UK Fish Stocks Face Growing Strain as Sustainability Ratings Slip for Cod, Scampi

The Marine Conservation Society has issued a fresh warning about mounting pressure on UK fish stocks, following its latest update to the Good Fish Guide.

The revised ratings show some of the UK’s most popular seafood choices, particularly cod and langoustine (commonly sold as scampi), are becoming less sustainable. Several UK cod stocks have declined since 2015 due to overfishing, climate change, and ecosystem disruption, and there are now no recommended options for UK-caught cod. Meanwhile, some langoustine fisheries have been...

Norway's Seafood Exports Rise 3% Despite Continued US Decline

Norway exported seafood worth NOK 15.5 billion ($1.6 billion) in March, up 3% from the same month last year, despite a third consecutive month of declining US shipments exceeding NOK 500 million.

The US market share fell to 9% of Norwegian exports, down 4 percentage points from March 2025, as increased tariffs and a weaker dollar against the Norwegian krone continued to impact trade. Salmon fillets bore the brunt of the US decline, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council.

"The main reason for the decline to the US is increased...

Northern Cod Stock Surges 20% in Single Year, Reaches 'Healthy Zone' Status

Canada's Northern cod stock has grown by approximately 20% in a single year and now sits firmly within the "Healthy Zone" under Fisheries and Oceans Canada's precautionary approach framework, according to the latest science assessment released April 1.

The milestone marks a dramatic turnaround just two years after the commercial fishery returned following a 32-year moratorium. At 540,000 tonnes, the Northern cod stock now represents the largest spawning stock biomass of any cod stock globally.

The assessment, covering the stock off the northeast coast of Newfoundland and Labrador...

Soaring Frozen Cod Prices Force Japan to Cut Imports

According to a report by the Minato Shimbun, the price of frozen imported cod soared last year due to a global decline in catch, drastically reducing Japanese imports. Both US and Russian cod largely disappeared from the domestic market. The unit price for frozen 9/10 counts in 18/19 kg blocks (longline-caught and dressed) from Alaska was "around 1,530 yen/kg ($9.58/kg) if a domestic price were to be assigned," according to a trading company source.

The total annual import volume...

SENA 2026: Aquamar Debuts New Sushi and Cod Line as “Protein Smackdown” Puts Fish in the Ring

Aquamar is using Seafood Expo North America 2026 to spotlight new sushi innovation and a convenience-focused retail seafood launch, while working to limit downstream disruption from shifting tariffs and broader geopolitical uncertainty, CEO Daryl Gormley told Expana.

At the company’s booth, Aquamar is featuring new California roll flavors, including Thai, Mexican, and curry-inspired profiles. Gormley said the California roll remains a strong platform for product development because it “lends itself so well to innovation,” giving Aquamar an opportunity to introduce new...

BC Groundfish Trawl Fishery Receives Marine Stewardship Council Certification 

Last Friday, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announced that the  British Columbia Groundfish Trawl fishery has achieved certification as a fishery that is sustainably fished.  

The fishery, which includes 28 vessels using both mid-water and bottom trawl gear targets hake, pollock, rockfish, cod, rockfish, and flatfish (like sole and flounder.) It has undertaken a series of transformative improvements including one of the most comprehensive stock management and quota allocation programs, and the precedent-setting Pacific Groundfish Trawl Habitat Conservation Agreement which addresses concerns about...

Shinkei Systems Expands in Pacific Northwest with New Facility

Shinkei Systems, a seafood robotics company, has announced an expansion in Tacoma, Washington, set to be fully operational by the spring with a core team in place and plans for additional hiring during peak fishing seasons in the years ahead.

This Seremoni Grade Plant was acquired from FATHOM Seafood and spans 16,000 square feet.

Its location serves as a strategically positioned hub in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, within direct proximity to key regional fisheries. The company currently sources black cod from fishermen in Alaska...

