World Fishing February 2023

Cameroon has been identified by the European Commission as a non-cooperating country in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and has been issued with a so-called “red card”.

EU member states will now refuse the importation of fishery products from Cameroon even when accompanied by catch certificates validated by the national authorities.

“Sustainable fisheries and better ocean governance go hand in hand and the Commission is firmly committed to both. We have zero tolerance for IUU fishing and therefore the Commission has acted strongly today by giving Cameroon a red card. We remain ready to continue our dialogue with Cameroon in order to address the threats that IUU fishing poses to the sustainability of fish stocks, coastal communities, food security and the livelihoods of fishermen and women who follow the rules,” EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said.

The Commission’s decision is based on the EU’s IUU Regulation, which ensures that only legallycaught fisheries products can access the EU market.

Cameroon’s listing is based on the persistence of serious shortcomings that were outlined in a notification adopted in February 2021 which already warned of the possibility to identify Cameroon as a non-cooperating country. In particular, it is based on the failure of Cameroonian authorities to ensure adequate control over the national fishing fleet and to take necessary corrective measures for the cessation and prevention of IUU fishing activities.

Cameroon has continued registering fishing vessels that operate outside its waters, including an IUU fishing vessel, while there is a lack of monitoring of their activities.

The Commission advises it will continue its dialogue with Cameroonian authorities to help the country address the identified shortcomings.

TOKYO TUNA SOLD FOR ¥36M

The first fish auction of 2023 at the Toyosu Fish Market, at the Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera in Tokyo, saw Japanese wholesaler Yamayuki and sushi chain operator Onodera Group pay ¥36,040,000 (about US$ 275,000) for a 212kg bluefin tuna.

According to Onodera, following the 5 January auction, the fish was carved up for fresh sushi. It was the third year in a row that the buyers have pooled together to buy the New Year auction’s star fish.

While higher than last year’s price of ¥16.9 million ($202,000), it was still well short of 2019’s record of $3.1 million.

8 Following the red card, EU member states will refuse imports of Cameroonian fishery products

8 Wholesaler Yamayuki and sushi chain Onodera paid over ¥36 million or $275,000 for the prize bluefin

Photo Credit: Onodera

VIEWPOINT

JASON HOLLAND | Editor | jholland@worldfishing.net

YOU’VE GOT TO HIT BOTTOM TO BOUNCE BACK

In sport, and as the recent football World Cup in Qatar demonstrated, red cards don’t necessarily spoil things. When players are dismissed, and this only happened a modest five times in the 2022 tournament (including one coach), the on-field ranks are thinned out for the rest of the match, but affected teams see proceedings through – sometimes victoriously. Moreover, sendings off tend to be quickly forgotten about by spectators and fans.

Red cards in fisheries are a somewhat different kettle of fish, however (no pun intended). As such, it’s worrying news for Cameroon and supply chains that it has been identified by the European Union as a “noncooperating country” in the bloc’s fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. With the issue of this red card, it’s immediately banned from exporting its fisheries products to the EU-27 – the world’s biggest seafood market. Other doors are likely to close.

According to the European Commission, Cameroon’s listing is based on serious and persistent shortcomings, particularly its failure to have adequate control over the national fleet and to take necessary corrective measures for the prevention of IUU activities. There’s also been an upsurge in the number of large foreign-owned vessels flying the country’s flag, including some that feature on illegal fishing registers.

Counting Cameroon, just seven countries to-date have been issued with a red card by the EU since its IUU Regulation was introduced some 13 years ago. Today, alongside the west-central African country, just Cambodia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Comoros have such bans in place.

Brussels has promised to work with Cameroonian authorities to help them address the shortcomings, and the word from closer observers is that it was already starting to move in the right direction – making transparency and fisheries governance improvements. However, it’s clear that turning its red card into a green one will take time and that Cameroon’s reputation has taken a big hit.

Many eyes will now be closely watching to see if it indeed uses this heavy blow as a catalyst for the delivery of lasting, ambitious fisheries reform –making sure that only legal, ethical and sustainable fishing takes place in its waters and under its flag.

The international fishing & aquaculture industry magazine

EDITORIAL & CONTENT

Editor: Jason Holland jholland@worldfishing.net News Reporter: Rebecca Strong rstrong@mercatormedia.com

Regular Correspondents: Please contact our Correspondents at editor@worldfishing.net

Tim Oliver, Bonnie Waycott, Vladislav Vorotnikov

Quentin Bates, Terje Engø Eduardo Campos Lima, Eugene Gerden

Production David Blake, Paul Dunnington production@mercatormedia.com

SALES & MARKETING

t +44 1329 825335 f +44 1329 550192

Media Sales Manager: Hannah Bolland hbolland@worldfishing.net Marketing marketing@mercatormedia.com

EXECUTIVE Events Director: Marianne Rasmussen-Coulling Chief Executive: Andrew Webster awebster@mercatormedia.com

WF magazine is published monthly by Mercator Media Limited, Spinnaker House, Waterside Gardens, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 8SD UK t +44 1329 825335 f +44 1329 550192 info@mercatormedia.com www.mercatormedia.com

Subscriptions

Subscriptions@mercatormedia.com Register and subscribe at www.worldfishing.net

1 year’s digital subscription with online access £204.50

For Memberships and Corporate/multi-user subscriptions: corporatesubs@mercatormedia.com

Launched in 1952, World Fishing & Aquaculture is published by Mercator Media, a B2B media and events company specialising in international maritime industries, including marine business and technology, ports and terminals, and environmental strategies.

Through its monthly publication and free access website (www. worldfishing.net), World Fishing & Aquaculture provides expert-written, in-depth coverage of the fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors, with a strong focus on the emerging solutions, technologies and innovations that are shaping the broader seafood economy’s landscape.

©Mercator Media Limited 2023. ISSN 2044-1908 (online). World Fishing is a trade mark of Mercator Media Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of

reproduced

magazine

Ltd. Registered in England Company Number 2427909. Registered office: Mercator Media Limited, Spinnaker House, Waterside Gardens, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 8SD UK.

It’s clear that turning the red card into a green one will take time and that Cameroon’s reputation has taken a big hit

‘‘

Samherji foreign ops sale

A Dutch company owned by Baldvin Thorsteinsson has reached an agreement on buying the assets of Alda Seafood Holding and will therefore acquire the foreign operations of Samherji Holding. Thorsteinsson has been managing the business for the past few years as CEO of Alda Seafood Holding.

Arctic Fish deal done

Bergen, Norwayheadquartered Mowi has completed the acquisition of 51.28% of the shares in Arctic Fish, one of the leading salmon farmers in Iceland. According to a filing with Oslo Børs, Mowi consolidated the business effective 29 December 2022.

New shrimp welfare MOU

Aquaculture non-profit ThinkAqua and the Shrimp Welfare Project (SWP) have signed an MOU which will see the two collaborate to support improvements in shrimp farming. The initial partnership will be focused on farmers and processors in Indonesia, and the team will explore further collaboration in India and Vietnam.

Kingfish chooses new CEO

Land-based aquaculture business The Kingfish Company has selected Vincent Erenst as its new Chief Executive Officer and is looking to make the appointment effective on 6 February 2023. Most recently, Erenst worked as Chief Operating Officer at Barramundi Group.

BRUSSELS URGED TO ‘CONSIDER FISHERS’

EU social partners – the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and EU fishermen’s representative body Europêche – have called on the European Commission to base its decisions impacting the fisheries sector only after properly assessing the socioeconomic consequences, warning that measures taken in Brussels to address gaps in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) could seriously impact fish workers’ livelihoods.

EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius attended the plenary of the European Social Dialogue Committee for sea fisheries, with ETF and Europêche reporting there had been “constructive dialogue” about the social dimension of the CFP.

Sinkevičius was also told that despite more and more stocks being fished at sustainable levels, more of the EU fleet and its fishers are disappearing year-after-year.

The social partners said that during the meeting, the commissioner reiterated his commitment to making fisheries sustainable in Europe, zero tolerance towards IUU

fishing, tackling pollution, preserving biodiversity and also the profitability of the fisheries sector.

He also stressed that the intention of the Commission is not to revise the CFP but to implement policies better for the sake of stability and predictability for the sector.

“We sent a clear message to the Commissioner,” ETF Fisheries Section President Juan Manuel Trujillo said.

“What we observe is that the sector and the workers are dramatically impacted by the decisions taken by the

Commission disproportionately closing areas to fishing, proposing to include perfectly regulated species in CITES and proposing fishing activity reductions in areas like the Mediterranean to the point that is sentencing the sector to disappear. The voice of fishermen is not sufficiently heard.”

Europêche spokesperson for social affairs Ment van der Zwan added, “The EU must clearly reduce its dependency on imported energy and food alike. For that reason, it should cherish its fishers and protect their lives and livelihood. There is a lot to gain in that respect.”

£282M UK FISHING DEAL

The UK fishing industry is to benefit from an additional 140,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities in 2023 worth £282 million.

The new agreement reached with the EU takes the total value of fishing opportunities secured for the UK fleet next year to £750 million. This is £34 million more than for 2022.

In the third year of annual fisheries negotiations with the United Kingdom operating as an independent coastal state, catch levels for 69 fish stocks were agreed with the EU. This included some of the most commercially valuable stocks to the UK fishing industry such as

North Sea nephrops (worth £54 million), anglerfish (£31 million), and western hake (£25 million).

UK Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said the agreement with the EU secured valuable fishing opportunities for the fishing industry while cementing a joint commitment to manage fisheries sustainably.   “These decisions are based on the latest scientific advice to help protect key fish stocks with the long-term health of the marine environment at the forefront of our minds.

“We are backing the fishing industry across the country to succeed, with a landmark £100 million investment in

infrastructure, skills and better scientific data so that our fishing industry thrives for generations to come.”

The deal follows the agreement between the UK, the EU, and Norway on six North Sea fish stocks including cod, haddock and herring worth £202 million to the UK fishing industry, and a further £11 million stocks in other waters around the UK.

The UK also secured catch limits worth a further £256 million with the Northeast Atlantic coastal states, while an agreement with Norway will see the UK fishing industry benefit from fishing opportunities worth £5 million in 2023.

8 EU fishers are not being sufficiently heard, says the ETF

Self-spreading

self-spreading technology

Spreading force

Longer flow route over the rope

Longer flow route over the rope

More speed = lower pressure

More speed = lower pressure

Shorter flow route under the rope

Less speed = more pressure

More opening during a tow

Maintains gear shape in a turn

Sound waves are directed inwards

Self-spreading technology is patent protected

Fishers’ mental health service

Shout, a free 24/7 confidential text service has been launched to help tackle mental health in the UK fishing industry.

