From massive salmon contract changes at major retailers to major overhauls in US government regulations regarding supplements, to explosive NGO investigations into the global salmon industry, IntraFish brings you a wrap-up of the 15 most-read stories of 2019:
Costco restructures massive smoked salmon contract
The most-read story this year was retail giant Costco restructuring the supply contract for its Kirkland Signature branded Atlantic cold smoked salmon product line, sources told IntraFish.
Netherlands-based Foppen had previously been the sole supplier of the item since 2005, after Costco severed its supply deal with Lafjord, which was supplied by Marine Harvest (now Mowi). Earlier this year, according to sources, Costco decided to split the contract among three suppliers.
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Omega-3 supplement suppliers squirming as FDA announces massive regulatory overhaul
This year IntraFish readers were keen to know about The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) plans to modernize its dietary supplement regulations with a focus on areas of unlawful claims, a move that has omega-3 pill producers nervous.
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Why I'm removing my wedding ring
A purported deal between US President Donald Trump and Alaska's governor in relation to the Pebble Mine project was particularly galling to IntraFish Editor-in-Chief Drew Cherry.
In his column on the issue, Cherry explains why the world's largest wild salmon run that spawns in the very rivers where the project is planned could be decimated should the massive gold, copper and molybdenum mine become operational.
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Former Bumble Bee CEO Chris Lischewski admitted to receiving non-public information from competitors through his employees in his testimony during a criminal trial where he was ultimately found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to fix prices of canned tuna sold in the United States.
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Meet the new president of Cargill Aqua Nutrition
Pilar Cruz has been with US-based animal nutrition behemoth Cargill for 17 years, leading its business around the world, with stints in Canada, the United States, Costa Rica, the UK and Nicaragua. This year she took on a new challenge: heading up one of the feed giant's most dynamic divisions as president of Cargill Aqua Nutrition.
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WATCH: Anti-salmon farming NGO releases drone footage of die-off at Cermaq's BC farms
NGO group Sea Shepherd this year turned its sights on Cermaq's recent algae-related die off in British Columbia, claiming that mortalities are rising at an alarming rate, and drawing a parallel with Mowi's die-off in Eastern Canada.
The video certainly caught the attention of our readers, highlighting the "grease, oil and chunks of fat you can see on the water."
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LIVE UPDATES: Namibian officials denied appeal
IntraFish brought readers live updates on the Samherji and Namibia cash-for-quotas scandal. Check back here for the latest as we will continue this coverage into 2020, or visit our dedicated page for our full coverage.
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Analysis: Here's a list of high-profile land-based aquaculture failures
Land-based or recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) projects are some of the hottest tickets in seafood today, with millions being invested, raised or squandered in the quest for profitable projects.
And while those with longer memories can easily call to mind the headlines some of the projects made, and some of the eco-plaudits they received prior to their collapse, readers were certainly interested this year to find out which RAS project failed along the way.
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Justin Trudeau's Liberal party in Canada launched its full campaign earlier this year, which included a major proposed change to the country's salmon farming industry.
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FDA to allow broader omega-3 health claims
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said earlier this year it will allow the use of new qualified health claims stating that consuming eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids in food or dietary supplements may reduce the risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease.
The decision was a "breakthrough" for companies marketing the connection between seafood and healthy omega-3s.
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Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson on salmon farms: 'Our objective is to shut them down'
One of the most notorious and controversial NGO campaigners told IntraFish his group has a multi-pronged attack ready against the industry. And readers wanted to know all of the details.
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Red Lobster shakes up top procurement team
US-based restaurant giant Red Lobster changed up its top seafood procurement team, with key veteran employees leaving this year, sources told IntraFish.
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VIDEO: See the undercover footage that has Cooke's Maine farmed salmon operations in trouble
Animal rights group Compassion Over Killing (COK) went undercover at Cooke Aquaculture's operations in Bingham, Maine -- an Atlantic salmon hatchery that supplies to Martha Stewart's True North Seafood line -- and published troubling footage in a disturbing video that shows workers stomping on the heads of salmon.
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Seafood CEO salary ranking: Top execs taking home more
IntraFish rankings for 2018 data showed executive jobs are paying even better than before for CEOs of the largest public-listed seafood companies.
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Clothing giant Patagonia launches attack on global salmon farming industry
A film from outdoor clothing brand Patagonia caught readers attention this year. It attacks the international salmon farming industry, blaming it for reduced natural wild salmon runs, depletion of orca whale populations and societal issues impacting native North American communities.
