Saving Seafood

New Jersey opens covid-19 assistance program for seafood processors

March 23, 2022 — New Jersey is using $826,807 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reimburse the state’s seafood processors for covid-19-related costs that hit them in 2020 and 2021.

The NJ Seafood Processor Covid-19 Assistance Program is funded through USDA Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program, and follows the federal protocol for qualifying businesses for aid.

Eligible activities for reimbursement include:

• Workplace safety measures;

• Retrofit of facilities for worker and consumer safety;

• Market pivots;

• Medical costs associated with providing or purchasing COVID-19 testing.

The state Department of Environmental Protection’s Marine Fisheries Administration is working with the state health and agriculture departments to provide reimbursement to processors, including processing vessels and dealers, for pandemic-related costs between Jan. 27, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2021.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

 

China’s ongoing COVID lockdowns threaten Maine’s baby eel season

March 22, 2022 — Warm weather this spring may boost catches of lucrative baby eels in Maine, but the ongoing effects of the covid pandemic still could hamper the global availability of the popular seafood item.

An abundance of eels during Maine’s 11-week elver season, which starts Tuesday, may not be able to overcome pandemic-related difficulties in shipping the eels to eastern Asia, where most elvers caught in Maine are raised to adulthood in aquaculture ponds in China and then sold into the enormous Japanese seafood market.

“As of now, the biggest challenge facing the industry this season will be the logistics of getting eels to their ultimate destinations,” said Mitchell Feigenbaum, a major distributor of Maine eels. “A severe COVID outbreak in Hong Kong combined with strict import controls have created great uncertainty in the market as the season prepares to open.”

China has maintained a “COVID zero” policy that in recent weeks has resulted in the country locking down areas where outbreak of the disease are detected, which potentially could inhibit the ability to ship Maine elvers to Chinese aquaculture sites. Because elvers have to be shipped live, the possibility of shipments being delayed and elvers dying en route can make things “very risky” for dealers, Feigenbaum said.

Read the full story at Bangor Daily News

Seafood workers at higher risk for contracting COVID-19, study finds

March 22, 2022 — A new study by the University of New Hampshire has found that workers in the seafood industry were twice as likely to contract COVID-19.

The study – “The direct and indirect effects of a global pandemic on U.S. fishers and seafood workers” – found that the average amount of seafood workers testing positive for COVID-19 per 1,000 workers was more than double that of other food industries. The study found that there were an estimated 65 positive cases per 1,000 seafood workers, compared to 31 cases per 1,000 workers in the wider food industry.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

UNH Research: U.S. Seafood Workers at Increased Risk for COVID-19 During Pandemic

March 22, 2022 — The dramatic toll that COVID-19 has taken on the U.S. is apparent, but as caseloads come down and mandates are loosened it has become increasingly obvious how much of an impact the pandemic had on food service workers in industries like the fisheries. A study from the University of New Hampshire looked at the direct and indirect effects of the global pandemic on U.S. seafood workers by tracking cases and outbreaks and found seafood workers were twice as likely to contract COVID-19 as workers in other food industries.

“The U.S. seafood industry was hit pretty hard, especially workers in high-density workplaces like seafood processing plants where social distancing was difficult,” said Easton White, assistant professor of biological sciences. “Even though COVID-19 precautions were set in place reducing the number of workers on processing lines it meant longer shifts and increased exposure overall. Fishing vessels had similar issues, where crews on crowded boats faced challenges wearing PPE, or masks, in wet and windy conditions.”

Read the full story from the University of New Hampshire

 

PFMC: Public hearing announcement

March 22, 2022 — The following was released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council:

Due to public health concerns related to COVID19 the Pacific Fishery Management Council will be conducting the following Salmon hearings via webinar only.

We recognize these hearings are typically held in person, but given the circumstances we feel the webinar platform is the best way to proceed. We appreciate your patience and flexibility.

The links below will take you to the specific hearing information with details on how to participate:

•Washington – March 22,2022

•Oregon – March 23, 2022

•California – March 22, 2022

Alternative ways to provide public comment:

Public comment is also being accepted through April 5th at 5pm via our E-Portal . Agenda Item D.2 is the most appropriate for Salmon alternatives adopted in March.

Fishing Industry to Get COVID Relief Funding

March 21, 2022 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant Program is awarding $1.1 million in federal funding for Massachusetts seafood processors and wholesale dealers for expenses related to COVID-19.

