Kodiak Loses Salmon to Chignik, Cook Inlet

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

Kodiak salmon fishermen are reeling after a Board of Fisheries decision that limits fishing in two traditional regions. The new rules are aimed at letting more salmon get to Chignik and Cook Inlet.

After hearing testimony by 150 local residents and spending an extra day for deliberations, the board put a mix of new time and catch limits on fisheries at Cape Igvak and the Katmai Alinchak section on the west side of Kodiak Island.

“We’re just stunned. I don’t know if we can really...

Alaska Fishing Updates for January 2020

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

There’s lots of fishing going on across Alaska and more to come in the winter line up.

Cod and a mix of groundfish kicked off the year on January 1 in the Bering Sea and in many parts of the Gulf.  Boats also are targeting black rockfish in Southeast, the westward region of Kodiak, Chignik and the Alaska Peninsula and along the Aleutians.

Lingcod also is open in Southeast. Divers there have pretty much wrapped up a 2 million pound sea cucumber fishery but...

Norwegian Seafood Exports to China Grew 40% in 2019

According to the Norwegian Seafood Council, the Norwegian seafood sector reached record-level export value in 2019.

The Council reports that in 2019 Norway exported 2.7 million tons of seafood, with a value of NOK 107.3 billion. Although a 3% decrease in value from 2018, value increased 8%, or NOK 8.3 billion.

"The Norwegian seafood industry deliver high-quality products that correspond with global trends," said Renate Larsen, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council. "Consumers around the world are seeking healthy, sustainable and tasty food. Norwegian seafood is...

Kodiak Salmon Fisheries Could Take a Big Hit From BOF Proposals

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Will Kodiak lose its salmon to other regions? The Fish Board will decide.

Kodiak could take a big hit to its salmon fisheries as other regions try and lay claim to more fish.

The Board of Fisheries will take up several proposals this weekend in Kodiak that again aim to change salmon management on the entire west side of the island. Most have resurfaced regularly over decades.

Five proposals from Chignik would change...

Matriarch of San Francisco Seafood Company Passes; Daughters Carry on Tradition

A famous fixture at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco will close for a day on Jan. 8 to celebrate the life of Stephanie Lazio Cincotta. Cincotta, the matriarch of Alioto-Lazio Fish Company on Jefferson Street, died at her home on Dec. 19, 2019. She was 91.

Cincotta ran the business for years after her mother, Annetta, passed the torch to her. Current owners, daughters Angela Cincotta; Annette Traverso; and eldest sister, Mary Ann Shepherd, now run the family business that operates as a wholesaler...

Mowi: Escaped Salmon Likely Eaten By Predators

On December 20 an electrical fire at Mowi Canada West's fish farm off Robertson Island resulted in the escapement of more than 20,000 farmed Atlantic salmon. Environmental and Indigenous groups expressed their concerns regarding the escapement, saying that the farmed salmon pose a threat to wild salmon stocks. However, Mowi believes that many of the escaped salmon were eaten by predators.

"While many of the escaped fish have likely been eaten by seals and sea lions congregating in the area, we will be working to recover as many of the remaining salmon...

LISTEN: Alaska Cod Fishery Update; GE Salmon Label; Charlie the Tuna Doll and More

This week on the SeafoodNews podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione talk about the Alaska cod fishery; the Dungeness crab season opening; genetically engineered salmon; and Charlie the Tuna's Funko Pop! doll. Plus, find out what's going on in the octopus, pollock and salmon markets.

This episode is brought to you by COMTELL, which will be receiving a complete redesign in 2020. Subscribers who utilize COMTELL to track market quotations, analyze trends and stay on top of key industry news will see a host of...

Salmon from Deep Blue No.1 Enter China’s Domestic Market Soon; Plans in Place for Expansion

It has been about six months since China’s salmon aquaculture cage, Deep Blue No.1, started its operation. Now 300,000 salmonidae members are swimming in it. One half are Atlantic salmon, and the remaining half are rainbow trout. They are said to be designated for consumers of different regions, according to media reports.

