2023 Snow Crab Quota For Newfoundland and Labrador Announced; TAC Up 8.4%

The 2023 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab fishery was announced by Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Thursday afternoon. The TAC for this year is set at 54,727 tonnes, which is an overall quota increase of 8.4% from 2022.

The 3LNO area has the largest quota allocation with 32,224 tonnes. To compare, in 2022 the area had 30,940 tonnes. 

The area with the next highest quota allocation is 3K with 11,591 tonnes, followed by the 3Ps with 8,898 tonnes. In 2022 3K had 9,840 tonnes and 3Ps had received 7,728 tonnes.

VIDEO: Blue Harvest Strategy Shift; Norway Salmon Tax; NL Snow Crab Price Negotiations 

Join SeafoodNews Managing Editor Amanda Buckle as she breaks down the top read stories of the week, including Blue Harvest Fisheries' strategy shift; an update on the Norwegian salmon tax; and snow crab price negotiations in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

This episode of the SeafoodNews Weekly Video is brought to you by Urner Barry's Data on Demand! Transform your data challenges into valuable business opportunities with real-time commodity market information, seamlessly integrated directly into your company's systems. Urner Barry's data licensing solutions, including...

Restaurant Labor Recovery Seeing State-by-State Fluctuation

The National Restaurant Association provided a look at the labor situation of restaurants across the U.S. and the picture varies on a seemingly state-by-state basis.

On a nationwide scale, staffing levels still remain below pre-pandemic levels, according to the Association. As of February 2023, eating and drinking places were 0.9% (108,000 jobs) below their pre-pandemic peak in February 2020.

On a state-by-state basis, 28 states and Washington D.C. remained below the amount seen in February 208.

This group was led by Maine, Maryland and Vermont, which...

SATS Urges Congress to Support $25 Million in Funding for NMFS' Aquaculture Office

Industry coalition Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) sent a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Committees on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies today urging Congress to support annual funding for NOAA Fisheries’ National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)’s Aquaculture Office in the fiscal year 2024 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Appropriations Act.

The letter requests that the Committee support the requested $25 million in annual funding for the NMFS’s Aquaculture Office, which includes...

NaturalShrimp Enters Into Agreement With Homegrown Shrimp For Purchase of Post-Larvae Shrimp

Biotechnology aquaculture company Natural Shrimp announced this week that they have entered into a year-long agreement with Homegrown Shrimp for the purchase of post-larvae (PL) shrimp for stocking in the company’s Webster City, Iowa, and La Coste, Texas, facilities.

“We are very pleased to finalize our agreement with Homegrown whom we consider to be the premier supplier of quality fast-growing PLs in the Country,” said  Gerald Easterling, CEO of NaturalShrimp. “Without the PLs there are no shrimp to grow or sell...

Thai Union’s SPACE-F Launches Global FoodTech Incubator and Accelerator Batch 4

SPACE-F, Thailand’s global food-tech startup incubator and accelerator program — which is a partnership between Thai Union, the National Innovation Agency, Mahidol University, Thai Beverage PCL and Deloitte Thailand — has launched Batch 4 in an effort to continue to drive growth in the global food industry through technology and innovation.

“Thailand is one of the largest food exporters in the world, which people think of as ‘Kitchen of the World,’” said Dr. Tunyawat Kasemsuwan, Group Director of Global Innovation at Thai Union. “However, when you think about...

FFAW, ASP Fail To Come To Agreement During Snow Crab Price Negotiations 

Last month the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) announced a shared commitment to work together ahead of the upcoming snow crab season. But once pricing talks began, that agreement to address challenges within the industry fell apart.

“We committed to discussions with the FFAW on the upcoming season, and after those discussions, along with considering the many challenges that exist this year, we regret to inform that we could not reach an agreement...

The Retail Rundown: Holiday Ham Breakdown

Leading up to Easter, pork feature volume moves up to the top spot with 30.1% of all protein ads. Seafood closely follows with 29.3%. Beef feature volume sits at 23%, while chicken chimes in at about 13%. Eggs ticked up to 2.2%, up from 0.7% the week prior but below 7.5% last year. 

Within the pork retail segment, hams account for 16.8% of the total feature volume. There are an estimated 27,135 buying opportunities for ham this week, up from about 23,000 the week prior.

Spiral sliced features make up the bulk of ham...

FCC: Concerning Lack of Commitment to Canadian Fisheries Science and Blue Economy in Federal Budget

The federal budget tabled by Minister Freeland today shows a concerning lack of support for the Canadian fisheries industry and essential fisheries science. The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) is disappointed to see an absence of recognition of the importance of a sufficient science for supporting data-based fisheries management decisions that will allow our industry to establish a robust Blue Economy.

As the national voice representing the Canadian fisheries industry, FCC made several pre-budget recommendations and was pleased to see that...

Sysco Appoints Kenny Cheung as Chief Financial Officer

Global foodservice distribution company Sysco announced on Tuesday that they have appointed a new Chief Financial Officer. Kenny Cheung, who most recently served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the Hertz Corporation, will take on the position for Sysco, effective April 17, 2023.

