The Winding Glass:  On the Eve of Trump, Tariff Outlook May be Moderate

Last month, I wrote about a worst-case scenario for U.S. seafood if major tariffs are imposed on Canadian lobster and crab. The interdependence of production and consumption in these two countries is so entwined that any dramatic action could be hugely disruptive.

Now, on the eve of the inauguration, I believe the worst-case scenario is unlikely. In fact, the lobster and crab seasons could begin in Canada without a clear picture of tariffs. In short, the seafood industry may have time to make the necessary market...

Quin-Sea Fisheries Withdraws Membership from ASP

Today, Quin-Sea Fisheries withdrew its membership from the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP), effective immediately.

Previous friction between Quin-Sea and ASP

The withdrawal follows a series of back-and-forth interactions between the two entities, including ASP’s October 2024 application filing to the Newfoundland and Labrador’s Labour Relations Board claiming that Royal Greenland-owned Quin-Sea Fisheries refused to hand over sales receipts that the ASP argued were required to pass along under the third-party review of 2024 snow crab sales...

Maine Lobstermen Urged to Relocate Gear After Right Whale Sightings

The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) released a bulletin urging commercial lobstermen to move their gear from Jeffreys Ledge after 75 endangered North Atlantic right whales were spotted last week just off the western edge of the area, per a January 17 bulletin.

“I am strongly urging any lobster fisherman with gear in the vicinity of the right whales on Jeffreys Ledge to move their gear to another area until surveys indicate that the whales have moved on,” DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher said...

ANALYSIS: Navigating Volatility: US Squid Market Trends and Supply Dynamics in Late 2024

The U.S. squid market continued to grapple with significant challenges as 2024 drew to a close. Peru, a key supplier, has faced sharp supply declines throughout much of the year, with imports down 16.3% year-to-date through November—equivalent to nearly 2 million pounds below 2023 levels. November alone witnessed a dramatic 62.4% drop, amounting to a loss of 650,000 pounds. These steep declines have forced many buyers to seek alternatives amid a market already strained by external pressures...

European Commission Releases New ‘Fishers of the Future’ Study, Projects Fish Sector Changes in 2050

The European Commission (EC) recently released a new study called ‘Fishes of the Future,’ which explores emerging challenges in the European Union’s (EU) fisheries sector, specifically presented as four possible scenarios and probable impacts as the sector approaches 2050.

The study, which utilized climate and market dynamics to postulate future changes to the fishing profession, is the end product of a series of discussions between EU fishers and an EC-wide, multi-stakeholder consortium of industry experts...

Royal Greenland Unveils New Packaging for Frozen Cod and Halibut Boxes, 100% Recyclable

Royal Greenland just revealed new sustainable packaging for its 15-pound frozen boxes of cod and halibut, which is 100% recyclable and plastic-free.

The packaging—which is already being utilized on Royal Greenland fishing trawlers—was developed in collaboration with packaging solutions company Schur and replaces the polyethylene (PE) coating on the cardboard box with a water-based coating. As a result, the new coating offers durability while providing a more sustainable solution for the Greenland-based fishing company...

Fast-Casual Seafood Chain Captain D’s Sets Sail for the UK

Top U.S. fast-casual seafood chain Captain D’s is traveling across the Atlantic after signing a 20-unit franchise agreement in the United Kingdom.

This marks the restaurant’s first venture into Europe and the second international development deal following its recent Canadian expansion in Toronto.

The deal, signed with an experienced team of restaurant operators, will introduce Captain D's signature seafood offerings to Europe. In 2025, the first restaurant will open in the London area.

By entering the UK, Captain D's is advancing...

Russian Barents Sea King Crab Catch Hits Record High in 2024

The 2024 king crab catch in the Barents Sea, northwest of Russia, was 12,363 tons, up 16% from the previous year, setting a new record. December saw a particularly dramatic increase of 3,714 tons, 5.9 times the amount from the same month last year. A Japanese trading company responded, "Maybe they saved their quota for December 2024, when the crabs are full. It's also possible that the large reduction in the quota for the largest producer in 2025 had an impact." 

Minato Shimbun conducted an analysis...

EPIRB Saves Two Kodiak Fishermen After Vessel Capsizes in Gulf of Alaska

On Wednesday, January 15, watchstanders at the 17th Coast Guard District Command Center received a distress alert from the F/V Tanusha’s emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at 9:48 a.m. They notified the helicopter aircrew in Kodiak and requested assistance from the Alaska State Troopers aboard the trooper vessel Stimson, enroute to crab fishing areas on a routine enforcement trip.

