Seafood Distributor QPS and Two Managers Sentenced for Conspiracy and Misbranding Seafood

Mississippi seafood distributor Quality Poultry and Seafood Inc. (QPS) and two of its managers were recently sentenced for conspiring to mislabel seafood and commit wire fraud by marketing inexpensive and frozen imported substitutes as more expensive and premium local species, according to Mississippi state authorities.

QPS was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay the United States $1 million in forfeitures and a $500,000 criminal fine.

QPS was also ordered by the Court to maintain species, source, and cost records for five years...

Russian King Crab Takes Flight: Direct Barents Sea-to-China Shipments Slash Costs Amid US Embargo

King crab producers in the Barents Sea in northwestern Russia have focused on shipping live crab to China, and direct flights from the production area are likely to become established. Direct air transport from Murmansk, near the production area, to China began for the first time in July this year. According to Minato Shimbun, approximately 420 tons of live king crab were airlifted to China from Murmansk airport over five months from July to November—multiple Russian media outlets reported on December 10...

TD Bank Survey: Restaurant Industry Anticipates Bright 2025 with Tech and M&A at the Forefront

A survey conducted by TD Bank at the 2024 Restaurant Finance and Development Conference indicated that optimism has returned to the restaurant franchise industry after years of challenges.

The TD Bank poll collected insights from 175 restaurant operators and finance professionals as they look ahead to 2025. Alongside the optimistic outlook, TD Bank noted that the adoption of digital and mobile ordering, menu creativity and higher expectations around AI were also key findings from the survey...

NEFMC Finalizes Adjustments to Framework 69 with Focus on Atlantic Cod Catch Limits and Stock Units

The New England Fishery Management Council recently took final action on Framework Adjustment 69 to the Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery Management Plan, which includes catch limits and management measures for 2025 and beyond.  

Before the decision-making process began, the Council reviewed the following reports:

• Peer-reviewed results of Management Track Stock Assessments 2024 for American plaice, pollock, witch flounder, Atlantic halibut, Georges Bank haddock, and Gulf of Maine haddock, as presented by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center

• Overfishing limit (OFL) and acceptable biological...

NMFS Announces New 2025 Regulations for Commercial Fishing of Pacific Tuna

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recently published the final rule under the Tuna Conventions Act (TCA) of 1950, which involves new regulations for fish aggregating device design and reporting requirement in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The new regulations will affect commercial fishing for the following species: Pacific yellowfin tuna, Pacific skipjack tuna, and Pacific bigeye tuna.

According to a news release by NOAA Fisheries, the regulatory decision was published on December 6, 2024, and will result in the implementation of two resolutions adopted at the 101st Meeting of...

Eat Alabama Seafood Program Finds New Home in Local Nonprofit Sweet Grown Alabama

The Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission (ASMC) is switching to Sweet Grown Alabama for the marketing of its Eat Alabama Seafood Program.

The Eat Alabama Seafood Program is an effort by the ASMC, which is a governor-appointed, volunteer-based entity created in 2011 for the sole purpose of increasing business for Alabama’s seafood industry.

Sweet Grown Alabama is a non-profit organization that promotes Alabama-grown foods and agricultural products and helps connect consumers with local farmers.

This marketing transition comes one year after the Alabama Legislature...

Japan: Russian Snow Crab Imports up 20% in January-October, Pushing Down US Imports by 30%

Snow crab imports are on the rise partly due to the influx of crab from the Barents Sea in Russia. According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, imports of frozen snow crab from January to October were 17,618 tons, up 20% from last year. Of that, imports from Russia were 11,564 tons, up 20%, reported Minato Shimbun.

The winning bid price at an auction in Busan, South Korea, for new frozen opilio snow crab from the Russian...

Toast’s Q3 2024 Trend Report Reflects Increased Menu Prices and Restaurant Reservations

On December 10, 2024, restaurant software company Toast released its Q3 2024 Restaurant Trends Report, which included a market analysis based on data collected from various restaurants currently utilizing Toast’s digital restaurant platform.

Toast has been serving approximately 127,000 restaurants since September 30, 2024, providing a variety of technological services through its cloud-based platform including point of sale, payment processing, bookkeeping, online ordering, payroll, team management, and other features.

According to Toast data, restaurant reservations increased year over year (YOY) by 11% on Mondays and Tuesdays and...

Steakholder Foods Partners with Vegefarm for Asian Market Expansion

On December 10, 2024, food technology company Steakholder Foods Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with frozen vegetarian food manufacturer Vegefarm Co. Ltd. for the sale of its MX200 3D printer and accompanying raw materials, including plant-based premixes designed to create high-quality meat alternatives. The deal marks Steakholder Foods’ expansion into the Asian market.

