Fish industry news

Vietnam is resuming exportation of pangasius catfish to the Russian Federation as of May 2010, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/

The Ministry of Fisheries has moved to assure seafood consumers that they can have confidence in the management of New Zealand's fisheries, reports www.megafishnet.com

Sanford Limited welcomed Maersk's decision to stop shipping illegal unregulated and unreported (IUU) fish on its container shipping vessels worldwide, reports www.megafishnet.com

Sales of fish and juveniles produced by the Group (biological sales) amounted to € 33.1 mi versus €24.9 mi. during the first 3 months of 2009, posting a growth of 33%. Total sales were stable at €40.3 mi due to a corresponding reduction of sales of merchandise and feed, reports www.megafishnet.com

Total debt of the Icelandic fishing industry (fishing and processing) is 543 billion ISK (Eur 3.4 billion based on the current rate of exchange), reports www.megafishnet.com

AKVA group has signed a contract for a turn-key delivery of salmon farm totalling NOK 18.8 million. The contract includes Wavemaster feed barge, Akvasmart feed system and Polarcirkel cages including nets and moorings and will be delivered during 2H 2010, reports www.megafishnet.com

Naturxan, LLC, a joint venture between Archer Daniels Midland Company and Igene Biotechnology, Inc., announced that it has completed an expansion of its production and distribution capabilities to provide worldwide availability of Aquasta®, a naturally sourced astaxanthin made from Phaffia yeast for enriching and pigmenting salmon and trout consuming aquaculture feeds, reports www.megafishnet.com

It is reported that brackish water shrimp farming area in Long An province in the first crop amounts to 3,467ha, equivalent to 57.78 percent of the year's plan, reports www.megafishnet.com

The results of an assessment carried out at HB Grandi's processing facilities at Nordurgardur in Reykjavík and at Akranes, as well as at the company's marketing division indicates that the company's quality standards are among the highest.The International Food Standard (IFS) certification has given both processing plants a 96% rating. IFS is the standard that the majority of European retailers agree is the one that has the most to say regarding hygiene and security of foodstuffs, as well as traceability, reliability of delivery and information about the product, reports www.megafishnet.com

HB Grandi's pelagic vessels have got off to a leisurely start on Atlanto-Scandian herring as Lundey NS arrived on fishing grounds 180 nautical miles north-east of Vopnafjoerdur at midday on Friday. Ingunn AK was scheduled to sail the same day and Faxi RE was expected to follow on Sunday, reports www.megafishnet.com

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) forecast in 2010 the Mekong Delta will export 600,000MT of Pangasius products, valued at US$1.5 billion, an increase of nearly US$160 million compared with 2009, reports www.megafishnet.com

Export of seafood products from Primorye (capital Vladivostok) to China in the 1Q increased twice, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/

The turnover of Russian seafood retail sector in 2009 considerably exceeded the results of the previous year, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/)

Pfizer Animal Health announced its acquisition of Microtek International, Inc., a recognized innovator in aquaculture vaccines, R&D and healthcare diagnostic services. The acquisition further expands Pfizer's commitment to a safe food supply from healthy beef and dairy cattle, swine, poultry and, now, fish, reports www.megafishnet.com

The Swedish Pelagic Producers Organisation (SPPO) North Sea herring fishery has been certified as sustainable under the Marine Stewardship Council standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. Products from this fishery will now be eligible to display the MSC ecolabel in the market place. Many North Sea herring fisheries have already obtained MSC certification and with the certification of this fishery, the whole Swedish quota for North Sea herring will now be caught and landed by MSC certified vessels, reports www.megafishnet.com

First consignment of automatic flow line NAG-501 for processing of salmonids has been supplied to Sakhalin-based salmon factories, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/ )

Dansk Supermarked A/S has entered into an agreement to sell its fully owned subsidiary Netto Foodstores Limited to Asda Stores Limited at a total consideration of GBP 778 million on a cash and debt free basis, reports www.megafishnet.com

US officials Tuesday expanded a fishing ban in the Gulf of Mexico by more than 8,000 square miles (20,000 square kilometers) amid a spreading oil slick, reports www.megafishnet.com

Macrae Edinburgh is celebrating its success at this year's Scotland Food and Drink Awards where the seafood manufacturer was named the winner of the Environmental Sustainability category thanks to it efforts to reduce impacts throughout its supply chain. The winners of the prestigious awards, which recognise those companies leading the way in enterprise, innovation and quality, were revealed at a ceremony held at the Benromach Distillery in Forres this month, reports www.megafishnet.com

Markets for most species continued to be difficult and slower than expected to return to normal levels, and with the continued high exchange rate, net returns remained lower than acceptable for most species. As a result of these difficult market conditions inventory increased in the six months by $7m to $57m at 31 March 2010, reports www.megafishnet.com