Seafood Expo North America & Seafood Processing North America Expo Today 2025 Issue by Diversified Communications

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EXPO TODAY 2025

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Maddie Kearns Content Manager, SeafoodSource

Cheers to 43 years!

Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America returns to Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. for its 43rd edition, with even more faces, spaces, and opportunities to behold in 2025.

This year, expo organizers are bringing back the Wave Makers’ Zone for its sophomore season, with a range of events – including the New and Featured Product showcases, the Seafood Excellence Awards, the Oyster Shucking Competition, chef demonstrations, sampling opportunities, and more – all set to take place in the dedicated gathering space.

Attendees can also explore the bustling exhibit hall featuring companies from 49 countries spread out over 248,000 net square feet of space, according to event organizer Diversified.

“As an industry that is constantly evolving across various sectors, in-person seafood trade events are increasingly significant in providing companies a space to learn about new trends and innovations, meet new buyers or suppliers, and forge deeper relationships,” Diversified Vice President of Seafood Wynter Courmont said. “Every year, for three days, we look forward to bringing the seafood industry together and seeing what companies can accomplish in such a short period that might have otherwise taken months.”

Seafood startups and legacy companies will share the aisles and their latest products with the industry’s expo enthusiasts. Among them are Hofseth International, showcasing its rapid thaw IceFresh technology aimed at extending product shelf life and reducing carbon emissions; Nor’Easter Oyster Co, an aquaculture company with Maine’s first shellfish processing facility, displaying its value-added oyster products made from underutilized “cosmetically unique” oysters; and Full Measure Oyster Company, highlighting its seed-to-table oyster farm that produces its products at a solar powered, carbon-neutral, and land-based operation.

Meanwhile, a range of processing equipment, packaging, and logistics companies will comprise Seafood Processing North America, including Lucid Corp., which will launch a new line of seafood packaging at the expo that is pad-less, leak resistant, and 100 percent recyclable; Denmark-based Oxyguard International A/S, sharing its measuring, monitoring, and control systems for aquaculture farms; and Seawise Innovative Packaging, launching a new packaging system equipped with a leakproof and waterproof corrugated outer to complement its existing “Thermoloc” technology.

As in previous years, the 2025 expo brings a full smorgasbord of educational conference sessions covering everything from consumer and policy trends to AI, labor rights, marine plastics, and more. Kicking off this year’s conference will be macro-economist, geopolitical financial expert, best-selling author, and Prinsights Global founder Nomi Prins, who will provide an economic outlook for the seafood industry and a tailored discussion around tariff policies and their impacts on the North American and global supply chain, energy prices, sustainability, AI, traceability, and more.

As always, SeafoodSource’s editors will be out covering all the action on the expo floor and in the conference wing, so be sure to subscribe to all our free e-newsletters on SeafoodSource.com for daily coverage, exclusive interviews, and to keep on top of all the exciting event scoops dropping this week. And don’t forget to visit the SeafoodSource team at Booth #1301 to introduce yourself, drop off business cards, and share your company story.

Wishing you a 2025 expo experience filled with connection, creativity, and all the seafood you crave!

– Maddie Kearns

Content Manager, SeafoodSource

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Chris Chase cchase@divcom.com

CONTENT MANAGER

Maddie Kearns mkearns@divcom.com

EDITOR

Nathan Strout nstrout@divcom.com

CONTENT SPECIALIST Avery St. Onge astonge@divcom.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Erin Spampinato espampinato@divcom.com

COPY EDITOR Teddy Hans thans@divcom.com

ADVERTISING SPECIALIST Kathleen Montana kmontana@divcom.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Theresa Slusher

@seafoodsource seafoodsource

@seafood_source @seafoodsourcenews

Producer of : Seafood Expo North America/ Seafood Processing North America, Seafood Expo Global/ Seafood Processing Global, Seafood Expo Asia, SeafoodSource

Publisher of : National Fisherman, WorkBoat

Theodore Wirth President/CEO

Liz Plizga President, Diversified USA

Wynter Courmont Vice President, Seafood

Mary Fowler Sales Manager, SeafoodSource

Heidi Weeks Sales, SeafoodSource

Katherine Shagoury Director, SeafoodSource

Kelcey George Marketing Manager, SeafoodSource

Joshua Hodges Marketing Coordinator, SeafoodSource

Diversified Communications 121 Free Street, P.O. Box 7438 Portland, Maine 04112-7438

Ph: (207) 842-5500 Fax: (207) 842-5505 divcom.com

DNA testing reveals proliferation of foreign shrimp along the Gulf Coast

62 Acme Smoked Fish’s commitment to act as “Citizens of Seafood” drives philanthropic and sustainability investment

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ONSITE SPECIAL EVENTS

All events listed here are free to attend with any badge type. Schedule subject to change.

SUNDAY, 16 MARCH

TIME EVENT

FREE TO ATTEND

10:00am - 5:00pm NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE FEATURED PRODUCT SHOWCASE

12:30pm - 1:00pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Patagonia Seafarms

12:30pm - 1:30pm PRODUCT PRESENTATION: Discover New Brunswick Redfish with Chef Dennis Prescott – New Brunswick / Deliciously Canadian

12:30pm - 1:40pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Mowi USA

1:10pm - 1:40pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Netuno

1:30pm - 3:30pm PRODUCT PRESENTATION: Cali Roll Clash: Creating Sushi’s Next Big Wave – Aquamar

1:50pm - 2:20pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Royal Greenland

SEAFOOD TASTING – Two X Sea

2:30pm - 3:00pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Matheson Oyster

2:30pm - 3:40pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Aquamar

3:10pm - 3:40pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Greenhead Lobster LLC

3:30pm - 4:00pm Seafood Excellence Awards Announcement & Reception

BY Don’t miss these exciting special events!

SPECIAL EVENTS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE WAVE MAKERS’ ZONE BOOTH # 3165

11:15am - 12:15pm KEYNOTE ADDRESS – presented by Dr. Nomi Prins - Riding The Waves: Navigating Economic, Energy, And Trade Policies Impacting The Seafood Industry In 2025 – LOCATED IN CONFERENCE ROOM 153CB

3:50pm - 4:20pm SEAFOOD TASTING – Phillips Foods, Inc.

4:15pm - 5:00pm Connecting Women in Seafood Reception & Networking Event

SCAN THE QR CODE TO DOWNLOAD

MONDAY, 17 MARCH FREE TO ATTEND

TIME EVENT

10:00am - 5:00pm NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

DOWNLOAD THE FREE MOBILE APP NEW FOR 2025!

Connect with exhibitors like never before with the brand-new Digital Platform.

• Search for exhibitors by name, product or country

• Connect with and save your favorite exhibitors to your profile

• Chat and schedule meetings with exhibitors*

• Receive turn-by-turn navigational assistance across the exhibition hall

• Review the full Conference Program & Speakers

• Schedule and save special onsite events to your personal calendar

• & more!

HOTEL SHUTTLE INFORMATION

Boston

Aloft Boston Seaport

Boston Harbor Hotel

Canopy by Hilton Boston

Colonnade Boston

Courtyard Downtown

Dagny Boston

DoubleTree by Hilton - Downtown

Element Boston Seaport District

Embassy Suites at Logan Airport

Envoy Hotel, Autograph Collection

Fairmont Copley Plaza

Four Seasons One Dalton St.

Godfrey Hotel Boston

Hampton Inn Boston Seaport

Hilton Boston Back Bay

Hilton Boston Park Plaza

Homewood Suites Boston Seaport

Hotel AKA Back Bay

Hotel AKA Boston Common

Hyatt Place Boston Seaport

Hyatt Regency Boston

InterContinental Boston

Langham Hotel

Marriott Copley Place

Marriott Long Wharf

Moxy Boston Downtown

Omni Boston Seaport

Raffles Boston

Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

Revere Hotel Boston Common

Ritz-Carlton, Boston

Seaport Hotel

Sheraton Boston

W Boston Westin Boston Waterfront

Copley Place

Walking Distance to BCEC

Atlantic Ave. Entrance

At Marriott Long Wharf, Front Entrance

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

Tremont St. Entrance

Broad St. Entrance

At Courtyard Downtown, Tremont St. Entrance

Walking Distance to BCEC

Front Entrance Curbside

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

Corner of Ave. de Lafayette & Harrison Ave.

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

Columbus Ave. Entrance

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Hilton Boston Park Plaza, Columbus Ave. Entrance

Tremont St. Entrance

Walking Distance to BCEC

Corner of Ave. de Lafayette & Harrison Ave.

Atlantic Ave. Entrance

Franklin St. Entrance

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Courtyard Downtown, Tremont St. Entrance

Corner of Ave. de Lafayette & Harrison Ave.

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave.

At Courtyard Downtown, Tremont St. Entrance

Walking Distance to BCEC

At Marriott Copley Place, Curbside on Huntington Ave. Walking Distance to BCEC

SEAFOOD EXCELLENCE

BY ERIN SPAMPINATO

THE 2024 SEAFOOD EXCELLENCE AWARDS, held at Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., celebrated the best new seafood products to hit the market last year.

The competition’s 2024 winners – a salmon salami and a shrimp slider – used seafood proteins in unexpected and contemporary ways.

The winners were chosen on a variety of factors, including appropriateness to the market, taste profile, uniqueness, packaging, market potential, convenience, nutritional value, and originality. Eleven Seafood Excellence Awards finalists were selected prior to the live event, which was held on the first day of the expo.

The judges included Jason Driskill, the vice president of seafood at San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.-headquartered H-E-B; Bob Donegan, the president of Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based restaurant chain Ivar’s; and Robin Fisher, the director of corporate purchasing at Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.-based HF Foods Group.

Highland Farms

Highland Farms, a Scotland-headquartered smoked and value-added salmon producer, won the Best New Retail Product category for its salmon salami. The company was represented at SENA by CEO Jonathan Brown and his daughter Jade Brown, creator of what he termed “the first ever salmon salami” in an interview with podcast SeafoodSource Presents.

The Browns were inspired to try to produce their salami after sampling a trout salami in the Czech Republic that they loved. Their salami, which is air dried for 16 days, went through a rigorous product testing process, that the team said felt interminable while it was going on, though they couldn’t be more thrilled with the results.

“It feels like forever,” Brown said of the production process, “but it’s amazing.”

“Key for us was getting it to a point where we could achieve a shelf life refrigerated of at least six months, which is kind of unique for a fresh salmonbased protein product,” Brown added.

Of the win, Brown said, “I just can’t tell you how proud I am as a father to have my daughter here, for her hard work to have paid off and be recognized. There are no words. It’s the American dream and I’m beyond proud.”

Social Kitchens Professional

Social Kitchens Professional/SK Foods Brand won the Best New Foodservice Product category for its premium shrimp sliders, which SK told SeafoodSource are “made with solid chunks of shrimp, [with] no binders, fillers, scraps, or gluten.”

SK Brand Director of Product Development

Kenneth Fryer told SeafoodSource Presents that the product had been inspired by a need in the market – in his communications with the chefs SK serves, Fryer found that many weren’t happy with

the quality of the shrimp sliders and burgers they were being offered.

“A lot of the products that were available in the market weren’t really hitting the mark,” Fryer said. “There were a lot of challenges with handleability, performance, flavor, taste, and also they were filled with a lot of binders and fillers that chefs really didn’t want.”

SK set itself a mission to build a better shrimp slider, which Fryer described as a “solid shrimp burger that’s in a smaller format.”

There were some unexpected challenges in delivering a classic shrimp slider, however.

“When you think of a shrimp burger as a concept, you think it’s really simple, until you start breaking down the way that product actually operates in a foodservice environment,” Fryer said. “The challenges are hitting the texture, getting the flavor right, making sure that the mouth feel is solid and not mushy, and coming up with that proprietary blend of shrimp that actually delivers a great eating experience, that can hold up on a bun.”

Fryer said it was meaningful to have his team’s product “go before a great panel of judges that really looks at all those small details.”

“It’s very validating” to win, he concluded. Highland’s Brown put it another way.

“[The Seafood Excellence Awards] is the food Oscars of the seafood business, and we just won an Oscar, and we’re proud of it.”

DON’T MISS!

The 2025 Seafood Excellence Awards Announcement on Sunday, 16 March in the Wave Makers’ Zone – 3:30pm to 4:00pm!

BEST NEW FOODSERVICE PRODUCT

BEST NEW RETAIL PRODUCT

(IUU) fishing – and how its new update to cover all species will help – remains unclear.

IT HAS BEEN EIGHT YEARS since NOAA Fisheries first created its Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) under the administration of then U.S. President Barack Obama, and the agency has decided it needs an update.

NOAA’s SIMP program was first introduced as a means of imposing stricter monitoring standards on seafood imports coming into the U.S., and initially targeted at-risk seafood species. As it stands, the program requires detailed information on 13 species or species groups, covering roughly 1,100 individual species, according to the agency.

The stated goal of the program – which originated from work done by the Obama-authorized Presidential Task Force on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud – was to block the import of select seafood products that had either been mislabeled or harvested via IUU fishing. The regulatory standards under SIMP were intended to be similar to the standards domestic U.S. fishermen face to create an even playing field between imports and domestic production.

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Since being introduced, the program has remained relatively stagnant. In March 2022, NOAA Fisheries told U.S. Congress it was evaluating the program to determine if the species or species groups – abalone, Atlantic cod, Pacific cod, Atlantic blue crab, red king crab, dolphinfish, grouper, sea cucumber, northern red snapper, shark, shrimp, swordfish, and seven species of tuna – it covers were still at risk. In December that same year, NOAA proposed a major update to the program that would extend it to 18 species or species groups, expanding the species covered by SIMP to 1,670.

“Our goals are to strengthen the U.S. domestic seafood industry by promoting fair trade practices in the global seafood supply chain while building capacity to maintain and grow the program.”

– FORMER NOAA ADMINISTRATOR RICHARD SPINRAD

That first expansion was met with extensive public feedback that ultimately led NOAA Fisheries to withdraw the proposal in November 2023 and instead start a broad review of SIMP.

Since that failure, NOAA said it gathered feedback from more than 7,000 stakeholders to redo and revamp SIMP. In November 2024, it unveiled an action plan containing a number of goals, including enabling pre-entry screening, developing a pilot government-to-government import data program, and expanding SIMP traceability requirements to all U.S. imports.

“Our goals are to strengthen the U.S. domestic seafood industry by promoting fair trade practices in the global seafood supply chain while building capacity to maintain and grow the program,” then-NOAA Administrator Richard Spinrad said.

Spinrad noted that the new updates are intended to deter and prevent IUU fish and seafood products from entering the U.S. supply chain – but whether it will manage to do so is still unclear.

IUU fishing.

to say that these actions are unhelpful, but the fact that the sort of ‘next steps’ at the bottom of the report is just three sentences tells me that this wasn’t much of an action plan as an action statement,” she told SeafoodSource. “For example, they list these goals here in order, but I would say goal four, the last goal on the list, is the one about making the program work as intended. Are we going to be checking information at scale? Are we going to be making sure that it does what it was designed to do?”

Goal four in the action plan, “Improve NOAA Fisheries’ implementation of SIMP and build our capacity to maintain and grow the program,” is a key factor in whether SIMP works in the first place, Leroux said.

“To me, you would want to demonstrate capacity in that area first, and use it to justify the types of changes they are recommending,” Leroux said. “I don’t want to say that these goals are unhelpful – they may be – but they don’t seem to be ordered in a logical way that makes me believe NOAA is going to do these things.”

The seafood industry in the U.S. has been critical of SIMP’s implementation in the past. The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) frequently criticized it as an expensive regulatory burden for seafood companies, with little in the way of progress on stopping IUU fishing. NFI has frequently pointed out that NOAA itself acknowledged in a 2022 report that SIMP didn’t stop illegal products from entering the U.S. market.

“Attempts to expand SIMP to other species, under the guise of a more-comprehensive program, undercut an actual focus on risk,” NFI Chief Strategy Officer Gavin Gibbons said soon after NOAA unveiled its first expansion proposal. “NFI is committed to sustainable seafood trade and will participate in the comment process as this proposal moves forward.”

Leroux said that before NOAA goes all-in on expanding SIMP, it should showcase how the existing program has helped.

“I remember from the earliest days being asked ‘well, what stories can you tell me about stopping illegal seafood imports based on the program’ and kind of tap dancing around not having those stories,” Leroux said.

“I hope that there will be successful advocacy to get this rule to be reviewed at a higher level, so that it doesn’t face the same type of criticism that NOAA had last time they tried to expand the program without going through interagency review.”

– CELESTE LEROUX, GOLDFISH

More recently, SIMP has been successfully used to trigger larger investigations, often in other regulatory bodies. A NOAA report found SIMP applied to USD 6.4 billion (EUR 6.1 billion) worth of seafood imports from FY 2022 to FY 2023, and reported high rates of failure of SIMP audits.

However, there are still questions about how NOAA is utilizing the data it acquires via SIMP, Leroux said.

“It doesn’t describe all of the data that industry is meticulously collecting and submitting to the government being used to actually catch bad actors in real-time – which would be the intended purpose of submitting all of this data as part of customs, rather than just having a paper-based auditing program,” Leroux said.

NOAA’s action plan to update SIMP will now need to be undertaken by new administrators appointed by the administration of current U.S. President Donald Trump – but Leroux said it’s likely little will change.

“I saw the original SIMP regulation come out in the very final months of the Obama administration, and it was immediately litigated and defended, I think wholeheartedly, by the incoming Trump administration,” Leroux said. “They could see the value of all this data in making granular trade actions, and I have no reason to believe that their view will have significantly changed between then and now.”

Not everyone is critical of NOAA’s proposal to revamp SIMP. Sally Yozell, the director of the environmental security program at the Stimson Center, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, has worked with NOAA on the new action plan and said the new pilot system will help go after IUU perpetrators like it was originally intended – while making it easier for the seafood industry to comply. “It’s going to really help them be able to focus and go after the perpetrators, the bad guys, and try to put less burden on those who are actually following the rules,” she told SeafoodSource. “I think it will be helpful for industry up and down the seafood supply chain.”

The burden on the supply chain is another thing Leroux said she would like to see quantified by NOAA. She said on paper the rule appears to be a minimal burden on importers.

“But I think we all collectively know that’s not true, and I personally believe that if that accounting were more accurate, then industry would have more grounds to get what they want out of the program,” Leroux said.

Leroux also said she would like to see the process of updating it refined to have more inter-agency review across multiple government departments due to its financial impacts.

“I hope that there will be successful advocacy to get this rule to be reviewed at a higher level, so that it doesn’t face the same type of criticism that NOAA had last time they tried to expand the program without going through interagency review,” she said.

Leroux added that while she is critical of SIMP as it exists, she is pulling for NOAA to reform it in a way that accomplishes its goal.

“Everybody hates the fact that SIMP isn’t achieving its initial goal. I would really like to see a concerted effort to improve the integrity of the program,” she said. “They’re doing the hard part already. They’re already providing all of the data. That data is just getting filed away in an electronic folder and not looked at. And that’s what has to change, and it could change any time NOAA decides to do better, and I would love to see something drive them to do that.”

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DNA TESTING REVEALS PROLIFERATION OF FOREIGN SHRIMP ALONG THE GULF COAST

BY NATHAN STROUT

ROUGHLY 96 PERCENT of the shrimp recently tested at Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.A. restaurants was imported, claims the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA).

The number is shockingly high for a community on the Gulf Coast, a region that takes pride in its seafood heritage – especially its shrimp.

“When diners think of Tampa and St. Pete, they think of seafood fresh from the Gulf,” said David Williams, founder of Houston, Texas, U.S.A.-based SeaD Consulting, the DNA testing company that led the sampling effort. “To discover that the majority of restaurants are serving shrimp sourced from overseas is a wake-up call for the area’s food scene.”

The Tampa and St. Petersburg testing is the latest result from a collaboration between SSA and SeaD Consulting, which are working together to highlight the high level of foreign shrimp being sold along the Gulf Coast. At the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival held in Morgan City, Louisiana, U.S.A. in September 2024, SeaD Consulting’s tests found that four out of five vendors were selling foreign shrimp. The revelation drew immediate condemnation from local seafood advocates and lawmakers.

“Growing up in St. Mary Parish in a family of generations of commercial shrimpers, I was appalled to learn of the widespread selling of imported shrimp at the Louisiana Shrimp

and Petroleum Festival,”

Louisiana State Rep. Jessica Domangue (R-Houma) said in an open letter to event organizers. “Consider the absurdity if vendors openly used imported strawberries at the Strawberry Festival to make a ‘quick extra buck’ and undermine the local farmers the festival is supposed to celebrate. Please take a step back and realize this is precisely how the general public views this incident.”

ROUGHLY 96% – DATA COURTESY OF SSA AND SEAD CONSULTING

OF THE SHRIMP TESTED AT TAMPA AND ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, U.S.A., RESTAURANTS WAS IMPORTED.

A similarly shocking result was found at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama, U.S.A., where testing again showed that four out of five samples originated from foreign shrimp farming operations. Organizers of the National Shrimp Festival put out a statement on the allegations, noting that festival vendors are contractually obligated to serve only local shrimp and could face fines or expulsion if they’re caught.

Of course, not every survey has shown high proliferations of foreign shrimp. Louisiana-based newspaper The Illuminator and television station WVUE-TV Fox 8 partnered with SeaD Consulting to test shrimp collected from an area seafood market

in November, as well as the Gretna Heritage Festival in October – only one sample from the festival was revealed to have a foreign origin and all of the market-bought samples were locally sourced. Similarly, SeaD Consulting’s testing of seven samples at the Louisiana Shrimp Festival in New Orleans revealed that all the shrimp had been sourced locally. Regardless of the results of individual tests, the DNA testing highlights how concerned the domestic shrimp sector is with the proliferation of foreign-produced shrimp in their own backyard. Proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the main source of the United States’ domestic shrimp, no longer guarantees that restaurants or retailers will be serving locally caught products.

