maryland seafood marketing

Maryland Seafood Marketing

January 21, 2021

Maryland’s Best - SeafoodGOALS

Build value for Maryland’s Best branded seafood products

Increase consumer demand for Maryland seafood

Increase market share for Maryland seafood

Marketing Strategy – Covid-19 Pandemic• Strengthen & Utilize Key Partnerships: DNR, ORP,

RAM, CBSIA, U of MD, USDA, NOAA and more.

• Heavily Promote Restaurants : Restaurants selling Maryland seafood.

• Focus on Core Products : Crabs, Crabmeat, oysters, rockfish, blue catfish and some lesser species.

• Cooking at Home: Chef demonstrations and easy recipes.

• Targeted Advertising: – Focus on social media advertising, while utilizing other strategic media outlets.

Strategic PromotionsAnd Advertising

2020 Review

Restaurant Association of Maryland Blue Catfish Promotion

World Food Championship

• Seafood Cooking Competition featuring Blue Catfish

• Restaurants from throughout Maryland

• Winner goes to World Food Championship

Events & Promos - Web Site

Over 25,000 ConsumersOver 25,000 Consumers

Consumer Friendly Recipes

Over 4,000 recipes downloaded from the web site!

Events & Promos Cooking Videos

Maryland Fried Oysters with Chef Thomas Zippelli

Live Cooking Demowith Chef John Shields

Thousands of views of each video!

Maryland’s Best Seafood - Promos

• ORP Shuck-a-thon

• World Food Championship Qualifiers

• Governor’s Buy Local Seafood Days

• Keep Calm & Carryout

• Direct to Consumer GIS Map

• Producer & Chef Video Series

Maryland’s Best Seafood - Promos

• ORP Oyster Happy Hour

• MD Breweries’ Association – Brews and Oysters

• US Oyster Festival

• MD Hard Crabs Festival

Advertising• Maryland Crabs

• Oysters

• Blue Catfish

• Radio – WYPR, WTMD, • WBOC & WCEM

• Billboards – Beach Route, DC & Baltimore Metro

• MPT Promotions

• Print – Trade & Consumer publications

• Social Media

• Rockfish

• Lesser Species

Advertising – Social MediaOysters

Reach = 25,168 Reach = 20,124 Reach = 40,552Reach = 10,899

Oysters Crabmeat MD Seafood

Average Reach of 10,000 Consumers Per Week

Crab Billboards

Months: June through September

Location: Route 50 Eastern Shore

Total Consumers Reached = 900,000

Oyster Billboards

Month: January

Location: Metro DC and Baltimore

Total Consumers Reached = 2,246,000

Oyster Billboards

5 Billboards – 83, 295, 895, both sides of tunnel on 95

Oyster Posters

10 Posters in counties around Baltimore and Washington DC

Advertising – Radio

Example of Copy

Show your support for Maryland's watermen and iconic seafood industry this month and celebrate Buy Local Seafood Days. Our state's watermen offer the freshest, best tasting products available including blue crabs, Chesapeake Bay blue catfish, oysters, rockfish and more. For more information and to find local seafood products visit the Maryland Department of Agriculture's Maryland's Best Seafood web site at www.marylandsbest.net.

Whatcha Got Cooking Wednesday

Special program on WTMD radio to feature chefs and recipes for the seafood products we are promoting in spring

http://www.marylandsbest.net/

Advertising Breakdown

www.marylandsbest.net

• 49,029 searched for seafood info

• 4,103 searched for list of True Blue restaurants

• 3,016 downloaded recipe for crab imperial

• 1,417 downloaded recipe for grilled rockfish

150,400 visitors

Press Releases and Media Outreach

Description Allocation Justification

Advertising $60,000 Advertising for key seafood products

Grants to Non-Governments $29,000 Grant to support crab & oyster food quality assurance programs at UMES

In State/Out-of-State Operations $8,000 Travel and event costs for in state and out-of-state

Management Studies & Consultants $20,000 Market research consultant to analyze domestic markets

Conference Sponsorship $26,000 Boston Seafood Show

Office and Field Supplies $5,740 Supplies for staff, conference supplies, postage, telephone, pool mileage

Misc. Contractual Services $11,260 Expenses for hiring chefs, demos, videographers, photographers, etc.

Printing/Reproduction $10,000 Printing of marketing materials, guides, and promo materials

Total Budget = $170,000

Activities – Moving Forward

Strategic Plans• Redevelop Web Site – User

friendly

• Marketing Materials – Create new

(blue catfish, oysters, etc.)

