Lobster

Vietnam: Lobster Prices Drop (Jan 3)

Previously, the price of grade 1 cotton lobster was purchased from USD 55.44 to USD 59.70/kg (1.3 to 1.4M VND), blue lobster was priced from USD 29.85 to 36.25/kg (700K to 850K VND). Currently, grade 1 cotton lobster is reduced to only about USD 34.12- USD 36.25/kg (800K - 850K VND), while blue lobster is about USD 25.59- USD 27.72/kg (600K - 650K VND). The price of lobster has nearly halved compared to before, while the cost of farming has doubled. Lobster prices dropped, but few people bought them, so shrimp farmers were forced to price, even shrimp from type 1 pressed down to type 2. Lobster prices in Phu Yen province dropped, but traders were still absent. This year, in Song Cau town, Phu Yen province, about 51.8K commercial lobster cages were stocked, the output of all kinds of lobsters was about 1.33K MT, up 79% over the same period last year. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic and the narrowing of the consumption market, mainly exporting by unofficial channels to the Chinese market, the price of commercial lobsters dropped.

Salmon

Turkey: Turkish Salmon Grown in the Middle of the Steppe Rivaled Norwegian Salmon (Jan 4)

Trout raised in the facilities established at Çekerek Dam in the middle of the steppe are sent to European countries as Turkish salmon after they mature in cages in the Black Sea. The trout, which are raised with the net cage system installed on the dam in Çekerek district of Yozgat, are sent to the facilities in the Black Sea after reaching a certain gram weight. After the trout mature in cages in fish facilities in the Black Sea, they are exported to 36 countries as Turkish salmon. At Çekerek Dam, 14 enterprises raise 2K MT of trout per year in 90 cages. Approximately 1.3K MT of the produced trout are considered as salmon candidates. It is sent to facilities in the Black Sea. The transport of the trout raised in the Çekerek Dam to the sea is met by trucks.

Turkey: Anchovy Is Sold for USD 1.33- 2.66/KG (Jan 5)

A kg of anchovy caught in the Black Sea is offered for sale in Trabzon from USD 1.33 to USD 2.66 (25 to 50 liras). In addition to anchovy, trout, whiting 50-80, bonito 50, sargan 80, salmon 100 and horse mackerel, which decorate the fishermen's stalls in the Moloz area of Ortahisar district, are sold for USD 3.19 (60 liras) along with anchovy. Fisherman Mehmet Can Örseloğlu told Anadolu Agency (AA) that prices drop when fish are plentiful.

Canada: Who Gets to Fish For British Columbia’s Salmon in the Future? (Jan 6)

It's not clear who are the winners and losers in the future of the commercial salmon fishery as Ottawa transforms an industry once the backbone of the coast. But trends suggest those with the deepest pockets will come out on top, industry experts say. The West Coast’s commercial salmon fleet is clearly in the midst of transformative change. Ottawa has shuttered approximately 60% of B.C.’s commercial fisheries since 2021 and last month launched a license buyback program to lure fish harvesters to exit the industry to protect plummeting salmon stocks.

Shrimp

Ecuador: Conquering Two Powers With Exports (Jan 3)

Ecuador in 2022 will exceed USD 18B of non-oil, non-mining exports, according to Fedexpor. Until October 2022, it managed to increase its sales to two powers: China (80%) and the United States (14%). Although due to the positive figures it can be said that the small country is conquering the world with its products, flavors and quality because there is an increase in exports to the commercial blocks: to Asia it was 64%; to the Middle East, 18%; to North America, 15%; to the CAN, 17%; to Mercosur, 10%, and to the European Union, 3%, according to the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor). But in this note, emphasis will be placed on the sales to China and the US that it has achieved, especially shrimp. Despite the fact that the positive numbers of 2022 are at risk for 2023, if the Government does not take measures to avoid losing competitiveness, according to the exporters. Within the current situation, the sales car to the world is driven by shrimp farmers, its sales have increased by 50% until October 2022. But it has a competitor that seeks to win the market, this is India. Shrimp vessels have sold USD 6.274B to the world, of which USD3.390B to China and USD 1.270B to the United States, José Antonio Camposano, president of the National Aquaculture Chamber (CNA) and the Corporation, said.

