Seafoodnews.com Summary Thursday, July 23

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News Summary July 23, 2026

Today's Top Story: Mark Foods Completes Acquisition of Rhode Island Importer Endeavor Seafood

Kicking things off today, May US shrimp imports came in at 152.9 million lbs. — at the low end of the revised model range and close to the original mid-estimate of 150.5 million lbs. — with Ecuador running 30.4% above 2025 levels YTD through July while India sits down 23.5% over the same period. June models are pointing higher, with the customs-based estimate landing at 158.5 million lbs. at the midpoint and the export-seasonal model trending toward the upper end of the 148.6–168.4 million lb. range. The central dynamic heading into summer remains unchanged: supplies are running ahead of demand...

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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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ANALYSIS: US Sockeye Prices Hold Firm as Reports of Increased Freezing Surface

Prices for fresh wild sockeye H&G have held firm through the 2026 season, establishing a year-over-year premium that has become one of the more notable storylines of this year's Bristol Bay campaign. As of mid-July 2026, pricing carries an average of $7.625/lb, compared to an average of approximately $5.90/lb at the same point last year — a spread of roughly $1.70/lb or approximately +29% year-over-year.

What makes this year particularly notable is the shape of the pricing curve, not just the absolute levels. In 2025, the season...

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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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De Heus Opens Vietnam Cold-Water Fish Feed Mill

De Heus Animal Nutrition has opened a new marine and cold-water fish feed mill in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam. It is the De Heus' first facility dedicated exclusively to cold-water fish feed production, the company stated. Its annual production capacity will amount to 84,000 MT.

According to De Heus, the facility will serve both domestic Vietnamese producers and international markets. It will cater to growing opportunities in marine aquaculture for species including sea bass and barramundi destined for regional and export markets.

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WA and OR Legislators and Industry Respond to Sudden Loss of BPA Funding for Columbia River Hatchery

State and federal lawmakers are joining industry to object to the Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) June 18 decision to end its $2.4 million annual fund for the Select Area Fisheries Enhancement (SAFE) Program in the Lower Columbia River. The SAFE Program is a collaboration of three partners: the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and Clatsop County.

Withdrawal of the funds places more than 7 million hatchery salmon currently in production at immediate...

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Chile Defines 'Micro-Relocation' in Aquaculture Reform, Unlocking 95 Stalled Concession Requests

Chile's Senate Environment Committee has approved a key definition within the country's sweeping aquaculture reform legislation, establishing the concept of "micro-relocation" for salmon farming concessions and exempting such moves from the country's full environmental impact assessment process.

Under the approved language — put forward by President José Antonio Kast's administration — a micro-relocation is defined as a shift of no more than 350 meters from any vertex of an existing concession, undertaken solely to improve environmental conditions such as water depth and current velocity, which affect the dispersion...

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No Landings of Eastern Hokkaido Japanese Sardine One Month After Season Opening; Abnormal Situation

The Japanese sardine fishery using purse seine vessels off the coast of eastern Hokkaido opened in mid-June. Although a month has passed, no landings had been recorded as of July 21. The Minato Shimbun reported concerns about the outlook, noting that this is the first time since 2018—an eight-year gap—that the initial landing has been delayed until July or later.

The fishing season runs from June 16 to the end of October. In recent...

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NOAA, Scottish Fishing Leaders Advance Cooperative Research

Federal scientists and leaders from Scotland's commercial fishing industry spent three days in the Northeast exploring how cooperative research can strengthen fisheries management, improve trust between fishermen and scientists, and address shared challenges facing fisheries on both sides of the Atlantic.

The exchange, NOAA's first international cooperative research gathering with the Scottish Fishermen's Organization, brought together scientists, fisheries managers, academics and nonprofit organizations for discussions, vessel tours and industry visits. Organizers said the goal was to demonstrate how combining fishermen's firsthand knowledge with scientific expertise can improve fisheries science...

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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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US Senators Investigate $2.6 Billion Offshore Wind Buyouts Under Trump Administration

A coalition of 14 US senators has launched an investigation into agreements between the Trump administration and several offshore wind developers, raising questions about deals they say resulted in nearly $2.6 billion in taxpayer-funded buyouts that halted major clean energy projects.

