Europêche, the leading representative body for the fishing industry in Europe, welcomes the European Commission’s upcoming Omnibus Simplification Package presented today by President Von der Leyen. This marks a significant first step towards addressing longstanding concerns about regulatory complexity and administrative burdens. The fishing sector urges the Commission to go further and conduct a comprehensive review of fisheries and environmental policies to improve competitiveness while maintaining sustainability goals.
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) believes that 2025 will be a “pivotal year” for the organisation, with three major updates to its programme helping support the progress of environmentally sustainable and socially responsible seafood farming
A summary report from the final stakeholder consultation on the new ASC Farm Standard has now been published, alongside summary reports on consultations on the Feed Standard and the new Certification and Accreditation Requirements (CAR), the certification programme confirmed.
Between March and June 2024, ASC conducted a range of consultation activities on the ASC Farm Standard, attracting 220 responses from various organisations around the world, including producers, CABs and auditors, NGOs and retailers.
BANGKOK – Thai Union Group PCL, the world’s seafood leader, has been recognized as one the world’s most sustainable companies in the food products industry, ranking in the top 1% of the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2025.
Thai Union achieved a score of 85 out of 100 following S&P’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) 2024 and was one of only 780 companies listed in the Yearbook out of 7,690 assessed. Within the food products industry, 26 companies were selected from 213 that underwent an assessment. S&P’s evaluation focused on sustainability areas such as biodiversity, climate strategy, health and nutrition, human rights, and supply chain management.
Thai Union Ranks Top 1%
“This recognition from S&P Global underscores Thai Union’s unwavering commitment to creating a more responsible and resilient seafood industry,”said Adam Brennan, Thai Union’s Chief Sustainability Officer.“Through our SeaChange® 2030 global sustainability strategy, we’re focused on driving meaningful progress across our entire value chain – from the way we source and produce, to how we engage and uplift the communities we operate in to achieve our purpose of ‘Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans’. We believe that by embedding sustainability into every facet of our value chain, we can secure a thriving future for both people and planet.”
The Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia (CGCC) and the EU-funded CAPFISH-Capture project have marked a major milestone in their efforts to support local fish processing enterprises.
On February 21, the two organisations signed support agreements for the first group of 11 enterprises, which have already benefitted from approximately $320,000 in grant funding under the Investment Support Facility (ISF).
This financial support is part of a broader initiative aimed at enhancing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Cambodia's post-harvest fisheries sector by providing vital resources for business growth, food safety compliance and market expansion.
The ISF combines grant funding, loans and contributions from beneficiaries to offer a comprehensive financial package.
This innovative financing scheme totals approximately $2.5 million.
It includes $1 million in grant funds (40% of the total investment) for equipment support, $1.25 million (50%) in loans from participating financial institutions (PFIs) guaranteed by the CGCC, and $250,000 (10%) contributed by the beneficiaries themselves.
The Government of Liberia through the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, NaFAA with funding from the World Bank through the Liberia Sustainable Management of Fisheries Project (LSMFP)
On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, began the distribution of 400 Automatic Identification System (AIS) Transponders to local fishermen on Popo Beach, Bushrod Island in Montserrado County, to enhance safety and efficiency.
According to a NaFAA and LSMFP joint press statement, transponders are distributed to licensed fisherfolks in Montserrado, Grand Bassa, and Grand Cape Mount Counties. This deployment aims to significantly enhance real-time monitoring capabilities and facilitate swift emergency responses, ensuring fishermen safety at sea. Additionally, the transponders will enable precise tracking of artisanal fishing vessels, help prevent losses, and optimize fishing routes for increased efficiency.
Furthermore, the introduction of AIS Transponders marks a pivotal advancement in navigational tracking and communication among small-scale fishermen. These devices play an essential role in sustainable fish stock management and combatting overfishing by providing crucial data on fishing patterns and locations.
Japanese yellowtail is the most cultivated species with the highest exports. As for salmon and tuna, almost everything is consumed in the country, and the government has identified these two fish as strategic to increase its exports.
