Former Sea Star Seafood Owner James R. Faro Sentenced for Bank Fraud

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

James R. Faro, the former owner and president of Sea Star Seafood Corporation, was sentenced in a federal court in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Monday for bank fraud. Faro, 61, had conspired with former chief financial officer John J. Crowley, 62, to fraudulently increase the levels of assets against which the company could borrow from the bank between 2010 and 2012.

According to the Department of Justice, Sea Star maintained an asset-backed loan agreement from October 2010 until August 2012 ...

Premium Brands Holdings Completes Acquisition of Maine-Based Ready Seafood Co.

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

Premium Brands Holdings Corporation confirmed on Wednesday that they have successfully completed the acquisition of Ready Seafood Co.

“We are very excited about this transaction,” Premium Brands President and CEO George Paleologou said in a press release. “Not only does it add another talented management team to our business but it also provides our Seafood Group with a solid platform to support its organic growth and business acquisition initiatives in the U.S.

The company announced the acquisition plans ...

ANALYSIS: Imported Volume of Farmed Salmon Fillets at all Time Highs Amid 6 Weeks of Steady Pricing

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Janice Schreiber - September 19, 2018

Consistency and growth in the farmed salmon market out of Chile have been the theme as of late. This is a bit of an anomaly in comparison to previous years. The farmed fillet market would typically see unsold product hitting the spot market in fairly regular spats or, on the other hand, product in the spot drying up due to disease issues, labor strikes, or natural disasters ...

ADF&G: Bristol Bay Return, Harvest, and Value Break Records

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

Superlatives don’t come close to describing the size and value of the 2018 Bristol Bay commercial salmon season, so we’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.

The metrics are even more profound in the context of sockeye runs that never materialized in the Copper River, at Chignik, and in fewer numbers across most of central and southeast Alaska. The overview on Bristol Bay doesn't address that enigma, but it does quantify the record-breaking season in the Bay ...

Offshore Fish Farms Pushed by Trump Administration

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] - September 19, 2018

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Offshore fish farms could soon be coming to U.S. waters.

Offshore fish farms could soon join the roll out of oil and gas platforms being proposed by the Trump Administration for nearly all U.S. waters.

The fish farms are being touted as a silver bullet to boost seafood production, provide jobs and reduce the nation’s $15 billion seafood trade deficit from importing over 80 percent of its seafood ...

Drew Lawler Named NOAA’s New Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced earlier this week that Drew Lawler has been named the new Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries.

“I am pleased to announce Drew Lawler as NOAA’s new Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries,” Chris Oliver, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, said in a press release. “Drew understands the importance of global management of our oceans and the significance of sustainable fisheries for the seafood industry and the greater economic vitality ...

Massachusetts DPH Announces Precautionary Closure of Oyster Beds

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

The Massachusetts Department of Health (DPH) and the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) have announced a precautionary seven-day closure of certain oyster beds after two confirmed cases of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

The two confirmed Vibrio cases are linked to the consumption of raw oysters from location CCB45 (Duxbury Bay), harvested on August 24 or between August 27 and August 31. As a precautionary measure, the DPH and DMF closed growing areas CCB45, CCB42 (Plymouth Harbor), CCB46 ...

California Fish Grill Partners with Monterey Bay Aquarium to Serve Ocean-Friendly Seafood

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

Diners at California Fish Grill will be able to rest easy knowing that they are indulging in 100% ocean-friendly food. The California-based restaurant chain announced on Tuesday that they have formed a partnership with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program to serve seafood that is rated as “Best Choice,” “Good Alternative,” or eco-certified by an organization that Seafood Watch defers to.

“As we celebrate our 20-year anniversary, joining the Monterey Bay Aquarium is ...

10% Tariffs on $200 Billion Chinese Exports Take Effect; Some Pollock and Cod Products May be Exempt

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by John Sackton - September 18, 2018

The Trump administration, over tremendous industry opposition, went ahead with a new round of punitive tariffs on Chinese products sent to America.

The new tariffs were set at 10% initially, and will rise to 25% on Jan 1, 2019.

Despite over 6000 comments opposing the tariffs, few changes were made in the list to accommodate individual companies or industries.  The exception was Apple, which secured exemptions for its watch, airpods, and ...

Global Warming Impacts Alaska’s Salmon, Crab, and Cod; CAP Recommends Policy Changes

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

“In a comprehensive survey published in the summer of 2018, scientists writing for the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) succinctly summarized the effects of climate change on fisheries:

"Driven by greenhouse gas emission from human activities, the ocean is getting warmer, more acidic, and its oxygen content is declining; these changes cause large-scale changes in marine biodiversity. The changes in ocean conditions are expected to continue to alter patterns of global marine primary productivity and biodiversity ...

Kodiak Chamber of Commerce to Host Gubernational Fisheries Debate on October 22

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 18, 2018

The Kodiak Chamber of Commerce will host this year’s Gubernatorial Fisheries Debate on Monday, October 22, 2018. The Debate will run from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and it will be held at the Gerald C. Wilson Auditorium in Kodiak. This is the 27^th year the Chamber has hosted the debate.

