Fisheries Technology and New Opportunities Program funds study of x-ray inspection technology. According to the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture it will provide approximately $89,000 in funding to Cape Mariner Enterprises (CME) in O’Donnells, St. Mary’s Bay, to carry out a study on x-ray inspection technology. It is told that the funding will be provided under the Fisheries Technology and New Opportunities Program which is a component of the Fishing Industry Renewal Strategy.
The department explained that the main aim of this funding is to improve the inspection and removal of shell from cooked whelk (a species of large sea snails) in a commercial environment. The Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, said that the implementation of this technology in the province’s seafood processing industry will be a step forward in the whelk fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador.
He also told that this technology provides an opportunity to increase consumer confidence and send the message that our industry is serious about improving the quality and integrity of our whelk product. It is said that the current method utilized for shell detection and removal of shell from whelk meat in the province is a combination of mechanical and manual effort, followed by a manual inspection operation utilizing four to six inspectors.
Felix Collins, MHA for Placentia-St. Mary’s, opined that this piece of equipment will serve the industry well by enhancing the inspection process and, thus, allowing for increased efficiency and quality. As a result of this process, the company will have a much improved and more valuable product to market. It is informed that this is the second phase in a two phase study. Phase one determined that x-ray technology can identify shell and shell fragments in cooked whelk meat. The project will continue until the spring of 2009.
