Fish industry news

High Liner Foods Incorporated, a leading North American processor and marketer of superior quality seafood, announced that the company has plans to acquire Viking Seafoods, Inc., a value-added foodservice company based in Malden, Massachusetts. The transaction is expected to close within the next week, subject to High Liner's completion of its due diligence process, final board approval and finalization of a formal purchase agreement, reports www.megafishnet.com

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) has cancelled temporary restrictions for seafood importation from Canadian plants, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ / (https://www.fishnet.ru/ )

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) has cancelled strengthened laboratory control for fish, fish products from Norwegian plants, reports http://www.megafishnet.com

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) seeks nominations for the expansion of its Supervisory Board and a permanent CEO for the next phase of its development, reports www.megafishnet.com

Hendrix Genetics and Lithgows Limited have signed a Letter of Intent for Hendrix Genetics to acquire Landcatch & LNS (Landcatch Natural Selection) from Lithgows Limited, reports www.megafishnet.com

Exports of groundfish from Norway in November totalled NOK 1.1 billion, which marks a new November export record. Exports were up in value by 32% or NOK 270 million compared to the same month last year. The volume of exports increased by 16% or 5,113 tonnes to a total of 37,929 tonnes, according to the latest figures from the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, reports www.megafishnet.com

Exports of Norwegian Salmon in November totalled NOK 3.1 billion, showing an impressive growth rate of 38% or NOK 853 million compared to November 2009. The record figure for Norwegian Salmon exports set just one month previously was beaten by NOK 66 million, reports www.megafishnet.com

High Liner Foods Incorporated, a leading value-added frozen seafood company, today announced that is has reached an agreement in principle to acquire a value-added foodservices company based in North America with annual revenues of approximately CDN$40 million, reports www.megafishnet.com

The breeding of tra fish in Vietnam has been stringently monitored, from the establishment of farms, water supply and treatment of waste water, breeding fish, managing feeds and quality of fry, through to the processing phase, a senior fisheries official said, reports www.megafishnet.com

Decline of salmon catches in 2010 has resulted into a rise of salmon prices in Russia. Pink salmon has been appreciating in the USA as well, though this year the US fishermen have reported larger catches of the species, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/)

Pacific Andes Resources Development (PARD) has announced the acquisition of a 19.76% stake in ASX-listed Tassal Group Limited (Tassal) for A$51.7m (or S$67m), reports www.megafishnet.com

Product line under the exclusive label of O'More owned by the Ukrainian EKO-market retail chain has been expanded by high quality fish snacks, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/)

A diet rich in shellfish such as mussels and oysters could hold the key to preventing blindness among thousands of elderly, according to new research, reports www.megafishnet.com

In January-October 2010 fish businesses of Belarus produced seafood products at the total value of 722.7 billion Br, 10.7% up on the corresponding result of 2010, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/)

Alaska's 2010 salmon season began on May 13th and ran through the month of October, reports www.megafishnet.com

Ingunn AK docked at Vopnafjordur with 750 tonnes of capelin late last night. According to plant manager Magnus Robertsson at Vopnafjördur, the largest grades have been graded out and production was expected to be complete late this evening, reports www.megafishnet.com

NOAA's Fisheries Service today issued its final interim rule to reduce commercial fishing for groundfish stocks in the Aleutian Islands in an effort to provide more food for the endangered western Steller sea lion, reports www.megafishnet.com

MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certificate holders now have confirmation of the option to combine future audits of their compliance with the MSC standard with audits of certain food safety standards, following the MSC's benchmarking project, reports www.megafishnet.com

In early December 2010 scientists from Vladivostok-based TINRO-Centre fishery research institute have gathered to discuss results of stock surveys in the seas of the Russian Far East Basin, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (http://www.fishnet.com/)

The Argentine anchovy (Engraulis anchoita), management unit Bonaerense, semi-pelagic mid-water trawl net fishery operating in the area administrated by the Joint Technical Commission of the Maritime Front (CTMFM) and north of 41ºS in the Argentine Sea, today entered full assessment in the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) certification program for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. The fishery will be assessed by an independent certifier against the MSC standard for sustainable fishing. If successful, products from this fishery will be eligible to bear the blue MSC ecolabel, reports www.megafishnet.com