The content of this debate has always focused on the issues most important to the fishing-related industries on Kodiak Island and around the entire state of Alaska ...

Celebrate Free Sushi Day With P.F. Chang’s on September 20th

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 18, 2018

Mark your calendars. On Thursday, September 20, those who dine at P.F. Chang’s will be able to indulge in Free Sushi Day.

Free Sushi Day is a one-day-only event at more than 200 participating P.F. Chang’s restaurants across the U.S. Dine-in guests are welcome to enjoy a free spicy tuna roll or California roll – no purchase necessary.

“Free Sushi Day is one of many was we thank guests and introduce them to something new and ...

USDA Approves Vietnam, China, Thailand Catfish Exports, Says They Meet Equivalent US Standards

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by John Sackton - September 17, 2018

The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA (FSIS) has approved Vietnam, along with Thailand and China, as countries with equivalent food safety systems to the United States for the production of catfish.

The notice will be published in the federal register on Sept. 19th.

This opens a 30 day comment period.

The finding of equivalency means that the USDA has approved both the Vietnam government’s catfish industry inspection systems, and operations at ...

Impacts of the Blob: West Coast Fishermen Now Live with Heightened Uncertainty

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

This is the third in a four-part series summarizing Warming Seas Falling Fortunes, a new report by the Center for American Progress released last week. 

While West Coast fishermen are used to El Nino, a warming of Pacific equatorial surface temperatures that brings drier conditions to the Pacific Northwest and wetter winters to California, they were not prepared for “the blob” when it hit in 2014.

In the fall of 2013, NOAA detected a large mass of unusually warm ...

Chinese Demand for Russian King Crab Reshaping Crab Market

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

Exports of Russian king crab to China have skyrocketed during the first seven months of the this year, due to the ever-growing Chinese demand and the launch of new delivery routes, according to Russian Rosrybolovstvo and senior officials from the Russian Ministry of Agriculture.

Kamchatka crab exports to China during the period of January-July grew by 5.6 times, compared to the same period of last year. The total value of these exports is up to ...

SeafoodNews Podcast: J50; Lobster Prices; Chinese Red Swimming Crab Meat Market Update and More

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 17, 2018

This week on the SeafoodNews Podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione discuss J50, the ailing 3-year-old killer whale from the J-pod. Plus, learn more about lobster prices, find out the latest on the Chinese red swimming crab meat market and much more.

This week’s episode is brought to you by Urner Barry’s Seafood Import Workshop, taking place in Boston on Thursday, October 18. The Seafood import workshop is a unique opportunity for businesses to ...

Oregon Congressman DeFazio Announces Funding for Port Maintenance and Improvement Projects

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Susan Chambers - September 17. 2018

Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recently announced $8.7 million in funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the dredging of Oregon’s ports and other operations and maintenance.

The funds were included in H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act of 2019.

“Oregon’s ports are the lifeline of our coastal communities,” DeFazio said in a press release. “Regular maintenance of these ...

Southeast Alaska Fishermen Win Bycatch Reduction Grant to Avoid Sperm Whales

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 17, 2018

Southeast Alaska fishermen who set longlines for black cod, also known as sablefish, have been competing with sperm whales for their catch for several years. Figuring out ways to avoid the whales means there will be fish to sell at the end of the trip. Seeing whales nearby almost always means they’ve been stripping the longline of expensive black cod. 

The Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) has been working on a tool to help fishermen ...

Ocean Brands Canned Seafood Supplier Acquiring Leading Premium Sardines Brand

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

Canned seafood supplier Ocean Brands announced on Tuesday that they are acquiring premium sardines brand Club Des Millionaires from Harold T. Griffin Inc.

Ocean Brands is a division of the Jim Pattison group and the leading supplier of canned salmon and albacore tuna in Canada. Club Des Millionaires is a leading Canadian brand of premium canned sardines and anchovies.

“We are very pleased with the acquisition of Club Des Millionaires,” Ocean Brands President Ian Ricketts said in a press release ...

Fishpeople Seafood Releases Oven-roasted Wild Alaskan Salmon Slices, Jerky 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

Fishpeople Seafood, a company that only uses responsibly sourced and sustainably caught fish, has released some new sustainable snacks – Ready, Set, Salmon! and Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky.

Fishpeople’s Ready, Set, Salmon! is oven-roasted and ready to take on the go. The wild Alaskan salmon slices come in three flavors – Slow-Roasted Original, Rainbow Peppercorn and Lemon Zest & Herb – and with 700 mg of omega-3s and 15g of protein, they are perfect to “toss, wrap and snack ...

Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation Hires Director of Sustainability, Strategic Engagement

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 19, 2018

The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) has made two key hires this week. The group announced that political journalist Hamish Macdonell has joined them in the newly created role of Director of Strategic Engagement, while Scottish Environment Protection Agency alum has signed on as their new Director of Sustainability.

