NEFMC Approves Scaled-Back Scallop Harvest Plan for 2025-26 Season

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) finalized Framework Adjustment 39 during its December 3-5 meetings. This framework establishes harvest specifications and management measures for the 2025-26 scallop fishing season.

The framework, which still needs the final thumbs-up from NOAA Fisheries, will set total landings at about 19.75 million pounds and revenue at $348.25 million. This represents just over a 25% decrease in total landings compared to the current 2024-25 season.

However, as Urner Barry by Expana covered in its latest U.S. Quarterly Scallop Market Insight publication...

Genetic Testing Reveals Mississippi Restaurants Misrepresenting Gulf Shrimp

A recent investigation found extensive mislabeling and misrepresentation of shrimp served at restaurants in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.

SeaD Consulting, a firm focused on monitoring seafood mislabeling through genetic testing, said it found that many establishments in the area are misleading consumers by offering imported shrimp rather than locally caught fare.

Findings from SeaD Consulting indicated that restaurants in Biloxi, Gulf Shores, and surrounding areas featured marketing focused on “fresh local seafood,” but imported shrimp was frequently substituted for the local wild-caught shrimp, which remains a staple in the region...

U.S. House Passes FISHES Act Aimed at Expediting Fishery Disaster

The U.S. House of Representatives passed The FISHES Act via voice vote on December 4. The legislation looks to improve the federal regulatory process linked to the allocation of fishery disaster relief, per an announcement from Congressman Byron Donalds’ (R-FL) office.

H.R. 5103 – "The Bipartisan Fishery Improvement to Streamline untimely regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation Act (FISHES) Act," will expedite the distribution of federal disaster relief following official fishery disaster declaration-which the State of Florida has requested seven times since 2012.

The legislation has received the support...

Historically Low Hokkaido Fall Chum Landings Leads to High Prices for Ikura, Dressed Fish

According to a Minato Shimbun report, this year's Hokkaido fall chum fishing season ended on November 30. According to the Hokkaido Fisheries Association Daily Report, the cumulative landing volume up to that point was 43,624 tons, down 18% from the previous year. Although this is a preliminary figure, it is lower than the 45,000 tons in 2019, which was the lowest in recent years. It is even lower than the 44,019 tons in 1978, when the artificial hatching and release project was first started...

GSA and Wholechain Launch Prism, New Assurance & Traceability Platform, and Webinar Series

Seafood responsibility organization Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) recently partnered with traceability solutions company Wholechain to launch Prism, an assurance and traceability platform.

“We are excited to unveil our assurances and traceability platform, Prism, which is designed to revolutionize how our customers manage and verify their supply chains,” said Tim Grotheer, Director of IT.

According to Grotheer, the platform will combine robust traceability data systems with a user-friendly interface, ensuring seamless tracking, greater accountability, increased operational confidence, and more comprehensive insights.

Prism connects suppliers’ Global Dialogue on Seafood...

MarinTrust and MSC Sign MoU to Enhance Marine Ingredient Supply Chain

International certification programs MarinTrust and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation within the marine ingredient supply chain.  

Through the agreement, the two entities will explore mutual opportunities to make the marine ingredient supply chain more efficient for seafood producers and reduce overall costs for the industry.

Libby Woodhatch, Executive Chair at MarinTrust, noted that the “collaboration reflects both organization’s shared commitment to improving fisheries management and addressing the increasing demand for responsible marine ingredients.”

She added that the agreement will enable...

Eastern Fish to Handle US Sales and Marketing for Storm Seafood’s Norwegian Salmon Starting in 2025

Massive seafood importer and supplier Eastern Fish will handle all sales and marketing of Storm Seafood’s Norwegian salmon products in the US at the start of 2025, the companies announced on December 3.

Norsk Sjomat AS, the owner of Storm Seafood, which has a sales office in Connecticut, partnered with New Jersey-based Eastern Fish in hopes of reaching more customers and improving their service experience for current and future customers.

Eric Bloom, President of Eastern Fish, stated: “We are honored to take...

Russia: Bering Sea Pollock Catch to Drop by 25% in 2024 Amid Natural, Economic Challenges

The pollock catch in the Bering Sea, one of Russia’s major pollock-producing areas, will decrease by almost 25% in 2024 compared to 2023 to 475,000-480,000 tons, according to recent statements made by the president of the Association of Fishing Fleet Owners (AFFO) Alexey Osintsev at the Far Eastern Scientific and Industrial Council.

According to Osintsev, natural factors, including those affecting fish migration, have a negative impact on the dynamics of the catch. As he explained, the decline in pollock production is a consequence...

Red Lobster Launches New Happy Hour

National seafood restaurant Red Lobster recently announced the launch of Happy Hour, featuring $5 drink specials and $2 off select starters.

