Mid-Atlantic Region

Delaware Sea Grant
Seafood videos answer consumers' questions

• Delaware Sea Grant is producing “The Seafood Advisor,” a series of 90-second public service announcements featuring seafood technology specialist Doris Hicks, to help answer consumers’ most frequently asked questions about seafood. 
• The first round of topics focuses on eyeing and buying seafood, and the differences between wild and farm-raised fish.  A number of future topics are planned, from de-veining shrimp to cleaning squid. 
• The video clips will be provided to seafood markets in Delaware and beyond, as well as linked to Delaware Sea Grant’s popular seafood web pages (http://www.ocean.udel.edu/seagrant/outreach/seafood.html) and the National Fisheries Institute's website at: http://aboutseafood.com

Maryland Sea Grant
Sea Grant report influences introduction of the "Save Our Small Businesses Act"

• A report developed from an annual Sea Grant survey administered to Maryland crabmeat processors provided data on the economic impact of the H2B seasonal visa program (a program permitting employers to hire foreign workers to come to the U.S. and perform temporary nonagricultural work) to Senator Barbara Mikulski (via the Chesapeake Bay Seafood Industries Association). 
• Mikulski introduced the “Save Our Small Businesses Act”––which was subsequently signed into law by President George W. Bush. 
• Passage of the Act, which provides a two-year reprieve for the industry while new immigration legislation is developed, saved a minimum of $10 million per year in revenues for crabmeat processors and preserved an estimated 925 domestic jobs in Maryland.

North Carolina Sea Grant
Sea Grant helps businesses develop "value-added" seafood products

• With increasing competition from imports, the North Carolina seafood industry needs to develop new “value-added” seafood products—and to “brand” them as North Carolina specialties. 
• North Carolina Sea Grant and the NC State University Seafood Laboratory have helped six North Carolina businesses develop 54 value-added products. 
• Thirty of those products were selected for commercial production and marketing to grocery stores, caterers and other businesses. 
• With Sea Grant assistance, one processor developed the “Coastal Treasure” brand, and has shared the experience with others in the industry.  Another processor is selling “ready to eat” seafood products, including spreads and salads, under the “Carolina’s Finest Seafood” brand. 
• The projects not only resulted in specific new seafood products, but also generated Sea Grant extension/information products that explain how to make the move to new markets.  A “Blueprint” publication shows processors the steps needed to create a “brand identity” for value-added seafood. 
• Sea Grant also works with the processors to ensure that the new products for retail and wholesale markets are developed and produced in accordance with state and national seafood safety regulations.

New Jersey Sea Grant
New Jersey receives national award for coastal conservation

• The New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium (home to New Jersey Sea Grant) received the Coastal America Spirit Award, one of the nation’s most prestigious awards for coastal conservation, at a ceremony held in July. 
• The Awards Program recognizes outstanding team efforts to restore and protect the coastal environment and to increase public awareness and education. 
• With an initial investment of approximately $700,000 in federal Sea Grant funds, the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium (NJMSC), through its New Jersey Sea Grant College Program, partnered with federal and state agencies, NGOs, universities, municipalities, and other members of the private sector to develop a six year, nearly $3.8 million, NJMSC Habitat Initiative (NHI).  
• The NHI includes significant research, education and outreach that advances the science and practice of restoration ecology and links habitat restoration to the secondary production of managed species and their forage base.  The effort has helped develop restoration principles to meld the science and practice of restoration, and contributed science-based policy for wetland management throughout the coastal United States. 

Virginia Sea Grant
Sea Grant seeks to bring a more rapid, reliable, cost-effective means of quality assurance to the oyster industry

• Virginia Sea Grant is working to bring an electronic “sniffer” to an industry that to date has relied on human specialists to evaluate product quality. 
• Two different “enose” systems are being “trained” to recognize acceptable product through experimental manipulation of oysters over different temperatures and time periods. 
• The project has resulted in a robust reliable odor quality evaluation method that is non-destructive and rapid.  The electronic nose system characterizes the odor quality and microbial quality of oysters—thus saving human panel members the chore of smelling poor quality oysters. 
• In addition, the hand-held technology can be easily used in the field or in the packaging environment. 
• The cost of this technology to oyster processors is no more than $5,000.  Based, in part, on the success of this project, Virginia Sea Grant provided program development funds to pursue the use of an electronic nose to measure scallop quality.