Atlantic Scallop Prices Continue to Crash in May with Landings Up 23% from Last Year

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - May 26, 2017

Wholesale scallop prices are still crashing in May as new season production continues to flood the market.

About two weeks ago we reported a $1.50 per pound drop in 10-20 IQF scallop price in just the first week of May.

At the time, prices at auction were falling hard and fast because of an unusual spike in landings from March. The wholesale market reacted with similar sharp declines...

Oregon, California Governors Ask Feds to Declare Catastrophic Salmon Disaster

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Susan Chambers - May 26, 2017

“People are going to be losing their boats,” California fisherman Dave Bitts testified before the California Legislature’s Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture Wednesday, noting the industry was hoping for state and federal disaster declarations.

He wasn’t alone.

Tribal and recreational fishermen also testified to the strains the low Klamath River runs and subsequent grim seasons will have on their communities.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and California Gov. Jerry Brown released their joint letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross Thursday, in which they requested...

California Salmon Hearing Includes Warnings of Impending Disasters, Some Solutions

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Susan Chambers - May 26, 2017

Opening the California Legislature’s Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture hearing Wednesday, Chairman Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said this year’s Klamath River Fall Chinook run is facing the lowest predicted numbers of returns ever. Furthermore, salmon on the West Coast are facing greater threats with the current White House administration in the forms of regulatory rollbacks that could affect California water use.

The simple fact is, McGuire said, that fish – especially salmon – need fresh, cold water. Instead, warm water, disease and parasites took their tolls on salmon in the Klamath River in recent years.

“We are now paying the price in full,” McGuire said. ...

Southeast Alaska Spring Troll Fishery for Chinook Closes Monday

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Peggy Parker - May 26, 2017

Sitka -- After three short troll fishing periods and a cumulative take of less than 2,000 Chinook, the   Alaska Department of Fish and Game is closing the commercial spring troll fishery on Monday, May 29.

ADF&G's announcement described the preseason forecasts for wild Chinook salmon production in Southeast Alaska "at an all-time low."

"Typically, in the Taku and Stikine rivers, nearly half the run

VIDEO: Ecuador’s Shrimp Production and Sales to Asia Reach Records; Alaska’s Salmon is Underway 

Further Restrictions on Copper River Kings as Landings Higher than Expected in First Two Fishing Periods

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Peggy Parker - May 25, 2017

In response to a cumulative catch of over 3,600 kings out of a total quota of 4,000 this year, Cordova ADF&G managers are proceeding cautiously for tomorrow’s next fishing period. 

Thursday’s opener will be only 9 hours long, rather than twelve. It will also begin hours after an extreme low tide and it will end before the second, less extreme, low tide starts to flood in, usually bringing fish...

Ancient Genetic Markers in Sockeye Salmon Can Help Manage Healthier Fish Stocks

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Science Daily] - May 26, 2017

A recent study from UBC's Okanagan campus identifies new genetic markers in sockeye salmon that can help improve management of fish populations.

The markers, called single nucleotide polymorphisms...

Rick Speed Joins ISA as VP Sales; Parent Company Shifts Marketing Approach

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Peggy Parker - May 25, 2017

International Seafoods of Alaska, based in Kodiak with offices in Seattle, hired Rick Speed as Vice President of Sales late last month just before Seafood Expo Global opened.

"We officially hired him in late April and he got on a plane to Brussels," John Sevier, president of ISA-Alaska said. "I wanted him to meet our customers ..."

MSC Certifies the Greenland Halibut Fishery off West Greenland as Sustainable

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Peggy Parker - May 26, 2017

For the first time, Greenland halibut has received sustainability certification from the Marine Stewardship Council.

Although Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) is commercially fished by several nations with Arctic coastlines, the most productive fishery is off the west coast of Greenland in the Baffin Bay. The fishery represents about half of the total allowable catch (TAC) of the stock, according to MSC...

DHL Now Shipping Live Crabs and Seafood from Northern Norway to South Korea and US Markets

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] May 25, 2017

DHL Global Forwarding will start shipping live crabs and seafood the Lakselv Airport Banak in North-Norway to markets in Asia and Northern America.  

The carrier will start dedicated weekly flights to ship fresh seafood to the DHL terminal in Oslo to South Korea and other destinations including Japan and the United States.

DHAL said all of the logistics are exactly timed, ensuring the shipments are delivered in perfect condition. Today’s first flight will be officially welcomed by the State Secretary Ronny Berg of the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries...

Oregon Pink Shrimp Volume Steady; Small Sizes Remain a Concern

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Susan Chambers - May 24, 2017

Coldwater pink shrimp is finally being landed on the West Coast -- but not without controversy.

Oregon processors budged little on their initial price offerings to their vessels, fishermen said, but competition from some Washington boats eventually led to Oregon shrimpers accepting ex-vessel prices lower than they had hoped -- prices more in line with 2004 and 2006 prices, they said.

Oregon shrimper Nick Edwards said fishermen started the 2016 season...

