Fresh Direct Seafood and Industry Programs in Louisiana

Louisiana Direct Seafood AcademyMarch 1, 2012

Jon Bell, PhD LSU Ag Center

Louisiana Sea Grant Program

Overview of 4 TopicsFresh Product License (FPL)

FPL & Seafood Product Safety

Developing Seafood Programs in Louisiana• Louisiana Wild Certified Shrimp (LWCS)• Electronic Traceability• Sustainability• LDWF Seafood University

Fresh Product License

LDWF • Cost and Record Keeping

LDHH • Allowances & Permits

LDAF • Scale Certification

Sales • Records, Taxes

Fresh Product License

LDWF Allows commercial fisherman to sell own catch directly to consumer (vessel, home, car)• $20 resident; $120 nonresident

Secondary FPL allows spouse to sell catch directly to consumer• $5

MUST COMPLETE & SUBMIT TRIP TICKETS

Fresh Product License

LDHH Responsible for protecting safety & wholesomeness of seafood (all food) sold to consumers in Louisiana• Controlled through GMP (Sanitation)

and HACCP (Food Hazards & Safety) regulations required of seafood processors (Food Sanitary Code)

Fresh Product License

LDHH Seafood Processors (Wholesale/Retail Dealers License to LDWF) need a Permit to Operate from LDHH• Multiple requirements, including

physical address• Will Not permit vessel, home, vehicle

Fresh Product LicenseLDHH

So What Does This Mean?• Using FPL, commercial fishermen can

sell only WHOLE Seafood directly to consumers• You can pop heads, gut fish to prepare

for holding on the vessel if you sell to a licensed Wholesale Dealer (processor)• But NOT directly to a consumer

Fresh Product LicenseLDHH • IF You DO Want to sell headless or

peeled shrimp, or gutted fish or fish fillets, or picked crab meat, you have to get a Wholesale Dealers License from LDWF, and Permit to Operate from LDHH.

• And you can’t do this on your boat or at home.

Fresh Product LicenseLDHH (225) 342 - 7773• Thus, in addition to the other License

and Permit, you will need a processing facility, and become a seafood processor. Which requires compliance with GMP and HACCP regulations.

• Has been done before. If sounds like a good plan, Call LDHH

Fresh Product LicenseLDHH (225) 342 - 7773

So What Does This Mean?• Also, using FPL, commercial fishermen

can NOT sell oysters directly to consumers• Does not comply with Molluscan Shellfish

Program, Vibrio Control Plan requirements

LDHH rules based on responsibility of seafood safety control and consumer protection

Fresh Product LicenseLDAF – (225) 922 - 1341• Responsible for ensuring accuracy of

weight of sales for all products (food, gas, etc.) to consumers in Louisiana

• Since fishermen are selling seafood to consumers with FPL, your scale must be annually inspected and certified for accuracy.

• $35/year for up to 1,000 pounds

Fresh Product LicenseSales – Records

Sales records must:• Be kept in English and for 3 Years!• Include Quantity, Species, Date caught• FPL Name and License Number• Noted that seafood was sold directly

to consumer• Consumer Name NOT Needed

Fresh Product LicenseSales – Taxes

Most Parishes require that fishermen selling their catch to consumers register with the parish to pay sale tax

For more details, contact:• Local Parish• Dept. Revenue, Sales Tax Division• (225) 219 - 7356

FPL & Seafood Product Safety

Commercial Fishermen and & FPL are responsible to control their seafood product safety and protect their customers.• Business, moral, and legal obligation

and responsibility• Accomplished selling whole seafood

directly to the consumer without complex regulation

FPL & Seafood Product Safety

• KEEP IT CLEAN• GET IT COLD QUICKLY• KEEP IT COLD• SELL ONLY HIGH QUALITY, WHOLESOME

SEAFOOD• NOT TIRED OR SPOILED

FPL & Seafood Product SafetyVessel Sanitation• Keep surfaces and equipment clean• Rinse after each drag and handling• Thoroughly clean up after each day• Clean and sanitize deck, hold, and

equipment after trip is complete, and seafood is sold and unloaded

• Control rust and keep painted and sharpBOAT IS FIRST CONSUMER IMPRESSION

FPL & Seafood Product SafetyChilling & Temperature Control• Thoroughly Rinse Seafood • Chill Seafood Rapidly• Slush Ice or RSW much faster than ice

