Salmon price status at week 36

Norwegian salmon. (Photo Copyright: FIS)

NORWAY


Fresh salmon export volumes for week 35 are down 439 tonnes compared to the previous week and 116 tonnes compared to week 35, 2013, reports Fish Pool ASA.
The Fish Pool Index reports that in the last four weeks salmon prices -- Spot Market Prices (for fresh salmon between 3 kg and 6 kg, FCA Oslo) and export volumes were as follows:

Fish Pool Forward Prices
The forward price reflects the expectations of the Fish Pool's members for the next 24 months. The prices are assessed by contracts made as well as interests to buy or sell at Fish Pool and are indications for information purposes only.

The contracts for September 2014 were traded at NOK 35.00. For the sales in Q4-14, the seller is currently at NOK 41.00; and the last trade was performed at NOK 39.85.
The sales for Q1-15 were traded at 44.50 NDAQ and those for the quarters Q1Q2-15 were at 44.00 NDAQ.
For the contracts for 2015, the seller is at 42.00 NDAQ, and for those of Y2015+Q1Q216, the buyer is at 40.50 NDAQ.

Commission issues fleet capacity guidelines to support sustainable fishing in Europe

EUROPEAN UNION
Thursday, September 04, 2014

The European Commission has strengthened its commitment to sustainable fishing by issuing a new set of guidelines to help Member States strike the balance between fishing capacity and fishing opportunities. The guidelines recommend to Member States a set of standardised indicators (biological, economic and vessel-use indicators) to determine if the size of their fishing fleets are in line with the amount of fishing opportunities allocated to them.
Commissioner Damanaki said on this occasion: "Too many powerful boats chasing too few fish inevitably leads to overfishing and ever dwindling stocks. Balance is the key to sustainable stocks and today's guidelines show our commitment to helping Member States keep their fleets' capacity in line with the amount of fish they can catch."
Source: European Commission

Shrimp capture starts in the Gulf of Mexico

Shrimp vessels. (Photo: Sagarpa)

MEXICO
Thursday, August 21, 2014, 22:00 (GMT + 9)
The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) established the beginning of the fishing period for all shrimp species in waters of the Gulf of Mexico, from Tamaulipas to the mouth of the Coatzacoalcos river, in the state of Veracruz, from Wednesday 20 August.
According to was reported by the shrimp sector, more than 1,800 fishermen are involved in fishing for the crustacean growing areas in the Gulf of Mexico.
In addition, it is calculated that there is a fishing effort of more than 200 vessels and the generation of 6,200 direct and indirect jobs, which will benefit the regional economy.
One of the varieties of shrimp caught on this coast is the brown shrimp (Farfantepeneaus aztecus), which represents 90 per cent of total production in the Gulf of Mexico.
The implementation of the ban on the brown shrimp makes it possible to protect the main biomass growth that migrates from the lagoon to the sea and to optimize the benefit of the productive sectors. Additionally, it favours the catch of specimens having larger size and commercial value and protects the reproductive process.
While it was initially planned that the ban would end on 1 August, CONAPESCA decided to extend its duration considering the latest shrimp population surveys made by experts from the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA).
INAPESCA recommended to open the 2014-2015 shrimping season on 20 August, with the aim of ensuring that at least 80 per cent of the catch taken on the first trip of the season has large size, reaching a higher commercial value.
The National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (CONAPESCA) and officials from the authorities in Tamaulipas and Veracruz will be in charge of controlling the set rules to promote responsible and sustainable fishing activity.
Related article:
- Shrimp ban ending delayed

Seafood mislabeling poses mercury exposure risk

Mercury content in Chilean sea bass is related to the fish geographic origin. (Photo: Sushi Fornitori/FIS)

UNITED STATES
Thursday, August 21, 2014, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
New measurements from fish purchased at retail seafood counters in 10 different states show the extent to which mislabeling can expose consumers to unexpectedly high levels of mercury, a harmful pollutant.
Fishery stock "substitutions"—which falsely present a fish of the same species, but from a different geographic origin—are the most dangerous mislabeling offenses, according to new research by University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa scientists.
“Accurate labeling of seafood is essential to allow consumers to choose sustainable fisheries,” said UH Mānoa biologist Peter B. Marko, lead author of the new study published in the scientific journal PLOS One. “But consumers also rely on labels to protect themselves from unhealthy mercury exposure. Seafood mislabeling distorts the true abundance of fish in the sea, defrauds consumers, and can cause unwanted exposure to harmful pollutants such as mercury.”
The study included two kinds of fish: those labeled as Marine Stewardship Council- (MSC-) certified Chilean sea bass, and those labeled simply as Chilean sea bass (uncertified). The MSC-certified version is supposed to be sourced from the Southern Ocean waters of South Georgia, near Antarctica, far away from man-made sources of pollution. MSC-certified fish is often favored by consumers seeking sustainably harvested seafood but is also potentially attractive given its consistently low levels of mercury.
In a previous study, the scientists had determined that fully 20 per cent of fish purchased as Chilean sea bass were not genetically identifiable as such. Further, of those Chilean sea bass positively identified using DNA techniques, 15 per cent had genetic markers that indicated that they were not sourced from the South Georgia fishery.
In the new study, the scientists used the same fish samples to collect detailed mercury measurements. When they compared the mercury in verified, MSC-certified sea bass with the mercury levels of verified, non-certified sea bass, they found no significant difference in the levels. That’s not the story you would have expected based on what is known about geographic patterns of mercury accumulation in Chilean sea bass.
“What’s happening is that the species are being substituted,” Marko explained. “The ones that are substituted for MSC-certified Chilean sea bass tend to have very low mercury, whereas those substituted for uncertified fish tend to have very high mercury. These substitutions skew the pool of fish used for MSC comparison purposes, making certified and uncertified fish appear to be much more different than they actually are.”
But there’s another confounding factor. Even within the verified, MSC-certified Chilean sea bass samples, certain fish had very high mercury levels—up to 2 or 3 times higher than expected, and sometimes even greater than import limits to some countries.
Marko and his team again turned to genetics to learn more about these fishes’ true nature. “It turns out that the fish with unexpectedly high mercury originated from some fishery other than the certified fishery in South Georgia,” Marko explained. “Most of these fish had mitochondrial DNA that indicated they were from Chile. Thus, fishery stock substitutions are also contributing to the pattern by making MSC-certified fish appear to have more mercury than they really should have.”
The study found that on average MSC-certified fish is a healthier option than uncertified fish, with respect to mercury contamination, but that fishery-stock substitutions can result in a larger proportional increase in mercury.
“We recommend that consumer advocates take a closer look at the variation in mercury contamination depending on the geographic source of the fishery stock when they consider future seafood consumption guidelines,” Marko concluded.

Norway Royal Salmon experiences revenue drop in Q2

NRS share price development until 20 August. (Photo: NRS)

NORWAY
Thursday, August 21, 2014, 04:20 (GMT + 9)
Norway Royal Salmon (NRS) obtained a 12 per cent fall year on year in operating revenues in the second quarter of 2014, amounting to NOK 595.7 million (USD 96.7 million) compared to the same period last year, when NOK 675.6 million (USD 109.6 million) had been obtained.
The firm reported a decrease in operational EBIT of NOK 45 million (USD 7.3 million) for the quarter, changing from NOK 71.5 million (USD 11.6 million) in 2013 to NOK 26.5 million (USD 4.3 million) this year.
Both drops were attributable to lower sales prices and lower volumes as well as the increased provision for doubtful receivables related to customers in Russia and Ukraine.
Harvests were reported to be a total of 5,382 tonnes gutted weight in the quarter, a decrease of 21 per cent from the corresponding quarter last year. As a result of accelerated harvesting and extraordinary mortality at two sites, the estimated harvested volume has been reduced by 1,400 tonnes from previous estimates.
At the end of the reporting period, total assets amounted to NOK 1,978 million (USD 321 million), representing an increase of NOK 145 million (USD 23.5 million) from the prior quarter end. The change in total assets is attributable to the increase in the Group’s receivables and in fixed assets.
The Group’s operating activities generated a positive cash flow of NOK 48.6 million (USD 7.8 million) during the quarter, which represents a decrease of NOK 86.3 million (USD 14 million) compared with the corresponding prior-year quarter.
NRS expects a 'turbulent' salmon market in the shrot term and hopes Norwegian exporters will work hard to re-allocate the volume exported to Russia to other markets and regions, such as Europe, America and Asia to avoid further market challenges and pressure on prices.
Thr firm says that for this year it forecasts the salmon worldwide offer will grow between 5 per cent and 9 per cent but in the long term, this growth could be lower, which implies more positive perspectives for the industry.

Seafood exports grow in value in the first five months

Container terminal. (Photo: Stock File)

CHILE
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 21:50 (GMT + 9)
Fishery and aquaculture product exports from Chile during the first five months of 2014 amounted to USD 2,697.7 million, 24.2 per cent more than in the same period of 2013, when this figure was USD 2,172.1 million.
However, the volume of exports between January and May of 2014 dropped by 6.3 per cent, from 607,270 tonnes – in 2013 -- to 568,820 tonnes this year, the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SUBPESCA) reported.
Frozen products were those having higher participation in export volumes, as they constituted 51.3 per cent of the total.
They were followed by the products associated with the production industry, chilled fresh products and dried algae, according to the latest SUBPESCA Fisheries and Aquaculture Report.
According to statistics from SUBPESCA, the main export was Atlantic salmon, which accounted for 47.9 per cent (USD 1,292 million) in revenues from sales abroad.
Further back Pacific salmon (14 per cent of total) and rainbow trout (15.4 per cent) were located.
Chilean products were destined for 92 countries, of which the nine major ones concentrated 78.2 per cent of total exports. Among them those that stood out were United States, Japan, Brazil, China and Russia.
With respect to the capture sector, the accumulated value of fish exports (247,500 tonnes) between January and May 2014 amounted to USD 525.2 million.
In the first five months 107,505 tonnes of fishmeal were sold abroad for USD 159.9 million, while a year earlier 122,710 tonnes worth USD 227.4 million had been exported.
The most important destinations of fishmeal were China, Korea, Spain, Japan and Italy.
Out of the total exported fishmeal, 66.9 per cent had prime quality, 21.7 per cent was super prime and 10.2 per cent was standard.
Sales of frozen seafood products abroad totalled USD 191.6 million, which represented a decrease of 12.3 per cent compared to the same period of 2013. These products went mainly to Nigeria, United States and Korea, which accounted for 18.9 per cent, 15.4 per cent and 9.1 per cent, respectively.
As for canned products, the sales performed in the first five months of 2014 totalled USD 32.8 million, 18.2 per cent higher than a year earlier (USD 27.8 million).
The Aquaculture sector exports accounted for 80.5 per cent of the total value of sales abroad and 56.5 per cent of total exports in the first five months of this year, with USD 2,172 million and about 321,000 tonnes.
The current estimate shows an increase of 35.4 per cent compared to what was recorded last year.

Norway and Brazil develop aquaculture cooperation

Brazil and Norway strengthen mutual aquaculture cooperation. (Photo: BNCC)

BRAZIL
Thursday, August 21, 2014, 01:40 (GMT + 9)
The governments of Brazil and Norway continue to work on identifying areas for bilateral technical cooperation in order to develop joint actions towards the development of aquaculture in both nations.
The important fishing fair Nor-Fhishing, held this week in Trondheim, Norway, has provided a framework to develop this process.
The meeting was attended by consort Queen Sonja Haraldsen; the head of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministry (MPA) from Brazil, Eduardo Lopes; and Secretary of MPA Aquaculture Planning and Management, Maria Fernanda Nince.
The collaboration between the two countries foresees actions as to search areas, training and management of continental and marine aquaculture space.
The agreement also includes issues relating to technology transfer in aquaculture segments such as production and infrastructure, health and biosecurity, supply chain, bearing capacity, caged fish escape and fish feed.
Another objective of this bilateral cooperation is to develop an international legislation for the aquaculture sector.
In Norway, Lopes also met with the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Elisabeth Aspaker; and the Brazilian ambassador to that country, Flávio Macieira, among other officials.
Nince was planning to perform a technical visit to a fish farming centre located on the island Hitra, along with representatives of the aquaculture industry from over 20 countries, such as Vietnam and Angola.
For some time, Brazil has been developing different cooperation ways with other countries for the exchange of knowledge and to incorporate new technology in the aquaculture sector.
The MPA stressed that as part of Government’s efforts to increase the quality and safety of fish produced in the country, Brazil signed cooperation agreements with Israel and Portugal last year.

WCPFC must urgently address bigeye tuna mortality

Bigeye tuna specimens. (Photo: Stock File)

MARSHALL ISLANDS
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 23:40 (GMT + 9)
Newly released stock assessment that shows bigeye tuna is being overfished underlines why the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) must take decisive action at its December annual meeting to reduce further reductions in bigeye mortality.

“PNA said that measures adopted last year by the WCPFC to protect bigeye were inadequate, and the results of the detailed stock assessment support this conclusion,” said Dr. Transform Aqorau, CEO of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), a bloc of eight nations that control waters where over 50 per cent of the world’s supply of skipjack tuna is caught. “Last year’s annual meeting did not do enough to stop overfishing of bigeye tuna and we had always known that it would not be enough.”

Scientists based at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) delivered a comprehensive stock assessment for bigeye, yellowfin, skipjack and albacore tuna during the WCPFC’s annual Scientific Committee meeting held earlier this month in Majuro. These reports show that stocks of bigeye have dropped below the WCPFC “limit reference point” of 20 per cent to just 16 per cent of the original biomass now present. For the first time, scientists stated clearly that bigeye is being overfished.

Yellowfin tuna stocks were pegged by scientists to be below 40 per cent of their original unfished population, while skipjack stocks were the healthiest at slightly over 50 per cent. Albacore is also a concern, with scientists reporting that “there is a notable risk of recent fishing effort levels reducing the adult biomass of south Pacific albacore below the Limit Reference Point (of 20 per cent) within the coming years.”

Aqorau cautions that conservation measures need to be stepped up by the WCPFC for all tuna species.

Aqorau said the WCPFC members, which include all the major fishing nations as well as Pacific island countries, have known for several years that bigeye was in danger of being overfished.

“Now the scientific evidence is on the table,” Aqorau. The eight-member PNA, he said, will be working with other countries to gain consensus on measures needed to significantly reduce bigeye catches that will be taken up by the WCPFC at its annual meeting in Auckland, New Zealand later this year.

“It is clear that fishing of bigeye tuna needs to be cut by about 40 per cent to return to sustainable levels,” Aqorau said.
But there is heavy pressure on western Pacific tuna stocks from record-setting catches over the past several years. A record 2.65 million tons of tuna was hauled from the western Pacific in 2012 valued at USD 7 billion, and last year’s catch was only marginally smaller.

“PNA has been a leader in enforcing conservation measures to ensure the tuna fishery remains sustainable in the long-term,” said Aqorau. “Since 2009, PNA has enforced moratoriums on the use of fish aggregation devices (FADs), closed two high seas pockets to fishing as a condition of in-zone licenses, and required 100 per cent observer coverage of all purse seiners and in-port transshipment of tuna by purse seiners.” These have all been essential elements for successful in-zone management of tuna resources.

"But these in-zone measures must be complemented with similarly clear requirements for fishing on the high seas, with a particular focus on reducing catches by longline fishing boats that target bigeye and yellowfin tunas for global sashimi markets," Aqorau said.

“FAD closures in PNA waters are protecting juvenile bigeye, but we have yet to see compatible measures by high seas longline fleets targeting mature bigeye,” Aqorau pointed out.
“Currently, PNA is shouldering the burden for bigeye conservation, but PNA waters are mainly a skipjack fishery,” he stressed. Tuna congregate under FADs, which are essentially platforms used to attract fish. Many FADs are outfitted with sophisticated sonar that tells fishing vessels the size of tuna schools under the FAD. Bigeye catches drop dramatically during the PNA FAD ban from July through October.

PNA currently bans use of FADs for tuna fishing four months of the year, but is prepared to increase this to six. “But we want to see the commitment from distant water fishing nations to address bigeye catch on the high seas and some consideration for PNA for losses PNA domestic vessels that fish only in-zone will sustain if the FAD ban is expanded,” Aqorau stressed.

Not only do distant water fishing nations need to take action to reduce catches on the high seas, they need to begin providing operational catch data required by their membership in the WCPFC. Aqorau praised the United States for complying with this requirement by changing its domestic legislation, and said four Asian nations that have yet to comply must do so.
“PNA is providing the Commission with all catch data from fishing within our waters. The Asian fishing nations need to do the same for their catches on the high seas. The lack of data leaves gaps in the stock assessments and undermines the sustainability of the fishery for everyone because we are forced to make decisions based on incomplete information,” he concluded.

Related articles:
-Data gaps affect pacific tuna assessment
- Greenpeace demands urgent recovery plan for bigeye tuna
 

Alaska salmon fishermen to receive USD 7.8m relief funds

Commercial fishermen from Alaska will soon receive NOAA's announced aids. (Image: NOAA/FIS)

UNITED STATES
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 22:30 (GMT + 9)
NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region is announcing the approval of the first grant application in the amount of USD 7.8 million to assist fishermen affected by the 2012 commercial fisheries failure due to the fishery resource disaster for the Yukon chinook fishery, Kuskokwim chinook fishery, and the Cook Inlet salmon fishery.

This award covers direct payments to commercial fishermen and breaks out as USD 3.2 million for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Region and USD 4.6 million for the Cook Inlet Region.

"From the moment we learned that Alaska would receive fishery disaster relief funds, our first priority has been to get those dollars directly into the hands of fishermen who were impacted by the fisheries failure," said Alaska Regional Administrator Jim Balsiger. "Approval of the grant application for direct assistance means that will happen very soon."

Impacted fishermen will be receiving their application for these disaster relief funds in the mail.

For the remaining funds (about USD 13 million), the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is developing a second grant proposal based on spend plans provided by representative groups identified by the State of Alaska and the Congressional Delegation. NOAA Fisheries expects to award this second grant in the coming months.

Red tide hits the Galician canning industry

Mussel rafts. (Photo: CSIC)

SPAIN
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 02:00 (GMT + 9)
The presence of the lipophilic toxin in the Galician estuaries has caused the closure of almost all Galician mussel polygons and the stoppage of the local canning industry production.
The red tide at this time blocks the capture in 90 per cent of the rafts. Only two polygons located in Betanzos and four in Redondela are open, Atlantico reported.
"It's pretty much all stopped at the 67 plants in Galicia because here we focus on the product from here," Juan Manuel Vieites, general secretary of the National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Shellfish (ANFACO), explained.
Canners entrepreneurs expect the red tide does not last too long because its mussel best quality conditions are recorded between January and October, when the sector produces the most to market throughout the rest of the year, added the official.
Vieites states the canning firms no longer have mussel stock and alternatives are sought only in the foreign market because "the vast majority" focuses on the Galician product.
Meanwhile, the Technological Institute of Control of the Marine Environment of Galicia (INTECMAR) reported that the closures of the platforms have a weeks or months’ time scale
The latest sample of Galician waters indicates that the situation has improved a lot, and the north wind and good weather are helping to clean the areas. However, INTECMAR director, Covadonga Salgado, emphasizes that "we must be cautious."
The agency under the Secretariat of Marine Affairs reported that there are six polygons in which mussel capture is allowed and that "can supply the markets and the product can be safely consumed if sold through legal channels."
However, according to Francisco Alcalde, Chairman of the Regulatory Council of Galician Mussel, "the sector is demoralized."
"There are zones outside the estuaries where no kilo has been sold throughout the year, and 2013 was a bad year," he said.
Meanwhile, the Secretariat of Marine Affairs completed the application submission deadline for the mussel fishermen can receive aid for losses caused by the red tide last year.
The company received a total of 582 requests, the newspaper La Voz de Galicia reported.
The mussel is the second most important resource for the canning industry, after tuna.
Related article:
- Galicia closes a third of mussel polygons due to red tide

Sergipe becomes pioneer in regulating shrimp breeder’s job

Small-scale shrimp producers. (Photo: Stock File/FIS)

BRAZIL
Tuesday, August 19, 2014, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
After eight years’ effort, Sergipe has become the first state in the northeastern Brazil to regulate the shrimp breeder’s activity.
"From this regularization, we are counting on the support of the Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises (SEBRAE) to help us improve our productivity and care of the environment," Alexsandro Monteiro dos Santos, president of Sergipe Association of Shrimp Breeders, pointed out.
The leader referred to this development as "a historic achievement." He explained that he will provide access to credit in public banks to improve the structure of the sector and enable farmers to have pension benefits.
According to the State Administration of Environment (ADEMA), smallholders comprise about 10,000 families providing 95 per cent of crustacean production in Segirpe -- the fourth largest producer state in the country -- with about 600 tonnes per year, Globo reported.
Family production is developed in 13 municipalities in Sergipe, in areas having less than 10 hectares where about 10 specimens are produced per square metre.
The large scale production manages to breed up to 100 crustaceans in the same space.
Wanderlê Correia, ADEMA president, said several aspects will be assessed to try to make an inventory of rural properties -- such as the Environmental Preservation Area (EPA) -- and the legal reserves in the state.
"This is a win-win conquest. Producers, who can improve production, benefit and the environment is favoured, as it preserves and ensures business continuity," Correia added, according to ASN.

Three new salmon farms approved

Marlborough Sounds, where the three new salmon farms will be installed. (Photo: marlboroughtravel.co.nz)

NEW ZEALAND
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 01:00 (GMT + 9)
Three new salmon farms have been approved in the Marlborough Sounds by Conservation Minister Nick Smith, putting an end to a legal struggle that started three years ago.
The authorisation of these ventures arises after the approval of Plan Change 24 by the minister. The settlement took place at the Marlborough District Council, where Mayor Alistair Sowman and representatives from NZ King Salmon were also present.
“These three new salmon farms at Waitata and Richmond in Pelorus Sound and Ngamahau in Tory Chanel are hugely important to Nelson and Marlborough’s aquaculture industry and wider economy. They will enable NZ King Salmon to grow its products from the current 6000 tonnes per year to 9000 tonnes per year in 2015 and 13,000 tonnes per year by 2033. These new farms will grow our GDP by NZD 120 million (USD 101.8 million) per year, our exports by NZD 50 million (USD 42.4 million) and employment by 150 new jobs,” Minister Smith pointed out.
The Minister’s approval of Plan Change 24 is the final stage of the legal process following the application in 2011 by NZ King Salmon for a plan change to make salmon farming a discretionary activity in eight locations. The proposed plan change was referred to the Environmental Protection Authority Board of Inquiry that received 1272 submission of which 722 opposed, 358 supported and 118 indicated mixed positions.
The Minister also approved Plan Change 26, a technical change to the Marlborough Sounds Coastal Plan arising from the Government’s aquaculture reforms.
Smith explained he is considering options for a more collaborative approach to Marlborough Sounds coastal planning in the future and that salmon is a superb product to sit aside the region’s world class wine and mussels.
“I am confident that with goodwill and balance we can grow Nelson and Marlborough’s salmon industry while also protecting the conservation and recreation values of the Sounds,” Smith concluded.
Related articles:
- King Salmon develops further expansion plans
- Aquaculture industry welcomes supreme court decision

UN approves extension of Uruguayan territorial sea

Extension of Uruguay's territorial sea. (MAP: Armada de Uruguay)

URUGUAY
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 03:20 (GMT + 9)
The United Nations (UN) finally accepted the proposition of the Uruguayan Government to extend the Uruguayan territorial sea from 200 to 350 miles.
Thus, Uruguay has become the first South American nation to receive the approval of the UN.
The Convention on the Law of the Sea of the United Nations upheld the Uruguayan order, which involves the addition of 80,500 square kilometres where the country will have exclusive rights on marine reserves and fishing activity.
It is expected that the ruling in favor of Uruguay, which has recommendatory character, is in force from February 2015, La Red21 reported.
The new authorized area is equivalent to almost 50 per cent of the national land area.
The Uruguayan government had to seek technical and scientific information for years to prove, among other things, that its continental shelf extends effectively beyond 200 miles.
The Convention on the Law of the Sea regulates 12 miles of sovereignty, the 20 miles where there is limited sovereignty and the 200-mile exclusive economic use of coastal countries remains.
The former vice-chancellor and the socialist senator, Roberto Conde, stated the decision to recognize the extent of the Uruguayan continental shelf "is very important", the newspaper La República informed.
"It’s important not to forget that we are performing surveys in search of oil and gas across the territory, although so far it has only been possible to work within 200 miles," he pointed out.

Vacuum pumping improves fish survival, quality

Vacuum pumping used to get fish onboard. (Photo: NOFIMA)

NORWAY
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 02:50 (GMT + 9)
Experiments carried out by Nofima in collaboration with Nergård Havfiske AS show that pumping from the trawl’s cod-end is gentler for the fish than lifting the complete catch onto the deck.

Trials onboard the trawler J. Bergvoll in May have shown that pumping is considerably more gentle than pulling up onto the ramp and survival rates of 80-100 per cent, depending on species, can be achieved.

Fish caught by trawling should be kept alive in tanks for 5-6 hours, long enough for blood to be removed from the white muscles.

“This is the first time vacuum pumping has been used to get the fish onboard from the cod-end on a trawler. Pumping ensures that the fish are in contact with water all the time, and they are not subject to gravity. Using this method means that the quality, and thus also the price, of trawl-caught fish are at least as good as those of line-caught fish,” says Kjell Midling from Nofima and head of the Norwegian Centre of Excellence for Capture-based Aquaculture.

The opportunities offered by new technology in the trawler industry are being studied in a project financed by the Norwegian Seafood Research Fund (FHF). Several shipowners are considering installing pumping facilities when refurbishing old boats or building new ones.

Nofima is taking the collaboration further with Nergård Havfiske AS, ship designers, equipment manufacturers, and pump suppliers to ensure that trawl-caught fish has as high a quality as possible.

“Knowledge about live fish is crucial for the future of the trawler industry. The new technology is based on 25 years of experience about what the fish can withstand, and the conditions necessary for survival. This will determine how the new technology is implemented,” says Midling.

The research is part of the extensive CRISP project, which is a project centred on research-based innovation in sustainable fish capture, quality and economics.

The goal of CRISP is to contribute to increased creation of value in the Norwegian seafood industry, and to reduce its impact on the environment.

Several of the projects on which the new technology is based have been financed also by FHF.

ASEAN intends to implement new shrimp standard

Shrimp processing plant in Vietnam. (Photo: Tran Viet)

INDONESIA
Wednesday, August 20, 2014, 03:50 (GMT + 9)
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has drafted a standard for the shrimp farmed in their region, which is expected can become effective early in early 2015, in line with the ASEAN Economic Integration.
The draft has been designed by a steering committee of 14 industry and non-government stakeholders. The idea is that the shrimp industry of the nations forming part of the organisation can use it as a workable tool to improve the sustainability, environmental and social performance of farming, especially at the small-scale, and receive recognition in key export markets, The Brunei Times informed.
According to the 16-page draft, “today more than 30 aquaculture standards exist, all with distinct scopes that address social and environmental issues through different methods and none of which were defined explicitly for the ASEAN region”.
“This makes it difficult and costly for farmers and processors to select a path to certification that will be rewarded in the market. As a result, each works on several different standards to meet buyer requirements adding significantly to costs,” it adds.
The ASEAN shrimp standard steering committee considers that the formation of an ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 will make it possible for the region to become one of the 10 largest global economies and a major player in the global seafood industry.
This steering committee includes two organizations from the Philippines, the Tambuyog Development Centre and the Socsksargen Federation of Fishing & Allied Industries, Inc. And the rest of the members are the FAIRAGRO, Kasetsart University, Network of Aquaculture Centres Asia Pacific, Thai Union Frozen Products (TUF) and Thai Farmers Council in Thailand; Indonesian Fishery Product Processing & Marketing Association, Surya University and Wetlands International in Indonesia; International Collaborating Centre for Aquaculture & Fisheries Sustainability and Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters & Producers (VASEP) in Vietnam; and Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® and Chicken of the Sea in the US.
The steering committee welcomes comments on the draft standards from farmers, experts and other stakeholders engaged in shrimp farming as well as from the public until 10 October, 2014.

H-E-B strengthens its sustainable seafood programme

H-E.B Seafood Director Kyle Stevens. (Photo: H-E-B YouTube)

UNITED STATES
Tuesday, August 19, 2014, 22:30 (GMT + 9)
H-E-B is partnering with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) as its primary sustainability advisor for seafood purchases to strengthen its compromise to offer responsibly sourced wild-caught and farm-raised seafood.

H-E-B’s existing sustainability policy covers all fresh, frozen, and prepared seafood items sold in its stores. As an enhancement to that programme, over the past year, H-E-B and EDF have worked closely with the retailer’s suppliers to improve sustainability in new fisheries and to source farmed seafood from domestic and international farms that meet international certification standards for environmental performance.

“A commitment to seafood sustainability has been a company-wide practice at H-E-B for many years,” said H-E-B Director of Seafood Procurement Kyle Stevens. “And now, we can draw upon EDF’s enormous expertise and experience to build on the sustainable sourcing work that we’ve done to date, while continuing to offer the highest product quality to our customers.”

As part of its ongoing relationship with EDF, H-E-B has launched a new, sustainable seafood website and trained its fish market partners on the new standards.

Besides, the supermarket chain continues its support of “catch shares” – a management tool used around the world that ensures commercial fishermen adhere to scientifically-set catch limits while lessening their impact on the marine environment and improving their businesses.
H-E-B works closely with catch share fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico that are an international model for responsible, science-based management and deliver high quality seafood year round to its customers. Gulf of Mexico red snapper, once on the brink of collapse, has begun to successfully rebuild its populations since catch shares management was implemented in 2007.

The company is committed to full traceability systems for its seafood supply chain and was the first major retailer in the Gulf region to offer Gulf Wild® red snapper at many of its stores. The Gulf Wild® programme provides real-time tracking of Gulf of Mexico fish beginning at the time it is caught, thereby ensuring the safety and authenticity of their wild-caught seafood. Traceability programmes like this one are critical to preventing mislabeling and seafood fraud, problems that undermine the entire seafood industry.

“Through their commitment, H-E-B has demonstrated that sustainability, traceability and engagement with local fishermen are good business for the retail food industry,” said Tim Fitzgerald, senior manager for seafood market strategy, Oceans, EDF.

Beyond the Gulf of Mexico, H-E-B is actively engaged in a number of other efforts to advance seafood sustainability. H-E-B is an active member with the Food Marketing Institute’s Seafood Sustainability Working Group and the Sustainable Executive Committee, where it works cooperatively with other retailers to create industry-wide standards for seafood sourcing and customer communication.

H-E-B’s new partnership with EDF will build on these engagements and solidify the retailer’s reputation as a sustainable seafood leader in the industry.

18 fisheries management plans launched

The plans would favour job conservation and marine environment and comercially-valued species protection. (Photo: Sagarpa)

MEXICO
Tuesday, August 19, 2014, 22:00 (GMT + 9)
The federal government has launched 18 Fisheries Management Plans (PMPs) to encourage sustainability, conservation and availability of fish, molluscs and crustaceans of commercial interest in the main producing areas of the country's coastlines.
The main objective is to guarantee consumers have the supply of high nutritional valued seafood.
The plans were prepared by the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA) and commissioned by the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA), both entities under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA).
It is expected that each plan contributes to the preservation of jobs and help protect the marine environment and species of commercial interest and high demand in the market.
Besides, the Mexican government promotes actions to improve social and economic conditions of the inhabitants of the fishing communities located in coastal areas.
The plans cover several species:

• Geoduck from Baja California Norte and Sonora;
• Gulf weakfish, red urchin and small pelagic -- sardine, mackerel, northern anchovy, mouthy, charrito and pineapple, among other resources of northwestern Mexico;
• Pacific yellowfin tuna;
• Blue crab from Sinaloa and Sonora;
• Giant Squid;
• Shrimp – brown, white, seabob, pink, red and rock species -- lobster, snail, reef cod, sea bass and octopus in the Gulf of Mexico.

The fisheries considered in the PMP to boost its production with ecosystem approach provide the food industry with around 750,000 tonnes, which ensures the supply of the domestic and international markets.
Each fishery management plan is a tool to support national fisheries and brings together a series of actions aimed at developing the same balanced, comprehensive and sustainable manner.
"Its development is based on the current knowledge of biological, fisheries, environmental, economic, cultural and social aspects that INAPESCA collects and analyzes, with the participation of the producers themselves, federal, state and municipal authorities, higher and research and academic institutions centres," reported SAGARPA.
The Secretariat also noted that through management plans surveys are conducted to gauge the fishing effort supporting the catch areas and the available biomass is evaluated, which could be exploited. Furthermore, studies are specified to establish the developmental stages of organisms and the feasibility of setting bans to protect their reproductive cycles.
Related articles:
- Management plan set for yellowfin tuna
- Management plan promotes white and brown shrimp sustainability

Seafood marketing activities boosted after Russian import ban

Norwegian salmon marketing. (Photo: Norwegian Export Council)

NORWAY
Tuesday, August 19, 2014, 23:20 (GMT + 9)
The Norwegian Seafood Council is boosting its marketing activities in other important markets for Norwegian seafood after the Russian import ban.

On 6 August Russia announced a ban on imports of Norwegian seafood, among other imported food products. Russia is one of Norway’s most important seafood markets, the largest one for the last two years.

”Producers, exporters and marketers of a global product such as salmon stay calm when getting such news. The Seafood Council had the proper tools at the ready when the news about the import ban came. Our country managers all over the world have analysed what marketing activities will have most effect in the short-term, for instance with which retail chains additional campaigns could be planned. In close dialogue with the exporters, we have planned alternative marketing activities for the year to come, aiming to keep the current global demand for Norwegian salmon at its current high level”, said Bjørn-Erik Stabell, marketing manager for salmon in the Norwegian Seafood Council.

The Norwegian Seafood Council has decided to put all planned investments in Russia on hold, and move the funds to other markets. In addition, it had already planned for extra investments this year, and will invest from the industry’s own reserve funds. All together, these extra investments sum up to almost NOK 60 million (USD 9.7 million), which the Seafood Council will invest in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Great Britain, Japan and Norway.

Exporters of Norwegian trout, that now have lost a very important market, will have to increase the demand for trout in other important markets the year to come. The Seafood Council will work closely with the industry to create synergies in the marketing of salmon and trout.

”The Norwegian seafood industry is known to be globally oriented, innovative and to have a great ability to see new opportunities and turn to them”, says Ragnhild Dahle Heen, marketing manager for trout in the Norwegian Seafood Council.

