IN BRIEF - This giant, prehistoric fanged salmon is even more bizarre than scientists thought
UNITED STATES
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
EUGENE, Ore. — In the rivers of the ancient Pacific Northwest, a colossal salmon once swam – one that dwarfed even the largest of today’s prized catches. For decades, this extinct giant has captured imaginations as the “Sabertooth Salmon,” conjuring images of a fish with fearsome downward-pointing fangs. But a study published in PLOS ONE reveals that we’ve been telling fish tales about this prehistoric marvel all along.
Meet Oncorhynchus rastrosus, a salmon that grew to an astonishing 2.7 meters (8.9 feet) in length – nearly three times the size of the largest modern salmon. When first described in the 1970s, paleontologists found massive, isolated teeth unlike anything seen in living salmon. Without a complete skull to work from, they logically assumed these teeth pointed backward into the mouth like fangs. This led to the creature’s popular nickname and even its original scientific name, which translates roughly to “rake-toothed smilodon-fish.”
Now, thanks to remarkably well-preserved new fossils and advanced imaging techniques, researchers have discovered that we’ve had it all wrong. Those imposing teeth weren’t downward-facing fangs at all but rather sideways-pointing spikes!
“The teeth projected laterally like tusks, not ventrally like sabers or fangs,”the study authors explain in the report.
The first significant shipment of Scottish salmon has arrived in India after a free trade deal led to a 33 per cent tariff being lifted.
Freshly harvested from Scotland’s west coast by leading salmon producer Bakkafrost Scotland, the salmon arrived at Sashimi Foods in Bengaluru on Friday. Sent by air via Heathrow Airport, the delivery arrived less than two weeks after the UK Government’s trade deal with India came into force – and as Glasgow prepares to hand the Commonwealth Games baton to Amdavad.
The Chittoor Fisheries Department launches a 5-day awareness campaign to help fish farmers mitigate El Niño impacts like water shortage and low oxygen.
The Tirupati Fisheries Department held an awareness drive to alert fishers and aquaculture farmers about the impacts of El Niño, promoting adaptation measures to reduce risks to fisheries and production.
Pacific tuna treaty delivers US$50.4m to island nations
FFA calls the agreement vital for regional fisheries cooperation.
The U.S. Tuna Treaty will distribute US$50.42 million to Pacific Island Parties, strengthening a partnership that grants U.S. purse-seine vessels access to regional waters through 2033.
Philippines to Appeal Ruling Voiding Fisheries Monitoring
The measure could weaken the fight against IUU fishing and affect seafood exports.
The Department of Agriculture and BFAR will ask the Supreme Court to reconsider the annulment of FAO 266, which required commercial vessels to use satellite tracking and submit electronic catch reports.
IFOP contributes to award-winning study on marine conservation
Dr. Patricia Zárate participated in the research recognized as Australia’s National Champion by the Frontiers Planet Prize.
Published in *Science*, the analysis compiled over 30 years of telemetry data on 111 species and warns that protecting 30% of the ocean must be complemented by measures addressing the impacts of fishing and maritime transport.
In early June, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the 21st package of measures against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine would include "fisheries for the first time." However, the EU has reversed course and removed measures targeting the fishing sector from this new sanctions package. There is no official explanation for the exclusion of these penalties.
Von der Leyen had previously stated that the EU-27 had decided to include "one of the last major unsanctioned sectors—fisheries—" in the punitive measures against Russia.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Fisheries agreements have moved beyond the "pay-to-fish" model, evolving into instruments of cooperation that foster investment and development in partner countries. As the European Commission prepares a new generation of agreements, the sector champions their strategic value and shared benefits—provided they are negotiated and implemented with appropriate safeguards.
This autumn, the European Commission will present a major package of policy guidelines for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors: "Vision 2040," which will define the long-term outlook for both sectors; a roadmap for the energy transition; and an external dimension strategy that will outline, among other key elements, the framework for a new generation of Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs).
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
The first significant shipment of Scottish salmon has arrived in India after a free trade deal led to a 33% tariff on fish being scrapped.
Freshly harvested from Scotland’s west coast by Bakkafrost Scotland, the salmon arrived at Sashimi Foods in Bengaluru (also called Bangalore) in Karnataka in southwest India's earlier today.
Sent by air via Heathrow Airport, the delivery arrived less than two weeks after the UK Government’s trade deal with India came into force – and as Glasgow prepares to hand the Commonwealth Games baton to Amdavad (Ahmedabad) in Gujarat.
Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
CDFW authorized catches for human consumption after domoic acid fell below the federal limit.
Effective July 31, the measure covers waters from Pigeon Point to Point Lobos and includes part of the coastline of Santa Cruz. Restrictions imposed on June 26 affected northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) and Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax).
The restriction had been established on June 26 after samples from both species presented elevated concentrations of domoic acid.
During its validity, commercial capture destined for human consumption was prohibited, although the use of sardines and anchovies as bait remained authorized, subject to specific labeling obligations.
Conapesca will implement two fishing suspension periods during 2026 and 2027.
The measure entails two 64-day closures: from August 6 to October 8, 2026, and from November 9, 2026, to January 11, 2027. It applies to Mexican purse-seine and longline tuna vessels operating in the Eastern Pacific.
The temporary fishing ban applies to Mexican-flagged tuna vessels with a carrying capacity of 182 metric tons or more that use purse-seine nets, and to longline vessels exceeding 24 meters in total length, operating in the aforementioned waters under federal jurisdiction.
Alaskan Rationalized Crab Fishery Value Rises 37.5% United States
Added value in Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands fishery, combined with reduced administrative costs, lowers federal cost recovery fee from 1.2% to 0.67% for the 2026/2027 season.
Washington. The comme...
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INDIA
The first significant shipment of Scottish salmon has arrived in India after a free trade deal led to a 33 per cent tariff being lifted..png)
The Chittoor Fisheries Department launches a 5-day awareness campaign to help fish farmers mitigate El Niño impacts like water shortage and low oxygen.
NEW ZEALAND
Pacific tuna treaty delivers US$50.4m to island nations
PHILIPPINES
The measure could weaken the fight against IUU fishing and affect seafood exports.
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Dr. Patricia Zárate participated in the research recognized as Australia’s National Champion by the Frontiers Planet Prize.
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
In early June, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the 21st package of measures against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine would include "fisheries for the first time." However, the EU has reversed course and removed measures targeting the fishing sector from this new sanctions package. There is no official explanation for the exclusion of these penalties.
EUROPEAN UNION
Fisheries agreements have moved beyond the "pay-to-fish" model, evolving into instruments of cooperation that foster investment and development in partner countries. As the European Commission prepares a new generation of agreements, the sector champions their strategic value and shared benefits—provided they are negotiated and implemented with appropriate safeguards.
The first significant shipment of Scottish salmon has arrived in India after a free trade deal led to a 33% tariff on fish being scrapped.
CDFW
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The measure entails two 64-day closures: from August 6 to October 8, 2026, and from November 9, 2026, to January 11, 2027. It applies to Mexican purse-seine and longline tuna vessels operating in the Eastern Pacific.
