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Top Tuna Meeting Underway in Honiara
A UNIQUE South-South exchange meeting between regional, international fisheries and ocean management agencies is currently underway in Honiara at the Forum Fishery Agency (FFA) headquarters.
The meeting was held to help explain how the region has been meeting its challenges of managing tuna resources over the past decades and to share knowledge on what lessons might be transferable to other developing regions and also learn from the unique experiences that others bring to the table.
Speaking during the opening of the meeting Forum Fisheries Agency Director General James Movick said, more than a third of the world's tuna supplies come from the waters of the Pacific Islands.
He said by working together Island Countries have promoted sustainability and given themselves a much bigger bite of revenues from the global tuna sandwich.
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Malaysia's Largest Tuna Processing Plant Will Be Built in Hutan Melintang
The country's largest tuna processing plant will be built in Hutan Melintang here in the near future.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said 8.1 hectares of land near the Sungai Bernam estuary had been identified for the construction of the plant.
"My friends from the Fishermen's Association suggested to open a tuna factory in Hutan Melintang. I agreed for Malaysia's largest tuna factory to be built in Hutan Melintang.
"I have discussed with the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority and 20 acres (8.1 hectares) of land will be developed in Bagan Hutan Melintang," he said in his speech at a dinner held in conjunction with the 35th anniversary of the Hutan Melintang Hai Suah Association (1983) and Chinese New Year Celebration here today.
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Starkist Commends the US Congress for Reinstating Tax Credit for 2017
StarKist Co. has commended the US Congress for passing federal legislation, which includes a provision reinstating the American Samoa Economic Development Tax Credit (30(A) for the 2017 tax year.
The company's president and chief executive officer, Andrew Choe, said StarKist is "especially appreciative of the leadership" of Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga and Congresswoman Aumua Amata, "for their support on this critical effort."
"Without this 30(A) credit, it would not be economically viable to continue to manufacture in the American Samoan Territory," said Choe in a company statement, adding that the cannery - the largest private employer in the territory - employs approximately 2,300 workers "and is a proud member of the American Samoa community since 1963."
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2017 Strong Year for Albacore in Bangkok
Canners in Thailand significantly increased their purchases of frozen whole round albacore last year, and the buying behavior reflects a focus from the industry on boosting value-added business. The rise in imports of this species softened the overall decline in tuna raw material reaching Bangkok.
Over the first 10 months of 2017, just below 560,700 tons of frozen whole round tuna was imported by Thai packers, which represents an eight percent YoY decline. Boatowners had reported poor catch rates for part of the year, which at times hit skipjack supply to Bangkok, and global tuna prices climbed from April to October.
Overall skipjack bought by Thai packers fell to just below 400,700 tons from January to October. This is the dominant species bought by Thai packers, but there was a heavy 57,000 ton drop YoY.
Deals concluded on albacore tuna, however, showed a contrasting trend, with the tonnage reaching Thailand climbing 25 percent from the previous year.
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Seychelles to Restart Aquaculture Industry
With increasing demands on its food production networks, Seychelles has announced that it will inject life back into the aquaculture industry by opening
a new facility in Providence
in August.
While tourism accounts for the bulk of the growth seen in the Seychellois economy since independence in 1976, fishing has surpassed the GDP contribution of tourism, and canned tuna now makes up more than
90 per cent
of exports. The return to mariculture (the branch of aquaculture that specifically relates to salt water) is supported by the European Union and the Advance Africa organisation and will stand as a pilot project to determine the viability of a larger aquaculture scheme.
Four species of fish have been identified as stock for this first stage, in a project that has the potential to create much-needed economic diversity for the relatively robust, but still vulnerable Seychellois economy.
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Peru Eyes Tuna Industry Growth as Firms Invest $60m in New Capacity
The Peruvian tuna industry will further develop in the coming years, with multiple firms in process of expanding their processing capacity, the president of the fisheries and aquaculture committee of Peru's national industry society (SNI), Alfonso Miranda Eyzaguirre, told Undercurrent News during an interview in Lima.
A recently reintroduced regulation that forces foreign vessel owners active in Peruvian waters to land 30% of their tuna catches in the country will further stimulate the processing industry. It already stimulated investments of nearly $60 million last year, said Miranda, who is also vice-president of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission.
Thanks to the landings obligation, in 2017 over 20,000 metric tons of tuna were landed in Peru. In 2018 it is expected that landings will be at least double than last year and they will continue to rise in the coming years, according to Miranda. The increase in landings might encourage more firms to make investments in Peru, Miranda said.
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Tropical Cyclone Gita Leaves Trail of Destruction from American Samoa to Tonga
Powerful Cyclone Gita caused widespread damage to parts of Samoa and American Samoa last week before targeting Tonga Monday night into Tuesday.
Flooding and power outages were widespread across Tutuila, including the capital of Pago Pago where rainfall in excess of 150 mm (6 inches) was reported.
In Samoa, there were no immediate reports of injury or death from the cyclone, according to
Radio New Zealand.
More than 350 mm (14 inches) of rain fell in the capital city of Apia from Friday into Saturday. Widespread flooding was reported along with damage to buildings from strong winds.
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Fisheries Council Prepares to Consider Lpva Options
In the early 2000s, the American Samoa longline fleet included about 40 small vessels (alia) and 25 larger vessels (more than 50 feet in length) targeting albacore for the local canneries.
In 2002, the Large Vessel Prohibited Area (LVPA) was established to separate the large and small longline vessels to prevent potential gear conflict and catch competition. Subsequently, the alia longline fleet dwindled to fewer than three in 2006 and to one in 2010. About 15 larger longline vessels continue to operate out of Pago Pago Harbor but under severe economic stress.
At its 172nd meeting, the Council will consider taking final action on LVPA options (see Table 1) that may improve economic efficiency of the larger longline vessels while taking into consideration, among other things, the need to prevent overfishing, impacts on small vessels and protecting American Samoa cultural fishing practices.
This action addresses continued poor economic performance in the American Samoa longline fishery and regulations that may unnecessarily restrict fleet movement and harm fishing efficiency.
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US Tuna Producer Safe Catch Gets $5m Funding from Group of Investors
US-based tuna producer Safe Catch has secured US$5m in funding from a group of investors to finance new products.
Located in Sausalito, California, the company was founded in 2015 by Bryan Boches and Sean Wittenberg and produces 100% mercury tested tuna. Its products are sold in almost 10,000 stores in six countries, including the US and Canada.
Safe Catch received the capital from Echo Capital, Essential Investments and Angels. It will use the funds for its new line of seasoned tuna using real spice blends, a new Ahi canned tuna product and a new line of canned and pouched salmon, according to a statement.
The company said it has developed technology to test every fish for mercury "so that high-risk populations such as pregnant women, kids and health-conscious consumers can eat tuna and seafood worry free''.
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