• True Blue Program

• Blue Catfish Event

• Maryland’s Best Expo

• Seafood Expo North America

• Maryland’s Best Oyster Pledge

Maryland’s Best SeafoodRestaurant Partnerships

• Oyster Promotion in Downtown Annapolis

• Potential 25+ restaurant participation

• Advertising in local media

• Cross promo of restaurants

• Estimated Cost $10,000

Seafood – Market Analysis• Oysters, Crabs, &

Blue Catfish

• Contract Market Consultant – Proven Success

• Markets with Strategic Advantages

• Key Buyer Contacts

• Promotional Partners

Estimated Costs - $50,000

Research Projects CBSIA & U of MD

Project Type Description Industries Cost

MD Crabmeat Quality Assurance

Assist in complying with FDA and State food safety regulations and to produce safe and quality crabmeat products so that the crab industry is able to remain competitive in a changing world especially during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crabmeat $28,000

Seafood Market Support through Consumer Education

Enhance public awareness of seafood’s role in healthy diet according to the newly released American Dietary Guidelines. New 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines Reveal Americans of All Ages Need to Eat More Seafood.

Seafood $10,000

• Stone Slade, Seafood Marketing Director, [email protected], 919-749-4352

• Karen Kirksey, Seafood Marketing Specialist, [email protected] , 410-841-5791

• Mark Powell, Chief of Marketing, [email protected], 410-841-5775

• Steve Connelly, Assistant Secretary, [email protected], 410-841-5786

• Theresa Brophy, International Marketing Director, [email protected], 410-841-5781

mailto:[email protected]




Questions?

Fishing & Boating ServicesTidal Fisheries Advisory Commission – January 21, 2021

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AnnouncementsProposed Change to the Summer Closure Period - Striped Bass

⮚ Public Comment on the proposed rule is from Jan 15 - Feb 15, 2021⮚ A Public Hearing to be held via webinar at 6pm on Jan 27th⮚ Proposing to change the closure from Aug 16-31 to July 16-31⮚ Q&A / Opportunity to provide comment on the proposed change

Blue Crab Committee⮚ There is a meeting scheduled from 3-5pm on February 17th, 2021⮚ Various topics...the agenda will be posted to the FABS Calendar


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ASMFC / MAFMC Updates and AnnouncementsDecember 2020 - Joint Meeting of ASMFC & MAFMC Update

⮚ Commercial / Recreational Allocation Amendment✔ Board/Council approved a Public Hearing Document✔ MD and DE meeting / Wednesday, February 24th - 6 to 8pm✔ This Amendment considers modifying the commercial and recreational

allocations based on new information from the MRIP program on recreational catch and landings estimate

⮚ Commercial State by State Black Sea Bass Allocations✔ Adjustments needed based on increased biomass in the North✔ Allocation percentages were added to the Federal FMP✔ State Allocations were postponed until the February ASMFC meeting


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ASMFC / MAFMC Updates and Announcements

Final Action Expected at Winter ASMFC Meeting


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ASMFC / MAFMC Updates and AnnouncementsAtlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)Next meeting to be held via webinar…February 1-4, 2021

⮚ Summer Flounder / BSB / Scup - Joint Meeting on Day 1✔ Joint meeting with the Board/Council on Day 1✔ State Specific Comercial Allocations✔ Many ways to re-allocate the quota to the states - All shift fish North✔ Southern Region (NJ-NC) has centered around an alternative that the

industry can live with. Final decision expected at this meeting.


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Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)⮚ Striped Bass Board Meeting - Wednesday, February 3rd

✔ Review Sensitivity Analysis of Different Recreational Release Mortality Rate Estimates in Stock Assessment

✔ Consider Draft Amendment 7 Public Information Document for Public Comment

✔ Consider Revisions to the Stock Assessment Update Schedule


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ASMFC / MAFMC Updates and AnnouncementsAtlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)

⮚ Striped Bass Board Meeting - Amendment 7 Topics1. Fishery Goals and Objectives2. Stock Rebuilding/Timeframe 3. Management Triggers4. Biological Reference Points5. Regional Management (recreational measures, coastal and

producer areas, regional reference points)6. Recreational Discard Mortality7. Conservation Equivalency8. Recreational Accountability9. Coastal Commercial Quota Allocation


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Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)⮚ Required action on Spot and Croaker from August meetings.