Powered by Mental Health Innovations, a charity using technology to improve mental health, Shout will work alongside the SeaFit Programme – a joint initiative from the Seafarers Hospital Society and the Fishermen’s Mission.

Duravant acquires Marelec

Nieuwpoort, Belgiumheadquartered foodprocessing equipment manufacturer Marelec Food Technologies has been acquired by Duravant LLC, a global engineered equipment and automation solutions provider to the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors.

Bluefront invests in Seacloud Nordic private equity firm Bluefront Equity has become the 51% majority owner of tech company Seacloud AS, which delivers cloud-based software and sensor technology for analysis and utilisation of management data for the fish farming and maritime industries.

Pelagia buys rest of Aquarius

Bergen, Norwayheadquartered pelagic fish company Pelagia AS has signed agreements with Vigner Olaisen AS and Fjellmyhr AS to purchase the remaining shares in Aquarius AS.

2023 ATLANTIC AGREEMENT

REACHED

EU negotiators reached agreements with Northeast Atlantic coastal states, as well as with the UK and Norway on the shared management of key stocks in 2023, the European Commission has confirmed.

The agreement with coastal states covers the joint management of mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring stocks.

For mackerel, the total allowable catch (TAC) for 2023 was set at 782,066 tonnes ( down 2% on 2022’s TAC), in line with the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach advised by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

The blue whiting TAC has been set at 1,359,629 tonnes (up 81% on 2022’s TAC) and for Atlanto-Scandian herring it’s 511,171 tonnes ( down 15% on 2022). Both TACs are in line with the ICES advice, in accord with the long-term management strategy (LTMS) approach.

According to the Commission, all parties recognised the need to reach

a consensus on quota-sharing arrangements for all three stocks as soon as possible.

As part of the agreement, the EU, Norway, the Faroe Islands, the United Kingdom, and, for the first time, Iceland and Greenland, also agreed to set the control measures for pelagic stocks no later than 2026.

“This represents a significant step forward towards creating a level playing field for all fleets and improved management of joint stocks in the Northeast Atlantic,” the Commission said.

The EU has also reached an agreement with the United Kingdom and Norway on the

joint trilateral management of six key stocks in the North Sea: cod, haddock, saithe, whiting, plaice and herring. Cumulatively, the agreement provides over 300,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities for EU fleets for these stocks in 2023.

The TACs for cod, herring, plaice and saithe have been set in line with the advised MSY level. For haddock and whiting, the agreement shows restraint with an increase of 30% for each TAC.

JELLYFISH COLLAGEN FIRM FUNDED

Seafood giant Thai Union Group PCL has confirmed its Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) Fund has joined other strategic and financial partners in investing in UK-based Jellagen’s £8.7 million Series A fundraising round.

Founded in Cardiff, Wales, in 2015, Jellagen is a medical biotechnology company developing collagen biomaterials derived from jellyfish. Its mission is to revolutionise regenerative medicine through a range of medical devices and culture applications.

Early clinical findings from Jellagen’s studies found Collagen Type 0, derived from jellyfish, to be superior to mammalian counterparts, especially in medical and healing areas. The funding in this round will be used to accelerate medical development of Collagen Type

0, as a sustainable collagen biomaterial to be used as a treatment for skin diseases and as a biomaterial for tissue reconstruction.

Thai Union said its investment in Jellagen opens doors for further collaboration to be jointly explored across areas of sourcing and processing, as well as applications within existing and new Thai Union products.

“Jellagen is at the forefront of jellyfish collagen research and is developing a marine collagen platform which will have applications across medical, cosmetics and the food and nutrition space. We’re looking forward to exploring collaboration opportunities together in our global research and development and processing facilities around the world,” Thai Union President and CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said.

Jellagen’s CEO, Thomas-

Paul Descamps, said the investment would support the growth of Jellagen as a future global medical device and biomaterial leader.

“In addition, the investment will secure Jellagen’s sourcing and enable the future manufacturing scaleup. Combining the immense possibilities of our Collagen Type 0 with this large industry player will help unleash the considerable potential of the Jellagen technology platform.”

8 The Atlanto-Scandian herring TAC for 2023 is 511,171 tonnes, down 15% on 2022

8 Thai Union adds to its biotechnology portfolio by investing in a start-up sourcing collagen from jellyfish

NEW AI TUNA QUALITY TEST

Japan’s Tokai University and multinational company Fujitsu have revealed the successful development of a new technology to inspect the freshness of frozen tuna.

Joint research focused on the development of novel ultrasound AI technology, resulting in the world’s first technique to measure the meat quality of frozen tuna without the need to cut or damage the product.

According to Tokai University and Fujitsu, the new technology offers a new method to inspect the quality of frozen tuna without lowering its value, and may one day contribute to greater trust and safety in the global distribution of frozen tuna and other food products.

Demand for tuna both in Japan and globally has increased significantly, with 15 countries fishing and producing more than 50,000 tonnes of tuna in 2020. The recent global Japanese food boom has raised demand for high-quality tuna that is mostly used for sashimi.

Most wild-caught, natural tuna is rapidly frozen onboard commercial fishing boats, and subsequently delivered via

distributers to restaurants and supermarkets to consumers. However, the quality of the tuna largely depends on the conditions at the time of fishing and the way it is handled throughout the distribution process.

Conventional methods for inspection of the freshness and meat quality of frozen tuna usually require inspectors to cut off the tail of the fish to visually examine a cross section of the tuna tail. Cutting the tail of the tuna often damages and ultimately lowers the value of the fish, and the process relies

heavily on a limited number of experts trained to accurately conduct quality inspection.

Ultrasound waves are applied in quality testing in a variety of fields as a nondestructive testing method. However, the use for frozen products such as tuna proved to be difficult due to the high attenuation of acoustic waves.

To address these issues, Tokai University under the lead of Professor Keiichi Goto, Department of Fisheries, School of Marine Science and Technology and Fujitsu conducted joint research

8 Applied to inspections at facilities including fishing ports using belt conveyors, the technology could be used for automated batch inspections of the freshness of frozen tuna

examining frozen tuna with lowfrequency ultrasound waves with low attenuation to inspect the freshness of the fish.

By analysing the waveforms using machine learning, the two parties successfully developed the world’s first method to determine the freshness of frozen tuna without the need to cut the product.

Moving forward, Tokai University and Fujitsu will conduct trials with additional tuna specimens to increase the accuracy of the new technology and further enhance it to be able to detect other quality defects of frozen tuna including blood clots and tumours.

The two partners further plan to conduct field trials at processing plants for marine products and conduct research to apply the technology to a wide range of areas, including the livestock industry, which handles frozen products, the biological field and the medical field.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR-BACKED ŸNSECT EXPANDS

Insect-based ingredients company Ÿnsect has signed two major agreements to set up production sites in the United States with milling company Ardent Mills and in Mexico with food and general services provider Corporativo Kosmos.

These agreements were signed as Ÿnsect also launched the world’s largest insect farm in Amiens, France.

Ÿnsect processes insects into high-end, high-value ingredients to feed the entire food chain: plants, fish, farmed animals, pets and humans. From purpose-built state-of-the-art farms, it uses disruptive technology protected by more than 350 patents, to raise its Buffalo and Molitor mealworms in highly-automated vertical farms.

The certified B Corp company, which counts

Hollywood actor Robert Downey Jr and his Footprint Coalition among its investors has already sold more than the capacity of the new Amiens site in the coming years. It is therefore taking on new projects to meet the growing demand from its customers.

Ÿnsect said the partnership announcements in the United States and Mexico reflect its development ambitions, with plans to build 10 to 15 farms worldwide by 2030.

In order to do this, it’s focusing its developments within the heart of agricultural areas to increase easy access to raw materials used to feed the insects, such as agricultural co-products from the cereal industry. The choice of these strategic locations, with close proximity to resources

needed, reflects the company’s commitment to limit the impact of its activity on the environment, including CO2 emissions and water consumption.

With the Ardent Mills agreement, Ÿnsect said it will explore synergies with the leading supplier of wheat flour in North America, with the aim of starting the construction of a new site in 2023. This agreement follows the acquisition of Jord Producers, the group’s first farm on US soil, in Nebraska in March 2022.

Meanwhile, the agreement with Corporativo Kosmos will establish and operate Mexico’s first insect farm, with construction also expected to start before the end of 2023. This deal marks the culmination of a year-long collaboration between the two companies.

Mexico is the leading country in the world in terms of human consumption of insect-based proteins. In addition, this insect farm will bring Ÿnsect closer to the United States, which it regards as the largest future market for insect proteins.

Ÿnsect currently runs two production sites, one in Dole, France (commissioned in 2016), one in the Netherlands (2017) and a hatchery in Omaha, Nebraska. At Amiens, with the arrival of the first insects on site in recent weeks, the livestock’s growth phase has already started. The operation of the French facility will be rolled out over the next few months, with each site’s remaining workshops to be phased into operation. It will eventually produce up to 200,000 tonnes of ingredients.

US SEAFOOD COUNCIL PROGRESS

A new National Seafood Council for the United States has moved a step closer with Congress passing a $1.65 trillion bill funding the federal government for Fiscal Year 2023.

In the bill, which now heads to President Biden to be signed into law, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) has included a directive to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to issue a report on how to re-establish and fund the National Seafood Council.

The subcommittee’s language mirrors that of the Seafood Marketing Act, introduced by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in September 2022, and represents a significant step toward funding a national seafood promotion campaign.

“We are very excited that Congress included language on the National Seafood Council in this bill,” said Matt McAlvanah, Campaign Director for America’s Seafood Campaign. “Re-establishing the NSC would deliver a boost to the industry and go a long way to growing seafood’s share of plate across the country.”

The inclusion of the National Seafood Council in the FY2023 government funding bill is in large part due to the advocacy of America’s Seafood Campaign – an industry-led movement headed by the National Seafood Council Task Force to unite the seafood community and secure funding for a national seafood promotion campaign.

“This is a crucial step in achieving our important goal of supporting public health and job creation through seafood and demonstrates how the

seafood industry can have a greater voice when we share seafood’s impactful story as a unified group,” said Linda Cornish, Founder and President of Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

The promotion campaign would educate consumers on the public health benefits of seafood consumption, at a time when more and more Americans are looking for nutritious and sustainable meal options.

“The scientific consensus is clear: eating seafood at least twice a week is critical to a well-rounded, healthy diet,” said Cornish. “Unfortunately, many Americans are not aware of the important health benefits from seafood that we critically need to support brain and heart health. We’re excited to build greater awareness with funding for an education and promotion campaign around the public health benefits of seafood and

8 The campaign will seek to educate American consumers on the health benefits of seafood consumption

grateful to our hardworking Congressional champions.”

In 2023, appropriators in Congress will need to allocate the funding for a National Seafood Council.

