IN BRIEF - Spanish Sardine Fishing Ends with Highest Catch in Recent Years
SPAIN
Monday, December 04, 2023
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food has announced the closure of the sardine fishing campaign, effective from 00:00, Friday 01 December 2023, for the purse seine fleet in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Northwest Cantabrian fleets using highly selective sardine-directed gear, such as “racú” and “piobardeira.” The campaign concludes with a final quota of 22,582 tonnes, the highest in recent years.
Utilising, for the first time, an optimisation mechanism, the fleet was allowed to fish until the last authorised day. The Xeito fleet can continue fishing against its quota until exhaustion, following the provisions of Order APM/605/2018, of June 1, which establishes a management and recovery plan for sardines in the Iberian waters (8c and 9a) of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
The entire sardine-dedicated fleet successfully completed the authorised fishing period, thanks to the optimisation mechanism implemented since October 15. This mechanism maximised efficiency in quota utilisation by distributing the remaining unconsumed quotas to the entire fleet.[...]
The keen interest sparked within the British sector by the "octopus bloom"—the massive proliferation of *Octopus vulgaris* in the waters off southwest England and the western English Channel that began in 2025—has prompted the government to take action. After establishing a working group to advance the management of this fishery—which, until a year ago, was negligible—the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has now launched an information website aimed at the general public, the fishing industry, and the scientific community. "The octopus proliferation has understandably generated enormous interest, and we want to ensure that everyone can easily find reliable, up-to-date information in one place."
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals’, are commonly used to make textiles and other materials resistant to water and fire. However, because they persist in the environment and build up in living organisms, they pose growing risks to human health and ecosystems.
To help address this challenge, Venice-based start-up Algae Scope transforms residual seaweed biomass into a bio-based additive with natural fire- and water-repellent properties, offering manufacturers an alternative to PFAS.
China Southern Airlines has launched a new direct cargo route between Oslo and Shanghai, with capacity expected to carry around 200 tonnes of Norwegian salmon to China each week.
The route began operations on August 19 and will operate twice weekly using Boeing 777F freighters, with capacity of around 100 tonnes per flight, Norwegian airport operator Avinor said.
China Southern said it expects the service to carry 200 tonnes of Norwegian salmon a week during its initial operating phase.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
El Niño, the climate pattern marked by the warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, is currently having a significant impact on global fishmeal and fish oil production, marine ingredients association IFFO said today.
Peru, which typically accounts for around 20% of world fishmeal production, has been particularly affected by El Niño. This has significant implications for global supply of marine ingredients, which remain an important part of aquaculture diets.
Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
The shrimp fishery in Argentine waters is crucial to the financial performance of Galician-owned companies operating in the country through joint ventures. In fact, the multinational Iberconsa attributes a 5% drop in its business volume to the conflict that curtailed last year's season—and consequently, catch levels. While the 2025 season ended with a total of 63,800 tonnes, over 155,000 tonnes have already been landed by the middle of this month, according to Radio 3 Cadena Patagonia. The fleet and processing companies face a potential early closure, driven both by the volume of the catch and by the fact that rising levels of hake bycatch are affecting the yield of the shrimp fishery.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
El Niño is hitting the Pacific hard. According to the latest report from ENFEN—Peru’s multisectoral commission responsible for studying the El Niño phenomenon—"if anomalous warm conditions persist, the anchoveta is expected to remain concentrated near the coast and at greater depths than usual over the coming weeks, leading to increased depletion of their energy reserves." In fact, NOAA estimates that the event will intensify heading into autumn—a prediction shared by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which acknowledges that "El Niño continues to intensify steadily and is expected to have a decisive influence on global climate patterns during the August–October 2026 period."
Source: iPac.acuicultura | Read the full article here
RationFEED turns wasted pellets into feeding intelligence.
Icelandic aquaculture technology company Ration has developed RationFEED, an out-of-water computer-vision system that detects and counts uneaten feed pellets in the effluent from land-based fish tanks. The data can be used to automatically adjust feeding in real-time, helping farms reduce feed loss, protect water quality, and respond more accurately to changes in fish appetite.
Mounted above the tank effluent, RationFEED combines specialized optics, AI, and computer vision to distinguish pellets from fish waste. The system can connect to existing feeding equipment and control it automatically.
Islanders on Coll have invited Mowi to explore building another fish farm in Scotland’s Hebridean archipelago, in a move the company says will bring more jobs and families back to the island, and help tackle a housing shortage.
At the request of some members of the community, Mowi Scotland gave a presentation at the An Cridhe centre in Arinagour on 11 May, about the possibilities for Coll, its plans for the newly acquired uninhabited island of Sanda, and its operations off Muck, Rum and Colonsay.
Mowi said the possible development on Coll, which could produce 3,500 tonnes of biomass, employ 14 people, and build several new homes on the model of its Colonsay site, would “only progress … with the majority support of the local community”.
Author: Sandy Neil / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
Natural feed solution aims to strengthen fish immunity, improve performance and reduce antibiotic use in tilapia farming.
A technology developed by Embrapa Meio Ambiente, Unicamp and UFSCar has been recognized at the 2026 Unicamp Inventors Award. Licensed to Terpenia Bioinsumos as Terpenia Acqua, the natural feed additive is designed to boost tilapia immunity and disease resistance, improve production performance and help reduce antibiotic use in aquaculture.
Licensed to Terpenia Bioinsumos and marketed as Terpenia Acqua, the innovation is a natural feed additive designed to strengthen the immune response and increase tilapia resistance to diseases, one of the main challenges affecting productivity and profitability in intensive aquaculture.
The funding will support new RAS facilities in Germany and Spain.
German aquaculture firm Oceanloop has secured USD 44.5 million (EUR 38.5 million) to expand land-based giant grouper production. A 250-ton RAS farm in Kiel, Germany, is planned from late 2026, followed by a 2,000-ton facility in Gran Canaria, Spain, from 2029.
Oceanloop noted grouper's appeal in Asian seafood markets as attractive for professional kitchens, foodservice, and premium seafood distribution.
The investment will also support a 2,000-ton commercial facility in Gran Canaria, Spain, that will begin construction in 2029. Oceanloop has a local subsidiary on the island currently, and the new site will become the company's first industrial-scale production platform.
NOAA Scientists Discover Repeat Spawning in Pacific Capelin United States
SEATTLE — A landmark scientific study led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has revealed the first biological evidence that Pacific capelin (Mallotus villosus) p...
SPAIN.png)
Utilising, for the first time, an optimisation mechanism, the fleet was allowed to fish until the last authorised day. The Xeito fleet can continue fishing against its quota until exhaustion, following the provisions of Order APM/605/2018, of June 1, which establishes a management and recovery plan for sardines in the Iberian waters (8c and 9a) of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
UNITED KINGDOM
The keen interest sparked within the British sector by the "octopus bloom"—the massive proliferation of *Octopus vulgaris* in the waters off southwest England and the western English Channel that began in 2025—has prompted the government to take action. After establishing a working group to advance the management of this fishery—which, until a year ago, was negligible—the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has now launched an information website aimed at the general public, the fishing industry, and the scientific community. "The octopus proliferation has understandably generated enormous interest, and we want to ensure that everyone can easily find reliable, up-to-date information in one place."
ITALY
PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals’, are commonly used to make textiles and other materials resistant to water and fire. However, because they persist in the environment and build up in living organisms, they pose growing risks to human health and ecosystems.
CHINA
China Southern Airlines has launched a new direct cargo route between Oslo and Shanghai, with capacity expected to carry around 200 tonnes of Norwegian salmon to China each week.
PERU
El Niño, the climate pattern marked by the warming of surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, is currently having a significant impact on global fishmeal and fish oil production, marine ingredients association 
ARGENTINA
The shrimp fishery in Argentine waters is crucial to the financial performance of Galician-owned companies operating in the country through joint ventures. In fact, the multinational Iberconsa attributes a 5% drop in its business volume to the conflict that curtailed last year's season—and consequently, catch levels. While the 2025 season ended with a total of 63,800 tonnes, over 155,000 tonnes have already been landed by the middle of this month, according to Radio 3 Cadena Patagonia. The fleet and processing companies face a potential early closure, driven both by the volume of the catch and by the fact that rising levels of hake bycatch are affecting the yield of the shrimp fishery.
WORLDWIDE
El Niño is hitting the Pacific hard. According to the latest report from ENFEN—Peru’s multisectoral commission responsible for studying the El Niño phenomenon—"if anomalous warm conditions persist, the anchoveta is expected to remain concentrated near the coast and at greater depths than usual over the coming weeks, leading to increased depletion of their energy reserves." In fact, NOAA estimates that the event will intensify heading into autumn—a prediction shared by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which acknowledges that "El Niño continues to intensify steadily and is expected to have a decisive influence on global climate patterns during the August–October 2026 period." 
ICELAND
RationFEED turns wasted pellets into feeding intelligence. 
Islanders on Coll have invited
BRAZIL
Natural feed solution aims to strengthen fish immunity, improve performance and reduce antibiotic use in tilapia farming.
GERMANY.png)
