Today we pay tribute to the fishers of the #Maldives as they celebrate Fisherman's Day. Small-scale fisheries represent the beating heart of the local economy and we are honoured to be their partner in #poleandline #onebyonetuna. @dhimasverin @ensisgroup @mifcomv @horizon_pvt pic.twitter.com/k4eOZoJujW

— Int Pole & Line Fdn (@IPNLF) December 10, 2019

Norwegian fishing company Gerda Marie AS is about to take delivery of Peterhead pelagic vessel Kings Cross.

Kings Cross will replace the old Gerda Marie, which was built in 1986 and which the company acquired in 1989. Kings Cross is currently at the Karstensen yard in Skagen being prepared to join the Norwegian registry.

One of the few Scottish vessels rigged for both trawling and purse seining, Kings Cross was built at Karstensens Skibsværft in 2016 for Lunar Fishing Company and the Wiseman Fishing Company in Peterhead.

Built to the yard’s own design, Kings Cross has a 78.65 metre overall length and a 15.60 metre beam. It has a 5220kW Wärtsila 9L32E2 main engine driving a 4200mm diameter propeller, and a sophisticated energy management system. Tank capacity on board is 2500 cubic metres, chilled by a 2x1300kW RSW plant. The package of deck equipment is from Karmøy Winch.

Source: Fisker Forum

High on the Chilcotin plateau in British Columbia’s Interior, the chief of a local First Nation says the traditional diet of its members is threatened by a landslide more than 150 kilometre away.

Tl’etinqox Chief Joe Alphonse, who also represents five other local nations as tribal chairman of the Tsilhqot’in National Government, says Fraser River tributaries once teeming with salmon have shown paltry returns since the Big Bar landslide was discovered in June.

“On a good year, you can run across the river on the backs of sockeye, that’s how thick our rivers are. And bright, bright, bright almost fluorescent orange colour, it’s an awesome sight,” he said.

Source: Globe and Mail

If you want to know what fishery products are exported or imported, when and where, what is consumed and by whom, what are the main trends of the European fisheries and aquaculture sector, then have a look at the newly released EU Fish market annual report. The 2019 edition provides analyses of landings, import and export origins and destinations, along with an overview of how EU Member States’ fisheries and aquaculture sectors fit into the global picture.

How much fish do Europeans eat per year? Which are the 3 countries which consume most fish and seafood and which consume the least?

Consumption of fish and seafood in the EU was estimated at 24.35 kg per capita in 2017. On average, EU citizens ate half a kilo less compared to the previous year. Portugal remains the absolute champion in terms of per capita consumption. In 2017, the Portuguese ate 56.8 kg of fish and seafood per capita, which is more than twice the EU level. After Portugal, Spain and Malta are the countries in which most fish and seafood is eaten. Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania registered the lowest level in the EU in terms of per capita consumption. Compared with 2016, the most significant decrease in absolute terms concerned Luxembourg (-2.6 kg per capita) while the most notable growth was observed in Belgium (+2.3 kg per capita).

Source: European Commission

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, has indicated that Ghana has recorded a bumper harvest of fish in 2019.

Cold stores, she said, are not even enough to hold the fish glut.

The minister said this when she accompanied President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to present some 6,336 outboard motors and other fishing equipment to fisherfolk along the coast on Tuesday, 3 December 2019.

Source: Ghana Web

SERDANG - Ninety per cent of the country's waters is now free from intrusion by foreign fishing boats since an operation code-named “Op Naga” was launched last April, said Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.

He said during the period, 160 foreign fishing boats were detained in the South China Sea and the Straits of Melaka, resulting in a significant increase in catches of local fishermen on the East Coast and the West Coast.

"The operation is not limited to detaining foreign fishing boats but also to prevent the use of fishing equipment such as dragon fish traps that can destroy the marine ecosystem," he told a press conference after opening a dialogue on the national fisheries industry here today.

Source: Bernama

New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today.

Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an International Maritime convention for the prevention of pollution from ships.

"Joining this convention will improve the health and environmental impact of shipping emissions, particularly around our port communities.

Source: Voxy

The initiative includes the launch of a national brand, simply called Russian Fish, which will be launched on to the international market.

Both the industry and the Russian government say they are working together on the project, which will include a high profile presence at various global seafood fairs and exhibitions.

The Russian Fish plan was presented during the recent China Fisheries and Seafood Expo 2019, Asia’s largest industry exhibition.

Source: Fish Farmer Magazine

SAVANNAH, Ga. — From the surface, these 22 square miles of water are unexceptional.

But dip beneath the surface — go down 60 or 70 feet — and you’ll find a spectacular seascape. Sponges, barnacles and tube worms cover rocky ledges on the ocean floor, forming a “live bottom.”

Gray’s Reef is little more than a drop in the ocean 19 miles off the Georgia coast, but don’t confuse size for significance. In one of his last official acts, President Jimmy Carter declared the reef a national marine sanctuary at the urging of conservationists who said its abundance of life was unique and worth saving for future generations.

Source: The Washington Post

Tuna season, which falls between October and mid-January, and picks up again between April and May, sees the local market being bombarded with tuna at a giveaway price. Despite the illegal trade of recreationally caught fish, recreational catches will sell between R25/kg to R40/kg per fish, presenting itself as a favourable option to local restaurateurs, some of whom become reluctant to pay between R75/kg to R95/kg for quality, legally caught tuna.

“Unfortunately some restaurants choose the illegal route rather than supporting those that go above and beyond to operate within the law and produce a high end product for the consumer,” explains Kurt Hill, operations director at Cape Fish located in Paarden Eiland.

Identified as a key contributor to the problem are the local, annual tuna competitions, where recreational anglers and vessel owners enjoy large catches of tuna – the surplus which is sold into the market at a reduced price to make a profit, undercutting commercial fisheries.

Source: Cape Business News