FFAW, ASP Fail To Come To Agreement During Snow Crab Price Negotiations 

Last month the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW-Unifor) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) announced a shared commitment to work together ahead of the upcoming snow crab season. But once pricing talks began, that agreement to address challenges within the industry fell apart.

“We committed to discussions with the FFAW on the upcoming season, and after those discussions, along with considering the many challenges that exist this year, we regret to inform that we could not reach an agreement...

Chile’s SMA Initiates 5 Sanctioning Procedures Against Australis

The Retail Rundown: Holiday Ham Breakdown

Leading up to Easter, pork feature volume moves up to the top spot with 30.1% of all protein ads. Seafood closely follows with 29.3%. Beef feature volume sits at 23%, while chicken chimes in at about 13%. Eggs ticked up to 2.2%, up from 0.7% the week prior but below 7.5% last year. 

Within the pork retail segment, hams account for 16.8% of the total feature volume. There are an estimated 27,135 buying opportunities for ham this week, up from about 23,000 the week prior.

Spiral sliced features make up the bulk of ham...

FCC: Concerning Lack of Commitment to Canadian Fisheries Science and Blue Economy in Federal Budget

The federal budget tabled by Minister Freeland today shows a concerning lack of support for the Canadian fisheries industry and essential fisheries science. The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) is disappointed to see an absence of recognition of the importance of a sufficient science for supporting data-based fisheries management decisions that will allow our industry to establish a robust Blue Economy.

As the national voice representing the Canadian fisheries industry, FCC made several pre-budget recommendations and was pleased to see that...

Sysco Appoints Kenny Cheung as Chief Financial Officer

Global foodservice distribution company Sysco announced on Tuesday that they have appointed a new Chief Financial Officer. Kenny Cheung, who most recently served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the Hertz Corporation, will take on the position for Sysco, effective April 17, 2023.

“I’m delighted to welcome Kenny to our executive leadership team,” said Sysco President and CEO Kevin Hourican. “Kenny is a results-oriented leader with proven financial and operational management qualifications and a track record of driving strong performance with a collaborative approach. He has extensive...

Chilean Seafood on Full Display at Seafood Expo North America

Seafood Expo North America (SENA) returned to the Boston Convention Center earlier this month. Although it was in its second year back post-COVID, 2023 felt like a true return to normal for many in the industry.

For many companies, the show is viewed as a way to connect with partners in North America, find new business and promote new products and developments. That was the sentiment SeafoodNews received from a number of Chilean seafood companies that were present through a pavilion hosted by the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs...

SEA-NL Demands Answers From DFO, FFAW Over 3L Snow Crab Fishery

Seaward Enterprises Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SEA-NL) is demanding answers about the 3L snow crab fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador.

This year the DFO introduced a new precautionary approach to protect crab stocks in 3L. The new approach involves the creation of two separate biomasses for the inshore and offshore harvest. Fishermen were protesting the decision last week, arguing that it will leave inshore harvesters with less to catch. Minister Joyce Murray sent a letter to FFAW on Friday in which she agreed to evaluate...

Alternative Seafood Company Aqua Cultured Foods To Begin Consumer Tastings in April

Aqua Cultured Foods, a food tech startup using a proprietary mycoprotein fermentation process to develop alternative seafood products, is beginning consumer tasting trials in the next few weeks.

Aqua Cultured Foods first made headlines in February 2022 when they unveiled their first product: squid-free calamari fries. Using microbial fermentation, the company was able to create a calamari alternative that has 80 calories, 15-20 grams of protein, 10-12 grams of fiber, and no sodium, saturated fat or cholesterol. 

“As you bite it, you get an immediate...

You Can Now Use AI for Restaurant Recommendations Thanks to OpenTable

Looking to switch things up for date night? You could ask a co-worker for the name of the restaurant they were praising a few weeks ago. You could also comb through TikTok or Instagram to find an exciting new place to eat. Or you could ask ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot that has taken over the internet since it was launched in November.

Online restaurant reservation service OpenTable has partnered with ChatGPT on a new plugin that will not only help hungry folks find...

