IN BRIEF - Executive Unit of National Vision meeting of Fisheries Ministry
YEMEN
Monday, May 29, 2023
SANA'A (Saba) - A meeting held at the Ministry of Fisheries on Saturday discussed the plans of the Executive Unit of the National Vision - Production and Marketing Services Sector of the Ministry.
The meeting, in the presence of the Under Secretaries of the Ministry for Planning and Projects - Head of Unit, Mohammed Abbas, Production and Marketing Services, Abdul Ghani Hussein Al-Wali, and members of the Vision Team, stressed the importance of improving the quality of products and developing services provided by the production and marketing sector to meet the needs of citizens and fishermen and strengthen the relationships of agents, traders and fish cooperatives.
The meeting recommended the need to prepare cards and documents for projects listed and not included in the Ministry's plans and the Executive Unit of the Annual National Vision, to provide completion reports until its date, and to provide the Vision Team with a copy of each project, in addition to future periodic reports.
The National Fisheries Authority (NFA) of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has announced significant advancements in the country's fisheries sector.
NFA has set ambitious targets to increase export values across various seafood categories, including crab, prawn, lobster, reef fish, and seaweed. Notably, a focus is placed on enhancing the tuna fishery.
This involves increasing tuna landings, expanding downstream processing, establishing new processing plants, and investing in commercial-scale cold storage facilities to support exports.
NFA Managing Director Justin Ilakini expressed his enthusiasm stating,"These initiatives will not only drive economic growth but also ensure food security and support the livelihoods of our communities. We are excited to have our dedicated staff on board, committed to making these goals a reality through their hard work and tireless efforts."
Embarking on a transformative policy shift, NFA aims to boost competitiveness, diversification, and value addition in the industry.
Despite challenges, NFA has implemented cost management measures and expenditure controls for the fiscal year 2024, emphasizing financial responsibility and prudent decision-making at all levels.
In the spirit of Easter, NFA extends warm greetings to all its staff and everyone. "May this season of reflection and renewal bring you joy, peace, and blessings as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ," said Ilakini.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been used as a conservation measure for decades, but critics continue to argue that evidence of their economic benefits is weak, particularly with regard to fisheries.
Given the challenges in establishing MPAs, including objections from fisheries and the frequently small size and sub-optimal location of protected areas, one would expect their economic benefits to be hard to detect.
My new study reviews 81 publications about MPAs in 37 countries. It shows their establishment has resulted in benefits to commercial fisheries in 25 countries and to tourism in 24. These benefits covered a diversity of ecosystems, including coral reefs, kelp forests, mangroves, rocky reefs, salt marshes, mudflats and sandy seabed habitats.
There were 46 examples of economic benefits to fisheries adjacent to a marine protected area. These include increased fish stocks and catch volumes, higher reproduction and larval “spillover” to fisheries outside the MPA. Other studies also reported larger fish and lobsters close to existing MPAs.
Despite claims in the research literature of fishery displacement due to the establishment of an MPA, it seems the benefits outweigh any temporary disruption of fishing activities.[continue...]
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy, would like to thank all the stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to the National Biodiversity Economy Strategy received during the Biodiversity Economy and Investment Indaba.
Working together, stakeholders developed a programme of action to address the challenges in the biodiversity sector. They identified key interventions which include sourcing financial support, gaining access to land for biodiversity projects, sourcing human capital development and scientific support, research, and securing market access for their products.
“Participants emphasised that an effective biodiversity economy must be based on growing and sustaining conservation land and seascapes that can sustain both non-consumptive and consumptive uses,”said Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Ms Barbara Creecy.
“Participants also argued that there are diverse successful approaches and enterprises associated with the biodiversity economy, many of which leverage value from otherwise marginal production land- and seascapes, and this diversity enhances ecological resilience and offers further potential for growth” the Minister added.
In the South African context, many participants said that the Biodiversity Sector as a whole urgently requires transformation.[...]
A study requested by the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries explored methods to improve the competitiveness of the EU’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.