The distress call came just hours before Kodiak’s tanner crab season opened this year, expected to last less than a week catching the harvest limit of ...

Nordic Aquafarms Abandons $500M Salmon Facility in Belfast, ME Amid Legal Challenges

After six years and “tens of millions of investment dollars”, Nordic Aquafarms is dropping efforts to build a land-based salmon farm in Belfast, ME, according to an announcement from the firm last Friday.

“This is a sad day for Maine’s economy and outlook for aquaculture or any significant investment in the State” says Brenda Chandler, US CEO for Nordic. 

“While a few may view this as a victory, we argue that this is a significant loss overall, not just for Nordic Aquafarms but for the ...

ANALYSIS: November 2024 Marks a Pivotal Shift in the Warm Water Shrimp Market

In 2023 and 2024, the EU and UK showed overall growth in warm-water shrimp imports from the beginning of spring until November, followed by a winter demand slowdown. The U.S. followed the same pattern, but the uptick in imports occured in October. Chinese imports also rose this season, but the turning point is situated towards December or January, depending on when the Chinese New Year falls on the calendar...

16 Congressmen Release Bill to Ban NOAA Fisheries From Any Shut Down of Atlantic Red Snapper

One of the first bills introduced in the brand new 119th Congress is a bipartisan, bicameral Red Snapper Act, introduced late last week “to stop the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from unilaterally closing the red snapper fishery in the South Atlantic until reliable and accurate data from the soon-to-be completed independent study, the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count, is incorporated into the stock assessment.” 

The quote is from a January 16, 2025 announcement from Senator John Rutherford (R-Fl),  ...

Japan: Frozen US Redfish Imports Rise; High Priced Norwegian and Iceland fish Decreased

Last year, Japan's imports of frozen redfish rose in price through November while volumes declined. The average price was 412 yen/kg ($2.63/kg), 3% higher than the same period last year, and the volume was 15,990 tons, down 5%. Imports from the United States, which saw a gradual price increase, increased, but imports from Norway and Iceland, which are in the higher price range, declined.

As for US imports, a trading company testified, "Prices remain high, but compared to the price increases...

Proximar Seafood Hires Michinori Hoshijima as Chief Commercial Officer

Proximar Seafood, a land-based salmon farmer with facilities in Japan, announced that Michinori Hoshijima has taken the position as Chief Commercial Officer of Proximar Ltd., effective January 15.

Hoshijima brings a plethora of experience in the Japanese Atlantic salmon market. He worked for Mowi Japan for 23 years as Director, heading the sales and distribution for the Japanese market...

Town Dock CEO Ryan Clark Named Chairman of National Fisheries Institute

Ryan Clark, the President and CEO of Rhode-Island based seafood company The Town Dock has been named Chairman of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), for a one-year term.

Clark will guide the NFI’s direction and advocate for the U.S. seafood industry. He will work with NFI President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard and the NFI membership on industry priorities, advocacy, and strategic planning.

“I am honored to become Chairman of the National Fisheries Institute,” said Clark. “The U.S. seafood industry plays a vital role...

Russia's Fish Catch Declines 8% in 2024, Totaling 4.88 Million Tons

Russia reduced its overall fish catch by 8% in 2024 to 4.88 million tonnes, compared to 2023, according to the latest data from Russian fishermen and local media reports.

According to the Russian Izvestia TV channel, fishing in the Far Eastern fishery basin, the center of Russia’s fish production, decreased by 7.7% year-over-year. At the same time, almost the same decline was observed in the Northern basin.

In the Far Eastern fishery basin, pollock became an absolute leader in terms of catch with...

Cargill and Mowi Feed Sites in Scotland and Norway Achieve ASC Certification

Mowi Feed and Cargill Canada recently received Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certifications for their respective feed operations in Scotland and Norway.

The ASC Farm Standard certification program lays out a set of aquafeed production regulations, focusing on areas like social and labor rights, health and safety, environmental stewardship, and responsible sourcing of raw materials.

According to the ASC, the program aligns with the European Union’s upcoming supply chain regulations and encompasses all major agriculture crops, including wheat, corn, canola, soy, palm oil, and marine ingredients...