For First Time Ever, ASMFC Shuts Maine Shrimp Fishery for 3 Years Citing Warm Water

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to shut Maine’s shrimp fishery for three years, with the Maine DMR representative, Patrick Keliher voting no.

Unlike last year’s single year closure, there will also be no research quota in 2019.

“Their rationale was, ‘Let’s close the resource for three years, and that way if we have a good year for recruitment, it would give that class time to grow into a fishable resource.’”

The commission found the northern shrimp stock continues to be depleted ...

Ongoing China-U.S. Trade War Likely to Bring Changes to Global Seafood Industry

Chinese seafood exports to America have grown this year, despite the trade war. However, the trade war with the U.S. could have global impacts, writer Amy Zhong reports from China.

Chinese seafood exports to the U.S. were US $3.22 billion during 2017, while the exports have risen by 5.75 percent to reach US $2.161 billion within the first eight months of this year compared with the same period last year. But things are starting to shift. The U.S. used to be the largest market for ...

LISTEN: Haddock Analysis; Clearwater’s Patent; Long John Silver’s New COO and More

Join Seafood News staff writer Amanda Buckle for a new episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast. This week on the podcast we discuss the latest in the haddock market; Clearwater Seafoods’ vision system; Cooke Seafood USA’s Virginia expansion; a new COO at Long John Silver’s and 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. Contact advertise@urnerbarry.com to be a featured sponsor in the spring edition ...

Cooke Aquaculture Closer to Entering Shrimp Farming with Honduras Deal for Seajoy

The Cooke group is still in talks to buy Seajoy Group, a large, 39-year-old vannamei shrimp producing company in Central America with an operation spread across the entire value chain, sources told Undercurrent News. 

Undercurrent reported in June that the Canadian seafood giant was “one of several groups” interested in buying the Central American producer, though it was considered the favorite. A deal has been anticipated for the past few weeks, but nothing has yet been confirmed. However, sources said the talks are still active ...

Over 1 Million Pounds of Seafood Delivered by SeaShare This Year

The season of giving is upon us, but for SeaShare, the giving season is year-round. Jim Harmon, executive director of the non-profit organization, confirmed that so far this year SeaShare has delivered over one million pounds of seafood to those in need.

According to Harmon, 28 locations in 16 states – including a truck load of pollock, cod and salmon to Georgia after Hurricane Michael – have received deliveries from SeaShare thanks to their partners.

“We are so grateful for our industry partners and fishermen for supplying ...

Can Fishermen be Compensated for Climate Change?  PCFFA Sues Oil Companies to Find Out

The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) has sued a number of oil companies in a California state court for damages arising from the excessive burning of fossil fuels.

The fishermen, focusing mostly on losses during Dungeness crab season, say that due to harmful algae blooms caused by warming water, officials in California and Oregon barred dungeness harvesting for most of the fishing season in 2015, again closed or delayed the season inn 2016, again in 2017, and also this year, as ...

Changes in spawn timing have major ecological and management implications. Timing is critical to survival of newly hatched fish as it determines the conditions they encounter. Many marine fish, like pollock, are adapted to spawn in time for ...

Russian Taxes of 4.8 percent Proposed Across the Board for the Domestic Seafood Industry

Increased taxes on fish and seafood products appear to be on the horizon for the Russian seafood industry.

The Russian government is designing a new legislative system for the domestic fish industry that will be based on new taxation rules and standards, according to recent statements of some leading Russian fish producers and local analysts in the field of fish business.

According to Peter Savchuk, deputy head of the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo), the current situation in the Russian fish industry remains stable; however, its current growth rates do not meet the expectations of the national government.

He added that the government is unhappy...

Clearwater Receives Patent for Vision System for Grading Lobsters That Are Molting

According to US Patent office, Clearwater Seafoods was granted a patent on November 12 for a vision system that identifies the molt stage of lobsters.

The system would replace blood protein analysis and other means of determining the overall quality and amount of meat in a live lobster.  The system is designed to be noninvasive, and operate on a conveyor belt.

The lobsters could be sorted by size, molt condition, and quality, based on the vision system.

According to the patent filing, the vision system consists of ...

Seafood Industry Applauds Coast Guard Bill that Ends Much Uncertainty for Fishing Vessels

The Senate has passed a bi-partisan Coast Guard Reauthorization bill 94-6 that includes many regulatory updates that were critical to US fishing interests. Charter and commercial fishing businesses in Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii have been working on this issue for several years.

The bill permanently removes all vessels under 79 feet from being subject to EPA incidental discharge regulations regarding ballast water and deck washing.  It also removes all fishing vessels, fish processing vessels, or tenders of any length from the EPA discharge requirements.  The EPA rules applying to ballast water and deck water discharge were put in place in 2008, ...

