The top five kaiten-zushi (rotary or conveyor-belt sushi) type chains in Japan saw big declines in April, when restaurants were asked to close by 8 p.m. and were told to set the last order for alcohol at 7 p.m.

By sales and number of outlets, the top five chains are Akindo Sushiro, Kura Corporation, Hama Zushi, Kappa Zushi, and Genki Zushi.

Suita, Osaka-based Sushiro Global Holdings (SGH), which owns Akindo Sushiro – the largest of the five chains – gave a rough estimate of COVID-19’s impact on its business in its investor relations information. Sushiro Japan stores have seen same-store sales compared to last year decline every month since February. February saw a drop of 5 percent, March dropped 25 percent, and April saw the largest impact so far with a 60 percent drop in sales.

Author: Chris Loew / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here

The sablefish season in Prince William Sound has been extended through Dec. 31 due to health issues related to the COVID-19, Alaska Department of Fish and Game officials announced on Tuesday, May 19.

The fishery opened on April 15, with a guideline harvest level of 167,000 pounds. By regulation the season would conclude on Aug. 31.

Under Alaska’s health mandates 10, 11 and 12, commercial fishing is an essential business and is part of Alaska’s essential services and critical infrastructure, but these mandates also impose protocols to be followed by all harvesters. Commercial fishermen are advised to ensure that all travel and other activities in support of commercial fishing operations follow protocols at covid19.alaska.gov/health-mandates.

Source: The Cordova Times

The Japanese government was set to end its nationwide state of emergency by lifting the order for Tokyo, its surrounding areas and Hokkaido on Monday, allowing more parts of the economy to re-open as new coronavirus cases tail off.

Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said the government’s advisory panel had approved the plan, setting off a process to lift the measure later Monday for the areas still under the decree, a week ahead of schedule.

“There is no longer a need for a state of emergency in any part of the country,” Nishimura said at the opening of the panel’s meeting. He added afterward that the government would seek to guard against the infection while re-opening the economy.

Tokyo, with its surrounding prefectures of Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama, has a combined population of about 35 million people and an annual output of ¥182.2 trillion ($1.7 trillion), which in global terms would make it the 11th largest economy on the planet.

Dozens of firefighters battled the blaze early on Saturday.

BBC reports that 130 firefighters fought a huge fire at a warehouse at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf.

No injuries were reported and the blaze was extinguished. A fire boat was used to save the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, a liberty ship that stormed Normandy on D-Day in 1944.

The Port of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is the centre of Northern California’s commercial and sport fishing fleets. The Wharf’s Pier 45 houses the West Coast’s largest concentration of commercial fish processors and distributors.

Source: SalmonBusiness| Read the full article here

The impact of Covid-19 on the aquaculture and processing sectors is to be investigated by members of the Scottish Parliament.

The sectors will be included in a look at how the pandemic has affected transport services and the rural economy.

Holyrood’s Rural Economy and Connectivity (REC) Committee has issued a call for evidence on the Scottish Government’s response to the pandemic.

Views are sought on the impact of the emergency and the implications for public transport of easing the lockdown over the coming weeks and months.

Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here

Member companies of the Council of Argentine Fishing Companies (CEPA), together with other firms within the fishing sector, have pledged to make a contribution to the local government to carry out Covid-19 testing in Mar del Plata and Batán.

This will provide the community with 10,000 new laboratory tests, focused on staff from the health and security sectors.

‘Thanks to an important donation from five fishing companies in Mar del Plata associated with CEPA and the collaboration of members of other chambers of fishing activity, the municipality will have new resources to combat the coronavirus,’ explained the municipality’s Darío Socrate.

Author: Quentin Bates / FiskerForum | Read the full article here

Ibercisa Deck Machinery is back at work after a brief period of obligatory closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company’s technical, sales and aftersales departments remained open, working remotely and at full capacity.

"There is a lot of work to accomplish before a project materialises," explained a spokesperson for the deck machinery company, based in Vigo in northwest Spain.

Source: WorldFishing | Read the full article here

Grupo Ricardo Fuentes begins next Monday the fishing season for bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean. The company, which has created 260 new direct jobs for this campaign, has implemented all the necessary safety measures (including PCR tests and ship disinfection) to guarantee the health of international workers and observers participating in it.

The bluefin tuna fishing campaign in the Mediterranean is essential to guarantee the supply of this precious food 365 days a year. Bluefin tuna is a key piece in the Mediterranean diet, and contains some very beneficial properties for health, such as omega 3.

Source: EuropaAzul | Read the full article here

The Aquaculture Canada and WAS North America 2020 conference due to take place this autumn has been rescheduled for next year because of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The conference is a partnership between the Aquaculture Association of Canada (AAC), World Aquaculture Society (WAS) and the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA), and will feature hundreds of speakers and delegates from around the globe on the science, technology, business and social aspects of aquaculture.

It was due to be held from August 30 to September 2, 2020 at the St John’s Convention Centre, St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, but will now be staged from August 29 to September 2, 2021, at the same venue.

Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here

With freezer trawler Calvert ready to be delivered to Canadian owner Ocean Choice International, a series of extraordinary measures had to be taken to comply with Covid-19 restrictions.

The 74 metre LOA, 16 metre breadth Calvert was launched ready for outfitting in July last year at the Tersan yard in Turkey, built to a Skipsteknisk ST-117 design for demersal and pelagic trawling, and with three main winches for twin-rig trawling.

Calvert’s accommodation is for a crew of 39 – and due to the travel restrictions intended to prevent spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the crew travelled to Turkey on a chartered aircraft.

Author: Quentin bates / FiskerForum | Read the full article here