Scaling up

July 31, 2015

The Maritimes are known for delicious, good quality seafood and it’s become a big part of Maritime culture, but there’s a lot left over at the processing plant before anything reaches our tables.

Most of the seafood on our dinner tables is processed at the Island Fishermen Cooperative (IFCA) in Lamèque, NB.

IFCA is working on a project to get European Union Certification for their fish product’s use in pet food. The product is currently waste and this new certification will provide a value-added benefit for the industry. Attainting certification requires over 150 tests to ensure the absence of dangerous bacteria, like Clostridium Perfringens, Salmonella, and Enterobacteria.

That’s when they came to NBIF and applied for an innovation voucher for $27,255 to cover 80% of the cost of the project and to find the expertise they need. With NBIF’s help, the company was able to contract researchers at the Coastal Zones Research Institute Inc. (CZRI).

IFCA is an organization that has been owned by local New Brunswick fisherman and employees since 1943. IFCA processes and sells the shrimp, crab, lobster and herring that fishermen catch at sea.