BRIEFS

iFarm

3 fish stocking

Norwegian salmon producer Cermaq has stocked the third version of its iFarm, a project that’s aiming to improve the health and welfare of the fish in the net pens with the help of artificial intelligence.

FISH for Phoenix

FISH Standard for Crew Inc has confirmed that the Phoenix Processors Limited Partnership’s two processor vessels have been awarded the third-party certification. M/V Excellence and the M/V Phoenix are Americanflagged vessels operating in US waters in the Alaska pollock and Pacific whiting fisheries.

Top ranking for Thai Union

Thai Union Group PCL has been ranked number one in the world in the food industry on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI). It has now been listed for nine consecutive years on DJSI, a family of indices evaluating the sustainability performance of thousands of publiclytraded companies.

Silverstrand ups aqua interest

Silverstrand Capital has made an additional €15 million investment in the Netherlands-based aquaculture investment fund Aqua-Spark, bringing its total investment up to €25 million. Silverstrand is focused on advancing regenerative food systems and natural climate solutions.

BEST YEAR YET FOR NORWEGIAN EXPORTS

Norway exported 2.9 million tonnes of seafood to a value of NOK 151.4 billion last year, a new record according to the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC).

The increase in seafood exports means that the market increased by NOK 30.7 billion, or 25%, compared with 2021, which was the previous record year for exports.

“Norwegian seafood exports have had a historically strong year behind them. It is happening in a period characterised by war in Europe, galloping energy prices, skyhigh inflation, and a weakened global purchasing power,” said NSC CEO Christian Chramer.

”A result of the demanding and troubled times is a sharp rise in prices, which last year resulted in record high prices for important species such as salmon, cod, mackerel, trout, pollock and herring.”

The export record comes despite lower export volumes for several species, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, cod, king crab, and snow crab.

“For salmon, lower sea temperatures have negatively affected slaughter in 2022. As for our wild-caught species, last

EU fisheries ministers have agreed fishing opportunities for 2023 for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, which include new catch limits for Mediterranean species with a high commercial value.

European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius welcomed the agreement, saying that it showed that the EU and member states remain committed to improving the state of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

For the western Mediterranean, the regulation continues the implementation of the EU MAP for demersal stocks, adopted in June 2019.

To achieve the goal of sustainable fisheries management (maximum sustainable yield – MSY)

year, significant quantities of herring were used for meal and fish oil production in Norway, while we had lower quotas for cod. This is the primary explanation for the decline in volume,” said Chramer.

For the first time, Norway exported more than NOK 10 billion worth of seafood in each of the 12 months of the year. In addition, salmon exports exceeded NOK 100 billion, which has never happened before.

Also, in 2022, salmon accounted for the largest share of Norwegian seafood exports, with 70% of the total value. Followed by cod (8%), mackerel (4%), trout (3%), herring (3%) and shellfish (1%).

Chramer said that despite all this good news, there are still

8 The rise in seafood export value means the market has increased by 25% compared with 2021

challenging times ahead for many seafood producers.

“World trade is strongly affected by the war in Ukraine, an increase in trade barriers and a Covid pandemic that does not let up. This is happening in parallel with consumers in the markets experiencing weakened purchasing power and competition from other nations and other protein sources hardening.”

Chramer emphasised that Norwegian seafood producers are also affected by fuel and energy cost which have become more expensive in the past year.

MEDITERRANEAN FISHERIES AGREEMENT

by 1 January 2025, the regulation makes use of all the management tools and other flexibility elements available under the plan. It continues the reduction of the trawling fishing effort by 7%, combined with the implementation of additional management tools, such as catch limits for deep water shrimps and controlling the effort freeze for longliners.

Furthermore, in order to strengthen ecosystem resilience, the regulation expands the compensation mechanism introduced in 2022, granting 3.5% additional

fishing days for trawlers. This provision rewards the use of more selective gears, the establishment of more efficient closure areas to protect juveniles and spawners, and greater use of minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) for the protection of juvenile hake.

The regulation also introduces, for the first time, catch limits to manage Mediterranean species with high commercial value, such as deep-water shrimp in the Strait of Sicily, the Ionian Sea and the Levant Sea

INSIGHT

The future of fishing

CHANGING TACK

Brazil’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors have high hopes for 2023, writes Eugene Gerden

Steady growth has been seen in Brazil’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors in recent times. This is directly reflected in the country’s increasing domestic seafood output and exports, and perhaps most important of all, this has been achieved at a time when the level of state support is minimal and taxation pressures remain high.

Nevertheless, the change of power, with the re-election of Lula da Silva as country president, is giving Brazil’s fish farmers and especially its fishers fresh hope there will be a significant change of the current policy, including much more active state support.

Traditionally, one of the major features of Brazil’s fisheries sector has been its modest level of consolidation, with the industry comprising hundreds of small operations. These collectively account for almost 90% of the fish and seafood produced in the country.

Since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation in the industry has remained relatively stable. But a number of problems continue to prevent its more active development, according to local observers.

“Fisheries production remains stable. Brazilian fisheries by their essence are artisanal. There are a great number of management and control rules concerned with sustainability.

The assessment of each seafood species is performed individually, for that exists specific study groups called Permanent Management Committees,” Eduardo Lobo Naslavsky, Chairman of the Brazilian Fisheries Association (ABIPESCA), told WF

Strong headwinds

According to Naslavsky, while the current energy crisis hasn’t had a direct impact on Brazil’s seafood production, it has had a negative impact on foreign sales, with financial issues slightly reducing demand last year.

“Those countries – the main sales markets for Brazil’s fish and seafood – are facing crises at present. There is inflation, there’s increasing interest rates, and all this increases the population’s cost of acquiring and consuming relatively expensive Brazilian fish and seafood. We believe that if this energy crisis comes to an end in the mediumterm, it will not reflect on Brazilian fish and aquaculture production. However, if it lasts for more than a year, we will have to reduce our production volume to adapt to world demand.”

In general, the situation for Brazilian aquaculture is better than for its fisheries segment.

Francisco Medeiros, executive director of the Brazilian aquaculture association Associação Brasileira de Piscicultura told WF that in the fish farming sector, producers’ revenues grew steadily in the second-half of 2022 and it’s possible the same trend will continue to be observed at the beginning of this year.

“In the year 2022, in the fish farming sector, especially the tilapia production, we had a first-half of low

8 Tilapia is the main farmed species exported by Brazil, accounting for 98% of the aquaculture sector’s sales and 99% of its volume

remuneration for the producers, but the second-half brought price recoveries, and companies continued with their investments believing that the market absorbs this growth.”

He added, “In 2022, we did have growth compared to 2021. However, the exact figures will be known later.”

Medeiros confirmed that the current energy crisis hasn’t had a negative effect on Brazil’s aquaculture sector, since the country is a large generator of energy. This is mainly clean energy produced by hydroelectric, solar and wind installations, which all saw their production capacities increased last year.

In the case of hydro-energy, Brazil has significantly increased its application for the aquaculture sector in recent years.

“The simple fact is the growth of our fish in water from hydroelectric dams, which is not associated with any

sharp growth in Brazil’s fisheries sector in the coming years, but they do feel that aquaculture could continue to uphold its impressive growth rates at least in the medium-term.

According to the latest foreign trade data, farmed fish exports in the first-half of 2022 doubled in value and increased 14% in volume compared with the period January-July 2021. In effect, sales reached US$14.3 million – up from $7.2 million, with the volume increasing from 4,327 tonnes to 4,931 tonnes.

For the entire year, it’s estimated that Brazil will see a 25% increase in aquaculture production when compared to 2021.

Traditionally, tilapia remains the main species exported by the Brazilian fish farming industry, accounting for 98% of Brazil’s sales and 99% of its volume, with most going to the US and Canadian markets.

Growing exports

‘‘

Fish farming is the animal protein sector with the highest growth rate in Brazil

Francisco Medeiros, Associação Brasileira de Piscicultura

environmental impact. Those waters that generate energy in Brazilian hydroelectric dams have already had their environmental impact mitigated. In other words, we are using water that was only used to produce clean energy to produce food now and to grow our fish,” Naslavsky added.

Support hopes

Representatives of both ABIPESCA and other industry associations believe Brazil’s new government will pay more attention to the needs of domestic fishers and fish farmers than has previously been shown. Among the most important issues, they say, should be the easing of access to soft loans and the provision of other financial incentives for small-scale producers.

Also, as part of the producers’ plans, the state is being called upon to develop a new plan for the development of these sectors.

Medeiros said, “Fish farming is the animal protein sector with the highest growth rate in Brazil, when compared to cattle, pork and poultry and we believe in these growth rates during this decade. In Brazil, the main problem is the tax burden, but we are working to reduce it and we believe that in the next government we will be able to carry out the tax reform project.”

Most stakeholders that spoke to WF don’t expect to see

According to Brazilian business paper Correio Do Estado, Brazil produced 841,005 tonnes of farmed fish, which generated revenue of BRL 8 billion (about US$1.5 billion) last year. In the past six years, the market has grown by 45%.

ABIPESCA reports that fisheries and aquaculture combined, Brazil now annually produces 1.6 million tonnes of seafood. This is valued at around BRL 20 billion.

Regionally, Paraná is the national leader in fish production, with about 172,000 tonnes annually, followed by São Paulo.

In the case of exports, the annual value of fish and seafood exports from Brazil are estimated at more than $400 million with annual growth rates of about 10% achieved in the past several years.

On average, the current annual consumption of fish in Brazil is about 10kg per capita, which is below the recommended amount of 12kg and well short of the 20.2kg global average.

One of the reasons for this is the status of Brazil as one of the world’s largest meat producers and exporters, particularly beef, which competes with fish.

Analysts believe the reduction of tax burden on the industry (which is currently higher than those on meat sector) will contribute to a further growth of the industry, particularly with regards to the expansion of the existing offerings.

One example is tambaqui, an Amazon fish with a mild but very particular taste. Some industry experts believe this fish has a production growth potential that’s similar to tilapia, which could in turn lead to it becoming a Brazilian commodity. However, for that to happen, it’s thought that Brazil probably needs to view fish farming in the same way that Chile did when it decided to make its salmon a worldwide success.

8 One of Fisher Piscicultura’s tilapia farming sites in Brazil

Photo Credit: Fisher Piscicultura

NEWHORIZONS

Focusing on Fisheries Development

THE OYSTER FARM INSPIRED BY TRADITIONAL PEARL DIVING

Following a recent certification, an oyster farm in the UAE is making its mark on the country’s aquaculture, writes Bonnie Waycott

The oyster has been a key part of United Arab Emirates’ history and culture for centuries. Diving for pearl oysters, the native species in the region, played a crucial role in the country’s economy before the discovery of oil in the late 1950s and early 1960s, while pearl diving accounted for as much as 95% of the region’s income.

