Russian Pacific Salmon Catch Lags Behind 2025 Amid Declining Stocks

Russia may face one of the worst red caviar production and salmon catch figures this year in the last two decades due to weak results from the ongoing salmon fishing season.

Regarding red caviar, according to recent Rosrybolovstvo forecasts, the catch will not exceed 227,000 tons, which would be among the lowest figures for the country and its salmon sector.

According to fishermen, the Russian salmon sector is already lagging compared to last year's results, which may lead to price growth for both salmon and red caviar...

Bakkafrost Q2 Trading Update: Faroe Islands Clean on Mortality, Scotland Chalks Up 32 mDKK in Losses

Bakkafrost harvested a combined 29.9 thousand tonnes head-on gutted (HOG) in Q2 2026 across its Faroe Islands and Scotland operations, bringing year-to-date volumes to 61.3 thousand tonnes HOG, according to the company's Q2 trading update published on Oslo Børs.

The Faroe Islands operation drove the bulk of output, delivering 26.7 thousand tonnes in Q2 at an average harvest weight of 5.6 kg, with volumes building steadily through the quarter from 7.7 thousand...

Norway H1 Seafood Exports Decline 1% as China Surpasses US in Market Rankings

Norwegian seafood exports fell 1% by value to NOK 84.5 billion ($8.6 billion) in the first half of 2026, with CEO Christian Chramer of the Norwegian Seafood Council citing a combination of domestic quota cuts and international market disruption.

"Here at home, low quotas for several wild-caught species have resulted in record-low export volumes and record-high export prices, whilst geopolitical unrest in the markets has made global trade even more challenging," Chramer said...

SalmonChile Joins Chilean Trade Delegation Heading to Washington to Fight Proposed 12.5% Tariff

Chile's salmon farming industry will send representatives to Washington next month to argue that farmed salmon should be exempt from a proposed 12.5% tariff recommended by the Office of the US Trade Representative, joining a broader public-private coalition mobilizing ahead of USTR hearings scheduled to begin July 7.

The delegation took shape following a June 30 meeting at Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the Chilean Industrial Development Association (SOFOFA), trade association Subsecretary Paula Estévez, and export groups including SalmonChile...

Bristol Bay Harvest Now at 7 Million Sockeye of 32.2M Forecast, Few Bright Spots in Season So Far

Bristol Bay’s fleet has started reeling salmon aboard in some districts in Bristol Bay, but YOY comparisons are still significantly below last year at this time.  

The latest harvest numbers from each of the Bay’s five river districts are: 

- Nushagak: 2.8 million cumulative catch of sockeye as of the beginning of this week. In addition, 989,000 Chinook were landed in the district. ADF&G’s forecasted harvest for this three-river district is 13.9 million sockeye...

EU Restores Zero-Duty Access for US Lobster, Expands Coverage to Processed Products

The European Union's Council of Ministers formally adopted two regulations on June 25 implementing the bloc's tariff commitments under the EU-US joint trade framework, restoring duty-free access for American lobster exports and opening new preferential market access for a range of US seafood products.

The most immediate development for the seafood industry is the reinstatement of the EU's zero-duty regime on US lobster imports, which had lapsed on July 31, 2025, when an earlier agreement — first struck between the US and EU in 2020...

Silver Bay Seafoods Wins $11.2 Million USDA Canned Salmon Contract; Frozen Fillet Lines Go Unawarded

Silver Bay Seafoods has been awarded an $11.2 million contract to supply canned pink salmon to the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) domestic food distribution programs, according to a purchase award document released June 18 by the Agricultural Marketing Service.

The Sitka, Alaska-based company will supply 118,560 cases of 24 14.75-oz cans of pink salmon under two product specifications. The larger lot, 94,240 cases, carried prices ranging from $85.95 to $107.20 per case, while a secondary Kosher-designated...

