Trump Announces US-Indonesia Trade Agreement, Offers Few Details

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States has reached a new trade agreement with Indonesia, a key agricultural partner. However, he provided few details about the scope or substance of the deal.

“Great deal, for everybody, just made with Indonesia. I dealt directly with their highly respected President,” Trump said.

On July 7, Trump sent a letter to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stating that Indonesia would face a 32% tariff rate on all Indonesian goods imported into the US, as part of the initial wave of Trump tariff...

Senate Appropriations-Approved Bill Would Establish Dedicated Seafood Liaison at USDA

The US Senate Committee on Appropriations has approved a bill containing several seafood-focused measures, including the establishment of a seafood industry liaison within the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act was advanced through the committee by a unanimous 27-0 vote, providing a total of $27.1 billion in funding.

Among its seafood-focused provisions, the bill highlights the establishment of the seafood liaison position at USDA...

ANALYSIS:  Scallop Market Reflects Firm Undertone as Supply Challenges and Tariff Pressures Continue

The frozen scallop market, both domestic and imported, has held full steady to firm through 2025 to date. Limited domestic landings have kept the U.S. market looking to overseas imports to fill the gap.

Early import data from January through March showed strong year-over-year gains, with total scallop imports up 42%, 87%, and 66%, respectively. Beginning in April, the announcement of tariffs under new legislation shifted the market tone, driven by both the direct impact of the tariffs and broader unease over how the changes...

Portugal and Spain Regain MSC Certification for Iberian Sardine Fishery

According to a press release from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), purse seine fishing fleets in Spain and Portugal recently regained their MSC certification for Iberian sardines, making it the first fishery to achieve this sustainability marker through such an alliance.

This joint accomplishment was made possible through coordinated efforts from the entire sector's value chain, including fishers, the processing industry and distributors.

The Iberian sardine is a key marine resource for the two European countries.

While the Portuguese sardine fleet had previously been certified as sustainable, it was suspended...

National Restaurant Association Applauds Trump Tax Bill for Boosting Industry Jobs and Growth

President Donald Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill features tax policies that will assist the restaurant and foodservice industry, the National Restaurant Association said.

The group stated that the bill will enable restaurant owners and operators nationwide to “create jobs, invest in their business, and provide certainty for their local economies.”

“The restaurant industry is a powerful economic engine – generating over $1.4 trillion in annual economic activity and employing more than 15 million people nationwide,” said Michelle Korsmo, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association...

Sernapesca Seizes More Than 1.5 Tons of Hake, Eel, Octopus, and Sea Urchin Near La Unión

On Friday, July 11, 2025, Chilean officials from the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) and Carabineros seized a truck and 1.5 tons of illegal marine resources during an inspection near the La Unión toll booth on Route 5 South.

According to Sernapesca’s press release, the inspection commenced with a request for documentation, for which the responsible party only confirmed a minor portion of the cargo. This led Sernapesca to seize the truck and its contents and issue a summons to La Unión Civil...

Mark Foods Acquires Bristol Seafood, Expanding Scallop and Value-Added Seafood Portfolio

US seafood importer, processor and marketer Mark Foods announced that it has acquired Maine-based Bristol Seafood on July 14.

Bristol Seafood boasts a strong presence in the scallop sector, but also offers other products, including groundfish and value-added seafood offerings such as salmon and shrimp. The move provides Mark Foods with a notably larger footprint in the scallop trade.

The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in August 2025...

Trump Announces 30% Tariffs on EU and Mexico as Trade Tensions Persist

President Donald Trump has expanded his administration’s tariff policy, targeting the European Union and Mexico with newly announced 30% tariffs on all products imported into the United States.

On July 11, Trump formally notified the leaders of both trading partners about the new rates via letters.

In response, the European Union announced yesterday that it will extend its suspension of retaliatory measures against U.S. tariffs until early August, signaling a willingness to continue negotiations with the Trump administration in hopes of reaching a new trade agreement...

ANALYSIS: Early Start to Norwegian Cold-Water Shrimp Season Offsets May Export Decline

According to Norway Statistics, exports of cold-water shrimp in May fell by 45.7% year-on-year, totaling 2,265 metric tons compared to 4,171 MT in May 2024. Despite this sharp monthly decline, cumulative exports of Pandalus borealis from January to May remain relatively stable, down just 0.5% year-on-year at 7,870 MT...

