additional information regarding gulf seafood in pet foods

8/7/2019 Additional Information Regarding Gulf Seafood in Pet Foods

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Additional Information Regarding Gulf Seafood in Pet

Foods

February 2, 2011

At Daybrook Fisheries, one of the two Menhaden fish meal and oil processors in the Gulf

of Mexico, product safety is our primary concern. We understand the importance of thequestions raised concerning Gulf of Mexico fish-based ingredients on Petfood-

Connection.com and offer the following in response:

First and foremost the petfood industry can rest assured that Daybrook values the petfood

business and will prioritize their safety concerns and tonnage requirements, you willreceive fishmeal and it will be tested to comply with known contaminant limits.

1) PETFOOD VOLUME: The US petfood industry is a very large consumer of

menhaden meal but still only makes up about 25-35% of the total annual menhaden

fishmeal sales. All contracted sales to date have received timely shipments and nobodyhas had any shipment problems.



2) FISHING: Fishing is continuing and has thru-out the Deep-water Horizon oil spill;

however it has been restricted to areas away from any oil impact zones. Daybrook only

fishes in open areas that have been tested by the NOAA Fisheries Service found to befree of contamination. Additionally EPA is testing water quality and Louisiana

departments of Health and Hospitals as well as Wildlife and Fisheries are routinely

analyzing the seafood throughout our fishing areas and none have found any results of concerning levels.

3) SAFETY CONCERNS: No fish are being caught in closed areas. No fish kills have

been reported; menhaden are filter feeders and are not being observed in areas of oil. We

are testing our catch and have not found any concerning results. Weekly samples of fishmeal production are submitted to an outside certified laboratory for testing

contamination elements related to the oil spill. Analysis for individual polycyclic

aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and total aliphatic hydrocarbons with detection limitsdown to the ppm and ppb levels have shown very low levels or below detection levels.

While regulatory authorities have not set maximum limits on most of the PAH’s, the EU

has set a limit for both fresh and smoked fish for human consumption on one PAH,Benzo(a)pyrene, and all of our tests have shown that this chemical is below detectionlimits. The US has set some criteria for reopening closed fishing areas which covers 8

different PAH’s and all of our results are 1 to 4 orders of magnitude below those limits or

below detection limits.

4) US FISHMEAL INDUSTRY: There are two companies operating four menhaden

processing plants in the Gulf and one on the Atlantic. Two of the Gulf plants “traditional

fishing grounds” have been closed by federal and state authorities. Until such time that

they are re-opened those boats will travel much further west in order to fish. Theincreased travel time and greater competition in the reduced open areas has led to a

decrease in the catch.

5) PRODUCTION VOLUME: The menhaden industry normally produces between

150,000 and 200,000 ST of meal and 70,000 to 100,000 ST of oil per year over the pastdecade. The global production is typically around 6 million MT of meal and 1 million

MT of oil so the US only makes up about 3% of the world’s meal and 7+% of the world’s

oil.

6) BOTTOM LINE: Neither the petfood manufacturers nor consumers should have any

concern about the supply or safety of Menhaden fishmeal. There is no doubt that this

catastrophe is having a significant impact on our industry but as it relates to the petfood

segment we currently have and expect to continue to have ample supplies of safe, highquality, meal for our friends and loyal customers in the petfood segment.

Scott Herbert

VP - Market Development

Daybrook Holdings



Here's their website: http://www.daybrook.com/

And their disclosure: Based in Louisiana, United States of America, the company was

formerly known as Quinn Menhaden Company ad Petrou Fisheries, Inc., changing itsname to Daybrook Fisheries, Inc. in 1990.

