The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) alongside UK Fishing Administrations (UKFAs) and the Isle of Man Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) are closing ICES area 6a and 7a to the queen scallop (Aequipecten Opercularis) fishery from 1 April – 30 June 2023.

The closure is designed to offer protection for queen scallops during part of their spawning season and support future growth in the population. Further information on the scientific evidence collected on queen scallops is available here: AFBI report and Bangor University report.

Source: FishFocus | Read the full article here

Mowi’s Scotland business endured a challenging year in 2022, the company has disclosed in its annual report published today.

The problems mainly centred around poor production and high mortality on stocks grown from externally sourced eggs, in addition to issues with micro-jellyfish bloom and SRS (Salmon Rickettsial Syndrome) following the warmest summer on record in Scotland.

Author: Vince McDonagh / FishFarmer | Read the full article here

Seafood trade flows have changed dramatically in recent years, according to Rabobank International Senior Industry Analyst Gorjan Nikolik.

Speaking at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum, Nikolik said China has transitioned from being world’s biggest seafood exporter to becoming a net importer. That has elevated Norway to the top position after more than a decade in second place, but it may not hold on to the position for very long as Ecuador is firmly on course to overtake via the continued growth of its shrimp industry.

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

Andfjord Salmon is moving forward with its plan to increase production at its onshore continuous flow system in Kvalnes, Norway, according to its Q4 2022 financial update.

Andfjord Salmon CEO Martin Rasmussen told shareholders in a fourth-quarter 2022 results presentation that the company had "successfully provided a proof of concept" with its first large salmon pool, which was restocked with smolts in June 2022.

Source: Aqua | Read the full article here

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been implementing a major fisheries and aquaculture development program that has shown significant potential to boost these industries in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Tanzania, Guyana, and the Marshall Islands, increasing their self-sufficiency, creating jobs, and maintaining biological stock levels.

The nations are the first five of 12 African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) states that FISH4ACP, a global aquaculture program for the development of the fish value chain, has examined. This Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS) initiative is being carried out by FAO and focuses on increasing the productivity and sustainability of the value chains in fisheries and aquaculture.

Supporting women is given special attention because of their critical role in fish value chains, which are the entire process of adding value to the product.

Source: technologytimes

The Junta de Andalucía has summoned aid for forced stoppages of the fishing and shellfish fleet. The subsidies are directed to owners and crew members of the 210 boats and 900 affected fishermen. Specifically, 96 boats and 400 crew from the Mediterranean and 114 boats and 500 crew from the Gulf of Cádiz.

As explained by the Board, the aid has been agreed upon with the sector and "allows for the compensation of the fishing effort made by shipowners and crew, for which reason the processing of these and their prompt perception has been facilitated."

Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here

Leading representatives of Scotland's fishing industry have called on the Scottish Government to have a "radical rethink" on its plans to introduce new conservation zones at sea.

The newly-proposed Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), which are currently under consultation, would close at least 10% of the seas around Scotland.

It means commercial and recreational fishing would be banned in those zones.

Scotland's existing network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) already covers approximately 37% of its seas.

Scottish Government ministers insist they will conserve marine ecosystems, while continuing to provide economic and social benefits.

But the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF), which represents Scotland's fishermen's associations, said HPMAs will have a "catastrophic impact" on the industry.

Members said the current plans "lack ecological justification and were being introduced for purely political reasons".

SFF cheif executive Elspeth Macdonald said the Scottish Government's blue economy plans "have been hijacked by the Greens and will push the fishing industry into the red".

Author/Source: Katharine Hay/The Scotsman

GEORGE TOWN: If you have been raising your eyebrows over the prices of various meats, here is some good news.

Catches from the sea by inshore fishermen in Penang are pouring in, sometimes so much that even storing them has become a challenge.

Large shrimps are especially plentiful, followed by silver pomfrets.

“During low seasons, we would receive only between 50kg and 60kg of prawns from fishermen each day.

“Since end-January, we received much more, averaging between 100kg and 200kg and up to 500kg daily,” said a fishmonger who wished to be known only as Siang at Cecil Street Market yesterday.

Siang said fishmongers were committed to buy everything caught by inshore fishermen, which has led to another challenge of storing them.

“Due to tremendous supply, we reduced the price of large prawns from RM60 per kg to as low as RM53 per kg so that people will buy more.

Inshore fishermen in the south of Penang island confirm that catches have been good, particularly large prawns and also “everyday fish” like cencaru (torpedo scad, popularly stuffed with sambal belacan and then fried throughout Malaysia).

Pak Wan, a 57-year-old fisherman in Balik Pulau, said he had not seen prawns in his net for over a year but they started returning about two weeks ago.

Source: thestar

Ireland’s Tuna CHART bluefin tuna sea angling survey programme for 2023 has opened for charter skippers to apply.

Anglers in Ireland will once again have the opportunity to catch and release bluefin tuna in 2023 through the continuation of the Tuna CHART (CatcH And Release Tagging) programme that has been in operation around our coast since 2019.

Experienced charter skippers are now invited to apply to take part in this year’s Atlantic bluefin tuna scientific survey programme of Irish waters.

Building on the successes of the Tuna CHART programmes of 2019-2022, this scientific data collection catch-and-release fishery for Ireland will again operate in 2023.

A maximum of 25 authorisations may be granted to qualifying angling charter vessel skippers around the Irish coast for this fishery, which opens on 1 July and closes on 12 November.

The Tuna CHART programme is a collaborative scientific programme between Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) and the Marine Institute in partnership with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority

Source: afloat.ie

SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard and Federated States of Micronesia National Police conducted a successful at-sea engagement to combat illegal fishing in Yap State on March 16, 2023.

The crews of USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) and the FSS Tosiwo Nakayama (P901) conducted a joint patrol near Yap State in support of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency's Operation 365, part of the FFA's regional monitoring control and surveillance operations to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in the Pacific.

"The crew enjoyed conducting a professional exchange including navigation and seamanship training during a close-quarters formation steaming with our colleagues aboard the FSS Tosiwo Nakayama before they pulled into Yap," said Lt. Freddy Hofschneider, commanding officer of the Oliver Henry.

The Tosiwo Nakayama is currently FSM's only active Guardian-class patrol boat. Under the Australian Pacific Maritime Security Program, Australia is delivering 22 Guardian-class Patrol Boats to 12 Pacific Island nations and Timor-Lesté. They also provide additional training to enable nations to make the most out of this capability.

Source: dvidshub