ANALYSIS: Improved Lobster Landings Meet Disciplined Buying Ahead of Summer

The Canadian spring lobster season is now fully underway, with all spring LFAs open and Nova Scotia’s LFA 33 and 34 scheduled to close this weekend. While some areas were scheduled to open earlier than usual, persistent weather issues throughout May limited landings and slowed the broader build in production.

Live demand is typically weak during the early spring period, particularly after Easter and before late-May holiday demand tied to Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. The market did see a modest uptick in activity around those calendar events...

Bumble Bee Forced Labor Case Advances Despite Legal Setback for Indonesian Fishermen

A California federal court delivered a mixed ruling on May 27 in the human trafficking lawsuit against Bumble Bee Foods, granting part of the tuna company's request to reconsider an earlier decision while allowing the Indonesian fishermen's core claims to proceed.

Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant acknowledged that the court had mischaracterized a key Ninth Circuit precedent in her November 2025 ruling denying Bumble Bee's motion to dismiss. The court had incorrectly stated that the Ratha v. Phatthana Seafood case definitively "held" that trafficking...

USDA Seeks Over 300,000 Pounds of Salmon Products for Government Food Programs

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting bids for salmon products totaling more than 304,000 pounds, marking the agency's third major seafood procurement this month as government purchasing activity accelerates.

The May 27 solicitation seeks canned pink salmon and frozen wild salmon fillets for domestic food distribution programs, with bids due June 5 at 1:00 PM Central Time and acceptances announced by June 18. Deliveries are scheduled between August 1 and December 15, 2026.

The procurement consists of over 100,000 cases of canned pink salmon...

Shipping Executives Warn WTO of Rising Costs From Global Trade Route Disruptions

Major shipping industry leaders told World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that mounting capacity pressures and alternative routing costs are driving up expenses for shippers and consumers during a May 28 meeting in Geneva.

The executives, representing companies including MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, and Hapag-Lloyd, cited disruptions in the Gulf region and other maritime chokepoints that are forcing cargo onto saturated alternative routes, with significant cost implications.

One executive highlighted the scale challenge, noting that approximately 70 freight trains are needed to match...

Japan’s April Marine Products Exports Up 6% in Volume, Soared 37% in Value

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance and reported by The Minato Shimbun, April exports of marine products (fish and shellfish and their preparations, and fish meal) increased by 6% year-on-year (YOY) to 54,968 tons and by 37% to 41.138 billion yen ($258.28 million). Scallop exports decreased by 8% to 4,876 tons but increased by 8% to 8.471 billion yen ($53.18 million). Yellowtail exports increased by 26% to 3,502 tons and doubled to 9.751 billion...

NZ Bottom Trawl Footprint Remains Small

New data shows New Zealand's trawl footprint continues to cover only a tiny fraction of the country's waters, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.

"The analysis, published on the Ministry for Primary Industries' website, shows the trawled area within New Zealand's territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone is concentrated in specific fishing grounds. It represented only 1.7 per cent of the total area in the 2024/25 fishing year, with most of that area previously...

"I know the topic of bottom trawling provokes strong reactions from...

ANALYSIS: Early Copper River Results Show Familiar Market Patterns Amid Lower Volume Start

Copper River's 2026 wild salmon season commenced Friday, May 22, marking the start of another anticipated harvest cycle. Opening day results showed 39,100 sockeye landed according to Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) data, representing a measured beginning typical of early-season operations.

Tuesday's harvest delivered 34,100 additional sockeye, though this tracked below the forecast for the period of 55,000. Combined landings reached approximately 73,200 fish, a volume progression that aligns with traditional seasonal patterns as fishing operations gain momentum. Another opener was scheduled for...

ANALYSIS: Skipjack Tuna Prices Steady Despite Lower EPO Landings

The latest data from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) shows cumulative yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) landings from January to March 2026 fell 24.9% year-over-year in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). Mexico leads yellowfin landings with a 43% share, followed by Ecuador at 20%...