In December, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) reported that U.S. consumers are often misled as to the origin of the shrimp they’re purchasing.

“The record indicates that seafood restaurants frequently advertise their selections with pictures of U.S. Gulf Coast shrimp boats and nets, suggesting that they serve domestic

wild-caught shrimp, but, nevertheless, serve only farmed imported shrimp, and that distributor and retailer customers discourage U.S. processors from labeling their shrimp as ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ to differentiate it from imported shrimp,” the commission said.

It’s not that domestic shrimp isn’t selling well.

“My domestic sales are actually up. We are focused very hard on promoting domestic, so we do a lot of featured promotions around it,” Publix Super Markets Seafood Director Guy Pizzuti said.

Still, the domestic shrimp supply is limited, whereas foreign shrimp farming has exploded in recent years. That’s been reflected in the nation’s shrimp supply, with 93 percent of shrimp sold in the U.S. coming from imports. With imports keeping prices low, it’s difficult to convince people to participate in the domestic fishery.

There are overseas operations “doing this with slave labor to lower their production cost. And when they do that, they can drop their production cost and then sell it here to the United States for a lot cheaper than what we can,” SSA Executive Director John Williams told SeafoodSource. “We have the most sustainable industry in the world for catching shrimp, and that’s never recognized. It’s just a shame that we work very hard to maintain that sustainability, and it just doesn’t get recognized in the right places.”

One way domestic producers can still entice U.S. consumers is by offering more value-added options such as peeled and deveined shrimp, Pizzuti said, noting that’s been a big shift he’s seen in the industry lately.

“That added convenience is huge for [customers], and having that available domestically is going to be a big difference,” Pizzuti said.

Communities and governments along the Gulf Coast are also attempting to shame and pressure

local restaurants and retailers to support domestic shrimp producers. The DNA testing being conducted by SeaD Consulting is one example, with its shocking findings of foreign shrimp at festivals bringing awareness of the issue to consumers.

93%

OF SHRIMP SOLD IN THE U.S. COMES FROM IMPORTS.

In Mississippi, Ocean Springs Seafood Vice President Bethany Fayard started the Patriotic Prawns program to help consumers patron restaurants that sell exclusively U.S. sourced shrimp. However, the grassroots effort has struggled to catch on, with few restaurants meeting the program’s strict criteria.

“We’ve got four restaurants that have put the stickers up. The problem is that there aren’t hardly any restaurants that are just serving domestic,”

Fayard told SeafoodSource in January.

Governments have also stepped in to increase pressure. In Louisiana, a new law that went into effect in January 2025 requires restaurants to put a disclaimer on their menu if they serve foreign-caught or -farmed shrimp. Similar laws have been proposed in other states, including Mississippi, where advocates suggest that consumers will choose locallysourced shrimp if they know where it’s being served and where it’s not.

“We’re not saying that you can’t serve import. You can serve import fish, import shrimp, anything. That’s fine. But the point is, at least put that it’s import,” Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Executive Director Joe Spraggins told local station WLOX.

FIND

EXPO EXPLORATION: SEAFOOD AND PROCESSING INNOVATIONS TO DISCOVER IN 2025

BY MADDIE KEARNS

Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America remains a creative hub for industry innovators to come together and share their latest products, equipment, software, technologies, and more. Here is a sampling of 2025 exhibiting seafood suppliers and processors looking to inspire and engage on the expo floor.

AMERICAN UNAGI

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WALDOBORO, MAINE, U.S.A.-BASED commercial eel farming firm American Unagi will be introducing its Gluten Free Kabayaki at this year’s Seafood Expo North America.

The product is the first gluten-free item in the company’s range of responsible, protein-rich offerings, which includes ready-to-eat European Style Smoked Eel in a four-ounce pack, frozen Butterfield Eel in a one-pound pack, and Tinned Smoked Eel featuring eel smoked with oak and alder wood and packed in a three-ounce can with California virgin olive oil.

“If we hope to change the conduct of human society, from our current patterns of profligate consumption to a future condition of sustainable living, then we need to start at home – with knowledge and action. We need to open our eyes to the wonder of life around us, then roll up our sleeves and work to help save our own corner of the planet from despair,” American Unagi’s Don Hudson said of the decision to embrace the gluten-free format.

Founder Sara Rademaker will join the American Unagi team on the expo floor in Boston to discuss the new offering as well as “the advantages of responsibly raised eel and its impact across the nation.”

“American Unagi is rooted in a commitment to producing a better eel. We are attentive to the needs of our community and strive to address those needs with responsible products and solutions. What began as a passion project has evolved into a nationwide enterprise. As pioneers in our field, we invite you to join us on this journey,” the company said.

ANGEL OAK SMOKEHOUSE

BOOTH #3352

ANGEL OAK SMOKEHOUSE, a Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A.-based familyowned seafood smoker, will be launching its brand at the 2025 Seafood Expo North America event.

Angel Oak plans to share its artisanal signature hot-smoked salmon and its premium coldsmoked salmon offerings at the expo. The business said it will host sampling sessions featuring creative recipe suggestions as well as outline its sustainability practices and responsible sourcing commitments.

“Our roots are in the ocean, and we’re passionate about preserving the art of traditional salmon smoking for a new generation,” Angel Oak Smokehouse President Gantt Taylor said. “The Seafood Expo North America provides the perfect platform to introduce our thoughtfully crafted products to industry leaders who share our commitment to quality, sustainability, and tradition.”

The brand utilizes gentle smoking over southern oak in its state-of-the-art Charleston smokehouse “to ensure that every batch of smoked salmon is as fresh, safe, nourishing, and melt-in-your-mouth amazing as it can be,” it noted.

“[Angel Oak’s] growing smoked salmon collection, tasty recipes, and collaborations with likeminded purveyors and partners delight traditional smoked salmon enthusiasts and inspire a new generation to connect with the food we all love,” the company said.

AZERBAIJAN FISH FARM LLC

BOOTH #3245

IN ITS SECOND YEAR EXHIBITING at Seafood Expo North America, Azerbaijan Fish Farm LLC (AFF) will be displaying its flagship product, Baku Caviar, “reaffirming its role as a leader in sustainable Caspian caviar production,” according to the company.

AFF’s Baku Caviar is harvested from sturgeons “raised with a unique combination of traditional expertise and modern aquaculture techniques.” This includes recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), cage culture aquaculture, state-of-the-art seaside tanks, and an exclusive purging process in saltwater sourced directly from the Caspian Sea that creates a “flavor profile similar to wild-caught caviar.”

“Returning to Seafood Expo North America is an exciting milestone for us,” AFF CEO Nurlan Abdinov said. “Last year, we introduced Baku Caviar to an audience that appreciated not just the exceptional quality of our product, but also our dedication to sustainability. This year, we aim to strengthen those connections and continue demonstrating our commitment to responsible aquaculture.”

The company sources premium caviar from six sturgeon species, five of which are native to the Caspian Sea basin: Huso Huso (Beluga), Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii (Diamond Sturgeon), Acipenser Persicus (Caspian Osetra), Acipenser Ruthenus (Sterlet), Acipenser Stellatus (Sevryuga), and a crossbreed of Ship Sturgeon with Beluga (Acipenser Nudiventris x Huso Huso).

AFF’s production approach “seamlessly combines traditional breeding practices with modern technology, resulting in a product celebrated for its excellence worldwide,” it said. Additionally, the firm remains “deeply committed to preserving the biodiversity of the Caspian Sea,” which is why it “regularly conducts sturgeon release events, contributing to the protection and restoration of endangered sturgeon populations.”

“For every jar of caviar sold, Baku Caviar releases 10 sturgeons back into the Caspian waters, ensuring the longevity of this precious ecosystem,” AFF affirmed.

BAADER

BOOTH #1765

LÜBECK, GERMANY-HEADQUARTERED fish processing equipment, solutions, and services provider Baader will be showcasing its suite of recent innovations at Seafood Processing North America, with company experts slated to be on deck to discuss the industry’s latest processing challenges as well as the firm’s 100 percent fish utilization objective.

“Join us on Booth #1765 at Seafood Processing North America to explore

the latest developments in fish processing,” the processing innovator said. “Discuss with our process experts how Baader helps processors achieve maximum yield, flexibility, and sustainability in their fish and seafood processing operations.”

The company plans to highlight its Baadering Technology, comprehensive salmon processing solutions, digitalization and software solutions, and more at the expo in 2025. With its Baadering Technology, which “gently separates soft and solid components from fish remains,” seafood processors are able to “maximize the use of their raw materials,” Baader explained.

“Splitting the fish remains into different streams facilitates processors to create value-added fish by-products such as fish sticks, snacks, and pet food, or even into more advanced new food applications and products such as cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and even fish leather,” the company noted.

Meanwhile, Baader’s collection of salmon processing solutions “handles every stage of salmon processing with precision and efficiency.”

“Our equipment ensures maximum yield, superior quality, and minimal waste throughout the different processing steps. From advanced gutting and filleting, to grading and packaging, Baader’s scalable salmon solutions meet the specific demands of any salmon processing plant, small, medium, or large,” according to the firm.

CHANNEL FISH PROCESSING CO., INC

BOOTH #2859

AT THIS YEAR’S EXPO, Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S.A.based fresh and frozen seafood products manufacturer Channel Fish Processing Co. will introduce its skin pack production line.

The new globally-inspired line of skin pack seafood selections serves as a complement to the company’s existing services, which include hand-crafted fish filleting, automated filleting and portioning, block cutting, breading and batter coating applications, automated retail boxing, and bulk packaging, according to the family-owned business.

“We are continuously looking for ways to innovate and better serve our customers,” Channel Fish Processing President Tom Zaffiro said. “Our investment in skin pack technology demonstrates our commitment to providing solutions that enhance product quality and customer convenience. With skin packing, retailers can now offer visually appealing, neatly packaged seafood that is shelfready upon arrival. This method streamlines the stocking process and ensures customers receive a premium product.”

Skin pack technology provides several perks, such as extending seafood shelf-life and delivering consumerfacing products that are clean and attractive, Channel Fish Processing explained.

“The process involves placing the product on a tray, covering it with a transparent film, and then sealing the film to the tray and product, creating a tight, protective seal. In addition to maintaining quality, this packaging method offers a clean and attractive presentation, making it easy for customers to select their preferred products from seafood or prepared food displays,” the firm said.

The company’s skin pack options are available for all core fresh fish species, including cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, ocean perch, pollock, and salmon as well as newly-sourced species like catfish, tilapia, scallops, and value-added items. Moreover, a variety of tray sizes are also on offer, and the “CleanCut Bizerba labeling system allows for attractive messaging for variable-weighted or fixed-weight trays,” Channel Fish Processing added. The products will be on display at Seafood Expo North America in the company’s booth as well as in the New Product Showcase.

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CHILE PAVILION

BOOTH #715

CHILE, A TOP EXPORTER of fresh and frozen salmon fillets, canned mussels, and sea urchins, will be featuring nine companies at its pavilion at the 2025 Seafood Expo North America event.

The seafood businesses representing the South American country in the 2025 pavilion are Pesquera Catalunya, Manuelita Acuicultura, Aysen Coho, St Andrews Mussels, Landes, Pacific Gold Mussels, Integra Chile, Pva Chile, and Proyecta Corp. Products to be spotlighted by the cohort include Atlantic and coho salmon, trout, mussels, sea urchins, Chilean seabass, swordfish, hake, crab, squid, mackerel, clams, octopus, king crab, scallops, and cuttlefish.

The top five species exported from Chile to the U.S. were salmon and trout, deep sea cod, mussels, prawns, and hake.

“The United States is Chile’s top market for seafood exports, a testament to the superior quality, safety, and reliable traceability of our products. Chilean companies are eager to participate in Seafood Expo North America, a key platform to showcase our seafood industry’s commitment to delivering sustainable and high-quality offerings. Our aquaculture and fishing sectors are renowned for producing healthy and flavorful products, rich in nutrients like

CLEAR OCEAN SEAFOOD

BOOTH #1433, #3412

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA’S Clear Ocean Seafood will be launching its Ready-To-Eat Pre-Cooked Salad Scallops at Seafood Expo North America in 2025.

The scallop product has been engineered to meet the demands of modern consumers, who crave convenient, healthy, flavorful, and sustainably sourced meal solutions, Clear Ocean said. Furthermore, the offerings are “the only brand scallop that is steam-cooked and flash frozen within six hours of harvest, ensuring unmatched freshness and flavor,” the company added.

“As the first ready-to-eat pre-cooked scallops available for retail, they offer convenience without compromising quality. Nourished by plankton in cold waters, they are rich in nutrients, naturally sweet, and plump – perfect for salads, poke bowls, and fresh dishes,” the firm said.

In addition to the freshly-launched scallop item, Clear Ocean said it will also showcase other “must-try scallop appetizer products” at its booth during the expo. The company’s scallop portfolio also includes Pacific scallops and bacon-wrapped scallops.

omega-3s and vitamins,” ProChile Trade Commissioner in New York Andrea Sapag said.

ProChile noted that between January and December 2024, Chile exported USD 8.7 million (EUR 8.3 million) in seafood globally, with the main destination of exports being the United States, where sales amounted to a total of USD 2.8 billion (EUR 2.7 billion). The top five species exported from Chile to the U.S. were salmon and trout, deep sea cod, mussels, prawns, and hake.

“For the past two decades, we have developed, along with the private sector, a commercial strategy to position Chilean seafood in the U.S. market through different industry brands such as Chile Mussel from Patagonia. We have also collaborated with the Chilean Salmon Marketing Council. This public-private partnership has paid off since salmon and trout account for more than 90 percent of total seafood exports to the American market,” according to a ProChile representative.

COOKE INC. BOOTH #1133

SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK, Canada-headquartered seafood enterprise Cooke Inc. plans to spotlight many novel developments at the 2025 Seafood Expo North America event – including new featured products, newly-acquired companies, a new booth, and a new service launch.

The company said it will debut its new foodservice brand, Cooke Foodservice+, at the expo this week.

“Cooke Foodservice+ is the result of the evolution of the foodservice business and the work that our global brand team is doing to consistently provide excellence in customer service,” Cooke Inc. CEO Glenn Cooke said.

Cooke also noted that the business has been busy further diversifying its product lines “to 24 seafood species, retail-ready skin packs, and distribution networks to serve our customers.”

“We offer six salmon species, hot and cold smoked salmon, steelhead trout, whitefish species, shellfish species, and fish roe,” he added.

To reflect and encompass the company’s growth efforts, it will be rolling out an expanded booth design this year, with many engaging elements such as a completely rebranded and redesigned booth, showcasing Cooke’s newly developed global brand and double-decker meeting nooks; an additional 300 square-feet of booth space, offering expanded capacity and additional open concept networking and meeting spaces; immersive experiences designed to highlight the firm’s global scale and offerings, demonstrating how its products seamlessly fit into customers’ retail and foodservice environments; enhanced digital and multimedia, with refreshed video overview content, animated infographics, and interactive media; and an improved culinary workspace to showcase its broad product assortment and the expertise of world-renowned Chef Chris Aerni and team.

“We will bring our most delicious seafood to Boston, and we believe you will taste the difference.”

– GLENN COOKE, COOKE, INC.

“We will bring our most delicious seafood to Boston, and we believe you will taste the difference,” Cooke said. “SENA is an important show for us to connect with our customers and give us an experience with our company and products.”

– PROCHILE

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EAGLE PRODUCT INSPECTION

BOOTH #1180

LUTZ, FLORIDA, U.S.A.-BASED Eagle Product Inspection will be coming to Seafood Processing North America this week to share its advanced x-ray inspection technologies for contaminant detection and quality checks with the industry.

Featured machines at the innovator’s booth will include the RMI 400 and the Eagle Pack 400 HC, each equipped with the “Dynamic Duo” of PXT dual energy photon-counting technology and SimulTask PRO image analysis software, which combine to enable “superior detection of bone pieces and foreign materials across a wide range of fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable seafood products,” the company said.

missing items, fill level, and package integrity,” Eagle explained.

The Eagle Pack 400 HC x-ray machine, “designed with interlocked hinged louvers that enable fast cleaning and an easy-belt removal system,” is able to detect contaminants that would “otherwise go unseen by the naked eye,” as well as test for mass measurement, package integrity, and component count.

LINDE

BOOTH #1465

AT SEAFOOD PROCESSING NORTH AMERICA this year, processing innovator Linde will be demonstrating its expertise in cryogenic freezing and chilling applications.

“Featuring a unique curtain-less design for easy product handling, the RMI 400 can find and reject bone fragments down to .5 millimeters and other foreign materials such as hooks, blades, shells, sharp objects, wire, staples, metal shavings, and more. The system also offers quality control checks such as fat measurement, weight verification,

“From detecting the smallest bone fragments in fish fillets to inspecting large frozen fish blocks for metal fragments, Eagle’s x-ray inspection capabilities deliver superior results with consistent reliability,” Eagle Head of Marketing Christy Draus said. “Our experts understand challenges in seafood production, such as freeze-thaw conditions, the potential introduction of foreign contaminants and the increasing diversification of products, and have engineered x-ray technologies for optimal flexibility, versatility, and costeffectiveness.”

KITA-SANRIKU FACTORY

BOOTH #3347

JAPAN’S KITA-SANRIKU FACTORY will be exhibiting regenerative sea urchin products at Seafood Expo North America.

“Kita-Sanriku Factory delivers regenerative seafood, especially sea urchin, to the tables of the world. In 2024, two of our products – FourYear Sea Urchin ‘Frozen Sea Urchin’ from Hirono Uni Ranch and FourYear-Old Sea Urchin from Hirono Uni Ranch Uni and Butter Spread – were nominated as finalists for the Innovation Award at Gulfood, one of the largest comprehensive food trade fairs in the Middle East. In 2025, we will exhibit at Seafood Expo North America and Seafood Expo Global. In the future, we will market our reliable regenerative seafood products in the U.S. and E.U. countries,” Kita-Sanriku Factory CEO Yukinori Shitautsubo said.

One of the company’s offerings, Regenerative Sea Urchin – Hagukumu Uni, features raw sea urchin that is “carefully peeled using skilled processing techniques and then soaked in sterilized seawater before shipping.” No alum is used on the product, giving it a taste that is “close to that of freshly harvested sea urchin,” Kita-Sanriku Factory said. Its Four-Year Sea Urchin “Frozen Sea Urchin” from Hirono Uni Ranch includes fresh raw sea urchin that is frozen using the company’s proprietary technology without any additives.

Kita-Sanriku Factory’s Four-Year-Old Sea Urchin from Hirono Uni Ranch Uni and Butter Spread combines “the delicious and sweet sea urchin grown at the Uni Ranch with butter.”

“Using 50 percent sea urchin, we have kept the taste and aroma of the sea urchin in this simple product,” according to the firm. “Once you bite, you will enjoy the flavor and aroma of the sea urchin and the richness of the butter. It can be used with crackers, meat, rice, and a variety of other dishes.”

In addition to experiencing more of the company’s urchin portfolio at its booth, attendees can also learn more about the firm’s land-based sea urchin aquaculture facility in the works for June 2025.

“Linde works with leading seafood processors to optimize their use of liquid nitrogen and/ or liquid carbon dioxide in cryogenic freezing and chilling applications. The shared goal is to rapidly freeze or chill seafood products to their desired target temperatures in a highly cost-effective and energy-efficient manner,” the company said.

On deck at the Linde SPNA booth in 2025 will be the firm’s Cryoline PB plate belt that, when paired with a Linde freezer, “enables processors to efficiently freeze wet products that are typically challenging to handle, such as marinated or sauced seafood,” the company noted. A production sized Cryoline CVT cryosaver tunnel freezer – which offers a rapid and efficient method for freezing shrimp, scallops, clams, and other seafood products –will also be on display at the expo, Linde said.

“Proper freezing and chilling techniques help ensure final product quality meets stringent standards and consumer taste preferences,” Linde Business Development Director Chris Johnson said. “These gas application solutions provide seafood processors with a considerable competitive advantage for their frozen seafood products, while ensuring manufacturing efficiencies are maintained.”

LUCID CORP.

BOOTH #1675

SEAFOOD PACKAGING SOLUTIONS developer Lucid Corp will be showcasing its Lucid Infinity innovation at Seafood Processing North America in 2025.

The company created Lucid Infinity to offer hope amid a “global food packaging sustainability crisis.”

The packaging line is 100 percent recyclable, pad-less, and leak-resistant, with a two-piece tray design that “traps purge at the bottom – a feature soaker pads traditionally attempt to address – and is engineered to function without the need for traditional soaker pads or additives,” Lucid Corp said.

“Crafted in-house, Lucid Infinity is made from a blend of PET, the most recycled plastic in the world, and PCR, which stands for post-consumer recycled plastic, providing direct uptake to the recycling stream and contributing to a more circular economy,” according to the company. “Lucid Infinity enhances the consumer experience with innovative packaging and streamlined merchandising.

MARDER SEAFOOD

BOOTH #714

NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A.-based scallop and seafood supplier Marder Seafood has expanded into the retail-ready, wholesale value-added category. The firm will be debuting these new products at this year’s Seafood Expo North America event.

Its design allows for easy separation of the twopiece tray, making it simple to rinse and recycle –eliminating the hassle of dealing with messy seafood and meat soaker pads.”

The traditional packaging container soaker pads, also known as diapers, often end up in landfills, Lucid Corp noted, “contributing to the largest problem in sustainable food packaging on our planet.”

“Although the plastic packaging may be recyclable, the soaker pad inside is not, making the entire package non-recyclable,” the firm said of traditional designs.

“This is because recycling facilities lack the infrastructure to separate soaker pads from recyclable plastic food trays.”

With solutions like Lucid Infinity, the company said, seafood providers don’t have to contribute to such waste.

The new items include Bacon-Wrapped Seafood, Scallops in Shells, and Lightly Breaded Scallops. Expo attendees will be able to sample the new products and “explore the thoughtfully designed packaging tailored for grocers, distributors, and warehouse clubs,” the company said.

