La. Seafood Pursues Strategy to Ensure Safety, Brand
At recent Rally for Economic Survival, Louisiana Seafood Board executive director Ewell Smith calls on the FDA for faster testing of coastal waters.
Always in forward motion, Ewell Smith is laying out a three-part strategy to move the Louisiana seafood industry beyond the BP oil disaster – ensuring product safety for consumers and restoring its brand.
As executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, Smith’s message behind this strategy is resounding clear: “Right now, it’s a very safe argument to make that our seafood – our food source from the Gulf – is being tested more than any seafood or food source in the U.S. … and far more than the influx of seafood from foreign sources”
The clarity of that message, however, is getting lost amid government red tape, he believes – as do state elected officials and business people in the Louisiana seafood industry. Emphasizing continued safety, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite reopening of commercial fishing waters and testing of seafood – a move that Smith and other local leaders endorse.
Harlon Pearce, Louisiana Seafood Board chairman, says: “This is a manmade disaster we have in the Gulf. And it’s a shame that men keep throwing stumbling blocks in our way at FDA.” The agency must change its protocols to fix the problems, says Pearce, whose own seafood business warehouse is almost empty.
Recognizing the need for fast action, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (r) and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Robert Barham (top r), met with members of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board in New Orleans at Harlon's LA Fish to discuss the need for the FDA to speed up testing.
With the capping of BP’s well, Smith says the seafood board is ready to rebuild its brand and help its members, employing a three-part strategy:
First, ensuring all state and federal agencies communicate in plain language when and where seafood is safe for consumers to eat. “The agencies need to come together in one unified voice. We need to be able to bore the living tears out of consumers with good news on safety.”
Second, having celebrity chefs throughout the nation use Louisiana seafood, spreading the word about its safety and appeal through their cooking and appearances. “That’s how we dug out of the hole following Katrina,” Smith recalls.
And third, developing a “certification program” for seafood that’s similar to the one now used to regulate the beef industry in this country. “We were actually working on it prior to this incident (BP oil spill).”
- Fostering Better Cooperation
Given the mixed messages from various agencies today, Smith says there has to more visible cooperation, easier-to-understand information for consumers and increased government responsiveness to fully restore public confidence.
As an example, he points to the Commission for Wildlife and Fisheries recently allowing recreational fishing along up to 86 percent of the Louisiana shoreline. This increase doubles the size from the previous restriction of 43 percent.
Commercial fishing, however, remains limited to 43 percent of the shoreline, which represents a significant closure of the more productive fishing areas. “We should be able to do the exact same thing for the commercial sector,” he says, “but because of protocol, the FDA is sitting on their hands, not doing their job.”
Despite their differences, Smith emphasizes the seafood board and local businesses continue to work with the various agencies to foster a shared vigilance so consumers know everything that’s being done to ensure Louisiana seafood is safe.
Celebrity Chefs Cooking Seafood
In the aftermath of Katrina, Louisiana turned to celebrity chefs to educate the public and promote its seafood. Smith figures if it worked well once, it should work again.
A recent case in point: Celebrity chefs from around the country who came this summer in Grand Isle, La. to talk about the state of Louisiana’s seafood industry. Called Chefs Ashore, the two-day summit educated chefs outside the area about what’s happening in the Gulf, the safety of Louisiana seafood and the future of the fishing industry. A primary aim was to dispel concerns about Gulf seafood and keep it on restaurant menus.
Now, Smith wants to take this concept on the road, going to cities where those chefs work and doing educational cooking events there.
“Those guys are well known and well-respected across the U.S.,” he says. “And when they speak, collectively, they reach millions of the people.”
In addition, the seafood board forms key strategic partnerships to help spread its message – with organizations such as the Louisiana Restaurant Association, National Fisheries Institute, Louisiana Department of Culture and Recreation and CVBs, just to name a few.
Certifying Louisiana Seafood
Before the BP disaster, Smith says the seafood board saw the merit in being able to certify its products – much the same way the U.S. Department of Agriculture does with beef.
Certification would distinguish Louisiana seafood from the competition. Beyond brand recognition, it’s also a way to document the seafood’s origins.
“The foundation of the certification program is traceability, which means the consumer will know where the product comes from,” according to Smith, who says the seafood board’s work in this area is progressing.
In the aftermath of the spill, he expects that consumers will want to know more and more about their seafood – no matter what the source.
“This comes along and it makes the certification program infinitely more important,” Smith believes.
Category: Seafood Industry