Steakholder Foods’ proprietary 3D printer is powered by advanced Fused Paste Layering (FPL™) technology and is capable of printing plant-based marbled beef steaks.  

Per the agreement, Steakholder Foods will adapt its printer...

Operation Trident’s 17th Year, Combatting Illegal Seafood Sales in NSW During the Holidays

On December 12, 2024, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) joined forces with NSW Police for Operation Trident, a statewide initiative to protect consumers and ensure seafood safety and sustainability.

Sean Sloan, NSW DPIRD Deputy Secretary Fisheries and Forestry, informed the public that fisheries officers will be conducting a targeted crackdown on illegal seafood sales, with particular focus during the peak holiday season. Sloan added that seafood consumption increases during the holidays, which often leads to more cases of illegal seafood trading...

2024 Juvenile Fish Survey Shows Promising Results for Chesapeake Bay Menhaden

The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition (MFC) said that recent findings from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 2024 juvenile striped bass survey showcased great news for juvenile menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay.

The MFC explained that while news around striped bass reproduction wasn’t great, positive trends were seen around the key forage species of menhaden and spot.

"Encouraging results were documented regarding two species lower on the food chain," DNR wrote. "Menhaden abundance was nearly equal to last year, which was the highest measured since 1990...

Costco Refuses to Accept 98 Percent of Teamsters Proposals

Yesterday, Costco rejected or refused to accept nearly all Teamsters' proposals, including critical language on seniority, inclement weather, paid family leave, bereavement policies, sick time, and safeguards against surveillance. By dismissing approximately 98 percent of the proposed provisions, the wholesale giant has signaled a troubling unwillingness to bargain in good faith and is taking an aggressive anti-union stance.

"The clock is ticking, and instead of engaging seriously at the bargaining table, Costco continues to waste time with surface bargaining," said...

BioMar Launches Resilience-Boosting Feed for Aquaculture Amid Disease Outbreaks

Aquafeed producer BioMar launched its SmartCare Endurance feed solution that aims to help farmed species battle challenging conditions like SRS outbreaks.

The company said the new product addresses the pressures of infectious diseases, chronic inflammation, and environmental stressors on aquaculture operations.

“SmartCare Endurance provides farmers with a powerful tool to support fish health during environmental challenging periods,” explained Torunn Forberg, BioMar Product Marketing Manager SmartCare. “This new product reflects our commitment to helping farmers overcome the challenges of modern aquaculture while prioritizing fish welfare and performance...

Weishardt International Renews Friend of the Sea Certification

Friend of the Sea®, the leading international standard for the certification of sustainable marine products and services, is pleased to announce the renewal of certification for Weishardt International, a leading company in marine collagen production.

Weishardt International has been certified for its product Naticol®, a range of bioavailable and bioactive fish collagen peptides. This significant achievement, following the initial certification obtained in 2021, comes after a thorough audit that confirmed Weishardt’s compliance with Friend of the Sea®’s stringent sustainability requirements...

UK Secures 150,000 Tonnes of Fishing Opportunities in EU Negotiations for 2025

The UK fishing industry will have access to 150,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities following the conclusion of annual fishing negotiations with the EU:

• The UK fishing industry to benefit from 150,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities - 15,000 tonnes more than in 2024 - following negotiations with EU

• £890 million in fishing opportunities secured for British fishing fleets, boosting growth

The agreements highlight all parties’ continued commitment to manage fisheries sustainably. 

The UK fishing industry will have access to 150,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities - 15,000 tonnes more than in 2024...

Russian Fishermen Seek Eased Foreign Control Restrictions

Russian fishermen are urging the government to relax restrictions on foreign investment in the country's fishing industry, arguing that current regulations are hindering their businesses.

The primary concern is the risk of fishing permit cancellations based solely on the findings of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), without judicial review or government approval. Fishermen believe that this practice, particularly when applied to companies with long-standing export relationships with foreign buyers, is overly restrictive and can lead to unwarranted business disruptions.

The Association of Primorsky Fishing Enterprises...

AquaBounty Winds Down Operations, Cuts Senior Management Roles

AquaBounty Technologies, the firm behind the first genetically engineered salmon, announced it would wind down all its fish farming operations and exit several members of its senior management team.

AquaBounty’s CFO and interim CEO David Frank said the company will wind down its Bay Fortune operation, its last farm. The process will include culling all remaining fish and reducing “substantially all personnel over the course of the next several weeks.”

“We prioritized maintaining operations at the Bay Fortune facility but do not have sufficient liquidity to continue to do so...