Canada Pulls Seafood From Counter-Tariff List After Industry Pushback

Canada's Department of Finance has reversed course on one of the more contentious elements of its retaliatory tariff package, removing fish and seafood products from its list of US goods facing counter-tariffs, less than 24 hours after the measures were announced.

The department said it made the adjustment based on feedback from Canadian industries, citing a commitment to continually assess the effectiveness of its counter-tariff measures, with a primary focus on sectors that have themselves been targeted by US tariffs. Seafood, notably, has not been...

Pink Salmon Surge in Sitka and Kodiak Lifts Alaska Season Totals

A late-season surge of pink salmon into Sitka and strong returns in Kodiak have brightened Alaska's salmon harvest picture heading into the final stretch of the season.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's (ASMI) weekly harvest summary through August 22 showed the cumulative salmon catch had exceeded year-to-date 2025 levels — and 2024 levels for pink salmon — though totals remained well behind both the forecast and the prior-year cumulative harvest as the season began to wind down. That picture improved further after the report was distributed...

Court Preliminarily Approves $2.25M Dungeness Crab Settlements

A federal magistrate judge has preliminarily approved $2.25 million in partial settlements in the Dungeness crab price-fixing class action, moving the case toward its first formal payout to class members while litigation continues against the remaining defendants, including Pacific Seafood Group.

US Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse signed the order on August 24 in the Northern District of California, clearing settlements with Pacific Dream Seafoods, Inc. ($1 million), Caito Fisheries, Inc. and four Caito family members ($1.25 million), and non-party Fisherman's Choice LLC, which agreed...

Three Environmental Groups: NOAA is Violating the Endangered Species Act on Gray Whale Protections

Exactly one day after the deadline for NOAA to respond to a petition from Oasis Earth (OE) to list the Eastern North Pacific gray whale population as threatened or endangered, OE and two other conservation groups sent a notice of intent to sue the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over gray whale protections.

The gray whale population along the North American west coast has dropped by half in just ten years. A year ago, the trio of environmentalists...

Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale Becomes First French Seabass and Seabream Farm Certified to ASC Standard

Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale has become the first French seabass and seabream farm to receive the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Seabream and Seabass standard certification, following an audit conducted by a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) to verify compliance with the standard.

ASC announced the news yesterday, saying the certification increases the availability of farmed seafood in France that meets ASC’s environmental and social requirements.

“ASC congratulates Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale on this remarkable achievement. As a pioneer...

Nordic Aqua Partners Reaches Full Capacity at China RAS Farm, Eyes Stage 3 Expansion

Nordic Aqua Partners has reached full run-rate at its recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) Atlantic salmon farm in Ningbo, China, bringing annual production capacity to 8,000 metric tons following the completion of Stage 2 of the project.

CEO Ragnar Joensen said the company is now "fully up and running" at that capacity, with operational performance described as solid. Combined with good fish health and welfare, he said the results are supporting improved fish growth, higher harvest weights, and lower production costs...

 SAIC Expands Science Panel Ahead of First Funding Call

The Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) has appointed 14 experts to its first science panel since becoming an independent organization, bringing together expertise across fish and shellfish health, seaweed, environmental sustainability, veterinary science and aquaculture technology.

The panel will provide independent scientific advice to SAIC's board and play a key role in assessing funding applications, reviewing project outcomes and guiding the organization's research and innovation activities. Members will serve for up to two years.

Pieter van West, director of the International Centre for Aquaculture Research...

Atlantic Mackerel’s Shifting Migration Brings Opportunity, Uncertainty

Atlantic mackerel’s once-reliable spring run north and fall return south has become less predictable since 2024, after a pulse of cold, fresh northern water moved onto the Northeast U.S. shelf.

Fishermen across the region report more mackerel in some areas, along with unusual appearances of white marlin, billfish, sand lance, Illex squid, striped bass, red drum and bluefish.

Researchers say the ocean conditions are highly unusual. Cold, fresh water entered the region in 2023 and kept conditions cooler through 2024 and 2025, a pattern...

Wild Planet Foods Named in Class Action Over Alleged Arsenic Levels in Canned Sardines

Wild Planet Foods has been named as a defendant in a federal class action lawsuit alleging that one of its canned sardine products contains arsenic levels that exceed California's daily safe exposure threshold and that the company failed to disclose the risk to consumers.

