Itochu agrees to $1.9 billion food tie-up with CP Pokphand

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Bloomberg News] By Yuriy Humber and Anuchit Nguyen - July 24, 2014 -

Itochu Corp. (8001), Japan’s third-largest trading company, agreed to a business tie-up with Thai agriculture group Charoen Pokphand as the two companies seek to expand food supply in the world’s most populous region.

Itochu will buy an HK$6.6 billion stake ($852 million) in Hong Kong-based unit CP Pokphand Co. and the Thai company will take 102.4 billion yen ($1 billion) of Itochu’s stock, the two companies said in separate statements. Itochu will also spend as much as 110 billion yen on a share buy back over the next year, the company said in its filing.

The cross shareholdings will help the two boost sales and cut the cost of buying raw materials as well as reducing asset running costs, Tokyo-based Itochu said today...

Lobster license stacking starting next spring in PEI will reduce traps in the water

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [CBC] July 24, 2014

A new plan to allow P.E.I. fishermen to hold more than one lobster licence will reduce the number of traps in the water.

Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea made the announcement in a news release overnight Wednesday.

The new rules will allow Island fishermen on the North Shore and in the southeast to buy another lobster fishermen's licence out.  The one boat would be allowed to fish two licences, which is known as stacking. Some of the traps from the second licence, up to 50 per cent the news release said, would have to be retired...

Mekong shrimp production forecast to rise 4.6% from last year

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Vietnam News] July 24, 2014

The Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta provinces expect US$1.3 billion from exports of shrimp in the second half of 2014, bringing earnings to $2.6 billion for this year.

The Steering Board for the Southeast Region, said that to increase export targets, the provinces planned to produce 214,000 tonnes of prawn in the second half for processing export products and 430,000 tonnes of prawn for the whole year, which is 4.6 per cent higher than last year.

Meanwhile, the region expected to produce 54,000 tonnes of white-leg shrimp and 16,000 tonnes of blue-leg prawn for export processing in the second half...

Wal-Mart's Asian business chief Greg Foran will replace Bill Simon as CEO of US division

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Associated Press] July 24, 2014

Wal-Mart U.S. chief Bill Simon is stepping down after being in the role since June 2010, the company said Thursday.

The world's largest retailer named the head of its Asian business as his replacement.

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer said Greg Foran, 53, who was promoted to president and CEO of Wal-Mart Asia earlier this year, will succeed Simon. The changes will take effect Aug. 9. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Simon will be available on a consulting basis for the next six months to ensure a seamless transition...

Oregon officials lift coastwide commercial mussel harvesting ban finding PSP risk has dropped

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Daily Astorian] July 24, 2014

The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are reopening the entire Oregon Coast to recreational and commercial mussel harvesting. Shellfish samples taken along the coast indicate levels of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) have dropped below the alert level.

With the reopening, the entire Oregon Coast is now open to all recreational and commercial shellfish harvesting with the exception of the Clatsop beaches, which are closed to all razor clam harvesting until Sept. 30 for conservation purposes. The conservation closure extends from the Columbia River to Tillamook Head...

Newfoundland food fishery death sparks emotional call for Gail Shea to extend season

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [CBC] - July 24, 2014 - 

Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea says she is open to looking at extending the season of the recreational fishery or reverting to a tagging system, but warns that the sustainability of cod stocks remain paramount.

While speaking with reporters in St. John's on Wednesday, Shea was asked whether the food fishery could be extended beyond a few weeks in the summer.

The current food fishery opened last Saturday and will close August 10. On the opening day, Gordon Reid, 72, died off Bell Island when a small boat capsized.

While RCMP confirmed that Reid and two others were not wearing life-jackets, there have been calls to extend the length of the food fishery so that participants will not feel rushed.

Vietnam's surimi exports to China up over 30% while shipments fall about 5% to top market S. Korea

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Vietnam News] July 24, 2014

South Korea, the ASEAN and China were the major buyers of Vietnamese surimi products in the first five months of this year, said the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

South Korea purchased $31.2 million worth of the products from Vietnam during the period, down 4.8% on year and accounting for 29.8% of the country’s $104.6 million surimi export revenues during the period,

The ASEAN was the second largest importer with an order value of $27.16 million, up 57.5% on year, while China bought $13.8 million worth of surimi during the period, up 32.8% on year...

Foodservice operator survey finds most not concerned about higher prices from Sysco/US Foods merger 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Foodservice Equipment and Supplies] By Jerry Stiegler - July 24, 2014 - 

How do foodservice operators feel about the pending Sysco/US Foods merger?

