Saving Seafood

Nutrition

National Fisheries Institute Welcomes Release of 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

January 7, 2025  — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Today, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) welcomes the release of the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which emphasize the importance of eating more seafood.  Seafood is a whole-food source of both key nutrients the new Guidelines encourage Americans to prioritize, protein and healthy fats, specifically omega-3s.

NFI supports the Guidelines’ user-friendly format, which aims to deliver concise messaging that can help Americans understand the benefits of eating a seafood-rich diet.  The new Guidelines recommend early introduction of seafood at six months and ongoing consumption across the lifespan.  Seafood is especially important during rapid growth periods like adolescence, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. 

Seafood naturally fits within the simple, overarching message of the Guidelines, “Eat Real Food.”  All forms of whole seafood—including fresh, frozen, and canned—count and work together to make a healthy diet affordable and accessible to American families.  While the full range of seafood offerings is too long for health policy makers to list, the new food pyramid graphic features a variety of options including salmon, shrimp, and canned tuna. NFI looks forward to helping Americans put the Guidelines into practice and enjoy the health benefits of all types of seafood in their daily diets.

Could moon snails, neon flying squid fisheries save the scallop industry? Some local scientists are hopeful

January 6, 2026 — When was the last time you tried a new food? Something you’ve never tasted before. That’s what Captain Jack Morris was doing when I approached him in a buffet line at a Fisheries Innovation and Technology Expo at Moby Dick Brewing Co., in New Bedford. I asked him what he was trying.

“The squid,” he said. “I’m kinda working my way around. But no, it’s good. Excellent, really.”

The squid Morris was tasting is not the kind you’d find at your favorite fishmonger or offered up as calamari at a local restaurant. At least not yet. Morris was trying out various preparations of neon flying squid, including a calamari dish.

“The fried squid, I’m gonna grab a couple of them,” he said. “I’m sure they’re good too.”

And they were. Neon flying squid tastes like the squid we’re used to being served, but they’re a much bigger animal that lives out in the deep ocean.

Read the full article at wbur

Seafood Tips from the People Bringing You America’s Seafood (Part 2)

December 12, 2025 — Across the country, fishermen, farmers, chefs, and educators are working to keep fishing heritage alive while inspiring new generations to value the bounties of our coastal waters. Here, experts from the Pacific coast share their stories and tips for making seafood a bigger part of your life—no matter where you live.

Jenna Keeton, Washington Sea Grant

To celebrate Seafood Month, fisheries staff from Washington, Oregon, and California Sea Grants developed and launched Discover West Coast Seafood. The website features information about the species caught and farmed on the West Coast, along with harvester profiles, recipes, and where to find local seafood, all designed to help consumers explore their local seafood options and make informed choices.

For Jenna Keeton, one of the lead authors of the Discover West Coast Seafood website, working with seafood blends science, sustainability, and her love of food. She began her career in fisheries as an undergraduate with the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington. While there, she also studied with the Alaska Salmon Program in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Her interest in connecting science to sustainable food sources led to her current role as fisheries specialist at Washington Sea Grant, one of NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Programs. As part of Jenna’s work, she provides consumer education resources on seafood, sustainable commercial fisheries, and shellfish harvest activities. Washington Sea Grant also offers technical assistance and training to the seafood sector to ensure safe harvest and processing, while helping expand consumer access to U.S. seafood.

We are so excited to share this comprehensive educational resource highlighting the West Coast’s variety of seafood. I particularly like learning about the types of gear harvesters use.” — Jenna Keeton, Discover West Coast Seafood/Washington Sea Grant

The Discover West Coast Seafood Team’s Seafood Tips

  • Find dishes you already enjoy and incorporate local seafood for the protein in those recipes. For example, use a mild, flakey fish like rockfish or sole for taco night.
  • Explore new seafood and preparations methods gradually; small changes can help you expand your seafood repertoire. For example, try pan-searing your salmon to develop a caramelized flavor.
  • Support sustainable U.S. fishers and shellfish growers to ensure healthy oceans and thriving coastal economies.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Seafood Tips from the People Bringing You America’s Seafood (Part 1)

November 21, 2025 — Across the country, fishermen, farmers, chefs, and educators are working to keep fishing heritage alive while inspiring new generations to value the bounties of our coastal waters. Here, experts from the Atlantic coast share their stories and tips for making seafood a bigger part of your life—no matter where you live. And stay tuned: we’ll be sharing Part Two featuring insights from Pacific coast experts.

