INDUSTRY NEWS
Norway's seafood exports in the first 11 months reached 2.4 million tonnes valued at NOK86.5 billion, or US$10.38 billion, up 6% and 4% in volume and value, respectively.
In November alone, volume increased 25% to 286,000 tonnes from a year before, while value was on par with November last year. Salmon, Norway's top seafood product, also increased in volume, but value declined.
ALSO UP 6% IN FIRST 11 MONTHS"
Norway's seafood export volume up 25% in November
Norway's seafood exports in November increased 25% to 286,000 tonnes from a year before, with value on par with November last year, according to the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC).
In the 11 months through November, Norway exported 2.4 million tonnes of seafood valued at NOK86.5 billion (US$10.38 billion). This is a volume increase of 6% and a value increase of 4%, or NOK3.3 billion from the same period last year.
NSC Director Asbjørn W. Rørtveit said they expect total export value for Norwegian seafood this year to exceed last year's "by a comfortable margin" despite the salmon's continuing price decline. "The explanation for this is the increased volume of salmon combined with a relatively high price level", Rørtveit said. The average price for whole fresh salmon in November was NOK50.68 (US$6) per kilogramme against NOK61.71 ($7.40)/kg in November 2016.
Salmon exports
November exports of salmon, Norway's top seafood product, reached 103,000 tonnes, an increase of 11% or 10,200 tonnes from the same month last year. Export value amounted to NOK5.7 billion ($683.8 million), a decline of 5% or NOK291 million from the same period last year.
From January to November, exports of salmon totaled 909,000 tonnes, an increase of 2% from the same period last year. Value hit NOK59 billion ($7.08 billion), an increase of 7% or NOK4 billion compared with the same period last year.
Poland and France were the largest salmon markets in November.
Exports to China is now at the highest level in two years after five weeks of sustained increase in exports of Norwegian salmon, the NSC said.
"Currently, Norwegian salmon goes to the main destinations Beijing and Shanghai, and importers report that import processes have become simpler - a significant and positive step towards the normalization of salmon exports to China", said Sigmund Bjørgo, who is with the Norwegian Seafood Council´s Fisheries Mission in China.
Trout, prawn, crab exports
Norway exported 5,600 tonnes of trout in November, up 36% or 1,400 tonnes from last year. Value amounted to NOK328 million ($39.34 million), up 13% compared with November 2016.
From January to September, Norway exported 35,200 tonnes of trout worth NOK2.6 billion ($311.87 million). This is a volume decline of 45% or 29,100 tonnes, while value fell 28% or NOK1 billion compared with the same period last year.
Belarus and Japan imported the most trout from Norway in November.
Norway exported 937 tonnes of prawns worth some NOK74 million ($8.88 million) in November. This is an increase of 129 tonnes or 16%, while export value increased by NOK15 million or 16%. Sweden and the UK were the biggest prawn markets in November.
Norway exported 139 tonnes of king crabs worth NOK40 million ($4.8 million) in November. This is a volume decrease of 13% or 21 tonnes, while export value fell 5% or NOK2 million compared with the same month last year. The Netherlands and South Korea were the largest export markets for king crab in November.
AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION EXPANDING
New Zealand seafood industry faces bright prospects - report
The latest "Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries" report paints a positive picture for the future of New Zealand's commercial seafood industry, according to Seafood New Zealand.
Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Tim Pankhurst said the report, released this week by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), reflected the industry's own assessment - that the future of commercial seafood, both wild capture and aquaculture, was in good heart.
Pankhurst said the report was confident about aquaculture and forecast that expanding aquaculture production would drive increased export volumes of mussels, oysters and salmon.
The report also confirmed that export prices for wild capture fisheries including jack mackerel and barracouta are expected to continue to grow, driven by increased overseas demand and sustainability constraints on volume, he added.
MPI predicts a 4.4% increase in seafood exports to NZ$1.8 billion (US$1.25 billion) to June 2018 and says this will rise to NZ$2.3 billion (US$1.6 billion) by 2025.
