ANALYSIS: Chilean Salmon Squeezed as Tariffs, Fuel Costs and El Niño Risk Converge

According to SUBPESCA, accumulated Chilean Atlantic salmon harvest volumes from January to August were 15.4% higher YTD at 523,474 metric tons (mt) (Figure 1). August harvest reached 78,588 mt, up 14.7% month over month (MOM) but down 5.4% year over year (YOY). Market participants doubt this pace continues through Q3 and Q4: lower YOY live biomass in sea cages reflects precautionary destocking tied to El Niño risk, detailed below...

ICES Advises 102% Increase in Northeast Atlantic Mackerel Catch for 2027

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has advised that Northeast Atlantic mackerel catches in 2027 should be no more than 352,938 tonnes, more than doubling the advice issued for 2026, according to the council's official advice sheet published Sept. 30.

The figure, calculated under ICES's maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach, represents a 102% increase over the 174,357-tonne advice ICES issued for 2026 — a year in which the council had recommended a 77% cut after finding the stock...

USDA Splits $2 Million Atlantic Pollock Buy Between Two New England Processors

The US Department of Agriculture has awarded a new Section 32 Atlantic pollock contract worth just over $2 million, splitting the purchase between two Massachusetts processors after receiving competing bids — a departure from the agency's most recent pollock buy, which went entirely to a single supplier...

Lawmakers Introduce Bill Requiring More Prominent Seafood Origin, Production Labels

Rep. Tim Moore (R-N.C.) has introduced legislation that would require seafood sold to consumers to more prominently disclose its country of origin and whether it was wild-caught or farm-raised.

H.R. 10580, the Let Americans Buy with Explicit Labeling Act, or LABEL Act, would require packaged seafood to display both the country of origin and production method on the front of the package. The information would need to appear in a font at least as large as that used for the...

M&S Taps Ireland's Seafood Processor for Exclusive Organic Oak-Smoked Salmon Line

Marks & Spencer has launched an exclusive Organic Irish Oak Smoked Salmon developed with Bantry-based Keohane Seafoods, marking a new supply partnership between the UK retailer and Ireland's largest seafood processor.

The product is the result of a multi-year development process rather than a quick private-label add. Developed exclusively for M&S over three years, the premium ready-to-eat product represents a new collaboration between M&S and Keohane Seafoods, bringing together M&S's commitment to quality with the expertise of Ireland's largest seafood...

South Korea Overtakes US in Crab Imports

South Korea moved ahead of the United States in the first quarter of 2026 to become the world's second-largest crab importer after US purchases fell 10%, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today.

World crab imports were stable at about 92,000 tonnes in the first quarter, but a greater share of the trade moved toward Asia. China took roughly 37% of global imports.

Canadian snow crab exports were low during the quarter as sea ice and price disputes delayed the start of the fishing season...

Japan's Processed Seafood Production Fell 3％ in 2025; Surimi Products Dropped by Half in 30 Years

According to Minato Shimbun, citing newly released statistics from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), domestic production of processed seafood products for human consumption in 2025—excluding roasted and seasoned nori seaweed—totaled 1,241,499 metric tons, down 3% year over year.

Surimi products remained the largest category, accounting for 34% of total output at 418,747 tons, up 3% from a year earlier. Although this represented an improvement from the record-low volume reported in the previous year...

Mitsubishi Exits Japanese Food Wholesaler Maruichi Sansho in Final Share Buyback

Mitsubishi Corporation has sold its entire remaining stake in Maruichi Sansho, completing an exit from the Japanese food wholesaler that the trading house had signaled was coming, according to a company notice.

Maruichi Sansho bought back 2,312,500 of its own shares from Mitsubishi on Sept. 30 for JPY 2.41 billion (€13.6 million/$15.4 million), a stake representing 11.7% of voting rights, IntraFish reported, citing the stock exchange filing.  The buyback closed via an off-auction transaction on the Nagoya Stock Exchange, completing a repurchase plan...

