Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global 28th Edition has been rescheduled for 2022

The world's largest seafood trade fair will welcome global seafood industry for its first edition at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via venue on 26-28 April 2022
 

Diversified Communications, organiser of Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global, announced that the 28th edition of the event will now take place April 26-28 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. The event had been postponed from its original date of April 27-29 2021 to September 7-9 2021.

'Keeping our customers' best interest in mind is our top priority,' says Liz Plizga, Group Vice President, Diversified Communications. 'After evaluation of suppliers and buyers' concerns around the continued uncertainties caused by the on-going Covid-19 situation worldwide, it became evident that 2021 would still be too soon to host an international event that would provide the global experience the seafood community would find valuable.'

Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global is the world's largest and most diverse seafood trade event bringing together more than 29,000 industry professionals from around the globe. More than 158 countries are represented at the event and each country's complex Covid-19 regulations and governmental restrictions make it impossible to hold a large-scale global event in September 2021.

'We are committed to Barcelona,' adds Ms Plizga. 'We will continue working with Fira de Barcelona and the city to ensure we can host a valuable in-person event that will bring back, at the Gran Via venue in 2022, the international representation that makes Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global the global seafood marketplace and the largest seafood trade event in the world.'

'We have already received contracts for the 2022 edition and strong participation interest from all sectors of the global seafood industry. We look forward to having the most successful first edition in the beautiful city of Barcelona, Spain,' says Wynter Courmont, Event Director, Diversified Communications.

Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global brings all the key players (suppliers, buyers, government, distributors, industrial and services) in the seafood sector from everywhere in the world. Seafood Expo Global features seafood suppliers showcasing their newest seafood products - fresh, frozen, canned, value-added, processed and packaged – to global seafood buyers including supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, catering services, importers, distributors, seafood markets and other retail and foodservice companies.

Seafood Processing Global highlights every aspect of seafood processing, including packaging materials and equipment, refrigeration and freezing equipment and supplies, primary processing equipment, secondary processing equipment, hygiene control and sanitation and quality assurance services.

The event organisers' focus is to provide business continuity and continue to serve the needs of their customers. 'Until the 2022 edition in Barcelona, we will be exploring online event opportunities to connect suppliers and buyers together and keep the seafood community informed on the latest topics in the industry,' comments Ms Courmont.

For more information about Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global visit their website, HERE.

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Alltech Coppens expands their digestibility research facility by 50 percent

Alltech Coppens has announced the expansion of their world-class research facility, the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre (ACAC), which will also serve to expand the company's capacity for product development and aquaculture industry solutions.

Image credit: Alltech Coppens

Alltech Coppens worked with ZEBCARE, a company that has focused on the design and construction of complete aquatic research facilities for over 30 years, to develop this revolutionary new ACAC 7 trial system, which will combine growth and digestibility trials for catfish. This system supports Alltech's vision of a Planet of Plenty, with the animal feed and agriculture sector serving as the primary driver for substantial progress in maintaining sustainability in aquaculture.

The expansion reinforces the Alltech Coppens 4 Pillars of Excellence in fish nutrition — Palatability, Performance, Pollution Control and Profitability. For more than 15 years, the ACAC has carried out both practical and applied research within the field of aquaculture. This centre is home to an expanded team of aqua researchers dedicated to quality, innovation and the development of new applications in aquafeed.

'We continually prepare ourselves for the future. For example, we are presently focused on a new recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) feed. This new system will provide more in-depth knowledge about pollution control, especially in RAS diets, and help add profitability for the farmer while lowering our impact on the environment,' says Frits Berkers, manager of the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre. 'Our goal is for the ACAC to become carbon neutral by 2025, thereby furthering our contributions to a Planet of Plenty.'

Research and development represent the cornerstone of business at Alltech Coppens. In the ever-changing world of the aquaculture industry, being adaptable to market trends and pursuing innovation in research is critical. Alltech Coppens is ready with diets to fit every farming situation.

For more information visit the Alltech Coppens website, HERE.

