Yum brands terminates global relationship with meat supplier OSI as Chinese meat scandal hits sales 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Nation's Restaurant News] by Ron Ruggless August 1, 2014

Beaver Street eyes exports, increased branding to grow half-billion dollar business

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Jacksonville Business Journal] Timothy Gibbons - August 1, 2014

The table glinted in the cold air, an occasional frozen shrimp from Vietnam clanking as it hit the surface before being swept into a package bound for Wal-Mart.

A few steps away, other employees work to fill shrimp with just-made stuffing. These are heading to a restaurant.

Across the room, engineers huddled around a new machine, one that will save Beaver Street Fisheries thousands of dollars in packaging costs once the kinks are worked out...

China poised to push shrimp prices higher

There are some indications that disappointing production, plus the damages caused by the recent strong typhoon, are pushing shrimp prices higher in China again this year, which could have a global impact.

Profits likely to surge for Gorton's, King and Prince, say Nissui projections

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Undercurrent News] by Tom Seaman - Aug 1, 2014

NFI says existing crabmeat labeling laws just need enforcement as lawmakers push for stricter regs

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Wall Street Journal] by Ben DiPietro - August 1, 2014

Members of Congress from Maryland and Virginia want the Obama administration to make sure its work to fight seafood fraud includes language to combat what they say is the mislabeling of crab meat. But the main seafood industry trade association is against the idea, saying existing laws are strong enough to deal with the problems fish fraud poses.

Supporters of stronger crab labeling rules say lump crab imported from foreign countries is repacked at facilities in the United States and then labeled as a “product of the United States.

But the National Fisheries Institute, the leading trade association of the U.S. seafood industry, and its Crab Council, whose members comprise 85% of the U.S. crab market, say existing laws are more than stringent enough...

Seafood Harvesters making sure F/V discharge exemption bill gets through Congress (Fish Radio)

Fishermen won’t need special permits to hose off their decks thanks to a bill moving through the US Senate. 

"Essentially, this Vessel Incidental Discharge Act extends a moratorium that was already grant to commercial fishing industry from 2008 and it’s been up every couple of years. It would extend this moratorium indefinitely so commercial fishing vessels don’t have to apply for a ridiculous discharge permit every time rain falls onto your deck and flows overboard. That’s incidental discharge to the normal operation of a vessel. So it just cuts the red tape that fishermen would have to incur."

Brett Veerhusen is director of Seafood Harvesters of America who has been watch dogging the discharge bill. It still has to get final approval from Congress, but with strong bipartisan support, he is confident it will make it through...

Whole Foods reports strong sales on discounted farmed salmon

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Bloomberg Businessweek] by Venessa Wong - August 1, 2014

To shake its “whole paycheck” reputation, Whole Foods (WFM) has been pushing to lower the cost of packaged goods, particularly in its budget 365 line. In a related experiment earlier this year, the supermarket started lowering seafood prices: Farm-raised salmon in its seafood cases sold for roughly $10.99 per pound.

That’s certainly not cheapest salmon around, but it was a hit with Whole Foods shoppers. “We saw a huge lift in the amount of pounds of salmon we sold when we reduced our price,” said the chief operating officer, A.C. Gallo, said on an earnings call this week. “We’re really happy with that experiment and plan to expand on that some more this coming year...”

Chesapeake Oyster restoration great example of successful public-private environmental partnership

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [National Geographic Blog] By Bob Vanasse Aug 1, 2014

Alaska Sen Begich picks up another re-election endorsement, this time from Bering Sea Crabbers

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  [SCOM]  Aug 1, 2014

Senator Begich (D-AK), up for reelection this fall and currently chair of the Oceans subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee, has picked up another fisheries endorsement.

He was endorsed by the United Fishermen of Alaska in June, and now the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers representing more than 70% of the participants in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands king, snow, and tanner crab fishery have issued a formal endorsement as well. 

"Our fishermen and fishing families are proud to stand behind Senator Mark Begich in his campaign for re-­‐election to the United States Senate representing Alaska. Since election to the Senate in 2008, Senator Begich has rapidly gained in seniority and distinguished himself as a tireless advocate for Alaska’s commercial fishing industry...

