Canadian Seafood Farmers welcome Hon. Joyce Murray as the new Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

The members of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) welcome the Honourable Joyce Murray as the new Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard and express their enthusiasm to work together to realise the opportunities for Canada through sector development.

According to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the global and domestic demand for seafood continues to increase 7-10 percent per year. The new government has committed to ensuring that, 'Canada is positioned to succeed in the fast-growing global sector of the blue economy.'

Building Canada's blue economy is a path to combatting climate change, achieving food security, Indigenous reconciliation and sustainable jobs – especially in rural, coastal and Indigenous communities. Seafood farming – fish, shellfish and seaweeds – is a central driver for blue economy development, with amongst the lowest carbon footprint for food proteins. All coasts and producing provinces of Canada – Atlantic, Pacific, Quebec and Ontario – must be part of Canada's blue economy development.

"With the world's largest coastline, Canada has perhaps the greatest capacity in the world to develop its seafood farming sector," says Timothy Kennedy, CAIA President & CEO. "We have the people, innovation and drive and we look forward to working in partnership with Minister Murray towards achieving the next level of sustainable food production, food security, job creation in rural, coastal and Indigenous communities, and Indigenous reconciliation."

CAIA will continue to advocate for improving the federal framework for seafood farming in order to better achieve Canada's great potential, including: confirming a federal economic champion department; developing a departmental structure to better support economic development; modernising programs for the sector; and securing stability and confidence in the BC salmon farming sector.

'We look forward to working with all new and returning Members of Parliament,' adds Mr Kennedy. 'Together we know Canada can be the world's best, most sustainable producer of farm-raised seafood in the world. CAIA is committed to being a key partner in the development of Canada's Blue Economy Strategy.'

CAIA members generate over $5.2 billion in economic activity, over $2 billion in GDP, and employ over 21,000 Canadians delivering a healthy, growing and sustainable seafood farming sector in Canada.

For more information visit the website, HERE.

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Scottish Sea Farms switches to electric power with first hybrid boat

Salmon farmer Scottish Sea Farms has taken delivery of a hybrid power workboat, the first vessel of its kind to be used in Scotland's aquaculture sector and another step towards greater sustainability.

Image credit: Scottish Sea Farms

Ben Wilson

The 15m catamaran, Laurence Knight, was commissioned by Mull-based boat operator Inverlussa Marine Services from Norwegian yard Moen Marin and goes into service this month on Scotland's west coast. The boat, which will run primarily on its batteries, marks a 'massive milestone' in both carbon reduction and cost savings, says Inverlussa Managing Director Ben Wilson.

'There are similar hybrid vessels in Norway and we thought it was the right time to introduce this technology to our Scottish customers, who are committed to lowering their environmental impact,' he adds.

The boat can perform on-farm duties for five to six hours without recharging its batteries from either of the two generators on board.

This means the generators do not need to be running when the boat is tied up alongside a salmon pen, assisting with a harvest or a net installation, for instance. And with no demand for an overnight generator, noise will be reduced, as well as diesel fuel consumption and the vessel's carbon footprint.

For Scottish Sea Farms, the new vessel will help achieve CO2 savings of around 234 tonnes a year, as well as potentially cut fuel costs by up to 50 percent.

The batteries, with a total capacity of 244kW hours, can drive cranes and all other energy requirements, including steaming back and forth from the shore. As soon as they need recharging, the generators kick in automatically, and they can also be recharged from shore power.

With the new boat, data can be collected from the batteries for analysis back on shore. The technology allows Scottish Sea Farms to manage every individual cell within the battery pack to get the most efficient use out of it. The batteries have a typical life expectancy of 16 years and are also 100 percent recyclable. And in another clever eco-friendly measure, the water used to cool the batteries is recycled to help heat the four cabins.

Innes Weir

Scottish Sea Farms Regional Director for the Mainland Innes Weir says the boat will instil confidence in the future of hybrid technology across the business. A hybrid power trial currently running on the feed barge at the company's Spelve farm on Mull has 'opened the door', says Mr Weir, saving around 83 tonnes of CO2 a year at its peak and showing how the technology can work. But the new workboat goes further.

'The system we have at Spelve is to pick up anything other than feeding fish. As soon as we need to feed, we turn the generator on.

'If we can operate a hybrid system that is completely electric, with generators just used for recharging batteries, we can roll it out across our estate, on the barges and other energy rich areas we want to hybridise.' The Laurence Knight brings Inverlussa's fleet up to 17 vessels and five new jobs have been created to crew the boat in shift patterns.

Mr Wilson adds, 'I think this type of vessel is going to become more common in the Scottish salmon farming sector as producers look for greener solutions. It's an exciting project and we're looking forward to getting it going.'