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Japan's seafood market is in demand for canned food

Demand for canned food is growing around the world. The market for canned food is expected to grow at a rate of 4.3 percent every year from 2020 to 2030, reaching a record of US$149.6 billion by 2030, due to the fact that canned food is a safe and convenient source of nourishment during the growing health-consciousness due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, Japan has been seeing booming demand for canned food, since media have been informing on the health benefits of "canned mackerel" and "canned sardine", until there was shortage of stocks at one time.

Even now, as demand for home meals expands due to Covid-19 pandemic, sales are still strong due to the fact that they last for a long period of time. According to statistical data from the Ministry of Finance of Japan (January to March 2021), the import volume of sardines, mackerel, salmon, bonito, and canned tuna in Japan increased by 100.9 percent year-on-year, and the import volume of sardines, mackerel and saury, which is the raw material for canned food, increased significantly to 142.4 percent (the import value amount had increased by 157.5 percent year-on-year), and demand for overseas seafood material is increasing.
 

Image credit: Seafood-Show

Due to the on-going travel restriction, in addition to the conventional way of exhibiting, there is an opportunity to exhibit under the 'Agent Exhibit Service- 'NINJA' or 'WEB Exhibition & Exhibit-Only-Corner'. These convenient services are for overseas companies who are interested in exhibiting but could not travel to Japan. In this service, the company will prepare and operate everything on behalf of the exhibitor and report back to them on the day and post-show.

You can exhibit by sending your sales materials to the expo. There will be interpreters and assistants to promote sales materials, collect visitors' business cards and enquiries and data will be sent back to the exhibitors, as well as a post show report. According to your needs, you can request for optional services such as being able to connect to visitors and interested buyers directly online via computer during the exhibition.

By utilising such services, the development of sales channels for those who are interested in the Japanese market will be supported.

For more information visit the Seafood-Show website, HERE.

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New RAS feed targets the bottleneck in marine nurseries

BioMar has announced a new RAS feed concept, LARVIVA ORBIT, that aims to improve the efficiency of marine nurseries. It will support an industry move of a prolonged time at hatchery for fry before they are transferred to sea. This will aid in the expected acceleration in the use of RAS technology in marine nurseries, and thereby support the develop of hatchery businesses for marine fish species.

'We understand how challenging RAS operations can be as this farming technology demands skilled manpower, extra attention to the fish, the system and the importance of specially designed feeds to accommodate the requirements and ultimately the success of RAS technology,' explains Joana Amaral, Product Manager for Marine Fish Hatcheries at BioMar. 

Joana Amaral, Product Manager for
Marine Fish Hatcheries, BioMar 
Image credit: BioMar Group

Early stage marine fry can be extra fragile to handle and have additional challenges with life at sea. During recent years marine hatcheries, primarily in the Mediterranean area, have experienced the need for increasing land-based fry production. This resulted in a change of mindset and an accelerated shift from traditional flow through systems to more advanced technologies such as RAS specially for the nursery and pre-ongrowing phases.

'At BioMar we have established a solid expertise within the RAS segment based on extensive research and development, and experience gained from years of fruitful collaboration with RAS farmers around the world. We felt it was the right time to transfer all this expertise to marine nurseries,' Ms Amaral continues. 

This new feed concept comes with optimised recipes, an improved physical pellet quality, and a proven impact on faeces stability and reduction of small solids which all answer the specific needs of RAS facilities.

'Our years of experience have shown us that the dialogue between the hatchery staff and our BioFarm technical advisors is very important to achieve success. That is why 'let's do RAS together' is our way of telling our farmers that they are not alone when adapting to changing business conditions or when implementing new technologies,' states Henrik Aarestrup, VP LATAM, Shrimp & Hatchery, BioMar Group.

The new feed concept, LARVIVA ORBIT, comes at the right time with a solution for advancing Mediterranean marine hatchery operations and is expected to support the industry during this period where the impact of the Covid-19 crisis is felt drastically in this market.

LARVIVA ORBIT feeds will be available from June 2021.

For more information visit the BioMar Group website, HERE.

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Skretting Australia to expand production capacity in Tasmania

Nutreco's aquaculture division, Skretting, has announced its intention to expand its production capacity through the purchase of Ridley's extrusion facility in Westbury, Tasmania. This is a continuation of Skretting's long-term commitment to the Australian and New Zealand aquaculture industries.