Pankhurst said the report mirrored a recent BERL (Business and Economic Research Limited) report that found that the New Zealand fishing industry had a total output value of NZ$4.1 billion (US$2.85 billion).
He noted that while aquaculture was not included in the BERL report, it "adds at least another $500 million (US$347.07 million)".
POLITICAL WILL NEEDED
'Philippines needs fisheries department'…
The Philippines should create a full-fledged department of fisheries to improve fish production for domestic consumption and for export, an aquaculture expert said.
Scientist Rafael Guerrero, who developed the sex reversal technology used in culturing all-male tilapia, said the creation of a fisheries department would be a "political decision", according to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Guerrero was recently honored, together with another scientist, by the National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Centre.
The creation of a fisheries department would also enable the country to take care of its waters, Guerrero said.
The Philippines' fishery sector is at present administered by a bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources, which is under the Department of Agriculture.
"In other countries, government support is there. They have a focus that they really carry through," Guerrero said.
Indonesia, for example, set a ministry of fisheries in 1994, and "the leadership was so dynamic in pursuing aquaculture, especially seaweeds", he said. "So now, they have one million hectares of seaweed farms. We have only 60,000 hectares".
Guerrero also noted that government policies were "not favorable (to the industry) and they kept changing".
Another aquaculture expert, Wilfredo Yap, who is executive director of the Santeh Aquaculture Science and Technology Foundation Inc., lamented that the situation of aquaculture in the country "is rather dismal".
For the past six years, our production has been going down in all species, such as milkfish, tilapia and seaweeds, to the extent that some of our neighbors who came later are now producing more than we do", Yap said.
Yap said the country's tilapia production has remained at 270,000 tonnes annually while Bangladesh, which started producing tilapia in 2010, is producing about 320,000 tonnes a year.
Milkfish production, on the other hand, is about 400,000 tonnes a year, while Indonesia produces 650,000 tonnes, Yap added.
…as fisheries output declines almost 4% in Q3…
The Philippines' total volume of production for fisheries in the third quarter was estimated at 971,000 tonnes, or 3.89% less than in the same quarter last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The decline was slightly worse than the 3.8% cut recorded in the same period last year.
The PSA said decreases were noted on commercial and municipal fisheries while the aquaculture subsector displayed increment. It added that the species that contributed to the fisheries production decline were roundscad (-3.94%), milkfish (-0.73%) and tilapia (-0.23%).
Fisheries output in the nine months through September decreased nearly 2%.
Commercial fisheries output dropped 14.27% during the reviewed quarter, partly because of the numerous weather disturbances that prevailed in the country during that period.
Municipal fisheries production also declined 0.68% during the quarter. The PSA said weather disturbances and strict implementation of fishery laws slowed down the growth of production, particularly in Western Visayas region.
Harvests from aquaculture in the third quarter were recorded at 456,000 tonnes, a slight increase of 0.32%. Seaweed output grew 18.52% in Tawi-Tawi due to increase in area planted as a result of favorable weather conditions. In Bicol Region, dispersal of seaweed planting materials by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources was reported.
Aquaculture's performance was a turnaround from the 3.67% decline recorded in the third quarter last year.
…and 'blue crab capital' boosts production
A major crab-producing town in central Philippines is stepping up its seafood production to meet increasing demand.
E. B. Magalona, known as the "blue crab capital" of Negros Occidental, a province in the Visayan islands, produces about five tonnes of blue crabs daily, which are mostly exported to the US, according to a report by the Philippine News Agency.
E. B. Magalona Mayor Marvin Malacon said in a press conference in late November that demand for seafood products had been increasing and that steps were being made to ensure sustainability of supply.
Malacon said the municipal government had been conducting an aggressive campaign against illegal fishing, and had penalized numerous violators.
