Russia's total fish catch this year has reached 4,241,100 tons, with pollock cementing its position as the industry's main component.

According to the Center for Ecology and Evaluation of the Russian Agricultural Bank, pollock accounts for an impressive 46.7% of the total catch, representing a 6.8% increase over the previous year.

The overall fishing industry shows improvement, though sector performance is mixed:

• Herring saw the second-largest share at 13.2%, up by a substantial 31.4% year-on-year.

• Salmon is in third place, accounting for 7.9%, following a significant 42.6% increase.

• In contrast, cod catches declined by 19.1% compared to 2024, now making up just 6% of the total.

• Mackerel saw a slight increase of 3.1%.

Oleg Knyazkov, Deputy Head of the Center for Ecological Expertise at the Russian Agricultural Bank, noted that while the industry is improving, restrictions on cod fishing remain, with a final resolution expected soon. Conditions are anticipated to improve significantly in the next fishing season.

Detailed analytical data on the fishing industry will be presented at the 11th International Conference "Fish. Full Cycle: Aquaculture, Processing, and Utilization," scheduled for February 18–20, 2026, in St. Petersburg.

A £1.7 million research project into farmed Scottish salmon smolts revealed clear physiological differences between fish reared in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and those raised in loch systems.

Among other things, RAS-reared fish displayed altered osmoregulatory markers, including ATPase (energy converting enzymes) and chloride levels, as well as changes in blood biochemistry, the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) reports in a case study about the Robust Smolt project.

Source: fishfarmingexpert | Raed the full article here

Exploration Vessel Nautilus, operated by the Ocean Exploration Trust, successfully completed a ground-breaking three-week mission to map and explore the Cook Islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This collaborative effort, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through its Ocean Exploration program and supported by a grant to the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI), marks a significant milestone in strengthening U.S.-Cook Islands partnerships in marine resource management.

Guided by priorities set by the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA), the expedition employed remotely operated vehicles, advanced mapping technology, and telepresence to collect critical data on abyssal plain habitats.

Source: Fish Focus | Raed the full article here

We are proud to share a significant milestone in our sustainability journey: Havsbrún’s feed production facility has officially been certified to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Feed Standard.

This prestigious certification reflects our ongoing commitment to responsible feed production and sustainable aquaculture practices. The ASC Feed Standard establishes strict requirements for both environmental and social responsibility across the entire feed supply chain - from sourcing raw materials to production and traceability.

At Bakkafrost, sustainability is at the core of everything we do. This achievement is a key step toward our company strategy: to have all our salmon ASC-certified, ensuring that every part of our value chain meets the highest international standards for sustainability and transparency.

“This certification of Havsbrún is a major step towards our goal of having all our salmon ASC-certified,” says Regin Jacobsen, CEO of Bakkafrost.“It demonstrates the strength of our integrated value chain and our commitment to responsible aquaculture - from feed to fork.”

The European Union is failing to keep illicit seafood products from entering its borders, despite having some of the strongest illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing restrictions on paper, according to the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).

The NGO – along with Oceana, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Nature Conservancy, and WWF EU, all of which comprise the E.U.’s IUU Fishing Coalition – has warned in a new report – “Beyond CATCH: Why E.U. import controls still fail to keep illegal seafood out of the market” – that this flow of IUU products into the bloc is creating “dangerous loopholes” 

Author: Jason Holland / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here

Fish farmer Nordic Halibut has just published its third quarter results, showing how the company has benefited from the sharp rise in the price of whitefish across Europe.

Nordic Halibut has reported a 39% increase in year on year revenues, at NOK 24.1 million (£1.8m) with the EBITDA at NOK 17.6 million (£1.3m).

The company said its biological asset production at sea, of 584 tonnes, represented a 22% increase compared to the biomass volume at the beginning of the quarter.

Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here 

Leonora Lysglimt Rødland crashes social media with salmon reveal.

Miss Norway Universe 2025, Leonora Lysglimt-Rødland, attracted international attention after appearing in the Miss Universe preliminary round wearing a national costume inspired by a Norwegian salmon.

The 19-year-old from Oslo wore a silver and pink outfit featuring scales, fins and a stylised salmon head, designed as a tribute to Norway’s maritime heritage and its position as one of the world’s largest salmon exporters.

Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here

CHANCAY. With the goal of modernizing fishing infrastructure in the northern coastal region, the President of the Republic, José Jerí, inaugurated the new Chancay Artisanal Fishing Landing (DPA).

The project, which required an investment equivalent to US$ 5.1 million (S/ 19.3 million), promises to transform local economic dynamics and improve working conditions for over 1,700 people dedicated to fishing.

Accompanied by the Minister of Production, César Quispe Luján, the President highlighted during the ceremony that this delivery "represents the path towards a country that modernizes its services," dignifying an activity vital for the nation's food security.

State-of-the-Art Infrastructure The project, executed by the National Fund for Fisheries Development (FONDEPES), was 100% completed on September 29 and holds a Technical Conformity Certificate. Key facilities include:

• Two cold storage chambers and an ice plant.
• Specialized areas for filleting and commercialization.
• A maneuvering yard with washing and disinfection systems.
• A modern jetty pier with a low platform and fenders.

The DPA has also held sanitary authorization since August 15, 2025, ensuring that seafood products meet the highest quality standards from the moment they are landed until their sale.

PUERTO MADRYN. En un esfuerzo conjunto por modernizar la cadena de valor pesquera, el CENPAT-CONICET fue sede del taller “La trazabilidad pesquera en las plantas de procesamiento”, un encuentro clave que reunió a autoridades gubernamentales, cámaras empresariales y expertos internacionales.

The session, led by Fabián Ballesteros—a traceability specialist and consultant for the FAO and United Nations—focused on strengthening the sector's capabilities to adopt electronic traceability systems. This technology is fundamental for ensuring the transparency, control, and global competitiveness of Argentine fishery products.

Cross-Sector Collaboration The event was driven by an alliance between the Circle of Environmental Policies (CPA), the Argentine Patagonian Chamber of Fishing Industries (CAPIP), and the Observatory of the Argentine Fishing System (OSPA), with the backing of the Chubut Secretariat of Fisheries.

During the opening, authorities agreed on the urgent need to create spaces for coordination between the State, private industry, and scientific academia. Key figures in attendance included:

• Andrés Arbeletche, Secretary of Fisheries of Chubut.
• Luis Pérez, Manager of CAPIP.
• Nicolás Ortiz, Director of CENPAT-CONICET.
• Soledad Schulze (Director of OSPA) and Consuelo Bilbao (Political Director of the CPA).

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