Free Trade Deal With Europe Means More Work For Newfoundland and Labrador Seafood Processors

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [CBC News] by Peter Cowan - September 26, 2017

The new free trade deal with Europe has only been in effect for a few days but one seafood processor in Newfoundland and Labrador says it's already meant more work.

Ocean Choice International has extended work at the Port au Choix plant ...

Clearwater's Chinese Sales up 500%, Largely Driven by Ecommerce 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [I.Wshang] translated by Amy Zhong - September 25, 2017

Clearwater's sales have ballooned by five times in the Chinese market, much of it due to the T-mall e-commerce platform. The T-mall platform of Alibaba has become the first choice of Canadian companies while entering this new market.

As statistics show, Chinese online shoppers buy 83 percent of their fresh food from the Alibaba T-mall platform. And the platform has been increasing its fresh food imports to maintain market status within the past few years. It has become the first choice of many Canadian ...

Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative and Chef Barton Seaver Celebrate National Lobster Day

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 25, 2017

Summer is over, but not lobster season. The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC) – an organization funded by Maine lobster harvesters, dealers and processors to promote the core values of the Maine lobster industry – is celebrating National Lobster Day on Monday, September 25.

ANALYSIS: Fresh Whole Swordfish Prices Depress as Seasonal Imports Pick Up

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Nicole West September 25, 2017

Fresh whole swordfish prices continue to trend lower as supplies remain fully adequate throughout the late spring and summer months...

Hokkaido Scallop Grounds Hit Hard by Typhoon, Lowering Production Expectations

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] Japan Reports - September 25, 2017

There is growing concern that the recent typhoon will cause shipments of scallop from Funka Bay in western Hokkaido next spring to decrease, contrary to an earlier prediction for increased production.

Typhoon No.18 hit the region on Sept.18, intensely damaging the scallop farming grounds in the area around Mori Town. Scallopers in other areas, on the other hand, say the damage was relatively smaller compared with last year. But they say that their expectation for production increase for the entire Funka Bay region ...

Shrimp Disease Outbreak in Fujian and Guangdong has Flooded Market, Lowering Prices

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Shuichan] translated by Amy Zhong - September 25, 2017

Shrimp are vulnerable to diseases due to the climate in Fujian and sick shrimp have flooded the market in large quantities, which lowered local prices by about 2 to 3 yuan/jin ($0.60-$0.90/kg U.S.) this week.

Large quantities of white shrimp have suffered from white feces in many ponds of Zhuhai and Xinhui of Guangdong province recently. It is very difficult for these shrimps to recover so most farmers decide to shorten their aquaculture ...

Japanese Companies Explore Full-Cycle Aquaculture of Species such as Octopus, Yellowtail, Bluefin

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] Japan Reports - September 25, 2017

Fish sellers in Japan are feeling that catching fish from the wild is becoming increasingly difficult. But they are also aware that the number of fish raised by artificial methods--i.e. full-cycle aquaculture--is on the rise, meaning that fish that never swam in the ocean are made available for the family table.

Fishermen themselves say the amount of fish that can be taken from the ocean seems to have hit a limit due to such factors as overfishing or changes ...

Guolian Plans to Raise Private Funding to Boost White Shrimp Production in China

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [JFinfo] translated by Amy Zhong - September 25, 2017

Guolian plans to raise about 1.26 billion yuan (~$190 million U.S.) through private placement to boost production. And greater white shrimp demand brings better market performance for Guolian.

Seafood prices have remained at high levels within the first half of this year. Guolian has gained great market success with its main product, white shrimp. Its net profit ballooned by 705.54 percent in the first half of 2017 compared with the same period last year. It has played a leading role in China’s ...

Cape Town Fishermen Protesting Over Potential New Fishing Quotas

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 25, 2017

The Cape Town Fisheries Department is setting new fishing quotas – and not every fishermen is happy about it.

South Africa’s Eyewitness News reports that the Fisheries Department is expected to reduce the allowable catch for West Coast rock lobster by up to 59%. Small-scale fishermen are asking that the Fisheries Department stop commercial fishing and only “livelihood” catches. The potential reduction could cause fishermen to lose up to ...

Changes Coming for Icelandic Brand in US, as High Liner Agrees to Renegotiate Licensing Terms

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton  Sept. 21, 2017

The Icelandic Brand is an iconic whitefish brand in the US, and once belonged to Icelandic Seafoods, one of two Iceland seafood companies who marketed Iceland seafood exports in the US.

In 2011, High Liner purchased Icelandic, and also rights to use the brand that expire in 2018. The brand was not owned by Icelandic, but is owned by the Iceland Enterprise Fund, an investment fund owned by pension funds in Iceland, and at the time of the sale, High Liner signed a license agreement giving it the rights to use the brand in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

However, it recently came to the attention of Iceland authorities that fish such as Tilapia from China was being packaged 

Russian Fishing Profits Fall in 2017; Industry on Verge of Financial Crisis

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Eugene Gerden - September 22, 2017

The latest financial indicators show the Russian fishing industry is on the verge of a serious crisis. According to data of the Russian Association of Fishermen (RAF), the balance profit of the industry in the first half of 2017 fell by18.7 percent, which happened for the first time since 2014.

