Golden Island International

Heated

As the only American jellyfish processor currently in operation, Golden Island International has also worked hard to distinguish itself from its South and Central American competitors, who operate in countries and communities with few, if any, regulations.

In addition to a high-tech water treatment system, the company uses a lower ratio of alum than the industry standard, which has been cited around 10 percent, according to April Harper, the company’s plant manager. Alum is essential to giving jellyfish its signature tendon-like crunch, but in excess, it’s harmful to your health. Soaking and rinsing jellyfish before cooking eliminates almost all alum from the product, but Harper said they’ve had to overcome the stigma of jellyfish processed elsewhere.

Georgia jellyballs are a clean fishery with very little by-catch...

Because the nets have wider holes and don’t typically drag the ocean floor, jellyballing uses far less fuel than shrimping. Jellyballs don’t need to be iced down like shrimp, and they naturally roll from the nets into the hull of the ship. "With jellyballs, the crew is on deck 10 minutes for every drag. On a shrimp boat, you’re on back deck for hours, picking the shrimp, heading them, and icing them down. It takes an hour or two every drag..."