“These innovative offerings redefine convenience and quality, combining industry-leading protein content with bold, unique flavor profiles to meet the growing demand for innovative seafood,” according to Marder Seafood.

The Bacon-Wrapped Seafood marks an expansion for Marder “beyond scallops to include Pacific cod and shrimp.” These new additions feature “a unique blend of woodfired cod and all-natural, hardwood-smoked bacon, crafted from humanely raised pork that meets Prop 12 and MAQ3 compliance standards.” The Scallops In Shells come in flavor profiles such as Imperial, Yuzu Ponzu, Casino, and Rockefeller, most of which are gluten-free – they also boast an “industry-leading 40 percent minimum protein content” and are presented on natural shells “to bring the premium seafood experience home.” Exclusive flavors, including Bourbon St., Fiesta, and Buffalo, are on offer with the Lightly Breaded Scallops, which are 98 percent protein, with only 2 percent breading.

“By exceeding industry protein standards and introducing bold, unique flavors, we’re bringing something truly special to market for seafood lovers everywhere.”

– BRAD MARDER, MARDER

“This launch represents our dedication to innovation in the seafood industry,” Marder Vice President of Sales Brad Marder said. “By exceeding industry protein standards and introducing bold, unique flavors, we’re bringing something truly special to market for seafood lovers everywhere.”

“We’ve carefully crafted these products to balance bold, innovative flavors with the natural taste of premium seafood,” Kieran Smith, chef and director of product development for Marder, added. “Every recipe is designed to highlight the quality of our ingredients while delivering a restaurant-quality experience at home.”

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

BOOTH #1004

CHESAPEAKE BAY blue catfish, fresh Maryland oysters, Maryland blue crab, and more seafood sourced from the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean will be on display at Seafood Expo North America courtesy of Maryland’s Best, the marketing division of the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Six seafood companies will be featured under the Maryland’s Best umbrella: Black Pearl Spice Company, Hollywood Oyster Company, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, Lindy’s Seafood, Madison Bay Seafood, and Tilghman Island Seafood.

“Maryland has showcased at the Seafood Expo North America for years, highlighting Maryland businesses that catch and process the Chesapeake and Atlantic Ocean’s bounty,” Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks said. “This year, we will have the most vendor representation with six companies joining us to showcase the best of what the Chesapeake Bay has to offer.”

Attendees will be able to sample wild-caught Chesapeake blue catfish prepared multiple ways, an all-in-one mix for crab cakes, oyster salsa, Maryland blue crabs, oysters, and more, Maryland’s Best said.

NU-ERA LOGISTICS

BOOTH #1087

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA-BASED Nu-Era Logistics will be bringing its innovative, proven supply chain solutions to Seafood Processing North America this week, in its debut at the largest seafood industry trade event for the North American market.

The firm plans to spotlight its transportation and supply chain innovations, which it says are “uniquely suited to bring new and innovative efficiencies to the seafood sector.”

“We’re excited to bring our extensive network and expertise to the seafood industry at Seafood Expo North America,” Nu-Era Logistics President Jeff De Sousa said. “Our team has the knowledge and resources to manage complex logistics needs, from air and ocean freight to over-the-road transportation, and those specialty projects that require a little extra care. Whatever the project, we’re committed to delivering the highest standards of accountability, service, and quality. We believe in working with partners who share our values to provide our customers with efficient, compliant, and cost-effective solutions.”

“We believe in working with partners who share our values to provide our customers with efficient, compliant, and cost-effective solutions.”

Nu-Era’s multilingual team works with partners and networks around the world, allowing the company to facilitate efficiently-handled shipments that are in full compliance with industry laws, regulations, and safety standards, it said.

“At Nu-Era, we understand the unique challenges faced by seafood processors. Whether you’re shipping via air, ocean, or over-the-road, we’ve got the experience and industry knowledge to get your product where it needs to go,” De Sousa added. “We’re here to simplify the supply chain, helping businesses in the seafood sector manage transportation logistics with confidence.”

SEAWISE INNOVATIVE PACKAGING

BOOTH #480

CAMPBELL RIVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada-based Seawise Innovative Packaging will be returning to Seafood Processing North America in 2025 to showcase its latest cold-chain packaging systems designed for the seafood industry.

Packaging Systems by Seawise will be featured at the company’s expo booth, including the patented Thermoloc liner and water-containment Waterloc box.

“Sales Director Wayne Burke and Commercial Technology Engineer Rob Spiers will demonstrate how these systems extend product freshness during cold-chain distribution while prioritizing sustainability,” Seawise said. “Guests can experience the results of the technology firsthand through a special collaboration with co-exhibitor Golden Eagle Sable Fish, as Chef Jade Berg will prepare fresh samples of his world-class sable fish.”

The company creates its packaging solutions “drawing inspiration from deep origins in salmon processing and packaging,” it said, adding that such “first-hand experience drives the development of smart, tailored packaging systems that are re-shaping the seafood industry.”

“We’re excited to return to SENA and build on our tremendous success in 2024. We’ll be launching our new packaging system, including our leak and waterproof corrugated outer to complement our one-of-a-kind Thermoloc insulating technology, delivering a complete packaging solution,” Burke said.

SHAW FAMILY SEAFOOD COMPANY

BOOTH #1513

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, U.S.A.-based Shaw Family Seafood Company will be debuting its Premium Value-Added Retail lines at Seafood Expo North America in 2025.

The company, which has been in the seafood business for over nine decades, has developed new offerings in light of its recent energy and expansion, it said.

“Having perfected the art of producing the finest crab meat products, our journey doesn’t end at the ocean’s edge,” Bluzette Carline, Shaw’s director of marketing and development, said. “We are now venturing into new waters, creating value-added products that go beyond seafood. With the same dedication and craftsmanship that built our reputation, we are innovating in diverse culinary domains.

“

Having perfected the art of producing the finest crab meat products, our journey

doesn’t end at the ocean’s edge”

This evolution allows us to bring our legacy of quality and excellence to a broader range of flavors and experiences, all while maintaining our commitment to superior standards and American-made integrity.”

Expo attendees are invited to discover

Shaw’s “manufacturing strengths and capabilities in value-added food products for both retail and foodservice” at its booth this week.

– JEFF DE SOUSA, NU-ERA LOGISTICS

– BLUZETTE CARLINE, SHAW FAMILY SEAFOOD COMPANY

Exhibit Sales Office: BOOTH #2053

Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global, Seafood Expo Asia, SeafoodSource, National Fisheries Institute and Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF)

cool-japan Inc. Booth 3205

Foods, LLC

1819

FEATURED EXHIBITORS

EXHIBITOR LIST

3 Fish, Inc ............................................. 549

3 Hands Oyster Company 1609

ABIPESCA- Associacao Brasileira

das Industrias de Pescados 1745

Accelerated Freeze Drying Co Ltd 2840

Acme Smoked Fish Corp 2705

Affco Trading 3413

Affish BV 2555

Agricultural Corp.

Humanwell Co. ................................. 3005

Agricultural Trade Promotion Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, PRC ........................................ 1833

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada 1254

Agromey Gida Ve Yem San.

Tic. A.S. ................................................. 151

AHFISHCO ............................................ 313

Ajino-Kakunoya Co., Ltd 2333

Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation 1739

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute 1739, 1633

Alaskan Leader Seafoods 1647

Alfa Gamma Seafood Group 114

Aliment 4FC Food 2583

Alliance Seafood/The Great Little Harbour Seafood Company .......... 1244

Allied Pacific Food (Dalian) Co., Ltd. 1817

Allmare Alimentos 1745

Amazing Tuna Co., Ltd 3417

American Eel Depot Corp 2027

American Mussel Harvesters 3043

American Seafoods Company 1411

American Unagi, LLC 3452

Ammon International Inc. 2233

Amyco Foods Group Limited 2647

Angel Oak Smokehouse 3352

Anhui Fuhuang Sungem Foodstuff Group Co., Ltd................ 1833

Annasea Foods Group 3033

Anova Food Inc 3223

Aqua Royale Foods, Inc .................. 2015

Aqua Star 1523

AquaBest Seafood, LLC 1153

AquaChile ........................................ 1005

Aquagold SA 951

Aqualine Seafoods Ltd 1433

Aquamar .......................................... 1057

Aquanaria S.L. 3313

Aquanor Ice Fresh 919

ARGENTINA Investment and Trade Promotion Agency 2005

Ariel Seafood ...................................... 405

Arli Foods ........................................... 3082

Arnarlax hf. .......................................... 653

Artemiana International, Inc. 3213

Asahi Trading Co., Ltd 2333

ASASHIO CO., LTD. 2333

ASIA EUROPE INTERNATIONAL

TRADING AND TRAVEL JSC 2578

Atlantic Aqua Farms 124

Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association 1251, 1347

Atlantic Chican Seafood Ltd. 2873

Atlantic Fish & Seafood 2952

Atlantic Sapphire 405

Atlantica Imports Inc. ....................... 415

Australis Aquaculture LLC ............. 1733

AVRAMAR COMMERCIAL 2653

Ayamo Global Foods 1745

Azerbaijan Fish Farm LLC (Baku Caviar) 3245

Azuma Foods Intl Inc USA 2686

Azur Seafood BV 3448

Badger Bay Mussel Farms Ltd / Iceberg Select 1359

Bai Xian Seafood Corporation 2233

Baja Aquafarms, Inc. 3153

Bakkafrost P/F 2105

Balfego & Balfego, SL ...................... 2933

Bar Harbor Foods ............................... 726

Barry Group Inc ................................ 1361

BASE Seafood Auction 2945

Bayshore Lobster and Seafood 1248

Beacon Fisheries Inc. 1317, 405

Bean Maine Lobster, Inc................... 250

Beauty Foods Limited 3340

Beaver Street Fisheries, Inc. 1721

Beihai Jiujiajiu Food Co., Ltd ......... 1404

Beijing Bingquan Trading Co.,Ltd. 1953

Beijing Leway .......................2818, 2455, 2022, 1313, 1310, 346

Beijing Tongli Haiyuan

International Trade Co.,Ltd. 1953

Beijing Yinqicheng ..............3054, 2912, 1817, 1805, 3142, 2943

Beiranova - Industria de Congelados S.A. 821

Bemka Corporation - House of Caviar and Fine Foods 2684

Bessea Foods Limited 2117

Best Seafood Inc. ............................. 2043

BGR Export Shrimp S.A. 3081

Bien Dong Seafood Co. Ltd. 1033

Big Catch Pte Ltd 2765

Black Pearl Spice Co. ....................... 1004

Blue Aqua Mas Seafood Trading LLC ....................................... 2672

D.C Air & Seafood Inc. Booth 2685

Gadre Marine Export Pvt. Ltd. Booth 716

Harvest of the Sea/ Social Kitchen Booth 2621

Hong Ngoc Seafood Co. Ltd Booth 3343

Mark

Booth

STAND MAURITANIA - SMCP/FPMEDC/FNP Booth 2565

Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers/VASEP Booths 313, 1033

Western Edge Seafood Booth 1905

Baader North America Corporation Booth 765

Harpak ULMA Packaging, LLC Booth 581

Hiperbaric USA Corporation Booth 2074

MRBraz & Associates Booth 1970

EXHIBITOR LIST

Blue Sea Products 427

Blue Venture Inc 1916

Blue Waters Solutions Corp. 2987

BluGlacier, LLC. 105

Bord Bia, The Irish Food Board ..... 3333

Bornstein Seafoods Inc. ................. 2605

Boston Bluefin Inc ........................... 3209

Boston Smoked Fish Co. ............ 2955

BOTHWIN DEVELOPMENT (HK) LIMITED 1657

Bowers Homegrown Seafood 3310

Br. Karlsen Sales AS 347

Brazilian Fish 1745

BRC MARINE PRODUCTS 2833

Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Assn 1552

Bristol Seafood, LLC 305, 501

Buba Camaron 2533

Buena Vista Seafood 2741

Business Iceland 653

C & D International Fishery 814

C & H Classic Smoked Fish 3444

C.F. Gollott and Son’s Seafood, Inc. 2143

Cabo Virgenes SA 2005

Cais Do Atlantico 1745

Cal Marine Fish Company 2819

Calcutta Seafoods Private Limited 2833

Caleta Bay Mar SpA ......................... 2905

Camanchaca, Inc................................ 117

Camara de Comercio de Pontevedra, Vigo Y Vilagarcia de Arousa 2533

Camaronera de Coclé SA 2987

Canfisco Group 1424

Cape Cod Seafood Company 2780

Carolina Gold Oyster Company 548

Carthage Crabs 3413

CASEAMEX 313

Cassua, S.L. 2533

Caviar & Caviar USA ........................ 1748

Cedar Bay Grilling Company Ltd 1440

CenSea Inc. 933

Cermaq US, LLC 1705

CFE International 152

Champion Pacific Co., Ltd. 2647

Champlain Seafood 941

Chang Le Ju Quan Foods Co., Ltd 1657

Channel Fish Processing Co., Inc. 2859

Channel Seafoods International 652

Chef Creations LLC 3353

Cheng Hung Seafood Frozen Produce Co.,Ltd. 2233

Cherrystone Aqua-Farms 424

Chesapeake Bay Packing, LLC 1604

Chiba Prefectural Government. 2333

Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods... 643

Chilean Salmon Marketing Council 105

China-Japan Corporation 2333

Choice Canning Co Inc 3322

Chun Cheng Fishery Enterprise Pte Ltd 2765

Chungsan Fishermen’s Organization ..................................... 3005

Circle Seafoods ................................. 3084

Classic Seafood Group, Inc .............. 554

Clear Ocean Seafood Ltd. 3412, 1433

Clearwater Seafoods 2505

CO MAY Import Export Co Ltd. 1033

Coast Seafood USA LLC 404

COAST TSIMSHIAN FISH PLANT LTD ......................................... 1433

Cocedero de Mariscos, SA ............... 909

Cofimar S.A. 633

COFOODS PROCESSORS

PRIVATE LIMITED 2833

Coldwater Prawns of Norway AS 347

Cole-Munro Steelhead Trout 2876

Commerce Department of Hainan Province of P.R.C. ............... 2865

Conarpesa - Continental Armadores de Pesca S.A 2005

Connemara Seafoods 3333

CONSERVAS ARTESANAS

GALLEGAS 2533

Consolidated Catfish Producers, LLC 2975

Cooke Inc................. 1133, 1145, 1233

cool-japan Inc. ............................... 3205

Coomarpes Ltda 2005

Copacol 1745

Copper River Prince William

Sound Association 1720

Copper River Seafoods ................... 3064

Corporacion De Refrigeracion De Ingenieria S.R.L 2513

Cox’s Wholesale Seafood LLC 2954

Cozy Harbor Seafood 2725

CP Food Products, Inc 433

Craft Culinary Packaging (DBA

Jimmy’s Famous Seafood) 1004

Criaderos de Mariscos

Crimasa S.A. ........................................ 644

Croatian Chamber of Economy .... 3439

Crocker & Winsor Seafoods Inc .... 1113

Cromaris d.d. 3439

Crown Seafood Company 1642

Crustacea Corporation LLC 1449

Crystal Seas Seafood 2143

Culmarex S.A. 1133

Cultivos de Tonosí 2987

Custom Blends, Inc./ Cindy’s Kitchen 2951

CUU LONG FISH JOINT STOCK COMPANY 2778

CVALE - Cooperativa

Agroindustrial 1745

D.C Air & Seafood Inc. 2685

Daechang Food Co., Ltd. 3005

Daily Fresh Shellfish Inc. 1433

Dalian Gaishi Food Co., Ltd. 519

Dalian Gourmet Industry Co., Ltd 1404

Dalian Haibao Foods Co. ltd 1704

Dalian Haixiang Food Co., Ltd 1704

DALIAN HANYANG FOOD CO., LTD. 2117

Dalian Hengjia Food Co.,Ltd 1853

Dalian Honghefeng International Trade Co., Ltd 2117

DALIAN HONGTUO SEAFOOD CO., LTD. ............................................. 1805

Dalian Huihetong ............................ 1833

Dalian Jidong Food Co. Ltd ........... 2775

DaLian Jinfuda Business and Trade Co.,Ltd 1953

Dalian Jinwuxing Foods Co.,Ltd 1805

Dalian Jiuchuan Food Co., Ltd. 2022

Dalian Joy Share Foods Co., Ltd. 3142

Dalian Kingbrine Seafoods Co., Ltd 2117

Dalian Kowa Foods Co., Ltd 2117

Dalian Kuoshen Bio-fermenting Products Co., Ltd. 1404

Dalian Lucky Seafood Co.,Ltd ....... 2022

Dalian Meihe Foodstuff Co., Ltd... 1546

Dalian Miaochi Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd 1917

Dalian Minghua Seafoods Co., Ltd................................................ 2711

Dalian Rich Enterprise Group Co. 2117

Dalian Season Red Foods Co., Ltd................................................ 1953

Dalian Shanhai Seafood Co., Ltd. 141

Dalian Shenghua Seafood Co., Ltd................................................ 1953

Dalian Taifu Food Co., Ltd 1704

Dalian Tianpeng Food Co. Ltd 1953

Dalian Xanadu Foods Co.,Ltd. 1833

Dalian Youlian Seafood Co., Ltd 1657

Dalian Yuanheng Marine Products Co., Ltd. 2047

Dalian Zhengjun Foodstuffs Co., Ltd 1805

Dalian Zhuohong Marine Product Co., Ltd. ............................... 2117

Dandong Ande Biotechnology Co., Ltd................................................ 1404

Dandong Taiyuan Seafoods Co.,Ltd................................................. 1953

Darik Enterprises Inc. ........................ 605

Deibert Seafood 3317

Del Mar Seafoods, Inc 2310

Delifrost 3046

DEVA SEA FOOD 2833

Devi Seafoods, Inc. .......................... 2512

Dingsheng Baijia Food (Jiangsu) Co, Ltd .............................. 2117

Direct Source Seafood .................... 2822

Ditusa Corp. 2433

DN Sea Shells Private Limited 2833

Dockside Fresh 1219 DOM International Limited 2405 Dominick’s Seafood

Exhibitor

Fearless Fish Market 3043

Ferme Marine de Mahebourg 3323

Fernandez SRL 2513

Fesba, S.L 2533

Fibrisol Service Australia........................3079

Fider Pescados 1745

Finesaler, LLC 1219

First Seafood AS 2919

First Water 653

Fisher King Seafoods Ltd. 1333

Fisheries and Oceans Canada ...............1254

Fisherman’s Hometown International Co.,Ltd. ..............................3419

Fisherman’s Market

International Inc 3337

Floribbean Wholesale............................... 405

Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services ................................ 405

Food Export USA - Northeast ................. 108

Foppen Seafood 2353

Forever Oceans 2987

Fortune Fish & Gourmet 2253

Fortune Life Enterprise Co., Ltd. 2233

Fortune Oysters .......................................1436

Foshan Haitian Flavouring & Food Co. Ltd ..........................................3405

Franz Foods LLC .......................................3345

French Creek Seafood Ltd. 1433

Frenchy’s Stone Crab 405

Frescatto 1745

Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation 1505

Frigolandia S.A. 644

FRIGORIFICO DEL SUDESTE - Cooperativa de Trabajo del Norte S.A. 2005

Frioantartic, S.A. 2533

Friocenter Pescados ................................1745

Froxa S.A. ...................................................2748

Fujian Dongshui Food Co., Ltd 1404

Fujian Gangwan Century Trading Co., Ltd. 2455

Fujian Haide Food Co., Ltd. 205

Fujian Hanxiang Food Co., Ltd. 536

Fujian Huanong Food Co.,Ltd. 441

Fujian Miaotinahui Food Co.,Ltd 205

Fujian Ruiyun Food Co. Ltd. ..................1657

Fujian Tianyang Food Co.,Ltd 205

Fujian Tianyuan Aquatic Products Co. Ltd.........................................................1657

Fujian Topsheng Import & Export Co., Ltd ............................................ 519

FUJIAN XINYI FOODS CO., LTD 1310

Fujian Yida Food Co., Ltd 205

Fujian Yuehai Aquatic Food Limited Company 1404

Fukuichi Fishery Co., Ltd 2813

Fulcher’s Seafood LLC 2687

Full Measure Oyster Company 1615

FUZHOU PREMIUM SELECTION

FOOD CO., LTD. 441

Fuzhou Qixin Food co., Ltd 205

Fuzhou Xuhuang Foods Co., Ltd 205

Fuzhou Yufengyuan Group Co., LTD 1404

Fuzhou Zelin Food Co., Ltd ...................... 205

Gadre Marine Export PVT LTD ........... 716

Gain Ocean Food Co., Ltd 1833

Galaxy Global International 1522

Gallant Dachan Seafood Co., Ltd 1033

Gallant Ocean International, Inc. 2233

Garimi Co., Ltd ..........................................3005

Gava Foods LLC ........................................2987

GAYATRI MARINE PRODUCTS 2833

Genuine Alaska Pollock

Producers (GAPP) 1739

Global Shrimp Council 933

Godaco Seafood JSC 1033

Golden Harvest, Inc. 2413

Good Fish Company 3333

Good Seaweed (Nantong)

Food Co., Ltd 1805

Goremi Co., Ltd.........................................3005

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador ............................... 1359, 1351, 1455, 1353, 1357, 1361

