South Georgia Patagonian toothfish fishery recertified with flying colors

 

 

 Chilean Longliner, MV Mar Del Sur III hauling longliner.(Image: MercoPress)

South Georgia Patagonian toothfish fishery recertified with flying colors

S. GEORGIA & S. SANDWICH
Thursday, January 28, 2021, 20:00 (GMT + 9)

Following its five-yearly Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) assessment, the South Georgia Patagonian toothfish longline fishery has, for the third time, been certified as a sustainable and well-managed fishery, according to the newsletter from the government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The fishery is managed by GSGSSI with scientific advice and support from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences (Cefas).

Dr Mark Belchier of the British Antarctic Survey said: “The MSC re-certification is a strong endorsement of the value of long-term scientific research for underpinning policy and decisions that lead to responsible management of fisheries. The waters around South Georgia are a key source of food for globally important colonies of albatross and petrels.

“Collaboration between BAS/NERC scientists, the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands and fisheries managers to mitigate and reduce seabird mortality in fisheries by-catch is without doubt a hugely important factor in achieving the Marine Stewardship Council’s re-certification. This is very welcome signal of the continued commitment to conservation of marine life in one of the world’s most valued natural ecosystems.”

Mexico and Portugal seeking to increase fishing trade exchange

Mexican and Portuguese authorities at a meeting in Sagarpa headquarters. (Photo: Sagarpa)(Foto: Sagarpa)

MEXICO
Thursday, August 06, 2015, 03:40 (GMT + 9)

Officials of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Affairs of Portugal expressed favourable views about strengthening trade and cooperation ties between the two countries.

This meeting was held under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two countries to boost fishery, agricultural and livestock product trade exchange.

Both parties discussed various issues such as health and food safety, ways to encourage seafood consumption and boost yellowfin tuna trade and export.

They also agreed to integrate work teams to intensify the research on sardine fishing, for example; and share strategies for promoting fish and shellfish consumption.

According to Undersecretary of Agriculture, Jesus Aguilar Padilla, Mexico is an open country to international trade so that his government is working on the continuous strengthening of cooperation and exchange ties with other nations.

In addtion, he stressed that the country has an active participation in international markets because their products qualify in terms of sustainability, health and safety.

For his part, the head of the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries(CONAPESCA), Mario Aguilar Sánchez, emphasized the participation of Mexico during the Blue Week in Lisbon, which included the World Summit on the Ocean.

He also recalled that some time ago he met with the President of Portugal, Anibal Cavaco Silva, who acknowledged that Mexico has the potential to do a lot in the fisheries sector.

The Portuguese president stressed that although the sea has a key role in the economy of Portugal, his country is now reformulating policies focused on a stronger link with the water.

It must be recalled that the memorandum signed last March sets the creation of a working group to advance the procedures for export permits and health protocols for animal (including by-product), vegetable and agro-industrial processing products.

New traceability system implemented for scallops

Scallops capture. (Photo: Fremarsec)

PERU
Monday, August 10, 2015, 02:50 (GMT + 9)
Meshes of scallops (Argopecten purpuratus) which are landed in the Bay of Sechura will be identified from now on with barcodes on security seals as part of a new traceability system to be implemented for the first time in the country.
This was announced by Deputy Director of Aquaculture Supervision of the National Fish Health Agency (SANIPES), Adrian Paredes Espinal, who said the company Wizard Business Solutions SAC (WBS) is responsible for administering the Traceability System of Live Bivalve Molluscs (Sitramobi) software.
This initiative is part of the management process of the sector engaged in this mollusc production promoted by the government in order to make the European Union (EU) lift the restrictions imposed on imports of this product.
Each bar code contains encrypted information with data on the capture request, which is supposed to prevent cloning.
"This solution has two settings. The web part that will be handled by all the components of the production chain and the moving part that will be managed by the SANIPES," Paredes Espinal explained.
"Through this system, it will be possible to consult on the documentation and the capture request will be made," he added.
The Sitramobi software consists of a mobile device that is similar to a smartphone that will be handled by SANIPES inspectors.
Through the traceability system it will be possible to learn about the entire route of the product, from the area where it was collected until it reaches the plants.
"This new traceability system will be a model in all that is national mariculture and later this project will be replicated in other parts of the country," said the Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Juan Carlos Requejo, according to El Regional de Piura.
Landings will be monitored at the docks and piers using a mobile application that makes it possible to cancel the seals that are left and check data.
The Regional Director of Production, Indira Fabian Ferrer, announced plans to publish a resolution to create the Regional Committees of Artisanal Fisheries Surveillance (COREVIPA), which is responsible for controlling and monitoring the loading and unloading of scallops.

