Premium Brands Sets Q2 Sales Record, But Clearwater Seafoods Posts Loss

Canadian seafood firm Clearwater Seafoods reported a dip in revenue and earnings during the second quarter of 2025, while Clearwater’s parent company, Premium Brands Holdings, posted record revenues and an increase in EBITDA compared to the same quarter last year.

Clearwater Seafoods saw its revenue dip in Q2 2025 by CAD 8.2 million ($6.0 million). The company attributed the dip to the below-average harvesting conditions for Canadian scallops and clams due to “natural variability” of the species and a turbot catch landing after the quarter, compared...

Russian Fishing Sector Struggles With Soaring Debts and Sluggish Growth

The Russian fishing industry is grappling with major challenges as a deteriorating business environment and increased government pressure have led to a sharp slowdown in growth. Mounting debts now threaten to trigger a wave of bankruptcies within the sector, according to the country’s leading fisheries association.

German Zverev, President of the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (VARPE), recently highlighted that ballooning loans and credit obligations present the most serious obstacle to industry advancement. In 2024, the sector’s total debts reached...

AquaBounty Still Seeking “Strategic Alternatives” While Selling Ohio Farm Assets

In their latest financial statements covering 2025 2nd quarter results, AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AQB) acknowledged a net loss of $3.4 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared to a net loss of $50.5 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.  

AquaBounty, a land-based aquaculture company that used technology such as genetic modification to enhance productivity and sustainability, ceased all farming operations last December after intense investment in a massive recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in Pioneer, Ohio, that was closed down last year...  

US Aquaculture Groups Praise Bipartisan MARA Act, Citing Boost for Domestic Seafood Production

A pair of US aquaculture advocacy organizations applauded the recently introduced bipartisan Marine Aquaculture Research for America (MARA) Act of 2025.

The bill would advance the development of commercial-scale open ocean aquaculture in US federal waters, which would pave the way for increased domestic seafood production.

“The bipartisan consensus is clear: Congressional action is needed to build a robust American open ocean aquaculture industry, and the MARA Act lays the groundwork towards that goal,” said Drue Banta Winters...

Regal Springs Introduces ASC-Certified Tilapia Tenders at Midwest Grocery Chains

Tilapia producer Regal Springs debuted its new Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) labeled Golden Delights Tilapia Tenders in retail stores in multiple US states in the Midwest.

Consumers in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin can now find Regal Springs’ new premium tilapia range at Mariano’s Fresh Market in Illinois, Metro Market and Pick ’n Save in Wisconsin and at Kowalski’s Markets in Minnesota as of August.

The new products can go from freezer to plate in 20 minutes, featuring whole tenderloin and whole muscle protein fish tenders...

FFAW-Unifor Secretary-Treasurer Jason Spingle Resigns After Two Decades with the Union

Last Friday the FFAW-Unifor trade union, representing 14,000 harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador’s small-boat, in-shore fisheries, announced that their Secretary-Treasurer Jason Spingle will resign from his role as FFAW Secretary-Treasurer, effective immediately. 

Spingle has been a representative for Areas 4R, 2J and 3Pn for over 20 years and has served as Secretary-Treasurer since 2022. 

According to the trade union’s press release, Spingle decided to resign to spend more time with his family and pursue other endeavours...

UNFI Appoints David Best to President and CEO of Retail

United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) announced the appointment of David Best to President and Chief Executive Officer of Retail effective August 17.

“I’m excited to join UNFI and accelerate the retail business during such a pivotal time for the Company,” Best said. “As a former UNFI customer and a Minnesota native, I have a great respect for the differentiated value UNFI is creating within our industry and for everything the Cub brand means to the community I call home. I’m energized by the opportunity to work with the...

Trump’s New 50% Tariff on India Threatens Shrimp Exports to the US

India, the United States' top shrimp supplier, now faces a 50% tariff.

