Crabfest May Be Back At Red Lobster, But It’s Not The Same As Years Past

Even a bankruptcy filing can’t stop Red Lobster from bringing back Crabfest. The financially embroiled restaurant chain — with the help of rapper and reality TV star Flavor Flav — used the guest-favorite dining event to remind fans that despite the Chapter 11 bankruptcy, they can still enjoy seafood from their local Red Lobster. But this isn’t the same Crabfest as years past.

Red Lobster is known for its limited time promotional events, from Lobsterfest to Summerfest and...

The Retail Rundown: Raising the 'Steaks' for Father’s Day

The Memorial Day and July 4^th holidays are popular burger occasions, whereas Father’s Day is typically geared toward steak consumption. Fittingly, grocers have upped the feature volume for steaks ahead of the upcoming holiday weekend.

Steaks currently make up 43.3% of total retail buying opportunities within the beef complex, up from 37.7% the week prior. Ground beef ads also saw a week-over-week advance, now holding 35.3% of beef’s total retail activity. Feature activity for roasts has eased as fewer households utilize their ovens during the hotter weather.

ANALYSIS: EU Shrimp Imports Stable in Q1 Thanks to Spanish Market Boost

Between January and March 2024, the European Union imported 133k MT of shrimp of all species from any origin ex-EU. This represents a slight growth of 1.7% compared with Q1 last year, and a strong progression of 16.2% compared with the pre-COVID period of Q1 2019.

When looking at each country, the position of Spain as the largest importer of the region is confirmed again this year. First, its share of EU shrimp imports progressed from 27.1% in Q1 2023 to...

Russia Looking To Overtake The United States in Global Surimi Market

Russia is overtaking the United States in the global market of surimi by a sharp increase of domestic production.

According to recent statements from the president of the All-Russian Association of Fisheries, German Zverev, Russia's share in the global market of surimi from pollock in 2024 will increase by 5% - to 24%, versus 19% a year earlier.

According to data from the Russian Pollock Association (ADM), the global surimi market reached about 900,000 tons last year. Of this, surimi from warm-water fish species accounted for...

Silver Bay Seafoods to Buy Trident Seafoods' False Pass Facilities

On Friday Trident Seafoods and Silver Bay Seafoods announced an agreement for Silver Bay to purchase Trident’s False Pass processing facility and fuel business on the Alaska Peninsula. It is the second purchase by Silver Bay in an area where they already own a plant and process salmon.With this purchase, Silver Bay will be processing salmon at plants in Southeast Alaska (Craig, Sitka, Ketchikan); south-central Alaska (Valdez), Kodiak, Bristol Bay (Naknek), and the Alaska Peninsula (False Pass) this season.

Acquiring the Valdez plant in Prince William Sound and the ...

5 Takeaways From FAO’s 2024 State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released its 2024 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) last week, revealing some surprising figures about today’s global fisheries and aquaculture production — the big one being that global fisheries and aquaculture production hit a new high at 223.2 million tonnes.

FAO’s report reflects data as of 2022, revealing the enormous impact that the seafood industry has around the world. The entire 264 page document can be read in its entirety here, but we’ve...

ANALYSIS: Frozen Salmon Down Almost 20 Percent Through April

Imports for the month of April were released earlier this month and imports of frozen salmon are down almost 20 percent year-to-date. Through April, total frozen salmon imports are down 19.5 percent and, on a month-to-month basis, imports are down 19.6 percent comparing April to March of 2024.

Chile, the main driver in the category, continues to lose market share and is down to a 63 percent share for frozen salmon. Norway is at a 21 percent market share. If you...

AquaBounty Promotes David Melbourne to CEO as Part of “Long Term Succession Plan”

The Board of Directors at AquaBounty Technologies confirmed last week that they have promoted David Melbourne to Chief Executive Officer and President, effective immediately. Melbourne replaces CEO Sylvia Wulf, who will be staying on board as a non-executive board chair.

Melbourne has been with AquaBounty since 2019, first joining the land-based aquaculture company as its Chief Commercial Officer. In August 2023 he was promoted to President, a move that Wulf said at the time was “part of our leadership progression to...

