Urner Barry Launches Expanded Shrimp Market Coverage in Europe

Urner Barry, the leading provider of protein market news and information in the food industry, is excited to announce an expansion in its coverage of shrimp trading within the European market.

Adding to the existing European coverage of  Coldwater (Pandalus Borealis) and Red Argentine (Pleoticus Muelleri) shrimp, Urner Barry has expanded coverage to include Vannamei (White) shrimp coming into Europe with a key focus on value added imports from both South Asia and South East Asia as well as whole and headless items from Latin America. In addition, Urner Barry has also added Penaeus Monodon (Black Tiger shrimp) to the European shrimp complex.

Leading this initiative is Market Analyst Michael Nesbitt, who recently reported that shrimp trading is...

ANALYSIS: May Shrimp Imports Decline 29.4 Percent

May shrimp imports were released today and in-line with expectations of the first year-over-year decline. That data showed May imports at 83.357 million pounds, 29.4 percent below May 2019. This was near the forecast by Urner Barry Consulting in early June. 

Of our top five trade partners, a change of leadership was seen with gains only from Indonesia (+10.5%), pushing this country to the number one spot. Less shrimp was shipped from India (-57.8%), Ecuador (-25.2%), Vietnam (-8.7%), and...

Alaska’s Daily Rate of COVID Cases Up Sharply, Seafood Cases Now 10% of all Cases

In the last week, the daily count of coronavirus cases has nearly doubled with a record-breaking 45 new cases last Monday and 42 on Tuesday. As of midnight Tuesday, a total 436 resident cases were considered active. 

In the 198 non-resident cases, 126 are related to the seafood industry. Because testing is part of an approved protocol during the 2020 fishing season, a high percentage of those who tested positive have no symptoms. Those cases still follow the quarantine requirements but without the...

Update: Bristol Bay Run Still Building, Ocean Temperatures Close to Normal, Patches Higher

As of yesterday, Bristol Bay’s total catch of salmon was 2.6 milion salmon, including 2.5 million sockeye. Escapement into all five river systems is at 1.3 million, with observers noting that the 4 milion mark in the run is expected in the next 24 hours. 

The Port Moller Test Fishery’s latest stock compilation summary is expected later today. Indices for catching stations on the PMTF’s grid have seen higher values in recent days. 

The vessels have been hampered by extreme weather, but co-manager Scott Raborn says ...

NYC Pulls Back on Indoor Dining as U.S. Sees Biggest One-Day COVID-19 Spike Since Start of Pandemic

New York City is not taking any chances when it comes to the coronavirus. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday that indoor dining will no longer move ahead as scheduled.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been reopening the state by regions. New York City, which was one of the regions hit the hardest by the coronavirus, was expected to enter Phase 3 of reopening on Monday, July 6. Phase 3 was supposed to include indoor dining at no more...

Japan: May Seafood Exports Increased by 3% to 630,000 Tons; Frozen Scallops, Albacore Perform Well

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, exports of marine products in May increased by 3% year-on-year to 63,450 tons and decreased by 2% to 17.2 billion yen ($159.9 million). On a monetary basis, the rate of decrease was double-digit from January of this year, with a 22% decrease in March and a 35% decrease in April, but it recovered in this month. Among the leading products, frozen scallops exceeded the same month last year in volume and...

RODA Challenges Coast Guard Study Related to Offshore Wind

The Responsible Offshore Wind Development Alliance (RODA) called for the U.S. Coast Guard to revise its Massachusetts and Rhode Island Port Access Route Study (MARIPARS), claiming the study contains serious errors.

RODA filed a formal Request for Correction under the Information Quality Act in order to improve the objectivity and utility of the disseminated information.

MARIPARS examined current waterway uses in areas off of Massachusetts and Rhode Island which are potential offshore wind energy sites. RODA cited “serious foundational and analytical errors that merit correction” in the study...

Norpac Fisheries Export Recalls Shrimp Poke Due to Listeria Monocytogenes

Norpac Fisheries Export recalled all of its fresh Garlic Shrimp Poke distributed in the Hawaiian Island between May 11, 2020 and June 25, 2020 because it had the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The product was distributed in Hawaii on The Big Island, Maui, Oahu, and Kauai through its retail customers, specifically Safeway Stores.

According to a release from the company posted on the FDA website, the shrimp poke is distributed as "pre-mixed in plastic pouches and go to service counters and then...

Torchy’s Tacos Introduces New Prawn Taco For July’s Taco of the Month

Popular taco chain Torchy’s Tacos is starting the month with a brand new taco: The Prawn Star.

The Prawn Star is Torchy’s “July Taco of the Month” and features coconut lime shrimp ceviche with fresh mango, avocado and cilantro on a crispy tandem tortilla. It’s a new edition to their menu, and debuting for just $5.50 all month long.

“We’re excited to reveal a never-before-seen Taco of the Month that’s perfect for hot summer days,” said Mike Rypka, founder of Torchy’s Tacos...

City Water Woes Worsen Industry Upheaval in Newport, Ore.

A pair of summer crises has taken the "working" out of Newport's working waterfront.

Newport, Ore., takes pride in its waterfront street that, on one side, is lined with processors and docks and, on the other, shops, restaurants and tourist attractions. First, a COVID-19 outbreak hit the harbor town and interrupted the usually busy waterfront during the start of coldwater pink shrimp and Pacific whiting seasons.

But at the same time, another crisis was unfolding: iron particles clogging city water filters. City staff noticed the problem in May ...

Massachusetts Releases Update On Allocation of $28 Million Received From CARES Act 

In early May, over a month after the CARES Act was passed, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the allocation of $300 million in fisheries assistance funding. Of that $300 million, Massachusetts received the third largest amount of funding: $28,004,176. Now, the state is working on setting up the application process to disperse those funds.

The Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) released an update Thursday morning to provide industry participants with the latest information regarding the dispersal process...

Seven Lessons Foodservice Can Learn from a Pandemic 

As states begin to reopen, restaurants are adapting to a new normal to welcome diners back. These adaptions include providing outdoor seating, incorporating stricter sanitary procedures, and paperless menus. According to a recent report by Datassential, there are seven lessons foodservice operators can learn from the COVID-19 pandemic that will benefit their business going forward. 

The first lesson is goodbye fear, hello caution. As more places begin to ease coronavirus restrictions, consumers are feeling more comfortable returning to public spaces if certain safety measures are met. After restrictions are lifted, about 63% of those surveyed feel safe eating at a restaurant with outdoor dining. Around 54% feel safe returning to a convenience store, and the same percentage feel comfortable with...

Massachusetts Delegation Calls for State’s Lobster Industry to be Part of Potential Tariff Relief

Massachusetts politicians are looking to get the state’s lobster industry included in potential financial assistance for its losses during the U.S.-China trade war.

A delegation led by Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Representatives Seth Moulton (MA-06), and William R. Keating (MA-09), wrote the Trump administration asking that the Massachusetts lobster industry be a part of any trade relief assistance that may be distributed in response to China’s retaliatory tariffs...

SeafoodNews Not Publishing on Friday, July 3

SeafoodNews will not be publishing on Friday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day. We will return to our normal publishing schedule on Monday, July 6.

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

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

All Seafood Products in Pair of Albertsons Product Lines to Get Sustainability Logos on Packaging

Albertsons Companies announced that all seafood in its waterfront BISTRO and Open Nature lines of Own Brands products will display the Responsible Choice logo created for sustainable sourcing.

The logo signifies that the product meets the company’s Responsible Choice Logo standards, which means the caught or farmed seafood “in ways that safeguard future supplies and help keep ecosystems thriving. The logo also signifies that sourcing is third-party audited to ensure the highest standards...

Conagra Brands Partners with MSC to Boost Sustainable Seafood in U.S.

Conagra Brands announced a partnership with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to bring more sustainably sourced seafood options to the American consumer.

Starting this summer, Conagra Brands' Van de Kamp's and Mrs. Paul's frozen fish fillets and fish sticks will bear the MSC blue fish label, meaning that the wild-caught products are now third-part certified for sustainability.

Along with the partnership with Conagra, the MSC is attempting to boost consumption of sustainable seafood through its 'Little Blue Label, Big Blue Future' (#bigbluefuture) campaign...

NOAA Changes Course, Observer Redeployment Delayed Through July 31

NOAA Fisheries announced the redeployment of observers will be delayed through July 31, 2020 less than 24 hours before at-sea monitors were set to be aboard vessels in the Greater Atlantic Region.

Over the past four weeks, fishery councils, stakeholders and politicians have spoken out against the return of fishery observers, citing concerns regarding the health and safety of captains, crews and observers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Although NOAA Fisheries had announced plans to resume observer deployments on July 1, we recognize the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve..."