A Look at the Top 10 Most Consumed Seafood Items in 2022

The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) debuted its annual Top 10 List of the most consumed seafood in 2022. NFI’s list comes shortly after NOAA Fisheries unveiled its Fisheries of the U.S. 2022 Report, which saw Americans consume roughly 19.7 pounds of seafood, a slight downturn from the 20.5 pounds seen in 2021.

Shrimp topped the Top 10 List once again despite a minor decrease in consumption. Salmon finished in second place, and it also witnessed a slight drop in consumption. In third place was canned tuna, which saw...

Atlantic Groundfish Council, FFAW React After DFO Completes 3Ps Cod Stock Assessment

Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) held a technical briefing on the 3Ps cod stock assessment, which found that the stock is growing but at a slow pace, as has been the case in recent years.

“Continued growth is welcome news and while I am hopeful that this growth will be sustained, only time will tell us that for certain,” said Vanessa Byrne, Director of Fisheries Management and Science with the Atlantic Groundfish Council (AGC). “We are doing what we can to...

Russia to Cut Fish Exports to EU Amid Sanctions and Market Shift

Russia will continue to reduce fish exports to the EU region this year and in 2025 due to the ever-growing pressure from sanctions and the ongoing reorientation to the East.

In 2023, Russia exported fish and fish products to EU countries — mostly fillets as well as minced pollock and cod – for a total sum of US$768 million. About 95% of such shipments accounted for white fish.

Fish products from Russia and China, made from Russian raw materials, account for more than 80% of all...

EU Council Sets New Catch Limits for Baltic Sea: Increases Herring Quotas, Cuts Cod and Salmon

On October 22, the EU Council reached a deal on new catch limits for the key fish stocks in the Baltic Sea.

The agreement on total allowable catches (TACs) and national quotas for 2025 were in line with the scientific advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), and sets the maximum quantities each member state will be allowed to catch for each fish stock.

Herring

The Council shared that the Central Baltic herring stock has pushed above the...

Norwegian Salmon Exports Strong in Q3 Despite Headwinds; Farmed Cod Outpaces Wild-Caught

The Norwegian Seafood Council said it just wrapped up the best third quarter ever for seafood exports.

“Thanks to a historically high export value in September, we have put behind us the best third quarter ever. This time there is virtually no currency effect from a weak Norwegian krone, since we are comparing with the same period last year. High volumes of salmon, trout, mackerel and prawns are driving up the export value," said Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council...

Cod Farmer Ode Appoints New Sales Manager

Ode, a top producer of farmed cod in Norway, announced that Tone Hellesvik has been appointed as Sales Manager.

Hellesvik brings over thirty years of seafood industry experience to the role, with much of it focused on whitefish sales and marketing. She previously served as the Sales Director at Nordic Group and was in a similar position for Domstein and Terra Seafood.

In the new role, Hellesvik will be tasked with “further developing the sales of Ode’s farmed cod to the North American and Nordic markets.” Furthermore, she will be the category...

Brazil Opens Market to Norwegian Seafood Exports

Norwegian seafood now has access to one of the largest markets on the planet. 

Brazil and Norway have reached an agreement that will allow Norwegian seafood to enter Brazil. According to Norway’s Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet), producers will be able to export wild fish, farmed fish, and fish by-products to Brazil if they are approved by the Brazilian authorities (DIPOA). 

Brazil has a massive population and is considered one of the top destinations for Chilean salmon. With Norwegian products now in the mix, the country could see added interest for its staple...

Russia to Continue Fishing in Baltic Sea Despite Protests of Baltic States

Russia will continue fishing in the Baltic Sea despite protests from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, as well as Sweden, according to recent statements made by the head of the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo) Ilya Shestakov.

According to Shestakov, all the protests and claims are unfounded.

In July, some European media reported that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden complained to the Council of the European Union (EU) and the European Commission (EC) that Russia continues to fish for cod, herring and sprat in the...

FFAW Speaks Out On NAFO Moving Forward With Offshore Dragger Access On Northern Cod Grounds

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) union is speaking out against the National Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) as the Commission moves forward with allowing international and domestic offshore draggers back on the Northern cod grounds. The union said in a statement on Monday that the EU is awaiting the approval of their harvesting proposal from the NAFO Commission to get access to the fishery.

“It is our strong opinion that the NAFO Commission should defer reopening the offshore allocation for the 2J3KL northern...

Baltics States Continue to Lobby For Imposition of Restrictions on Russian Fish Imports to EU

The Baltics states continue to lobby for imposition of restrictions on the supplies of Russian fish to the EU, according to earlier statements made by representatives of some leading Russian fish producers and local media reports. 

As German Zverev, head of the All-Russian Association of Fishery Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (VARPE), said in an earlier interview with the Russian newswire RIA Novosti, the Baltic countries want to leave the European Union without Russian fish and gain a competitive advantage, associated with imposition of...

