Fishy State of the Union Address

Even American seafood received scrutiny during the 2011 State of Union Address. President Barack Obama joked about American fisheries management complexities, saying, "The Interior Department is in charge of salmon while they’re in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them when they’re in saltwater.  I hear it gets even more complicated once they’re smoked."

Ireland Seeks To Expand Aquaculture Production

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD and Minister of State, Sean Connick TD, met recently with the CEO of Marine Harvest, one of the world's biggest seafood companies to discuss the potential for significant expansion of the industry in Ireland.

The company's Irish fish farms, in Donegal, Mayo, Cork and Kerry, have been expanding production and hope to produce between 10 and 12,000 tonnes of salmon for export from Ireland this year.

The company has been increasingly moving to the production of premium organic salmon and this year expect that 70% of their Irish production will be sold in prime European markets as organically produced fish.

The company, which currently employs 250 people in Ireland and 5,000 worldwide sees significant potential to double production and employment in Ireland over the next ten years.

source: Ireland Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Tanner Crab Community Supported Fishery in Anchorage Alaska

The Alaska Marine Conservation Council is piloting a Community Supported Fishery (CSF) in the Anchorage area that will offer Kodiak tanner crab harvested by small-boat fishermen to consumers. The program is called “Catch of the Season” and its goal is to empower traditional fishing communities.

The tanner crab CSF is offering 10- or 25-pound boxes of tanner crab to consumers in the Anchorage area. Seafood deliveries will include the story of the catch that tells the who, what, when, where and how of the catch.  Also included is a recipe from the fishermen.

The Council hopes to offer a regular schedule of seafood products throughout the year including salmon, halibut and cod, as well as a greater variety of pickup locations if initial shipments are a success. Local restaurants are also being encouraged to participate in the program and are provided a cost discount for larger volumes. The 10-pound boxes are $125, and the 25-pound boxes are $300.

For more information, visit http://akmarine.org. To subscribe to the CSF, contact Julia Beaty at (907)277-5357 or Julia@akmarine.org

source: Fishlink Sublegals

2011Seafood Summit in Canada

The 9th Annual Seafood Summit is taking place on 31 January - 2 February, 2011 in Vancouver, Canada, with Keynote Speaker Yvon Chouinard. The Seafood Summit brings together global representatives from the seafood industry and conservation community for in-depth discussions, presentations and networking with the goal of making the seafood marketplace environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. The Seafood Summit will take place at the Westin, Bayshore in Vancouver, Canada.

For more information, visit the Seafood Summit website:

www.seafoodchoices.com/seafoodsummit.php.

source: Fishlink Sublegals

2nd Annual Palm Beach Marine Flea Market and Seafood Festival

The 2nd Annual Palm Beach Marine Flea Market and Seafood Festival, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 11-13, 2011, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the centrally located South Florida Fairgrounds, West Palm Beach Fl. The event will be held outside in the parking lot facing Southern Blvd, a West Palm Beach main thoroughfare.

Admission $7.00 a day

Senior Citizens $5.00

Children 12 and under FREE

Special three day pass $12.00

for more information, visit: http://www.flnauticalfleamarket.com/