Commercial Fishermen Sue Again Over South Atlantic Red Snapper Permits

Six commercial fishing businesses and fishermen from Florida and North Carolina filed suit this week against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, challenging exempted fishing permits (EFPs) that authorize an expanded recreational red snapper season in South Atlantic federal waters this fall.

The suit, Ariel Seafoods of Florida, Inc. v. Lutnick, was filed October 5 in the US District Court for the District of Columbia by Ariel Seafoods, A.P. Bell Fish Company, Slash Creek Waterworks, Fish Trap Inc., and fishermen John David Steed and Scott...

Police Thwart $273K Frozen Seafood Heist in New Jersey

North Arlington, New Jersey police interrupted an attempted theft of roughly 29,000 pounds of frozen seafood valued at more than $273,000, catching two suspects mid-transfer between trucks on October 3, the North Arlington Police Department said in a statement posted to its official Facebook page.

Officers responded to Porete Avenue after a report of suspicious activity involving cargo being moved from a tractor-trailer, and arrived to find two people actively transferring pallets of frozen seafood from a refrigerated tractor-trailer into a box truck, according to the...

Chile's Government Ousts Longtime Fisheries and Aquaculture Service Director

Chile's government has requested the resignation of María Soledad Tapia Almonacid from her post as national director of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca), effective October 31, 2026, ending a tenure that spanned more than 17 years at the agency. The move was confirmed in a brief joint statement from the Chilean government, the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, and the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture, as reported by Salmonexpert.

Neither the government nor Sernapesca has publicly disclosed the reasons behind the decision, nor named a permanent successor...

Compass Group Launches 'The Better Catch' Seafood Initiative With Chef Barton Seaver

Compass Group North America has launched a new culinary initiative called The Better Catch, developed through an exclusive partnership with chef and sustainable seafood advocate Barton Seaver, the foodservice giant announced during National Seafood Month.

The Better Catch combines culinary education, responsible sourcing expertise, chef-driven menu innovation and guest engagement resources, designed to help Compass's clients meet evolving consumer expectations for sustainable, diverse and responsibly sourced seafood. Compass serves millions of guests each day across healthcare, education, business & industry, sports and entertainment...

NOAA Fisheries Awards 14 Projects Over $25M in 2026 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program

NOAA Fisheries has made 14 new grant awards through its Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program, funding research that will shape management decisions for the largest wild scallop fishery in the world.

This year's projects were awarded more than 1.5 million pounds of Atlantic sea scallops rather than federal dollars. Under the RSA model, researchers partner with the fishing industry to harvest the awarded pounds, with proceeds funding the work. At an estimated $16 per pound, the 2026 awards are expected...

Red Lobster Names Andy Pitts Chief Marketing Officer and Jon Tryzbiak Chief Information Officer

Red Lobster, the iconic seafood restaurant brand, today announced that Andy Pitts has been named Chief Marketing Officer and Jon Tryzbiak has been promoted to Chief Information Officer. The appointments further strengthen Red Lobster's executive team, adding critical marketing and technology leadership for the company's next phase of growth...

Kaldvík Nearly Doubles Mortality Estimate From Iceland Jellyfish Event, Harvest Guidance Holds

Icelandic salmon farmer Kaldvík AS said the jellyfish event that struck its farming sites in Reyðarfjörður has resulted in approximately 11.5 percentage points of additional mortality in its affected 2025 generation since September 4 — nearly double the 6.5 percentage points the company had reported just three weeks earlier, according to a stock exchange announcement published October 7.

The revised figure marks the third update since Kaldvík first disclosed the jellyfish bloom on September 6, when it reported only 0.3 percentage points of additional mortality and characterized the situation...

ANALYSIS: US Sockeye Prices Closed 2026 Season at Multi-Year Highs Amid Broader Alaska Shortfalls

Fresh wild sockeye (H&G, 4-6 lb., FOB Seattle) closed out its 2026 season at some of the highest levels seen in at least three years. The weekly average price finished at $8.425/lb, near the top of its 52-week range ($6.25–$8.75), and had climbed roughly 10.5% over the trailing month heading into the close. Year over year, the series ended up about 35% higher than the same point last year...