Captain Brady Lybarger, Scallop Shack Farms

New Jersey

Scallop Shack Farms began as South Jersey’s original seafood pop-up. Captain Brady Lybarger, an experienced second-generation commercial fisherman, and his wife Amanda started selling scallops from the back of their truck during the pandemic.

Today, the thriving family-run market in Cape May, New Jersey offers scallops, seasonal catches, and gourmet goods, all sourced directly from American fishermen. Brady runs the shop with his wife, her father and sister-in-law, and even nieces, welcoming seafood lovers in to buy and connect. At Scallop Shack Farms, seafood goes from boat—often Brady’s own F/V Salted—to home chefs within hours of landing. Customers don’t just buy seafood there—they learn the story behind it, meet the people who caught it, and become part of a growing family of supporters.

Brady knows firsthand the challenges facing the fishing industry, with declining fisheries, rising costs, and fewer young workers entering the trade. That’s why he carves out time to serve on New England Fishery Management Council advisory panels on tilefish and scallops, ensuring fishermen’s knowledge informs management decisions.

Captain Brady’s Seafood Tips

  • Start fresh: A fresh, well-handled product makes all the difference. Scallop Shack Farms takes pride in bleeding and brining fish and delivering them within 24 hours when possible.
  • Keep it simple: For scallops, the secret is to pat them completely dry, then sear in a hot pan for 1.5-2 minutes per side. Add just salt, pepper, oil, and butter—no need to over-season a good product.
  • Ask questions: Don’t hesitate to talk with your fishmonger or fisherman—they’re happy to share how the seafood was caught and the best ways to prepare it.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

US Congress establishes USDA seafood liaison, bans Chinese seafood from school lunches

November 13, 2025 — The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history has ended, with Republicans garnering enough support in the Senate to pass a continuing resolution that will keep the government funded into January.

The legislation largely continues funding at fiscal year 2025 levels, but lawmakers were able to add a few provisions into the appropriations bill through a last minute amendment in the Senate, including passing a major priority for the U.S. seafood industry: the establishment of a new seafood liaison position within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Embrace ‘blue’ foods as a climate strategy at COP30, fisheries ministers say (commentary)

November 12, 2025 — As two coastal countries connected by the Atlantic Ocean and five centuries of shared history, Brazil and Portugal have long appreciated the value of “blue” or aquatic foods, including our shared love of bacalhau, or salted cod.

Portugal ranks third in the world and first in the EU for per capita fish and seafood consumption, while in Brazil, aquatic foods support more than 3 million livelihoods, with consumption of whole, raw fish reaching as much as 800 grams (28 ounces) per day in the Amazon, which is hosting the U.N. climate talks for the first time in its gateway city of Belém.

But as our global food system comes under increasing pressure, from climate change to shifting diets, we also share the recognition that blue foods play a crucial role in building more resilient, adaptive, and nutritionally balanced food systems.

Read the full article at Mongabay

From Fraud to Fresh: How Shrimp Festivals Are Making Authenticity a Badge of Honor

November 4, 2025 — The following was released by SeaD Consulting:

For the second consecutive year, every vendor at the Louisiana Shrimp Festival and Shrimp Aid has been verified as serving 100% local, wild-caught Gulf shrimp, reaffirming the event’s commitment to authenticity, transparency, and support for Louisiana’s fishing communities.

Through independent testing by SeaD Consulting, using the company’s groundbreaking RIGHTTest system, each participating vendor’s shrimp passed genetic verification onsite—delivering results in under two hours. This testing program has set a new national standard for seafood festivals, ensuring attendees are served genuine Gulf shrimp from regional waters.

This marks a broader trend across the South: festivals are now holding themselves accountable to the standards they advertise. Last year, SeaD Consulting exposed vendors at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores and the Shrimp & Petroleum Festival in Morgan City for selling imported shrimp while promoting “local” seafood. Following those revelations, the National Shrimp Festival introduced a Chief Shrimp Investigator role and, with support from the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama, contracted SeaD Consulting to test every vendor. Non-compliant vendors faced fines and were barred from selling until they sourced local, wild-caught shrimp confirmed through RIGHTTest verification.

Meanwhile, rumors of imported shrimp sales at New Orleans Jazz Fest prompted a round of genetic testing this year — with only one vendor found out of compliance. Across the Gulf Coast, festivals are recognizing that consumer trust and community sustainability depend on serving what they promise.

