Eight Indonesian pole-and-line and handline fisheries celebrate achieving MSC certification

NETHERLANDS
Thursday, January 28, 2021, 06:00 (GMT + 9)

IPNLF, the non-profit organisation that is committed to globally developing and supporting responsible one-by-one tuna fisheries and supply chains, together with its local partner, AP2HI, is delighted to announce the MSC certification of eight Indonesian one-by-one tuna.

The International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) working in close collaboration with its local partner and IPNLF member, Asosiasi Perikanan Pole & Line dan Handline Indonesia (AP2HI), commended the highly focused, collaborative endeavours of multiple stakeholders that have enabled these fisheries to reach this important milestone. The advancement of these fisheries towards certification, is a tangible demonstration of the ability of small-scale fisheries to support their local communities and compete in the global marketplace.

Photo: courtesy IPNLF

As one of the world largest seafood producers, Indonesia plays a key role in safeguarding marine ecosystems and global seafood supplies. These eight fisheries and their sourcing method comprise highly selective, small-scale operations which harvest tuna with very low impact on other ocean species and the environment. In Indonesia, the one-by-one tuna sector is often a family or community business, and a major contributor towards local economies and food security. For many years, IPNLF and AP2HI have been helping to preserve this important economic and cultural heritage by supporting local capacity-building initiatives.

Trian Yunanda, Director of Fish Resources Management at the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), applauded the achievement, saying, “IPNLF and AP2HI have been working closely with MMAF on improving data collection and fisheries monitoring programmes, leading to more effective management of these fisheries. All of us need to recognise the important role that truly sustainable fisheries, that contribute to environmental, social and economic improvements, can make to the livelihoods of our fishers, and to the viability of our businesses. These actions lead to healthier oceans for us and for future generations.”

Jeremy Crawford, Southeast Asia Director of IPNLF, praised the determined efforts of AP2HI members and other stakeholders and the vital support provided by the Ministry in progressing the eight fisheries towards full assessment. “We are pleased to be part of this important process of building value in the local one-by-one tuna supply chains. Together with our local partners, and with the support of the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), IPNLF has been able to realise significant improvements in fishery operations, governance, and in securing livelihoods.”

These improvement programmes include fishery data collection and monitoring, which are carried out by local onboard observers and portside enumerators who collect valuable information, at sea and on land, to better understand the environmental impacts associated with fishing operations. This data also helps to inform fishery governance and decision-making processes.

Photo: courtesy IPNLF

Information on the vessels and crew are collected along with data on catch and effort that includes the number of days at sea, bycatch levels, bait utilisation and potential interactions with endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species.

Electronic monitoring systems for small-scale fisheries are also implemented through time-lapse cameras, vessel tracking, and working with the government on analysing VMS data. On land, IPNLF and AP2HI work closely with fishery operators to improve chain of custody and fishery compliance to national regulations and also engage with the government on the development of effective management measures.

Photo: courtesy IPNLF

The MSC Fisheries Standard includes three core principles against which fisheries are assessed: sustainable fish stocks, minimising environmental impacts and effective fisheries management. In addition to operational improvements, the Indonesian fisheries are also implementing tangible social improvements, such as building equity through value creation and market access, implementing internationally accepted codes of conduct and improved labour standards.

AP2HI was established in 2012 to unite the tuna pole-and-line and handline fisheries in Indonesia under a single association, comprising 50 members from the catching, processing and trading sectors. The association encourages the use of natural resources in Indonesia in a fair, transparent, and sustainable way and has worked closely with IPNLF to improve both the social responsibility and environmental sustainability of their fisheries. The partnership between AP2HI and IPNLF was established to primarily focus on improving the livelihoods of Indonesian one-by-one fishers and the communities that depend on them.

Photo: courtesy IPNLF

Commenting on the certification of the fisheries, Janti Djuari, the Chair of AP2HI, said: “Getting these eight fisheries to this crucial point has required a huge collective effort and I am very proud of the manner in which all parties involved continue to pull together – to build healthier fisheries and healthier oceans – now and for future generations. Our hope is that these fisheries will soon be able to supply consumers with sustainable one-by-one caught tuna. This initiative will not only help improve the livelihoods of our traditional one-by-one fishermen, but will also ensure a sustainable industry”.

The global demand for sustainably caught tuna that includes social and economic benefits is steadily increasing. While industrial (purse seine) boats operating in the Indonesian economic zone are responsible for the largest catches, their environmental impact is much greater than those of one-by-one fisheries. International markets, where consumers demand ethical sourcing of their seafood choices, have supported the implementation of improvement projects, expressing their commitment to source from these fisheries in a special joint agreement in June 2018, signed between MMAF, IPNLF and 14 buyers, brands and retailers.

Photo: courtesy IPNLF

In their commitment, these buyers undertook to preferentially source MSC-certified one-by-one tuna from Indonesia’s tuna fisheries over non-certified tuna, once these products become available. “Promises such as these, provide further validation of the critical role played by fisheries that put the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic benefits – at the forefront of their operations. It is the only way to ensure that these vulnerable communities retain access to food security and economic wellbeing in the long-term,” says Jeremy Crawford, Southeast Asia Director of IPNLF.

An additional eight pole-and-line and handline fisheries in AP2HI supply chains are involved in Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) supported by IPNLF. These FIPS which are all A-rated by Fishery Progress and should deliver a further 10,000 tonnes of certified skipjack and yellowfin tuna to markets in the future.

