ANALYSIS: July US Shrimp Inventory Estimated at 376M lbs — Above Trend but Within a Manageable Range

With July imports estimated at 167–169 million lbs on a customs-model basis, end-of-July inventory is projected at approximately 376 million lbs — roughly 5.6% above the pre-pandemic ETS trend line, which serves as a demand-consistent baseline. At the export-seasonal model's midpoint of 183 million lbs, that gap widens to approximately 6.6%. A 5–8% overhang above trend represents a soft supply bias, not a structural imbalance. The July figure is worth contextualizing...

ANALYSIS: US Scallop Season Runs Ahead of Pace but Smaller Counts Weigh on Pricing

The 2026–27 domestic sea scallop season is tracking ahead of the prior two years, with cumulative landings reaching 14.18 million lbs through July — representing 83.1% of the 17 million lb Annual Projected Limit. Monthly volumes followed a typical seasonal pattern: May reached 4.52M lbs, June came in at 3.63M lbs, and July moderated to 2.15M lbs, slightly below last year's July result but keeping the season ahead on a year-to-date basis compared to both 25-26 (11.97M lbs) and 24-25 (10.96M lbs)...

AGRIMINGOLD First in Ecuador to Move from ASC’s Improver Program to Full Certification

Ecuadorian shrimp producer AGRIMINGOLD S.A. has become the first company to transition from Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC's) Improver Programme to full ASC certification, marking a milestone for both the producer and the ASC improvement pathway.

Last year, AGRIMINGOLD became the first farm in Ecuador and the first producer in Latin America to enter ASC’s Improver Programme through an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP).

According to an Expana report, the project initially covered a 135-hectare Pacific white shrimp farm in El Oro Province...

Commerce Raises Final Antidumping Rates on Vietnamese Pangasius

The US Department of Commerce has finalized significantly higher antidumping duty rates for Vietnamese frozen pangasius fillet exporters, closing out the 21st administrative review of an order that has governed the trade for more than two decades — and delivering a sharper outcome than the preliminary results suggested.

The final results, published in the Federal Register on August 13 (91 FR 52286, Doc No. 2026-16553), cover the period of review (POR) from August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024. Commerce determined that mandatory respondents Bien Dong Seafood Co., Ltd...

USDA's Office of Seafood Joins UMaine's Local Catch Network to Connect Industry With Federal Program

The US Department of Agriculture's Office of Seafood, now four months old, has signed an agreement with the University of Maine's Local Catch Network to help connect fishing communities with federal programs and services — and to learn from the industry about what it actually needs.

The partnership is designed as a two-way exchange: the Office of Seafood gains direct outreach into fishing communities and seafood businesses that could benefit from USDA programs, while the industry gains a clearer picture of what the office can...

Russia Ramps Up Seafood Exports in Push for Additional Revenue

Russia is stepping up seafood exports this year as part of a broader effort to generate additional revenue for the state budget.

Shrimp is a particular focus. Russian shrimp exports reached more than 5,000 MT in the first half of the year, valued at approximately $76 million — up 17% year-on-year, according to the Russian federal export center Agroexport. South Korea is the largest buyer, accounting for $57 million of that total, with China and Japan also among the top destinations...

New Report Says Salmon Farming is a 'Key Anchor' for Rural and Coastal Communities in Scotland

A new report from global infrastructure consultant AECOM found that Scotland's salmon farming industry significantly supports the economic and social fabric of the country's rural, coastal, and island communities.

The 37-page report, "The Role of the Scottish Salmon Farming Sector in Scotland's Rural and Coastal Communities," found that salmon farming helps sustain school rolls, teaching posts, local shops and businesses — and directly employs more than a third of the population of one island. The study drew on interviews with community members and a...

Gimme Seaweed Launches Bold New Back-to-School Brand Campaign

It’s an easy-to-eat snack that’s a nutritional powerhouse and easy on the planet. It is becoming a staple in American pantries, in part thanks to Gimme Seaweed's marketing strategy, which has propelled it to the #1 organic seaweed snack brand in the U.S.  

The campaign, celebrating the small moments that make up everyday life and Gimme's growing role in them, includes Gimme’s first live-action video ads, new photography, and digital storytelling that will run across connected TV, paid social, podcasts, and Gimme's website. It signals the next...

