Editorial director Tom Seaman brings you a roundup of the main stories from the previous week  

Two stories on salmon supply and one on lobster prices got a lot of reads last week. 

According to figures recently released by the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission, the North Pacific wild salmon catch amounted to 727.6 million fish in 2023, breaking the record of 660.1m set in 2021.

The 2023 harvest totaled 1.1m metric tons by weight, marking the third highest on record. The record catch was fueled by historic pink salmon harvests in Russia's Far East and the US state of Alaska.

Then, harvests of sockeye salmon have started to slow in Alaska, where nearly 36.8m fish across all species have been caught by fishermen so far this season. 

That's the latest from McKinley Research Group's harvest report for statistical week 28, which encompasses data through July 13, and the latest landings reports from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. 

On lobster prices, levels of live Canadian exports have climbed dramatically in just the past five weeks and are promising to go even higher, thanks in part to the end of the spring season. 

New data gathered from a prominent lobster exporter in Atlantic Canada and made available on the Undercurrent News pricing portal shows 560-670 gram (1.23-1.48 pound) live hard shells, known as "quarters," being offered to Shanghai, China, for $10.46/lb, and to Paris, France, for $10.59/lb, during week 29 of 2024 (July 13-19).

Those prices, which include freight on board, are up 25% and 26%, respectively, from the $8.34/lb and $8.38/lb prices seen during week 24 (June 8-14). 

You can find all of last week's top stories below:

• Record pink catch led to largest North Pacific salmon haul
• Alaska's Bristol Bay sockeye salmon harvest passes peak
• Canadian live lobster prices climb as spring season closes out
• Alaska salmon task force releases sweeping new research plan
• Ocean Wise revokes sustainability badge for Southeast Alaska salmon fisheries
• 'Project 2025' seeks 'breakup' of NOAA, reverse of conservation, climate change initiatives
• Week 29 Indian shrimp prices rise as US demand meets short supply; Ecuador continues in doldrums
• Norway cod customers could pull MSC label from packs 'regardless of outcome'
• Sysco, Trident among big firms asked for updates on forced labor sourcing investigations
• Newfoundland harvester union seeks to challenge cod decision in Canada's highest court