NOAA: Gulf Shrimp Fishery “Not Economically Sustainable” After Decades of Thin Margins

NOAA Fisheries' new economic snapshot lays out a stark picture for the Gulf shrimp industry: landings, revenues, and fleet participation are down sharply, while long-term profitability remains effectively nonexistent.

The agency found Gulf shrimp revenue plunged from $489 million in 2021 to $221 million in 2023, a drop of more than 50%. At the same time, the share of U.S. shrimp supplied by Gulf harvests fell to just 4.5% of the market in 2023, down from 28.7% in 1984, as imports, especially farmed shrimp...

US Department of Commerce Issues Preliminary CVD Results for Ecuadorian Shrimp

The US Department of Commerce (Commerce) has released preliminary results in its expedited countervailing duty (CVD) review for frozen warmwater shrimp from Ecuador, covering the period January 1–December 31, 2022.

The review followed requests from six Ecuadorian producers/exporters, but was rescinded for Natluk and Total Seafood after both companies withdrew their review requests within the required 60-day window.

The expedited CVD review continues for the remaining four companies. Preliminary subsidy rates announced in the March 10 Federal Register notice are as follows...

FDA Announces Recall of Certain Oysters and Clams Contaminated with Norovirus

The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an announcement to restaurants and retailers, advising them not to serve or sell certain oysters and Manila clams from Drayton Harbor, WA. The notice specifies that the items harvested by Lummi Indian Business Council and Drayton Harbor Oyster Company may be contaminated with Norovirus.

Manila clams were distributed to foodservice establishments and retailers in Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Illinois (IL), Nevada (NV), New York (NY)...

Seafood Expo Global Set for Record-Breaking 2026 Event in Barcelona

Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global will host its largest event to date at the Gran Via venue in Barcelona from April 21–23, 2026.

With more than 52,907 net square meters of exhibition space sold so far, the trade show is expected to be the largest in its history. Organizers say the event will feature exhibitors from more than 80 countries and include 62 national and regional pavilions.

New pavilions participating this year include the Association of the Fish Products Producers “BG FISH”...

Mowi Consumer Products to Unveil Redesigned Booth, New Packaging at SENA 2026

Mowi Consumer Products (Mowi CP) of Americas, a subsidiary of salmon farming giant Mowi, said its presence at Seafood Expo North America (SENA) 2026 will be its most ambitious yet (Booth #217). The company is gearing up to showcase its redesigned booth, new innovations, and to preview its major packaging transformation across its MOWI, Ducktrap, and Marine Harvest by Mowi brands.

“The new space brings Mowi's brand vision to life with interactive features to explore, expanded seating for deeper conversations, and dedicated areas highlighting retail...

ANALYSIS: Scallop Markets Navigate Supply Challenges as Domestic Shortcomings Meet Import Declines

The domestic scallop sector continues navigating a challenging supply landscape, despite recent Gulf of Maine landings providing temporary market relief. While these increased landings have offered some larger sizing availability that had been particularly scarce, industry participants view this boost as short-lived against broader domestic harvesting shortcomings that have characterized much of the current season. Market observers suggest that domestic landings, now reaching approximately 97% of the APL...

Ryan Reynolds Deadpans on 'Endless Shrimp' in New Red Lobster MNTN Campaign

Actor Ryan Reynolds appeared with Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun in a new spot for MNTN, the performance marketing TV platform, using ‘Endless shrimp’ humor to sell targeted advertising.

In the short ad, Reynolds deadpans, “That’s enough shrimp, though. We get it, endless shrimp.” The pair trade barbs before Adamolekun pushes back, clarifying that Red Lobster’s current offer is a SPENDLess shrimp promotion, not its former infamous “endless” deal.

The tongue‑in‑cheek clip riffs on the long‑running cultural conversation...

Captain Fresh Scores $31M Deal With Blue Earth to Fund Traceability and Waste Reduction

Blue Earth Capital, a global impact investment firm, has agreed to provide €27 million in sustainability-linked financing to India-based Captain Fresh, a fast-growing global packaged seafood company. The deal is aimed at boosting seafood traceability, reducing waste and driving sustainable growth across global seafood value chains.

Founded in 2020 by CMD & Group CEO Utham Gowda, Captain Fresh has built a portfolio of multi-species seafood brands distributed in key consumer markets, including the US, Europe and the UAE. Its strategy focuses...

Japan-UAE Trade Pact to Eliminate Japanese Seafood Tariffs

On March 5, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced the conclusion of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Within 10 years of the agreement's entry into force, Japan will raise its duty-free import rate from 98.7% to 99.9%, while the UAE will raise it from 11.5% to 96.4%. In addition to eliminating tariffs on seafood exports from Japan, Japan will also eliminate tariffs on shrimp imports from the UAE, reported Minato Shimbun...

