Seafood Toxins - ACS Publications - American Chemical Society

1

Development

of

Marine

Resources

THOMAS J. BILLY and BETTY M. HACKLEY

Downloaded by KAOHSIUNG MEDICAL UNIV on June 9, 2018 | https://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: September 19, 1984 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1984-0262.ch001

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, DC, 20235 The Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (FCMA), as amended has afforded an unprecedented opportunity for U.S. commercial and recreational fishermen and processors to take advantage of the vast fishery resources off our coasts. This in turn has resulted in an Administration policy to assist in the development and f u l l utilization of U.S. fishery resources. Many opportunities exist to further develop our fisheries. As consumers become more diet conscious, there should be increased demand for fishery products. Alternative technologies are opening up new resources and the increasing acceptance of fabricated products will provide uses for less utilized species. There are also growing political pressures to use our resources. The U.S. fisheries however, are faced with a number of problems which impede development of the domestic industry and its ability to penetrate foreign markets. Included are the awareness, detection and control of toxins and contaminants which affect product safety and quality of the fish we consume. In the area of marine toxins, past efforts by the National Marine Fisheries Service have included cooperative research with FDA as well as several S-K projects on ciguatera and PSP. Only through continued research can we hope to remove these impediments to the f u l l utilization of U.S. fishery resources. This i s an overview of the U.S. f i s h i n g industry, i t s anticipated growth and development, the role of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and i t s concerns regarding the safety of fishery products for human consumption. Marine f i s h and s h e l l f i s h constitute a valuable renewable resource that, with proper management, can contribute s i g n i f i c a n t l y to the nation's economic growth. The nation's marine resources support both recreational and commercial f i s h i n g and are managed to r e f l e c t both. This chapter not subject to U.S. copyright. Published 1984, American Chemical Society

Ragelis; Seafood Toxins ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.


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S E A F O O D TOXINS

The Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MFCMA) of 1976, as amended, i s the most s i g n i f i c a n t f i s h e r i e s l e g i s l a t i o n i n the nation's 200-year history. I t provides for the conservation and exclusive management by the U.S. of a l l fishery resource within the Fishery Conservation Zone or FCZ which extends 200 nautical miles from our shores. The land area equivalent to the U.S. FCZ i s approximately 3.6 m i l l i o n square miles. I t has afforded an unprecedented opportunity for U.S. commercial and recreational fishermen to reach new l e v e l s of production and to expand further their already s i g n i f i c a n t contributions to the nation's food supply and economy. This Act forms the keystone of our national program for marine f i s h e r i e s . One of i t s goals i s to further develop and maintain healthy commercial and recreational f i s h i n g industries. I t should be noted that public health i s one of the legitimate concerns to be addressed i n the management of our f i s h e r i e s . In the implementation of a management measure i n a fishery management plan, the MFCMA authorizes the DOC Secretary to promote public health and safety, so long as the measure applies to f i s h i n g a c t i v i t i e s and i s a recognized fishery management technique. The measure also must be consistent with regulations issued under other statutes. Primary Federal r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for f i s h e r i e s management and development i n coastal waters rests with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) i n the Department of Commerce. Within NOAA, Federal f i s h e r i e s programs are administered by NMFS. It should be noted here that Sea Grant i s also a part of NOAA and sponsors a s i g n i f i c a n t amount of f i s h e r i e s research. The NMFS r o l e i n f i s h e r i e s development i s c a t a l y t i c i n nature by encouraging and a s s i s t i n g i n the achievement of f u l l u t i l i z a t i o n of U.S. fishery resources to derive maximum economic and s o c i a l benefits from those resources under U.S. j u r i s d i c t i o n . In p r a c t i c a l terms, t h i s w i l l require greater i n i t i a t i v e on the part of the commercial and recreational f i s h i n g industries to u t i l i z e America's nont r a d i t i o n a l f i s h species, while the Federal Government w i l l work to reduce foreign f i s h i n g i n our fishery conservation zone and remove or reduce other impediments. The 1982 U.S. commercial harvest of marine f i s h and s h e l l f i s h was 2.9 m i l l i o n metric tons. To i l l u s t r a t e one r e s u l t of reducing foreign f i s h i n g e f f o r t , since the enactment of the MFCMA, foreign f i s h i n g vessels i n the mid-1970's harvested approximately 2.3 m i l l i o n metric tons per year o f f U.S. coasts compared to 1.6 m i l l i o n metric tons today. On the other hand, domestic commercial landings i n 1981 were about 20 percent higher than i n the years immediately preceding the MFCMA, with nearly a l l regions of the country sharing i n the increases. The estimated U.S. catch for 1990 i s 3.6 m i l l i o n metric tons which r e f l e c t s further reduced foreign f i s h i n g as well as the development of many underutilized species. As s t a b i l i t y and prosperity i n t r a d i t i o n a l f i s h e r i e s provide the basis for private sector investment i n new, underutilized f i s h e r i e s , f i s h e r i e s management and development a c t i v i t i e s w i l l be coordinated to ensure that increased investment i n harvesting and processing operations do not result i n excess capacity and recurring marketing c r i s e s i n t r a d i t i o n a l f i s h e r i e s . T r a d i t i o n a l f i s h e r i e s are those for which the existing f i s h i n g industry has the c a p a b i l i t y



