ANALYSIS: Shrimp Replacement Cost From Indonesia Lower Than India

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Angel Rubio – May 21, 2018

As a continuation of last week’s discussion, this week we look at replacement cost trends relative to prices in the wholesale market and U.S. spot wholesale, particularly for size 16-20.

In many cases the replacement costs can serve as a future indicator of the U.S. market, however, we know that these two markets can also be disconnected. For example, there are times when replacement costs overseas rise while the U.S. wholesale market trends lower. In this example, in theory, the U.S. importer would take a more cautious buying position ...

Qingdao Plans Construction of 3 More Fisheries Economic Zones, Improving Local Access to Seafood

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Shuichan] translated by Amy Zhong - May 21, 2018

China’s National Development and Reform Commission and its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recently issued a plan to promote the construction in 10 coastal harbor regions as well as 93 fisheries economic zones. Qingdao plans to establish three such economic zones, which are located in Jiaozhou Bay on the western coast of Qingdao, as well as in the area from Jimo to Laoshan.

The plan states the 10 harbor regions will be located in Liaodong Peninsula, Bohai Bay, Shandong ...

Captain D's Triples Loyalty Program Registration with "Text-To-Join" Enrollment Feature

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 18, 2018

Captain D’s has tripled the members in their loyalty program thanks to a “text-to-join” enrollment feature.

The fast-casual chain was an early adopter of Paytronix’s SMS Text-Back feature, which enabled Captain D’s cashiers to request a mobile phone number from guests. The system then sent an immediate text to the guest to request an email address to sign up for the “D’s Club” loyalty program.

“This is perhaps one of the most ‘frictionless’ sign-ups in ...

Coastal Villages Delivers Record-Breaking 100,000 Gallons of Heating Oil in 2018

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - May 18, 2018

Last January, home heating oil prices in New York state averaged $3.26 per gallon, up more than 20% from January 2017 prices. In roadless Western Alaska, the price for a gallon of home heating oil hovered between $5.50 and $6.00. 

Residents of the 20-some villages in the Kuskokwim River delta and on the Bering Sea Coast make their living fishing, but retain a subsistence lifestyle of traditional hunting, fishing, and preserving food. That has become ...

ASMI Celebrates Wild Alaska Salmon Season with Summer Grilling Push

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 18, 2018

Need a reason to grill this weekend? Look no further than the start of the harvest season for wild Alaska salmon.

The harvest season kicked off on Thursday, May 17 with sockeye and king salmon, but pink, keta and coho salmon will be coming to the docks throughout the summer. For the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), the start of the season is the perfect reason to throw some fish on the grill.

Salmon boasts omega-3 fatty acids ...

Pescanova 5th Largest High Consumption Brand With Greatest Penetration in Spain

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 18, 2018

Pescanova has reason to celebrate – the company has been named the fifth largest High Consumption brand with the greatest penetration in Spanish homes.

The ranking comes from a 2018 report by Brand Footprint, which assesses the percentage of homes that buy the brand in a year. Brand Footprint’s report uses a sample of 12,000 representative homes in the population, and measures how often a brand is purchased.  According to the report, Pescanova’s frozen and refrigerated products ...

Chris Lischewski, CEO of Bumble Bee, 4th Individual Indicted for Price Fixing in Tuna Industry

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  [SeafoodNews] by John Sackton – May 17, 2018

Chris Lischewski, the CEO of Bumble Bee Foods, has been indicted by the Dept. of Justice for price fixing.

Lischewski is the fourth individual executive to be charged in the price fixing case brought against the three major canned tuna companies.

Two of the company’s executives, Kenneth Worsham and Walter Cameron have pled guilty to price fixing charges, but have not yet been sentenced.

In addition, Bumble Bee pled guilty and agreed to pay a $25 million fine..

Russia Says Volume of King Crab in Barents Sea May Equal Far East in a Few Years; Cod Catches Drop

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Eugene Gerden - May 17, 2018

Russia plans to significantly increase the harvest volume of cod and Kamchatka (King) crab in the Barents Sea during the next several years, according to the Russian Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo). 

According to Kolonchin, and in contrast to cod, the volume of production of Kamchatka crab in theBarents Sea may increase significantly. That increase is primarily due to the corresponding population growth of the stock that has been ...

High Crawfish Prices in China Have Consumers Complaining About Costs, Restaurants About Margin

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [FishFirst] Translated by Amy Zhong - May 18, 2018

Crayfish prices have risen further in several regions of the southern China, while more crayfish are served in restaurants in May. 

Though their wholesale price is less than 30 yuan/jin (1 jin=0.5 kg; $9.42/kg USD) on average, some restaurants sell 3-jin crayfish at about 148 yuan to 168 yuan $23.24 to $26.38 USD). Consumers are complaining the prices are too high to be affordable, while restaurant owners are also unhappy about low profits.

Last May, Hou opened his crayfish restaurant in Jinan of Shandong province where locals were ...

Wild Alaska Salmon Season Starts With Alaska Air Cargo Delivering More Than 64,000 Lbs. to Seattle

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 18, 2018

Fresh fish is in flight.