Today, pearl diving may have declined significantly, but oyster farming is thriving. Inspired by the traditional pearl oyster industry, Dibba Bay Oysters was founded in 2016 on the east coast of the UAE by Ramie Murray, who pioneered the pivot from pearl diving to oyster farming. Today, the farm is the first in the Middle East to grow gourmet oysters (Crassostrea Gigas), producing over 300,000 a month in northern Fujairah.

“It wasn’t a deliberate reinvention of the existing oyster industry,” Murray told WF. “Rather, it was only on reflection that we realised that the whole reason why we were able to grow high quality, edible oysters was for the same reasons pearl oysters had been flourishing in this environment for so many years. Because of the unique conditions of the ocean, which have made Arabia world-renowned for its lustrous white pearls, the Dibba Bay oyster is thriving and continues to showcase the heritage of the region through its distinctive and vibrant white and gold shell.”

Conducive conditions

Thanks to ideal water temperatures and the rich density of

food (phytoplankton) that’s available for most of the year, the oysters farmed by Dibba Bay Oysters have an incredibly fast growth rate, reaching adult size in only seven to nine months (European oysters, in comparison, can take up to two or three years to reach market size).

Spat is brought in from hatcheries around the world and seeded in the onshore nursery. When it reaches the required size, it’s transferred to the open ocean to grow in lantern nets that hang on subtidal long lines. There, the oysters live for the majority of their growth cycle.

They are continuously cleaned to remove predators and graded until they reach market size and are ready for harvest.

Harvesting takes place three times a week, every week of the year, to ensure a regular, reliable delivery of fresh oysters.

Half of the farm’s production is consumed locally, while the rest is exported to Malaysia, Oman, the Maldives, Hong Kong, Seychelles, Mauritius and other destinations. The farm is also aiming to export to other Asian markets in the near future, and in 2021 completed a new state-of-the-art production facility, which is gearing up to produce half a million oysters a month.

“What is special about our location is that we have the right conditions for farming oysters; they grow in extremely clean sea water along a sparsely populated coastline,” said Murray. “Our site is relatively shallow but only metres away from deep water off the continental shelf, which allows for an abundance of food to arrive on cool deepsea currents.

8 The farm’s hanging lantern baskets act as hanging reefs for the surrounding marine life

Photo Credit: Dibba Bay Oysters

Thanks to the purity of the water, the abundance of plankton and the warmer temperatures, our oysters quickly grow into a world-class product with an exceptional meatto-shell ratio, beautiful clean white shells and a delicious, fresh taste.”

Local benefits

While farmed oysters are proving to be popular in the UAE, oyster farming is also growing for another reason – the benefits associated with the practice.

It’s a sustainable form of aquaculture with no negative impact on the environment, said Murray. Oysters improve water quality by filtering 200 litres of seawater a day, they don’t require any feed or fertiliser, and they sequester carbon through their consumption of algae.

The farm’s hanging lantern baskets also offer a wonderful environment for surrounding marine life by acting as hanging reefs, while the farm itself is supporting local aquaculture while also contributing to the UAE’s food security mission by providing a sustainable food product for local and international consumption.

Locally, it has around a 30-40% market share and has displaced a significant number of imported oysters entering the market. It also promotes marine habitats and is attracting a plethora of fish, which helps local fishermen with their daily catch.

‘‘

Ramie Murray, Dibba Bay Oysters

Sustainably certified

Dibba Bay Oysters’s environmental impact also includes efforts to support a coral nursery project to recreate coral reef ecosystems using oyster shells.

“We launched the Dibba Bay Oyster Reef Creation Programme to support the marine habitat in Dibba,” said Murray. “The programme involves collecting cleaned oyster shells from Dibba Bay outlets in Dubai and Fujairah, curing them and packing them in non-pollutive gabion cylinders that are 80cm high. The shell structures are then returned to the ocean in Dibba where they act as substrates to support the growth of native oyster species, while offering a wealth of other benefits to ocean health such as creating habitats for marine animals and acting as a natural reef structure.”

Tying in with this, in July 2022 Dibba Bay Oysters secured Friend of the Sea Sustainable Aquaculture certification, a leading global standard for products and services that respect and protect the marine environment.

The certification was issued by Friend of the Sea, a World Sustainability Organization project that awards sustainable practices in fisheries, aquaculture, fishmeal and fish oil, while promoting projects related to areas including restaurants, sustainable shipping, aquaria and ornamental fish.

Dibba Bay Oysters was audited on various criteria, including an environmental impact assessment that had to confirm zero impact on critical habitats, no harmful antifouling or use of growth hormones, compliance with water quality parameters and management, social accountability, and continuous improvement of waste and energy management.

Emirates first

The certification covers the farming of oysters, traceability of packing and export operations, and has helped the farm validate what it is already doing, said Murray, in line with its mission to protect the ocean and involve sustainable

practices in all aspects of the business to safeguard the integrity of aquatic life.

“We are proud to be acknowledged by Friend of the Sea for our sustainable farming practices,” said Murray. “We are the first farm in the UAE to receive this certification, and it’s important to us that there is an accredited third party certifying our work; sustainability demonstrated with a third-party certification will help consumers choose more consciously. When we announced that we are a certified Friend of the Sea farm, we received immense interest and positive feedback from consumers. Of course, this has also raised awareness of our sustainable farming practices.”

Dibba Bay Oysters has also strengthened its production line and brand strategy with a mission crafted to translate its further growth, notably in becoming a global shellfish company. Achieving this goal will put yet another unique UAE product under the international spotlight and show the ability of the country to continuously innovate.

“In the UAE, we are definitely at the forefront of sustainable aquaculture – we are adopting a low-impact way of producing protein, which is highly nutritious,” said Murray. “As a nation surrounded by ocean with one of the world’s highest per capita seafood consumption, aquaculture that is properly managed can potentially supply almost everything the country needs.”

8 Dibba Bay Oysters gained Friend of the Sea certification in July 2022

In the UAE, we are definitely at the forefront of sustainable aquaculture

Photo Credit: Dibba Bay Oysters

CHAMPIONING TUNA BEST-PRACTICE

The retail and foodservice sectors can help reverse the decline of sharks, sea turtles and seabirds, asserts a new report

There has been a profound loss of nature in the Western Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO), but voluntary actions by tuna buyers can contribute to the recovery of vulnerable marine wildlife populations, suggests a new study conducted by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP).

Highlighting that about 51% of the world’s tuna production comes from this region – mostly going to the North American and Japanese markets – the marine conservation organisation’s research finds that tuna buyers can help restore populations of sharks, sea turtles, and seabirds by encouraging the adoption of proven bestpractices for longline fishing in their supply chains.

“Restoring biodiversity and nature is critical to the long-term sustainability of fisheries,” SFP Global Markets Director Kathryn Novak said. “Buyers of longline caught tuna from the WCPO have an exciting opportunity to drive targeted improvements that could rebuild populations of vulnerable marine wildlife, while providing a healthy protein to customers.”

known problem. Thankfully there are proven best-practice options which can be adopted by the industry, such as the use of large circle hooks to reduce sea turtle capture, hook shielding devices to reduce seabird interactions and removing wire leaders to help reduce shark interactions,” SFP Ocean Wildlife Manager Alexia Morgan said. “The use of these best practices options offers the supply chain an opportunity to help reduce bycatch mortality of ETP species and subsequently help rebuild their populations to healthier levels.”

Funded by the Walmart Foundation, the research identified substantial declines of some species of sharks, seabirds and sea turtle populations in the WCPO, many of which are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

While many different factors caused these declines, it maintains that by-catch – the unintended catch of nontarget species – is currently the key driver of the loss for many of these ETP species. Longlines have one of the highest bycatch rates for these species of gear types used in commercial tuna fisheries.

Advocating responsibility

The study recommends that buyers of longline-caught albacore and fresh/frozen yellowfin, albacore, and bigeye from the WCPO should require that bycatch mitigation best practices are implemented in their source fisheries by 2025, such as adoption of fishing techniques like using circle hooks, eliminating wire leaders and switching bait types.

It also advocates that the buyers should compel their source fisheries to have 50% observer (human observer and electronic monitoring combined) coverage by 2025 and 100% by 2030. In this regard, SFP points out that Thai Union, owner of the Chicken of the Sea and John West brands, has committed to implement 100% “on-the-water” monitoring of its tuna supply chain by 2025, including the deployment of electronic monitoring.

Additionally, the study outlines data-collection protocols that need to be implemented for electronic monitoring, and best practices for specific wildlife species.

“By-catch of ETP species in longline fisheries is a well-

Tools at hand

SFP’s study also calls for better management and compliance by the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), the international management body for highly migratory species in the region, and WCPFC countries.

At its most recent meeting in December 2022, the WCPFC did take action to prohibit the use of wire leaders to protect sharks in certain areas beginning in 2024, but voluntary action can be taken sooner, as recommended in the SFP report.

To help tuna buyers to better understand the ETP bycatch interactions in their source fisheries, SFP launched an ETP Bycatch Audit programme last year. It also launched its Solve My Bycatch Tool, an online instrument to help seafood buyers and suppliers find solutions to specific tuna bycatch problems.

Other tools include SFP’s Best Practices for Reducing Bycatch in Longline Tuna Fisheries guide.

According to the report, “What is urgently needed now is for major tuna buyers, particularly in North America and Japan, to require the use of these tools and encourage adoption of these recommendations at scale in longline tuna fisheries.”

Recognising that while restoring the populations of sharks, seabirds and sea turtles “seems like a daunting goal”, it states that it’s “absolutely achievable” in the WCPO and other regions if the market acts on these targeted recommendations, and also that these outcomes will also “bolster the reputation” of the seafood industry and strengthen the overall idea of sustainable seafood.

8 SFP is calling on major buyers of WCPO tuna to require bestpractice from suppliers

There are proven bestpractice options which can be adopted by the industry

Alexia Morgan, SFP

‘‘

NEW-GEN PELAGIC CATCHER

Built to operate under the Danish flag for its Swedish owners, pelagic vessel Astrid is the latest step in a strategy by the Johansson family to take a long-term view of the future

Astrid is one of the largest modern pelagic fishing vessels, designed for a high carrying capacity and to operate with minimal fuel consumption and emissions.

It’s only a few years since the previous vessel of the same name was delivered. Also, a Karstensen build, the 2014 Astrid has been sold to Norwegian owners, and the company has also sold Rockall, which went to another Swedish fishing company. Today, the Johansson family operate Astrid Marie under the Swedish flag and now the new Astrid on the Danish registry.

