Middle East Market Intelligence Brief: Week Ending August 7, 2026

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President Donald Trump’s war with Iran has reached its sixth month, lasting far longer than the weeks-long conflict he initially predicted. A combination of diplomatic efforts and renewed military threats this week has highlighted the limited options before the White House as it looks for a way to end the war.

The administration now faces a decision: continue escalating pressure on Iran or pursue negotiations aimed at reaching a resolution...

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ANALYSIS: June US Lobster Imports Fall 18% as Canadian Supply Tightens

US lobster imports totaled 58.5 million pounds in the first half of 2026, down 7.0% from 62.9 million pounds in the same period of 2025. June was the weakest month of the period, with overall volumes falling 18.3% year-over-year, driven primarily by compression in Canadian shipments and continued seasonal softness in warmwater tails...

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CFS Sues Pacific Seafood Over Hood Canal Hatchery Pollution; Company Vows to Fight Back

The Center for Food Safety has filed a federal lawsuit against Pacific Seafood Group alleging more than 400 Clean Water Act permit violations at a shellfish hatchery on Hood Canal — and Pacific Seafood is pushing back, calling the litigation a cash-motivated attack that ignores its ongoing work with state regulators.

The suit, filed August 4 in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington (Case No. 3:26-cv-5877), names Dulcich, Incorporated and Pacific Shellfish – Quilcene, LLC as defendants. The complaint targets...

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Texas Gulf Seafood Warehouse Destroyed in Galveston Fire; Supply Chain Impact Unclear

A massive fire destroyed the Texas Gulf Seafood warehouse on the Galveston waterfront Wednesday night, leaving the future of the longtime seafood processor and distributor uncertain and raising questions about potential disruptions to Gulf seafood supply chains.

The Galveston Fire Department said the blaze broke out around 8:40 p.m. on Aug. 5 at the company's facility near 7th Street and Wharf Road on Pier 7. Firefighters arrived to find the warehouse engulfed in flames, prompting a large response from multiple local and regional agencies...

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Ecuador Pushes to Upgrade US Trade Deal to Full FTA With Shrimp, Tuna Access in the Crosshairs

Ecuador is pressing Washington to convert its existing trade arrangement into a full free trade agreement, just four months after signing the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) with the US on March 13, 2026.

Minister of Production, Foreign Trade and Investments Luis Alberto Jaramillo told Primicias that the government will formally request the start of FTA negotiations, with a first round of talks expected as soon as August or September.

"This agreement can be negotiated quickly — there are only four products on each side...

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Santa Monica Seafood Begins Expansion of California Distribution Hub

Santa Monica Seafood has begun an expansion project at its Rancho Dominguez, California, facility, adding new cold storage, packaging and warehouse capabilities at a key distribution hub that serves customers in more than 40 states.

The project will renovate approximately 13,000 square feet within the facility, including modernizing 9,000 square feet of warehouse space to support growth in packaging, box-making, storage and distribution operations.

A central component of the expansion is a new 4,000-square-foot temperature-controlled cooler designed to maintain temperatures at 35°F...

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Japanese Frozen Mackerel Exports Hit Four-Year High in June, Prices Surge on Tight Norwegian Supply

In June, the export volume of Japanese frozen mackerel rose 23% year-on-year (YOY) to 16,108 tons, marking a significant monthly total for the fourth consecutive month. This marked the first time the volume reached the 16,000-ton range in four years.

Driven by strong domestic and international demand following a sharp drop in Norwegian production, the average export price surged 50% to 258 yen/kg ($1.63/kg). This marked the third-highest price on...

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NOAA Concludes North Pacific IUU Fishing Enforcement Mission, Flags Multiple Violations

NOAA enforcement officers have wrapped up the agency's annual Operation North Pacific Guard, an international mission aimed at combating illegal, unreported and (IUU) fishing in the North Pacific.

During the operation, NOAA Fisheries enforcement officers traveled more than 8,000 nautical miles aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Sir Wilfrid Laurier, conducting dozens of fishing vessel boardings and inspections under international law. The deployment supports Executive Order 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, which calls for stronger enforcement against IUU fishing to protect US...

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Bipartisan Bill Would Tighten US Sourcing Rules for School Meal Programs

A bipartisan bill introduced in the US Senate would tighten domestic sourcing requirements for federally funded school meal programs, a move supporters say would expand market opportunities for US farmers, ranchers and food manufacturers while reducing schools' reliance on imported food.

Introduced July 31 by Sens. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the American Food for American Schools Act would require school food authorities to obtain a waiver from the US Department of Agriculture before purchasing most foreign food products. The legislation would also...

