NoviFEED workshop hosted by Institute of Marine Research set to take place February 8, 2023

The NoviFEED consortium, led by SPAROS, is inviting professionals from the aquaculture and aquafeed sector, including fish farming companies, aquafeed companies and researchers, to participate in the NoviFEED workshop hosted by the Institute of Marine Research (IMR), Norway.

NoviFEED project workshop discusses the effects of dissolved oxygen on salmon farming. Taking place February 8, 2023, 12:00-15:00, presential at IMR Pynten, Nordnes, Bergen (Norway) or online.

The aim of NoviFEED workshop is to promote knowledge transfer between the salmon industry and academia on the effects of dissolved oxygen on salmon farming. The panel include experts from IMR, BIOMAR, MOWI and Xylem/Aanderaa Data Instruments.

The discussion will cover the impact of dissolved oxygen and other environmental factors on fish behaviour, nutrient requirements and feed formulation, as well as the importance of measuring oxygen and other variables for production management.

This workshop is part of the NoviFEED project, financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, through EEA grants, in the scope of the program Blue Growth, operated by Directorate-General for Maritime Policy (DGPM), Portugal, under reference PT-INNOVATION-0099.

Register for the workshop, HERE, or see the program below.

For more information about the project visit the website, HERE. 

The Aquaculturists

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Benchmark reports 27 percent increase in revenue following a year of sustained growth and strategic delivery

Benchmark Holdings, the aquaculture biotechnology company, has reported strong growth with a 27 percent increase in revenue and an 82 percent increase in Adjusted EBITDA, with each of its three business areas delivering strong performances.

Today, Benchmark Holdings publishes its Full Year Results for the Financial Year ended 30 September 2022. A detailed breakdown of the financial results is available here. In addition to strong financial results, Benchmark has made strategic progress in a number of areas that are already benefitting customers and stakeholders.

Meeting increased demand for specialist salmon eggs
A key investment in 2022 was the construction of a new incubation centre for salmon eggs in Iceland, designed to allow Benchmark to meet seasonal periods of peak demand for its biosecure specialist salmon eggs. Having this increased capacity in place was particularly important this year when customers experienced a shortage of supply.

The new incubation centre - built to the highest standards of biosecurity and water management - has a 400 million egg capacity, equivalent to one million tonnes of harvested salmon.

Rolling out Ectosan® Vet and CleanTreat®
The commercial deployment of Ectosan® Vet and CleanTreat® is one of Benchmark's key strategic priorities. Over the course of the year, the business made good progress, increasing adoption of the new solution in the market and continuing to deliver excellent outcomes. Since launching last year, the business has achieved several important milestones to optimise its sea lice solution. These included reducing overall treatment times by increasing the water transfer rate, securing a marketing extension for a second reuse of treatment water, and obtaining a Marketing Authorisation for the use of Ectosan® Vet and CleanTreat® in the Faroe Islands.

Since deployment, Ectosan® Vet and CleanTreat® have delivered consistent efficacy in the removal of sea lice, with CleanTreat® purifying 1,000,000m3 of treatment water, equivalent to 400 Olympic size swimming pools or the volume of water which flows over Niagara Falls every seven minutes.

'One Benchmark' transformation
Over the last 24 months Benchmark has undergone a period of transformation and continued integration, aligning the Group's resources to extract synergies and increase its commercial impact.

By bringing together our three complementary areas, Genetics, Advanced Nutrition, and Health, we can deliver the best solutions and service to our customers, creating a 'one stop' shop.

The Sustainability Commitment
Benchmark's mission is to drive sustainability in aquaculture and over the last 12 months the business has made significant progress in a number of areas. This year, Benchmark made strides towards its Net Zero goals by developing a comprehensive emissions reduction programme including the installation of solar panels at its main Advanced Nutrition production facility in Phichit, Thailand. Once complete, it is expected to provide 30 percent of electricity requirements for the site.

Benchmark's strong ESG credentials enabled it to issue its first Green Bond to refinance its main debt facility strengthening the financial position for the Company's next phase.

Following the publication of the end of year results, Trond Williksen, Chief Executive Officer, Benchmark Holdings says, 'In 2022 we delivered another year of growth and strategic progress, underpinned by four quarters of consistently improved financial results. I am delighted with the momentum in the business which, combined with positive dynamics in our industry, are creating significant opportunities to deliver value for all our stakeholders. I am looking forward to making further progress on our ambitions in 2023.'

