Large purse seiner ‘El Dorado’, owned by Pesca Azteca, was docked for maintenance in Mazatlán, Mexico, when it suddenly caught fire on the afternoon of November 15. The shipyard workers noticed smoke coming from the hull of the vessel and alerted emergency services. Firefighters and company fire department personnel quickly arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire from the fire towers installed along the docks and with water cannons from a nearby vessel.

However, this could not prevent flames from spreading rapidly through the structure due to the presence of flammable materials used in the repair work. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported so far, only material damage to the ship and thick smoke, which caused breathing problems for firefighters. An investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the incident. Initial reports indicated that it may have been caused by a short circuit resulting from work being carried out on board, reported several Mexican news sites. The 81-meter-long ‘El Dorado’ with a 1,711-ton fish hold capacity arrived in port a week ago to unload its tuna cargo and undergo some repairs.

The CAB, SCS Global Services, announced that the scope extension for albacore, yellowfin, bigeye, and swordfish catches of the Chinese company Pingtairong Ocean Fishery Group Co., Ltd. has been MSC certified. The client modified its Units of Assessment by moving the EPO bigeye, already assessed under Principle 2 (ecosystem impacts), to Principle 1 (target species). It also added 18 vessels to the fishery. Atuna reported on the Announcement Comment Draft Report in March. Pingtairong is a commercial fishing operation with 47 fishing vessels based in Zhoushan, China. All vessels operate within the EEZ of the Cook Islands and the high seas.

The catches of SATHOAN French Mediterranean Bluefin tuna artisanal longline and handline fishery can continue using the MSC logo. The fishery received its reassessment certification this month. It went for an MSC reassessment in 2024. The fishery covers boats targeting eastern Atlantic bluefin in the French and EU shared western Mediterranean waters using pelagic longline and handline, and pole and line. All three principles – target species, ecosystem impacts, and management system- got scores above 80.

Anfaco-Cytma announced earlier this week that it has begun its new #FillYourTableWithSea campaign to promote the consumption of canned tuna and other seafood among Spaniards. The initiative, which will run under the tagline ‘An Ace In The Can,’ can be seen on billboards and displays on metro stations, and buses in seven Spanish cities – Valencia, Bilbao, Málaga, Pontevedra, Oviedo, León, and Valladolid.

The makers claim to have used lighthearted, witty, and ironic humor on the billboards to bring the campaign’s message to the public, paying attention to a young and middle-aged target audience, Anfaco-Cytma said in a press statement. The initiative highlights the nutritional benefits of tuna and seafood products and their versatility. Anfaco has introduced numerous social media campaigns to promote seafood consumption among youngsters, including #TunaWithoutMyths from earlier this year and ‘How easy it is to love yourself well,’ launched last year.

The last wooden boat catching albacore with a traditional Basque fishing technique has been saved from the wrecking ball and will be restored to its former glory. The ‘Ozentziyo’ was built in 1990, but was forced to stop fishing as the tuna migrated too far from the coast, a problem that more smaller vessels faced at that time. When its owner retired, the Albaola Maritime Culture Factory, shipyard museum in Pasaia, Spain, purchased the boat to preserve this cultural heritage.

The boat is equipped with an ancestral fishing method called perches (used in whale and cod fishing traditions) and has a direct link to old sailing boats. The restoration will take place in San Sebastián and is an educational project that is open to the public to follow the progress. The goal is to transform the boat into an icon of the city. Several initiatives are being developed to ensure its preservation and maintenance. Cultural projects and initiatives are also being launched around the ‘Ozentziyo’.

Last week, Somali pirates, who have been on a rampage lately, attempted to attack the super seiner ‘Intertuna Tres.’ On November 2, the crew of the tuna vessel spotted a speedboat approaching them from a mothership, believed to be the Iranian-flagged ‘Issa Mohamadi’, which was hijacked by the pirates last month. Security forces onboard ‘Intertuna Tres’ immediately fired shots at the pirates’ speedboat, after which they returned to the mothership, reported new sites. The crew members were reportedly unharmed. ‘Intertuna Tres’ is a 101-meter-long Seychelles-flagged vessel owned by Mahe-based Interatun L.T.D., part of the Albacora Group, and operates in the IOTC convention area.

Piracy activity off the coast of Somalia has flared sharply since late October. Last week, a Spanish frigate (small warship) freed a Maltese merchant boat that was seized by Somali pirates. The frigate operated under Operation Atalanta, an ongoing EU-helmed counter-piracy military operation at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean.

The Lo-Boy brand’s ‘Tuna Deluxe Salad’ was recently recalled by Made Fresh Salads Inc. based in Bay Shore, US, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Containers with ‘Macaroni Salad’ were also recalled from retail stores in New York for the same reason. No illnesses have been reported in connection with these salads. The contamination was discovered during routine sampling conducted by the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets. Laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of Listeria in some 5-pound (2,268 grams) containers of Lo-Boy Macaroni Salad and Tuna Deluxe Salad, prompting an immediate suspension of production.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections, particularly in young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Contaminated food may appear normal but can still pose a health risk. Anyone who has consumed the recalled salads should watch for symptoms, such as high temperature, pain, chills, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. It can take up to 70 days before these symptoms appear, and authorities recommend consumers seek medical attention.