More Events Getting Canceled as Coronavirus Cases Grow in the U.S.

More U.S. based events and conferences are getting canceled as cases of the coronavirus grow in the U.S.

There are now more than 88,000 global cases of the coronavirus, and more than 3,000 deaths linked to the outbreak. Over the weekend the number of confirmed cases in the United States shot up to 89. Those cases break down to 44 from the Diamond Princess cruise, 3 repatriated from China, and 42 "U.S. cases." With the spike in confirmed cases, a number of upcoming events and conferences have been canceled...

How Restaurants in China Are Dealing with the Coronavirus

At the beginning of the month, a number of restaurant chains in China decided to temporarily close as the coronavirus outbreak began sweeping the country. While many establishments remain closed, others are back open—but with unique restrictions.

According to reports, some fast food establishments have standard temperature checks for customers as soon as they walk in the door. Footage posted by CNN shows a KFC restaurant in China checking a visitor's temperature before allowing them to proceed to an order screen. Customers can either use their smart phones to...

High Liner Foods Says They Are "Monitoring" Coronavirus Outbreak and "Reviewing" Options 

High Liner Foods released their operating results for the fourth quarter of 2019 and noted in their outlook that they are "closely monitoring" the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

"The Company currently purchases its seafood raw materials and commodity products from 25 countries, including China," the report explains. "Chinese processors are central to the Company's supply chain operating efficiently, and therefore, it is closely monitoring the current coronavirus disease outbreak and reviewing options, should they be required, to mitigate the impact of any prolonged disruption in supply from...

Trifecta: China Virus, Tariffs, Russia Ban Cause Trade Troubles

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Strong headwinds for salmon and other seafood sales.

Seafood coming from and going to China is piling up in freezers and shipping vans as the coronavirus creates chaos around the world.

“If you have plants that have product coming in and no workers to fill it, you're going to get that overflowing cold storage situation. So it's definitely a problem on the reprocessing side. On the consumption side, if people aren't going out to eat and going out to...

How the Coronavirus is Impacting the Lobster Industry Around the World

As SeafoodNews founder John Sackton wrote in his "Winding Glass" column earlier this month, the coronavirus has had a major impact on shipping, tourism and travel —all of which are vital to the North American seafood industry.

"The question is whether this is a short-term event like a hurricane or political strike that impacts one area of our supply chain, or if this is a year-long global pandemic, leading to big changes in behavior in our markets," wrote Sackton. "Clearly we don’t know yet, despite people like...

Though Still Haunted by Oversupply Problem, China’s Aquatic Farmers are Seeing a Better Tomorrow

China’s seafood industry has undergone a brutal cold season this Chinese New Year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Both market sales and prices have plummeted, while farmers have had great quantities of aquatic products dying in ponds. But luckily, with more processing plants restarting operation and governmental support, things are getting better now and farmers are regaining confidence.

As China’s official statistics show, the market was dull during this early February. Seafood sale volumes dived to only about 10% in 45 wholesale markets of...

Here’s the List of U.S. Seafood Items China Will Exempt From Retaliatory Tariffs

Last week, China said it would begin accepting applications for tariff exemptions for 696 U.S. products, including over 40 seafood products imported from the United States.

Chinese companies looking for an exemption on the additional tariffs that were implemented during the China-U.S. trade war can submit their applications from March 2, according to the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China.

The exemptions of the 42 seafood-related items will allow Chinese companies to import goods, avoiding retaliatory tariffs that were implemented...

Despite the Coronavirus Outbreak, Online Seafood Sales in China Increase

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, China’s seafood market has been sluggish during this Chinese New Year—and quite a number of industry participants are worried if they can survive the harsh winter. Though sellers encounter great challenges in brick-and-mortar store sales, there is an increase to different extents in the virtual ones within this market depression.

For example, according to statistics from JD.com, its seafood product sales have increased by about 60% within this shopping carnival compared with the previous one...

Russia in Search of Alternative Markets for its Fish Due to Coronavirus Outbreak  

Russia is considering a significant reduction of fish exports to the Chinese market due to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus. According to recent statements made by the head of the Russian Federal Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo), Ilya Shestakov, the outbreak has already resutled in a significant drop in demand for Russian fish and seafood among Chinese consumers. 

So far, Rosrybolovstvo, together with some leading Russian fisherman, have started to search for alternative markets for domestic fish.

Part of these plans involve...

The Winding Glass: How the Coronavirus Shockwave May Impact the U.S. and Canadian Seafood Industry

A lot of people in the seafood industry are thinking about the coronavirus. The major impact has been on shipping, tourism, and travel, all of which are vital to the North American seafood industry.

The question is whether this is a short-term event like a hurricane or political strike that impacts one area of our supply chain, or if this is a year-long global pandemic, leading to big changes in behavior in our markets.

Clearly we don’t know yet, despite people like...