Grants Oak Smoked Limited 3357

Great Atlantic Trading Inc ......................3072

Great Oceans, LLC 2020

Green Asia Impex Private Limited 2833

Greenfish Brasil 1745

Greenhead Lobster 2033

Grizzly Smokehouse 1223

Grobest Global Service Inc. ...................1641

Group Export Agri-Food 1223

Groupe MDMP / Unipeche MDM 1223

Grupo Corporativo del Pacifico 2987

Grupo Iberconsa 2005

Guangdong Evergreen Aquatic Food Co., Ltd 1943

Guangdong Savvy Seafood, Inc. 3243

Guangdong Universal Aquatic Food Co., Ltd 2455

Guangzhou Haihui Food Additives Co.,LTD 2865

Guangzhou Jiali Import and Export Co.,Ltd 1953

Gulf Pride Enterprises Inc. 2143

Gumusdoga Su Urunleri

Urt.Ihr.ve.Ith. A.S. 2443

Hae Kang Co.,Ltd 3005

HAEDAMSOL CO.,LTD .............................2688

Hai Nam Co., Ltd 313

Hai Trieu Co Ltd 3447

Hai Vuong Co., Ltd 1033

Hai Yang International Inc 2325

Haikou Yington Trading Co., Ltd 2647

Hainan Dragon Link Trading Co., Ltd 1917

Hainan Eternal Spring Fisheries Co. Ltd 1833

Hainan Excellence Import And Export Trading Co. Ltd ............................1833

Hainan Fuchang 2865, 2647, 2851

Hainan Golden Spring Foods Co., Ltd 2865

Hainan Jiadexin Foodstuff Co., Ltd 2764

Hainan Jiami Trading Co., Ltd 2865

Hainan Qinfu Foods Co., Ltd .................1953

Hainan Rongye Supply chain Management Co., LTD ............................2865

Hainan Sky-Blue Ocean Foods Co., Ltd. 1833

Hainan TropLake Foods Co., Ltd. ..........2851

Hainan Xiangtai Fishery Co., Ltd 1833

Hainan Xintaisheng Industry Co., Ltd........................................................2865

Hainan Yunzhou Foods Co.,Ltd. 2851

Hainan Zhongyu Seafood Co., Ltd 2851

Hanamaruki Foods Inc. 2985

Handy International 823

Hansung Enterprise Co.,ltd. ..................3005

Harbor Seafood Inc .................................1024

Harvest of the Sea/

Social Kitchen ....................................... 2621

Haspac Tuna SL 3217

HB Corporation 3451, 3005

Heartland Catfish 1712

Hellenic Aquaculture Producers

Organization (HAPO) 2653

Heng Xing Food 1022

Hiddenfjord 2923

Highland Farms ........................................3357

Hilo Fish Company Inc............................2153

HIRAVATI MARINE PRODUCTS

PVT. LTD. .....................................................2833

HM Terry Company, Inc 2780

Hoa Hung Co., Ltd 2578

Hofseth International AS 1543, 1533

Hollywood Oyster Company 1004

HONG LI CO., LTD .....................................3005

Hong Ngoc Seafood Co. Ltd............. 3343

Hosan Co.,Ltd 3091

HOYO CO., LTD. 2333

Huashan Technology Co., Ltd. 2912

Hudson Valley Fish Farm Inc 2774

Huiyuan Culture Development

Group Co. Ltd 205, 1657

Huludao Chunhe Food Co. Ltd 1833

Humble and Frank Foods Ltd. ..............2980

Hung Ca Co. Ltd 1550

HUNG THINH LONG XUYEN CO,. LTD 313

Hypers 3005

Hyun-Yi Trading Co., Ltd 3005

I.D.I. Corporation 1033

IBERCONSA (Grupo Iberica de Congelados, S.A.U.) 2533

Iceland Responsible Fisheries 653

Icelandic trademark holding ehf 653

Ichimasa Kamaboko Co Ltd 3349

Icy Waters, LLC ..........................................2575

IFC Seafood ...............................................1405

IMAEX Trading Co 416

Imagoh Foods Ltd 2746

Incredible Fish/ North Star/ Sysco 405

Independent Brazil Comercio Internacional LTDA 1745

Innodal 1223

Innovation Norway 347, 457

Innovation PEI ............................. 1255, 1257, 1259, 1253, 1354, 1356, 1358, 1260

Integra Chile SpA ....................................... 715

Interatlantic Fish, S.L.U. ..........................2513

Interfish Company Limited 313

International Seafood and Bait Ltd. 1248

International Seafood Ventures LLC 3404

Invermar S.A. 408

Invest-Land Canarias “CANPESCA” ......2986 IPSP Inc, Santa Priscila .............................. 333

Island Creek Oysters 2972

Istanbul Exporters’

JUSIN FOODS CO., LTD 3005

Kaluga Queen Caviar (Chunan Qiandaohu Xunlong Import and Export Co., Ltd) .........................................2455

KAWATA TRADING LTD. 2333

Kildare Fisheries Ltd 2570

Kilic Seafood 1157

Killybegs Seafoods Ltd 3333

King & Prince Seafood Corp. 505

Kingfisher Holdings Limited 3105

Kita-Sanriku Factory 3347

KITAUROKO ARAKI SYOUTEN CO., LTD. 2333

KLT Global/Lipari Foods-Wholey Seafood 1457

Kochi Seafood Export Promotion Association 3341

Kogane Marine Foods Co., LTD. 2874

Korea Asia Industrial Limited 2422

Koujirushi Konishishouten co.,ltd 2333

Krustagroup SAU ....................................... 117

KUZUOGLU SU URUNLERI 3422

Kvaroy Arctic 347

KY LAN SEAFOOD J.S.C 3077

Kyokuyo America Group 2667

Labrador Shrimp Company 1353

Lagoon Seafood Products .....................3016

Laguna Blanca ............................................ 105

LaiWu Manhing Vegetables Fruits and Provisions Processing Co. Ltd. ......1853

Laiwu Taifeng Foods Co. ltd ..................2455

Laiyang Jiatong Foodstuff Co., Ltd 1313

Lake Bounty Ltd 3042

Lake Eco Fish Processing Ltd. 3042

Lake Treasure Limited 3042

Lakeview Farms 2717

Land Young Foods Co., Ltd ....................2233

Landes .......................................................... 715

Landshandilin P/F 1518

Langosmar S.A. 633

Lanzal Productos del Mar, S.L. 3010

LANZAL, Grupo San Isidro - GASL y Congeladores Patagónicos S.A. 2005

Leardini Pescados Ltda 1745

Legend of Master LLC 2675

Lelièvre, Lelièvre et Lemoignan ltée 1223

LEOW CASING VIETNAM LTD 2585

Leroy USA 3305

L’Homard ...................................................3440

Lianyungang Baixianwu Marine Technology Co.,LTD .................................3142

Lifaa Seafood Exports .............................2833

Limbomar S.A. 633

Lindy’s Seafood 1004

Linyi Yuanyuan Food Co., Ltd 1805

Little Wicomico Oyster Company 1621

Lobster PEI 1358

Lobster Trap Co. ......................................... 104

Loc Kim Chi Seafood Joint Stock Company 2984

Loch Duart Ltd .........................................2745

Long Island Oyster Growers Association 3457

Longyang Fresh (Qinghai) Co., Ltd. 519

Lotus Seafood Inc 3327

Louisbourg Seafoods LTD 1343

Low Country Oyster Co 3433

LUCKY FOODS LIMITED 1917

Lucky Union Foods Co., Ltd 614

Luke’s Lobster / Cape Seafood LLC 2132

Lunar Freezing & Cold Storage Co. Ltd 2745

Lund’s Fisheries Inc. 2733

Luva Foods Corp. 709

Lynn’s Foods 2674

Lyntta International Co., Ltd 2647

Madison Bay Seafood, LLC 1004

Magic Seasoning Blends 2577

Mai Shi Group S.A.C. 2513

Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative 2037

Makefood International Co., Ltd. 346

Maloney Seafood Corporation 1724

Manuelita Acuicultura 715

Maoming Hongye Aquatic Products Co., Ltd 1833

Maoming Huizhong Aquatic Products Co., Ltd. ....................................... 519

MaoMing Xinzhou Seafood Co., Ltd. .... 713

Mar & Terra ................................................1745

Mar Andino Peru SAC 2712

MAR ARGENTINO, salvaje y austral 2005

Marder Trawling Inc 714

Marfrio, S.A. 2533

Mari Services S.A 2987

Marina Del Rey Foods Inc 2776

Maritime Products International 1623

Maritime Seafood 2587

Mark Foods, LLC 1819

Marpefish S.L.U. 2589

Marukan Vinegar (USA) Inc 1419

Maryland Department of Agriculture 1004

Matheson Oyster Company 3433

Mathias Bjorge AS 347

MATSUOKA SUISAN CO., LTD. 2333

Mazzetta Company, LLC 533

McBride Fishing Co. Ltd 3333

Meksea Connection 313

MEKWORLD MARINES AND EXPORTS PRIVATE LIMITED 2833

Melanie Wholesale 3080

Mersey Seafoods Limited 3337

Mexican Shrimp Paradise 1509

MiCal Seafood, Inc. 1445

Michel de France 2770

Mida Trade Ventures Pte Ltd 3453

MIKUNIYA Co. Ltd. 3442

Ming Hong International 2314

EXHIBITOR LIST

Minh Phu Seafood Corp. 313

MinNan Aquatic Development Co. Ltd Jinjiang City 536

Misaki Megumi Suisan Co. Ltd. 2333

Mississippi Seafood Marketing 2143

Morimatsu Suisan Reito Co. Ltd 2333

MOWI 217

Multi X 841

Murder Point Oyster 3433

Mutual Foods (Dalian) Co., Ltd. 1833

Naera Icelandic Snacks 653

Nam Viet Corporation (Navico) ............1033

Namdo Soban Inc. ...................................3005

Nantong Dingbur Seaweeds & Foods Co. Ltd. 1805

Nantong Sinfo Food Co., Ltd 1833

Nanyo Bejoy Co., Ltd 2333

National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives 3005

National Fisheries Institute 2053

Natluk S.A. 951

Nature’s Best Seafood 3233

Netuno USA Inc 613

New Brunswick - Deliciously Canadian 1248, 1244, 1245, 1348, 1344, 1233

Newsan Food - Newsan S.A. 2005

Next Wave Seafood 138

NIRSA S.A. 644

Nissui ............................................................ 505

NK Fishery Co.,Ltd....................................3083

Nobel Fish, LLC .........................................3461

Nordlaks Sales AS 457

Nordpesca USA LLC 3411

Nor’Easter Oyster Co. 3418

Noronha Pescados 1745

North Atlantic Pacific Seafood 2945

North Carolina Department of Agriculture .............. 549, 555, 548, 552, 554

North Delta Seafoods .............................1433

North Sea Seafood AS 2976

Northern Wind, LLC 1405

Northline Seafoods 3319

Northport Fisheries 2879

Norwegian Seafood AS 457

Norwegian Seafood Council 347

Nova Scotia Seafood 1339, 1341, 1343, 1432, 1436, 1438, 1440, 1442, 1333

NSTA FOODS 2720

OBI Seafoods, LLC 1205

Ocean Beauty Seafoods Distribution, LLC. 1205

Ocean Blue Products, Inc. ......................1549

Ocean Choice International Inc. ..........1351

Ocean Crystal Seafood ...........................1423

Ocean Fleet Services 1133

Ocean Garden Products Inc 833

Ocean Kingdom Inc 1740

Ocean Star Development Inc 2518

Ocean State Shellfish Coop 3043

Ocean Words Trade Co.,Ltd 1833

Oceano Seafood S.A. ..............................1553

ODE

Orca Bay Foods LLC 233

Orca Specialty Foods Ltd.

EXHIBITOR LIST

Philosofish S.A. 2653

Phoenix Seafoods (UK) Ltd 3241

Phuc Tam Loi Fisheries 313

PHUONG GIANG SEAFOOD CO., LTD 313

Polar Seafrozen AS .................................... 347

POLITEK INS. AMB. GIDA VE SU

URUNLERI SAN. TIC. A.S. 3071

Precise Food Ingredients 2680

Premier Foods 3056

Premier Packing 3318

Premium Aquatic LLC dba

Seagrove Kelp C .......................................2881

Presteve Foods Limited ..........................1123

Prime Seafood ..........................................1745

Prime Seafood Imports 905

Prime Shrimp LLC 3248

Primstar BV 913

Prince Edward Aqua Farms Inc. 1255

Procamaronex C. Ltda 951

Prochile - The Trade Commission of Chile 715

Productos del Mar Ancavico, S.L..........2023

Produmar SAC ..........................................2513

Produmar... ................................................1745

Proexpo SA .................................................. 633

PROMPERU ................................................2513

PROPANAMA 2987

PROTEICOS CONCENTRADOS S.A.C 2513

Proyecta Corp S.A. 715

PT Dharma Samudera Fishing Industries Tbk. 2588

PT Matsya Qualitas Indonesia 2682

PT. Fresh On Time Seafood 2918

PT. IAMBEU MINA UTAMA .....................2579

PT. Samudra Mandiri Sentosa ..............3414

Pt. Tamron Akuatik Produk Industri ....3085

PT. Toba Surimi Industries ....................... 447

PVA Chile S.P.A. ........................................... 715

Qingdao Fashion Food Co.,Ltd. 346

Qingdao Haoda Foods Co., Ltd. 1833

Qingdao Meixing Foods Co., Ltd 743

Qingdao Seaflying Food Co.,Ltd. 2455

Qingdao Sun-Growing Trade Co., Ltd 1833

QINGDAO U-EASY AQUATIC TRADING CO.,LTD 1310

QINGDAO WIN CANNING INTERNATIONAL TRADE CO, LTD 743

Quinlans Kerry Fish 3333

Quirch Foods ......................................... 1051

Rainbow Seafoods Inc ............................1648

Rainforest Aquafarms .............................2513

Rainforest Seafoods ................................2116

Raoping Yuanteng Frozen Food Co. Ltd 1953

Rappahannock River Oysters, LLC 1612

Raspberry Point Oysters 1356

Raw Seafoods Inc 3304

Ready Seafood .........................................2810

RedFishCo Inc ...........................................2913

Regal Springs .............................................. 851

Rhode Island Commerce 3043

Riverence Provisions LLC 3055

Riya Seafoods 2522

Rizhao Shichang International Trade Co. Ltd .............................................2117

Rizhao Smart Foods Co., Ltd. .................. 743

Rockport Specialty Seafoods, Inc. .......2713

Rocmar Seafood S.A. ..............................2987

Rongcheng Puchen Aquatic Co.,Ltd 519

Rongcheng Yuanxing Food Co., Ltd. 1853

Route66 Int 3314

Royal Greenland A/S 2613

Royal Iceland hf 653

Royal Queen Fish Co., Ltd 313

Royal Star Foods 1253

Salgado Frozen Seafood 2533

Salmones Antartica SA 505

Salmones Austral .....................................2777

Salmones Aysen S.A. ................................. 715

Salt & Sky ..................................................... 705

Salty Seas 405

Samuels Seafood 3133

Santa Barbara Smokehouse 2724

Schafer Fisheries Inc 515

Scotia Harvest Inc. 3337

Sea Bridge (Dalian) International Company Limited ....................................3246

Sea Delight, LLC 2319

Sea Port Products Corp 1117

Sea Star Seafoods Limited 1339

Sea Trek Enterprises Inc 118

Sea Watch International 726

Sea World LLC 3115

Seaborn A/S 2213

Seacold Seafoods (S) Pte Ltd 2765

Seafarers Inc 2205

Seafood America ....................................... 704

Seafood Expo Asia ............................... 2053

Seafood Expo Global .......................... 2053

Seafood Expo North America ......... 2053

Seafood from Scotland 2745

Seafood Industries Association

Singapore 2765

Seafood Industry Research Fund (SIRF) .................................... 2053

Seafood Innovations 2833

Seafood Processing Global 2053

Seafoodia 2679

SeafoodSource 2053, 1301

Seafrost S.A.C. 2988

Seagift Co., LTD 1033

SeaPal International, Inc. 3251

Seaple, Co., Ltd 3005

Seaside Crab & Seafood LLC 3446

Seaspimex Vietnam 313

Seatrade International 705

Seattle Shrimp and Seafood 1021

SEAVINA 1033

SECHURA BAY SAC 2513

Sekkingstad AS 347

Select Europe Inc 2327

Selected Seafood Inc 3421

Seven Seas International USA, LLC 2555

Shandong Oceanfishery

Supply-Chain Tech. Co., Ltd. 1833

Shandong Qingguo Foods Co., Ltd. 1805

Shandong Qizhou

Biotechnology Co., Ltd. 441

Shandong Seasir Brewing Food Co., Ltd 1917

Shandong Yinhai Foods Co., Ltd 2455

Shanghai Yangqi Foods Co., Ltd 1805

Shangrao Sturgeon Huso Food Co., Ltd. 536

Shantou Hypo Seafood Limited 3054

Shantou Ocean Best Seafood Corporation 1652

Shaw Family Seafood Company 1513

Shediac Lobster Shop Ltd 1344

Shell Fisheries 2672

Shells & Fish Import and Export, Co. 1838

Shimizu Shoten, Co. Ltd. ........................2333

Shin Ho Sing Ocean Ent Co Ltd ............2233

Ship’s Lobster Pound Limited ...............1744

Shore Seafood Inc ...................................1605

Siam Canadian Foods Co., Ltd ..............1217

SICHUAN RUNZHAO FOOD CO .............1853

Silver Spring Foods .................................2710

Sinavor Seafoods (Dalian) Co.,Ltd, ......1833

Skagerak Salmon A/S ............................... 347

Slade Gorton & Co Inc .............................. 722

SLS Company Co., Ltd .............................3005

SmartSea SAC ...........................................2513

SoCal Seafoods.........................................2574

Sociedad Nacional de Galapagos

C.A. SONGA 633

Sofrimar Ltd. 3333

SOGDA Limited, Inc 1305

Sogelco International Inc 1323

Southern Coast Fisheries 145

Southern Seafood Products Co., Ltd. 2581

SouthStream Seafoods 518

Southwind Foods / Great American Seafood Imports Co. ................................. 621

Spring Valley Fruit S.A.C. ........................2513

Sreeragam Exports Private Limited ....2833

St Andrews SA ............................................ 715

St. Elmo Foods ..........................................2643

St. James Smokehouse ..........................3253

St. Ours & Co. ............................................1211

STAND MAURITANIA- SMCP/ FPMEDC/FNP 2565

Star Food Products Inc. 3051

Stavis Seafoods, Inc. 234

Stella Polaris Norway AS 347

Stokes Fish Company 405 Stolt Sea Farm, S.A. 2533

SubZero Seafood AS 2586

Sudmaris S.A. 2777

Sunnyvale Seafood 1216 Sunrise Food Trading Inc 2426

Lobster ................................2957

Toyo International Trading Inc. 2677

Toyo Reizo Co.,ltd. 2333

Toyosu Fish’s Market Team 3214

Trade and Invest British Columbia 1433

Trade Office of Ecuador in New York 449

Trans-Ocean Products Inc 557

Trapananda Seafarms LLC 2823

Treasure of the Arabian Sea LLP 2678

Tri Ocean Seafood Co., Ltd. 2233

Tribune Seafood Inc 1442

Trident Seafoods 805

Trout’s Supreme Seafood Company 3213

True Grade 2566

True North Seafood Inc 1133

TUMBESPA S.A.C. 2513

Tuna Paradise Singapore Pte Ltd 2765

Tunna Rossa USA LLC 2784

Turkaylar Aquaculture 3436

Twin Tails Seafood Corporation 1557

Two X Sea 3420

U.S. Catfish Institute 3065

Ubago Group Mare S.L. 1752

Ulka Seafoods PVT LTD 2833

ULTCO LLC 2423

Uwajima Project Co., Ltd. 2333

Viciunai Group 2738

Victoria Perch Ltd. 3042

EXHIBITOR LIST EXHIBITOR LIST

Agritrack 186

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. 1074

Airgas Inc ................................................. 1189

Airocide Systems....................................... 670

Alaska Air Cargo 1064

All Weather Insulated Panels 1988

Americold 2066

Anh Phat Company Limited 2086

Aptar- Food Protection 1268

Aqua Brands 1886

Aqua Production Systems 674

Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) 1865

Ashworth Bros., Inc. 2273

Aspen Systems, Inc. 1569

AstroNova, Inc. 388

BAADER - North America Corp. ...... 1765

Ball Group Corp. ..................................... 1388

Vietnam Association of Seafood

Exporters and Producers/ VASEP 313, 1033

Vietocean Seafood Vietnam .................2122

Vikenco AS 2223

Viking Market Inc 3005

Villa Seafood, Inc 347

Vina Pride Seafoods Co., Ltd 2015

Vince & Carmen Co., Limited 2585

VINH HOAN CORPORATION ..................1033

Virginia Marine Products Board 1617

Viseafood International Limited 1943

Visscher Seafood Bv 457

VSV America Ltd 653

VSV Seafood Iceland 653

Walcan Seafood Ltd. ...............................1433

Wanchese Fish Company 1133

Wang Globalnet, Inc. 3075

Water Street Seafood, Inc. 405

WD Seafood LLC

- Williksen Export AS 347

Weifang Kaiyin Imp & Exp Co., Ltd 1805

Weifang Maruwa Foods Co., Ltd. 1917

Weifang Yangda Food Co., Ltd. ............1805

Weihai City Yongfu Foods Co., Ltd 2047, 1833

Weihai Haina Foods Co., Ltd .................3340

Weihai QZ-Bluesea Foods Co., Ltd. 1310

Weihai Taiwei Haiyang Aquatic Food Co., Ltd. ............................................2047

Wen Chi Seafood Co., Ltd. 2233

Wester Ross Fisheries Ltd. 2745

Western Edge Seafood ...................... 1905

Westmorland Fisheries Ltd 2810

Westward Seafoods Inc 3105

Wheeler Seafood 2967

Whitecap International Seafood Exporters 1455

Whitelink Seafoods .................................2745

Wick’s Kitchens 545

Wild Alaskan, Inc. 3242

Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. 3219

Wixter Seafood.........................................2639

WOFCO (Worldwide Fishing Company) 916

Wonderfield Group - Snowfox .............2584

Wood’s Fisheries 405

World Link Food Distributors Inc 1438

Worldwide Seafood Products LLC 1512

Wow Seafood Inc. ....................................3005

XIAMEN KANGYU TRADE CO., LTD. 1404

Xiamen Kayida Co., Ltd 1404

Xianmeilai Food Co., Ltd. .......................1853

Xtreme Cold Storage 1248

Xunta de Galicia - Conselleria do Mar ........................................................2533

