EMEA editor Neil Ramsden brings you a roundup of the main stories from the previous week.

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**China’s Lobster Imports Surge, But North American Exporters Miss Out**

Last week’s most-read story revealed that China imported 13% more lobster over the first nine months of 2025 and paid 22% more for it compared to the same period in 2024. However, neither Canadian nor US exporters are benefiting from this increased demand. In fact, they are on pace to lose more ground this year, largely due to ongoing trade conflicts affecting their respective countries.

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**Alaska Groundfish Industry Office Raided Over Bycatch Allegations**

In North America, wildlife-related law enforcement officials confirmed a raid on the offices of an Alaska groundfish industry group. Alaska Wildlife Troopers executed a search warrant at the Kodiak office of the Alaska Groundfish Data Bank, a long-established trawl industry group representing harvesters and processors in the Gulf of Alaska. The raid is linked to allegations that bycatch is being sold by processors.

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**Arctic Fisheries Sells Majority Stake to Private Equity Investor**

Buffalo, New York-based Arctic Fisheries, tracing its history back to 1921, has sold a controlling stake to SNH Capital Partners, a private equity investor based in Austin, Texas. This marks SNH Capital’s first deal in the seafood sector, as confirmed by Undercurrent News.

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**Jones Act Threatens Future of Alaska Pollock Sector**

A century-old US law, the Jones Act (formally Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920), is threatening the future of Alaska’s pollock sector. Originally created to protect the US domestic shipbuilding industry, the law, combined with rising US labor and steel costs, has left pollock fishing companies either unwilling or unable to undertake new ship builds. Industry sources told Undercurrent that operators are forced to continue using vessels that are 30 to 40 years old.

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**Quinlan Brothers Cleared of Snow Crab Handling Charges**

A provincial court in Newfoundland and Labrador has dismissed charges against Quinlan Brothers, one of Canada’s largest snow crab processors, regarding improper handling and processing of snow crab, the company announced.

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**US Seafood Group Eyes Acquisition of Cox’s Wholesale Seafood**

Sources told Undercurrent that an acquisitive US seafood group, owned by a well-known industry figure, is the frontrunner to purchase Cox’s Wholesale Seafood, a Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic shrimp supplier based in Tampa, Florida.

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**Maruha Nichiro Plans Expansion in US Pollock Processing**

In an exclusive interview at its Tokyo headquarters, Maruha Nichiro told Undercurrent it is looking to move further downstream in pollock processing in the United States. The company is investing in its recently acquired Van der Lee Seafish operation in Europe to cut blocks, signaling a strategic shift.

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### Other Top Stories from Last Week:

– **Norwegian H&G Cod Prices Continue to Rise While Russian Set Firm**
– **Mowi: September Harvest an ‘Inflection Point’ Bodes Well for 2026 Salmon Price**
– **Maruha Nichiro Shifts Focus from Raw Material to Consumer Amid Umios Rebrand**
– **Peru Sets 1.63 Million Metric Ton Anchovy Quota, Easing Market Tensions**
– **Clearwater Macduff Write-Down and Poor Maine Lobster Catch Dim Premium Brands’ Q3 Results**
– **Major Indian Shrimp Exporter Widens Losses Amid US Market Pressure**
– **Venezuela’s Lamar Remains Tight-Lipped on Turkish Investment Linked to US-Sanctioned Minister**
– **Cooke Prepares Higher Avramar Bid Amid Delay in Delivery of Restructuring Plan**
– **Week 46 Farm-Gate Shrimp Roundup: Vietnam Prices Lift on Short Supply, Ecuador Holds Steady**
– **Deal Ending US Government Shutdown Includes Funding for Seafood Inspections, Industry Liaison Position**

For the full details on these and other stories, click the headlines above.

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Stay tuned for more updates next week.
https://www.undercurrentnews.com/2025/11/17/editors-choice-canadian-us-lobster-lose-more-of-chinese-market-arctic-fisheries-sells-majority-stake-to-pe/