Saving Seafood

Lund’s invests heavily in foodservice despite COVID-19 challenges

January 14, 2021 — While many seafood processors are struggling to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lund’s Fisheries is expanding its storage and processing space, and hiring a slate of executives to fuel growth of value-added lines – primarily to foodservice.

The Cape May, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based company, which owns 19 fishing vessels and has production facilities in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California, will break ground on a 90,000-square-foot cold and dry storage facility to its Shoreline Freezers facility this summer. It also plans on adding processing capabilities at the plant, Mark Fratiello, the company’s new director of sales and marketing, told SeafoodSource.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Lund’s Fisheries Announces New Hires as Part of New Investments in Consumer Brands

January 12, 2021 — The following was released by Lund’s Fisheries:

Lund’s Fisheries is excited to announce the hiring of four new senior executives and two additional sales and marketing staff.  The hires are the company’s latest investment in sustainable seafood production and marketing through its Lund’s Fisheries and Sea Legend brands.

“These new hires, in our sales, cold storage/logistics and quality assurance departments, are key to the company’s focus on continued growth of its production capacity and sales of innovative seafood products in the retail and food service sectors,” said Wayne Reichle, President of Lund’s Fisheries.

Joining the company are Mark Fratiello as its new Director of Sales and Marketing, Mike Wallace and John Fee as National Business Development Managers, Federico Sehringer as Compliance Officer and Quality Assurance Director, Joshua Farinella as Director of Compliance and Quality Assurance, and Gene Taormina as General Manager at Shoreline Freezers, located in Bridgeton, New Jersey.

Mark comes to Lund’s with an extensive sales background, including 10 years of experience in seafood sales and marketing.  In his role at Lund’s, Mark will lead the company’s seasoned sales team, comprised of Jeff Miller, Mike Wallace, Rick Marino and John Fee, to grow their fresh and frozen scallop, calamari, shrimp, finfish and value-added lines, working with a national broker to drive national sales to broadline distributors, restaurants, wholesale distributors, and retail.

“I’m excited to be with a company that’s looking to expand its reach in volume, sales channels, and infrastructure,” said Mark Fratiello. “It’s great to get in on the ground floor to help build the brands, and create new opportunities for the company to grow.  Lund’s investments in vessels and shoreside infrastructure provide an incredible foundation to build successful national seafood programs and bring consumers direct to the source.”

With its Lund’s Fisheries, Seafood Market and Sea Legend brands, Lund’s Fisheries is already a leading provider of sustainable, wild-caught sea scallops, calamari and finfish; the company harvested over 75 million pounds of seafood last year alone. Atlantic sea scallops and East Coast squid fisheries are certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, which is an important selling point for consumers in a market increasingly interested in sustainability.  Additionally Lund’s is one of just a few domestic processors that clean calamari domestically, and offers customers products that have been both caught and processed in the U.S.

“Onboarding a national broker with a company that has more than 65 years of vertically integrated seafood experience is an exciting time in my career and a great opportunity to achieve Lund’s Fisheries strategic goals,” said Mike Wallace.

“I am happy to be associated with Lund’s, a company focused on sustainable fishing practices and centrally located in the Mid Atlantic, and geared towards producing the highest quality seafood for the food service industry,” said John Fee.

Federico and Joshua will be part of an expanded quality assurance team, where they will ensure that the products processed at our SQF-certified facilities continue to meet all regulations and standards, and that the high quality of our consumer products are maintained. Both bring years of experience in quality control to Lund’s. Federico has 18 years of food safety and quality control, both in the U.S. and Argentina. Joshua has 14 years of experience in several quality assurance roles.

“I’ve worked in retail, storage and distribution, and production. I’m glad to have the opportunity to work with a company that is able to do all of these things under one roof,” said Federico Sehringer.

“I’m ready to help the company take things to the next level,” said Joshua Farinella. “We have a strong foundation and reputation for quality to build on, and the right building blocks for continued success.”

