Russia to Develop Fish Processing to Reduce Dependence from China 

The development of fish processing will become one of the priorities for the Russian government in years to come. This is mainly due to the current crisis in the domestic fish industry caused by the suspension of fish exports to the Chinese market and which led to major losses of leading local fish producers.

For the further stimulation of domestic processing, the government will provide additional fish quotas. These quotas will primarily be provided to those producers that invest funds in the establishment of...

VIDEO: QSR & Fast Casual Seafood Offerings for Lent: White Castle, Bojangles, Quiznos and Popeyes

This week SeafoodNews Weekly Video co-hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione take a look at QSR and fast casual offerings for Lent. Find out what's been added to the menus at White Castle, Bojangles, Quiznos and Popeyes.

This episode was brought to you by Urner Barry's new Insights offering, which is coming this March. This largely digital offering will allow subscribers to read, watch and listen to impactful market content in a new way like never before...

White Castle Brings Back Crab Cake Sliders For Lent After Cutting it From Menu in 2020

We’ve got good news for White Castle lovers...the Seafood Crab Cake Slider is back for Lent!

White Castle added the Crab Cake Slider to their menu back in 2017, and it was featured during the Lenten season during 2018 and 2019. However, last year the item was cut from the seasonal seafood lineup to make room for the chain’s new Panko Breaded Fish Slider.

Well, White Castle appears to have listened to their devoted followers who were devastated to...

Russian Pollock Fishermen Continue Search for Additional Sale Markets  

The Russian Federal Agency of Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo) continues to look for additional options for selling excessive domestic pollock catch, which formed in the Russian market as a result of the closure of China for the exports of Russian fish.  

 In addition to the recently announced procurement interventions, there is a possibility that part of  the excessive catch will be delivered to the domestic market, particularly the Northern and central parts of the country.  

So far, part of Russian pollock have already been re-directed to South Korea, although they...

Super Bowl Snack Ideas: The Best Seafood Appetizers To Eat During The Game

Super Bowl LV is this Sunday, February 7, and will find the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 186.6 million adults in the U.S. plan on tuning in to the big game. And although Super Bowl party celebrations will be looking a little different due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there still needs to be snacks out! NRF reports that 86% of viewers are planning to make purchases to mark the occasion...

Japan's 2020 Trade Performance: Significant Reduction in Export and Import Value

According to the December 2020 customs statistics released by the Ministry of Finance on January 28, imports fell by nearly 10% in the last year, and exports remained at the same level as the previous year. However, both import and export values decreased by about 20%, and overall trade shrank due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection that caused global turmoil, reported Suisan Keizai.

Imported marine products, including non-edible marine products ,such as fish meals, amounted to 2.25 million tons, or...

The Winding Glass:  Supply Disruption a Possible Major Problem for Seafood Industry in 2021

Despite the pandemic and the uncontrolled COVID outbreak in the U.S., 2020 was a banner year for the seafood industry. The spectacular growth in retail seafood sales compensated for the dramatic loss of foodservice opportunities. According to data presented at NFI’s Global Seafood Marketing Conference, overall seafood sales to retail and foodservice combined grew around 7% last year.

This strength is continuing into 2021. Early indications from retailers suggest that the strength of seafood sales is continuing after the holidays. Many are reporting strong...

Alaska Fish Radio: Alaska Fishing Updates for January 2021

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – The nation’s biggest fishery gets underway next week.

There’s lots of fishing going on throughout the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea.

January 1 saw the start of cod and other groundfish fisheries and the nation’s biggest catch – Alaska pollock – gets underway on January 20. Over three billion pounds will come out of the Bering Sea.

Gulf fishermen, however, have chosen to delay their pollock start to February 4 in hopes of higher-quality, schooled up fish. That will add another...

Russian Fishermen Continue Search for Alternative Sale Markets Due to China’s Closure 

Russian fishermen are continuing to look for ways to compensate their losses associated with the closure of the Dalian seaport – the last Chinese seaport which received fish exports from Russia.    

Currently the sides continue their talks regarding the resumption of supplies, however it has not been associated with any results.  

In this regard, fisherman hope to re-orient at least part of their supplies to the domestic market, despite the fact that its saturation with domestic fish products remains already high...

Russian Court Supports RRPK in Dispute with Pollock Association 

The Arbitration Court of the Primorsky Territory has invalidated the decision of the Russian Pollock Association (ADM) to expel RRPK, one of the country’s largest fish producers and processors, from the list of  members of the Association, thus completely satisfying claims of the company, according to the Court and Russian media reports.

The ADM, whose members control 75% of the pollock catch in Russia, decided to expel RRPK Group from its structure in September this year. A response to the company’s proposal, which was submitted to the Russian federal government, where it asked to conduct the reform of the domestic fishing industry...

USDA Eyeing Bids on Alaska Pollock, Salmon Products

The USDA is looking for offers to sell salmon and pollock products for use in the National School Lunch Program and other Federal Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs.

