Recent actions by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency against US pollock giant American Seafoods and other Alaska pollock suppliers could have "catastrophic" consequences for US secondary processors who rely on pollock to manufacture fish sticks and fish sandwiches for retail and foodservice buyers, according to a memo circulating among Alaska groundfish companies.

The memo, whose author is listed as an executive with American Seafoods, was prompted by this week's revelation of a dispute between American and other Alaska pollock suppliers and CBP related to how the companies move product from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, facilities to the United States.