Yancheng Huijia Aquatic Product Science and Technology Co., Ltd. .......... 519

Yankee Trader Seafood 2676

Yantai Honghua Seafoods Co., Ltd. 2117

Yantai Taixi Foodstuff Co., Ltd. 1404

Yantai Ted Foods Co., Ltd 2912

YANTAI TRASOCEAN

FOODSTUFF CO.,LTD ...............................1310

Yantai Xicheng Aquatic Foods Co., Ltd. ............................................ 519

Yantai Zhenghao Co., Ltd ......................1953

Yen & Brothers Enterprise Co., Ltd. ......2233

Yokorei Co., Ltd. 2333

Youngs Lobster Company Ltd. 1248

Yunnan Amuer Sturgeon Group Co., Ltd. ..........................................1853

Zalmhuys Group 2555

Zaloom Marketing Corporation 1018

ZHANGZHOU ONEZ FOOD CO., LTD 205

Zhanjiang Fubao Aquatic Products Co., Ltd 1953

Zhanjiang Shuanghu Food Co.,Ltd 2117

Zhaoqing Evergreen Aquatic Product Science and Technology Co., Ltd. ........1943

ZHEJIANG FREE TRADE ZONE

HAOHAN IMP & EXP CO.,LTD 3340

Zhejiang Tianhe Aquatic Products Inc., Ltd. 743

ZHEJIANG Times 743, 3340

Zhenye Aquatic (Huilong) Ltd. 2447

Zhoushan Haohai Aquatic Products Co., Ltd 3340

Zhoushan Junwei Aquatic Product Co., Ltd 743

Zhoushan Tianjia Aquatic Food Co., Ltd. 2455

Zoneco Group Co., Ltd 2117

Balzo S.A. 1272

Beck Pack Systems Inc. 1167

Beihai Xinhong Fishmeal Equipment Co., Ltd 284

Beijing Leway International Fairs Co., Ltd. 372, 875

Beijing Yinqicheng International Exhibition Co., Ltd. 1275

Beritech A/S ............................................... 272

Bioionix, Inc. 780

Bizerba USA Inc. 1173

Blanchet SA ................................................ 986

Blue Water Shipping A/S 987

BlueTrace 182

Bonar Plastics............................................. 481

Brown & Brown Insurance 288

Brown International Corp., LLC 384

Bunzl Processor Div. .............................. 1081

Business Iceland 868, 771, 769

CAI Software 967

Camara de Comercio de Pontevedra, Vigo Y Vilagarcia de Arousa 2533, 1789

CBRA 786

Certified Laboratories, Inc. 681

Chamco Chungha Machinery Co., Ltd 1480

Ching Fa Fishing Implements Factory Co., Ltd. 178

Choco 1284

CMC Design-Build 269

CNSRV Inc. .................................................. 174

Cocci Luciano SRL 389

Commodity Forwarders Inc.................... 167

Conveyor Technology and Components Inc. 385

CORE X Partners 285

Cura Freight............................................. 1987

Cut & Dry.................................................. 1185

D&D Electronics,Co., Ltd 1871

DB SCHENKER 2073

Deepchill Solutions 1565

Defitrans SA 988

Delta Airlines 1875 Desjardin 2473

Dex-O-Tex by Crossfield Products Corp 1768

DHL 170

Disruptive Packaging WC LLC 1975

DNA Trace Back 1884

Dole Refrigerating Co 2471

DRB Sales .................................................... 770

DS Smith ................................................. 2467

CoolSeal USA ............................................. 973 Copeland 1381

Eagle Product Inspection 1180

EAM-Mosca Corporation 475

Eimskip 771

Emerald Transportation Solutions 2173

ENVASES DE GALICIA, SAU 1789

Envision Cold 1080

Ever-Glory Plastics Package Co.,Ltd 1275

Extrutech Plastics, Inc. 1573

FairTrade USA 2171

Flexahopper Plastics LTD 1881

FlexLink Systems, Inc. .............................. 689

Foam Equipment and Consulting...... 2481

Food Plant Engineering, LLC 2372

Food Process Systems 590

Formutech Inc. 2165

FreezPak Logistics 1274

Freight Forwarding Group 1171

FTS Laboratories 1487

Fuzhou Jinxiang Food Machinery Technology Co. Ltd 1275

Garden State Cold Storage 568

George Harris Wildlife Collection 1266

Global Drain Technologies 291

Global Partners LP 2088

Global Seafood Alliance 2065

Golden Eagle Sablefish ........................... 480

GOVAPEX .................................................... 985

Grasselli Spa 881

Green Island Packaging 286

Green Point Industries 1486

Gregor Jonsson Inc. 264

GrubMarket Inc. 2087

GS Packaging 180

GTI 175

Guangdong Hecai Printing Co.,Ltd. 372

H & M Bay, Inc. 1764

HACCP4Seafood ..................................... 1485

Hardwood Products Company LLC ... 1586

Harpak-ULMA 581

Heatcraft RPD/UES Refrigeration 1288

Heron Innovators, Inc. 1584

Hiperbaric - High Pressure Processing .............................................. 2074

Howe Corporation 1464

i2r Packaging Solutions Inc. 570

IBE Blast Freeze Racks 1280

Ice Cube Cold Storage and Logistics 2479

iNECTA 671

InnovaPak Group 2364

Intrafish 176

JBT Marel 865

Jeremywell International Inc. 2186

JIE USA, Inc. 1984

Kapp 868

Ketchum Manufacturing Inc 1364

King Plastics Inc. 287

Kloppenberg Products, LLC 1588

K-Pack Co., Ltd. 2080

Kuehne + Nagel 167

Laitram Machinery 764

Lamitech 2370

LearnCove ehf 769

Leitor Inc 272

Linde 1465

Lineage 365

Lizotte Machine Vision 1265

LSM Pumps 1889

Lucid Corp. 1675

Lynden Inc. 280

Marel 865

Marelec Food Technologies NV 1481

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) 1865

Maritech AS 1068

MENT AUTOMATION CO.,LTD 1688

Mentech Company Limited ................ 1688

Mercedes Benz ....................................... 1385

Met Speed Label .................................... 1985

Michelson Laboratories Inc .................... 273

Middleby Food Processing .............. 1685

Midland Transport ................................. 1368

Midwest Machine LLC.............................. 488

Modular Industrial Computers ........... 2181

MRBraz & Associates .......................... 1970

Multivac Inc ........................................... 2365

Murre Technologies B.V. ....................... 2165

Nantong Sinrofreeze Equipment Co.,Ltd 489

Nantong Worldbase Imp. & Exp. Co.,Ltd. 1885

National Fisherman 1367

NetYield 1667

New England Cold Storage, LLC 981

Nilkamal Limited 2084

Ningbo Nelgreen Outdoor Products Co.,Ltd 1275

Ningbo Wanma Plastics Co., Ltd 372

NOAA Fisheries Service 181

Northrock Industries Inc 1681

Nothum Food Processing Systems ...................................................... 565

NUERA Logistics inc .............................. 1087

Ocean Perfect ......................................... 1370

OK International ........................................ 667

One Source Risk Management & Funding 265

Oxyguard International A/S 2072

Pack3000 1581

Packaging Products Corp. div of Pacific Packaging 465

Palinox Ingenieria y Proyectos Sl 586

PennPac Flexible Packaging Films 687

Pisces Fish Machinery 2264

Point Five Packaging, LLC 571

Polarplas India Pvt Ltd 1086

PolyConversions Inc. ................................ 390

PowerBlast Canada................................ 2188

Prawnto Shrimp Machine Co. 685

Prayon 1670

Prospection Solutions 675

Registrar Corp 1990

REICH Thermoprozesstechnik GmbH 1781

REISER 1065

RLS Logistics 672

Rotogal, S.L. 1789

Royal 4 Systems 184

Ryco Equipment Inc .............................. 1167

S & W Wilson .............................................. 765

Saeplast Americas 1281

SCHC 387

Schmalz, Inc 1375

ScottPec Inc. 1775

SCS Global Services 270

Seaboard Marine 381

Seafax Inc.................................................... 265

Seafood Processing North America 2053

Seattle Marine & Fishing Supply Co 1589

Seawise Innovative Packaging 480

Secure Energy Solutions 2475

Sesotec, Inc................................................. 487

Shingi Co Ltd ........................................... 1286

ShrimpWorks by Nova-Tech Engineering................................................ 575

Silikal America ........................................ 2174

SilverPack LLC 1484

Simmons Knife & Saw 473

SGS 188

Southeast Packaging and Solutions 2271

Southwest Airlines Cargo 1181

Spartan Chemical Co., Inc. 2071

Specialty Food Processing Equipment LLC 1481

Square Technology Group Co. LTD. 281

STEEN F.P.M International N.V. 272

Stock68 1488

Strapack Inc 1981

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) 1075

System Square Inc. 675

TAP Air Cargo 2477

Tassitech Solutions Generator Inc 386

Techik Instrument (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. 875

Techminds Group, LLC 1991

Technology Container Corp.

ZGroup

KEYNOTE

Economist and best-selling author Dr. Nomi Prins to headline 2025 conference program as keynote speaker

BY MADDIE KEARNS

Dr. Nomi Prins

Macro-economist, geopolitical financial expert, best-selling author, and founder of Prinsights Global

SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2025

Riding The Waves: Navigating Economic, Energy, And Trade Policies Impacting The Seafood Industry In 2025

11:15AM - 12:15PM

ROOM: 153CB

The 2025 Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. from 16 to 18 March, 2025, will feature macro-economist, geopolitical finance expert, and best-selling author Nomi Prins as the keynote speaker.

Prins will give an economic outlook for the seafood industry in her address, titled “Riding the Waves: Navigating Economic, Energy, and Trade Policies Impacting the Seafood Industry in 2025.” Additionally, she’ll provide a tailored discussion on a number of key topics, including the impacts of tariff policies/ regulations on North American and global supply chains, energy prices, artificial intelligence (AI), traceability, sustainability, and more.

Exhibitors and attendees at the leading event for the North American seafood market will be privy to Prins’ financial perspective, informed by her extensive experience on Wall Street and beyond. Her career bona fides include time spent as managing director at Goldman Sachs, senior managing director at Bear Stearns in London, strategist at Lehman Brothers, and analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank.

“Dr. Prins’ background as a Wall Street executive and successful author with a deep knowledge of finance, economics, and politics makes her a great addition to our event as keynote speaker,” Wyner Courmont, vice president of seafood for Diversified, the organizer of SENA/SPNA, said. “Dr. Prins is highly effective in tailoring her discussions for diverse audiences, and we are thrilled to have her unique viewpoint on the complex topics impacting the seafood industry.”

Author of seven books, including “Collusion,” “All the Presidents’ Bankers,” and “Permanent Distortion,” Prins’ writings and articles have been featured in

Fortune, Forbes, the Guardian, the New York Times, and the Nation. Furthermore, she is a regular guest on national media outlets – CNBC, C-SPAN, BBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg among them – and has lent her expertise to multiple U.S. government entities, including as an expert witness to the U.S. Senate and as an advisor to government officials on matters related to finance, economics, banking and infrastructure, and energy development.

A board member of rare earth elements mining company Meteoric Resources, Prins sits on the advisory boards for the National Infrastructure Bank as well as Ethical Markets. She received her B.S. in math from SUNY, M.S. in statistics and operations research from New York University, and PhD in international strategic studies with an international political economy specialization from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

The 2025 keynote from Prins kicks off a comprehensive conference program featuring more than 30 sessions covering a range of timely industry topics, including aquaculture, AI, consumer trends, sustainability, food safety and compliance, business strategies, traceability, and more. Explore the array of 2025 conference offerings in the pages ahead.

KEYNOTE IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL BADGE HOLDERS

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

* FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, INCLUDING PANELIST UPDATES & MORE!

SUNDAY, 16 MARCH, 2025

11:15am - 12:15pm Room 153CB

KEYNOTE

Riding the Waves: Navigating Economic, Energy, and Trade Policies Impacting the Seafood Industry in 2025

Nomi Prins, PhD Macro-economist, geopolitical financial expert, best-selling author, and founder of

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL BADGE HOLDERS

The global seafood market is poised to grow considerably over the remainder of the decade, with the U.S. market playing a key role in that expansion.

The U.S. is one of the world’s largest importers of fish and fisheries products, importing about 80 percent of seafood eaten, with aquaculture producing more than half of that. A primary factor driving this expansion is the increasing demand for high-protein food and the growing health, environment, and sustainability consciousness of consumers and upstream businesses.

That’s the short story. The longer story is more complex.

New tariff policies and shifting regulations could impact the North American and global supply chain, as could fluctuations in energy prices, sustainability and traceability requirements, and overall consumer finances. Furthermore, the industry will be affected by the economic outlook, technological and AI advances, investment choices, regional conflicts, and geopolitics.

None of these elements exist in a vacuum. In my keynote, I will connect these dots and discuss how the interdependence of the challenges and opportunities these factors present drives overall profitability and growth of the seafood industry.

CONFERENCE TRACKS

Conference sessions, unless otherwise noted, require a conference registration. If you wish to upgrade your badge to include conference sessions, you can do so at the registration desk (Room 154).

12:30pm - 2:00pm

Free and Open to All: Demystifying Human Rights Due Diligence in Seafood Supply Chains

Moderator: Adriana Sanchez, Seafood Ninja Panelists: Peter Adame, Lusamerica Foods Inc.; Kelley K. Bell, FishWise; Renee Perry, Culimer USA Room 156A

This panel and roundtable will explore practical solutions for addressing human rights due diligence (HRDD) in seafood supply chains. Industry experts will share actionable insights on implementing effective HRDD practices, overcoming challenges, and fostering collaboration to combat issues like forced labor and poor working conditions. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the business benefits and the industry’s role in driving ethical and sustainable practices.

12:45pm - 1:30pm

Seafood Trends and Innovation

Speaker: Sam Biljan-McElheny, Datassential Room 153CB

Using Datassential’s insights, Biljan-McElheny will cover macro industry and consumer trends toward eating, dining out, and more, investigating what factors make seafood items a chain-level mainstream success by looking at LTO performance. The session will also look at what’s trending on seafood menus and where seafood is growing overall. It will also walk through how to blend old trends with new ones to create excitement and boost appeal.

Prinsights Global

12:45pm - 1:30pm

Workshop: Promoting Gender Equity in the Seafood Industry: Unveiling the Gender Equity Index Tool

Moderator: Becca Williams, SAGE

Panelists: Crystal Alvarado-Rodriguez, The Justice Collective; Ellie Tumbuan, The Justice Collective Room 153A

While 50 percent of the global seafood workforce is women, women and genderqueer people are significantly underrepresented in management and decision-making roles. Further, women and genderqueer people’s contributions to the sector are often ignored, unseen, and unacknowledged. Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) promotes gender equality in the global seafood sector, leading to a more resilient industry, thriving communities, and abundant resources for future generations. Building on the key takeaways from SAGE’s pilot Gender Equality Dialogues (GED) program, which promotes equality in the sector by co-creating a place for industry leaders to develop actionable gender equality commitments, SAGE has expanded its programmatic offerings to include tailored gender consultations and assessments for sustainable seafood companies and nonprofits. SAGE has collaborated with The Justice Collective (TJC), a social impact consulting firm, to create a Gender Equity Index Tool, enabling businesses and industry stakeholders to diagnose and better understand key equity opportunities to improve business and sustainability outcomes. In this workshop, SAGE and TJC will present the Gender Equity Index Tool and guide participants through an abridged version of the tool to understand challenges and opportunities within their own company or organization.

12:45pm - 1:30pm

The Demise of the Chevron Doctrine and the Legal Implications for Fisheries and Aquaculture

Speakers: Robert Smith, K&L Gates LLP; Tim Hobbs, K&L Gates LLP Room 152

The Supreme Court decided two landmark cases in its last term, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Corner Post, Inc. v. Board of Governors, that fundamentally alter how courts will consider regulatory rulemaking and challenges to administrative rules and regulations. This presentation will consider the legal and practical implications of these decisions and how the fisheries and aquaculture industry should be prepared to respond accordingly.

2:00pm -2:45pm

Seafood Trends and the Impact on Consumer Purchase Behavior

Speakers: Cara Ammon, Category Partners; Julie DeWolf, Category Partners Room 152

Higher prices, a move toward healthier eating, and the desire for convenience are just some of the factors impacting the way consumers shop for groceries, and that includes seafood. Category Partners (CP) will analyze seafood sales data and conduct an online consumer survey to determine trends in the U.S. seafood market. CP will focus on sales trends and consumers’ perceptions about seafood, including purchase barriers and motivators. CP will also look at recent trends in the areas of branding, convenience, sustainability, fresh versus frozen seafood, and fresh versus wild caught.

2:00pm -2:45pm

Can AI Automate and Improve Quality and Food Safety Inspection in Seafood?

Speaker: Eric Enno Tamm, ThisFish Inc. Room 153A

There is a lot of visual inspection for quality and food safety in the seafood industry. Whether its raw material, finished product, packaging, or labelling, visual inspection happens throughout the supply chain. Inspection is typically done through random sampling using human sensory evaluation. It’s labor intensive and open to human bias and error. Does AI – especially machine or computer vision technology –offer a solution to automate, standardize, and improve quality and food safety inspection? This session will present an overview of how AI works and the type of computer vision technology that is being used for visual inspection in seafood today. Case studies will be presented for different applications including fresh, canned, frozen, and packaged seafood products. The panel will then deal with the following questions, including questions from the audience: Since quality inspection can be very subjective, can AI help to standardize quality grades and how will the industry manage this standardization? Can AI help reduce labor costs and improve the quality of inspection? What are the ethical and legal implications of having machines replace humans in quality inspection? What are the implications for data sharing with customers and suppliers? Who governs standardization?

2:00pm -3:00pm

NOAA Fisheries Update 2025: Implementing the National Seafood Strategy

Moderator: Kate Naughten, NOAA Fisheries

Panelists: Danielle Blacklock, NOAA; Alexa Cole, NOAA Fisheries; Emily Menashes, NOAA Fisheries Room 153CB

For more than five years, NOAA Fisheries has worked closely with fishing and seafood communities to develop the National Seafood Strategy and Implementation Plan. Our shared goals include expanding domestic seafood supply, fostering access to domestic and global markets for U.S. products, and modernizing policies and infrastructure to strengthen the entire U.S. seafood industry. The implementation plan, released last October and based on abundant public input, outlines

actions we can take to enhance industry resilience and competitiveness. During this session, agency leadership will share updates on implementation thus far and discuss plans for the coming year.

2:30 PM – 3:45 PM

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL: Navigating Latin America’s Seafood Landscape: Challenges, Opportunities, and Sustainable Growth

Moderator: Meaghan Hudgins, Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions

Panelists: OB Bera, Beacon Fisheries, Inc.; Roy van Daatselaar, Aquaculture Stewardship Council ; Citlali Gomez Lepe, Comepesca; Daniel Montoya, Blumar; Ivan Martinez Tovar, Ocean Outcomes Room 156A

Multistakeholder conversation on the evolving seafood industry in Latin America, highlighting the key initiatives, challenges, and opportunities that shape the region’s business landscape. A must-attend session for stakeholders aiming to navigate Latin America’s unique market dynamics and capitalize on its potential for sustainable production and growth.

3:00pm - 3:45pm

Growing Seafood’s ‘Share of Stomach’

Speakers: Claire Morgan, LEK; Anshul Gupta, LEK Room 152

Seafood remains a relatively limited portion of consumers’ share of protein, and recent pricing dynamics have exacerbated challenges in seafood products gaining share over traditional protein sources. This session will discuss how to navigate these trends in today’s landscape and discuss winning consumer-first strategies despite these headwinds. The three themes of focus are as follows:

1. Delivering value in a high-price environment

2. Capturing whitespace in a fragmented industry

3. Breaking through with product and health claims

3:00pm - 4:00pm

Collaborating for Solutions

Moderator: Chris Chase, SeafoodSource

Panelists: Adrianne Laird, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation in Australia; Ivan Lopez, Spanish Confederation of Fisheries; Lisa Wallenda Picard, NFI Room 153A

The global fishing industry faces a variety of challenges tied to the health of ocean ecosystems. Numerous initiatives are underway to address these issues, though some stakeholders pursue goals that may conflict with the interest of the fishing sector. Through the International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA), the fishing industry is increasingly

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

collaborating with governments to safeguard shared objectives. Sustainably harvested fish and seafood are key players in solutions that promote food security, preserve biodiversity, and combat climate change. Join industry leaders to hear their insights on these critical topics and how they are working together to advance the industry’s future. ICFA represents the global fishing industry, advocating for sustainable fisheries and responsible ocean management. Its purpose is to collaborate with governments and stakeholders to protect industry interests, promote food security, and support environmental sustainability. There are 24 members across six continents.

3:15pm - 4:15pm

Customs and FDA Enforcement: Challenges for Imports in 2025

Speakers: Benjamin England, FDAImports.com; Jessica Rifkin, Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC Room 153CB

The session will explore the latest trends in FDA’s and Customs’ regulation of seafood processors, importers, and imported seafood shipments. Learn more about CBP’s targeting of foreign seafood industry in their

MONDAY, 17 MARCH, 2025

9:15am - 10:00am

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION : HPP Solutions: A Technical Guide to Market Ready-To-Eat Seafood Products

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

With increasing regulatory pressures, shifting market expectations, and growing consumer demand for sustainability, the next five years will be critical. This session will explore how industry players are driving fair labor practices, harvest strategies, compliance, and traceability – and what your business needs to do to stay ahead.

