AGP Executive Report

El Niño Risks: Milkfish farmers in the Philippines are preparing for hotter, drier conditions that can slow feeding and spawning and worsen pond water quality. Officials advise harvesting market-ready fish and cutting stocking density by up to half. Coastal Health: Pollution and weak marine rehabilitation threaten fisheries in the Verde Island Passage. A new assessment found oil-and-grease levels above limits at all six sampled protected areas; seagrass cover fell sharply at several sites. Catch and Supply: Peru has canceled its second 2026 anchovy season, citing lower biomass and a high share of juvenile fish. Floods are also worsening Thailand’s shrimp crisis amid disease and export setbacks. Salmon Sustainability: Hannaford faces a proposed class action alleging its “sustainable” farmed-salmon claims mislead customers about environmental harm. Seafood Investment: Canada and Atlantic provinces renewed a CAD 300 million fisheries fund, with a stronger focus on opening export markets.

Marine Health: Pollution and weak rehabilitation threaten fisheries and food security in the Verde Island Passage, a new assessment warns. All six sampled marine protected areas exceeded oil-and-grease limits, while seagrass cover fell sharply at several sites; the study did not establish a clear link to the 2023 oil spill. Climate Risk: Bangus farmers in the Philippines are being urged to prepare for a super El Niño. Officials warn hotter pond water can reduce feeding and spawning, and advise harvesting market-ready fish and cutting stocking density. Processing & Trade: A new Kyrgyzstan plant can process up to 3,000 tonnes of trout, sturgeon and other fish a year, with the $10 million project aimed at expanding exports and jobs. The EU has also approved Egyptian fish products for export to all 27 member states. Industry Support: Canada and Atlantic provinces are investing $300 million through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund to help seafood reach new markets. Fish Health: Researchers are tackling antibiotic resistance as Vietnamese pangasius farmers face limited treatment alternatives.

Salmon Feed: European producers are adding poultry byproducts to salmon feed as fishmeal prices climb. They say the switch can cut costs and reliance on wild fish, though consumer acceptance remains a concern. Industry Finance: The US aquaculture sector is clashing with fishermen over USDA loans, as debate grows over how public support should be allocated. Shrimp Exports: Bangladesh’s Muktadir called for greener production and digital traceability to strengthen shrimp exports. Farmed Salmon: Canadian salmon farmers warn that a proposed net-pen ban threatens an uncertain future for the sector. Oyster Farming: A California oyster farm announced a major recall after a sewage leak, while disease-resistant oysters developed by Rutgers offer hope for Canadian growers. Research and Training: Michigan State University will lead a new Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish, focused on advancing fish production.

Community Aquaculture: In Nigeria’s Katsina State, fodder plots and fish production are helping ease farmer-herder tensions by keeping livestock away from crops. Tilapia Investment: Ghana’s Volta Region is pursuing a commercial fish-farming and processing partnership, with plans for a modern facility serving local and export markets. Farmed Seafood Risks: Ecuador’s shrimp producers face rising electricity costs and mandatory power cuts, while warmer seas threaten salmon operations and sharpen the industry’s climate challenge. Oyster Innovation: Rutgers’ disease-resistant oysters offer a potential boost for Canadian growers. Feed Debate: A new dispute over fishmeal highlights concerns that industrial demand can divert fish from human diets; industry representatives are pushing back against broad criticism.

Shrimp Sector Under Pressure: Ecuador’s shrimp producers face rising electricity costs and mandatory power cuts, threatening operations in a major export industry. Industry and Investment: Aquaculture engineering firm Aqualis has a new majority owner, DNV, while India’s sector is being urged to seize export opportunities. Oman is also investing more than RO 123 million in infrastructure for its Duqm fisheries zone. Feed and Climate Risks: New data says 80% of salmon feed in Canada comes from non-marine sources. At the same time, warming seas are putting the billion-dollar salmon industry at risk. Seafood Outlook: American Seafoods expects protein affordability and El Niño to shape seafood markets in 2027. Fishmeal Debate: A sweeping investigation into fish-feed production has drawn industry pushback, highlighting tensions over how the sector’s practices are portrayed.

Fish-Feed Scrutiny: Seafood groups are pushing back against Outlaw Ocean’s investigation into fishmeal production, saying its sweeping claims risk unfairly tarnishing producers that meet sustainability and labor standards. Salmon at Risk: A new report warns that just 1°C of ocean warming could put $23.7 million in revenue at risk for a major Tasmanian salmon producer as rising temperatures drive fish deaths. Tuna Workers: Thailand’s tuna association and Stella Maris have agreed to work together on crew welfare, ship visits, grievance handling and labor protections through 2029. Farmed Seafood Growth: Oman’s shrimp season is underway as aquaculture takes a growing share of output, while FAO and partners are working to strengthen Nigeria’s aquaculture value chains.

Shrimp Farming: Oman has opened its annual wild-shrimp season, but farms now account for more than 84% of the country’s shrimp output. Salmon and Climate Risk: A new assessment estimates that 1°C of warming could raise Tassal’s salmon deaths from 15 to 18.5 per 100 fish, costing about A$23.7 million a year. Tasmanian waters have recently run 2–3°C above average, while the company’s disclosure did not put a price on mortality losses. Feed Costs: Domestic fish feed is reported to cost 20% less than imports, a potential boost for producers facing input pressures. New Markets: Regal Springs is introducing farmed tilapia to UK fish-and-chip shops, pitching it as another option as supplies of cod and haddock tighten. Nigeria’s Aquaculture: FAO and the University of Ibadan are partnering to strengthen the country’s aquaculture value chains.

IUU Fishing: Vietnam ordered strict enforcement of five controls, including vessel monitoring and seafood traceability, as it seeks to remove the EU’s yellow card by year-end. Fisheries Protection: Ghanaian civil society groups welcomed a suspension of offshore gold exploration but called for licences to be revoked, warning of risks to marine life and coastal livelihoods. Small-Scale Fishers: Indian consultations urged climate preparedness, compensation for weather-related fishing bans, stronger social security and formal recognition of women fishers. Aquaculture Growth: FAO and the University of Ibadan are partnering to strengthen Nigeria’s aquaculture value chains, while Kenyan pastoralists are turning to fish farming amid climate shocks. Industry Outlook: A strong El Niño is expected to disrupt Pacific tuna fisheries into 2027. Meanwhile, a new microalgae facility aims to scale alternatives to fish oil, and an EU trade deal could reduce paperwork and costs for Scottish salmon exporters.

Illegal Fishing: Nigeria and Norway plan to use satellite vessel tracking and shared intelligence to detect suspicious activity and protect local fisheries. Seafood Safety: St. Vincent and the Grenadines is developing a five-year inspection plan to improve seafood quality and support access to regional and international markets. New Routes to Fish Farming: Kenyan pastoralists hit by drought are turning to tilapia and catfish, with county support helping expand production and incomes. Supply Pressure: Aker BioMarine warns demand for omega-3s could outstrip fish-oil supply as early as 2027, while a new microalgae facility aims to scale up an alternative. Farmed Seafood Under Scrutiny: Recent reports highlight environmental and labor concerns across farmed seafood supply chains, while salmon deaths have prompted backlash against a major fast-food supplier. Market Shifts: Chile is seeking buyers for premium farmed turbot, and Ecuador’s shrimp industry is working to expand export markets.

Aquaculture’s outreach gap: Speakers at the European Aquaculture Society’s annual conference urged the sector to explain its research and innovations in ways that reach investors, policymakers and the public—not just other specialists. Fish-farming innovation and scrutiny: Algiecel has opened a microalgae facility to scale alternatives to fish oil, while a study found heart disease at five of seven open-net salmon farms. Tuna under pressure: The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency warns criminal networks are exploiting tuna shipments, vessels and refuelling operations to smuggle cocaine. Strong El Niño conditions are also expected to disrupt Pacific tuna fisheries into 2027. Growth and policy: African countries are turning to aquaculture as wild stocks decline, while the US aquaculture lobby campaigns as Congress weighs a new bill. Ecuador’s shrimp sector is also seeking new export markets.

Aquaculture Health: Researchers in Oman say new findings on harmful algal blooms could help protect fisheries and aquaculture, as well as desalination plants. Fisheries Oversight: A bill filed in the Philippines would establish electronic monitoring of fishing vessels to curb illegal fishing and protect small-scale fishers. Tuna Industry: Malaysia has licensed 36 of its target 70 deep-sea vessels, aiming to lift tuna landings to 150,000 tonnes by 2030. Maritime Cooperation: Indonesia and Egypt agreed to work together on sustainable marine resources and tackling illegal fishing. Market Growth: Ecuador’s shrimp industry is expanding and seeking new export markets, while Scottish salmon farmers are pursuing trade opportunities in India. Fishing Pressure: Alaska’s pollock trawling debate is intensifying over salmon bycatch, which totals hundreds of thousands of fish in some years.