While 2020 has been challenging for many, Lund’s Fisheries has continued investing in growing shoreside infrastructure to support sustainable fisheries, fishing vessels, and generational relationships with fishing families home-ported in Cape May, New Jersey. In mid-2021, Lund’s looks to break ground on a new 90,000 square foot cold and dry storage addition to its Shoreline Freezers facility. This investment will include additional processing space as well, which will help facilitate growth in sales.

“Lund’s methodical approach, vision and investment in state of the art equipment and facilities will advance the company’s distribution of sustainable seafood,” said Gene Taormina.

With production facilities in New Jersey, Massachusetts and California, 19 fishing vessels owned directly by the principals of the company, as well as the many independent owner/operated vessels the company works with, Lund’s welcomes its new team members and looks forward to continued growth in the harvest, production and marketing of sustainable seafood.

‘Dark cloud of uncertainty’: Seafood executives, fishermen give dire warning against bill banning fishing in huge swath of federal waters

November 16, 2020 — Leaders from all segments of the US seafood industry are opposing an ocean climate bill that would create massive Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) prohibiting commercial fishing across at least 30 percent of the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by 2030.

On Monday 800 members of the seafood industry, including Trident Seafoods CEO Joe Bundrant, Silver Bay Seafoods CEO Cora Campbell, Arctic Storm Management CEO Doug Christensen, Lund’s Fisheries President Wayne Reichle, Fortune International President & CEO Sean O’Scannlain and dozens of associations and independent fishermen, signed off on a letter sent to Democratic Arizona Rep. Raul M. Grijalva that said the legislation “puts the viability of our industry under a second dark cloud of uncertainty, for no discernable reason attached to meaningful improvements in conservation outcomes.”

Grijalva introduced the 300-page package of legislation to invest in ocean-based energy solutions, including offshore wind.

“This bill appears to ignore that expertise and process and just walls off parts of the ocean to fishing,” said John Connelly, president of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), who also signed the letter.

Read the full story at IntraFish

Fishing industry leaders flag offshore wind concerns to Trump interior secretary

July 21, 2020 — Today, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt met with representatives of the commercial fishing industry to discuss their concerns with offshore wind at a roundtable organized by Saving Seafood’s National Coalition for Fishing Communities. The roundtable included representatives from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and North Carolina:

Members of New England’s commercial fishing industry who feel they’ve been cast aside in the rush toward offshore wind took their concerns straight to the top of the Trump administration Tuesday in a Seaport sit-down with Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.

“The fishing industry is not anti-wind. But the fishing industry’s not been part of this process from the beginning,” said Lund’s Fisheries Chairman Jeff Reichle. “Let’s do it the right way.”

Industry representatives voiced a raft of concerns with offshore wind, including the safety of commercial and recreational boaters navigating the waters, issues towing fishing nets through the farms and the potential for disrupting marine life.

Bernhardt said he’s not looking to “whack people with an unnecessary burden if we can avoid it” but noted he’s “very eager” to pursue offshore wind “in a way that works.”

Read the full story at the Boston Herald

WTAS: Re-opening of the Northeast Canyons, Marine National Monument to Commercial Fishing

June 5, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT):

Today, President Trump announced the re-opening of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument for commercial fishing. Below is what they are saying:

“American fishermen work hard to support their communities, provide food security to the nation, and protect the environments where they make their livelihoods. President Obama swept aside a public, science-based fishery management process with the stroke of a pen. That was a mistake. Ranking Member Bishop deserves thanks for his work in opposing that sort of misuse of the Antiquities Act. We applaud today’s presidential proclamation on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Monument for restoring the open, collaborative, and science-based council management process that has made our fisheries a model for the world.” – Robert B. Vanasse, Executive Director, Saving Seafood

“We want to thank President Trump for recognizing the prior Administration’s actions pursuant to the Antiquities Act to unilaterally close nearly 5,000 square miles to commercial fishing operations were harmful to U.S. fishermen and their coastal communities and undermines our country’s seafood production.” Mr. Reichle added that “While everyone seems to agree our Nation’s fisheries management system achieves sustainability and our seafood production some of the safest and healthiest in the world — it is remarkable that anyone would prohibit access to large productive fishing areas with no scientific justification and the stroke of an executive pen. This President got it right and our industry appreciates the support.” – Jeff Reichle, Chairman, Lund’s Fisheries, Inc.