Reimbursement will be administered through the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Marine Fisheries and will cover costs such as workplace safety measures, transportation, retrofitting facilities, and worker housing.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

 

Seafood industry powers through the pandemic with ingenuity, flexibility

March 14, 2022 — The COVID-19 pandemic period has been riddled with loss and upheaval, yet the industry has remained resilient, with many seafood suppliers successfully pivoting their business strategies to target retail and e-commerce channels in the face of sudden and severe foodservice constrictions.

Such shifts proved crucial, especially given the dramatic spikes in demand and sales seen at retail for fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable seafood beginning in 2020. That year saw more consumers eating at home and going on pandemic-fueled buying sprees, which drove retail seafood sales to new heights. In 2021, those record sales were eclipsed, according to research firms IRI and 210 Analytics.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

The U.N. Treaty That Could Be the Oceans’ Last Great Hope

March 11, 2022 — United Nations member states have tried for years to reach a global agreement that would protect marine life on the high seas—those parts of the world’s oceans that fall beyond the jurisdiction of any individual country.

The endeavor is seen as hugely important for protecting the world’s biodiversity and limiting the impact of climate change. While existing laws and treaties address marine and maritime activities within countries’ jurisdiction, very little extends to the high seas, which include about 95 percent of the world’s oceans in terms of volume.

Member states began discussing the issue in 2004, with delegates meeting every two years. By 2020, the parties appeared to be close to striking a deal, but the outbreak of COVID-19 that year put the talks on ice.

Read the full story and listen to the audio at Foreign Policy

 

Continued growth at Long John Silver’s pushes it to expand internationally

March 10, 2022 — Long John Silver’s posted its sixth-consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth, while also scoring record-breaking average unit volumes in 2021.

Despite COVID-19 pressures that pushed its sales down 30 to 40 percent at the start of the pandemic, the Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.-based operator realized a 2.5 percent increase in sales year-over-year throughout 2020 and 2021, according to the international seafood chain’s recently released its 2021 results.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Monument Advocacy Leading America’s Seafood Campaign

March 7, 2022 — The following was released by America’s Seafood Campaign:

The Seafood Nutrition Partnership and the National Seafood Council Task Force have hired Monument Advocacy to lead America’s Seafood Campaign – its effort to secure Congressional funding for a national seafood marketing campaign. Monument is a Washington, D.C.-based government relations and public affairs firm, specializing in achieving advocacy through compelling stories.

Seafood is an essential industry for local economies, not only along the coasts, but throughout the country. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the industry hard, with frontline workers such as fishers, farmers, retailers, and processors bearing the brunt of the economic impact. America’s Seafood Campaign will provide a platform for these seafood workers to tell their stories to policymakers and educate Washington on the vital benefits of seafood.

Their testimonials and information on the benefits of seafood are available at seafoodcampaign.org, which also includes a platform for advocates to take action in support of the campaign. To date, nearly 200 seafood workers and supporters from 37 states have joined the campaign, and more than 100 have participated in the campaign’s first ask – signing onto letters to Congress, which speak to the importance of the industry to their communities, public health, and the environment.

“This campaign will focus on how essential the seafood industry is to jobs and the economies of Congressional members’ home states and districts,” explains Campaign Director Matt McAlvanah. “It will be a campaign about the positive community, health and environmental impact of seafood. Particularly as the industry works to stabilize after COVID, we are optimistic that a campaign that has united leading seafood companies and non-profits will find support on the Hill.”

As the appropriations process for FY23 progresses during the Spring and Summer, America’s Seafood Campaign will continue to connect its advocates with key Members and delegations through meetings with Congressional offices, video testimonials, op-eds, Member visits, and more. Ultimately, the coalition aims to secure $25 million per year over five years for the marketing campaign, which will focus on educating the public on the economic, health and environmental benefits of seafood. With that information top-of-mind for consumers, the campaign should help the industry rebound for the foreseeable future, and firmly establish seafood as a staple in Americans’ diets.

Learn More in Boston, Seafood Expo North America

  • America’s Seafood Campaign will be on the expo floor at Booth 908 at the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) in Boston, March 13-15.
  • The Task Force will be conducting a town hall official SENA session, “Unite the Industry & Creation of a National Seafood Marketing Campaign” on Monday, March 14 at 1:30.