All's Quiet on the Western Front One Week Before the Traditional Peak of Harvest in Bristol Bay

Bristol Bay's estimated harvest forecast is 32.3 million sockeye, assuming a total run of 44.1 million red salmon. That harvest is usually taken in a whirlwind five to seven days, around or shortly following the Fourth of July. If this week was the quiet before the storm, it was indeed silent.

Commercial catches as of June 23 are 837,509 sockeye salmon. Of the five river systems in the Bay, Ugashik is leading the pack so far with 635,202 salmon landed. Second is Egegik...

Iceland Land-Based Salmon Producer LAXEY Closes Oversubscribed EUR 47M Equity Raise

Icelandic land-based salmon producer LAXEY has completed a EUR 47 million equity raise — above its initial EUR 40 million target — after the offering was significantly oversubscribed, driven largely by existing shareholders increasing their positions. The raise brings the total equity secured by the company since inception to approximately EUR 200 million.

Alongside the equity close, LAXEY has signed a committed term sheet for an international syndicated loan coordinated by DNB Carnegie, with DNB, Rabobank, and Arion Bank as mandated lead arrangers...

SalmonChile Expands Mentorship Program While Advancing Export Diversification Strategy

SalmonChile is expanding efforts to strengthen Chile's salmon sector through a combination of workforce development, innovation support and export market diversification.

The industry association has launched the 2026 edition of its Salmon Mentor Network, a program designed to support entrepreneurship and professional development across Chile's salmon-producing regions. The latest edition brings in new strategic partners, including Volcanes and the Innovation Center of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, broadening the initiative after four previous editions.

The program reflects a growing focus within the Chilean salmon industry...

UK-India Trade Deal Opens Door for Scottish Salmon Exports

The UK government and India have reached a trade agreement that will help reduce trade barriers between the two countries.

"The deal gives British exporters an edge over international competitors, and I would encourage all businesses to ensure they are properly prepared," British Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said in a statement, according to a Reuters article.

The agreement is particularly significant for Scottish salmon, which faces a 33% tariff when exported to India. Under the deal, that tariff will be removed, opening up new opportunities in...

Aysén Agencies, Salmon Farmers Test HAB Mass Mortality Response in Joint Simulation

Chile’s Aysén region is stepping up contingency planning for large-scale aquaculture emergencies, with  the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) participating in a simulation tied to a salmon mass mortality event caused by a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB).

The exercise, organized by the Inter-Institutional Committee on Environmental Contingencies (CIICA), brought together public agencies and local salmon farming companies to test how the sector would respond to a complex event involving logistical constraints, high mortality management and communication...

What a Super El Niño Could Mean for Alaska's Seabirds, Salmon, and Seas

With the declaration of an El Niño last week and forecasts that it will intensify into a "Super El Niño" this winter, US Geological Survey (USGS) researchers are tracking how warming waters threaten Alaska's ecosystems — from seabird die-offs and harmful algal blooms to heat-stressed salmon.

In the US, El Niño brings warmer conditions to northern states and wetter conditions to southern states, but the phenomenon's energy also affects seabed ecosystems and atmospheric conditions. Because peak El Niño is expected during winter 2026-2027, effects...

Dual Ocean Threats Put West Coast Fisheries, Marine Life on Notice

Two major ocean phenomena off the US West Coast will affect salmon, rockfish, squid, tuna, and crab fisheries, as well as whales, California sea lions, and seabirds, in the coming months. NOAA has tracked a large marine heatwave for a year now, and last week announced that a separate strong El Niño has been building and is expected to peak in the coming winter of 2026–2027.

The Pacific Ocean's El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is arguably the most influential climate driver on Earth, NOAA scientists say...

Japan's 2025 Frozen Sockeye Imports up 37% from Russia, Plummets 69% from the US

Japan imports wild sockeye salmon, mainly caught in the summer from Russia and the United States, and uses it as a raw material for salted salmon.

According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, Japan's 2025 imports of frozen sockeye salmon increased by 17% year-on-year (YOY) to 18,602 tons, with an average price of 1,150 yen/kg ($7.16/kg), up 14%. While the increase in imports from Russia, the main source, drove the overall increase...

