Bumble Bee Responds After Trump's Comments About Throwing Tuna

Bumble Bee Seafoods issued a brief and simple statement after President Trump name dropped the tuna company during a speech Tuesday night: "Eat em. Don't throw em."

While at a campaign rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, Trump made comments about protesters in Minnesota and Chicago who were using cans of food as weapons.

"They go out and buy tuna fish and soup. You know that, right? Goya. Goya, he's great, isn't he? Good guy. They go out and buy Goya because they throw it. They throw it, it's the perfect weight...

JAPAN: August Marine Products Imports at 148,231 Million Yen, Down 2% From the Previous Year

According to preliminary trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, imports of marine products in August were 148,231 million yen ($1,418 million), down 2% from the same month of the previous year. Quantity decreased by 6%. Frozen salmon and trout, frozen mackerel, and frozen octopus grew, but frozen tuna struggled, reports Minato Shimbun.

Fresh and frozen salmon and trout brought in increased by 24% to nearly 20,000 tons, and the value increased by 29% to 20,698 million yen ($197.90 million)...

More Measures Proposed for Western Pacific Longliners as Managers Agree to Electronic Reporting

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council concluded its 2020 third-quarter meeting recently with actions related to electronic reporting for Hawaii longline fisheries, annual catch limits for grey snapper (uku) for years 2022-2025 and more.

Hawaii longliners and those greater than 50 feet long in the American Samoa longline fleet will have to use electronic logbook reporting by the middle of next year, the Council approved in an amendment to the fishery management plan. Under the amendment, vessel operators must record and submit logbook...

Tesco May Drop Indian Ocean-based Tuna Due to Sustainability, Overfishing Concerns

UK-based retailer Tesco has decided to stop sourcing tuna and billfish from the Indian Ocean which typically supplies its ‘Own Brand’ line until the fishery is able to address sustainability and overfishing concerns.

Tesco noted its aim to sustainably source all of the wild-caught seafood. The retail giant noted how tuna creates challenges from a sustainability standpoint due to its migratory nature and how it is overseen by various jurisdictions.

In its “Own Brand” products, the company sells two species...

First MSC Frozen Bluefin Tuna Auctioned at Toyosu Market Fetches Double the Price of Ordinary Fish

The world's first Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified frozen Atlantic bluefin tuna arrived for the first time on the Toyosu Market in Tokyo on August 1. The Usufuku Honten of Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, caught it, and Daiichi Suisan Co., Ltd., an auction house at the Toyosu Market, put the fish on auction. The 142 kg fish, gilled and gutted, was sold for 6,800 yen/kg ($64.14/kg). "It costs 3,000 yen ($28.29) higher per kilogram or about twice the price...

Key Australian Fishery Achieves MSC Certification

Australia’s Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF) achieved Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification on Friday.

Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley and Jonno Duniam, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries announced the certification and credited the achievement through the government’s “Our Marine Parks Grants program.”

The fishery earned certification through its handling of fish stocks, the environmental impact of the fishery and effective fisheries management.

“The certification achieved by Tuna Australia for the ETBF highlights Australia’s world-class fisheries management and the interdependency of fisheries on a healthy and resilient marine ecosystem,” Ley said...

Canned Tuna Price-Fixing Case: Nonprofits Push for Court to Keep Class Action Certification 

A trio of nonprofit consumer advocacy groups is pushing against an appeal from top tuna companies looking to challenge class certifications in the canned tuna price-fixing lawsuit.

The American Antitrust Institute (AAI), Public Citizen and the Committee to Support the Antitrust Laws (COSAL) all filed amicus briefs urging the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the current class certification in a case involving Tri-Union Seafoods d.b.a Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee Foods and StarKist.

Currently, the classes stand as follows, per the defense...

U.S. Adopts Safety Improvements for Observers in Pacific Tuna Fisheries

After years of U.S.-led negotiations to improve safety of observers at sea, new regulations are now in place to improve the safety of fisheries observers on tuna-fishing vessels.

The measures require countries and captains to take emergency actions to help observers if one is threatened, harassed, assaulted, missing, presumed fallen overboard, injured, or suffering from a serious illness.

Also, observers aboard purse seine vessels will now receive emergency communication devices and personal locator beacons before leaving port. 

Fisheries observers often face hazardous situations at sea. Rough waters churned ...

USCG Rescues One from Canadian Vessel Off Cape Flattery, Wash.; 2 Confirmed Dead

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued one fisherman from a lifeboat early Tuesday morning after a 66-foot Canadian commercial fishing boat -- formerly from Astoria, Ore. -- began taking on water about 85 miles offshore of Cape Flattery, Wash., with three people aboard.

Watchstanders at multiple Coast Guard units received a VHF radio hail for help at about 2 a.m. from a person aboard the Arctic Fox II reporting the vessel was taking on water and the three people aboard planned to abandon ship.

The fisherman who hailed for help reported ...

StarKist Launches Versatile, New Microwave-safe Tuna Pouch

StarKist Creations Microwavables are StarKist’s newest creation. The new product is a microwave-safe pouch featuring seasoned, wild-caught tuna with vegetables and hearty grains like quinoa, barley, and brown rice.

