IN BRIEF - Technical report confirms wisdom in suspending Loligo squid harvests
FALKLAND ISLANDS
Friday, December 13, 2024
The Falkland Islands Fisheries Commission this week reviewed a detailed report by three senior members of the Fisheries Department titled “Analysis of the 2024 Loligo Squid Harvest.” The findings confirmed the prudence and justification of not opening the season.
The report was authored by Chief Cephalopod Scientist Irina Chemshirova, Oceanographic Data Analyst Alex Blake, and Senior Scientist and Stock Assessor Frane Skeljo. Their analysis was reinforced by a biomass estimate obtained after a second survey, which corroborated the decision to refrain from harvesting.
One key conclusion of the report highlighted that “the biological data collected during the surveys indicated no major net migration during the course of the season.” However, the report acknowledged challenges in fully confirming low migration patterns due to the significant time gap between the August and September surveys.
Blake further explained that“the unfavorable ocean conditions described during 2024 most certainly facilitated a northern transport of Loligo, out of the Falklands EEZ and toward the high seas during the period of the second harvest.”
Adding to the context, the significant investments made by Falkland fishing companies and their Galician partners in new vessels underscore the high stakes for the 2025 squid harvest. Understandably, this has led to some apprehension about how the upcoming season will unfold.
A report from the OctoPulse project links the explosion of Octopus vulgaris to warmer seas and oceanographic changes; the phenomenon is already disrupting fisheries and could affect prices in Europe.
In the ports of southwest England, the octopus has gone from being a minor player to suddenly becoming the star. Where it once appeared sporadically in traps and gear targeting crustaceans, it now appears in such high concentrations that the fleet describes it as a "bloom": an explosion of abundance. The phenomenon, centered on 2024/25, is the starting point of the report "Octopus bloom – history, causes & consequences (Work Package 1)," prepared by the OctoPulse project and published in January 2026.
The Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans has set a quota of 1,641 minke whales for 2026, an increase of 235 animals compared to last year's quota of 1,406, according to a statement. The increase is possible, it explains, because the unused quota from previous years' fishing campaigns has been carried over to this year.
In its statement, the Norwegian ministry clarifies that whaling in Norway is a sustainable activity, "strictly regulated, and the minke whale population is in very good condition." Furthermore, "Norway uses efficient fishing methods that respect animal welfare," it maintains.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
It ranks sixth in the global Ocean Benchmark ranking, which evaluates the 125 largest companies in the world based on their responsible practices and contribution to the sustainable management of the oceans. It is the top-ranked fishing company globally in this ranking and third among food companies, behind only Nestlé and Mowi.
Nueva Pescanova Group is the leading Spanish company in the sustainable management of oceans and coastal ecosystems and sixth globally in the Ocean Benchmark 2026. It is also the top-ranked fishing company in this ranking and third among food companies, behind only Nestlé and Mowi, according to this ranking compiled by the non-profit organization World Benchmarking Alliance
Source: iPac.aquacultura | Read the full article here
Using a unique stacked-tank, land-based system, Vertical Lake produces traceable fish while converting waste streams into organic fertiliser and collagen.
Jack Oyugi’s Vertical Lake is redefining what is possible in aquaculture. Built as a fully land-based, closed-loop system, it stacks tanks vertically, recycles 98 percent of its water, and produces traceable fish alongside organic plant food. Already serving hospitals, hotels and farmers across Kenya, the patented innovation is gaining global attention, including a nomination for the Earthshot Prize in 2025, and shows potential to scale across cities, arid regions and beyond.
Author: Proscovia Alando/ The Fish Site | Read the fullarticle here
The supermarket Tesco has suspended salmon supplies from Bakkafrost’s Portree farm, pending an investigation triggered by footage taken by a campaign group last year, which showed "diseased fish being dumped in the sea and live salmon left to suffocate before being shredded".
The Green Britain Foundation, a "climate and environment foundation devoted to an urgent transition to a greener Britain", has also called on the Co-op to "follow Tesco Finest by removing Bakkafrost salmon from its Irresistible range until the facts are established and any enforcement action is concluded".
Author: Sandy Neil / Fish Farmer | Read the fullarticle here
With the aim of strengthening the presence of Chilean products in Southeast Asian markets, ProChile invited exporting companies and those with export potential from the Los Lagos Region, belonging to the seafood sector—such as salmon and mussels—and aquaculture solutions, to apply to the Second Chile-ASEAN Business Meeting 2026.
The event will take place between May 26 and 29, within the framework of THAIFEX, the most important food and beverage trade fair in Southeast Asia. The meeting will bring together Chilean exporters with importers, distributors, and international buyers from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines—markets that show a growing demand for seafood, aquaculture inputs, and technologies.
Galician waters are rich in many species of fish and shellfish. Some of the products that support hundreds of people are emblematic, helping to maintain populations in coastal areas and serving as food far beyond the region's borders. Perhaps one of the most characteristic resources is the octopus, the king cephalopod, which is vital in some markets around the world.
The UK market is not exactly one of them, nor was it common for these eight-legged creatures to be seen in its waters.
Author: Adrián Amoedo / Faro de Vigo | Read the full article here
Anti-fish farming groups in Canada have won a legal battle to maintain a ban on salmon farms in the Discovery Islands area of British Columbia.
The ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal upholds a June 2024 Federal Court decision which affirmed the Canadian fisheris minister's ability to refuse aquaculture licences in the Discovery Islands based on conservation concerns. Salmon farmer Mowi Canada West is understood to have appealed the 2024 decision.
Environmental law charity Ecojustice represented anti-fish farming groups the David Suzuki Foundation, Georgia Strait Alliance, Living Oceans Society, and Watershed Watch Salmon Society, and veteran anti-salmon farming activist Alexandra Morton, in the appeal.
Author: Gareth Moore / fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
Global marine ingredients output shows modest growth in 2025
Global production of fishmeal and fish oil showed a positive trend through most of 2025, supported by strong landings in Peru and higher output across several producing regions, according to market data from IFFO.
In Peru, the second fishing season in the North–Centre region ended with the anchoveta fleet landing almost the full 1.63 million metric tonne quota. IFFO said that while full-year data has yet to be confirmed, total 2025 production of fishmeal and fish oil is expected to be slightly lower than in 2024.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
From the established seaweed production hubs of Asia, to the emerging farms of the Western hemisphere, I have always been interested in identifying the gaps in farm technology that translate into opportunities for innovation.
Most recently, I spent months conducting deep fieldwork across the seaweed sectors of six countries in Latin America and the Caribbean – from Brazil and Chile, to St Lucia and Grenada. As I compared these developing regions with the mature markets I’ve studied in Asia, a striking realisation forced me to rethink the standard industry assumptions.
Author: Karlotta Rieve / The Fish Site | Read the full article here
Icelandic Optimism Grows Following Positive Capelin Search Iceland
Encouraging survey results off Iceland's coast raise hopes for a stronger capelin season as vessels prepare to head out and industry awaits official advice.
A recent search for capelin off the coast ...
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