Iceland Seafood Q1 Profit More Than Doubles as Sales Rise 22%

Iceland Seafood International reported sharply higher first-quarter profitability for 2026, with net profit more than doubling as sales climbed across all three business divisions.

The company posted Q1 sales of €146 million, up 22.4% year-over-year (YOY), while net profit increased to €2.1 million from €1 million YOY. EBITDA rose to €5.7 million, with 12-month EBITDA reaching €22.8 million.

Sales growth was led by the company’s S&D division, where revenue jumped 41% to €72.2 million...

Expana's Weekly Top 10

Today, Expana’s Weekly Top 10 highlights the headlines shaping the week, as reported by Expana’s writers and market experts.

As summer gets underway, weather‑driven shifts in grilling demand are pushing retailers to pivot toward Father’s Day promotions. Trade and geopolitics remain major market disruptors, with renewed USMCA talks, evolving US‑China tariff signals, seafood trade enforcement pressure, and Middle East developments influencing energy and freight markets. This week’s update also covers industry consolidation, product reformulation amid easing cocoa prices, and new fertilizer supply coming online as Brazil...

Louisiana-NOAA Joint Patrols Result in Eight Fishing Citations in the Gulf

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries enforcement agents and NOAA Fisheries officers cited eight individuals for alleged fishing violations during joint patrols conducted on May 15 in the Gulf of America.

The citations included both recreational and commercial violations across multiple fisheries. Among the violations were possession of red snapper over legal limits, fishing without required federal permits, and possession of species during closed seasons.

Notable cases included a Mississippi shrimp vessel captain cited for lacking a federal shrimp permit, a Louisiana angler possessing eight red snapper...

ILO Adopts First Global Workplace Safety Code for Aquaculture

A new international code aimed at improving workplace safety in aquaculture has been adopted by experts representing governments, employers and workers, marking the first global guidance of its kind for the fast-growing industry.

The code, developed through the International Labour Organization (ILO), is designed to help countries and industry stakeholders strengthen occupational safety and health protections for aquaculture workers, who often face poor working conditions and preventable job-related injuries and illnesses.

Aquaculture has become an increasingly important source of food production and rural...

Canada Invests $816 Million to Expand Coast Guard Maritime Security Role

Canada announced a $816 million, seven-year investment to strengthen maritime security and expand the Canadian Coast Guard's monitoring capabilities, particularly in Arctic waters where vessel traffic and security risks are growing.

Key components include establishing a year-round Maritime Domain Awareness Hub in Iqaluit, adding reconnaissance equipment to helicopters, installing four new long-range radar sites along the Northwest Passage and Hudson Strait, and acquiring surveillance drones to extend Coast Guard reach.

The investment supports the Coast Guard's new security mandate under the Strengthening Canada's...

Nova Scotia's Clark's Harbour Seafood Expands From Live Lobster to Global Processing Operation

Clark's Harbour Seafood has transformed from a traditional live lobster operation into a vertically integrated seafood business with global ambitions, according to a new case study from Invest Nova Scotia.

Under owner Jim He's leadership since 2016, the southwestern Nova Scotia company now operates alongside sister companies Atlantic ChiCan Seafood and Stoney Island Fisheries, creating an integrated supply chain spanning harvesting through export.

The evolution accelerated in 2019 when Clark's Harbour Seafood began diversifying beyond live lobster exports...

US House Committee Advances Bill to Close 'Port Shopping' for Imported Seafood

The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously advanced legislation giving the FDA authority to order the destruction of contaminated seafood and other hazardous imports, marking a significant step toward closing a regulatory loophole that has allowed rejected products to re-enter US markets.

The Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act (H.R. 2715) passed the committee last week with a 43-0 bipartisan vote, sending it to the House floor for consideration. The bill targets "port shopping," where exporters withdraw contaminated merchandise flagged by the FDA at one port and...

Padilla, Seafood from Norway Recognized for Award-Winning US Campaign

Padilla has earned a series of national and regional communications awards for its Sea-To-Table Restaurant Week 2025 campaign developed with Seafood from Norway, highlighting the program’s impact on consumer engagement and seafood sales in the Northeast U.S.