 

IN BRIEF - Bellevue company to open tuna cannery in American Samoa

AMERICAN SAMOA Tuesday, January 06, 2015 PAGO PAGO  (AP) - A Washington state company is making a $70 million investment in a tuna cannery in the U.S. territory of American Samoa. The canned tuna products from American Samoa will carry the "Made In USA" label, said officials with Tri Marine International. Based in Bellevue, Washington, Tri Marine took over the lease of a government property three years ago after another cannery closed. Tri Marine's cannery plant is expected to employ some 1,500 workers when fully operational and is operated by the company's Samoa Tuna Process Inc., located on seaside village of Atu'u. American Samoa's economy is dependent on the tuna cannery industry. Outgoing chamber of commerce chairman Lewis Wolman said that besides the large workforce, the new cannery will have direct impacts like buying products from local vendors and supporting the shipping industry. But it will also have significant indirect impacts, such as the purchases made by workers from their paychecks. An inauguration ceremony is planned for Jan. 24. The new cannery will focus on the U.S. market, where tuna products from American Samoa are duty-free, said Curto, adding that this helps offset the higher cost of processing in the territory as compared with industrialized centers in low-labor-cost countries like Thailand, Philippines and China. The company plans to produce private label and its own brand of tuna markets. The brand is made by Tri Marine subsidiary, The Tuna Store, and it is already on shelves under the name Ocean Naturals. But Curto said SolTuna, which is a partnership between Tri Marine and the Solomon Islands government, produces products for other markets, which includes the South Pacific region and Europe where products from Solomon Islands have duty-free access. Souce: FILI SAGAPOLUTELE, Associated Press

Socially and Environmentally Committed Ghanaian Tilapia Farm

Established in 1997, Tropo is Africa’s second largest tilapia farm.

  (GHANA, 12/9/2014)

Volta Catch tilapia is produced by Tropo Farms in Ghana. The company selects its breeders from nature, from the vast Volta Lake. Volta Catch fish roots are 100% Ghanaian.

Volta Catch takes pride in its quality and make every effort to ensure that fish is as fresh and pure as possible.

Tropo Farms controls every stage of production, from eggs through nursery, transfer and final growing in the pure clean river and lake waters of the Volta. No chemicals, antibiotics or growth promoters are used in the production of Volta Catch tilapia.

Fish are fed with low phosphorus extruded feed which minimize leaching of nutrients to the environment.

High quality feeds free of additives are carefully fed to Tropo Farms' fish to provide most of their nutritional requirements whiles nature provides the rest. Fish are fed with low phosphorus extruded feed which minimize leaching of nutrients to the environment. Most of drift and waste feed is consumed by wild fish and birds – very little if any sinks to the bottom as waste. Optimum feeding ensures faecal production is not excessive. The company's energy use is minimal as they do not use aeration for production.

No chemicals, antibiotics or growth promoters are used in the production of Volta Catch tilapia.

Freshness is guaranteed by a modern cold chain process. Live fish are immediately gutted and rapidly cooled in an ice solution. They are then packed in flaked ice and transported in refrigerated trucks. Fish are then kept in chilled conditions during sales. Fish are never frozen but kept at +1 to +4’C. The harvest-to-table time is kept very short as the company harvests on demand.

Tropo Farms takes care to leave as little environmental footprint as possible at its production site.

Established in 1997 Tropo is Africa’s second largest tilapia farm. Annual tilapia production and sales is over 2000 metric tons.

Tropo has a dedicated 32 acre hatchery at Asutsuare on the Volta River near Akuse where they produce over 20 million production-ready fingerlings per year.

Volta Catch takes pride in its quality and make every effort to ensure that fish is as fresh and pure as possible.

Production is at Mpakadan, 6 km upstream of the Akosombo dam on a deepwater site in the Agina Gorge. This site is pristine. There are no cities in the Volta Basin, no industries upstream and water quality is perfect. Tilapia is native to the Volta Basin – thus the company is located in true “tilapia territory”. Therefore, Tropo Farms takes care to leave as little environmental footprint as possible at its production site.

The company's energy use is minimal and they do not use aeration for production.

The 2 kilometre shoreline is kept as natural as possible. Tropo Farms has planted 4000 hardwood trees to rehabilitate the land when it was acquired. Against much local resistance the company boldly put an end to bush fires, hunting and charcoal making. Fire belts are maintained and the forest is managed; many rare and beautiful bird species have repopulated the area. Even deer and monkeys have made a return.

Tilapia is native to the Volta Basin.

By restricting fishing within the 100 hectare concession Tropo Farms has inadvertently created a fish sanctuary.

Preproduction surveys revealed a barren shoreline of only 3 fish species seen in two kilometres of shoreline – today there are over 17 native species which came back to the area and fish numbers are in the thousands. As fish now breed in this area, the fishermen enjoy abundant catches near the farm's perimeter.

Socially the farm has made a start by helping the Mpakadan school. It has provided a borehole for potable water in Mpakadan. It also graded the 7 kilometre feeder road from the highway to Mpakadan town and, its going to provide an annual scholarship to Mpakadan’s brightest student to achieve university level education. Tropo Farms provides over 450 jobs.

Tropo Farms controls every stage of production.

Sector pesquero pedirá a Bruselas modificar Reglamento del Mediterráneo

Red de arrastre con una captura de bacalao. (Foto: Robert A. Pawlowski)

ESPAÑA
Friday, December 12, 2014, 22:30 (GMT + 9)

La Confederación Española de Pesca (Cepesca) y el Instituto Español de Oceanografía(IEO) finalizaron un proyecto para evaluar el efecto de un aumento en el grosor del material de los copos de las redes de arrastre del Mediterráneo, establecido por el Reglamento 1967/2006 en un máximo de 3 mm de torzal simple.

Esta iniciativa fue cofinanciada por el Fondo Europeo de Pesca y la Fundación Biodiversidad y por el Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente(Magrama).

Los resultados del proyecto, cuyo objetivo fue valorar científicamente si una de las peticiones del sector pesquero -uso de copos con un grosor del torzal de 5 mm- afecta la selectividad de los artes de arrastre, fueron presentados durante el seminario 'Sostenibilidad del arte de arrastre en el Mediterráneo español', celebrado en San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia.

Según Rocío Béjar, secretaria general adjunta de Cepesca, "una de las conclusiones a las que se ha llegado es que el proyecto evidencia que no hay grandes diferencias en cuanto a los índices de captura y a la selectividad de la malla cuadrada de 3 y 5 mm".