Young’s Seafood Appoints Roger Sudlow as New Business Manager

Young’s Seafood announced this week that Roger Sudlow, previously of Aryzta Food Solutions and Brakes, will take on the role of business manager to “develop the company’s presence within the profit sector.”

“I’m thrilled to be joining the largest seafood company within the UK at such an exciting time,” Sudlow said in a statement. “I have a passion for foodservice, engaging with customers and I look forward to getting stuck in to achieve the company’s aims and objectives.”

In his new role, Sudlow will work to ...

Nova Scotia Fishermen’s Organization Want Boat Harbour to Close on Schedule

A number of fishermen’s organizations in Nova Scotia are coming together to demand that Boat Harbour close on schedule – despite Northern Pulp admitting that they likely will miss the 2020 effluent deadline.

Northern Pulp, a pulp and paper mill in Pictou County, confirmed yesterday that a new effluent treatment pipeline is at risk of missing the government-imposed deadline of January 2020. Jean-Francois Guillot, VP of Operations at Paper Excellence, which owns Northern Pulp, told CBC News that they will likely miss the deadline by ...

 New Zealand’s Sanford Limited Releases Full Year Results for FY18

New Zealand’s Sanford Limited released their full year results for FY18 on Thursday. The company is reporting net profit after tax of $42.3 million, an improvement of 12.9% from last year, which can be credited to the insurance settlement from the Kaikoura earthquake that damaged their Havelock mussel processing facility. Meanwhile, the company’s adjusted earnings before interest and tax increased 1.5% to $64.7 million.

According to Sanford, sales revenue increased by 7.7% from $477.9 million to $515 million. The increase can be credited to ...

GAA Debuting Documentary Short Film About Indonesian Shrimp Farming

The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) is giving their members a peak into what goes on at an Indonesian shrimp farm. The organization announced on Monday that their fifth documentary short film – about Rosida Idriss, her daughter Aanisah Idriss, and their network of black tiger shrimp farms in East Kalimantan, Indonesia – will debut at the end of the month.

GAA has been producing films since 2016, but their upcoming release stands apart from the rest in that it features “overlaying plotlines” and “tension” ...

Bay Area Consumers Have Dungeness for Thanksgiving; Rest of West Coast Seasons Likely Delayed

The celebrated San Francisco Dungeness crab season starts tomorrow, but delays due to domoic acid or meat quality in other areas are likely, according to officials from Oregon and California.

“California’s Dungeness crab fishery is one of the most progressively designed and collaboratively managed fisheries on the West Coast,” Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations Executive Director Noah Oppenheim said in a press release. “Our crab populations are stable and doing well. Yet climate change continues to threaten crab fisheries in complex and unpredictable ways ...

Scotland May Be Left in the Cold on Brexit, As No Clear Fisheries Guarantee Emerges

The Brexit deal hangs by a knife edge as UK prime minister May tries to round up support in her coalition for a deal that gives few parties what the want.

The bare outlines are that the UK will stay in the EU customs union at least until 2020, and possibly longer, without a unilateral path to exit unless the EU and the UK agree on a supplemental trade agreement.  If the UK did exit, Northern Ireland would remain ...

Texas Shrimp Producer NaturalShrimp Conducting Final Tests in Enclosed Salt Water Systems

Texas shrimp producer NaturalShrimp is making progress on their system to grow top-grade shrimp without toxic chemicals. The agro-technology company, which produces an eco-friendly fresh Pacific white shrimp, announced on Tuesday that they are running the final tests on their indoor all-natural patented system at their production facility near San Antonio.

“NaturalShrimp has spent the past several years developing its new, unique technology of growing shrimp in enclosed salt water systems,” the company said in a press release ...

#FutureFishAndChips Campaign Raises Awareness About Plastic in Oceans with Crazy Stunt

Customers who recently ordered fish and chips from The Chippery in Blackburn, England, received quite a surprise. A recording reveals that the restaurant was serving guests battered plastic instead of battered fish – and the reason will surprise you.

“God, that’s plastic,” one patron says in the video.

“You think I’m feeding the kids with that?” asked another, as she angrily handed back her plate.

The stunt was part of Plastic Oceans UK’s #FutureFishandChips campaign, a global effort by environmental groups and ...

ANALYSIS: Supply Issues for Haddock out of Russia, Norway, Iceland

Haddock is a year round market, making it hard to pinpoint seasonality and trends within the industry. Sometimes it will hang on the coattails of cod, other times it can surprise even the most seasoned seafood veteran.

Most recently haddock has been experiencing major supply issues out of both Russia and Norway from the Barents Sea as well as from Iceland, demanding premiums on all sizes across the board.

While the Icelandic haddock quota for the 2019 fishing season was increased to 57,982 metric tons, up from ...

VIDEO: Lobster Patent; Plant Based Food Certification; Battered Plastic and More

Watch the latest Seafood News Weekly Recap with hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione. This week we talk about Clearwater's new patent; a certification for plant-based food; a battered fish stunt; and Marine Harvest's name change.