The Department is looking for just shy of 2 million pounds of Alaska pollock fillets and fish sticks. Acceptances will be announced by midnight, December 11, 2020 and deliveries will be made between March 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021.

Find the Alaska pollock solicitation here.

The USDA is also eyeing bids for 208,240 cases of canned pink salmon...

New Study on Surimi Finds Consumers Not Put Off By “Imitation” Labels

Don’t fear the “imitation” label!

A study recently conducted by C&R research, a full-service custom consumer research firm, has found that consumers are not put off by the “imitation” labels found on surimi seafood products in the U.S. market. In addition, the study found that consumers seeing information about surimi seafood’s origin - Wild Alaska Pollock - was a “huge bonus.”

“This research puts the exclamation point on the notion that there is an incredible opportunity for Wild Alaska Pollock surimi seafood to tell its story loud...

JAPAN: September Imports of Seafood Decreased by 11%, Value Decreased By 14%

According to the preliminary trade statistics released by the Ministry of Finance on October 19, the quantity of seafood imports in September decreased by 10.6% from the same month of the previous year to 143,857 tons. The amount decreased by 14.2% to 104,409 million yen ($1,010.1 million). In each country/region excluding the European Union (EU), the amount decreased from the previous year, of which the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United States, Russia, etc. showed double-digit declines, reported Minato Shimbun...

Health Magazine Names Neptune's Wild Alaska Pollock Jerky One of the Best Snacks of 2020

Finally, some good news in 2020 … One for Neptune's Wild Alaska Pollock Fish Jerky has been named one of the best healthy snacks of the year!

"This product deserves this praise and recognition and we couldn't be prouder to partner with Neptune on a new snack made with our amazing Wild Alaska Pollock," said Craig Morris, CEO of the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers. 

Health Magazine's editors tested more than 100 new products and narrowed the competition down to 37 snacks...

GAPP ROI Study Reveals Marketing Impact For Wild Alaska Pollock Fillet, Wild Alaska Pollock Surimi

A "Return on Investment" study conducted by Dr. Harry Kaiser of Cornell University is shedding some light on the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers' (GAPP) marketing efforts.

According to Dr. Kaiser's study, for each dollar invested by the Wild Alaska Pollock industry into its marketing organization during the past two years, there was a return of $28.04 in Wild Alaska Pollock fillet and Wild Alaska Pollock Surimi revenue back to the industry. This is impressive considering that the study found...

GAPP Awards Funding For Exciting New Wild Alaskan Pollock Products

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) is at it again. On Thursday the organization announced that they have awarded nearly $750,000 in funding to seven organizations who are launching exciting new wild Alaskan Pollock products.

Requests for funding were submitted to GAPP and reviewed by the organization's Fillet and Surimi Committees, who made their recommendations to the full GAPP Board of Directors. Despite the ongoing pandemic, GAPP CEO Craig Morris explained that the Board of Directors "felt it imperative to move forward with these...

Russia May Face Pollock Shortage This Year  

The collapse of wholesale prices for pollock by 35% in Russia, caused by the closure of Chinese market, led to a halt in fish supplies on the Russian market, according to recent statements made by representatives of some leading local fisherman and analysts.  

Currently most of fish traders suspended signing new contracts with fishermen in Russia, expecting further price declines. This, in turn, leads to the shortage of fish for large distributors and processors. The latter have already complained about the existing difficulties with the purchases of headless pollock carcasses in...

Russia May Significantly Reduce Pollock Catch This Year Due to Problems With its Sales 

Russia may significantly reduce pollock catch this year due to the current problems with its sales, particularly to the Chinese market.    

At present the talks between Russia and China regarding the resumption of fish supplies from Russia are ongoing, however exports are not be probably resumed until the end of February.   

As Alexander Saveliev, a well-known Russian fishery analyst, said in interview with some Russian media, as of February 1, 178 million tonnes of pollock were produced in Russia...

Alaska Fishing Updates For February 2021

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch. Lots of February fishing – and Frankenfish heads to markets.

Freezing February weather doesn’t keep Alaskans off the fishing grounds from Southeast to Norton Sound.

In the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, boats are pulling in pollock, cod, flounders and other groundfish. 

Over three billion pounds of pollock will come out of the Bering Sea, another 250 million pounds from the Gulf.

Prince William Sound also has a winter pollock fishery underway that will produce nearly 5 million pounds...

Russian Government May Start Fish Interventions to Provide Support to Struggling Pollock Fishermen

The closure of China, the largest sales market for Russian pollock - is forcing Russian fishermen to call on the national government to provide emergency support. One of such options is "fish interventions," which would be conducted by Rosrybolovstvo and ensure guaranteed sale channels for domestic pollock producers.  

A similar scheme, so far, has been used in the Russian grain market, with its main goal to maintain prices. Depending on the need, either grain was sold from the state fund, or was purchased by the state...