As part of the probe, the senators sent letters to Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies; Craig Windram, CEO of Ocean Winds; Harry K. Sideris, CEO of Duke Energy; and James Murphy, CEO of Invenergy.

The letter, signed...

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The Retail Rundown: Consumers Redefine Value Across the Meat Case This Summer

With the summer grilling season in full swing, the protein case reflects more than shifting prices. The latest Circana retail data shows consumers continuing to prioritize value, but what defines value varies by protein category as supply dynamics, promotional strategies, and purchasing behavior evolve.

Beef Leads the Meat Department Despite Premium Pricing

Beef remains the largest protein category by total weekly sales, generating $191.5 million last week—nearly 58% more than eggs and almost 77% higher than chicken. Average retail pricing reflects continued supply constraints, with an...

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Peru Adopts Risk-Based Fish Plant Inspections to Speed Exports

Peru’s fisheries and aquaculture health authority has approved a new risk-based inspection manual aimed at speeding plant checks, improving food safety and supporting exports of hydrobiological products.

The National Authority for Fisheries and Aquaculture Health and Safety, or Sanipes, said the Manual for the Sanitary Inspection of Processing Plants within the Framework of Risk-Based Control (FBR) will modernize oversight of more than 400 authorized processing plants across the country.

Sanipes Executive President Mónica Saavedra said the manual marks a shift from traditional inspections to...

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Kazakhstan Breaks Ground on First Domestic Fish Feed Plant in Aquaculture Push

Kazakhstan has begun construction on its first extruded fish feed manufacturing plant, a move the country's Ministry of Agriculture is framing as a strategic step toward reducing import dependence and scaling up its fast-growing aquaculture sector.

The facility, operated by Poseidon LLP and backed by state support, will have an annual production capacity of 25,000 tonnes. Construction began July 10, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The plant addresses a persistent gap in Kazakhstan's aquaculture supply chain. The country's fish farms require...

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Dallas Seafood Wholesaler Hit with $250K Fine for Selling Chilean Salmon as European

A Dallas seafood wholesaler has been fined $250,000 for falsifying the country of origin on salmon products in a scheme that generated an estimated $200,000 in illegal gains, the Department of Justice announced July 17.

Seafood Supply Co. was sentenced on two felony counts of violating the Lacey Act (Case No. 3:26-CR-00088) after court documents revealed the company had designated Chilean salmon as product from Scotland, Norway, and Canada from January 2020 to February 2022. The mislabeling was designed to exploit...

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Peru's Seafood Industry Takes Over Leadership of Mahi-Mahi Improvement Project

Peru's fishing industry has assumed formal leadership of the country's mahi-mahi Fishery Improvement Project (FIP), marking a significant transition in how the fishery's sustainability efforts are governed going forward.

WWF Peru announced the handover to the Peru Mahi Alliance (PMA) — a coalition of industry stakeholders — during Seafood Expo North America 2026. The move transfers day-to-day FIP leadership away from the NGO and into the hands of the Peruvian fishing sector itself, a shift WWF described as reflecting the institutional maturity the industry has developed...

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Russia Ramps Up Shellfish and Crab Exports Amid Strong Foreign Demand

Russia is increasing exports of shellfish and crab to foreign markets, with both volumes and revenues posting significant year-on-year gains in the first five months of 2026, according to Agroexport, the Russian state agency responsible for agricultural export data.

Russia exported approximately 3,900 tons of shellfish in the January-to-May period, valued at over US$19 million — a 22% increase in export revenue compared to the same period last year. The bulk of shipments consisted of frozen scallops, squid, and cuttlefish, with China...

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Sernapesca, Navy Seize 1,000 Meters of Hidden Spider Crab Nets Days Before Season Opens

Last Friday, Chile's Servicio Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura, or Sernapesca, revealed that it, alongside the Chilean Navy, had uncovered 1,000 meters (about 3,281 feet) of spider crab nets during a routine inspection aboard a vessel two days before the start of the spider crab season.

According to Sernapesca, the only authorized method for catching spider crabs is using baited traps or pots. The discovery triggered an immediate enforcement response given the timing and scale of the gear found.

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