• Store at Ice or Frozen temperatures for shrimp and fish

• Store cool and alive for crabs• Sell Seafood at storage temperatures for

consumer control during drive home

FPL & Seafood Product Safety

• Sell consumers only high quality seafood that has a long shelf life ahead of it• Do NOT sell any seafood that was

poorly handled or has been on the boat too long

• Because of the Direct Sale, High Quality and Wholesomeness are your controls for seafood product safety

FPL SUMMARY

• Using the Fresh Product License is an opportunity that LDWF has provided the commercial fishermen in Louisiana to selling your whole and unprocessed catch directly to consumers and improve your profitability and viability.

FPL SUMMARY

• Providing High Quality, sanitary, well-handled and chilled seafood directly to the consumer is your control for seafood product safety and to maintain this business improvement opportunity.

Louisiana Wild Certified Shrimp Program (LWCS)

2 Formats under development

Authenticity Program• Program document submitted, under

review and comment• Indicates that packaged seafood is

harvested, landed, processed in La• Seafood harvested by La licensed

fishers is in program

Louisiana Wild Certified Shrimp Program (LWCS)

Authenticity Program (cont.)• Voluntary for Docks, Processors • Must keep La seafood separated• Trip Tickets, Invoices

• Comply with existing regulations• Can use program Logo on products• Marketing & Promotion support• LSPMB funding

Louisiana Wild Certified Shrimp Program (LWCS)

Premium Program• Earlier stage development• Includes Authenticity requirements• Voluntary for Fishers, Docks, Processors• Program Training in Best Practices

• Required product specifications• Premium Logo on products• LSPMB Marketing & Promotion support

Electronic Traceability

• Builds on Trip Tickets to control and track La seafood through distribution

• Development through Gulf States MFC• Pilot Project with Gulf oyster industry• Harvester-Dealer-Shipping-Customer

• Can include additional data & sensors• Times, Temperatures

• Can support Marketing efforts• Differentiation in the marketplace

Sustainability• La (LDWF) and Gulf (GSMFC) efforts• Potential partnering• Audubon Institute• 3rd Party Verifiers

• Promote & provide Buyers information• Data, assurance of responsible

fisheries management• Support differentiation in the marketplace• Important to, required by, industry buyers

LDWF Seafood University

• Designed to serve as a continuing education tool and resource

• Initial development of structure, approach • Support industry in a positive, innovative

and collaborative manner• Provide useful & desired information • Successful examples exist in other

states & countries to support fisheries

General Courses for Fishermen Equipment BMPS

-Electronic Traceability-No Cost Program-Company/Business Benefit(s) (Product Differentiation)

Gear Technology

Management (Fisheries Science)

Sustainability-Maximizing Company/Business Benefit(s)-Compliance

Seafood Quality (LWSCP)-Domestic And Foreign Market Opportunities (Department Of Commerce)

Oyster Fishermen

Shrimp Fishermen

Crab Fishermen

Fin Fish Fishermen

Docks And Processors

• Business Management Courses

• Insurance• Documentatio

n

• Fishing/Boating Regulation And Requirement Courses

• LDWF (LWSCP)

• Delgado/Nunez

• LSU Ag Center• Sea Grant

• Vessel Safety Courses

Seedco Financial

LDWF Enforcement

Higher Educatio

nCoast Guard

SummaryThe goal of this presentation was to provide a better understanding of the usefulness of the Fresh Products License.

As well as a quick overview of LDWF projects that are intended to support Louisiana fisheries and their viability.

Questions or Comments?