ANALYSIS: India Farmgate Price Move Tracks Closely With Prior Years and the 11-Year Average

Last week's analysis flagged India whiteleg 30-count farmgate prices (exf Andhra Pradesh) moving higher, with a growing disconnect against softer US market conditions. That observation stands — but the seasonal record argues against treating the move as an isolated development.

The seasonal factor chart makes the case directly. The 2026 pattern — an early-year run-up, a pullback through the mid-year weeks, and the current push higher — tracks closely with where 2023, 2024, and 2025 were at the same point in the calendar, and...

House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Delay New Right Whale Regulations for Lobster Industry Until 2035

Maine lobstermen moved closer to a near-decade-long reprieve from new federal regulations as the House passed the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act (H.R. 9436) on Sept. 1, extending the current moratorium on new North Atlantic right whale gear rules from 2028 through 2035.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and now heads to the Senate. It passed the House Natural Resources Committee on a 22-13 bipartisan vote in July before advancing to...

Overnight Fire Destroys Young Ocean Seafood Warehouse in Kent, Washington

A two-alarm fire destroyed a Young Ocean seafood wholesaler warehouse in Kent, Washington, in the early hours of Wednesday, September 2, dealing a significant blow to a Pacific Northwest seafood distribution operation.

Puget Sound Fire responded to the 20400 block of 80th Avenue South, just west of Highway 167, shortly after 1:30 a.m. When crews arrived, flames were already burning through the roof of the building, prompting a defensive posture — firefighters did not attempt an interior attack but instead deployed three aerial master streams and portable monitors...

Hilton Food Group Posts Mixed H1 Results as Seafood Unit Drags on Profit

Hilton Food Group reported a challenging first half of 2026 for its seafood operations, even as the broader business delivered volumes and revenue ahead of the prior year, according to interim results published Sept. 3.

Group revenue from continuing operations rose 15.3% to £2,289.1m (H1 2025: £1,986.1m), driven primarily by higher raw material prices across all markets. Volumes from continuing operations were up 2.1% to 258,729 tonnes. However, adjusted profit before tax from continuing operations fell 5.2% to £32.8m (H1 2025: £34.6m)...

ANALYSIS: Chilean Frozen Salmon at 52-Week Highs as Summer Correction Fails to Materialize

The Chilean frozen salmon market is firmly supported across both fillets and portions, with values currently sitting at or near 52-week highs and showing little willingness to ease. What makes this year's market particularly notable is not just where prices are, it is how they got here and what is driving the scarcity of spot supply that now defines the...

Commerce Raises Indian Shrimp Antidumping Rates in 20th Review Final Results

The US Department of Commerce has released the final results of its 20th antidumping duty administrative review of certain frozen warmwater shrimp from India, covering the period of February 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025 — and every company subject to the review saw its rate climb significantly from the preliminary results published in May.

Those rates represent increases of 2.71, 2.20, and 1.68 percentage points, respectively, from the preliminary margins of 4.30%, 3.33%, and 2.36% set in May. The final rates...

Eastern Fisheries Appoints Nigel McGinn as CEO

Eastern Fisheries has appointed Nigel McGinn as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), according to a post from McGinn on LinkedIn.

He succeeds Joe Furtado, who has retired after more than three decades with the company, according to industry reports. Eastern Fisheries had been searching for a new CEO for approximately six months.

McGinn brings more than 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, with a career spanning operations, engineering and business development. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of corporate operations at Blount Fine Foods. He joined the company in 2020 as corporate operations executive before moving into the senior vice president role.

Center for Biological Diversity Wins Appeal to Uphold NMFS Rule for TEDs in Shrimp Trawls

A federal appeals court has affirmed a lower court ruling upholding a 2019 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) rule requiring skimmer trawl shrimp vessels 40 feet and longer to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs), according to a press release issued by the Center for Biological Diversity.

The unanimous Aug. 28 decision by the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals found that NMFS provided a rational, evidence-backed explanation for the rule's requirements, citing federal observer data and post-interaction mortality studies...

Kroger Names Mark Ibbotson EVP, Chief Store Operations Officer

The Kroger Co. is bringing in veteran retail executive Mark Ibbotson as Executive Vice President and Chief Store Operations Officer, effective Sept. 14.

