The Aquaculturists: February 2017

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Selisseo company profile

Adisseo is one of the world's leading experts in feed additives.

The group relies on its seven research and technology centres and its production sites based in Europe and China to design, produce and market nutritional solutions for sustainable animal feed.

With 1,800 employees, it serves more than 2,500 customers in over 100 different countries through its global distribution network.

In 2015, Adisseo achieved a turnover of over 1.75 billion Euros. Adisseo is one of the main subsidiaries of China National BlueStar, leader in the Chinese chemical industry with nearly 25,000 employees and a turnover above 50 billion RMB (7.2 billion euros). 

Adisseo offers its customers 4 forms of an essential amino acid, methionine for poultry and hog (Rhodimet® AT88 and Rhodimet® NP99) and protected methionine for ruminants (Smartamine® and MetaSmart®), a complete range of vitamins (Microvit®), enzymes (Rovabio®), antioxidants (Selisseo®) and probiotics (Alterion).
Adisseo supports the development of its customers by providing valuable and innovative services such as PNE – Precise Nutrition Evaluation.

Visit the company website HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

01/03/2017: Managing risk in aquaculture

by Duncan Perrin and James Simison, Sunderland Marine

Aquaculture is a high-risk business, and Sunderland Marine has successfully insured the world’s fish farms for 30 years

Every year the world’s fish farmers need to ensure that over 75 million tonnes of fish are raised in optimum growing conditions and protected from a wide range of predators and natural perils. This is no mean feat – and neither is the business of insuring them.

When Sunderland Marine issued its first aquaculture stock policy to Pairc Salmon in northwest Scotland in 1986, we also took the important and unprecedented step of employing specialist aquaculture risk managers.

The concept was to offer a free risk management and technical support service to our policyholders but also to provide advice to our underwriters when assessing the risk. The approach has paid off.

Most of the small owner-operated sites we insured are now part of multinational businesses and, while many of our competitors have come and gone in the wake of heavy losses over the past 30 years, Sunderland Marine is now the world’s longest-standing global insurer in the sector.

Sharing global knowledge
Over the past three decades the aquaculture industry has grown and consolidated into the international business it is today. The increase in production has not only meant larger and more sophisticated farms, but more species and the introduction of new technologies.

Sunderland Marine currently insures many different species, from shellfish to tuna, and with production systems as diverse as state of the art on-shore recirculating aquaculture systems to the more traditional yet extensive artisanal producers.

With such a diverse portfolio of risks, it has been important to maintain our original ethos of regular site surveys. We now employ five risk managers worldwide, each one a former fish farmer, who regularly visit each of our insured sites.

Located in Australia, Canada, Chile, Ireland and the UK, they provide global support to our policyholders, who at any time can discuss their sites, future plans and projects, or any other concerns they may have.

The fully interactive approach has led to our survey team building up a wealth of knowledge of different species, production practices and aquaculture systems over the past three decades.

This benefits the policyholders by providing access to best practice advice from around the world, practical solutions from other sectors of the industry, opportunities to collaborate with new partners and regular updates on research and developments in the industry.

It has also ensured that Sunderland Marine’s underwriters are fully apprised of the risks at each site and the latest developments in the industry.

Read the full article HERE.

01/03/2017: Fisheries and Oceans Canada announces three research projects

The Government of Canada is committed to reinvesting funds in support of science programs to help protect the health of fish stocks and support responsible and sustainable aquaculture in the coastal regions of Canada

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, has announced three new collaborative research projects, designed to improve our knowledge of the aquatic species populations that are harvested in Quebec.

Image: Dennis Jarvis

The Minister announced that $27,000 would be invested in a research project on the Gulf of St. Lawrence redfish to better understand the ecological impacts on the abundance levels, which is required for the redfish fishery to be sustainable.

To answer this question, scientists from the University of British Columbia will use powerful computer modelling tools to learn more about the status of redfish in this region as well as the factors that impact on its productivity.

The Minister has also confirmed $51,000 in funding granted to the Aquarium du Québec for a project that monitors and takes inventory of fish species populating the fluvial estuary of the St. Lawrence.

Data obtained using fish weirs allow scientists to better understand the impact of seasonal changes, climate change, invasive species and pollution on various species living in the St. Lawrence Estuary.

Finally, Minister LeBlanc has confirmed an investment of $65,000 in Merinov to study and develop new techniques for reducing the colonisation of aquatic invasive species on oyster and scallop production structures.

This research project aims at reducing the operating costs of mariculture operations while improving the health of cultured species.

According to The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, "Our Government is committed to protecting our fisheries to ensure they remain healthy for future generations. We are particularly privileged to have access to such an abundant and diverse range of extraordinary resources. The new investments in ocean and freshwater science allow the Department to devote more resources to scientific activities that are conducive to the health of fish stocks. This allows the Department to conduct more stock assessments on commercial species and species at risk."

