Alaska Crab Quota Shares Face ‘Use It or Lose It’ Deadline

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] - April 26, 2018

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – A ‘use it or lose it’ deadline approaches for crab catch shares.

It’s slow going for brokers who deal in quota shares for crab in the Bering Sea.  Most holders are taking a wait and see approach on the crab stocks, hoping for an uptick before they sell. Few sellers make it tough to place a value on the shares.

“Red crab is down between $60 and $65 and for opilio it’s hard to say because ...

As White Shrimp Prices Drop in China, High Basa Price Attract Farmers' Attention

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Shuichan and Fishfirst] translated by Amy Zhong - April 26, 2018

After Tomb-Sweeping Day, farmers in South China have been occupied with selling out white shrimp, some of which suffer from disease. This leads to price contraction. As statistics from April 19 show, the price dropped by about 2 to 4 yuan/jin (1 jin=0.5 kg; ~$0.63-$1.27/kg USD) from the week before to 30 yuan/jin (~$9.49/kg USD) for those at the size of 40 shrimp/jin in Maoming of Guangdong. It declined by ...

California Federal Court Approves Bumble Bee Salmon Label Settlement

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 26, 2018

Back in February Bumble Bee Foods settled a class action lawsuit by agreeing to repackage their smoked salmon product. Now a federal court in California has given the final approval on the settlement.

The class action suit was brought against the company in December 2017 over “false advertising.” Miguel Rodriguez, a consumer in California, claimed that Bumble Bee’s Premium Select Medium Red Smoked Salmon Fillets Oil “deceptively stated or suggested the product was smoked, wild-caught salmon, when it was actually ...

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Enacts Emergency Regulations to Protect Whales

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 25, 2018

The sighting of endangered northern right whales in Cape Cod Bay has led the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries to enact two emergency regulations to protect the species from collisions with vessels and entanglement.

A trap gear closure that has been in place since February will be extended through May 6 for a portion of Cape Cod Bay. Lobstermen who fish in the area will be able to set their gear in the area on ...

Miami’s Fisheries Science Center a Key Part of Ongoing Research and Ecosystem Management Work at CIMAS

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 26, 2018

The Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) based on Virginia Key in Miami, has brought federal scientists and university researchers together since 1977, but may be facing the loss of a key component if the Southeast Fisheries Science Center is relocated.

The public-private partnership between the University of Miami and NOAA began 41 years ago when NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) were built literally across the street from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science ...

China’s JD.com Commits to BAP at Seafood Expo Global

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 25, 2018

JD.com, China’s largest e-commerce platform, announced their commitment to Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) at Seafood Expo Global in Brussels this week.  In an effort to establish themselves as a platform “concerned about minimizing the impact of its aquaculture sourcing policies,” 50% of the farmed supply by volume on JD Fresh will be at least two-star BAP certified by 2020. In addition, 80% of JD.com’s private label farmed seafood offerings will become at least ...

U.S. Coast Guard, Good Samaritans Rescue Crew From F/V Midori After Fire Off California Coast

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 25, 2018

The Coast Guard and three Good Samaritan vessels responded to an out-of-control fire on the 47-foot fishing vessel Midori ten miles off of Trinidad, CA one week ago.

The case began around 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 18, after a crewmember from the distressed fishing vessel contacted F/V Charlie D via cell phone to report a fire aboard.

The Charlie D crew contacted Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay watchstanders via  ...

High Liner Named Most Trusted Frozen Fish Brand By Canadian Shoppers

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 25, 2018

What brands do you trust? BrandSpark, a leading market research firm in Canada, polled more than 18,000 Canadian shoppers to find out their go-to brands. The survey found that when it comes to frozen fish, most shoppers turn to High Liner.

This isn’t the first time that High Liner has been recognozed by BrandSpark. Last month High Liner’s Can’t Mess It Up! Wild Pink Salmon was BrandSpark International’s Best New Product Awards ...

Turkey’s Luckyfish Co. First to Offer 4-Star BAP Mediterranean Sea Bass and Sea Bream

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 25, 2018

Turkey-based Luckyfish co. is now the world’s first company to offer four-star Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) Mediterranean sea bass and sea bream.

Luckyfish Co.’s Didim processing plant and feed mill, two farms near Didim, and hatchery in Milas all earned their certification at the same time. The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) made the announcement, and awarded Luckyfish CEO Ismail Aksoy with the certificates, at Seafood Expo Global ...

NOAA Confirms Shrimp and Abalone to Be Included in SIMP by December 31

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

NOAA Fisheries announced on Monday that they have taken action to include shrimp and abalone in the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) by December 31, 2018.

Shrimp and abalone was initially excluded from SIMP, which was created to combat seafood fraud and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Informed compliance for Atlantic cod, blue crab, mahi mahi, grouper, king crab, Pacific cod, red snapper, sea cucumber, sharks, swordfish and tunas began on January 1, 2018 ...

Seafood News Podcast: Supreme Crab's Mark Laubner Talks Bobby Flay; Plus 2018 Scallop Plan and More

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

On this week’s episode of the Seafood News podcast hosts Nicole Christie and Amanda Buckle talk to Supreme Crab & Seafood chef Mark Laubner about his experience on "Beat Bobby Flay." Get some behind-the-scenes scoop on the fan-favorite Food Network show. Plus, we talk about one of the survivors of the Alaska Ranger changing his story 10 years after the vessel sank, take a look at seafood volume sales, and ...

Daley Bros. Criticized for Failure to Tell Province They Won't Open Trinity Bay Crab Plant

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  [Compass]  by Andrew Robinson April 24, 2018

The Trinity South community of New Harbour is facing an unheard-of predicament, as Daley Brothers has decided not to open the local fish plant for the 2018 harvesting season.

News of the company’s intentions began to trickle through the community over the weekend after employees began receiving notices from Daley Brothers informing them of the company’s decision.

Reached by The Compass Monday afternoon, provincial Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne said he first heard from concerned workers on Saturday, April 21. The workers said they were surprised equipment at the plant was not being set up for processing as it normally would this time of year.

“Little did I know that there was actually more to the problem than what was identified to me on Saturday,” he said, noting workers who received notice ..

ASC Farmer’s Survey Reveals Benefits of Certification

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has released the results of their first Farmer’s Survey, a global survey administered at the end of 2017 to get feedback from members.

“We have come a long way since 2010 but to ensure we remain in tune with the needs of our famers, we undertook a global survey at the end of 2017,” ASC CEO Chris Ninnes said in a press release. “We asked what fish and shellfish farmers value most about ASC certification and what economic ...

AFT Holdings Withdraws Investments From U.S. Tuna Fleet

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Peggy Parker - April 24, 2018

AFT Holdings, Inc. today announced its intent this year to withdraw its direct investment in the U.S. distant water fleet of tuna seiners. The firm, under its Hines Management Group, represents the largest US shareholder of the US-flagged tuna fleet based in the Western Pacific.

According to the HMG website South Pacific Tuna Company, the investment represents 14 "super seiners," managed by the San Diego-based SPTC.

In addition to the strategic development of its fleet ...

Supreme Crab & Seafood Executive Chef Mark Laubner Tells All About His "Beat Bobby Flay" Episode

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - April 23, 2018

“Beat Bobby Flay” is a Food Network competition series that pits chefs from around the country against celebrity chef Bobby Flay. Earlier this month, viewers watched as Supreme Crab & Seafood executive chef Mark Laubner competed against Flay to gain bragging rights. And although he couldn’t pull off the win, he did put up a good fight, and is now spilling secrets from the Food Network set.

“At first I thought it was spam,” Laubner told Seafood News ...