Expana Exclusive: Supplying 46,000+ Restaurants in Complex Context - McDonald's Supply Chain Leader

Darcy Gilbert, Vice President of Global Food and Beverage Sourcing at McDonald's, leads a global team accountable for overseeing approximately $30 billion in annual spend across 46,000+ restaurants in 100+ markets, and a global network of supplier partners. At its heart, the team’s job is making sure the food customers love shows up in every restaurant, every day. Yet navigating such a vast system in a fast-changing world requires far more than simply leveraging scale.

In an exclusive interview ahead of her appearance...

Class Action Accuses Mama Bear Salmon Owner of Greenwashing Amid Chilean Environmental Violations

A consumer has filed a proposed federal class action against Trapananda Seafarms LLC, the Miami-based North American sales arm of Chilean salmon producer Australis Seafoods S.A., alleging the company's "Mama Bear" brand deceptively markets its frozen Atlantic salmon products as "Sustainably Farm-Raised" despite a pattern of environmental violations at Australis's Chilean farming operations.

The lawsuit, Harris v. Trapananda Seafarms LLC, was filed August 27 in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by plaintiff Cathryn Harris of Lansing, Illinois. Harris says...

North American Bluefin Tuna Increased Sharply in August at Toyosu Market

According to a report by the Minato Shimbun, Jiji Press data show that the volume of imported fresh tuna arriving at Tokyo's Toyosu Market in August totaled 3,261 fish, up 44.9% from the same month last year. While supplies of wild bluefin tuna and southern bluefin tuna rose steadily, bigeye tuna numbers declined. 

The total number of bluefin tuna reached 770 fish, up from 386 the previous year, effectively doubling. Amid a sharp drop in domestic wild catches, active procurement efforts—particularly from North America...

Chile Suspends Sanctions Against Six Salmon Farms After $1.82M Compliance Pledge

Chile's Superintendency of the Environment (SMA) has approved six Compliance Programs (PDC) submitted by companies operating Salmon Farming Centers (CES) in the Los Lagos, Aysén, and Magallanes regions, resolving sanctioning procedures tied to a range of environmental violations at individual farm sites.

The approved programs cover Cermaq Chile SA's Punta Islas center, Multi X SA's Soledad center, Invermar SA's Walker III center, AquaChile Maullín Ltda.'s Chidguapi center, Mowi Chile SA's García 1 center, and Exportadora Los Fiordos Ltda.'s Melimoyu center...

Salmon, Tuna, Lobster Among Seafood on New US-China Tariff Reduction List

A broad range of US seafood exports — from Alaska pollock and Pacific cod to Maine lobster, Gulf of Maine shrimp, Atlantic sea scallops, and sea cucumber — stands to benefit from a new tariff-reduction framework unveiled by the United States and China on September 28, following last week's summit between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, D.C.

Under a document titled "Terms of Reference for the '30-for-30' Framework," dated September 27, the two countries agreed to reciprocal lists of goods...

Markey Blocks Sullivan's Bid to Fast-Track Bycatch Reduction Act

US Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) blocked Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) from fast-tracking his Bycatch Reduction Act on the Senate floor September 23, denying the Alaska lawmaker a unanimous consent vote just a week after the bill cleared committee.

Sullivan took to the floor calling his legislation "the most comprehensive trawl bycatch reduction legislation ever to come before the United States Senate," and urged colleagues to pass it by unanimous consent — a procedural shortcut that requires no senator object...

Canadian Food Manufacturers Face Rising Trade and Cost Pressures

Canada’s food and beverage manufacturers posted sales growth in the first half of 2026, but higher prices rather than stronger volumes drove the increase as tariffs, trade disruption and cautious consumer spending added pressure to margins.

Food and beverage manufacturing sales reached C$88.1 billion in the first half of 2026, up 4% from the same period last year, according to a mid-year update from Farm Credit Canada (FCC) Economics. Adjusted for prices, however, real sales were flat.

