Indiana’s Aquashell USA to Acquire Cozy Harbor Seafood and Affiliates in $6.5M Deal

Maine lobster processor Cozy Harbor Seafood, along with its affiliate companies Casco Bay Lobster and Art’s Lobster, was purchased by Indiana-based Aquashell USA for $6.5 million.

The deal includes the price of $2,015,099 for Cozy Harbor's accounts receivable, $2,738,920 in Inventory and $1,750,000 in property. The transaction now awaits court approval.

The sale comes after Cozy Harbor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July, as reported by Expana. The initial bankruptcy filing...

AquaStar Adds to Indonesian Shrimp Recall Wave

AquaStar (USA) again expanded its recall of shrimp products due to concerns over radioactive Cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination.

The latest recall, published on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s website on October 17, focused on a “limited quantity” of frozen shrimp imported from Indonesia.

The company noted that none of the impacted products throughout its multiple recalls have tested positive for Cs-137, and no illnesses have been reported.

The impacted products include Best Yet, Waterfront Bistro, AquaStar and Publix-branded items...

Echo Falls Promotes Two Senior Sales Leaders to Spearhead Branded and Private-Label Expansion

Echo Falls Seafoods announced the promotion of a pair of its sales managers, Jeff Gernand and Rachael Minieri to new leadership roles.

Gernand now becomes the company’s Director of National Sales – Branded Products, while Minieri is now the Director of Private Label Sales.

Gernand was previously the sales manager for the West Coast, and will now oversee national sales for the company’s branded products, including its Echo Falls and LASCco lines. He will manage relationships with top US retail chains and lead the company’s...

Japan: Frozen Chilean Coho Imports Plummet 95%, Russian Sockeye Imports Surge 11.2 Times to 3,455T

According to the Ministry of Finance's trade statistics, August imports of salmon and trout (frozen and fresh) increased 7% year-on-year to 12,589 tons, and the value increased 8% to 18.675 billion yen ($123.07 million). Imports of frozen Chilean coho salmon, the main product, fell sharply. Imports of frozen Russian sockeye salmon increased significantly.

According to a report in the Minato Shimbun, a breakdown of imports shows that August imports of frozen Chilean coho salmon were down 95% year-on-year to 148...

NFI Sushi Council Names Dick Jones as Executive Director

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) Sushi Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Dick Jones as its new Executive Director. A mission-driven seafood and aquaculture executive with more than 38 years of experience across the private, nonprofit, and retail sectors, Jones brings deep expertise in sustainable fisheries, global seafood markets, and industry transformation.

“The Sushi Council is entering an exciting new chapter as we grow membership, strengthen industry leadership on food safety, and build sushi’s place as a vibrant and expanding category,”...

American Saltwater Guides Association Calls for Immediate 55% Reduction of TAC for Menhaden

The American Saltwater Guides Association ("ASGA"), a coalition of forward-thinking guides, small business owners and like-minded anglers who understand the value of keeping fish in the water, today called on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ("ASMFC") to immediately reduce the total allowable catch of Atlantic menhaden ("menhaden") by 55%. This call for the significant reduction is in direct response to an assessment of the "most important fish in the sea" showing that figures used to determine natural mortality of menhaden has been inaccurately estimated...

Mowi’s Bid to Take 95% of Nova Sea Gains EU Sign-off, Norwegian Competition Authority Next

Norwegian salmon farming giant Mowi’s move to acquire a majority stake in fellow farmer Nova Sea landed approval from the EU Commission, the company announced in a stock exchange notice on October 17.

Mowi agreed to increase its ownership share in Nova Sea from 49% to 95% on January 30 in a deal worth NOK 7.4 billion ($656.4 million), as Expana reported.
Now, the transaction needs the approval of the Norwegian competition authority before it can be approved...

Indonesia, FDA Reach Deal Allowing ‘Thousands’ of Shrimp Containers to Enter US

Indonesia’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) said that it reached a deal with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow thousands of shrimp containers currently in transit to enter the United States.

KKP said in a press release that the agreement was finalized on October 18 after negotiations over new import requirements tied to FDA Import Alert 99-52. The ministry said the deal permits thousands of shrimp containers already en route to the US to be admitted...

Five Charged by DFO for Fisheries Act Violations

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) recently issued an update on its enforcement news page regarding five individuals charged under the Fisheries Act and related regulations. The individuals are known to authorities, having previously been arrested and charged for similar violations.

The most recent incident occurred on September 19 and 20, 2024, in St. Marys Bay, located in Lobster Fishing Area 34.