Image credit: Silke Baron on Flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

'We have been producing aquafeed from our Cambridge facility in Tasmania since the 1990s, and today proudly employ over 90 staff,' says Melissa Abbott, General Manager of Skretting Australia.

'I am pleased that we are expanding our manufacturing capacity to enable us to continue our long-term commitment to clients and partners across the broader Australian and New Zealand aquaculture industries. I am very proud of what our team has, and continues to achieve, and the role that we play in supporting local communities. It's an exciting day for the Skretting team,' continues Ms Abbott.

Nutreco CEO Rob Koremans confirms, 'Skretting Australia is an important part of our global business. This is a strategically important investment for us in a growing and leading industry, and we intend to continue to partner with local leaders for many years to come.'

The transaction is subject to approval from the Australian competition and consumer commission (ACCC), which is expected to conclude during 2021.

For more information about Skretting visit their website, HERE.

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Register now for V-Connect Vietnam Edition: your digital gateway to the ASEAN market

VNU Asia Pacific, together with the partners, is ready to announce the newest digital platform, V-Connect Vietnam Edition, the leading digital B2B networking event for ASEAN's feed to food industry, developed by the VIV Team.

The event will take place on July 21-23, 2021, pre-register in advance to get the latest updates and more information about our digital event.

 

V-Connect Vietnam Edition
The V-Connect platform is the digital result of converting VIV's highly successful in-person B2B networking events into an online format to suit the current business landscape.

'V' stands for VIV (our global brand name) and 'Connect' reflects our commitment to facilitating business networking regardless of location or current restrictions. The ever-evolving management platform provides a progressive web-based, smartphone-supported online ecosystem optimised for all attendees to meet, network, and make deals. The V-Connect platform offers businesses a reliable, responsive and highly actionable platform to grow through as we continue to adapt to and prosper during the current global climate.

How does it work?
V-Connect platform will be organizing by collocated with the main exhibition and/or the standalone events. For the V-Connect Vietnam Edition, it is the first edition of this digital platforms that we introduce to our clients and the customers of ILDEX Vietnam will get the best priority to join our digital platform on July 21-23, 2021.

The platform features include:

Meet clients across ASEAN
Set up meetings with relevant brands intelligently selected by aligned business profile interests and elements. Exhibitors enjoy three days of interactive, real-time live chat or video call meets with new buyers – plus access to a powerful, integrated suite of lead generation tools.

Industry immersion
Position your business at the heart of the Feed to Food industry. The end-to-end platform unites thousands of industry frontrunners to engage, network and deal with one another. Welcome buyers to 1:1 meetings and group webinars, present custom campaigns and enjoy brand exposure via on-platform sponsorship opportunities.

Learn and network
Attend and present webinars, live stream conferences and more online event formats. Visit themed Virtual Lounges hosting group chats and access unique meetings with industry experts, associations and stakeholders.

Cutting-edge platform
The V-Connect platform offers seamless access from laptop or smartphone with full app integration and no download necessary. Its customisable digital showcase booths enable exhibitors to create unique online displays featuring on-brand imagery, marketing collateral and more.

Every event hosted on the V-Connect digital platform provides a new phase of online connectivity for the industry it serves (based on regional targets). Get on board and boost your business today with V-Connect's digital event series!

The pre-event appointment for V-Connect Vietnam Edition will start from June 21, 2021 onwards.

Register for V-Connect Vietnam Edition, HERE.

For more information, please visit www.ildex-vietnam.com  or contact the team at ildex@vnuasiapacific.com.

 

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Researchers manage to partially restore man's sight using Algae proteins

The vision of a completely blind man has been partially restored using light-sensing proteins first found in algae.

Image credit: Míriam Pérez on Flickr
(CC BY-ND 2.0)

The man was treated with a type of therapy called optogenetics, which uses the proteins to control cells at the back of his eye.

The man, whose identity has not been revealed, lives in Brittany, France, and was treated in Paris. He was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa - which leads to the death of light-sensing cells on the surface of the retina - 40 years ago. It affects more than two million people worldwide, and although complete blindness is rare, the man has had no vision for the past two decades.

