[ NEWS INTERNATIONAL ] Denmark: Small-scale fishers benefit from Council of Ministers agreement At the Council of Fisheries Ministers meeting, where fishing quotas for certain Baltic Sea species were agreed, it was also decided to allow individual countries to manage the days at sea given to small fishing vessels. This will benefit the small scale
sector in Denmark in particular as some thirty vessels fishing in the western Baltic Sea, the Sound, and the Belts have not used up their quotas. Days at sea will now be transferred to their vessels allowing them to fully fish their quotas.
10-12. While robot systems are traditionally used for pick and place operations Cabinplant introduced further steps into the processing sequence. As a result the machine streamlines fish processing operations, replaces manual labour with an automated process, and improves operational efficiency. Depending on the product type, size and
weight, the robot can process and pack between 40-50 pieces per minute. By combining multiple robot modules, the average system will be capable of handling 300 fish per minute. The company believes that the system can also be used in meat processing facilities and even for cut vegetables, as well as for other kinds of fish.
Norway: Oceana proposes additions to Estonia: Environmental authorities urge fishers to spare young salmonids list of Marine Protected Areas released probably not more than 6 will survive. The young fish are caught by fishermen in the spring, which is a popular time for anglers. Although the rules state that trout must be 37 cm and salmon 60 cm, the authorities fear that many 20-30 cm fish will be poached and therefore urge fishers to respect the rules to preserve the stock.
Denmark: Cabinplant wins Danish award for robot trimming and packing line The Danish engineering product prize 2011 has been awarded to Cabinplant A/S for its robot trimming and packing line. The prize is offered by Mediehuset Ingeniøren, publishers of the trade journal Ingeniøren (The Engineer), a magazine focusing
Cabinplant’s robot handling system for fish and shellfish introduces heading, tailing, and gutting in between picking and placing the fish. 12
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on developments in the fields of science and technology. The award, which is offered only to products developed in Denmark or to products developed overseas with Danish resources, seeks to encourage engineers and others in Danish companies to develop world-beating products, where technology, design, and commercial viability are all taken into account. This year the award was offered in collaboration with the Danish Design Centre to highlight the significance of design in product development. Cabinplant, a supplier of tailormade manufacturing solutions to the food processing industry, won the award for its robot handling system for fish and shellfish that combines various processing steps and reduces waste by
OSPAR, the convention for the protection of the marine environment in the North-East Atlantic, has fifteen contracting parties. These are the governments of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom, together with the European Community. Among the convention’s achievements are significant reduction in phosphorus and heavy metal inputs; a radical reduction of discharges from nuclear plants; regulation for offshore oil and gas activity; and a growing network of OSPAR Marine Protected Areas. The marine environment protection organisation Oceana, has recently proposed a further 28 areas for protection under OSPAR. These habitats in the Atlantic waters of Spain and Portugal, as well as the
Kattegat were filmed by Oceana using underwater robots and show the rich biodiversity of these sites, which are at risk from pollution and commercial fisheries. The findings were presented at an OSPAR workshop to better define habitats such as “gorgonian gardens,” and “deep sponge aggregations.” Clearer definitions will facilitate the identification of these habitats and enable measures to protect them to be implemented. According to Oceana, northern European countries such as the UK, Germany, and Norway have extensively studied their marine biodiversity and identified important habitats in the North-East Atlantic, while in Spain and Portugal more remains to be done. The organisation hopes that its findings will enable these countries also to create marine protected areas to safeguard the unique biodiversity found there. ©OCEANA/Sergio Gosálvez
Salmon and trout smolts released into water courses have very poor chances of survival, reports Estonian Public Broadcasting. Several thousand smolts were released into the Valgejogi river on 1 October, but Ene Saadre, Deputy Director of Pohula Fish Farm says that of the 18,000 sea trout and 10,000 salmon smolts
Gorgonians (Leptogorgia lusitanica) at the edge of an underwater passageway. Punta Sonabia, Cantabria, Spain. www.eurofishmagazine.com
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