Experts say the industry no longer feels any benefits from the devaluation of the ruble. Its profitability is also hampered by low global fish prices and poor purchasing ...

Salmones Camanchaca to Become Public Company, Langostino Lobster Gets MSC Certification

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 22, 2017

Chilean seafood company Camanchaca has had a busy week. Their salmon subsidiary, Salmones Camanchaca, is set to become a public company, while their langostino lobster fishery received Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification.

According to a press release, one third of the company’s shares will be part of the public offering ...

Ralphs Grocery Store Launches Prepared Meal Kits with Fish Tacos, Peruvian Salmon

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 22, 2017

Southern California residents don’t need to subscribe to a home meal delivery company in order to get prepared meal kits. Supermarket chain Ralphs is now offering pre-measured and prepared meal kits at 25 of their SoCal locations.

The kit is called Prep+Pared and features fresh ingredients that are ...

Boston's North Coast Seafood Put up For Sale According to Norway Sources

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Undercurrent News] by Tom Seaman  Sept. 21, 2017

North Coast Seafood, one of the largest seafood distributors in Boston, along with related company Northern Harvest Sea Farms, are being put up for sale, reports Tom Seaman of Undercurrent News.

Norway's DNB Markets Bank is running the sale, which is focused on the farmed salmon value from Northern Harvest, mostly sold through North Coast.

Editor's View: Carlos Rafael Must Go to Prison; Forfeit Vessels 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton (Opinion)  Sept. 21, 2017

The sentencing hearing for Carlos Rafael, who pled guilty to extensive cheating on his New England fishing quotas, is coming up Monday.

We fully support the prosecutions demand that he spend 4 years and 3 months in prison.

Prosecutors are also asking for a fine of $200,000, restitution to the US Treasury of $108,929, and full forfeiture of the 13 vessels involved in his scheme, plus a lifetime ban on  being active in the seafood industry.

In the run up to the sentencing and decisions about forfeiture of vessels, there has been a lot of smoke and disinformation.  For example, Brian Rothschild, a respected New Bedford ...

New Brunswick Seafood Exports to China Have Skyrocketed by 238 Percent

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fishfirst] translated by Amy Zhong - September 21, 2017

The export value of New Brunswick seafood to China has reached as high as $15.66 million CAD (~$12.6 million U.S.) in 2016, which is 23 percent of the Canadian total seafood export. The province’s seafood export has ballooned by 238 percent from 2015 to 2016. And it is still working hard to promote seafood in this huge market.

On Sept. 8, a small-scale meeting was held in the Consulate General of Canada (Guangzhou). New Brunswick’s governmental officials, along with representatives for its three leading ...

Sea Turtle Populations on the Rise, But Conservation Still a Concern

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 21, 2017

A recent study on sea turtle populations delivered some good news. Scientists analyzed nesting site surveys for 17 regions and discovered that “populations have been on the upswing in 12 regions.”  

Out of the seven species of sea turtles, six of them are in danger of extinction. Predators, as well as pollution and fishing, all contributed to the ...

Yukon and Norton Sound See Record Chum Salmon Harvest

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - September 20, 2017

The 2017 fall chum salmon run size in the Yukon River is over two million fish so far, exceeding the preseason projection by more than double. It is the largest run since 1975.

Landings of summer and fall chum have exceeded 1 million fish as of September 18.

The estimated passage of summer chum salmon was over 3.0 million, which exceeded the upper end of the preseason outlook of 2.5 million fish.

As of September 14, 129,600 coho salmon have been harvested in the commercial fishery, marking it the 3rd largest...

NAFO Wraps Up 2017 Meeting With TAC, Quota Decisions and More

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 25, 2017

The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) wrapped up their 39th annual meeting in Montreal, Canada, late last week. The organization was founded in 1979 to ensure the "long term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources in the Convention Area." One hundred and eighty delegates came together for the first meeting since the amended NAFO convention, which incorporated an ecosystem approach to ...

Greenland Halibut Catch Increased At NAFO Meeting in Montreal 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 25, 2017

Total allowable catch (TAC) for Greenland Halibut has been increased by 11% to 16,5000 mt. The agreement for the increase came during the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization’s (NAFO) meeting in Montreal last week.

The increase in Greenland Halibut is important for the Newfoundland and Labrador fishing communities, which hold a majority of ...

City of Monterey Looking to Buy Quota Rights from Local Fisherman

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 25, 2017

The California city of Monterey is looking to purchase the fishing rights to 880,000 pounds of fish from local fisherman Giuseppe Pennisi.

City manager Mike McCarthy told KSBW that the city is prepared to pay $583,000 for the rights out of fear that an organization outside of the area would buy the stock and push out local fishermen. Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust member Steve Scheiblauer told the outlet that the city previously lost 1.6 million pounds of seafood fishing rights when a company in ...

ANALYSIS: Retail Shrimp Promotions Very Stable

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Angel Rubio September 21, 2017

Urner Barry analyzed the number of promotions relative to the wholesale price—Urner Barry's quotations—and the prices offered to the consumer...

Anti-MSC Coalition Wins a Battle in Fight to Prevent MSC Recertification of PNA Tuna by FAD vessels

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton  Sept. 22, 2017 

A coalition of British Chefs led by Celebrity Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall along with a number of Eco foundations and University Researchers is turning the tables on MSC by mounting a public campaign with retailers against the MSC re-certification of PNA tuna.

At issue is the acceptance by the MSC that vessels can land certified tuna from FAD free sets even while on the same day and same trip making sets on FADs (fish aggregating devices), that have been shown to increase bycatch of juvenile tuna and sharks.

The group took a complaint to the Dutch Advertising Code Committee, and won a ruling that found that Princes is “misleading consumers” through statements made on its tins of tuna...

Walmart Testing Straight-To-Fridge Delivery Service

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 22, 2017

Online grocery shopping delivers perishable items to your door … but what if the order could go straight into your refrigerator? That’s a concept that Walmart is toying with.

The retail giant is teaming up with August Home, a smart lock company, to test out this new delivery idea, which was created to help busy families. How the concept works is that a Walmart shopper can ...

Scientists Pan Proposal to Open Pristine Pacific Islands to Fishing

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Science Mag] By Christopher Pala - September 22, 2017

Marine scientists are warning that if the Trump administration rescinds fishing protections around eight Pacific islands, the United States will lose one of its best laboratories for measuring how a warming climate affects marine life.

“We need baselines,” says Alan Friedlander of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu. “We need pristine reefs to see what we’ve lost elsewhere, to better manage damaged...

U.S. Coast Guard Refuses to Document “America’s Finest”; Congressional Action Still Possible

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - September 21, 2017

In a letter dated August 31 to Dakota Creek Industries (DCI), the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) found that the state-of-the-art catcher processor ‘America’s Finest’ will “not be eligible to be issued a Certificate of Documentation with fishery or coastwise endorsements upon completion of construction” at DCI.

Without this document, the vessel is not eligible to fish in US waters.

This is the latest, but certainly not the last determination on whether the 262-foot ’America’s Finest’, built as the most “environmental and carbon footprint friendly” vessel in the Bering Sea, will be fishing there this coming winter.

The problem rests in the vessel’s highly efficient hull shape which “reduces hull resistance when sailing in ice or at open sea,” according to the ship’s architects. The hull was built using steel plates that were cold formed in the Netherlands. Those foreign-processed plates were about 7 percent of the total weight of the steel hull, surpassing the Jones Act...

Four Arrested in California for Selling Abalone on the Black Market

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Susan Chambers - September 22, 2017

Wildlife officers recently arrested four suspects on charges of harvesting abalone with a recreational fishing license then selling it on the black market for profit, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said in a press release. The arrests were preceded by a five-month investigation of the suspects, some of whom have been previously convicted of similar violations.

CDFW officers arrested Oakley resident Thepbangon Nonnarath, 48; El Sobrante resident Dennis Nonnarath, 45; and San Jose residents Thu Thi Tran, 45, and Cuong Huu Tran, 42.

The group ...

Whole Foods Offering Vegan Raw Tuna Alternative for Sushi 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 21, 2017

Whole Foods is continuing to expand their offerings. Los Angeles and New York shoppers who visit the grocery market will be able to purchase Ahimi, the “first ever plant-based alternative to raw tuna.”

Ahimi is a product from Ocean Hugger Foods, a company that creates sustainable plant-based alternatives to ...

Oceana Canada Executive Director Writes Open Letter To Raise Seafood Fraud Awareness

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle September 21, 2017

Oceana Canada executive director Josh Laughren is taking a stand against seafood fraud. In an open letter published on the Huffington Post, Laughren pleads for chefs, restaurant owners, seafood industry leaders and the Canadian people to call on the government to require seafood to be fully traceable in order to combat seafood fraud and ...

New Sea Grant Bulletin a Boost for Alaskans Wanting to Farm Kelp

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - September 21, 2017

The global market for seaweed products has grown exponentially in recent years to $10 billion per year. Demand is outstripping supply with major market buyers in China, Japan, and South Korea.

Of the more than 18 million tons produced each year, 96 percent is cultured and 4% gathered from the wild.

In the U.S. farming seaweed is a recent industry, but established farms are operating on both coasts.

Alaska is poised to take off as the state develops a mariculture policy for seaweed and institutions like Alaska Sea Grant, the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center and others expand research projects on kelp farming.

The new Sea Grant bulletin Seaweed Farming in Alaska, will help. Author Gary Freitag describes...