Estas conclusiones se obtuvieron después de más de 270 horas de trabajo de pesca efectiva, más de 7.000 kilogramos de capturas y más de 50.500 ejemplares medidos.

Sobre la base de estos resultados, que fueron evaluados conjuntamente por el Gobierno, los científicos y el sector pesquero, Cepesca solicitará la Comisión Europea (CE) que se permita el uso de los copos empleados antes de la entrada en vigor del Reglamento del Mediterráneo.

"Es decir, los que llevaban un torzal de 5 mm, frente a los actuales, que son de 3 mm, ya que estos últimos se rompen antes y con mayor facilidad y, por tanto, tienen un mayor coste económico para los pescadores", explicó Béjar.

En los experimentos realizados se utilizó un copo de malla cuadrada de 45 mm de luz y 3 mm de torzal, el grosor máximo establecido por el Reglamento 1967/2006, y un copo de igual geometría (cuadrada) y luz (45 mm) de malla, pero de mayor grosor de torzal (5 mm).

Se establecieron tres tipos de objetivos:

• Comparar los copos para ver los índices de captura, rendimientos comerciales, porcentaje de captura descartada y distribución de tallas de las principales especies objetivo;
• Saber si el tipo de copo afecta a la calidad de las capturas de las principales especies objetivo de la pesquería de arrastre mediterránea;
• Conocer si es real el deterioro de la red y el encogimiento de la malla.

En campañas piloto se estimaron los rendimientos totales, los desembarcos y los descartes con copos de malla cuadrada de 40 mm de luz y torzal simple de 3 mm y 5 mm de grosor. Además, se realizaron muestreos de las capturas a bordo de los buquesQuinto, Familia y Antonio el Cometierra.

Cepesca sostiene que las conclusiones obtenidas ayudarán a mejorar la gestión de la pesca de arrastre en el Mediterráneo.

La iniciativa contó con la dirección científica del grupo de investigación de Ecosistemas, Recursos Demersales y Bentos (ERDEB) del Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares del IEO.

Seafood exports already surpass last year's total

Herring exports from Bergen, Norway. (Photo Credit: Odin Hjellestad/Copyright: FIS)

NORWAY
Friday, December 05, 2014, 22:40 (GMT + 9)

Norway exported seafood worth NOK 6.6 billion (USD 938.5 million) in November, the same monthly total as November 2013. However, year to date seafood exports have reached NOK 62.5 billion (USD 8.9 billion), an increase of NOK 7 billion (USD 995.4 million), or 13 per cent, compared with the same period last year. This represents a new export record, surpassing the totals for the whole of 2013 by almost NOK 900 million (USD 127.9 million).

"By the start of December, we can state that 2014 has been the best year ever for Norwegian seafood exports. Demand for Norwegian seafood remains very strong and we await with keen interest the totals for the full year", says Christian Chramer, Communications Director for the Norwegian Seafood Council. Year to date seafood exports have been NOK 878 million higher than in 2013.

"Exports of clipfish increased sharply due to the popular tradition of serving bacalao for Christmas. In Portugal eight out of ten consumers surveyed said they were planning to eat traditional clipfish-based christmas dishes. Salmon price increases from November 2013, combined with slightly lower salmon volume reduced the total value of salmon exports somewhat. In the pelagic industry it is worth noting the record large amounts of mackerel exported from Norway. An increase of NOK 189 million compared with November 2013", says Chramer.

Norway exported salmon to a value of NOK 3.9 billion in November. This marks a decrease of NOK 96 million, or 2 per cent, compared with November 2013. Year to date salmon exports have totalled NOK 39.6 billion, an increase of NOK 4.4 billion, or 12 per cent, compared with the same period in 2013. The average price for whole fresh Norwegian salmon in November was NOK 41.12 per kg against NOK 39.01 per kg in November 2013. As in the previous month, Poland and France remain the biggest buyers of Norwegian salmon.

Trout exports were worth NOK 176 million in November 2014, a decrease of NOK 71 million, or 29 per cent from November 2013. Year to date, exports of trout have reached NOK 2.2 billion. This is an increase of NOK 54 million, or 3 per cent, compared with the same period in 2013. The biggest buyers of trout from Norway in November were Belarus and China.

Exports of herring fell by NOK 114 million, or 20 per cent in November to a total value of NOK 464 million. So far this year, exports of herring have totalled NOK 2.3 billion. This represents a decline of NOK 453 million, compared with the same period in 2013. Poland and Lithuania were the biggest export markets for herring in November.

Mackerel exports increased in November by NOK 189 million, to reach a total of NOK 598 million. Year to date exports of mackerel have increased by NOK 1.2 billion to NOK 3.9 billion, compared with the same period in 2013. Japan and China were the biggest markets for Norwegian mackerel in November.

Exports of clipfish increased by NOK 164 million in November, to reach a total NOK 413 million. This is an increase of 65 per cent compared with November 2013. Export totals are distributed between cod, worth NOK 276 million, saithe worth NOK 110 million on saithe, with the remainder split between ling, tusk and other cod fish. The biggest market for cod clipfish in November was Portugal, whilst Brazil was the biggest market for saithe clipfish.

Exports of salted fish, including fillets increased by NOK 4 million in November and ended totaling NOK 45 million; NOK 39 million of these are cod. Portugal was  the biggest market for salted fish.

Exports of fresh cod from fisheries, including fillets increased by NOK 27 million in November to a total export value of NOK 91 million. In November, exports of frozen cod, including fillets, were up by NOK 54 million to total NOK 258 million. Almost all the fresh cod was exported to the EU.

57 per cent of frozen cod sales were to EU countries, and 41 per cent to China.

Filial argentina de Vieirasa recupera sus bienes

Buque pesquero de Vieira. (Foto: Inidep)

ARGENTINA
Tuesday, December 02, 2014, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

La empresa pesquera Vieira S.A., filial argentina de la firma española Vieirasa, recuperará sus activos en los próximos días, después de que la cámara legislativa de la provincia de Santa Cruz derogó la ley de expropiación de la compañía, en vigencia desde agosto de 2012.

