The new China COVID-19 outbreak will directly impact 'salmon business around the world', Cui He, president of the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance (CAPPMA) told Chinese media.

Salmon farming companies took a $1 billion hit as China media reported the coronavirus link.

In the wake of the development, China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said no COVID-19 traces were found in salmon before the fish arrived in Beijing's wholesale food market.

The discovery is looking increasingly bad for salmon exporters, with food scares historically having a lasting impact on Chinese consumer markets, Rabobank China's Consumer Foods Analyst Michelle Huang told IntraFish.

Joining the chorus of concern, the CEO of New World Currents Chilean market venture aimed at the Chinese market said the farmed salmon-COVID link having 'serious impact on many companies'.

Aside from the COVID-19 chaos stemming from China, the other big story of the week came when former Bumble Bee CEO Christopher Lischewski was sentenced to more than three years in prison.

Following the handing down of the sentence the former Bumble Bee CEO gave IntraFish a lengthy exclusive interview, stating that he intended to start the jail term while appealing the verdict.

Another story garnering readers attention in the past week centered on Chilean farmed salmon producers's search for new strategies to combat sea lice, which are building resistance to common chemical treatments.

Finally this week AquaChile unveiled plans to take on Norway on its home ground with its first fresh whole salmon shipments to Europe.