Mass Firings at NOAA Spark Outrage Among Fishery Scientists

Yesterday 880 employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including those working for NOAA Fisheries, received their pink slips as part of the Trump administration’s effort to make the federal bureaucracy more efficient. 

NOAA, part of the Department of Commerce, is the latest in a string of federal agencies targeted for cuts by billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“The firings jeopardize our ability to forecast and respond to extreme weather events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods—putting communities in harm’s way,” said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell...

ANALYSIS: Deep Dive into the World of Snow Crab in 2025 as Canadian Season Looms

 

As February turns to March, all eyes become fixated on the snow crab markets around the world. Late this month and into the beginning of March, the US market will begin to see new season product out of Norway. The quota in Norway for snow crab was increased for the 2025 season, up 24 percent or 3.5 million pounds. It’s a healthy increase, but in comparison to total Canadian imports into the US market in 2024, which were 112.9 million...

NWAA Sues Washington DNR Over Commercial Net Pen Ban, Citing Flawed Rulemaking

The Northwest Aquaculture Alliance (NWAA) filed a lawsuit against Washington State’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for its ban of commercial finfish net pen aquaculture in state waters.

NWAA President, Jim Parsons, said DNR, led by its former Lands Commissioner, “Conducted a predetermined and inadequate rulemaking process that ignored the best-available science and ignored the intent of the State Legislature when it set forth a new law allowing for the production of native species in commercial net pens...

Lobster Prices Drive Improved Landings Value for Maine’s Fishing Industry

New data shared by the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) indicated that harvesters in the state earned $74 million more in 2024 than in 2023 with total landings valued at $709,509,984.

“During a year shaped by unprecedented storms and damage to our working waterfronts, Maine’s commercial fishermen, aquaculturists, and seafood dealers once again delivered a major economic benefit to our state,” said Governor Janet Mills. “They did so through hard work and their time-honored commitment to producing and delivering the best seafood in the world...

GAPP Reports Record Year for Wild Alaska Pollock Consumption

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) said 2024 was a record year for American consumers' consumption of US-caught Wild Alaska Pollock.

GAPP explained that it tracks the global supplies and trade of Pacific pollock and classifies the amount consumed in the US into two categories: “Alaska Pollock,” made from Pacific pollock harvested in US waters, and “pollock,” which was harvested in other countries, mostly in Russia.

“Because of consumer preferences for U.S.-origin products and because only Pacific pollock...

Agri-Food Europe: EU Protein Markets Facing Disease and Geopolitical Challenges in 2025

Expana’s Sandro Schulz, EMEA protein team lead, Rutika Ghodekar, senior commodity analyst, and Dineo Komane, Market Reporter explored the challenges animal protein markets at Expana’s Agri-Food Europe event in Amsterdam this week.

European animal protein markets, mainly dairy, eggs, beef, pork, and poultry markets, share some of the challenges expected for 2025: spread of animal diseases, regulations affecting trade and production, and general geopolitical uncertainty.

Sustainability efforts have, for example, contributed to an increase in egg prices...

Trump’s Political Appointments: What They Mean for Commodity Markets

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was sworn in for this second term as US President. JD Vance also took the oath of office to become the 47th Vice President.

The new President and his political appointments have dotted headlines in the agricultural commodity space and beyond–grabbing the attention of individuals worldwide. More importantly, the people Trump is bringing aboard to lead, regulate, or deregulate the country’s industries will carry with them implications for domestic and international commodity markets...

Atlantic Sapphire is the First US Land-Based Salmon Farmer to Achieve ASC Certification

Atlantic Sapphire recently earned an Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification for its salmon farming operations in Homestead, Florida. This makes the Florida-based aquaculture company the first salmon farm in the United States, and the latest salmon farm in North America, to achieve ASC certification.

Initially founded in 2010, Atlantic Sapphire utilizes a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) for its land-based commercial salmon farming operations, which eliminates the use of antibiotics or pesticides, removes the presence of microplastics and mercury in the water source, and mitigates...

Fisheries Council of Canada Appoints Jason McLinton as New President

The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) appointed Jason McLinton as its new president, effective March 24, 2025.

McLinton enters the role with over 25 years of experience in government and regulatory affairs. He most recently worked with the Innovation, Science, and Economic Development (ISED) where he was a Senior Project Leader with the Grocery Task Force and Office of Consumer Affairs. Before that, he was the Retail Council of Canada (RCC)’s Vice President of the Grocery Division and Regulatory Affairs, focusing on critical areas including food...