FTA strengthening settled with South Korea

Pablo Urria, DIRECON director of Bilateral Economic Affairs and leader of the Chilean team. (Photo: Direcon)

CHILE
Tuesday, July 28, 2015, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
After a meeting of the Free Trade Commission (FTC), representatives of Chile and South Korea agreed in Santiago to deepen the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that the two sides signed over a decade ago.
"On this opportunity, we have advanced in the definition of the steps and stages that will lead us to deepen the trade agreement that has already been effective for 11 years," stated Pablo Urria, DIRECON director of Bilateral Economic Affairs and leader of the Chilean team.
"After the visit of the president of South Korea, Park Geun-hye, last April in Chile, we believe it is a good time to advance in updating the agreement," he added.
The Korean delegation was led by Cheong Seungil, general director of Implementation of Trade Agreements of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy of Korea.
"For Chile there are challenges," Urria stressed. "Within them, what is highlighted is the opening for domestic products that today do not have tariff preferences in South Korea, like those in the 'Doha Development Agenda (DDA)' category, a basket of 370 goods, mostly having agribusiness character, which are of great interest for our export sector."
The bilateral FTA, which in effect turned 11 years last April, marked a milestone as the first free trade pact signed between a Latin American country and an Asian one, Direcon recalled in a statement.
The commercial exchange between the two countries recorded a rise of 2 per cent in 2014, totalling USD 7,079 million.
Exports to South Korea totalled USD 4,772 million while Chilean imports amounted to USD 2,308 million.
The shipments of fishery, agricultural and forestry products from Chile rose 17 per cent and salmon exports, in particular, grew by 56 per cent.

Fisheries cooperation with Algeria strengthened

Argelian minister Ramtane Lamamra and Magrama head, Isabel García Tejerina. (Photo: Magrama)

SPAIN
Thursday, July 23, 2015, 00:50 (GMT + 9)
The governments of Spain and Algeria signed in Madrid two Executive Programmes of Bilateral Cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture as well as in agriculture, rural development and animal husbandry.
The new agreements are framed in the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation between the two countries, which aims to contribute to bilateral socio-economic development.
The agreement settlement event was attended by the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MAGRAMA), Isabel García Tejerina; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Algeria, Ramtane Lamamra.
The parties intend to focus the collaboration on technical and technological fields, promoting a high level of environmental protection under the principles of sustainable development.
In addition, they hope to facilitate the exchange of information on sustainable management of fisheries resources and technical assistance in the management of fish markets, the trade of fishery and aquaculture products, and traceability mechanisms, reported MAGRAMA.
This agreement is expected to strengthen the training of researchers and their participation in scientific meetings organized by Algeria and Spain.
Furthermore, both governments consider it necessary to extend cooperation to the development and promotion of the aquaculture industry; encourage the participation of operators and professionals in specialized fairs and promote contacts among Spanish and Algerian traders.
For the implementation and monitoring of this Programme, a Joint Technical Committee will be created, which will meet every two years.

Good wild salmon harvest forecast in Southeast Alaska

Pink salmon capture. (Photo Credit: ASMI)

UNITED STATES
Friday, July 17, 2015, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
About a month after the purse seine season started, pink salmon started to appear in Southeast Alaska and an excellent harvest of 58 million fish is expected.
“It is early, typically by, we’re in statistical week 29 and typically we’ve only seen about on average still only about five per cent of the harvest in Southern Southeast Alaska and maybe eight or nine per cent in northern Southeast,” stated Andy Piston, pink and chum salmon project leader for Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) in the region.
“So it’s very early but so far things look pretty good in northern Southeast but it’s been a little bit slow in southern Southeast so far,” Piston added.
In several areas of Southeast seine boats have been testing fishing according to contracts signed with ADF&G and this year’s results have been “mixed” with some weeks around average for pink numbers and other weeks below average.
Referring to these results, Piston explained that although early indications of the run strength were strong, warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures in the Pacific may affect pink salmon survival.
“We know a lot of juvenile pink salmon were moving out into the ocean but so far it looks like from what we’re seeing from the adult returns, it looks like survival rates may have been quite a bit lower than average out there in the ocean this year,” Piston stressed.
Meanwhile, catches of wild Alaska salmon jumped from an estimated total of 20.3 million fish on 7 July to 53.5 million fish on 14 July 1, lifting the spirits of harvesters in what has been a disconcerting season.
As to sockeye salmon, ADF&G biologists noted that the late run of the run into Bristol Bay was showing strength, along with an increase in the average size of the sockeyes.
"The fishery has picked up substantially," said David Harsila, of Seattle, president of the Alaska Independent Fishermen's Marketing Association.
Earlier runs into the bay this season included a number of red salmon that were below the normal size used for fillets.
The Bristol Bay daily run summary for 13 July showed the total area run at 33.7 million fish, with a cumulative escapement of nearly 23 million salmon, and 1,664 permits and 1,389 vessels registered to fish.
The catch delivered to processors in the bay through 14 July included 22.8 million reds, 522,000 chums, 51,000 kings and fewer than 1,000 each of silver and pink salmon.
In Prince William Sound, the overall harvest improved from 5.5 million fish to 19 million, mainly thanks to the humpy harvest rising from 1.5 million to 14.4 million pink salmon in just a week.
The area's sockeye salmon harvest rose from 2.3 million to 2.6 million fish, the coho harvest from 14,000 to 20,000 fish, the king harvest from 23,000 to 24,000 fish and the chum harvest from 1.7 million to 2.1 million fish.
As to prices, the good news for online and supermarket shoppers was that the cost of fresh salmon was dropping.
Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle was offering whole fresh Copper River sockeyes for USD 64.95 per fish and fresh Copper River sockeye fillets for USD 18.99 a pound, plus fresh whole wild king salmon at USD 12.99 a pound, and fresh wild king salmon fillets for USD 19.99 a pound.
FishEx in Anchorage was advertising fresh Alaska sockeye fillets for USD 25.95 a pound, fresh Alaska sockeye steaks for USD 21.95 a pound and fresh Alaska king salmon fillets for USD 36.95 a pound.
Costco stores in Anchorage had fresh Alaska sockeye fillets for USD 8.99 a pound and Fred Meyer supermarkets advertised fresh Alaskan sockeye fillets at USD 9.99 a pound.www.molajaya-fishingwork.com

