China Unveils Retaliatory Tariffs Against $75 Billion Worth of U.S. Goods

On Friday China unveiled retaliatory tariffs affecting $75 billion worth of U.S. goods. According to a statement from China's Finance Ministry, additional tariffs of 5% or 10% will be levied on 5,078 products.

Beginning September 1, 270 items will be imposed with a 10% tariff – including seafood, fish, crab and shrimp.  This will up tariffs on U.S. seafood to 35%. A second tariff list that does not include seafood is effective beginning December 15.

President Trump said...

Fishing Industry Shooting Itself in Foot with Opposition to Offshore Wind: Not the Pebble Mine

[The Winding Glass is a weekly analysis and opinion column from SeafoodNews Founder John Sackton]

At an offshore wind symposium in Rhode Island this week, Lanny Dellinger, a Newport Lobsterman and chair of the RI Committee that advises on fishery concerns on offshore wind, said “Our whole community is in danger.”

Other members of the fishing industry have called for years of studies before offshore wind farms are built.  The powerful DC lobbyists at Kelly Drye, representing the Fisheries Survival Fund, were also among those...

Sea Lice Costing Norway's Salmon Sector Over $560 Million a Year

According to research institute Nofima, sea lice is costing Norway's salmon sector over $560 million USD, or 5 billion kroner, a year.

Companies are using different treatments to reduce sea lice, which comes with additional costs. This has been reflected in a couple of recent earnings calls.

Mowi revealed earlier this week that sea lice levels at their Norway sites are beginning to increase.

"It's the time of the year where conditions catalyze the development of sea lice," said Glenn Flanders...

Alaska Gov. Dunleavy Walks Back Some Vetoes, Not All for Commercial Fisheries

Under pressure from most of the state, and facing a growing recall movement, Alaska’s Govenor Mike Dunleavy reversed about half of his $424 million budget vetoes last Monday. 

“Yesterday, Governor Dunleavy signed into law HB 2001 with approximately $222 million dollars in cuts ... and approving a $1,600 PFD with a call for a third special session fall 2019 to address allocating the remainder the PFD,” wrote Frances Leach, executive director for United Fishermen of Alaska, in her August 20 update to Alaska’s fishing industry ...

ADF&G Commissioner Vincent-Lang Reaffirms Support for Coastal Fishing Communities

In response to a guest editorial on August 13 from Clem Tillion on the “great political struggle” to retain some of the cod resource for the Adak community, Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang described the state’s committment “to developing fisheries management policies that benefit Alaska residents and coastal communities. We recognize the unique challenges faced by fish harvesters and processors operating in remote Alaskan waters and are committed to finding solutions.”

Vincent-Lang’s guest editorial appeared in the August 21 issue of the Alaska Journal of Commerce, one week after...

VIDEO: Codfather Settlement; Alaska Salmon Landings; Seafood Expo Asia Canceled and More

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video hosts Lorin Castiglione and Amanda Buckle as they discuss Carlos "The Codfather" Rafael's settlement; Alaska salmon landings; and the cancellation of Seafood Expo Asia. Plus, learn more about the addition of frog legs to Urner Barry's seafood market coverage.

This episode was brought to you by Maine Lobster. Maine Lobster season is here, and although the traditional butter and lemon pairings are delicious, there are many ways to enjoy lobster. Grill it as a main course to accompany refreshing sides...

Department of Commerce Releases Final Results of Antidumping Duty Review on Shrimp from Vietnam

In April the Department of Commerce published in the Federal Register the preliminary results of the 13th administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain warmwater shrimp from Vietnam. The Department of Commerce has since released the final results of the antidumping administrative review, and determined that sales by Fimex VN and Nha Trang Seaproduct Company were "not made below normal value" during the period of review from February 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018.

Following the announcement of the final result...

Pink Salmon Disaster Funds Awaiting Applicants

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

Applications should now be in hand for Alaska salmon fishermen and processors hurt by the 2016 pink salmon fishery failure.

NOAA Fisheries last month approved $56.3 million in relief funds for fishery failures at Kodiak, Prince William Sound, Chignik, Lower Cook Inlet, South Alaska Peninsula, Southeast Alaska, and Yakutat. 

Funds are being distributed by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC).

Salmon permit holders who show losses from the pink bust will split $31.8 million based on average dockside values over even years...

Virginia Fisherman Sentenced for Illegally Harvesting and Selling Oysters

Gregory Wheatley Parks Jr., 44, of Tangier Island, Virginia was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges relating to the illegal harvest and sale of oysters from Virginia waters.

Captain of the fishing vessel Melissa Hope, Parks falsely reported to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) that he caught a legal number of oysters on seven different occasions.

On seven instances between January 15, 2015 and March 3, 2015, Parks harvested oysters over the Virginia catch limit and sold them to a fish dealer in Maryland...

Hatch Announces Advisory Board for First Aquaculture Tech Venture Fund

Hatch, the first-ever accelerator for sustainable agriculture announced its senior fund advisory board that includes some of the top names from the seafood and aquaculture industry.

