Russia Hopes to Significantly Increase Exports of Pollock Fillets to U.S. Market This Year

SeaShare Partners With Wild Alaska Pollock Producers to Donate Seafood During Coronavirus Outbreak

As of Wednesday morning, there are over 6,500 cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. Every state has a confirmed case and many have put in place different orders, such as closing schools and restaurants, in an effort to prevent the further spread. Many people are out of work, and many children, who rely on schools for lunch, are home without it.

While there is a lot of uncertainty during this time, there are also many heart warming stories circulating about people helping others...

Watch Us Eat! We Try 7-Eleven's New Wild Alaska Pollock Sandwich

SeafoodNews Managing Editor Amanda Buckle and News Assistant Ryan Doyle are back with a new installment of "Watch Us Eat!" This week we're eating 7-Eleven's new Wild Alaska Pollock.

“7-Eleven is always on the lookout for new and delicious fresh food that we think our customers will love and, once they’ve tried it, seek out again and again,” said Robin Murphy, 7‑Eleven fresh food product director. “Customers looking for a hot fish sandwich because they’re observing Lent dietary restrictions, or just because they love...

LISTEN: Boston Seafood Show Postponed; Lent QSR Roundup; Maine Lobster Landings and More

Join SeafoodNews managing editor Amanda Buckle and SeafoodNews staff writer Ryan Doyle as they break down some of the biggest stories of the week, including the postponement of the Boston Seafood Show; Maine's lobster landings; Clearwater Seafoods' potential sale; January shrimp imports and more. Plus, find out what QSR and fast casual restaurants are offering for Lent.

The SeafoodNews Podcast is brought to you by Urner Barry's Reporter magazine, the quarterly newsmagazine for the food industry professional...

GAPP Report: U.S. Consumers Ate More Wild Alaska Pollock in 2019

SEATTLE, WA— A new report of U.S. markets conducted by the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) says Americans are eating more pollock, and more of it is domestically caught and produced Wild Alaska Pollock.

The new analysis reports that the domestic wild Alaska pollock market in 2019 showed significantly better consumption figures than in recent years. In fact, GAPP CEO Craig Morris describes the market as “recovered from several years of decline, with American consumers valuing the domestically caught and produced Wild Alaska Pollock over foreign...

Lent 2020: What 15 QSRs and Fast Casual Restaurants Are Offering on their Menus this Year

February 26 is Ash Wednesday and the first day of Lent. Those who observe the Christian holy day refrain from eating meat on Fridays during the six weeks of Lent, as well as on Ash Wednesday. In an effort to accommodate those who abstain from eating meat, many restaurants add seafood to their menus.

Because of this, the Lenten season tends to be a big time of the year for the seafood industry. The NPD group, a leading global information company, reported that...

Smashburger Introduces Pacific Cod Sandwich, First Ever Fish Entrée Ahead of Lent

Fast-casual chain Smashburger is getting into the fish sandwich game with the launch of their first-ever fish entrée: The Beer Battered Pacific Cod Sandwich.

The launch of the Beer Battered Pacific Cod Sandwich comes about a week before the start of the Lenten season. Smashburger's new sandwich features wild-caught Pacific cod, lightly dipped in a signature batter infused with Yuengling Lager, and topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and creamy tartar sauce.

"At Smashburger, we're on a mission to satisfy our guests with...

Russia Floods U.S. With Seafood While Banning U.S. Imports for 6th Year

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

Lost in the ongoing news about the hits to seafood from the Trump Administration’s trade war with China is another international trade barrier with Russia that’s been going on far longer.

In August of 2014 Russia placed an embargo on U.S. food products to retaliate for sanctions it and other Western countries imposed over Ukraine issues.

It included Alaska seafood products, which accounted for more than $61 million in sales to Russia, primarily pink salmon roe...

Russia Plans to Increase Pollock Catch in 2020

Russia plans to increase the volume of its pollock harvest up to 1.8 million tonnes this year. That will be significantly higher than the figures for 2019, according to recent statements by some leading local fishermen and state officials.

So far, implementation of these plans has already been confirmed by Alexey Buglak, president of the Russian Association of Pollock Producers. Buglak said the current situation with pollock stocks in Russia remains favorable and...

LISTEN: Alaska Cod Fishery Update; GE Salmon Label; Charlie the Tuna Doll and More

This week on the SeafoodNews podcast hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione talk about the Alaska cod fishery; the Dungeness crab season opening; genetically engineered salmon; and Charlie the Tuna's Funko Pop! doll. Plus, find out what's going on in the octopus, pollock and salmon markets.

This episode is brought to you by COMTELL, which will be receiving a complete redesign in 2020. Subscribers who utilize COMTELL to track market quotations, analyze trends and stay on top of key industry news will see a host of...

Russian Pollock Market Continues Move Toward Consolidation

Poronay, a Russian fish company based in the Sakhalin region, aims to become one of the leading fish and seafood producers in the domestic market in years to come, according to some market sources and local analysts.

