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)
With an agenda focused on technical activities, community engagement, and networking opportunities, ScaleAQ held a series of events during Aquasur 2026 week centered around its Dissemination, Technology, and Aquaculture Center. This initiative aimed to bring aquaculture innovation to the region and strengthen ties with various stakeholders in the ecosystem.
The program began on Monday, March 23, with the official opening of the center, located between Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt. The center is designed as an open platform for knowledge transfer, technology showcases, and connections between industry, academia, government officials, and the community.
Source: MundoAcuicola | Read the full article here
The Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers of the 27 EU member states yesterday called on the European Commission to implement measures to protect the fishing and aquaculture sector due to the sharp rise in costs resulting from the war in the Middle East. And the Commission has come to the rescue. At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (Agrifish), Commissioner Costas Kadis announced that the extraordinary measures provided for in the European Maritime Fund for Fisheries and Aquaculture (EMFF) will be activated, allowing the sector to be compensated for lost profits or additional costs. This anti-crisis shield was already deployed in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2022, due to the surge in energy costs following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Sales of fish and chips realized declines in U.K. foodservice last year, while overall seafood sales declined less dramatically, according to recent data from seafood representative public body Seafish.
According to a new report, Seafish found out-of-home consumption of fish and chips in the U.K. declined 9 percent in 2025, equivalent to 13.1 million fewer servings. Long-term consumption has also fallen significantly, with servings 61 percent lower in 2025 than in 2017.
Still, fish and chips generate significant sales across the U.K. foodservice market, Seafish pointed out.
Author: Christine Blank / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here
AI, Feed and Automation in Aquaculture: Precision, reliability, and the shift toward predictive farming
As aquaculture intensifies to meet global protein demand, producers are confronting rising biological variability, complex feeding environments, and increasing pressure to deliver consistent performance.
Meanwhile, AI-enabled feeding systems, imaging tools, and precision nutrition platforms are maturing at pace – reshaping how farms understand their animals and make daily decisions. As a result, the sector is steadily transitioning from manual observation and intuition toward structured, predictive, and biologically informed ways of farming.
The soaring price of bunker fuel is shaking up profitability, disrupting the purchase of fishing days in the Pacific, and threatening to reshape the operations of purse seiners, longliners, and onshore processing plants.
Fuel has ceased to be a contextual factor and has become the variable that most directly influences tuna fishing operations. This is the central idea of ??the analysis by Francisco Blaha, who warns that, in a scenario of sharply rising energy costs, diesel and fuel oil not only erode profit margins but also modify routes, fishing decisions, effort allocation, and even the viability of entire segments of the value chain. Market data reinforces this argument. In Singapore, a benchmark for bunker fuel in Asia and a barometer of the western and central Pacific
The Nueva Pescanova Group posted a net profit of €1.1 million in 2025, returning to profitability after several consecutive years of losses, specifically €37.9 million in the previous year (nine months). In the twelve-month period of 2024, losses totaled €91 million.
The company has exceeded the targets of its recovery plan. Sales reached €1,053.6 million, compared to €982 million in the equivalent twelve months of 2024, representing a 7.3% increase. Compared to the revenue recorded in the nine-month accounting period of 2024, the increase was 36.9%.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
Blumar reported full-year 2025 revenues of $712.8 million, a 15 percent increase year-on-year, while net profit remained broadly stable at $18.1 million.
Pre-fair-value EBITDA declined 7 percent to $79.7 million, reflecting lower salmon prices and higher operational costs during the year.
The company said its aquaculture segment recovered in volume terms compared with 2024, when production was disrupted by harmful algal blooms. However, the average salmon price fell 5 percent year-on-year, influenced by increased global Atlantic salmon supply and U.S. tariffs introduced in April 2025.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
Ultra-low-density producer pioneers new aquaculture standard
A family-owned sea bass and sea bream estuary farm in southern Spain has become the first farm in the world to achieve certification against the new Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Farm Standard.
Located in the protected Parque Natural de la Breña y Marismas del Barbate in the province of Cadiz, Lubimar’s Cupibar farm produces around 2,000 metric tonnes of fish per year in a unique estuarine system built in former salt pans.
Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
Mowi is facing the prospect of a double salmon disease blow at two of its sites in Norway
Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) has been detected at a site in Frøya municipality in Trondelag, and bacterial kidney disease (BKD) is suspected at a company facility in Hitra municipality.
On the ISA issue, Mowi’s suspicions were raised earlier this month, and then confirmed following positive analysis results from samples taken at the site.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority confirmed the ISA diagnosis on last week based on analysis results from the Veterinary Institute.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
A new recommendation from the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) calls for a cautious increase in lumpfish catches. For the 2025/2026 fishing year, the institute advises that the catch of female lumpfish should not exceed 2,932 tonnes, marking a 6% increase compared to the previous year.
The guidance is based primarily on biomass data from the March 2026 demersal fish stock survey, alongside results from 2025. While the 2026 biomass index showed improvement over 2025, it remains low in historical terms and significantly below the long-term average. Notably, the 2025 index was the second lowest recorded since 1985.
Photo: Svanhildur Egilsdóttir / MFRI -->
Due to year-to-year fluctuations and measurement uncertainty, MFRI applies a weighted system in its assessment, giving 70% weight to the current year and 30% to the previous year. Based on this approach, the institute recommends an initial catch limit of 973 tonnes for the 2026/2027 fishing year.
JAPAN
CHILE
With an agenda focused on technical activities, community engagement, and networking opportunities, 
EUROPEAN UNION.png)
The Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers of the 27 EU member states yesterday called on the European Commission to implement measures to protect the fishing and aquaculture sector due to the sharp rise in costs resulting from the war in the Middle East. And the Commission has come to the rescue. At the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (Agrifish), Commissioner Costas Kadis announced that the extraordinary measures provided for in the European Maritime Fund for Fisheries and Aquaculture (EMFF) will be activated, allowing the sector to be compensated for lost profits or additional costs. This anti-crisis shield was already deployed in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2022, due to the surge in energy costs following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
UNITED KINGDOM
Sales of fish and chips realized declines in U.K. foodservice last year, while overall seafood sales declined less dramatically, according to recent data from seafood representative public body Seafish.
WORLDWIDE.png)
As aquaculture intensifies to meet global protein demand, producers are confronting rising biological variability, complex feeding environments, and increasing pressure to deliver consistent performance..png)
Fuel has ceased to be a contextual factor and has become the variable that most directly influences tuna fishing operations. This is the central idea of ??the analysis by Francisco Blaha, who warns that, in a scenario of sharply rising energy costs, diesel and fuel oil not only erode profit margins but also modify routes, fishing decisions, effort allocation, and even the viability of entire segments of the value chain. Market data reinforces this argument. In Singapore, a benchmark for bunker fuel in Asia and a barometer of the western and central Pacific
SPAIN
The 
Blumar
Ultra-low-density producer pioneers new aquaculture standard
NORWAY
Mowi 
ICELAND
The guidance is based primarily on biomass data from the March 2026 demersal fish stock survey, alongside results from 2025. While the 2026 biomass index showed improvement over 2025, it remains low in historical terms and significantly below the long-term average. Notably, the 2025 index was the second lowest recorded since 1985.
