Blue Frontier Magazine # 2 | 2014

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Blue Frontier

MAGAZINE No 2 | 2014 | NOK 50 | €10 | $10 | £5

Market growth for crop from the “blue field” Much more research is needed to gather essential knowledge in the field of seaweed cultivation. Four years after Olavur Gregersen (right) founded Ocean Rainforest, there is a growing market for the farmed seaweed from the Faroe Islands.

READ OUR REPORT ON PAGES 4-7.

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Photographer Gorm K. Gaare shot this picture at a subsea conference in Oslo.

Judged by the engagement, conference delegates of the future are already busy learning about and questioning new innovations.

Diverse bio-marine agenda at top meeting in Cascais

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op executives from around the world meets to discuss marine bio-resources in the 5th BioMarine Business Convention. 300 executives and entrepreneurs participates in the conference on the 30th and 31st October at the Estoril Congress Centre in Cascais.

The conference is under the High Patronage of the Presidency of the Republic of Portugal and HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.

The BioMarine Business Convention headed by founder Pierre Erwes, brings to Portugal one of the leading places for investment in the main sectors of marine bio-resources, including ingredients and raw material producers, aquafeed and nutrition, health and pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biomaterials, environment and clean technologies. Over 30 countries are expected to engage and discuss new business opportunities in this fast growing “Blue Economy”.

During two days the platform includes thematic round tables, CEOs interviews, pitching sessions, live cast debates, one

THE BLUE PLANET

to one business meetings and networking lunches.

An increasingly complex global economy demands ongoing dialogue between industry leaders, investors, applied research and government decision-makers.

The BioMarine Business Convention 2014, hosted by Cascais Municipality, is pleased to count on the presence of key stakeholders, such as AquaGen and Nofima from Norway, Soja de Portugal, Allma and A4F from Portugal, Shoalhaven biomarine biotech cluster from Australia, Tinicum Investment Fund, Sapphire Energy, Kincannon & Reed from USA, HIE the Scottish Government’s economic and community development agency, among many others, as well as representatives from the Governments of Portugal, Aquitaine Region- France, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Norway.

Read Q&A with Pierre Erwes on pages 28-29.

A channel for marine news

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We are proud to inform about Blue Frontier Magazine’s new home; Blue Frontier Media AS, a new media start-up in the global biomarine knowledge and busi- ness community. Blue Frontier Magazine will in the time to come increase the publishing of news, in-depth stories and analytical articles on marine innovation and solutions regularly on the webpage http://bluefrontiermagazine.com and in this magazine.

This issue, #2, 2014, is published in print at the BioMarine Business Convention. The pdf is distributed globally to the marine innovation audience linked via email newsletter.

We hope you and your marine business will see this good opportunity to partner with Blue Frontier Media AS, and contribute to build a signifcant player in the communication of innovation news in the marine sector.

The Biomarine Business Convention is one of the global hotspot for new marine related ideas. We are in Cascais to see, listen and discuss - searching for new stories to tell in the world of marine innovation.

We look forward to further develop Blue Frontier Media and Blue Frontier Magazine to become significant global channel for marine innovation. www.bluefrontiermagazine.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: MAGNE OTTERDAL | PUBLISHER: BLUE FRONTIER MEDIA AS | ORG.NO.996487458MVA | CHAIRMAN: ØYSTEIN LIE, OFFICE: GAUSTADALLÉEN 21 - 0349 OSLO | TEL: 0047 468 44 123 | EPOST: POST@BLUEFRONTIERMAGAZINE.COM | COPYRIGHT©2012-2014 | PRINT: KRAFT DIGITAL PRINT AS

REINVESTING IN R&D MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

EWOS is a world leader in the research, development and manufacture of feed and nutrition to the international aquaculture industry.

KNOWLEDGE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.

EWOS.COM

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Scaling of bio-marine res

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he marine sector is currently, and since several decades, the fastest growing field supply of food and bio products but still contributing approx.

1/50 of the terrestrial based food supply, only.

Preparing for long term solution to many of the challenges of mankind is urgent: the escalating global food needs, the life style diseases, the foot print impacts of existing production systems and not the least: the world economy is currently tumbling and struggling with recurrent recessions based on overdue non sustainable systems and is hence ready for a new economy paradigm shift from the non-renewable to the renewable one. From fossile based resources to living based resources, from

“yesterday oil” to the “new oil”: the sustainable bio economy.

This must involve substantial scaling of production from marine resources because of its favorable foot print structure as well because of documented restrictions on terrestrial based supply.

COMMENTARY ØYSTEIN LIE, Executive Manager MarLife, Founder GenoMar, co-founder BICA, Dean Norwegian University of Life Sci. and chair Blue Frontier Media AS.

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ow can we advance the blue part of the emerging bio economies in a sustainable way and also provide big business opportunities?

The answer lies in linking the challenges with release of creative innovative power. All empirics tell us that challenges leads to creative solutions provided necessary

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An intensive culturing station for aquaculture research is run by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, a partner in EU research project AQUAEXCEL to help fish farmers become more competitive. © juanafonso

esources premises are in place. The latter involves a series of facilitating components, the most important of which is the human resources: education, knowledge, skills, science.

Then there is the enabling technologies, the trans boundary untapped synergy between disciplines and sectors and not the least the willingness of private public partnerships to assemble and collaborate on the critical instruments (human resources, grants, funds, infrastructure, incentives, political and legal frameworks etc.) to foster the very best ecosystem for innovation.

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The microalgae alternative Brazil is one of the most relevant countries to produce microalgae as an alternative to soy in fish feed.

