Seafood Source, a seafood industry news service, for the second time in a month, has made a major mistake in reporting that has sparked industry reaction.
Yesterday they put out a breaking news alert that Pacific Seafoods was buying American Seafoods. The article was sourced to someone 'close to the talks', and went on to speculate about what such a combination might mean.
To anyone with the least understanding of the US West Coast and Alaska Seafood Industy, this type of deal would seem preposterous. Pacific Seafoods owns a number of distribution and processing companies up and down the West Coast, and in Alaska. But they are not a vessel operator. Furthermore, this type of deal could raise serious anti-trust issues, which Pacific Seafoods has been striving to avoid.
American Seafoods is the largest single quota holder for offshore pollock, and operates the largest fleet of vessels in Alaska. They produce pollock blocks, surimi, and pollock roe, as well as some whiting and pacific cod. Pacific Seafood is simply not equipped to sell these products.
American Seafoods put out a statement immediately denying the story...