Acme Smoked Fish Introduces Refreshed Packaging and 1% Climate Initiative to Address Climate Change

Acme Smoked Fish debuted its refreshed product packaging today along with a pioneering new commitment to combat climate change in the seafood industry. Beginning this month, the company will donate 1% of sales from Acme brand cold-smoked salmon retail products to support climate initiatives. The family-owned brand will also continue rolling out new products this year as they increase their capacity for cold-smoked fish in the U.S. These efforts fit into Acme’s mission to expand the smoked fish category while making positive impacts on the global seafood industry.

Salmon Processing Barge Headed to Southeast AK for 2024 Season

An alternative to the ages old way of processing Alaska salmon will arrive in Southeast Alaska this summer to buy pinks and chums directly from fishermen.

Circle Seafoods has secured $36 million to build its first mobile salmon processing barge, in what it claims will be “the first of many barges.”

The company brought together US investors and capital partners, including some with strong ties to Alaska fisheries and communities. The funding is made up of equity, debt, and New Market Tax Credits (NMTC), reported Intrafish.  

U.S. Department of Treasury Updates HTS Codes Under Expanded Russian Sanctions

In December a new Executive Order was issued expanding the sanctions of certain seafood from Russia. The Executive Order not only blocks the importation of seafood from Russia, but also Russian-harvested seafood that has been “transformed into another product outside of the Russian Federation.”

A few weeks after the Biden Administration announced the Executive Order, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control published regulations defining what is meant by the terms “salmon,” “cod,” “pollock,” and “crab.” This update includes HTS codes that previously...

Japan: November Salmon Imports Sluggish for Chilean Coho; A Slight Recovery in the U.S. Sockeye

According to the Ministry of Finance's customs statistics, imports of salmon and trout decreased again in November, and the value of imports continued to decline as unit prices fell. Frozen Chilean coho, which started with a large quantity in October, fell short of 10,000 tons and fell again below the same month of the previous year.

In November, imports totaled 22,721 tons, or 26,319.13 million yen ($181.03 million), including fresh, frozen, and processed products, which increased from October. However, volume fell 6.1%...

ALDI Denies Misleading “Sustainable” Label, But Revises Atlantic Salmon Label After TFUSA Complaint

ALDI confirmed this week that they are revising labeling and online marketing of their fresh Atlantic salmon products following Toxin Free USA’s (TFUSA) 2021 complaint.

To briefly recap, TFUSA filed a complaint against ALDI in the D.C. Superior Court in May 2021. The group claimed that the discount grocer was advertising their Atlantic salmon as sustainable, but actually sourcing their fish from Chilean farms that use “unsustainable and environmentally destructive practices” 

“Testing of ALDI’s products have revealed the presence of the toxin ethoxyquin, which is routinely...

Vitamin-producing Microbe in West Coast Rivers May Help Salmon With Thiamine Deficiency

As parents tell children: Take your vitamins.

The same holds true for salmon in West Coast rivers, although its doubtful that Sacramento River Chinook seek out Flintstones Multivitamin chewables. Instead, Oregon State University researchers have discovered vitamin B1 produced by microbes in rivers may offer hope for vitamin-deficient salmon populations.

The findings were published recently in Applied ...

Pacific Seafood, OBI, Silver Bay and Trident Land Latest USDA Salmon Contract

Last month the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an open purchase request for wild salmon. Now, the winners of the contract have been announced.

Of the wild salmon that the USDA is seeking, 252,000 pounds is for frozen fillets in the price range of $7.10-$7.40. The USDA also requested 153,520 cases of canned pink salmon in the price range of $43.49-$53.06.

Dulcich Inc., dba Pacific Seafood, scored the entire 252,000 pounds of frozen fillets at a price of...

Harmful Algal Bloom Causes Mass Mortality For Blumar, AquaChile 

A new harmful algal bloom has caused a mass mortality event in the Aysén region of Chile.