The product is an option for lunch dinner or a filling snack. The Creations come in four varieties including BOLD Spicy Rice & Beans, Tomato Basil, Latin Citrus and Thai Green Curry. 

"The launch of new StarKist Creations Microwavables® is an example of our commitment to provide consumers with healthy, convenient and delicious products," said Andy Mecs...

ANALYSIS: Frozen Tuna Imports Decline 31% in May

Total imports of frozen tuna fillets for the month of May declined 31.6% from the previous month and are 45% less than compared to May 2019. YTD total import volume is down 8.4% compared to this time last year, registering 33.3 million pounds. However, for the first four months of the year, Jan-April 2020, total imports registered 28.5 million pounds, a 3% increase over the same period last year. It must be noted that 2019 recorded the highest import volume at 90 million pounds...

Japan: May Tuna Imports Down 55% for Fresh, and 27% for Frozen

According to the Ministry of Finance's customs clearance statistics, imports of tuna in May were 529 tons of fresh and chilled, down 48% year-on-year, and 685 million yen ($6.4 million), down 55%. Frozen tuna totaled 11,445 tons, 20% decrease, 12,310 million yen ($114.5 million), 27% decrease. The amount of processed tuna was 3,622 tons, an 8% decrease, or 2.18 billion yen ($20.3 million), an 11% decrease.

Frozen bigeye had continued to increase, but it decreased to 3,290 tons (16% decrease) in total...

Tuna Price-Fixing Case Delay Denied; Top Companies Now Appealing Class Certifications 

An appellate court has denied a motion from major tuna companies to pause a class-action price-fixing lawsuit as they battle class certifications.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied a motion from Bumble Bee Foods, StarKist and Chicken of the Sea to stay court proceedings until the companies could complete their challenges of class action certifications.

The failed appeal now allows U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino to move forward with the case and summary judgment...

StarKist to Donate $150,000 to Feed the Children Organization

Top tuna company StarKist announced that it will donate $150,000 to Feed the Children, a nonprofit dedicated to relieving hunger in the United States and around the globe.

Feed the Children and StarKist have had a partnership for the past 11 years, with the seafood and chicken provider providing the organization with over $600,000 of support, including a $100,000 donation in 2019. During that same time frame, StarKist contributed about 500,000 pounds of tuna and chicken products to assist food-insecure children and families in the U.S...

Walmart Celebrates World Oceans Day With Announcement About Sustainability Efforts

There is no better day than World Oceans Day for Walmart to announce that they are moving to source their U.S. stores Great Value canned tuna as either Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified or, based on supplier reports, from an FIP actively working toward certification. According to the company, this new sustainability effort will be in place as of July 2020.

“With a clear signal from leadership, our team has invested in research to help us better understand the value chain of tuna and ask the question...

State of Washington Files Civil Suit Against StarKist, Lischewski Over Price-Fixing Canned Tuna

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit against top tuna canner StarKist and the former CEO of Bumble Bee Foods, Christopher Lischewski over a price-fixing conspiracy which he said took $6 million out of the pockets of residents.

Washington now becomes the first state to file a suit over the conspiracy. The Department of Justice is currently seeking a 8-10 year prison sentence for Lischewski, following his December criminal conviction for his role in the price-fixing scandal...

Everything You Need to Know About the FDA's FSMA Food Traceability Proposed Rule

On Monday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a proposed rule to establish additional traceability recordkeeping requirements for certain foods. So, what exactly does this mean? We're breaking it down….

The proposed rule is actually titled "Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods," and is a key component of the FDA's New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint. If finalized the proposed rule would "standardize the data elements and information firms must establish and maintain, and the information they would need...

August Sales of Imported Tuna at Toyosu Market Increased by 4.5% to 3,108 Fish

Tokyo Toyosu Market received 3,108 imported tuna in August, which was compiled by Jiji Press. It is an increase of 4.5% from the same month of the previous year. The slump was remarkable, with the arrival of bigeye tuna falling below 100, but the number of bluefin tuna and southern bluefin tuna increased, according to Suisan Keizai.

The total number of bluefin tuna was 570, an increase of 18.5% from the same month of the previous year. Atlantic bluefin from Boston, a leading supply source...

Japan Fisheries Agency to Add 10 More Species Subject to Fishing Regulations

To prevent the fish resources from being depleted due to overfishing, the Fisheries Agency announced on August 27 that it would set new fishing regulations for 10 or more species, including Yellowtail and red sea bream. The aim is to make effective use of marine resources in the medium to long term. However, fishers may face income reduction in a short period due to the expansion of regulations, and there is a possibility of a backlash.

The process chart established by the Fisheries Agency will...

Japan's Seafood Imports Fell 14% to 169,605 Tons in July

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance on August 28, the quantity of seafood imports (seafood and its preparations, fish meal, and seaweed) in July was 169,605 tons, down 14% from the same month of the previous year. It exceeded the same month last year in June but fell below again. Fresh and frozen shrimp increased by 7% to 15,506 tons, and fresh and frozen salmon and trout increased by 7% to 13,457 tons, but fresh and frozen tuna decreased by...