“I’m delighted to welcome Kenny to our executive leadership team,” said Sysco President and CEO Kevin Hourican. “Kenny is a results-oriented leader with proven financial and operational management qualifications and a track record of driving strong performance with a collaborative approach. He has extensive...

Chilean Seafood on Full Display at Seafood Expo North America

Seafood Expo North America (SENA) returned to the Boston Convention Center earlier this month. Although it was in its second year back post-COVID, 2023 felt like a true return to normal for many in the industry.

For many companies, the show is viewed as a way to connect with partners in North America, find new business and promote new products and developments. That was the sentiment SeafoodNews received from a number of Chilean seafood companies that were present through a pavilion hosted by the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs...

SEA-NL Demands Answers From DFO, FFAW Over 3L Snow Crab Fishery

Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) is demanding answers about the 3L snow crab fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador.

This year the DFO introduced a new precautionary approach to protect crab stocks in 3L. The new approach involves the creation of two separate biomasses for the inshore and offshore harvest. Fishermen were protesting the decision last week, arguing that it will leave inshore harvesters with less to catch. Minister Joyce Murray sent a letter to FFAW on Friday in which she agreed to evaluate...

Alternative Seafood Company Aqua Cultured Foods To Begin Consumer Tastings in April

Aqua Cultured Foods, a food tech startup using a proprietary mycoprotein fermentation process to develop alternative seafood products, is beginning consumer tasting trials in the next few weeks.

Aqua Cultured Foods first made headlines in February 2022 when they unveiled their first product: squid-free calamari fries. Using microbial fermentation, the company was able to create a calamari alternative that has 80 calories, 15-20 grams of protein, 10-12 grams of fiber, and no sodium, saturated fat or cholesterol. 

“As you bite it, you get an immediate...

You Can Now Use AI for Restaurant Recommendations Thanks to OpenTable

Looking to switch things up for date night? You could ask a co-worker for the name of the restaurant they were praising a few weeks ago. You could also comb through TikTok or Instagram to find an exciting new place to eat. Or you could ask ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot that has taken over the internet since it was launched in November.

Online restaurant reservation service OpenTable has partnered with ChatGPT on a new plugin that will not only help hungry folks find...

Natural Grocers Expands Their Line of Canned Seafood

Natural Grocers is expanding their brand products line of canned seafood. The family-operated organic and natural grocery retailer announced this week that they’ve added five new varieties to their offerings, from sardines to tuna and even salmon.

“We’re proud to offer our customers these affordable, premium-quality products that meet our rigorous Fish and Seafood Standards,” said Raquel Isely, Vice President of Marketing for Natural Grocers. “In addition to prioritizing wild-caught and sustainably harvested fish and seafood, our vendor partners with small-scale fisheries, using practices that protect juvenile fish...

Blue Harvest Suspends Operations at Processing Plant in New Bedford to Focus on Modernizing Fleet

On Friday Blue Harvest Fisheries announced a “strategy shift” for their groundfish operations that involves temporarily suspending operations at their processing plant in New Bedford. 

Blue Harvest holds most of its quota in the haddock, redfish and Atlantic pollock fisheries. The company had expanded their activity in the groundfish fishery in 2020 through the purchase of 12 vessels and 27 fishing permits that had been held by “Codfather” Carlos Rafael, who in 2017 was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to...

ANALYSIS: Chilean Fresh Fillets Drop 10.1 Percent Since End of February

The farmed salmon market out of Chile for fresh fillets continued to decline this week. All sizes moved lower and since the end of February 2023, pricing on 3–4-pound Chilean fresh fillets are now 10.1 percent lower. We did see a similar trend last year in 2022 about the same time. The market dropped 6.8 percent during the month of March. 

Speculation as to why the market is dropping appears to be a combination of factors. Some reports...

Fishermen and Scientists Unite to Restore Fishing Opportunities, Protect Corals off S. California

Non-trawl groundfish fishermen will see increased opportunity in the next few years after the Pacific Fishery Management Council approved the changes at its March meeting. In California, the move will also reopen more than 4,500 square miles of Southern California waters to while also permanently protecting the most fragile and diverse deep sea coral areas within the region.

The effort to change the fishing regulations, particularly in Southern California, is the result of a unique collaboration of recreational and commercial fishermen, the conservation group Oceana and ...

JRS Group Acquires Seaweed Extract Producer Algaia 

JRS Group, a manufacturer of functional ingredients from plant-based raw materials, has acquired Algaia SA, a producer of sustainably-produced seaweed extracts and hydrocolloids. The acquisition sets another milestone in JRS’ seaweed business.

Both businesses harvest seaweed along the Atlantic coast of Brittany, which is one of the largest fresh seaweed fields in Europe. JRS said that by joining forces with Algaia they’ll be able to further meet the growing global demand for “natural, renewable and biodegradable solutions for a wide range of industries.” 

“The acquisition of Algaia enables far-reaching synergies...

Chile’s SMA Initiates 5 Sanctioning Procedures Against Australis

CNMI Governor Palacios Urges President Biden to Respect Pacific Island Communities at WPRFMC Meeting

Can you say "awkward?"

