National Prawn Company (NPC) has stepped a steady foot in the aquaculture field aiming at maintaining a more balanced marine life by farming this highly valued species, the sea cucumber (Holothuria Scabra), and to meet market's huge demand for nutritional products.

After 3 years of research and development, the most outstanding issue is the achievement of a biological cycle of sea cucumber in harvest conditions, "therefore we can say that the company has ensured the sustainability of this business," the NPC stated.

Source: Arab News

The Moroccan fisheries sector performed well in 2012, a positive step in the government’s effort to boost the sector’s contribution to GDP.

The volume of fish and other seafood commercialised last year rose 21 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to reach 1.19m tonnes. The value of the annual catch also grew by 2 per cent y-o-y to MAD 5.56bn (EUR 494.46m), according to year-end statistics from the National Fisheries Office (Office National des Pêches, ONP), Global Arab Network reports according to OBG.

Source: Asmaa Malik / Global Arab Network

The first salmon genome - of a female fish named Sally - will be fully sequenced by the end of 2013 and researchers from around the world are already exploring ways to use this reference genome to address challenges in salmon farming and production.

"The expectations are that this will make aquaculture better, more directed and more sustainable," explains Steinar Bergseth, chair of the International Collaboration to Sequence the Salmon Genome and advisor for the Research Council of Norway. "We can tap into the genes and understand how these are regulated with regard to diseases, food uptake, treatment of the animal and environmental adaptations."

Source: Andrea Hill / Barents Observer

European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Maria Damanaki indicated on 21 May she might propose a “slight increase” in the tuna quota.

However, she advised against re-opening talks on the agreement between European Union member states on how the quota should be distributed, saying that might not be in Malta’s interests.

Source: Times of Malta

KANNUR - Kerala government will soon formulate a fish seed law to improve the fishing sector in the state and ensure quality in the fish seed sector, said fisheries minister K Babu.

"Though karimeen is said to be the brand identity of Kerala, the truth is that the production here is not sufficient enough to meet the demand because the supply of fish seeds is limited," said the minister inaugurating the harvesting of the shrimp cultivation at the 'kaipad' lands in Puzhathi panchayath here on Tuesday 21 May, under the paddy-shrimp cultivation project of the Agency for Development of Aquaculture, Kerala (ADAK).

Source: P Sudhakaran / Times of India

The Fisheries Department’s pilot project to revive traditional brackish water paddy-shrimp farming system in an extent of total 90 hectares of ‘kaipad’ land in Kasaragod, Kannur and Kozhikode districts has now reached the harvest stage.

Fisheries Minister K. Babu inaugurated the first harvest of shrimps cultivated as part of the project at a function here on Tuesday 21 May. The Minister collected the harvested shrimps and inaugurated the first sale.

Source: Steve Phillips / The Hindu

MANILA - A fisheries cooperation system or agreement with neighboring countries – including Taiwan – may be key to solving maritime disputes in the region without undermining the country’s sovereignty, President Aquino said on 21 May.

The President’s declaration came amid a diplomatic row with Taipei over the fatal shooting last 9 May of a suspected Taiwanese poacher off Batanes by Philippine Coast Guard personnel.

Aquino said that while initial “dialogues” with Taiwan on the matter had already begun, he would rather see the 9 May incident resolved first.

Source: Aurea Calica / The Philippine Star

BILOXI, (MS) - The start of shrimp season in Mississippi is about two weeks away. Tuesday 21 May, the Commission on Marine Resources heard an update about expectations for the 2013 season.

CMR commissioners listened as Traci Floyd outlined early indicators that may help predict the success of the 2013 season.

This time of year, the focus is on the growth of shrimp. That means paying attention to things like salinity, rainfall and water temperature.

Source: WLOX

The publication on 22 May of a scientific article by Marine Scotland on the environmental factors affecting a key fishery in the North Sea for prawns (langoustines) highlights the dynamic nature of our marine environment and the need for greater understanding of such natural fluxes, says the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF).

The article outlines the environmental factors which have affected the prawn fishery on the Fladen Ground in the North Sea with weather patterns causing colder than usual water temperatures. For the first four months of 2013 landing figures show a 52 per cent decline compared to the same period last year. The situation has also been replicated on the west coast, but to a lesser extent.

LAVAL - Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc. announces its consolidated financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended 28 February, 2013 and provides update on action plan to resume operations.

Nutraceutical Business Results

• Nutraceutical revenues increased 32 per cent to a record CAD 25,181,000, for the fiscal year ended 28 February, 2013, up from USD 19,113,000 in the corresponding period ended 29 February, 2012.
• Adjusted EBITDA was negative (CAD 965,000) for the fiscal year ended 28 February, 2013, compared to Adjusted EBITDA of CAD 2,690,000 in the prior year.
• Net loss totalled (CAD 12,779,000) for the fiscal year ended 28 February, 2013, compared to net profit of CAD 2,384,000 for the corresponding period ended 29 February, 2012.

Source: The Wall Street Journal