The special began Monday, December 2, 2024, and will be available each week Monday – Friday from 3 – 6 PM local time at participating restaurants nationwide.

The starter selection includes the following dishes:

• Lobster Flatbread
• Seafood-Stuffed Mushrooms
• Crab Queso
• Lobster Dip
• Mozzarella Cheesesticks

Nichole Robillard, Chief Marketing Officer at Red Lobster, expressed excitement for the recent launch, saying, “It’s the perfect way to take a break from the hustle and bustle..."

ANALYSIS: Reduced Norwegian Cod Quotas Push Prices Higher in 2024

Expana's Norwegian cod price (frozen, gutted, headless, 1-2.5kg) has increased by 80.32% year over year (y-o-y) and by 15% quarter over quarter (q-o-q) during the last week of November. This has led to reaching the all-time high averaging monthly price of NOK 73.37 kg (Fig.1).  The increase may be associated with the Barents Sea cod quota reduction by 20%, which accounts for a total allowable catch of 212,124 MT for Norway in 2024.

In addition, total exports dropped by 14% y-o-y...

NOAA Makes $99 million Available for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund

Yesterday the Department of Commerce and NOAA Fisheries announced the availability of up to $99 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) for state and tribal projects conserving and restoring salmon in Alaska and along the West Coast.

The funding, which will focus on Pacific salmon and steelhead, will support projects that advance population and habitat restoration and increase environmental and economic resilience in surrounding communities.

Of the total funding available, $34.4 million was provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)...

UK Reaches Agreement on North Sea Fishing Opportunities for 2025

The UK Government has announced the outcome of its fishing negotiations with the EU and Norway today (4 December), securing fishing opportunities to North Sea stocks including cod, haddock and herring for the UK fleet.

A trilateral deal with the EU and Norway has secured UK fisheries over 290,000 tonnes of North Sea stocks, worth up to £310 million based on historic landing prices. The deal agreed catch limits on six fish stocks including cod, haddock and herring in the North Sea and other waters around the UK...

French Caviar Company Becomes First to Use BioMar’s Low-Impact Feed

French sturgeon farmer Caviar d’Aquitaine became the first in the industry to adopt BioMar’s Blue Impact feed, a product that aims to provide companies with responsibly sourced feed for aquaculture operators.

BioMar highlighted Caviar d’Aquitaine’s focus on sustainability and said the introduction of its Blue Impact feed further solidifies the sturgeon farmer's commitment to responsible fish farming. The firm is also on the verge of landing a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certification.

BioMar said its Blue Impact feed reduces reliance on scarce marine resources by using circular and restorative...

The Winding Glass: Heavy Lobster and Crab Tariffs Could Cripple the US; Canadian Seafood Industry

Canadian lobster and crab industries face severe stress due to President-elect Trump’s threat to impose 25% tariffs across the board on all Canadian imports to the US.

Under the worst-case scenario, higher sale prices would cut demand to the extent that lobster and crab would be left in the water. For both exports, the Canadians have no replacement for the US market. To increase sales to China, Japan, and Europe, they would have to offer drastic price cuts...

The Retail Rundown: Diving into December Deals

With the year-end holidays soon approaching, shoppers are eagerly diving into December deals. Retailers aim to capitalize on the season's spending surge with enticing offers on everything from festive foods to decadent desserts, decor, and other holiday items. 

Consumer spending on winter holidays is projected to hit a record-breaking $902 per person this year, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. This figure marks a $25 increase from 2023 and surpasses the previous record set in 2019 by $16...

Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable Discloses Sourcing, Joining SFP’s Ocean Disclosure Project

On December 3, 2024, the Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable (Squid SR) published details of its participants’ squid sourcing in the Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP), a global platform for voluntary disclosure of seafood sourcing.

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is a marine conservation organization that was founded in 2006. Supply Chain Roundtables (SRs) are pre-competitive, industry-focused discussions facilitated by SFP, which involve global seafood suppliers and focus on improvements in fishery and aquaculture practices, management, and policy.

The disclosure marks the first time a precompetitive collaboration participated with ODP since SFP established the transparency project in 2015. To date, 46 companies from around the world have participated in the project, including major retailers, fish feed manufacturers, suppliers and distributors, and meal kit and subscription food delivery companies.

Proximar Announces New Managing Director

Land-based fish farmer Proximar recently announced that Yoshihito Ito will join the Japanese team as Managing Director, effective as of December 2, 2024.

Ito, who holds a Master of Science in Fisheries from Kagoshima University in Japan, has been working for Nutreco and Skretting for the last 24 years. He has held the positions of General Manager of Skretting Japan since 2010 and General Manager of Nutreco Japan since 2021.

Prior to joining Skretting, Ito also worked for Nippon Roche K.K. and was a member of the global aquaculture expert team in the Roche...