IN BRIEF - 22.5% of European commercial fishing vessels accused of using forced labor
EUROPEAN UNION
Monday, February 12, 2024
Europe is second only to Asia, whose companies, especially those from China, own nearly two-thirds of the ships involved in forced labor. An estimated 128,000 fishermen suffer horrific abuses as a result of forced labor on board fishing vessels every year, a figure that likely significantly underestimates the full scale of this crisis.
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), abuses include physical violence, non-payment of wages and being required to spend more time in the workplace than allowed.
According to a recent report, 22.5% of commercial fishing vessels accused of forced labor are owned by European companies, led by Spain and the UK.
Most European countries - along with other fishing superpowers such as China, Indonesia and the US - have yet to ratify key treaties prohibiting forced labor on fishing vessels, such as ILO Labor Convention 188, while the relevant EU directive applies only to EU-flagged vessels or vessels operating in EU waters.
Even if countries comply with the ILO Convention and other key agreements, financial secrecy means that the ultimate owners of accused ships can continue to evade justice.
Crucially, ratification of these agreements will result in the proceeds of forced labor courts being consistent with the proceeds of crime under money laundering laws, making prosecution easier.
With the end of the ban, Chile is experiencing a boom in king crab exports. China accounts for 80% of shipments. Authorities urge compliance with regulations.
After the ban was lifted on July 1 in the regions of Magallanes and southern Aysén, and with the upcoming reopening in Los Lagos, Los Ríos, and northern Aysén starting December 1, a new season begins where fresh southern king crab appears in restaurants. According to Las Últimas Noticias (LUN), this opening marks "its tastiest ever." The increase in local supply comes at a time of historic expansion in foreign trade.
Source: MundoAcuicola l Read the full article here
Former executives of the Chile salmon farming company Nova Austral - Nicos Nicolaides Bussenius, and Drago Covacich MacKay - were sentenced yesterday to 800 days in prison, plus a fine of 24 tax units (1,654,152 Chilean pesos, or £1,306) each, as perpetrators of the crime of repeated water pollution between 2017 and 2019.
In addition, Isaac Aaron Ollivet Besson Osorio and Rigoberto Antonio Garrido Arriagada were sentenced to 40 days in prison and a fine of 4 tax units (£218) each, as "accessories in the crime of water pollution, between 2017 and 2019" at the court in Porvenir, capital of the Tierra del Fuego Province.
Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here
Chilean salmon-farming firm Multi X has launched a new sustainability strategy called “the ABCs of Sustainability.”
According to the firm, each letter represents a pillar of the strategy and groups together specific initiatives and metrics to be followed to achieve proper sustainability.
The letter “A” represents animal welfare, representing Multi X’s goals of ensuring the optimal condition of its farmed salmon. This pillar brings together its associated health and production goals, including reducing antibiotic use, achieving zero lethal interactions with marine mammals surrounding its operations, and improving fish survival rates.
Author: Christian Molinari / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here
BioMar increases vitamin D3 levels in salmon feed following research findings.
Feed producer BioMar has more than doubled the vitamin D3 content across all its salmon diets, following internal trials that linked elevated supplementation to higher fillet vitamin levels without adverse effects on fish performance.
The move comes after the EU raised the maximum permitted vitamin D3 concentration in aquafeed for salmonids from 2,500 to 60,000 IU/kg in 2019. BioMar said its research confirmed that higher dietary inclusion led to a proportional increase in vitamin D3 in the fish fillet, with no measurable impact on growth, feed intake, or conversion rates.
Source: SalmonBusiness l Read the full article here
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has updated its assessment of fishing opportunities for herring (Clupea harengus) in the Northern Division 7a of the Irish Sea (north of 52°30'N). In its latest advice, published on June 6, 2025, ICES advises that, applying the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) approach, catches should not exceed 2,935 tonnes in 2026, a figure lower than the previous recommendation (3,206 tonnes for 2025).
This adjustment is due to a continued decline in spawning stock biomass (SSB) and a level of fishing mortality that remains above sustainable limits.