Read more HERE.

01/03/2017: Salmon processing plant is Poland’s first BAP-certified facility

The world’s largest value-added salmon processing plant is now Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certified

Morpol Spółka Akcyjna has attained BAP certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced in late February.

www.bap.gaalliance.org

It’s Poland’s first ever aquaculture facility to do so. Located in Ustka on the coast of the Baltic Sea, the 95,000-square-meter facility employs about 3,700 people and processes more than 90,600 metric tons of salmon raw material annually, with the capacity to process more.

Morpol is owned by Marine Harvest Group, one of the world’s leading farmed salmon companies.

“The expansion of BAP certification in Europe is imminent, and we are very excited to offer a tool to demonstrate responsible practices at seafood processing plants and other aquaculture facilities though third-party certification. Several retail and supermarket companies in Europe are now not only accepting BAP certification but also supporting it,” said Marcos Moya, manager of BAP supply development.

“Morpol leading Europe into the future of responsibly sourced aquaculture represents exceptional leadership,” added Mike Berthet, BAP marketing development manager for the United Kingdom.

BAP is the world’s most comprehensive third-party certification program, with standards encompassing environmental responsibility, social responsibility, food safety, animal health and welfare and traceability.

There were 1,599 BAP-certified facilities worldwide at the end of January, including 365 processing plants, 50 of which process salmon; those 50 salmon processing plant collectively yield more than 760,000 metric tons of product annually.

Read more HERE.

Monday, February 27, 2017

Zhengchang company profile

Zhengchang, 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.

Zhengchang 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.

Zhengchang to date has successfully constructed more than 2000 turnkey projects world around the world, covering fields of poultry and livestock feed, aquatic feed, pet feed, premix feed, sawdust pellet, fertiliser, silo storage, pasture, electrical control and garbage treatment, etc.

Zhengchang projects are designed to deliver to the client higher feed quality, higher overall capacity and more profits. Zhengchang have conquered challenges one after another for the customers and accumulated rich experience over the past 90 years.

They are now making great endeavors to apply their latest achievements to feed, pasture, environment protection, fertilizer, sawdust shaping industries.

Zhengchang is more than a professional partner who can provide advanced machinery, technology and management ideas.

It is also a true problem solver who knows you well during your development. Zhengchang is with you every step of the way.

Visit the website HERE.

28/02/2017: Meet the future: Electromagnetic frequency technology

By Caroline Decaux, MSc, agr., R&D Manager at Ceresco Nutrition, Canada

Good health status in aquaculture is the result of a subtle balance between water, microorganisms, plants and fish

Natural homeostasis can be easily disturbed by external elements such as stress, anti-nutritional ingredients, toxic products or toxins emitted by certain micro-organisms, as well as weather and other factors that increase the risk of disease and mortality while also decreasing performance.

www.ceresconutrition.com

In order to eliminate these problems, antibiotics, pesticides and fertilizers have been used for decades. While benefiting from immediate results, there were long-term negative side effects on the environment and the global health status of the fish.

Indeed, treating the symptoms remains sometimes crucial but a more deep understanding is needed of why certain diseases appear and how to eliminate their cause if we want to regenerate the natural homeostasis of the system.

In fact, diseases appear when the balance within the organism is broken, reflecting a lack or an excess of something. For example, the use of a large quantity of antibiotics or chlorine in water, while reducing the pathogen bacteria, will contribute to oxidize and acidify the environment providing the perfect conditions for the proliferation of mycosis and viral infection.

On the other hand, when we take into account the interaction between water, microorganisms, animal and human action, we can create harmony between all these elements. This is called synergy effect. Synergy occurs when combined elements or forces have greater impact than the sum of their individual parts; in other words: 1+1=3.

In animal nutrition, Synergy effect can no longer be ignored and is becoming one of the main goals for the nutritionists and producers in restoring the health of aquaculture.

Water’s key role in restoring the balance
For aquatic life, water is fundamental for survival but it also plays a key role in all biochemical reactions responsible for homeostasis both inside the body and in the outside environment. Indeed, water is the main mediator regulating respiratory, blood, nervous and digestive systems.

Water is the main constituent of blood and so it contributes to the transport of nutrients to the cell. It also increases the volume of blood, which affects blood pressure and heart rate.

Water has the capacity to dissolve gases and allow for efficient exchange and transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

By enabling better hydrolysis reactions, water participates in the biochemical breakdown of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. Water can be excreted, so it carries toxins that have been made water-soluble, out of the body.

Furthermore, it helps to regulate body temperature and guaranty stability of the nervous system. Hence water is able to touch upon the very essence of all the living processes to allow for the homeostasis of the system.

