Following on two years of poor performance and results, Uruguay's fishing industry is expected to face similar conditions in 2014, with ongoing labor disputes and tougher international markets particularly the European Union and Nigeria in Africa, which absorbed most of the country's hake, croaker and sea trout.
The process of selling Pesca Chile continues, despite Pescanova's attempts to slow down the liquidation of the company and its Chilean subsidiaries until the situation of the Galician multinational in Spain is resolved.
The bankrupt Galician multinational Pescanova has three proposals for its recapitalization: one from Damm, Luxempart, KKR and Ergon Capital Partners; another from Centerbridge and Bluecrest investment funds, and a third one from the major domestic creditor banks, according to reports from Vigo.
The government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands has announced it will issue two-year fishing licenses to companies who successfully apply to fish for toothfish and icefish in the SGSSI Maritime Zone, reports the South Georgia Newsletter latest edition.
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has announced the appointment of Amanda Lynnes to the part-time position of Operations and Communications Assistant. Amanda is responsible for communicating IAATO’s key messages and will assist in the development of the environmental and operational components of the Association.
High costs, poor catches and labor conflicts are threatening the competitiveness of Uruguay's fishing sector which has seen exports drop considerably plus fears of a possible closure of Nigeria which in the last 18 months has become the main market.
European Commission (EC) is urging European countries to impose trade sanction on Belize over illegal fishing, while warning Curacao that it may be next. The EC also urged European Union governments to hit Cambodia and Guinea with the sanctions, cautioning South Korea and Ghana that they, too, may be next in line.
Uruguay fisheries exports last year totaled 79.768 tons valued at 189 million dollars which is a considerable drop from 2011 with 102.500 tons and 236 million dollars. White croaker and hake were the main export items and Nigeria displaced the European Union as the main market.
One of the Falklands leading Seafood Companies, Fortuna, has invested in a pilot brown trout farm facility in the Falkland Islands. The project is lead by Simon Hardcastle, a Falkland Islander with experience of fish farming both in Scotland and in earlier projects in the Islands.
The first four ship owners summoned by the Court of Marin, Galicia, northwest Spain admitted to having incurred in fraudulent tax practices in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The Pontevedra Criminal Crimes prosecutor accused the fishing vessel owners of fraud totaling 13.7 million Euros, from the sale of undeclared fish catches from the cooperative San Miguel de Marin