“It’s hard to believe that we have to ensure compliance through genetic testing, but here we are,” said Dana Honn, of the Louisiana Shrimp Festival and Shrimp Aid. “The flood of imports in the U.S. has deeply impacted our shrimping communities, and we’re proud to be in our second year providing education, transparency, and support for our coastal fishers. We have to save them. I don’t want a world where we don’t have a seafaring community providing local fresh shrimp.”

The Louisiana Shrimp Festival and Shrimp Aid’s unwavering commitment to authenticity not only boosts consumer confidence but also helps preserve Louisiana’s maritime heritage. Vendors at the festival worked directly with local shrimpers to keep their supply fresh and Gulf-sourced throughout the weekend, reinforcing the event’s theme: SOS — Save Our Shrimpers.

About the Louisiana Shrimp Festival and Shrimp Aid

A Celebration of Our Shrimpers and Their Coastal Communities

The Louisiana Shrimp Festival/Shrimp Aid aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by local shrimp and fishing industries while creating new economic opportunities for coastal communities and the broader seafood sector. Featuring award-winning musical artists, top New Orleans restaurants and pop-ups, and family-friendly programming, the festival embodies the spirit of Louisiana culture. The annual “Shrimp Aid” pavilion brings together shrimpers, chefs, and industry leaders for panels, discussions, and documentary screenings focused on sustaining local fisheries.

The Second Annual Louisiana Shrimp Festival took place October 18–19, 2025, at The Broadside in Mid-City New Orleans, with all proceeds directed toward efforts supporting shrimpers and building stronger seafood markets.

About SeaD Consulting

SeaD (Seafood Development) Consulting partners with seafood producers, researchers, agencies, and environmental organizations to advance transparency and innovation across the seafood sector. Through its RIGHTTest™ genetic verification platform, SeaD helps eliminate seafood mislabeling and substitution fraud while promoting sustainable, traceable sourcing practices.

For more information, visit www.seadconsulting.com or contact Glenda Beasley at gb@seadconsulting.com or 512.750.5199.

Disclaimer: SeaD’s testing and reporting is intended to be used as an investigatory tool to assist the restaurant industry’s fight against seafood mislabeling and is not intended for use in any legal proceedings, nor may SeaD’s data, testing, or reporting be used in any legal proceeding without the express written authorization of SeaD.

DNA testing of Gulf Coast restaurants’ shrimp reveals continued mislabeling

October 23, 2025 —  A follow-up investigation conducted by SeaD Consulting using its RIGHTTest™ (Rapid ID Genetic High-Accuracy Test) has revealed new insights into shrimp sourcing integrity at Gulf Coast restaurants.

The retesting, part of an ongoing regional study supported by the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), found both encouraging signs of progress and persistent misrepresentation in the labeling and sourcing of shrimp served to local diners.

SeaD Consulting was previously commissioned by the SSA in March this year to conduct genetic tests on shrimp dishes from 44 restaurants in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley.

Fifty percent of restaurants from SeaD’s March’s DNA testing were randomly selected for follow-up. Of the 22 restaurants retested this month, findings show that 10 out of 22 were serving imports (46%) compared to 19 out of 44 (43%) previously tested in March 2025.

In October last year, Alabama legislators enacted the Alabama Seafood Labeling Law, which requires establishments to disclose the country of origin and whether seafood is wild-caught or farm-raised. The Alabama Department of Public Health is tasked with enforcing this law.

Read the full article at Gulf Coast Media

A deep dive into seafood safety amid a government shutdown

October 3, 2025 — On the heels of back-to-back radioactive shrimp recalls, and in the midst of a federal government shutdown. Seafood safety is a question for many who enjoy flavors from the coast.

There are multiple federal agencies, including the FDA, USDA, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Customs and Border Protection, to inspect various imports and domestic products, like the hundreds of thousands of recalled shrimp from Indonesia over the past two months.

But one organization stands out, the National Marine Fisheries Service, under the U-S Department of Commerce.

Read the full article at WCTI 12

Indonesia confirms radioactive shrimp linked to contamination at steel plant, assures exports safe

October 3, 2025 — The Indonesian government has confirmed traces of radioactive Cesium-137 (Cs-137) detected in shrimp products were linked to a steel factory in an industrial zone in Banten province, but said the incident has not affected the integrity of the country’s seafood supply chain or exports.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration first issued an advisory that it detected Cs-137 in a shipping container at the ports of Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami in August. Imported shrimp, processed by Indonesia-based PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, was inside the containers, leading to initial recalls as radiation was detected in both the shrimp packaging, and in the shipping containers.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource