IN BRIEF - Two Dead, Over 10 Missing After Fishing Vessel Sinks Off South Korea
SOUTH KOREA
Saturday, November 09, 2024
(EFE) – The sinking of a 129-ton fishing vessel off the coast of Jeju Island, South Korea, on Friday has resulted in the tragic loss of two crew members, with ongoing efforts to locate 12 others, as reported by local media.
The vessel, which carried 27 crew members, included 16 South Korean nationals and 11 foreign crew members. Following the incident, 15 individuals were rescued and transported to nearby hospitals. Two South Korean crew members were found unconscious during the rescue and were later declared dead.
The distress call signaling the vessel's emergency was received by local authorities at 4:33 a.m. on Friday (19:33 GMT on Thursday), alerting them that the Geumseong fishing boat was sinking approximately 24 kilometers from Biyang Island in Jeju Province.
At the time, the crew was reportedly transferring their catch to another vessel when their fishing boat began to submerge. According to the Coast Guard, the vessel is now fully submerged in South Korean waters.
In response, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has directed the Coast Guard, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to mobilize all necessary resources and personnel to intensify the search and rescue efforts for the 12 remaining missing crew members.
The 10 female CEOs selected met many criteria such as creating positive change, leaving a personal mark and having inspirational leadership.
Nguyen Ngo Vi Tam was appointed CEO of Vinh Hoan in 2016 after 13 years with Photo captionthe company. Vinh Hoan is currently the largest pangasius exporter in Vietnam, continuously maintaining the No. 1 position since 2009.
During the 2016-2023 period, Vinh Hoan's revenue and profit (after tax) increased by 40% and 62% respectively. In 2023, Vinh Hoan's revenue reached over 10 trillion VND (U$D 395M).
CEO Vinh Hoan has a bachelor's degree in law and a master's degree in business administration from Maastricht School of Management (Netherlands).
Working for the YKVN law firm, Vi Tam assisted Vinh Hoan in resolving the anti-dumping lawsuit against the United States in 2002-2003. Winning the affection of Vinh Hoan founder Truong Thi Le Khanh, she joined this private company.
Starting as a sales team leader, she rose through the ranks, proving her ability and dedication to her work, and was given an executive position at the age of 37.
QUINGDAO - Cornelis Vrolijk did the honors for the Netherlands at the large China Fisheries & Seafood Expo last week in Qingdao. The Vrolijk group, no stranger in China, was the only Dutch stand holder among the more than 1,600 exhibitors.
Since its first edition in 1996, the annual fish fair has grown enormously. With an exhibition floor of 45,000 square meters and around 35,000 visitors, it is one of the largest fish fairs in the world, since 2019 in Qingdao's new Hongdao International Convention and Exhibition Center, the largest exhibition complex in northern China.
Cornelis Vrolijk, including Primstar, speaks through director Annerieke Vrolijk of a successful busy fair. "It was nice to welcome our Asian customers. Despite the ailing economy in China, we see that the demand for our products is growing, and we hope to continue this trend in 2025."
With 1.4 billion inhabitants and a love of all things swimming, China remains a promising growth market for fish. According to agricultural specialists at Rabobank, China is looking beyond its borders to meet increased domestic demand. China is expected to import around 29 billion dollars in 2030, which will make it far surpass the United States as a huge fish market.
According to the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises (VARPE), Russia aims to increase its fish and seafood exports to $8.85 billion by 2030, exceeding the initial target of $8.5 billion. Achieving this goal will require boosting exports by 1.5 times compared to 2021 levels.
VARPE’s analysis highlights significant growth potential in key product categories, including frozen pollock, cod, crab, and various types of caviar. Target markets for this expansion include China, South Korea, Japan, and EU countries. The forecast takes into account global market changes, including sanctions and geopolitical factors.
VARPE also emphasizes that abolishing export duties will be essential to meeting these projections, especially as demand for fishmeal rises alongside the growth of aquaculture—an industry expanding amid stagnation in global wild fish production.
There were 1.7 thousand tons shipped in October, an increase of 8.1% compared to the previous month. Compared to the same period in 2023, the volume almost doubled.
In October, tilapia prices continued to fall in almost all markets monitored by Cepea, returning to the levels observed in 2022.
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Cepea researchers explain that this scenario is a reflection of the high supply of fish and the weakened demand.
Given the high domestic availability, Brazilian exports of tilapia (fillets and secondary products) have increased significantly.
According to data from Secex compiled by Cepea, 1.7 thousand tons were shipped in October, an increase of 8.1% compared to the previous month. Compared to the same period in 2023, the volume almost doubled.
As of November 8, 2024, the wholesale prices of frozen pollock in South Korea showed slight decreases for sizes 6 and 7, while sizes 8 and 9 remained steady.
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Through October 2024, South Korea imported 121,624 tons of frozen pollock, a 6% increase compared to the 114,808 tons imported by the same time in 2023. This volume accounted for 16.6% of the nation’s total seafood imports.
The import value of frozen pollock by October 2024 amounted to USD 118.23 million, marking a 2% decrease from USD 121.25 million in 2023.
The average import price per kilogram was USD 0.97, down 8% from the previous year’s USD 1.06.
By country, the import prices were USD 0.83/kg from Russia, USD 1.21/kg from the U.S., and USD 1.61/kg from China.
The vast majority, or 98.8% (120,161 tons), of frozen pollock imports came from Russia, with smaller amounts from the U.S. (1.1%, 1,337 tons) and China (0.1%, 127 tons).
