Alaska Seafood Marketing Arm Hopes to Finally Benefit From Federal Pandemic Relief Dollars

Alaska’s lone seafood marketing arm gets zero budget from the state and to date, has received no pandemic funds.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is hoping to get a breather from the more than $1 billion coming to Alaska in the latest round of federal relief dollars under the American Rescue Plan (ARP).

The influx also provides $518 million of non-discretionary funds to Alaska and $220 million for public health and safety, workforce development, education, transportation, and emergency management...

Area 2A Halibut Opener Announced for June 22-24

The non-tribal halibut fishery will open in Area 2A from June 22 to 24, the International Pacific Halibut Commission said this week. A total of 190 licenses will have the opportunity to fish for an overall annual allocation for 116.17 metric tons, or 256,122 pounds - a very slight increase over last year's quota of 115.41 metric tons, or 254,426 pounds.

Last year, the low initial period allocations for each vessel class limited participation and resulted in a number of openers during the summer.

The first fishing period will ...

FSIS Issues Public Health Alert For Ineligible Siluriformes Products Imported From Brazil

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for approximately 165 pounds of frozen Siluriformes products imported from Brazil, a country that is ineligible to export Siluriformes products to the U.S. 

According to the public health notice, the products were produced on April 23, 2021 and shipped in 13-14 lbs. cases labeled “GUTTED FROZEN FISH SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hypostomus.” The Importer of Record was EX Express Provisions, based out of Newark, New Jersey, and...

Applications for Ninth Annual Global Aquaculture Innovation Award Are Due by June 15

Yesterday the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) put out a call for applications for its annual Global Aquaculture Innovation Award. Now in its ninth year, the prize is awarded to innovative solutions to key challenges facing aquaculture. The application deadline is June 15.

Last year’s winner was University of Stirling postdoctoral researcher Simao Zacarias for his work on the shrimp-hatchery practice of unilateral eyestalk ablation. His research debunked the notion that the practice results in higher egg production and showed that it actually escalates disease vulnerability...

Red Lobster Debuts New Menu With 15 Dishes Under $20

Getting a delicious seafood dinner has never been more affordable at Red Lobster. The popular chain unveiled their new menu and it’s loaded with new flavors and classic favorites — all under $20.

New additions to the menu include the Crispy Cod Sandwich — also known as Codzilla — which Red Lobster unveiled last month. The new mouthwatering sandwich features 6-8 ounces of hand-battered, wild-caught cod, fried until crisp, and placed on a toasted buttery brioche bun with crunchy slaw and tartar sauce and served with...

Genova Premium Tuna Sells Out of Complimentary Mediterranean-Inspired Meal Kits

Some home chefs were lucky enough to score a complimentary Mediterranean-inspired meal kit from Genova Premium Tuna. 

The company recently partnered with Celebrity Chef Geoffrey Zakarian to offer a premium meal kit that “gives fans the opportunity to take their tastebuds on a tour of the Mediterranean.” The kit included the recipe and pre-portioned ingredients to make Chef Zakarian’s  Genova Premium Tuna Salad with Arugula Pesto & Dates. And home chefs must have been pretty hungry to explore the new recipe...

Blackline Cold Storage Breaks Ground on New Port of Houston Facility

Ground has been broken on Blackline Cold Storage’s new facility at the Port of Houston. The company announced last week that construction has begun on their new, state-of-the-art 298,000 square foot cold storage facility, which is owned in partnership with Artemis Real Estate Partners. 

“The need for cold storage in Houston is growing like crazy, said Blackline Cold Storage CEO Mike Day. “It’s driven by several different factors. The import export trade through Port Houston is growing, and of course the port itself is growing...

ANALYSIS: Markets Moving, Soaring Higher in Some Cases

With markets closing this week, on the seafood side, we saw some significantly higher adjustments and also some still considerably higher offers and sales, leaving most markets full steady to firm heading into the weekend.  

The farmed salmon market is now joining the club for tight supplies and an active to robust demand. Looking back, the index for most of April adjusted lower with both coasts of Canada seeing ample supply situations while the Chilean and the European markets saw increasingly tighter supply scenarios...

Russia May Significantly Reduce Halibut Catch This Year  

The volume of halibut catch in Russia may significantly decline this year due to state plans to impose a ban on its production with trawl nets with baited hooks.

In accordance with the proposal of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, the conduction of halibut catch with the use of such tools could be banned in some major fish-producing areas of the country, particularly West Kamchatka, Kamchatka-Kuril and North Okhotsk subzones from 1 to 31 January, and from 1 September to 31 December...

Gov. Newsom's California Comeback Plan Includes Significant Increases for Fish and Wildlife

Proposed budget increases for California will help shark and swordfish gillnet fishermen transition out of the fishery.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday introduced his California Comeback Plan, which includes significant fiscal resources aimed to protect California’s diverse fish, wildlife and plant resources and the habitats on which they depend, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a press release. The proposed budget increases show the Newsom administration's investment in California’s biodiversity both for its intrinsic, ecological value as well as for...

