A new Graves County carp processing plant could bring nearly 70 new jobs to the area. Blue Shore Fishery, along with local and state officials, christened the 11,000-square-foot Farmington facility Tuesday.
The company’s investing more than $1.3 million into the former catfish processing plant off State Route 97, and can reclaim up to $1 million of that through performance-based tax incentives offered by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority.
Additionally, Blue Shore is eligible for resources from the Kentucky Skills Network which offers no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives.
In a statement, Rep. Richard Heath of Mayfield said Kentucky's burgeoning carp industry has sought to turn the invasive fish into a net positive for the commonwealth.
“In the last couple of years we’ve seen economic growth around the region as opportunities increase to take advantage of the Asian carp population in the Mississippi and Ohio rivers,” Heath said. “I want to welcome Blue Shore Fishery to Graves County, and the jobs they are creating for our people.”
Owners Lan Chi Luu and John Crilly previously won a statewide entrepreneurial pitch competition last year for their now-open health foods store in Paducah. They received assistance from the Kentucky Innovation Network Office in Murray in the form of networking and web development. Blue Shore also owns RCB Fish Company in Ledbetter.
The Graves County plant will process locally-caught carp from western Kentucky's rivers and lakes. It'll mostly produce surimi, a fish paste more commonly known as imitation crab.
