A British fishing vessel has been impounded by the French authorities, accused of illegally fishing in their waters.

It was seized in the English Channel and is being held at the port of Boulogne, unable to leave while the French authorities consider bringing a prosecution.

The vessel was stopped at sea by the French Navy on Thursday night, with its crew alleged to have been fishing in French waters without a licence.

Author: Simon Jones - Adam Durbin / BBC l Read the full article here

The results of a recently published scientific study show wild salmon populations in the Discovery Islands in British Columbia, Canada, continue to have high levels of sea lice, despite the closure of all salmon farming in the region.

Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) announced its plan to close all salmon farming in the Discovery Islands in December 2020, giving farmers in the region just 18 months to shift production. While court orders ended up delaying that timeline, DFO announced on 17 February 2023 it was done renewing licenses for the region, which represented 24 percent of all salmon production in the province.

Author: Chris Chase / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here

Austevoll Seafood, the group which owns Leroy Seafood and other fish related businesses, has recorded a strong first quarter with significant revenue growth.

Earnings totalled NOK 9.8 billion (£717m) with an EBIT of NOK 1.9 billion (£138m), marking one of the best quarters ever for the group. Austevell said the company has a robust balance sheet with total assets of 53 billion NOK (£3.9bn) and an equity ratio of 55%.

There was a significant increase in harvest volumes, particularly in the salmon segment, which saw a 45% rise in volume.

Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here

China is poised to revolutionize its aquaculture sector with the imminent delivery of the Su Hai No 1, a groundbreaking offshore salmon-farming vessel.

GUANGZHOU – Built by Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard for approximately $83.6 million USD (600 million yuan), this nearly 250-meter (820-foot) ship represents a major leap in modernizing salmon production and a key step in China's drive for domestic seafood self-sufficiency.

Owned by Jiangsu Lianshen Marine Technology, the vessel is projected to produce up to 8,000 tonnes of salmon annually. Following successful trial voyages in late April and final adjustments, the Su Hai No 1 is slated for delivery next month. It is expected to begin operations as early as this autumn in the Yellow Sea off Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, with the first harvest anticipated next year.

This ambitious project directly addresses China's surging demand for salmon, with over 80% of current consumption reliant on imports, primarily from Norway and Chile. China imported more than 100,000 tonnes of salmon last year, a figure projected to exceed 200,000 tonnes by 2030, according to data from the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in March. The Su Hai No 1 is a strategic move to sate this growing domestic appetite and enhance China's food security in high-value seafood.

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• Revolution at Sea: China Launches World’s First 150,000-Ton Intelligent Aquaculture Vessel

Rosselkhoznadzor Adds New Company to Growing List of Russian Seafood Suppliers to Latin America's Largest Market.

MOSCOW – Russia is further strengthening its position in the Brazilian seafood market, with Rosselkhoznadzor, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, announcing the expansion of its list of approved fish product exporters to Brazil. A vessel from Russia's Murmansk Region is the latest addition to this growing roster of suppliers.

This development stems from Rosselkhoznadzor's efforts to open foreign markets and is based on guarantees provided by the service. The Secretariat for Plant and Animal Protection of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has approved the expansion.

Currently, 39 Russian fishing companies are authorized to export fish products to Brazil, Latin America's largest economy. Rosselkhoznadzor stated its ongoing commitment to further expanding this list of domestic companies with export rights to the Brazilian market.

Aquaculture biotech and nutrition company Benchmark Holdings has announced plans to de-list from the stock market and buy back stock from shareholders following the sale of its genetics division to Denmark-headquartered life sciences investor Novo Holdings for £230 million.

Benchmark, which made gross proceeds of £194m from the sale, said that after the repayment of loans and other debts it currently has net cash reserves of £117m. It intends to pay £95m of that to shareholders through a combination of a £56.7m share buy-back and a special dividend for investors 

Author: Gareth Moore / fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here

Innovasea Partners with Grieg Seafood Newfoundland to Lead New Fish Welfare and Sustainability Project for Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Innovasea, a global leader in technologically advanced aquatic solutions for aquaculture and fish tracking, announced today a new project – the Enhanced Aquaculture Technology for Marine Health Project – sponsored by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC), and conducted in partnership with Grieg Seafood Newfoundland.

The three-year, CAD $6M initiative aimed at improving fish welfare, boosting sustainability and optimising production through innovative solutions, will outfit six Grieg sites with a suite of Innovasea’s advanced precision aquaculture technology, software and equipment.

Source: Fish Focus l Read the full article here

Persistent marine heatwave raises concerns for salmon farmers in UK and Irish waters.

A sustained marine heatwave in UK and Irish coastal waters is raising concerns about potential biological impacts on salmon farming operations, particularly in Western Scotland and Northern Ireland.

According to the Met Office and National Oceanography Centre, sea surface temperatures off the west coast of Ireland, as well as parts of Cornwall, Devon, and Western Scotland, are currently between 2.5°C and 4°C above the seasonal average.

Source: SalmonBusiness l Read the full article here

Retailer Triples ASC-Certified Range, Making Responsible Aquaculture More Accessible to UK Shoppers.

LONDON – Iceland Foods is significantly expanding its offering of Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) labelled seafood, giving customers a much wider choice of responsibly farmed products both in-store and online.

The UK retailer has already grown its own-label ASC-certified farmed seafood range to eight products and is committed to increasing this to over 25 products by the end of 2026. This pledge includes ensuring all own-label whole prawn products will also be ASC-certified and prominently display the ASC logo.

The ASC sets rigorous global standards for responsible aquaculture, promoting environmentally and socially sound farming practices, alongside full traceability and transparency across the supply chain.

"We know our customers care deeply about where their food comes from," said Richard Walker, Executive Chairman at Iceland Foods. "By expanding our ASC-certified range, we’re making it easier than ever for people to make informed, sustainable choices without compromising on quality or taste. Initiatives like this set the standard for the entire industry, whilst demonstrating Iceland’s dedication to doing the right thing for our oceans.”