Seafood can be a very daunting commodity with over1,000 different species of finfish and shellfishavailable. However, it is also an interesting foodchoice. This makes it especially appealing toMillennials and others who look forward to an excitingdining experience.Vacationers often make seafood a destination meal.When in Maine folks love lobster. New Orleans is thetown for oysters and crayfish. In Florida, conch andyellow tail are menu favorites. A trip to the Deep Southwouldn’t be the same without fried catfish. All over thisnation, we have our localfavorites. But whathappens when federaland state regulationsclose a fishery becauseof sustainabilityconcerns? The closuremay affect a favorite product like red fish along theGulf Coast. Customers are disappointed and salesare lost. Supplementing wild harvest fisheries withfarm-raised seafood of the same species may be theanswer restaurateurs and chefs need.When vacationers return home, they are looking forthe same products in the retail case and at localrestaurants. However, because of important fishery

management rules, thoseproducts may not be

available. Amarketablemoment is lostfor our U.S.seafoodindustry from

harvesters andgrowers to chefs,

restaurateurs, and retailers.Aquaculture can increase the supply by increasingproduction and broadening distribution.

Aquaculture can provide supplies of farm-raised fishduring closed seasons. For example, farm-raisedhybrid striped bass can be offered on menus and inretail cases in New Jersey where it is illegal to sellstriped bass. A growing offshore U.S. aquacultureindustry could be raising red snapper to supply thedemand during closed seasons. These are only a fewexamples.Some species have been brought back from the brinkof extinction by aquaculture. At one time, Atlanticsalmon was plentiful in the rivers of New England.Now it would be newsworthy if a salmon were to becaught there. Thanks to aquaculture, we can continueto enjoy this verypopular fish. U.S.fish farmers areraising sturgeon.This helps toensure that thesefish survive andallows us tocontinue to enjoy caviar while still being environmen-tally responsible.Aquaculture can also help the wild harvest industrygrow by providing juvenile fish and shellfish seed tohelp natural populations remain healthy. This issometimes done with salmon on the West Coast. Fishcan be spawned and grown in a hatchery. When theyreach an appropriate size, usually when they are notsubject to heavy predation, they are set free andallowed to spend the rest of their lives in naturalareas. This is sometimes called ocean ranching andis based on some of the same principles as raisingfree range chickens.

Menu PlanningRestaurateurs and other foodservice professionalsneed to identify consistent sources of high qualityseafood and U.S. farm-raised products fit the bill.

Menus, promotions, and daily specials can be plannedwell in advance. Aquaculture quality, price, and supplytend to be consistent, allowing you to plan pricingstrategies and ensuring that profit margins arepredictable.Wild harvest fish can be the featured special of the day,but often because of supply limitations, it is difficult tokeep it as a regular menu item at a consistent price.Having at least one farm-raised product on the menucan help keep seafood lovers happy. Farm-raisedproducts not only have the advantage of consistentcost, but they can often be offered at a lower price pointwhile still maintaining needed profit margins. This tendsto lower price resistance and makes that importantseafood dinner accessible to more consumers.When creating your menu, it is important to use thecorrect name for the species. The FDA publishes a listof acceptable market names. This eliminates confusionand may help to avoid accusations of speciessubstitution and negative press. The list and a series ofvideos on seafood labeling can be found on the FDAwebsite www.fda.gov.

It is also important to make sure any claims you makeabout the fish are accurate. For example, if you want toadvertise a fish as being local, make sure that you canverify its origin. Product origin and production method,farm-raised or wild- harvest, are questions that areoften asked by diners.

VersatilityFor versatility, you can’t beat U.S. farm-raised seafoodand new preparations can definitely drive sales,especially among those younger consumers. Catfishcan be prepared fried in down-home style or in anupscale French inspired preparation. Pasta dishes are agreat way to include U.S. farm-raised seafood on themenu. This is the time to be creative and make yourrestaurant shine.

Quality AssuranceSourcingproduct froma U.S. growerallows you tounderstandhow theseafood israised,handled, andharvested.

Ensuring the Supply of Seafood forFuture Generations

Meeting the Needs of Food ServiceProfessionals

You can also be sure that you are getting the exactproduct that you ordered. U.S. growers are proud ofthe products that they raise and many welcomebuyers to visit their farms. More and more chefs andrestaurateurs are using their relationships with localgrowers as a way to promote the quality andsustainability of their menu offerings. This is part ofthe “meet the farmer” and locavore trends that are sopopular.

SustainabilityBecause of federal and state government oversight,you can be sure that the U.S. farm-raised fish youserve is sustainable, environmentally friendly, highquality, and wholesome. That means that greattasting finfish and shellfish can be farmed withoutupsetting the ecological balance of an area. Theavailability of farm-raised fish supplements wildharvest fisheries. This helps to maintain theavailability of our fishery resources for futuregenerations.

Meeting the Needs of Your CustomersMany Americans don’t feel comfortable preparingseafood at home and they depend on the expertise ofrestaurant chefs for that all important seafood meal.They believe that foodservice establishments get thebest quality seafood and know how to prepare it well.Another advantage of restaurant dining is thateveryone at the table can select their own favoritefood. This eliminates the problem of individual tastedifferences.