Siete embarcaciones, una planta de transformación y un almacén frigorífico volverán a ser parte del patrimonio de la compañía pesquera.

El propietario de la pesquera viguesa, Eduardo Vieira, no ocultó su satisfacción ya que "al fin ha llegado una resolución largamente esperada".

Explicó que para ello fue necesario suscribir un convenio "leonino", que incluyó el compromiso de retirar las demandas interpuestas y la renuncia a iniciar en el futuro cualquier posible acción legal, informó el diario La Voz de Galicia.

"Después de 27 meses lo que queremos es pasar página y empezar a trabajar", recalcó Vieira.

El ejecutivo español aseguró que pretende definir cuanto antes la situación de más de 300 empleados, de los cuales 104 trabajan en tierra y el resto a bordo de los buques.

Además, espera poder abonar indemnizaciones en el caso de que algún trabajador quiera cancelar su relación laboral con Vieira.

El empresario prevé montar una estructura operativa que permita retomar la actividad cuanto antes.

En la actualidad, la deuda total de la firma asciende a EUR 16 millones, pero antes de negociar la deuda con los acreedores, deberá elaborar un plan de viabilidad.

Por su parte, la empresa Newsan se comprometió a inyectar EUR 1,5 millones en la pesquera, con el fin de que Vieira Argentina reinicie la actividad sin inconvenientes económicos.

Como contraparte, Vieira le alquilará a Newsan tres de los siete buques que integran su flota durante cuatro años. Además, será el comprador en exclusiva de las capturas que realicen los otros cuatro barcos.

El proyecto de ley que deroga la ley de expropiación de instalaciones y bienes de la empresa Vieira Argentina fue aprobado tras casi dos horas de debate,  por 15 votos positivos, 4 negativos y 1 abstención.

En su defensa del proyecto, el diputado Leonardo Álvarez señaló: "Siempre tuvimos en cuenta y privilegiamos la situación de los trabajadores, tanto al momento de sancionar la expropiación, como ahora, ya que sabemos que ellos esperan poder llevar tranquilidad a sus familias, luego de dos años de incertidumbre y ante una situación laboral totalmente precarizada, con un proceso expropiatorio aún en suspenso, y donde el Ejecutivo provincial nunca pudo poner en marcha la empresa".

Vieira Argentina representa un 25 % de la cifra de negocio de la pesquera con base en Vigo.

Capturas pesqueras podrían crecer 30 % en 30 años

Pesca de anchoa. (Foto: Anfaco)

ESPAÑA
Friday, November 28, 2014, 23:10 (GMT + 9)

Varios científicos que participan en una conferencia internacional sobre el futuro del sector pesquero organizada por la Cooperativa de Armadores de Pesca del Puerto de Vigo(ARVI) vaticinaron que en 30 años el promedio de capturas históricas de pesca podría incrementarse un 30 %.

Según el presidente de ARVI, Javier Touza, dicho aumento estaría asociado a "una mayor productividad", entre otros factores.

Para los expertos, es "absolutamente esencial" que para la toma de decisiones en materia pesquera exista "una retroalimentación continua" entre administraciones, científicos y el sector, explicó Touza.

Además, estiman importante lograr la "optimización de los recursos", informó la agenciaEFE.

En el encuentro, el presidente del Comité Asesor de Pesquerías (ACOM) del Consejo Internacional para la Exploración del Mar (ICES), Eskild Kirkegaard, disertó sobre la situación actual de la biomasa en aguas de la Unión Europea (UE), concretamente en el golfo de Vizcaya y en el Mar del Norte, por su importancia para la industria de Galicia.

Kirkegaard valoró los "cambios muy positivos" producidos con respecto a la cuestión de la mortalidad pesquera, porque suponen un acercamiento al "objetivo final de conseguir la sostenibilidad completa de los stock".

Por su parte, el director adjunto del Departamento de Gestión y Conservación de los Recursos Pesqueros y de la Acuicultura de la Organización de Naciones Unidas para Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO), Jiansan Jia, destacó que el código de conducta para ejercer la pesca de manera responsable permitirá hacer frente a "los problemas concretos que vayan surgiendo" en el camino hacia un sector sostenible en el futuro.

Por otro lado, Marina Santurtún, coordinadora del área de gestión del Centro Tecnológico Experto en Investigación Marina y Alimentaria (AZTI-Tecnalia), habló sobre la necesidad de "aumentar la fiabilidad de los datos" que obtienen los científicos.

Y Eduardo Balgueiras, director del Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), señaló que "hay que incrementar los recursos humanos si se quiere dar respuesta eficaz a las exigencias de las nuevas políticas", informó el diario La Voz de Galicia.

En tanto, la titular de la Consejería de Medio Rural y del Mar de la Xunta de Galicia, Rosa Quintana, puso de relieve que el sector marítimo-pesquero gallego factura EUR 4700 millones y representa el 50 % del empleo en el sector español.

'Legal catch certificate' modified to meet international regulations

Argentine fishing fleet vessels. (Photo Copyright: FIS)

ARGENTINA
Friday, November 14, 2014, 01:00 (GMT + 9)

The Undersecretariat of Fisheries Office amended the 'Legal Catch Certificate of Argentina' to adapt it to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The changes that have been introduced (through the provision 254/2014) are intended to meet CITES’ demands in relation to species of Chondrichthyes of SubclassElasmobranchii (sharks and rays), included in Appendix II.

The statements previous to the new provision published in the Official Gazette, the Undersecretariat noted that a number of shark species listed in that Appendix inhabit the Argentine Sea and are subject to commercial and artisanal capture, which may be the subject of international trade.

Therefore, "it is necessary to have documentation proving the legal origin of the specimens covered by the said Convention."