Fisheries Outlook: ICES recommends zero cod catches in 2027 across the Northern Shelf, citing depleted stocks. Past quotas have exceeded its scientific advice. Seafood Trade: Pakistan reports record seafood exports of $568 million as it pushes shrimp-farming expansion. Salmon producers are also targeting India, with a trade mission seeking £130 million in export opportunities. Farmed Salmon: A Chilean vaccine alliance aims to tackle a disease problem estimated to cost the industry $750 million. A separate study found that raising leaner salmon could cut feed costs by $100 million a year. Aquaculture Business: Mukka Proteins’ overseas subsidiary has begun commercial operations in Oman, expanding its international footprint.

Alaska Pollock: A growing fight over industrial trawling centers on salmon caught unintentionally in nets. Over the past decade, Bering Sea pollock boats averaged about 18,000 Chinook and 288,000 other salmon caught annually, intensifying concerns about impacts on wild stocks and Alaska communities. Salmon Exports: Scottish salmon farmers launched a trade mission to India, aiming to develop export opportunities worth £130 million. Shrimp Growth: Pakistan’s seafood exports reached a record $568 million as the government pushes to expand shrimp farming. Farmed Seafood Costs: Investigations into global seafood supply chains raise concerns about fishmeal’s toll, including pressure on wild fish stocks, pollution and labor conditions. Aquaculture Health: Michigan State University experts met to address antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture, while Stirling researchers secured funding to tackle the issue in Vietnamese pangasius farming.

Fisheries Support: Malaysia’s 2027 budget sets aside RM30 million to expand special boat licences and RM178 million for catch incentives, while the fisheries department says licensing must safeguard resources and fishing livelihoods. Aquafeed Business: Mukka Proteins’ Oman subsidiary has begun commercial production of fishmeal, fish oil and fish-soluble paste, expanding the group’s capacity and Middle East presence. Fish Health: Michigan State University convened aquatic-health experts to address antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture; in Chile, a new vaccine alliance chief is targeting salmon rickettsial syndrome, blamed for an estimated $750 million in annual industry costs. Shrimp Growth: Pakistan’s seafood exports hit a record $568 million as officials push shrimp-farming expansion. Supply-Chain Scrutiny: Investigations into global fishmeal production raise concerns about pollution, labor conditions and pressure on wild fish stocks—issues that could affect the sustainability of farmed seafood.

U.S. Aquaculture: Industry advocates are pressing Congress for a new bill, while legislation to allow offshore fish farming off Virginia has stalled in the Senate. Seafood Trade: Venezuela used the CONXEMAR fair in Spain to promote its seafood exporters and secure trade agreements, including deals covering shrimp, octopus and lobster. Fisheries Aid: Louisiana will open applications for $27 million in federal disaster assistance for fishing businesses affected by 2020 and 2021 hurricanes. Farmed Seafood Supply: New reporting traces the costs of fishmeal production, from pressure on wild fish used for feed to pollution and labor concerns. A possible cancellation of Peru’s next anchovy season adds to worries over feed supplies. Aquaculture Research: The University of Stirling has secured funding to help tackle antimicrobial resistance in Vietnamese pangasius farming. Meanwhile, African countries are turning to aquaculture as wild fish stocks decline and food security comes under pressure.

US Aquaculture: A lobby group has launched a campaign urging Congress to create a predictable federal permitting path, after a Gulf demonstration project took eight years to win approval for one net pen. Skills and Jobs: Ghana’s Nkabom Collaborative is shifting from training toward jobs and businesses for 55,000 young people, including in aquaculture. Feed Costs: A study says leaner farmed salmon could cut annual feed costs by $100 million, as Vietnam feed prices rise for a seventh time this year and fishmeal supplies face pressure. Shrimp Trade: Ecuadorian processors are grappling with costs, while Guyana is setting out plans for its seabob shrimp industry as an FAO program nears its end. Farming Debate: Pressure is growing in Europe for a ban on octopus farming.