Mark Godfrey is an Irish journalist covering the agriculture and fisheries sectors in Asia, with a focus on China. Proficient in Mandarin, he has frequently traveled across China's fisheries and aquaculture regions and learned the inner workings of China's corporate world during a nearly three-year stint at the Financial Times' “China Confidential” publication. He has also reported widely across Southeast Asia and the former Soviet Union. He has educational certificates in agriculture and food science, as well as Mandarin.
Author Archive
Published on
June 12, 2026
An aquaponics system developed by a Chongqing government-backed firm has been shipped to the district of Jhapa in Eastern Nepal, marking the latest piece of Chinese aquaculture technology sent abroad.
Zhai Xuliang, deputy director of the Chongqing Municipal Fisheries Technology Extension Station, told the People’s Daily that the aquaponics system would increase the output of both fish and vegetables in Jhapa by 50 percent, guaranteeing local… Read More
Published on
June 10, 2026
A research trial in Ireland recently found that hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) used as a fuel source in fishing vessels results in decreased emissions compared to diesel fuel, presenting the sector with a viable alternative.
Research conducted by Irish fisheries agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) showed that the life cycle emissions of HVO fuel resulted in a 12 percent reduction of emissions compared to diesel. When analyzing “well-to tank”… Read More
Published on
June 9, 2026
Demand for land-based aquaculture technology from China is rising rapidly in the North African country of Algeria, according to a Guangzhou-based supplier of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).
Marcel Verbrugge, the director of aquaculture technology firm Dahui Aquaculture, told SeafoodSource that Algeria has become an especially lucrative market for exports of Chinese aquaculture equipment, mainly focusing on the inland farming of… Read More
Published on
June 8, 2026
Krill firm Aker BioMarine and a coalition of NGOs will continue their joint involvement in a research organization dedicated to protecting biodiversity in the Antarctic, despite both sides disagreeing on the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) decision earlier this year to recertify krill stocks.
The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), which is an alliance of over 150 environmental organizations in over 40 countries aiming to protect… Read More
Published on
May 28, 2026
Tilapia exporters in China are eyeing the European market as it seeks alternatives to high-priced cod, with some warning against presenting it solely as a “cheap alternative” to wild-caught whitefish.
Tilapia exporters told SeafoodSource they have seen an uptick in inquiries from European buyers in recent months. Cod quotas for major fisheries like the Barents and North seas have left prices high and supplies low.
“We have definitely… Read More
Published on
May 12, 2026
According to Nick Lynch, the CEO of Ashbourne, Ireland-based wholesale firm Nick’s Fish, rising cod prices are testing the limit of what buyers can afford and may soon lead to dropping consumption rates.
Besides dwindling supplies brought on by lowered quotas in key production areas, Lynch told SeafoodSource that prices are more recently being pressured by higher fuel prices for fishers, as well as surcharges applied by… Read More
Published on
May 5, 2026
Ireland’s export promotion agency Bord Bia has begun promoting a new brand of Irish oysters to distinguish domestically produced products from global competition.
Historically, much of Ireland's oyster output has been sold by French firms, some of which have production sites in Ireland, and it is not always abundantly clear that the product comes from Ireland.
To ensure Irish product stands out in the marketplace, Bord Bia, in conjunction with… Read More
Published on
May 4, 2026
In order to sustainably grow its mariculture sector, China should look toward the way Norway has regulated aquaculture growth, according to Huang Zhitao, an aquaculture engineer and researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA).
China recently exceeded 100 offshore aquaculture platforms and ships in operation, and the sector has shown no signs of slowing as the nation’s government has made a strategic push to make offshore… Read More
Published on
April 30, 2026
Rising seafood sales to China are helping cushion the blow for Indonesian exporters who have had their shipments to the Middle East disrupted by the ongoing war in Iran.
According to Arie Prabawa, a Jakarta, Indonesia-based seafood sourcing and aquaculture consultant, Chinese demand for fish species like grouper and snapper from Indonesia is “very high” at the moment, while orders to the Middle East have been either delayed or… Read More
Published on
April 20, 2026
Investment banks Morgan Stanley and Barclays have taken shares in China National Fisheries Corporation (CNFC) after the firm’s profits spiked in 2025.
CNFC, which also lists Goldman Sachs and UBS as shareholders, saw its net profits soar 180 percent last year to CNY 83.7 million (USD 12.5 million, EUR 10.8 million).
The firm’s fishing revenue hit CNY 2.3 billion (USD 345 million, EUR 299 million), marking a year-over-year increase of 29.3… Read More