On October 9, all five individuals appeared in provincial court in Digby, Nova Scotia, and were each charged with one count of obstruction of a fishery officer, contrary to section 62 of the Fisheries Act.

Senator Susan Collins Advocates for Maine Lobster Industry Amid Tariff Challenge

Senator Susan Collins sent correspondence to US officials on Monday, urging them to address the negative impact tariffs are having on Maine's lobster industry.

The letter, addressed to US Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jameison Greer, highlighted the significant hardships lobstermen are currently facing.

Collins stated that the job of lobstermen has become less profitable in recent years, noting that earnings per pound in 2024 have decreased to some of the lowest levels in the past 75 years, a situation...

The Retail Rundown: Meat Ads Steady Overall, but Poultry and Turkey Promotions Gain

Retailers are leaning into autumn demand with meat and poultry features this week, as consumers favor home-cooked meals and prepare for the holiday season.

With Thanksgiving a little more than five weeks away, early holiday promotions are starting to surface. Turkey features are gaining momentum, now accounting for 5% of total ad space, up two points from the previous week.

Retail buying opportunities for seafood and beef held steady week-over-week at 27.5% and 22.2%, respectively. Pork promotions dipped to 21.4% as National Pork Month wraps up, while chicken features rose to 19.4%.

AIPCE-CEP Rebrands as SEAFOOD EUROPE|European Fish Processors and Traders Association

The long-standing EU Fish Processors and Traders Association, along with the European Federation of National Organizations of Importers and Exporters of Fish (AIPCE-CEP), has announced its rebranding.

Founded in 1959, the organization has grown to incorporate more than 3,900 businesses and 128,000 people, further cementing its value within the industry.

Its new name, Seafood Europe | European Fish Processors and Traders Association, aims to unify the organization's voice and visibility, further reinforce its centralized position in Europe's food system...

Walmart and Avery Dennison Collaborate to Enhance Freshness and Increase Efficiency Using RFID

Walmart (NYSE: WMT) and Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) today announced a new innovation to advance the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in fresh categories previously not possible. Addressing food waste and ensuring freshness are more important than ever for consumers, producers and retailers. This first-to-market solution is set to transform inventory processes and enhance both associate and customer experiences across fresh departments — particularly bakery, meat and deli. 

Looking to help develop a solution to a longstanding industry challenge of using RFID technology in high-moisture, cold environments, like meat cases, Walmart teamed with Avery Dennison to create and test a...

US Coast Guard Suspends Coastal Buoy Modernization in the Northeast

Coast Guard District Northeast is closing the period for providing comments to the Coastal Buoy Modernization Proposal (CBMP) advertised in the Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and directly solicited from stakeholders.

After receiving over 3,200 public comments, the Coast Guard will be conducting further analysis of the aids to navigation (ATON) system. There will be no changes to ATON in relation to the proposal until further analysis is complete.

“We are extremely appreciative of the public’s input on this important project, and our team’s hard work...

Global Initiative Sparks Movement to Take Ocean-Farmed Salmon Off the Table

Off the table, a coalition campaign led by WildFish, is mobilizing chefs, restaurants, consumers, and organizations to take ocean-farmed salmon off plates and menus worldwide, replacing it with a vision for a healthier, more sustainable food future.

Ninety-nine percent of Atlantic salmon consumed worldwide is raised in industrial sea cages, a practice that pollutes oceans with approximately one million pounds of waste per farm annually, releases harmful chemicals, and spreads diseases to wild fish populations. This practice is a...

ANALYSIS: EU-UK Latest Shrimp Import Figures Indicate Slight Dip in August

The latest data from Eurostat indicates a 5.1% year-on-year decline in EU-UK shrimp import volumes for August. However, the value of these imports reaching USD 440.86 million remained relatively stable, with a modest 0.6% increase compared to the same month last year. The drop in volume is primarily due to a significant reduction in imports from Argentina and Venezuela, who faced ongoing social and political instability. Imports from Argentina fell by 78.4%, and those from Venezuela by 44.5%...

The Klamath Basin Paradox: Salmon Stage Historic Returns as Federal Grants are Pulled

There’s been a steady stream of good news regarding Klamath River Chinook salmon: Since four dams were removed last year, fish have been seen at greater distances from the ocean, in tributaries not accessible for more than a century.  

Earlier this month, spring-run Chinook were documented above the Upper Klamath Lake threshold.  

But at almost the same time, the federal government abruptly terminated grants designed specifically for salmon monitoring, habitat restoration, wildfire mitigation and related watershed work, according to the Mid Klamath Watershed Council...