Target On Track to Achieve 100% Sustainability Certification for its Entire Seafood Supply Chain

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] September 23, 2016

Target says it has nearly met its goal to source all of its fresh and frozen seafood from fisheries that are either certified sustainable or on their way toward achieving sustainability certification.

The retailer set a goal in 2011 to source all of its seafood from fisheries that were sustainably managed or in the process of achieving certification. Target’s senior seafood buyer Nic Berkeland and its brand buyer Gry Engen teamed up to achieve the goal by partnering with Fish Wise.

FishWise helped Target develop a comprehensive sustainable seafood program with strict guidelines that every fresh or frozen seafood product dol met specific sustainability guidelines...

United Cook Inlet Drift Association Wins Lawsuit Against NMFS on Appeal

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - September 22, 2016

“We won!” wrote Audrey Salmon, manager of the United Cook Inlet Drift Association (UCIDA) to her members when an Anchorage federal appeals court reversed a lower court decision against the fishermen.

The suit found fault with the North Pacific Council’s Amendment 12 to the Fisheries Management Plan for Salmon. The council adopted Amendment 12 in 2012, to make official something many people already assumed: that Cook Inlet, Prince William Sound, and the Alaska Peninsula were exempted from the federal fisheries management plan for salmon because the State of Alaska was managing those fisheries adequately.

But UCIDA and the Cook Inlet Fishermen’s Fund urged the Council to reject the amendment...

New Zealand King Salmon Moves Forward with IPO; Market Capitalization Valued at $154 Million

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 23, 2016

New Zealand King Salmon officials submitted the paperwork needed for an initial public offering. The farmed king salmon producer is seeking a market capilitzation worth $154.5 million if fully subscribed.

The company will list its share price at $1.12 and is seeking $30.0 million in new capital to repay debt, to fund future investment and for working capital.

As part of the IPO, existing investor Direct Capital is selling up to $45.0 million of shares in the Offer...

Gulf Shrimp Landings Continued Well Below 5-Year-Avg in August; Wholesale Prices Keep Climbing

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - September 22, 2016

The latest round of monthly shrimp landings out of the Gulf of Mexico provided more confirmation that the spring seasons in Louisiana and Texas were a bust. Landings continue to trend well below the five-year-average for the fishery, which has kept inventories tight and wholesale prices high into September.

Monthly landings were reported at 14.2 million pounds for the month. The figure was down 28 percent from the same month last year, a difference of over 5 million pounds. The volume is down 22 percent from the five-year average and is the lowest August total since the BP stricken season in 2010...

PODCAST: Urner Barry and Seafood News Launch Podcast Network; GOAL 2016 News Recap Featured

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - September 22, 2016

Urner Barry and Seafood News have launched a podcast network that will provide market and industry news in a convenient audio format that is accessible on mobile devices.

The Urner Barry Market Digest and the Seafood News podcast are available for download and to stream through your iPhone or Andriod devices using iTunes, Google Play or SoundCloud.  Search “Urner Barry” or “Seafood News” to find the podcast stations. Subscribe to each channel to receive notifications for when new content is available...

Chefs & Media Attend ASMI Summer Culinary Retreat

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 23, 2016

For four days in mid-August ASMI hosted their fifth annual hands-on, Alaska Seafood Culinary Retreat for international chefs from Brazil, China, Germany and Spain, top-tier domestic media, and registered dietitians.

The tour started in Ketchikan with a sustainability presentation by fisheries biologists at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and a processing plant tour of E.C. Phillips, where the visitors got an overview of the Alaska seafood industry.

The group took a float plane to Steamboat Bay Lodge on Noyes Island and spent the next few days seeing first hand how commercial fishing is done, learning about and tasting different species of Alaska salmon, whitefish and crab.

To the delight of the entire group, the international chefs hosted cooking demonstrations...

Russia to Boost Pollock Exports to EU, Domestic Demand low due to Poor Quality in Soviet Times

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by Eugene Gerden Sept. 21, 2016

Fresh Domestic Catfish Prices at Near-Record Highs With Supplies Tight From Poor Spring Production

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - September 21, 2016

The fresh domestic, farmed catfish market is trending at record or near-record highs because of tight supplies driven by an extended period of poor production in 2016.

Average wholesale prices for fresh 3-5 oz Domestic catfish fillets have climbed to $4.67 per pound in September, the highest price in this market since 2012 according to Urner Barry. The market for whole dressed H&G catfish and nuggets has also increased to annual or all-time record highs this month...