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Teams Up With Spain's Largest Seafood Canner Jealsa 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] May 25, 2017

The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership has formed a partnership with Spanish seafood canner the Jealsa Rianxeira S.A.U. Group.

Jealsa was founded in 1958 and is based in Boiro, Spain. The company is the top seafood canner in Spain and the second largest in Europe.

The company sells seafood under its own brands -- Rianxeira, Escurís, MareAperto, and Robinson Crusoe. Jealsa also supplies supplies canned fish and seafood for the distributor Mercadona under the brand Hacendado...

WWF Study: Shrimp Can Be Traced Back to Their Country of Origin Through Elemental Profiling

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Susan Chambers - May 24, 2017

A new World Wildlife Fund report finds that farmed shrimp from Thailand, Vietnam and India could be traced back to their countries of origin through a process known as elemental profiling. With greater refinement, elemental profiling may help importers, customs officials, retailers and others trace globally traded seafood back to its source, which can shed light on production practices with critical environmental and social implications.

The report, conducted by WWF researchers and supported by Auburn University and Ocean University of China, looked at farmed Pacific ...

ISSF Compliance Report Focuses on Tuna Best Practices, Collaboration

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - May 24, 2017

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation released its 2016 annual report, Best Practices, Better Solutions, this week, which outlines tuna sustainability achievements and argues for continuous improvement of global tuna fisheries through collaboration and advocacy. ISSF participating companies account for about 75 percent of the global canned tuna market.

“Through our many activities and partnerships over the years — made possible by progressive tuna companies and other funders — we have deepened our understanding about what it takes to ‘be’ sustainable, and to advance the cause,” ISSF President Susan Jackson ...

Congressional Trade Committee Hears Testimony About Seafood Trade Deficits from ASPA and NFI

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - May 23, 2017

Earlier this month representatives of the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA) and the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) testified before a Congressional Trade Committee regarding the formation of the “Omnibus Report on Significant Trade Deficits.” 

The Omnibus Report is a response to an Executive Order from the Trump Administration that told the Department of Commerce and other federal agencies to identify the trading partners with which the U.S. had significant trade deficits with last year...

Cape Greig Walrus are Back, ADF&G Plans Changed Fishery Boundary Again

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [KDLG] by Dave Bendinger - May 24, 2017
 
Ugashik fleet will fish inside a line a little further south than usual to keep a buffer around newest Pacific walrus haulout in Bristol Bay.

Last year thousands of Pacific walrus unexpectedly showed up at Cape Greig north of Ugashik Bay, delighting sightseers but complicating fishing and shipping in the busy fishing district. When they left in the fall, biologists were not sure if they would be back the following summer or...

Commerce Department Rescinds Duty Rate Review for Chinese Shrimp Exporters

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - May 23, 2017

The Department of Commerce rescinded an administrative review on antidumping duty orders for Chinese shrimp after domestic processors withdrew their requests for review of the rates.

The review would have looked at Chinese shrimp exported to the US market between February 1, 2016 and January 31, 2017.

But Commerce posted in the Federal Register this week that it will rescind the review since the petitioner, the Ad Hoc Shrimp Trade Action Committee and the American Shrimp Processors Assotion notified the department that they were withdrawing the request... 

Long John's Featuring Buttermilk Breaded Alaskan Cod on Menu for the Summer

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] May 23, 2017  

Long John Silver’s has added Buttermilk Cod sourced from Alaska to its menu for the summer season.

The premium cod product is prepared Homestyle with a buttermilk breading. The item will be available from May 29 to August 27 at participating Long John’s across the country. It will sell for $5.99 and is served with French fries and hushpuppies.

“The light flavor of the Cod balances really well with the tangy flavor of the buttermilk,” said Peter Czizek, Vice President of Culinary Innovation and Quality Assurance. “It has a big crunchy bite, and the light, flaky fish smooths it out. It really is delightful.” “Buttermilk is such a great summer flavor and we’ve added convenience, “continued Czizek. “Summer is meant for spending time with family, so we’ve got dinner covered.”

New Rockfish Longevity and Spawning Information Will Help Stock Assessments and Ensure Healthy Populations

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Christine Baier/ASFC

Some things just get better with age. Like rockfish mothers.

A rockfish might not start spawning until she is 25 years old. As she gets older she produces more, and more robust, young. She continues to produce them over many years, into advanced age – which for some rockfish means 100 or 200 years.

That is the sluggish end of the spectrum, but rockfish in general are slow-growing, late-maturing, long-lived species...

Study Says US Investments on Aquaculture Research Pay Dividends

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] May 26, 2017

A study from Johns Hopkins University concluded that federal investments on aquaculture research in the United States produce a return on investment.

The study is the first of its kind to examine US federal grants awarded in the field of aquaculture, which includes aquatic organisms raised for food, feed, fuel, and recreation. To conduct this analysis, the researchers compiled a database of nearly 3,000 aquaculture grants awarded from 1990 to 2015. The study found that federal agencies awarded nearly $1 billion dollars in grants for aquaculture research in the past quarter century, and these grants had an estimated 37-fold return on investment since 2000...