Australia’s National Measurement Institute Clarifies Policy on Determining Net Weight of Frozen Seafood

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

After consulting with the seafood industry, Australia’s National Measurement Institute (NMI) has clarified its policy on determining the net weight of frozen seafood in retail and foodservice packaging.

According to NMI, the Frozen Fish method – also known as the partial thaw method – will be the only method to determine the net weight of non value-added seafood. This applies for all species of fish, crustaceans and mollusks that are normally traded ...

Rhode Island Fishing Industry Releases 'Blueprint for Resilience'

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

After two years members of the Rhode Island fishing industry have put together the Rhode Island Commercial Fisheries Blueprint for Resilience.

The Blueprint for Resilience was created to address issues that the state fisheries are facing: warming water temperatures, changing food webs, habitat alteration, shifting demographics and labor markets, increasing competition from other ocean industries, and regulatory strain. With financial support from the Saltonstall-Kennedy grant from NOAA, the project allows the industry to identify goals, tools and tactics for ...

Northern Cod Fisheries Improvement Project to Aid in Understanding of Stock Components

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 23, 2018

A new Northern Cod Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) will help researchers understand Northern Cod stock components and their movement along the slope of the continental shelf, as well as their inshore offshore migration patterns.

The project is being led by the Groundfish Allocation Council (GEAC) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) in an effort to “enable more effective stock assessment modeling and management measures to control fishing mortality.” Acoustic receivers will be dropped in waters off Eastern Canada and acoustic tags will be placed on ...

Open Blue Cobia Sashimi Fillet Wins Seafood Excellence Award At Seafood Expo Global

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 25, 2018

Open Blue is leaving the Seafood Expo Global show in Brussels with an award. The first ASC-certified Cobia producer took home the prize for convenience in the 2018 Seafood Excellence Awards for their sashimi grade fillet.

Open Blue’s sashimi-grade frozen cobia fillet can be used for both raw and cooked applications. The product was entered in the Horeca category (Hotel/Restaurant/Café) for food service entries and was tasted by ...

Scottish Seafood Delegation Casts a Wide Net at Brussels Seafood Expo Global

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 25, 2017

In 2017, Scottish companies attending the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels identified new business opportunities worth a predicted £33m1 (~!46 million USD). This week, the 21 Scottish companies attending the Expo as part of the Scottish delegation are hoping to better their previous performance, adding to the phenomenal growth of Scottish seafood exports across the world, according to a press release. 

The Scottish delegation was joined by Fergus Ewing, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity, who provided a ...

Togiak Herring Underway; Bait Herring Could Be A Better Fishery 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio with Laine Welch] - April 25, 2018

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Alaska’s biggest herring fishery is underway.

The state’s largest herring fishery at Togiak in Bristol Bay got underway on Sunday in near gale force winds. A handful of boats, mostly seiners, is competing for a 24,000 ton harvest, up slightly from last year.

By Tuesday the catch samples showed some good roe counts as a percent of body weight. Tim Sands is regional manager ...

The Global Aquaculture Alliance Moves to Wild Caught Seafood with Its New Partnership with SeaFish

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton - April 24, 2018

The Global Aquaculture Alliance and the UK SeaFish Authority announced in Brussels today that the GAA would take over the SeaFish Responsible Fishing Scheme and make it global.

This will entail the GAA setting up a wild catch monitoring scheme that will be called Global Seafood Assurances (GSA) Program.

The move is a radical way to incorporate crew safety and labor standard within overall seafood certification.

The Seafish responsible fishing scheme grew out of UK Seafood Buyers demands to ...

Mazzetta Latest Company to Join GSSI

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

The Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative announced today that Mazzetta Company, LLC has joined the GSSI Global Partnership as a Funding Partner.

“Mazzetta has long been committed to integrating environmental responsibility in their operating practices and the products they deliver to the marketplace," said Herman Wisse, Managing Director, GSSI.

