Saving Seafood

Impacts of COVD19 on the seafood sector

May 15, 2020 — The following was released by the Oceans Caucus Foundation:

The world has been profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the US seafood sector is no exception. From grounding of fleets to halting production at processing plants, fisheries and seafood companies are being affected to a degree never before experienced. How has the seafood sector been impacted by COVID-19, and what are the potential long-term implications of the pandemic, state closures, and physical distancing measures?

The Oceans Caucus Foundation (OCF) and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) are hosting a briefing highlighting how COVID-19 is impacting the American seafood sector. Hear directly from seafood industry leaders about the potential long-term economic, social, and environmental impacts of the global pandemic.

Read the full release here

Blue Harvest believes it’s time again to look at locally sourced and processed seafood

May 15, 2020 — The following was released by Blue Harvest Fisheries:

Did you know that approximately 80% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported?  Most of the imported seafood comes from China, and much of the rest from other developing countries in Asia and Latin America. By comparison, of all the other types of food consumed in the U.S., only 13% is imported.

We believe it’s time to take another look at local, sustainable groundfish from New England. Why?

SHORTER, SAFER SUPPLY CHAIN AND SMALLER CARBON FOOTPRINT

Locally harvested and processed seafood usually travels through fewer steps in the supply chain to get to your plate. Meanwhile, imported seafood travels great distances by air travel and generates far greater carbon emissions along the way. Seafood that is locally caught, processed and shipped has a substantially smaller carbon footprint.

For instance, Blue Harvest’s groundfish are harvested by our own vessels from local fisheries off the New England coast. These fisheries are all near our processing plant in New Bedford, MA and the major shipping facilities of nearby Boston. Not only does this provide for a short, sustainable supply chain, but it also allows us to maintain tight control over every step of the supply chain process. This meticulous management ensures our products meet the highest standards for quality and safety.

STRONGER LOCAL COMMUNITIES

When you support local harvesters and processors, you also help support an entire industry of small local businesses and suppliers. A strong commercial fishing industry helps keep our local economies strong and our communities healthy and vibrant.

HEALTHIER, SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES

U.S. fisheries are among the best managed in the world. Blue Harvest’s vessels target underfished and underutilized groundfish from MSC-certified sustainable fisheries in the New England waters of Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine, which are some of the most closely monitored and tightly regulated fisheries in the U.S.

Blue Harvest is also MSC Chain of Custody Certified. The Standard ensures an unbroken chain of custody and that our certified seafood is identifiable, segregated and traceable.

HEALTHIER, BETTER TASTING SEAFOOD

Many seafood products from China or Europe have been twice frozen and/or treated with additives. While this helps reduce costs, it may also change the natural flavor and texture of the fish. Blue Harvest groundfish are once frozen and processed without any additives. And all our groundfish are processed in our own, modern waterfront plant located in New Bedford, MA.

Learn more about our amazing New England fishery and Blue Harvest products here, and follow us on Facebook for our latest updates!

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.

Fish-oil firm keeps ‘sustainable’ label despite controversy

April 3, 2020 — A company that makes fish-oil supplements will keep its certification for sustainable fishing despite defiance of catch limits in the Chesapeake Bay.

The Marine Stewardship Council’s sustainability marker is prominently displayed on seafood packages in grocery stores. It means a company catches fish from a healthy population and leaves little impact on the food chain, among other factors.

Maintaining the designation is a victory for Omega Protein. But it stokes an ongoing debate over labels that boast environmental responsibility. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation said the development is “a serious black eye” for the certification.

Read the full story at the Associated Press

Updated MSC Fisheries Certification Process Manual Now Available

March 30, 2020 — The Marine Stewardship Council issued a new version of their 187-page Fisheries Certification Process (FCP) on Tuesday that addressed, among other things, shark finning and separating certified and non-certified catch while fishing. Both have been contentious issues in recent years.

The FCP is the go-to source for eligibility criteria and the process by which fisheries are assessed against the MSC Fisheries Standard.

