IN BRIEF - Stig Tore Laugen from energy to aquaculture
NORWAY
Friday, October 25, 2024
Torghatten Aqua has hired Stig Tore Laugen (48) as director of IR and communications.
"We are very pleased to have such capacity in our team, We have recruited from the top shelf", says Group CEO Øyvind Løvdahl in Torghatten Aqua. Laugen comes to the Brønnøysund-based aquaculture group from the Nordic renewables group Aneo.
Laugen joins Torghatten Aqua's management team, and is given responsibility for investor contact (IR), communication and public relations. - The association will play a central role in raising capital for Torghatten Aqua's land-based farming projects in the subsidiary Aquaculture Innovation, says Løvdahl.
Torghatten Aqua is listed on the NOTC list on EuroNext Oslo Børs, and just reached a milestone when the group passed NOK one billion in company value.
48-year-old Stig Tore Laugen is looking forward to becoming part of the Torghatten Aqua team. - "I am proud and humbled to have the opportunity to work with all the talented, energetic and dedicated people in the group. I have met quite a bit of everything, and have been inspired. Here there is a lot of willingness to implement and implementation power,"says Laugen.
(October 10th): 5.71 million fish, 17.4 billion yen, an increase of 70% in quantity and 20% in value
As of October 10, the catch of autumn salmon migrating along the coast of Abashiri, which leads the whole of Hokkaido, was 5.71 million fish, just over 70% of the same period last year, but the average price per kilogram reached 1,000 yen (U$E 6.58), and the value was 17.4 billion yen (U$D 112 M), nearly 20% higher than the same period last year. The average eye size was 3.04 kg, the same as last year
According to the Abashiri Sea Area Fisheries Adjustment Committee, as of October 10, the total number of salmon caught was 5,715,220, down 74.7% from the same period last year. The weight was 17,394 tons, down 73.7%. The value was 17,483,700,000 yen, up 119.7%.
Compared to 3.57 million fish and 10,850 tons caught in the August-September period, 2.14 million fish and 6,540 tons were caught in the peak 10-day period. Although the pace of catches is slowing, the aim is to reach 10 million fish and 30,000 tons by the end of November.
Among the fishing cooperatives, Shari Daiichi, located in the eastern Okhotsk Sea, caught 1.77 million fish (116% increase) and Utoro caught 1.07 million fish (107% increase), both of which were higher than the same period last year.
Ecuadorian seafood represented just 1% of the total 651,137 tons of seafood imported into South Korea.
In September 2024, seafood imports from Ecuador to South Korea fell sharply by 60% year-on-year, with only 191 tons imported compared to 476 tons during the same month in 2023. The cumulative volume for the year reached 3,848 tons, reflecting a 14% decrease from 4,449 tons imported in the previous year.
Among key categories, frozen whiteleg shrimp remained the most significant, with 2,743 tons imported—down 7% from the 2,952 tons imported in 2023. Frozen hairtail imports dropped significantly, totaling 844 tons, a steep 36% decline from 1,311 tons last year. In contrast, frozen conger eel fillets experienced substantial growth, with 235 tons imported, marking a 103% increase from 116 tons in 2023.
The total value of Ecuadorian seafood imports in September 2024 stood at USD 1.01 million, down 55% from USD 2.43 million in the same period the previous year. For the year to date, the cumulative import value reached USD 19.45 million, an 11% drop from USD 21.96 million in 2023.
An innovative method is proposed: attaching ropes with seedlings to already installed hydrobiological structures on marine farms. This approach differs from the traditional Japanese method of cultivating in tidal zones. The author of the idea is a master's student of the Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University Ksenia Bogdanovskaya.
A project to cultivate Ulva lactuca (sea lettuce) could open up a new direction in aquaculture. The algae is rich in proteins, fibre, vitamins and minerals.
"This algae is used in the food industry, cosmetology and medicine, but it is not yet popular enough in Russia. Our goal is to grow Ulva lactuca artificially from seedlings on marifarms. The Ulva harvest can be collected in 6-8 months. We have preliminary calculations of how much green mass should be obtained, but the experiment is still ongoing, we only have a laboratory prototype," said Ksenia Bogdanovskaya.
Ksenia Bogdanovskaya's project became one of the winners of the Student Startup competition. A grant of 1 million rubles was allocated for the implementation of the full cycle of the project.
