Aker Moves to Take Aker BioMarine Private in Merger Deal

Contact

Expana
P.O. Box 389
Toms River, NJ 08754
1-732-240-5330

Editorial

Jamie Chadwick
Managing Editor
1001 Corporate Circle
Toms River, NJ 08755
Voice: 732-575-1983
jamie.chadwick
@expanamarkets.com

Ryan Doyle
Editor
SeafoodNews.com
1001 Corporate Circle
Toms River, NJ 08755
ryan.doyle
@expanamarkets.com

Susan Chambers
Associate Editor
SeafoodNews.com
Voice: 541-297-2875
susan.chambers
@expanamarkets.com

Peggy Parker
Science and Sustainability Editor
PO Box 872
Deming, WA 98244
Voice: 360-592-3116
peggy.parker
@expanamarkets.com

John Sackton
Contributor
8 White Pine Lane
Lexington, MA 02421
Voice: 617-308-0776
[email protected]

Support and Questions
1-800-443-5330
[email protected]

Subscription Info
1-800-932-0617
[email protected]

Terms

License Agreement

Aker ASA is moving to take krill company Aker BioMarine private through a proposed merger and optional cash offer, following a failed effort to sell its Human Health Ingredients business to an outside buyer.

On July 16, Aker announced a statutory merger that would see Aker BioMarine absorbed into Aker Capital NewCo AS, an indirect subsidiary of Aker. Simultaneously, Aker's subsidiary, Aker Capital, launched an optional cash offer for all outstanding shares of Aker BioMarine at NOK 105 per share. Aker currently owns 77.67% of Aker BioMarine through Aker Capital...

To Read Full Story Login Below.

Note: All comments are displayed with user's screen name. If screen name is not present, user's full name will be used. Please go to My Account to update your screen name.

Submit comment or question

This comment will be posted using your screen name:

Submit Notification

Comment Policy: SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry have made the comment feature available to encourage further discussion of our news stories. Defamatory or offensive Comments, or comments deemed not relevant to the story will be removed, and if necessary, SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry may restrict the right of individual subscribers to offer comments. IN all cases, comments represent opinions of the poster only, and do not represent fact, news, opinions or estimates put forward by SeafoodNews.com and Urner Barry.

Pacific Seafood Confirms Ocean Beauty Merger, Expanding Footprint Across West

Pacific Seafood and Ocean Beauty Seafoods have officially closed the merger of their distribution operations, Pacific Seafood confirmed on July 17, bringing together two of the US West Coast's most established family-owned seafood companies.

The deal closed July 13 and includes most — but not all — of Ocean Beauty's distribution facilities. Specifically, the merger covers Ocean Beauty's operations in Astoria and Portland, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; Dallas, Texas; Helena, Montana; and Renton, Washington. Ocean Beauty's Salt Lake City, Utah, facility was not included in the transaction at the time of closing...

Full Story »

Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET.

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

Full Story »

Alaska Sockeye Harvests Meeting Forecasts, Pink and Chum Landings Far Below 5-year Averages

Bristol Bay’s sockeye harvest has reached 29.2 million salmon as of July 16, 2026, very close to the pre-season forecast of 32 million. Kodiak’s harvest of 785,000 as of July 15 has so far exceeded its pre-season estimate of 730,000 in landings for sockeye.

In the Alaska Peninsula, nearly 4 million sockeye have been harvested, contributing to a statewide total of 34.6 million.

But for all other species, except coho salmon, which start in September, harvest totals are dismal. Total salmon landings...

Full Story »

Bills Giving FDA Authority to Destroy Food Imports Set to Advance on Capitol Hill

Two bipartisan bills that would allow the US Food and Drug Administration to destroy — not just reject — dangerous imported food products are poised to advance on Capitol Hill next week.

The first, the Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act (H.R. 2715), passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously in May and now sits on the House suspension calendar for the week of July 20. The suspension calendar is typically used to quickly pass broadly bipartisan bills, with measures requiring a two-thirds majority and moving...

Full Story »

Chile's State Railway Eyes Regular Salmon Freight Service by End of 2026

Chilean salmon could be moving by rail from the Los Lagos region to ports in Biobío as early as the fourth quarter of 2026, according to EFE, Chile's state railway company.

Full Story »

Senate Committee Advances Padilla Bill to Boost San Joaquin River Restoration Funding

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has advanced bipartisan legislation from US Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) that would increase federal funding for restoration efforts on the San Joaquin River, a key step toward reviving a long-lost Chinook salmon run while supporting water infrastructure improvements for Central Valley agriculture.

The bill cleared the committee by voice vote and would authorize an additional $500 million for the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. It also increases authorized funding for improvements...

Full Story »

Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative Names New Board Members

The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC) has appointed seven new representatives to its Board of Directors for the 2026-2027 term, with members representing harvesters, dealers, public stakeholders and state agencies.

Under state law, the board is structured to ensure geographic diversity and broad industry representation. Lobstermen representatives are nominated by Maine's seven Zone Councils, while dealer and public members are nominated by the Lobster Advisory Council before being appointed by Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Carl Wilson.

"We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic group of leaders...

Full Story »

ButcherBox Lands Target Meat and Seafood Executive

ButcherBox has hired Target's former Meat and Seafood Director, Josephine Theal.

