top of page
Search

Monday, January 26, 2026

  • Jan 26
  • 9 min read

Updated: Feb 5

Alaska

ADF&G predicts Unuk River king runs will fall short of 2026 escapement goals

KRBD by Hunter Morrison - January 23, 2026

Dwindling king salmon runs have been a concern across Alaska for decades. Researchers and stakeholders have pointed to everything from commercial trawling to climate change as reasons for the species’ decline.


Alaska pollock season opens with solid fishing despite crew delays

Alaska pollock vessels are easing into the season at a cautious pace.

Intrafish by Rachel Sapin - January 26, 2026

The Alaska pollock “A” fishing season began in earnest on Jan. 20, with executives reporting solid fish sizes early in the season and generally favorable weather, despite initial challenges moving crews to Alaska's Dutch Harbor.

*Requires Subscription


2025 Northern Bering Sea Groundfish and Crab Trawl Survey Highlights

NOAA Fisheries - January 23, 2026

In 2025, NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Fisheries Science Center conducted two surveys within U.S. territorial waters of the Bering Sea: the southeastern Bering Sea shelf bottom trawl survey and the northern Bering Sea bottom trawl survey. Link to File/Document here.


National

After Chevron victory at US Supreme Court, commercial fishers ask appeals court to vacate at-sea monitors rule

SeafoodSource by Nathan Strout - January 23, 2026

Following their victory before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2024, commercial fishers from New Jersey are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to vacate a NOAA Fisheries rule requiring them to pay out of pocket for at-sea monitors.

*Requires Subscription


International

IPHC Lowers Pacific Halibut Quota in Canada, Maintains Low Levels in US for 2026

SeafoodNews by Peggy Parker - January 26, 2026

At its annual meeting last week, the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) announced 2026 harvest quotas that maintained the status quo in all US areas and a 7.2% cut for British Columbia. That puts the total catch for 2026 at 29.33 million pounds, with the US portion at the same as last year (24.27 million pounds) and British Columbia at 5.06 million pounds (mlbs). The new total is 1.3% below the 2025 coastwide quota.  

The six-member panel also set this year's season dates, with an opening date of Thursday, March 26, 2026, and a closing date of Monday, December 7, 2026. The 2026 quota of 29.33 mlbs is the lowest TCEY (total constant exploitation yields) determined by the IPHC in its 102-year-old history.

“All of the commissioners remain concerned about the status of the Pacific halibut stock which remains in a low productivity regime that began in 2006,” said Commissioner Jon Kurland, who also serves as head of the US delegation.

With the US delegation this year was Andrew Lawler, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries, who took part in the negotiations with Canada. The 2025 assessment indicated that little has changed for the stock in terms of recruitment and size at age. While IPHC scientists note that the stock is still sustainable, and above levels that would require more significant management measures, they are seeing little recruitment that would allow commissioners to consider increases.

“Both the FISS and fishery peformance indices remain at historically low levels with the stock at a low prod level due to historically low weight at age and recruitment,” Kurland said at the end of the meeting, when explaining the commissioners decisions. “All of that is cause for some caution but the overwhelming feedback we got from stakeholders was that in light of the substantial cuts the commission has taken in the previous three years, additional cuts of perhaps 5-10 % are unlikely to make a meaningful change in the stock trajectory and thus seem not to be worth the substantial pain that halibut users would incur.  “US Commissioners were persuaded by that argument,” Kurland said.  

In 2023, the full commission cut the TCEY by 10.3% coastwide, followed by 4.6% in 2024. Last year, the quota was cut by 15.76% coastwide, for an overall reduction during those three years of almost 28%, from 41.22 mlbs in 2022 to 29.72mlbs in 2025.  

“Thus for US areas the US commissioners and head of delegation did not support any reductions this year and decided to stick with the status quo TCEYs,” Kurland said.

For Alaska and the West Coast, the TCEYs will be distributed as follows:

Area 2A (Washington, Oregon, and California) - 1.65 mlbs.