For more information visit the Scottish Sea Farms website, HERE.

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IFFO’s October webinar emphasises the role of the value chain to tackle challenges

This year's IFFO October webinar dedicated to its 235 members across the globe was held October 19-21. Industry experts discussed market trends, nutrition, fish health and growth, sustainability and climate change in relation to the global marine ingredients sector.

Blue foods have a bright future
The webinar opened on blue foods, highlighting the potential from oceans and building on the conclusions of recent research papers such as the Blue Food Assessment papers and the Blue Papers commissioned by the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy: better management and technological innovation can enable a sixfold increase in the supply of food from the ocean compared to current levels. 'Where do marine Ingredients stand? Our message is clear: blue foods should be considered as a key part of the global food system. And with marine ingredients supporting the production of blue foods, it is obvious that marine ingredients should follow the same path. It is just impressive to think that with 1kg of marine raw materials, 5 kg of farmed fish are produced' Petter Johannessen, IFFO's Director general, stated.
 
Industry resilience and interesting developments in specific markets

Image credit: Thomas Baranowski on Flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

With three sessions dedicated to market trends, the webinar underlined the resilience of the Peruvian fishmeal and fish oil industry and the performance of the Chilean salmon market as well as the shrimp sector in the US, Ecuador and Vietnam. Further growth of the shrimp, pig and pet food feed consumption of fishmeal is expected while the annual feed production growth is expected by China Feed Industry Association to exceed the good level in recent years.

Marine ingredients' footprint: a positive story
By-products already make up one third of fishmeal and fish oil. But much more will come with the growth of the aquaculture sector, itself producing by-products, thus relieving pressure on the terrestrial environment, according to Anne Mette Baek, IFFO's President. The marine ingredients industry relies on a low carbon value chain, from fishing methods to production and processing equipment. With climate change disrupting institutions, management systems, fishing operations, offloading/ processing, markets and consumption patterns, adaptation can be more than a zero-sum game, if properly implemented. This was discussed during the webinar's climate change panel discussion, which looked at implications of ocean warming: a 4.1 percent decline in the maximum sustainable yield has been observed over the past 80 years, according to FAO's Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, Manuel Barange.

Collaboration at all levels
Distributional changes in the biomass, although not geographically uniform, will make negotiations between states and regional frameworks even more instrumental. Adaptation should also be addressed through a value chain approach: adaptation becomes possible only if it is followed throughout the value chain. A library of actions taken by IFFO members towards meeting the Sustainable development goals highlights the interconnection of challenges and opportunities.

Challenges such as IUU, potential of new raw materials or life cycle assessments, must be addressed through a collective lens. This is the aim of the newly launched Global Roundtable on Marine Ingredients, which IFFO and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership announced at the start of the webinar through a keynote speech by its independent chair, Arni Mathiesen.

For more information visit the IFFO website, HERE.

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Scottish educational grant is awarded to Orkney Shellfish Hatchery

Orkney Shellfish Hatchery, a multi-species aquaculture hatchery supplying premium shellfish products to the restoration market, has successfully secured funding for a number of new aquaculture graduate positions, after winning a Scottish educational grant, courtesy of the Highlands and Islands Enterprises' Graduate Support Program.

The program is dedicated to providing graduates across Scotland with well-paid work experience placements in key sectors and spans a wide variety of industries. Positions under the scheme are available to all graduates that have finished their studies in the last four years and there is no age restriction.

With the help of the program, Orkney Shellfish Hatchery, which is located on the pristine waters of Orkney, Scotland, will employ four new aquaculture graduates to continue its research into the on-land culture of premium Native Flat Oyster spat and European clawed lobster. The graduate positions available will offer those who have studied in the field the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in a fully operational, state-of-the-art and bio-secure hatchery facility.

Commenting on securing the funding, Dr Nik Sachlikidis, Managing Director of Aquaculture for Orkney Shellfish Hatchery says, 'We are thrilled to have been chosen as one of the winners of the Highlands and Islands Enterprises' Graduate Support Program grant. This funding will allow us to bring new, eager graduates into the team, providing them with the opportunity to take their first steps into the hatchery world, alongside our team of experienced and highly knowledgeable aquaculture professionals. Most importantly, we are excited to bring more skilled, local employment to Orkney. We would like to extend a huge thank you to the Highlands and Islands Enterprise for their ongoing support and we are excited to fill the positions quickly with graduates that are keen to be a part of our exciting Native Oyster and Clawed Lobster projects.'

With the funding secured, Orkney Shellfish Hatchery is now actively searching for aquaculture graduates to fill its Hatchery Technician positions.

For more information visit the Orkney Shellfish Hatchery website, HERE.

