Fisheries and Aquaculture
July 23, 2009
Provincial Government Provides $100,000 to Promote
Deep Chill Shrimp Products
The Provincial Government is providing $100,000 in funding for the
promotion of deep chill shrimp products under the Fisheries Technology
and New Opportunities Program. The project is being carried out as a
partnership between Quinlan Brothers Limited and Whitecap International
Seafood Exporters. The purpose of the project is to promote high-quality
slush-iced shrimp products. The total budget for this project is
$326,950.
"Marketing of our province�s seafood products is a priority for our
government and this project is an excellent example of the ways in which
my department is supporting the development of international marketing
in our seafood industry," said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of
Fisheries and Aquaculture. "Researching new approaches in product
development and promotion are some of the activities that the Fisheries
Technology and New Opportunities Program can be used for."
The shrimp will be put into insulated boxes and a Sunwell deep chill
flow ice system. This system has been shown to offer superior chilling
characteristics when compared to flake ice which is currently used. It
has been demonstrated that the Sunwell system has a superior cooling
effect on the bagged shrimp and has been able to bring the core
temperature down to four degrees Celsius in a matter of minutes. A half
hour or more can be required to cool bagged shrimp that is chilled using
flake ice. During times of warmer temperatures, this delay in chilling
the shrimp can result in quickly deteriorating quality of the product.
However, this project will enable more research to take place on the
deep chill process.
Quinlan Brothers Limited will work with Whitecap International
Seafood Exporters to explore new opportunities for marketing this
improved product to global seafood markets. The market for cooked and
peeled cold water shrimp has become increasingly competitive in recent
years. This means that the province�s seafood processing sector needs to
be in a position to do more to differentiate the local shrimp product
from the competition.
"Seafood customers throughout the world are continuously searching
for innovative products or technologies that can provide them with a
competitive edge in today�s tough market environments," said Darrell
Roche, Vice President of Sales with Whitecap. "The deep chill shrimp
product has the potential to do just that. This whole project is a
testimonial to the Quinlan Brothers� and province�s quest for continuous
quality improvement and market enhancement of one of our key fish
resources."
"The funding will help highlight this innovative approach to chilling
shrimp and, at the same time, showcase the tremendous work that is being
done by the people in the area," said the Honourable Charlene Johnson,
MHA for Trinity�Bay de Verde. "Exposure to international markets will
benefit both the area and the industry, and I am pleased with the
support that our government is providing."
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 provincial seafood industry.
- 30 -
Media contacts:
