ANALYSIS: Improved Lobster Landings Meet Disciplined Buying Ahead of Summer

The Canadian spring lobster season is now fully underway, with all spring LFAs open and Nova Scotia’s LFA 33 and 34 scheduled to close this weekend. While some areas were scheduled to open earlier than usual, persistent weather issues throughout May limited landings and slowed the broader build in production.

Live demand is typically weak during the early spring period, particularly after Easter and before late-May holiday demand tied to Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. The market did see a modest uptick in activity around those calendar events...

Louisiana All In for More Shrimp Buys as USDA Triples 2027 School Meals Budget

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child Nutrition Program, in recent years budgeted at $17-25 billion, is up for a significant raise in 2027 to 81 billion, as detailed in a statement from the Southern Shrimp Alliance.

Their press release announced that in mid-May the Louisiana House of Representatives unanimously adopted House Resolution 205 to “[u]rge and request the United States Department of Agriculture to utilize the Commodity Procurement program under Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment...

USDA Seeks Over 300,000 Pounds of Salmon Products for Government Food Programs

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting bids for salmon products totaling more than 304,000 pounds, marking the agency's third major seafood procurement this month as government purchasing activity accelerates.

The May 27 solicitation seeks canned pink salmon and frozen wild salmon fillets for domestic food distribution programs, with bids due June 5 at 1:00 PM Central Time and acceptances announced by June 18. Deliveries are scheduled between August 1 and December 15, 2026.

The procurement consists of over 100,000 cases of canned pink salmon...

Shipping Executives Warn WTO of Rising Costs From Global Trade Route Disruptions

Major shipping industry leaders told World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that mounting capacity pressures and alternative routing costs are driving up expenses for shippers and consumers during a May 28 meeting in Geneva.

The executives, representing companies including MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping, and Hapag-Lloyd, cited disruptions in the Gulf region and other maritime chokepoints that are forcing cargo onto saturated alternative routes, with significant cost implications.

One executive highlighted the scale challenge, noting that approximately 70 freight trains are needed to match...

Japan’s April Marine Products Exports Up 6% in Volume, Soared 37% in Value

According to trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance and reported by The Minato Shimbun, April exports of marine products (fish and shellfish and their preparations, and fish meal) increased by 6% year-on-year (YOY) to 54,968 tons and by 37% to 41.138 billion yen ($258.28 million). Scallop exports decreased by 8% to 4,876 tons but increased by 8% to 8.471 billion yen ($53.18 million). Yellowtail exports increased by 26% to 3,502 tons and doubled to 9.751 billion...

Undeclared Allergen Triggers FSIS Recall of Synear Pork and Crab Dumplings

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Sunday, May 31 announced a recall initiated by Synear Foods USA, LLC covering 71,603 pounds of frozen not‑ready‑to‑eat (NRTE) pork and crab soup dumpling products due to mislabeling and undeclared peanuts.

FSIS said the issue was identified during a routine inspection. The affected products were produced between October 15, 2025, and February 23, 2026, and carry establishment number “EST. 45942” inside the USDA mark...

Chile Launches On-the-Ground Rollout of Artisanal Fishing Fuel Coupon

Chile’s Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Subpesca) officially launched its new Artisanal Fishing Coupon program in Caleta La Vega, Calbuco, providing small-scale fishers with direct access to subsidized fuel.

The launch was led by Undersecretary of Fisheries Osvaldo Urrutia, accompanied by Los Lagos Region Economy Seremi Gisela Strauch and Subpesca zonal director Gustavo Castro. During the visit, local fishers tested the system by purchasing fuel on-site for their vessels and paying through their BancoEstado RUT accounts.

The coupon is an extraordinary government...

Middle East Market Intelligence Brief: Week Ending May 29, 2026

Three months into the Iran war, the United States and Iran have reached a tentative framework to extend a ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and ease some US blockade measures, though the deal has not been approved by US President Donald Trump, reports Reuters. 

The proposed agreement would create a 60-day window for broader negotiations after months of conflict disrupted global oil, LNG, and other commodity markets. Major unresolved issues include Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and security in the Strait of Hormuz.

The framework is seen as a temporary de-escalation measure aimed at stabilizing energy markets rather than...

US Seafood Groups Demand Section 301 Investigation Into Unfair Trade Practices

Twenty-three American seafood organizations have formally asked US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer to launch a comprehensive Section 301 investigation into unfair seafood trade practices, escalating industry pressure for trade enforcement against imports they say are decimating domestic producers.

