Press Releases

Louisbourg Seafoods Continues its Winning Streak in Brussels

Louisbourg, NS --- Louisbourg Seafoods Ltd., home of Mira Bay seafood products, continued its winning streak in Brussels as the company picked up the prestigious iTQi Crystal Award (3 stars for winning three consecutive years). This year the company received a 3-star rating for its crab product and a 2-star superior taste award for its shrimp product at the “iTQi Superior Taste Awards” held in Belgium on May 31st, 2012.

Company owner Lori Kennedy and Marketing Division representative Annette LeBlanc were in Brussels for the prestigious award ceremony. Kennedy reported, “The Superior Taste Award is the only stamp of quality in taste granted by the area’s opinion leaders that are Michelin starred Chefs and Sommeliers - we couldn’t be happier that the world’s culinary industry recognizes the quality and taste of the Louisbourg Seafoods product.”

This is the third year running that Louisbourg Seafoods has won the attention of the iTQi jury. The jury, regrouping 13 different nationalities, is composed of members of the most prestigious culinary institutions of Europe such as, the Maîtres Cuisiniers of Belgium and France, the Académie Culinaire de France, the Academy of Culinary Arts, Euro-Toques, the Federazione Italiana Cuochi, the Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe, the Associaciones des Cocineros de España, the Verband der Köche Deutschlands as well as the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) for drinks.

The tasters are asked to evaluate the products as if they were in a family context rather than compare them to something to be served in their high-end restaurants. Each tested product is the subject of a sensory analysis report for which criteria such as smell, vision, taste, after-taste, texture, etc. are very precisely considered by each member of the jury.

Similarly to the famous Michelin guide of gastronomy, iTQi does not organize a competition however rewards products on their own merit. Only products having received a mark superior to 70% will be granted a Superior Taste Award of one, two or three golden stars. The scoring is as follows :

  • 1 golden star: overall mark in between 70 and 80 % : good taste
  • 2 golden stars: overall mark in between 80 and 90% : remarkable taste
  • 3 golden stars: overall mark equal to or over 90% : exceptional taste 

Louisbourg Seafoods is a family-operated seafood business. James and Lori Kennedy, owners, credit the iTQi awards with their levels of control and expertise at all stages of seafood production. The company harvests its product using its own fleet of vessels, and has direct control over each stage of production. Louisbourg Seafoods is commited to the conservation and care of ocean species and habitat.  

  

 

Louisbourg Seafoods Joins World Ocean Council

Industry Leader Brings Fisheries Sector into International Business Alliance on Ocean Sustainability

May 24th, 2012

Louisbourg Seafoods has joined the World Ocean Council (WOC) as the first company from the fish harvesting sector to become part of the growing international business leadership alliance on Corporate Ocean Responsibility.

“Louisbourg Seafoods, a leader in responsible fisheries,is committed to providing high quality, sustainable seafood,” said co-owner/cofounder Lori Kennedy. “Unfortunately the efforts of individual fishing companies are not enough to ensure a healthy, sustainable future for fish stocks and the industry. Even well-managed and certified fisheries are at risk from developments beyond our control, including the loss of access to productive marine areas and the impacts of other activities on the marine habitats that support fish stocks.”

“The seafood industry must move beyond sustainable seafood to a more comprehensive concept of sustainable seas. Being a part of the WOC means that wecan engage with other ocean users on the broader ocean stewardship challenges, such as governance, marine spatial planning, cumulative impacts, water pollution, biodiversity conservation, and invasive species,” Kennedy continued.

“We are particularly excited to explore the use of fishing vessels to collect ocean and climate data as part of the WOC ‘Smart Ocean/Smart Industries’ program. Through this we can contribute to better ocean and weather forecasting, and thereby improve safety at sea,” added Kennedy.

“We encourage other leadership companies in the seafood industry to join the WOC’s unprecedented ocean business alliance and work with other industries in ensuring we have a healthy and productive ocean that supports sustainable fisheries,”concluded Kennedy.

“The seafood industry has an especially compelling case for engaging with other ocean industries,” noted WOC Executive Director, Paul Holthus. “For example, ocean business community collaboration through the WOC is engaging themarine spatial planning (MSP) process to help maintain continued access for responsible economic activities, such as sustainable fisheries. Similarly, the WOC is often the only entity providing industry input into international efforts seeking to develop international marine protected areas and environmental assessments guidelines for high seas activities - developments that will affect a wide range of ocean-going activities, including fisheries.”

The WOC creates business value for the seafood industry through multi-industry collaboration to: a) address the threats to the continued supply of sustainable seafood posed by cumulative impacts to marine ecosystems, b) ensure proposed changes to ocean governance are well informed of, and support, the role of responsible economic activity, c) achieve synergies and savings in finding solutions to the environmental impacts the seafood sector shares with other ocean industries, and d) increasing ocean observations and data that can lead to better ocean and weather modeling and forecasting.

 

 About the World Ocean Council (WOC)

The WOC is the only international, cross-sectoral alliance for private sector leadership and collaboration in “Corporate Ocean Responsibility”. Companies and associations worldwide are distinguishing themselves as leaders in ocean sustainability and stewardship by joining the WOC. Members to date include nearly 50 leadership organizations from a wide range of ocean industries: seafood, oil and gas, shipping, ocean technology, maritime law, marine environmental services and other areas. 

Canso Plant to Explore Sea Cucumber Processing

Built on the site of the former Seafreeze fish plant in Canso, the Louisbourg Seafoods Depot opened officially in February 2011. The facility is anticipated to employ up to 50 people, harvesting a variety of species, with the objective of being in operation up to 10 months of the year. The possible species mix includes sea cucumber, pot shrimp, redfish, and crab.  Sea cucumbers can be processed in a variety of ways, and there is a strong market for sea cucumbers in virtually any form, so there is flexibility in terms of processing.