As of September 2024, South Korea’s frozen cod imports have seen a sharp 51% decline compared to the same period in 2023.
In September alone, only 200 tons of frozen cod were imported, a steep 66% drop from the 595 tons imported in September 2023. The total volume of imports through September 2024 reached 4,775 tons, almost half of the 9,721 tons imported by this time last year. Frozen cod made up just 0.73% of South Korea’s total seafood import volume of 651,137 tons.
Russia remained the dominant supplier, contributing 96% of the total imports with 4,531 tons. Other suppliers included the U.S. with 125 tons, Canada with 69 tons, and China with 20 tons. The average import prices per country were as follows: Russia at USD 3.15/kg, the U.S. at USD 2.74/kg, China at USD 2.60/kg, and Canada, offering the lowest price, at USD 1.87/kg.
Click on the image to enlarge
The total import value for September was USD 440,000, marking a significant 72% decline from USD 1.61 million in September 2023. Cumulative import value through September 2024 stood at USD 14.8 million, a 60% drop from USD 36.74 million in the same period the previous year. The average import price fell to USD 3.10/kg, down 18% from last year’s USD 3.78/kg, reflecting both a reduction in volume and import prices.
For reference, domestic wholesale prices for frozen Russian line-caught cod in South Korea are around KRW 86,000 for a large 18.5kg unit, and approximately KRW 83,000 for medium-sized units.
The federal government has ordered the closure of the commercial bluefin tuna fishery through the end of November, as the quota for the October-November period is expected to be fully utilized.
Starting at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 24, vessels with an Atlantic Tunas General category or a Highly Migratory Species Charter/Headboat permit will be prohibited from retaining, possessing, or landing large medium or giant Atlantic bluefin tuna until November 30.
However, the fishery will automatically reopen on December 1, with a default retention limit of one fish per vessel per day or per trip for the General category.
It's important to note that this closure does not impact recreational bluefin tuna fishing.
The U.S. bluefin tuna fishery, which has a strong base in Gloucester, Massachusetts—famously featured on the National Geographic series Wicked Tuna—also sees significant landings in coastal New England, particularly in Massachusetts, Maine, and North Carolina.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a bill banning octopus farming into law, making it the second U.S. state after Washington to prohibit the practice.
The Oppose Cruelty to Octopuses (OCTO) Act prohibits octopus farming operations throughout the state. It also bans the sale of farmed octopuses in California. The bill received unanimous approval from the state senate and overwhelming support in the state assembly.
Author: Nathan Strout / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here
Ode is pleased to announce the appointment of Vianney Pons as one of our new Sales Managers. In his role, Vianney will be responsible for leading the company’s further expansion in the French and Benelux markets. With his extensive background in the seafood industry, he will be a valuable addition to our sales team and contribute to strengthening Ode’s international growth.
Vianney has worked in the seafood industry throughout his career, after completing his engineering degree. He began as a buyer of farmed fish such as salmon, trout, and seabass at Pomona.
Norwegian salmon producing giant, Mowi announced today that Ole-Eirik Lerøy will step down as Chairman of the Board following a 15-year tenure, during which the company became the world’s largest supplier of farm-raised salmon.
Lerøy will be succeeded by Ørjan Svanevik, pending approval at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
Source: SalmonBusiness l Read the full article here
The crab boat was built at the Vostochnaya Shipyard as part of the second stage of the "keel quotas". The vessel is equipped with traps for catching crab and shrimp, and is also capable of longline fishing.
The vessel Andrey Basargin, 63.27 m long, 10.6 m wide, with a gross tonnage of 1,053 units, is equipped with traps for catching crab and shrimp, and is also capable of longline fishing.
On board there are conditions for storing the catch and transporting it to the port alive in RSW tanks with chilled sea water. The capacity of the cargo hold is 257 cubic meters.
Similar vessels of Project 03141 have been under construction since 2019. Earlier, JSC Vostochnaya Verf delivered five crab catchers to customers as part of the first stage of the investment quota program.
The main employers' associations and unions of the community canning industry signed a joint declaration yesterday in Santiago in which they join forces to defend their business from the unfair competition that is implied by the conditions under which some trade agreements with third countries are signed. The one that the EU is pursuing with Thailand is the greatest example, but other agreements that are processed with other countries in Southeast Asia, especially damaging to the canned tuna industry, are no less damaging, in the opinion of the group.
Source: La Voz de Galicia l Read the full article here
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