SeaFood Business is the global trusted authority for seafood buyers and sellers. We are the seafood industry's leading trade magazine with more than 30 years of experience. Our coverage is based on the "business" of buying and selling seafood.
Issue link: https://seafoodbusiness.epubxp.com/i/79767
U.S. News JUNEAU, Alaska T ASMI enlists Cerne as new executive director Cerne served in the Coast he Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute appointed retired U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Michael Cerne as its new executive director. Cerne begin his new role this month to allow for several months of overlap before Ray Riutta's retirement in December. WASHINGTON NOAA releases aquaculture R&D; plan Te National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- tion (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in late July released a draft of its "National Aqua- culture Research and Devel- opment Strategic Plan." Te plan, which will provide a framework for federal agen- cies to develop programs for aquaculture R&D;, is in line with NOAA's marine aquaculture policy, released last year; it will guide the agency's fish-farming activi- ties and provide a national approach to supporting sus- tainable aquaculture. Te plan identifies nine strategic goals, including employing genetics to increase produc- tivity and protect natural populations, improve aquatic animal health and increase the supply of nutritious, safe, high-quality seafood. FDA sued over mercury advisory Te U.S. Food and Drug Administration has failed to appropriately warn the public of the dangers as- sociated with consuming seafood high in methylmer- cury, according to a lawsuit per week and avoid consum- ing swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. Last year, U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gil- librand and Tom Coburn urged the FDA to revise its seafood-consumption advice for pregnant and nursing women in light of the 2010 8 SeaFood Business September 2012 Guard for 31 years, retiring last year. He is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Acad- emy with a degree in marine science and also has a master of marine affairs from the University of Rhode Island. He served on five Coast Guard cutters in his career, filed in July. Te Turtle Is- land Restoration Network, Center for Biological Diver- sity and Stanford University Environmental Law Clinic claim that the FDA failed to respond to its 2011 peti- tion within the required 180 days. Te groups seek to cut the FDA's allowable mercury level in half, from 1 part per million (ppm) to 0.5 ppm, which would harmonize it with the Environmental Protection Agency's recom- mendations. It also urges the FDA to require retailers to post mercury-in-fish adviso- ries wherever seafood is sold. Te FDA's mercury advisory warns pregnant and nursing women and young children to limit seafood intake to 12 ounces per week, limit alba- core tuna intake to 6 ounces international fishery man- agement organizations. He is completing a project with the United Nations to improve the management of global tuna fisheries. "While it will be difficult three based in Alaska. Cerne's final assignment was at the Coast Guard Dis- trict office in Juneau, where he managed Alaska fishery patrol operations and served on the North Pacific Fish- ery Management Council, the North Pacific Research Board and a number of Dietary Guidelines for Amer- icans, which for the first time encouraged consumers to eat seafood at least twice a week for heart and brain health. TEMPE, Ariz. Study links healthfulness, sustainable seafood A group of Arizona State University researchers in Au- gust published a report that found a link between the sustainability of seafood and its healthfulness. "If the fish is sustainable, then it is likely to be healthy to eat too," said Leah Gerber, an associate professor and senior sustain- ability scientist at ASU. Te researchers ran an analysis of existing literature on fish to see which choices are consis- tently healthier and which are high in mercury or over- fished. Te findings are pub- lished in the Aug. 2 edition of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. In "Sus- taining seafood for public health," the researchers say their analysis is the first to bring together several types of sustainability rankings, along with species-specific health metrics, including omega-3 fatty acid and mer- cury content. Te research stemmed from a database on both ecological and health to replace someone of the cal- iber of Ray Riutta, I'm very happy with the board's deci- sion and we are quite confi- dent that Mr. Cerne will be an effective leader at ASMI for years to come," says Joe Bundrant, board chairman and executive VP of Trident Seafoods in Seattle. metrics of seafood. Research- ers used the database to look for patterns of similarity be- tween ecological and health metrics and found that in general, choosing healthful seafood also means choosing sustainable seafood. PORTLAND, Ore. Pacific: Lawsuit has no merit Pacific Seafood Group in late July responded to a breach of contract lawsuit filed against the company in District of Columbia Supe- rior Court by Mayer Brown, the law firm that represented the Oregon-based seafood supplier in a series of an- titrust claims. According to the complaint, Mayer Brown stopped represent- ing the supplier in February because of nonpayment of fees. Mayer Brown claims that Pacific paid part but not all of the fees it owed. Te firm is suing for more than $5 million, which in- cludes $3.8 million in fees, an additional $1.3 million for a discount the firm had originally provided, and in- terest. Pacific Seafood says the suit has "no merit" and that it will continue to pur- sue its own action against the law firm. For updated NEWS, go to www.SeafoodSource.com Photo by Melissa Wood