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Issue 33 : October 2012

Greetings!

Join us in celebrating the Seafood Industry! In this issue you will learn tips to make the right seafood purchase and about our participation at GOAL 2012. Want to share a recipe? Let us know on Facebook today!Twitter Youtube Facebook



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Celebrate National Seafood Month
 

National Seafood Month 2012  

National Seafood Month is the perfect time to highlight the importance of consuming sustainable seafood and dive into some great seafood deals at your local market.

 

According to the U.S. federal agency, NOAA, seafood sustainability means "catching or farming seafood responsibly, with consideration for the long-tem health of the environment and the livelihoods of the people that depend upon the environment".

 

With increasing seafood sales, the introduction of the USDA's 'My Plate'  and their recommendation to choose seafood at least twice a week; consumers are beginning to shift their purchasing decisions to not only eat more seafood, but purchase sustainable products. NOAA's data shows that the U.S. seafood market is now the second largest in the world with an overall volume of 4.56 billion pounds in 2011.

 

Today, shoppers are presented with information rating seafood on; environmental, biological, catch or production practices and health concerns. This information is portrayed through advertising during national events, seafood guides, and the increasing display of eco-labels in seafood cases. Making purchasing decisions can be challenging - but it doesn't have to be!

 

So, next time you visit the seafood counter at your local market, don't overwhelm yourself by looking at the various labels displayed. These seafood-purchasing tips will guide you to make the best purchasing choice available!

 

What to Look And Ask For At The Seafood Counter

 

1 - Ready yourself for visiting the seafood counter. If you have a species in mind, look up its rating by using seafood guides that can be accessed from mobile devices or the web. Seafood guides can be found in both consumer-friendly and scientific formats. They outline sustainability, environmental impacts and health concerns based on mercury contamination. Online guides are recommended because they are constantly revised with the most updated ranking for each species.  

 

2 - When at the seafood counter, ask for the product's country of origin. Some fisheries and aquaculture operations throughout the world cannot afford the large monetary and time investment associated with engaging in sustainable practices.

 

3 - Ask if the product is farmed or wild caught and ask about the freshness of the product - not all 'fresh-looking' product is indeed fresh (and may have been treated with CO to mask freshness or been previously frozen).

 

4 - Pay close attention to eco-labels on products as these are a "seal of approval" meant to promote environmentally friendly fisheries and aquaculture operations. Eco-labels are awarded to operations considered sustainable by third-party certification bodies. Another essential element of eco-labels is chain of custody, which is the chronological documentation that guarantees the product carrying the eco-label, actually came from the certified farm or fishery.

 

So, what are you waiting for? Make the shift to purchasing sustainable products like one of our seafood offerings and have confidence when stepping up to the seafood counter at your local market!  

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GOAL 2012 - Bangkok, Thailand

GOAL2012
For the 6th year, Tropical is a proud supporter of the Global Aquaculture Alliance's (GAA) "Global Outlook for Aquaculture Leadership" (GOAL) conference taking place October 30th to November 2nd in Bangkok, Thailand. John Schramm, President of Tropical, will be in attendance. 
 
This year's event, entitled, "Making A Difference Through Responsible Aquaculture", is programmed to provide updated information on the value chain of the most widely traded farmed seafood. 

The event is expected to welcome over 300 aquaculture leaders and decision makers to this 3-day conference. In addition to getting an overview about the state of the industry; GOAL 2012 will provide an opportunity to network with colleagues from around the world.

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Want to understand more about the various certifications that we carry? Keep reading! 

 

Q: What is "Food Safety" and "Food Quality" in regards to certifications?   

A: The terms Food Safety and Food Quality can sometimes be confusing. While they cover very different aspects of production, many of the characteristics of Food Quality can be applied to Food Safety. Food Safety refers to all those hazards, whether chronic or acute, that may make food injurious to the health of the consumer. It is not negotiable.

Food Quality on the other hand, includes all other attributes that influence a product's value to the consumer. This includes negative attributes such as spoilage, contamination with filth, discoloration, off-odors and positive attributes such as the origin, color, flavor, texture and processing method of the food.

Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and GLOBALG.A.P. certifications address issues relevant to Food Safety and Quality through a combination of management plan and descriptive requirements. As it's name suggests, Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification focuses almost exclusively on both of these components.
 
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Tilapia_Balsamic_Glaze Pan Seared Tilapia with Balsamic Glaze

Think Quick And Healthy! Get hooked on seafood this month with this versatile recipe.  Click here for the recipe. 

 


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Staff Notes
 
This month we are celebrating a couple birthdays and a handful of anniversaries! 
 
Melissa Moore
, Customer Service Representative, celebrated her first birthday at Tropical on the 3rd of September and Kevin Harrington, Director of Sales, blew out the birthday candles on the 4th of this month - Happy Birthday to both! 
 
Lisa Falasco, Controller; Craig Appleyard, VP of Operations and Chris Doane, Customer Service Representative, celebrate their 8th year with Tropical this month, while Beatriz Gomez, our in-house marketeer celebrates her 3rd year with the Tropical team - Congratulations to all and thank you for your dedication!!! 
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Our Umbrella Policy
sustainability
Corporate Video
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Where on Earth is...
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