Healthy AlternativesMore consumers are interested in maintaining ahealthy diet. The USDA Dietary Guidelines forAmericans recommend two seafood meals per weekto help ensure good health. Aquaculture products canmeet that demand. Some are available in portion-controlled, individually quickfrozen forms thateliminate waste andensure ease ofpreparation. Forhealth care facilities,you couldn’t ask for abetter choice. Almost allU.S. farm-raised fish andshellfish are easily digestible, high in protein, low insodium, and low in fats and cholesterol. They are agreat source of vitamins and minerals, and provideimportant Omega-3 fatty acids.It is important that institutional dining facilities beginoffering more seafood choices and, for most of thosesettings, U.S. aquaculture can be the product ofchoice. This is especially true for corporatecafeterias where maintaining a healthy workforce isimportant and for schools where students candevelop life-long dietary habits. With the emphasis onheart healthy alternatives, vegetarianism, gluten free,and low calorie menu choices, U.S. farm-raisedseafood is a natural.

Product wholesomenessIn the United States, the FDA operates a mandatoryHazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)program for seafood products. The federal programis supplemented by state and local licensingprograms. In addition, U.S. farm-raised oysters, clamsand mussels are closely monitored by the InterstateShellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC). This is acritical step since these products can be consumedraw. In the U.S.aquaculturefeeds areregulated underthe Food andDrugAdministration aswell as StateDepartments of

Agriculture and the American Association of FeedControl Officials (AAFCO).

Food AdditivesMany consumers are concerned about antibiotic andhormone use in livestock production. In the UnitedStates, it is illegal to use added hormones andantibiotics to promote growth in farm-raised seafoodproducts. Farm-raised salmon are not treated with red dye.Rather they are fed important antioxidants as part ofa healthy diet. These antioxidants are similar to thevitamins we take each morning and are added tosome fish feeds. It is the antioxidants that cause thered color.

Mercury ConcernsThe FDA mercury advisory is aimed at a very limitedtarget audience: women who are pregnant, womenwho may become pregnant, nursing mothers andsmall children. It does not apply to other consumers.Only a few deep-water, long-lived fish are included inthe advisory. Those include swordfish, tilefish, kingmackerel, and shark. Canned albacore tuna (solidwhite meat) consumption should be limited to 6ounces per week. Other canned tuna like chunk lightproduced from skipjack is not limited. Many of the fishand shellfish considered low mercury includingshrimp, channel catfish, tilapia, trout and salmon arefarm-raised.

SustainabilityAccording to the Scientific Report of the 2015 USDADietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, “farm-raisedfinfish (e.g. salmon and trout) is more sustainablethan terrestrial animal production in terms ofGreenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and land/wateruse”. Fish are also one of the most efficientconverters of feed into animal protein. In many cases,it takes only between 1 and 1.5 pounds of feed toproduce 1 pound of fish. For some terrestrial animalsthe feed conversion rate can be as high as 8 to 1. Upto 60% of a salmon is edible compared to 40% forsome other animal protein sources.Recognizing that we need more food to support agrowing global population, many environmentalgroups are giving positive ratings to U.S. farm-raisedseafood. The Environmental Working Group listssalmon, mussels and rainbow trout as best choices interms of low mercury, high omega-3s and

sustainability. The Environmental Defense Fund ranksfish and shellfish for sustainability. Their “BestChoices” category includes U.S. farm-raised speciesincluding Arctic char, barramundi, mussels, catfish,rainbow trout, striped bass, geoducks, oysters, andthe list goes on. The Seafood Watch program of theMonterey Bay Aquarium lists a widerange of U.S. farm-raisedfinfish and shellfish on theirBest Choices categoryincluding catfish, rainbowtrout, striped bass, yellowperch, clams, oysters,mussels, and shrimp.

Waitstaff TrainingBecause there is so much misinformation anddisinformation, it is important that your waitstaff becomfortable with seafood offerings and able toanswer diner questions. The National AquacultureAssociation has a variety of brochures that provideconcise science-based answers to commonquestions. They can be found on our website atwww.thenaa.net or ordered from our office.

U.S. aquaculture bridges the gap between seafood supply and consumer demand

The U.S. aquaculture industry is poised for rapidgrowth. Working with a partnership amonggovernment, academia, and industry, America canmove forward to develop environmentally-sound, off-shore farms that can supplement our wild harvestfisheries and reduce our dependency on foreignimports.

NATIONAL AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATIONPO Box 12759 Tallahassee, FL 32317Phone: 850.216.2400 Fax: 850.216.2480

E-mail: naa@thenaa.netWebsite: www.thenaa.net

Meeting the Needs of Your Customers (cont’d.)

Special Information for Restaurants and Other Foodservice Establishments

Americans love dining out and seafood is often the menuitem of choice. About two-thirds of all seafood consumedin the United States is eaten away from home infoodservice settings. Dinner out is the time to try newspecies and return to old favorites. If the seafoodcustomer has a great experience, he or she will tellothers. Word of mouth advertising is one of the best waysto grow your business. This makes seafood an importantcontributor to a healthy bottom line, but how do you keepseafood on the menu?The answer is easy, look for U.S. farm-raised seafood.Fish farming or aquaculture, the raising of finfish andshellfish under controlled conditions, makes keepinggreat tasting fish and shellfish selections on the menueasy and, better yet, cost effective. Aquaculture won’treplace wild harvest fisheries, but it can supplementthem and help to ensure that seafood favorites areavailable on the menu and that our fishery resources canbe enjoyed by future generations.