Maine lobster is among the seafood products being championed this month for National Seafood Month.
In conjunction with National Seafood Month, Maine Gov. John Baldacci proclaimed October to be Maine Lobster Month. As a result, the Maine Lobster Promotion Council (MLPC) is running a TV campaign throughout the state in October and November, which promotes the fall consumption of Maine lobster. The MLPC also shifted its annual cook-off to October this year and made it open to the public.
“The Maine Lobster Council has been working on positioning fall as the primary season to enjoy Maine lobster for several years,” said Marianne LaCroix, director of marketing for the MLPC.
“Each year, Maine lobstermen haul in about 50 percent of their annual catch in September, October and November,” added Dane Somers, executive director of the MLPC.
Since the MLPC has shifted marketing efforts to the fall, more retailers and restaurants are offering fall lobster promotions around the country, said LaCroix. And, there are a variety of promotions in Maine.
“We are working with the Maine Restaurant Association to encourage restaurants to offer lobster menus during the new October Restaurant Week,” said LaCroix.
Meanwhile, the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco is encouraging consumers to eat only sustainable seafood during October. The aquarium is leading daily “Fishing for our Future” presentations and providing seafood-buying guides to seafood restaurants in the Bay Area.
“We are in one of the high-traffic tourist areas, and we know people are going to walk out our doors and into whatever seafood restaurant, which is going to have a plethora of seafood choices,” said Carrie Chen, education and conservation director for Aquarium of the Bay.
“Eating lower in the food chain, asking where your seafood is coming from and how it is caught and voting with your fork in favor of the oceans, are three simple ways that consumers can make an impact,” added Chen.
A number of seafood restaurants and retailers across the United States are also running seafood specials in October. Tampa, Fla.-based Bonefish Grill, for example, launched an Ocean Mixed Grill for Two, with four different seafood offerings and sides, for USD 19.90 per person.
Bonefish Grill guests can choose from Chilean Sea Bass topped with warm mango salsa, Norwegian salmon with lemon butter, wild grouper with chimichurri sauce and wood-grilled scallops and shrimp with Pan Asian sauce.
