IN BRIEF - The Undersecretary of Fisheries chose not to punish illegal fishing of toothfish
ARGENTINA
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Fishing a quota species without being a quota holder is prohibited by the Federal Fisheries Law and is considered a very serious offense.
The Tai An vessel does not have a quota for toothfish; Therefore, it can only incidentally capture up to 5 tons per trip, as established by Resolution 9/2023 of the Federal Fisheries Council.
However, this ship was operating in the toothfish distribution area, where wells with depths greater than a thousand meters are located, on March 2 and 6. It is suspected that such a large volume could not be loaded in just two days, so the cargo could be made up of 142 tons with a significant proportion of juvenile specimens, which would further aggravate the ship's situation.
The toothfish is a species that is protected internationally due to its limited availability and very high vulnerability. Therefore, illegal fishing anywhere in the world can be punished by certifying organizations and even by the market.
The fact is of unusual gravity: the Tai An ship has not only stolen 142 tons of toothfish from the Argentine Sea, worth three and a half million dollars, but has also endangered the sustainability of the resource. Given this situation, the only thing the Undersecretary of Fisheries did was tell the boat to leave the distribution area of this species, allowing it to continue fishing in other areas.
“It's what I can do,”Juan Antonio López Cazorla told the businessmen who complained about his inaction.[...]
Source: Revista Puerto (Translated from original in Spanish)
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.