For more information visit the Benchmark website, HERE.

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Cleaner fish trial looks to AI and imaging technology to help pick best delousers

A new video tool will reveal the best candidates for one of the most important jobs in salmon aquaculture, as researchers in Scotland explore how to pick out the bold and brave cleaner fish from the bashful.

The project, led by the University of Stirling's Institute of Aquaculture, Swansea Universityand Otter Ferry Seafish, will look at the best ways to identify high-performing ballan wrasse and lumpfish using artificial intelligence (AI) and imaging technology. The consortium has received funding from the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) and will be supported by Loch Duart, Bakkafrost Scotland, Ocean Matters and Visifish – a machine vision company.

A previous SAIC-funded study proved that bolder ballan wrasse are likely to be a better fit for the job of picking sea lice from salmon. The bolder fish showed no hesitation when presented with foreign objects in their tanks, and the research team is now exploring how to use this type of test at a commercial scale.

The first stage of the project involves categorising the different traits – such as boldness, shyness, social interaction and even aggression – and seeing how the range of personalities perform at picking sea lice from salmon. Insights will then be integrated with imaging technology, which could be widely used by seafood producers to routinely monitor behaviour and welfare of cleaner fish.

Like some job interviews, there will also be a group challenge with researchers monitoring how ballan wrasse and lumpfish with different personalities respond in social groups.

Dr Adam Brooker, research fellow in aquatic animal behaviour at the University of Stirling's Institute of Aquaculture, says, 'We produce cleaner fish for a specific job, so it makes sense to develop an appropriate selection process based on the different personality traits we know can influence delousing. With this new information, we can modify the rearing environment to encourage delousing behaviour and select good delousers for breeding future generations.

'Being able to identify the best delousers, based on behaviour, could lead to significant improvements in the health and welfare of salmon and a reduction in the number of cleaner fish used. Seeing how cleaner fish behave when cohabiting will also help us understand how these fish interact with each other so we can account for this once they are integrated into producers' sites.'

With a new standardised personality test, the fish most likely to be the best at removing sea lice from salmon can be identified for future breeding programmes. The results of the project will also be used to adapt hatchery procedures and the rearing environment to encourage juvenile cleaner fish develop the desired traits.

Field trials are expected to take place next year with the camera system tested with current cleaner fish populations at Loch Duart and Bakkafrost Scotland sites.

Dr Eduardo Jimenez Fernandez, R&D manager at Otter Ferry Seafish, says, 'So far, the research points towards bold cleaner fish being better delousers. However, the data is limited and a more robust model is needed for categorising and identifying such personality traits. This project combines global behavioural expertise and will provide valuable information that could guide future selective breeding programmes.'

Heather Jones, CEO at SAIC, adds, 'Studying the behaviour of cleaner fish is providing a new and interesting take on how the sector cares for and uses ballan wrasse and lumpfish to the best of their abilities. Different personalities are naturally better suited to different jobs among humans, so it is fascinating to see the same is true of these species. Building on previous SAIC-backed research and further combining academic and sector expertise, the development of new camera-based technology could be transformational for the sector's approach to using cleaner fish.'

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£2m water quality project to protect river ecosystems

New research led by the University of Stirling is to explore how pollution and climate change are impacting freshwater ecosystems for the first time.

Image credit: Neil Williamson on Flickr
(CC BY-SA 2.0)

The study, which has been awarded funding of £2million from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), will investigate how pollutants interact with rivers and ecosystems, and devise a system to monitor and measure pollution.

Professor Andrew Tyler, the Scotland Hydro Nation Chair and project lead, says, 'Our rivers and freshwater species are being challenged by a bewildering combination of pollutant cocktails including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, illicit drugs and micro plastics – the effects of which are poorly understood.

'Now more than ever, climate change is warming waters, increasing flooding and changing rainfall intensity, coupled with increased urbanisation.

'This research will transform our knowledge in this area and use innovative technologies and transformative data analytics to improve our understanding of how climate and evolving mixtures of pollutants interact and ultimately impact on freshwater ecosystems.'

Using next generation sensors and satellite monitoring, experts will assess water pathways, follow pollutants and monitor the impact of contaminants on freshwater environments. The team will also call on existing national data to investigate the impacts of longer-term exposure to pollutant cocktails across the UK on water quality and ecosystems health whilst also identifying effective solutions.