NZ Rock Lobster Industry Could See Annual Catch Entitlement Carried Over Due to Coronavirus

The New Zealand commercial rock lobster industry could potentially see their uncaught annual catch entitlement (ACE) carried over into the next fishing year.

Fisheries New Zealand is currently seeking feedback on whether to enable uncaught rock lobster commercial ACE to be carried into the next fishing year, which begins on April 1, 2020. The government agency provided commercial fishermen with three options, including retaining the status quo and making no changes; enabling carry forward of up to 10% of the total rock lobster ACE...

China’s Seafood Exports Hit Hard by the Coronavirus

The coronavirus outbreak has exerted destructive influence on China’s seafood industry in both its imports and exports. These previously hustling shopping carnivals have been slow with consumers mostly holed up at home. Meanwhile, seafood processing plants in China are challenged by various problems in both production and export.

Considering the contagious disease, China’s processing plants have to prolong their leave. Those in the Hubei province are required not to restart operation until February 14. But according to some plants, they are not sure if they can reopen as planned...

The Coronavirus has a New Name: COVID-19

The coronavirus now has a name. World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom announced on Tuesday that they've named the coronavirus COVID-19.

According to WHO, coronaviruses are "a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV)." Coronaviruses have crown-like spikes on their surface, and the term "coronavirus" stems from the Latin word "corona," which means crown...

2019 Crab Production and Market Data Released; Live Crab Diverted From China to Other Asia Markets

The coronavirus crisis in China is both a human and business tragedy and the seafood industry is not spared. It has resulted in a major disruption in worldwide live shellfish and premium seafood sales and economic hardship for producers. Russian live crab harvesters are said to suspend or curtail live crab fishing until the crisis is over in China. The statistics have been released for all major King crab and Snow crab production and markets except China for 2019...

VIDEO: China Cuts Tariffs; Coronavirus Impact on Shrimp; Boston Show on Coronavirus; and More

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video co-hosts Lorin Castiglione and Amanda Buckle as they discuss China's announcement regarding tariffs; the impact of the coronavirus on the shrimp market; and the statement from Seafood Expo North America organizers Diversified Communications on the coronavirus. Plus, learn more about FCF buying Bumble Bee Foods.

This episode was brought to you by COMTELL, which will be receiving a complete redesign in 2020. Subscribers who utilize COMTELL to track market quotations, analyze trends and...

ANALYSIS: Shrimp Market Strained Due to Coronavirus

The coronavirus and what impact it may have on the shrimp market has been a common topic in recent days. We’ve written in our daily comments that China is the largest importer of shrimp globally and any disruption in the flow of product into that country will certainly have market implications. We’ve also suggested that the most immediate concern appears to be Ecuador given its proximity to the U.S., its reliance on the Asian market and the anticipation of a larger harvest next week...

China Ports, Businesses Reportedly Beginning to Reopen

Businesses in China are reportedly beginning to reopen following closures related to the coronavirus outbreak.

Shu Chaohui of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology revealed in a news conference earlier this week that only 30% of small businesses have resumed business. According to Shu, the Chinese government has launched taxation and social insurance policies in an effort to support these businesses.

Meanwhile, Fan Zhenyu of China's Ministry of Transport said that more than 100 cities have resumed public transportation. With public transportation picking up again...

Seafood Related Events in Japan and Thailand Canceled Due to Coronavirus Concerns 

As cases of the coronavirus increase and spread to additional countries, some global seafood-related events have been canceled.

World Ocean Summit, an event hosted by The Economist Group that focuses on challenges facing the seas and "inspiring bold thinking," was set to take place in Tokyo on March 9-10. The Economist Group announced on Wednesday that they have decided to cancel the event, less than two weeks before it was set to take place. According to a statement released by organizers, the decision...

Seafood Show Osaka Attracts Big Crowd in Japan, But Total Visitors Down 15% from 2019

The 17th Seafood Show Osaka was held on February 19-20 at the ATC Hall in Asia Pacific Trade Center in Osaka. While the number of coronavirus victims was growing every day, visitors to the two-day show totaled 13,574—down 15% from a year ago.

The show is a local exhibition targeting the western Japanese market. While this year’s exhibitors totaled 288, up from 267 in 2018, the overseas exhibitors were only Indonesia and Korea. No empty booths existed, and...

Boston Seafood Show Organizers Recommend 'No-Contact, No-Handshake Policy'

There will be a lot of waving going on at Seafood Expo North America in Boston next month. Diversified Communications, the organizers of the Boston Seafood Show, released yet another update for attendees and exhibitors who are concerned about the coronavirus and the upcoming event.

The latest recommendation from Diversified? "No-contact, no-handshake policy."

"While further planning is under way, Diversified Communications along with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) and official partners would like to share additional measures that...

Seafood Expo Global Organizers 'Monitoring' Situation After News of Coronavirus Outbreak in Italy

Diversified Communications, the organizers of Seafood Expo Global, released an update on Monday after news broke of the coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading in Italy. The country has the highest number of infections outside of Asia.

