Saving Seafood

National Fisheries Institute Sets Membership Record

November 16, 2023 — The following was released by National Fisheries Institute:

America’s largest seafood trade association continues to grow.  With 22 new members in just the last 12 months, NFI illustrates why it’s known as the leading voice of the seafood industry.

 
Just over two decades ago the trade association made fundamental changes to its governance, board of directors, and membership structure. While membership has been strong even through COVID,  this is the largest new member enrollment since those changes. Why now?
 
“These are challenging times for the industry. More and more seafood leaders see the benefit of working together to solve issues. Companies choose to invest in NFI for a whole host of reasons,” said Gerrie Thomas, Vice President for Membership & Training. “Some companies need help with specific regulatory issues, communications, or policy matters. While others see clear value in precompetitive collaboration and want to work towards common industry goals. We celebrate this commitment to NFI.”
 
NFI invites new members to get involved immediately, whether that means attending meetings, or taking on a leadership role in the association.
 
“21st century NFI is not your grandfather’s organization,” said Rob Hallion of Crocker and Winsor, Chair of NFI’s Membership Committee. “The core tenets and essential industry advocacy pillars are, of course, in place but this is an organization that’s helping its members react to things that are happening today while at the same time prepare for five years down the road.”
 
The latest group of members come from every corner of the industry including wholesalers, distributors, restaurants, biotechnology, and finance. And there’s been an increase in digital logistics, software, and technology companies who are supporting the industry via training and sponsorships.
 
“We are committed to working for our member companies and being their go-to resource,” said NFI President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard. “Our goal is to be a genuine extension of their business. We’re humbled by the trust they put in us and delighted to be part of their team and family. If you are thinking that NFI might be able to help your business, come to the Global Seafood Market Conference (GSMC) and let’s chat.”
 
NFI committees and councils will next meet at GSMC in Orlando, January 21-25.

National Fisheries Institute Announces New Additions to its Board of Directors

November 13, 2023 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) members approved a new slate of Directors of the Board at its Annual Membership Meeting.

 
NFI’s bylaws allow for a 51-person Board, with 45 at-large Directors. There is an 18-person Executive Committee drawn from the Board and six officers. NFI elects a new slate of board members annually to serve three-year terms.
 
“This Board consists of some of the most focused, engaged, thought leaders the seafood community has to offer,” said NFI President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard. “The guidance and commitment to the industry provided by the NFI Board of Directors has impressed me since my first day on the job. I’m so pleased to welcome these new voices and perspectives to the table.”
 
The newly elected Board members as well as Executive Committee members in italics are as follow:
 
Michael
Davis
PanaPesca USA
President
Bret
Scholtes
Cooke Aquaculture
Chief Operating Officer
Eric
Bloom
Eastern Fish Company
President
Paul 
Doremus
Trident Seafoods
Vice President
Soren
Dalsager
Stavis Seafoods
Chief Executive Officer
Christine
Ngo
H & N Group
President
Colin
Dresser
Sea Port Products
National Sales Representative
Jason
Driskill
HEB
Vice President, Seafood
Rob
Hallion
Crocker Winsor
President
Sarah
Hayes
Maritime Products
Vice President, Sales & Development
R. Isaak
Hurst
International Maritime Group
Owner
Jamie
Marshall
AZ Gems
Executive Vice President, Sales
Jordan
Mazzetta
Eddie M’s
Chief Executive Officer
Matt
Mixter
Hofseth
Chief Executive Officer/Partner
Stephanie
Pazzaglia
J.J. McDonnell
Manager, Business Development
 
Justin Conrad, President of Bay Hill Seafood, joins the officer’s group as Secretary.

Americans consumed a record amount of seafood in 2021

June 7, 2023 — National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) recently released top 10 list of seafood consumption in 2021 indicates Americans consumed a record 20.5 pounds of seafood per capita – a 1.5 pound increase over 2020.

The increase followed a slight decrease in consumption in 2020, when Americans consumed 19 pounds of seafood – down slightly from the 19.3-pound average tallied in 2019. Both 2020 and 2021 were heavily influenced by the residual impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

National Fisheries Institute Statement on the Food and Drug Administration’s Strategy to Ensure the Safety of Imported Seafood

March 22, 2023 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) newly released report, “Activities for the Safety of Imported Seafood,” illustrates a continued commitment to seafood safety. The report outlines a comprehensive approach that takes advantage of “smarter, more efficient technologies and processes” to enhance an already effective system.

FDA’s work doesn’t simply rely on optimized inspections, it strengthens surveillance, improves predictive analytics, and even includes a pilot program using artificial intelligence.  In fact, the bulk of the agency’s work is focused on prevention. Imported seafood is required to meet the same safety standards as seafood produced in this country and this work demonstrates how that is achieved.

This report shows FDA understands food safety needs are ever evolving and its work to meet those challenges is too.

 

Lisa Wallenda Picard

President & CEO

National Fisheries Institute Crab Council Statement on the Passing of Dr. Abdul Ghofar

March 15, 2023 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Dr. Abdul Ghofar was an accomplished fisheries biologist whose contribution to global Blue Swimming Crab work was renowned. He was a tireless advocate for science and sustainability, but he was far more than that for the NFI Crab Council. He was our advisor, our guide, and he was our friend.

Dr. Ghofar had a gentle way, a kind heart, and a commitment to do the right thing. His thirst for knowledge drove him as a scientist and as an author, but his insistence on finding ways to apply research to real-world applications made him stand out. His vision and practicality combined to form an ideal envoy who, for nearly a decade, coordinated effortlessly between industry-led initiatives, scientific research, and crab harvesting communities.