He was treated with optogenetics - a field new to medicine, but one that has long been a staple of fundamental neuroscience. It uses light to control precisely the activity of brain cells and was used by the scientists to restore the ability of one of his eyes to detect light. The technique is based on proteins, produced in algae, called channelrhodopsins, which change their behaviour in response to light. The microbes use them to move towards the light.

The first step in the treatment was gene therapy. The genetic instructions for making the rhodopsins were taken from algae and given to cells in the deep surviving layers of the retina at the back of his eye. Now when they were hit with light they would send an electrical signal to the brain.

However, they would respond only to amber light, so the patient wore a pair of goggles with a video camera on the front and a projector on the back, to capture what was happening in the real world and project a version in the right wavelength onto the back of the eye.

It took months for high enough levels of the rhodopsins to build up in the eye and for the brain essentially to learn a new language to be able to see again. The first sign it was working was when the patient was out on a walk and suddenly, the stripes of a pedestrian crossing appeared. He can now grab and count objects on a table, Nature Medicine reports.

Dr José-Alain Sahel, from the Institute of Vision, in Paris, says, "This patient initially was a bit frustrated because it took a long time between the injection and the time he started to see something.

"But when he started to report spontaneously he was able to see the white stripes to come across the street you can imagine he was very excited. We were all excited."

Prof Botond Roska, from the University of Basel, said: "The findings provide proof-of-concept that using optogenetic therapy to partially restore vision is possible."

There are several other approaches being used to try to restore sight:

• One includes repairing the genetic defects that cause disease, but retinitis pigmentosa can be down to mutations in more than 71 different genes, making that more of a challenge.
• Another involves connecting a camera to electrodes implanted in the back of the eye.
• Optogenetics itself is also being researched in conditions such as Parkinson's disease, and to see whether it can enhance recovery from a stroke.

James Bainbridge, a professor of retinal studies at the UK's UCL, says the study was high-quality, but on just one patient. "This exciting new technology might help people whose eyesight is very severely impaired."

To read the full scientific article visit the Nature Medicine website, HERE.

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Aller Aqua launches new product to help enhance sea bream appeal

To increase both colouration and nutritional content  in  sea bream, Aller Aqua has launched Aller Lucet.

Image credit: q phia on flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

Farmed sea bream often lacks the deep and appealing colours of  wild sea  bream, but  Aller Lucet can help bring  them  out.  Paired  with  added omega-3 fatty acids, the deeper coloration increases  the fish'  overall  consumer  appeal  and nutritional value, in turn making them more appealing to consumers.

Wild sea bream feed on a large variety of things, which creates the deeper colouration. However, whilst the farmed diet is optimised for health and growth, the lesser variety makes for a lighter coloured fish. Naturally derived raw materials in the farmed sea bream diet can however change this, enhancing the colouration and adding nutritional value.

Lucet is  the  Latin  word for  'shining', Aller Aqua's latest  addition to its product  portfolio  has therefore been appropriately named: Aller Lucet. 

Aller Lucet is a finisher  feed and is  recommended  for use  at least 10 weeks before harvest  for maximum effect.  The feed  has been enhanced with  naturally  derived  raw materials,  getting the  fish  ready for  harvest in optimum condition.  

Meeting market demands  and developing feeds  that solve a  concrete  issue  for fish  farmers  are  two  of Aller Aqua's core competences. 

For more information visit the Aller Aqua website, HERE.

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The Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative welcomes Global Tuna Alliance to its Global Partnership

The Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative has announced that the Global Tuna Alliance has joined GSSI as an Affiliated Partner.
 

The Global Tuna Alliance is an independent group of retailers and tuna supply chain companies, who are committed to realising harvest strategies for tuna fisheries, avoidance of IUU products, improved traceability as well as environmental sustainability, and progressing work on human rights in tuna fisheries and implementing the objectives laid out in the World Economic Forum's Tuna 2020 Traceability Declaration.

