IN BRIEF - NOAA RECOMMENDS $18 MILLION FOR YUROK TRIBE-LED RESTORATION PROJECT
UNITED STATES
Monday, July 22, 2024
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience program announced that it is recommending $18 million in funding for a Yurok Tribe-led project to restore critically important segments of multiple upper Klamath River tributaries following the removal of four dams.
“This collaborative project seeks to complement and significantly expand upon ongoing work to rebuild Klamath salmon stocks post dam removal,”said Frankie Myers, the Vice Chairman of the Yurok Tribe.“We have always said that large-scale restoration needs to accompany dam removal to bring our fish runs back from the brink. We sincerely thank NOAA for proposing this pivotal investment in the Klamath Basin.”
If funded, the four-year project will create approximately 150 acres of prime fish and wildlife habitat in up to five heavily altered cold-water tributaries between Jenny Creek in California and Spencer Creek in Oregon. The Klamath tributaries slated for restoration once sustained substantial salmon, steelhead and Pacific lamprey populations prior to the dams. Special attention will be paid to Shovel Creek because it historically supported the largest quantity of these culturally and ecologically invaluable fish species.
With over 20 years of experience in food packaging development and innovation, Austral Pack is a Chilean company with certified and validated solutions for the most demanding markets, establishing itself as a strategic partner for its clients. Founded by Chilean engineers Luis Mayorga and Saúl Soto, who possess extensive national and international experience in the field, the company has become a specialist in automated solutions for food processing and packaging. “Our development has been sustained by a multidisciplinary team and close collaboration with our clients, who trust us to improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of their processes.”
Among its main advantages are the reduction of up to 75% in the use of plastic per container
Galician mussel producers, represented by Opmega (Organization of Mussel Producers of Galicia), are making a significant commitment to demonstrating the sustainability of their activity, with the aim of achieving greater market recognition.
At the scientific level, the OPP (Organization of Producers of Galicia) already has the results of the first scientific study that comprehensively quantifies the ecosystem services of mussel farming on rafts. The report, prepared by the Marine Research Institute of the CSIC (Spanish National Research Council), places the carbon footprint of Galician mussels well below that of other sources of animal protein, documents the filtration and nutrient retention capacity that the rafts provide to the estuaries, and values ??the mussel shell as a usable resource in sectors such as agriculture and construction.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
Tersan Shipyard has announced the successful delivery of NB1124, a next-generation fishing vessel commissioned by Aurora Fisheries, part of the Solander Group.
Soon to be named Takapo, the vessel represents a significant milestone in the partnership between the Turkish shipbuilder and the New Zealand seafood company, introducing advanced energy efficiency and regeneration technologies to deep-sea fishing operations in New Zealand waters.
Built at Tersan Shipyard Takapo has been designed for both pelagic and demersal trawling.
Accumulated mortality for Norwegian farmed salmon during the seawater phase reached 3.4% in the first quarter of 2026, slightly above the 3.3% recorded in the same period last year, according to new figures published by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.
Total losses during the quarter were around 12.9 million fish. Of these, 10.9 million were reported as mortalities, 0.6 million as discarded fish and 1.4 million under the category “other”.
The figures are based on monthly reports submitted by salmon farmers to Norwegian authorities covering live and dead fish counts.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
The Minister of the Sea, Marta Villaverde, visited the facilities of Opmega, Galicia's leading mussel sector organization, in Boiro.
Accompanied by President Ricardo Herbón, she learned about advancements in sustainability and innovation, such as the CSIC study presented at Seafood Expo Global Barcelona. This report certifies that the carbon footprint of Galician mussels is minimal and highlights their ecological value to the estuaries.
The entity is moving toward MSC international certification to bolster competitiveness against imports. Commercially, the success of their fresh, microwave-ready mussel trays stands out for optimizing shelf life. Despite challenges like biotoxin closures in late 2025, Opmega remains a European benchmark with 579 platforms (bateas) and 312 members across the estuaries of Muros and Noia, Arousa, Pontevedra, Vigo, and Portugal.
Opmega has been recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food since 1986 as Spain's first transnational mussel producers' organization.
Due to the increase in the national quota, since May 2nd, trawlers, purse seiners, and inshore fishing vessels have been able to land and sell the bluefin tuna that they previously had to discard if caught in their gear. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) states on its website that of the 121 Spanish ports authorized to land this tuna, nine are in Galicia. Although the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food refers to ICCAT for "the complete updated list," its proposal for managing the fishery only includes the port of Vigo among the 39 authorized ports in Spain.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Riofrío (Granada) was the location chosen by Aquaculture of Spain to celebrate an experience centered around one of the world's most exclusive gastronomic products: organic caviar. The event—which combined sustainability and gastronomy to showcase the inland aquaculture model that has made this Andalusian enclave an international benchmark in the organic production of this species—demonstrated that, thanks to its commitment to sturgeon farming in the 1990s, Riofrío now produces sturgeon and caviar in a sustainable, regulated, and transparent manner.
It is precisely thanks to this commitment to aquaculture that it is currently possible to continue enjoying such an exclusive product as caviar under strict standards of quality, animal welfare, and sustainability.
Source: ipac.acuicultura | Read the full article here
Saudi Fisheries gets nod to raise additional capital as part of continued turnaround efforts
Saudi Fisheries Company (SFC)has been given the greenlight from the Saudi Arabian Capital Markets Authority to raise SAR 340 million (USD 89.9 million, EUR 76.5 million) through a rights issuance as the seafood firm pursues additional measures in turning around its poor financial performance.
In a recent statement to the Saudi Stock Exchange, SFC said it received the approval after "the company fulfilled all the observations and requirements related to the capital increase file,” adding that the approved rights issue plan will be subject to the approval of shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting.
Author: Shem Oirere / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here
Scottish salmon exports have soared over the past decade, with overseas sales worth more than £6bn, new figures reveal.
Analysis of HMRC data by trade body Salmon Scotland shows the UK’s top food export reached 94 global markets between 2016 and 2025.
Annual export value rose from £445m at the start of the decade to £828m last year, an increase of 86%. This is despite overall production in Scotland going up by less than 2% per year.Volumes also rose by 51% over the same period, with Scottish salmon shipped to markets across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Author: Robert Outram / Fish Farmer| Read the full article here
The Princess Royal has officially opened Bakkafrost Scotland’s multi-million pound Applecross facility in Wester Ross, the UK’s largest freshwater recirculating aquaculture system (RAS).
During the visit on Wednesday, Princess Anne toured the freshwater site, met employees and local guests, and learned how advanced technology is being used to improve fish welfare, reduce environmental impact and support high value, skilled rural employment.The facility plays a pivotal role in Bakkafrost Scotland’s ‘one summer at sea’ production strategy, which allows salmon to spend longer growing in controlled freshwater conditions before transferring to sea as larger, stronger smolt.
Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here