IN BRIEF - SQUID: Chinese government-PRODUCE meeting shocks fishing industry
PERU
Monday, May 29, 2023
The journalist Rafael Rey, of the Willax Television program 'Rey con Barba', has made public in Peru that on May 2 the Chinese ambassador, together with a commercial and economic team, held a meeting with the Vice Minister of Fisheries to discuss the issue of the cihna jig fleet and the entrance to the peruvian port.
Since Peru required foreign vessels wanting to use its ports to carry an additional satellite system in 2020, only five Asian vessels have installed the device.
Instead, half of the foreign fleet has preferred to bear the cost of returning to Chinese ports or staying longer at sea.
Representatives of the Peruvian fishing sector fear that control regulations in Peru will be relaxed due to pressure from China.
Already last April, the artisan leaders in northern Peru dedicated to giant squid fishing were forced to pause their celebrations for Holy Week because they were informed that the Ministry of Production had "secretly" designated a multidisciplinary work group to discuss modifications to the Supreme Decree. No. 016-2020-Produce.
Production reaches 234,525 tonnes as the country targets a regional aquaculture hub role
Tanzania boosted aquaculture production from 44,735 tonnes in 2020/21 to 234,525 tonnes in 2025/26, worth about US$170 million. With 3,343 cages, 67 hatcheries and 212.8 million fingerlings, the sector is scaling rapidly ahead of WA26T/AFRAQ26, set for December 1–4 in Dar es Salaam.
Roberto Alonso will defend fair competition, traceability and balanced market access at the global tuna forum in Bangkok
ANFACO-CYTMA participates in TUNA 2026, held September 14–16 in Bangkok, alongside more than 30 Spanish companies. Secretary General Roberto Alonso will address EU rules of origin, IUU compliance, the mandatory CATCH system and the ongoing EU–Thailand FTA, calling for fair competition, effective controls and responsible sourcing across global tuna supply chains.
Indonesia is once again facing a maritime tragedy. The vessel *Virgo Transport 8* sank this Saturday in the Java Sea, resulting in the deaths of at least six people. Concern remains high, as more than a hundred passengers are still missing. Indonesian rescue services managed to pull 155 travelers from the water and are continuing efforts to rescue the remaining people who had been on board.There were 243 people on board the vessel—57 of whom were crew members—according to the *Jakarta Globe*. National authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the shipwreck
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Chile’s salmon industry has stepped up pressure for farmed salmon to be exempted from a new 12.5% US tariff as bilateral talks between the two countries continue.
SalmonChile president Patricio Melero said it would be “unacceptable” for any agreement reached between Chile and the United States to leave salmon subject to the additional duty.
The comments, made at the Salmon Dinner in Puerto Varas and reported by Chilean broadcaster BioBioChile, follow talks in Santiago on August 24 and 25 between Chilean trade officials and a delegation from the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
Supermarket shelves are seeing a growing shift from traditional mackerel to Chilean jack mackerel, as retailers respond to sustainability concerns and the continuing North-East Atlantic mackerel quota dispute.
Consumers buying canned mackerel in UK supermarkets may increasingly find that the product contains a different species of fish from the mackerel they expect.
Several major retailers and suppliers have moved towards Chilean jack mackerel, a species that is related by name but is biologically distinct from the mackerel traditionally sold in tins.
Mowi has received official approval to renew a fish farm licence in Kenmare Bay, southwest Ireland.
It was granted to Mowi to cultivate salmon by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.
Mowi Ireland operates open-pen salmon farms in South-West Kerry’s Kenmare Bay, specifically at sites like Deenish Island and Inishfarnard.The Deenish Island fish farm in particular received its renewed permit following a prolonged legal and administrative background.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
The Organization of Fishery Producers of the Port and Ría de Marín (Opromar) will hold its 10th Annual Conference next Tuesday, September 15, in Madrid, dedicated to analyzing the execution of the EMFAF 2021-2027 and the European Union's financial framework for the 2028-2034 period.
The event, framed within its 2026 Production and Marketing Plan, will take place at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and will be opened by the Secretary General of Fisheries, Isabel Artime, and the Managing Director of Opromar, Juan Carlos Martín Fragueiro.
The conference will address Brussels' proposal to integrate the fisheries budget into a broader financial instrument. Against the initial allocation proposed by the Commission of between €2,000 million and €4,000 million, the European Parliament is calling to raise it to €7,300 million, while Spain defends maintaining at least the €6,000 million of the current framework.
Spain, the primary recipient of EMFAF funds with €1,120 million allocated (€1,574 million including public co-financing), has committed 47.5% of its funds (€717 million) and paid out more than €470 million (30.9%). The conference will bring together regional fisheries directors from Galicia, Catalonia, the Basque Country, and the Canary Islands, along with MEPs and industry executives.
The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries of Tanzania has tasked the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI) with conducting detailed studies on the impact of El Niño rains on sector production. The measure aims to provide a scientific foundation for government and operational actions to safeguard fishing activities and the livelihoods of dependent communities.
The directive was issued in Mwanza by Deputy Minister of Livestock and Fisheries, Ng’wasi Kamani, during an institutional working visit. Kamani stressed that precise scientific data on climate change is essential for strategic planning and value chain protection.
Additionally, the official urged the Fisheries Education and Training Agency (FETA) to upgrade cold storage room infrastructure across its centers in Kagara, Mara, Chato, and Nyegezi. This initiative is designed to support youth under the Building Bright Tomorrow (BBT – Uvuvi) program and other industry stakeholders, allowing for post-harvest catch preservation, mitigating post-harvest losses, and maintaining market quality standards.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources of Oman has signed an agreement with Arab Contractors Company for the construction of a fishing port infrastructure in the Wilayat of Mahout, located within the Al Wusta Governorate. The initiative aims to enhance the development of the fisheries sector and attract new investment to the region.
The agreement was signed by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, and Chairman of Arab Contractors, Ahmed Mustafa Al Assar.
The scope of work encompasses the construction of two breakwaters with a combined length of 3.02 km, land reclamation covering 1.2 million m², and dredging of the port basin across 688,116 m² to reach a depth of up to 4 meters. Supporting infrastructure includes 4.5 km of access roads and parking zones, alongside power, lighting, water, sewage, and firefighting networks.
The facility will feature 650 meters of fixed berths, three floating pontoons totaling 90 meters, a 68-meter boat slipway, a fisheries administration building, a fish market, two ice plants, and vessel repair workshops.
The Oka Shipyard completed the launch of the 'Captain Grishin,' a specialized Ice2-class vessel designed for catching and transporting live seafood species, such as the Kamchatka king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) and the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio).
The vessel, corresponding to Project CCa5712LS, was built for the Russian Crab Group of Companies as part of the state investment quota program.
The vessel pays tribute to Boris Grishin, a prominent Soviet fishing fleet captain. Its design allows it to operate under the harsh climatic conditions of the Far Eastern and Northern basins, operating in the Bering, Okhotsk, Japan, and Barents Seas.
The main technical feature of the 'Captain Grishin' lies in its storage system distributed across a two-tiered hold. The tanks integrate automated monitoring for temperature, salinity, and oxygen levels, ensuring a catch survival rate of at least 98%.