August 5, 2016

EU bares plan for North Sea fisheries

The European Commission on Wednesday, Aug. 3, bared a proposal for a multi-annual plan for demersal fish stocks (fish that live and feed near the bottom of the sea) in the North Sea. The proposal aims to ensure that stocks are fished at sustainable levels. It will also bring decision-making closer to fishermen.

The new North Sea plan is the first comprehensive plan for this sea basin. The fisheries of the North Sea are highly complex, involving vessels from at least seven coastal member states, as well as Norway. Vessels use a variety of fishing equipment and their catches consist of a mix of different species, such as cod and haddock, or plaice and sole. The proposal establishes a management plan that takes into account these mixed-fisheries interactions.

Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella said: "Multi-annual plans are an important tool to shift decision-making to the regional level. We are proposing to bring the North Sea, one of our richest fishing grounds, under such a multi-annual plan".

The proposal for the North Sea builds on the political compromise that the European Parliament and Council reached on the multi-annual plan for the Baltic Sea earlier this year.

Alaska Pollock Inventories Dwindle as Production Capacity is Booked

Production of frozen pollock fillet in China has tightened as orders pile up in the run-up to the Chinese New Year, according to a report in the Tradex Foods 3-Minute Market Insight.

The demand is so high demand that some larger plants have been forced to stop taking orders before the annual closures in January.

Global price points are around $1.40/lb CNF European Main Ports for twice frozen IQF Pollock fillets, down about 5% from last year this time at just below $1.50/lb, a news report on thefishsite.com said.