Other Media | La Voz de Galicia: Coast Guard Prevents the Illegal Sale of €300,000 Worth of Seafood
SPAIN
Wednesday, February 04, 2026
Octopus, spider crabs, and bivalves are the most valuable in the poachers' haul
It is difficult, if not impossible, to estimate how much the 28,000 kilos of fish and shellfish that the Galician Coast Guard prevented from being sold illegally last year represent in the poaching activity. Using the average price per kilo of the different species at Galician fish markets as a reference, their value at first sale would have exceeded €300,000. This would be what would be paid to professionals in the sector who comply with the regulations, because the market value would be close to €400,000 after applying 10% VAT, 3% fees, and profit margins.
Source: La Voz de Galicia | Read the full article here
Pending data for December, Galicia imported more than 4,250 tons of frozen sardines from Morocco, 41% more than in the entire previous year, according to data from the State Secretariat for Trade. This represented a raw material cost of over 5.7 million euros.
For this species, and for the region's processing industry—primarily canning—the North African country is crucial. It is Galicia's number one trading partner, far ahead of Portugal (3,154 tons from January to November 2025), France (1,700 tons), and Croatia (1,290 tons).
Authors: Lara Graña - Jorge Garnelo / Faro de Vigo | Read the full article here
China drives January shift in Norwegian salmon trade.
China emerged as a key driver of changing salmon trade flows in January, as Norwegian exports continued to move away from the United States and towards Asia and European processing markets.
Norway exported 112,092 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 10.4 billion ($1.01 billion/€915 million) in January, down NOK 133 million ($12.9 million/€11.7 million), or 1 percent, compared with the same month last year, according to figures from the Norwegian Seafood Council.
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
Pakistan has signaled that it wants to add more seafood processing capacity in order to reduce its reliance on Chinese factories.
Muhammad Zafar Kundi, chair of the Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association, told SeafoodSource that the South Asian nation aims to meet the evolving demands of key markets like the E.U. itself, instead of shipping a lot of its raw materials to China where value is added in upgraded processing facilities and then shipped abroad.
One reason Pakistan is seeking to enhance its factories is because prices paid for Pakistani imports in China are lower than they would fetch if the country sold to key markets directly
Author: Mark Godfrey / SeafoodSource | Read the full article here
The United States is no longer Norway’s largest market for seafood, and for salmon in particular.
It has fallen into fourth place behind Poland, the Netherlands and China, the January export figures from the Norwegian Seafood Council show.
Seafood Council CEO Christian Chramer said: “Lower salmon prices, a weakened US dollar, reduced quotas for several wild fish species and tougher competition in important markets meant that Norwegian seafood exports fell in January,
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer | Read the full article here
With over 428,000 tons harvested by 2024, Chile leads the world in the harvesting of algae from natural populations. This activity generates approximately US$100 million and employs more than 75,000 people, primarily in coastal communities. Furthermore, the country is a key player in the global salmon aquaculture sector, contributing around a quarter of the global supply. While both industries are socially and economically important, they face environmental challenges due to overexploitation and intensive production methods that threaten marine ecosystems and the sustainability of this source of income.
Source: MundoAcuicola | Read the full article here
Anfaco-Cytma, in collaboration with the Banco Sabadell Foundation, is once again launching the 8th Anfaco Design Award to recognize and promote young talent, creativity, and design culture as a driver of transformation in strategic sectors.
The competition is open to young designers and design students up to 35 years old who have studied or are currently studying at Design Schools in Spain and are interested in developing a packaging project related to the "Taste the Can" campaign promoting the consumption of canned fish and seafood.
The call for entries will be open from February 16 to April 10, 2026, inclusive.
Source: Industrias Pesqueras | Read the full article here
The agreement has been crucial in enabling Norwegian wellboats to operate in British waters without the requirement for individual work visas for crew, and has ensured stable and predictable framework conditions for the wellboat industry after Brexit, said Norway's Coastal Shipping Companies (Kystrederiene) trade body in an update.
The organisation wrote that it has had an active dialogue with the UK Home Office for a long time, with the aim of ensuring the continuation of the exemption scheme. The work has taken place in close cooperation with the Norwegian authorities
Source: fishfarmingexpert | Read the full article here
Skrei cod is famous for its long migration from the Barents Sea to the coast of Norway. Caught only seasonally from January to April, this exclusive fish continues its journey after the catch, being served by chefs all across Europe.
January will see the return of the much-anticipated Norwegian skrei season. Hailed for its delicate flavour and silky texture, skrei is a seasonal delicacy sourced only in a limited period.
Skrei’s lengthy 1,000km migration from the Barents Sea to its spawning grounds off the coast of northern Norway results in a lean, firm fish, creating a source of rich protein and proving a favourite with chefs globally for its versatility and dense, flaky, snow-white flesh.
A Norwegian court has delivered its decision in a lawsuit over an alleged verbal investment agreement involving one of the country’s most prominent seafood investors.
Gustav Witzøe has been cleared in a lawsuit brought by the Norwegian tidal energy start-up Tidal Sails, after the court rejected claims that a binding oral investment agreement had been entered into.
The Trøndelag tingrett ruled fully in Witzøe’s favour, finding no basis for Tidal Sails’ claim that the SalMar founder had committed to investing in the company
Source: SalmonBusiness | Read the full article here
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.
SPAIN
Octopus, spider crabs, and bivalves are the most valuable in the poachers' haul
MOROCCO
Pending data for December, Galicia imported more than 4,250 tons of frozen sardines from Morocco, 41% more than in the entire previous year, according to data from the State Secretariat for Trade. This represented a raw material cost of over 5.7 million euros.
CHINA
China drives January shift in Norwegian salmon trade.
PAKISTAN
Pakistan has signaled that it wants to add more seafood processing capacity in order to reduce its reliance on Chinese factories.
NORWAY
The United States is no longer Norway’s largest market for seafood, and for salmon in particular.
CHILE
With over 428,000 tons harvested by 2024, Chile leads the world in the harvesting of algae from natural populations. This activity generates approximately US$100 million and employs more than 75,000 people, primarily in coastal communities. Furthermore, the country is a key player in the global salmon aquaculture sector, contributing around a quarter of the global supply. While both industries are socially and economically important, they face environmental challenges due to overexploitation and intensive production methods that threaten marine ecosystems and the sustainability of this source of income.
Anfaco-Cytma
UNITED KINGDOM
The agreement has been crucial in enabling Norwegian wellboats to operate in British waters without the requirement for individual work visas for crew, and has ensured stable and predictable framework conditions for the wellboat industry after Brexit, said Norway's Coastal Shipping Companies (Kystrederiene) trade body in an update.
Skrei cod is famous for its long migration from the Barents Sea to the coast of Norway. Caught only seasonally from January to April, this exclusive fish continues its journey after the catch, being served by chefs all across Europe.
A Norwegian court has delivered its decision in a lawsuit over an alleged verbal investment agreement involving one of the country’s most prominent seafood investors.
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.
