The Retail Rundown: Turkey Promotions Climb as Holiday Demand Takes Hold

Turkey ads now make up nearly 4% of protein features this week and are on pace to capture a larger share next week as seasonal demand gathers momentum. Beef holds 23.8% of ad space, pork accounts for 22.8%, and chicken eased to 19%—down one point from last week. Eggs have 3% of this week’s buying opportunities, up one point compared to the week prior.

Within the turkey category, ads for frozen whole birds and fresh or frozen parts are evenly split, each accounting for 28% of turkey features...

US Bankruptcy Court Clears Sale of Cozy Harbor, Casco Bay and Art’s Lobster to Aquashell for $6.5M

A US bankruptcy judge in Maine has approved the sale of Cozy Harbor Seafood, Casco Bay Lobster and Art’s Lobster to Aquashell USA, LLC — an entity tied to Hal Harlan/Harlan Development — clearing the way for a roughly $6.5 million acquisition of processing assets, inventory and certain leases.

As Expana previously reported, the deal includes the price of $2,015,099 for Cozy Harbor's accounts receivable, $2,738,920 in Inventory and $1,750,000 in property.

Expana covered Cozy Harbor’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy...

Japan: September Exports Surged 82% to 60,243 MT; Scallops Fall by 23%

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, Japan's exports of fishery products (fish and shellfish and their preparations, fishmeal, and fish oil) in September totaled 60,243 tons, an 82% increase compared to the same month last year, and amounted to 31.91 billion yen ($207.21 million), a 22% increase. Scallop exports saw a 23% decrease in volume but a 10% increase in value. While shell-off scallops increased in both volume and value, scallops with shells decreased in volume but increased in value. Yellowtail exports...

Protix Welcomes Maiko van der Meer as New CEO

Protix, the leading company in insect ingredients worldwide, has appointed Maiko van der Meer as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as of November 2025. As a seasoned professional with extensive experience at the largest food and feed companies in the world, Maiko van der Meer is the perfect fit to guide the company through its international growth, and establish Protix as the enduring industry leader for functional ingredients.

Maiko van der Meer brings nearly three decades of experience, having held board and senior leadership roles at major...

GAPP Launches New Korean-Language Website to Boost Business in Key Export Market

Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) have announced the launch of its new Korean-language website, www.usapollock.co.kr. The site offers business-to-business sales resources for GAPP’s member companies to reference when operating in this vital export market for Wild Alaska Pollock.

"GAPP continues to build out a robust international marketing strategy in key markets like South Korea, where Alaska Pollock—or Myeongtae—is the national fish," said Craig Morris, GAPP Chief Executive Officer. "We know from our loyal US-caught Wild Alaska Pollock...

New Hoque & Sons Inc Issues Alert on Uneviscerated “Dry Ghoinnya Fish”

New Hoque & Sons Inc. of Maspeth, NY, is recalling its packages of “Dry Ghoinnya Fish” because the product was found to be uneviscerated.

The recalled “Dry Ghoinnya Fish” were distributed nationwide in retail stores. The product comes in a 10-12 pound, clear plastic package marked with an expiration date of 5/19/25 stamped on the bottom. The product UPC code is 908172635412.

The recall was initiated after routine sampling by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Food Inspectors and subsequent...

Ajinomoto Foods North America Debuts Tai Pei Shrimp and Vegetable Chow Mein

Tai Pei® is bringing bold takeout-style taste to the freezer aisle with the national launch of its newest single-serve noodle trays: Tai Pei® Shrimp Chow Mein and Tai Pei® Vegetable Chow Mein. Made with sauce-infused noodles and wok-fried flavor in every bite, these new entrees are ready in minutes and perfect for busy food lovers craving restaurant-quality meals without leaving home.

"We know our consumers want more from frozen entrees - more flavor, more convenience, and more of that...

Thai Union Q3 Sales Slip 1% as FX Headwinds, Softer US Private-Label Demand Bite

Thai Union Group saw its sales decline by 1% compared to the third quarter of 2025, when compared to the same period a year ago, citing foreign exchange headwinds and softer demand from US private label retailers.

Still, the company said its organic sales returned to growth after consecutive quarter declines, led by pet care and frozen categories.

“Our Q3 results show that Thai Union is exceptionally resilient and regaining momentum,” said Thiraphong Chansiri, CEO of Thai Union Group. “Despite macroeconomic challenges, we...

Nova Scotia Fisher Fined CAD 76,000, Gets One-Year Ban for Illegal Atlantic Halibut Catch

A Nova Scotia resident was sentenced in Provincial Court to a total fine of CAD 76,561.35 ($54,315) for illegal Atlantic halibut fishing.

An announcement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) stated that Grant William Cameron pleaded guilty in a previous court appearance, where he was fined $40,000 for setting fishing gear during a closed period and failing to provide the correct position of a vessel at the request of a DFO-designated at-sea observer...

Court Orders NMFS Reconsideration of Crab Import Ban, Giving Importers Temporary Reprieve

The development is a lifeline for US crab meat importers and processors that were facing immediate supply disruptions.

