U.S. House Hearing Highlights Mutually Exclusive Policy Goals With NOAA Fisheries in the Middle 

Yesterday's oversight hearing of the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, part of the House Natural Resources Committee, was focused on challenges facing the seafood industry addressed by President Trump’s Executive Order 14276 of April 17 on “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.”  

But the subcommittee got more than that. 

From both witnesses and panel members, Subcommittee Chair Harriet Hageman (R-WY) heard how competing policies within the executive branch — the President’s E.O. and DOGE cuts to NOAA Fisheries in the Department of Commerce — were working...

Reps. Dingell and Mast Reintroduce Forage Fish Conservation Act to Protect Fishing Economy 

Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Brian Mast (R-FL) have reintroduced legislation to strengthen key protections for fisheries.  

The Forage Fish Conservation Act builds upon the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act — the primary federal law governing the management of marine fisheries. The bill aims to improve protections for forage fish like herring, while also supporting species like tuna, salmon, and cod.  

This is the second time within the last year that Reps. Dingell and Mast have reintroduced the bill. During an oversight hearing...

Australis Aquaculture Begins Construction on New Processing Facility in Vietnam

Australis Aquaculture has announced that construction is underway on a new processing facility in Vietnam. 

The company — which focuses on sustainable ocean-farmed barramundi — says the new facility will enhance efficiency, sustainability, and product quality across all operations. 

One of the main upgrades is the use of nitrogen freezing technology. Australis Aquaculture CEO Josh Goldman says the method reduces ice crystal formation and protects the integrity and quality of barramundi products.  

The facility will also include coating, breading, dehydration and tray packing lines to better integrate production, which...

Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET. 

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

The Retail Rundown: Pork Deals Deliver Summer Savings

Pork promotions are gaining momentum, with value-priced cuts standing out against higher-priced beef and even some chicken items.

Bacon continues to steal the spotlight in the pork category, fueled by strong seasonal demand as consumers stock up on this summer staple. Over Memorial Day, discounted bacon averaged $6.30 per pound, up nearly 3% from last year. Wholesale belly prices have climbed 13% since early April, supported by tightening hog supplies and historically low cold storage stocks.

As grilling season gains momentum, demand for ribs...

Russia Reduces Global Exports of White Fish Due to Sanctions

Russia will reduce global exports of white fish in years to come due to the decline of stocks and sanction pressures.  

According to the Russian Association of Fishing Fleet Owners (AFFO), cod stocks aren’t expected to improve until at least 2028. In the meantime, quotas for its catch are being reduced annually, leading to a reduction in supply and an increase in prices. The total permissible catch of north-eastern Arctic cod, which Russia and Norway catch jointly, has been reduced by 25%. 

According to data from the...

Japan: April Fishery Product Exports up 23% at 51,600 Tons, with Value up 22% at JPY 30 Billion 

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance on May 29, April's fishery product exports increased 23% in volume compared to last April. Exports also increased 22% in value to 30,091 million yen ($208.95 million). The quantity of scallops decreased, while the value increased. Yellowtail increased in both volume and value. 

According to a report in the Minato Shimbun, the volume of scallops decreased 22% to 5,324 tons and increased 39% to...

ANALYSIS: Pacific Halibut Market Update: Quota Cuts, Tight Supply, and Record Prices

The 2025 Pacific halibut fishery, which opened on March 20th, is off to a challenging start amid a mix of regulatory pressure and unfavorable early season weather. Disruptions to fishing efforts across key areas have led to a sharp decline in landings, with year-to-date totals through Week 18 (May 4th) down 28.55% from the same time last year and 25.63% below the five-year average. According to Alaska-based industry sources, the Southeast region is running ahead of schedule, while the Gulf of Alaska lags...

The Japanese Government Aims to Increase Oyster Exports to JPY 9.3 Billion by 2030 

The Japanese government held a meeting last week focused on expanding export targets for oysters and processed oysters. Minato Shimbun reported that the government aims to increase exports of oysters and processed oysters to 9.3 billion yen ($65.07 million) in 2030, which is 1.5 times the 2024 export result.  

The government aims to increase exports to Taiwan by 48% to 3.4 billion yen ($23.79 million), Hong Kong by 53% to 2.9 billion yen ($20.29 million), and Singapore by 43% to...

