FTC Warns Top U.S. Seafood Chains About Misleading "Locally Caught" Claims

An official with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned the top seafood restaurants in the U.S. about falsely advertising their menu items as locally caught.

Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya wrote in a letter to top ten highest grossing seafood chains including Red Lobster, Long John Silver’s and Legal Sea Foods, stating that customers deserve to know that they are being offered genuine wild-caught American seafood - and when they are being offered something else.

“To that end, I am writing to relay recent guidance from Federal... 

The Retail Rundown:  Port Strike Sends Shockwaves Throughout Supply Chain 

The strike at East and Gulf Coast ports officially began once the calendar turned to October, following unsuccessful contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).

The strike's impact is being felt throughout the supply chain, causing significant disruptions in the flow of goods ahead of the rapidly approaching holiday season. 

In a statement released on Tuesday, USMX stated that its current offer includes a nearly 50% wage increase. In response, ILA said it has rejected USX's offer "because it fails to address...

MSC Urges Governments to Agree to Quota Sharing Deal for Atlanto-Scandian Herring, Mackerel

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has called on North Atlantic states and fishing nations to come to an agreement on a long-term quota-sharing deal for pelagic stocks of Atlanto-Scandian (AS) herring, blue whiting and mackerel.

MSC’s push follows newly released data from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) that indicated a downward trend of AS herring and mackerel stocks, a pair of critical species for Europe.

Stocks of AS herring have dropped from 6.9 million tonnes in 2008...

Chilean Salmon Gains Access to the Australian Market

Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) announced that the country’s salmon farmers now have access to Australia as an export market.

Sernapesca said the move followed a lengthy audit process carried out by Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). Chile is now approved to export salmonids, including Atlantic salmon and coho salmon, to Australia, with Sernapesca overseeing the exporters' certification process.

This implies the inclusion of Chile in the list of countries that comply with the biosecurity standards for the importation of salmonids to Australia (BICON), which authorizes...

NRF Calls on Administration to Use ‘Any and All Authority’ to End Port Strike

The National Retail Federation today released the following statement from NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay after a labor strike was initiated at all U.S. East and Gulf Coast container ports. The strike went into effect after the six-year master contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) expired on Sept. 30.

“NRF urges President Biden to use any and all available authority and tools — including use of the Taft-Hartley Act — to immediately restore operations at all...

UK’s Young’s Seafood Debuts Jumbo Cod Product Amid Rising Fish and Chip Prices

Young’s Seafood, a staple seafood brand in the United Kingdom, debuted a Jumbo cod product in its Young’s Chip Shop retail line.

The new Young’s Chip Shop Jumbo Cod Special targets consumers looking for a genuine takeaway fish and chips experience without having to leave their kitchen.

The Jumbo Cod replicates the typical jumbo-sized portions at local fish and chip shops throughout the country. The Atlantic cod fillets hit the shelves amid rising takeaway food prices in the UK, with Young’s stating...

Thai Union Hosts SeaBOS at its Booth During the Sustainability Expo 2024

Mr. Adam Brennan, Group Director of Sustainability and Corporate Communications at Thai Union Group Public Company Limited, welcomed Mr. Martin Exel, Managing Director of the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS), to Thai Union’s booth at the Sustainability Expo 2024, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. During his visit, Exel received a detailed update on the progress Thai Union has made towards its goals under SeaChange®2030, the company’s global sustainability strategy.

SeaBOS involves eight of the world's largest seafood companies along...

Nearly $40 Million in Disaster Funding Allocated for ’23-24 Bering Sea Snow Crab Fishery

The U.S. Secretary of Commerce announced that $39.5 million in funding will address a fishery resource disaster that occurred in the Alaska Bering Sea Snow Crab Fishery from 2023 to 2024.

“As climate change continues to have severe impacts on the fisheries and ecosystems that are vital to Alaska’s economy, the Department of Commerce remains committed to providing disaster relief across the state,” said Secretary Raimondo. “This funding will help Alaskans recover from the Bering Sea Snow Crab Fishery disaster...

NCLA Files Another Brief Urging Court to Drop Atlantic Herring Monitoring Rule

The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) said it filed a “Supplemental Brief” urging the court to vacate the federal rule that forces North Atlantic herring fishermen to pay for at-sea monitoring.

