Trump’s New 50% Tariff on India Threatens Shrimp Exports to US

India, the United States' top shrimp supplier, now faces a 50% tariff.

President Donald Trump levied an additional 25% tariff on India, just days after he imposed a 25% tariff on the country, as Expana reported.

“I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” Trump said in an August 6 executive order.

The move serves as a penalty on India for purchasing Russian oil. It is now one of the highest rates of all US trading partners...

Five Commercial Fishermen Indicted in Illegal Alaska Halibut Harvesting Scheme

Five southeast Alaska commercial fishermen were charged by a federal grand jury for conspiring to illegally harvest halibut, in violation of the Lacey Act.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) cited court documents which alleged that commercial fishermen Jonathan Pavlik, 43, of Yakutat, Vincent Jacobson, 51, of Yakutat, Kyle Dierick, 36, of Yakutat, Michael Babic, 42, of Cordova, and Timothy Ross, 58, of Washington conspired to harvest halibut on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2023.

Documents alleged that Pavlik separately conspired with Jacobson, Dierick, Babic, and Ross...

China and Poland Overtake the US as Top Markets for Norwegian Seafood in July

Poland and China overtook the United States as the top seafood markets for Norwegian seafood in July, according to the latest update from the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In terms of value, seafood exports to the US grew in July compared to the same month last year, with NOK 1.1 billion ($107 million) headed to the states. However, China and Poland were able to surpass the US, which was the top destination for the first five months of the year...

Salmones Austral Names Charlotte Redmann to Lead US Business and Secret Island Brand

Chilean salmon company Salmones Austral announced the appointment of Charlotte Redmann as head of its US Business for Salmones Austral North America (SANA).

The newly expanded leadership role will see Redmann oversee all sales, marketing and operations in the US market, including the company’s premium consumer brand Secret Island.

Redmann enters the role with over a decade of experience in brand management, sales strategy and supply chain integration, along with expertise in the CPG and seafood sectors. Since joining Salmones Austral, Redmann was highlighted as playing...

Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Disaster Resilience for Working Waterfronts

Politicians from key seafood-producing states introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that offers a disaster mitigation tax credit to working waterfronts located on the coasts and on navigable waterways, per an announcement from US Senator Angus King (I-ME)’s office.

The Working Waterfronts Disaster Mitigation Tax Credit Act would provide working waterfronts with a 30 percent tax credit on up to $1 million when they invest in mitigation expenses, adjusted for inflation annually.

King was joined on the bill by Senator Bill Cassidy...

Kodiak Skipper Convicted of Lacey Act Violations Now Facing $1.2M Fine Over Clean Water Act

Repeat offender Corey Potter, found guilty last May of illegally transporting live crab from Alaska to Washington, has now been hit with a civil penalty, on separate charges of violating the Clean Water Act, of $1.18 million.

US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason found Potter and three companies he managed — F/V Knot EZ LLC, Aleutian Tendering LLC, and Alaska Tendering Company LLC — guilty of illegally discharging oily bilge waste and imposed a civil penalty of $1,182,265 for the violations...

Highwood Harbor Names Stephen "Felzy" Felsenthal as First Chief Commercial Officer

Highwood Harbor, a seafood industry holding company, has named Stephen "Felzy" Felsenthal as its inaugural Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).

Highwood said Felsenthal brings an “impressive track record of driving business growth, fostering innovation, and delivering exceptional customer experiences across prominent seafood organizations.”

Felsenthal enters the role with over 15 years of experience in the seafood sector. He most recently served as Vice President of Sales & Global Procurement for Riverence Provisions, the largest vertically integrated trout producer in North America...

Two Days Into a Special Session, Dunleavy Issues Sweeping Reforms to Alaska State Government

On Monday, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy issued two Administrative Orders intended to improve state budget efficiencies and reform regulatory procedures. 

Administrative Order #359 begins a “statewide annual Government Efficiency Review”  of all agencies within the executive branch to identify, evaluate, and implement opportunities for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 

“State revenues are contingent on the price of oil,” Dunleavy explained in the Order. This year oil revenues are falling “due to global events such as OPEC’s December 2024 decision to increase output...

Senator Cantwell Leads Bipartisan Effort to Restore NOAA’s Sea Grant Program

Last Friday, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell announced a bipartisan effort to reauthorize NOAA’s national Sea Grant Program. With sign-ons from Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker, Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware, and Alaska Republican Dan Sullivan, the bill to reauthorize the National Sea Grant College Program was introduced in the Senate.  

