Florida Seafood Exec Pleads Guilty in $8 Million Stone Crab and Spiny Lobster Price-Fixing Scheme

A Miami seafood executive pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring with competitors to fix prices paid to Florida fishermen for stone crab claws and spiny lobster, admitting his role in a years-long scheme that affected approximately $8 million in seafood purchases.

The DOJ said that between 2023 and 2025, Dopico conspired with competing companies and their employees to “suppress and eliminate” competition by fixing prices paid to fishermen. The DOJ said the conspiracy “deprived fishermen in Florida of the benefits...

FSIS Recalls Nearly 100,000 Pounds of Catfish Fillets Over Lack of Federal Inspection

One of the biggest seafood wholesalers on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, Quality Poultry & Seafood, Inc., recalled just shy of 100,000 pounds of catfish fillet products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection.

The catfish fillet items were produced from September 2, 2024, through September 5, 2025, and feature a litany of labels featuring establishment names that have no connection to the cause of the recall, a September 15 announcement from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)...

Echo Falls Expands Salmon Caviar Line with New Wasabi Flavor and Retail Packaging

Smoked salmon brand Echo Falls announced a significant expansion to its salmon caviar product line.

Echo Falls, the smoked and value-added division of Ocean Beauty Seafoods, announced that the expansion will feature new retail packaging and a new flavor.

The company said its new wasabi-flavored salmon caviar capitalizes on current flavor trends. The new flavor is designed for “consumers who enjoy complex and bold flavors” and can be used as a complement or garnish in a variety of appetizers and entrees...

Russian Fishermen Raise Red Flags Over Potential Ban of Older Ships

Russian fishermen raised concerns over the potential ban of trawlers aged 40 years or older.

Recently, fishermen from the Black Sea basin have sent a letter to the Russian federal Ministry of Agriculture, opposing the proposed ban, which is currently under consideration by the state.

The idea was initially proposed by representatives of the Russian shipbuilding monopoly, the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), during a meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. During that meeting, the USC presented proposals for a phased implementation of this ban...

Marine Stewardship Council: Over 75% of Global Whitefish Catch Now Certified Sustainable

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) said that over three-quarters of the world’s whitefish catch is now certified sustainable, a major milestone as the company unveiled its 2025 Sustainable Whitefish Yearbook.

Currently, over 60 different whitefish species carry the MSC label. The group highlighted how popular species like pollock and cod feature the blue label; however, some under-the-radar species like pikeperch, sablefish and various rockfish are also certified.

Whitefish now accounts for almost half of all seafood that is either MSC certified, under assessment, or part...

Rabobank Sees Tight Future for Fish Meal and Fish Oil as Aquaculture Grows

Rabobank’s latest RaboResearch report warns that while aquaculture demand for fish meal and fish oil is surging, supplies of these key marine ingredients remain tight, raising the risk of price volatility as the industry expands.

Rabobank noted that as aquaculture production grows, a stable supply of key omega-3 fatty acids and proteins as marine ingredient availability is “stagnant.”

“From 2024 to 2033, the production of mid-value and high-value fed aquaculture species is projected to grow...

Mexico’s Baja Aqua-Farms Expands into Marine Ingredients with Acquisition of Baja Marine Foods

Baja California, Mexico-based Baja Aqua-Farms (BAF) announced it has acquired Baja Marine Foods (BMF).

BAF is a tuna farmer that produces sashimi-grade tuna products with a history dating back to the turn of the century. BMF was founded in 2010 and is also headquartered in Baja California, Mexico. BMF is a processor of locally caught pelagic species, with a plant capable of processing up to 450 tons per day and a pair of fishing vessels. It produces fishmeal, fish oil, and frozen seafood...

Maine: Lotteries Now Open for Scallop Drag and Dive Licenses

The Department of Marine Resources is announcing the annual lotteries for scallop drag and scallop dive licenses.   Based on licenses retired in 2024, the Department is making available 14 drag licenses (7 drag licenses will be awarded to individuals between the age of 18-30 and 7 drag licenses will be awarded to individuals 31 years of age or older) and 5 dive licenses.  The Department will begin accepting applications at noon on September 15th, and the lotteries will remain open until 4:30 pm October 17th...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #26

Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.

