Indonesia's Blue Swimming Crab Exports in Jeopardy Amid Stricter Currency Controls

The latest trade policy initiated by Indonesia will likely have an outsized impact on the blue swimming crab meat trade compared to other seafood species produced within the country. 

Earlier this week, Expana reported that a new regulation would require Indonesia’s exporters (including fisheries and forestry) to retain their earnings for a full year in a special account in a national bank. A previous policy forced exporters to keep at least 30% of export proceeds in the local financial system for at least 90 days...

Canada Sees 582% Sales Increase for MSC Labeled Tuna

Recently, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) released its first-ever Canada Tuna Report, illustrating immense growth in Canada’s demand and sales for MSC-certified tuna products over the last two years.

Most significantly, the North American country saw a 582% increase in tuna volume sold between 2022 and 2024 — 99.5% of which was sold in cans. This volume grew from 1,907 MT in 2022 to more than 13,000 MT in 2024.

According to the MSC, tuna represents 60% of all MSC labeled seafood sold by weight in Canada, while tuna represents...

Seafood Expo North America Announces 2025 Conference Program

Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America (SENA) recently announced its 2025 conference program, which will begin on Sunday, March 16.

The program will include more than 30 sessions and address a range of topics impacting the seafood industry including the following: seafood consumption and consumer trends, policy trends and regulatory issues, AI, labor rights, and marine plastics, among others.

Case studies and expert insights across various fields will be provided, with keynote speaker, macro-economist, geopolitical financial expert, and best-selling author Nomi Prins, PhD, kicking off the program...

Japan's 2024 Salmon and Trout Imports Increased 8%, Driven by 20% Increase in Frozen Coho

In 2024, Japan's total salmon and trout imports increased 6% year-on-year to 294.40 billion yen ($1.94 billion), as total import volume increased 8% to 230,879 tons, and the total average unit price fell 2% to 1,275 yen/kg. Frozen coho salmon led the overall import.

Meanwhile, frozen imports increased 6% to 214.03 billion yen ($1.41 billion), with quantity increasing by 9% to 189,877 tons. Sockeye salmon decreased by 40% to 15,955 tons, but coho salmon increased by 18% to 99,127 tons...

SeaPak Debuts New Cajun-Style Shrimp Product

Frozen seafood brand SeaPak debuted a new cajun style shrimp product that became available this month at retailers including Meijer, Food Lion, Hannaford, Schuncks and Giant Eagle. 

The new SeaPak Classic Cajun Style Shrimp features a New Orleans spice blend, including salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic. Butter is also featured to melt the seasonings into a sauce that can be paired with rice, grits, or French bread.

"Our taste tests have shown that people love how fresh and well-seasoned SeaPak Classic Cajun Style Shrimp is...

Yumbah Aquaculture Active on the M&A Front Again; Eyeing Merger with Clean Seas Seafood

Australia-based Yumbah Aquaculture is eyeing a merger with fellow Australian seafood firm Clean Seas Seafood (CSS).

The proposed deal values Clean Seas at AU$28.1 million ($17.9 million), per Business News Australia. CSS noted that the merger would see Yumbah acquire 100% of CSS shares by way of a scheme of arrangement (“Scheme”) offering AU$0.14 cash per share.

Yumbah was described as a vertically owned shellfish farmer with operations across South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales...

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, Hilborn Lab Launch Latest FIP Database Update

The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and the Hilborn Lab at the University of Washington have launched the latest update of their Fishery Improvement Projects Database (FIP-DB). The database tracks the scope, attributes, and progress of FIPs worldwide and the fisheries they aim to improve.

The FIB-DB compiles and standardizes data from publicly available platforms, including SFP’s own Improvement Projects Tracker and FisheryProgress.org. The new update covers over 340 FIPs that have existed since then, monitoring over 400 fish stocks across 1,000 fisheries globally...

Senate Confirms Lutnick as Commerce Secretary

Howard Lutnick was confirmed as commerce secretary by the Senate on February 18. He will now oversee over 50,000 employees, including those at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Lutnick is the CEO of financial services giant Cantor Fitzgerald and has worked as the co-chair of Trump’s transition team.

When he was first nominated, Trump said Lutnick would “lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative.”

At the time, Lutnick’s stance on fisheries was largely unknown. While questions remain...