A presidential administration that promotes environmental justice recently stepped on Pacific Island cultures when President Biden announced a proposed Remote Island Areas marine sanctuary, according to leaders involved in fisheries management in the area.

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Governor Arnold Palacios opened the 194th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council last week expressing his views on Biden’s direction to the Secretary of Commerce to consider designating a...

Marubeni Signs Agreement with Ynsect to Enter the Japanese Market

Marubeni has signed an agreement with Ynsect, the world's largest producer and seller of insect-derived protein, headquartered in France, to enter the Japanese market. In the future, the two companies aim to develop an alternative feed that uses insect-derived protein as an alternative protein for fishmeal for fish farming, such as yellowtail and red sea bream, for the Japanese market, Minato Shimbun reported.

Towards the development of fishmeal substitutes for fish farming

Ynsect was established in 2011. It operates three insect-derived protein production facilities in France...

Norway Salmon Tax Details Released. Here’s Everything You Need To Know.

For months Norway’s salmon producers have been threatened by a new tax and now the government has finally released the details. 

On Tuesday the Norwegian government announced that they would be presenting a bill proposing a resource rent tax on aquaculture. While the initial proposal called for a 40% tax for volumes above 4,000-5,000 tons, the resource tax rate has now been lowered to 35%.

“While the basic model remains in place, we have listened to the submissions from the consultation process,”  explained Prime Minister...

Togiak Herring Season Closed Despite Huge Return, Sitka Sac Roe Fishery to Open Soon

Although the 2023 potential harvest for the Togiak sac roe herring fishery is 57,419 tons, processors have told the Alaska Department of Fish and Game they do not intend to harvest this year. 

“The department does not expect this will change,” reads ADF&G’s statement from March 20. Aerial surveys of the biomass will continue to be flown, and “[t]he lack of interest for the Togiak fishery does not impact the Dutch Harbor Food and Bait fishery or [guideline harvest limit] GHL,” managers stated ...

Newfoundland and Labrador TAC Announced for Shrimp Fishing Areas 5 and 6

On Monday the total allowable catch was announced for Northern shrimp in Shrimp Fishing Areas (SFA) 5 and 6. These areas are located off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Last year the TAC for SFA 5 was reduced by 12% as a result of the decline in fishable biomass from 2020 to 2021. The TAC for this area in 2023 is set to remain the same at 14,200t. Meanwhile, last year the TAC for SFA 6 was only slightly reduced by 1.1%. The TAC for...

February Salmon Sales at Tokyo Central Wholesale Market Recover for Salted, Shrink for Fresh, Frozen

Salmon and trout sales at the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market in February shrank due to high prices for fresh and frozen salmon. Salted salmon and trout remained positive with a recovery. Suisan Keizai Shimbun reported that sales of salted coho, the main salted product, increased despite the higher price than the previous year.

Fresh salmon

The total price was 343 tons, and the average unit price was 2,286 yen/kg ($17.48/kg). The unit price was 28.8% higher than the same month in...

BlueNalu Signs Letter of Intent With Nutreco

Earlier this month cell-cultured seafood company BlueNalu signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Nutreco, a global leader in animal nutrition and aquafeed. This is the third agreement between the two companies. 

“Our vision to create a healthy, secure and sustainable protein solution with cell-cultured seafood, starts by solving several key challenge areas, which include the shift from a pharma-grade to food-grade ingredient supply,” explained BlueNalu CEO and President Lou Cooperhouse. “I’m proud to share that between our team’s innovation and incredible strategic partners, we’ve continued to...

Murray Agrees to Evaluate Possible Merge of 3L Inshore, Offshore Snow Crab Areas Into One Biomass

After nearly a week of protests, 3L crab fishermen received a welcomed letter from Minister Joyce Murray on Friday. 

As SeafoodNews previously reported, fishermen in Newfoundland and Labrador were protesting the DFO’s new precautionary approach to protect crab stocks in 3L. This new approach involves the creation of two separate biomasses for the inshore and offshore harvest – a move fishermen say will leave inshore harvesters with less to catch. The Fish Food & Allied Workers, also known as FFAW-Unifor, has been vocal...

PODCAST: Latest on 3L Snow Crab; Salmon Market Update

Join SeafoodNews Managing Editor Amanda Buckle and Urner Barry Seafood market reporter Lorin Castiglione as they talk about what’s going on with the 3L snow crab fishery. Plus they have the latest salmon market update from Urner Barry’s Janice Schreiber. 

This episode of the SeafoodNews weekly podcast is brought to you by Urner Barry's Data on Demand! Transform your data challenges into valuable business opportunities with real-time commodity market information, seamlessly integrated directly into your company's systems. Urner Barry's data licensing solutions, including our API and Excel Add-in...

Russia to Revise Plans to Gain 25% Share of EU Pollock Product Market Due to Sanctions

Russia is revising its long-term plans for gaining control of almost a 25% share of the European and U.S. pollock and cod markets due to sanctions, imposed on the country.

According to experts of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, while exports to Europe, North America and Asia have dominated the structure of fish trade in Russia in recent decades, at present sales of Russian fish in certain world regions are almost completely suspended.

Simultaneously, the government no longer sets the task of...