Dataessential and The Hale Group have teamed up to conduct a three-part research project to determine the impact the proposed merger will have on the operator community.  Some findings from the first study have been made available and perhaps one of the most interesting results of the survey was that operator awareness of the merger was low, especially among smaller businesses.

Secondly, only 35 percent of operators are concerned about price increases. 

It does not appear that...

South Australia's bluefin tuna harvest producing very high quality fish

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Port Lincoln Times] - July 24, 2014 

This year's tuna harvest is expected to be completed by the third week of August and it could be one of the highest quality harvests.

"The quality is by far the highest we have ever seen," Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Industry Association chief executive Brian Jeffriess said.

Mr Jeffriess said this year would also see the largest portion of harvested bluefin being frozen to increase market flexibility... 

Alaskans asked to comment on MSA Re-authorization, sea lions, mines and more (Fish Radio)

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] July 24, 2014 

The public is encouraged to comment on issues affecting Alaska fisheries on several fronts. First off - a draft of the Magnuson-Stevens Act is now available for public review and comment. The MSA is the primary federal law that governs fisheries management in U.S. waters and is undergoing reauthorization.

It’s the last chance to comment on another massive mine that has Southeast Alaskans worried. Seabridge Gold plans to build the KSM mine at headwaters of two salmon rivers in Canada, just 19 miles from the Alaska border. One river flows into Misty Fjords National Park. KSM would include three open pits, an underground mine and huge tailings and rock dumps that must be watched and treated forever...

Ipswich, MA officials take emergency measures to keep unlicensed clammers off of commercial beds

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Gloucester Daily Times] by Alan Burke - July 24, 2014

The Southwest is not the only border under siege.

Ipswich is taking emergency action to deal with clammers coming across the Essex and Gloucester border on Sundays to harvest on the richest clamming beach in Ipswich.

It’s not as serious, of course, as the problems on the Texas border, but it’s not trivial, either, to the roughly 100 commercial clammers in Ipswich...

Sealord names former McCain Foods regional MD new CEO

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] - July 24, 2014 - 

Sealord Group Ltd’s Board of Directors has appointed experienced food industry leader Steve Yung as the company’s next CEO.

Canadian born Yung has most recently been Managing Director of McCain Foods Australia/New Zealand and will take up his new role, based in Auckland on the 25th August 2014.

He was a member of the global Senior Leadership Team at McCain. Sealord Group Chairman Matanuku Mahuika said Yung has a strong set of skills that will help the company’s growth and development, particularly in the Australian market...

NPD sees restaurant traffic likely to remain flat 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Nation's Restaurant News] By Mark Brandau July 24, 2014 - 

Consumer traffic to restaurants in the United States has flattened, with few signs of an imminent rebound, according to new data from The NPD Group.

The Port Washington, N.Y.-based market research firm found that American consumers made about 61 billion visits to restaurants during the 12 months ended in May 2014, roughly the same number of visits recorded in the 12-month period a year earlier. That amount of traffic is nearly 1..3 billion annual dining-out occasions below pre-recession levels, NPD found.

The firm’s long-range traffic forecast shows annual growth of less than 1 percent expected for the next several years.

“There are some fundamental shifts...

WWF will push for suspension of Pacific bluefin fishing if nations cannot agree on catch limits

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] July 24, 2014

WWF will urge a suspension of the Pacific Bluefin tuna fishery, if fishing nations fail to set binding catch limits in line with scientific recommendations this year.

WWF’s hardening stance follows an inconclusive annual meeting of the Inter American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) which deferred discussions on bluefin tuna quotas to October. Catch reductions of at least 50 per cent and a drastic reduction in the take of juveniles will also need to be implemented by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in Samoa in December in order to secure the future of the fishery.

At the just concluded meeting, major fishing countries Japan, Korea, Mexico and the US did not agree on conservation measures and delayed decisions until October...

New shell Maine lobsters finally appearing in the market

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] By Ken Coons - July 22, 2014 - 

This year’s lobster shedding season in Maine has reverted to a more normal late July timing.  This may be a result of extended cold weather this spring. Some lobstermen and buyers have been reporting catches half the size they saw at this time last year.

The lobster season typically picks up after the bulk of the lobster population sheds its shells and reaches legal harvesting size. This year, soft, or “new shell” lobsters are just now beginning to appear in the market.   

At J.P. they pack their new-shells in slot-boxes...

Ex-Seafood Exchange Pres. Gerry Frattollilo to be first inductee into Boston Seafood Hall of Fame

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] July 22, 2014

The late Gerry Frattollilo, a 50-year employee and former president of the New England Seafood Exchange will be the first inductee into the newly formed Boston Seafood Hall of Fame.

Founded by the Boston Fisheries Foundation created the Hall to honor pioneers and leaders in the New England seafood community and Frattollilo, an industry veteran, was an ideal candidate as the Hall's first inductee.

Frattollilo will be inducted at the Third Annual Boston Seafood Festival, the Boston Fisheries Foundation’s celebration of the local seafood community held July 27th from 11am – 6pm on the historic Boston Fish Pier...

Virginia's marinas hike unloading fees to take advantage of booming oyster harvest

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Daily Press] by J. Elias O'Neal - July 23, 2014

On a cloudy muggy morning along the shores of Deep Creek in Newport News' Menchville area, third generation marina operator Lonnell Perok-Coffen carries on the business left in her hands nearly five years ago by her father Steven Perok.

Oysters, long a major catch along the shores and tributaries of Chesapeake Bay across Hampton Roads, are finally showing signs of a comeback.

Jim Wesson, who oversees the management of oyster fisheries for the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, said the Commonwealth's oyster harvest is expected to top more than 500,000 bushels...

Sen. Begich releases revised draft of Magnuson-Stevens 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Saving Seafood] - July 23, 2014 - 

A revised draft of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) reauthorization legislation is now available online for public review and comment, said U.S. Senator Mark Begich, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard. 

"This shorter, revised draft incorporates many comments from Alaskans and others around the nation who responded to our initial discussion draft in April," said Begich.  "I hope the public will review these changes and get back to me soon so we can advance to the next step in the process.

The public will still be able to comment as the bill is taken up by Begich's subcommittee, and marked up by the full Commerce Committee before moving to the Senate floor for action.  Any Senate version of MSA must then be reconciled with the House version...

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Arthur T. Demoulas makes offer to buy Market Basket

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Boston Globe] By Casey Ross  July 24, 2014 - 

Arthur T. Demoulas on Wednesday said he will make an offer to buy the Market Basket supermarket chain, seeking to regain control of the fractured company and end the decades-long family feud that has exploded into an extraordinary public spectacle this month.

Demoulas said in a statement that he and his side of the family will try to buy the 50.5 percent of Market Basket now controlled by opposing relatives who supported his firing last month as president of the company.

It was not immediately clear whether the offer was being seriously entertained by family shareholders who have battled with Demoulas for control of the company since the early 1990s.

(The Boston Globe also reported on the impact the unrest has had on its seafood suppliers...

Gail Shea refuses to budge on inshore shrimp cuts and LIFO policy

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [CBC] - July 23, 2014 

Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea stood her ground Tuesday on controversial quota reductions that will cut most deeply among inshore fishermen, and admonished Newfoundland and Labrador for an unfulfilled promise to rationalize the processing sector.

But provincial counterpart Keith Hutchings said Shea's intransigence will likely lead to trouble in the provincial seafood industry.

Hutchings and others fear that even deeper cuts are yet to come...

Marine Harvest says it did not violate EU laws in Morpol acquisition after hit with $26 million fine

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - July 23, 2014

Marine Harvest plans to challenge a fine levied by the European Commission for violating merger and acquisition laws, claiming it acted in accordance with EU regulations in a deal to take over Morpol.

This week the Commission fined the major Norwegian salmon producer US$26 million (EU20 million) accusing Marine Harvest of violating the EU Merger Regulation when it acquired a 48.5 percent stake in Morpol on December 18, 2012. The Commission said Marine Harvest failed to receive prior authorization and said the company should have been aware of its obligation to notify and await clearance before it proceeded with the acquisition.

According to the Merger Regulation, mergers and acquisitions with an EU dimension (in particular because they meet certain turnover thresholds) must be notified to and authorized by the Commission before they are implemented...

New England's live lobster prices set to fall to seasonal lows as new shell product hits the market

Live American lobster prices out of New England are poised to fall sharply this summer--albeit a bit little later this year compared to recent seasons--as new shell product out of Maine is hitting the market at a more historical pace.

Average wholesale prices for live, 1 ¼ quarter lobsters in New England are 60 percent higher this July compared to last year according to Urner Barry. The increase has been driven by a lack of soft, or “new shell” inventories this season compared to 2012 and 2013.

Colder than normal Maine waters have delayed the lobster molt and cut...

Alaska's statewide salmon catch tops 71 million fish with Bristol Bay haul nearly 70% above forecast

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Cordova Times] by Margaret Bauman - July 23, 2014

Statewide commercial harvests of wild salmon rose above 71 million fish on July 22, including nearly 29 million salmon in Bristol Bay, but Copper River sockeye prices were holding their own, despite the increasing competition.