The global production of salmon feed is currently at 3.506 million tons. Originally salmon feed consisted mostly of fish meal and fish oil, but gradually, in the absence of fishmeal more and more soybean meal has been added. Now PÅL MYHRE soybean products, with their 649,000 tons (18.5%), are making the largest proportion of the feed and to produce the rising demand for soybeans, large COMMENTARY areas of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest has been cleared for cultivation.

Meanwhile, Brazil has, with its 8.400 km long coastline and 16,500 hectares of constructed shrimp farms, achieved great development in its shrimp farming industry during the past 15 years. Normally, the cultivation water of the shrimp farm is full of microalgae (phytoplankton) from which have been inoculated and cultivated prior to the ingression of the shrimp post larvae, and up to 50 % of the shrimp feed requirement could be covered by this microalgae bloom. In other words, there are already largescale production of algae along the Brazilian coast.

Brazil favorable Aurora Algae, one of the key players who bet on large-scale production of omega -3 fatty acid EPA from microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata in Australia, has pointed to Brazil as one of the most relevant countries to produce microalgae, due to the favorable climatic conditions and the immense land availability. Based on the calculations of one of the most recognized algae scientists, Mario R. Tredici at University of Florence, a large-scale cultivation of Nannochloropsis oculata could annually yield up to 30 tons of omega -3 - rich algal

oil per hectare. If Brazil adopts its vast potential of 300,000 hectare, nearly 9 million tons of algal oil could be produced, and not to forget the 9 million tons protein fraction that remains after the oil is extracted from the algae biomass which can replace soybean products in salmon feed.

Time for large scale SINTEF has discovered that up to 6% untreated algal biomass can be mixed into salmon feed without compromising growth and digestion of salmon. Even as much as a 12% mixture showed no negative effects on the intestine morphology.

A further mixing is likely to require a treatment of algal biomass similar to that made with soy to make it more digestible for the salmon.

Now is the time to intensify the production of algal biomass up the Brazilian coast where conditions are favorable for development on a large scale, nor let the Amazon rainforest take care of its important contribution to the CO2 balance, while algae farms along the coast can absorb huge amounts of CO2 in the production of salmon feed and raw materials for the omega -3 industry.

Then we can hand on heart say that salmon farming has indeed become sustainable again.

• It’s a bad idea to feed fish with fish. Feed based on algae are the closest to being an option. Read the full interview with Odd Magne Rødseth at http://bluefrontiermagazine.com

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Crop from wet fields

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A combination of business and research is the way forward for Ocean Rainforest’s seaweed cultivation off the coast of the Faroe Islands.

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Since the first seed lines were anchored in the open ocean north of the village Funningur in 2010, the manager of Ocean Rainforest, Ólavur Gregersen, have gathered enough data and experience to know that there is a market for the seaweed and not least that much more research is needed to gather essential knowledge in the field of seaweed cultivation.

tellef øgrim

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- First we wanted to find out if we can grow enough to sustain a commercial seaweed operation. The interest for our seaweed in the market confirms that this is possible, says Gregersen on the phone with Blue Frontier Magazine.

He mainly finds customers for the brown algae saccharina latissima among producers of cosmetics and vegetarian food in Germany.

Gregersen ascribes the market interest to the higher quality of seaweed from open ocean in one of Europe’s more windy outposts.

The reason why the seaweed is of better quality than seaweed farmed elsewhere is however still not completely clear. Gregersen mentions sea depths and sea temperature as the two probable reasons, but the weight of the two elements in the final equation is not yet conclusive.

- The fact is that we can harvest three times a year, while other European cultivation projects manage one or maybe two harvests, and that our seaweed is of better quality. Here the sea temperature stays between 9-12 degrees Celsius throughout the year, while in Norway or in Denmark it can reach 20 degrees. Another possible explanation is the depths of the sea where we anchor our seed lines.

No contact, please He explains that 40-50 meters of water between the seabed and the upper 15 meters, where the seaweed grow, avoids contact between shellfish and other creatures on the bottom and the seaweed. If this or low temperature is the reason why cultivated seaweed from other projects are of lesser qualities, he cannot say yet.

- So choosing a deeper anchoring place can compensate for the seawater being warmer than it is at the Faroe Islands?

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- That is possible. Our system is designed to be anchored in exposed areas. Where we are today we have waves between 6-7 meters in winter.

Our rig has survived for four winters in very high winds. In order to be in deep water you have to have a strong structure.

The rig basically consists of horizontal main line with vertical seed lines attached to it.

As a company, Ocean Rainforest follows a commercial and a scientific track simultaneously. And Gregersen wants it to continue like that for the years to come. His aim is to do business as well as contributing to building the knowledge base of the field where he operates. That implies sharing know-how with other actors.

- As a company we have obviously commercial considerations. On the other hand there are many gaps in the knowledge about this area. My general approach is that you gain more knowledge by sharing knowledge. We will continue to participate in conferences and engage in networks and explain what we are doing.

Scaling up Ocean Rainforest is founded privately by Gregersen’s own company Syntesa and obtains grants for research from NORA (that supports projects in Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Norway).

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PICTURES: 1 - Harvesting of seaweed at Ocean Rainforest winter 2013/14.

2 - Autumn 2013.

3 - Measuring seaweed summer 2013.

4 - Winter 2013/14.

Photo: Ocean Rainforest

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- We are getting into a phase where we want to scale up the activity. In the last eight months we have attracted new customers that are very interested in our seaweed. As a result of that we need to increase the capital base of the company. The commercial part of the business is fairly easy to fund with investor money. The research part is of course a costly part of the activity that we will try to fund via different grant schemes in the Nordic as well as in the European area.

Intriguing variations Finding out more about the seasonal variations of bioactive compounds in the seaweed will probably be one of the prioritized research fields in the near future.