Thai Express: 2025 Lobster LTO 'Sold Through Faster Than Anticipated,' Paving Way for Calamari

Thai Express is framing its new Crunchy Calamari launch as a deliberate second act in a seafood strategy that began with a 2025 lobster limited-time offer (LTO) — one the Canadian quick-service chain says performed well enough to justify building on it, even as the brand declines to commit to seafood as a permanent fixture just yet.

Expana reported on the calamari launch when it debuted in September, noting Thai Express was betting on the dish as Canada's next premium QSR protein...

Datassential Sees Familiar Flavors, Global Specialties Shaping 2027 Food and Beverage Innovation

Some of the food and beverage trends expected to shape 2027 are not entirely new. According to Datassential, several familiar menu items that have already reached broad adoption are gaining renewed momentum as operators find new ways to use them.

In highlights from its 2027 Trends Report, the market research firm said items such as banana, anchovy, mango, deli salads and the old fashioned are seeing a comeback, even though they are already well established. The company said these concepts are being refreshed through...

FDA Cites Star Ocean Wholesale Foods for Repeat Seafood HACCP Importer Violations

The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter dated September 1 to Star Ocean Wholesale Foods, addressed to company president Che Ku, citing the importer for serious violations of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulation under 21 CFR Part 123.

The letter, assigned CMS Case #736562 and issued by FDA's Office of Inspections and Investigations, followed a seafood HACCP inspection conducted August 4-6. FDA found that Star Ocean, as an importer of fish and fishery products, did not have...

TUNACONS Brings Together Vessel Owners from Several Countries to Discuss the Challenges BBNJ Poses

During the CONXEMAR trade fair, TUNACONS invited vessel owners from several countries to a meeting to discuss the scope of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, known as the BBNJ Agreement, and its potential implications for high-seas fisheries.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on the actions the fishing sector should pursue globally with governments in order to prevent negative impacts on responsible fishing activities while contributing to the conservation...

ANALYSIS: Record Peeled Volume Drives August US Shrimp Import Total, Closes Year-to-Date Deficit

August imports totaled 175.7 million lbs, close to the 176.0 million lbs estimate and the Expana projection at the aggregate level. The composition differed from expectations: peeled imports reached 97.3 million lbs, above the estimated range's upper bound of 93.3 million lbs.

This is the largest peeled volume recorded in a single month in the available data. July's total of 94.9 million lbs was the second-largest on record, behind August 2021's 96.6 million lbs; August 2026 surpassed that figure...

ADF&G Sets 2026/27 Bering Sea Crab TACs: Tanner Crab Nearly Triples to 32.1 Mlbs as Snow Crab Dips

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for the 2026/27 Bering Sea crab season, with tanner crab significantly up from last year and snow crab down. Bristol Bay Red King Crab (BBRKC) TAC is also up from last year, to 3.41 million pounds.

Snow Crab

The 2026/27 Bering Sea snow crab fishery has a total TAC of 5.1 million pounds, comprised of 4.59 million pounds in the...

Norwegian Seafood Exports Flat in September Despite Record Salmon Volumes, US Sales Keep Sliding

Norway exported seafood worth NOK 17.8 billion ($1.9 billion) in September, down NOK 27 million from the same month last year — essentially flat, even as the country shipped more salmon in a single month than ever before.

"Norway has never exported a higher volume of salmon in a single month than it did in September," said Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council. "At the same time, prices have risen in both euros and US dollars...

Japan Kamaboko Association Warns of Surimi Price Spike; Pangasius Demand May Boost Supply

On Sept. 30 in Osaka, the Japan Kamaboko Association held its first West Japan Block Meeting—drawing 43 attendees, including executives from member surimi-product companies—to share updates on surimi raw materials and discuss challenges facing manufacturers, the Minato Shimbun reported. Presentations covered production trends and processing systems for pollock surimi from the US and Russia and for farmed pangasius surimi from Vietnam, and also included a lecture on the health benefits of fish protein aimed at supporting...