For this purpose, the owners of the company recently closed a deal for the acquisition of local rival Everon. Local businessmen Efim Malkin and Irina Panchenko, reportedly affiliated with Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, negotiated the deal.

The estimated at USD $330 million acquisition will allow Poronaya to increase the...

Russia Plans to Replace Chinese Fish Processors in US Pollock Fillets Market in Future

Russia plans to replace Chinese fish processors in the US pollock fillets market in years to come, mainly due to the ongoing US-China trade wars and the overall stagnation of fish processing industry in China, according to recent statements, made by Petr Savchuk, deputy head of the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo). 

Savchuk believes the current trade war with the US and the introduction of customs duties negatively affect the level of competitiveness of Chinese fish products in global market.

Petr Savchuk comments...

Russian Fish Producers to Raise Prices to Offset Growing Fuel, Tax Costs

Leading Russian fish and seafood producers have announced their plans for a significant increase of prices for their product ranges, due to the growth of production costs and the additional pressure from the state, according to recent statements by fishermen and analysts.

The forthcoming introduction of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships will result in the increase of fuel prices in Russia by at least 20%, they said. In addition, tax levies for the catch of fish and seafood in Russia will...

Russian Government Stays With Historical Participation for Distribution of Fish Quotas

The Russian federal government has rejected a proposal to distribute fish quotas via auctions instead of on the basis of historical participation in the fishery, according to recent statements an official spokesman of the press-service of the state and industry’s analysts.

Some domestic fishermen and state officials, including the Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, earlier pushed the idea to distribute fish to domestic producers via auction, replacing distribution based on history. The FAS said this scheme would have created conditions for the attraction of additional revenue...

Fortune, American Seafoods Launch New Wild Alaska Pollock Products

American Seafoods, the world’s largest at-sea processor of Wild Alaska pollock, teamed up with Fortune to launch three new Wild Alaska Pollock products.

The companies announced the release of Perfect Pollock Portions, in a 3.8 or 5.1 oz. variety and Wild Alaska Pollock loins.

The new offerings should appeal to every level of at-home cook. Pollock can be thrown in the oven, tossed on the grill, or prepared in several other ways. American Seafoods highlighted the versatility of pollock in many recipes...

The Winding Glass: The Trade-War No One Wins

[The Winding Glass is a weekly analysis and opinion column from SeafoodNews Founder John Sackton]

It’s Lucy and the football again, Charlie Brown. For those not familiar with the Charles Schulz comic, every time Lucy holds the football for Charlie Brown to kick, she pulls it away at the last minute, leaving him flat on his back. The joke is that Charlie Brown never stops hoping she won’t pull the ball away, and is always disappointed.

This is exactly the position most of the American business community is in regarding...

Russian Producers Fear Coronavirus Control Measures Could Seriously Impact Pollock Catch

The pollock fishing season in the Russian Far East is under a serious threat due to the measures that are being taken by the national government to prevent the further spread of coronavirus in the country.

So far, the Russian Rosrybolovstvo has already issued recommendations for domestic fish producers, returning from China and South Korea to their fishing areas in the Russian territorial waters, to enter Russian seaports for sanitary and epidemiological measures.

These recommendations, however, have already sparked criticism from producers...

Alaska Fishing Updates for March 2020

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

March marks the start of halibut and herring fisheries but there’s not a lot of good news this go around.

The eight month long Pacific halibut fishery is set to open on March 14 amidst a grim market outlook due in part to the coronavirus. Most of Alaska’s 17 million pound halibut catch goes to markets in the U.S. but transportation by flight is getting more sketchy and many stores and restaurants are devoid of customers. 

In Southeast Alaska, no ferries means no halibut shipments...

Russia Pollock Fishing Season May Become the Most Unprofitable in Last 25 Years Due to Coronavirus 

The pollock fishing season in Russia this year may become the most unprofitable in the last 25 years due to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus and its consequences on the domestic fish sector, according to recent statements made by some leading Russian fish producers and industry analysts.  

In recent weeks, Russian fisherman have faced serious difficulties during the delivering of their fish to Chinese ports, since the work of the majority of fish processing plants in this country has been suspended due to...

Russian Pollock Producers Deny U.S. Media Reports of their Major Expansion  

Leading Russian pollock producers have expressed their skepticism regarding recent reports from U.S. media outlets that the introduction of an embargo on the supplies of fish and seafood from the U.S. had a catastrophic effect on Alaskan fishermen and led to the influx of cheap fish and seafood from Russia in the U.S. market.

In accordance with the February review, prepared by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), the introduction of countersanctions on U.S. fish and seafood supplies by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in 2014 resulted in...

White Castle Brings Back Shrimp Nibblers for Lent, But Crab Cake Sliders Don't Make the Cut

White Castle is adding some more seafood items to their menu —just in time for Lent. The fast food chain announced on Friday that they are now serving a new crispy Panko Breaded Fish Slider and a seasonal Craver favorite – Shrimp Nibblers. However, one seasonal seafood item is missing from their menu … the Seafood Crab Cake Slider.

