Seafood Headlines February 10, 2017
Arctic 2.0: What happens after all the ice goes?
Researchers look into the future of the far North for clues to save species and maybe even bring back sea ice.
As the Arctic slipped into the half-darkness of autumn last year, it seemed to enter the Twilight Zone. In the span of a few months, all manner of strange things happened.
The cap of sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean started to shrink when it should have been growing. Temperatures at the North Pole soared more than 20 °C above normal at times. And polar bears prowling the shorelines of Hudson Bay had a record number of run-ins with people while waiting for the water to freeze over.
It was a stark illustration of just how quickly climate change is reshaping the far north. And if last autumn was bizarre, it's the summers that have really got scientists worried. As early as 2030, researchers say, the Arctic Ocean could lose essentially all of its ice during the warmest months of the year — a radical transformation that would upend Arctic ecosystems and disrupt many northern communities. To read the full article click here. Source Nature International weekly journal of science.
Seafood groups pick up $5.9M tab for hatchery salmon research
Processors and seven hatcheries have agreed to pony up millions to keep an Alaska Department of Fish and Game research project going.
Pacific Seafood Processors Association and Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association Inc., committed $5.9 million to support the Wild/Hatchery Salmon Management Tools capital project.
The project is intended to fuel management decisions around Alaska’s 29 salmon hatcheries, as well as secure a more marketable reputation for Alaska hatchery stocks.
The program was originally started in 2012 as a collaboration between ADFG, the PSPA and private nonprofit hatcheries. To read the full article click here. Source Alaska Journal of Commerce.
Plant-Based Seafood Collider
With the problems of overfishing and fish farming reaching crisis levels, demand for plant-based fish products is on the rise. However, better and more affordable plant-based seafood products are needed to provide delicious and convenient alternatives to wild-caught and farmed fish.
In this Plant-Based Seafood Collider, students will uncover the components of flavor, texture, and aromatics that make fish a valued food for so many people. Students will work with experts in food chemistry and proteins to understand ‘what makes fish taste, smell, and cook like fish.” This key information will enable food chemists and chefs to seek out plant-based proteins that can replicate fish taste and texture. The students will collaborate with experts to collect this key information on fish flavor and texture and propose methods for finding plant-based versions of these characteristics. Students will investigate sensor technology, from similar tools to mass spectrometry to analyze flavor profiles, to textures sensors for use in replicating the delicate texture of fish. Using the information from their research into fish characteristics, and their new knowledge of sensors for deciphering this characteristic information, students will propose an R&D plan to find the most promising plant-based proteins and flavor and analysis tools to help create the next generation of sustainable, plant-based fish. To read the full article click here. Source Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology.
Sewage spill halts shellfish harvesting in Delaware Bay
In response to a massive sewage spill, Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is temporarily halting shellfish harvesting in the Delaware Bay.
While Kent County Public Works was conducting emergency repairs near Postlethwait Middle School, a back-up occurred, affecting a sewage pump station in Dover, which then discharged hundreds of thousands of gallons of untreated wastewater into the St. Jones River. This prompted concerns because the river empties into the Delaware Bay, where licensed fishermen can harvest oysters, clams and mussels commercially and recreationally. To read the full article click here. Source Delaware Public Media.
Fish Factor: Fellows program promotes salmon issues
Salmon is the heart of Alaska’s fisheries – it almost singlehandedly spawned the push for statehood nearly 60 years ago. A new Alaska Salmon Fellows program wants to make sure Alaskans are poised to “shape the future” of the cultural fish and it is investing in the people to do so.
In its call for applications, the Fellows program is described as a means to “facilitate demanding conversations about salmon issues among leaders from a cross section of salmon policy, management, industry, activism, research and cultural sectors.” To read the full article click here. Source The Cordova Times.
CIBA’s shrimp feed proves an instant hit among farmers
The indigenous brand of formulated shrimp feed for vannamei (Pacific white shrimp) developed by Chennai-based Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture’s (CIBA), is proving to be an instant hit with large-scale farmers and entrepreneurs in several aquaculture States like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala, including Tamil Nadu.
