July 28, 2026
European Commission Clears €149m Swedish Aid Scheme for Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
The European Commission has approved a €149 million (nearly $171 million) Swedish State aid scheme to support agricultural, fishing and aquaculture companies facing higher fuel and fertilizer costs linked to the war in the Middle East.
The support was cleared under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF), adopted by the Commission in April, which is designed to address the impact of the crisis on the sectors most affected.
Under the scheme, companies will receive capped grants covering...
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European Commission Clears €149m Swedish Aid Scheme for Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
The European Commission has approved a €149 million (nearly $171 million) Swedish State aid scheme to support agricultural, fishing and aquaculture companies facing higher fuel and fertilizer costs linked to the war in the Middle East.
The support was cleared under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF), adopted by the Commission in April, which is designed to address the impact of the crisis on the sectors most affected.
Under the scheme, companies will receive capped grants covering...
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ANALYSIS: El Niño, Light Inventories, and Tariffs Set the Stage for C&SA's 2026–2027 Mahi Season
The Central and South American mahi industry is entering the 2026–2027 fishing season under a unique set of market conditions. Inventories remain lean following two consecutive seasons of below-normal production, while replacement costs continue to hold near historically elevated levels. Although U.S. imports improved during the 2025–2026 season, much of that increase represented a recovery from an exceptionally weak prior year rather than a return to historically abundant supply. As a result, buyers enter the new season with little inventory...
Full Story »Chilean Salmon's Biggest Tariff Hurdle Yet as Section 301 Takes Effect
Chilean salmon will now face a 12.5% tariff when entering the United States following the Trump administration's latest tariff actions, which went into effect on July 24. The move is significant for the industry, which supplies over 40% of the salmon consumed in the US.
The new Section 301 tariffs mark the most significant tariff hurdle for the Chilean salmon sector yet, raising the rate from the 10% that had applied throughout President Trump's earlier trade actions. The determination stems from a US Trade Representative finding that Chile lacks...
Full Story »US Senators Urge Treasury Secretary Bessent to Crack Down on China's IUU Activity
Last Wednesday, US Senator Todd Young (R-IN) and eight other senators sent a four-page letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent outlining efforts already underway to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by Chinese fleets and urging the administration to now target the supply vessels that enable them. China's illegal fishing practices, the senators wrote, undermine international law, threaten global fish stocks, and harm American fishermen.
In the letter, the senators outline a strategy to target China's distant-water fishing fleet by sanctioning...
Full Story »Vietnam Pangasius Exports Rise in 2025 as Brazil, EU and CPTPP Markets Drive Growth
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Vietnam’s pangasius trade remained firm in 2025, with export value reaching nearly $2.2 billion, up 8% year on year (YOY), according to a new report from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
The report showed Vietnam exported 906,000 tonnes of frozen pangasius to around 100 countries during the year, an increase of 3.4% from 2024 and 24.2% higher than 2023 levels.
While China and the US remained Vietnam’s most competitive markets, both recorded lower overall imports for the year...
Full Story »High Liner Foods' Sea Cuisine Skillet Meals Hit Retail Shelves After SENA Debut
High Liner Foods announced on July 27 that its Sea Cuisine Skillet Meals are now available at select grocery stores across the United States, completing a journey that began with a first look at the Seafood Expo North America in March.
The line, three globally inspired, one-pan seafood dinners ready in 15 minutes, is designed to address what the company describes as a meaningful gap in the frozen meals aisle. Chicken and beef account for nearly 70% of the top 300 frozen multi-serve SKUs...
Full Story »Japan's Umios to Absorb Bluefin Tuna Aquaculture and Processed Food Units from Subsidiary TAFCO
Tokyo-listed seafood giant Umios Co., Ltd. announced Monday it will absorb the aquaculture and processed food businesses of its wholly-owned subsidiary Taiyo A&F Co., Ltd. (TAFCO) through a simplified absorption-type company split, effective October 1, 2026. The board resolution was passed the same day.
Under the restructuring, TAFCO's bluefin tuna aquaculture operation, which carries assets of ¥9.74 billion ($59.4 million) and generated ¥7.78 billion ($47.4 million) in revenue in the fiscal year ending March 2026...