Aside from his impactful work and clear fisheries legacy, Dr. Abdul Ghofar was quietly generous in ways many will never know. The NFI Crab Council salutes not only his work but his spirit.

National Fisheries Institute Statement on the Food and Drug Administration’s Draft Labeling Guidance

February 24, 2023 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) newly issued draft guidance to help ensure appropriate labeling of plant-based beverages, marketed as milk alternatives, is a solid step in the right direction for regulators and consumers.  Highly processed, plant-based products masquerading as seafood for too long have contributed to consumer confusion and openly flouted existing regulations. Guidance for these products should mirror those now under consideration for “milk” products.

 
In the case of “milk,” FDA explains that use of the term “plant-based” does not exempt the producer from describing the actual plant source as part of the product name. This is in lockstep with prevailing policies on Statement of Identity. The guidance further affirms labels that promote things solely as “vegan shrimp” or “plant-based fish alternatives” do not accurately provide American consumers and families with the labeling information they need to make buying decisions.
 
What’s more, simply adding “fish-less” or “fish-free” would be a further violation of the labeling principles outlined in this guidance. FDA writes, “the term ‘dairy-free milk’ is not an adequate name for any plant-based milk alternative.”
 
We look forward to FDA releasing draft guidance for plant-based seafood alternatives that aligns with the structure it has applied to milk in this draft guidance. Enforcing long-standing regulations and preventing consumer confusion is of paramount importance.
 
Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO

We Did Consumer Reports Work for Them

February 9, 2023 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

When we challenged reporter, Lauren Kirchner and her team at Consumer Reports, to release all their mercury-in-canned-tuna testing data and put it in perspective with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) “action level” and “level of concern,” we thought it was a pretty simple request. Apparently, it wasn’t because rather than a full clarification of the facts we got… nothing but crickets.

So, in order to help folks understand exactly what Consumer Reports found we were able to piece together the raw data from 19 of the 30 tests conducted as part of its How Worried Should You Be About Mercury in Your Tuna? article. The results are below and speak for themselves.

Read the full release at National Fisheries Institute

NFI calls latest Consumer Reports mercury in tuna claims “embarrassing failure of journalistic ethics”

February 9, 2023 — The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) is calling on Consumer Reports to disclose the full details of its research into allegations of mercury contamination in canned tuna.

The article by Consumer Reports, “How Worried Should You Be About Mercury in Your Tuna?” is the latest in a string of similar stories the publication has released dating back to 2014. The new story warns pregnant women to avoid canned tuna altogether due to some cans potentially having “higher levels” of mercury.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Here we go again: Consumer Reports Loves a Good Scare Story

February 8, 2023 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute: 

NFI has learned that Consumer Reports magazine is preparing to release a “story” that documents its efforts to test mercury in canned tuna. A story the outlet has repeatedly produced over the years:

Dating all the way back to 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) blasted the magazine saying its report, “focus(ed) exclusively on the mercury levels in fish without considering the known positive nutritional benefits attributed to fish. As a result, the methodology employed by Consumer Reports overestimates the negative effects and overlooks the strong body of scientific evidence published in the last decade.”

Despite that admonishment, they’re at it again — taking precious time away from rating vacuum cleaners and air fryers to play an unqualified role in making public health recommendations.

However, here’s the real part of the narrative that will not surprise you. NFI found out Consumer Reports was testing cans of tuna in early January, and we reached out to them to be a resource. Not surprisingly, they didn’t sound thrilled to hear from us.

From the findings, we were privy to, we noted to Consumer Reports that the mercury levels they apparently found do not raise consumption concerns. Additionally, to suggest precautions to consumers based on those results would be hyperbolic and borders on embarrassing, tabloid journalism.

We pointed out that in the sample of results we saw, it appeared the highest level of mercury found in a “light” can was .58 ppm and the highest level of mercury found in an “albacore” can was .66 ppm. The FDA’s action level, or the limit for mercury in fish is 1.0ppm. Neither of these levels begin to even approach this limit and are completely safe to consume.

However, more importantly, we explained to Consumer Reports that to be totally accurate they would need to put these numbers in complete context with the FDA’s own explanation of the 1.0ppm “action level” and then explain the fact that the FDA’s 1.0ppm level includes a 10-fold safety factor:

“FDA’s action level of 1.0 ppm for methyl mercury in fish was established to limit consumers’ methyl mercury exposure to levels ten times lower than the lowest levels associated with adverse effects.”

— Food and Drug Administration

Cans that include tuna with mercury levels of .58ppm or .66ppm are nowhere near the absolute lowest levels FDA itself associates with “adverse effects.” Any reporting by Consumer Reports that suggests otherwise and does not include a thorough explanation of the FDA’s safety factor would be disingenuous at best and or deceptive at worse.

The report is scheduled to come out tomorrow Thursday, February 9th. Keep in mind, at that point Consumer Reports will have been fully aware of the FDA’s testing metric and threshold for concern for nearly a month. Deceiving readers by omitting accurate and scientific FDA perspective in search of sensational headlines is more than an embarrassing failure of journalistic ethics it is, simply put, wrong.

Seafood industry should prepare for millennials to take top spot in consumer spending power

January 19, 2023 — A “changing of the guard” is coming where younger consumers begin to change the grocery landscape, according to IRI Senior Vice President for Protein Practice Chris Dubois.

Speaking during the opening plenary of the National Fisheries Institute’s Global Seafood Market Conference – running from 15 to 19 January in Palm Springs, California, U.S.A. – Dubois predicted the grocery store landscape is going to shift dramatically as younger consumers get older and become the dominant buying bloc in the U.S.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource