SFP, Seafood Souq Sign MoU to Strengthen Traceability Across Middle East, North Africa
The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai‑based traceability software firm Seafood Souq to boost seafood traceability across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The deal will integrate SFP’s data‑driven Seafood Metrics tool into Seafood Souq’s GDST‑aligned platform, helping regional actors pinpoint harvest sources and assess sustainability risks. By strengthening traceability, the partnership aims to reduce the region’s heavy reliance on imported seafood, a vulnerability exposed by recent supply‑chain disruptions linked to the Iran conflict. This marks SFP’s first formal entry into the MENA market.
US Lawmakers Attempt to Attach Several Seafood Amendments to Farm Bill
U.S. lawmakers are attaching a slate of seafood‑focused amendments to the upcoming Farm Bill renewal, aiming to embed the USDA Office of Seafood and several industry‑specific provisions into federal law. The proposals include codifying the Office of Seafood, adopting the...
Asda Rolls Out Premium Meal Featuring MSC-Certified, Rope-Grown Mussels
Asda has introduced a premium, microwave‑able meal featuring Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)‑certified, rope‑grown mussels sourced from the Shetland Islands and mainland Scotland. Developed with the Scottish Shellfish cooperative, the dish pairs the mussels with chorizo in a fire‑roasted tomato and...
Turkish Pavilion Marks 20 Years at Seafood Expo Global as Nation's Seafood Exports Continue to Grow
Turkey celebrated two decades of a national pavilion at Seafood Expo Global, showcasing 16 producers and a diverse range of species. In 2025 the country recorded a record $2.2 billion in seafood export value, shipping 1 million tons, with four species accounting...
Outlaw Ocean Project Teases New Aquaculture Investigation During Congressional Hearing
The Outlaw Ocean Project testified before the Congressional‑Executive Commission on China, previewing its upcoming "Food for Feed" report that examines forced‑labor and environmental abuses across the global aquaculture supply chain. The investigation mapped roughly 1,400 fishmeal plants, traced feed shipments...
Peruvian Anchovy Small-Scale Purse Seine Fishery Shooting for MSC Certification
Peru’s small‑scale purse‑seine anchovy fishery has entered the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process, led by Compañía Americana de Conservas and Corporación Leribe. The effort builds on a fisheries improvement project launched in 2016 by the NGO CeDePesca, which has...
Ventisqueros CCO: Sustainability Remains Integral Part of Company DNA
Ventisqueros, the Chilean salmon farmer owned by Germany’s Schörghuber Group, is deepening its sustainability agenda, highlighted by its E‑Site fish‑farming center that runs entirely on certified renewable energy. The firm reports cutting diesel use by more than 200,000 liters and...
NOAA Fisheries Determines some Tope Sharks Should Be Listed Under the ESA
NOAA Fisheries announced that two of the six distinct population segments (DPSs) of tope sharks – the Southern Africa and Southwest Atlantic groups – will be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The agency found the remaining four...
Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global Closes with Highest Attendance Ever
Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global concluded its 32nd edition in Barcelona with a record 35,500 attendees, the highest in the event’s history. The show featured 2,290 exhibitors from 85 countries across 52,980 sqm, generating an estimated $153 million economic impact for the...
Prices for Atlantic Salmon From Norway Continue Their Steady Decline Into Week 17
Norwegian Atlantic salmon prices kept falling into Week 17, with whole fresh salmon averaging NOK 78.07 ($8.29) per kilogram on 19 April. Export volumes rose by almost 2 million kg week‑over‑week, while the global average export price for all salmon categories slipped to NOK 84.07 ($8.93)...
Chile’s Salmon Industry Declares “Clear Signs of Sustained Recovery” With Q1 Growth
Chile’s salmon sector reported a 20.7% jump in Q1 2026 exports, reaching 251,413 metric tons. Export value rose 9.3% year‑over‑year to $1.9 billion, driven by higher volumes rather than price increases. The United States remained the top market, while China’s imports...
US Lawmakers Propose Federal 6PPD Task Force
U.S. lawmakers from the Pacific Northwest are pushing the 6PPD Task Force Act, which would create a federal task force to coordinate research on 6PPD‑quinone—a tire additive linked to mass coho salmon deaths—and to identify safer alternatives. The bill would...
