IN BRIEF - French fishing vessel bosses fined thousands at Plymouth court
UNITED KINGDOM
Monday, March 27, 2023
The owner and master of the fishing vessel Felir was brought into Plymouth waters after being boarded by officers from the British fishing watchdog
The owner and master of a French fishing vessel brought into Cattedown harbour after being boarded by British fishing watchdogs has been left tens of thousands out of pocket after a Plymouth court hearing.
French-registered fishing vessel the Felir was boarded and inspected by officers from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) - which licenses, regulates and plans marine activities in the seas around England - on September 12, 2020. The Felir was intercepted by the Ocean Osprey, which carries out fisheries patrol work in the North Sea for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, at around 4pm on that day, and it was accompanied into Plymouth's waters.
Appearing at Plymouth Magistrates' Court on March 20 this year, the vessel’s owner Felir SAS and master Ludovic Fourgault admitted using fishing gear in British waters to which was "attached a device, namely a piece of diamond shaped mesh placed over the square mesh panel, that obstructed or otherwise diminished the mesh size of part of the towed gear."
Major producers push new increases while fishmeal market stays firm
Feed prices across the aquaculture sector continue to surge, with leading companies such as Haid Group, Tongwei, New Hope Group, Aohua Group, and CP Group announcing fresh hikes on April 10–11.
Since March, prices have been rising steadily. but April has seen sharper jumps of up to 1,200 yuan per ton (around $170/ton). The latest round adds as much as 300 yuan per ton (about $42/ton) on products including standard feed, premium feed, and shrimp, crab, and catfish feed.
The surge is driven largely by strong fishmeal prices. In Peru, the north-central A-season opened on April 9 with a quota of 1.914 million tons, yet pre-sale prices for super steam fishmeal hit a record $2,550/ton.
Domestically, inventories exceed 150,000 tons, but tight supply keeps prices high at 16,400–19,000 yuan per ton (approximately $2,300–$2,660/ton).
The sustained rise is increasing pressure on farmers and signals continued volatility ahead.
The Innovation & Technology Summit 2026 begins this April 16 in Puerto Varas with more than 20 speakers, panels, a technology fair, and networking opportunities, focusing on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, sustainability, and regional development.
On April 16 and 17, Puerto Varas will be the epicenter of the conversation on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and technological development. This Thursday, April 16, and Friday, April 17, the first edition of the Innovation & Technology Summit will take place in the city, aiming to strengthen the Los Lagos Region as an innovation hub in the southern part of the world.
Source: MundoAcuicola | Read the full article here
Freire Shipyard has achieved another milestone in its history of defense-sector vessels with the launch of the A22 Proserpina, the new Diver Support Vessel (EAB) for the Navy's Logistics Support Command.
Hull number 739, this is the first steel vessel built for the Spanish Navy by a private shipyard, as highlighted by Óscar and Guillermo Freire, the shipyard's general managers, during the ceremony, which was attended by a large number of military and civilian authorities.
The vessel has a length of 32.90 meters and a beam of 9 meters. Its range will reach 500 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots, with a maximum speed of 12 knots.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
Thor Sigfusson, founder and chair of the Icelandic Ocean Cluster (IOC) will preside over a gathering of expert international speakers who will provide attendees with valuable knowledge on how to maximise their return on investment from potentially discarded parts of the catch. IOC chief executive, Dr Alexandra Leeper will take on the role of deputy chair and moderator.
Formerly known as Fish Waste for Profit, the conference is a popular, must-attend event for those seeking the latest industry insights, practical solutions, and opportunities to build relationships with key stakeholders.
Arctic Securities has raised its target price for Icelandic Salmon to NOK 128 (€11.52) per share from NOK 105 (€9.45), reiterating a Buy recommendation after incorporating the proposed Icelandic Aquaculture Law into its estimates.
The revised target reflects an 11% EPS upgrade for 2026 and a 27% upgrade for 2027, according to a note dated 13 April 2026. The stock is trading at NOK 74.5 (€6.71), down 10% year to date and 30% over the past year.
The proposed legislation replaces the current 4% revenue tax with a profitability-based resource tax linked to average industry EBIT per kilogram.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
Norway’s national broadcaster NRK is reporting that thousands of Mowi salmon have died en masse, without the authorities carrying out any formal investigation.
NRK says that the incident took place around six months ago at a fish farm in Nordfjord in Vestland county following a delousing operation. Apparently, the fish had major problems with their gills and did not get enough oxygen. The estimated death toll is 300,000 salmon.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority inspected the farm when the slaughtering operation was being carried out and found they were met with clearly weakened salmon.