"As Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global is still nine weeks away, we are closely monitoring this evolving situation," the update reads. "We understand there are concerns and questions around the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in relation to the event and would like to reassure you that the health and...

The Winding Glass: Industry Must Prepare as Coronavirus Rapidly Changing Supply Chain Behavior

With the spread of the coronavirus to new countries, I now believe the seafood industry is going to face its worst crisis since the economic collapse of 2008.

That was difficult and frightening. From October to December of 2008, fresh whole salmon prices dropped 20%. From August 2008 to January 2009, shrimp prices in the Urner Barry farmed shrimp index fell 16%. Cod loins, which were at record prices in November of 2008, fell 34% over the next 11 months, in a continuous price decline...

Faced With Slow Sales, Chinese Seafood Sellers Fighting for Survival

Chinese New Year is among the most important shopping carnivals in China, and both seafood prices and sales used to skyrocket during this period. But this year the coronavirus outbreak has turned everything upside down. The imported seafood market has crashed, and industry participants are teetering and working hard to find a way out.

King crabs, for example, are usually popular among Chinese foodies in such holidays, but this year the sales have plummeted. In Shanghai, one of the country’s largest markets, there are few...

Queensland Seafood Industry Receives Assistance from Government Due to Impact of Coronavirus

The Queensland Government will be providing financial assistance to members of the seafood industry who have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19). A $660,000 relief package was confirmed in a news release announcing a $3.67 million fee relief package for operators at the Cairns Marina, a "vital hub for inbound tourism operators in Far North Queensland."

"The impact of COVID-19 was felt particularly strongly around Chinese New Year, which is normally a huge export opportunity for Queensland seafood," said Deputy Premier and Treasurer...

Thai Union China Sends Humanitarian Assistance To Wuhan

BANGKOK - The world’s largest producer of canned tuna has donated more than 52,000 cans of King Oscar tuna to the hospitals in Wuhan, China, the city at the center of the COVID-19 virus outbreak.

Thai Union China, a subsidiary of Thai Union Group, sent the high-protein seafood through a local logistics service and an online food delivery operator in China.

The first shipment went to workers of the Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital Project, one of two new hospitals being built for COVID-19 patients. The second shipment was sent to more ...

Ecuador's National Chamber of Aquaculture Says China's Shrimp Demand Should Recover 'Very Soon'

Jose Antonio Camposano, Executive President of the National Chamber of Aquaculture of Ecuador, says that the Ecuadorian shrimp industry should expect demand from China to recover "very soon." His comments come on the heels of Chinese authorities announcing the completion of the long holiday.  Camposano says that the end of Chinese New Year, which was extended by the Chinese government, will "generate a positive expectation for the Ecuadorian shrimp industry that expects a fast recovery of the demand, especially the one focusing on safe food...

Boston Seafood Show Organizers Comment on Impact of Participation from China Due to Coronavirus

Diversified Communications, the organizers of Seafood Expo North America, also referred to as the Boston Seafood Show, released another update regarding the impact of the coronavirus on the upcoming event.

According to Diversified, they are expecting to see an "impact in participation from Mainland China." The show, which is set to run from March 15 – 17 this year, attracted more than 22,000 seafood industry professionals in 2019. Based on their stats, China represents about 5% of the combined visitor and exhibitor attendee base, as well as...

Coronavirus Impacting Lobstermen Across the Country 

Lobstermen across the country are hurting as the coronavirus in China impacts their sales.

Normally during this time of year prices spike for Chinese New Year. However, with numerous celebrations being cancelled because of fears of the outbreak, and China banning imports of wild animals into the country, lobstermen are saying that their prices have dropped.

"Our prices went from the highest it's been all year to the lowest," James Voss, a California lobsterman told KCRW. Voss reports that prices went from $15 per pound to about...

December Import Numbers, Coronavirus Update, Valentine's Day by the Numbers and More

Join SeafoodNews Podcast co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they break down some December import numbers for pangasius, lobster and shrimp. Plus, find out what the Boston Seafood Show organizers said about the coronavirus; learn about some mergers and acquisitions within the seafood industry; and check out some Valentine's Day "by the numbers" stats.

This episode is brought to you by COMTELL, which will be receiving a complete redesign this year. Subscribers who utilize COMTELL to track market quotations, analyze trends and...

Coronavirus Outbreak Brings Many Challenges to the Seafood Industry, But There are Some Survivors

With the catastrophic coronavirus outbreak, China’s previously hustling seafood market has been trapped in depression during this Chinese New Year. This disaster not only influences the country’s imported seafood, but also domestic ones. Industry participants who used to sell out of fresh seafood at high prices in a blink of an eye are faced with large quantities left in stock. The country’s overall seafood sales is estimated to drop by about 2/3 compared with the previous festival...