Fish industry news

High Liner Foods Incorporated announced that it has filed a notice with the Toronto Stock Exchange and received approval to purchase through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange up to 663,000 of the 13,271,809 issued and outstanding Common Shares, representing just under 5% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares as of December 15, 2010, and up to 93,840 of the 1,876,820 issued and outstanding Non-Voting Equity Shares, representing 5% of the issued and outstanding Non-Voting Equity Shares as of December 15, 2010, reports www.megafishnet.com

Expanding aquaculture and fish consumption in Australia and New Zealand prompted Skretting owner Nutreco to invest EUR 20 million to double the capacity of its feed plant in Tasmania. It is installing a second extruder line, and upgrading the existing line and site infrastructure, reports www.megafishnet.com

With TACs for most stocks under management in EU waters - and some of the most threatened stocks - up for a vote, the Council meeting on December 13-14, may be a decisive moment in a tug-of-war over sustainable fisheries between Commissioner Maria Damanaki and some dominant fishing powers that has slowly been building up this autumn, reports www.megafishnet.com

The French Matsuri has joined other sushi chains in UK and Switzerland by offering Friend of the Sea sustainable sushi, reports www.megafishnet.com

Total catch of Icelandic vessels in November 2010 was 83,811 tonnes compared to 85,698 tonnes in November 2009, reports www.megafishnet.com

Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership announced that it has signed an agreement to extend and partially settle maturing ISK denominated bonds with a principal value of ISK 480 million (ISK 936 billion or approximately Canadian $8.2 million including principal, adjustments for Consumer Price Index and accrued interest), reports www.megafishnet.com

Following a meeting between WWF Global Seafood Leader, Dr. Mark Powell, and the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Vietnamese industry representatives, agreement was reached on working together to achieve certified sustainable production of pangasius in Vietnam, reports www.megafishnet.com

This two-year project by MPEDA, NaCSA and NACA developed guidelines and methodologies for group certification and pilot tested it in three selected aqua societies in Andhra Pradesh, India, from January 2009 to December 2010, reports www.megafishnet.com

The ASEAN Foundation supported project Strengthening capacity of small holder ASEAN aquaculture farmers for competitive and sustainable aquaculture has been successfully implemented by NACA in five ASEAN countries. The project was conducted between May 2008 and August 2010 in Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. It assisted ASEAN small scale aquaculture farmers improve their livelihoods by being competitive in markets and improving farm management practices to deliver quality and sustainably produced aquaculture products, reports www.megafishnet.com

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced that while it remains interested in entering the Russian market through an attractive acquisition, it will close its Moscow office, reports www.megafishnet.com

The European Commission regrets the inability of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to agree on a new and effective approach to managing tropical tunas at its 7th annual meeting in Honolulu from 6 to 10 December, reports www.megafishnet.com

Ministers reached a political agreement on a regulation fixing for 2011 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks applicable in the Black Sea (17003/10) on the basis of a Presidency compromise, drawn up in agreement with the Commission, reports www.megafishnet.com

High Liner Foods Incorporated, a leading North American processor and marketer of superior quality seafood, announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition (news release dated December 10) of Viking Seafoods, Inc., for USD31.5 million subject to working capital adjustments, reports www.megafishnet.com

Bjorgulfur EA 312 arrived in Dalvik harbor on 13 December fully loaded with 115 tons of fish, reports www.megafishnet.com

A top Devon seafood processor is sourcing all of its scallops from Responsible Fishing Scheme (RFS) vessels after sponsoring four boats through the programme, according to Seafish, the authority on seafood, reports www.megafishnet.com

Icelandic Group has joined hands with Fish Fight, a campaign to end discards led by UK celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and supported by fellow chef Jamie Oliver. The campaign will bring widespread public support and pressure on the European legislators who must tackle this horrendous waste of resources within EU fisheries, reports www.megafishnet.com

In the first 10 months of 2010, Vietnam has exported 671 MT of mollusk to Israel - one of the biggest seafood markets in the Middle East, worth over US$3.1 million, up 84.5% in volume and 131.4% in value compared to the same period of 2009, reports www.megafishnet.com

Signing of a memorandum of understanding between the provincial and federal governments is a welcome next step in the transfer of aquaculture regulations to the federal government, said the BC Salmon Farmers Association, reports www.megafishnet.com

The Agriculture & Fisheries Council will meet in Brussels on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 December, reports www.megafishnet.com

The Commission responsible for managing tuna resources in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean has once again failed to take any effective action to conserve valuable big eye and yellowfin tunas, reports www.megafishnet.com