The Government must ensure that the resources have not been caught in violation of domestic law, and thus avoid hampering the export movement.

The National Certification System of Legal Catch was created in December 2009 to certify fisheries products caught in Argentine waters destined for the domestic and international trade.

This certificate is issued by the National Directorate of Fisheries Coordination once the conditions under which the catch was performed are verified.

Russia authorizes several SA firms to resume seafood exports

Breaded fish portions. (Photo Credit: Irvin & Johnson)

SOUTH AFRICA
Thursday, November 13, 2014, 01:40 (GMT + 9)

South Africa will be able to restart seafood exports to Russia, which had been suspended over two decades ago, after several seafood companies have been granted rights by Russian authorities to supply canned and frozen fish.

A total of 12 companies have been authorised to export their products to the Russian market, as it was posted in the Russian veterinary and phytosanitary service's website.

The firms being allowed to supply seafood are: Abagold Ltd, Compass Challenger, GSA Trades Pty Ltd, Harvest Atlantic Peace, Irvin & Johnson Limited, Kaytrad Coldstore, Laverne, Marine Products, Pioneer Fishing Pty Ltd, Sea Vuna Fishing Company Pty Ltd and Viking Fishing Co Pty Ltd, SouthAfrica.info informed.

Some news sources relate this decision to Russia’s needs to look elsewhere for food sources following the trade ban imposed on several Western countries as a response to the sanctions it received over Ukraine.

"Since the late 1990s, this is the first time South African fish will be exported to Russia on a commercial basis," chief executive of the Cape Town-based Sea Harvest Felix Ratheb told Reuters.

Ratheb added that the first exports to Russia were expected in early 2015 and would begin at about 500 tonnes a year, worth between ZAR 25 million-ZAR 40 million (USD 2.2 million-USD 3.5 million).

Both countries have held trade relations since 1990s and exports-imports have been strengthened.

Bilateral trade in the January to November 2013 period increased by 22.1 per cent to USD 998 million, compared to USD 817 million from January to November 2012.

Meanwhile, Russia's exports increased by 59.1 per cent to USD 260.5 million from USD 163.7 million in January to November 2012, and imports grew by 12.9 per cent to USD 737.5 million.

Mutual investments between the two countries are also massive. Russian investments in South Africa reached over USD 1 billion in the last year.

Major Russian exports to South Africa comprise chemical and agro-industrial products, precious and base metals, coking coal, fertilisers, machinery, equipment, vehicles, tools, textiles, footwear and mineral products.

On the other hand, South African exports to Russia are dominated by fruit, mineral products, machinery, equipment, vehicles, chemical products, precious and base metals, raw hides, textiles and footwear.

Otimising postsmolt production is key for salmon survival

Sigurd Handeland and Bendik Fyhn Terjesen participated in the OPP project. (Photo Credit: Reidun L. Kraugerud/Nofima)

NORWAY
Friday, November 07, 2014, 23:10 (GMT + 9)

It may be possible that all farmed salmon can survive in the facilities used for postsmolt production in the future. The key is careful control of the salmon’s environment as it grows, according to research led by Nofima scientists.

In current salmon aquaculture, the fish are kept in closed freshwater facilities on land until they weigh approximately 80 g and are ready to be transferred to sea water (smolts). They are then moved to open cages in the sea.

The term “postsmolt” is used to describe the fish from the time it has acquired sea water tolerance and the initial part of the growth phase in salt water.

An average of 84 per cent of the salmon in Norwegian aquaculture survive the seawater phase, according to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

When salmon are exposed in open cages in the sea, they face a changing environment, disease and sea lice. Many small salmon smolts are not sufficiently robust to deal with these threats.

This is one part of the problem that scientists and the aquaculture industry have been closely working together to solve for the past three years. They have discovered that it is possible to reduce the time that the salmon spend in the sea by increasing the time on land, or in closed facilities in the sea. The scientists have also investigated the consequences for the performance, physiology and production costs of the fish.

 “We have achieved 99 per cent survival in repeated experiments using our method, in which the fish are not transferred to cages in sea until they are postsmolts. The results show that some fish cannot cope with the transfer from land-based facilities to the sea if this is carried out when they are immature. It is exactly these fish that are more robust, and can cope with the stress that they experience in the sea when they are instead transferred as young adults, weighing well over 250 g,” says Bendik Fyhn Terjesen.

The senior scientist at Nofima is the technical project leader in Optimized postsmolt production (OPP), which is supported by the Research Council of Norway. The project is a collaboration with several R&D institutes and stake holders in the aquaculture industry.

The project group believed that in addition to allowing the smolts to grow more than usual before being set out into the sea, the salinity of the water and the water velocity in the tank, would be crucial factors in increasing survival.

After experiments with various combinations and using large-scale experiments, Fyhn Terjesen and his colleagues carried out an experiment in a recirculation plant using the solution that the project group believed would be the best.

The solution involved, among other things, a lower salinity of the water, exercise, and gentle handling of the fish in the closed facility on land, right up until the salmon weighed 600 g. The fish were subsequently transferred to normal cages in the sea. When the salmon had reached 2.5 kg, 99 per cent survived.

Sigurd Handeland at Uni Research has the same experience from other experiments in the OPP project. He did an experiment with fish that were kept to 1 kilo in a semi-closed containment system in the sea, and obtained similar results as Fyhn Terjesen obtained on land.

“It will be more difficult in everyday aquaculture to achieve the 99 per cent survival that we achieved in our carefully monitored experiments. But we have shown that the potential is there. What remains is to develop innovative solutions in technology and biology in order to get results that can be seen in statistics from the aquaculture industry,” says Terjesen.

“We want to continue research into culture of postsmolts in closed systems, in order to contribute to solving the challenges that are limiting growth in salmon production, up to 2050,” he concludes.

The results from OPP were presented at the Smolt production in the future conference organised by Nofima and Sunndal Næringsselskap at Sunndalsøra in October.

