Monday, April 20, 2026
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
Alaska
Alaska Seafood Industry Seeks Extension of EU CATCH Deadline Amid Trade Disruption Concerns
SeafoodNews by Ryan Doyle - April 20, 2026
A coalition of US and European seafood trade groups is urging the European Union to extend the July 10, 2026, deadline for compliance with updated EU CATCH certification requirements, warning that current traceability demands could effectively ban Alaska seafood from EU markets.
The coalition includes Seafood Europe, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), At-Sea Processors Association (APA), National Fisheries Institute (NFI), and Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA).
The groups cite a "core challenge" in requirements that each imported shipment provide traceability of each harvest vessel's contribution to each product by weight, including vessel identifier and date of landing—demands they say are incompatible with Alaska's established fishing and processing operations.
"Alaska industry representatives assert that compliance with these requirements is infeasible due to the realities of how seafood in Alaska is harvested and processed," the coalition stated.
The EU represents Alaska's top trading partner, with over $750 million in direct Alaska exports flowing to European markets last year, according to ASMI Executive Jeremy Woodrow.
Alaska's seafood industry relies heavily on commingling practices where smaller vessels consolidate catches on tenders, and tenders consolidate catches at processors, sometimes requiring multiple transfers between vessels. This decades-old practice improves quality and operational efficiency while reducing costs.
Under current EU requirements, some shipments would require several thousand individual data entries. In one example cited by the groups, a single representative shipment would need approximately 3,000 individual product records, each tied to a specific vessel.
"Some shipments would require several thousand data entries, imposing prohibitive costs on exporters and importers alike," said PSPA President Julie Decker.
Species potentially facing market access barriers include all five Pacific salmon species (Chinook, sockeye, coho, pink, and keta), salmon oil, fish meal, and roe, as well as impacts on Alaska pollock, cod, and sablefish.
Industry response"We are observing instances where imports from highly regulated US fisheries, which carry essentially a zero-percent IUU risk, are facing unintended administrative blockages due to document constraints," said Guus Pastoor, president of Seafood Europe.
APA CEO Matt Tinning called the system "deeply flawed and operationally infeasible," noting that responsible US seafood producers face barriers despite operating in some of the world's most transparent and regulated fisheries.
The coalition is requesting an extension of the grace period beyond July 10, 2026, and the development of alternative compliance measures, such as allowing aggregation to the processing facility level for highly regulated fisheries with fully accounted-for catches.
The groups emphasize their support for traceability and responsible sourcing while arguing that the current implementation creates unintended trade barriers for legitimate, well-managed fisheries.
National
Congressional hearing targets China’s IUU fishing, impacts on US fleet
National Fisherman by Carli Stewart - April 17, 2026
A congressional hearing led by Rep. Chris Smith, R-NJ, is putting renewed focus on China’s illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices– and the ripple effects those practices are having on U.S. fishermen.
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US ‘Buy American Seafood’ bill takes aim at imports
The proposed 'Buy American Seafood Act' would require US federal agencies to only purchase US-harvested and processed seafood for government-funded programs
Undercurrent News by staff - April 17, 2026
US representative Julia Letlow, a Louisiana Republican, has introduced legislation to tighten federal seafood procurement rules in a move designed to channel more government spending toward domestic producers and away from imports...
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US wholesale: Salmon prices turn lower as global pressure builds
This oversupply is increasingly being redirected into alternative markets, including the US, adding to domestic pressure at a time when demand is already slowing
Undercurrent News by Lorin Castiglione - April 17, 2026US wholesale salmon markets shifted decisively lower in week 16 (April 13-19), as the post-Easter demand slowdown converged with increasing supply conditions across key producing regions...
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International
Russian Fishery launches fifth new vessel under state scheme
The 108-meter vessel, built by Admiralty Shipyards, is designed to target pollock and herring and is equipped with onboard processing capabilities
Undercurrent News by Sergei Blagov and Masahiko Takeuchi - April 17, 2026
Russian Fishery Company (RFC)'s latest new vessel has been launched by its shipyard, as the country's efforts to modernize its aging fishing fleet continue ...
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3MMI - 2026 Global Snow Crab Outlook: Record Supply, Canada Delays, Price Timing Critical
Tradex Foods - April 20, 2026
The main snow crab season is underway with one of the largest harvests on record, led by Canada, Russia, Alaska, and Norway.
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