Nathan Strout

The Canadian government has announced a new voluntary program to buy out oyster harvesters on the country's Atlantic coast who have suffered major financial losses due to the spread of disease. The commercial sector in the Canadian provinces of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick has been devastated by the spread of multinucleate sphere unknown (MSX) and Dermo, both of which do not harm humans but kill oysters. "Oysters have… Read More

Another offshore wind power developer has announced a settlement with the U.S. Department of the Interior which will see it relinquish its offshore wind leases and instead invest in other energy projects. RWE U.S. Offshore said the deal will see it end its lawsuits against the U.S. government over its leases off the coasts of New York, California, and Louisiana. Despite investing roughly USD 1 billion (EUR 866 million) in energy projects on… Read More

U.S. lawmakers have introduced a bill to increase the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) in fisheries surveys and management, claiming the technology is a low-cost tool that can better help the government assess fish populations. “Without accurate stock assessments, we cannot make the informed, science-based management decisions needed to ensure our fisheries remain sustainable for generations to come,” U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)… Read More

The fourth and final individual involved in illegally harvesting shellfish in Deep Bay, British Columbia, Canada has been convicted and fined, bringing the total amount of fines on the group to CAD 18,000 (USD 12,914, EUR 11,170). The four individuals were first caught illegally taking oysters from Deep Bay on Vancouver Island 26 August 2023. According to DFO, the accused failed to appear in court throughout proceedings, leading the government… Read More

The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) has announced three new associate members: Aker QRILL Company, EDISA, and MILANPLASTIC. “We are very pleased to become part of this organization. Although we have collaborated on several initiatives in the past and have closely followed the important work SSP has carried out to strengthen Ecuador’s shrimp industry, we are excited to officially join this initiative and take on a more active role both… Read More

Galveston, Texas, U.S.A. seafood warehouse Texas Gulf Seafood was destroyed by a fire 5 August. “The Galveston Fire Department has contained the large warehouse fire that began Wednesday evening at Texas Gulf Seafood near 7th Street and Wharf Road,” the department said in a Facebook post. “Firefighters responded at approximately 8:40 p.m. to find the building fully engulfed in flames. Crews safely rescued three people and one dog from the… Read More

A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate would strengthen the “Buy American” provisions for the national school lunch program, limiting how often waivers can be used and expanding the requirement to other school food programs. “It doesn’t make sense for American schools to purchase imported food when the very best beef and agricultural products are produced right here at home, including in my home state of… Read More

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has completed the latest iteration of Operation North Pacific Guard, an annual patrol of international waters meant to stop and discourage illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. “Protecting fish stocks does not stop at our borders. Canada has taken a key role in the fight against illegal fishing, and I am proud of the fishery officers and Canadian Coast Guard crews carrying out this mission across… Read More

The first commercial oyster season in Florida’s Apalachicola Bay since it was closed in 2020 resulted in a harvest of 4,233 bags of shellfish, roughly 90 percent of the commercial limit set by state regulators. While Apalachicola Bay was historically a major producer of oysters, at one time providing roughly 10 percent of the oysters in the United States, the population collapsed in 2013. Regulators ultimately closed the fishery in 2020,… Read More

The European Union’s Market Advisory Council (MAC) acknowledged that there have been difficulties in rolling out the bloc’s CATCH digital certification system and improvements must be made to ensure the initiative’s long-term success. “Food business operators (FBOs) have identified a number of recurring operational, technical, and administrative challenges arising during the early implementation phase, particularly affecting supply… Read More