Russian Barents Sea King Crab Catch Hits Record High in 2024

The 2024 king crab catch in the Barents Sea, northwest of Russia, was 12,363 tons, up 16% from the previous year, setting a new record. December saw a particularly dramatic increase of 3,714 tons, 5.9 times the amount from the same month last year. A Japanese trading company responded, "Maybe they saved their quota for December 2024, when the crabs are full. It's also possible that the large reduction in the quota for the largest producer in 2025 had an impact." 

Minato Shimbun conducted an analysis...

Washington Crab Season Opens as State Releases the Third Season Review Edition

The weather is cooperating and crabbers in northern Oregon and Washington have begun setting their gear for the anticipated Jan. 15 Dungeness season opener.

While most of Oregon opened in December and some parts of California opened earlier this month, northern California and the Washington/Oregon area around the Columbia River were both set to open Wednesday.

Dungeness crab supports Washington’s most valuable commercial fishery, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said. The value of state landings for the ...

Norway’s 2024 Seafood Exports Rank as Best Year Yet

According to a statement from the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), Norway experienced its highest ever seafood export value in 2024, with a total of 2.8 million tonnes of seafood products exported, amounting to NOK 175.4 billion (approximately $15.4 billion).

Upward trajectory for Norwegian seafood exports

This marks a 2% increase from 2023, when the Scandinavian country experienced a seafood export value of NOK 171.7 billion (approximately $15.08 billion). The NSC recorded seafood exports of more than 60 different species to over 150 countries worldwide...

Washington Hits the Magic Number to Open Dungeness Fishery

At long last, the Dungeness crab off Long Beach in Washington tested full enough to open the fishery north of Cape Falcon.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday that Oregon's commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open Jan. 15 from Cape Falcon, on the northern Oregon Coast, to Klipsan Beach, Washington. A fourth round of preseason testing in Long Beach, Wash., shows crab quality at 24.3%, which is above the 23% necessary to open the season. In other words, it meets the optimal commercial harvest ...

Russian Crab Sector Expecting Headwinds in 2025

The Russian crab sector will face severe difficulties in 2025 due to the decline of global prices and lack of export markets.

According to recent statements by Herman Zverev, head of the All-Russian Association of Fish Producers, in an interview with Forbes Russia magazine, crab fishing in Russia is currently facing a decline in profitability as global crab prices seriously declined in 2024.

In addition, the export duty pressured the cost of Russian crab. The overall debts of Russian crab fishermen are estimated at 600 billion rubles ($5.7 billion)...

ASP Drops Complaint Against Quin-Sea Fisheries in Snow Crab Dispute

In the latest twist in the Canadian snow crab saga, the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) has dropped its complaint against Quin-Sea Fisheries, one of its member companies.

In October, the ASP, which represents seafood processors in Newfoundland and Labrador, filed an application to the province’s Labour Relations Board claiming that Royal Greenland-owned Quin-Sea Fisheries refused to hand over sales receipts that the ASP argued were required to pass along under the third-party review of 2024 snow crab sales...

SZRK’s Barents Sea King Crab Quota Slashed by 62%, Impacting Japanese Imports with 2025 Price Hike

According to a report by Minato Shimbun, the total quota for king crabs by the Russian company operating in the Barents Sea, Russia, for 2025 has been halved to 6,484 tons, a 48% decrease from 2024. The North-West Fishing Consortium (SZRK), which previously held a quota of nearly 10,000 tons, has seen a significant drop of 62% to 3,741 tons. Japan imports more than 3,000 tons of frozen king crab produced by SZRK annually, which is likely to impact future prices and quantities...

Russian King Crab Takes Flight: Direct Barents Sea-to-China Shipments Slash Costs Amid US Embargo

King crab producers in the Barents Sea in northwestern Russia have focused on shipping live crab to China, and direct flights from the production area are likely to become established. Direct air transport from Murmansk, near the production area, to China began for the first time in July this year. According to Minato Shimbun, approximately 420 tons of live king crab were airlifted to China from Murmansk airport over five months from July to November—multiple Russian media outlets reported on December 10...

China Opens Market for Live Norwegian Snow Crab

Chinese authorities have approved the import of live snow crab from Norway. The news comes shortly after Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Marianne Sivertsen Næss, met with the Minister of Chinese Customs and Veterinary Authorities, Yu Jianhua, in Beijing last month.

"The fact that China is opening up imports of live snow crab from Norway so quickly after I had political talks in China is very positive, and shows the importance of visits to promote Norway's interests,” Sivertsen Næss said.

“Live snow crab is of increasing interest in Asian markets...

Oregon Crabbers Get the Jump on West Coast Commercial Dungeness Season

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife managers announced Friday that the Dungeness crab season will open Dec. 16, from the California border in the south to Cape Falcon in the north.

“Pre-season testing in this area shows crab meat fill meets criteria and domoic acid is below the safety threshold,” ODFW said in a public notice.

However, Washington and California ocean commercial crab fisheries will remain closed.

The ocean season for Washington ...

