Seafoodnews.com Summary Monday, October 19

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News Summary October 19, 2026

Today's Top Story: El Niño Adds to Cost Pressure on India's Shrimp Farmers as 2027 Stocking Looms

India's shrimp farmers face mounting pressure from rising feed, packaging, freight and energy costs, now compounded by a developing El Niño that could become the strongest in a century, with warmer pond water reducing dissolved oxygen and raising disease risk ahead of the critical February-April 2027 stocking window. Industry participants expect the impact to show up mainly in how farms operate — through lighter stocking densities, staggered timing and higher aeration costs — rather than whether they stock at all, though a persistent heat threat into summer could affect the main crop and limit buyer options...

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El Niño Adds to Cost Pressure on India's Shrimp Farmers as 2027 Stocking Looms

Heat and low oxygen in ponds are a growing risk for Andhra Pradesh farmers, but rising costs are driving farmgate prices so far.

India's shrimp farmers face a tougher season as feed, packaging, freight, and energy costs rise. Expana reported in early October that farmgate prices are climbing again after months of seasonal decline, squeezing processor margins while export prices remain under pressure.

Feed is a growing concern. Peru, the world's largest fish meal and fish oil producer, has seen elevated sea temperatures reduce anchovy biomass...

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ANALYSIS: Bangladesh Black Tiger Shrimp Exports Down 19.5% So Far This Year

Bangladesh is one of the countries whose shrimp exports rely almost exclusively on black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). Production is either farmed in ponds or registered as "extensive farming", meaning the shrimp feed naturally in mangroves. The species is known for reaching large sizes, up to 2-4 count per kg. It has only one harvest season per year, in H2, and is mostly exported head-on, shell-on. For these reasons, it is usually priced higher than vannamei...

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MSC Says Sustainability has Become a Mainstream Expectation for US Seafood Consumers

Sustainability is now a mainstream expectation among US seafood consumers, according to a new report from the Marine Stewardship Council, with shoppers placing increasing importance on independently verified environmental claims.

The report, A Decade of Change: Sustainability Now a Mainstream Concern of US Seafood Consumers, tracks attitudes toward seafood, ocean sustainability, ecolabels and the MSC program from 2016 to 2026. Conducted by GlobeScan on behalf of the MSC, the research draws on responses from 15,000 US seafood consumers...

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Hannaford Sued Over Salmon Sustainability Claims; Cooke Named in Complaint

A consumer class action filed in New York accuses Hannaford Bros. Co. and its parent, Ahold Delhaize USA Services, of misleading shoppers about the sustainability and origin of the farmed salmon they sell. The complaint names Cooke Aquaculture USA as the sole producer of farmed Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine.

The suit, Boyle v. Hannaford Bros. Co., LLC and Ahold Delhaize USA Services, LLC (Case No. 1:26-cv-2108), was filed October 13 in the US District Court for the Northern District of New York. Plaintiff Kathleen...

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Whole Foods Market Unveils 2027 Food Trends, With Seafood Among the Featured Products

Whole Foods Market unveiled its top food trends for 2027 in its annual Trends predictions report on Oct. 14, highlighting seafood in several of the eight trends.

"This year's predictions reflect a real shift in how people are eating, with a curiosity about origin, a willingness to try bitter and unexpected flavors, and a meaningful return to simpler, whole-food ingredients," said Cathy Strange, Ambassador of Food Culture for Whole Foods Market and a member of the Trends Council...

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Russian Fishermen Plan to Increase Presence in African Fish Market

Russia plans to significantly increase fish supplies to Africa in the coming years and overtake some of its major rivals in the local market, particularly Norway.

As part of these plans, particular attention will go to increasing herring supplies to the continent. Egypt is considered one of the most promising sales destinations in the region.

In the first half of 2026, Russia increased its herring exports to Egypt 56-fold compared with the same period last year, from 100 tons...

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Washington State, Finland Sign MOU Expanding Business, Research, and Innovation Partnerships

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson and Finland's Ambassador to the US, Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday to guide collaboration and trade between the state and Finland. The agreement covers research, academia, innovation and business.

