Saving Seafood

International & Trade

Access Granted to Chile’s Salmon Farming Antibiotic Use Info

CHILE — September 14, 2015 — Oceana has been granted access to information on Chile’s salmon farming antibiotic use between 2009 and 2013, following a unanimous ruling by Santiago’s Court of Appeals.

“We are pleased to hear the reversal of an incorrect ruling by the Transparency Council. Clearly, this is public information as it allows people to make decisions on fundamental issues, such as health and the environment, in addition to making scrutiny on whether the Government is effectively controlling this industry or not,” stated Alex Muñoz, Vice President for Oceana in Chile.

In July 2014, Oceana resorted to the Transparency Council after 50 salmon farms refused to reveal the amount and type of antibiotics used by them, on the grounds that this would entail “a competitive and commercial risk.”

The Transparency Council agreed with the salmon farms and declared that the National Fishery Service is not required to reveal disaggregated figures.

Read the full story from The Fish Site

Consumers and Lawmakers Take Steps to End Forced Labor in Fishing

WASHINGTON — September 13, 2015 — Federal lawmakers, State Department officials, fishing and pet food companies, and class-action lawyers are stepping up efforts to combat forced labor at sea.

Last week, a group of consumers filed a class-action lawsuit in California against Mars, accusing the company, among the biggest producers of seafood-based pet food in the world, of failing to disclose its dependence on forced labor. A similar lawsuit was filed in late August against Nestlé, also a major producer of seafood-based pet food.

Several lawmakers have also begun trying to address the problem. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, proposed legislation in August aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in corporate supply chains. The bill requires larger companies to report in their financial filings what they are doing to prevent the use of trafficked workers.

Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, Democrat of New York, who introduced similar legislation in the House,  sent a letter last week to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, which monitors the oceans, urging the agency to focus not just on illegal fishing but also on preventing “trafficking and slavery in the fishing industry.”

Industry Looks to Future on Final Day of World Seafood Congress

September 10, 2015 — On its final day, the congress’ program focused on the future, with keynote speaker Chris Grieve, executive director at Meridian Prime, opening the session by looking closely at the opportunities and challenges facing the industry in the 21st century. Chris also examined the need for skills and training to help ensure sustainable practices are implemented as the industry moves forward.

This forward-looking theme was continued throughout the day, with a number of sessions on sustainability, future product opportunities and the developments taking place among international fisheries.

Read the full story at The Fish Site

 

NORWAY: Oil spill dispersants do not increase cod exposure to toxins

September 9, 2015 — NORWAY — A recent study found that using dispersants moderately decreased the number of cod eggs and larvae affected by spills off the Norwegian coast.

Oil spills at sea can be catastrophic events, with oil and discharged toxins, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, threatening marine wildlife and coastlines, damaging healthy ecosystems and harming livelihoods, reports Science for Environment Policy.

Efforts to stop widespread damage from oil spills typically involve burning or collecting surface spills, or using dispersants. Dispersants are chemicals that help to break up the oil into smaller droplets, reducing or preventing the ascent of oil droplets from seabed spills, enhancing the mixing of the oil into the water column and making it easier for naturally occurring bacteria to break it down.

The use of dispersants has been controversial, particularly as earlier types were sometimes more environmentally damaging than the oil itself. Newer types of dispersants though are considered less toxic to the environment and are useful in preventing oil slicks travelling to sensitive areas, such as fish spawning grounds or places where there are stationary organisms, like mussels, which cannot escape.

Fish eggs and larvae are highly sensitive to oil toxins, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Using dispersants to break up surface slicks increases the concentration of total PAHs (TPAHs) in the water column where the cod eggs and larvae are found, which may increase the toxic effects of an oil spill.

Read the full story at FIS

Cod bones from Mary Rose reveal globalised fish trade in Tudor England

September 9, 2015 — New stable isotope and ancient DNA analysis of the bones of stored cod provisions recovered from the wreck of the Tudor warship Mary Rose, which sank off the coast of southern England in 1545, has revealed that the fish in the ship’s stores had been caught in surprisingly distant waters: the northern North Sea and the fishing grounds of Iceland – despite England having well developed local fisheries by the 16th century.

Test results from one of the sample bones has led archaeologists to suspect that some of the stored cod came from as far away as Newfoundland in eastern Canada.

The research team say that the findings show how naval provisioning played an important role in the early expansion of the fish trade overseas, and how that expansion helped fuel the growth of the English navy. Commercial exploitation of fish and the growth of naval sea power were “mutually reinforcing aspects of globalisation” in Renaissance Europe, they say.

“The findings contribute to the idea that the demand for preserved fish was exceeding the supply that local English and Irish fisheries were able to provide in order to feed growing – and increasingly urban – populations. We know from these bones that one of the sources of demand was naval provisions,” said Dr James Barrett, from the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge.

“The existence and development of globalised fisheries was one of the things that made the growth of the navy possible. The navy was a key mechanism of maritime expansion, while at the same time being sustained by that expansion. The story of the cod trade is a microcosm of globalisation during this pivotal period that marked the beginning of an organised English navy, which would go on to become the Royal Navy,” he said.