Area 2C (Southeast Alaska) - 5.22 mlbs

Area 3A (Gulf of Alaska) - 9.08 mlbs

Area 3B (Western Gulf) - 2.86 mlbs

Area 4A (Aleutian Islands north side) - 1.34 mlbs

Area 4B (Aleutian Islands south side) - 1.04 mlbs

Area 4CDE (rest of Bering Sea) - 3.08 mlbs.

Acting Co-chair Neil Davis noted that cutting the catch limit for British Columbia, Area 2B, to 5.06 mlbs, was not easy.  

“We, as everyone in this room knows, have occasionally encountered different opinions about how we should share the resource. In almost every year in this commissioner's history, we have managed to overcome those differences and reach agreements.  

“This year was particularly challenging in that regard. We’re proposing this reduction in 2B in response to our concerns about the stock and the concerns that have been raised between our two countries about how we share the resource. While this was an exceptionally difficult step for us to take, it reflects the commitment that Canada has to an IPHC process that works and where our interests and priorities are respected in the way we work together,” Davis said.  

The FCEY’s, or commercial fisheries totals, which do not include recreational harvests or bycatch mortality, will be distributed as follows:

Area 2A - 1.54 mlbs.

2B - 4.24 mlbs

2C - 3.56 mlbs

3A - 7.80 mlbs

3B - 2.48 mlbs

4A - 1.1 mlbs

4B - 0.92 mlbs

4CDE - 1.63 mlbs.

4C - 0.76 mlbs.

4D - 0.76 mlbs

4E - 0.12 mlbs.

The total commercial harvest for both countries will be 23.18 mlbs. Both heads of delegation made comments at the end of the meeting about the importance of IPHC amid challenges between the governments of their respective countries.

“What I appreciate most about IPHC is the mutual respect and collegiality that participants show in this process even when we may have strong disagreements,” Kurland said. “I know that comes from all of us wanting to keep the resource healthy and see it recover from it’s previous abundance.”

“I really appreciate the comments from Commissioner Kurland about the importance of a respectful relationship,” agreed Davis. “I think that really is the foundation of what makes this process work and I think it will remain so.  The extent to which we can preserve that as a principle upon which we interact with one another, I think will have a lot to do with the success we achieve moving forward.”

IPHC’s next meeting will be held in Victoria, B.C. January 25-28, 2027.  

 

3MMI - China: CNY Shutdowns, Post-Holiday Outlook - Cod, Pollock, Haddock

Tradex - January 26, 2026 

China’s seafood processing plants are set to shut down for Chinese New Year starting the week of February 9, with gradual restarts expected from late February through mid-March, adding uncertainty to near-term supply. 

 

EU seafood trade in turmoil as new traceability rules take effect

Industry representatives told Undercurrent News the new CATCH digital traceability system risks backfiring on Europe's seafood sector as technical failures block trade

Undercurrent News by Matilde Mereghetti - January 23, 2026

A new EU regulation aimed at strengthening the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Europe has come into force this month, and its rollout is causing serious disruption across the continent's seafood supply chain, several industry representatives told Undercurrent News.

*Requires Subscription


Environment/Science

Wetlands are warming as fast as the atmosphere. That’s bad news for salmon.

KHNS by Avery Ellfeldt - January 23, 2026

Before juvenile salmon make their way to the sea, they grow and feed in freshwater, including wetlands, for anywhere between a few months and several years.


Labeling and Marketing

GSMC 2026: Sourcing Flexibility, Daypart Expansion Seen as Keys to Seafood Foodservice Resilience

SeafoodNews by  Ryan Doyle - January 26, 2026

A wide-ranging discussion featuring executives in the seafood foodservice sector drilled into how operators are managing tariffs, shifting dayparts and evolving menu tactics to keep seafood relevant and profitable.

Panelists included Michael Seidel, VP of procurement at Performance Food Group; Matt Livesay, chief supply chain officer at Red Lobster; Janet Duckham, chief supply chain officer at Captain D’s; and Melissa Rodriguez of Circana.

Tariffs, the panel agreed, have forced another layer of supply planning, but for many operators the shock has been manageable because “nimbleness is baked into systems.” As Duckham put it, seafood operators are “used to it,” and Captain D’s was “very proactive in pivoting from different countries” and making smaller menu changes where required.

