IN BRIEF - Barbados hosts largest-ever meeting of FAO fishery body
BARBADOS
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Pressing issues threatening the sustainability of living marine resources across the Caribbean were discussed at the 19th Session of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) held in Bridgetown, Barbados, earlier this month.
The hybrid meeting, which was organised and led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), was attended by 110 delegates from 22 member countries and 11 partner organisations, signalling the highest number of delegates to ever attend in the history of this commission’s plenary meetings.
The delegates of the 19th session discussed the interim Caribbean Regional Management Plan for the Anchored Fish Aggregating Device Fishery (aFAD), and the associated guide for improved monitoring aFAD catches and assessment of aFAD impacts on stocks. They also reviewed the manual on aFAD Fisheries Governance with application to other Fisheries in the Wider Caribbean and the impacts of sargassum on marine resources in the region, a regional socio-economic and environmental developing issue.
The progress made in the strategic reorientation of the commission, the finalisation of the revised 2014 Rules of Procedures, opportunities for collaboration with the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and other critical topics of potential implications for the fisheries in the region, among others two global instruments, the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, were included on the comprehensive agenda for discourse.
In delivering opening remarks, Adrian Forde, Barbados’ minister of environment and national beautification, the green and blue economy, spoke on the significance of the meeting for Barbados and at large, the CARICOM countries, and acknowledged the considerable progress of WECAFC in the preparation of fisheries management advice, especially as it relates to the management of fisheries using anchored Fish Aggregating Devices (aFADs).
To mark the International Day for the Fight against IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) Fishing, celebrated every June 5th, the Bermeo Tuna association will host a round-table discussion open to the public next Thursday, June 4th, under the title:
"Impact of IUU Fishing on the Tuna Value Chain: From Traceability to Nutrition."
The event will take place at 1:00 PM at the Itsasmuseum in Bilbao, following the Bermeo Tuna General Assembly. It will bring together scientific and technological experts to analyze the impact of illegal fishing on ocean sustainability, food safety, the traceability of seafood products, and the competitiveness of the sector.
Participants will include:
Sara Arranz, researcher at AZTI and nutrition expert.
Sergio Gallastegi, CEO of Code Contract.
Rogelio Pozo, CEO of AZTI, who will act as the moderator.
During the session, key topics will be addressed, such as the role of tuna in a healthy and sustainable diet, the importance of traceability in guaranteeing consumer trust, and the challenges posed by implementing the European CATCH system to strengthen control over seafood imports and combat illegal fishing.
Chile’s salmon industry is facing constraints as total biomass and key metrics continue to decline. According to data from Aquabench, the country's total salmon biomass fell to 434,600 tons by the end of April, marking a 4.9% year-on-year drop.
The number of salmon in stock dipped by 1.9% to 184.7 million, while the average body weight decreased 3.3% to 2.35 kg. Future supply growth also looks tight, as fry releases fell 2% year-on-year to 16 million in April.
Despite these constraints, Chilean salmon harvests in April managed a 3% year-on-year increase, reaching 61,700 tons, driven by higher harvest volumes even as average weights fell 1.6% to around 5 kg.
Meanwhile, the vital Brazilian market—which generates over US$800 million in annual trade for Chile—experienced a sharp price correction in week 22. Prices had previously spiked due to shipping delays caused by the Chilean Navy Day holiday. However, as logistics normalized and supply flooded back, export prices to Brazil fell significantly, directly impacting Chilean exporters.
Colombo: A new initiative worth US$ 1.33 million (around Rs. 436 million) has been launched to restore livelihoods and boost freshwater fisheries in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province. An agreement was signed at the Japanese Embassy in Colombo on May 29.
Financed by the Government of Japan with technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the project assists communities affected by recent extreme weather, including Cyclone Ditwah, which devastated local income streams.
Key Highlights of the Initiative:
Modernising Aquaculture: Introduction of cage culture systems by deploying 200 fish cages across 30 selected reservoirs, alongside barrage netting systems.
Infrastructure Upgrades: Upgrading the Inginiyagala Fish Breeding Centre and training local fisheries organisations.
Direct Support: Providing free fingerlings and feed for the first production cycle to reduce pressure on the struggling coastal sector.
Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar called the programme a vital step in modernising the industry, while Japanese Ambassador Akio Isomata reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to <
POND ISLAND — In a major step toward regional food security, representatives from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday.
Operating under the framework of the Dutch Caribbean Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Alliance (DC ALFA), the agreement formalizes long-term collaboration through 2035. It targets critical areas including sustainable agriculture, fisheries development, climate resilience, and regional policy coordination.
