SeaFood Business

DEC 2012

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Market Report Chilean sea bass supplies stable Pricey fish decreases in export value through September C hilean sea bass, also known as Pa- tagonian toothfish in Europe, mero in Japan, and bacalao de profun- didad (deepwater cod) in Chile, continues to be one of the most pop- ular fish in the world, especially in the United States, the largest im- porter of the species. After years of illegal fishing and a sustained crackdown on such ac- tivities, Chilean sea bass landings seem to have stabilized, but are far from a high point in the early to mid-1990s. Chile's landings of Chilean sea bass total capture in 2011 was just 1,900 MT. Year-to-date through landings September were 1,500 MT, a 29.7 percent increase over this species, found at depths of more than 2,000 meters in the Antarctic regions of nu- merous southern hemi- sphere countries, have recovered slightly over last year. Chile supplies more than 80 percent of the U.S. market's toothfish. While an- nual quotas for this species have been steady at around 3,000 metric tons (MT), the the same period in 2011. Te vast majority of this catch is exported as frozen fillets. While catches were up as of September, the overall value of exports has dropped. While prices were more or less stable at around $25 per kilogram in pre- vious years, this year the Chilean Fisheries Undersecretariat fore- cast an average of just Spain's farmed salmon consumption grows Norwegian salmon exports set record in October A utumn is Atlan- tic salmon season across southern Europe. Exports by lead supplier Norway are up, accom- panied by lower prices. Spain's consumption levels are up, further fluctuations despite in farmed salmon prices forecasted for next year. Spain's salmon con- sumption is dominated by farmed product, mainly from Norway. Domestic salmon land- ings are negligible. Norwegian salmon exports of €3.27 bil- lion ($4.16 billion) set a new October record with a 23 percent in- crease over October 2011, propelled by strong consumption growth in Europe and more affordable pricing salmon Spain's Atlantic salmon wholesale market prices averaged €4.23 ($5.37) per retail contributing to Spain's strong demand. Te Norwegian Council Seafood highlights Spain's ap- preciation of salmon for its increasing value for money and as a sushi ingredient, cit- ing Spanish sales as a "success story." Ninety percent of the salmon Spain imports comes from Norway and Denmark, and 10 per- cent from Scotland. Atlantic salmon is the most widely consumed salmon in Spain for the fineness of its meat. Early this November, 14 SeaFood Business December 2012 €9.94 ($12.62). Farmed averaged Atlantic under $20 per kilo- gram for frozen fillets. Subsequently, the total value of exports has fallen by 11.7 percent: From January to Sep- tember 2011 exports were worth $58.83 million, and this year in the same time pe- riod the value dropped to $51.94 million. On the aquaculture front, progress contin- ues to be made with experiments to culti- vate sea bass in Chile, with new techniques allowing for a greater survival rate. However, it should be noted that this is a species that takes at least 10 years to reach reproductive age, so this work is still in a very preliminary stage. — Brewington & Co. November and fall 3 percent U.K. salmon report (Continued from page 12) been offering salmon products in various at- tractive deals, but the same buyers have hinted that there are limits. Many will have taken some comfort from the recent Rabobank industry report "Te Dragon's Changing Ap- petite," that document- ed China's growing ap- petite for seafood and its particular affection for salmon. Based on an optimis- tic growth rate of 14 percent, China's salmon imports could reach 120,000 MT by the end of the current decade. Last year, China im- ported 12,000 MT of salmon. — Jason Holland in December kilogram while prices salmon is the best-sell- ing fish in France, 98 percent of which is im- ported from Norway. Around 7,000 met- ric tons (MT) of Italy's annual Atlantic salmon imports are from Nor- way, reflecting Italy's low salmon consump- tion compared to other European markets; its greater preference for whitefish continues. Norwegian fish in- analyst Kon- estimates Nor- farmed Atlantic harvest will dustry tali way's salmon grow by 2 percent in 2012, ending the year with a harvest volume of 1,135 MT whole fish equivalent, up 13 per- cent on 2011. In early November, Norway's export price stood at €3.62 ($4.61) per kg for fresh fish. Tracking export pric- es and volumes from September to early No- vember, a kilogram of fresh product fell from €3.90 ($4.96) on 16,474 MT to €3.62 ($4.61) on 17,867 MT and fro- zen from €4.08 ($5.19) on 787 MT to €3.94 ($5.01) on 943 MT, in- dicating that the 1,393 MT increase on fresh and 156 MT increase on frozen sales is accompa- nied by a €0.28 ($0.35) fall on fresh prices and a €0.14 ($0.17) fall in fro- zen prices. — Chris Dove Japan oyster report (Continued from page 12) energy that will ensure viability after spawning. Much of the world's oyster production is in crisis. Ostreid herpes virus-1 uVar has caused juvenile mortality rates of more than 60 percent in France. Te original virus was probably in- troduced with the Japa- nese oyster, but has mu- tated to become more deadly and this variety has spread to Ireland, Europe's second-largest production area after France. Some studies suggest oysters grown in suspended rope culture, as in Japan, rather than the Australian basket method are less suscep- tible, as are juveniles that have already been exposed and survived. — Chris Loew Visit us online at www.seafoodbusiness.com

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