Russia Tightens its Trade Relationship with Hunchun as Chief Chinese Port of Entry for Live Crab

There has been dramatic increase in Russia’s export to Hunchun city of China’s Jilin province during the first three quarters of this year. Live crabs are one of the winners with the export growing by 277 percent to reach 683 million yuan (~$99 million USD) compared with the same period last year.

In total, 32 companies in Hunchun specialized in seafood trading with Russia. Their total import value has skyrocketed by 1.5 times to reach 1.254 billion yuan...

8 Maine Fishermen’s Organizations Urge Incoming Governor to Keep Current DMR Commissioner Keliher

Maine has elected a democrat, Janet Mills, to be governor, bringing to a close the period when Paul LePage was governor for eight years. 

LePage had a reputation as loud, obnoxious, and contentious, and repeatedly refused to implement programs voted by referendum or the legislature that he didn’t like.  But during his terms the seafood industry prospered in Maine, and Commissioner Keliher became a leader in advocating responsible positions for east coast fisheries.

With the change in administration, eight organizations, including the Maine Lobstermen’s Association...

Alaska State Cod Winter/Spring TAC Near 8 Million Pounds After Reallocation from Bering Sea

The Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game has announced the TACs for the inshore state water cod season for 2019.

The three fishing areas are Kodiak, Chignik, and the South Peninsula.  The allocations are divided between pot and jig vessels, with most being allocated to pots.

For Kodiak, the total is 2.1 million lbs, evenly divided between pot and jig.  There is no size limit on vessels, but pot gear vessels greater than 58 feet, such as most of those that...

NPFMC Adopts Groundbreaking Ecosystem Management Plan for Bering Sea

The latest regional council to adopt an ecosystem-oriented management plan is the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council for the Bering Sea. Ecosystem considerations while managing a single population of fish have become critical as fisheries habitats -- and the behavior of other species in that area -- change. The Bering Sea is one of the planet’s fastest changing habitats and one of its most productive for seafood.

The NPFMC has used an ecosystem approach for years, as have other regional councils, but the Anchorage-based council formalized their effort...

John Henderschedt to Leave NOAA’s International Division for Former Company Premier Pacific

John Henderschedt, director of NOAA’s International Affairs and Seafood Inspection program, will leave his federal post for a position with a former employer on January 30, 2019.

Henderschedt was the first director under NOAA's newly organized office, incorporating international affairs and seafood inspection. He started in April 2015. Last Tuesday, Henderschedt sent an email to his staff, saying he was “returning to work in the private sector. 

“I will be joining the company for which I previously worked, now as its Vice President and COO...

Over 250 Retailers and Restaurant Companies Send Letter to Congress About QIP Correction

Over 250 retailers and restaurant companies, including Red Lobster Hospitality, have sent a letter to members of the House and Senate urging them to fix a mistake in last year’s tax reform law.

“The undersigned organizations urge you to support inclusion of technical corrections to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in the end of the year legislation,” the letter reads. “Ways and Means Committee Chairman Brady introduced the Retirement Savings and Other Tax Relief Act, which included five technical corrections to TCJA...

Canadian Government Announces Aquaculture Management Initiatives

The Canadian government announced on Monday that they will be moving forward with initiatives that will ensure that the aquaculture sector is “economically successful and environmentally sustainable.” The initiative is part of Canada’s efforts to not only protect wild salmon, but meet the growing global demand for seafood.

“The Government of Canada is committed to making aquaculture more effective, efficient and environmentally sustainable,” the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, said in a press release.”

Key initiatives include...

2019 Pollock TACs up in Bering Sea, Down in GOA, Cod TACs Down in Both Regions

The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council set specs for the 2019 season on two dozen groundfish species, but it's pollock, cod and flatfish that get all the attention.

In the Bering Sea, the pollock TAC for 2019 will be 1.397 million mt, up 2.4% from 2018’s 1.364 mmt. Current catch as of late November, however, is already above that at 1.378 mmt. 

The pollock TAC for the Aleutian Islands in 2019 stayed the same as 2018 at 19,000 mt ...

West Coast States Delay Dungeness Crab Season — Again

Citing spotty meat recovery rates, the fish and wildlife agencies of Washington, Oregon and California said Friday the commercial Dungeness crab season from Point Arena, Calif., to the U.S./Canada border start will be delayed until after Dec. 30.

Testing showed light crab primarily in southern Oregon and northern California. Some areas had crab that were close to the threshold for a mid-December opening, but many fishermen and processors urged managers to hold off until the whole coast could open at once.

"This decision was based on...

'Boston' Lobsters Again Shine in China's Singles Day Sales Last Month

Boston lobsters shine again in China’s online shopping carnival this year.

November 11th has been witnessing online shopping frenzy of Chinese consumers as well as their deep pockets. This year buyers have set new records during the shopping carnival. One is that the turnover has reached 100 billion yuan ($14.4 billion) within the first two hours for online stores on Alibaba’s T-mall platform. Meanwhile, sales value has also skyrocketed on other virtual platforms that day.

Imported fresh food used to be rare in China...