50 fish creel for recreational fisheries

1% reduction for commercial fisheries

Implementation plans due to ASFMC on February 15

⮚ Maryland actions have been scoped and are being prepared for

submission. Projected effective date: June 2021

✔ 50 fish creel for recreational

✔ Commercial season 4/11 - 11/24


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Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council (MAFMC)• Next meeting to be held via webinar…February 10-11, 2021

⮚ Bluefish - Joint meeting with ASMFC - February 11th✔ Bluefish Allocation and Rebuilding Amendment

● Consider the Approval of the Daft Public Hearing Document✔ Other Item of Interest:

● Right Whale Issues / Aquaculture / River Herring and Shad● Offshore Wind Updates


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Websites and Contact Information

www.mafmc.orgwww.asmfc.org

Michael LuisiDirector, Monitoring and Assessment DivisionFishing and Boating ServicesDepartment of Natural Resources580 Taylor Ave., B-2Annapolis, Maryland [email protected](410) 260-8341 (O)(443) 758-6547 (M)

Lynn FegleyDirector, Stock Health, Data Management and Analysis DivisionFishing and Boating ServicesDepartment of Natural Resources580 Taylor Ave., D-4Annapolis, Maryland [email protected](410) 260-8285 (O)(443) 223-9279 (M)

Fishery Management Plan

Tidewater catfish (Family Ictaluridae)

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• Twenty-three state management plans o Blueprints for managing commercially and

recreationally targeted species in State watersMonitoringActions for conservation and promotion (e.g., regulations)

• Includes public inputo During adoption of Fishery Management Plan

Fishery Management PlanTidewater catfish (Family Ictaluridae)

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https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/fmp.aspx


• Guidance on catfish managemento 1998 Catfish Technical Report

Six species from tidal waters of Chesapeake Bayo Three nativeo Three non-native, two of which are invasive

o 2020 Invasive Catfish Management StrategyChesapeake Bay Program, Sustainable Fisheries GIT Informs fishery management plans for invasive catfishes throughout

Bay watershed - multijurisdictional

• State creation of Catfish FMPo Process began in March 2019 with need to conserve

native/noninvasive catfish and to promote harvest of invasive catfish

o Ready for public comment!3

https://www.chesapeakebay.net/who/group/invasive_catfish_task_force


• Outline of Draft Plan (major sections)o Goal, Purpose, Objectives o Introduction

Species, distribution, life history informationHabitat association of catfishesDescription of fisheriesDescription of current monitoring efforts and data streams

o Management objectives, strategies, and actions Each objective can have multiple strategies, and each strategy can

have multiple actionsProgress executing actions tracked for success in implementing a

strategy and achieving an objective Implementation Table (Section 9) updated each year 4


• Purpose of Plano Protect fishing opportunitieso Generate data streams and population metricso Provide management strategies to protect native and non-

native, non-invasive catfish populationso Increase recreational and commercial harvest rates of

invasive catfisho Minimize negative ecological impacts caused by invasive

catfish via control mechanismso Support and build Maryland’s traditional fishing economyo Grow new seafood export opportunities for fisheries

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• Introduction – species in the FMPo Brown Bullhead

o White Catfish

o Channel Catfish

o Blue Catfish

o Flathead Catfish 6


• Introduction – species in the FMPo Yellow Bullhead (not common)

o Tadpole Madtom (not harvested)

o Margined Madtom (not harvested)

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• Objectives of the Plano Develop scientifically defensible data streams that can be

used to assess management strategies for tidal catfisheso Promote fishing for tidal populations of catfish in Bay using

available tools for disseminating informationo Create a framework for routinely soliciting public input

when reviewing progress towards Plan goalo Utilize adaptive management compatible with objectives to

ensure effectiveness at achieving Plan goal

Structure: Objectives have multiple Strategies: Strategies have multiple Actions



• Management Objectives, Strategies, Actions*o Develop scientifically defensible data streams for assessing

management strategies for catfish species (Obj. 1)Establish data streams from tidal rivers (Strategy 1.1)

Identify existing monitoring programs that track trends of tidal populationsCreate additional sampling plans/programs, when neededEstablish or ensure valid reporting from commercial and recreational surveysTrack numbers of processors and sales of blue catfish

Conduct pilot projects to harvest invasive catfishes (Strategy 1.3)Support development of pilot projects that use new technologies for harvesting invasive catfishUse data from pilot projects to achieve objectives of plan

*Selected from Entire List (pages 25 – 29, or Implementation Table)9

• Public Input Process (before adoption)o Questions and input from SFAC/TFAC will be tracked, then

addressed and/or appended in the plan (Appendix 1)o Plan will be posted online for public comments, which will

be addressed to yield a final draft that will be submitted for adoption and later, incorporation to regulation.

• Public Input Process (after adoption)o Annual progress on achieving actions toward implementing

strategy via FMP update report to SFAC/TFAC and onlineo As plan actions are implemented, updates will be provided

to SFAC and TFAC


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https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/fmp.aspx

Fishery Management Plan

Tidewater catfish (Family Ictaluridae)Point of Contact

For comments on FMP from SFAC/TFAC: Paul Genovese

([email protected])Phone: 443-534-3627

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