The fund will focus on startups with high potential aquaculture startups. With the funding set to close in November, Hatch has already done the first close at around half of its €8 million goal. The board will have a significant impact on the Hatch cohort, as well as speeding up the growth of Hatch. 

The board members include...

Mowi Acquires Norwegian Salmon Farmer K. Strømmen Lakseoppdrett 

Mowi announced that they have completed the acquisition of Norwegian salmon farmer K. Strømmen Lakseoppdrett from K. Strømmen Holdings AS.

According to the company, 30% of the purchase price will be settled through the issuance of new shares in Mowi. The Mowi board of directors approved 1,071,372 new shares to K. Strømmen Holdings AS at a price of NOK 226.7855 per share.

Undercurrent reports that the total cost of the acquisition is NOK 790m.

University Study Shows Longline Fishing Hampers Shark Migration

Longline fisheries around the world are significantly affecting migrating shark populations, according to an international study featuring a University of Queensland researcher.

The study found that approximately a quarter of the studied sharks' migratory paths fell under the footprint of longline fisheries, directly killing sharks and also affecting their food supply, according to a university press release. Pelagic longline operations typically target tunas and swordfish.

Dr. Bonnie Holmes, from UQ's School of Biological Sciences, wanted to find out why shark numbers have been declining...

NOAA Seeking Comments on April 2019 Control Date for Lobster Fishery

NOAA Fisheries announced on Thursday that they are seeking comments on a control date, or a date that may be used to establish eligibility, for the American lobster fishery as they "consider ways to reduce threats of entanglement by fixed-gear fisheries to North Atlantic right whales."

The government agency clarified that this is not a proposed rule.

"We are notifying the public that we may develop a future rulemaking to complement any actions taken by the Commission, and that future participation in the fishery may be based on...

SeaShare Aiming to Send 800,000 Servings of Seafood Across Alaska This Year

SeaShare, a non-profit organization that was created to help the seafood industry donate to hunger-relief efforts in the United States, has set a goal to donate 800,000 servings of seafood across Alaska this year. And the organization is well on their way.

The group announced in an update that they just sent 96,000 servings of halibut to Nome and Kotzebue thanks to transportation provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak. The donation was part of an annual contribution from Ocean Beauty Seafoods...

Long John Silver's launches $7.99 All-You-Can-Eat Special to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

For a limited time Long John Silver's lovers can take advantage of an all-you-can-eat deal. Until Sunday, August 25, those who dine-in can indulge in unlimited fish, chicken and sides for the low price of $7.99

"We want to thank all the people who've joined us on this 50-year journey," said Stephanie Mattingly, chief marketing officer at Long John Silver's. "From the partnership of our franchisees and our restaurant crews to the guests they welcome aboard every day in our restaurants, the loyalty and continued support Long John Silver's receives inspires us to seas ever moment."

CleanFish Names New Director of Purchasing, West Coast Sales Manager

CleanFish announced on Wednesday that West Coast Sales and Operations Manager Karim Machi has been promoted to Director of Purchasing.

Machi has a long history at CleanFish and was one of the company's first employees. During his time with Clean Fish he worked as an Evangelist with chefs across the country, lead sales throughout the west and liaised with logistics. His new role will require him to be the key contract with producers on purchasing.

CleanFish hired Seattle native Will Rogers to replace...

Carlos 'The Codfather' Rafael's Lawyer Speaks Out After NOAA Settles Case

John Markey, a lawyer for Carlos "The Codfather" Rafael, is speaking out after NOAA announced that they had settled their pending civil administrative claims against the New Bedford fishing mogul.

As SeafoodNews reported on Monday, as part of the settlement, Rafael will be required to pay over $3 million in fines, as well as cease commercial fishing. Markey told The Boston Globe that "both sides had to compromise to reach the agreement."

"The big sacrifice for Carlos is that he's being asked to no longer participate in the...

Plastic Straw Alternatives: How One Company Is Helping Protect Marine Life

It's getting harder and harder to find a plastic straw when dining out. Plastic straws are being banned in some cities, while other companies have vowed to stop offering them – and for good reason. A reported 500 million straws are used daily, and according to a study published in Science Magazine, between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean every year. Straws and other plastics that end up in our oceans are not only polluting the water, but killing marine life...

ANALYSIS: Chinese Catfish Sees Record High Prices, Low Imports

Prices on Chinese catfish frozen fillets have been strengthening since the second quarter of 2019 due to increased tariffs on this imported species. All sizes are currently ranging in between $3.85 and $4.00 per pound, a record high for the market and a level we have not seen since 2012 prices were averaging $3.85 per pound.

2019 imports have been tracking well below the previous 3-year average for the majority of the year. June 2019 volume of 485,219 pounds falls 51.5 percent below the...

Urner Barry Adding New Shrimp Items to Seafood Price Current

Urner Barry will be adding new shrimp items to the Seafood Price Current. Comtell subscribers will soon be able to access this expanded coverage, which includes 110-150 count and 100-200 count.

These new items come a week after Urner Barry announced the addition of frog legs, Chilean mussels and crawfish to their seafood market coverage.

