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Poland becomes the 13th member of EUROFISH |
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Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:39 |
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 Poland became the 13th member of EUROFISH International Organisation when it deposited the Instrument of Ratification at FAO Headquarters in Rome on 21 June 2010. The country signed the Agreement for the Establishment of the International Organisation for the Development of Fisheries in Eastern and Central Europe in January 2009.
Poland joins the other Baltic Sea region states, adding weight to the presence of the Baltic region in EUROFISH. We warmly welcome Poland as a member of our organisation, says Carmen Rodriguez Muñoz, Spain, Chairperson of the Governing Council of EUROFISH. The organization has emerged as a key player in the post harvest fisheries and aquaculture sector since it was established in 2003 as a successor to the FAO-executed EASTFISH Project. Our role is to promote the fish processing and aquaculture industries in our member countries and to facilitate the development of trade opportunities both among our members, and between them and the rest of Europe, says Ms Muñoz. We work with our partners creating ways to get better value for traditional fisheries and aquaculture products, and disseminating information about new ones. Aina Afanasjeva, director of Eurofish says, Poland has a highly dynamic processing sector and a significant aquaculture industry and we look forward to developing and executing projects for the mutual benefit of Poland and our other members. A special coverage of the Polish fisheries sector in the August 2010 issue of the Eurofish Magazine will mark Poland’s membership of EUROFISH.
Eurofish now has 13 member countries. These are Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Turkey. |
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Norway: Strong export performance in salmon and whitefish in year to May |
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Tuesday, 10 August 2010 08:48 |
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Norwegian exports of seafood have set a new record in the period January to May 2010 when they increased by 16% to NOK19.9bn (EUR2.5bn), reports the Norwegian Seafood Export Council. It is the strong performance by Norwegian salmon and groundfish that has contributed to the increase in exports. Salmon exports at the end of May for the year to date went up by almost 30% to NOK11.1bn compared to the same period last year. In May alone export values increased by 26% with the average price per kilo of whole fresh salmon increasing by almost NOK5 to NOK39.91. France and Poland are the main importers of Norwegian salmon. Clipfish (salted and dried whitefish) exports are up 14% to NOK1.3bn for the year to May compared to the same period last year. This is the total figure for clipfish made with cod, tusk, ling and saithe. While exports of cod, tusk, and ling clipfish increased handsomely saithe clipfish recorded a slight decline. Salted fish exports also increased in the January to May period particularly to Portugal where they went up by almost 300% to NOK337m. However, markets in the Netherlands, Italy and France all showed less appetite for salted fish than the previous year.
The strong performance by salmon and whitefish exports more than made up for a decline in the exports of the small pelagics, herring and mackerel. Herring exports fell by 11% in value to NOK1.7bn while mackerel exports dropped by NOK129m to NOK472m a decline of 21%. Exports of herring to Russia at NOK512m make it the biggest importer of Norwegian herring, while Russia and Turkey are the biggest importers of mackerel. |
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Iceland: Icelandic seafood companies may be hit by changes in quota system |
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Monday, 09 August 2010 08:49 |
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A new report on the Iceland Seafood market released by Islandsbanki (available at www.islandsbanki.is/seafood) suggests that government plans to phase out the individually transferable system of fishing quotas could have an impact on industry profitability, says Foodnews. The ITQ system has lead to increasing consolidation of shares of the Icelandic total allowable catch (TAC) in the hands of the top 10 fishing companies, from 24% of the TAC in 1992 to 54% in 2009. The company HB Grandi hf was the biggest single quota holder with 11.1%, followed by Samherji and Brim with 7.6% and 5.4% respectively. According to the report this consolidation has contributed to greater profitability and larger and more diversified companies have been better able to withstand fluctuations in prices and catches. To finance the acquisition of quotas companies have taken on more debt over the last years. The bank’s analysis shows that the companies with the biggest quotas will probably be able to meet their commitments to their creditors. However if the government phases out the ITQ system this could have a negative impact on future revenue growth and profitability, says the bank. |
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Australia: International conference focuses on benefits of seafood for mental health |
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Sunday, 08 August 2010 11:08 |
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How to avoid an epidemic of mental illness and other brain disorders that experts warn will be the world’s largest single health problem within a decade is a focus of an international conference in Australia later this year. At a recent conference in London researchers described as the world’s foremost authorities in neuroscience and nutrition warned of "unthinkable health, social and fiscal consequences” unless there is increased consumption of DHA, an Omega-3 oil found most abundantly in seafood. Many of these researchers will gather again at the International Seafood & Health Conference (ISHC) in Melbourne in November. ISHC Chairman Mr Roy Palmer said the conference would pursue answers to many of the issues raised at the London event. One of the major issues discussed would be mental ill health and other brain disorders, which experts forecast will be the top two diseases in the world by 2020. To combat this they have called for a restoration of traditional fish and seafood consumption. Professor Michael Crawford, Director of the Institute of Brain Chemistry & Human Nutrition at London Metropolitan University, and patron of the Melbourne conference, is arguing for what he calls “action at the most fundamental level to circumvent the mental health epidemic facing our society,” said Mr Palmer. To discuss possible solutions to this looming problem state and federal health and fisheries ministers, and their senior bureaucrats, from Australia and elsewhere have been invited to the conference. Mr Palmer added, “at present, the major issue for western nations like Australia is simply lack of recognition by most people about the need to improve their diet with more DHA but, in future, issues of sustainability, supply and food security will come into play. The Melbourne conference comes at a critical time and potentially will have a very significant role in shaping major decisions surrounding nutrition and mental health worldwide over the next decade.”
