Ready Seafood Sues Ex-Executives, Alleges Trade Secret Theft After Founding Packers Pride

Ready Seafood, a prominent Maine-based supplier of live and processed lobster products, has filed a lawsuit against two of its former executives, Andrew Daughan and Robert Kragh, as well as their newly formed company, Packers Pride.

The suit, filed on July 14 in US District Court, alleges that the former employees breached their contracts and illegally used confidential business information to directly compete with their former employer. 

Daughan was hired in 2018 as Ready Seafood’s Vice President of Category Management. He was tasked with...

Trump Signs Landmark US-Japan Trade Deal, Slashes Tariffs to 15%

United States President Donald Trump announced this week that he had signed what he described as “perhaps the largest deal ever made” with Japan, aimed at reshaping trade relations between the two countries. The agreement sets a new 15% tariff rate on all Japanese products imported into the US, a notable decrease from the 25% rate imposed earlier this month, as Expana reported.

According to President Trump, the deal is expected to create hundreds of jobs in the United States and will require Japan to open its markets further...

ANALYSIS: 2025 Cod Market Outlook, Supply Constraints, and Price Dynamics

The Norwegian cod (Gadus morhua) market has experienced significant changes in 2025, primarily driven by a decrease in supply. Prices reached a historic high in February 2025, with Norwegian cod valued at NOK 76.1 per kilogram (Figure 1). However, the following months have been marked by increased volatility, influenced by factors such as shifts in global trade policy, regulatory sanctions, and ongoing supply constraints...

Fortune Fish & Gourmet Showcases Premium Seafood and Meats to NBA Chefs in Las Vegas

Fortune Fish & Gourmet took center stage at the National Basketball Association (NBA) Summer League in Las Vegas last week, presenting their specialty seafood and meat products to chefs from all 30 NBA teams.

Each summer, Las Vegas hosts the NBA’s annual meetings for coaches, trainers, and the Performance Nutrition Association to discuss best practices for supporting their organizations. For the first time, NBA chefs held their own dedicated meeting in 2025, inviting Fortune Fish & Gourmet, current supplier to the Philadelphia 76ers, to present its offerings to...

Congressman Jared Golden Pushes to Extend Lobster Fishing Regulation Moratorium Until 2035 

Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME) is calling on lawmakers to extend a federal pause on new lobster fishing regulations aimed at protecting North Atlantic right whales.  

Golden worked alongside Maine Governor Janet Mills in 2023 to create the current moratorium, which is set to expire in 2028. Now, he’s urging the House Natural Resources Committee (HNRC) to extend the pause until 2035 through a proposed amendment to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). 

Speaking before the HNRC Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries on...

Frozen Oysters Recalled in Several States After Norovirus Illness Reports

A pair of companies announced recalls of frozen half-shell oysters due to Norovirus concerns, according to notices published on the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) website.

California-based Wang Globalnet announced the recall of 1,200 cases of Frozen Half Shell Oysters. Specifically product KR-15-SP with a harvest date of 1/12/2025. The product was distributed in California, Utah and other states. The oysters were packaged in white corrugated boxes labeled “Frozen Half Shell Oysters, Product of Korea, Pack 144 counts,” with a shellfish...

Hundreds of Farmed Salmon Escape Cermaq Facility in Norway 

Hundreds of salmon have escaped from a facility owned by Norwegian salmon farmer Cermaq.  

According to local media reports, a pipe used to move the fish disconnected during unloading operations, allowing roughly 800 salmon to escape into the sea. 

The fish were being transferred from the company’s Hammerfjord site in northern Norway to a holding pen near its Rypefjord harvesting facility, according to NRK.  

In an effort to recover the escaped salmon, Cermaq is offering a bounty of £36 (NOK 500) for each fish returned. So far, just...

US-Philippines Trade Relations Televised; 19% Tariff Rate Reached

On July 22, US President Trump participated in a bilateral meeting with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 

“... We concluded our Trade Deal, whereby The Philippines is going OPEN MARKET with the United States, and ZERO Tariffs,” wrote President Trump on Truth Social after the meeting. “The Philippines will pay a 19% Tariff. In addition, we will work together Militarily. It was a Great Honor to be with the President. He is Highly Respected in his Country, as he should be. He is also a very good, and tough, negotiator..."

Maine Sea Grant Helping State Conserve Atlantic Salmon

The last wild population of Atlantic salmon in the US is getting a boost from Maine Sea Grant.  

The University of Maine-led program is aiding the Maine Department of Marine Resources with fish stocking, habitat restoration and research in the Gulf of Maine. 

