Senator John Kennedy Wants President Trump to Add Chinese Crawfish, Shrimp to Tariff List

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 18, 2018

President Donald Trump has been imposing a series of tariffs since the start of the year, and Louisiana Senator John Kennedy wants him to consider adding Chinese crawfish and shrimp to the list.

On Tuesday Kennedy wrote a letter to President Trump requesting that Chinese crawfish and shrimp be “considered for addition to the product list if you decide to impose tariffs.”

“Including crawfish and shrimp would provide a much needed economic boost to the Louisiana seafood industry ...

Seafood Volume Sales Flat, But Bright Spots for Fresh Shrimp, Scallops and Flounder

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] By Amanda Buckle - April 18, 2018

Despite a boost in sales from Lent, Nielsen reports that seafood volume sales are flat.

According to Nielsen’s report, dollar sales of seafood have increased 3.4% in the 52 weeks ending February 24, 2018. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the volume of seafood sold has increased. Volume sales are reportedly down 1.1% over that 52 week span, and Nielsen credits the dollar sales boost to an increase in average retail price.

But while volume sales are unimpressive, there is a “bright spot” in ...

Applebee’s Adds Shrimp, Salmon to Bigger, Bolder Grill Combos Offer

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 17, 2018

Applebee’s is giving customers a break this Tax Day. Inspired by the amount of things that people have on their plates, the chain restaurant is bringing back their Bigger, Bolder Grill Combos.

“This can be a stressful time of the year, and we know how important a good meal with friends or family is to help our guests relax and unwind,” said Applebee’s Chief Marketing Officer Joel Yashinsky. “Our Bigger, Bolder, Grill Combos special takes the pressure off deciding between ...

Cheating Gourmet Using Arbel Growth Partners Investment to Expand Distribution

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 12, 2018

Cheating Gourmet, a company specializing in frozen, value-added seafood, is using a recent investment from equity firm Arbel Growth Partners to expand their distribution and launch a marketing campaign.

Arbel Growth Partners was co-founded by Carl Lee, former CEO at Snyder’s-Lance. According to Project NOSH, the equity firm is looking to partner with emerging food brands in the “better-for-you” space.

Cheating Gourmet was founded in 2012 by brothers Scott and Jon Demers. The Maine-based company initially started with ...

Online Grocer Thrive Market Adds Wild & Sustainable Seafood Box to Offerings

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] By Amanda Buckle - April 3, 2018

Thrive Market, a membership-based online grocer that focuses on healthy foods, has added seafood to their offerings. The e-commerce platform announced Tuesday that members will now be able to purchase wild and sustainable seafood through the site.  

“Thrive Market set out to create the most ethical and highest quality meat and seafood program in the country offered at our affordable member pricing,” CEO and co-founder Nick Green said in a press release ...

Aquastar Buys Equity Stake in Major Indian Shrimp Processor, With Whom They Have Long Relationship

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  [SEAFOODNEWS]  March 28, 2018

Aquastar has purchased an equity stake in its long time shrimp supplier, Sagar Grandhi Exports.

Sagar Grandhi produces about 150,000 tons of shrimp per year, with farms and contract farmers using 10,000 hectares in Chittedu, which is in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

Aquastar's CEO Dirk Leuenberger told industry sources that the vast number of farms associated with Sagar means that Aquastar can respond to customer demands consistently on a year round basis.

The company recently completed a second factory which will take production to 125 metric tons per day, and that increases their ability to produce value added products such as shrimp rings, breaded shrimp, etc.

In a statement, Chella Rao Grandhi and Balaji Grandhi, the owners of the shrimp firm said “We are very pleased to enter into this ownership..

NOAA Working to Promote Regulations, Establish Reporting Systems for Shrimp in SIMP

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 28, 2018

Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill to fund the federal government through September 30, 2018. The bill included a measure that requires the inclusion of imported shrimp and abalone in the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) – But exactly when will implementation begin?

Opponents of imported shrimp in the domestic industry originally wanted to mandate shrimp be included under this NOAA program within 30 days, which would have been highly disruptive, and in effect a non-tariff import barrier.   The final action required NOAA to begin working on the program within 30 days, but set a deadline of December 31, 2018 for implementation.  This gives importers and producers more time ...