The Russian crab export to China for January-September 2024 remained at the same level as last year, the analytical center of the Fish Union estimated.
The volume of crab exports from Russia to China amounted to 29 thousand tons in the first nine months of 2024. Supplies remain stable despite the decrease in crab catch. Thus, in ten months in the Far Eastern basin, Russian crab fishermen caught 54 thousand tons (8% less than in the same period last year), and in the Northern basin - 17 thousand tons (19% less), the press service of the Fish Union told Fishnews.
In monetary terms, deliveries increased by 10% year-on-year to $850 million..
At the same time, the structure of supplies (in physical terms) changed: the share of live crabs increased by 10 percentage points and exceeded 80%, while the share of frozen crabs decreased to 20%.
In October 2024, South Korea’s imports of Norwegian seafood experienced a slight year-on-year decrease.
Monthly imports for October totaled 3,779 tons, marking a 21% increase from 3,112 tons in October 2023. However, cumulative imports from January to October reached 54,853 tons, down 6% from 58,531 tons over the same period last year, representing 7% of South Korea’s total seafood imports of 732,192 tons.
Imports by Product:
Frozen mackerel: Imports fell to 24,082 tons, a 14% decline from last year’s 28,033 tons.
Frozen mackerel fillets: Imports saw a notable drop of 27%, reaching 3,745 tons compared to 5,141 tons in 2023.
Fresh Atlantic salmon: Imports totaled 13,256 tons, down 11% from 14,965 tons last year. However, imports of fresh Atlantic salmon fillets surged to 3,330 tons—a remarkable 253% increase from 943 tons in 2023.
The import value of Norwegian seafood in October rose to USD 38.62 million, a 25% increase from USD 30.89 million last year. Nevertheless, the cumulative import value for 2024 reached USD 436.67 million, down 5% from USD 460.26 million in 2023. The average import price rose slightly, increasing by 1% to USD 7.96 per kilogram compared to USD 7.86 per kilogram last year.
An innovative system of submersible cages with a diameter of 50 metres, installed off the coast of Getaria (Gipuzkoa), is being tested in the Cantabrian Sea for fattening tuna, reports El Pais.
Two large submersible pools with a diameter of 50 metres float in the open waters of Getaria (Gipuzkoa). On the surface, 3.6 nautical miles from the coast, rings made of polyethylene tubes can be seen, from which mesh hangs, sinking to a depth of up to 30 metres.
This is the first marine farm for fattening red tuna to be installed in the Cantabrian Sea. The breeding of the fish will begin in the summer of 2025 and it is expected that a year later up to 150 tonnes of tuna will be able to live in this habitat. "If it passes the test here, it will be a farm suitable for any location,"says Antonio López Zapata, director of Aquaculture at Balfegó, the Catalan company run by Juan Serrano.
Baku, Azerbaijan — As global leaders convene for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29), the International Coalition of Fisheries Associations (ICFA) is calling on policymakers to recognize and address the critical relationship between fisheries and climate change. ICFA highlights that climate action in the fisheries sector is essential for food security, ecosystem health, and achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs).
ICFA’s Key Messages for COP 29:
Climate Threats to Fisheries: Rising ocean temperatures, acidification, and species migration are destabilizing marine ecosystems and fish stocks, with far-reaching consequences for global food security and coastal economies.
"Blue Foods" for a Low-Carbon Future: Fisheries products, or “blue foods,” are among the lowest carbon-impact animal proteins. Increasing their share in global diets can help lower food system emissions and advance SDGs like SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
Adaptation for Marine Resilience: ICFA urges COP 29 participants to prioritize adaptation strategies that strengthen ocean resilience and protect sustainable fish resources.
Collaborative Climate Solutions: A coordinated approach between policymakers and the fisheries sector is essential to develop effective, practical climate solutions.
Read ICFA’s full resolution on climate and fisheries here.
When the United Kingdom left the EU, Norway made its own calculations and subtracted from the historic rights of the community club the amount it considered corresponded to the British. Since then, Brussels had been protesting, without much success. Yesterday, however, both parties reached an agreement, a pact that the Community Executive attributes to the success of the High Level Dialogue established at the initiative of President Ursula von der Leyen and the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre.
Oslo establishes a cod quota for the EU in line with what the now Twenty-seven had before Brexit.
Source: La Voz de Galicia l Read the full article here
Possibilities for importing live snow crabs of Norwegian origin China
In a meeting between the Minister for Chinese Customs and Veterinary Authorities Yu Jianhua and the Norwegian Fisheries and Oceans Minister Marianne Sivertsen Næss in Beijing, the import of live...
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The vessel, which carried 27 crew members, included 16 South Korean nationals and 11 foreign crew members. Following the incident, 15 individuals were rescued and transported to nearby hospitals. Two South Korean crew members were found unconscious during the rescue and were later declared dead.
VIET NAM
Nguyen Ngo Vi Tam was appointed CEO of 
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AZERBAIJAN
ICFA’s Key Messages for COP 29:
EUROPEAN UNION
When the United Kingdom left the EU, Norway made its own calculations and subtracted from the historic rights of the community club the amount it considered corresponded to the British. Since then, Brussels had been protesting, without much success. Yesterday, however, both parties reached an agreement, a pact that the Community Executive attributes to the success of the High Level Dialogue established at the initiative of President Ursula von der Leyen and the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre.