US Crab Prices Soar Amid Diminished Supply

The 2024 Canadian snow crab season began with prices in April up 19% compared to the already remarkable levels of 2023, according to Urner Barry by Expana. Despite the increase, these prices remained manageable for retail and food service sectors, holding steady throughout the summer and into September. However, as inventories dwindled, prices surged further, with Canadian snow crab now up over 40% compared to the same time period last year.

More than 90% of U.S. imports of Canadian snow crab occurred early in the season when prices were lower, which benefited retailers and...

Red Lobster Launches New Happy Hour

National seafood restaurant Red Lobster recently announced the launch of Happy Hour, featuring $5 drink specials and $2 off select starters.

The special began Monday, December 2, 2024, and will be available each week Monday – Friday from 3 – 6 PM local time at participating restaurants nationwide.

The starter selection includes the following dishes:

• Lobster Flatbread
• Seafood-Stuffed Mushrooms
• Crab Queso
• Lobster Dip
• Mozzarella Cheesesticks

Nichole Robillard, Chief Marketing Officer at Red Lobster, expressed excitement for the recent launch, saying, “It’s the perfect way to take a break from the hustle and bustle..."

Domoic Acid, Meat Recovery Delays Oregon Crab Season

As if some seriously stormy ocean weather wasn't enough, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Wednesday a delay in the primary commercial Dungeness crab season off Oregon until at least Dec. 16.

Pre-season testing showed Dungeness crabs are too low in meat yield in some ocean areas and have elevated domoic acid levels in crab viscera in two areas on the South Coast.

Viscera from two crab in Area K, Cape Blanco to Gold Beach, landed on Nov. 16, showed levels of 38 and 39 parts ...

Two Japanese Importers Bid USD 46/kg for Russian King Crabs at the Busan Auction 

The first bid for the 2024 auction of new frozen king crab from the Russian Far East was held on November 8 in Busan, South Korea. According to the Minato Shimbun report, five Japanese trading companies interviewed said 105 tons of air-blast frozen cooked section products were up for bid. Two Japanese trading companies won the bid at $46-46.50/kg (single price for medium to 3L), 50% higher than the same month last year, which was $30.00/kg...

Russian Crab Producers Seek Reform in Investment Quotas Amid Rising Costs

Leading Russian crab producers have called on the state to remove part of the crab catch quotas from the existing investment programs due to low profitability and high costs.

Recently, representatives of producers have called on Russian authorities to review the second stage of the program of investment quotas for crab fishing and exclude the Far East subzone from it.

In fact, Russian crab catchers signed agreements with the state in 2018 for the use of crab quotas for a period of 15 years, according...

Russian Crab Industry Struggles with Investment Pressures Amid Falling Demand and Export Limits

Quotas for Kamchatka crab in the Barents Sea will be sold at a reduced price at the end of November, as the planned auctions for the sale of quotas for catching crab in the Northern Basin, which was scheduled for November 13, will not take place due to the lack of applications.

According to the documentation on the Russian Auction House (RAD) website, the latest auctions failed because not a single application was received for participation.

The Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo) was organizing the auctions...

Hodges: US Crab Sales are Strong with Limited Inventories

The year ended as it began, with strong retail support for snow crab. According to Urner Barry, April prices when the 2024 Canadian snow crab season began rose by 19% compared to the remarkable levels of 2023. Despite the higher prices, the trade perceived snow crab as being a strong value, leading to 78 million pounds being imported in the first three months of the season. Favorable import prices persisted throughout the summer and into fall.

Canada dominates the U.S. snow crab market, accounting for 91% of total snow crab imports through...

Russie Eyeing Increase in Crab Exports to China in 2025

Russia hopes to increase its crab exports to China this year, as it has witnessed stable demand within the market, according to recent statements, made by representatives of local producers and some Russian media reports.

As Alexey Dakhnovsky, a Russian Trade Representative in China, recently told an interview with the Russian RIA Novosti newswire, the demand for Russian crabs in China is steadily growing, while Chinese customers are actively buying Russian crabs.

In recent months, Russia has significantly increased its...

Genome Sequencing in Red King Crab Stocks May Mean Better Odds to Survive Climate Change

A new research paper released December 31, 2024 by the Alaska Science Center showed a higher level of diversity over different regions in Alaska than previously known, suggesting the stocks may be more resilient to climate change and changing ocean conditions.

Lead author Carl St. John, a post-doctoral assistant at Cornell University, Laura E. Timm and Wesley Larson of NOAA Fisheries, and Kristen M. Gruenthal of ADF&G,  looked at the Aleutian Islands, eastern Bering Sea, northern Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Southeast Alaska ...

Washington Crab Season Delayed Until at Least January 15; Oregon Going Strong

The news Monday was not exactly a lump of coal, but an early Christmas “gift” many fishermen suspected would be coming: An extended delay into January for the start of the Washington/Northern Oregon crab season.

In an announcement Monday, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said its crab managers met with other fishery managers from Oregon and California earlier in the day to determine the best option for an opening. However, the third round of testing showed crab from Long Beach, Wash., was only ...

