Saving Seafood

Climate-driven disruption, constrained supply adding volatility to aquaculture markets in the back half of 2026

August 7, 2026 — Global aquaculture firms and the wider value chain entered the second half of 2026 facing a difficult combination of constrained supply, rising feed costs, climate uncertainty, and uneven consumer demand, according to Rabobank’s latest Global Aquaculture Update.

After weathering several major disruptions over the past decade, the industry has now entered a phase in which climate change, tightening feed ingredient supplies, and geopolitical uncertainty are reshaping global seafood markets, Rabobank Seafood Analyst Novel Sharma told SeafoodSource, explaining the industry should plan for continual uncertainty rather than treat each challenge as an isolated disruption.

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Resilient demand propping up seafood prices as early 2026 supplies tighten, Rabobank reports

February 17, 2026 — Global seafood markets have entered 2026 on steadier footing than expected, with resilient consumer demand continuing to support prices across key farmed species.

This resilience has come despite geopolitical uncertainty, shifting trade flows, and tight supply conditions, according to the latest RaboResearch aquaculture outlook report from Rabobank.

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Rabobank predicts 2025 to bring aquaculture growth on improved demand, lower input costs

January 3, 2024 — Rabobank’s RaboResearch unit is forecasting an increase in global aquaculture production in 2025, with increases seen in both farmed fish and shrimp volumes.

While increasing tariffs and trade restrictions may bring uncertainty or impede the industry, lower feed prices and rising demand should benefit producers, according to “Global Aquaculture Outlook 2025,” published by Rabobank’s Global Animal Protein Sector team. The publication projects that finfish production will see the most growth, while shrimp – which continues to be affected by low prices – will experience a more modest upturn.

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Rabobank: Shrimp industry flailing as global demand softens

August 7, 2023 — Falling prices and demand coupled with rising feed and production costs have left global shrimp producers in dire straits, according to new analysis published by the global animal protein sector of Utrecht, Netherlands-based .

Written by Rabobank Senior Global Specialist of Seafood Gorjan Nikolik, the report, “Global Aquaculture Update 2H 2023: Between a Rock and a Hard Place,” found the shrimp industry faced an extremely challenging first six months of 2023, with prices continuing to fall due to soft demand from Western markets in tandem with high supply from leading producers like Ecuador.

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Rabobank: 2023 will be record year for global shrimp output, while salmon production will normalize

December 5, 2022 — Despite mounting concerns over rising costs and general market conditions, there’s optimism across the aquaculture industry coming into the New Year, according to new analysis compiled by the RaboResearch unit of Rabobank.

Summarizing key takeaways from the Global Seafood Alliance’s (GSA) GOAL Conference 2022, held in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. in October 2022, Rabobank’s latest aquaculture report, “What to Expect in the Aquaculture Industry in 2023,” found the global shrimp supply is on a positive trajectory, while farmed salmon production should “normalize in the short-term.”

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Rabobank: Global seafood trade facing challenges after strong post-COVID rebound

October 14, 2022 — Already firmly established as the world’s most-traded animal protein, with commerce valued at 3.6 times the size of beef, five time that of pork, and eight times greater than poultry, the global seafood trade flow added a further USD 13 billion (EUR 13.4 billion) to its value in 2021, climbing to a new high of USD 164 billion (EUR 169 billion), according to the latest industry report compiled by Rabobank.

According to the Dutch multinational banking and financial services company’s “Global Seafood Trade: The Decade’s Winners Grow in Influence,” released 13 October, premium aquaculture – in particular salmon and shrimp – has been a driving force behind this growth.

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Wells Fargo, Rabobank economists predict continuing supply-chain woes

January 24, 2022 — Robust U.S. demand for goods and ongoing transportation and logistical challenges will result in continued supply-chain challenges through the rest of the year, according to economists from Wells Fargo and Rabobank.

Speaking at the 2022 National Fisheries Institute Global Seafood Market Conference, Wells Fargo Senior Economist Tim Quinlan said strong retail sales in the United States, driven by rising wages and government stimulus, kept demand for goods high through 2021, putting pressure on the import market to keep pace. But delays due to COVID-19-related transportation slowdowns, workforce shortages, and lack of competition in the shipping industry prevented supply chains from catching up with demand, and delays will continue for the foreseeable future, Quinlan said.

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US institutional foodservice expected to recover in 2023

September 28, 2020 — In harsh news for seafood suppliers and distributors, the United States institutional foodservice sector is not expected to recover until 2023.

The new Rabobank projection is based on current trends and assumes no major resurgence in U.S. COVID-19 cases, which could alter projections, according to Amit Sharma, executive director of food and foodservice for Rabobank.

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RAS to disrupt the salmon sector within the next decade, says Rabobank

October 18, 2019 — The tide is turning for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and this emerging technology has the potential to change the face of aquaculture over the next decade, claims a new report from Rabobank.

Analysis in the “Aquaculture 2.0: RAS Is Driving Change” report, compiled by RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness, states that while the “RAS concept is still under development and the future holds uncertainties,” the number of proposed projects to farm seafood species using this technology is increasing day by day, with the majority of ventures focused on salmon farming.

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Aquaculture supporters send letter to Congress

February 7, 2019 — More than 120 seafood industry leaders and other aquaculture proponents have signed on to a letter that was sent to members of Congress on Wednesday, 6 February, urging federal lawmakers to open up opportunities for offshore fish farming.

The letter, sent to legislators by Stronger America Through Seafood, said House and Senate members plan to reintroduce updated versions of the Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act. The bills would streamline the permitting process for aquaculture initiatives based in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“It is time for the U.S. to get into the aquaculture game and provide new local sources of sustainable seafood for consumers,” the letter said. “We can do it here, we can do it right and we can do it [now].”

The letter also said the country risks missing out on getting a piece of the growing aquaculture industry, which researchers believe will continue to grow. According to Beyhan de Jong, a Rabobank researcher, the industry produced USD 232 billion (EUR 204.8 billion) in goods in 2016. It stands to grow by another USD 100 billion (EUR 88.3 billion) in less than a decade.

Read the full story at Seafood Source