USMCA Is in Limbo. Here's What That Means for North American Seafood.

With a July 1 deadline looming, President Trump recently announced that the US will likely not reauthorize the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) for a full 16-year extension, opting instead for a rolling annual review process that trade analysts say could drag well into 2027.

"I would rather not have the agreement, but I may sign it," Trump said in France on June 17. "We do better as a country if we don't have ​an agreement...

Wicker, Hyde-Smith, Britt Urge USDA Action on Catfish Virus Threats

US Senators Roger Wicker, Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) are calling on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to act before two highly contagious viruses can reach farm-raised catfish operations in Mississippi and other states.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, the senators urged prompt action to assess and mitigate the impacts of Yellow Catfish Virus (YcCV) and Channel Catfish Virus (CCV), warning that an unchecked outbreak could severely damage the domestic industry...

The First California Salmon Season in Years Opens with Hope and Adaptation

Recreational and commercial salmon fisheries are open off California this year after two years of full closures and another year that had only limited recreational openers. The openers, which are still restrictive, have created a spark of life in the fishery. However, the statewide harvest is small compared to the past. 

The improved salmon returns are due to several factors, including better ocean conditions for salmon, increased hatchery production, habitat improvements, and dam removals, although the impact of the Klamath dam removals has not yet been felt...

Dongwon F&B Completes Global Advanced Base 'Protein Nexus' in Jincheon

Kim Sung-yong, Dongwon F&B’s CEO, announced earlier this week that the Korean seafood giant has completed its second Jincheon business site in Gwanghyewon-myeon, Jincheon-gun, and has begun full-scale operations there. Jincheon-gun is part of the North Chungcheong Province, or Chungcheongbuk-do, in South Korea. 

The Jincheon Second Site is a state-of-the-art production facility with an investment of 140 billion won (US$105 million) and floor space of 142,000 square feet (4,400 pyeong) per floor with two above-ground floors...

ASC Defends Certification System in Response to US Senate Committee

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has responded to the US Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, outlining the structure and oversight behind its aquaculture certification program as scrutiny of imported seafood and supply chain accountability remains high.

In its response, ASC emphasized that its certification system is built on stringent standards, independent third-party audits, full supply chain traceability, public transparency, and continuous improvement measures designed to provide assurance for certified seafood products.

ASC-certified seafood is sold globally, including in the United...

Port of Tacoma Approves Ground Lease for $250M Cold Storage Facility Expected to Create 400 Jobs

The Port of Tacoma Commission on June 16 approved a 50-year ground lease with Saxum Investment Company, LLC for a cold storage and food processing facility on a 30-acre site on the Blair-Hylebos Peninsula.

Saxum anticipates investing up to $250 million in the project, which is expected to generate up to 400 jobs and $43 million in annual wages upon completion. The facility will feature high-efficiency cold storage and purpose-built food processing space, with direct access...

ANALYSIS: US April Shrimp Imports Down 16% as India Volumes Retreat Sharply

April's official US shrimp imports totaled 129.0 million lbs on an adjusted basis, landing within the product-type Expana model range of 124.8–144.4M lbs.

The headline figure held, but the composition across product types offers additional context. Peeled came in at 68.7M lbs, fractionally above the upper model estimate of 68.0M lbs. Shell-on landed at 34.0M lbs, at the lower bound of the projected range. Breaded at 11.4M lbs fell within range. Cooked was the notable deviation at 12.8M lbs, below the lower model estimate...

NOAA Directs $123.6M in Fishery Disaster Funds to Alaska, West Coast, and Squaxin Island Tribe

The US Department of Commerce announced Tuesday the allocation of $123.6 million in fishery resource disaster funding, drawn from money appropriated by Congress in the American Relief Act of 2025. The funds are directed at fishery disasters that struck Oregon, California, Alaska, and the Squaxin Island Tribe in Washington between 2019 and 2023.

NOAA Fisheries used commercial revenue loss data to determine how funding will be distributed across the eligible disasters. Funds can be deployed for a range of recovery activities, including fishery infrastructure...

Expana's Publication Schedule for Juneteenth, June 19, 2026

Expana will be observing the Juneteenth holiday on Friday, June 19, across its Americas offices. This holiday schedule will impact the publication dates of several Expana Benchmark Prices and some news.

