The positive dynamics of the all-Russian catch of aquatic biological resources continues - the fishing rate is 2% faster than last year.

According to the industry monitoring system of Rosrybolovstvo (TSMS), by April 10, more than 1.6 million tons of fish and seafood were harvested.

The growth of the all-Russian catch is mainly ensured by fishermen of the Far East: the figure exceeded 1.32 million tons (+6% compared to the 2023 level). Good performance in the fishery for pollock (+6.3%), flounder (+8.3%), and herring (+15%).

Production in the Northern Basin is on an upward trajectory compared to last year: fishermen harvested almost 157 thousand tons, an increase of 14.6%.

Fishing indicators for capelin (more than doubled), crabs (+23%), and flounder (2.7 times) increased.

In the Azov-Black Sea basin, the catch is also growing: more than 10.6 thousand tons were caught - 9% higher. In particular, the catch of anchovy increased by 12%, and sprat by 3.5 times.

In addition, the increase continues with the development of freshwater fish species in the internal objects of the East Siberian and Baikal basins.

Rosrybolovstvo regularly monitors the volume of production and supply of fish products to domestic and foreign markets in order to prioritize providing the country's population with fish products in the required volume.

Source: Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo)

Russian fishermen complete the first pollock season with a positive mark: more than 1 million tons were harvested

By April 10, the pollock catch exceeded 1 million tons - this figure is 6% higher than last year. The final headquarters for organizing the production of pollock and herring in the Sea of ??Okhotsk and Bering Seas in the Far Eastern fishery basin in season “A” (winter-spring) 2024 took place at Rosrybolovstvo.

Deputy Head of Rosrybolovstvo Vasily Sokolov reminded fisheries producers of the need to promptly stop the specialized fishery for pollock in the North Sea of ??Okhotsk subzone (fishing is closed on April 10 in accordance with fishing rules).

Since the beginning of the year, the catch of Pacific herring in the Far Eastern basin amounted to 189 thousand tons (15% higher than the 2023 level).

As of April 8, the total load of fish refrigerators in the Primorsky Territory was 32% - 36.2 thousand tons of fresh frozen fish products are stored in the terminals. At the approach to the seaports of the Primorsky Territory there were 40 vessels with 85.8 thousand tons of fish products, including pollock (61.6 thousand tons), herring (18.3 thousand tons) and cod (0.8 thousand . tons).

“Season has ended, the preliminary results are good. We will discuss the results at the end of April at the Far Eastern Scientific and Fisheries Council,” said Vasily Sokolov.

Source: Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo)

Norway’s seafood export value declined in Q1 2024, ending a three year streak of year-over-year export value records.

According to the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), Norway exported seafood worth NOK 40.2 billion (USD 3.7 billion, EUR 3.4 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, a decrease of NOK 1.2 billion (USD 112 million, EUR 103 million), or 3 percent, compared to the same period of 2023.

Author: Chris Chase / SeafoodSource l Read the full article here

Salmon farming heavyweight SalMar won’t develop a fully offshore farm in Norway until the government extends its ground rent tax to offshore developments, chairman Gustav Witzøe has said.

Witzøe was speaking to Ole Erik Almlid, chief executive of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise, in an interview on stage at seafood organisation Sjømat Norge’s annual conference in Tromsø yesterday.

Source: fishfarmingexpert l Read the full article here

The measure will allow obtaining additional fishing days, justifies

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has opened for public consultation the Draft Order that modifies Annex III of Order apa/423/2020, of May 18, which establishes a management plan for the conservation of demersal fishing resources in the Mediterranean Sea. The modification introduced prohibits fishing with bottom trawl gear by Spanish vessels in the Mediterranean at a depth greater than 800 meters.

Source Industrias Pesqueras l Read the full article here

Climate change is already a fact. And if not, ask the different species that inhabit the sea off the Basque coast. The temperature of the planet is increasing "at great speed", which has a direct effect on the oceans, although "there are places in which the warming of the sea is more noticeable than in others." Euskadi is one of them. The water temperature of the Basque coast increases 0.23 degrees per decade, compared to 0.15 worldwide, according to a study by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).

