Shem Oirere is a Kenyan journalist who previously worked for daily newspapers as a general news correspondent, business reporter and sub-editor before turning to full-time freelancing. For the more than 20 years, he has covered various sectors of Africa’s economy including agriculture, food processing, and maritime industries. A graduate of the University of South Africa, he has traveled within and outside Africa covering various industry events that have a bearing on the continent’s economy on behalf of different international consumer and trade publications. He currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya.
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South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has closed areas around major penguin colonies along the country’s coast to commercial anchovy and sardine fishing.
Areas affected include those around Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St. Croix Island, and Bird Island. Purse-seine fishing has been forbidden in False Bay, which hosts the resident Boulders Beach penguin population.
“These
… Read MoreThe number of sea cucumbers in Seychelles’ waters droppped 30 percent between 2004 and 2021 according to the findings of a new survey organized by the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA).
The survey, which was conducted by a team headed by Australian consultant Tim Skewes, working in conjunction with a group of local sea cucumber divers, had the objective of assessing and generating data on Seychelles’ cucumber resource –
… Read MoreThe European Union and Mauritius signed a new protocol in early September 2022 extending their 2014 Fisheries Partnership Agreement, opening up fishing opportunities for fishing vessels from France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy through 2026.
“The new protocol will enable them [E.U. and Mauritius] to work more closely on promoting a sustainable fisheries policy, in line with the objective of conserving marine biological resources
… Read MoreThe Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has increased support for the aquaculture sector in Gabon. It plans to focus on increasing the number of youth involved in fish farming across the Atlantic coast of central African country.
The FAO will be working in collaboration with the Gabonese government to offer workshops on aquaculture investments, decision-making, and business planning ...
Photo courtesy of Gabon
… Read MoreCape Town, South Africa-based fishing company and frozen-food manufacturer Irvin and Johnson (I&J), an affiliate of AVI Group, has announced a 5.1 percent drop in overall revenue from its global operations to ZAR 2.47 billion (USD 142.5 million, EUR 141.8 million) for the year ending 30 June, 2022.
The drop comes on the back of lower fishing profits triggered by a strong South African rand affecting export sales, and lower sales
… Read MoreCape Town, South Africa-based Sea Harvest Group Limited head of marketing Jared Patel was recently named the Mondelēz 2022 Rising Star of the Year Award at the 2022 Marketing Achievement Awards. In an interview with SeafoodSource, Patel reviewed the emerging seafood marketing trends for products in South Africa.
SeafoodSource: What contribution is marketing marking towards growth in sales of fish products in South Africa? What are some of the
… Read MoreCape Town, South Africa-based Sea Harvest Group posted a 29 percent increase in its overall revenue, but a drop in earnings, according to the company’s interim financial results for the six months ending 30 June, 2022.
Sea Harvest’s South African operations were challenged by a 10 percent decline in available hake volumes and significantly higher fuel prices. The company’s total revenue for the period increased to ZAR
… Read MoreDjibouti-based Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an eight-country trade bloc in Africa comprising of governments from the Horn of Africa, Nile Valley, and the African Great Lakes, is stepping up efforts to synchronize Africa's sustainable fishing activities to achieve a 3 million metric tons (MT) of production per year, up from the current 1 million MT.
Representatives from seven of the eight IGAD members met in Addis
… Read MoreOnline seafood market company Seafood Souq, in partnership with the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF), has launched a pilot project to promote Oman’s fisheries as a new source of sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna in the global market.
The project involves giving Omani fishers engaged in the country’s one-by-one handline operations the skills needed to produce higher-quality, grade-A sashimi tuna. Seafood Souq, which
… Read MoreIran, which boasts one of the fastest-growing aquaculture sectors in the Middle East, has suffered huge losses after recent floods destroyed several fish farms and related infrastructure – wiping out an estimated 7,800 metric tons (MT) of unharvested fish.
Iran was hit by heavy rainfall in the second half of July, causing rivers to overflow and causing floods that led to casualties and significant infrastructural
… Read More