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43rd edition of Seafood Expo North America opens in Boston

March 17, 2025 —  Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, North America’s largest seafood trade event, kicked off on 16 March in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

North America’s largest seafood trade event – produced by Diversified – opened for its 43rd edition, running from 16 March through 18 March. The latest edition of the event occupies 249,665 net square feet with 1,215 exhibiting companies from 51 countries – including new participating countries from Bahrain, Croatia, Ireland, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, and United Arab Emirates; and an increased presence from countries including China, Ecuador, France, Japan, Norway and Vietnam, Diversified said. [Editor’s note: Diversified also owns and operates SeafoodSource.]

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

GSSI Welcomes MarinTrust

March 17, 2025 — The following was released by the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative:

The Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) is pleased to welcome MarinTrust as an Affiliated Partner.

As the leading program for marine ingredient production factories, MarinTrust focuses on responsible sourcing, traceability, and ingredient-level production. Their focus on the responsible production of marine ingredients complements GSSI’s efforts to advance alignment and transparency across the broader seafood supply chain.

This affiliation brings together expertise from different parts of the supply chain to strengthen sustainability efforts from raw materials to final products. Both organizations are committed to responsible sourcing, robust benchmarking, and reducing duplication, ensuring confidence in the global seafood and feed industries.

Through this partnership, MarinTrust and GSSI will leverage their strengths to enhance sustainability, strengthen certification credibility, and broaden industry engagement on the role of marine ingredients. This collaboration helps clarify how different certification schemes interconnect while maintaining clear distinctions between marine ingredient production, feed standards, and seafood certification.

“We are delighted that MarinTrust is joining GSSI as an Affiliated Partner. I have no doubt that MarinTrust’s deep knowledge of the marine ingredient value chain will greatly complement GSSI’s scope and serve as the bridge linking fisheries and aquaculture. I expect this partnership to support MarinTrust’s efforts to increase the availability of certified marine ingredients by utilizing GSSI-recognised schemes.” Francisco Aldon, CEO at MarinTrust.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome MarinTrust as an Affiliated Partner. I’m confident that this partnership will help promote greater clarity, confidence, and choice at the feed level — a critical part of the value chain that deserves attention. While GSSI’s Global Benchmark Tool focuses on recognizing seafood certification schemes that meet internationally accepted sustainability criteria, MarinTrust works at the factory and ingredient level, certifying marine ingredient production facilities and their sourcing practices. This important distinction highlights the complementary roles our organizations play in supporting responsible sourcing and sustainability across the entire seafood and aquaculture supply chain.” Øyvind Ihle, CEO at GSSI.

How apps and markets are changing direct seafood sales

March 17 2025 — Apps, online markets, and in–person markets are connecting fishermen and customers.

The Covid pandemic boosted direct marketing of seafood, with some fishermen tripling their sales and others getting into direct sales for the first time. In the wake of the pandemic, many fishermen want to continue to capitalize on consumers’ desire to access high-quality seafood, and a number of app developers, online markets, and live markets are providing them with ways to continue making direct sales.

Landon Hill, of Wilmington, N.C., got the idea for a marketing app for fish—a sort of Tinder App for connecting fishermen with fish buyers—while finishing business school at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.“After I graduated, I kept playing with the idea. I don’t have a lot of background in fisheries, but I could see that the lack of communication was a real pain point in fishing communities. I mean the idea that Tidewater restaurants were getting supplied by 18-wheelers just didn’t make sense to me, and it didn’t make sense to the chefs in those restaurants.”

Hill wants his app, Local Catch, to facilitate communication in the seafood market. To do that, he breaks the players down into four categories: fishermen, dealers, restaurants, and consumers. “You can register on the app and put in your zip code to see what’s available, or as a dealer or fisherman what you have available. As a consumer you can also make a cast, as we call it, and ask for what you are looking for.”

Hill reiterates that the project is about facilitating communication in the seafood industry. “We’re want people to know what seafood is for sale in their areas, and we’re exploring ways to do that better,” he says. “We’ve updated the app about 70 times since we released it to the public in 2022, and we’llprobably update it 70 more times in the next two years. Right now, we have 1,300 users in the app, and we’re on all coasts of the continental U.S.”

Hill adds that Local Catch is currently adding capacity for customers to pay vendors in the app using PayPal. “The other thing we’re looking at is distribution. That’s been on our white board since we started.” Right now, Local Catch connects buyers and sellers and leaves them to iron out the details of whether the vendor will deliver, or the buyer will pick up.

Whether the app can generate revenue is an open question. “Last year we received a NCIDEA grant, but before that I was bootstrapping everything with other work,” says Hill. “We’ll collect a small service fee when buyers use PayPal in the app and we’re exploring other revenue streams. Right now we just want to make it work, and we’re keeping it free.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

National Fisheries Institute Revitalizes AboutSeafood.com to Continue Connecting, Providing Resources to the Seafood Community

March 13 2025 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Insitute launched a revitalized AboutSeafood.com to continue its efforts connecting the seafood community and increase access to crucial seafood information. The updated website is part of NFI’s Strategic Plan, launched in March of 2024, which aims to shape, connect, and grow the sector across the supply chain.