The event will open with a brief strategic overview from GTA Executive Director Daniel Suddaby, followed by short presentations and a dynamic panel discussion featuring leading industry voices, GTA members, and advocacy experts. The conversation will dive into emerging trends, market-driven solutions, and actionable strategies to secure the long-term health of global tuna fisheries. Before wrapping up, attendees will have the chance to engage in an interactive Q&A session, gaining exclusive insights into GTA’s approach to tackling key challenges in fisheries management and global supply chains.

Don’t miss this opportunity to shape the future of sustainable tuna and gain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving industry.

10:15am - 11:15am

Riding the Rate’s Curve: Seafood Company Financing and M&A

Moderator: Ignacio Kleiman, Antarctica Advisors

Panelists: Jason Brantley, Bank of America; Jonathan Logan, Proterra Investment Partners; Michael Richard, Wells Fargo Room 153CB

A panel of experienced commercial banking, M&A, and private equity professionals will provide attending seafood industry participants with an updated insight into aspects of the economy’s volatility and how it will affect financing and M&A activity in the sector.

10:15am - 11:15am

SIMP 2.0 is DASHing Forward (Digitize, Analyze, Standardize and Harmonize) –What’s in Store for Traceability-Based Import Control Programs Across the Global Seafood Supply Chain

Moderator: Sally Yozell, The Stimson Center Panelists: Alexa Cole, NOAA Fisheries; Sara Lewis, FishWise: Traci Linder, Bumble Bee Foods; Thomas Walsh, IUU Fishing EU Coalition Room 153A

In November 2023, NOAA Fisheries withdrew its proposed rule revising the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) and started a comprehensive review. To “reimagine” the future of SIMP and help define a pathway forward for an efficient and effective seafood traceability-based import control program, the Stimson Center and FishWise co-hosted a series of workshops to crowd source expert ideas and innovations. Attended by representatives from the U.S. Government (seven federal agencies), fishing industry, technology providers, importers, civil society, and the European Union, several

major themes emerged to improve SIMP. This session will review the key ideas surrounding SIMP 2.0 including: risk targeting and predictive analytics, DASHing forward (Digitize, Analyze, Standardize, and Harmonize), key data elements, and the potential for an EU-SIMP hybrid import control model. It will also highlight NOAA Fisheries latest activities on import controls, the regulatory landscape, its new Global Seafood Data System, and other actions being taken to prevent IUU and fraudulent fish from entering the U.S. market. In November 2024, NOAA Fisheries issued a new SIMP Action Plan outlining future actions deigned to make SIMP more efficient and effective. Discussion will also focus on trends across the seafood industry and with international governments as actors working to align and combat IUU fishing, seafood fraud, and forced labor in the global seafood supply chain.

10:15am - 11:15am

Myth Busting FSMA 204, SIMP+ and the Pathway to Interoperability with the GDST

Moderator: Huw Thomas, Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability

Panelists: Jayson Berryhill, Wholechain; Heath England, Trace Register; Kevin Edwards, Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability; Keith Flett, Fishin Co; Margaret Malkoski, NFI Room 152

The Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) and the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Section 204 traceability rule are both critical regulatory frameworks aimed at enhancing traceability and safety of seafood [in the United States]. However, they serve distinct purposes and are often conflated due to their overlapping goals of ensuring seafood integrity and safety.

Data collection, electronic reporting, recordkeeping and compliance and verification are core requirements. We will examine how standardization and enhanced traceability supports this conflation, and through interoperability yields cost reduction and greater efficiency.

Operationally, we will explain how the relationship between GS1 source lot codes and the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability (GDST) standards is integral to achieving end-to-end digital data collection, sharing and traceability in the seafood supply chain. Our partners will reveal how the integration of GS1 and GDST standards helps businesses comply with various regulatory requirements, such as the SIMP and FSMA Section 204 traceability rule. This ensures that seafood products are traceable, safe and legally sourced.

A key takeaway is how the GDST verified-capable solutions model is designed to ensure interoperability in food traceability systems, particularly within the seafood and fishmeal/ fish oil industry. Our panelists from software solution providers and users will share exactly how this works - how different traceability systems can seamlessly exchange and interpret data, reducing errors, enhancing efficiency in the supply chain and eliminating cost of paying for multiple platform access. We explain why this interoperable business model is essential for both seafood sellers and buyers.

Finally we will provide examples to address how global standardization promotes a common language for traceability, facilitating international trade and collaboration.

11:30am - 12:30pm

The U.S. Sushi Market—Presented by the NFI Sushi Council

Moderator: Richard Barry, NFI

Panelists: Michael McNicholas, Culimer USA; Jeffery Seiler, Advanced Fresh Concepts Corp. Room 153A

Sushi is a vehicle for seafood consumption. As both a luxury restaurant preparation and an everyday grab-andgo retail item, the seafood-centric cuisine has evolved to meet a spectrum of consumer needs appealing to flavor, health, and convenience trends. Circana reports sushi retail sales volume has grown 43 percent since 2019, with USD 2.4 billion (EUR 2.2 billion) in 2023 sales. While overall sales support an expanding category, welldefined and widely available sushi market intelligence remains scant. A SENA panel of supply chain experts from the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) Sushi Council will discuss the major trends moving the U.S. sushi market forward, presented with key data points. Founded in 2024, the NFI Sushi Council is a pre-competitive collaboration that endorses best practices for supplying and serving sushi and sashimi products. A year into its mission, the council includes 30 members spanning the harvester, distributor, and end-user sectors. During the panel session, leading sushi stakeholders will discuss the consumer behaviors driving sushi consumption, how to maintain a robust and quality supply chain, establishing an industry consensus on “sushi and sashimi grade,” and opportunities for the broader seafood industry to capitalize on the sushi boom.

11:30am- 12:30pm

Supermarket Seafood Is Broken. How To Fix It

Moderator: Phil Walsh, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

Panelists: Chuck Anderson, Certified Quality Foods; Dr. Daniel Benetti, University of Miami; David Navarro, Patagonia Sea Farms Room 153CB

Retail seafood is experiencing double-digit negative sales trends from levels that were disappointing to begin with. Attempts at mitigation, including enhanced valueadded programs, deep discounting, and hybrid seafood cases have proven unsuccessful. National supermarket seafood sales continue to average less than 2 percent of total store sales while meat departments average ten times that. It’s broken. Root causes will be identified and paired with the corrective actions necessary to make supermarket seafood successful. While the discussion will be frank and even displeasing to some, nothing will change without a willingness to put sunlight on the longstanding practices and protocols national supermarket chains operate under.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

11:30am - 12:30pm

Seafood Industry-led Efforts to Address the Deadliest Form of Marine Plastic Debris

Moderator: Sara Pfeifer, Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI)/ Ocean Conservancy

Panelists: Dominique Gautier, Sea Farms; Matt Hall, StarKist; Traci Linder, Bumble Bee Foods Room 152

Marine plastic pollution often conjures the image of bags, straws, or other single-use packaging items floating aimlessly in the aquatic environment or sullying otherwise beautiful beaches, and in response, seafood brands are making earnest commitments around managing their plastic footprint. However, with recent data revealing that 70 to 86 percent of floating microplastic debris in the ocean gyres is comprised of lost, abandoned, or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) or “ghost gear,” it is increasingly evident that ghost gear presents a tremendous opportunity for impact in the realm of plastics management. Lost fishing gear is the deadliest form of marine plastic pollution; lost gear –including from both wild capture fisheries as well as aquaculture operations – can result in the depletion of up to 30 percent of harvestable fish stocks annually. The Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) is the world’s premier cross-stakeholder alliance dedicated to the issue of ghost gear. In the last year, we’ve seen tremendous momentum from our industry member base, including a wave of commitments centered around preventing gear loss in those fisheries and farming operations from which their seafood is sourced. This panel discussion will bring together GGGI members, including companies along the seafood value chain, to present their unique approaches to identifying and preventing gear loss. Specifically, the session will be comprised of a panel discussion with GGGI member industry leaders – including representatives from StarKist, Bumble Bee Foods, Sea Farms, and more –who will highlight their meaningful progress on the issue of ghost gear. During the panel, panelists will take turns describing the steps their company is taking to establish multi-year ghost gear action plans in concert with their seafood sustainability and plastics commitments, and collaborate to develop industry-led solutions. Following the panel discussion, we will invite audience members to direct questions to their seafood industry colleagues.

11:30am - 1:30pm

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL: Charting a Course to Sustainable Indonesian Tuna

Speakers: Yanti Djuari, Indonesian Pole & Line and Handline Fisheries Association (AP2HI); Achmad Ghadzali, Indonesia Purse Seine Association (APSI); Timothy Moore, Indonesia Tuna Consortium, Resonance; Blane Olson, NusaTuna; Daniel Suddaby, Global Tuna Alliance Room 156A

SENA attendees interested in learning more about Indonesian tuna are invited to a lunch and panel discussion. Indonesia is one of the largest tuna suppliers to the U.S. market, with fisheries spanning

the archipelago from the Pacific to the Indian Oceans and ranging from artisanal to commercial operations. These fisheries play a crucial role in Indonesia’s economy, supporting employment, food security, and local communities. However, safeguarding these resources requires collaboration among local and global stakeholders.

This session will feature leading Indonesian government and industry representatives, focusing on sustainability initiatives, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification strategies, and fishery improvement projects (FIPs) across various gear types and regions. Discussions will also address innovative solutions for small-scale fishers on remote islands, advancements in industrial fleet sustainability, and the critical role of certification in securing access to markets like the U.S.

The Indonesian government will highlight opportunities to enhance U.S.-Indonesia collaboration, emphasizing how partnerships can align global sustainability goals with local community and industry needs. Join us to explore Indonesia’s sustainable tuna journey and discover opportunities for engagement.

12:45pm - 1:45pm

Seafood Regulatory Update by U.S. Customs and FDA

Moderator: Peter Quinter, Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. Panelists: Robert Barcelo, Port Everglades, FL; John Keeler, Blue Star Foods; Sergio Lozano, Alpha Brokers Corp.; Troy Turkin, Supreme Crab & Seafood Room 153CB

The sourcing, importation, and distribution of seafood in the United States is regulated principally by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Providing timely and accurate information to both Federal agencies is critical in avoiding delays, examinations, and penalties for non-compliance. This session by experts in customs clearance and seafood law, an experienced seafood importer, and a management representatives from the FDA, will inform suppliers, transportation and logistics companies, and importers of their legal obligations as well as practical procedures to expedite the entry and clearance of seafood in the United States.

12:45pm - 1:45pm

The Economics of Sustainability and Responsibility in Seafood. What is the Cost of Improvement? Who Pays?

Moderator: Richard Stavis, Stavis Consulting Panelists: Michelle Bertizhoff-Law, FishWise; Renee Perry, Culinary Collaborations; Rob Snyder, Acme Smoked Fish Room 152

Seafood, especially commodity based, is a low margin business. Historically, the path to success has been effective cost control, eliminating unnecessary costs, and containing the rest as much as possible. That said,

we are all learning of the importance of responsibility in sourcing. How can you become responsible and remain profitable? Decisions to adopt responsible sourcing practices can be expensive. There are costs to becoming certified chain of custody, and certified product is often more expensive than conventional. Supplier audits add significant expense as well. Do you want to become part of a fishery or aquaculture improvement project (FIP or AIP)? There are annual or per-pound costs to participate. Companies looking to provide traceable data pay fees to service providers, to develop software for the task, or both. Even acquiring the expertise necessary from consultants or NGO partners can add up. Additionally, complying with a policy once adopted can require a company to make difficult decisions that can impact profitability. Will you source from a fishery that doesn’t meet sustainability requirements? What happens if traceability data is not available for a key product? If you need to change suppliers based on lack of capability or compliance, will the new ones be as reliable and cost effective? Are there paths, such as grants and supplier contracts with customers, that will allow you to defray the costs of adoption of new policies? Having a responsible sourcing policy can open the door to new customers allowing you to grow your business. Will this raise enough revenue to pay for policy adoption? Join us as our panel of a key retailer, a large wholesale distributor, a supplier, and (potentially) an NGO representative discuss this vital topic.

1:00pm - 1:45pm

FREE SPONSORED PRESENTATION : The Seafood Crystal Ball: Where Science Meets Markets | SPONSORED BY EXPANA

Speaker: Angel Rubio, Economist Room: 155

Our innovative forecasting service transforms complex seafood market data into actionable intelligence. By integrating fundamental analysis, macroeconomic indicators, and technical analysis, we deliver precise and comprehensive price predictions for seafood commodities. Our shrimp forecast combines production metrics, global trade flows, cost dynamics, and seasonality with sophisticated econometric modeling to identify market opportunities and risks. This threetiered analysis - fundamental, macro, and technical - provides you with a complete market perspective, empowering you to make confident decisions in an increasingly volatile seafood market.

2:00pm - 3:00pm

Power of Seafood 2025

Moderator: Rick Stein, FMI

Speakers: Steve Markenson, FMI; Christine Ngo - H&N; Guy Pizutti, Publix; Jason Pride, Hy-vee Room 153CB

For the fifth year, we will present the results of FMI’s annual survey on seafood. Learn why consumers are

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

shopping seafood, what their preferences are, and how their behaviors have changed. We will compare their answers against data collected from Circana and describe the insights of seafood at retail.

2:00pm - 3:00pm

Reforming Farmed Shrimp: Pathways to Ethical Production

Moderator: Jarrett Basedow, Department of Labor

Panelists: Allie Brudney, Corporate Accountability Lab; Dr. Katrina Kucey-Nakamura, Sustainability Incubator; Dr. Kharisma Nugroho, Indonesian Alliance for Policy Research Room 153A

Shrimp is one of the most consumed seafoods globally. Yet recent high-profile reports of labor and environmental abuses in major shrimp-supplying countries are shaping negative public perceptions and driving policy proposals. In March 2024, Corporate Accountability Lab published a report on the Indian shrimp supply chain, documenting systemic exploitative labor practices and environmental harm. That same month, the Associated Press and the Outlaw Ocean reported on similar issues. The high-profile India investigations were followed by the Sustainability Incubator’s report on labor exploitation in Vietnam, one of the shrimp industry’s most technologically advanced and efficient producers. Most recently, three non-government research organizations found labor and human rights abuses in Indonesia’s shrimp industry. Together, these three countries produce about 70 percent of the shrimp supplying the world’s top four shrimp markets: U.S., U.K., E.U., and Japan. As the global shrimp aquaculture industry faces mounting scrutiny and pressure to reform, this panel offers a timely, solutions-driven dialogue between the reports’ authors. Focusing on the voices of workers across the supply chain – from hatcheries and shrimp farms to processing facilities – the panel will offer a comprehensive analysis of the most pressing issues and propose actionable pathways for industry leaders.

2:00pm - 3:00pm

Navigating Human Rights Due Diligence in Seafood Procurement: Challenges, Best Practices, and Next Steps

Moderator: Ashley Aarons, Oxfam U.S.

Speakers: Kelley Bell, Fishwise; Corey Peet, Aquastar Room 152

Conducting appropriate human rights due diligence in seafood procurement is now a requirement for seafood buyers, no matter if they source close to home or from the other side of the planet. Adopting human rights due diligence into procurement presents challenges and there are few examples of success to learn from in this rapidly evolving field. This panel will explore emerging best practices, challenges, and lessons from seafood buyers that have been or are planning to bring human rights due diligence into

their procurement processes. Oxfam will share insights from a new report that reviewed practices of leading businesses, within the seafood sector and beyond. This highly interactive session will ask panelists to share their experiences to date and to share their next steps and insights for the sector to bring human rights into seafood procurement.

2:00pm - 3:00pm

The Power of Authentic Storytelling in Seafood Marketing

Dennis Prescott, New Brunswick - Deliciously Canadian Room 155

This session will explore how authentic storytelling, grounded in the rich traditions and sustainable practices of regions like New Brunswick, can be a powerful tool in seafood marketing. Dennis Prescott, a renowned chef and social media influencer, will share insights from his role as a brand ambassador for New Brunswick - Deliciously Canadian. The session will dive into how combining culinary expertise with compelling narratives from the people behind the seafood industry can resonate with consumers and drive engagement. Key topics include the role of authenticity in modern seafood marketing and how genuine stories about the people, places, and processes behind seafood can build trust and brand loyalty; leveraging social media for consumer engagement, including strategies for using platforms like Instagram to showcase seafood’s journey from ocean to table; the New Brunswick - Deliciously Canadian case study, involving a deep dive into how Prescott’s brand ambassadorship has helped elevate New Brunswick seafood in global markets; as well as sustainability and traceability, via highlighting the importance of these aspects in consumer decisionmaking and how they are communicated effectively through storytelling. This session offers actionable insights on how to engage today’s informed and conscientious consumers. Prescott is a celebrated Canadian chef, TV host, and cookbook author. A former musician-turned-chef, Prescott has enjoyed a long career in the food industry from working in restaurants, pop-ups, and private catering to writing a column for Food & Wine. His experience teaching numerous communities how to cook and a love for travelling led him to co-host Netflix’s series Restaurants on the Edge.

3:15pm - 4:15pm

Fall in Love with Seafood: Driving Consumer Behavior Change and Seafood Sales

Moderator: Sarah Crowley, SNP

Panelists: Linda Cornish, SNP; Ciera Womack, Rich Products Corporation; Andrew Zimmern, Food Works Inc Room 153A

Presented by Seafood Nutrition Partnership (SNP) Marketing Vice President Sarah Crowley, with a panel discussion moderated by SNP President and Founder Linda Cornish involving a cross-section of seafood industry leaders, this session will provide insights from multiple perspectives on the impact of the Fall in Love

with Seafood national seafood promotion campaign. The panel will address the strategy and logistics of launching ‘Fall in Love with Seafood’ at retail, and answer questions such as: How to promote the full breadth and depth of seafood offerings? How to move consumers down the purchase path? How to craft a communication strategy that is relevant and engages consumers? How to break through the social and digital clutter? What channels and media are most effective? How to measure success? The session will also give a FOOD Service Pilot campaign overview.

3:15pm - 4:15pm

FDA’s FSMA 204 - Crossing the Finish Line

Speakers: Lisa Weddig, National Fisheries Institute; Margaret Malkoski, National Fisheries Institute Room 153CB

20 January, 2026, is almost here. That is the compliance date for the new Food Traceability Rule developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Mandated by section 204 of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), this new traceability rule will have a major impact on the entire seafood supply chain. The new Food Traceability Rule will require seafood companies, both in the U.S. and abroad, to do five things: Develop and implement a food traceability plan; maintain records of Key Data Elements (KDE) associated with the applicable Critical Tracking Events (CTE); pass forward certain KDEs when shipping products; use a Traceability Lot Code to link CTEs; and maintain and provide records to DA when requested. As a follow-up to last year’s popular session – The 411 on FDA FSMA 204 – this session will help you cross the compliance finish line by addressing lingering questions about the regulation. 20 January, 2026; will you be ready?

3:15pm - 4:15pm

Next Generation Seafood Entrepreneurs

Moderator: Joseph Wyatt, Bensboyz Premium Food

Panelists: Ashley Armstrong, Forsyth Seafood Carl; Torrence, Bensboyz Premium Food Room 155

Diversity in the seafood industry is not just about different types of fish – it also encompasses a variety of products and the people who create and deliver them. In this engaging presentation, we will explore how embracing diverse products can significantly impact the bottom line of seafood businesses. Additionally, we will delve into the importance of cultivating a diverse workforce and how it contributes to creating well-rounded deliverables that can set companies apart in a competitive market.

Key Points:

1. Diversity in products: Discuss how offering a wide range of seafood products can attract a broader customer base, increase sales, and enhance brand reputation.

2. Economic benefits: Explore case studies and statistics showing how diversity in product offerings can lead to improved financial performance and sustainable growth for seafood businesses.

3. Importance of a diverse workforce: Highlight the advantages of having a diverse team in the seafood industry, including fostering innovation, understanding diverse customer needs, and improving decision-making processes.

4. Creating well-rounded deliverables: Illustrate how a diverse staff can bring unique perspectives, skills, and experiences to the table, resulting in more creative solutions, better customer service, and overall enhanced company performance.

The audience will come away with insights into the economic advantages of diversity in product offerings; strategies for leveraging diversity to boost the bottom line of seafood businesses; and an understanding of the significance of fostering diversity within the workforce and its impact on company success.