Specifically, the NCLA wants the Omnibus Amendment, issued by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), to be shut down for almost all of the region's fisheries.

Implemented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) February 2020 Final Rule, the Herring Rule is just the first of many industry-funded monitoring programs...

NOAA Fisheries Unveils National Seafood Strategy Implementation Plan

NOAA Fisheries released its National Seafood Strategy, a document designed to outline the direction  to support a “thriving domestic U.S. seafood economy over the next five years

A little over a year later, NOAA has now released its National Seafood Strategy Implementation Plan, a 14-page document that will outline actions taken to support the national strategy.

“The Implementation Plan is where the rubber meets the road,” said NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit. “It outlines the specific actions to achieve the goals we laid out in the strategy...

Japan's August Imports: Frozen Chilean Coho Up 3x Over a Year Ago; Frozen Yellowfin up 40%

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance on September 27, the import volume of fishery products in August (preliminary figures, fish and shellfish and their preparations, fishmeal and seaweed) increased by 1% from last year to 155,690 tons. Fresh and chilled tuna, salmon, trout, shrimp, squid, octopus, etc., exceeded the same month last year. The total value also increased by 4% to 146,111 million yen ($1,018.39 million).

Minato Shimbun reported that fresh and frozen...

GAPP Awards Record-Number of 2025 Partnership Proposals with Funding at Annual Meeting Event

At its sixth Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting, the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced today to the nearly 300 attendees at the W Hotel Seattle, the names of the companies who have been awarded fiscal year 2025 GAPP Partnership Program Partnerships. 

“There’s a reason to be especially optimistic about the future of this industry as we look ahead. This year’s application process was the most competitive yet—with 34 unique applications and a total requested funding of nearly 4.4 million dollars,” said GAPP CEO...

U.S. House Reps Introduce Legislation to Support Working Waterfronts Impacted by Natural Disasters

U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-N.C.) introduced bipartisan legislation that would offer a disaster mitigation tax credit for working waterfronts.

The Work Waterfronts Disaster Mitigation Tax Credit Act would allow working waterfronts along coastal areas and navigable waterways to claim a 30% tax credit on mitigation costs, up to $1 million.

Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) in August...

Pokeworks Expands in Orange County Through Strategic Franchising

Pokeworks, the leading and quickest-growing fast-casual poke brand in the world, is strengthening its presence in Orange County as part of a strategic expansion initiative. With headquarters in Irvine, Pokeworks is committed to building a robust franchise network in the region, capitalizing on favorable demographics and a demand for fresh, customizable, and health-focused meals.

Peter Yang, co-founder and Chief Development Officer of Pokeworks, expressed why Orange County is a key market for the brand: “The demographics closely align with our target market and mirror national trends toward healthier...

Hurricane Helene Intensifies U.S. Agriculture Disruptions As Port Strike Officially Starts

Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm, made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region on September 26, 2024. The storm caused widespread destruction across the southeastern U.S., with the death toll approaching 125 as of this writing. 

Its damaging winds, storm surge, and flooding led to power outages and infrastructure damage in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas–with the Carolinas seemingly suffering the greatest impacts. Parts of North Carolina are submerged under water, where roads have been washed out and properties have been flattened. As of October 1...

Total Familiarity of Wild Alaska Pollock Hits the Highest Recorded Since Tracking Began

Total familiarity with Wild Alaska Pollock increased by an astounding 6 percentage points since tracking consumer familiarity began in 2019, said data experts from Ketchum Analytics at the Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting this morning in Seattle. During the sixth industry annual meeting, hosted by the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP), data experts Melissa Kinch and Lauren Hasse of Ketchum noted that, in looking at other white fish as a benchmark for performance, Wild Alaska Pollock last year, for the first time...

Washington Researchers Use Drones to Determine Marine Mammal Predation on Salmonids

Just how much salmon and steelhead do Washington’s seals and sea lions eat?

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to use drones to help determine the answer.

WDFW recently finalized a drone use plan that authorizes staff to conduct pinniped research and management surveys in the state’s coastal and inland waters. Department staff and researchers will use drones to survey for seals and sea lions in the Department’s Southwest, Coastal, and North Puget Sound regions.

This fall, WDFW will fly drones in the Nisqually, ...