Saving Seafood

Massachusetts lawmakers press Perdue for more Section 32 Atlantic seafood purchases

October 23, 2020 — A group of Massachusetts lawmakers in Washington wrote to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Wednesday, 21 October, to say they were thankful the Department of Agriculture has included Atlantic seafood in its purchases for public food programs. Now, they want to see more of it.

Since announcing a USD 20 million (EUR 16.9 million) Section 32 program solicitation for Atlantic pollock, haddock, and redfish in May, the USDA has made just once purchase agreement from that opportunity, and that came last month when the department purchased USD 4.4 million (EUR 3. million) worth of groundfish from New Bedford, Massachusetts-based Blue Harvest Fisheries.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Blue Harvest to supply $4.4 million in seafood for schools, food banks

September 25, 2020 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is buying more than $4.4 million in Northeast groundfish from Blue Harvest Fisheries, which will process the products for distribution to schools and food banks across the country.

The $4,425,480 purchase award from the USDA Commodity Procurement Program to will buy haddock, ocean perch and Atlantic pollock, with deliveries from the Blue Harvest facility in New Bedford, Mass., to begin Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.

It’s the first time in decades that East Coast seafood has been included in the commodities program, which buys farm products for distribution to institutions, nonprofit groups and needy households.

“Given the uncertainties surrounding the seafood market during the ongoing pandemic, this order will help ensure that the groundfish industry at the New Bedford waterfront can continue working, while providing food security for those who need it most,” Blue Harvest CEO Keith Decker said in a prepared statement announcing the purchase.

Company officials credited the Trump administration and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for bringing East Coast fisheries in the program. They thanked members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, Sens. Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Reps. William Keating and Seth Moulton, all D-Mass., who in May asked Perdue to include East Coast seafood when making purchase agreements funded by the special Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and the USDA’s longstanding Section 32 program.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

Blue Harvest Fisheries scores $4.4 million groundfish contract from US government

September 23, 2020 — Blue Harvest Fisheries has been granted a $4.4 million (€5.9 million) award from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to supply a total of 115,200 cases of frozen haddock, ocean perch and Atlantic pollock to child nutrition and other related food assistance programs around the United States.

Deliveries will start on Oct. 1 and run through Dec. 31.

All of the fish utilized for the program will be harvested by American-flagged vessels from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified fisheries in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, according to the company.

The products will be processed at Blue Harvest’s facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts, before being distributed to recipients nationwide.

Read the full story at IntraFish

USDA Will Purchase $4.4 Million of Blue Harvest’s Sustainable, New Bedford Groundfish

September 22, 2020 — The following was released by Blue Harvest Fisheries:

Blue Harvest Fisheries is pleased to announce that it has been granted a $4,425,480 purchase award to supply local, sustainably harvested haddock, ocean perch and Atlantic pollock to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The purchase, part of the Department’s Commodity Procurement Program, will be used to distribute Blue Harvest’s all-natural, IQF groundfish  to schools, food banks, and households across the United States.

According to the USDA, the Commodity Procurement Program is “a vital component of our nation’s food safety net” that provides “wholesome, high quality products” to communities across the country.

Deliveries will start on October 1 and run through December 31. All of the fish utilized for this program will be harvested by American-flagged vessels from MSC-certified fisheries in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. They’ll be processed at Blue Harvest’s dock-side facility in New Bedford, Massachusetts before being distributed to recipients nationwide.

“We are delighted that the USDA has selected Blue Harvest to bring high-quality seafood to deserving Americans across the country,” said Keith Decker, CEO of Blue Harvest. “Given the uncertainties surrounding the seafood market during the ongoing pandemic, this order will help ensure that the groundfish industry at the New Bedford waterfront can continue working, while providing food security for those who need it most.”

Blue Harvest thanks Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, USDA staff, and the Trump Administration for expanding the Commodity Procurement Program to include East Coast seafood for the first time in decades.

The company is deeply grateful to Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Congressmen William Keating (D-MA-09) and Seth Moulton (D-MA-06) who first took the initiative on this issue. In May, they wrote to Secretary Perdue to ask that the USDA include East Coast seafood in purchasing agreements funded by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and the Section 32 program.