“Seafreeze extends our sincere thanks to President Trump for re-opening the Northeast Monument to our commercial fishing vessels. Our vessels have sustainably harvested product in the Monument area for over 30 years, and its closure meant a loss of millions of dollars a year to our company. We applaud President Trump’s decision to support our American commercial fishermen and the world’s most sustainable fisheries.” – Meghan Lapp, Fisheries Liaison, Seafreeze Ltd.

“Today, President Trump acknowledged the tremendous social and economic contributions our American Commercial Fishing Industry and the small businesses that support us provide to the American public. This Presidential support comes at a critical time for our Industry and the Nation as a whole. For this, Mr. President, we are grateful.” – Eric Reid, Rhode Island

Lund’s Fisheries Supports President Trump’s Order Promoting American Seafood

May 8, 2020 — The following was released by Lund’s Fisheries:

Jeff Reichle, Chairman of Lund’s Fisheries, Inc., issued the following statement on President Trump’s “Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth”:

Lund’s Fisheries has been in business since 1954; I myself have been with the company since 1974. This is the first time in my memory that a sitting President has taken the time and initiative to recognize the hard work and value of this country’s fishing industry and its importance in feeding Americans.

Fishermen are notoriously independent people, seldom looking for help, and most often overlooked by their government. It is refreshing, to say the least, that the President has chosen to recognize our industry in this time of national crisis.

We at Lund’s Fisheries are extremely grateful to this Administration for this recognition and Executive Order. With 5 processing companies employing over 300 people in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California, we are ready to continue to meet the country’s needs during this crisis.

We are especially grateful to hear that the Administration will help us with trade barriers and inequities in our international import/export business. Far too often trade barriers have been put in place by foreign nations against our products with no pushback from the U.S. government. We cannot thank the President enough for his tough negotiations on these matters, and look forward to working with his Administration on these issues following his welcomed announcement yesterday.

We further look forward to working with the Administration to ensure that the commercial wild fishing industry is able to stay healthy and vibrant without being impeded by the installation of wind turbines on historical fishing grounds. We hope that the opening sentence in section 1, which states “America needs a vibrant and competitive seafood industry to create and sustain American jobs, put safe and healthy food on American tables, and contribute to the American economy” will include safeguarding this historic industry by ensuring that our ability to produce seafood into the future will not be lost in a rush to produce subsidized wind energy at any cost.

NEW JERSEY: Feeding with Fish Through a Crisis

May 8, 2020 — Fresh and frozen seafood has been leaving Lund’s Fisheries Inc., in Cape May, despite an initial slowdown from COVID-19 restrictions closing many restaurants and other food establishments.

The company received federal funding to help offset expenses during the pandemic and has been able to keep its five facilities operating.

“I can’t say we’ve been necessarily profitable during this time,” said Wayne Reichle, president and owner, “but it was important to us that our employees and their families knew they could depend on us during this time. “The federal funding will help offset costs such as labor, leases and other expenses.”

No employees were laid off as a result of the virus, according to Reichle. There are 150 employees between their facilities in Cape May and Bridgeton. They have two facilities on the West Coast and another was recently added in Bedford, MA.

The virus and restrictions occurred during, what Reichle called, their “transition period,” when the winter fishing season ends and the summer fish and scallop season begins.

Read the full story at the Cape May County Herald

New Study: Squid fishery responsible for over 2,500 jobs, $240 million in economic impact

May 6, 2020 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS):

Fishing for longfin squid brings in tens of millions of dollars in annual revenue and supports thousands of full-time jobs, according to a new study from the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS). The study finds that the fishery is responsible each year for over $30 million in direct revenue, over $99 million in total income, over 2,500 full-time jobs, and $243 million in total economic output in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region.