The Retail Rundown: Cold Weather Influences Demand

As February winds down, grocers are looking ahead to the arrival of spring and warmer weather, which typically sparks renewed retail demand after a slower start to the year.

For now, wintry weather remains in full blast, with record-breaking cold temperatures and heavy snow impacting the Central and Eastern US this week. These conditions could support continued retail demand for items like eggs, which are seeing strong consumer interest despite rising shelf prices. However, the extreme cold may not be as favorable for meat consumption, especially in southern regions accustomed to year...

Russia’s Kamchatka Krai Experiences Serious Problems with Salmon Stock, Catch

The Kamchatka Krai, one of the centers of fish catch in Russia, has been experiencing serious difficulties lately, mainly due to the decrease in salmon stock, according to recent statements made by Vladimir Solodov, the governor of the region.

Vladimir Solodov comments:

"It is a difficult situation in the Kamchatka fisheries complex at present, because several factors have come together. The most important is low salmon runs."

The low salmon run means a decrease in the number of fish returning to spawn. As the governor has also added...

ANALYSIS: 2024 Frozen Tuna Fillet Imports Reach Second Highest Levels on Record

In 2024, total imports of frozen tuna fillets amounted to 95.11 million pounds, making it the second-highest import volume on record. The record was set in 2022 with 105.49 million pounds, while 2019 ranks third with imports totaling 90 million pounds.  Since 2007, tuna imports have been on an upward trajectory, tripling in volume. Throughout most of this period, Indonesia was the predominant exporter, consistently maintaining a lead over Vietnam...

Interstate Warehousing Announces Expansion of Arizona Cold Storage Facility

Public refrigerated warehouse company Interstate Warehousing just announced expansion plans for its Kingman, Arizona cold storage facility.

The facility, which opened a little over one year ago, has fulfilled approximately 100,000 orders since its grand opening.

Interstate Warehousing (IH), a Tippmann Group company, initiated the expansion to meet additional customer needs for cold storage and distribution space.

The 92-acre Kingman site contains enough land to reach 1.2 million square footage in its aimed expansion. Expansion will result in a facility spanning 467,000 square feet and housing more than 54,000 pallet...

Landmark California Agreement Focuses on Removing Eel River Dams

First, Klamath River dams were removed in 2024, giving salmon miles more habitat on an important watershed. And soon, salmon will have roughly 300 new miles of river open on the Eel River in California. A new agreement last week between fishing industry groups and county, state and tribal officials will remove dams on the Eel River while still providing water for agriculture. 

California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham joined the Round Valley Indian Tribes...

Science Center for Marine Fisheries Announces $277,857 in Research Funding for 2025

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries is continuing its mission funding critical shellfish and finfish research, approving $277,857 in funding for 2025. The five new projects funded by the Center will address research priorities that have been identified by members of the fishing industry, broadening our understanding of commercially important species and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of vital regional fisheries.

A project of the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program, SCEMFIS brings together leading researchers in the marine science community with participants...

Indonesia’s New Export Policy Poses Challenges for Seafood Industry 

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has enacted a new policy requiring exporters to retain their earnings for a full year in a special account at a national bank. 

Previously, Indonesia mandated that all resource exporters—including those in fisheries, mining, plantations, and forestry—keep at least 30% of export proceeds in the local financial system for a minimum of 90 days, provided the transaction exceeded $250,000. The latest policy significantly extends this holding period, potentially reshaping exporters' financial liquidity. 

This shift could create substantial challenges for Indonesia’s seafood industry...

Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher to Retire

Maine Governor Janet Mills announced that Patrick Keliher, the long-time Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), will retire on March 14.

Keliher was the longest-serving commissioner in DMR’s history. Mills reappointed him in 2019, but he had been in the role since 2012.

“Over his tenure, Keliher has earned a reputation as a strong and influential voice for the protection of Maine's marine resources and environment, and a powerful advocate for the Maine industries, communities, and people that depend on them...

FDA Expands Oyster Advisory for Louisiana Area 3

On February 18, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded its oyster advisory to restaurants and retailers in six new states: Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia.

The affected oysters, which were recalled by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) on February 4, were harvested from Louisiana Area 3 between January 10, 2025, and February 4, 2025, and have since been associated with norovirus contamination.

This comes after the FDA’s February 12 advisory, in which it determined that the recalled oysters were sent to the following states...