Gorton's pushing only non-Gloucester fish

[LuckyLady]

Gorton's pushing only non-Gloucester fish

By Richard Gaines
Staff Writer The Gloucester Daily Times Thu Feb 03, 2011, 11:07 PM EST


Gorton's of Gloucester, the fish processor that's been a fixture on the Gloucester waterfront since 1849 and whose oil-skinned Gloucester fisherman as its corporate symbol reaches back for authenticity, is backing the U.S. Agriculture Department's advice to eat more fish with a recommendation to select shrimp, tilapia, salmon and Alaska pollock.

These are species that are not landed from Gloucester boats; but then Gorton's has not bought and used Gloucester fish for many years, according to multiple industry sources.

The recommended species in the e-mail release by Prevail Strategies of Chicago, which does marketing for Gorton's, are among the species that are featured in company product packages or frozen fish.

The Crunchy Breaded Fish Sticks and Garlic and Herb Crunchy Breaded Fish Fillets use Alaska pollock, as do the Potato Crunch Fillets and the Lemon Herb Breaded Fillets, and the entire line of grilled, frozen fillets.

The line of salmon, tilapia and shrimp products speak for themselves as to the species, but Gorton's labels give no clue whether the fish used by the company, which is one of the largest and most successful makers and distributors of value added seafood products, is imported or domestic, wild caught or farmed.

Jody Nedrow-Counihan, Gorton's marketing director in Gloucester, and Lindsay Duda at Prevail Strategies were unable to provide detailed information about the source of the seafood.

On its website — next to a modern model's picture dressed as Gorton's Gloucester fisherman — the company, now Japanese-owned, proclaims its tilapia as "Five Star Tilapia," and explains that "carefully selected for the whitest, moistest and flakiest fillets, Gorton's Five Star Tilapia is hand-picked and trimmed for the leanest premium cut. Specially chosen for mild flavor. Five Star Tilapia is quick frozen for optimal freshness and 100 percent inspected for the safest, highest quality."

But it is almost certainly imported rather than purchased by a domestic tilapia farmer, according to Bill Varano, president of the American Tilapia Association. Varano is also a tilapia farmer in Eastern Pennsylvania.

"It's a matter of volume and cost," said Varano.

Domestic farming of tilapia, a freshwater herbivore, is one of the fastest growing products of global aquaculture. U.S. farms produce about 5 percent of global volume and nearly all of that is sold live or fresh-filleted, Varano said, at prices of more than $10 a pound.

Next in quality, he said, was Central American farmed tilapia which accounts for about 25-30 percent of world output, followed by South America, which accounts for about 30-35 percent and finally the lowest cost ($1.25 to $3 per pound) and quality sector is the Pacific Rim — China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos.

"There's no chance (Gorton's) is buying domestic tilapia," he said, "It's too expensive."

Pacific pollock is caught wild and is not farmed, while shrimp and salmon are both farmed and caught wild.

There is a small-volume red shrimp fishery in the Gulf of Maine, and while the quality is high, said Roger Berkowitz, the CEO of Legal Sea Food, he buys most of his shrimp from overseas markets.

He featured imported tiger shrimp in his dinner last month that was organized to showcase fish products — including cod and hake — that most eco-labeling services had advised consumers against eating.

In an e-mail to the Times on Monday, Prevail Strategy said the Gorton's campaign simply sought to bring attention to the new generation USDA dietary guidelines.

"For better health," wrote Prevail's Lindsey Duda, "Americans should incorporate two servings of fish a week into their diets," say the new Dietary Guidelines.

"This is no easy feat given that only one third of Americans eat just one servicing of seafood a week," she said, "and more than half of us aren't getting seafood at all.

"Fish and seafood — like shrimp, tilapia, salmon and Alaska pollock — are a natural source of lean protein and contain critical nutrients, including iron, zinc, and vitamins A, B and D," she wrote.

"A push for seafood is a push for Gorton's," she said. "What seafood you chose is like choosing between the White Sox and the Cubs," she explained.

"We are meeting consumer demand," said Gorton's Nedrow-Counihan. "We are talking about fish in our product line."

Richard Gaines can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3464, or at rgaines@gloucestertimes.com.

[wrap-check]

Tilapia is not seafood...

[Red Headed Stranger]

Gorton's fish sticks are horrible, in fact all their food sucks

if anyone is advocating that their trashy fish sticks are healthy I'll take the McNuggets

[dexy1]

Maybe thats why Gortons frozen seafood sucks!!!

[Fortunate One]

I don't know of any fishermen that eat the crap that Gortons sells labled as fish.

Tilapia? Who eats that garbage? How old is it before that delicacy makes it to the table?

I was out at a meat restaurant one night with a group of friends and the waiter gave us the "specials". After getting through the selections of hormone injected red meat he said that he had some fresh Tilapia. Imagine that, a fish that's not native to these waters he's pimping as being fresh. Just bring on the steroid induced red meat.

As far as shrimp is concerned, I tend to stay away from that also. A lot of that comes from Vietnam how fresh is that? I heard a BP commercial for Gulf shrimp. You've got to be kidding me. Are we that stupid to think that the residual chemicals they sprayed on the water have all gone and that all of that crude just magically disappeared?

I don't eat at Red Lobster either. If I want fresh lobster I know where to get it.

We're very fortunate living in New England. We have access to the best eating and freshest fish available. All you have to do is find out where to buy it when you can't catch it yourself.

Fresh seafood is like a drug. Once you've had it nothing else compares.

[amarshall]

As someone who works in the business, I would not eat Tilapia, nor would I feed it to my family.

I work for a seafood importer. The reality for these big companies is that the NMFS is such a clusterfuck that they can't rely on locally sourced product for big programs. If they (NMFS) shut down the quota with no notice, like they seem to do, they're screwed.

So they need to look to countries like Iceland and Norway who have very organized fishery management programs for their fresh seafood programs.

Alaska is a whole other can of worms. Everybody is getting paid to use Alaskan products through "subsidies" that you and I paid for. The latest scam is pay to play certifying agencies like MSC. They certify that Alaskan seafood is sustainable. It's the biggest bunch of ********. Alaska gets a ton of money from the government to pay these certifying agencies, to get that rating. Once again the US taxpayer paid for it.

I could write a 3 page essay here on what you think you're getting for fish and what you're really getting. More often than not you're getting hosed by fancy marketing. There are some great products out there that are worth their money.

If I see "Chatham line caught cod" on a menu one more time I'll scream. Biggest bunch of ******** going. Fancy marketing for trip boat cod from Gloucester. I think they land cod in Chatham about 3 times a year.

[Seaker]

What is so interesting and at the same time so frustrating is the fact that the population that lives along the coastal waters does have the ease of locating great seafood. As you move away from the coast that ease goes away quickly, enter Gordons! In certain inland populations many folks have never enjoyed fresh seafood. All they know is what is at the local market and what price it’s going for. Combine that with current economic conditions and you find shrimp from everywhere but the USA is sold as “sustainable farm raised” what they don’t say is “raised in what” some rice patty that also serves as the local cespoool?

Talipia…now there’s something special! My background is fairly broad and I have fished in many waters but have yet to be on a “ Talipia Charter” maybe there’s an entirely untapped market for Talipia Captains?

Another reason there’s a market for this crap is that some folks have never enjoyed fresh seafood for the reasons mentioned above. Never had a great serving of clams casino, fresh lobster, Sea Bass, Fluke, Cod or Haddock because they never found the fresh product or ever had prepared correctly

Then and that’s where the fully prepared, quick frozen five star junk on a stick comes in. It’s cheap and everyone tells everybody that seafood is good for you! Hey I don’t know where to buy fresh fish? Don’t know the difference between fresh and rancid? Smells like fish must be fish? I have seen crap sold at local markets we wouldn’t use for shark bait. It wouldn’t make good lobster bait and some poor sob just paid 4.95 a pound and is bringing it home to cook and serve to the family. No wonder they don’t like fish!

Hell just look at Bay Scallops the good stuff is listed at Joe’s last check for 19.95 a pound. They are fantastic! I can also find bay scallops listed in the market for 5.95 per pound…farm raised…give me a break!

What the shame is that folks who aren’t aware of all the differences are just being misled down a slippery slope and have turned to something else beside sea food as they have never experienced what seafood is all about. Nope simply smells like fish..that is all except the five star fresh Talipia!

Shame on Gordon’s for forgetting their roots!

[BFThunter]

I'm in the business as well, it's amazing people in the middle part of the states buy.

Ever eat a redfish? We cant keep it on the shelves, nevermind the muddy tilapia. It's my paycheck, and I love doing it! I can only imagine with the beef or poultry industry is like......

[codfishshark]

"If I see "Chatham line caught cod" on a menu one more time I'll scream. Biggest bunch of ******** going. Fancy marketing for trip boat cod from Gloucester. I think they land cod in Chatham about 3 times a year."

Where do you think nantucket fish and lobster gets much of there product? There is alot of cod landed in chatham obviously some years are better than others. I think more people should start eating monkfish and skate. Obviously it would be better for my finances if we kept more product local. Even if you want to try it get in touch with me ill bring you some for trade.