IN BRIEF - Amendment to the law on the management of large bluefin tuna has been enacted
JAPAN
Thursday, June 20, 2024
It will provide material for negotiations on quota increases.
A bill amending the Fisheries Law and the Fisheries Distribution Optimization Law aimed at strengthening resource management through individual management of large Pacific bluefin tuna (over 30 kg) was passed by a majority vote at the House of Councilors plenary session of the 213th regular Diet session held on the morning of the 19th. The Fisheries Law requires reporting of the number of large bluefin tuna caught in addition to the catch volume and requires records such as the name of the vessel used and the weight of each individual. The Distribution Optimization Law requires distributors to transmit recorded information at the time of capture. It will be promulgated within 30 days and take effect no more than two months after its promulgation.
An illustration of the new reporting requirements for large Pacific bluefin tuna
Following the failure to report catches that occurred in Oma, Aomori, the government has been rushing to put in place a system that allows for individual comparisons of large Pacific bluefin tuna and significantly strengthens penalties. In case of failure to comply with the reporting obligation, the previous penalty was up to six months in prison and a fine of up to 300,000 yen (US$1,898) and will be increased to a prison sentence of up to one year and a fine of up to 500,000 yen. (U$D 3,164), only for large Pacific bluefin tuna
Source: The Suisan Keizai (translated from original in japanese)
Raúl Gil, executive vice president of the Italian firm, highlights that this operation allows his company to benefit from the experience of more than 350 experts in underwater prospecting and preparation, three specialized vessels, and essential equipment, such as unmanned underwater robots.
The Italian firm Prysmian has completed the acquisition of ACSM, a Vigo-based company specializing in solutions for submarine cable installation, route planning, and seabed preparation, for €169 million. The Galician firm was responsible for locating and inspecting the wreck of the Villa de Pitanxo, which sank off Newfoundland in February 2022.
Source: EFE / Faro de Vigo | Read the full article here
A new technical document from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), prepared jointly with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warns of food fraud in fisheries and aquaculture products, which it defines as “a global and widespread phenomenon” with implications ranging from consumer finances and health to ocean sustainability, as well as the loss of profitability for companies that, while operating legally, have to compete with fraudulent practices.
Source: iPac.aquacultura | Read the full article here
ALDI Ireland has been named Irish Supermarket of the Year by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world’s most recognised ecolabel for sustainable seafood, in the first year this award has been presented by the MSC in Ireland.
The prestigious win is in recognition of the supermarket’s sustainability credentials as it leads the way for the most own-brand products sold with the blue MSC ecolabel. The variety across the sector is expanding every year, according to the recently released MSC UK & Ireland Market Report 2025.
The Norwegian land-based fish farmer Gigante Salmon last night raised NOK 360 million (around £27m) in new shares, the Oslo Stock Market reports.
The amount is higher than the NOK 322.5 million (£24m) it said earlier in the day that it planned to raise.
Gigante Salmon said the funds raised will be used for the next phase of the land-based aquaculture company’s growth, including necessary and strategic improvements to the facility on Rødøy.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organisation will hold its 2026 Members’ Meeting in Madrid from 27 to 29 April, marking the second consecutive year the event takes place in the Spanish capital.
The three-day meeting is expected to bring together participants from across the global marine ingredients value chain to discuss market developments, sustainability frameworks, innovation, and supply dynamics.
According to IFFO, the programme will include presentations from 18 speakers covering fisheries, market outlooks, regulation, and technological developments, alongside two side events organised in partnership with Global Seafood Alliance and MarinTrust.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
The Ministry of Production reported that the consumption of seafood products in Peru has steadily increased over the last decade, rising from 13.2 kilos per person in 2012 to 17.1 kilos in 2024, representing an increase of nearly 4 kilos per capita. This progress is mainly attributed to the implementation of the National Program "Let's Eat Fish," aimed at promoting healthy eating and access to seafood at affordable prices.
In this context, and as part of Fish Consumption Week, the "My Fish Market: Nutrition for Families" fair was held in the Central Plaza of Manchay, in the district of Pachacámac, with the goal of promoting the consumption of highly nutritious seafood products, both wild and farmed.
The Port of Vigo is hosting the 7th Workshop of the FAO's Blue Ports Initiative until next Thursday, the 12th. This is the second workshop to be held in person in Vigo, with the participation of nearly fifty representatives from more than 25 fishing ports in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The event has the technical and financial support of the General Secretariat for Fisheries, State Ports, the Galician Ministry of the Sea, and the Vigo Port Authority.
The goal is to define the infrastructure requirements for sustainable fishing ports. To achieve this, national and international specialists in port management, development, and infrastructure will participate in training sessions and exchanges of experiences, combining classroom activities with technical visits to fishing ports in Galicia
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
A young biologist has achieved nothing short of a miracle: singlehandedly building the only RAS farm for Arctic char in the Netherlands. Focusing on short supply chains and a strong product story, he makes a decent living from his Dutch char as well.
The Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) is a cold-water fish in the family Salmonidae, native to alpine lakes and Arctic and subarctic coastal waters in northern Europe. It was first scientifically described in the genus Salmo and it somewhat resembles a small, but beautifully speckled, Atlantic salmon.
In a small village near the river Rhine, in an area well known for its fruit orchards, we meet Jelle Busscher.
Authors: Jonah van Beijnen - Kyra Hoevenaars / The Fish Site | Read the full article here
Ninety-seven percent of the world’s total commercial tuna catch now comes from stocks at “healthy” abundance levels, according to the latest “Status of the Stocks” report from the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).
At the same time, nearly 100% of the global tuna catch comes from stocks not experiencing overfishing. ISSF says this indicates that tuna fisheries are not only biologically healthy but also being harvested at sustainable levels.
SalMar passed 300,000 tons harvested in one year for the first time
Lower costs and higher prices gave SalMar, the world's second largest Atlantic salmon farmer, a clear boost in results in the fourth quarter, Fish Farming Expert's Norwegian sister site, Kyst.no, reports.
For the full year 2025, for the first time, over 300,000 gutted weight tonnes of salmon were harvested in one year, SalMar says in its Q4 2025 report. The total harvest volume ended at 300,900 gwt.
Author: Ole Andreas Drønen / fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
Giant Squid: to Regulate or to Plunder Peru
Between March 2 and 6, Panama City will host the 14th meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO), a decisive gathering for the future of transboundary high-seas f...