The essential role of water to guarantee life is likely found in its polar properties and quazi-crystaline structure, which makes water an excellent resonator of electromagnetic frequencies.

Read the full article HERE.

28/02/2017: A fresh view on aquaculture

The BioMar Group has just launched a new website framing its ambitions for innovating aquaculture

The new website gives all users access to a significant knowledge base and makes it clear that the future of the aquaculture depends upon cooperation, innovation, performance and sustainability.

BioMar Group is now inviting all stakeholders to explore the new company website.

www.biomar.com

While building it one of the most important aspirations has been to enhance collaboration and partnership with stakeholders, sharing information and promoting long-term thinking.

The new format gives easy access to a significant knowledge base on farming and feeding in aquaculture while telling the story about how BioMar for more than 50 years has been a significant player in building sustainable and efficient aquaculture.

Sif Rishøj, Corporate Communication Director of the BioMar Group, looks forward to giving new insights into BioMar and its activities, “At BioMar we are committed to innovating aquaculture. The website has been designed to ease communication and cooperation with our stakeholders. Actually we have designed and build a website that is extremely user friendly. I believe that it is very easy to find the right information despite the extensive volume of material available”.

BioMar launched last year the company purpose statement carrying the tagline “Let´s Innovate Aquaculture” and a new ambitious strategy “Shaping the Future”.

The guiding principles of the strategic initiatives - as well as the daily work in the company – are described by the four core notions: Innovation, Sustainability, Cooperation and Performance. These guiding principles are unfolded and described in depth on the new website.

“Our marketing and technical departments have worked hard in order to make a comprehensive webpage with the ambition of creating a truly interesting source of information. It will be constantly updated and developed with the aim of interacting with the aquaculture community being a proactive contributor to the development of a sustainable and efficient industry.”

The website is of course compatible with today's browsers and mobile devices. No matter the media the web page will open up for a user-friendly experience with easy navigation.

It is available in fourteen languages allowing the users to easily access detailed information on products and product utilisation.

Read more HERE.

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Biomin company profile

BIOMIN are dedicated to finding innovative, trend-setting solutions that empower their customers to master existing and future challenges in animal nutrition– the natural way. The application of their scientific know-how and expertise, based on an in-depth understanding of their customer’s needs and concerns, enables them to deliver solutions that support animal health, optimise performance and production efficiency.

Research and development is one of the cornerstones of BIOMIN. Their strong in-house research and development, and global cooperation with leading institutions and organisations form the basis by which innovative solutions are developed for their customers.

Through joint projects with renowned universities and research institutes, BIOMIN is constantly in touch with the latest scientific know-how, from which novel feed additives are developed and produced. Their global network of collaborating institutions has grown to over 100.

One of the cornerstones of BIOMIN’s success is the ongoing improvement of their inhouse quality standards. In 1997, BIOMIN introduced the international ISO 9001 standard. The HACCP system, introduced subsequently at BIOMIN’s production sites, provides the quality assurance our customers seek from them. In addition, the feed quality standards QS and GMP+ guarantee the utmost degree of control and quality for their products – from raw material inputs right through to the final product.

Concerns over climate change and the role of greenhouse gases continue to rise. In September 2011, BIOMIN was internationally recognised through the award of ISO 14040 ‘Life Cycle Assessment’ certification. By optimising feed use and improving animal performance, it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock operations.Through innovative production technologies and advanced, scientific know-how, BIOMIN has pioneered several trend-setting solutions for a range of animal nutrition products, all of which utilise fully natural processes and ingredients.

An in-depth understanding of what the customer’s needs and concerns are has enabled BIOMIN to create and deliver solutions in-line with performance and efficiency goals.

27/02/2017: Why choose feather meal?

Aquaculture is becoming one of the most important segments for animal based protein in the world and animal renderers are incessantly working to provide the necessary ingredients to meet the nutritional needs of fish

The Poultry Protein and Fat Council is a group of renderers of poultry that works within the US Poultry and Egg Association and is the leading source of technical resources and an advocate for the poultry rendering industry.

A sample of poultry fat, feather meal, and poultry meal.

PPFC serves its members through research, education and promotional services. Feather meal has become a good source of natural protein for almost any animal diet.

Feather meal can be used to replace a significant portion of other protein sources in livestock and aquaculture diets. It is an excellent source of sulfur containing amino acids.

Poultry by-product meal has been historically used for poultry and swine rations, but its protein profile is excellent to replace fishmeal in many diets.

Finally, poultry fat contains essential fatty acids that are excellent in meeting the energy needs for aquaculture feeds.

The Poultry Protein & Fat Council grew out of leadership action by the poultry rendering industry. The initial group convened as the By-Products Committee to draft recommendations to the Southeastern Poultry & Egg Association board of directors (now US Poultry & Egg Association). Nineteen representatives of poultry rendering companies met in Atlanta, Ga., on Nov. 14, 1988, to evaluate the existing production and marketing of byproducts and to review research results from cattle feeding.

