The Bilbao Exhibition Center is warming up to host the first major event of the year for the sectors linked to the blue economy. The World Maritime Week celebrates reaches its fourth edition from Tuesday 21 to Thursday 23 March with the aim of becoming a benchmark meeting point for the maritime industry thanks to its '4 in 1' format. Thus, the WMW hosts the simultaneous celebration of Sinaval, Eurofishing, Futureport and Ocean Energy Conference.

Source: IndustriasPesqueras | Read the full article here

The Basque ports experienced the best day of the anchovy coast in 2023. More than half a million kilos of the precious species were unloaded bringing joy to the ports.

The inshore boats returned to their ports with the largest unloading of anchovy of the season. Most of the fleet has had to return to their ports after having caught the maximum 9,000 kilos per day of work.

Source: EuropaAzul | Read the full article here

The discovery of fresh details relating to Nueva Pescanova’s plans to establish the world’s first commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria has led to fresh calls for the project to be scrapped.

Eurogroup for Animals uncovered the plans, which had been submitted to the General Directorate of Fishing of the Government of the Canary Islands. Alongside Compassion in World Farming, they have since flagged up their concerns over “the animal cruelty and environmental consequences it would cause”.

Author: Rob Fletcher / TheFishSite | read the full article here

SalmonChile, a union that represents the entire salmon farming value chain, announced the incorporation of its new Director of Communities, Felipe Díaz, who will come to strengthen the area and work on the various territorial objectives of the productive sector.

Felipe Díaz is a social worker from the Silva Henríquez Catholic University, with a master's degree in Social Policies and Community Mediation from the University of Barcelona. Previously, he served as Deputy Manager of Communities and Sustainability Manager of Multi X

Source: Aqua | Read the full article here

Trade marketing body Seafood Scotland and ten companies from across Scotland's seafood industry headed to Boston at the weekend for Seafood Expo North America (SENA), the territory's largest seafood exposition.

As its largest global project, Seafood Scotland hosted 10 Scottish companies on its Scottish pavilion with a further eight attending the event, all there to meet buyers face-to-face and capitalize on the commercial opportunities in the North American market.

Source: FishFocus | Read the full article here

According to the industry monitoring system, by March 14, 2023, the capelin catch in the Northern Fisheries Basin amounted to 21 thousand tons, or 85.4% of the national quota of the Russian Federation, which is almost 17% higher than in 2022.

Based on the results of the 52nd session of the Joint Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission (SRC, October 2022), the national quota of Russia was agreed in the amount of 24.6 thousand tons and distributed among 21 Russian users of aquatic biological resources.

During the reporting period, 5-6 vessels were fishing in the exclusive economic zone of Russia and one vessel in Norwegian waters.

The catches are dominated by capelin of good size: males - 17-17.5 cm, females - 15.2-15.5 cm.

Source:  Federal Agency for Fishery

Iceland’s Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) has recommended a sizable cut in the capelin fishing in Icelandic waters for the 2022/2023 season. 

For the 2021/2022 season, MFRI originally suggested a total allowable catch (TAC) of 400 000 tonnes, but later revised this upwards to 904 000 tonnes, amount which at a later stage was reduced to 869 600tonnes.

For the 2022/2023 season, MFRI suggested a TAC of 400 000 tonnes. But again, they revised this advice in the course of the year down to just 218 400 tonnes. This would represent a 75 percent reduction from the final TAC of 2021/2022.

Russian and Norwegian scientists have agreed on a slight reduction in the Barents Sea capelin quota for 2023. The capelin stock has grown very little over the past 12 months, and they consequently suggested that the TAC be reduced from 70 000 tonnes in 2022 to 62 000 tonnes in 2023. This quota is divided between the Russian Federation and Norway, with 40 percent for the Russian Federation (24 800 tonnes) and Norway 60 percent (37 200 tonnes). The Russian Federation and Norway continue their dialogue on fishing quotas despite the conflict in Ukraine.

Source: Globesh/FAO

White spot virus affects shrimp size

Farmed shrimp production is an important source of income for Mexican aquaculturists, but this activity is threatened by infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) and white spot virus (WSSV) infection, which negatively affect the health of crustaceans and cause serious economic problems.

Faced with this situation, the Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology of the Cinvestav Unit Mérida, headed by Rossanna Rodríguez Canul, has carried out studies in conjunction with other institutions in the country, both in the Pacific and the Atlantic, with the purpose of observing the health conditions of the farmed and wild-sourced shrimp.

In addition, the laboratory is monitoring the north coast of the Yucatan peninsula and has found that two species of wild shrimp are infected with IHHNV in a port in the state of Yucatan, which suggests the need for more exhaustive epidemiological studies on these species. virus in the Gulf of Mexico.

Source: gov.mx

According to Taiwanese news broadcaster TVBS News, an "automated prawn deshelling device" was recently invented by a group of primary school students from Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Inspired by a personal aversion to peeling prawns

In the interview, one of the students candidly shared that the inspiration behind the useful contraption came from a personal aversion to peeling prawns.

The students hoped that the device can also help children and the elderly who have trouble deshelling prawns.

Made using a 3D printer

Using a 3D printer and with the support of their teacher, their vision was brought to life.

The group had tried and failed a total of seven times, before coming up with a feasible design that could be successfully constructed.

Source: mothership

Seafish is currently working with UK shellfish producers on measures to help maintain the quality of the water at farms.

Seafish is the public body supporting the seafood industry. Dr Eunice Pinn, the organisation’s Marine Environment Regulation Advisor, said bivalve shellfish production is an important economic growth area for UK aquaculture, but the sustainability of the industry depends on clean and healthy coastal waters.

Author: Vince McDonagh / FishFarmer | read the full article here