Gorton's Seafood President and CEO Judson Reis to Retire; VP of Sales Kurt Hogan Promoted

Gorton's Seafood President and CEO Judson Reis is retiring after more than 29 years with the company.

The Gloucester, Massachusetts-based company made the announcement regarding Reis' retirement on Thursday. The company also announced that their current VP of Sales, Kurt Hogan, will be promoted to President and CEO.

"Judson's storied career enabled him to develop a deep understanding of the factors that drive Gorton's business success," Hogan said in a press release. "The combination of his work experience, leadership skills, and...

The Fishery Problem from Hell: Right Whales and Gear Entanglement (The Winding Glass)

The right whale population is hovering at the brink of failure, with around 400 surviving individuals.  In some years, there has been some population increase, and in other years not.  But the fact is that unintentional killing of right whales through both ship strikes and gear entanglements is preventing the population from increasing to a safer level and exacerbating the risk the entire species will go extinct.

Although the population increased between 1990 and 2010, since then it has begun another decline...

Zhangzidao Fined After Third Scallop Failure; Public Confidence Drops Amid Company's Defense

According to a recent announcement from Zhangzidao, the China Securities Regulatory Commission has cited the company for financial fraud, material weakness in internal control and untimely information disclosure. Shortly after this, its share price continued to drop to lower levels.

The company has received a warning from the CSRC and must pay a fine of 600,000 yuan (~$87,270 USD), while its president, Wu Hougang, received a fine of 300,000 yuan (~$43,600 USD) and he might be banned from the...

VIDEO: Whittier Dock Fire; Right Whale Entanglement; Publix Seafood Labeling; Inslee Tours Recovery

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video hosts Lorin Castiglione and Ryan Doyle as they talk about the Whittier dock fire; latest updates on right whale disentanglement efforts; Publix's new seafood labeling; and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's tour of the state's recovery efforts. 

This episode was brought to you by Maine Lobster. Summer means that it's officially lobster season in Maine. Between June and July lobsters in the cold waters of the Gulf of Maine shed their shells and the result is Maine New Shell Lobster...  

Salmon Sizzling in Alaska; Early Prices

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch -- Salmon prices are trickling in – and hot water is taking a toll on the fish.

High water temperatures are stalling runs and killing fish in several Alaska regions.

Managers say weeks of record hot and dry weather have pushed water temps to the mid 70s in Prince William Sound and have disrupted normal migration behavior and slowed down the salmon runs.

At Norton Sound, huge numbers of pre-spawned pinks were reported dead in many river systems and...

DFO, Canadian Coast Guard Begin 3-Day Operation to Remove Ghost Gear from Gulf of St. Lawrence

On Thursday Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard kicked off their three-day operation to remove ghost gear from the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The operation is part of the Canadian government's efforts to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

According to the DFO, fisheries officers from throughout Atlantic Canada and Quebec boarded Coast Guard vessels to "comb areas of the Gulf with the highest reported gear loss." The vessels received air support from...

Mowi to Purchase Norwegian Salmon Farming Company K. Strømmen Lakseoppdrett AS

Arkansas District Court Orders Grocery Warehouse to Stop Distributing Food

J and L Grocery, a grocery warehouse  located in Alma, Arkansas, has been ordered by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas to stop distributing food, drug products, medical devices and cosmetics until they comply with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other requirements.

J and L Grocery receives, salvages, warehouses and distributes various products that are obtained through brokers within the salvage market. In September and October the FDA conducted an inspection of their facility and found insanitary conditions, including...

Weis Markets Names Bob Gleeson VP of Fresh Merchandising

Bob Gleeson, a former executive at Shoppers Food and Pharmacy and Supervalu, has been named the new VP of Fresh Merchandising at Weis Markets. In his new position, Gleeson will oversee day-to-day merchandising and procurement of the company's seafood, meat, produce, bakery, deli/foodservice and floral departments.

Gleeson replaces John Grimes, who retired from the position at the end of June.

"Bob Gleeson is a proven leader with extensive merchandising experience and a deep understanding of key parts of our seven-state market area...

Publix Shows How to Be Independent of MSC Ecolabels, while Building Customer Trust

Publix recently announced a new banner-wide seafood labeling program to build on customer interest in responsibly sourced seafood.

The company has two color coded labels, blue and green. The Blue label indicates “responsibly sourced’ for both wild and farmed seafood, and the green label indicates ‘sustainably sourced’, again for both wild and farmed seafood.

In addition, Publix has a “Green wise sustainably sourced” label for seafood that contains no bisulfites, phosphates, or similar processing aids.  For farmed species, this label also signifies no antibiotics or...

Future Fishery, Ocean Programs Brace for Budget Axe

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch … Future fishery and ocean programs brace for the budget axe.