The agency recently received two 2026 PRSA Silver Anvil Awards in the categories of Marketing: Consumer Products – Regional Focus and Events + Observances for associations, government and nonprofit organizations. Additional recognition included a Certificate of Excellence in the 2026 PRovoke Media Innovation SABRE Awards North America...

WTO’s Nordquist Urges Faster Action on Fisheries Subsidies at Monaco Blue Initiative

At the Monaco Blue Initiative on Wednesday, WTO Deputy Director-General DJ Nordquist urged governments to speed up acceptance and implementation of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies and to keep negotiating tougher rules on subsidies tied to overcapacity and overfishing.

In her remarks, she said harmful fishery subsidies continue to threaten ocean health, food security and coastal livelihoods, even as sustainable fisheries remain critical to jobs and economic resilience. “We are at a critical moment for global fisheries governance and for the future...

Chile Launches On-the-Ground Rollout of Artisanal Fishing Fuel Coupon

Chile’s Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca) officially launched its new Artisanal Fishing Coupon program in Caleta La Vega, Calbuco, providing small-scale fishers with direct access to subsidized fuel.

The launch was led by Undersecretary of Fisheries Osvaldo Urrutia, accompanied by Los Lagos Region Economy Seremi Gisela Strauch and Subpesca zonal director Gustavo Castro. During the visit, local fishers tested the system by purchasing fuel on-site for their vessels and paying through their BancoEstado RUT accounts.

The coupon is an extraordinary government...

Middle East Market Intelligence Brief: Week Ending May 29, 2026

Three months into the Iran war, the United States and Iran have reached a tentative framework to extend a ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and ease some US blockade measures, though the deal has not been approved by US President Donald Trump, reports Reuters. 

The proposed agreement would create a 60-day window for broader negotiations after months of conflict disrupted global oil, LNG, and other commodity markets. Major unresolved issues include Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and security in the Strait of Hormuz.

The framework is seen as a temporary de-escalation measure aimed at stabilizing energy markets rather than...

US Seafood Groups Demand Section 301 Investigation Into Unfair Trade Practices

Twenty-three American seafood organizations have formally asked US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer to launch a comprehensive Section 301 investigation into unfair seafood trade practices, escalating industry pressure for trade enforcement against imports they say are decimating domestic producers.

The May 19 letter, signed by groups ranging from the Southern Shrimp Alliance to the Hawaii Longline Association, asks USTR to address a sweeping range of alleged violations, including dumping, subsidies, environmental harm, banned veterinary drugs, false labeling, prohibited fishing gear, structural excess capacity, and labor abuse...

Pacific Heat Wave Triggers Closure of Large Area off California to Protect Loggerhead Sea Turtles

California’s swordfish drift gillnet fleet will need to stop fishing in a 25,000-square-mile area off California during June, July and August this summer to protect endangered loggerhead sea turtles.

“I am writing to request immediate closure of the Pacific Loggerhead Conservation Area to drift gillnets,” wrote Catherine Kilduff, Senior Attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity in her May 18 letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.

“The above-normal sea surface temperature anomalies in the Southern California Bight during the months...

Starving Gray Whales Are Dying at an Alarming Rate in the Pacific Northwest

On Tuesday, the number of gray whales that have perished along Washington’s ocean coastline and in Puget Sound had reached 22. Yesterday the number rose to 23.  

Researchers at the Cascadia Research Collective say the most recent one was found on the Olympic National Park shoreline. It’s the sixth stranding death recorded in May, significantly down from April’s staggering count of 17.  

We haven’t been able to do a detailed exam on [the Olympic Peninsula whale] yet, so we don’t know too much about it...

Scottish Sea Farms Fined £70,000 for Greenhouse Gas Rule Violations

Scottish salmon processor Scottish Sea Farms Limited was fined £70,000 by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency following violations of fluorinated greenhouse gas regulations at its Lerwick facility in Shetland.