90% of the excess heat generated in recent years has been absorbed by the sea, which explains the "noticeable" increase in the surface temperature of the oceans.

Source: EuropaAzul l Read the full article here

Spain will launch a new line of aid for the fish processing and aquaculture sector, with a budget of 40 million euros in grants, thanks to the authorisation received from the European Commission (EC) for its implementation.

The plan will be funded under the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (RTRP).

The European Commission has communicated today that the implementation of this plan is compatible with the internal market, in accordance with Article 107 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and therefore authorises the Spanish State to provide aid to the fish and aquaculture product processing sector, which had been excluded from the community regulations governing recovery plans.

Author:  Oliver McBride / The Fishing Daily l Read the full article here

The frozen mackerel imported in the year to March was 16,400 tons, a 16% drop in imports from 19,575 tons in 2022, and domestic distribution prices remain stable.

Import unit prices rose as import volumes declined, resulting in an average import unit price of frozen mackerel in March 2024 at USD 2.23/kg, up 5% from USD 2.12/kg through March 2023.

Norway accounted for 89.6% of the total imports, accounting for 14,746 tons, and the average Norwegian import unit price was formed at USD 2.22/kg, up 1% from USD 2.19/kg in the same period in 2023.

The proportion of China was 7.3%(1,153 tons) and the average import price was USD 2.31/kg.

500 tons were imported from the Netherlands and the average import price was formed at USD 2.11/kg.

According to the wholesale price of frozen mackerel from Norway in the second week of April 2024, the price of 300/500 grams was 66,000 Korea won, down 1.49% from the previous month's March, but up 4.7% from 63,000 Korea won in December 2023.

400/600 grams was also 68,000 Korea won, down 1.4% from 67,000 Korea won in March 2024, and 1.4% from December 2023.

Source : Union Forsea Corp.

? The four Spaniards will be joined by a chef from each guest country in this VII edition: Italy, Germany, Portugal and the Benelux region

? The 8 finalists will compete in the Grand Final on October 28 in Madrid

Madrid - The Chef Balfegó international professional gastronomy competition, a world-renowned competition, already has the four Spanish finalists for this new edition. Specifically, the following will compete for the award: Cristóbal Muñoz, from the Ambivium* restaurant (Peñafiel, Valladolid); Lander Cornago, from the Arzak*** restaurant (San Sebastián); Pablo Zuazu, from the Via Veneto* restaurant (Barcelona), and Paula Gutiérrez, from the Taller Arzuaga* restaurant (Quintanilla de Onísimo, Valladolid).

The four chefs have been selected from almost 200 applications by a professional jury made up of chefs and professionals from the sector, who have assessed: originality, technique and treatment of the product, among other aspects of the recipes presented. They will be joined by an Italian chef, another German, another Portuguese and, for the first time, one from Benelux, which includes Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, a region that is participating in the competition for the first time. Unlike the Spaniards, the four internationals will be selected in individual semi-finals in their respective countries of origin, where they must prepare two recipes with Balfegó bluefin tuna and a jury made up of MICHELIN stars from the country will choose the representative. 

Sequentially on sale from April 8th (Monday) at approximately 120 Ito-Yokado and York stores

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Ryuichi Isaka) is the first company to introduce "Fully farmed yellowtail" (hiramasa-kingfish) from the group's common private brand "Seven Premium Fresh" that has received MEL certification^*1. Starting April 8, 2024 (Monday), it will be released in a total of approximately 120 stores, mainly Ito-Yokado stores nationwide, including some York stores. MEL certification is a certification system for marine products that complies with international standards, and has been obtained by three supermarket companies in the Seven & i Group.

In recent years, the protection of marine resources has become a major issue for the next generation, and there is a need for advancements in aquaculture technology and promotion of responsible aquaculture for the sustainable use of marine resources.

Seven & i Group established the environmental declaration "GREEN CHALLENGE 2050" in 2019 and is promoting sustainable procurement. As part of this effort, Ito-Yokado acquired MEL certification in April 2020, and launched its original brand product ``Fish with a visible face.'' 

*1. MEL certification is a seafood eco-label certification system originating from Japan