IN BRIEF - Oceanloop secures USD 44.5 million to scale giant grouper farming in Europe
GERMANY
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
The funding will support new RAS facilities in Germany and Spain.
German aquaculture firm Oceanloop has secured USD 44.5 million (EUR 38.5 million) to expand land-based giant grouper production. A 250-ton RAS farm in Kiel, Germany, is planned from late 2026, followed by a 2,000-ton facility in Gran Canaria, Spain, from 2029.
Oceanloop noted grouper's appeal in Asian seafood markets as attractive for professional kitchens, foodservice, and premium seafood distribution.
The investment will also support a 2,000-ton commercial facility in Gran Canaria, Spain, that will begin construction in 2029. Oceanloop has a local subsidiary on the island currently, and the new site will become the company's first industrial-scale production platform.
The shrimp fishery in Argentine waters is crucial to the financial performance of Galician-owned companies operating in the country through joint ventures. In fact, the multinational Iberconsa attributes a 5% drop in its business volume to the conflict that curtailed last year's season—and consequently, catch levels. While the 2025 season ended with a total of 63,800 tonnes, over 155,000 tonnes have already been landed by the middle of this month, according to Radio 3 Cadena Patagonia. The fleet and processing companies face a potential early closure, driven both by the volume of the catch and by the fact that rising levels of hake bycatch are affecting the yield of the shrimp fishery.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
El Niño is hitting the Pacific hard. According to the latest report from ENFEN—Peru’s multisectoral commission responsible for studying the El Niño phenomenon—"if anomalous warm conditions persist, the anchoveta is expected to remain concentrated near the coast and at greater depths than usual over the coming weeks, leading to increased depletion of their energy reserves." In fact, NOAA estimates that the event will intensify heading into autumn—a prediction shared by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which acknowledges that "El Niño continues to intensify steadily and is expected to have a decisive influence on global climate patterns during the August–October 2026 period."
Source: iPac.acuicultura | Read the full article here
RationFEED turns wasted pellets into feeding intelligence.
Icelandic aquaculture technology company Ration has developed RationFEED, an out-of-water computer-vision system that detects and counts uneaten feed pellets in the effluent from land-based fish tanks. The data can be used to automatically adjust feeding in real-time, helping farms reduce feed loss, protect water quality, and respond more accurately to changes in fish appetite.
Mounted above the tank effluent, RationFEED combines specialized optics, AI, and computer vision to distinguish pellets from fish waste. The system can connect to existing feeding equipment and control it automatically.
Islanders on Coll have invited Mowi to explore building another fish farm in Scotland’s Hebridean archipelago, in a move the company says will bring more jobs and families back to the island, and help tackle a housing shortage.
At the request of some members of the community, Mowi Scotland gave a presentation at the An Cridhe centre in Arinagour on 11 May, about the possibilities for Coll, its plans for the newly acquired uninhabited island of Sanda, and its operations off Muck, Rum and Colonsay.
Mowi said the possible development on Coll, which could produce 3,500 tonnes of biomass, employ 14 people, and build several new homes on the model of its Colonsay site, would “only progress … with the majority support of the local community”.
Author: Sandy Neil / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
Natural feed solution aims to strengthen fish immunity, improve performance and reduce antibiotic use in tilapia farming.
A technology developed by Embrapa Meio Ambiente, Unicamp and UFSCar has been recognized at the 2026 Unicamp Inventors Award. Licensed to Terpenia Bioinsumos as Terpenia Acqua, the natural feed additive is designed to boost tilapia immunity and disease resistance, improve production performance and help reduce antibiotic use in aquaculture.
Licensed to Terpenia Bioinsumos and marketed as Terpenia Acqua, the innovation is a natural feed additive designed to strengthen the immune response and increase tilapia resistance to diseases, one of the main challenges affecting productivity and profitability in intensive aquaculture.
The ruling clears a key legal hurdle for the 19.71-acre, 20-year shellfish farming project in Eastern Bay, near Bar Harbor.
MAINE — The Maine Supreme Judicial Court rejected an appeal by Friends of Eastern Bay, upholding the Department of Marine Resources decision granting Acadia Aqua Farms a 19.71-acre aquaculture lease. The project will cultivate blue mussels and other shellfish, subject to conditions addressing noise and visual impacts.