In addition to salmon and trout, Russia is also a very important marked for herring. Previously, the Seafood Council also prepared to invest reserve funds for the pelagic sector. However, the board and the advisory board for pelagic sector in the Norwegian Seafood Council decided to await the situation to get an even better understanding of the consequences of the import ban, and will not immediately invest the NOK 15 million (USD 2.4 million) reserved by the board.
Related articles:
- Russian ban on Norwegian seafood poses 'a challenging situation'
- Russia bans food imports to retaliate against sanctions 

EU lifts herring-related measures against the Faroe Islands

Herring fishery. (Photo: Odin Hjellestad)

EUROPEAN UNION
Monday, August 18, 2014, 22:40 (GMT + 9)
The European Commission (EC) has today repealed the measures adopted against the Faroe Islands in August 2013 following their unsustainable fishery on Atlanto-Scandian herring. The measures imposed at the time will now be lifted as of 20 August 2014.

The decision comes after it was agreed that the Faroe Islands would cease their unsustainable fishery and would adopt a catch limit for herring in 2014 at 40,000 tonnes. This level is considerably lower than the one the Faroes had adopted in 2013 and which, according to the current scientific assessments, does not put in jeopardy the conservation efforts of the coastal States sharing the stock.

However, the EC highlights that the lifting of the measures does not represent a tacit agreement by the EU that 40,000 tonnes is the legitimate share of the stock for the Faroe Islands. It is merely indicative of the fact that the sustainability of the stock is no longer in jeopardy. The decision is also without prejudice to the consultations that will take place in the autumn among the five coastal States (Norway, the Russian Federation, Iceland, Faroe Islands and the EU) on the future sharing of the stock.

The lifting of the measures represents a clean slate in the EU's relations with the Faroe Islands, a country viewed as a potential strategic partner on pelagic fisheries in the north-east Atlantic. Commissioner Damanaki intends to meet Mr Vestergaard, Minister of Fisheries of the Faroe Islands, to set the basis for a new era of cooperation.
Related articles:
- IN BRIEF - The Faroe Islands and the European Union agree to settle the dispute
- Mackerel deal reached with Norway and Faroe Islands
- Trilateral mackerel agreement deemed 'a significant breakthrough'

Salmon industry experiences 'relevant sanitary improvement’

José Miguel Burgos, SERNAPESCA national director. (Photo: Sernapesca)

CHILE
Monday, August 18, 2014, 23:30 (GMT + 9)
A "relevant sanitary improvement" has been experienced by the Chilean salmon industry so far this year, according to a new report from the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (SERNAPESCA).
"In the first place, from a production point of view, what we have is fewer stocked centres. However, the total biomass present in the sea is higher in the order of 10 per cent over the previous year," SERNAPESCA national director, José Miguel Burgos, stated when last week he presented the Marine Centre Health Report for the first half of 2014 in Puerto Montt.
At the event, which was attended by officials of the Secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SUBPESCA) and representatives of the productive sector, Burgos announced that in terms of production, it is projected that this year similar results to those in 2013 will be obtained.
"With a change in the participation proportions by species, with a significant increase in Atlantic salmon and also a significant reduction in trout production," he added.
SERNAPESCA director ensured that the situation of the virus infectious salmon anemia (ISA) is "under absolute control". He said the last detected case in the centre of Traiguén 1 – belonging to the company Invertec Pesquera Mar de Chiloe (Invermar) -- "was properly controlled and with all the analysis performed around the focus and perifocus, we can now rule out the presence of new onset of this virus in the area."
Burgos also stressed that the Veterinary Service of the European Union considered the SERNAPESCA Specific Programme for ISA Virus Control and Monitoring as a programme of world standard and meets all requirements for disease control.
"This is a recognition of the working teams that have spent years on this line and places us today as the Chilean state’s State Veterinary Service globally," he stated.
However, he clarified that "ISA virus is present in Chile and therefore it is expected, compared to stressors, the appearance of new cases of the disease in the Atlantic salmon species in the regions of Los Lagos, Aysén and Magallanes."
Given this situation, he emphasized that "the key to success is the early notification by businesses and strengthen the early detection in farming centres."
Furthermore, SERNAPESCA report indicates that there have been significant reductions in parasite loads of sea lice or caligus in the regions of Magallanes, Los Lagos and Aysén.
This situation is reflected in fewer high spread centres (CAD), which is the indicator used by SERNAPESCA to measure this disease status.
Burgos attributed the decline to several factors, among which he mentioned: an improvement in environmental conditions, better management by the industry and the improvement of the control programme.
"Treatment rotation has also been prominent in parasite control and we hope they it can be maintained now that the difficult period (second half of the year) begins and we are starting it with lower loads than those we had in the same period last year," he pointed out.
Salmon Rickettsial Syndrome (SRS) is currently the leading cause of mortality in the salmon industry, particularly in trout farming.
While trout mortality associated with the disease has declined, SERNAPESCA believes that "this is far from being a good health status." To the authority, the challenge is to modify its control programme "to generate a greater impact in reducing this disease."
Moreover, SERNAPESCA director acknowledged that they are concerned about the onset of a syndrome affecting trout.
"We coined the name of the trout’s idiopathic syndrome (SIT) and we are still investigating this issue, but I want to be emphatic in reiterating that all analysis we have performed in Chile and Europe have been quite negative for the diseases offering the greatest risk," he said.
In his opinion, "it would be a different agent having quite milder epidemiological behavior and mortality rate than other diseases."
Related article:
- High-risk diseases discarded in farmed trout
- Salmon firms expect a good year
- ISA and sea lice prevalence in salmon on the rise