ILA and USMX Avoid Work Stoppage with New Six-Year Contract

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) reached a tentative agreement on all items for a new six-year Master Contract on January 8, per a joint press release.

The two sides agreed to continue to operate under the current contract until the union can meet with its full Wage Scale Committee and schedule a ratification vote, and USMX members can ratify the terms of the final contract, per the joint statement.

“We are pleased to announce that ILA and USMX have reached a...

Global Seas Announces Leadership Transition as Seafood Industry Veteran Bob Desautel Steps Down

Global Seas, a Seattle-based harvesting and vessel management company, announced that its founder, Bob Desautel, would be stepping down from his role as chief executive of the firm and transitioning to the role of Chairman, per a January 7 announcement from the company.

Desautel has worked in the seafood industry for over four and a half decades and has become a staple within the Wild Alaska Pollock industry. Global Seas said his vast experience has been pivotal to the company’s growth and success over...

Economist Dr. Nomi Prins to Keynote Seafood Expo North America 2025

Seafood Expo North America (SENA) is right around the corner.

North America's largest seafood trade event announced Dr. Nomi Prins as its 2025 keynote speaker. Prins, PhD, is a macro-economist, geopolitical expert and best-selling author. Prins will provide an economic outlook for the seafood industry.

Prins will also host a tailored discussion on topics ranging from tariff policies and regulations and their impact on the supply chain to energy policies and AI. The keynote is titled, “Riding the Waves: Navigating...

8F Asset Management Secures $460 Million for RAS Salmon Facility in Japan

8F Asset Management based in Singapore, the parent company of Soul of Japan of Tokyo, which aims to produce Atlantic salmon using a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in Mie Prefecture, has raised 460 million US dollars or 72.678 billion yen for the construction and operation of the facility. The company announced this on January 6. The amount raised includes 33 billion yen ($209.10 million) received from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation in June 2024, and an additional 39.7 billion yen ($251.55 million) has been raised, according...

Eight-Year High for FDA Entry Line Refusals of Antibiotic Contaminated Shrimp

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released data showing a total of 64 seafood entry line refusals in December 2024—not including entry line refusals of shrimp for reasons related to banned antibiotics—and a total of 79 entry line refusals of shrimp for the presence of banned antibiotics, as determined by product traces of veterinary drug residues.

The latter datum marks an eight-year high since 2016, when the FDA refused 134 shrimp entry lines due to the presence of banned antibiotics. Meanwhile, the...

ANALYSIS: First Edition of Expana's Monthly Pet Food Market Insight

Bakkafrost Renews Sponsorship of Faroese Men's National Football Team for Four More Years

Faroese salmon farmer Bakkafrost recently signed a new partnership agreement with the Faroese Football Association (FSF), confirming that the aquaculture company will remain the main sponsor of the Faroese men’s national football team for another four years, extending through 2028.

The partnership has been in place since 2012, now going on 13 years.

Regin Jacobsen, CEO or Bakkafrost, commented on the matter, saying, “We see great value in the Faroese national football team, which we also believe is an excellent representative for the Faroe Islands..."

Maine Cooperative Lobster 207 Wins $5 Million Settlement in CEO Misconduct Case 

Lobster 207, a co-op formed by the Maine Lobstering Union (MLU), landed a $5 million settlement in its favor after five years in court against a former CEO, Warren Pettegrow, his parents, and other parties.

Lobster 207 alleged that the defendants engaged in a “course of misconduct that resulted in serious economic injuries to Lobster 207 " through schemes, rackets, and misrepresentations. The Portland Press Herald reported that the family continues to deny the charges.

The lawsuit, filed in 2019, alleges that the Pettegrows defrauded...

USDA’s Section 32 Program Agrees to Purchase up to $55M in Farm-Raised Catfish and Gulf Shrimp

Catfish and shrimp producers in the southern U.S. will soon benefit from a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchase agreement involving the procurement of up to $30 million in farm-raised catfish products and $25 million in Gulf shrimp for distribution to various nutrition assistance programs.

The $55 million seafood purchase agreement—allowed through the permanently authorized Section 32 Program—follows two USDA purchase agreements from 2024 for up to $36 million in Gulf of Mexico and...