Maine Lobster Industry to Celebrate Second Annual National Lobster Day on September 25

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] September 22, 2016

The Maine Lobster industry will celebrate its positive economic and cultural impact both in Maine and in the U.S. during National Lobster Day on September 25, 2016.

This is just the second National Lobster Day since the designation was made through a resolution by Senators Angus King and Susan Collins of Maine.

The day is meant to reinforce the hard work, sustainable practices and passion of Maine's 5,600 independent lobstermen and women the politicians said...

Hawaii Longliners, Auction Move to Regain Buyers' Confidence with Labor Audit

SEAFOOD.COM NEWS [Seafood News] September 20, 2016 -

The Hawaiian seafood industry is taking swift action to assess problems and implement solutions in the wake of a September Associated Press article that alleged forced labor, human trafficking and poor working conditions on longliners that use foreign contracted crewmen.

“The industry takes the AP report seriously,” Hawaii fishing industry member and advocate Jim Cook said in a press release, and “is actively assessing the situation and is committed to making certain that if found, forced labor and labor abuse is eliminated from the fishing industry.”

Barents Sea Cod, Haddock and Saithe Fisheries Recertified by MSC

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 21, 2016

The Barents Sea fishery of cod, haddock and saithe has been recertified by the Marine Stewardship Council for environmentally sustainable fishing.

“The re-certification of our fishery to MSC standard for sustainable fisheries is a proof that our strategy aimed at development of sustainable fishery is effective. We’ve played a leading role in promoting sustainable fishery values among other actors in fishery sector in Russia and worldwide. In five years of MSC certification we have managed to implement actions to close all six conditions set under initial MSC certification” says Sergey Sennikov, Chief Sustainability Officer of Ocean Trawlers, the client company to MSC.

The MSC website notes that cod and haddock have completed the once-every-five year reassessment and that saithe is undergoing assessment.

The three fisheries are in the waters of Norway and Russia...

Gorton's Redesigns Retail Packaging to Market Three Distinct Product Lines

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] September 21, 2016

Gorton's Seafood announced a re-design to its packaging in order to distinguish its lineup of 20 retail products available to consumers.

The three packaging types will break up Gorton’s offerings into three categories: Delicious Classics, Smart Solutions and Everyday Gourmet.  . The new designs are starting to hit grocery shelves now and should completely replace current packaging by 2017.

The change in packaging coincides with a company-wide effort to simplify the ingredients across the entire line of Gorton's products, focusing on real ingredients...

Letters: MPA Proposal Off California Coast Is Yet Another End-Around US Commercial Fishery Management

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] Opinion by Larry Collins - September 20, 2016

Collins is president of the San Francisco Cab Boat Owners’ Association and vice president of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. He also manages the San Francisco Community Fishing Association. 

Dear Seafood News, 

Do you know that you own the fish in the sea? Yes, you do.

We call fish a “public trust resource” for a reason. You, as a member of the public, own those fish in the sea, the water they swim in, and the habitats they call home.

I’m a professional seafood harvester. I offer a service by catching fish and making it accessible to you so you can concentrate on other productive endeavors. As part of my job, I comply with a dense set of rules to ensure the sustainability of the service I provide, and of the seafood at your dinner table...

19th Global Aquaculture Alliance GOAL Conference Opens in Guangzhou

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton  Sept. 20, 2016

The 19th GOAL Conference of the Global Aquaculture Alliance opened today in Guangzhou.

SalmonChile Wants Federal Authorities to Appoint an Aquaculture Undersecretary

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [TechnoPress] September 21, 2016

Chile’s farmed salmon association SalmonChile wants the federal government to create a new position within its fishery management leadership that will specifically manage the concerns of Chile’s aquaculture industry.

SalmonChile President Felipe Sandoval called on federal authorities to create an Aquaculture Undersecretary within Sernapesca.

Sandoval said Chile’s current fishery management caters more to the artisanal sector and the farmed seafood industry is in need of a federal representative.

“The idea is to have a special undersecretary for aquaculture and which had a special part of Sernapesca separate fishing for aquaculture, both in the research topic,” Sandoval said...

Japan's Salmon Catch in Hokkaido Nearly Cut in Half Because of Heavy Rain and Flooding

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Japan Reports] September 19, 2016

Salmon catch nearly halved in eastern Hokkaido because of the flooding of river stockades caused by typhoons

A series of typhoons that came ashore or approached Hokkaido from late August to early September are inflicting severe impact on salmon hatching projects in eastern Hokkaido.