The project, MOT4Rivers, also includes experts from the James Hutton Institute, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, The School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow and is supported by Scottish Water.

Professor Marian Scott, of the University of Glasgow's School of Mathematics & Statistics, is one of the leaders of MOT4Rivers' analytics team. Professor Scott says, 'MOT4Rivers has the potential to make a real impact on the quality of UK freshwaters.

'New sensor technology, supported by high-quality analysis, gives us the chance to tackle pollution in our rivers and their supporting ecosystems. I'm looking forward to working with colleagues to develop our understanding the impact of environmental changes on microbial form and function.'

George Ponton, Head of Research and Innovation at Scottish Water, says, 'This project tackles key questions on the impact of both individual climate extreme events on releasing an increasingly complex cocktail of pollutants from society to aquatic ecosystems and the longer term climate change implications on water quality management across the UK.

'Finding effective solutions to these challenges is part of our strategy to deliver net zero across the water sector.'

The study's findings will be reported in mid-2025, with the research team hopeful the results will inform priorities for policy, regulation and investment in measures to promote sustainable freshwater ecosystems under a changing climate.

For more information visit the University of Stirling website, HERE.

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World Aquaculture 2023 shaping up as a prominent international conference in Darwin

Anticipation and energy is building for WORLD Aquaculture 2023 in Darwin, Australia. This international conference is expected to attract thousands of delegates from across the globe, including from important production areas in the Asia-Pacific region, and from around Australia.

Image credit: European Space Agency on Flickr
(CC BY-SA 2.0)

For the first time since 2014, Australia will host the annual event, this time at the ideally positioned Darwin Convention Centre. Not only is the Darwin Conference Centre positioned on the picturesque waterfront, but Darwin is also within easy travel reach from major aquaculture production regions in Asia, producing around 89 percent of the world's farmed seafood.

Technical sessions are planned to delve into foundational and emerging topics that strengthen aquaculture as a critical contributor to global food security. The WA23 conference theme, Supporting Strength in Aquaculture, comes at a significant time for the diverse international aquaculture sector. Farming plants and animals in water is what aquaculture is all about. This means factors such as a changing climate, extreme weather events, supply chain issues, advancing technology, and a dynamic market influenced by geopolitical events all provide challenges and opportunities for aquaculture. 

The conference will consider these big picture issues and approaches to strengthen different aquaculture systems. WA23 will showcase aquaculture for food production and applications for environmental benefit.

'We have sessions on Regenerative Aquaculture - from using seaweed to clean water to restoration of oysters reefs; sustainable Aquafeed development and exploration of novel ingredients; protecting the health and biosecurity of aquatic animals; Indigenous aquaculture; the Blue Economy; and supporting the mental health of the people that work in aquaculture, just to name a few,' says WA23 Conference Chair and World Aquaculture Society President, Assoc Prof Jennifer Blair.

Seafood Industry Australia, the Australian national peak-body representing the commercial seafood industry, says they are excited the conference is heading down under, allowing the world to experience their first-class aquaculture industry firsthand.

'We look forward to welcoming conference delegates to Darwin, and for the conference to showcase the latest news and innovations in global aquaculture, with a focusing on our Great Australian Seafood.

'Our local industry including our producers and associations are showing great interest in the conference, particularly our producers of salmon, barramundi, prawns (shrimp), and edible oysters.' 

Demand for booths in the trade show has been high, in part because it will have been nine years since the last opportunity to demonstrate aquaculture equipment and services at an international conference in Australia, but also because of rapid advances in technology to share, and the importance of face-to-face network connections for people attending. 

The event will attract international and national industry representatives, scientists, sector analysts, government officials, educators, investors and policy makers to present, exchange ideas and strengthen aquaculture development.

World Aquaculture 2023 (WA23) is a 4-day event, from May 29 to June 1, 2023.

Submission of abstracts for the technical stream and conference registration are open now. Trade show bookings are going quickly. Delegates are encouraged to get in early to book travel and accommodation, as this is a popular time for tourists in Darwin with so much to see and do in the idyllic Northern Territory tropical dry-season.

For more information about the event visit the website, HERE.

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Boost for UK fishing industry with new infrastructure projects announced

Funding to boost the UK fishing industry through projects to upgrade infrastructure and revive local docks has been announced today, as the latest round of investment opens for bids from the UK-wide £100 million Seafood Fund to modernise the sector.

Image credit: Tchami on Flickr
(CC BY-SA 2.0)

Winning projects set to receive a share of £20 million include the expansion of processing facilities for popular British fish like Scottish salmon and Cornish sardines, alongside money to bring an ageing dry dock back to life.

The UK Seafood Fund is a landmark government investment supporting the long-term future and sustainability of the UK fishing and seafood industry, with the infrastructure strand of the Fund helping to pay for upgrades to ports, processing and aquaculture facilities so they can meet future demand whilst also boosting jobs and economic growth.

As well as announcing the winners from the first round of this scheme, the government has today also confirmed a further £30 million will be made available for infrastructure projects as the latest round of funding opens for bidding.

The infrastructure scheme also supports businesses to become more environmentally sustainable, with successful bidders in Round 1 investing in greener technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to more reusable materials.

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer says, 'Fishing communities are an important part of the UK's heritage and they make a valuable contribution to our economy, so we are backing them with funds to boost growth and opportunities across the industry.

'This funding will ensure seafood businesses throughout the supply chain are well-equipped to keep pace with increasing demand at home and abroad, boosting production and sustainability and building a resilient sector for the future.'

Successful bidders from the first round of infrastructure funding will receive a share of £20 million from the government, matched with nearly £50 million of investment from private sources. They include:

• HSH Coldstores who are investing in a cold storage and logistics facility to further expand seafood processing in Grimsby and generate new jobs in the area
• Scottish company Denholm Seafoods who will install equipment to increase production of mackerel and herring landed at Peterhead
• Cornish based Falfish who will invest in new technology to grade, freeze and pack pelagic fish in support of building two purpose-built Sardine fishing vessels
• Shoreham Port who are transforming a historic dry dock into a modern facility for local and visiting fleets

Tom Willis, Chief Executive at Shoreham Port, says, 'We are delighted our application to redevelop the Dry Dock at Shoreham Port has been successful. An essential facility for vessel owners, it is one of the few dry docks remaining in the south of England and is part of our proud history, serving users since the 1930s.

'When engaging with the fishing community, investment in improving Dry Dock capability is consistently highlighted as a priority. The redeveloped Dock will offer excellent dry maintenance facilities for vessels up to 50m in length, with workshop access and quayside space. Commencing shortly, the project will be completed by early next summer'.

Allan Stephen, Director at Denholm Seafoods, says, 'We are delighted with the support we have received from DEFRA, which from the outset has been highly productive. Securing the DEFRA grant will enable Denholm Seafoods to invest in our new freezing and production facilities which will maintain our high quality product.'

The UK has a thriving seafood sector with exports of salmon – one of the UK's most important exports – worth around £600m annually and other abundant fish stocks such as Cornish sardines in demand on the continent for their quality.

For the second round of the UK Seafood Fund infrastructure scheme, which is worth £30 million and opens today, businesses will have until March 2025 to deliver their transformational projects meaning a wider range of organisations will be able to apply.

Defra will also shortly announce successful applicants from the Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships (FISP) scheme, part of the UK Seafood Fund, which funds data collection and research to support sustainable fisheries management. The final FISP round will launch in December 2022.

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New salmon pen concept launched to combat sea lice

Northern Lights Salmon and Sørrollnesfisk are launching together with AKVA group Egersund Net and Framo OptiCage, a new pen concept against salmon lice.

'We have adopted a special net from AKVA group Egersund Net on the pens. With a spaghetti net with a custom-made lice skirt, where the skirt is attached both at the top and bottom of the net, we can go down to a full 15 metres with a lice skirt without experiencing too much deformation,' says Christian Balteskard, Project Manager for Northern Lights Salmon and Sørrollnesfisk.

The battle against lice preoccupies most people in the fish farming industry. For the first time, the lice skirts can be lowered to 15 metres to block the lice out, while pumps bring up fresh, oxygen-rich seawater from the depths.

Utilises existing infrastructure
'It is important to look for solutions that are close at hand, and to utilise existing infrastructure for sustainable results. We have looked at how we can make "simple" changes to adapt and optimise the conditions for the fish. In OptiCage, we have assembled the most optimal solution,' says Mr Balteskard.

