A new digital traceability platform purpose-built for the seafood industry is a game changer for seafood exporters in Atlantic Canada.
SeaTrace, designed by Halifax-based Cyan Analytics in collaboration with seafood operators, enables companies to capture, manage and share validated data from harvest to export.
“Cyan Analytics grew out of an understanding that industries built around food, sustainability and global trade require enhanced digital tools that reflect how those industries operate in the real world. We are based in Halifax, so seafood is a significant industry for us. It is a huge part of the economy, the culture, and the communities around us,” said Dennis Young, Co-Founder and CEO of Cyan Analytics.
“As early as the Boston Seafood Show of 2024, global players were talking about GDST (Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability) to combat IUU (Illegal Unreported Unregulated). The European Union has been telegraphing much more stringent rules for seafood imports for many years. The U.S. FDA has implemented FSMA Rule 204. It was obvious to us that major changes were coming to the sector.”
Young said the Cyan Analytics team has spent years working on traceability, supply chain intelligence, and food data solutions.
“We saw first-hand how global markets were changing and how buyers, regulators and consumers were demanding more transparency around where food comes from and how it moves through the supply chain. The seafood industry, particularly lobster in Atlantic Canada, is globally respected for quality. What we saw was an opportunity to work alongside exporters and harvesters to help protect and strengthen that reputation through better traceability and operational visibility.”
Young said the foundation for SeaTrace began a few years ago through their earlier work in food traceability and cold chain intelligence.
“We have already built technology focused on agriculture, food provenance, and supply chain transparency across North America. The direct focus on seafood accelerated in 2025 after discussions around new international traceability regulations, particularly the European Union’s updated CATCH requirements. We had been meeting with European seafood leaders and speaking at conferences, and while there, we saw how they were approaching traceability. For that market, it was clearly a new market approach that was building steam with no turning back,” said Young.
“From there, we moved quickly. We began building and test-driving SeaTrace with lobster exporters. Because we already had core technology and supply chain expertise in place, we were able to adapt and expand the platform quickly while still working closely with industry operators throughout the process. We took advantage of emerging AI technology to build prototype solutions quickly, in the offices and alongside staff of seafood companies. This provided us with tremendous insights into workflow and work processes on the shop floor. What was important to us was not just speed, but making sure the platform reflected the operational realities of seafood harvesting, grading, inventory management, purchasing and sales and export documentation,” he said.
Young said the seafood industry played “a huge role” in developing SeaTrace.
“We built the platform collaboratively with seafood operators from the beginning. We worked directly with experienced licensed shore buyers and lobster exporters and teams managing purchasing, inventory, grading, and export logistics every day. Their feedback shaped everything from workflows and reporting to how traceability data is captured and connected across the supply chain.”
Working directly with lobster exporters that sell into the European markets, Young said Cyan Analytics “moved quickly to have our software compliant with EU CATCH and DFO CATCH requirements. This was an early must-have for our customers. What companies are realizing is that these regulations are part of a much broader global movement toward digital traceability and supply chain transparency. Similar requirements are emerging in other major markets as well.”
Cyan Analytics is seeing strong interest in SeaTrace, particularly from licensed buyers and exporters focused on premium international markets where traceability and transparency are a requirement and are being enforced by member countries and Canada regulators, said Young.
“The feedback we’ve received is very positive, particularly around the practical side of the platform. A lot of seafood businesses are still managing complex inventory and traceability requirements through disconnected spreadsheets, paper documentation, and manual reporting processes. Users are telling us that SeaTrace helps significantly in simplifying that process while giving them better visibility across the supply chain. We are also hearing that the platform helps reduce administrative workload by automatically connecting data that would otherwise need to be manually compiled for reporting and export documentation. Companies along the cold chain do not have to enter duplicate data to handle purchases and sales. Once master data is entered, it is reused many times, saving considerable time in transacting business. In addition, the information is then available for historical analytics, audit and government reporting requirements,” he said.
“What has been encouraging is that the conversations are not just about compliance. Many companies are looking at how better traceability can strengthen relationships with buyers, reduce administrative burden, improve inventory visibility and create long-term competitive advantages,” Young added.
“The introduction of new global compliance requirements has accelerated conversations across the industry. Companies understand that traceability is no longer just a regulatory discussion. It is an integral part of doing business and a must have for market access, operational efficiency, food safety and brand trust. Right now, our focus is on working closely with early industry leaders who want to move quickly and position themselves ahead of changing market expectations. Our goal is to have a small number of early adopters, and we are well down the road in reaching our initial goals. Our goal is to help exporters respond proactively and efficiently, while also creating operational and commercial value beyond compliance itself,” said Young.
“One of the things we believe strongly is that the Atlantic seafood industry is already globally respected for quality and sustainability. The opportunity now is to strengthen that position through better data, stronger traceability and more connected supply chains. For us, SeaTrace is about helping great seafood companies to improve operational visibility, reduce friction across the supply chain, and continue building premium brands for premium global markets. As we continue to grow, we are also looking at opportunities to expand into New England, where many exporters face similar traceability and market access requirements. We are actively searching for U.S.A. partners to work with,” Young said.
“Most importantly, we believe the best solutions come from collaboration. The seafood industry brings generations of expertise and operational knowledge. Our role is to work alongside that expertise and help turn it into a practical digital advantage. Through ongoing collaboration with leading companies, we are building a robust pipeline of new functionality that can be added to the platform that can help address challenges in the industry. This is exciting as our platform can be easily expanded as demand warrants. We are proud of the fact that SeaTrace was built with seafood companies for seafood companies. It was not modified by another industry. It will continue to evolve as the opportunity for digital solutions unfolds.”
