All plant, animal and fish-based products imported into Mexico must comply with new quarantine regulations from July 29, 2014.

Accordingly, all packaged goods for import must be in containers and secured on export pallets (Article 15, Section 4).

At present, a number of Vietnamese businesses are exporting rice (stored in polypropylene package) and tra fish (stored in polyethylene package) to Mexico, which have been placed in containers without pallets.

The Trade Office of the Embassy of Vietnam in Mexico requests Vietnamese exporters follow Mexico’s new regulations and recalculate export prices owing to additional pallet costs.

Source: Viet Nam Business Forum

KOCHI - The coastal waters off Kerala, up to the jurisdictional limit, should be declared Kerala Coastal Fisheries Management Area, recommends the expert committee which studied the trawling ban along Kerala coast.

‘’In the case of specific characteristic and unique fisheries, such as calm fisheries in an estuarine system or the artisanal fisheries off Thiruvananthapuram coast, specific management areas need to be set,’’ the committee suggested.

The committee also recommended that the state and Central governments should take necessary steps to correct the lack of rules and regulations in the area of sea from 12 to 200 nautical miles.

“Steps should be taken by the Government of Kerala to put pressure the Union Ministry of Agriculture and the Union Government to stop operation of LOP (foreign fishing vessels) in Indian waters. The apprehension of fishermen in the state over operation of LOP vessels should be communicated to the Union Government and fisheries resources in the ares of 12 to 200 nautical miles should be managed by the state government,’’ experts suggested.

Source: New Indian Express

The maker of Captain Birdseye fish fingers is considering a stock market float, tapping into investors’ continued hunger for fresh listings.

Buyout giant Permira is exploring a public sale of Birds Eye, Europe’s largest frozen food maker, in a deal that would value it between GBP 2 billon and GBP 2.5 billion.

Birds Eye could be joined by a large maintenance firm and the company behind McVitie’s biscuits as the float frenzy that has gripped the London market this year continues unabated.

Private equity firms Blackstone and PAI Partners are weighing a float of United Biscuits, which owns popular snacks such as Jaffa Cakes and Mini Cheddars and is worth about GBP 1.5 billion. Lakehouse, which repairs and upgrades social housing, schools and hospitals across Britain, could also go public soon. Founded in 1988 by Steve Rawlings, is believed to have appointed broker Peel Hunt to pursue a listing early in 2013.

Source: The Sunday Times

A software program developed at Charlottetown's Atlantic Veterinary College is now helping fish farmers across Atlantic Canada fight sea lice.

The program monitors which treatments and methods are better at controlling the costly parasites. AVC started this work in 2009, first piloting the program at fish farms in New Brunswick. Use of the software is now spreading to aquaculture sites in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

"It's helping identify when treatments are better or worse, at what times of year and that sort of thing, so it really helps on making decisions," said Prof. Larry Hammell, Innovation PEI research chair in aquatic epidemiology at AVC.

Source: CBC

DILLINGHAM, AK – As Bristol Bay’s commercial fishermen are pulling their nets for the final time at the close of another historic sockeye salmon season, on behalf of its over 1,800 drift permit holders, the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA) commends the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) proposed Clean Water Act 404(c) determination, which if finalized, will restrict mining developments in Bristol Bay that would have “unacceptable adverse impacts” to the watershed and health of the fishery.

The Bristol Bay salmon fishery produces over 50% of the world’s sockeye and is the most valuable commercial salmon fishery on earth, estimated at USD 1.5 billion annually. After a three-year independent study, EPA has determined that if constructed, the Pebble Mine would negatively impact salmon due to its location and deposit type. “We have seen another incredible salmon run this season, which further highlights the importance of protecting Bristol Bay’s unique fisheries resources,” said Sue Aspelund, executive director of BBRSDA. “We are pleased that EPA has listened to Alaskans, and following vigorous scientific review and consistent with its authority, to see it move forward with the 404(c) process to protect the fishing industry in Bristol Bay, and adhere to the watershed standards the Clean Water Act put in place over 40 years ago for this very purpose.”