Expana Completes Fifth Successful IOSCO Audit for Proprietary Agrifood Prices

Expana has successfully completed an independent review of its proprietary food ingredient and agricultural commodity price assessment process for a fifth consecutive year.

The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) is recognized as the global standard for PRAs, ensuring governance and integrity in the price assessment process while providing users with reliable benchmark prices.

To ensure robust adherence to IOSCO principles, Expana engaged an external auditor to review and report on its compliance to its stated methodology criteria and the requirements of the IOSCO PRA Principles...

Trump Pauses Tariffs on USMCA-Compliant Imports from Mexico, Canada Until April 2

President Donald Trump’s social media posts are shaping trade policy in real-time: The president announced that some of the previously enacted 25% tariffs on Mexican goods will be delayed until April 2.

“After speaking with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, I have agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay Tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA Agreement. This Agreement is until April 2nd.”

An hour prior, Trump also posted about Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau on Truth Social...

New Seafood Products Drop as Lenten Season Kicks Off

As the 2025 Lenten season gets underway, several food producers have released limited-time only (LTO) offerings, the most recent of which are Zaxbys, SeaPak, and Natural Grocers.

Last week, a number of U.S. restaurants began showcasing new or existing menu items for the season, which runs from March 5 to April 17 this year. Such notable participants include McDonald’s, Red Lobster, Popeyes, Taco John’s, Jack in the Box, and Long John Silver's.

Zaxbys leans into its popular southern fried shrimp

For this year’s Lenten season, Georgia-headquartered chicken chain Zaxbys...

Profand, Newsan Order State-of-the-art Patagonian Toothfish Vessel

Argentina-based Pesentar, primarily owned by fishing firms Profand and Newsan, announced the commission of a new vessel.

Profand, a top seafood firm in Spain, and Newsan, another Argentine firm, said the new vessel will be a state-of-the-art freezer trawler, described as “the most modern of its kind,” that will catch Patagonian toothfish and other species in nearby waters.

The project will be carried out by Spanish shipyard Nodosa, whose design comes after successfully delivering technologically advanced vessels. Construction is set to begin during Q1 2025, with delivery scheduled for April 2027, per a press release from Profand.

Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck Travels to West Texas and New Mexico

Food truck and restaurant brand Cousins Maine Lobster (CML) recently announced a road tour visiting El Paso, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Santa Fe starting on Wednesday, March 5.

The tour is being led by CML franchisees Jimmy Shoshani and Ahmer & Sarah Khan, who are visiting from the Dallas market. During their visits, they will showcase CML’s classic Maine lobster rolls, lobster grilled cheese, chowder, and whoopie pies during the tour.

CML co-founder Sabin Lomac expressed his excitement to showcase the brand at new locations...

Government of Canada Invests $4.79 Million to Protect At-Risk Aquatic Species in B.C.

On March 5, 2025, the Honorable Diane Lebouthillier—Canada’s Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard (DFO)—announced CAD $4.79 million (USD $3.35 million) in funding for the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk (CNFASAR) conservation program.

The investment will directly support ten projects within British Columbia that forward conservation and recovery efforts for currently at-risk aquatic species.

Seven projects will target species in the Fraser and Columbia River watersheds, which host 70% of the Pacific Region’s freshwater...

King, Cruz Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Modernize Ocean Mapping for Fishing Navigation

U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) have introduced bipartisan legislation to modernize mapping information on public oceans in an effort to improve public safety and provide navigation guidance through a user-friendly smartphone app. The bipartisan Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans (MAPOceans) Act would require the federal government to standardize and digitize information about ocean recreation and navigation. This would create a one-stop shop that would help to ensure...

Commerce Department Agrees to Reassess Maine Sea Grant Funding

US Senator Susan Collins announced that the Department of Commerce agreed to renegotiate funding for Maine Sea Grant.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, following a push from Collins, said that NOAA will renegotiate the terms and conditions of the work to be performed by Maine Sea Grant to "ensure that it focuses on advancing Maine’s coastal economies, working waterfronts and sustainable fisheries.”

“I appreciate the Secretary’s willingness to work together to ensure that Maine Sea Grant can continue to conduct research, support a robust pipeline of skilled labor, and ensure that our...

Russia Sharply Increases 2025 Production of Deep-Processed Pollock Products

Russia is increasing its 2025 production of deep-processed pollock products due to an ever-growing demand both domestically and abroad.

According to the latest data from the Russian Pollock Association (ADM), since the beginning of the year, Russia’s total output of deeply processed pollock products—including fillets, minced meat, and surimi — has grown by 17% compared to 2024, reaching a total of 7,600 tons.

