IN BRIEF - John West hit by 78% profits decline as shoppers trade down
UNITED KINGDOM
Monday, October 30, 2023
John West profits have sunk by 78% as cash-strapped shoppers flocked to discounters and turned to own label to combat inflation.
The tinned fish brand saw revenues slump 13.5% to £128m as it lifted prices to offset spiralling input costs in the year ended 31 December 2022, according to Companies House accounts. It came on top of a 13.6% fall in the previous year, with revenues now £43.6m below the £171.6m 2020 level.
Managing director Paul Stephenson attributed the fall to declining volumes as the ongoing cost-of-living crisis“continues to drive more consumers to discount channels and private label offerings”.
International sales were disrupted by the conflict in Ukraine, with revenues in Europe almost halving from £8.5m to £4.3m.
Margins were also squeezed in 2022 thanks to higher raw materials and commodity costs. Pre-tax profits fell from £9.1m in 2021 to £2m.[...]
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has updated its assessment of fishing opportunities for herring (Clupea harengus) in the Northern Division 7a of the Irish Sea (north of 52°30'N). In its latest advice, published on June 6, 2025, ICES advises that, applying the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) approach, catches should not exceed 2,935 tonnes in 2026, a figure lower than the previous recommendation (3,206 tonnes for 2025).
This adjustment is due to a continued decline in spawning stock biomass (SSB) and a level of fishing mortality that remains above sustainable limits.
The Vigo-based parent company's liquidation process concludes with a debt of €120 million
Three months after the liquidation phase began, Atunlo is now history. The bankruptcy administrator concluded the process on Thursday to liquidate the parent company of what was once Spain's largest tuna marketer. This move puts an end to the 18-year history of Atunes y Lomos, the head of a fishing group that once had a turnover of nearly €250 million and employed more than a thousand people across its plants in Galicia, Vila Nova de Cerveira, Santoña, and Cape Verde.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Fishing businesses are calling for urgent repairs to the lock gates at Plymouth's Sutton Harbour.
The Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association said fishers were losing between £1,200 to £2,000 a day because the problem reduced the time they had to fish and land catches.
Plymouth MP Luke Pollard has called on the Environment Agency to take urgent action to fix the gates and prevent further breakdowns.
The Environment Agency said repairs were a priority and work would start on Monday.
The Althingi, Iceland’s parliament, has been debating measures that, if approved, will greatly add to the costs of both sea fishing and fish farming companies. Fierce argument is expected to continue through today in the legislature.
Known as the Fishing Fees Bill, the measure was brought in by the new government earlier this year and has met with fierce opposition from the industry.
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said last night the government wants to settle the issue. Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, Chairwoman of the Independence Party, says however that she cannot agree to let the fishing fees bill pass as it would have serious consequences for the country’s seafood communities.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here
Reston, VA – NFI has been working diligently to help the seafood community benefit from the type of programs the agriculture sector has enjoyed for decades. This provision is a quintessential example of that work. Seafood, like ag, produces products that are vital to food security in this country. Meanwhile, our fishermen, producers and processors, who provide almost 1.6 million U.S. jobs, ensure the healthiest animal protein on the planet makes it to American plates, a true public health benefit.
Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO
‘‘SEC. 139L. INTEREST ON LOANS SECURED BY RURAL OR AGRICULTURAL REAL PROPERTY.”
This would allow for 25% interest deduction on a loan from a qualified lender for ‘‘(3) RURAL OR AGRICULTURAL REAL ESTATE.—The term ‘rural or agricultural real estate’ means—
‘‘(A) any real property which is substantially used for the production of one or more agricultural products, ‘‘
‘‘(B) any real property which is substantially used in the trade or business of fishing or seafood processing, and
The German offshore and coastal fishing fleet landed around 162,530 tons of fish in 2024, representing a 4% increase over the previous year. According to the Federal Office of Agriculture and Food (BLE), the increase is primarily due to higher catch quotas in the Northeast Atlantic, especially for pelagic species such as herring. However, despite the growth in volume, revenue decreased by 1.3%, reaching €179.6 million, compared to €181.9 million in 2023. The government indicates that the composition of the catches, with a higher proportion of low-value species, has influenced the economic performance for the year.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
Within a package of 37 new fishing industry initiatives, the Danish government has established trawl-free areas in 19% of its marine waters, with the decision introducing a bottom trawl ban in the Belt Sea, including Isefjord and several important areas in the Kattegat around existing Natura 2000 areas, as well as a large sea area off Djursland.
