As more Kiwis explore ways to prepare and eat whole fish, Foodstuffs North Island is making fresh whole fish more accessible in its supermarkets, reports FMCG Business.

Customers at PAK’nSAVE, New World, and Four Square stores across the North Island are enjoying export quality fish, delivered straight from sea to store, thanks to co-op owned Leigh Fish, a New Zealand fishery based north of Auckland, and key suppliers including Moana New Zealand and local small-scale fishers.

Traditionally, fish fillets have been a popular go-to among customers, but the growing demand for whole fish has led Foodstuffs to boost its availability.

Brett Sellers, Seafood Operations Manager for Foodstuffs North Island, says that while most New Zealand seafood is exported, premium export quality fish has typically been difficult for Kiwis to access, except through high-end restaurants or local direct-to-consumer sources – until now. 

Russian fishermen have caught 304,000 tons of Iwashi sardines in the Far Eastern basin, a significant increase from last year’s catch of 241,400 tons. Currently, around 30 fishing vessels are engaged in the sardine fishery.

Iwashi sardines are primarily sent for processing to create affordable and popular canned and preserved products.

Fishing for Iwashi takes place in the open waters of the northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO) as well as within Japan's exclusive economic zone. In addition to Russian vessels, approximately 100 foreign boats—mostly flying the Chinese flag—are also operating in these waters, targeting sardines, mackerel, and other pelagic species.

Interesting Fact #1:

Iwashi is often referred to as the "people's fish" due to its nutritional value. Its meat is rich in iodine, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, and other beneficial microelements, making it suitable for a wide range of culinary dishes.

Interesting Fact #2:

The Japanese have been catching Iwashi since the 15th and 16th centuries, and it was a common dish on their tables during that time. In Japanese, the word for sardine is "maiwashi."

Source: Federal Agency for Fisheries

A team of food scientists are working to reduce food waste—starting with squid wings.

Did you know that when squid is caught and processed—often for dishes like calamari—a lot of it goes to waste? In fact, out of the 65 million pounds of squid that are landed every year, about half are tossed out. 

A chef prepares a dish with squid fins in the Dr. Matthew Highlands Food Pilot Plant in Hitchner Hall at the University of Maine. Photo courtesy of the University of Maine -->

In our new podcast episode, we'll meet Rob Dumas and Denise Skonberg—two food scientists from the University of Maine and recipients of NOAA's Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant. They're working to reduce waste by turning squid fins (or wings) into a new, convenient frozen food product. 

The research team combined seafood science with culinary knowledge to make their products. They found innovative ways to test them—including holding an Iron Chef-inspired cooking competition! Listen to the episode to learn more about the work to reduce food waste and open new markets.

Source: NOAA Fisheries Office of Communications

Arizona's first Seafood City Supermarket is set to open in 2025 at Chandler Fashion Center, occupying over 65,000 square feet in the former Sears store.

This vibrant supermarket will offer a wide range of authentic Filipino specialties and Asian products, including fresh seafood, unique fruits and vegetables, premium meats, and baked goods. In addition to grocery shopping, customers can enjoy various dining options featuring Filipino and Asian cuisine, a bakery, and popular beverages.

The store will also include a 2,035 square-foot community room for events and live tanks with crustaceans and fish for customers to select and prepare. A highlight will be the new Crab Market, a casual dining area focused on crustaceans paired with flavorful pan-Asian sauces.

Kevin Ryan joins Noochies! team to drive growth and innovation

TORONTO /CNW/ - CULT Food Science Corp. ("CULT" or the "Company") (CSE: CULT) (OTC: CULTF) (FRA: LN00), a disruptive food technology platform pioneering the commercialization of lab grown meat and cellular agriculture to reshape the global food industry, is pleased to announce that Kevin Ryan will be joining its subsidiary, Further Foods Inc., as the Head of Sales and Marketing for its innovative pet food brand, Noochies!

Key Takeaways:

• Kevin brings a wealth of pet food industry experience to Noochies! Head of Sales and Marketing role
• Noochies! brand is poised for retail sales growth both in North America and internationally

In his new role, Kevin will lead the development and implementation of all sales and marketing strategies aimed at achieving revenue targets and expanding distribution. He will guide the growth of the Noochies! brand into new markets and channels, while building and maintaining strong relationships with key clients, distributors and retail partners.

No stranger to the pet industry, Kevin previously served as the International Sales Manager for Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc.

The Scarborough Shoal, a long-disputed maritime flashpoint in the South China Sea – where over 190 Chinese vessels, including 28 fishing vessels and PLAN warships have been spotted operating in Philippine waters – saw fresh turmoil on Tuesday when a Chinese Coast Guard cutter unleashed a water cannon barrage on a Philippine fisheries vessel. The dramatic confrontation, captured on video and broadcast by the state-run People’s Television Network, underscored the escalating friction between Manila and Beijing over the resource-rich shoal.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the incident involved two Philippine fisheries vessels—BRP Datu Cabaylo (MMOV-3001) and BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV-3002)—which were in the area to resupply local fishermen. As the ships approached the contested waters, they were met by two Chinese fishing vessels and a warship from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The footage shows China Coast Guard cutter 3301 unleashing torrents of water against the Datu Cabaylo, with Chinese vessels engaging in aggressive maneuvering to obstruct the Philippine boats. Despite the dangerous encounter, BFAR officials confirmed that the ships completed their mission.

For fish, the obligation of this label would come into force next year

The British Government, in order to ensure that the inhabitants of Northern Ireland had the same access to British products as the rest of the United Kingdom and the same agri-food labeling requirements as those of the rest of the country, came up with the idea of ????implementing the label "not suitable for the EU", intended for those goods produced in Great Britain and intended for local consumption. It even had a schedule for the incorporation of these individual labels, which started in October 2023 with packaged meat and its derivatives, continued this October, and affected products such as fruits, vegetables and fish from July 2025.

Source: La Voz de Galicia l Read the full article here

The European Union remains the main outlet market for Vietnamese clams, with Italy and Spain among the top importers.

The global clam market is experiencing significant growth, driven by rising demand that is driving the expansion of Vietnam's exports. In August 2024 alone, the country exported clams worth close to $10 million, registering a 29% increase over the same period of the previous year. Overall, in the first eight months of 2024, revenue exceeded $65 million, representing a 19% growth. These figures underline the central role of clams in the Vietnamese export landscape, as they contribute more than 52% of total seafood exports.

Source: EuropaAzul l Read the full article here

Auburn, Maine, U.S.A.-based seafood brand Scott & Jon’s is expanding its offerings of frozen seafood bowls.

The company said its new Lemon Butter Dill Salmon Bowl, made with farm-raised salmon, and Baja Fish Taco Bowl, made with whitefish – a first for the company – will be available in early 2025.

Its salmon bowl line, launched earlier this year, is now being sold at major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Publix, and Wegmans.

Author: Christine Blank / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here

A dispute has broken out between Norway’s salmon industry and the national broadcaster NRK over claims that some of its employees are developing asthma through their work.

NRK has highlighted research findings from a study carried out on workers at St Olav’s Hospital in Trondheim

The broadcaster said reports from the hospital showed that a number of people, some of them immigrant workers, were suffering from “salmon asthma”.

Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here