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 Vietnamese province is advancing efforts to lift the European Commission’s “yellow card” and build sustainable fisheries.
Khanh Hoa has licensed 99.9% of eligible fishing vessels, while 100% of vessels 15 metres or longer have VMS. In June, all 6,252 tonnes of seafood landed at ports were electronically recorded to ensure traceability.
New legislation proposes incorporating eDNA to improve scientific assessments of marine stocks.
The Fisheries Science Modernization Act of 2026 would direct NOAA Fisheries to establish a pilot program validating environmental DNA (eDNA) across different regions and species. The initiative aims to expand sampling, develop national standards, and complement traditional survey methods for more accurate and efficient fisheries management.
Rising sea temperatures and shifting ocean currents could reduce fish populations.
Fisheries Minister Jelta Wong urged stronger sustainable fishing, catch limits, monitoring and marine protected areas to safeguard fisheries resources and food security.
Delegates from 26 countries and leading international scientists are meeting for two weeks in Apia to assess fish stocks and strengthen the sustainable management of Pacific fisheries resources.
Samoa has welcomed delegates from 26 countries for the 22nd Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Scientific Committee, hosted with the support of Samoa’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF).
During the two-week meeting, scientists and representatives from member countries, territories and observers will examine the state of Western and Central Pacific Ocean fisheries, WCPFC scientific data, fish stock assessments and the Regional Observer Programme.
Discussions will also cover the development of the WCPFC harvest strategy framework, including models and harvesting methods aimed at improving the sustainable management of different fish species.
The meeting seeks to strengthen international cooperation and science-based management to ensure the long-term sustainability of highly migratory fish stocks and safeguard the resources of the Blue Pacific Ocean.
The role will be key to strengthening sustainable tuna management, governance and economic returns for member countries.
The PNA has opened applications for a new CEO to lead its office in Majuro, Marshall Islands. Candidates need at least 10 years of senior management experience in the tuna sector. The appointment is for 3 years, renewable for up to 3 more, overseeing strategy, operations and sustainable resource management.
The CEO will be accountable to PNA members through a governance structure involving senior government officials, ministers and national leaders
PureSalmon has secured environmental authorisation for its planned 10,000-tonne land-based salmon facility in Le Verdon-sur-Mer, France, marking a significant milestone for the project.
The authorisation for the project, which will operate under the name Saumon du Médoc, was granted by French authorities on 3 August 2026. It follows the building permit issued in June, a positive public inquiry commission opinion and a favourable opinion from CODERST, the Departmental Council for the Environment and Health and Technological Risks, issued on 2 July.
Japanese seafood group Nissui has reported a slower-than-planned recovery at newly acquired Chilean salmon farmer Pesquera Yadran after fish disease reduced survival and low oxygen levels restricted feeding and slowed growth.
Yadran recorded lower survival rates and lower fish weights than Nissui had expected during the first quarter, the company disclosed in its latest investor presentation.
Fish disease was responsible for the lower survival rates and also increased disease-related costs, while low dissolved oxygen levels resulted in feeding restrictions that slowed salmon growth
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
Five new licences will allow bluefin tuna catches in Wales, Jersey and Scotland.
The commercial and scientific trials will use 26 tonnes of the UK's 2026 bluefin tuna quota. The programme aims to improve knowledge of the species' behaviour and distribution and support sustainable fisheries management.
Ngai Tahu's Hananui project targets production of up to 14,400 tonnes annually off Rakiura/Stewart Island.
New Zealand has fast-tracked approval for the Hananui Aquaculture Project, led by Ngai Tahu Seafood Resources Limited, to develop an open-ocean salmon farm across about 2,500 hectares, located 2–6 km off Rakiura/Stewart Island. The project includes four marine farms, around 80 circular net pens and a production target of up to 14,400 tonnes of salmon per year.The development is expected to strengthen aquaculture production, exports and regional employment.
Krishna Sri Kotikalapudi left her technology career to enter aquaculture and now manages 105 acres of shrimp farming operations in Andhra Pradesh.
An Electrical Engineering graduate, Kotikalapudi is involved in a family operation spanning nearly 800 acres, applying a technical approach to pond management, health and feeding. She also shares practical aquaculture knowledge with around 14,000 followers on social media, helping promote more efficient and science-based farming practices.
Chancay: South America's Shanghai or a Chinese Myth? Peru
Twenty months after its inauguration, the port of Chancay fails to lower costs for Peruvian exporters despite cutting travel time to Asia by twelve days.
Foto: Chancay Port / Ocean Alliance
...
Toyosu shows strong segmentation between fresh and frozen tuna Japan
Tokyo wholesale market reports prices up to ¥16,200/kg (US$ 108.00/kg) for domestic fresh tuna, while frozen tuna drops to an average value of ¥3,727/kg (US$ 24.85/kg) despite higher volumes.
...
UNITED STATES
VIET NAM
The Vietnamese province is advancing efforts to lift the European Commission’s “yellow card” and build sustainable fisheries.
New legislation proposes incorporating eDNA to improve scientific assessments of marine stocks.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Rising sea temperatures and shifting ocean currents could reduce fish populations.
SAMOA.png)
Delegates from 26 countries and leading international scientists are meeting for two weeks in Apia to assess fish stocks and strengthen the sustainable management of Pacific fisheries resources..png)
The meeting seeks to strengthen international cooperation and science-based management to ensure the long-term sustainability of highly migratory fish stocks and safeguard the resources of the Blue Pacific Ocean.
MARSHALL ISLANDS.png)
The 
FRANCE
PureSalmon
JAPAN
Japanese seafood group 
UNITED KINGDOM.png)
Five new licences will allow bluefin tuna catches in Wales, Jersey and Scotland.
NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand has fast-tracked approval for the Hananui Aquaculture Project, led by Ngai Tahu Seafood Resources Limited, to develop an open-ocean salmon farm across about 2,500 hectares, located 2–6 km off Rakiura/Stewart Island. The project includes four marine farms, around 80 circular net pens and a production target of up to 14,400 tonnes of salmon per year.The development is expected to strengthen aquaculture production, exports and regional employment. 
INDIA.png)
An Electrical Engineering graduate, Kotikalapudi is involved in a family operation spanning nearly 800 acres, applying a technical approach to pond management, health and feeding. She also shares practical aquaculture knowledge with around 14,000 followers on social media, helping promote more efficient and science-based farming practices.
