The Scottish Pelagic Industry-Science Data Collection Programme (SPISDCP) is a collaboration between the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, UHI Shetland and the Marine Directorate of the Scottish government.

Within the programme, crews onboard Scottish pelagic fishing vessels undertake sampling of their catches in two ways: self-sampling, whereby vessel crews measure the length and weight of a sample of fish in the catch; and co-sampling, whereby crews collect frozen samples of fish for scientists onshore to carry out biological sampling of length, sex, maturity and ageing.

The data collected provide valuable biological information for each of the targeted species, highlighting patterns and changes in distribution and size of fish in the catch. In January 2022 the co-sampling scheme was adopted under Scotland’s national sampling programme to become the main mechanism for collecting biological data on the catches of pelagic fish to be used in stock assessments.

The annual report provides a summary of the data collected across the herring, mackerel and blue whiting fisheries, from the start of data collection in July 2018, up to the latest collation of data in September 2023, and is intended as an overview of the current dataset to date.

The report can be viewed HERE

Starting in April, the US Coast Guard and the Argentine Navy will begin conducting joint exercises aimed at combating illegal Chinese fishing in the Atlantic Ocean.

Argentina, Chile and Peru have criticized Chinese vessels for large-scale invasive fishing in their territorial waters without regulation, which the South American countries say is depleting fish stocks and damaging the natural biodiversity of the southwest Atlantic. This is a key nesting area for seabirds and feeding areas for marine mammals.

The US Coast Guard will send its destroyer USS James to collaborate with Argentine vessels to stop these fishing practices.

According to data from the non-governmental organization Global Fishing Watch, nearly 3,000 deep-sea fishing vessels operate under Chinese flags around the world, including about 400 in the southwest Atlantic, often targeting squid and toothfish. The NGO states that the activity of Chinese vessels in the southwest Atlantic increased from 61,727 hours per 500 square kilometers in 2013 to 384,046 hours in 2023.

Since 1986, Argentine authorities have seized 80 foreign-flagged vessels fishing in its waters, including the sinking of Chinese and Taiwanese vessels.

The upcoming joint deployment of the United States and Argentina to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, primarily by Chinese fishing vessels, is part of an ongoing global effort to strengthen maritime security partnerships.

Source: VOICE OF AMERICA / dialogo-americas.com

A salmon sector initiative seeking new solutions to prevent bacterial diseases and reduce the use of antibiotics in Chile has received backing from state fisheries and aquaculture agency, Sernapesca.

Eleven companies which together produce nearly 90% of Chile’s farmed salmon are involved in Project Yelcho, which started last year. The Salmon Council, and SalmonChile’s Salmon Technological Institute (Intesal), are also collaborating, and the project - which has not been publicised until now - is supported by data analytics provider Aquabench.

Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here

Fripozo, a company specialized in frozen solutions, managed, at the end of 2023, to exceed its forecasts, registering revenues of €180.3 M, which represented an increase of 13.2% compared to its previous year. The Murcian company had forecast revenues of around 177 million, according to data collected by Alimarket in the latest Report on Frozen Solutions, which will be updated next June.

According to the company, this increase is driven by the brand's significant commitment to the innovation of differentiating proposals, such as its new range of 'Stir-fried with more proteins'.

Source: Alimarket l Read the full article here

Korea has recently made serious progress to improve conditions for migrant crew on its distant-water fleet, starting to close deep inequalities and remove loopholes that allow crew to be abused at sea. But while these are commendable steps, they must be built on to achieve the full systemic progress needed, according to the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).

Source: Worldfishing l Read the full article here

The organization considers it necessary to act in the face of the political shift in Norway after Brexit on issues such as cod or mackerel.

The Long Distance Fleet Advisory Council proposes eliminating Norwegian fishing products from the tariff quota regulations and putting sustainability back at the center of fishing relations between both powers.

Norway has historically been a strategic partner for Europe in fishing matters, and not only because the community market is a priority for the great Scandinavian fishing and aquaculture power, which directs up to 27.4% of production to the EU.

Source: Industrias Pesqueras l Read the full article here

Peru’s Production Ministry (PRODUCE) has announced it will open the North-Central zone of its anchovy fishery on 16 April, establishing a quota of 2.475 million metric tons (MT) for the first fishing season of 2024.

The total allowable catch (TAC) is significantly higher than the North-Central zone’s two seasons in 2023.

Author: Christian Molinari / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here

Prices for Chilean salmon supplied to markets in the US, Brazil and China rose in week 13 (March 25-31), according to the latest data from Chilean company Skills. This was reported by Undercurrent News.

Average wholesale prices for trim D Atlantic salmon fillets delivered to Miami were $6.31 per pound in Week 13, up $0.03 per pound from Week 12.

The price was $0.29 per pound lower than the price during the same week last year.

Prices in Chile typically rise between January and April due to a decline in local production, according to a Chilean industry official. A second official noted on March 11 that prices were expected to correct previous losses ahead of the Easter holiday, when fish consumption typically rises.

Meanwhile, wholesale prices for fresh Atlantic salmon destined for Brazil rose to $9.37/kg in week 13, up $0.39/kg from the previous week.

In China, the price of fresh whole Chilean Atlantic salmon weighing over 6 kg, including shipping and freight, rose to $13.36/kg in week 13, up $0.72/kg from the previous week. This price remained significantly below last year's level in the same week, by more than $2 per kg.

Source: dalekayaokraina.ru

Ussuri customs officers did not allow a tourist to be taken from Russia to China with the thirteen teeth of a sperm whale. A criminal case has been opened, the violator faces up to 10 years in prison, reports the Federal Customs Service (FCS) of Russia.

“Three teeth were found in the jacket pocket of a Russian tourist, and another 10 were found in the bathrooms of the Pogranichny checkpoint,” the Federal Customs Service said in a statement.

The man admitted that a Chinese citizen asked him to transport derivatives of an endangered animal species across the border for money.

“Three acquaintances were involved in the scheme. They were supposed to take out 10 teeth, but after the organizer was detained, they decided to get rid of the evidence and threw it into trash cans in the bathrooms,” the customs officers explained.

The examination showed that the teeth are of cultural value and are protected by the CITES Convention.

Customs officers opened a criminal case. “The violator faces up to 10 years in prison,” the service said in a statement.

Frozen pollock imported into Korea in March 2024 amounted to 18,606 tons, a 10% decrease compared to the 20,677 tons imported in the same period in 2023.

Total imports amounted to 45,766 tons, down 13% from 52,891 tons in the same period last year, accounting for 19.4% of the total seafood imports of 236,154 tons.

As of March, 44,925 tons, or 98%, of frozen pollock were imported from Russia, 817 tons, or 1.8%, from the United States, and the remaining 24 tons were imported from China.

The import price by country was highest for the Chinese origin at USD 1.71/kg, the US origin at USD 1.20/kg, and the Russian at USD 0.96/kg.

The import amount of frozen pollock in March was USD 17.24 million, down 17% from USD 20.79 million in the same period of 2023, and the total import amount was USD 43.92 million, down 20% from USD 54.68 million in the same period last year. The average import price was USD 0.96/kg, 7% lower than the previous year's USD 1.03/kg.

Source: Union Forsea Corp.