Saving Seafood

OREGON: Pacific Seafood and Oregon regulators are locked in battle over wastewater treatment from its coastal processing plants

September 9, 2026 — Supporting the fishing fleets that fan out to sea from the Oregon coast, there are about three dozen industrial processing businesses that clean, cut and package the products before they’re shipped to consumers around the world.

It’s not a pretty process.

One byproduct of all those fish guts and shellfish innards is wastewater packed with solids and oils, as well as possibly chemicals, bacteria and heavy metals. Whatever isn’t filtered out gets discharged back into the ocean, where it can deplete dissolved oxygen that fish and other aquatic species need to breathe, and can pose risks to public health.

Seafood processing plants have been locked in a battle with environmental regulators over water pollution, with millions of dollars in fines piling up and legal fights that have spanned years. Meanwhile, the business is consolidating and, from an employment standpoint, shrinking.

The fight pits Oregon’s environmental aspirations against one of its legacy industries — one that remains a defining part of life on the Oregon coast even as its footprint contracts.

Read the full article at The Oregonian

Health experts agree — eat more fish. The harder question: Wild-caught or farm-raised?

September 8, 2026 — Shelly Marie Redmond, a Shreveport dietitian, says one of her first priorities with clients is to get seafood into their meal plans.

“Fish can add so much to our well-being,” she said. “It’s rich in protein, which can help us lose weight, but it also is full of healthy omega-3 fats that protect our hearts and decrease inflammation.”

But not all of this underwater bounty is created equal when it comes to health. In particular, the debate over wild-caught seafood vs. farm-raised seafood can become complicated, balancing concerns around nutrition, contamination, overfishing and environmental degradation.

Dana Honn, chef-owner of New Orleans-based restaurants Nikkei Izakaya and Tempero’s Kitchen as well as founder of the Tropical Foodways Institute and the Louisiana Shrimp Festival, says that creating hard and fast rules between wild-caught and farm-raised seafood is not easy.

Read the full article at NOLA.com

Climate change may halve omega‑3 fatty acids in fish and the organisms they eat

August 31, 2026 — You’ve probably heard eating fish and other seafood is good for your health. One of the main reasons is that seafood is an excellent source of two important omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA.

EPA and DHA are critical for the development and function of brains, eyes and healthy hearts. They also reduce chronic inflammation, which is linked to many chronic diseases. They can also reduce the risk of premature births and perhaps even some types of cancer.

While humans can produce EPA and DHA from ALA (an omega-3 fat found in plants) and it’s possible to get them from foods such as linseed and walnuts, seafood is the main source for most people.

However, our new study shows many fish and other seafood will become less rich in omega-3s over time, due to rising ocean temperatures as the climate changes. In fact, we found omega-3 could drop by 50% under very high warming scenarios.

This is very bad news for human health but also for the health of other animals in the food web.

Read the full article at The Conversation 

Meet the Autonomous Underwater Robot Expanding Our Ability to Survey the Seafloor

August 31, 2026 — For the past 3 years, our Habitat Camera (HabCam) Survey has had self-propelled underwater helpers. From June 30 to July 6 of this year, two Tethys-class long-range autonomous underwater vehicles, or LRAUVs, surveyed more than 200 nautical miles of pre-programmed track lines in the Mid-Atlantic. Together, they captured more than 68,000 images of the seafloor, collecting critical data used in fisheries stock assessments.

LRAUVs provide an alternative way to survey areas of the ocean where traditional research vessels cannot go because of offshore development. The data they collect complements our vessel-based HabCam Survey, which collects millions of seafloor images each year to understand Atlantic sea scallop populations.

Technology Strengthens the Sea Scallop Assessment

Our scientists identified sea scallops, fish, crabs, snake eels, squid, skates, and more in the seafloor images taken by LRAUVs this year. They will present these data, along with HabCam Survey data, to the New England Fishery Management Council at the end of August. The Council’s Scallop Plan Development Team will incorporate the data into the Atlantic sea scallop assessment. Ultimately, the data help generate more accurate estimates of sea scallop abundance and distribution to inform management decisions.