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First Scottish-grown salmon eggs used to help future-proof fish welfare

Scottish Sea Farms is set to take delivery of the first eggs bred from salmon grown at its own marine farms in Scotland – a key milestone in its sector-leading collaboration with breeding specialists AquaGen aimed at future-proofing farmed fish welfare in the face of climate change.

Traditionally, salmon eggs are imported to Scotland then reared in freshwater hatcheries before being transferred to marine farms for on growing. However, since 2020, Scottish Sea Farms has been working with AquaGen to select the best performing fish from its own marine farms and produce offspring from those.

Scottish Sea Farms Head of Fish Welfare Dr Ralph Bickerdike says, 'Ultimately, we're seeking to match the right stock to the right conditions in order to maximise fish welfare. As climate conditions continue to change – and with it, the marine environment – we're acting now to help ensure future stocks can withstand those changes.'

Already, Scottish Sea Farms has reduced the time its fish require at sea by two months, thanks to its new £58M state-of-the-art hatchery at Barcaldine near Oban.

This latest initiative aims to maximise fish welfare once at sea, by improving overall robustness to Scottish marine conditions and increasing resistance to the health challenges that the changing environment can give rise to – in particular, gill health which is now thought to be one of the biggest challenges facing farmed salmon globally.

Mr Bickerdike says, 'Climate change presents challenges to livestock farmers of all kinds. For salmon farmers, this summer's record high temperatures and lower than average rainfall have given rise to increased incidence of gill health issues.

'At some farms, fish stocks have been able to overcome such challenges and bounce back to full health. At other individual farms, we've seen significant losses, indicating that some salmon are naturally more resistant than others.'

Helping determine which genetic selection might offer the greatest resistance is an integral element of the breeding programme.

AquaGen Scotland Managing Director Andrew Reeve says 'Stock selection is an ongoing process. Just as the climate continues to change, so too does the best breeding to withstand those changes.

'Having selected the best performing fish from Scottish Sea Farms marine farms, we're now able to apply the latest technologies and approaches to identify the key traits that have helped these superior grade fish continue to thrive in the Scottish marine environment.'

Whilst this work is at an early stage, the partners hope to have robust genomic data as soon as three years from now – a timescale that could be shortened further with knowledge exchange from Scottish Sea Farms' other research projects in this area.

These include a collaboration with the University of Aberdeen, feed specialists BioMar, Marine Scotland Science and the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre to increase understanding of how seasonality and location influence gill health and how farmed salmon respond to these challenges.

Similarly, it is intended that the insights into breeding for improved resistance to gill health challenges, gleaned through Scottish Sea Farms' collaboration with AquaGen, will be shared with other producers of farmed salmon, both here in Scotland and further afield.

Before then, the first eggs bred from Scottish Sea Farms grown salmon will be delivered into Barcaldine Hatchery early 2022 and are scheduled to be transferred to the company's marine farms around Scotland's west coast and Northern Isles from Q1 2023.

For more information visit the Scottish Sea Farms website, HERE.

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The second edition of the Aqu@Event by Adisseo: 'The New Blue is Green' launches in November

Adisseo has announced its second edition of the Aqu@Event by Adisseo to be organised on November 23 under the theme 'The New Blue is Green'. This online event, initiated in March, offers an attractive conference program combined with a user friendly, virtual booth experience.

'What is the market outlook on novel proteins such as insect protein, what to expect from alternative protein sources in shrimp feed formulation, can feed additives relieve the carbon footprint of aquaculture production, can nutritionists anticipate on thermal stress in view of global warming, what is the significance of a better understanding of the microbiome for the farmer? We have invited five experts to share their views on these hot topics during a sharp 3h-webinar', says Dr Peter Coutteau, BU Director Aquaculture at Adisseo.

'Challenging times are here to stay and we need novel technologies and insights for aquaculture producers to enhance their sustainability and economic resilience. All talks will be subtitled and followed by a live panel discussion with the speakers, during which the audience will be able to ask questions to the speakers. At the virtual booth, we will have information kiosks around hot topics in aquaculture nutrition and health. Hot topics covered include: fish health, white faeces syndrome in shrimp, feed cost efficiency, digestive performance and farm care. At every kiosk, participants can pick up some information or chat with one of our aqua experts.'

The conference program can be consulted via the link, HERE.
To register for the event visit the link, HERE.

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Online Aquafeed Production School: Seventh session of season presses extrusion process

As the Autumn edition of the Online Aquafeed Production School reaches session seven of twelve, this week's session focuses on the extrusion process within aquafeed production cycle.

This week's Q&A session with Joe Kearns & Yiannis Christodoulou

With this subject dispatched with in the same level of detail that we have all come to expect from the Online Aquafeed Production School sessions, the organisers would like to remind any potential candidates that places are still available and all missed sessions can be caught up upon following the broadcast of the final session in December.

Split into four key sections, the first of which featuring a review of extrusion that utilises twin screw technology by Aquafeed Production School regular Joe Kearns, which is then followed by a two part dissection of twin screw aquafeed production by Brian Streit. 

Mr Streit, director of pet food and aquatic technology for Wenger Manufacturing, covers two areas relevant to this topic - these being twin screw extrusion and process control & automation, with each talk sitting astride the weekly five minute coffee break.

Like the previous six sessions in this edition, this one begins with a warm and welcoming introduction from Yiannis Christodoulou, founder/owner of Progressus Agrischools Asia, followed by two hours of live training, with proceedings brought to a close with a very thorough Q&A session.

The two hours of live training cover a broad range of topics from the world of aquafeed production including ingredients, equipment used, how it is operated and the desired final product specifications.

The aim is the course is to help you to build up an understanding of the design, development, and operation of an aquafeed production plant for the range of products typically used in this industry.

Subjects covered this week include ingredients, a general nutritional review, equipment used, and why are discussed, affording candidates the opportunity to understand the possibilities and developments over time with regards to what can be produced and how all aspects of the process interact for successful aquafeed production.

Organised and delivered by Progressus Agrischools and International Aquafeed magazine, each session is scheduled for the audience in Europe and Asia, each session is broadcast twice. The first is on Tuesdays at 9am (CET) for viewers in Europe/Asia, and the following Friday 10am (Chicago time) if you will be joining from the US/LATAM time zone.

Registration is now open and limited spaces are still available - for more information visit the Online Aquafeed Production School website HERE.

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Seafish launches new campaign on climate change impacts for seafood

Seafish, the public body that supports the seafood industry in the UK, is urging seafood businesses across the country to get up to speed on the impacts of climate change.

In a recently launched campaign, Seafish has highlighted the importance of both mitigation, reducing our contributions to climate change; and adaptation, preparing for and responding to the impacts of a changing climate. A suite of resources has been created to highlight the challenges and opportunities that these factors bring.

A short campaign hero film gives an overview of how climate change will impact the seafood industry can be watched, HERE.

The film is supported by case studies of businesses across the seafood supply chain recognising and responding to issues. There are also blogs with more information on climate change adaptation and mitigation and links to tools and further resources.

Seafish is also launching a new e-alert that businesses can sign up for to receive climate change updates relevant to the seafood industry. Quarterly email newsletters will bring together news on research and reports, consultation, funding opportunities and events.

Aoife Martin, Director of Operations at Seafish says, 'Climate change is now recognised as one of the major challenges facing humanity. The impacts will affect us all and the seafood sector and individual businesses must respond. We're launching a campaign on the implications for the seafood supply chain ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) taking place in Glasgow next month. Witnessing global discussions on climate change in our backyard reminds us of the significant challenges we all face.

'We already know that Seafood has a lower carbon emissions profile than other sources of protein and that eating the recommended two portions of seafood a week can be part of a climate kind flexitarian diet. However, businesses still need to work to meet Government targets for net-zero emissions within the next 30 years. They also need to adapt to the impacts that a changing climate will bring to their businesses on land and at sea. Some of these changes – increased storms and changing air and water temperatures are affecting us now.

'Many in the seafood industry are aware of these challenges and preparing to face them head on. It's vital that businesses have access to the right information to help them navigate this complex topic, so we're collating resources to support the seafood sector. We also want businesses to understand the opportunities associated with contributing to net zero targets, so we're also sharing case studies to highlight some positive work already underway. Businesses can find out more and sign up for updates on our website.'

The campaign and new e-alert service are part of a wider workstream from Seafish looking at the impacts of climate change. Over the longer-term, the public body is committed to working with industry, government and other partners to:

• Develop its seafood emissions tool for fishing and aquaculture
• Ensure relevant data is collected and available to inform decisions
• Convene forums, share information, and make sure issues and potential solutions are understood.
• Facilitate and deliver seafood sector specific research to improve understanding, tackle specific problems, and enable innovation
• Convene industry stakeholders to explore pre-competitive collaborative working

For more information visit the Seafish website, HERE.

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Michael Tolmie joins the Zinpro team as their new Global Digital Marketing Director

Zinpro Corporation, one of the leading providers of animal nutrition solutions, has welcomed Michael Tolmie as the global digital marketing director. Mr Tolmie will lead the development of a stronger digital ecosystem to communicate with customers across the globe.

Michael Tolmie

'Our customers want and need easy access to new information that is relevant to their industry and business,' says Rob Sheffer, president and CEO of Zinpro. 'We are investing in our digital marketing team, systems and capabilities so we are able to more efficiently reach our customers where they are with the solutions they are seeking.'

Mr Tolmie holds a bachelor's degree in integrated marketing communications from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He brings two decades of experience in building strong teams and integrated digital strategies. Mr Tolmie will be based at Zinpro headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

'We are very excited to have Michael on board to help us stay on the cutting edge of the ever-changing digital business frontier,' Mr Sheffer continues. 'As a company, we are committed to leveraging technology as we build stronger, more meaningful connections between our industry experts and customers around the world, and Michael is well positioned to lead us in that effort.'

for more information about Zinpro visit their website, HERE.

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The Maine Aquaculture Association has released nation’s first aquaculture occupational standards

The Maine Aquaculture Association has released the first Maine Aquaculture Occupational Standards, which specify the current workforce skills and training needs of Maine's aquaculture sector. Altogether, four standards have been released, focusing on occupations related to Marine Shellfish and Sea Vegetables; Marine Finfish; Land-Based RAS; and Land-Based Shellfish Hatcheries. 

Image credit: Maine Aquaculture Association

A supplementary document, the Maine Shellfish Aquaculture Career Pathways Map, designed to provide an overview of the most common job types, entry points, and career pathway opportunities in Maine's shellfish aquaculture sector today, has been included in the release as well.

The occupational standards, completed in collaboration with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Educate Maine, and with support from FocusMaine, are intended to: present education and training providers with a clear and comprehensive understanding of the specific technical skills and knowledge that are critical for the most common careers in each sector; standardise workforce training in the state; and establish an industry-led process to align training with workforce needs as the industry, and workforce needs, evolve.

Sebastian Belle, Executive Director of the Maine Aquaculture Association, noted, "Based on a strong collaboration between the farmers and the educational community, these standards will help ensure that Maine aquaculture businesses have the skills and training needed to compete in a global market."

The 2020 Maine Aquaculture Workforce Development Strategy identified occupational standards to inform and standardise aquaculture training as a pillar of its recommendations. These standards, which are built on top of the findings included in the workforce development strategy, are based on extensive one-on-one interviews with aquaculture businesses and educational institutions across Maine. "The development of these first-of-their-kind standards shows once again that Maine's sea farmers are leading the nation in the emergence of a competitive and sustainable domestic aquaculture sector," says Mr Belle.

The Maine Aquaculture Association (est. 1978), which has over a 25-year track record of developing operating standards and best management practices, is a non-profit trade association that advocates for Maine's aquatic farmers (including shellfish, finfish, and sea vegetable producers) at the state, federal, and international levels.

For more information visit the Maine Aquaculture Association website, HERE.

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AquaFuture Spain continues to expand its program of activities

The international aquaculture fair AquaFuture Spain'22, taking place from March 23 to 25 next year at the Feira Internacional de Galicia ABANCA (Silleda, Pontevedra), continues to expand its program of activities to become an important forum for knowledge.

Image credit: AquaFuture Spain

This program, which is divided into three spaces, is already made up of about twenty lectures, round tables and presentations of great interest. Regarding the Magisterial Conferences area, it includes the opening presentation on March 23, "Present and future of aquaculture innovation", and the closing on March 25, "Facing the challenges of the sector from the value chain in key to sustainability.'

The second of these spaces, Let's Talk About Aquaculture, will be a forum for dialogue and interaction between the agents of the value chain to jointly address the challenges of the sector. It is made up of six round tables that will be broadcast and streamed internationally, which will address issues related to sustainability, cooperation, internationalisation, animal health and welfare, new ingredients, production and aquaculture 4.0.

The program will be completed with the Space for Professionals, in which presentations will be made by professionals in the sector who wish to make visible a product or service that they have put on the market or to publicise some new research. Although the program is not closed yet, there are already many companies that have confirmed their participation. Thus, on the first day of the fair there will be presentations by Hipra, a collaborating company of Aquafuture Spain, and also by Humeco & Imv Technologies, counting those of the latter with the titles "Ultrasound as a tool for reproductive monitoring in different species", "Optimising the quality of fish semen 'and' Automated cryopreservation of semen for aquaculture.'

On the second day of the contest, the presentations "Advances in the production of bivalve seed: Ecopemer Project", by the firm Acuinuga - Aquaculture and Nutrition of Galicia; 'Water quality as a key factor in biosafety in aquaculture', by OX-CTA; 'Production, Nutrition and Health in the cultivation of Seriola dumerili', by Dibaq Aquaculture; and also a presentation of the companies Tecnovit Farm Faes. "Anchoring engineering in aquaculture" by Aex-Roup is already scheduled for Friday.

AquaFuture, an opportunity
AquaFuture Spain'22 also continues to work in its exhibition area, which already far exceeds one hundred companies, from 18 countries both in Europe and Asia, Latin America, North America or South Africa.

All of them celebrate the launch of this fair, which will be the first aquaculture fair to take place in Spain since 2010, highlighting some of them as "a great opportunity to establish relationships with other companies in the sector, give our work to know and also our products ", emphasising that" technical congresses are the best way to learn to interact in the sector "and convinced that 'it will be a platform and meeting place for all aquaculture specialists in the world."

Undoubtedly, AquaFuture Spain'22, which has the Morenot company as official sponsor and Hipra, Abanca, Acuiplús and Grupo JJChicolino as collaborators, will be a point of reference for professionals in the international aquaculture sector to learn about the latest technological innovations and strategies of the market, always under the approach of sustainable resource management.

For more information visit the event website, HERE.

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Garware fabric evaluated by Mowi to be effective against salmon lice

The Huenquillahue research center in Mowi Chile, Region X, has been analysing the retention capacity of Caligus rogercresseyi larvae for months on Garware cloths, which are to be used as a lice skirt as a mechanical barrier in salmon farming centres. The analysis considered the retention of larvae, the entry of these at different speeds of currents and fixation of copepodites to the fish. This resulted in a high-quality fabric that allows for the containment of infestations and the passage of water flow, allowing for necessary oxygenation in salmon farming centres.

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Garware fabrics to be used as lice skirt

The meshes were tested by means of sieves for the forced passage of the water flow with the addition of larvae in the nauplius stage (I-II) and copepodites. They were evaluated in three aspects: their retention capacity of C. rogercresseyi larvae, estimating the percentage of entry of larvae at different current speeds, and with fish to see the fixation of the copepodites that manage to pass through the fabric.

In this regard, the Mowi Chile health area noted that, 'The effectiveness tests of the fabrics that have been carried out, in conjunction with the Austral University of Chile, to combat Caligus, have brought good results and we are considering them for the non-drug management alternatives for the control of this parasite.'

The results of the study which were carried out by the Austral University, highlight the evaluation of fabric cages in a test channel for the estimation of permeability to the passage of the larvae. They registered a blockage of 99.6 percent of Nauplii larvae and 99.7 percent of Copepoditos larvae, so that they do not enter the cage.

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Evaluation of fabric cages in a test channel

In each case, the amount of water used was 340 litres with 3,700 larvae per test, totalling more than 133,800 larvae, where a flow of water was applied at current speeds of 0.5, 2 and 3.5 cm * s-1. Thus, the latest generation Garware X12 fabric is recommended as a mechanical barrier against C. rogercresseyi larvae, with its high-quality characteristics and allows the passage of water flow, without greater resistance at medium current speeds. This will be favourable, to maximise the natural oxygenation of the farm.

'The skirts in preventing infestation are a physical barrier that surrounds the fish tank cage. Thanks to the X12 fabric that allows the water to flow, this prevents the entry of lice. This allows 80 times more water flow than a common fabric for these purposes. The weave of the X12 cloth blocks the entry of the early stages of the parasite and promotes adequate water exchange,' Marcos Jofre, Business Associate at Garware Technical Fibres, explained.

'It is a non-pharmacological product, as part of the strategies to reduce the use of drugs, whose field experience shows a decrease in the frequency of baths of up to 50 percent, with a reduction of lice of up to 60 percent. Thus, we developed a three-dimensional fabric, with an opening of 80 to 150 microns for Norway, and a second generation of 60 to 100 microns for Chile, given that the local sea lice are smaller in numbers, thus generating a product applied to the national market.'

Caligidosis infestation is a growth limiting factor in salmon production globally, where the use of antiparasitic products has become less and less effective due to the development of parasite resistance. The global focus, then, has been on the implementation of new complementary non-pharmacological control methods such as tarps, in managing infestations caused by salmon louse. 

For more information, visit Garware Technical Fibres' website, HERE.

Alternatively, visit Mowi's website, HERE.

Image credit: Garware Technical Fibres

BioMar appoints Marcel Huijsmans as their new divisional marketing director

Planning for future product launches and new feed product concepts designed in collaboration with customer demand, the salmon division in BioMar announces the appointment of a new divisional marketing director.

Marcel Huijsmans

Marcel Huijsmans joins BioMar from Hendrix Genetics, where he has been Director of Communications and Marketing for the last 12 years. The new position is established to ensure strong leadership on delivering agile product development to meet customer needs, together with a rigorous and focus on customer value and sustainability.

'I am pleased that we have been able to attract an international marketing leader such as Marcel Huijsmans to BioMar. With 20 years of experience within the food industry and agriculture/aquaculture businesses, across various categories, ranging from potato products to fresh meat and today animal genetics, he brings a wide range of competences within product and concept development, market dynamics and research, which I am sure will benefit the BioMar organisation as well as our customers,' announces Paddy Campbell VP, Salmon Division in BioMar.

For more information about BioMar visit their website, HERE.

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A new Global Roundtable has been launched to improve and increase the availability of sustainable marine ingredients

IFFO, The Marine Ingredients Organisation, and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) have announced the Global Marine Ingredients Roundtable, where companies from the entire marine ingredients value chain will drive environmental and social improvements in key fisheries globally.

Árni M. Mathiesen, former Assistant Director-General and Head of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department at the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome, and now Senior adviser at the Iceland Ocean Cluster in Reykjavík, Iceland, is the Independent Chair of the Global Roundtable.

He states, 'The aim of the Global Roundtable for sustainable marine ingredients is to take action based around the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Roundtable is also established to provide a single value chain contact point to contribute to existing platforms aimed at ensuring sustainable management of fisheries providing marine ingredients. Food security should be considered both in terms of quantity and nutritional properties and encompass waste reduction. The work should in fact include resource management, the wider environmental impact as well as socio-economic concerns.'

The Roundtable will foster and support precompetitive efforts by members to:

• Identify and agree on ways to further improve the availability of sustainable marine ingredient materials
• Investigate the potential of new raw material sources, such as mesopelagic species and others
• Catalyse and support existing and new fisheries improvement projects
• Understand and address urgent social issues and enhance social responsibility in key fisheries and regions
• Maintain a global overview of the state of the resources and industry

Petter Johannessen, IFFO's Director General, explains: 'IFFO believes in multi-stakeholder initiatives. Already established fishery improvement projects (FIPs) across the globe lead to improved fishery management and engagement with local communities. We expect this Global Roundtable to put forward a tangible action plan with key milestones involving the relevant stakeholders so that collective work towards the high standards expected by the industry carries on'.

First priority for the Roundtable is West Africa, where production of marine ingredients (both direct and through by-products) has grown dramatically over the last decade, and a number of economic and social challenges have been identified. Southeast Asia is another geographic priority, where multispecies fisheries pose unique management challenges and some fisheries are tainted by human rights and labour abuses. The Roundtable will also address other important topics such as life cycle assessments and potential new raw material sources.

Blake Lee-Harwood, chief programs officer at Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, says, 'SFP is pleased to work with IFFO to convene leading companies and stakeholders through the Global Roundtable. Industry leadership and precompetitive efforts are critical to tackle a range of pressing environmental and social challenges, and in helping our industry partners further sustainability commitments across the full range of products that use marine ingredients.'

The Global Roundtable builds on existing regional roundtables focused primarily on feed manufacturers. Using a whole value chain approach, it will engage all users of marine ingredients and other stakeholders interested in working collaboratively to increase the availability of sustainable marine ingredients. These include livestock and pet feeds, nutraceuticals, certifications, trade associations, fishmeal, feed and aquaculture producers, scientists, and NGOs.

For more information visit the IFFO website, HERE.
Or visit the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership site, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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Online Aquafeed Production School Autumn 2021 edition reaches halfway point

As the Autumn edition of the Online Aquafeed Production School reaches session six of twelve, the organisers would like to remind any potential candidates that places are still available and all missed sessions can be caught up upon follwoing the broadcast of the final session in December.

This sessions sees another in-depth Q&A session

This week's session focuses on the topic of 'Extrusion vs Pelleting: Production via Single-Screw Extruders' - with the subject dispatched with in the same level of detail that we have all come to expect from the Online Aquafeed Production School sessions.

Split into four key sections, the first features a review of the differences between extrusion and pelleting from Aquafeed Production School regular Joe Kearns. This is then followed by a two part dissection of single screw aquafeed production by Brian Streit, director of pet food and aquatic technology for Wenger Manufacturing, which sits astride the five minute coffee break.

Like the previous five sessions in this edition, this one begins with a welcoming introduction by long time industry publisher and journalist Roger Gilbert and Yiannis Christodoulou, founder/owner of Progressus Agrischools Asia, followed by two hours of live training, with proceedings brought to a close with a very thorough Q&A session.

The two hours of live training cover a broad range of topics from the world of aquafeed production including ingredients, equipment used, how it is operated and the desired final product specifications.

The aim is the course is to help you to build up an understanding of the design, development, and operation of an aquafeed production plant for the range of products typically used in this industry.

Subjects covered include ingredients, a general nutritional review, equipment used, and why are discussed, affording candidates the opportunity to understand the possibilities and developments over time with regards to what can be produced and how all aspects of the process interact for successful aquafeed production.

Organised and delivered by Progressus Agrischools and International Aquafeed magazine, each session is scheduled for the audience in Europe and Asia, each session is broadcast twice. The first is on Tuesdays at 9am (CET) for viewers in Europe/Asia, and the following Friday 10am (Chicago time) if you will be joining from the US/LATAM time zone.

Registration is now open and limited spaces are still available, for more information visit the website HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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Teesside University's new micro-bubble technology

Teesside University is calling on businesses to deliver a proof of concept to show the potential of their ground-breaking new micro-bubble aeration technology, set to revolutionise the farming of seafood. Developed at Teesside University and University of Malaya by Dr Faik Hamad, Associate Professor in Engineering and Dr Poo Balan Ganesan, Associate Professor in Engineering, this new technology utilises a generator to produce microscopic bubbles which release free radicals and boost dissolved oxygen levels in water. This allows it to cleanse itself of waste products and increases the productivity of seafood.

Wastewater contains harmful micro-organisms, from viruses to bacteria, capable of infecting animals or humans and leading to disease, reduced biodiversity, and lower food yields within aquaculture. Micro-bubble technologies offer a safer, chemical-free, and low-energy alternative to current water disinfection methods. Developing countries will be able to access this revolutionary technology; barriers to adoption are low and operating costs are expected to be lower than existing solutions.

Teesside University is using konfer – the free-to-use innovation brokerage platform operated by the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) – to find commercial partners with which to demonstrate their micro-bubble aeration technology. Konfer harnesses AI-powered, smart-matching technology to connect universities with relevant businesses, making it easier and quicker to develop commercial partnerships and maximising the impact of UK research capabilities. Thanks to konfer, Teesside University has already engaged in discussions with technology developer Nova Q, dedicated to developing sustainable technologies within agriculture, aquaculture, disinfection, renewables, and wastewater.

Dr Joe Marshall, Chief Executive Officer at NCUB, said: 'Teesside University's micro-bubble project exemplifies the academic excellence and leading innovation present at our universities across the country, deploying out-of-the-box thinking to reduce marine pollution and promote healthier aquaculture. As the country seeks to harness innovation to tackle major environmental and societal challenges, it is crucial that the relevant universities and businesses can collaborate easily, rapidly and in a targeted way, and at konfer, we want to do just this.'

Dr Faik Hamad, Associate Professor in Engineering at Teesside University, said: 'This project is incredibly significant, as it intends to reduce the environmental and health-related impacts of wastewater, with game-changing implications for the aquaculture sector. Water is essential to everything from agriculture to industrial processes; as the issue of pathogenic micro-organisms becomes more prevalent, micro-bubble aeration technology has the potential to tackle this issue in a way that is sustainable and safe. We are delighted to be working with konfer, who have provided us with simplified access to a network of thousands of businesses.'

Dr Poo Balan Ganesan, Associate Professor in Engineering at the University of Malaya said: 'At the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, micro-bubble aeration has been tested for aquaculture species such as marine white shrimp and Giant freshwater prawn. The investigations show significant improvements on the growth of the species (by 30 percent) and a reduction of food conversion ratio.'

For more information visit Teesside University's website, HERE.

Image credit: smalljudge on Flickr CC by 2.0

XPRIZE & WOC collaborate to advance ocean CO2 removal

World Ocean Council and XPRIZE co-hosted a webinar this week on how ocean CO2 removal (CDR) projects can compete in the XPRIZE $100-million Carbon Removal Competition. The XPRIZE Carbon Removal team outlined requirements of the competition and participated in a Q&A with ocean entrepreneurs.

'Our objective is to try and inspire as many shapes and sizes of carbon dioxide removal technology that we can,' says XPRIZE Technical Lead Michael Leitch.

The application process involves building a working demonstration, making a case for a project's scalability, and providing a scaled-up calculation of cost, which is the final piece that judges consider. 'If teams have stepped over the first two barriers and proven to the judges that the technology works and that it's scalable, then the solutions are going to be ranked by cost in selection of the ultimate winners,' explains Mr Leitch.

During the webinar, CEO Paul Holthus spoke on WOC's efforts to ensure that ocean CDR efforts to sequester CO2, and their potential effects on surrounding ecosystems, are measured. 'We're at the stage of both catalysing a business association for the ocean CO2 removal community, and also very soon to begin convening a working group on the monitoring, reporting, verification technologies and protocols that need to be developed to support the XRPIZE process and its winners — but also that broader community and effort of ocean carbon dioxide removal.'

WOC continues its work on ocean CDR through monthly Ocean Roundtables. Companies and investors interested in participating in these monthly sessions can contact info@oceancouncil.org.

The next major submission deadline for XPRIZE is February 1st, 2022.

For more information or to apply visit the website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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