The Chilean Trade Office in Tokyo – ProChile in Tokyo – launched the document prepared by Segmar Research LLC, consisting of a market study entitled: “Ecosystem of the Aquaculture Industry in Japan 2024”. The event, held online, brought together representatives of ProChile in Japan and various professionals linked to aquaculture.
In this regard, ProChile's commercial director in Tokyo, Nury Disegni Gili, expressed her gratitude for the high participation and interest in the meeting, which analyzed the main aspects of aquaculture in the Asian country.
The purse seine fleet of the North starts the campaign for mackerel on March 3, although a minimum number of boats have set out to sea in recent days.
For this year, the TAC proposed by the European Union for 2025 for MAC/8C3411 mackerel is 26,351 tonnes, with the proposed quota for Spain being 21,718 tonnes. Of the above figure, the modality of other arts other than trawling and purse seine fishing in the Cantabrian and Northwest corresponds to 7,927 tonnes.
The horse mackerel is the species that causes the greatest indignation every year, in the distribution of EU quotas given the cuts that the fishing sector in the North of Spain must face with the reopening of directed fishing for horse mackerel after two years with a zero quota, but with a 22% reduction in the quota.
New legislation could allow commercial fish farms in Alaska.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has introduced legislation that would partially lift the state’s 35-year-old ban on finfish farming, a move that could pave the way for commercial aquaculture beyond shellfish operations.
House Bill 111, introduced on Friday, has been referred to the House Fisheries Committee for further consideration, according to the Alaska Beacon. While the proposed legislation would not permit salmon farming, it would allow the farming of other bony fish, including species such as tilapia, catfish, and carp.
Source: SalmonBusiness l Read the full article here
Company booked a €23.1m write-down due to mortality, winter sores, and smolt stocking delays
Operating revenues for Iceland salmon farmer Kaldvik rose to €46.8 million (£38.8m) in the final quarter of last year, up from €32.6m in the same period the previous year. However, the operating result before biomass value adjustment and production tax ended at €-18.1, compared to a positive result of €4.6m in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Author: Therese Soltveit / fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here
What is thought to be the first suspected case of Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) in Norway for some months was reported yesterday.
The discovery is at a Cermaq facility in Alta municipality in Finnmark county. The company notified the Norwegian Food Safety Authority of its suspicions on Tuesday. It said the findings were consistent with ISA and were based on positive analysis results (PCR) after sampling fish at the location.
Author: Vince McDonagh / Fish Farmer l Read the full article here
RanMarine: innovative ocean-cleaning – supported by BlueInvest Netherlands
RanMarine, a Dutch startup, offers innovative solutions to fight water pollution.
It has developed autonomous water-cleaning devices that not only effectively remove plastic waste but also address ot...
China's Fisheries Law Overhaul Aims for Greater Sustainability China
Nearly 16 million people in China depend on fisheries production for their livelihoods. A significant overhaul of the law governing their work, unveiled in December 2024, could impact all of them.
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EUROPEAN UNION
NETHERLANDS.png)
A summary report from the final stakeholder consultation on the new ASC Farm Standard has now been published, alongside summary reports on consultations on the Feed Standard and the new Certification and Accreditation Requirements (CAR), the certification programme confirmed.
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
LIBERIA
JAPAN
Japanese yellowtail is the most cultivated species with the highest exports. As for salmon and tuna, almost everything is consumed in the country, and the government has identified these two fish as strategic to increase its exports.
The purse seine fleet of the North starts the campaign for mackerel on March 3, although a minimum number of boats have set out to sea in recent days.
UNITED STATES.png)
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has introduced legislation that would partially lift the state’s 35-year-old ban on finfish farming, a move that could pave the way for commercial aquaculture beyond shellfish operations.
ICELAND
Company booked a €23.1m write-down due to mortality, winter sores, and smolt stocking delays
NORWAY
What is thought to be the first suspected case of Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) in Norway for some months was reported yesterday.
