Gulf Seafood Trace has partnered with the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association in an innovative program to promote wild caught Gulf shrimp. Photo: Stock
by Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
Following a difficult three and a half years, Gulf seafood is fighting back with innovative programs designed to increase demand and inform the American public it can have confidence in seafood harvested from the Gulf of Mexico.
Alex Miller, staff economist for the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. Photo: GSMFC
In 2011, the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) initiated Gulf Seafood Trace (GST). The traceability program aims to drive demand for US Gulf seafood products from both buyers and consumers by telling its unique story and sharing information from Gulf to plate or the store shelf.
The program offers Gulf seafood businesses supply chain electronic traceability and marketing tools that include review and data analysis.
“The GST program is a component of the GSMFC’s Oil Disaster Recovery Program, which is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in an effort to mitigate the economic effects of the oil disaster on Gulf fisheries,” said Alex Miller, Staff Economist and Seafood Traceability Coordinator for the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Recently, Gulf Seafood Trace partnered with the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association in an innovative program to promote wild caught Gulf shrimp.
“We have the best seafood in the world right here off the Gulf Coast,” said Kevin Fish, manager of Half Shell Oyster House in Gulfport, MS. Photo: WLOX
The Mississippi association has integrated the innovative GST program into a three-month promotion called Gulf Shrimp Tales. The promotion is funded by a BP Tourism and Seafood Promotion grant.
“We have the best seafood in the world right here off the Gulf Coast,” said Kevin Fish, manager of Half Shell Oyster House in Gulfport, MS, in a recent interview with a local television station.
He says his customers, like Nicole Harris, are glad to hear the shrimp they just ate were caught not far from the restaurant.
Half Shell Oyster House was one of the first in the city to join the Gulf Shrimp Tales promotion, which now has more than 50 seafood restaurants enrolled.
Half Shell Oyster House customers like Nicole Harris, are glad to hear the shrimp they just ate were caught not far from the restaurant. Photo: WLOX
“In conjunction with GST, Gulf Shrimp Tales will be instrumental in helping restore confidence in Gulf seafood in response to seafood fraud allegations that have swept the United States,” said Miller about the promotion. “It will help ensure confidence in the market and help build a market-leading brand for shrimp from the region by highlighting the special qualities of Gulf shrimp.”
“Telling the story will help to separate Gulf shrimp from its competition and help to establish it as a premium all-American brand in the marketplace,” he went on to explain.
More than 26-million pounds of seafood have been entered by the program’s 63 enrollees, and business has increased up to 18% in one case.
More than 26-million pounds of seafood have been entered by the program’s 63 enrollees, and business has increased up to 18% in one case. Photo: Stock
Trace Register, a global food electronic traceability company used by more than a 1,000 seafood companies in 24 countries, employs the system to capture information from state trip tickets used to document catch when boats unload at the dock. GSMFC, Trace Register, and GCR, Inc., with the aid of MRAG Americas, developed the GST traceability program to provide critical information about Gulf seafood throughout the supply chain.
“Participation in GST is voluntary and is assisted by a robust electronic traceability platform, powerful marketing and integrated data quality which are complimentary until the end of next year,” said Malinda Kelley, GST outreach coordinator with GCR, Inc.
Building on e-Trip Ticket data, the program’s Electronic Traceability Platform allows for data associated with seafood products to be entered into the system giving businesses the ability to share supply chain traceability information with buyers, consumers, and other organizations throughout the market in near real-time.
According to Kelley “the offer is a risk free opportunity for companies to determine the benefits Gulf Seafood Trace can deliver to their business.”
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