Theal announced her departure from Target in a LinkedIn post late last week, ending a four-year tenure with the retailer. She said the role exceeded her expectations, giving her the opportunity to lead "with creativity," influence at scale, launch exclusive brand partnerships and "drive distinction in the meat & seafood categories."

Theal said, "What made it truly special was working alongside a dynamic team," she wrote, "and leading initiatives that shaped the way both consumers & brands view Target's fresh categories today."

Full Story »

House Committee Advances Bill to Delay Right Whale Gear Regulations for Lobster Fishery Until 2035

House Resolution 9436, the Northeast Lobstermen Protection Act, passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee on a 22-13 bipartisan vote, advancing legislation that would extend the current regulatory moratorium protecting Maine lobstermen from new gear entanglement rules for North Atlantic right whales through 2035.

The bill was led by Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY). It would extend a pause on new regulations first enacted in 2022 — originally under President Biden with bipartisan support from the Maine congressional...

Full Story »

Conservation Groups Sue after Trump Administration Rolls Back ESA “Harm” Definition

The Departments of the Interior and Commerce have finalized a rule removing the regulatory definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a change the administration says will reduce burdens on landowners, businesses and fishermen.

According to Expana's report, the deleted interpretation had long treated indirect impacts (like habitat modification that impairs breeding, feeding or shelter) as "harm." The administration ties the rollback to the Supreme Court’s 2024 Loper Bright decision, which narrowed deference to agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes. Officials note that direct killing or...

Full Story »

Federal Judge Rejects Arbitration Push in Marder Trawling Wage Theft Case

A federal judge has denied attempts by New Bedford seafood processor Marder Trawling and its staffing agency to force a wage theft lawsuit into private arbitration, keeping the case on track in court and leaving unresolved questions about how workers were signed up for arbitration agreements in the first place.

US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin issued the July 10 ruling in the case of Diaz Perez et al. v. Marder Trawling, Inc. et al. (Civil No. 25-13129-LTS), which was filed in October 2025...

Full Story »

Japan's Farmed Yellowtail Exports up 50% for Frozen and 20% for Fresh in May

According to Ministry of Finance trade statistics, export volumes for yellowtail fillets—comprising both frozen and fresh products that are essentially all farmed—increased across all categories in May compared to the same month last year. Furthermore, the total export volume for the January–May period—the peak season for exports—was double that of the same period last year, with Minato Shimbun reporting that export volumes are tracking at record levels.

In May, frozen exports rose 46% year-on-year...

Full Story »

$15 Million Awarded New NSF Seafood Engine in New England From National Science Foundation

Earlier this week, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the 12 new winners of its  Regional Innovation Engines program within the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (NSF TIP). The New England project, funded by $15 million over two years, is the only one focused entirely on seafood.

Led by the Portsmouth-based non-profit NERACOOS, the Seafood Engine is a collaboration of the seafood industry, tech sector, government, and research partners across Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, including the Woods Hole...

Full Story »

Abundance of West Coast Gray Whales Increases, But Reason Why is "Open Question"

Annual counts of migrating Pacific gray whales — the mammal that holds the record for longest migration every year — appear to show a significant increase in population over last year, good news for the beleaguered species, which has been the subject of a recent unusual mortality event and navigates areas of the ocean under severe changes due to climate change.

Researchers at NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center released a new abundance estimate for Eastern North Pacific gray whales of between 15,930 to 20,530...

Full Story »

Seafood Industry Wins Key Exemptions as US Imposes 25% Tariff on Brazilian Goods

The Trump Administration's 25% Section 301 tariff on Brazilian goods takes effect July 22 — and the US seafood industry secured meaningful relief, with many of Brazil's most commercially significant seafood export categories landing on the exemption list.

USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer announced the final action on July 15, following a yearlong investigation into Brazilian practices related to digital trade, anti-corruption enforcement, intellectual property, ethanol market access, and illegal deforestation. After receiving more than 360 written comments and holding two public hearings...

Full Story »

ANALYSIS: El Niño Threatens Fishmeal and Fish Oil Supply as Global Aquaculture Output Surges

Feed costs represent up to 55% of total production costs for white shrimp and Atlantic salmon. Diet formulation is species-specific; however, the same species may require different dietary compositions depending on the region. Ingredient selection is driven by cost considerations and the biological benefits for farmed aquatic animals. In recent years, consumer preferences regarding feed ingredients have also gained considerable importance in formulation decisions...

Full Story »

Chile Strengthens AgroSalmon Alliance to Boost Domestic Aquafeed Supply Chain

Chile’s AgroSalmon Alliance is a collaborative initiative that brings together leading organizations from the country’s agriculture and salmon farming sectors.

Minister Jaime Campos of the Ministry of Agriculture convened a meeting to strengthen the alliance with industry representatives. Attendees included Antonio Walker, president of the National Society of Agriculture (SNA); Juan Pablo Matte, secretary general of the SNA; Ricardo Montesinos, president of SAGO; Loreto Seguel, executive president of the Salmon Council; representatives from the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (ODEPA); and leaders...

Full Story »

Start Date:
End Date:
	Search Title?
	Search Article?
	Search Tags?