President Donald Trump levied an additional 25% tariff on India, just days after he imposed a 25% tariff on the country, as Expana reported.

“I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,” Trump said in an August 6 executive order.

The move serves as a penalty on India for purchasing Russian oil. It is now one of the highest rates of all US trading partners...

Dongwon Ramps Up Global Pet Food Push, Leverages K-Pop Star for Tuna Product Launch

South Korean seafood giant Dongwon Industries has completed its acquisition of Dongwon F&B, setting the stage for a series of bold moves in the global food market, including an expansion of its pet food business and the appointment of K-Pop star, BTS’s Jin, as the face of a limited edition tuna product.

Dongwon Industries announced that it has incorporated Dongwon F&B into a 100% subsidiary through a stock swap.

Dongwon Industries, which is the holding company of the Dongwon Group...

USDA Commits $100 Million for Alaska Pollock, $20 Million for Catfish in New Seafood Purchases

US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced on August 1 that the department intends to purchase up to $230 million in fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables via Section 32 purchases.

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) said it would purchase $100 million in Alaska pollock and $20 million in farm-raised catfish.

The products will be used for distribution via food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the nation.

“Today’s announcement continues to prioritize American commodities for families and communities...

The Retail Rundown: Summer’s Last Stretch Drives Seasonal Promotions

August has arrived, bringing a sense of urgency to make the most of summer’s final weeks. With Labor Day fewer than four weeks away and just seven weeks remaining until the season’s official end, retailers are already diving into back-to-school promotions.

Seafood claims the top spot among protein features again this week, making up 30.3% of all retail ads, followed by beef at 26.2%, pork at 20.8%, and chicken at 18.9%. Egg promotions remain minimal, comprising less than 1% of features—consistent with last week’s light showing. The Midwest led in egg advertising, while the Northeast and South Central regions showed more moderate activity...

Crab Meat Importer Oceana Seafood Specialties Joins NFI’s Crab Council

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI)’s Crab Council announced Oceana Seafood Specialties as its newest member. The company is an importer and supplier of various crab products, including premium Blue Swimming Crab.

“We take pride in curating a reliable network that delivers consistent, high-quality seafood,” said Jeffrey Martinez-Malo, CEO of Oceana. “Sustainability is a key factor in every product we offer, and the Council’s leadership in Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) made joining an easy decision.”

Oceana’s executive team boasts nearly...

New Seafood Accelerator "Catch+Create" Launches to Drive Product Innovation  

A new startup accelerator program was recently launched to stimulate product  innovation, market growth and economic opportunity within the West Coast groundfish sector.  

Catch+Create, developed by nonprofit Positively Groundfish, is a highly resourced, no-equity accelerator focused on supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses to develop value-added products using West Coast groundfish like Pacific rockfish, sole, lingcod, sablefish, skate and more. This first-of-its-kind program is designed to help entrepreneurs create value-added packaged products like canned fish, frozen meals, smoked fish...

Thai Union Sees Record Margin Gains, Will Leverage Global Footprint Amid 19% US Tariff

Thai Union Group announced its gross profit margin (GPM) reached an all-time quarterly high of 19.7% in Q2, along with a record for the first half of the year at 19.3%.

The company said its results reflected “exceptional resilience and continued growth in profitability” via the record-high GPM, as its earnings per share saw an 18% growth.

The GPM record was linked to a favorable product mix and raw material costs.

The group posted Q2 2025 sales...

Nissui-owned French Seafood Firm Cite Marine to Ramp Up Seafood Output with New Plant

French seafood producer Cite Marine, a company under Japanese seafood giant Nissui Corporation, acquired a new factory, the Pontivy plant of Traiteur de Paris (Cesson-Sévigné, France), on July 21.

Cite Marine is a producer and distributor of chilled and frozen fried seafood, according to a press release from Nissui. It is also the European whitefish product hub for Nissui.

As the key white fish producer for the group, Cite Marine has expanded its offerings to include a range of frozen convenience foods, such as...

Wild Alaska Pollock Industry Undertakes Two Comprehensive Economic Studies to Measure Fishery Impact

The results of the Wild Alaska Pollock industry’s two economic studies, designed specifically to measure the significant financial and infrastructure contributions of the fishery to Alaska, will be unveiled at the upcoming Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting, the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced today. Renowned research firms McKinley Research and Northern Economics undertook two separate studies designed to catalogue and analyze the fishery’s tangible and intangible economic benefits...

GSA Releases Salmon Farm Standard Issue 3.0

Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) is pleased to announce the official release of its Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) Salmon Farm Standard (SFS) Issue 3.0. The standard will become effective on August 5, 2026, at which point all salmon farms must apply to Issue 3.0.

Updates have been made to make the standard more robust, including strengthened human rights requirements, stronger requirements for the protection of predator species, and stricter requirements for humane slaughter methods. This standard will also transition all salmon farms to a mandatory two-day audit duration...

Jayone Foods Recalls Frozen Oyster Meat Following FDA Advisory on Korean Imports

California-based Jayone Foods initiated a recall of frozen oyster meat, citing the recent US Food and Drug Administration advisory published last month in relation to frozen oyster products from Korea.

The company recalled ‘Frozen Oyster Meat Lot Code: B250206,’ on July 31, per a notice published on the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) website.

The FDA advisory warned food establishments and consumers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana and Utah not to consume frozen, raw, half-shell oysters with lot code: B250112...

Ecuador Pioneers in the Use of Eco-Friendly FADs for More Sustainable Tuna Fishing

The TUNACONS Foundation is leading a transformation in purse seine tuna fishing in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, based on the highest sustainability standards of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). It was the first organization in the region to develop a research program to evaluate the use of drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) built with 100% biodegradable and non-entangling materials, known as EcoFADs.

These innovative devices are designed to continue attracting tuna schools while eliminating any negative impact on the marine ecosystem. Since the 1990s...

US Foods Delivers Strong Q2 Results, Raises 2025 Outlook

In its quarterly results, US Foods' strong performance showed steady progress across key areas of the business.

“Our second quarter performance underscores the strength of our team's continued focus on execution and delivering value to our customers. This momentum has fueled further market share gains with independent restaurant, healthcare and hospitality customers, resulting in record Adjusted EBITDA of $548 million and a 40 basis point increase in Adjusted EBITDA margin to a record 5.4%,” said Dave Flitman, CEO. “Looking ahead, we have a long runway...

Five Commercial Fishermen Indicted in Illegal Alaska Halibut Harvesting Scheme

Five southeast Alaska commercial fishermen were charged by a federal grand jury for conspiring to illegally harvest halibut, in violation of the Lacey Act.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) cited court documents which alleged that commercial fishermen Jonathan Pavlik, 43, of Yakutat, Vincent Jacobson, 51, of Yakutat, Kyle Dierick, 36, of Yakutat, Michael Babic, 42, of Cordova, and Timothy Ross, 58, of Washington conspired to harvest halibut on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2023.

Documents alleged that Pavlik separately conspired with Jacobson, Dierick, Babic, and Ross...

China and Poland Overtake the US as Top Markets for Norwegian Seafood in July

Poland and China overtook the United States as the top seafood markets for Norwegian seafood in July, according to the latest update from the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In terms of value, seafood exports to the US grew in July compared to the same month last year, with NOK 1.1 billion ($107 million) headed to the states. However, China and Poland were able to surpass the US, which was the top destination for the first five months of the year...

Salmones Austral Names Charlotte Redmann to Lead US Business and Secret Island Brand

Chilean salmon company Salmones Austral announced the appointment of Charlotte Redmann as head of its US Business for Salmones Austral North America (SANA).

The newly expanded leadership role will see Redmann oversee all sales, marketing and operations in the US market, including the company’s premium consumer brand Secret Island.

