Bakkafrost Q1 Results Show Decreased Earnings Amid Increased Supply

Faroese salmon farmer Bakkafrost recently released its financial results for Q1 2025, reflecting an overall decrease in earnings amid increased supply and weaker prices.

Regin Jacobsen, CEO of Bakkafrost, said the company is satisfied overall with this quarter’s results, noting the strong biological performance at its various facilities.

He cited Bakkafrost’s successful Faroese freshwater and marine operations, which delivered another strong biological performance, and Scotland’s continued focus on high-quality smolt and scaling up production for long-term sustainability and profitability.

In total, Bakkafrost’s Q1 revenues totaled DKK 1,899 million...

Mowi Unveils New Post-Smolt Facility in Norway

On May 21, 2025, Mowi cut the ribbon on its new post-smolt facility at its freshwater site in Haukå, Norway. This development comomes after several years of construction and NOK 600 million in investments.

“This is a large and strategically very important investment for Mowi. With this facility, we will be able to produce healthy and sustainable food in an even better and more efficient way” said Ivan Vindheim, CEO of Mowi.

The expansion more than doubles the number of facility employees, increasing it from 11 to 25 workers, including two...

New NOAA Research Suggests that Alaskan Salmon Sought Temporary Refuge During Marine Heatwaves

The NOAA Alaska Regional Office recently released new research indicating that Pacific salmon in the Gulf of Alaska used the inshore waters of the Icy Strait as a temporary buffer during marine heatwaves.

Researchers found that salmon likely gravitated towards the Icy Strait’s cold, low salinity waters, seeking refuge during these marine events, which occurred in 2014-2016 and 2019.

According to NOAA, prior studies also found connections between the survival and growth rates of juvenile Pacific salmon to oceanographic conditions and food availability in the marine...

Federal Purchases of US Seafood Products Have Increased More Than Five-Fold Over Past Decade

U.S. government purchases of seafood products have risen significantly since 2016, when about $70 million worth of salmon, catfish, and shrimp was purchased by the government for various federal food programs. In 2023, that total was $345 million, just under a five-fold increase in seven years. Estimates for 2024 show even more increases, currently predicted to be just over $360 million.

Purchases of fish and seafood also comprise a growing share of USDA purchases, up from 2% of procured foods...

Mowi Launches New Atlantic Salmon Product at the 2025 National Restaurant Association Show

Seafood giant MOWI recently launched its new product, “MOWI Signature” into the U.S. food service market at the 2025 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago, Illinois.

MOWI Signature offers 4-8 kg packages of fresh, premium, and accessible salmon sourced from Mowi’s farms in Norway and Scotland and tailored for the professional kitchen.

The new product is fresh, never frozen, and all trimmed, cleaned, de-scaled, and de-boned for easy preparation in high-paced kitchens.

“We're excited to bring the Mowi Signature line to market..."

Mowi Q1 Financial Results Indicate Strong Year So Far

Yesterday, Mowi ASA held its earnings call for the first quarter of 2025, noting another strong quarter for the company, both operationally and biologically.

According to Mowi CEO Ivan Vindheim, the salmon company stayed on track this quarter, working towards its annual farming volume target of 530,000 tonnes for the quarter. With Nova Sea now on board, he said the company aims to achieve a farming volume target of 600,000 tonnes in 2026 and 650,000 tonnes by 2029.

Vindheim offered some insights into the quarter that was, stating that Mowi’s harvest...

Norway Announces Harmful Algal Bloom in Production Areas 9 and 10

Today, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) and the Directorate of Fisheries reported a new microalgal bloom related to the genus Phaeocystis and Chrysochromulina in Norwegian production areas 9 and 10.

According to the Norwegian government, the first mortalities caused by the algal bloom were reported from Øksfjorden at the end of April before spreading to Raftsundet and Kanstadfjorden in area 9 and moving north to Astafjorden in area 10.  

As evidenced by modeling data compiled by the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), many locations continue to show...