SEPA issued two £35,000 civil penalties after discovering that refrigeration equipment at the Gremista Industrial Estate site was operating without required leakage detection systems during a routine compliance inspection.

The violations involved Ice Plant 4 and Ice Plant 5, both containing fluorinated gases above the 500-tonne CO₂ equivalent regulatory threshold but lacking working leakage detection...

Trans-Ocean Products Makes Key Hires in Quality, Compliance and Product Development

Trans-Ocean Products has made three staffing moves as the surimi seafood producer looks to strengthen its work in quality assurance, regulatory compliance and product development.

The company named John Viechnicki audit and compliance manager, a role that will have him overseeing customer and regulatory audit requirements as well as industry standards. He will also work with ingredient and packaging suppliers to help ensure they meet the company’s food safety and quality expectations. Viechnicki brings 14 years of experience at Trans-Ocean, along...

Global Seafood Alliance Unveils Expanded Agenda for 25th Responsible Seafood Summit in Bangkok

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) has rolled out an expanded agenda for this year’s Responsible Seafood Summit, marking the event’s 25th edition. The conference will take place September 21–24 at the Shangri‑La Bangkok and is being hosted in partnership with The Center for Responsible Seafood.

Designed as a four‑day gathering for seafood professionals across the supply chain, the Summit will combine conference sessions, networking events and optional industry field trips. Organizers say the updated program is intended to deliver...

ANALYSIS: US Shrimp Import Estimates for May Show 5.2% Rise as Timing Factors Drive Activity

May 2026 import estimates, adjusted for the remaining four days of the month, point to total volumes of approximately 150.5 million pounds, representing a 5.2% year-over-year increase. This uptick occurs against the backdrop of elevated inventory levels and pricing dynamics that suggest supply growth is outpacing demand fundamentals.

Peeled shrimp leads estimated volumes at 65.9 million pounds, though this represents a 3.5% decline versus the particularly strong May 2025 performance. Breaded shrimp emerged as the standout category with a 26.8% year-over-year...

Artificially Bred and Grown Eels to be Marketed for the First Time

The Fisheries Research and Education Agency and Marino Forum 21 will begin trial sales of artificially bred and grown eel on May 29th. Yamada Suisan of Saiki City in Oita Prefecture, which received the technology transfer, will be selling the eels. This marks the world's first introduction of fully farmed eel products to the market. The selling price will be 9,720 yen ($61.00), including sales tax, for a pack of two frozen grilled eels, which works out to just under...

New Policy Brief Highlights Major Gaps in US Seafood Import Monitoring

Conservation groups have highlighted a new policy brief released by the US Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing & Labor Rights Coalition, which revealed significant gaps in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP).

The brief stems from a technical report by John Simeone of Simeone Consulting, LLC, which outlined reforms needed to prevent IUU fishing and human rights abuses-linked seafood from entering the US market.

The analysis found that in 2024, the US imported $25 billion in seafood, yet over 60%...

Menhaden Industry Fires Back at Conservation Group Over 'Double Standard' Criticism

The menhaden fishing industry is pushing back against the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership's criticism of recent fisheries management decisions, accusing the conservation group of applying inconsistent standards to protect recreational anglers while targeting commercial fishermen.

The Menhaden Fishermen's Coalition responded Monday to TRCP's May 6 blog post that criticized the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's decision to form a work group on Chesapeake Bay menhaden management rather than immediately advancing harvest cuts.

TRCP had called the ASMFC decision "another delay for Chesapeake Bay menhaden conservation" and argued...

COREMAHI Honors Ocean Allies Winners for Responsible Bycatch Release

The Committee for Responsible and Sustainable Mahi-Mahi (COREMAHI) recognized winners of its Ocean Allies contest at an awards ceremony in Lima, Peru highlighting fishers in the country, as well as Ecuador, for responsible handling and release of marine wildlife during the 2025-26 mahi-mahi season.

Funded by Publix Super Markets and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership’s Global Mahi Supply Chain Roundtable and carried out by COREMAHI, the contest aimed to reward fishers already using strong bycatch handling and release practices. Participants submitted videos...