U.S. Coast Guard, Russian Border Guard Continue Patrols Along Maritime Boundary Line

A Joint U.S.-Russia patrol along the border was recently completed to support search and rescue missions, communications exercise, and operations related to fishing.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star crew and a Russian aircraft crew patrolled the Bering Sea maritime boundary line between Russia and the U.S. this month.

Following routine coordinated communications between the Russian Border Guard Directorate for the Eastern Arctic District and the U.S. Coast Guard 17th District in Juneau, Alaska, cutter Polar Star crew and a Russian Border Guard AN-26 aircraft ...

Quiznos Brings Back Lobster Classic, Introduces New Old Bay Lobster Club Ahead of Lent

It’s backkkk…. But only for a limited time.

Sandwich franchise Quiznos has brought back a fan favorite sub - the Classic Lobster - a few weeks before the start of Lent.

The Classic Lobster sub features a lobster and seafood salad (which contains Alaska pollock), and is topped with shredded lettuce on butter-toasted Italian white bread. But for those looking for a little extra flavor, Quiznos is introducing a new lobster sandwich in 2021: The Old Bay Lobster Club...

Louis Kemp And Food Network Star Nancy Fuller Want Surimi Added to Your Super Bowl Sunday Menu

Add Louis Kemp Crab Delights to your Super Bowl shopping list!

The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) announced earlier this week that surimi seafood brand Louis Kemp Crab Delights has partnered with Food Network star Nancy Fuller to create unique surimi recipes that football fans can add to their Super Bowl LV spreads on February 7.

“Surimi seafood is the perfect option for consumers looking to introduce something new, fun, trendy and sustainable to their snack stadiums and game-day...

The Top Stories of 2020: Check Out the Most Read Stories on SeafoodNews 

As 2020 comes to a close, SeafoodNews is looking back at our top read stories of the year. And, of course, most of those stories revolve around the coronavirus.

SeafoodNews first began reporting on the coronavirus on January 6, when authorities in China were still referring to it as a “mysterious pneumonia outbreak” linked to a seafood market in Wuhan. Since then the coronavirus has spread across the globe, affecting almost every aspect of our daily lives...

Alaska Fish Radio: Updates on COVID Relief Funds, Deadline to Apply Approaches

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

December 14^th is the deadline for U.S. fishermen to apply for federal funds to take the sting out of market hits from the Trump Administration’s trade tariffs.

The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture will distribute a total of $530 million to fishermen based on their catches in 2019 for 19 species under the new Seafood Trade Relief Program (STRP).  

For example, the U.S. pays a 38 percent tariff on seafood products going to China, previously Alaska’s biggest buyer...

Alaska Fishing Updates For November 2020

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – Lots of fishing continues across Alaska.

A preliminary wrap up of Alaska’s 2020 salmon fishery shows that communities will be hurting in terms of fish tax revenues this coming year. The value of salmon landings is down by half or much more in every region of Alaska, compared to 2019.

The total Alaska catch of just under 117 million salmon was down 44%  and the value that barely topped $295 million was a 56% decrease, when adjusting for inflation the lowest value since 2006... 

Russian RRPK Will Continue to Use MSC Certificate  

Russian leading fish producer and processor Russian Fishery Company (RRPK) has confirmed the introduction of restrictive measures by the Primorsky Arbitration Court on the company’s claim for its expulsion from the domestic Pollock Producers’ Association.  

As the company has clarified in an exclusive interview, the court's restrictive measures suspended, or temporarily freezed, the decision of the Association to exclude RRPK from the list of its members with all the consequences that come with it, such as the loss of the MSC certificate for the sales of its pollock...

New Study: Bering Sea Pollock Moving Between Russian and U.S. Waters More Frequently

While scientists have seen a northward shift in pollock distribution in the Bering Sea for several years now, NOAA Fisheries Oceanographer Lisa Eisner said this research is unique. The new study is called "Environmental impacts on walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) distribution across the Bering Sea shelf" and was published this month in ScienceDirect.

“…[T]his is the first time we have been able to work together with Russian scientists to confirm both the northward shift and the long suspected movement of fish between the U.S. and Russia,” ...

Russia Hopes to Compensate Unsuccessful Salmon Fishing Season by Increase of Pollock Catch This Year

Russia hopes to compensate the unsuccessful salmon fishing season this year with the increase of production of ivasi sardine, mackerel and pollock, according to recent statements made by the head of the Russian Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo), Ilya Shestakov, during his recent meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin.  

During the meeting, which was dedicated to the situation in the domestic fishing sector, Shestakov said despite the pandemic, the current situation in the industry remains stable...

ANALYSIS: Pollock Block Seeing Record Prices Amid Supply Issues

Processed pollock fish blocks are seeing record high pricing leading into Q4 of 2020.  The Alaskan pollock B season, which runs from June 10 through October 31, 2020, has been met with its fair share of challenges. Changing fishing patterns include smaller, younger fish classes into the fishery, fish moving farther into FAO 61 area, as well as the pollock not traveling in tightly knit schools have all been factors in production slowdowns and supply issues. With less than a month...