Read the full story from the University of Cambridge

 

Fishing pirates flee Thailand in black-listed boat

Bangkok, Thailand — September 9, 2015 — A notorious black-listed fishing vessel has broken free of Thai naval authorities off the Thai resort island of Phuket and sailed into international waters.

Thai officials say the rusting and decrepit 625-ton Taisan has left behind unpaid bills of  $US66,000 ($94,000) and has on board millions of dollars worth of illegally caught fish.

Thai authorities met on Wednesday to decide whether to send a navy ship in pursuit.

“We blinked and the ship was gone,” Charoen Chamniklang, chief of the Royal Thai Customs and investigation suppression bureau told Phuketwan​ news.

In January the New Zealand navy said the ship, then called the Kunlun, used “evasive tactics” to thwart boarding attempts in Antarctic waters.

Read the full story from The Sydney Morning Herald

World Seafood Congress Kicks Off in Grimsby

September 9, 2015 — The following was released by the World Seafood Congress:

The congress, held at the Grimsby Institute, was opened by Timothy Hansen, president of IAFI and Dr Paul Williams, chief executive of Seafish, the industry authority hosting this year’s event. The morning session saw a selection of talks centred on the topics of sustainability, trade and skills chaired by key industry figures including Brian Young, chief executive at the British Frozen Food Federation, Ivan Jaines-White, Grimsby Seafood Village and George Krawiec from Seafood Grimsby and Humber.

As part of these sessions, special attention was given to the UK’s continued success in training the next generation of fish friers. Richard Wardell, training and accreditation manager at the National Federation of Fish Friers spoke to delegates about the development opportunities available to UK fish and chip shops, explaining how investment in training can help improve sales for many establishments. Following this, Rachel Tweedale, winner of 2014 Drywhite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award, explained how the competition helps aspiring young people develop key industry skills and knowledge.

In the afternoon, delegates were treated to a range of speeches from an international perspective including a special session on the view from emerging seafood markets from Dr Sevin Kose at the Karadeniz Technical University, who examined seafood trade in the Turkish Black Sea region, while Sujeew Ariyawansa at the UNUFTP discussed the microbiological quality of exported seafood in Sri Lanka.

Read the full release from the World Seafood Congress

 

Delegates descend on Grimsby, UK for World Seafood Congress

September 6, 2015 — Hundreds of delegates have arrived in Grimsby ahead of the World Seafood Congress.

More than two years of preparation for the prestigious hosting has come to life, with a special welcome at Cleethorpes Pier tonight.

It was held just days after the multi-million pound overhaul of the iconic venue was completed, with the resort basking in late summer sunshine as international guests descended from around the globe.

Visitors include academics, government representatives and business leaders, with all parts of the critical UK seafood supply chain that the town is at the centre of, attending.

Taking to the stage, Councillor Ray Oxby, leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, spoke of the pride at hosting the World Seafood Congress, and underlined the area’s credentials. He said: “Grimsby feeds our nation with seafood. Our seafood cluster is a multi-million pound success story, not just in the UK but across the globe.

“I formally welcome you to North East Lincolnshire, the seafood capital of the nation.”

Read the full story at The Grimsby Telegraph

 

Historical Arctic Logbooks Provide Insights into Past Diets and Climatic Responses of Cod

September 7, 2015 — UK fisheries survey logbooks from the 1930s to 1950s have been digitised for the first time, revealing how cod responded to changing temperatures in the last century.

Scientists at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the University of Exeter found that at the time, the warm seas experienced around Norway benefitted the cod, similar to the conditions there today.

Most cod eaten by the UK comes from northern seas including the Barents Sea around Norway, because the stocks there at the moment are at record highs. Cod stocks were also big in the middle of the last century, and this new research, published in PLOS ONE, reveals that the environmental conditions at the time contributed to the change. Cod diet data reveals that their food preferences each year, between capelin, herring, crustaceans and cod cannibalism, were also affected by their environment.

Cefas holds many records from historical survey cruises, many of them in the form of paper log books. A recent programme of work concentrated on cataloguing and digitising these documents, where possible, to ensure that they are not lost and can be made freely available. More of Cefas’ data, with the exception of data owned by industry, will continue to be made available over this year.

Read the full story here

 

South Korea Boat Tragedy: 10 Dead, 8 Missing After Fishing Boat Capsizes

September 6, 2015 — SOUTH KOREA — At least 10 people died and eight others are missing after a boat carrying anglers on a fishing trip off the southern coast of South Korea capsized. According to the New York Times, three people were rescued from the boat and were flown to a hospital. Their injuries are not of life-threatening nature, the report confirmed. An ABC News report adds that several ships have reached the spot of the mishap and have started rescue operations.

The boat involved in the mishap was a 9.8-ton boat named Dolphin. The boat lost communication with another boat on Saturday evening. The capsized boat was found on Sunday morning near the island of Jeju.

The circumstances under which the boat capsized have not been revealed yet. However, according to a rescued survivor, the mishap occurred at night after it got entangled inside nets for fish farms. The man, identified only by his surname, Park, said that he was awoken by the noise inside the ship as it capsized. He also heard the captain telling people to get out of the boat as it was filling with water. According to Korean Coast Guard officials, several people clung on to the boat for over 10 hours. However, many of them were swept away by the strong currents.

Read the full story at the Inquisitor