They took this action after reviewing a new scientific assessment showing this sardine population dropped 33 per cent from the previous year and has been in continuous decline over the past six years, while recruitment is the lowest it has been in the last two decades.
While catch levels will be lower in 2013 than in 2012, the fishery council ignored increasing catch rates by Canada and Mexico; ignored warnings from scientists that the stock is collapsing; and failed to account for the importance of sardines as prey for whales, seabirds and other fish like salmon and tuna, Oceana wrote.
“They rubber stamped the 2013 catch levels based on a formula they know is flawed,” said Geoff Shester, California Programme Director for Oceana. “It is frankly unbelievable, that the Council recognizes its current management is outdated and needs to be revised, yet year after year they continue to set quotas that are driving the population to collapse.”
A study published earlier this year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that the Pacific sardine population is collapsing. The scientists, including authors from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), said that managers may be making the same mistakes all over again that led to the major population crash in the late 1940s that was made famous by Steinbeck’s Cannery Row.
The scientists found a “critical” threshold in the population level, below which it is at risk of severe collapse. The stock assessment reviewed by the council shows the sardine population has now dropped below that threshold.
“It is high time for the NMFS to change the way Pacific sardine fisheries are managed,” said Ben Enticknap, Pacific Project Manager for Oceana. “They have the science and the technology to do it right, but they refuse to consider new options.”
Pacific sardine are a critical food source for innumerable marine species including fish that support other recreationally and commercially important fisheries. These small fish also support one of the top three west coast fisheries by volume.
In 2011 west coast sardine landings were worth over USD 9.7 million, yet their value left in the water may be much more. Most sardines caught off the west coast are exported as aquaculture feeds or bait.
Shester explains, “The current catch levels are set without considering how much needs to be left in the ocean to support a healthy food web, and without considering other recreationally and commercially important fish species that need to eat sardine to thrive. Ultimately, this hurts not only the sardine stock, but coastal communities and ocean wildlife.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The US remains Vietnam’s largest single market for shrimp imports, accounting for 20% of Vietnam's total shrimp exports globally. As of October 15th, 2024, Vietnamese shrimp exports to the US reached nearly 600 million dollas, marking a 10% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs, pangasius exports to Canada reached over 1 million USD in the first half of October 2024, a 33% decrease compared to the same period last year. However, by October 15, 2024, total pangasius exports to Canada had reached 32 million USD, reflecting a 10% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Cà Mau is accelerating its digital transformation, developing green industries, and promoting high-tech processing of agricultural and aquatic products, with a focus on sustainable economic growth and environmental protection.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Dong Thap Pangasius Festival 2024, themed 'Dong Thap Pangasius: Green Journey - Green Value', will take place on November 16-17 in Hong Ngu City.
The positive business momentum in the domestic seafood sector could last into the first half of 2025, according to experts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first three quarters of 2024, brackish water shrimp production exceeded 1.1 million tons, with export revenue reaching $2.8 billion. The seafood industry has set a target of $4 billion for shrimp exports for the entire year.
While the price of 1 kg of shrimp hovers around 20 USD, the value of 1 kg of chitosan—extracted from shrimp—can soar to 500 USD. This highlights a significant challenge within the seafood processing industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) By October, Vietnam's shrimp exports had generated nearly $3 billion, reflecting an increase of over 10% compared to the same period last year. Shrimp remains the leading commodity contributing to the export turnover of the entire seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sao Ta Foods Joint Stock Company (FIMEX VN - HoSE: FMC) concluded Q3/2024 with significant growth in revenue. Specifically, Sao Ta Food recorded revenue of VND 2,845 billion, a 58.6% increase year-on-year. The company's profit after tax reached VND 95 billion, up 6.2%.
VASEP's Seafood Export Report for the third quarter of 2024 provides a comprehensive overview of Vietnam's seafood export performance in the first nine months, with impressive results reaching $7.2 billion—an increase of 9% over the same period last year. In the third quarter alone, seafood exports grew by 15%, totaling $2.8 billion. This growth is attributed to a recovery in demand and prices in key markets such as the U.S. and China, as well as the competitive advantage of value-added products in markets like Japan and Australia.
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