New agreement between Graintec and ImpactMarine to establish RAS facilities

Graintec, a technology supplier for the aquaculture industry, and ImpactMarine, have entered into a deal to establish and construct a number of land-based aquaculture facilities.

The agreement between two companies is to help facilitate the development of ImpactMarine's aquaculture businesses and enable the installation of Graintec's RAS technology into new markets, Graintec explained in a press release.

They are planning on delivering a minimum of four facilities, as Graintec will be provided access to new markets for their RAS technology and ImpactMarine will have access to design resources for any future projects.

From left: Jens Jensen, Business Developer and Michael Mortensen, CEO, Graintec and David Hampton, CEO, ImpactMarine

CEO of Graintec, Michael Mortensen, said of the agreement: "We are very excited to partner with ImpactMarine. They have an ambitious plan and a business model with a fantastic ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) proposition. The strategic cooperation provides a strong foundation for us to deliver on our commitment to developed reliable and sustainable farming solutions to support the production of better fish for more people."

Echoing his sentiments, the CEO of ImpactMarine David Hampton remarked: "The strategic cooperation agreement with Graintec is an important step in the development of ImpactMarine. Having a long-term agreement with Graintec provides ImpactMarine with access to industry leading expertise in RAS and will also ensure that we are able not only to deliver our immediate plans but also that both we and Graintec are seen as leaders of the blue revolution over the coming years."

ImpactMarine is developing a number of controlled environment aquaculture facilities utilising its RAS technology, and has sites established in eastern Mediterranean, Oceania and Southern Africa. Graintec as a supplier of aquaculture technology, has been involved in the design of aquafeed factories for over two decades, having celebrated its thirty-year presence in the aquaculture industry in 2015. 

Graintec signed an agreement with SalmoTerra back in November, to supply them with their first land-based fish farm for the primary species that they farm, Atlantic Salmon. You can read more about that, HERE.

For more information on Graintec visit their website, HERE.

Image credit: Graintec

The Aquaculturists

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BIM opens scheme to help Ireland’s inshore sector adjust to post-Brexit trading conditions

A scheme to support Ireland's inshore fishing sector to adjust their business to the post-Brexit market is now open for applications following the announcement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D.

Image credit: bluesbby on Flickr
(CC BY 2.0)

Ireland's inshore fishing sector is made up of some 1,800 vessels, which catch a range of fish and shellfish species while typically operating in waters close to the coast. The sector had exported up to 90 percent of its catch, however, the advent of Brexit and associated new fishing agreements, have had an impact on export trends, as accessing or transiting through the UK market is now more complex.

The new scheme is based on recommendations contained within the final report of the Seafood Taskforce that was established by Minister McConalogue. The new scheme is being administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) as recommended in the report.

Under the scheme, depending on the size of their boat, grant aid of between €2,700 and €4,000 is available for fishing vessel owners on completion of a tailored training programme.

Jim O'Toole, CEO BIM, says there were specific challenges facing the inshore sector in the post-Brexit landscape and the support on offer would help them adapt their business model to address these new working conditions.

'This short-term scheme is designed to help the sector navigate the difficult trading conditions facing them as a result of Brexit. This scheme has been designed to support the Inshore sector to adjust to the new market realities post-Brexit and will provide real and practical benefit to the sector through a range of easily accessible courses that will help them strengthen their skills and help them find new opportunities for their businesses.'

Under the new scheme, fishing vessel owners with boats up to eight metres in length can apply for grant aid up to €2,700, while those with fishing vessels up to 18 metres in length can apply for grant aid of up to €4,000. For vessel owners to be eligible, they must show that they were actively fishing between January and June 2021.

To receive their grant, applicants must complete at least one of five online training courses that are designed to provide the sector with the skills to adapt to the new market realities post-Brexit. These courses are designed to enable vessel owners to explore finding new market opportunities for their catch, adjust their business plans to account for the new market conditions, use digital technology to reach customers directly, help maximise the value of their catch and show how they can access alternative markets.

The scheme is open for applications until March 31, 2022.

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

The Aquaculturists

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The world’s first industrial programme dedicated to beetle genetics has been launched by Ÿnsect

Ÿnsect announces the launch of ŸNFABRE, the first industrial genomic selection programme applied to mass insect breeding. More specifically, the programme brings together a number of fields of expertise and powerful innovations in developing phenotyping tools (biological trait identification) and genotyping tools (identification of genomic variation), mathematical models and industrial processes. 

The ŸNFABRE project looks set to enable the creation of pioneer units that will both select and multiply effective, resilient insect lines and help further our understanding of insect biology.

A breakthrough programme resulting from combined expertise
Lying, as it does, on the interface between industry and R&D, the ŸNFABRE programme is sustained by a consortium of companies established in their field, and a benchmark public laboratory. To Ÿnsect's leadership in the processing and breeding of insects has been added CEA-Gencoscope's know-how in sequencing and the genetics of mealworms, Aprex Solutions' digital imaging/video analysis tools based on artificial intelligence and the high-throughput sequencing and genotyping of Thermo Fisher Scientific.

The programme has received €4.34M in funding, as part of the call for 'Competitiveness Structuring Projects' as part of the State's Investments for the Future Policy (IFP) being managed by BPI. It was fostered by the support of the French poultry and aquaculture breeder's union (SYSAAF) and received a twofold endorsement: from the Vitagora competitiveness hub and by the Agri-Food Sector Strategic Committee. This programme, unique in the world, enables the reinforcement of real synergies towards dissemination and gaining acceptance of emerging breakthroughs in the industry, within the scientific community, and amongst decision-makers and society generally.

'The genome thus obtained by CEA in collaboration with Ÿnsect, using cutting-edge methods, is of exceptional quality, with DNA sequence lengths almost as long as the chromosomes themselves. This is a major breakthrough for the sector, enabling us to begin unprecedented studies on the relationship between genes. We are at the start of a new science of the beetle and have little doubt that new properties of our insect, particularly in the field of health, are set to be discovered over the coming months and years.' Adds Thomas Lefebvre, Ÿnsect's VP R&D BioTech Innovations Director of BioTech Innovations R&D.

The ŸNFABRE project is aimed at helping to provide tangible answers to food security issues and to have a real environmental impact in line with French, European and international sustainability programmes (EU Green Deal, FOOD 2030, COP21, FAO SDGs).

'The recognition and funding received by this project have been unprecedented and underline the strategic importance of genetics in Ÿnsect's development. With ŸNFABRE, we are taking part in a new breakthrough approach to bring out new cutting-edge technologies and advance scientific knowledge of insects. ŸNFABRE is also a major and structuring programme which has the potential to help strengthen the leadership of France and Ÿnsect in insect breeding even as global competition is intensifying,' Ÿnsect's CEO, Antoine Hubert adds.

For more information about Ÿnsect visit the website, HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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