ANALYSIS: Tight Year for Snow Crab Supply; Exports Out Strip Imports in March 2018

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Janice Schreiber– May 24, 2018

Exports of snow crab during the month of March typically exceed imports; which is exactly what happened in March of this year.

March 2018 saw 2,232,643 pounds of snow crab imported and saw 2,656,856 pounds exported. The Alaskan snow crab season really gets into full swing during January and February, and therefore makes sense that a lot of Alaskan product is exported. Japan is the most likely destination; and many reports indicate...

Qingdao Tariff Reduction on Russian King Crab Has Resulted in Higher Demand in China

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Bandao] translated by Amy Zhong - May 24, 2018

Qingdao recently received a batch of Russian king crab with a total weight of 2.3 tons, and these king crab are distributed to seafood markets all over China shortly after customs clearance.

Qingdao’s tariff rate of live king crab dropped from the previous 14 percent to the current 7 percent at the end of 2017. This new regulation is beneficial to seafood importers, said Shao, the deputy general manager for Shangdong ...

New Stock Assessment for Pacific Bluefin Tuna Still Dire

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - May 23, 2018

A new stock assessment for Pacific bluefin tuna shows the 2016 population, the most recent year of which data are available, at just 3.3 percent of its unfished level. Although slightly up from the last assessment, this extremely low level has triggered concern among conservation groups, scientists, and some stakeholders.

A brief history of Pacific bluefin tuna harvests underscores the importance of this iconic fish to global trade. High catches were recorded from 1929 to 1940, with a peak catch of ...

Treaty Politics Fuel Criticism at Sitka Salmon Meeting

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 24, 2018

An informational meeting on Alaska’s strategy for renegotiating the Pacific Salmon Treaty with Canada met loud protests before it even got started on Monday.

Local radio station KCAW reported on the protest held outside Sitka’s Harrigan Centennial Hall before the meeting started. There were some 50 commercial salmon trollers who objected to cuts in the king salmon allocation to conserve king salmon runs in Puget Sound which are listed as endangered. 

In the KCAW report, Deb Lyons, a former member of Alaska’s Board Fisheries ...

New England Council Holds Hearings on Herring Rule Changes, Plenty of Input Offered

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 24, 2018

The series of hearings started on Tuesday in Narragansett, RI and will continue in Rockport, ME tonight. If Tuesday's meeting is any indication, the New England Fisheries Management Council can expect more industry opposition to changes in the Atlantic herring fishery management plan tonight in Rockport.

The issue is about using “acceptable biological catch” or ABC, for setting the sustainable catch limit for herring, a standard used in most other management plans around the country. But using ABC in the control rule ...

118 Organizations Call for More Stringent Tuna RFMO Rules

Chicken Of The Sea International Resolves Antitrust Lawsuit With Walmart

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 22, 2018

Chicken of the Sea International, owned by Thai Union, today announced that it has reached an agreement with Walmart Inc. resolving antitrust claims brought by the retailer.

Under the terms of the multi-pronged agreement, Chicken of the Sea International will pay a cash settlement and the two companies will launch a series of joint programs and new product promotions in Walmart stores. These activities will include the debut of innovative products across Walmart stores.

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement with ...

Thai Union Gets Good Marks from Greenpeace, Both Call for More Companies to 'Step Up'

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] -- May 23, 2018

BANGKOK — In July 2017 Thai Union Group and Greenpeace inked a landmark agreement to commit to implement measures that tackle illegal fishing and overfishing, as well as improve the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of workers throughout its supply chains.

Now both parties agree that Thai Union "has made substantial, positive progress" and more seafood companies should follow their example.

“Thai Union is working hard to drive strong, positive change throughout many parts of the seafood...

Alaska Sea Grant Helps Southern Catfish Processors Improve Efficiency

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 23, 2018

Alaska’s seafood processors and Mississipi’s catfish processors have little in common at first glance -- one handles wild-caught seafood in volumes and over time periods largely determined by the fish and the other pulls predictable volumes from the pond with reliable precision. But both benefit from plant efficiencies, which is what brought Alaska Sea Grant’s Chris Sannito to the Mississippi Delta recently.

Invited by researchers looking to improve efficiencies at catfish plants in Mississippi and Alabama, Sannito, a research assistant professor at the UA Fairbanks ...

Seafood News Podcast: Tilapia Market Update; Sea Lion Warning; Alaska Salmon Season; NOAA’s Status of the Stocks Report; and the Tuna Price Fixing Case

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - May 22, 2018

Join Seafood News Podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they discuss the tilapia market; the problem with sea lions; and the start of Alaska’s salmon season. Plus, learn more about NOAA’s Status of the Stocks report and get the latest on the tuna price fixing case. This podcast is sponsored by Urner Barry’s Comtell App.

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Nearly 200 NC Fishermen Travel to Raleigh for Second Annual Seafood Lobby Day

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 24, 2018

On Wednesday commercial fishermen were to forego a day working on the water and instead work the halls of the Legislative Building for the 2nd Annual Seafood Lobby Day.

The event, coordinated by North Carolina Fisheries Association (NCFA), provides an opportunity for legislators to meet the individuals that provide fresh, NC-caught seafood to their communities across the state and to hear directly from commercial fishermen about the challenges they face. Nearly 200 fishermen from up and down the coast traveled to Raleigh for the event.

Glenn Skinner, a commercial fisherman from Carteret County and NCFA's Executive Director, said, "Last year's ...

Long John Silver’s Acquires 76 Franchised Restaurants

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 22, 2018

Louisville, KY -- Long John Silver’s, the nation’s largest quick service seafood company, yesterday announced the acquisition of 76 LJS restaurants owned by ServUS, growing the LJS’ company-owned system to 200 restaurants.

The newly acquired units, located primarily in Indiana, were owned by veteran franchisee Bob Ruckriegel who opened the 3rd Long John Silver’s restaurant in 1969. Financial terms were not released.

Long John Silver’s recently began the process of revitalizing its brand, swapping the nostalgic Cape Cod building elements for clean, nautical-themed lines of ...

ENGO Study: ESA-listed Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles Are Recovering

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Susan Chambers - May 23, 2018

Most marine mammals and sea turtles in the U.S. protected by the Endangered Species Act are recovering, according to a new study by scientists at the Center for Biological Diversity.

The best available population data for 23 marine mammals and nine sea turtles shows that 78 percent of them — including most large whales, Florida manatees, California sea otters, and green sea turtles — experienced substantial population increases after being protected by the ESA.

“The Endangered Species Act works. This is great news at a time when our oceans face growing threats ...

New Zealand's Sanford Limited Reports Strong First Half Result, International Markets a Highlight

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Susan Chambers - May 23, 2018

Sanford Limited, one of New Zealand's largest integrated fishing and aquaculture businesses, has posted a 14.2 percent increase in adjusted earnings before interest and taxes to $35.4 million for the half year to March 31. Much of that improvement is due to a shift in focus to fresh products and international growth.

The company reports improved revenue of $272.8 million (from $230.4 million for the same period last year) for the first half of its financial year, an increase of ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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