The stipulation also resolves a lawsuit filed by the National Fisheries...

ANALYSIS: Seasonal Patterns Persist within Pacific Halibut Market as Fishing Window Narrows

As October comes to a close, halibut fishermen have faced persistent challenges due to stormy weather and increasingly limited fishing opportunities. As a result, catch levels have remained light. According to the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC), cumulative landings through week 40 (ending September 28) totaled 14.25 million pounds, down 11.7% from the same period last year and nearly 24% below the five-year year-to-date average. This volume accounts for 76.3% of the season’s commercial quota, highlighting the difficulty in making substantial progress toward quota fulfillment...

Increasing US Shipbuilding Capacity Gains Traction in the US Senate

Last April, Democratic Senator Mark Kelly introduced the SHIPS for America Act 2025 with bipartisan support. On April 30, when Kelly introduced the bill, there were five co-sponsors — three Republicans and two Democrats. Since then, another six senators have signed on, evenly mixed between the two parties. 

The bipartisan support for this bill, which would bring manufacturing back to the U.S. after decades of decline, has continued to gain support from more lawmakers and now the industry. The hearing came just before the Trump Administration releases...

ANALYSIS: MMPA and Its Implications for US Crab Meat Supply and Pricing

Regulatory uncertainty and shifting supply dynamics are reshaping the US seafood market, with the blue and red swimming crab meat segments at the forefront. NOAA Fisheries’ comparability findings under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), paired with an upcoming enforcement window for January 1, 2026, have created a near-term regulatory backdrop that could materially affect access to foreign crab meat supplies. The ruling requires foreign fisheries to meet US marine mammal protection standards or risk losing export access. That framework places significant pressure on exporters to demonstrate...

Rapid Biomass Drop Triggers Interim TAC Cut for Georges Bank Scallops

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)’s stock assessment for sea scallops in Scallop Fishing Area 27A (Georges Bank) paints a cautious picture for one of the region’s higher‑value shellfish resources.

The species has shown signs of decline due to natural predators (sea stars and crabs), with the species' fully-recruited biomass at 13,570 metric tons (mt) in 2024, down by over half of 2023’s 31,095mt.

The assessment, therefore, places the stock in the “healthy” zone on the reference point scale; however, the rapid single-year decline...

Japan: September Imports up 15% to JPY 169.5 Billion; Frozen Coho Surged 51%, Sockeye Dropped by 46%

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance on October 30, Japan's imports of fishery products (preliminary figures, including fish and shellfish and their preparations, fishmeal, and seaweed) in September decreased by 2% year-on-year to 161,274 tons, while the value increased by 15% to 169.494 billion yen ($1.1 billion). Imports of fresh and frozen tuna increased by 34% to 18,330 tons, and salmon and trout increased by 4% to 13,839 tons, but shrimp decreased by 12%...

Stolt Sea Farm Plans New 21,500‑sqm Facility in Spain to Expand Processing, R&D

Land-based aquaculture firm Stolt Sea Farm announced that it will build a food processing and research and development center in Rianxo, A Coruña, Spain on October 29. 

The start of construction on the new centre was officially celebrated at a groundbreaking ceremony on the site last week, where the team welcomed guests including the President of the Xunta de Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, alongside key representatives from Rianxo and Galicia’s local government, the company shared in a press release. 

Stolt Sea Farm, known for farming...

Russia, Japan Log Progress on Fisheries Cooperation Amid Ongoing Tensions 

Two delegations recently discussed joint catch and management of fish and seafood resources, with particular attention paid to studying existing stocks of salmon, saury, mackerel, sardine, and several other species.

According to Alexey Baitalyuk, PhD, Deputy Director of VNIRO, one of Russia’s leading research institutions in fisheries, the planned expansion of cooperation will involve mutual data exchange, with a focus on the North Pacific region.

Russia has confirmed plans to observe the moratorium on pollock fishing in the central Okhotsk and Bering Seas to help restore fish stocks...

Fossil Evidence Reveals Ancient Origins of Modern Oyster Parasite

Scientists have uncovered that a parasite still found in oysters today has been infecting bivalves for hundreds of millions of years.

Using high-resolution 3D scans, researchers found intriguing question mark-shaped markings inside 480-million-year-old shells of ancient relatives of modern clams that lived during the Ordovician period, a time of significant ecological change.

"This is a time when ocean ecosystems got more intense,” said Karma Nanglu, a UC Riverside paleobiologist who led the research. “You see the rise of mobility...

UMassD-SMAST Partners with New Bedford Port Authority to Study Effects of Wind Energy on Fishing

The UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST) is partnering with the New Bedford Port Authority on a project titled "Tracking and Modeling the Behavior and Position of Fishing Vessels and Their Towed Gears in Wind Energy Areas." The project is funded by a $419,462 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC).

The study will examine how commercial fishing vessels and gear operate within and around offshore wind energy areas to better understand...

Peru’s Second Season Anchovy Quota Slashed From 2024’s 2.5Mmt to 500,000mt

Peru’s Ministry of Production (PRODUCE) set a total allowable catch (TAC) of 500,000 metric tons (mt) for the second 2025 anchovy season.

