Consumers Sue Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea and StarKist Over 'Dolphin-Safe' Claims

Class action lawsuits were filed by consumers in California on Monday against tuna companies Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, and StarKist. The suits allege that despite the "dolphin-safe" claims on their products, the companies actually employ fishing techniques that kill or harm dolphins.

The consumers state that the dolphin-safe labels on products from Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, and StarKist, are not only false, but misleading, which violates the laws of several U.S. states. In addition, the lawsuits state that StarKist...

Atlantic Natural Foods Proclaims April 30 'World TUNO Day'

The UN's World Tuna Day is coming up on May 2, but this year Atlantic Natural Foods will be celebrating World TUNO Day on April 30.

Atlantic Natural Foods is the producer and manufacturer of plant-based, shelf-stable food, including Loma Linda's tuna alternative, Tuno. According to the company, their decision to proclaim April 30th World TUNO Day is a "symbolic gesture to encourage consumers to eat more sustainably and bring awareness to the long-term need to create alternative protein sources...

Jensen Tuna of Louisiana Recalling Frozen Ground Tuna Due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state and local officials, are currently investigating a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections linked to frozen ground tuna.

The frozen ground tuna in question was imported into the U.S. by Jensen Tuna of Louisiana from JK Fish of Vietnam. Jensen Tuna is voluntarily recalling their frozen ground tuna, which is individually packaged in clear plastic one-pound bags, and sold in white wax 20 lb. boxes...

Wild Planet Foods Honored by Whole Foods for Their Sustainable Seafood Sourcing Efforts

Whole Foods Market announced the winners of their seventh annual Supplier Awards, and one of this year's honorees in seafood company Wild Planet Foods.

Whole Foods' Supplier Awards honor suppliers that "embody the company's mission and values through their proven commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, organic integrity, innovation and partnership."

"We're proud to recognize these suppliers who offer outstanding products aligned with our mission, values and the high quality standards that we've championed for nearly 40 years...

Thai Union, WWF-UK Release 4th Annual Partnership Progress Report

Thai Union and WWF-UK have reason to celebrate this week – the release of their fourth annual partnership progress report.

Thai Union and WWF formed a partnership in 2014 to work on improving the sustainability of seafood supply chains. Through the partnership they developed Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) to improve fisheries and fishing practices to meet the MSC standard. Since that development, more than 90% of Thai Union's tuna to the European market is engaged in a FIP or MSC certified. In addition, Thai Union now has...

Pacific Catalyst Launches, Announces Projects to Strengthen Fisheries Management

Pacific Catalyst, a partnership of fishery management experts in collaboration with the University of the South Pacific (USP), has officially launched. The Fiji-based consortium is seeking to work alongside policymakers, and they've already announced several projects to strengthen fisheries management.

"Through USP we will support the next generation of students and professionals who will manage Pacific fisheries for years to come," said founding director Transform Aqorau. "Although Pacific Catalyst is just getting started, our team has over 100 years combined experience in fisheries education...

Bumble Bee Foods and SAP Create Blockchain to Track Fresh Fish from Ocean to Table

SAP SE and Bumble Bee Foods recently announced that Bumble Bee Foods is using the SAP Cloud Platform Blockchain service to trace the journey of yellowfin tuna from the Indonesian ocean to the dinner table. Together, SAP and Bumble Bee continue to innovate and improve upon seafood traceability as more and more consumers demand to know their food is safe and sustainably sourced, the companies said in a press release.

With SAP’s blockchain technology, consumers and customers will be able to easily access...

Two New Trustees Named Int’l Pole and Line Foundation

LONDON -- The International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF), the charity that is committed to developing and supporting responsible one-by-one tuna fisheries and supply chains, named Jurgita Rhodes and Rahim Hoosen to its Board of Trustees.

Rhodes is Senior Partner at Marquis Media Partners and Hoosen is the Trading Head of Groceries, Household, Pet, Personal Care, Print Media at Woolworths South Africa. their appointments are effective immediately.

Rhodes has extensive experience across fintech, media and disruptive technologies, and has led pioneering commercial transformation programmes at the forefront of ...

Stavis Seafoods Launches SeaTru Lifestyle Seafood Brand Ahead of Boston Seafood Expo

Stavis Seafoods announced on Wednesday the launch of their new lifestyle seafood brand: SeaTru.

According to the company, SeaTru products meet in-depth brand standards and are “completely traceable, socially responsible and sustainably sourced.” So far the initial products featured in the line include retail-ready pasteurized crabmeat, fresh Norwegian salmon, as well as the Prime Cuts Portion Program, which includes high quality salmon, halibut, swordfish and tuna portions. Each produced is sourced from a sustainable certified, ranked or domestic fishery, or from a fishery involved in...

MSC Opens Consultations to Ban Certification of ‘Compartmentalized’ Fisheries, Such as Free School Tuna

The Marine Stewardship Council is taking steps to ban the practice of certified fisheries also participating in non-certified fisheries on the same trip.  This was the issue that came up nearly ten years ago when the first Pacifical tuna fisheries were certified, with the requirement that vessels segregate catches from free school tuna (which had a certificate) and catches from FAD tuna, which did not.

