Final 2025 Alaska Groundfish TACs Show Drop in Greenland Turbot, Slight Increase in Pollock

The total catch limits have been finalized for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI), with the biggest year-over-year (YOY) decline in Greenland turbot and yellowfin sole.

In all, BSAI total allocable catches (TACs) for 2025 remain at two million metric tons for over 20 species, from the perennially abundant Alaska pollock to the smallest volume-landed shortraker rockfish.

In 2025, the pollock limit increased by 75,000 metric tons (mt) over 2024’s TAC to 1.375 million mt in the Bering Sea. For the...

Nova Sea’s CEO Resigns Following Recent Merge with Mowi

According to a recent press release from Norwegian salmon farmer Nova Sea, CEO Tom Eirik Aasjord will be stepping down from his post of almost six years due to personal reasons, effective April 1, 2025.

Aasjord was employed by Nova Sea since 2013 and has been on a sick leave for a period of time. He expressed his gratitude for the position and stood by his decision to part ways.

“After more than 10 years of commuting, I have come to the conclusion that this is the right time to say..."

Get Crackin’ with New Dungeness Crab License Plate

Whales, sharks, puffins and crabs, oh my!

Oregon license plates featuring sea creatures got a big boost recently with the addition of Dungeness crab, sharks and puffins to the available background choices. They join the gray whale, which came out roughly six years ago.

But Dungeness crab joining salmon demonstrates how it is both an iconic part of Oregon and a vital sport and commercial fishery.

The crab design features a bold, bright orange Oregon Dungeness crab against a light blue sea background, inspired by the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission logo...

Federal Jury Convicts Florida Fisherman for Falsifying Trip Reports and Lying to NOAA Agents

On Friday, March 21, 2025, the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Carolina, announced that a federal jury had convicted Don Michael Rynn, 61, of Augustine, Florida, for making false statements on trip reports regarding the amount and quality of fish that he caught during a fishing expedition in March 2023. Rynn was also found guilty of lying to federal agents, who were with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement Southeast Division.

The jury came to its decision after...

Blue Star Foods Adds Asian Food Division

Blue Star Foods announced it has added an Asian Food Division to its business, focusing on sushi categories.

The company launched the new division on February 1 under the Blue Star brand, looking to capitalize on popular Japanese cuisine, health-conscious dining preferences, and the growing demand for authentic sushi experiences, which are driving the market expansion.

High value sushi categories such as Hamachi, responsibly raised & harvest in Japan’s Kagawa prefecture, Seto Inland Sea and Kagoshima Bay are the primary farming areas, the company shared in a press release...

ANALYSIS: Slow Start of the Year for Chinese Shrimp Imports

The latest data from Chinese Customs Statistics reveals a double-digit slowdown in Chinese imports of shrimp so far this year. In January and February, China imported 145,567 MT of shrimp of all species, which represents a 14.1% drop y-o-y in volume. However, at $808.9 million USD, the fall in value is less steep at -3.2% y-o-y for the two first month of the year...

Russia Hopes to Significantly Increase its Fish and Seafood Exports in 2025

Russia is hoping for a significant increase in its fish and seafood exports this year after seeing a decline in both areas in 2024.

According to recent statements by Ilya Shestakov, head of Rosrybolovstvo, the Russian agency hopes for export increases in terms of both value and volume.

In value terms, the growth of exports may be equivalent to US$5.7 billion.

Shestakov said, “Based on the results of last year, exports amounted to 1.9 million tons. This is slightly less than in 2023. In terms of value..."

USDA Awards ASMI $4.5 Million to Expand International Marketing Efforts

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) recently announced that it secured over $4.5 million in federal Market Access Program (MAP) funding to expand its international marketing efforts.

The MAP funding, provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Foreign Agricultural Service, helps offset some of the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities in order to help U.S. exporters build their markets overseas.

MAP funds—which can only be used for international marketing activities—require a monetary match from the participating organization, which, in this case...

FDA Delays FSMA 204 Rule Implementation by 30 Months Amid Industry Concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on March 20 that it would delay the implementation of the Food Traceability Rule (AKA FSMA 204) by 30 months.

An update from the FDA explained that it remains committed to the full requirements of FSMA 204, which was set to go into effect in January 2026.

According to the FDA, only a few entities were well-positioned to meet the final rule’s requirements by January 2026. Even the entities in good shape “expressed concern about the timeline...

