IN BRIEF - Morocco celebrates its fourth consecutive GFCM award for responsible fishing practices
ITALY
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Morocco chaired the Scientific Advisory Committee of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), held from 4 to 8 November at FAO headquarters in Rome, and obtained, for the fourth consecutive time, the Award for Conformity with GFCM standards, reaffirming its regional leadership and its commitment to the sustainable management of fisheries resources.
The Kingdom was represented at the 47th session of the GFCM by a large delegation composed of representatives of the Maritime Fisheries Administration, the National Institute for Fisheries Research (INRH), the National Fisheries Office (ONP) and the National Agency for the Development of Aquaculture (ANDA).
Under the presidency of Morocco, the scientific committee contributed to the formulation of recommendations to ensure the sustainability of fishery resource stocks, the conservation of marine habitats and the adoption of responsible fishing practices, ensuring optimal management of fishery resources in the Mediterranean region, according to the Moroccan delegation.
On this occasion, Morocco received, for the fourth consecutive time, the Award for Conformity with GFCM standards, for its continued commitment to the implementation of the commission's decisions.
Following the recent meeting between representatives of the Galician Mussel Producers' Organization (Opmega) and representatives of Anfaco in Vilagarcía de Arousa, during which the main challenges facing the sector were discussed, Opmega believes that this positive collaboration should be translated into concrete actions. In particular, it expects clear support for the draft Royal Decree that regulates national trade names and the names of processed and prepared food products.
For Opmega, the approval and effective implementation of this regulation "will mark a turning point" in the defense of Galician mussels.
Source: iPac.aquacultura | Read the full article here
Tuna rancher Baja Aqua-Farms has bought Baja Marine Foods (BMF), a fishing and processing company headquartered in Baja California, Mexico.
BMF produces high-quality fishmeal, fish oil, and frozen seafood products from sustainable sourced pelagic species sold for human consumption or as ingredients to the aquaculture and pet food industries. Founded in 2010, BMF owns two fishing vessels and a modern processing plant with capacity to process up to 450 tonnes of protein per day.
Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the fullarticle here
Grimsby, U.K.-based Young’s Seafood is aiming to appeal to U.K. consumers concerned about grocery inflation, releasing a new value-focused Jumbo Fish Special under its Young’s Chip Shop brand.
The Jumbo Fish Special includes two fillets of “high-quality natural pollock,” according to the firm, coated in its signature batter for just GBP 5.00 (USD 6.80, EUR 5.80).
Author: Christine Blank / SeafoodSource | Read the fullarticle here
Salma brand returns to Norwegian retail under SalMar production.
Salma salmon is returning to Norwegian supermarket shelves less than a year after production was discontinued by Bremnes Seashore. The brand will now be produced by SalMar at its facilities on Frøya, on behalf of brand owner Lofotprodukt.
Bremnes Seashore shut down its Salma operations on Bømlo in late 2024, creating a gap in the premium fresh salmon category. Lofotprodukt, which acquired the Salma brand in 2021, has now confirmed that SalMar will take over both farming and processing.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the fullarticle here
PARIS — A "shortage alert" for canned sardines, which spread across social media, has been dismissed as a misunderstanding. The alert, started by consumer expert Olivier Dauvers, was based on a photo of empty shelves at an Auchan France store with a sign blaming overfishing and a disastrous 2024 French fishing season.
However, a traditional cannery owner in Brittany has quickly refuted the claim, stating that while some shelves might be empty, the problem lies with supply from Morocco, not a lack of French sardines.
While the current shortage is a supply-chain issue, the sign at the supermarket did touch on a real long-term concern. Scientific data shows that the sardine biomass in the Bay of Biscay has shrunk by nearly three times in the last 20 years, bringing the stock close to a level considered collapsed.
A sudden increase in fresh squid landings reverses a years-long decline, yet an overabundance of smaller fish poses a new challenge for the industry.
TOKYO — The Japanese flying squid catch has shown a dramatic recovery this year, reversing a slump that had brought landings to record lows. According to a new report, the total domestic landing volume from January to July reached 5,588 tons, a significant 78% increase compared to the same period last year.
The surge was driven almost entirely by the fresh squid sector, which saw landings jump by 91% to 5,340 tons. In contrast, frozen squid landings dropped by 28%.
Despite the positive volume, the industry is now grappling with a new problem: the overall size of the squid caught has been exceptionally small. In a market where larger squid command higher prices, this trend could put pressure on the economic value of the catch. The current trend also highlights an extreme imbalance in landing areas, with some regions experiencing bumper catches while others are left behind
The appointment of Toke Binzer, effective December 1, 2025, is a strategic move combining international business acumen with deep local roots.
Nuuk — Royal Greenland, a leading player in the global seafood industry and a cornerstone of the Greenlandic economy, has appointed Toke Binzer as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Binzer brings a powerful combination of international corporate experience and local insight to the role. He has a strong background in complex development and transformation tasks from his time at global companies like IBM and TDC. At the same time, his recent role as a director at Tusass gave him an in-depth understanding of Greenland's business and societal landscape.
Chairman of the Board, Niels Thomsen, stated: "Royal Greenland welcomes Toke Binzer. The board looks forward to the opportunities his experience and leadership will bring. We share his ambitions of high professionalism, execution power, and a strong anchoring in Greenland."
As Binzer prepares to take the helm from interim CEO Preben Sunke, the company is focused on executing its strategy and restoring its economy.
European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefcovic responds to Galician MEPs Millán Mon and Vázquez Lázara and acknowledges the need to protect the European industry.
European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefcovic has acknowledged in writing the sensitivity of the canned fish sector in the framework of the negotiations for a trade agreement between the European Union and Thailand. He did so through two letters addressed to Galician MEPs Francisco Millán Mon and Adrián Vázquez Lázara, who had conveyed to the European Commission the concerns of the Spanish canning industry, especially those based in Galicia, the EU leader in the sector.
In January 2024, the Galician government agreed to begin processing the draft decree regulating the Xunta's carbon credit system. This document, after being released for public consultation a year ago, was approved this Monday by the Consello. The regional government is now setting a deadline for its operation by early next year, after having put the electronic platform that will manage this new voluntary market "through verifiable and certified transactions to ensure its resiliency and security" out to public tender this year. Each carbon credit, according to the Xunta, will be equivalent to one ton of absorbed CO2.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is inviting fishers, merchants and exporters to help shape changes to the Fish Export Service (FES) to keep seafood exports flowing to Europe from next January.
The EU is set to update its requirements for Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing regulations, and so everyone involved in the UK’s seafood supply now has a role to play in ensuring our exports can continue to flow smoothly once the changes come in to effect on 10 January next year.
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SPAIN
Following the recent meeting between representatives of the Galician Mussel Producers' Organization 
MEXICO
Tuna rancher 
UNITED KINGDOM
Grimsby, U.K.-based 
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Salma salmon is returning to Norwegian supermarket shelves less than a year after production was discontinued by Bremnes Seashore. The brand will now be produced by
FRANCE
JAPAN
GREENLAND
Nuuk — 
BELGIUM
European Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefcovic responds to Galician MEPs Millán Mon and Vázquez Lázara and acknowledges the need to protect the European industry.
In January 2024, the Galician government agreed to begin processing the draft decree regulating the Xunta's carbon credit system. This document, after being released for public consultation a year ago, was approved this Monday by the Consello. The regional government is now setting a deadline for its operation by early next year, after having put the electronic platform that will manage this new voluntary market "through verifiable and certified transactions to ensure its resiliency and security" out to public tender this year. Each carbon credit, according to the Xunta, will be equivalent to one ton of absorbed CO2. 