Sernapesca, Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, confirmed on Tuesday that both Blumar SA and AquaChile have been impacted by the natural phenomenon.

The microalgae in question has been identified as Pseudochattonella spp. Sernapesca said that the mortality recorded as of Tuesday, January 2 between the two locations is 2,854 tons of both Atlantic and coho salmon. 

“At Sernapesca we have been supervising compliance with the contingency plans of the affected companies...

Home Chef Collaboration With Delish Delivers Coconut Curry Salmon 

A new collaboration between meal solutions company Home Chef and food media brand Delish has resulted in some mouthwatering winter dinner options. For a limited time, customers can enjoy up to 12 Delish recipes via the Home Chef menu, with one recipe available each week.

“We’re delighted to partner with Delish to offer a menu of achievable recipes that home cooks can have fun making for themselves and their loved ones,” said Eric Miller, Partner and Influencer Director at Home Chef. “This partnership blends everything...

Japan: Sound Imports of Frozen Salmon Roe Continue, Unit Price Less Than Half of Last Year

Due to the bumper catches of pink salmon and sockeye salmon from Russia and Alaska, frozen salmon roe are being shipped smoothly. From May, when they started the new production, to October, import volume from Russia exceeded the previous year, and the U.S. increased by 20%. Import prices for Russian and U.S. products have been reduced to less than half of last year's prices, according to a report by Suisan Keizai Shimbun.

According to the Ministry of Finance's import statistics...

USDA Opens Purchase Request For Canned Pink Salmon, Wild Frozen Salmon Fillets

Earlier this week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an open purchase request bid for a total of 405,000 pounds of wild salmon. 

Of the 405,000 pounds, the USDA is seeking to purchase 153,520 cases of wild canned pink salmon, as well as 252,000 pounds of wild frozen salmon fillets. The salmon will be used in the National School Lunch Program and other Federal food and nutrition assistance programs.

The bid invite was released on December 12 with...

Russia Continues Active Imports of Salmon This Year

Russia continues imports of salmon this year despite good volume of catch this year and tightening sanctions. At the same time the current range of suppliers is significantly lower those prior to February, 24 2022.

Prior to the Russian-Ukranian military conflict, a significant part of imported salmon to Russia were supplied from the Faroe Islands. However, in recent months the situation has changed, as most of importers have decided to leave Russia since that time.

As Ilya Sosnov, CEO of Inarctica, one of Russia’s salmon producers, said...

CAIA: Ottawa Anti-Salmon Farming Billboards Removed for False Advertising

Anti-salmon farming billboards around Ottawa have been removed for false advertising. The false statements included claims from eco-activist group Wild First that “Open-net pen salmon farms are banned in Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska.” Based on this inaccurate information, the ads called on Ottawa to “remove all salmon farms from B.C. waters.”

The letter of complaint filed by the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) has provided clear evidence that the farming of finfish (including salmon) is not banned in California, Oregon, or Washington...

Acme Smoked Fish Enters Snack Category With Lox in a Box 

Acme Smoked Fish is entering the snack category with their new Lox in a Box Snack Kits.

Increasing seafood consumption is always a hot topic in the industry. And one category that is continually highlighted for potential for growth is in snacks. 

Circana’s snacking report that was released earlier this year says that healthy snacking is on the rise. Their study found that 49% of consumers enjoy 3 or more snacks per day and 57% of consumers want snacks that are high in protein...

Japan: Salmon Imports in October Rose 4.8% to 18, 889 Tons, the Value Dropped 4.7%

According to the Ministry of Finance's customs statistics, imports of salmon and trout picked up slightly in October due to an increase in Chilean coho and trout fillets. However, the Suisan Keizai Shimbun reports a slow recovery due to a decline in fresh salmon and salmon fillets.

In October, imports totaled 18,889 tons, including fresh air freighted salmon, frozen salmon and trout, and processed products, totaling 24,066.38 million yen ($163.93 million), an increase of 4.8% in quantity compared to the same...

