NOAA Fisheries: Alaska’s Seafood Industry Bore a $1.8 Billion Loss in 2022-23

For anyone curious about what all the disaster declarations, price drops, rising costs, market shifts, and labor shortages have added up to over the past two years, now we can — it’s $1.8 billion.

NOAA Fisheries has done the heavy lifting of summing up the financial impacts of consumer behavior changes, shifts in global markets, climate change, and other factors in its 67-page economic report called Alaska Seafood Snapshot, released yesterday.

In the three-year period 2021-2023, the report says that the Alaska fishing ...

Australia’s $700M Rock Lobster Trade with China Set to Resume

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the country will resume exports of live rock lobsters to China before the end of the year.

The deal is massive news for Australia’s rock lobster industry, along with Chinese consumers who will again have access to the product for the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations.

Since 2020, Australian rock lobsters have been effectively prevented from entering China’s market, which was worth over AU$700 million in 2019, per the Australian government...

Oceana: E.U. Banned Seafood from Trinidad and Tobago Entering U.S. Market

Seafood from Trinidad and Tobago, which is banned in the European Union (EU) is arriving in the U.S. market, according to the non-profit group Oceana.

The NGO noted that in September 2023, the European Union handed Trinidad and Tobago an IUU “red card,” which banned seafood imports from the country due to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing concerns.

Oceana analyzed NOAA Fisheries import data and found that over 1.5 million pounds of seafood valued at $11 million from Trinidad and Tobago hit U.S. shores...

RFM Certification Expands to Other Well-managed Fisheries Around the World

If success is the sum of small efforts over time, the Responsible Fisheries Management Certification program is very successful, judging by its latest development.

The RFM Certification program is going global, announcing the expansion of its Fishery Standard to include fisheries from around the world. The global expansion will go further to provide choice in wild-capture sustainable fishery certification, the Certified Seafood Collaborative, owners of the RFM program, said in a press release.

When the RFM Certification program...

Proximar Seafood Standing Biomass Growing, Remain on Track for Daily Harvesting Later this Month 

Proximar Seafood, a land-based salmon farmer in Japan, provided further updates after its successful trial harvest in late September. 

The company said that at the end of Q3 2024, its standing biomass was 735 metric tons, more than double the 360 MT it showcased in Q2 2024.  

“We are very pleased to see the positive development in our biomass continuing through the third quarter of 2024. The water quality remains good although the turbidity is still an issue...

Les Hodges: Alaska New Crab Production Launches Oct 15

This year, National Seafood Month comes with good news for the crab industry. The Alaska Department of Fish & Game has released the 2024 fall crab Total Allowable Catch (TAC), bringing positive developments for fishermen and processors. The red king crab quota has been increased 7.5% to 2.310mm pounds, while tanner snow crab, also known as bairdi, is more than 3 times larger than the 2023 level reaching 6.270 mm pounds. Additionally, there's a surprising opening on opilio snow crab, with a quota set 4.720mm pounds. St. Mathew blue king crab and...

NEFMC Prepares for 2025 Scallop Framework Amidst Declining Biomass

The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) announced that it received updates on Framework Adjustment 39 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan, which will set the specs for the 2025 scallop fishing season.

At its September meeting in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the council received an overview of the 2024 Atlantic sea scallop survey in addition to the Framework 39 updates.

Results from the 2024 scallop survey indicated that the species' overall biomass remained low compared to its peak of 2016-2019. The population of harvestable scallops in 2025 is...

FFAW Urging DFO to Adjust Gulf of St. Lawrence Redfish Management

The 4R inshore fleet has pushed Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to implement immediate change to the management of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Unit 1 Redfish fishery.

The call comes after dozens of harvesters rallied outside a Barry Group plant and pushed for a change to the “small, time-sensitive fishery.”

“DFO has not established harvest control rules that allow for a sustainable fishery for the 4R fleet, despite the critical importance of this resource to local communities,” explained Jason Spingle, FFAW-Unifor Secretary-Treasurer...

ANALYSIS: 2024 Coho Salmon Season Concludes with Diverging Regional Trends

As the 2024 coho salmon season draws to a close across Alaska, Canada, and the lower 48 states, two distinct supply trends have become evident. Alaska experienced a sluggish start, with landings consistently trailing 2023 levels. Only during weeks 35 and 36 did harvests align with last year’s pace. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the state harvested a total of 1.66 million coho salmon in 2024, representing a 35% decline from the 2.56 million fish landed in 2023 and a 38% drop compared to the five-...