- In the course of a year the quantities of protein, sugar and minerals varies. There has not been done any research on this aspect of cultivated seaweed. One of the main challenges for us is to understand more about seasonal variations in order to be better able to know what substances to extract from the seaweed, depending on knowledge of when levels are at the highest.

- Does that mean that harvesting as many times as you can during a year might not be a goal in itself if the contents of the seaweed vary?

- Exactly. We need to better understand the

relationship between value and quantity in the cultivation activity.

The name of the company indicates how important it is for Gregersen to underline the nature friendliness of the operation he manages.

- Seaweed cultivation does not add anything into the water that is not there already. Additionally, if seaweed is grown in combination with fish farming it will contribute by taking up nitrogen and phosphor. By cultivating seaweed emissions from fish farming can be reduced.

We need to better understand the relationship between value and quantity. Ă“lavur Gregersen, Ocean Rainforest

New species Gergersen (46) is a trained economist with several other business engagements at his CV. His company Syntesa has since 2002 been active in bringing new innovation to the market. Gregersen entered the seaweed cultivation business when the former owner drew out in 2011. He says that his time has been a bigger contribution to the company than capital.

Harvesting other forms of algae with higher protein levels is at the top of his list, not least because poultry and pig farmers might be turned into seaweed customers if the protein levels are high enough.

- Provided the right seaweed species you can produce feed for chicken as well as for pigs.

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Opportunity knocks in th Aquaculture is a professor industry, said professor Torger Reve, Norwegian Business School, at the opening of MarLife Business Center in Oslo, Norway. magne otterdal

gorm k. gaare

Thanks to professors and researchers, modern aquaculture, with farming of salmon, where born some 40 years ago, continued professor Reve switching to a slide showing billionaire John Fredriksen, owner of aquaculture giant Marine Harvest: - He has become so rich that he can’t afford to live at home, said Reve. The ex-Norwegian Fredriksen is a citizen of Cyprus.Fredriksen’s investments in oil tankers and aquaculture have made him one of the richest persons in the world.

His fortune as a successful aquaculture investor certainly inspires other players in the finance world to look closely at potential marine “rockets” in the stock market.

In USA, as well as in Europe and in Asia investors are looking for marine cases. Finance bankers and fund managers follow suit. New, more specialized marine funds for private equity investors seems to be a new trend in the finance sector.

In august 2014 Dr Francisco Saraiva Gomes became Chief Executive Officer in an investment fund with marine ambi-

As CEO of Pontos Aqua Holdings Dr. Francisco Saralva Gomes holds a unique position for contributing to the growth of the industry.

Investor fortunes thanks to aquaculture professors, according to prof.

Torger Reve.

Photo: Kristin Svorte

tions. In august 2014 Dr Francisco Saraiva Gomes became Chief Executive Officer in one of the recent investment funds with marine ambitions. The New York-based Pontos Aqua Holding, formed in May 2014, shall make and manage investments in the global aquaculture and seafood industry with an initial equity commitment of USD 75 million.

Prior to joining Pontos Aqua, Dr Saraiva Gomes led the aquaculture business at Novus International Inc, and he sits on the Board of Directors of the World Aquaculture Society.

- I am enthusiastic. Pontos Aqua is in a unique position to contribute to the growth promise of the industry, said

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he “professor industry�

Saraiva Gomes. Pontos Aqua is part of Tinicum Incorporated, an SEC-registered investment adviser based in New York City with over US$2.5 billion in assets under management.

-Aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry with exciting global investment opportunities. We are thrilled to collaborate with such an experienced and well-regarded industry executive as Dr Saraiva Gomes, said Richard Dosik, a principal at Tinicum.

- Pontos Aqua intends to invest in businesses that provide real and sustainable value within the aquaculture and seafood supply chain, businesses that can be enhanced by its operational, strategic and financial

- Exciting global investment opportunities.

Richard Dosik, Tinicum.

support. Pontos Aqua is seeking investment opportunities in the range of US$5 million to US$75 million. According to Dr Saraiva Gomes the fund will invest in high quality businesses throughout the global value chain.

- Raw materials, equipment and services, animal health, feeds and selected aspects of farming are some of the segments where we believe we can help unlock operational value, he said.

Sources in the finance and marine sector signals more initiatives to channel private investment into the segment of new, growing bio-marine and aquaculture companies.

• Big investors are flocking into marine business, allthough there are still risks to overcome. Michael Bloomberg is one of them.

Read the full story at http://bluefrontiermagazine.com

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Controlling more than 50 percent of the total European maritime zone, the two small nations Portugal and Norway are maritime giants that now want more marine innovation under the umbrella of EUs blue strategy.

Two small giants at sea dag yngland

Portugese Ambassador to Norway, Clara Nunes dos Santos officially opens MarLife Business Center in Oslo.

MarLife Chairman Carl Seip Hanevold (left) and Øystein Lie, MarLife manager (right).

Photo: Kristin Svorte

to confirm Norway´s strong interest in establishing future collaboration between the two countries.

Explorers and innovators have played main roles in Portugal´s long maritime history. Being hit hard by the recent financial crisis, the country has again turned to the Big Blue for ways to create new growth. Portugal is expected to be one of the main contributors and beneficiaries of new Blue Strategy of the EU. Fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy and mining are among the projects that are being initiated and backed by the Portuguese government.

Return to the sea - We want to return to the sea for our growth and prosperity, but in a modern and sustainable way, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Assunção Christa stated at a conference in the Portuguese embassy in Oslo.

From Norwegian authorities, State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Trade Dilek Ayhan attended as in order

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Assunção Christa, and Secretary of State of the Sea, Manuel Pinto de Abreu, on a ocean strategy roadshow, starting in Oslo. Photo: Dag Yngland

40 x Portugal Norwegian biomarine and ocean-tech companies are all alert to the potential of the Portuguese initiative. Due to the two archipelagos The Azores and Madeira, Portugal can already claim national jurisdiction to an area 18 times its terrestrial territory.

