At Our Ocean Conference in Busan, in the Republic of Korea, the European Union announced €301,485,000 in EU funding to support actions in the fields of the sustainable blue economy, marine pollution, marine protected areas, digital oceans, sustainable fisheries, and ocean and climate change.

This year's conference, celebrating its 10th anniversary, will showcase the accomplishments, and best practices stemming from the voluntary commitments made by the global ocean community over the past decade. Under the umbrella of 'Digital Oceans', the conference will convene to explore the intersection of technology and ocean conservation, with a focus on the above six critical areas.

EU commitments for a safe, secure, clean, healthy and sustainably managed ocean

The European Union is committed to the following actions:

Reston, VA – We are pleased to see Senator Sullivan and his colleagues making progress on a responsible effort to address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

We strongly support the FISH Act legislation that works to actively address IUU concerns unlike the current Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) that NOAA itself has concluded, “does not prevent or stop IUU fish and fish products from entering U.S. commerce.”

Lisa Wallenda Picard

President & CEO

NFI - National Fisheries Institute

According to the industry monitoring system of the Federal Agency for Fisheries (Federal Service for Fisheries and Oceanography, FSMS), the total Russian catch of aquatic bioresources since the beginning of 2025 has reached 1.775 million tons.

The following provides a basin-by-basin breakdown:

Far Eastern Basin: 1,440.7 thousand tons

• Pollock: 1,060.6 thousand tons
• Cod: 48.7 thousand tons
• Pacific Herring: 239.4 thousand tons

Northern Basin: 114.2 thousand tons

• Cod: 72.4 thousand tons
• Haddock: 20.5 thousand tons (+0.6 thousand tons compared to the same period in 2024)

Western Basin: 34.4 thousand tons

• Sprat (Kilka): 23.2 thousand tons (+0.6 thousand tons compared to the same period in 2024)
• Baltic Herring (Sprat): 10.1 thousand tons

Azov-Black Sea Basin: 15.4 thousand tons (+32.1% compared to the same period in 2024)

• Anchovy: 12.6 thousand tons (+3.4 thousand tons compared to the same period in 2024)

Volga-Caspian Basin: 29.5 thousand tons (+0.9% compared to the same period in 2024)

• Sprat: 21.3 thousand tons (+1.4 thousand tons compared to the same period in 2024)
• Other Common Fish Species: 4.1 thousand tons

In the exclusive economic zones of foreign states, conventional fishing areas, and the open part of the World Ocean, the Russian fleet harvested 134.3 thousand tons (+30.1 thousand tons or 28.9% compared to the corresponding period in 2024).

Low activity and long towing times characterize the blue whiting fishery, while fresh mackerel catches remain minimal in Vestland.

This past week has been characterized by limited activity and extended towing durations on the blue whiting fishing grounds.

Due to the generally low level of activity across the fishing areas, this week's fisheries report will be concise.

Blue Whiting:

The Faroe Zone experienced a relatively quiet week. A total of 11,030 tonnes were reported by four vessels (two Norwegian and two foreign), while one additional vessel fished for blue whiting along "the Edge" (likely the continental shelf). The fishing operations were marked by prolonged towing times, and we anticipate continued low activity in this fishery in the coming week.

Mackerel:

The fresh mackerel fishery in Vestland saw minimal activity, with just under 7 tonnes caught by seven vessels. The size of the mackerel ranged from 300 to 600 grams, indicating a good average size for the landed fish.

Source: Norges Sildesalgslag

King Frederik X, during a Danish business delegation in Tokyo, personally met with Royal Greenland, a key Greenland representative at a major international event.

The exclusive meeting at the Danish Embassy highlighted Greenland and its people. The King expressed deep interest in Greenland and appreciation for Royal Greenland's national role.

Royal Greenland shared its enduring ties with Japan, emphasizing Greenlandic fishers' pride in supplying high-quality seafood with ocean respect. Robert-Jan Treebus, EVP Sales, noted the King's genuine interest and warmth.

Later, Royal Greenland joined a sustainability seminar opened by His Majesty, focusing on the Arctic and the ocean's global role.

Research aboard a commercial vessel aims to understand the impact of biological processes on the quality attributes of Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides).

A recent research initiative led by the Demersal, Austral, and Sub-Antarctic Fish Fisheries Program of the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development (INIDEP) has focused on deepening the understanding of the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) through an on-vessel study. Scientists aboard the commercial fishing vessel Argenova XXI, which returned to Puerto Deseado on Sunday, April 27th, conducted a 29-day investigation into the relationship between the species' inherent physiological processes and the resulting quality of its meat.

The primary objective of this expedition was to enhance the scientific knowledge base regarding Dissostichus eleginoides. To achieve this, researchers meticulously collected samples of viscera and glands throughout the duration of the voyage.

Furthermore, the study incorporated an analysis of the onboard processing techniques applied to captured specimens. Specifically, attention was paid to the common practice of complete tail removal to facilitate bleeding.

In this context, INIDEP researchers explored alternative bleeding methods with the aim of minimizing product damage and potentially avoiding the complete severing of the tail. This current practice poses challenges for subsequent morphometric studies, as it necessitates the reconstruction of the fish's original length.

North Ayrshire Council highlights the potential for 264 full-time construction roles in the development of Bakkafrost Scotland's recirculating aquaculture system facility.

North Ayrshire Council has announced that the construction of a major salmon rearing facility at Hunterston is projected to create 264 full-time jobs during its development phase.

The recently approved plans, spearheaded by Bakkafrost Scotland, outline the construction of a state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility. This development will occupy a 6.75-hectare area situated at the north-east corner of the Hunterston Construction Yard.

Councillor Tony Gurney, the cabinet member for green environment and economy at North Ayrshire Council, expressed his enthusiasm for the project: “We welcome this decision by the Planning Committee and eagerly anticipate seeing this significant development come to fruition in the months ahead. Hunterston is a key strategic site for North Ayrshire and is intended to play a pivotal role in Scotland’s transition to net-zero emissions by 2045."

Councillor Gurney further emphasized the broader potential of the site: “Hunterston possesses incredible potential and could become a driving force for Scotland in tackling climate change, generating vital employment opportunities, regenerating the local community, and delivering numerous other benefits.”

Many of the fish we eat play a key role in maintaining the seabed and therefore our climate, according to new research by the University of Exeter.

Scientists working on the Convex Seascape Survey focussed on the role of fish in bioturbation, the process of churning the seabed to keep it healthy and fertile, in shallow UK seas.

The Atlantic cod, a staple in chip shops, jointly topped the list of these important "ecosystem engineers", along with Atlantic hagfish and European eel.

In total, 185 fish species were found to play a role in bioturbation, and 120 of these are targeted by commercial fishing.

Author: Dan Wareing / BBC l Read the full article here