The announcement follows the Peruvian Sea Institute (IMARPE)’s report that showed the Peruvian sea has experienced an increase in thermal anomalies, fluctuations in coastal wind intensity and more saline Subtropical Surface Waters (SSW) since late autumn. Due to these factors, a redistribution of anchovies from the North-Central stock occurred, per PRODUCE.

“As a result of this shift, the acoustic biomass observed in the North...

New LABEL Act Seeks Bigger, Clearer Country‑of‑Origin and Production Labels for Seafood

Another bill focused on seafood labeling was introduced in Congress last week, as Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) unveiled the “Let Americans Buy with Explicit Labeling (LABEL) Act on October 29.

Tuberville’s office stated that the legislation would ensure all seafood, whether wild-caught or farm-raised, is clearly labeled with its country of origin and method of production at retail locations.

The LABEL Act (S. 3065) would require labeling of country of origin and production information...

Rosrybolovstvo Forecasts 5% Decline in Catch; Exports Still Eye US$6 Billion in 2025

Russia expects fish catch to fall up to 5% this year, mainly because Iwashi sardine migrations bypassed traditional fishing grounds, Rosrybolovstvo head Ilya Shestakov said.

VARPE (All‑Russian Association of Fishery Producers) earlier reported that oceanographic conditions in the northwest Pacific in late spring and summer 2025 caused Iwashi sardines to move away from customary Russian fishing areas.

“Right now, three trawlers—our research vessels—are searching for Iwashi. If we find them, the catch will be about...

ANALYSIS: India’s Shrimp Exports Show Strong Yearly Growth Despite August Decline

Just as was observed in the previous year, India’s exports of warm water shrimp experienced a marked downturn in August, declining by 18.1% compared to July. Nevertheless, August export volumes remained steady year-over-year, just 0.7% lower. Cumulatively, India has exported 517,643 metric tons of shrimp so far this year—a year-on-year growth of 9.9%. These shipments equated to $3,640 million in export earnings, an impressive increase of 18.5% over the January to August period last year...

PODCAST: Agri-Food for Thought Ep. 35 - Discussing Evolution of Procurement, Feat. Janet Standing

Expana presents Agri-Food for Thought, the podcast series for agriculture and food professionals.

Today we discuss the role of procurement, and how procurement decisions turn market insight into business advantage.

This is a complex issue, a lot more than one may think. Procurement professionals operate in a high-pressure environment characterized by aggressive goals, tight deadlines, and complex supply chains. But there are ways to stay ahead of the game. 

On today's episode, we welcome Janet Lung Standing.

Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET. 

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

FISH Act Passes in Senate, Will Strengthen US Policy Against Illegal Foreign Seafood Harvests

Last Tuesday, Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) saw their legislation against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing pass the full Senate as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) introduced last July.

The Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvest (FISH) Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Murkowski (R-AK), Wicker (R-MS), Graham (R-SC), Merkley (D-OR), Blunt (D-DE), Coons (D-DE), and Kennedy (R-LA), would combat foreign illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing...

ASMFC Lobster Stock Assessment: Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank Not Depleted but Overfishing Rising

A stock assessment found that the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank (GOM/GBK) is not depleted but has dipped 34% since peak levels in 2018, and overfishing is taking place. Meanwhile, the Southern New England (SNE) stock remains “significantly depleted,” with record-low abundances for all life stages in recent years.

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)’s American Lobster Management Board received the results this week.

“The Benchmark Stock Assessment is a considerable advancement in our understanding US American lobster resource...

State Pushes Ahead With North Yuba Salmon Reintroduction in Second Year of Effort

The only thing scary about reintroducing salmon in a historic river system habitat is whether it will work. So far, efforts to do just that in the North Yuba River have succeeded. 

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and its partners have initiated a second year of spring-run Chinook salmon in the North Yuba River. 

Roughly 350,000 spring-run Chinook salmon eggs were collected and fertilized recently at the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville. The eggs will be hydraulically injected into...

FFAW‑Unifor Urges Federal Aid for Sea Cucumber Harvesters Hit by China’s 25% Tariff

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) urged fisheries minister Joanne Thompson and Sean Fraser, the minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), to provide support for sea cucumber harvesters impacted by China’s 25% tariffs on Canadian seafood.

The union said that the ACOA needs to adjust its parameters for support eligibility for harvesters that lost “the bulk” of their 2025 fishing season due to the tariffs.

“Current tariff relief programs for businesses inexplicably exclude owner-operator fish harvesters...

Canada Presents Scientific Insights On North Atlantic Right Whales and Their Potential for Recovery

On October 29, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) scientists presented a comprehensive update of the latest scientific knowledge of North Atlantic right whales (NARW) and their potential for recovery to stakeholders and interested Canadians.

This review was conducted by DFO as part of a Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) for NARW, assessing a broad range of topics including population status, abundance and distribution, habitat requirements, threats, and recovery targets.

The research found:

• Known feeding areas for NARW have expanded to as far...