Ocean Approved LLC get approval for Kelp farm go ahead

A company in the new area of kelp farming has received approval for an experimental aquaculture lease in Casco Bay an inlet of the Gulf of Maine. Ocean Approved LLC, which owners say created the first kelp farm in America in 2009, also in Casco Bay, received approval January 24 from the Department of Marine Resources for a three-year lease for 3.03 acres off of Jewell Island. They are still awaiting the approval for a second site of the same size off Chebeague Island.

Dobbins and his partner, Tollef Olson, plan to use the sites as underwater laboratories, experimenting with different growing conditions to find the ideal setting for a longer-term kelp farm. They grow three varieties of kelp, each native to Casco Bay. The  approved site off of Jewell Island is a high-energy zone, Dobbins said, with significant tidal movement. The Chebeague Island site is a low-energy site, he said. “These two zones are where we'll go to make our mistakes and our success,” Dobbins said. “We still have some research to do.” Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers. To get your copy of  'PPLAPP' click here.

Prawn farming project in Kilinochchi launched by NAQDA

The National Aquaculture Development Authority of the Ministry of Fisheries has launched a large scale brackish water prawn farming project in the Kilinochchi District. This natural prawn farming project has been launched in the Chundikulam reservoir by the Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Douglas Devananda by releasing 25 million post larvae obtained from different breeding centres in the island into the reservoir. The reservoir extends over 32,500 acres and holds a massive volume of brackish water.

The Northern Province Governor Major General GA Chandrasiri has allocated Rs15 million (US$131,688.688), to start the project. 14 co-operatives have been established with a membership of about 1,500 to manage the project. NAQDA officials informed that a fully grown prawn will weigh about 100 grams and harvest could be obtained in a period of 3½ months. They said that unlike fresh water prawns, these brackish water prawns do not need special food or supplying of oxygen as they solely feed on micro organisms found in the water. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers. To get your copy of  'PPLAPP' click here.

Exports of tilapia to be extended from Honduras

During 2011, Honduras exported 19.1 million pounds (8,600 tons) of tilapia to the US, Canada and Mexico. Orlando Delgado, manager of Aquafinca Saint Peter Fish said in an interview "that 2011 had been a good year for exporting, and more growth has been predicted for 2012. "This year we are exporting a higher value cuts of tilapia that have an additional value to the steak, and its is directed to a segment of the upper middle class market in the US".

 The prediction for the end of 2012 is that Honduras would have exported about 20 million pounds of tilapia, representing a growth of eight percent compared to 2011. The income achieved from this would be over the US$60 million (€45.922 million), obtained in 2011. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers. To get your copy of  'PPLAPP' click here.