For information on the new shrimp items you can reach out to market reporters Jim Kenny (jkenny@urnerbarry.com) or Gary Morrison (gmorrison@urnerbarry.com). For more information on...

PCFFA Reacts to News of Jeopardy Finding for Salmon, Southern Resident Killer Whales

As reported today in the LA Times, the National Marine Fisheries Service determined in an important draft biological opinion [link to the document here] that the changes to California’s Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP) operations championed by the Department of the Interior would result in jeopardy to spring and winter run Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, and southern resident killer whales (SRKW). The draft opinion was transmitted to the Department of the Interior, which immediately convened a team of outside lawyers and...

Government of Canada, British Columbia Invest in Wild Salmon Conservation Projects in Vancouver

The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson announced five Vancouver-based projects that will be funded through the British Columbia Salmon Restoration Fund (BCSRIF).

The investment of nearly $2.7 million towards projects related to the BCSRIF will help restore and enhance salmon habitat to support the British Columbia fish and seafood sectors. The projects will also focus on improving the sustainability of wild Pacific salmon and other fish stocks.

“Our government understands the need to protect and restore salmon habitats as..."

Cell-Based Seafood Company BlueNalu Announce Design Plans of New Facility

BlueNalu, a company that produces seafood directly from cells of fish, moved a step closer to commercialization and the creation of its facility. A first for any company in the cellular agriculture sector, BlueNalu is only a few steps away from large-scale production.

The goal of the company is to create seafood from at-risk species. Those that are overfished, primarily imported, contain high mercury levels, along with other environmental pollutants or are tough to farm raise.

The initial products BlueNalu will release will be...

With Global Warming and Less Sea Ice, Nome is Emerging as Strategic Port for the U.S.

Nome may be known for its Gold Rush history or the end point for the iditarod Dog Sled Race, but the city’s strategic location near the Bering Strait during global warming is changing its image as a gateway to newly navigable waters of the Arctic.

Last March, the US Army Corps of Engineers identified Nome as a logical site for the first US Arctic deepwater port. A draft plan includes extending the current 3,000 foot causeway further out into Norton Sound then turning...

Symphony of Seafood Calls for Entries in 27th Competition

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

The call is out for new seafood products for the 27^th annual Alaska Symphony of Seafood 2020 contest  that will be celebrated at two events. The entries will be judged at Pacific Marine Expo on November 20 and first place winners will be announced on November 22.  Second and third place winners, plus the grand prize, will be kept secret until  a Juneau legislative reception on February 24.

The Symphony, hosted by the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation...

Mowi Confirms New Aqua Feed Plant in Scotland is Fully Operational

Mowi confirmed on an earnings call that their new aqua feed plant in Scotland is fully operational.

SeafoodNews reported in May that Mowi was set to start trial productions at their feed plant in Skye, Scotland. The company had invested an estimated EUR 110 million into the plant, which would deliver feed to Mowi's farmed salmon operations in Scotland, Ireland and the Faroe Islands.

"This facility will afford us some flexibility in terms of the types of feed we produce and also allow us some design latitude to...

AmazonFresh Expands Into Three New Cities

Amazon shoppers in Houston, Minneapolis and Phoenix can now take advantage of free one or two-hour delivery of meat, seafood, fresh produce and other items through AmazonFresh.

"Prime members tell us they want their stuff even faster," Stephanie Landry, VP of AmazonFresh and Prime Now, said in a statement. "We're happy to deliver on that ask and can't wait for customers in Houston, Minneapolis and Phoenix to take advantage of one- and two-hour delivery from AmazonFresh."

AmazonFresh was developed to help shoppers "skip the checkout line...

Seafood Expo Asia Canceled 2 Weeks Ahead of Event

Diversified Communications announced two weeks ahead of Seafood Expo Asia that they are canceling the event. The seafood trade show was set to take place in Hong Kong from September 3 – 5.

The organization made the decision to cancel the expo due to ongoing social unrest in Hong Kong.

For those who haven't been following, protests have been happening in Hong Kong for months stemming from a proposed bill that would allow Hong Kong citizens to be extradited to mainland China...

Tassal to Bring 1,000 Jobs to North Queensland With New Aquaculture Facility

The Queensland Government announced that seafood producer Tassal is set to bring 1,000 jobs to the North Queensland area.

Premier and Minister for Trade, the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk, revealed in a media statement that Tassal purchased a 7,000 hectare beef property with plans to turn the location into a new aquaculture facility. The project will bring a number of construction and operational jobs to the area.

"My government is all about jobs," Palaszczuk said. "We've created more than 216,000 of them since 2015 in all sectors of...

Alaska Salmon Landings Now at More Than 155 Million Fish, 73% of Pre-Season Forecast

Total salmon landings in Alaska have reached more than 155.8 million through August 18th. Pink salmon landings from Prince William Sound and Kodiak were mostly responsible for the uptick of 30 million salmon in one week, the largest weekly harvest of the 2019 statewide season. Pink landings are now at 87.2 million salmon.

Sockeye salmon is still being produced around the state. Last week’s harvest of 500,000 sockeye brings the 2019 total to more than 54.5 million fish. The five-year average indicates statewide production...