The study comes as the squid fishery faces new challenges, and was performed primarily to address potential conflicts with the growth of offshore wind energy, with many proposed developments interfering with important fishing grounds.  Like many fishing communities across the country, squid fishermen are also dealing with the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, with demand for squid products like calamari crippled by the closure of restaurants across the country.

Accurately measuring the value of the fishery—and the many jobs that it supports—is crucial not only for managing the future of the fishery from competing ocean development, but also for helping fishing communities understand the value of the fishery lost as a result of the current economic shutdown.

“Loligo squid is a significant part of our business and is also a Marine Stewardship Council-certified, sustainable fishery with its products in demand in the U.S., Europe and Asia,” said Jeff Kaelin, Director of Sustainability and Government Relations for Lund’s Fisheries, in Cape May, New Jersey. “This study shows the extent to which our fishery has grown in size and economic importance, which needs to be considered by both fishery and wind-energy regulators making decisions impacting our future.”

Despite its importance as an East Coast fishery, there have been few attempts to quantify the squid fishery’s total economic impact. The study, from Dr. Andrew M. Scheld at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, relies on data collected from seafood processors and independent vessels, combined with well-established economic impact models to determine the fishery’s employment, revenue, and overall economic contributions.

“The squid fishery has long been an important fishery for us in New Jersey, and for fishing communities across the region,” said Greg DiDomenico, Chairman of the SCEMFIS Industry Advisory Board. “It’s important, especially as we look for ways to support the industry during these current challenges, to know what’s at stake, how many people depend on this fishery, and its economic impact, from the boats to the table.”

According to the study, fishing for longfin squid occurs primarily in Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey, with most of the employment impact coming from the restaurant and seafood harvesting sectors. The study found that longfin squid has a significant international and domestic market; it represents 21 percent of the volume and 78 of the value of U.S. market squid landings.

SCEMFIS is part of the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers Program, supporting fisheries research improving the future of finfish and shellfish productivity, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Maine. Lund’s Fisheries and the Garden State Seafood Association are original members of the Center’s Industry Advisory Board.

Massachusetts senator talks $300m seafood relief in COVID-19 call with industry

April 1, 2020 — US senator Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and one of the handful of lawmakers responsible for getting $300 million worth of assistance for the seafood industry in the recently passed $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, talked to dozens of fishing industry leaders, state legislators and mayors on Saturday about the state of the crisis, the Cape Cod (Massachusetts) Times reports.

He warned them that it was going to get worse.

“These numbers are mounting, the number of cases, and it could go on potentially for a sustained period of time,” Markey said. He described the relief package as a life raft and said Congress was “fully prepared to come back as many times as it takes to make sure we keep all industries afloat in this health care crisis.”

The fishing industry responded that the $300m won’t be enough.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Markey: Aid for fishermen only the beginning

March 30, 2020 — Sen. Edward Markey warned members of the fishing community Saturday that the country was just at the beginning of the coronavirus health crisis.

“These numbers are mounting, the number of cases, and it could go on potentially for a sustained period of time,” Markey said to dozens of fishing industry leaders, state legislators and mayors on a weekend conference call.

“Three hundred million is a great start, but it’s hard to imagine it will go very far,” said Jeffrey Reichle, president of Lund’s Fisheries of Cape May, New Jersey, of the $300 million economic aid package to the fisheries, contained in the $2.2 trillion coronavirus economic stimulus bill signed Friday by President Donald Trump.

Markey said the relief package was a life raft to get them through the immediate crisis period. Congress, he said, was “fully prepared to come back as many times as it takes to make sure we keep all industries afloat in this health care crisis.”

Markey was critical of the Trump administration’s handling of the crisis and how it was affecting businesses such as the $1 billion New England fishing industry. The shortage of virus test kits, and the delay invoking wartime powers to push industries to convert to producing needed supplies such as masks and ventilators, meant they were on uncertain ground in telling them how long it might take to get back to work.

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times