IntraFish Podcast

Seafood eco-labels have been a lot of things over the years: a must-have ticket to certain customers, a shield against NGO attacks, and to some, an expensive burden. Now, exposes in India and China have called into question just how thorough the auditing process is for companies carrying certification, and if those labels are enough assurance. While sustainable seafood expert Andrew Mallison of Fishthink says certification has played one of the most important roles in making fisheries and aquaculture supply chains better, businesses and consumers are often confused on just what those eco-labels are telling them.

This week a series of reports and investigations into the Indian shrimp farming sector has once again led to a massive scramble for answers. But at the heart of the issue are increasing questions about how much buyers and suppliers can trust third-party seafood certifications. Plus, we're joined by IntraFish Reporter Anders Furuset, who helps us understand the controversy over Norway's lower-grade "production" fish.

There's no better way to gather news than in person, and the IntraFish team took full advantage this week. Editor Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo discuss what we learned from panels at the IntraFish Seafood Leadership Event, as well as from the Seafood Expo North America showfloor.

Journalist Ian Urbina's investigation into the China seafood processing sector has already had a huge effect on the supply chain. His latest story in the series, part of the Outlaw Ocean Project, uncovered even more forced labor violations by some of the largest seafood processing companies. We brought Urbina on to the podcast to ask him about the story behind the story, and what seafood companies can and should do next. You can subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Read more: https://www.intrafish.com/opinion/chinas-seafood-supply-chain-has-been-broken-for-years-the-industry-has-looked-the-other-way-/2-1-1604567 https://www.intrafish.com/opinion/cheap-labor-often-comes-at-a-high-price-and-we-are-all-complicit-it-is-time-to-change-the-rules-of-the-supply-chain-/2-1-1537675 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/10/16/the-crimes-behind-the-seafood-you-eat https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/03/04/inside-north-koreas-forced-labor-program-in-china https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-uyghurs-forced-to-process-the-worlds-fish

Craigslist is great, but if you're trying to sell a massive seafood company, it's going to take more than an online post. Consolidation has been moving at a rapid pace in the seafood, aquaculture and fisheries sector, but there is much more to be done. We spoke with Ignacio Kleiman of boutique M&A firm Antarctica Advisors about the climate for deals in the sector, and where the M&A 'hot spots' will be in the coming year.

Clothing giant Patagonia really doesn't like salmon farming, and it's used its massive resources to combat it. Will its latest attack have any effect?

At one point, the leading land-based salmon farmer in the world, Atlantic Sapphire, was worth $1 billion on the Oslo Stock Exchange. It's since become worth just a fraction of that, and several planned projects have dried up. Join IntraFish and land-based aquaculture expert Brian Vinci of The Freshwater Institute as we discuss the outlook for the sector. Also, a look at one of the most dangerous stretches of roads in Chile -- at least for truckers transporting farmed salmon. Tens of millions of dollars of salmon has been stolen at gunpoint in the past several years. What can be done? Correspondent John Evans reports. Remember to subscribe for free so you get every episode right on your mobile. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/intrafish-podcast/id1149438791 Google Play: https://podcasts.google.com/search/intrafish

This episode gives you a double dose of salmon. First, we talk about two new innovative projects to make wild salmon, well, more like farmed salmon. In addition, we're joined by farmed salmon expert Dag Sletmo from Norwegian lender DNB, who gives us a look at 2024 and beyond.

The farmed shrimp market is in disarray: high inventories, lackluster demand and sliding prices. To help us make sense of it all, this week we've invited Rabobank's Gorjan Nikolik to discuss recent research on where the industry could be headed this year. Join IntraFish editors Drew Cherry and John Fiorillo as they talk with Gorjan.

Just how bad are retail seafood sales in Western markets? Really bad. New statistics released for December show that 2023 was a year for seafood to forget. But there are some lessons in the data, and some signs that a turnaround may be underway. IntraFish editors Drew Cherry and John Fiorillo discuss the outlook with Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics.

It was a consequential year for seafood -- and 2024 promises to be just as chaotic. Join IntraFish editors Drew Cherry and John Fiorillo as they take a look back at the top stories of 2023, and where things could be headed this year.

