ANALYSIS: Solid EU-UK Shrimp Imports Recorded in April

According to European Commission data, shrimp imports into the EU‑UK region remained relatively solid in April, standing 7.5% above the five‑year average in volume. However, April volumes were 2.9% lower year‑on‑year, following exceptionally strong import activity between April and July 2025.

Cumulatively, imports between January and April remained broadly unchanged compared with the same period last year. Volumes increased slightly by 0.5%, while import value rose by 5.7% to USD 1,668.4 million. Cold-water shrimp volume surged 38.8% at 17,549 MT YTD (HS codes 030616/35 only)...

Phillips Foods Names Brice Phillips CEO in Multigenerational Leadership Transition

Baltimore-based Phillips Foods has announced a planned leadership transition that will see the family-owned seafood company pass the chief executive role to the next generation while elevating a longtime operational leader to a newly created president and COO position.

Steve Phillips, who has served as CEO for many years, will move to Chairman of the Board, remaining involved in long-term strategy while stepping back from daily operations. Taking over as CEO is Brice Phillips, his successor and the latest in the company's multigenerational family leadership...

Power Outages Disrupt Tuna Cutting Operations in the Philippines and Indonesia

Rolling power outages triggered by a broader regional energy crisis are creating headaches for tuna processors in two of the world's most important loining and cutting hubs, the Philippines and Indonesia.

In the Philippines, the government declared a state of national energy emergency earlier this year after the Strait of Hormuz disruption cut deeply into fuel supplies. The country imports roughly 98% of its oil from the Middle East, leaving it acutely exposed to the fallout from the Iran war...

Monarch, Sovereign Seas Partner With Macduff Shellfish to Launch Norway Lobster Line in US

Monarch and its seafood brand, Sovereign Seas, are expanding their premium shellfish portfolio through a new exclusive distribution agreement with Macduff Shellfish, bringing a full range of Norway lobster products to the US market.

According to the LinkedIn post, under the partnership, Sovereign Seas will serve as the exclusive US channel for Macduff Shellfish’s Norway lobster, also known as langoustine or scampi, positioning the brand as a single-source supplier for the category in North America. The lineup includes...

Global Squid Buyers Strongly Oppose Management Changes Being Considered in Chile and Peru

Potential amendments to recent laws in Chile and Peru that would increase fishing effort in the jumbo flying squid (JFS) fishery triggered strong opposition among conservation groups and buyers of the product.

The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) expressed their concern publicly last week.

“As buyers committed to responsible sourcing and the sustainability of marine resources, we recognize the significant progress achieved in recent years thanks to the joint efforts of fisheries managers, research institutes, nongovernmental organizations...

Long John Silver’s Leverages Seasonal Flavors and Value in Summer Menu Launch

Long John Silver’s is combining limited‑time menu additions with value-driven offerings to drive summer traffic, rolling out a seasonal lineup that mixes returning seafood favorites, new sauces and expanded beverage options.

The quick‑service seafood chain has introduced a Summer Special Platter featuring coconut shrimp and a new Citrus Honey Mustard dipping sauce, while continuing its year‑round $6 Basket program, a core part of its value strategy amid intense industry competition.

"To us, summer is all about providing great flavors and...

NOAA Launches $13.5M Aquaculture Cooperative Institute to Boost Domestic Seafood Production

The University of Southern Mississippi has joined a new national aquaculture research initiative funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration aimed at expanding domestic seafood production and reducing the United States' reliance on imported farmed seafood.

The effort, known as the Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM), is led by the University of New Hampshire and backed by approximately $13.5 million in initial funding over five years. The program will bring together researchers, industry partners, and coastal communities to tackle barriers to domestic...

OTB Hospitality Files Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Following On The Border Closures

Pappas Restaurants, Inc. expanded its portfolio in May 2025 with the acquisition of On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, adding another well‑known Texas brand to its family of restaurant concepts, according to an Expana report.

The deal brought On The Border under the same umbrella as Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito’s Cantina and Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, among other concepts. Following the acquisition, Pappas began refreshing On The Border’s menu and operations, with an emphasis on improving food quality, strengthening execution and enhancing the overall guest experience...

