SeafoodIntelligence.com News Portal

Norwegian seafood exports in August totalled NOK 3.7 billion, an increase of NOK 667 million (+22%) compared to August 2009. For the year to date, the total value of exports of Norwegian seafood stands at NOK 31.6 billion. This is no less than NOK 4.7 billion up (+17.5%) on the same month last year, according to the latest figures released this week by the Norwegian Seafood Export Council (NSEC). “We are continuing to see growth in seafood exports, despite the current turbulent state of the world economy,” commented NSEC's director of market information, Egil Ove Sundheim. “We are seeing an increased willingness on the part of more markets to pay for Norwegian seafood. People are buying more Norwegian Salmon at higher prices and the market is enjoying growth. This shows that Norwegian Salmon as a product has not been affected by the economic crisis.” The value of Norway's farmed Atlantic salmon exports in August totalled NOK 2.5 billion, a whopping 32%/ NOK 606 million increase compared to August last year. In 2010, to date, the value of salmon exports sums up to NOK 19 billion, which is already more than the total for the whole of 2008... and represents 60% of the total value of Norway's seafood exports so far this year. Norway remains the world's unchallenged leading producer and exporter of farmed salmon. More details below...

Climate Change : SOUTH-EAST AUSTRALIA fish species impacted; Some shallow cold water spp. have nowhere to escape

Posted by: Administrator on Thursday, September 09, 2010 6:30 AM

Scientists from Australia's national science agency are reporting “significant changes” in the distribution of coastal fish species in south-east Australia, which they say are partly due to climate change. The country's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)’s Climate Adaptation and Wealth from Oceans Flagships have identified 43 species, representing about 30 per cent of the inshore fish families occurring in the region, that exhibited shifts thought to be climate-related. These include warm temperate surf-zone species such as Silver Drummer and Rock Blackfish that are breeding and have become more abundant, and range increases in Snapper and Rock Flathead. There is also a greater abundance of warm water tunas and billfishes and occasional visits from Queensland Groper and Tiger Sharks. “Furthermore, up to 19 species, or 5 per cent, of Tasmanian coastal fish fauna have undergone serious declines or are possibly extinct locally,” says the Curator of the Australian National Fish Collection, Dr Peter Last. “At the same time many warm temperate species have moved in and colonised the cool temperate Tasmanian region. Shifts in the distribution of marine animals in response to climate change can be detrimental to some species. The problem is that in southern Tasmania, shallow cold water species have nowhere to escape warmer conditions in the sea,” Dr Last commented. More details below...

2009 Retrospective : US TOP 10: Shrimp still unbeatable; Salmon gains most; Canned tuna loses most; Pangasius arrives

Posted by: Administrator on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 11:00 AM

Americans ate 15.8 pounds of seafood per capita in 2009, down slightly (-1.25%) from 16 pounds in 2008 and just ten varieties made up more than 88 of that consumption, it was announced yesterday (September 7th) by the US seafood industry's main representative body. Total consumption actually increased by 45 million pounds, or about one per cent, however per capita consumption declined due to population growth. The National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI)'s “Top Ten” list for 2009 reveals the top spot remains – by far – occupied by shrimp (representing a quarter of all seafood consumed in weight by Americans; consumption remained unchanged at 4.1lb/capita). Canned Tuna was the top 10 species which 'lost out' most (-10.71%; compared to 2008 figures) though it remained in Rank 2; while Salmon (wild and farmed) gained most market share (+10.86%) though remaining in Rank 3 with 2.04lb/capita. The next 6 species's ranking remained unchanged, but flatfish disappeared from the Top 10, replaced by newcomer Pangasius ('Asian catfish'; N° 10 with 0.356lb/capita) whose imports soared in the past decade, partly responsible for the decline (-7.70%; the second largest drop after canned tuna) of traditional US catfish which still ranked in N°6. After salmon, Alaska pollock (in N°4) experienced the second largest year-on-year growth (+8.50%). More details & comparative table below...

HOT News : SKRETTING closes production in Mayo, Ireland, “due to significant fall in demand for salmon feed”

Posted by: Administrator on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 8:01 AM

“Due to significant fall in demand for salmon feed year on year in the Irish market, Skretting has decided to close its production and administration at Westport, Ireland,” the world's leading fish feed supply (a subsidiary of EuroNext Amsterdam-listed Nutreco) announced Tuesday (September 7th). The company said it will start a consultation period regarding the cessation of production at Westport in the near future and the transfer of the production of feed for the Irish market to Skretting‘s manufacturing plants in the UK (Invergordon in Scotland and Longridge in England). This will result in 22 redundancies in Ireland and a number of redundancies in joint services based in the UK. The Irish company’s MD, Anthony Murphy, said in the local Irish press that the decision was taken 'reluctantly' but that operating costs in the Mayo town were almost twice that of any of Skretting’s other plants. Skretting says it remains “fully committed to the Irish aquaculture industry, as it has been for more than 20 years, and will continue to supply and support the industry from its operations in UK.” The firm added it will work closely to support its employees during this period. More details below...