Ibbotson brings decades of experience across large-format and grocery retail, including leadership roles at Walmart, Asda and Sainsbury’s. He has held positions spanning loss prevention, productivity, retail and operations, ultimately serving as chief operating officer.

Most recently, Ibbotson spent more than a decade with Walmart US, joining in 2015 as senior vice president of innovation. In that role, he was tasked with simplifying store...

Norway Posts Record August Seafood Export Value, Driven by Salmon Price Growth and US Rebound

Norway exported seafood worth NOK 16 billion (approximately €1.35 billion) in August, the highest August export value on record, according to statistics released Sept. 3 by the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC). The figure represents an increase of NOK 1.9 billion, or 14%, compared with the same month last year.

"We are very pleased with the August figures. The high salmon price is the main driver behind the strong value growth," said NSC CEO Christian Chramer...

Louisiana Shrimp Assoc. Petitions Trump Administration for Import Relief, Targets 10,000 Signatures

The Louisiana Shrimp Association (LSA) has launched a petition urging the Trump administration to take immediate action to protect domestic shrimp producers against what the group calls an unsustainable influx of imported product, according to reporting by the Houston Chronicle.

The petition, authored by LSA's Marla Cooper, cites US shrimp imports of approximately 1.75 billion pounds in 2025, valued at more than $7 billion — a volume the group says has driven dockside prices below the cost of operations for Gulf Coast harvesters...

US House Passes PAIL Act, Creating DOJ Task Force to Prosecute Shrimp Trade Fraud

The US House of Representatives passed the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes (PAIL) Act of 2025 on September 1, clearing a significant legislative hurdle in a years-long effort by domestic shrimp producers to secure criminal enforcement against trade fraud schemes that have cost the industry hundreds of millions of dollars in evaded antidumping duties.

H.R. 1869, introduced by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) with 42 co-sponsors, would establish a dedicated task force within the Justice Department's Criminal Division to investigate...

NOAA Prioritizes Policy Changes Resulting From EO to Restore American Seafood Competitiveness

Two months ago, Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries, announced region-specific actions in support of Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. His letters to each of the eight fishery management councils gave them some of what they wanted, then encouraged each to do more, all in the name of a common theme. Soler described it as: "Fishermen just want to fish, and they are asking for our support in overcoming the barriers preventing them from doing so...

New Bill Prohibits Chinese Seafood From Being Served at Any Dining Facility in the Capitol Building

Introduced by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) last week, H.R.10176, the “No PRC Seafood in Congress Act,” will prohibit Chinese seafood from being served in any of the congressional dining facilities in the nation’s Capitol Building.  

The legislation is driven by information released in a series of congressional hearings that forced labor is widespread in the Chinese seafood supply chain. The lack of transparency there makes it impossible to ensure the seafood was ethically sourced...

Vinh Hoan Wins Seafood Excellence Asia Award for Cured Panga Croquette

Vinh Hoan Corporation took home the Best New Product award at the fourth annual Seafood Excellence Asia awards, held Wednesday during Seafood Expo Asia and Seafood Processing Asia in Singapore.

The Vietnamese seafood company was recognized for its Cured Panga Croquette, a retail product. Singapore-based Lam Kee Fisheries placed second with its Japanese Curry Cod Cube, while Hai Sia Seafood took third for Kami No Ebi.

Products were judged by seafood industry buyers on criteria including eating experience, packaging, market potential, originality...

Esther Luiten Named Executive Director of Global Shrimp Council

The Global Shrimp Council (GSC) has appointed Esther Luiten as its new executive director, as the organization looks to expand its global platform and boost consumer-facing demand for shrimp.

Luiten brings more than 20 years of experience spanning international seafood, aquaculture and sustainability. Most recently, she spent more than 12 years with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). She has also held leadership roles at IDH and the North Sea Foundation, and has been closely involved in the development of the Global Shrimp...

Louisiana Wildlife Agents Cite Three Houma Residents in Illegal Seafood Sales Scheme

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents cited three Houma residents on July 21 for alleged illegal seafood sales across south Louisiana, primarily in Terrebonne Parish, according to a notice issued Aug. 31 by the agency.

Agents cited Ana Reyna Beiza Lopez, 46, and Juan Rebollar Aguilar, 42, on multiple charges including the illegal sale of oysters, blue crabs, and various species of raw fish; exporting crab products without a wholesale/retail crab shipping license; violating interstate commerce regulations; selling fish without a wholesale...