Join Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo as they talk about the Alaskan broadsides against the Marine Stewardship Council and a major frozen foods company. Plus, cellular seafood is going to be big. Very big.

Few executives loomed as large in the lore of American seafood as Trident founder Chuck Bundrant. As the company turns 50 years old, it enters a new era, with an industry rapidly changing. Listen in as IntraFish Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry interviews Joe Bundrant, the CEO and son of Chuck Bundrant. We discuss the past and future of the group, including the challenge and responsibilities that come along with taking over a family-owned company with a larger-than-life founder.

Join Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry, Executive Editor John Fiorillo and correspondent John Evans as they discuss the massive protests against a proposed law in Chile. Plus, the very, very low price forecast for wild Alaska salmon has a lot of people worried.

Join Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo as they give a round-up of takeaways from the world's largest seafood show, and ponder what it will take to move the growing pile of wild Alaska salmon.

While shrimp has long been a favorite seafood, it hasn't built the consumption base it deserves, some argue. And in a current period of flatter consumption and big supply, one group has a plan to change that. Plus, we look ahead to the Barcelona Seafood Show. Join Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo for this edition.

Americans love to sue one another -- it's almost a national pastime. And nothing is more attractive to lawyers than a good class-action suit. Because once one domino falls, it's open season. That's what's happening with claims on seafood packaging -- more and more lawsuits are targeting terms like "sustainability," and companies are moving quickly to settle the cases. It's likely going to get worse. Join Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo as they discuss.

A busy week as the industry gathered for Seafood Expo North America in Boston, PLUS we released our Seafood Power 100 of top executives. Join Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo as they discuss both. Visit www.intrafish.com for more news and insight on the seafood, aquaculture and fisheries industries.

Like all industries, the seafood industry is struggling with a range of changes in its workforce. From wage inflation to new expectations from Millennial worker, it's an era of uncertainty. Join IntraFish Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo as they discuss the issue.

Land-based salmon farming seems to be generating excitement once again among investors. The list of planned projects is long and getting seemingly longer. But it's past time to be realistic about the future of the segment, and how important it could actually be to global salmon production.

A Norwegian company has an interesting idea: using a nuclear reactor to power its shrimp harvesting vessels. We think we have wrung every clever headline and pun we can out of this story, but behind the humor is a thought-provoking idea: the fishing industry needs to address emissions. Plus, discussing the Maine lobster industry's decision to step away from the Marine Stewardship Council re-certification process.

The news that the UK's largest retailer is shuttering all its seafood counters comes as a shock to the fisheries, aquaculture and processing industry. After all, the seafood counter has been a mainstay at retail for decades, showcasing everything the industry has to offer. So are fresh fish counters an endangered species? Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo discuss.

Executive Editor John Fiorillo is back from the National Fisheries Institute's Global Seafood Market Conference -- an exclusive gathering of top executives in the US industry. He gives us some takeaways about the prospects for key fish and shellfish species.

Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo discuss the outlook for salmon, whitefish, shrimp and more in what will be no doubt another turbulent and exciting year.

Emissions are the next big sustainability hurdle for the seafood industry. Here's one example of just how ugly it might get. Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo discuss.

We look back at the contributions of John Connelly, the long-time National Fisheries Institute leader, who passed away at 61 years old. Plus, we discuss Washington State's ban on finfish netpen farming.

Join IntraFish Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo as they discuss the latest inflationary warnings from retailers, foodservice and processing companies. Also: A Vietnamese farmed whitefish is suddenly back in the limelight.

Join Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo as they dissect -- really dissect -- the US federal government's new aquaculture strategy.

Join IntraFish Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo as they discuss the Alaska pollock, Atlantic cod and other wild whitefish species. Plus, McDonald's gives us a Halloween scare with its concerns for the future of agriculture.

Just a few years ago, aquaculture was a dirty word in some NGO circles, but the tide has been shifting steadily, and most informed environmental groups and their backers are seeing that sustainable fish farming will be critical to food security, and possibly one of the keys to protecting other ocean species. A comment sent from Walmart heiress Christy Walton to IntraFish gave us a leaping off point for this week's discussion.

Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo break down Norway's salmon farming tax, and the return of eco-label confusion.

Sorting out seafood eco-labels has become increasingly difficult. With so many labels (and so many acronyms!), there's an overwhelming amount of choices and considerations. Joining Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry on this edition of the podcast is Andrew Mallison, the principal at FishThink, and a former top executive at seafood certification groups.

A new book purports to uncover the dark secrets of the farmed salmon industry. Instead, it's a rehash of allegations -- many disproven -- that have been around for decades.

Though the oppressive heat in the UK didn't hit Scotland's salmon farms, the seafood industry can only dodge climate change so long. Andrew Mallison, principal at FishThink, gives his views on how industry should be reacting. Plus, is Maine still the last best hope for American aquaculture?

It's time to get schooled on what fish and chips means to Britons, and why the threat of thousands of "chippies" going out of business is particularly painful for the country. Correspondent John Evans, one of our resident Brits, helps break down how a confluence of events is hammering the industry. Plus, how the cheaper whitefish alternative, Alaska pollock, remains a bargain.

Salmon farming giants settled a class action lawsuit for collusion in the US for $85 million last week, with the caveat that there was no admission of guilt. But the companies still face investigations by the US Department of Justice and the European Union -- did the settlement make things better or worse? Plus, a look at Spanish giant Pescanova's rise from the ashes.

German retail Aldi is facing a lawsuit alleging it fraudulently claims its salmon is sustainable. One eco-label came to its defense, but that didn't impress the judge. Plus, more climate disasters hit salmon farms. What does that mean?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has dramatically shaped the world order, and seafood is no exception. Here's what we know so far about the impact of the crisis, and what may lie ahead.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has shocked the world, and had a devastating toll on people and businesses. The seafood industry is, it turns out, one of the most exposed commodities, given that Russia is a massive supplier of key fish including pollock, cod, salmon and crab, among other species. Join us as we discuss the potential ramifications, and visit our coverage at www.intrafish.com.

Join us as Correspondent John Evans discusses his recent interview of shipping and seafood experts, and Senior Business Reporter Rachel Sapin talks about the looming labor crisis in Alaska's processing industry.

Did we mention inflation? Seafood prices are going through the roof. What might that mean?

Algal blooms are not a new phenomenon, nor are they a new challenge to ocean-based aquaculture. What is new, though, is the regularity of their occurrence, and the severity of their impact. Recent mass die-offs in Chile have the salmon farming industry worried about what the future holds.

This land-based salmon farm had the plans, the approval, and praise from US senators. So what happened? Senior Business Reporter Rachel Sapin talks about her latest story. Plus, correspondent John Evans talks about the 'mother of all supply chain stumbles.' Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo join in.

What, exactly, does "getting back to business" mean in today's context? Trade shows and events have been a critical part of how the seafood, aquaculture and fisheries industries connect. But with changes in how we communicate and a new generation of workers, are the days of handshakes and client dinners drawing to a close? Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry and Executive Editor John Fiorillo discuss.

We look at some of the key takeaways from our blockbuster Sustainable Seafood Summit, and discuss how ESG investing might change the industry.

Join the IntraFish team as we discuss why the Peruvian anchovy harvest is so important for the global seafood industry, the massive Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run and the challenges facing salmon farming companies in Eastern Canada.

The US market has beaten off one of the UK's favoUrite brands. Why did it flop? Plus, the plant-based seafood battle rolls on, and there are some interesting points on both sides.

Halloween edition: Scary plant-based seafood, the haunted British Columbia salmon farming industry, and the ghostly image of US offshore aquaculture.

Join IntraFish Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry, Executive Editor John Fiorillo and correspondent John Evans as they discuss a few of the most interesting stories from the week.

Brexit has not been kind to Scottish salmon farmers, and things could get worse. Plus, can the American Seafoods saga actually get worse before it gets better?

This week, more on the stories that won't die, because they keep staying interesting. Alaska seafood's pollock chaos continues after a unwelcome decision. Russia is waiting in the wings, but it's unclear just how big a threat they are. Plus Atlantic Sapphire's land-based salmon is getting a massive promotion right when it needed it.