US House Committee Advances FISH Act
The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved the Fighting Illegal Seafood Harvests (FISH) Act, a bipartisan effort to curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The legislation creates a blacklist that would bar offending foreign vessels from U.S. ports...
Walmart Remodeling 650 Stores, Redesigns Private Label
Walmart will open 20 new stores and remodel more than 650 locations by 2027, adding wider aisles, modern signage and expanded pickup services. The upgrades will feature enhanced deli and hot‑bar selections, brighter lighting and upgraded online‑order fulfillment areas. Simultaneously,...
Runi Seeing Continued Demand in Seafood Industry for Its EPS Compaction Solutions
Runi, a Danish manufacturer, is seeing growing adoption of its expanded polystyrene (EPS) compactors among seafood processors. The machines can shrink up to 50 truckloads of EPS, turning waste into a sellable product and delivering a payback period of six...
Norway’s Farmed Cod Prices Double Since the Beginning of April; Wild-Caught Prices Fall in Scotland
Norwegian farmed cod prices have nearly doubled since early April, climbing to NOK 136.75 per kilogram (about $14.40). The surge follows a sharp production drop, with shipments falling from 8.26 million kg in March to 4.78 million kg in April – a 42% reduction. Lower...
Companies Explore Turning Invasive Species Like Carp Into Profitable Products
At Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, WWF, Mars and pet‑product maker Inversa discussed turning invasive species such as carp and Florida pythons into commercial goods. WWF’s research team is building databases to map invasive populations and help companies develop supply...
Carsoe Unveils New Heading and Gutting Machine at Seafood Processing Global, Announces New Partnership with Industrikulde
Carsoe unveiled its new combined heading and gutting machine, the CS3063, at the Seafood Processing Global expo in Barcelona. The equipment, built on the long‑standing Mark 7 platform, targets cod, pollock and haddock and promises precision cuts that reduce meat loss....
Danish Pelagic Fleet Showing Increased Interest in Greener Gear as Fuel Crisis Lingers On
The Danish Pelagic Producers Organization (DPPO) reaffirmed its 2040 net‑zero target as fuel prices soar amid the Iran war, making green technologies financially attractive. CEO Esben Sverdrup‑Jensen noted that the cost parity between on‑board electricity generation and traditional port power...
Kingfish Honing in Yellowtail RAS Production as It Works to Establish Product Recognition
The Kingfish Company, based in Zeeland, Netherlands, has expanded its land‑based yellowtail recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) to a peak capacity of 3,500 metric tons. The firm is now concentrating on improving efficiency and consistency, leveraging year‑round production to serve primarily...
US Seafood Sector Raises Issues with EU CATCH Requirements
Alaska’s commercial fishing sector warns that the EU’s digital CATCH traceability system, slated for full enforcement in July 2026, could effectively block salmon exports to Europe. The regulation requires vessel‑level signatures, gear details and end‑use data for every catch, a...
Alaska Bill Would Exempt Small-Scale Fishers From some Health and Safety Standards
Alaska State Rep. Sarah Vance introduced the Alaska Coastal Micro‑Fisheries Act (HB 356) to ease health, sanitary and fee regulations for small‑scale commercial fishers. The bill exempts low‑risk species from certain permits, allows limited onboard packaging and freezing, and caps annual...
Trump's Trade Wars Forcing Companies to Weigh US Value Proposition
President Donald Trump’s erratic trade agenda has left the U.S. seafood sector in a cloud of uncertainty. After a series of threatened tariffs—50% then 30%—the U.S. and EU settled on a 15% duty on European seafood in August 2025, with...
Alaskan Leader Aiming for European Expansion of Miso Black Cod After US Success
Alaskan Leader Seafood is leveraging a 1,000% sales surge of its Wild Alaska Black Cod with Hikari Miso Marinade in the United States to launch the product across European grocery and restaurant chains. The company showcased the plan at the...
Canada Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson Touts Northern Cod Recovery at Seafood Expo Global
At the 2026 Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Canadian Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced that the Northern cod stock has grown 20% in the past year and will enter the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification process. The total allowable catch...