PEI lobstermen in LFA 24 expected to vote down license stacking

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] August 1, 2014

The president of the Prince County Fishermen’s Association has no expectations that his membership will reopen discussion on stacking of lobster licences now that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has given the green light for stacking in LFA 26A at the eastern end of the province and in the western portion of Lobster Fishing Area 24.

DFO is permitting spring fishermen to buy out a second licence, or two fishermen to buy out a third as long as some traps from the bought out licence are retired.

Although they voted down a stacking proposal during a policy meeting last spring, Lee Knox noted PCFA members did vote in favour of a proposal to allow fall fishermen from LFA 25 in P.E.I. to also possess a spring lobster licence in either LFA 24 or 26A...

2014 Maine lobster festival is underway, with theme focused on fishing families

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Bangor Daily News] by Christina Lemieux (opinion)  August 1, 2014

Mass. Lobstermen's Assoc. join with state reps to protest coastwide lobster trap, pot gear ban

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Patriot-Ledger] by Jessica Trufant - August 1, 2014

State legislators and members of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association gathered at the State House on Wednesday to voice concerns about new regulations banning the use of lobster trap and pot gear from Jan. 1 to April 30 off much of the state’s coast.

Part of the National Marine Fisheries Service’s new Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, the new rules aim to eliminate endangered right, humpback and fin whale entanglements with lobster gear as required by the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Along with restrictions on where and when lobster gear can be set, the regulations order changes to equipment, such as buoy markings and trap minimums. State officials and industry plan to challenge the plan...

Shrimp prices to rise in South China following typhoon destruction in Zhanjiang

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [China Life]  translated by Amy Zhong July 31, 2014

Shortages have Gulf oyster suppliers heading to the East Coast to fill inventories

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Houma Today] by Kameryn Rome - July 31, 2014

Oysters in some local restaurants may not be from Louisiana because of historically low production this year.

Some oyster suppliers have even been buying oysters from other Gulf and East Coast states to keep up with demand.

For the first time in the 43 years, Motivatit Seafoods, the leading oyster harvesting and production company in Houma, is bringing in some of its oysters from Chesapeake Bay, said Greg Voisin, Motivatit’s marketing and sales vice president...

Norway's king crab season starts this week

Russia may set record for catch of pacific salmon this year

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Eugene Gerden  July 31, 2014

Whole Foods to defend its position in organic food with national marketing campaign

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Associated Press] by Candice Choi - July 31, 2014

Whole Foods is getting ready to launch its first national marketing campaign and expand home delivery as it looks to fend off bigger players muscling into the organic and natural foods category.

The company, based in Austin, Texas, said the marketing campaign this fall will explain to customers what makes it different and why it's better than other supermarkets.

In addition, he said the company will partner with third parties to offer home delivery in 12 to 15 major markets, with plans for a wider rollout over time...
 

Yukon River chinook reach escapement goal to Canada; run exceeds forecast, management measures work

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Yukon News] by Myles Dolphin - July 31, 2014

This year’s Yukon River chinook salmon escapement goal has been met.

As of last week, the number of salmon counted by sonar near the border village of Eagle stood at roughly 49,000, which surpasses the minimum goal of 42,500 called for in the Pacific Salmon Treaty between Canada and the United States.

Under the treaty, Americans have to allow that number of chinook salmon to pass into Canadian waters...

Featured Stories

China poised to push shrimp prices higher  

Alaska's pollock fleet taps into squid bycatch reserves after filling TAC way ahead of schedule

With over 41 million lbs landed, Pacific coldwater shrimp poised for a near record season  

Big mistake in fisheries fuel use article from yesterday   (1) 

Online sales with home delivery of lobster in China pushes up price in Boston  

Ex-Congressman calls for US consumers to boycott Russian pollock

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Hill] by George Hochbrueckner  (opinion)

Ex Congressman George Hochbrueckner, who represented New York’s 1st Congressional District from 1987 to 1995, has been tapped as the spokesperson for a campaign to get Americans to boycott Russian pollock as a way to express their anger of Russian actions in Ukraine.  His opinion piece, and links to a website justsaynyet.org, were published in the Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper this week.

