Latest news with #fisheries
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
New rules coming after 2 tonnes of African catfish released into lake
The fisheries department said about 1,300 African catfish, weighing about 1.5kg each, were released into the Serdang agro exposition lake. (Facebook pic) KUALA LUMPUR : New regulations are to be drafted to control the release of fish, especially invasive species, into public waters. The fisheries department announced the move today following complaints about the release of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) into the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang lake in conjunction with a fishing competition organised by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi). The fisheries department said several mitigation measures were agreed upon after a site visit and discussions with relevant officials. 'The fishing competition's secretariat will install additional hapa nets, provide bins to collect African catfish caught during the competition, and disseminate awareness material while carrying out fishing activities throughout the programme. 'Mardi will ensure compliance with the installation of nets, open the lake to controlled fishing activities, and coordinate the inventory and disposal of alien fish after the programme concludes,' the fisheries department said. It said about 1,300 African catfish, weighing about 1.5kg each or a total of two tonnes were released into the lake on May 29, without any notification or request for advisory services from the Selangor fisheries office. The department said the public should seek technical advice from the state fisheries office before carrying out any fish release activities into public waters.
E&E News
3 days ago
- Climate
- E&E News
Red tape, staff cuts threaten NOAA operations
Staff shortages and new layers of bureaucracy are suffocating NOAA and threatening its ability to accurately predict extreme weather events, ensure U.S. ports stay open and safeguard the nation's commercial and recreational fisheries, say current and former agency officials. The coil around NOAA squeezes in two ways, they say. The first is personnel. More than 1,000 NOAA employees have left the agency since the start of the Trump administration, and the empty desks have led to staffing issues in key weather service offices — just as hurricane season approaches. For example, NOAA's Global Forecast System — which governments and industries worldwide rely upon — has 'measurably declined' in recent weeks because staff cuts have meant fewer weather balloon launches, said Tim Gallaudet, who served as acting NOAA administrator in the first Trump administration. Advertisement 'You're talking about a degradation and a measurable impact already,' Gallaudet said. 'It's not sustainable at all.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gulf of Maine's bottom waters expected to cool this season
May 28—The deepest waters in the Gulf of Maine are expected to cool this spring and summer, which could be good news for certain fish and fishermen, according to a forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For years, the gulf has been among the fastest warming parts of the ocean in the world, fueled by decades of rising temperatures in the Gulf Stream. The latest seasonal outlook was developed by staffers in NOAA's research and fisheries departments, plus a handful of other units within the agency. But forecasters expect the deeper areas of the Gulf to be between 0.9 and 1.8 degrees colder than average this season, NOAA said in a written statement Wednesday. Shifting currents, which can carry cool water from along the Canadian coast, have created relatively cool bottom-water temperatures since late 2023, the agency said. Vincent Saba, a research fishery biologist at the agency's Northeast Fisheries Science Center, said cooling temperatures from around the Labrador Sea "is significant and could have important effects on local marine ecosystems and fisheries," in a written statement. Katherine Mills, senior scientist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, said fishermen may be able to use the latest forecast to anticipate where to find certain species of fish. "Species in the groundfish complex — like cod, haddock and winter flounder — are more productive when water temperatures are cooler. This information can be used to anticipate where and when certain marine species might be available and help commercial harvesters and supply chain businesses more effectively plan their operations," Mills said in a written statement. Lobsters are also temperature sensitive. Warming waters along the southern New England coast have helped drive a major decline in the local lobster population "while the Gulf of Maine population has boomed," NOAA said in the announcement. A longer-term outlook that NOAA completed as a companion to the 2025 forecast suggests that flows of cool water could stave off warming in the gulf's deepest waters for several years, but the agency said additional monitoring would be required to confirm that prediction. Copy the Story Link
Asharq Al-Awsat
5 days ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi-Funded Fisheries Project Set to Boost Maldives' Global Market Reach
The Maldives is preparing to launch a major fisheries development project focused on cold storage and export infrastructure with funding from the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), according to the country's Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat during the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) meetings in Algiers, Shiyam said the project will enhance the competitiveness of Maldivian seafood in global markets by enabling better storage and higher-quality exports. 'We're working with Saudi funds on a cold storage project that will give our companies a global edge and help secure better prices,' Shiyam said. 'We're ready to begin implementation very soon.' The initiative is part of broader collaboration with the IsDB and the Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF), which is already supporting a large-scale fisheries project aimed at improving community livelihoods. Shiyam noted that the project is halfway through and progressing well. A key feature is a seawater cooling system that reduces environmental impact and boosts operational efficiency. 'Fishermen are eager to install this system, which lowers costs, saves time, and increases profits,' he said. Shiyam stressed the Maldives' strong partnership with Saudi Arabia, calling it the country's most significant bilateral relationship. 'We're working closely with Saudi institutions, particularly the Saudi Fund for Development, on projects that directly improve our fisheries sector and the lives of our people,' he said. The minister acknowledged challenges such as limited storage and ice production, which currently force the Maldives to export raw fish without pricing leverage. 'Once these projects are complete, we'll be able to store fish until market conditions are favorable, giving us more control and better returns,' he added.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
South China Sea tensions ‘won't stop' Asean's blue economy growth, official says
Southeast Asia's plans to grow its blue economy – especially its fisheries sector – will not be hindered by tensions in the South China Sea , according to a senior Asean official, despite warnings from observers that ongoing maritime disputes with China could threaten the region's economic and environmental progress. Satvinder Singh, deputy secretary general of the Asean Economic Community, said disputes involving claimant states such as the Philippines and Vietnam would not hamper the bloc's efforts to grow the industry as part of a broader push to become the world's fourth-largest economy before 2045. 'Fisheries are one of the key sectors in the blue economy for the region,' Singh said at a Friday media briefing on the Asean Community Vision 2045 and the bloc's coming economic strategic plan. 'Those specific incidents that happen in the South China Sea are not going to stop the industry from progressing.' The blue economy – which encompasses maritime industries such as fisheries, tourism, offshore energy and marine transport – is a key component of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ' push for sustainable development. According to Singh, it sits alongside other major regional initiatives, including the Asean Strategy for Carbon Neutrality and frameworks focused on circular economies, agriculture, energy and transport. Fishermen pull a net onto a beach in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The blue economy is a key component of Asean's push for sustainable development. Photo: AFP Singh confirmed that the implementation plan for the Asean Blue Economy Framework, adopted in 2023, would be completed this year. The framework outlines regional cooperation on a sector projected by the United Nations Development Programme to generate US$3 trillion in economic value and 43 million jobs by the end of the decade.
