The EU, the Faroe Islands and Norway reached agreement on 21 November on sharing NE Atlantic mackerel fisheries for 2015, this implementing the five-year arrangement between the Parties for mackerel for the period 2014 to 2018 reached in London on 12 March. Although ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) was unable to deliver scientific advice, the Parties agreed to base the 2015 TAC of 1,054,000 tonnes on the precautionary reference points.

TAGS: mackerel, TAC, EU, Faroes, Norway

Proposed Aquaculture Activities Regulations

Canadians are invited to comment on the proposed Aquaculture Activities Regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part 1, until October 22, 2014. All comments received during the 60-day pre-publication period on the proposed regulations will be considered before policy directions are finalized and revisions, if needed, to the regulations are made.

The proposed Regulations will clarify conditions under which aquaculture operators may treat their fish for disease and parasites, as well as deposit organic matter, under sections 35 and 36 of the Fisheries Act. As in the past, the Regulations would require that only products regulated by Health Canada under the Pest Control Products Act or the Food and Drugs Act may be used. The proposed Regulations will also impose greater public reporting from the aquaculture industry, as well as specific environmental monitoring and sampling requirements.

For more information:

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/aquaculture/management-gestion/aar-raa-proposition-eng.htm

http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2014/2014-08-23/html/reg1-eng.php

TAGS: Aquaculture, Canada, DFO, regulations

Fish out of water

Around 400 million years ago, fish left the water and started to evolve
into land-loving creatures. But how did the transition happen? A new
and unusual experiment could shed some light on the kinds of changes
that enabled fins to become limbs. Researchers took a fish species known
to be able to walk on its fins from time to time, and raised it on land.
Watch the fish promenade in this Nature Video.

Access the video:
 http://links.ealert.nature.com/ctt?kn=20&ms=NDY4NTI0NTMS1&r=MTc3MDQyNTQ2MAS2&b=2&j=NTAzNzIyNjY3S0&mt=1&rt=0