The main cause of the incident turned out to be a bloom of harmful algae in the water.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
Apia – In a historic move, Cabinet has appointed Afamasaga Taimalietane Matatumua as the first female Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF).
A seasoned agriculturist with over 20 years of experience, Afamasaga began her career at MAF in 2003 as a Senior Information Officer. She later rose through the ranks, serving as Assistant Chief Executive Officer for Policy, Planning, and Communication since 2018.
She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Agriculture, a Bachelor of Agriculture, and a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture from the University of the South Pacific.
Afamasaga succeeds Seuseu Dr Tauati at a pivotal time, as the government advances plans to establish a separate Ministry of Fisheries, restructuring the current ministry’s operations.
Russia reported strong performance in its fisheries sector, exporting over 2 million tons of fish products in 2025, according to Ilya Shestakov, head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries. Total exports reached 2.1 million tons, valued at $6.1 billion.
Despite stable shipment volumes, export revenues showed positive growth, reflecting a favorable pricing environment and a rising share of high value-added products. Key export destinations included China, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, Belarus, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria.
Meanwhile, imports of fish and seafood totaled 718,000 tons worth $3.5 billion, with major suppliers being Belarus, China, Turkey, Chile, and Vietnam.
Authorities emphasized that boosting competitiveness and increasing the global recognition of Russian fish products remain top priorities. Efforts are also focused on ensuring domestic availability and promoting fish consumption across Russia, supported by growing cooperation between businesses and regional governments.
The ambassador to Spain is "convinced" of an agreement on quotas because "we share the objective that they be based on the best scientific evidence"
The Norwegian ambassador to Spain, Lars Andersen, has stated that there is significant potential to strengthen economic ties with Spain in areas such as fisheries trade and energy, and expressed confidence in reaching an agreement with the European Union (EU) on the allocation of mackerel quotas. "Spain and Norway have a very solid economic relationship that has grown steadily for many years, including in the fishing sector, but there is great potential to strengthen these ties."
Norway, which is not a member of the EU but benefits from the European Economic Area (EEA), believes that in the current geopolitical context, it is important to strengthen this internal market
Author: Mercedes Salas / La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
The Government of Cantabria, through the Ministry of Industry, Employment, Innovation, and Trade, has welcomed the launch of 'TraceMap,' the European Commission's new artificial intelligence-based platform designed to strengthen food safety throughout the European Union.
TraceMap is an innovative tool that will accelerate the detection of food fraud, contaminated food, and outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, significantly improving the response capacity of national authorities to potential risk
The platform also facilitates the identification of high-risk operators and products, as well as the detection of suspicious patterns in trade and production flows.
Source: ipac.acuicultura | Read the full article here
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CHINA
CHILE
The Innovation & Technology Summit 2026 begins this April 16 in Puerto Varas with more than 20 speakers, panels, a technology fair, and networking opportunities, focusing on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, sustainability, and regional development.
SPAIN
Freire Shipyard
ICELAND.png)
Thor Sigfusson, founder and chair of the Icelandic Ocean Cluster (IOC) will preside over a gathering of expert international speakers who will provide attendees with valuable knowledge on how to maximise their return on investment from potentially discarded parts of the catch. IOC chief executive, Dr Alexandra Leeper will take on the role of deputy chair and moderator.
Arctic Securities has raised its target price for Icelandic Salmon to NOK 128 (€11.52) per share from NOK 105 (€9.45), reiterating a Buy recommendation after incorporating the proposed Icelandic Aquaculture Law into its estimates.
NORWAY
NRK says that the incident took place around six months ago at a fish farm in Nordfjord in Vestland county following a delousing operation. Apparently, the fish had major problems with their gills and did not get enough oxygen. The estimated death toll is 300,000 salmon.
SAMOA
A seasoned agriculturist with over 20 years of experience, Afamasaga began her career at MAF in 2003 as a Senior Information Officer. She later rose through the ranks, serving as Assistant Chief Executive Officer for Policy, Planning, and Communication since 2018.
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
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The Norwegian ambassador to Spain, Lars Andersen, has stated that there is significant potential to strengthen economic ties with Spain in areas such as fisheries trade and energy, and expressed confidence in reaching an agreement with the European Union (EU) on the allocation of mackerel quotas. "Spain and Norway have a very solid economic relationship that has grown steadily for many years, including in the fishing sector, but there is great potential to strengthen these ties."
EUROPEAN UNION
The Government of Cantabria, through the Ministry of Industry, Employment, Innovation, and Trade, has welcomed the launch of 'TraceMap,' the European Commission's new artificial intelligence-based platform designed to strengthen food safety throughout the European Union.
