Credentials

Most Recent Projects:

Mark was retained and has completed assessment and feasibility reports for the African Sustainable Development LTD Company. Kirun LTD. and Spartik LTD. these SWOT analysis multi-faceted studies were produced for interntional fishery ventures. They called for a progressive investment within the fishery industry. These analyses were produced for the government's citing port development, logistics, and facility construction. Infrastructure and harvesting capabilities have been studied and implemented.

Mark has been involved in establishing a Stone Crab import operation, resourcing from previously undeveloped fisheries in Caribbean nations including Cuba, where no prior commercial fisherys have existed.

Mark has completed a consulting contract with Kirun LTD, a Chinese Surimi production company, advising on facility locations in the United States as well as resource availability and sustainability. His guidance in the utilization of Asian Carp, an invasive species, has been proven to be invaluable.

Mark completed a proprietary seafood production facility in New Bedford, Mass. He designed and built a 22,000 sq.ft. construction project in New Bedford, the second largest grossing seafood port in the U.S. Mark's hands on knowledge and experience with such projects from its' inception, was instrumental in the successful operation and completion of this state of the art seafood production facility. Products processed at this facility are marketed by Campbell's Soup and Progresso Soup.

Testimonial

My professional relationship with Mark Middleton has spanned some 25 years in this industry. As an owner-operator of various enterprises during this time, Mr. Middleton’s astute business sense has allowed him to be successful in an often very difficult business atmosphere. It has been and continues to be our pleasure to work with Mark’s company as an industry consultant. His capacity to establish necessary relationships in solving problematic issues speaks to his results- oriented unique personality. Honestly assessing the successful outcome of any given project presented to him is refreshing.

Verne Conaway
Vice President, Marine Operations
Sea Watch International, Inc.

Testimonial

Seafare Trading and Mark Middleton have provided a professional and knowledgeable consulting plan for my company. Mark's ability to solve and source the neccessary components of our startup was and is most rewarding. "His boots-on-the-ground approach to issuing his advice is straightforward to say the least." Worth his fee!

Connie Lynn
President
Kirun LTD.

Married father of four, and grandfather of six, Mark Middleton's life has been full of rich experiences. Growing up in New York City and Long Island, Mark was always close to the sea and felt the calling when he joined the Merchant Marines. Sailing the east coast as well as International waters Mark served for two years working for U.S. Lines and Moore-McCormick.

Upon returning from sea, Mark then attended college and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics in 1972.

Mark again felt the sea calling again and was hired by the Shelter Island Oyster Company on Long Island New York as an office manager and was quickly promoted to general manager. Mark's responsibilities included; complete facility and vessel oversight, in house payroll system, marketing and merchandising input on a complete line of fresh, frozen, and canned products. Additionally, Mark was instrumental in creating a new export division and participated in the sister company's Modern Oyster Company, Inc., aquaculture project. This project was an integrated shellfish grow-out and transplant operation on 1300 acres of company owned underwater lands.

Mark Middleton formed and served as President of Seafare Trading Co., Inc. This partnership served as an international seafood export company, primarily for tuna marketed and shipped overnight to the Japanese market.

Mark went on to form an additional company in 1982 when he established and served as President and CEO of Winter Harbor Fisheries. This company was the successor to Shelter Island Oyster Company. Mark acquired all the real estate, the processing plant, vessels, and the underwater land. Mark secured the financing through the use of Industrial Development Bonds. By offering a high level of dedication and customer service, Mark was able to continually grow the customer base of this company for more than 20 years. Mark had strongly positioned the company within the industry to a point where international companies had taken notice. In 1998, Winter Harbor Fisheries, Inc. and his land holding company, Tidal Properties, Inc. were purchased by a multi-national company based in Spain.

In early 2000, Mark once again returned to the sea by purchasing two Offshore Ocean Clamming vessels and licenses. Mark owned and operated these vessels, as well as a dockside unloading facility. By the end of 2010 Mark sold these vessels, the licenses and the docks to the largest shellfish company in the United States.

Not content to sit back, Mark has continually served as a consultant to the commercial seafood industry since 1998. Providing professional consulting services to companies such as Inlet Properties Management, LLC, Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc., MBJ Seafoods Neptune Seafood Plant, Sea Watch International, Kirun LTD, African Sustainable Development LTD and Spartek LTD.

Mark's knowledge and skills allowed him to completely rehabilitate the former Snow-Doxsee processing plant in Point Pleasant, NJ for the Atlantic Capes Fisheries company as well as secure land permits and Army Corps. of Engineers permits to accomodate their harvesting fleet.

Mark acted as a consultant on a squid processing technique unique to the industry for live shipment for the MBJ Seafoods Neptune Seafood Plant in Millville, New Jersey.

Mark has served as a project consultant for Sea Watch International with offices in Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. His expertise allows him to act as governmental representative on the state level for vessel and resource management. Mark's various responsibilities include writing legislative amendments, vessel statute modification, and serving as an industry liaison between corporate legal representation and environmental government members. Mark was instrumental in writing and lobbying for two New York state legislative fishery bills that were enacted.

In the Government and Civic arenas Mark has also served on Industrial Development Boards and facilitated grant applications. Mark Middleton was one of the original members of the New York State Surf Clam/Ocean Quahog Advisory Board as well as serving as an elected town councilman in New York state.