Seafood Business articles from March 2009

Seafood Business archives from March 2009

Seeking inspiration?(Editor's Note)
March 1, 2009... Recessions are pretty good at feeding depression. In an attempt to break the stereotype that all news outlets are "fueling the fire" of negative economic news, there are two stories in this issue that may bring hope and inspiration to SeaFood...

F&WW offshore aquaculture position clarified.(Letter to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2009... Food & Water Watch would like to clarify an inaccurate statement made in the December 2008 issue (p. 10, Organic seafood closer to reality), claiming our organization "has long opposed organic aquaculture." Our organization could support forms...

FMI adopts sustainable seafood policy: guidelines to help retailers incorporate sustainability practices.(retail)
March 1, 2009... The Food Marketing Institute announced in late January that its board of directors adopted a policy encouraging members to support sustainable seafood programs. The policy stems from the Sustainability Task Force the group's board...

GAA, GlobalGAP partner: Busch Entertainment to use BAP logo on menus.(aquaculture)
March 1, 2009... The Global Aquaculture Alliance and The Global Partnership for Good Agricultural Practice (Global GAP) have agreed to work together on developing and harmonizing a worldwide certification system for the aquaculture industry. GAA Executive...

Pollock seeks MSC recertification: North Pacific albacore tuna enters assessment.(supply)
March 1, 2009... Alaska's pollock fishery in late January entered assessment for recertification under the Marine Stewardship Council program. The Gulf of Alaska pollock fishery and the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands pollock fishery together account for...

The Moseley Group.(Biz BRIEFS)
March 1, 2009... Maine Gov. John Baldacci chose The Moseley Group of Portland to strengthen and improve the state's iconic lobster fishery while assessing its economic sustainability. Kristen Bailey, former executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion...

Aquaculture Certification Council.(Biz BRIEFS)
March 1, 2009... The Aquaculture Certification Council relocated its administrative office to 706 N. Suncoast Blvd., Crystal River, FL 34429. Its telephone number is (352) 563-0565.

Santa Monica Seafood.(Biz BRIEFS)
March 1, 2009... After 40 years, Santa Monica Seafood's retail store moved to 1000 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90404. The new site is twice the size of the former space and includes an oyster bar and indoor/outdoor seafood cafe,

Poseidon Seafood.(Biz BRIEFS)
March 1, 2009... Poseidon Seafood of Charlotte, N.C., which filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy late last year, disclosed more than $21 million in liabilities. The company listed only $5.5 million in assets in documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in...

Cherrystone Aqua Farms.(Biz BRIEFS)
March 1, 2009... Cherrystone Aqua Farms recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Cheriton, Va, farm has sold more than 600 million clams nationwide and abroad. Production has increased steadily since 2006, when the company completed an expansion that...

Tuna canners await Prop 65 ruling: California AG attempts to enforce FDA/EPA mercury advisory.(legal)
March 1, 2009... California's ongoing bid to require mercury warnings on canned tuna was heard before an appeals court in late January, another step in a five-year legal battle regarding the state's controversial Proposition 65 law. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Gulf Council OKs aquaculture: vote awaits Commerce's approval.(aquaculture)
March 1, 2009... The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted in late January to establish a permitting process for open-ocean aquaculture. The initiative, which awaited approval from U.S. Department of Commerce at press time, is the first of any in...

Report: women's BHg levels vary: one in six Northeast women have elevated mercury.(health)
March 1, 2009... A report in the January issue of Environmental Health Perspectives found that women of childbearing age in coastal areas have higher-than-average mercury levels in their bodies. The report, "Aduk Women's Blood Mercury Concentrations Vary...

Ivar's Seafood Restaurants.(Line ITEMS)
March 1, 2009... Ivar's Seafood Restaurants of Seattle ran the shortest ad in Super Bowl history last month. The company's iconic seagull image could be seen for half a second during a spot that aired regionally.

Rockin' Baja Coastal Cantina.(Line ITEMS)
March 1, 2009... For its 25th anniversary, Rockin' Baja Coastal Cantina is promoting its Big Baja Bucket of carne asada, grilled chicken, Baja-seasoned shrimp and slipper lobster tails for $29.99 all this year.

Alton Brown.(Line ITEMS)
March 1, 2009... Food Network star Alton Brown will host a culinary event March 20 to 21 focusing on sustainable seafood presented by the Smithsonian Associates, in cooperation with the National Museum of Natural History in Washington. D.C.

Legal C Bar.(Line ITEMS)
March 1, 2009... Legal Sea Foods' Legal C Bar at Logan International Airport in Boston was recognized as one of the top 10 airport restaurants by The National, an English newspaper published in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. It was the only U.S....

Several retailers were named to the Fortune Magazine "100 Best Companies To Work For" annual list.(Line ITEMS)(Directory)
March 1, 2009... Several retailers were named to the Fortune Magazine "100 Best Companies To Work For" annual list, including Wegmans Food Market (No. 5), Whole Foods Market (No. 22) and Publix Super Markets (No. 78).

