Daily Archives: March 17, 2020
Norwegian industry vows to keep seafood nation running amid Coronavirus chaos
Both wild fisheries and aquaculture are as food producers considered of critical importance to society. Together with the transport sector the seafood producers are aiming to keep up supply of Norwegian seafood both in Norway and abroad. On Saturday 14th March, the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries issued a formal letter identifying the value chain supporting food production and delivery as critical functions to society. In these difficult times it is important to keep society going, and ensure that everyone has access to healthy and nutritious foods, says Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, newly appointed Minister of Fisheries and Seafood in Norway. >click to read< 19:10
Tersan Shipyard has signed a new contract for a second freezer stern trawler
The new vessel will be among the world’s largest purpose-built factory trawlers and will trawl Alaska pollock in the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as herring, mackerel and pollock in the Pacific. The vessel is arranged for pelagic and semi-pelagic trawling, using two main trawl winches working in combination with ice trawl gallows and four large pelagic sweep line drums. The Skipsteknisk designed vessel will be 108 by 20 metres with accommodation for up to the 150 people on board,,, >click to read< 16:25
Coronavirus: Maine DMR Director Kelliher urges lobster industry to stop harvesting if there is no market
Patrick Kelliher, director of the state’s Department of Marine Resources, issued a call Monday for co-operation between fishermen and dealers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Harvesters and dealers must put aside their differences and must actively communicate with each other about the realities of the market,” Kelliher said in a notice posted on the department’s website. “Harvesters must refrain from landing products if there is no market for it. Dealers must refrain from buying product for which there is no market in order to minimize loss associated with inventory that can’t be sold.” Kelliher said he does not have the authority to close the lobster fishery, but he is working with Maine Gov. Janet Mills to “fully understand what authorities may — or may not exist.” >click to read< 13:46
Synthetic crustacean bait prepared for major evaluation in Nova Scotia
In early March 2020, Kepley BioSystems shipped several hundred synthetic crustacean baits for evaluation by a major lobster fishery in Canada under the leadership of industry experts, Clare Machine Works and Synergy Seafoods Limited. The effectiveness and palatability of the bait will also be studied in collaboration with the Université Sainte-Anne’s Marine Research Centre.,, This ecologically advanced approach would be made possible by a new formulation of OrganoBait™, an environmentally neutral blend of naturally occurring biochemicals found in wild fish baits and plant proteins that can attract lobsters and other crustaceans. >click to read< 10:53
Coronavirus: Fishermen cannot land their catch in France
The problem is not that boats are not able to land their catches, the issue is that restaurants in France, Italy and Spain have closed down, which has hit the demand for seafood. Fisherman Dougal Lane said it was very worrying. ‘The whole shellfish side of the industry has shut down, the crab and lobster boats, because the European market has crashed and, of course, the other market was China, so the market for shellfish has absolutely come to a standstill. >click to read< 10:04
Northern Shrimp Harvester Roland Genge questions science methodology, hoping for changes to quota rules
He’s seen the best the Newfoundland and Labrador fishery has had to offer over the past 42 years — and the worst. From buying a new boat in the 1980s, to the collapse of cod in 1992, to the rise of shrimp quotas and price, Roland Genge has taken the waves of the inshore fishery in stride. Now, the Anchor Point fisherman is concerned about last month’s shrimp assessments. “We’re going to be cut … every year on account of the way the survey is being done,” >click to read< 08:14
Tell Your Congressmen and Senators: Our US Fishing Industry Faces The Coronavirus Disaster
With the Coronavirus being spread around the world and nations reacting to this threat in many different ways, from doing nothing, to closing the borders and full quarantines, the unintended effects of such government actions have yet to be fully felt. Granted the stock market has lost 30% in value in just 3 weeks time, the average American really doesn’t feel that unless he is living on his investment returns. With the closing of schools, and restaurants and any places of public gatherings an enormous crisis is being created because many people are being put out of work and some of them may not have a business to come back to when the crisis is over. The Coronavirus may topple an empire if we let it. >click to read< 06:17
