IN BRIEF - Globefish: 'Cod farming seems to be on the way up again'
NORWAY
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Norwegian production of farmed cod reached 12 000 tonnes in 2023, and is expected to increase to 14 000 tonnes in 2024. Although these are still very modest volumes, they are an indication that in the future, farmed cod may replace some of the volumes lost by reduced quotas in the Barents Sea.
However, some of the cod farmers are even more optimistic. One farmer said he expects the 2024 volume to reach 20 000 tonnes, and by 2028, his company alone will produce 28 000 tonnes a year. There have been a lot of technological, biological and genetic improvements since Norway embarked on cod farming in the early 2000s. Production costs have been cut considerably, and production time is shorter.
Farmed cod can now be grown to 4 kg in 18 months in the sea, and year-round production is possible. Thus, farmers would be able to supply fresh cod all through the year, while the wild catch in Norway peaks during the period from February through March. Most of the farmed cod would go for exports as fresh fish destined for the high-end restaurant market.
There are challenges, though. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) has stopped processing all new applications for cod farming licences while it assesses how cod farming might be affecting the wild populations. Investors have been taken by surprise, and nobody knows when applications will be processed again.
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NORWAY
However, some of the cod farmers are even more optimistic. One farmer said he expects the 2024 volume to reach 20 000 tonnes, and by 2028, his company alone will produce 28 000 tonnes a year. There have been a lot of technological, biological and genetic improvements since Norway embarked on cod farming in the early 2000s. Production costs have been cut considerably, and production time is shorter.
NIGERIA
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SINGAPORE
INDONESIA
WORLDWIDE
FAO targets 75% aquaculture growth by 2040, but experts warn of mounting pressure on marine resources
CHINA
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BELGIUM
Joan Simonet, the Regional Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Natural Environment, has welcomed the European Commission's consideration of changes to the Multiannual Plan for Demersal Fisheries in the Western Mediterranean. The proposed changes aim to increase the number of fishing days allowed for trawlers, without having quotas constrained by the status of the most vulnerable species. This was one of the key demands jointly presented to the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, last May by Spain's five Mediterranean autonomous communities, according to a statement from the Regional Ministry.
PERU
Peru's Ministry of Production (Produce) has launched the "Sea of ??Opportunities 2026-2027" campaign, as part of the Roadmap for the Reactivation of Fisheries and Aquaculture. The campaign aims to inform the public about species whose availability has temporarily increased along the Peruvian coast due to oceanographic changes associated with the El Niño phenomenon. Developed using scientific information from the Peruvian Marine Institute (Imarpe), the initiative seeks to guide fishermen, distributors, restaurants, and consumers on new fishing alternatives, contributing to diversifying the product offerings and reducing pressure on species whose availability has decreased.The Minister of Production, Juan Carlos Requejo, explains that "El Niño is temporarily modifying the conditions of our sea and the presence of different species.
UNITED STATES
US firm wants seat at the table as it expands from Chile into Norway and Scotland
PORTUGAL
Direct grants will offset higher fuel and fertiliser costs caused by the Middle East crisis