The government package also includes a suspension of the CO2 tax for fishing, whereby fishermen will receive full compensation for the CO2 tax in 2025, and then the tax will be suspended until 2029, when a gradual phasing-in will begin, with full phasing-in from 2030. Over DKK 800 million has been allocated for this.
Baldvin Thorsteinsson has assumed the role of CEO of Samherji hf., succeeding his father, Thorsteinn Már Baldvinsson, who has stepped down after 42 years as CEO, having led the company since its founding in 1983.
Earlier, the Board of Directors of Samherji announced the appointment of Baldvin Thorsteinsson, one of the company’s largest shareholders, as the new CEO. Baldvin says he is grateful for the confidence shown in him with the appointment.
In conjunction with his new role, Baldvin has stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Samherji hf. Jón Sigurdsson, former CEO of Össur hf. (now Embla Medical), has been elected to the Board and will serve as the new Chairman.
Total value of fish was just 3% more than in first half of last year
Norway exported 22% more farmed salmon in the first half of 2025 than in the same period last year, but the value of those exports was just 3% higher than in H1 2024, new figures show.
The Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) reported that Norway exported 609,946 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 57.8 billion (£4.2bn) in the first half of this year.
Poland, the United States, and France were the largest markets for salmon in the period.
Author: Gareth Moore / fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here
The State Ports' buoy networks have set new sea water temperature records this June, exceeding the highest values ??recorded in historical series for the same month. Specifically, the highest sea water temperature for June was 30.55°C, recorded by the Dragonera buoy on June 30 at 3:00 PM UTC (5:00 PM local time). This same buoy, part of the Outer Buoy Network (or deepwater buoys), holds the absolute record for seawater temperature, with 31.87°C, recorded in August 2024.
In the Outer Buoy Network, individual highs have been recorded for the month of June at all buoys anchored in the Mediterranean, with the Cabo Begur buoy equaling the all-time high in its measurement series, with 29.1°C measured on June 30 at 1:00 p.m. UTC (3:00 p.m. local time).
Source: Industrias Pesqueras l Read the full article here
UNITED KINGDOM
DENMARK.png)
The 
SPAIN
The Vigo-based parent company's liquidation process concludes with a debt of €120 million
Fishing businesses are calling for urgent repairs to the lock gates at Plymouth's Sutton Harbour.
ICELAND
The Althingi, Iceland’s parliament, has been debating measures that, if approved, will greatly add to the costs of both sea fishing and fish farming companies. Fierce argument is expected to continue through today in the legislature.
UNITED STATES
Reston, VA – 
GERMANY.png)
The German offshore and coastal fishing fleet landed around 162,530 tons of fish in 2024, representing a 4% increase over the previous year. According to the Federal Office of Agriculture and Food (BLE), the increase is primarily due to higher catch quotas in the Northeast Atlantic, especially for pelagic species such as herring. However, despite the growth in volume, revenue decreased by 1.3%, reaching €179.6 million, compared to €181.9 million in 2023. The government indicates that the composition of the catches, with a higher proportion of low-value species, has influenced the economic performance for the year.
Within a package of 37 new fishing industry initiatives, the Danish government has established trawl-free areas in 19% of its marine waters, with the decision introducing a bottom trawl ban in the Belt Sea, including Isefjord and several important areas in the Kattegat around existing Natura 2000 areas, as well as a large sea area off Djursland.
Baldvin Thorsteinsson has assumed the role of CEO of 
NORWAY
Total value of fish was just 3% more than in first half of last year
The State Ports' buoy networks have set new sea water temperature records this June, exceeding the highest values ??recorded in historical series for the same month. Specifically, the highest sea water temperature for June was 30.55°C, recorded by the Dragonera buoy on June 30 at 3:00 PM UTC (5:00 PM local time). This same buoy, part of the Outer Buoy Network (or deepwater buoys), holds the absolute record for seawater temperature, with 31.87°C, recorded in August 2024.