The Melbourne conference has attracted a top level sponsor in Simplot Australia, the producer of well known brands such as Bird’s Eye, John West, and Seakist. Mr Callum Elder, Simplot Executive General Manager Quality and Innovation said seafood is one of nature’s most diverse, tasty and healthy foods, with an ever increasing body of scientific evidence clearly demonstrating the health benefits associated with regular consumption. As a member of the Australian Seafood Cooperative Research Centre, the company is funding leading edge clinical research with Australian universities and research centres on the health benefits of seafood with children, and the elderly.
More information about the conference is available at www.seafoodhealthconference.com |
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Brussels: Commission seeks public comment on action plan to reduce seabird catches |
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Sunday, 08 August 2010 08:47 |
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The European Commission is launching a public consultation to contribute to the proposed European Union action plan to limit the interaction between seabirds and fishing gear. This interaction often results in the death of the birds and at the same time reduces the profitability of the fishing operation. The action plan is based upon the outcome of an assessment carried out by ICES, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, that identified the main areas and the main fisheries that suffer from the problem. These include fisheries in the Mediterranean, North and Baltic seas and off the southwest of Ireland, that use longlines and gill nets. The Commission also represents the EU on the FAO’s Commission on Fisheries in all matters relating to the international plan of action to reduce the incidence of catches of seabirds on longlines, and has used this experience as well in the formulation of the proposed action plan. By opening the proposal to contributions from the public, the Commission hopes to gather the views of all the stakeholders involved. A study on the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the measures to reduce catches of seabirds in fishing gear will also be commissioned. The action plan will draw on both the study and the public consultation and is scheduled for adoption next year. |
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Norway: Oslo to host conference on marine ingredients |
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Tuesday, 10 August 2010 08:51 |
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The First International Marine Ingredients Conference Norway (MIC 2010) will address challenges and perspectives facing the international marine ingredient industry. Market trends, business opportunities for new products, new applications and new technologies will be addressed both by the industry and by science. Reputed speakers from all over the world have confirmed their presence. Marine ingredients are increasingly sought after for the health and welfare benefits that they offer. They are used in the development of bioactive and nutritional ingredients for use in foods, functional foods, food supplements, feed supplements, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Marine ingredients include not only the now well known omega-3 fatty acids, but also proteins, peptides, phospholipids, biopolymers and minerals. The conference will present international market trends and business opportunities for new products, applications and technologies, and will discuss some of the challenges facing the industry in terms of regulation, documentation, and the environment. The event will focus on the commercial aspects of the industry, but will also include developments in research and regulation. Norwegian companies are at the forefront of research in some of these areas and the event is supported by the industry and several Norwegian institutions. The conference will be held on 20 and 21 September 2010. More information is available at www.marineingredients2010.net |
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Hong Kong: Diversified expands into Asia with seafood show |
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Monday, 09 August 2010 12:04 |
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Diversified Business Communications organisers of the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels and the Boston Seafood Show in the US has now set its sights on Asia where it is launching the Asian Seafood Exposition in Hong Kong on 7-9 September 2010. “The high levels of the Asian market’s international seafood consumption and the ease of trade in and out of Hong Kong provide a clear opportunity to introduce an event with a focus on seafood products,” said Mary Larkin, who oversees Diversified's global seafood events, SeafoodSource.com, and SeaFood Business as Group Vice President. The event will offer an array of products and services to buyers from the Asian retail and food service sector. The new event will be launched together with Restaurant and Bar Hong Kong, a show for the hospitality sector. Fish and seafood are popular in Hong Kong. The average person consumes almost 26 kg per year according to the 2005-2007 food consumption survey of Hong Kong, a rate that, according to the WWF, has led to a steep decline in local fish stocks. Between 85 and 90% of the seafood consumed in Hong Kong is imported from more than 100 countries. With its new event Diversified will be trying to capitalise on this trade in seafood. Exhibitors will be displaying a range of fresh, packaged, and processed seafood, ready-made products and industry-related services. The event has already been endorsed by several regional trade associations including from Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Korea and Taiwan. And to add to the attraction entry is free for qualified buyers.
