Aquaculture UK 2014 see Novartis award presented at gala dinner

Today International Aquafeed attended a series of six conference at Aquaculture UK 2014, hosted by Novartis, featuring talks by PhD and Masters students from Scottish universities. 

Their research touched upon important aquacultural topics and all were competing for the chance to visit Prince Edward Island, Canada, the home of Novartis' fish vaccination centre.

And IAF can announce the winner of the Aquaculture UK 2014 Gala Dinner and prize giving ceremony which has just come to an end! By coincidence it was the presenter we had listened to and decided was the most appropriate for us to report on here. 

The winner is Ms Marie Smedley and we present here a brief synopsis of her presentation which was a particular highlight for us.

Entitled 'Nutrition as a tool to improve performance in Triploid Atlantic salmon (salmo salar) in freshwater and seawater production' - by Marie Smedley, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling.

Marie is completing a PhD study into Atlantic salmon Triploids. Sponsoring this study were Biomar and Marine Harvest Scotland. 

Triploids are sterile fish which have three chromosomes in their genetic make up and can be seen as sustainable to farm commercially. The fish are still not perfect because they display reduced tolerance to sub-optimal environments, she told her audience. 

However, she understands that it is not a sustainable solution in terms of cost to farm on a larger scale.

Marie believes that Triploids and phosphorus to be a winning combination; she explained to us that their phosphorous requirement must be met from the diet and cannot be met by freshwater or seawater environments. 

Bactocell - a product from Lallemand - was also used and had a positive effect on mitigating malformation development of vertebrae and jaw growth and was used after phosphorus.

Triploids in the study grew faster in general as opposed to the diploid salmon. The growth was marked after the first four months, then it was 20-30 percent faster in freshwater and 10 percent faster in seawater, compared to normal diploid fish and normal conditions

Tomorrow is the final day of Aquaculture UK 2014 at the MacDonald Resort in Aviemore. It's been an eventful day in this beautiful part of Scotland!

 

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

Aquaculture UK

Come along and meet the team behind The Aquaculturists and International Aquafeed magazine today at Aquaculture UK 2014 in Aviemore, Scotland . Find us at stand 81

Aquaculture UK - what is happening right now!

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23/05/14: SalMar - Results for the first quarter 2014

SalMar achieved its strongest ever operational EBIT in the first quarter 2014 as a result of record high salmon prices. Although biological challenges once again had an impact on earnings during the period, the company's ongoing programmes are now bearing fruit and are leading to a steady improvement in underlying operational performance. SalMar made an operational EBIT of NOK 485 million during the period, a rise of NOK 137 million from the previous quarter and a substantial NOK 250 million more than in the corresponding period last year.

 

The result is due to high salmon prices, but we are also seeing indications of improved operating performance and reductions in underlying costs from some of our farming segments," says SalMar's CEO Leif Inge Nordhammer. "At the same time, the biological situation remains challenging. The growing intensity of salmon lice infestation and increasing resistance to treatment that we see ahead could affect fish growth rates and harvesting plans in coming quarters, with attendant consequences for costs."

The average price of salmon was 32 per cent higher in the first quarter 2014 than in the same quarter last year. SalMar's gross operating revenues rose to NOK 1.6 billion, up around NOK 350 million from the first quarter 2013. In total the Group harvested some 27,800 tonnes of salmon during the period (23,200 tonnes). As a result, operational EBIT per kg in the quarter came to NOK 17.45 (NOK 10.14).

All the fish farming segments posted satisfactory results, although regional differences remain considerable. Operations at SalMar Central Norway and the Rauma segment were affected by biological and logistical challenges, with EBIT per kg closing the quarter at NOK 19.35 and NOK 15.68 respectively. SalMar Northern Norway, on the other hand, posted a record EBIT per kg of NOK 21.05.

The Sales and Processing segment is now able to keep PD-infected fish in holding pens prior to harvesting, which has improved production efficiency. However, lower than normal harvesting volumes reduced capacity utilisation. The segment's results were also negatively affected by the Group's fixed-price contracts, which accounted for 35 per cent of the total harvested volume during the period. From sales revenues of just under NOK 1.4 billion in the period, the segment made an operating loss of NOK 28 million. Contracts are expected to account for approx. 40 per cent of volume in the coming quarter.

The current average weight of the fish transferred to the sea in the spring of 2013 is lower than the corresponding 2012 generation had at the same point last year. Although this will have an impact on the volume harvested in the coming quarter, the overall level is still expected to be slightly higher than in the first quarter.

Based on the estimated standing biomass at the close of the period, the global output of Atlantic salmon is forecast to grow by around 7 per cent in 2014 as a whole. SalMar is experiencing strong demand in all the company's core markets, and expects the salmon market to remain strong for the rest of the year.

SalMar is keeping its harvesting forecast unchanged, and still expects to harvest 133,000 tonnes in Norway in 2014. Norskott Havbruk (Scottish Seafarms) expects to produce a total of 25,000 tonnes in 2014, with SalMar's 50 per cent share coming to 12,500 tonnes. 

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