Japans Mackerel Export Increased 2.9-Fold in April, Exceeding JPY 4 Billion

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

Japan's Mackerel Export Increased 2.9-Fold in April, Exceeding JPY 4 Billion

According to a Minato Shimbun report, Japan's exports of frozen mackerel doubled year-over-year (YOY) in April, reaching 15,814 tons. Strong exports to Vietnam and Africa, the largest destinations, drove this increase and marked the first time exports have exceeded 15,000 tons in approximately four years.

Good catches from Kyushu were the main driver. Meanwhile, the average export price rose 44% to 257 yen/kg ($1.60/kg), the second highest on record after 273 yen/kg...

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.

ANALYSIS: European Pollock Imports Slip 5.2% YTD, Prices Rise on Supply Constraints

Imports of frozen pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) fillets into Europe (European Union and United Kingdom) decreased 5.2% year-to-date through March 2026, reaching 71,694 metric tonnes, according to National Customs. Russia remains the main supplier to Europe with a 49.8% market share, followed by the US (30.5%) and China (19.4%). Pollock fillet trade to Europe is slowing, with volumes from the US and China down 17.5% and 21.3% respectively compared to the same period last year (see Figure 1)...

Full Story »

Boudreaux's Brand Owner Sues Former Licensee Over Trademark Counterfeiting and UPC Code Theft

Gulf Marine Products Co., Inc. (GMP), the Westwego, Louisiana-based owner of the Boudreaux's seafood brand and crawfish importer, has filed a federal lawsuit against a former business partner, alleging trademark counterfeiting and the deliberate misappropriation of its retail product codes after a two-decade licensing relationship collapsed.

The complaint, filed June 12 in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, names A La Carte Specialty Foods, L.L.C. (ALC) and its sole member Karl D. Turner as defendants. GMP is seeking...

Full Story »

Dual Ocean Threats Put West Coast Fisheries, Marine Life on Notice

Two major ocean phenomena off the US West Coast will affect salmon, rockfish, squid, tuna, and crab fisheries, as well as whales, California sea lions, and seabirds, in the coming months. NOAA has tracked a large marine heatwave for a year now, and last week announced that a separate strong El Niño has been building and is expected to peak in the coming winter of 2026–2027.

The Pacific Ocean's El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is arguably the most influential climate driver on Earth, NOAA scientists say...

Full Story »

Trump Arctic Official Pitches Greenland Annexation as Lifeline for Red Lobster

A senior Trump administration official pushing for US control of Greenland has added an unlikely argument to his case: restocking Red Lobster.

Thomas Dans, the White House's Arctic affairs point man, argued this week that annexing Greenland would allow the US to directly tap the island's rich fisheries — cutting out foreign middlemen and keeping product away from China. "My view is that the United States could take all the seafood Greenland could produce, and cut out the middleman, and keep it from China," Dans told The New Yorker.

Full Story »

The Retail Rundown: Father’s Day Grilling Highlights Resilient Spending and Selective Buying

For Father’s Day weekend 2026, retailers are leaning heavily into the holiday’s long-standing grilling tradition. This year’s promotions are taking place against a backdrop of persistent inflation and a consumer who remains willing to spend on special occasions despite pressure on household budgets.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Father’s Day spending is projected to reach a record $27.9 billion. Consumers plan to spend an average of $226.58 per person, even as many households contend with higher costs for utilities and other everyday expenses...

Full Story »

Seafish Unveils 2026-27 Annual Plan Focused on Workforce, Trade and Supply Chain Resilience

Seafish, the UK public body supporting the seafood industry, has released its 2026-27 Annual Plan, outlining three strategic priorities: a safe and skilled workforce, a smoother and expanding seafood trade, and a resilient supply chain.

CEO Colin Faulkner, who joined the organization in January 2026, described the plan as arriving during a period of "significant change" for UK seafood sectors and acknowledged that Seafish needs to "rebuild and strengthen trust" with its stakeholders — an unusually candid admission for a public body...

Full Story »

Nestlé Purina Expands Use of MSC-Certified Fish in Gourmet Perle Relaunch

Nestlé Purina is widening the footprint of MSC-certified seafood in Europe with the relaunch of its Gourmet Perle cat food range across close to 30 markets, marking a fresh phase in its collaboration with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

The updated portfolio includes selected Ocean Flakes recipes made with fish sourced from MSC-certified fisheries, bringing sustainability credentials into one of Europe’s most established premium pet food brands. The expansion places certified sustainable seafood in front of millions of consumers...

Full Story »

Hilton Foods Appoints Mark Clare as Board Chair, Confirms Leadership Transition

On Tuesday, Hilton Foods announced the appointment of Mark Clare as Independent Non-executive Chair of the company’s Board.