Bilateral talks in Reykjavik explored new opportunities in fisheries, maritime sustainability, capacity building and the Blue Economy.
India and Iceland are seeking to deepen cooperation in fisheries, green shipping and capacity building. During talks in Reykjavik, Indian Ambassador R. Ravindra met Infrastructure Minister Eyjolfur Armannsson to discuss collaboration in sustainable maritime development. The dialogue reinforces bilateral cooperation in the Blue Economy, clean technologies and more sustainable use of marine resources.
Landmark ruling finds constitutional duty breached amid concerns over depleted fish stocks and commercial fishing practices.
A Superior Court judge ruled North Carolina failed to protect its coastal fisheries. The case, filed by CCA North Carolina in 2020, cited decades of mismanagement, overfishing and shrimp trawling, including juvenile fish lost as bycatch.
New Zealand has fast-tracked the approval of a salmon farm off of Rakiura, or Stewart Island, marking the first time an aquaculture project has been approved via the government’s fast-track process.
Ngai Tahu Seafood has attempted several times to get its Hananui Aquaculture Project approved by the New Zealand government.
The company first tried in 2019 to secure consent from authorities under the Resource Management Act, but withdrew that application. The firm then reapplied in 2020 under the country’s Covid-19 fast-track framework, but that application was denied in 2023.
Author: Teddy Hans / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here
Lerøy Seafood Group reported a 16% fall in operational EBIT for the second quarter as lower salmon and trout harvest volumes and weaker downstream margins weighed on earnings.
Operational EBIT fell to NOK 574 million (€52.6 million/$60.9 million) from NOK 680 million in the same period last year. Revenue declined 11% to NOK 7.89 billion (€724 million/$838 million).
Harvest volumes of salmon and trout fell 8% to 44,747 tonnes gutted weight. Farming operational EBIT slipped to NOK 236 million (€21.6 million/$25.1 million) from NOK 256 million, although EBIT per kilo edged up to NOK 5.30 from NOK 5.20.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
Gangwon seeks to turn East Sea bluefin tuna into a high-value industry South Korea
Sajo Seafood, Gangwon Province, Suhyup, and Catholic Kwandong University promote a model based on processing, ultra-deep freezing, and cold chain.
The South Korean province of Gangwon has taken the f...
Icelandic Fish Landings Drop 51% Year-on-Year in July Iceland
The monthly contraction was driven by a 74% slump in pelagic catches, though accumulated volume over the last twelve months maintains an 8% growth.
REYKJAVÍK — Landings volume by the Ice...
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GERMANY.png)
ARGENTINA
The shrimp fishery in Argentine waters is crucial to the financial performance of Galician-owned companies operating in the country through joint ventures. In fact, the multinational Iberconsa attributes a 5% drop in its business volume to the conflict that curtailed last year's season—and consequently, catch levels. While the 2025 season ended with a total of 63,800 tonnes, over 155,000 tonnes have already been landed by the middle of this month, according to Radio 3 Cadena Patagonia. The fleet and processing companies face a potential early closure, driven both by the volume of the catch and by the fact that rising levels of hake bycatch are affecting the yield of the shrimp fishery.
WORLDWIDE
El Niño is hitting the Pacific hard. According to the latest report from ENFEN—Peru’s multisectoral commission responsible for studying the El Niño phenomenon—"if anomalous warm conditions persist, the anchoveta is expected to remain concentrated near the coast and at greater depths than usual over the coming weeks, leading to increased depletion of their energy reserves." In fact, NOAA estimates that the event will intensify heading into autumn—a prediction shared by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which acknowledges that "El Niño continues to intensify steadily and is expected to have a decisive influence on global climate patterns during the August–October 2026 period." 
ICELAND
RationFEED turns wasted pellets into feeding intelligence. 
UNITED KINGDOM
Islanders on Coll have invited
BRAZIL
Natural feed solution aims to strengthen fish immunity, improve performance and reduce antibiotic use in tilapia farming.
UNITED STATES
INDIA.png)
Landmark ruling finds constitutional duty breached amid concerns over depleted fish stocks and commercial fishing practices.
NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand has fast-tracked the approval of a salmon farm off of Rakiura, or Stewart Island, marking the first time an aquaculture project has been approved via the government’s fast-track process.
NORWAY.png)
Lerøy Seafood Group