Benson Seafood Rebrands, Opening New Processing Plant to Add Crab, Scallops and Value‑added Lobster

Benson Seafood, the former Benson Lobster, has rebranded and is opening a new processing facility on Grand Manan, New Brunswick, the company announced in a LinkedIn post and in comments to Navigator Magazine.

The move shifts the family business beyond live Atlantic lobster into frozen and value‑added lobster, crab and scallop products. The company said the expansion will help open “new market opportunities” for its partners and broaden its product portfolio.

CEO Casey Benson told Navigator the plant is on track to open this...

The Retail Rundown: Grocers Refresh Promotions Ahead of Spring Holidays; CPI Meets Expectations 

With spring around the corner, grocers are leaning on improving weather and refreshed promotional campaigns to attract shoppers to the meat and seafood departments.

Seafood remains a main focus this week as the Lenten season continues, accounting for 27% of total protein promotions, tied with beef for the top spot. Pork follows with 24% of total advertised features, while chicken holds 15% of total protein ad space.

Within seafood, filets dominate promotional activity, with shrimp advertisements close behind. Last week, the fresh finfish category averaged $9.84 per pound...

US Interior Department Wants Industry Input on Adding Cephalopods to Definition of Shellfish

The Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior is proposing to change the definition of “shellfish” by replacing the phrase “having a shell” with specific names of species, such as Mollusca, which would include oysters, clams, squid, octopus, or cuttlefish; and Order Decapoda, including lobsters, crabs, crayfish, shrimp or other crustaceans. 

USF&W says the action reduces regulatory burden.  

“The purpose of this proposed rule is to modernize and clarify the definition of ‘‘shellfish...

Mowi Expands Edutainment Platform in US to Inspire and Educate Salmon Lovers

Mowi has announced an expansion of its MOWI Brand edutainment platform in the US market, reinforcing the company's dedication to educating, inspiring, and engaging consumers with content that is both entertaining and informative.

The expanding ecosystem includes videos, podcasts, chef collaborations, and digital storytelling aimed at building confidence, sparking creativity, and deepening understanding of salmon and aquaculture. "This is more than content — it's an investment in the community," said Diana Dumet, Senior Director of Marketing & Category, Mowi CP of Americas. "Salmon is still widely...

Mowi to Acquire Torghatten Aqua’s Seawater Salmon Assets in Northern Norway

Mowi has embarked on a strategic expansion by entering into a Transaction Agreement to acquire the entirety of Torghatten Aqua AS's salmon farming seawater business situated in production area 8 in Northern Norway. This business currently focuses on leasing salmon licenses and seawater sites, contributing to educational activities and offering consulting for land-based salmon farming.

Under this agreement, Mowi will obtain a total of 3.37 licenses, encompassing a maximum allowed biomass of 2,628 tonnes. The portfolio includes 1.37 commercial licenses, 1 exhibition license...

Day 11: Trump Says Iran War Could End “Very Soon,” But Not This Week

On the 11th day of the US–Israel war on Iran, Tehran endured what officials described as some of the heaviest overnight bombardments so far.

Speaking on Monday, US President Donald Trump commented that the war could end “very soon,” but noted that it would not be over this week. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded that Iran would continue fighting for as long as necessary, casting doubt on Trump’s claim that the war may cease in the near future.

Crude oil prices fell more than 10% Tuesday...

United Natural Foods Reports Strong Profit Growth Amid Strategic Transitions in Q2

United Natural Foods (UNFI) has announced its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2026, revealing both challenges and opportunities ahead.

The company reported a 2.6% decline in net sales, bringing the total to $7.9 billion. This decrease was largely attributed to optimization actions, which impacted sales by nearly 500 basis points. A noteable factor in this shift was the transition out of the Allentown, Pennsylvania distribution center during the first quarter of fiscal 2026, leading to an anticipated drop...

Russia’s Per‑Capita Fish Consumption Falls to 24 kg as Exports Rise

Per‑capita fish consumption in Russia remains below government targets and shows little sign of near‑term recovery. State plans set a target of 28 kg per person for 2025, but consumption fell to about 24 kg in 2025 — a 2.4% decline year‑on‑year and roughly 11% below 2023 levels. Industry analysts say producers still find it more profitable to export catch than to supply the domestic market.

Retail demand softened in 2025. Analytics firm NTech estimates retail fish sales fell about 1% by volume...