These salmon are expected to be available in China’s domestic market during this coming Chinese New Year. Freshness is one of their most important selling ...

Scottish Sea Farms’ £55m Hatchery Sends First Smolts to Sea Pens

Scottish Sea Farms’ new hatchery sent its first smolts to sea pens, a critical milestone of the company’s £55m Barcaldine hatchery.

The smolts arrived as eggs at Barcaldine in January 2019. They were hatched and reared using a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). The smolts had an average weight of 160 grams, which marked a significant increase compared to smolts grown by Scottish Sea Farms using traditional hatchery methods

“This is a major milestone for all of the team, not just at Barcaldine but across the company,” Scottish...

Russia Plans 60%  Fish Industry Growth by 2030

The total turnover of the Russian fish sector should grow by almost 60% by 2030, up to RUB 888 billion ($13.79 billion USD), according to a new state strategy for the development of the fishery complex in Russia, which was recently approved by the Russian government.

According to the document, the industry is expected to attract up to RUB 613 billion (~$9.6 billion USD) of private investments by 2030, a significant part of which will be allocated to the implementation of a "New Whitefish Industry" state project. The project...

Washington Farmer Faces Penalty for Pollution that Killed Threatened Steelhead

A Bellingham, Wash., farmer was assessed $7,500 in civil penalties for discharging animal waste into a restored creek, killing native Puget Sound steelhead, a threatened species.

The NOAA Office of General Counsel last month assessed the penalty against Harold Carbee for discharging organic waste into Anderson Creek near Bellingham in May 2018. Anderson Creek supports steelhead and salmon and flows into the Nooksack River, a drinking water source for ...

OPINION: Similar Coasts, Similar Stories -Washington and Chile Share Acidification Research, Action

Chile recently invited a group of Washington experts to share our state’s ocean acidification story, what we’ve learned and how we’re fighting it.

That’s because our story is a warning splash for the rest of the world.

Washington is unique because we were the first area to create a comprehensive action plan after experiencing ocean acidification. Ocean acidification happens when our oceans absorb carbon dioxide. This means our ocean life ends up living in more acidic environments. It isn’t a good thing because it messes ...

Nordic Blu Named Official Atlantic Salmon of EATALY

EATALY, a top retail and dining experience in North America, has chosen ‘Green-Rated’ Nordic Blu Salmon as its official Atlantic salmon to supply their stores. The salmon will be supplied by CleanFish, the only importer of Nordic Blue to the continent.

“We’re honored that the first national partnership for Nordic Blu Salmon is with Eataly, a brand respected around the world for quality and authenticity,” Mike Moniz, Managing Director of CleanFish, the sole importer of Nordic Blu to North America said.

Nordic Blu Salmon is called out by name at Eataly...

LISTEN: US Attempts Lobster Mini-Deal With EU; Salmon Price-Fixing and Seafood at the Dinner Table

Join SeafoodNews Podcast hosts Lorin Castiglione and Ryan Doyle as they discuss USTR Robert Lighthizer's attempt to get a mini-deal done with the European Union that would have lifted tariffs on US lobster for exports to the EU; the DOJ's investigation of Atlantic salmon price-fixing as major producers received subpoenas; the Dungeness crab season delay and tips to get seafood on the dinner table every week.

This episode is brought to you by COMTELL, which will be receiving a complete redesign...

US Investigating Salmon Price-Fixing; Mowi, SalMar Receive Subpoenas

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) will subpoena Mowi as the DOJ investigates alleged price-fixing of Atlantic salmon. SalMar has already received a subpoena from the department.

The latest investigation comes after an inspection by the European Commission (EC) which claimed the companies have engaged in anticompetitive price-fixing.

According to a press release from both Mowi and SalMar, the DOJ Antitrust Division is opening an investigation involving allegations of similar conduct.

