Thursday, February 28, 2013

Novus World Aquaculture Society (WAS) Internship programme winner announced

João Manuel Cura Rito from Coimbra, Portugal, has won the Novus World Aquaculture Society (WAS) Internship.

As part of his prize, João, 29, will travel to Vietnam to take part in a four-week internship in summer 2014. João will work with The Novus Aquaculture Research team on a current project being carried out at the Novus Aqua Research Center in Vietnam. The Novus Aqua Research Center is integrally connected to the aqua industry and will allow the intern to learn about and experience aquaculture in Vietnam through interactions with the Novus research and operations teams.

João completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Coimbra with an emphasis in ecology. He continued there completing his masters in the area of estuarine ecology. His research focused on the population dynamics in extreme climate events of a bivalve species present in Mondego estuary, Portugal. After finishing his masters degree, João was hired to participate in grant funded environmental research at a commercial aquaculture company on the coast of Portugal. This exposure to aquaculture catalyzed his interest in the field. An opportunity was presented to continue studies towards a PhD degree in biosciences at the University of Coimbra in biochemistry with a specialty in aquaculture. The work aims to optimise diets for farmed sea-bass through metabolic profiling. The research is grounded in fundamental aspects of biochemistry and metabolism, tools which João has enthusiastically embraced with the goal of bridging nutrition back to principles of aquaculture and ecology.

His internship challenge proposal is entitled “Glycerol as a Novel Feed- stock Supplement for Sparing of Dietary Protein Catabolism and Thus Reducing Feed Cost”. The proposal is described as an evaluation of the feasibility of inclusion of glycerol byproducts from biodiesel production in fish diets with the application of biochemical methods for estimating whether the contribution from glycerol reflects the sparing of gluconeogenic amino acid catabolism.

João is excited about the opportunity to explore Vietnam, meet new people and learn about the aquaculture industry there. He is looking forward to working with Novus scientists. “The chance to exchange ideas with top scientists in the aquaculture research area is something that not all students in the beginning of their PhD have the privilege to do and I am very excited to start this summer!”

João Manuel Cura Rito


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28/02/13: Vietnamese shrimp exports expected to fall; four new salmon farms in New Zealand; mislabeling seafood

Shrimp exports from Vietnam are expected to drop by up to 13 percent in the first quarter of 2013 according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vacep).
A report by the association said that Vietnam is expected to earn roughly $1.15 billion from seafood exports in Q.1, lower than $1.32 billion during the same period last year. Vacep's forecast is based on the declining seafood production and processing in the first two months of the year, with the key products as tra fish and shrimps.

Four new New Zealand King Salmon farms have been approved at Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand which comes as welcome news for Aquaculture New Zealand. Aquaculture New Zealand Chairman Peter Vitasovich said the farms would create permanent full-time jobs and provide significant downstream benefits for associated industries while generating export earnings through the sustainable production of premium seafood.
“Four new working salmon farms in the Marlborough Sounds will provide valuable employment opportunities within the community, while also attracting skilled labour to the region, to work across the spectrum of production – from farming to processing to marketing and business roles,” says Vitasovich.

Mislabeling of beef products has caused a stir in the United Kingdom. Now there are similar concerns over the labeling of seafood in the USA. A report by conservation group Oceana into the issue of seafood fraud has found that a third of 1,215 samples collected were mislabeled. DNA tests found that the main culprits were snapper and tuna which had the highest mislabeling rate of 87 percent and 59 percent, respectively.
Read the full report here (PDF).

Cook Strait and the Marlborough Sounds from Mt...
Cook Strait and the Marlborough Sounds from Mt. Kaukau, Wellington, New Zealand (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Ottevanger

Ottevanger specialises in the design and manufacture of equipment and installations for the grain-processing and mixed-feed industry. Click on image to visit website

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

27/02/13: Life insurance for fish; Alaskan government vetoes GM; new BAP standards

The Insurance Board, the insurance sector regulator in Nepal, has finalised a policy on fisheries insurance that will make it mandatory for all non-life insurance companies to provide coverage to fishes grown in ponds of at least 200 sq m.
The measure will protect fish farmers in case of damages or losses of their products and encourage banks and financial institutions to provide credit for the industry.


The Alaskan House of Representatives has come out in opposition to GM fish. Representatives unanimously approved House Joint Resolution 5 which urges the US Food and Drug Administration to reconsider a preliminary finding that genetically modified fish would not significantly impact the environment. The resolution asks for labeling for GM salmon, if the product is ultimately approved.

The new Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) standards for finfish and crustacean farms are set to go live in spring 2013. The revamped standards come following a 60-day public-comment period which included contributions from from fish farmers, academics and NGOs from Australasia, Asia, Europe and America.
Changes include greater emphasis on social responsibly and will apply to all types of production systems for finfish and crustaceans, excluding cage-raised salmonids, for which separate BAP farm standards exist.

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Alaska mountain landscape
Alaska mountain landscape (Photo credit: blmiers2)

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Event: Aquaculture 2013 review

With over 3,000 delegates and more than 350 presentations in 15-minute bite size chunks each over four days, Aquaculture 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, has closed after being hailed a great success by its three independent organisers: the World Aquaculture Society, the National Shellfisheries Association and the Fish Culture Section of the American Fishieries Aquaculture Society. 

Held in the Nashville Congress Centre, Aquaculture 2013 also hosted a very successful three-day exhibition during the four days of presentation running from last Friday to its Monday close.

This meeting will be noted for its keynote opening presentation delivered by Dr Edward Allison on ‘Aquaculture in a Changing Climate’. 

Dr Allison who has worked with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in West and Central Africa and until recently the director of policy, economic and social science research programme at the World Fish Center in Penang, Malaysia, suggested aquaculture was being overlooked in discussions on climate change. His research bridges economic and social development concerns with those of fisheries, aquaculture and environment governance.

His current work focuses on the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to food and nutrition security with aspects of adoption to climate change. In September 2013 he will take up a professorship in the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington in Seattle.

He told delegates that feed manufacturers should be congratulated for the work they have been doing to make aquaculture viable through their development of efficient and effective ration formulation.

During the same opening session and among the various awards was a joint presentation of WAS Exemplary Service Awards made to its general manager John Cooksey and his wife Mary. Both were honoured for their work organising WAS activities since 1996.  Kevan Main, President World Aquaculture Society 2012-2013, presented the award to the acclaim of the audience – the first time a join award had been made.

“I was taken completely by surprise,” John told International Aquafeed following the presentation. He recalled the first meetings he organised for WAS, the first in San Diago, California, prior to being invited to join the Society and take over all its meeting. The second his first international meeting for WAS in Thailand in 1996.

“Organising conferences has been getting easier but the scope of each is getting wider with meetings being held all over the world. Some locations in the beginning had no facilities at first including no pipe-and-drapes and where catalogues went handmade. But they were a lot of fun,” he recalled.
John Cooksey's Exemplary Service Award presented at Aquaculture 2013 in Nashville, USA. 




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26/02/13: EU discusses discards; Yukon fisheries management; US shellfish bill gathers pace

Members of the European Council are currently in Brussels, Belgium debating reform to the common fisheries policy. Top of the agenda is proposed changes to the discards ban. You can watch the proceedings live here.

The American Fisheries Society has released a report into improving fisheries management in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim region. Fisheries management in this region is extremely challenging due to the mixed stock origin of most fisheries, remoteness, complexity, and vast size of the major river drainages, U.S./Canada Treaty agreements for the Yukon River, and the interdependence of subsistence and commercial fisheries. The proposed projects would provide necessary research and support management activities within the region.

The House of Representatives Agricultural and Natural Resources Committee in the USA has approved a bill to address the concerns of shellfish producers. The bill addresses to key areas of concern in the industry including the need for new research in the light of rapid changes in shellfish farming practices and the environmental impact of shellfish farming.
English: Canoeing the Yukon River http://www.f...
English: Canoeing the Yukon River http://www.fws.gov/digitalmedia/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/natdiglib&CISOPTR=3464&CISOBOX=1&REC=12 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Extru-Tech

Extru-Tech® currently produces and markets one of the industry's most complete lines of extrusion processing systems. In addition, they offer a full line of ancillary equipment and customized equipment solutions for specialized processes. Click on image to visit website.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Event: Aquaculture 2013: John Cooksey interview

International Aquafeed publisher Roger Gilbert interviews John Cooksey of the World Aquaculture Society.

If you're at the show, come and visit us on stand 227.
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23/02/13: Japanese aquaculture restaurant; Canadian government promotes prawn industry; Marine Harvest apprentice

An aquaculture restaurant run by Kinki University, Japan is set to open its doors to the public in April 2013.The Osaka-based eatery will specialise in blue-fin tuna and other fish raised from eggs at its aquaculture facilities. The aim of the restaurant is to popularise farmed seafood in stores on a scale equivalent to commonly available meats.

The Canadian government and the Canadian Association of Prawn Producers have joined forces to promote prawn exports. A $165,000 marketing campaign has been devised to draw attention to cold-water shrimp in countries including China and Russia.

The first aquaculture apprentice at Marine Harvest, Scotland has started work. Sixteen-year-old Ross MacDonald from Fort William beat off stiff competition to work at Scotland's largest aquaculture company.  MacDonald will works across a range of departments, receiving training on boat handling, fish health, feed management and finance.

Tuna at a fish market
Tuna at a fish market (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Event: Aquaculture 2013: Craig Browdy wins Distinguished Service award

The Distinguished Service Award recognises an individual who has made outstanding personal contributions to the US Aquaculture Society and/or the US. aquaculture industry. This award emphasises significant leadership and overall impact in research, education, extension, or industry development in the field of aquaculture.
He has devoted his career to aquaculture and to expanding the aquaculture industry in the United States. He has made significant contributions in research, education, and industry development and has exhibited outstanding leadership within the field.
His research interests within shrimp aquaculture have been wide-ranging, including nutrition, health management, physiology, water quality, effluents, analytical techniques, and microbial ecology. He may be best known for his work at the Waddell Mariculture Center in South Carolina which established the research basis for reduced water exchange, enhanced biosecurity, the development of high-intensity shrimp aquaculture techniques in greenhouses using the biofloc approach. While at the Waddell Mariculture Center, his reputation for applied research, his assistance to the research world and leadership in industry was well known.
He has served US aquaculture in a variety of position: He has been a strong supporter of the USAS, he was a Marine Scientist with South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Scientific Director for the Waddell Mariculture Center; Assistant Director for SCDNRs Marine Resources Research Institute, and adjunct professor at several universities. He served as WAS President, Chair of the Book Committee, and an Associate Editor of the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society.  In 2008, he became Aquaculture Research Director for NOVUS developing and applying US products to provide effective alternatives for feed cost reduction and health through nutrition for the global aquaculture industry.
He has devoted his life to furthering aquaculture, especially in ways that address world hunger and that seek to develop commercially viable marine aquaculture in the US He has truly made a difference in developing technologies, training students and industry professionals, and leading the industry by example.
Craig Browdy receives the Distinguished Service award at World Aquaculture 2013


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Geleen

Geleen Counterflow are the world's leading supplier of counterflow dryers and coolers for feed and food. Click on image to visit website.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Event: Aquaculture 2013

We're in Nashville, USA for Aquaculture 2013. If you're at the show, come and visit us on stand 227 to find out more about what we do and pick up a copy of International Aquafeed magazine.
To whet your appetite, check out our preview article which includes interviews with Sandy Shumway and plenary speaker Edward Allison.
International Aquafeed January/February 2013

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Video: Oyster farming in the USA

For the Friday video this week, we look at how an oyster farming operation in the USA has the additional benefit of improving water quality.



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22/02/13: Salt tolerant plant for aquaculture use; AKVA acquisition; research into salmon virus vaccines

Researchers at Murdoch University are investigating the uses of a salt tolerant plant in both aquaculture and agriculture. The saltgrass, Distichlis spicata is very effective at removing salt from water.

AKVA Group has bought 70 percent of the shares in Plastsveis AS for a price of NOK 20 million.  90 percent of the purchase price will be paid in cash on completion. The remaining 10 percent will be paid six months after the transaction is completed. The transaction is subject to final approval from the Norwegian competition authorities and is assumed to be completed mid March 2013, with operational effect from January 1, 2013.

The Research Council of Norway's Platform for Viral Aquaculture Medicine is getting closer to developing a much-needed vaccine against ISA and IPN in salmon. Researchers have been studying how these viruses side step the salmon immune system and which immune response may provide protection against diseases.

Distichlis spicata Flower
Distichlis spicata Flower (Photo credit: sandy richard)

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Thursday, February 21, 2013

21/02/13: news stories from the Philippines, Australia and Scotland

A fish forum in the Philippines has discussed the potential of pangasius aquaculture. Local farmers, Municipal Agriculture Officers, and businessmen of Rizal province recently attended Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Rizal’s Investment Opportunity Forum on the fish called pangasius Antipolo City.
Romy Pol of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – National Inland Fisheries Training Center briefed the attendees on the characteristics and history of pangasius.
According to Pol, pangasius comes from the family of the catfish and originates from the Mekong River which runs through China, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand. The specie is very hardy and lays around 50,000 eggs. However, studies show that pangasius only lays eggs in the Mekong River and must be induced to lay eggs in other habitats or fishponds. The fish also only reach sexual maturity after two to three years. BFAR also reiterated that pangasius are only allowed to be bred in inland fishponds in the country.

The team at AM, one of Australia's most popular radio shows, is into all things aquaculture at the moment. The team is on the Gold Coast reporting from Australia's largest tiger prawn farm.

The Scottish Salmon Company has submitted plans for a new farm site at Reibinish with the potential to farm 2,000 tonnes of salmon the application is one of three being considered by the Scottish based and operated salmon farming company for Harris.

Pangasius in aquarium. Русский: Pangasius in a...
Pangasius in aquarium. Русский: Pangasius in aquarium. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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IAF interview: Torben Svejgaard, chief executive officer, BioMar Group, Denmark

Born in 1955, Torben Svejgaard is chief executive officer of the BioMar Group, headquartered in Denmark. At 57 years he is an economist with close to 30 years’ experience in B2B businesses with the first 25 years in the food ingredient area. From 1985-1991 he was marketing assistant and marketing manager at Aarhus Olie - speciality vegetable oil products and soy protein concentrates.
Then from 1991-2008 he held different upper management positions within Danisco (now Dupont), a world leader in functional food ingredients plus biotech products for feed, biofuel and technical purposes.
From 2004-2008 member of Executive Committee, that is the top management team of the company. Since 2008, he has been Group CEO of BioMar, one the biggest fish feed producers with a turnover in excess of €1 billion in 2012.

Will farming other species of fish follow the salmon example?
In my view, there is no doubt that fish farming will become more and more professionalised over the coming years. And it needs to if demand is to be met in a sustainable way as well as in a cost-efficient way.
You can see this happening for other species not just from a feeding point-of-view but also in farming. But it would be fair to say salmon is where there has been the greatest progress and where professional farming has been taken the furthermost. Let me add that this doesn’t mean that salmon is a superior fish!
Other species will follow but at different speeds and in different ways.
Tilapia in the USA for example, has developed two distinctive markets – a frozen market, primarily supplied by China, and a fresh market supplied mainly from Central plus the northern part of South America. As a result tilapia now has two different market prices and two sets of demands being placed on it.
With a further professionalism of fish framing demands to fish feed suppliers will also increase, and we feel in BioMar that we are well prepared for that.

Carp is a widely consumed fish species in China. Is carp likely to challenge fish species in western/developed countries?
I don’t think so. Based on my experiences from the food ingredient industry, people are conservative about their food products choices and I would be very surprised if carp, which is a quieter species than other, became a more commonly consumed fish in developed countries.

Would that decision have anything to do with a fish species being a herbivore or a carnivore?
Herbivores are by far the largest portion of fish species in the world while carnivores are in the minority. However, the future direction for demand will not be dependent on whether a fish species is herbivore or carnivore but whether the consumer likes the fish in question and to what extent we can develop a cost-effective production system for that species to meet growing demand.
Comparatively, we have many different species of fish being farmed today – when compared to chicken and pigs. There is a clear need to choose those species that can be grown in a cost-efficient way.

Does that mean fish has to be cheaper than chicken in the consumer’s eyes to increase demand?
While in some supermarkets you will find fish cheaper than chicken, the difficulty of the comparison is to understand the cost of protein ratio between the two protein sources. A relative price might mean something, but this is not a mathematical choice in the eyes of the consumer. The consumer - at least the ones with a certain income level - is not asking, “Should I feed my family on chicken or fish this evening?” and basing that choice on what the price comparison is.
While, chicken is also very efficient in converting feed into protein, fish is generally more efficient. With rising commodity and protein prices in our raw materials the relative cost advantage of fish over chicken will increase.
I think it’s important to understand that consumers do not based their buying decision on price alone despite the cost efficiency achieved in the production process greatly influencing the price of the end product. Most shoppers buy fish because of the virtues of fish in itself, not because it’s cheaper than chicken.

There is much discussion about achieving a production breakthrough one kg of fish protein from one kg of feed. Is this a fair objective or is reducing the use of fishmeal in diets a more critical issue?
Feed conversion is not about achieving 1:1, but about the retention of energy and protein by a fish species that gives it its efficiency. Assessment based on kg in and kg out is a little artificial.
On the question of fishmeal, the salmon industry, for example, is a net fish protein producer – we have reduced protein fishmeal in diets to between 10-15 percent down from 30 percent over time an extended period of time. However, that’s not the goal in itself. If we take responsibility-sourced fishmeal and fish oil then we can make an upgrade from other materials that would not have been sold as food products – otherwise these products would have been wasted. That’s a rational objective for our industry and we should try to demonstrate that to consumers.

There’s much talk about the challenge of feeding nine billion people on the planet by 2050. Will fish play a central role in meeting this challenge?
Fish will play a role in feeding the nine billion people by 2050. And this should be one of the roles of professional fish farming, but we must also realise that this is only possible, if the industry does it in a sustainable way both from a broad environmental point of view and from an economical point of view. If the industry does not make sufficient profit, the needed growth will not happen. But farming can contribute to saving the world. We all know our industry can do that.
Torben Svejgaard

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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Beneo

Beneo animal nutrition offers a broad range of nature based ingredients that improve nutritional value to the petfood, agri and aquafeed markets. Click on the image to visit the website.

20/03/13: Australia special

There's a bit of a buzz about cobia at the moment. The species is being earmarked as 'the next big thing' in aquaculture thanks to its quick growth and firm flesh. One farmer keen to explore the potential of the species is Alistair Dick, of Pacific Reef fisheries, near Ayr, Australia.Dick told ABC Rural that the financial potential for fish farmers is significant considering cobia can grow up to 10 kilograms within their first year - double the speed of barramundi and triple the speed of Atlantic salmon.
If you're a cobia fan, look out for the next issue of International Aquafeed has a cobia expert topic.

There are successful fish farms in South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia and now there are plans for a farm in New South Wales. However, the proposal to build a farm four kilometres off the Central Coast is running into trouble. Aquaculture advocates argue that the New South Wales Fisheries Institute farm will take the pressure off wild fish stocks while other believe the farm will be a polluter.

PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture has released a proposal to introduce snapper spatial closures for public consultation.
The proposed spatial closures encompass several snapper spawning aggregation sites within Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent, which would be closed to Snapper fishing between November and January each year, when Snapper are known to aggregate in South Australian waters. This is a temporary management measure that would be reviewed on an annual basis.


Australasian snapper
Australasian snapper (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

19/02/13: Aquaculture in Kenya and seafood production in New Zealand

Kenyans may be about to enjoy more fish suppers. Aquaculture production in the country has increased by more than 500 per cent in the last four years, according to the ministry of Fisheries Development. Production stood at 4,220 metric tonnes in 2008 before shooting to 22,000 tonnes in 2012.
Read more...

One of New Zealand’s largest seafood companies is coming to Cawthron Aquaculture Park, near Nelson.
Aotearoa Fisheries Limited will take over and expand Cawthron Institute’s commercial oyster nursery and spat growing operation at the Cawthron Aquaculture Park. Cawthron Institute will continue to produce and supply oyster larvae to industry.
“Cawthron Institute has developed a scientific selective breeding programme for oysters over the last ten years,” says Ian Kearney, chairman, Cawthron Institute. “Three years ago we established the outdoor nursery to grow and supply increased volumes of selectively bred spat to the industry.”
“It is now appropriate to allow our industry partners to take over this expanding spat production activity and for Cawthron Institute to focus its expertise on scientific research for the aquaculture industry.”
 
Cloudy Bay Clams, New Zealand is celebrating after being given Friend of the Sea international sustainability seal of approval. The audited fishing vessels for storm clam (Mactra murchisoni), diamond (Spisula aequilatera) and moon shell (Dosinia anus) and Tua Tua (Paphies donacinia), were found to be compliant with all Friend of the Sea criteria for sustainable fishery.
The clams are harvested from a sandy substrate along the coastline. The fishing method is based on a hydraulic winnowing clam rake, designed and developed by the company itself. The Clam Rake mesh is 10mm Dia and no nets are used.
The use of water jets is designed to maximize catch, minimise mortality of clams and minimize the effects of dragging the dredge through the sand. The only by-catch is the occasional paddle crab which represents less that less than 1% of the catch. If alive and unharmed, they are returned to sea.
“Friend of the Sea certification confirms our efforts and continuous commitment to sustainability" explains Mr. Mike Ponder,  general manager, Cloudy Bay Clams “and it represents an important added value for our product”.


Clams
Clams (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


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Friday, February 15, 2013

Switch the Fish campaign a big success for Scottish mussels

Save the Fish campaign [Credit: The Drum].

Rope grown mussels from the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group (SSMG) enjoyed a great reception from consumers during Sainsbury’s recent ‘Switch the Fish’ campaign.

During the initiative, the supermarket gave away free samples of less popular types of seafood to anyone who bought one of the ‘big five’ eating varieties of cod, haddock, tuna, salmon and prawns. Scottish rope grown mussels was one of the alternative types of seafood selected for the free sample give-away, and according to Rob Mitchell of SSMG, they went down a treat with shoppers.

“The Switch the Fish campaign was a great success and it really highlighted to consumers the fantastic taste of mussels and their simplicity in cooking,” he says. “The feedback we have had from Sainsbury’s was very positive and we are hopeful that this campaign will have played an important role in ensuring that consumers broaden their horizons when purchasing seafood.

“We are particularly proud of the sustainability credentials of our Scottish rope-grown mussels, which also seems to appeal to consumers.”

SSMG mussels are independently certified by both the Marine Stewardship Council and the Friend of the Sea for the environmentally-friendly manner in which they are grown.

More information on SSMG at www.scottishshellfish.co.uk

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

13/02/13: Is Brazil the next seafood superpower? Drugs in aquaculture course

Brazil has the potential to be a seafood superpower but there are various barriers stopping the country from reaching its full potential according to Rabobank. A report by the company pinpoints difficultly obtaining aquaculture licences, a lack of biosafety standards a, low yields and an underdeveloped feed industry as the the main issues hampering growth.

The FDA and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN)
have launched an online training module titled 'Aquaculture Drugs and US Regulations'. Aimed at international producers, the course is designed to clarify how the FDA regulates drugs for aquaculture and identify which drugs may be used.


Igazu falls - Brazil
Igazu falls - Brazil (Photo credit: @Doug88888)
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APC

APC is the world's largest producer of functional proteins. Today they are a leading manufacturer of high-quality ingredients and complete, user-ready products that optimize animal nutrition. Click on image to visit website.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

12/02/13: 'Super chilled' fish; knife fish infestation; rooftop aquaponics in India

Ice is the no-brainer way to keep fish fresh during transportation. However, scientists at Nofima, Norway believe that ice and insulated boxes create a false sense of security and restrict innovation in the sector.  According to the feed research institute, in 2010 Norway exported 922,000 tonnes of salmon – the vast majority of this packed fresh in polystyrene fish boxes with 5–6 kg of ice per approx. 22 kg of fish. This is equivalent to 7,500 articulated lorries full of ice (around 230 million litres of water).
Nofima has been working on alternative methods for transportation of fish including 'super chilling'. 
This method involves reducing the temperature down to the equalisation temperature of the fish, typically -1 to -2 °C. Super chilling is the easiest way of increasing the primary quality period of the fish and may be combined with packaging in a protected environment of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, during both distribution and in consumer packaging. This enables high quality to be maintained for several weeks in a cooling chain that is in accordance with the regulations (0 to +2 °C).
Read more...

Aquaculture operations in Laguna Lake, The Philippines are under threat from an infestation of knife fish. Over 5,000 fishers in the lake have been affected while municipalities have also reported knife fish problems.

The Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources – National Inland Fisheries Technology Center (BFAR-NIFTC) and local governments are currently undertaking mass retrieval operations to address issue. 
The collected knife fish will then be turned over to BFAR for the development of technologies for its economic utilisation.
Read more...

Here's a five minute coffee break treat for you. Talk a tour of a rooftop aquaponics garden in Kolkata, India.


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New! IAF Article: BioMarine Conference report

The BioMarine Business Convention 2012 took place in London in October 2012. The event aims to combine people involved in all sectors of the biomarine sector. 

International Aquafeed was a key supporter of the conference and we are please to have a full report in the January/February issue of the magazine. The 12-page supplement includes reports from the six Think Tanks and interviews with attendees.
Read the full report here.


You can also check out the BioMarine Resources Directory which lists key companies in the biomarine sector and our news blog.
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Monday, February 11, 2013

11/02/13: Salmon special: equipment and escapees; ISA; Marine Harvest

Equipment failure is the reason behind more than two thirds of salmon escapees according to research conducted by the SECURE project. The study, which analysed all escape incidents from salmon farms in Norway from 2006 to 2009, found that faulty nets and cages were the main cause of 68 percent of fish escapes. 

Earlier this year, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) allowed salmon infected with ISA from a Cooke Aquaculture farm in New Brunswick to be processed. This decision was controversial in the aquaculture community as it was first time the agency had given permission for fish with the disease to be processed for market. 
However, that's not where the story ends. Now, various restaurants and  in have refused to serve or stock fish infected with the disease.  

Marine Harvest has expanded its portfolio of farms with the acquisition of Lewis Salmon in Scotland. Read more...


A salmon farm which holds yearlings for up to ...
A salmon farm which holds yearlings for up to two years. Many hold broodstock for even longer in these conditions to help ensure large, sexually mature adults. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Amandus Kahl




Amandus Kahl plan, design, and build machines, plants, and turnkey production factories for conditioning and compacting of many different products for a wide variety of industries. Click on image to visit website.

Friday, February 8, 2013

08/02/13: Rice-fish farming; WAS website and more...

Integrated rice-fish farming is the need of the hour says, the Financial Express, Bangladesh. Although rice production is well-established in the country, fish farming lags behind. However, around 10.14 million hectares of rice fields, there is scope to integrate fish production and rice farming. In addition to increasing fish production, combined rice-fish production can also improve productivity and profitability of rice farming.
Read more...

The World Aquaculture Society (WAS) website is undergoing a makeover with the new look site due to go live on February 20, 2013. The team are encouraging people attending the Nashville meeting stop by the WAS booth, take a look and give some feedback.


A fisherman in South Africa has become the first person to be convicted of killing a great white shark. Leon Bekker, of George, Western Cape, was found to have violated the Marine Living Resources Act which includes attempting to kill, disturb or be in possession of a white shark without a permit.

English: A great white shark approaches divers...
English: A great white shark approaches divers in a cage off Dyer Island, Western Cape, South Africa. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Read more...

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Video: WorldFish Center

I've got a bit of a treat for you this week: a video series!

The WorldFish Center has posted a set of presentations from its Food for Thought series. Food for Thought provides an opportunity to present and discuss on-going or completed work or focus on current issues related to fisheries and aquaculture.
They are addictive viewing. Check them out here.
The carp, introduced in 1850, is now a trouble...
The carp, introduced in 1850, is now a trouble species in the Murray-Darling river system (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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