The European Commission has adopted this Wednesday, May 20, two important strategies. The "Farm to Table" Strategy for an equitable, healthy and environmentally friendly food system and the Biodiversity Strategy. Both, stresses the European Commission, "mutually reinforce each other", since they unite nature, farmers, aquaculturists, fishermen, companies and consumers "for the benefit of a sustainable and competitive future".

These strategies, and in line with the European Green Pact, as explained by the Commission on Wednesday, propose actions and commitments “to put a stop to the loss of biodiversity in Europe and in the world and to turn our food systems into standards for the world in favor of competitive sustainability and protection of human and planetary health, without forgetting the livelihoods of all parties in the food value chain. ”

Source: iPac.acuicultura | Read the full article here

Organizers of China’s annual largest seafood trade fair have announced the event will go ahead in October.

The 25th China International Fisheries Expo will take place in the Qingdao Hongdao International Convention and Exhibition Center from 28 to 30 October.

Meanwhile, there are more signs the seafood trade is picking up in China. The key tilapia and shrimp producing province of Hainan increased its exports by 10 percent in volume and five percent in value in the first four months of the year – to 48,000 tons worth CNY 990 million (USD 138 million, EUR 128.7 million). The relative weakness of the value of exports, however, suggests weaker pricing.

There’s been an increase recently in rail freight from Russia into the Chinese processing hub of Hunchun, near the North Korean border. 

Author: Mark Godfrey / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here

The development of offshore platforms that combine aquaculture and renewable energy functions has potential economic benefits for both sectors, according to new research.

Concepts that integrate the development of offshore multi-purpose platforms (MPPs) – which exploit the synergies and are designed to manage the tensions arising from the co-location of offshore renewable and aquaculture systems – have become increasingly popular in the last decade.

However, the authors of the study note, these have not yet progressed beyond, at best, the pilot stage.

Potential advantages of such projects, should they succeed, include a significant cost reduction – by allowing multiple use of space and infrastructure, through co-located and shared technologies – and an optimisation of marine spatial planning.

Author: Rob Fletcher / The Fish Site | Read the full article here

Pascal Goumain, the owner of Saumon de France, has since 1991 been farming salmon in Normandy. Since the COVID-19 broke out he has had to keep focusing on the local market, instead of hoping to expand to a broader market.

SalmonBusiness has earlier on reported how the closed borders have forced the small french salmon farmer to depend on online sales of their salmon instead.

The owner now states to the local newspaper France Bleu, that the crisis has cost the company 30 per cent of its turnover, and has only made it by their branding: made in France.

Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here

Norway has ratified an agreement aiming to prevent unregulated fishing in the central Arctic Ocean and promote scientific research in the region.

The agreement is important for managing the seas around the North Pole and adds to the global effort to curb unregulated fishing in accordance with the Law of the Sea Convention and the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement.

It will also facilitate collaborative international research to keep track of fish stocks and ecosystems in the coming years, important research which will help monitor and understand the effects of climate change in the region.

Source: Worldfishing  | Read the full article here

The MarinTrust standard for sustainable production of fishmeal and fish oil is gaining ground globally, but has not yet made inroads into China.

Known as IFFO RS until a name change earlier this year, the certification was founded in 2009 as a means by which marine ingredient producers could demonstrate their raw materials are sourced and produced responsibly. MarinTrust describes itself as the leading independent business-to-business certification program for the marine ingredient value chain. It certifies individual fishmeal or fish oil plants and not any company in its entirety.

While there are 150 plants in 20 countries now certified to MarinTrust standards, no fishmeal plant in China has yet been certified, even though the country is the world’s biggest user of fishmeal and fish oil.

Author: Mark Godfrey /SeafoodSource | Read the full article here

Chairman, Jie Tang, of Joyvio Agriculture Development, believes the worst of the pandemic is over. The best is now to come:

“The epidemic will eventually pass, and the domestic consumption upgrade trend will not change. This epidemic has tested the worst. We are fully prepared for this. In fact, our salmon products were sold during the outbreak in January this year. The situation is ideal, which strengthens our confidence,” said Tang Jie to Sina Finance.

The A-listed Chinese Company is the owner of the Chilean salmon farmer Australis Seafoods. Joyvio’s first-quarter results were affected, when the epidemic hit and took away the whole catering and restaurant segment. 

Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here

The Republic of Ireland's Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Affairs Michael Creed announced today the details of a € 3.1 million package to help the 10 local coastal authorities undertake and complete 58 development and repair projects in ports and steps of your property. "The package provides funds for maintenance and repair work, in addition to supporting the continued development and improvement of port facilities, including some marine leisure developments," the ministry said in a statement.

The minister assured that he is "delighted to announce the continuation of our program to help local coastal authorities in the repair and development of marine infrastructures related to fishing and aquaculture under their ownership."

Source:Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here

Diversified Communications has announced that the 2020 edition of Seafood Expo Asia is planned to take place from 18 to 20 November in Singapore.

The new location for the 10th edition of the  event – which was previously hosted in Hong Kong – is at the Singapore EXPO, in Hall 2. For the first time, the event will also be co-located with Asia Fruit Logistica, the leading continental trade show for Asia’s fresh produce business – which, in 2019, brought more than 800 exhibitors from 40 countries together to meet with more than 12,000 trade professionals from around the world.

“Moving to Singapore this year will provide our exhibitors and buyers the opportunity to connect and further explore business potential throughout Asia,” Diversified Communications Group Vice President Liz Plizga said in a press release. 

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

Floods hit sites, which had 12 cages containing 890 thousand 2.8-kilo fish overall.

In a press release, the Chilean salmon farmer Salmones Camanchaca writes that it has activated protocols and contingency plans to face off unusual climatic conditions in the Palena Province, Los Lagos, southern Chile.

CNN reports that over the past week, river overflows, bridge collapses, isolated people, floods and roadblocks are part of the consequences that torrential rains have left in parts of southern Chile.

Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here