Prosecutors Delay Tuna Price Fixing Case to Pursue Criminal Charge Against Chris Lischewski

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 12, 2018

At the monthly status conference on the consolidated price fixing case against Bumble Bee Tuna by a number of major retailers and foodservice distributors, federal prosecutors asked the judge to delay discovery in the case until criminal procedings against Chris Lischewski, former CEO of Bumble Bee, is wrapped up.

Prosecutors said some depositions could interfere with the criminal case. 

Lischewski was indicted on a single count of Price Fixing and Conspiracy.  The original indictment in May, 2018 claimed that ...

Pacifical MSC Sustainable Tuna Now Traceable via Ethereum Blockchain 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Pacifical] - August 2, 2018

Starting this month, several hundred million tuna steaks, pouches and cans will be able to have their origin traced and verified via the blockchain. Pacifical, in cooperation with Atato, has extended its existing innovative traceability platform and started publishing MSC tuna sustainability certification and traceability data using the Ethereum public blockchain.

A new level of transparency and better standardized communication within the global tuna industry is what the Pacifical public blockchain will provide. Non-commercial and non-confidential data will be ...

Total FDA Refusals Increase Nearly 64% in June 2018

Total refusals of shipments increased 63.9% from June 2017 to June 2018. Year-to-date there are 118 line item refusals ...

Summer Reading: Check Out 16 Must-Read Fishing and Seafood Books 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Mary Kelly McQuarrie - July 3, 2018

Summer is here and there’s no better way to spend a day on the beach than reading a book you can’t put down. SeafoodNews has compiled a list of top books about seafood and fishing that are bound to catch your attention. Check them out below:

1. Cousins Maine Lobster: How One Food Truck Became a Multimillion-Dollar Business by Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac is a business book that follows the journey of cousins whose Lobster food truck became an overnight sensation in Maine. This book came out in April 2018, in just ...

Sea Pact Brings Funding to Sri Lanka Tuna Fishery Project 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Sea Pact] - June 19, 2018

Sea Pact, attending The State of Global Tuna Sustainability Seminar at the SeaWeb Seafood Summit in Barcelona, today announces industry funding for a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) to reduce the impact of Sri Lanka’s longline fisheries for yellowfin and bigeye tuna and swordfish on endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) non-target species.

“We are heeding the call for industry initiatives and support in collaborative efforts to address tuna 
sustainability needs”, said Rob Johnson, managing director for Sea Pact ...

Qingdao Plans Construction of 3 More Fisheries Economic Zones, Improving Local Access to Seafood

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Shuichan] translated by Amy Zhong - May 21, 2018

China’s National Development and Reform Commission and its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recently issued a plan to promote the construction in 10 coastal harbor regions as well as 93 fisheries economic zones. Qingdao plans to establish three such economic zones, which are located in Jiaozhou Bay on the western coast of Qingdao, as well as in the area from Jimo to Laoshan.

The plan states the 10 harbor regions will be located in Liaodong Peninsula, Bohai Bay, Shandong ...

Hawaii Longline Swordfish Fishery Closed for Rest of Year; Industry Helped Negotiate Closure

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Susan Chambers - May 14, 2018

In the ups and downs of the Hawaiian swordfish fishery, the recent May 8 closure for the rest of the year was no surprise to the industry. Longliners worked with the National Marine Fisheries Service and plaintiffs of a recent lawsuit to comply with a court order.

The Turtle Island Restoration Network, Center for Biological Diversity and Earthjustice originally sued the Department of Commerce over a 2012 biological opinion that allowed ...

Consultation for Indonesia’s Pivotal Tuna Management Plan Starts in Bali

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 2, 2018

For more than three years the Indonesian government has worked on an interim tuna harvest strategy. It will debut the Third Bali Tuna Conference and 6th International Coastal Tuna Business Forum at the end of May.

Attendees at the May 31-June 1 events will be the first stakeholders to learn details of the harvest strategy for tropical tuna in archipelagic waters. 

Developed by the Indonesian authorities, this long awaited policy is an important component in the implementation of sustainable fisheries management. 

National efforts have been led by Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), the Directorate of Fish Resource Management, the Directorate General of Capture Fisheries and relevant stakeholders and progressed through several technical meetings and consultations.

“A lot of time and endeavour has already gone into getting the harvest strategy...

Ocean Hugger Foods Partners with Aramark to Expand Distribution of Vegan Tuna Alternative

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

Ocean Hugger Foods, a company focused on creating sustainable plant-based alternatives to seafood, has announced a partnership with Aramark to expand their distribution.

For a limited time, Ahimi®, a vegan alternative to raw tuna, will be offered at select corporate cafes and college campus dining halls that are managed by Aramark. The product is made from tomatoes, filtered water, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar, and will be served in ...

Chicken of the Sea Unveiling New Yellowfin Tuna Slices at SENA 2018

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

Chicken of the Sea, a Thai Union Company, is introducing deli yellowfin tuna slices, a new deli product that will get a national rollout.  The product will be on introduced at the Boston Seafood Show.

Chicken of the Sea’s new, ready-to-eat tuna slices, are the “world’s first pre-sliced, pre-seasoned tuna slices made from whole yellowfin tuna loins.” The new product was created to compete with traditional lunch meats, and is one of ...

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 ...

ISSF Unveils Updated Strategic Plan Recognizing FIPs, and Will Monitor Labor and Social Standards

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews]  February 26, 2018

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) released its Strategic Plan for 2018-2022.  The plan was the result of 10 months of consultations with tuna companies, scientists, NGO's and stakeholders.  The plan lays out the research and advocacy organization’s mission and approach to meeting sustainability objectives over the next five years.

Key elements are continued support for tuna fisheries to become MSC certified under UN FAO guidelines.  The new element is recognition of FIPs, or fisheries improvement projects, which are improvements in fisheries designed to make them eligible for certification.  During the FIP, the fisheries involved will be recognized as being on a path towards sustainability.

The plan also commits the ISSF to monitor compliance with labor and social standards within the tuna industry.

The new strategic plan has three core pillars: science, influence, and verification — encompassing tuna stock health and fisheries bycatch, outreach to Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) ...

UK Retailers Express Concerns Over Sustainable Tuna

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - January 18, 2018

Should tuna fisheries be allowed to be partially certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)? Some retailers in the UK are fighting the controversial practice. Tesco, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer have written to the MSC Board to express their belief that the practice of compartmentalizing tuna fisheries for certification is “not in the best interests of responsible fishing policies.”

“I am pleased that Tesco, Waitrose and M&S have written to the MSC Board to raise their concerns about ...

NOAA Continuing Pilot Project on Longline Gear that is More Protective of Swordfish and Tuna

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [NOAA Fisheries] - January 11, 2018

NOAA Fisheries and our partners at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation kicked off the New Year with the second round of the Oceanic Fish Restoration Project. The project aims to restore a portion of the fish injured as a result of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Ten fishing vessel owners from Florida and Louisiana will take a break, also known as a repose, from using pelagic longline fishing gear for the next six-months ...

StarKist Funds American Samoa Flagged Longline Fleet MSC Certification

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - December 21, 2017

StarKist has invested in an American Samoa-based U.S. flagged longline fleet in an effort to expand their selection of products with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-label. The company funded and managed the fleet’s efforts to get MSC certified, which they succeeded in doing this past November.

“StarKist has always had a strong commitment to sustainability and we were proud to support the American Samoa-based U.S. flagged longline fleet during the rigorous MSC assessment process ...

Papua New Guinea Offering $400 Rebate Per Ton of Tuna Processed

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - December 18, 2017

The Papua New Guinea government has implemented a new reward system to promote development and employment within the national tuna sector and curb tuna catches from being processed elsewhere.

Foreign and domestic vessels that land their tuna catch in PNG and process it at their respective canneries will be eligible for a $400 USD rebate per ton of tuna processed. The rebate will go to the “production side of the corporation ...

CDFW Launches E-tix Commercial Landings System One Year Ahead of Mandatory Electronic Reporting

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Susan Chambers - July 9, 2018

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently announced the availability of E-tix, a new electronic reporting system for commercial fishery landings that came online July 1. With the cooperation of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, the E-tix application has been adapted to allow electronic reporting of all California landing records, CDFW said in a statement.

Since 1933, CDFW has relied on paper landing receipts that over the years expanded to ...

Data Shows Increase in Vietnam Border Trade and Likely Uptick in Smuggling

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Chinaeel] translated by Amy Zhong - July 6, 2018

Statistics from Vietnam show the country has imported seafood worth more than $163 million USD in May, which is an increase of 29 percent from that of April and an increase of 60 percent compared with the same period last year. This means the import value is close to $698 million USD within the first five months this year, which is an increase of 33 percent compared with the same period last year ...

Sushi Lovers Must See These Photos of the ‘Largest Sushi Roll at Sea’

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - June 22, 2018

Can’t get enough sushi? Cruise company Holland America Line has created the “largest sushi roll at sea,” with the classic Japanese dish coming in at a whopping 3.3 feet wide rolled.

Holland America Line Culinary Council Member Andy Matsuda created the “world mega roll” on June 9 in honor of International Sushi Day, which is celebrated on June 18 every year. While aboard the Koningsdam ship for a special “food and beverage aficionado” cruise in Norway, Matsuda prepared ...

Red Lobster Launches Lobster and Shrimp Summerfest; Introduces Tuna Poke Dish

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 30, 2018

Summer doesn’t officially start until Red Lobster kicks off their Lobster & Shrimp Summerfest.

The dining chain announced on Tuesday that their limited-time shrimp and lobster combo dining event is currently underway. Guests who visit red Lobster will have a chance to enjoy two of their favorite seafood proteins prepared in new ways. The new lineup includes:

Cedar-Plank Seafood Bake, a dish featuring jumbo shrimp and petite Maine lobster tails with garlic and Red Lobster’s signature Chesapeake seasoning, roasted on a ...

Chris Lischewski, CEO of Bumble Bee, 4th Individual Indicted for Price Fixing in Tuna Industry

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  [SeafoodNews] by John Sackton – May 17, 2018

Chris Lischewski, the CEO of Bumble Bee Foods, has been indicted by the Dept. of Justice for price fixing.

Lischewski is the fourth individual executive to be charged in the price fixing case brought against the three major canned tuna companies.

Two of the company’s executives, Kenneth Worsham and Walter Cameron have pled guilty to price fixing charges, but have not yet been sentenced.

In addition, Bumble Bee pled guilty and agreed to pay a $25 million fine..

StarKist Ventures Into Chicken With New Creations Pouches

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

Charlie the Tuna is not just selling tuna anymore. StarKist announced this week that they have ventured into chicken with the launch of their newest product, Chicken Creations Pouches.

The Chicken Creations Pouches mark StarKist’s first foray outside of the seafood space. The pouches are made with chicken sourced from American farms that are raised cage free and hormone free. Flavors of the white meat pouches include BOLD Buffalo Style, Ginger Soy, Zesty Lemon Pepper and Chicken Salad ...

PNA Tuna Fishery Receives MSC Recertification After IPNLF Objections

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

The PNA tuna fishery has received their MSC recertification following concerns raised by the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF).

As we reported earlier this month, an independent adjudicator confirmed that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery continued to meet the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) standard for sustainable fishing. This inspection came after IPNLF presented 24 objections against the sustainable fishery, including that the fishery was involved in shark finning, a practice that the MSC had banned in ...

78% of Global Tuna Catches Come From Healthy Stocks, Says ISSF

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews]  March 8, 2018

 Of the total tuna catch in 2016, 78% came from stocks at “healthy” levels, unchanged since last reported, according to a February 2018 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. 

Skipjack tuna stocks — at healthy levels in all ocean regions — constituted more than one-half of the 2016 total catch.

One notable change in stock status in the February 2018 Status report is for Southern bluefin tuna, a stock that has moved from orange to yellow in abundance ratings. Stock abundance is low, about 13% of the unfished level. However, the stock is rebuilding continuously as a result of the implementation of a robust Management Procedure (a Harvest Strategy) by the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, the regional organization in charge of managing the stock.

 In contrast, the Pacific bluefin stock, along with the Indian Ocean yellowfin stock and the Atlantic Ocean bigeye stock remain overfished. ..

Independent Adjudicator Finds No Shark Finning Issue in PNA Tuna Fishery

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

Following concerns brought up by the International Pole and Line Foundation, an Independent Adjudicator has confirmed that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery “continues to meet the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) standard for sustainable fishing.

Although the International Pole and Line Foundation raised a “number of concerns,” one of the bigger issues revolved around the group’s claim that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery is involved in shark finning. MSC had banned the practice of shark finning in ...

Chicken of the Sea’s Genova Brand Now MSC Certified Thanks to Partnership with Pacifical

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

Chicken of the Sea, part of the Thai Union Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pacifical to promote MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified tuna that has been sourced from the nations of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) in the Western Central Pacific Ocean.

Chicken of the Sea’s premium brand, Genova, will be using Pacifical MSC certified tuna. The brand is known for its “premium high quality solid yellowfin tuna filets ...

$300K Tuna Sold at Final Tsukiji Fish Market Heads to NYC Sushi Chain

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - January 19, 2018

The 890 lb. bluefin tuna sold for $323,195 at the final New Year’s auction at Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji fish market has made its way to New York City.

The fish was bought by the Onodera Group, which has 11 restaurants in seven cities around the world, including London, Paris, Shanghai and Los Angeles. Sushi Ginza Onodera, located on 5th Avenue in New York City, is the lucky restaurant ...

Many Tuna Stocks Not Meeting Standards, Says ISSF

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - January 11, 2018

A recent report from the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) shows that 13 major commercial tuna stocks are not being managed properly based on the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard.

Independent scientists looked at 19 major commercial tuna stocks to see how they were being managed. What they found is that only six of the 19 stocks are being managed to “avoid overfishing and restore depleted fish populations because the majority of the stocks are not protected by well-defined harvest ...

Whole Foods Lists Transparency As One Of The Top Food Trends For 2018

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - December 29, 2017

Whole Foods Market is looking towards the future with 2017 coming to a close. The company is predicting that one of the top food trends for 2018 will be transparency -- and canned tuna consumers will be able to benefit from that come January.

The retailer confirmed that all canned tuna in their store will come from "sustainable one-by-one catch methods" in January. The decision stems from ...

Japan Sashimi Tuna Supply Drops Below 300,000 tons This Year for First Time Since Great Earthquake

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews]  December 21, 2017

Japan's sashimi tuna supply in FY2017 forecast to slip below 300,000 tons for the first time since the great earthquake.

The Fisheries Agency said on Dec.13 that supply of sashimi tuna in Japan in fiscal 2017 (April 2017-March 2018) will likely total 289,000 tons, slipping below 300,000 tons for the fist time since 2011 when eastern Japan was ravaged by a great earthquake and tsunami.

The announcement is based on the results of discussion at a panel (headed by Prof. Xiabo Lou of the Tokyo University of Marine Sciences and Technology) on tuna supply and demand held late in November.

The shrinkage is blamed on the decreasing supply of bigeye tuna.

The supply forecast for all the tuna species...