VIDEO: COVID in Alaska and Vietnam; Vibrio Cases in Washington; Long John Silver's Plant Based Menu

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they break down the biggest stories of the week, including the resurgence of COVID 19 in Alaska; Vietnam's emergency restrictions; vibrio cases in Washington state; and Long John Silver's new plant-based menu options.

This episode of the SeafoodNews Weekly Video is brought to you by Urner Barry’s upcoming insights spotlight on The Road to Recovery in Foodservice, taking place on July 27th and 28th...

ANALYSIS: Farmed Salmon Market Off Trend

When looking at the seasonal trends, the farmed salmon market is out of character for this time of the year.  

In the farmed salmon market we often write about the summer doldrums and the seasonal summer slowdown each year after the Memorial Day holiday. However, 2021 has proven to be a year that is hard to predict.  

As of this writing, the farmed salmon index is 31 percent higher than the 5-year average and 61.9 percent higher than the same time last year...

Alaska’s 14-Day COVID Case Count Increasing By 4x, Nation’s Increase Less than 2x

In the last two weeks, Alaska’s case count of active COVID-19 infections has gone from 50 on July 7 to over 200 on July 21. The state has raised the alert level to high throughout most of its coastline starting just north of Ketchikan and Prince of Wales Island, which is still at intermediate, and continuing north and west past Kodiak, the Alaskan Peninsula, Bristol Bay and to the Aleutian Islands. 

That’s because in addition to Sitka, where another 62 resident cases were reported Tuesday and...

BBB’s National Advertising Division Releases Findings on Safe Catch Tuna Claims

This week the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) National Advertising Division (NAD) released their findings on claims being made by Safe Catch, Inc., a manufacturer of pouched and canned tuna products.

Safe Catch calls themselves the “better” tuna option based on their “unique catching, testing, and cooking methods.” The company’s website lists themselves as the “official tuna” of the American Pregnancy Association (APA) and boasts that People magazine has listed them as the “tuna pick for kids.” These claims, among others, were challenged by the National Fisheries Institute (NFI)...

Urner Barry Insights to Host Spotlight on Foodservice Recovery July 27-28

The road to recovery in foodservice has been a long one. Restaurants across the country and the globe had never before experienced a disruptive event quite like COVID-19. Now, as lockdown measures are increasingly lifted and the industry is looking at a return to more normal business operating conditions, it is imperative we take a look at market dynamics impacting the foodservice sector.

On July 27^th and 28^th, Urner Barry will host a COMTELL Insights Spotlight on The Road to Recovery in Foodservice. The online event will feature two live sessions, two podcasts, and two in-depth analysis pieces—all available within the COMTELL platform...

New Study Shows Importance of High-Fat Diet in Young Gulf of Alaska Pollock 

A look into the dramatic life-and-death struggles of young pollock in the Gulf of Alaska is shedding light on why a record number of juvenile Alaska pollock found in the summer of 2013 did not make it past their first birthday. 

The study, titled The contribution of diet to the dramatic reduction of the 2013 year class of Gulf of Alaska walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) links a high-fat food diet in a juvenile pollock’s first year to their survival. The results suggest that...

Salmon Catch Continues Growth in Russia This Year 

The catch of Pacific salmon in Russia this year amounted to 91,000 tonnes, which is 2.4 times higher compared to the same period last year, according to latest data provided by the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo) and some local media reports.  

The bulk of catch (78,000 tonnes) accounted for pink salmon, most of which is concentrated in the north-east of Kamchatka. 

Among the other major salmon-producing regions this year are the Magadan Region, the Okhotsk District of the Khabarovsk Territory, and the Northern Kuriles...

Mowi Scotland Responds to Activist’s Claims of Fish Welfare Issues

Mowi Scotland said allegations of fish abuse made by anti-salmon farming activist Don Staniford lack “veracity.”

Staniford entered the company’s salmon pens on July 16 and 17 and used an underwater camera to show fish that are showing signs of distress, Mowi Scotland said.

Mowi said that a similar complaint was filed in March 2021, leading to an investigation by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSCPA). The investigation found no evidence to the claims made by activists, per Mowi...

Norwegian Cod Farmer Loses 24% of Facility's Fish in Mortality Event

Norway-based cod farmer Statt Torsk lost 48,000 fish in a mortality event at its Stokkeneset facility.

The lost fish represented a biomass of about 106 tonnes and makes up 24% of fish that were in the facility, the company said. The incident occurred in 2 of the 3 pens at the site.

Statt Torsk said the incident was an external happening but results of samples taken from the pens are expected next week.

The incident shifted the company’s Expected sales...

An All-Time Record is Set in Bristol Bay — 63.2 Million Sockeye and Counting

(Updated Friday, July 23, 2021)

On Wednesday, the numbers that define the strength of a salmon run were announced by ADF&G and you could almost hear the champagne corks popping all over Bristol Bay — another all-time record was broken by the sheer numbers of sockeye salmon returning to spawn. Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s official cumulative catch total of 38,667,292 fish and 24,553,693 escapement means total run strength as of yesterday was 63.2 million sockeye salmon. That’s 270,000 salmon more than the second  ...