They also discussed other needs of the rendering industry. The highlight of that meeting was an "eye-opening" study on feather meal for beef cattle, with data showing protein value twice that of soybean meal. The implication was that feather meal would be equally as valuable for dairy cattle.

The investment in this research has had a significant impact on the market. Whereas feather meal traded at a discount, on an equal protein basis, to soybean meal, it now trades at a premium due to its superior nutritional value.

Read the full article HERE.

27/02/2017: Chinese BioMar JV inaugurates new production line and warehouse

The Joint-Venture between the Danish BioMar Group and the Chinese Tongwei Group took another important step, when they Friday morning inaugurated a new production line for extruded feed and a new warehouse at the Haiwei plant in Southern China

BioMar Group was represented at the inauguration by Henrik Aarestrup, Vice President Emerging Markets and Niels Alsted, Vice Chairman of the board BioMar-Tongwei.

BioMar's Niels Alsted and Haiwei General Manager Mr Liu
at the inauguration ceremony

“The new extruder line is part of an upgrade of the factory where we have replaced older equipment with more efficient technology. Together with our Chinese partner Tongwei we want to continue the growth of Haiwei and that requires a series of upgrades and also a new large warehouse. Altogether it will make us more flexible towards the customers and allow for continued growth”, explained Henrik Aarestrup.

He informed that BioMar-Tongwei has had a good start of the year at the plant, which continues the growth experienced in the last couple of years, “We expect to sell around 60,000 tons this year. We have a very strong team headed by our General Manager Mr. Liu in place in Haiwei, and they have already more than doubled their sales in the last three years.”

The Haiwei factory is located in the Pearl River Delta in an area with a large production of, among other species, Japanese Sea Bass and Snakehead.

“We estimate, that the farmers represented at the inauguration lunch all together annually produces more than 200,000 tons of fish, so we still have room for growth with Haiwei”, said Henrik Aarestrup.

The aquaculture production in the Pearl River Delta is competing with a fast urban development.

“Access to water and space suitable for fish farming is an increasing challenge. Our knowhow in high performance environmentally friendly diets will therefore become more relevant in the years to come and we have already initiated several development projects targeting the species grown in the Delta area”, concluded Henrik Aarestrup.

Read more HERE.

27/02/2017: MicroSynbiotiX wins Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge

International jury praises finalist for high potential game changing

Start-up company MicroSynbiotiX has won the final of the Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge Event.

The event took place on 22 and 23 February and consisted of several challenge rounds during which 10 contestants competed.

MicroSynbiotiX wins Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge

According to the jury report, the innovation of MicroSynbiotiX had the best fit with the challenge profile: a real game changer with high potential, operating in an area where few other companies are active.

MicroSynbiotiX has developed a novel method of producing oral vaccines to combat diseases and infections in aquaculture. The Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge was centred around the question 'What is your breakthrough innovation - that CANNOT wait?'

Over 40 ideas were submitted and 10 finalists were selected to the Challenge event on 22 and 23 February. The event offered a dynamic greenhouse and pressure cooker environment with workshops and intensive interaction with the jury and fellow start-ups. The objective was to further nurture and enrich these high potential concepts. In addition, the finalists were trained in IP, business modelling and storytelling.

High level of competition
"We were very impressed by the very high level of the competition and it is fair to say that for all 10 finalists it was a performance in itself to have been selected to participate in this two-day event," said jury chair Professor Daniel Berckmans of the University of Leuven.

"What made MicroSynbiotiX stand out was that they have developed a high risk, high potential innovation. Oral vaccination can be a real game changer in managing disease outbreaks in aquaculture, contributing to a significant reduction in the use of antibiotics and a decrease of production losses. These are the innovations that can make a difference in feeding a growing world population in a sustainable way."

KnipBio and EKO-GEA ended up as the two runner-ups.

Game changer
Disease outbreaks in aquaculture result in losses worth over 10 billion USD each year, which accounts for over five percent of global production.

Currently, vaccination is done manually. This is not only cumbersome and costly, but also impractical, as it requires the fish or shrimp to be of a certain size and maturity.

MicroSynbiotiX offers a new and more efficient oral vaccination method.

A 'money-cannot-buy' opportunity
Antonio Lamb, Chief Operating Officer and cofounder of MicroSynbiotiX, "We are really thrilled to have won. The on-farm validation trial is a unique opportunity to accelerate our innovation, a real 'money-cannot-buy' opportunity. And the interaction and collaboration with Nutreco specialists, the jury members and the other start-ups was a reward in itself. That's what makes this challenge stand out from other challenges and contests we participated in."

