Friday, January 16, 2026
- admin04655
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Alaska
New Tools Help Alaska Communities Prepare for Future Changes in Pacific Cod Distributions
Pacific cod fishing communities with few alternative job opportunities and high unemployment are more vulnerable when Pacific cod are less accessible. This is especially true for communities in the southeastern Bering sea.
NOAA Fisheries - January 15, 2026
Scientists conducted a new socio-economic risk assessment, combined with statistical modeling, on the risk of coastal Alaskan fishing communities to changes in Pacific cod distributions.
GHL for 2026 Norton Sound red king crab down 65%
The Cordova Times by Cordova Times Staff -January 14, 2026
A guideline harvest level (GHL) of 268,000 pounds for Norton Sound red king crab 2026 commercial fishery announced on Jan. 9 by state fisheries officials is 65% reduction from the area’s 2025 quota.
National
US seafood inflation spiked at grocery stores to end 2025
SeafoodSource by Christine Blank - January 15, 2026
Seafood inflation at U.S. retail stores rose again to end 2025, leading to increases in sales by value but declines in sales by volume in most seafood categories in December.
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US Coast Guard debriefs Congress on efforts to stop IUU fishing
SeafoodSource by Nathan Strout - January 15, 2026
U.S. government officials told Congressional lawmakers the Coast Guard needs more vessels, personnel, and tools to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) in U.S. and distant waters.
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International
Congressional report probes why US seafood can’t compete with China on price
China's dominance in seafood processing and logistics is reshaping global prices, putting North American producers at a disadvantage before their catch even leaves the dock, an 81-page report advises
Undercurrent News by Liza Mayer - January 15, 2026
China's grip on seafood processing has reached a point where large-scale investment in North American processing is no longer economically viable, even for companies operating next to the resource, asserts a new 81-page US congressional report [...]
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Canada and China Reach Deal to Remove Tariffs on Lobster, Snow Crab by March 1, 2026
Expana by Ryan Doyle - January 16, 2026
Canada and China have reached an initial trade agreement that will eliminate tariffs on Canadian lobster, snow crab, and select agri-food products. The agreement, announced January 16, sets a target of March 1 for China to remove retaliatory duties, after a 25% tariff imposed by China hindered Canadian seafood exports.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the deal would remove trade barriers and “unlock billions of dollars in business for Canadian farmers, fish harvesters, and workers across agri-food sectors.”
China is expected to remove retaliatory tariffs on lobster and crab, as well as on Canadian canola meal and peas, on March 1 through at least the end of 2026.
“By leveraging our strengths and focusing on trade, energy, agri-food, and areas where we can make huge gains, we are forging a new strategic partnership that builds on the best of our past, reflects the world as it is today, and benefits the people of both our nations,” Carney said in a statement.
The Canadian government added that agri-food and trade are foundations of the relationship between Canada and China, which remains Canada’s second-largest export market.
Geoff Irvine, the Executive Director of the Lobster Council of Canada, said that while full details have yet to be announced, the deal is very good news for the lobster sector.
Irvine added that the additional tariff implemented last year caused a "significant drop" in both live and frozen lobster exports to China, allowing other competitors, notably Australia and Vietnam, to pick up market share.
“We are happy that the federal and provincial governments have prioritized renewed engagement with China and look forward to regaining our previous market share,” Irvine concluded in a statement to Expana.
Just days before the deal was announced, the Canadian Press reported that lobster exports outside of the US and China, Canada's top two markets, increased by 43%. However, Statistics Canada noted that China bought CAD 11.8 million worth of live lobster in October, down 31% from the year prior.
Managing Director of Tangier Lobster Company, Stewart Lamont, told the publication that China’s 25% tariff on lobster has had a significant impact on the industry.
“It's essentially been a deal breaker,” he said. “So many companies have been shipping to China over the last year at cost or less. Many other companies have simply chosen to sell lobsters in other markets where we weren't subject to the tariff.”
FFAW-Unifor, a group representing snow crab harvesters in Newfoundland and Labrador, welcomed the news as well.
“Any reduction in trade barriers is positive news for fish harvesters and plant workers, particularly given the impacts recent tariffs have had on coastal communities,” the group shared. “However, the announcement by the federal government currently refers only to lobster and snow crab. FFAW is seeking clarity on whether other species will be included, particularly sea cucumber, which has been hit especially hard in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
In response to the removal of tariffs on lobster and other products, and to a significant reduction in the tariff rate on canola oil, Canada will allow up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) into the Canadian market, with the most-favoured-nation tariff rate of 6.1%.
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