NL Snow Crab Fishery: Quota Rises, Protests Erupt, Prices Unresolved

It was a very, very busy weekend for the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab fishery which featured a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) announcement, and update on dock price negotiations and protests.

The NL snow crab fishery received a 9% quota increase for the upcoming season. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced a 62,883 metric ton (t) quota, above 2024’s 57,568t mark and roughly 15% higher than 2023’s total. In February, the DFO showcased mostly good news for the snow crab fishery in the province, as Expana...

ANALYSIS: Slow Start of the Year for Chinese Shrimp Imports

The latest data from Chinese Customs Statistics reveals a double-digit slowdown in Chinese imports of shrimp so far this year. In January and February, China imported 145,567 MT of shrimp of all species, which represents a 14.1% drop y-o-y in volume. However, at $808.9 million USD, the fall in value is less steep at -3.2% y-o-y for the two first month of the year...

Premium Brands Minimizes Tariff Risk; Clearwater Seafoods Results Hit by Subpar Catches

Canada’s Premium Brands reported a record Q4 revenue of CAD 1.64 billion ($1.14 billion), a 5.4% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. The company also netted record Q4 adjusted EBITDA ($148.7 million). For the fiscal year, the company hit record revenue ($6.47 billion) and adjusted EBITDA ($593.7 million).

“2024 finished on a strong note driven by our Protein and Bakery Groups’ US sales initiatives, which generated approximately $50 million in sales volume growth in the quarter...

Russia Hopes to Significantly Increase its Fish and Seafood Exports in 2025

Russia is hoping for a significant increase in its fish and seafood exports this year after seeing a decline in both areas in 2024.

According to recent statements by Ilya Shestakov, head of Rosrybolovstvo, the Russian agency hopes for export increases in terms of both value and volume.

In value terms, the growth of exports may be equivalent to US$5.7 billion.

Shestakov said, “Based on the results of last year, exports amounted to 1.9 million tons. This is slightly less than in 2023. In terms of value..."

Federal Jury Convicts Florida Fisherman for Falsifying Trip Reports and Lying to NOAA Agents

On Friday, March 21, 2025, the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Carolina, announced that a federal jury had convicted Don Michael Rynn, 61, of Augustine, Florida, for making false statements on trip reports regarding the amount and quality of fish that he caught during a fishing expedition in March 2023. Rynn was also found guilty of lying to federal agents, who were with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement Southeast Division.

The jury came to its decision after...

Maruha Nichiro Debuts New Company Name, Unveils New Long-term, Mid-term Strategies

Maruha Nichiro unveiled a new company name along with a new long-term vision and mid-term management plan. The Japanese seafood giant will be now known as Umios Corporation The company said ‘Umios’ is a word that combines “umi,” “one” and “solutions.”

“Our corporate identity has been changed to "Making people and the earth healthy through food, with value creation power originating from the ocean." We aim to become one with our bodies and the earth, and to find solutions to global social issues through food...

Blue Star Foods Adds Asian Food Division

Blue Star Foods announced it has added an Asian Food Division to its business, focusing on sushi categories.

The company launched the new division on February 1 under the Blue Star brand, looking to capitalize on popular Japanese cuisine, health-conscious dining preferences, and the growing demand for authentic sushi experiences, which are driving the market expansion.

High value sushi categories such as Hamachi, responsibly raised & harvest in Japan’s Kagawa prefecture, Seto Inland Sea and Kagoshima Bay are the primary farming areas, the company shared in a press release...

FDA Delays FSMA 204 Rule Implementation by 30 Months Amid Industry Concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on March 20 that it would delay the implementation of the Food Traceability Rule (AKA FSMA 204) by 30 months.

An update from the FDA explained that it remains committed to the full requirements of FSMA 204, which was set to go into effect in January 2026.

According to the FDA, only a few entities were well-positioned to meet the final rule’s requirements by January 2026. Even the entities in good shape “expressed concern about the timeline...

Sapporo Company Sells Fall Chum and Sockeye Salmon After Aging it 50 Days in Snow

Japanese company Sato Suisan of Sapporo, Hokkaido, began selling "snow matured salmon" on March 15 at eight directly managed stores in Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, as well as online.

Snow matured salmon (SMS) is a seasonal product that has been sold by Sato Suisan every year since 2011. This year’s SMS was made from salted Hokkaido fall chum salmon that was caught last fall, salted, and then buried in snow that had accumulated on the roof of the company's factory in Ishikari City on...

Sustainable Shrimp Partnership, CNA Recognize Ecuadorian Shrimp Hatchers for Sustainability Efforts

The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SS) and Ecuador’s National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) recognized Biogemar, Omarsa Mar Bravo, and Promarisco Chanduy hatcheries for their commitment to sustainability in shrimp larval production.

The recognition was held on March 12 during AquaExpo and highlighted the progress made through the SSP and CNA’s Scale Up initiative.

The Scale Up program aimed to raise standards for Ecuador’s shrimp hatcheries. The companies work through training, audits, and the implementation of operational improvements to achieve compliance with the standards outlined in the...