Linking two worlds
"Although we could select only one winner, there are several other promising start-ups that we are really looking forward to establish a relationship with for future collaboration," said Viggo Halseth, Nutreco Chief Innovation Officer and one of the jury members.

"The beauty of the Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge is that it builds a bridge between the world of a large corporation like Nutreco, with our global network and market knowledge, and the world of young, creative thinkers that have a completely new look on the challenges of today. Linking these two is a very promising recipe for success."

Contestants Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge 2016/2017

• MicroSynbiotiX (Ireland) has developed oral vaccines to combat diseases and infections in aquaculture using a novel method using genetically modified microalgae as the delivery vehicle.

• KnipBio (USA) has have developed a series of microbes that will convert low-cost feedstock into premium, nutritious, single-cell proteins laden with pigment-enhancing carotenoids to produce healthier, more vibrant fish.

• EKO GEA (Slovenia) has developed a method of freeing up all available target compounds in Ascophyllum nodosum marine algae, turning it into a versatile prebiotic tool.

• eFishery (Indonesia) has created an integrated feeding solution for fish and shrimp farming, based on an internet-connected machine that can feed the fish automatically, sense the fish's appetite and adjust the amount of feed given with the appetite.

• Metabolic Robots (Israel) has developed a system to optimise poultry house feed distribution enabling real-time monitoring and management to significantly improve broiler house efficiency and profits.

• FarmControl (Portugal) has created a solution that allows farmers to monitor and control remotely in real time, any type of equipment on their farm.

• Fodjan (Germany) has built a web platform for feed management for the livestock sector connecting the different stakeholders in feeding strategies (i.e. farmer, consultant, trader, and veterinarian), plus laboratories and feeding machinery.

• Hexafly (Ireland) has developed a technology to produce Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly) while limiting waste to zero and developing high-value coproducts for the plant nutrition and biopolymer industry.

• LifeBioencapsulation (Spain) has developed solutions to microencapsulate functional molecules and microorganisms in order to increase their efficacy in case of oral administration.

• Ten Kate (The Netherlands) has created protein modifications with antimicrobial and growth enhancing properties, resulting in a healthier (young) livestock population with better growth perspectives and reduced use of antibiotics.

Read more HERE.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Ferraz Machinery and Engineering Ltda company profile

Based in the city of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo state, Brazil, on the Via Ananhguera, one of the main highways of the country, Ferraz now occupies premises of approximately 13,000 m2, built on a land area of 32,000 m2.

All the products that the company sells are manufactured entirely on the premises of Ferraz by the most qualified professionals in the areas of machining, boilers, bodyshop, welding, lasers, shipping, services and spares.

Ferraz projects are in accordance with the standards of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) required by the Ministry of Agriculture, and bear the ANFAL quality seal PIQ-PET (National Association of Balanced Food Manufacturers).

According to their website, "We design and install complete lines for animal feed production processes - for branny, pelleting and extruded feeds. From start to finish of every factory installation project, we present and follow all the steps of its construction. We also provide aftercare, always bringing innovations and improvements to equipment as well as effective and constant technical assistance."

Read more HERE.

24/02/2017: Aquaculture without Frontiers, the appointed solicitor trustee

by Simon Birks

As a 16 year old student reading law at “A” Level, I was sure that Law was the vocation from which I would gain the most satisfaction and pleasure

I did not however appreciate just how much this vocation would afford the chance to meet so many kind, generous and benevolent individuals.

Simon Birks

Turn the clocks forward by more years than I care to mention and now I find myself and our law practice working with many business owners who, as well as their day to day business operations, wish to use their positions, success and contacts to create long-term legacies that have as their foundation, the purpose of making lives better for those less fortunate than themselves.

Prior to accepting this role I have been fortunate enough to be offered the opportunity to join a trustee board on more than one occasion, particularly in relation to charities that I have assisted in the formation of.

On each occasion, I have been incredibly humbled by the invites and simply overwhelmed by the dedication of those who would be my fellow trustees. However I declined each of these as I felt that I could add little to the board other than my legal and regulatory experience.

Accepting the Role
So why now accept the role of ‘Solicitor Trustee for Aquaculture without Frontiers Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)’?

The answer is embedded in two of my fellow trustees; Roger Gilbert and Tuti Tan.

It was their passion to use Aquaculture and the amazing opportunities it brings, to change the lives of those in developing and transition countries.

With the position and AwF, I feel there is scope to make a real difference, and I am convinced that whether great or small, AwF will undoubtedly result in saving lives.

Objectives of AwF Roger and Tuti explained the history of AwF, the former charity that existed in the UK prior to its handover to AwF USA and how they would dearly like to resume the work of AwF in the UK.

That was the start of project-renaissance that would ultimately lead to AwF UK (CIO) being ‘reformed’ in February 2016. As part of that process, the Trustees were required to state what the ‘Objects’ of the CIO would be.

We decided that this should not be overly complex and therefore we agreed that the object should be “To Promote Sustainable Aquaculture Development for the benefit of the public by the relief of poverty and the improvement of the conditions of life in developing and Transition Countries”.

We also took the opportunity to clarify that Sustainable Aquaculture Development is the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” and Aquaculture, under the CIO objects is “the farming or aquatic organisms including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants”.

Read the full article HERE.

24/02/2017: GAA supports responsible pangasius producers

The pangasius industry finds itself in the media spotlight, and the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) wishes to take the opportunity to set the record straight on a number of issues

Pangasius can be produced responsibly and to rigorous food-safety standards and therefore can be purchased with confidence on these grounds.

Pangasius producers certified to Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) standards are subject to rigorous food-safety inspection and environmental production controls.

Image: Raita Futo

These producers have invested in their businesses to meet these requirements and should be respected for their leadership in doing so.

There have been anti-pangasius campaigns, often promoted by competing seafood interests and spread on social media, that can easily misrepresent the realities.

However, the claims made in these campaigns have been successfully challenged by scientific studies and published science literature, including Murk et al. (2016), Huysvedt et al. (2013), Little et al. (2012) and Anh et al. (2010).

The co-author of one of these papers, Simon Bush, professor of environmental policy at Wageningen University, responded to recent developments by saying, “Pangasius has been the subject of food scares and environmental scares, but on closer inspection the claims lack substance. Our analysis shows that the vigorous claims made about pangasius do not match the very limited safety risk and limited environmental impact observed in scientific studies. In reality, pangasius, a relatively new product in Western markets, has found an important niche in retail and foodservice outlets and is perhaps a victim of its own success.”

Another scientist, who has studied the life cycle impacts of pangasius, has also leapt to the fish’s defense.

Ghent University Professor Emeritus Patrick Sorgeloos said that pangasius is healthy. He told VTM news, “In the media, the fish has wrongly been given a bad image. Research of Dutch scientists has showed that the contribution of the pangasius industry to pollution in the Mekong River is negligible.”

Professor Sorgeloos also went on to challenge the notion that pangasius undermines the market for seafood.

“When pangasius made its entrance in Europe, the local fishing industry was afraid of cheap farmed fish from Asia, as they thought that consumers would buy less fish from local sources,” he said.

“This proved to be wrong. Pangasius is an ideal fish to start with and is very popular among families with children: It is odorless (no smell in the kitchen upon preparation), has no distinct fishy taste and few bones. The fish lowers the threshold for fish consumption, and at a later age the same children will be interested to expand their range of fish.”

Responding to claims of negative environmental impacts, GAA’s BAP Coordinator Dan Lee said, “Any fish species, whether in a natural or a farm setting, will interact with its environment. Pangasius is no exception and the interactions arising from production systems in Southeast Asia do have the potential to generate localised negative impacts. For this very reason, organisations such as the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and BAP have established production and environmental standards for farmed fish to recognise those producers who mitigate against those potential negative impacts. The standards specify the controls that need to be applied to contain the risks of biodiversity impacts, wildlife interactions, pollution and the indirect impacts associated with providing marine ingredients for feeds.”

Additionally, the standards developed by GAA and ASC set controls on the use of chemicals and antibiotics to prevent any risks to the health of either the environment or the consumer.

The standards have been developed following extensive stakeholder and public consultation including retailers and conservation NGOs.

To verify compliance with BAP and ASC standards, independent certification bodies conduct annual inspections, with teams of trained auditors that have specialist knowledge of aquaculture and its potential impacts.

Given the combined forces of science-based standards and rigorous, independent auditing, it is clear that certified pangasius is a responsible sourcing choice.

As an industry, our focus can move on from questioning the environmental credentials of this product and instead be concentrating on how collaboratively we can engage to ensure the correct message is received and accepted by consumers.

GAA featured such a message at the last GOAL conference in Guangzhou, China, with a video produced by Wageningen University.

To view the Pangasius video, click HERE.

For references and to read the original press release, click HERE.

24/02/2017: SONGA now capable of offering four-star BAP shrimp

Congratulations to Ecuador’s SONGA (Sociedad Nacional de Galapagos C.A.), which is now eligible to offer four-star Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) shrimp, only the second company in Ecuador capable of doing so, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced in late February

Four star is the highest designation in the BAP third-party certification program, signifying that a product originates from a BAP-certified feed mill, hatchery, farm and processing plant.

Image: Cooking etc.

SONGA’s shrimp processing plant, two of its farms (Lebama Farm and Naturisa Farm) and its hatchery (Macrobio Hatchery) recently attained BAP certification.

The company sources its feed from GISIS and IMPROSA feed mills in Ecuador, both of which are BAP-certified.

