Copper River Season Opens with 39,000 Sockeye Catch, Elevated Early-Season Prices

Cold temperatures, wind and rain greeted the fleet that made it out to the Copper River fishing grounds for the 12-hour season opener last Friday. A total of 39,000 sockeye salmon and 967 Chinook salmon were caught, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).

Expana market reporter Joshua Bickert reports that both sockeye and kings are seeing elevated wholesale prices, though levels remain typical for early-season product. Market participants largely believe that prices should fall rapidly...

Webinar Explores Seafood Market Outlook for H2 2026, Price Trends and Sourcing Risks

Seafood markets are entering H2 2026 under real pressure.

How will shifting trade flows, disease outbreaks, evolving consumer demand, and shipping volatility shape seafood procurement and pricing in the coming months?
In just 30 minutes on May 28, Expana's seafood experts Angel Rubio and Janice Schreiber will walk you through the latest price movements, supply dynamics and sourcing risks potentially impacting your supply chains in H2 2026.

● Shrimp: Where farmed output from Ecuador, India, Vietnam are heading, antidumping duties updates - and the impact on US and EU prices.
● Salmon: Supply vs. demand for Norwegian and Chilean Atlantic salmon, impact of sea lice...

Nova Scotia's Clark's Harbour Seafood Expands From Live Lobster to Global Processing Operation

Clark's Harbour Seafood has transformed from a traditional live lobster operation into a vertically integrated seafood business with global ambitions, according to a new case study from Invest Nova Scotia.

Under owner Jim He's leadership since 2016, the southwestern Nova Scotia company now operates alongside sister companies Atlantic ChiCan Seafood and Stoney Island Fisheries, creating an integrated supply chain spanning harvesting through export.

The evolution accelerated in 2019 when Clark's Harbour Seafood began diversifying beyond live lobster exports...

Norwegian Police Recover 18 Tons of Stolen Salmon in Hijacked Semi-Trailer

Norwegian police recovered 18 tons of stolen salmon Sunday after an observant citizen spotted the hijacked semi-trailer used to transport the fish at a Circle K gas station in Vestby, according to Nettavisen.

The salmon was stolen from the seafood company 1814Salmon in Dal early Saturday morning, with police receiving the burglary report at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Hours later, authorities received a separate report about two stolen semi-trailers taken from Skarnes the night before.

The breakthrough came when the victim of the trailer theft posted...

Hokkaido Okhotsk Scallop Production Projects 220,000 MT, a 15% Down YOY

In the Okhotsk region of Hokkaido, full-scale scallop fishing operations began in mid-May at some fishing cooperatives in the northern area. The scallop catch plan for fiscal year 2026 (April 2026 to March 2027), including fishing ground development and farmed scallops, is projected to decrease in both the northern (Soya-Esashi) and southern (Omu-Utoro) areas, falling 15% further from the previous year's figure of 220,250 tons—the first time in seven years that the catch has fallen below 300,000 tons. However, signs of improved scallop growth...

Long Island Shellfish Growers Gain Access to Federal Disaster Aid

New York oyster growers battered by this winter’s severe weather will now have access to federal disaster assistance after the US Department of Agriculture approved a Secretarial Disaster Designation for Suffolk County.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the designation Tuesday, making aquaculture operations in Suffolk and neighboring Nassau County eligible for low-interest emergency loans through the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

The designation follows heavy snowfall, prolonged freezing temperatures and widespread ice formation in February that prevented shellfish growers from accessing harvesting areas and damaged...

Atlantic Sapphire Unveils Restructuring Plan, Sets Stage for Delisting

Atlantic Sapphire ASA has unveiled a sweeping restructuring plan designed to stabilize its finances, secure fresh liquidity, and reshape the company’s ownership after months of mounting financial pressure.

The land-based salmon farming company said it has entered into a restructuring agreement with a group of major shareholders and convertible loan holders representing about 63% of its shares and 93% of its outstanding convertible debt. The investor group includes Condire Management L.P., Nordlaks Holding AS, Nokomis Capital, Strawberry Capital AS, and Joh. Johannsson...

Second Senior Kroger Executive Announces Retirement This Month

Kroger said Tim Massa, Executive Vice President and Chief Associate Experience Officer, will retire Sept. 18, closing out a 16-year run in which he helped shape the retailer’s people strategy, labor approach and leadership pipeline.

Massa has been with Kroger for 16 years, following a long tenure at Procter & Gamble. During his time at Kroger, he held several senior leadership roles, including Group Vice President of Human Resources and Labor Relations, Chief People Officer, Senior Vice President, and Executive Vice President and...