Russia Restores Fishing in Azov, Black Sea Following Oil Spill

Russia restored its fish catch in the Azov-Black Sea basin after the accident with the fuel oil spill in December of last year.

According to data from the All-Russian Association of Fish Producers (VARPE), the catch volume has reached 10.800 tons, which is 20% more year-on-year.

The bulk of catch accounts for European anchovy, which amounted to 9.800 tons.

As VARPE’s President German Zverev told in an interview with the Russian RBC business paper, at the beginning of the year, the catch figures in the...

ANALYSIS: Lower Share of Live Product in Canadian Lobster Exports

According to Canadian Statistics, the annual revenue from Canadian lobster exports increased by 8.4% between 2023 and 2024, including a 24.1% progression for frozen product, but a 3.8% drop for live lobster...

Ukraine to Export Wild-Caught Seafood to China Following New Trade Deal

China and Ukraine inked a deal earlier this month that will pave the way for Ukraine to export its wild-caught seafood products to China, per an announcement from China’s Embassy in Ukraine.

The deal was struck during a meeting between Chinese Ambassador Ma Shengkun, Ukrainian Minister of Agricultural Policy and Food Vitalii Koval, and Serhii Tkachuk, Director of the Food Safety and Consumer Protection Agency.

The Chinese embassy noted that the deal showcases further expansion of agricultural trade between the two countries...

Seremoni Welcomes Marketing and Sales Experts to Accelerate Growth

Seremoni, a company aiming to make premium seafood accessible to all consumers, announced a group of hires as it eyes rapid growth.

Lesia Dallimore was named Vice President of Brand and Marketing, along with a trio of other hires that aim to take Michelin-quality seafood from boat to plate.

Dallimore enters the role with a track record of brand building, marketing strategy, and premium food retail. Dallimore has worked at brands like Oishii, Erewhon, and lululemon, working to improve consumer engagement and retail expansion...

What Trump Tariffs Mean for Food and Agriculture Trade

US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% tariff on imports from China.

Tariffs for Canada and China are in effect as of February 4, while the tariffs on Mexico have been delayed for one month following negotiations with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who agreed to send 10,000 members of her country’s national guard to the border to address drug trafficking... 

SENA 2025: Economist Nomi Prins Uses Ernest Hemingway to Describe the 2025 Seafood Market

On Sunday, March 16, the first day of the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) 2025, macro-economist Dr. Nomi Prins kicked off the annual conference with a keynote speech that touched on the zeitgeist question currently racking the brains of the seafood industry: How will the tariffs impact the seafood market?

In a general sense, the amount of tariffs that would apply to seafood imports into the United States is not a cataclysmic number, according to Prins, who is also a geopolitical expert and best-selling..

SENA 2025: Echo Falls Debuts New Retail Products and Packaging

During the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) 2025, seafood company Echo Falls Seafoods debuted new products and product packaging both at its booth exhibit and a seafood tasting held in the Wave Makers’ Zone on Monday, March 17.

The product and packaging debuts come six months after Echo Falls Seafood’s business rebranding, previously known as Ocean Beauty Seafoods Smoked and Value-Added division.

The company unveiled several new products for distribution at the seafood expo, also incorporating packaging upgrades, such as new, colorful packaging for its popular hot-smoked Atlantic...

USDA Awards ASMI $4.5 Million to Expand International Marketing Efforts

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) recently announced that it secured over $4.5 million in federal Market Access Program (MAP) funding to expand its international marketing efforts.

The MAP funding, provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Foreign Agricultural Service, helps offset some of the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities in order to help U.S. exporters build their markets overseas.

MAP funds—which can only be used for international marketing activities—require a monetary match from the participating organization, which, in this case...

Sen. Sullivan Addresses Alaska State Legislature, Supports More LNG, Oil, and Logging

Senator Dan Sullivan was optimistic in his annual address to the ‘Alaska Legislature yesterday, emphasizing resource development opportunities for Alaska under President Donald Trump's administration.  

Recognizing the impacts of removing federal workers from many jobs in Alaska as a result of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) actions in the last six weeks, Sullivan said “Job losses are always difficult on families and communities, especially in tight-knit states like ours, and they need to be done humanely and not randomly.” 

But Alaska’s junior Senator received warm and...

Pacific Halibut Fishery Opens March 20 to Reduced Catches

The 2025 Pacific halibut fishery kicks off on March 20 in regions spanning from the West Coast and British Columbia to the far reaches of Alaska’s Bering Sea. And once again, all users – commercial fishermen, sport charters, anglers and subsistence – will get smaller takes of the prized fish as the Pacific stock continues to flounder.

The coastwide “total removals” of halibut allowed for 2025 is 29.72 million pounds, a drop of 15.76% from 2024. For commercial fishermen, a catch limit of 19.7 million pounds is a decrease of 18.02%...

New Portable DNA Tool Helps NOAA Identify Illegal Fish Imports at Rapid Speed

The NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement began its first pilot test of a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) device. This allows field officers to perform immediate genetic analysis.