"The Global Tuna Alliance is excited to become an affiliated partner of GSSI. We are already aligned through our 5-year strategy; GTA Partners are publicly committing to sourcing 100 percent of tuna products from fisheries with a GSSI-recognised certification, or on a pathway to sustainability. Both organisations have a shared ambition of seeing comprehensive harvest strategies adopted, and we look forward to GSSI Partners supporting our advocacy around this goal for tuna fisheries," says Dr Tom Pickerell, Executive Director of the Global Tuna Alliance.

For more information about the Global Tuna Alliance visit their website, HERE.

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Credo & International Aquafeed magazine launch Online Aquafeed Production School

Starting May 4 and running until July 20, 2021, the Online Aquafeed Production School is a 12 week educational program that features a broad range of topics from the world of aquafeed production.

Covering subjects such as 'raw materials: process interaction and function of use', 'drying and cooling of aquatic feeds' and 'receiving of ingredients, storage, batching and mixing,' each Online Aquafeed Production School session features two hours of live training.

To visit the website, click this LINK

The live training is followed by a virtual question and answer session with a panel made up of the speakers from that particular day.

The weekly sessions are also broadcast on consecutive days in order to accommodate two different time zones.

Organised and delivered by Progressus Agrischools and International Aquafeed magazine, each session is scheduled for the audience in Europe and Asia, with candidates able to join the Wednesday session at 14:00 Bangkok Time/09:00 CET Time.

The Thursday session, which is timed specifically for candidates from the US and Latin America, can be joined at 10:00 Chicago Time/13:00 Buenos Aires Time.

If you are reading this and the course has already started, then worry not! All 12 episodes will be available to re-watch on demand for two weeks following the completion of the course.

When finished, all candidates who have either watched or attended all 12 session will be awarded an industry accredited certificate, and a new piece of information to add to their CV.

For more information, visit: www.onlinemillingschool.com/omsaquafeed

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Skretting Latin America launch Xpand, the next generation of premium grower feed for shrimp

Without taking any shortcuts or unnecessary risks, feeding Xpand enables farmers to reduce the associated costs and impacts of farming in exposed water locations by harvesting earlier at the same size; or alternatively, they can produce larger shrimp within their usual production schedules.

'Whether it's bigger, more valuable products, or it's reducing the grow-out stage to get shrimp to market faster, Xpand is a game-changing solution for many of our customers in Vietnam. Now, farmers in Latin America are in a position to make the decisions that are best suited to their own unique operations,' says Lenaïg Richard Breivik, Marketing Manager for Shrimp at Skretting.

Proactive performance
Throughout the past three decades, the Skretting Aquaculture Research Centre (ARC) has conducted pioneering research into the functionality of the different nutrients in aquaculture feeds. With the knowledge generated, Skretting ARC set about developing a new diet tailored to the shrimp sector's unique needs and economic circumstances.

Xpand is the result of five years of R&D, incorporating the investigation and validation of many different ideas. Built upon a thorough understanding of the digestive physiology of shrimp, this development work focused on three pillars:

• Improved growth
• Improved nutrition
• Pond support
  

For more information about Skretting visit their website, HERE.

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AlgaEurope 2021 to be held online, December 7-9

The forthcoming edition of the AlgaEurope conference will once again be held in a digital format.
 

Initially the conference was scheduled to take place in Rome, Italy, but since there are still many uncertainties with regards to the Covid-19 situation and international traveling, the organisers have decided in an early stage to host the conference online.

The decision to host the conference in an online format enables the organisers to put together a dedicated program that addresses current issues within the Algae Biomass sector and offer clarity to all delegates and participating companies.

AlgaEurope is one of the most global compressive conferences about science, technology and business in the Algae Biomass sector; one of the key success factors AlgaEurope is the close cooperation between EABA - European Algae Biomass Association and DLG Benelux.

The last edition of AlgaEurope, which took place online, December 1-4 2020, welcomed 265 delegates and 188 organisations from 41 countries, in addition some 200 abstracts were submitted. The organisers are committed to attract even more delegates and organisations to the coming edition in December.

In order to do so the organisers have already started to draft a program on relevant topics within the Algae Biomass sector that will provide in-depth understanding of the sector and contribute to knowledge transfer amongst industry professionals and to those who simply want to start learning about the world of Algae.

The organisers hope that AlgaEurope 2022 will be held in a live and online format in Rome.

For more information about AlgaEurope 2021 visit their website, HERE.

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ILDEX Vietnam has been postponed, registration for V-Connect Vietnam Edition is now open

The management team of ILDEX has decided to postpone ILDEX Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City until March 16-18, 2022.
 

The decision is made in view of the new Covid-19 clusters in Vietnam and with the deep concern for the health of the exhibitors and stakeholders. According to the latest statistics, local vaccination in Vietnam has yet to reach 1 percent of the total population. Social activities with over 30 participants are currently banned since May and local authorities may impose stricter measurements on social activities in the coming months.

By postponing the event to Q1 2022, widespread mass vaccination can be expected in Vietnam and cross-border travel will gradually be back to normal. event is set at an ideal timing to meet the market demand after a yearlong downturn.

Exhibitors who confirmed to exhibit physically in the previous exhibitor survey will be contacted by the ILDEX team or sales representative in their region shortly.

ILDEX Vietnam is thus rescheduled to March 16-18 2022 at Hall A1-A2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
 

In the meanwhile, VNU is delighted to confirm that the virtual form of the show 'V-Connect Vietnam Edition' is still set to be online July 21-23 2021 as scheduled. 'V-Connect' platform is the digital platform developed by VIV and ILDEX team to enable in-person B2B networking.

'V-Connect Vietnam Edition' provides a progressive web-based, smartphone-supported online ecosystem optimised for all attendees to meet, network and make deals for ASEAN's Feed to Food Industry.

The registration portal of the platform opened last week and will be open for pre-event appointment from June 21 onwards. 'V-Connect Vietnam Edition' is aimed to offer businesses a reliable, responsive and highly actionable platform through which to grow as we continue to adapt to and prosper during the current global climate.

VNU Asia Pacific, together with its global partners, will continue the support to all exhibitors and stakeholders on all issues associated with show preparation.

To register for the virtual event V-Connect Vietnam Edition visit the website, HERE.
For more information, please visit the ILDEX Vietnam website, HERE.

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Aqua Nor will be held as planned in August 2021

Norwegian authorities recently presented their updated guidelines for infection control. Exhibitions will fall under the same guidelines as shopping centres, which means Aqua Nor can be held as a physical exhibition.

Image credit: Aqua Nor

The board of the Nor-Fishing Foundation has decided that Aqua Nor 2021 will be carried out as planned in August. That means it will be physically held in Trondheim – as well as digitally.

The exhibition will be planned and executed in accordance with all infection control rules and guidelines to keep all participants safe.

Aqua Nor will also be releasing newsletters, continually distributing practical information regarding participation.

For more information visit the Aqua Nor website, HERE.

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Alltech Coppens supports improved sustainable developments within the aquaculture industry

As the population of the planet is predicted to increase to more than 9 billion by 2050, there is incredible demand placed on the food production systems, on both land and sea.

Image credit: Alltech Coppens

To protect the sustainability of the planet and continue to supply nutritious food for the world's population, global animal health and nutrition company Alltech is focused on working together for a Planet of Plenty™ and has committed to nine of to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a subsidiary of Alltech and a specialist in fish feed, Alltech Coppens is focused on SDG 14: Life Below Water and improving sustainable developments in the aquaculture industry.

Alltech Coppens has started the journey to reduce the environmental impact of emissions related to feed and conducted extensive research on alternative protein sources and the use of feed ingredients.

The nutrition, quality and procurement teams at the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre have worked together to develop a sustainability scoring system for feeds. This scoring system aims to create awareness in the market and enable fish farmers to improve environmental performance. The resulting score reflects the carbon footprint, as well as the impact on other aspects, such as water use, eutrophication and even marine resource sustainability. A better understanding of sustainability-related aspects also allows for more-informed decisions in feed formulation, which are aimed towards increasing the sustainability of fish feeds.

'Our goal is to provide a greater understanding of sustainability in the aquaculture industry while tackling emissions and decreasing our footprint by consistently assessing feed ingredients and production processes,' says Ronald Faber, CEO and global aqua lead at Alltech Coppens. 'We started this project with the specific objective of working toward a Planet of Plenty and contributing to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.'

