ILA and USMX Set to Resume Talks as Port Strike Threat Looms

Talks between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), the union representing over 45,000 dockworkers from Maine to Texas, and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) are set to resume on January 7.   

ILA and the USMX reportedly met in private on January 5 as both sides try to reach an agreement over the primary automation issue that has been raised since talks last stalled in November, according to industry publication FreightWaves.

The contract between the ILA and USMX, which represents ports and ocean carriers, expires on January 15...

Trudeau Resigns Amid Controversy Over BC Salmon Farming Transition

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the leader behind the decision to shift British Columbia’s salmon farming industry away from net-pen farming, announced that he would resign from his post on January 6. 

Trudeau will leave office once a new ruling party leader is chosen, according to reports. The Liberal Party leader for the last 11 years, Trudeau, has faced rising discontent of late amid key resignations of close political allies. 

One of the lasting impacts of Trudeau’s term is the salmon farming transition plan the government first introduced in 2019...

Federal Court Dismisses "Whistleblower" Lawsuit Vs. Cooke Inc., Omega Protein, and Ocean Harvesters

On January 3, 2025, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York fully dismissed the qui tam "whistleblower" lawsuit brought against Canadian seafood company Cooke Inc. and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, and employees, including fishing companies Omega Protein and Ocean Harvester, by relators W. Benson Chiles and Chris Manthey.

The lawsuit focused on allegations that the defendants violated the False Claims Act (FCA), misstated key facts regarding, and ignored the law.

History of the False Claims Act 

The FCA was first enacted... 

Keith Sullivan Takes the Helm as NAIA's New Executive Director 

The Newfoundland and Labrador Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA) welcomed Keith Sullivan as its new executive director on January 6.

Sullivan has had his fair share of experience in the seafood industry, having his most recent role as President of NL’s largest private sector union, FFAW-Unifor. He will now be tasked with advocating for growth in coastal communities through sustainable aquaculture.

“I am thrilled to be joining the team of NAIA. The aquaculture industry has such a vital role in our province’s economy, particularly in rural regions. Throughout my career...

Chicken of the Sea Partners with McCormick for New Tuna Products and OLD BAY Collaboration

Seafood company Chicken of the Sea recently partnered up with food company McCormick to incorporate OLD BAY Seafood Seasoning into two of its new tuna packet offerings. Together, the two powerhouses have a combined industry presence of more than 230 years.

The seafood company added the following two items to its on-the-go lineup: Chicken of the Sea Wild Caught Light Tuna Packet with OLD BAY(R) Seasoning and Chicken of the Sea Wild Caught Light Tuna Packet with McCormick(R) Chili Lime...

Biden Bans New Offshore Oil and Gas Development Along Most US Coasts

Today President Joe Biden announced a ban for new offshore oil and gas development across 625 million acres of U.S. coastal waters.

Areas encompassed by the ban

Per the ban, oil and gas drilling rights along the following coasts will be prohibited: the entire U.S. Atlantic coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast along California, Oregon, and Washington, and the remaining portion of the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area in Alaska.

The ban does not involve the central and western areas of the Gulf of...

The Year’s First Tuna Auction Topped at JPY 750,000 per Kilo at Toyosu Market

The annual first auctions of the new year took place on the morning of January 5 at wholesale markets in major Japanese cities. In particular, the bluefin tuna auction at Toyosu Market in Tokyo was highlighted on TV and online news media. According to Minato Shimbun, a fresh bluefin tuna from Oma, Aomori Prefecture, weighing 276 kilos, was sold for 207 million yen ($1.31 million), the second highest value following 333.6 million yen ($2.12 million) recorded in 2019...

Military Ordinance Discovered at Delaware Processing Facility

A military ordinance was found on a conveyor belt at a Sea Watch International facility in Milford, Delaware, on December 30, 2024.

According to Coast TV, the Delaware State Police confirmed that the ordinance was found on a conveyor belt where trucks offload clams.

The DSP told the publication that evidence points towards the ordinance coming from the ocean while picking up the clams as it was common practice during World War I to dispose of items in the sea.

DSP's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team turned it over to the Dover Air Force...

Shrimp Alliance Urges US Crackdown on Chinese Firm Over Uyghur Labor Allegations 

The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) renewed its request to add Rongcheng Sanyue Foodstuff Co., Ltd. to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act’s (UFLPA) Entity List via a letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF). 

