Today's Main Story: Lobster Prices Spiraling 
Upward as Strong Demand Meets Lackluster Landings
Lobster prices are going up with landings out of PEI and New Brunswick coming in steadily without any surges in volume. This has kept most processors working far below capacity. At the same time, there is demand from almost every sector. Chinese demand has returned and is "as strong as ever" while shipping companies are competing for live product for tubing. Lobster meat prices are at record levels according to Urner Barry. Both market and canner sized lobster prices are up significantly since the start of the season. Wholesale prices are also higher for both live lobsters and tails.
Great Pacific Seafoods' unexpected closure and bankruptcy filing is forcing commercial fishing tenders out of the Alaskan fishing ports that depended the company's Alaskan processing operations. One example is the Alaskan town Whittier, where Great Pacific had opened up each salmon season since 1984. “Our economy is much more dependent on major employers because we don't have that many,” said Whittier mayor Daniel Blaire. “It’s hundreds of thousands of dollars we're going to be short in the area, so hopefully we'll be able to make that up with a good tourist season.”
The NPFMC will discuss the trawl bycatch proposals intended to prevent harmful impacts such as the job losses and high cost of entry that have occurred under previous such programs in halibut and crab. One of the proposals includes the Alternative 3 proposal, which has been highly criticised by many in the trawl sector.
In other news, the dialogue between the Mazzetta Company's Tom Mazzetta and the Louisiana shrimp industry continues. A response by Mazzetta to the Louisiana Shrimp Association's letter we published earlier this week calls for the industry to make tough policy solutions that will make a real difference to the fishery.
Finally, competition between major seafood distributors Seattle Fish Co. and Northeast Seafood products is helping increase seafood sales in Midwest markets in and around Colorado. The central location of the two operators allows them to source and distribute a variety fresh seafood from East and West Coast suppliers.
Have a great weekend.
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