How to attract new consumers is a question that the bivalve molluscs industry is asking itself. Young people and the growing middle class in emerging countries (such as China) are the new targets.

Companies and retailers are trying hard to change the way shellfish is seen by the markets and they are also pursuing ecolabeling as a way of ensuring the good image of these products. The International Boston Seafood Show, held recently in March and the European Seafood Exposition to be held in April are good opportunities to showcase these products and open up new markets.

Ecoproducts and more imagination  At 2013 International Boston Seafood Show, a greater emphasis on the retail sector was apparent, with more weight given to providing the market with more branded products and presenting a challenge for companies to introduce new shelf-ready packaging for both frozen and chilled products. One of the participants, Spanish Seafood Company Isidro de la Cal, is aiming for the US market with ready-to-eat products, including mollusc and traditional seafood paella. This year UK processor Macduff Shellfish participated in the Boston seafood show for the first time, also aiming for the US market with their scallops. The next European Seafood Exposition in Brussels will provide similar opportunities, with more added value products based on clams, scallops, oysters and mussels on display. This year’s finalists of Seafood Prix d’ Elite, or new seafood products competition, have been announced and products that include oysters, scallops and mussels are amongst those chosen. As Spanish and Italian markets are limited to short-term vision at present, in which it is difficult to see any evidence of recovery, companies have to find imaginative solutions outside of the European markets. Taking refuge in more basic products, and in cheaper alternative species and in canned seafood, all show the fragility of the market, according to a recent analysis of seafood markets in France, Spain and Italy undertaken by Correard Consulting for Seafood Scotland.

The image of bivalve industry

Concepts such as green aquaculture and carbon footprints, as well as the impact of the horsemeat scandal (where beef products containing horsemeat were found to be on sale in several major supermarkets) may help in promoting molluscs, especially where the sustainable characteristics of fisheries and aquaculture can be demonstrated. On the whole, consumers seem to view bivalve aquaculture in a more favourable light than that of salmon or pangasius. However, this image could change soon, particularly with the implementation of more Marine Protected Areas worldwide and the lack of space for future aquaculture activities. In New Zealand a new mussel farm off the far north coast was allowed to go ahead this year in spite of claims that it will displace dolphins and deprive ‘boaties’ of safe anchorage. The mussel farm will cover 94 ha next to Stephenson Island, opposite Whangaroa Harbour, but the farm’s opponents are likely to appeal the decision, saying it will spoil the area’s natural beauty and interfere with fishing. In the UK scallop dredging has returned to the spotlight with tensions rising over the Scottish Government’s plan to re-examine the sustainability of scallop dredging. A comprehensive review is due to begin in April and could lead to new controls. Scallops are Scotland’s second most valuable shellfish, with 16 000 tonnes a year harvested, mostly for export. Dredging has attracted growing criticism because it can damage the seabed and fish nurseries, as well as marine wildlife in general. In response to the demand worldwide for seafood products that comply with traceability and sustainability standards, a number of mollusc fisheries recently obtained certification from various different certification bodies. They include Newfoundland and Labrador mussel farmers and primary processing facilities, which met the criteria and were certified against the Canadian Organic Aquaculture Standard, Cloudy Bay Clams in New Zealand were certified in February this year by Friend of the Sea and in Spain, Fishermen´s Organization San Martino de Bueu was awarded Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for its artisanal razor clam fishery. This is the first Spanish shellfish fishery and the world’s first divercaught razor clam fishery to be certified. In the middle of last year French seafood supplier Cornic, obtained Friend of the Sea certification and now supplies the French market with Peruvian FOS certified scallops.

An innovative way to introduce variety to consumers

At the beginning of 2013 in the UK Sainsbury’s supermarket launched the “Switch the Fish” campaign to encourage consumers to try less popular seafood species, including mussels. The most consumed species are cod, haddock, tuna, salmon and prawns and these are termed the ‘big five’. During this campaign, which ran for the first time in 2011, shoppers were offered a free portion of lemon sole, mussels, Cornish sardines, coley or Loch trout when clients bought one of the big five. In Canada, Prince Edward Island Mussel King recently undertook a CAD 6 million dollar expansion of its production facility that allowed for installation of new processing equipment for the production of smaller packs of frozen mussels in five different flavours. This was made possible by investment injections from the federal and provincial governments about 18 months ago. The new packs are now being exported to several countries worldwide.

