Lawmakers Sound Alarm as Musk's 'DOGE' Enter NOAA Offices

A pair of US lawmakers claimed that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has unlawfully gained access to the federal government and now has the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its sights.

In a joint statement, US House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Science, Space, and Technology Committee Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) said that DOGE has reached NOAA and is “wreaking havoc on the scientific and regulatory systems that protect American families’ safety and jobs...

US Becomes Largest Market for Norwegian Seafood Exports in January Amid Tariff Talks

The US was the largest market for Norwegian seafood exports in January 2025 on a value basis. The Norwegian Seafood Council said the country exported NOK 1.5 billion ($133.7 million), accounting for 9.7% of total exports.

“Even though President Donald Trump has talked a lot about increased tariffs for his trading partners, we note that January was a historic month for Norwegian seafood exports to the US. Never has Norway exported fish and shellfish worth as much to the US market as we did in January...

Bristol Seafood Names Bri Warner as VP of Marketing and Strategy

Bristol Seafood announced that Briana Warner has joined the company as Vice President – Marketing & Strategy.

"Since developing our chef-inspired My Fish Dish line of value-added products in 2019, Bristol has continued to innovate with the launch of Seafood Singles packaged for convenience, Cedar Plank developed for the grill, and Grab & Go," said Iréne Moon, Senior Vice President - Sales & Marketing at Bristol. "Today, shoppers can enjoy our products in over 3,800 stores throughout the United States. I’m excited to have Briana, a true driver...

AKVA Group Signs Contract with Cermaq Chile to Build Los Lagos Smolt Facility

Recently, global aquaculture solutions company AKVA Group signed a contract with salmon producer Cermaq Chile S.A. for the construction of a new smolt facility in the Los Lagos region of southern Chile, a key farming region within the country.

The construction contract, which is valued at EUR 30 million (NOK 351.9 million), follows the Letter of Intent (LOI) that Cermaq Chile awarded AKVA Group in October 2024...

Watch Out for Food and Beverage Companies with Big Game Commercials

It’s nearly time for “The Birds” to face the reigning champions in New Orleans. Food and beverage brands with creative advertising teams and big budgets wait all year to show off their best commercials in the short time they have with viewers’ undivided attention.

Such advertisements are impressive enough to instill annual recall and yearly expectations. Brands like Budweiser, Pepsico, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, or Doritos are oft-anticipated after years of advertising during the big game.

In 2025, a 30-second national spot during the broadcast...

2025 Awards Announced for Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation

The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (KGASF) recently announced its 2025 aquaculture scholarships, with awards going to four Indigenous students, all of whom represent federally recognized Tribes.

The KGASF was established in honor of Kurt Grinnell, a Native American leader from the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe in Washington State. Grinnell viewed aquaculture as a solution to Tribal food security, and Indigenous reconciliation and wellbeing.

Through the annual scholarship program, the Foundation provides financial assistance to Tribal and First Nations students who wish to pursue careers in aquaculture and natural resources...

Government of Canada Invests $25M in Port Infrastructure for Atlantic Canada

On February 5, the Honorable Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, announced that the Government of Canada would be investing up to $25 million in the Halifax Port Authority to improve environmental sustainability and supply chain efficiency. Funding will also support decarbonization efforts in the transportation sector and infrastructure resiliency.

Of the total $25 million, up to $22.5 million will go towards developing Halifax as a green shipping corridor. This will be done through the Green Shipping Corridor Program, which focuses on establishing...

New Orleans Restaurants Adjust to Oyster Recall as Big Game Approaches

On February 5, New Orleans hosted its first-ever OysterNight amid a Tuesday night oyster recall by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).

This comes as New Orleans, the host city for the big game, prepares for one of the largest national sporting events of the year.

Due to a potential norovirus outbreak, the LDH recalled oysters in Harvesting Area 3 after 15 diners got sick from eating oysters at local restaurants between January 15 and January 31.

Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham, M.D., and LDH Secretary Michael Harrington...

Shrimp Farmers in India Cite Struggles as Vannamei Seed Prices Rise

Vannamei shrimp seed prices have risen of late, causing headwinds for shrimp farmers in India, according to media reports.

The New Indian Express reported that shrimp seed prices in the Nellore region have been driven up by increased demand for high-quality seed and broodstock. Nellore is in Andhra Pradesh, the main hub for Vannamei shrimp production in India.

The publication noted that farmers have become uncertain about the profitability of shrimp farming as seed prices rise daily. As a result, the farmers...

