Nathan Strout

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued nearly USD 20 million (EUR 17.2 million) in awards for catfish products, which it will use for federal nutrition programs like national school lunches. The department first declared its intention to purchase USD 20 million worth of farm-raised catfish in July as part of a USD 76.5 million (EUR 65.8 million) bulk buy of several products. “The farm-raised catfish industry has been under… Read More

Connecticut state law enforcement arrested two individuals in an overnight operation following reports of illegal nets in West Haven Harbor. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s State Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police said it received multiple reports from boaters about the nets, which they claimed posed a safety hazard to vessels operating in the harbor. EnCon conducted an overnight operation to catch… Read More

Small-scale fishers and NGOs are calling on Cyprus to adopt policies that secure preferential access to the nation’s fisheries for low-impact fishing efforts and support its coastal fishing communities. “Cyprus still lacks a coherent, long-term plan for the future of our sector,” Union of Small-Scale Coastal Fishers President Christodoulos Charalambous said in a release. “We are asking for the formal adoption and implementation of a… Read More

In two separate incidents, Louisiana Department of Fish and Wildlife (LDFW) agents cited commercial shrimpers for making unauthorized modifications to their turtle excluder devices (TED). A TED is a grid of bars that blocks larger animals – like turtles – from entering a commercial fishing net while allowing smaller animals – like shrimp – to pass through into the net. The devices are required by federal regulations in order to protect… Read More

NOAA Fisheries quietly issued several fishery disaster determinations in July, opening the door for federal funding to be allocated for those fisheries. U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-California) welcomed the determinations for fisheries in his state, which include California’s red sea urchin fishery and the Hoopa Valley Tribe’s Klamath River fall Chinook salmon fishery. “This funding is a critical lifeline for the people whose… Read More

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled that gag grouper regulations for the Gulf of Mexico were passed appropriately, rejecting a constitutional challenge to the fishery management council structure brought by two Florida fishers. Dominick and James Russo of Sarasota, Florida, U.S.A.-based FFC Seafood challenged NOAA Fisheries’ Amendment 56, which slashed the allowable biological catch of gag grouper from 3.12 million pounds in… Read More

Narragansett, Rhode Island, U.S.A.-based American Seafood Partners (ASP) has acquired Cal Marine Fish Co., LLC (Cal Marine), a premier West Coast commercial fishing, export, and vessel management company. Formerly known as American Food Partners before rebranding in March, ASP is a vertically integrated domestic seafood company founded in 2023 with a focus on wild-caught squid. Brands under ASP’s portfolio include Sea Fresh USA, Handrigan… Read More

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has rejected a challenge to turtle excluder device (TED) requirements in Louisiana, upholding a lower court ruling. “We are delighted by this current ruling that will reduce the number of sea turtles from drowning in large shrimp nets, but we will continue to advocate for TEDs to be required in all skimmer trawls to prevent the continuing cruel and unnecessary drowning of these gentle endangered… Read More

NOAA Fisheries has announced an “operational roadmap” of priorities it will pursue under U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness. “Through these priorities, the agency is taking actionable steps to fulfill the president's vision of making the United States the world's dominant seafood leader,” NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs said in a release. “NOAA is proud to deliver real-world… Read More

The European Commission has approved a fuel aid plan for commercial fishers proposed by Portugal to offset the high prices caused by the war on Iran. The U.S. war on Iran, which launched in February, immediately led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the thoroughfare for oil being shipped out of the Gulf of Persia. With much of the Middle East’s oil production blocked by the closure, fuel prices have jumped. Despite several announcements… Read More