Saving Seafood

USDA, FDA, CDC: “No Credible Evidence” Food Packaging Transmits COVID-19

February 18, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Today the leadership of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) all emphasized that food or food packing is not a likely source of COIVD-19 transmission. The rare joint statement said there is “no credible evidence” that the illness is transmitted that way.

“Today’s statement is an example of experts adhering to science and translating that high-level understanding into an important public health message,” said Lisa Weddig Vice President for Regulatory and Technical Affairs at the ‎National Fisheries Institute.

In today’s statement the USDA, FDA and CDC highlighted the safety of the U.S. food supply saying, “consumers should be reassured” that their confidence is based on “overwhelming international scientific consensus.”

“From epidemiologists to biologists, authorities are confident in the safety of the seafood supply and, what’s more, health experts cite seafood’s role in supporting a healthy immune system,” said Weddig.

The groups noted that a recent opinion from the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods said, “despite the billions of meals and food packages handled since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, to date there has not been any evidence that food, food packaging or food handling is a source or important transmission route for [the disease.]”.

NFI encourages companies and countries to ensure their actions and policies are based on this scientific fact.

Biden administration moves to expand P-EBT, SNAP programs

January 22, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is increasing the Pandemic-EBT benefit and plans to further expand funding of its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), presenting significant new opportunities for seafood suppliers to sell their products to fulfill the program’s needs.

Soon after taking office, U.S. President Joe Biden raised the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) benefit by around 15 percent, according to USDA. The program connects low-income families with kids with food dollars equivalent to the value of the meals missed due to COVID-related school and childcare closures.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MAINE: With $500K award, Local Catch Network will grow ‘boat-to-fork’ market

January 5, 2021 — The Local Catch Network, based in the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine, was founded in 2011 as a nonprofit network of seafood harvesters, researchers and community organizations across North America.

Today, the network has more than 200 members, including 12 in Maine. It promotes “boat-to-fork” systems of local and regional seafood distribution, such as community supported fisheries.

Last month, the Local Catch Network received a $499,463 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program to accelerate the local distribution model and fund “Scale Your Local Catch,” the first nationwide training and technical assistance program to catalyze direct-to-consumer seafood operations.

In all, the organization has raised $624,331 for the program, including a 25% match from the University of Maine System. Expecting to recruit its first cohort this summer, the program will help fishing communities gain marketing, social media, pricing and permitting skills through workshops, networking, mentorships and digital tools to link consumers with producers in their local areas.

Read the full story at MaineBiz

MASSACHUSETTS: A lifeline to the next generation of fishermen

December 22, 2020 — Ken Baughman has fished since he was a kid and loves being on the water. The Falmouth resident, smart and determined, bought a second-hand motor, built his own boat and launched his career as a commercial fisherman this summer.

It has been tough going.

 “It’s virtually impossible. You really have to come in as an apprentice,” he said.

That may soon be a possibility as the Young Fishermen’s Development Act passed Congress this week.

The act, modeled after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s successful Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, creates the first federal program dedicated to training  the next generation of commercial fishermen and includes an apprenticeship program to connect retiring fishermen and vessel owners with new and beginning fishermen.

It provides education in sustainable and accountable fishing practices, marine stewardship, successful business practices, and technical initiatives that address the needs of beginning fishermen through a competitive grants program for collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally-based networks or partnerships.

“The Young Fishermen’s Development Act is crucial to the success of the Cape’s small-boat fleets and the communities that rely on commercial fishing, an industry that helped build the peninsula and is a vital part of the new blue economy,” said John Pappalardo, CEO of the Chatham-based Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance.

Read the full story at Wicked Local

Congress passes Young Fishermen’s Development Act for the new generation

December 22, 2020 — The passage by Congress this month of the Young Fishermen’s Development Act creates a $2 million annual grant fund to train and foster the next generation of U.S. commercial fishermen.

Twin bills H.R 1240 and S. 496 passed with bipartisan support, five years after the concept was first proposed by the Fishing Communities Coalition, a national advocacy group with membership of more than 1,000 independent fishermen and seafood-related business owners in small-boat fishing communities from Maine to Alaska.

Authorized for the next six years, the program to be administered through Sea Grant will allow “fishing associations, universities, tribal organizations, and others to compete for grant funding to train young commercial fishermen in sustainable fishing and business practices,” according to the coalition. “It solidifies and unites current piecemeal training efforts into a cohesive, national initiative to advance this critical mission.”

