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Fisheries and Aquaculture
June 11, 2009

Whelk Processing and Market Development Project Funded in St. Lawrence

The Provincial Government is providing $21,500 for a whelk processing and market development project in the St. Lawrence area. This project is being funded through the Fisheries Technology and New Opportunities Program, which is part of the Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy. The project is being carried out by Ocean Choice International (OCI).

�Our government is pleased to support the development and marketing of seafood products,� said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. �We are also pleased to be working with a private sector partner to help facilitate diversification in the province�s processing sector.�

In order to capitalize on the increasing market demand for whelk in Asia, OCI is planning to diversify its product mix to produce raw whelk meat products for markets in Korea, Japan and China. OCI has historically produced whelk for the Asian marketplace in cooked form. However, recently, the company has begun to prepare both raw and cooked in-shell whelk for these markets. The preliminary product assessment in Asia has been positive. The buyers have requested continued process development and delivery of finished product during the 2009 fishery.

�I am pleased to see OCI diversifying and looking for new markets for the fishing industry,� said the Honourable Darin King, MHA for the District of Grand Bank. �This initiative provides the St. Lawrence workforce with the opportunity to expand whelk products for new markets.�

OCI will be organizing a process technology and marketing mission to Korea and Japan. This mission will involve visits to several whelk processing facilities and marketing companies to learn more about the product in its raw form, including specifications, end use, customer preferences and market potential. This research will then be used to assist in evaluating business opportunities and integration into the company�s long-term operational plan. The company has already contacted brokers and processors that have expressed an interest in purchasing raw whelk.

�OCI is committed to ensuring that the fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador is both profitable and sustainable and as such have a corporate philosophy to explore and introduce new technology and innovative methods to harvest, process and market our products,� said Blaine Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer for OCI. �This project will provide us with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how the end consumer views whelk as well as how whelk is portrayed in the market place. We are pleased to be participating in the opportunity to expand whelk processing at our St. Lawrence facility.�

Budget 2009: Building on Our Strong Foundation allocated $2 million for the Fisheries Technology and New Opportunities Program, as part of the Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy. This program was designed to support the harvesting, processing and marketing sectors, and ultimately increase the overall viability of the province�s seafood industry.

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Media contacts:

Lori Lee Oates
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-729-3733, 690-8403
oatesll@gov.nl.ca
Derick Reid
Executive Assistant to Hon. Darin King
District of Grand Bank
709-729-1658
derickreid@gov.nl.ca
Blaine Sullivan
Chief Operating Officer
Ocean Choice International
709-782-7122
 

2009 06 11                       11:15 a.m.


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