With the purpose of reactivating the economy in the coastal zones of Costa Rica, through the protection of a marine species for the promotion of tourism, the deputy Eli Feinzaig presented to the legislative current a new project under File 23,463, * “Law for promote the economic development of the coasts: Declaration of the sailfish as a national symbol in the economic, social and cultural development of Costa Rica”.*

The reason for this proposal is that sailfish is the main species that motivates sport fishing tourism, an activity that only in 2021 generated $520 million for the national GDP, according to data from the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA), for what its protection against incidental fishing is necessary for the generation of productive chains in tourism, which allow the economic development of the inhabitants of the coasts.

Data from 2019 from the Costa Rican Fisheries Federation (FECOP) showed that the population of this species presented a decrease of up to 70% within the territorial waters of Costa Rica, according to a recent study called "Trends and variability in local abundances Sailfish Istiophorus platyterus in Pacific waters of Costa Rica: Controls and effects on recreational fishing.

Source: fishcostarica

Japan’s imports of squid and cuttlefish continued to climb in the first half of 2022, from 67 781 tonnes during this period in 2020 to 72 169 tonnes in 2021 and to 77 760 tonnes in 2022 The largest supplier by far was China, which accounted for 61 percent of the total, followed by Peru with 12.5 percent.

China’s exports of squid and cuttlefish increased sharply again, from 247 767 tonnes in the first half of 2021 to 310 797 tonnes in the same period in 2022 (+25.4 percent). The largest markets were Japan, Thailand and the Republic of Korea. However, Korean imports of squid and cuttlefish declined by 13 percent during the first half of 2022, to 73 079 tonnes.

Spanish consumption of cephalopods is picking up again this year due to the return of tourists to the country. Imports of squid and cuttlefish increased from 123 138 tonnes during the first half of 2021 to 143 919 tonnes in the first half of 2022. Thus, the country is on track to a “normal” situation. As usual, the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) were the main supplier, followed by Peru and Morocco.

Source: FAO/Globefish

Global squid catches have declined considerably, from 3.1 million tonnes in 2000 to 2.9 million tonnes in 2020.

One solution to this is aquaculture, but farming squid has proved difficult. For the past 60 years, scientists have tried to establish squid aquaculture, but with minimal success. However, now a group of scientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology have developed a squid aquaculture system that may work and would be cheap enough to operate to compete with imported squid. The group claims to have succeeded in controlling the full life cycle of the squid.

The scientists at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology have grown 10 generations of the oval squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) and have been working closely with one commercial partner while also being in contact with five or six others. However, with squid prices being low, farming is not profitable at the moment.

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.

Source: poandpo

Brice Phillips is the vice president of sustainability and business development of Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.-based Phillips Foods, Inc. and Seafood Restaurants, a family-owned and -operated seafood company specializing in crab meat and crab cakes, as well as fish and shrimp value-added products. 

SeafoodSource: How did you steer Phillips through the Covid-19 pandemic?

Phillips: If we rewind back to April 2020, everyone spent two or three months watching the news about what's going on in China

Author: Cliff White / SeafoodSource | read the full article here

Aquafuture Spain´23, which will take place in Galicia from 28-30 March, is set to include a range of technical presentations and culinary events, as well as the main industry exhibition.

Taking place at the International Feira Campus of Galicia Abanca, near Santiago de Compostela, topics set for discussion include financing sustainable aquaculture, the circular economy, precision aquaculture, international market opportunities, adapting to climate change, probiotics, renewable energy, animal welfare, transport, storage and the responsible use of plastics.

Source: TheFishSite | read the full article here

The Parliament and the European Council have reached an agreement on the new European Union regulation on cleaner maritime fuels, the "FuelEU" initiative, included within the "Fit for 55" package, to reduce emissions from ships by a 2% from 2025 and 80% from 2050 and thus help the EU achieve climate neutrality. This agreement, in which the fishing fleet remains outside, is provisional. It must be approved by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Council and the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the Parliament and, subsequently, by the Parliament and the Council as a whole.

Source: IndustriasPesqueras | Read the full article here

Meet Ms Rhea Moss-Christian, Executive Director for Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, who discusses the crucial support provided by the Pacific Community in the tuna stock assessment during the 15th SPC's Heads of Fisheries Meeting.

The Sitka Sound Sac Roe herring fishery will go on two-hour notice on Thursday morning (3-23-23). That means at any time after that, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game can announce a fishery opening with two hours warning. 

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Monday conducted aerial surveys of Sitka Sound from Cape Burunof to St. Lazaria Island. According to a press release from the department, no spawn or herring schools were observed during their flights. 

Herring predators were widely dispersed, but groups of humpback whales were observed near Inner Point, north of Middle Island, and south of Galankin Island. Groups of sea lions were observed near Inner Point, Mountain Point, and Bieli Rock. Department and industry vessels surveyed from Indian River to Deep Inlet and from Inner Point to Mountain Point.

From boats, several herring schools were observed from Indian River to Deep Inlet and from Inner Point to Mountain Point, as well as southeast of Big Gavanski Island.

Source: kcaw

Fishery and community groups aiming to save Scotland’s iconic wild salmon have been urged to bid for a share of a £145,000 funding pot.

Salmon Scotland has issued a reminder to organisations and projects that they have until March 31 to apply to its ‘wild fisheries fund’.

The fund is part of a £1.5 million commitment from Scotland's salmon farmers to support the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of wild salmon populations.

Projects which receive grants will aim to stem the decades-long decline in wild fish numbers through habitat protection, protection from predators, and restocking programmes.

Habitat loss and rising river temperatures – primarily due to climate change – have impacted on wild salmon and sea trout populations throughout the UK and all over the Scottish coastline.

Source: strathspey-herald