In the development, the fish farmers together with AKVA group Egersund Net and Framo have looked at how experience and expertise with almost standard products can be used to optimise pen conditions. The testing of the technology is supported by Innovation Norway's Environmental Technology Scheme.

'The project started in October 2021 and was completed in March 2022. This is an exciting product that means a lot to the concept of deep farming. OptiCage is helping to combat the biggest challenge the fishing industry faces, namely salmon lice. When fresh water is constantly pumped in, this gives the salmon better fish health and reduces mortality,' says Senior Sales Manager Net Products, Geir Kåre Tønnessen, in AKVA group Egersund Net.

Deeper conditions
OptiCage is to be used in six 160-metre pens from NOFI at the Ystevika site in Sør-Troms, Norway. There are already salmon in the first four, and the start-up has been very successful.

The goal of OptiCage is to use existing equipment to create a concept against salmon lice that can be used at many of today's food fish locations. In the design phase, much of the focus has been on finding practical solutions to ensure simple assembly and safe operation. In addition to protecting against salmon lice, the salmon must have good growth and living conditions throughout the cage.

98-minute change of seawater
Framo has used 50 years of pumping expertise from shipping and offshore to help produce sustainable salmon. Together with fish farmers, Framo has worked purposefully to optimise the flow conditions. The powerful water improver Framo AquaStream retrieves fresh seawater at the right temperature from deep below the lice belt. Within 98 minutes, Framo AquaStream has replaced all the water inside the skirt in the pens.

'We have adapted our Framo AquaStream system to verify the technology together with the form-fitting skirt. After successful installation and commissioning, the facility is now in operation with great success,' says Sales Manager Terje Ljones at Framo Innovation.

This ensures that the fish constantly get oxygen-rich water.

'The pumps from Framo create currents in the pen which help to recreate the natural conditions the fish experience out in the sea. The pumps can be run up and down in capacity, and the amount of water moved can thus be adapted to the biomass that is in the pen at any given time,' says Mr Ljones.

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IFFO’s analysis on marine ingredient market trends

A taste of the many statistics and analyses that can be found in the market intelligence reports that IFFO dedicates to its members is reported below, covering IFFO's analysis on marine ingredient market trends from January to September 2022. They include an analysis of both the supply and demand sides of the market, with research focusing also on the global trends of animal farming and fish catches, agri-commodities, commodities' prices and general macro-economic conditions. A specific and additional focus is made on China given that China is by far the main market for marine ingredients.

Image credit: Martin Cooper on Flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

Based on IFFO's membership, which accounts for 55 percent of global marine ingredients production, we report for September 2022 cumulative total fishmeal production for the first nine months of 2022 was in line with the cumulative production reported through September 2021. USA, India, the Iceland/North Atlantic area and the African countries were the regions considered in this report that increased their cumulative production during the first 9 months of 2022. The total cumulative production of fish oil in 2022 was four percent up than the cumulative production reported through September 2021. 

'The European countries, the USA and the African countries were the regions that reported a year-over-year increase thanks to the extraordinary large capelin quota and catch in Northern Europe, a rebound in the landings of menhaden in the Gulf Of Mexico, and healthier catches in South Africa with respect to the same period in 2021,' says Dr Enrico Bachis, IFFO's Market Research Director.

'The Peruvian anchovy historically has been providing the raw material to produce roughly 20 percent of the global tonnage of fishmeal and fish oil, with its prices becoming a world´s benchmark for all trades of marine ingredients. Therefore, the most impacting market update is today's announcement by the Peruvian authorities that the second fishing season of anchovy and white anchovy in the North-Centre of the country for the year 2022 will start with an exploratory fishing exercise of 5 days, starting on that same day, the 23rd November 2022. The quota for this region has been fixed at 2.283 million tons. 

"The quota indicates a healthy biomass, estimated at 6,826,839 metric tons. Once again, the positive effects of the responsible management of the largest reduction fishery in the world is confirmed.' 

China's marine ingredients production remains subdued
After the difficult first half of the year, domestic production of marine ingredients seems to be struggling also in the second half of 2022. Supply remained subdued through October as raw material from wild captures was reported below expectations. The La Niña phenomenon affecting the distribution of the local biomass and the stricter environmental measures imposed by the Chinese authorities to protect the domestic fishery resources are often cited as the main causes for such disappointing performance. Nonetheless, cumulative imports of foreign fishmeal are slightly below last year's levels, following the late start of the aquaculture main season back in May and the financial losses of the pig sector in the first part of the year.

