Smash and grab predators threaten Norwegian farms

Large bluefin tuna breaking into salmon cages have been causing serious disruption at a number of the Norwegian fish farms over the past few weeks. While the problem is not on the same scale or of the same severity as the jellyfish attacks, the tuna – also known in Norway as “mackerel sturgeon” – have nevertheless created quite a headache and a lot of extra work for the affected farms.

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Retailer rules out Tasmanian salmon ban – for now

A group of activists in Australia have failed to stop the large Woolworth retail chain in Australia selling Tasmanian salmon.
They claim that salmon farming practices in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour are threatening the rare Maugean skate which now only exists in that area.

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MSPs raise concerns over marine science funding

A committee of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament has warned that the scientific work that underpins fisheries policy could be adversely affected by underfunding, especially for the Marine Directorate’s research facilities.

The Rural Affairs and Islands (RAI) Committee has written to Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Islands and Land Reform, following its review of the Marine Directorate budget, as part of its Pre Budget Review.

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Out of Eden

Andrew Whiston, Rastech

On the east coast of Scotland, an innovative project is seeking to show that tropical shrimp can be grown – at commercial scale – in colder climes.

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Buyer found for Skaginn assets

An agreement has been reached for the purchase of the assets of the Icelandic  seafood processing equipment company Skaginn 3X, which filed for bankruptcy in the summer.

A group of investors with the firm KAPP, another Icelandic technology company,  will buy all the equipment and liquid assets of the Skaginn estate in Akranes.

Skaginn 3X, was a well-known name in the world of seafood processing equipment, but it  filed for bankruptcy four months ago after  Baader, its German parent company, failed to turn the business around.

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DNA modelling promises a breakthrough for seabed sampling

starfish on rocks on the seabed

Seabed sampling to assess the impact of fish farms could be speeded up significantly through the use of environmental DNA technology, a research project has concluded.

The “MeioMetBar” study took the form of a six-year collaboration between regulators, researchers and fish farmers in Scotland and Germany.

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