B.C. stripped of salmon farm oversight: court puts finfish aquaculture operations under federal rule.(legal)
March 1, 2009... The British Columbia Supreme Court in early February ruled the provincial government's regulation of salmon farms is unlawful and that the federal government now has jurisdiction over the industry. Farmed fish will be regulated as a...

WWF launches aquaculture council: organization to be modeled after MSC.(supply)
March 1, 2009... The World Wildlife Fund in late January announced it will establish the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) to eventually take possession of the global standards for responsible seafood farming being developed by the WWF's Aquaculture...

Trident wins SOS People's Choice: Thai Chili Salmon Fillets beat 12 other entries.(Competition)
March 1, 2009... Trident Seafoods won the Seattle People's Choice Award for its Trident Naturals Thai Chili Salmon Fillets at the Alaska Symphony of Seafood 16th annual new products contest last month. "It was very close, but in the end, Trident's tangy...

Tuna takes top honors.(culinary school students cooking competition winning tuna recipe)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In January, students from top culinary schools n four countries competed in the inaugural Cryovac International Culinary Schools Contest. The schools each created three gourmet dishes that were packaged and heated in...

Oregon readies for productive pink shrimp harvest: however, the economy's effect on prices and demand for the crustacean remain question marks.(shrimp)
March 1, 2009... With the Oregon pink shrimp season on the horizon, the industry is weighing what looks to be a productive harvest against an uncertain economy. Landings topped 25.5 million pounds in 2008, a six-year high. "The shrimp should be there, but...

Outlook optimistic for Copper River kings: California and Oregon chinook fisheries in limbo.(salmon)
March 1, 2009... The coveted Copper River salmon fishery, the unofficial start of Alaska's summer salmon season, is about two months away, but buyers can already expect availability of king salmon to improve this year. The Alaska Department of Fish & Game...

Pacific halibut prices to drop: frozen surplus results in delayed season start.(whitefish)
March 1, 2009... Pacific halibut will be a hard buy this year since the International Pacific Halibut Commission in mid-January cut the catch limit by more than 10 percent. This year's cut to 54 million pounds from 60.4 million pounds in 2008 marks the...

Fish oil freefall: output and prices are down.(FOCUS)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To label the 2008 global fish oil market as calm would be the understatement of the year. Fish oil output dropped worldwide, and prices reached unprecedented highs. But by late last year, prices were in a freefall....

Domestic crawfish supply down: hurricanes, drought hinder production.(shellfish)
March 1, 2009... The general consensus for this year's domestic crawfish production is that farmed crawfish supplies will peak a little bit later than what might be expected in a normal year and the overall yields will probably be down. The combination of...

Shrimp sales post slight uptick: category accounts for one-third of seafood department sales.(shrimp)
March 1, 2009... Shrimp is America's favorite seafood, as evidenced by per-capita consumption rates nearly doubling in the past 25 years, to reach 4.1 pounds-per-capita in 2007, according to the National Fisheries Institute. Shrimp was the second-largest...

Getting the bugs out: despite obstacles, global farmed salmon industry remains optimistic.(Top Story)(Cover story)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's another bone-chilling late-January morning on Cobscook Bay, Maine, just a stone's throw from the most easterly point on the U.S. mainland. Despite the numbing cold gripping the Northeast this winter, a...

Catfish: makeover designed to broaden domestic species' appeal.(Top Species)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Like the Patagonian toothfish and the slimehead before it, the humble catfish is banking on a name change and a higher-end image to build a broader consumer base. Now in phase two of a three part program, The...

Green list a go: sustainable seafood strategy boosts New Leaf's sales.(What's in Store)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Differentiating itself from local grocery stores is paying off for one natural seafood retailer, despite the recession. While profits at many retailers are suffering in this economy, sales are steadily rising at New...

Fine dining on the fly: One Flew South faces unique airport challenges.(Behind the Line)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There aren't too many restaurants where sushi knives are chained to their cutting boards and FBI background checks for staff--including the dishwasher--are mandatory. Then again, there aren't that many fine-dining...

Sustainability setback? MSC sees no sign of slowdown, although some buyers are cutting corners.(Going Green)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For years the seafood industry's biggest buyers have said sustainability is simply smart business, not just some kind of pipe dream. But for some seafood buyers, that creed is being tested as the nascent mainstream...

Seafood burgers: burgers fill demand for healthful food that's easy to prepare.(Product Spotlight)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Consumer desire to eat healthful foods and ease of preparation are just two reasons seafood burgers have become more popular in the past decade. Seafood burger menu mentions were up slightly in 2008 to 4 percent,...

It's show time: Boston welcomes 27th Seafood Show.(IBSS Visitor's Guide)(Conference news)(Directory)
March 1, 2009... Visitors will descend upon this month's International Boston Seafood Show, co-located with Seafood Processing America at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center March 15 to 17. A full list of SPA exhibitors can be found on page 76, and a...

2009 seminar schedule: program offers tools to gain a competitive edge.(International Boston Seafood Show)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] During all three days of the International Boston Seafood Show, recognized industry authorities will bring their expertise to conference sessions covering topics of vital importance to seafood professionals. ...

Seafood processing show: equipment, related services on display.(SPA Visitor's Guide)(Directory)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The fifth annual Seafood Processing America takes place this month, co-located with the International Boston Seafood Show from March 15 to 17 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. SPA exhibitors will greet...

Gorton's.(People in the News)
March 1, 2009... After 23 years at the helm of Gorton's, CEO Steve Warhover is retiring, effective April 1. Warhover will remain a board member of the Gloucester, Mass., company; F.W. Bryce, also of Gloucester; and King & Prince Seafood in Brunswick, Ga., all...

Global Aquaculture Alliance.(People in the News)
March 1, 2009... The Global Aquaculture Alliance announced that John Forster, Ph.D., will chair its newly created salmon technical committee. Forster previously served as president of Stolt Sea Farm Washington. Forster has also worked extensively in all facets...

SeaShare.(People in the News)
March 1, 2009... The SeaShare board named Jim Harmon as executive director. SeaShare is nonprofit hunger-relief organization based in a Bainbridge Island, Wash., that links seafood companies to food banks nationwide. With SeaShare for nearly a decade, Harmon...

Vitello Consulting.(People in the News)
March 1, 2009... John Marino and Todd Willens have joined Vitello Consulting of Washington, D.C. Bringing a decade of high-level contacts, Marino bolsters the firm's relationships with the Obama administration and Congress. Willens represents client interests...

Tampa Bay Fisheries.(People in the News)
March 1, 2009... Tampa Bay Fisheries hired Patty Mann as manager of retail sales, focusing on fresh and frozen seafood sales to retail chains. Mann brings to the company more than 25 years of industry experience, including work on longline boats and key...

Weis Markets.(People in the News)
March 1, 2009... John Grimes joined Weis Markets of Sunbury, Pa., as its new director of meat and seafood. Grimes, formerly a senior-level meat merchandiser for Price Chopper, oversees meat and seafood merchandising and procurement. Michelle Dorin was promoted...

Multisorb Technologies.(People in the News)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Advanced active packaging technology leader Multisorb Technologies appointed Jeff Brown as business development leader for food and beverages. In this role, Brown serves existing customers while continuing to expand...

A European tradition.(VALUE-ADDED)(Ducktrap River's herring)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Herring is a new addition to Ducktrap River of Maine's all-natural product line. Herring Center Cuts are available in wine sauce or cream style and are both OU Kosher certified. Herring is part of an old European tradition and due to its great...

Ready for the plate.(VALUE-ADDED)
March 1, 2009... PanaPesca Seafood has introduced a new line of frozen seafood meal kits under the PanaReady brand. Mixed Clams Sauce for pasta, Paella, Seafood Medley for rice and spaghetti and Seafood Sauce for pasta contain a wide variety of seafood,...

An antipasto favorite.(VALUE-ADDED)(MacKnight Smoked Foods' smoked salmon)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... New to MacKnight Smoked Foods' product line is air dried smoked salmon, also called smoked salmon prosciutto. Atlantic salmon fillets are cured with all-natural ingredients for a minimum of 22 hours, then smoked in AFOS smokers for 28 hours....

Restaurant-quality meals.(VALUE-ADDED)
March 1, 2009... High Liner Foods (USA) has introduced the Sea Cuisine product line of frozen ready-to-cook meals. The line includes 12 flavors including jumbo shrimp, wild Pacific salmon, tilapia and wild Pacific cod finished in either a crust or glaze. The...

High IQ fish.(VALUE-ADDED)(Shining Ocean's Smart salmon)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Smart Salmon wild Alaska sockeye salmon fillets are new from Shining Ocean. Three all-natural sauces are available: Australian Ginger, Huli Huli and Kenyan Coffee Barbecue. Sockeye salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, are one of the world's...

Weigh-in time.(PROCESSING EQUIPMENT)(Marel Food Systems' M-Check RF8)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... The M-Check RF8, the newest member of Marel Food Systems' series of check weighers, is specifically designed to deal with wet as well as dry food products. The M-Check RF8 provides 100 percent weight control preventing underweight and/or...

A watchful eye.(PROCESSING EQUIPMENT)(Ryco #860A LazerEye)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... The #860A LazerEye portioning machine from Ryco combines true 3-D high accuracy laser scanning with high speed servos technology to accurately cut fillets and whole fish to selected sizes and weights without recalibration, weighing or testing...

Seafood calendar.(Calendar)
March 1, 2009... MARCH March 3-6 Foodex Japan 2009 Makuhari Messe Japan Japan Management Association +81-3-3434-6211 www.jma.or.jp/foodex March 4-5 North Atlantic Seafood Forum Thon Hotel Arena ...

Dr. Steve Otwell, Ph.D.: professor, seafood technology University of Florida Gainesville, Fla.(One on One)(Interview)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Perhaps nobody in the world knows more about the science of seafood than Dr. Steve Otwell, professor of seafood technology at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla. Otwell has been with the school for 30...