Andfjord Salmon Gives Construction Update on Kvalnes Salmon Facility Expansion

Andfjord Salmon confirmed in their third quarter financial results that they remain ahead of schedule for the expansion of their land-based salmon facility at Kvalnes.

In June the company unveiled the specifics of their expansion plan, revealing that they were targeting a total production capacity of 40,000 tonnes through a gradual increase between 2025 and 2030. As part of this expansion the company had to establish waterways to support the production of 40,000 tonnes of salmon. 

Earlier this month Andfjord Salmon CEO Martin...

Sernapesca Suspends 3 Private Aquaculture Certifiers

Sernapesca confirmed this week that they have decided to suspend three private aquaculture health certifiers after the certifiers failed to comply with inspection procedures.

Sernapesca’s Animal Health Department carried out inspections of the private certifiers, which ultimately led to the decision to suspend them. While the certifiers have not been identified, Sernapesca did reveal that one has been suspended for one month, another for three months, and another for one year. The certifier suspended for one year allegedly did not use the established procedure for ISA surveillance sampling, which Sernapesca says...

King Oscar Launches New Line of Tinned Salmon “Beyond Anything Consumers Have Seen”

King Oscar is taking seafood to a whole new level in 2024. The premium canned seafood company announced this week that they are launching a new line of skinless and boneless Atlantic salmon in extra virgin olive oil. But this isn’t like the canned seafood you have in your pantry. According to King Oscar USA President John Engle, “our all-new salmon lineup elevates the category beyond anything consumers have seen.”

The new line of tinned salmon includes three flavor varieties: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin...

Blumar, AquaChile Remove All Fish Mortality After Harmful Algal Blooms 

Sernapesca, Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, confirmed this week that Blumar and AquaChile have removed all the fish mortality as a result of the harmful algal blooms.

As SeafoodNews reported earlier this month, a new harmful algal bloom caused a mass mortality event in the Aysén region of Chile. The microalgae was identified as Pseudochattonella spp. A total of five centers activated FAN plans, but only three of the centers recorded mass mortality. 

Now we know the extent of the damage caused by the harmful algal blooms...

ANALYSIS: Farmed Salmon Market Off to a Firm Start in 2024

Similar to what the farmed salmon market observed in the last two years, January is shaping up to be a firm month for the complex. With only five days under our belt into the new year, the Chilean fillet market has jumped 5.2 percent from the end of 2023 with market quotations moving higher both Tuesday and Thursday in the first week in January. The overall farmed salmon index has moved 6 percent higher from the end of last year but is 5 percent under the same...

Chile: Mass Mortality Numbers For Farms Impacted By HAB Grows

Sernapesca, Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, has updated their figures for the mass mortalities as a result of the harmful algal blooms (HAB).

SeafoodNews reported earlier this week that a HAB caused a mass mortality event in the Aysén region of Chile, impacting both Atlantic and coho salmon at facilities owned by Blumar and AquaChile. Sernapesca reported on January 2 that the mortality recorded was 2,854 tons. On January 4 they confirmed that the mortality had increased. 

According to Chile's National Fisheries and...

Hold the Shrimp! Scott & Jon’s Unveils New Product In 2024

Late last year Scott & Jon’s announced that they would be introducing big changes in 2024, including bigger portions and products featuring a new species. On Wednesday the frozen seafood meal company finally revealed their new retail item… microwavable salmon bowls!

“We’re excited to unveil our new salmon bowls to address a growing need in the market,” commented Scott Demers, co-founder of Scott & Jon’s. “For years, consumers and retailers have urged us to add salmon to our portfolio. Now, our salmon bowls are poised to provide incremental sales for...

Måsøval AS Awarded NOK 12.8 Million Following Lawsuit Against Norwegian Government 

Måsøval AS was recently awarded NOK 12.8 million following a lawsuit against the Norwegian State. 

