IN BRIEF - Florida clam growers struggle as aquaculture industry reports $34M loss from Hurricane Idalia
UNITED STATES
Monday, October 02, 2023
RUSKIN, Fla. — At Two Docks Shellfishin Ruskin, clams are grown and then sold to restaurants, seafood markets, and distributors throughout the Tampa Bay Area, but lately, the shellfish farmers have been tight on supply.
“There just aren’t as many clams in the world as there should be right now due to those two storms, and that has a series of downstream effects, revenue, employment, and things like that,”said Dr. Aaron Welch, president of Two Docks Shellfish.
Last year, Welch said freshwater flooded the bay during Hurricane Ian, killing millions of clams. He added that the enormous storm surge following Hurricane Idalia the previous month wiped out millions more clams in hard-hit Cedar Key and he does business with clam growers there.
He says the combo of storms has prevented him from expanding his clam business as fast as he would like.
“It’s made it hard for us to continue to grow the business, and it’s hurt our revenue. Since we haven’t gotten our insurance payment from the USDA yet, we’re missing a huge amount of cash that we would be generating right now from selling the animals that died during Ian.”[...]
PRIMORYE — In February, the Primorsky branch of the National Center for Fishery and Agricultural Products Safety (FSBI) “APK NATSRYBA” processed and certified 75,800 tons of fish products for export, the institution reported.
A total of 576 shipments of fish, seafood, and related products were inspected to ensure compliance with international standards. Key exports included pollock, cod, sardines, flounder, squid, shrimp, crab, halibut, scallops, mollusks, and fish-derived products such as roe, milt, and fish meal.
China remained the leading destination, receiving 55,200 tons across 383 shipments. South Korea imported 11,100 tons in 134 batches, while European Union countries accounted for 9,500 tons in 59 shipments.
The figures highlight Primorye’s continued role as a major hub for seafood exports in the region.
The market-influencing spot price of Norwegian farmed salmon climbed a good deal last week, and has thus increased by more than NOK 15 in two weeks. Not since early summer in 2024 have there been better prices in regular weeks.
According to the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), the spot price of salmon rose by NOK 8.01 per kilo in week 11 to NOK 94.45 (£7.30) per kilo. That price is NOK 12.09/kg better than in the same week last year. You have to go back to week 22 of 2024 to find better prices if you ignore the usual price peaks around Christmas and New Year.
Author: Pål Mugaas Jensen / fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
Bakkafrost CEO Regin Jacobsen is not one to go in for hyperbole. His statements are usually measured and well thought through before he delivers.
So when he says that President Donald Trump’s tariff measures have created a great deal of frustration and confusion, you can bet that the impact has probably been more difficult than that.
Jacobsen told Fish Farmer that the North American (US) market is important for the company, adding that so too is Europe, its primary market, and Asia where its business is growing.He added that Europe is Bakkafrost’s largest market, followed by the US and then the Far East in third place. But business with China is growing.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
Chilean aquaculture has positioned itself as a global production powerhouse, particularly in salmon farming. However, the current international landscape presents a deeper challenge: moving from a leadership model based on volume to one based on innovation, technology, and exportable knowledge.
Chile is currently a global leader in aquaculture due to its scale, production efficiency, and specialization, particularly in the salmon industry. However, when we talk about aquaculture innovation in the strict sense—that is, the capacity to develop its own technology, generate intellectual property, scale solutions, and export knowledge.
The intensity of the damage suffered by the fishing and aquaculture sector will be directly proportional to the duration of the military crisis and the level of disruption to fossil fuel extraction infrastructure. This was the conclusion reached on Monday by the Spanish Aquaculture Business Association (APROMAR), Cepesca, and the National Federation of Fishermen's Associations at a meeting convened by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, to analyze the consequences of the recent attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran for the fishing and aquaculture sector. The meeting focused particularly on the situation arising from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the disruption to oil and natural gas flows.
Source: iPac.aquacultura | Read the full article here
With Seafood Expo North America taking place in Boston on 15-17 March, Rob Lewis, head of technical and innovation at Catapult Print, a leading US-based linerless label provider for the seafood sector, discusses the advantages of linerless labels in driving operational efficiency, reducing waste and delivering quality and compliance.
With so much volatility and price fluctuation in the seafood market, hanging on to market share and margin is more challenging than ever. Keeping quality high and costs down is critical, which is why both seafood producers and retailers are increasingly looking to linerless labels to help them achieve both of those goals.
Labels may not seem like a major part of the cost profile for seafood products, but when labelling fails, the impact on production is immediate and significant. Quality issues, such as labels detaching due to moisture or smearing under stress, can result in inconsistency across SKUs, compliance failures, and even rejected shipments.
Nearly 40% of fish died in first hit from 2025 algae crisis.
A research paper published in the Journal of Fish Diseases has documented 39.5% acute mortality at the first salmon farm struck by the 2025 algae bloom in northern Norway.
