This action proposes the 2024-2026 specifications for the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Atlantic Mackerel specifications were set through a different action.

NMFS proposes the 2024-2026 specifications for the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan as recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. This action proposes to set the 2024 Illex squid and 2024-2026 longfin squid specifications and reaffirms the 2024 chub mackerel and butterfish specifications. 

The implementing regulations for the Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan require us to publish specifications every fishing year for each of these species and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The proposed specifications are intended to establish allowable harvest levels that will prevent overfishing, consistent with the most recent scientific information.

Federal Register

Proposed Rule for the 2024-2026 Mackerel, Squid and Butterfish Fishery Manageme…

Source: NOAA Fisheries

Sustainability is on the agenda and we see that trade associations and salmon producing companies are on the path to calculating and publishing their carbon footprints. To support this salmon farming process, Garware Technical Fibers has created Renew Ropes: the first anchor rope made from 100% recycled materials, the use of which leads to a 50% reduction in the carbon footprint. “The introduction of 100% recycled ends shows our commitment to the Clean Production Agreement (CPA), circularity and the reduction of plastic waste, contributing to sustainability throughout the life cycle of the products. In addition, it has exhaustive quality control of its raw materials: 100% reprocessed copolymers so that it meets the required quality,” comments Marcos Jofré, Business Associate Garware Technical Fibers Chile.

Source: MundoAcuicola l Read the full article here

Profand holds its own and maintains its “leading position” in the Spanish and international fishing sector by closing 2023 with a turnover of 930 million euros, in line with the 932 million in 2023. In addition, the Vigo fishing company, which in 2023 marketed 112 000 tons of fish, completed last year its ambitious investment plan that began in 2021 with the strategic objective of expanding and strengthening its industrial capacity, and promoting the group's vertical integration strategy with Mercadona. In 2023, it invested 63.3 million euros in projects such as the acquisition of a new processing plant in Boston and the purchase of its first vannamei shrimp aquaculture production farm, in Ecuador, reinforcing its commitment to aquaculture after its investments in Greece .

Source: Industrias Pesqueras l Read the full article here

Phillips Foods plans to broaden its product range to include snow crab and lobster following the acquisition of two seafood companies in Eastern Canada.

The Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.-based crabmeat specialist recently acquired the Pêcheries Bas-Caraquet Fisheries facility in Bas-Caraquet, New Brunswick, as well as the assets of South Shore Seafoods in a restructuring deal encompassing multiple plants in the province of Price Edward Island as well as holding tanks in Nova Scotia.

Author: CLiff White / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here

Over the years, there has been much focus on the coexistence of offshore renewable energy and aquaculture, two rapidly growing industries that share a common resource: the ocean. Bringing these two industries together has the potential to generate economic, environmental, and social benefits, while addressing multiple challenges from food scarcity to climate change.

The same could be said for aquaculture and maritime ports. As ocean-based industries continue to expand, careful spatial planning is important to reconcile existing ocean uses and manage environmental impacts effectively. 

Author: Bonnie Waycott  / Worldfishing l Read the full article here

Multinational petfood giant Nestlé Purina has joined the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) as a funding partner.

Nestlé Purina utilises a variety of fish and seafood items, sourced from around the world and is the first GSSI partner from the petfood industry to join the global partnership network.

A high proportion of the seafood ingredients in Purina’s products are seafood sidestreams - those parts of the fish remaining after fillet removal.

Source: The Fish Site l Read the full article here

The Maldivian Civil Court has ordered the confiscation of a neighboring Sri Lankan fishing boat for illegal fishing in Maldivian waters.

In addition, Civil Court Judge Ahmed Rasheed fined the ship's owner, PSS Fernando, 700,000 MVR for violating international law.

Sri Lankan fishing boat ordered to be confiscated by Civil Court. | Photo: Ministry of Fisheries -->

The court ordered the owner of the fishing boat, “Sudhisa Putha 2,” to pay the fine within 14 days for attempting to illegally fish in Maldivian territory.

In addition to a fine and confiscation of the vessel, the judgment also ordered the handover of all equipment used in illegal fishing to the Ministry of Fisheries.

Source: The Maldives Journal

IFFO’s Members Meeting took place in Miami from the 16th to the 17th of April, gathering 220 delegates from 29 countries, representing the fishmeal and fish oil sector, the aquaculture and nutraceutical industry as well as scientists and certification program representatives.

At a time when the first anchovy season is starting in the North-Centre of Peru, the speakers shared positive expectations for a rebound in fishmeal and fish oil production to take place in 2024 after last year being marked by the El Nino / La Nina phenomenon.

With 20 speakers, the emphasis was very much on market trends and science and how evidence-based considerations can help frame the understanding of the sector and its contribution to the global food system.

“Everything starts with facts and data. These have to be our North star to support informed decision making in a wide range of fields such as fishery management, traceability, mitigation of environmental impacts, enforcement of labor rights” stated Petter Martin Johannessen, IFFO's Director general at the end of the meeting.

After 19 months, the process of setting the price of 30% of the shares of Camanchaca Pesca Sur S.A., belonging to the Biobío Group, was concluded, which in September 2022 exercised its option to sell them.

After a process that took 19 months since the option to sell 30% of Camanchaca Pesca Sur S.A. It was exercised by Grupo Bio Bio, belonging to the Stengel family; Camanchaca S.A. announced that the price setting had been completed, and the signing of the contracts and transfer of the shares was completed, leaving it as the sole owner of this subsidiary.

Source: aqua.cl l Read the full article here

Once again alarms are going off among bottom trawlers due to a new offensive that aims to expel them from marine protected areas (MPA). On the one hand, the NGOs Oceana, Seas at Risk and the Marine Conservation Society are once again demanding that at the end of this year it be banned in those areas "with ecologically important characteristics of the seabed" and in 2030, in all. Without deadlines, the lawsuit is signed for France by the NGO Bloom. On the other hand, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) relativizes the consequences for trawlers. 

Source: La Voz de Galicia l Read the full article here