Isabella Rossellini

Queen of Shrimp Pornography

On September 2, 2009, the Sundance Channel unveiled plans for its third season premiere of the critically acclaimed and Webby Award-winning short film series, Green Porno, written and co-directed by actress Isabella Rossellini.  With a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye, Rossellini focuses on the sexual behavior of insects and sea creatures.  She hams it up as a whale, starfish, limpet, anglerfish, barnacle, squid, anchovy—and shrimp: portraying a northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis), a small, coldwater species that supports a worldwide fishery north of the 40th latitude, as it changes sex from male to female.  Yes, that really happens in the wild!

Like previous seasons of Green Porno, the third batch of short films is scientifically accurate, supportive of the environment, critical of commercial fishing (and to a lesser degree, shrimp farming) and exceptionally entertaining.  The films are a playful mixture of real world and cartoon.  Each film features Rossellini speaking directly to the camera about the creature at hand.  She uses animation, paper cutouts and puppets to illustrate its particular, often peculiar, mating strategies.

The Associated Press gave Green Porno a great review:

“Isabella Rossellini has established herself as the world’s most prominent porn artist specializing in the lusty behavior of bugs, barnacles, starfish and shrimp.

Her Green Porno short films have become a Web sensation, offering morsels about the reproductive habits of insects and ocean life and a clever dose of low-budget filmmaking that takes its cue from old-fashioned arts and crafts classes.

The films, written and co-directed by Rossellini, feature the actress offering wry narration about how she would mate if she were a dragonfly or squid or anchovy.  Rossellini appears in costumes mostly made of paper, staring in bemusement at the camera as she shows off makeshift versions of some of the species’ gargantuan sexual apparatus.”

Shrimp News: The presentation of the current five clips at the Sundance Channel webpage is a bit confusing.  When you click on the link to the Sundance site, the video begins automatically and may not be completely visible on your screen until you make some adjustments.  It begins with bits and pieces of what you’re about to see, then each of the five clips plays one by one.  If you sit through the endless credits after each one of them, it takes about twenty minutes to watch all five clips.

My Recommendation: While the introduction is playing, click on the picture of Rossellini in the pink sweater.  It will be to the right of the video screen and the words next to it will say “Green Porno 3: Bon Appetite: Shrimp.”  This will take you directly to the shrimp clip.

After watching the shrimp clip, you can easily go back and watch one of the other clips—or the first two series.

Green Porno Webpage: www.sundancechannel.com/greenporno.

Sources: 1. CSRwire.com.  Sundance Channel Premieres Third Season of Isabella Rossellini’s Innovative Series “Green Porno,” Online, On-Air and at Toronto Film Festival.  September 2, 2009.  2. Backstage.com.  Porn Star.  Cassie Carpenter.  May 21, 2009.  3. Google.com/hostednews.  Rossellini Makes a Porno with Web Short Films.  David Germain.  September 11, 2009.  4. Bob Rosenberry, Shrimp News International, September 24, 2009.

Country Reports

Bangladesh

Shrimp Exports to the European Union to Resume

In May 2009, shrimp exporters placed a voluntary ban on exports to the European Union because so many of their shipments were being rejected.  The ban caused a sudden drop in exports, and shrimp farmers have been struggling ever since.

When new safety measures to stop seafood contamination are implemented in November 2009, Syed Mahmudul Huq, chairman of Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation, said exports to the EU would resume.

The country’s detection technology and the Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research have been upgraded according to reports from foreign experts, said Parikshit Dutta Chowdhury, joint secretary at the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry and chief of the committee investigating nitrofuran contamination.

Source: FIS United States.  Shrimp Exporters to Ease Self-imposed Ban.  Natalia Real (editorial@fis.com).  September 14, 2009.

Ecuador

El Niño

El Niño is expected to strengthen and last through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2009-2010.

Source: El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion.  Climate Prediction Center.  September 10, 2009.

Ecuador

Half the Shrimp Farms on Puna Island Are Not Registered

In the Gulf of Guayaquil, 116 shrimp farms (4,300 hectares) in the tidal zone of Puna Island are not registered with the government.  In addition, 1,359 employees at the farms do not have health insurance and 42 percent of the farms are not affiliates of the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute. One of the requirements of registration is that shrimp farms must have mangrove-reforesting plans.  Farms up to 10 hectares will have to reforest 10 percent of their farms; those with 10 to 50 hectares, 20 percent; and those with 50 to 250 hectares, 30 per cent.  The reforesting plan will be the most expensive part of the registration process for the shrimp farmers.

Rafael Correa, the President of Ecuador, said all farms must be registered by March 2010—or they will be turned over to local community members!

Source: FIS United States.  Half of all Shrimp Farms Operate Irregularly.  Analia Murias (editorial@fis.com).  September 9, 2009.

Mexico

Cargill Introduces Probiotic

At the World Aquaculture Society Meeting (September 25-29, 2009) in Veracruz, Mexico, Cargill will introduce Hoplite™, a natural yeast product designed to provide gut health benefits for fish and shrimp, improve palatability of feed and act as a partial fish meal replacement.

“Hoplite™ contains nucleotides and proteins that support the immune system and cell growth, which may improve the gut health of fish and shrimp,” said Christine Cerkvenik, product manager.  “In research trials, fish on diets containing Hoplite™ showed increased feed intake over fish on a regularly prescribed diet.”

Visitors to the Cargill booth (#82) at the World Aquaculture Show will have the opportunity to talk to Cargill specialists about how Hoplite™ can help aquaculture producers minimize their environmental impact.

Source: FishUpdate.com.  World Aquaculture Show: Cargill Introduces Hoplite.  September 15, 2009.

Mexico

Veracruz—World Aquaculture Meeting

Hi, I’ll be at the World Aquaculture Society Meeting in Veracruz, Mexico, from September 26-29, 2009.  If you have news to report about your work, country, company, institution or product, tap me on the shoulder, and I’ll take down your story.

Source: Bob Rosenberry, Shrimp News International, September 24, 2009.

Thailand

CP Foods’ Shrimp Patties—“Made with Chunky Shrimp”

While checking out the frozen shrimp products at my local Vons supermarket, I came across one of CP Foods’ shrimp products—“CP Shrimp Patties”.  The product sells for $5.99, and was discounted by $2.00 for store members, so I paid $3.99.  Here’s some information from the product’s box:

Net Weight: 9.17 ounces (260 grams), four patties to the box (made with chunky shrimp).

Cooking Instructions: Oven (recommended), Deep Fry (recommended) and Microwave.

Ingredients: Farmed shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), Wheat Flour, Tapioca, Corn Flour, Salt, Sugar, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Guar Gum, Black Pepper, Onion, Soybean Oil, Shrimp Flavor, Disodium S-inosinate and Disodium I-guanylate.

Nutrition Per 65-Gram Patty: Calories, 130 (45 from fat); total fat, 5 grams; cholesterol, 35 milligrams; sodium, 250 milligrams; total carbohydrates, 14 grams; and protein, 9 grams.

About CP: Established in 1921, CP is today the leading farmed shrimp producer in the world.  After years of selling our products worldwide under our customers’ brands, we have now launched our own brand of ready-to-eat dishes.

Distributed By: C.P. Foods West, Inc., 11 Golden Shore, Suite 330, Long Beach, California 90802, USA (email sale@cpfoodswest.com, webpage http://www.cpbrandsite.com).

Manufactured By: Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Co., Ltd., 82/12-14 Moo4, Bangtorad, Muangsamutsakorn 74000, Thailand.

Sources: 1. One box of four CP Shrimp Patties.  Purchased September 7, 2009.  2. Bob Rosenberry, Shrimp News International, September 24, 2009.

Thailand

USA Says Thailand Uses Child Labor to Process Farmed Shrimp

Under several Congressional laws, the USA Department of Labor is required to compile an annual report listing the USA imports that it believes are produced with forced labor or child labor.

Dick Gutting, an attorney with Reed Smith, an international law firm in Washington DC, USA, and former president of the National Fisheries Institute (USA), reported that shrimp from Thailand were on the list, which will provide a lot of ammunition to groups campaigning against imported shrimp.  The fact is that by far the majority of American importers and the Thai companies that supply them take strenuous steps to avoid the use of child labor.  Nonetheless, the enforcement of anti-child labor laws in Thailand has not been sufficient for the Department of Labor to take Thai shrimp off the list.

