In September 2012, Anvifish Joint Stock Company (Anvifish Co) received representatives from Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP) - a leading company in Ukraine’s agro-industrial sector, to visit the company. The two parties planned to develop sales of pangasius products in the Ukraine market.

At the meeting, leaders of MHP heard a presentation on Anvifish’s pangasius production and export chain, and then had field trip to processing plant and fish farming area in Vinh Binh, Chau Thanh district. Yuriy Kosyuk, Director of MHP, highly appreciated the fish value chain and product quality of Anvifish Co. MHP said that it wanted to invest in developing fish farming area and cooperate with the company to introduce pangasius products in Ukraine under MHP’s brand.

Source: VASEP

Salmon which was contaminated with salmonella has cost two lives in the Netherlands. Press agency IEDE reports that two elderly people have died after eating the poisoned fish.

Both victims were above 80 years of age. The director of the Dutch government's Institute for Health and the Environment (RIVM), Roel Coutinho, has said that there is a 100 per cent certainty in one of the cases that salmonella was the cause of death; the second case is being investigated.

Source: Mareeg

HA NO - The term "Phu Quoc" was officially registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for naturally fermented Vietnamese fish extract on Thursday 11 Oct.

It will be added to the list of more than 1,000 names of agricultural products and foodstuffs protected as either PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) or PDO. It is the eleventh non-EU product name to receive the protected status, following Colombian coffee, Indian Darjeeling tea and eight Chinese products.

Source: VNS

A fish farm is thriving some of Egypt's most inhospitable land, on the eastern fringe of the Sahara desert.

It is believed to be the world's only desert fish farm and it is so successful they are now exporting fish to Italy.

Jon Leyne reports from the Egyptian desert.

Source: BBC News

HA NOI - While tough global conditions mean many sections of the economy are currently swimming upstream, tra fish farmers have been given the chance to make a splash after the Government agreed to offer them preferential loan interest rates.

A Government instruction issued in early August decreed that tra fish farmers wishing to expand their business should be able to borrow money at the favourable interest rate of 11 per cent, with many provinces already taking action.

The Government decision came after a series of meetings between ministries, the State Bank of Vietnam and the Vietnam Development Bank to discuss solutions for boosting livestock and aquaculture production.

Source: VNS

NEW YORK - The U.S. Court of International Trade on Friday 12 Oct. nixed Del Monte Corp.'s challenge to the classification of its flavored microwavable tuna pouches as "tuna in oil," even though the products merely contain traces of oil to disperse flavoring agents.

Senior Judge Thomas J. Aquilino Jr. granted summary judgment to the government on Del Monte's claim that the pouches containing fillets or strips of tuna to which flavor sauces were added.

Source: Law 360

MONCTON - Three Nova Scotia fish harvesters have been fined a total of CAD 6,500 for offences related to the snow crab fishery under the Fisheries Act, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Gulf Region, announced on 12 Oct.

Myles Miller of Petit-Étang, and Alexis Poirier of Redman and Dwayne Miller of Cheticamp pleaded guilty on 25 September to offloading snow crab without the presence of an observer.

Judge Laurel Halfpenny-MacQuarrie imposed a CAD 3,000 fine on Myles Miller, a CAD 2,500 fine on Alexis Poirier and a CAD 1,000 fine on Dwayne Miller. The three individuals will also have to pay CAD 100 each in court costs. The judge prohibited all three from fishing snow crab during the first 24 hours of the 2013 snow crab fishery.

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With the top score in Seafood Intelligence's benchmark survey of sustainability reporting earlier this year, the Stockman Award 2012 and now silver prize in the Farmand contest 2012, Cermaq has received considerable praise and honor for its reporting and external information. What are highlighted and emphasized in all the accolades, is primarily Cermaq's transparency, credibility and consistency in its reporting.

"It's very nice to receive such honors, not least when it comes from three different sources", says Lise Bergan, Corporate affairs director at Cermaq. "There lies a lot of good work from a lot people behind our reports, and to get good feedback is very inspiring for us. To Cermaq transparency is crucial: it provides the basis both for our own improvement and for a good dialogue with our stakeholders. We see this as an inspiration to develop further."

Source: Reuters

LAVAL - Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc reported on 15 Oct. its consolidated financial results for the three- and six-month periods ended 31 August, 2012.

Nutraceutical Business Results:

• Nutraceutical revenues increased by 62 per cent to CAD 14,001,000, for the six-month period ended 31 August, 2012, up from CAD 8,636,000 achieved during the corresponding period ended 31 August, 2011.
• EBITDA from nutraceutical business for the six-month period ended 31 August, 2012 increased by 26 per cent to CAD 1,793,000, up from CAD 1,424,000 obtained during the corresponding period ended 31 August, 2011.
• Net loss from nutraceutical business reached CAD 2,749,000 for the six-month period ended 31 August, 2012, compared to a net income of CAD 136,000 for the corresponding period ended 31 August, 2011.

The fish and shellfish found in the seas around the UK are one of our most valuable natural resources and the Scottish fishing industry is determined to ensure their sustainable harvesting.

This is the message Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, will deliver to delegates attending the Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum in London on 16 October, which will focus on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and the move towards a sustainable fishing industry.

Mr Armstrong will tell the event that our fisheries have a vital role to play in ensuring food security for the UK by providing a sustainable, healthy and nutritious food resource that is in huge demand.