Alltech Coppens has launched a webpage dedicated to aqua sustainability, focused on three main areas: Science and Innovation, Sustainable Operations and People and Communities, which are directly related to the value chain. The new sustainability webpage outlines where the company stands today regarding this topic and plans for the future.

For more information visit the Alltech Coppens website, HERE.

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Trū® Shrimp announces a new addition to their board of directors

The trū Shrimp Company, a Minnesota-based producer of shrimp and chitosan, has announced the addition of Sidney W. (Chip) Emery to its Board of Directors, effective May 7, 2021. Mr. Emery joins the Company's existing five-member Board of Directors, representing the Company's lead shareholders.

Sidney W. Emery
Image credit: trū Shrimp

'We're thrilled to welcome Chip Emery to our Board of Director team,' says Brian Knochenmus, Chairman of the Board at trū Shrimp. 'His leadership and business experiences have created an impressive skill set, one we're eager to tap into. Chip's extensive knowledge of supply chain and particularly engineering makes him the perfect addition, considering our technology-driven work.'

Mr. Emery's professional background includes operations and management positions at Honeywell and Bendix, and ten years as Chairman & CEO at MTS Systems (Nasdaq: MTSC). Most recently, he sold his company, Supply Chain Services, a high growth barcode solutions integrator, to pursue new opportunities to add value.

Mr. Emery is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, served in Vietnam, and attained the rank of Lt. Commander as special assistant to the Secretary of the Navy in the Carter administration. He holds an MS in Operations Research and a PhD from Stanford University in Industrial Engineering. He also chairs the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering Board of Governors.

This announcement comes as trū Shrimp raises the capital required to build its first large-scale shrimp production facility, Madison Bay Harbour, in Madison, South Dakota. "We've regained a tremendous amount of momentum thus far in 2021, following an understandably challenging 2020,' says Michael Ziebell, President and CEO of trū Shrimp. 'We are taking major steps to propel The trū Shrimp Company forward, with our continued focus on breaking ground in Madison. Adding the experience and expertise of Chip Emery to our Board supports our focus on the future growth of this Company."

'I was honoured by the invitation to serve on the Board of Directors at trū Shrimp. I was able to visit and tour The trū Shrimp Innovation Centre and Balaton Bay Reef in Balaton and was impressed by the team I met, the existing Board members I encountered, and the enormous opportunity with both the shrimp and chitosan businesses,' says Mr. Emery. 'trū Shrimp is a special company and I'm excited to participate in achieving its vision.'

For more information about trū Shrimp visit their website, HERE.

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The board postpones decision on physical version of Aqua Nor 2021

New guidelines are expected from the Norwegian government later this week. Therefore, the Board has postponed its decision on whether there will be an exhibition in Trondheim Spectrum or if the exhibition will be fully digital, until the government announces the new guidelines.

Image credit: Aqua Nor

The board hope for positive signals, indicating that a physical version of the exhibition can be executed in August, and are waiting a few extra days with the final decision.

The new deadline for cancelling hotel reservations without additional cost is May 31st.

To stay updated visit the Aqua Nor website, HERE.

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Bühler partners up with TAM Systems to bring sustainable innovations to the industry

The feed processing market is expected to witness significant growth by 2027, driven by massive growth in feed ingredients, new product launches, and the adoption of new processing technologies. Bühler Group and TAM Systems are poised to support this forecast with a new Reseller Partnership.
 

The partnership will make Bühler's equipment portfolio more accessible to a greater number of feed processors; a portfolio that is designed and engineered using innovative technologies and digital advances that can revolutionise agriculture, and increase yields within environmental boundaries.

TAM is an employee-owned agricultural construction company that specializes in grain storage, handling, drying and conditioning equipment. TAM is known for its customer service, with expertise in delivering tailored solutions and vigorous ongoing customer support. A mission and value that Bühler shares.

