Gulf of St. Lawrence Announces More Grid Closures With 85% Snow Crab Quota Caught

Last week SeafoodNews reported on closures in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to the presence of North Atlantic right whales. At the time 76% of the snow crab quota in the Gulf had been caught. Now, there’s additional grid closures due to whale sightings, with 85% of the quota caught.

As of May 9, the Department of Fisheries temporarily closed GX55 and permanently closed GY55 following a repeat detection of the endangered whales. On May 13 an additional nine grids will be temporarily closed...

NOAA Launches New Tool to Reduce West Coast Whale Entanglement Risk

By combining the latest ocean condition data and marine life on the west coast NOAA Fisheries scientists have created a new tool that aims to reduce the entanglement risk of whales on the west coast.

“Resource managers and stakeholders can refer to the page for the latest information like prey abundance or sea surface temperatures before considering a season delay or other management options,” said Jarrod Santora a research biologist at the NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center who helped develop the new system, told NOAA...

Alaska Fishing Update For May 2021

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Managers are set to announce any day when the famous Copper River fishery near Cordova will open for sockeyes and kings, signaling the official  start of Alaska’s 2021 salmon season. 

Alaska’s biggest herring fishery at Togiak kicked off on May 3 with two buyers and about a dozen boats on the grounds. They have a roughly 85 million pound quota, the largest since 1993. (42,639 tons).

Herring fishing continued around Kodiak for a nearly 16 million pound catch, the largest ever...

PODCAST: Snow Crab Update; Foley's Fish Acquisition; New Hires at Peter Pan, Cousins Maine Lobster

Join SeafoodNews Podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they talk about the latest snow crab news. Plus, find out what's going on in the crab meat market; get the scoop on the acquisition of Foley's Fish; and learn about the newest executive appointments at Sysco, Cousins Maine Lobster and Peter Pan Seafood.

This episode is brought to you by Urner Barry Consulting. Urner Barry Consulting provides tailored solutions to identify growth opportunities within the fast-paced protein commodity sectors...

VIDEO: Snow Crab Closures; BlueNalu Seafood in Asia; Q1 Shrimp Landings; Surf’N Turf Sandwich

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they talk about the first grid closures in the Gulf of St. Lawrence less than a month into the snow crab season. Plus, learn about BlueNalu's MOU with Thai Union and Mitsubishi Corporation; Gulf of Mexico Q1 shrimp landings; and the mouthwatering new Surf'N Turf Sandwich at Nathan's Famous and SlapFish's flagship locations. 

This episode of the SeafoodNews Weekly Video is brought to you by Urner Barry Consulting...

First Gulf of St. Lawrence Grid Closure Announced Less Than A Month After Start of Snow Crab Season 

The snow crab season in the Gulf of St. Lawrence kicked off earlier this month and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans already announced the first grid closure related to North Atlantic right whales. 

“Spotted: North Atlantic #RightWhales are officially back in Canadian waters,” the official DFO Twitter tweeted Monday. “Our 2021 fisheries measures are now in place to help protect these whales for the duration of their stay in Canada.”

Beginning...

ANALYSIS: Snow Crab Update; Pricing in Record Territory

And we are off. 

Thursday, April 22, marks the first time in 2021 that Gulf of Saint Lawrence 5-8s were reinstated into the quotations. Within the last 10 years — outside of 2015 and 2019 when the previous season supply of 5-8s ran into the new season — 2021 is the earliest quotations have been reinstated for the Gulf. 

With the ice clear and the opening a bit earlier, Gulf snow crab has made its way into the U.S. market. In addition to...

FFAW Submits Price Reconsideration Request For Snow Crab 

The Fish Food And Allied Workers (FFAW) announced on Wednesday that they submitted a reconsideration request for snow crab prices to the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel. 

As SeafoodNews previously reported in early April, the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel sided with FFAW’s proposed price of $5.73 a pound over the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) proposed price of $5.35 per pound. 

““The considerable increase from last year’s original price of $2.90, and the reconsidered price of $3.50, is a significant win...

Crabbers Pull Up Record Catches in the Gulf of Alaska

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – 

Crabbers throughout the Gulf of Alaska are enjoying some great hauls, most recently for Tanners at Southeast Alaska.

The 11 day February fishery produced 1.26 million pounds, the fourth largest catch in the past 15 seasons for nearly 70 permit holders.  At an average price of $3.72 per pound, the fishery was valued at $4.2 million at the docks, the highest since 1999.

For golden king crab, which also opened in February, four out of seven fishing districts remain open...

ANALYSIS: Blue Swimming Crab Meat Prices Soar; Up 34 Percent from Beginning of the Year 

The crab meat market has reached all-time highs, above levels seen in the late summer and early fall of 2017. Most market participants said it was just a matter of time—and it looks as though they were correct.  