Report highlights tuna industry efforts, but also inaction in some fisheries

 

 (Photo Credit: NOAA)

WORLDWIDE
Tuesday, June 30, 2015, 03:40 (GMT + 9)
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has released its annual report, which outlines progress and achievements for tuna sustainability in 2014 and lays out the various needs for continuous improvement of global tuna fisheries through collaboration and advocacy.

The report, titled Driving Change through Collaboration, also emphasizes efforts to encourage industry engagement, including efforts by ISSF participating companies to comply with ISSF conservation measures and commitments.

“Important steps were taken in 2014 to help ensure the longevity of tuna stocks and the greater marine ecosystem, but we also saw inaction in some fisheries that could have distressing impacts on stocks down the road,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson.

“In order for ISSF to continue to work towards its mission and encourage better management, we’ll need to continue to collaborate with stakeholders and governing bodies to get things done from a policy perspective and to move forward on market incentives, strengthened compliance and monitoring and data collection tools – in addition to other efforts capable of changing the status quo,” Jackson added.

The report highlights that two RFMOs – the Inter American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) – adopted reforms to improve their Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) measures, which represents an important step in ensuring compliance.

The ONG also stresses that collaborative work of public-private partnerships is having an impact. At the end of 2011, only 12 per cent of large-scale purse seine vessels targeting tropical tuna had IMO numbers, while today, nearly 90 per cent have registered IMO numbers and all four of the tuna management bodies now mandate these numbers.

Among other issues, the report reveals that:

• 52 per cent of stocks globally are at a healthy level of abundance;
• 9 per cent of stocks globally need stronger management to end overfishing;
• 86 per cent of the tuna catch (by tonnage) comes from healthy stocks;
• 3 per cent of the tuna catch (by tonnage) comes from stocks where fishing is not well managed.

Further, ISSF warns that a stock to watch is the Western and Central Pacific bigeye, which has been depleted by 84 per cent from its unfished level. The stock’s abundance could be helped tremendously by reducing catches substantially.

“What gives me the most hope for the future of our global tuna stocks is the increase of cooperation among groups. Everyone sitting around the ‘tuna sustainability’ table is beginning to recognize each individual’s unique tools and capabilities, allowing for true scientific and strategic collaboration,” said ISSF Board of Directors Vice Chair Bill Fox, Vice President, Fisheries, WWF-US.

“Ending IUU, for example, is certainly not going to happen overnight, but when we focus on the strengths of each group, we are able to push forward with an end goal in mind,” Fox concluded.

Eastern Pacific bluefin tuna needs rigorous recovery plan, says WWF

Bluefin tuna specimens. (Photo: WWF)

WORLDWIDE
Friday, June 26, 2015, 02:40 (GMT + 9)
Members of the fisheries commission for the Eastern Pacific assembling in Guayaquil, Ecuador, need to prioritise initiating a rigorous recovery plan to address the collapse of Pacific bluefin tuna stocks and stabilising overall tuna fishing capacity, which currently exceeds the optimal scientifically recommended level by at least 50 per cent, states WWF.

“Tuna management in the Pacific is currently totally inadequate to preserve the Pacific bluefin tuna stock. Only a significant reduction of catches and stringent measures to protect juveniles can ensure long-term sustainability of this fishery,” said Pablo Guerrero, WWF’s Eastern Pacific Ocean Tuna coordinator.
The stock is now critically low, having dropped 96 per cent according to the International Scientific Committee (ISC) for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean and scientists of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).