Heathrow Airport Closure Impacts European Salmon Market

A fire that occurred at a major electricity substation near London’s Heathrow Airport on Friday, March 21, is causing noticeable ripples in the global supply chain, specifically in relation to fish being transported out of Europe.

The fire, which caused an airport closure and significant diversions at Europe’s largest airport, has severely impacted cargo shipments for salmon departing Europe, including key salmon shipments from Norway, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands.

According to Janice Schreiber, Managing Editor at Expana, and Josh Bickert, Market Reporter at Expana, fish shipments from Europe average between 14.3 and...

Western Pacific Scientists Tackle Protected Species Issues and Strategic Planning

When it comes to fishing in the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council region, concerns over threatened or endangered species may be more prominent than concerns about fishing and its successful contributions to the region’s economy.

With that backdrop, the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee met earlier this month and reviewed protected species management in the region’s fisheries. Scientists discussed how the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act do more to regulate fisheries than the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, or MSA...

Maruha Nichiro Debuts New Company Name, Unveils New Long-term, Mid-term Strategies

Maruha Nichiro unveiled a new company name along with a new long-term vision and mid-term management plan. The Japanese seafood giant will be now known as Umios Corporation The company said ‘Umios’ is a word that combines “umi,” “one” and “solutions.”

“Our corporate identity has been changed to "Making people and the earth healthy through food, with value creation power originating from the ocean." We aim to become one with our bodies and the earth, and to find solutions to global social issues through food...

NL Snow Crab Fishery: Quota Rises, Protests Erupt, Prices Unresolved

It was a very, very busy weekend for the Newfoundland and Labrador snow crab fishery which featured a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) announcement, and update on dock price negotiations and protests.

The NL snow crab fishery received a 9% quota increase for the upcoming season. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced a 62,883 metric ton (t) quota, above 2024’s 57,568t mark and roughly 15% higher than 2023’s total. In February, the DFO showcased mostly good news for the snow crab fishery in the province, as Expana...

Premium Brands Minimizes Tariff Risk; Clearwater Seafoods Results Hit by Subpar Catches

Canada’s Premium Brands reported a record Q4 revenue of CAD 1.64 billion ($1.14 billion), a 5.4% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. The company also netted record Q4 adjusted EBITDA ($148.7 million). For the fiscal year, the company hit record revenue ($6.47 billion) and adjusted EBITDA ($593.7 million).

“2024 finished on a strong note driven by our Protein and Bakery Groups’ US sales initiatives, which generated approximately $50 million in sales volume growth in the quarter...

SENA 2025: Echo Falls Debuts New Retail Products and Packaging

During the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) 2025, seafood company Echo Falls Seafoods debuted new products and product packaging both at its booth exhibit and a seafood tasting held in the Wave Makers’ Zone on Monday, March 17.

The product and packaging debuts come six months after Echo Falls Seafood’s business rebranding, previously known as Ocean Beauty Seafoods Smoked and Value-Added division.

The company unveiled several new products for distribution at the seafood expo, also incorporating packaging upgrades, such as new, colorful packaging for its popular hot-smoked Atlantic...

Sen. Sullivan Addresses Alaska State Legislature, Supports More LNG, Oil, and Logging

Senator Dan Sullivan was optimistic in his annual address to the ‘Alaska Legislature yesterday, emphasizing resource development opportunities for Alaska under President Donald Trump's administration.  

Recognizing the impacts of removing federal workers from many jobs in Alaska as a result of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) actions in the last six weeks, Sullivan said “Job losses are always difficult on families and communities, especially in tight-knit states like ours, and they need to be done humanely and not randomly.” 

But Alaska’s junior Senator received warm and...

Pacific Halibut Fishery Opens March 20 to Reduced Catches

The 2025 Pacific halibut fishery kicks off on March 20 in regions spanning from the West Coast and British Columbia to the far reaches of Alaska’s Bering Sea. And once again, all users – commercial fishermen, sport charters, anglers and subsistence – will get smaller takes of the prized fish as the Pacific stock continues to flounder.

The coastwide “total removals” of halibut allowed for 2025 is 29.72 million pounds, a drop of 15.76% from 2024. For commercial fishermen, a catch limit of 19.7 million pounds is a decrease of 18.02%...