Total FDA Refusals Decrease Slightly in November 2018

Total refusals of shipments decreased 1.6% from November 2017 to November 2018. Year-to-date there are 61 line item refusals compared to 62 at this time last year.

Tuna had the biggest YTD increase in November, with 203 line item refusals compared to 135 at this time last year; a 50.4% increase. Mahi Mahi refusals also increased, with 168 YTD compared to 126 last year YTD.

Unclassified fish, tilapia, lobster, snapper and shrimp are all down YTD. Unclassified fish had a 64.4% drop...

Retailers Continue the Rush to Beat Tariffs in October

The monthly Global Port Tracker is reporting that for the first time ever imports at the nation’s major retail container ports have reached 2 million containers in a single month – a new record. The continued rise in imports is due to the upcoming increase in tariffs on goods from China, which was only recently postponed.

As we reported on December 3, President Trump announced a temporary truce in his trade with China. A new round of 25% tariffs was set to be imposed on January 1, however...

UMass Dartmouth Continues Video Surveys on Georges Bank with Industry Support

Researchers at UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science & Technology (SMAST) are once again working with the fishing industry to address conservation issues related to bycatch of yellowtail flounder.

In early November SMAST researchers conducted a week-long survey with a focus on yellowtail flounder. The survey, which was last conducted in the areas in the fall of 2016, revealed the greatest abundance of skates, red hake, haddock, scallops, and dogfish. Meanwhile, researchers caught an average of 42 yellowtail flounder per tow based on a total of 25 tows...

Phibro Acquires Israeli Developer of Vaccines for Aquaculture Market

Phibro Animal Health Corporation, a global developer, manufacturer and supplier of a broad range of animal health and mineral products for livestock, has acquired KoVax Ltd., an Israel-based developer and manufacturer of vaccines for the aquaculture market. The acquisition is part of Phibro’s efforts to expand their portfolio of aquaculture products and strengthen their position in fish vaccine innovation.

“Phibro strives to be a trusted partner to veterinarians and producers, helping them care for their animals and produce healthy, affordable food,” Dr. Raanan Ariav, Phibro’s VP of Aquaculture, said...

DFO Responds to Criticisms of its Snow Crab Approach: Says Paper Needed to Have a Discussion

The snow crab industry in Newfoundland has been rocked by a series of meetings with DFO where the DFO scientists presented research showing that the crab stocks were in a permanently depressed state.

This comes in the wake of the 2018 season where DFO reduced the snow crab total allowable (TAC) for the Newfoundland and Labrador Region to 28,975 tonnes, an overall quota level decrease of approximately 17 per cent from 2017. At issue is that regardless of the size of the biomass...

NOAA Report Says North Atlantic Right Whale Entanglements Lower, But Problems Still Remain

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released their national report on large whale entanglements for 2017, and according to the data, the number of confirmed entanglement cases nationwide is similar to the 10-year average annual number.

NOAA reports that there were 76 confirmed cases of large whale entanglements documented along the U.S. coast. Humpback whales were most frequently entangled in 2017, with 49 confirmed entanglements. There were 11 gray whales entangled, 7 minke whales, 3 blue whales, 2 North Atlantic right whales....

Climate Change Will Clobber Alaska; Climate Policy Pulled by New Governor

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch.

Alaska is on the front line in terms of getting clobbered by an off kilter climate. That’s the conclusion of a national scientific report from the Trump Administration and a report from the University of Alaska Anchorage that estimates consequences of climate change will cost the state between $340 and $700 million per year over the next three to five decades.

Report co-author Matthew Berman told Alaska’s Energy Desk that the dollar figures are “almost certainly” an...

Indian Shrimp Exporter Nekkanti Clarifies Decision to Pull Back IPO Offering

Indian shrimp exporter Nekkanti Sea Foods Ltd (NSFL) recently clarified the circumstances under which it has delayed its upcoming IPO.  Along with other shrimp exporters in India, Nekkanti decided that the market timing was not propitious for such an offering, given the multi-year low prices of shrimp.

The company has bought back the pre-IPO shares it issued to investors, which represented 4% to 5% of the company, with funds from its own operations.

Visakhapatnam-based Nekkanti processes and exports frozen shrimp products. It has been operating for over three decades. In July, Mint had reported that...

Poke One of Grubhub's Top Foods of 2018

Pass the poke! Online and mobile food-ordering and delivery company Grubhub released their annual “Year in Food” report, and based on their findings, poke was one of the top 10 foods ordered this year.

Grubhub analyzed orders placed by more than 16 million diners on their platform and surveyed customers across the country on their ordering tastes and eating habits. While chicken was a popular food preference for many Grubhub users, taking up 5 of the 10 spots on the list...

Captain D’s Debuts New Restaurant Prototype in Louisiana

Captain D’s announced on Monday that they have debuted their innovative new restaurant type at their newest corporate-owned location in New Iberia, Louisiana.

The new restaurant protype was designed to help franchise operators save money and improve efficiency. Features include a smaller footprint than the brand’s traditional locations, and a new design that makes more use of vertical space in the restaurant’s kitchen, which in turn cuts costs for franchisees and allows for “quicker development.” The prototype also features a newly designed customer service area, which the company believes will...

