Crucial step towards building a culture of compliance
Split - NGOs today commended the decision by Mediterranean states to create a sanction system that will empower the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) to take action against countries which continue overfishing or illegal fishing, calling it “a crucial step towards building a culture of compliance, which is essential to start rebuilding Mediterranean fish populations”.
The binding recommendation adopted by the GFCM during this week’s meeting in Croatia (GFCM 46) will finally allow the organisation to act against member states who fail to adhere to its conservation measures, using a system that will go into force in 2025 [1]. Together, the 22 GFCM member states (plus the EU) can now take action if a member fails to stop its trawl fleet from fishing in no-trawl areas, or if a member does not respect GFCM rules on fishing gear or catch restrictions.
Measures that can be taken by GFCM will include, for example, a restriction of fishing authorisations or a reduction of the allowed fishing days at sea.[...]
Calls for a last-minute moratorium are intensifying as the start of Pacific herring season in the Straight of Georgia approaches on Nov.24.
Concerns are resurfacing among some citizens as they fear the potential impact of these fisheries on the province’s herring stock.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) 2023/2024 Integrated Fisheries Management Plan draft forecasted median spawning biomass of 80,288 tons in 2023 and 80,882 tons in 2024. This year’s harvest target may reach a maximum of 10 per cent of this said biomass, allowing fishermen to catch roughly 8,000 tons of herring. The Food and Bait, and Special Use fisheries, will be authorized to catch about 3,000 tons, while the remaining 5,000 tons will go to roe fisheries in early spring of next year.
According to Jim Shortreed, a Victoria-based herring enhancement volunteer, these numbers are unsustainable.
After noticing the disappearance of numerous herring spawns south of Nanaimo, causing DFO to close several tidal areas to commercial fisheries, the herring advocate called for an indefinite moratorium to help these fish repopulate their former ground.
Using the analogy of the canary in the coal mine, Shortreed warned communities north of Nanaimo of a plight potentially creeping northward, slowly making its way to the shores of the Comox Valley, recognized as B.C.’s Pacific herring stronghold.
The Contentious Administrative and Civil Court of the Treasury of Costa Rica declared a precautionary measure presented by the MarViva Foundation against the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Incopesca) and ordered the suspension of the new studies on trawling that are being carried out. in Costa Rican waters.
The Foundation pointed out that the approval of the measure responds to the series of irregularities and shortcomings that directly contravene the regulatory provisions issued by the Constitutional Chamber on the subject; the lack of technical solidity of the project, the defects in its development and the impact on the environment that could cause irreparable damage and would violate the constitutional right enshrined in article 50 of the Constitution, which indicates the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment that all people possess.
In resolution No. 2023005361, the judging body recognized that trawling is an issue about which there has been much controversy in recent years and that the Constitutional Chamber has maintained a clear line in favor of the environment and the protection of resources. marine.
The Court suspended the fishing operations that are currently being carried out and, in addition, any other related act carried out by Incopesca that enables the execution of the study, including new fishing permits and the agreements of the Board of Directors that endorsed the initiative. The measures are taken until the lawsuit filed by MarViva last May, which seeks the annulment of the entire study, is resolved on the merits.
St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador - With the longest coastline in the world, Canada’s coastal communities rely on the fish and seafood industry as an integral contributor to local and regional economies. This is why the Government of Canada and the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador today announced funding support for 147 projects through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF).
The funding—a total contribution of $25,327,448—will help modernize equipment and improve quality, productivity, and sustainability in the Newfoundland and Labrador fish and seafood sector.
Harvesting – 116 projects supporting new equipment and innovative technologies that will advance onboard handling techniques and improve productivity, product quality, and sustainability
Processing – 22 projects targeting advancements in processing technologies and product quality enhancements to improve competitiveness and add value for the industry
Aquaculture – Five projects enabling adoption of new technology and processes to support sustainable development of oyster and salmon
Indigenous partnerships – Four projects supporting sustainability and the modernization of equipment used in the seafood sector
DOMESTIC aquaculture output accounted for the biggest share of the country's total fisheries production in the third quarter (Q3) at 51.8 percent, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.