For more information about the event please visit www.asianseafoodexpo.com. |
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Denmark: Import volumes of fish into the EU increased by 20% in 2009 |
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Monday, 09 August 2010 08:47 |
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The EU is the world’s largest importer of fish and seafood by a huge margin. According to the FAO, in 2009 while Japan and the US each imported USD13bn dollars worth of fishery products, the figure for the EU was US39.5bn. Imports into the EU increased from 9bn tonnes in 2008 to 11bn tonnes in 2009. The Organisation for Danish Aquaculture has analysed the trends in imports of fish from Turkey, and pangasius from Viet Nam into the EU-27 over the period 2005 to 2009, based on data from Eurostat. Looking at European imports of fresh and frozen sea bass and sea bream from Turkey the data shows that imports peaked at about 16,000 tonnes in 2007 but then fell back to just over 14,000 tonnes in 2008 and 2009. Smoked trout imports have stayed stable at about 2000 tonnes from 2007 to 2009, while imports of frozen trout larger than 1 kg hovered around 2,000 tonnes up to 2008 but then jumped to about 5,000 t. Prices of all three products have stayed broadly stable over the period, with a slight increase for smoked trout and a slight decline for seabass and seabream.
Imports of frozen pangasius fillets into the EU grew explosively from less than 50,000 tonnes in 2005 to just over 200,000 tonnes in 2008. The growth in imports of the fish slowed considerably in 2009, but still recorded an increase. Between 2006 and 2008 the price per kilo dropped sharply from EUR2.3 to just over EUR1.8. |
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Croatia: Offshore mariculture to play a vital role in ensuring future seafood supplies |
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Sunday, 08 August 2010 08:54 |
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Global per capita consumption of fish has been increasing steadily from an average of 11.5kg during the 1970s, 12.5kg in the 1980s to 14.4kg in the 1990s. Consumption in the 21st century has continued to grow and preliminary figures from the FAO for 2007 and 2008 show a new increase to 17.1kg per capita. At the same time capture fisheries production has been about 90 million tonnes for each of the last fifteen years and chances of this increasing are remote. The source of growth in fish production is the freshwater and marine aquaculture industry which has been growing at 10% a year for the past 20 years. In 2008 aquaculture production was 53m tonnes, a volume that is expected to increase to almost 120m tonnes by 2020.
However, while the production of fish and seafood from aquaculture is expected to increase in the future, the industry is also facing a number of constraints that hamper growth. At the recently concluded offshore mariculture conference in Croatia delegates heard that one of the main problems is the lack of space for the industry to develop due to competition with other sectors including tourism, energy, as well as the proliferation of marine protected areas. One possible solution has been to move the industry offshore as has now become mandatory in Turkey. While this increases costs, delegates also heard of the advantages including faster growing times, improved product quality, less environmental impacts and reduced risk of disease outbreaks. Other speakers at the conference discussed how marine aquaculture could coexist and even mutually benefit from other industries. |
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Russia: Second Interfish Exhibition to include aquaculture conference |
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Saturday, 07 August 2010 11:09 |
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The second edition of the Interfish Exhibition will be held in Moscow on 26-29 October 2010. The event will feature a comprehensive programme of conferences, panel discussions with senior officers from the Federal Agency for Fisheries, a business forum, and seminars, alongside a conventional exhibition for the fisheries, aquaculture, and fish processing industries. This year the the business forum envisages an open dialogue between representatives from industry, business and research, as well as the administration. Among the most urgent issues on the agenda are: State support to the shipbuilding industry, innovative projects, specialized credit, leasing and insurance program, infrastructure, logistics, as well as international standards. With the expected participation of international delegates from both industry and governments the event will encourage the building of relationships, and attract domestic and foreign investment flows. The event is being co-organised by the Federal Agency for Fisheries of the Russian Federation and Steraya Krepost, an event organiser. The involvement of the Federal Agency will ensure a unique insight into the Russian fisheries and aquaculture industries as they exist today and how they are likely to evolve in the future. Further information is available at www.interfish-expo.ru. |
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