In its sixth year, the joint NMFS/Maine Sea Grant program paid summer interns to work with the department on Atlantic salmon research and conservation for 13 weeks each summer — from Downeast Maine to the Kennebec and Penobscot River watersheds...

How Ecuadorian Shrimp Data is Driving Transparency in Global Seafood Supply Chains

As global seafood markets grow more complex, access to timely, reliable data is becoming essential for informed decision-making, especially in the fast-moving shrimp sector. Few commodities reflect international consumption shifts and supply chain pressures as clearly as shrimp, and Ecuador as a key exporter sits right at the centre of that story.

Earlier this year we witnessed a significant step when Gluna Shrimp, known for its accuracy in Ecuadorian shrimp pricing, joined forces with Expana, the world’s largest agrifood market intelligence and forecasting...

Pacific Seafood Appoints Raul Squadritto to Lead Farmed Salmon Division

Pacific Seafood has tapped longtime industry executive Raul Squadritto to lead its PacMar farmed salmon division, marking a key step in the company’s plan to double in size by 2031.

Squadritto will be based in Pacific’s Miami office and will work to strengthen customer partnerships and accelerate growth in both farmed salmon and poultry segments.

“We’re excited to welcome Raul Squadritto as our farmed salmon sales leader for PacMar,” Mark Bowen, Vice President Pacific Seafood, PacMar, said. “Raul brings more than...

Crackdown on Salmon Smuggling: Chile Forms New Industry Task Force

The Chilean government has developed an ‘Anti-Salmon Theft Task Force’ amid increased instances of criminal activity focused on the country’s critical salmon sector, according to local news outlet The Puerto Varas.

The news was announced by Undersecretary of Public Security Rafael Collado. Collado highlighted the new task force's goal of generating “concrete measures to prevent, investigate, and dismantle the gangs involved in salmon theft at various stages of the chain: from farming and transportation centers to illegal marketing outlets...

Jewel Osco Recalls Tuna Salad Products in Three States Due to Listeria Concerns 

Jewel Osco stores in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa are joining Albertsons in voluntarily recalling several tuna salad products supplied by Reser’s Fine Foods due to potential listeria contamination.  

Reser’s Fine Foods initiated the recall after discovering that the breadcrumbs used may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. 

On Monday, Expana reported that Albertsons also announced a recall of certain tuna salad products sold at stores in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. 

The items were also distributed to Randalls and Tom Thumb stores. Consumers are urged to...

Nueva Pescanova Group Saw 73% Earnings Growth in First Half of 2025

Today, Nueva Pescanova Group released its financial results for the first half of the year, reflecting a 73% increase in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), which is now at €27 million (USD $31.74 million), compared to €15.6 million (USD $18.34 million) during the same period last year.

The Spanish international seafood company also improved its profitability during the first and second quarters, reducing its losses by 65%.

The Group's sales trend rang positive overall, with revenues rising by 7.9% from...

The Retail Rundown: Beef Edges Out Seafood in Weekly Protein Features

Beef narrowly edged out seafood for the top spot in retail protein promotions this week, making up 25.9% of all featured items. Seafood was a close second at 25.3%, while pork and chicken each accounted for about 23%. Eggs represented roughly 2% of ads, and turkey dipped below 1%.

Beef steaks remained a premium grilling choice, averaging $14.21 per pound last week. Seafood also led on price, with fresh salmon reaching as high as $17.24 per pound in some regions...

Senators Push to Reauthorize Young Fishermen’s Development Program

U.S. lawmakers just introduced bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize the Young Fishermen’s Development Act (YFDA), thus authorizing $2 million annually through FY 2031 for regional training opportunities and apprenticeship programs for individuals building their early careers in the fishing sector.

The bill was introduced by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). In the House, Congressman Nick Begich (R-Alaska) led the introduction of the proposed bill’s companion legislation. 

Initially introduced by Sullivan in 2019 and signed...

Nova Scotia Unveils Strategic Investments Fund for 'Big, Bold' Agriculture and Seafood Projects

Nova Scotia, Canada, announced a new fund that will support “big, bold projects” in the agriculture and seafood sectors.

“This fund is about supporting the people who bring new ideas to grow our economy and help businesses,” said Greg Morrow, Minister of Agriculture. “Agriculture and seafood are important traditional industries in our province. But we can’t keep doing things the same old way – we need to support fresh thinking and innovation.”

The Nova Scotia Seafood and Agriculture Strategic Investments Fund will support firms proposing large-scale projects...