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Louisiana Sets Aug. 17 Opening for 2026 Fall Inshore Shrimp Season

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has announced that the 2026 fall inshore shrimp season will open at 6 a.m. on Monday, August 17, in all state inside waters from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line westward to the Louisiana/Texas state line.

The opening date was set by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission based on recommendations from LDWF biologists, who monitor hydrological conditions and conduct weekly trawl surveys to assess shrimp growth rates, distribution, and abundance ahead of the season...

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The EU’s Own Market Advisory Council Offers Improvements to New CATCH Program

On August 4, the Market Advisory Council (MAC) of the European Commission (EC) announced recommendations calling for “… operational stabilization and strategic alignment of CATCH with the aim of ensuring proportionality, legal certainty, and market stability.”

As a stakeholder-led organization composed of representatives of the entire value chain (primary producers, auctions, processors, traders, suppliers, retailers, trade unions) and other interest groups (environmental and development NGOs, consumer groups), MAC’s comments added weight to comments made by exporting nations to the EC over its new IT program, known as CATCH...

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ANALYSIS: Supply Tightening Signals Price Recovery for Norwegian Atlantic Salmon

Norwegian Atlantic farmed salmon exports through week 30 are 12.4% higher YTD, yet recent weeks show tightening availability (Figure 1). Exports declined 8.3% WOW, according to Statistics Norway, as producers approach the end of their 2024 generation harvest cycle, pressuring availability of larger fish sizes (5+ kg)...

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Clearwater Scallop Shortfall Weighs on Premium Brands' Seafood Results as Parent Posts Record Q2

Clearwater Seafoods delivered a difficult second quarter, with total revenue falling $46.4 million year-on-year to $91.7 million as a combination of asset sales and weak Canadian scallop catch rates dragged on performance — even as parent company Premium Brands Holdings Corporation posted record overall results for the period ended June 27, 2026.

Three factors drove Clearwater's revenue decline: the sale of its Macduff land-based operations in Q3 2025, the divestiture of its Argentine scallop business during the latter...

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VIMS Launches Survey to Measure Seafood Sector's Economic Role Ahead of Offshore Wind

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) is surveying shoreside seafood businesses from Massachusetts to Virginia to quantify the economic value of the coastal seafood economy ahead of possible offshore wind development.

Seafood processors, dealers, wholesalers, distributors and other first-sale seafood businesses are being asked to participate in the Seafood First Sale Value Added Survey. The effort is funded by a grant from the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS), a member of the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research...

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Japan Fisheries Association Hosts Seafood Show Featuring Record 1,545 Booths in Tokyo August 19–21

On August 3, Miwako Takase, Executive Director of the Japan Fisheries Association, outlined the details of the 28th Japan International Seafood Show in Tokyo. The event’s theme is "Let’s Create the Future of Seafood Consumption Together." The scale of the exhibition matches the record-breaking figures of the previous year, featuring 1,545 booths, with an attendance target of 30,000—surpassing the previous year's 27,932 visitors.

According to the Minato Shimbun, the event will be held from July 19 to 21...

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SAIC Launches First Sector Advisory Committee to Help Shape Scottish Aquaculture R&D

The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) has assembled its first sector advisory committee, bringing together 15 of the industry’s most respected figures and more than 100 years of combined experience across the sector.

Representing finfish and flatfish producers are Eduardo Jiménez Fernández, head of research and development (R&D) at Otter Ferry Seafish; Charles Greenwood, head of modelling at Cooke Aquaculture; Innes Weir, production manager at Loch Duart; and Su Cox, communications and business development director at Bakkafrost...

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Seafish Secures £1.4 Million to Expand Training Access Across UK Seafood Supply Chain

Seafish, the UK public body that represents the seafood industry, has secured more than £1.4 million ($1.86 million) in government funding to expand training opportunities across the sector, covering both existing workers and those looking to begin a career in it.

The body was awarded £419,950 through Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) to deliver training in Scotland through March 2027, alongside £998,858 from the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS) to provide training in England through March 2028...

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Advocates Report ICE 'Soft Raid' Targeting Workers at Washington Seafood Plant

For the past three months, agents reportedly working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been targeting the Premier Packing plant in Lynden, WA. Over those months, the federal agency's strategies have changed as Washington laws have passed to protect residents from illegal ICE actions.

"One of the things that makes this unique is it's along roadsides, on public thoroughfares," said Jeremy Dorrough, executive director of Racial Unity Now, the advocacy group documenting ICE activity in the area. "It's even, in some of the instances, happened at people's place...

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