Alaska Seafood Industry Seeks Extension of EU CATCH Deadline Amid Trade Disruption Concerns

A coalition of US and European seafood trade groups is urging the European Union to extend the July 10, 2026, deadline for compliance with updated EU CATCH certification requirements, warning that current traceability demands could effectively ban Alaska seafood from EU markets.

The coalition includes Seafood Europe, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), At-Sea Processors Association (APA), National Fisheries Institute (NFI), and Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA).

The groups cite a "core challenge" in requirements that each imported shipment provide traceability of each harvest vessel's...

Venezuela Says MMPA Blue Crab Process Complete, Eyes US Market Return

Venezuela's Ministry of Fisheries announced on April 16 that it has successfully completed the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) comparability registration process with NOAA Fisheries, potentially clearing the way for resumed blue crab exports to the US market after a three-month embargo that devastated the country's fishing industry.

The Venezuelan government claims the registration "ensures that Venezuelan seafood products meet the rigorous quality and sustainability standards required for export to the North American market," according to an April 16 statement from the Ministry of...

ANALYSIS: UK Shrimp Imports Up 8.5% Year‑on‑Year in February

According to HM Revenue & Customs, UK shrimp import volumes in February climbed 8.5% year‑on‑year and stood 7.5% above the five‑year average, at 5,617 tonnes. While most EU countries usually see a further dip in February due to weaker demand, UK imports barely changed from January. Overall, the UK started the year positively: January–February imports were up 4.8% year‑on‑year at 11,282 tonnes, 2.7% above the five‑year average for these two months...

Northern California Temporarily Closes Dungeness Crab Season While Whales Migrate Through

On Friday, Meghan Hertel, California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife Director, closed the season April 30 along the Sonoma Coast, from the Oregon border south to Pigeon Point, to avoid entangling endangered whales.

“Observations by researchers reported to the Point Blue Conservation Science Whale Alert observed 66 humpback whales in Fishing Zone 3 during the week of April 8-14, 2026,” reported Hertel in Friday’s announcement. “Pursuant to 132.8(c)(2), I must implement a Fishing Zone delay or other protective management action in the commercial Dungeness crab fishery...

Hybrid Models Improve Harmful Algal Bloom Forecasts in Chile

Global warming is making harmful algal blooms (HABs) more frequent and severe, while also complicating efforts to predict them. Traditional computer models often struggle to account for the wide range of algae species and the ways they interact under changing environmental conditions.

A research team led by Fumito Maruyama at Hiroshima University has found that combining multiple modeling approaches can significantly improve prediction accuracy. The team’s findings, published in Ecological Informatics, show that integrating physical, ecological, and machine learning models offers a more reliable...

ASP and FFAW Reach Deal on Newfoundland Snow Crab Season After Price Dispute

The Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) and the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union-Unifor (FFAW) have reached an agreement on the 2026 Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab season, ending a dispute that had stalled the province's largest crab fishery.

The groups said in a joint statement that the deal creates a system that will adjust in-season snow crab prices based on market conditions, moving away from traditional post-season settlements.

The agreement confirms that the current collective agreement remains in place...

Walmart Launches Major Store Investment Push with 650+ Remodels, Great Value Brand Refresh

US retail giant Walmart announced on April 16 that it will make "significant" investments across its stores to create jobs, strengthen local communities, and deliver faster, more convenient shopping experiences. The company also unveiled a comprehensive redesign of its flagship private label 'Great Value' brand.

For 2026, Walmart has scheduled over 650 remodels to its Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets, alongside approximately 20 new store openings planned through early 2027. The company has already opened several new locations this year, including Supercenters in Eastvale, California...

Japan's Pollock Exports Spiked by 42％ to over 62,000 MT

Frozen Alaska pollock exports in 2025 increased by 42% year-on-year to 6,671 tons, driven by strong growth in exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and Africa, including Nigeria. This marks a halt to the two-year decline following China's import ban on Japanese seafood following the release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The Minato Shimbun reported this.

Exports to Vietnam increased steadily by 27% to 1,682 tons, and to Thailand by 38% to 531 tons. Exports to Africa showed particularly significant...

Alaska to Homeport First Two Arctic Security Cutters, USCG Scales Back Seattle’s Expansion

Although the announcement was made yesterday, the U.S. Coast Guard decided on March 11 that the first two Arctic Security Cutters will be homeported in the State of Alaska. Delivery is expected by the end of 2028, and the USCG is planning for the necessary infrastructure and support to receive the two icebreakers.