Due to new UN definitions of the continental shelf, Portugal might soon put forward claims twice as big, resulting in the country´s ocean territories comprising about 40 times the size of the land area, about the size of EU´s land mass and 1 % of the earth´s water surface.

Portugal´s Secretary of State of the Sea, Manuel Pinto de Abreu, presented the Portuguese National Ocean Strategy

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EU goes for waste

2013 -2020 and opportunities in the biomarine and deep-sea mineral assets of Portugal.

- Norway and Portugal represent more than 55% of the total European maritime zone. They are two countries of marine innovation with strong potential in blue growth assets, said Mr. Pinto de Abreu.

To sum up: The two countries can lead European blue growth and allow other European partners to benefit from their untapped natural biodiversity reserves.

This can generate massive job creations, foster research and innovation as a first step stone towards reinforcing interactions in the biomarine industry especially in preparation of the October convention in Cascais, Portugal.

Portugal have a long history of exploring and harvesting marine resources in the North Atlantic. The portugese sea area is 18 times the countrys land area.

The EU is investing over €4 billion in research and innovation for a European bioeconomy. The new Horizon 2020 research program will play a major role in securing the future for renewable biological resources - and hopefully stop todays waste.

The EU is the source of 18% of world food exports, worth €76 billion. However, that amount could be bigger and better if production was more sustainable. Agricultural waste is not only costing taxpayers money – between €55 and €99 per tonne. It is also a waste of resources that could be used in a better way.

Turning agricultural waste into animal feed is a solution favoured by the EU-funded research project NOSHAN. It could open up new opportunities for farmers as weel as cutting Europe’s dependence on feed imports. Could the same thing be done for the aquamarine industry? Could the two businesses find common ground?

“The bioeconomy in Europe is worth 2 trillion euro and provides 22 million jobs, which is why it is a focus of Horizon 2020,” said the outgoing EU Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.

- One third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally – a total 1.3 billion tonnes a year – and food processing produces a large amount of this waste,” according to scientific coordinator Montse Jorba of the LEITAT Technological Center in Spain - taking part in the NOSHAN project.

- Fruit and vegetables have the highest wastage rates of any food. This amounts to a major squandering of resources, including water, land, energy, labour and capital.

The NOSHAN project will turn food waste – in particular fruit, vegetables and dairy – into animal feed, at low cost and keeping energy consumption low.

Several research centres, universities and companies from the EU countries Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands and non-member Turkey are working on the project.

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Jostein Refsnes (right) is an engaged moderator when aquaculture is up for debate; here in Bergen, March 2014, at Marine Innovation Day. From left Odd Magne Rødseth, Francisco Saraiva Gomes, Ragnar Tveteraas, Thor Sigfusson og Klara Stenvaag.

magne otterdal

gorm k. gaare

It’s high time to revolu A group of senior aquaculture players in Norway calls for innovation and dramatic changes in the governance of fish farming. The grey haired captains of the 40-year-old industry are worried about the vacuum effect of today´s situation.

- We are worried that the governments brake on production growth will become a sleeping pillow at a time when the system urgently needs

to be reformed to meet the future growth and market demand, says Jostein Albert Refsnes to Blue Frontier Magazine.

He is one of the men behind “Seniortanken”, a think-tank formed by passionate senior managers from fish farming and aquaculture in Norway.

Established in 2013 as the new Erna Solberg government took office, the senior thinkers have moved strategically to put forward some alternative thoughts. In 2015, the conservative government will produce a white paper on aquaculture. The government listens with interest to the seniors new and innovative ideas, carved based on 40 years’ experience from building the

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utionize aquaculture prospering international Norwegian aquaculture business, and with sharp eyes towards the growth challenges in the next 40 years.

In October 2014, the Seniortanken met with Elisabeth Aspaker, the minister of fisheries and aquaculture. She listened and took notes to what the seniors had to say; It´s hight time for a revolution in aquaculture governance. Today´s system is not built for the steep growth in the years to come.

“Horisont 2050” The most radical suggestion from Seniortanken is to move governance power from the state to mu-

Lars Liabø

nicipalities along the coast, as well as changing the fishfarming licence system to a lease system, similar to how many other countries run the fishfarming industry.

- We even suggest abolishing the term “konsesjon”, say Jostein Albert Refsnes who has written a report together with Lars Liabø. The report, brought to minister Aspaker and her department, called “Thoughts on the way towards the aquaculture´s Horisont 2050”.

Refsnes claims the Seniortanken is a freethinking and debate forum about important questions regarding a possible new, modernized aquaculture system in Norway.

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Norwegian Minister of Fisheries, Elisabeth Aspaker, preparing a whitepaper on aquaculture.

- We are not competing with the industry associtations, but we must be regarded as a supplement, and where the debate possibly are more free than in the framework of the the organizations.

Ibsen, Hamsun and Askeladden The sober wording of the report include quotes from Ibsen and Hamsun, and one of the alternative revolutions in the aquaculture system even is named after the Norwegian fairytale hero Askeladden.

The Askeladden alternative is the most revolutionizing. The more moderate alternative for changes in aquaculture governance, called Skomaker (shoemaker).

Pointing at the enormous growth potential in the aquaculture sector, and the future market demand for such a growth, we are looking towards what will become one of Europe´s biggest industries.

Sweden changed from left to right .

It went well.

- It is worthwhile for anybody, companies, organizations, political parties and authorities to discuss thoroughly how to realize this business potential, says Jostein Albert Resfnes.