Russian Salmon Catch Not to Exceed 400,000 Tons, Says Russian Federal Fish Agency

According to Russia’s federal fish agency, Rosrybolovstvo, the country’s domestic salmon catch is not likely to exceed 400,000 tons this year. This expectation is in line with initial forecasts that were made by agency analysts alongside leading Russian fishery scientists.

Ilya Shestakov, the agency’s head, confirmed this, stating, “There are preliminary forecasts that our science is already providing. They will certainly be updated after the studies that will be held in May.”

At the end of November 2024, in an interview with the TV channel Russia-24...

Seafood Expo Global 2025: Seafood Excellence Global Awards Announced

The 2025 Seafood Excellence Global awards were announced yesterday evening during a reception in the Galleria of Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue at the 31st Seafood Expo Global (SEG), with finalists representing 15 different countries worldwide.

Of the 40 finalists that were selected this year, nine products were selected as finalists for Best Hotel/Restaurant/Catering (HORECA) Product, and 31 products were selected as finalists for Best Retail Product. Products were evaluated based on taste and overall eating experience, packaging, market potential, convenience, nutritional value, and innovation...

West Coast Fisheries Infrastructure Waxes and Wanes: Part 2

Loss of infrastructure and spreading repercussion

Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part series on the struggles facing shoreside infrastructure that supports West Coast fisheries, submitted by Pacific Fishery Management Council Executive Director Merrick Burden. Part 1 discussed the decline in fisheries and infrastructure in the past 20 years.  

Infrastructure problems are particularly acute in California due to depleted salmon populations, closures in the nearshore rockfish fishery, delayed Dungeness crab seasons, changing regulations, and shifting markets. In the early 1980s, between 2,400 and 3,300 commercial boats...

FDA Finalizes “Healthy” Food Definition, Includes Nuts, Seeds, Eggs, Olive Oil, and Salmon Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently finalized its definition of ‘healthy’ for U.S. food products, thus allowing foods like nuts, seeds, higher-fat fish, and certain oils—which were previously not included in an earlier version of the rule—to bear the word “healthy” on their packaging and other food marketing materials.

As Expana reported in December 2024, varieties of these foods such as fresh, frozen, or canned options are also listed in the update, so long as they have no added ingredients...

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Lands First Trout Salmon Harvest, Aims for Future Sales of JPY 10 Billion

According to a recent press release from Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), the company has developed a sustainable aquaculture system that aims to contribute to food security, promoting the system as part of the "MINATOMAE" project.

As a step toward commercializing this project, KHI conducted the test landing of a trout salmon cultivation in the waters of Kobe Port on April 24. The landing was successful, and approximately 850 fish were cultivated (with an average size of two kilograms per fish)...

Russia’s Sakhalin Region Plans to Increase Fish Catch This Year

The authorities of the Sakhalin region, one of Russia’s major fish-producing regions, aims to increase its fish catch this year, according to recent statements from Sakhalin government officials and local media sources.

At present, most of Sakhalin’s fish catch consists of pollock, cod, herring, flounder, navaga, greenling, and Pacific salmon, as well as seafood, crustaceans, and mollusks. While local fisherman caught about 745,000 tons of both fish and seafood last year, Sakhalin authorities hope to increase these figures in 2025, with particular attention on increasing its salmon catch...

Japan: Salmon and Trout Imports in February Fell by 25%, Reflecting a Decrease in Coho

According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, Japan’s total salmon and trout imports in February (including salted, smoked, and prepared products) were 22,137 tons, down 25% from the same month last year, and the CIF import value was 30,039 million yen ($211.25 million), down 10%. The quantity of fillets (fresh, frozen, salted, and dried) was down 7% to 6,491 tons, and those other than fillets were down 31% to 15,645 tons.

Minato Shimbun reported that the main factor behind the decrease in...

Copper River Opens May 22 with Projected Catch More Than Twice the 10-Year Average

The opening of the Copper River salmon season signals the start of another salmon year in Alaska. This year, the Copper River will open on May 22, a week later than historical tradition, with a much higher sockeye run than in recent years, which justifies a commercial harvest forecast of 1.92 million fish in the Copper River alone. That prediction is 2.3 times the 10-year (2015–2024) average of 824,000 fish.

