A Newsletter for the Seafood Industry published by the Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing

December 2007

Florida Seafood Safety and Inspections

Florida has over 5,000 licensed retail markets and supermarkets selling our prized seafood and a total of over 40,000 retail food stores, food processing plants, food storage and distribution points, and other locations in Florida where food is sold to the public. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services, Division of Food Safety, inspects and regulates all retail seafood markets and grocery stores selling seafood. These establishments are inspected on a regular basis to ensure continuing compliance with sanitation standards during all phases of food handling, processing, and storage. A number of other consumer protection issues are also a part of each inspection. Packaged foods are test-weighed to verify net contents as labeled, labels are reviewed to preclude misrepresentation to the public and the accuracy of grade and quality labels are inspected. Finally, food samples are collected and sent to the division's laboratories for analyses for microbial pathogens, toxins, chemical contaminants, authenticity of ingredients, and a host of other analyses. If you have questions about the division’s food establishment inspection program, please contact: Michael Lombardi, Environmental Administrator, at foodinsp@doacs.state.fl.us or (850) 245–5520.

In our next issue we will discuss the inspection and regulation of Florida’s many fine restaurants.

Public Relations Efforts

A comprehensive public relations plan is generating exposure for Florida seafood and aquaculture among the media and potential trade and consumer buyers. Through the first six months of fiscal year 2007-08, over 55.6 million gross impressions and almost $76,000 in ad value were obtained from earned media. This exposure was accomplished by utilizing a multimedia approach at minimal cost. Press releases, event participation, distribution of promotional materials, television cooking segments and direct media contact were major components of the bureau’s targeted efforts.

To keep the message about Florida seafood consistently in the minds of the media and buyers, press releases were distributed to newspapers, consumer and trade publications, and radio and television networks. Topics of the press releases ranged from the grouper substitution issues and to seasonal species information and recipes. Almost 40 documented articles or features were published in print or online as a result of these efforts.

Highlights include two new additions to the www.FL-Seafood.com web site: the “Is It Really Grouper” and the “Seafood for Kids” pages. To view the new pages, click here.

“Is It Really Grouper” is designed to help consumers determine whether the grouper they buy is real or a substitution. The pages include the following information and photos:

-- Typical prices that restaurant patrons should expect to pay for grouper.

-- Comparison photos of grouper fillets and the Asian catfish that is commonly mislabeled as grouper.

-- An online form to report suspected grouper substitution by retail markets or grocery stores.

-- Links to other state agencies responsible for investigating mislabeling and product substitution.

-- Information about Florida red grouper and other grouper species.

-- Statistics about Florida’s grouper harvest.

-- Citation of Florida’s law on menu item misrepresentation or product substitution.

-- Grouper recipes and brochures featuring species information and nutritional data (in English and Spanish).

The new “Kid’s Pages” target seven-to-12-year-olds but can be fun for the whole family. The characters on each page play a special role. With just a click, Claus the Crab will share some interesting Florida seafood facts. Finn the Fish is not quite so serious; he just loves to play games. Check out his Fishy Mathematics, Create-a-Story, Match-up, Fill-in-the Blank or Word Find games that he is ready to play with his seafood friends. And don’t forget about Laurie the Lobster, who says “Help me cook up some fun, easy, and healthy seafood dishes.” With mom or dad’s help, youngsters can learn to cook by following a few simple recipes on Laurie’s page.

United States and Florida Presence in Busan, Korea

Representatives of the Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing attended the Busan International Seafood Expo (BISFE). The U.S. pavilion at BISFE 2007 featured cooking demonstrations by “The Florida Chef” Justin Timineri, who offered attendees the distinctive flavor of southern seafood cookery—Chesapeake rays (skates), oysters, shrimp, tropical fruit and more.

South Korea is the United States' fourth-largest fish and seafood market, with more than $140 million in U.S. exports last year.

Organized by the Embassy’s U.S. Foreign Agriculture Service, BISFE was attended by a variety of other U.S. exhibitors representing Atlantic Coast seafood producers, including Sea Watch International and J&R Seafood.

Florida Alligator Marketing Education (FAME)

The Florida alligator industry currently reports that hide sales and prices are up from previous years, and that there is a back stock of alligator meat.

Funding for alligator marketing and education projects has not been available for the past three years but $100,000 has been approved by the Legislature for this fiscal year. With California allowing the sale of alligator and crocodile products within the state for the first time since the early 1970s, the FAME committee expressed interest in targeting marketing efforts in the western states. Using a push-pull approach, FAME hopes to establish new accounts and markets in an area where alligator products have only been considered a novelty.

The committee has approved participation in the Las Vegas Restaurant Show and the Boston Seafood Show. Florida alligator will soon be available for sampling at Pier 39 (part of Fishermen’s Wharf) in San Francisco and Pike Place Market in Seattle. FAME will also provide sponsorship for a cook-off competition with Louisiana during the summer of 2008.

USDA Awards Seafood Research Grant

The United States Department of Agriculture announced in early August that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) was selected to receive $72,000 in funding for a research proposal titled, “Identifying the Attitudes and Preferences of the 55+ Age Group for Seafood and Aquaculture Products.” This grant, provided under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program, was one of 26 proposals (from 21 states) awarded.

The 55+ segment of the U.S. population is growing and has the potential to have a tremendous economic impact on the nation's seafood industry. In order to maintain market share and capture potential growth, it is necessary for the seafood industry to understand the attitudes and preferences that drive this socially and economically influential group in relation to its seafood consumption choices.

The Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing, in cooperation with the University of Florida, will survey this target market to identify attitudes about and preferences for seafood and aquaculture products. A marketing campaign will be developed based on the findings.

For more information about this grant award, contact Phyllis McCranie at mccranp@doacs.state.fl.us or (850) 488-0163.

Coming Soon: Go Native!

The Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing is partnering with Florida restaurants to kick off an exciting "Go Native! Eat Florida Seafood" promotional campaign. The goal of the campaign will be to entice Florida residents and tourists to purchase healthy and delicious "Fresh from Florida" seafood when dining out. The "Go Native!" campaign will include a consumer discount reward card and coupon and multimedia promotional components.

Tropical Fish Update

Florida received an unwelcome New Year present the first week of 2008. During a period in which temperatures dropped below freezing in much of the state, the bureau maintained contact with the Florida Aquaculture Association and the Florida Tropical Fish Farmers Association to determine damage suffered by the tropical fish industry. The sustained cold stresses fish by driving water temperatures below tolerance levels. While some fish are hearty enough to survive, stress on others can be fatal or cause disease. Additionally, tropical fish farmers are reluctant to harvest and make accurate damage assessments too soon after temperatures rise because this also increases stress levels.

The extent of damage, while not completely determined, appears significant. The bureau will maintain contact with the industry and provide accurate loss information as it becomes available.

"Fresh from Florida" Advertising

Check out the creative way our logo was incorporated in this ad.

DACS-P-01458