The Chinese Embassy in South Korea refuted recent South Korean media reports concerning China's deep-sea aquaculture facilities in the Yellow Sea, stating that many of the reports are factually inaccurate.

In a statement released Wednesday, the embassy spokesperson asserted that China's facilities comply with both domestic and international law and do not violate any agreements with South Korea.

This response follows reports in South Korean media, including The Korea Times, which alleged that China had installed large steel structures in the Yellow Sea within the overlapping Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Korea and China.

The embassy spokesperson clarified that the facilities are deep-sea aquaculture installations situated in waters off China's own coast, constituting a lawful use of marine resources.

The spokesperson emphasized that China's actions are fully consistent with domestic and international law, do not contravene the China-ROK fisheries agreement, and do not infringe upon South Korea's rights under that agreement.

Furthermore, the embassy stated that China has implemented stringent environmental and safety measures to ensure the facilities do not pose risks to the marine environment or navigational safety.

Two prominent Alaska seafood trade groups are calling on the federal government to moderate its aggressive trade policies, warning that new tariffs risk triggering international retaliation and exacerbating the state’s seafood industry crisis.

In a March 11 letter to the U.S. Trade Representative, a cabinet-level official, the At-Sea Processors Association and the Pacific Seafood Processors Association expressed concern over existing foreign tariffs and what they describe as unfair competition from overseas producers, as reported by Theo Greenly of Alaska Public Media.

The groups contend that new U.S. tariffs could provoke retaliatory measures from the European Union, China, or Japan, further jeopardizing Alaska seafood exports.

At-Sea Processors Association CEO Matt Tinning emphasized in an interview the industry’s heavy reliance on trade and its vulnerability to retaliatory tariffs.

“We really do live and die by fair access to those export markets,” he stated.

The association represents the majority of large catcher-processor vessels operating in the Bering Sea pollock fishery, a crucial component of Alaska’s commercial seafood sector.

Tinning also highlighted the increasing challenges posed by Russian seafood, which has significantly increased its presence in global markets in recent years.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Bintulu Maritime Zone detained a local Class C fishing vessel 5.5 nautical miles northwest of Bintulu Turtle Beach at 7:45 a.m. today. The vessel is suspected of violating its license conditions.

Captain Muhammad Suffian Eldine Abdullah, director of the MMEA Bintulu Maritime Zone, reported that the vessel was intercepted by a Malaysian Maritime patrol vessel while operating in Similajau waters.

"Initial inspections revealed the vessel was operating within 12 nautical miles of the shore, in breach of its license stipulations," said Captain Muhammad Suffian.

Further inspection revealed the vessel was crewed by two Malaysian and two Indonesian nationals, aged between 19 and 52.

The vessel is suspected of violating Section 8(b) of the Fisheries Act 1985, which prohibits licensed vessels from operating within 12 nautical miles of the coastline.

Penalties for this offense include a fine of up to RM20,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

The vessel and its crew were detained and escorted to the Bintulu Maritime Zone Vessel Detention Centre for further investigation by MMEA officers.

Pan-European infrastructure fund Marguerite is to invest in Norwegian fish farming marine services provider AQS.

Marguerite will acquire a 50% stake in AQS through its latest fund, Marguerite III. This will be done through a capital increase by issuing new shares in AQS. 

The strategic partnership will support AQS’ long-term strategy and accelerate further growth with fleet and organisational expansion. Fanøyskjæret AS, the family company of Sandra, Edvard and Ove Løfsnæs, will retain a 50% ownership stake.

Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here

Spanish tuna company Balfegó is preparing to inaugurate a new processing and office facility in Spain in time for the 2025 Seafood Expo Global, taking place this year in Barcelona, Spain, from 6 to 8 May.

Balfegó catches bluefin tuna in May and June each year and then ranches the fish in farms off the coast of L'Ametlla, Spain. The company then feeds its fish a specific diet depending on customers’ needs and harvests them using the Japanese ikejime method to produce a high-end product.

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

Icelandic salmon farmer Arnarlax has alerted the authorities to a possible escape situation following the discovery of a hole in one of its seine bags.

The incident took place at its location at Vatneyri in Patreksfjörður, where some 117,000 salmon are located.

The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority received a notification from Arnarlax around a week ago.

The hole was discovered during a routine underwater inspection and the repair was completed the same day.

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

Hofseth Processing in Ålesund will undergo a significant upgrade in the coming months to expand capacity and streamline production.

To meet rising demand and optimize the processing of farmed salmon and trout, Hofseth will implement substantial upgrades at its Ålesund facility, according to a company press release.

The company is doubling its sorting capacity by transitioning from a single-lane to a two-lane Marel whole fish sorter. To accommodate this expansion within its existing infrastructure, Hofseth collaborated with Marel, MMC First Process, and Samey Robotics to develop a comprehensive solution that enhances both sorting capacity and operational flexibility, while supporting sustainable food production goals.

The upgraded line will feature a two-lane whole fish sorting system with integrated Marel AXIN software. MMC First Process will provide a spiral cooling tank and continuous fish discharge system, along with an automated empty case solution with a 200% increase in storage capacity and a high-speed lidding machine. Completing the process are packaging robots from Samey Robotics, controlled by AXIN Dynamic Palletizing software. Installation is scheduled to begin in the coming months.

Marel and MMC First Process established a strategic partnership in February 2024 to deliver integrated equipment and software solutions to the seafood industry.

The Center for Sustainable Fisheries Development (CeDePesca) and the Civil Association of Artisanal Fishermen of the Port of Rawson (APARCh) formalized the Framework and Specific Agreements for the implementation of an Improvement Project (PROME) aimed at the smaller-scale fleet operating in the shrimp fishery in provincial waters. This project is initiated following the recent MSC certification of the yellow fleet and already has a profile published on Fishery Progress.

Following the certification obtained by 36 vessels of the yellow fleet under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard, conversations began in mid-2024 with representatives of the artisanal fleet, whose vessels are less than 10 meters in length. This fleet was not included in the previous certification process due to the lack of information on their impacts on the ecosystem.

Elba Brunetti, director of CeDePesca Argentina, along with Tania Zualet, led the efforts and provided detailed information to the sector about the steps and requirements necessary to implement a PROME. The principles and indicators to be worked on were explained, and the importance of the fleet's participation in the Onboard Observer Program was highlighted.

CeDePesca reported that the agreements with APARCh were signed last January, and on February 11th, the profile of the shrimp PROME for the artisanal fleet was published on the Fishery Progress platform.