LIVE! From Seafood Expo Global With InnaSea Media's Emily De Sousa and Bri Dwyer

The Seafoodnews Podcast is LIVE from Barcelona for Seafood Expo Global! In this latest episode, recorded right from Fira de Barcelona, Seafoodnews Senior Editor Amanda Buckle welcomes the founders of InnaSea Media — Emily De Sousa and Bri Dwyer. Listen in to learn more about how a fisheries scientist/ content creator and a visual storyteller with a background in Alaska's commercial fisheries have come together with the goal of transforming perceptions of seafood.

ANALYSIS: Countervailing Duties Reduction Would Have Significant Impact on Payments

As reported by SeafoodNews Managing Editor, Amanda Buckle, Jose Antonio Camposano, Executive President of Industry Association Camara Nacional de Acuacultura confirmed the yet unpublished report that Santa Priscila’s subsidy rate has been lowered.

To put this in perspective, here is a preliminary analysis of money that would be posted based upon data from 2023 imports. The red lines in the graph are estimated payments against last year’s total imports by company based upon the average price paid. The total paid would...

Department of Interior Announces 12 Offshore Wind Lease Sales Across the Nation Through 2028

The clock is ticking on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's timeline for its version of "clean" energy in the form of offshore wind.

On Wednesday, BOEM announced a planned future offshore wind leasing schedule through 2028. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland made the announcement at the International Partnering Forum conference in New Orleans, ahead of a potential change in political landscape.

The schedule includes up to 12 potential offshore wind energy lease sales in the next four years. BOEM anticipates...

Lobster Fishing Along Canada's Eastern Shore Begins

Lobster fishing along Canada’s Eastern Shore began on April 19, with fishermen pulling up their first catches the following day.

While the price of lobster varies, high prices in Nova Scotia can be attributed to a low quantity being caught, compared to past years.

“Leading up to the Canadian spring season, the shore price soared to a record high of $20.00 CAD in March, driving market prices for all sizes to unprecedented levels, surpassing previous records set in 2022. However, with new fishing areas opening up and catch levels on...

Russian Pollock Roe Auction In Busan Softening Due To Weak Yen And Other Factors

The bidding on new Russian-produced pollock roe has been slow, with some unsuccessful bids. The auction, held from April 16 to 18 in Busan, South Korea, featured listings of over 7,000 tons, with prices ranging from around $5/kg for STD (high grade) to $4/kg and above to mid-$3/kg for off-grade. Minato Shimbun reported that Japanese buyers have been cautious due to the rapid depreciation of the yen against the dollar, a factor that significantly impacts their...

Russian Fishmeal Exports in 2023 Increased by 10% to 143,000 Tons, and 80% Went to China

The Hokkaido Trawl Fisheries Cooperative Federation reports a notable surge in the export volume of fishmeal produced in Russia. In 2023, production escalated by a substantial 10% from the previous year, reaching an impressive 143,000 tons. It marks a staggering 2.6-fold increase in just five years since 2018. The Minato Shimbun further confirms this trend, noting a significant rise in the volume of major export destinations, South Korea and China.

Undoubtedly, China and South Korea remain major export destinations for Russian fishmeal...

Seafood Expo Global 2024: 3 of the Most Interesting and Unique Products on the Barcelona Show Floor

With over 2,200 exhibiting companies at Seafood Expo Global — taking up a whopping 51,248 net square meters — there is plenty to see on the Barcelona show floor. But some products are so interesting and unique that they stand out from all the rest.

Snackish from Profand 

Fish…churros? The new Snackish products from Profand are not your regular churro with fish flavor. They are also not churros shaped like fish. They are churros made from fish, and are available in two flavors: salmon...

The Retail Rundown: Abundance of Springtime Eating Occasions

There is an abundance of springtime eating occasions and grocers are gearing up for a triathlon of sorts with Cinco De Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day fast approaching.

The produce section and the meat case are expected to benefit from Cinco de Mayo as those celebrating load up on beef, pork, and chicken for a variety of dishes like tacos, fajitas, burritos, and carnitas. These dishes are often accompanied by fixings like guacamole and salsa, boosting sales of avocadoes, mangoes, and more...

Mowi’s Suit Against National Salmon Tax Rebuffed by Norwegian Court

Mowi, one of the world’s largest producer of farmed salmon and the largest opponent of Norway’s new ‘ground tax’ — a basic rent tax of 25 percent on the profit from their sea-based farming activities — lost the first round in what likely will be further challenges to the progressive tax. 

The district court in Hordaland county, home to Bergen, dismissed the case on the basis that it was premature because the federal government has not yet determined the full details of the salmon tax, which is expected this fall or  ...

...

Seafood Expo Global 2024: Day 1 Photos From The Barcelona Show Floor

Seafood Expo Global is here! And it’s bigger and better than ever!

While this is only the third year that Seafood Expo Global is being held at the Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via, 2024 actually marks the 30th edition of the event. 

Show organizers Diversified Communications report that this year’s expo will feature 2,244 exhibiting companies from 87 countries. Seafoodnews is reporting live from the event. Check out some of the most elaborate and jaw dropping booths from day 1 of Seafood Expo Global below!

Seafood Expo Global 2024: Vici Changing The Surimi Game With Deli-Meat Style Slices

Move over, surimi sticks. Europe’s Vičiūnai Group is changing the way that consumers view surimi. The company has numerous products on display at Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, but one of the most eye-catching is their surimi slice products, which includes “Salmon Taste,” “Crab Taste,” and “Bacalao Taste.”

Packaged similar to that of a pre-cut deli meat, the company boasts that its surimi slices provide a “convenient and flavorful” option for those looking to add a “delightful seafood twist” to their sandwiches...

Russian Fishing Sector Faced With Substantial Drop in Profits in 2023

Despite the ever-growing volume of catch, the Russian fishing sector saw a substantial drop in profits in 2023.

According to the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (VARPE), the net profit of the Russian fishing industry decreased by 13% last year, compared to 136.1 billion rubles ($1.46 billion) in 2022, which was the lowest figure since 2018.

According to VARPE, one of the main reasons for the profit decline was an increase in credit burdens. The Association reports that from...

Sweden Says Dead Fish Incident Last Summer May Be Connected to Feed

Sweden informed the EU’s RASFF rapid alert system on Wednesday that a feed product manufactured in Denmark may be implicated in the death of fish.

The product in question, Inicio plus S, is advertised by BioMar as a starter feed for Atlantic salmon. Although it is known that the notification was based on a consumer complaint, it is unclear how many animals or fish farms were affected.

According to the Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket), the incident happened last summer, but was only recently...

Seafood Expo Global 2024: 6 Events You Can’t Miss At The Barcelona Show

Seafood Expo Global (SEG) kicks off in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday, April 23. The 30th edition of the industry event is set to be the largest in history, with exhibitors occupying 51,227 net square meters of space.

Attendees can expect to see more than 2,050 exhibiting companies from 84 countries during the three-day expo. And, with only so many hours on the show floor, Seafoodnews is highlighting 6 events you just can’t miss:

The Catch In Your Catch: Practical Guidance on...

ANALYSIS: Canadian Snow Crab Start of the Gulf Season Begins 32 Percent Higher Than Last Year

From a market reporting perspective, the 2024 Canadian snow crab season is starting right on time with previous years for Gulf of St. Lawrence product. Mid-April is typically when the U.S. market starts to see snow crab come down into the market with enough volume for Urner Barry to begin establishing quotations. This has been the seasonal norm for the previous five years in the Gulf. Prior to that time, Urner Barry saw enough product to establish quotations closer to the...

South Korea Opens Market to Brazilian Shrimp and Animal By-Products

In an official statement released on 16 April by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA), South Korea has permitted the import of ten shrimp-based products from Brazil.

The approval facilitates the entry of both cooked and raw forms, which are available frozen or chilled. These products range from headless and peeled to breaded and seasoned varieties. The move is expected to facilitate trade by exempting these products from the requirement of an International Sanitary Certificate (ISC) which of late has experienced significant delays due to strikes and...

CDFW, Tribes Release First Hatchery Salmon That Will Return After Klamath Dam Removal

Young Klamath River salmon are getting a helping hand from the state and California tribes.

Last week, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and leaders from the Karuk, Yurok and Shasta Indian Nation and the Quartz Valley Indian tribes released about 90,000 yearling coho salmon just below the Iron Gate Dam on the Klamath River. It was the first major release of coho salmon, a state and federally listed threatened species, into the Klamath River since dam...

Once Again, Feds Deny Request for Emergency Action on Bering Sea Chinook Salmon Bycatch

For the second time in two years, NOAA Fisheries has denied a request for the agency to take emergency action to institute “a cap of zero on any further Chinook salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) pollock trawl fishery and that the emergency regulation stay in effect for 180 days.”

The five petitioners — Association of Village Council Presidents, Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Tanana Chiefs Conference, Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association, and Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission — also asked that ...

CNA’s José Antonio Camposano Confirms Subsidy Rate Adjustment For Ecuador Shrimp

Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced its preliminary affirmative determinations in the countervailing duties (CVD) investigation of frozen warmwater shrimp from Ecuador. As Seafoodnews reported at the time, producer/exporter Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila was hit with the largest subsidy rate at 13.41%.

Jose Antonio Camposano, Executive President of industry association Camara Nacional de Acuacultura, said at the time that they believed it to be an error in calculation. And while the preliminary determination has yet to be updated by the DOC, Camposano confirmed...

ANALYSIS: 2024 Alaska Pollock ‘A’ Season Wraps Ahead of Seafood Expo Global

As the "A" Season for Alaska Pollock wraps up, this year's harvest data from the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands region reveals nuanced dynamics in the fisheries sector.

According to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) data, the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Bering Sea pollock in 2024 remained consistent with the previous year at 1,300,000 metric tons. Despite the static TAC, landings during the "A" season of 2024, currently available through the first week of April, totaled 533,633 metric tons, showing a modest decline from...

