Pacific Seafood Group

Clackamas, OR, United States

Known to many consumers as Maine lobster, this popular shellfish (Homarus americanus) has been a major resource throughout New England and Atlantic Canada since Colonial times. Today, thanks to careful handling and sophisticated shipping techniques, American lobster is enjoyed from Boston to Beijing. American lobster are found from North Carolina to Labrador, with Maine and Nova Scotia typically being the biggest producers. Two related species are found throughout Europe and off the coast of Norway.

Although its the second most widely consumed shellfish in the world, squid is still a relative newcomer to American seafood cuisine. Still, squid is definitely catching on. Since 1990, U.S. squid imports have soared from 13, 000 metric tons to more than 40, 000 tons. But since the name squid still makes people squeamish, we prefer to call it calamarithe Italian name for squid. More than 2 million metric tons of squid are landed throughout the world. Although almost a hundred species of squid are fished commercially, two species, the Japanese flying squid and the Argentine shortfin squid, account for over half the world harvest. Squid are molluscs, just like clams, mussels and oysters. The difference is squid have an internal shell, which is called a pen. Voracious feeders, squid eat up to 14% of their body weight a day in small fish and other squid.

Although theyre smaller than most warmwater shrimp and account for a similarly sized percentage of global shrimp landings, coldwater or Pandalid shrimp are highly regarded for their affordability, versatility and above all, clean, sweet flavor. On a salad, in a shrimp roll or even as whole cooked peel n eats, they offer an excellent alternative that has more flavor than their warmwater cousins. The worlds total catch of coldwater shrimp has been increasing in recent years; the leading producers are Canada, Greenland, Norway and the United States. Found in the cold waters off northern North America and Northern Europe, coldwater shrimp catches are dominated by two species, Pandalus jordani and Pandalus borealis.