Alaska Air Cargo announced on Friday that they’re set to deliver more than 64,000 pounds of wild Copper River salmon to Seattle … today.

“Alaska Airlines plays a significant role in supporting the Alaska seafood industry, which is recognized worldwide for its sustainable fishing practices,” Alaska Air Cargo managing director Jason Berry said in a press release. “Our cargo employees are working around the clock to ...

Cousins Maine Lobster Opening First Brick and Mortar Franchise Location in Tennessee

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Amanda Buckle - May 17, 2018

Cousins Maine Lobster, one of the most successful companies to come out of “Shark Tank,” is continuing to grow.

Cousins Maine Lobster started off as a food truck company focused on bringing the taste of Maine to the West Coast. Cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac were only in business for two months when they appeared on the ABC reality show back in 2012. With an impressive business plan, the cousins were able to score a $55,000 investment ...

NOAA Warns Fishermen Not to Shoot Seals or Sea Lions

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 17, 2018

Yes, seals and sea lions can damage fishing gear and steal fish, but it still needs to be said – do not shoot them.

That’s just the latest warning from NOAA Fisheries as they try to figure out why the endangered population of Steller sea lions continues to decline. In June a team of scientists are set to collect data along the Aleutian Islands, but NOAA has issued a reminder that penalties for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) can be up to ...

VIDEO: Right Whale Sighting; Canned Tuna Price Fixing; Royal Wedding Salmon and More

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 18, 2018

Join Seafood News Weekly Recap hosts staff writer Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they talk about the first North Atlantic right whale sighting of the season off Nova Scotia, the latest in the canned tuna price fixing scandal, and NOAA’s annual Status of the Stocks report. Plus, find out how some companies are celebrating Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding.

This video is sponsored by the Urner Barry Comtell App, which is available to download from the App store for iOS or Google Play for Android ...

Oregon District Court Judge Throws Out Last Anti-Trust Lawsuit Against Pacific Seafoods

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by John Sackton – May 16, 2018

Pacific Seafoods is now free from the harassment of anti-trust lawsuits in Oregon.

After the group of harvesters suing Pacific for anti-trust violations won a preliminary injunction and multiple favorable court rulings, District Judge Michael McShane made a final ruling in favor of Pacific Seafoods. He has dismissed the last anti-trust lawsuit against Pacific Seafoods in Oregon.

His ruling throws out the lawsuit on the basis that the plaintiffs do not have standing to bring an anti-trust case.

The judge granted a request for a summary judgement by Pacific Seafoods...

Leigh Habegger Joins Seafood Harvesters of America as Their New Executive Director

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 17, 2018

Leigh Habegger, formerly of Restore America’s Estuaries, has joined Seafood Harvesters of America as their new Executive Director.

Seafood Harvesters of America represents commercial fishing organizations whose members operate from the Bering Sea to the Gulf of Mexico and north to New England. Habegger is replacing Kevin Wheeler, who recently departed Seafood Harvesters to take on the position of Deputy Chief of Staff at NOAA. Habegger will be using her fisheries policy experience to help broaden the scope and scale of ...

Land Based Fish Farm Being Built in South Africa

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 17, 2018

Cape Nordic Corporation (CNC) has signed a contract with Gråkjær, a Denmark construction company that builds commercial, aquacultural and agricultural facilities, to complete a large-scale fish production facility near Cape Town in South Africa.

With an increased demand for fresh fish in African markets, CNC is looking to build a new facility that contains a hatchery to produce 1,800 tons of sea trout a year. According to Erik B. Rasmussen, the Danish director of CBC, Africa has been importing huge quantities of ...

Negotiations Underway for Renewal of Pacific Salmon Treaty Amidst Pressure of Declining Stocks

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - May 16, 2018

The agreement between Canada and the United States on how to manage transboundary stocks of Pacific salmon will expire at the end of this year. Negotiations on key chapters in the Pacific Salmon Treaty have been ongoing for over a year, while chinook stocks are in decline and ecosystem changes are happening at an accelerated pace in both countries.

The 1985 Treaty is renewed every ten years. In the last negotiation ...

Red Lobster Expands Sustainability Efforts with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program Partnership

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 16, 2018

Red Lobster announced on Tuesday that they have formed a partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program.

The Seafood Watch program is part of an initiative to “improve the sustainability of global fisheries and aquaculture, through policy leadership, scientific research, industry partnerships and consumer engagement.” Red Lobster’s partnership with the program is part of the seafood restaurant’s mission to help “make better seafood choices for healthier oceans, now and for future generations ...

SmartCatch Wins Rabobank FoodBytes! Award for Sustainable Technology

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 18, 2018

FoodBytes! By Rabobank, a next-generation pitch competition to discover the most ground-breaking food and agriculture startups, is recognizing technology company SmartCatch for their efforts to create innovative and durable products that support commercial fishermen.

SmartCatch was selected for the Judges’ Choice Award for their focus on sustainability and market traction. According to a press release, the company provides “Sustainable Seafood Technologies to reduce by-catch waste, combat illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing and promote global sustainable seafood markets ...