Lobster fishermen will not vote next season

Lobster capture. (Photo Credit: confluence.org)

CANADA 
Friday, October 31, 2014, 04:00 (GMT + 9)

Federal Fisheries Ministry head Gail Shea has accepted a facilitator’s recommendation for no lobster ballot industry vote to take place next fishing season in Nova Scotia.

This recommendation was made by former provincial deputy fisheries minister Greg Roach, who was appointed as a facilitator to help the industry wade through the issue of a ballot vote, The Vanguard reported.

This ballot vote has always been held before the commercial lobster fishery starts in Yarmouth and parts of Shelburne and Digby counties at the end of a debate to decide whether changes are needed in an attempt to control landings and better prices.

“Fishermen are always welcome to bring forward proposals aiming at making their industry more profitable. However, over the next two years we don’t envision taking measures that would facilitate another vote in LFA 34,” pointed out Shea.

The latest ballot vote took place in the spring, when most licence holders voted against a trap reduction measure, which has been considered to be proposed for two seasons.

Roach explained that the intention was to avoid the anger and confusion over the wording of the ballot that took place last year. Therefore, the facilitator held consultation meetings with fishermen that formed the basis of a ballot that was voted on in late May and early June.

“From our end, we will continue to work on opening new markets for our world-class seafood as well as following up on the Lobster Panel (report) recommendations,” stressed Shea.

This year's lobster season begins on 24 November, which gives fishermen a full week of fishing at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, a vote to decide if Prince Edward Island lobster fishermen will participate in a levy to help pay for promoting their catch is expected later this week, The Canadian Press reported.

Ian MacPherson of the PEI Fishermen's Association (PEIFA) says he hopes fishermen will take the lead in a plan to invest more in their own industry.

Both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are considering a similar levy and the Lobster Council of Canada has advocated a Maritime joint campaign.

However, New Brunswick appears reluctant to participate in a joint project and Nova Scotia has delayed its levy plans.

The PEIFA supports the creation of a marketing board.

"The next step would be for us to go to the membership again and see if they would support forming a marketing board and we would have a business plan laid out and a set of bylaws and a very clear direction in terms of where the funds would be allocated," stressed PEIFA executive director Ian MacPherson, as it was reported by CBC News.

Atlantic Salmon Grown in RAS Result in a "Best Choice" Ranking

Kuterra's sustainable aquaculture system helps to create the best possible environment for growing salmon.

  (CANADA, 10/29/2014)

Atlantic salmon farmed in recirculating aquaculture systems have earned the top sustainability ranking by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium assessment examined three land-based facilities currently operating globally: Kuterra, in British Columbia, Canada; The Conservation Fund Freshwater Institute in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, USA; and Atlantic Sapphire in Hvide Sande, Denmark. All three received the top, green ranking.

Due to the closed characteristics of recirculating aquaculture systems and the low risk of environmental impact, Atlantic salmon grown in RAS result in a "Best Choice" ranking.

According to the program, land raised Atlantic salmon systems is a "Best Choice" for consumers. These on-land production systems separate the fish from the surrounding environment and the risk of environmental impacts from pollution, escapes, and diseases are all low.

Kuterra use 30 percent less feed than ocean fish farms.

Currently, only small volumes of Atlantic salmon are farmed in recirculating aquaculture systems, limiting the availability of this product. In the marketplace or in restaurants, this fish will be labelled as "land-based" or "tank-based" salmon. All salmon is known is sake when prepared as sushi.

Kuterra land raised Atlantic salmon is raised in a clean, efficient, closed aquaculture system on land. Its system creates the conditions that foster the best possible health, and minimize the conditions that cause stress.

"We are delighted that the third-party assessment conducted by the Monterey Bay Aquarium has validated Kuterra operations as one of the most sustainable Atlantic salmon aquaculture operations globally," says Garry Ullstrom, Kuterra CEO.

"Environmental sustainability is the goal at the heart of Kuterra’s mission, and this ranking shows we're achieving that."

Kuterra's  Atlantic salmon is sustainable and traceable.

The 'Namgis First Nation’s salmon farm on Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, introduced its Kuterra-branded salmon earlier this year in Safewaystores in western Canada. Salmon from Kuterra is also approved by the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program.

About Kuterra Salmon

Kutala means salmon in the language of the 'Namgis people. Terra means land. And Kuterra means salmon from the land.

Kuterra is also a business, fully owned by the 'Namgis First Nation, and supported in different ways by people and groups locally and internationally.

The system cleans and recirculates 98% of the water.

The Kuterra mission is to bring the most environmentally sound, safe and healthy farmed salmon to people who care about the food they eat and serve to their families.

This mission unites the 'Namgis First Nation, project partner SOS Marine Conservation Foundation, founder and advisor Tides Canada and seafood distributor Albion Fisheries.

For Kuterra land raised salmon is the future of sustainable salmon farming. It's the way to keep wild salmon and the waters they live in separate from farming, and the way to grow the best quality farmed fish.

The farm is located on Northern Vancouver Island, a kilometre from the ocean. The farm's team has years of international training and expertise in raising many different species of fish.

Kuterra salmon increases food security because it's produced in an economical, highly efficient facility.

Source: SeafoodWatch/Kuterra

Information of the company:

Address:	Box 233, 43 Gatu Street,
City:	Alert Bay
State/ZIP:	British Columbia (V0N 1A0)
Country:	Canada
Phone:	+1 250-974-3599

Top marine scientists call for action on 'invisible' fisheries

Small-scale fishing vessels. (Photo Credit: Novi)

CANADA 
Friday, October 24, 2014, 22:20 (GMT + 9)

To protect our oceans from irreversible harm, governments, conservationists, and researchers around the world must address the enormous threat posed by unregulated and destructive fisheries, say top marine scientists.

In an article published yesterday in Science, Prof. Amanda Vincent of Project Seahorse at the University of British Columbia and Dr. Jean M. Harris of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in South Africa call for bold new approaches to the pressing global issue of overfishing and habitat destruction, including networks of marine protected areas, co-ordinated governance, and the co-management of fisheries with local communities.