 Russia’s outrages, from its unflinching support for the murderous regime of Bashar Assad in Syria to its violent and illegal annexation of parts of Ukraine to its apparent complicity in shooting down a civilian airliner over Ukrainian airspace last week, killing more than 290 innocent people, are affronts to the civilized world.

Wegman's has ten new stores in the works

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Rochester Democrat Chronicle] by Tom Tobin Aug 1, 2014

Sometimes it's hard to remember that Gates-based Wegmans Food Markets is a supermarket chain and not a celebrity of sorts.

Video: Don't bash seafood imports when supporting American fish

SEAFOODNEWS.COM 

DFO's Aquaculture Director says don't focus on Fraser sockeye salmon number but on the uncertainty

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Vancouver Sun] Opinion by Donald Noakes - August 1, 2014

Donald Noakes is former director of the Pacific Biological Station and head of aquaculture for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, current chair of the mathematics and statistics department and incoming dean, faculty of science and technology at Vancouver Island University.

The return of the salmon to river mouths along B.C.'s coast is a summer tradition in British Columbia that dates back centuries. Every year we witness the return of Fraser River sockeye, whose parents fought their way back upstream four years previously, the highlight in October being the world renowned Adams River run.

Each spring, well before migrating salmon reach the top end of Vancouver Island on their way back to their natal streams...

NZ parliment passes reflagging law on final day; all foreign charter crews subject to NZ laws

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton  Aug 1, 2014

Alaska's pollock fleets taps into squid bycatch reserves after filling TAC way ahead of schedule

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [KUCB] by Lauren Rosenthal - July 31, 2014

While salmon is still the main species that pollock fishermen are trying to avoid taking as bycatch this summer, there’s another creature that’s been causing problems in the Bering Sea.

Along with their pollock, fishermen have pulled up about 1,100 metric tons of slimy, pink squid this summer. That’s more than four times their catch limit, according to Krista Milani. She’s a biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Milani says there’s still some wiggle room before fishery managers get worried. A few hundred tons of squid are sitting in reserve, and they can be taken as bycatch...

Slower consumer traffic sends restaurant performance down in June but outlook still favorable

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SCOM] August 1, 2014

Due in large part to softer customer traffic levels, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) registered a moderate decline in June. The RPI stood at 101.3 in June, down from a level of 102.1 in May and the first decline in four months. Despite the drop, the RPI remained above 100 for the 16th consecutive month, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

Although overall same-store sales remained positive in June, the RPI dipped as a result of softer customer traffic levels. Looking forward, operators are generally optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead, and their outlook for capital spending remains near post-recession highs...

Trident to market pollock roe with Japanese company Takamasa in bid to help rebuild after tsunami

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton  July 31, 2014

Alaska's Southeast Dungeness fishery having best season ever with prices near $3 lb (Fish Radio)

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] July 31, 2014 

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch … Lots of fishing going on from one end of Alaska to the other. 

With a few exception, most of Alaska’s salmon fisheries are rather lackluster. Statewide the salmon catch has topped 87 million and more than 47 million of those fish are sockeye salmon.

Perhaps the biggest fish story this week is the Dungeness crab fishery in Southeast, which is seeing its best season ever. The total catch this year is pegged at nearly 6.5 million pounds for 150 crabbers who are getting about $3/pound, up 50 cents from last year...

Japan, Korea expel each other's fishing boats from EEZ as bilateral fisheries talks come to deadlock

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [JAPAN REPORTS]  Tokyo July 31, 2014

Water filtration technology lets India's commercial shrimp farmers take operations inland

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Business Standard] by Vijay C Roy - July 31, 2014

Shrimp and prawn farming in Punjab and Haryana may get an impetus with the new technology developed by the Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai.

Prawn farming is restricted to coastal areas but the new technology allows use of the saline wastelands in Punjab and Haryana, where productivity is poor, for the farming.

Started in 2008 by CIFE at its Rohtak centre (Haryana), the experimental trials on tiger shrimps or prawns were continued until 2012 to study the feasibility and financial viability of the technology...

With over 41 million lbs landed, Pacific coldwater shrimp poised for a near record season

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton July 30, 2014