A profile of the Australian seafood consumer

Seafood is an important food industry globally and increasing seafood consumption is high on the agenda of many developed countries.Understanding consumers is fundamental to the development of any marketing strategy, and while considerable research has been undertaken with European seafood consumers little is known about the seafood consumer in other markets including Australia. This paper presents a profile of the Australian seafood consumer designed to inform the decisions of key stake holders in the seafood industry:producers, middlemen and retailers. The profile has been developed from a range of studies undertaken through the Australian Seafood Collaborative Research Centre, a government supported body with a mission to improve profitability in the seafood industry and increase Australian seafood consumption. Australians consume on average approximately 2.2 serves of seafood per week. Two thirds of all seafood is prepared and consumed at home with 61% of seafood for at - home consumption purchased at supermarkets and 18% at fish markets or fish mongers. Key drivers of seafood consumption are taste, convenience, health,and versatility and these vary across species. Key barriers are price, concerns about origin and freshness and a lack of knowledge/confidence. Overwhelmingly, Australian consumers prefer Australian seafood and 'Australian’ serves as a surrogate for quality, safe, fresh and sustainable

Overview of Seafood Research at Ashtown Food Research Centre (1990 - 2007)

End of project reportIn recent years, the Irish seafood industry has faced stringent quotas and dwindling fish stocks. The introduction of fish farming added a new dimension but falling prices also created difficulties for this sector. However, the recent report of the Seafood Industry Strategy Group on ‘Steering a New Course’ and the Sea Change Programme of the Marine Institute will add new impetus to the industry. The current report summarises R&D on seafood conducted at Ashtown Food Research Centre (AFRC) in the period 1990-2007 and represents a major portion of seafood R&D conducted nationally during that period.Thanks are also extended to the European Union (and especially the SEAFOODplus project), Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Marine Institute, Enterprise Ireland and various seafood companies for their support and part-funding of elements of this research

Seafood from Norway : food safety

Since Norway is a major supplier of seafood worldwide, monitoring the food safety of Norwegian fish products is a priority. This commentary gives a brief overview of the food safety of seafood from Norwegian waters. Several preventative measures during harvest/catch, processing and distribution have been established and are implemented regularly. Furthermore, comprehensive monitoring programmes to detect and quantify undesirable substances, such as heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in Norwegian seafood are carried out. Substances with health benefits, such as omega-3 fatty acids, are also analysed. In general, evidence shows the level of undesirable substances in seafood from Norway to be low. In fact, in the majority of samples analysed, levels of undesirable substances were reported to be below the maximum limit set by the European Union (EU). This leads to the conclusion that consumption of seafood originating from Norway involves a low risk of negative health effects and that consumers can have confidence in the products they purchase.peer-reviewe

The Welfare Effects of Pfiesteria-Related Fish Kills: A Contingent Behavior Analysis of Seafood Consumers

We use contingent behavior analysis to study the effects of pfiesteria-related fish kills on the demand for seafood in the Mid-Atlantic region. We estimate a set of demand difference models based on individual responses to questions about seafood consumption in the presence of fish kills and with different amounts of information provided about health risks. We use a random-effects Tobit model to control for correlation across each observation and to account for censoring. We find that (i) pfiesteria-related fish kills have a significant negative effect on the demand for seafood even though the fish kills pose no known threat to consumers through sea-food consumption, (ii) seafood consumers are not responsive to expert risk information designed to reassure them that seafood is safe in the presence of a fish kill, and (iii) a mandatory seafood inspection program largely eliminates the welfare loss incurred due to misinformation.pfiesteria, seafood demand, non-market valuation, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

MARKETING CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH SEAFOOD COUNTERS IN GROCERY STORES

This study provides a benchmark analysis of seafood counter characteristics corresponding to the peaking of per capita seafood demand in the U.S. Logistic regression results show separate seafood counters are less likely in small stores, in rural stores, and in stores in low or medium income areas. Chain stores and stores with a significant number of non-white customers were more likely to have a seafood counter. Stores in the East South Central region were less likely, and stores in New England more likely, to have a seafood counter. The likelihood that stores will develop seafood counters was related to differences in sales volume, floor space, urban/rural location, income level of clients and regional location. Continuing innovations in marketing technology of seafood counters are likely to provide expanded marketing opportunities in the future.Marketing,

SURVEY INSTRUMENTS FOR A COST STUDY OF HACCP IN THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) approach to assuring food safety was first mandated in the United States in 1995 for the seafood industry, with full implementation to take place by December, 1997. The survey instruments included in this Working Paper were developed as part of a cost analysis of the adoption of HACCP in the Seafood Industry. The purpose of the survey was to quantify the change in costs that average seafood companies experienced during the first year of HACCP adoption.HACCP, costs of adoption, survey instruments, seafood industry, Demand and Price Analysis,

US Seafood Exports and HACCP Regulatory System

This study investigates how the implementation and standards harmonization of HACCP regulation affects U.S. seafood exporting based on the method of Gravity Model and Spatial Error model. The analysis includes top 32 countries that importing seafood from U.S. The results indicate that HACCP standards benefit U.S. seafood exporting in the long time period but do not have significant impact in the short term period. Moreover, the way of performance standards is better for HACCP implementation and standards harmony.HACCP, U.S. seafood exports, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Security and Poverty, International Relations/Trade,