The signing took place at the National Nordic Museum in Seattle as part of the 2026 Nordic Innovation Summit. It is Ferguson's first collaborative agreement with a foreign nation since taking office in 2025...

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ANALYSIS: Live Lobster Prices Held in Check as Buyers Stay Disciplined and Frozen Stocks Stay Lean

The live lobster market remains subdued, with buyers largely covering immediate requirements rather than extending inventory positions. Buyers have shown little urgency to chase higher offers, even as availability tightens in select sizes. The market is also moving through a seasonally quieter demand period ahead of the year-end holiday push, while broader consumer caution and sensitivity to food costs may be weighing on premium seafood demand...

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Chile: Algal Bloom Contingency Closed as ISA Harvests Continue in Aysén

Chile's fisheries service, Sernapesca, declared the end of a mass-mortality contingency at Multiexport Patagonia's Magallanes farms on Oct. 14.

A harmful algal bloom killed 917.79 tonnes of fish across salmon concession groups 43A and 43B. All of the dead fish were harvested and sent to the La Portada reduction plant in Los Lagos. Sernapesca authorized early harvests to limit further losses. Magallanes regional director Ximena Gallardo said that although mortality exceeded 900 tonnes, it was low compared with other algal bloom events the agency...

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Expana's Weekly Top 10

This week’s Top 10 captures the crosscurrents shaping agrifood markets, from tariff uncertainty and rising logistics costs to shifting demand signals across cocoa, seafood, dairy and animal nutrition. Coverage also highlights how weather risk, inflation and changing consumer behavior continue to influence trade flows, pricing and sourcing strategies around the world.

Find archived recaps here.

Trade and Global Commodity Markets

1. Tariff Talks 2026: Expana’s Weekly Rundown #41 by Ryan Gallagher

Tariffs and trade remain the dominant themes this week, but rising energy and transport costs are adding fresh margin pressure across commodity markets...

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BioMar Launches BioRetain, Targeting Nutrient Retention in Aquafeed

Feed is the largest cost in aquaculture, and BioMar says a growing share of the nutrients fish and shrimp consume never reaches growth. Its new BioRetain concept is designed to change that. The company says the formulation improves how nutrients are used and retained, directing more of them toward protein growth rather than energy use or fat storage.

BioMar says the approach can improve biological performance without raising protein or energy levels in the feed. It also gives formulators more room to choose raw materials, which the company says...

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ProChile Spotlights Chilean Seafood, Wine and Pisco in New York Push

ProChile, Chile’s export promotion agency under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will showcase the country’s food and beverage exports at two invitation-only events in New York City on Oct. 20, highlighting Chilean seafood, wine and pisco for US media and industry professionals.

The program includes a Chilean-inspired lunch and a wine and pisco masterclass designed to connect Chilean producers with key US buyers, influencers and trade participants. The lunch, prepared by Ignacia Valdés, executive chef of Tokyo Record Bar, will feature Chilean...

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Rock N Roll Sushi Names Rick Gestring CEO to Lead Next Growth Phase

Rock N Roll Sushi has named Rick Gestring as its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding Craig LeMieux, who has led the brand since 2023.

“Rock N Roll Sushi’s unique American-style sushi brand positioning, coupled with an electrifying restaurant experience and creative menu offerings, have created a tremendously loyal fan following.”, said Gestring. “I look forward to leading the brand, in collaboration with our incredible franchisees and support teams, as together we turn up the volume on growth and expansion...

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American Seafoods Flags Five Trends Set to Reshape Seafood in 2027

American Seafoods has outlined five trends it expects to shape the seafood industry in 2027, drawing on developments across its customer base and markets in North America, Europe and Asia.

The company supplies processors, distributors and foodservice customers across those regions. Its product portfolio includes frozen-at-sea Wild Alaska pollock and Pacific hake fillets, surimi, roe, fishmeal and fish oil, giving it visibility into demand trends across seafood markets and supply chains.

“When you look at the biggest conversations happening in food right now — protein...