Dayseaday Group Continuing to Expand After 40 Years of Business
Dayseaday Group, a family‑owned seafood processor from Urk, Netherlands, is expanding its facilities by thousands of square meters after 40 years of growth. The company now employs 250 people and supplies fresh salmon, frozen shrimp and other species primarily to...
Mowi Delivers Record Q1 Salmon Harvest
Mowi reported a record first‑quarter harvest of approximately 136,000 metric tons of gutted weight, a 26% increase over Q1 2025 and 8,000 GWT above its own guidance. Growth was led by Norway, Scotland, Chile and Canada, while output in the Faroes and...
Philippines Weighs Increase in Fish Imports, Subsidies as Fuel Costs Squeeze Seafood Sector
The Philippine government is weighing a boost to fish imports, potentially up to 350,000 metric tons, as soaring diesel costs threaten the viability of local fisheries. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. warned that fuel now accounts for 70‑80% of...
European Commission Authorizes Emergency Funding for Fishers in Response to Fuel Crisis
The European Commission has activated emergency provisions of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) to help commercial fishers, aquaculture producers and processors hit by the Iran‑related fuel price surge. Member states can now draw from the €6.1 bn (≈$7 bn)...
California Set to Close More of Dungeness Crab Fishery to Traditional Gear, but Harvesters Can Keep Hauling Traps with Pop-Up...
California regulators will close Fishing Zone 3 to traditional Dungeness crab gear on April 30, but will permit pop‑up gear starting May 7 to accommodate an expected surge of whales. The pop‑up system removes standing vertical lines that cause entanglements, allowing fishers to...
Vičiūnai, Frais Embal Win Big at 2026 Seafood Excellence Global Awards
Lithuania’s Vičiūnai Group and France’s Frais Embal captured the top honors at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Global Awards in Barcelona. Vičiūnai took Best Retail Product for its Smoked Herring Slices – Natural Flavor, while Frais Embal earned Best HORECA Product for its...
Kontali: Salmon Sector in Slowdown as Supply Tightens, Trade and Demand Dynamics Shift, and Tensions Rise in Middle East
Kontali analysts warn that the Atlantic salmon industry is entering a supply-constrained phase as harvest‑ready biomass declines in Norway, Chile and Scotland. At the same time, demand is becoming more price‑sensitive, pushing producers toward product innovation and promotions. Europe’s market...
US Restaurants Rolling Out Seafood Specials as Part of Updated Spring Menus
U.S. restaurant chains and even furniture retailer IKEA are adding seafood specials to their spring menus. Cava, operating 450 locations, debuted its first seafood item—a pomegranate‑glazed salmon—on April 20, while Logan’s Roadhouse introduced Sweet Chili Lime Salmon and Coconut Shrimp, and...
ICFA to Host Panel on Protecting Biodiversity and Seafood Production at 2026 Seafood Expo Global
The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) will host a panel titled “Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) and Global Food Security” at the Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona on April 21. The discussion will examine how biodiversity conservation and sustainable...
Weak Regional Governance Threatening Marine Biodiversity, Fisheries in Southwest Atlantic Amid Climate Shifts
A new study in Discover Oceans warns that the Southwest Atlantic—home to 900,000 fishery jobs, 32,000 vessels and a $5 billion annual economy—lacks a dedicated regional governance body, creating data gaps and fueling illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Climate change...
Aquabench Launches Digital Platform for Sorting Chilean Salmon Data
Chile‑based aquaculture consultancy Aquabench has unveiled Salmobench Digital, a web‑based platform that transforms its traditional PDF and Excel reports into interactive dashboards. The tool offers filtering, visualization, and direct data export, covering production cycles from the saltwater grow‑out phase for...
Newfoundland Harvesters, Processors Reach Snow Crab Pricing Agreement
The Fish, Food, and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) have reached a pricing agreement for the 2026 Newfoundland snow‑crab season, ending a multi‑week standoff. Harvesters will be paid CAD 6.00 (≈ $4.38) per pound through April 18,...
