IN BRIEF - Inside North Korea's Forced-Labor Program
NORTH KOREA
Monday, February 26, 2024
Workers sent from the country to Chinese factories describe enduring beatings and sexual abuse, having their wages taken by the state, and being told that if they try to escape they will be “killed without a trace.”
IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR, Donggang Jinhui Foodstuff, a seafood-processing company in Dandong, China, threw a party. It had been a successful year: a new plant had opened, and the company had doubled the amount of squid that it exported to the United States. The party, according to videos posted on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, featured singers, instrumentalists, dancers, fireworks, and strobe lights. One aspect of the company’s success seems to have been its use of North Korean workers, who are sent by their government to work in Chinese factories, in conditions of captivity, to earn money for the state.
A seafood trader who does business with Jinhui recently estimated that it employed between fifty and seventy North Koreans. Videos posted by a company representative show machines labelled in Korean, and workers with North Korean accents explaining how to clean squid.
At the party, the company played songs that are popular in Pyongyang, including “People Bring Glory to Our Party” (written by North Korea’s 1989 poet laureate) and “We Will Go to Mt. Paektu” (a reference to the widely mythologized birthplace of Kim Jong Il).[...]
With over 428,000 tons harvested by 2024, Chile leads the world in the harvesting of algae from natural populations. This activity generates approximately US$100 million and employs more than 75,000 people, primarily in coastal communities. Furthermore, the country is a key player in the global salmon aquaculture sector, contributing around a quarter of the global supply. While both industries are socially and economically important, they face environmental challenges due to overexploitation and intensive production methods that threaten marine ecosystems and the sustainability of this source of income.
Source: MundoAcuicola | Read the full article here
Anfaco-Cytma, in collaboration with the Banco Sabadell Foundation, is once again launching the 8th Anfaco Design Award to recognize and promote young talent, creativity, and design culture as a driver of transformation in strategic sectors.
The competition is open to young designers and design students up to 35 years old who have studied or are currently studying at Design Schools in Spain and are interested in developing a packaging project related to the "Taste the Can" campaign promoting the consumption of canned fish and seafood.
The call for entries will be open from February 16 to April 10, 2026, inclusive.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
The agreement has been crucial in enabling Norwegian wellboats to operate in British waters without the requirement for individual work visas for crew, and has ensured stable and predictable framework conditions for the wellboat industry after Brexit, said Norway's Coastal Shipping Companies (Kystrederiene) trade body in an update.
The organisation wrote that it has had an active dialogue with the UK Home Office for a long time, with the aim of ensuring the continuation of the exemption scheme. The work has taken place in close cooperation with the Norwegian authorities
Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
Skrei cod is famous for its long migration from the Barents Sea to the coast of Norway. Caught only seasonally from January to April, this exclusive fish continues its journey after the catch, being served by chefs all across Europe.
January will see the return of the much-anticipated Norwegian skrei season. Hailed for its delicate flavour and silky texture, skrei is a seasonal delicacy sourced only in a limited period.
Skrei’s lengthy 1,000km migration from the Barents Sea to its spawning grounds off the coast of northern Norway results in a lean, firm fish, creating a source of rich protein and proving a favourite with chefs globally for its versatility and dense, flaky, snow-white flesh.
A Norwegian court has delivered its decision in a lawsuit over an alleged verbal investment agreement involving one of the country’s most prominent seafood investors.
Gustav Witzøe has been cleared in a lawsuit brought by the Norwegian tidal energy start-up Tidal Sails, after the court rejected claims that a binding oral investment agreement had been entered into.
The Trøndelag tingrett ruled fully in Witzøe’s favour, finding no basis for Tidal Sails’ claim that the SalMar founder had committed to investing in the company
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
A report from the OctoPulse project links the explosion of Octopus vulgaris to warmer seas and oceanographic changes; the phenomenon is already disrupting fisheries and could affect prices in Europe.
In the ports of southwest England, the octopus has gone from being a minor player to suddenly becoming the star. Where it once appeared sporadically in traps and gear targeting crustaceans, it now appears in such high concentrations that the fleet describes it as a "bloom": an explosion of abundance. The phenomenon, centered on 2024/25, is the starting point of the report "Octopus bloom – history, causes & consequences (Work Package 1)," prepared by the OctoPulse project and published in January 2026.
The Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans has set a quota of 1,641 minke whales for 2026, an increase of 235 animals compared to last year's quota of 1,406, according to a statement. The increase is possible, it explains, because the unused quota from previous years' fishing campaigns has been carried over to this year.
In its statement, the Norwegian ministry clarifies that whaling in Norway is a sustainable activity, "strictly regulated, and the minke whale population is in very good condition." Furthermore, "Norway uses efficient fishing methods that respect animal welfare," it maintains.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
It ranks sixth in the global Ocean Benchmark ranking, which evaluates the 125 largest companies in the world based on their responsible practices and contribution to the sustainable management of the oceans. It is the top-ranked fishing company globally in this ranking and third among food companies, behind only Nestlé and Mowi.
Nueva Pescanova Group is the leading Spanish company in the sustainable management of oceans and coastal ecosystems and sixth globally in the Ocean Benchmark 2026. It is also the top-ranked fishing company in this ranking and third among food companies, behind only Nestlé and Mowi, according to this ranking compiled by the non-profit organization World Benchmarking Alliance
Source: iPac.aquacultura | Read the full article here
Using a unique stacked-tank, land-based system, Vertical Lake produces traceable fish while converting waste streams into organic fertiliser and collagen.
Jack Oyugi’s Vertical Lake is redefining what is possible in aquaculture. Built as a fully land-based, closed-loop system, it stacks tanks vertically, recycles 98 percent of its water, and produces traceable fish alongside organic plant food. Already serving hospitals, hotels and farmers across Kenya, the patented innovation is gaining global attention, including a nomination for the Earthshot Prize in 2025, and shows potential to scale across cities, arid regions and beyond.
Author: Proscovia Alando/ The Fish Site | Read the fullarticle here
The supermarket Tesco has suspended salmon supplies from Bakkafrost’s Portree farm, pending an investigation triggered by footage taken by a campaign group last year, which showed "diseased fish being dumped in the sea and live salmon left to suffocate before being shredded".
The Green Britain Foundation, a "climate and environment foundation devoted to an urgent transition to a greener Britain", has also called on the Co-op to "follow Tesco Finest by removing Bakkafrost salmon from its Irresistible range until the facts are established and any enforcement action is concluded".
Author: Sandy Neil / Fish Farmer | Read the fullarticle here
NORTH KOREA
CHILE
With over 428,000 tons harvested by 2024, Chile leads the world in the harvesting of algae from natural populations. This activity generates approximately US$100 million and employs more than 75,000 people, primarily in coastal communities. Furthermore, the country is a key player in the global salmon aquaculture sector, contributing around a quarter of the global supply. While both industries are socially and economically important, they face environmental challenges due to overexploitation and intensive production methods that threaten marine ecosystems and the sustainability of this source of income.
SPAIN
Anfaco-Cytma
UNITED KINGDOM
The agreement has been crucial in enabling Norwegian wellboats to operate in British waters without the requirement for individual work visas for crew, and has ensured stable and predictable framework conditions for the wellboat industry after Brexit, said Norway's Coastal Shipping Companies (Kystrederiene) trade body in an update.
NORWAY
Skrei cod is famous for its long migration from the Barents Sea to the coast of Norway. Caught only seasonally from January to April, this exclusive fish continues its journey after the catch, being served by chefs all across Europe.
A Norwegian court has delivered its decision in a lawsuit over an alleged verbal investment agreement involving one of the country’s most prominent seafood investors.
A report from the OctoPulse project links the explosion of Octopus vulgaris to warmer seas and oceanographic changes; the phenomenon is already disrupting fisheries and could affect prices in Europe.
The Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans has set a quota of 1,641 minke whales for 2026, an increase of 235 animals compared to last year's quota of 1,406, according to a statement. The increase is possible, it explains, because the unused quota from previous years' fishing campaigns has been carried over to this year..png)
It ranks sixth in the global Ocean Benchmark ranking, which evaluates the 125 largest companies in the world based on their responsible practices and contribution to the sustainable management of the oceans. It is the top-ranked fishing company globally in this ranking and third among food companies, behind only Nestlé and Mowi.
KENYA
Using a unique stacked-tank, land-based system, Vertical Lake produces traceable fish while converting waste streams into organic fertiliser and collagen.
The supermarket 