With the brand name Vannamei Plus, the CIBA-made feed is highly cost-effective and also matches the output of international brands. Recently, Prathipati Pulla Rao, Minister for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, has commercially launched the CIBA Vannamei Plus feed under National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA). To read the full article click here. Source The New Indian Express.
How Cooke Aquaculture Became a Big Fish from a Small Pond
Cooke Aquaculture started as a small salmon farm in New Brunswick’s Charlotte County.
Today, it’s an international business with a variety of different operations around the globe. Yet, the company has always been committed to being headquartered in New Brunswick.
We chatted with Cooke Aquaculture CEO Glenn Cooke about how the company went from a small-town start to accomplishing an impressive international trajectory: To read the full article click here. Source Huddle.
Venezuela Set to Export Fishing and Aquaculture Products to El Salvador
Los Angeles, February 8th 2017 (venezuelanalysis.com) - Venezuela and El Salvador signed bilateral cooperation agreements this week in Caracas. Venezuelan Minister of Fishing and Aquaculture ángel Belisario and Salvadoran Deputy Minister of Economy Luz Estrella Rodríguez celebrated the agreements which will result in Venezuela exporting fishing and aquaculture products to the Central American nation later this year.
Venezuelan exports to El Salvador are meant to "boost the Venezuelan economy and build a new productive economic model," the Bolivarian government declared in a statement. To read the full article click here. Source venezuelaanalysis.com.
Talk Highlights Role of New Technologies in Aquaculture & Fisheries
The Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies & Research at SQU today organized a talk on “Marine Biotechnology: Contribution to Sustainable Economy”, delivered by Dr. Madjid Delghandi, Senior Researcher, Centre of Excellence in Marine Biotechnology at SQU.
Oman has embarked on an ambitious path to expand and diversify the fishery through aquaculture – the farming of fish, molluscs, crustaceans and seaweed. In support of future aquaculture development in Oman, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth (MoAFW) has conducted extensive surveys of potential sites, developed a comprehensive guide to better management practices for Oman aquaculture, developed a national strategic plan and in collaboration with FAO and Sultan Qaboos University has published a critical review of food safety and environmental issues. To read the full article click here. Source Sultan Qaboos University.
Talking Point: Farming the future as well as the fish
I grew up farming cows, pigs and chickens and, like most farmers, the people who farm fish care deeply for the wellbeing of our animals and environment. We also are proud of the jobs we do and passionate about the industry we work in.
Our paddocks are sea pens that share Tasmania’s working waterways with other people and industries, and with nature itself, and all of us benefit from a healthy marine environment.
Fish farmers need this to raise the best stock; and our quality-conscious end consumers, cooks and diners want ethical and ecologically safe production as well as healthiness, convenience and affordability. To read the full article click here. Source The Mercury.
Hatchery Emptied as Oroville Dam Spillway Crumbles
California state workers are using tanker trucks to evacuate millions of baby native salmon from a fish hatchery threatened by the crumbling spillway of a major dam.
California Department of Water Resources officials say the torrents of mud, concrete and other debris from the Oroville Dam spillway on Thursday is threatening survival of the young salmon at the Feather River hatchery.
Hatchery managers plan to truck the hatchery’s young salmon to another holding point farther away from the dam. To read the full article click here. Source Fox 40.
Chile algal bloom kills 170,000 salmon, raising concern
An algal bloom killed some 170,000 salmon in recent days in Chile, the world's second-biggest exporter of the fish after Norway, as they were being transported by boat, raising concern about an industry that was devastated by an outbreak last year.
The current algal outbreak is not located near any of the salmon farms that dot southern Chile's coastline but has infested sections of the shipping lanes used by producers, the government's fisheries Sernapesca body told Reuters on Thursday. To read the full article click here. Source Reuters.
Evidence points to fish oil to fight asthma
University of Rochester Medical Center scientists have discovered new essential information about omega 3 fatty acids contained in fish oil and how they could be used for asthma patients.
In a paper published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation -- Insight, researchers using cell cultures from local asthma patients, found that:
Omega-3 fatty acid products can reduce the production of IgE, the antibodies that cause allergic reactions and asthma symptoms in people with milder cases of asthma;
But in patients with severe asthma who use high doses of oral steroids, the omega-3 fatty acids are less effective because the corticosteroids block the beneficial effects. To read the full article click here. Source Science Daily.
8 DISHES THAT WILL GET YOU HOOKED ON SUSTAINABILITY
t’s a confusing time for fish fans: on one hand, we’re being told to up our intake and pump ourselves full of omega-3s—but at the same time, environmental advocates are sounding the alarm of near-extinction for many sea species. If you find yourself struggling to navigate these choppy waters, take heart: more and more chefs are championing the diverse and delicious world of sustainable seafood. From a simple grilled fillet with a zippy sauce to a Southwestern surf ’n’ turf, we’ve reeled in recipes from our Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change alums (and from JBF Award winners around the web) that will appeal to both your taste buds and your conscience. To get the recipes click here. Source James Beard Foundation.
Cermaq ranked #1 in transparency benchmark of Top 100 seafood companies
Again, Cermaq has been rated as the most transparent company in the seafood business, providing customers with insight and building trust based on our leadership in sustainability.
Seafood Intelligence has released its report where the 100 largest seafood companies are rated for its transparency. To read the full article click here. Source Cermaq.
Council releases SAFE report for Pelagic Fisheries
The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has released the 2015 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region.
Pelagic fisheries are the single largest fishery sector in the region, accounting for more than 90 percent of the landings and value of commercial fish catches. To read the full article click here. Source Talanei News & more for America Samoa.
NMFS FISHERIES REGULATION POTENTIALLY AFFECTED BY TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER
President Donald Trump’s executive order directing all federal agencies to repeal two existing regulations for each new one is affecting the ability of the National Marine Fisheries Service to regulate the U.S. fishing industry, according to industry groups and two Democratic U.S. representatives.
According to a letter sent to President Trump by House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva and Water, Power, and Oceans Subcommittee Ranking Member Jared Huffman, the executive order will prevent NMFS from opening or closing commercial and recreational fishing seasons in federal waters; making in-season adjustments to conservation and management measures; or implementing new or revised fishery management plans without first seeking a waiver from the Trump administration. To read the full article click here. Source Saving Seafood.
BMR Group Achieves Four-Star BAP
Congratulations to BMR Group. Its feed mill, BMR Industries Private Ltd., has attained Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced in early February.
With the certification of its feed mill, BMR Group becomes the first vertically integrated company in India capable of offering four-star BAP shrimp. Four star is the highest designation in the BAP third-party certification program, denoting that a product originates from a BAP-certified feed mill, hatchery, farm and processing plant. BMR Group is the first in India that owns all four facility types to earn the distinction To read the full article click here. Source BAP.
MARKED RISE IN MAIN WHITEFISH STOCKS HIGHLIGHTED IN NEW REPORT
The extent to which spawning stock biomasses of most whitefish in Scottish waters have increased since the mid-2000s (at the same time as fishing mortality rates have declined), is vividly documented in the new report: ‘Trends in Scottish Fish Stocks 2016’ – researched and compiled by Dr Ian Napier, senior policy advisor at the NAFC Marine Centre, Scalloway, reports David Linkie.
Summarising the most recently published data from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) on the state of commercially important fish stocks in the waters around Scotland, the report clearly shows substantial increases in both demersal and pelagic stocks, as well as equally marked reductions in the level of exploitation; a trend that has steadily developed since the mid-2000s. To read the full article click here. Source Fishing News.
Bridging the Gap between Policy and Science in Assessing the Health Status of Marine Ecosystems
Human activities, both established and emerging, increasingly affect the provision of marine ecosystem services that deliver societal and economic benefits. Monitoring the status of marine ecosystems and determining how human activities change their capacity to sustain benefits for society requires an evidence-based Integrated Ecosystem Assessment approach that incorporates knowledge of ecosystem functioning and services). Although, there are diverse methods to assess the status of individual ecosystem components, none assesses the health of marine ecosystems holistically, integrating information from multiple ecosystem components. Similarly, while acknowledging the availability of several methods to measure single pressures and assess their impacts, evaluation of cumulative effects of multiple pressures remains scarce. To read the full article click here. Source Frontiers in Marine Science.