ANALYSIS: Record Peeled Volume Drives August US Shrimp Import Total, Closes Year-to-Date Deficit

August imports totaled 175.7 million lbs, close to the 176.0 million lbs estimate and the Expana projection at the aggregate level. The composition differed from expectations: peeled imports reached 97.3 million lbs, above the estimated range's upper bound of 93.3 million lbs.

This is the largest peeled volume recorded in a single month in the available data. July's total of 94.9 million lbs was the second-largest on record, behind August 2021's 96.6 million lbs; August 2026 surpassed that figure...

Hodges: Fall Crab Supply Improves. Buyers Remain Selective

October’s National Seafood Month provides a timely opportunity to promote seafood and begin planning holiday purchases. For the crab industry, the fall outlook brings encouraging news from Alaska, limited uncommitted Canadian snow crab inventory, and continued growth in Norwegian snow crab shipments to the United States. The opportunity is there, but consumer response to current prices will determine how much additional business develops.

Alaska’s new allocations are a particularly positive development, led by a major increase in Bering Sea Tanner crab. The combined eastern and western allocations total 32.1 million pounds...

ADF&G Sets 2026/27 Bering Sea Crab TACs: Tanner Crab Nearly Triples to 32.1 Mlbs as Snow Crab Dips

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for the 2026/27 Bering Sea crab season, with tanner crab significantly up from last year and snow crab down. Bristol Bay Red King Crab (BBRKC) TAC is also up from last year, to 3.41 million pounds.

Snow Crab

The 2026/27 Bering Sea snow crab fishery has a total TAC of 5.1 million pounds, comprised of 4.59 million pounds in the...

NOAA Confirms 76 US Large Whale Entanglements for 2025; 2026 Expected to Break All-time Record

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has just confirmed 76 large whale entanglement cases in 2025, a decrease from 2024. But according to a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), public data from May showed that at least 51 whales died on the U.S. West Coast so far this year.

NOAA’s National Report on Large Whale Entanglements Confirmed in the United States in 2025 states that entanglements in 2025 were lower than the 95 confirmed large whale entanglement cases in 2024...

Norwegian Seafood Exports Flat in September Despite Record Salmon Volumes, US Sales Keep Sliding

Norway exported seafood worth NOK 17.8 billion ($1.9 billion) in September, down NOK 27 million from the same month last year — essentially flat, even as the country shipped more salmon in a single month than ever before.

"Norway has never exported a higher volume of salmon in a single month than it did in September," said Christian Chramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council. "At the same time, prices have risen in both euros and US dollars...

Japan Kamaboko Association Warns of Surimi Price Spike; Pangasius Demand May Boost Supply

On Sept. 30 in Osaka, the Japan Kamaboko Association held its first West Japan Block Meeting—drawing 43 attendees, including executives from member surimi-product companies—to share updates on surimi raw materials and discuss challenges facing manufacturers, the Minato Shimbun reported. Presentations covered production trends and processing systems for pollock surimi from the US and Russia and for farmed pangasius surimi from Vietnam, and also included a lecture on the health benefits of fish protein aimed at supporting...

Ambienta Acquires Four Aquaculture Technology Companies to Build Nordic Platform

European asset manager Ambienta SGR S.p.A. has acquired four aquaculture technology companies and combined them into a new Nordic industrial platform focused on sustainable aquaculture, the firm said.

The companies, Bio Marine AS, Flatsetsund Engineering AS (FLS), Smir AS and P/F GroAqua Group, supply technologies spanning fish health, feed optimization, aquaculture equipment, farming systems and waste treatment. Ambienta said the platform is designed to scale those technologies across species and geographies, while creating cross-selling opportunities and supporting product development...

VARPE: Russian Fishing Industry Debt Pressure Intensifies as Salmon Catch Craters

Financial pressure on Russia's fishing industry has intensified sharply in recent years, and the strain shows no sign of easing as the country's broader economic situation remains difficult.

