Clipper Oil: Latest Fishing News
8-13 September 2021
Albacore Tuna Are Spawning Less, And That’s Worrying Some South Pacific Nations
Longstanding concerns over the South Pacific’s stock of albacore tuna have been raised once again at a recent meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission’s Scientific Committee.
The fall in albacore spawning stock in the region, which includes New Caledonia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Australia and Kiribati, could have a detrimental effect on the countries whose fisheries rely on it, the committee noted.
It “expressed great concern” over the tuna species’ projected status, as part of its advice to the WCPFC’s 17th annual session in November, when the commission is expected to agree to and establish a framework for fisheries in the region for the coming year. Continue reading here (Source: Honolulu Civil Beat).
Scientists Call for Moratorium on Ocean Mining, Fearing Impact on Pacific Tuna Fishery
Around 500 scientists from 44 countries have signed a letter urging a moratorium on ocean mining, an activity that researchers say could be adversely affect fisheries, in particular deep-sea catches like tuna.
Scientists made the plea recently after an ocean-mining company and its host country, the Pacific island nation of Nauru, touched off a two-year rule with the International Seabed Authority (ISA), headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica. The two-year rule – triggered by Nauru on behalf of Vancouver, Canada-based Nauru Natural Ocean Resources Inc. – means that time is short for the ISA to set a code on the specifics of seafloor mining.
But researchers like Douglas McCauley, a professor of ocean science at the University of California Santa Barbara, told SeafoodSource that not enough is known about the impacts of seafloor mining on marine life. Continue reading here(Source: SeafoodSource).
Pacific Bluefin Tuna no Longer Listed as ‘Vulnerable’
Pacific bluefin tuna are on the path to recovery, according to the latest update of the Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a group of governmental and environmental organizations.
IUCN changed the classification of the species from “vulnerable” to “near threatened.”
A popular sushi topping, Pacific bluefin tuna are widely caught in waters around Japan, with some also caught in Mexico. Continue reading here (Source: The Japan News).
John West Unveils Fortified Canned Fish Trio in Bid to Build Health Credentials
John West has continued its push to reposition itself as a health and nutrition brand with the launch of a range of ‘nutrient-rich’ tuna steaks.
Launched into Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado on Wednesday (8 September), the three-strong lineup of no-drain cans came in vibrant packaging carrying clear health messaging (rsp: £5/three-pack).
Each variant has been fortified and bears a name indicating its intended function: ‘Energy’ contains vitamin B, which John West said would “help reduce tiredness and fatigue”; ‘Heart’ was said to contain high levels of omega-3 to aid heart function; while ‘Immunity’ contained vitamin C to “support the immune system”. Continue reading here (Source: The Grocer).
US Coast Guard Modernises Fleet, Expands Presence in Indo-Pacific to Counter ‘Bad Actors in the Region’
The US Coast Guard is carrying out its biggest shipbuilding effort since World War II, modernising its fleet and establishing a presence in the Pacific that the force has not attempted in decades.
Admiral Linda Fagan, the vice-commandant of the US Coast Guard, said the expansion would strengthen enforcement in the region against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and also counter “bad actors”.
“Presence matters. Having ships on the sea matters. But having a regulatory regime, having the enforcement capacity and capability matters,” Fagan told the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Exchange conference in Hawaii this week. Continue reading here(Source: South China Morning Post).
Philippines – Conservation of Resources Key to Sustainable Marine Supply
Sustainable fisheries management and development will bring balance in the utilization and conservation of resources, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) as it celebrates the 58th Fish Conservation Week.
This balancing act, according to Secretary William Dar, has been the very pillar of DA’s programs, thus they continue to implement science-based and participatory conservation and management measures that ensure sustainable use of the country’s resources.
“It is a recognition of the balancing act required to bring about real prosperity. That is, by harnessing the full potential of our fisheries resources without sacrificing their sustainability and capability to provide for generations to come,” Dar said in a virtual ceremony on Monday. Continue reading here (Source: Philippine News Agency).
Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Summit 2021
The Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Summit 2021 will be held on 11 – 13 October, this year focusing on digital transformation and the investment needed to ensure sustainability in the Japanese seafood sector.
With the theme of ‘Build Blue Economy Toward 2030: Changing Japanese Seafood Industry by DX and ESG Investment’, the event is hosted by Seafood Legacy and Nikkei ESG and co-sponsored by Walton Family Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
The Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Symposium, the predecessor to this year’s Tokyo Sustainable Seafood Summit, has been held yearly since 2015, becoming one of Asia’s largest events in the sustainable seafood movement with 108 speakers and 3,800 online attendees in 2020. Continue reading here (Source: World Fishing & Aquaculture).