New Zealand Boosts Fisheries Budget by US$21.5 Million

Miffed Land Grabber Attempts to Block Pacific’s Surimi Plant Deal in Threat to Whiting Fishery

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - May 25, 2017

A land developer backed by an outside investor filed a lawsuit against Pacific Seafood Group and Trident Seafoods just a week since the two operators got approval from the Oregon's Department of Justice to proceed with a deal for Trident to eventually sell its surimi plant in Newport to Pacific. Last week’s agreement allowed the plant to resume operations in time to start processing this season’s whiting catch...

Sea to Table Expands Seafood Delivery Service Directly to Consumers

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] May 25, 2017

Sea to Table is now delivering locally sourced seafood directly to consumers at home. This is an expansion of Sea to Table’s business model that has been delivering fresh, locally sourced fish to commercial kitchens across the US for eight years.   

“We care about the fish you eat, and want Americans to be able to trust the fish they buy,” said Sea to Table co-founder Sean Dimin. “That's why we are creating the national gold standard for the seafood supply chain. We go to great lengths to make sure we can trace where our fish comes from, and work with fishermen on every U.S. coast who we know and trust.”

DFO Opens Newfoundland's 3Ps Inshore Cod Fishery But Issues No Decision for Offshore Harvesters

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] May 24, 2017

The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard opened Newfoundland’s 3Ps Cod fishery only to the inshore/seasonal harvesters. So far federal authorities have not announced if the year-round offshore portion of the fishery will be open.

This announcement has left many harvesters, plant workers and their families in a cloud of uncertainty. 

“At risk, is year-round employment and job stability for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians,” said  Kris Vascotto, Executive Director of the Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council (GEAC)...

Chilean Customs Workers Go On Strike Indefinitely 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Michael Ramsingh - May 24, 2017

Chilean Customs walked off the job Tuesday morning after a meeting between the Association of Customs Officials (Anfach) and members of Chile’s finance ministry broke down in disagreement over the labor contract.

According to Anfach, the two-part labor agreement the union signed with federal officials in May 2015 last November is supposed to provide Customs workers with more personnel at border entry points and airports; reduced hours; and better retirement benefits.

Anfach said the government has not fulfilled the terms of the deal and ordered an indefinite strike...

DFO Identifies 140,000 km of Ocean West of Vancouver Island for MPA Designation

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] May 25, 2017

Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans identified 140,000 km of ocean space west of Vancouver Island that would become one of the country’s largest Marine Protected Areas by 2020.

This designation is part of Canada’s plan to protect 5 percent of iots marine and coastal area by 2017 and 10 percent by 2020.

"Our government is pleased to continue our work on protecting our oceans with the identification of a new large Area of Interest in the Pacific Ocean that recognizes the unique marine ecosystems that need to be protected in order to ensure the health of our environment, our communities and Canada's fishing industry...

SCeMFiS Funds Seven Research Projects Affecting Fisheries Management

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - May 24, 2017

Ocean Springs, Miss. - The Industry Advisory Board of the Science Center for Marine Fisheries has allocated $203,271 in funding for seven fish and shellfish research projects and a continuing involvement with the marine mammal assessment process.

“As participants in the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries, many of its stakeholders have been involved in cooperative research with the goal of reducing uncertainty in the fisheries management plan for many years," SCeMFiS Industry Advisory Board Chairman Guy Simmons said in a statement. "Since the formation of SCeMFiS, these efforts have ...

RFM Certification Underway for Five Alaska Crab Fisheries, ASMI Calls for Stakeholders Input

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - May 23, 2017

It's been five years since the Bering Sea king and snow crab fisheries were certified as responsibly managed against the FAO-based standards under the Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Certification Program.  

Today, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute announced that stakeholders who want to review the draft re-assessment reports for Bristol Bay Red King crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus), St. Matthew Island Blue King crab...

Chinook Salmon Research in Yukon and Nushagak Rivers Designed to Help Manage Fisheries

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - May 23, 2017

Two examples of chinook salmon research being conducted this year will help state salmon biologists manage king salmon rivers in Western Alaska. One project relies on samples taken from the Nushagak River in Bristol Bay, the other on samples from the Yukon. One is done by University of Washington scientists, the other by a unique partnership between the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Yukon River subsistence fishermen.

Research studying otoliths (ear bones) of Chinook salmon from the Nushagak...

Santa Monica Hires Dave Harrison as VP of Procurement 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] May 23, 2017

Santa Monica Seafood has hired Dave Harrison as Vice President of Procurement as part of an ongoing company restructuring plan.  

Santa Monica’s CEO Roger O’Brien said Harrison will lead and manage the Procurement department and his duties will include employee development and training; supplier management; strategic purchasing; supplier negotiations and contracting; development of supply management systems, procedures and analytics; and inventory management and control...