Ambienta Acquires Four Aquaculture Technology Companies to Build Nordic Platform

European asset manager Ambienta SGR S.p.A. has acquired four aquaculture technology companies and combined them into a new Nordic industrial platform focused on sustainable aquaculture, the firm said.

The companies, Bio Marine AS, Flatsetsund Engineering AS (FLS), Smir AS and P/F GroAqua Group, supply technologies spanning fish health, feed optimization, aquaculture equipment, farming systems and waste treatment. Ambienta said the platform is designed to scale those technologies across species and geographies, while creating cross-selling opportunities and supporting product development...

Hokkaido Fall Chum Fishery at Critical Levels; Catch Halved, Landing Prices Skyrocket

The Minato Shimbun reported that Hokkaido's fall chum salmon fishery is in critical condition. According to daily reports from the Hokkaido Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (Hokkaido Gyoren), the cumulative catch as of October 5 stood at just 4,594 tons—a 48% drop from the same period last year—maintaining a pace at half of last year's record-low total. Although the late September to early October period typically marks the peak of the fishing season, there are no signs of a recovery... 

BCSFA Says New Report Confirms Salmon Farms Don’t Drive Sea Lice Levels in Wild Salmon

A recently published peer-reviewed paper in Diseases of Aquatic Organisms provides strong evidence that removing salmon farms in British Columbia’s Broughton Archipelago has not reduced sea lice levels on wild Pacific salmon.

“Another year has passed, marking ten years of sea lice monitoring in the Broughton Archipelago and nine years in the Discovery Islands, and the data continue to confirm that BC salmon farms are not driving sea lice levels in wild Pacific Salmon...

Scottish Government Awards Over £16M To Fisheries and Aquaculture Projects

The Marine Fund Scotland has awarded £16M ($21M) to 99 businesses and organizations around Scotland for the 2026-27 fiscal year, supporting an estimated 122 jobs in coastal and island communities.

Four strategically important projects by Seafood Scotland, Seafish, Salmon Scotland and Marine Environmental Services (Scottish Fishermen’s Federation) are included in the impressive initiative.

“Our seafood and aquaculture sectors are of vital importance to our coastal and island communities and a crucial contributor to Scotland’s economy, so it is great that this £16...

Ecuador's Shrimp Industry Sounds Alarm as Power Rationing and Tariff Hikes Squeeze Supply Chain

Ecuador's shrimp industry is mounting a two-front warning to the government this week, with both the national hatchery association and the broader aquaculture chamber saying electricity rationing and a steep tariff increase threaten the country's top export commodity from the larvae tank through to the packing plant.

The trigger was an October 1 reform by Ecuador's electricity regulator, ARCONEL, raising rates for high-voltage industrial users — the AV1 and AV2 categories covering most shrimp processors and feed mills...

Supreme Court Won't Hear Maine Lobsterman's GPS Tracking Challenge, Ending Multiyear Fight

The US Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a Maine lobsterman's Fourth Amendment challenge to the state's electronic vessel-tracking requirement, leaving a lower-court ruling in place and closing out a multiyear legal battle, Maine Morningstar reported.

Frank Thompson, a Vinalhaven lobsterman, brought the case, arguing that Maine's requirement to install a government GPS tracker on his boat amounted to unconstitutional continuous surveillance as a condition of holding a fishing license. Expana reported that the case is heading to the Supreme Court in September, after justices agreed...

QSR Report Finds that AI Boosts Drive-thru Efficiency, but Slips on Hospitality

Artificial intelligence is playing a bigger role in quick-service restaurant drive-thrus, but new research suggests operators may be sacrificing parts of the guest experience as automation takes over more of the ordering process.

