IN BRIEF - New Zealand: Members of black market cray fish poaching ring sentenced to home detention, community work
NEW ZEALAND
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Members of an East Coast black market crayfish poaching ring that netted thousands of dollars in illegal sales have been sentenced to home detention and community work.
The sentences, in the Whakatane District Court, follow a major Fisheries New Zealand investigation that ran from December 2020 to August 2021 into the illegal harvesting of thousands of crayfish from Mahia Peninsula, using falsified customary permits. The crayfish was sold on the black-market throughout Auckland, Kawerau, Tauranga, Gisborne, Wairoa, Mahia, and Napier.
Fisheries New Zealand regional compliance manager Jodie Cole says local iwi and marae leaders had no knowledge or involvement in the offending and are also victims of the deception.
"The blame for this offending lies squarely with the defendants."
The ringleaders, Martin Te Iwingaro Ernest Paul and his daughter Whareake Tamaku Paul (26), both of Kawerau, earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of selling 1,449 crayfish between September 2020 and August 2021 on the black-market for a total of $43,140.
Mr Paul received 9 months’ home detention and Ms Paul received 8 months home detention and 100 hours community work. A vehicle and a number of electronic devices used in the offending were also forfeit.
China has called on Japan to strictly observe the China-Japan Fisheries Agreement following the seizure of a Chinese fishing vessel in waters off southwestern Japan.
According to Mainichi, citing the Japan Fisheries Agency, the Chinese captain was released at 7:55 pm Friday after submitting a written guarantee for bail. He had been arrested after Japanese authorities claimed he attempted to evade inspection upon entering Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
The incident occurred on Thursday, with 11 crew members aboard the vessel, described by Kyodo News as a “tiger net fishing boat” commonly used to catch mackerel and horse mackerel. It marked the first seizure of a Chinese fishing boat by Japan since 2022, the Japan Times reported.
Speaking at a press briefing, Lin Jian, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said China requires its fishermen to comply with laws and firmly protects their legitimate rights. He urged Japan to ensure fair law enforcement and safeguard the crew’s safety.
The Chinese Consulate General in Fukuoka is assisting with the crew’s return.
Earlier this week, Wu Jianghao, Chinese Ambassador to Japan, warned that bilateral ties face their most severe challenges since diplomatic normalization.
The Ministry of Fisheries has uncovered cases of underreporting in Fiji’s seafood export sector, with several companies declaring lower volumes than those actually shipped overseas.
Acting Permanent Secretary for Fisheries Saimone Tauvoli said a review of export data revealed significant discrepancies between company reports and official shipment records. “There were clear gaps between what was declared and what left our shores,” he stated.
In response, fisheries officials have been deployed to seafood outlets nationwide to monitor trade activities and ensure compliance. The Ministry is also cross-checking catch data directly with fishers and verifying that buyers hold valid licences.
Tauvoli stressed that only licensed sellers must operate in the trade to prevent the confiscation of produce and protect fishers’ incomes. He added that while pricing depends on quality, preventing spoilage and ensuring fair treatment of fishers remain top priorities.
The Ministry of Fisheries confirmed monitoring efforts will continue in collaboration with industry stakeholders to safeguard the integrity of Fiji’s export industry.
After years of suspension, the iconic Argungu International Fishing Festival has returned to Argungu, in Kebbi State, northwestern Nigeria, drawing thousands to the waters of the Matan Fadan River, a UNESCO heritage site.
On Saturday, President Bola Tinubu joined crowds of spectators as fishermen competed to land the largest catch using only traditional tools such as hand-woven nets and calabash gourds. Some relied solely on their bare hands.
This year’s champion hauled in a massive 59kg (130-pound) croaker, earning a cash prize, while others sold their fish to boost the local economy. The river remains closed year-round and is overseen by the Sarkin Ruwa, or water chief.
Founded in 1934 to celebrate peace between the Sokoto Caliphate and the Argungu emirate, the festival ran for decades before insecurity and infrastructure challenges forced its suspension in 2010. After a brief return in 2020, the revival marks a renewed symbol of unity and cultural pride.
Asian cellular agriculture firm Avant is winding down its Singapore research subsidiary, Avant Proteins, but says it remains committed to securing approval for its cultivated seafood in the city-state.
Carrie Chan, Co-Founder, and CEO with Mario Chin, Co-Founder & CSO
Headquartered in Hong Kong, the startup is known for its cultivated fish technology and marine peptide platform, with research operations previously based in Singapore. According to a notice published in the Singapore Government Gazette and reported by The Straits Times, the Singapore entity is being voluntarily wound up.
In a statutory declaration, co-founder and CEO Carrie Chan said the company “cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its business.”
The move reflects ongoing consolidation in the cultivated protein sector across Asia. However, Avant stressed it is not shutting down entirely. In a recent LinkedIn post, the company confirmed it is still pursuing regulatory approval in Singapore and plans to take its “next step to support the industry in a different way.”
While its local research arm closes, Avant’s broader ambitions in cultivated seafood remain in focus.
A growing debate has emerged over Iceland’s proposed aquaculture legislation, as nearly 1,000 comments have been submitted on a draft bill introduced by Minister of Fisheries and Industry Hanna Katrín Friðriksson.
Most of the feedback focuses on salmon farming in sea cages, with minimal attention given to land-based aquaculture — a disparity industry leaders say highlights a fundamental issue with the proposed law.
Lárus Ásgeirsson, chairman of Laxey in Vestmannaeyjar and head of the land-based aquaculture division of the Farmers Association of Iceland (BÍ), argues that the two sectors should not be regulated under the same legislation.
“We want to clearly separate land-based aquaculture from sea-cage farming,” Ásgeirsson said in an interview with 200 mílur.
He and other representatives maintain that land-based fish farming, conducted in closed systems on land, more closely resembles livestock agriculture than marine cage operations. Reflecting that view, the land-based aquaculture interest group operates within BÍ, which has formally submitted comments on the bill.
Industry stakeholders now urge lawmakers to introduce a separate bill tailored specifically to land-based aquaculture.
TOKYO – The Norwegian Seafood Council has appointed global communications agency Burson to lead integrated communications in Japan, expanding their partnership beyond Korea.
Under the new mandate, Burson will deliver strategic counsel and integrated campaigns across earned media, influencer engagement, industry communications and brand activations. The goal is to boost awareness, consideration and consumption of Norwegian seafood in two of the world’s leading seafood markets.
“Burson has delivered excellent strategic thinking and proven performance in Korea,” said Johan Kvalheim, counsellor fisheries at the
Following a record-breaking edition in 2025, Nor-Shipping will be held in Oslo and Lillestrøm from June 7-11, 2027, and will be supported by maritime companies that have already signed on as partners.
Two well-known names have secured key partner positions: banking giant DNB and DNV, the world's leading classification society, are renewing their contracts after the success of Nor-Shipping 2025. They are joined by internationally renowned partners: Abu Dhabi-based ADNOC and Noatum Maritime, two major players in the sector, are joining forces with pioneering Jotun, the recently spun-off Kongsberg Maritime, and leading insurance company SKULD.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
Iceland foods expands ASC-labelled seafood range with new launches. Iceland Foods is strengthening its commitment to responsibly farmed seafood, by expanding its Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) labelled range
Following last year’s progress, which saw the retailer increase its own-label ASC seafood lines and set a target to exceed 25 certified products by the end of 2026, this latest rollout gives customers an even wider choice of sustainable options in-store and online.
The expansion includes several new ASC-certified products, bringing Iceland’s total ASC range to 15 products.
The AKVA aquaculture technology group delivered a 41% plus increase in its fourth quarter revenues, the company said today.
The figure was NOK 1,113 million (£85m) an increase of NOK 321 million (£24m) on a year earlier.
AKVA described the quarter as a period of high revenues and a strong order book.
The land based division chalked up record high quarterly revenues of NOK 422 million (£32m), an increase of NOK 205 million (almost £16m) or 94% compared to Q4 in 2024.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
Havforskningsinstituttet: Record increase in Norwegian salmon production in 2025.
Norwegian farmed salmon production rose by 200,000 tonnes between 2024 and 2025, marking the largest year-on-year increase since official statistics began in 1980, according to the Institute of Marine Research’s 2026 risk report.
Total output growth occurred despite a lower average number of fish standing in the sea in 2025 compared with the previous year, suggesting improved utilisation of existing production capacity.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
Meet the Sea Rangers – Germany’s New Stewards of the Baltic Sea Germany
EU-funded program retrains fishers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, safeguarding coastal heritage while restoring marine ecosystems
For generations, fishers have formed the backbone of Germany's Bal...
Russia’s Total Fish Catch Surpasses 500,000 Tons in Early 2026 Russia Fed.
Far Eastern Basin Leads as Pollock and Herring Drive Strong Seasonal Performance
According to the latest figures from the industry monitoring system of the Federal Agency for Fisheries ...
NEW ZEALAND 10_51_35(2).png)
JAPAN.png)
According to Mainichi, citing the Japan Fisheries Agency, the Chinese captain was released at 7:55 pm Friday after submitting a written guarantee for bail. He had been arrested after Japanese authorities claimed he attempted to evade inspection upon entering Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
FIJI
The Ministry of Fisheries has uncovered cases of underreporting in Fiji’s seafood export sector, with several companies declaring lower volumes than those actually shipped overseas.
NIGERIA
SINGAPORE
ICELAND
Most of the feedback focuses on salmon farming in sea cages, with minimal attention given to land-based aquaculture — a disparity industry leaders say highlights a fundamental issue with the proposed law..png)
NORWAY
Following a record-breaking edition in 2025, 
UNITED KINGDOM
The 
Havforskningsinstituttet: Record increase in Norwegian salmon production in 2025.