Nomad Foods Introduces New Recipe and New Leadership

Nomad Foods' brand, Birds Eye, is relaunching its iconic Fish Finger product after consumer testing showed a preference for the new recipe. This updated recipe features a crunchier coating and flaky 100% white fish fillet. It will be rolled out across Birds Eye's Breaded Omega 3, Cod, and Haddock Fish Finger ranges, with a new packaging design aimed at capturing attention in the freezer aisle.

To celebrate this refresh, the company has launched a multi-million-pound marketing campaign featuring TV, outdoor...

EU Continues Importing Russian Fish Despite Sanctions

The European Union continues to import fish from Russia despite sanctions. In the first half of 2025, Russian fish exports to the EU rose to 122,000 tons, driven mainly by pollock fillets, whose supply more than doubled.

While official figures for the full year 2025 are not yet available, most analysts expect growth to continue at a similar pace.

In 2024, the EU imported fish and seafood from Russia for $751.74 million, with comparable figures expected for 2025.

The EU primarily imports white fish...

Russian Fish Exports to China Reach 1.9M Tons Amid Persistent Tariff Barriers

China continues to maintain tariffs on key Russian fish export products despite growing fisheries trade between the two countries. 

Official data shows that Russian fish exports to China reached 1.91 million tons, worth US$3.4 billion, in 2025. Exports could have been higher if not for tariff restrictions limiting supply. 

Updated tariffs that took effect January 1, 2026, are set at 5% on a wide range of products, including frozen pollock, herring, cod, and blue whiting. In 2025, these species accounted for 71% of the...

US Market Challenges Push Norwegian Salmon Fillet Exports Down 37%, Poland and China Surge

Norwegian seafood exports fell 3% in value at the start of 2026 compared to January last year, as the US market faced “unpredictable tariffs,” a weaker dollar, and rising competition, the Norwegian Seafood Council reports. CEO Christian Chramer pointed to lower salmon prices, reduced quotas for several wild species, and challenging market access as key factors behind the decline.

At this point last year, the US was the largest single market for Norwegian seafood. Today, the value of exports destined for the US has declined...

GBH News to Premiere New Podcast: Catching The Codfather

GBH News today announced the upcoming premiere of Catching The Codfather, a new podcast from the Peabody Award-winning team behind The Big Dig and Scratch & Win. Catching The Codfather traces the true-crime story of New England fishing tycoon Carlos Rafael, his controversial rise, and the federal sting operation that finally brought him down exactly 10 years ago this month. The six-part limited series, the latest season of GBH News’ The Big Dig™ podcast, is hosted by Ian Coss...

Russia Plans Major 2026 Catch Increases for Crab, Fish Species

Russia plans to significantly raise total allowable catch quotas for specific fish species and crabs in 2026, based on data from recent scientific expeditions.

Rosrybolovstvo reports that greenling quotas in the North Kuril subzone will increase by 54.1% to 18,500 tons. Cod quotas in the South Kuril subzone are set to grow by 8.7%, while whelk quotas in the North Okhotsk subzone will rise by 19%.

Crab quotas will also see increases due to significant stock growth. Kamchatka crab catch limits in the West Sakhalin subzone...

GSMC 2026: Seafood Volumes Slip in Foodservice, But Sushi, Shrimp, and Deli Items Show Promise

Seafood volumes in US foodservice fell in 2025, with shellfish driving most of the decline, Melissa Rodriguez, VP Perimeter at Circana, told attendees at the Global Seafood Market Conference. Total seafood servings were down year‑over‑year, as a 5.9% drop in shellfish outpaced a 2.1% gain in fish. Restaurants, which account for nearly three‑quarters of total seafood pound volume, saw their volumes decline even as dollar sales increased, a sign that menu price inflation is masking the pullback in consumption...

Winding Glass: Trump Policies of Tariff and Weak Dollar Damaged Seafood in 2025, Likely to Continue 

Tariffs and a weak dollar created artificial seafood supply shortages in the US in 2025. The result: higher prices for consumers, reduced consumption, and a reorientation of global trade flows away from America.

Supply is the ultimate driver of seafood pricing, as any boat captain landing in New Bedford, Gloucester or Maine will tell you. On days with more boats, prices are down.

The same dynamic holds at the stock level. When a population expands or contracts, it changes the...

