May 13, 2020
Frozen seafood supports US fishing sector amid COVID-19 crisis
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, frozen fish sticks and canned salmon are once again in demand, forcing a change of market for the US fishing sector that usually turns to restaurants to serve their fresh seafood, reported Reuters.
Fishing crews from Alaska in the US to Zhejiang in China have been battered by lockdowns that have shut fine dining halls and fancy hotels, leaving customers to stock up from supermarkets rather than pick a platter from restaurants.
Manhattan eateries that draw in the Wall Street crowd were a major market for Jake Angelo's razor clams, a delicacy dug from the mud along the shores of Cope Cod, Massachusetts. But prices have hit rock bottom and shut down a vital source of income for the fisherman who has his own boat.
Angelo said the whole seafood industry was on its backside.
"People are scared of handling oysters and clams at home. They want the restaurants to do it," he said. "And as oysters get bigger, there's not a market, because they're too hard to handle. But you can't put them on hold and tell them to stop growing."
Scientists say the US$161 billion global industry's travails could offer one bright spot: the downturn may give some depleted fish stocks a brief chance to recover, as they did in the World Wars, although at that time fish had years of relief not months.
Yet, for boat owners, seafood firms and others involved in the industry, which produced 178 million tonnes of fish worldwide in 2019, the immediate challenge is to survive until demand returns or to adapt swiftly to cater for new tastes.
"There is no point going out to fish and then not be able to sell," said Bruno Margolle, president of the French fishing federation FEDOPA and co-owner of a family trawler in Boulogne.
In France and Britain, fleets are trying to stagger landings to avoid flooding the market and fewer boats are going to sea.
But crews that still head out fear their cramped quarters raise the risk of infection if a co-worker carries the virus.
"Our major markets have collapsed and, of course, social distancing is impossible on a fishing vessel," said Harry Wick, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Fish Producers' Organisation.
Northern Ireland's prawn catch is usually a hit in Spain, while its crabs are popular in the world's top seafood market, China. But with many eateries around the globe closed or limited to offering a restrictive takeaway service demand has plummeted.
Governments are facing appeals for help. In a May 6 letter, US Senators called for US$1 billion in aid for the US fishing industry, saying sales for some communities had plunged 95%.
The USDA placed an order in April for 20 million pounds (nine million kg) of wild-caught, warm-water shrimp, offering relief to Louisiana and Gulf of Mexico shrimpers.
About 80% of US shrimps are sold to restaurants. But demand is now "at 10% to 20% of what they normally would sell," said C. David Veal, executive director of the American Shrimp Processors Association.
Ningtai Ocean, a firm based in China's eastern Zhejiang province with 47 fishing vessels, is not only grappling with falling demand but also faces operational challenges for its fleet.
The closure of ports in Peru, over fears about the spreading coronavirus, has hampered its squid fishing in the region, with almost 20 of its boats forced to return home early because they could not dock in Peruvian ports for maintenance.
Most of Ningtai's catch is processed in China and sold to Europe and the US, where tumbling demand has driven down prices, a Ningtai manager said, asking not to be named.
Ningtai is now developing products in smaller packaging to be more appealing for families eating at home. It is also working to boost sales in China at community stores and online.
Americans locked down at home have gained a new appreciation for packaged seafood, with volumes surging more than 50%, Nielsen data showed. Battered or breaded fish sticks is a particular favourite, while canned salmon is also proving a hit.