Aquafeed production in September is expected to have decreased month on month, as consumption was severely affected by new Covid-19 lockdowns. 

Pig prices weakened recently following a weaker demand in the areas hit by Covid-19 outbreaks. Supply is expected to seasonally grow in the rest of 2022, though, as the weather gets colder nationwide inviting higher consumption of pork. Given the recovery of the domestic pig supply, imported pork meat continues to decline.

Domestic prices of soybean recently surged as the supply became tighter when demand for animal started to improve. Soybean imports had risen in September in view of the seasonally higher consumption in quarter IV. Similarly, corn prices have started to climb.

For more information visit the IFFO website, HERE.

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Women in aquatic value chains - a FISH4ACP virtual tour

Women play a major role in fisheries and aquaculture. Yet, their voices are not always heard and the work they do is often overlooked. That's why FISH4ACP's virtual tour will put a spotlight on women in fisheries and aquaculture value chains.

Image credit: Matt Kiefer on Flickr
(CC BY-SA 2.0)

They will take you to The Gambia to learn about women running the show in oyster production and to Zambia, where women are in charge of processing and selling kapenta from Lake Tanganyika.

The event will explore the challenges women face in gaining equal rights and decision-making power, and in improving working conditions. It will also look at initiatives promoting gender equity.

This is the sixth edition of FISH4ACP's virtual tour, an online conversation on fisheries and aquaculture value chain development bringing together local fisher folk and fish workers, value chain stakeholders, experts, donors and the development community.

The event will cover:

• Videos on oyster production in the Gambia and the kapenta sector in Zambia
• Expert debate with the participation of local stakeholders and experts on the role of women in aquatic value chains, the challenges women face and initiatives to promote gender equity
• Discussions – actively engaging the audience – on issues related to gender in fisheries and aquaculture value chains, including equal rights, fair representation and working conditions

The webinar is set to take place December 13, 2022, 14:30 – 16:00 (CET).

For more information and to register visit the website, HERE.

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Cargill appoints Brian Sikes as President and Chief Executive Officer, and Dave MacLennan as Executive Chair of the Board

Cargill has announced Brian Sikes has been elected President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective Jan. 1, 2023. With this transition, Dave MacLennan will assume the role of Executive Chair of Cargill's Board of Directors.

Mr Sikes will be the 10th CEO in Cargill's 157-year history and brings a strong track record of business operational rigor to the role, having grown the company's global Protein and Salt enterprise into an industry leader. Mr Sikes currently serves as Cargill's Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he has been instrumental in constructing the company's long-term strategy. With broad experience across multiple businesses, cycles and geographies, Mr Sikes held leadership roles in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and served as the head of the company's Talent Center of Expertise. His relentless focus on people and culture, customers, and proven expertise in leading growth and transformation have earned him the trust and respect of Cargill's customers, employees and the Board. 

'As Cargill continues to navigate dynamic global markets, both operational excellence and a clearly articulated vision driven by purpose and values will define the company's success, and there is no better person than Brian to lead Cargill,' says Mr MacLennan. 'He's a person of action and results, with a relentless passion for serving our customers and our people. Brian has the qualities we value in a strong leader—integrity, empathy, resilience and authenticity. Under his leadership, I am confident the best days for Cargill, and its greatest contributions, lie ahead.'

A Transformational Leader
Mr Sikes will succeed Mr MacLennan, who joined the company in 1991 and served in multiple executive roles, including CFO and COO, before becoming the company's Chairman and CEO in 2013. During his nine years at the company's helm, Mr MacLennan helped achieve outstanding financial results while feeding millions of families and building community resilience in more than 125 countries worldwide. His long-term strategic vision and willingness to disrupt are exemplified by his leadership on the largest acquisitions in the company's history, including Croda (bioindustrials), EWOS (aquaculture), Diamond V (animal nutrition), and Sanderson and Wayne Farms (poultry). In addition, the company built expertise in alternative proteins and has developed technologies and digital solutions to transform farming, supply chains and food delivery during his tenure.