3:15pm - 4:15pm

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Navigating Supplier Relationships in the Seafood Sector in Response to Labor Abuses

Moderator: Zacari Edwards, Global Labor Justice (GLJ Panelists: Cyrus Donato, ITF; Dr. Jessica Sparks; Silwanus Tangkotta, Forum Silaturahmi Pelaut Indonesia (FOSPI); Georgia Worral, SEAAlliance; Anne Zollner, ILAB Room 152

Seafood is a high-risk sector for labor abuse, and navigating supplier relationships in the global seafood

TUESDAY, 18 MARCH, 2025

10:00am - 11:00am

Launching Science Based Targets for Seafood: A Tool for Industry

Moderator: Taylor Witkin, Conservation International Panelists: Jill Swasey, ASC; Alice Thomas-Smyth, WWF; Klaas de Vos, Ocean Fox Advisory Room 153CB

The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) Ocean Hub, co-led by WWF and Conservation International, is thrilled to launch Version 1 of Science Based-Targets for Seafood Value Chains at Seafood Expo North America and Seafood Expo Global. SBTN methodology is a new tool that supports the seafood industry’s journey to create and meet robust environmental responsibility targets. By empowering businesses to operate within Earth’s limits while meeting society’s needs, sciencebased targets give companies a clear pathway to competitiveness and resilience, using science to define their role in protecting and restoring nature and biodiversity while creating consistency across corporate commitments. This session will involve a panel discussion and Q&A session exploring how companies can leverage this new guidance to drive positive environmental impact, mitigate supply chain risks, and unlock new opportunities within their seafood systems. We’ll hear about the experiences of companies that participated in SBTNs’ pilot of the methodology and highlight key benefits of targetsetting, reinforcing that SBTN is closing critical gaps in corporate sustainability by: increasing ambition and action on nature that is backed by science; providing credibility and a common language to advance engagement with stakeholders; and acting as a trusted compass for companies to implement effective solutions. This methodology covers wild capture and farmed seafood, and includes several key drivers of nature and biodiversity loss:

• Target 1: Avoid and Reduce Overexploitation

• Target 2: Protect Structural Marine Habitats

• Target 3: Reduce Risks to Endangered, Threatened, and Protected Marine Wildlife Populations

11:30am- 12:30pm

The Future of Aquaculture is Now: Seafood Sustainability and Stewardship Legends

Share Their Visions, Predictions, and a New Roadmap for the Sector

Moderator: Kathryn Novak, SFP

Panelists: Jim Cannon, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP); Chris Ninnes, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Room 153CB

Join longtime seafood leaders Chris Ninnes (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) and Jim Cannon (Sustainable Fisheries Partnership) for an interactive dialogue about the future of aquaculture, how the industry can drive more responsible production, and the role of certification programs in advancing these priorities. Global seafood buyers and retailers have wide-ranging commitments, including delivering on ESG requirements, due diligence legislation, and nature and climate change goals. Rapidly increasing interest in aquaculture by international organizations and development agencies also mandate the need for an effective framework for responsible aquaculture. Focusing on farmed shrimp in India, Cannon and Ninnes will share their vision of a new participatory, multisectoral roadmap for aquaculture that will: improve productivity and produce large volumes of responsibly farmed shrimp; protect and restore natural resource systems; promote equity and inclusion, particularly for small-scale farmers and women; and address the effects and impacts of climate change. They will end with insights into what inspires and drives them and offer their wit and creativity in answering the Pivot “Seafood” Questionnaire.

industry requires careful consideration. While most companies prefer to disengage from suppliers when labor issues occur, there is clear guidance on when companies should disengage from suppliers versus invest in remediation. Using Taiwan’s distant water fishery and the United Kingdom fishery as case studies, this panel will explore strategies for effectively engaging with business partners to address and mitigate adverse impacts, emphasizing the importance of leveraging influence over suppliers to ensure ethical sourcing and effective remediation for workers. Speakers will discuss the complexities of maintaining supplier relationships and will offer practical advice on making informed decisions about disengagement, compliance, and fostering long-term partnerships that prioritize worker rights.

11:30am- 12:30pm

The Seafood Supply Web: How Workforce Development, Infrastructure Resilience and Waterfront Access Can Ensure a Future for U.S. Seafood

Moderator: Brett Veerhusen, Ocean Strategies

Panelists: Eric Brazer, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish; Andrea Tomlinson, New England Young Fishermen’s Alliance; Stephanie Pazzaglia, J.J. McDonnell Room 152

Across the United States, working waterfronts are facing substantial challenges and shake-ups in both workforce and infrastructure. In this panel, we’ll discuss how vulnerabilities in the fisheries and maritime workforce and waterfront infrastructure are tied to the success of domestic seafood production. We’ll also cover the related issue of waterfront infrastructure erosion. A review of the causes and impacts of these trends will be followed by a discussion of what market, policy, and community-based strategies are helping to reinforce and reinvigorate working waterfronts, and where retailers, distributors, and producers of sustainable domestic seafood are able to collaborate around those solutions.

DINING Around Boston

Back Bay

Abe & Louie’s

793 Boylston Street (617) 536-6300

abeandlouies.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Atlantic Fish Company

761 Boylston Street (617) 267-4000

atlanticfishco.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Back Bay Social

867 Boylston Street (617) 247-3200

backbaysocial.com

Cuisine: American

The Banks Fish House

406 Stuart Street (617) 399-0015

thebanksboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Bistro du Midi

272 Boylston Street (617) 426-7878

bistrodumidi.com

Cuisine: French

Buttermilk & Bourbon

160 Commonwealth Avenue (617) 266-1122

buttermilkbourbon.com

Cuisine: American

The Capital Grille

Hynes Convention Center

900 Boylston Street (617) 262-8900

thecapitalgrille.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Catered Affair at The Boston Public Library

700 Boylston Street (617) 859-2282

thecateredaffair.com/bpl

Cuisine: Contemporary American

Citrus & Salt Boston

142 Berkeley Street

citrusandsaltboston.com (617) 424-6711

Cuisine: Mexican

Club Cafe

209 Columbus Avenue (617) 536-0966

clubcafe.com

Cuisine: American

BASILE – Fine Italian Kitchen

162 Columbus Avenue (617) 350-0007

davinciboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse

75 Arlington Street (617) 357-4810

davios.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood

122 Belvidere Street (617) 358-9990

eddiev.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Grill 23 & Bar

161 Berkeley Street (617) 542-2255

grill23.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

La Voile

261 Newbury Street (617) 587-4200

lavoileboston.net

Cuisine: French

Little Whale Oyster Bar

314 Newbury Street (857) 277-0800

littlewhaleboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Luke’s Lobster Back Bay

75 Exeter Street (857) 350-4626

lukeslobster.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Mistral

223 Columbus Avenue (617) 867-9300

mistralbistro.com

Cuisine: French

Mooncusser Fish House

304 Stuart Street (617) 917-5193

mooncusserboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Rochambeau

900 Boylston Street (617) 247-0400

rochambeauboston.com

Cuisine: French

Saltie Girl

279 Dartmouth Street (617) 267-0691

saltiegirl.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Select Oyster Bar

50 Gloucester Street (857) 239-8064

selectboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Serafina Back Bay

237 Newbury Street (617) 426-1234

serafinaboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Sorellina

1 Huntington Avenue (617) 412-4600

sorellinaboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Summer Shack Boston

50 Dalton Street (617) 867-9955

summershackrestaurant.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Beacon Hill

1928 Beacon Hill

97 Mt. Vernon Street (857) 233-5662

1928beaconhill.com

Cuisine: American

75 Chestnut

75 Chestnut Street (617) 227-2175

75chestnut.com

Cuisine: American

Cheers - The Original 84 Beacon Street (617) 227-9605

cheersboston.com

Cuisine: American

CLINK.

215 Charles Street (617) 224-4004

clinkrestaurant.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

Fin’s Sushi & Grill

240 Cambridge Street (617) 227-2277

finssushigrillboston.com

Cuisine: Sushi

Grotto

37 Bowdoin Street (617) 227-3434

grottorestaurant.com

Cuisine: Italian

Ma Maison

272 Cambridge Street (617) 725-8855

mamaisonboston.com

Cuisine: French

Mooo Restaurant

Beacon Hotel 15 Beacon Street (617) 670-2515

mooorestaurant.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Tip Tap Room

138 Cambridge Street (857) 350-3344

thetiptaproom.com

Cuisine: American

Toscano Restaurant

47 Charles Street (617) 723-4090

toscanoboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Cambridge

Alden & Harlow

40 Brattle Street (617) 864-2100

aldenharlow.com

Cuisine: American

Amelia’s Trattoria

Kendall Square

111 Harvard Street (617) 868-7600

ameliastrattoria.com

Cuisine: Italian

ArtBar Restaurant

Royal Sonesta

40 Edwin Land Boulevard (617) 806-4122

artbarcambridge.com

Cuisine: American

Bambara Kitchen & Bar

Hotel Marlowe

25 Edwin H. Land Boulevard (617) 868-4444

bambara-cambridge.com

Cuisine: American

Casa Portugal

1200 Cambridge Street (617) 491-8880

restaurantcasaportugal.com

Cuisine: Portuguese

“Translating innovative technology into your fish processing solution.”

DINING AROUND BOSTON

Charles Hotel

1 Bennett Street (617) 661-5005

henriettastable.com

Cuisine: American

Grafton Street Pub & Grill

1230 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 497-0400

graftonstreetcambridge.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

Harvest - Harvard Square

44 Brattle Street (617) 868-2255

harvestcambridge.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

The Hourly Oyster House

15 Dunster Street (617) 765-2342

thehourlycambridge.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Little Donkey

505 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 945-1008

littledonkeybos.com

Cuisine: International

Nubar - At the Commander

16 Garden Street (617) 234-1365

nubarcambridge.com

Cuisine: American

Oleana

134 Hampshire Street (617) 661-0505

oleanarestaurant.com

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Pammy’s

928 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 945-1761

pammyscambridge.com

Cuisine: Italian

Russell House Tavern 14 JFK Street (617) 500-3055

russellhousecambridge.com

Cuisine: American

Summer Shack Cambridge

149 Alewife Brook Parkway (617) 520-9500

summershackrestaurant.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Toscano Harvard Square

52 Brattle Street (617) 354-5250

toscanoboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Urban Hearth

2263 Massachusetts Avenue (617) 682-7295

urbanhearth.net

Cuisine: American

Chinatown/ Theater District

4th Wall Restaurant & Bar

228 Tremont Street (857) 957-0909

4thwallrestaurant.com

Cuisine: American

Artisan Bistro

The Ritz Carlton No. 10 Avery Street (617) 574-7176

ritzcarlton.com

Cuisine: European/American

Blu Restaurant

4 Avery Street (617) 375-8550

blurestaurant.com

Cuisine: American

GaGa Seafood Restaurant

25 Tyler Street (617) 338-8770

gagaseafoodbostonma.com

Cuisine: Chinese

NEW JUMBO Seafood Restaurant

5 Hudson Street (617) 541-2823

newjumboseafoodrestaurant.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Ostra

1 Charles Street South (617) 421-1200

ostraboston.com

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Downtown/ Financial District

2TWENTY2

4 Liberty Square (617) 723-3222

222bstn.com

Cuisine: American

Avenue One

Hyatt Regency Boston

1 Avenue de Lafayette (617) 422-5579

regencyboston.hyatt.com

Cuisine: American

Back Deck Grill

2 West Street (617) 670-0320

backdeckboston.com

Cuisine: New England

Bostonia Public House

131 State Street (617) 948-9800

bostoniapublichouse.com

Cuisine: New England

Boston College Club

100 Federal Street (617) 946-2828

clubcorp.com/Clubs/BostonCollege-Club

Cuisine: New England

Casa Razdora 115 Water Street (617) 338-6700 casarazdora.com

Cuisine: Italian

Central Wharf Co.

160 Milk Street (617) 451-9460 centralwharfco.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Fin Point Oyster Bar + Grille

89 Broad Street (617) 348-1234

finpointboston.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Granary Tavern 170 Milk Street (617) 449-7110

granarytavern.com

Cuisine: Gastropub

Mariel 10 Post Office Square (617) 333-8776

marielofficial.com

Cuisine: Cuban

The Merchant 60 Franklin Street (617) 482-6060 themerchantboston.com

Cuisine: Latin/Asian

Mija Cantina & Tequila Bar 1 Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Quincy Market (857) 284-7382 mijaboston.com

Cuisine: Mexican

Oceanaire Seafood Room 40 Court Street (617) 742-2277 theoceanaire.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Parker’s Restaurant

Omni Parker House 60 School Street (617) 725-1600 omnihotels.com/hotels/ boston-parker-house

Cuisine: New England

Q Restaurant

660 Washington Street (857) 350-3968 thequsa.com

Cuisine: Asian/Sushi

Ruth’s Chris Steak House 45 School Street

Old City Hall (617) 742-8401

ruthschris.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Stillwater 120 Kingston Street (617) 936-3079 stillwaterboston.com

Cuisine: American

Union Oyster House 41 Union Street (617) 227-2750 unionoysterhouse.com

Cuisine: Seafood

North End/ Waterfront

Antico Forno

93 Salem Street (617) 723-6733 anticofornoboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Aria Trattoria

253 Hanover Street (617) 742-1276

arianorthend.com

Cuisine: Italian

Artu Rosticceria & Trattoria

6 Prince Street (617) 742-4336 artuboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Bacco Ristorante & Bar

Boston’s North End 107 Salem Street (617) 624-0454 bacconorthend.com

Cuisine: Italian

Boston Sail Loft

80 Atlantic Avenue (617) 227-7280 thebostonsailloft.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Bricco Ristorante

241 Hanover Street (617) 248-6800 bricco.com

Cuisine: Italian

Cantina Italiana

346 Hanover Street (617) 723-4577

cantinaitaliana.com

Cuisine: Italian

Chart House Restaurant

60 Long Wharf (617) 227-1576

chart-house.com

Cuisine: Seafood

DINING AROUND BOSTON

The Daily Catch Waterfront

65 Atlantic Avenue (617) 772-4400

thedailycatch.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Il Molo

326 Commercial Street (857) 277-1895

ilmoloboston.com

Cuisine: Italian/Seafood

La Famiglia Giorgio’s 112 Salem Street (617) 367-6711

www.lafamigliagiorgios.com

Cuisine: Italian

Lucca Restaurant & Bar

226 Hanover Street (617) 742-9200 luccaboston.com

Cuisine: Fine Italian

Mare Oyster Bar

3 Mechanic Street (617) 723-6273

mareoysterbar.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Neptune Oyster 63 Salem Street (617) 742-3474

neptuneoyster.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Nico Ristorante & Wine Bar

Boston’s North End 417 Hanover Street (617) 742-0404

nicoboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Ocean Prime

140 Seaport Boulevard (617) 670-1345

ocean-prime.com

Cuisine: Seafood/Steakhouse

Quattro Grill & Pizzeria

264 Hanover Street (617) 720-0444

quattro-boston.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

Rabia’s Dolce Fumo 73 Salem Street (617) 227-6637 rabiasdolcefumo.com

Cuisine: Italian

Ristorante Limoncello 190 North Street Boston, MA 02113 (617) 523-4480

ristorantelimoncello.com/contact/

Cuisine: Italian

Ristorante Villa Francesca 150 Richmond Street (617) 367-2948

ristorantevillafrancesca.com

Cuisine: Italian

Rowes Wharf Sea Grille

Boston Harbor Hotel

70 Rowes Wharf (617) 856-7744

roweswharfseagrille.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Smith and Wollensky

Atlantic Wharf

294 Congress Street (617) 778-2200

smithandwollensky.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Strega Restaurant & Lounge

379 Hanover Street (617) 523-8481

stregaristorante.com

Cuisine: Italian

Terramia Ristorante

98 Salem Street (617) 523-3112

terramiaristorante.com

Cuisine: Italian

Trattoria Il Panino

11 Parmenter Street (617) 720-1336

trattoriailpanino.com

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Tresca

233 Hanover Street (617) 742-8240

trescanorthend.com

Cuisine: Italian

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle

Steak House

250 Northern Avenue (617) 951-1368

www.delfriscos.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Empire

1 Marina Park Drive (617) 295-0001

www.empireboston.com

Cuisine: Asian

MORTON’S - The Steakhouse

2 Seaport Lane (617) 526-0410

mortons.com/bostonseaport

Cuisine: Steakhouse

ReelHouse Oyster Bar

10 Waterside Avenue (617) 648-2528

reelhouseoysterbar.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Row 34

383 Congress Street (617) 553-5900

www.row34.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Strega Waterfront

1 Marina Park Drive (617) 345-3992

stregawaterfront.com

Cuisine: Italian

South Boston/ Seaport District

75 on Liberty Wharf

220 Northern Avenue (617) 227-0754

75onlibertywharf.com

Cuisine: American

Aura Restaurant

Seaport Hotel 1 Seaport Lane (617) 385-4300

aurarestaurant.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American

The Barking Crab

88 Sleeper Street (617) 426-2722

barkingcrab.com

Cuisine: Seafood

Capo Restaurant

443 W Broadway, Boston, MA 02127 (617) 993-8080

Cuisine: Italian

South End

Aquitaine Bistro & Wine Bar

569 Tremont Street (617) 424-8577

aquitaineboston.com

Cuisine: French

Barcelona Wine Bar 525 Tremont Street (617) 266-2600

barcelonawinebar.com

Cuisine: Spanish

B&G Oysters Ltd. 550 Tremont Street (617) 669-1073

bandgoysters.com

Cuisine: Seafood

The Beehive Restaurant 541 Tremont Street (617) 423-0069 beehiveboston.com

Cuisine: International Bootleg Special 400 Tremont Street (617) 451-1800 bootlegspecial.com

Cuisine: Cajun/Seafood

Boston Chops - Urban Steak Bistro 1375 Washington Street (617) 227-5011

bostonchops.com

Cuisine: Steakhouse

The Elephant Walk 1415 Washington Street (617) 247-1500

elephantwalkboston.com

Cuisine: French-Cambodian

Estragon Tapas 700 Harrison Avenue (617) 266-0443

estragontapas.com

Cuisine: Spanish

Five Horses Tavern 535 Columbus Avenue (617) 936-3930

fivehorsestavern.com

Cuisine: American

Frenchie Wine Bistro 560 Tremont Street (857) 233-5941 frenchieboston.com

Cuisine: French

Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar

412 W Broadway (617) 917-5626 locosouthboston.com

Cuisine: Mexican/Seafood

Metropolis Cafe

584 Tremont Street (617) 247-2931

metropolisboston.com

Cuisine: Mediterranean MIDA

782 Tremont Street (617) 936-3490

midarestaurant.com

Cuisine: Italian

Orinoco: A Latin Kitchen 477 Shawmut Avenue (617) 369-7075

orinocokitchen.com

Cuisine: Latin

Petit Robert Bistro 480 Columbus Avenue (617) 867-0600

petitrobertbistro.com

Cuisine: French

SRV - Serene Republic of Venice 569 Columbus Avenue (617) 536-9500

srvboston.com

Cuisine: Italian

Toro Boston

1704 Washington Street (617) 536-4300

toro-restaurant.com/boston

Cuisine: Spanish

ACME SMOKED FISH’S COMMITMENT TO ACT AS “CITIZENS OF SEAFOOD” DRIVES PHILANTHROPIC AND SUSTAINABILITY INVESTMENT

BY NED DALY

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, U.S.A.-BASED ACME SMOKED FISH (BOOTH #2705) is a company that has both a century-long history in the seafood industry and a strong view of the future of seafood. Acme sells approximately 20 million pounds of smoked and pickled seafood products per year with strict sourcing and processing standards that highlight the company’s commitment to sustainability. Acme will also be celebrating the third year of its Seafood Industry Climate Awards during SENA 2025. The awards celebrate early-stage efforts to reduce the seafood industry’s carbon footprint and provide the broader industry with excellent examples of how seafood can be one of the most healthy, sustainable, and climate-friendly proteins in the marketplace.

SeafoodSource spoke with members of Acme’s team about their commitment to sustainability and why it is important to the company and the overall industry.

SEAFOODSOURCE: Acme invests a significant amount of resources and time into its philanthropic and sustainability efforts. What’s the genesis of this work, and what drives the company to continue this investment?

Adam Caslow (Managing Partner & Owner, Acme Smoked Fish): We’re a fourth-generation family-owned business headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A., that set out on a path to become a more sustainable business about five years ago. Our mission was, and still is, to make sustainability a core value of how we operate as a team – to act as “Citizens of Seafood.”

When we started, we knew there was no overnight solution or “quick fix” to reducing waste, saving resources across our supply chain, focusing on sustainable sourcing, and supporting our people. So, we did our homework, defined the many opportunities available for real impact, and then began to set short- and long-term targets. These targets are cross-functional and include measurable KPIs such as streamlining packaging, finding alternative uses for fish scraps, offsetting our electricity consumption, funding educational scholarships for our team members, and more.

We’ve always been dedicated to food safety, quality, and tradition. We also understand that doing right by our planet, people, and communities is the only way to achieve success and mitigate the inherent risks within our industry for the future. We view our continued investment in our “Citizens of Seafood” value as an opportunity to drive positive impact both inside and outside of Acme, as well as connect to the growing demand for more responsible practices and products.

SEAFOODSOURCE: How does the company manage this work and what are the issues Acme is supporting?

Rob Snyder (Chief People & Sustainability Officer, Acme Smoked Fish): Our sustainability program focuses on four pillars: climate impact, raw material sourcing, waste reduction, and people and community. We involve all areas of our company in our sustainability efforts and intentionally avoid working in “siloes,” as sustainability affects everyone and everything. For climate impact, we are analyzing data throughout the company to prioritize carbon reduction with every decision. For raw material sourcing, we seek out

SUSTAINABILITY TRENDS

responsible farms and fisheries to source from and generate demand for sustainable seafood. For waste reduction, we are working to minimize overall consumer packaging and increase the recyclable content where available. For people and community, we believe in the future of our employees, their families, and the communities where we work, so we invest in them.

We also built a corporate philanthropy arm in 2021 to address pressing needs within the seafood industry that fell outside the day-to-day scope of the corporation. The Acme Smoked Fish Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization with two key focus areas: combatting climate change and uplifting the communities of workers within the seafood-processing industry.

Now celebrating its third year, the Seafood Industry Climate Awards (SICA) is Acme Smoked Fish Foundation’s signature program, with a singular purpose of identifying the most promising solutions that will lower the carbon footprint of the seafood industry and increase the leadership role of women and minority communities.

Acme also just joined 1% For the Planet, a global organization that acts as an accountability partner for sustainability-minded businesses. One percent of sales from all Acme brand cold-smoked salmon retail products are donated to support and grow the SICA program. We are thrilled to work with 1% for the Planet and build upon the strong groundwork we have created over the past three years through our foundation and grants program.

SEAFOODSOURCE: Who are the Seafood Industry Climate Award winners this year?

Alexandra Golub (Sustainability Director, Acme Smoked Fish): The climate awards support early-stage efforts to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint and increase diversity within the seafood industry. This year, three recipients will each receive a USD 70,000 (EUR 66,997) grant, including an inaugural TD Bank Award for one recipient. Acme will also host a reception at SENA to recognize these award winners.

This year’s grantees represent the Midwest and Great Lakes region, coastal North Carolina, and Portland, Maine. Their unique projects tackle issues facing the domestic seafood industry, specifically circular manufacturing processes and workforce development. Grantees and their projects are as follows:

• Council of Great Lakes Governors, Inc.