The blue swimming crab meat market for colossal, jumbo lump, super lump, and lump have all achieved all-time highs this month. Meanwhile, the remainder of the grades, backfin, special, and claw continue to climb...

PODCAST: Area 12 Snow Crab Quota; Harmful Algae Blooms in Chile; Fire at FFAW Headquarters and More

Join SeafoodNews Podcast co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they talk about the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence snow crab quota; the harmful algae blooms in Chile; and the fire at FFAW's headquarters. Plus, find out the latest going on in the shrimp and pangasius market; and much more.

This episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast was brought to you by the spring issue of Urner Barry's Reporter magazine. Volume 16, Number 2 is our second issue of 2021 and...

Premiumization of High Value Seafood

There is a new word that is trending that appropriately describes king and snow crab today. It is “Premiumization”, or customers recognizing a higher value for a product and paying a higher price. Premium seafood like crab and lobster this past year were perceived as being affordable as compared to what one would have paid in a Seafood Restaurant.  Because of the Pandemic and so many restaurants closed, people learned how to cook and enjoy at home the seafood that they used to consume at restaurants.

The premiumization on high value items has...

California Coast Crab Association Raises Red Flags Over Latest 'Pop-up' Crab Gear Bill

The California Coast Crab Association (CCCA) and a number of fishery groups have worked to oppose a new bill, AB 534, proposed by Assembly Member Rob Bonta of the California Legislature which will move all fishing fleets to utilize ropeless fishing gear by 2025.

The coalition of associations from the local fishing and processing sectors signed a letter sent to Assembly Member Bonta and the Water and Parks Committee members who will vote on the legislation.

According to local newspaper the Times Standard, the bill was introduced...

2021 NL Snow Crab Price Decision Made by Price Setting Panel

On Wednesday the Standing Fish Price Setting Panel announced the 2021 price for snow crab. 

The Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) had proposed a price of $5.35 per pound while FFAW-Unifor came in with a price of $5.73 per pound. The Panel ultimately sided with FFAW’s price.

“The considerable increase from last year’s original price of $2.90, and the reconsidered price of $3.50, is a significant win for our province’s snow crab harvesters,” the union said in a press release...

Russia: Growing Threat of Monopolization of Domestic Crab Sector  

A threat of monopolization of the crab sector in Russia is growing as the largest local players have significantly increased their share during the auctions conducted in 2019 and continue their expansion in the domestic market at present.

As analysts of the Accounts Chamber said in their report, the crab auctions, conducted in 2019 and which led to the allocation of RUB  140 billion to the state budget, were not efficient enough.  

According to auditors, instead of attracting new players to the industry, most leading local producers only increase...

2021 Snow Crab Quota for Newfoundland and Labrador Announced; Up 29% From 2020

The snow crab quota from Newfoundland and Labrador keeps going up. Last year the quota increased 10% from 2019. Now, the quota is up 29% from 2020’s Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 29,551 tonnes. For 2021 the DFO has set the TAC for areas 2J, 3K, 3LNO, 3Ps, 4R3Pn and the CPS trap survey at 38,186 tonnes. 

Last year the biggest increase was in 3Ps, which increased from 2,649 tonnes to 3,292 tonnes. That trend continued this year with 3Ps receiving a...

Gulf of St. Lawrence Snow Crab Quota 76% Caught Amid New Grid Closures 

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has confirmed additional grid closures in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to the presence of North Atlantic right whales. However, the news comes at a point when 76% of the snow crab quota in the Gulf has been caught.

According to the latest announcement, the following grids will be closed beginning at 5 p.m. on May 8: GW52, GW53, GW54, GX52, GX53, GX54, HB55, and HB56. In addition, a portion of the following grids will...

Whales' Presence Means California Crabbers Restricted to Shallow Water

The whales are migrating back into California waters and that means Dungeness crab fishermen will have to move.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife completed the most recent marine life entanglement risk assessment under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program. Recent survey data indicate humpback whales have begun to return from their winter breeding grounds to northern California fishing grounds. Humpback and blue whales also have been sighted further offshore in central California but primarily outside the fishing grounds.

As a result, CDFW Director ...

Blue Star Foods Files for Listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market

Blue crab meat firm Blue Star Foods has formally applied to list its common shares on the Nasdaq Stock Market ("NASDAQ").

The company expects to satisfy all the listing requirements but said there is no assurance that it will be approved for the listing.

“We believe listing our common stock on the NASDAQ will improve liquidity, increase our corporate visibility in the financial markets, and create shareholder value,” said John Keeler, Chairman and CEO of Blue Star. “We believe that listing on the NASDAQ...

ANALYSIS: Ramadan Brings New Supply Constraints to Crab Meat Market

The crab meat market continues to soar, but further supply constraints are on the horizon.

Currently the country of Indonesia is celebrating Ramadan, which began on April 12 and concludes May 12. On May 11, the Muslim community will celebrate the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which is also called the “Festival of Breaking the Fast.” This festival, which is typically celebrated for 1-3 days, ends the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting during the Ramadan observance. 