Clare is an experienced public company leader, having served as a Chief Executive, Board Chair, Senior Independent Director and Non-executive Director. He currently sits on the Boards of Wickes Group Plc, where he chairs the Remuneration Committee, and Drax Group plc. He has previously held chair roles at Grainger plc, Aggreko and Ricardo, as well as Senior Independent and audit committee...

Full Story »

Private Brands Gain Momentum as Quality, Health Drive Shopper Loyalty, FMI Reports

Private brands/labels continue to build market share and consumer loyalty, with new research from FMI showing shoppers are increasingly choosing store brands for quality, taste and health benefits and not just value.

According to FMI’s Power of Private Brands 2026: Consumer Trends – From Stores to Homes report, 92% of US grocery shoppers currently have store brand products in their homes, up from 89% last year. Private brand dollar sales also increased 2.8% year-over-year (YOY), outpacing national brand...

Full Story »

Federal Judge Denies Bumble Bee Motion to Dismiss Forced Labor Case

A California federal judge has denied Bumble Bee Foods' motion to reconsider her earlier ruling allowing an Indonesian fishermen's human trafficking lawsuit to proceed.

Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant's June 11 order acknowledged that her previous ruling incorrectly stated that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had definitively held that trafficking claims apply to overseas conduct, when the appeals court had only "assumed without deciding" this point.

Despite the correction, Bashant maintained that the four Indonesian plaintiffs can pursue claims under the...

Full Story »

First Copper River Salted Sockeye Roe Shipment Arrives in Sendai, Prices Rise

Chilled salted sockeye salmon roe from Copper River, Alaska, arrived at the Sendai Central Wholesale Market on June 12th, marking the first shipment of the season. The quantity was approximately 310 kg (eight 40kg packs), a 16% decrease compared to the first shipment last year.

Despite the challenging production situation due to rising labor costs from the weak yen and higher raw material prices, market participants welcomed the products.

According to a report by Minato Shimbun, the shipment was received by Sento...

Full Story »

Young Right Whale Entangled in Gulf of St. Lawrence as Rescue Efforts Begin

Canadian authorities are working to track and potentially rescue a 5-year-old North Atlantic right whale spotted entangled in fishing gear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence on June 8.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) reported that an aerial survey near Shippagan, New Brunswick, identified the whale as Catalog #5192, an unnamed male with fishing rope caught in its mouth and trailing several body lengths behind its body.

Scientists at the New England Aquarium confirmed the whale was last seen gear-free...

Full Story »

Certified Group Secures FDA Approval for PFAS Testing Method in Frozen Clams

Certified Group has received FDA approval for a validated analytical method to detect perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in frozen clams, providing seafood importers with a new testing option amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny of PFAS contamination.

The method, developed through direct guidance from FDA, is approved specifically for frozen clams. Certified Group said it can also perform PFAS testing across nearly all seafood matrices, with verification completed for sample types not already validated at its laboratory.

The approval comes as seafood...

Full Story »

Aquaculture Stewardship Council Fires Back at Senate Over Certification Safety Concerns

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is pushing back hard against US Senate criticism over seafood safety failures, emphasizing that none of its certified products were implicated in contamination cases that triggered a congressional investigation—while revealing significant enforcement actions within its own program.

In a detailed 12-page response to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, ASC CEO Chris Ninnes defended the organization's certification program after Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) questioned major seafood certification bodies about recurring safety failures among...

Full Story »

Canada Boosts Newfoundland Northern Cod Quota 55% to 59,000 Tonnes

Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador Northern cod quota will jump 55% to 59,000 tonnes in 2026, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced, marking the third consecutive year of significant increases as global cod supplies tighten.

The increase in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) to 38,000 tonnes continues the fishery's remarkable recovery trajectory since its reopening in 2024 after a 32-year moratorium. The decision comes as other major cod-producing regions face declining quotas, creating opportunities for Canadian suppliers in premium markets...

Full Story »

Planned EU Sanctions on Russian Fishing Could Hit Bloc’s Fish Processors

Planned EU sanctions against the Russian fishing industry could harm the German fish processing industry as well as fish processing sectors of other EU states.

In accordance with the earlier report of the German business paper Berliner Zeitung, Germany has become the largest European buyer of Russian fish in recent years. In 2025, it accounted for approximately 40% of the value of all Russian fish imports to the EU.

Furthermore, in 2025, Germany imported approximately 109,000 tons of fish and fish products from Russia, valued...

Full Story »

Three New Icebreakers to be Homeported in Alaska — Two in Kodiak, One in Seward

Last Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced, and Alaska Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski held a press conference on the latest addition to their state’s security fleet: three new Arctic Security Cutters, a new class of medium-sized icebreakers, two to be home-ported in Kodiak and one in Seward. According to the Coast Guard, the vessels are the first of their kind in the United States and are designed with a heavier focus on security than the existing three icebreakers. Last April, Secretary...

Full Story »

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