New research on larval fish, which are young members of the species, has found that they are growing up around and ingesting plastic.

The affected fish includes a range of fish species from different ocean habitats. Scientists studied them as they fed on the water's surface.

The study, by  the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and an international team of scientists, including Bangor University in the UK, found that in some cases there were seven times more plastics than there were larval fish.

Source: The Telegraph

The company at the centre of the mass mortality of 2.6 million salmon in Fortune Bay is pledging to do things differently in the future.

MOWI, parent company of Northern Harvest Sea Farms, says they did not live up to their own or the government’s expectations.

The company promises to do better.

All new and current nets will have a total depth of 25 meters or more for optimal water temperatures. MOWI says all sites will have aeration systems to regulate temperature, their employees will be better trained for emergencies, and the company is creating a mass mortality response plan.

They say they will continue to work with the federal government to secure timely access to boats and equipment to respond to emergencies in the future.

As well, Northern Harvest says they will keep better data.

The commitments were made to government during a meeting a few days ago, at which the CEO for MOWI apologized for the incident, but left without speaking to the media.

Source: vocm.com

On 23 October, Marel announced it signed an agreement to acquire a 50% stake in Curio. Marel has now successfully completed the first phase of the transaction with the acquisition of 40% of Curio shares, as closing conditions have been satisfied. The transaction was finalized on 8 November 2019.

COMPLEMENTARY SOLUTION OFFERING

The acquisition is fully in line with Marel’s strategic objective to be a leading global supplier of advanced standard equipment, full solutions, software and services to the poultry, meat and fish industries. Curio’s product portfolio of heading, filleting and skinning solutions is highly complementary to Marel’s existing portfolio of fish processing solutions and brings Marel closer to becoming a full-line provider to the global fish industry.

The companies have a history of successful cooperation on projects to deliver full-line solutions to customers around the world.

The transaction is conducted in two phases; 40% at closing and the additional 10% on 1 January 2021. Marel has an option to acquire the remaining 50% of shares in four years.

GEORGE TOWN - Sea and beach pollution which have become an increasingly serious problem in the state is not only harmful to the marine ecosystem but may also threaten the lives of fishermen.

In addressing the problem, a river cleaning programme was held here aimed at educating people about keeping the environment clean.

Some 416 kilogrammes of garbage were collected along the coastal areas of Tanjung Bungah near here at the event which was participated by 50 people.

Fisherman Ismail Din said the rubbish which have been dumped into rivers and drains over the past 10 years would ultimately end up at sea posing a danger to fishermen.

Source: Bernama

PONTIAN - Fishermen who are found to intentionally leave behind their fishing nets in the sea and become ghost nets will face stern actions, said Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.

He said the irresponsible act of some fishermen could disturb and kill marine life.

"Ghost nets is not a new issue. Those who are found to violate the terms (of fishing), will face legal actions.

“I will use my discretion and existing regulations, but for repeat offenders, there is no forgiveness,” he told reporters after attending a session with fishermen at Kampung Sungai Chengkeh, some 35 minutes away from Pontian town, today.

Source: Bernama

Nigeria imports 900,000 metric tonness of fish out of the 1.5 million metric tonnes consumed annually, a top government official said at the weekend.

Director of Water Supply and Public Private Partnership in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Benson Ajisegiri, who stated this, added that in spite of the huge availability of water in the country, Nigeria is rated as one of the poorest countries in terms of water supply as a result of lack of investment and proper management.

He explained that the 264 dams in the country were grossly under utilised and poorly managed.

Source: The Nation

Hawke's Bay will have better control over its local fisheries following a Court of Appeal ruling, a regional councillor has said.

The court of appeal has upheld an environment court decision on Monday, which allows regional councils to put in place fishing restrictions in order to protect an area's environment.

"The decision puts protecting the region's fish and marine ecosystem in the hands of people living in Hawke's Bay."

He said HBRC can now seriously consider controls and restrictions, such as not allowing juvenile snapper to be fished below 50m, and protecting snapper in the Wairoa Hard area.

Source: NZ Herald

When it comes to innovation, Australian seafood businesses are making waves – globally.

Seven Australian seafood companies battled their way past fierce global competition for the opportunity to pitch to investors at a competitive Silicon Valley pitch session – the Fish 2.0 Global Innovators Forum – which took place last week.

The Fish 2.0 Global Innovators forum is a two-day event where Fish 2.0 top scorers can present their solutions to a panel of investors. The top scorers are businesses who have made it through several competitive stages during the preceding year.

Source: Mirage News

The bid is not entirely unexpected as Bakkafrost CEO Regin Jacobsen suggested as much in September, when the sale to the Faroese salmon farmer was first announced. But it has probably come sooner than expected.

Initially, Bakkafrost purchased 68.6 per cent of the shares from the investment fund Northern Link, the then majority owners, for £517 million. Since then, the holding has been increased to just over 80 per cent.

At the weekend it declared that it will make a mandatory bid for all the shares it does not currently own.

Source: Fish Farmer Magazine

WELLFLEET - Hard on the heels of the town’s friendly taking of HDYLTA Trust flats and beach, Outer Cape shellfishermen met with state Rep. Sarah Peake, D-Provincetown, and state Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, Friday to discuss threats to the future of the industry.

“We care about the industry, we know many of the people, and are willing to go to bat for you,” Cyr told a standing room only crowd in Preservation Hall.

The Wellfleet Shellfishermen’s Association hosted the meeting, which shellfishermen from other Cape towns were invited to attend and participate in.

Source: South Coast Today