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.”
Chile strengthens monitoring of fisheries and climate impacts
IFOP told Chile’s Fisheries Commission that El Niño 2026 is becoming intense to strong and may persist until autumn 2027, affecting resource availability, reproduction, landings, jobs and exports. SIOM supports monitoring, while SIMMO will integrate ocean, fisheries and aquaculture data.
The Organization of Fresh Fishery Producers of the Port of Vigo (OPPF-4) has expressed its deep dissatisfaction following the confirmation of the closure of the common pool for the anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) fishery in waters of ICES Zone 8, scheduled for 00:00 hours on September 29, 2026.
The OPPF-4 denounces that this measure is the result of deficient management by the Administration. The entity had already warned of the errors in the Resolution of September 16, 2026, issued by SEGEPESCA, which set a surplus allocation of nearly 800,000 kg to be distributed among purse seiners in the Cantabrian and Northwest fishing grounds—a figure they considered excessive.
The sector points out that the quantity allocated to other vessels equals the amount deducted from the common pool, demonstrating an unequal distribution. According to the OPPF-4, this scenario violates Order APA/377/2026, which requires ensuring fishing access for vessels included in the common pool while leaving a significant surplus unutilized for the rest of the fleet.
Two European black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) farmers today published a jointly-written white paper that sets out what they say is a more real-world, up-to-date method of assessing the use and sustainability of insect ingredients in animal and aquafeed.
“Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides an essential foundation, but it does not always capture the full impact of ingredient choices within a changing food and feed system,” argue France-based Innovafeed and Dutch company Protix.
At scale, factors such as competition for raw materials, land-use implications, alternative uses of co-products and functional benefits in animal nutrition can materially influence the overall outcome.
Author: Gareth Moore / fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
Frøy has launched a new 4,500m³ wellboat that will operate under a long-term contract for salmon farmer SalMar.
The Frøy Frohav was launched at the Murueta shipyard outside Bilbao, Spain, and is scheduled for completion in October 2027. The vessel is nearly 90 metres long and has been designed for the transport and handling of live fish.
The vessel will use diesel-electric hybrid propulsion supported by a battery pack. A redesigned well circulation system is intended to improve water quality while reducing power consumption, including through shorter pipe runs and lower pumping heights.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
The Norwegian Seafood Council says the UK is one of the most stable and attractive markets for the country’s salmon.
New figures show that Norwegian salmon continues to play a central role in the UK seafood category, with total sales worth around £1.7 billion and farmed salmon accounting for approximately 92% of its seafood retail sales.
The Seafood Council believes several consumer trends are continuing to support demand. For example, raw consumption, particularly through sushi, has moved firmly into the mainstream, with sushi now worth £228 million in UK grocery retail and salmon accounting for more than half of consumption.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
Flooding breached levees near Lake Imbanuma, devastating aquaculture facilities in Chiba
Tani Fish Farm in Narita lost nearly 100,000 ornamental carp ready for sale after Typhoon Dujuan flooded its facilities; only 200–300 survived. Farming, forestry and fisheries losses in Chiba already exceed ¥87 million (US$550,000).
When The Fish Site first interviewed Benjamin Orishaba in 2022, he was managing tilapia hatcheries in Côte d’Ivoire while developing his aquaculture consultancy. Four years later, he is working in a large-scale intensive Nile tilapia production facility in Kenya and has completed an MSc in Sustainable Aquaculture at the University of St Andrews. His experience across Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya gives him a perspective on how different production models are developing across African aquaculture.
Working with an intensive production system in one of Africa’s largest commercial RAS hatchery operations has taught me what happens when aquaculture moves from managing thousands of fish to managing millions.
What is particularly important to me is making this accessible to African businesses.
Author:Emma Barbier / The Fish Site | Read the full article here
High-risk boats targeted among 1,476 registered vessels
Incheon is conducting inspections through Nov. 30 with the Korea Coast Guard and MOF, targeting accident-prone and aging boats, disabled location transmitters, overloading and drunk operation. Crews must wear life jackets, while serious violations face penalties.
But serious violations that can cause casualties, including exceeding passenger limits or operating a vessel while intoxicated, will result in administrative penalties under a zero-tolerance policy.
The annual meeting in Vilnius addressed the future of Flemish Cap cod and launched a benchmark assessment for the 3NO stock, while the LDAC called for quota stability, improved scientific data, and the protection of European fleet interests.
Cod has once again taken center stage in the decisions of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). The 48th annual meeting, held from September 21 to 25 in Vilnius (Lithuania), addressed fishing opportunities for 2027 against the backdrop of trends in the Flemish Cap (3M) cod stock, the reopening of the Northern (2J3KL) cod fishery, and the need to improve scientific understanding of the 3NO stock.
33 Indonesian-flagged vessels deployed in the Arafura Sea
Indonesia and China are implementing fisheries cooperation involving 33 vessels and 669 Indonesian workers. The fleet is projected to catch 9,500 tonnes/year and generate Rp65 billion (US$3.6m) in state revenue, while supporting training, processing and port development.
Northern Basin Atlantic Cod Spawning Stocks Begin Rebuilding Russia Fed.
Following a prolonged decline since 2015, Russian and Norwegian scientists observe signs of stabilization and project a Total Allowable Catch increase for 2027
The agency Rosrybolovstvo regularly mon...
UNITED STATES
CHILE.png)
IFOP told Chile’s Fisheries Commission that El Niño 2026 is becoming intense to strong and may persist until autumn 2027, affecting resource availability, reproduction, landings, jobs and exports. SIOM supports monitoring, while SIMMO will integrate ocean, fisheries and aquaculture data.
SPAIN.png)
The Organization of Fresh Fishery Producers of the Port of Vigo (OPPF-4) has expressed its deep dissatisfaction following the confirmation of the closure of the common pool for the anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) fishery in waters of ICES Zone 8, scheduled for 00:00 hours on September 29, 2026.
FRANCE.png)
“Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides an essential foundation, but it does not always capture the full impact of ingredient choices within a changing food and feed system,” argue France-based 
NORWAY
The Frøy Frohav was launched at the Murueta shipyard outside Bilbao, Spain, and is scheduled for completion in October 2027. The vessel is nearly 90 metres long and has been designed for the transport and handling of live fish..png)
JAPAN.png)
KENYA
When The Fish Site first interviewed Benjamin Orishaba in 2022, he was managing tilapia hatcheries in Côte d’Ivoire while developing his aquaculture consultancy. Four years later, he is working in a large-scale intensive Nile tilapia production facility in Kenya and has completed an MSc in Sustainable Aquaculture at the University of St Andrews. His experience across Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya gives him a perspective on how different production models are developing across African aquaculture.
SOUTH KOREA
High-risk boats targeted among 1,476 registered vessels
LITHUANIA
The annual meeting in Vilnius addressed the future of Flemish Cap cod and launched a benchmark assessment for the 3NO stock, while the LDAC called for quota stability, improved scientific data, and the protection of European fleet interests.
INDONESIA