In July, the FLETF listed seafood as a high-priority sector for enforcement under the UFLPA, as Expana reported. That announcement came shortly after the addition of Shandong Meijia Group Co., Ltd. (a.k.a. Rizhao Meijia Group), a seafood processor based in Shandong province, to the UFLPA’s Entity List in... 

Commercial Fisherman Caught with Hidden Catch Behind False Wall in San Francisco 

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) discovered a commercial fisherman illegally catching fish and trying to deceive authorities by hiding the catch behind a false wall on his fishing vessel.

CDFW said that an angler coming ashore at San Francisco’s Pier 45 was found to have fillets of salmon behind a false wall.

While under surveillance, the owner of the commercial trawl vessel was seen unloading several burlap sacks out of the boat and into a vehicle before leaving the scene. The vessel owner...

Circle Seafoods Launches Wild Alaska Salmon Filets in H-E-B and Sprouts Markets

Circle Seafoods, a new processor in the wild Alaska salmon scene, announced that its frozen Wild Alaska Salmon filets have debuted in H-E-B stores across Texas and Sprouts Farmers Market stores across the country.

The company’s 12-ounce frozen salmon filets are now available in 23 states.

“Why is this a big deal? Because we’re not just slingin' salmon—we’re shaping the future of wild salmon,” the company said on LinkedIn. “Think fresher fish, less waste/ more taste, and a...

Genome Sequencing in Red King Crab Stocks May Mean Better Odds to Survive Climate Change

A new research paper released December 31, 2024 by the Alaska Science Center showed a higher level of diversity over different regions in Alaska than previously known, suggesting the stocks may be more resilient to climate change and changing ocean conditions.

Lead author Carl St. John, a post-doctoral assistant at Cornell University, Laura E. Timm and Wesley Larson of NOAA Fisheries, and Kristen M. Gruenthal of ADF&G,  looked at the Aleutian Islands, eastern Bering Sea, northern Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Southeast Alaska ...

ASMI Continues to Experience Great Success, Thanks to USDA Funding

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) has experienced great success at the helping hands of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), both throughout 2024 and the last 20 years.

Excellent export numbers

Among its successes is a recent string of positive return on investments (ROI) for ASMI’s 2024 exports, as achieved through its Southeast Asia Marketing Program (SAM Program), which saw a 2.867% ROI, and its Northern Europe Campaign (NEC), which saw a 3.828% ROI.

The former program was established in response to industry demand and drove an export increase of...

China Announces 2025 Tariff Increases on Key Seafood Imports

China’s State Council announced adjustments for tariff rates in 2025, with some of the adjustments leading to rate increases for key imported seafood items like shrimp, whitefish and abalone.

Some key seafood items will see increased tariff rates from 2% to 5% in 2025. Specifically, the tax rate for frozen shrimp will see a 3% tariff jump, along with frozen Arctic shrimp, while fresh abalone will jump from 7% to 10%.

EU SME Centre highlighted the following species with increased tariffs (all impacted items are frozen product): Greenland halibut, flounder...

Top 10 Stories from 2024 on Expana

It was a big year for the food and agriculture industry. Below are some of the biggest headlines that sent shockwaves through the trade... 

ANALYSIS: US Egg Prices Soar as Production Hits Eight-Year Low Due to HPAI Outbreaks 

May 30, 2024: “Over the past two weeks, U.S. shell egg prices have soared by 45%, largely due to the ongoing spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), more commonly known as bird flu. The bird flu has been spreading across the US since February 2022—though not consistently..."

New England Fishermen Get Partial Win In Court Decision on Council Un-Constitutionality

A federal court judge in Maine granted partial approval to a claim brought by New England Fishermen Stewardship Association (NEFSA) that certain authorities of regional management council members and the agency that implements their decisions into regulation, are unconstitutional. The authorities center on whether and how councils may override a decision made by the Secretary of Commerce in the process of putting council decisions into fisheries regulations.

Citing two other cases from last year — United Cook Inlet Drift Associaiton, et al v. National Marine Fisheries Service, et ...

FDA Issues Another Shellfish Advisory Amid Widening Norovirus Outbreak

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its fourth advisory in recent weeks, warning Oregon and Washington retailers, restaurants and consumers against selling or consuming certain shellfish due to norovirus concerns. 

The January 2 advisory focused on shellstock oysters harvested from 12/02/2024 to 12/17/2024 by Ruco’s Shellfish (WA-1995-SS) from a portion of Hammersley Inlet growing area in Washington State. The impacted oysters were distributed in Washington and Oregon and may have been sent to other states...