Thai producers and importers should find out why the Department of Labor put them on this list and what steps they need to take to get off next year’s list.  Thailand has recently updated its labor laws to provide for greater penalties for use of child labor.  It is not clear whether this was taken into consideration for this year’s list.

Source: Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service).  US Includes Shrimp from Thailand on List of Products Produced with Child Labor.  John Sackton.  Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 1-781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com).  September 10, 2009.

United Kingdom

The Shrimp Market

If you’re selling shrimp into the UK market, you should read this article (link below).  Not only will it let you know what the competition is doing, it will also bring you up to speed with the product mix and the lingo used to discuss shrimp (prawns) in the UK.  Along with ten pictures of the various products and species marketed in the UK, the article covers the following:

North Atlantic Pink Shrimp

North Atlantic Brown Shrimp

North Atlantic Fresh Shrimp

North Atlantic Langoustine

Warm Water Shrimp

Source: A London Fishmonger.  Which Prawn?  A Simple Guide.  September 14, 2009.

United States

Hawaii—Salmon Hydrolysates Work as Feeding Stimulants

Abstract: This research describes a protocol for testing feeding stimulants on Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.  Thirty-five rectangular tanks (55 liters each) served as the test system into which ten shrimp (5 to 6 grams each) were stocked.  Each tank contained two bowls.  One bowl contained 25 pellets of the reference diet and the other bowl contained 25 pellets of the test diet, which was the reference diet with one test ingredient added.  After one hour, the researchers counted the number of pellets remaining in the bowls.

Each of the four test diets contained a different hydrolysate made from by-products of the Alaska salmon processing industry, included at 50 grams per kilogram.  A fifth commercial shrimp diet was also tested.  Each diet was tested against the reference diet over a four-day period in seven replicate tanks.

All the hydrolysates tested were found to act as feeding stimulants.

Source: Journal of the World Aquaculture Society.  Validation of a Feeding Stimulant Bioassay Using Fish Hydrolysates for the Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.  Michael Grey (Aquatic Feeds and Nutrition Department, The Oceanic Institute, 41-202 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo, Hawaii 96795, USA), Ian Forster, Warren Dominy, Harry Ako and Andrew F. Giesen.  Volume 40, Number 4, Page 547, August 2009.

United States

Louisiana—Shrimp Fishermen Discuss Shrimp Marketing Strategies

The Associated Press reports:

On September 8, 2009, The Louisiana Shrimp Task Force held its first meeting designed to help Louisiana’s ailing shrimp industry brand and market local shrimp.  Governor Bobby Jindal created the task force after shrimpers protested on the state Capitol steps twice, complaining about low shrimp prices.

“Our people are at an end.  We need something quick,” said Clint Guidry, with the Louisiana Shrimp Association.

Members of the task force said their agencies are looking to boost inspections to make sure foreign shrimp isn’t being mixed with local shrimp and then marketed as a local product and to make sure foreign shrimp don’t contain potentially dangerous additives.

Representative Joe Harrison (Republican-Napoleonville) said the task force should also look at encouraging federal price supports for shrimp and should consider ways to investigate allegations of false advertising of foreign shrimp as a Louisiana product.

The task force includes representatives from the governor’s office, the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the attorney general’s office and the state agriculture, wildlife and fisheries, health, labor and economic development departments.  Representatives from the shrimp industry will be added.

Source: NOLA.com.  Shrimp Marketing Strategies Discussed by New Task Force.  September 8, 2009.

United States

New Hampshire—Cobalt Blue Lobster

The Associated Press reports:

At first, New Hampshire lobsterman Bill Marconi thought he had caught a shiny blue beer can in his trap.  It turns out it was a rare, cobalt blue lobster.  On August 19, 2009, the 52-year-old lobsterman was out hauling 400 traps with his son when he snared the 1 1/2-pound lobster between his dock and the Isle of Shoals, about six miles off the coast.

