Fish Update Briefing, Friday, September 7

CATCH TO PLATE LOBSTER HUB PLAN
A US lobster company has unveiled plans to build a processing plant, seafood restaurant and marine education centre near the harbour in Portland, Maine. The scheme was announced by John Hathaway, owner of Shucks Maine Lobster, who believes it could create at least 80 jobs. In a planning submission he said the centre was designed to service Maine’s seafood economy and help the fishing community to connect with the visitors who come to Maine to eat seafood, but have no point of access to learn about the men and women who provide the catch.
NEW TRAWLER NETS FAST CATCH
HB Grandi’s new super trawler, the Akurey, has caught more than 4,500 tonnes of fish, mainly cod, redfish and haddock, since it came into service in February this year. Her skipper, Erikur Jonsson, described the Akurey, one of three new trawlers built in Turkey for the Icelandic company, as a fantastically efficient ship and said she should easily manage 7,000 tonnes within a year. He added that the vessel had to make long steaming times before being able to find cod.
MILLIONS FOR EU ‘BLUE OCEAN’ PROJECTS
THE European Commission has approved the financing of 19 new sustainable ‘blue’ projects under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The projects were submitted following a call for proposals launched to accelerate the deployment of a sustainable blue economy across the EU and the Mediterranean. The successful applicants will share grants totalling 14.5 million euros for activities which include innovation, fighting marine litter and restoring eco-systems that have been previously damaged.
FISH WITH EYE ON THE MAIN CHANCE
THE authorities in Kuwait have closed down a shop after its owners were caught sticking \’googly eyes\’ on fish in an attempt to make them appear fresher. The Al Bayan newspaper reports the action was taken by local police who said the owners had used fake lenses, which was then confirmed by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Commerce. When the news got out on social media, users mocked the shop owners with a series of messages that went viral. One fish company in Kuwait posted a picture of a fish with different colour contact lenses with the message it was selling fish ‘without cosmetics’.