Skagen is at the centre of much of the activity, although the family are based on the island of Rörö in the Swedish archipelago, where its origins go back to the 1950s when Leif Johansson brought together a group of partners to start fishing with the original Astrid. His sons Tomas and Börje followed him into the business, which became increasingly international as they took part in the matjes fishery in Skagen, which established their first links with the Danish industry, subsequently acquiring a number of Danish fishing companies with their vessels and quotas.

Leif Johansson’s grandsons Kristian, Johannes and Daniel are now the ones who are taking this company onto the next level with the latest Astrid, which was built at Karstensen Shipyard Poland and arrived in Skagen in November 2021 for outfitting.

At-sea optimisation

With a requirement for a high-capacity pelagic vessel capable of operating with minimal CO2 and NOx emissions, the result is a design optimised for 80% of its time at sea free sailing, envisaging pelagic stocks shifting to more distant grounds, which in turn calls for a greater flexibility, carrying capacity and operating efficiency to maintain profitable operation.

The 91.8-metre, 17-metre breadth Astrid has a 3,225-cubic metre capacity in its 13 RSW tanks, with a heavyweight chiller setup based on a triple PTG FrioNordica 1,300kW/1.118.000kCal/h system. The vacuum system for discharging is nothing lightweight, and Önnereds Svets supplied this with three 4,000-litre tanks and six 87kW compressor units.

Astrid’s owners opted for a complete Wärtsilä propulsion system, with a 12V31 main engine developing 7,320kW and driving a 4800mm diameter 4G1190 propeller via an SCV 112/2-PDC68 reduction gearbox with a 3,300kW Marelli MJRM 710 shaft generator coupled to the PTO.

Twin gensets are Caterpillar C32 units, each producing 940kWe and the harbour set is a 500kW C18.

The main engine is the primary source of power for both propulsion and deck systems, with the shaft generator clutched in during hauling and shooting to supply the

8 Deck equipment is an all-electric package from Kongsberg Brattvaag

winches, and clutched out while towing.

Thrusters are 1,400kW Brunvoll units fore and aft. Kongsberg supplied the high-lift flap rudder and the Tenfjord SR 723 steering gear.

Comprehensive fit-out Kongsberg Brattvaag was also chosen for the all-electric trawl layout, with a pair of 97-tonne winches and pairs of 140-tonne and 100-tonne net drums, plus 90-tonne tail-end and topline winches. The package includes the 40-tonne purse and 15-tonne auxiliary purse winches, while MacGregor Triplex supplied the purse seine and fish pumping rig.

The net winch is an electric Triplex 1020 with a 32-tonne pull and there is a KNR-120 net crane and KNR-75 cranes fore and aft. The three 20-inch fish pumps are from MacGregor Rapp, and come with electric cable and hose reels.

Astrid’s wheelhouse arrangement has a Furuno Smart Bridge with five 55-inch Olorin monitors facing the two

control positions. A further 16 32-inch and six 27-inch screens from Hatteland are fitted around the wheelhouse. The key fishfinders are the low-frequency 15-25kHz FSV25S and medium-frequency 80kHz FSV-85 sonars from Furuno and the Simrad sonars, a 25KhZ ST94, a highfrequency CS-94 and the FS-70 trawl sonar. The array of sounders comes from the same stables, with a Simrad ES80, Furuno FCV-38, FCV-1900 and FSS3-BB sets, plus an 80kHz WASSP 3D sonar.

The current monitor is a Furuno CI68 set and the network of gear-mounted sensors is a Marport array.

Plotters are a Furuno FMD-3200 ECDIS system, a pair of MaxSea Time Zero sets, a 3D Olex and a Sodena plotter. The radars are all Furuno sets and the two gyro RGC-80 compasses and the AP-70 autopilot are from Simrad, while the GPS, AIS and GPS compasses are all from Furuno.

There are two Sailor 900 V-sat communications systems and a Sailor Sat-TV installation, while the GMDSS A3 installation and the VHF sets are all Furuno equipment.

8 Astrid operates under the Danish flag for its Swedish owners

8 Looking aft from the wheelhouse along the trawl deck

FALKLANDS TRAWLER ORDER PLACED WITH NODOSA

A trawler ordered by the Orion Fishing Company is to be delivered in late 2024, in time for the fishing season that opens in early 2025

The order for this 85-metre vessel continues the company’s process of fleet renewal, which began with the delivery of Argos Cies, and which has been fishing successfully since it was delivered by Nodosa. The new vessel’s design builds on the experience with the Nodosa yard’s series of recent deliveries for the South Atlantic fishery. The design has been completed by the yard’s own design team, with input from Armadora Pereira’s technical department.

It is expected primarily to fish for squid and other

This will be the

and its design

for a high standard of living and working conditions on board, while environmental factors such as eliminating seabird mortality, and energy efficiency are also high on the list of priorities.

Orion’s new trawler will use ammonia as the main refrigerant for the fishroom and freezers on the catch handling deck.

The hull design takes the inverted bow concept a step further than with previous vessels, and this is expected to optimise seakeeping and reduce fuel consumption.

DAMEN TO BUILD SANFORD VESSEL

Shipyard Damen Maaskant and New Zealand-based seafood company Sanford Limited have signed a contract for the design and build of a new scampi vessel

Shipyard Damen Maaskant and New Zealand-based seafood company Sanford Limited have signed a contract for the design and build of a new scampi vessel

Both companies joined in a close co-operation for the development of a purpose equipped and laid out vessel for Sanford Limited’s operations in the Southern Ocean. According to Damen the vessel, based on its Damen Sea Fisher 3210, will be built to the latest standards in terms of sustainability, comfort and safety.

“We are very grateful that Sanford gives us the confidence by ordering a fishing vessel that will contribute to Sanford’s target of reducing the carbon footprint from its direct operations at sea,” said Pim Schuurman, Regional Sales Director of Damen Shipyards.

The fishing vessel, with a diesel-electric system and modern freezer, will be built in Stellendam at Damen Maaskant, the Damen yard specialised in fishing vessel newbuild and repair since 1948.

Delivery is expected in 2025.

8 The Orion Fishing Company has placed an order for an 85-metre trawler for fishing in Falklands waters

The company is a joint-venture that goes back more than 30 years between Vigo fishing company Armadora Pereira and Falkland Islands company Argos Group.

species on Falklands fishing grounds.

largest order by this owner from Nodosa,

takes into account the owner’s requirements

8 The new vessel will be based on the Damen Sea Fisher 3210

FISHING BY SAIL POWER

A prototype sailing catamaran has been launched aimed at reviving wind propulsion for artisanal fishing and reducing the environmental footprint of coastal fisheries

With funding from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), the Skravik project, based in Finistère in Brittany, France, has bought a second-hand Corneel 26 catamaran and adapted it for use in commercial fishing.

After being upgraded to a working sailboat in the second half of 2021, the vessel is now being tested under real fishing conditions using lines, nets, longlines and traps.

The Skravik project was founded in 2017 by Tangi Le Bot, a professional sailor and doctor in marine ecology. Originally concerned with scientific expeditions the project turned to a more entrepreneurial focus in 2020.

Fishing laboratory

The sheltered waters off Brest in northwest France provide an ideal testing ground for the catamaran. The project partners are not only researching the feasibility of sail power but also studying how best to distribute seafood in local chains, reducing food miles and cooperating with consumers to make the most of all the species caught.

They also plan to share expertise with other projects, promoting the development and uptake of similar sustainable techniques. Skravik is continuing its research

Gear second life launch

Spanish technology company Satlink has launched a new circular economy programme that repurposes lost gear that has been developed for sustainable fishing.

Called “Project ReCon”, the initiative aims to give a second life to devices for sustainable fishing (DSFs), and specifically to echosounder buoys, used in tropical purse-seine tuna fishing. Due to sea currents, some of the echosounder buoys used by the fleets may drift out of the fishing areas at the end of their useful life, making their recovery impossible for the fishing companies.

To prevent them from being beached and becoming technological waste, Satlink is leading a worldwide collaborative network of fishing companies and local partners to collect these devices and refurbish them for new uses – essentially giving them a second

and looking to apply the technology to larger vessels and a wider range of fishing techniques, including offshore fishing.

Fishery-ecology

The fishing activity envisaged by Skravik is based on the principles of fishery-ecology, the maritime equivalent of agro-ecology. The project partners are also studying how to distribute seafood in local chains with the minimum of food miles, seeking cooperation with consumers to make the most of all the species caught.

In parallel, the project aims at enhancing the value of the profession of sailors by involving them in a cooperative way in the management and by proposing a balance between the time onboard and the involvement on land. The aim is to promote the emergence of similar projects in other maritime territories. Skravik is also ready to continue the research and to also look at the applications of the technology on larger vessels, other fishing techniques and offshore fishing.

Currently, small-scale fisheries account for 80% of the EU fishing fleet and contribute to half of the total employment.

life for scientific and environmental purposes.

In addition to marking their position, these buoys have an integrated echosounder that reports the amount of biomass present under the buoy. Therefore, they can be reused for small-scale scientific studies, marking and monitoring of marine debris, or the prevention of natural disasters.

Project ReCon will initially be rolled out in Australia, where Satlink’s team has been working with Tangaroa Blue Foundation, an Australian NGO and founder of the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, which, with the support of the Australian community and government, is cleaning up its coasts and removing and preventing marine debris.

Working together, both organisations aim to re-purpose the collected ReCon buoys for protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

8 The project’s ultimate goal is to reduce the environmental footprint of fisheries in coastal areas by reintroducing sailing as a way of sourcing food sustainably

8 Scientific research, marking and monitoring marine debris, or prevention of natural disasters are some of the potential uses for the reconditioned gear

NORTHLINE PROCESSING FIRST

With construction planned to begin at the Port of Bellingham in Washington State in January 2023, Hannah will be a one-of-a-kind vertically-integrated vessel that will operate in Bristol Bay during the commercial fishing season.

“We developed the Hannah to produce higher quality fish through a more efficient process that benefits both fishermen and customers,” said Northline CEO Ben Blakey. “This project is a continuation of Northline’s commitment to innovation and environmental sustainability in the fishing industry.”

The intention is that Hannah will revolutionise salmon processing by deep-freezing fish whole at the fishing grounds in Bristol Bay and hauling them back to its base of Pacific Northwest operations in Bellingham, where the fish will be stored, reprocessed and distributed year-round all from one vessel.

Greener solution

According to Northline, final products will be delivered to the market at a higher quality and with a more sustainable environmental footprint, whereby 217,000 gallons for diesel fuel will be saved compared with typical fish processing and transportation methods, and every piece of the fish will be used.

Furthermore, the flash freezing process will mean the salmon’s skin is its protection, minimising the need for plastic packaging.

“We have a long history with and great respect for the Bristol Bay region. Everyone at Northline is excited about this next chapter for our company and our industry,” Blakey said.