New England Aquarium Research Director Mike Tlusty (mtlusty@neaq.org) says only one in five million lobsters are blue.

Marconi donated his lobster to the Seacoast Science Center.

Sources: Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service).  NH fisherman snares rare, cobalt blue lobster.  Ken Coons (phone 1-781-861-1441, email kencoons@seafood.com).  Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 1-781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com).  August 24, 2009.  2. SFgate.com.  Day In Pictures.  Obviously One of Those “Cold Activated” Lobsters.  Picture, Geoff Cunningham.  August 24, 2009.

United States

Washington DC—The End of Bonding

The Wall Street Journal reports:

In August 2009, the Federal Court of International Trade struck down a bit of stealth protectionism that made shrimp more expensive for American consumers.

The case involves the bonds the USA Customs service required importers to post to guarantee payment of duties.  Ordinarily the bonds consisted of a flat fee plus a percentage of the total amount of duty the importer expects to have to pay at the end of the year.  But starting in 2005, the Commerce Department slapped dumping duties on these imports—itself a form of protectionism—and Customs officials started to worry that importers wouldn’t pay the higher duties.  So Customs changed the calculation for shrimp imports from Brazil, China, Ecuador, India, Thailand and Vietnam and raised the required bond to 100% or more of the expected dumping duty amounts.

Judge Timothy C. Stanceau struck down that decision on grounds that it was arbitrary and capricious.  The Customs move had effectively forced shrimp importers to obtain cripplingly high credit lines, often backed by collateral that couldn’t then be used to secure loans to reinvest in their businesses.  Some USA shrimp importers were forced out of business by the added expense.

Source: The Wall Street Journal.  Shrimp Trade Cocktail/A Judge De-veins Protectionism.  September 7, 2009.

United States

Washington State—Ken Talley on Shrimp Imports

There is plenty of shrimp to be had, but the consumer is buying less even through prices for major shrimp items are down.

Overall import volume through June is about the same as last year at this time, down only 0.9% to 515.8 million pounds.  On a monthly basis, though, imports are gaining momentum.  In June, imports hit 94.3 million pounds, up 5% and the best gain in at least three years.

One reason shrimp is beginning to move to the USA market is that the USA economy is showing more strength than many other markets.  This shows that the world economy is in dire straits if the USA is the beacon in the storm. The underlying problem is the lack of demand.  Consumers are not buying shrimp, even though shrimp is attractively priced.  The average import price for shrimp was $3.10 a pound, a drop of 2.2% from last year.

Source: Seafood Trend Newsletter (independent coverage of the seafood market since 1984), 8227 Ashworth Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98103-4434, USA (phone 1-206-523-2280, fax 1-206-526-8719, email seafoodtrend@aol.com).  Editor, Ken Talley.  August 24, 2009.

Vietnam

Job—Aquaculture Nutrition Research Manager

Nong Lam University and Novus International have constructed an aquaculture research and development center on the university’s campus in Ho Chi Minh City.  Novus is currently recruiting an aquaculture scientist to coordinate nutrition research at the center.  Salary: Competitive package, commensurate with experience.  Closing date: November 16, 2009.

Qualifications: Candidates should have a PhD in aquaculture nutrition, health or related field (or equivalent experience) and a track record demonstrating research capabilities and a knowledge of aquatic animal nutrition, health, physiology and husbandry.

Job Description: Candidates should have experience with development of formulations and production of feeds for experimental trials with aquatic animals.  Candidates will be expected to develop statistically sound experimental designs and oversee feeding trials with fish and shrimp.

Information: Dr. Craig Browdy (phone 1-843-793-7610, email craig.browdy@novusint.com, webpage http://www.novusint.com).  Interviews can be arranged at World Aquaculture 2009 (Veracruz, Mexico, September 25, 2009) and Asian Pacific Aquaculture 2009 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, November 3-6, 2009).

Source: AquaNic (The Aquaculture Network Information Center, a gateway to the world’s electronic aquaculture resources).  Jobs Directory in cooperation with the WAS Employment Service.  Search jobs.  Aquaculture Nutrition Research Manager (http://aquanic.org/jobs/jobinfo.asp?jobid=3229).  September 18, 2009.

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