Reps. Huffman, Moylan, Case Reintroduce Magnuson-Stevens Act Update Legislation 

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. California Rep. Jared Huffman seems to be applying that adage as he reintroduced Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act this week, legislation designed to update and reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens fishery Conservation and Management Act.  

Reps. James Moylan, R-Guam, and Ed Case, D-Hawaii, joined Huffman in introducing the legislation Huffman describes as bipartisan legislation. 

Huffman introduced iterations of the same bill at least twice in recent years and reflects the culmination of a...

Japan: Fisheries and Aquaculture Production Hit New Low in 2024, Fourth Consecutive Year of Decline 

According to a May 27 announcement by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the production volume of fishery and aquaculture in 2024 was 3,634,800 tons - a 5.1% decrease of 195,000 tons from 2023. This is the lowest figure since the survey began in 1951.  

The catch volume of marine fisheries was 2,787,100 tons. While there was an increase in skipjack, there was a decrease in herring, which resulted in a 4.8% decrease of 139,300 tons. The harvest volume of marine aquaculture was...

ANALYSIS: Mixed Performance Among Key Exporters of Pandalus Borealis in Q1

In the first quarter, global exports of Pandalus Borealis shrimp from Denmark, Canada, and Norway decreased by 8.2% year-over-year in volume and by 18.9% in value. This represents a total of 25,667 metric tons of cold-water shrimp exported between January and March (HS codes 030616 and 030635), generating approximately USD 116.0 million in revenue. When measured in euros, the year-over-year change in value was -16.2%, reflecting the weaker U.S. dollar since February.

Export performance varied across the three main...

NOAA Fisheries Reports a 24% Drop in Staff From Six Divisions Across the Alaska Region 

Tomorrow the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council will hear the report from the Alaska Region (AKR) NOAA fisheries that 28 our to 115 federal employees have left the region since the Council’s April meeting, resulting in a total of 30 staff removals since President Trump’s inauguration. 

The staff losses come from the Sustainable Fisheries, Protected Resources, Restricted Access Management, Information Services, Operations Management, Habitat Conservation Divisions and from NOAA General Council Alaska Section. 

Three long-time and highly visible NOAA workers...

Legislation Paving the Way for Offshore Renewable Energy in Newfoundland and Labrador Takes Effect 

New legislation aimed at developing offshore renewable energy in Newfoundland and Labrador is now in effect. Bill C-49 includes several amendments to the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act (Atlantic Accord Act), including a plan to modernize the land tenure regime for offshore wind development.  

"Newfoundland and Labrador has an abundance of energy, including lower-carbon oil, and significant potential for offshore wind development. Establishing joint management for offshore wind and modifying the land tenure system for offshore oil and...

Cousins Maine Lobster Set to Open First Food Truck in Minneapolis 

Fast-casual lobster roll company Cousins Maine Lobster (CML) will open its first food truck in Minneapolis on Friday. The new Minnesota truck is part of plans to further the brand’s expansion in the Midwest.  

"We're incredibly thrilled to bring Cousins Maine Lobster to Minneapolis, a city known for its vibrant food culture and strong sense of community," said Sabin Lomac, co-founder of Cousins Maine Lobster. We're proud to share the authentic Maine lobster experience with seafood fans here and look forward to becoming a part of...

USTR Extends China Section 301 Tariffs for Certain Seafood Products 

The US Trade Representative (USTR) has extended tariff exclusions on certain seafood products from China through the end of August.  

The exclusions were previously scheduled to expire on May 31 but have now been extended through August 31.  

Tariffs related to the Section 301 Investigation of China’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation first began under the Trump Administration in 2018 and 2019 in an effort to stop the country’s unfair trade practices. A range of seafood items from China were hit with...

ICFA Launches Seafood Nutrition Toolkit  

The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) has launched a Seafood Nutritional Toolkit, which aims to educate people around the world about the benefits of seafood.  

ICFA worked with the Global Seafood Communicators (GSC) to make it happen -- focusing on 21 core topics, including cardiovascular health, mental health, cancer prevention, aging, and cognitive health.  

“The toolkit aims to bring the global seafood community together and use unified messaging to combat misinformation and promote seafood’s health benefits,” said GSC Chair Fiona MacMillan.  

At the start of 2025, Wendy Hunt of Murdoch University and...