By the end of April 2024, Vietnam exported nearly 580 million USD of pangasius, up 2% over the same period in 2023. With export turnover reaching more than 168 million USD, up 14% compared to the same period in 2023. In the same period last year, in April 2024, pangasius exports increased again after 2 consecutive months of decline.

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Author/Source: Thu Hang/VASEP (translated from original in Vietnamese)

Tests taken at farming site A-19 Vágur have found the presence of the ISA virus in two pens. The full site has 1.0 million fish in total, with an average weight of 2.6 kg.

Strict measures have been implemented to contain the virus and prevent further spread. The two affected pens will be harvested out immediately and the full site will be harvested out within two months, in line with Faroese regulations. Consequently, estimates show that harvest volumes for 2024 will be reduced by 2,000-3,000 tonnes of gutted weight by the accelerated harvest of the entire farming site A-19 Vágur.

The Bakkafrost business was established in 1968 by the two brothers Hans and Róland Jacobsen. The first processing plant was built the same year. The third brother, Martin Jakobsen, joined the company in 1971.

Bakkafrost (OSE: BAKKA) is the largest salmon farmer in the Faroe Islands. The Group is fully integrated from feed production to smolt, farming, VAP and sales.

Source Press Release

The Norwegian Seafood Council has hired Johnny Håberg (52) in the position of seafood envoy to Africa. Håberg will lead the Seafood Council's work in the region from summer 2024.

"I am very pleased that Johnny will be the Seafood Council's new envoy in an important region for Norwegian seafood. We look forward to putting his broad international experience from the seafood industry in place, and very good knowledge of some of the products that are relevant for the region", comments Børge Grønbech, chief executive of the Seafood Council.

Looking forward to the opportunity

Over the past five years, Norwegian seafood exports to Africa have skyrocketed to almost NOK 2 billion, with a focus on key markets such as Egypt, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Congo Brazzaville, Ghana and Morocco

Strong international seafood profile

Håberg comes from the position of export director at Salmon Brands, which he has held since 2017. He has also been stationed in Brazil for several years, first as the Seafood Council's envoy to Brazil in the period 2010 to 2015, before leading Brødrene Sperre's business and strategy work in Brazil.

Johnny Håberg thus replaces Trond Kostveit, who has led the Seafood Council's work since the initiative in Central and West Africa began in 2016.

Members of the Merchant Marine, Fishing and Pleasure, and Navigation and Oceanology sections of the Marine Academy - Gérard d'Aboville, Francis Baudu, Jean-François Bernicot, Serge Beslier, Alain Biseau, Marc Chevallier, Bernard Datcharry, Patrick Geistdorfer, Olivier de Kersauson, Alain Laurec, Bernard Mazuel, Frédéric Moncany, Marc Pajot and Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée - wanted to express their concern about the crisis in the sector.

The current crises, covid, and Ukraine, have shown the importance of ensuring the security of the nation's supplies and our food sovereignty. The role of maritime transport is obvious but that of maritime fisheries is less so.

Media campaigns aimed at demonizing so-called “industrial” fishing in general and trawling in particular place the debate on a much more emotional than rational terrain.

It seems important to us to remember that a large part (60%) of French fishing landings comes from trawling, an activity practiced almost exclusively by vessels over 12 meters long which some describe as " industrial" . That the trade balance in seafood products is very largely in deficit (4 billion euros), and that aiming to eliminate large trawler boats would only aggravate this deficit (unless consumption decreases drastically, which does not seem to neither possible nor desirable).[Continues...]

Source: Le Marin (translated from original in French) 

Annual production of 10,000 tons, RAS product handling in sight Saitama

Saitama Kita Suisan have a new processing plant exclusively for raw salmon/annual production of 10,000 tons, considering handling RAS products

Saitama Kita Suisan (Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, President Takao Iwasaki) will establish a new processing facility for fresh salmon, the "Fresh Processing Center," adjacent to its headquarters, and enter the seafood processing business.

It will begin full-scale operation in June, and when fully operational, it will be capable of producing 25 tons of product per day and 10,000 tons per year on a product basis. It is also considering processing salmon produced in closed circulation land-based aquaculture systems (RAS), which are expected to increase in production in Japan in the future. [...]

Source: Minato Yamaguchi | Translated from original in Japanese

Wofco continues its rise in the frozen seafood sector. In just eight years it has taken giant steps, ending last year as the fourth group in Alimarket's TOP 100. Despite his dazzling rise, he has taken very precise and strategically studied measures, among them the acquisition of a relevant stake in Conarpesa and, without a doubt, the purchase of Fandicosta, which will become effective in June.

We analyze and explain the latest movements of the company. What will it mean for the group to assume the activity and facilities of Fandicosta?

Source: Alimarket l Read the full article here

In June 2017, a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that there was no such thing as vegan milk or cheese, stating that plant-based products could not be marketed as milk or cheese. Well, what applies to dairy products is what the meat and fishing industries want for their meat and fish: that they are not allowed to label as such any product that does not contain in its composition that animal protein that they intend to imitate, replace. , emulate or simulate.

Source: La Voz de Galicia l Read the full article here

China Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Tang Renjian, who has overseen China’s fisheries sector since 2021, is under investigation for alleged graft.

Renjian is “suspected of serious violations of Communist Party discipline and the law and is currently undergoing disciplinary review and supervisory investigation

Tang has been swept up in a large anti-graft effort being led by the commission, which has already targeted 10 other delegates to the Chinese Communist Party’s National People’s Congress.

 Author: Mark Godfrey / SeafoodSource l  Read the full article here

 

Commission Approves Stricter Controls for More Flexible Catch Reporting in Specific Fisheries

The European Commission has introduced new conditions and safeguards for certain exemptions to the margin of tolerance rules to enhance the accuracy of fish quotas and ensure the sustainability of fisheries.

This decision, adopted today, aims to balance operational flexibility for fishers with stringent control measures to protect fish stocks.
 
Author: Oliver McBride / The Fishing Daily l  Read the full article here

The overall total economic benefit of the salmon farming industry to First Nation communities is estimated to be $120 million.

Isaiah Robinson, Deputy Chief Councillor of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation and General Manager of the Kitasoo Development Corporation, has issued an urgent appeal to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, seeking support for the renewal of salmon farming licenses.

Failure to renew the current salmon farming licenses, Robinson warned, could result in significant economic losses for the Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation, including approximately $2.82 million in economic output, $2.8 million in employment income, and 60 jobs.

Source: SalmonBusiness l  Read the full article here