“We’re going to lean into seafood because that’s what we are,” she said, emphasizing the brand focus even as sourcing shifts.

Livesay echoed that companies with long‑standing supplier relationships have a luxury of flexibility. Red Lobster’s mix, heavier on lobster and crab than on whitefish, has enabled pivots in sourcing when needed, while maintaining the guest experience that drives celebratory occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.

“We have to balance continuity of supply with the flexibility to make adjustments when necessary,” he said.

Michael Seidel of PFG noted the only real novelty in the latest tariff cycle was scale: “The thing really new is the quantity” of countries affected. But because broadline distributors already maintain dual suppliers and redundant sourcing for high‑volume items, the team has been able to absorb much of the disruption.

Financially, the panel saw a familiar pattern: pounds down, dollars up. “Dollars are up due to the tariffs, to inflation,” Seidel said, while volumes remain relatively flat.

Where seafood is working

Non‑commercial seemed to be the major bright spot for seafood from a foodservice perspective. Seidel pointed to robust demand at campuses and corporate foodservice as institutions compete for students and talent with elevated dining options. Specifically, Seidel noted sushi as an extremely popular option at colleges. Corporate cafeterias are also investing in better food to entice employees back to the office.

Captain D’s has a striking example of seafood success: a small Bronx footprint that pulls 30% of sales between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., showing how different markets can unlock new dayparts.

Audience strategy remains centered on an older core while surgically pursuing younger guests. Duckham and Livesay both said their primary diner skews 45 and up; increasing visit frequency among that cohort is more efficient than acquiring lapsed users.

“If we can get half a visit a month out of our core customer…that’s easier than marketing to somebody who’s lapsed,” Duckham added. Livesay described a parallel approach: preserve and serve boomers while slowly evolving digital marketing and bolder flavors to attract millennials and Gen Z behind the scenes.

Bold flavors, convenience

Menu innovation, in the panel's view, is pragmatic and flavor‑forward. Operators are leaning into sauces, compound butters and regional flavor profiles (Cajun, Creole, sweet‑heat) as low‑lift ways to refresh core items.

“There’s a thousand sauces out there,” Livesay said; seizing that trend lets chains present the same staple in a new light. Brand collaborations — the Doritos/Taco Bell model or a Mike’s Hot Honey tie‑in were flagged as powerful accelerants to reach new audiences.

Operators are also exploring new product forms and channels to enhance convenience and address labor‑constrained kitchens. Ready‑to‑eat lines and convenience‑store placements are expanding, and new kitchen tech reduces variability in seafood execution.

“The more variables that we can take out of restaurants… the more consistent and dependable the offer,” Seidel said.

Changing promo landscape

Promotions are evolving: fewer overall windows but deeper, better‑targeted LTOs. Captain D’s plans to run fewer promotional windows year‑over‑year but uses national promotions with market tests and relies on LTOs to create perceived value without simply cutting prices.

“Promotion doesn’t have to be about a lower price. It’s just a perception of value,” Livesay explained.

Kids and accessibility got a recurring shout‑out as well. Livesay noted Red Lobster's move to add snow crab legs to a kids’ menu, for example, which drove surprising uptake; panelists urged more seafood development tailored to children.

Melissa Rodriguez noted the macro tailwinds that, in theory, will boost seafood consumption, including new dietary guidance and protein‑focused trends. The tailwinds give seafood a market advantage if operators make execution simple, flavorful and reliable. The panel closed on a practical note: suppliers must translate data into on-the-ground actions and storytelling that align with each operator’s guest profile. Livesay credited Red Lobster's suppliers for doing a solid job at telling those stories.

For buyers and suppliers, the message from GSMC was clear: build redundancy into sourcing, invest in executional consistency, and use flavor, format, and daypart innovation to expand seafood’s role without alienating the core guests who still pay the bills.


Pacific Seafood Processors Association

4039 21st Ave. W, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98199

Phone: 206.281.1667

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

bottom of page