Province Continues Seafood Market Development in China

The Provincial Government continues its efforts to work with the province�s seafood production sector to develop markets in China and Asia. For the fourth year in a row, representatives from the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture and fishing industry participated in the China Fisheries and Seafood Exhibition in Qingdao. Companies participating from this province included Ocean Choice International (OCI), Beothic Fish Processors Limited and the Fogo Island Cooperative. The province has provided financial support to each of these companies to facilitate their participation in the show.

�Newfoundland and Labrador produces some of the best quality seafood in the world,� said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. �Improved marketing of these excellent products continues to be a priority for our government and we will continue to work with the industry toward this goal. Attending seafood shows in target markets is a critical component of our strategy for working with the province�s seafood producing sector to build new markets.�

During this time of downturn in the global seafood industry, international markets have become increasingly competitive. China is a very important market for seafood because it is growing and provides access to many Asian countries that are high-level consumers of seafood products.

"China is a fast growing market with great opportunities for the future,� said Blaine Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of OCI. �No doubt, China will be extremely important for commodity items as well as high quality Canadian seafood. There were a number of serious buyers, providing real opportunities at this year�s show.�

�China has become a very important market for Newfoundland and Labrador seafood and particularly for pelagic species such as capelin and mackerel,� said Paul Grant, Executive Vice-President of Beothic Fish Processors Limited. �As competition with other producing nations intensifies, China's importance to us as a seafood market will only grow.�

�The show has been very beneficial to our business during the past few years,� said Phil Barnes of the Fogo Island Co-operative. �It has opened new doors and enhanced opportunities especially for underdeveloped species such as sea cucumber. Our presence at this event has also strengthened our ability to market all of our products globally.�

The Provincial Government�s primary focus in seafood marketing is to work with the Newfoundland and Labrador industry to achieve increased market awareness and acceptance of a wide variety of provincial seafood products in global markets. Key activities include organization of trade shows and missions, seafood promotion, as well as market research and intelligence gathering. Budget 2009: Building on Our Strong Foundation allocated $1.6 million for seafood marketing.

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2009 11 12                              9:55 a.m.