The Norwegian aquaculture company filed a lawsuit in May 2023 claiming that they lost NOK 29.8 million as a result of a misdiagnosis at their facility Kattholmen in August 2019. 

To briefly recap, the Norwegian government diagnosed Måsøval’s Kattholmen facility with PD SAV3, a highly contagious viral disease affecting salmonid aquaculture. As a result of the diagnosis, and in accordance with regulations, Måsøval slaughtered a mass number of the fish at the Kattholmen facility...

Russian Analysts Say The U.S. Decision To Expand Seafood Ban Will 'Not Have Major Negative Impact'

The latest decision from the U.S. to ban imports of salmon, cod, crab and pollock from Russia as a result of a new stage of tightening sanctions pressure on Russia will not a have a major negative impact on Russia and its fishermen. Instead it will be painful for the U.S. itself, according to recent statements of some leading Russian analysts in the field of fisheries.

As German Zverev, President of the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (VARPE)...

Japan: Hokkaido Fall Chum Return 21.23 Million, 36% Short of Forecast

Hokkaido's fall chum salmon fishing ended in the main areas on November 30. According to the final tally (preliminary figures) of the Daily Report of Hokkaido Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Association, this year's cumulative catch was 53,214 tons, down 32% from the same period last year, Minato Shimbun reported.

Hokkaido's fall chum fishery continued to suffer from historic lows, with the catch falling below 50,000 tons from 2019 to 2021 but showed signs of recovery last year with 79,000 tons. The number of fish returned was 33.47 million, recovering to the 30 million fish level for the first time in seven years...

Chilean Coho Exports to Japan in November up 1% to 18000 Tons, Comprising 85% of the Total Exports

According to the Chilean Customs Agency, the quantity of frozen coho salmon (dressed) exported to Japan in November was 18,016 tons, an increase of 1% from last year. The average price fell by 17% to USD 5.11/kg, down from USD 5.19/kg in October. In November, the country's total export volume decreased by 6% to 20,484 tons, and the average unit price decreased by 17% to $5.13. In the same month, shipments to...

Russian Fish Sector Shows Stable Growth Rates This Year

Despite the ever tightening sanctions, Russia is actively increasing exports of its fish and fish products this year and achieving good production dynamics.

According to official data of Rosrybolovstvo, over the 11 months of this year fish exports from Russia grew by 13% in annual terms and amounted to 2.1 million tons.

Frozen fish accounted for 1.6 million tons of this volume (+14% year-on-year), and fish fillets and other fish meat accounted for 202,000 tons (+1%). In value terms, exports increased by 1% to...

Biden-Harris Administration Makes $106 Million Available for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA are announcing the availability of up to $106 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) for Pacific salmon and steelhead recovery and conservation projects. This funding — which includes funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) — will support state and tribal salmon restoration projects and activities to protect, conserve and restore these fish populations and their habitats.

“Restoring Pacific salmon populations and...

True North and Cooke Aquaculture Receive Support Through Atlantic Fisheries Fund

True North Salmon Limited Partnership and Cooke Aquaculture will be receiving funding support through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF).

The Canadian Government and Province of New Brunswick confirmed on Monday that the AFF funding will be used for the purchase of high tech equipment for True North Salmon’s processing plant in St. George, New Brunswick. The AFF funding is a repayable contribution of over $6.7 million towards total project costs of over $15.6 million. True North will be using the funding towards their plant expansion...

Sernapesca Provides Update on Harmful Algal Blooms in Seno de Reloncaví

Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, also known as Sernapesca, is continuing to monitor the Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) impacting the Seno de Reloncaví area. 

The Reloncaví Estuary has been hit by multiple mortality events this month between ACS 1 and ACS 2. As SeafoodNews reported earlier this week, a new mass mortality event struck the Los Lagos region, impacting ACS 2 in Seno de Reloncaví. The ACS 2 area has 28 active farming centers with total biomass of live fish at 49,727 tons...