The vessel will be built out of an existing barge hull that will be towed from the Gulf of Mexico to Washington State. Following construction, the finished vessel will make its way to Alaska’s Bristol Bay where state-of-the-art technology will improve the salmon’s path from fishermen to customer by consolidating freezing, shipping, storing, and reprocessing operations.

Growth support

Northline Seafoods recently closed on a US$40 million USDA-backed guarantee Food Supply Chain loan for the Hannah project that was made possible by the Biden Administration’s “Build Back Better” initiative, and financed by Greater Commercial Lending (GCL), which provides

loans to businesses and organisations in under-served and rural communities.

Northline also teamed with Zachary Scott, a Seattlebased investment banking firm with deep ties to the seafood industry, to raise $62.5 million of capital to support the company in its development.

Hannah’s ability to buy, process, ship and store fish on a single vertically-integrated platform eliminates the number of third-party hands Bristol Bay salmon passes through before reaching the customer, leading to more transparency and better quality.

The onboard refrigeration system allows the fish to be flash frozen whole, so when it moves to Bellingham at the end of the season, processing can be spread out over time, creating year-round jobs for processors, engineers, maintenance staff, sales and logistics personnel and corporate management staff.

Nautical Institute opens to commercial fishers

To increase the global representation and recognition of the professionalism of fishing, the Nautical Institute has opened its membership to the UK and international commercial fishing industry.

Commercial fishing interests will be represented within The Nautical Institute by this new membership base. At the same time, a formal memorandum of understanding between the Fishing Industry Safety & Health (FISH) Platform and The Nautical Institute will outline plans to develop a strategy to achieve long-term positive change in

worldwide commercial fishing.

The interests of fishing members will be represented at a global level through these arrangements, enhancing the professional expertise and input into the Nautical Institute’s technical committees, which represent members’ interests at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

“I am delighted that in 2023 we will be formally broadening our membership criteria to welcome members from fishing communities so that we can better represent their interests and concerns. We will

8 Hannah will be a verticallyintegrated vessel that will operate in Bristol Bay during the commercial fishing season

develop programmes and initiatives that support their needs and advocate for policies that benefit the entire maritime industry. These maritime professionals have unique knowledge, skills, and experiences that can be valuable to all of our members and can help us lead professional discussions. Those joining the NI will become leaders in their sector and a point of focus for professional development and improvement,” said Captain John Lloyd, CEO of The Nautical Institute.

Alaska seafood processing company Northline Seafoods has confirmed the successful funding and launch of a new project to build a mobile commercial salmon processing platform

MUSSELING IN

With its own production in decline, the EU needs imported mussels to meet market demand, finds a new EUMOFA report

While EU mussel production has fluctuated over the past decade or so, it has tended to follow a downward supply trend – falling 13% between 2011 and 2020, according to a new industry report compiled by the European Commission’s European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture (EUMOFA).

EUMOFA’s “Case Study – Mussel in the EU” confirms that in 2020, the EU-27 produced 430,748 tonnes of mussels, 94% or 406,970 tonnes of which came from aquaculture. Indeed, the only fishery production of note occurs in Denmark and has been on a significant decreasing trend in recent years.

Overall EU production has also been decreasing for the last 10 years (2011-2020). Spain is by far the main producer, with its 204,492 tonnes in 2020 accounting for 47% of the total production, followed by France (61,378 tonnes, 14%) and Italy (50,913 tonnes, 12%). These are also the region’s top three consumption markets.

Spain only produces the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), with the majority (97%) of the production concentrated in Galicia. The country’s production is carried out through two production methods: suspended rope culture (the predominant technique) and bottomcultured production. It also has a significant mussel processing industry.

France, meanwhile, produces both blue (Mytilus edulis), and Mediterranean mussels using a variety of methods, with “bouchot” being the predominant one.

Italy’s mussel production is concentrated along the Adriatic coastline, where three production methods are deployed: bottom culture (typical of the lagoon areas of the Po delta), the fixed-pole method (the oldest method, widespread in sheltered lagoon and coastal areas of the south) and the dominant system – suspended long-lines in the open sea.

Net importer

2020’s mussel consumption in the EU is estimated at 537,212 tonnes live weight equivalent (LWE), with an estimated per capita consumption of 1.2 kg. Of this, Spain’s apparent consumption was 167,403 tonnes LWE and 3.54 kg/capita, France’s amounted to 127,337 tonnes and 1.89 kg/capita, and Italy – 103,328 tonnes and 1.73 kg/capita.

First sales prices varied between €0.70 and €1.70 per kg, depending on the species, the mussel’s quality, the country of origin (the highest ex-farm prices are observed in France for Bouchot mussels), and whether the product is certified.

Retail prices averaged €2.65 per kg in Italy, €2.82 per kg in Spain and €3.60 per kg in France.

EUMOFA’s report establishes that the region is a net importer of the bivalves, with the trade deficit amounting to €104.4 million in 2021, and the inbound trade of around 43,000 tonnes mainly comprising preserved products, with Chile being the main supplier.

Between 2012 and 2021, the value of these imports increased by 27% (13% in real terms), while the imported volume decreased by 7%. This volume decrease is related to the decrease of imports of fresh and frozen mussel (-85% and -50% respectively). In contrast, imports of preserved mussels increased in volume by 25%.

Prices of imported preserved mussels also increased by 21% in nominal terms (7% in real terms).

Main markets

Meanwhile, the EU mainly exports fresh mussels from France and Italy and prepared-preserved mussels from Spain and Belgium, with Switzerland and the United Kingdom providing the most important markets. In total, the bloc exported 6,770 tonnes for €26.3 million in 2021. This trade increased by 9% in volume and 15% in value in nominal terms (1% in real terms) between 2012 and 2021.

Within the EU, the Netherlands was by far the main exporter, with a value of over €131 million in 2021 (mainly fresh mussels). Spain was the second largest exporter with circa €77 million and was the main exporter of preparedpreserved products.

Belgium was the main importer with more than €83 million in 2021, followed by France and the Netherlands with around €55 million each.

EUMOFA’s report also confirms that global mussel production amounted to 2.2 million tonnes in 2020, with aquaculture accounting for 97% of the total and China as the main producer with 43% of the total production. It was followed by the EU-27 (20%) and Chile (19%).

Between 2011 and 2020, Chinese and Chilean production increased by 24% and 38% respectively.

8 According to EUMOFA, Europeans consumed an average 1.2kg of mussels in 2020

POLAND IN UNCHARTED WATERS

In recent years, Polish fish farmers have developed and scaled-up their businesses – largely anticipating a steady rise in domestic fish consumption, but this past year, skyrocketing food inflation has led many to be uncertain about their future, writes Vladislav Vorotnikov

In 2021, according to government estimates, Poland’s fish consumption stood at 15kg per capita – a low-even level for Eastern Europe. On average, Poles spend only 100 zlotys (about US$22) on fish per month, which is just a quarter of the European average.

Instead, Poles are meat lovers. The average citizen consumes 30kg of poultry and 40kg of pork annually, with regional cuisines having many recipes for wild boar, venison, rabbit or hare, and only a few for fish.

mykiss) sectors, both of which hadn’t fully recovered from the coronavirus pandemic when the latest crisis struck, according to the Polish Trout Breeders Association (PTBA).

“The turmoil around the pandemic has been felt by all of us on many different levels. The trout market was quite strongly affected by the first pandemic shock, which in the spring [of 2020] translated into a significant surplus of trout in the EU countries affected by the pandemic, in the first place – Italy,” PTBA’s press office told WF

The situation improved somewhat in the second-half of the year, thanks to a strong recovery of demand in the domestic market. “After the first period of the pandemic, our compatriots crowded to the sea and mountains – where they eagerly consumed trout,” PTBA recalled, adding that things were similar in 2022 as they were in 2021, though this time, the pressure from the drop in sales through the hotel and catering industry (HoReCa) segment is stronger.

Meanwhile, the past few years have been tough for Poland’s key aquaculture segments, with ventures finding themselves between the hammer of skyrocketing costs and the anvil of low sales.

Worse than Covid

The year 2022 was quite a challenging period for the Polish salmon (Salmo salar) and trout (Oncorhynchus

This factor has translated into lower sales and a slight increase in prices.

It is difficult to clearly figure out all the reasons behind lower sales this year, PTBA said. To some extent, food inflation is to blame. On the other hand, while the salmon market is seeing unprecedented price hikes, nothing similar is happening in the trout market.

“These [price dynamics] were the result of a combination of factors: the economic situation in Turkey, but mainly the

8 Carp is considered a Christmas fish in Poland

The turmoil around the pandemic has been felt by all of us on many different levels

Polish Trout Breeders Association

‘‘

Photo Credit: Tulodz

general sales turmoil in the EU,” PTBA said, explaining that farmers breeding salmon proved to be more resilient to the crisis thanks to better sales diversification. They benefited from higher prices in the Asian market, which compensated for the drop in sales in Poland and other EU countries.

“Trout, unfortunately, is a local fish – sold mainly in the EU and Russian markets – to which we do not have access [any longer],” PTBA said.

The association added that in these circumstances, trout farmers have had to focus almost exclusively on the local market.

The present crisis, unfortunately, promises to be even more difficult than the Covid-19 era, owing to galloping inflation, which has driven up production costs throughout the supply chain, PTBA said.

Carp is absolutely not a fish assigned only to Christmas

“Currently, our farmers are preparing applications for so-called ‘war aid’ to compensate for additional costs incurred by fishery and aquaculture operators due to market disruptions caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its impact on the supply chain.”

No carp, no Christmas Poland is the largest European carp (Cyprinus carpio) producer, and according to Polish producer organisation

Polski Karp’s estimates the country accounts for 28% of the EU’s output in this segment.

The Polish population has a long-standing tradition of consuming carp in the weeks before Christmas. But Polish farmers have put a lot of effort into turning this custom into year-round consumption.

“Carp is absolutely not a fish assigned only to Christmas. It is now available year-round and is grown on numerous farms. Since these farms are located all over Poland, the guarantee of freshness is a huge advantage [of carp compared to other fish],” Polski Karp Vice-president Tomasz Siwiec said.

Carp production typically follows a three-year cycle, where ponds are stocked in spring and harvested in autumn in the third-year when the fish are 1.5 to 2kg in size. Currently, 850 carp farms operate across Poland, breeding fish in 70,000 hectares of ponds – using traditional technology that has barely changed in centuries.

While farmers could easily boost production, a lack of demand prevents this from happening.

“We should definitely eat fish more often. I believe that carp is a fish that, above all, guarantees us high-quality and freshness, so we should move away from the stereotype that it is a festive fish and reach for it all year round,” said Kamil Klekowski, an organiser of the Polish Festival of Regional and Traditional Cuisine.