Lobster and Salmon Get Highest Honors at Specialty Food Association Awards 2021

Seafood loomed large at the Specialty Food Association Awards 2021 with sofi™ Product of the Year going to Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company and New Product of the Year to Regal New Zealand King Salmon Company on May 11.

Hancock Gourmet Lobster’s Maine Shore Dinner for 2 won in the Product of the Year, and in new category New Product of the Year, Regal New Zealand King Salmon’s Manuka Wood Roasted Salmon took highest honors.

SFA members submitted nearly 1,500 products in about 50 categories for judging by...

Industry Lauds Record-Breaking USDA Seafood Purchase

Within hours of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s announcement to purchase $70.9 million worth of seafood — the largest single purchase of seafood made in USDA’s history — industry groups released statements on the importance of including the nation’s seafood in USDA’s food-assistance program.

“It’s good to see USDA recognize the importance of our essential workers as well as provide Americans with healthy seafood,” said National Fisheries Institute’s President, John Connelly. “NFI looks forward to working with the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) on this as they begin the procurement process.

“The seafood community ...

ANALYSIS: The Rise of Pangasius, Again

U.S. wholesale prices for striped pangasius frozen fillets imported from Vietnam continues to trend higher, reversing the downhill trend seen within the market since 2018. The initial market rise was largely due to a regulation shift in September of 2017 from the FDA to the USDA resulting in rising raw material and administrative costs, and lengthy delays from new and in-depth inspection processes resulting in record high wholesale and replacement prices. This time around the market is facing new challenges.

Supply in the U.S. is...

Most Shrimp and Tilapia Prices Increase in China During May’s Labor Day

During holiday shopping, most seafood prices increase in the Chinese market. And this Labor Day is no exception for many, which have been widely received among enthusiastic buyers. Shrimp, for example, are one of the stars in the oriental market within this period, and tilapia prices have also increased in most regions. But not all are so lucky, and there are some shrimp and tilapia which have suffered price contraction during this festival.

China’s shrimp market has been hustling during this May Day. According to farmers in the...

New Bill in US House Will Strengthen Anti-IUU laws and Fight Human Rights Abuses in Supply Chain

Earlier this week, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Chair of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife, and Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) introduced the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act which strengthens the U.S.'s fight against illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing and human rights abuses in the seafood supply chain.

The bipartisan bill links IUU fishing to forced labor in the seafood supply chain and makes seafood import monitoring more effective. It would also increase transparency...

USDA Makes Historic Seafood Purchase for Food Assistance Programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced it will purchase up to $159.4 million in domestically produced seafood, fruits, legumes and nuts as part of the Section 32 food assistance funding program.

The products will be distributed to a variety of domestic food assistance programs, including charitable institutions, the USDA said in a press release. These purchases are being made utilizing funds under the authority of Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act, as amended. It is one of the ...

Alaska’s House Passes Joint Resolution to Senate Asking Congress To Invest In AK Infrastructure

Alaska’s State House of Representatives passed House Joint Resolution 19 this week, listing eight areas that need an infusion of federal cash immediately, including improvements in broadband to rural fishing communities, port maintenance, and improving the state's ferry fleet as part of the Marine Highway System. 

The resolution was sponsored by the House Labor and Commerce Committee.  

“It’s essential we help our congressional delegation make their case when fighting for our share of federal funding,” said Rep. Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage), a co-chair of the...

Publix Now Offering Atlantic-Sapphire’s Bluehouse Salmon In All Stores

In November 2020 Publix stores in the Miami region began offering Atlantic Sapphire’s land-raised salmon. Now, Publix shoppers across seven states will be able to get their hands on the Bluehouse brand salmon. 

“Farmed salmon is the most consumed seafood in the United States, and while there is some aquaculture salmon production in Maine, the vast majority of the product sold in the U.S. comes from Chile and Norway,” said Guy Pizzuti, Publix’s Business Development Director for Seafood.  “We’re excited to work with...

Mexico Promoting Sustainable Sardine Fishery Agriculture With Training Course For Observers

Mexico is working to maintain MSC certification of their raw sardine fishery with a new training course for observers aboard vessels.

Mexico’s National Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Inapesca) launched a training course on Monday that provides training for undergraduate students of a Fisheries Biology degree as observers aboard sardine vessels. The main focus is on minor pelagic fish, including sardines, anchovies and herring. Undergraduate students will learn about the fishery, their reproductive biology, regulations, and endangered or threatened species associated with fishing...

PODCAST: AquaBounty CEO Sylvia Wulf Talks First Commercial Harvest at Indiana Farm

AquaBounty Technologies CEO Sylvia Wulf joins the SeafoodNews podcast to talk about the first commercial harvest at the company's Indiana farm. Learn more about AquaBounty's important milestone, including Sylvia's thoughts on their biggest hurdle leading up to this point, and what's next for the company.