"Partnering with Mazzetta strengthens our Global Partnership and our non-competitive effort in ensuring clarity, credibility and choice in the supply and promotion of certified seafood,” Wisse added.

Mazzetta Company is a fully integrated importer ... 

ADF&G Gets Small Budget Boost for FY 19

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Fish Radio With Laine Welch] - April 24, 2018

This is Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch. The commercial fisheries budget is set for a boost.

The commercial fisheries division is in line for a slight increase to its $69 million operating budget that will benefit projects around the state.

The budget, plus a nearly one million dollar increment, added by Representative Dan Ortiz of Ketchikan, was passed by Alaska  lawmakers.

“The amount is the same, the projects are the same, but the house version had them in our ...

On Eve of Brussels Show, Russian Pollock Producers Promise Market War in Europe

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] By Eugene Gerden - April 23, 2018

The vice-president of the Russian Pollock Association (RPA), Alexei Buglak, says that Russian producers expect low prices to help them continue to rapidly expand their share of single frozen pollock markets in Europe.

He says that the US media and US pollock producers have continued their attacks on Russian pollock, especially since the fishery achieved MSC certification in 2013.

He said the pressure on Russian fisherman has significantly increased after granting ...

Sodexo Recommends Students Eat Fish High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids During Finals Season

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

It’s almost time for final exams, and this one tip could help students ace their tests: eat fatty fish.

Beth Winthrop, a national dietitian with food service and facilities management company Sodexo, has been working with the company’s college and university clients to create “healthy, well-balanced food options” for students across the country. According to Winthrop, students who want to keep their brain healthy during finals season need to indulge in more fatty fish that are ...

Two Alaska Commercial Fishermen Charged With Harassing, Killing Steller Sea Lions

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

Jon Nicholas, a captain of the F/V Iron Hide, and Theodore “Teddy” Turgeon, a deckhand on the Iron Hide, have been charged with harassing and killing 15 Steller sea lions.

The sea lions were found dead during the opening of the 2015 Copper River salmon season. Nicholas reportedly ordered his crew, including Turgeon, to shoot at Steller sea lions while fishing in the Copper River fishing district. According to reports, Nicholas would ...

Live Atlantic Salmon Available in Yantai of Shandong Thanks to Oriental Ocean's Aquaculture

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Shuichan] translated by Amy Zhong - April 24, 2018

Atlantic salmon are swimming freely inside the aquaculture facility of Oriental Ocean, an aquatic company in Yantai of Shandong. This is the first time live salmon have appeared in China. Now locals can get access to very fresh salmon meat.

Salmon are mostly raised in sea cages abroad, but some overseas companies have been challenged by problems of diseases, parasites, high cost and limitation of supply in recent years. It is likely that Oriental Ocean’s indoor industrialized aquaculture will  ...

Red Lobster Announces New Dishes For Create Your Own Shrimp Trios Event

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

Shrimp lovers can head to Red Lobster to indulge in not one, not two, but three shrimp selections.

On Monday the seafood chain restaurant announced the launch of their Create Your Own Shrimp Trios event. The promotion gives diners a chance to choose three of nine “craveable shrimp selections” for $15.99. Options include classic favorites, like garlic shrimp scampi, popcorn shrimp, shrimp linguini alfredo, Cajun chicken linguini alfredo and the teriyaki grilled shrimp. In addition, Red Lobster has also added some new dishes ...

Norwegian Salmon Producer Hofseth Invests in BAADER Production Line

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - April 24, 2018

Hofseth Aalesund AS announced this week that they have invested in a new production line from food processing machinery company BAADER.

“Hofseth has chosen BAADER’s fillet line because we have seen through several years of operation that BAADER’s fillet solution ensures the best yield while guaranteeing high capacity and stable operation,” Hofseth CEO and founder Roger Hofseth said in a press release. “BAADER’s filleting line ensures good quality and good earnings.”

The machinery is a complete fillet line ...