Saving Seafood

National Fisheries Institute Statement on NOAA’s Report on Implementation of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program

May 21, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Institute opposes any illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.  We appreciate NOAA’s focus on ridding the globe of pirate fishing.  We are pleased that today’s report on the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) highlights the fact that, “the majority of SIMP audits do not identify noncompliance,” and that of non-conformances “only a small number rise to the level that they warrant enforcement action.” NFI looks forward to working with NOAA to improve any information discrepancies found in entry filings.

We note that NOAA’s report clearly states, “SIMP does not prevent or stop IUU fish and fish products from entering U.S. commerce.”

In fact, NOAA highlights that, “most of the issues that have been found relate to issues apparent from the documents themselves (e.g., vessel permit dates do not match harvest dates, documents are missing).”

In the report NOAA Fisheries emphasizes it remains “focused on maintaining the risk-based nature of SIMP.”  Calls for expanding SIMP to all species undercut this focus on risk.

The seafood community estimates it has spent over $50 million on SIMP regulatory and paperwork compliance for just the 13 species covered by the program, a burden on an industry working to feed Americans during a time of recovery.  SIMP expansion would impose hundreds of millions of dollars of annual expense for a program that “does not prevent or stop IUU fish and fish products from entering U.S. commerce.”

NFI Statement on USDA’s Decision to Purchase Nutritious Consumer-Ready Seafood

May 13, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it will purchase up to $159.4 million of seafood and other items as part of its Section 32 food assistance program. This purchase marks “the largest single seafood purchase in the Department’s history,” according to the agency.

It’s good to see USDA recognize the importance of our essential workers as well as provide Americans with healthy seafood. NFI looks forward to working with the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) on this as they begin the procurement process.

The seafood community and the 1.7 million Americans jobs along its value chain, has been hit hard by the pandemic from the men and women who work the water to processors, distributors and retailers and restaurants that offer seafood. Most of the links in that vital chain are small businesses that have struggled to survive. Help, like this, will greatly benefit recovery and help get Americans back to work.

World Food Prize Winner Unlocks Benefits of Fish

May 13, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted has been named the 2021 World Food Prize Laureate. Often referred to as the Nobel Prize for food research, Dr. Thilsted is the first woman of Asian heritage to receive the award. Her work focuses on unlocking the benefits of fish for diets, health and livelihoods.

“Dr. Thilsted’s work has helped scientists understand just how beneficial fish can be. She’s shown that fish not only provides essential micronutrients and fatty acids, but also improves the absorption of nutrients from traditional agrarian staples,” said Jennifer McGuire, Registered Dietitian from the National Fisheries Institute.

The World Food Prize Foundation says her work is, “reshaping scientific understanding of the benefits of fish in diets” and helping “prioritize increases in fish consumption and production, transforming the diets and incomes of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Her award-winning work includes a focus on expanding small-scale aquaculture systems where small and large fish species are farmed together.

“Dr. Thilsted’s research is unique because it’s holistic,” said National Fisheries Institute Chair Derek Figueroa, President of Seattle Fish Company. “Not only is she looking at the vital dietary side, she’s looking at the jobs, income and the sustainability of whole communities. The transformational power of seafood is truly on display.”

The Foundation calls her work a “trailblazing approach” that “extends throughout the entire chain of producing, processing, transporting, selling and consuming aquatic food.”

“We’re not just talking about generally nourishing people,” said McGuire. “We’re talking about work that helps get the right nutrients to the right people, from nursing mothers to ageing populations. It’s truly remarkable.”

“NFI congratulates Dr. Thilsted on this award and thanks her for her tireless work,” said Figueroa.

World Food Prize granted for research on nutritional importance of seafood

May 13, 2021 — Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, the global lead for nutrition and public health at WorldFish, has been named the 2021 World Food Prize Laureate for her research into developing nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquatic food systems, including fisheries and aquaculture, and integrated food production from land and water.

