Saving Seafood

Ukraine war compensation coming for EU fisheries, aquaculture

July 7, 2022 — The European Parliament will provide financial help to European Union fisheries and aquaculture sectors struggling with the economic consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including giving compensation to those who have had to stop operating or whose economic viability is threatened.

On Wednesday, 6 July, 2022, Members of European Parliament (MEPs) adopted a measure to support fishers who have had to cease their activities due to the war in Ukraine as well as producers and fishing and aquaculture operators whose activities have been disrupted as a consequence of the conflict.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Southern Shrimp Alliance wants US to maintain tariffs on Chinese imports

July 5, 2022 — The Southern Shrimp Alliance has called on the U.S. government to continue a 25 percent tariff on Chinese seafood imports, saying the additional levy has helped domestic producers “compete on a more-level playing field.”

The trade organization made its stance known in a Thursday, 30 June letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. Four years ago, former U.S. President Donald Trump implemented Section 301 tariffs on an array of Chinese goods in response to that country’s policies regarding intellectual property and technology transfer. The U.S. government is currently conducting a two-phase review of the action, with Tuesday, 5 July the cutoff date for comments.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

‘Talk with us, not for us’: fishing communities accuse UN of ignoring their voices

July 1, 2022 — Small-scale fishermen and women from coastal nations in the frontline of the “ocean emergency” have accused world leaders and other decision-makers at the UN oceans conference of ignoring their voices in favour of corporate interests.

More than half of the world’s fish caught for human consumption comes from small-scale fishing communities, yet their contribution to food security and ocean protection is not being sufficiently recognised, they say.

Suzanne Njeri, from Kenya, vice-president of the African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network, which has members from 44 out of 54 African countries, said coastal fishing communities needed “a seat at the table” and were too often sidelined.

“We want policymakers to talk with us, not for us,” said Njeri. “We see the damage to the fish breeding grounds. We are the ones who fight malnutrition. We need more practitioners here to tell their stories.”

Daniel Caniullan, an Indigenous leader, diver and fisherman from Chilean Patagonia, said his community had been fighting to defend their territories for many years.

Read the full story at The Guardian

 

MSC aims for balance between rigor, accessibility with new standard

June 30, 2022 — The Marine Stewardship Council’s newest fisheries standard has been released – and according to MSC Fisheries Standard Director Ernesto Jardim, the new edition has continued the organization’s commitment to driving fishery sustainability.

The new standards were unanimously approved by MSC’s board of trustees on 24 June, 2022. The organization hailed the new standard as a “major achievement” after the four-year review process received the input of over 1,000 stakeholders in the industry.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

MSC’s new fisheries standard unanimously approved by trustees

June 24, 2022 — After four years of input from over 1,000 stakeholders, the Marine Stewardship Council’s fisheries standard review process has finally concluded.

The MSC announced on 24 June its board of trustees unanimously approved the new version of the fisheries standard, which it has hailed as a “major achievement.” The new standard includes a new approach to how the MSC will manage its endangered, threatened, or protected (ETP) species, standards on shark-finning, new standards on how fisheries manage unwanted catch, and more.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

China’s salmon consumption growth imperiled by higher import prices

June 22, 2022 — Chinese consumers are facing soaring prices for imported salmon, and that may not be good for long-term market growth, according to Fan Xubing, head of the Beijing-based seafood marketing consultancy Seabridge.

Exports of fresh Norwegian Atlantic salmon to China increased 67 percent in value year-on-year between January and May 2022, even while dropping 11 percent in volume. That jump is part of a global surge in salmon prices as many global markets bounce back following years of COVID-19-related dining and public gathering restrictions, according to Andreas Thorud, the Norwegian Seafood Council’s representative in China.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

Array of NGOs claim proposed MSC standards would “tarnish” its reputation

June 20, 2022 — A cadre of international NGOs focused on environmental conservation have written a letter to the Marine Stewardship Council claiming its proposed new standards – the product of MSC’s fisheries standard review begun in 2018 – would “tarnish” its reputation.

The letter was sent by the WWF, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Birdlife Marine Programme, The Nature Conservancy, Ecology Action Centre, Earthworm Foundation, IPNLF, and the Sharkproject. According to the NGOs, the latest fisheries standard proposed by the MSC has “significant weaknesses.”

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

WTO strikes global trade deals after ‘roller coaster’ talks

June 17, 2022 — The World Trade Organization agreed on the first change to global trading rules in years on Friday as well as a deal to boost the supply of COVID-19 vaccines in a series of pledges that were heavy on compromise.

The deals were forged in the early hours of the sixth day of a conference of more than 100 trade ministers that was seen as a test of the ability of nations to strike multilateral trade deals amid geopolitical tensions heightened by the Ukraine war.

The package, which the WTO chief called “unprecedented”, included the two highest profile deals under consideration – on fisheries and on a partial waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights for COVID-19 vaccines.

The accord to curb fishing subsidies is only the second multilateral agreement on global trading rules struck in the WTO’s 27-year history and is far more ambitious than the first, which was designed to cut red tape.

Read the full story from Reuters

Russian government considering relief measures as seafood industry struggles

June 15, 2022 — The Russian government has amended several fisheries-related regulations, including postponing for two years a vessel-construction requirement contained in its investment-quota program.

Russia has also abolished the mandatory conversion of revenue earned by exporters via foreign trade into rubles, and has allocated RUB 153 billion (USD 2.7 billion, EUR 2.5 billion) in direct aid to its agricultural and fisheries sectors to fortify them as they cope with the tightening financial vise of global sanctions put in place following the country’s February invasion of Ukraine.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource