Tropical Surimi Performance Improvement

Surimi, a ground fish protein ingredient, has been used in seafood dishes for nearly 1,000 years. Today, the tropical surimi fisheries of Southeast Asia, India, Pakistan, and China account for 90% of tropical surimi products, using more than 100 species to produce fish balls, crabsticks, and other ingredients that are widely consumed across Asia, in Europe, Russia, and the United States.

Unlike their coldwater surimi counterparts, tropical surimi fisheries face extensive sustainability threats. Relatively few have earned certification or a Best Choice rating by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program. These fisheries are typically rated Avoid by Seafood Watch or, most likely, have not even been assessed.

Understanding the performance challenges facing multispecies surimi fisheries is a critical step toward performance improvement. The Production of Surimi and Surimi Seafood From Tropical Fish – A Landscape View of the Industry provides a comprehensive look at these challenges. Tropical Surimi Supply at Risk is a companion document, providing an executive overview of the report’s key findings for surimi businesses.

The Collaboration has published a roadmap for tropical surimi sustainability performance improvement, see links to the report below.