Upcoming Scottish Election Presents Chance to Affect Lasting Salmon-Farming Reform, Former Regulatory Chief Says
The Scottish Parliament election on 7 May is being framed as a watershed for salmon farming, with former SEPA chief Anne Anderson urging a shift from incremental tweaks to systemic reform. She highlights that recent extensions of marine planning zones expand...
Cromaris Targeting US Fine-Dining Sector with Grand Selection Line of Farmed Sea Bass, Meagre
Croatian aquaculture firm Cromaris is pushing its Grand Selection line—premium farmed sea bass, meagre and dentex—into high‑end Mediterranean restaurants across the United States. The company produces about 90,000 tons of sea bass and sea bream annually, representing roughly 15% of global...
UK Seeking Proposals for GBP 132 Million in Funding for Fishing and Seafood Industry
The UK government has announced GBP 132 million (about $178.5 million) in new funding under the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) to support projects across the seafood and coastal sectors over the next five years. The allocation includes roughly GBP 6 million for small‑scale coastal...
To Overcome Consumer Price Perceptions, US Seafood Stakeholders Call for Health-Focused Marketing
U.S. consumers are increasingly urged by the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans to eat more seafood, yet price perception remains a major obstacle. FMI’s 2026 Power of Seafood Report shows nearly 40% of Americans avoid seafood, with over half citing...
Newfoundland Seafood Processors Sue Harvester Union Leadership over Ongoing Snow Crab Pricing Dispute
The Association of Seafood Producers and five Newfoundland processors have filed a lawsuit against the leadership of the Fish, Food, and Allied Workers Union, seeking CAD 2.5 million (about $1.8 million) in damages. The claim stems from a protracted dispute over snow‑crab pricing and...
Seafood Inflation Soars at US Retail in March as Consumer Sentiment Continues to Fall
Seafood prices at U.S. retailers surged in March, with frozen categories inflating 11.7% year‑over‑year and prompting a 12.5% drop in volume sales. Fresh seafood saw a milder 3.9% price rise, allowing overall fresh‑category sales to edge up 0.6% in value....
Seafood Expo Global – 2026 Expo Preview
The 32nd Seafood Expo Global and Seafood Processing Global will open in Barcelona on April 21‑23, 2026, covering more than 52,950 m² and featuring exhibitors from 86 countries. The event adds new national pavilions and introduces an Aquaculture Innovation Zone focused...
Alaska House Advances Bill Providing Framework for Salmon Setnetters to Commingle Fish
The Alaska House of Representatives voted unanimously to advance a bill that creates a legal framework for salmon setnetters to form cooperatives. The legislation would permit the commingling of fish caught by multiple setnet operators, a practice currently restricted under...
US Reveals Start Date for Tariff Refund Process, but Questions Remain on Implementation
U.S. Customs and Border Protection will roll out the first phase of its Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) tool on April 20, allowing importers to submit tariff refunds through the ACE Portal. The move follows a February Supreme...
Representative Group Hopeful EU’s Vision 2040 Can Serve as “Turning Point” For European Aquaculture
The European Commission has launched its Vision 2040 framework to reshape EU fisheries and aquaculture, prompting the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) to call for binding finfish production targets and faster permitting. FEAP argues that the EU’s fragmented environmental regulations...
Nordic Aqua Partners Increased Revenue in FY 2025 as Company Anticipates Full Run-Rate by H2 2026
Nordic Aqua Partners reported FY 2025 revenue of €12.9 million ($15.2 million), more than double the $7.6 million earned in FY 2024, as the land‑based salmon farm in Ningbo, China, moved past a geosmin‑related disruption. The company harvested 2,026 metric tons of Atlantic salmon and is...
Alaska Department of Fish and Game Projects Lower Salmon Harvest Totals This Year
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s draft forecast projects a 125.5 million salmon harvest for 2026, a sharp drop from the 194.8 million caught in 2025. Sockeye and coho numbers remain near last year’s levels, but pink salmon are expected to...
FAO: Seafood Fraud Affecting up to 20 Percent of Global Trade
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports that as much as 20% of the world’s seafood trade is fraudulent, outpacing fraud rates in meat (13.4%) and produce (10.4%). The sector, valued at roughly $195 billion annually, faces vulnerabilities from the sheer...