Long Island Shellfish Growers Gain Access to Federal Disaster Aid

New York oyster growers battered by this winter’s severe weather will now have access to federal disaster assistance after the US Department of Agriculture approved a Secretarial Disaster Designation for Suffolk County.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the designation Tuesday, making aquaculture operations in Suffolk and neighboring Nassau County eligible for low-interest emergency loans through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

The designation follows heavy snowfall, prolonged freezing temperatures and widespread ice formation in February that prevented shellfish growers from accessing harvesting areas and damaged...

Sweden Invests SEK 30 Million to Build Domestic Oyster Industry

Sweden is looking to reduce its heavy reliance on imported oysters after a new research program secured nearly SEK 30 million in funding to help build a domestic, sustainable oyster industry.

Today, Sweden produces only about nine tons of oysters per year, while imports exceed 300 tons. The five‑year project, running from 2026 to 2031, is led by Alyssa Joyce at the University of Gothenburg and is designed to strengthen hatchery capacity, test cultivation systems, and create a fully functioning value...

FDA Warns Against Recalled Washington Oysters Tied to Norovirus-Like Illnesses

The Washington State Department of Health notified the FDA on April 10, 2026, of a recall involving certain shellfish linked to norovirus-like illnesses associated with raw oyster consumption, according to the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference.

The recall covers all shellstock from Gomez Shellfish, LLC (WA-1724-SS) harvested between March 22 and April 9, 2026, from a portion of Hammersley Inlet in Washington.

The FDA is advising consumers, retailers, and foodservice operators not to eat, serve, or sell the affected...

New Zealand Fishermen Fined for Selling Black Market Seafood 

Three fishermen from New Zealand have been fined for selling thousands of dollars of black market seafood, including, crayfish, oysters and cod.  

Michael Hawke, Stuart Ryan, and Peter Fletcher pleaded guilty to several charges under the Fisheries Act, including failure to possess a permit to sell fish.  

Duncan Davis, who is not a commercial fisherman, was also fined for reselling blue cod that he had bought from Ryan.  

The four men were hit with a total of $36,900 in penalties.  

The fines stem from...

Pacific Hybreed Secures $1M to Scale Shellfish Seed Production

Pacific Hybreed, a Big Island aquaculture biotechnology company, has raised $1 million in a funding round backed by Hawaiʻi Angels and Blue Startups to support expanded hatchery operations as the company works to meet growing demand from shellfish farmers in Hawaiʻi, on the West Coast and beyond.

The company said it has pioneered the commercial use of hybrid breeding in shellfish, bringing an agricultural breeding strategy known as "hybrid vigor" to oysters and clams. Using traditional selective breeding rather than genetic modification...

FDA Announces Recall of Certain Oysters and Clams Contaminated with Norovirus

The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an announcement to restaurants and retailers, advising them not to serve or sell certain oysters and Manila clams from Drayton Harbor, WA. The notice specifies that the items harvested by Lummi Indian Business Council and Drayton Harbor Oyster Company may be contaminated with Norovirus.

Manila clams were distributed to foodservice establishments and retailers in Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Nevada (NV), New York (NY)...

The Japanese Government Aims to Increase Oyster Exports to JPY 9.3 Billion by 2030 

The Japanese government held a meeting last week focused on expanding export targets for oysters and processed oysters. Minato Shimbun reported that the government aims to increase exports of oysters and processed oysters to 9.3 billion yen ($65.07 million) in 2030, which is 1.5 times the 2024 export result.  

The government aims to increase exports to Taiwan by 48% to 3.4 billion yen ($23.79 million), Hong Kong by 53% to 2.9 billion yen ($20.29 million), and Singapore by 43% to...