Oregon Opens Dungeness Crab Season Dec. 16, North Coast Still Delayed

In a move welcomed by holiday revelers anxious for crab before Christmas and many crab fishermen, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced a mid-December opening for Dungeness crab south of Cape Falcon, Ore., to the border with California.

The season will open at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 16, with a pre-soak period that starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13.

Pre-season testing showed all crab in Oregon was above the criteria for quality and clear...

US Trade Representative Pressed to Address Gray Zone Rules Amid USMCA Discussions

Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) sent a letter to US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, urging updated rules for the Gray Zone, a 277-square-mile area of ocean near Machias Seal Island that is fished by both the US and Canada and remains one of America's only contested maritime borders.

Golden’s letter came amid testimony from two Maine fishermen to the International Trade Commission (ITC) last week. The meetings focused on potential changes to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)...

Pacific Halibut Stock Assessment at End of 2025 Shows Continued Trend of Low Productivity

The annual stock assessment of Pacific halibut, the world’s largest flatfish, reveals little change in the biomass of the stock that ranges from Alaska’s northern Bering Sea to California's Monterey Bay.  

Commercial landings in 2025 as of December 1 were 16.7 million lbs., down 16% from that time last year. This year, that reflected only about 80% of the catch limit allowed in 2025. Total mortality was 28.8 mlbs, down 12% from last year, and marks the lowest in 100 years...

National Fisheries Institute Announces New Additions to its Board of Directors

The National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) members approved a new slate of Directors of the Board at its Annual Membership Meeting. 

NFI’s bylaws allow for a 51-person Board, with 45 at-large Directors. There is an 18-person Executive Committee drawn from the Board and six officers. NFI elects a new slate of board members annually to serve three-year terms. 

“Our Board is made up of a who’s who in seafood and I am humbled by the executives who give so...

Global Fishing Watch and Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory launch Deep-Sea Mining Watch

Global Fishing Watch, an international nonprofit organization advancing ocean governance through transparency of human activity at sea, and the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have unveiled an upgraded open-access portal designed to bring unprecedented transparency to vessels engaged in emerging mineral exploration in the depths of the ocean, the two organizations announced today.

The new and improved Deep-Sea Mining Watch provides a dynamic view of vessel activity linked to seabed mineral exploration, allowing users to monitor the movements of...

Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET. 

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

ANALYSIS: Lighter Imports, Firmer Prices, Tariff Cost Pressure Define US Fresh Seafood Markets

Fresh imported seafood volumes remain compressed across several key species, resulting in a thinner replacement pipeline into major US distribution channels. According to US Census data through August 2025, cumulative arrivals of fresh mahi-mahi, swordfish, and grouper are all trailing their prior-year pace. This decline reflects not only persistently soft foodservice demand but also lingering impacts from El Niño, which has disrupted catch rates, migratory behavior, and harvest consistency in key production zones throughout Central and South America...

Norway’s November Seafood Exports Fall as Asia Gains Share While US, Europe Lose Ground

Norway saw its seafood exports fall from a value standpoint for the second month in a row, as US tariffs led to market shifts, and the increased value of the Norwegian krone has made the country’s seafood products more expensive, according to the latest update from the Norwegian Seafood Council.

“This is the second month in a row that seafood exports have fallen in value compared with the same month last year. In November, even historically high prices were unable to compensate...

Japan: Imports of Frozen Alaskan Salmon Roe Doubled to 3,184 Tons, Russian Roe Minimal

According to the Minato Shimbun report, imported frozen salmon roe is selling at unusually high prices this season. The domestic sales price for Russian pink and chum salmon roe has exceeded 10,000 yen/kg ($64.34/kg). This is even higher than last season's steep price hike, and there have been almost no imports up to September. Imports from the United States are on the rise. 

The domestic sales price for frozen Russian roe from the latest season in November was...