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Fish Farming: NTS Makes USD 1 Bln. Bid for Norway Royal Salmon Stake

Control of Norway Royal Salmon might be changing hands after a bid by fellow Norwegian company NTS to acquire all outstanding shares in the company for NOK 209 per share was issued on the 16th.

According to capital.com, this places the deal’s worth at approximately NOK 9 billion (USD 1 billion), a premium of nearly NOK 2 billion on the company’s current market value.

In spite of this, NRS’s board has recommended against accepting the offer at this price, which it says...

The Online Grocery Market Nearly Tripled in 2020

The U.S. food and beverage industry has been impacted heavily by COVID-19. In 2020, more consumers than ever before were deciding to order food and beverage items online to avoid grocery shopping in crowded stores, where they might be exposed to the COVID-19 virus. As reported by Packaged Facts' new report The Future of Grocery: Online Grocery, Meal Kits, & Direct-to-Consumer Food, the online grocery market nearly tripled in 2020.

Packaged Facts projects that online sales of food and beverages will...

Lineage Logistics, 8VC Announce Formal Strategic Alliance to Invest in Promising Start-ups

We’re all aware of the recent transportation and logistics issues—and Lineage Logistics and 8VC are looking towards the future. The companies announced that they’ve formed a formal strategic alliance that aims to invest in promising start-ups that drive the transportation and logistics industry forward.

Lineage Logistics, the world’s largest and most innovative temperature-controlled industrial REIT and logistics provider, has collaborated in the past with 8VC, a venture capital firm in logistics technology. Together they’ve co-invested in numerous companies over...

NaturalShrimp Hires Seafood Industry Veteran Marco Van Den Berg to Lead Sales and Marketing

U.S.-based RAS shrimp farmer NatrualShrimp appointed Marco Van Den Berg to lead the Company's sales and marketing activities in North America.

To begin, Van Den Berg will work in a consulting role before transition into the Vice President of Sales position.

Van Den Berg brings over two decades of sales, marketing and management expertise to NaturalShrimp. In the past, he has worked in the seafood sector with listed multinationals and private equity-backed companies in all stages of growth, including several successful mergers and acquisitions...

Thai Union Prices Sustainability-Linked Bond, a First for Thailand

Thai Union has priced a THB 5 billion (US $152 million) seven-year senior, unsecured Sustainability-Linked Bond (SLB) for institutional investors. The SLB carries an interest rate of 2.47 %. p.a. and was issued on July 20.

The SLB is the first to be launched in Thailand and comes a few months after the company announced its first Sustainability-Linked Syndicated Loan (SLL) in Thailand and Japan.

TRIS Rating Co., Ltd. rated the bond as “A+” with a “Stable” outlook on July 16, 2021...

Bristol Bay on Brink of Shattering All Time Record Salmon Run in 2021

The total numbers since July 19 for catch and escapement have not yet been summed, but when they are it’s all but certain that Bristol Bay’s 2018 all-time record of 62.95 million sockeyes will be shattered⁠—the second time in four years. Catch and escapement numbers in the Bay have been kept since 1893.

As of July 19, and poised to be updated later today, Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s total run number is 62.8 million sockeye...

Washington Hit With Historic Number of Vibrio Infections Following Major Heatwave 

The Washington Department of Health (DOH) linked the recent heatwave that left millions of shellfish dead to the historic number of vibrio cases the state has reported in July.

The state said the high temperatures and low tides of late could be the reason behind the increase rate of the disease that is related to consuming raw or undercooked shellfish. Particularly oysters contaminated with Vibrio.

“Another effect of the recent heat wave is the presence of conditions conducive to Vibrio infections. It is important that when we eat seafood we take...

Massachusetts Begins Sending Out Applications For Round 2 of Cares Act Fisheries Relief Funding

Almost four months after the U.S. Secretary of Commerce announced the additional allocation of $255 million in fisheries assistance funding through the CARES Act, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries is just starting the process of distributing the funds.

Massachusetts received the third largest amount in funding, having been allocated $23,632,530 for fisheries assistance.

“Our fishing industries are at the core of our culture and economy in Massachusetts,” State Senator Ed Markey said at the time of the announcement in late March...

UB Executive Conference: Early Bird Pricing Ends Friday!

Urner Barry’s Executive Conference is taking place September 26-28^th, 2021, at The Venetian in Las Vegas!

Book now to take advantage of Early Bird pricing, which will end on Friday, July 23^rd. From now until Friday, you can save $200 on the registration fee so click HERE to reserve your spot at the discounted rate.

The Executive Conference is the must-attend event of the year for the protein industry. The show features unparalleled networking opportunities, insights from flagship companies in the sector, incredible keynotes, analysis, and more...

Gordon Food Service Signs Distribution Agreement for New Wave Foods’ Plant-Based Shrimp 

Plant-based seafood options are continuing to make waves as Gordon Food Service has signed a distribution agreement with New Wave Foods to gain access to the New Wave Shrimp plant-based shrimp product.

The plant-based shrimp will now be an option for foodservice operators and their customers east of the Mississippi River, or in the Southwest region of the United States.