Shrimp Continues to Pour into the US, With Another Record Year for Imports Likely

The latest shrimp import numbers confirm that 2018 will likely be the 5th year of record shrimp imports into the US.

Through October, the US has imported 1.247 billion pounds of shrimp, which is 5% over the figure from October, 2017.

In the last five years, the total volume of shrimp imports has risen 35.6%.

In 2018, the bulk of the increase was in cooked shrimp, and in peeled raw shrimp.  HLSO volumes have been relatively flat...

Russia Says Six Pollock Factories Will Aim to Push Chinese Pollock from EU in 2020

Russian pollock producers plan to increase their share of the European Union market and to push Chinese competitors out during the next several years, they say. The plan will take place through a significant increase of the quality of exported products, according to recent statements of some Rosrybolovstvo senior officials and local producers.

According to Petr Savchuk, the deputy head of Rosrybolovstvo, the quality of Russian pollock products will be significantly higher than those offered by Chinese competitors...

LISTEN: Seafood Retail Features Analysis; 2019-20 Scallop Plan; Thai Union's Lobster Lab and More

Join Seafood News staff writer Amanda Buckle and Urner Barry seafood market reporter Lorin Castiglione for a new episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast. This week on the podcast we take a look at seafood retail features, discuss the 2019-20 scallop plan, talk about Thai Union's Lobster Lab and much more.

This week’s episode is brought to you by Urner Barry’s Reporter, the quarterly newsmagazine for the food industry professional packed with the latest industry headlines, analysis and trending articles...

Japan Passes Most Significant Fisheries Reform in 70 Years, Incorporating Changes Pushed by EDF

The Japanese Diet has passed a major fisheries reform bill that will add science based TAC’s, ten year rebuilding plans, and vessel level quotas to national fisheries management laws.

The legislation’s goal is to ensure long-term productivity of important fish stocks that are at the heart of the Japanese economy, culture and cuisine, and that impact seafood markets across the globe.

The reform package includes expanding stock assessments to cover all commercial stocks and increasing the percentage of catch managed with science-based catch limits...

Norway Reports 10% Growth in Export Value for Salmon, Increase in Cod Exports in November

The Norwegian Seafood Council has released their numbers for November. The organization is reporting that Norway exported a total of 276,000 tons of seafood for the month.

Of the 276,000 tons, salmon contributed 101,000 tons. While the export volume is at the same level as November 2017, the export value increased by 10% this year.

“Despite economic downturns and rising salmon prices, Italy is still experiencing a salmon boom,” Trym Eidem Gundersen explained in a press release from the Norwegian Seafood Council...

Creating Transit Lanes for Fishing Vessels in Northeast Wind Energy Areas Still a Work in Progress

The Offshore Wind Transit Working Group is inching closer to developing transit lanes for fishing vessels in Northeast Wind Energy Areas.

Members of the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), as well as other fishing industry representatives, offshore wind developer lease-holders, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the U.S. Coat Guard, convened in Newport, Rhode Island, earlier this month for the Working Group meeting, which aimed to develop fishery transit lanes through...

INTERVIEW: Bright Future Ahead for Ecuador's Shrimp Feed Sector

With a volume of more than 450,000 tons, Ecuador is the world's third largest producer of Litopenaeus vannamei and the largest in South America. Its shrimp sector is modern and offers a high level of vertical integration with a large share of shrimp produced in extensive production systems. Ecuador is also seen to have advantages over its competitors in Asia ranging from relatively low farm level production costs, to high quality and high degree of uniformity of raw materials. Shrimp production in Ecuador is also characterized by optimal conditions that...

Nielsen Says Health Message in Seafood Resonates During Holidays and Beyond as Peak Sales Season Starts

Nielsen recently published an article on the ways in which retailers could capitalize on the health benefits of seafood during the holidays, based on their recent seafood surveys.

They say that for those consumers worrying about unhealthy eating during the holidays and making resolutions to do better, eating seafood can be a solution.

Their data bears out the spike in seafood sales compared to all grocery sales beginning in December.

For example, their data show seafood purchases peak in December...

VIDEO: China Trade War; Chris Maze Joins Pescanova; Canadian Food Price Report; 2019-20 Scallop Plan

Watch the latest Seafood News Weekly Recap with hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione. This week we talk about the latest on the China trade war; Chris Maze joining Pescanova USA; the Canadian Food Price Report; and the 2019-20 Scallop Plan. 

This video is sponsored by Urner Barry’s Reporter, the quarterly newsmagazine for the food industry professional packed with the latest industry headlines, analysis and trending articles. Contact advertise@urnerbarry.com to be a featured sponsor in the spring edition of the Reporter...

Animals Burned in California Camp Fire Being Treated with Tilapia Skin

Veterinarians in California are once again using fish skin to treat animals with burn wounds.

The University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital announced earlier this week that they are working with VCA Valley Oak veterinarians to treat animals who suffered from burns in the Camp Fire, California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire to date. So far four dogs and four cats have had their burns treated with sterilized tilapia skin.

“We’re trying to change burn care for animals,” explained Jamie Peyton, chief of the Integrative Medicine Service...