Fisheries

PERENNIA WORKS WITH COMPANIES IN THE FISHERIES SECTOR IN THE FOLLOWING KEY AREAS:

PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND SEAFOOD QUALITY

Our team provides expert technical advice and information on:

• Seafood handling/processing review, support, and optimization
• Seafood technology R&D, education, resources, and training

Nova Scotia Seafood Quality Program

Nova Scotia seafood exporters can now join the Nova Scotia Seafood Quality Program (NSSQP), a program developed under the Nova Scotia Seafood brand, initiated by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and developed and managed by Université Sainte-Anne and Perennia.

This program promotes high-quality standards within the Nova Scotia seafood supply chain and enhances our international reputation for premium quality seafood.

Obtaining certification under the Nova Scotia Seafood Quality Program will not only provide you with guidance and extension support to improve the quality of seafood products but will strengthen business relationships and open access to new markets. You will be licenced to use the “Nova Scotia Seafood” brand for marketing purposes, receive customized marketing support, and be promoted as a Nova Scotia Seafood Ambassador, which communicates to customers your integrity as a supplier and your commitment to manufacturing seafood products at the highest quality.

Learn more and apply to the NSSQP.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Our science team, based at Perennia’s Innovation Centre in Bible Hill, offers a range of services to assist clients in developing new seafood products or overcoming technical obstacles to improve current products.

• New product concept ideation and development of seafood products
• Expert technical support and information
• Packaging solutions
• Bioprocessing of marine-derived products
• Benchtop prototyping and technology transfer
• Technical guidance through scale-up and commercialization
• Shelf-life determination (sensory, chemical and microbiological testing)

Nova Scotia Seafood Accelerator Program

Funding is available to help companies:

• Improve current seafood value-added products. Do you have products either in market or a ready-to-commercialize prototype with a waiting market? We can help overcome technical obstacles such as shelf life extension, packaging solutions, nutritional labelling and more.
• Develop new seafood products. We first conduct a market validation study to ensure your product concept will be successful in the retail market. We then help with ingredient sourcing, recipe refinement and prototype development to bring your idea to reality.
• Access new markets through obtaining a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) certification

This program is funded under the provincial Building for Tomorrow Fund and is available until March 31, 2023. Intake is ongoing while funds are available. Projects must be completed by March 31 in the year they are approved, so early application is recommended.

For more program information or to apply for funding, click here.

FOOD SAFETY

Our quality and food safety specialists can help you maintain and access new markets and have been working in the seafood sector for over five years.

Retailers are increasingly requesting that food suppliers have a certification to a national or international food safety and quality standard. In many cases, having a certain certification opens a world of new markets, accelerating sales and business growth both locally and globally. We can help you assess where you are now with your food safety program, coach you to attain the next level, and prepare you for being audited.

We offer support with:

• BRC, QMP and SQF certification and annual audit preparation
• QFS general guidance, program development and implementation
• Assessments (gap, CanadaGAP, pre-audits, internal audits)
• Assistance with addressing Corrective Actions
• Export plans with interpretation of federal regulations
• Training and educational resources

Training

Perennia offers a number of online and customized industry training sessions for the seafood and agriculture sectors. See here for current offerings.

Resources

Our Quality and Food Safety specialists have developed a suite of fact sheets, videos, and other educational material.  Nova Scotia based seafood producers may use these resources to advance their skills for safe and successful food production and processing operations.

Our latest publication A Quality and Food Safety Guide for Seafood Processors developed to assist seafood companies in improving their existing quality and food safety management systems. It covers continuous improvement, food defense, food fraud, environmental monitoring, corrective action plans and more. See our full list of Quality and Food Safety Resources.

Let us know if there are additional resources that would help you or your staff interpret existing regulations, access new markets, develop new products or improve food your safety programs.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

Our team is available to industry for consulting services or project management support.

• Seafood waste utilization
• Under-utilized species development
• Identifying funding and project partnerships opportunities
• Product development or refinement
• Accessing or maintaining retail markets

Contact us to see how we can work together!