White House Issues Sweeping Deregulatory Changes in Domestic Fisheries Management

At a hastily called press conference this morning, Peter Navarro, Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, announced which deregulatory projects the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has prioritized and will collaborate with regional councils to implement immediately.

"Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA have rolled out a bold step of regional priorities by partnering directly with regional councils," Navarro said. "These cost-cutting actions will reduce regulatory burdens, stabilize markets, improve access, enhance economic profitability, and make the American seafood industry a world leader...

ANALYSIS: Revised May and June Import Data Put US Shrimp Inventory Above Pre-Pandemic Trend

US May shrimp imports are tracking 9 to 10 million lbs. above the previous central estimate of approximately 150.5 million lbs. June is still being assembled, but early indications point in the same direction.

The model framework that informs these Expana estimates reads price movements in log terms as a forward signal for inventory accumulation. Prices began declining in April, ahead of the bulk of this volume being recorded, consistent with market participants pricing in expected supply before physical arrivals...

Southern Senators Press USDA for Emergency Catfish Purchase as Industry Marks Third Year of Losses

A coalition of five Southern US senators is pressing the US Department of Agriculture to deploy emergency purchasing authority on behalf of the country's farm-raised catfish industry, which has reported negative financial returns for three consecutive years amid persistent cost inflation.

Led by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), the group sent a letter on June 30 to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, urging approval of a Section 32 surplus commodity purchase for US farm-raised catfish. Joining Hyde-Smith were...

Two Buyers Seek Court Sign-Off on $2.25M Dungeness Crab Price-Fixing Settlements

Two seafood buyers named in a West Coast Dungeness crab price-fixing class action have filed separate motions to formalize exits from the litigation, with a combined $2.25 million in settlements and a July 31 hearing date set before US Magistrate Judge Alex G. Tse in San Francisco.

Caito Fisheries, Inc. and its owners filed papers on June 24 seeking court recognition of a $1.25 million deal. Pacific Dream Seafoods, Inc. of Anacortes, Washington, followed the next day with a parallel motion covering...

Japan's Surimi Products Exports Increase 5% YOY with Growing Global Demand

According to reports from the Minato Shimbun, consumption of Japanese surimi products is rising worldwide, including in North and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

The Ministry of Finance trade statistics show that the cumulative export volume of surimi products—such as kamaboko (steamed surimi), but excluding fish sausage—reached 4,186 tons between January and May, a 5% year-on-year increase.

Exports to the United States, the largest overseas market, performed well, rising 13% compared to the same...

Cousins Maine Lobster Builds on Core Offering With New Lobster Roll Flight

After making a big splash on the hit TV show Shark Tank in 2012, Cousins Maine Lobster has continued to chart innovative paths for growth. According to Business Insider, Barbara Corcoran invested in the company after its October 2012 debut on the show because she believed real-life cousins and co-founders Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis had a strong operational plan and were well prepared.

Since then, the company has expanded to more than 70 locations across over half of the...

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...

New Survey Highlights Growing Appetite for Seafood Among US Consumers

Americans are increasingly embracing seafood, with a new survey revealing strong demand driven by its health benefits, freshness and taste.

The research found that Alaska remains the strongest association with high-quality seafood among US consumers. When asked where they associate premium seafood, 32% of respondents ranked Alaska first, followed by the southern US at 17% and the West Coast at 12%.

The findings highlight shifting consumer preferences and reinforce the opportunity to position wild Alaska seafood as a premium yet accessible choice for everyday...

US Declines to Extend USMCA, Putting $149 Billion in Agri-Food Trade on an Uncertain Path

The United States will not renew the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, according to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, amid Wednesday's July 1 joint review deadline. Fox Business subsequently reported that President Trump will instead pursue separate bilateral trade deals with Canada and Mexico lasting up to 10 years. Both Canada and Mexico had pressed for a full 16-year extension. They did not get it.

The outcome was widely expected. Trump has floated withdrawing from the deal entirely, and US officials gave no...

Sen. Sullivan Introduces Updated Bycatch Bill with Alaska Stakeholder Backing

US Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) has introduced an updated version of his bycatch legislation, aiming to strengthen oversight of trawl fisheries, reduce seafloor impacts and improve transparency in federal fishery management.

The Bycatch Reduction Act, introduced this week, builds on Sullivan's earlier proposal and incorporates feedback from Alaska fishing and conservation groups. It also advances recommendations from the Alaska Salmon Task Force, established under legislation Sullivan sponsored that was signed into law in December 2022.

According to Sullivan's office, the bill would...

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...

EU Aquaculture Commissioner Convenes Industry Dialogue as Bloc Prepares Vision 2040 Framework

European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis convened an implementation dialogue on EU aquaculture policy in Brussels on June 30, bringing together producers, trade associations, retailers, NGOs, and member state authorities to take stock of where the bloc's aquaculture framework is falling short — and where it can be improved ahead of a major policy reset.

The dialogue was framed around two parallel policy moments: the ongoing evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy Regulation, which was published in late April and found progress...

Shrimp Giant Thai Union Faces $295M Lawsuit Over Red Lobster's Collapse

Creditors of Red Lobster are suing former owner Thai Union Group, alleging the Bangkok-based seafood giant used the restaurant chain as a captive distribution arm for its own shrimp business, ultimately helping drive it into bankruptcy.

The complaint, filed in Florida's Ninth Judicial Circuit Court on behalf of creditors owed approximately $295 million, alleges that Thai Union — which held a controlling stake in the chain while simultaneously serving as its primary shrimp supplier — orchestrated a deliberate scheme to “squeeze every drop of value” from the company...

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...

New Fishery Management Council Seats Announced Amid Criticism of the Process in Alaska

Last Friday, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick announced 22 new and returning members to the nation's eight regional fishery management councils.

Nominations to those seats come from the governors of the states or territories represented and tribal governments in the region. A variety of groups are represented — commercial and recreational sectors, academia, and government agencies.

Each year, the Secretary appoints approximately one-third of the total 72 appointed members to the eight regional councils. The Secretary usually honors the priority given by governors...

US Fish and Wildlife Service Expands Shellfish Definition to Include Squid, Octopus and Cuttlefish

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized a rule updating the regulatory definition of "shellfish" to include cephalopods — squid, octopus, and cuttlefish — bringing federal regulations in line with modern scientific understanding and longstanding commercial practice.

Under 50 CFR Part 10, the FWS regulates the import and export of wildlife and wildlife products, with certain exemptions for shellfish. The revision extends that exemption to cephalopods, which were previously excluded despite being treated as conventional seafood products across commercial markets...