(SeafoodSource) The latest issue of the Globefish Highlights, published by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in mid-August, starkly illustrates the dramatic decline in sales of pangasius to European countries. Imports to the EU are down by a massive 27 percent in volume and 22 percent in value compared with the year before.

(IntraFish) Concerns over the European Commission’s leaked proposal for a 3.5 percent duty on pollock imports into the European Union (EU) have softened with the release of new plans to nix the tax.

(IntraFish) US catfish imports are up 57 percent over last year for the first half of 2012, to 11 million kilos. Pangasius from Vietnam is a major factor in the import increase. Imports are up to 10.6 million kilos from 6.7 million kilos last year.

(atuna.com) Italy is showing increased dependence on other countries for its canned tuna supply.

(seafood.com) American meteorologists are forecasting El Nino conditions for the rest of the year, and the warmer water temperatures will strongly affect tuna catches in the Eastern and Western Pacific Ocean.

(vasep.com.vn) According to La Fédération française des Industries d'Aliments Conservés (FIAC), among EU block, Spain is a predominant tuna consumer with the highest average consumption per capita of 2.18 kilogram per year.

(IntraFish) Indonesia is to host a workshop this week that will assess the economic and social benefits of supporting the country’s pole-and-line tuna fishery.

(vasep.com.vn) In the past time, the structure of export items from Vietnam to South Korea has witnessed positive changes in which agro-forestry and fisheries exports ranked the third position after textile and crude oil.

(seafoodsource) Norwegian salmon prices are still on the rise, reaching NOK 21.1 (EUR 2.86; USD 3.61) per kilogram during the week of 27 August to 2 September, Statistics Norway reported on Wednesday.

(vasep.com.vn) In the past five months, cephalopod exports to the U.S. marked consecutive double-digit growth over that of the same period of 2011. For the year to July, the U.S. outstripped Taiwan to become the 6thlargest importer of Vietnam cephalopod.

(seafoodsource) The market for fish and seafood in Germany presents a continuous growing demand, according to Hamburg-based organization Fish Information Centre (FIZ).

(seafood.com) Japan's purchase of king, snow crab show recovery in July; imports of frozen pollock roe from U.S. and Russia total about 40,000 tons

(Vietnam News Brief) Vietnam earned over $1.066 billion from pangasius fish exports in the year up to August 15, rising 1.8% from the same period last year.

(vasep.com.vn) In the second quarter of 2012, Vietnam shrimp exports reached US$579.22 million, up 8.24 percent from that of the same period of 2011. Through June 2012, shrimp exports gained US$1.015 billion, up 4.5 percent over that of the same period last year. Along with persistent epidemic on shrimp starting since the first quarter of this year, in the second quarter, main bottlenecks of shrimp sector are barriers from consuming markets, reduction in global shrimp price led to loss in shrimp’s competitiveness, increase in raw material price and input costs. In June, shrimp exports tended to drop by 4 percent and may be continued unless barriers from importers are removed, especially Japanese market which inspected Ethoxyquin residue on shrimp consignments originated from Vietnam. Shrimp production and export situation in the second quarter of 2012 include 10 remarkable points as follows:

(IntraFish) US catfish farmers are struggling to make ends meet as catfish feed prices rocket -- they hovered near $250 (€199) a ton for two decades before jumping to $600 (€477) a ton in the past two years, the New York Times reported last week.