During Lent, those who fast avoid meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays, making seafood the preferred alternative. As a result, seafood sales can increase by up to 20 percent, with consumers buying seafood throughout the week - not just on Fish Fridays.

Although cod and pollock are typically Lenten staples, ongoing supply tightness makes this an ideal time to promote a wider range of seafood options. Check out our TradexLIVE seafood offers portal for all available seafood offers ready to ship.



Moving onto Halibut, on January 22 the International Pacific Halibut Commission set the 2026 Pacific Halibut TCEY (total mortality limit) at 29.33 million pounds, a 1.3 percent decrease from 2025. While this marks a new lowest limit in the IPHC’s 102-year history, it is effectively status quo to last year.

However, Canada accepted a 7.2 percent cut to its Pacific halibut quota while U.S. allocations remained unchanged, following intense pressure from the U.S. during IPHC negotiations. The move was driven by U.S. threats to disrupt longstanding management and trade frameworks, prompting Canada to concede in order to preserve the overall agreement and stock stability. As reported by UCN, “Much of the drama was behind closed doors when an emissary sent by the administration of US President Donald Trump apparently threatened to invoke a US law that allows the White House to embargo seafood ostensibly over conservation concerns.”

What does this mean for 2026 Halibut Supply?

It means we are in for another year of tight supply of Wild Caught Pacific Halibut. Preliminary total harvest of Pacific halibut for 2025 amounted to just over 20 million pounds - about 4 million less than last year, and almost 9 million less than its most recent peak in 2022. If fishing efforts remain the same for the 2026 season, this year will see a similar amount harvested.



On the other side, Canadian wild-caught Atlantic halibut harvests continue to rise year-over-year and are approaching Pacific halibut volumes. While the 2026–27 TAC is expected in March, current science shows stocks remain healthy and well above long-term abundance averages.

Our recommendation is that buyers lock in their Pacific Halibut commitments with their supplier now. Halibut buyers should also develop a strategy to incorporate Atlantic Halibut into their product mix. Atlantic Halibut is available in both Farmed and Wild Caught. Talk to a Tradex Foods representative about our Atlantic Halibut programs.

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