Skipjack tuna caught with FADS is not eligible for MSC certification due to the high bycatch of...

Maine Lobster, Tuna and More Seafood Star on Wolfgang Puck's 2019 Oscars Menu

The 91st Academy Awards are this Sunday and you know what that means – the stars will feast! While all eyes are generally on the Best Picture nominees, foodies focus on what celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck will be serving at the post-Oscars Governors Ball. And just like last year, seafood has a strong presence on the menu.

Wolfgang Puck has been catering the Governors Ball for 25 years and is responsible for the over 30 dish menu...

Good Catch Debuts Plant-Based Tuna at Whole Foods, Thrive Market

Good Catch, a company that produces animal-free alternatives to seafood, has just taken its fish-free tuna to market. Starting February 20, Whole Foods Market and Thrive Market will be the first to carry the award-winning plant-based product.

Good Catch was co-founded by Wicked Healthy authors and chefs Chad and Derek Sarno. The plant-based tuna is "the culmination of [the Sarnos'] experience as plant-based chefs, combined with [their] passion for healthy eating as well as animal and environmental welfare...

StarKist Adds Asian Inspired Flavors to Tuna Creations Pouch Line

StarKist is going BOLD. The company announced this week that they have introduced additional flavors to their line of Tuna Creations single serve pouches. And these new flavors will definitely leave your mouth watering.

New to the Tuna Creations pouch line is BOLD Spicy Korean Style with Gochujang; BOLD Red Curry with Coconut; and Ginger Sesame. The new flavors allow tuna lovers to be adventurous while enjoying a reliable favorite.

"StarKist is constantly driving innovation when it comes to new flavor...

Total FDA Refusals Increase Over 48% in January 2019

Total refusals of shipments increased 48.3% from January 2018 to January 2019. Year-to-date there are 175 line item refusals compared to 118 at this time last year.

Snapper had the biggest YTD increase in January, with 71 line item refusals compared to 3 at this time last year; a 2266.7% increase. Tilapia refusals also increased, with 16 line item refusals YTD compared to 4 last year YTD. That’s a 300% increase. Shrimp increased 52.4%, with 32 line item refusals YTD compared to...

ISSF says Nearly 80% of Tuna Stocks Fail First Principle Required for MSC Certification

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, which is a supporter of the Marine Stewardship Council, released a report today saying that only 5 out of 19 global tuna stocks could achieve a passing score on the most basic MSC principle: avoiding overfishing.

A report by independent scientists looked at how global tuna stocks fared compared to the MSC’s first principle, which requires that a fishery be managed in such a way as to sustain the stock.

Normally this involves data, harvest control rules and a fishery management system that is empowered to respond to changes in the size of the stock and can determine when that stock is in danger...

Film Chronicles Changes in Indonesia’s Fish Management, Highlights ‘One-by-one’ Tuna Fishery

London -- A new film ‘An Indonesian tuna tale: Championing sustainability’ illustrates the crucial social and economic role played by Indonesia’s one-by-one tuna fisheries and their efforts to market their catch to global buyers. 

Only a few years ago intense catching by local and foreign fishing fleets, together with illegal fishing had threatened Indonesia’s fisheries resources. But thanks to the Indonesian government’s tough stance against IUU vessels and protective policies towards marine habitats, fish stocks are rebuilding and communities have embraced management ...

LISTEN: Red Lobster's New Partnership, Most Trusted Frozen Fish Brand, Live Lobster Market and More

Join SeafoodNews Podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione for a brand new episode. This week on the podcast we talk about Red Lobster's new partnership with nonprofit group Ocean Conservancy; the most trusted frozen fish brand by consumers; the live lobster market; and more.

This week's episode is brought to you by Urner Barry's Executive Conference, taking place at the Bellagio in Las Vegas from April 28-30. The Executive Conference is a must-attend event for decision makers in the protein industry...

StarKist Fined by EPA For Failing to Comply With 2018 Settlement

StarKist will have to pay $84,500 in penalties for violating the terms of a 2018 settlement, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The 2018 settlement was related to deficiencies in environmental compliance at StarKist's tuna processing facility in American Samoa. StarKist initially paid a $6.5 million penalty to resolve the violations of federal environmental laws. The company had also agreed to make upgrades to reduce water pollution and the risk of releases of hazardous substances, in addition to providing American Samoa with...

The Winding Glass: Chris Lischewski Fights Back Against Tuna Price-Fixing Charges

This column from SeafoodNews Founder and Publisher John Sackton is a new trial feature that may continue as John retires from active management of SeafoodNews. 

All three major tuna companies have pled guilty to a complex price-fixing scheme that the government says kept canned tuna prices higher than they would have been had the companies not agreed to forego competition.

The scheme was uncovered when Chicken of the Sea, owned by Thai Union, submitted a proposed purchase of Bumble Bee for anti-trust review...