Russia Eyes Haddock and Pollock as Alternatives Amid Cod Decline

Russia continues to face declining cod catches due to low stock levels and changing climatic conditions, adversely affecting production.

To compensate, local analysts suggest increasing haddock and pollock catches as possible replacements for cod.

German Zverev, head of the All-Russian Association of Fish Producers (VARPE), told Kommersant that cod has an unfortunate history—200–250 years ago, it was the main commercial target for Russian fishermen. However, high demand combined with natural factors has led to overexploitation of cod populations in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...

VNIRO: Saury Stock Recovery Expected Within 4-5 Years in Russian Waters

Russia expects to see a recovery in catch volumes for some key fish species this year after several years of serious production declines.

Saury catch is receiving particular attention. In 2025, saury production in the Japanese zone increased to 65,000 tons from 17,000 tons the previous year. Scientists are recording signs of saury population recovery, which may contribute to increased Russian catches this year.

Alexey Baitaluk, deputy director of the Russian fisheries research institution VNIRO, said the situation with depleted saury stocks in the North Pacific is generally...

BSF Links Lenten Seafood Price Increases to Import Challenges

According to BSF (formerly Beaver Street Fisheries), in an interview with News4JAX, tariffs, shipping delays, and supply chain disruptions have led to higher-than-usual prices for frozen seafood in the southeastern United States.

BSF said current consumer prices for staples like cod and shrimp reflect global market conditions amid the spike in demand for Lent. 

The interview was framed around consumers noticing rising seafood prices amid the Lenten season in the southeastern US.

During the interview, Mark Frisch, the company's owner...

NOAA Study Reveals How Pacific Cod Size Affects Snow Crab, Tanner Crab Predation Patterns

A new study by NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center biologists illuminates predator-prey dynamics between Pacific cod and commercially important snow and Tanner crabs. 

Scientists examined diet data collected during surveys of the eastern Bering Sea since 1985, along with spatial models over that time period. They discovered that the single most important factor related to total crab consumption by Pacific cod is not only the abundance of the Pacific cod population, but also the size of the cod when it is near crab...

Frozen Imported Cod Losing the Japanese Market

According to a report by the Minato Shimbun, the price of frozen imported cod soared last year due to a global decline in catch, drastically reducing Japanese imports. Both US and Russian cod largely disappeared from the domestic market. The unit price for frozen 9/10 counts in 18/19 kg blocks (longline-caught and dressed) from Alaska was "around 1,530 yen/kg ($9.58/kg) if a domestic price were to be assigned," according to a trading company source.

The total annual import volume, including...

Salmon Surges While Shrimp Slips in NFI's Top 10 US Consumption Rankings

Salmon emerged as the standout winner in US seafood consumption patterns for 2023, while the traditionally dominant shrimp category showed signs of vulnerability, according to the National Fisheries Institute's annual top 10 species list.

Salmon consumption surged 0.29 pounds to 3.51 pounds per capita, reinforcing its position as America's second-most consumed seafood. The growth contrasts sharply with shrimp's performance, despite maintaining its No. 1 ranking at 5.10 pounds per capita; shrimp consumption declined by a notable 0.40 pounds from 2022 levels...

Russia’s Per‑Capita Fish Consumption Falls to 24 kg as Exports Rise

Per‑capita fish consumption in Russia remains below government targets and shows little sign of near‑term recovery. State plans set a target of 28 kg per person for 2025, but consumption fell to about 24 kg in 2025 — a 2.4% decline year‑on‑year and roughly 11% below 2023 levels. Industry analysts say producers still find it more profitable to export catch than to supply the domestic market.

Retail demand softened in 2025. Analytics firm NTech estimates retail fish sales fell about 1% by volume...

Norwegian Seafood Exports Slip in February; Salmon Rises but US Demand Falls Sharply

Norway exported seafood worth NOK 13.8 billion ($1.4 billion) in February, a 2% decline from the same month a year earlier, the Norwegian Seafood Council reported on March 4. Exports for January–February totaled NOK 28.5 billion, down NOK 777 million (2.7%) versus the same period in 2025.

