Gulf Seafood Trace: A Robust Electronic Traceability Program for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Seafood Industry

Demand for seafood is partially driven by market confidence in the product. Confidence is driven by information. Creating assurances about seafood depends on the management and timely access to critical information about the product as it moves through the supply chain - vessel to plate. This information can be shared electronically with buyers, consumers, and other stakeholders for the purposes of innovative marketing, proving regulatory and buyer specification compliance, communicating safety and quality, demonstrating certifications, and improving labeling. A voluntary electronic seafood traceability program called Gulf Seafood Trace was created throughout the summer of 2011 to help drive increased market demand for U.S. Gulf seafood by telling its unique story and ensuring confidence in the market. The program consists of an Electronic Traceability Platform, a Data Quality and Confirmation component, and a Marketing Module. To date, 38 seafood processors and first receivers from Texas to Florida have enrolled in the program and can now deliver critical product information by integrating state trip ticket data, value-added data, marketing information, and other appropriate data. The program also empowers businesses with automated and manual data review of the shared information to confirm the validity of product data and source, which will potentially lead to enhanced market confidence and demand.