Both companies said, “there are no basis for the EU inspection and that the class action...

Russian Sakhalin and Kuril Islands May Face Salmon Shortage in Years Ahead

Russia may face a shortage of salmon during the next several years, due to climate change and overproduction seen in recent years, according to recent statements from leading local analysts in the field of fishing and state officials.

The biggest decline of salmon catch is expected in the Sakhalin Island, which is a main harvest area for salmon in Russia.

The news was confirmed by recent predictions of the Sakhalin branch of the All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography. They say the overall stock of pink...

Pink Salmon Payouts for 2016 Run Failure Back on Track

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Pink salmon payouts for the 2016 run failure are getting back on track.

It’s been a long time coming but payments could soon be in hand for fishermen, processors and communities hurt by the 2016 pink salmon failure Kodiak, Prince William Sound, Chignik, Lower Cook Inlet, South Alaska Peninsula, Southeast Alaska, and Yakutat. 

Congress ok’d over $56 million in federal relief funds the following year, but the authorization sat on NOAA desks in DC for over two years...

Scottish Salmon Company Gains GBP 100 Million Growth Package

The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) announced a GBP 100 million refinancing package which the company believes will support its growth over the next five years.

SSC agreed to a multicurrency revolving credit facility with Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A, DNB (UK) Limited and Nordea Bank ABPm (Filial i Norge).

“The facility provides an increased and more flexible funding package to support the company's objective for growth, as well accommodating the variability in working capital requirements of the business,” the company said in a statement...

First Ocean Acidification Study in Alaska on Salmon Underway

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – We know directly the negative impacts that a warming ocean has on salmon all across Alaska. But what about the other big threat – increased acidity? 

Extensive studies for years have been underway by Alaska scientists on impacts to major fish and shellfish stocks. But for Alaska salmon, only two studies have been done, both out of state.

That’s changing with a federally funded, multi-year, collaborative project underway with Alaska’s universities and the...

'Christmas for Coho' Program Aims to Help Rebuild Salmon Habitats in Oregon

Oregon residents can do some good with their Christmas trees. For the eighth year in a row the Tualatin Valley and Clackamas River chapters of Trout Unlimited are collecting Christmas trees to help rebuild salmon habitats.

The "Christmas for Coho" program was created as a way to replenish woody debris in local waterways in Oregon. The trees not only slow the river current, but give shelter for young fish to rest or hide from predators. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, the "Christmas for Coho" program has managed to...

E-commerce Platforms Gain Popularity Among Seafood Companies Targeting Chinese Market

Iceland officially opened its virtual store of fresh food on the JD platform on Dec. 13. Its salmon are among the star products in the store, and this marks these salmon’s first entry into the oriental market. In the past, Chinese foodies had no choice but to fly to the faraway country to get a taste.

Thanks to the bilateral free trade agreement, Iceland has recently been allowed to export salmon to this huge market with deep-pocket consumers...

Government Spending Bill Features Rider That Would Label GE Salmon; AquaBounty Responds

On Monday Congress finalized a $1.3 trillion federal spending deal, and the bill featured a rider that would label genetically modified salmon.

According to Section 790:

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the acceptable market name of any engineered animal approved prior to the effective date of the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (February 19, 2019) shall include the words 'genetically engineered' prior to the existing acceptable market name."

AquaBounty Technologies, the company responsible for the development of genetically modified salmon, released a statement sharing their thoughts...

Farmed Sockeye Salmon Landed in Nemuro, Hokkaido

Experimental farming of sockeye salmon in seawater began for the first time in this fiscal year. It is in response to the salmon driftnet ban instituted in the Russian EEZ in 2016, which restricted the activities of the Japanese salmon fleet in the high seas of Russia. The municipal government of Nemuro and four fishery coops in the city formed the Nemuro Sockeye Salmon Farming Conference, which managed the experimental farm with a circular cage in three-meter diameter and three-meter depth in the port of Nemuro. In July, the farm...