The program is modeled on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s successful Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, helping entry-level agriculture. Advocates say it’s a critical response to demographic shifts in some fisheries and fishing communities. In some regions like New England the average age of fishermen has shifted upward by 10 years compared to earlier generations – a “greying of the fleet” that portends problems for the industry’s long-term prospects.

The annual $2 million budget will be fully paid for from fines paid by fishermen who violate fishery regulations. Grants will run up to three years, be capped at $200,000 annually and cannot be used to purchase fishing permits, quota, or other harvesting rights.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Seafood groups praise passage of COVID-19 relief package

December 22, 2020 — U.S. seafood organizations are praising Congress’s passage of its Omnibus/COVID-19 relief package. The bill has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate and has been sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.

The USD 900 billion (EUR 740 billion) stimulus package includes USD 300 million (EUR 247 million) in additional fisheries assistance and the inclusion of seafood as an eligible use for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food purchases, along with additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Read the full story at Seafood Source

North American Local Catch Network Awarded $500,000 USDA Grant to Catalyze “Boat-to-Fork” Seafood Marketing in the United States

December 18, 2020 — The following was released by the North American Local Catch Network:

The Local Catch Network, based in the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine, has received a half-million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) to support better integration of seafood into local and regional food systems and fund the creation of ‘Scale Your Local Catch,’ the first nationwide training and technical assistance program to catalyze sustainable direct-to-consumer seafood operations.

The Local Catch Network has raised $624,331 for the project, which included a 25 percent match contribution from the University of Maine System, in addition to a $499,463 grant awarded by the USDA. With funding secured, the Local Catch Network is now in the beginning stages of building out the Scale Your Local Catch program’s infrastructure and expects to start recruiting its first cohort in the summer of 2021. To start, the program will prioritize seafood operations that serve consumers in low income and low food access areas.

Joshua Stoll, Assistant Professor of Marine Policy at the University of Maine and co-founder of the Local Catch Network, explained the significance of the project:

“We are thrilled that the Local Catch Network is receiving this incredibly important and timely grant. As we have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, and repeatedly in recent history, fishers and seafood harvesters are vulnerable to social, environmental, and economic shocks. Direct and values-based seafood businesses have been a bright spot, stepping up during the pandemic when traditional supply chains have faltered. This grant will help to ensure that these alternative business models remain sustainable long-term and seafood is recognized as an integral part of local and regional food systems.”

A broad range of skills, from marketing and social media management to pricing and permitting, are required to successfully sell seafood directly to consumers. Scale Your Local Catch will reduce the learning curve for fishing communities by leveraging the collective experience of the Local Catch Network and partnering organizations through workshops, networking and mentorship opportunities, and digital tools, such as a next-generation Seafood Finder designed to link consumers with producers in their local area. Scale Your Local Catch is being modeled after ‘Ag of the Middle,’ a well-established training program for small and mid-sized agricultural businesses facilitated by the Oregon-based non-profit, Ecotrust.

“We’ve successfully built a training program for farmers in the Northwest to expand their ability to feed the region. Scale Your Local Catch will expand the model and reach communities across the country, especially low-income communities and areas with low food access,” said Tyson Rasor of Ecotrust, one of the grant program partners.

“As a seafood business owner, I am so pleased with this opportunity to expand the Local Catch Network and support business models like ours across the US,” said Kerry Marhefka of Abundant Seafood and Executive Committee member of the Local Catch Network. “We must work collectively to demystify seafood as a protein source for consumers, remove physical, financial and educational barriers to access, and foster greater understanding of community supported fisheries as a path to creating more resilient and thriving local economies.”

US Senate passes bill to help young fishermen get into industry

December 9, 2020 — A bill that would help the next generation of fishermen enter the business passed a major hurdle last week when the U.S. Senate passed the measure by a voice vote.

Sponsored by U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), the bill is fashioned after a U.S. Department of Agriculture program to aid new farmers and ranchers. Among the steps the legislation calls for is the establishment of competitive grants at state, local, tribal, and regional levels; the creation of a mentorship program that partners new fishermen with retirees and vessel owners; and the financial support for training and education in such areas as sustainable fishing practices and proper business protocols.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

USDA extends sign-up period for Seafood Trade Relief Program

December 8, 2020 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a one-month extension to the signup period for the Seafood Trade Relief Program.

The program is designed to support the U.S. seafood industry by offsetting some of the impacts of retaliatory tariffs implemented by foreign governments. Thanks to the extension, impacted fishermen can now sign up for the program through 15 January, 2021.

Read the full story at Seafood Source