Icelandair Mechanics Strike Threatens Iceland's Fresh Seafood Export Pipeline

A last-ditch mediation session between Icelandair and its aircraft mechanics collapsed Sept. 19, leaving an indefinite strike set to begin at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 23 — a disruption that could ripple into Iceland's fresh seafood export chain just as flight cancellations begin piling up.

The Icelandic Aircraft Mechanics Association (FVFI) has called the strike after months of failed contract talks. According to Iceland Monitor, the formal mediation meeting lasted only around 90 minutes before negotiations were formally broken off...

Sernapesca Ramps Up Public-Private Coordination in Chile as Strong El Niño Threatens Salmon Farming

Chile's national fisheries service, Sernapesca, is intensifying coordination with industry and other government agencies ahead of an El Niño event that NOAA now projects has better than a 90% chance of reaching very strong intensity in the southern hemisphere spring-summer of 2026-2027, with a 69% probability the October-December quarter registers an intensity exceeding any event recorded since 1950.

According to Chile's Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), rising sea surface temperatures and weakened coastal upwelling associated with El Niño can alter nutrient availability...

Report: Salmon Farming Could Lift Atlantic Canada's GDP by 1% by 2035

A new report from the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) says the region's salmon farming industry could grow Atlantic Canada's GDP by 1% by 2035, while creating jobs, attracting investment and producing more food domestically.

The report, Farming our Future: A Roadmap for Responsible Growth in Atlantic Canada's Finfish Sector, argues the region has the coastline, expertise, infrastructure and workforce needed to responsibly expand the sector — but regulatory delays, uncertainty and investment barriers are holding it back. The report calls specifically for policy changes to...

Seafood Industry Faces New Tariff Risk as Graham Russia Bill Nears Trump's Signature

The US House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on September 16. The bill now heads to President Trump's desk after clearing the Senate in early August.

Named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who negotiated the legislation before his death in July, the bill is aimed at cutting off Russia's oil and gas revenue over its war in Ukraine.

The legislation directs the president to raise the duty rate on all goods...

Senators Collins, King Push Senate Commerce Committee to Fast-Track Right Whale Regulation Pause

US Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) are urging the Senate Commerce Committee to move quickly on legislation extending the current pause on new North Atlantic right whale fishing regulations through 2035, following the House's passage of the bill earlier this month.

In a letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Collins and King pressed the committee to advance the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act (H.R. 9436) as soon as possible...

Circana Tells Advertisers to Start Holiday 2026 Planning Earlier

Advertisers should start planning for the 2026 holidays earlier as shoppers increasingly discover products through social platforms, creators and AI tools, according to new guidance from Circana.

In its report, How Advertisers Should Prepare for Holiday 2026, the market research firm recommends that brands and media teams begin holiday activity ahead of traditional peak periods, build social and creator discovery into media plans, optimize product data for AI-assisted shopping and measure results across channels.

The case for an earlier start is reflected in Circana’s 2025...

Dock Fire at Whittier's $80M Cruise Ship Dock Declared by Alaska Fire Marshal a 'Total Loss'

A fire that started Monday on the $80 million cruise ship terminal in Whittier and burned for 12 hours has been declared “a total loss,” according to Austin McDaniel, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety, which includes the fire marshal’s office.

No injuries have been reported in the blaze, but a high-speed catamaran operated by Phillips Cruises Tours that was tied to the dock with no one on board was damaged before it could be moved away...

Acme Smoked Fish Launches Sauced Smoked Salmon Filets, Targeting Ready-to-Eat Protein Demand

Acme Smoked Fish, the Brooklyn-based smoked seafood producer with more than 120 years in the category, has introduced a new line of Sauced Smoked Salmon Filets aimed at consumers looking for convenient, protein-rich meal solutions that require no additional preparation.

The 4.5-ounce filets use premium Atlantic salmon, hot smoked and finished with chef-inspired sauces, and deliver 12g of protein per serving. The product is positioned as a ready-to-eat option that can be served hot or cold with no cooking, marinating...

Japan: Alaskan Atka Mackerel Price on the Rise

As of early September, the domestic market price per kilo for Alaskan Atka mackerel—specifically the 48-count size (frozen, dressed, variable-weight 19kg packs)—is hovering around 530 yen/kg ($3.41/kg). Driven by a global rise in fish prices, the market is trending upward across the board, including for smaller sizes like the "70-count" pack; trading sources suggest that prices for the summer catch are likely to rise a bit further in the near future, according to Minato Shimbun...

