East Coast Seafood’s second annual Lobster Academy wrapped up in St. Andrews and Deer Island, New Brunswick, on Friday.
The three-day event, which drew nearly 30 participants from eight countries this year, is designed increase awareness of American lobster (Homarus americanus), according to Michael Tourkistas, president of East Coast Seafood in Lynn, Mass.
“The whole idea is to get everyone together to understand the industry and work together. That’s what it’s all about,” Tourkistas told SeafoodSource on Thursday. “We feel that everybody working together through education can only help us all. You cannot be very successful in a non-successful industry.”
On Wednesday, the program kicked off with an industry history by Cathy Billings of the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine. Then participants — who ranged from a seasonal lobster roll restaurant to the seafood buyer for the largest supermarket chain in the United States — departed for Deer Island to visit lobster-fishing grounds and haul traps on a lobster boat. Next, participants toured the East Coast’s Paturel lobster processing plant where they took part in workshops, including training in packaging, grading and sorting product.
On Thursday, speakers from all segments of the industry gave their outlook on its history and future.
Michael Gardner of Gardner-Pinfold Consulting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, kicked off Tuesday as the first of seven presenters with two lectures. First, he gave an overview of the industry and resource. Then he discussed how lobster supplies affect demand.
Both presentations showed that due to the significant price drop that began in 2008, the industry is facing new challenges and opportunities. The trick now, said Gardner, is to capitalize on those opportunities and expand the industry through new product development.
Other speakers included Geoff Irwin of the Canadian Lobster Council, Jerry Amirault of the Atlantic Veterinary College’s Lobster Science Center, New England Aquarium’s Michael Tlusty, Michael Comeau of Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Dr. Robert Bayer of the Lobster Institute. Topics ranged from food safety and nutrition to marketing and sustainability.
Capstone speaker Greg Carey, foodservice consultant for North Atlantic Seafood, said educational programs such as the Lobster Academy can set suppliers and processors apart from their competition by leading to better communication with customers.
Tourkistas added that East Coast plans to expand and grow the program through its newly created nonprofit organization, also named the Lobster Academy, which he encouraged the entire lobster industry to take advantage of.
