Here’s a summary of this week’s most read stories on SeafoodSource:
1) Show stopper: Yellowtail was abound at last week’s Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo in Tokyo, featuring about 30,000 visitors and 550 exhibitors. SeafoodSource contributing editor Chris Loew was onsite at the ninth annual event, covering everything from yellowtail’s growing popularity to Norway’s effort to boost its farmed salmon exports.
2) More supermarkets, more seafood: It’s not all bad news when it comes to the economy and consumer spending. A number of U.S. retailers — including Food Lion, Weis Markets and Winn-Dixie on the East Coast — are adding stores and expanding their seafood departments. And that’s good news for vendors looking for new markets to sell their seafood products.
3) Staying in: While some U.S. retailers are performing well, many foodservice operators are still hurting, as consumers tighten their purse strings and dine out less often. The economy claimed some 4,000 restaurants in the United States from last spring to this spring, according to The NPD Group.
4) Mercury rising: Just about everyone agrees that the mercury-in-fish debate is not going away anytime soon. Mal Wittenberg, CEO of California’s Micro Analytical Systems, is trying to do something about it. SeafoodSource caught up with Wittenberg to talk about his company and the effort to raise awareness about mercury in fish.
5) And the verdict is? The United Kingdom’s High Court ruled in favor of Seafish, awarding the industry group about GBP 2 million (USD 3.3 million, EUR 2.3 million) in unpaid duties. The British Seafood Group had contested a requirement forcing it to pay duties on imported seafood.