Aquaculture production was posted at 527,150 metric tons (MT), 7.4 percent higher compared to the 490,960 MT output during the same period in 2022.
From July to September, total volume of fisheries production increased by 2.1 percent and was recorded at 1.01 million MT compared to the 996,320 MT output of last year.
The PSA reported that annual increases in production were also noted in commercial fisheries and inland municipal fisheries subsectors.
Only the marine municipal fisheries subsector reported a decrease during the quarter.
A new report from Brussels reduces vulnerable marine areas in the Gulf of Cádiz, which would allow the trawl fleet to continue working
Ayamonte - In 2022, the European Commission published a Regulation that prevented bottom fishing in 87 areas of the NE Atlantic, three of them in the Gulf of Cádiz. This decision, highly criticized by the sector and by the Spanish Administration, endangered the activity of numerous ships and hundreds of jobs.
Brussels adopted this decision based on a first scientific recommendation from ICES - its advisory council on marine areas - which, as has now been proven, did not conform to reality. A new study of a longer period of time, from 2009 to 2021 compared to the previous 2009-2011, shows that the sector was not wrong in its protest since, in the worst possible scenario, it only contemplates a closure in Cádiz waters ( in 4 of the 5 plans now exposed) and would not include the area in which the fishing activity occurs.
Without a doubt, excellent news for the Andalusian fleet and for bottom fishing, which has become the target of the European Commission in recent years. And, although we will still have to wait a few weeks to know Brussels' decision, the sector is more hopeful than a few months ago.
Certifications are essential credentials for improving fisheries, reducing instances of illegal fishing, increasing the effective use of fish waste, and achieving food security, according to Libby Woodhatch, the executive chair of London, U.K.-based marine ingredient certification body MarinTrust.
During this year’s edition of IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organization’s annual conference in Cape Town, South Africa, which took place from 23 to 25 October, Woodhatch spoke to SeafoodSource on the importance of these certifications, particularly emphasizing that the improvement of marine fisheries through certifications leads to catching fewer but higher-quality fish.
Author: Shem Oirere / SeafoodSource | read the full articlehere
To be recognised by the fish and chip industry as the Restaurant of the Year will soon become a reality for one UK business, as the five category finalists are named for the 2024 award.
Things are heating up for the five fish and chip restaurants in Norfolk, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Bristol and Devon. Over the last couple of months, well-respected names from the fish and chip industry have challenged the businesses, with deep-dive explorations to analyse their sector knowledge, implementation of industry best practice and employer responsibilities, to name a few of the benchmarks.
Fishing operations and fishing communities along Maine’s coast are the focus of the state’s initial research solicitations related to offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine.
“As a result of extensive stakeholder engagement and collaboration with partners, we are pleased to publish a call for proposals for two key research objectives that are critical to helping us move responsible offshore wind forward,”said Dan Burgess, director of the Governor’s Energy Office, which is overseeing development of the industry, still in the nascent stage.
A request for proposals, issued Nov. 8, is based on priorities identified by the Maine Offshore Wind Research Consortium, an assembly of fisheries, wildlife and marine science and industry experts advising the state’s offshore wind research.
The priorities include pathways to coexistence between fisheries and offshore wind as well as potential social and ecological impact of offshore wind development.
Research topics identified by a board of advisors to the consortium are:
Exploring approaches to fisheries coexistence with floating offshore wind (maximum $250,000).
Inventorying baseline data on socioeconomics of Maine fishing communities to help assess potential positive and negative impacts of floating offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine (maximum $150,000).
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Certifications are essential credentials for improving fisheries, reducing instances of illegal fishing, increasing the effective use of fish waste, and achieving food security, according to Libby Woodhatch, the executive chair of London, U.K.-based marine ingredient certification body  11_28_28.png)
To be recognised by the fish and chip industry as the Restaurant of the Year will soon become a reality for one UK business, as the five category finalists are named for the 2024 award.
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