Eco-Friendly Shrimp at the Co-op
added 02/22/10
Finding shrimp that meet the criteria for being a green “best choice” in the FishWise program can be difficult. Therefore, the Co-op is pleased to announce the arrival of Wood’s Fisheries Farm-Raised Florida White Gulf Shrimp. Their aquaculture facility is one of the nation’s most environmentally friendly, producing only green “best choice” shrimp.
Wood’s Fisheries is also a pioneer in the environmental arena, actively working with Ocean Trust and FishWise to promote a healthy ecosystem in the Gulf waters by reducing by-catch (non-shrimp sea life caught in shrimping nets). Wood’s Fisheries helped design nets that reduced by-catch such as juvenile red snapper and recreational and commercial fish. These newer nets, called “byrds,” became mandatory on all shrimp boats in 1987 and feature an apparatus called a turtle excluder device or TED, which allows sea turtles to escape through a “safety hatch.”
Working with independent shrimpers, Wood’s Fisheries continues to find ways to implement new, eco-friendly shrimping methods. In recent years, in an effort to further reduce by-catch, Wood’s Fisheries conducted studies that resulted in significantly lighter net gear, which reduced water pressure and allowed more fish to escape shrimp nets.
Why the “World’s Tastiest”?
In 1996, Wood’s Fisheries built a state-of-the-art facility it credits with helping to deliver “the world’s tastiest shrimp.” Much like the Co-op’s philosophy of serving as a buyer for our members rather than a distributor for food vendors, Wood’s Fisheries will not sell any shrimp that would not meet the personal high standards of the fishery founders.
Wood’s Fisheries guarantees no flavor change for six months. Using a Swedish-designed “aero-freeze” method, the fishery eliminates the industry-standard use of liquid nitrogen as a freezing catalyst, preventing damage to product quality from such extreme temperatures.
Wood’s Fisheries currently freezes about 3.5 million pounds of shrimp per year. The aero-freeze method, while costing significantly more upfront, costs less to use requiring half the electricity of a typical operation.
Premium Quality
Unlike much of the shrimp imported into the U.S. from abroad, Wood’s Fisheries uses no chemicals, preservatives or additives. According to Co-op Merchandiser Paul Hoffman, a former chef and recreational shrimper of coastal waters in South Carolina and Georgia, “The proof of Wood’s superior quality in both their farm-raised and wild caught shrimp is in the flavor, crispness, sweetness, and texture. I simply have not tasted any shrimp this good that I didn’t catch and prepare myself.”
At the Co-op Seafood Departments
Wood’s Fisheries shrimp are sold raw, as either whole (head on), shell on, or e-z peel (head off, split down the back). The Co-op Seafood Department can steam shrimp for customers and provide cooking and preparation information for home chefs.
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