Commercial Sockeye Opening Kicks off 2026 Wild BC Salmon Season in Barkley Sound

Commercial salmon harvesters are heading to Barkley Sound near Port Alberni as British Columbia’s 2026 Wild BC Salmon season officially gets underway. The first commercial sockeye opening of the year begins June 9, marking an early milestone for the province’s fishing industry.

The opening is fueling renewed optimism across the coast, with forecasts stronger than they have been in years. An estimated 7.5 million Fraser River sockeye are expected to return in 2026, making it the largest forecast run...

Mowi to Brand Feedpipes in Scottish First to Trace Marine Debris

Mowi Scotland will begin branding its feedpipes, becoming the first company in Scotland to do so as the salmon farmer looks to improve traceability of marine debris.

The move is designed to make feedpipes easier to identify if they end up in the marine environment, where waste tied to aquaculture can be hard to distinguish from debris generated by other industries or carried into Scottish waters by tides and wind.

Under current practice, members of the public who find suspected aquaculture waste report it...

DNR's Proposed Water Rules Sharply Criticized, Constitutional Protection of Salmon at Risk

Alaska's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants to change regulations that guide the state's water reservation process, an arcane but critically important procedure that guarantees enough water in salmon streams and rivers to support wild salmon populations.

Last August, DNR's Division of Mining, Land, and Water announced its intent in an online public notice and a legal ad in the Anchorage Daily News. The agency identified four regulations for potential changes and opened a scoping period that ran from August 1 to November 29, 2024...

Mowi Reports 14,500 Salmon Escape at Nordland Site

Mowi Seawater Norway AS has reported an escape of approximately 14,500 farmed salmon from its Brattholmen facility in Herøy municipality, Nordland, following the discovery of damage to a seine on May 7. The fish averaged over 4 kg each. The company has deployed a recapture net and recovered three fish so far.

Norway's Directorate of Fisheries has ordered Mowi to conduct a full count — which produced the 14,500 figure, though the company notes uncertainty around that estimate — and to carry out environmental monitoring and removal of escaped fish across 10 waterways spanning...

Norwegian Seafood Takes the Spotlight as National Team Competes in the US

The news that the Norwegian national football team brought 500 kilos of seafood from Norway to the largest international soccer championship game in the US has travelled far beyond the pitch, quickly turning into a global talking point.

What began as a detail about the team’s diet has gone viral, with the story generating more than 120 news articles so far, according to a preliminary overview from media monitoring service Meltwater. International outlets including The New York Times, CNN, The Korea Times and...

Cooke to Take Over Mowi's Atlantic Canada Salmon Farms in CAD 225 Million Deal

Mowi has agreed to sell its Atlantic Canada salmon farming operations to Cooke Inc. for CAD 225 million ($158 million) on a debt-free basis, the companies announced Tuesday, as the Norwegian salmon giant moves to exit a region that has weighed heavily on its financial performance.

The Share Purchase Agreement covers Mowi's operations across New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, including freshwater hatchery facilities, sea farming sites, and two processing plants. Standing biomass at the time of the deal was approximately...

Andfjord Salmon Completes First Post-Smolt Sale, Launches Strategic Partnership 

Andfjord Salmon Group has completed its first-ever post-smolt sale, marking a key milestone in the company’s production strategy. The inaugural sale saw Andfjord Salmon deliver post-smolt to regional fish farmer Eidsfjord Sjøfarm, strengthening a new strategic partnership between the two companies.

“We announced our post-smolt production strategy in February 2024 as a complement to our human-grade salmon production,” said CEO Martin Rasmussen. “We are proud to complete the first post-smolt sale under this strategy.” He added that...

Norwegian Salmon Mortality Falls 23% Year-on-Year as Positive Trend Intensifies

The number of salmon and trout dying in Norwegian aquaculture facilities has fallen sharply, with industry group Seafood Norway reporting a 23% decline in lost fish from January through May compared to the same period in 2025, and a 34% reduction since 2023, based on data published by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries.