As Alexey Buglak—head of ADM for the last two years—said, due to the unstable situation on the world market, Russian fishermen have been reducing...

US Fishing Industry Shares Goals, Asks For Support from Secretaries of Commerce and Agriculture

In a March 4 letter to Secretaries Howard Lutnick (Commerce) and Brooke Rollins (Agriculture) “over 170 businesses and associations from Alaska to the Gulf of America to Maine” asked the two Cabinet secretaries to help boost domestic markets, reduce regulatory burdens, combat global IUU fishing, support regional management councils, work with Congress to support fishing communities with programs such as Sea Grant, and maintain NOAA so that full access to the National Weather Service continues.

“America is a seafood superpower,” the letter reads...

SEAD Genetic Testing Shows 77% of Savannah Restaurants Are Misrepresenting Shrimp Dishes

According to recent genetic testing conducted by Seafood Development Consulting (SEAD) approximately 77% of restaurants in Savannah, Georgia, (34 out of 44 establishments) are misrepresenting farm-raised imported shrimp as local wild-caught Gulf Coast shrimp.  

SEAD was hired by the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) to perform the genetic testing between February 18 – 23, 2025. During this time, SEAD utilized its patented rapid ID, high accuracy genetic test RIGHTTest™ to determine the veracity of shrimp species being served at 44 random seafood restaurants in the Savannah area...

Association of Seafood Producers Welcomes Kim Quinlan as Chair of Board of Directors

The Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) welcomed its new Chair of the Board of Directors, Kim Quinlan and said thank you to Paul Grant, of Beothic Fish Processors for his time in the role.

The industry association representing producers in Newfoundland and Labrador noted that Quinlan was the first woman to chair the ASP Board of Directors. She will be tasked with helping lead an industry that contributes $1.1 billion to the NL economy each year.

Executive Director Jeff Loder says...

Hokkaido January Surimi Production Soared 50% to 800 Tons, Supported Increase in Pollock Surimi

According to a member report compiled by the National Surimi Manufacturers Association based in Abashiri, Hokkaido, the volume of frozen surimi produced in Hokkaido in January was 797 tons, up 49% from the same month last year, due to increased production of the main product, Alaska pollock, and the first increase in six months, reported the Minato Shimbun.

Alaska pollock surimi increased 49% to 794 tons, the first increase in six months. According to a manufacturer, the raw fish landing in...

Finalists Announced for 2025 Seafood Excellence Awards

On March 5, 2025, Seafood Expo North America (SENA)/Seafood Processing North America announced its 11 finalists for the 2025 Seafood Excellence Awards.

This year’s finalists were selected from 68 total entries in SENA’s 2025 New Product Showcase, which represents a comprehensive list of new product releases for the North American seafood market that are either launching soon or that have been launched within the past 18 months.

The Seafood Excellence Awards, which are sponsored by Aquamar this year, will be evaluated by a three-person review panel and focus on...

Government of Canada is Taking Action to Protect the Southern Resident Killer Whale

Canada's west coast is home to one of the most iconic and recognizable marine species - the Southern Resident killer whale. This species faces imminent threats to its recovery and survival that all levels of government must work together to address. The three primary threats facing this species are: physical and acoustic disturbance such as underwater noise; reduced prey availability; and environmental contaminants.

Since 2018, the Government of Canada has taken unprecedented action to address threats to the Southern Resident killer whale, and has done so in consultation...

US Demand Helps Fuel Record Norwegian Seafood Exports in February

Norway experienced its highest export value for the month of February. While there were a multitude of factors at play, trade with the US was a key factor. A similar story was the case in January as the US was the largest market for Norwegian seafood on a value basis to start 2025, as Expana reported.

According to the council, the USA had the highest value growth in February, witnessing an export value increase of NOK 548 million ($50 million)...

Cooke's Atlantic Canadian Subsidiary Acquires AquaBounty’s PEI Operations

Yesterday, Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. (KCS)—an Atlantic Canadian salmon farming subsidiary of Cooke Aquaculture Inc.—announced its acquisition of AquaBounty Canada Inc. (AquaBounty) and its Prince Edward Island (PEI) operations.

Among KCS’s newfound assets are four total buildings including a hatchery facility with modern egg incubation, a high-tech laboratory in Bay Fortune, a modern hatchery facility in Rollo Bay with a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS), and a second unfinished building, which KCS plans to fasten into an additional RAS unit.

The acquisition comes after AquaBounty—the firm behind the...