The 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative, led by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers (GSGP), addresses climate change challenges in the freshwater fishing industry by valorizing fish byproducts and diverting waste from landfills for high value purposes. This process not only reduces methane and carbon emissions, but also captures the maximum value of the fishery and creates a circular economy. The initiative aims to productively utilize 100 percent of each fish in collaboration with key stakeholders, including Indigenous and commercial fishers, processors, researchers, and global industry leaders.

Oceans 97, LLC

Oceans 97’s vision for zero waste seafood processing involves developing a curriculum and training program for smoked fish, chitin, and mussel powder production in Carteret County, North Carolina. This research effort will support a formal program in zero waste seafood processing and aims to employ women, people of color, and marginalized communities. The curriculum will be developed and operated in partnership with Carteret County Community College.

• Gulf of Maine Research Institute TD Bank Award

The Aquaculture Apprenticeship Program is a comprehensive, hands-on training initiative designed to build a skilled, sustainable workforce for Maine’s growing aquaculture sector. Managed by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) in partnership with the Maine Aquaculture Association and Southern Maine Community College, the program combines technical education with practical farm experience and prepares apprentices for successful careers in the low-carbon aquaculture industry.

SEAFOODSOURCE: What advice would you have for other companies interested in developing or increasing their corporate philanthropy?

Emily Caslow (Chair & Owner, Acme Smoked Fish Foundation): Our first piece of advice would be to listen and learn. Meet with stakeholders across your entire organization to identify the most important issues within the organization. Then step back and consider the role your company plays in your industry, and identify key areas where your work could make a vital impact. Find like-minded partners – for example, we work closely with Sea Pact on advancing sustainability initiatives and engage a panel of judges for our climate awards who are leaders across different parts of the seafood industry – from aquaculture to academia and beyond. Even if you start small, initial meaningful actions can grow when your entire team is invested and excited, and you can create something big and impactful over time.

Alexandra Golub Sustainability Director, Acme Smoked Fish

Adam Caslow Managing Partner & Owner, Acme Smoked Fish

Rob Snyder Chief People & Sustainability Officer, Acme Smoked Fish

Emily Caslow Chair & Owner, Acme Smoked Fish Foundation

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MORE FISHERS WILL GET THEIR HANDS ON ROPELESS GEAR IN 2025

BY NATHAN STROUT

More commercial fishers in the U.S. will get to try out on-demand fishing gear in 2025 as the industry continues to evaluate the technology as a viable solution for preventing whale entanglements.

NOAA FISHERIES COUNTED 67 instances of whale entanglements in U.S. waters in 2022, 40 percent of which were confirmed to have involved commercial or recreational fishing gear.

On the East Coast, North Atlantic right whales are the main concern. Critically endangered, there are only about 370 individuals left in the wild.

On the West Coast, endangered humpback whales are the primary concern, although gray whale entanglements are also a concern. A report published by NOAA last year found that 25 whales were entangled off the West Coast of the U.S. in 2023, while two whales found entangled in Mexico were determined to have been caught up in U.S. commercial fishing gear.

The vertical lines used in crab, lobster, and other pot fisheries are frequently blamed for these entanglements, which have become a constant threat to pot fisheries in the U.S. Along the West Coast, the 2024 commercial Dungeness crab seasons were delayed for weeks over an abundance of migratory humpback whales in the region.

On the East Coast, the Maine state government asked lobstermen to take precautionary measures in January 2025 to avoid entanglements with a cluster of right whales feeding off the southern coast of Maines.

“One entanglement will eventually lead to additional federal restrictions, including closed areas and limiting the use of traditional gear, Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher said in a statement. “Failure of the industry to self-regulate your activity could be costly in the long run. I urge fishermen to work together to reduce the amount of gear and endlines in the area in order to protect both the right whales as well as the future of the Maine lobster fishery.”

“One entanglement will eventually lead to additional federal restrictions, including closed areas and limiting the use of traditional gear.”

–

PATRICK KELIHER, MAINE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES

To protect whales, state and federal regulators have relied on a combination of fishery delays and closures and trap reductions. However, pop-up gear advocates argue that transitioning to ropeless or popup gear will reduce the risk of entanglements, making those fisheries less susceptible to delays or sudden closures due to the presence of whales.

While the fishing sector has largely opposed any mandated switch to ropeless gear, pilot programs and gear rental initiatives are helping familiarize fishers with new gear types, test the viability of that gear for everyday commercial use, and reduce the number of vertical lines in the water.

The largest pilot program took place last year in California, with 19 commercial fishers participating in an experimental Dungeness crab fishery during the spring, when waters are typically closed to Dungeness crab fishing to prevent whale entanglements. Participants tested out alternative crabbing gear provided by Sub Sea Sonics and Guardian Ropeless Systems, and reported a successful limited season.

“The pop-ups worked, and we brought home every trap that we set,” Steve Melz, a crab fisherman from Half Moon Bay, California, said in a testimonial about the 2024 pilot program. “The whole test is a complete success: crabbing in the spring again in front of home, no dirty buoys to clean, you never go to the wrong end of the string and not to mention the better price that is paid for the crabs.”

Less than 2 percent of gear was lost during the program, and participants landed roughly 292,000 pounds of crab valued at approximately USD 1.5 million (EUR 1.4 million).

“Results from this [pilot program] demonstrated that whale protection and management of a highly profitable crab fishery are not mutually exclusive,” Russ Mullins of Guardian Ropeless Systems said in a statement. “It is time for the spring pop-up fishery to be authorized for licensed commercial crabbers.”

Pleased with the results, the California Fish and Game Commission voted in December 2024 to double the number of fishers who can participate in the 2025 pilot program to 40.

“We applaud the California Fish and Game Commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife for this critical action towards saving whales,” Oceana California Campaign Director Geoff Shester said in a statement. “By allowing more fishermen to use pop-up fishing gear, managers are charting a sustainable and productive future for California’s Dungeness crab fishery. Expanded gear testing will pave the way for fleetwide authorization of pop-up fishing gear for use in the springtime when conventional crab traps are prohibited due to whale entanglement risk. Fishermen are at the forefront of re-innovating California’s Dungeness crab fishery, and we are now one step closer to California residents and restaurants being able to purchase whale-safe Dungeness crab.”

Other efforts to introduce and test on-demand fishing gear are ongoing. The Northeast Fisheries Science Center runs a gear lending library that lets New England fishers borrow on-demand gear to try out. As of mid-2024, NOAA Fisheries was working with roughly 50 fishers across five states testing out on-demand gear, with some fishers allowed to operate in federal waters that are seasonally closed to other commercial fishing operations provided they use alternative gear.

NOAA Fisheries has released a draft strategy for developing on-demand gear called “Ropeless Roadmap: A Strategy to Develop On-Demand Fishing.” The agency has also contracted with the Center for Enterprise Modernization, a federally funded research and development center operated by MITRE, to develop on-demand gear. Last year, the government provided USD 7 million (EUR 6.7 million) to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission “to test the feasibility of removing vertical lines in fixed gear fishing to reduce large whale entanglements.”

“We applaud the California Fish and Game Commission and Department of Fish and Wildlife for this critical action towards saving whales.”

– GEOFF SHESTER, OCEANA

MEET THE SEAFOODSOURCE EDITORIAL & CONTENT TEAM

CHRIS CHASE

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Chris Chase is the Portland, Maine-based executive editor of SeafoodSource. Previously, he worked covering local issues at the Coastal Journal in Bath, Maine, where he won multiple awards from the Maine Press Association for his news coverage and food reviews. Chris is a graduate of the University of Maine, and got his start in writing by serving as a reporter and later the State Editor of The Maine Campus, an award-winning campus newspaper.

REACH CHRIS AT: cchase@divcom.com

NATHAN STROUT EDITOR

Nathan Strout is a Portland, Maine-based editor of SeafoodSource. Previously, Nathan covered the U.S. military’s space activities and emerging technologies at C4ISRNET and Defense News, where he won awards for his reporting on the U.S. Space Force’s missile warning capabilities. Nathan got his start in journalism writing about several communities in Midcoast Maine for a local daily paper, The Times Record.

REACH NATHAN AT: nstrout@divcom.com

ERIN SPAMPINATO

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Erin Spampinato is the Georgetown, Maine-based associate editor of SeafoodSource. Erin has held staff writer and editor positions at a number of mission-driven organizations, and her freelance journalism has appeared in various publications, including Electric Literature and The Guardian. She is also the author of numerous academic publications on the topics of gender, literature, and history. Erin holds a PhD in English Literature from the Graduate Center, CUNY, an MA from Columbia University, and a BA from Smith College.

REACH ERIN AT: espampinato@divcom.com

TEDDY HANS

COPY EDITOR

Teddy Hans is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based copy editor for SeafoodSource. He attended the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, graduating with an emphasis in magazine editing. Before joining the SeafoodSource team, where he edits feature stories, Teddy worked as a quality assurance editor in content marketing and wrote freelance content for various newspapers and magazines.

REACH TEDDY AT: thans@divcom.com

MADDIE KEARNS CONTENT MANAGER

Maddie Kearns is the content manager for SeafoodSource and the conference program at Seafood Expo North America/ Seafood Processing North America. Before diving into seafood writing, editing, infographic-designing, and more, she was the associate editor for an online publication geared toward small to mid-sized practice physicians, Medical Practice Insider. Maddie is a graduate of the University of Maine, where she served as a columnist and the opinion editor for the university’s paper, The Maine Campus, and won a Grady Award in Creative Writing for her poetry. She lives under a mountain of books in South Portland, Maine with her cat, Pierre.

REACH MADDIE AT: mkearns@divcom.com

AVERY ST. ONGE

CONTENT SPECIALIST, SPECIAL PROJECTS

Avery St. Onge is the Portland, Maine-based content specialist of SeafoodSource’s special projects. Previously, Avery produced podcasts, webinars, e-books, and articles for Integrative Practitioner, a small publication aimed at integrative healthcare professionals. She also reported on local Maine news for Portland Radio Group. Avery is a graduate of George Washington University, where she majored in journalism and mass communications.

REACH AVERY AT: astonge@divcom.com

NED DALY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Ned Daly is a sustainability strategist with Diversified Communications. He has worked on sustainable markets in a variety of resources for 25 years. Ned worked in seafood for the last decade with SeaWeb. Previously, he was director of RugMark International (now GoodWeave), a certification program for child-labor-free rugs coming from Southeast Asia. He also served as chief operating officer for the Forest Stewardship Council in the United States, managing relationships with industry leaders and a diversity of key stakeholders including conservation nongovernment organizations, policymakers, and industry trade associations. Ned has also worked on sustainable markets in the agricultural sector and the relationship between resource extraction and ecosystem health. He lives in Alfred, Maine.

REACH NED AT: ndaly@divcom.com

As the official media for Seafood Expo North America/ Seafood Processing North America, SeafoodSource will be a constant presence on the show floor and in the conference wing. Get to know the team and say hello when you see them in action.

IGNACIO KLEIMAN BIRGIR

Antarctica Advisors: Seafood sector is primed for M&A activity in 2025

Antarctica Advisors is a Miami, Florida, U.S.A.-based financial advisory firm focused exclusively on the seafood sector. Ignacio Kleiman is a managing partner at Antarctica Advisors, and Birgir Brynjolfsson is a partner with the firm. Catch Kleiman moderating the session, “Riding the Rate’s Curve: Seafood Company Financing and M&A,” up in the conference wing at Seafood Expo North America on Monday, 16 March from 10:15am - 11:15am in Room 153CB.

SEAFOODSOURCE: What are the unique challenges to advising businesses in the seafood sector on completing mergers and acquisitions?

BRYNJOLFSSON: One of the challenges is that this sector is primarily private, meaning that it’s owned mostly by private individuals and rather than publicly listed companies. For that reason, often you encounter situations where there’s not a lot of publicly available information about how companies are doing in the industry. We have made it our business over the last 15 years is to build relationships with owners, and our business has been growing because we have been very integral with the industry when it comes to knowing who is our there looking for M&A opportunities.

SEAFOODSOURCE: Do you have any sort of tips or advice for companies that are looking to begin a relationship with a firm like yours?

KLEIMAN: I would say, the earlier the better, because obviously as family-owned or privatelyowned companies, sometimes there is some cleanup of the balance sheet or preparation and gathering of information that has to be done so that the company is really ready when we try to take it to market.

BRYNJOLFSSON: It’s also important that business

owners think about transacting when things are doing well and when there is upside potential. Some of the worst cases we’ve encountered are when you have an unexpected event, family event, like a death or sickness or whatnot, and you have to transact because you need to, not because you want to. When business owners encounter a process on their own terms, that’s usually a successful sale. Also, when you are a family-founded business that is also involved in management, you often have to take into account that you do have to stay involved for perhaps three to five years. So from the day you have the desire or idea to sell the business, you may not be fully out until three to five years later. Business owners that want to start thinking about retirement need to start thinking about transacting or selling the business a few years before actually retiring.

SEAFOODSOURCE: Do you feel like the understanding and the awareness has gotten better in the seafood sector as far as merger and acquisition activity is going, or is it still a learning curve with each individual client?

KLEIMAN: I think clients are more aware, because over the years M&A activity has increased. I remember 15-20 years ago it was limited, probably, to salmon companies and whatnot. Now it’s more across the board. But having said that, clients focus on their own business. They don’t focus on selling

BY NATHAN STROUT

every day that they go into the plant. So there’s always a need for an advisor that will educate you and guide you through the process and tell you what’s wrong, what to expect, what’s right, and allow you to be fully aware of what’s in front of you. There’s a lot of hand holding; there’s a lot of education in an M&A process.

BRYNJOLFSSON: One other thing that has changed over the last 15 years also is participation of financial investors, meaning private equity or family offices. When we were getting started, there were not that many private equity players that were paying attention to the industry. I recall at that time, we were calling up the equity funds to introduce them and educate them on the industry. And today, those funds are calling us, asking for opportunities. So that landscape has evolved.

SEAFOODSOURCE: How would you describe the economic and financial environment that seafood companies are facing in 2025? Do you see big challenges that they need to overcome?

BRYNJOLFSSON: Challenges and opportunities. I think [in] 2025, you’re going to see growing demand from the consumer, which results, usually, in a positive environment for seafood companies. We obviously have the situation with the tariffs, which everyone is waiting to see how that will play

out. And then the last part is really the interest rates. With all of the new government-signaled policies, it seems like they tend to be inflationary, which may put a pause on potential in decreases in central banks’ interest rates. And if interest rates are going to maintain at the current level, then companies that tend to have high debt, or companies that have to have high debt because of high inventories, they will really see their margins being challenged, and they will have to apply more discipline to running their business.

SEAFOODSOURCE: Is the seafood Are seafood companies vulnerable sort of vulnerable to that interest rate challenge?

KLEIMAN: It depends on where you are in the value chain. If you are an importer or distributor, you have to hold large amounts of inventories, and in many cases, those inventories tend to be financed with debt. So in those cases, they will have to apply more discipline to how they manage their inventories and margins.

SEAFOODSOURCE: With the new Trump administration coming in, there are obviously a lot of shake-ups in government policy taking place. Are you seeing that reflected in a company’s interest or willingness to discuss mergers and acquisitions?

BRYNJOLFSSON: Not in the past. In the near-

term, there is going to be a situation of wait and see for a lot of people to see how much is noise and how much becomes reality. And of that reality, how much is really affecting them up until now. People were very, very positive about 2025, both in terms of how the business was going to do, and their intentions for M&A.

KLEIMAN: One important thing to say is that despite government policies, the general fundamentals for M&A and seafood are still very strong, meaning it’s still a very fragmented industry, and it’s still an industry that needs to create more efficiency with consolidation just to be more competitive at the end of the day. We also have to remember that 90 percent of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported from foreign countries, so we have to be sensitive to the importance of importing of food into the U.S.

BRYNJOLFSSON: The fundamentals in this industry are very positive towards continuation of M&A activity. And actually, if there’s inflationary pressure or competitive pressure, that would also force some players that were not considering merging or selling or buying, to actually do so, both to protect margins and to become more efficient as well.

SEAFOODSOURCE: We saw a lot of activity in the Alaska seafood sector in 2024 – a lot

of sales, a lot of mergers, a lot of changing of hands. Is there a specific region or sector of the seafood industry that you see being very active in the M&A world in 2025?

KLEIMAN: Aside from Alaska, I would think that there’s going to be more activity probably in Norway in terms of the salmon sector, just because of the impact of the new taxes that were imposed on them in 2024. And I would say in the U.S., in distribution and processing most likely as well. We may see also some more activity on the scallop sector in the U.S. because of the lower quota.

SEAFOODSOURCE: Do you see Alaska stabilizing a little bit on the M&A front, or are we still at the beginning of that shake-up?

KLEIMAN: No, I think the waters hopefully will calm down a bit. I mean, 2024 was pretty brutal. I don’t think there’s any other way to put it. But is there a continued need for more consolidation? Yeah, I would say so. Alaska is being affected by high costs, both in terms of money and in terms of operations. Who knows how this whole immigration thing will affect them in terms of availability of labor for the season. And then, you know, owners are getting tired or old, there are a number of factors that will likely affect them, but I do not think that it’s going to be as dramatic or sudden or brutal as it was in 2024.

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2024 SYMPHONY OF SEAFOOD WINNERS SHOWCASE ALASKAN INGENUITY AND ADAPTABILITY

BY ERIN SPAMPINATO

The Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) selected the first-place winners of 2024’s Symphony of Seafood competition, an annual event which puts the best of Alaska’s value-added seafood products into the spotlight.

“Amid challenging times, we’re proud to showcase new Alaska seafood products and recognize the industry leaders who are shaping the future of this vital industry,” AFDF CEO Kristy Clement said.

The competition, which dates back to 1994, brings seafood and food industry professionals together to celebrate the varied and innovative productions of Alaska’s fisheries.

“The Symphony of Seafood celebrates not only the exceptional products, but also the people and companies driving Alaska’s seafood industry forward,” Clement said.

Among 2024’s winners was Fable Fish Company’s Teriyaki Salmon Jerky, which won Best New Retail Product and was inspired by Co-Founder Meghan Luck’s experience spending summers on her family’s fishing boat. For outdoor adventures, “we didn’t eat protein bars; we ate salmon,” she said.

Luck added that she has always wanted to make smoked salmon available to those who didn’t live on the shores of Bristol Bay and became more motivated to create Fable Fish when she faced frustration over fish waste while working as a wholesaler.

Shelf-stable without grains and sugars, Fable Fish offers a nutrient-dense snack that can be carried safely without refrigeration with its Teriyaki Salmon Jerky. Produced with premium Alaskan sockeye salmon sourced from Bristol Bay, Fable Fish salmon jerky is cured and smoked, and though the Teriyaki flavor won at this year’s Symphony of Seafood, the company produces Ginger Lime- and Original-flavored jerk as well.

The Best New Foodservice Product went to Alaskan Leader Seafoods’ Miso Black Cod Deli Kits. The kits contain four black cod miso-marinated fillets, jasmine ginger rice, and a side of bok choy. They cook quickly in the container in which they are sold and feed four, offering busy families a healthy, home cooked meal in under an hour.

Teriyaki Salmon Jerky Fable Fish Company

The kits have been such a success for Alaskan Leader that the company has expanded outside the U.S., now selling the product in Canada and the United Kingdom, too. Circana Executive Vice President and Protein Practice Leader Chris Dubois, speaking at the 2025 Global Seafood Market Conference in Palm Desert, California, U.S.A., also credited it with a 2,000 percent species-wide sales bump in black cod in 2024.

Elsewhere in the competition, an Alaskan producer of kelp vodka, Uncharted Alaska Distillery, won in both the Beyond the Plate and Most Innovative categories for its Holdfast Kelp Vodka, produced with seaweed from local producer Seagrove Kelp. Uncharted Co-Founder Travis Robbins was delighted that the novel product had found success.

“Once people get over the fact it is made from pure kelp and take a sip, they are immediately in love with it, ”Robbins said, adding that his company is committed to the future of Alaska’s fisheries, saying that Holdfast Vodka was “100 percent Southeast Alaska made.”

“We’re taking a product that is grown here, cutting down the cost of shipping stuff here. We’re not bringing in grain from Indiana or corn from Kentucky,” he said. “We’re able to use Alaska products wholly and keep it in house, and it makes it better for everyone.”

The highly anticipated People’s Choice Award, the winner of which is selected by attendees at the event, went to M.I.F Seafood’s Cold Smoked Salmon. Joseph Bonanno, owner of M.I.F, a direct-to-consumer seafood company, had – like Luck – been snacking on his own product for years before bringing it to market.

“Before we even started this company, we would bring home our catch. We would cure it and smoke it right away, and then we would just give it to family members or have it around at family dinners or events,” Bonanno said. “Throughout the years, it kind of evolved. We went from bringing home 50 to 200 fillets just because everybody wanted this product. We were giving it away for free at the time.”

Eventually, friends convinced him he should be selling his smoked sockeye, sourced exclusively from Bristol Bay and smoked in applewood chips. M.I.F’s cold smoked salmon is now the company’s top seller.

Attendees at the Symphony of Seafood agreed, awarding Bonanno with the coveted prize, which is often a prelude to future Symphony glory, as Alaskan Leader’s miso black cod won in the category in 2023.

The 2024 Symphony of Seafood was judged by a panel of celebrity chefs, including Roy Breiman (VP of Food and Beverage at Columbia Hospitality), Kati Lauffer (Nordstrom Culinary Director), Jason Stoneburner (Chef/Owner of Stoneburner), David Tangkilisan (Chef at Chinook’s), and Rachel Yang (Chef/Owner of Joule and Revel). Highliner sponsors included the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, and the Captain sponsor was the Marine Stewardship Council. Winning seafood products from the competition will be featured at Seafood Expo North America this week in Boston.

Holdfast Kelp Vodka

Uncharted Alaska

Miso Black Cod Deli Kits Alaskan Leader Seafoods