Trade Joe's Introduces New Seafood Offerings For Fall

Trader Joe’s is always releasing new products. This time around there are a few seafood items that should make everyone’s shopping list.

With fall quickly approaching there are plenty of seasonal goodies hitting the shelves, like Apple Cinnamon Buns, Butternut Squash Italian Lasagna, Gluten Free Pumpkin Ravioli and Mini Maple Flavored Marshmallows. The latest seafood items are perfect for the cooling weather, like Trader Joe’s Lobster Bisque with butter, sherry wine and fresh thyme. This premade bisque is “cooked low and slow” to allow all the flavors to come together...

Aquamar Debuts ‘Innovative’ Seafood Tenders Product Line

Move over, chicken tenders.

Aquamar unveiled its latest innovation with its ready-to-eat Seafood Tenders. The Seafood Tenders are wild-caught and available in four varieties: smoked salmon, cod, crab, and smoked haddock.

“With the launch of this approachable line of premium, ready-to-eat Seafood Tenders, Aquamar is giving seafood lovers what they want – delicious, healthy protein that is affordable and can be easily prepared and enjoyed at home,” the company wrote in a press release.

Aquamar said the products are a perfect protein add-on for any dish...

FFAW Reacts To DFO Rollover Of Cod Quota

On Tuesday Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) released the 2023 Northern Cod Stewardship fishery management approach for 2J3KL. The management measures state that catch will not exceed 12,999t, which includes 2,600t set aside for harvesters fishing in 2J (off Labrador). FFAW-Unifor was quick to comment on the announcement, accusing the DFO of failing to use all available data for assessment.

“The entire industry was hopeful for – and were depending on – an increase to the northern cod quota this year,” commented FFAW-Unifor President Greg Pretty...

Russia Increases Fish Catch This Year, Planning More Active Exports to EU 

Russia increased its fish catch and fish products output this year despite sanctions and the ever growing pressure on the country’s fish sector.

According to data of the Russian Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo) as of May 3, the volume of fish catch in Russia amounted to 1.82 million tons; 6% more than last year. In addition, according to data of the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), the volume of fish production in Q1 increased by 9% compared to 2022 and amounted to 1.2 million tons...

Russia for the First Time Will Overtake Norway and Become the Leading Cod Producer in the World 

Russia for the first time will overtake Norway and become a leading cod producer in the world, which may take place already this year.

According to estimates of FAO, the decline in Atlantic cod stocks will bring Russia to the first place in its production in 2023, as the reduced catch in Norway will give Russia a chance to strengthen its position in the global whitefish trade.

This has been recently confirmed by experts of the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Industry (VARPE)...

Russia May Consider Increase of Import Duties on Frozen White Fish Fillet and Frozen Hake 

Russia may consider the increase of import duties on frozen white fish fillet and frozen hake, imports of which to the domestic market in 2022 exceeded 44,000 tons.   

That will be the result of recent calls from the Russian Association of Shipowners of the Fishing Fleet (ASRF) to the Ministry of Agriculture about the possibility of a temporary increase in import duties on some fish products.  

According to Russian Kommersant business paper, in 2022, total imports of frozen white fish fillets (hadock, cod, hake, etc.)...

Norway Celebrates Best Year Ever For Seafood Exports in 2022

2022 will be a hard year for Norwegian seafood to top. The Norwegian Seafood Council reported on Wednesday that last year was the “best year ever for Norwegian seafood exports.” The country exported a total of 2.9 million tonnes worth a value of NOK 151.4 billion. Compared to 2021, the value of Norwegian seafood exports increased by NOK 30.7 billion, or 25%.

“Norwegian seafood exports have had a historically strong year behind them.” said Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council. “It is happening in a...

Thai Union Converts Loan-Based Investment in Aegir into 50% Shareholding

In December 2019 Thai Union Group made a strategic investment in Aegir Seafood Company, a leading producer of cod liver in Iceland. Now, nearly three years later, Thai Union announced that they have converted the loan-based investment in Aegir into a 50% shareholding.

Thai Union entered into a strategic investment with Aegir back in 2019 to strengthen their King Oscar brand, which manufacturers cod liver, sardines and mackerel. Thai Union CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said at the time that the investment would also provide “improved sourcing of cod liver...

Arctic Blue Tells Its Tale of Sourcing Quality Fish Oil from Alaska, Norway

Arctic Blue, a Netherlands-based Omega-3 supplement manufacturer, shared its journey to sourcing fish for its products from Norway and Alaska.

The company explained that its story began in 2015 when its founder Ludo van de Wiel wanted to find an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement that didn’t have a fishy smell, which the fish oil industry veteran said is a sign of low quality.

During a work trip, the company said Van de Wiel found the solution in the Barents Sea with Norwegian cod...

Holland America Cruise Line Expands “Alaska Up Close” Programming With New Seafood Experiences

Alaska and seafood go hand-in-hand. And Holland America Line is making sure that guests on board their “Alaska Up Close” cruises have the best sea-to-table dining.

“Since launching Alaska Up Close we’ve introduced incredible programming that brings an authentic Alaska experience to our guests like no other cruise line,” said Michael Smith, Senior VP of Guests Experience and Product Development. “This season we’re growing the program to embed Alaskan fresh fish and wildlife spotting into the cruise on an even more expansive scale...

Russia Increases White Fish Exports to Western Markets in 2022 Despite Sanctions

Russia has increased its fish exports to Western markets despite sanctions and the ever growing isolation in the international arena, according to recent statistics provided by some of the country’s leading industry associations and local media reports.

In 2022 Russian fish exports to the EU grew by 18.7% to 198,800 tonnes. It also grew in value by 57.6% and amounted to € 940 million, according to recent data of the Russian Association of Fish Producers (VARPE) based on data Eurostat. White fish accounted for...

ANALYSIS: Cod and Pollock Imports See a Substantial Increase from China

Twice frozen cod fillets imported from mainland China, the leading supplier of frozen fillets into the U.S., is up 115.5% this January in comparison to 2022. While the fourth quarter of 2022 did see increasing imports, a year-over-year increase of 12.6%, they were minimal in comparison to January 2023...

Japanese Importers Resist High Prices of U.S. Pacific Cod

The domestic price of frozen dressed cod from Alaska (9/10 fish counts per 18/19 kilo block) reached the upper 900 yen/kg ($6.58/kg) level last fall but then declined. If the price in the United States is converted to the selling prices in Japan, it will be about 820 to 830 yen/kg ($6.00-6.07/kg)," said a trading company source. However, "Japanese importers are demanding further price reductions for the new fish caught this year, and negotiations have not been concluded...

Public Comment Open: RFM Re-Assessment Certification Reports for Alaska Pollock, Cod Fisheries

On Monday a 30-day comment period opened for the Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Re-Assessment Reports for the recertification of both the Alaska pollock and cod fisheries. 

The fishery assessments are being conducted by certification body DNV. RFM is looking for comments from registered stakeholders about the factual contents of the report, “either in relation to the specific report sections or scoring rationales or indicators.” 

The public comment period closes on January 19, 2023. You can find the re-assessment certification report for...

Barents Sea Cod TAC Lowered to 566,784 Metric Tons For 2023

A 20% slash to the Barents Sea cod quota was proposed for 2023 in early September, and now it’s a reality. Yesterday the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission (JNRFC) agreed to cut the total allowable catch (TAC) for northeast Arctic cod by 20%. The new TAC is now set at 566,784 metric tons. For 2022 it had already been lowered to 708,480 metric tons. 

The JNFRC negotiations were tense this year due to Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. Prior to the JNFRC meeting...