VIDEO: Ex-Bumble Bee CEO Convicted; Seafood Trade Mission; Farmed Salmon Analysis; Atlantic Halibut

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video hosts Lorin Castiglione and Ryan Doyle as they discuss the former CEO of Bumble Bee Foods' conviction in the tuna price-fixing conspiracy; Food Export USA-Northeast's trade missions to push lobster into Dubai and introduce Jonah crab in Spain; a farmed salmon market analysis and a look into a recent Atlantic halibut study.

This episode was brought to you by COMTELL, which will be receiving a complete redesign in 2020. Subscribers who utilize COMTELL to track market quotations...

2020 Stikine and Taku Rivers Chinook Salmon Forecasts Below Desired Escapement Minimum

The preseason forecasts for Chinook salmon returning to the Stikine and Taku rivers in 2020 were announced last week and don’t reach the minimum for escapement, said Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists.

The terminal run forecast for Stikine River large Chinook salmon is 13,350 fish in 2020, below the lower end of the Escapement Goal Range (EGR) of 14,000 to 28,000 fish. Without reaching that threshold, the run will not provide an Allowable Catch (AC) for either the U.S. or Canada.

The 2020 preseason terminal run...

Duke’s Seafood Launches Foundation Aiming to Help Wild Salmon in the Puget Sound

Founder of Duke’s Seafood Duke Moscrip, his son John and daughter Amy (Moscrip) Waeschle launched Duke’s Sustainable Solutions Foundation (DSSF) which will focus on restoring and targeting comprehensive, tangible and meaningful common sense solutions geared toward improving wild salmon stocks in the Puget Sound.

Duke Moscrip said the time has come for a tangible initiative after decades of advocating for wild salmon.

"Numerous organizations are working on this goal and we support those efforts, but our family wanted to start the foundation to find lasting common-sense..."

Massive Effort Planned to Restore Upper Fraser for 2020 Salmon Return

The Big Bar landslide north of Lillooet, B.C., was discovered in June and initial estimates show 75,000 cubic meters of material fell into the river. That amount is roughly the size of 750 football fields of rock and riverbank.

The federal call for help came from the Public Services and Procurement Canada, on behalf of DFO, seeking input from the private sector and other experts to re-establish natural fish passage at the site of the slide.

The government documents say the request will only be open until...

Study: Bigger Doesn't Mean Better for Hatchery-released Salmon

Fish permeate the culture of the Pacific Northwest (PNW). In particular, the iconic salmon has been an important part of the region for thousands of years, from ancient Native American trade routes and legends to modern fishing and sporting. In the area of the Salish Sea - inland waterways including Puget Sound, the Strait of Georgia, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca - the cultures, economies, and technologies there are all impacted and influenced by salmon. It is no wonder, then, that salmon are of high conservation interest and constitute a large...

VIDEO: Chilean Salmon in US; Harbor Seafood Wins Award; Right Whales Act; WC Dungeness Season Delay

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video hosts Lorin Castiglione and Ryan Doyle as they discuss Chilean salmon reaching the US market despite firms struggling with logistics as protests and strikes continue throughout the country; Harbor Seafood won US Foods' Center-of-the-plate Award; a Senate Committee's passing of the SAVE Right Whales Act and the primary west coast Dungeness crab season delay.

This episode was brought to you by COMTELL, which will be receiving a complete redesign in 2020...

Chilean Salmon Making Its Way to the States as National Strikes Stall the Country

Tuesday marked the 26^th day of demonstrations in Chile, led by a national strike that shut down the majority of the country.

According to Reuters, alongside strikes in major cities, truck drivers and other demonstrators barricaded two major highways. The highways connect the capital city of Santiago with other cities and ports, leading to huge backups throughout the country.

According to industry sources, logistics to get fish out of Chile remain a challenge. However, product is making its way to the U.S. market and is available...