NOAA explained that this device will help personnel identify fish species without having to send genetic samples to forensics labs, which can take up to two weeks. The tool could be a key part of NOAA’s battle against seafood fraud and illegal seafood products entering the US market, as it can identify species in hours...

Pro Golfer Scottie Scheffler Sticks to Seafood Favorites for 2025 Masters Champions Dinner

The Masters, the most iconic tournament in professional golf is set to begin in a few weeks and the menu for the Masters Club dinner for Champions was released and seafood holds a prominent spot.

Each year, the defending champion curates the exclusive dinner, which features all the living tournament champions. In 2025, Scottie Scheffler, who also won the tournament in 2023, will be honored.

This year’s menu nearly mirrors Scheffler’s 2023 menu, featuring Tex-Mex flair and intriguing seafood options...

Silver Bay Partners with BBEDC to Purchase Former Icicle Stake in OBI Seafoods

Silver Bay Seafoods is set to acquire a stake in Alaska seafood processor OBI Seafoods, purchasing the share previously owned by Icicle Seafoods, a subsidiary of Canadian seafood giant Cooke.

The deal involves a partnership between Silver Bay and the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation (BBEDC), which acquired a 50% stake in OBI (previously Ocean Beauty Seafoods) in 2007. Silver Bay will also garner more processing power within the wild Alaska salmon sector.

BBEDC and Silver Bay said that the partnership...

Public Comment Opens on Potential Repeal of Controversial Lobster Catch Limits

A rule that would consider repealing a contentious proposal to increase the catch limit size for lobsters in the Gulf of Maine has been approved for public comment by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC)’s American Lobster Management Board.

Draft Addendum XXXII could repeal the gauge and escape vent size limits included in Draft Addendum XXVII. Specifically, the rule protected lobsters in the Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank spawning stock biomass. The proposed protections would have increased the minimum size of gauges fishers use to measure lobsters...

SENA 2025: Oh Shucks! Oyster Shuckers Compete in 17th Annual Oyster Shucking Contest

One of the numerous events that took place in the Wave Makers’ Zone at this year’s Seafood Expo North America (SENA) was the lively 17th annual oyster shucking competition.  

This year’s throw-down was sponsored by New Brunswick – Deliciously Canadian, with a presentation by celebrity Chef Dennis Prescott and emceeing by World Champion oyster shucker and Guinness World Record holder Patrick McMurray.  

McMurray was an energetic emcee for the afternoon, peppering in various information on oyster shucking and oyster flavor profiles as he commentated on the action...

Onda to Advance Research on Sustainable Feed Alternatives for Aquaculture

Onda, the largest contract research organization in Canada specializing in aquaculture research, is working with the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) on a new Canola AgriScience Cluster research project examining the use of canola-based feed meal for sustainable aquaculture production, with the goal of expanding the market for Canadian canola and providing a sustainable alternative for aquafeed. 

The Canola AgriScience Cluster is a five-year research program funded under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership with contributions from the CCC, Alberta Canola...

SENA 2025: Lineage Logistics Addresses Food Waste, Tariffs, and FSMA Rule 204

During the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) 2025, Expana had the opportunity to sit down with Michael Bowman and Ron Margulis of Lineage Logistics and chat about the cold storage company’s ongoing efforts to streamline processes, increase traceability, and eliminate food waste, especially as the global supply chain faces U.S. tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, as well as the upcoming implementation of Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Rule 204.

When asked about the economic turbulence that has been impacting the supply chain lately, Bowman, who is Vice...

The Retail Rundown: Fresh Buying Opportunities in Bloom

Tomorrow marks the official start of spring, and retailers are seizing fresh opportunities to capture increased spending with occassions like Easter and peak grilling season soon approaching.

However, for some residents, spring still feels distant as a late-season storm sweeps through the Central US today and tomorrow, potentially impacting purchasing and consumption patterns in affected regions. 

With roughly a month remaining in Lent, seafood remains a focal point in retail promotions, accounting for 33% of protein advertisements, primarily driven by fresh/frozen fillets as well...

SeaBear to Recall Smoked Salmon & Clam Chowders Due to Seal Defect

Washington-based SeaBear Company recalled two varieties of its seafood chowder, Smoked Salmon Chowder & Alehouse Clam Chowder because the products could potentially be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.

A notice on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website warned consumers not to use the product even if it doesn’t look or smell spoiled.

The Smoked Salmon Chowder and Alehouse Clam Chowder were distributed through physical retail stores in Alaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington and direct home delivery via SeaBear’s website nationwide between 10/1/2024...

Cooke Aquaculture Chile Challenges Court-Ordered Production Suspension

Cooke Aquaculture Chile, the Chilean salmon farming arm of Canadian seafood company Cooke, was ordered to suspend operations at nine of its farming sites for one production cycle, per various local media reports.

The company rejected the fine and said that the roughly $37,000 penalty was “disproportionate” as it stemmed from an alleged delay of providing statistical information by one or two days, according to the publication Salmonexpert.

Cooke clarified that the authority's requirement that the data be submitted weekly was fulfilled, as established by current regulations...