The high-level signatories securing this future-oriented framework included:
Geoffrey Wever (Aruba’s Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, and Primary Sector)
Clark Abraham (Bonaire Commissioner)
Tyrone Boekhoudt (Curaçao Minister of Health, Environment and Nature)
Bruce Zagers (Saba Commissioner)
Rechelline Leerdam (Sint Eustatius Commissioner)
Grisha Heyliger-Marten (Sint Maarten’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of TEATT)
This updated pact builds directly upon the initial foundational agreement established in 2023.
TAISHAN — To Lu Zice, discarded oyster shells are treasures. Taishan, a county-level city administered by Jiangmen in Guangdong province, generates over 100,000 metric tons of waste oyster shells annually, threatening the environment.
Photo: ChinaDaily
To solve this, Guangdong Bevan Biology Co, founded by Lu, processes 50,000 to 60,000 tons of shells annually, yielding products worth over 20 million yuan ($2.9 million). Over the next three years, Lu plans to scale production to 100,000 tons, valued at over 100 million yuan. The company plans to expand further to process 150,000 to 200,000 tons annually, effectively eliminating Jiangmen's oyster waste.
Collaborating with the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lu recently partnered with Zhu Ronghua, Chairman of Qi Yong Tang Health Technology (Guangdong) Co. In March, they joined forces to convert aquaculture waste into high-value items like soil conditioners and ecological powder coatings. Historically used in building materials since the Tang and Ming dynasties, oyster shell products now drive a sustainable, full-scale industrial chain along the South China coast.
Japan’s bluefin tuna hauls are surging nationwide, forcing officials to impose strict restrictions or suspend fishing entirely as some prefectures race toward their annual limits at an unprecedented pace.
According to the Fisheries Agency, the April catch of large bluefin tuna weighing 30 kilograms or more reached a staggering 320.7 tons. This figure marks a historic record for the month since the current management system began in 2018, nearly doubling the volume recorded the previous year.
Smaller bluefin tuna weighing less than 30 kilograms also hit record highs for April, increasing by 10.4 percent to 300.6 tons.
Pacific bluefin tuna fishing is managed under strict international agreements, which subject Japan's waters to annual catch quotas starting each fiscal year in April.
The rapid surge has put immediate pressure on local limits. Fukui and Toyama prefectures have already exhausted more than 50 percent of their quotas for large bluefin tuna, while Kochi has surpassed the 40-percent mark. For smaller tuna, Fukushima Prefecture has already burned through over 90 percent of its allocation, and Fukui is past 50 percent.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has awarded its certification to the eel (Ophichthus remiger) fishery in Peru. The Peruvian Marine Institute (Imarpe) considers this achievement "an unprecedented milestone," as it is the first certification the country has received and the first for this species worldwide.
After an evaluation process that took more than a year, the certification was formalized following the publication of the final report by the independent certifier Global Trust Certification. The standard independently assesses whether a fishery is sustainable by ensuring compliance with three principles: guaranteeing the long-term health of the resource population; minimizing the fishery's impact on the marine ecosystem; and ensuring effective management with a transparent governance framework.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
McGraw Seafood has successfully completed the installation of a new automated redfish processing line at its facility in New Brunswick, Canada, in partnership with Carsoe. The project marks a significant step forward in the company’s efforts to diversify production, safeguard product quality, and reduce manual handling—all within the constraints of an existing processing footprint.
The newly installed line spans the full process from raw material receiving through to automatic plate freezing. At its core is Carsoe’s double contact plate freezing technology, supported by a fully integrated downstream automation system.
KJ-Hydraulic joins the growing number of companies exhibiting in the Faroese Pavilion at this year’s IceFish, being held from 22-24 September.
The company are experts in hydraulics and machinery, supplying and servicing equipment for the fishing and aquaculture industries. As one of the bigger machinery companies in the Faroe Islands, KJ-Hydraulic also supplies equipment and services to international markets, including Iceland, Scotland, Shetland, Denmark and Norway. A vital supplier to the Faroese fishing fleet for several years, KJ-Hydraulic has its headquarters in Kambsdalur
A Swedish fish farm project which has been in the pipeline for almost nine years has finally been given the go-ahead.
The Norrbotten-Västerbotten Agricultural Society says it has received the environmental permit for what it calls “the new generation of fish farming”: a land-based fish farm producing char, based in the Arctic north of the country.
The facility in Sunderbyn, Luleå municipality is based in Norrbotten, Sweden’s most northerly county. The Society says it will meet record-high requirements for nitrogen purification in an Arctic climate.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
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CHILE
SRI LANKA
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
CHINA
JAPAN
PERU
The 
CANADA
McGraw Seafood has successfully completed the installation of a new automated redfish processing line at its facility in New Brunswick, Canada, in partnership with 
ICELAND.png)
KJ-Hydraulic joins the growing number of companies exhibiting in the Faroese Pavilion at this year’s
SWEDEN
The Norrbotten-Västerbotten Agricultural Society says it has received the environmental permit for what it calls “the new generation of fish farming”: a land-based fish farm producing char, based in the Arctic north of the country.