The 2026 QSR Drive-Thru Report, produced by QSR in partnership with Intouch Insight, found that hospitality-related employee behaviors declined when AI handled the ordering interaction. The findings point to a potential trade-off for restaurant operators looking to improve efficiency...

Loblaw Recalls SeaQuest, President's Choice Shrimp Cocktail Products Over Undeclared Mustard

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a national recall on October 6 for two shrimp cocktail products sold by Loblaw Companies, citing undeclared mustard — an allergen not listed on the label.

The affected products are President's Choice Black Tiger Shrimp with Mild Cocktail Sauce (568 g, UPC 0 60383 18048 5, best before October 6-7, 2026) and SeaQuest Shrimp Ring with Mild Cocktail Sauce (454 g, UPC 0 60383 18047 8, with best-before dates ranging from November 2026 through July 2027)...

Publix Donates Nearly $100,000 to Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, Marks 16 Years of Collaboration

Publix is highlighting its partnership with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) for National Seafood Month, donating nearly $100,000 to the nonprofit in 2026 and pushing its total contribution to the organization past $1.2 million since the relationship began 16 years ago.

SFP works with the seafood industry to rebuild depleted fish stocks, reduce the environmental impact of fishing and fish farming, and sustain economic opportunities for fishing communities worldwide. Publix has used the partnership to evaluate its seafood sourcing and fund projects that address environmental...

Hodges: Fall Crab Supply Improves. Buyers Remain Selective

October’s National Seafood Month provides a timely opportunity to promote seafood and begin planning holiday purchases. For the crab industry, the fall outlook brings encouraging news from Alaska, limited uncommitted Canadian snow crab inventory, and continued growth in Norwegian snow crab shipments to the United States. The opportunity is there, but consumer response to current prices will determine how much additional business develops.

Alaska’s new allocations are a particularly positive development, led by a major increase in Bering Sea Tanner crab. The combined eastern and western allocations total 32.1 million pounds...

NOAA Confirms 76 US Large Whale Entanglements for 2025; 2026 Expected to Break All-time Record

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has just confirmed 76 large whale entanglement cases in 2025, a decrease from 2024. But according to a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), public data from May showed that at least 51 whales died on the U.S. West Coast so far this year.

NOAA’s National Report on Large Whale Entanglements Confirmed in the United States in 2025 states that entanglements in 2025 were lower than the 95 confirmed large whale entanglement cases in 2024...

Commerce Finalizes AD Review on Thai Frozen Shrimp, Keeps Thai Union Rate at 1.76%

The US Department of Commerce has finalized its administrative review of the antidumping duty order on frozen warmwater shrimp from Thailand, confirming that select Thai producers and exporters sold the product below normal value during the review period and leaving margins unchanged from its preliminary findings.

Commerce determined that certain producers/exporters subject to this administrative review made sales of certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Thailand at less than normal value during the period of review...

FMI Report Shows Prepared Foods are Becoming Part of How Shoppers Build Meals at Home

The Food Industry Association (FMI) has released the 11th edition of its annual report series examining consumer behaviors and shopping patterns around deli-prepared foods in grocery stores.

The latest findings in The Power of Foodservice at Retail 2026 suggest grocery prepared foods are now a regular part of how consumers approach meals at home, with many shoppers blending store-prepared items with home cooking rather than treating foodservice as a separate occasion. The survey was conducted online using Qualtrics...

The Retail Rundown: Holiday Demand Patterns Reshape Protein Markets

October sparks a shift in the retail space as consumers move beyond grilling toward heartier meals. The seasonal transition creates opportunities for retailers to promote roasts, ground beef, pork shoulder, and other cuts used in soups, chili, and other comfort-food applications. 

With October also serving as National Pork Month, promotional activity is picking up steam. USDA’s latest Weekly Grocery Store Pork Feature Activity report shows the national pork feature rate at 92.3%, up about ten points from the previous week.

Circana reported advertised prices of $2.22/lb. for pork...