Japan: September Salmon Imports 14,934 Tons Worth JPY 20.1 Billion, Down 4.4% and 9.0%

According to the Ministry of Finance's customs statistics, imports of salmon and trout continued to decline in September. Still, the rate of decline improved significantly as imports of Chilean coho and sockeye picked up. The overall import result was 14,934 tons and 20,128.61 million yen ($134.39 million), a decrease of 4.4% in quantity and 9.0% in value compared to the same month from the previous year. The Suisan Keizai Shimbun reports that the price decline was more significant than the decline in quantity...

Texas Rep Introduces Bill Pushing for Increased FDA Testing of Imported Shrimp

U.S. Representative Randy Weber (TX-14) co-sponsored the Laws Ensuring Safe Shrimp (LESS) Act, which would boost the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s ability to test imported shrimp as it enters the country.

The bill would help ensure the FDA can test that imported shrimp is “free of antibiotic residues, up to our health standards, and is not the product of illegal, unregulated, or unreported fishing by the People's Republic of China.”

The bill also provides the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with resources...

Import Volumes to Sit Below 2022 for the Majority of the Year

The Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates showed import cargo volume at major U.S. ports rising from three-year lows in February.

Despite the uptick in imports, the report expects import volumes to remain well below 2022 levels heading into the fall.

“Consumers are still spending and retail sales are expected to increase this year, but we’re not seeing the explosive demand we saw the past two years,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Congestion at the ports has largely 

NFI Questions SIMP’s Impact After NOAA Touts Program Following Recent Enforcement Effort

NOAA Fisheries shared news of a now-defunct Boston-based seafood importer being levied an $18,675 penalty for violations of its Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) earlier this week.

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) was pleased to hear that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was able to act against Grand Sea Boston’s fish fraud and mislabeling. Still, the organization says that they don't feel that this situation substantiated SIMP’s effectiveness.

From NFI’s view, the falsely labeled seafood was found by CBP, who then reported it to NOAA’s Office...

Japan: Shrimp Imports in February Down 3.3% to 13,769 Tons, Value Fell By 1.4% to JPY 18.2 Billion

The Ministry of Finance recently announced that shrimp imports in February were 13,769 tons, down 3.3% from the same month last year, and the value was 18,296 million yen, down 1.4%, reported Suisan Keizai Shimbun.

Among them, the Other Frozen Shrimp category, which includes farmed shrimp such as Vannamei and Argentine red shrimp, increased by 10.1% to 9,197 tons, and the value increased by 5.4% to 11,075 million yen ($84.33 million)...

FDA Refuses Pair of Shrimp Shipments Due to Banned Antibiotics in February

The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) noted that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refused a pair of shrimp shipments due to banned antibiotics, along with an entry line refusal of shrimp for veterinary drug residues and eight entry line refusals of shrimp from India that were contaminated with salmonella or filth.

According to the SSA, the three entry lines recently reported of shrimp refused for antibiotic residues in January and February were for shipments from the following two shrimp exporters...

Chilean Salmon Industry Sets Target on India Following Export Agreement

Chile’s National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) announced that India has reduced tariff rates on Chilean seafood products, including salmon.

Loreto Seguel, the executive director of the Salmon Council, which consists of salmon farmers AquaChile, Australis, Cermaq, Mowi and Salmones Aysén, said this agreement was key for the salmon industry.

“This milestone opens up new perspectives for the Chilean salmon industry by expanding its geographical reach and accessing a market with great growth potential, which is positive for a productive activity that is highly relevant for the...

U.S. Shrimp Import Decline Continues for 9th Straight Month

The trend has continued for U.S. shrimp imports. According to data released today by U.S. Census, shrimp imports have declined for the ninth straight month.

March 2023 imports fell by 23.2% compared to the previous year, and imports sit 18.3% lower year-to-date (YTD). Imports for the month reached 129.5 million pounds, down 39 million pounds from March 2022’s 168.5-million-pound mark. Through the first quarter of the year, shrimp imports have dropped by 89.3 million pounds.

As Urner Barry market reporter Jim Kenny pointed out...

NOAA Hits Importer with Fine for Seafood Import Monitoring Program Violations

NOAA Fisheries announced that it issued an $18,675 fine to Grand Sea Boston for violating multiple Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) requirements.

“Honest fishermen and seafood companies deserve an equal playing field,” said Jim Landon, Director of NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement. “This case demonstrates our commitment to protecting those who play by the rules by stopping misrepresented seafood or seafood suspected of being harvested illegally before it enters U.S. markets.”

The case began when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) found falsely labeled packages from China containing...

FDA Breaks Down New Approach to Seafood Import Safety in New Report

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) debuted its ‘Activities for the Safety of Imported Seafood’ report on March 21.

The new report shares the approach the FDA has taken to ensure imported seafood meets food safety requirements and the standards of domestically produced seafood. It shows how the FDA is augmenting existing oversight tools with improved technology and processes.

“The safety of imported seafood, particularly shrimp, the most consumed type of seafood in the U.S., has garnered the attention of Congress and industry, among other stakeholders...

NRF: Imports Slowing as Holiday Season Nears End

With retailers' shelves and warehouses already stocked for holiday shopping, the National Retail Federation (NRF) believes December cargo volume at the nation’s top container ports will be well below the records witnessed in early 2022.

“Retailers are in the middle of the annual holiday frenzy but ports are headed into their winter lull after one of the busiest and most challenging years we’ve ever seen,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “We’ve dodged a rail strike and the retail supply chain should be...