Sometimes referred to as “the Nobel Prize for food and agriculture,” Thilsted’s research has been praised by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and represents the first time a woman of Asian heritage has been awarded the prize. Her research delved into the nutritional composition of small native fish species that are typically consumed in Bangladesh and Cambodia.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

National Fisheries Institute Statement on Biden Administration’s Climate Taskforce Plan

May 7, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Today’s release of recommendations to the National Climate Taskforce illustrates an understanding that simply walling off parts of the ocean, without a science-based fisheries management goal, is not a sound policy. In fact, the report states that, “many uses of our lands and waters, including of working lands, can be consistent with the long-term health and sustainability of natural systems.”

Further, the report bolsters the fundamental underpinnings of the Magnuson Steven Act, that relies on regional councils to manage fisheries sustainability oversight, when it calls for support of, “locally led conservation and restoration efforts of all kinds and all over America, wherever communities wish to safeguard the lands and waters they know and love.”

Locally led, science based resource management is not a catchy slogan but it is a thorough strategy.

NFI, FMI partner to standardize seafood buying process

April 29, 2021 — FMI – The Food Industry Association and the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) have teamed up to offer forms designed to standardize the seafood buying process.

The two organizations created fillable forms for retailers and wholesalers to use when sending seafood product specifications to suppliers. The fillable forms allow organizations to indicate their product requirements and enable seafood suppliers to consolidate their communication, FMI and NFI said in a press release.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Biden’s early days show new tack on trade, but little chance of China tariff removal

April 23, 2021 — As the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden approaches its one-hundredth day in charge, its early actions are laying the groundwork for the country’s stance on trade.

Speaking during a National Fisheries Institute Global Seafood Market Conference webinar covering the first 100 days of the Biden administration, NFI Vice President for Government Affairs Robert DeHaan predicted the new administration will likely take a different tack than that of former U.S. President Donald Trump. SeafoodSource is providing exclusive coverage of the GSMC webinar series, which will be providing market-focused content throughout 2021.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Shucked by the pandemic, oyster market begins to open up

April 14, 2021 — Of all the categories of seafood impacted by COVID-19 – both positively and negatively – mollusks appear to have borne the brunt of foodservice closures. The sector experienced a 60 percent decline in sales during the height of the pandemic last spring.

The mollusk market has also had one of the slowest recoveries, according to NPD Supplytrack data shared during a National Fisheries Institute’s Global Seafood Market Conference webinar. SeafoodSource is providing exclusive coverage of the GSMC webinar series, which will be providing market-focused content throughout 2021.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

National Fisheries Institute Statement on Seafood Expo North America

April 6, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Diversified Communications continues its long run of connecting the seafood community through innovative events across various platforms. Today, Diversified announced that the next in-person Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America will be held in March, 2022. This comes in response to current COVID venue capacity limits, which prevent the ability to plan and execute the event in July 2021. Diversified looks forward to bringing the seafood community back together March 13-15, 2022 in Boston, MA.

NFI is excited for the return of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America in 2022. We encourage all NFI members and partners to plan now to meet their peers then.

The pandemic has reminded us that in-person contact is vital to the human spirit in both our personal and business relationships. Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America is an example of what we have missed – and all we are looking forward to in the future.  We look forward to seeing you all safely in Boston.

Beyond ‘Seaspiracy’: Debunking damaging myths in fisheries

April 2, 2021 — Our response to the docudrama “Seaspiracy” focuses on the underlying motive of plant-based diets and how it misses its target by inciting fear rather than relying on facts.

The University of Washington’s Sustainable Fisheries page regularly tracks misinformation in fisheries news.

The National Fisheries Institute was hot out of the gate with its reply last week.

The Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation tracked and documented socially responsible fishing practices in Alaska’s commercial fleet, starting in 2017. Here’s their report and project outline.

The Global Aquaculture Alliance details why the film should be ignored.

SeafoodSource’s report links to responses from many of the NGOs and others who claim to have been misrepresented in the docudrama “Seaspiracy.”

Read the full story at National Fisherman