McDonald’s, Red Lobster, and Long John Silver’s Lead Off the 2025 Lenten Seafood Promotions

In anticipation of the fast-approaching 2025 Lenten season, several U.S. restaurants—including McDonald’s, Red Lobster, and Long John Silver's, to name a few—are showcasing new or existing seafood products on their menus.

While some menu items are consistent landmarks, others are limited-time only (LTO) offerings available now and for the duration of Lent, with most promotions running until the end of April. This year, the Lenten season will run from March 5 through April 17.  

Several restaurants are collaborating with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute...

Grieg Seafood Completes Successful Placement of Perpetual Green Hybrid Bond

On February 27, 2025, British Columbian (B.C.) salmon farmer Grieg Seafood ASA announced the successful placement of a new perpetual green hybrid bond issue of NOK 2 million ($177.6 million) with a first call date after four years.

Bond details

Proceeds for the bond—which has a coupon, or interest rate, of three months at a Norwegian Inter-Bank Offer Rate (NIBOR) of 5.75%—will go towards financing Grieg’s green projects, as further defined by the Green Bond Framework.

Among its financial activities will be the refinancing of existing...

Santa Monica Seafood Shutters Costa Mesa Market, Cafe After 25 Years

In an unexpected social media post, Los Angeles-based Santa Monica Seafood announced that it will close its Costa Mesa Market and Cafe. The statement was brief, with gratitude to loyal customers in the area, about an hour and ten minutes by car from its Santa Monica flagship store.

“This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you soon,” the company posted on Facebook February 19. “We’d love to welcome you at our Santa Monica location: 1000 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401. Thank you for your support...

Russian Cod Catch Dips Amid Stock Declines

Russia is experiencing a decline in cod catch, contributing to the growth of prices in the local market.

According to the latest data of the Russian Fish Union, the cod catch in the Russian Far East declined by 6.4% to 107,000 last year compared to 2023, while in the Northern Basin, the decline was even deeper – by 19.5% to 223,000 tons.

The situation with cod catch remains complex this year, while as of February 9, the decline of catch in the Northern Basin declined by further 13.8% year-on-year...

Agricultural Trade Highlighted During Greer's USTR Confirmation Hearing

On February 6, the Senate committee hearing was conducted for Trump’s nomination to the US Trade Representative (USTR), Jamieson Greer who previously served as the Chief of Staff to the agency under Robert Lighthizer. Since then, Greer has been advanced by the committee to a forthcoming Senate confirmation vote.

During the hearing, Greer spoke about bipartisan trade policy–notably the tariffs on China that were kept by the Biden administration. Greer says he wants the position because he believes America should be a country of producers...

Trump’s Canada-Mexico Tariff Timeline Shifts Again, Hints at EU Trade War

US President Donald Trump announced that tariffs on Canada and Mexico will be delayed until April 2 during a televised press conference with his cabinet.

This comes just days after Trump said the tariffs would be implemented at the start of March as the President continues to oscillate on the tariff implementation date involving the country’s neighbors.

Amid Trump’s comment regarding the April 2 tariff start date, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick added that America’s neighbors had to satisfy the president’s demands regarding border security and fentanyl crossing into the US border, suggesting that some levies could be enacted next week.

“It’s going to be hard to satisfy,” Trump said following Lutnick’s explanation.

High Liner Foods Shows Uptick in Q4 Profits Despite Overall Dip in FY2024

Value-added frozen seafood company High Liner Foods Incorporated (High Liner) just released its fourth quarter and 2024 financial results, showing a quarterly increase in gross profit despite an overall decrease in gross profit for the year, along with sales, which decreased across the board.

Looking at adjusted EBITDA, gross profits, and sales

For the fourth quarter, the Nova Scotia-based seafood processor reported an adjusted EBITDA increase of US$1.9 million (+8.7%), amounting to $23.8 million, as well as a gross profit increase...

Texas Food Importer L&V Food Supply Recalls Over 1,150 Pounds of Dried Vietnamese Catfish

On February 25, 2025, C&T Produce Wholesale Inc. (doing business as L&V Food Supply) issued a recall for approximately 1,152 pounds of peppered frozen and dried catfish products imported from Vietnam into the U.S.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the fish products were produced by an establishment in Vietnam that is not eligible to export catfish to the U.S. As such, the products were not presented for import reinspection into the U.S...