Macdonell will be in charge of public affairs and communications for SSPO. “I’m thrilled to be joining the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation at such an exciting time for the sector,” Macdonell said in a statement ...

Pacific Salmon Commission Treaty Calls for Reduced Catches in Canada and the U.S.

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 18, 2018

The Pacific Salmon Commission, representing the U.S., Canada, and Northwest and Columbia River Treaty Tribes, signed off on an updated Pacific Salmon Treaty earlier this week, calling for reduced catches in both countries.

The 10-year agreement covers fishery plans for Chinook, coho and chum salmon stocks from 2019 through 2028. Under the agreement, catches of Chinook in southeast Alaska will be reduced by up to 7.5 percent from recent levels when poor  ...

Cod Catches, Hatcheries Shuffle Alaska Fish Board Line Up

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

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch … 

The state Board of Fisheries has a packed early line up when it meets for five days next month in Anchorage.

This year’s meeting cycle focuses on fisheries at Chignik, Bristol Bay, the Alaska Peninsula and the Bering Sea but others also are on the list – notably hatcheries.

Some stakeholders believe increased numbers of hatchery fish pose a risk to wild salmon stocks and a major study is underway ...

Malpeque Brand Oysters Recalled Due to Salmonella

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 18, 2018

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced on Monday that Future Seafoods is recalling their Malpeque brand oysters due to possible salmonella contamination.

The oysters in question were sold in Quebec, and may have been distributed in other provinces or territories as well. According to the CFIA, “consumers should not consume and distributors, retailers, and food service establishments such as hotels and restaurant should not sell or use the recalled product.”

Salmonella symptoms generally start within six to 72 hours after exposure, however ...

Iceland Seafood International Completes Acquisition of Solo Seafood

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 18, 2018

Iceland Seafood International (ISI) confirmed in late July that they had formally purchased Solo Seafood. Now, the company has announced that the acquisition of Solo Seafood has been completed.

Solo Seafood is owned by Sjávarsýn, FISK Seafood, Jakob Valgeir and Nesfiskur and Icelandic Iberica’s managing director, Hjörleifur Ásgeirsson. FISK, Jakob Valgeir and Nesfiskur all hold a “significant percentage” of Iceland’s fishing quotas. According to ISI, the combined vendor group will “become long-term shareholders and suppliers.”

“It gives us great pleasure to announce ...

ASC Salmon Standard Recognized by GSSI

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 17, 2018

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) announced on Monday that their Salmon Standard has been recognized by the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI).

ASC’s Salmon Standard, which launched in 2012, “requires producers to demonstrate responsible aquaculture to minimize both environmental and social impacts, and requires an unprecedented level of transparency and traceability.” The Standard met all of the components of GSSI’s benchmark, which aims to give clarity on seafood clarification schemes. According to the ASC, their Salmon Standard achieved 100% of the components in governance and operational management ...

Growth of Ecuador White Shrimp, Tilapia Export Problems, Bank Pressure in Dalian Mark 2018 in China 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [FishFirst] translate by Amy Zhong - September 17, 2018

Ecuador’s white shrimp export to China continues to grow at a rapid rate

In the first half of this year, Ecuador has sold to China 43,000 tons of white shrimps, a growth of 390 percent. However, Chinese importers are becoming more cautious because they are under pressure of the Chinese currency, Renminbi, devaluation and they are concerned about high risks from stocking shrimp whose prices may further contract.

Meanwhile, Ecuador’s processing plants are ...

Vietnam Shrimp Review Released in Federal Register

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 17, 2018

Last week local Vietnam news outlets reported that the U.S. Department of Commerce lowered antidumping tax on Vietnamese frozen shrimp to 4.78% from the previous 25.39% announced in March. The full notice from the Department of Commerce has now been posted by the International Trade Administration (ITA) in the Federal Register.

According to the notice, the Department of Commerce has determined that Fimex VN sold certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Vietnam at less than normal value during the ...

Chinese Importers Bank on Upcoming Festivals to Boost Lobster Prices

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [FishFirst] translated by Amy Zhong - September 17, 2018

Recently the Boston lobster market in China has been damaged with excessive supply when the demand fails to catch up, said one Boston lobster importer in Shanghai. Boston lobster prices are in decline, especially the small ones. Though the demand is greater for the large ones, it is difficult to source any, importers say. The price contraction of live seafood such as Boston lobsters and box crab has begun after the Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day) on August 17 ...

MLMC Brings New Shell Lobster to Chicago

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 17, 2018

Chicago got a bite of Maine last week with the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative’s (MLMC) “Trap to Table” event.

The MLMC’s “Trap to Table” event is currently circulating around new shell season, which starts in mid-summer and runs through the fall and into early November. New shell, which has a sweeter meat, occurs when lobsters shed their old shells and grow new ones.

“Lobster is so often associated with summer, but there are many ways to purchase and use Maine lobster ...