The trend, now in its third consecutive year, has broadened significantly. Where previous improvements were concentrated in the farming-heavy counties of Trøndelag and Vestland, the decline is now evident across nearly all of Norway's...

NOAA Allocates $21.3 Million for California Salmon Fishery Disaster Relief

NOAA has allocated $21.3 million in fishery disaster assistance for California's Sacramento River Fall Chinook and Klamath River Fall Chinook salmon fisheries as part of a broader $123.6 million relief package announced nationwide, according to Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael).

The funding is intended to support fishermen, Tribes, seafood processors, small businesses and coastal communities impacted by California's 2023 and 2024 salmon fishery disasters.

"This is welcome news,” said Rep. Huffman. "Finally, we are seeing movement from the administration and...

Scott & Jon’s Launches Honey Sesame Salmon Superfood Bowl at Costco

Scott & Jon’s is expanding its retail reach with the launch of its new Honey Sesame Salmon Superfood Bowl at Costco locations across the Southeast and Texas, adding another club-store channel for the frozen seafood meal brand.

The new product is being offered in an exclusive four-pack of 10-ounce ready-to-heat meals at a price point of $15.99. Designed for convenience-driven shoppers, the meal goes from freezer to table in about four minutes.

Each bowl includes Omega...

NOAA Directs $123.6M in Fishery Disaster Funds to Alaska, West Coast, and Squaxin Island Tribe

The US Department of Commerce announced Tuesday the allocation of $123.6 million in fishery resource disaster funding, drawn from money appropriated by Congress in the American Relief Act of 2025. The funds are directed at fishery disasters that struck Oregon, California, Alaska, and the Squaxin Island Tribe in Washington between 2019 and 2023.

NOAA Fisheries used commercial revenue loss data to determine how funding will be distributed across the eligible disasters. Funds can be deployed for a range of recovery activities, including fishery infrastructure...

Wild Alaskan Company to Directly Operate Kasilof Buying Station for 2026 Salmon Season

Wild Alaskan Company will directly operate the Kasilof buying station for the upcoming salmon season, reversing its original plan to bring in an outside operator after acquiring the facility in February.

The company said it has committed the capital, personnel, and operational resources needed to prepare the facility for the 2026 season. The Kasilof station serves Alaska's second-largest sockeye salmon fishery and plays a key role in access, logistics, and value creation across the region.

"While it wasn't our original plan, we chose...

Scottish Salmon Farmers to Fund Wild Fish Conservation Following Escape Incidents Under New Deal

Scotland's farmed salmon industry will help finance wild fish conservation efforts in the event of escape incidents, under a new agreement between Salmon Scotland and Fisheries Management Scotland, the country's leading fisheries body.

The Scottish Government has welcomed the deal as an example of cross-sector collaboration in support of wild salmon recovery. An independent firm will administer the scheme, with directors drawn from both the aquaculture and wild fisheries management sectors...

Alaska 2026 Salmon Harvest Forecast 40% Lower Despite Pink Salmon Gains

If pre-season forecasts prove accurate, 2026 will be a lean year for Alaska wild salmon across most species. Alaska's total harvest forecast calls for 56 million pink salmon, 49.7 million sockeye salmon, 17.2 million chum salmon, and 2.4 million coho salmon. If realized, the forecast for the 2026 total Alaska commercial salmon harvest will be approximately 125.5 million fish—nearly 40% fewer than last year.

However, pink salmon are two-year fish, and even years have traditionally seen smaller returns compared to...

EU Prepares New Sanctions Targeting Russian Fish Exports, Including Cod Ban

The EU's new sanctions package against Russia may restrict Russian fishery supplies to Europe, including a complete ban on cod sales, which may lead to serious losses for Russian fishermen.

According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, fisheries have so far been among the sectors not significantly affected by sanctions; this may change soon.

The EU market has been among the most important sales markets for Russian fishermen despite current tensions between the two sides. According to estimates by the Russian Fisheries Union, in 2025, total...