ANALYSIS: Farmed Salmon Market Hits Four-Year Low Amid Strong Retail Promotion

The farmed salmon fillet market has entered December at a striking benchmark – prices are at a 52-week low and, more notably, the lowest point seen in the past four years. Despite this depressed market level, retail advertising for 2025 continues to climb above 2024, maintaining a trend observed throughout the year.

Retail Promotions at Record Highs

Buying opportunities for farmed salmon are currently 6.4 percent higher than last year, and the total number of retail ad promotions is at the highest level recorded in all years tracked...

ANALYSIS: Stone Crab Prices Hit Lowest Levels Since COVID as Supply Surges

The stone crab market has experienced pronounced weakening in the early stages of the 2025-26 season, with prices declining from levels typically expected at season openings as landings ramped up significantly. While the season began in October at pricing levels consistent with historical season starts, colossal stone crab claws have since retreated to $30.00 per lb., reflecting a market where supply has consistently outpaced demand. In fact, pricing is the lowest observed for this time of year since COVID in 2020 and currently sits...

GlobeScan Survey Shows Two-Thirds of Consumers Trust the BAP Label, Prompting 2026 Consumer Campaign

New research conducted by GlobeScan for the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) surveyed a minimum of 1,000 consumers in five key countries: Canada, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The consumers surveyed were those who had purchased seafood in the last six months and/or consumed fish or seafood in the last year. The survey sought to understand purchasing decisions related to seafood and certification labels like Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and how to communicate with consumers about responsible sourcing...

Seafood Task Force Debuts Tuna Crew Grievance Pilot

The Seafood Task Force (STF) has officially launched its Workers' Voice & Grievance Mechanism pilot project for tuna crew members, selecting Humantics and Humanity Research Consultancy (HRC) to help implement the program. This workstream marks a significant milestone in the STF's commitment to protecting migrant fishers and establishing credible pathways for workers to safely report grievances without fear of retaliation.

Following a rigorous proposal review process, Humantics and HRC were selected by STF member consensus at the October 2025 Summit, where tuna subgroup members voted on five finalist proposals. Humantics secured...

ANALYSIS: November US Shrimp Import Estimates Signal Sharp Monthly Drop

Estimated US imports for November show a pronounced month‑on‑month contraction, with a central forecast roughly 30% below November 2024 levels and a stated margin of error near 5%. On a year‑to‑date basis through November, imports are about 3.6% above last year; preliminary December projections based on export flows place full‑year imports between roughly 125–141 million pounds for December, a wide range that still implies 2025 could finish flat with or below 2024 totals. Under those outcomes...

Alaska Pollock Biomass Drops 30%, But Federal Shutdown Delays Stock Assessment Process

A summer survey of the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) showed a 30% drop in the biomass of Walleye pollock in the area compared to a 2024 survey. 

Results of the 2025 Eastern and Northern Bering Sea Bottom Trawl Survey, which were released to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s groundfish plan team in September, showed a drop from last year’s 5.5 million metric tons to a current 3.8 million metric tons of pollock in the area. 

Other species also showed drops in biomass: Pacific cod dropped...

NFI Set to Testify Before the USTR at the International Trade Commission on USMCA

Morgan Bell, Director of Public Policy at the National Fisheries Institute, will testify at the International Trade Commission on Friday December 5 at 11:15am as part of a hearing on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Bell will urge the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to reaffirm the Administration’s commitment to the agreement and preserve its existing market access for all fish and seafood products.

“In an era of global trade volatility, the USMCA provides a dependable framework that shields U.S. seafood...

Maruha Nichiro Completes Full Acquisition of Seafood Connection to Cement European Hub

Japanese seafood giant Maruha Nichiro fully acquired Seafood Connection (SCH), a Dutch seafood company, the company announced on December 3.

Currently, Maruha owns 81.96% of Seafood Connection and the move will now make Maruha the 100% owner. Maruha said the Netherlands-based firm serves as its sales base of for its seafood products in the European market.

“SCH is expected to continue achieving strong growth in Europe, which is an important hub in the Company’s overseas strategy,” Maruha Nichiro said in an announcement...