He is “a grand old man� of Norwegian aquaculture, and serves today as chair of the NOK 2 billon salmon company Nordlaks. He entered the aquaculture sector as CEO in Hydro Seafood in 1991, and he was the first CEO of the Norwegian seafood federation FHL. Radical thoughts Refsnes and his allies do not pretend to deliver complete aquaculture models, but it is pointing at strategically direction for a new system design.

- We have introduced a totally new and radical way of thinking about how the aquaculture industry can organize and run its activity i the sea and the ocean, says Refsnes. That means a farewell to a rigid and expensive Norwegian license system, not seen in any other aquaculture nation.

The implication of transforming from an eternal licensing of salmon quotas to a leasing system will be challenging. However, other dramatic system changes has been applied in many other ways, with success.

- Such as when Sweden overnight changed from left driving to right driving. It went well, says Jostein Albert Refsnes.

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There is more to seafood than salmon, and whatever you eat it tastes more if eaten mindfully.

The Travelling Mindfood Minstrels tellef øgrim

- We try to make them eat with their head, says Trond Svendgård. He has been a member of a quartet of Norwegian chefs that has travelled the world since the mid 00s, serving culinary adventures in Cannes, Zagreb, Miami and Hamburg among many other places around the globe.

If you attended one of their shows, you would most likely have noted the presence of the cooks before you taste the food.

- We do not hide in the kitchen. Our aim is to get to know the guests. And we always try to tell a story, for instance by the way we serve the food. I think people need to know what they are going to eat, to eat with their heads, says Svendgård.

The circus troupe consists of Tor Jørgen Kramprud Arnesen, Mathias Spieler Bugge, Hans Kristian Larsen and Trond Svendgård, all aged just below or above 30.

Of the four, Svendgård is the seafood expert. He is an experienced and priced competition chef, with numerous national and international medals on his merits.

The other world of food Traveling the world cooking for dignitaries as Sarah Fergu-

son, Shakira, Pharell Williams and Michael Boublé, and for gatherings from two to 2000 people, may sound like a refined job in polished circumstances.

The truth is that the job as a food circus actor also offers a glimpse of the other side of the world of foods.

- As a travelling group of chefs we get to see places and environments we otherwise would not get access to, says Svendgård, hinting to more than lavish villas overlooking Los Angeles or outlandish yachts at the Mediterranean.

Culinary Circus Chef Trond Svendgård: - Some places a ditch is dug out of the ground and fish farmed there until the water is so filthy that the ditch has to be abandoned and filled again.

- I have seen fish farming in places like Peru and Malaysia that has made me very skeptical to the raw material they produce. Some places a ditch is dug out of the ground and fish farmed there until the water is so filthy that the ditch has to be abandoned and filled again.

The memory of fish lying at the hot concrete floor of a fish storehouse in Cape Town surrounded by flies is equally hard to forget.

- It makes you prefer to buy the fish in supermarkets instead, he says, adding that it feels bet-

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No 2 | 2014

The Flying Culinary Circus sees people and the conditions for raw materials all over the world.

Left to right: Trond Svendgård, Mathias Spieler Bugge, Tor Jørgen Kramprud Arnesen and Hans Kristian Larsen

ter even if it comes from the same storehouse.

- It also makes you realize how good the conditions are in Norway, when it comes to production as well as transport and handling from there to the market.

Even if animal welfare and raw material quality are fields where Norwegian seafood actors score reasonably high, the seafood industry here could be far more imaginative when it comes to expanding the line of food products that are presented, according to Svendgård.

- They need to become more creative. It is easy to think that since our salmon sells so good that is what we are going to produce. There is a great potential for making new offerings.

Svendgård reminds us about the space seaweed

- Much more in the depth of the ocean can be eaten!

takes up at dinner plates in other parts of the world, not least in Asia.

- An average Asian consumer eats several kilos of seaweed every year. The average Norwegian (as an example) does not eat more than what is wrapped around her sushi. There is much more in the depth of the ocean that can be eaten other than salmon.

Self-picked One interesting, and significant, exception to the statement about Norwegians and their lack of seaweed consumption is seldom noted. As industry insiders know, but few normal consumers think of, processed seaweed is present also in the Norwegian day-to-day menu as additives to other

No 2 | 2014

products, such as sandwich ham.

If you want to use seaweed in your cooking in Norway however, you generally need to pick it yourself. SvendgĂĽrd does not consider himself to be a seaweed expert, but when asked where to find it and how to pick it, he at least contributes one main reminder: find a place where the water flows freely through the weed.

Can the master seafood chef spot anyone in the Norwegian seafood industry that contributes to the innovation he calls for?

SvendgĂĽrd immediately mentions the milieu around Saltstraumen in the northern part of Norway, not far from his own birthplace of Rognan.

Being a chef at his level also includes following the trends of food making. One trend that he is

www.bluefrontiermagazine.com | 27

particularly fed up with is the somewhat tabloid exercise of condemning certain popular dishes as harmful to human health.

-They warn us against over eating salmon because of the amounts of heavy metals stored in certain types of fish. I for one am fed up. What it is about after all is the simple and natural human practice of varying your menu over time.

The ability to vary their own menus, their imaginative presentations and a collection of food, kitchen tools and cook books has created a business of The Flying Culinary Circus that sells for 15 million Norwegian kroner, or 2,3 million US dollars, yearly before personal royalty income.

• The salmon genome sequence will return billions on higher sustainability and innovation. http://bluefrontiermagazine.com

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No 2 | 2014

Erwes about EU: A terri BFM: - What will be the trending topics at the Biomarine Business Convention in Cascais?