Full Story »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...
Full Story »EU Seafood Consumption Hits Decade Low as Price Pressure and Convenience Demands Reshape the Market
European consumers are eating less fish than at any point in the past decade. EU apparent consumption fell from 12.94 million tonnes in 2014 to 10.25 million tonnes in 2023, with per capita intake dropping from 25.5 kg to 22.9 kg — the lowest level of the period — according to a sweeping new study from the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA). The sharpest decline came after 2019, as COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and sustained food price inflation accelerated behavioral shifts...
Full Story »Thai Union Names New CFO, CDO and Strategy Chief to Drive Strategy 2030
Thai Union has appointed three new members of its global leadership team as the company looks to accelerate its Strategy 2030 priorities around core business revitalization, new growth platforms, and capability building.
The company named Ratiporn Ratcharoen as Chief Financial Officer, Daniel Laverick as Chief Digital Officer, and Sumit Narang as Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer.
"Strategy 2030 sets a clear direction for Thai Union's next phase of growth, and these appointments strengthen the leadership capabilities we need to deliver it...
Full Story »NOAA Flags Ecosystem Shifts Across the Northeast US Shelf in Latest Annual Report
NOAA has released its annual State of the Ecosystem Reports for the Northeast US Shelf, regarded in the report as one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems, highlighting notable changes in ecosystem conditions and the services the region provides.
Prepared for the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, the reports are designed to inform decision-making on ecological, oceanographic, and socioeconomic conditions across the region, including fishing activity and climate trends in 2025.
The latest findings show that the Northeast Shelf experienced...
Full Story »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...
Full Story »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%...
Full Story »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...
Full Story »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...
Full Story »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...
Full Story »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"
Full Story »Norwegian Salmon Mortality Falls 35.7% as Industry Improvements Drive Decline
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Mortality among Norwegian farmed salmon and trout has fallen significantly in recent years, with new data from the Directorate of Fisheries showing a 35.7% decline compared with the same period over the past three years.
The decline marks the lowest mortality level recorded for the first half of the year since 2018, with June 2026 also recording the lowest figures for the month across the same period.
The improvement has been seen across most of Norway’s production areas (POs), with 11 of 13 POs reporting lower...
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European Commission Clears €149m Swedish Aid Scheme for Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
The European Commission has approved a €149 million (nearly $171 million) Swedish State aid scheme to support agricultural, fishing and aquaculture companies facing higher fuel and fertilizer costs linked to the war in the Middle East.
The support was cleared under the Middle East Crisis Temporary State Aid Framework (METSAF), adopted by the Commission in April, which is designed to address the impact of the crisis on the sectors most affected.
Under the scheme, companies will receive capped grants covering...
Full Story »Alaska Airlines Doubles Freighter Fleet With Four New Aircraft Dedicated to Alaska and Hawaii
Alaska Airlines announced Friday it has entered into long-term lease agreements for four 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter aircraft, expanding its dedicated cargo fleet from five to nine planes and effectively doubling its freighter capacity. The new aircraft will enter service in the first half of 2027 and will be dedicated exclusively to Alaska and Hawaii.
The expansion is part of Alaska Accelerate, the airline's broader strategic plan under which cargo is expected to deliver $150 million in new annual profit as the company...
Full Story »Baja Fresh Rolls Out Crispy Diablo LTO in Time for Late-Summer Traffic Boost
Fast-casual chain Baja Fresh Mexican Grill has introduced a new limited-time offer as it looks to sustain traffic during a typically slower stretch of the summer for foodservice.
The new Crispy Diablo lineup is available in three formats — bowl, burrito and tacos — and is built around the chain’s Diablo sauce paired with crispy chicken or shrimp. The items also include lime rice, Diablo salsa, black beans, cabbage and pico de gallo.
"The new Crispy Diablo entrées deliver everything...
Full Story »USDA Announces $76.5 Million Food Purchase, Including $25 Million for Atlantic Groundfish and Catfish
The US Department of Agriculture announced it will purchase up to $76.5 million in agricultural commodities from American farmers and producers for distribution to food banks and nutrition assistance programs, including $25 million earmarked for seafood
The purchases are made under Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935, a permanently authorized federal program that funds surplus commodity purchases for domestic food assistance programs, including school nutrition and food banks. The full commodity breakdown is as follows...