Mr MacLennan is passionate about employee well-being, never compromising worker health and safety for production. He created Cargill's sustainability office and built a culture that prioritises and celebrates diversity, equity and inclusion. Under his leadership, the company is on a path to achieve gender parity by 2030 and the representation of women on the Executive Team has increased to 46 percent. In addition, he has been an industry leader in sustainability, particularly around climate change. He prioritised action, not just making commitments, with programs like RegenConnect™, which has advanced regenerative agriculture practices on 158,000 acres of North American farmland, and BeefUp Sustainability, which has reduced 1.7 million metric tons of CO2. 

'I am honoured to succeed Dave as Cargill's President and CEO,' says Mr Sikes. 'Under his visionary leadership, Cargill has a solid foundation, business model and culture that positions us for long-term success. Our 160,000 employees across Cargill are the best in the industry. Together, we will grow with customers, strengthen our core and thoughtfully target new markets to ensure we are a reliable, sustainable partner for our customers –today and in the future.'

In his role as Executive Chair of the Board, Mr MacLennan will ensure a smooth leadership transition, serve as a trusted strategic advisor to Mr Sikes, the company and the Board and support Cargill's long-term strategic plan.

For more information about Cargill visit the website, HERE.

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Funding announced for major aquaculture project in Thailand and Vietnam

The University of Stirling has secured major funding to improve the welfare of farmed fish in Thailand and Vietnam, with the aim of enhancing the quality of fish for human consumption.

Image credit: michael davis-burchat on Flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

The Institute of Aquaculture, which is a world leader in its field, has been awarded £780,000 for the project from Open Philanthropy.

The funding will help researchers improve resources for farmers in areas where fish produced is eaten locally and where there are some of the largest concentrations of the production and consumption of farmed fish and shellfish globally.

Professor Dave Little, Deputy Head of the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling, is one of the researchers leading the project. He says, 'Across Asia there are serious welfare issues that affect millions of aquatic animals and there is an urgent need to drive change. In addition, there is very little awareness about the importance of improving the situation.

'This significant research funding will help tackle these issues and we hope it will vastly improve aquatic animal welfare, result in fewer losses, produce a higher standard of meat, and boost the economy.'

The research will support transformational change in the welfare of farmed fish across the continent. Interventions will have the potential to avoid unnecessary harm and pain to the fish, help farmers improve efficiency and business resilience, support a sustainable environment, contribute to a healthier general population, and combat poverty and hunger.

The team of aquaculture academics will do this by mapping opportunities for improved welfare, establishing networks of stakeholders, supporting education and advocacy, research into delivering improvements and removing barriers, and developing guidelines. Outcomes will be disseminated through videos, podcasts, course materials and a resource website, publicised through social media channels and relevant publications.

A key element of the project will be supporting local researchers and working closely with other stakeholders to develop innovative approaches to improving fish welfare practically, all while raising awareness and interest among consumers. The work will fund and support the development of the most promising small projects in both countries to help achieve these goals.

Importantly, the project will also make a fully funded MSc scholarship to study at the Institute of Aquaculture available to a Thai and Vietnamese national, harnessing and growing the potential of local talent to continue work in this area into the future.

The project will last two years and is also being led by Professor Jimmy Turnbull, Strategic Lead on Animal Welfare; Dr Amaya Albalat, Senior Lecturer in Welfare and Behaviour; and Dr Sonia Rey Planellas, Lecturer in Welfare and Behaviour.

For more information about the Institute of Aquaculture visit the website, HERE.

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Scientists ‘kelp’ to recycle marine waste from inactive oil platforms

In a global first, marine growth found on the legs, known as jackets, of decommissioned oil and gas platforms could form the basis of new novel livestock and aquaculture feeds, as researchers look at ways to reuse the material, which can include seaweed, mussels and corals.

Environmentally responsible decommissioning company, CessCon Decom, has teamed up with researchers at Abertay University to explore how marine growth – a waste by-product of the decommissioning process – can be recycled and reused. In line with forecasts from Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) the feasibility study, which is supported by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), could result in up to 40,000 tonnes of marine growth found on platform jackets being recycled over the next decade.

Current European regulations prohibit energy companies from leaving behind any part of a disused platform, stating that operators must return sites to a clean seabed. CessCon's decommissioning model already sees over 99 percent of decommissioned materials recycled, but the company is working towards 100 percent.

At the end of a platform's lifecycle, various types of marine species are found on the underwater jacket. Algae, seaweed, mussels, anemones, and hard and soft coral can be found at different depths, depending on environmental conditions in the water. One of the aims of the project is to gain a better understanding of the matter that is typically found, including the composition of fatty acids and proteins which could be turned into feed ingredients for other sectors.