More hurtful fallout from Governor Dunleavy’s gutting of the state university budget could be Alaska’s next line of fishery professionals.  The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS),  headquartered at the University of Alaska/Fairbanks has been the prime producer of the state’s fishery managers, marine biologists and oceanographers for more than 50 years. Of its nearly 1,000 graduates, over half have come out of the fisheries degree program and work in Alaska...

New Area 2A Halibut Season-Setting Process Begins in September

The Pacific Fishery Management Council, in an effort to reach out to non-Indian commercial fishermen, is requesting public comment on structuring the Area 2A (West Coast) commercial halibut fishery for the upcoming year at the September and November Council meetings.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife also plans to hold public meetings to discuss the issue.

The process is part of the transition from International Pacific Halibut Commission management to the Council.

In June, the Council committed to working closely with...

Whittier Dock Fire Triggers State of Emergency as Peak Fishing and Cruise Season Arrives

Ten days after a devastating fire that destroyed much of the towns main dock, the city of Whittier, AK has declared a State of Emergency, according to news reports from KTUU.

The dock fire, triggered by an explosion around midnight July 7, resulted in the loss of life for a Cordova crewman aboard the F/V Alaganik, the sinking of that vessel, and the destruction of a barge and several vehicles, including crane equipment, on the dock. It was initially reported as caused by an...

Spanish Company Cocedero Invests €500,000 in Octopus Line

Spanish seafood company Cocedero announced this week that they are investing €500,000 in their octopus line. The investment involves the acquisition of various machinery, which the company says will allow them to not only grow their line of business, but improve the quality of the range.

According to Cocedero, the decision to invest in their octopus line is due to the recent increase in demand for Octopus, both within Spain and abroad.

"Its growing consumption results in an urgent need to improve production in order to produce more...

U.S. Consumers Care About Environmentally Friendly, Recycled Packaging When Shopping

U.S. consumers are willing to pay more for sustainability … but only if the sustainability claim falls under a specific category.

Nielsen released a study this past December reporting that consumers will spend up to $150 billion on sustainable products by 20201. However, they're not willing to pay more for every sustainability claim. A recent Omnibus study that polled more than 21,000 U.S. households found that consumers cared strongly about packaging – whether it's less packaging, recycled packaging or environmentally friendly packaging...

NY/NJ Baykeeper Deploys 1 Million Oysters in Raritan Bay

NY/NJ Baykeeper, an organization that aims to protect, preserve and restore the ecological integrity and productivity of the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary, announced that they have deployed one million oysters in the Raritan Bay.

The juvenile oysters were transported from Leonardo State Marina and taken to the Living Shoreline at Naval Weapons Station Earle (NWSE), where they were introduced by scientists working with NY/NJ Baykeeper. According to a press release from the organization, the oyster larvae are grown at the NWSE facility and then released...

We'koqma'q First Nation Partners With Cooke Aquaculture on Sales, Marketing of Steelhead Trout

Nova Scotia's We'koqma'q First Nation announced on Monday that they are partnering with Cooke Aquaculture on the sale and marketing of their Bras d'Or Lakes grown steelhead trout.

"Our people have lived and flourished on the shores of the Bras d’Or Lakes for over 13,500 years, sustainably living and producing food in and around the Lakes for generations," We'koqma'q First Nation Chief Rod Googoo said in a press release. "The Cooke family business shares our belief that aquaculture can be...

5 Alaska Fishermen Rescued After Vessel Sinks Near Black Island

Five Alaska fishermen were rescued off of Black Island on Sunday thanks to the Coast Guard and Alaska State Trooper boat crews, as well as the crew of a good Samaritan vessel.

Fishing Vessel Daffnie sent a distress call at approximately 10:55 a.m. on Sunday, alerting the Coast Guard that their vessel had capsized and sunk. All five people on board were able to abandon ship into a skiff, however they only had one survival suit and one handheld radio...

Kamchatka Salmon, Crab Harvests May be on Downward Swing This Year

The Kamchatka region, one of Russia’s major fish-producing regions, may face a significant decline of crab and salmon harvest this year, due to the reduction of stocks, according to recent statements of representatives of local authorities and experts in the field of fishing.

According to the latest data published by the Kamchatka government, since the beginning of the region's salmon fishing season on June 1, the volume of its catch has declined by almost 30% compared to the same period last year...

P.E.I. Mussel King Receives More Than $49K in Funding From Government of Canada

P.E.I. Mussel King, a company that has been farming mussels on Canada's East Coast since 1978, is receiving $49,000 in funding through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership's AgriMarketing Program. The funding will support the company as they work on export development opportunities, including attending food expos like Seafood Global Brussels and Seafood Expo North America. The company hopes that by attending these food shows they be able to increase demand for Canadian mussels.

"The demand for Canadian seafood is growing right across the world...

42-Year-Old Woman Medevacked Off Fishing Vessel Near Noyes Island, Alaska

A 42-year-old woman had to be medevacked off a fishing vessel near Noyes Island, Alaska, early Thursday afternoon after a blunt object hit her head.

Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders received a call from Craig City Habormaster staff at approximately 11:40 a.m. on Thursday. According to the staff, a crew member was bleeding and in and out of consciousness after getting struck in the head with a blunt object.

The Harbormaster crew met the fishing vessel near...

EPA in Pacific Northwest Weighs in Against Pebble Mine, says Draft EIS Inadequate for Meaningful Analysis

We don’t yet know if the fix is in on Pebble, with some in the US government determined to push the mine forward regardless of the law and the facts.

But the EPA region 10 weighed in with comments essentially saying the draft environmental impact statement is garbage because it underestimates “risks to groundwater and surface water flows, water quality, wetlands, aquatic resources, and air quality from the Pebble Project.” 

EPA Region 10 Administrator Chris Hladick wrote in...

Washington Salmon, Recovery Efforts Grow Through Shoreline Restoration, Land-based Whale Watching

Gov. Jay Inslee toured three projects in Northern Washington Wednesday to see how state agencies, tribes, local governments and nonprofits are carrying out recent legislation to aid orca and salmon recovery.

He visited a restored fish passageway in Arlington called Edgecomb Creek that will bring more fish into waterways; saw how experts recently restored a Cornet Bay shoreline to its natural habitat; and then experienced a land-based whale watching tour through a Whale Trail site.

The projects directly contribute to a healthier, more robust ecosystem for...

USCG Buoy Tenders Ensure “Economic Security” of Alaska’s $6B Seafood Industry

Say “Coast Guard” to any Alaska resident and their initial thought is likely “search and rescue” as it is USCG vessels and aircraft involved in at-sea rescues that get most media coverage. But the black-hulled buoy tenders that keep Alaska’s navigational buoys and beacons operating accuraty and at full capacity have the potential to save far more lives.

The Kodiak-based 225-foot Cutter Spar, for instance, maintains buoys and beacons that guide mariners through some of the most remote and inhospitable waters in world...

Consumers Want Convenience; Nielsen Study Finds Growth Among Swiss Shoppers

From meal delivery kits to new single-serving products, the growing trend amongst consumers is "convenience." When it comes to food, shoppers are looking for items that fit into their busy lifestyles and make things easier – but according to a new study from Nielsen, they're no longer just turning to convenience stores.

Nielsen's latest survey looked at Swiss shoppers and found that a large – and growing – number of people were heading to their classic retailer for products to be consumed that day...

Vietnam’s Low Basa Prices Produce Ripple Effect in China; Shrimp Sector Likely to Boost Exports

In early July, prices of Vietnam’s basa are reported to have dropped to the lowest level within the past three years, according to industry and media reports. Large basa are sold at only 19,500 VND per kg ($0.84/kg USD), which has declined by about 10,000 VND per kg ($0.43/kg USD) compared with January.

This is bad news for Vietnam’s basa industry and also buyers from China, who predicted further price increases due to the trade war...

Sergey Darkin Aims to Become Leading Russian Fish Producer in the Years to Come

Sergey Darkin, a well-known Russian fishing tycoon and a former governor of Russia’s Primorsky Territory, plans to make the Nakhodka Base of Active Sea Fisheries (Nakhodkinskaya BAMR) subsidiary the largest fish processor in the Russian Far East within the next several years, according to some sources close to the businessman and some leading Russian analysts in the field of fish business.

As part of these plans, Nakhodkinskaya BAMR has recently launched deep-sea processing of squid, pollock and...

CORRECTION: Coast Guard Finds Federal Fisheries Violations on 5 Recreational Fishing Vessels

CORRECTION: The Coast Guard issued a correction on Wednesday informing that the five commercial fishing vessels in violation of their Federal Fisheries Permit were actually recreational fishing vessels. The below story has been updated to reflect the correction.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Rollin Fritch, stationed near Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, found violations aboard five recreational fishing vessels. According to a press release from the Coast Guard, the vessels were fishing for highly migratory species without Federal Fisheries Permits...

How a NOAA Aerial Whale Survey Team Aided Canadian Rescuers in Effort to Disentangle Right Whale

The NOAA Fisheries aerial whale survey team worked with Canadian rescuers last week in an effort to entangle one of the three North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

On July 9 the aerial whale survey team was flying over the Gulf of St. Lawrence to document where, and which right whales are using habitat in the area. It was during that aerial survey that they spotted entangled whale #4440. Fading light and low fuel resulted in....

ASC Revises Salmon and Freshwater Trout Standard

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) announced last week that they have revised their Salmon and Freshwater Trout Standard following a "rigorous multi-stakeholder, science-based review process." According to the organization, the update is part of their ongoing commitment to "continuously improve standards and adapt to changes in the industry."

The update to the Salmon and Freshwater Trout Standard will resolve any inconsistencies between the two standards. Moving forward, all freshwater salmonid farming, including salmon smolt production, will now be audited against the...