Click to read: "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #26."

This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text.

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Despite 50% tariffs remaining on Brazil and India, the Indian Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump expressed positivity that the respective trade teams would reach a deal, according to their latest social media...

Quick Response During Storm Saves Circle Seafood’s Processing Barge in SE Alaska

During an intense storm last Monday, the Circle I, a freezer barge owned by Circle Seafoods of Aberdeen, WA, broke its mooring shortly after noon Alaska time. Within four hours, the 382-foot barge was secured and towed to a more sheltered location. Tuesday, less than 24 hours later, the barge was being towed to Ketchikan for repairs.  

The first notice from the Metlakatla Indian Community was sent by Mayor Albert Smith at 1:45 p.m. on Monday...

Senate Unanimously Approves Sullivan Bill to Improve Harmful Algal Bloom Response

Despite a widening gulf between Republicans and Democrats on most issues before the U.S. Senate, both parties wholeheartedly supported action to battle Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), a threat to freshwater and ocean systems across the country. 

Last Friday, Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan thanked his Senate colleagues for unanimously passing his Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments (HABHRCA) Act of 2025, a reauthorization of the HABHRCA Act of 1998 that strengthens programs nationwide. The new bill ensures that communities have access to HAB...

The Retail Rundown: Chicken Promotions Fall Short in “National Month”

Beef and seafood ads were nearly even this week, each accounting for about 25% of featured buying opportunities. Pork and turkey held steady, while eggs gained ground, with the South Central region seeing the most feature activity.

Expana notes that the back-to-school lift in retail shell egg demand has largely passed, with September typically a slower period outside of the early-season bump. 

Despite September being “National Chicken Month,” Expana’s weekly survey found chicken ads down from last week and slightly below late August levels...

Target Good & Gather Burrito Bowls Recalled Due to Undeclared Shrimp

About 57,240 Good & Gather Southwest-Style Burrito Bowl Blend bags sold at Target nationwide are being recalled after shrimp was detected but not listed on the label, the FDA said in a Sept. 10 announcement.

One Frozen, LLC of Rochester, NY, voluntarily recalled certain lots of the Good & Gather brand product because they may have undeclared shrimp. In total, 57,240 consumer units were listed on the recall.

The impacted products were distributed through Target retail stores nationwide in all 50 states...

Canada Expands Tariff Support to Atlantic Canada, Backing Seafood, Manufacturing and Steel

As Canada continues to navigate a new trade environment thanks to United States President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced major investments for Atlantic Canada.

On September 8, Carney announced that CAD 80 million ($58 million) from the larger Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) would be allocated to businesses in Atlantic Canada. Carney’s office stated that RTRI support will help industries most affected by the tariffs, including the seafood, manufacturing and steel sectors. The support will aim to modernize their operations, protect...

Russia Still Views Japan as Key Export Market Despite Tensions

Russia remains steadfast in considering Japan as one of its most promising seafood markets, despite current tensions between the two countries. 

Fish exports show positive dynamics this year. According to data from the Russian Fish Union, based on Japanese customs statistics, Russia's exports of fish and seafood to Japan increased by 9% in volume and by 2% in value terms from January to July. The supplies for the reporting period amounted to 72,000 tons and $521 million.

The best export dynamics...

ANALYSIS: Navigating Supply Challenges and Regulatory Pressures in the US Crab Meat Market

The US blue and red swimming crab meat market is confronting a complex and evolving set of challenges that are driving significant upward price pressures and operational uncertainties. Central to this turbulence is the imminent enforcement of NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) import rules, set to take effect January 1, 2026, alongside persistent steep tariffs on imported crab meat...

Florida Seafood Executive Indicted Over Alleged Stone Crab, Spiny Lobster Price-Fixing Conspiracy

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicted Dennis Dopico, a Florida-based seafood executive, alleging that he participated in a conspiracy to fix the prices of stone crab claws and spiny lobsters, which involved multiple companies.

The DOJ alleged that Dopico “knowingly joined and participated in a conspiracy with other persons and entities, known and unknown to the US, to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing prices paid to fishermen for stone crab claws and spiny lobster harvested in Florida...