Council Addresses Pelagic Trawl Definitions, Avoids More Controversial Issue of Seabed Contact

The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council adopted a new Purpose and Need Statement at last week’s meeting to update the definition of pelagic trawls in Alaska. The definition has not been changed since 1993, long before excluder devices and other innovative gear improvements have been added for conservation, efficiency, and reducing bycatch.

The council's purpose was more of a housekeeping action focused on the components of a pelagic trawl than it was keeping pelagic trawls off the ocean floor, which was the focus of most stakeholders at the ...

Small Oregon Port Gets Big Attention from NOAA, Lawmakers

U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both Democrats from Oregon, along with U.S. Rep Val Hoyle, D-Ore.,  recently announced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries included specific support for Port Orford’s local economy and job growth in its National Seafood Strategic Implementation Plan. 

“World-renowned seafood is synonymous with Oregon and is a vital part of our coastal economy and a delicious part of our dinner tables,” Wyden said in a press release. “I’m gratified NOAA recognizes the important role ...

Angry Crab Shack Selects Lunchbox to Power Digital Channels Amidst Nationwide Expansion

Angry Crab Shack, the rapidly growing seafood boil brand known for its bold flavors and fun laid-back dining experience, has announced a new strategic partnership with Lunchbox, the premier enterprise restaurant technology provider. The collaboration will bring a full suite of digital solutions, including catering, marketing, loyalty, gift cards, and online app and web platforms, to support Angry Crab Shack's nationwide expansion and digital transformation.

With plans to scale to over 100 locations across the U.S., Angry Crab Shack selects Lunchbox to streamline its guest experience...

NOAA: Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program Funding Open

The Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program provides funding to support applied management projects and activities to reduce bycatch. Bycatch reduction is a top priority for NOAA Fisheries, as outlined in our National Bycatch Reduction Strategy. Bycatch contributes to overfishing, threatens endangered and threatened species and protected marine mammals, and can close fisheries, significantly impacting U.S. economic growth. Through this program, we support the development and testing of fishing gears that minimize bycatch and habitat impacts. 

There are four high-priority areas for the Fiscal Year 2025...

ANALYSIS: August U.S. Shrimp Imports Fall Sharply for 3rd Straight Month

In data released today, U.S. shrimp imports fell nearly double digits in August extending losses to three straight months. Imports for the month fell 9.9 percent to 145.935 million pounds. Our top trade partners of India (-13.5%), Ecuador (-16.8%), and Indonesia (-6.7%) were negative, while Vietnam (+15.4%) and new number five Argentina (+39.6%) were positive. Thailand (-39.7%) which slipped to sixth and Mexico (+16.5%) were mixed.

The year-to-date figure of 1.052 billion pounds continued to widen against last year. Through August 2023, 1.109 billion...

Leading Liquor Manufacturer Acquires Toyosu Wholesaler to Strengthen Fresh Fish Exports to U.S.

On October 3, Takara Holdings based in Kyoto, a major alcoholic beverage manufacturer, announced that it had acquired three companies: Tsukiji Ota, a renowned fresh fish intermediary wholesaler at Toyosu Market in Tokyo; Ota Foods Market, Tsukiji Ota's export arm with a proven track record; and Agrica Ab Company, a well-established Finnish food wholesaler. In response to the expansion of the Japanese food market worldwide due to the recent increase in health consciousness, Takara Holdings aims to strengthen sales of fresh fish and other Japanese...

US Foods 2024 Diner Dispatch Survey Uncovers Surprising Shifts in Diner Preferences

US Foods Holding Corp– one of America’s leading foodservice distributors – today released the results of its 2024 Diner Dispatch survey, which showcases the state of America’s relationship with dining out. Year-over-year data highlights key takeaways that can help operators make informed business decisions to help meet or exceed diner expectations. These include dine-in vs. take-out preferences, spend thresholds, and other key experiential preferences such as favorite restaurant types, wait times and the use of QR code menus...

Monterey Bay’s Seafood Watch Assigns Pacific Bluefin Tuna Yellow Rating for First Time

Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program released new assessments for Pacific bluefin tuna fisheries in the Eastern Pacific region. The group assigned a yellow (good alternative) rating to the tuna caught by fisheries in California and Mexico which use FAD-free purse seines, and the U.S. pole-and-line fishery. 

Like all bluefin tuna, the aforementioned fisheries were previously rated red (avoid) due to overfishing. This marked the first time in the two-and-a-half-decade history of the...