SIC 2092 Prepared Fresh or Frozen Fish and Seafoods

Contenidos

• NAICS CODE(S).
• INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT.
• ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE.
• BACKGROUND AND DEVELOPMENT.
• CURRENT CONDITIONS.
• INDUSTRY LEADERS.
• WORKFORCE.
• AMERICA AND THE WORLD.
• RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY.
• FURTHER READING.

SIC 2092

This category covers establishments that prepare seafood, including shrimp cakes, crab cakes, fishcakes, chowders, and stews in raw or cooked frozen form. Prepared fresh fish are eviscerated or processed by removal of heads, fins, and scales. This industry also includes establishments primarily engaged in the shucking and packing of fresh oysters in unsealed containers.

NAICS CODE(S)

311712

Fresh and Frozen Seafood Processing

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT

Growing consumer knowledge about the potentially harmful effects of pollution and the consequences of improper handling and storage compounded the perennial worries about the quality of fish and seafood, which swiftly lose their taste and freshness. In the late 1990s, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) commissioned a study that found that less than 30 percent of the younger generation between the ages of 35 and 50 called themselves moderate seafood users. In an effort to boost per capita consumption, the NFI turned its attention to seafood marketing. The institute launched an "Eat Seafood Twice a Week for Better Health" campaign, similar to the catchy "5-a-day" program used by the produce industry. Marketing plans included a program promoting seafood as "the protein next door," according to a report in ID: The Voice of Foodservice Distribution. The industry latched on to the low-carbohydrate diet trend of the early 2000s, and became more creative in the products offered. Whereas fish products previously were buried in breading or drowned in soups and stews, they are accented with herbs and marinated in sauces with gourmet appeal. The result was a steady and convincing gain in sales through the mid-2000s. Moreover, based on positive health news regarding the benefits of eating more seafood, the industry has been able to increase prices on its products while sustaining the demand.

ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE

In general, small-scale processing plants are tied to local fleets that are in turn tied to specific stocks of fish that in many cases fluctuate dramatically, discouraging processors from expanding operations, developing new products, or adopting new technology. Those fleets not equipped for processing at sea must return to land at short intervals, rather than when full, so their harvest can be processed while the fish are still fresh. In addition to an expansion of at-sea processing operations and a greater use of fish and shellfish raised by aquacultural means, vertical integration is perceived to be the key to a profitable restructuring of the U.S. fish and seafood processing industry. Some industry observers feel restructuring is necessary to bring about large-scale, sustained investment in underutilized species, greater speed to market, and the ability to respond to shortages and gluts.

In an effort to boost consumption, a better program of inspection was regarded as a necessity for the future of the industry. While there was no mandatory inspection of fish and seafood by the federal government prior to the 1990s, processors, retailers, and wholesalers could pay for a U.S. Department of Commerce inspection. Approximately 10 percent of processors participated in such voluntary inspection programs in 1992. However, even in this restricted form there was no uniformity since three different seals were available, designating different levels of inspection. Regulations at the state level differed from region to region but in general gave little protection to consumers.

By the mid-1990s, the rising incidence of seafood poisoning, estimated at 20,000 to 60,000 cases per year, prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to apply the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) program to the seafood industry.

HACCP is a scientific and systematic method used to monitor the...