Thai Union’s UK John West Brand Introduces Tuna Meatballs

Thai Union brand John West is launching a new product: Tuna Meatballs!

The UK brand’s new launch features two products, John West Tuna Bowls, and John West Bites for Kids. Both options pair the tuna meatballs with vegetables, and either pasta, beans or rice. For the Tuna Bowls range, flavors include: Chilli & Garlic Tomato Sauce with Penne Pasta, Fajita Sauce with Beans, Red Peppers and Rice, and Smokey BBQ Sauce with Sweetcorn and Rice.  The John West Tuna Bites for Kids currently comes in three flavors...

July Imported Tuna Sales at the Toyosu Market Fell 39% From A Year Ago

The total number of imported tuna in all species (bluefin, southern bluefin, bigeye and yellowfin) sold at Tokyo's Toyosu Market in July was 3,004; decreasing 39% from the same month last year. Boston bluefin tuna and New Zealand's southern bluefin tuna were significantly reduced due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection.

The total number of bluefin tuna was 268 fish; down 51.4% from the same month the year before. The number of shipments of the mainstay Boston tuna was 67...

The Winding Glass: 35% of Restaurant Purchasing Evaporates in 2020; Where Does That Leave Us?

[The Winding Glass is a commentary and opinion column by John Sackton, Founder of SeafoodNews]

Like most of us individually, the seafood industry has adjusted to a new normal during this pandemic. However, despite hoping to return to where we were last year, it is increasingly unlikely that will happen even with a vaccine in 2021. Personally, and on an industry level, we have to confront that we are in a new world, and there is likely going to be a multi-year period of...

Eastern Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fishery in Japan Becomes First to Earn MSC Certification

A Japanese longline fishery is about to become the first bluefin tuna fishery to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainable fishing.

The fishery just completed a state in its two-year assessment process which legal expert, Eldon Greenberg, decided a concern raised by WWF about bluefin tuna maturity had been dealt with in an action plan, the MSC explained.

Greenberg’s findings allowed for Usufuku Honten to gain MSC certification pending minor amendments to the assessor's final report...

Rise in COVID-19 Cases Weighs Heavily on Restaurants, Fresh Seafood Markets

As coronavirus cases begin to spike again across the country, certain areas are beginning to implement restrictions on restaurants again. 

SeafoodNews first reported in late June that New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy would be pulling back on indoor dining just a few days before restaurants were set to reopen their indoor dining rooms at 25% capacity. New Jersey was one of the states hit hardest by the coronavirus when it first began to sweep the country. And for Murphy, it was important to “hit pause” on restarting the...

Sri Lanka: Leading Exporters Add Value to Tuna Products Through Sustainable Fisheries Certification

Fresh (chilled) yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares, kelawalla, kilavalai) is Sri Lanka's premium export product to top tier seafood markets in Japan, Europe, and North America.Sri Lanka's leading seafood exporters have been working with the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DAFR) since 2017 to add further value to yellowfin tuna products by gaining Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for Sri Lanka's yellowfin tuna fishery.

The MSC's Fisheries Standard is the international standard for sustainable fisheries. A team of independent consultant's review information and...

Can StarKist Samoa Survive a Minimum Wage Increase?

Can Starkist Samoa survive a minimum wage increase? That’s the big question in a report put out by the United States Government Accountability Office this month.

GAO’s study on “Economic Trends, Status of the Tuna Canning Industry, and Stakeholders’ Views on Minimum Wage Increases” was conducted because there has been legislation postponing or reducing scheduled minimum wage increases in American Samoa. Congress initially passed legislation in 2007 that established a schedule of periodic increases that would have raised the minimum wage to...

Lischewski Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison, $100,000 Fine

Former Bumble Bee CEO Chris Lischewski was sentenced to over 3 years in prison for his role in a canned tuna price-fixing conspiracy. Lischewski was convicted in December 2019 following a three-week trial.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ordered Lischewski to pay a $100,000 fine along with a 40-month prison sentence on Tuesday for his role in the price-fixing scandal from November 2010 until December 2013.

According to Bloomberg Law, the prison sentence is a rare outcome for U.S. antitrust cases...

JAPAN: COVID-19 Reduced April Seafood Imports by Air, Down 20-90%

According to the April Customs Statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, marine products imported by air freight were significantly affected by the spread of the new coronavirus infection. The dominant fish species fell substantially
below the previous year. The amount of decline was one-third of the same month last year in quantities, and the value was almost halved, the lowest monthly import record in recent years.

The amount of seafood imported by air transportation in April was 3,485 tons, and 5.4 billion yen ($49 million)...

Japan April Seafood Exports: COVID-19 Reduces Yellowtail fillets by 80%, Scallops to China up 60%

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, the tonnage of marine product exports (seafood and its preparations, and fish meals) in April decreased by 9% from the same month of the previous year to 62,083 tons, and the value decreased by 35% to 15 billion yen ($138 million). In March, the export volume decreased by 11% and the value decreased by 22%, so the unit price has dropped further in April. It appears that the coronavirus pandemic brought...