Seafood Nutrition Partnership Marks 10th 'Fall in Love with Seafood' Campaign, Eyes National Push

Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) is preparing to launch its 10th "Fall in Love with Seafood" campaign this October, a milestone for the retailer-focused promotion that began as a pilot in 2024 and has since grown into one of the seafood category's most consistent consumer marketing efforts.

Across the nine campaigns completed to date, SNP said the program has generated an average $4.50 return for every $1 invested in promotion, translating into $4.50 of incremental seafood sales per promotional dollar spent...

Cermaq Reshapes Global Management as Grieg Integration Continues

Cermaq has appointed a new CFO and created a new COO role as it restructures its global management team following the integration of Grieg Seafood's operations in Finnmark, Norway, and Canada — a deal reported at roughly £738 million that reshaped Cermaq's footprint across both regions.

Silvia Segnini has been named Chief Financial Officer. She joined Cermaq in 2007 and has worked across treasury, tax, accounting, insurance, M&A and post-merger integration over nearly two decades with the company...

ANALYSIS: EU-UK Shrimp Imports Rebound Seasonally in July, But Remain Below Last Year

According to Eurostat, EU-UK shrimp imports reached 64,186 MT worth USD 472.0 million in July, across all shrimp categories. Volumes rose 9.7% month-on-month, consistent with the usual seasonal pattern: Asian and Latin American producers ramp up to full capacity as raw material availability improves, while European importers stock up to meet summer holiday demand, which reliably lifts seafood consumption each year...

Sullivan's Bycatch Bill Passes Out of Committee and Trawl Groups Take Issue With Section 2

Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan’s S.4938, the Bycatch Reduction Act, had just passed out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation after markup when a statement of concern was released by a coalition of three trawl associations — At-Sea Processors Association (APA), Midwater Trawlers Cooperative (MTC) and United Catcher Boats (UCB). 

“We are not asking anyone to accept the status quo: we are always looking to raise the bar even further,” the group said in its September 16 statement...

Emma Hernan's Coast to Coast Kitchen Expands Target Lineup With Lobster Empanadas, Crab Rangoon

Coast to Coast Kitchen, the seafood brand founded by third-generation food entrepreneur and Selling Sunset cast member Emma Hernan, has launched new empanadas and a Crab Rangoon at Target, expanding a partnership that began with the brand's seafood appetizer debut at the retailer in February 2026.

The new lineup includes two flavors developed exclusively for Target — Lobster Empanada and Sweet Chili Shrimp Empanada — alongside a new Crab Rangoon. All three products are rolling out nationwide, including Alaska and Hawaii...

ASC, SFP Take Over as Interim Secretariat for Aquaculture Action Alliance

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) are jointly stepping in as interim secretariat for the Aquaculture Action Alliance, marking a new phase for the industry coalition focused on cutting the sector's carbon footprint.

The Alliance was previously hosted by IDH – the Sustainable Trade Initiative under the name Aquaculture Working Group. The transition to ASC and SFP leadership comes with a shift toward coordinated action, broader industry participation and measurable emissions reductions.

Members met ahead of the recent Global Shrimp Forum in Utrecht...

AquaBounty Engages Colliers to Market Ohio Property as Strategic Review Continues

AquaBounty Technologies (NASDAQ: AQB) has engaged commercial real estate firm Colliers as its exclusive agent to market the company's Pioneer, Ohio property, as part of its ongoing review of strategic alternatives.

AquaBounty said the Pioneer campus carries infrastructure that could appeal to buyers outside aquaculture — including access to an existing electrical substation with roughly 50 megawatts of available capacity, competitively priced electricity, and a permit to withdraw 5.25 million gallons per day of groundwater from a high-capacity underground aquifer. Management said those attributes could attract power...

Ace Aquatec Chile Appoints Sebastián Uribe as Digital Operations Lead

Ace Aquatec has appointed Sebastián Uribe as Digital Operations Lead, strengthening its team in Puerto Varas, Chile, as the company scales its digital operations and responds to growing demand for its technology across the Latin American aquaculture sector.

Uribe brings more than a decade of aquaculture experience, starting his career as a Technician in Aquaculture Production and later becoming an Industrial Engineer. His experience spans operations in production centres, production management, feeding and nutrition, and applied technologies...