Piñeiro Soler Adds Clarity to Trump’s Sweeping Deregulation Efforts via Letters to Councils

Last week Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for Fisheries sent letters to each of the nation’s eight regional fisheries management councils further clarifying and adding to Trump’s sweeping deregulation efforts. 

Soler’s letters urged councils to deprioritize development of ropeless gear solutions for trap or pot gear to avoid whale entanglements; rescind industry-funded monitoring requirements with no mention of where funding would come for that critical need; revise accountability measurements “to stabilize local seafood markets and prevent...

ANALYSIS: Canada YTD Lobster Exports Decline Since Last Year

According to Canadian statistics, May exports of Homarus americanus fell 9.3% year‑on‑year to 8,629 MT. Two‑thirds of total volume is live lobster, with 61% shipped to the US, 16% to China and 13% to the EU‑UK...

Morey’s Launches New Fish and Shrimp Variety Packs Exclusively at Sam’s Club This Month

Morey's Fine Fish & Seafood is rolling out two new seafood variety packs exclusively at Sam’s Club this July, a strategic push into the club-retail channel timed for peak grilling and summer entertaining.

The Fish Variety Pack combines Atlantic Salmon Steakhouse (a Sam’s Club exclusive not currently available in stores), Wild Alaskan Flounder Garlic & Herb, and Tilapia Blackened.

The Shrimp Variety Pack introduces three new SKUs from Morey's: Teriyaki Shrimp, Garlic & Herb Shrimp, and Citrus Mango Shrimp. Both packs...

EU Opens Infringement Proceedings Against Italy and Portugal Over Fisheries Control Failures

The European Commission has launched infringement proceedings against Italy and Portugal for failing to comply with their obligations under the EU Fisheries Control Regulation, sending letters of formal notice to both countries on July 7, according to the Commission's July infringements package.

"The prolonged failures by both member states to comply with their fisheries control obligations undermine the level playing field in the EU," the Commission said in its statement.

Italy faces action over several outstanding measures it committed to in its 2019 Fisheries Control Action Plan, including...

New England Aquarium Debuts Harbor Exhibit as Summer Season Gets Underway

The New England Aquarium has launched a new exhibit highlighting New England harbor ecosystems as part of its expanded summer programming, which also includes extended operating hours, new visitor experiences, and seasonal attractions.

Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm through Labor Day, the Aquarium enters the peak summer season with a renovated front lobby completed this spring and a refreshed lineup of exhibits and programming.

The centerpiece of the summer season is the new New England Harbor exhibit, a 1,000-gallon display showcasing native...

ANALYSIS: US Frozen Scallop Prices Hit Record Highs as Tariffs and Tight Supply Squeeze Imports

Total frozen scallop imports into the US are down 48.9% year-to-date in 2026, falling from 27.5 million pounds to just 14.1 million pounds. The headline decline is heavily influenced by the front-loading that inflated Q1 2025 — importers aggressively accelerated shipments ahead of tariff implementation, creating an artificially elevated baseline. As the year progresses and both periods fall within a tariff environment, the year-over-year comparisons begin to...

UK Seafood Awards Open Nominations, Add Fishmonger and Producer Categories

The UK’s leading fish farmers and sustainable fishmongers are being invited to throw their hats in the ring as nominations open today for the country’s foremost seafood awards.

Now in their 13th year and run jointly by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) UK and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) UK, the annual awards have added two new categories to recognise important roles in the growing market for certified seafood. The MSC UK Fishmonger of the Year award is open to any business, large or small...

Ecuador's Shrimp Sector Targets Electrification as CNA and Government Sign Energy MOU

Ecuador's National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) and the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MAE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate the electrification of the country's shrimp farming sector — an industry where 90% of operations still run on diesel, according to the CNA.

The agreement, developed over more than six months of technical working groups involving the CNA, the Export and Investment Promotion Corporation (Corpei), the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP), the MAE, Arconel, and CNEL, establishes a roadmap of 16 strategic actions structured around...

Proximar Seafood Pursues Convertible Bond and Launches Strategic Review as It Eyes Profit

Proximar Seafood, the Norwegian land-based salmon farmer operating at the foot of Mount Fuji in Japan, is planning a private placement of a convertible bond with a minimum initial tranche of NOK 100 million and has initiated a strategic review with the engagement of Japanese investment bank Nomura International, the company announced on July 10.

The convertible bond — structured with a July 2029 maturity and a conversion price of NOK 0.60 per share — will comprise at least NOK 75 million in new subscriptions and NOK 25...