September is the prime time for the catch of salmon that comes upstream in local rivers, but the stockades for catching salmon in the rivers were flooded by heavy rains, causing salmon to slip through the fences...

Alaska Sablefish Landings at 15 Million Pounds, Canada Landings at 2 Million

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - September 20, 2016

As of today, Alaska longliners and pot fishermen have caught 74 percent of their 20.4 million pound quota of sablefish, known as black cod. Canada’s West coast fleet has caught 2 million pounds, or 44 percent of their 3.6 million pound quota.

In Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans reports sablefish landings from the directed fishery and from landings while targeting halibut. Each sector has a quota within the overall quota for sablefish.

In Alaska a total of 1,315 vessels are harvesting sablefish...

Gov. Bill Walker Asks Feds to Declare Alaska's 2016 Pink Salmon Season a Disaster 

Governor Bill Walker has officially requested the federal government to declare the 2016 pink salmon season a disaster for four Alaska regions. "After consulting with the Dept. of Fish and Game and the Dept. of Commerce, Community and Economic Development I am making a formal request to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce for a declaration of fishery disaster in the Kodiak management area, Prince William Sound, the Chignik management area and the Lower Cook Inlet management area," Gov. Walker said in a letter. The total Alaska pink salmon catch to date is 38.2 million on a 90 million harvest forecast. A federal disaster declaration would qualify Alaska's fishermen to receive disaster funds. Alaska received nearly $8 million in federal money in 2012 due to low king salmon runs on the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers and in the Cook Inlet region.

In other news Alaskan salmon news, Bristol Bay's sockeye run was the second best season in the last 20 years. A report from the ADF&G said the commercial harvest was 26 percent above the preseason forecast. “The 2016 inshore Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run of 51.4 million fish ranks 2nd out of the last 20 years (1996–2015) and was 46 percent above the 35.1 million average run for the same period,” according to a season summary from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. At the same time, the ADFG estimates the ex-vessel value of the haul at $156.2 million, which is 40 percent above the 20-year average of $111 million.

Meanwhile, Pacific Aquaculture International officially launched its North American headquarters near Saltery Bay in British Columbia this week. The company plans to expand its land-based operation into one of North America’s largest shellfish hatcheries within its first four years. Pacific Aquaculture will start by harvesting scallops, but also has a federal commercial fishing licence for 23 other shellfish species, including clams, geoducks, oysters and mussels.

Target says it has nearly met its goal to source all of its fresh and frozen seafood from fisheries that are either certified sustainable or on their way toward achieving sustainability certification. “Today, we’re proud to say we’ve made it 97 percent of the way to our goal, and that we’ve already achieved it for 100 percent of our owned-brand seafood products. And we’re still pushing ahead to achieve full compliance across the remaining products later this year,” Target said in a blog post on its website. Target partnered with FishWise to develop its sustainability policy and buys seafood rated Green or Yellow by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program.

Finally, Vietnam's seafood exporters warned pangasius producers in the Mekong to dial back plans to expand production for the time being. VASEP issued the warning since pangasius sales to China have been in decline.

Remember to download or stream our podcast content to your iPhone or Andriod device using iTunes, Google Play or SoundCloud. 

Have a great weekend. 

FDA Suspends New York's SM Fish Corp From Selling Seafood for Repeated Listeria Violations

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - September 22, 2016

The FDA has temporarily suspended the sales and distribution of seafood  products from New York-based operator SM Fish Corp for repeated violations of food safety protocols.

A Suspension of Food Facility Registration Order was filed against SM Fish Corp since the company has not properly addressed listeria contamination issues at its facility.

SM Fish Corp was forced to recall its OSSIE’s Brand of ready-to-eat seafood dips last week over concerns the products were contaminated with bacteria that can cause listeria...

Jeff Sedacca and his Shrimp Team Moving from National Fish to Sunnyvale Sfd US Subsidiary of Guolian

Most Tuna Catch Comes from Abundant Stocks, But Overfishing of Some Stocks Continues

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 22, 2016

Washington, DC – The global commercial catch of tuna reached 5 million tons in 2014, an increase from 4.6 million in 2013, according to the ISSF Tuna Stock Status Update – 2016 (Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna) report just published by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). Tuna accounts for about 6% of the world’s 81.5m ton marine catch.
 
The report, which is updated as recently as this month for species that have current landings or survey data available, lists the make up of the world’s tuna catch and measures each of the world's stocks against three management metrics: abundance, mortality, and bycatch.