USF&W Supports Fish Passage Projects in 29 States With $70M From Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Yesterday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced just over $70 million will go to 29 states support 43 projects that will address outdated or obsolete dams, culverts, levees and other barriers fragmenting the nation’s rivers and streams.

The initiative is designed to work with Tribes, states, and local authorities to remove barriers that interrupt rivers, block fish migration, and put communities at a higher risk of flooding. Allowing fish to migrate upstream improves individual health and population resilience for hundreds of...

Chinook, Coho to Benefit from Kellogg Dam Removal in Oregon

Once one dam was removed, more are following as restoring habitat has proven helpful for fish. The latest dam removal project in the West is on Kellogg Creek in Oregon.

Long-time NOAA partner American Rivers is leading a project team to remove the Kellogg Dam on the tributary of the Lower Willamette River. The work will help threatened Upper Willamette River Chinook and steelhead, Lower Columbia River coho, and Pacific lamprey to access upstream spawning and rearing habitat for juveniles.

NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation awarded...

Seafood Expo Global 2024: Gimar and Seafood Planet Wow With Salmon Sneakers 

Come for the seafood. Leave with some sneakers.

While it’s only the first few hours of the first day of Seafood Expo Global — and with more than 51,000 net square meters of exhibit space there is plenty more to see — one of the most intriguing booths this year belongs to Gimar and Salmon Planet. The two companies, sharing a stand at 3K601, have an open booth displaying their revolutionary packaging (no cardboard!) and unique products. And while there were plenty of Seafood Expo Global attendees gathered around the...

ANALYSIS: Is the Frozen Tuna Market Poised for A Rebound?

As seasonal warm weather envelops the nation, a traditionally revitalized phase of food service and retail demand emerges. This seasonal shift entices consumers outdoors, whether they're firing up grills at home or embarking on vacation adventures. Many market participants are optimistic that this transition will breathe new life into the frozen tuna market, lifting it from its stagnant state.

Throughout 2023 and into the first half of 2024, the economy grappled with the impact of elevated interest rates and pervasive economic uncertainty, leading to...

Nutreco & EW Group’s Blue Future Invest in Icelandic Salmon Producer LAXEY

Icelandic salmon producer LAXEY announced today the successful completion of an EUR 40 million equity private placement. The capital increase is intended to fund land-based salmon production, hatchery and post smolt production.

LAXEY is a hybrid flow-through salmon project located on Vestmannaeyjar, also referred to as the Westman Islands.

Formerly known as Icelandic Land Farmed Salmon, LAXEY is primarily owned by the Oskarsson family, who began fundraising last autumn to reach a production goal of 4,500 metric tonnes of salmon in...

WDFW Names New Director for Coastal Region

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is promoting from within to fill vacancies, naming Heather Hall as its new director of the Coastal Region (Region 6).

Hall has worked with WDFW for more than 30 years, most recently as Intergovernmental Ocean Policy Manager. She began her career with WDFW as a field technician sampling recreational catch in Neah Bay and conducting spawning ground surveys, before becoming the coastal Dungeness crab manager in 2006. She spent most of her career in Region 6 working on...

PODCAST: NL Snow Crab and Lobster, Peter Pan’s Surprising Update, Seafood Expo Global Preview

Get ready for Seafood Expo Global with Seafoodnews Podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione! Amanda and Lorin preview the upcoming event in Barcelona, sharing some can’t miss events happening on the show floor. Plus, get the latest scoop on what’s happening with the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab and lobster markets, and learn more about Peter Pan’s surprising announcement.

DOC’s Raimondo Declares Three More Fishery Disasters for Salmon in Alaska and Washington

Last week, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that three commercial fishery failures due to a fishery resource disaster have occurred in Washington and Alaska. They are:

- 2021 Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s Puget Sound fall chum and coho salmon fisheries
- 2022 Kuskokwim River salmon fishery
- 2021 and 2022 Upper Cook Inlet East Side setnet salmon fishery

The determinations are in response to requests from the late Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Chairman Jeromy Sullivan and Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy.

These three fisheries are now eligible for...

American Seafoods Releases Annual Sustainability Report 

Seattle-based American Seafoods Group is the first of the pollock fleet to release its 2024 annual sustainability report. The report details the company’s  continued advancement of its environmental and social responsibility efforts as it innovates and sustainably harvests the world’s best-managed fisheries.

The 2023 Sustainability Report highlights the different ways American Seafoods practices sustainability operating and harvesting techniques throughout the year 2023, including:

- Maintained 100% third-party eco-certification for all American Seafoods catch
- Achieved a 99% target catch rate in the Alaska pollock fishery, which is nearly a...

Ecuador’s Shrimp Industry Impacted By Power Crisis

Ecuador is in the middle of a national shutdown as the country deals with a power crisis.

Severe drought has resulted in President Daniel Noboa ordering businesses and government offices to shut down. This decision comes after energy companies scheduled power cuts earlier this week in an effort to save energy. For those unfamiliar with Ecuador’s energy source, the country primarily uses hydropower to generate its electricity. 

The National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) has been working with officials to keep the industry up to date on the power...