Daybrook Quality Fish Meal and Fish Oil are produced from fresh, whole menhaden fish,

to meet the requirements of petfoods. Our process applies modern temperature controlled

technology to produce highly digestible fish meal. Daybrook is the only Menhaden FishMeal producer to provide our Quality Fish Meal with Natural Antioxidant to the

specifications of the Petfood Formulators and Processors. For High Quality Petfood:

Specially Manufactured for the Petfood Industry, Daybrook L.T. Menhaden Fish Meal is

produced from fresh, whole menhaden fish, cooked, pressed to remove water and oil, andthen carefully dried using a multi-stage drying system incorporating the state-of-the-art

L.T. (Low Temperature) Hetland dryer technology. After drying, the L.T. Fish Meal is

cooled, deboned, finely ground and cured. Daybrook L.T. Menhaden Fish Meal is anExtremely Digestible (see our Dilute Pepsin Digestibility percentage) High Quality Fish

Meal and Specially Treated with Natural Antioxidant according to the specifications of

Formulators & Processors for Maximum Results in Petfoods.

Sustainable Tradition Since 1898

Phone

E-mail +1-973-538-6766

[email protected]

DAYBROOK Quality Menhaden Fish Meal

Typical Analysis (*)

Chemical composition

Protein 60 - 64 %

Fat 10 - 14 %

Ash 18 - 20 %

Moisture 6 - 10 %

Dilute Pepsin Digestibility 90 - 95 %

Sand < 1 %

http://www.daybrook.com/

http://www.daybrook.com/



Salt < 3 %

Histamine < 500 ppm

Rich source of Omega-3 in Fat (% in FFA) 35 - 37 %

*) Typical Analysis is for information purpose only and is not guaranteed by Daybrook.

Composition and quality of products may vary during the season and between seasons.

DAYBROOK L.T. Menhaden Fish Meal



Protein 62 - 66 %

Fat 8 - 12 %

Ash 16 - 19 %

Moisture 6 - 10 %


Sand < 1 %

Salt < 3 %

Histamine < 400 ppm


Amino Acids (approx. % of DM)

Alanine 4.0

Arginine 3.7

Aspartic acid 5.8

Glutamic acid 8.4

Glycine 4.5

Isoleucine 2.6



Leucine 4.5

Lysine 5.0

Methionine 1.8

Phenylalanine 2.4

Proline 3.0

Serine 3.6

Threonine 2.4

Tyrosine 1.9

Valine 3.1


DAYBROOK L.T. Menhaden Fish Meal

with Natural Antioxidant



Protein 61 - 64 %

Fat 10 - 12 %

Ash 17 - 20 %

Moisture 6 - 8 %


Sand < 1 %

Salt < 3 %

Histamine < 400 ppm






DAYBROOK Quality Menhaden Fish Oil


Quality

Free Fatty Acid 1 - 3 %

Unsaponifiable Matter 2 - 3 %

Moisture & Impurities < 1 %

Colour Gardner 11 - 13

Iodine Value 150 - 180

Peroxide Value < 5 meq/kg

Anisidine < 10

Totox Value < 20

Rich source of Omega-3 (% in FFA) 35 - 37 %



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The worst oil spill in US history has many pet owners wondering if oil contaminated fish

will ultimately end up in pet foods. The Alabama Press-Register says yes Menhaden fish

from the Gulf of Mexico do end up in pet food, however the fish has been tested safe.

I report this information to pet owners with a great deal of hesitation. Living in Florida, Ican tell you the Gulf Oil Spill was a daily topic of conversation with friends and family

during the spring and summer this year. This spill remains a serious concern for most

who live in the Gulf states regardless if the spill has been capped and fallen out of

reporting favor for mainstream media. Where did all that oil go?

While many have suspected that Gulf fish during and after the spill have been processed

into pet food, a recent article found on Al.com confirms that Menhaden fish - sourced



from the Gulf of Mexico - do indeed become pet food ingredients. Journalist Katherine

Sayre interviewed several individuals that all claim the fish to be safe.

Some quotes from Sayre's article:

"Federal scientists say fish and marine mammals are capable of metabolizing oils and getting rid of them, unlike a substance such as mercury, which accumulates throughout

the food chain."

"This was a deepwater spill," said Steve Wilson, chief quality officer for the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s seafood inspection program. "In general, the

fish tended to avoid the area, or when they did swim through, they did not maintain that

contamination for long at all — at most, two days."