Skipjack tuna species accounted for 57% of the tuna catch, followed by yellowfin...

GAA Survey Expects Global Shrimp Production to Rise 4% or more in 2017

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton Sept. 20, 2016

Jim Anderson presented the results of GAA’s annual survey of shrimp producers to forecast Global production. The result was much lower than last year.

Alaska Halibut Season Approaches Quota: 2.3 Million Pounds Left to Catch

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - September 20, 2016

With seven weeks left in the season, halibut landings in Alaska have reached nearly 15 milion pounds, or about 87 percent of the quota to date.

In Canada (regulatory area 2B), landings are 4,129,345 pounds to date, about 72 percent of the 5.74 million pound quota. The quota for Washington, Oregon, and California, was set at 1.140, and caught by July 20, 2016. Halibut season is closed in that area, known as 2A.

Southeast Alaska (area 2C) has another 421,000 pounds to catch before the season closes November 7, 2016. The eastern Gulf of Alaska, area 3A) including ports of Yakutat, Cordova, Seward, and most of the Kenai Peninsula, has 854,000 pounds remaining...

GAA Signs Deal to Get More Chinese Farmed Seafood BAP and HACCP Certified

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] September 20, 2016

The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) signed agreements with several Chinese food certification and inspection bodies to form a program that will promote responsible aquaculture practices in China to increase farmed seafood sales to the US and other overseas markets. 

The agreement forms the International Aquaculture Products Quality Safety and Certification Partnership Program between the GAA and the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA), China Entry Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association (CIQA) and Seafood HACCP Alliance (SHA)...

NaturalShrimp Announces Agreement With A Fortune 500 Company And F&T Water Solutions

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 21, 2016

LA COSTE, Texas -- NaturalShrimp, a global producer of shrimp grown in technologically unique indoor saltwater facilities, has signed a landmark agreement with a Fortune 500 company and Largo, FL-based F&T Water Solutions for advanced development of the Company's proprietary technology.

Under the agreement, signed September 4, 2016, the Fortune 500 Company will proceed immediately with a detailed engineering evaluation of the system located in La Coste, Texas.

That evalution will result in a replicable design that can be scaled to multiple locations, according to a roll-out plan that will be announced early next year.  A primary component in the system is being provided by F&T.  ...

SFP Celebrates Ten Years in its First Annual Report

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 21, 2016

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership notes its ten-year anniversary in its first ever annual report.

“We decided to publish one to help us keep everyone – our donors, our partners, the general public, and other interested stakeholders – in the loop on what SFP has been doing over the past year,” writes CEO and founder Jim Cannon.

The annual report includes a short history of the NGO that works with buyers  and their supply chain -- retailers Walmart and McDonalds, most notably -- to develop seafood sustainability programs and support fishery improvement programs (FIP) where needed.

“Three of SFP’s core beliefs differentiate us from many NGOs,” writes Cannon. “They are: (1) industry needs to lead this improvement work, not SFP or other NGOs; (2) the models of change we promote should be realistic...

Central Seaway Issues Precautionary Recall for Raw Black Tiger Shrimp Over Salmonella Concerns

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] September 20, 2016

Illinois-based seafood importer Central Seaway Company (CenSea) issued a precautionary recall for about 1,100 cases of its A-PAC brand of 8/12 count Headless Shell-on Black Tiger Shrimp over concerns the product may be contaminated with salmonella.

The product was distributed to wholesale, retail and restaurant locations in NY, NJ, MA, RI, CT, VA, KY, IL and TX.

CenSea said it has already notified all of its customers about the recall and has accounted for a majority of the cases involved in the recall...

South Atlantic Fishery Council Changes Recreational Cobia Regs to Extend Commercial Fishing

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] September 20, 2016

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council approved changes to recreational cobia fishing regulations intended to extend the length of the commercial Atlantic cobia fishery in federal waters offshore from George to New York.

Changes to fishery regulations were proposed in Coastal Migratory Framework Aemdnemetn 4, which will now be sent to the US Secretary of Commerce for final approval. 

Long John's Brings Back $5 Seafood Meal Deal for Fall Season

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] September 20, 2016

Long John Silver’s is bringing back its $5 Reel Deal Box for the fall season, which will feature Alaskan whitefish or shrimp.

From now until November 27, customers at Long John’s will be able to choose either two pieces of Alaskan whitefish, chicken tenders or fish and shrimp, paired with French fries, hushpuppies, a drink and a cookie all for $5.

“Our customers asked, and we answered,” said Marilyn ...