Recent trends in mussel trade

According to figures from EUROSTAT and Customs, EU markets imported 9% less mussels in 2012, down from 225 000 tonnes in 2011 to 204 000 tonnes in 2012, This is a similar amount to that imported in 2008 and 2010. The Netherlands was the country with the greatest drop, where imports fell 27% in last year (from 35 000 tonnes to 25 900 tonnes) However, the German and Italian markets showed an increase in imports. In Germany, mussel imports rose 19% in 2012, (+3 000 tonnes), while in Italy imports were 7% higher compared with previous years. Italy, of course, has a substantial domestic mussel industry to cover most of local demand. Mussel imports into France went down from 60 200 tonnes in 2011 to 54 500 tonnes in 2012 (-9% less), mainly supplied by Spain, Netherlands and Chile. Imports from Ireland have been gradually reduced over the last 3 years, from 8 800 tonnes in 2010, 5 700 tonnes in 2011 to 3 600 tonnes in 2012. In Spain, imports of mussels were up to 17 600 tonnes in 2012, with Chile being the main supplier with 11 400 tonnes. Italy (2 400 tonnes) and New Zealand (1 700 tonnes) were in second and third position. Spain benefitted from an increase in mussel exports, up 11% in volume, from 42 200 tonnes in 2011 to 47 200 tonnes in 2012, mainly as a result of demand from Italy. French and Portuguese markets remained steady during the last year. Chilean mussel export volumes fell 12% from 68 869 tonnes in 2011 to 61 044 tonnes in 2012. Based on Infotrade data, values fell 16%, from USD 153 million in 2012 compared with USD 182 millions in exports in 2011. In January 2013, Chile sent 4 389 tonnes of mussels (Mytilus chilensis) overseas, an amount that represented a rise of 25.2% compared with exports during the same month in 2012 (3 504 tonnes). The value of mussel exports during the first month of this year was USD 12.6 million, which is 41% more than in January 2012 when the amount was USD 8.9 million. The average mussel value during January 2013 was USD 2.88 per kilogram, 14% higher than the first month of last year (USD 2.52/kg).

Scallops: Big drop in imports on the French market

Overall a decline of 18% in the imports of scallops to EU markets was experienced in 2012. Total imports were 50 100 tonnes, showing a fall of 10 000 tonnes from 60 600 tonnes in 2011, a significant drop in just twelve months. The French market was particularly affected by this drop. In 2012 imports of scallops went down by 25% to 19 900 tonnes, the lowest since 2007. Argentina, UK and USA were affected by this lack of demand by French consumers, but the highest decline was for Peruvian scallops with 44% less. The trade agreement between the EU and Peru, which came into play on 1 March, has direct benefits for fisheries exports as they will no longer have to pay customs duties. This should provide a boost for Peru’s scallops exports. During 2012 Peru’s exports of scallops to the French market fell substantially and imports into France declined from 6 900 tonnes in 2011 to 3 800 tonnes last year. In Argentina, shipments of the Patagonian scallop (Zygochlamys patagonica) totalled 5 369 tonnes worth USD 53.4 millions from January to November 2012, according to statistics from the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture. In Japan, domestic expenditure on scallops increased by 14% compared with the previous year, according to the survey on household expenditure in 2012, reported the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan. At the beginning of this year, a British trawler was ordered to return scallops to the sea after French authorities suspected it of illegally dredging 17 tonnes of scallops 12 nautical miles off the French side of the Channel. It was feared that this clash would re-ignite the “scallop war” between the two countries.

Bivalves in Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA)

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) presents an interesting opportunity for bivalve mollusc production in a sustainable and innovative way. In Spain last year, the Xunta de Galicia published a report titled “Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture: A sustainable, pioneering alternative for marine culture in Galicia”. This publication brings together reports on a number of projects undertaken in Spain to explore relaunching aquaculture in Galicia in a more viable form. One of the projects undertaken were the successful trials of the seaweed Saccharina latissima in association with oysters and clams in achieving the biofiltration of solids from the effluent of a turbot farming facility. One of the important outcomes was that it was possible to grow commercially useful bivalve species in an open circuit regime with effluent from the turbot farm. Another study looked at on-growing in an intertidal park of carpet shell and carpet shell clams that had originally come from a nursery where they were pre-grown in a multi-trophic hatchery using effluent from a turbot farm with a closed water circuit. In Venezuela, a group at the Universidad de Oriente is investigating the implemention of a restocking program for the pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata. An oyster restocking project was also undertaken in the Canaima National Park in Venezuela.

Outlook

Scallop catch levels in the USA for 2013 are expected to drop by 30-35% and this could see prices going up in various countries, including France, the EU’s main market for scallops, where demand is already low. Scallop traders in the US expect about 30% more imports this year, as a result of the decrease in landings in the US. Demand for scallops from Peru is already apparent. Expanding demand at rates above 20% per annum for niche shellfish such as oysters and scallops is rapidly transforming China into a leading market for many highend seafood products. In Latin America, Peruvian scallops will be in demand by the US market, while the Chilean scallops industry will focus on the domestic market, which is paying higher prices than exports (EUR 19/kg). For mussel sector there are no signs of major changes in the next few months.