“I am pleased that the USDA is supporting fishermen by purchasing seafood from the Port of New Bedford, the nation’s top commercial fishing port, during a pandemic that has affected every sector of the economy,” said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell. “I am grateful to Secretary Perdue for his support of the seafood industry, and to our congressional delegation for their advocacy on behalf of our port and our state’s commercial fishermen.”

The USDA Commodity Procurement Program has long been vital in supporting U.S. agriculture, as well as seafood producers in other parts of the country. We hope that the program’s expansion to include East Coast seafood is the start of a productive, long-term relationship with the USDA.

MASSACHUSETTS: Blue Harvest brings second former Carlos Rafael vessel online

August 31, 2020 — Blue Harvest Fisheries, based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, announced the launch of the Carrabassett, a vessel purchased in February from the family of Carlos Rafael, a.k.a the “Codfather.”

The Carrabassett is a 78-foot trawler that was previously known as the Cowboy, according to a release by Blue Harvest. It joins the Allagash – formerly the Southern Crusader II – which was launched in July. Blue Harvest added that it plans to launch the third vessel, the Schelvis – formerly known as the Glaucus – later this fall.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MASSACHUSETTS: Former Rafael Groundfish Trawler Gets Blue Harvest Makeover

August 28, 2020 — One by one, fishing vessels once owned by Carlos Rafael — the New Bedford “Codfather” who did prison time for fisheries fraud — are being relaunched under new colors.

Blue Harvest Fisheries this week launched the Carrabassett, the second of three refitted groundfish vessels the company is putting into service this year. The 78-foot trawler was once painted “Carlos Rafael green” and emblazoned with the “CR” logo. Now it’s refurbished, repaired, upgraded, painted deep blue, and decorated with Blue Harvest’s distinctive scallop logo.

The Schelvis, an 85-foot trawler once known as the Glaucus, is scheduled to launch this fall. The Allagash, an 83-foot trawler formerly known as the Southern Crusader II, entered Blue Harvest’s fleet in July after getting some serious work done. Earlier this year, the vessel could be plainly seen from the Union Street Wharf at the Fairhaven Shipyard.

In addition to being renamed and repainted in Blue Harvest colors, all three vessels are outfitted with new fishing gear and updated electronics. The Allagash and Carrabassett have had their decks reconfigured so catch can be quickly sorted, cleaned and stored. The Schelvis is undergoing greater changes that will allow catch to be stored in superchilled water tanks, Blue Harvest said in a media release.

Read the full story at WBSM

Blue Harvest Makes Good on Commitment to New Bedford Fishing Community with Launch of Refitted Groundfish Vessels

August 28, 2020 — The following was released by Blue Harvest Fisheries:

This week, Blue Harvest Fisheries launched the Carrabassett, the second of three refitted groundfish vessels the company is launching this year. Our investment in these vessels, which were purchased in February from the family of Carlos Rafael, demonstrates Blue Harvest’s continued commitment to New Bedford’s rich fishing culture, and our investment in the city’s waterfront community.

The Allagash, an 83-foot trawler previously known as the Southern Crusader II, was the first to enter Blue Harvest’s growing fleet with its launch in July. The Carrabassett is a 78-foot trawler previously known as the Cowboy. The Schelvis, an 85-foot trawler previously known as the Glaucus, is scheduled to launch later this fall.

“We promised when we acquired these vessels that we would be keeping them in New Bedford, and that we would be investing in this city’s historic fishing industry. Those weren’t just words to us,” said Keith Decker, President and CEO of Blue Harvest. “We’re proud of the improvements we’ve made to these vessels, which will provide good jobs here in New Bedford, and high-quality seafood around the country.”

In addition to being renamed and repainted in Blue Harvest colors, all three vessels are being completely reoutfitted with new fishing gear and updated electronics. The Allagash and Carrabassett have also had their decks reconfigured so catch can be more quickly sorted, cleaned and stored.

The Schelvis is undergoing far greater changes that will allow catch to be stored in superchilled tanks of water that will help keep the fish fresher, longer.

Read the full release here

Americans Are Cooking More Seafood, but Fishermen Are Struggling

May 21, 2020 — The coronavirus crisis is hitting seafood businesses even harder than the meat industry, prompting fishermen and processors to overhaul their operations and look for new customers.

