Sustainable Shrimp Partnership, CNA Recognize Ecuadorian Shrimp Hatchers for Sustainability Efforts

The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SS) and Ecuador’s National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) recognized Biogemar, Omarsa Mar Bravo, and Promarisco Chanduy hatcheries for their commitment to sustainability in shrimp larval production.

The recognition was held on March 12 during AquaExpo and highlighted the progress made through the SSP and CNA’s Scale Up initiative.

The Scale Up program aimed to raise standards for Ecuador’s shrimp hatcheries. The companies work through training, audits, and the implementation of operational improvements to achieve compliance with the standards outlined in the...

Pro Golfer Scottie Scheffler Sticks to Seafood Favorites for 2025 Masters Champions Dinner

The Masters, the most iconic tournament in professional golf is set to begin in a few weeks and the menu for the Masters Club dinner for Champions was released and seafood holds a prominent spot.

Each year, the defending champion curates the exclusive dinner, which features all the living tournament champions. In 2025, Scottie Scheffler, who also won the tournament in 2023, will be honored.

This year’s menu nearly mirrors Scheffler’s 2023 menu, featuring Tex-Mex flair and intriguing seafood options...

Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Says to Avoid Certain Mexican-Caught White and Yellow Shrimp

Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program (Seafood Watch) released its March 2025 updated recommendations for Mexican shrimp in the Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico regions, with certain white and yellowleg shrimps receiving downgraded recommendations, now classified amongst the "Avoid" category.

Meanwhile, certain brown, blue, and pink shrimps were upgraded from red to yellow ratings. For the most part, however, the majority of shrimp maintained yellow or red ratings due to bottom or skimmer trawling methods, which Seafood Watch has deemed unsustainable...

US Shrimp Industry Sees Two Protectionist Bills Introduced in the 119th Congress

Two bills aimed at protecting the beleaguered U.S. shrimp industry have been introduced in the current U.S. Congress: one in the House yesterday and one in the Senate on February 20, 2025. 

Both bills would restrain imports from foreign suppliers using different tools. The Senate bill—the text of which is currently unavailable—would tighten federal inspection requirements for U.S. shrimp imports. The House bill would ban U.S. financial support for “any activity relating to shrimp farming, shrimp processing, or the export of shrimp from any foreign country..."

Seafood Industry Veteran Guy Lott Joins Bama Sea Products as Chief Commercial Officer

Bama Sea Products, a Florida-based seafood processor and distributor, announced that seafood industry veteran Guy Lott has been named Chief Commercial Officer.

The company, which produces wild-caught shrimp and other raw and value-added seafood products, highlighted how Lott’s experience with multi-unit restaurant chains, key retailers and fine-dining establishments will help the company’s sales strategy.

“We are thrilled to welcome Guy aboard to lead our sales efforts,” said Michael Stephens, CEO of Bama Sea Products. “We pride ourselves on having some...

SEAD Genetic Testing Shows 77% of Savannah Restaurants Are Misrepresenting Shrimp Dishes

According to recent genetic testing conducted by Seafood Development Consulting (SEAD) approximately 77% of restaurants in Savannah, Georgia, (34 out of 44 establishments) are misrepresenting farm-raised imported shrimp as local wild-caught Gulf Coast shrimp.  

SEAD was hired by the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) to perform the genetic testing between February 18 – 23, 2025. During this time, SEAD utilized its patented rapid ID, high accuracy genetic test RIGHTTest™ to determine the veracity of shrimp species being served at 44 random seafood restaurants in the Savannah area...

US Seafood Targeted in Canada’s Proposed Retaliatory Tariff List

Canada wasted no time hitting back at new U.S. tariffs, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing immediate 25% retaliatory duties on C$30 billion ($20.9 billion) worth of American imports after the levies took effect on March 4.

“Canada is being needlessly and unfairly targeted by these tariffs – and the US' decision leaves us with no choice but to respond to protect Canadian interests, workers and businesses. Working with provincial, territorial and industry partners, our singular focus is to remove these tariffs as quickly as possible...

