Clearwater MSC certified Canadian cold water shrimps. (Photo: Clearwater)

Govt injects USD 162,000 into shrimp industry

CANADA
Friday, February 22, 2013, 23:40 (GMT + 9)

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada Peter Penashue has announced that the federal government is investing CAD 165,000 (USD 162,016) to promote Canadian prawns for export, specifically to China and Russia.

"The Government of Canada's top priority remains the economy, and Canada's food industry plays an important role in creating jobs and keeping our economy strong," said Penashue. "Canadian prawns harvested from the clean, pristine waters of Canada represent one of the most valuable commercial fisheries in the world and are essential to Canada's long-standing international reputation as a producer of premium quality seafood."

The Canadian Association of Prawn Producers (CAPP) will use the investment to help create new marketing materials highlighting premium quality natural wild shrimp to its target markets. Promotional activities will include providing foreign retail outlets with recipe booklets, posters and brochures and information on the benefits of buying Canadian shrimp from well-managed, sustainable fisheries, as the offshore northern shrimp and offshore striped shrimp fisheries have both entered full assessment to be considered for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification.

"Our marketing partnership with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has helped us to re-position our product in the extremely competitive Chinese market," stated Bruce Chapman,Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Prawn Producers. "As a result, we have been able to secure higher prices for our products, to the direct benefit of hundreds of people in rural Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Nunavut.”

In 2011, Canada exported CAD 340 million (USD 333.9 million) worth of cold-water shrimp to over 30 different countries. The top three export markets were the European Union (EU) with CAD 139 million (USD 136.5 million), Russia with CAD 75 million (USD 73.6 million) and China with CAD 40 million (USD 39.3 million).

Through the AgriMarketing Programme under Growing Forward, the Government of Canada is injecting CAD 88 million (USD 86.4 million) to help the industry carry out long-term international marketing strategies.

CAPP is a non-profit organisation created by Canadian at-sea producers of coldwater shrimp, that represents the interests of these producers and focuses on the sustainable management of the fishery. The Association also endorses research into coldwater shrimp, nutrition and the health benefits of consuming coldwater shrimp, and runs promotional activities abroad.

The offshore shrimp fishery takes place year-round in different areas contingent on ice conditions. Recently, the fleet has been landing 50,000- 60,000 tonnes per year; products are sold frozen-at-sea, raw and cooked shell-on, and are marketed mainly in Russia, Ukraine, China, Japan and Western Europe.

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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