Read the full story at Seafood News

New MSC certification process to apply from Sept. 25

March 30, 2020 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has released its updated fisheries certification process, which sets the eligibility criteria and process by which fisheries are independently assessed against the MSC fisheries standard.

The changes address concerns raised by stakeholders and follow more than 24 months’ consultation with industry and experts. You can read the full details of the new process here, as previously reported.

Certified fisheries will no longer be able to target a stock using both certified and non-certified fishing practices with the same gear (known as compartmentalization).

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

MSC extends assessment timeline amid COVID-19 outbreak

March 27, 2020 — For the first time in the Marine Stewardship Council’s history, the organization is offering a six-month extension on the usual timeline for all assessments and certifications in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The board of trustees for the MSC unanimously decided on 27 March to extend the deadlines as the impacts of the pandemic continue to affect the industry. The extension applies to all audits and the delivery of conditions that may have been required for certification.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

The best places to buy fresh seafood online in 2020

March 25, 2020 — With much of the country practicing some form of social distancing and attempting to keeping indoors whenever possible, delivery services have become all that more useful. From booze to groceries, butcher meats and even fully-prepared meals , these services are providing a level of safety the public, especially for those at high risk of becoming sick. The following is our pre-COVID-19 list of the best seafood delivery services in 2020 to keep a steady flow of healthy fish coming, even in these unnerving times. Be sure to check that the services listed are accepting new customers and deliver to your area.

There are lots of reasons to buy more seafood. Generally speaking, fish and seafood (wild caught in particular) are healthier both for our bodies and the planet than beef, chicken, pork and other meats (all now largely factory-farmed, often using growth hormones and other dubious practices). But for every reason to eat more fish and seafood, there seems to be an obstacle in the way — cost and access to name a few.

It might sound counterintuitive to order seafood online but a bevy of new members of the online seafood industry are proving that fish and seafood delivery might just be the best way to get fresh and affordable seafood into your home, especially when living far from fished waters. “Fresh seafood delivery” is not an oxymoron. A reliable seafood market (or seafood restaurant) with a consistently fresh bounty of salmon, halibut, crab and other shellfish is a treasure, to be certain, but not every town or neighborhood has one, and if you live far from the ocean things get even dicier.

This score of online ordering seafood delivery companies offer everything from high-quality salmon, jumbo shrimp, gulf shrimp, clams (and clam chowder), oysters, cape porpoise lobster and crab legs to harder-to-find fish species like monkfish and grouper, all flash-frozen, expertly packaged and delivered right to your door as a one-time order or recurring subscription. The new players are finding innovative ways to ensure maximum freshness and accountability and supporting sustainable seafood, with many now providing detailed records about exactly where the fish and seafood came from, when it was caught, how far it traveled and what sorts of fishing practices have been employed.

Read the full story at CNET

MSC to end certification of fishing vessels engaged in compartmentalization by 2023

March 25, 2020 — Fishing vessels certified by the Marine Stewardship Council will no longer be able to target a stock using non-certified fishing practices, beginning in 2023.

The MSC had been criticized for allowing “compartmentalization,” the practice of fishing vessels using certified and non-certified fishing methods while utilizing the same gear type. MSC-certified purse-seine tuna fisheries that employ certified “free-school” fishing methods and non-certified harvesting using fish aggregating devices or FADs had come under particular scrutiny, particularly from the “On the Hook” advocacy campaign. In response, last month, the MSC said it would address those concerns.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

ALASKA: RFM Certification for Gulf of Alaska Cod Remains, While MSC Certification is Suspended

March 11, 2020 — For the next 33 days, Alaska processors who sell Pacific cod from the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification program will be switching from packaging and promotions that use the MSC logo to those that don’t.

But the state’s other certification program, Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM), will not be suspended on April 5, 2020. Pacific cod from the GOA, no longer certified as sustainable by MSC, continues to be labeled sustainable under RFM without interruption.

Read the full story at Seafood News