PE: For the last 10 months BioMarine has been actively promoting the Portuguese blue strategy as a vector of economic development for Europe and the rest of the world. We strongly believe that Portugal will become a key European country able to demonstrate that this new economy could generate jobs, massive investment and sustainable growth. Norway and Portugal are developing key relationships and collaborative programs reflecting this global vision and we will focus on investment in marine resources, the latest developments in seaweed and micro algae industries, marine ingredients and biomolecules for nutraceuticals, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

BFM: - You have organized the annual conference the last five years, what are your reflections on the development of the biomarine business field?

PE: It is interesting to see the viral propagation of the BioMarine’s interest. When I started BioMarine in 2008, we had only a few references on the net. Now everybody wants to be blue and marine something. I hope this is not only a fancy tendency but also rather a deep understanding of what this new industry could really do to feed, fuel and heal the world.

All together our industry represents USD 180 billions a year and I am not including the future development of bioplastic, which will become the next revolution after Internet. My main concern is the sustainable developments of this blue rush.

We really need to work on the best practices at all levels. There is no doubt about the importance of quality and traceability for the final buyer and consumer. The consumer knows already that the worst fish in the world is even better than the best meat but he want to see more. He wants to be reinsured.

BFM: - Parallel to the conference, the BICA general assembly will be held, how many clusters do you see as potential members of BICA around the globe?

PE: Biomarine International Clusters Association is the most important step forward to get our industry organized. We expect 12 clusters and research institutions from all over the world to join this year. They represent over 10,000 companies.

Marlife, Norway with North Carolina and Ireland, were the first to jump onboard along with Monaco. This new organization will be very light.

The purpose is not to create another international body but rather to connect the players, give them opportunities to foster their international

The biomarine field has two main challenges for reaching a sustainable future, according to Pierre Erwes: The business to consumer relationship and the governance of biomarine resources. He totally disagrees with the message from the new EU Commission in Brussels.

- The governance collapses, he says.

Q&A Pierre Erwes CEO, BioMarine

developments, find the right investors, the right R&D partner.

Our BioMarine community is growing very fast and our first road map will be to establish the best practices code. Most probably we will concentrate on the seaweeds industry for the next year as we consider that seaweed is becoming the most important segment for feed, nutrition, cosmetics and bioplastics.

BFM: - What is the biggest challenge for a sustainable future of biomarine business and industry?

PE: We need to increase the business to consumer relationships. I am not saying that civil society has not a role to play, but I prefer to address the consumer needs and work with them to design the next generation of products that will fit both the sustainable and traceability issues. The consumer has the real power. If tomorrow he decides not to buy a cosmetic brand because it is not sustainable and / or the packaging does not dissolve it self in the bath, then the company will

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No 2 | 2014

ible marine draw-back!

Pierre Erwes, CEO Biomarine, organizer Biomarine Business Convention and founder of BICA at the Marine Innovation Day 2014 in Bergen.

ing country in marine bio resources. I love this country. They have understood very quickly how to build the momentum. It does not take ages to react and when they decide to move in a direction it’s massive. We always argue about sustainability but Chinese have proven they can also become an example. We expect the country to do in a few years what we have done in decades. Everything changes…

immediately react and adapt its product to the market.

If we take a look at the governance then I can say it is another challenge. The message sent out from the new European Commission is totally wrong.

Definitively the marine bio resources are not on the agenda anymore. In 2008 under the leadership of Commissioner Bjorge, Tiago Pitta e Cunha now Senior Adviser to the President of Portugal has succeed to put marine and maritime on the global agenda. Lowri Evans the last director General from DG Mare has done whatever she could to consolidate the action but now: Everything collapses. This is a terrible drawback. If you want to stay on the top of the agenda, you better have to focus on immediate issues instead of preparing the future for next generations, whatever! I am not a big fan of these international bodies.

If you look at Europe, Norway, Portugal, Ireland, as a country and Scotland, Aquataine and Britany as leading regions will become the key players in the development of the bio-marine industry. Asia and China specifically is becoming the lead-

- We need to work on the best practices at all levels.

BFM: - Geopolitical development pose new challenges for marine products, as well as innovation, foremost related to the sanctions between Russia and EU/US. Can BICA play a role in such contexts, to soften effects of rapid changes in the business environment?

PE: I really think that Business will adapt to the situation. Innovation will go on and I don’t see any major threat for the biomarine industry in this temporary blockage. The artic sea has always been a place for competition. When you take a closer look, and despite the fact that it is always very nice and polite, USA and Canada are defending their own interest in a very harsh way.

The stakes are so high that it will take some time before we can reach a global agreement on how to exploit the marine natural resources in the Arctic Ocean. BICA is trans-border business organization and will continue to develop synergies between clusters and organizations as long as the law authorizes it. Our role is not to become another NGO working on conservation or another institution working on regulatory nor policy issues. There are enough organizations doing it.

Are they successful so far? This is another topic!

BFM: - What do you do if you have spare time, not preparing a global business conference?

PE: Biomarine is time consuming and I need to prepare the future. As you know 2015 we will be in the USA in North Carolina, before coming back to Oslo in 2016. In parallel, I am working with my friend Oystein Lie on building our future strategic alliance between Marlife and BioMarine.

I’d also like to develop with Blue Frontier Media our online channel and portal to allow a faster communication and information within our global network. BioMarine community is now over 300,000 professionals and they deserve my attention. Finally I also seat on several SMEs boards and they expect me to open the right doors to become global players. text: magne otterdal photo: gorm k. gaare

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No 2 | 2014

Prize winners targets fish A new fish vaccine principle, developed at the Norwegian National Veterinary Institute and University of Oslo, received the Marine Innovation Award 2014 in Bergen.

The researcher collegues Unni Grimholt (UiO) and Helena Hauge (NVI) has developed a fish vaccine principle on the Norwegian plattform of Vaccibody, developing a targeted vaccine based on the fish dna analysis.