"Omega Protein uses spotter planes to locate schools in the water, and ships venture out

with nets to scoop them up using what’s known as a purse seine. It lists among its

customers Hill’s Science Diet, a pet food producer; Smart Balance, maker of butter blends; and agriculture industry giants Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland, according to a June 2010 company presentation filed with the Securities and Exchange

Commission."

Spokesman for Omega Protein Ben Landry states "Nothing came back that would causeany concern either in our own testing or state or federal government testing," Landry

said. "The products we’re making are completely safe." (Regarding testing of fish.)

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/10/oil_spill_gulf_menhaden.html

I find the statements of fish from the Gulf being 'completely safe' hard to believe.Billions of gallons of oil, including tons of chemical disbursement was dumped into the

Gulf of Mexico. The true extent of the damage won't be learned for years, if ever. I amthankful the beautiful beaches near me have not seen tar balls, however I am confident

the chain reaction of oil and chemicals will take its toll on all wildlife that resides in/or

near the Gulf of Mexico.

Even though Federal scientists and Gulf fishing industries are telling the public the fish isperfectly safe, I continue to have doubts. If your pets food contains a Menhaden fish

meal, as always, watch them closely. We must remain diligent in watching our pets

behaviors, eating and elimination habits. They do give us signs that a pet food might be

problematic; we need to listen.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton

Truth about Pet Food





Petsumer Report

www.TruthaboutPetFood.com

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/scientists-say-gulf-fish-used-for-pet-food-

safe.html

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Omega Protein Inc. News & Media

October 03, 2010

In wake of BP oil spill, scientists track a fish used for pet foods, supplements

MOBILE, Alabama -- For consumers, the health of the Gulf fish population influences

more than the price of a fried shrimp basket or the availability of a buttery plate of grouper.

In the wake of the BP oil spill, scientists are closely monitoring the unassuming

menhaden — more commonly known as pogy — which has wound its way into a web of

products on dry land.

Millions of pounds of the shiny, oily fish are hauled from the Gulf each year, processed

into meal and oils that end up in food for pets, dairy cows and farm-raised salmon, fish

oil pills and butter substitutes on the grocery shelf.

A nitrogen-rich liquid leftover from cooking and draining menhaden even fertilizesorange trees on Florida citrus farms, according to one major processor.

"Chances are, you’re encountering menhaden products in your everyday life," said Ben

Landry, spokesman for Omega Protein, which operates 4 menhaden processing plants in

the U.S., including one in Moss Point.

Federal scientists say fish and marine mammals are capable of metabolizing oils andgetting rid of them, unlike a substance such as mercury, which accumulates throughout

the food chain.

"This was a deepwater spill," said Steve Wilson, chief quality officer for the NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s seafood inspection program. "In general, thefish tended to avoid the area, or when they did swim through, they did not maintain that

contamination for long at all — at most, two days."

Like other species, harvested menhaden are undergoing a 2-step testing process, withofficials both smelling the catch and testing for chemicals.

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/

http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/scientists-say-gulf-fish-used-for-pet-food-safe.html


http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/





Wilson said because tests of menhaden — which tend to move around and swim away

from problems in the water — have been favorable, there is even less concern over theproducts that are made from the fish.

About 1.4 billion pounds of menhaden were caught in the Gulf last year, according to

federal statistics. A majority of the harvest came off the coasts of Mississippi and

Louisiana, with fewer captured along Alabama and Texas, according to the Gulf StatesMarine Fisheries Commission.

Omega Protein uses spotter planes to locate schools in the water, and ships venture out

with nets to scoop them up using what’s known as a purse seine.

As many as 6 million fish are processed at the Moss Point plant in a single day, company

officials said.

It lists among its customers Hill’s Science Diet, a pet food producer; Smart Balance,

maker of butter blends; and agriculture industry giants Cargill and Archer Daniels

Midland, according to a June 2010 company presentation filed with the Securities and

Exchange Commission.

Landry said that in addition to state and federal sampling, Omega Protein has conducted

its own tests of both the menhaden catch and its processed products. He said the company

found no problems, even at the height of the spill.