When it comes to crab meat production...

Florida Stone Crab Season to Wrap Up on May 2

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced its recreational and commercial stone crab season will end in state and federal waters on May 2.

The final day of harvest will be May 1. The Commission noted that the closure date was adjusted last year as part of a suite of changes that were made in response to a long-term decline in harvest and because the stone crab fishery is likely undergoing overfishing.

The changes aim to boost the stone crab population and create resiliency in the fishery...

Snow Crab Update: Standing Fish Price Setting Panel Announces Reconsideration Decision

The Standing Fish Price Setting Panel has made their decision on the snow crab price reconsideration request made by the Fish Food and Allied Workers (FFAW).

Earlier this month the panel had sided with FFAW’s proposed price of $5.73 a pound over the Association of Seafood Producers’ (ASP) proposed price of $5.35. Last week FFAW submitted a request to reopen talks with the Panel, but did not put forward a price. On Sunday a decision was made...

Russian Crab Company Harvest Up 19% to Begin 2021

The Russian Crab Company released its operational results for the first quarter of 2021 and the company noted a 19% increase in crab catch volume compared to Q1 2020.

In all, the group harvested over 2.4 thousand tons of crab, with its share in the total volume of crab catch in the Far Eastern Basin reaching 21%.

The company said it harvested Opilio snow crab, Blue King crab, Golden King crab, and Horsehair crab in Primorskiy, West Kamchatka and West Bering Sea subzones of the northwestern part of the...

WDFW Eases Dungeness Crab Rules as Domoic Acid Levels Drop in Washington

Dungeness crabbers and processors in Washington no longer have to eviscerate crab, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said earlier this month. Soon, crabbers will also have to get summer buoy tags to fish after May 1. Crabbers can also help with gear recovery after May 1.

"Due to low levels of domoic acid in recent crab samples taken from all coastal WA sample locations, WDFW is removing evisceration requirements for all areas," the agency said in a notice last week. "Hold inspection certificate numbers... 

World Appetite for Snow Crab Outpaces Supply

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – The world can’t satisfy its appetite for snow crab.

“Insatiable” is the word being used to describe the demand for snow crab as pots are dropped in the world’s largest fishery at Eastern Canada.

Fishing got underway on April 5 in three main regions:   Newfoundland and Labrador, the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

The combined Canadian catch for snow crab now  through September, most of which comes into the U.S...

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan Urges Federal Officials For More H-2B Visas

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is urging federal officials to make more H-2B visas available to help Maryland’s $355 million seafood industry and supply chain.

Late last month, Hogan sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to request a “long-term” and “permanent” solution to the labor issues that the state’s seafood industry faces every year.

“As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on countless industries across the country, including the seafood industry,” wrote Hogan...

Alaska Fishing Updates for April 2021

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Lots of fishing action across Alaska. 

It’s hard to believe, but in little more than a month, Alaska’s salmon season will officially open when sockeyes and Chinook return to the Copper River. Meanwhile, there’s lots of fishing activity across the state.

In Southeast, the winter Chinook troll fishery wrapped up on March 15.

It’s slow going at Sitka Sound where seiners continue to tap on a 33,304-ton roe herring harvest, or nearly 67 million pounds. A herring spawn on kelp fishery is..

PODCAST: Shake-ups at Peter Pan Seafood; CARES Act Update; Snow Crab Quota and More

Join SeafoodNews Podcast co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they talk about the executive shake-ups at Peter Pan Seafood and the latest news regarding the CARES Act. Plus learn about the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab quota and more.

This episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast was brought to you by the spring issue of Urner Barry's Reporter magazine. Volume 16, Number 2 is our second issue of 2021 and features a special section on the “State of the Seafood Industry...

ADF&G Commissioner Addresses Disaster Relief, Cook Inlet Closure, Large Salmon Forecast for 2021

Alaska's Governor Mike Dunleavy has received 11 requests for fisheries disaster declarations, said Doug Vincent-Lange, Alaska's Commissioner of Fish and Game, in an update at the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce's ComFish Expo. 

Noting the good news of over half of Alaska's population now vaccinated, and shots now available for anyone over 16, Vincent-Lange said, "I don’t see why you wouldn’t all be able to fish this year.”

However, the poor returns on salmon and lower abundance on crab and Pacific cod resulted in requests... 

ANALYSIS: Supply Situation for Blue Swimming Crab Meat Market Remains Strained

For the blue swimming crab meat market, things seem to be just getting worse.  

Today's focus is on lack of available product. Looking at the January import numbers, Indonesia, the top importing country in the category, is up 3.3 percent to kick of 2021; but it's just not enough.  

Along with many other seafood species that Urner Barry covers, we have discussed at length the shipping issues, including lack of containers, and rising logistics costs. All of this applies to...