The preliminary harvest from the Copper River stood at over 2 million fish, including 1,998,000 sockeye, 42,000 chum, 10,000 kings, 2,000 pink and fewer than 1,000 silver salmon.

In Bristol Bay, also now peaked, the harvest through July 21 was 28,875,000 fish...

Ecuadorian shrimp producer OMARSA says EU free trade deal will help export market

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - July 23, 2014

Ecuadorian shrimp producer OMARSA says a recently ratified free trade agreement with the EU will help grow the country's shrimp trade to the overseas market.

Late last week Ecuador and the EU finalized a free trade deal that will ease tariffs on a majority of Ecuador's exports to the market. Ecuador is a top fish and fruit exporter to the EU.

According to key Ecuadorian shrimp producer OMARSA, the deal will have a positive effect on Ecuador's shrimp shipments to the EU. 

Demoulas Market Basket crisis shows strength of workplace "family"

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Gloucester Times - Editorial] - July 24, 2014 - 

There’s a revolution going on at the shopping cart corrals, at the entrances to almost every one of Market Basket’s 71 stores, and in their increasingly empty aisles, from Gloucester to Lawrence and New Hampshire.

At Market Basket stores across the region, store employees have been stationing themselves at the entrances, holding signs and petitions, urging shoppers to stay out.

It’s a phenomenon unheard of in corporate America....

Food safety in China still faces big hurdles

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [New York Times] By Michael Moss and Neil Gough - July 24, 2014 -

China has been scrambling to right its gargantuan processed-food ship ever since six infants died and thousands more were hospitalized with kidney damage in 2008 from milk adulterated with an industrial chemical.

But as the latest scandal involving spoiled meat in fast-food shows, the attempted transformation over the last six years has run up against the country's centuries-old and sprawling food supply chain.

From factory inspections to product recalls, laboratory testing to prosecutions, China's emergent food-quality apparatus has turned into reform on the fly, with ever-changing threats and setbacks. Now, the growing presence of big American brands means that the country's oversight efforts -- and its most glaring lapses -- are playing out on a global stage.

Earlier this year,...

Performance Food Group names former Sysco exec new Executive Vice President Of Operations

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] - July 24, 2014 -

Performance Food Group, Inc. has named Jim Hope to the new role of Executive Vice President of Operations reporting to George Holm, President & CEO.

Among his primary responsibilities, Hope will focus on PFG operations and procurement.  He also will oversee the company’s internal initiative to strengthen operational best practices.

Hope joins PFG after serving in various executive leadership roles during his 26-year career with Sysco Corporation.

"East Coast white" demand keeps S. Carolina shrimpers afloat against Gulf product in local markets

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Post and Courier] by Bo Petersen - July 22, 2014

Lowcountry shrimpers fight for their livelihood against cheaper, price-cheat imports - that's the industry line. The reality, though, is that Asian farm-raised competition doesn't have much to do with it.

The catch here is too sparse and too inconsistent to compete with Gulf of Mexico shrimp in the national retail market. That's why shrimping here is a niche industry struggling to hang on.

Its best chance might be in the latest boon thrown the shrimpers' way. Demand is growing...

Blowback mounts against 4 months lobstering ban off Massachusetts coast to protect whales 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Patriot Ledger] By Jessica Trufant - July 23, 2014 -

Lobsterman Michael Duane gets by without a paycheck for two-and-a half months each year, but he says going much longer than that would be difficult.

Duane could face that reality next winter, as new regulations set by the National Marine Fisheries Service ban the use of lobster trap and pot gear from Jan. 1 to April 30 off much of the state's coast.

The measure aims to eliminate whale entanglements with lobster gear. "We eliminated all floating rope between traps," Duane said. "All entanglements I've heard of have been offshore with heavy, heavy rope, and we use none of that."

State officials and industry stakeholders plan to challenge the rules, which are part of the National Marine Fisheries Service's new Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan.

Mekong Delta province spending $38 million to upgrade shrimp farm irrigation, reduce disease risk

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [VNS] - July 22, 2014 - 

The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang will invest $37.6 million in building three irrigation systems to serve local shrimp cultivation from 2015 onward.

The irrigation systems will provide water for 2,000 ha of shrimp cultivation in Tran De district, 1,500 ha in Cu Lao district and 8,000 ha in Vinh Chau district.

In the past three years, large shrimp areas in Soc Trang have been infested with diseases and lack of irrigation systems is partly the cause...