Ecuador: Insecurity and Drug Crime Hamper Exporters (Jan 4)

According to the Corporation of Exporters Associations of Ecuador (Cordex), at least 63 people associated with the export of bananas, shrimp and cocoa were killed by organized crime groups in 2022, and another 1.5K were injured during attacks. “Our biggest concern is the lack of security,” Cordex President Jose Antonio Camposano said. “Each year, the industries represented here spend at least USD 100M on security…because the state cannot provide us with it.” Camposano added that Ecuadorian shrimp exporters have been forced to hire armed guards to transport feed, with at least 12 roadside attacks reported in the past month.

Japan: Demand for Frozen Whole Cooked Mantis Shrimp Is Difficult to Meet Due to Unwillingness From Indonesian Suppliers (Jan 3)

The demand for frozen IQF whole-cooked mantis shrimp from Indonesia remains high for industrial use in Japan, but the raw material of the product must be in living condition before processing at the supplier's site. Japan's buyer mandatorily requires mantis shrimp in the size of 10-15cm and alive to keep the high quality of the finished product when reprocessed at the destination. This specific smaller size of mantis shrimp is usually being side caught from local fishing boats around North Sumatra and is rarely found in living conditions, hence keeping it alive up to a domestic processing factory will incur the expensive cost and a high mortality rate. Besides, there is fierce competition with local home industries around the landing site that process raw peeled meat of the mantis shrimp in block frozen selling to neighboring countries like Malaysia via boats, and it is doubtful that the local home industries are processing based on basic international standards of HACCP. In W52, the price in Tokyo stood at USD 10-15/kg CFR for the IQF-cooked whole mantis shrimp, so exporters and suppliers are reluctant to engage in the business.

Thailand: Shrimp Production Did Not Reach the Industry Goal in 2022 (Jan 3)

Shrimp producers and the Department of Fisheries in Thailand aimed to produce 300K MT of shrimp in 2022 and 400K MT in 2023. The 2022 target was not met due to the epidemic and unfavorable weather, and production remained the same as in 2021. A total of 280K MT of shrimp were produced, with 32% of them coming from the upper southern region, 25% from the eastern region, 21% from the lower southern region along the Andaman Coast, 12% from the central region, and 10% from the lower southern region along the Gulf of Thailand.

Squid

Indonesia: Significant Increase of Fish and Seafood Prices Around Java During W52 (Jan 3)

Fish like giant trevally (species: Charanx ignobilis) and common squid (species: loligo sp) experienced a significant price increment in fish landing site Tanjung Pasir in Tangerang regency, Banten, West Java Province in W52. The two fish are commonly consumed in the local market but are of much-limited availability at the moment due to recent low catch. The extreme weather and rough sea during the rainy season in Indonesia are keeping hundreds of fishing boats in the area at the shore for days. Due to the situation, the price of giant trevally fish has been offered much higher prices in W52 at USD 6.05/kg, when in earlier weeks the price stood at USD 4.77/kg. Fresh common squid prices also increased to USD 4.77/kg from USD 3.18/kg.

Indonesia: Increasing Prices of Fresh Squid in West Java Due to Bad Weather Conditions in W1 (Jan 4)

The price of seafood has been rising due to the extreme weather in Indonesia, particularly for squid (species: loligo sp) in Java. In the domestic fish market in Subang, West Java, fresh squid has been priced over two times higher at USD 11.50/kg than in December 2022 at USD 5.15/kg. There is a shortage since fishing is still impossible because of unfavorable sea conditions.

Tuna

Indonesia: Indonesian Fishery Exported 205MT of Skipjack Fish to Japan in Early 2023 (Jan 4)

Indonesia (Persero) launched an export of 205MT of skipjack tuna to Sakura Country, Japan in early January 2023. A total of 8 containers of skipjack tuna were sent to Japan by sea. The export of hundreds of tons of fish is a reflection of a new spirit in boosting the company's positive performance in the new year 2023. This is also a transformation of the company in creating a sustainable fisheries ecosystem. Main Director of Indonesian Fisheries Sigit Muhartono said, the export of skipjack tuna was a good start to the year to raise Indonesian fisheries income. The skipjack tuna delivery was carried out in two sessions. In the first session, the company exported 52 MT and in the second session, 153 MT.