New Surimi Product Wrapping Plant-based Pollock Roe Goes on Sale

Kamaboko manufacturer Sanriku Fish Paste in Miyagi Prefecture has started selling a new product, "Tarakichi, Fresh Mentaiko-Style Kamaboko." This healthy product wraps a "mentaiko-style (artificial spicy pollock roe) paste" made with konjac in surimi kamaboko. Thanks to a retort sterilization process, it can be stored at room temperature.

According to the Minato Shimbun report, the paste was created in collaboration with Deats Food Planning of Tokyo, which develops plant-based food products. In pursuit of authenticity, the paste reproduces the taste and...

Les Hodges: 2-Year Anniversary Of The Russian Crab Embargo

This month marks the second anniversary of the embargo on Russian crab that was implemented on June 22, 2022 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Across the world, an additional 70 million pounds of crab per year were redistributed to various sectors, changing markets. Most of the inventory imported to the U.S. prior to June 22 ban is now depleted. Russian king crab inventories are nearly exhausted and the remaining stock is aging. The only remaining sources for new production king crab are...

ANALYSIS: Drop in Conch Imports Tightens U.S. Supply and Begins to Elevate Prices

At the year’s midpoint, the Honduran conch season is coming to a close, resulting in the supply of 100% clean product tightening up and the overall market to firm. According to U.S. Census import data, currently available through April 2024, conch imports into the U.S. totaled 2.25 million on a year to date basis, a 13.5% decrease compared to the same 2023 timeframe. This is the lowest January through April YTD volume since 2021, when imports reported just under...

A Market Survey Revealed 74% of Japanese Consumers Unaware of Seafood Sustainability Certifications

According to the Minato Shimbun report, Yano Research Institute revealed the results of a survey of domestic consumers on May 24. The survey concluded that awareness and purchase of sustainable seafood, such as certified marine products and land-based aquaculture, are still ongoing. It also concluded that most other foods are still being popularized among the general public.

The survey was conducted online in January this year among 1,200 men and women (600 men and 600 women) in their...

PODCAST: Bottom Trawl Clarity Act Pushback; Norwegian Crab Update and More

Tune in for another fun and informative episode of the Seafoodnews Podcast. Hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione talk about Rubio's Coastal Grill filing for bankruptcy; NFI's pushback against Rep. Peltola's Bottom Trawl Clarity Act; the latest figures in Norwegian crab and more! 

ANALYSIS: YTD Scallop Imports Pacing Ahead of 2023

At the start of June, the third month of the 2024 Atlantic sea scallop season, supply constraints are already impacting larger sized scallops. Unlike in the 2023 season, size mix trended larger in comparison to previous years with Closed Area II producing the majority of U10 sized scallops. In 2023, the volume of U10s landed increased 105% from 2022 per the New Bedford auction. With Closed Area II remaining open for the 2024 season, industry players were not anticipating seeing an abundance of larger sizes again from...

EPA: Revised Water Quality Standards In Alaska Needed To Meet Clean Water Act Requirements

Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to warn that new and revised water quality standards are “necessary” to meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act. According to the EPA, “new and revised human health criteria, or HHC, are needed to protect against adverse human health effects related to pollutants in Alaska’s surface waters.”

Alaska’s DEC defines HHC as “the maximum concentration of a pollutant in a waterbody considered to be...

Move Over, Grasshoppers. Wild Alaska Pollock Is Coming To T-Mobile Park

Move over, grasshoppers. There’s a new must-have food at T-Mobile Park.

A new partnership between the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) and the Seattle Mariners will bring Wild Alaska pollock fish tacos to Major League Baseball. Beginning June 28, baseball fans will be able to find the fish at Edgar’s Cantina, as well as in other locations and clubs throughout the stadium.

“It’s a big deal to have a menu item at a major MLB stadium — not only for the sheer number of...

Norwegian Seafood Council Hosts Norway-Japan Seafood Seminar 2004 in Tokyo

Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) and the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo co-hosted the Norway-Japan Seafood Seminar 2004 on June 6 in Tokyo. It was a four-hour event before reception, consisting of the Norwegian Mackerel Seminar and the Norway-Japan Seafood Seminar. Marianne Sivertsen Ness, Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy, led The Norwegian delegation. Over 250 people were in attendance, including importers, fish market wholesalers, fishery industry press, and others. The Japan Fisheries Association supported the event...