“The first half of 2026 shows the sector...

Russia Sees Sharp Pollock Price Growth This Year Amid Cod Shortage, Export Demand

Russia has experienced a sharp rise in pollock prices this year, with wholesale prices up 59.3% since the beginning of 2026. The increase is being driven by growing global demand for pollock and a significant decline in catches of other white fish species, particularly cod, for which pollock is increasingly viewed as an alternative.

According to analysts, the current price surge can be attributed to strong export demand and favorable conditions in foreign markets...

Fresh Thyme Market Spotlights Seafood in 2027 Trend Forecast

Midwest grocer Fresh Thyme Market has named ocean-sourced foods as a standout category in its newly released 2027 "Top 10 Trends" report, giving seafood its own dedicated slot alongside the retailer's flagship flavor and wellness predictions for the year ahead.

The report, developed in partnership with consumer data firm SPINS, forecasts the flavors, ingredients and wellness priorities Fresh Thyme expects shoppers to chase in 2027. While the core list runs to 10 trends spanning fiber, brain food and GLP-1-friendly...

Common Cents Act Clears Congress, Giving Restaurants a Federal Cash-Rounding Framework

The penny’s days as a working part of the US cash register are nearing an end, and restaurants are getting a clearer set of rules for dealing with the change.

The Senate passed H.R. 10167, the “Common Cents Act,” on Sept. 28, sending the legislation to President Trump for his signature. The bill would formally end production of pennies for general circulation and establish a federal framework for rounding cash transactions when exact change is unavailable.

For restaurant operators, the legislation provides some...

Value, Convenience Drive Restaurant Choice as Consumers Pull Back on Spending

Restaurant operators may be seeing modest improvement in consumer spending, but diners remain highly price-conscious and increasingly selective about where and how they spend. A new report from Popmenu found U.S. consumers are spending an average of $100 per week on restaurants, up from earlier in 2026 but still $15 below June 2025 levels.

The report underscores a key challenge for operators: consumers still want to dine out, but they are actively looking for ways to spend less. According to Popmenu...

Yumbah Aquaculture Appoints Naomi Matthews as Chief Marketing and Sales Officer

Yumbah Aquaculture has named Naomi Matthews as its new Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, tapping a marketing leader with global seafood and Australian retail experience to lead the company's next growth phase across its multi-species portfolio.

Matthews succeeds Dale Williams, who is retiring as Head of Sales and Marketing. She joins Yumbah from Trident Seafoods Europe and Pickenpack Seafoods, where she served as Managing Director, bringing a combination the company says spans both international seafood marketing and hands-on domestic retail experience...

Atlantic Economic Panel Calls for Seafood Sector to Anchor $100 Billion Natural Resource Push by '35

A federal advisory panel is urging Ottawa and the four Atlantic provinces to treat fisheries and aquaculture as a core pillar of a decade-long economic transformation. The panel named oceans one of just three "opportunity" pillars — alongside natural resources and defense — in a new blueprint for Atlantic Canada's growth through 2035.

The Atlantic Economic Panel, chaired by Don Mills and commissioned with support from federal minister Sean Fraser, released its "Bolder Ambitions: Greater Prosperity for All" report identifying seafood... 

ANALYSIS: Rising Freight and Fuel Costs Support Firmer US Frozen Tuna Market

The frozen tuna market has taken on a firmer undertone as rising freight and fuel costs continue to work into replacement values. Market participants have increasingly pointed to higher transportation costs as a factor behind firmer offers, particularly on product moving from Asia to the US East Coast. Ocean freight remains elevated and uneven, with carriers continuing to manage capacity through blank sailings, port omissions and tighter booking controls. At the same time, higher fuel costs continue to add expense throughout the supply chain, from fishing and processing through...

NCLA Asks for Summary Judgment in Case Over WDFW Electronic Monitoring Program for Crab Fleet

The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) filed a brief last Friday asking for summary judgment in Franey and Young v. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, arguing that the WDFW's opposition motion contained concessions supporting much of the plaintiffs' case that the agency's new Electronic Monitoring Program for crab boats is unconstitutional.

Plaintiffs Sarah Franey, Brent Young and Mark Young — all crab captains fishing off Washington State — are represented by the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine and the NCLA...

US Scallop Imports, Chilean Mussel Exports Fell Sharply in Q1

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reported today that mussel and scallop trade weakened in the first quarter of 2026, while oyster and clam flows changed little.

Mussel shipments returned to around 2024 levels after an exceptionally strong first quarter in 2025. Chile remains the world's largest mussel exporter, but its shipments fell to about 22,000 tonnes during January-March, down 6,000 tonnes year-on-year. Spanish exports also declined as harvesting closures and mortality events in Galicia reduced available supply...

ASC Launches Responsible Shrimp Slaughter Project to Support Humane Harvesting

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has launched the Responsible Shrimp Slaughter Project, bringing together scientific research, producer experience, and wider industry expertise to address critical evidence gaps and translate emerging knowledge into approaches that can work under commercial farming conditions. The project is supported by Coefficient Giving, an American philanthropic advising and funding organization...

Commerce Rescinds Shrimp Antidumping Review for 285 Indian Exporters

The US Department of Commerce has partially rescinded its antidumping duty administrative review of certain frozen warmwater shrimp from India for the 2025-2026 period, dropping 285 companies from the proceeding after determining they had no suspended entries of subject merchandise during the review period, according to a notice published in the Federal Register on September 28.

The review, initiated March 31, 2026, originally covered 393 companies for the period of review (POR) running February 1, 2025, through January 31, 2026. Commerce received requests for review in February...

Federal Court Shuts Down Gold Star Distribution After Seafood-Inclusive Recall

A federal court has entered a permanent injunction against Gold Star Distribution, Inc., barring the Minneapolis-based multi-commodity warehouse operator from distributing any FDA-regulated products — including seafood, food, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics — until it overhauls its operations to meet federal sanitary requirements, the FDA announced September 23.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota entered the consent decree on September 21 against Gold Star and owner Bassam Abu Samrah, following what the agency described as...

NAIA Elects New Board Leadership for 2026–2027

The Newfoundland and Labrador Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA) has elected new leadership for its 2026–2027 Board of Directors, with Cermaq Canada’s Stephanie Synard McInnis moving into the President role and Skretting Canada’s Ben Normand elected Vice President.

The changes were approved during NAIA’s Annual General Meeting, held as part of the 2026 Cold Harvest Conference. The board’s other members will continue in their existing roles, with Sheldon George moving from President to Past President.

McInnis succeeds George as chair of the association’s board. She said NAIA...

Europêche Flags Gaps in EU Tuna trade Impact Assessments

Europêche is calling for more detailed analysis of the European Union’s long-distance tuna fleet in Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs) for major trade agreements, citing gaps in how tuna products and fleet-level impacts are evaluated.

The industry group’s review of SIAs covering Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Mexico and a 2026 draft assessment for Thailand identified what it described as recurring shortcomings, including inconsistent categorization of tuna products and a lack of quantitative modeling of the EU fleet’s revenues, employment and sourcing...

Ai2, Global Fishing Watch Expand AI Partnership for Fisheries Monitoring

Ai2 and Global Fishing Watch are expanding their partnership to develop AI tools for ocean monitoring and enforcement, with an emphasis on detecting and investigating activity at sea, including potential illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Announced during Climate Week NYC 2026, the collaboration will combine Ai2’s AI models and Skylight maritime intelligence platform with Global Fishing Watch’s ocean data, mapping technology and experience working with governments on fisheries monitoring and enforcement.

The organizations plan to integrate additional satellite data, develop real-time computer vision...