BRIO Tuscan Grille Kicks off Spring With Seafood Celebration 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 27, 2018

Spring has sprung and BRIO Tuscan Grille is ready to embrace the new season with their Seafood Celebration.

Beginning Tuesday, April 3 and running until Sunday, June 17, the casual Italian cuisine restaurant will be serving chef-inspired seafood items for lunch and dinner. These dishes, which are made from scratch, include:Grilled Salmon Fresca, Shrimp Mediterranean, and Lobster & Shrimp Ravioli.

“Spring is the ideal season to present a seafood celebration for our guests,” BRIO Tuscan Grille Chef ....

Conservation Groups Seek to Ban Mexican Shrimp, Other Seafood to Save Endangered Vaquita Porpoise

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 22, 2018

The Natural Resources Defense Council, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Animal Welfare Institute filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade on Wednesday in an effort to ban shrimp and other seafood imported from Mexico’s Upper Gulf of California that has been harvested with gillnets. The reason? The endangered vaquita porpoise.

Less than 30 vaquita’s remain, and the lawsuit aims to prevent the population from declining even more by banning ...

SeaPak Brings New Frozen Seafood Soup to Walmart

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 22, 2018

SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Company has launched a brand-new seafood soup line at Walmart -- just in time for the Northeast to warm up with after getting hit by Winter Storm Toby.

SeaPak’s new product is part of their Selections line, their “better-for-you” frozen option that launched in mid-February. The frozen soup, which comes in two flavors – Shrimp Wonton Soup and Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup – gives consumers the chance to indulge in a healthy meal in just six minutes ...

Guangzhou Customs Seize 14 People in another Vietnam Border Smuggling Gang Arrest

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [360.sjia] translated by Amy Zhong - March 14, 2018

One one late night, a middle-aged driver was taking a selfie with a truck filled with Japanese seerfish according to buyer statements. This picture had to include seafood, truck and driver and then it was sent to buyer’s mobile phone as a kind of invoice. But later the same picture turned out to be smuggling evidence, which customs officers used.

Guangzhou customs officers on Jan. 18 sent 20 operation teams, which consist of 100 members, to crack down on a smuggling gang whose members ...

Blue Star Foods Introduces ‘Grab & Go’ Seafood Products

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 9, 2018

Blue Star Foods has developed a product that will allow seafood lovers to indulge while on the run. The leader in pasteurized blue swimming crab announced on Friday that they have released a 4 oz “Crab N Go” and “Shrimp N Go” product using their patented Eco-Fresh Pasteurized Foil Pouch technology.

“The population is moving at a fast pace, we are on the go, and there is a significant movement of health-conscious consumers especially millennials that seek out healthy snack and meal alternatives ...

Myanmar Exports About 1/3 of its Shrimp to Japan; Will Concentrate More on Aquaculture Than Wild

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Two Meals] translated by Amy Zhong - March 5, 2018

According to Myanmar’s Ministry of Commerce, the country has exported more than 438,000 tons of seafood products so far this fiscal year. Of that tonnage, 13,000 tons were shrimp, one-third of which were sold to Japan.

This fiscal year has not ended yet, but the export has already reached a high level. The country exported more than 438,000 tons of seafood in the 2016-17 fiscal year. The seafood export value is expected to rise to...

Handy Seafood Introducing High-Protein, Low-Calorie Power Seafoods at SENA

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - February 27, 2018

Make sure you go hungry to Seafood Expo North America (SENA) in Boston. Maryland-based seafood processor Handy Seafood will be debuting their new line of high-protein, low-calorie “Power” seafoods at the 2018 event.

The line features a Salmon Power Burger, Salmon Power Bites, Shrimp Power Burger and Shrimp Power Bites. Each product contains edamame, spinach, broccolio, lime, scallions, cilantro and sriracha.

“Traditional value-added seafood typically meets the convenience and flavor factor, but lacks ...

Consumers Eating Shellfish Throughout the Year, Fish Consumption Increases During Lent

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - February 23, 2018

Fish consumption increases during Lent, but people are eating shellfish year-round, according to a new report from the NPD Group, a leading global information company.