The European and APAC offices’ publication schedules will be unaffected by this holiday. Regular publishing schedules will resume on Monday, June 22, 2026.

The Juneteenth holiday period will affect the following markets...

CDC Report: Tuna and Reef Fish Behind Most US Seafood Toxin Outbreaks Over 13-Year Span

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that marine toxins were responsible for 402 foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States between 2011 and 2023, resulting in 1,280 illnesses, 96 hospitalizations, and one death, with tuna and tropical reef fish at the center of most cases.

Published in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the analysis represents the first national summary of all foodborne outbreaks caused by marine toxins across that period. Scombroid toxin poisoning and ciguatoxin together accounted...

Japan's Frozen Yellowtail Fillet Exports Rose 67% in April; up 73% to the US

According to trade statistics from the Ministry of Finance, exports of yellowtail fillets, both frozen and fresh (essentially farmed), increased significantly in April. Frozen exports rose 67% year-on-year (YOY) to 2,544 tons, with a value of 8.46 billion yen ($52.68 million), up 33%.

Fresh exports increased by 8% to 175 tons, totaling 558.79 million yen ($3.47 million). Exports to the US, the main destination, saw a 73% increase in frozen exports to 2,202 tons at 7.36 billion yen...

Spain Issues First Round of Fishing Diesel Aid, Covering 4,650 Vessels with EUR 6.8 Million

Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has published its first list of provisional beneficiaries for aid intended to offset higher fishing diesel costs linked to the Middle East crisis.

The initial round covers 4,308 vessel owners and 4,650 fishing vessels, with total support amounting to EUR 6.8 million.

This first resolution applies to the initial aid period from March 22 through April 30, 2026. While the full eligibility window currently runs through June 30...

UK-India Trade Deal Opens Door for Scottish Salmon Exports

The UK government and India have reached a trade agreement that will help reduce trade barriers between the two countries.

"The deal gives British exporters an edge over international competitors, and I would encourage all businesses to ensure they are properly prepared," British Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said in a statement, according to a Reuters article.

The agreement is particularly significant for Scottish salmon, which faces a 33% tariff when exported to India. Under the deal, that tariff will be removed, opening up new opportunities in...

Scott & Jon’s Launches Honey Sesame Salmon Superfood Bowl at Costco

Scott & Jon’s is expanding its retail reach with the launch of its new Honey Sesame Salmon Superfood Bowl at Costco locations across the Southeast and Texas, adding another club-store channel for the frozen seafood meal brand.

The new product is being offered in an exclusive four-pack of 10-ounce ready-to-heat meals at a price point of $15.99. Designed for convenience-driven shoppers, the meal goes from freezer to table in about four minutes.

Each bowl includes Omega...

Wild Alaskan Company to Directly Operate Kasilof Buying Station for 2026 Salmon Season

Wild Alaskan Company will directly operate the Kasilof buying station for the upcoming salmon season, reversing its original plan to bring in an outside operator after acquiring the facility in February.

The company said it has committed the capital, personnel, and operational resources needed to prepare the facility for the 2026 season. The Kasilof station serves Alaska's second-largest sockeye salmon fishery and plays a key role in access, logistics, and value creation across the region.

"While it wasn't our original plan, we chose...

What a Super El Niño Could Mean for Alaska's Seabirds, Salmon, and Seas

With the declaration of an El Niño last week and forecasts that it will intensify into a "Super El Niño" this winter, US Geological Survey (USGS) researchers are tracking how warming waters threaten Alaska's ecosystems — from seabird die-offs and harmful algal blooms to heat-stressed salmon.

In the US, El Niño brings warmer conditions to northern states and wetter conditions to southern states, but the phenomenon's energy also affects seabed ecosystems and atmospheric conditions. Because peak El Niño is expected during winter 2026-2027, effects...

Expana's Weekly Top 10

This week’s Top 10 highlights the key risks, policy developments and market shifts shaping the agri-food landscape, from biosecurity threats and farm labor reform to fertilizer costs, cocoa competition and resilient consumer demand. From the spread of New World screwworm in the US and proposed changes to the H-2A program, to private label growth, Father’s Day meat promotions and climate risks facing West Coast fisheries, these are the stories driving markets this week. This list is in no particular order. 

Find archived recaps here.

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