IN BRIEF - Alaska trawlers say chum cap 'will shut down the pollock fleet entirely'
UNITED STATES
Monday, March 27, 2023
Trawlers divert bycatch reduction discussions to 'genetic origins' of salmon. Do those going without care where the fish originate?
Seattle-based trawlers claim they are partners in Alaska’s fisheries. But they are unwilling to make any sacrifices to protect Alaska’s fishery resources. They are threatening a lawsuit against a new plan that imposes a floating cap to reduce Bering Sea halibut bycatch based on the abundance of the stock…they opposed a six month emergency moratorium on trawling in the Bristol Bay red king crab savings zone to protect mating/molting crab…the impacts of trawl bycatch are completely omitted from the NPFMC 10-year snow crab rebuilding plan…they refute findings that “mid-water” trawl gear is sometimes on the bottom more than 80% of the time, calling it “unscientific”…trawlers in the Gulf of Alaska oppose the call for more observer coverages of their catches…and now, as the write up below by Intrafish shows, they claim a chum cap will put them out of business.
The motto of the Seattle-based trawlers – who take 80% of the value of ALL groundfish from the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska – should be “conservation is everyone else’s problem.”
The campaign spearheaded by Pesca España, OPPC-3, and OPPF-4 returns to the fair with a new initiative to continue bringing trawl fishing and its products closer to the public—this time with gastronomy and music taking center stage.
Science and artisanal fishing deepen cooperation for sustainable management
IFOP researchers visited Ancud, Dalcahue, Tenaún, Queilen and Quellón on September 21–26, working with artisanal fishers and scientific observers to improve data quality, address operational challenges and strengthen monitoring of key benthic crustacean fisheries.Building sustainable fisheries requires quality information, but also participation, trust, and commitment.
IceFish 2026 highlights fisheries and aquaculture innovation 15th edition draws nearly 8,500 visitors to Iceland
Held in Kópavogur on 22–24 September, IceFish 2026 attracted nearly 8,500 visitors, exhibitors and delegations worldwide.
The event featured the new Aquaculture Hub, 16 expert speakers, the 100% Fish for Profit conference with 148+ professionals, technology and innovation awards. IceFish returns in 2028.
ICES has advised that the total allowable catch (TAC) for north-east Atlantic mackerel in 2027 should be 352,938 tonnes, representing a 102% increase on its advice for 2026. The assessment puts current spawning stock biomass at 3.2 million tonnes and forecasts this will rise to 3.34 million tonnes in 2028.
A striking Sustainable Seafood September window at Whole Foods Market has been one of the highlights of a month-long campaign encouraging UK shoppers to choose sustainable seafood and help keep their favourite fish dishes on the menu.
The window installation brought the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) Buy Blue, Protect Dinner campaign theme to Kensington High Street, putting the blue MSC ecolabel and the message of sustainable seafood front and centre for shoppers throughout September.
Under the 28 September contract, Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based Channel Fish Processing will supply 4,500 cases of frozen Alaska Pollock fillets for USD 1.13 million (EUR 1 million).
New Beford, Massachusetts-based Pier Fish Co. was the other winner of an award, receiving USD 878,940 (EUR 783,406) to supply another 2,700 cases of frozen Alaska pollock.
Deliveries are slated to take place from 1 January 2027 through 28 February
Author: Nathan Strout / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here
Sushi may be one of the fastest growing seafood categories, but it has been around for more than 2,000 years ago, starting out in southern China as a way of preventing fish from going bad, using, initially, fermentation in cooked rice and then vinegar.
With the availability of refrigeration in modern times, vinegar is now used as a flavour pairing rather than a preservative. Sushi was enthusiastically adopted by Japan, where it has since developed into a national favourite. Salmon only came into the picture in the 1980s after a Norwegian seafood delegation flew to Tokyo on an export mission.Now the dish has dramatically taken hold in arguably the most important market of all – the United States.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
Ross-shire firm highlights responsible growth as a model for aquaculture
Aquascot, based in Alness, became Scotland’s first seafood processor certified B Corp. The salmon and trout supplier to Waitrose says the milestone shows commercial success can combine with animal welfare, environmental management and responsible aquaculture.