The complaint was filed August 18 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California by plaintiff Ryan Moore of Napa, California, on behalf of a proposed nationwide class and California subclass of purchasers...

Chile Presses for Salmon Tariff Removal as Two-Day US Trade Talks End

High-level trade talks between Chile and the United States concluded in Santiago this week without a final agreement, as both sides described ongoing negotiations over the 12.5% Section 301 tariff that has burdened Chilean exports — including salmon — since late July.

Deputy US Trade Representative Jeffrey Goettman led the US delegation for the two-day visit on August 24-25. Chile's government pressed for the removal of the 12.5% tariff across key export sectors, including salmon, wine, timber, and fruit...

Canada Commits $53M to Build Three New Pacific Salmon Hatcheries in British Columbia

The federal government has announced more than $53 million in construction contracts for three new Pacific salmon hatcheries across British Columbia, all developed in partnership with Indigenous nations and aimed at reversing steep declines in Chinook and sockeye populations.

The announcements, made August 25 by Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson, cover facilities on the upper Fraser River near Hanceville, in Prince George, and on the Kitwanga River in Gitanyow territory — each tied to a separate First Nation and targeting distinct at-risk salmon populations...

Supreme Crab & Seafood Adds Mark Laubner for Business Development and Culinary Support

Supreme Crab & Seafood, Inc. has added Mark Laubner to its team, where he will focus on business development and culinary support across the company’s customer channels.

Laubner brings experience from both sides of the foodservice business, with a background spanning food distribution sales, restaurant operations and culinary management. Most recently, he worked in food distribution sales and previously held an area management role with a national foodservice distributor. That experience gave him a strong understanding of customer negotiations, service...

Iceland Seafood International Posts 16.7% Sales Jump in First Half of 2026 as Net Profit Doubles

Iceland Seafood International delivered a strong first half of 2026, with sales rising 16.7% to €273.0 million and net profit doubling to €2.2 million from €1.1 million in the same period last year. Normalized profit before tax climbed 26.1% to €2.9 million, and the company maintained its full-year normalized PBT guidance of €11.5 million to €13.5 million.

Growth was broad-based across all three divisions. The Sales and Distribution division was the standout performer...

Hokkaido's Nemuro Anglers Asked to Stand Down as Fall Chum Forecast Drops 52% to Record Low

Hokkaido’s Nemuro region is calling on the general public to refrain from salmon fishing as part of the program to secure broodstock for the hatchery. 

According to Minato Shimbun, the Nemuro Area Salmon and Trout Propagation Association will once again implement voluntary restrictions at the start of the fishing season to secure enough fall chum salmon broodstock for hatchery release. In conjunction, the association is collaborating with local municipalities—such as Shibetsu Town—to urge anglers to voluntarily refrain from...

Poké House Debuts in Nevada With First Las Vegas Location

Poké House is bringing its build-your-own bowl concept to Nevada, with its first location in the state set to open Aug. 28 in Las Vegas.

The fast-casual poke brand will debut at 7175 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 168, marking a strategic move into a market known for its growing food scene and global visibility. Company leaders say Las Vegas stood out as a natural next step for the brand, which has built its identity around customization and ingredient...

Canada Targets US Lobster, Salmon, Pollock With 25% Counter-Tariffs

Canada will impose 25% counter-tariffs on American fish and seafood effective September 8, escalating a trade war that now threatens one of the world's most deeply integrated bilateral seafood supply chains.

The measures, announced August 25 by Prime Minister Mark Carney, cover roughly 700 US product lines at rates of 15%, 25% and 50% — a dollar-for-dollar response to US Section 338 tariffs of 50% that took effect August 19 on select Canadian imports after trade talks between the two countries collapsed. Fish and seafood fall...

USDA Announces $156 Million in Commodity Purchases to Support US Producers

The US Department of Agriculture has announced plans to purchase $156 million in agricultural commodities from American farmers and producers, with the products to be distributed to schools and food banks through federal nutrition assistance programs.

The purchases will be made by USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service using Section 32 funds — a standing authority under the Agricultural Adjustment Act that allows the agency to buy surplus or price-distressed agricultural commodities to support domestic producers while supplying federally managed distribution channels.

The full commodity breakdown is as follows...