SENA 2025: Expana Analysts Break Down Forecasting and Algo-Forecasting in the Seafood Market

On March 16, the second day of the Seafood Expo North America (SENA), Expana’s own Angel Rubio and Andrei Rjedkin presented on the Price Reporting Agency’s (PRA) unique price forecasting methods in today’s dynamic, and at times volatile, seafood market.

Rubio, who is an economist and lead analyst at Urner Barry by Expana, kicked off the presentation by diving into the methodology behind forecasting, showing a world map depicting the global seafood trade, which was borrowed from Rabobank.

He explained how seafood is the world’s most...

Alaska's 2024 Salmon Season Sees Many Lows, with Five Fishery Disasters; 2025 Looks Better

Alaska’s 2024 salmon fishery was not only the third lowest in total fish harvested for the past 38 years (1985-2023); it was also the lowest on record for total pounds harvested.

The fishery includes both wild runs and hatchery returns, as well as the consistently abundant Bristol Bay wild salmon return and the disastrously low returns in other major river systems.

In the 2024 Alaska Salmon Fisheries Enhancement Annual Report, which was released earlier this week, the hatchery portion of the 2024 salmon season was...

Japanese Shipments of Farmed Bluefin Tuna Increased by 11% in 2024

According to a March 24 announcement by the Fisheries Agency of Japan, based on preliminary figures, farmed bluefin tuna shipments in 2024 increased 11% from the previous year, totaling 18,687 tons.

In addition, shipments derived from wild seedlings (including short-term farming) increased by 14% to 18,282 tons. Shipments derived from artificial seedlings decreased by 46% to 405 tons. With the recovery of wild resources, major trading companies have shifted from complete farming to short-term farming to raise larger wild seedlings, which is thought to have led to...

New Study Shows Wild Alaska Sole’s “Impressive Levels” of Omega-3s and Other Key Nutrients

New findings from a recent study by ISO-certified lab Exact Scientific revealed higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids for all species of Wild Alaska sole (also known as flounder) than previously thought.

According to the study, two 4- to 5-oz servings of Wild Alaska sole provide up to 1,885 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, satisfying the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation of 1,705 mg of omega-3s per week for a healthy diet. Unlike many other fish that are also...

Decline of Russian Pollock and Cod Catches Leads to Increased Export Prices in Foreign Markets

Export prices for Russian pollock and cod are steadily growing due to the reduction of catch and deliveries. According to data from Natsiabresurs, the Russian Federal State Unitary Enterprise, the sale price of Russian cod on the foreign market in February 2025 was $7.20 per kg, increasing by 24.1% from the previous month and 65.9% year-on-year (y-o-y). In the meantime, a sharp growth of prices has also been observed in the case of other Russian white fish species including pollock...

East Coast Seafood Adopts Hiperbaric’s HPP Technology

East Coast Seafood (ECS) recently announced its acquisition of a new Hiperbaric high pressure processing (HPP) machine, which will support the seafood wholesaler’s operations in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

HPP utilizes an all-natural, cold-pasteurization method that preserves seafood by subjecting it to extreme water pressure. This technology keeps products fresh so that ECS can extract crustacean and bivalve meat using its existing automation technology, resulting in superior meat extraction, microbial control, and process efficiency.

In addition, the new technology will deliver post-packaging benefits for raw and cooked seafood products, which are...

Nova Sea’s CEO Resigns Following Recent Merge with Mowi

According to a recent press release from Norwegian salmon farmer Nova Sea, CEO Tom Eirik Aasjord will be stepping down from his post of almost six years due to personal reasons, effective April 1, 2025.

Aasjord was employed by Nova Sea since 2013 and has been on a sick leave for a period of time. He expressed his gratitude for the position and stood by his decision to part ways.

“After more than 10 years of commuting, I have come to the conclusion that this is the right time to say..."

Get Crackin’ with New Dungeness Crab License Plate

Whales, sharks, puffins and crabs, oh my!

Oregon license plates featuring sea creatures got a big boost recently with the addition of Dungeness crab, sharks and puffins to the available background choices. They join the gray whale, which came out roughly six years ago.

