The Chinese government has agreed on the technical requirements for resuming seafood imports from Japan, according to the Japanese government.
China’s ban was implemented in August 2023 after Japanese authorities approved the release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into Japan’s waters. Although the International Atomic Energy Agency determined that the plan would cause negligible impact on the environment or health, multiple neighboring governments announced that they would ban Japanese seafood imports – at least in part.
Author: Nathan Strout / seafoodSource l Read the full article here
Four Spanish chefs are already finalists; the European phase will be decided in Paris before the Grand Final in Madrid.
MADRID – Balfegó has announced the international expansion of its VIII professional gastronomy competition, Chef Balfegó 2025, opening it to chefs from across Europe. The Grand Final will be held on October 27 at Le Cordon Bleu in Madrid, solidifying the event's international reach.
Four talented Spanish chefs have already been selected for the final: Guillermo Chávez (Amelia**, San Sebastián), Angelo Duarte (Brugarol, Barcelona), Riccardo Radice (Fishølogy*, Barcelona), and Piero Aponte (El Molino de Urdániz**, Navarra).
Their European rivals will be determined in a semifinal on September 8 at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, where 16 candidates from across the continent will compete. The deadline to apply for this European semifinal is June 30. In total, 12 finalists will compete in Madrid, preparing two red tuna recipes.
The judging panel will be presided over by Martín Berasategui (eight Michelin Stars). The winner will receive 6,000 euros and a trip to Japan, along with a set of specialized Japanese knives. The second and third-place finishers will receive 3,000 and 1,000 euros, respectively.
Chef Balfegó has established itself as a launching pad for young talents. With this European edition, Balfegó reinforces its commitment to haute cuisine and its dedication to red tuna as an international culinary benchmark.
A notable shift is underway in the global cod trade as Russia, a major fishing nation, increasingly looks to partner with China to develop its burgeoning domestic market for the whitefish.
BEIJING – For nearly two decades, China has served as a central processing hub for approximately 40% of the world's cod, despite a recent decline in volume. While cod has traditionally been a staple in European and American diets, its consumption patterns are undergoing a profound transformation. With the entry of Western retail giants into major Chinese cities, frozen cod fillets are becoming more accessible and are finding a niche among Chinese consumers, particularly for baby food and in response to fast-paced urban lifestyles.
Recognizing this potential, some Russian seafood companies are now forging alliances with Chinese counterparts specifically to cultivate China's high-end cod market. Simultaneously, Chinese seafood processors, facing their own export challenges, are beginning to test domestic sales of cod products.
This pivot by Russia reflects a dual strategy: enhance its own processing capabilities while actively seeking to leverage China's emerging consumer base. With the global cod catch stabilizing around 7.5 million tonnes, the rise in Chinese demand could significantly impact the long-standing "cod safety" of traditional European and American markets.
Seafood continues to consolidate its position as one of the productive pillars of the Los Lagos Region and one of the main sources of exports nationwide. Between January and April, shipments from the fishing and aquaculture sector totaled US$3.321 billion nationwide, representing an 11.9% increase compared to the same period last year, according to ProChile's latest Non-Copper – Non-Lithium Export Report.
At the national level, the subsectors leading this growth were salmon and trout (US$2.403 billion, up 6.6%), followed by horse mackerel (US$207 million, up 36.8%), mussels (cholgas, mussels, and choros) with US$127 million (up 42.2%), and cuttlefish, which registered a significant increase of 375.4%, reaching US$151 million.
The Asian giant's fleet has once again increased its catches, exceeding 10.3 million tons, despite the announced capacity limitations.
Galicia has never caught so little.
In December 2017, at a World Trade Organization (WTO) summit held in Argentina, the Chinese government pledged to limit the number of fishing vessels in its long-distance fishing fleet to 3,000 by 2020. It asserted at the time that, in doing so, it would return to the same level of deep-sea capacity as in 2016. The problem is twofold. First, and above all, there are estimates that raise the actual number of this fleet afloat to 19,966 vessels, as stated in a report (A9-0282/2023) by the European Parliament; And second, the expansion of China's fishing industry to various African and Oceanian countries is leading to the creation of subsidiaries and the use of flags of convenience—such as Cameroon and Vanuatu—
Author: Lara Graña / Faro de Vigo l Read the full article here
Icelandic salmon farmer Kaldvik has just agreed a deal to refinance the company through a new debt package. The financing arrangement, with its existing lenders, is worth some €230m (£193m).
The company said that in connection with the financing, it is a condition for the new deal that the company raises a net cash amount of €45m (£37.8m) in new equity. This is currently underway, with support from the company’s majority shareholder, Austur Holding AS.
Kaldvik operates two farming facilities in Iceland—one on the south coast and another on the north coast.