After cutting funding for the Maine Sea Grant Program last March and having some of the funds restored, NOAA’s budget for 2026, released last month, defunded the national program entirely...

Dongwon Ramps Up Global Pet Food Push, Leverages K-Pop Star for Tuna Product Launch

South Korean seafood giant Dongwon Industries has completed its acquisition of Dongwon F&B, setting the stage for a series of bold moves in the global food market, including an expansion of its pet food business and the appointment of K-Pop star, BTS’s Jin, as the face of a limited edition tuna product.

Dongwon Industries announced that it has incorporated Dongwon F&B into a 100% subsidiary through a stock swap.

Dongwon Industries, which is the holding company of the Dongwon Group...

USDA Commits $100 Million for Alaska Pollock, $20 Million for Catfish in New Seafood Purchases

US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced on August 1 that the department intends to purchase up to $230 million in fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables via Section 32 purchases.

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) said it would purchase $100 million in Alaska pollock and $20 million in farm-raised catfish.

The products will be used for distribution via food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the nation.

“Today’s announcement continues to prioritize American commodities for families and communities...

The Retail Rundown: Summer’s Last Stretch Drives Seasonal Promotions

August has arrived, bringing a sense of urgency to make the most of summer’s final weeks. With Labor Day fewer than four weeks away and just seven weeks remaining until the season’s official end, retailers are already diving into back-to-school promotions.

Seafood claims the top spot among protein features again this week, making up 30.3% of all retail ads, followed by beef at 26.2%, pork at 20.8%, and chicken at 18.9%. Egg promotions remain minimal, comprising less than 1% of features—consistent with last week’s light showing. The Midwest led in egg advertising, while the Northeast and South Central regions showed more moderate activity...

Crab Meat Importer Oceana Seafood Specialties Joins NFI’s Crab Council

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI)’s Crab Council announced Oceana Seafood Specialties as its newest member. The company is an importer and supplier of various crab products, including premium Blue Swimming Crab.

“We take pride in curating a reliable network that delivers consistent, high-quality seafood,” said Jeffrey Martinez-Malo, CEO of Oceana. “Sustainability is a key factor in every product we offer, and the Council’s leadership in Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) made joining an easy decision.”

Oceana’s executive team boasts nearly...

New Seafood Accelerator "Catch+Create" Launches to Drive Product Innovation  

A new startup accelerator program was recently launched to stimulate product  innovation, market growth and economic opportunity within the West Coast groundfish sector.  

Catch+Create, developed by nonprofit Positively Groundfish, is a highly resourced, no-equity accelerator focused on supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses to develop value-added products using West Coast groundfish like Pacific rockfish, sole, lingcod, sablefish, skate and more. This first-of-its-kind program is designed to help entrepreneurs create value-added packaged products like canned fish, frozen meals, smoked fish...

Thai Union Sees Record Margin Gains, Will Leverage Global Footprint Amid 19% US Tariff

Thai Union Group announced its gross profit margin (GPM) reached an all-time quarterly high of 19.7% in Q2, along with a record for the first half of the year at 19.3%.

The company said its results reflected “exceptional resilience and continued growth in profitability” via the record-high GPM, as its earnings per share saw an 18% growth.

The GPM record was linked to a favorable product mix and raw material costs.

The group posted Q2 2025 sales...

Nissui-owned French Seafood Firm Cite Marine to Ramp Up Seafood Output with New Plant

French seafood producer Cite Marine, a company under Japanese seafood giant Nissui Corporation, acquired a new factory, the Pontivy plant of Traiteur de Paris (Cesson-Sévigné, France), on July 21.

Cite Marine is a producer and distributor of chilled and frozen fried seafood, according to a press release from Nissui. It is also the European whitefish product hub for Nissui.

As the key white fish producer for the group, Cite Marine has expanded its offerings to include a range of frozen convenience foods, such as...

Wild Alaska Pollock Industry Undertakes Two Comprehensive Economic Studies to Measure Fishery Impact

The results of the Wild Alaska Pollock industry’s two economic studies, designed specifically to measure the significant financial and infrastructure contributions of the fishery to Alaska, will be unveiled at the upcoming Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting, the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced today. Renowned research firms McKinley Research and Northern Economics undertook two separate studies designed to catalogue and analyze the fishery’s tangible and intangible economic benefits...