The Retail Rundown: Pork and Seafood Share the Spotlight Next Month

Pork and seafood will share the spotlight next month, as October is recognized as both National Pork Month and National Seafood Month. Retailers are expected to increase feature volume for the two proteins in the weeks ahead to promote spending this fall. 

October is reserved as National Pork Month to help move product when hog supplies are large. While a seasonal expansion in supplies typically takes place around this time of year, ongoing liquidation efforts may keep a lid on supplies this fall and winter.

Weekly hog slaughter levels...

What the Potential Government Shutdown May Mean for Agricultural Price Reporting 

A potential government shutdown is just days away, raising concerns among those who depend on critical data to make timely market assessments and business decisions. A shutdown will begin on October 1 at 12:01 a.m., the start of the federal fiscal year, if Congress does not pass a funding plan that President Biden signs into law.

The Senate is currently preparing its own bipartisan plan for a stopgap measure to keep offices funded after Saturday’s deadline. Failure to reach an agreement on a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal...

Everything You Need To Know About Alaska’s Red King Crab Fishery In 2024

There are a lot of questions surrounding Alaska’s lucrative red king crab fishery. And because there are four stocks, news of closures or openings can become confusing.

The fishery is managed by NOAA Fisheries, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). Management is based on the size, sex, and the season, meaning that only male crabs of a certain size can be harvested, and that fishing can not take place during mating and...

Oregon, Washington Again Face Incongruent Columbia River Salmon Gillnet Management

As the fall salmon season on the Columbia River winds down, gillnet fishing policy between Oregon and Washington is once again in conflict.

Earlier this month, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind issued a statement about Washington's plans to comply with a 2022 Legislative budget proviso related to a voluntary permit buyback and impacts to Endangered Species Act-listed fish.

"In 2022, the Washington State Legislature approved a commercial license reduction program that saw the number of commercial Columbia River fishing licenses reduced from ...

VARPE Proposes Developing Pollock Roe Market in China 

According to the Hokkaido Trawl Fisheries Cooperative Federation, Russia's production of marine products from January to July this year was approximately 2.6 million tons, an increase of 9% compared to last year. Minato Shimbun reported that factors contributing to the increase include good fishing at home and abroad this fishing season and increased demand for products in the domestic market.

By product, frozen fish accounted for 1.82 million tons, 372,000 tons of fish roe and canned fish, 60,000 tons of frozen fish meat (including mince), 91,000 tons of frozen and cooked invertebrates...

The trū Shrimp Companies Names Brian Knochenmus President and CEO

The Board of Directors at The trū Shrimp Companies, Inc. appointed Brian Knochenmus to lead the company as President & CEO last week. The new post for Knochenmus is in addition to his current role as Chairman of the Board. 

Knochenmus has been tasked with reaching the company’s next milestone — launching a commercial-scale production facility in Madison, SD. Knochenmus is the third-generation of the family that owns Ralco Nutrition, Inc. and has spent 25 years of his career there, in roles ranging from production...

Southern Shrimp Alliance Sends Letter to Encourage Inclusion of Seafood Under USDA Programs

Yesterday, the Southern Shrimp Alliance sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and U.S. House Committee on Agriculture to encourage the inclusion of seafood under USDA programs.

The letter highlights the dire circumstances facing the US shrimp industry and lends unequivocal support for and strong endorsement of the seafood industry's call to focus on practical steps that can provide critical support for America’s seafood producers in drafting the Farm Bill. Specifically, we urge the... 

Island Fin Poké Co. Offers IncrediBOWL Deal on International Poké Day: BOGO 50% Off

As poké sweeps the nation, Island Fin Poké Co. is celebrating the beloved Hawaiian dish on International Poké Day this Thursday, September 28th with a Buy One Poké Bowl, Get One 50% Off.

This Poké Day promotion is meant to be shared with friends and loved ones, echoing the brand's philosophy of ‘Ohana’, the Hawaiian word for ‘family.’

Island Fin Poké’s reputation rests on an “unwavering commitment to excellence and an a...

Photo courtesy of Island Fin Poké.

Photo courtesy of Island Fin Poké Co. 

PODCAST: Alaska King Crab Update; The Caviar Co. Partners With Pringles; And More!

Join SeafoodNews co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they give an update on Alaska's King Crab fishery; plus learn about a collaboration between The Caviar Co. and Pringles; and much more!

This episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast is brought to you by Urner Barry’s GLOBAL PROTEIN SUMMIT, the premier conference for education in the poultry, red meat, and seafood sectors. Gain insight into protein market demand, global issues affecting the market, and tools to prepare for the next fiscal year. Plus connect with hundreds of buyers and sellers during high-end networking events. The Global Protein Summit will take place from October 9th through the 11th in Chicago. For more information, please visit urnerbarry.com/globalproteinsummit.

Celebrate National Lobster Day with Maine's Iconic Fishery

The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC) is proud to celebrate the 8^th annual National Lobster Day on Sept. 25 and commemorate the legacy of the hardworking men and women behind one of Maine's oldest and most important industries.

For more than 150 years, the lobster fishery has been a vital part of Maine's cultural heritage, symbolizing the state's coastal identity and providing a way of life for generations of families who sustain their coastal communities and protect the resource.

"We're delighted to commemorate National Lobster Day by honoring the people and communities...

Norway Shares Satellite Program With Over 60 Countries to Stop Illegal Fishing Globally

Last week the Norwegian government announced that it will share AIS data from Norwegian satellites with all countries that have joined the Blue Justice Community (BJC). The information will be given to the countries free of charge, enabling them to analyse the data themselves and detect fisheries crime. It is the result of the Blue Justice Initiative, launched in 2019.

BJC is a secure, web-based platform that allows governments to work together against transnational fisheries organized crime. By its nature, transnational crime requires cross-border cooperation ...

ANALYSIS: Wild Salmon Week in Review September 10-16

With the peak of coho season now behind us, Alaska coho landings for the year so far have reached 2.03 million fish as of week 38 (September 10-16, 2023). This figure represents a 31% increase compared to 1.55 million fish that were landed last year in the same timeframe. However, it falls approximately 24% below the five-year average of 2.69 million fish.

Notably, the Copper River district is experiencing much higher landings compared to the previous year in recent weeks...

6th Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Celebration Makes a Big Splash in Washington D.C. 

If there is a handbook on how to protect a community through collaboration and creative thinking, it would be written by Bristol Bay residents. Their incentive is the salmon run that has sustained Alaskans and members of First Nations long before Alaska was a state. 

The most recent example of this rare collaborative effort is the sixth annual Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Celebration held in the nation’s capital last week. It hit D.C. during Bristol Bay Salmon Week, when a diverse group of Washington, D.C.-area restaurants ...

ADF&G’s Three-River Index Lowest on Record, Pollock Fleet’s Chinook Allocation Unchanged
[Editors Note: Updated Sept 21, 9:16 PDT]

Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game released their Three-River Index last week, a dire report of Chinook salmon run size in the Unalakleet, Yukon, and Kuskokwim River that is used to inform the amount of Chinook salmon the pollock trawl fleet in the Bering Sea may take in 2024.

The pollock fleet, made up of a little over 100 participants, go to great lengths to avoid Chinook salmon, which occasionally travel with schools of pollock. Trawl vessels skippers ...

Seattle Sports Executives to Discuss Seafood’s Opportunity in Entertainment Venues at GAPP Meeting

Seattle sports will take center stage at the September 28th Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting during a panel focused on seafood’s opportunity in sports and entertainment venues nationwide, the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced today. Brian Carriveau of Climate Pledge Arena, Taylor Graham of the MLS Seattle Sounders Football Club, Chris Voigt of the MLB Seattle Mariners and Justin Moser of the DubSea Fish Sticks will join GAPP CEO Craig Morris on stage to talk about the missing ‘winning ingredient’: Wild Alaska Pollock in...

Today's Top Story: FFAW Asks For Quota Increases, Northern Cod Assessment Following 2023 Stewardship Fishery Closure

The FFAW-Unifor is calling on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to prioritize the province's northern cod fishery. Jason Spingle, FFAW secretary-treasurer, said the catch rates for northern cod this year have been high despite the slow start, landing the entire quota in six weeks – lasting only a few days into the fall season....

Today's Top Story: Red Lobster Promotes Horace Dawson to CEO Following Kelli Valade's 2022 Departure

Red Lobster officially has a new CEO. The seafood chain announced this week that they have promoted Horace Dawson to Chief Executive Officer. Dawson has been with Red Lobster since 2014, serving as Executive Vice President and General Counsel, where he was responsible for legal affairs, communications, risk management, and government relations...

WPRFMC, American Samoa Leaders Frustrated by Fishery Management Through Sanctuaries and Monuments

“You must be mindful of the decisions you make…so that the interests of small fishing communities are not disregarded” was the main message heard in the remarks of the Honorable Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, who opened the 195th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council in Pago Pago, American Samoa.

“The ocean and its marine resources have sustained our Fa‘asamoa for thousands of years. These abundant natural resources have provided food on our table and supported our people, especially during calamities,” noted the Governor...

Iceland Seafood International Names Ægir Páll Friðbertsson As New CEO

Iceland Seafood International (ISI) announced this week that Bjarni Ármannsson is stepping down as CEO after five years with the company. ISI has also confirmed Ármannsson’s successor. Ægir Páll Friðbertsson has been appointed the new CEO.

“I’m very pleased to take the helm at Iceland Seafood,” said Friðbertsson. “I believe the company has a good potential and I look forward to work with its employees, suppliers and customers to further develop the company. The company has built up a leadership position in Europe and has...

China Fisheries & Seafood Expo Prepared To Return To Qingdao Next Month

The show organizers of the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo are expecting to break records next month when the event kicks off at Qingdao's new Hongdao International Convention and Exhibition Center on October 25.

The 2019 expo was a big one for organizers Sea Fare Expositions. That year the annual show sold out all 10 exhibit halls at the Qingdao International Expo Center, bringing together about 1,700 companies from 52 countries. However, COVID-19 has disrupted the event in recent years. The expo in 2022 was initially...

Win Endless Shrimp for a Year at Red Lobster with the Limited-Time Scratch & Sea Game

Red Lobster just announced the launch of Scratch & Sea, “a mouth-watering limited-time instant win game for all seafood lovers!”

Now through October 29, the folks at the world’s largest seafood restaurant invite you to visit your local Red Lobster to play Scratch & Sea for a chance to win free Ultimate Endless Shrimp for a year, and other prizes.

Eligible players will have the chance to win one of the following “shrimply awesome” prizes...

California Spiny Lobster Delayed in Portions of Los Angeles and Orange Counties Due to Domoic Acid

California showed some spines of its own when it decided to delay the recreational and commercial spiny lobster fishery in some areas last week.

The commercial fishery will open on Wednesday, Oct. 4, a few days after the recreational fishery was approved to open. Domoic acid -- the natural toxin that plagues the potential openings of crab and lobster fisheries on the West Coast -- was present in levels too high for public health off mainland Los Angeles County recently, according ...

Holland America Line Names Chef Masaharu Morimoto As Its 'Fresh Fish Ambassador'

Seattle, WA — Holland America Line, the first cruise line to serve “100% fresh, certified sustainable Alaska seafood" on board its ships in Alaska, is now taking their fresh fish program global. A key part of the initiative is to bring world-renowned Chef Masaharu Morimoto to serve as Holland America Line’s “Fresh Fish Ambassador.”

The pioneering initiative engages a global network of 60 ports to source and serve 80 types of fresh fish on board in all restaurants, going from port to plate in less than 48 hours  ...

Red Lobster Promotes Horace Dawson to CEO Following Kelli Valade’s 2022 Departure

Red Lobster officially has a new CEO. The seafood chain announced this week that they have promoted Horace Dawson to Chief Executive Officer.

Dawson has been with Red Lobster since 2014, serving as Executive Vice President and General Counsel, where he was responsible for legal affairs, communications, risk management, and government relations. Prior to joining Red Lobster he worked for Darden Restaurants, first as Senior Associate General Counsel when he was hired in 2003, and later being promoted to VP, Division General Counsel. Over the years...

Japan: 2022 Surimi Product Output Fell 3% to 470,000 Tons

The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced the production volume of surimi products for 2022 on September 6, and the production volume of so-called kamaboko products, excluding fish sausage, was 412,855 tons, falling 2% compared to the previous year, to 9,627 tons.

According to Kamaboko News, demand for surimi products increased last year from 2020, which was the lowest in the past half-century, and some people believed that the demand for surimi products had hit the bottom. Some people have expressed concerns.

The reasons behind...

VIDEO: High Liner's Interim CEO; NARW Funding; Pringles & Caviar

Join SeafoodNews Managing Editor Amanda Buckle as she highlights the top three stories of the week, including the appointment of High Liner Foods' interim CEO and new funding for North Atlantic right whales. Plus, learn more about the Pringles and caviar trend that has produced a unique collaboration.

This episode of the SeafoodNews Weekly Video is brought to you by Urner Barry’s GLOBAL PROTEIN SUMMIT, the premier conference for education in the poultry, red meat, and seafood sectors. Gain insight into protein market demand, global issues affecting the market...

NFI, Seafood Producers Draft Sign On Letter Highlighting Priorities For 2023 Farm Bill

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the Seafood Harvesters of America (SHA), Pacific Seafoods, Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA), the At-Sea Processors Association (APA) and Trident Seafoods have drafted a national sign-on letter that highlight three priorities for U.S. seafood producers to be included in the 2023 Farm Bill. 

According to the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Congress passes legislation that “sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy” every five years. This is commonly referred to as the Farm Bill...

CDC Issues Health Advisory on Vibrio Infections Moving North in Warming Waters

On September 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory to public health departments and others about an increase of Vibrio vulnificus infections, including wound and foodborne infections, particularly in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico or East Coast. The cause: warmer coastal sea surface temperatures. 

Reports from Connecticut, New York, and North Carolina have increased this summer and include five fatalities. The other notable difference is  — with five fatalities just this summer — they weren’t from eating exposed shellfish, but from ...

PODCAST: Alaska King Crab Update; The Caviar Co. Partners With Pringles; and More!

Join SeafoodNews co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they give an update on Alaska's King Crab fishery; plus learn about a collaboration between The Caviar Co. and Pringles; and much more! This episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast is brought to you by Urner Barry’s GLOBAL PROTEIN SUMMIT, the premier conference for education in the poultry, red meat, and seafood sectors...

Today's Top Story: Everything You Need To Know About Alaska's Red King Crab Fishery In 2024

There are a lot of questions surrounding Alaska’s lucrative red king crab fishery. And because there are four stocks, news of closures or openings can become confusing...