Gorton’s Seafood Launches Two New Air Fryer Products 

Convenience is king! And Gorton’s Seafood, a leader in frozen prepared seafood, is continuing to lean into that. On Wednesday the company announced the launch of two new products: Air Fried Fish Fillets and Air Fried Butterfly Shrimp. The big twist here is that you don’t need to own an air fryer to enjoy them.

“The most exciting part about these new products is that they’ve already been air fried before they get to the consumer,” said Gorton’s VP of Marketing, Jake Holbrook...

Russia Overtakes The United States In Global Pollock Fillets Market

Russia for the for the first time in history overtook the United States in the production of pollock fillets, as last year local fishermen increased the production by 16.8% to 139,000 tons, according to the data of the Russian Pollock Association (ADM).

As ADM President Alexei Buglak said in an interview with the Russian Vedomosti business paper, the volume of pollock fillet production in the United States in 2022 decreased by 1.5% to 138,000 tons, says. Since 2015, the volume of production in Russia has grown from 40,000 tons by...

GAPP Sets Date for 2023 Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting

The industry’s fifth-ever event that brings together Wild Alaska Pollock industry executives, allied industry and dynamic speakers and experts will be held on September 28, 2023, the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced today. The industry’s Annual Meeting will be held for the first time at the Four Seasons, Seattle, a luxury hotel in the heart of downtown Seattle and will be themed “Accelerating Demand for the Perfect Protein.”

“Our Annual Meeting has become a gathering place for our industry to come together and...

Russian Pollock Producers Ready to Increase Catch in Bering Sea  

Leading Russian pollock producers have responded to the recent decision of the US Department of Commerce to increase the volume of possible pollock production in the Bering Sea by 17% to 1.3 million tons in 2023.

According to an official spokesman of the Russian Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo), the agency is aware of the recent decision of US Department of Commerce, adding that it had not been discussed with the Russian side.

In August 2022, the decision to increase pollock production in the Bering Sea was also taken by...

Russia Ready for Significant Increase in Production of Pollock-Based Products in 2023 

Russia will continue to increase the production of pollock-based products in 2023 with the aim of more active supplies both to domestic and foreign markets.

In recent years Russia has significantly increased the production of deep processing, such as fillet, minced meat and pollock surimi, a significant part of which is currently exported abroad.

As Alexey Buglak, head of the Russian Pollock Association said in an interview with the Russian Fishnews magazine, according to estimates of analysts of the Association, this year the...

Russian Pollock Exports to China Almost Reached Pre-COVID Level

Russian pollock exports to China almost reached pre-COVID levels. According to the latest data provided by the Russian Association of Shipowners of the Fishing Fleet (ASF), based on statistics from Chinese customs, for 10 months of 2022 it increased by 64% to 483,300 tons compared to the same period last year. 

As an official spokesman of ASF said in an interview with the Russian Vedomosti business paper, while the volume of exports has reached pre-COVID levels, it has not fully recovered yet...

Russia to Catch 150,00 Tonnes of Pollock, Migrating From US Waters in Bering Sea

The Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybloovstvo) is working on the creation of a new fishing area in the Bering Sea where Russian fishermen will be able to additionally catch up to 150,000 tons of pollock migrating from U.S. waters to feed in Russia, according to results of the recent meeting of the Far Eastern Scientific Fisheries Council.  

As Alexei Baitalyuk, deputy director of the All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) said during the meeting, there will be...

USDA Shares Purchase Awards for Pollock, Catfish Products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced purchase awards for catfish products and pollock products.

From the pollock side, the USDA bought just over $1.6 million of frozen Alaska pollock products. In total, 543,200 pounds of pollock was purchased.

Channel Fish Processing landed $817,191.43 from the USDA for frozen pollock sticks. Meanwhile, Trident Seafoods received $785,268 for frozen pollock in 49.5 lb. bulk containers.

Find the pollock purchase award description from the USDA here...

Japan: Toyosu October Fish Roe Sales All Up In Volume And Price But Ikura Salmon Caviar And Pollock 

In October, the sales of salt-cured fish roe in the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market continued to see high unit prices, except for ikura salmon caviar. Still, the number of products sold increased steadily except for mentaiko spicy pollock roe. In particular, salted and seasoned herring roe have absorbed higher unit prices and significantly increased their handling volume, Suisan Keizai reported.

Sujiko salmon roe

Although the sales environment is severe due to a backlog of cargo and delays...

Russia Eyes to Become A Major Player in Global Surimi Market  

Russia has increased the production of surimi this year by almost four times, which is mainly due to the increase of the number of fish processing trawlers.  

Alexei Buglak, President of the Russian Pollock Association (ADM), said in an interview with the Russian Vedomosti business paper that by mid-November 2022, Russia had produced more than 24,000 tons of surimi. This, according to him, is about four times higher than the figures for the same period last year when...

Russian Fish Exports to China Steadily Recover This Year  

Exports of fish from Russia to China is growing this year due to the better situation with logistics, according to some Russian official state statistics and some local media reports.  

