B&D Trawling’s fresh approach to fish exports
RODERICK FRANCIS, chief executive officer of B&D Trawling, is excited about the company’s first export shipment of fresh, ocean-caught fish to the United States of America.
“We’re really seeing this as a significant growth area in the fisheries industry,” he told The Gleaner.
“Traditionally, we would have to wait at least 14 days to ship out frozen products, even though it’s good, fresh (seafood) products that carried a higher premium, like a dollar US per pound difference. So it was an uphill task to really get the Vet Division (agriculture ministry) to come along with us with this. They had done it before for pondraised fish (tilapia), but this was different because, then, the fish were raised under controlled circumstances. We really had to sit down with the ministry and really push to get this done; and I must say, I really praise the minister and the team for pushing hard on this to grow the fisheries export,” Francis said.
He went on to explain that ‘fresh’ means the fish is not frozen but, rather, chilled at zero degree Celsius from the time of catch to delivery.
“So when we catch the product, we maintain it at zero degree and come back to shore within five days. The Veterinary Division does a quick inspection and everything looks good, then immediately we get the go-ahead to package it right away and put it on the plane and ship it overseas; and within a day, it’s in restaurants all over the United States.”