Friday, July 17, 2026
- 15 hours ago
- 6 min read
Alaska
Lawmaker seeks special audit of Alaska Board of Fisheries
“Board decisions are consequential,” Stutes said, noting they impact “tens of thousands of Alaskans within a single action.”
Intrafish by Rachel Sapin - July 16, 2026
Alaska State Lawmaker Louise Stutes is seeking a special audit of the Alaska Board of Fisheries, stating she has seen growing alarm over how the board is conducting its regulatory work.
*Requires Subscription
After several poor seasons, Kotzebue Sound’s chum fishery opens with promising returns
KOTZ by Desiree Hagen - July 15, 2026
Kotzebue Sound’s commercial chum salmon season is off to a stronger start than last year, according to the fishery’s only registered buyer.
Alaska Elections
Alaska fishermen, processors and marine businesses- before you leave the dock, make a plan to vote
Dock The Vote
The 2026 Primary Election is almost one month away – August 18th! MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE and get your ballot in before the deadline.
West Coast
Gluesenkamp Perez Challenges BPA Exit from Columbia River Fisheries Program
US House of Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp Perez - July 15, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez sent a letter to the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to request information on the decision to withdraw funding for the Select Area Fisheries Enhancement (SAFE) program and BPA’s plans to fulfill a statutory mandate to support native fish recovery.
National
Seafood Harvesters of America Releases National Policy Roadmap to Strengthen U.S. Seafood Competitiveness
Saving Seafood by Seafood Harvesters of America - July 16, 2026
Seafood Harvesters of America today released the Fisheries Leadership and National Policy Forum Report, a national roadmap outlining priorities to strengthen the competitiveness of the U.S. seafood industry while building on America’s global leadership in science-based fisheries management.
International
Stranded Fish Cargo Forces EU to Delay New Import-Control System
The EU has extended exemptions from new digital fish-traceability rules after paperwork and technical problems left US seafood shipments delayed.
EU Today by staff - July 13, 2026
BRUSSELS – The European Union has delayed parts of its new fish-import control system after paperwork and technical failures left US seafood cargoes stranded, turning an anti-illegal-fishing tool into a test of Brussels’ ability to launch digital trade controls without blocking legitimate commerce.
EU CATCH system lacks data framework needed for global integration, new report finds
Undercurrent News by Maria Feijoo - July 15, 2026
The rollout of the EU's CATCH system has exposed major gaps in interoperability, with a lack of data standards limiting its effectiveness in...
*Requires Subscription
EU Fish Sanctions Against Russia Stall as 21st Sanctions Package Hits Resistance
SeafoodNews by Ryan Doyle - July 15, 2026
Proposed restrictions on Russian seafood imports — the first of their kind to be included in an EU sanctions package — appear set to be dropped or softened after EU foreign ministers failed to finalize the bloc's 21st sanctions package at their July 13 meeting in Brussels.
The failure has added urgency to ongoing negotiations, with a Wednesday, July 15 deadline looming over the oil price cap on Russian crude, currently set at $44.10 per barrel.
If no agreement is reached before it lapses, Russia would be free to sell oil at market prices — a significant windfall for Moscow's war effort.
The fish measures were introduced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen when the 21st package was unveiled in June, and were notable for being the first time the EU had targeted Russia's fishing industry with sanctions.
"We propose substantial restrictions on imports on some fish products, and a complete ban on others, including cod," she said at the time, adding that fisheries represented one of the last major unsanctioned sectors of the Russian economy.
The proposals also included aligning trade restrictions for Belarus to prevent it from serving as a backdoor for the Russian seafood trade.But resistance emerged almost immediately. By late June, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Poland were all reported to oppose the restrictions, per EUobserver, with both Germany and Portugal singled out by Euronews for pushing back specifically on the cod ban.
That opposition has held firm heading into the final rounds of negotiations. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged the friction at a post-meeting press conference on July 13: "Before I was in this job, I didn't know that fish are so geopolitical," she said, per the Kyiv Independent. In all proposed sanctions packages, she noted, some measures end up being removed.
The trade data helps explain why. While overall EU imports of Russian cod have trended lower since September 2024 — falling from around 9,500 MT to just 1,800 MT as of April 2026 — Germany's imports have moved in the opposite direction, rising from 100 MT in January 2025 to 470 MT in January 2026, according to SeafoodSource.
Many large seafood buyers across the block shared concerns about what the Russian import restrictions could mean for various seafood sectors, including those in the cod and pollock space.
The broader supply picture reinforces why member states are cautious. Eurostat data shows the combined EU fishing fleet has shrunk significantly over the past decade, with vessel numbers down 13.6% and total tonnage down 14.9% compared to 2014.
Fish farming across the bloc has similarly stagnated, even as consumption continues to grow year on year. The EU currently relies on Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands for the bulk of its fish imports, alongside Ecuador and Argentina, with Chinese frozen fillet exports — particularly pollock — also growing in recent years.
The push for Russian fish sanctions has been led primarily by Baltic states, with Lithuania among the most vocal.
"We see that with each new package, the more economic interests of member states are taking the lead in the discussion. And it's a very dangerous trend," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told reporters on July 13, per the Kyiv Independent.
EU ambassadors resumed negotiations on July 14 in a bid to reach a consensus ahead of the Wednesday deadline. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said an agreement would come "in the next few days," adding: "Europe must show this week that it is capable of acting," the publication noted.
Labeling and Marketing
Alaska salmon catch swells to 29.5 million
National Fisherman by Margaret Bauman - July 15. 2026
Alaska's commercial salmon catch jumped from 21.2 million to 29.5 million for the seven days through July 14, as retail prices generally held, with 24% of the projected annual harvest now met.
*Requires Subscription
Commercial salmon prices up this year in Alaska
KFSK by Angela Denning, CoastAlaska - July 15, 2026
An early-season indicator of how salmon prices will go this season in Alaska is Bristol Bay’s sockeye fishery, which opened in June.
Federal Register
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska; Amendment 129 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area; Amendment 58 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs; Economic Data Reporting Requirements Removal
A Proposed Rule by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 07/17/2026
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted amendment 129 to the Fishery Management Plans for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and amendment 58 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (Crab FMP) to the Secretary of Commerce for review.
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Alaska License Limitation Program for Groundfish, Crab, and Scallops
A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 07/17/2026
The Department of Commerce will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice.
Endangered and Threatened Species; Take of Anadromous Fish
A Notice by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 07/17/2026
Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received two applications for renewal pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for operation of the Snake River Sockeye Salmon Hatchery Program.
Pacific Seafood Processors Association
4039 21st Ave. W, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98199
Phone: 206.281.1667
E-mail: admin@pspafish.net; Website: www.pspafish.net
Our office days/hours are Monday-Friday
8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. *Inclusion of a news article, report, or other document in this email does not imply PSPA support or endorsement of the information or opinion expressed in the document.
Comments