Urner Barry's Reporter Fall 2020 Issue Released; Read It Online For Free Now

A brand new issue of Urner Barry's Reporter is out! Volume 15, Number 4 features a preview of Urner Barry's upcoming Executive Conference and Global Protein Summit, set to take place from October 6-9, 2020. Check out interviews with some of the speakers from our epic online event, including Scott Rasmussen, John Manzella, Fernando Machado and more! Click here to read.

Not a subscriber? Sign up for free! Click here to subscribe to Urner Barry’s Reporter, the quarterly newsmagazine for the food industry professional. 

IPHC Approves Three-Week Extension of Halibut Season in British Columbia Due to Pandemic

In its second special session of the year, triggered by issues brought on by the coronavirus, the International Pacific Halibut Commission agreed yesterday to extend the fishing season three weeks — to December 7, 2020 — for British Columbia, or Area 2B. 

IPHC's first special session last May relaxed management measures for charter operators in Alaska, as  out-of-state clients cancelled their trips when state health mandates restricting travel were imposed. Unlike that session, yesterday’s meeting was open to the public. More than 50 stakeholders attended the... 

Oceana Report Confirms 300 Chinese Vessels Pillaging Waters Near Galapagos for Squid

In a brief but damning report conservation group Oceana shows non-stop “pillaging” taking place off the coast of the Galapagos Islands by Chinese vessels.

The report shows nearly 300 Chinese fishing boats, many with hold capacities of 1,000 mt, targeting mostly squid, just outside of the Galapagos Marine Reserve. Squid are essential to the diet of iconic Galapagos species such as fur seals and hammerhead sharks, as well as for many commercial and recreational fish species, including tuna and billfish, that contribute to the local economy ...

Hurricane Sally Brings Destruction to the Gulf Coast

Hundreds of thousands of people are without power after Hurricane Sally came barrelling through the Gulf Coast this week.

Sally made landfall in Alabama on Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane. According to reports, Sally was moving at less than five miles an hour when it first made landfall with winds at 105 MPH. The slow moving hurricane, which turned into a tropical storm, created mass destruction before tearing through the Florida Panhandle.

In Bon Secour, Alabama, multiple businesses, including Bon Secour Fisheries and Billy’s Seafood, an open-air fresh seafood market...

China’s Demand for Ecuador White Shrimp Seemingly Revives

Due to the coronavirus, Ecuador ran into great trouble in white shrimp exports this year, and earlier local prices even hit the lowest level within the past decade. But luckily since August the market has been gradually recovering with better control of this epidemic worldwide and rising demand of its main buyers, like China.

As statistics show, on September 13, the price increased by US$0.2/kg to US$3.6/kg compared with previous week for those weighing between 40 to 50 shrimps/kg. Local processing plants are fastening production...

Coast Guard Medevacs Injured Fisherman Near Cold Bay, Alaska

KODIAK, Alaska — The Coast Guard medevaced an injured fisherman approximately 40 miles west of Cold Bay, Alaska, Wednesday. A video of the helicopter lowering the medivac official and hoisting the patient as it hovered over the vessel in open water shows the skills needed for each at-sea procedure. 

At 2:30 p.m. an Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew hoisted the injured man and transferred him to awaiting emergency medical services in Cold Bay for further transport to Anchorage.

At 8:34 a.m., command center watchstanders received on...

Carnival Cruise Lines the Latest to Cancel Voyages in 2021

The cruise line industry is continuing to take a beating from the coronavirus. On Wednesday Carnival Cruise Line announced that they were canceling some of their 2021 voyages. And they are far from the first cruise company to do so.

Cruises took a hit early on in the pandemic when news outlets began to report on passengers getting stranded at sea due to illnesses and restrictions at ports. On March 14 the CDC issued a No Sail Order and Suspension of Further Embarkation for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters...

Jerky From Alaska Pollock

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

Jerky made from Alaska pollock attracted the attention of big backers starting at a buffet table at Fish 2.0, a global gathering of innovators and investors hosted by Stanford University to grow the sustainable seafood sector.

“I knew that they would have to taste it to buy into what we were trying to build. And so I brought about 200 samples and it was literally the first major set of samples that we'd ever made of the product. And the samples disappeared in a matter of minutes...

Coast Guard Continuing to Seek Information on December 2019 Sinking of F/V Scandies Rose

Coast Guard Petty Officer Janessa Warschkow is making a plea for anyone with information regarding the F/V Scandies Rose or conditions around the time of the vessel's sinking to come forward.

As SeafoodNews previously reported, on December 31, 2019, the F/V Scandies Rose was approximately 170 miles southwest of Kodiak when the vessel sank with five men aboard. A mayday call that the vessel was taking on water was made at 10:15 p.m...

ASMI Launches #SeafoodSunday, Invitation and Inspiration to Enjoy More Wild Seafood Together

Worn out by 2020 yet? Bored to tears with COVID constraints that make a chore out of meal planning? Take heart, consumers, the marketing geniuses at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) have launched a new initiative that you might want to be part of.

