IN BRIEF - EBFA welcomes postponement of vote on total closure of 10% of EU fishing grounds
EUROPEAN UNION
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Until the next meeting of the EC Member States Coordination Group (MSCG) which will be in October 2024.
Statements by Iván López Van Deer Veen, president of the European Bottom Fishing Alliance (EBFA): “We are very happy with the decision taken today to postpone the vote to close 10% of the waters to fishing. We think it is great news that the Member States have asked for more time to better study the measures and wait for the information that needs to arrive and, above all, to study it patiently. We know that Spain has also agreed with this decision and therefore we are very satisfied and, furthermore, we believe that it is fair, since we are in an electoral period and it should be in any case after the formation of the new Parliament when decisions are made. decisions of this magnitude, and of course in important bodies and not in minor technical bodies. "It is a decision that would have a tremendous impact on the viability of European fishing and therefore should not be taken behind Parliament's back."
Many Member States have expressed that, due to the important implications for the fleet and food production, a decision cannot be taken lightly and therefore extensive consultations and discussions are necessary, especially with stakeholders in the fishing sector.
In February 2025, the total volume of frozen pollock imported into Korea was 13,036 tons, a 16% decrease compared to the 15,599 tons imported in the same period of 2024.
The cumulative import volume for the year reached 24,373 tons, a 4% decline from the 25,500 tons recorded in the previous year (25,500 tons). This represents 16% of total seafood imports, which amounted to 152,793 tons.
Russia supplied the majority (99%) of frozen pollock imports, with 24,257 tons, while the United States provided 116 tons. The import price was USD 1.04/kg for Russian pollock and USD 1.44/kg for American pollock.
The total import value of frozen pollock until February 2025 was USD 13.79 million, a 10% decrease compared to USD 15.33 million in the same period of 2024. However, the cumulative import value reached USD 25.48 million, a 1% increase compared to USD 25.24 million in the previous year (USD 25.24 million).
The average import price was USD 1.05/kg, a 6% increase from USD 0.99/kg in the same period of 2024.
Despite the decline in import volume, the average import price of frozen pollock has increased, and the total cumulative import value has risen slightly.
Japan and Russia have finalized an agreement on trial salmon and trout fishing by Japanese vessels within 200 nautical miles of Russia, maintaining the same fishing quotas, fees, and operational period as last year.
According to the Fisheries Agency, negotiations took place via web conference from March 10 and concluded on March 14, involving the same representatives as those who negotiated fishing rights within Japan’s 200-nautical-mile zone.
Under the agreement, a single vessel will conduct a trial operation using a trawl net, with a total catch limit of 125 tons, distributed as follows:
The fishing fee remains at 25 million yen, and the operation period is set for 36 days, from June 1 to July 31, aligning closely with last year’s schedule.
Last year, trial fishing resumed after a three-year hiatus, with one 199-ton fishing vessel operating from July 1 to July 12. However, the total catch was only 8.2 tons, with no sockeye salmon recorded. This year, fishing will commence earlier than before, raising hopes for better results, particularly in the waters off Kamchatka.
We hear from the scientist who discovered Japanese sardines off the coast of California for the first time and discuss what it means for the future.
In 2022, Dr. Gary Longo detected Japanese sardines swimming in the eastern Pacific, off the coast of California. This was the first time they’d ever been seen here—their normal range is in the western Pacific from Korea to Russia, thousands and thousands of miles away. It was a shocking discovery. Sardines are incredibly important to the California current ecosystem and are a key forage fish across the globe.
On this episode of Dive In with NOAA Fisheries, we scratch at this mystery of Japanese sardine appearing in U.S. waters. How did they get here? What does it mean for the native Pacific sardine? Are they staying? (Spoiler alert: so far, yes.)
We hear from Dr. Longo, a research scientist at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center and one of the authors of a new study documenting this discovery. The authors suggest marine heatwaves that warmed the North Pacific over the last decade might have opened a corridor of favorable habitat, which the Japanese sardines followed across the ocean.
South Korea experienced a significant 63% surge in Norwegian seafood imports in February compared to the previous year.
February 2025 imports reached 10,107 tons, up from 6,207 tons in February 2024. Total imports for January and February rose by 42% to 25,069 tons, compared to 17,674 tons in the same period of 2024. Norwegian seafood now represents 16% of South Korea's total seafood imports, which reached 152,793 tons.
[Import Trends by Product]
Norwegian seafood import values also increased, with February 2025 reaching USD 55.4 million, a 14% rise from USD 48.76 million in February 2024. The cumulative value for January and February increased by 30% to USD 139.4 million, compared to USD 107.31 million in 2024. However, the average import price decreased by 8% to USD 5.56/kg, down from USD 6.07/kg the previous year. The increased demand for Norwegian seafood in South Korea is evident, particularly for frozen mackerel and salmon fillets.
The Xunta (regional government) is assisting the sector and will allow each structure to increase its harvest capacity from 100 to 150 cuerdas (100 acres) of farmed mussels, which are scarce due to climate change and shorter production cycles.
Understanding and adapting the capabilities of a species to its production cycle is essential in the primary sector, whether it's a pig or a lettuce. The same applies to mussels: the longer the cycle, the larger they will be; the shorter it is, the smaller they will be, and the sooner they can be sold, but the sooner new seed will also be needed.
Author: Jorge Garnelo / Faro de Vigo l Read the full article here
The company maintains that the improved results "are primarily due to the measures implemented by the new management team."
From April to December 2024, the Nueva Pescanova Group achieved an EBITDA (gross operating profit calculated before deducting financial expenses) of €40.1 million, four times higher than the previous year (from April 2023 to March 2024), representing a 309% increase in nine months. This €40.1 million exceeds the forecast made by the company's management, which estimated it would reach €37.5 million at the end of the year.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras l Read the full article here
The Port of Vancouver in the Canadian province of British Columbia has announced its annual statistics, showing that 158 million metric tons (MT) of cargo, which included seafood products, moved through the port in 2024, a 5 percent increase year over year and a record for the port.
The news of the port’s strong 2024 performance comes amid an escalating trade war between the U.S. and Canada. Xotta emphasized, in a release by the Port Authority, that the Port of Vancouver was ready to meet the challenges of the moment.
Author: Erin Spampinato / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here
MERL, which is located at Machrihanish in Argyll, received the UK Government funding as part of the new Argyll and Bute Rural Growth Deal, which aims to foster economic growth through connecting the region’s high-value business sectors with national and international markets and linking local economic successes with national strategic priorities.
Aquaculture is one of the world’s fastest growing sectors, while the Scottish Government aspires to double the economic contribution of Scotland’s aquaculture industry to £3.6 billion by 2030.
Source: The Fish Site l Read the full article here
Ireland’s agriculture, food, fisheries, and marine minister Timmy Dooley will be the keynote speaker at the IFA Aquaculture Conference in Limerick next week.
The conference and AGM will be held at the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel, Limerick, on Thursday, March 20.
IFA Aquaculture is the aquaculture division of the Irish Farmers Association.
Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here
According to data from the Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo) industry monitoring system, Russian fishermen have harvested 1,036,600 tons of aquatic bioresources since the beginning of the year.
Catches by basin:
Far Eastern Basin: 872,000 tons
Pollock: 660,500 tons
Cod: 29,000 tons
Pacific Herring: 136,800 tons (+15,300 tons compared to 2024)
Northern Basin: 61,400 tons
Cod: 43,800 tons
Haddock: 8,900 tons
Western Basin: 19,500 tons (+8.3% compared to 2024)
Sprat: 12,900 tons (+700 tons compared to 2024)
Baltic Herring: 6,300 tons (+1,000 tons compared to 2024)
Azov-Black Sea Basin: 10,800 tons (+20.5% compared to 2024)
Anchovy: 9,800 tons (+1,600 tons compared to 2024)
Volga-Caspian Basin: 17,700 tons (+17.6% compared to 2024)
Sprat: 17,100 tons (+2,800 tons compared to 2024)
Russian fleets also harvested 53,900 tons in foreign exclusive economic zones, international waters, and the open ocean (+24,100 tons or 81.1% compared to the same perio
Illex Squid Catch Reaches 80,000 Tons as Season Shows Stability Argentina
According to official figures, the current squid fishing season is following a similar trend to last year.
Photo: archivo
As of March 11th, declared catches reached 80,173 tons, a 3% increas...
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EUROPEAN UNION.png)
Statements by Iván López Van Deer Veen, president of the 
SOUTH KOREA
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
UNITED STATES
In 2022, Dr. Gary Longo detected Japanese sardines swimming in the eastern Pacific, off the coast of California. This was the first time they’d ever been seen here—their normal range is in the western Pacific from Korea to Russia, thousands and thousands of miles away. It was a shocking discovery. Sardines are incredibly important to the California current ecosystem and are a key forage fish across the globe.
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SPAIN
The Xunta (regional government) is assisting the sector and will allow each structure to increase its harvest capacity from 100 to 150 cuerdas (100 acres) of farmed mussels, which are scarce due to climate change and shorter production cycles.
CANADA
The Port of Vancouver in the Canadian province of British Columbia has announced its annual statistics, showing that 158 million metric tons (MT) of cargo, which included seafood products, moved through the port in 2024, a 5 percent increase year over year and a record for the port. 
UNITED KINGDOM
MERL, which is located at Machrihanish in Argyll, received the UK Government funding as part of the new Argyll and Bute Rural Growth Deal, which aims to foster economic growth through connecting the region’s high-value business sectors with national and international markets and linking local economic successes with national strategic priorities.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Ireland’s agriculture, food, fisheries, and marine minister Timmy Dooley will be the keynote speaker at the IFA Aquaculture Conference in Limerick next week..png)
