Bangor Mussel Producers Fishery Certified

The Bangor Mussel Producers fishery was certified as a sustainable and well-managed fishery. Mussels from Bangor will be able to bear the coveted MSC ecolabel.

The North Menai Strait mussel fishery is an enhanced fishery where two boats use small dredges to catch young ‘seed’ mussels from the beds where they accumulate and then relay them on leased areas inside the Menai Strait where they thrive.

The mussels start off at an intertidal zone (that dries out on most tides) to develop thick shells that will protect them against predators. Over the next 9-18 months, they are moved to progressively deeper waters that rarely get exposed by the tides until, eventually, they are moved to deeper water in denser colonies where they can feed constantly and build up their body mass into a fat, juicy mussel.  Once the mussels have reached a suitable size, the fishermen re-catch them and sell them to the market.

The fishery scored highly for its stock status with the certifier noting that the fishery had a negligible or potentially positive impact on mussel stocks.

The fishery was sponsored through its assessment by The Co-operative’s £200,000 Sustainable Fishing Fund that is sponsoring fisheries across the UK through MSC assessments.

source: MSC press release

How to Buy and Serve Virginia Oysters

Half Shell Oysters

Virginia oysters are harvested from North America's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Farm raised Virginia oysters are also available along much of the Atlantic Coast. Virginia oysters in the shell are sold by the bushel, peck, dozen or piece.

When buying oysters, one can expect to need 40-60 standard oysters to obtain a pint of raw shucked oysters and liquor.

Oysters are also sold freshly shucked, in their own juice. The number of oysters per pint varies depending on market sizes.

These are some common market sizes for shucked oysters:

Extra Large or Counts - less than 20
Large or Extra Select - 20–26
Medium or Select - 26–38
Small or Standard - 38–63
Very Small - more than 63

When serving raw oysters on the half shell as an appetizer, plan on 5-6 oysters per person, or 12-18 per person as an entree. Most recipes that call for shucked oysters are based on using 1 pint of oysters and liquor.

Steamed oysters should not be overcooked. Steamed or roasted oysters are served with melted butter, cider vinegar, or other condiments. Other sides suitable for serving with steamed oysters include home baked breads, green salads, and light soups.

Seafood For Christmas - Fresh Fish, Shellfish, Artwork and Apparel

For shoppers that choose to give seafood as a holiday gift, this seafood business directory provides detailed listings of online seafood markets, shops and other ecommerce sites.

In addition to fresh seafood, online stores offer ornaments, cards, and other items featuring a variety of seafood logos, photos or other artwork.

Among the online stores that specialize in seafood artwork are:

Online shoppers will find fish, shrimp, crab, lobster, clam, and oyster t-shirts, sweatshirts, stickers, coffee mugs, art and other gifts at Fish-Fishing-Seafood online store.

Outdoors USA online store offers a wide range of seafood-themed Christmas ornaments, stickers, buttons, magnets, aprons, kitchen decor, apparel, and other gift items.

Polaris Lipids Certified By Friend of the Sea

Friend of the Sea recently certified Polaris nutritional lipids. The company's fish oil-based products originate from the Peruvian anchovies sustainable fleet. Polaris is one of the global leaders in nutritional lipids, specializing in the production and the formulation of polyunsaturated fatty acids including Omega 3s. Polaris is the partner and sole agent of EPAX high quality fish oils in France, Spain and Portugal.

source: Friend of the Sea

MSC Announces 7000th Ecolabelled Product

J Sainsbury peeled, frozen prawns recently became the 7000th MSC ecolabelled product worldwide. Growth in MSC ecolabelled products has increased dramatically over the past four years doubling, on average, every 12 - 15 months.

According to MSC, consumer interest in their branding has rocketed over the past two years with recent figures showing a 60% increase in recognition of the MSC ecolabel in the UK. The organization reports that nearly one in five people now recognize the MSC ecolabel..

source: MSC press release