Chile's Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector Tops $5 Billion in First Half of 2026, With Gains Spreading

Chile's fisheries and aquaculture sector generated $5.0 billion in export revenue in the first half of 2026, a 6.4% increase over the same period last year, according to ProChile's Non-Copper Non-Lithium Export Report for June 2026. The figures confirm the sector's continued strength — but the more notable story may be what's happening outside of salmon.

Salmon and trout, which account for the lion's share of Chile's seafood export value, grew 6.5% to $3.504 billion through June...

Japan’s Mackerel Exports Show a 1.7 Fold Increase in January-May with Record High Price

Exports of Japanese frozen mackerel are recovering. The cumulative export volume for the January–May period reached 58,200 tons, 1.7 times the same period the previous year, driven by increased landings in Kyushu. In recent years, poor catches across domestic fishing grounds—particularly in the Sanriku and Joban regions—combined with a sharp drop in production in Norway (the world's largest producer) have caused landing prices to skyrocket. With high international demand for Japanese mackerel tightening the supply...

SalmonChile Expands Mentorship Program While Advancing Export Diversification Strategy

SalmonChile is expanding efforts to strengthen Chile's salmon sector through a combination of workforce development, innovation support and export market diversification.

The industry association has launched the 2026 edition of its Salmon Mentor Network, a program designed to support entrepreneurship and professional development across Chile's salmon-producing regions. The latest edition brings in new strategic partners, including Volcanes and the Innovation Center of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, broadening the initiative after four previous editions.

The program reflects a growing focus within the Chilean salmon industry...

Russia Eyes Expansion of Tuna Fishery as Stocks Move Into Far Eastern Waters

Russia is placing growing emphasis on tuna fishing as it seeks to expand seafood supplies for both domestic consumers and export markets.

In a move that industry officials describe as a milestone, Russian fisheries authorities have approved commercial tuna fishing in waters off Sakhalin Island for the first time in the country's modern history.

The decision follows support from the Bureau of the Industry Council for Fisheries Forecasting under the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo), which approved a recommended tuna...

Japan's Mackerel Export Increased 2.9-Fold in April, Exceeding JPY 4 Billion

According to a Minato Shimbun report, Japan's exports of frozen mackerel doubled year-over-year (YOY) in April, reaching 15,814 tons. Strong exports to Vietnam and Africa, the largest destinations, drove this increase and marked the first time exports have exceeded 15,000 tons in approximately four years.

Good catches from Kyushu were the main driver. Meanwhile, the average export price rose 44% to 257 yen/kg ($1.60/kg), the second highest on record after 273 yen/kg...

Canada Secures New Seafood Export Openings Across Five Global Markets

Canada is expanding export opportunities for its fish, seafood and aquatic products sector after securing new and renewed market access in Vietnam, Oman, Brazil, Armenia and Costa Rica. The developments, led by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), are expected to support trade diversification and strengthen the global reach of Canadian exporters.

Among the most significant gains is the restoration of access to Vietnam for chilled and frozen finfish fillets and steaks after the country accepted a Canadian health certificate. The move reopens...

Japan’s April Marine Products Exports Up 6% in Volume, Soared 37% in Value

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance and reported by The Minato Shimbun, April exports of marine products (fish and shellfish and their preparations, and fish meal) increased by 6% year-on-year (YOY) to 54,968 tons and by 37% to 41.138 billion yen ($258.28 million). Scallop exports decreased by 8% to 4,876 tons but increased by 8% to 8.471 billion yen ($53.18 million). Yellowtail exports increased by 26% to 3,502 tons and doubled to 9.751 billion...

Russia Expands Fish Export Geography to Africa, Middle East, Latin America

Russia is increasing fish exports this year as demand for its fish and seafood remains strong in major export markets.

According to the Russian Federal Center for Fish and Seafood (Agroexport), fish exports from Russia rose 19% in value year-on-year in Q1 2026 to US$1.7 billion.

Growth was observed in most key export categories. Frozen fish shipments increased 26% year-on-year to US$944 million. Within that category, frozen pollock exports rose 45%, cod by 58%, and haddock by 63%. Crustacean shipments...

Canada Pushes Seafood Export Growth in Europe at Seafood Expo Global

Canada is stepping up efforts to grow and diversify its fish and seafood exports, with a strong focus on expanding its presence in Europe.

At this year’s Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson met with Canadian exporters, European buyers, and senior officials from Spain, the European Union, and the United Kingdom to discuss strong European demand for Canadian seafood, particularly frozen and value-added products.

Thompson also pointed to growing momentum in Spain, where the Sabores de Canada (or Flavours from...

Norway's Seafood Exports Rise 3% Despite Continued US Decline

Norway exported seafood worth NOK 15.5 billion ($1.6 billion) in March, up 3% from the same month last year, despite a third consecutive month of declining US shipments exceeding NOK 500 million.

The US market share fell to 9% of Norwegian exports, down 4 percentage points from March 2025, as increased tariffs and a weaker dollar against the Norwegian krone continued to impact trade. Salmon fillets bore the brunt of the US decline, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council.

"The main reason for the decline to the US is increased...

Canada Launches New Plan For Seafood and Agricultural Sectors to Diversify Markets 

Yesterday, at the annual Policy Breakfast of Food and Beverage Canada, Minister of Agriculture Heath MacDonald announced two new programs to help Canadian food suppliers diversify their markets.

A total of $75 million will be invested in the AgriMarketing Program Market Diversification over 5 years (2026-27 to 2030-31) for the Canadian food sector to better respond to market instability by encouraging greater market diversification.

The action was promised by Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, last September in a speech outlining sweeping economic changes...

Ag Coalition Highlights USMCA Strength in New Report, Sees Big US Economic Benefits

The Agricultural Coalition for USMCA has released a new report underscoring the pact’s importance to the US farm and seafood sectors. The analysis positions the USMCA as a stabilizing force for rural economies amid rising input costs and volatile markets, noting that exports to Canada and Mexico generated significant US economic activity in 2024.

The report found that agricultural and seafood exports to Canada and Mexico produced $149 billion in total US economic output in 2024, supporting about 493,000 full-time jobs and $36 billion...

Japan: 2025 Fishery Product Exports Increased 41% in Volume, 22% in Value 

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, seafood exports in 2025 (fish and shellfish preparations, fish meal) increased 41% year-on-year in volume to 586,308 tons, and increased 22% in value to 353.719 billion yen ($2.312 billion). This marks the first volume increase since 2021 and the first value increase since 2022. Strong demand, a continued weak yen, and rising prices for farmed fish such as yellowtail and scallops are likely to have driven the value to a record high, according to the Minato Shimbun...

Russia Plans to Turn South Korea into One of its Major Destinations for Seafood Supplies

Russia plans to turn South Korea into one of major trade destinations for the supplies of its fish and seafood in years to come.

That will be achieved by the increase of supplies in both volume and value terms.

In recent years, imports of Russian fish to the South Korean market have already exceeded some historic highs, while the growth is currently ongoing. This is also confirmed by some latest official statistics of the Korean Statistical Service, according...

Winding Glass: Trump Policies of Tariff and Weak Dollar Damaged Seafood in 2025, Likely to Continue 

Tariffs and a weak dollar created artificial seafood supply shortages in the US in 2025. The result: higher prices for consumers, reduced consumption, and a reorientation of global trade flows away from America.

Supply is the ultimate driver of seafood pricing, as any boat captain landing in New Bedford, Gloucester or Maine will tell you. On days with more boats, prices are down.

The same dynamic holds at the stock level. When a population expands or contracts, it changes the...

Norway’s August Seafood Export Value Falls; US Values Decline Amid New 15% Tariff

The Norwegian Seafood Council said Norway's seafood exports witnessed a 2% decline in value in August, compared to the same month a year ago. The council highlighted a drop in exports to the US amid increased tariffs of 15% on seafood from Norway and its European Union neighbors.

"The summer of 2025 has been marked by considerable turmoil in the markets. Changes in customs duties on exports to the US are affecting Norwegian seafood exports and posing challenges for the global seafood trade. In addition, increased competition...

Japan's Surimi Products Exports Increase 5% YOY with Growing Global Demand

According to reports from the Minato Shimbun, consumption of Japanese surimi products is rising worldwide, including in North and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

The Ministry of Finance trade statistics show that the cumulative export volume of surimi products—such as kamaboko (steamed surimi), but excluding fish sausage—reached 4,186 tons between January and May, a 5% year-on-year increase.

Exports to the United States, the largest overseas market, performed well, rising 13% compared to the same...

Global Squid Buyers Strongly Oppose Management Changes Being Considered in Chile and Peru

Potential amendments to recent laws in Chile and Peru that would increase fishing effort in the jumbo flying squid (JFS) fishery triggered strong opposition among conservation groups and buyers of the product.

The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) expressed their concern publicly last week.

“As buyers committed to responsible sourcing and the sustainability of marine resources, we recognize the significant progress achieved in recent years thanks to the joint efforts of fisheries managers, research institutes, nongovernmental organizations...

Japan's Frozen Yellowtail Fillet Exports Rose 67% in April; up 73% to the US

According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, exports of yellowtail fillets, both frozen and fresh (essentially farmed), increased significantly in April. Frozen exports rose 67% year-on-year (YOY) to 2,544 tons, with a value of 8.46 billion yen ($52.68 million), up 33%.

Fresh exports increased by 8% to 175 tons, totaling 558.79 million yen ($3.47 million). Exports to the US, the main destination, saw a 73% increase in frozen exports to 2,202 tons at 7.36 billion yen...

BioMar Sagun Secures ASC Feed Certification, Expanding Certified Feed Supply for Export Markets

BioMar has added another ASC-certified facility to its global footprint, with BioMar Sagun now officially achieving ASC Feed Certification. The move enhances the company’s ability to supply ASC-conforming feed solutions to producers in Turkey as well as to customers serving international export markets.

As demand for ASC-certified seafood continues to grow, feed compliance is becoming a more visible part of the certification equation. Producers supplying certified markets increasingly need assurance that feed inputs meet the same environmental, social and...

Canada Seafood Farmers Push for Aquaculture Growth in Next Agriculture Policy Framework

Canada’s seafood farmers are urging governments to make aquaculture a bigger part of Canada’s next agricultural policy framework, arguing the sector could play a much larger role in food production, rural growth and exports.

In a March 30 letter sent ahead of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial ministers’ meeting in Halifax, the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance and seven provincial aquaculture groups called on federal, provincial and territorial leaders to adopt a “Grow Canada” approach that treats aquaculture as a strategic growth industry.

The industry...

Russian Fishermen and Businesses Oppose Possible Export Duties on Fish

Representatives of Russia’s fishing industry and broader business community are pushing back against a possible plan to impose duties on Russian fish exports, an idea currently under consideration by the government.

Business groups including the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Delovaya Rossiya and Opora Rossii have appealed to the Economy Ministry to block the proposal, which has been backed by some senior state officials.

According to industry representatives, export revenue accounts for a significant share of turnover for Russian fishing and fish processing...

India's Seafood Exports Hit Record as Shrimp Drives Growth Amid US Market Decline

India's seafood exports reached an all-time high of ₹72,325.82 crore ($ 8.28 billion) in FY 2025-26, with volumes hitting 19.32 lakh metric tons, according to provisional data released by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) on April 21.

Frozen shrimp remained the cornerstone of India's marine exports, contributing ₹47,973.13 crore ($ 5.51 billion) and accounting for over two-thirds of total export earnings. Shrimp shipments grew 4.6% in volume and 6.35% in value, reinforcing India's position as a global shrimp supplier...

Japan's Pollock Exports Spiked by 42％ to over 62,000 MT

Frozen Alaska pollock exports in 2025 increased by 42% year-on-year to 6,671 tons, driven by strong growth in exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and Africa, including Nigeria. This marks a halt to the two-year decline following China's import ban on Japanese seafood following the release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The Minato Shimbun reported this.

Exports to Vietnam increased steadily by 27% to 1,682 tons, and to Thailand by 38% to 531 tons. Exports to Africa showed particularly significant...

Chilean Fisheries and Aquaculture Exports Surge in January, Driven by African Market Demand

Chile’s fisheries and aquaculture sector experienced significant growth in January 2026, boosting the country's export numbers beyond traditional staples like copper and lithium.

According to an Export Report by ProChile and its Intelligence Department, using data from the National Customs Service, exports saw a 2.1% increase compared to January 2025.

Notably, sector-specific exports reached US $954 million, reflecting a 14% rise from US $837 million year-over-year (YOY). While salmon and trout dominated the export charts with US $731 million...

Japan: 2025 Surimi Product Exports Increased 5% to JPY 11.2 Billion

According to the Ministry of Finance's trade statistics, exports of surimi products (excluding fish sausages), such as kamaboko, totaled 10,352 tons in 2025, down 0.5% from the previous year and the sixth-highest on record.

Due to the trade embargo, exports to China remained zero, as in the previous year. Meanwhile, exports to the United States, the largest market, increased 2% year-on-year, despite the headwinds posed by Trump's tariffs. Exports to Hong Kong, the second-largest export market, and the...

US Market Challenges Push Norwegian Salmon Fillet Exports Down 37%, Poland and China Surge

Norwegian seafood exports fell 3% in value at the start of 2026 compared to January last year, as the US market faced “unpredictable tariffs,” a weaker dollar, and rising competition, the Norwegian Seafood Council reports. CEO Christian Chramer pointed to lower salmon prices, reduced quotas for several wild species, and challenging market access as key factors behind the decline.

At this point last year, the US was the largest single market for Norwegian seafood. Today, the value of exports destined for the US has declined...

Russia Hopes for Stable Production and Exports of Mackerel This Year

Russia hopes for stable production and exports of mackerel this year, as the demand for this fish steadily grows in both domestic and foreign markets.

In recent years, the migratory range of mackerel has significantly expanded, allowing Russian fishermen to begin harvesting this fish in new areas such as the Sea of Japan and parts of the Norwegian Sea, which are accessible to Russian trawlers. Previously, the Black Sea was a key location for mackerel fishing, but the focus for Russian fishermen has shifted predominantly...

Chilean Salmon Industry Sees 3% Growth YOY in 2025

The Chilean salmon farming sector closed 2025 with a notable 3% growth, achieving US$6,549 million in salmon and trout exports, according to Central Bank data analyzed by SalmonChile.

Arturo Clément, president of SalmonChile, stated, "The 2025 results once again confirm salmon as the undisputed leader of Chile's non-mining exports, reaching 6,549 million dollars."

With salmon farming now representing 6% of Chile's export matrix, it has become a key economic driver, surpassing other non-mining exports such as cherries...

Japan: September Exports Surged 82% to 60,243 MT; Scallops Fall by 23%

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance, Japan's exports of fishery products (fish and shellfish and their preparations, fishmeal, and fish oil) in September totaled 60,243 tons, an 82% increase compared to the same month last year, and amounted to 31.91 billion yen ($207.21 million), a 22% increase. Scallop exports saw a 23% decrease in volume but a 10% increase in value. While shell-off scallops increased in both volume and value, scallops with shells decreased in volume but increased in value. Yellowtail exports...