“Ensuring these vessels are supported by trained and ready crews, and ready homeport facilities including housing, will be essential to delivering full, enduring operational capability required to meet emerging Arctic security challenges...

ANALYSIS: Halibut Squeeze as Record-Low Pacific Quotas Meet Atlantic's Characteristic Volatility

The 2026 Pacific halibut season has opened at historically elevated price levels, with initial market values closely aligned with where the 2025 season finished. This firm start comes as the 2026 coastwide quota was set at 29.33 million pounds, the lowest total allowable catch in the more than 100-year history of the fishery, reinforcing an already tight supply outlook. U.S. allocations were mostly unchanged from last year, while British Columbia’s quota was reduced by about 7 percent, reflecting continued stock concerns under the International Pacific Halibut Commission's...

Louisiana Rep. Letlow Introduces Bill Requiring Federal Agencies to Buy Only US Seafood

Congresswoman Julia Letlow (R-LA) introduced the Buy American Seafood Act, requiring federal agencies and federally funded school lunch programs to purchase only domestically sourced seafood to ensure high-quality products meeting US inspection standards.

"In Louisiana, seafood is a cornerstone of our economy and a way of life. My Buy American Seafood Act would ensure that taxpayer-funded seafood is sourced from American fishermen and processors, protecting taxpayers from subsidizing foreign countries or adversaries like China," Letlow said...

Japan's Mackerel Exports up 14% in February, Average Price Soared by 47%

According to a report by the Minato Shimbun, exports of frozen mackerel from Japan in February increased 14% year-on-year to 8,128 tons. This was due to a surge in exports to Vietnam, Japan's largest export market. While February's total exports exceeded 8,000 tons for the first time in four years, the average export price soared to 253 yen/kg ($1.59/kg), a 47% increase, against the backdrop of tight supply and demand due to a significant drop in production from Norway, the largest mackerel producer...

WHOI Sea Grant Funds $1.6M Research Targeting Massachusetts Aquaculture, Fisheries Challenges

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant has committed $1.6 million over two years to fund four research projects addressing critical challenges facing Massachusetts' aquaculture and commercial fishing sectors, with studies focusing on oyster cultivation, soft-shell clam contamination, and the expanding black sea bass fishery.

The funding, awarded through WHOI Sea Grant's 2026-2027 biennial competition, reflects industry-driven priorities as operators seek solutions to regulatory closures, species migration patterns, and production optimization...

The Winding Glass: Diesel Prices Tip of the Iceberg for Seafood Industry as Impacts Multiply Downstream

The disastrous US and Israeli attack on Iran has led to the completely predictable closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for around 20% of global oil consumption. The International Energy Agency (IEA) called it the largest supply disruption in the history of the world oil market. 

Diesel prices at fishing ports worldwide rose 40 to 70 percent in a matter of weeks. In Rhode Island, dockside diesel hit $5.75 a gallon, up nearly 50 percent since February...

BC's Walcan Quinsam River Pink Salmon Fishery Becomes Province's Only MSC-Certified Salmon Operation

The Walcan Quinsam River Pink Salmon Fishery has earned Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, making it the only salmon fishery in British Columbia to feature the blue label.

The April 15 announcement was hailed by Cameron Pirie, President of Walcan Seafood, who said the certification reflected decades of stewardship and collaboration.

"Working alongside the We Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum Nations to harvest only surplus salmon, we're able to protect the resource while bringing a premium product to market," Pirie said...

GSA Appoints Libby Woodhatch and Jeremy Woodrow to its Board of Directors

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) has appointed Libby Woodhatch, Executive Chair of MarinTrust, and Jeremy Woodrow, Executive Director of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), to its Board of Directors.

“We are thrilled to welcome Libby and Jeremy to the GSA Board of Directors,” said GSA CEO Mike Kocsis. “Both bring deep expertise and leadership across critical areas of the seafood value chain—from responsible sourcing and certification to global marketing and market development.”

Together, Woodhatch and Woodrow bring nearly three decades of industry...

Record DFO Survey Highlights Deep Importance of Newfoundland and Labrador Food Fishery

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has released its What We Heard document summarizing feedback from the 2025 Food Fishery survey, underscoring the fishery’s deep cultural importance in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The food fishery remains closely tied to the province’s identity, reflecting Newfoundlanders’ and Labradorians’ long-standing connection to cod and the sea. The survey, launched by the Honorable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, drew more than 9,500 responses and over 100 written submissions — the highest participation ever recorded for a DFO...