Logistical Bottlenecks in Ecuador as Protests Related to Fuel Prices Continue 

Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency in three provinces last Friday after violent protests were started to demand a reduction in fuel prices. A week later there are no signs of letting up.

According to reports, the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities (CONAIE) has been blocking highways and access to Quito. Protests have been in the Andean provinces of Pichincha and neighboring Cotopaxi (south) and Imbabura (north). As of Wednesday there were reports of two deaths and injuries of 90 civilians and 100 members of security forces...

Alaska Salmon Landings on Track Timewise, Except Chinook and Chum — Much Lower on Average 

Alaska salmon landings by the end of last week (statistical week 25 or June 18, 2022) for sockeye and pink salmon were on par with historical averages across the state, but Chinook showed no increase in the last week, compared to a rise last year at that time and an even higher increase during statistical week (SW) 25 over the five-year average. Chum landings were a little higher than last year at this time, but still lower than the five-year-average by SW25 ... 

Massive Tundra Fires in Western Alaska Threaten Fishing Communities

Fishermen and their families in St. Mary’s on the Yukon and in Dillingham and King Salmon in Bristol Bay were breathing a bit easier earlier this week when wildfires are no longer advancing their way. Residents of St. Marys evacuated as the East Fork fire — currently 125,000 acres — came within 3.5 miles of the Yukon River community. 

In Dillingham, the Iowithla River Fire, then burning some 36,500 acres, advanced to within 9.5 miles of the largest population center in the Bristol Bay region, just a few weeks away from peak fishing ...

Biden Administration Launches Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership

The Biden Administration announced the launch of a new Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership aiming to speed up the development of offshore wind farms on June 23.

The partnership features the White House and 11 governors along the East Coast of the country. The group said the first step will be a “commitment to collaborate on expanding key elements of the offshore wind supply chain, from manufacturing facilities to port capabilities to workforce development.”

Previously, the President has made a number of advancements to push offshore wind including...

GAO Recommends USDA Strengthen Efforts to Prevent Unsafe Drug Residue in Imported Seafood

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a number of “priority open recommendations” for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement including increasing its focus on efforts to prevent unsafe drug residue in imported seafood, among other recommendations.

The GAO wants the USDA to “protect the safety of the food supply” by having the Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) coordinate and communicate with the FDA in developing drug residue testing methods and corresponding maximum residue levels (MRLs) for imported catfish...

Dr. Chris Beattie Joins AquaBounty as New Chief Scientific Officer

AquaBounty announced on Thursday that they’ve made a new addition to their team. Dr. Chris Beattie will be joining the land-based salmon producer as their new Chief Scientific Officer.

“We are pleased to have Chris join AquaBounty as we continue to build our experience and capabilities,” said AquaBounty CEO Sylvia Wulf. “He will bring tremendous insight to the design and construction of our farm in Pioneer, Ohio, and will continue to strengthen our expertise in breeding, genetics, and fish health.”

Dr. Beattie brings more than 20 years of...

QDOBA Adds Citrus Lime Shrimp Option for Limited Time

A new protein will be on the menu at QDOBA for a limited time with the fast casual Mexican chain’s new Citrus Lime Shrimp option.

The shrimp is sustainably sourced featuring AP (Best Aquaculture Practices) rated shrimp, all freshly sauteed in-house in a tangy citrus lime sauce.

"In our successful market test, we learned that our guests want a lighter protein alternative they can feel good about eating," said QDOBA's Chief Marketing Officer Karin Silk. "Our Citrus Lime Shrimp is tossed in a tangy lime sauce and sauteed right...

UB Consulting: Has the Foodservice Industry Recovered?

It has been no surprise that the foodservice industry suffered during the pandemic. From the lockdowns to patron fear of catching COVID, we witnessed some of our favorite restaurants disappear. Still, the industry continues to fight battles along all fronts—inflationary pressures, rising employment costs, and supply chain disruptions, to name a few. It has been over two years since the emergence of the pandemic, which offers us the opportunity to dissect how the foodservice sector has coped up until now...

Senator Susan Collins: “Hold China Accountable” For Phase One Lobster Purchases

“Hold China accountable.” That’s the latest message from U.S. Senator Susan Collins, who at a Commerce Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, urged U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai to support Maine’s lobster industry by pushing China to uphold its promise to purchase more U.S. lobster.

