Saving Seafood

OREGON: Oregon’s Newest Food Trail Highlights Local Seafood and the People Who Catch It

July 29, 2026 — From dock to plate, the Oregon Coast Seafood Trail puts the people behind the catch at the center of every meal. While much of the seafood consumed in Oregon comes from outside the country, Oregon’s newest trail highlights where you can enjoy Oregon-landed seafood that directly supports local fisheries. The trail guides travelers to vetted eateries, restaurants, seafood markets, food carts and dockside retailers that prioritize local seafood.

Central to the trail is the idea of “Oregon-landed” seafood, meaning the catch was delivered to a port in Oregon. Oregon’s fisheries are among the most sustainably managed in the world, with species like pink shrimp, albacore tuna, groundfish and Dungeness crab certified for responsible harvest. Additional local species — including Pacific halibut, salmon, oysters, clams and sea vegetables — round out the diversity of Oregon’s coastal waters and ensure every meal reflects the region’s bounty.

Each stop along the trail offers a window into the working waterfronts that sustain coastal communities. A dynamic map helps travelers sort stops by region, business type, seasonal events and more. The trail allows visitors to time their trip with the commercial crab season, albacore tuna runs or opportunities to buy directly from the docks. Along the way, visitors can explore coastal eateries, seafood markets and other businesses where transparency, sustainability and local sourcing are part of the story.

Read the full article at South Sound

Opinion: Why targeting one fishery puts Alaska’s seafood economy at risk

July 29, 2026 — Alaska’s commercial fishing economy works because of a simple truth: it is built on interdependence.

Like a three-legged stool, the state’s seafood economy depends on three connected pillars: fishermen who harvest responsibly, processors who transform that harvest into marketable products, and the coastal communities whose infrastructure, workforce, and local economies make it all possible.

Remove any one of those legs, and the entire system becomes unstable. That is why proposals to dismantle major parts of Alaska’s seafood economy are not isolated fishery debates. They are statewide economic questions.

Increasingly, public rhetoric around trawling has been reduced to simplistic slogans and social media talking points that ignore both the scale of Alaska’s seafood economy and the complex systems that sustain it. Some have advanced sweeping calls to “end trawling” without acknowledging what those policies would actually mean for Alaska communities.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

MASSACHUSETTS: Scallopalooza shucking contest returns to New Bedford

July 28, 2026 — The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center will once again celebrate the city’s iconic scallop fleet with the return of its annual Scallopalooza Scallop Shucking Contest during August AHA! Night on Thursday, Aug. 13.

The free community event will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Bethel Street in front of the Fishing Heritage Center, bringing together commercial fishermen, seafood lovers, local businesses, and families for an evening centered on New Bedford’s scallop industry.

The highlight of the evening begins at 6:30 p.m., when 15 local scallop fishermen will compete for the title of New Bedford’s best scallop shucker and a championship trophy.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

High cost of diesel fuel taking toll on commercial fishing, boating in Gloucester

July 24, 2026 — With the conflict in the Middle East escalating, global oil prices again topped more than $100 a barrel Thursday, and the high cost for diesel continues taking a toll in Gloucester, where commercial fishing and boating remain central to the local economy.

At Rose’s Marine, a longtime marine supply store serving in the city, employee Archie MacLeod Jr., a former commercial fisherman, said fuel costs have become one of the biggest concerns among the local fishermen supplying seafood across New England.

“2026 has been a tough year”

“They’re ridiculous. You know, the fuel prices, especially for diesel, which is one of the main fuels that runs the country, whether it’s trucking or fishing or any industry, really, they’re really high, and it’s really hard for guys to go out and make a living,” MacLeod said.

“You’re traveling 200 miles sometimes from shore, and all that fuel needs to be paid for. And a lot of times, you don’t make a paycheck until you pay for the fuel, you know, and the other expenses you have, so it’s a big thing that you have to deal with,” MacLeod added. “2026 has been a tough year.”

According to AAA, the national average price for a gallon of diesel is more than $5.20, up more than $2.65 from a year ago.

“Unfortunately for the fishermen, it’s just another obstacle that they have to face,” said Captain Jim Douglass, who owns Gloucester-based Cape Ann Whale Watch. “Fishing’s tough. Maintaining the boat’s tough, and now to have the extra price of fuel on top of that? Yeah, it’s making it hard for them.”

Read the full article at CBS News

Alaska Airlines purchases four new cargo planes to strengthen freight capacity out of Alaska, Hawai’i

July 24, 2026 — Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based Alaska Airlines announced it entered into long-term lease agreements to add four additional 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter aircraft to its existing cargo fleet of five, increasing its fleet to nine total.

“Alaska Air Cargo has two very important goals: supporting our communities and customers and connecting them to the world,” Alaska Airlines Vice President of Cargo Ian Morgan said in a company release. “Expanding our cargo fleet with dedicated aircraft helps us accomplish both goals, opening up new international shipping opportunities for seafood and other commodities while making sure we can reliably ship time-sensitive goods that our communities need, such as medicine, household supplies, and groceries.”

Read the full article at SeaofoodSource

NEW YORK: Fulton Fish Market secures USD 25 million in city funding, outlines upcoming modernization projects

July 14, 2026 — The Fulton Fish Market has received USD 25 million (EUR 21.9 million) in funding from the New York City Council, which it plans to use to modernize its operations.

In early July, District 17 New York City Council Member Justin Sanchez, who oversees areas of the Southern Bronx including Hunts Point where the market is located, led the charge in securing the funding as part of the council’s USD 125.8 billion (EUR 110.1 billion) budget it recently passed for its 2027 fiscal year.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Walmart, Sam’s Club cut prices on seafood, other foods

July 10, 2026 — As Americans call for relief in grocery inflation, Walmart and Sam’s Club announced “thousands” of lower prices on seafood along with other food and non-food items to help customers save money this summer.

“Customers count on Walmart to deliver the value they need every day, and summer is no exception,” Walmart Executive Vice President and Chief Merchant Julie Barber said. ”This summer, we’re making even more investments in price, with thousands of Rollbacks across the products customers are shopping for most including beef, fresh produce and beverages, grills, pools, toys, and summer fashion apparel.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

USDA to add wild-caught shrimp to emergency food assistance programs

July 10, 2026 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to add wild-caught peeled and deveined shrimp to the list of foods available under its emergency food assistance programs.

“Shell-abrate [sic] the great news for America’s fishermen!” the department said in social media posts. “USDA plans to add U.S. wild-caught Peeled and Deveined Shrimp to the FY27 emergency food assistance programs on the TEFAP Foods Available List, bringing more nutritious protein options to the communities we serve.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

GEORGIA: NOAA says snapper permits top priority locally in ‘America-first’ seafood strategy

July 8, 2026 — A new federal push could have a big impact on fishermen in Coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association announced a new “America First” seafood strategy aimed at boosting the U.S. seafood industry July 2. The plan focuses on supporting commercial fishermen, cutting regulations and expanding access to domestic seafood.

For the South Atlantic region, which includes Georgia and South Carolina, NOAA officials said its priorities are to revise the Snapper Grouper permit policies and support state agency led exempted permits for red snapper.

Read the full article at WSAV