Clipper Oil: Latest Fishing News – The Philippines Eyes Dingalan as the Next “Tuna Capital"

Latest Fishing News

11-18 August 2020

The Philippines Eyes Dingalan as the Next "Tuna Capital"

The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) is gearing up to make Dingalan town in Aurora province as the next “Tuna Capital” of the Philippines after General Santos City in Mindanao.

In a statement on Monday, the DA-BFAR said its officials in Region 3 (Central Luzon) led by Director Wilfredo Cruz, visited the area last week to witness the unloading of the bountiful fish catch from two commercial boats and committed to advocate for the development of the town’s fishery sector.

Cruz said the government will push for the construction of a fish port that will also serve as a dock and refuge for all vessels during typhoons, and station for the Philippine Coast Guard. He said his office submitted the proposal to the DA-BFAR central office for consideration and approval. Continue reading here (Source: The Manila Times).

Shelf-Stable Seafood Sales Fall Back Down to Earth After Pandemic Boost

Sales of shelf-stable tuna at US retail outlets have returned to more normal levels seen at the beginning of the year before the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, raising questions about the canned seafood sector's ability to retain new consumers gained over the last several months.

In March, as the Coronavirus began to take hold in the United States, demand for shelf-stable tuna, salmon and other canned and pouched seafood surged as shoppers horded food and other consumer goods in response to lockdowns in cities across the country.

Sales of shelf-stable tuna were 7.2 million pounds for the week ending Jan. 5. By March, sales had skyrocketed, up nearly 270 percent to 26.5 million pounds for the week ending March 15, according to data from IRI, which tracks food sales in US retail outlets. Since then, sales have steadily declined and now sit at levels seen before March. Continue reading here (Source: Intrafish).

Tuna Tagging Expedition to Gauge Pacific Fishery's Health

The Pacific Community's annual tuna tagging expedition is underway in the central Pacific.

The seven week research mission monitors the health of the largest tuna fishery in the world, which is vital to the economic well-being of the Pacific.

SPC principal fisheries scientist Simon Nicol said the expedition would gauge whether various tuna species were being fished sustainably.

Its findings will be added to data collected over 15 years of tagging surveys, Dr Nicol said.

"Our ability to sample randomly across states but also sample every year across that 15 year timeframe allows us to look at what the trends are and rebuild the power of the data set to ensure that it's representative of the entire population by the cumulative value of the 15 years of data, rather than just a single year of data," he said. Continue reading here (Source: Radio New Zealand).

Thai Union Doubles Shares in Russian Company, Closes Plant in Thailand

Thai Union has doubled its stake in a subsidiary in Russia in an effort to expand markets in Europe, the seafood giant said in a filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand on Monday, 11 August.

A transaction completed in July saw Thai Union’s stake in TUMD Luxembourg (TUMD) – held through its subsidiary, Thai Union EU Seafood 1 S.A. – increase to 90 percent from 45 percent previously. MDF Investments Ltd. holds the remaining 10 percent in TUMD.

TUMD wholly owns three Russian companies including Dalpromryba LLC, Torgovo-Promyshlenny Komplex Dalpromryba LLC, and Maguro LLC, which are collectively referred to as the DPR Group (DPR). DPR’s focused business is fish and seafood retail. It is also a leading producer of canned tuna in Russia with brands such as Maguro, Captain of Tastes, and Rybar, according to Thai Union. Continue reading here (Source: SeafoodSource).

Phytoplankton Size Key to Tuna Catch Rates

Drs Phoebe Woodworth-Jefcoats and Johanna Wren found that information about microscopic algae called phytoplankton can be used to forecast catch rates for bigeye tuna, using the size of phytoplankton to forecast catch rates for up to four years. This information could help advance ecosystem-based fisheries management in the Pacific Islands region.

The scientists believe that the size of phytoplankton is an indicator of the quality of food for larval and juvenile bigeye tuna. While bigeye tuna don’t actually eat phytoplankton, they do eat tiny animals called zooplankton which eat phytoplankton. When there is larger phytoplankton, there is likely larger zooplankton and therefore higher quality food for young bigeye tuna. Continue reading here (Source: World Fishing & Aquaculture).

Ecuador's Constant Struggle Against Illegal Fishing

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a constant challenge for Latin American navies, but the recurring presence of large, predatory, extra-regional fishing fleets exacerbates an already problematic situation.

According to Ecuadorian authorities, a fleet of some 340 vessels is operating through a corridor of international waters between Ecuador’s EEZ and the Galapagos Islands. Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrin has stated that the Ecuadorian government has been aware of the fleet for over a month, as it traveled north from Peru. As of August 7, the Ecuadorian navy has deployed corvette Manabi, with a helicopter aboard, and the coastal patrol boat San Cristobal to monitor the fleet. Additionally a CASA aircraft, assigned to the navy’s air wing, has carried out surveillance operations. Continue reading here (Source: The Maritime Executive).

Four-Year Forecasts Possible for Hawaii Bigeye Tuna Fishery

Measuring the extent of microscopic ocean plant life around Hawaii could reliably predict bigeye tuna catch rates four years out for Hawaii’s deep-set longline fleet, according to a new study by researchers at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.

“Bigeye tuna are the primary target species of Hawaii's most valuable commercial fishery, a longline fishery with landings that are valued at over $100 million and that account for nearly half the United States tuna landings,” NMFS scientists Phoebe A. Woodworth-Jefcoats and Johanna L. K. Wren wrote in their study, published July 22 in the journal Fisheries Oceanography.

“A reliable predictor of targeted species catch rates could help the fishery time fishing activity and plan capital improvements. It could also potentially inform adaptive management and facilitate ecosystem‐based fisheries management.” Continue reading here (Source: National Fisherman).