We are thrilled to receive the Innovation Award. It provides us with added strength and determination to continue, and shows a shared belief in the projects potential, the two winners says in a comment.

The collaborators reiceved NOK 100 000 in prize money for the innovation case, assessed by the jury on the following main criteria: 1 Value potential for industry 2 Probability of successful commercialization 3 Innovation Level

Prize winner, researcher Helena Hauge, Norwegian National Veterinary Institute.

- Viral diseases are one of the main challenges for the aquaculture industry , and it is a need for effective vaccines against many diseases, says Merete Bjørgan Schrøder, the jury chair.To develop effective vaccines is time consuming and is based on extensive research.

Increased efficiency - The winner of this year’s Marine Innovation Award won for

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No 2 | 2014

Unni Grimholt, University of Oslo, received the check of NOK 100 000 for developing a targeted fish vaccine at the Marine Innovation Day in Bergen.

Photo: Gorm K. Gaare.

- An ocean of innovations!

Pål Myhre, in charge of the MarLife innovative case list, says it is an ocean of innovations in the marine sector. But not all innovators are ready to expose their projects, so the list below could have been much longer.

Merete Bjørgan Schröder, Research Director at Norwegian Seafood Research Fund, chair of the award jury at Marine Innovation Day 2014 says the cases has been valued on the following three main criteria.

- Potential value to the industry -Success potential - probability of successful commercialization - Innovation level This is the list of innovative cases that competed in Bergen.

sh disease this vaccine principle that can provide increased efficiency, reduced doses and less need for so-called adjuvant. The targeted vaccine platform is also flexible in terms of disease and species, says Bjørgan Schrøder.

The winner is chosen from a list innovative cases presented on the Marine Innovation Day 2014 in Bergen, Tuesday March 4th. According to Bjørgan Schrøder the cases under review covered a wide range in both fisheries and aquaculture, both technology and biology.

There was also a span from almost “idea stage” to the closest commercial solutions.

Winner potential - There were several potential winners among the cases this year. To consider all these good

solutions against each other is a demanding exercise, Merete Bjørgan Schrøder says. She is Research Director Fish Helath/ Seafood & Human Health at Norwegian Seafood Research Fund, FHF. Among the cases exposed at the Marine Innovation Day, 10 cases where presented live for the conference audience in Bergen.

Professor Øystein Lie, Dean at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, manager at MarLife and organizer of Marin Innovation Day, says the innovative cases are at the core of both the conference an the MarLife nework of innovative marine players. www.bluefrontiermagazine.com

•••Floating Wind Turbine for Marine Installations Gwind AS http://www.gwind.no •••GroFish Aquaculture Technology Innovative Drug Manufacturing- LLC http://www.aquagreenfoods.com •••Salmon Feed of the future - EWOS Innovation http://www.ewos.com •••Eliminating static electrisity in feed tubes - Arges AS http://www.arges.no •••Optical Delousing - Stingray Marine Solutions AS http://www.stingray.no •••Seafarm Pulse Guard (SPG) SFD AS Harald Bredal •••Making met-ocean data useful - Data Quality Systems http://www.dqs.fo •••Floating Marine Production & Harvest (FMPH) Mood FMPH AS http://moodharvest.no •••Flo Flo service and LFC (live fish carrier) Mood Marine Services AS http://moodharvest.no •••AQUA-USERS - http://www.aqua-users.eu •••AQUAFARMCONTROL - Seafood MANAGEMENT Security AS http://www.seafoodsecurity.

•••Ecofriendly Fungicide - BioCHOS AS www.biochos.com •••WhiteFishMaLL Matis Iceland – funded by Nordic Innovation http://www.whitefishmall.com/ •••Targeted vaccines for aquaculture - Unni Grimholt (UoO) og Helena Hauge (NVI) University of Oslo (UoO) and Norwegian Veterinary Institute •••WhiteFishMaLL Marel ehf http://marel.com •••ScanBio - www.scanbio.com Peter McDonald •••Unique, flexible, controllable, total system for fish farming PRELINE FISHFARMING SYSTEM AS www.preline.no •••Concept transport and storing of live fish - VuAS, Per Johan Remman •••Optimal smolt production and post smolt performance – Grieg Seafood http://www.griegseafood.no •••Aquaponics NOMA , New Innovations for Sustainable Aquaculture in the Nordic countries - Bioforsk •••Software and IT Communication systems - TelCage AS http://www.telcage.com •••Delousing float - (Helix-system) Stranda Prolog AS www.stranda.net •••CFC – Closed flexible cages - Smøla Klekkeri og Settefisk AS http://www.smolaks.no •••Development and production of devices for delousing and video surveillance - Flatsetsund Engineering AS www.fls.no •••Cloth for delousing - Botngaard AS www.botngaard.no •••Silage tanks, deadfish-tanks, bloodwater system Xylem Water Solution Norway www.flygt.no •••Separation av solids, sludge thikening and dewatering Salsnes Filter http://www.salsnes-filter.no •••Future Sea Technologies (SEA System) - AquaGroup AS http://www.akvagroup.com

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No 2 | 2014

Why should a gove an aquacultu

T

hrough its ownership in Cermaq, an aquaculture and fish feed company; the Norwegian government became a major player in the international aquaculture business. Recently, the government split and sold Cermaq to foreign investment funds and a Japanese corporation.

The ancestor of Cermaq was ”Statens Kornforretning”, a state monopoly that managed and controlled the import of grain to Norway. In 1995, the monopoly was suspended, partly because it was illegal according to international trade agreements.

Instead of liquidating the company, the government found a new role for it. ”Statens Kornforretning” did own a few shares in the fish feeding business, and entered the aquaculture business, changing its name to Cermaq.