The first signs were reduced appetite and turbid water, followed by behavioural changes and rapid fish death. Water samples confirmed dominance of Phaeocystis pouchetii and Chrysochromulina leadbeateri. Post-mortem examination and histopathological findings in gills and liver confirmed algae as the cause of death.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
Air China Cargo has expanded its operation between Chengdu and Glasgow Prestwick Airport to a daily service on the back of rising demand
The service between Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Prestwick was launched in June 2025 and had been operating four times per week until yesterday, when the frequency was increased. It carries Chinese goods to Scotland and exports such as salmon, caught seafood, and whisky, to China.
Daily connectivity enables Scottish exporters to move premium products such as salmon, seafood, and whisky into China while also supporting faster and more reliable imports into Scotland from one of China’s most dynamic manufacturing regions
Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
The managers of Profand and Lanzal explain how Galician companies are consolidating their presence in Patagonia and learning to cope with economic and labor fluctuations
With wild shrimp as their flagship product, Galician companies located in Argentine Patagonia are consolidating their presence in the region and learning to deal with the ups and downs of the economy. Bureaucracy, inflation, currency exchange rates, taxes, and a highly conflictive labor environment are some of the issues mentioned by the managers of two of the most important Galician fishing companies: Profand and Lanzal.
Despite the risks and challenges, wild shrimp is a premium product that can only be found in Argentine waters. "The main problem we have is competition from vannamei shrimp."
Author: Cecilia Valdez / La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
At the initiative of the Ministries of Energy and of the Sea and Fisheries, the French government convened an emergency meeting with the fishing sector to assess the impact of rising fuel prices on fishing activity following the Iran-Contra conflict and the mitigation measures to be adopted. During the meeting, several commitments were made to establish an initial aid package. It was agreed that, like price increases, reductions in fuel prices would be reflected at the pump, that retailers would review potential price support measures using existing tax instruments, and that banks would immediately assess, on a case-by-case basis, the situation of fleets facing liquidity difficulties.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
Global Scallop Trade Shifts as U.S. Faces Shortage of Premium Sizes Worldwide
Chinese small scallops fill U.S. supply gap while French exports reshape China’s seafood imports
As the U.S. Atlantic scallop fishing season approaches its close, the market is experiencing a p...
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UNITED STATES
“There just aren’t as many clams in the world as there should be right now due to those two storms, and that has a series of downstream effects, revenue, employment, and things like that,”
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
A total of 576 shipments of fish, seafood, and related products were inspected to ensure compliance with international standards. Key exports included pollock, cod, sardines, flounder, squid, shrimp, crab, halibut, scallops, mollusks, and fish-derived products such as roe, milt, and fish meal.
NORWAY
FAROE ISLANDS.png)
So when he says that President Donald Trump’s tariff measures have created a great deal of frustration and confusion, you can bet that the impact has probably been more difficult than that.
CHILE
Chilean aquaculture has positioned itself as a global production powerhouse, particularly in salmon farming. However, the current international landscape presents a deeper challenge: moving from a leadership model based on volume to one based on innovation, technology, and exportable knowledge.
SPAIN
The intensity of the damage suffered by the fishing and aquaculture sector will be directly proportional to the duration of the military crisis and the level of disruption to fossil fuel extraction infrastructure. This was the conclusion reached on Monday by the Spanish Aquaculture Business Association (.png)
With so much volatility and price fluctuation in the seafood market, hanging on to market share and margin is more challenging than ever. Keeping quality high and costs down is critical, which is why both seafood producers and retailers are increasingly looking to linerless labels to help them achieve both of those goals.
A research paper published in the Journal of Fish Diseases has documented 39.5% acute mortality at the first salmon farm struck by the 2025 algae bloom in northern Norway.
CHINA.png)
The service between Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and Prestwick was launched in June 2025 and had been operating four times per week until yesterday, when the frequency was increased. It carries Chinese goods to Scotland and exports such as salmon, caught seafood, and whisky, to China.
ARGENTINA.png)
With wild shrimp as their flagship product, Galician companies located in Argentine Patagonia are consolidating their presence in the region and learning to deal with the ups and downs of the economy. Bureaucracy, inflation, currency exchange rates, taxes, and a highly conflictive labor environment are some of the issues mentioned by the managers of two of the most important Galician fishing companies: Profand and Lanzal.
FRANCE
At the initiative of the Ministries of Energy and of the Sea and Fisheries, the French government convened an emergency meeting with the fishing sector to assess the impact of rising fuel prices on fishing activity following the Iran-Contra conflict and the mitigation measures to be adopted. During the meeting, several commitments were made to establish an initial aid package. It was agreed that, like price increases, reductions in fuel prices would be reflected at the pump, that retailers would review potential price support measures using existing tax instruments, and that banks would immediately assess, on a case-by-case basis, the situation of fleets facing liquidity difficulties.