That's according to German Zverev, president of the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises (VARPE), who told Russian media that annual loan payments made by fishing industry companies have nearly quadrupled over the past three years, while the industry's operating cash flow has grown just 1.2 times over the same period...

Sustainable Shrimp Partnership and GOe Partner on Gastronomic Innovation Project

Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP), The National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) and GOe – Gastronomy Open Ecosystem, Basque Culinary Center’s (BCC) gastronomic innovation hub, have entered into a partnership to analyze the attributes of Ecuadorian shrimp, its performance in culinary preparations, and the criteria chefs and other professionals use to select and assess it in the Spanish market.

The partnership encompasses research, innovation, training and promotion projects through GOe Tech Center, Basque Culinary Center’s gastronomy technology center, to generate evidence about the product and share that knowledge...

Aquamar's 'Chickensanity' Campaign Pits Scallops Against Wings for Game Day

Aquamar is using National Seafood Month to pick a fight with chicken — a fight the company has actually been teasing since the spring.

The seafood company has launched a campaign called "Chickensanity," built around a new product, Crispy Scallop Bites, designed to compete directly with wings, tenders and other snackable chicken formats at tailgates and on game day. Chef Brad Barnes, Aquamar's chef and President of Pure Food Consulting, says the pitch isn't about seafood already winning share from chicken. It's about closing what he calls an "occasion problem...

ANALYSIS: India's Shrimp Exports Hold Ground as US Share Shrinks, China Climbs

India's shrimp trade picture for July reveals a mixed but resilient export sector. Monthly volumes climbed 3.2% to 82,445 MT, as the spring harvest from both the East and West coasts came fully online, adding fresh supply to the pipeline. The year-to-date numbers, however, tell a more nuanced story. While cumulative volumes (January-July) have nudged up marginally by 1.2% to 378,941 MT, total revenue has slipped 3.3% to USD 3,091 million, a sign that pricing pressure is outweighing the modest gains in shipped quantity...

Sealaska Sells European Seafood Business to Sojitz

Sealaska Corporation has sold its interests in Sealaska Foods International Holdings Ltd., a group of European seafood businesses that includes U.K.-based New England Seafood International and operations in Norway and Iceland.

The Alaska Native regional corporation said late last week that its subsidiary, Woocheen, completed the sale as part of a strategy to unlock value from its global business platform and direct more resources to shareholder programs.

The European seafood businesses will join Sojitz Corp., a Japanese trading and investment company with operations in Japan and...

New EIS Describes Potential Impacts on Western Alaska if Donlin Dam Failed by Only 27 Percent

Nearly two weeks have passed since the new court-ordered analysis of the planned Donlin mine tailings dam was released to the public. Reaction from residents, environmental organizations, and tribal groups has been strong.

The new draft supplemental environmental impact statement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was ordered because the original EIS, completed in 2018, analyzed a potential break that would release of up to 0.5% of the millions of tons of material held behind...

Bakkafrost Becomes First Salmon Producer Certified Against ASC's New Global Farm Standard

Bakkafrost has become the first Atlantic salmon producer in the world to have farms certified against the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's (ASC) new Farm Standard, marking a milestone in the salmon sector's transition to ASC's global certification framework, the organization announced.

Three Bakkafrost farming sites in the Faroe Islands have achieved certification against the new standard, with the company now progressing the transition of its remaining sites in the Faroe Islands and Scotland. Bakkafrost chose to adopt the standard well ahead of the industry's transition deadline, building on...

IFFO: Peru's Anchovy Closure Keeps 2026 Fishmeal Supply on Pace for Lowest Since 2016

Raw material supply intended for fishmeal and fish oil production improved globally in August 2026, with stronger intake in several regions outweighing ongoing softness elsewhere, according to new data from IFFO, the trade body representing the marine ingredients industry. But the rebound hasn't been enough to offset an extended closure in Peru, the industry's largest single producer, with IFFO still projecting 2026 global fishmeal supply to hit its lowest level in a decade...