Lent begins on a different day every year, but for 40 days those who participate in the religious observance refrain from eating meat on Fridays. NPD has found that it’s during this six-week time period that more seafood is consumed than any other time of the year ...

White Castle Brings Back Seafood Crab Cake Slider, Shrimp Nibblers For Lent

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - February 21, 2018

The Lenten season kicked off on February 14, boosting sales of seafood at restaurants for those that observe. To coincide with Lent, hamburger chain White Castle is bringing back two of their seafood favorites – the Seafood Crab Cake Slider and Shrimp Nibblers.

“At White Castle, we’ve been innovators since 1921, when we started the first fast-food chain,” Jamie Richardson, vice president of White Castle, said in a press release. “Last year, we were again a leader by ...

CPF Acquires 40% Stake Brazil's Camanor for $17.5 million; Company Leads Shrimp Innovation in Brazil

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton - April 18, 2018

Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (CPF) is continuing its push into high-tech shrimp breeding and high technology farms with the purchase of a 40% stake in Brazil's Camanor Products.

Camanor engages in shrimp farming and primary processing businesses in Brazil.  It has also developed shrimp farming technology called AquaScience®, which is a closed operating system raising shrimp in a high density environment without using chemicals or antibiotics, resulting in ...

South China Farmers Try to Sell Shrimp to Clear Ponds; Seed Market is Chaotic

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Shuichan] translated by Amy Zhong - April 16, 2018

The beginning of March has seen the price contraction of white shrimp in southern China. After the Tomb-Sweeping Day on April 5, most farmers in South China have been occupied with clearing ponds, which has led to the market entry of white shrimp in large quantities. But due to mixed shrimp qualities and limited demand, prices continue to decline.

As statistics show, the price is 30 yuan/jin (1 jin=0.5 kg) (~$9.55/kg USD) for those at ...

Guolian Opens a Subsidiary with 36 Peeling Lines for Processed Shrimp Products

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Two Meals] translated by Amy Zhong - April 4, 2018

After selling 10 percent of its shares to Yonghui Superstores, Guolian announced the opening of its Yangjiang subsidiary on March 26. This is another important step the company has taken to improve its product structure and seafood supply chain. This new subsidiary is wholly owned by Guolian and it finished registration on January 23.

The new company owns an area of about 130,000 square meters and three processing plants. There are 36 automatic lines for shelling shrimp, which ...

Georgia Shrimper Convicted of Mail Fraud, Money Laundering and Falsifying Documents

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 3, 2018

Michael Brian Anderson, a shrimper and fisherman from Tybee Island, Georgia, has been convicted by a federal jury on three counts of false statements, four counts of mail fraud and two counts of money laundering.

Brian Anderson reportedly mailed false claims to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), seeking millions of dollars in subsidies under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (CDSOA). The CDSOA was created to protect American shrimp producers by ...

Domestic Shrimp Industry Still in Grip of Magical Thinking; Claims New SIMP Rules Big Victory

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [News Anlaysis]  by John Sackton  March 29, 2018

At the start of the domestic shrimp season in Louisiana, the industry remains in the grip of magical thinking.

The Louisiana Shrimp Association is meeting April 7^th, and the victory in getting shrimp under the Seafood Import Inspection Program is one of the things that will be discussed.

A blessing of the fleet will follow on April 8^th.

Some local shrimp leaders are saying the new emphasis on inspection by federal authorities is the best news local fishermen have received in a while.

The magical thinking is that this measure will change any buying patterns for shrimp.  Last year, the US saw record shrimp imports, and they are continuing to be strong in the first months of this year.

In fact the US shrimp market is expanding and we believe we will see record shrimp consumption when figures are released for 2017. 

New Requirements For Exporting Live Wild Aquatic Animals, Frozen/Chilled Shrimp To Korea

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 28, 2018

NOAA Fisheries has released a notice reminding exporters that shipments of live wild aquatic animals and frozen/chilled shrimp to the Republic of Korea will require a Health Certifcate beginning April 1, 2018. Despite the requirement of a Health Certificate for certain exports to Korea, a normal inspection procedure - including lot inspection, in-plant inspection or a current HACCP QMP system - will still apply.  