ANALYSIS: Uncertainties Within Cod, Haddock, Pollock Amid Geopolitical And Economic Factors

The U.S. wholesale market for groundfish is currently experiencing a complex and unsettled environment. Despite pricing remaining relatively steady, the undertone across the sector is highly unsettled, reflecting a range of economic and geopolitical factors influencing market dynamics. With upwards pressure on the market, including but not limited to supply challenges driven by Russian sanctions and reduced quotas, as well as rising replacement, freight, and cold storage costs and availability, sluggish demand within the U.S. has tempered the upwards pressure on wholesale prices during the height of summer...

How the Industry is Responding To The End of The Northern Cod Moratorium

The Northern cod moratorium off the north and east coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador came to an end this week after first being imposed in 1992. Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced that the iconic 2J3KL Northern cod commercial fishery would be reopening, with the total allowable catch (TAC) set at 18,000 tonnes. 

Lebouthillier called the reopening of the fishery a “historic milestone for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.” And others agree with her. The Atlantic Groundfish Council released a...

The Winding Glass: Everything You Want to Know About Cod and the Demise of Whitefish

As a New Englander cod is my iconic fish.  Just as in Newfoundland, where ‘fish’ means cod, so in New England we have Cape Cod.  The sacred cod hangs in the Massachusetts State House. Cod has fished here for more than 500 years, about a century before the first permanent European settlements.

Our old sea shanties reflect the dominance of cod.

Cape Cod Girls they have no combs,
(heave away, heave away)
they comb their hair with codfish bones,
we’re bound for Australia..

3 Takeaways From NOAA’s FY23 Report On SIMP

Late last week NOAA Fisheries released an update regarding the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), sharing a review of the program’s effectiveness.

SIMP was first implemented in 2018 as a way to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The program established reporting and record-keeping requirements for imports of 13 seafood species groups: abalone, Atlantic cod, blue crab (Atlantic), dolphinfish (Mahi Mahi), grouper, King crab (red), Pacific cod, red snapper, sea cucumber, sharks, shrimp, swordfish and tuna (albacore, bigeye, skipjack, yellowfin, bluefin).

The implementation of the program was...

FFAW, ASP Come To Agreement On 2024 Cod Prices

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) Union and the Association of Seafood Producers  (ASP) were able to come to an agreement this week on 2024 cod prices. FFAW revealed that the schedule will remain the same as 2023, with harvesters receiving a 5% increase in price from last year.

The screenshot below explains the prices at the start and end of the season per grade. “Fall” prices begin August 1, 2024.

FFAW says that the 5% increase from last year is...

Russia Increases Sturgeon Catch In Effort To Diversify Its Fish Catch

Russia plans to diversify its fish catch by increasing the catch of certain fish species, according to recent statements made by representatives of the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo) and local media reports. 

As part of these plans, the beginning of active sturgeon catch in the Sea of Azov will be increased. This has been recently confirmed by Ilya Shestakov, head of Rosrybolovstvo. According to Shestakov, there are also plans to increase sterlet in certain areas of the Volga and to create conditions for an...

Russia and Norway Agree on Fishing Conditions in Barents and Norwegian Seas for 2025

Russia and Norway have approved the allowable catch of cod, haddock and other types of fish and seafood for 2025, according to the latest report of the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo), while cod catch quota has become the lowest in the last 33 years.

According to Rosrybolovstvo, during the 54th session of the joint Russian-Norwegian fisheries commission, the parties exchanged the results of scientific research and statistics on catches for 2023-2024. They also discussed fisheries in the Barents and Norwegian Seas and...

NEFMC: Groundfish Council Gives Thumbs Up on Amendment 25, Preps for Final Action on Framework 69

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) took final action on Amendment 25 to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) during its September 24-26 meeting in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

The NEFMC said that the 2023 Atlantic Cod Research Track Assessment found that Atlantic cod would be better assessed as four stock units. However, the FMP refers to only two stocks for Atlantic cod, Amendment 25 would incorporate the four new stock units, as described below...

Canadian Court Shoots Down FFAW’s Push to Suspend 2024 Northern Cod Decision

A federal court in Canada shot down a request from the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) to halt the 2024 northern cod fishery off the north and east coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Back in June, Canada fisheries minister Diane Lebouthillier announced the end of the Northern cod moratorium, meaning the commercial cod fishery would reopen for the first time in over 30 years, as SeafoodNews reported. The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Canadian fishermen is 18,00 metric tons, 15,071.4t of which would head towards FFAW’s inshore...

UK’s Young’s Seafood Debuts Jumbo Cod Product Amid Rising Fish and Chip Prices

Young’s Seafood, a staple seafood brand in the United Kingdom, debuted a Jumbo cod product in its Young’s Chip Shop retail line.

The new Young’s Chip Shop Jumbo Cod Special targets consumers looking for a genuine takeaway fish and chips experience without having to leave their kitchen.

The Jumbo Cod replicates the typical jumbo-sized portions at local fish and chip shops throughout the country. The Atlantic cod fillets hit the shelves amid rising takeaway food prices in the UK, with Young’s stating...

