Wild, Sustainable, Available.
Wild
The inshore watermen work over 630,000 acres of water that include the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. In addition, offshore fishermen harvest fish and shellfish from Virginia’s coastal waters and the Atlantic Corridor. From these prolific waters come 50 commercially-valuable species. Among the traditional species in order of economic value, are Oysters, Blue Crab, Sea Scallops, Menhaden, Clams, Summer Flounder, Striped Bass, Spot, Black Sea Bass, and Blue Catfish. Less traditional species, such as conch, eel, dogfish and ark clams are harvested for international markets.
Sustainable
Watermen and processors answer to a number of state laws, federal laws and environmental regulations to ensure there will be seafood for current customers and future generations. The Potomac River Fisheries Commission, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, FDA, USDA and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission all manage our fisheries.
Available
The Virginia seafood industry is one of the Commonwealth’s largest industries with an annual economic impact of over a half billion dollars. Virginia is the nation’s third largest producer of marine products and ranks as the largest production state on the East Coast. Approximately 6000 Virginians work on the water and over 200 seafood companies have their headquarters in Virginia.
Ports are open year round with key transportation centers offering daily air transportation and freight services all over the world. Within 24 hours, a fleet of refrigerated trucks and planes deliver seafood to our customers.