Fish industry news

"I've visited more than a score of large fish processing factories in China. Not all the largest ones, but most of them". That is how one of Russian fish industry professionals started his talk with http://www.megafishnet.com/ on this highly interesting subject for the seafood community.

Every now and then the Russian fishermen ask themselves why their American counterparts harvest fish and Pollock in particular more efficiently. The answer is quite simple - the APO fisheries in US and in Russia pursue different goals. This is the conclusion made by Russian fishery professionals who shared their vision with http://www.megafishnet.com/

FAO Committee notes progress although major issues still need to be tackled, reports www.megafishnet.com

Nutreco announced that its share buy-back programme for 650,000 shares (approximately EUR 35 million) starts on 11 February 2011. The share buy-back programme will be executed with the purpose to cover future stock dividends and employee stock plans, reports www.megafishnet.com

On 17 February and for the second year running, Carrefour will host Les Jours Bleus - a high-impact in-store campaign organised in partnership with two leading seafood brands Findus and Labeyrie, reports www.megafishnet.com

AgriMarine Holdings Inc., the leader in floating closed containment technology and production for sustainable aquaculture, announces that it has entered into a letter of intent to purchase all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Middle Bay Properties Inc. from Theanon Charitable Foundation MBPI's sole shareholder. The proposed transaction is subject to due diligence and certain conditions, including but not limited to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, reports www.megafishnet.com

Russian fishermen summarized the results of fishing operations in the seas of Russian Far East in January 2011, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/

Retailers and producers from around the globe have joined forces to develop GLOBALG.A.P., reports www.megafishnet.com

The value of exports of Norwegian seafood in January totalled NOK 4.2 billion. This is an increase of NOK 684 million or 19% compared to January 2010, reports http://www.megafishnet.com

Exports of Norwegian Salmon in January totalled NOK 2.4 billion, according to the latest figures from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council. This is the highest export value ever registered for the month of January and represents an increase of NOK 587 million or 33% compared to January 2010. At the same time, the volume of exports increased by 1% to 56,000 tonnes, reports http://www.megafishnet.com

Revenue EUR 4,939.7 million; increase of 9.5%, reports www.megafishnet.com

The Board of Directors in Marine Harvest ASA has resolved to offer those of its shareholders who, as of 8 February 2011, own less than 1,000 shares to purchase these for a price per share equal to the volume weighted average price for the company's shares on 9 February 2011, reports www.megafishnet.com

Information provided by the German authorities reveals that contaminated poultry feed, intended for laying hens, was supplied to a Danish and a French firm. Originally it was not known that the feed had been supplied to countries beyond Germany. The German authorities also maintain that the fat was not exported to other countries as a feed material. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has been in contact with the Norwegian animal feed industry, which confirms that Norwegian firms are neither importing the fat ingredient nor compound feed for food-producing terrestrial animals or farmed fish linked to the German manufacturer of feed fats, reports www.megafishnet.com

More research into sea lice and the effect they have on wild salmon is both important and necessary as the province and country looks to the protection of Pacific Salmon stocks, said BC's salmon farmers, reports www.megafishnet.com

Legislation recently signed by President Obama has paved the way for NOAA to move ahead to increase the Georges Bank yellowtail flounder quota for U.S. commercial fishermen in 2011. The quota will be increased to 2.5 million pounds, an 18 percent increase over 2010 levels and a 44 percent increase over the quota that fishermen originally expected to receive for the 2011 fishing year, reports www.megafishnet.com

The UK's most comprehensive industry group tackling the problem of discarding fish, the Discard Action Group (DAG), committed to a new plan of intense activity, at its meeting in London yesterday (Tuesday 8 February, 2011), reports www.megafishnet.com

In January, exports of groundfish including clipfish, salted fish and stockfish totalled NOK 809 million. This is a reduction of 1% or NOK 9.6 million compared to January 2010. Exports of fresh and frozen products increased, while there was a reduction in exports of clipfish to Brazil, reports www.megafishnet.com

The Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group (SPSG) has entered its West of Scotland herring pelagic trawl fishery into MSC assessment. If the fishery is successful, it will mean that all of the SPSG's key landings will be MSC certified, reports www.megafishnet.com

February 2, 2011 Contessa Premium Foods, Inc. received U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval of its agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. permitting the continued funding of Contessa's operations while in Chapter 11. Chief Bankruptcy Judge Peter Carroll approved the agreement, along with all of Contessa's other "first day motions," at a hearing in Los Angeles on Monday, January 31, 2011. "The agreement with Wells Fargo provides adequate liquidity for normal operations to continue without any disruptions to our customers, vendors and employees," said John Z. Blazevich, Contessa's chief executive officer, reports www.megafishnet.com

By using fish bones as a source of phosphorus in salmon feed, the salmon grow better, the skeleton becomes stronger and the environment is spared unnecessary pollution, reports www.megafishnet.com