Seafood Nutrition Partnership Appoints New Chair, Vice Chair of Board of Directors

The Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) announced Jason Driskill, vice president of seafood for retailer H-E-B, has been appointed as the new chair of the SNP’s Board of Directors.

Driskill oversees procurement, merchandising, marketing, and sustainability for fresh and frozen seafood, along with sushi, at all H-E-B Texas stores.

The SNP noted Driskill’s work with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) to make responsible sourcing choices. Before his time at H-E-B, Driskill led Texas operations for Pacific Seafood.

LDWF Investigates Saltwater Fish Kills Along Louisiana Coast Following Recent Freeze

Earlier this week, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) released a bulletin regarding recent reports of saltwater fish kills along Louisiana’s coast.

The announcement comes after coastal water temperatures fell below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, thereby reaching critical temperatures for saltwater fish species in the area like spotted seatrout, red drum, black drum, and sheepshead.

The conditions lasted for several days, and numerous reports of fish kills have been observed and documented.

On January 24, 2025, LDWF field biologists began their coastal water investigation. Those efforts are still...

Americold to Build a Cold Storage Facility in Port Saint John, Canada

Americold Realty Trust (NYSE: COLD), a global leader in temperature-controlled logistics, real estate, and value-added services focused on the ownership, operation, acquisition, and development of temperature-controlled warehouses, today announced plans to develop its first Import-Export Hub in Canada at Port Saint John in New Brunswick. This facility will be the first-of-its-kind globally to bring together Americold warehouse solutions with the maritime logistics capabilities of DP World and the rail logistics solutions of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX:CP) (NYSE:CP) (CPKC)...

Captain D’s Expands into Maryland and Texas

On February 5, American fast-casual seafood restaurant Captain D’s announced its expansion into Maryland and Texas.

Over the next seven years, Captain D’s will develop five new restaurants in Prince George County, Maryland. This marks the company’s expansion into the Northeast and its 24th state, thus building on more than 530 existing locations.

To achieve its Maryland development, Captain D’s is partnering with Shahid Raza and Ahmed Fawad, who represent an experienced team already operating successful restaurants and franchise businesses in New York, Maryland and Virginia Beach.

For Captain D’s Texas expansion...

Innovasea Introduces New Seabream Algorithm for Biomass Solution

Innovasea, a global leader in technologically advanced aquatic solutions for aquaculture and fish tracking, announced today the first commercially available seabream algorithm for biomass estimation.

This algorithm, part of Innovasea’s AI-powered biomass solution, BiomassPro, was rigorously tested and proven to deliver over 95% accuracy in real-time with gilthead seabream weight estimations for Aquafrais Cannes. Located off the coast of France, Aquafrais Cannes has been a leader in French aquaculture for over 35 years, advancing sustainable methods for growing high-quality seabream and sea bass...

US Agricultural Workforce on High Alert Amid Immigration Crackdown

The US agricultural workforce is on edge due to fears of potential raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a renewed focus on immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. According to data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Economic Research Service (ERS), 42% of crop farmworkers lacked legal work authorization in the U.S. between 2020 and 2022. With the agricultural sector heavily reliant on immigrant labor, the possibility of stricter enforcement has sparked widespread concern across the industry.

Farmworkers' concerns have made national headlines, including...

ASC Blasts Norway’s Surcharge on Certified Salmon in Latest Aquaculture Tax Proposal

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) raised concerns about the latest version of Norway’s aquaculture tax, which could see ASC-certified fish subject to a NOK 2.00 per kg surcharge.

ASC CEO Chris Ninnes wrote a letter to Norway’s Ministry of Finance raising concerns about the proposed resource rent tax on Norwegian salmon, trout, and rainbow trout. ASC said it was not informed of the details of the proposed tax, and nothing has been made public, so it had to rely on a newsletter report published...

Nova Scotia Seafood Sector Embarks on Trade Mission to Europe Amid Stalled Tariffs

Recently, Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Kent Smith led a trade mission to Europe, alongside a delegation of key stakeholders within the Atlantic Canadian seafood sector, in an effort to diversify the country’s seafood market, especially amid President Trump’s pending US import tariffs.

The delegation, comprised of six Nova Scotian seafood companies and eight Atlantic Canadian seafood companies, included participation by the following seafood leaders: Lobster Hub Inc., Louisbourg Seafoods Ltd., Victoria Co-Operative Fisheries Ltd., Tribune Seafood Inc., Gidney Fisheries Ltd...