#SeafoodSunday not only asks Americans to enjoy more wild seafood together, it brings “impassioned chefs and culinary experts” into our kitchens to share recipes, cooking tips, and fun, while supporting our need to keep ourselves, our families, and our environment healthy...

China Reopens its Door to Russia’s King Crab

Under the influence of coronavirus, Shanghai temporarily halted its imports of king crab in large quantities earlier this year. But recently the city has lifted the ban. On September 15, a Russian ship unloaded 70-odd-ton live king crabs there.

The importer is said to have restarted the import quickly, thanks to China’s rapidly recovering catering industry and also its rising seafood demand. And considering these king crabs are from a high-risk country, it has contacted relevant bureaus immediately and also taken prevention measures as required during this epidemic...

JAPAN: Scallop Landings Recovered to 40,000 MT Level After Six Years

According to the Hokkaido Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, the Hokkaido scallop landings for FY2020 (April 2020-March 2021) increased production in the Funka Bay Hakodate area, Nemuro area, and Okhotsk Kitami area. The Federation projects that the total output will increase by 4% from the previous year's results to 404,300 tons and recover to the 400,000-ton level for the first time in 6 years reports Minato Shimbun.

Okhotsk area expects 300,000 tons for the second consecutive year.

Okhotsk area, which is currently in the middle of...

SeaPak Introduces Everything Bagel Butterfly Shrimp

Everyone loves a good everything bagel — including SeaPak. The latest product offering from the seafood company is Everything Bagel Butterfly Shrimp.

"This trend keeps growing and growing," said Kristen Beadon director of marketing for SeaPak Shrimp & Seafood Co. "Our Everything Bagel Butterfly Shrimp brings an entirely new dimension to the value-added shrimp category, and with so many families eating at home more than ever now, we're excited to launch something new for our customer to try."

SeaPak's latest product features 9 ounces of crispy butterfly shrimp in...

APA’s Request to Extend Access to Winter Herring Savings Area Rejected by NOAA Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Chris Oliver rejected a request for an emergency rule to extend the date of a herring conservation area that would close this fall from the At-Sea Processors Association, in a letter dated September 11, 2020.

The letter pointed out that the request did not meet the requirements of an Emergency Ruling by the agency, which are related to the definition of an “fisheries emergency.” A fisheries emergency must:

1. result from recent, unforeseen events or recently discovered circumstances,
2. present serious conservation or ...

Petersburg Borough Requests Fishery Disaster Declaration from Alaska Governor Dunleavy

The Borough of Petersburg in Southeast Alaska is the third region in the state to ask Governor Dunleavy to declare a fisheries disaster for the area in the wake of record low landings and returns of salmon this year. In early August the City of Cordova in Southcentral Alaska asked the state to declare a fisheries disaster, and later that month the community of Chignik on the Alaska Peninsula also asked for a salmon disaster declaration. 

“As you are likely aware, salmon returns in Southeast are far below forecasts. Low returns ...

Study Reviews Seafood Sustainability Claims in Canadian Supermarkets

SeaChoice.org, a science-based, solution-focused influencer, advocate and watchdog that was created to increase consumer awareness around seafood sustainability in Canada, has released a new study on seafood environmental claims in Canadian supermarkets.

The report, titled, "Certification, Verification or Fabrication? An Investigation of Seafood Environmental Claims in Canadian Retailers," documents the prevalence, verifiability and quality of seafood environmental claims in the Canadian retail marketplace. The organization gathered data from 18 supermarket locations across five Canadian cities and provinces. Their sample included 234...

Kodiak-based Coast Guard Cutter Returns Home Following International Fisheries Enforcement Operation

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro (WHEC 724) returned home after a two-month-long Operation North Pacific Guard (NPG) patrol focused on international fishery regulation enforcement.

NPG is an annual operation designed to deter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activity, including large-scale high seas pelagic drift-net fishing, the Coast Guard explained. The NPG includes a number of multilateral and bilateral international agreements with the U.S. in order to improve the conservation and management of high seas fisheries resources...

Maine Opens Lotteries for Dive and Drag Scallop Licenses

The Maine Department of Marine Resources announced the opening of a pair of license lotteries. The scallop drag and scallop dive license lotteries have been open since September 14.

Based on licenses retired in 2019, the Department is making available 10 scallop drag licenses and 4 scallop dive licenses.

The license lotteries will open at noon on Monday, September 14 and will remain open until 4:30 pm on October 30. In order to be eligible for the scallop license lottery, an individual must meet all of the following criteria...

Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories Finds Success in the Prospect of Mass Glass Eel Production

Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories (SNBL) in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, studies artificial mass production of Japanese glass eels. At its empirical research base facility in Okinoerabu Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, the firm succeeded the elver production using natural seawater in anticipation of the mass output, according to the company’s press release and Minato Shimbun.

The company's Ibusuki office has engaged in research and development and has already succeeded in producing elvers. However, this is the first time for the base facility on the island for...

Scandal-ridden Scallops Serve as Pledges in Zhangziao’s Borrowing Money from Banks

Zhangzidao’s yesso scallops are well known in China for their repeated disappearance and death in large quantities. Recently they have hit headlines again, but this time instead of great losses, these scallops are bringing home some money. As pledges, they are said to have helped the company gain a bank loan of 90 million yuan.

The news drove Zhangzidao’s share price upward to a new high level of 4.16 yuan per share on September 16. Later that day the relevant bank, China Minsheng Bank, stepped forward and explained...

Pacific Council Unanimously Approves Pacific Sardine Rebuilding Plan

The Pacific Fisheries Management Council yesterday approved a rebuilding plan for the northern stock of Pacific sardines that incorporates the current status quo harvest policy, one of several alternatives before the panel. 

The council chose Alternative 1 in large part because it was supported by the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Management Team, an advisory body to the council, along with fishermen, processors, and allied fishing businesses along the West Coast. 

The final action was required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act after the northern sardine stock was declared “overfished” in 2019, when the...

Crabbers Haul Up Best Dungeness Catches in Decades, Prices Sink

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

Crabbers at Southeast Alaska and Kodiak are pulling up good Dungeness catches although prices have sunk. At the Panhandle, a fleet of 192 permit holders hauled up nearly six million pounds of dungies during the summer fishery that ran from June through August 15, one of the highest catches of the decade.  

The average price to fishermen of $1.67 per pound was down from $3.01 last year – still, the summer Dungeness fishery was valued at nearly $10 million...

Good Food Institute’s Alison Rabschnuk Talks About the Growing Demand for Alternative Proteins

The plant-based food industry has not been immune to the impacts of COVID-19. Just like those in poultry, beef and seafood, the shutdown of the foodservice industry forced those in the plant-based world to shift their focus to retail. Fortunately for them, plant-based proteins have seen a significant jump in retail sales growth.

According to Alison Rabschnuk, Director of Corporate Engagement of the Good Food Institute, a non-profit that provides strategic support for companies working on plant-based and cultivated meat products...

Louisiana Fishing Industry Now Eligible to Apply for CARES Act Financial Assistance

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has opened up the application process for those seeking funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The CARES Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27. The relief package included $300 million in fisheries assistance funding, but many in the industry have yet to be able to take advantage of the financial aid. While passed in March, it wasn't until May that NOAA even released...

JAPAN: Fall Chum Price Heats Up as Landings Slow Down

On September 14, following the season-opening last week, fall chum salmon fishing in Hokkaido totaled 1294 tons in landings. For the first time this season landings exceeded 1000 tons, but this includes Sunday when fishing was closed. Hence, the quantity was the landing of two days, according to Suisan Keizai.

The year-on-year increase was maintained at about 15%. Still, the growth rate is gradually shrinking. Although it seemed to have made a good start compared with the previous year...

Town Dock Accuses Former Employees of Violating Non-Compete Agreements

Michael Wallace and John Fee, two former salesmen for The Town Dock, are being accused of violating their non-compete agreements.

On September 9 The Town Dock filed a lawsuit against Lund's Fisheries, Michael Wallace and John Fee to "recover damages and/or injunctive relief arising from Defendants' breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of confidential information and tortious interference with business relationships."

According to court documents, Wallace was hired by the Town Dock in a sales position in November 2015...

Rhode Island Fishermen Impacted by Trade War to Receive $10 Million in Tariff Relief 

Fishermen from the state of Rhode Island can receive about $10 million in tariff relief, according to estimates from Senator Jack Reed (D-RI).

As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) $530 million in funding to help the seafood industry which was heavily impacted due to the retaliatory tariffs, Rhode Island fishermen can apply for cash payouts of up to $250,000.

The program will pay the state’s fishermen a species-specific amount for every pound landed in 2019...

What’s Trashing Our Oceans in 2020

For the first time, food wrappers passed cigarette butts as the most common trash found in our oceans and on our beaches.

That was the result of last year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day started in in 1986 by the Ocean Conservancy. Since then, on the third Saturday of each September, millions of volunteers have collected and categorized over 300 million pounds of trash from beaches and waters worldwide.

So what’s trashing our oceans...?

Red Lobster and PepsiCo Kick-Off Partnership With ‘Dew Garita’

Crab legs and Mountain Dew? Anything is possible.

A pairing that many could have never predicted can now become a reality thanks to a new partnership between Red Lobster and PepsiCo.

The seafood restaurant chain and PepsiCo have entered a partnership and to kick it off, the companies announced the launch of the ‘Dew Garita,’ the first official Moutain Dew cocktail.

It wasn’t shocking to see that the announcement took over social media on Tuesday as consumers took to social media to provide their thoughts on the unique pairing...

Talk or Dress Like a Pirate and Get Free Fish from Long John Silver’s as Part of New Promo

To celebrate “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” customers who head into a Long John Silver’s and either speak or dress up like a pirate will receive free fish.

Pirate-speaking customers will get a fresh piece of fish, while those who dress up for the occasion will snag a free two-piece Fish Basket. Those who remain at home will have an “oppor-tuna-ty,” (credit to Long John Silver’s for the pun) to receive a digital gift card by posting a video or picture of their pirate costume...