strategy to reach seafood consumers: NFI's new communications strategy helps our industry defend itself more forcefully and reminds the American public of the benefits of our product.(NFI Forum)(National Fisheries Institute)
January 1, 2005... Last summer, the Wall Street Journal wrote: "One of the biggest political battlegrounds in America these days isn't Bush and Kerry--it's fish and dairy. Gourmet edibles are coming under a new barrage of legal and activist attacks." Many...

What to consider when buying Chilean sea bass: recent landings indicate that efforts to curb poaching for 'white gold' are working.(Seafood FAQ?)
January 1, 2005... Perhaps no fish grew faster in popularity among American chefs and retailers in the 1990s than Chilean sea bass, which is prized for its rich, melt-in-your-mouth flavor and large, thick flakes. U.S. importers bring in more than $100 million of...

Celebrities help marketers grab consumers' attention: musicians, athletes and other big names can influence purchasing decisions and revive a product's image.(Trend Watch)
January 1, 2005... Salty fishermen and coastal landscapes are falling from favor with a growing number of seafood marketers, who have traded traditional imagery for celebrities to drive sales. Some seafood firms are marketing their products under an existing...

Core-menu plan offers quality, consistency and economy: McCormick & Schmick's buying program protects the brand while allowing for regional tastes.
January 1, 2005... McCormick & Schmick's just isn't what it used to be. In the 25 years since Bill McCormick and Doug Schmick founded the first McCormick & Schmick's upscale-casual seafood restaurant in Portland, Ore., the company has grown to encompass more than...

Adding value in-house can boost your bottom line: ready-to-cook items meet your customers' need for convenience while increasing seafood sales.(SeaFood University)
January 1, 2005... Convenience is still high on foodshoppers' priority list, creating sales opportunities for retail seafood departments that are willing to answer that demand. Value-added products, including marinated, seasoned, stuffed or skewered seafood,...

Catfish: with tariffs protecting them from imports, U.S. farmers work to build consumer loyalty.(Species Focus)
January 1, 2005... U.S. catfish farmers, who obtained protection against cheap imports from Vietnam in 2003, are working to seal the deal by informing consumers about the benefits of eating domestically raised product. By emphasizing that catfish produced in...

Kingklip: this tasty and versatile import has yet to win a following outside of ethnic markets.(Product Spotlight)
January 1, 2005... Kingklip possesses all the attributes that usually make a species a star in the U.S. market. With white, mildly flavored, firm meat, kingklip is a versatile fish that can stand up to grilling and frying as well as being chunked in a fish stew....

King & Prince.(People In The News)(promotions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... King & Prince Seafood Corp. promoted Teresa Mason to inventory analyst and Mike Zimmer to maintenance and refrigeration manager. Mason, former administrative assistant in seafood procurement, will supervise shipping and receiving operations...

National Fisheries Institute.(People In The News)(appointments)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... NFI elected its 2005 board of directors at its 59th annual meeting in Long Beach, Calif., on Oct. 31. David Weber, VP of operations for Gorton's Seafoods in Gloucester, Mass., is chairman. Rick Martin, executive director of Red Chamber Co. in...

SeaSpecialties.(People In The News)(appointment)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... James Ruos Jr., former CEO of Aqua Farms International, a Chilean salmon-farming operation with corporate offices in Miami, joined SeaSpecialties as COO of its Barnacle Seafood division in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

American Seafood Group.(resignation and appointment)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Jeffrey Davis, chief operating officer of the American Seafoods Group, resigned, effective Jan. 1, to pursue other interests. He will remain active in the company as a member of its board of directors and consultant. Davis was most active in...

Trans-Ocean Products.(People In The News)(Appointment)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Processor TransOcean Products of Bellingham, Wash., appointed David J. Borowski business development manager for the Northeast. His responsibilities in dude account management and the continued development of retail sales for Trans-Ocean's...

Byrd International.(People In The News)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Following the 100 percent acquisition of Byrd's stock by Tom Ruark, Norman Whittington assumed the position of president and general manager of the Maryland crabmeat and seafood processor.

Hanson Logistics.(People in the news)(Tom Trimbach appointed)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Tom Trimbach was named director of transportation for Hanson Logistics of Benton Harbor, Mich. He will oversee the launch of the company's new transportation-management services for dry and refrigerated/frozen truckload and LTL shipments.

Oceanaire.(People In The News)(promotion)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Oceanaire, a six-unit Minneapolis-based seafood chain, promoted President Terry Ryan to chief executive, replacing founder Phil Roberts, who will stay on as chairman.

At-Sea Processors.(Kevin Duffy appointed)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Kevin Duffy replaced Trevor McCabe as executive director of the At-Sea Processors Association. Duffy was previously commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Little lox.(Salmon)
January 1, 2005... Salmolux introduces a smaller version of its Smoked Salmon Pinwheels. The new 4-ounce Nova-lox-and-cream-cheese swirl "fitz on a Ritz" or similarly sized cracker as a gourmet appetizer. Serve the pinwheels on mini bagels as a substitute for...

Sensible sausage.(Salmon)
January 1, 2005... New from Ocean Beauty Seafoods is Salmon Chorizo, a flavorful, classic chorizo sausage for retail sale in 1-pound chub packs or vacuum packs. Made from wild Alaska salmon, the spicy chile-and-garlic sausage can be used in breakfast scrambles,...

Bag it fast.(Packaging)
January 1, 2005... Jaguar Packaging's new M7000 pouch bagger automatically opens, holds for fill and then seals pre-made pouches at speeds up to 20 bags per minute per head. The modular units can be ganged to increase speeds up to 80 bags per minute, with weights...

Guard against leaks.(Packaging)
January 1, 2005... LeakMatic[TM] inline and LeakPointer[TM] stand-alone, non-destructive package leak detectors from PBI-Dansensor America monitor packages to provide a water-free leak test of shipping cases and/or individual boxes containing perishable and other...

Space saver.(Packaging)
January 1, 2005... The new Advantage RA-200 automatic vacuum-packaging machine from Rollstock is designed for entry-level packaging applications. At 11.5 feet, the machine has a smaller footprint than standard rollstock units. The RA-200 features matched...

Calendar 2005.(seafood trade shows)(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... JANUARY Jan. 17-20 Aquaculture America 2005 Marriott New Orleans New Orleans Contact conference manager (760) 432-4270 fax (760) 432-4275 www.WAS.org Jan. 23-25 Winter Fancy Food Show Moscone...

Jim Filip: owner/operator, Doris & Ed's.(One On One)(Interview)
January 1, 2005... Don't let the quaint name fool you: Doris & Ed's is not a shoreside shack serving flied seafood in cardboard cartons. The Highlands, N.J., restaurant is, as its Web site describes, a "classic and contemporary seafood oasis." Owner/operator...