"Governments and conservationists have tended to focus on the impact of industrial-scale fishing, which is indeed a big problem. At the same time, we must pay attention to small, local fisheries," says Vincent. "They are ubiquitous in the world's coastal waters and, unlike large fisheries, generally operate without oversight or record-keeping. Their impact may be small but cumulatively, it's massive."

Small-scale fisheries involve about 90 per cent of the world's fishers. Most of these 100 million or so fishers depend on the ocean for their livelihoods and many catch fish and other marine animals at unsustainable levels.

Destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling make matters worse. Trawl nets grab any and all forms of marine life, laying waste to the ocean floor. The total area bottom trawled is nearly 150 times the area of forest that is clearcut annually around the world.

As targeted fish species shrink, both industrial and small-scale fishers move on to other species, depleting them, too, until finally they are catching anything that might provide food or generate cash. Government subsidies, in the absence of regulation, often serve to encourage this overfishing and habitat destruction — and must be abolished.

"We must act now with the most promising tools at hand. No-take marine reserves are one critical approach," says Harris. "Research shows they can be set up quickly to provide vital refuge for species to recover."              

Smarter governance is equally important, says Harris: "What we know from the failure of management schemes globally is that regulation at the national level is not enough. Every layer of government, including regions and communities, must help small-scale fishers get control of the fisheries on which they depend."

Satisfacción por renovación de acuerdo pesquero entre la UE y Guinea Bissau

Una parte de lo que pague la UE se usará para fortalecer el sector pesquero de Guinea Bissau. (Foto: J.L.Perea/CENEAM-MMA)

ESPAÑA 
Friday, October 17, 2014, 22:10 (GMT + 9)

El Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (Magrama) manifestó su satisfacción por la renovación del convenio de pesca entre la Unión Europea (UE) y Guinea Bissau, que garantiza posibilidades de pesca a la flota española, en especial en el caso de las flotas cefalopodera y marisquera.

También agradeció a la Comisión Europea que haya agilizado la renovación, por tres años, de este pacto bilateral que se encontraba suspendido desde el golpe de estado ocurrido en Guinea en 2012.

El Consejo de la UE aprobó en Bruselas la decisión que autoriza a la Comisión a firmar la renovación del Protocolo de Aplicación del Acuerdo.

La UE resolvió normalizar sus relaciones con la nación africana tras las elecciones democráticas que tuvieron lugar en mayo pasado.

El Magrama destaca que el impulso del Gobierno de España fue decisivo para la reactivación del acuerdo, que supone una señal de apoyo al nuevo Ejecutivo democrático y se espera conlleve una importante aporte de liquidez para Guinea Bissau.

El nuevo protocolo garantiza el acceso de hasta 16 embarcaciones cefalopoderas gallegas a este caladero, así como de 20 embarcaciones marisqueras de Huelva, como alternativa al caladero de Mauritania.

También la flota atunera regresará al caladero africano: podrán operar 14 cerqueros congeladores y hasta 9 cañeros, con puerto base en Bermeo.

Tras la aprobación en el Consejo, se espera que ambas partes firmen el acuerdo en fechas próximas y que las licencias de pesca se emitan durante el mes de noviembre.

El pacto supondrá un desembolso para la CE de EUR 9,2 millones al año. De ese total, EUR 3 millones se usarán para fortalecer el sector y la administración pesquera de Guinea Bissau.

IN BRIEF - Government opens call for construction of fish processing plant

MALTA Wednesday, October 15, 2014 The government launched a call for the expression of interest for the construction and operation of a fish processing plant at the new Marsa fish market. The fish market, which is built on the site of an old reverse osmosis plant in Marsa, was completed using EU funds. "This new plant will ensure that jobs are created and that a market is present for all fish that are caught," parliamentary secretary for fisheries Roderick Galdes said. "This project is a clear example of the government's willingness to work with the private sector and to cooperate with other countries to enhance investment in fishing and aquaculture." Source: Malta Today

