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...

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...

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...

Trump Tariffs Loom for US Seafood Imports

The re-election of Donald Trump as US president on November 5 has sparked speculation among industry players about the outlook for the global trade environment. Trump has stated that he will implement a stringent import tariff regime, with a particular focus on products from China. He has proposed a blanket tariff of 10% for all imports to the US and a 60% tariff for Chinese goods.

Once tariffs are eventually implemented, importers of agri-food commodities may feel an impact. According to Angel Rubio, lead analyst at...

Onda Announces New Research Project Examining Sustainable Feed Alternatives for Aquaculture

Canadian research organization Onda just announced a new research project that will examine the use of canola-based feed meal for sustainable aquaculture production use. The goal of the 18-month project is to expand the market for Canadian canola and provide a sustainable alternative for aquafeed.

For the project, Onda—which specializing in aquaculture research—will partner with the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) and evaluate fish feed containing Canadian canola meal and its impact on growth, disease resistance, and the environment. Study objectives include updating nutrient digestibility...

NOAA’s Ocean Research Examines Varied Conditions for Juvenile Salmon Off Oregon Coast

According to a news release by NOAA Fisheries on December 6, 2024, researchers at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center have reported varied oceanographic shifts in the northern California Current in 2024.

During the winter of 2023-2024, a strong El Niño event brought warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures to the Pacific Ocean. According to NOAA Fisheries data, the California Current has experienced an increase in El Niño events since the 1980s, with this higher frequency of events seemingly characteristic of recent extended periods of warm ocean conditions...

Size Matters When it Comes to Chinook Spawning Success in Alaska’s Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers

In a new study titled “Body size and early marine conditions drive changes in Chinook salmon productivity across northern latitude ecosystems” scientists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks found that the size of a Chinook salmon, which has been steadily decreasing in recent years, impacts their ability to reach adulthood, successfully spawn, and produce young that are as capable of surviving their first few years in fresh water and subsequent years in the ocean. 

Scientists looked at 26 Chinook salmon populations in Alaska’s two biggest ...

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...

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...

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...

Kyokuyo's Ocean’s Kitchen Opens $25M Imitation Crab Meat Facility in Washington

Kyokuyo Co., a Japan-based firm, announced that its subsidiary, Ocean’s Kitchen Corporation, completed the construction of its $25 million imitation crab meat facility in Washington state.

The company linked the investment to the increasing popularity of imitation crab meat in the US, particularly in urban areas, as a key ingredient in salads and California rolls. Kyokuyo expects consumption to grow in local areas as well.

Ocean’s Kitchen, the Washington-based subsidiary, strategically built the facility in Washington because it is close to Alaksa, the primary production site.

European Commission to Aid Danish Seafood Processing Companies with €155M for Green Investments

The European Commission recently approved €155 million (approximately $162.5 million) in grant funding in an effort to foster green investments in the fisheries and aquaculture processing sector.

The funding will support large-scale Danish seafood processing companies as they work to reduce their CO2 emissions and move towards more eco-friendly energy sources for their operations.

The funding relates to the EU’s Guidelines for State aid in the fishery and aquaculture sector as well as Article 107(3)(c) of the Treaty on the...

The Retail Rundown: Seasonal Trends for Ribs vs. Hams

With Christmas just two weeks away, this week’s retail rundown takes a closer look at two traditional holiday centerpieces: rib roasts and hams. These festive favorites have followed differing paths in the wholesale markets this year, potentially influencing their retail performance in the lead-up to the year-end celebrations.

The wholesale rib market began its seasonal ascent in the third quarter, gaining traction in early August. From August 1 through December 10, prices surged by 42 percent, far surpassing the 5-year average increase of 17 percent for the same period...

New Greenpeace Report Links Alleged Forced Labor Cases to Bumble Bee Tuna Cans

According to a new report published on December 9, 2024, by Greenpeace Southeast Asia in collaboration with the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union, some of Bumble Bee Seafood's canned tuna products sold in the US have been linked to alleged forced labor practices onboard Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessels.

The report, titled “Seabound 3: Netting Profits, Risking Lives: The Unresolved Human and Environmental Exploitation at Sea”, includes complaints from ten Indonesian fishers filed between 2019 and 2024 and marks the third edition of Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Indonesia and SBMI’s...