Saving Seafood

National Fisheries Institute Statement on COVID19 and the Safety of Imported Shrimp

July 10, 2020 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Today the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China suspended imports and ordered recalls of frozen shrimp from three Ecuadorian companies after the government claimed “outer packaging…were at risk of being contaminated by the new coronavirus.”

But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been clear that there is no known transmission of the novel coronavirus from “food or food packaging”, and that there is “no reason to be concerned” about the virus passing in this way.  Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and the European Food Safety Agency reinforce this finding.

In fact, the Chinese Customs announcement states they found no evidence of the virus on the inner packaging of the samples they tested, nor on the shrimp itself.

In addition, the Chinese government emphasized humans would not get COVID from the shrimp, stating, “Experts judged that the result of the detection did not mean that it was transmissive.”

Governments should follow the advice of the World Health Organization, which states, “Food has not been implicated in the transmission of COVID-19” and continues “testing of food or food surfaces for this virus is not recommended.”

Simply stated global public health experts continue to state that humans will not get coronavirus from frozen food or its packaging.  Stating, implying, or reporting otherwise is just wrong.

Industry leaders say transparency is key to global aquaculture sustainability

July 9, 2020 — In a recent webinar hosted by the aquaculture technology investment firm Hatch, an international panel of aquaculture leaders connected virtually to discuss the importance of sustainability in the industry and the space innovation on that front, now and in the future.

“The world now produces more than 155 million tons of seafood every year. Around 55 percent of that comes from aquaculture. As our population is growing, demand continues to rise, and within the next 50 years we will have to grow more seafood than we have ever grown in the entire existence of mankind,” said Moritz Mueller, the head of marketing and communications at HATCH. “At the same time, understanding the limits of our oceans and protecting them, in order to keep our planet healthy is an essential task. This seafood, and the feed for it, will not come from our wild stocks, but it has to come from aquaculture. And only an industry that is sustainable will be able to shoulder such a responsibility.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Vietnam’s shrimp sector thriving thanks to swift COVID-19 containment

June 16, 2020 — Vietnam’s shrimp sector has been reaping the benefits of the country’s successful containment of the COVID-19 outbreak, with growth seen in export and farming activities.

Official data from Vietnam government shows that the country has experienced more than 50 consecutive days without any new cases of the coronavirus in the community, thanks to its early and resolute actions by its government. As of 5 June, Vietnam had more than 300 confirmed cases, with zero deaths. Almost all restrictions during the social distancing order imposed in the first half of April have been lifted, and major economic and social activities have been brought back to a “new normal” since late April.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Pacific reopens some plants after COVID-19 outbreak; Icicle reports new cases in Alaska

June 12, 2020 — Pacific Seafood has reopened some of its five facilities in Newport, Oregon, U.S.A., that were hit by a coronavirus outbreak last week, with 132 of its workers testing positive for COVID-19.

The Pacific Surimi and Pacific Bio plants reopened in a limited capacity on Wednesday, 10 June, according to Pacific Seafood General Counsel Tony Dal Ponte. Pacific Fillet restarted some operations on Thursday, 11 June, and the Pacific Whiting and Pacific Shrimp facility remain closed, Dal Ponte said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

LOUISIANA: Shrimping season in SWLA begins

May 28, 2020 — Shrimping season, well known to Southwest Louisiana, kicked off Wednesday morning at 6 a.m.

Boats began lining up as early as Tuesday night to get the perfect spot to take off next morning for some good shrimping.

Vice president of Tommy Seafood Inc Chalin Delaune said there’s a lot of factors that play into shrimping.

“It really depends on the cycle of the moon. It depends on the area,” Delaune said.

“Here in Cameron, this is the last zone for shrimping that opened. So, there are other areas that have opened in the state before Cameron. But we’re hoping they saved the best for last. As of right now, we’ve seen a little bit of shrimp. So, we’re hoping that we’re able to open up and our boats will be able to catch some shrimp to cover their expenses and make some money.”

Read the full story at KPLC

South Carolina officials expect healthy shrimp season for commercial trawlers in local waters

May 28, 2020 — As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, the commercial shrimp trawling season is open in all legal South Carolina waters, according to a press release from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

In the release, the SCDNR reported that this start date is in line with the average year and they expect there to be a healthy supply of roe white shrimp, which are typically plentiful in the spring shrimping season.

“Based on field sampling completed by SCDNR biologists earlier in the year, as well as reported landings of shrimp from federal waters and our provisional areas beginning in mid-April, our white shrimp abundance this year should be about average or slightly better in comparison to previous similar years,” said SCDNR Office of Fisheries Management director Mel Bell.

