U.S. Seafood Industry Positive About Aquaculture
Opinion leaders in the U.S. seafood industry see Canada’s aquaculture products in a positive light, but often lack knowledge of fish farming practices, says a study commissioned by the federal fisheries department to identify changing U.S. opinions relating to Canadian farmed salmon.
“U.S. seafood buyers generally expressed a readiness to deal with Canadian suppliers, but their lack of information on Canadian products and their procurement requirements need to be addressed,” said the study. Many respondents did not know anything about Canadian aquaculture, and many made positive assumptions about the industry based on their perception of the country itself and previous experience with product quality.
Ten major trends were identified during the course of this research, including a “decreasing supply of fish overall, the increased popularity of seafood as a protein source, more positive media attention on the health and weight-loss benefits of eating seafood, and a higher demand for over-ready, single-serving portions.”
Three quarters of farm-produced Canadian salmon are sold in the U.S.