In some cases, Omega Protein’s customers have even done their own testing, he said.

"Nothing came back that would cause any concern either in our own testing or state or federal government testing," Landry said. "The products we’re making are completely

safe."

Scientists say the key concern is not contamination, but whether the menhadenpopulation overall will decline after the Gulf oil spill.

Joseph Smith, a fisheries biologist at NOAA’s Beaufort Laboratory in North Carolina,

said that within a natural system, there can be shifts in numbers. "The question is," he

said, "will we see a change in this stock that’s above and beyond the normal, natural

variability in stock size?"

If menhaden died off, the damage could ripple toward consumers.

The fish meal and oil industry overall has supplied protein for poultry feeds, additives in

cosmetics, and materials for industrial lubricants.



Government regulators say Gulf menhaden are not overfished, though scientists have

questioned the possible impact of removing so many from the Gulf ecosystem each year.

Menhaden are among the most important prey items in the Gulf, consumed by dozens of different species including bigger fish and sea birds. They swim in massive schools and

filter feed plankton from the water.

Landry said a significant portion of the available fishing grounds in the Gulf were

shutdown in mid-July and began reopening in mid-August.

"Honestly, the population, as reported by our spotter planes and our captains has beenthat there are a tremendous amount of fish out there," he said. "Now again, this is

anecdotal, but a lot of these captains have 30-plus years experience...We’re hearing

there’s a lot out there."

The commercial fishing season closes Nov. 1 — as menhaden begin their critical

spawning season.

http://www.omegaproteininc.com/news/press/100310-42/in-wake-of-bp-oil-spill-

scientists-track-a-fish-used-for-pet-foods-suppleme.aspx

Fish Larvae Hold Clues for Gulf Scientists

Summary

Scientists in the Gulf of Mexico are trying to determine the recent BP oil spill's impact on

the area's ecosystem by testing an organism that's very low on the food chain: fish larvae.

By testing menhaden, a type of fish prized for its oil that is also a major source of foodfor Gulf predators, scientists gain unique insight into how the oil seep has affected thechain of organisms in the region's waters.

The scientists lower nets all the way down into the Gulf in three precise, different

locations. The nets collect the larvae that are then transferred to a lab at East CarolinaUniversity, where students test and document the fish's development.

Researchers are especially interested in how oil and chemicals from oil dispersants might

affect a fish's genetic makeup. As the building blocks of the animal's development, genes

are essential to the continuation of the species and hold clues about how future oil spills

could affect fish and other Gulf wildlife.

The researchers at East Carolina University hope to publish the results of their study next

summer and use them to help animals weather future man-made disasters that may occur

in Gulf waters.

Quotes

http://www.omegaproteininc.com/news/press/100310-42/in-wake-of-bp-oil-spill-scientists-track-a-fish-used-for-pet-foods-suppleme.aspx






"The adults have probably been exposed much of the oil throughout the spill region, and

if there's any oil still left around in the surface waters, then most likely their eggs andlarvae, which are spawning right now, would be exposed." - Anthony Overton, East

Carolina University

"It's possible that what we could do is be able to give some information back to the

people who are deciding about the way to deal with oil spills, as to what the bestapproach might be. Should we use dispersants, what effect is that going to have?" - Ed

Stellwag, East Carolina University

Warm Up Questions

1. What are larvae?

2. What happened in the Gulf of Mexico last spring that had a major effect on itsecosystem?

3. What is research? Why is it important?

Discussion Questions

1. Why might it be more valuable for scientists to study larvae instead of adult fish

species? Why do you think the East Carolina scientists decided to study the menhadenspecies in particular?

2. Why do you think scientists are studying the effects of oil on zebrafish alongside themenhaden fish? How would this help their experiment succeed?

3. If you were going to study the effects of a chemical or manmade disaster on a species

in your area, what species would you study? Why?

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/video/blog/2011/01/fish_larvae_hold_clues_for_gul.

html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/video/blog/2011/01/fish_larvae_hold_clues_for_gul.html




additional information regarding gulf seafood in pet foods

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