Food (in)security : “NO FOOD CRISIS seen, but greater market stability needed” - FAO Assistant-Director General comments

Posted by: Administrator on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 6:30 AM

Food commodities markets will remain more volatile in years ahead and the international community will need to develop appropriate ways of dealing with that, a top UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) official commented Tuesday (September 7th). Responding to questions concerning the current turbulence on international food markets, Hafez Ghanem, Assistant Director-General for Economic and Social Development, said the G20 could take the lead in devising measures to ensure greater market stability over the medium and long term. In an interview published on the FAO homepage, Ghanem was asked whether the world was headed for a repeat of the 2007-2008 World Food Crisis. His reply: “The market fundamentals are sound and very different from 2007-2008. Despite the shortfall in Russia’s wheat production, this year’s cereal harvest was the third highest on record and stocks are high. Under these conditions we don’t believe that we are headed for a new food crisis, but we will continue monitoring the situation closely.” [...] “Given the importance of food markets in fighting hunger and ensuring economic stability FAO feels that the international community, perhaps under the leadership of the G20, should start looking at ways of dealing with higher volatility. That would include discussion of improved regulation of markets, of ensuring greater market transparency, and of establishing an appropriate level of emergency stocks. We also need to find ways of assuring a fluid and efficient international trade in food products. More details below...

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	Latest Opinion Poll

1. What do you believe are the factors hindering the development of offshore aquaculture world-wide?

Lack of investment (36)	16%
Lack of political will (23)	10%
Lack of industry lobbying (12)	5%
Technology & Equipment (36)	16%
Appropriate regulations (24)	11%
Environmental Impacts (32)	15%
No suitable species (6)	3%
Lack of multi-stakeholder consultation (17)	8%
Wild fisheries lobby opposition (34)	15%

2. Is there a future for seafood retailing without eco-certification?

Yes (41)	44%
No (45)	48%
Don't know (7)	8%

3. Is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification the best eco-label currently available to wild fisheries?

Yes (38)	41%
No (30)	33%
Don't know (24)	26%

4. Do you believe the USDA should rule in favour of an 'organic' standard for finfish species, and for organic farmed salmon in particular?

Yes (55)	60%
No (18)	20%
Don't know (18)	20%

5. Which of the following 10 'novel' aquaculture species do you think holds the greatest potential for return on investment (ROI) in the next 10 years?

Cod (45)	23%
Halibut (6)	3%
Turbot (14)	7%
Haddock (11)	6%
Sole /Other Flatfish (4)	2%
Cobia (39)	20%
Tilapia (21)	11%
Sturgeon (10)	5%
Tuna (28)	14%
Abalone (18)	9%

6. In which region/country do you believe the opposition to aquaculture - and salmon farming in particular - is strongest/hinders most the development of the industry?

Norway (4)	3%
Chile (6)	4%
Pacific Northwest -> BC, Washington (59)	41%
East Coast of Canada, USA (25)	17%
UK / Scotland (26)	18%
Ireland (15)	10%
Australia/Tasmania (4)	3%
New Zealand (2)	1%
Japan (4)	3%

7. Do you believe there will be a day when salmon will be commercially farmed off the waters of Alaska?

No, Never! (19)	20%
Yes, within 10 years (28)	30%
Yes, within 20 years (10)	11%
Yes, before 2050 (5)	5%
Yes, I believe so; but I have no idea when... (22)	24%
Don't know (9)	10%

8. Are you in favour of a moratorium on bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean & Atlantic, 'as soon as possible'?

Yes (59)	69%
No (11)	13%
Don't know (16)	19%

9. For which of the species below do you believe the farming/hunting/fishing practices are "cruel" or "un-necessary"; if any?

Whale hunting (54)	27%
Seal hunting (36)	18%
Salmon farming (5)	2%
Fish farming in general (5)	2%
Fishing for sport / angling (9)	4%
Any commercial fishing (11)	5%
Any non eco-certified fishing (15)	7%
None of the above (15)	7%
All of the above (10)	5%
PS: I am a vegeterian/vegan (4)	2%
PS: I am not a vegetarian/vegan (37)	18%

10. Yes, in the following countries/regions there is a strong commercial fishery lobby opposing aquaculture:

West Coast US/Canada (49)	23%
East Coast US/Canada (17)	8%
Alaska (47)	22%
Japan / China / Korea (1)	0%
Indonesia (8)	4%
India (3)	1%
Norway (2)	1%
Iceland (3)	1%
UK - Scotland (20)	9%
Ireland (6)	3%
The Netherlands (0)	0%
France (11)	5%
Spain (0)	0%
Italy (8)	4%
Greece (4)	2%
Turkey (1)	0%
European Union in general (13)	6%
Australia (2)	1%
New Zealand (5)	2%
Chile (12)	6%

11. How would you define yourself, in terms of industry/non-industry or interest group?

Fisheries industry (6)	7%
Salmon Farming (12)	13%
Other Finfish Farming (0)	0%
Shellfish Farming (0)	0%
Fish Health/Vets (1)	1%
Industry representatives (4)	4%
Governmental (2)	2%
Politicians (0)	0%
Advocacy/NGO (22)	25%
Business/Finance/insurance (4)	4%
Seafood Processing (5)	6%
Consultancy & PR (7)	8%
Equipment Supply (1)	1%
Angling/Fisheries Manag’t (0)	0%
Marine Biologists/Scientists (9)	10%
Agrifood (Other) (0)	0%
Marketing Services (5)	6%
Consumers & Students (5)	6%
Other (6)	7%