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.