On Christmas Eve 2021, Poles had to stand in long queues to buy carp, as the large demand was met with rather weak production. Indeed, the local press reported occasional shortages of supply. In 2022, the demand was also expected to be huge during the festive season, despite the sharp price rise.

Wacław Szczoczarz, President of local fishing group Świętokrzyski Karp estimated that for 2022, the average

8 Before the current crisis, Poland’s trout producers were already strongly affected by Covid-19

Photo Credit: Polish Trout Association

Tomasz Siwiec, Polski Karp

‘‘

‘‘

Wacław Szczoczarz, Świętokrzyski Karp

price of carp reached around 25 ($5.70) and even 30 zlotych ($6.80) per kg, compared to only 20 zlotych ($4.50) in the previous year.

Also in 2022, food inflation in Poland was estimated at 17%, but in the carp industry, this figure was close to 60% due to a threefold surge in energy prices and a sharp rise in feed costs.

“The crisis has hit everyone. So, we have to take into account the purchasing power of customers, as well as our interests. Many fish farmers repay their loans. We all need money to maintain ponds in the next season and grow more fish. We’re not even talking about profit now,” Szczoczarz said.

The price hike was not expected to discourage Poles from having carp on their tables during the most recent Christmas holidays. However, it’s likely to undermine the efforts undertaken to convince citizens to eat the fish more regularly.

Meanwhile, most local retailers have abandoned selling live carp over the past several years.

Challenging environment

In addition to low demand, Polish fish farmers also suffer from ecological issues. In 2022, like the rest of Europe, Poland was hit by drought. Over 170 municipalities around the country introduced restrictions on the use of water, with many Polish rivers and other water supplies running dangerously low during the summer months.

This was particularly worrying for the aquaculture industry, with Polski Karp warning in recent years that water shortages could seriously threaten farmers growing fish in ponds.

Last year’s lack of water was said to prevent pond farmers from topping up their systems after losing water to evaporation. When drought hits, this directly impacts the fish, which have less water and less oxygen to grow.

The government estimated that Poland had one of the worst rates of water scarcity in Europe. To address this issue, it has embarked on a six-year strategy – running from 2021 to 2027 – aimed at improving water availability through public campaigns and investments, including the building of 30 new water reservoirs.

Still, some environmentalists are confident that these efforts may not be sufficient in the wake of back-to -back droughts.

Environmental issues have in fact long been preventing the development of marine aquaculture in Poland. The country’s coastline is 1,032 km long, but in recent decades, ecological concerns have discouraged some investors from pumping their money into launching coastal farms.

Also, several research projects conducted in recent years showed that some parts of the Baltic Sea are not the best place to grow fish or seafood since the water is polluted with substances derived from old chemical weapons dumped after World War II.

The list of dangerous substance detected in the Baltic Sea include dioxins, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, carcinogenic, mutagenic, and neurotoxic substances.

Professor Jacek Beldowski, who extensively studies Baltic Sea pollution, estimates that consumers should refrain from eating fish grown in the coastal areas more than once a week, while a study conducted by a group of Swedish researchers suggested that it might not be safe for pregnant women to eat fish from the Baltic Sea more than two-to-three times a year.

8 Carp producers are faced with the problem of low demand

The crisis has hit everyone… We’re not even talking about profit now

Photo Credit: Carp Ruszow

NEW INTER ATLANTIC DELIVERED

Bilbao, Spain’s Zamakona Yards has delivered the live fish carrier Inter Atlantic to Norwegian owner Intership. The vessel is the first of the two newbuilds from Zamakona for the same owner

Inter Atlantic has been designed by NSK Ship Design and has a load capacity of 2,200 cubic metres.

The new wellboat’s designed is focused on promoting good fish welfare, fish handling and biosecurity. The fish handling system is delivered by MMC First Process, and the vessel is equipped with a high-capacity freshwater production system capable of producing 5,000 cubic metres of freshwater per day.

Since 2016, Intership has taken the lead in developing freshwater treatment for lice and amoebic gill disease (AGD) using a reverse osmosis (RO) system.

Over the past six years, the company has gained extensive operational experience in freshwater production and treatments. This has been used to develop and improve the technology, resulting in an RO system that provides a low-cost, highly efficient, and environmentally-friendly method for dealing with the lice and AGD challenges faced by salmon farmers.

“Freshwater treatment is possibly the gentlest method used to treat of salmon, and it is therefore with great pleasure that we take delivery of another newbuild, with our industry leading freshwater production and treatment setup,” Intership CEO Ole Peter Brandal said.

T H E O R

Inter Atlantic will commence operations for a salmon farmer in Scotland, before moving to Canada.

HIGH HOPES FOR SCOTLAND

Three themes will shape Scottish aquaculture in 2023, according to Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) CEO Heather Jones

Over the past 12 months, uncertainty in the form of inflation, energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis have brought the need for change into focus across many sectors, said Jones, advising that for aquaculture the collective goal of sustainability and future-proofing remains top of the agenda.

“With high salmon prices per kilogram throughout 2022, we hope this will unlock further investment to fuel innovation and research next year. Local, national and international cooperation and collaboration will be central to this, with global action needed to help tackle some of the challenges faced across all seafood producing nations.

“Seafood and finfish farming continues to play an integral role in the world’s food system, providing a highquality, sustainable source of protein while supporting economies and rural communities. As we look ahead to the new year, there are three key areas which we expect will shape the direction of travel for producers, the supply chain, academics and public bodies with an interest in Scottish aquaculture.”

With warmer waters causing algal plant or zooplankton blooms being one of the biggest emerging challenges in 2022, the first theme for 2023, will be the mitigation of natural threats, Jones said.

“Harmful blooms can impact all animals and plants in the natural ecosystem – not just seafood – but we want to further support the sector with developing new tools and systems to better understand these threats.

“Early warning technology, as well as increased knowledge to help spot trends and patterns, will enable seafood farmers to respond as quickly as possible to protect the health and welfare of their fish. Upskilling is also key to this across all areas of the sector. If more people are trained to look for patterns, the more likely we are to be able to introduce measures at the right time to deal with the potential impact.”

The second theme will be putting technology developments into action, Jones said.

“We know that a progressive, modern mindset is needed to help future-proof the sector. Emerging technology and

the greater use of data has been on the agenda for some time, but in 2023 we have the opportunity to shift from development to adoption.”

Over the past year, SAIC has supported innovation projects covering a range of areas – from the environment to fish health.

In 2023, the centre wants to see the knowledge gained through research being applied by seafood producers.

The third theme will be connecting the dots between government strategies.

“In spring 2022, the Scottish government published its Blue Economy Vision for Scotland and, in the first-quarter of next year, we expect to see a new Vision for Aquaculture as well as a new Innovation Strategy. Proposals for highly protected marine areas are also out for consultation.

“All of these provide a framework for Scotland’s future, but we also need government to join up the dots between each strategy and work with the sector to create a thriving economy,” Jones said.

A good example of where this has worked before is the blue economy, she added.

“Scotland’s energy sector has modernised in a big way, transitioning to renewable tidal and wind-powered energy source. We should see seafood see seafood in the same way – moving from the old ways of doing things, catching wild fish, to cultivating the sea the same way we have the land through modern agricultural practices.

“Scotland’s geography, natural resources, expertise and history of innovation are all at play within aquaculture and, next year, we can be at the forefront of sustainable economic development in line with the government’s ambitions.”

8 SAIC has supported a number of innovation projects covering a range of areas over the past year

8 Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre CEO Heather Jones

SCALING UP

Bonnie Waycott explores Urchinomics newly-opened sea urchin ranching site in western Japan

At the end of November 2022, kelp restoration and sea urchin aquaculture venture Urchinomics opened a commercial ranching site in Nagato, Japan, with seafood processor Maruyama Suisan. In attendance were guests including existing and potential Urchinomics investors, ENEOS Innovation Partners, representatives of the Norwegian embassy, the Nagato City mayor, National Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations, Yamaguchi Fisheries Coops executives and selected local fishers and restaurant owners.

“We are incredibly excited by the speed and quality of products soon to be brought to market,” said Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda, CEO and Founder of Urchinomics. “This launch further proves the viability of our business model. Although both Urchinomics and Maruyama Suisan invested in the venture, it was supported by visionary partners including Norinchukin and Hagi Yamaguchi Shinkin Bank, who provided bank financing to the Nagato operations.”

After meeting for the first time at the Seafood Show in Osaka in 2020, Takeda and the CEO of Maruyama Suisan, Shinta Yamada, entered into a collaborative agreement, which resulted in Urchinomics and Maruyama completing initial ranching trials with a flow-through system in 2021.

Following a spate of system tests, ranching is now underway at the 35-tonne Nagato facility.

“There are key markets, such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, that are willing to pay high prices and where it may make economic sense to establish a brand and export small quantities so that we can develop those markets in the long term,” said Takeda. “But for now, the vast majority of our products are likely to be consumed locally and regionally. Also, our focus now is about proving to ourselves and our investors that we can operate at scale before we deploy elsewhere.”

By partnering with local fisheries and paying local fishers to harvest the urchins, Urchinomics engages with local stakeholders and creates a supplemental income stream for fishers, bringing direct economic value to communities like Nagato.

8 The new Nagato facility will first target local consumer markets in western Japan

Local strategy

Compared to Urchinomics’ first site in Japan, which had 84 raceways, the Nagato facility houses 200 raceways using a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). This is a more typical commercial size operation for an urchin ranch in Japan, explained Takeda.

The size is also due to Japan’s very fragmented coastal fisheries industry, while real estate for buildings like ranches is relatively small.

Urchinomics’ strategy in Japan will be to build smaller ranches throughout the country in comparison to establishing a handful of very big facilities in countries such as Norway or Canada.

“Construction of the Nagato facility officially started in March, with testing completed about a week or two before opening,” said Takeda. “As Covid restrictions lifted, we were able to send our European technical team to Japan to see how the facility was being constructed and make any necessary adjustments. We expect to sell our first batch of ranched urchins from the new facility in January 2023.”

Engaged markets

With local demand extremely high and Japan already a sufficiently large market for urchins, the Nagato facility will first target local regions in western Japan before expanding to big urban centres like Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and eventually Tokyo, once there is more product than local markets can absorb.

But Takeda believes that most urchins from the Nagato facility will be bought by customers in the region for some time to come.

The company also has a co-investment approach in which local stakeholders, including banks and other financing partners, are invited to co-invest. While providing opportunities such as these, Urchinomics is planning to scale-up its pilot sites worldwide and replicate its work in Japan in other countries like eastern Canada and Norway. Urchinomics, and its Japanese subsidiary Uninomics K.K, is a pioneering aquaculture venture that aims to turn ecologically destructive sea urchins into high valued seafood products that can be consistently supplied nearly year-round.