Redmann enters the role with over a decade of experience in brand management, sales strategy and supply chain integration, along with expertise in the CPG and seafood sectors. Since joining Salmones Austral, Redmann was highlighted as playing...

Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Disaster Resilience for Working Waterfronts

Politicians from key seafood-producing states introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that offers a disaster mitigation tax credit to working waterfronts located on the coasts and on navigable waterways, per an announcement from US Senator Angus King (I-ME)’s office.

The Working Waterfronts Disaster Mitigation Tax Credit Act would provide working waterfronts with a 30 percent tax credit on up to $1 million when they invest in mitigation expenses, adjusted for inflation annually.

King was joined on the bill by Senator Bill Cassidy...

Kodiak Skipper Convicted of Lacey Act Violations Now Facing $1.2M Fine Over Clean Water Act

Repeat offender Corey Potter, found guilty last May of illegally transporting live crab from Alaska to Washington, has now been hit with a civil penalty, on separate charges of violating the Clean Water Act, of $1.18 million.

US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason found Potter and three companies he managed — F/V Knot EZ LLC, Aleutian Tendering LLC, and Alaska Tendering Company LLC — guilty of illegally discharging oily bilge waste and imposed a civil penalty of $1,182,265 for the violations...

Highwood Harbor Names Stephen "Felzy" Felsenthal as First Chief Commercial Officer

Highwood Harbor, a seafood industry holding company, has named Stephen "Felzy" Felsenthal as its inaugural Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).

Highwood said Felsenthal brings an “impressive track record of driving business growth, fostering innovation, and delivering exceptional customer experiences across prominent seafood organizations.”

Felsenthal enters the role with over 15 years of experience in the seafood sector. He most recently served as Vice President of Sales & Global Procurement for Riverence Provisions, the largest vertically integrated trout producer in North America...

Two Days Into a Special Session, Dunleavy Issues Sweeping Reforms to Alaska State Government

On Monday, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy issued two Administrative Orders intended to improve state budget efficiencies and reform regulatory procedures. 

Administrative Order #359 begins a “statewide annual Government Efficiency Review”  of all agencies within the executive branch to identify, evaluate, and implement opportunities for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 

“State revenues are contingent on the price of oil,” Dunleavy explained in the Order. This year oil revenues are falling “due to global events such as OPEC’s December 2024 decision to increase output...

Senator Cantwell Leads Bipartisan Effort to Restore NOAA’s Sea Grant Program

Last Friday, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell announced a bipartisan effort to reauthorize NOAA’s national Sea Grant Program. With sign-ons from Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker, Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware, and Alaska Republican Dan Sullivan, the bill to reauthorize the National Sea Grant College Program was introduced in the Senate.  

After cutting funding for the Maine Sea Grant Program last March and having some of the funds restored, NOAA’s budget for 2026, released last month, defunded the national program entirely...

New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay Clams Under New Ownership

New Zealand seafood brand Cloudy Bay Clams is under new ownership led by Tony Muollo and George Manettas, both respected names from regional seafood families.

The new owners said the next chapter for the company focused on preserving its sustainable harvesting roots while expanding its presence across Asia-Pacific and North America.

“We’re excited to take Cloudy Bay Clams into its next chapter,” said George Manettas. “This brand has a legacy and we’re focused on making it more accessible to chefs and markets across the region.”

The Winding Glass: $1 Billion Tariff Hit to Shrimp Industry Will Lead to Downturn in 12 Months

The US has finalized, for now, tariff rates on the major shrimp-importing countries, and the industry is preparing for a period of significantly higher costs. 

In this column, we look back at other periods when shrimp prices rapidly rose 20% or more to predict what the longer-term impact will be on our industry and customers. 

Things don’t look good.  

We calculated tariff impacts by using full year 2024 values for the major types of shrimp imports, shell-on...