“A renewed AboutSeafood.com will help us better align with NFI’s Strategic Plan by increasing our interactions with key audiences, improve overall functionality, and enhance the user experience,” said Lisa Wallenda Picard, NFI President and CEO. “Advances to AboutSeafood.com will continue to position NFI as the leading voice for the seafood community.”
The website will offer resources for stakeholder audiences, providing the latest information on seafood with a direct focus on combatting misinformation in the media and equipping its users with facts on seafood policy, including health and nutrition, trade and commerce, sustainability and sourcing, safety, and economic integrity.
“The work done to enhance the website is far more than a facelift, it’s a project that will help support sound public policy and nutrition information based on science by putting resources in the hands of members and boosting NFI’s already loud digital voice. This will have a lasting impact on the industry moving forward,” said Ryan Clark, CEO and President of The Town Dock and NFI Chairman.
To view NFI’s website, visit AboutSeafood.com.

31st edition of Seafood Expo Global set to feature exhibitors from 79 countries and counting

March 13, 2025 — The 31st edition of Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global has garnered exhibitors from 79 countries so far and is still growing, according to event organizer Diversified.

The event, taking place from 6 to 8 May at the Gran Via venue of the Fira de Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, is currently at 50,918 net square meters of exhibition space sold. According to Diversified, the trade event will feature 63 national and regional pavilions, a conference program, and is still growing. [Editor’s note: Diversified also owns and operates SeafoodSource.]

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

International Coalition of Fisheries Associations Panel at Seafood Expo North America Will Discuss Global Collaboration

March 4, 2025 — The following was released by the The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations:

The International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) will host a panel at Seafood Expo North America at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, on Sunday, March 16, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The panel, titled “Collaborating for Solutions”, will feature ICFA Chair and Vice President of CEPESCA (Spanish Confederation of Fisheries) Ivan López Van der Veen, National Fisheries Institute (U.S.) President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (Australia) Research Portfolio Manager Adrianne Laird, with Chris Chase, Executive Editor at SeafoodSource, moderating.
ICFA represents the global fishing industry, advocating for sustainable fisheries and responsible ocean management. Through ICFA and their membership, which spans over six continents, the fishing industry is increasingly collaborating with governments to safeguard their shared objectives. Sustainably harvested fish and seafood are key players in solutions that promote food security, preserve biodiversity and combat climate change.
“Global precompetitive collaboration designed to effect fisheries policy is not an aspirational goal, it’s happening today and has more momentum right now than it has in years, maybe decades,” said ICFA Chair Ivan López Van der Veen. “The more countries and companies that are aware of the work, the more voices we have at the table. No matter the topic discussed or the forum that’s hosting, my message to the seafood community always begins and ends with, join us.”
Join industry leaders to hear their insights on these critical topics and how they are working together to advance the industry’s future.

Keep the work in working waterfronts

February 27, 2025 — Workforce development was a central theme at one of the National Working Waterfront Network (NWWN) conference sessions this year in San Diego.

Industry leaders, community advocates, and fishermen gathered to discuss strategies for sustaining the next generation of commercial fishermen and maritime workers. Panelists discussed recruiting and retaining new entrants, providing proper training, and ensuring career resiliency in an ever-changing industry.

Jessica Hathaway, former editor of National Fisherman and now a public affairs consultant, moderated the discussion and opened with a pointed question: How do we attract people into the industry and take care of them once they’re in?  Hathaway brought together Monique Coombs of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association(MCFA), Kim Selkoe of the Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara, Imani Black of Minorities in Aquaculture, and Doreen Legget of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance(CCCFA).

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

The fight to preserve America’s working waterfronts

February 26, 2025 — The National Working Waterfront Network (NWWN) Conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and community advocates to tackle the challenges facing working waterfronts across the country.

Through many panel discussions, attendees explored the pressures of development, workforce retention, climate adaptation, and policy roadblocks threatening the waterfront’s future.

While each waterfront is unique, the speakers agreed that these spaces share common challenges, including regulatory hurdles, rising property values, and conflicts between economic development and cultural preservation. The panelists included Janelle Kellman, former mayor of Sausalito, California- who is running for lieutenant governor and Maine House of Representative; Morgan Rielly; and Imani Black, founding and CEO of Minorities in Aquaculture.

Kellman highlights her city’s maritime history and difficulties maintaining its working waterfront. “We have a real problem regarding what the market will allow. Inventors or fabricators cannot afford to start when hedge fund managers and landscape architects see the value in our maritime infrastructure. They want to repurpose it for high-end development.”

Rielly pointed to the diversity of working waterfronts in Maine, ranging from small-scale fishing docks to large industrial harbors. “There’s no one bill that will be able to solve all different issues, and there will be no one budget that will be able to solve those issues.” He went on to emphasize the need for tailored solutions for each individual region.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Seafood Expo North America returns for 43rd edition of North America’s largest seafood trade event

February 13, 2024 — Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America is returning for the 2025 edition of North America’s largest seafood trade event.

The event, which will take place from Sunday, 16 March to Tuesday, 18 March in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., will bring seafood suppliers, processing and packaging equipment, services companies, and professionals to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center for its 43rd edition. According to a press release from show organizer Diversified, as of 13 February, companies from 49 countries will take up 248,065 net square feet of space in the exhibit hall, with that number still growing. [Editor’s note: Diversified also owns and operates SeafoodSource.]

Read the full article at SeafoodSource