Del Mar Seafoods Expands Operations with Advanced IQF Freezing and New Processing Facility

California-based Del Mar Seafoods showcased its new expanded operations through a new facility lease and the addition of state-of-the-art Individual Quick Freezing (IQF) and processing capabilities.

The vertically integrated seafood producer and processor said the new facility will allow for greater processing capacity and efficiency, expanding its footprint by 40%. Del Mar’s new facility is located on the same campus as its Watsonville headquarters.

“This was the logical next step in our company’s growth,” said Joe Roggio, Chief Financial Officer at Del Mar...

Mowi Rolls Out Fresh Seafood Offerings at South Florida Supermarkets

Salmon farmer Mowi ASA (Mowi) recently launched some of its fresh seafood offerings at Sedano’s Supermarkets across South Florida. With this roll-out, Sedano’s shoppers can now find fresh, pre-packed skin packs of Mowi’s Atlantic salmon varieties, as well as tilapia, tuna, and snapper from Mowi’s Marine Harvest line.

Sedano’s Supermarkets first began in 1962 as a single Hispanic supermarket in Hialeah, Florida. Since then, the food retail chain has expanded to 34 locations across the state.

For this roll-out, Mowi and Sedano’s teamed up to introduce a...

GAPP Opens Registration for 2025 Wild Alaska Pollock Meeting 

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) has opened registration for the seventh annual Wild Alaska Pollock Meeting, scheduled for September 18, 2025, at the W Hotel in Seattle.  

This year’s theme, “Wild Alaska Pollock: Stronger, Together,” emphasizes industry collaboration, with a focus on sustainability and fishery management. 

“What began as a check-in has evolved into a pivotal gathering of minds and momentum. It’s where our industry aligns, learns, and commits to a future built on shared purpose and proven sustainability,” said...

Kenyan Tilapia Farmer Victory Farms Joins ASC Improvement Program

Last week, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) announced that Kenyan tilapia farmer Victory Farms became the first tilapia farm in Kenya and across Africa to participate in an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) under the ASC’s Improver Programme.

The vertically integrated farm spans 50 hectares in western Kenya’s Homa Bay and produces 18,000 tonnes of tilapia annually, from hatchery to table.

ASC explained the milestone as “a major step forward for responsible seafood farming on the continent,” underscoring the tilapia farmer’s...

US Tariffs on Brazilian Imports Spark Cross-Commodity Concerns

On July 9, US President Donald Trump moved to raise tariffs on Brazilian imports to 50% starting August 1—up sharply from the 10% rate imposed in early April—sparking concerns in global markets, with potential ripple effects across commodities like orange juice, beef, coffee, sugar, and seafood.

These trade measures are raising alarms in export-dependent sectors and among US importers, with market participants saying the implications could be wide-ranging.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the country would respond to the newly announced tariff...

ANALYSIS: Wild Salmon Week in Review for Week 27, July 6-12

The peak of the sockeye season is underway, driven by strong harvests out of Bristol Bay. Prices fell sharply again over the past week but remain above year-ago levels. After a slower start in week 25 compared to 2024, landings quickly accelerated and surpassed last year’s weekly totals for sockeye. The overall trajectory so far is tracking closely to 2024, though on a slightly delayed timeline...

Canadian Seafood Escapes Trump’s 35% Tariff, According to Multiple Reports on USMCA Exemptions

Key Canadian seafood exports will be exempt from President Donald Trump’s newly imposed 35% tariff on Canadian goods, according to multiple reports from CBC, The Wall Street Journal and Yahoo Finance.

While Trump’s tariff announcement last week sparked uncertainty over whether critical species like salmon, crab and lobster would be affected, officials confirmed that products compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will remain tariff-free.

The question of whether seafood would be faced with a 35% tariff rate followed the release of Trump’s tariff...

Oregon Dems to Trump Administration: The Salmon Fishery Needs the Promised Funding

Oregon Democratic lawmakers want the salmon industry to get the money it’s due in disaster funding. 

Members of the delegation, including Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, and Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Maxine Dexter, Andrea Salinas and Janelle Bynum, are pressing the Trump Administration to release the $7 million that was allocated to Oregon for the catastrophic regional fishery failure declared back in 2018, 2019, and 2020 for the state’s Chinook salmon commercial ocean fisheries.  

Then-Gov. Kate Brown had requested that the government determine the...