Lobster Outlook

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Trade Adjustment Assistance for LOBSTER

Initial Orientation

So –How does seafood, and lobster in particular, fitinto the TAA program?

and

What’s next, in the workshop phase of the TAA program?

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US Seafood Imports and Exports, in billions of USD

US Per Capita Seafood Consumption

Seafood percapita consumptionis leveling, at about14 16 pounds14-16 poundsper year.

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Five states qualified for TAA.The primary reason? Pricedropped (red line), so overallvalue (green line) declinedas well

Challenges to US Lobster Harvesters

-Often landing an undifferentiated product-Lack of direct connection to the marketFew value added products in place-Few value added products in place

-Fuel, bait and other costs are increasing-Little leverage through the distribution chain-Weak economy is negatively effecting the market(80% of lobster is consumed in restaurants)

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Preparing for the future

- Inventory your assetshome, truck, shop, etc

- Inventory your skillselectrical, navigation, hydraulics,

mechanics, business, marketing, etc...

How can these assets and skills be used toHow can these assets and skills be used to improve your existing business? How canthey be used in a new venture?

Intensive Assistance Workshops

- Product Handling and Quality

- Market Outlook

- Marketing and Branding

- Alternate Enterprises

Production Efficiency- Production Efficiency

- Business Models

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Product Handling and Quality

- Why Quality MattersL b t Ph i l- Lobster Physiology

- Hauling and Handling- Traps, Tanks and Transport- Grading

Market Outlook

- What is the overall market picture for lobster productsin the next few years?- What are the major markets for lobster?- What affects price and demand?- What are the major products? Who is buying what?- Where does your lobster go, from boat to plate?- Issues of certification and branding...

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Marketing and Branding

- With lobster being mostly undifferentiated in themarketplace, what can fishermen do to capitalizeon opportunities to improve marketing and branding?

- Community Supported Fisheries- Boat-to-Market strategies- Branding- HACCP requirements

- Case studies will be given to illustrate the value of exploring these ways to get more for your product, and to have a better profile in the marketplace.

Production Efficiency

The goal of this workshop is to help you get the mostof your time on the water, maximizing your efficiencyand profitability.

- Getting the most out of your electronics, such as illustrating your catch and fishing patterns, andtransiting- Effects of trap saturation on the catch, time and effort,capital spent on equipment, and how it all falls out in the bottom line.

- Energy audits: what they are and how they can save you money.

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Business Models

For a group of fishermeng p- Cooperatives- Options for diversification, such as in processing- Community Supported Fisheries

For individualsL b t i i i t- Lobstering as your primary income generator

- Tweaking the ‘year round’ model

Alternate Enterprises

Diversification has been difficult in recent years forfishermen, because of the limits placed on access to

d li it d it il bilit b t di ifi tiresources and limited permit availability, but diversificationis still a point of interest for many fishermen.

- Other marine licensing options such as for tugboats, and what is possible with such licensing- Options in tourism: fishing, birdwatching, whale watches, etc- Shellfish aquaculture- Shellfish aquaculture- How to find resources when planning an alternate enterprise:(permits, financing, business assistance, etc)