Transshipments in Majuro Port in the Marshall Islands are likely increasing after a remarkably sluggish 2024 in terms of such operations. Last Friday, two purse seiners were seen offloading their catches into carrier vessels, whereas, earlier this week, there were four carriers and several seiners in this region, reported Marshall Islands Journal.

The Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) revealed last month that a total of only 160 transshipments took place in the Pacific Island nation in 2024, whereas, it was 294 in 2023. The most activity for last year took place in January. In 2024, tuna transfers into carriers were mostly carried out in the PNG, Kiribati, and Micronesian ports as seiners netted more tuna near their EEZs.

The 24 Mozambican longliners, which were purchased nearly a decade back to be added into the national fleet, and put back on the market have no buyers. The vessels, which were part of the tuna bonds scandal that collapsed the African nation’s economy, are currently moored in the Maputo Port without having undertaken any fishing operations to date. Mozambican fishing company Ematum, which owns the vessels – 21 tuna boats and 3 trawlers – put them up for bidding last November with a deadline in the first week of December 2024. However, it did not yield results and the company, which expects to raise at least USD 10 million from the deal, postponed the last bidding date until February 21. The longliners were put up for sale in the auction site Leilosoc.

A statement from Ematum read that the engines, navigation, and fishing equipment of the boats are in excellent condition, reported African news sites. It added that the longliners were built to accommodate eight crew members, but were later modified to support 14.

US-based Tri-Union Seafoods’ recent recall of several canned tuna items is garnering international attention. Consumers were asked to return the products or throw them away because they were likely contaminated with Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Many news sites worldwide, including the well-known television program Good Morning America, picked it up pointing out why recalls are crucial to ensure consumers’ safety and well-being. Most of them gave detailed information about the health hazards that are associated with botulinum.

Earlier this week, Thai Union’s US subsidiary Tri-Union Seafoods voluntarily recalled the cans sold under the Genova, Van Camp’s, H-E-B, and Trader Joe’s brand names in over 25 states across the US. The US Food and Drug Administration stated that the reason for the recall was a manufacturing defect with the “easy open” pull tab on some cans which could have caused the product seal to leak or become contaminated with the bacteria. Tri-Union clarified that none of its other tuna products have been taken off retail shelves.