New Irish €26.8 million investment under Brexit Processing Capital Support Scheme.
Ireland’ Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, has announced details of a €26.8 million investment in 44 seafood processing projects which are helping drive transformational change in the sector.
The Seafood Capital Processing Scheme is funded by the European Union under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR). Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency, administers the scheme on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which provides for up to €45 million in funding to the seafood processing sector.
Announcing details of the investment on European Maritime Day, Minister McConalogue said:
“The Processing Capital Support Scheme is providing significant investment in seafood processing enterprises, which employ some 4,000 people in rural coastal communities.
“This scheme is supporting seafood processing industry to develop their enterprises, navigate the challenging trading environment and support jobs in this important sector.
“I am pleased to highlight Brexit Adjustment Reserve funding opportunities available to the Irish seafood processing sector as Europe’s marine community come together on European Maritime Day.”
Pangasius surimi, sourced from a freshwater fish primarily farmed in Asia, is gaining interest as a potential substitute for Alaska pollock in the Japanese manufacture of kamaboko, chikuwa, and other fish paste products.
Photo: NamMy Seafood
According to a report by Nikkei Suisan Keizai, difficulties in procuring US surimi—traditionally dominant in this market—are driving the search for new raw materials.
The trend coincides with a crisis declaration issued on October 15 by the Japan Kamaboko Association, which warned of historically high prices and supply restrictions.
Pangasius offers a potential alternative to diversify suppliers and reduce costs, though its widespread adoption will depend on texture, gelling capacity, quality, and commercial acceptance.
Recruitment practices involving foreign fishing crew members could undermine international confidence in South Korean seafood and increase demands for labor traceability.
SEOUL - South Korean lawmaker Lee Jae-gwan (pictured) has raised concerns over shortcomings in the oversight of foreign crew recruitment during a parliamentary audit of the fisheries sector.
According to data provided by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (Suhyup), 11 of the 15 recruitment management companies examined had collected up to five years of labor management service fees in advance. A government survey also found that 74.6% of the 311 workers interviewed had paid deposits intended to prevent them from leaving their jobs.
The lawmaker warned that such practices could damage international confidence in South Korea's fishing industry amid growing scrutiny of forced labor risks in seafood supply chains.
This is a joint media release from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the Australian Border Force (ABF).
Fourteen (14) Indonesian nationals have pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters at Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. The charges followed apprehension of two foreign fishing vessels by Australian authorities attached to Maritime Border Command (MBC) during September 2026.
The first fishing vessel was detected and intercepted north of Cape Wessel, Northern Territory, on 9 September 2026. Six crew were on board, along with 70 kilograms of flying fish roe, 135 aggregation devices used to harvest the roe and 30 kilograms of dried fish.
The second fishing vessel was detected in the Torres Strait by aerial surveillance and subsequently intercepted under Operation BROADSTAFF. Eight crew members were on board, along with 600 kilograms of shark, 500 kilograms of reef fish and 4000 metres of fishing net.
The Antarctic Peninsula MPA and precautionary krill management are critical steps towards representative protection of the Southern Ocean by 2030.
Antarctica2030, a global movement uniting leaders to champion the protection of Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, is urging governments meeting in Hobart from 19 to 30 October to adopt the Antarctic Peninsula Marine Protected Area (Domain 1 MPA) and agree a roadmap to complete their commitments to safeguard the Southern Ocean by 2030.
A foundation is seeking compensation through the courts for 35 years of catches in South Atlantic waters made without Argentine permission.
The Agustina Lerena Foundation has filed a lawsuit with the Federal Court of Tierra del Fuego, seeking approximately 23.6 billion euros in compensation from fishing companies—most of them Galician—and a network of associated firms, for the exploitation of resources in the South Atlantic without authorization from Argentina.
The legal action, spearheaded by César Lerena, president of the Center for Latin American Fisheries Studies, and lawyer Eduardo Barcesat, comes amid the campaign led by [President] Milei to assert the country’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
Author: C. Valdez / La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Alliance promotes tuna, albacore and culinary heritage.
Bermeo Tuna World Capital and Bilbao Hospitality School (ESHBI) signed a strategic agreement to train young chefs in sustainable tuna and albacore gastronomy, strengthen local hospitality, preserve traditional recipes and promote innovation, responsible consumption and Bermeo's maritime heritage.
The collaboration will also seek to strengthen the role of the hospitality sector as an ambassador for the region. With a particular focus on Bermeo and Urdaibai—and looking toward the broader area of ??Bizkaia and the Basque Country—both entities will promote awareness and the proper use of *bonito* (tuna).
The company, which farms the premium white fish off the Norwegian coast, continued its positive operational development with a significantly higher third quarter harvest and sales volumes.
Nordic Halibut also enjoyed stable pricing and strong biomass growth for its fish. It reported an average sales price of 171 NOK per kilo for fresh HOG (head on, gutted) halibut compared to 170 NOK per kilo recorded in the same period last year.
A total of 276 metric tons HOG were harvested during the quarter, compared with 152 tons in Q3 2025.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
An investigation by The Outlaw Ocean Project into Peru aligns with studies that warn of the vulnerability of the supply chain and question how the use of wild-caught fish in animal feed is measured.
Fish meal and fish oil are once again at the center of the debate regarding the future of aquaculture. An investigation by The Outlaw Ocean Project—published by *La República* on October 9 and authored by Ian Urbina—documents allegations of pollution, conflicts with local communities, and issues regarding traceability in Peru. These findings contribute to a broader scientific discussion that examines both the aquaculture sector’s reliance on wild-caught resources and the distribution of the benefits and burdens throughout this international supply chain.
Record ocean warming, declining anchoveta stocks and fishing restrictions threaten jobs, exports and global aquaculture supplies.
The 2026 Super El Niño has severely disrupted Peru's anchoveta fishery.
The Central Bank forecasts a 30.7% contraction and 78,000 job losses, while fishmeal prices have reached US$3,500/tonne, increasing costs for global aquaculture.The vast majority of the anchoveta industry is concentrated off the coast of north-central Peru, and it is hard to overstate how economically significant this fish is
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AUSTRALIA
ANTARCTICA
The Antarctic Peninsula MPA and precautionary krill management are critical steps towards representative protection of the Southern Ocean by 2030.
ARGENTINA.png)
The Agustina Lerena Foundation has filed a lawsuit with the Federal Court of Tierra del Fuego, seeking approximately 23.6 billion euros in compensation from fishing companies—most of them Galician—and a network of associated firms, for the exploitation of resources in the South Atlantic without authorization from Argentina.
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Alliance promotes tuna, albacore and culinary heritage.
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Nordic Halibut
PERU
An investigation by The Outlaw Ocean Project into Peru aligns with studies that warn of the vulnerability of the supply chain and question how the use of wild-caught fish in animal feed is measured.
Record ocean warming, declining anchoveta stocks and fishing restrictions threaten jobs, exports and global aquaculture supplies.
OMAN