Meanwhile, the company has released a first quarter financial update which shows that revenues increased significantly from the same quarter last year, reaching €48.3m (£40.5)m. A year ago revenues were €31.1m (£26m).
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here
A new training programme designed to help tackle the challenges of harmful algal blooms (HABs) through standardised operating procedures has just launched.
Delivered by Lantra – the training and skills body for the land-based and environmental sectors – the online course is now open to anyone working in the aquaculture sector.
The bespoke training programme will help producers mitigate the challenges associated with HABs, which are caused by rising water temperatures, among other factors, and can lead to significant health and welfare issues for farmed fish
Finnish innovator Enifer has teamed up with a Brazilian company to ferment mycoprotein from corn ethanol side streams. A pilot plant will produce 500 tonnes a year, and an industrial scale facility could make 10,000 tonnes.
Finnish biotech company Enifer has announced that its proprietary Pekilo fermentation technology will be deployed for the first time in Latin America in collaboration with FS, one of Brazil’s leading producers of ethanol.
Enifer said the project represents a significant step in the internationalisation of its Pekilo Pet and Pekilo Aqua production and opens up the prospect of a major new protein source for Chile’s salmon farmers and Ecuador’s prawn producers, as well as pet food manufacturers.
Author: Gareth Moore / fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here
ICFA, a coalition of the national fish and seafood industry associations from the world’s major fishing nations, worked together with its counterpart, the Global Seafood Communicators (GSC), a group dedicated to advancing effective communication within the seafood sector, to construct a resource that assists ICFA and its members in communicating unified messaging on seafood’s health benefits to a wealth of audiences.
“The toolkit aims to bring the global seafood community together and use unified messaging to combat misinformation and promote seafood’s health benefits”GSC Chair Fiona MacMillan said. “The materials on ICFA’s website are available to those who want to join our efforts to promote the consumption of such a healthy protein.”
The materials and their messaging was derived from a scientific review, “
The Proton Group announced that its core company, Ryoho Freeze Systems(Nara City), in collaboration with freezing technology specialist Shinsen Network (Chuo Ward, Tokyo), will host "PROTON EXPO 2025" from June 10th to 13th at Vision Center Shinbashi.
Tokyo – The exhibition will showcase advanced freezing, thawing, and preservation technologies, alongside comprehensive logistics solutions and frozen food commercialization support.
Attendees can explore over 170 types of food developed with producers nationwide using Proton's freezing technology, displayed across 31 showcases. Tastings will be available, limited to 1,100 meals daily. The event will also feature freezing and thawing machinery, storage facilities, a business negotiation area, and partner company displays.
The Proton Group aims to enhance efficiency and quality across the food supply chain, offering end-to-end services from recipe design to logistics, including OEM support for department stores and restaurants.
CHINA
The Chinese government has agreed on the technical requirements for resuming seafood imports from Japan, according to the Japanese government.
SPAIN.png)
BEIJING – For nearly two decades, China has served as a central processing hub for approximately 40% of the world's cod, despite a recent decline in volume. While cod has traditionally been a staple in European and American diets, its consumption patterns are undergoing a profound transformation. With the entry of Western retail giants into major Chinese cities, frozen cod fillets are becoming more accessible and are finding a niche among Chinese consumers, particularly for baby food and in response to fast-paced urban lifestyles.
CHILE
Seafood continues to consolidate its position as one of the productive pillars of the Los Lagos Region and one of the main sources of exports nationwide. Between January and April, shipments from the fishing and aquaculture sector totaled US$3.321 billion nationwide, representing an 11.9% increase compared to the same period last year, according to ProChile's latest Non-Copper – Non-Lithium Export Report..png)
In December 2017, at a World Trade Organization (WTO) summit held in Argentina, the Chinese government pledged to limit the number of fishing vessels in its long-distance fishing fleet to 3,000 by 2020. It asserted at the time that, in doing so, it would return to the same level of deep-sea capacity as in 2016. The problem is twofold. First, and above all, there are estimates that raise the actual number of this fleet afloat to 19,966 vessels, as stated in a report (A9-0282/2023) by the European Parliament; And second, the expansion of China's fishing industry to various African and Oceanian countries is leading to the creation of subsidiaries and the use of flags of convenience—such as Cameroon and Vanuatu—
ICELAND
The company said that in connection with the financing, it is a condition for the new deal that the company raises a net cash amount of €45m (£37.8m) in new equity. This is currently underway, with support from the company’s majority shareholder, Austur Holding AS.
UNITED KINGDOM
A new training programme designed to help tackle the challenges of harmful algal blooms (HABs) through standardised operating procedures has just launched.
BRAZIL.png)
Finnish biotech company 
UNITED STATES
JAPAN
Tokyo – The 
