management questions. In this pro- 

 ject, basic biological information will 

 be collected on bay scallops, clams, 

 New River shrimp and crabs in the 

 Pamlico Sound bays. This information 

 will be combined with economic data 

 including weekly prices, market de- 

 mands and past seasonal patterns in 

 harvesting. With both the biological 

 and economical aspects considered, a 

 system will be developed to answer 

 these questions with relation to each 

 individual species and in overlapping 

 situations, such as clams and scallops. 



In 1981, this team of researchers will 

 be setting up a model for each species 

 mentioned and working with DMF to 

 determine fishery management 

 problems and conflicts. Once in opera- 

 tion in 1982, updated information can 

 be added. 



Seafood harvest and processing is a 

 healthy industry in coastal North 

 Carolina. In 1979, total landings 

 amounted to $60 million. To keep up 

 with technological advances and im- 

 prove economic yield, Sea Grant 

 researchers will be continuing research 

 on four projects. 



Don Hamann, Tyre Lanier and 

 T. S. Lin of the food science depart- 

 ment at NCSU will be experimenting 

 with new minced fish products this 

 year. Underutilized species, such as 

 spot, croaker and mullet, are washed 

 and minced to produce a fish meat 

 called surimi. When combined and 

 processed with shellfish, like shrimp or 

 crabmeat, the end product is not only 

 delicious, but lower in cost. And, with 

 ever increasing seafood prices, an in- 

 expensive alternative is welcomed by 

 people who can't afford, but still want, 

 seafood on their tables. 



During 1980, the researchers 

 received very high marks from several 

 taste panels which sampled surimi 

 shrimp fried, in salads, casseroles and 

 Creole. Seafood processors are also in- 

 terested in the highly nutritional 

 seafood product for fabricated 

 prepared seafoods. New work in this 

 project will include refining processing 

 techniques, developing new food 

 products, and experimenting with new 

 fish species for surimi. 



In related research, Lanier, H. M. 

 Hassan and Frank Thomas have been 

 experimenting with ways to get fresh 

 fish to inlands markets. To achieve 

 this goal, the researchers have been 

 perfecting a method of freezing fresh 

 fish. A frozen product that can withs- 

 tand both shipping and market storage 



also depends upon durable and appeal- 

 ing packaging, a second phase of the 

 project. 



Market surveys conducted during 

 1980 in area supermarkets indicated 

 customers are eager to put fresh frozen 

 fish in their shopping carts. But, by 

 testing a variety of packaging techni- 

 ques, it was determined that ap- 

 pearance is the selling factor in deter- 

 mining whether the consumer picks up 

 the fish or not. Continuing research 

 will include more experimentation in 

 freezing and packaging, including 

 more market tests, to produce a 

 product with a longer shelf life and 

 appeal. 



Waste created in seafood processing 

 plants is and always will be a major 

 problem. Treatment is expensive and 

 often ignored by small seafood 

 businesses along the coast. But, Allen 

 Chao and Jason Shih of NCSU have 



Photo by J . Foster Scott 



found a way to take waste and create a 

 valuable product from it. 



Using techniques developed for 

 poultry waste treatment, they devised 

 an ultrafiltration process in 1980 which 

 traps valuable nutrients. Water and 

 small molecules which pass through 

 the filter are cleaned, and the water 

 can be re-used. The trapped nutrients 

 also have potential for use as supple- 

 ments in animal feed. 



Aquaculture is also respresented in a 

 continuing project. Researchers 

 Howard Kerby and Mel Huish of 

 NCSU have developed a successful 

 culture for raising hybrids from striped 

 bass X white bass and striped bass X 

 white perch. Begun in 1979, this pro- 

 ject has demonstrated that larval bass 

 can be produced in large numbers in 

 tanks and ponds similar to those used 

 at the Aquaculture Demonstration 

 Project. 



From the ocean to the table, seafood is vital to the coastal economy. 



