Aquaculture view: The reintroduction of PAPs in European Union aquaculture feeds

Aquaculture view

Aquaculture view is a column in each edition of International Aquafeed magazine (IAF), written by Dominique P Bureau.

Part of the IAF editorial panel, Dom has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Guelph, Canada.

Today he teaches various undergraduate and graduate courses on animal nutrition and agriculture at the University of Guelph. Between 2007 and 2009, he coordinated the “Paris Semester”, a study abroad program for undergraduate students at the University of Guelph.

He serves on a number of international committees, including the US National Research Council Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Fish and Shrimp.

---

See all of the Aquaculture view columns here.


July - August 2013

The reintroduction of PAPs in European Union aquaculture feeds 

New European Commission Regulation (Regulation 56/2013) allowing the use of non-ruminant processed animal proteins (PAPs) in feeds for aquaculture species came into force on June 1, 2013. The new regulation only applies to PAPs derived from Category 3 material, which is defined as by-products of non-ruminant animals (poultry, swine) that are fit for human consumption at the point of slaughter.

This major development for European renderers and the aquaculture industry was discussed at a number of events in recent weeks. Personally, I had the chance to present a review some of the work done on PAPs in aquaculture species over the past 20 years at Sonac's International Aqua Event in Burgum, the Netherlands, and the 2013 European Fat Processors and Renderers Association (EFPRA) Congress in Prague, Czech Republic. These events were rich in interactions and discussions with industry stakeholders and I wish to share some of my observations and thoughts.

Very strict regulations with regards to animal by-products were adopted in Europe in reaction to the transmissible sponigorm encephalopathies (TSEs) crisis during the 1990s. The new regulation reforms the stringent rules on the use of PAPs in feed. The relaxation of the rules has come about for different reasons. One of which is that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) emitted a scientific opinion that that TSE risk from feeding non-ruminant feed ingredients to non-ruminant animals is negligible when 'intra-species recycling' (i.e. cannibalism) is avoided. The very significant progresses achieved in the production, traceability and testing for PAPs in Europe over the past decade or two is also another important reason.

The revised regulations are still extremely stringent and complex. Renderers and aquaculture feed producers need to stick to very strict production and traceability procedures and adopt new testing procedures (RT-PCR test developed by the EU reference laboratory) in order to meet the requirements of the new legislation.

The media and stakeholders in the European food industry have raised concerns with regards to the new regulations. A large segment of the European population is still traumatized by the mad cow crisis and is highly concerned with food safety issues. The recent horse meat scandal did not help ease the situation. Consequently, the reintroduction of non-ruminant PAPs in aquaculture feeds in Europe won't be a walk in the park. However, Europe is not a monolithic block and differences in market and consumer's acceptance are likely to emerge soon, notably given in the current economic climate and high food prices.

Significant volume of high quality protein and fats sources
Over 18 million metric tonnes (mmt) of animal by-products are generated every year in the European Union. The animal by-products industry processes these by-products into more than 4 mmt of animal proteins per year. In 2011, more than 2.3 mmt of PAPs were produced from Category 3 material (fit for human consumption). In 2011, about 1.6 mmt went into pet food or were fed to fur animals (minks, foxes) and the balance was used as fertilizers or industrial uses.

The under-valorization of large volumes of perfectly good feed-grade proteins is not a negligible phenomenon, notably since Europe is in a protein deficit. Together the 27 EU countries import over 20 mmt of soybean meal and 12 mmt of soybeans annually to meet the needs of their feed industry. The deficits in protein crop production and the exposure of the livestock sector to volatility in global protein feed prices are among of the reasons why the European Parliament adopted two resolutions in 2011 which called for reform of the rules on PAPs in animal feeds.

A more level playing field? 
Only minute amounts of very high quality land animal proteins (hemoglobin powder, hydrolyzed proteins, etc) have found use in aquaculture feeds in Europe over the past few years. In contrast, PAPs have been widely used in aquaculture feeds in the Americas, Asia and Oceania for at least the past 10 years. European aquaculture producers have, thus, been placed at a significant disadvantage in an increasingly global market. European aquaculture feed manufacturers have had to maintain higher levels of expensive fishmeal in their feeds and rely more on a variety of plant protein sources (soy, rapeseed, sunflower, pea, wheat, etc), often with significant consequence on production cost and flexibility in the formulations.

Good news for aquaculture product exporters?
The new regulation is probably very good news for the global aquaculture industry, notably for exporters of aquaculture products. For example, aquaculture feed producers around the globe are now able to use European non-ruminant Category 3 PAPs in their feeds and their clients should be able to lawfully export their products to EU countries. This new situation may contribute to improving the sustainability and transparency of practices in some countries where ‘rules’ may have been bent in the past.

New entrants, new products, new ideas?
The TSE crisis was a great upheaval for the European agriculture industry. From this traumatic event, some positive aspects can be derived. The huge changes in the production practices and traceability procedures for PAPs are among them. European rendering plants are now generally extremely well organised and clean. They often operate in densely populated areas without major complaints from the community.

European renderers certainly heeded the American proverb that says, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade". Some stakeholders in the European rendering industry have been very resourceful and developed new products and approaches.

Nonetheless, the new regulation call for stringent sterilization methods (i.e. steam pressure sterilization at a minimum of 133 °C for not less than 20 minutes at a pressure of 3 bars on particles with a maximum size of 50 mm). These relatively harsh processing conditions may have a negative influence on the nutritive value of the final products but there is limited information on this issue.

I am seeing some great opportunities to compare the nutritive value to different aquaculture species of PAPs produced according to the vastly different production practices and conditions adopted by different renderers in different continents.

Rendering: the sustainable solution
Interested in learning more about rendering and the role it plays in the agriculture and food industry? A short video was recently published by the National Renderers Association on YouTube. You can access it via this link http://bit.ly/12Ck2OA

The website of my research group, the Fish Nutrition Research Laboratory at the University of Guelph, Canada also has numerous presentations and references on the use of rendered animal proteins in animal feeds. http://fishnutrition.uoguelph.ca
 
Any feedback? Please don't hesitate to let me know!
Email me at: dbureau@uoguelph.ca, or leave a comment below.

International Aquafeed publisher is VIP at Chinese aquaculture conference

International Aquafeed publisher Roger Gilbert has been invited to participate in the official opening of the 9^th Symposium of the World’s Chinese Scientists on Nutrition and Feeding of Finfish and Shellfish to be held in Xiamen City, Fuijian Province, China from November 12-16, 2013.

Event organiser Dr Ji-Dan Ye, the Secretary-General of Jimei University, in Xiamen, says Mr Gilbert has been invited as a visiting VIP due to his vision and background that he elaborated during his 22 years as secretary general with the International Feed Industry Federation, of which he was a founder. He says the experiences of IFIF globally may well serve as a model and should be shared with the conference delegates.
 
“It is to share his knowledge with our industry, how through aquaculture we might contribute to feeding a global population of nine billion people by 2050,” says Ji-Dan Ye.
 
Mr Gilbert is also acknowledged for his experience working with a number of international organisations and the industry in China wishes to discuss how greater involvement might be beneficial. “The success he brought to IFIF could be used as a model for developing the aquaculture industry in China and for others to follow,” he adds.
 
“As the representative of the aquaculture world’s nutritional magazine, International Aquafeed, we would like to share our knowledge and expertise in terms of nutrition and the aquaculture feeding industry, that includes fisheries, in China with him,” says Ji-Dan Ye.

Dr Dominique Bureau, Professor of University of Guelph, Canada and an editorial board member on International Aquafeed will also be addressing the conference. His topic is: Nutrition and environmentally sustainable farming.

Video: Take a tour of the Cooke Aquaculture farm in Digby, Nova Scotia

Join the Cooke Aquaculture crew from Digby, Nova Scotia, for an inside look at how they raise and care for Atlantic salmon. In Part One we catch up with the crew as they start their day before the crack of dawn and see their morning routine.

In Part Two, the crew sets out to do some of its most important work - feeding the fish. See how underwater cameras help monitor feed use to reduce waste.



In Part Three the fish health team and the divers do their inspections to ensure the fish are healthy and growing properly. The divers also survey the nets and equipment and the ocean bottom to ensure the site is secure and healthy.

Beneo

BENEO-Animal Nutrition offers a broad range of nature based ingredients that improve nutritional value to the petfood, agri and aquafeed markets.  It covers speciality ingredients such as vegetable proteins, functional carbohydrates and prebiotics from chicory. Click on the image to visit the Beneo website.

Opening of Nofima bioprocessing plant

“Industry based on new uses for marine raw materials can become a new and major industry for Norway,” said the Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen when she opened the National Facility for Marine Bioprocessing (NAMAB) at Nofima.

The facility at Kaldfjorden in Troms County will offer high technology companies, universities and university colleges competence and production equipment to help them transfer good research results from the laboratories into commercial production.

“This industry produces special products from new marine raw materials and from raw materials that we have not previously managed to utilize. The potential is huge. Scientists estimate that it’s possible to increase the current market value from NOK 5 billion to NOK 70 billion by 2050. Achieving this requires major investments in research and competence,” said Berg-Hansen.

In practice the facility is a mini factory covering an area of around 1000 m² where high technology companies may receive help to transfer good research results from the laboratories and produce advanced products on an even larger scale.

The food research institute Nofima is responsible for the establishment and operation of the mini factory.

“This is not a large-scale factory, but it provides new companies with the opportunity to test out their products on a larger scale. Not all companies have NOK 40 million to construct such a facility themselves,” says NAMAB Manager Rasmus Karstad.

Investment in construction of the new facility and equipment totals NOK 40 million. This has been financed by the Troms Country Council and the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs.
The new facility has two full-time employees.

More information...

The flag of Norway (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

30/08/13: Reaction to Gray Aquaculture's bankruptcy protection; Nova Scotia cash for fish processing plant; aquaculture in Florida

Gray Aquaculture filing for bankruptcy protection is indicative of a slight downturn in the industry says the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association, (NAIA).

Head of the association, Cyr Couturier, predicts a downturn in the overall output of farmed salmon this year and next.

Gray Aquaculture currently produces 10-15 percent of the province's overall salmon output.

 

Despite this, Couturier says he's confident the overall industry will remain strong in the province.

Read more...

Fish processing business, Wave Seafoods Inc. is to receive CA$500,000 from the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.

The ten-year loan will be help the business restructure to help ensure long-tern sustainability.

 

The family-owned business employs almost 70 full- and part-time staff.

Read more...

The aquaculture industry in Florida, USA has grown to $69 million a year according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Florida and Florida Agricultural Statistics Services.

The first state-wide aquaculture study since 2005 reported sales from 404 farms breeding a range of species including fresh and saltwater fish, shrimp, alligators and turtles.

Ornamental species accounted for just over half of the total revenue, making $35.5 million. The second largest earner was aquaculture for human consumption which made $24.1 million.

Read more...

 

market survey conducted by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Florida Agricultural Statistics Service. - See more at: http://highlandstoday.com/list/highlands-agri-leader-news/florida-aquaculture-market-grows-to-69-million-20130828/#sthash.eK7TvZsx.dpuf

market survey conducted by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Florida Agricultural Statistics Service. - See more at: http://highlandstoday.com/list/highlands-agri-leader-news/florida-aquaculture-market-grows-to-69-million-20130828/#sthash.eK7TvZsx.dpuf

Alligatoren (Alligator mississippiensis) in Florida (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Event: LACQUA´13

The IV Conference of Latin America Native Fish Species Aquaculture, the Latin American and Caribbean Aquaculture (LACQUA´13), the XIX Aquaculture Day of the Universidad de los Llanos and the VI Aquaculture Forum in Villavicencio will bring together in Colombia aquaculture farmers, entrepreneurs and experts of the entire Latin American region and the World.

The Conference of Latin American Native Fish Species Aquaculture on its 4^th edition will be congregate fish farmers, entrepreneurs and experts of Latin America and the world. This event will allow participants to share scientific advances, latest technologies, research results as well as obtain an overview of the actual situation and challenges of the Latin American aquaculture.

The organizing team, headed by the Universidad de los Llanos with the support of the Latin American and Caribbean Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society (LACC-WAS) expects more than 600 professionals of the aquaculture sector to be present in the meeting in Villavicencio. The participants will be able to attend several key note lectures offered by well renown experts from around the world, as well as exchange research ideas and analyze business options of an important array of worldwide companies that will be present. In this opportunity LACC-WAS will participate in the event presenting the event LACQUA. The World Aquaculture Society (WAS) organises several events worldwide. LACQUA´13 will be the first event of its type in the Latin American and the Caribbean region.

“We have been working hard to bring presenters that could offer the participants a general overview of key subjects that need attention on the aquaculture sector. Some of these topics are physiology, nutrition, endocrinology and toxicology, as well as nutrition and feeding, genetics and breeding, aquatic health, animal welfare, water quality and sustainable production systems. This event will also focus on important topics for the productive sector as processing, value added process, marketing and associativity” commented the team of organizers from the Universidad de los Llanos.

The organising committee will like to invite all the aquaculturists of the region to participate in

the series of activities that conform the event, which goal is to offer possible solutions to the problems that the sector is experiencing as well as to promote the sharing of knowledge on the culture of fish native species and other species of economic relevance as tilapia, trout, shrimp, among others.

For more information and to register to participate please visit the webpages www.was.org and www.conferenciapecesnativos2013.com

For more information on the exhibition and sponsorship contact: mario@marevent.com

 LACQUA´13

Amandus Kahl

More than 130 years of experience in plant and machine manufacture has made Amandus Kahl a respected manufacturer and supplier of extruders, compound feed presses, wood pelleting plants and granulate coolers. The motivation has always been to develop an even better product for our customers. For this reason the company cooperates with research institutes and universities. Click on the image to visit the Amandus Kahl website.

29/08/13: Delaware shellfish aquaculture bill signed; Gray Aquaculture files for bankruptcy protection; ocean acidification can affect microbes

Delaware, USA became the final east coast state to have a shellfish aquaculture industry after an aquaculture bill was passed on August 28, 2013.

The bill allows the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to direct and control aquaculture activities within the Inland Bays and to set criteria for leasing sites.

It's hoped the new shellfish aquaculture industry will provide economic benefits and improve water quality in the state's inland bays.

Read more...

Canada salmon company, Gray Aquaculture has filed for bankruptcy protection days after the Supreme Court ordered the company to pay a $650,000 outstanding bill for feed.

The protection gives the company 30 days to restructure its finances.

Gray Aquaculture suffered from three outbreaks of ISA over the last year which cost the company greatly.

At present the company represents 10-15 percent of aquaculture production in Newfoundland.

Read more...

Ocean acidification can affect microbes according to research conducted at the University of Western Australia.

Disrupting just one process in the important relationship between microbes and bigger plants and animals that live in ocean floor sediment may have knock-on effects that could reduce the productivity of coastal ecosystems, according to international research published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.

The team, which included partners from Australia, the UK and the US are the first to investigate the impacts of ocean acidification on the interactions between macro and micro-organisms in sediments. 

"There has been very little work done so far on the microbial responses to ocean acidification in the benthic (sea floor) zone," said lead author Dr Bonnie Laverock.

"In particular, little is known about how microbial processes may be affected by the responses of larger animals or plants.

"We show that the presence of the mud shrimp can perform the useful task of increasing nitrification rates in coastal sediments, but that this enhanced ecosystem function is inhibited by ocean acidification.  Our results indicate the importance of multi-species interactions in determining how individual organisms or groups of organisms will respond to environmental change." 

Read more...

English: This sensor, attached to a NOAA CREWS station, collects pCO2 and temperature data every hour and transmits it via satellite to a NOAA laboratory where data are utilized in understanding ocean acidification effects on coral reef ecosystems. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Event: FIAAP/VICTAM/GRAPAS 2014

FIAAP/VICTAM/GRAPAS Asia 2014 Exhibitions & Conferences reach the growing markets of South and Southeast Asia within your industries. Meet the senior executives from your industry, colleagues, old and new potential clients as the markets come to Bangkok to visit the shows from April 8-10, 2014.

Who and what will you find there? You can find the answers here in the confirmed Exhibitor List which has exhibitors from 19 countries so far. For more information about the previous shows in Asia see the Post Show Report for the shows of 2012.

Navigate the world market in three days, exhibit at FIAAP/VICTAM/GRAPAS 2014. It's not too late to be there, there is still time and space left. However, do not wait too long as there is less than 20 percent space left. Book your stand now and let the organisers know your preferred location on the floorplan.

Our early bird discount is still available if you book before September 1, 2013!

FIAAP/VICTAM/GRAPAS 2014

Sodexo to bring ASC logo to its hundreds of thousands of consumers

Sodexo Netherlands became the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's (ASC) 100th logo licence holder in July, bringing ASC certified fish to hundreds of thousands of people. With its Better Tomorrow Plan, Sodexo commits to source sustainable fish and seafood in all the countries where it operates by 2015.

Once Sodexo Netherlands obtains ASC chain of custody certification, it will be the first contract caterer eligible to use the ASC logo. Sodexo will then be able to display the ASC logo on pangasius supplied by ATL seafood, further demonstrating its commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

Chris Ninnes, chief executive, ASC said, “Sodexo’s commitment to sustainability is laudable and the incentives that it provides for further changes in the seafood sector are significant. As a leading food service provider, serving hundreds of thousands of consumers daily, it will be rewarding well managed farms and help transform the aquaculture industry towards sustainability.”

Traceability assurance
Displaying the ASC logo will assure Sodexo’s staff and consumers across the 1,017 sites that their ASC labeled seafood can be traced back through the supply chain to a responsibly managed fish farm.

In order to achieve chain of custody certification each company in the supply chain must meet strict requirements and have in place traceability systems that ensure no product mixing or substitutions can occur.

Demonstrating environmental and social responsibility
Every ASC certified fish farm has also demonstrated that it is well managed and minimises any adverse environmental and social impacts. As a result ASC certified farms deliver a cleaner seabed, cleaner water and healthier fish. They can also demonstrate that they are preserving the diversity of the species and wild population, adhering to strict feed requirements and ensuring social responsibility.

Hairo van den Berg, corporate development director, said, "At Sodexo, health and wellness are of supreme importance. As a service provider, Sodexo has considerable influence on the eating habits of over 350,000 daily consumers in the Netherlands. To promote health and wellness, we offer solutions by proposing a high-quality, well-balanced menu with reduced intake of fats, sugar and salt and a wide choice of sustainable products, such as fish and seafood. To raise awareness and maximize collaboration with both our clients and consumers, we will also participate in the first 'Think Fish Week' campaign in the Netherlands together with 85 percent of the Dutch supermarket sector. We are proud to be ASC’s 100th logo licence holder!"

Incandescent shark catfish Pangasius hypophthalmus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Zheng Chang

Zheng Chang, established in 1918, has made constant innovations in feed machinery industry and accumulated a wealth of experience in tackling the various challenges facing feed companies and, more importantly, is able to offer a range of comprehensive solutions. ZCME has now evolved into China’s largest manufacture of feed machinery and has 16 branches in China with over 1300 staff and more than thirty offices all over the world. Click on the image to visit the Zheng Chang website.

28/08/13: Salmon special - Farmed salmon makes 'eco-friendly list'; reducing interbreeding; salmon scholarships in NZ

Farmed salmon has been given 'eco-friendly' credentials by an aquarium labeling scheme the for the first time.

Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch programme which gives fish a red, yellow or green label according to the their sustainability and environmental impact, has added Verlasso farmed salmon from Chile to its yellow list.

This means Verlasso salmon is deemed a 'good alternative' to green listed fish which are the 'best choice'.
Read more...

Interbreeding between farmed and wild salmon is an ongoing problem but a solution may be in sight thanks to research in Norway.

Part funded by the Research Council of Norway, six aquaculture companies are working together to raise one million sterile salmon.

The salmon have been bred to using non-GM techniques to have a genetic condition called triploid.

Triploid salmon have an extra set of chromosomes from their mother which makes them sterile.

The condition can be produced by exposing salmon eggs to high pressure.

The method was developed in the 1980s and was used on rainbow trout in Scotland and Tasmania. However, trials on salmon were unsuccessful as some of the fish were prone to skeletal deformaties.

Now, with the help of information gleaned from the salmon genome sequencing project, the method had re-emerged as a potential solution to the interbreeding problem.
Read more...

New Zealand King Salmon is to fund two scholarships for aquaculture students at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, New Zealand.

The scholarships will be available from next year to students enrolled in year one and two of NMIT's Diploma in Aquaculture.

The year one scholarship will cover half a year's course fees while the year two scholarship will cover a student's full fees for a year.
Read more...

English: Sea lice, L. salmonis, on farmed Atlantic salmon, New Brunswick, Canada (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interview: Chris Ninnes, chief executive, Aquaculture Stewardship Council on the Global Salmon Initiative

International Aquafeed's Alice Neal spoke to Chris Ninnes, chief executive of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council about the organisation's involvement with the Global Salmon Initiative.

Why did you choose to get involved with the GSI?

Salmon is farmed worldwide with nearly two thirds of the salmon that we eat coming from farms. Industry, government, NGOs etc need to work together if we are to reduce the impacts the sector has. It’s through cooperation that we can make a difference and have a positive impact.

GSI’s commitment to significantly improving the sustainability of salmon farming mirrors ASC’s aim to transform aquaculture towards environmental sustainability and social responsibility. That GSI chose the ASC as its benchmarking tool to chart progress and ultimately as their certification target is an exciting development. A commitment at this scale presents an unprecedented opportunity to realise a meaningful reduction in the environmental and social impact of the sector. It is a huge statement of leadership intent to tackle these issues.

With around 70 percent of the global salmon farming industry pledged to meet the ASC Salmon Standard and achieve ASC certification by 2020, this amounts to a big commitment that will make a big difference.

Working with GSI is a step closer towards ASC achieving its vision of aquaculture playing a major role in supplying food and social benefits for mankind whilst minimising negative impacts on the environment.

To what extent is the GSI taking the lead on sustainability issues?

GSI has recognised that the full potential of the salmon farming industry can only be met if there are significant improvements in its sustainability. As a result they’ve taken the initiative to be proactive and do something about it. And I’m pleased that they recognise ASC certification as an important part of that journey. 

GSI’s decision to work collaboratively with each other, with the FAO and with the ASC, WWF and other partners has set out an approach that has every chance to deliver on our shared objectives. There is much hard work to conclude and I’m sure difficult decisions to make but through collaboration they are achievable.

We will all realise the benefits of this collective approach and reach the point where salmon farming is more environmentally sustainable and socially responsible much sooner than if each farm took the decision to engage on this journey independently.

What’s the advantage of an industry-led initiative?

I consider it extremely positive that a major proportion of the salmon farming industry is voluntarily seeking to become environmentally responsible and to do this in a transparent way so that all can see the reduction of industry impact.

Transparency is one of the cornerstones of ASC. The standards require an unprecedented amount of public disclosure of farm-level data from certified farms that are currently not publicly available in most cases. GSI members are aware of these requirements. However, as an industry-led initiative and by working together are well placed to meet them as they achieve certification.

Can salmon farming ever be truly sustainable?

Of course! At present ASC uses the phrase ‘responsible’ and a strap line of ‘moving towards sustainability’. This is deliberate. There are two challenges that will be addressed as an increasing proportion of the sector become certified and these relate to the sustainability of the major ingredients used in feed and the ability of the environment to support farming only at certain densities of production. For farms to meet the ASC standard they must adopt best practice in feed use and in area based management practices.

Farmers of ASC certified salmon have to work actively on reducing the use of fish in their farmed salmon feed. A farm may not exceed a fixed amount of feed per kg of salmon produced. The fishmeal / fish oil content of the feed must be reduced as much as possible and come from sustainable sources that are traceable. In addition, fisheries that supply fish for salmon feed will have to be MSC certified by June 2017.

ASC is now working on a globally applicable feed standard to address the issue of responsible feed use in aquaculture. The ASC Feed Standard is expected to be completed by the end of 2015. The standard will set out requirements and introduce consistency for the aquaculture feed industry to operate on a more environmentally sound and socially responsible basis.

This will make a big difference towards salmon farming becoming truly sustainable.

Can you give an update on the certified salmon standard. When can we expect to see it come into effect?

Two farms have been assessed in Norway and one more farm is lined up to be audited in September 2013. We expect to see ASC certified salmon in the market in the months to come. Whilst the certification process is on going, it is hard to estimate exact timelines.

Chris Ninnes, chief executive, Aquaculture Stewardship Council

27/08/13: Zeigler Bros mill through the ages; tilapia project in Zimbabwe; Chinese company invests in French Polynesian aquaculture

Take a sneak peek behind the doors of the Zeigler Brothers feed mill.

The mill in East Berlin has been in operation since the 1970s when the original Zeigler brothers set up a poultry and livestock pet food operation. Today, the mill specialises in bespoke feeds for aquaculture, zoo and research-labs.

Famous customers include President Nixon who needed feed for pandas given to him China.

This article opens the doors on this historic mill and has some fascinating old photos too. 

Read more...

The African Development Bank is financing an aquaculture project in Zimbabwe which aims to increase tilapia production sevenfold by 2015.

This demand for tilapia is rising, with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, South Africa, Malawi and Angola with a deficit of 100,000 tonnes annually reports AllAfrica. The quintet's annual total fish consumption is 1,3 million tonnes.

The project expects to produce 20,000 tonnes annually.

Read more...

The French Polynesian government says there is overwhelming support on Makemo atoll for a US$1 billion aquaculture project with a Chinese investor.

The Chinese company, Tian Rui, is expected to invest the money over 15 years and create 1,000 jobs.

Read more...

Satellite image of Africa, showing the ecological break that defines the sub-Saharan area (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Video: Seal pup 'adopts' salmon farm workers

Let's start the day with a cute animal video.

In early August 2013, workers at Mainstream Canada's Raza Island salmon farm rescued a seal pup which had been abandoned by its mother.

Enjoy.

Wenger

From small-town entrepreneur to worldwide leader  With a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work, brothers Joe and Louis Wenger founded Wenger Mixing Company in a small Kansas (USA) town in 1935. They went on to design a machine that blended molasses with dry feedstuffs and produced pellets in 1948.
Theirs was the first extrusion cooking system and the basic technology for all commercial extruders used today.  The Wenger brothers' novel idea created a worldwide industry. And, seventy-five years later, Wenger Manufacturing, Inc. is still a family-owned business committed to groundbreaking innovation in the extrusion market. Click on the image to visit the Wenger website.

23/08/2013: Assessing EU aquaculture production; fishery and aquaculture delays in Bulgaria; coriander-fed fish

Global consumption of seafood has risen dramatically over the last decade, due to a growing population, increased affluence and changing eating habits - many now see seafood as a healthy alternative to meat. The EU is the largest single regional importer, with many of its imports coming from Asia.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-sustainability-aquaculture-production.html#jCp

With the aid of European and Asian researchers, the European Union (EU) has funded a EUR 5.8 million sustainable aquaculture initiative.
 

The Sustainable Trade in Ethical Aquaculture (SEAT) project has been developed as a result of a worldwide increase in seafood consumption, an ever increasing population, changes in eating habits and higher salaries.
 
The initiative has been joined by several small business stakeholders from Thailand, China, Vietnam and Bangladesh. 

Read more...

Delays in Fisheries and Aquaculture operations could spell a BGN 22 million loss for Bulgarian fishermen.

"So far we have agreed about 87% of all the money, but only 32% of it was actually paid," Valentina Marinova, deputy minister of agriculture and food stated on Bulgarian national television.

The lack of payment is mainly due to regulation issues relating to absorption of EU funds.

Read more...

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan and the Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Canada, are currently studying new methods to improve the fatty acid composition of farmed fish. 

In a paper published in the Canadian Journal of Animal Science, the researchers documented the effect of dietary coriander and vegetable oil in rainbow trout. 

Read the full article here.

Global consumption of seafood has risen dramatically over the last decade, due to a growing population, increased affluence and changing eating habits - many now see seafood as a healthy alternative to meat. The EU is the largest single regional importer, with many of its imports coming from Asia.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-sustainability-aquaculture-production.html#jCp

Global consumption of seafood has risen dramatically over the last decade, due to a growing population, increased affluence and changing eating habits - many now see seafood as a healthy alternative to meat. The EU is the largest single regional importer, with many of its imports coming from Asia.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-sustainability-aquaculture-production.html#jCpBulgaria could lose about BGN 22 million because of delays in the Operational program Fisheries and Aquaculture. So far we have agreed about 87% of all the money, but only 32% of it was actually paid, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Valentina Marinova stated on the Bulgarian National Television.

One of the main reasons of the lack of payments is that there are problems with the implementation of the regulations under the various laws relating to the absorption of EU funds.

Global consumption of seafood has risen dramatically over the last decade, due to a growing population, increased affluence and changing eating habits - many now see seafood as a healthy alternative to meat. The EU is the largest single regional importer, with many of its imports coming from Asia.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-sustainability-aquaculture-production.html#jCp

Global consumption of seafood has risen dramatically over the last decade, due to a growing population, increased affluence and changing eating habits - many now see seafood as a healthy alternative to meat. The EU is the largest single regional importer, with many of its imports coming from Asia.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-08-sustainability-aquaculture-production.html#jCp

European Union (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Event: 6th Algae World Asia

The Centre for Management Technology (CMT) is pleased to announce news of 6th Algae World Asia.

The event takes place from 28th - 29th October 2013 at The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

6th World Algae Asia promises to provide the latest news and advancements on algae around the world. 

The main theme of the conference will focus on tracking the commercialisation of algal oil into chemicals, fuels, nutrition and personal care applications, with key highlights including:

 - Sustainable algae biofuels with cost effective harvesting methods

 - New developments in Glycerol production from algae - update on new EC project

 - Algae-based bioplastics; transformation from low-cost algae to high-value thermoplastic materials

 - Technological breakthroughs in algae strain development

  

More information.

Algae World Asia

22/08/2013: German retailer helps raise farm standards; UV aquaculture systems; Marine Harvest to pay dividend

Having achieved group chain custody, Market leader, Real Group, has been recognised as the first global retailer to offer shoppers Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified pangasius at its fresh fish counters.

Real met the ASC seafood traceability standard and can now use the ASC logo across 120 fish counters in their stores.

“Consumers are increasingly seeking confidence that their fish has been sourced responsibly. The ASC logo gives them this assurance,” says Chris Ninnes, ASC CEO. “Having gained group chain of custody certification, Real is now giving many people the opportunity to buy responsibly farmed fish and reward well-managed fish farms.”
Read more...

Water technology company Xylem has expanded its ultraviolet disinfection product line which is specifically developed for the tank-based aquaculture industry.

The company stated that its news UV systems are designed for inactivating fish pathogens. The systems are contained in duplex stainless steel reactors capable of resisting the corrosive effect of saltwater.

Read more...

Norwegian-based fish farming firm, Marine Harvest has announced plans to pay an extraordinary dividend after an increase in salmon prices resulted in record second quarter results.

The company reported earnings of NOK901 million before interest and tax amid strong market conditions in the second quarter, a big rise compared with NOK231m earnings last year.

Read more...

Pangasius (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interview: Gerard Klein Essink, CEO, Bridge2Food, the Netherlands on the 6th Protein Summit

Bridge2Food is preparing the 6th Protein Summit 2013, September 24-25, 2013 in Rotterdam, looking at the global future supply and demand of proteins, health innovations with protein ingredients and technology innovations.

The 6th Protein Summit brings together the different industries using and producing proteins: from aquaculture, feed and pet food to food industries and food ingredient suppliers of animal and vegetable origin. The global need for protein is eminent. What kind of opportunities are available in the short, mid and long term? How will markets and industries develop? What are the key drivers? Where can you co-operate and find new technology solutions for sustainability and health? Bridge2Food hopes to contribute to solving these issues with providing a protein platform with the right people and insights.

The major players in the aquaculture, feed, pet food and food industries will be present September 24-25 in Rotterdam: well over 100 attendees and speakers.

International Aquafeed spoke to Gerard Klein Essink, CEO, Bridge2Food, the Netherlands, about the Summit.

Why is sustainability so important in the aquaculture industry? 

The pet food, pig and other feed industries and food industry industries are also fishing in the same pond. While we have been making attempts at sustainability, the global aquaculture is a relatively young industry and it should be recognises that more needs to be done and can be done to secure future supply of raw materials and retailing fish. It is important to close food chains as there will be a lot more consumer, retailing and government pressure on food and food waste, which will also affect the operating conditions in the aquaculture industry.

You often talk about 'connecting the dots'?
Yes! Bridge2Food works at different platforms, such as new trends, ingredients and technologies. We often see that those companies, who look at the broader picture and who have an overview of the developments in different sectors, can move faster and they are ahead of the game. For instance, technology companies with a longstanding experience in the dairy industries with separation technologies, want to work with vegetable protein using and producing industries. They have the capabilities, they have the ideas, but what is lacking it the know-how of the applications and the industry needs. Feed and fish food manufacturers, who acknowledge this situation, can turn their problem into an opportunity and cooperation and connect the dots.
 
Reducing food waste: what is the status?
Food waste reduction is the next big thing that is going to influence the food, feed and agriculture industries. The UN has recently announced that this is going to be a theme to the world to solve in view of the growing in balance between poor and rich nations. It will be more and more difficult for lesser developed countries to afford protein rich ingredients and protein foods as supply is getting shorter and more expensive. Western governments, retailers, manufacturers and researchers are working on a common agenda. It is not only about enabling technologies but also about regulation and thinking outside the box. 

We are very happy that Wageningen University will provide the industry an overview of the what's happening in Europe and how and where companies can shape new cooperations. Another good example of how technology can help reducing streams is the work of the process technology company Koch Membrane related to by streams in the fish industry and extract recovery. Koch Membrane have accomplished significant savings in the operation and have shown that investment can reduce overall cost. More can be done by using enzymes and other technologies to make the value chain more sustainable. 

Improving shelf life to increase sustainability is that an option as well?
Certainly, Global Fresh Foods, a start-up company from the USA, has developed a new technology increase the shelf life of chilled salmon and other fresh fish for 21 days. A huge saving of course: very relevant for fish manufacturers and also for retailers. This SME company is looking for partners and I am sure that many companies have not yet heard about this breakthrough. We hope that the Protein Summit will help them and the world to gain a fast foothold.

How can the industry source sustainable feed materials? 

 A lot of work is already being done on developing new soybean traits without anti-nutritional factors. We are very pleased that soy expert John Baize, who has been monitoring global soy demand and supply, will share his forecasts and what will drive the soy industry. New opportunities will also come from other pulse sectors such as Canadian pea growing, research and processing. This industry needs direction and is looking for strategic partnerships. How fast new protein sources like insect proteins and Rubisco will contribute to the global agenda, will also depend on increasing efforts of industry demand and cooperation.

How did you go about setting up the Summit?
We always work closely together with industry experts to make a new challenging agenda with great content. This is the 6th time we are hosting a Protein Summit and each time we strive for a higher quality. Prof. Rob Hamer, Vice President of Unilever Research is the Summit Chair, seconded by three experts, who are leading a special track. The track chair on future supply and demand is Jeroen Leffelaar, Global head of Rabobank International, the health track is chaired by Ronald Visschers, Business Manager at research organization TNO and Roger Gilbert of Perendale Publishers, UK.

I hope that through global collaboration and research, pooling of resources and sharing knowledge, the 6th Summit will contribute to make significant improvements across the industry in terms of sustainability, more food security and a better world.

Visit the 6th Protein Summit 2013 website or download the brochure.

Gerard Klein Essink, CEO, Bridge2Food, on the protein industry challenges