Exports to Korea of live-farmed aquatic animals ...

$1.3 Trillion Omnibus Spending Bill Includes Measure to Add Shrimp to SIMP

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 23, 2018

On Thursday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill to fund the federal government through September 30, 2018. That $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill includes a measure that would require the inclusion of imported shrimp in the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP).

SIMP is a program that requires reporting and recordkeeping of certain seafood products in order to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fish from entering ...

Laitram LLC Files Patent Application for Shrimp Deveiner

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 22, 2018

Laitram LLC, a manufacturer of modular plastic belting products and other patented conveying technologies, has filed a patent application for a shrimp deveiner with adjustable blades.

The Louisiana-based company filed the patent on February 2, and the patent was published in Issue No. 6/20`8 of the Patent Office Journal on February 9. According to the published patent, the deveiner has an “inclined trough with groups of blades arranged in a zig zag pattern.”

“The trough is lubricated by water to ...

US Launches WTO Fight Over Indian Export Subsidies; Shrimp Trade Could Become an Issue

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton - March 15, 2018

The US has launched a broad trade complaint against India at the WTO, claiming that various export subsidies that are allowed for developing countries are no longer applicable to India, but have been kept in place anyway.

"These export subsidy programs harm American workers by creating an uneven playing field on which they must compete," U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a media statement on the USTR website.

"USTR will continue to ...

SeaPak Wants Consumers to Find Their 'Moment of Zen' with Seafood

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 13, 2018

SeaPak doesn’t want consumers to stress about dinner. In fact, the company is hoping that their products help buyers bring a “moment of zen” into their kitchen.

“At SeaPak, all of our seafood is made with busy families in-mind,” says marketing manager Leslie Harris Thomas. “Our goal is to help seafood lovers everywhere find their happy place in the kitchen by creating high-quality, great tasting, easy-to-make mealtime solutions. In doing so, we hope to inspire Americans to ...

Cargill Unveils New Software for Shrimp Farmers

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 6, 2018

Cargill is unveiling a new software that will allow shrimp farmers to “tap into the first cloud-based solution in the aquaculture industry”: iQShrimp.

iQShrimp is a predictive software that uses machine learning and sensors to give shrimp farmers real-time visibility into their operations.

“Shrimp farming has inherent weather and disease risks,” Neil Wendover, Cargill’s digital insights product line director for aquaculture, said in a press release. “By working directly with shrimp farmers, our data scientists can use machine learning to ...

Japanese-Style QSR Yoshinoya Expands Seafood Offerings During Lent

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - March 1, 2018

Yoshinoya, a quick-service restaurant chain that first opened in Japan in 1899, and now has over 100 restaurants in California, is expanding its seafood offerings.

On Wednesday the company announced the addition of three Japanese-style dishes for customers to indulge in: Lobster Stew, Sweet Chili Shrimp and Grilled Tilapia.

“Our focus is to build on the foundation of our heritage while continuously improving the customer experience,” Bobby Williams, VP of Marketing at Yoshinoya, said in a press release ...

US Foods Spring Scoop Product Launch Features Shrimp, Salmon, Tuna and Pollock

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - February 27, 2018

The first day of spring is not until March 20, but US Foods has released their 2018 Spring Scoop product line, which highlights 29 new products that are part of their Serve Good Program.

The Serve Good Program was launched in 2016 to meet the growing demands for responsible menu options . The program initially started with 24 products, but now features over 300 products that are not only responsibly sourced, but use packaging that is ...

VIDEO: New Bedford Fishing; Russian King Crab Price Gap; Ropeless Traps; Ecuador Shrimp Price

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - February 23, 2018

The latest SeafoodNews.com Weekly Recap Video features: New Bedford Fishing Update; Russian King Crab Price Gap; Need for Ropeless Lobster Traps; Ecuador Shrimp Prices to China Fall.

This video is sponsored by Urner Barry's Foreign Trade Data. Visit the Urner Barry booth (#364) at Boston's Seafood Expo North America for your free demo.