“Lower supplies of shellfish and wild-caught fish due to quota reductions, combined with a still troubled world and trade barriers, are affecting the market, product flows and prices even more strongly than we have experienced before...

Iceland Seafood International Achieves Notable Success in 2025 Across All Divisions

Iceland Seafood International announced its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 financial results late Thursday afternoon, showcasing robust performance across all divisions and surpassing projected profit expectations.

"The year 2025 was a strong operating year for Iceland Seafood, building on the turnaround achieved in the previous year. All divisions within the Group delivered strong results during the year despite various external challenges, highlighting the business's resilience and competitiveness. This performance strengthens my belief that there are opportunities ahead that...

Habit Burger Introduces New Baja Crispy Fish Sandwich and Fish Fridays In Time For Lent

Habit Burger is offering something for everyone this Lent with the introduction of its new Baja Crispy Fish Sandwich and Fish Fridays.

From February 18 through April 28, Habit is debuting its Baja Crispy Fish Sandwich, featuring wild Alaskan Cod complemented by cilantro lime coleslaw and finished with Habit’s signature bold Baja sauce.

"This sandwich is all about texture and freshness," said Chef Jason Triail, Director of Culinary Innovation at Habit. "You’ve got that light, crispy crunch from the beer-battered cod...

Larry's Catch Secures Investment on Canadian Show Dragons' Den

"Dragons' Den" is a television program in which aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas and models to a panel of Canadian business moguls, similar to the US hit show "Shark Tank."

On January 22, 2026, Larry's Catch debuted on the show, presenting its vision to make premium, wild-caught, and sustainable Canadian seafood accessible to households nationwide. After sharing their compelling mission and support for Canadian fishing families, co-founders Glen Creaser, James Quinn, and Javier Mejorada received offers from three Dragons.

"Pitching on Dragons'...

Ode Scores Milestone as Top Cod Supplier in Norway, Acquires 3 Farming Sites

Norwegian cod farmer Ode, after celebrating its spot as the top supplier of cod out of Norway in 2025, announced a deal to acquire three farming sites from Vesterålen Havbruk, it announced on January 27.

Ode said the sites Apalset, Stokkeneset, and Rekvika previously belonged to the listed company Statt Torsk and became part of Vesterålen Havbruk following the 2024 merger. Since 2024, the Rekvika site has been operated jointly by the Ode and Vesterålen Havbruk, while the other two sites...

GSMC 2026: Whitefish Panel Discusses Reshuffling Supply Amid Cod Decline, Growing Pollock Momentum

At GSMC 2026, the Whitefish Panel, led by Expana’s own Angel Rubio and Paul Jewer, CEO of High Liner Foods, underscored a major reshuffling underway in whitefish supply as cod availability tightens globally. Panelists highlighted pollock's rising prominence, greater familiarity, and growing integration into consumer-facing menus, as cod faces persistent supply constraints and higher prices.

Rubio set the stage with data showing continued declines in global Atlantic and Pacific cod harvests over the past decade, driven by strong ongoing demand and constrained supply...

Norwegian Skrei Season Begins with Industry Expecting “Excellent” Quality in 2026

The Norwegian skrei season is getting underway, and the industry is expecting a strong season after the species quality was recorded as “excellent” by those leading quality control efforts.

Jonnette Braathen of the Skrei Patrol looks ahead to the 2026 season: “The quality should be excellent as always – the standard stands firm. The most important task of the Skrei Patrol is to keep a good dialogue with the producers, enabling them to make the right decisions when they sort the skrei for packaging with the label...

Russia Continues Supplies of its Cod and Pollock to EU Despite the Existing Restrictions and Duties

Russia continues the supplies of its cod and pollock to the EU despite the existing restrictions and duties although this does not lead to decline of fish prices in the European market.

In fact, the European Union banned imports of caviar from Russia after the beginning of Russian-Ukranian war, but other fish products, including cod, still remained on the market being not a subject of bans. In 2024, the EU revoked Russian fisherman their tariff exemptions, but purchases of Russian