PanaPesca USA Partners with Cedar Key Aquaculture Farms for Florida-Grown Littleneck Clams

Frozen seafood supplier PanaPesca USA has announced a new sourcing partnership with Cedar Key Aquaculture Farms (CKAF), a fourth-generation family business farming clams in the Gulf of America off Florida's Nature Coast.

Under the agreement, PanaPesca will source hand-farmed littleneck clams from CKAF, adding a fully traceable, domestically farmed product to its supply chain. PanaPesca, which has supplied premium frozen seafood for over 30 years, said the partnership reflects its commitment to transparency and sustainable sourcing...

Handy Seafood Promotes Doug Santschi to President

Maryland-based Handy Seafood has promoted Doug Santschi to President, effective July 13. In the new role, Santschi will assume broader responsibility for the company's day-to-day operations, working alongside Handy's leadership team to drive growth, operational excellence, customer service, and innovation.

Santschi previously served as the company's Chief Commercial Officer, where he strengthened customer relationships, expanded market opportunities, and aligned commercial strategies across the organization.

"Doug has demonstrated exceptional leadership, business judgment, and commitment to our customers and employees," said Todd Conway, Chief Executive Officer of Handy Seafood...

Circana’s 2026/2027 Global Food and Beverage Outlook Predicts Slow-to-Moderate Growth 

U.S. consumers are no longer just cutting back; they are recalibrating how they buy, according to new Circana Compass research released today by Circana LLC. The insights show the U.S. retail food and beverage (F&B) industry grew 2.2% in the first half of 2026, and Circana projects growth will settle into a 2-3% range in 2027 as shoppers optimize spending amid financial pressure, shifting lifestyle priorities, and increasingly digital, AI-assisted shopping behavior. The findings signal a return toward pre..

ANALYSIS: Live Lobster Faces Post-Holiday Demand Lull as Maine Supply Steps Up

The live lobster market is entering its next seasonal transition as Canadian spring production tapers off and Maine landings continue to build. Holiday demand provided the expected support through early summer, but buying interest has faded following July 4. Sales have become harder to secure, with buyers focusing on short-term and weekend needs rather than building inventory. Lower Canadian offers continue to surface while improving Maine landings add to the softer tone.

This softer demand pattern is typical for midsummer, though broader consumer pressures are reinforcing...

USDA to Add US Wild-Caught Shrimp to TEFAP Foods List for FY27

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to add US wild-caught, peeled and deveined shrimp to the FY2027 Foods Available List for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), a move expected to support future government purchases of domestic shrimp and provide an additional market for US harvesters.

The addition enables Section 32 purchases of shrimp harvested during the upcoming season, while expanding the availability of US wild-caught shrimp through the federal food assistance program.

"Adding US...

Salmones Camanchaca Strike Ends After Less Than Two Days as Company and Union Reach Agreement

The legal strike at Salmones Camanchaca's processing plant in Tomé ended on Wednesday, July 8, after the company and Sindicato No. 1 reached an agreement under the supervision of Chile's Dirección del Trabajo, according to SalmonExpert and sabes.cl.

The work stoppage — the first in the facility's history — lasted less than two days. It was launched on Tuesday at midnight after collective bargaining and mandatory mediation concluded without agreement, with 99.46% of the union's roughly 230 members voting in favor of the action. Workers had been...

Russia on Track for Record Herring Catch in 2026, Driven by Surging Sakhalin-Hokkaido Stocks

Russia may set a new all-time record for herring catch in 2026, with total landings projected to reach approximately 700,000 tons. A significant share of that volume is expected to come from Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring, a stock that has grown substantially in recent years.

The outlook was confirmed by Denis Kiku, deputy head of the Pacific branch of VNIRO, Russia's federal fisheries research institution. "In the first half of the year, 327,000 tons of herring were caught. This is a significant figure compared to...

Seafood Industry Split at USTR Forced Labor Tariff Hearings as July 24 Deadline Looms

The US seafood industry arrived at this week's USTR Section 301 hearings divided — importers warning of a $2.86 billion annual tariff hit, domestic shrimp and catfish producers pushing for higher duties and outright import bans — with a hard statutory deadline adding urgency to the entire proceeding.

The three-day hearings, held July 7–9 at the US International Trade Commission, covered USTR's proposed forced labor tariffs on 60 economies: 10% on countries with at least partial forced labor import bans, including Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, and...