To meet this demand, a unique mobile “Seafood Quality Training Lab” has been developed to educate Louisiana fishermen on the latest in onboard seafood refrigeration and cold chain management. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
by Ed Lallo/Gulf Seafood News Editor
Premium Gulf seafood has one common challenge: antiquated handling techniques used by generation after generation of fishermen, especially when it comes to onboard refrigeration. For years, processors across the Gulf have had to source higher volumes of premium product, be it shrimp, oysters, crabs or finfish. To meet this demand, a unique mobile “Seafood Quality Training Lab” has been developed to educate Louisiana fishermen on the latest in onboard seafood refrigeration and cold chain management.
“We looked at industry issues where we could offer fishermen solutions to produce a higher quality product,” said Thomas Hymel, a Sea Grant fishery expert. “One of the main issues required of fishermen to improve their catch quality is improved refrigeration.” Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
The Louisiana Fisheries Forward (LFF) initiative is a seafood industry enhancement effort in partnership with Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter. The mobile teaching lab was engineered and built by LeBlanc and Associates, a specialty marine refrigeration company.
“We looked at industry issues where we could offer fishermen solutions to produce a higher quality product,” said Thomas Hymel, a Sea Grant fishery expert. “One of the main issues required of fishermen to improve their catch quality is improved refrigeration. This needs to be a priority of Gulf seafood if our fishermen are going to become a top player in the global seafood industry.”
The Sea Grant trailer is also equipped with a vacuum pack machine, a shrimp slitter and deveiner to demonstrate value added packaging. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
Members of the Fisheries Forward team researched training needs to address the issue. A fact-finding trip was made to Alaska to see first-hand how technology turned the largest U.S. seafood harvester into a premium vendor.
According to Hymel, the Alaska cold chain seafood management “blew the group away.” Their state of the art systems have been responsible for bringing the state’s salmon industry from a five-cent fish primarily going into cans, to filets demanding a price of more than $2.00.
“We knew if we returned to the basics, we could improve our quality,” he said. “Whether brine frozen or fresh, the better quality seafood pack houses get from the fishermen, the more money they can pay and eventually the more money they can make when it is sold.”
Shrimpers Targeted
The mobile teaching platform is equipped with a pre-chiller designed for brine or for plate freezing which takes seafood quickly below 32 degrees with a flash freeze. Photo: Ed Lallo/Fishing News International
The team decided to target shrimp fishermen first. To let the state’s largest fishing industry learn first-hand, LFF secured funding for a demonstration trailer equipped with a pre chiller, brine tank, a brine freezer and a plate freezer. This mobile platform allows demonstrations on exactly what can be done on a shrimp boat with similar equipment, or onshore off of day boats. The new unit is being plugged into outreach activities across the coast with demonstrations at fisherman meetings and dock days in Louisiana and other Gulf states.
“One of the largest issues needing to be addressed was brine frozen quality coming off freezer boats,” explained the Delcambre Sea Grant agent. “Brine boats have issues with the freezing procedure. Just paying attention to a few basic details can make all the difference. We are modeling our training program after Texas, which has been a leader in the Gulf in producing high quality brine frozen shrimp.”
The team decided to target shrimp fishermen first. To let the state’s largest fishing industry learn first-hand, LFF secured funding for a demonstration trailer equipped with a pre chiller, brine tank, a brine freezer and a plate freezer. Photo: Ed Lallo/Fishing News International
The mobile teaching platform is equipped with a pre-chiller designed for brine or for plate freezing which takes seafood quickly below 32 degrees with a flash freeze.
According to Hymel, a quick freeze process is desirable in the seafood industry because it produces small ice crystals and higher quality product. Brine freezers can quickly freeze whole fish, shrimp in baskets or mesh sacks. “We can teach you everything you need to know on the proper use of this equipment,” he said.
On the trailer, built by LaBlanc and Associates and equipped with their Challenger line of refrigeration, fishermen are able to experience first-hand how the various cold systems work and their effect on producing a better product. The trailer supporting the top of the line equipment is equipped with both shore power and a generator so demonstrations can be conducted dockside or in a parking lot.
“Without a quality product to sell, fishermen are stuck where they were in the past. We now have the capability to show fishermen how to bring in the best quality product to processors. We know that fishermen are interested in higher quality standards needed for better prices. Our captains are beginning to understand that quality means money,” said Hymel.
The Sea Grant trailer is also equipped with a vacuum pack machine, a shrimp slitter and deveiner to demonstrate value added packaging.
“In our statewide direct marketing efforts, our boats are selling out of quality shrimp in the local and regional market. We never had a clue how large the demand for quality was by consumers,” explained Hymel on the importance of the program.
Higher quality shrimp means fishermen can easily double current dock prices. In addition, a Gulf-wide Best Management Practice (BMP) needs to be established for industry in order to attract customers outside the Gulf.
Without a quality product to sell, fishermen are stuck where they were in the past. We now have the capability to show fishermen how to bring in the best quality product to processors,” said Hymel. Photo: Ed Lallo/Newsroom Ink
Currently, Sea Grant is working with a major Gulf grocery chain to upgrade the quality of their shrimp and move forward with a new way of sourcing their product. They have team members to help develop a program and have indicated the willingness to pay more than current dock prices to participating fishermen.
“Quality means more money in a fisherman’s pocket,” he said. “Much of the equipment can be funded through a grant program with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.”
One of the biggest trends Hymel and members of his team are seeing is with iceboats. These large shrimpers are moving to a chilled seawater system designed to keep shrimp in super cold water near the freezing mark. The system is so effective that five-day old caught shrimp look as nice as day one caught shrimp.
“We are working hard to develop and demonstrate the best management fishermen can adopt to improve their profitability,” said Hymel “We have found processors and seafood suppliers are demanding a higher standard to help market their seafood product in order to command top dollar in the market place.”
I am an Agriscience Teacher at Acadiana High School in Lafayette, LA. Would it be possible to have a visit from GSI highlighting the Mobile Seafood Quality Training Lab. We could may be even host a training day at the school for fisherman on the same day. 337-257-0801
Excellent program! Quality outsells schlock any day. The commercial industry will always advance by focusing on quality! Well done!
I specialize in perishable food shipping. I would like to know more about this process and also be able to educate my customers, mainly the small scale shrimp person