The Vigo-based parent company's liquidation process concludes with a debt of €120 million
Three months after the liquidation phase began, Atunlo is now history. The bankruptcy administrator concluded the process on Thursday to liquidate the parent company of what was once Spain's largest tuna marketer. This move puts an end to the 18-year history of Atunes y Lomos, the head of a fishing group that once had a turnover of nearly €250 million and employed more than a thousand people across its plants in Galicia, Vila Nova de Cerveira, Santoña, and Cape Verde.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Fishing businesses are calling for urgent repairs to the lock gates at Plymouth's Sutton Harbour.
The Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association said fishers were losing between £1,200 to £2,000 a day because the problem reduced the time they had to fish and land catches.
Plymouth MP Luke Pollard has called on the Environment Agency to take urgent action to fix the gates and prevent further breakdowns.
The Environment Agency said repairs were a priority and work would start on Monday.
The Althingi, Iceland’s parliament, has been debating measures that, if approved, will greatly add to the costs of both sea fishing and fish farming companies. Fierce argument is expected to continue through today in the legislature.
Known as the Fishing Fees Bill, the measure was brought in by the new government earlier this year and has met with fierce opposition from the industry.
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir said last night the government wants to settle the issue. Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, Chairwoman of the Independence Party, says however that she cannot agree to let the fishing fees bill pass as it would have serious consequences for the country’s seafood communities.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here
Reston, VA – NFI has been working diligently to help the seafood community benefit from the type of programs the agriculture sector has enjoyed for decades. This provision is a quintessential example of that work. Seafood, like ag, produces products that are vital to food security in this country. Meanwhile, our fishermen, producers and processors, who provide almost 1.6 million U.S. jobs, ensure the healthiest animal protein on the planet makes it to American plates, a true public health benefit.
Lisa Wallenda Picard
President & CEO
‘‘SEC. 139L. INTEREST ON LOANS SECURED BY RURAL OR AGRICULTURAL REAL PROPERTY.”
This would allow for 25% interest deduction on a loan from a qualified lender for ‘‘(3) RURAL OR AGRICULTURAL REAL ESTATE.—The term ‘rural or agricultural real estate’ means—
‘‘(A) any real property which is substantially used for the production of one or more agricultural products, ‘‘
‘‘(B) any real property which is substantially used in the trade or business of fishing or seafood processing, and
The German offshore and coastal fishing fleet landed around 162,530 tons of fish in 2024, representing a 4% increase over the previous year. According to the Federal Office of Agriculture and Food (BLE), the increase is primarily due to higher catch quotas in the Northeast Atlantic, especially for pelagic species such as herring. However, despite the growth in volume, revenue decreased by 1.3%, reaching €179.6 million, compared to €181.9 million in 2023. The government indicates that the composition of the catches, with a higher proportion of low-value species, has influenced the economic performance for the year.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
EUROPEAN UNION.png)
According to a recent report, 22.5% of commercial fishing vessels accused of forced labor are owned by European companies, led by Spain and the UK.
CHILE
With the end of the ban, Chile is experiencing a boom in king crab exports. China accounts for 80% of shipments. Authorities urge compliance with regulations.
Former executives of the Chile salmon farming company 
Chilean salmon-farming firm 
DENMARK
BioMar.png)
The 
SPAIN
The Vigo-based parent company's liquidation process concludes with a debt of €120 million
UNITED KINGDOM
Fishing businesses are calling for urgent repairs to the lock gates at Plymouth's Sutton Harbour.
ICELAND
The Althingi, Iceland’s parliament, has been debating measures that, if approved, will greatly add to the costs of both sea fishing and fish farming companies. Fierce argument is expected to continue through today in the legislature.
UNITED STATES
Reston, VA – 
GERMANY.png)
The German offshore and coastal fishing fleet landed around 162,530 tons of fish in 2024, representing a 4% increase over the previous year. According to the Federal Office of Agriculture and Food (BLE), the increase is primarily due to higher catch quotas in the Northeast Atlantic, especially for pelagic species such as herring. However, despite the growth in volume, revenue decreased by 1.3%, reaching €179.6 million, compared to €181.9 million in 2023. The government indicates that the composition of the catches, with a higher proportion of low-value species, has influenced the economic performance for the year.
