Catch the Current hosts Amanda Buckle and Lorin Castiglione are joined this week by Pat Shanahan, the executive director of the Wild Alaska Sole Association (WASA), fresh on the heels of the group's new logo reveal.

Pat talks about some of WASA's consumer research and its goals for the upcoming year. 

But that's not the only Alaska fish Amanda and Lorin are talking about this week because limited-time seafood options for Lent are already starting to hit your favorite fast food joints.

Plus, hear about some of the other top headlines from Undercurrent News this week, including Mowi's skin-pack deal with US retailer Trader Joe's, and California's new low-tech crab gear.

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Don't have time to listen? Find a transcript of season 1, episode 5 of Catch the Current below:

Amanda Buckle (AB): You're listening to Catch the Current, the latest podcast from Undercurrent News, your trusted source for seafood news, data and prices. I'm Amanda Buckle.

Lorin Castiglione (LC): And I’m Lorin Castiglione. Alaska is the star of the show this week as we talk about this year's Lenten season "It girls": Alaska pollock and flounder. 

AB: Plus, we welcome Pat Shanahan, the executive director of the Wild Alaska Sole Association, as she reflects on one year since the formation of the group and gives insight on the association's new logo.

Photo Credit: Wild Alaska Sole Association

LC: But before we dive into all that delicious Alaska goodness, there were a couple of really interesting stories that broke late last week that we didn't get to talk about. One of them being Mowi winning a skin-pack supply relationship with beloved US grocer Trader Joe's.

AB: I will never skip an opportunity to talk about Trader Joe's. One of my happy places -- not their parking lot, of course -- but the physical storefront is my happy place.

And this news is a huge win for Mowi. Undercurrent News founder Tom Seaman broke the story that the US division of Norwegian seafood giant Mowi has picked up a pretty significant piece of skin-pack business with the grocer. But that win came at the expense of at least two other processors.

LC: Mowi has taken on portions of the skin-pack supply for Trader Joe's in various regions of the US, largely from Boston Sword and Tuna, according to sources. Sources also told Undercurrent that Mowi has taken Trader Joe's skin-pack business in Texas from Ocean Beauty Seafoods.

While it's not clear if Ocean Beauty has retained any Trader Joe's skin-pack business from its facility in Dallas, Texas, sources told Undercurrent that Massachusetts-based Boston Sword and Tuna, which was acquired by Fortune International in 2023, has retained the skin-pack supply to Trader Joe's in the Northeast. Link to the full story in our show notes.

Mowi salmon. Photo Credit: Mowi Facebook

Also, if you want to learn more about Mowi, you will definitely want to download Undercurrent's new report, Seafood Titans 150.

At Undercurrent News, we've spent over a decade tracking the largest players in the global seafood industry, and now, we're taking it even further with our first-ever Seafood Titans 150 Report. This in-depth ranking covers the 150 largest seafood companies worldwide, offering insights into their revenue, key trends, and the forces shaping the industry. From the biggest aquaculture giants to leading wild-catch players, this report is the ultimate resource for anyone looking to understand the seafood sector's heavyweights. Check it out now on undercurrentnews.com and stay ahead of the game!

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Seafood Titans 150: The Sector’s Largest Firms, First Edition

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AB: And in some other interesting news to break late last week, the California Fish and Wildlife Commission has green-lit a novel approach designed by harvesters to reduce whale entanglements by the Dungeness crab fleet.

Our West Coast reporter Jacob Resneck reports that some crab harvesters are excited by an option that employs traditional gear as a less-costly solution than "ropeless" pop-up gear technologies that are also being developed to reduce entanglement risks.

There were 34 documented whale entanglements off the West Coast in 2024, 29 of them being humpbacks. 

LC: This new technology, endorsed by California Fish and Wildlife Commission officials, would have as many as 20 traps hooked in a row via a ground line. There would be no vertical line -- which can entangle marine mammals -- and harvesters would retrieve the gear with a grapple.

Jacob has a graphic in his story to illustrate it. It's a pretty cool concept so visit the show notes for a link to that. 

Moving along to our other big stories from the week -- limited-time seafood offerings for Lent are starting to make their appearance on fast food menus.

AB and LC: (singing) It's the most wonderful time of the year!

AB: If you're in the seafood industry.

Arby's fish sandwich. Photo Credit: Arby's Facebook

While some chains like McDonald's offer a fish sandwich option year-round, other fast food chains without a staple seafood item add a limited-time menu offering when Lent approaches.

The date of Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, differs from year to year. This year, Lent begins on March 5 -- which is super late, considering that the first day of Lent last year fell on Valentine's Day. But like Lorin said, seafood promotions have started early.