Mexico Opens Shrimp Fisheries in Parts of Pacific and Gulf of Mexico

Mexico has opened shrimp fishing in parts of the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean as the country begins its fall fishing season for several key species.

Mexico’s National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries, or Conapesca, announced the openings based on recommendations from the Mexican Institute for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, known as IMIPAS. The measures are intended to support the conservation and sustainable management of marine and freshwater resources.

In the Gulf of Mexico, shrimp fishing opened Oct. 1 in Tabasco’s...

Pike Place Fish Market Moves to Square for Payments, Operations

Seattle seafood retailer Pike Place Fish Market has selected Square as its unified commerce platform, moving away from a payment system it had used for more than a decade.

The move is aimed at modernizing the market’s day-to-day operations, streamlining in-person payments and creating a technology platform that can support the business as it grows.

Pike Place Fish Market, which has operated at Seattle’s Pike Place Market since 1930, draws more than 20,000 visitors daily and is known for its high-volume...

Commerce Finalizes AD Review on Thai Frozen Shrimp, Keeps Thai Union Rate at 1.76%

The US Department of Commerce has finalized its administrative review of the antidumping duty order on frozen warmwater shrimp from Thailand, confirming that select Thai producers and exporters sold the product below normal value during the review period and leaving margins unchanged from its preliminary findings.

Commerce determined that certain producers/exporters subject to this administrative review made sales of certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Thailand at less than normal value during the period of review...

FMI Report Shows Prepared Foods are Becoming Part of How Shoppers Build Meals at Home

The Food Industry Association (FMI) has released the 11th edition of its annual report series examining consumer behaviors and shopping patterns around deli-prepared foods in grocery stores.

The latest findings in The Power of Foodservice at Retail 2026 suggest grocery prepared foods are now a regular part of how consumers approach meals at home, with many shoppers blending store-prepared items with home cooking rather than treating foodservice as a separate occasion. The survey was conducted online using Qualtrics...

The Retail Rundown: Holiday Demand Patterns Reshape Protein Markets

October sparks a shift in the retail space as consumers move beyond grilling toward heartier meals. The seasonal transition creates opportunities for retailers to promote roasts, ground beef, pork shoulder, and other cuts used in soups, chili, and other comfort-food applications. 

With October also serving as National Pork Month, promotional activity is picking up steam. USDA’s latest Weekly Grocery Store Pork Feature Activity report shows the national pork feature rate at 92.3%, up about ten points from the previous week.

Circana reported advertised prices of $2.22/lb. for pork...

Friend of the Sea Updates Labels to Meet Tougher EU Sustainability Claims Rules

Friend of the Sea is rolling out updated certification labels aimed at making its environmental claims more specific and easier to verify as the EU tightens rules around sustainability labeling.

The certification scheme, part of the World Sustainability Organization, said each new label pairs its round Friend of the Sea logo with a sector-specific certification claim and a unique FOS ID. That ID links the claim directly to the certified product and authorization. The move comes as Directive (EU) 2024/825...

FDA Confirms Indonesian Shrimp, Spice Supply Chains Remain Clear a Year After Cesium-137 Crisis

Indonesian shrimp and spice imports face no new restrictions after an FDA review found the country's cesium-137 (Cs-137) certification program is working as intended, signaling to US buyers that the supply chain disruption from last year's contamination crisis is unlikely to recur in the near term.

The FDA released a report on October 5 summarizing findings from a May 2026 in-country assessment of Indonesia's Cs-137 import certification program, which covers certain...

Just Shrimp Targets Seafood Accessibility with Shrimp Nuggets

Just Shrimp is looking to make seafood more approachable for families with its line of shrimp nuggets, which are launching in nearly 250 Harris Teeter stores during National Seafood Month (October).

In an exclusive interview with Expana, Just Shrimp founder Lee Edmondson discussed the company’s sourcing strategy, retail plans and the thinking behind its shrimp nugget format.