Read the full story at the Charleston City Paper

Coastal fishing group threatens lawsuit over NC shrimping rules

May 19, 2020 — A group pushing for changes to North Carolina’s commercial fishing rules sent formal notice last week that it plans to sue the state and one of the largest shrimping companies on the coast.

The N.C. Coastal Fisheries Reform Group said that after “over a decade of unsuccessful attempts to engage in meaningful fisheries management reform dialog” with multiple governors, lawmakers and state officials it was filing a notice of claim under the Federal Clean Water Act.

That starts a 60-day clock ahead of a lawsuit. The group said in a news release that, with another shrimping season approaching, time is of the essence.

Read the full story at WRAL

Frozen fare cold comfort for fishing industry battered by coronavirus

May 11, 2020 — Frozen fish sticks and canned salmon have made a comeback as the coronavirus crisis keeps people home, forcing a change of tack for the fishing industry that usually turns to restaurants from Paris to New York and Shanghai to serve their fresh seafood.

Fishing crews from Alaska in the United States to Zhejiang in China have been battered by lockdowns that have shut fine dining halls and fancy hotels, leaving customers to stock up from supermarkets rather than pick a platter from a table menu.

Manhattan eateries that draw in the Wall Street crowd were a major market for Jake Angelo’s razor clams, a delicacy dug from the mud along the shores of Cope Cod, Massachusetts.

But prices have hit rock bottom and shut down a vital source of income for the fisherman who has a boat named Ripped Tide.

Angelo said the whole seafood industry was on its backside, although he used much saltier language to voice his anxiety.

Read the full story at Reuters

Observer Waiver Expires for Southeast, Gulf of Mexico Fisheries

May 7, 2020 — The National Marine Fisheries Service notified permit holders and the public Tuesday that a waiver for observer coverage in some fisheries expired at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 4, 2020. As of 12 a.m. Tuesday, May 5, observer coverage was reinstated for those fisheries.

Those permitted fisheries include:

  • South Atlantic Penaeid Shrimp;
  • South Atlantic Rock Shrimp;
  • South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper;
  • Southeast Gillnet;
  • Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish;
  • Gulf of Mexico Shrimp;
  • Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Pelagic Longline
  • Shark Bottom Longline (Atlantic HMS); and
  • Shark Gillnet (Atlantic HMS)

Read the full story at Seafood News

Update to the HMS, South Atlantic, and Gulf of Mexico Fisheries on Observer Coverage

May 5, 2020 — The following was released by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council:

KEY MESSAGE:

Dear Federal Permit Holders, Partners, and Stakeholders,
This is a reminder that the current waiver for observer coverage in the fisheries listed below expires at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 4, 2020. Beginning at 12:00 a.m. on May 5th, observer coverage will again be required per existing regulations.

  • South Atlantic Penaeid Shrimp
  • South Atlantic Rock Shrimp
  • South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper
  • Southeast Gillnet
  • Gulf of Mexico Commercial Reef Fish
  • Gulf of Mexico Shrimp
  • Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Pelagic Longline
  • Shark Bottom Longline (Atlantic HMS)
  • Shark Gillnet (Atlantic HMS)

BACKGROUND:

As part of the NOAA Fisheries’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and consistent with the authority provided under an emergency rule signed on March 24, 2020 (www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/noaa-fisheries-issues-emergency-action-waive-observer-coverage-case-case-basis), the agency temporarily waived the requirement for commercial fishing vessels in the fisheries above to carry a fishery observer. The waiver is in effect from April 21, 2020, through May 4, 2020.

NOAA Fisheries will continue to monitor and evaluate this situation. As we have done in other parts of the country, we will use this time to work with the observer service provider to implement adjustments to the logistics of deploying observers, ensuring qualified observers are available as soon as safely possible.

Observers are an essential component of commercial fishing operations and provide critical information that is necessary to keep fisheries open and to provide sustainable seafood to our nation during this time. We will continue to monitor all local public health notifications, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for updates. We are committed to protecting the public health and ensuring the safety of fishermen, observers, and others, while fulfilling our mission to maintain our nation’s seafood supply and conserving marine life.

For questions about observer programs, contact the Southeast Fisheries Science Center at (305) 361-4200 or the phone numbers included in your selection notification. For other questions related to Atlantic HMS fisheries, contact (301) 427-8503.

Sincerely,

Clay E. Porch, Ph.D.

Director, Southeast Fisheries Science Center