UK Chef Shortage Influencing Wholesale Shrimp Market 

The UK's chef shortage has been a well-documented challenge for the hospitality industry, even before the pandemic hit. 

While British restaurants began serving indoors back in May this year, following a five-month ban, they continue to struggle to find enough staff as Brexit and a string of lockdowns drove workers out of the industry.  

Brexit is arguably the biggest hindrance to kitchen staffing, with many workers unable to return due to skilled visa requirements which has left foodservice exposed.  

With COVID-19 and...

Alaska to Get Billions From Biden’s $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

The Biden administration’s $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will funnel billions to Alaska to support essential ferry service, airport and harbor improvements, water and wastewater projects, relocating coastal communities forced elsewhere due to climate change, improve and expand broadband access, shore up severely strained health care facilities, and more. 

“This landmark legislation could not have come at a more urgent time,” said Rep. Don Young, who attended the signing ceremony. “This infrastructure bill represents what very well could be our last chance to ...

SeafoodNews Closed on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26

SeafoodNews will not be publishing on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 in observance of Thanksgiving. We will return to our normal publishing schedule on Monday, November 29.

In the meantime, catch up on our recent major news stories by checking our Featured Stories page. 

You can also watch all the latest SeafoodNews Weekly Videos here or listen to the latest SeafoodNews Podcast episodes here.

From all of us here at SeafoodNews, we wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday! 

Record Salmon Catch in Russia This Year Does Not Lead to Decline of Prices in Local Market

This year salmon catch in the Russian Far East will amount to 538,000 tons. According to recent statements, made by representatives of the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo), it will be the third best result in the history of the Russian fishery, being only slightly lower than the figures of 2009.

Traditionally the bulk of salmon catch in Russia accounted for the Kamchatka region, which this year is almost 80% higher than in 2020...

Blue Swimming Crab Meat Inventories Thin, Raw Material Pricing Full Steady to Firming Overseas

The blue swimming crab meat market has been steady to full steady over the last several weeks. Market participants report modest sales. Inventories range between thin and more moderate as compared to several months ago. Raw material pricing, however, is still reported to be full steady to firming overseas. Logistics issues also remain at the forefront of discussions about market conditions. The red swimming crab meat market has trended steady to full steady as well but...

California Rescues Young Chinook During Drought; Releases Into Klamath River

Thanks to some quick planning, young fall run Chinook have a chance to survive and return to the river. Those returns could help fishermen and tribes depending on those fish for their livelihoods and sustenance.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife began releasing juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon into the Klamath River recently now that river conditions have improved with cooler temperatures and increased flows that give the young salmon their best chance at survival and reaching the Pacific Ocean.

More than 2 million baby Chinook hatched in early...

COVID Concerns Cancel 2022 Maine Fishermen's Forum

The 2022 Maine Fishermen's Forum has officially been canceled. The Board of Directors announced their decision Tuesday afternoon.

“We have concerns about ensuring health and safety in a venue that hosts thousands of attendees including families, fishermen, scientists, fishery regulators, trade show vendors and hotel staff especially given that COVID infections are currently on the rise in Maine,” said Forum Board President Steve Train. “The decision to cancel did not come easy, but ultimately, we decided to err on the side of caution. We look forward to 2023 when we can once again... 

New Zealand Company FlipFarm Wins Global Aquaculture Innovation Award

Congratulations are in order for FlipFarm Systems, a New Zealand-based company that has developed a semi-automated method for turning oyster-growing cages.

FlipFarm Managing Director Aaron Pannell presented his company’s technology at the Global Seafood Alliance’s (GSA) virtual GOAL event last week. The technology, which connects Hexcyl Pro baskets to a backbone that rolls up on the side of a harvesting vessel, won GSA’s annual Global Aquaculture Innovation Award.

“FlipFarm Systems is honored to be awarded the Global Seafood Alliance Innovation...

Cooke’s Cold Ocean Salmon Reports ISA Detections at Newfoundland Salmon Site

Cold Ocean Salmon Inc., owned by Cooke Aquaculture, reported that it received two detections of Infectious Salmon Anaemia virus (ISAv) at its North West Cove marine site, in Newfoundland, Canada on November 19.

The detection was found in a single salmon cage at the facility. The site is located in Hermitage Bay and is currently being harvested; the cage is stocked with 47,000 Atlantic salmon, per Cooke Aquaculture.

The firm explained that ISAv is a naturally occurring virus in the ocean and is not a human health, or food safety issue...

Toyosu Market October Imported Tuna Sales Down In Wild Bluefins from North America

According to the October fresh tuna sales results at Tokyo's Toyosu Market, compiled by Jiji Press, imported tuna decreased by 49% from the same month of the previous year to 497 fish. Southern bluefin tuna and bigeye tuna also dropped, Minato Shimbun reported.

The total number of bluefin tuna was 479, a decrease of 46%. Wild fish from both North America and Norway was less than the previous year. Fish from Canada, the primary supplier, was 306 (446 in the same month of the last year)...

Captain Phip’s Seafood, Owner Jamie Harrington, Sentenced for Federal Visa Fraud

Captain Phip’s Seafood, a seafood wholesaler in Secretary, Maryland, has been sentenced for federal visa fraud.

The company, which is primarily in the business of production and distribution of ice, as well as the processing of seafood, has participated in the H-2B work visa program for more than a decade. The H-2B work visa program allows a company to obtain temporary foreign workers to fill seasonal positions. From 2013 through 2018, Captain Phip’s Seafood “routinely sought prevailing wage determinations for multiple job descriptions, and then...

Japan: October Seafood Imports Fell Year-on-Year After Four Months

Imports of seafood (excluding non-edible marine products) slowed again, falling below the same month last year for the first time in four months, according to the October Trade Preliminary Report released by the Ministry of Finance on November 17. Import value remained positive due to rising procurement costs, Suisan Keizai reported.

Imports in October were 150.067 tons and 131,997 million yen ($1144.15 million), a decrease of 8.1% in volume and an increase of 10.8% in value compared to the same month of the previous year...

Alaska Symphony of Seafood: "And the First-Round Winners Are .... "

After a year of cancelled events, Alaska’s Symphony of Seafood is back — leading with Alaska salmon, pollock, sablefish, and kelp. Yes, the Alaska seaweed won the Alaska Symphony of Seafood first place award for the Foodservice category last week at Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle. 

Three kelp companies submitted products for competition: Barnacle Foods, Premium Aquatics and Seagrove Kelp of Doyle Bay in Southeast Alaska. Markos Scheer of Seagrove Kelp accepted the award for their Alaska Grown Ribbon Kelp.

Maine Governor Mills Announces Steps to Prepare for Offshore Wind Investments

Maine Governor Janet Mills is preparing her constituents for offshore wind following the recent start of the Vineyard Wind 1 project, the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S.

Last week U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland joined Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to mark the groundbreaking of the Vineyard Wind 1 project. And that project is just the tip of the iceberg for offshore wind. On Tuesday the Mills Administration announced the next steps in the Maine Offshore Wind Initiatives efforts to prepare the state’s commercial seaports to...

NFI Crab Council Congratulates Sri Lankan Blue Swimming Crab FIP on Sustainability Award

The National Fisheries Institute’s Crab Council congratulates the Sri Lankan Blue Swimming Crab Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) for its Best Projects Sustainability Award 2021 from Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Managing Director of Taprobane Seafoods, Timothy O’Reilly, accepted the award noting that, “this FIP has long been a precompetitive collaboration focused not only to the health of the resource but the health of the communities that harvest it, the very definition of sustainable and socially responsible seafood. For our company, commitment to this kind of...

Federal Fisheries Disaster Declared for 2019 Atlantic Herring Fishery

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that a federal fishery disaster occurred for the 2019 Atlantic herring fishery.

A disaster request was filed by a number of Northeastern states, a release from NOAA explained and Raimondo determined the disaster on November 22.

“Fishery disasters don’t just impact local communities—they ripple out into the broader economy impacting consumers and businesses far beyond the coast,” said Secretary Raimondo. “Resilient and sustainable fisheries are not only essential to our coastal communities...

Bumble Bee Names Senior VP of Sales as Leadership Team Grows

The Bumble Bee Seafood Company announced Laura Chamberlain as its new Senior Vice President of Sales.

Bumble Bee described Chamberlain as an accomplished sales executive who will work to position the company as a “best-in-class partner for retailers across all channels while continuing to grow the shelf-stable seafood category.”

Chamberlain enters the role with over 25 years of experience across CPG sales including Danone North America, The Hershey Company and Clorox. Chamberlain was recently recognized by Target for “Best in Class Partnership for her work...