Russia has fully transitioned its fishing fleet to domestic satellite systems for vessel monitoring, abandoning foreign networks as of January 1, 2026.

According to the Federal Agency for Fisheries, fishing vessels now transmit location data exclusively via Russian orbital constellations—Gonets, Yamal, and Express—to the Industry Monitoring System (IMS).

The move follows Order No. 250 of the Ministry of Agriculture, which ended the use of British Inmarsat satellite stations as technical monitoring equipment on ships. Authorities say the switch reduces the risk of vessels being disconnected from foreign satellite networks and strengthens uninterrupted operational oversight.

The transition, launched on May 13, 2024, lasted 18 months and involved the complete replacement of foreign-made shipborne monitoring stations with domestic ones. The new requirements apply to vessels with a gross tonnage over 80 tons and engine power exceeding 55 kW.

According to Alexander Mikhailov, head of the Fisheries Monitoring and Communications System Center, tests conducted in December 2025 showed that Gonets stations were more than twice as reliable as Inmarsat equipment in 2025. He added that the domestic system also significantly lowers communication costs for shipowners.

Source: Federal Agency for Fisheries

Organic certification body, the Soil Association, has launched a consultation about proposed changes to its standard for Scottish farmed salmon.

Last year the charity, which is the UK’s largest and most recognised certifier of organic produce, warned it would withdraw from the sector if meaningful progress was not delivered by summer 2026.

It has proposed a series of changes to its salmon standard following what it says is extensive research, including consultation with aquaculture experts, and these proposals are now available for anyone with an interest in salmon farming to comment on before the closing date on March 15.

Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here

Aquaticode and Cooke ESPAÑA enter agreement to develop and implement AI phenotyping for sea bass and sea bream. Hatcheries producing sea bass and sea bream have traditionally relied on manual visual assessment to identify weak or unviable fish at an early stage. This process is labour-intensive, highly variable, and provides little biological accuracy at the earliest life stages.Aquaticode has entered into an agreement with Cooke ESPAÑA to develop a new AI-based phenotyping product line aimed at supporting earlier and more consistent decision-making in bass and bream hatcheries. 

Source: Fish Focus | Read the full article here

East Coast Shellfish Association Executive Director Robert Rheault said he spent his recent holiday season reacting to a U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) outbreak alert he calls “ridiculous.”

On 23 December, the CDC put out an alert that said 64 cases of salmonella had been linked to raw oysters across 22 states, with 20 hospitalizations and zero deaths.It was an announcement not of an outbreak but of an investigation. In fact, what they found was it does not meet the FDA’s definition of an outbreak by any imagination which would be two sick people having food from a common source,” Rheault said. “In any case, of the 65 people who came down with this very rare strain of salmonella, 22 of them claimed they had had oysters in the past two weeks.

Author: Chris Chase / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here

During 2024, Ventisqueros strengthened its Sustainable Schools Program, benefiting 14 rural schools in the municipalities of Hualaihué, Quemchi, Quinchao, Puerto Varas, Chaitén, and Ayacara in the Los Lagos Region. Developed in partnership with Fundación La Semilla, the initiative promotes early environmental education, school innovation, and community development in remote areas.

The program includes environmental workshops, educational fairs, agroecological activities, the delivery of supplies, and ongoing technical support, enabling each school community to develop its own projects through the Sustainable School Funds (FES). Thanks to this support, schools have made progress in recycling, energy efficiency, school gardens, cultural heritage preservation, sustainable infrastructure, and environmental education, generating tangible improvements in their surroundings.

A key milestone was the progress made by four schools toward Environmental Certification from the Ministry of the Environment (SNCAE), recognizing their ability to integrate sustainable practices into school management.

The initiative also includes educational visits to Ventisqueros’ fish farms and hatcheries, strengthening the connection between education, territory, and responsible aquaculture. Through this work, Ventisqueros reaffirms its commitment to sustainability built through education and projected toward the future.

The demonstration coincides with a meeting scheduled for this afternoon with the Secretary General for Fisheries, Isabel Artime, after a week of the fleet being moored in protest.

Ayamonte – The fishing sector in Ayamonte is continuing its protest against the new European Fisheries Control Regulation today with a demonstration scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at the Punta del Moral fishing pier. This coincides with a meeting planned for the same time between representatives of the sector and the Secretary General for Fisheries, Isabel Artime.

The mobilization comes after the fleet remained moored last week as a protest against regulations that shipowners and crews consider disproportionate, rigid, and out of touch with the realities of artisanal and inshore fishing.

The sector argues that the application of the regulation imposes administrative burdens that are difficult to bear, such as the individual declaration of catches and the obligation to notify authorities of their arrival in port several hours in advance. These measures create operational uncertainty and jeopardize the economic viability of numerous vessels.

With this gathering, maritime professionals are demanding real dialogue, flexibility, and adaptation of the regulations, so that the necessary control and sustainability are compatible with the daily work of the traditional fleet.

Related News:

• Ayamonte Fleet Docks in Protest Against 'Unbearable' EU Regulation Suffocating the Industry

The research vessel Árni Friðriksson arrived in Akureyri a week ago after completing a week-long survey of capelin spawning migrations east and north of Iceland.

Árni Friðriksson tracks in the capelin survey 5-12 January 2026 (pink) along with acoustic values ??for capelin (red lines perpendicular to the survey tracks). The grey line shows the 400 m depth contour. Source: hafogvatn

The survey aimed to map the current distribution of the capelin stock to support planning and assessment of a forthcoming comprehensive survey.

Findings indicate that the traditional eastward spawning migration has not yet progressed. The leading edge of the migration was located northeast of Langanes, where capelin abundance was negligible. Capelin were subsequently observed along the continental shelf edge toward the Kolbeinsey Ridge and farther west, where the highest densities were recorded.

Stormy weather prevented the vessel from surveying areas farther west, while sea ice off the Westfjords also limited coverage.

Based on these results, a more extensive assessment of the capelin stock is planned for early next week. The survey will involve five vessels: the research ships Árni Friðriksson and Þórunn Þórðardóttir, and the fishing vessels Barði, Heimaey and Polar Ammassak.

Polish fishermen have stopped landing sprat at the port of Nexø because prices have fallen too low, according to Danish media Fiskeritidende.

A difference of just two Danish kroner per kilo — approximately $0.31 USD/kg — has led Polish sprat fishermen to prefer landing their catch in Poland rather than on Bornholm. This pricing gap is reported by TV2 Bornholm.

In Poland, fishermen can receive about 4.60 DKK per kilo (roughly $0.72 USD/kg), while in Nexø they were offered around 2.60 DKK per kilo (about $0.41 USD/kg).

The price drop is attributed to lower demand, partly because mink feed factories in the Bornholm port city no longer operate at previous levels. Additionally, sprat is widely regarded as an edible fish in Poland, sustaining stronger local demand.

The shift has had noticeable economic effects on the Port of Nexø. In past years the port earned over 1 million DKK in landing fees (more than $155,000 USD), but this year it expects re