Seafoodnews.com Summary Friday, July 24

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News Summary July 24, 2026

Today's Top Story: Section 301 Forced Labor Tariffs Take Effect; Seafood Gets No Exemptions as New Trade Map Takes Hold

Kicking things off today, Section 301 forced labor tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% took effect Friday on 60 trading partners covering 99.4% of US imports — with seafood receiving zero product exemptions despite an extensive industry comment campaign, as USTR made clear the goal is behavioral change from trading partners, not domestic substitution. The country-level map reshapes competitive dynamics across every major species...

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Section 301 Forced Labor Tariffs Take Effect; Seafood Gets No Exemptions as New Trade Map Takes Hold

The Trump administration put a new set of tariffs in place on Friday, ranging from 10% to 12.5% on 60 US trading partners. Seafood received no product exemptions; the sector had been named a priority target when USTR launched the Section 301 forced labor investigations in February, and the final rule followed through.

The tariffs, imposed under the Trade Act of 1974 by USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer at the direction of President Trump, replace the temporary 10% Section 122 levies that expired...

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The Winding Glass: What Alaska Has Lost

In 2016, Alaska fishermen received an average of 40 cents per pound for their catch (in 2025 dollars). In 2024, they got 27 cents, a 32% decline in real terms. Alaska's other resource industry, oil, saw its price rise 30% in real terms over the same period.

These are not just the actions of commodity markets. Seafood lost a third of its real value, a fifth of its processing plants, and most of its mid-sized owners. The losses did not fall evenly along the supply chain. Total wholesale sales fell by only...

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ANALYSIS: Eastern Pacific Tuna Landings for Yellowfin and Skipjack Diverge as El Niño Emerges

The latest data from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) shows cumulative yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) landings from January to May 2026 increased 12.6% YTD in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). Mexico leads yellowfin landings with a 39% share, followed by Ecuador at 22%...

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Bristol Bay Sockeye Run Tops Pre-Season Forecast; Harvest Closing In

Landings in Bristol Bay are on track to exceed the pre-season harvest forecast of 32.26 million sockeye, with cumulative catches reaching 29.44 million as of July 22, close but not yet at the target.

The full sockeye return has already cleared the bar. The July 22 report showed 44.64 million sockeye returned to Bristol Bay, surpassing the pre-season inshore run forecast of 44.05 million. Cumulative bay-wide escapement stood at 15.2 million, roughly 3 million above the pre-season estimate of 11.79 million...

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HF Foods Expands into Canada with $35M Acquisition of Searay Foods

HF Foods Group Inc., a distributor of international foodservice solutions to Asian restaurants and other businesses across the United States, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Searay Foods Inc., including Morgan Foods Inc. and Searay Foods USA Inc. for approximately CAD$47.9 million (about US$35 million based on current exchange rates).

Announced July 23, the acquisition marks HF Foods' first expansion outside the United States and its entry into the Canadian market.

British Columbia-based Searay is an importer and distributor of ethnic...

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EU Seafood Alliance Calls Out Europe's Protein Strategy for Leaving Aquatic Foods on the Sidelines

Europe's seafood sector is pushing back on the European Commission's newly published protein agenda, warning that a strategy built around livestock and plant-based sources while sidelining fisheries and aquaculture will leave critical gaps in the bloc's food security framework.

The European Union Seafood Alliance (EUSeA) — which brings together EAPO, Europêche, FEAP, Seafood Europe, and the European Mollusc Producers' Association (EMPA) — welcomed the Commission's Action Plan for resilience, strategic autonomy and sustainability of the EU protein system...

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EPA Grants First-Ever Tier 4 Engine Exemption to Support New England Lobster Industry

The US Environmental Protection Agency has exempted a specific new lobster boat model in Chatham, Massachusetts, from Tier 4 marine engine requirements — marking the first time the agency has invoked this exemption authority since the waiver process was established in 2024.

The exemption allows the Chatham vessel builder to use a Tier 3 engine after EPA determined that currently available Tier 4 engines cannot fit within the applicant's vessel design while maintaining essential operational requirements. The exempt engine must meet Tier 3 emission standards...

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Middle East Market Intelligence Brief: Week Ending July 24, 2026

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, opening a new front in the US-Iran war and threatening global energy supplies via the Bab el-Mandeb, a key oil shipping route.

The move, described as retaliation against Saudi Arabia, came as mediators proposed a 10-day ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.

Tensions escalated after the Houthis claimed missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. President Donald Trump vowed to hold Iran responsible for any future Houthi attacks, threatening "major military punishment"

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Two Tuna Boats Collide off Washington State, One Sinks After USCG Rescue of Crew

A commercial fishing vessel sank last Tuesday off the coast of Washington state following a collision with another vessel approximately 22 miles offshore of Grays Harbor. All three crew members aboard the stricken vessel were safely rescued.