Among some major politicians at the parliament there where both anger and fear after Norsk Hydro decided to sell its subsidiary Hydro Seafood to the OGNE ØYEHAUG Dutch company. Hydro Seafood was then the biggest salmon company in Norway and the politicians where afraid that foreigners would take control.

With former finance minister Sigbjørn Johnsen as chair, Cermaq bought the fish feed producer Ewos for 1, 8 billion NOK in 2000. AfANALYSIS terwards Cermaq bought itself into becoming one of the major salmon producers in Chile, and entered Canada and Shetland.

As owners of 80 % of the company the government invested 1.2 billion NOK in new equity, in order to finance the acquisitions. A majority in the parliament, consisting of Labour, the Socialist Party, the Christian Democratic Party and the Liberal party, approved the decision.

In order to get the money, Cermaq had to promise to keep its headquarter in Norway and conduct its scientific and development work in Norway.

P

rivate owners in the aquaculture business had some problems understanding why the government invested Norwegian tax-money in competing companies in Chile, but where newer heard.

Rather early on in the history of Cermaq an attempt to merge with Fjord Seafood (now a part of Marine Harvest) failed.

With that the politicians dream of making Cermaq a driving force in Norwegian aquaculture was over. Cermaq never became a major player in its home country. It bought some companies in the north of Norway, but never managed to become more than a mid-size company.

In Chile, however, Cermaq was one of the major players, and through its subsidiary Ewos it was one of the three major fish feeding companies in the world.

Last year Cermaq sold the fish feed company Ewos to the investment funds Altor and Bain Capital, for NOK 6.5 billion. Recently Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan purchased the aquaculture business for NOK 5.25 billion.

It was good business for the government.

But that was not the point. The point was to prevent the Norwegian aquaculture industry from being run and owned by foreign companies, through state ownership.

The irony of it all is that the government-controlled company given the task to secure Norwegian ownership is the same company selling everything.

Maybe Cermaq was a political mistake from the very beginning?

Look at Marine Harvest, the biggest salmon producer in the world. The major shareholder in Marine Harvest does not live in Norway and is not a Norwegian citizen. Norway’s

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vernment invest in ure company?

Rebekka Glasser Herlofsen, left, chair Cermaq and Yutaka Koyaya, executive director, Mitsubishi Corp.

Photo: Scanpix

connection to the shareholders in general is not very strong, However, the headquarter is located in Bergen, and the scientific and development work is mainly conducted in Norway. Marine Harvest has even established its own fish feed factory in Norway, competing with Ewos and the other majors.

W

Without Cermaq, there would be no Norwegian state-supported salmon companies in Chile competing with Norwegian salmon producers in Norway.

Ewos may have had other owners, but it is difficult to see how government ownership in Ewos has had any influence in the development of the Norwegian salmon industry.

It would probably be better if the government did use the money invested in Cermaq different, even though it has been a good investment, businesswise.

If the money instead had been put into scientific research, everybody would profit from them, not just one company. Foreign owners do not move their headquarter from Norway when the most competent workforce, both when it comes to administrative and scientific research workers are to be found in Norway.

Probably better if the government did use the money invested in Cermaq different.

hat would have happened if Cermaq never was established and �Statens Kornforretning � was left to vanish?

Most likely, other companies would have bought the Norwegian aquaculture companies bought by Cermaq. With the government as the major owner they finally became foreign owned. That may have been different without the government meddling in.

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No 2 | 2014

Karmenu Vella, Member designate of the EC in charge of Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, was auditioned by the European Parliament.

G

Hungry eyes on the ocean

lobal demand for food is expected to increase by 70 economy. And the union is desperate to create new jobs. % by 2050, according to FAO - the UN Agency for armenu Vella, the Maltese Commissioner designatfood and agriculture. But pressure is increasing on ed for the combined post Environment, Maritime the landbased resources, the agency claimed, on Affairs and Fisheries will have a huge responsiWorld Food Day 2014 the 24th of October. bility to fill those ideas with life and funding. Mr. Oceans could be an alternative for new sources of food, Vella, a former Minister of Public Works, Industry medicine and energy for the world - but how? and Tourism in Malta, met opposition over the merging of Blue Ocean Strategy was a book published in 2005 and Environment with Maritime Affairs and written by Chan Kim and RenĂŠe MauborFisheries, which until now were separate gne, two professors at INSEAD and and DAG YNGLAND portfolios. However he is not alone in that Co-Directors of the INSEAD Blue Ocean decision.

Strategy Institute. It seems the two were The new directorate will be subordiahead of their time in many ways. nated to the broader policy area of Jobs, Kim & Mauborgne’s basic theme was Growth, Investment and Competitivethat companies can succeed better if they ness, overseen by Vice-President nominee leave their competitors behind and create Jyrki Katainen, of Finland. their own blue ocean - areas of uncontestWhen more than 300 delegates from ed market space. The two scientists based all over the world meet at Cascais for the their study of 150 strategic moves over a 5th Biomarine Convention they will have hundred years and thirty industries. a better oppturunity than ever before to They asserted that these strategic take that dive into unknown blue sea. The moves could create a leap in value for the reward could company, its buyers, and its employees, EUROPEAN BLUE exploring those unlocking new demand and making the new markets and competition irrelevant. be the first to Maybe the time is now right for a dive develop business into those unknown blue oceans. Blue and science in the new blue econogrowth could not only be the way to solve the worlds my. That could benefit the EU - and threatening food crisis. It could also be a chance to unlock the world. new technologies, new skills, new jobs and science in areas that until now has been left out in the dark, deep seas. The EU has has signalled an increasing willingness to support the coastal areas of the union and develop the new blue

K

No 2 | 2014

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