“Gordon Food Service continues to expand our presence and ensure that New Wave Shrimp is available to restaurant and foodservice operators...

Diversified Communications Reports High Exhibitor Renewals Ahead of Seafood Expo Global 2022 Event

Save the date! After a two year hiatus due to the coronavirus outbreak, Diversified Communications is ready to bring back their Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global event from April 26-28, 2022.

While the show has been held in Brussels, Belgium, in the past, the event organizers moved Seafood Expo Global to Barcelona, Spain, back in 2020. But as cases of the coronavirus began to spread in March 2020 and travel restrictions were put in place, Diversified was forced to cancel the event...

INTERVIEW: Wild-Caught Fishmeal & Fish Oil Is on Its Way Out

An increasing number of industry experts believe we are witnessing the beginning of the end for wild-caught fishmeal and oil as new, sustainable, and novel ingredients are able to offer requisite nutrients without further impacting dwindling fish stocks.

According to IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation, production numbers of fishmeal and fish oil have remained steady over many years of aquaculture and aquafeed growth; global aquaculture production has continued to rise between 5-7% annually since the turn of the century.

For Kevin Fitzsimmons, director of...

JAPAN: January-May Surimi Product Exports Reach Record High

According to the Ministry of Finance's trade statistics, the cumulative export volume of surimi products (excluding fish sausage) such as kamaboko steamed surimi increased by 18% from the same period of the previous year to 4433 tons. The export value increased by 14% to 4,078.1 million yen ($37.02 million). The value rose to a record high for the cumulative total from January to May. The United States, which has settled down regarding the new coronavirus pandemic, and has a booming economy, was the largest destination...

Global Aquaculture Alliance, FishChoice Enter Strategic Partnership

The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) and FishChoice have entered into a strategic partnership. GAA said the partnership will see its aquaculture standards combine with FishChoice’s online platform that aims to promote seafood sustainability.

FishChoice is the latest to join GAA’s strategic-partnership program that already includes 60 seafood associations and NGOs.

“FishChoice.com’s contributions to the seafood industry have been immense over the years. The work the organization does to simplify seafood for the industry and for consumers is vital,” said Maddie Cassidy, Membership Marketing Manager at GAA...

Canada Provides $4.2 Million for New Brunswick Processors, $8 Million for Southeast N.B. Harbors

The New Brunswick processing sector and a number of harbors from Southeast New Brunswick are set to receive funding from the Canadian government, per announcements from Dominic LeBlanc, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

LeBlanc said that a joint federal-provincial investment of CA$4.2 million through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund will be used to fund 26 projects that aim to improve the productivity and sustainability in the lobster, snow crab and smoked herring processing sectors...

Marine Stewardship Council Announces Two New Senior Appointments in the Americas

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is strengthening their presence in North America with the appointment of not one, but two new senior level positions. 

Erika Feller, formerly of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, is joining the team as MSC as Regional Director of the Americas. In her previous position she oversaw ocean and coastal conservation efforts, and in her new role with MSC she’ll be overseeing the MSC’s work in the Americas, continuing to expand the organization’s work with fisheries, the supply chain and consumers...

Canada Launches New Ghost Gear Online Reporting System

Canada’s Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan announced a new system that will allow harvesters to easily report their lost fishing gear online.

The Fishing Gear Reporting System will now allow commercial harvesters to quickly put a description of lost gear, the cause of loss and its location from any online device.

The DFO noted that all harvesters in the country are required to report lost fishing gear. Reporting the gear can make locating and removing lost gear easier and allow for the gear to potentially be returned to its owner...

Gulf of Maine Research Institute Announces Sale of New England Marine Monitoring

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) has sold New England Marine Monitoring, Inc. (NEMM) to Vesper Company.

NEMM is a leader in video electronic monitoring technology and services for fisheries. Its technology solutions lower the cost of monitoring relative to traditional human at-sea monitors and also improves data quality. Founded by Mark Hager, NEMM was one of GMRI’s first ventures to support and grow the region’s waterfront economy and ocean technology markets. Now, thanks to the sale to Vesper Company, a private firm that partners with...

Vietnam COVID-19 Spike Hits Seafood Processors, Causes Problems at Ports 

Vietnam is the latest country to enact emergency restrictions following a new spike in COVID-19 cases. 

Vietnam has been reporting over 4,000 new cases daily since July 15. On July 18 the number of new reported cases reached a whopping 4,853. Now, all provinces in the Mekong Delta region are applying “Directive 16” of the Vietnam government to tackle the rising cases of COVID. Directive 16 mandates the closures of non-essential businesses and restaurants. According to the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Vietnam...

Atlantic Natural Foods Launches Modern Menu by Loma Linda Line of Food Service Operators

Atlantic Natural Foods LLC announced today the introduction of its plant-based offering for food service operators, which includes a plant-based tuna alternative.

Called Modern Menu by Loma Linda, the new food service line features a complete assortment of industrial-size, meatless meal options, including the company's award-winning Chili, Taco Filling, Sloppy Joe, Southwest Bowl and TUNO, which can be used in a variety of food service applications. Providing quick prepare-and-serve convenience, Modern Menu products are available at an affordable cost, substantially...