Karen Seath, environment and regulatory affairs director at CessCon, says, 'As the North Sea oil and gas sector matures, the decommissioning sector has an incredibly important role to play in making sure that the parts of those installations which are no longer in use and are required to be brought to shore are disposed of safely and responsibly.

'Our process is built around circular economy principles and we have set an ambitious target to reach the point where 100 percent of the decommissioned materials brought onshore are reused, reconditioned, refurbished or recycled. At the moment, marine growth is typically sent to landfill or incinerated, but we recognise the opportunity to do more and use this waste to support the supply chains of other sectors.

'There is also ongoing debate as to whether the clean seabed policy is in fact the best way forward, environmentally and financially. In other global markets, for instance, we have seen decommissioned infrastructure converted to artificial reefs and left in the sea, thereby maintaining the underwater ecosystem that is created over the course of the platform's life. At this point in time, however, unless given dispensation, infrastructure in European waters at the end of its life must come out, and we aim to reuse and recycle the material in the most environmentally conscious way.'

The study follows a 2018 collaboration between Abertay University and Scottish fishing net manufacturer W&J Knox Ltd, which saw waste material collected on nets turned into livestock feed.

Boon-Seang Chu, lecturer in food science at Abertay University, says, 'Our previous research has shown that the proteins and fatty acids, such as Omega-3, contained in aquaculture waste can become valuable feed ingredients for agriculture and aquaculture. This study is about understanding the nutritional composition of the marine growth retrieved from decommissioned rigs, whether onshore or offshore, and the feasibility of recovering proteins and fatty acids from the waste materials. The results of this work will help advise follow-on steps of the project.'

Liz Fletcher, director of business engagement at IBioIC, adds, 'The collaboration between CessCon and Abertay University is a great example of an initiative that could see the waste from one industry turned into a valuable resource for another. Marine biomass is one of many inputs that can be used by the biotechnology sector to produce a range of products and materials that will ultimately help Scotland to reach its net zero goals.' 

The Aquaculturists

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Garware shows new development for protection against predators

Garware's Rigid Sapphire X18 sea lion net for vertical drop design stands out for being a sea lion net with high rigidity, ideal for the straight fall design, suitable for places with abundant attacks by sea lions and with great resistance to abrasion in exposed centers.

We know that the interaction of sea lions with farms is one of the problems of Chilean salmon farming. The use of the rigid Sapphire X18 seal net is ideal for the design of vertical drop seals, it implies a decrease in diving man-hours, with benefits both in safety and costs, it is appropriate for the periods of sowing, harvesting and changes of nets 'It emerged as a specific development for a local customer requirement and now our customers in general are already testing it; it works well, some have even migrated to this rigid wall solution, noting good operational results in the farming centers,' emphasises Marcos Jofré, Garware Technical Fibres Chile business associate.

They stand out as the main advantages of a Sapphire X18 net vs. another rigid net: it is easier to install and uninstall, it presents less breakage, damage and deformation, its depth and width are adaptable to the characteristics of any cultivation center, with higher abrasion resistance, optimal for exposed cores and significantly more economical in its class. Also, after uninstallation, it keeps its shape and it is easier to service it at the nets workshop.

For its part, the superiority it offers when compared to a traditional net is due to the fact that: it allows the boats to approach, with less danger of breaking and with a reduction in diving hours, which entails the reduction of associated risks and also without danger to ships.

'When a sea lion nets is opened or released, for example, for planting, harvesting, treatments, handling or changing nets, that is when the sea lions takes the opportunity to hook, whereas the Sapphire X18 net protects better. Also, fewer turnbuckles are used in rigid designs, approximately 50 percent less. After the incubation and development of this solution, it was put into operation and some clients are already in their second cycle,' says Mr Jofré.

In Chile, sea lion have been a prohibited fishing resource for decades. Its proliferation lacks control and both fishermen and aquaculturists must protect their investments with physical barriers that prevent their passage and make them give up. Their attacks are permanent over time and intensify before mating periods. The sea lions, in addition to being voracious, are "intelligent", where it is easier for them they will go to eat, going to the centers with fewer defenses. Garware agree that nets are fundamental inputs for farms, they must be resistant, in order to take care of the most precious asset, the clients' salmon. 

For more information about Garware visit the website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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