Advanced Technology Specialist Cameron Fairclough notes that this technology expands where and when we can collect data. “This autonomous underwater vehicle can image the seafloor and you can control it from your phone while it’s out in the middle of the ocean,” he explained.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Maine lobster protected: Canada removes seafood from retaliatory tariffs

August 28, 2026 — Lobstermen in Maine breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday after Canada amended its retaliatory tariffs against the United States, removing seafood and fish products from the items that will face the new fee.

In an announcement late Wednesday night, Canada’s Department of Finance said the Canadian government was working with Canadian industries to assess the effectiveness of retaliatory tariffs. Based on feedback, the department said it made “select adjustments to protect against broader economic harms.”

Read the full article at WMTW

Canada announces retaliatory tariffs on US, targets fish and seafood

August 25, 2026 — The government of Canada has announced a sweeping set of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, including 25 percent duties on fish and seafood.

The U.S. and Canada had been undergoing trade talks after U.S. President Donald Trump continuously threatened Canada with tariffs since taking office in January 2025, including threats of 100 percent tariffs in February 2026 after Canada and China finalized a trade deal. Those trade talks had become rocky in recent months, with United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer announcing tariffs as high as 50 percent on Canadian goods in July, even as the two countries discuss the United States, Mexico, Canada agreement (USMCA) – a trade deal that Trump established in 2020.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

New Organization To Provide Labour Certification for Fishing Vessels

January 5, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Developed by a diverse group of experts in fish harvesting with consultation from labour non-profit organisations, the FISH Standard for Crew is developing a voluntary, independent and accredited third-party certification program for labour practices on vessels in wild-capture fisheries. The name “FISH” represents the scope of the standard: Fairness, Integrity, Safety and Health.

The FISH Standard is designed to ensure that fish sold in markets, grocery stores and restaurants around the world is harvested by crews who are recruited and hired ethically, treated with respect on the vessel, paid properly, and have fair processes to address grievances. The FISH Standard certification will be open to wild-capture harvesters of all sizes.

FISH has an eleven-person Board of Directors, Chaired by Fridrik Fridriksson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Brim. FISH also has a nine-person Standards Oversight Committee (SOC) that developed and updates the audit standards. The FISH Standard draws on the experiences of individuals who helped develop international agreements on labour practices. Members of the FISH Board and SOC represent nearly every corner of the globe, bringing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences in fisheries and labour to the table.

“While most seafood companies work ethically and in line with various labour standards and protocols, both legal and voluntary, to ensure proper treatment of crews, there have been challenges and bad actors in the industry,” said Fridriksson. “Media reports have shined a spotlight on these issues and highlighted the fact that everyone harvesting seafood deserves fair and equitable treatment. The FISH Standard provides a credible, worldwide standard to ensure proper treatment of crews, like you see with third-party certifiers of food safety.”

The FISH Standard supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8, which promotes sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

“Governments, industry participants and civil society all have critical roles to play in ensuring that people are treated fairly and have safe and decent working conditions,” said FISH Board member, Matt Tinning, Director of Sustainability and Public Affairs for the At-sea Processors Association. “In tandem with other initiatives, we believe the development of a uniform labour standard that seafood buyers can trust is an important step, and has the potential to become a key component of global seafood assurance.”

The FISH Standard provides a needed independent, third-party global certification that makes fair labour a key component in any sourcing discussion. Look for more information on the 60-day public consultation period for the FISH Standard opening soon.

15 Health Benefits of Eating Fish, According to Science

September 1, 2017 — Scientists consider fish as one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Health experts recommend that individuals include fish into their diets as regularly as possible. This is because fish is packed with protein, vitamin D, important minerals such as selenium and iodine, as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

In fact, scientists and health experts maintain that fish is the number one source of the omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, scientific research shows that fish is one of the best dietary sources of vitamin D (1). Thus, consumption of fish can markedly improve rates of vitamin D deficiency, as well as ensure that people are getting enough omega-3 into their bodies.

This article will look at 15 scientifically proven health benefits of consuming fish. In addition, the article will present five delicious and healthy fish recipes that readers can make for themselves, their families, and friends.

1. Fish supports the health of bones and teeth

Fish is one of the best sources of vitamin D, and studies have shown that a deficiency in this nutrient results in low mineral density in the bones, as well as osteopenia, and osteoporosis (2).

Read the full list at Jen Reviews