IN BRIEF - Ihavandhoo fisheries complex project inaugurated
MALDIVES
Thursday, January 30, 2025
In a special ceremony held in Haa Alifu atoll Ihavandhoo, the ground breaking of the complex was initiated by the Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam, Ihavandhoo council’s president Ahmed Sobah, and CEO of Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) Vitaly Lyubimov.
The project is a collaborative effort between the Maldives government and the Islamic Development Bank, and will see the establishment of a 1,000-ton cold storage facility and a 50-ton brine freezing facility in the complex as well.
A quay wall of 137 meters, a fish-weighing jetty, and a channel with a depth of 3.5 meters will be developed at the harbor of the complex, with the prospective of 150 new employment opportunities. The complex will also feature administrative and utility blocks.
Speaking about the initiative, Minister of Fisheries had noted the people of Ihavandhoo had been anticipating the project for long, and is aimed at easing the public in several aspects.
He noted that fishers in the region currently have to travel to Felivaru to sell their catches currently, which incur expenses for them in terms of fuel and time.
He further added the project will boost the Maldivian fisheries industry as well.
The current cold storage capacity throughout the Maldives is 8,500 tons, while the current government is aiming to increase this capacity to 25,000 tons.
The World Aquaculture Society (WAS) has announced that the 2025 World Aquaculture event will now be held in Hyderabad, India, instead of its originally planned location in Qingdao, China.
Originally scheduled for April 24-27, 2025, in Qingdao, the event has been moved to November 10-13, 2025, and will take place at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre – Novotel. The decision was made “after careful consideration of current circumstances,” according to WAS.
In a press release, WAS stated: “This relocation allows us to continue providing an exceptional experience for our attendees. Despite the challenges posed by this change, we are committed to ensuring a successful event and are excited about the opportunities this new location presents. We believe it is a positive development and the right time to return to India after our first successful experience.”
This marks WAS’s return to India since the Asian Pacific Aquaculture 2019 (APA19) event in Chennai. Hyderabad, a hub for India’s maritime development, boasts a thriving marine economy and industry, making it an ideal host f
AISA Group, a Spanish consortium led by businessman Juan José Retamero, has acquired Cabo Vírgenes SA, a 15-year-old Chubut-based fishing company. This acquisition follows a multi-million dollar investment in San Juan to reactivate the Gualcamayo mine.
Cabo Vírgenes specializes in catching, processing and marketing seafood. Based in Rawson, Chubut, it has a fleet and processing plants and currently exports to over 50 countries. While its production is diversified, prawns are its main commercial product.
Its main plant is located just 400 meters from the port of Rawson, covers an area of more than 10,000 m2 and is equipped with modern processing and packaging systems. It has a freezing capacity of 60 tons per day, allowing it to produce and export more than 10,000 tons annually with excellent standards of freshness and quality.
Cabo Vírgenes also has an operations center in Palencia, Spain. From there, all international logistics, marketing and, in some cases, reprocessing are coordinated, generating more value added to production.
The company has state-of-the-art cold storage facilities in Argentina and Spain, which operate at -27°C and offer a storage capacity of over 5,000 European pallets, ensuring the availability and optimal preservation of products for the most demanding markets.
Franchise Business Incubation Co., Ltd., a company dedicated to supporting franchise operations, is excited to announce the opening of its newest eel specialty restaurant, "Unagi no Naruse Fukai Branch," on February 1st. Embracing the concept of "Fill your belly with delicious eel!", the restaurant operates under an owner-operated system and aims to provide a satisfying dining experience for all.
Since its inception, Unagi no Naruse has offered its signature unaju (eel rice bowl) in three portion sizes. Starting August 10, 2024, the restaurant will introduce three new price points for the same portion sizes, making it even more accessible to a wider audience.
Unagi no Naruse is designed to be a welcoming eel specialty restaurant for everyone, regardless of age or gender. Driven by the mission to make the beloved Japanese dish unagi-ju more accessible, the company opened its first location, Unagi no Naruse Yokohama, in September 2022. Since then, the brand has expanded rapidly, operating multiple stores since February 2023 and now boasting over 340 locations nationwide.
In response to rising prices, Unagi no Naruse Fukai Branch is committed to offering high-quality, delicious eel at affordable prices. By systematizing in-store operations and optimizing opening hours to reduce labor costs, the restaurant ensures that customers can enjoy premium eel without breaking the bank.
The company invites everyone to visit the new Fukai Branch and experience the rich flavors of its eel dishes.
Argentina this week launched a month long cruise assessment of the sub-Patagonic squid, Illex Argentinus, on board the Ocean Fisheries Research Vessel, Victor Angelescu. The area of research will extend between parallels 46 and 51 degrees south.