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Trump's Alaska Rally Brought Pardons and Endorsements, but Little on Seafood

In a nearly 90-minute speech that included expected hyperbole and some outright inaccuracies, Trump addressed a crowded sports center with a capacity of 3,500 in Wasilla, a small town north of Anchorage.

"Nobody's done more for Alaska than Donald J. Trump," Trump said as he opened the event. "That I can tell you."

The speech mixed endorsements of Republicans, mockery of Democrats and some of his greatest hits from rallies around the country, Alaska Public Media reported...

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Trans-Ocean Products Names Virgil Roehl VP of Finance, Adds Logistics Manager Stephanie Colvin

Trans-Ocean Products has named Virgil Roehl Vice President (VP) of Finance and Stephanie Colvin Logistics Manager, bringing additional financial and supply‑chain expertise to the Washington–based surimi manufacturer.

Roehl joins from Twin City Foods, where he served as VP of Finance. His background also includes financial and supply‑chain roles at Washington Mutual and Boeing. As VP of Finance, Roehl will oversee Trans‑Ocean’s accounting and financial operations.

Colvin has nearly 20 years of supply‑chain and customer‑service experience and previously held several...

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SalmonChile and Industry Move to Close Out New Dive Safety Standard Ahead of Chile's New Diving Law

Chile's salmon industry association SalmonChile and a dozen producers and service providers are finishing the technical work on a new diving safety standard. It comes as a new national law takes effect for the sector.

SalmonChile led a Dive Working Group (Mesa de Buceo) meeting in Puerto Varas focused on the technical close-out and integration of its Diving Operations Safety Standard 3.0. The meeting was part of the association's 2026–2027 Diving Strategic Plan. It drew representatives from Australis, Blumar, Camanchaca, Cooke...

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Japan Kamaboko Association Chair Declares Plan to Tackle Crisis, Seeks Support for Viable Pricing

According to a Minato Shimbun report, the Japan Kamaboko Association issued a "Chairman’s Declaration" on October 15. The declaration aims to address an unprecedented crisis marked by soaring prices and declining surimi supplies, the primary raw material for surimi products. By rallying the industry's collective strength, the association expresses a firm commitment to "ensuring that surimi products, such as kamaboko, never disappear from the Japanese dining table." The declaration also calls on distributors and consumers to understand the need for price...

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NOAA Report Launches Collaborative Phase on Aquaculture Planning in Gulf of Alaska

From workshops and public input held in Anchorage, Juneau, and Kodiak last spring, NOAA and its National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science have released the Gulf of Alaska Aquaculture Atlas Rollout and Webtool Planning Workshop Series Report. It captures perspectives on how science-based planning and permitting tools can better support sustainable shellfish and seaweed aquaculture in Alaska from a broad diversity of stakeholders...

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Canadian Salmon Farmers Say 80% of Feed Is Non-Fish in Early Sustainability Data

Canadian Seafood Farmers has released early sustainability data showing that 80% of salmon feed in Canada comes from non-fish sources. The group also says 95% of the fish products used in that feed come from certified, sustainably managed fisheries.

The figures were released October 9 in advance of a full dataset due in November. The group, formerly the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, said the early release responds to recent news coverage of salmon feed ingredients...

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Octopus Explosion off South West Prompts Talks Between Fishermen and Scientists

Fishermen, scientists and fisheries managers met at a Defra-hosted conference to share evidence, discuss the impacts of the octopus bloom.

Fishermen, fisheries managers and scientists came together yesterday (15 October) for a conference hosted by Defra to discuss the recent increase in octopus numbers off the south-west coast of England, and how regulators and the industry can respond to the challenges and opportunities it presents.

In the last year, fishermen in the region have reported a sharp rise in octopus...

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ANALYSIS: Norwegian Weekly Salmon Exports Ease After Record Peak, Prices Continue Rising

Norwegian Atlantic farmed salmon exports through week 41 rose 13.5% year-to-date (YTD), with a slight reduction in weekly export level after reaching an all-time high in week 39 at 32,385 mt (Figure 1). Exports fell 7.6% week-over-week (WOW) in week 42, according to Statistics Norway, the second consecutive week of decline...

