March 23, 2015 — The success of the U.S. seafood industry depends on economically sound fisheries and aquaculture operations supplying the consumer with safe, wholesome and sustainable seafood products. A Gulf Coast workshop will help develop training and education programs that can assist the industry, train a new generation of seafood professionals and help deliver a uniform message to the consumer.
The Aquaculture and Fish Tech 101, The Aquaculture and Fisheries Technologies for Food and Health Educators, Seafood Professionals, and Communicators Gulf Coast Workshop is the third of three regional programs. It will be held at the Hotel Indigo in the New Orleans Garden District on April 20-23. Workshop attendees will receive seafood quality and safety training that will increase their technical knowledge and understanding of important global, national, regional and local issues and developments related to seafood safety and human health.
Academic and government institutions, especially across Gulf Coast states, have decreased funding opportunities in research, education and outreach in seafood science and technology. There has been a gradual disinvestment over the past decade at several levels that will affect outreach activities in the U.S. and have an impact on U.S. competitiveness in both the domestic and international marketplace.
The project team includes seafood specialist from all three coasts.
– As seafood specialist since 1981 Doris T. Hicks, a Seafood Technology Specialist with the Delaware Sea Grant Program, works with both the seafood industry and consumers to develop educational programs about the proper way to handle, store, and prepare finfish and shellfish. She has developed a variety of publications to help teach consumers about seafood nutrition and handling. Recently, she revised a brochure on seafood nutrition Seafood is Good for You.
– John W. Ewart, Aquaculture & Fisheries extension specialist with the Delaware Sea Grant Program has worked as a commercial fisherman, oceanographic technician, field biologist, research associate, laboratory technical coordinator, and international consultant. His professional interests include shellfish and finfish aquaculture; aquatic production systems/live transport; commercial and recreational fisheries; shellfish restoration and stock enhancement; water quality management; invasive species; technology transfer and training; aquaculture policy; and Information Technologies.
– Albert ‘Rusty’ Gaudé, an area fishery agent for the Louisiana Sea Grant Program and the LSU AgCenter, has more than a decade in commercial private aquaculture production and processing on three continents. He has been heavily involved with response and recovery work to restore normality to the marine fishery sector, receiving the National Sea Grant Outreach Award in 2006 for his work following Hurricane Katrina. Present activities are centered on enhancing profitability and quality in the seafood sector by interactions between harvest constituents and consumers. He is involved with marketing and value-added efforts in traditional and alternative fishery species in a program to supply local fishery products to local demand, thus curbing outsourcing America’s seafood.
– Christina A. Mireles DeWitt, is a faculity member at Oregon State and serves as the Director of Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station where her current research is focused on improving seafood quality, safety and utilization. . She spent seven-years working for commercial food testing laboratories, American Microbiological Services Incorporated and Silliker Laboratories, as well as 11-years as a Food Chemist at Oklahoma State University.
– Michael T. Morrissey, a Professor of Food Science and Technology at Oregon State University, is currently the Director of the OSU Food Innovation Center in Portland, Oregon. The Center is part of the College of Agriculture Experiment Stations and is unique in its urban location and its mission to promote agri-businesses and start-up food companies. He has published more than ninety-five articles in food safety, health risk-benefits, quality, product development, fish species identification and by-product utilization.
Read the full story from the Gulf Seafood Institute