SONGA is one of the top four white shrimp producers in Ecuador. In 2015 and 2016, SONGA was the number one Ecuadorian exporter to mainland China, South Korea and the United States.

The company is well known and reliable in the global markets due to its prime quality, consistency and fair weights.

“The efforts of SONGA to differentiate itself by achieving the maximum level of third-party certification truly represent its responsible aquaculture practices. SONGA is one of the leading companies in a leading country committed to environmental and social responsibility. We appreciate very much SONGA´s support,” said Marcos Moya, manager of BAP Supply Development.

BAP is the world’s most comprehensive third-party certification program, with standards encompassing environmental responsibility, social responsibility, food safety, animal health and welfare and traceability.

Currently, there are 29 BAP-certified processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills in Ecuador. Worldwide, there are more than 1,600 BAP-certified facilities.

Andritz company profile

ANDRITZ is a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment, and services for hydropower stations, the pulp and paper industry, the metalworking and steel industries, and for solid/liquid separation in the municipal and industrial sectors.

The publicly listed technology Group is headquartered in Graz, Austria, and has a staff of almost 25,000 employees. ANDRITZ operates over 250 sites worldwide.

Visit the website HERE.

23/02/2017: Diana Aqua marks a new milestone in its sustainable development program

Diana Aqua was recently awarded the IFFO Global Standard for Responsible Supply, Chain of Custody (IFFO RS CoC) certification

This award fully supports Diana Aqua’s ambitions to become a leader for sustainable functional marine ingredients for the aquafeed and aquaculture sector.

www.aquativ-diana.com

A new milestone in Diana Aqua sustainable development based on a solid and long term partnership with TC UNION AGROTECH (IFFO RS)
Since 2010, Diana Aqua and TC Union Agrotech, a Thaï leader in producing and supply aqua-industrial by products, have joined forces in a long standing partnership with the common mission to valorise co-products into performing solutions.

Thanks to unique know-how and scientific expertise, Diana Aqua has developed a leading position to deliver traceable, responsibly sourced and standardised marine ingredients with high functional value to aqua feed and aquaculture industry players.

On January 10th 2017, Diana Aqua Thai subsidiary (SPF Diana Thailand), was awarded of the IFFO Global Standard for Responsible Supply, Chain of Custody (IFFO RS CoC) certification.

This certification recognises the full commitment of Diana Aqua of providing its partners and customers with responsibly sourced raw materials, pure and safe marine ingredients with full traceability back to their source.

It also reinforces it’s positioning as sustainable reference partner in functional marine ingredients for the aqua feed and aquaculture sector based on responsibly managed factories and supply-chains.

According to Paul Seguin, Asia Sales Director, “This certification marks our global and local commitment towards delivering trust to our customers and supporting their brands on the aqua feed markets. The pressure on natural marine resources has become an imperative for all players of the value chain. Our role is to find disruptive sustainable business models to keep on serving the growing industry of aquaculture without compromising the quality and the nutritional and healthy benefits of our products”.

Read more HERE.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

23/02/2017: Federal government declares fishery disaster for low Pink Salmon harvest in gulf of Alaska

Governor Bill Walker and Lt. Governor Byron Mallott welcomed news that the US Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker accepted the state’s request for a disaster declaration on pink salmon harvests in the Gulf of Alaska last week

In accordance with Section 312 (a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act (MSA), the State of Alaska requested the federal government declare a fishery disaster for poor pink salmon runs across the Gulf region in 2016.

Image: USDA Forest Service Alaska Service

“The impacts of low pink salmon runs are being felt across the entire Gulf of Alaska,” said Governor Bill Walker.

“In addition to commercial fishermen and fish processors, those who sell fuel, tackle, supplies, groceries, and lodging are also struggling from the poor season. Local governments will also feel the burden on their economic base. We are pleased with this news from the US Department of Commerce, and we will work with the federal government going forward to address this issue. I thank all the legislators who tirelessly advocated for this declaration, especially Representative Louise Stutes for making the first request.”

Low pink salmon runs across the Gulf of Alaska led to a significant drop in 2016 harvest numbers. This declaration provides Congress with a basis to appropriate disaster relief funding for economic assistance to affected communities.

Should Congress appropriate relief funds, the State of Alaska would be required to match 25 percent of the amount authorised.

Read more HERE.

23/02/2017: World’s future food security “in jeopardy” due to multiple challenges, report warns

Without additional efforts, the target of ending hunger by 2030 will not be met 22 February 2017, Rome - Mankind's future ability to feed itself is in jeopardy due to intensifying pressures on natural resources, mounting inequality, and the fallout from a changing climate, warns a new FAO report out today

Though very real and significant progress in reducing global hunger has been achieved over the past 30 years, "expanding food production and economic growth have often come at a heavy cost to the natural environment," says The Future of Food and Agriculture: Trends and Challenges.

