Attitudes towards the UK’s emerging seaweed farming sector and lessons to learn from other aquaculture industries have been documented and analysed in a new report.

The Social Licence for Seaweed Farming project, led by the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban and funded by WWF, has used the findings to produce resources for would-be seaweed farmers to improve social licence, a term given to an activity that has gained public trust and backing.

Source: FishFocus | read the full article here

The global fleet of cargo carrying ships consists of around 61,000 ships with a deadweight capacity of about 2,200 million tonnes. The ships owned by Greek and Chinese shipping companies contribute 34% of the total fleet’s deadweight tonne capacity, according to BIMCO.

Although consolidation has been significant within the container shipping segment, the overall shipping market is still very fragmented, and the average shipping company only owns a few ships. Over time, key shipping nations have, however, emerged. Some have since lost importance due to shifts in global trade, but Greece has remained the world's foremost shipping nation.

More recently, China’s importance as a shipping nation has grown and Chinese shipowners now jointly control the world’s largest merchant fleet. The country also currently owns the second largest fleet of cargo carrying ships.

Measured by cargo capacity, Greek shipowners control the world’s largest fleet of cargo carrying ships. In total, they control 19% of the cargo carrying capacity and maintain a particularly high share within the dry bulk, tanker, and gas carrier sectors.[...]

Source: portnews.ru

The shrimp aquaculture industry in Asia entered the low production season in November-February; the full season in Latin America will last until February-March.

Total farmed shrimp production in 2023 is expected to be about 5.6 million tons, down about one percent from 2022. The 2024 forecast calls for a recovery of 4.8 percent from that volume.

In international trade, China is likely to maintain a strong import trend in the last quarter of 2023 to cover the high consumption season in December, January and February. However, in the United States of America, any increase in consumer demand will be met by imports from Latin America due to lower logistics costs.

Inflation is falling in all major European countries. However, traders are reluctant to start buying for the Christmas period as demand for crustaceans, including shrimp, remains weak.

Shrimp demand in Southeast Asia and the Far East is expected to improve by the end of the year due to Christmas, Gregorian New Year and Lunar New Year celebrations between December and February. Prices will strengthen during this period when overall production is seasonally low. [...]

Source: fishretail.ru (translated from original in russian)

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Today the Council gave its final green light to the revision of the EU’s fisheries control system, modernising the way fishing is controlled.

Around 70% of the existing rules for controlling fishing vessels are updated by the newly adopted regulation, which will help ensure that EU vessels and other vessels fishing in EU waters follow the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

The main changes introduced include:

• vessel monitoring systems (VMS) and electronic recording of catches: to ensure compliance with the CFP, all fishing vessels will be tracked via a VMS and all catches will need to be recorded via electronic means; in the case of certain small-scale coastal fishing vessels under 9 metres in length, exemptions from the VMS requirement may be granted until 31 December 2029
• remote electronic monitoring tools will be used in the case of larger vessels to ensure that unwanted catches are not being discarded at sea in violation of the ‘landing obligation’, but instead brought to land
• recreational fisheries: recreational fishers catching specific species will need to record and report their catches via an electronic system; while, initially, a limited number of species will be covered, the number may increase based on scientific advice
• revision of the sanctioning system: a comprehensive list of serious infringements of CFP rules is established at EU level; member states must ensure that perpetrators are subject to effective, proportionate and dissuasive administrative sanctions; additionally, or as an alternative, criminal sanctions may be used
• improved digital traceability along the supply chain: it will be easier to trace fresh fishery and aquaculture products; in the case of processed products, this will be done following a Commission study on the available solutions and after a five-year transition period

Source: NewsWire

Among the main measures, the EU and neighbouring countries agreed within the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) to launch new tools to keep track of the activities of all fleets fishing in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas and sharing the various multiannual management plans (MAPs). The new mechanism will follow up on cases of non-compliance through appropriate and proportionate measures. To consolidate joint efforts in the Mediterranean and make sure the measures deliver on the ground, a European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) patrol vessel will be deployed permanently still this year.

At the 46th annual meeting of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), which took place between 6-10 November in Split, the EU and neighbouring countries agreed to reinforce the level playing field in control and management of fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. This is a key step in ensuring that all operators involved in fisheries follow the same standards, based on the principles of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Thanks to the efforts of the EU and more than 12 other coastal states, the GFCM unanimously adopted a total of 34 shared measures. The EU will support the implementation of the measures and the GFCM 2030 Strategy with an annual grant of €8 million.

Source: NewsWire

A recent statement from the Aegean Exporters' Associations underscored Türkiye's prowess in aquaculture exports, revealing a total of $1.404 billion for the 10-month period of 2023, with a remarkable 68 percent coming from the Aegean region.

Diving into the specifics of aquaculture product exports, sea bass emerged as the frontrunner with an impressive $435 million, followed by sea bream at $353 million, salmon at $315 million and trout at $96 million.

The report highlighted that 73 percent of sea bass and 78 percent of sea bream were exported fresh, while 74 percent of salmon exports were frozen.

U.K. ranked first in fresh sea bass exports with $29 million. The Russian Federation was by far the leading country for frozen salmon and frozen trout exports with a demand of $158 million.

In a significant development, Sinan Kiziltan, Chairman of the Sector Board of the Turkish Aquaculture and Animal Products Exporters' Associations, has unveiled the industry's remarkable performance and set a 2024 target that will escalate from the current year-end projection of $1.7 billion to an ambitious $2 billion.

Source: hurriyetdailynews

The summit of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (Iccat), with representatives from 79 countries, has been launched to debate the rules for the exploitation of tunas and related species in this ocean, some of special interest for the Spanish fleet , such as northern albacore, bigeye tuna, swordfish, tropical tunas and quenlla or blue shark. The representatives of the tuna fleet seek to know if the quota of their tropical species increases and those of the Galician surface longline that depend on blue shark fishing will be expectant of the regulations that are adopted for the management of the species

Source: EuropaAzul| Read the full article here

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has been collaborating "since May" with the Anti-Fraud Office to clarify the possible incompatibility of the appointment of the General Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Government of Andalusia, José Manuel Martínez Malia, due to conflict of interest. In recent days, the general media have reported on the complaint of the Andalusian PSOE to the Anti-Fraud Office, regarding a possible violation of the Andalusian law on Incompatibilities of senior officials as well as a possible conflict of interest in the processing of subsidies

Source: IndustriasPesqueras | Read the full article here

Struggling with slower-than-expected growth of fish at its farms and a new salmon tax implemented by the Faroese government, Bakkafrost laid off 140 of its value-added processing workers on 8 November.

Earlier in November, Glyvrar, Faroe Islands-based Bakkafrost Group announced a decision to delay some planned harvests after recording slower growth and other biological challenges. In a statement, Bakkafrost CEO Regin Jacobsen blamed the layoffs on an increase in the revenue tax on the salmon farming industry approved in May 2023.

Author: Cliff White / SeafoodSource | read the full article here

The AKVA group, the world’s largest supplier of aquaculture services and solutions, has warned that the salmon tax is having a negative impact on the level of activity in the sea based business – and on land based operations.

Presenting its results for the third quarter, the company said that the group delivered slightly reduced third quarter revenues of NOK 817 million kroner (£60m) against NOK 840m (£62m) a year ago.

Author: Vince McDonagh / FishFarmer | read the full article here