History

Port Fish was brought into the Leader Group in 1997. Primary production of hake surimi was expanded to include processing lines for H&GT (headed & gutted, tail-off), fillets, and mince. Arrowtooth Flounder (H&GT and fillets) is produced during the hake off-season. Today the plant processes approximately 55 million pounds of fresh fish annually employing more than 250 skilled workers.

Operations

Our fishing fleet delivers fresh chilled fish daily which is unloaded, graded, weighed, and re-iced into insulated totes at our dock to retain freshness prior to processing. The plant is equipped with modern surimi equipment, filleting machines, H&GT machines, 8 vertical plate freezers, 2 blast freezers, and an IQF tunnel freezer to ensure rapid and efficient processing from catch to shipping containers. Quality is our corporate cornerstone, evidenced by satisfied customers worldwide.

Products

The product mix includes Pacific Whiting (Hake) processed into surimi blocks, H&GT interleaved blocks, dimensional mince blocks, and IQF fillets. We also produce H&GT blocks, and IQF fillets made from Arrowtooth Flounder. Our new factory trawler, Viking Enterprise, produces Hake, Arrowtooth Flounder, Pacific Ocean Perch, and other Rockfish species which are H&GT processed, frozen, and packed at sea for ultimate freshness and quality.

NOTE: Surimi is a refined fish protein paste used by customers in many countries to make products such as imitation crab and other analogues, fish cakes, and fiske pudding. It can also be added to fish soups and other gastronomic delicacies. Sugar and sorbitol are added to the pure fish protein as cryoprotectants to maintain important gel strength during frozen storage.

Technology

At Port Fish we use advanced systems that yield optimum meat recoveries necessary to compete in the world protein market. Port Fish pioneered the use of surimi decanter technology increasing yields by more than 30%. Our factory trained technicians maintain our equipment and continually devise efficient innovations to our process lines giving increased value to our production. We invite customers to be involved in the production process of products tailored to their needs.

Viking Enterprise: FAS – H&GT

Our new factory trawler, Viking Enterprise, lands FAS (frozen at sea) fish processed on board for supreme freshness and quality. It uses state of the art equipment to process, size grade, plate freeze, and pack H&GT (headed & gutted, tail-off) fish in woven poly bags before stowing in low temperature storage.

Port Fish Plant: Surimi, H&GT, Fillets, and Mince

Our plant is located at the head of the Alberni Inlet on Vancouver Island adjacent to richly sustained fishing grounds. We are EU certified under the scrutiny of the Canadian Fish Inspection Agency and maintain full QMPR (HAACP) quality standards. Fish are landed at the plant within hours of catching and processed rapidly into surimi, H&GT, IQF fillets, or mince depending on current market demand.

Catches that we supply are:

1. Hake (Pacific Whiting)
2. Arrowtooth Flounder
3. Pacific Ocean Perch
4. Rougheye Rockfish
5. Pollock

Fish Processed by Port Fish