Following the Fish

Earth Day is today and this Earth Day marks our years of commitment to sustainability. Preserving the fish in our oceans in order to provide fresh, sustainable and safe seafood has been a Pacific Seafood mission since the company was founded.

One example of this is a Team at our company developed the Automated Production Control (APC). APC tracks seafood from vessel to delivery with a labeling and fish ticket function. As a result we are able to track a fish every step of the way with great detail. We are able to determine how much of a fish is actually utilized as we are develop processes to utilize more of each fish.

We can tell you when a fish was caught, by whom, how much of the fish was recovered, how it got to your plate and every step in between in a matter of seconds! Check out this video on America’s Heartland that shows how it is done.

APC allows us to keep food safety standards at the highest level in the industry. Knowing where your seafood came from and where it has been before it reaches your table is very important to Our Team. In fact, I just read about a grocery store where you can scan an item and see what farm it came from! This type of tracking is excellent for ensuring the highest use of quality and food safety. I’m happy to see that our vision is catching on.

Shrimp Season Kicks Off

Oregon pink shrimp season is here again! Starting this month the trawl boats will be out catching Oregon pink shrimp – and will be at it through the end of October. We expect to bring in nearly 6,000 tons of shrimp this season.

It’s no wonder to me why shrimp is one of America’s most popular seafood, and there’s nothing like the sweet flavor and firm texture of Oregon pink shrimp. My wife and I love to toss them in salads, pasta, and omelets.

Another reason I think Oregon pink shrimp are becoming more popular – besides being so delicious – is because they are certified as “sustainably harvested” by the Marine Stewardship Council. Oregon coldwater shrimp were actually awarded the world’s first sustainable shrimp certification, which really set the bar – today there are 35 other fisheries that have been certified.

If you’re looking for a fun shrimp dish to serve at Easter (or anytime), here is a recipe from Pacific Seafood chef Gary Puetz that I love…
Cold-Water Pink Shrimp Cocktail

Ingredients:
• 4 cups (approximately 1 1/4 pounds) cold-water pink shrimp, well drained
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• 1 mango, firm, but ripe, peeled, seeded, cut into thin strips about 1-inch long
• ½ cup jicama, cut into thin strips about 1-inch long
• ½ cup finely minced red onion
• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro or parsley
• ½ cup to 1 cup chili sauce
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
Directions: Gently combine all the ingredients and chill before serving. Serve with a wedge of lime.

Let me know if you have other shrimp recipes you enjoy. I would love to test them out!

Sustainability in the New Year

Happy 2009! Like many, I am looking forward to new beginnings for my family and business as we head into the New Year. On the personal side, my wife and I are expecting our fifth child . As a third generation Oregonian, I am proud of raising the fourth generation of my family to all the things I love about the Northwest and the Pacific Ocean and its rich abundance of seafood.

The health of our oceans and seafood is our company’s top priority. We urge everyone in the seafood industry to seek ways to assure that we have the same level of superb clean protein available today for our future generations.

A great piece of news to start off the year was the appointment of Oregon marine biologist Dr. Jane Lubchenco to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). With her passionate commitment to protecting our oceans, as well as her deep knowledge of Oregon’s fishing communities and her tireless work of promoting science, I can’t think of a more perfect leader to run the government agency and I sincerely congratulate her.

The health of our families, jobs, company and industry is directly tied to making sound environmental decisions and I look forward to the new and inventive ways we will keep these efforts going in 2009. Here’s to a great year ahead!

Year of sustainable strides

It’s amazing to me that the end of 2008 is already here. Naturally, the end of the year brings reflection, and looking back on the happenings at Pacific Seafood, I’m proud to acknowledge the major strides the company has made in the area of sustainability – an area that will continue to be a high priority for us.

From replacing Styrofoam with recyclable packaging to converting waste by-product into fish-based organic fertilizer product to purchasing a steelhead farm that will be operated using sustainable, all natural practices, environmental stewardship is something Pacific Seafood is committed to.

This was also a big year in terms of major decision making on regulations to the whiting and groundfish industries. Pacific Seafood was proud to take part when Pacific Whiting industry participants agreed on a balanced plan for an individual quota system. It is a management system that we believe will enhance the value of the fishery to all, while at the same time decreasing pressure on our ocean fisheries.

I’m also delighted that others in the community have recognized our hard work. Pacific Seafood has been recognized by the Portland Business Journal as one of Oregon’s Most Admired Companies and acknowledged by the Oregon Restaurant Association for outstanding leadership, success and dedication to the food service industry. Our team members are no doubt our most important asset, and I’m honored to have such a great team on board.

Despite the tough economic environment we’re all faced with, as I look ahead to 2009, I know Pacific Seafood’s commitment to these issues will grow stronger and I look forward to the continued strides the seafood industry will make.