The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) has proposed restrictions for fish nets to save the critically endangered Saimen seal. The Saimen seal is a fresh water subspecies of the Ringed seal, its occurrence restricted to the mythical Lake Saimen in Eastern Finland. There are only 260 individuals left, and the population is declining, fishing … Continued
A 30,000 dollar first prize will lure fishers and environmentalists alike to the fourth annual WWF Smart Gear Competition. The mail box for entries, preferably electronic, will be closed on June 30. The competition, designed to inspire innovative ideas for fishing devices that reduce bycatch, is open to entrants from any profession, “including fishermen, professional … Continued
A controversial decision last December to raise quotas for cod in the North Sea has lead to mixed messages from the German government. Defying scientific advice pointing to a moratorium, the EU Council decided to raise quotas by 30 per cent, referring to a cod recovery plan adopted earlier in the fall. Since the International … Continued
In a highly critical report last November, Sweden’s Auditor General described her government’s support to the fishing industry as all but totally inefficient. Overcapacity in the fishing fleet is a major problem in professional fisheries, and a reduction of this fleet is decisive for reaching the goal of long-term sustainable fisheries, she wrote while presenting … Continued
A report by two researchers at the Stockholm University-based Stockholm Resilience Centre, now available in English, describes how increasingly complex chains of trade in fisheries products provide for increasingly questionable practices The report, titled “Roving Bandits in Modern Fisheries“ studies the trade in what it now terms a truly global commodity. The same goes for … Continued
Following complaints from Scottish fishermen, the European Ombudsman has asked the Commission to correct “an administrative error”, mistaking waters west of Scotland for the North Sea, and allocate more fishing days there for some vessels. During his investigation, the Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros confirmed that the Commission had erroneously interchanged the data in two columns … Continued
In the wake of dwindling cod stocks in the Kattegat and the Skagerrak, the quest for the poisonous but tasty Greater weever has intensified so much that the Swedish Board of Fisheries considers restrictions. Denmark already implements a national quota of 400 tons annually for the Greater weever (Trachinus draco), and an even lower limit … Continued
The fishing itself is still the dominant part of the chain when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, with processing and packaging typically leaving less than 10 per cent of the carbon footprint, a new British study shows. As for imported fish, some “simple strategies”, such as moving from air-freighting fresh fish to transporting high-quality … Continued
A WWF scientist recently hailed the controversial aquaculture industry as “the future”, predicting doubled production over the next two decades. “It will be a major industry in the (developing) South and will be a major source of employment and income, replacing wild catch in terms of importance,” said Jason Clay, a scientist with the U.S. … Continued
Climate change may soon shift the world sea fish stocks dramatically, a new scientific study shows. Some northern countries may benefit, but shifts of more than 200 kilometres polewards by 2050 will hurt tropical, mostly developing nations badly, according to the study, lead by Dr William Cheung, and presented at the recent American Association for … Continued