Pacific Whiting Achieves RFM Certification, Extending Certification Standard Beyond Alaska

The Pacific whiting fishery is making strides in increasing its global reach: It's now the first fishery outside of Alaska to be certified to the Responsible Fisheries Management standard.

The midwater trawl whiting fishery covers the U.S. EEZ off the West Coast and includes both tribal and non-tribal fisheries. The Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative led the effort and collaborated with all sectors to gain RFM certification. Products containing Pacific whiting harvested from January 10, 2022, forward, are now eligible to be sold with the RFM eco-label. MRAG ...

OSU Research Suggests Pacific Hake Skin has Properties to Prevent Wrinkles

For those who didn't like fish before, here's a new reason to like Pacific whiting: It may ease those old-age wrinkles.

The gelatin in the skin of Pacific whiting may help prevent skin wrinkling caused by ultraviolet radiation, according to a new Oregon State University study that was also funded by Pacific Seafood. Pacific whiting is caught in large volumes in the United States but consumers have little familiarity with the mild, white meat fish also known as hake, according to an OSU press ...

How U.S. Sanctions Against Russia Could Potentially Impact the Seafood Industry

On Thursday Russia invaded Ukraine, leading the U.S. Treasury to announce “unprecedented and expansive sanctions against Russia.” The goal of these sanctions is to impose swift and severe economic costs on the Russian economy and financial system—both immediate and in the long-term. 

“Treasury is taking serious and unprecedented action to deliver swift and severe consequences to the Kremlin and significantly impair their ability to use the Russian economy and financial system to further their malign activity,” said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen...

West Coast Hake Fishery Enters RFM Assessment Certification Without Logo Licensing Fees

A fishery whose volume pales in comparison to Alaska's pollock fishery but also has a global reach is going for a Responsible Fisheries Management certification.

The Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative, in collaboration with all sectors of the Pacific whiting fishery off the West Coast, is being assessed to the RFM fishery standard, the Certified Seafood Collaborative, owners of the RFM program, said in a press release in December. It's the first fishery outside of Alaska to be assessed to the RFM standard and covers the midwater trawl fishery ...

Alaska Fish Radio: AK Fish Catches, Revenues For 2020 Mostly Leave The State

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Most of the fish and the values of Alaska’s catches go out of state.

As Alaska struggles to find new sources of revenue, its leaders might look to reining in the losses from fish and crab that go elsewhere.             

Data compiled each year by NOAA research economists at the Seattle-based Alaska Fisheries Science Center provide a breakdown of the shares of all groundfish ex-vessel values, meaning dock side, by boat owners’ state of residency...

The Winding Glass:  2021 Was Fantastic Year for Seafood as Disruption Played to Our Strengths

This is the first part of a two-part end of year review. Today we will focus on the fantastic year most in the Seafood industry have had, despite the turmoil and disruption of the pandemic. 

The second part will look at how the factors that helped us in 2021 may play out in 2022 and what we think may be different.

First, some numbers. When I went to analyze what happened with the U.S. seafood supply in 2021, I was blown away by our success...

Register for the Upcoming Urner Barry Seafood Market Update Webinar on Crab and Groundfish

Join Urner Barry on Tuesday, December 7 at 11:00 AM EST for an update on the volatility of the crab and groundfish markets featuring Urner Barry market reporters Lorin Castiglione and Janice Schreiber, as well as special guest Michael Kotok from Arctic Fisheries.

In this webinar, host Amanda Buckle will speak with our panelists to discuss the continued impact of COVID-19 on the seafood markets through supply situations, labor shortages, the continued high costs for transportation, and the price reaction from the holiday season.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join this exciting event LIVE.

Click here to register.

The Winding Glass: Seafood Price Volatility Looms as Russian Bank Sanctions Hit Crab, Groundfish

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

This was the March we were supposed to get back to normal. The pandemic is receding. Demand for seafood is high, and prices for crab and lobster are at record levels and groundfish prices are strong.

Before last week, the most pressing issue for the crab industry was how to negotiate a smooth climb down from the historically high prices, which have stifled customer demand and led to growing inventories...

The Winding Glass: Anti-Russia Sanctions Could Hit Crab, Groundfish With Price Volatility

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

This morning Russia mounted a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, dashing any lingering hopes of a smaller scale more contained event.

In the build-up to this conflict, the U.S. has managed to forge a stronger united front with Western Europe than most expected. Germany’s decision to suspend the Nordstream 2 gas pipeline, which will lead to sharply higher energy prices in Europe and elsewhere, is a measure of how seriously the...

Lawsuit Takes Aim at NMFS Over December Sablefish Pot Gear Fishery Decision

The Center for Biological Diversity is entangling another West Coast fishery in a lawsuit, targeting NMFS over its decision to extend the West Coast primary sablefish fishery last year.

The Center sued the National Marine Fisheries Service Monday for what it says is NMFS' failure to protect Pacific humpback whales from entanglements in fishing gear when the agency issued an emergency rule to extend the primary sablefish season, specifically the pot gear fishery.

The lawsuit challenges the federal permit given to the fishery in December. Sablefish pot...

USDA Purchasing $25 Million in Atlantic Groundfish Product

Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that they would be purchasing $25 million in Atlantic groundfish products through the Section 32 program for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. The news was welcomed by Senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren, as well as by Congressmen William Keating and Seth Moulton, who just last year were urging U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to make more Atlantic seafood purchases for food programs.

“We are pleased that the USDA is...

NOAA Confirms 2022 At-Sea Monitoring Coverage Levels for Northeast Groundfish Sector

NOAA Fisheries announced that for the 2022 fishing year, the total target at-sea monitoring coverall level will be 99% of all groundfish sector trips subject to the at-sea monitoring program.

NOAA said it considered a “variety of factors” when it determined the coverage level for 2022 and wrote a letter to the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) to explain their decision.

In a bulletin, NOAA also said it has the funds to reimburse the industry for its at-sea monitoring costs...

Congressman’s New England Groundfish Trawl Task Force Lands $500K from NOAA

Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA) said a $500,000 grant from NOAA will fund research designed by the Congressman’s Groundfish Task Force.

The grant will develop new data for NOAA, scientists and fishermen in the hopes that it will create more accurate measurements for the groundfish population in New England.

Moulton formed the Task Force in 2015 to build consensus between the scientific community that conducts research that informs commercial fishing regulations and the commercial fishermen who are most affected by those regulations, a release from his office...