According to Edmondson, the company sources farm-raised Pacific white shrimp from Mexico’s Pacific Coast, specifically the Mazatlán region, and processes the shrimp in North America. He said the sourcing...

Stronger America Through Seafood Launches Campaign Targeting Federal Aquaculture Permitting

Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) has launched a new advocacy push timed to coincide with both National Seafood Month and active congressional debate over open ocean aquaculture legislation, pairing a social media campaign with a Washington Post op-ed co-authored with the Environmental Defense Fund.

SATS launched "8 Years, 8 Ways America is Missing Out" on October 1, a campaign the group says will run throughout October to highlight the urgent need for a clear, predictable federal permitting pathway to expand American aquaculture...

A Second ISA Virus Case Hits Chile's Aysén Region, This Time at a Cermaq Farm

Chile's fisheries agency has confirmed a second, separate infectious salmon anemia (ISA) virus detection in the Aysén region, this time at a Cermaq Chile site, just over a week after confirming the strain behind an earlier outbreak at a Salmones Camanchaca farm in the same region.

Chile's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (Sernapesca) said it received a positive lab report for the pathogenic ISA virus variant at the Luchín farming center (Center Code No. 11093), operated by Cermaq Chile S.A. and located in Salmonid Concession...

NAPA Ends Six-Year FIPs, Warns Members May Pull Back From North East Atlantic Pelagic Sourcing

The North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA) has formally concluded its two Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) covering North East Atlantic mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring, ending six years of work the coalition says failed to secure the sharing arrangements needed to stop overfishing of the three stocks.

NAPA, a pre-competitive coalition of 58 businesses spanning retailers, suppliers, foodservice companies, fishmeal producers, feed companies and salmon farmers, said the conclusion of the FIPs marks a shift in approach...

China's Rebound Drives Q1 Surge in Vietnam's Pangasius Exports, FAO Data Shows

Global pangasius trade strengthened in the first quarter of 2026, led by a sharp recovery in Chinese buying, according to new data from the FAO's GLOBEFISH market monitoring unit.

Vietnam supplied 210,830 tonnes of the 230,129 tonnes of frozen pangasius entering international trade in Q1 2026, giving it a 92% share of the global market, per FAO figures. Vietnamese shipments rose 16% year-on-year, with frozen fillets accounting for 84% of total exports...

Global Fast Food Market Seen Reaching $2.57 Trillion by 2031, Report Says

The global fast food market is projected to reach $2.57 trillion by 2031, up from $1.78 trillion in 2026, according to Mordor Intelligence. Its latest research report points to convenience, digital ordering and changing consumer preferences as key growth drivers.

The study shows that technology is playing a bigger role in restaurant operations. Mordor Intelligence cited Domino's March update to its Tracker, which added an AI-powered system designed to provide more accurate ready-time estimates and better order visibility. Domino’s said the...

Scott & Jon’s Expands Seafood Lineup with Tuna Noodle Casserole

Scott & Jon’s is expanding beyond its core shrimp, salmon and whitefish offerings with the launch of Homestyle Tuna Noodle Casserole, its first tuna product.

The frozen meal features al dente egg noodles, peas and chunk light tuna in a sauce made with milk, cream and cheddar cheese, topped with seasoned breadcrumbs. Each serving contains 21 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber, with fewer than 500 calories.

The launch comes as consumers continue to seek familiar comfort foods. In the National Restaurant Association’s 2026 What’s Hot...

At-sea Processors Association Names Heidi Olson VP for Fisheries Policy and Advocacy

The At-sea Processors Association (APA) has named Heidi Olson as its new Vice President for Fisheries Policy and Advocacy, the trade group announced October 1. Based in Anchorage, Olson will lead APA's work in Alaska, with a portfolio that includes engagement with regional fishery managers including the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Olson joins APA from the Associated General Contractors of Alaska, where she served as Membership Director. She previously worked for the Alaska State Government, serving with the Department of Corrections...