Mexico’s Modest Role in US Seafood Trade: Limited Impact of a 25% Tariff

President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China took effect at midnight, prompting swift retaliation. China and Canada quickly imposed tariffs on U.S. products, while Mexico’s president announced that countermeasures would be detailed on Sunday, according to Expana.

The most significant tariff impacts for the U.S. seafood industry will stem from trade with China and Canada, while Mexico’s measures are unlikely to cause major disruptions.

Mexico is a relatively minor player in the U.S. seafood market, ranking only 10th among suppliers and accounting for just 3.32%...

SeaPak Debuts New Cajun-Style Shrimp Product

Frozen seafood brand SeaPak debuted a new cajun style shrimp product that became available this month at retailers including Meijer, Food Lion, Hannaford, Schuncks and Giant Eagle. 

The new SeaPak Classic Cajun Style Shrimp features a New Orleans spice blend, including salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic. Butter is also featured to melt the seasonings into a sauce that can be paired with rice, grits, or French bread.

"Our taste tests have shown that people love how fresh and well-seasoned SeaPak Classic Cajun Style Shrimp is...

Ecuadorian Shrimp Companies Unite Under “Ecuador First Class Shrimp” Brand to Expand Global Reach

Ecuadorian shrimp companies have adopted the “Ecuador First Class Shrimp” brand as they look to promote the 60-year industry at trade shows and beyond.

The new brand, created with the help of Ecuador’s National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA), aims to tell the industry's story. It focuses on characteristics like sustainability, quality, and innovation.

The Ecuador First Class Shrimp brand will be on display at the upcoming Seafood Expo North America show and was on display at some trade shows...

CenSea and Ocean Garden Join Forces, Boosting Captain Fresh’s Global Reach

CenSea, a top US seafood importer and distributor, announced it had acquired Ocean Garden’s brand portfolio, bringing another significant name under the Captain Fresh umbrella.

Two of the largest US-based seafood companies have joined forces with the deal, which is now inked. CenSea boasts a strong foundation in Asian shrimp and other products and can combine with San Diego-based Ocean Garden, which specializes in Mexican and Ecuadorian shrimp.

Jeff Stern, Co-President, CenSea, added, “We at CenSea are committed...

Tassal and Visy Collaborate on Sustainable Cardboard Boxes for Australian Shrimp

Seafood producer Tassal recently partnered up with Australian food and beverage manufacturer Visy to create new sustainable cardboard boxes for Tassal’s shrimp products.

The boxes, which are made from 74% recycled material, are made locally at Visy’s Carole Park site in Ipswich, Queensland, before being sent to Proserpine for packing.

According to Adrian Dalgleish, Executive General Manager for Fiber Packaging at Visy, keeping the manufacturing within Australia ensures Australian jobs while also maintaining proximity for any customer needs as they arise.

Together, Visy and Tassal ran numerous market trials...

96% of Tampa-St Petersburg Restaurants are Misleading Shrimp Consumers

According to recent genetic testing conducted by Seafood Development Consulting (SEAD), approximately 96% of shrimp in Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida restaurants (42 out of 44 establishments) were determined farm-raised imported shrimp instead of the wild-caught local shrimp they were advertised as.

This coincides with previous SEAD genetic tests and repeated cases of shrimp mislabeling in the U.S.A.’s Gulf of Mexico region, as we reported on earlier this month.

“When diners think of Tampa and St. Pete, they think of seafood fresh from the Gulf..."

Largest US Shrimp Farmer Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy; Robin Pearl Back in as CEO

American Mariculture (AMI), the largest shrimp farmer in the United States, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on January 8, per court documents.

According to its bankruptcy petition, the Florida-based company has 50-99 debtors. American Mariculture estimated that its assets range between $1 million and $10 million, and its liabilities range from $10 million to $50 million.

On January 9, Judge Caryl E. Delano of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida granted an expedited motion directing the joint administration...

Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products Signs Exclusive Shrimp Sales Contract with Ecuador's AQUAGOLD

According to Minato Shimbun, AQUAGOLD in Guayaquil, a major Ecuadorian vannamei producer, has signed a three-year exclusive agency contract with Zhanjiang Guolian Fisheries for the Chinese market, according to reports from multiple Chinese media outlets on January 8, 2025.