Producer of Plant-Based Tuna Alternative Hires Former Bumble Bee Exec, Chicken of the Sea Manager

Atlantic Natural Foods, the U.S. producer and marketer of plant-based products, including Loma Linda's tuna alternative, Tuno, is beefing up their executive and management team. The company announced on Wednesday that they have hired four new executive and management team members – including a former Bumble Bee Seafoods executive and Chicken of the Sea manager.

Gabe Montesano, who previously held variously financial roles at Bumble Bee Seafoods, is joining Atlantic Natural Foods as their new Vice President Finance...

Federally Managed Fisheries in Hawai'i, U.S. Pacific Islands Face a Mixed Future

The future is both bright and bleak for Hawaiian and U.S. Pacific Islands fisheries -- depending on the fishery.

Federal fishery managers concluded the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council meeting in Honolulu last week after dealing with a mixed bag of good and bad news fisheries in the region.

On the good side, a 2018 stock assessment estimates the Hawai'i Kona crab maximum sustainable yield at 73,069 pounds. While fishermen routinely landed 70,000 pounds in the 1970s, the fishery has reported catch below...

Western Pacific Managers, Fishermen Grapple with Closures, Slow Federal Pace of Reports

At 9:40 a.m. Wednesday, minutes after Kitty M. Simonds completed the executive director's report to the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, the Hawai'i-based fishery was closed due to the fishery's interaction with a 17th loggerhead turtle this year.

The Hawai'i-based shallow-set longline fishery for swordfish has a federal observer on every vessel for every trip. The North Pacific loggerhead population is growing annually at 2.4 percent, but a court settlement in May 2018 reduced the fishery's ...

Change Is in the Air: Western Pacific SSC Suggests New Approaches for Suite of Issues

The Scientific and Statistical Committee of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council concluded a three-day meeting last week in Honolulu with a suite of recommendations to more effectively address issues facing fisheries in the U.S. Pacific Islands. The Council will consider those recommendations this week.

Regarding false killer whales, the SSC recommended inclusion of a population variability analysis to supplement the use of and reduce the variability of potential biological removal estimates.

The Southern Exclusion Zone (SEZ), a 132,000 square mile...

Illinois Soybean Association Takes Step Towards Sustainable Tuna Production 

The global popularity of tuna consumption has resulted in overfishing of wild tuna species, like Pacific bluefin tuna, which is now at three percent of its original population. To address this issue, a collaborative effort is creating sustainable solutions to increase the tuna supply. A new grant from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) adds ongoing support from the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff program and will allow Ichthus Unlimited, LLC, to establish a hatchery in the San Diego Bay area. This will be the first ...

Anova Food Entering into MSC Full Assessment for their Fair Trade Fishery in North Buru Island

Anova Food, the leading sushi-quality tuna company in North America, announced on Tuesday that they will be entering into a Marine Stewardship (MSC) full assessment for their premier Fair Trade fishery in North Buru Island. They will be the first handline tuna fishery in Indonesia to enter into full MSC assessment.

“Years of data collection and sustainable fishery practices by Fair Trade fishermen have set the stage for fulfilling the rigorous demands of MSC certification for this handline fishery and we...

Bumble Bee Foods Settles Price-Fixing Lawsuit with Sysco

Bumble Bee Foods has settled the tuna price-fixing lawsuit that was brought to them by U.S. food distributor Sysco.

News that Sysco was suing Bumble Bee, as well as Chicken of the Sea and StarKist, broke in January 2018. Sysco filed the suit in Houston, and alleged that the three big tuna companies had secretly agreed to reduce the size of their tuna cans and raise prices as a way to increase profits. In addition, the lawsuit charged that the tuna companies had promised not to offer...

CBP Issues Detention Order for Tuna Harvested by Vanuata Tunago Fishery Co Vessel

Any tuna entering U.S. ports that have been manufactured wholly, or in part by the Tunago No. 61, will be detained, according to a news release from U.S Customs and Border Protection.

The CBP issued a withhold release order against tuna and tuna products from the Tunago No. 61 on February 4. The order came after CBP obtained information indicating that tuna harvested from the Tunago No. 61 was harvested with the use of forced labor.

“Under 19 U.S.C. § 1307 it is illegal to...

LemonShark Poké Introducing Ocean Hugger’s Vegan Tuna in California Locations

Fast-casual chain LemonShark Poké announced this week that they will be introducing vegan poké at three of their California locations. The restaurant, which is the third-largest poké franchise in the nation, will begin carrying Ocean Hugger Foods’ Ahimi, a vegan tuna option made from tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, water and sesame oil.

“LemonShark Poké’s mission is to serve delicious food made with only the finest ingredients at a great value, and nourish the body,” President and Co-Founder Tobi Miller said...

Bumble Bee Foods, FCF Fishery Co. and Ocean Outcomes Launch FIPs in Key Albacore Fisheries

On Tuesday Bumble Bee Foods, FCF Fishery Company and Ocean Outcomes announced their joint effort to improve longline tuna fisheries. The initiative is designed to improve fishing practices of the albacore longline tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean, as well as Western and Central Pacific Ocean, which is where Bumble Bee sources their tuna from.

“As we procure a significant amount of albacore tuna annually to meet demand for our products, we are in a unique position to help ensure the long term sustainability of...