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Development of Marine Resources

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to f u l l y harvest, process, and market the allowable catch a v a i l a b l e and h i s t o r i c a l l y has done so. There i s , however, enormous p o t e n t i a l in underutilized species. In supporting the increased use of underutilized f i s h e r i e s , the NMFS f i s h e r i e s development program over the next few years w i l l concentrate on the development of those f i s h e r i e s with greatest p o t e n t i a l for growth. Many f i s h e r i e s can be developed. However, emphasis on the development of s p e c i f i c underutilized f i s h e r i e s w i l l allow NMFS to use i t s resources more e f f e c t i v e l y . The current f i s h e r i e s targeted f o r commercial development are Alaska groundfish, coastal pelagics i n the South A t l a n t i c and Gulf of Mexico, and East coast squid. These new f i s h e r i e s have been i d e n t i f i e d as providing s i g n i f i c a n t benefits to the nation i f developed and as having a high p o t e n t i a l for success i n the short term. Focusing on these f i s h e r i e s would be consistent with other national objectives of f u l l y u t i l i z i n g f i s h e r y resources within the FCZ, and reducing foreign f i s h i n g a c t i v i t y . Many other species are of interest to industry, including some associated with marine toxins. Fisheries development i s a key component of the planned program r e s u l t i n g from the recently passed Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act which provides for the economic r e v i t i l i z a t i o n and f a c i l i t a t i o n of economic opportunities f o r c e r t a i n countries i n t h i s area. The presence of ciguatoxin i n c e r t a i n reef fishes from t h i s area could present a problem. Another species that could be developed i n the future i s the large clam resource recently i d e n t i f i e d i n the Bering Sea. However, successful development of this resource w i l l require further d e f i n i t i o n of the PSP problem and a method for selecting harvest areas where the p o t e n t i a l for PSP i s minimal. In addition to stressing the development of targeted commercial f i s h e r i e s , the Agency s f i s h e r i e s assistance programs are making a more concerted e f f o r t to support the expansion of Marine Recreational Fishing (MRF). The Agency has funded an in-depth study to assess the significance of the economic a c t i v i t i e s associated with MRF and recommend s p e c i f i c growth prospects. As with commercial f i s h e r i e s , the development strategy w i l l focus on the opportunities showing the best prospects for growth and w i l l stress the Federal Government's c a t a l y t i c r o l e . Emphasis w i l l be placed on close coordination with the coastal states, the several sports f i s h i n g constituencies, and the industries which support MRF. The NMFS a s s i s t s industry i n i d e n t i f y i n g and analysing the opportunities for f i s h e r i e s development and provides services to strengthening e x i s t i n g f i s h e r i e s . E f f o r t s are made to reduce impediments such as lack of f i s h i n g and processing technology, a lack of suitable products of acceptable quality and safety, including problems with seafood toxins, and consumer education. The NMFS a s s i s t s i n transferring a v a i l a b l e information about lesser used species to fishermen, s e l l e r s , and consumers. The NMFS also provides services to the domestic f i s h i n g industry. These services include: 1

• • • •

product standards development, product inspection; product quality and safety information, and; market development and assistance.