'This is a partnership that will enable us to better respond to the customer of today, and where the industry will be tomorrow,' says Dianne D. Campbell, Bühler's Channel Sales Manager for the US and Canada. 'TAM brings tremendous value in the Mid-Atlantic region as a trusted authority in the agricultural and grain handling markets with a rich history of building long-term relationships with customers, by offering first-class sales and service.  We are incredibly excited to have them as a partner.'

As a channel partner, TAM will provide local design, sales, and service expertise and decrease turnaround time to support customers in the region. The partnership also aims to eliminate waste, not only in the manufacturing and construction environment, but also in the design of new and existing facilities, as well as processing operations. This supports Bühler's global sustainability goal to reduce energy requirements and waste by 50 percent in customer value chains.

'Combining Bühler's impeccable reputation for manufacturing processing equipment, with TAM Systems' top-notch expertise and customer relations, will result in TAM and Bühler offering customers in the US Mid-Atlantic region quality solutions and excellent support,' Ms Campbell says.

For more information about Bühler visit their website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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Scottish Sea Farms strengthens defences against harmful plankton

Scottish Sea Farms is set to trial the potential of a new greener aeration system, Flowpressor, to protect its salmon from potentially harmful plankton, a major threat to the health and welfare of farmed fish worldwide.

Whilst many species and concentrations of plankton are vital to a healthy ecosystem, others can be harmful to humans and animals; in the case of farmed salmon, they can cause damage to the gills, depriving fish of oxygen.

Aeration – the process of pumping air into salmon pens to boost water movement and, in turn, water quality – is one of several protective measures taken by salmon farmers when rising levels of plankton are detected during daily water monitoring.

Standard aeration systems use generic industrial compressors to pump in this air but with mixed results; if air flow isn't evenly distributed for example, then those pens closest to the compressor tend to receive the biggest boost of air.

The Flowpressor system, in contrast, has been custom designed for the aquaculture sector by Poseidon Ocean Systems in Canada, where gill health challenges can be more intense with as much as 1.5-2 million cells per litre of algae compared to 50 to 1,000 in Scottish waters.

Combining a specially engineered compressor, main distribution line and tripod diffusers placed deep within every pen – each pen with its own eight-channel control panel – the revolutionary new system moves water with lower phytoplankton and higher ambient oxygen upwards, improving the environment within all pens.

Innes Weir
Image credit: Scottish Sea Farms

Innes Weir, Scottish Sea Farms Regional Production Manager for Mainland, says 'Flowpressor effectively draws 'clean' water from depth of the pen – in other words, well away the planktonic surface layers – and distributes it upwards, improving water quality throughout the whole pen.

'It also comes with the additional option of 'bubble curtains' which create a barrier to plankton and other biological challenges such as jellyfish infestations, significantly reducing the concentration of these potentially harmful organisms within open pen systems.'

The pilot, which will start this month, will see six of the trial farm's 12 pens connected to the Flowpressor and the remaining six pens served by a standard compressor.

'We will be looking to see what day-to-day difference the system makes to the feed rate, growth and survival of our salmon overall,' says Mr Weir.

'Crucially, we also want to gauge what protection the system can deliver during a plankton event or periods of low oxygen.'

Flowpressor is already in operation along Canada's west coast, with farmers reporting a 50-60 percent reduction in algae inside the pen, improved fish survival and improved growth due to fewer lost feeding days. The system can be set to run 24/7 for routine water quality improvement then moved to protection mode as required, with energy efficiency integral to its design.

Co-founder of Poseidon Ocean Systems, Matt Clarke, says, 'Not only is Flowpressor more effective at protecting farmed fish health than standard systems, it's also 56 percent more fuel efficient, reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 700 tonnes for each unit installed. That's the equivalent of taking 150 passenger vehicles off the road for one year.

'Designed for longevity, the system also has an operating life estimated to be three times that of other options on the market, further reducing its carbon, water and waste footprints.'

Stewart Hawthorn, Director of Trimara Services, the exclusive UK distributor of Poseidon's Flowpressor system, adds, 'It's fantastic to see this novel technology being trialled in Scotland for the first time. Working closely with Scottish Sea Farms, we have designed a bespoke solution suited to the particular marine conditions of the trial site and look forward to verifying the fish performance gains through the data amassed.'

For more information about Scottish Sea Farms visit their website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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