MA SEAFOOD FOOD EXPORT PROGRAM: A FOCUS ON LESSER-KNOWN NEW ENGLAND SEAFOOD Story R. Reed July 13, 2015 June 23, 2015Slide 1

Introduction Long tradition of Cod, Haddock, and Sole fishing in the Commonwealth Commercial fishing, recreational fishing, and seafood processing are an important part of the Commonwealth’s history, culture, and economy The Commonwealth is the 2 nd ranked state in the US in terms of landings value New Bedford is the top valued port in the country Destination for recreational anglers June 23, 2015Slide 2

June 23, 2015Slide 3 Commercial Seafood Industry

Top Commercial Species in 2012 by Value RankSpeciesLive PoundsValue 1SCALLOP, SEA305,944,169$364,895,602 2LOBSTER, AMERICAN14,482,740$53,345,841 3COD, ATLANTIC8,983,602$18,558,123 4SURFCLAM, ATLANTIC95,598,601$16,074,267 5GOOSEFISH (MONKFISH)11,582,869$13,595,613 6OYSTER, EASTERN4,125,447$12,069,381 June 23, 2015Slide 4

2015 Seafood Buyers Mission Program March 12 th orientation presentation for MA Seafood Food Export program to foreign buyers in conjunction with MA Department of Agricultural Resources Program held during Seafood Expo North America show in Boston Focused on lesser-known species, including tasting New Bedford port visit One-on-one meetings between buyers and processors followed June 23, 2015Slide 5

Lesser Known Species: Affordable and Available Emerging markets for healthy and under-utilized species Species include Redfish, Scup, and Dogfish Generally steady supply throughout the year in the Northeast Readily available supply and quota Opportunity to increase market share for these species Increased markets may benefit fishermen and consumers Science-based management, federal and inter-state management plans June 23, 2015Slide 6

A Closer Look at Spiny Dogfish Declared as a fully rebuilt stock by NOAA Fisheries in 2010 Roughly 48 million pound coast-wide quota Only 46% of available quota was landed in the 2014/2015 fishing year Roughly half of the 2014/2015 Atlantic harvest was landed in Massachusetts Migrate seasonally Managed by annual catch limit and daily trip limits MSC certified as a sustainable seafood Source: NOAA Fisheries Fishwatch June 23, 2015Slide 7

The Spiny Dogfish Fishery Mostly caught as bycatch in gillnet, trawl, and longline fisheries for groundfish species Some targeted day boat longline and gillnet fisheries in recent years June 23, 2015Slide 8 Picture Courtesy of

Spiny Dogfish Products & Packaging Sweet, mild flavor with firm but flaky texture Low-fat source of protein Available fresh or frozen Products available include: backs, fillets, loins, medallions, flaps, fins and tails A variety of sizes and packaging available depending on product type June 23, 2015Slide 9 Sources: NOAA Fisheries Fishwatch & Zeus Packing

Spiny Dogfish Landings & Value (New England) June 23, 2015Slide 10 YearDogfish LandingsDogfish Landings ValueEx-Vessel Price per LB ,521,168 lbs$2,749,285$ ,611,369 lbs$3,630,511$ ,854,180 lbs$1,256,111$.16 Source: NOAA Fisheries

A Closer Look at Redfish Declared as a fully rebuilt stock by NOAA Fisheries in 2012 Managed by an annual catch limit 70% of annual quota was left unharvested in 2010 Currently there is a limited market Source: NOAA Fisheries Fishwatch June 23, 2015Slide 11

The Redfish Fishery Primarily harvested in the trawl fishery along with other groundfish Selectively targeted through fishing practices to avoid other species with lower quotas The Division of Marine Fisheries has participated in REDNET project to develop selective trawl gear to target redfish June 23, 2015Division of Marine FisheriesSlide 12

Redfish Products & Packaging Firm, flaky, mild, slightly sweet fish, white when cooked Low in saturated fat, high in protein Available fresh or frozen Whole fish and fillets available A variety of sizes and packaging available depending on product type June 23, 2015Slide 13 Sources: NOAA Fisheries Fishwatch & Zeus Packing

Redfish Landings & Value (New England) June 23, 2015Slide 14 YearRedfish LandingsRedfish Landings ValueEx-Vessel Price per LB 20114,432,708 lbs$2,746,353$ ,453,519 lbs$5,666,449$ ,872,300 lbs$4,317,245$.55 Source: NOAA Fisheries

A Closer Look at Scup Declared officially rebuilt in 2009 Managed by annual catch limit and daily trip limits Available year-round on the east coast Small, mild-tasting, white flaky flesh Generally sold whole, scaled and dressed Excellent for pan frying or sautéing whole Source: NOAA Fisheries Fishwatch June 23, 2015Slide 15

The Scup Fishery Mainly caught by otter trawls with some fish pot and hook and line harvest Harvest occurs in both state and federal waters Only 49% of the available quota has been caught in the current federal period Commercial harvest has room to increase under the current quotas June 23, 2015Division of Marine FisheriesSlide 16

Scup Landings & Value (New England) June 23, 2015Slide 17 YearScup LandingsScup Landings ValueEx-Vessel Price per LB 20118,223,231 lbs$4,520,163$ ,219,649 lbs$6,107,046$ ,954,917 lbs$5,188,793$.52 Source: NOAA Fisheries

Positive Results All three lesser-known species were well received by the buyers One-on-one meetings held with 25 regional seafood suppliers Onsite sales to foreign buyers of $6 million, with $14.3 million in sales projected over the next 12 months Suppliers reported establishing 117 new business relationships and making 40 first-time sales to a foreign market June 23, 2015Slide 18