This episode is brought to you by Urner Barry Consulting. Urner Barry Consulting provides tailored solutions to identify growth opportunities within the fast-paced protein commodity sectors. Combining the expertise of our analytical team, our warehouse of proprietary and trusted data...

China Says No to Australian Lobsters

On May 6, China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced that they will indefinitely suspend all activities under the framework of the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue. This is another significant action that China has taken after it banned lobster imports from Australia in November 2020, and it is believed to exert great influence on the Australian lobster industry and also some others.

China used to be among Australia’s largest importers, and the bilateral free trade agreement signed in 2015 once boosted the two countries’ trade to great extents...

Cause and Final Report on Scandies Rose Sinking Will Be Determined and Released June 29

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will determine the cause for the 2019 sinking of the cod and crab fishing vessel Scandies Rose at a webcast meeting on June 29, 2021. The vessel sank enroute from Kodiak to the Bering Sea on December 31, 2019 just 2.5 miles south of Sutwik Island. 

Of the seven crew aboard, five were lost when the vessel sank, including the captain and his son. Two were able to get their survival suits on and get into a liferaft during...

Trade Data for Alaska Omits Seafood, Queries Go Unanswered

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – No changes have been made for incorrect Alaska trade and export data, which don’t even mention seafood.

Most Alaskans are surprised to learn that seafood is by far Alaska’s top export, the source of the state’s largest manufacturing base and its #1 private employer

More surprising is that those simple to find facts are not included in the official trade sheet for Alaska provided by the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

The information on the...

States Begin Work on Second Round of COVID-19 Funds as Some First Round Funds Falter

Last year's $300 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funding was intended to help fishermen, processors and tribes as the COVID-19 virus disrupted markets, displaced workers and generally created havoc around the globe.

But some of that funding has yet to be distributed, even as a second round of federal funding is pending. An additional $255 million in fisheries assistance funding was provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and announced ...

VIDEO: AquaBounty Sells Out; Mexico Shrimp Update; Stavis' New VP of Operations and More

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione as they talk about AquaBounty's first commercial scale harvest of genetically engineered atlantic salmon from its land-based farm in Indiana. Plus, find out how Mexico is working to regain certification for shrimp imports into the U.S. and much more.

This episode of the SeafoodNews Weekly Video is brought to you by Urner Barry Consulting. Urner Barry Consulting provides tailored solutions to identify growth opportunities within the fast-paced protein commodity sectors...

First Copper River Salmon, Prepared by Five Top Chefs, in Public Auction For Frontline Workers

The stars — literally, five celebrity chefs — are aligning for this year’s first Copper River salmon to arrive in Seattle and mark the beginning of Alaska’s season. The five chefs, led by Seattle's Shota Nakajima, will prepare a five-course dinner for seven. Those seven seats will go to individuals who outbid everyone else this weekend. All proceeds will go to the non-profit We Got This Seattle, which feeds frontline workers and supports Seattle restaurants in the process. 

The private "first-fish" dinner will be ...

Alaska’s Rep. Don Young Introduces House Version of the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act

On Tuesday May 11, Alaska Congressman Don Young introduced the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act, legislation to direct NOAA to establish the American Fisheries Advisory Committee with the goal of keeping fishing communities healthy and viable through local collaboration, data collection, and expanded research investments. 

The bill is a companion to SB S497, also called the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act, which establishes the Committee to assist in the awarding of fisheries research and development grants. A bipartisan bill introduced by Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan...

Plastics From Fishing Gear, Marine Debris Turned Into Lumber in Cordova

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch –

Turning plastics from old fishing gear and marine debris into durable lumber is building momentum from coast to coast and one Alaska entrepreneur plans to take it on the road.

Patrick Simpson of Cordova received a $100,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a mobile plastic waste recycler. He told Liz Ruskin of Alaska Public Media that the recycler would fit into one or two 40-foot container vans for easy transport to local communities...

Alaska Salmon Fishermen Send Urgent Plea for “Decisive Action” on Climate as Season Begins

As the salmon season kicks off in Alaska —  the Copper River fishery opens this Monday, May 17 — fishermen are sending an urgent call to Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan to “take decisive action” to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions.

“The time is now” several fishermen say on the video produced by SalmonState and endorsed by Salmon Habitat Information Program (SHIP), Alaska’s Own, Yakobi Fisheries, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA), and Sitka Salmon Shares. The call from fishermen is tied to phenomena that “should...

GAPP Research Finds Potential need to “Relaunch” Surimi

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) hired C+R Research last year to conduct a two-phased research project to gather recommendations for the industry. The project, which commenced in the fall, has found that there is a potential need to “relaunch” surimi to consumers.”

“I always like to see challenges as opportunities and this research certainly identified many opportunities for our industry and the future of surimi seafood here in the U.S.,” said GAPP CEO Craig Morris. “I’m excited to review these results...