Grieg Seafood NL Clarifies Temporary Pause in Post-Smolt Facility Construction

Grieg Seafood NL confirmed that the pause in construction for its planned post-smoltification (PSA) facility in Newfoundland and Labrador was a temporary measure.

The statement from the company follows a news report produced by NTV, which featured the mayor of Marystown, NL, showcasing his worries about the project's future, along with Grieg’s presence in the community.

“Is this just a ploy to let it go gingerly into the future to soften the blow?” Marystown Mayor Brian Keating theorized...

Biden Signs FISHES Act to Expedite Fishery Disaster Relief

President Joe Biden signed the FISHES Act, legislation that aims to speed up the process of fishery disaster relief allocation, into law on January 4.

“The Fishery Improvement to Streamline Untimely Regulatory Hurdles post Emergency Situation Act (FISHES) will create procedures for reviewing spending plans submitted to the Department of Commerce by requesters seeking fishery resource disaster assistance funding,” per a briefing from the White House.

The legislation has received the support of 160 endorsing entities, including 107 organizations and 52 members of the U.S. House of Representatives...

Genetic Testing Finds Texas Restaurants Mislabeling Shrimp

More restaurants in the Gulf region have been found to sell imported shrimp despite “claims, implications, or menu descriptions” that indicate the offerings were wild-caught shrimp from Texas.

SEAD (Seafood Development) Consulting conducted another genetic testing investigation in the Gulf of Mexico region, this time finding that just shy of 60% of restaurants tested in Galveston and Kemah, Texas, were serving imported shrimp.

SEAD noted that several sampled restaurants advertised Gulf shrimp on their menus but served imported farm-raised products instead. Restaurants also used “misleading marketing, imagery, or descriptions” that implied...

Japanese Sea Urchins to Be Exported to EU for the First Time

Kitasanriku Factory of Iwate Prefecture, the first sea urchin facility in Japan to receive EU HACCP certification, will export to the Netherlands, France, Italy, and other countries in the future. The company's CFO, Hirokazu Suzuki, has received inquiries from several European companies, saying, "High-quality sea urchins are in demand in Europe, and there is strong demand for Japanese sea urchins in French and Italian restaurants," reported Minato Shimbun.

On December 13, 2024, the company's head office plant was certified for four items...

Teamsters and Costco at an Impasse Ahead of Contract Deadline 

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has announced that negotiations with Costco reached an abrupt standstill on January 7, 2025.

Tension ignited with parties after Teamsters filed unfair labor practice charges against the company, citing incidents such as the expulsion of union representatives, harassment of employees wearing union buttons, removal of union literature, and changes to locks on union bulletin boards.

After weeks of discord, Costco rejected several key proposals put forth by the Teamsters, including vital language concerning seniority, inclement weather policies, paid family leave, bereavement policies...

The Retail Rundown: Post-Holiday Slowdown Influences January Spending 

January typically marks a slowdown in consumer spending as households transition from the holiday season to their regular routines.

Early in the month, retailers experience a short-lived boost in sales, driven by replenishment efforts after the holiday food rush. As schools reopen and guests leave, families restock essentials for breakfast, lunch, and weeknight meals.

This restocking coincides with New Year’s resolutions, especially those focused on healthier eating. Consequently, shoppers gravitate toward the perimeter of the stores where fresh items, including produce, proteins, and dairy, are featured. Although retail...

Washington Hits the Magic Number to Open Dungeness Fishery

At long last, the Dungeness crab off Long Beach in Washington tested full enough to open the fishery north of Cape Falcon.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Tuesday that Oregon's commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open Jan. 15 from Cape Falcon, on the northern Oregon Coast, to Klipsan Beach, Washington. A fourth round of preseason testing in Long Beach, Wash., shows crab quality at 24.3%, which is above the 23% necessary to open the season. In other words, it meets the optimal commercial harvest ...

Russie Eyeing Increase in Crab Exports to China in 2025

Russia hopes to increase its crab exports to China this year, as it has witnessed stable demand within the market, according to recent statements, made by representatives of local producers and some Russian media reports.

As Alexey Dakhnovsky, a Russian Trade Representative in China, recently told an interview with the Russian RIA Novosti newswire, the demand for Russian crabs in China is steadily growing, while Chinese customers are actively buying Russian crabs.

In recent months, Russia has significantly increased its...