What are seafood's greatest game-changing moments?

The Fish Stick -- The frozen fish finger, or fish stick, perhaps the most popular seafood ever created, was first produced in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in the United Kingdom in a Birds Eye food factory in 1955. Before its nationwide launch on September 26, 1955, inventor Clarence Birdseye, an American scientist, tested prototype products in two areas:

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - Chile and Peru are considered the true parents of the exclusive economic zone, restrictive maritime areas of 200 miles. During the 1970s, establishment of EEZs around the world effectively launched the modern fishing era, spurring the construction of massive fishing fleets and boosting seafood supplies.

Salmon Farming -- A new industry that began in the late '60s and early '70s has grown to become a major force in the supply of seafood. Salmon farmers around the world produce millions of metric tons of the popular fish, which is sold in markets thorughout the world. Salmon is considered by many to be one of aquaculture's greatest success stories.

The Dawn of Shrimp Farming -- Commercial shrimp farming began in the 1970s, and production grew steeply to match the market demands of the U.S., Japan and Europe. Today, millions of tons of farmed shrimp are produced all over the word and sold in dozens of countries, making shrimp one of the most consumed seafoods on the planet. Photo: Pescanova

Magnuson Act -- The U.S. Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 -- named for Sen. Warren Magnuson (pictured) -- established a 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Regional Fishery Management Councils to manage and promote fishing in U.S. federal waters. The U.S. Congress later passed two major sets of amendments to the law, first with the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 and then 10 years later with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006.

Surimi -- For more than nine centuries surimi has been a part of the Asian diet. Surimi industrial technology developed by Japan in the early 1960s promoted the growth of the modern surimi industry. The successful growth of the industry was based on the Alaska pollock. Today, surimi seafood products are sold around the world, with major markets in Europe, Japan and the United States. The development of surimi seafood represents a milestone in the application of technology in the seafood industry. The explosion in surimi seafood's popularity coincides with expansion of the U.S. pollock factory trawler fleet in Alaska.

The International Boston Seafood Show -- Today we take for granted the annual pilgrimage to Boston in March and Brussels in April for the two most popular seafood trade events in the world. The first show occurred in 1983 in Boston, and both events are cornerstones of the global seafood culture.

Norwegian antidumping duty -- Seafood antidumping duties are commonplace today, but the source of this trend dates back to 1991, when the United States imposed antidumping duties on Norwegian salmon imports. Ultimately, the move did little to help the U.S. salmon farming industry. It did, however, bolster Chile's fledgling salmon farming sector and helped U.S. wild salmon interests distinguish their product in global markets.

Pin-Bone-Out Salmon Fillet -- The arrival of the pine-bone-out (PBO) salmon fillet changed the U.S. and other salmon markets forever. Perfected by the Chileans, PBO fillets became the dominant product form in the 1990s and led to the evolution of an array of value-added salmon forms.

The Sustainable Seafood Movement -- The sustainable seafood movement traces its beginnings back to 1996 when Unilever and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) began discussions on how best to assure the long-term sustainability of global fish stocks. The talks led to the creation of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world's first eco-label provider. Around that time, The Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA) was unveiling its wallet-size card to guide consumers toward purchasing sustainable seafood. Using a simple green (good choice), yellow (caution) and red (avoid) color system the Seafood Watch cards advise consumers which seafood options are most sustainable. Combined, these two events mark the beginning of the sustainable seafood movement.

Omega-3 -- Although omega-3 fatty acids have been known as essential to normal growth and health since the 1930s, awareness of their health benefits has dramatically increased in the past few years. The heart-health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids were discovered in the 1970s by researchers studying the Greenland Eskimos, who consumed large amounts of fat from seafood, but displayed virtually no cardiovascular disease. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave

Rise of Tilapia and Pangasius -- considered by many as the second wave of aquaculture, the recent rise of pangasius and tilapia has changed the global whitefish market. Over 3 million tons of tilapia and 1 million tons of pangasius are produced annually. This compares with about 2.5 million metric tons of farmed salmon and 3.5 million metric tons of farmed shrimp.

The Rise of China -- China is one of the most powerful forces in seafood, both as a market and as a center of seafood processing. China's global seafood trade reached $16 billion in 2008, approximately the same value as that of Japan. China's global seafood trade is growing 10 percent a year. Continued growth in China's seafood trade is expected to come mainly from increased imports, as the world's largest seafood market boosts demand.

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What are seafood's greatest game-changing moments?

The Fish Stick -- The frozen fish finger, or fish stick, perhaps the most popular seafood ever created, was first produced in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in the United Kingdom in a Birds Eye food factory in 1955. Before its nationwide launch on September 26, 1955, inventor Clarence Birdseye, an American scientist, tested prototype products in two areas:

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - Chile and Peru are considered the true parents of the exclusive economic zone, restrictive maritime areas of 200 miles. During the 1970s, establishment of EEZs around the world effectively launched the modern fishing era, spurring the construction of massive fishing fleets and boosting seafood supplies.

Salmon Farming -- A new industry that began in the late '60s and early '70s has grown to become a major force in the supply of seafood. Salmon farmers around the world produce millions of metric tons of the popular fish, which is sold in markets thorughout the world. Salmon is considered by many to be one of aquaculture's greatest success stories.

The Dawn of Shrimp Farming -- Commercial shrimp farming began in the 1970s, and production grew steeply to match the market demands of the U.S., Japan and Europe. Today, millions of tons of farmed shrimp are produced all over the word and sold in dozens of countries, making shrimp one of the most consumed seafoods on the planet. Photo: Pescanova

Magnuson Act -- The U.S. Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 -- named for Sen. Warren Magnuson (pictured) -- established a 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Regional Fishery Management Councils to manage and promote fishing in U.S. federal waters. The U.S. Congress later passed two major sets of amendments to the law, first with the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996 and then 10 years later with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006.

Surimi -- For more than nine centuries surimi has been a part of the Asian diet. Surimi industrial technology developed by Japan in the early 1960s promoted the growth of the modern surimi industry. The successful growth of the industry was based on the Alaska pollock. Today, surimi seafood products are sold around the world, with major markets in Europe, Japan and the United States. The development of surimi seafood represents a milestone in the application of technology in the seafood industry. The explosion in surimi seafood's popularity coincides with expansion of the U.S. pollock factory trawler fleet in Alaska.

The International Boston Seafood Show -- Today we take for granted the annual pilgrimage to Boston in March and Brussels in April for the two most popular seafood trade events in the world. The first show occurred in 1983 in Boston, and both events are cornerstones of the global seafood culture.

Norwegian antidumping duty -- Seafood antidumping duties are commonplace today, but the source of this trend dates back to 1991, when the United States imposed antidumping duties on Norwegian salmon imports. Ultimately, the move did little to help the U.S. salmon farming industry. It did, however, bolster Chile's fledgling salmon farming sector and helped U.S. wild salmon interests distinguish their product in global markets.

Pin-Bone-Out Salmon Fillet -- The arrival of the pine-bone-out (PBO) salmon fillet changed the U.S. and other salmon markets forever. Perfected by the Chileans, PBO fillets became the dominant product form in the 1990s and led to the evolution of an array of value-added salmon forms.

The Sustainable Seafood Movement -- The sustainable seafood movement traces its beginnings back to 1996 when Unilever and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) began discussions on how best to assure the long-term sustainability of global fish stocks. The talks led to the creation of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world's first eco-label provider. Around that time, The Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA) was unveiling its wallet-size card to guide consumers toward purchasing sustainable seafood. Using a simple green (good choice), yellow (caution) and red (avoid) color system the Seafood Watch cards advise consumers which seafood options are most sustainable. Combined, these two events mark the beginning of the sustainable seafood movement.

Omega-3 -- Although omega-3 fatty acids have been known as essential to normal growth and health since the 1930s, awareness of their health benefits has dramatically increased in the past few years. The heart-health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids were discovered in the 1970s by researchers studying the Greenland Eskimos, who consumed large amounts of fat from seafood, but displayed virtually no cardiovascular disease. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave

Rise of Tilapia and Pangasius -- considered by many as the second wave of aquaculture, the recent rise of pangasius and tilapia has changed the global whitefish market. Over 3 million tons of tilapia and 1 million tons of pangasius are produced annually. This compares with about 2.5 million metric tons of farmed salmon and 3.5 million metric tons of farmed shrimp.

The Rise of China -- China is one of the most powerful forces in seafood, both as a market and as a center of seafood processing. China's global seafood trade reached $16 billion in 2008, approximately the same value as that of Japan. China's global seafood trade is growing 10 percent a year. Continued growth in China's seafood trade is expected to come mainly from increased imports, as the world's largest seafood market boosts demand.

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Publisher: IntraFish