Thai Shrimp Farmers Assoc. Sees Continued 
Improvement in 2017; With Growing Thai Exports to China
The Thai Shrimp Association expects continued shrimp output growth in Thailand in 2017. This year's production is around 300,000 tons, and the Thai Shrimp Farmers believe they could increase to 350,000 tons in 2017, although other observers think this is too optimistic. The Association said better-managed shrimp farms have improved survival rates and yields compared to other producing countries. Thailand's shrimp exports are also expected to grow in many markets, particularly China, as demand is on the rise in many emerging cities with higher purchasing power.
Orca Bay's plan to built a fish processing plant in Federal Way, Washington has been scrapped because of objections raised by local residents. Locals opposed the plant over concerns it would produce too much noise for the surrounding neighborhood.
In other news, frozen mahi inventories in the US market are likely to be short in 2017 since importers are backing away from the fish because of high rates of FDA rejections this year. This means mahi is likely to disappear from menus next year as importers are advising customers to find alternatives.
Meanwhile, Thai Union will invest $90 million to increase its supply of sustainably sourced tuna. This investment is part of Thai Union's commitment to responsibly source 100 percent of its branded tuna. The company plans to achieve a minimum of 75 percent of this goal by the end of 2020. Part of Thai Union's strategy is to set up 11 new Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) across the world.
Finally, Oregon Coast coho populations got a boost from the NMFS Wednesday when the agency released its recovery plan for delisting the species. It is ambitious both in its voluntary -- not regulatory -- plan for public-private partnership proposals and because of its 10-year timeframe writes Susan Chambers. "If the plan is successful, Oregon Coast coho could become the first of 28 threatened and endangered species of salmon and steelhead on the West Coast to recover to the point they can be delisted from the Endangered Species Act," NMFS said in a press release.
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