The Urchinomics methodology helps restore kelp forests, which in turn supports greater marine biomass, biodiversity and capacity to sequester atmospheric CO2, all while creating meaningful, full-time employment in rural, coastal communities around the world.

8 Construction of the Nagato facility started in March 2022

This launch further proves the viability of our business model

Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda, Urchinomics

‘‘

Photo Credit: Urchinomics

Photo Credit: Urchinomics

Beck Pack Systems A/S DK-3700, Roenne, Denmark

Tel: +45 56 95 25 22 info@beck-liner.com

Beck Pack Systems, Inc. Seattle, WA, USA Tel: +1 425 222 9515

ISO-9001, ISO-22000, FSSC 22000 certified manufacturer and supplier of block liners, folding cartons, and freezer frames for the international food processing industry. To find the agent in your region visit: www.beck-liner.com

1-2 Shing Nung Road, Tungkang, Pingtung,Taiwan Tel: 886-8-8331100~9 Fax: 886-8-8327022

E-mail: export@chingfa.com.tw Website: www.chingfa.com.tw Specialized manufacturer & exporter of: Hi-tech 7 tuna purse seine nets, Super 20 aquaculture knotless nets (Raschel type), nylon longline & its spare parts, nylon fishing line, nylon mono & multi-mono nets, nylon twisted and braided nets, PE trawl nets, ropes, twines, floats and etc.

Fishing Gear

Fishing Gear

SICOR

INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

Gore Cross Business Park Bridport Dorset DT6 3UX

Tel: 01308 428 224 Fax: 01308 428 228 Email: sales@sicor-int.com Website: www.sicor-int.com

EUROROCK NV ALLEWERELT

Nv Allewerelt, Biekorfstraat 60, 8400 Oostende, Belgium

Tel: +32 478 960744

Email: laurent@eurorock-belgium.com www.eurorock-belgium.com

Contact: COO Laurent Messiaen

Manufacturers of steel bobbins, rubber bobbins, spoked and bunt bobbins, rubber disc (tyres, conveyor and moulded discs), rockhoppers, spacers Shirmpgear We can make other rubber products as clients needs

Contact: Toby Eeles

SICOR

INTERNATIONAL

Unit 3

LIMITED

Murcar Trading Estate, Denmore Road, Bridge of Don Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom

Tel: 01224 707560 Fax: 01224 707561

Email: aberdeen@sicor-int.com

Contact: Gary Mitchell

Manufacturers of all types of fishing ropes, netting and twines including poly steel ropes and compact netting.

Rua da Cerfil (Cap. Gramaxo)

P.O. Box 1029, 4471-909 Maia PORTUGAL Tel: +351 22 961 9200 Fax: +351 22 960 5757 Email: sales@lankhorsteuronete.com www.euronete.com

Contact: Mafalda Gramaxo Salvador Castro

Producer of the recognized brands: Netting: Euroline®, Premium®, Premium Plus, Lankoforce , Anza® Wire Ropes: Eurowire® and Europact® Fibre Ropes: Lankoforce, Eurosteel®, Tipto® Super 12 net twines.

Recently Launched! Eurosteel®Plus / Euroglow® Branded products for improved efficiency!

Founded in 1927, Sounete focuses its

activity on the design and manufacture of hardware for trawling/ industrial fishing: steel and rubber bobbins, rubber spacers, trawl doors, blocks, swivels, large size thimbles, shackles, and other metal gear, including customized models SOUNETE INTERNACIONAL, S.A. Rua da Seara 588, 4430-291 Vila Nova de Gaia, PORTUGAL Sales: André Pinho Phone: +351 227 860 930 GSM: +351 917 207 052 Email: andre.pinho@sounete.pt www.sounete.pt

VMK pelagic processing solutons combines high performance machines with small square meter usage and cost e.cient maintenance.

solutions combines high cost efficient maintenance.

Fornandergatan 1, 392 33 Kalmar, SWEDEN +46 (0) 480 945 00 vmk@arenco.com

Fornandergatan 1, 392 33 Kalmar, SWEDEN +46 (0) 480 945 12 vmk@arenco.com www.vmkfish.com

-we make fishing more profitable

VÓNIN LTD

P.O. Box 19

FO-530 Fuglafjørður

P.O. Box 19 FO-530 Fuglafjørõur Faroe Islands Tel: +298 474 200 Fax: +298 474 201

Faroe Islands Tel: +298 474 200 Fax: +298 474 201 E-mail: info@vonin.com Web: www.vonin.com

Email: info@vonin.com Web: www.vonin.com

Contact: Bogi Non

Contact: Eystein Elttør

Manufacturer of pelagic trawls, semi-pelagic trawls, shrimp trawls, various bottom trawls, purse seine nets, fish farming nets and sorting grids. Vónin is a major supplier to the North Atlantic/Arctic fishing fleet. We have all accessories in stock.

Netting

World’s leading supplier of Fishing nets (our globally trusted brands are SNG, Sapphire and Olivene), assembled trawls, Purse Seines, Aquaculture cages and anti-predator nets for aquaculture industry, ropes for the fishing, aquaculture and shipping industry. Our products are exported to over 60 countries globally.

Garware Technical Fibres Plot No 11, Block D-1, MIDC, Chinchwad, Pune, India Web: www.garwarefibres.com Tel: (+91)2027990381

Contact: Vivek Kumar Email: vkumar@garwarefibres.com Mobile: +917767802806

KING CHOU MARINE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

NET MANUFACTURERS

We are a professional fish net maker and provide assembly & design service for various nets. We use Nylon, HDPE, PP, PE to make purse seine net, fish farming cage net for smolt, grower, growout, predator & anti-bird, trawl net, trap net, safety net, sports net, twine, float and steel wire. The making of fish nets can be twisted, braided, super-knot knotless or raschell knotless, mono or multi-mono filaments.

Website: www.king-net.com.tw Email: sales@mail.king-net.com.tw Main phone No. +886 7 535 2939 Fax No. +886 7 535 2938 23F-2, No.2 Chung Shang 2nd Road Kaohsiung City, Taiwan , Zip code: #806

vb-ropes.com

Ropes & Net Coatings

REDES SALINAS S.A

Carretera de Catral, 30 03360 Callosa de Segura, Alicante, Spain Tel: 0034 965 310 408 Tel: 0034 965 310 354

.

Email: redessalinas@redessalinas.com www.redessalinas.com

Contact: Srta. Carmen Salinas Manufacturer of special purse seining nets for tuna and horse mackerel, also trawl gear, ropes and twines

market.

Waxes, acrylics, polyurethanes, pigments and specialty coatings (LAGO 45, LAGO BF 10A, ICO-LUBE 10, ICO-THANE 10, ICO-THANE 32, ICO – THANE 96, ICO-THANE 98) All coatings are compatible, allowing development for individual solutions.

REACH PREREGISTERED

PEGUET & Cie

12 Rue Des Buchillons 74105 Annemasse, France

Tel: +33 450 95 54 54 Fax: +33 450 92 22 06

E-mail: info@peguet.fr Website: www.peguet.fr

Manufacture of Maillon Rapide® quick links for permanent connection in aeronautics, architecture, rigging equipment, industrial supplies, sailing, parachuting & paragliding, professional fishing, tramways facilities, climbing. All product range self-certified. YOUR PARTNER SINCE1941

AKVASERVIS TRAWLS

Email: office@akvaservis.lt www.akvaservis-trawl.com Tel: +370 46 365 363

Las Palmas - Baltic - Murmansk Designer & manufacturer of Pelagic, Semi-Pelagic & Bottom trawls since 1992 with active trawls in North Atlantic, Far-Eastern & Western-African fisheries.

COMPETITIVE PRICES WITHOUT COMPROMISE IN QUALITY

Complete range of high efficient trawl doors for demersal fishing, “off the seabed” semi-pelagic fishing and pelagic fishing.

Reykjavík, Iceland atlimarj@polardoors.com www.polardoors.com

36812 Redondela (Pontevedra) Spain Tel: +34 986 20 33 12

E-mail: info@grupoeurored.com Website: www.grupoeurored.com

Hi tech design and production of pelagic and bottom fishing trawl systems. Nets and deck material for tuna purse seiners, inshore fishing and longliners. Everything necessary for fishing activities:

MORGERE trawl doors, COTESI nets, ropes, mooring, BRIDON cable, flotation, CROSBY GROUP naval hardware, longline material, etc. Aquaculture integral supplies and installation of fish farming and Long Line production systems, OFFSHORE facilities. Eurored Directory.indd 1 30/09/2020 14:32

Thyborøn & Poly-Ice Trawldoors for all kinds of pelagic, semi-pelagic and demersal trawling with single, twin- and multipurpose rigging. All doors are “Made in Denmark” according to customer demands and wishes.

8, Sydhalevej, DK-7680 Thyborøn, Denmark mail@thyboron-trawldoor.dk www.trawldoor.dk

P.O. Box 19 FO-530 Fuglafjørõur Faroe Islands

P.O. Box 19

FO-530 Fuglafjørður

Faroe Islands

Tel: +298 474 200 Fax: +298 474 201

Email: info@vonin.com Web: www.vonin.com

Tel: +298 474 200 Fax: +298 474 201 E-mail: info@vonin.com Web: www.vonin.com

Contact: Bogi Non

Contact: Eystein Elttør

Vónin is a major supplier to the fishing fleet and aquaculture industry with branches in the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Canada, Denmark and Norway. Vónin manufactures pelagic trawls, semi pelagic trawl, shrimp trawls, bottom trawls, sorting grids, crab pots, net cages, mooring systems and net washing systems.

Manufacturer of pelagic trawls, semi-pelagic trawls, shrimp trawls, various bottom trawls, purse seine nets, fish farming nets and sorting grids. Vónin is a major supplier to the North Atlantic/Arctic fishing fleet. We have all accessories in stock.

WHAT IS BELOW SURFACE MUST BE ABOVE STANDARD.

GREEN PIN® AQUACULTURE RANGE

When you invest time to grow your fish, you want your cage farming system to stay secure. Even under extreme marine conditions. Your underwater cages and mooring system need shackles, chain and other mooring accessories that are below surface, but above standard. That is why the Green Pin® aquaculture range is the top choice for fish-farmers.

Find our full range on greenpin.com/aquaculture

WH E N SEAFOOD PROCESSI NG TAKES MORE THAN JUST A SU PPLI E R

Your trusted partner in seafood processing

We know how important it is to deliver equipment that works, in the most limited spaces – just as we know that nothing matters more to our customers than being able to count on high and reliable performance

This is why we’ve always been more than just a manufacturer As our customers’ experienced and trusted partner, we continue to do what we do best: world make the most of their catch ever y single day carsoe.com