But Dungeness crab joining salmon demonstrates how it is both an iconic part of Oregon and a vital sport and commercial fishery.

The crab design features a bold, bright orange Oregon Dungeness crab against a light blue sea background, inspired by the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission logo...

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...

Vietnam’s Shrimp Exports Exceed $4 Billion in 2024

Vietnam recorded a shrimp yield of over 1.264 million metric tons in 2024, up 5.3 percent year on year, while exporting over US$4 billion worth of shrimp, a significant increase from the previous year, according to the Vietnam Fisheries Society.

In 2023, the nation’s shrimp export value reached $3.38 billion, down 21.7 percent year on year.

The 2024 export growth was attributed to the widespread application of advanced scientific techniques and hi-tech models in shrimp farming.

However, Nguyen Viet Thang, chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Society, pointed...

Leading Russian Fish Producers and Processors Expect Further Revenue Decline in 2025

As a result of the unfavorable market environment and the improved strength of the ruble, Russia’s leading fish producers and processors are anticipating a further revenue decline this year.

According to recent statements made by Herman Zverev, head of the All-Russian Association of Fish Producers (VARPE), in an interview with the Russian Vedomosti business paper, there is a high possibility that negative trends that appeared in the Russian fish sector in 2022–2024 will intensify later this year. Zverev stated that, in the case of pollock fishing...

Fortune Fish & Gourmet Unveils New Fish Cutting Facility at Northeast Regional Headquarters

U.S. seafood processor Fortune Fish & Gourmet just unveiled a new fish cutting facility at its Northeast Regional Headquarters in Union, NJ, which will effectively expand the company’s ability to serve fresh fillets to key markets in areas like Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey.

The new refrigerated fillet room will provide Fortune customers with fresh, custom-cut fish, which can then be quickly distributed to restaurants, hotels, and retailers throughout the highly populated Northeast region.

The new cutting room joins Fortune’s growing portfolio of fish processing facilities, which...

Hokkaido's Herring Fishery Season is Open, but Supply Remains Uncertain

Ishikari Bay’s coastal fishery may fall below 2,000 tons for the first time in four years. While Hokkaido herring catches have been stable at around 20,000 tons in recent years, dark clouds are hanging over the future of this fishing season, Minato Shimbun reported.

Gillnet fishing in the Sea of Japan, which began in mid-January, is nearing the end of its season. According to the Hokkaido government’s summary, the total catch as of March 10—mainly in the Shiribeshi, Ishikari, and Rumoi areas—was 1,446 tons, down 61% from...

Final 2025 Alaska Groundfish TACs Show Drop in Greenland Turbot, Slight Increase in Pollock

The total catch limits have been finalized for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI), with the biggest year-over-year (YOY) decline in Greenland turbot and yellowfin sole.

In all, BSAI total allocable catches (TACs) for 2025 remain at two million metric tons for over 20 species, from the perennially abundant Alaska pollock to the smallest volume-landed shortraker rockfish.

In 2025, the pollock limit increased by 75,000 metric tons (mt) over 2024’s TAC to 1.375 million mt in the Bering Sea. For the...

Heathrow Airport Closure Impacts European Salmon Market

A fire that occurred at a major electricity substation near London’s Heathrow Airport on Friday, March 21, is causing noticeable ripples in the global supply chain, specifically in relation to fish being transported out of Europe.

The fire, which caused an airport closure and significant diversions at Europe’s largest airport, has severely impacted cargo shipments for salmon departing Europe, including key salmon shipments from Norway, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands.

According to Janice Schreiber, Managing Editor at Expana, and Josh Bickert, Market Reporter at Expana, fish shipments from Europe average between 14.3 and...

Western Pacific Scientists Tackle Protected Species Issues and Strategic Planning

When it comes to fishing in the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council region, concerns over threatened or endangered species may be more prominent than concerns about fishing and its successful contributions to the region’s economy.

With that backdrop, the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee met earlier this month and reviewed protected species management in the region’s fisheries. Scientists discussed how the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act do more to regulate fisheries than the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, or MSA...

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...