It seems like a lifetime ago thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2018 China imposed a 25% retaliatory tariff on U.S. lobster. Live lobster exports to China took a hit almost immediately, declining by 64% – a big deal considering that...

Shipping Companies Push Back Against CBP Motion to Reinstitute Fines in Jones Act Pollock Case

Klooesterboer International Forwarding (KIF) and Alaska Reefer Management (ARM), a pair of American Seafoods-affiliated shipping companies have urged the court to keep the Bayside Canadian Rail route in operation during the litigation process that involves pollock shipments heading across the country.

A motion filed by KIF and ARM opposed a recent motion filed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) which would dissolve an injunction that halted the CBP from issuing fines on the shipping firms using the route...

Offshore Wind and Fisheries: BOEM Seeks Public Comment on Draft Mitigation Strategy

A number of entities like to say fisheries and offshore wind can co-exist, but that claim is becoming increasingly difficult to repeat as more areas are identified or leased on the East Coast, Gulf of Mexico and West Coast for wind farms.

However, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says it wants to ensure that offshore renewable energy development occurs in a thoughtful manner that minimizes conflicts with other ocean users. On Thursday, BOEM announced the availability of draft guidance on mitigating potential impacts of ...

Grant Applications Now Available for Oregon’s Seafood Processing Industry

Potential seafood processing support in Oregon is now just a few clicks away.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture announced Thursday it is accepting applications for $1.5 million in grants supporting Oregon’s seafood industry. Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it would distribute approximately $50 million to 24 states and one U.S. territory to help defray the costs incurred by the seafood processing facilities and processing vessels preparing for, preventing exposure to, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applications are available at ODA ...

Xinpangao International Trade Corporation Recalls Shrimp Dumplings Due to Undeclared Allergen

Xinpangao International Trade Corporation recalled its Shrimp dumpling with fish wrapper products due to undeclared egg, per a recall notice posted on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website on June 23.

The recalled product has been sold in Ontario and Quebec and may have been distributed in other provinces or territories, the CFIA wrote.

The recall was triggered by CFIA test results and the department is currently conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products.

The CFIA recommended the following...

Seafood and Gender Equality Receives $400,000 Grant To Further Mission

Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE), an initiative under fiscal sponsorship of nonprofit Coastal Quest, has reason to celebrate. SAGE received a philanthropic grant of $400,000 from Builders Initiative to “further its mission to ensure a more inclusive, diverse, and equal seafood sector.”

“Behind every bite of seafood, there are women – from those who harvest at sea, to those who carefully process our seafood, to those who lead in the seafood sector,” said Laura Rodriguez, Oceans Program Officer at Builders Initiative. “We are proud to support SAGE...

NFI Crab Council Meets in Maryland For Summer Working Group Meeting Series

What summer break? Members of the National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) Crab Council met in Baltimore, Maryland earlier this week as part of their working group meeting series. The meeting, which took place from June 21-22, was the third of the policy and project focused meetings since 2019. Previous consultations have resulted in everything from development of detailed units of assessment, to track Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIP), to the adoption of the Spawning Potential Ratio (SPR) method to quantify and monitor progress...

Judge Vacates NMFS Final Rule on Cook Inlet Salmon Closure as Arbitrary and Capricious

Earlier this week Judge Joshua M. Kindred in US District Court in Anchorage, ruled as “arbitrary and capricious” the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Amendment 14 to the Salmon Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) which closed the federal waters in Cook Inlet to commercial fishermen.

Last night, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said it would reopen the fishery today.

“Any vessel fishing for salmon in Cook Inlet will be regulated by the State of Alaska under the laws of the State of Alaska,” said the  ...

Canadian Fisheries Minister Announces 2-Year Renewal of Discovery Island Fish Farm Leases

Progress is being made to transition from open-net pen salmon aquaculture in British Columbia. 

Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced on Wednesday that the Government of Canada is committed to transition from open-net pen salmon aquaculture in British Columbia’s coastal waters in a manner that “protects wild salmon, the environment and the economy.” As part of that commitment, the government agency is introducing draft framework for the transition. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) will be relying on input from...