S E A F O O D TOXINS

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The NMFS development programs are financed both from funds appropriated by the Congress and from t a r i f f s on imported f i s h e r i e s products better known as Saltonstall-Kennedy funds. Research i s an essential element to the successful establishmemt and maintenance of markets f o r U.S.-produced seafoods both domestic a l l y and abroad. Several kinds of research need to be carried out in order to achieve continued successful product u t i l i z a t i o n .


These include: • • • • •

b i o l o g i c a l assessment of a v a i l a b i l i t y ; basic food technology research; product quality and safety research; economic research; and market research.

The r e s u l t s of these kinds of research c o l l e c t i v e l y are needed in order to place acceptable seafood products i n target markets at prices that constitute a favorable economic return to the U.S. industry and are competitive with similar seafoods from non-U.S. sources. F a i l u r e to provide timely answers through substantive research in any of the aforementioned areas w i l l result i n unsuccessful attempts to develop and commercialize a p a r t i c u l a r harvestable resource, and possibly, unnecessary human i l l n e s s . Recognizing the importance of research to successful development of any fishery and the limited monies a v a i l a b l e for research purposes, we are d i r e c t i n g both our inhouse and sponsored research toward: 1)

achieving a balanced program mix on the limited number of targeted species previously mentioned;

2)

maintaining an acceptable l e v e l of e f f o r t on industry problems which continue to a r i s e i n connection with the use of t r a d i t i o n a l species; and

3)

maintaining a "longer range" food research e f f o r t which would be applicable to species as yet unscheduled for exploitation for food use.

Current NMFS seafood safety research, both inhouse and through contract studies addresses concerns such as heavy metals, pesticides, petrochemicals, other i n d u s t r i a l chemicals, marine biotoxins, and pathogenic organisms. The NMFS i s also conducting seafood quality research and developing Federal grade standards and s p e c i f i c a t i o n s for seafoods. In our program to provide consumers with safe, high quality products and respond to c r i t i c a l national and international needs to eliminate major impediments to expanding markets, a primary seafood u t i l i z a t i o n issue i s the area of marine toxins that continue to present serious economic problems to the f i s h i n g industry and impact consumers. Ciguatera i s one of the most treacherous and common forms of seafood poisoning i n t r o p i c a l waters. Also, sporadic outbreaks of PSP i n s h e l l f i s h from most of the major growing areas of North America



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pose a threat to public health. Both can result i n i l l n e s s to the consumer and economic disaster to the f i s h e r i e s . In September 1979, NMFS co-sponsored a workshop with FDA to review the problem of toxins in f i s h and fishery products, the current state of knowledge, and plan further research. This resulted i n an exchange of information which has contributed to the progress that has been made since that time. Over the past four years NMFS has supported marine toxin r e search both inhouse and through cooperative studies with FDA and the S-K funding process. From 1980 to 1983, a t o t a l of $27.3 m i l l i o n d o l l a r s has been provided to fund fishery development projects. Of t h i s amount, $1.2 m i l l i o n d o l l a r s have been used for research on marine toxins. Clearly, the occurrence of marine toxins i s a national problem impacting on commercial and r e c r e a t i o n a l f i s h e r i e s and involving both t r a d i t i o n a l species and those scheduled for development. The NMFS looks to the research leaders i n t h i s area to help i n overcoming these problems so that the species of concern can be dealt with e f f e c t i v e l y . Although the t o t a l funding for research has been reduced the past two years, NMFS w i l l continue to support, to the extent possible, research e f f o r t s i n t h i s area. R E C E I V E D April 28, 1984


Seafood Toxins - ACS Publications - American Chemical Society

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