Russia Boosts Global Frozen Fish Exports

According to the latest report of the Russian Association of Fishing Fleet Owners (AFFO), Russia currently accounts for more than 17.4% of global frozen fish exports, which is higher than the figure for 2023 (16.2%).

Over three-quarters of the current year, Russian frozen fish supplies amounted to more than 1 million tons. China (11.7%), the Netherlands (7.2%), Norway (7%), and the US (6.6%) are also prominent suppliers.

According to the AFFO, frozen fish remains the main product of Russian fish exports. Its supplies account for 50% of the value of fish exports...

Oregon Crabbers Start Delivering Dungeness to Processors

This year’s Dungeness crab season is already one for the record books, even though the season opened only two days ago. The opening ex-vessel price, according to fishermen, is higher than last year’s average price.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, last year’s average price was $3.79 per pound. Fishermen said an agreement reached with at least one of the processors was $4.50 per pound.

Last year’s season was the second-highest on record for Oregon in terms of value, at $93.6 million...

Japan: Russian Snow Crab Imports up 20% in January-October, Pushing Down US Imports by 30%

Snow crab imports are on the rise partly due to the influx of crab from the Barents Sea in Russia. According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, imports of frozen snow crab from January to October were 17,618 tons, up 20% from last year. Of that, imports from Russia were 11,564 tons, up 20%, reported Minato Shimbun.

The winning bid price at an auction in Busan, South Korea, for new frozen opilio snow crab from the Russian...

Russia Considers Overhaul of Deep-Sea Crab Quotas Amid Industry Challenges

The Russian government plans to ease existing requirements for deep-sea crab fishing by abolishing quotas under the current investment quota program. The industry's profitability continues to decline, with 40% of enterprises currently operating at a loss.

As for deep-sea crabs, Rosrybolovstvo has repeatedly attempted to sell quotas for its catch since 2019, each time reducing the starting price. Despite the reductions, demand for the quotas remained low.

Still, as experts of the Russian All-Russian Association of Fish Producers (VARPE) told in an interview with...

Norway's November Seafood Exports Reach Highest Value to Date, Says Norwegian Seafood Council

According to information published recently by the Norwegian Seafood Council, seafood exports in Norway reached a total worth of NOK 17.3 billion in November, making it the most successful November seafood export value to date, increased by NOK 1 billion, or 6%, from last November.

At this rate, Norway is headed for a new export record, with already NOK 160.4 billion exported this year, which is 1.5% higher than this time last year.

Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council, said that Norway has been seeing...

The Winding Glass: Heavy Lobster and Crab Tariffs Could Cripple the US; Canadian Seafood Industry

Canadian lobster and crab industries face severe stress due to President-elect Trump’s threat to impose 25% tariffs across the board on all Canadian imports to the US.

Under the worst-case scenario, higher sale prices would cut demand to the extent that lobster and crab would be left in the water. For both exports, the Canadians have no replacement for the US market. To increase sales to China, Japan, and Europe, they would have to offer drastic price cuts...

CA, WA Dungeness Crab Fisheries on Hold For Now

Following Oregon’s announcement of a delay in the state’s Dungeness crab season, both California and Washington said that a combination of factors will delay the seasons in those states, too.

Late last week, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham announced the delay of the primary commercial crab season for Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties – Fishing Zones 1 and 2 in Northern California. The season would normally open on Dec. 1.

“Crab quality tests could not be conducted in ...

Price Setting Changes and Strike Options Highlight NL’s Snow Crab Fishery Reform

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has mapped out 10 decisions and directions that pave the way for sweeping changes to the massive snow crab fishery. This includes notable changes to the price-setting process and the potential for lockouts and strikes.

Gerry Byrne, NL’s Minister of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture, said the plan to overhaul the fishery would ensure “management, efficiency, and fairness” in a statement released ahead of his appearance at the Fish, Food and Allied Workers (FFAW) union Triannual Convention on November 18...

NCLA Challenges Washington State's GPS Monitoring of Crab Fishermen in Court

The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) has filed a lawsuit against the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Electronic Monitoring Program. This program uses GPS tech to track the location and movements of every state-licensed boat fishing for Coastal Dungeness crab, regardless of whether it is actively fishing or not.

The NCLA said the program is sustained by making fishermen pay for the electronic monitoring systems they must install on their boats, or else they face criminal sanctions...

Commercial Bay Crabbing Closure in Southern Oregon Clouds Ocean Crab Season Opening

Oregon agencies announced Thursday that bay crabbing is closed from Cape Blanco, near Port Orford, to the California border due to biotoxin levels above the safety threshold.

The Oregon Departments of Agriculture and Fish and Wildlife said domoic acid levels in Dungeness crab viscera exceeded the levels of safety. The closure also affects recreational fisheries and applies to both Dungeness and red rock crab harvested from bays and estuaries.

Commercial bay crab fisheries are relatively small in volume compared to ocean fisheries, but the ...