Fish Update Briefing, Friday, November 2

£1m FUND TO HELP SMALL FISHERIES
THE Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has launched a new £1 million fund to help small scale fisheries become more sustainable. It says almost three-quarters of global seafood is caught in the developing world, where growing demand and overfishing is pushing many stocks into decline. As such, the certification scheme is to launch a new Ocean Stewardship Fund, which it says will help fisheries in the global south manage their operations more sustainably. The initiative is also designed to gather data and research into fisheries management to promote more sustainable practices across the industry. Rupert Howes, MSC chief executive, said the fund builds on its existing work helping developing economies transition to sustainable seafood production.
SMART FISH FARM TECHNOLOGY UNVEILED
SOUTH Korea\’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has shown off some of the latest technologies used in the management of fish farms. A demonstration of a new system was held at a mullet fish farm in the southern county of Hadong in the South Gyeongsang Province – a system which adopts new information and communications technologies, as well as advanced equipment such as small unmanned submersible vehicles and underwater cameras. These will allow workers to manage their fish farms from afar with their smartphone, according to the ministry. ‘Smart fish farms will help boost the efficiency of farming operations, create more jobs and develop eco-friendly ways of doing this business,’ said maritime minister Kim Young-choon.
SUPER HUB FOR FISHERY RESEARCH GROUPS
NORWAY’S Institute of Marine Research and Directorate of Fisheries are to be relocated in a futuristic new building in Bergen, the government has agreed. The aim is to give both organisations the space and facilities to develop innovative research into fishing, aquaculture and good sea management. Research director Sissel Rogne said: ‘We are planning for the next 50 to 100 years, so our vision must be seen in that perspective.’ The government, he added, was determined to ensure sustainable use of the sea.
FISH SHOP NAME TAKES A BATTERING
THE owner of a fish and chip shop in Queensland, Australia, called the Battered Wife, has defended her controversial name amid widespread criticism. Speaking on the day Queensland MPs met to remember women killed in domestic violence, the state Attorney General Yvette D’Ath said she was appalled by the title, claiming it was completely out of step with what the community expected. But the owner, Caroline Kerr, a former policewoman, told ABC news that she too had been a victim of domestic violence and chose the name to raise awareness of the issue. However, locals say the shop is almost always busy and locals are puzzled by the controversy, claiming it to be another example of political correctness.