U.S. supermarket shoppers are buying more fish and shellfish to prepare at home during quarantine, but business owners say the rise isn’t enough to offset the loss of sales to restaurants, where 70% of seafood is consumed, according to market-research firm Urner Barry.

Some companies are also contending with coronavirus outbreaks among workers. Blue Harvest Fisheries, a fishing and processing company in Massachusetts, closed its plant for three days in April after two workers tested positive for Covid-19. The closure cost Blue Harvest $200,000, said CEO Keith Decker, who said he is also paying hourly workers an extra $1 an hour and has added costly fogging and deep-cleaning procedures at the plant each day. At the same time, he said, production is down 25% because of reduced seafood demand and worker absenteeism.

“It’s a tightrope I’m walking,” Mr. Decker said.

In Alaska, which makes up 60% of the nation’s catch, according to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, seafood companies are spending millions to prevent infection among the armies of workers they bring to the state each year. Executives say virus cases there could hobble operations and devastate remote villages.

Read the full story at The Wall Street Journal

Blue Harvest believes it’s time again to look at locally sourced and processed seafood

May 15, 2020 — The following was released by Blue Harvest Fisheries:

Did you know that approximately 80% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported?  Most of the imported seafood comes from China, and much of the rest from other developing countries in Asia and Latin America. By comparison, of all the other types of food consumed in the U.S., only 13% is imported.

We believe it’s time to take another look at local, sustainable groundfish from New England. Why?

SHORTER, SAFER SUPPLY CHAIN AND SMALLER CARBON FOOTPRINT

Locally harvested and processed seafood usually travels through fewer steps in the supply chain to get to your plate. Meanwhile, imported seafood travels great distances by air travel and generates far greater carbon emissions along the way. Seafood that is locally caught, processed and shipped has a substantially smaller carbon footprint.

For instance, Blue Harvest’s groundfish are harvested by our own vessels from local fisheries off the New England coast. These fisheries are all near our processing plant in New Bedford, MA and the major shipping facilities of nearby Boston. Not only does this provide for a short, sustainable supply chain, but it also allows us to maintain tight control over every step of the supply chain process. This meticulous management ensures our products meet the highest standards for quality and safety.

STRONGER LOCAL COMMUNITIES

When you support local harvesters and processors, you also help support an entire industry of small local businesses and suppliers. A strong commercial fishing industry helps keep our local economies strong and our communities healthy and vibrant.

HEALTHIER, SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES

U.S. fisheries are among the best managed in the world. Blue Harvest’s vessels target underfished and underutilized groundfish from MSC-certified sustainable fisheries in the New England waters of Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine, which are some of the most closely monitored and tightly regulated fisheries in the U.S.

Blue Harvest is also MSC Chain of Custody Certified. The Standard ensures an unbroken chain of custody and that our certified seafood is identifiable, segregated and traceable.

HEALTHIER, BETTER TASTING SEAFOOD

Many seafood products from China or Europe have been twice frozen and/or treated with additives. While this helps reduce costs, it may also change the natural flavor and texture of the fish. Blue Harvest groundfish are once frozen and processed without any additives. And all our groundfish are processed in our own, modern waterfront plant located in New Bedford, MA.

Learn more about our amazing New England fishery and Blue Harvest products here, and follow us on Facebook for our latest updates!

MASSACHUSETTS: Blue Harvest implements covid-19 safeguards

May 4, 2020 — Blue Harvest Fisheries adopted new safeguards to help protect workers from covid-19, including plexiglass enclosures on the processing line in its New Bedford, Mass., plant.

The company said Thursday that no workers have contracted the illness on the job, but two had tested positive for covid-19 over an 11-day period after apparently contracting it outside of work. The company reported those cases to the city Board of Health.

The company says it had already adopted a 25-point protocol for covid-19 “based on emerging best practices and had arranged for an independent company to conduct deep cleaning and disinfecting even before the anticipated closure order arrived.”

After closing at the end of business April 23, Blue Harvest staff working around the clock over the weekend installed three-sided plexiglass separations between workers’ stations on the  line, to improve social distancing on the plant floor before operations resumed Monday.

Common surfaces in the plant are cleaned frequently, followed by regular deep cleaning of the entire facility, according to Blue Harvest. All employees are required to wear facemasks and face shields on the production floor.

Read the full story at National Fisherman