Full Story »Japan: Frozen Cod Imports Plummet 80% in January-May
Imports of frozen Pacific cod have plummeted. According to the Ministry of Finance trade statistics, last year saw the unit price rise 41% year-on-year to 883 yen/kg ($5.39/kg), while volume dropped 81% to 906 metric tons. From January to May of this year, the unit price rose 26% year-on-year to 1,080 yen/kg ($6.59/kg), and the total volume fell 79% to 115 tons. During the same period, imports from the U.S. saw a 53% increase in unit price to 1,267...
Full Story »Russia Expands Pollock Fillet Dominance in EU Market as Sanctions Bid Collapses
Russia is sharply increasing its exports of frozen pollock fillets to the European Union, widening its lead over rivals including the US, and the bloc's most serious attempt yet to restrict Russian fish imports has just failed.
The EU finalized its 21st package of sanctions against Russia on July 23 without the seafood measures that had been central to the package when it was unveiled in June. A proposed phaseout of Russian fish imports, including a complete ban on cod, was dropped from the final agreement after sustained...
Full Story »GSA Announces First Marketplace Participants for 2026 Responsible Seafood Summit
A growing roster of retailers, foodservice companies and seafood buyers will take part in the 2026 Responsible Seafood Summit, with the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announcing the first confirmed marketplace participants ahead of the event.
The Summit, which will be held September 21–24 in Bangkok, Thailand, is expected to bring together seafood producers, processors, retailers, foodservice companies, NGOs, certification organizations and researchers to discuss the industry's biggest challenges and opportunities.
Among the marketplace representatives confirmed to attend are Albertsons, ALDI, Bidfood, Captain D's, Mark Foods...
Full Story »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...
Full Story »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...
Full Story »Expana's Weekly Top 10
Corporate expansion, trade policy and supply chain resilience are on the menu in this week's roundup.
Our top stories examine Intersnack's entry into the US snack market through its acquisition of Utz Brands, Pampa Energía's landmark fertilizer investment, and new US tariffs that could alter global seafood trade. Rounding out the list are insights into potential Panama Canal shipping constraints, proposed EU climate policy changes and sourcing strategies from Lipari Foods.
Corporate Moves: Investments & M&A
10. Intersnack will buy Utz Brands for $2.9 billion and take the company private in a 50/50...
Full Story »Robot-Assisted Ike Jime Comes to Cook Inlet as Shinkei Systems Eyes Premium Salmon Market
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Shinkei Systems, the seafood robotics company that created Seremoni Grade™ premium fish, has developed new harvesting technology now in place on selected fishing vessels in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The wild sockeye salmon caught there will reach markets as Seremoni Grade, Shinkei’s distinctively higher-quality fish, this summer.
Seremoni Grade’s higher quality comes from killing the fish quickly and humanely, as traditional Japanese fishermen have done for generations. Shinkei has automated the Japanese slaughter technique...
Full Story »DFO Fishery Officers Issue Violations During Surveillance Operation in Northern British Columbia
Canada's fishery officers uncovered multiple violations during a recent enforcement operation in northern British Columbia, according to an update from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) published on July 22.
The surveillance operation focused on ensuring compliance with fisheries regulations and licence conditions across both the commercial and recreational sectors.
During the operation, fishery officers inspected recreational fishing vessels, commercial Area F troll vessels and commercial Area C gillnet vessels, as well as the operations of three recreational fishing...
Full Story »Young’s Targets Adult Shoppers with Launch of Chip Shop Jumbo Fish Fingers
Young’s is expanding its bestselling Chip Shop Jumbo range with the introduction of Chip Shop Jumbo Fish Fingers, as the frozen seafood brand looks to attract more adult consumers and breathe new life into the fish finger category.
Available exclusively in ASDA from July before rolling out to additional retailers from September 2026, the new product features four 80g Alaska Pollock fish fingers coated in Young’s signature crispy, bubbly Chip Shop batter. Designed to deliver a more indulgent take on a familiar...
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