The May 19 letter, signed by groups ranging from the Southern Shrimp Alliance to the Hawaii Longline Association, asks USTR to address a sweeping range of alleged violations, including dumping, subsidies, environmental harm, banned veterinary drugs, false labeling, prohibited fishing gear, structural excess capacity, and labor abuse...

Bumble Bee Forced Labor Case Advances Despite Legal Setback for Indonesian Fishermen

A California federal court delivered a mixed ruling on May 27 in the human trafficking lawsuit against Bumble Bee Foods, granting part of the tuna company's request to reconsider an earlier decision while allowing the Indonesian fishermen's core claims to proceed.

Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant acknowledged that the court had mischaracterized a key Ninth Circuit precedent in her November 2025 ruling denying Bumble Bee's motion to dismiss. The court had incorrectly stated that the Ratha v. Phatthana Seafood case definitively "held" that trafficking...

Captain D’s Expands Sustainable Sourcing With Wild‑Caught Alaska Fish Rollout

Captain D’s is expanding its commitment to sustainably sourced, U.S.-caught seafood while maintaining an accessible, value-focused price point.

The fast-casual seafood chain is rolling out Wild Caught Batter Dipped Fish from Alaska, battered fresh daily in restaurants. The item will appear across several core menu platforms, including the brand’s value-driven Full Meal Deals and signature platters.

“Our guests know Captain D’s for its great seafood, generous portions and incredible value,” said Phil Greifeld, CEO of Captain D’s. “This...

Gorton's Seafood Workers in Massachusetts Ratify New Three-Year Contract

Members of the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union who work at Gorton's Seafood in Gloucester, Massachusetts, ratified a new three-year contract, the UFCW announced May 27.

According to the UFCW, the roughly 240 union employees make frozen fish sticks, among other products, and are the main supplier of McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwiches along the East Coast. The agreement covers other roles beyond seafood processing, including sanitation.

Gorton's of Gloucester, founded in 1849, is one of America's oldest seafood companies and a pioneer in the frozen fish...

Cermaq Consolidates Canadian Operations Into Single Entity Following $1B Grieg Integration

Mitsubishi-owned salmon farmer Cermaq is streamlining its expanded Canadian operations through a June 1 subsidiary amalgamation, creating a unified structure five months after completing its $1 billion acquisition of Grieg Seafood's North American assets.

The consolidation merges three entities—CQ Canada Holding Ltd., Cermaq Canada Ltd., and Cermaq Seafood BC Ltd.—into Cermaq British Columbia Ltd., with CAD 224 million in capital. CEO Steven Rafferty will serve as director of the Campbell River, BC-based entity...

More Certifications Ahead From an Emerging Trend — Fish Welfare, Says Friend of the Sea

Fish welfare is emerging as one of the most significant issues in the global food sector, at a time when more than half of the fish consumed worldwide now comes from intensive farming. 

Friend of the Sea and World Sustainability Foundation have collaborated with Fair Fish and Fish Etho Group to develop 24 species-specific standards for aquaculture operations that improve stocking density, water quality, stress management, and slaughter methods. 

That initiative is also supported by the Fish Welfare Project, launched in 2017 by FOS and...

NZ Bottom Trawl Footprint Remains Small

New data shows New Zealand's trawl footprint continues to cover only a tiny fraction of the country's waters, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.

"The analysis, published on the Ministry for Primary Industries' website, shows the trawled area within New Zealand's territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone is concentrated in specific fishing grounds. It represented only 1.7 per cent of the total area in the 2024/25 fishing year, with most of that area previously...

"I know the topic of bottom trawling provokes strong reactions from...

ANALYSIS: Early Copper River Results Show Familiar Market Patterns Amid Lower Volume Start

Copper River's 2026 wild salmon season commenced Friday, May 22, marking the start of another anticipated harvest cycle. Opening day results showed 39,100 sockeye landed according to Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) data, representing a measured beginning typical of early-season operations.

Tuesday's harvest delivered 34,100 additional sockeye, though this tracked below the forecast for the period of 55,000. Combined landings reached approximately 73,200 fish, a volume progression that aligns with traditional seasonal patterns as fishing operations gain momentum. Another opener was scheduled for...

ANALYSIS: Skipjack Tuna Prices Steady Despite Lower EPO Landings

The latest data from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) shows cumulative yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) landings from January to March 2026 fell 24.9% year-over-year in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). Mexico leads yellowfin landings with a 43% share, followed by Ecuador at 20%...