White Castle added a Crab Cake Slider to their menu back in 2017. The Crab Cake Slider returned in 2018 and 2019, but appears to have...

Arby’s Fires First in Fish Sandwich War as Lent Season Looms 

Is another sandwich war on the way? After chicken sandwich wars took the U.S. by storm, Arby’s struck the first blow in what has already been dubbed, the “Fish Sandwich War.”

Arby’s took to Twitter to fire at McDonald’s staple fish sandwich, the Filet-O-Fish. A menu item since 1962, Arby’s sentiment was simple, its Fish N’ Cheddar Sandwich, is better than the Filet-O-Fish.

The company kept up the barrage with short YouTube ads and a pair of other 10-15 seconds ads poking fun at...

Alaska Fishing Updates for February 2020

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

Winter sees a wide array of fisheries out on the water with more to come. Cod and a big mix of whitefish kicked off the year in the Bering Sea and in many parts of the Gulf. 

Alaska pollock, the world’s largest food fishery, opened on January 20 in the Bering Sea with a 3 billion pound harvest. Smaller pollock catches will come out of the Gulf  (250 million pounds) and at Prince William Sound (5 million pounds)...

Alaska Fishing Updates for January 2020

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

There’s lots of fishing going on across Alaska and more to come in the winter line up.

Cod and a mix of groundfish kicked off the year on January 1 in the Bering Sea and in many parts of the Gulf.  Boats also are targeting black rockfish in Southeast, the westward region of Kodiak, Chignik and the Alaska Peninsula and along the Aleutians.

Lingcod also is open in Southeast. Divers there have pretty much wrapped up a 2 million pound sea cucumber fishery but...

Russia Expects Significant Seafood Export Growth This Year

Fish exports from Russia are expected to reach $4.83 billion USD this year, up 12.7% on a year-on-year basis, according to recent predictions of the All-Russian Association of Fishery Enterprises (VARPE) President German Zverev and some other industry analysts.

In volume terms, exports will grow by about 3.1% and reach 1.832 million tons, one of the record figures for Russia for the last several years.

According to VARPE experts, Russian fish export value growth can mainly be explained by the strengthening of global prices for whitefish, particularly...

Symphony Winners: Cod Fry Kit, Kelp Salsa, Wild Pollock Wings

A fish and chips meal kit featuring Alaska cod was the favorite in the first round of the Alaska Symphony of Seafoods competition held last weekend at Pacific Marine Expo. The snappy kit by Alaskan Leader Seafoods won the Seattle People’s Choice Award. Keith Singleton heads the company’s value added division.

“It's really a lot of fun. You've got the French fries, the batter, the panko and the fish, which of course is Alaska cod.”

Alaskan Leader, which pitches itself as “America’s Cod Company” won the overall grand prize...

Pollock Parts Plug Body Holes, Clean Lead From Soil

Fish Radio likes to spotlight fish parts that go well beyond dinner plates and can add up to more value than fillets.

Pollock, for example, Alaska’s largest fishery produces millions of pounds of fish sticks, surimi and roe – but other pollock parts are being used to seal holes in lung and blood vessels. 

Researchers at Japan’s National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) have discovered that gelatin from pollock skins makes a sealant that is 12 times stronger than conventional uses.

A big plus is the fish gelatin remains liquid at room...

Putin Launches Operations of Gidrostroy’s New Plant on Shikotan

At the Far East Economic Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin, alongside, Gidrostroy’s founder and chairman Alexander Verkhovskiy, remotely launched operations for Gidrostroy’s new fish plant on September 4.

The plant located on Shikotan Island in the northern Pacific Ocean will process pollock and pelagic fish. This new plant will further increase Gidrostroy’s impressive production in the country. Annually, the company produces 300 thousand tons of fish, accounting for 30 percent of the total catch in the Sakhalin region.

According to the Federal Agency of Russia for Fisheries...

GAPP Seeking Wild Alaska Pollock Surimi, Roe Proposals for 3rd Round of Partnership Funding

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) is once again seeking out companies that have an innovative new product or channel that they are seeking to place Wild Alaska Pollock in.

Earlier this year the GAPP Board of Directors approved $1 million in funding for the second round of the North American Partnership Program. Now, the Association is searching for proposals for the third round of funding.

"We are thrilled to be able to partner with even more companies to continue to...

Alaska Fishing Updates for August 2019

Alaska’s salmon catches range from the ridiculous at places like Southeast and Chignik – to the sublime at Bristol Bay.

The statewide harvest by yesterday was nearing 105 million salmon, more than half  - 53 million – are sockeyes. Of that, 43 million of the reds are from Bristol Bay, the second largest catch in its history. Most processors have now posted a base price of $1.35 for Bay sockeyes, not including nice bonuses for chilling, bleeding and more.

The statewide pink catch so far has just topped 40 million...