"There's been nothing going on -- no trucks, planes or anything going down through Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania," said McAleney, who owns New Meadows Lobster Co. in Portland. "People aren't interested in seafood right now. They're interested in getting their lives back in order."
The result is likely to be a repeat of the lobster glut -- affecting the entire seafood industry this time -- with demand dropping out of sight in the biggest markets of the Northeast.
McAleney said he lost a big order from Pennsylvania Thursday morning because his customer decided he wouldn't sell much lobster to thousands of people who still don't have electricity.
"Seafood is the last thing you're going to bring home to a house without power," said Chris Fream, senior sales executive with North Atlantic Seafood in Portland.
The industry's "wheels are falling off," said Fream. "New York is not taking fish and all the seaside restaurants up and down the East Coast are not open or not having any demand."
Fream said the major fish markets in and around New York aren't selling much fish, so they aren't buying it.
And restaurants that do have power aren't buying seafood because families who have no electricity and have to eat out are more likely to opt for quick, cheap meals than a leisurely seafood dinner.
Fream said he even has gotten calls from fishing boat captains in Massachusetts who are seeking buyers for their catch. Those fishermen generally sell to markets in Massachusetts, he said.
Fream and others in the industry noted that there was a jump in landings last weekend as fishing fleets headed into port to avoid the storm barreling up the coast.
The Portland Fish Exchange auction handled 65,643 pounds of fish on Saturday, selling all but 500 pounds of what was offered. Prices held up, with large cod going for an average of $4.53 a pound and large dab getting $2.05 a pound.
On Thursday, after the storm, fishermen took just 9,502 pounds to the auction, and sold only 7,519 pounds. Large cod brought an average of just $3.43 a pound, and large dab sold for 60 cents a pound, even though only miniscule amounts of both were offered for sale.
"It sucks," said Jared Auerbach, owner of Red's Best seafood in Boston, which handles fish from Maine fishermen. "There's just no demand, and it's killing people right now."
Auerbach said he's facing a potentially significant loss because he didn't think Sandy would be as bad as it was. The markets, he thought, might be disrupted for a day or two, then return to normal.
"The fish we bought (last weekend), we ended up overpaying for because I didn't anticipate the storm would be as bad as it was," he said. "Now, our customers don't have power and some don't even have phone lines."
As with the lobster glut this summer, the current situation offers a bright side for seafood lovers in Maine.
Prices will fall for consumers, particularly this weekend, said Nick Alfiero, whose family runs Harbor Fish Market on the Portland waterfront.
"Every dealer in Boston has fish in the coolers they're trying to sell," he said.
So when people go out, either to eat in a restaurant or buy something to cook at home, the low prices will get them to go for fish, Alfiero said, which will help ease some of the glut.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The “Moringa Noodles Salad” product by Sa Giang Import-Export Corporation was honored as one of the “Top 10 Winning Products” at the THAIFEX – Anuga taste Innovation Show 2026, held as part of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026 in Bangkok.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
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