Scientists and marine biologists will try to confirm the distribution and concentration areas of the sub-Patagonic stock along the Patagonia sea shelf and trench along a band at 100/500 isobaths. The biomass and abundance will be checked by the sweeping method, as well as determining distribution and abundance linked to summer spawning.
Biological samples of squid will be analyzed to help determine environment parameters of temperature and salinity, for an oceanographic diagnosis of the researched area, helping to estimate abundance and distribution of summer stocks.
Finally the Argentine National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development, INIDEP, based in Mar del Plata, points out the significance of this week’s scientific cruise, the first of which was accomplished back in 1994.
The company announced that the largest biomass will be cultivated during the first half of this year for harvesting, processing and marketing.
The Board of Directors of Camanchaca, in an extraordinary session dated January 28, 2025, and based on the negative results of the North Crops Division, dedicated to the cultivation of abalones, and which has meant losses in Ebitda of US$9.3 million between 2016 and September 2024, and after having unsuccessfully explored different alternatives to recover its profitability, has decided to close this division.
The Galician chain Supermercados Gadis is the favourite Galician supermarket chain for buying fish. This is according to the latest study by the OCU, which has measured the degree of customer satisfaction with 46 supermarkets and hypermarkets in Spain. Taking into account various assessment criteria, it is the only distribution company in Galicia with its fishmongers among the 10 best in Spain.
"Gadis has always prioritised the fresh fish and seafood section, one of the hallmarks of its points of sale," the supermarket says.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras l Read the full article here
China’s oyster imports softened significantly in 2024, particularly hurting the nation’s key supplier: France.
Official customs data shows China imported 1,570 metric tons (MT) of oysters last year, down on the 2,090 MT imported the year before and down even more than the 2,130 MT China bought in 2022.
France saw its shipments fall from 1,240 tons exported in 2023 to 909 MT last year.
Author: Mark Godfrey / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here
Salmon is London Heathrow’s single biggest export by volume. Salmon Scotland comment on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ speech.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said:
“According to the most recent study, from Frontier Economics, a third runway could increase potential GDP by 0.43% by 2050. Over half – 60% of that boost – would go to areas outside of London and the south-east, including increasing trade opportunities for products like Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon, already two of the biggest British exports out of Heathrow.”
Mowi has entered into an agreement with Vigner Olaisen AS to purchase its shares in Nova Sea AS. This will increase Mowi's ownership in the company from 49% to 95%.
Mowi, which is already the world's biggest salmon farmer, will then make a voluntary offer to the remaining shareholders, the company stated in a press release today.
Nova Sea is engaged in salmon farming in production area 8 in Northern Norway and covers the entire value chain from broodstock and smolt production to harvest and sales. The company expects to harvest 52,000 tonnes of salmon in 2025.
Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here
Seawork, Europe’s leading commercial marine and workboat exhibition, has announced a new feature for its 2025 edition – a third hall, dedicated to associations in the marine sector.
The organisers, Mercator Media, said the new Associations Hall represents part of its ongoing growth and commitment to fostering industry collaboration.
Seawork 2025 takes place over 10-12 June in Southampton, on England’s south coast.
Building on the success of previous years, the expanded Hall 3 will become a dynamic Association Zone, welcoming both long-term supporters and first-time exhibitors.
Russia Joins the Top 5 Global Surimi Producers Russia Fed.
Russia has achieved a significant milestone in the global seafood industry, emerging as one of the top five surimi producers worldwide. In 2024, Russian fishermen increased pollock surimi production&m...
MALDIVES
INDIA
Originally scheduled for April 24-27, 2025, in Qingdao, the event has been moved to November 10-13, 2025, and will take place at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre – Novotel. The decision was made “after careful consideration of current circumstances,” according to WAS.
ARGENTINA.png)
Cabo Vírgenes
JAPAN
Scientists and marine biologists will try to confirm the distribution and concentration areas of the sub-Patagonic stock along the Patagonia sea shelf and trench along a band at 100/500 isobaths. The biomass and abundance will be checked by the sweeping method, as well as determining distribution and abundance linked to summer spawning.
CHILE
The company announced that the largest biomass will be cultivated during the first half of this year for harvesting, processing and marketing.
SPAIN
The Galician chain Supermercados Gadis is the favourite Galician supermarket chain for buying fish. This is according to the latest study by the OCU, which has measured the degree of customer satisfaction with 46 supermarkets and hypermarkets in Spain. Taking into account various assessment criteria, it is the only distribution company in Galicia with its fishmongers among the 10 best in Spain.
CHINA
China’s oyster imports softened significantly in 2024, particularly hurting the nation’s key supplier: France.
UNITED KINGDOM
Salmon is London Heathrow’s single biggest export by volume. Salmon Scotland comment on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ speech.
NORWAY
Mowi
Seawork
