Spike in Indian Shrimp Refusals No Cause for Alarm
The Southern Shrimp Alliance and the NGO's that want to restrict imported shrimp have jumped on FDA import refusal data that appear to show a big jump in refusals of shrimp from India due to unapproved antibiotics or animal drugs. This caused some concern that there was an overall problem with increased use of banned antibiotics in shrimp imports. But FDA data shows refusals of shrimp for banned antibiotics have fallen so far in 2016 and are likely to end the year lower than in 2015. This suggests that the targeted FDA program is working, in that it is causing bad actors to either clean up their processes or stop exporting to the US writes John Sackton.
Analysts reported a positive sales forecast for Charoen Pokphand Foods based in part on the recovery of Thailand's shrimp output. The company reported a 35 percent increase in its second-quarter profits. "CPF's Thai shrimp unit is expected to reverse to growth again in [the third quarter of 2016], largely due to the high season and greater segment-wide shrimp output," said Bualuang Securities.
In other news, Trident Seafoods Japan is again participating in the Tokyo Seafood Show as a single company, instead of through its local distributors. Trident said it will try and expand its sales directly to Japanese consumers with a focus on single frozen pollock and ocean perch fillet sales. "Our company is probably the first to propose pollock slice products," said Koichi Suzuki.
Meanwhile, for the first time since 1998 anchovies are no longer the world’s top ranked species in terms of catch. That distinction now goes to Alaska pollock from the Bering Sea according to the FAO's biennial State of the World Fisheries Report. The FAO report also said that Alaskan fishermen produce 18 percent of the total world cod harvest and that the Northwest Pacific remained the most productive area for capture fisheries, and is credited with providing 27 percent of the global catch.
Finally, Canada's federal Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation lost its exclusive purchasing monopoly over fish from the Manitoba province. The Corporation had controlled the sale of fish in Manitoba since 1969. "Our government will be pursuing consultation with all affected partners including the federal government, the commercial fishing industry as well Indigenous and Métis fishers from all regions of the province," said Manitoba's Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox. "This collaborative approach will ensure that Manitoba fishers have a seat at the table as we make progress on delivering marketing choice."
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