The 21 country and European Union members of the IATTC took initial steps to protect the Pacific bluefin in October 2014 in largely accepting scientific advice to almost halve fishing quotas for this prized but beleaguered fish. The IATTC further agreed that no country can exceed 3,500 tonnes of catches in 2015 and that the fishing nations must establish a catch documentation system.

WWF strongly supports catch limits but demands closer monitoring of this fishery, especially of the catch numbers, to ensure that quotas are being respected. The completion of a revised stock assessment for this species is also necessary.

According to the environmental organisation, the real need is for the IATTC and sister body Western Central Pacific Tuna Commission (WCPFC) to adopt a rigorous, long-term Pacific-wide recovery plan for Pacific buefin tuna with robust harvest control rules and firm limit and reference points. Mechanisms for an adequate and adequately rapid response if bluefin populations approach the limits are also strongly needed.

Japan, Mexico, the United States and South Korea are the major countries fishing Pacific bluefin, while the main market is Japan.

WWF is also very concerned about tuna fishing over-capacity in the Eastern Pacific, which is becoming apparent through declining yellowfin and bigeye tuna stocks. Purse seine fleet captures about 90 per cent of the tuna in the Eastern Pacific. The active purse-seine capacity registered in 2015 was 272,076 cubic meters, which greatly exceeds the capacity target level of 158,000 cubic meters of total volume recommended by scientists in 2002.

“We urge the IATTC to freeze the current capacity of the fishing fleet and work toward reducing the number of vessels authorized to fish for tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This will also be in the best interest of the industry because it will address the problem of securing the future of tuna fisheries in the region.” said Pablo Guerrero.

IATTC scientists remain uncertain about the status of bigeye and yellowfin tuna due to current levels of fishing mortality exacerbated by the rising trend in the number of sets on Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), and also due to a possible increase in fishing operations in the EPO. WWF urges the IATTC to monitor this situation closely and be prepared to implement stronger measures to conserve the stocks.

WWF is also urging IATTC to adopt conservation measures to limit fishing mortality of silky sharks in order to rebuild the stock of these sharks in the region, and also to totally prohibit the removal of fins at sea, requiring instead that sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached. Besides, IATTC members should adopt the scientific recommendations on best practices for handling manta rays aboard purse seiners.

Other measures WWF is calling for include the provision of additional data on movement of FADs and the implementation of the use of FADs without any entangling material deployed beneath them in order to reduce by catch of sea turtles and sharks.

Delhaize and Ahold merge to strengthen businesses

Frans Muller, CEO of Delhaize. (Photo Credit: Delhaize)

NETHERLANDS
Thursday, June 25, 2015, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
Belgian retailer chain Delhaize Group and the Dutch group Royal Ahold N.V. have announced they joined their businesses through a merger to create a stronger and more innovative retail leader for their customers, associates and shareholders worldwide. This merger will originate the fourth largest supermarket chain in Europe and the fifth in the United States.
"This is a true merger of equals, combining two highly complementary businesses to create a world-leading food retailer. The transaction delivers a compelling value proposition for our shareholders, a superior offering for our customers and attractive opportunities for our associates," pointed out Jan Hommen, Chairman of Ahold, and Mats Jansson, Chairman of Delhaize.
The mergered company, which will be called Ahold Delhaize and will be based in the Netherlands, will offer the opportunity to better compete in its key regions and strengthen its overall market position.
“Ahold Delhaize aims to increase relevance in its local communities by improving the value proposition for its customers through assortment innovation and merchandising, a better shopping experience both in stores and online, investments in value, and new store growth. We look forward to working closely with the Ahold team to implement a smooth integration process and realize the targeted synergies,”stressed Frans Muller, CEO of Delhaize.
Both firms’ managers explained the merger will accelerate innovation, bringing together both companies’ expertise to deliver increased value and choice for customers across its supermarket formats and online platforms.
The new company will have an annual revenue exceeding EUR 54 billion, which is expected to increase in the first year after the transaction comes to an end, scheduled for mid-2016. Besides, it is expected the merger implies anticipated run-rate synergies of EUR 500 million per year to be fully realized in the third year after completion.
Delhaize Group is a Belgian international food retailer present in seven countries on three continents. At the end of March 2015, Delhaize Group’s sales network consisted of 3,410 stores.
Ahold is an international retailing group based in the Netherlands and active in the United States and Europe.

Modernos centros de innovación tecnológica impulsarán la acuicultura en Puno

Piero Ghezzi, ministro de la Producción. (Foto: Produce)

PERÚ
Thursday, June 24, 2015, 01:30 (GMT + 9)
El titular del Ministerio de la Producción (Produce), Piero Ghezzi, anunció la próxima creación de dos modernos Centros de Innovación Tecnológica (CITE) en Puno, con el fin de impulsar la acuicultura.
Esta iniciativa, que demandará la inversión de más de PEN 17 millones (USD 5,3 millones), se enmarca en la aplicación del Plan Nacional de Diversificación Productiva.
El ministro dijo que "Puno es una región con un extraordinario potencial en la acuicultura y en la crianza de truchas", y el objetivo de su departamento es elevar la productividad de su sector acuícola.
Para la instalación del CITE acuícola en Puno se firmará un acuerdo entre el Instituto Tecnológico de la Producción (ITP) del Produce y el Gobierno regional.
"El CITE impulsará el desarrollo de la producción de la trucha y también promoverá la transferencia tecnológica para el rendimiento homogéneo (calidad y tamaño) y el cultivo ordenado de otras especies con potencial acuícola", señaló Ghezzi.
La tarea principal de los CITE es adaptar las condiciones locales a las innovaciones tecnológicas existentes y mejorar genéticamente ciertas especies.
"El CITE ayuda a transferir la tecnología a los productores y eso aumenta su productividad, su rentabilidad y sus ingresos", subrayó el ministro.
Por otra parte, con respecto al proceso de anulación de una concesión de 83 hectáreas otorgada para la crianza de truchas en una parte del lago Titicaca, anunció que el Produce inició el viernes pasado un procedimiento administrativo que espera se resuelva de acuerdo con la ley.
"Este procedimiento no es automático ni inmediato, pero ya se ha iniciado y seguirá su curso legal", aclaró Ghezzi.
Además, el titular del Produce hizo hincapié en que la acuicultura podría convertirse en uno de los motores de la economía peruana para lograr la diversificación productiva.
"Nosotros estamos de acuerdo en impulsar una acuicultura responsable, limpia, amigable con el medio ambiente y compatible con otras actividades económicas. También es importante para nosotros que la población esté de acuerdo con los proyectos de inversión", recalcó.

AquaChile agrees new loan for USD 290 million

Salmon farming cages belonging to AquaChile. (Photo: AquaChile)

CHILE
Wednesday, June 24, 2015, 23:30 (GMT + 9)
AquaChile has agreed with a group of creditor banks on the main terms and conditions for a new syndicated loan for USD 290 million and is in the process of execution of definitive documentation.
Almost 85 per cent of this loan will be used to pay all the bank debt, which is USD 246.3 million, AquaChile said in one essential fact sent to the Superintendency of Securities and Insurance (SVS).
According to the company, the availability of additional loan will "allow it to have the necessary flexibility to ensure efficient and effective management of inventories in this business cycle."
The Chilean salmon firm also informed it had agreed with creditor banks on a 30 day extension of the installments of the company's bank debt sessions, falling due on that date, for USD 122.5 million and agreed to pay them to the deadline referred. In addition, on the same date it will prepay the entire remaining debt maturing in 2018.
AquaChile explained that the term of the new bullet loan is 1.5 years and said it includes conditions as to interest rates, covenants terms, collateral and cross warranties among some of the subsidiaries of AquaChile.
The interest rate will be defined on a biannual basis and correspond to the 180-day Libor rate plus an annual margin.
A couple of weeks ago, AquaChile and Marine Harvest announced that, by "mutual consent" they would not carry out a merger that, if undertaken, would have given rise to the largest salmon firm from Chile.

Fishery sector continues claiming export retentions

Fishing fleet docked at port in Mar del Plata. (Photo: K.Falch)

ARGENTINA
Tuesday, June 23, 2015, 03:50 (GMT + 9)
The head of the Undersecretariat of Fisheries of the Nation, Miguel Bustamante, presented concerns about the current critical situation of the domestic fishing industry to the Executive.
According to Revista Puerto, the official sent a letter to the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, and to other authorities, addressing the crisis in this sector and calling for the suspension of the new resolution adopted by Customs, preventing a large number of fishing enterprises from exporting their products.
Bustamante also requests that a decree eliminating the deductions for six months must be signed.
The undersecretary stressed that in the port of Mar del Plata and other ports in Patagonia 120 boats have been stopped. In addition, he warned that this inaction is jeopardizing the continued employment of some 25,000 people (including those onboard and ground floor staff).
He also mentioned that the sector granted wage increases of around 30 per cent despite being their products destined to foreign markets by 95 per cent, and highlighted that the fishing companies must pay 10 per cent export duty in advance.
The letter is also aimed at national, provincial and municipal officials.
If the two measures requested do not materialize, Bustamante foresees that companies will not be able to pay wages or bonuses during June.
"If urgent measures are not taken, the situation can be out of control with unpredictable consequences and the activity history has already shown that, if this is the the case, recovery can take years," ensured the national official.
On the other hand, the mayor of Puerto Madryn, Ricardo Sastre admitted that alternatives are sought to overcome the crisis of the local and the provincial sectors in Chubut.
"We will summon the unions on the one hand, and on the other hand the business sector. Following these meetings, we will ask for an interview with the Minister of Territorial Development and Productive Sectors, Gabriela Dufour, and Fisheries Secretary of the province of Chubut, Hector Rojas," he explained.
"We are evaluating some issues that have to do with what we will ask to the National Government, but obviously we will convene unions and entrepreneurs, in separate meetings, to see which top concerns they manage from both visions of the sector, which is experiencing one of the worst moments in history across the country," Sastre said.
"The request of the reduction of export duties for fisheries must be mandatorily requested to the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Nation that leads [Axel] Kicillof," he concluded.

Galician mussel seeks to boost collaboration on PDO

Galician mussel. (Photo: PCS)

SPAIN
Monday, June 22, 2015, 00:20 (GMT + 9)

The recent visit of Galician authorities to the full Mussel Regulating Council of Galicia has been helpful to inform the representatives about the Council's objectives in this period, which are specified in four: the development of a new regulation, the consolidation of the PDO (Protected Designation of Origen), the strengthening of research and control of labelling regulations and of breaches against the PDO.

The Secretariat for Rural and Marine Affairs, Rosa Quintana, stressed the good evolution experienced by the PDO, which each year has been increasing the certified kilograms as well as the product quality, which is guaranteed by the requirement of a meat yield.

Council President Francisco Alcalde welcomed the willingness shown by Quintana and requested a meeting to specify the way the collaboration would be carried out, which obtained a positive response from the secretary.

At the meeting, which took place last Tuesday, the Regulatory Council of Galician Mussel requested institutional support for the completion of the PDO, by:

• Launching communication campaigns aimed at consumers to transfer the benefits and attributes of the PDO, thus contributing to the enhancement of seafood from Galicia;
• Carrying out design and development programmes to improve quality;
• Aiding operators involved in programmes to improve production.

Another issue discussed was the way in which research can be strengthened in order to do market studies and develop commercial improvement guidelines as well as investigate what is happening with mussels and the sea, regarding circumstances that may affect the mussel. In this regard, the Council requested funds from the Secretariat to boost its R+D+I department.

The Regulatory Council also demanded the enforcement of labelling regulations and offenses against the PDO in mussel products. Moreover, in order to facilitate the differentiation of the Galician mussel, it stressed that it would be necessary for the mussel to indicate its origin in all processed products and preserves.

On the other hand, it requested collaboration from the regional department so as to perform the legal processing of a new regulation to the Council, since the current one dates back to the year 2000 and requires adapted articles to the new legislation on PDO, new market circumstances and the current industry conditions.

Galicia aids Mozambique in artisanal fisheries and rural aquaculture

Fishermen holding a net at Pinda, Mozambique. (Photo Credit: Stig Nygaard/CC BY 2.0)

SPAIN
Friday, June 19, 2015, 23:20 (GMT + 9)

CETMAR Foundation, the Secretariat of Marine Affairs, Inland Waters and Fisheries of Mozambique through the National Institute of Aquaculture Development (INAQUA) and the National Institute of Fishing Research (IIP) are working on the implementation of a project, funded by Xunta de Galicia through Galician Cooperation, which aims to strengthen the development of artisanal fisheries and rural aquaculture in the area of Cabo Delgado, in this African country.

The director and a technician of the Technology Centre of Marine Affairs travelled to Mozambique last week for the implementation of this initiative. The aim is to improve living conditions and to diversify the source of income of rural communities through the development of inland small-scale aquaculture in Mueda, and to rationally and steadily capture the fishery resources in the province of Cabo Delgado.

The purpose of this project, which will be developed during the current year, is aligned with the priorities of the Mozambican government, which are the contribution to poverty reduction and food security.

The initiative seeks to achieve an improvement in the living conditions of communities through increased employment and yields of small scale producers’ activities. At the same time, the knowledge of the fishery resource status and their management will enable an orderly, rational, fair and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development.

CETMAR Foundation will provide technical, logistical and administrative support for the implementation of different planned actions, such as the support to INAQUA in the design and implementation of a working plan to implement new production models in aquaculture (pond selection, conditioning and restocking for tilapia farming, evaluation and technical monitoring). Moreover, it will support the IIP in implementing protocols for cephalopod stock assessment to ensure the sustainability of resources and better fisheries management.

The Technology Centre of Marine Affairs met with INAQUA and IIP directors to reinforce previous actions carried out by these institutions and to define a roadmap in this new joint working era.

Revolutionary fish ageing method developed

Two otoliths from a Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus. (Photo Credit: Edgewise /CC BY-SA 3.0)

AUSTRALIA
Friday, June 19, 2015, 22:40 (GMT + 9)

Australian fisheries scientists have recently completed a world-first research project that will help to rapidly estimate the age of fish.

Dr Julie Robins, Senior Fisheries Biologist with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) said estimating the age of fish was important as it contributes to determining if a fish stock is sustainably fished.

"The research has found that near infrared (NIR) spectra collected from fish ear bones (known as otoliths) has the potential to estimate the age of fish," Dr Robins said.

"Over 60,000 otoliths are collected and processed each year in Australia and this research will potentially provide significant cost savings to fish ageing programmes." Robins pointed out.

The researcher added that it will make the age-identification process much more efficient and cost-effective by reducing the time and resources required to determine the age of fish.

DAF Principal Scientist, Brett Wedding said traditional methods are labour-intensive whereas NIRS technology, which has been used for decades in many agricultural situations, relies on using a spectrophotometer.

"NIRS technology offers a rapid and cost-effective method of predicting  properties of interest such as moisture in wheat, oil content in sandalwood, ripeness or quality in fruit," he said.

"We found that NIR spectroscopy instruments could be readily configured to capture the NIR spectra of whole dry fish otoliths," he stressed.

"One of the most interesting results of the project was the potential for NIRS to discriminate between otoliths collected from different locations. This would be particularly useful determining where fish come from," he added.

The two and half year study was funded collaboratively by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the State Governments of Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. Further research is currently under consideration.

Arctic acidification poses risks to crustaceans and fish

New study shows Arctic Ocean rapidly becoming more corrosive to marine species. (Photo Credit: NOAA)

UNITED STATES
Friday, June 19, 2015, 03:30 (GMT + 9)

A new study has concluded that by 2030 Chukchi and Beaufort seas, in the Arctic Ocean, could reach acidity levels that may negatively affect not only shelled animals but also the fish depending on them.

The research – published in the journal Oceanography -- was conducted by scientists from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), University of Alaska, andWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), who raised concern as to the threat these levels pose for the ability of crustaceans to build and maintain their shells.

In the case of the Bering Sea, researchers estimate its water may reach this level of acidity by 2044.

“Our research shows that within 15 years, the chemistry of these waters may no longer be saturated with enough calcium carbonate for a number of animals from tiny sea snails to Alaska King crabs to construct and maintain their shells at certain times of the year,” pointed out Jeremy Mathis, an oceanographer at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and lead author.

“This change due to ocean acidification would not only affect shell-building animals but could ripple through the marine ecosystem,” Mathis added.

For his part, Scott Doney, a coauthor of the study and a senior scientist at the WHOI stressed that a key advance of this study was combining the power of field observations with numerical models to better predict the future.

These researchers, who collected observations on water temperature, salinity and dissolved carbon during two expeditions onboard US Coast Guard cutter Healy in 2011 and 2012, explain that a form of calcium carbonate in the ocean (aragonite) is used by animals to construct and maintain shells.

When calcium and carbonate ion concentrations slip below tolerable levels, aragonite shells can begin to dissolve, particularly at early life stages. As the water chemistry slips below the present-day range, which varies by season, shell-building organisms and the fish that depend on these species for food can be affected.

The region analysed is home to some of the US most valuable commercial and subsistence fisheries.

NOAA’s statistics show that nearly 60 per cent of US commercial fisheries landings by weight are harvested in Alaska, whose fishing landings in wholesale values reached USD 1.9 billion in 2013.

Greece ordered to adopt effective management plan

EU orders Greece to adopt an effective management plan. (Photo: Jean Housen/CC BY-SA 3.0)

EUROPEAN UNION
Friday, June 19, 2015, 22:10 (GMT + 9)

The European Commission (EC) has requested Greece to comply with the obligation, under the Mediterranean Regulation, to adopt national management plans for fisheries conducted by boat seines within their territorial waters.

Boat seines have surrounding nets, towed from the boat and may operate from the surface to the sea bottom depending on the target species. In view of the specific characteristics of many Mediterranean fisheries and as the quota-based fisheries management does not apply, the Regulation requires Member States to adopt national management plans combining management of the fishing effort with specific technical measures to ensure sustainable exploitation of fish resources.

National management plans should also ensure the effectiveness of the prohibition to fish with boat seines in protected habitats such as sea grass beds, Posidonia oceanica.

The Commission is now sending a reasoned opinion to Greece for not having a valid management plan in place. Greece now has two months to notify the Commission of measures taken to remedy this situation. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer Greece to the EU Court of Justice.

EP endorses agreements with Cape Verde and Madagascar

Spanish fishing vessels. (Photo: T.Ezcurra)

EUROPEAN UNION
Thursday, June 18, 2015, 23:00 (GMT + 9)
The Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament gave its approval to the new fisheries protocol between the European Union (EU) and Cape Verde, which will allow 71 EU vessels, mostly from Spain, to perform fishing activities for four years in the African country’s waters.
Cape Verde will receive EUR 550,000 annually in return during the first two years and EUR 500,000 during the two following ones the agreement is in effect. Half of the financial compensation should be allocated to promote sustainable fisheries and support local fishermen.
The agreement has been provisionally implemented since December 2014.
Permits have been negotiated for the fishermen from Spain, France and Portugal. From the Spanish fleet, in particular, 22 longline vessels from Galicia, 16 freezer tuna seiners based in the Basque Country and Galicia port, and 7 tuna pole-and-line boats having port base in the Basque Country will benefit.
MEPs also gave the green light to the agreement with Madagascar. This agreement allows 94 European vessels to perform fishing activities in this fishery ground, particularly freezer tuna seiners, surface longliners and pole and line tuna vessels with the flags of Spain, France, Italy and Portugal.
Madagascar will receive a financial compensation of EUR 866,250 per year the first two years and a further sum amounting to EUR 787,500 in the last two years. Furthermore, the EU will grant EUR 700,000 per year to support the Madagascan fisheries policy and promote sustainability in its waters.
Now both protocols will receive the approval of the full European Parliament. The vote is scheduled for the July session in Strasbourg, France.

New report shows positive social impact of aquaculture industry

Harvesting activities performed at a salmon farm in Big Glory Bay, Stewart Island. (Photo Credit: Miles Hewton/ Sanford Ltd Bluff)

NEW ZEALAND
Thursday, June 18, 2015, 23:30 (GMT + 9)
A report commissioned by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the social effects of the Southland aquaculture industry shows that its introduction to this region has been "overwhelmingly" positive.

The report covers 25 years of aquaculture on Stewart Island and Bluff, and is based on research that was conducted earlier this year. It is part of a wider work programme by MPI, which aims to better understand the social and community effects of the aquaculture industry.

Southland was chosen as a case study because its existing aquaculture is well understood commercially and in the community.

The  research included interviews with 66 local businesses, community organisations and 130 industry staff.

Some results showed:

• 31 per cent of staff reported an increase in self respect;
• 81 per cent of staff had learned new skills;
• 70 per cent reported an increase in annual income compared to their previous employment.

Kathy Mansell, Director of Aquaculture, Growth and Innovation said: “This is the first step for MPI in developing a better understanding of a range of social effects and benefits associated with aquaculture.”

“Although it is clear that aquaculture provides employment, MPI wants to better understand the impact on the wider supply chain, what corporate responsibility looks like in the aquaculture industry and what the social effects of aquaculture employment has on local communities,” Mansell added.

The director stressed the importance of the research and its great value in the future by helping communities to better assess the impact of potential new aquaculture developments in specific areas.

“The results of this report are extremely encouraging by clearly illustrating the very positive social impact that the aquaculture industry is having on these communities,” Mansell pointed out.
Environment Southland supported MPI’s research by advising on its survey questions and providing local context information.

Environment Southland Chief Executive Rob Phillips said that with the Government’s interest in expanding aquaculture in New Zealand, it was good to have an understanding of the potential community impacts.

“As a council we enable aquaculture through our Coastal Plan and consent process, and MPI’s research gives us valuable insight into the wider environmental impacts of our decision making on local communities. This includes the economic, social and cultural impacts, which is useful information to have,” Phillips remarked.

Aquaculture processing in Bluff contributes 102 direct jobs and a further 30 jobs from supply chain businesses. On Stewart Island 23 people are employed in direct jobs. The report indicated that aquaculture staff saw themselves as more employable with most staff reporting that they had learnt new skills.

Clean Seas sues Skretting Austrlia for losses

Clean Seas tuna operations. (Photo Credit: CSS YouTube)

AUSTRALIA
Thursday, June 18, 2015, 03:40 (GMT + 9)
Clean Seas Tuna Limited  has filed charges in the Supreme Court of South Australia against one of its former feed suppliers, Gibson’s Limited for the economic losses the firm considers were caused by aquaculture feed which was allegedly deficient in a key nutrient.
As it has been stated in a firm’s release received by FIS.com, the firm's CEO Craig Foster indicated that in the proceedings, Clean Seas asserts that the feed supplied in the 2009 –2012 financial years by Gibson’s Limited (trading as Skretting Australia) contained insufficient taurine.
The taurine is a sulphonic acid recognised to be an essential dietary requirement of a number of fish species, including yellowtail kingfish, which resulted in mortalities and poor growth in this species stocks.
Dr Foster pointed out the firm’s solicitors have engaged independent forensic expert accountants to produce a report quantifying the losses attributable to this claim.
Clean Seas CEO stressed that it has been found out that once the firm decided to supplement its yellowtail kingfish feeds with taurine since July 2012, the health of the stocks materially improved, and fish survival rates and growth has since then exceeded all previous benchmarks.
Clean Seas is the only Australian commercial producer of farmed yellowtail kingfish, a species which is valued for use in sashimi and on restaurant menus as a cooked table fish.