According to the Federal Customs Service of Russia, in 10 months of the current year 430,000 tons of Russian fish and fish products were exported to China. This is 1.5 times more than a year earlier. In value terms, exports rose by 40% to US$1.2 billion, according to the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries...

PODCAST: GAPP CEO Craig Morris on New Partnerships, Surimi and More

SeafoodNews Podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione are joined by Craig Morris, CEO of the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP). GAPP recently held their fourth annual meeting, and Craig is here to talk about all the big takeaways.

This episode of the SeafoodNews Podcast is sponsored by COMTELL, the premiere market intelligence platform for all center of the plate proteins. The latest feature update integrating OBSONO forecasting data directly into COMTELL's charting capabilities has been well received by subscribers...

Surimi Seafood is Perfection Hidden in Plain Sight Says Expert at Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting

SEATTLE, Wash.—Health professionals will be key to motivating purchase for Wild Alaska Pollock surimi seafood as it is “perfection hidden in plain sight” according to a health professional expert presenting to a record-setting crowd at the annual Wild Alaska Pollock meeting. Eat Well Global Vice President Chris Rich, presenting to more than 250 attendees this morning, shared the latest research they conducted which highlighted the increasing importance of health professionals—including registered dieticians and nutritionists—in reaching consumers and how those influential...

Executives From Alaska Airlines, Holland America Join Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting Lineup

The fourth annual Wild Alaska Pollock meeting is less than a week away and the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) is continuing to tease a jam-packed agenda. The latest speakers to be highlighted are executives from Holland America and Alaska Airlines, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Regional Administrator and the Commission President for the Port of Seattle.

NOAA Regional Administrator Jon Kurland will provide welcoming remarks and discuss the importance of the collaboration...

Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting Adds McDonald’s Sourcing Director for Filet-O-Fish Fireside Chat

If you haven’t registered for the fourth annual Wild Alaska Pollock meeting …what are you waiting for? 

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) is set to hold their annual meeting at The Westin Seattle in Seattle, Washington, on Monday, October 17. Recently added to the already jam-packed agenda is a Filet-O-Fish Fireside Chat with Jason Cervone, the Director of Global Fish and Pork Sourcing with McDonald’s. 

“For someone who has the...

Russian Fish Exporters Hope to Restore Positions in Chinese Market This Year  

Russia continues to work on the diversification of the geography of its fish exports as sanctions pressure on the country tightens.   

Despite the unprecedented pressure, which is put on the Russian fish sector this year, according to some local state officials, it still stays afloat.   

According to Russia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sergey Levin, Russia currently remains one of the world’s top 10 largest exporters of fish and seafood. Last year it accounted for 4% in value terms.   

As some markets were closed for...

Russia Plans to Catch Up to 800,000 Tonnes of Pollock in Sea of Okhotsk This Year

Russia demonstrated normal results of its pollock fish catch in Kamchatka last year despite the generally tough economic environment in the country amid Western sanctions.

In 2022 the volume of catch of Kamchatka fishing enterprises in the Sea of Okhotsk amounted to 404,000 metric tons, which is about 4% less than a year earlier with the local JSC "Okeanrybflot", "Norebo" group and Lenin Fishing Kolkhoz being among the largest producers.

According to the regional Ministry of Fisheries, during the Sea of Okhotsk pollock fishing...

Ronald Rogness Joins GAPP as its Director of Industry Relations, Partnerships and Fishery Analysis  

Seafood industry veteran Ronald Rogness will join the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) as its Director, Industry Relations, Partnerships and Fishery Analysis. In this position, Rogness will have oversight of the GAPP Partnership Program as well as critical membership services including the Association’s various fishery and trade reports. Rogness, who previously served as a consultant to the organization on economic and fishery matters, will also now devote attention to representing GAPP in broader seafood collaborations and committees and securing additional funding to...

Leading Kamaboko Manufacturers to Hike Surimi Product Prices All at Once on March 1

Major kamaboko manufacturers have announced price increases for next spring.

Nissui, Maruha Nichiro, Ichimasa Kamaboko, and Kibun Shokuhin decided to raise their prices, prompting the kamaboko industry to raise prices as if they had been waiting, reported Kamaboko News.

From December 19 to December 21, major companies such as Kanetetsu Delica Foods Co., Ltd., Sugiyo Co., Ltd., Fujimitsu Co., Ltd., Fushimi Kamaboko Co., Ltd., Horikawa Co., Ltd., and Kanesada Co., Ltd. successively announced product price increases by about...

Public Comment Open: RFM Re-Assessment Certification Reports for Alaska Pollock, Cod Fisheries

On Monday a 30-day comment period opened for the Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) Re-Assessment Reports for the recertification of both the Alaska pollock and cod fisheries. 

The fishery assessments are being conducted by certification body DNV. RFM is looking for comments from registered stakeholders about the factual contents of the report, “either in relation to the specific report sections or scoring rationales or indicators.” 

The public comment period closes on January 19, 2023. You can find the re-assessment certification report for...

Japan: Expectations of a Surimi Market Decline Intensify, Users Seeking Alternative Surimi Sources

Surimi prices have been at record highs for the past year or two and are about to head down.