IN BRIEF - Trident Seafoods charged for late fish tickets UNITED STATES Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Seattle-based seafood company Trident Seafoods was in Ketchikan District Court last week to face 20 counts of late fish tickets. According to charging documents, the Ketchikan Police Department was contacted by a Department of Fish and Game employee in Sitka, who had been investigating Trident Seafoods and already passed the case on to troopers. The employee told police in July that Trident’s fish tickets would be late because the plant modified the prices on the tickets. Alaska state law requires commercial fish processors to record each catch on an AFG-approved fish ticket, which must be submitted to a local representative within seven days after landing. Charging documents indicate Trident’s fish tickets were between five and 12 days late. Source: KTOO IN BRIEF - Global monitoring offer for Pacific fisheries NEW ZEALAND Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Pew Charitable Trusts is developing a one-stop hub for fisheries-dependent countries which aims to close gaps in surveillance and enforcement. Experts estimate that illegal and unreported fishing accounts for one in five fish, worth up to USD 23 and half billion a year. Tony Long of Pew's Ending Illegal Fishing Project says the project involves sharing information like satellite and vessel data to create a global monitoring tool. "It can be either adopted in house by a government, navy or coastguard of any country in the world, or you can effectively take it virtually, like a virtual watchroom. We're trying to get people to share the various different data sources and the more it's shared, the more reputable it becomes." Source: Radio NZ IN BRIEF - Scientists’ warning over invading shrimp, mussels UNITED KINGDOM Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Scientists have warned that an army of invading species including killer, demon and bloody red shrimps from Turkey and Ukraine is poised to invade Britain’s waterways. Five of the invaders from the Ponto-Caspian region around Turkey and Ukraine have already gained a foothold in the UK and ten are just across the North Sea in Dutch ports. Once here they are expected to rapidly spread to Scotland where, as well as killing off native species, they also spoil the environment for other species including trout and salmon. Source: The Scotsman IN BRIEF - Bumble Bee Said to Draw Bids From Thai Union, Mitsubishi UNITED STATES Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Bumble Bee Seafoods LLC has attracted bids from companies includin Mitsubishi Corp.(8058) and Post Holdings Inc. (POST:US) as its private-equity owner begins an auction of the tuna brand, people familiar with the matter said. Lion Capital LLP, which acquired Bumble Bee from Centre Partners Management LLC in 2010 for USD 980 million, is seeking more than USD 1.5 billion for the business, said the people, who asked not to be named because discussions are private. About 12 consumer-products companies and private-equity firms expressed interest before today’s deadline for first-round bids, the people said, though it isn’t clear how many entered bids. Source: Business Week IN BRIEF - Coveney Secures EU Measures to Cope with Russian Ban on Fisheries Imports EUROPEAN UNION Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Minister Simon Coveney TD, at October 14th of 2014’s EU Fisheries Council, secured the agreement of the Council and the Commission to bank a portion of 2014’s fishing quotas and transfer them into 2015. This measure will give the fishing industry the option of not fishing part of 2014’s quota and having it available in 2015. This measure will help mitigate the impact of the Russian ban on the importation of fishery products. The banking option will be applied to the mackerel, horse mackerel and Celtic Sea herring stocks as these are directly impacted by the Russian imports ban. The measure will be introduced shortly on the basis of positive scientific advice that it will not adversely impact on the sustainability of the stocks. Minister Coveney said “I have listened to our industry and the difficulties those fishing Celtic Sea herring, mackerel and horse mackerel are experiencing because Russia has closed its important market to EU fishery products. The price for herring has dropped significantly for this autumn fishery and I want to give the industry the option of banking part of the quota until prices improve. I today secured the agreement of the Fisheries Council and the Commission to bank 25% of this year’s quota until prices improve next year when market conditions have improved. I expect the Commission to receive the required scientific advice that the stocks will not be adversely impacted by this measure over the coming week so that the measures may be adopted in early November. ” Source: Ein News IN BRIEF - California’s most productive fisheries? Offshore oil rigs UNITED STATES Wednesday, October 15, 2014 One of the more unusual recent developments in ocean conservation has been the use of artificial reefs. Old ships and even old subway cars have been used to create environments for fish to congregate in areas of the seafloor that are otherwise featureless. But it's not clear whether these habitats provide a place for fish to gather or actually boost the fish populations in the area. A new study looked at the productivity of a different sort of artificial reef: the oil and natural gas rigs that dot the state's coastline. The report finds that the oil rigs are the most productive fisheries ever measured—not only in California but in the entire world. The report notes that many of these platforms will be obsolete over the coming decades, and we might want to think about what we do when we're done using them for their original purpose. Source: Ars Technica IN BRIEF -Acasti Announces Second Quarter Results CANADA Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Laval, Québec - Acasti Pharma Inc."Acasti" or the "Corporation"), an emerging biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of new krill oil-based forms of omega-3 phospholipid therapies for the treatment and prevention of certain cardiometabolic disorders, announces its results for the three and six-months ended August 31, 2014. "Acasti continues to make important progress in its drug development program to obtain regulatory approval to distribute and market CaPre® as a prescription drug," highlighted Andre Godin, Acasti's Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. "Recently, positive clinical results for both our Phase II double-blind TRIFECTA and Pharmacokinetic (PK) trials were announced. Most importantly, CaPre® was shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of patients with hypertriglyceridemia." IN BRIEF - MHG - STRONG EARNINGS IN A CHALLENGING QUARTER NORWAY Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Harvest volumes Q3 2014 (1) Farming Norway    64 thousand tonnes Farming Scotland   14 thousand tonnes Farming Canada    7 thousand tonnes Farming Chile        17 thousand tonnes Other                   5 thousand tonnes Total                    107 thousand tonnes In connection with the presentation of the Q2 2014 results, Marine Harvest guided a total harvest volume of 106 thousand tonnes (HOG) for Q3 2014. Marine Harvest: MHG - STRONG EARNINGS IN A CHALLENGING QUARTER IN BRIEF - Yooji's Sushi restaurants serve only Friend of the Sea certified tuna GERMANY Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Sushi fans in Zurich can enjoy the Friend of the Sea certified sustainable tuna at Yooji’s Restaurants directly from the waters of the Maldives and Philippines. By offering sustainable yellowfin tuna fished by Friend of the Sea approved fisheries, Yooji’s is allowed to show Friend of the Sea seal of approval on its menu. Customers have visible assurance that Yooji’s products are sustainably caught and fully traceable. Targeted yellowfin tuna stocks in the fishing areas are not overexploited and fishing gears meet all Friend of the Sea criteria, since tuna is caught using only traditional multihook handline methods.Yellowfin caught for sushi consists mainly of mature individuals, thus the fishery allows stocks to reproduce and does not catch juveniles. Friend of the Sea: Yooji's Sushi restaurants serve only Friend of the Sea certified tuna IN BRIEF - Scottish pelagic fishermen welcome agreement to 'bank' mackerel quota UNITED KINGDOM Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Scottish fishermen have welcomed the dechttp://admin.fis.com/cm/input/ision the evening of the 13th of October 2014 at the European Fish Council in Luxembourg to give the fishing fleet the facility to bank up to 25 per cent of 2014’s mackerel quota so as to mitigate the impact of Russian trade sanctions. Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, said: “We commend the European Commission and the Council for acting on this quickly following the request made by Scottish and UK governments. It is still too early to assess what the impact of the Russian trade sanctions will be on the Scottish mackerel sector. The fishing season has started and the fish is selling on the international markets. “But it is important that we have flexibility through the facility to bank and carry forward some of the 2014 quota into next year should it be required. Hopefully we won’t need to use this option, but it is vital that the banking facility is in place as we don’t want to be in a situation where cold stores are full and our boats are catching excellent quality fish that ends up for fishmeal. Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association Limited: Scottish pelagic fishermen welcome agreement to 'bank' mackerel quota