Fish industry news

The sustainability of NE Atlantic mackerel is at risk as former decision making arrangements controlling the allocation of quota have been undermined. Unless the situation is resolved by the end of 2011, the unilateral quotas and increases in fishing activity will result in suspension of MSC-certification of fisheries committed to harvesting the stock sustainably, reports www.megafishnet.com

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has appointed Michael Griff as commercial manager for the retail sector. Griff brings more than 15 years of sales and marketing experience with consumer products companies. His primary responsibility will be to manage relationships with current retail partners and grow engagement in the MSC program by supermarkets and specialty retailers within the Americas region, reports www.megafishnet.com

Russian mackerel imports showed positive trends in the first quarter 2010, analysts of http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/) concluded after analyzing the Russia's Customs statistics.

The Spanish harvesting company Pesquera Ancora becomes a wholly owned subsidiary after Aker Seafoods recquired the remaining 40 percent share of the company. The acquisition is in accordance with the option contract entered into in 2007, reports www.megafishnet.com

MTY Food Group Inc. ("MTY" or the "Company"), franchisor and operator of 1,605 quick service restaurants, announced its results of operations for the quarter ended May 31, 2010. Net income for the quarter reached $3.8 million or $0.20 per share ($0.20 per fully diluted share), an increase of 31% compared to the second quarter of 2009 of $2.9 million or $0.15 per share ($0.15 per diluted share). The increase for the quarter is mainly attributed to stronger initial franchise fees and royalties generated by outlets opened in the last twelve months, reports www.megafishnet.com

The Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board representing approximately 3,000 commercial crab fishermen licensed by the state, has entered the Louisiana blue crab fishery into the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) certification program, which is recognized around the world for its rigorous, independent, environmental standard for the assessment of wild capture fisheries, reports www.megafishnet.com

Independent DNA tests on 240 random samples have shown that MSC certified fish continues to perform well in traceability tests. All of the samples showed that they came from the fish labelled on the pack and none of the products was mislabelled. These early results establish DNA analysis as a valuable tool in combating the fraudulent use of ecolabels. As a result, the MSC plans to expand the testing of species later this year, reports www.megafishnet.com

In the second half of the year 2010 Russia has emerged as a biggest importer of the Norwegian trout followed by China, reports www.megafishnet.com

Total catch of Icelandic vessels in June 2010 was 84,941 tonnes compared to 129,036 tonnes in June 2009, reports www.megafishnet.com

On July 12, NOAA expanded the closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico to include portions of the oil slick moving beyond the area's current northwestern boundary, off the Louisiana federal-state waterline. This boundary was moved westward of Holly Beach, La., and is approximately 17 statute miles from the Louisiana-Texas border, reports www.megafishnet.com

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced that he is raising fishing limits on several fish stocks based on new scientific analysis, delivering on a commitment he made to Northeast fishermen and members of Congress, reports www.megafishnet.com

HB Grandi's pelagic vessel Faxi RE docked in Vopnafjördur yesterday with a 400 tonnes payload of mostly mackerel that were caught on the Rose Garden grounds 130 nautical miles from Vopnafjördur. According to skipper Albert Sveinsson, they have been fishing well on mackerel, but trying to limit catches so that the amounts landed are suitable for production, reports www.megafishnet.com

Major mussel producers, including Nelson-based Sealord and Blenheim-based Aotearoa Seafoods, have formed a joint venture company to export to China, reports www.megafishnet.com

The misconception headlined in recent Sunday Times that ‘Fish stocks eaten to extinction by 2050' results primarily from a paper by Boris Worm published in 2006 and widely publicised at the time. In the intervening years Worm's 2050 claim has been extensively discussed and disputed - and in fact now withdrawn by its author, reports www.megafishnet.com

A brand new conference takes place in Grimsby next week (15 July) which will explore the challenges faced by the fishing and seafood industry in managing a sustainable future for the long term, reports www.megafishnet.com

A slow global economy hasn't significantly affected the market for surimi - the processed fish protein that is transformed into shellfish-flavored products - and seafood processors are pushing new products they say are healthy and delicious, reports www.megafishnet.com

Information concerning sale of mackerel for byers and fishing vessels of mackerel for consumption purpuses, reports www.megafishnet.com

SalMar has on July 8th 2010 agreed to acquire the share majority RaumaGruppen AS through purchase of 96.3% of the shares in Reistad Eiendom AS, a company holding 73.08% of the shares in RaumaGruppen AS, as well as purchase of 2.46% of the shares in RaumaGruppen AS directly from Bjarte Tunold. Reistad Eiendom AS has no activity other than the ownership in RaumaGruppen AS, reports www.megafishnet.com

Fieldwork begins for the annual Seafish Financial Report on the UK Fishing Fleet. Survey staff from Seafish will cover every region of the UK in the next couple of months, interviewing skippers and vessel owners as part of the study, reports www.megafishnet.com with reference to Seafish.

Claiming to feed over 50 species of aquaculture fish means Skretting has some less usual species on its list. Among the more interesting are wrasse and besugo or blackspot sea bream (Pagellus bogaraveo), both benefiting from European funding, reports www.megafishnet.com