LC: Warm up that car, because Arby's has brought back its limited-time fish sandwiches, all made with Alaska pollock. Fish "fin"-atics can choose from three sandwiches, including a regular Crispy Fish Sandwich, the Fish' N Cheddar Sandwich, or the King's Hawaiian Fish Deluxe Sandwich. Select locations are even offering a limited-time "Surf & Turf" deal where diners can choose two sandwiches -- Classic Beef' N Cheddar, Crispy Fish, and Fish' N Cheddar -- for just $6.99.

AB: I'll drive for sure. What a steal. Lunch is on me.

Jack in the Box is another fast food joint that also has an LTO wild Alaska pollock sandwich on its menu. And there's still more to come. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute confirmed last month that Dairy Queen will also be offering the Wild Alaska Fish Sandwich, featuring Alaska pollock.

LC: Pollock's steadiness in both stock management and pricing makes it an attractive choice for fish sandwiches and other menu items, particularly during high-demand periods like Lent.

The Alaska pollock sector is entering 2025 on solid footing, buoyed by a modest boost in the total allowable catch and continuing strong global demand. Although the bump in the Bering Sea quota is relatively small, it highlights the species' reliability as a go-to whitefish option, especially at a time when cod supplies are tightening and other premium whitefish face cost and availability pressures.

Processors and buyers alike report a steady to full-steady undertone in the US wholesale market, pointing to healthy consumer interest and global inventory constraints that continue to keep prices supported.

Dependable production, coupled with stable resource conditions, reinforces Alaska pollock's position as one of the most prominent and dependable offerings in the seafood world -- and an especially popular catch during the Lenten season.

AB: While Alaska pollock is certainly Lent's "It girl," Alaska flounder has been rising in popularity in recent years.

Fried chicken chain Popeyes launched its Cajun flounder sandwich nationwide in August 2022 in response to the -- do you remember the chicken sandwich wars, Lorin?

Popeye's Cajun Flounder Sandwich debuted in 2022. Photo Credit: Popeye's

LC: Oh yeah, that was fun.

AB: It must have been 2022. We actually went, Lorin and I, to Popeye's to try to get this sandwich, and they were sold out!

LC: Yes, I'm still upset about that.

AB: It's something exciting. I'll always go for an Alaska pollock sandwich because I know what I'm getting ... Even them advertising a flounder sandwich, I think that kind of attracts people. Plus the Cajun. Everybody wants a hot sandwich.

Fans are looking forward to the flounder sandwich return this year. It's not available just yet, but ASMI has confirmed that the Flounder Fish Sandwich will be back in 2025. So Lorin and I will be there. We are waiting.

LC: First day.

AB: This is the year we get it.

And according to ASMI, Alaska flounder will also be making its way back to Mexican quick-service restaurant Taco John's. While not currently listed on their menu, the chain will once again be featuring Alaska flounder in its fish tacos during the Lenten season.

LC: Alaska flounder certainly offers some variety, but current market conditions do not provide the same flexibility as pollock.

Yellowfin sole/flounder is exhibiting signs of a tightening market, particularly for larger-sized fillets. Although existing inventory backlogs are temporarily moderating some of the immediate supply pressures, distributors report higher quotes for the limited product currently available. As these backlogs deplete, buyers could anticipate further cost escalations, a trend that many industry observers believe will persist into 2025.

AB: Link to the full story can be found in the show notes. And this seems like the perfect segue to hear from Pat Shanahan of the Wild Alaska Sole Association. 

AB and LC: Let's dive in. 

Pat Shanahan, executive director of the Wild Alaska Sole Association.

AB: Hey Pat, thanks for joining us to talk about the Wild Alaska Sole Association -- or Lorin and I's favorite acronym -- WASAAAA.

Pat Shanahan (PS): Thanks. It's really nice to be with you today.

AB: Oh, we can tell by your voice that you really mean it, Pat.

LC: Oh, they did it again.

PS: It must be Friday, right?

LC: The Wild Alaska Sole Association just revealed its new logo and website as part of a year-long branding process. Pat, can you tell us the thought process behind the new logo and what considerations were at the forefront in the design process?

PS: When we started WASA, we really didn't have a lot of information to go on.

So we started our process by doing consumer research and really getting some good data that we could base our decision-making on. Tthat all went into the brand strategy, learning what consumers already think about this product and want from this product was really important. But as we went through the process, I think what was most important for us is that it really reflect the origin and unique benefits of wild Alaska sole.

And we should also say that in the United States, wild Alaska sole is sold in many places as flounder. So both the name sole and flounder are important to be communicating. And we wanted also to be able to build a brand that could help us create a new category for flatfish because we feel that it has unique benefits.

It's a different sort of fish. It's a different sort of eating experience. We wanted a logo that really reflected and was distinctive enough to be able to carry developing a new category and the benefits of the fish of being really approachable -- being healthy with amazing omega-3 benefits, by the way. Our research has shown that it's offering a really different dining experience that's light and more delicate and kind of maybe for an occasion where you don't want to be weighed down, that it's healthy, abundant and sustainable and from Alaska.

AB: It's a great message. And the website is beautiful; the logo. I encourage everyone to check out the website -- wildalaskasole.org.

So WASA was created with the goal to increase the awareness, appreciation and value of Alaska flatfish, like you were saying. And you were talking a little bit about the consumer research.

A screenshot of the Wild Alaska Sole Association website.

What is the current awareness of Alaska flatfish right now?

PS: Well, we were really pleased, actually, that the awareness was higher than we thought. It's not what we want it to be, of course, because I think this category has really been kind of forgotten. It doesn't really get promoted. It hasn't had a group like WASA.

So our job now is just, what we found anyway, is that along with the awareness, when people are aware of this product, they really, really like it. So we don't think that it's going to be difficult to sell to people once they've tried it.

It's a matter of educating them about what it is, that they should try it, that they should put it into their normal rotation of seafood, that is going to offer them a different experience. That's going to be really great. And we think that once they try it, they're just going to love it. That's the initial thought about how to approach the consumer.

LC: Yeah, the product will speak for itself once they get their hands on it, for sure. So with the new website launched, WASA will now be turning its focus to new consumer communications campaigns. Can you tease anything about what the campaign will entail?

PS: Yeah, we're just getting started though. So in fact, we're having our kickoff meeting today with our PR firm, and it is going to be very, as I said before, central to educating the consumer. We'll be using earned and social media to do that.

We plan to engage a number of influencers because cooking seafood is always the hurdle. I find it one of the most easy foods to cook of all the foods I cook, but it still is very daunting for some people. So I think having easy recipes, having people that consumers trust, showing them how to cook it, and that it's easy and that they're going to like it is going to be really important to that campaign.

Alaska sole on spicy sesame noodles. Photo Credit: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

And we want our communications campaigns to also be very supportive of our promotions with our customers. So we'll be looking to really target those to support sales of the product in the market.

LC: We've seen in the past what social media and what viral videos can do for this industry, so it'll be really exciting to see.

We've entered a time this "America First" era with the Trump administration, which puts Alaska in a really great spot. While we're currently in tariff limbo with some of our trade partners, the threats still stand. How is Alaska flatfish positioned if a trade war evolves or emerges further?

PS: Well, WASA's target markets are the US, the UK and Europe. So just like any other food or food commodity in our export markets, if there were a trade war, it would be very difficult for us to build those markets as we had planned. So in the US market, I think because it's seafood from Alaska, that's going to be a benefit.

But I think we are in the same boat with other foods that are exported and tariffs would be difficult for growing the market.

AB: Yeah, focusing on the on the US market, I kind of wanted to dive a little bit back into consumers. I have a hard time finding Alaska products where we are in New Jersey.

What can someone like Lorin and I do? You know, like, so we're watching these influencer videos and I want to I want to cook this product. What can I do to get this product into my local grocery store at my local seafood market?

PS: The first thing I would recommend consumers do is actually ask the grocer to carry it because grocers do listen.

AB: As simple as that.

PS: Well, that's one thing. That's one thing you can do and you can keep asking for it. And there's a lot of research actually from Alaska, from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, about how using the name Alaska and having Alaska seafood products in your store actually raises the profile of the overall store, not just that product.

So making a commitment to Alaska seafood and species like wild Alaska sole actually will bring them more business and make them more popular. So I think that it's something that all retailers should be looking at. And I know that there's been a lot of work from all the Alaska producers in increasing the domestic market.

And we're looking forward -- WASA -- to do that same thing with wild Alaska sole.

AB: Pat, thanks for joining us. Visit wildalaskasole.org to learn more about wild Alaska sole.

But Pat, one final quick question. Will WASA or its members have a presence at the Boston seafood show or in Barcelona this year?

PS: We will not be exhibiting, but all of our members are going to both of those shows. So and I will be at both of them and I'd be happy to meet with anybody who's interested in wild Alaska sole. So you can reach me through the website at wildalaskasole.org.

LC: And that does it for us. But before we go -- are you heading to Boston for Seafood Expo North America? 

Lorin (L) and Amanda (R) in their Barbie-era outfits circa SENA 2023.

So are we! The Undercurrent News team will be on the ground covering the latest industry developments, talking to key players, doing live interviews from the show floor, and hosting meetings to discuss our growing price reporting coverage. If you want to connect with us on any of those matters -- or because you just want some sunshine in your life -- let's set up a time to chat! Reach out to us on LinkedIn or shoot an email to LC@undercurrentnews.com or AB@undercurrentnews.com. We look forward to seeing all our favorite seafood people in Boston!

AB: Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode of your favorite seafood podcast and BFFs -- Best Fish Friends.