As of May 31, Hawaii longliners targeting bigeye are no longer allowed to use wire leaders that whitetip sharks cannot bite through to free themselves. Also, the gear has to be removed before releasing the species. The measures are expected to reduce shark mortality by 30 percent and were a result of bottom-up federal fishery management measure through the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC).

The Hawaii Longline Association initiated the voluntary transition from steel wire leaders to monofilament nylon leaders back in December 2020. The initiative was supported by the industry, scientists, conservation groups, and the WPRFMC which has progressed into a recommendation to make the material change a requirement. The National Marine Fisheries Service in collaboration with the Council finalized the rule that will come into force at the end of the month.

An education game called “Fish N’ Learn” for local fisherfolk has been created by the Philippines Central Bank (BSP). It aims to teach 1.9 million fishermen how to improve their financial health and overall quality of life. With real-life simulations, the interactive app intends to influence the monetary behavior of the small-scale fisheries sector which is important for the domestic food supply.

There are five key learning points on financial knowledge and marine conservation in 'Fish N Learn': expand income sources by putting up a business, get insurance for protection, save for the future, use debt wisely, and nurture oceans and aquatic resources. It will be part of future training programs of the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

Thai Union (TU) Group announced on Wednesday that it will be investing CAD 39.5 million (USD 30.8 million) in Mara Renewables Corporation as part of a growth funding round. Mara, based in Nova Scotia, Canada, is one of the world’s leading producers of sustainably grown algae-based bio-products used in infant nutrition, supplements, and food and beverage sectors. TU already produces tuna oil from fish by-product. With this funding, TU wants to work with Mara to create more market choices for Omega-3 fatty acids as critical nutritional elements from both algal and tuna-based sources.

On May 18, TU European-owned Européenne de la Mer announced that its subsidiary, MerAlliance Poland, will sell its assets of the fish processing facility in Dąbrowa Chełmińska. The deal was closed with Polish company, Dobry Pracownik on May 13. Details of the transaction are confidential. Last October, TU Group decided to close the cannery in Dąbrowa Chełmińska due to highly challenging market conditions and industry trends.