Copper River Chinook salmon, which has been decreasing for many years across most...

SalMar’s Q1 2025 Results Show 19.3% Decrease Y-O-Y in Total Harvest Volume

Salmon aquaculture company SalMar recently released its financial results for Q1 2025, which showed a 19.3% decrease in the total consolidated harvest volume when compared to the same period last year.

The total consolidated harvest volume for Q1 2025 amounted to 42,700 tonnes gutted weight (tgw), therefore marking a decrease of 10,200 tgw compared to 52,900 tgw during Q1 2024.

For Q1 2025, consolidated harvest volumes were down for Farming Central Norway by 6,700 tgw from Q1 2024, for SalMar Ocean (previously SalMar Aker Ocean) by...

Japan’s March Imports of Fresh Trout Increased 2.5 Times, All from Norway

According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, Japan’s total salmon and trout imports for March (including salted, smoked, and prepared products) were 21,029 tons, down 14% from the same month last year. In addition, the CIF import value was 28,306 million yen ($197.07 million), down 2% year-on-year. Non-fillet products were 15,137 tons, down 11%, and fillets were down 21% to 5,892 tons.

Minato Shimbun reported that many items were lower than March of last year. As for raw materials other than fillets...

The Retail Rundown: Seafood Leads Memorial Day Retail Ads; Weather Poses Challenges

Seafood leads retail protein promotions heading into Memorial Day weekend, accounting for 28.7% of total featured protein ad volume. Pork follows at 25.9%, with beef at 21.3% and chicken at 19.3%.

Egg feature volume is virtually absent amid sluggish retail demand. Warmer weather is prompting a shift toward fruit and cereal for breakfast, while elevated, though easing, shelf prices continue to dampen consumer interest, according to Expana.

Within the seafood category, fresh and frozen fillets represent the largest share of advertised items at nearly 28%. Raw shrimp...

Norway Reports One Million Fish Mortalities in Production Areas 9 and 10

Today, the Norwegian government announced that the algal bloom in production areas 9 and 10 has led to approximately one million fish mortalities for several farms in Nordland and Troms. Of these mortalities, 250,000 are smolts.

The highest mortality was reported between May 10-12 in production area 10, particularly in the area around Astafjorden, with four companies being affected to varying degrees. However, fish mortalities decreased throughout the week after the peak mortality period.

This comes after the government announced the harmful algal bloom on May 13...

Wild Fish Conservancy Sues NMFS for Missing Deadline on Alaska Chinook ESA Decision

The Wild Fish Conservancy, an organization based in Duvall, Washington, filed a lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, or NOAA Fisheries) on May 8, 2025, for missing a deadline under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to submit a full review on the status of Chinook salmon in the Gulf of Alaska.

The review, a massive endeavor, as the Gulf covers 600,000 square miles and includes Chinook salmon rivers from Southeast Alaska across to the Aleutian Chain, is ongoing.

National Marine Fisheries Service Assistant Administrator for...

Russia Able to Catch 312,000 Tons of Pacific Salmon in Far East This Year

Russian fisherman will be able to catch 312,000 tons of Pacific salmon in the Far East this year, which is a lower catch volume compared to the majority of past seasons.

During a recent meeting of the Far Eastern Scientific and Industrial Council, Kirill Kolonchin, Director of the All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO), stated that the decrease in catches is a result of the poor survival rate of fish, which is caused by global warming.

According to Kolonchin, the catch decrease will...

Northline Seafoods Pays More Than $1.37M Bond to Release Seized Salmon Vessel

On May 6, Sayak Logistics (d.b.a. Northline Seafoods) paid more than $1.37 million for the release of its seized vessel, the Hannah, which had been confiscated by federal authorities due to outstanding welding bills owed to Leo’s Welding and Fabrication, LLC, in excess of $1.2 million.

This development comes after a federal judge in Washington state issued a warrant on April 30 for the arrest of the vessel, given its outstanding debt with Leo’s Welding. The Washington-based welding company performed work on the Hannah...

Gov. Newsom, CDFW Make Moves to Boost Salmon Production in California

Upgrading salmon hatcheries and releasing juvenile Chinook directly into the Sacramento River are integral to helping California’s ailing salmonid populations, according to state officials.

Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this week announced that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is upgrading 21 fish hatcheries to boost the state’s salmon and trout populations and to protect hatcheries from the impacts of climate change.

The project helps build the California salmon and trout supply, which are important to indigenous peoples, communities, and the state’s multimillion-dollar fishing industry, according to...

BioMar Reports Volume Increase of 12% in Q1 2025

Aquaculture feed company BioMar recently released its first quarter results for 2025, showing record high volumes for the quarter, combined with solid earnings. 

According to the report, BioMar increased its volumes across all segments by 12% year-on-year. Regarding feed volumes, salmon increased by 7%, selected species went up by 13%, and shrimp increased by 24%, mainly driven by its business in Ecuador.

“I am pleased to conclude that every segment experienced growth in both volume and revenue. In 2024, we intensified our efforts on product mix and commercial excellence..."

Russian Financial Conglomerate AFK Sistema Sells Major Salmon Fishing Asset in Kamchatka

The Russian financial conglomerate AFK Sistema has decided to sell its major fishing asset, Voskhod Holding, one of Russia’s largest Pacific salmon fishing companies, with a business value of approximately RUB 15 billion (USD $183 million).  

The new owner became AO Insoft, which is owned by Russian businesswoman Milana Kerimova.   

At present, Voskhod Holding is considered one of Russia’s largest Pacific salmon producers. The company's main assets are located in Kamchatka, including 30 fishing grounds, six factories, and more than 35 ships. These capacities allow the company...

Save California Salmon: Another Lost Season is a ‘Total Crisis, Not a Closure’

Recent notice of another complete closure for commercial salmon fishing in California this year means more must be done to save fish – and the fisheries – says a California non-profit working with tribes and Northern California fishermen.​ 

The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s April decision marks the third year in a row of no commercial fishing season in California, as well as the state’s first recreational salmon season since 2022.  

Tribal subsistence fishing allocations will also be limited. This decision was made due to extremely low returns...

New Agreement Ensures Water for Farmers, Fish in California

Water for salmon and farms in California? Is it really possible?

Years of drought and a long-standing tug-of-war for water between farmers and fishermen – with state and federal regulatory entities also in the mix – has led to hard feelings all the way around for decades.

But now, a joint project between NOAA, California, and the local Yuba Water Agency will fulfill the Presidential Memorandum calling for Putting People Over Fish, NOAA Fisheries said in a press release. The Yuba River Resilience Initiative agreement unlocks new, reliable irrigation water...

Japan Expands Local Salmon Farming to 113 Brands Nationwide

The market for locally farmed salmon is expanding across Japan. According to a survey by Minato Shimbun, as of mid-April, there are 113 local salmon brands nationwide, an increase of nine since last year's survey.

Each producer is particular about the breeding environment and feed, and they differentiate their salmon as a domestic product with a strong regional flavor. With the unstable landing of wild fish and the high prices of imported seafood due to the weak yen, these Japanese salmon farmers are increasing their presence. They are receiving more inquiries...

West Coast Salmon Seasons Set: No California Season, Limited Elsewhere

After a week of tense negotiations and discussion, salmon managers finally adopted a set of seasons for Washington, Oregon, and California, as of Tuesday, April 15. Now it’s up to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, or NOAA Fisheries) for approval.  

California commercial season is simple: It’s closed. For the third year in a row. Recreational salmon fishermen will get a chance at a fishery this year, though, the first since 2022. 

Oregon has limited opportunity, due to concerns of Klamath and Sacramento River stocks...

Oregon Dems Urge Commerce Department to Declare 2024 Season a Disaster

Oregon’s Democratic Congressional leaders want to send help to salmon fishermen after a 2024 season showed meager results.

Earlier this week, Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Maxine Dexter and Janelle Bynum urged the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare a federal fishery resource disaster for the 2024 Oregon troll salmon fishery.

“This declaration is critical to provide economic relief to Oregon’s fisheries and coastal communities in addition to protecting the sustainability of wild salmon populations,” the lawmakers said...