Following the warning issued by the EU fish consumption guide, published by the British NGO Marine Conservation Society, calling on consumers to find an alternative to Northeast Atlantic mackerel, the EU fishing industry is setting the record straight, as reported by Melanie CHARTIER.from Le Marin.

Northeast Atlantic mackerel was removed on April 11 from the annual Good Fish Guide (VISwijzer), a list of species to avoid eating, compiled by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), an influential British NGO that ranks choices based on their degree of overfishing.

Their guide uses a traffic light system for consumers and a scale of 1 to 5 for businesses. This system assigns a color code to each rating based on the location and method of fishing or farming: green (ratings 1 or 2) for preferred options ; orange (ratings 3 or 4) for necessary improvements; and red (ratings 5) for fish to avoid . Businesses, including restaurants and supermarkets, are recommended to only offer seafood rated from 1 to 3.

The blue whiting fishery has started up in the Faroese zone, and good catches and fine weather have been reported.

A total of 33,430 tonnes were reported by 20 boats last week. The fishermen report good conditions and the catches are relatively good, with hauls of 600 tonnes. The weather conditions look like they will hold up throughout the week, but there may be some rough weather from Saturday onwards. There are just over 57,000 tonnes remaining of the Norwegian quota for blue whiting for 2025, and we expect that a significant amount of blue whiting will be fished in the coming week.

Otherwise, it has been quiet in the other fisheries. 4 tonnes of horse mackerel from Møre, 190 tonnes of blue whiting, and 100 tonnes of sprat from the edge (likely referring to the edge of the fishing grounds or a specific area).

Source: Norges Sildesalgslag

Aiming for $1.29 Billion in Shipments This Year, Indonesia Focuses on Diversification, Quality, and Expanding Approved Exporters.

JAKARTA (Xinhua) – Indonesia has announced its ambition to boost fishery product exports to China, a key export market, driven by increasing demand. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries revealed on Tuesday that the country has set an export target of USD 1.29 billion to China for this year, an increase from the USD 1.24 billion recorded in the previous year, according to ministry data published by Antara news.

"We have established synergy with relevant domestic ministries and institutions, as well as the Indonesian embassy in Beijing, to diversify our export offerings and increase overall export volume," stated Ishartini, head of the Marine and Fisheries Product Quality Supervision Agency.

The data indicates a positive trend in fishery product exports to China, with figures reaching USD 1.14 billion in 2023 and USD 1.12 billion in 2022.

To meet this year's ambitious target, the Indonesian government is actively working to enhance product quality and safety standards. Furthermore, efforts have been made to increase the number of domestic companies authorized to export fishery products to the Chinese market, which stood at 544 as of March.

ProChile is seeking eight Chilean companies for AquaNor 2025, focusing on aquaculture technology and innovation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Export Promotion Directorate, ProChile, launched a call for Chilean companies to participate in the next edition of the AquaNor international fair, which will take place from August 19 to 21, 2025, in Norway.

AquaNor is one of the most important global aquaculture sector events, bringing together producers, technology providers, researchers, and institutional representatives every two years.

Source: MundoAcuicola l Read the full article here

Creates the "orange box," a long-range radio system to gather information on the sustainability of its vessels and prepare for regulatory changes

The connected environment and Industry 4.0 reach almost all productive sectors in the Galician community, with varying degrees of difficulty. Extractive fishing, key to the region, is no exception, and many organizations are working to use sensors on their vessels, new systems that allow for energy reuse, improve fishing, or simply collect information on the activity. The Asociación de Armadores de Cerco de Galicia (Acerga) is working intensively in this last area through its production plans.

Source: Faro de Vigo l Read the full article here

40 of the best takeaways to have fish and chips on Good Fry-day. A chippy tea at the end of the week is a tradition for many of us and one that is also synonymous with Good Friday. Millions of us will happily queue at our local fish and chip shop, mouths watering ready to indulge in this classic British dish. Yet, why has this become such an institution within our culture?

Did you know that eating fish on Good Friday harks back to the Roman Catholic custom of not eating warm-blooded animals on Fridays and to also acknowledge the death of Jesus?

Source: Fish Focus l Read the full article here

Keohane to expand supply to Irish and European markets.

Keohane Seafoods has secured a new supply agreement with Lidl Ireland worth more than €30 million, the company confirmed Monday. The deal will see the West Cork seafood processor expand its range of fresh, frozen, and ready-to-eat products across Lidl’s 184 stores in Ireland, as well as selected outlets in Germany, France, Switzerland and the Canary Islands.

The agreement builds on a longstanding partnership between the two companies. Keohane Seafoods first signed with Lidl in 2011 and was awarded a €20 million contract in 2022.

Source: SalmonBusiness l Read the full article here

Joint venture company hoping for government go-ahead after public consultation

The Falkland Islands could become the newest frontier in salmon farming if a proposal currently before the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) is approved.

Geographically, the archipelago in the South Atlantic bears similarities to well established salmon farming regions, such as the Faroes, Shetland, and Orkney, with sheltered bays and Norwegian style fjords, and consistently cool sea water temperatures.

Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here

Reston, VA – The National Fisheries Institute congratulates Eugenio Piñeiro Soler on his appointment to serve as the new Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. We commend the administration for working quickly to fill this vital position and for choosing a seasoned veteran of the council management system and Magnuson-based fisheries policy. We look forward to working with him.

Lisa Wallenda Picard

President & CEO

Marée Côte d'Opale's Smoked Trout Takes Bronze; Aquaculture Products Garner 95 Medals, Including 89 for Oysters.

The quality of French aquaculture was celebrated at the Concours général agricole (SIA), where trout and oysters earned significant recognition. Marée Côte d'Opale, part of the Océalliance group, was awarded the bronze medal for its 4-slice smoked trout (pictured) marketed under the Les Saveurs du Large brand.

In the same smoked trout category, Les Viviers de Vatierville (Seine-Maritime) secured the gold medal, while La Fumerie du Coin (Jouy-en-Josas) took silver. Les Fils de Charles Murgat also received recognition for its trout eggs. Further highlighting the diversity of trout products, the Bellet fish farm (Ruelle-sur-Touvre, Charente) and Écailles et Compagnie (Thoiry) were honored for their trout rillettes.

This year's competition saw a remarkable achievement for the aquaculture sector, with a total of 95 medals (gold, silver, or bronze) awarded. Notably, oysters dominated, claiming an impressive 89 of these distinctions.

Among the oyster winners, Mediterranean flat oysters stood out, earning two gold medals. These oysters originated from 300,000 larvae transferred in 2023 from the Corsican research platform Stella Mare to oyster farmers in the Thau lagoon, demonstrating the success of collaborative efforts in aquaculture.

Author/Source: Marielle MARIE/Produit de la Mer (PDM)