"Almost one half of the forests that once covered the Earth are now gone. Groundwater sources are being depleted rapidly. Biodiversity has been deeply eroded," it notes.

Image: Feed My Starving Children

As a result, "planetary boundaries may well be surpassed, if current trends continue," cautions FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva in his introduction to the report.

By 2050 humanity's ranks will likely have grown to nearly 10 billion people.

In a scenario with moderate economic growth, this population increase will push up global demand for agricultural products by 50 percent over present levels projects The Future of Food and Agriculture, intensifying pressures on already-strained natural resources.

At the same time, greater numbers of people will be eating fewer cereals and larger amounts of meat, fruits, vegetables and processed food — a result of an ongoing global dietary transition that will further add to those pressures, driving more deforestation, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Alongside these trends, the planet's changing climate will throw up additional hurdles. "Climate change will affect every aspect of food production," the report says. These include greater variability of precipitation and increases in the frequency of droughts and floods.

To reach zero hunger, we need to step up our efforts
The core question raised by today's FAO publication is whether, looking ahead, the world's agriculture and food systems are capable of sustainably meeting the needs of a burgeoning global population.

The short answer? Yes, the planet's food systems are capable of producing enough food to do so, and in a sustainable way, but unlocking that potential — and ensuring that all of humanity benefits — will require "major transformations."

Without a push to invest in and retool food systems, far too many people will still be hungry in 2030 — the year by which the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda has targeted the eradication of chronic food insecurity and malnutrition, the report warns.

"Without additional efforts to promote pro-poor development, reduce inequalities and protect vulnerable people, more than 600 million people would still be undernourished in 2030," it says. In fact, the current rate of progress would not even be enough to eradicate hunger by 2050.

Where will our food come from?
Given the limited scope for expanding agriculture's use of more land and water resources, the production increases needed to meet rising food demand will have to come mainly from improvements in productivity and resource-use efficiency.

However there are worrying signs that yield growth is levelling off for major crops. Since the 1990s, average increases in the yields of maize, rice, and wheat at the global level generally run just over 1 percent per annum, the report notes.

To tackle these and the other challenges outlined in the report, "business-as-usual" is not an option, The Future of Food and Agriculture argues. "Major transformations in agricultural systems, rural economies and natural resource management will be needed if we are to meet the multiple challenges before us and realise the full potential of food and agriculture to ensure a secure and healthy future for all people and the entire planet," it says.

"High-input, resource-intensive farming systems, which have caused massive deforestation, water scarcities, soil depletion and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, cannot deliver sustainable food and agricultural production," adds the report.

More with less
The core challenge is to produce more with less, while preserving and enhancing the livelihoods of small-scale and family farmers, and ensuring access to food by the most vulnerable.

For this, a twin-track approach is needed which combines investment in social protection, to immediately tackle undernourishment, and pro-poor investments in productive activities — especially agriculture and in rural economies — to sustainably increase income-earning opportunities of the poor.

The world will need to shift to more sustainable food systems which make more efficient use of land, water and other inputs and sharply reduce their use of fossil fuels, leading to a drastic cut of agricultural green-house gas emissions, greater conservation of biodiversity, and a reduction of waste.

This will necessitate more investment in agriculture and agrifood systems, as well as greater spending on research and development, the report says, to promote innovation, support sustainable production increases, and find better ways to cope with issues like water scarcity and climate change.

Along with boosting production and resilience, equally critical will be creating food supply chains that better connect farmers in low- and middle-income countries to urban markets — along with measures which ensure access for consumers to nutritious and safe food at affordable prices, such as such as pricing policies and social protection programs, it says.

Read more HERE.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

IDAH company profile

IDAH’s ultimate goal is to be world’s number one with customer satisfaction.

IDAH’s vision is to build on our solid traditional manufacturing roots and expand out to be a full-service solutions provider: offering value-added system designs and turnkey project consultation services.

Through this expansion, we hope to create an international platform where technology could be shared and integrated for the benefit of our customers.

By upholding the IDAH Spirit, the passionate team members of IDAH are committed to achieve this vision.

The IDAH Spirit

"Creativity, Honesty & Quality "

Creativity is what gave birth to IDAH in 1974 and consequently the birth of the feeds manufacturing industry in Asia.

Innovation through creativity is what has enabled us to be the industry driver from our inception until now. IDAH is committed and well positioned to lead the industry of tomorrow.

If creativity is the engine that has rapidly pushed IDAH forward; Honesty is what keeps us moving in the right direction.

IDAH has been firmly grounded on the virtues of quality, honour, and accountability. Our main business is to safeguard the trust that customers have given us and be a dedicated upholder of the highest quality standard.

Visit the website HERE.