Chinese tuna fishing company Shanghai Kaichuang has purchased a new purse seiner, ‘Junmeto,’ that will operate in the WCPO. Marshall Islands-based Pan Pacific Fishing (RMI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shanghai Kaichuang, has been registered as the owner of ‘Junmeto,’ built in China this year.

‘Junmeto’ is a 79-meter-long seiner, with a 1,977 GRT and 1,100 M/T fish hold capacity, according to the WCPFC vessel registry. It is authorized to fish as of January 1, 2026, and will fly the Marshall Islands flag. Pan Pacific Fishing (RMI) has a plant in Majuro that processes tuna loins and other fish products. The catches of ‘Junmeto’ will head to this plant. Earlier this year, Shanghai Kaichuang announced that it would scrap two of its seiners and build new ones, and the order was given to state-owned Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding. They said the vessels are expected to be delivered in March and April 2027.

The Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WPRFMC) concluded last week with discussions focused on whether commercial fishing can be allowed in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Rose Atoll, Marianas Trench, and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monuments in the tuna-rich Pacific Ocean. The SSC stressed that any restoration should be paired with immediate monitoring and research. Members said managers should not be forced to make future choices without the data needed to measure impacts, read a WPRFMC statement.

According to the SSC, tagging/telemetry (an automated process of collecting, transmitting, and analyzing data from remote or inaccessible sources) approaches, and co-designing research with fishing and indigenous communities, would be ideal for better understanding how fish move in and around the monument waters, and ultimately, for understanding tuna in the region. The Council stated that it will address tuna fishing in MPAs in several agenda items. Earlier this year, the Council gave the green signal for tuna fishing in MPAs. However, according to a Honolulu federal district court judge’s ruling in August, vessels are not allowed to operate in these areas immediately despite US President Donald Trump having signed a proclamation in April allowing US tuna and other vessels to fish in the areas.

Mexican business association Canacintra recently awarded tuna fishing and processing company Grupo Pinsa for its contribution to the industrial development of Mazatlán. Leovigildo Carranza Beltrán, CEO of Grupo Pinsa, received the recognition last week during Canacintra’s 80th anniversary celebration. Lourdes Medina Ortega, spokesperson for the association, stated that Grupo Pinsa has crossed borders, and Ortega is grateful to them “for being a strengthened industry and generating more than 8,000 jobs,” reported Spanish news sites. Beltrán thanked his employees and explained that “They are the greatest strength of the company.”

Canacintra is a business association that represents and supports industrial and manufacturing companies in Mazatlán. It works as a link between local industries and the government, advocates for business interests, and offers training, networking, consulting, and support services to help companies grow.

 Atuna is pleased to announce that we will be organizing the 9th edition of the European Tuna Conference on Monday, April 20, 2026, in Barcelona, Spain. The event will take place one day before the start of the Seafood Expo Global. Panelists in the sessions will delve into different topics under the Conference theme: “The Intelligent Tuna Supply Chain: Using Data and Digitalization for Operational Excellence and Responsible Sourcing.”

 The event will once again provide attendees with the latest developments in the European tuna industry,  bringing you the hottest topics, interesting speakers, and plenty of opportunities to network with other tuna professionals. The conference is still in the early organizational stage, but the Atuna team will keep you informed with more details in the coming weeks through the ETC2026 website. You can also contact us by email with your questions.

Jealsa received an exceptional 75-year extension of its concession to operate in the port of Bodión in Boiro, Spain. This ensures that the company’s tuna processing plant can remain at the location until June 3, 2067, reported Spanish news sites. Jealsa applied for the extension within the framework of the Galician Ports Act, which was amended this year and allows for a maximum term of 75 years. The conditions for granting a concession are that a company must demonstrate its strategic importance and make an investment that is proportionate to the extension.

Jealsa has operated the tuna processing plant in Boiro since it was founded in 1958. It reported a one percent increase in its turnover in 2024. In that year, the company made a significant investment of over EUR 35 million in technological and process improvements, including a more efficient and sustainable logistics center in Bodión. An approximately EUR 17 million investment in its pet food unit was announced last April.

Ecuadorian tuna firm Nirsa has been placed at the 14th position in the Merco ‘Companies Ranking.’ María Eugenia Albán, Nirsa’s Human Talent Director, received the award on behalf of the company, given jointly by Merco, a corporate reputation business monitor, and Spanish news site El Universo. The 13th edition of the event was held on November 25. Albán stressed Nirsa’s various efforts and stated that sustainability is a principle that has guided the company since its inception, along with responsible management of resources. She added that taking care of employees “is part of the company’s DNA”.

Nirsa, headquartered in Posorja, is a vertically integrated company with a tuna fishing fleet and processing facility. It employs over 8,000 people and exports tuna and seafood products to 35 countries across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. It produces its canned tuna under the Real brand. The Merco rankings are based on a company’s overall corporate reputation, using a multi-stakeholder, independently audited methodology. Multiple indicators, including corporate governance, financial performance, sustainability metrics, employer attractiveness, and digital reputation, are looked into for evaluations.

Last week, the Mexican city of Mérida hosted the Fifth Latin American Summit on Fisheries and Aquaculture Sustainability. The event aimed to foster dialogue, action, and collaboration among key stakeholders in the fishing and aquaculture industries. More than 150 speakers and 500 participants from over 16 countries, including government representatives, fishing experts, and tuna industry stakeholders, attended the event that was held from December 3 to 5. The Eastern Pacific Ocean Tropical Tuna (TUNACONS) purse seine fishery was one of the participants at the summit.

TUNACONS Executive Director, Guillermo Morán Velásquez took part in a panel addressing the BBNJ Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) and the role of the fishing sector. He highlighted the importance of ensuring that any new measures in areas beyond national jurisdiction are grounded in robust science and are fully compatible with the regulations of the RFMOs, such as IATTC and WCPFC. The BBNJ Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, was ratified in September and is set to take effect on January 17, 2026. The Global Seafood Alliance and MSC were some of the other participants at the event.

Thai Union family member Dejphon Chansiri, former owner of English soccer club Sheffield Wednesday, has been placed under a three-year ban by the English Football League (EFL) from owning any football club for his role in Sheffield Wednesday’s financial crisis. Some of the main complaints against Chansiri were his repeated failure to pay wages to players and taxes, cash-flow crises, and breaches of regulatory and financial fair-play rules, eventually leading to a complete loss of confidence in his ability to run the club sustainably. He relinquished control of the club on Wednesday.

Two years back, Chansiri announced that he would stop investing in the club after being insulted by its fans. That same year, he gained widespread criticism for asking fans to raise millions of dollars to “save their club” by paying an outstanding tax debt to the British HM Revenue and Customs. Ever since then, there has been a rising demand from different sides for Chansiri to drop the club ownership. The administrators for Sheffield Wednesday have received around six or seven bids for the club and are currently deciding which to put forward as their preferred candidate. The deadline was kept as December 5, but is likely to be extended.

Millennials who grew up watching Cartoon Network’s peak programming era, in the late 1990s through the mid-2000s, are unlikely to have missed its iconic ‘Powerpuff Girls.’ Thai Union’s Sealect brand is betting on this love for the cartoon to promote its domestic canned tuna among young consumers. Sealect’s special set (four tins), which includes a ‘Mystery Can,’ sold only in Makro retail outlets, is now grabbing attention on social media. The ‘Mystery Can’ has a ‘Powerpuff Girls’ keychain inside.

Sealect has collaborated with several social media influencers to promote the set. Recently, Thailand-based Instagram influencer Matthew Wann shared a reel, showing him unpacking the four-can set. Sealect has not revealed the time period for which the offer will be available. Last month, Sealect collaborated with Cartoon Network Studios to introduce the Powerpuff Girls x Sealect tuna spreads for families with young kids, teens, and Gen Z. Earlier this week, Atuna reported on Sealect continuing to dominate Thailand’s tuna market share and stepping up its efforts to promote ready-to-eat proteins to Gen Z consumers.