IN BRIEF - The EU leads the way in implementing the ecosystem approach in the Nortwest Atlantic
EUROPEAN UNION
Friday, September 29, 2017
At the meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO), which took place in Montreal from 18 to 22 September 2017, the European Union was instrumental in advancing key conservation measures based on the best available scientific advice, aiming to ensure sustainability for the stocks and predictability for the industry's future.
One of the key achievements of this meeting was the agreement on a new and more modern multiannual management rule for Greenland Halibut, and the EU was also leading the way in proposing solutions for management decisions on cod and redfish in the Flemish Cap.
Among other headline issues discussed by the 11 Contracting Parties were the protection of the vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), with the EU successfully advocating measures to further ensure that NAFO's VMEs protection policy is based on the best available scientific evidence and clear decision-making. Under the EU's lead, and in an effort to increase consistency, the Contracting Parties also agreed to communicate the NAFO VMEs protective measures to other national authorities regulating other industries than fisheries in the protected areas. In addition, NAFO agreed to protect the entire New England Seamount chain, by prohibiting bottom fishing on all peaks shallower than 2000 metres.
Vietnam's shrimp industry expects to produce between 1.3 and 1.4 million tons in 2025, which would represent a turnover of around $4.3 billion in exports. According to the Vietnam Association of Fishery Product Producers (Vasep), exports exceeded $605 million in the first two months of this year, representing a 46% year-on-year increase.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien highlights the role of this species in generating foreign currency, as it has represented between 13 and 14% of the value of global exports in the last two decades.
Source: iPac.acuicultura l Read the full article here
Surveillance once again focuses on the Mediterranean Sea
Based in Vigo, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) has just released an activity report revealing that in 2024 it detected suspected violations in one in ten inspections at sea or on land. Coordinating and cooperating with EU members and other countries, it closed the year with 45,734, almost 2% more than in 2023. It identified "at least one" suspected violation of the rules in 4,823, 14% more than the previous year.
Source: La Voz de Galicia l Read the full article here
China launches world’s first salmon farming vessel. Its mission? to boldly farm where no salmon has been farmed before.
The world’s first industrial salmon farming vessel, Su Hai No. 1, departed from the Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou on Tuesday for its maiden sea trial, heading 60 nautical miles into the South China Sea.
The 249.8-metre vessel—designed by the Fisheries Machinery and Instrument Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences—was built at a cost of nearly RMB 600 million ($82.4 million).
Author: Matthew Wilcox / SalmonBusiness l Read the full article here
Scotland fish farmer Loch Duart has launched its own smoked salmon products, Signature Smoke and Double Smoked.
Loch Duart says the Signature Smoke is traditionally cured and smoked over oak shavings providing a subtle smokiness that pairs perfectly with the rich, savoury taste of the salmon for a more delicate flavour.
It adds that the Double Smoked salmon is smoked over oak and then whisky cask shavings, creating a robust, full-bodied smoky flavour.
Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here
The U.S. shipping and logistics industry is beginning to feel the effect of the Trump administration’s tariffs on Chinese imports, and experts are warning U.S. consumers that they will soon start to see changes themselves.
Investors Observer, a investment trade publication, analyzed the U.S. states that are most and least reliant on Chinese imports in order predict the economic fallout of tariffs.
Unsurprisingly, the publication said that the nation’s two busiest ports, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, both in California, were likely to suffer from a drop in Chinese imports, since 25 percent of the state’s total imports – equivalent to 12 percent of the state’s GDP – come from China.
Author: Erin Spampinato / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here
At Our Ocean Conference in Busan, in the Republic of Korea, the European Union announced €301,485,000 in EU funding to support actions in the fields of the sustainable blue economy, marine pollution, marine protected areas, digital oceans, sustainable fisheries, and ocean and climate change.
This year's conference, celebrating its 10th anniversary, will showcase the accomplishments, and best practices stemming from the voluntary commitments made by the global ocean community over the past decade. Under the umbrella of 'Digital Oceans', the conference will convene to explore the intersection of technology and ocean conservation, with a focus on the above six critical areas.
EU commitments for a safe, secure, clean, healthy and sustainably managed ocean
The European Union is committed to the following actions:
Reston, VA – We are pleased to see Senator Sullivan and his colleagues making progress on a responsible effort to address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
We strongly support the FISH Act legislation that works to actively address IUU concerns unlike the current Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) that NOAA itself has concluded, “does not prevent or stop IUU fish and fish products from entering U.S. commerce.”
According to the industry monitoring system of the Federal Agency for Fisheries (Federal Service for Fisheries and Oceanography, FSMS), the total Russian catch of aquatic bioresources since the beginning of 2025 has reached 1.775 million tons.
The following provides a basin-by-basin breakdown:
Far Eastern Basin: 1,440.7 thousand tons
Pollock: 1,060.6 thousand tons
Cod: 48.7 thousand tons
Pacific Herring: 239.4 thousand tons
Northern Basin: 114.2 thousand tons
Cod: 72.4 thousand tons
Haddock: 20.5 thousand tons (+0.6 thousand tons compared to the same period in 2024)
Western Basin: 34.4 thousand tons
Sprat (Kilka): 23.2 thousand tons (+0.6 thousand tons compared to the same period in 2024)
Baltic Herring (Sprat): 10.1 thousand tons
Azov-Black Sea Basin: 15.4 thousand tons (+32.1% compared to the same period in 2024)
Anchovy: 12.6 thousand tons (+3.4 thousand tons compared to the same period in 2024)
Volga-Caspian Basin: 29.5 thousand tons (+0.9% compared to the same period in 2024)
Sprat: 21.3 thousand tons (+1.4 thousand tons compared to the same period in 2024)
Other Common Fish Species: 4.1 thousand tons
In the exclusive economic zones of foreign states, conventional fishing areas, and the open part of the World Ocean, the Russian fleet harvested 134.3 thousand tons (+30.1 thousand tons or 28.9% compared to the corresponding period in 2024).
Low activity and long towing times characterize the blue whiting fishery, while fresh mackerel catches remain minimal in Vestland.
This past week has been characterized by limited activity and extended towing durations on the blue whiting fishing grounds.
Due to the generally low level of activity across the fishing areas, this week's fisheries report will be concise.
Blue Whiting:
The Faroe Zone experienced a relatively quiet week. A total of 11,030 tonnes were reported by four vessels (two Norwegian and two foreign), while one additional vessel fished for blue whiting along "the Edge" (likely the continental shelf). The fishing operations were marked by prolonged towing times, and we anticipate continued low activity in this fishery in the coming week.
Mackerel:
The fresh mackerel fishery in Vestland saw minimal activity, with just under 7 tonnes caught by seven vessels. The size of the mackerel ranged from 300 to 600 grams, indicating a good average size for the landed fish.
A Decade of Ocean Action: 10th Our Ocean Conference Opens in Busan South Korea
Global leaders convene to celebrate achievements, assess commitments, and forge future strategies for ocean sustainability and climate leadership.
Busan – Today marks the opening of the ...