"We have provided all coastal barangays (villages) with appropriate fishing gear to ensure that their operations are in compliance with the guidelines provided by law", he was quoted as saying.
To ensure sustainability, the local government plans to establish a 200-hectare conservation area in Tomongtong village for blue crab production.
Malacon said regulation measures within the conservation area would be strictly implemented, especially during the harvest period.
DESPITE SLOWING DEMAND IN U.S.
Raw shrimp prices in India remain high
While demand for shrimp in the US market has slowed down, prices of raw shrimp in India have remained high due to many orders.
Indian shrimp suppliers reported a price increase for shrimp of 30 heads per kilo to Rs10 per kilogramme (46 US cents/kg) due to lower availability, Undercurrent News reported.
"Exporters of shrimp are finding that demand from the US has slowed down, but most processors still have many contracts signed up," Siam Canadian, a shrimp trader headquartered in Thailand but operating in India, was quoted as saying. It was referring to bookings for November and December shipments.
Siam Canadian also noted that many other shrimp exporters, processors and shrimp suppliers in India had said that the demand from the Chinese domestic market for Indian shrimp was high, partly because the current size of shrimp in India met the requirements of the Chinese market.
"We expect China's demand for Indian shrimp to remain positive until mid-December", it said.
SQUID HAS LARGEST SHARE
Vietnam's cephalopod exports up 55% in January-September
Vietnam's cephalopod exports in the first eight months hit US$402 million, up 55% year-on-year, with nine major markets posting good growths, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said.
VASEP said supplies increased thanks to a rise in production and export volume, along with the flexibility of exporters in adjusting the structure of production and markets.
In January-August, shipments of squid still had the largest share, at 59%, of Vietnam's total export value. Out of cephalopod items for exports, sales of fresh/live/frozen squid accounted for the highest proportion, at 39%, followed by dried/salted/fresh/live/frozen octopus, 33%.
Vietnam exported cephalopod to 59 markets, nine markets more than in 2016. Exports to the top nine markets accounted for 99% of Vietnam's cephalopod sales during the eight-month period.
South Korea remained as the leading buyer of Vietnamese cephalopod, which reached $22 million in August (an increase of 34% from August 2016) and $136 million in the eight months through August (up 40% over the same period last year).
Cephalopod sales to Japan, the second-biggest buyer, in August reached $17 million (up 56%) and in the first eight months, $94 million (up 43%).
The EU, the third-biggest importer, bought $73 million worth of Vietnamese cephalopod in January-August (up 94% over the same period last year). Italy, France and Spain remained as the top three leading importing markets of Vietnamese cephalopod in the 28-member bloc.
Vietnam's cephalopod exports to ASEAN, the country's fourth-biggest market, in the first eight months touched $46 million, up 44% year-on-year. Thailand and Malaysia were the two major buyers of Vietnamese cephalopod in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
'EXPERIENCED AND ENERGETIC'
Paul Lansbergen is new president of Fisheries Council of Canada
Paul Lansbergen is the new president of the Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC), which is composed of the country's fish farmers and fish-processing firms.
Dave Giddens, chair of the FCC board of directors, announced Lansbergen's appointment on Wednesday, Nov. 29, and said the new president's "experience and energy will enhance the role
of the Council".
"I am confident he will advance the strategic direction of the Council, deliver results and position it for the growth members want."
Lansbergen has over 20 years' experience in public policy, advocacy and association leadership.
He spent the last 15 years at the Forest Products Association of Canada, where he was appointed as acting president in 2015-2016. Prior to that, he was manager for communications at the Canadian Fertilizer Institute and a legislative assistant on Parliament Hill. He is a certified association executive and has two degrees in economics.
Lansbergen said he was proud to be joining FCC and that he looked forward to working with its members and partners on "the priorities of access to sustainable fish resources, trade and market access, while creating value for members".
"Fisheries is one of Canada's longest standing industries and remains very important to our economy, communities and middle-class Canadians", Lansbergen stressed.