Due to the extremely high price of Alaska pollock surimi, there is a growing movement among surimi product manufacturers to replace it with southern surimi or to use Russian surimi, Kamaboko News reported.

In particular, the cost performance of Russian surimi is better than expected, and more and more manufacturers are showing interest in it, and imports into Japan are also increasing rapidly...

Alaska Pollock Total Allowable Catch Increases in 2023

The North Pacific Fisheries Management Council met over the weekend and recommended that the U.S. Department of Commerce set the total allowable catch (TAC) for Alaska pollock in the Eastern Bering Sea at 1,300,000 metric tons for 2023; an increase from 2022 when the TAC was set at 1,111,000 metric tons.

An acceptable biological catch (ABC) level of 1,910,000 metric tons was recommended for 2023. This is also up from 1,111,000 metric tons in 2022. 

Many in the industry assumed an increase was coming after NOAA...

GAPP Re-Appoints Bob Desautel Board Chairman, Doug Christensen to Continue as Treasurer

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced on Monday that Bob Desautel, Wild Alaska Pollock industry veteran and Global Seas CEO, will continue as chairman of the Board. Desautel was pivotal in securing the increased industry investment in GAPP four years ago.

Desautel was reappointed at the GAPP December Board meeting held last Friday. His appointment was unanimous. In addition, Doug Christensen was unanimously re-appointed to serve as GAPP’s Vice Chair/ Secretary and Treasurer...

October Surimi Production In Hokkaido Plummets by 20% in Pollock and 30% in Atka Mackerel

According to the National Surimi Association, the production of land-based surimi from Hokkaido in October was only about 70% of the same month last year. As in the previous month, production of not only Alaska pollock surimi, the mainstay product, and Atka mackerel surimi, which had been strong in the first half of the year, fell by more than double digits, resulting in overall poor results. In addition, Suisan Keizai reported that the decrease in inventory progressed because the shipment...

Pollock Catch Grows in Russia This Year

Pollock catch in Russia is steadily growing this year, according to latest data provided by the Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo).  

The volume of catch in the Bering and Okhotsk seas, Russia’s major pollock-producing areas, increased by 12% in November of the current year, compared to November 2021. It reached 1.4 million tons. In the West Bering Sea zone in mid-November the volume of catch amounted to more than 452,000 tons - 32% more than last year. 

As the press service of the Federal Agency for Fishery...

Hokkaido’s Three Fishing Towns Petition Government to Halt Russian Trawlers in the Nemuro Strait

On October 25, the mayors of Rausu and Betsukai towns in the Nemuro districts, the town councilors, and the heads of related fisheries cooperatives requested the Hokkaido government to consider urgent measures to stop Russian trawlers' fishing operations immediately in the Nemuro Strait. They petitioned for decisive actions against Russia. The following day, they also requested the same at the Fisheries Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo, Suisan Keizai reported.

In the narrow straight of...

New GAPP Partnerships Span 3 Countries, Numerous New Wild Alaska Pollock Products

Fifteen new partners spanning three countries and various channels including retail, convenience, out-of-home and new product innovation were announced Monday at the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) Annual Meeting celebrating all things Wild Alaska Pollock. These new partnerships represent an aggressive recruitment effort to identify partners for the Program that are excited about the endless possibilities of Wild Alaska Pollock and are willing to bring an equal or greater commitment of matching funds to ensure the success of the various programs...

Survey Shows Americans Eyeing More Pollock Purchases Compared to Last Year

A recent survey issued by the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) showed an increase in the “intent-to-purchase” Wild Alaska Pollock among American consumers.

The survey results were shared by Ketchum with the audience at the fourth-ever Wild Alaska Pollock Annual Meeting on October 17. Americans’ intent to purchase pollock in the next 30 days jumped by 7 percentage points, which was the highest increase of any competing pollock product including Tilapia, Cod or Haddock.

“That likelihood [to purchase], the familiarity, the awareness—all of...

Japan: July Fresh and Frozen Pollock Exports Up 2.3 and 2.6 Times

According to the Japanese customs statistics compiled by the Ministry of Finance in July, frozen Alaska pollock shipped to China doubled from the previous year. Combined fresh and frozen shipments increased 2.3 times from the previous year. Sales of fall chum salmon increased by 90% due to continued strong sales to Vietnam and Thailand. And dried and non-dried sea cucumber products remained at the same level as the previous year. Pacific saury export disappeared, Suisan Shimbun reported.

As for Alaska pollock, only fresh shipments to...

China’s Pollock Processing Business Recovering as H1 Imports from Russia Doubled

According to the Hokkaido Trawl Fisheries Cooperative Federation, China's Russian pollock business, which was temporarily depressed due to the new coronavirus, is heading for a complete recovery, reported Suisan Keizai.

In the first half of this year (January to June), China imported about 340,400 tons of frozen Alaska pollock, double that of last year. The fish seems to be primarily dressed pollock from Russia. The average CIF price of Russian fish imported by China from January to July was $1,280 per ton, and the single month...