ANALYSIS: European Pollock Imports Decline as Supply Tightens and Prices Rally

Imports of frozen pollock fillets into Europe (European Union and United Kingdom) decreased 6.9% year to date (YTD) through May 2026, reaching 110,649 MT, according to National Customs. Russia remains the dominant supplier with a 46.5% market share, followed by the US (33.5%) and China (19.7%). Both US and Chinese suppliers experienced significant declines, with volumes down 15.9% and 15.5% YTD, respectively...

Eight Ecuadorian Shrimp Plants Back in China's Market After Two-Month Sulfite Standoff

China has restored import access for eight Ecuadorian shrimp processing plants suspended since June, marking the first concrete sign of progress in a dispute that has cost Ecuador's shrimp sector tens of millions of dollars and drawn urgent diplomatic attention from both governments.

According to Diario Expreso, China's General Administration of Customs reinstated the eight facilities effective August 14, 2026 — roughly six weeks after restrictions were first imposed following a change in China's sodium metabisulfite testing methodology that took effect June 30...

Annual Tuna Closure Hits Eastern Pacific — Routine, But Timed as Prices Stay Elevated

The Eastern Pacific Ocean purse seine tuna fishery is in its annual closure period under rules set by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the multilateral body that manages tuna and other fish stocks across the region. The closure applies to large purse seine vessels targeting bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack tuna and is a standard conservation measure in place for years.

For 2026, the closure runs 64 days—eight days shorter than the 72-day closure in prior years —following a resolution adopted...

Dungeness Crab Price-Fixing Suit Discloses $263M Damages Claim Against Pacific Seafood, Defendants

Plaintiffs in the Dungeness crab antitrust lawsuit targeting Pacific Seafood Group and dozens of other West Coast seafood buyers have publicly disclosed for the first time that they estimate total damages at $263 million — a figure that could reach approximately $789 million under federal antitrust law, which allows courts to award triple damages in price-fixing cases.

The disclosure came in an August 11 filing in the US District Court for the Northern District of California...

KIME Akva Becomes Second ASC-Certified Cod Producer

KIME Akva AS, a Norwegian seafood company specializing in fully integrated, sustainably farmed Atlantic cod, has announced it has received Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification, becoming the second cod producer to achieve the standard.

In a statement shared on LinkedIn, the company said the certification could help expand its market opportunities.

"The ASC logo on the packaging on the store shelf opens new doors to markets that require documentation that our fish is produced in a way that safeguards quality, welfare, biodiversity and...

The Kingfish Company Reports Positive H1 EBITDA as Sales, Margins Improve

The Kingfish Company, a sustainable land-based producer of yellowtail kingfish, on Friday reported preliminary, unaudited first-half 2026 financial results, with operational EBITDA returning to positive territory as profitability improved across the business.

The company said stronger sales volumes, higher revenue per kilogram and lower farming costs drove the improvement in the first six months of the year. Sales volume rose 13% to 1,470 metric tons from 1,301 tons a year earlier, while revenue increased 16% to €19.8 million...

Pokeworks Builds Momentum in First Half of 2026 with Franchise Growth and Menu Innovation

Pokeworks, the largest and fastest-growing fast-casual poke brand known for its fresh, customizable offerings, is reporting strong sales and transactions momentum for the first half of 2026. Driven by new store openings, newly signed development agreements, and continued menu innovation, the brand is building on its growth trajectory entering the second half of the year.

First-Half 2026 Development Highlights

Since the start of the year, Pokeworks opened five new locations and signed new multi-unit franchise...

FDA Moves to Make GRAS Notifications Mandatory, With Implications for Seafood Processors

The US Food and Drug Administration has proposed a rule that would fundamentally change how food companies, including seafood processors, handle ingredients and processing aids that have long been used without formal FDA review.

Published in the Federal Register on August 11, the proposal would make notification to FDA mandatory for substances currently marketed under the "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) designation. Under the existing system, companies can independently conclude that a substance is safe for a particular use and introduce it into commerce without ever notifying FDA...

USDA Returns to Market for Catfish and Atlantic Pollock Products

The US Department of Agriculture has issued two new solicitations for frozen seafood products, seeking 4.41 million pounds of catfish fillets and 11,700 cases of Atlantic pollock fillets for domestic food distribution programs — continuing the accelerated government procurement activity Expana has been tracking this year.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service issued both solicitations on August 13 under its Section 32 and entitlement purchasing authority. Bids are due by 1:00 p.m. CT on August 31, and USDA will announce contract awards by September 14. Deliveries are scheduled between November 1...