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Global News BOSTON Thailand responds to labor critics stocks of both have migrated into their waters, making fshing at higher volumes safer. Te dispute led to sanc- tions from the EU against the Faroes last fall, with threats to do the same with Iceland. QUEZON CITY, Philippines Philippines sets new crab conservation rules Te Philippines' Depart- ment of Agriculture has implemented new rules re- garding conservation of blue swimming crab, becoming the frst nation in Southeast Asia to do so. "Te [National Fisheries Institute] Crab Council has been working toward crab sustainability in the Philippines for the better part of fve years," says Bobby Eduardo, trea- surer of the Philippine As- sociation of Crab Processors and a member of the coun- cil's executive committee. "Te government's order will further bolster our ef- forts, and we hope to see the active enforcement of these sustainability-minded practices throughout the country." Te order intro- duces regulations on mini- mum catch size, responsible fshing gear, closed crabbing seasons and the protec- tion of berried female crabs. In addition, the Indonesia Crab Processing Association adopted a sourcing policy setting the minimum size for blue swimming crab at 10 centimeters to allow them to breed before capture. TROMSØ, Norway Selective breeding project begins in EU A new research project aims to promote selective breed- ing to improve aquaculture production. Te project, FISHBOOST, began at Nofma, the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research in Tromsø, Norway, and includes partners from nine European countries. Te European Commission is funding the fve-year proj- ect, which will focus on six fnfsh species — Atlantic salmon, common carp, Eu- ropean sea bass, gilthead sea bream, rainbow trout and turbot. Trygve Gjedrem, a breeder with Nofma who developed some of the ear- lier family-based breed- ing programs, noted that in 2010 only 10 percent of world aquaculture produc- tion came from such breed- ing programs. "We believe we will fnd some answers to what it takes to increase the 10 percent and guide aqua- culture producers to imple- ment selective breeding in their production," says Anna Sonesson, a coordinator of the project. REYKJAVÍK, Iceland Iceland calls EU mackerel deal 'unacceptable' Iceland's Ministry of Fish- eries and Agriculture is- sued a statement blasting the "Mackerel Wars" quota agreement between the Faroe Islands and the European Union, decrying the methods used to form the agreement as "unacceptable." Minister Sigurdur Johannsson accused the EU of caving to pressure from Norway, and betraying unofcial agreements with Iceland to secure the March deal. Te Faroe Islands and Iceland have been fght- ing accusations by the EU and Norway that they are overfshing herring and mackerel stocks, with of- fcials from Iceland and the Faroes insisting updated scientifc studies show the Trafcking in Persons re- port's Tier 2 Watch List for the fourth time, which means this year the country faces the possibility of being downgraded to Tier 3 and trade sanctions. R epresentatives of the Tailand government said new regulations, such as vessel-monitoring systems on Tai fshing boats in for- eign waters and fngerprint identifcation for work- ers, will address criticisms the country has not done enough to eliminate forced labor and human trafcking in its fshing industry. "We are making [end- ing] forced labor and child labor a government top priority," said the Tailand Embassy's Saroj Tanasunti, who spoke at Seafood Expo North America in Boston last month. Te industry's image suf- fered a series of blows after the Environmental Justice Foundation alleged that workers are forced to work long hours for little or no pay — and are sometimes beaten and cast overboard if they object. Last year the U.S. State Department placed Tailand on its 14 SeaFood Business April 2014 For updated NEWS, go to www.SeafoodSource.com Facts & FIGURES 105 Thousands of lobster traps removed from Newfoundland's Fortune Bay after a three-year buy-back program concluded at the end of March, according to Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) 266 Number of lobster licenses reduced as part of the DFO program, a 24 percent decrease, intended to beneft the long-term sustainability and economic prosperity of the lobster fshery on the province's southwest and west coasts 700 Number of licenses for other species, such as snow crab and groundfsh, also canceled when lobstermen retired through the program's voluntary incentives Photo courtesy of Environmental Justice Foundation 10_16NewsRecap.indd 14 3/25/14 1:55 PM