Amory Seafood recently received a state grant for $247,000 that will allow the company to increase its processing capacity and purchase more blue catfish from local watermen, supporting local economic growth.
The longstanding Hampton Virginia seafood dealer was awarded the reimbursable grant through the Blue Catfish Processing, Flash Freezing, and Infrastructure Grant Program.
The funding will allow Amory to implement a modern quick freezer and essential packing equipment in its Hampton facility.
Amory Seafood has been operated by the same family for four generations. It harvests, processes, and distributes seafood across the East Coast and other parts of the U.S.
For the past decade, Amory Seafood has been processing wild-caught blue catfish, working with approximately 20 local watermen.
The blue catfish is a stable but unwanted and invasive population, and harvesting them offers a sustainable source of revenue for commercial watermen.
Virginia’s Blue Catfish Processing, Flash Freezing, and Infrastructure Grant Fund was established during the 2023 General Assembly session to address the overpopulation of the blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay.
The program supports the fishery industry around the state and helps to remove an invasive species from Virginia’s waters.
source: City of Hampton Virginia