The Retail Rundown: Going All-Out for Autumn

Fall is just around the corner, with the official start of autumn this Sunday, September 22. As cooler weather sets in and travel plans wind down, grocers are ramping up their offerings of seasonal favorites to align with the change in consumer preferences. 

According to the Expana Retail Activity Index, seafood continues to lead for the fourth week in a row, making up 30% of total protein ads. Beef and pork are close behind, each at around 25%, while chicken accounts for 14%. Eggs represent 2.8% of retail opportunities, and turkey has 2.3%...

Japan: Frozen Cod Imports Recover; Russia Totals Double in January-July, Dip from U.S.

According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, the average price for frozen cod imports from January to July was 623 yen/kg ($4.38/kg), 2% lower than the same period last year, while the volume recovered to 2,102 tons, a 52% increase. Imports from Russia saw a 5% decrease in price to 597 yen/kg ($4.20/kg) and a 2.1-fold increase in volume to 1,635 tons. Imports from the United States saw an 11% increase...

Norcod Names Stian Vollan-Hansen as New Chief Financial Officer

Norwegian cod farmer Norcod appointed Stian Vollan-Hansen as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The company said Vollan-Hansen will assume the role on December 1, 2024.

Vollan-Hansen is based in Trondheim, and brings plenty of experience to Norcod’s executive suite from a financial management and business development standpoint. He previously spent nine years in a litany of roles at Entry, an energy consultancy agency, most recently as CFO.

"We are delighted to welcome Stian to the Norcod team. I am confident...

FFAW Continues To Butt Heads With Royal Greenland: “Enough Is Enough”

The Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) are demanding “consequences” for Royal Greenland.

FFAW has been fighting with Royal Greenland since the company took a controlling interest in St. Anthony’s Seafoods in September 2020. In the past, representatives from the union have expressed concerns over “excessive hours,” and a “general culture of intimidation and harassment.” On Friday, the union spoke out about how Royal Greenland has “continually refused to follow provincial regulations,” in addition to ignoring the collective bargaining process.

“Since first being allowed to...

Japan: 2023 Frozen Cod Imports from the U.S. Recover

According to a report by the Minato Shimbun, Japan's imports of frozen cod were around 15,000 tons per year until around 2017 and around 10,000 tons from 2018 to 2021. But they have since decreased. From 2022 to 2023, they were around 5,000 tons. In particular, the price per kilo has risen significantly since 2022, and imports from the United States, the primary source of imports, have decreased. There has also been a movement to shift imports to Russian products.

In 2019, the annual import volume from the...

Russia to Reduce Fish Catch in Barents Sea 

Russia may face a reduction of fish catch in some important basins. As part of this, the Russian Association of Fishing Fleet Shipowners (ASRF) has recently reported on the reduction of total allowable catch of cod in the Barents Sea by 31% to 311,000 tonnes for 2025. These recommendations were approved by the Russian-Norwegian research group for next year; 31% less than in 2024 and the lowest level since 2003.

At the same time the recommendations for haddock catch were also reduced by 16% (to 106.900 tons), bluefish by...

The “Historic” Return of NL’s Commercial Northern Cod Fishery; Here’s What You Need to Know

On Thursday the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier, announced the end of the Northern cod moratorium off the north and east coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Canadian government had first imposed a moratorium on the Northern cod fishery in 1992. 

“Ending the Northern cod moratorium is a historic milestone for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians,” said Minister Lebouthillier. “It’s through working together that we have reached this moment. We will cautiously but optimistically build back this fishery with...

Barents Sea Cod Quota Trend Continues For Fourth Year

The Barents Sea cod quota trend continued for a fourth year in a row, with the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission announcing its advice to reduce the quota by 31% in 2025.

“The Northeast Arctic (NEA) cod stock is continuing to decline following a period of moderate to poor recruitment,” the Joint Russian Norwegian Arctic Fisheries Working Group Report for 2024 reads. “Following the agreed Harvest Control Rule (HCR), the advice for 2025 is that catches should be no more than 311,587 tonnes.”

Norway and Russia have jointly managed the...

Russia May Reduce Cod Catch and Exports This Year

Russia may reduce cod catch and exports this year, which could lead to the shortage of this fish in some Western markets, such as the EU. 

According to the All-Russian Association of Fisheries (VARPE), the current supply of Atlantic cod in the EU is decreasing amid a decline in global catches and restrictions on trade with Russia. 

That impacts the European cod processors, which are experiencing a shortage of raw materials. 

According to the Russian RBC business paper, Russia remains one of the largest...

Peter Pan Halts Operations For Summer And Winter Production Cycles For The “Foreseeable Future”

Peter Pan Seafood’s fate has been up in the air since the company announced in January that it would be closing its King Cove plant for the winter fisheries of cod, whitefish and crab. Now, the company has confirmed that it will be “halting operations at its processing plants, leading to the discontinuation of both summer and winter production cycles for the foreseeable future.”

The decision to halt operations comes just a few weeks after Peter Pan...