Ecuador is a major producer of farmed vannamei, with more than half of its exports going to China. The largest vannamei producer in Ecuador is Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscilla (IPSP), followed by Sociedad Nacional Galapagos (SONGA) and AQUAGOLD...

Eight-Year High for FDA Entry Line Refusals of Antibiotic Contaminated Shrimp

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released data showing a total of 64 seafood entry line refusals in December 2024—not including entry line refusals of shrimp for reasons related to banned antibiotics—and a total of 79 entry line refusals of shrimp for the presence of banned antibiotics, as determined by product traces of veterinary drug residues.

The latter datum marks an eight-year high since 2016, when the FDA refused 134 shrimp entry lines due to the presence of banned antibiotics. Meanwhile, the...

Japanese Importers See Opportunities to Increase Canadian Spot Prawn Imports

According to a Minato Shimbun report, following China's announcement to impose an additional 25% tariff on Canadian seafood products, a Japanese trading company predicts that the volume of Canadian spot prawn and lobster exported to Japan will increase. Regarding Canadian spot prawns, the trading company predicts that "in recent years, exports to Japan have decreased due to an increase in exports to China, but the Japanese market will be subject to market restructuring."

Canadian spot shrimp are caught in British Columbia. The 2024 fishing season was from...

Ecuador’s SSP Celebrates Seven Years of Shrimp Sustainability

The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) is celebrating its seventh anniversary as a global benchmark entity for responsible shrimp production.

SSP is comprised of leading shrimp producers in Ecuador’s booming shrimp farming sector, which currently dominates the global shrimp market.

“Leading by example has not only been a strategic foundation but also our greatest source of learning,” said SSP Director Pamela Nath, commemorating another year since the organization’s 2018 founding.

The Partnership’s certification program plays a vital role in how the SSP moves the needle on shrimp farming. At its core, SSP certification...

FDA Ends Two-Month Streak of No Entry Line Refusals for Antibiotic-Contaminated Shrimp

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released new data showing a total of 92 seafood entry line refusals in February 2025, and a total of four entry line refusals of shrimp (4.2%) for the presence of banned antibiotics, per product traces of veterinary drug residues.

Of the total 92 seafood entry line refusals during February, 26 entry lines were for shrimp imports unrelated to banned antibiotics.

This data follows marks the end of the FDA’s two-month consecutive streak where the federal agency reported...

USDA Awards Nearly $50 Million to Channel Fish, Trident for Pollock Contracts

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $47 million to Massachusetts-based Channel Fishing Processing and Seattle-based Trident Seafoods for just over 21 million pounds of Alaska pollock products.

The USDA purchase award description noted that Trident was awarded a little over $25 million for 10.5 million pounds of pollock products. Meanwhile, Channel Fish landed $22.4 million for pollock products to be distributed throughout the country.

The USDA first announced the pollock purchases in February. Expana reported that the government was eyeing...

New Seafood Products Drop as Lenten Season Kicks Off

As the 2025 Lenten season gets underway, several food producers have released limited-time only (LTO) offerings, the most recent of which are Zaxbys, SeaPak, and Natural Grocers.

Last week, a number of U.S. restaurants began showcasing new or existing menu items for the season, which runs from March 5 to April 17 this year. Such notable participants include McDonald’s, Red Lobster, Popeyes, Taco John’s, Jack in the Box, and Long John Silver's.

Zaxbys leans into its popular southern fried shrimp

For this year’s Lenten season, Georgia-headquartered chicken chain Zaxbys...

Senator Cassidy Urges Treasury to Block Funding for Foreign Shrimp Farms

The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), an organization representing the domestic shrimp industry, commended a recent letter from US Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who called on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to block taxpayer dollars from financing foreign shrimp aquaculture projects.

Cassidy, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, urged the Treasury Department to “take all necessary actions to prevent any future funding of shrimp aquaculture development, which would exacerbate the financial crisis facing U.S. shrimpers.”

According to the letter, Ecuadorian shrimp producers and exporters...

Commissioner Sid Miller Declares Support for Federal Intervention in the Gulf Shrimp Industry

In a statement on February 25, Commissioner Sid Miller of the Texas Department of Agriculture declared support for Texas Representative A.J. Louderback’s new proposal for federal intervention in the Gulf shrimp industry. The proposal, titled HCR 76, was filed on February 13 and urges the federal government to curb mass importation of foreign shrimp. 

Commissioner Miller declared that the Gulf shrimp industry is currently facing a “catastrophic crisis” after years of farm-raised, foreign-imported shrimp devastating the livelihoods of Gulf shrimpers...

Over 21 Million Pounds of Alaska Pollock Among USDA’s Latest Seafood Purchase Requests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking bids on various seafood products, including catfish, shrimp, and Alaskan pollock, through Section 32.

The USDA stated that the products, announced in three separate solicitations, will be used in domestic food distribution programs. Bids are due by February 27, and acceptances will be announced on March 6. The largest purchase is focused on Alaskan pollock, with the USDA looking for bids on over 21 million pounds of product. The offerings range from frozen pollock fillets...

Japan: Shrimp Imports Rose 8% in 2024, with Ecuador Imports Doubling and Argentina Imports up 40%

Japan's shrimp imports in 2024, including frozen and processed shrimp, reached 213,826 tons, an increase of 8% from the previous year and exceeding the lowest level since 2012. The increase is due to a doubling of frozen shrimp imports from Ecuador. Japan’s 2024 shrimp import value came in at 186.3 billion yen ($1.22 billion), reported Minato Shimbun.

According to the Ministry of Finance's trade statistics, frozen shrimp increased by 10%, amounting to 152,451 tons and a total value of 199.8 billion yen...

Shrimp Farmers in India Cite Struggles as Vannamei Seed Prices Rise

Vannamei shrimp seed prices have risen of late, causing headwinds for shrimp farmers in India, according to media reports.

The New Indian Express reported that shrimp seed prices in the Nellore region have been driven up by increased demand for high-quality seed and broodstock. Nellore is in Andhra Pradesh, the main hub for Vannamei shrimp production in India.

The publication noted that farmers have become uncertain about the profitability of shrimp farming as seed prices rise daily. As a result, the farmers...

Seafood Featured in Retailer Giant Food’s Latest ‘Fresh Low Prices’ Effort

Giant Food, a prominent retailer in the Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington D.C. region, expanded its ‘Fresh Low Prices’ campaign, which features price reductions for seafood and other key categories.

The company shared that over the last nine months, Giant has lowered the price of hundreds of items across its private brand portfolio, which includes the Giant brand, Nature’s Promise, Taste of Inspirations, Smart Living, Always My Baby, Companion, and CareOne.

The new reductions include essential items across categories, including seafood, like shrimp and salmon...

GSMC 2025: Balancing Act in Sight for the Shrimp Market in 2025?

Did you have an appearance from former NFL superstar Rob Gronkowski on your Global Seafood Market Conference (GSMC) 2025 bingo card?

Yes, the man known as Gronk made a quick video appearance in the middle of the GSMC Shrimp panel discussion, but let’s quickly shift focus to more pressing topics discussed by the panelists.

The National Fisheries Institute’s Richard Barry moderated the panel featuring Patrick Kraver of Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Gabriel Luna of Glunashrimp, Jamie Marshall of AZ Gems Inc. and Guy Pizzuti of Publix Super Markets, Inc...

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...

Genetic Testing Finds Texas Restaurants Mislabeling Shrimp

More restaurants in the Gulf region have been found to sell imported shrimp despite “claims, implications, or menu descriptions” that indicate the offerings were wild-caught shrimp from Texas.

SEAD (Seafood Development) Consulting conducted another genetic testing investigation in the Gulf of Mexico region, this time finding that just shy of 60% of restaurants tested in Galveston and Kemah, Texas, were serving imported shrimp.

SEAD noted that several sampled restaurants advertised Gulf shrimp on their menus but served imported farm-raised products instead. Restaurants also used “misleading marketing, imagery, or descriptions” that implied...