Federal Judge Halts Extended Recreational Red Snapper Seasons in Four States

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction on May 21, halting extended recreational red snapper fishing seasons across four South Atlantic states after finding NOAA Fisheries acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in approving permits that could allow catches up to 20 times the annual recreational limit.

US District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras ruled that the National Marine Fisheries Service failed to address public comments warning of potential overfishing and violated its own regulations by approving incomplete exempted fishing permit applications...

Conservation Groups Sue to Block Seafood Imports From Eight Countries Over Marine Mammal Bycatch

Conservation groups filed suit against the National Marine Fisheries Service in the US Court of International Trade seeking to halt seafood imports from eight countries they claim fail to meet US marine mammal protection standards.

The lawsuit targets imports from Argentina, Ecuador, India, Norway, Taiwan, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, and Vanuatu, alleging that their commercial fisheries kill unsustainable numbers of marine mammals as bycatch and use gear including gillnets, longlines, and trawls.

Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the US must ban seafood imports from countries...

Brazil Eyes Return to EU Fish Market After Decade-Long Ban

Brazil’s fishing industry is preparing for a crucial European Union audit next month that could reopen the European market to Brazilian fish exports after nearly 10 years.

The issue was the focus of the 27th Ordinary Meeting of the Sectorial Chamber of Fish Production and Industry (CSPES), held Monday at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) in Brasília.

The EU mission, scheduled for June 8–19, will include inspections of industrial fishing vessels in Rio Grande do Norte and Santa Catarina. Industry and...

New Policy Brief Highlights Major Gaps in US Seafood Import Monitoring

Conservation groups have highlighted a new policy brief released by the US Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing & Labor Rights Coalition, which revealed significant gaps in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP).

The brief stems from a technical report by John Simeone of Simeone Consulting, LLC, which outlined reforms needed to prevent IUU fishing and human rights abuses-linked seafood from entering the US market.

The analysis found that in 2024, the US imported $25 billion in seafood, yet over 60%...

The Retail Rundown: Retail Focus Shifts Toward Father’s Day Grilling Demand

Cold and wet weather across several regions of the country dampened Memorial Day grilling plans, likely creating a softer-than-anticipated kickoff to the unofficial start of the summer grilling season.

Attention is now quickly turning toward the next major grilling occasions of the summer—Father’s Day and the Fourth of July holiday period. These seasonal events historically begin to influence demand patterns for grilling staples such as bellies, loins, ribs, and steaks. 

Following Memorial Day, protein promotions have shifted more heavily toward seafood, which now accounts...

Walmart Enhances Supply Chain to Bring Customers What They Need, When They Need It

Continuing its commitment of Everyday Low Prices (EDLP) for customers, Walmart today announced a new supply chain strategy, Prepaid Consolidation. This program helps get products to shelves and customers faster by simplifying inbound supplier logistics and building a more connected, scalable, tech-enabled supply chain that improves service and lowers costs.

The program expands Walmart’s first mile capabilities for prepaid suppliers by using its national supply chain network to create a scalable way to merge shipments, creating greater transportation efficiency. Suppliers send products under a single...

Shanghai Lab Uses Color Carp to Advance Aquaculture Genetics

At a Shanghai Ocean University research station in suburban Shanghai, an international team of young scientists is using the Oujiang color common carp to explore genetics, selective breeding and aquaculture performance.

The fish, native to Zhejiang province’s Oujiang River basin, is known for vivid color varieties including red, white and spotted strains. It is prized for its table value and for its visual appeal and researchers at the university say the species has become a valuable model for improving both ornamental and production...

ANALYSIS: Retail Shrimp Volume Down 12% Year-Over-Year as Prices Reach 12-Year Highs

Current retail shrimp market data reveal a significant shift in consumer purchasing patterns: volume is down 12% year-over-year, while prices have reached levels not seen since 2012. Dollar sales have remained relatively stable at 0.8% growth, indicating that price increases have largely offset volume declines in aggregate revenue terms.

Volume and pricing dynamics

The 12% volume decline reflects reduced shrimp imports into the US market, influenced by elevated costs throughout the supply chain. Despite the volume contraction, retail dollar performance shows minimal change...

US Targets Illegal Fishing With Visa Bans to Boost Seafood Industry

The US State Department has taken its first enforcement action under a new, tougher approach to combating illegal fishing, moving to restrict visas for dozens of individuals linked to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

On March 20, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced that the US would impose visa restrictions on 26 foreign nationals accused of being responsible for, complicit in, or benefiting from illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and related activities. The action follows President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive order...