Copper River Opens to Slow Catches, Record Prices

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] - May 18, 2018

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch.

Alaska’s salmon season got off to a slow start on Thursday at the Copper River delta near Cordova. The fishery for sockeyes and kings opened at a drizzly 7am with more than 500 gillnetters on the grounds.

“So far, a lot of pictures of empty nets being posted on Facebook.” 

Bill Webber and his crew were waiting out a slack tide aboard the Paradigm Shift a few hours into the 12-hour opener ...

Copper River Fleet and Processors Partner with ADF&G to Buy ARIS Sonar Counter

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - May 17, 2018

Copper River and Prince William Sound commercial gillnet salmon fishermen contributed $82,000 to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to buy the fourth ARIS sonar unit to be installed in the Copper River this year.

Processors Copper River Seafoods, North Pacific, Ocean Beauty, Trident Seafoods each came to the purchase with $6375 while Alaska Wild Seafood contributed $2500. The purchase that will benefit all resource management, subsistence, sport and commercial ...

Bristol Bay Sockeye Fishery Trending Upward on Quality and Value

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - May 17, 2018

Investments by fishermen and processors in Bristol Bay over the past decade to improve quality are starting to pay off. And with another forecasted salmon run in the record-breaking range expected in 7-8 weeks, the economic outlook for the area is good.

Conventional wisdom of the past 30 years in this 100-year-old commercial fishery was that high catches meant lower quality as the system handles more fish in less time. That axiom was destroyed ...

NOAA's Says 91% of Stocks Not Subject to Overfishing, Did Record Number of Assessments in 2017

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 17, 2018

WDFW Denies Permit for Cooke Aquaculture to Transport Juvenile Atlantic Salmon Through Puget Sound

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - May 18, 2018

Citing the risk of fish disease transmission, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife denied permission for Cooke Aquaculture to transport 800,000 juvenile Atlantic salmon from its hatchery near Rochester to net pens at Rich Passage in Kitsap County.

In late April, Cooke applied for permission to move juvenile non-native salmon from its hatchery into pens in Kitsap County to replace adult fish that were recently harvested. Washington lawmakers enacted a bill earlier this year that will phase ...

Pacific Marine Expo Gets Sidelined by Seattle Seahawks Football Game

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] - May 17, 2018

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch.

The North Pacific’s oldest and most popular marine trade show has been sidelined by Thursday night football. 

“Those folks that have been with us for a long time know that holding the event at the CenturyLink Field Event Center means that we have to come second in line to the NFL.”

Denielle Christiansen is organizer of Pacific Marine Expo, now in its 52nd year ...

NOAA Announcing Findings From 2017 Status of U.S. Fisheries Report Thursday Afternoon

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - May 17, 2018

NOAA will be hosting a teleconference on the Status of United States Fisheries 2017 Report Thursday at 1 p.m. EST. Alan Risenhoover, Director of the Office of Sustainable Fisheries, and Karen Greene, Fishery Management Specialist with the Office of Sustainable Fisheries, will be on the call speaking on the nation’s “continued progress in the rebuilding of domestic fish stocks and the number of stocks listed as overfished and subject to overfishing.”

The Status of U.S. Fisheries is ...

EU's Ocean Plastics Lab Coming to Washington National Mall

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 17, 2018

Did you know that between four and 12 million metric tons of plastic goes into the ocean every year? Oceans Plastic Lab, an international outdoor exhibit created by the German Marine Research Consortium, wants to open people’s eyes to the issue of pollution and what they can do to end it.

NOAA is one of the sponsors of the exhibit, which will be on display to the public at the Washington National Mall in Washington D.C. between ...

China Submerges First Salmon Cage Off Qingdao; Industry Hopes it Will Help with Salmon Shortage

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [FishFirst, News163] translated by Amy Zhong - May 16, 2018

China’s salmon wholesale prices have been increasing due to insufficient supply from overseas suppliers. As statistics on May 5 show, the prices of frozen salmon have already exceeded 100 yuan/kg ($15.68/kg USD) in both Beijing and Guangzhou, while a similar situation is likely to occur to Shenzhen in the near future. Faroe islands salmon are sold at 110 yuan/kilo in Beijing, while the ones from Scotland are ...

ADF&G Budget Increase of $1 Million Survives Legislative Process

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - May 16, 2018

The $997,000 increase to Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game budget for next year made it through the state’s budget process. The deal was made in late April, when both the House and Senate agreed to identical line item increases throughout the state. 

Regionally, the nearly $1 million will be distributed as follows: 

$465,000 in the Yukon River and Norton Sound area
$240,000 in Kodiak and Chignik
$161,000 in Prince William ...

Bristol Bay Salmon Fishermen Set Record for Chilling Their Fish

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] - May 16, 2018

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – A big chill at Bristol Bay.

Salmon fishermen at Bristol Bay set a record last summer for chilling their fish.

Despite a surprise hit of one of the biggest sockeye runs in 20 years, 73 percent of the sockeye deliveries by the Bay’s nearly 15-hundred driftnet boats were chilled.

That’s a five percent increase over the prior year – and compares to a 24 percent chilling rate from 2008 ...