Wicker, Hyde-Smith, Britt Urge USDA Action on Catfish Virus Threats

US Senators Roger Wicker, Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) are calling on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to act before two highly contagious viruses can reach farm-raised catfish operations in Mississippi and other states.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, the senators urged prompt action to assess and mitigate the impacts of Yellow Catfish Virus (YcCV) and Channel Catfish Virus (CCV), warning that an unchecked outbreak could severely damage the domestic industry...

Global Trade in Aquatic Products Reaches Record $184 Billion, FAO Reports

Global trade in aquatic animal products has climbed to a record $184 billion, underscoring the growing importance of fisheries and aquaculture in the world economy, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The findings were released Tuesday during the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, as part of FAO's latest State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA 2026) report.

The report shows that global fisheries and aquaculture production reached...

San Diego County Sues Grocery Sushi Franchise Companies Over Worker Misclassification

The County of San Diego has filed suit against five sushi franchise businesses that operate counters inside grocery stores across California, alleging they systematically misclassified sushi chefs as independent contractor "franchisees" to avoid paying minimum wages, overtime, and other legally required benefits.

The complaint, filed June 17, 2026, in San Diego Superior Court by County Counsel Damon M. Brown on behalf of the People of the State of California, names Ace Sushi Franchise Corp., Asiana Management Group, Inc., Advanced Fresh Concepts Franchise Corp., Advanced Fresh Concepts Corp., Fujisan Franchising...

Dead Endangered and Pregnant Fin Whale Carried into Port by Cruise Ship, Investigation Underway

An endangered fin whale, struck by a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship, was carried into the Alaska port of Seward last Friday. According to a report from the Alaska office of NOAA Fisheries, early findings are that the 61-foot female was pregnant.  

The ship had departed Vancouver, British Columbia, for the one-way Alaskan cruise on Friday, June 12, according to a report by Cruise Hive. On her way to Seward, the ship visited Sitka, Juneau, and Skagway...

USCG Helicopter Crashes Near Sitka, Crew Survived With Minor Injuries 

Four US Coast Guard crew members involved in a helicopter crash in Sitka Monday morning have been reported safe with “non-serious injuries.” The first reports from the Coast Guard came through on social media, mentioning that the aircraft was an MH-60 Jayhawk.  

Watchstanders at the Arctic District command center in Juneau received the initial report of the crash on Harbor Mountain through the activation of the aircrew’s personal locator beacon just after 10 a.m., according to a Coast Guard press release. The MH-60 Jayhawk went down..

Russia Eyes Expansion of Tuna Fishery as Stocks Move Into Far Eastern Waters

Russia is placing growing emphasis on tuna fishing as it seeks to expand seafood supplies for both domestic consumers and export markets.

In a move that industry officials describe as a milestone, Russian fisheries authorities have approved commercial tuna fishing in waters off Sakhalin Island for the first time in the country's modern history.

The decision follows support from the Bureau of the Industry Council for Fisheries Forecasting under the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo), which approved a recommended tuna...

Captain D’s Uses Alaska Cruise Promotion to Spotlight US Seafood Sourcing

Captain D’s is kicking off a summer promotion that ties its latest Alaska‑sourced fish launch to a national sweepstakes designed to drive in‑restaurant traffic. Partnering with PepsiCo, the brand has launched the Alaska Family Cruise Sweepstakes, running June 22 through July 27, with a grand prize Alaska cruise package for one winner and five guests including three ocean view cruise rooms, roundtrip airfare to Seattle with hotel accomodatioons for two nights and a $3,000 travel stipend.

For operators and suppliers...

USMCA Is in Limbo. Here's What That Means for North American Seafood.

With a July 1 deadline looming, President Trump recently announced that the US will likely not reauthorize the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) for a full 16-year extension, opting instead for a rolling annual review process that trade analysts say could drag well into 2027.

"I would rather not have the agreement, but I may sign it," Trump said in France on June 17. "We do better as a country if we don't have ​an agreement...

CDC Report: Tuna and Reef Fish Behind Most US Seafood Toxin Outbreaks Over 13-Year Span

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that marine toxins were responsible for 402 foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States between 2011 and 2023, resulting in 1,280 illnesses, 96 hospitalizations, and one death, with tuna and tropical reef fish at the center of most cases.

Published in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the analysis represents the first national summary of all foodborne outbreaks caused by marine toxins across that period. Scombroid toxin poisoning and ciguatoxin together accounted...