The report “Options for enhancing competitiveness” revealed that Morocco ranked third in fish product exports to the EU in 2022, with a value of €1.61 billion. Norway and China held the top two positions.
The study highlighted a significant rise (157%) in EU seafood imports between 2008 and 2022, attributed to factors like inflation, high shipping costs, and a weaker euro. Salmon (€8.58 billion) topped the list of imported species, followed by crustaceans (€5.6 billion+), groundfish, and tuna.
The EU imported over 21,000 tons of Moroccan squid in 2022, contributing to the total import volume of 232,000 tons (€1.3 billion).
The EU imported nearly 496,000 tons of small pelagic fish, including sardines and anchovies. Morocco was a key exporter, following Norway, the UK, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. Notably, EU sardine imports reached €182 million in 2022, with Morocco supplying a staggering 93% of non-EU sardines.
The report expressed concern about the EU’s growing reliance on imports, suggesting a lack of competitiveness in the domestic fisheries and aquaculture sector.
The report recommended stronger coordination between trade and fisheries policies.
Marine conservation NGO Blue Marine Foundation has taken legal action against the U.K. government, claiming it has breached its own laws by repeatedly setting fishing quotas for more than half of U.K. stocks at levels higher than those guided by scientific advice.
The London, U.K.-based NGO is arguing that the government’s mismanagement of fish stocks is an irresponsible use of national assets and runs counter to the interests of the nation’s fishermen. The organization is also warning this overfishing will lead to the depletion of key species such as mackerel, Celtic Sea cod, monkfish, and Irish Sea whiting.
Author: Jason Holland / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here
In February 2024, Vietnam's squid and octopus exports plummeted by 42%. Thus, cumulatively in the first 2 months of 2024, exports of squid and octopus decreased by 1%, reaching 89 million dollars.
The global bluefin tuna market is experiencing lower prices amid weakening demand in Asia.
Wholesale prices for imported bluefin tuna in Japan have fallen significantly in recent months. The wholesale price of imported fresh bluefin tuna at Tokyo's Toyosu market has fallen 23% from its peak in August 2023, reaching US$24.4/kg. Similarly, the wholesale price of imported frozen bluefin tuna fell to US$22.3/kg, representing a decrease of almost US$6.6/kg from the December 2022 peak.
Data from the Japan Fisheries Information Center (JAFIC) indicates a decline in consumption of frozen bluefin tuna. This trend is reflected in retail prices: in February, chu-toro sashimi (medium-fat tuna) imported from Malta sold in Tokyo supermarkets for US$5.32 per 100 grams, a significant reduction from 40% compared to December 2022 prices.
Consumption of bluefin tuna sashimi has declined in major Asian markets, including Japan, South Korea and China. This is also reflected in the 50% year-on-year drop in the average import price of Maltese bluefin tuna fillets, a major producer in the Mediterranean, to US$13/kg. Some importers attribute the drop in prices to the weakening purchasing power of South Korea, traditionally a competitive buyer of Mediterranean tuna.
Vietnam's fish paste and Surimi exports in February 2024 decreased sharply over the same period. By the end of February 2024, exports of this product group decreased by 14%, reaching 37 million USD.
A row is brewing over plans for a new post-smolt facility in the north of Norway – which will involve blowing up two small islands to make space for the construction.
The company behind the project is Gaia Salmon, which plans to produce between 8,000 and 10,000 tonnes of post-smolts weighing up to 800 grams annually, once the building is operational.
The site is at the Ross Islands at Traena in Nordland, where there are more than 477 very small islands. Gaia Salmon says the area involved covers about 12 to 14 football pitches in area.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here
In a bid to establish the tuna farming industry in the Philippines, an international research organisation has collected juvenile wild mackerel tuna with the aim of producing a captive-bred population.
As part of continued efforts to establish a tuna farming industry in the Philippines, the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) has captured 17 wild mackerel tuna to be used as broodstock.
SOurce: The Fish Site l Read the full article here
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