An initial report of the collision between the Tabitha, a 62-foot commercial fishing vessel, and the Nora J, a 35-foot wooden commercial fishing vessel, reached Coast Guard watchstanders at the Sector Columbia River Command Center at 6:40 a.m...

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ANALYSIS: May US Shrimp Imports Land at Low End of Model Range as June Estimates Point Higher

May official US shrimp imports came in at 152.9 million lbs., at the low end of the revised model range of 151.1–170.9M lbs. published in the June 22nd edition, and close to the original mid-estimate of 150.5M lbs. The original estimate proved the closer call; the subsequent revision pushed higher than the data ultimately supported, though the directional read was correct. May landed within the published range, which reflects the margin of error each estimate carries...

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Russian Seafood Escapes EU's 21st Sanctions Package as Fish Measures Dropped in Final Deal

The European Union has finalized its 21st package of sanctions against Russia — but without the fish. A proposed ban on Russian seafood imports, touted as a historic first when the package was unveiled in June, was dropped from the final agreement after sustained resistance from member states with significant seafood processing industries.

EU countries clinched the deal on Thursday after weeks of fractious negotiations, resolving the final sticking point, a dispute over Russian gas transit, by granting Greece a limited exemption for gas contracts...

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Guolian Aquatic to Sell Sunnyvale Seafood's California Property for $17 Million

China's Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products (300094.SZ) has approved the sale of US real estate tied to its Sunnyvale Seafood subsidiary for approximately $17 million, the latest in a series of asset disposals as the company works to reverse years of deepening losses.

Guolian's board approved the move on July 15, with its wholly-owned US subsidiary Liancheng Investments, LLC set to sell the property at 2910 Faber Street, Union City, California — the longtime address of Sunnyvale Seafood, Guolian's US shrimp and seafood importing arm...

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House Passes Bill Giving FDA Authority to Destroy Contaminated Food Imports

Legislation that would allow the US Food and Drug Administration to destroy imported food products deemed hazardous passed the US House of Representatives on July 21.

The Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act (H.R. 2715), introduced by Reps. Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Troy Carter (D-LA), advanced via the House suspension calendar, a procedural track typically reserved for broadly bipartisan measures that allows bills to move quickly with limited debate and no amendments, requiring a two-thirds majority for passage...

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Albertsons Sales Pressured in Q1 as Digital and Pharmacy Growth Offset Softer Consumer Demand

Albertsons Companies reported a slight increase in net sales and other revenue at $24,941.6 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, up 0.2% from the same period last year, as growth in fuel sales, pharmacy and digital helped offset weaker grocery trends.

For the 16 weeks ended June 20, 2026, the US grocery chain posted net income of approximatly $85 million, or $0.17 per share, while adjusted net income reached just over $210 million, or $0.42 per...

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Newfoundland and Labrador Seafood Sector Valued at C$2.11bn in 2025

Newfoundland and Labrador’s seafood industry generated a combined market value of C$2.11 billion in 2025, with the wild fisheries and aquaculture sectors continuing to underpin the province’s economy, according to newly released data.

"Our seafood industry continues to be a major economic driver for Newfoundland and Labrador, supporting workers, families and communities throughout the province," said Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Loyola O’Driscoll. "Surpassing $2 billion in market value is a significant milestone that reflects the strength of our local fishing...

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Nova Scotia Awards C$2.22M to Seafood, Aquaculture Firms for Energy-Efficiency Upgrades

Nova Scotia is providing C$2.22 million to support 20 seafood and aquaculture companies as they invest in technologies aimed at cutting fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

The funding marks the third round of support through the Fisheries and Aquaculture Energy Efficiency Innovation Fund, a three-year program administered by Efficiency Nova Scotia. The fund is designed to help companies adopt upgrades ranging from solar panels to hybrid propulsion systems for fishing vessels.

“The seafood sector is a pillar of...

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Mark Foods Completes Acquisition of Rhode Island Importer Endeavor Seafood

Mark Foods has announced the acquisition of Endeavor Seafood, a Newport, Rhode Island-based importer and marketer of frozen seafood products.

The deal is the next step in a relationship that began when Mark Foods made an equity investment in Endeavor in 2021. Mark Foods said the Endeavor team will be fully integrated into its operations.

"We are pleased to welcome the Endeavor Seafood team to Mark Foods. Since our initial investment in 2021, we have seen firsthand the talent, dedication, and quality this team brings. Fully integrating...

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