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PODCAST: Episode 47 - Building Procurement into a Strategic Business Function, Feat. Patricia Mendes

In this episode of Expana's Agrifood for Thought podcast, Patricia Mendes, former Vice President of Global Sourcing & Transformation and Vice President of International Zone at Kraft Heinz, explores how procurement has evolved into a strategic business function.

Drawing on her experience at major international companies, Mendes discusses how procurement can balance cost control and consumer affordability, manage commodity risks and bring cost-of-goods-sold (COGS) discussions to board level. She highlights AI’s potential to improve market analysis

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US Black Cod Prices Rise to 2,500 Yen Per Kilo, Sales Steady Driven by Perceived Value

As of early October, the domestic wholesale price for U.S.-sourced black cod in the 4–5 lb size range is between 2,400 and 2,500 yen/kg ($15.18-15.81/kg)—an increase from the approximately 1,800 yen/kg ($11.38/kg) seen as recently as this spring. This rise reflects a global trend of higher fish prices, and for now, movement within the Japanese market remains steady.

However, some traders have expressed concern, noting, "There are...

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Andfjord Salmon Completes First Dedicated Post-Smolt Cycle, Sells 390 Tonnes to Eidsfjord Sjøfarm

Andfjord Salmon has completed its first production cycle dedicated solely to post-smolt, the first in pool K3 at its Kvalnes site on Andøya, Norway. The company sold the fish to regional farmer Eidsfjord Sjøfarm, which transferred about 390 tonnes of post-smolt into ocean net pens in the Vesterålen region...

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MSU to Lead New Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish

Mississippi State University will lead its new Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish through a five-year award, with an initial obligation of $8 million for the first year, from the U.S. Department of State to advance research and innovation that strengthen global aquatic food systems and create benefits for U.S. agriculture, industry, and food security.

The Fish Innovation Lab will be led by MSU’s Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security, or GCAHFS, a university center reporting to MSU’s Division of Agriculture...

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Navigating the Trump Tariff Turbulence: A Comprehensive Timeline

US President Donald Trump and his administration have paused reciprocal tariffs on most countries.

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown... I am hereby raising the [tariff] charged to China by the [USA] to 125%, effective immediately,” wrote Trump on Truth Social at 1:18 pm ET.

It’s not clear if this 125% is in addition to the 20% imposed on Chinese imports to the US. In early March, Trump noted that he would add another 10% tariff on Chinese goods...

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NOAA Warns Strong El Niño Will Reshape US Fisheries, From West Coast Tuna and Squid to Gulf Oysters

NOAA Fisheries says this El Niño will likely affect fisheries in every US region, with the West Coast and Pacific Islands expected to feel it most directly. Impacts could last months or years after the event ends.

NOAA forecasters announced in June that El Niño had formed. As of October they put the chance of a "very strong event" this fall and winter at more than 83%. The agency expects it to last through early spring 2027...

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Sernapesca Names Pablo Ortiz Lima Acting National Director

Pablo Ortiz Lima, Sernapesca’s deputy director of fisheries, assumed leadership of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service on an interim basis effective Oct. 7, the agency announced.

Ortiz Lima is a fisheries engineer (UCSC) with a master’s degree in aquatic resources management (PUCV) and more than 20 years’ experience in the national and international fishing sector. His career at Sernapesca began in 2010 at the regional directorate in Los Lagos. From 2014 to 2019 he served as regional fisheries control officer before taking a post as compliance...

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NAA Urges Senate to Strip Commercial Fishing Vessel Loans From Farm Bill

The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) is asking the Senate Agriculture Committee to remove a Farm Bill provision that would open USDA farm operating loans to commercial fishing vessels. It argues the change would draw on a limited pool of agricultural funding and slow loans for the farmers the program was built to serve.

In an Oct. 13 letter to Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the NAA targeted Section 5216 of S.5526, the Agricultural Act of 2026...

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