Natural Grocers Expands Their Line of Canned Seafood

Natural Grocers is expanding their brand products line of canned seafood. The family-operated organic and natural grocery retailer announced this week that they’ve added five new varieties to their offerings, from sardines to tuna and even salmon.

“We’re proud to offer our customers these affordable, premium-quality products that meet our rigorous Fish and Seafood Standards,” said Raquel Isely, Vice President of Marketing for Natural Grocers. “In addition to prioritizing wild-caught and sustainably harvested fish and seafood, our vendor partners with small-scale fisheries, using practices that protect juvenile fish...

CNMI Governor Palacios Urges President Biden to Respect Pacific Island Communities at WPRFMC Meeting

Can you say "awkward?"

A presidential administration that promotes environmental justice recently stepped on Pacific Island cultures when President Biden announced a proposed Remote Island Areas marine sanctuary, according to leaders involved in fisheries management in the area.

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Governor Arnold Palacios opened the 194th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council last week expressing his views on Biden’s direction to the Secretary of Commerce to consider designating a...

Marubeni Signs Agreement with Ynsect to Enter the Japanese Market

Marubeni has signed an agreement with Ynsect, the world's largest producer and seller of insect-derived protein, headquartered in France, to enter the Japanese market. In the future, the two companies aim to develop an alternative feed that uses insect-derived protein as an alternative protein for fishmeal for fish farming, such as yellowtail and red sea bream, for the Japanese market, Minato Shimbun reported.

Towards the development of fishmeal substitutes for fish farming

Ynsect was established in 2011. It operates three insect-derived protein production facilities in France...

Norway Salmon Tax Details Released. Here’s Everything You Need To Know.

For months Norway’s salmon producers have been threatened by a new tax and now the government has finally released the details. 

On Tuesday the Norwegian government announced that they would be presenting a bill proposing a resource rent tax on aquaculture. While the initial proposal called for a 40% tax for volumes above 4,000-5,000 tons, the resource tax rate has now been lowered to 35%.

“While the basic model remains in place, we have listened to the submissions from the consultation process,”  explained Prime Minister...

Togiak Herring Season Closed Despite Huge Return, Sitka Sac Roe Fishery to Open Soon

Although the 2023 potential harvest for the Togiak sac roe herring fishery is 57,419 tons, processors have told the Alaska Department of Fish and Game they do not intend to harvest this year. 

“The department does not expect this will change,” reads ADF&G’s statement from March 20. Aerial surveys of the biomass will continue to be flown, and “[t]he lack of interest for the Togiak fishery does not impact the Dutch Harbor Food and Bait fishery or [guideline harvest limit] GHL,” managers stated ...

Newfoundland and Labrador TAC Announced for Shrimp Fishing Areas 5 and 6

On Monday the total allowable catch was announced for Northern shrimp in Shrimp Fishing Areas (SFA) 5 and 6. These areas are located off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Last year the TAC for SFA 5 was reduced by 12% as a result of the decline in fishable biomass from 2020 to 2021. The TAC for this area in 2023 is set to remain the same at 14,200t. Meanwhile, last year the TAC for SFA 6 was only slightly reduced by 1.1%. The TAC for...

February Salmon Sales at Tokyo Central Wholesale Market Recover for Salted, Shrink for Fresh, Frozen

Salmon and trout sales at the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market in February shrank due to high prices for fresh and frozen salmon. Salted salmon and trout remained positive with a recovery. Suisan Keizai Shimbun reported that sales of salted coho, the main salted product, increased despite the higher price than the previous year.

Fresh salmon

The total price was 343 tons, and the average unit price was 2,286 yen/kg ($17.48/kg). The unit price was 28.8% higher than the same month in...

BlueNalu Signs Letter of Intent With Nutreco

Earlier this month cell-cultured seafood company BlueNalu signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Nutreco, a global leader in animal nutrition and aquafeed. This is the third agreement between the two companies. 

“Our vision to create a healthy, secure and sustainable protein solution with cell-cultured seafood, starts by solving several key challenge areas, which include the shift from a pharma-grade to food-grade ingredient supply,” explained BlueNalu CEO and President Lou Cooperhouse. “I’m proud to share that between our team’s innovation and incredible strategic partners, we’ve continued to...