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, which is distributed to thousands of protein industry professionals ....

F/V America’s Finest Wins Jones Act Exemption in Senate Coast Guard Bill, but will have Sideboards on Pollock and Cod

The bitter intra-industry fight over the certification of F/V America’s Finest has ended with the approval by the Senate of a Jones Act waiver.  The House has already twice approved such a waiver.

The language, included in the Coast Guard Authorization Bill, says “Notwithstanding sections 12112 and 12113 of title 46, United States Code, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may issue a certificate of documentation with a coastwise and a fishery endorsement for the vessel AMERICA’S FINEST ...

Feds Approve Plan for Oregon Officials to Kill Sea Lions at Willamette Falls

More Alaska Nets, Fishing Gear Go To Recyclers

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – More Alaska fishing gear is getting recycled. 

Two shipping containers were filled this week with plastic fishing nets, crab lines and other gear in Dutch Harbor and two more are headed to Kodiak for loading this month.

“The same goes for Kodiak -- we’re accepting trawl and crab line and halibut gear but all of that stuff is going to Bulgaria to be sorted because that is how the logistics and the pricing worked out ...

Symphony of Seafood Debuts 10 New Products

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – From spring rolls to seafood noodles – Alaska’s Symphony of Seafood unveils new products.

The 26^th Alaska Symphony of Seafood attracted 10 entries in its annual competition. They were judged privately last night (Wednesday) in Seattle in three categories: retail, food service and Beyond the Plate. As always, the innovation is off the charts.

“I have not seen a spring roll product entered before. Alaska sockeye salmon spring roll by Tai Foong. And Fishpeople Seafoods entered a salmon jerky ...

Coast Guard Rescue 4 Fishermen Off Maine Coast

Four fishermen off the coast of Rockland, Maine, were rescued by the Coast Guard on Wednesday after they were forced to abandon their boat.

The men, who were on board the F/V Aaron & Melissa II, were forced to abandon their boat when it began taking on water at approximately 7:45 a.m. The captain radioed the Northern New England Coast Guard, who were able to send an HC-114 Ocean Sentry aircraft and MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. The aircrews were able to locate the raft and fishermen ...

Thai Union Opens Fish Oil Refinery in Germany to Produce Tuna Oil

Thai Union announced on Wednesday that they have commissioned their $24 million Thai Union Marine Nutrients tuna oil refinery in Rostock, Germany. The company is now the only refiner of high-grade tuna oil with complete end-to-end supply chain and production management.

“we are focused on creating a sustainable future for the tuna industry by maximizing and leveraging high-nutrient tuna byproducts,” Thai Union CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said in a statement. “Our pure tuna oil is just our first step in a suite of ....

Blain Shortreed Named New COO at Long John Silver’s 

Blain Shortreed, the former Vice President of Operations for Pizza Hut USA, has been named the new Chief Operating Officer at Long John Silver’s.

“Long John Silver’s is continuing the process of innovation and sharing our story with loyal customers,” James O’Reilly, Long John Silver’s CEO, said in a statement. “Blain is a veteran in the quick-service restaurant industry and we know he’ll be an asset to our brand as we continue to evolve.

Shortreed has over 25 years of global franchise operations experience ...

There is Now a Plant-Based Food Certification for Seafood Alternatives

Plant-based seafood alternative brands like Sophie’s Kitchen, Ocean Hugger Foods, New Wave Foods and Good Catch Foods will now be able to get their products certified. On Tuesday the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) announced that they have launched a new Certified Plant Based program – the first and only certification for plant-based foods.

“The launch of the Certified Plant Based seal is an exciting step for the fast-growing and innovative plant-based food industry,” PBFA executive director Michele Simon said in a press release ...

Marine Harvest Builds New Processing Plant in Shanghai, its 6^th in Asia

Marine Harvest is building a large salmon processing plant in Shanghai.  The company, whose subsidiary is Shanghai Harvest Marine, will sign a strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal.

This was announced at the recent China International Fisheries Show, where the Shanghai Association of Cruise Line Supplier was inaugurated.

According to a report in Eastday, the plant will be located in Shanghai’s Baoshan district.

The chilled salmon processing plant will improve product quality by shortening the supply chain ...

Alexa Tonkovich Resigns as ASMI Director

Alexa Tonkovich, who has served for as ASMI’s executive director for three years, announced her resignation in a letter to ASMI committee members on Saturday.

Tonkovich said she will be leaving in mid-December to pursue a master’s degree in international business.

She pledged to work with the interim director, who will be appointed at the ASMI board meeting on November 19^th.

Tonkovich has been with ASMI for nearly ten years, formerly working as head of Asia operations before becoming executive director.

Another ASMI staffer, Domestic Marketing Director Victoria Parr, resigned on ...