Eurofish Magazine 2 2022

www.eurofishmagazine.com

ISSN 1868-5943

April 2/2022 C 44346

Poland Caviar enjoys a global reputation

Estonia promotes the consumption of fish IceFish returns as a hybrid in-person and online event Guest pages: Jónas R. Viðarsson, Head of Value Creation, Matis, Iceland Published by

, a member of the FISH INFO network

EUROFISH INFOYU

INFOSAMAK INFOPÊCHE INFOPESCA

INFOFISH

In this issue

Poland has a diverse aquaculture sector The fish farming sector in Poland represents a variety of species and production technologies. Among the fish cultivated are trout, sturgeon, and common carp, which is typically farmed in polyculture with several other freshwater species. The methods used to grow these fish range from recirculation aquaculture systems, to raceways, to earthen ponds. While carp has long been produced in Poland, the bulk of consumption has been restricted to the period around Christmas when almost nine tenths of a year’s production is sold. The Polish producer organisation, Polski Karp, is working to encourage consumers in Poland to expand their consumption of carp initially to the winter months but ultimately to all around the year. The seasonality of sales is not an issue faced by trout producers thanks in part to the much shorter production cycle. Trout processors are adapting their products as consumer demand shifts from whole fish to more convenient fillets, and from frozen products to fresh modified atmosphere packaged fish. Read more on the Polish aquaculture sector from page 22 Greening the fishing industry plays a significant role in EU countries’ commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 70 (compared with 1990 levels) by 2030. In Denmark, for example, the Blue Ocean partnership combines all the industries connected to the sea—including shipping, offshore wind, shipbuilding, harbours, and fisheries—to develop initiatives that reduce emissions and thereby strengthen companies’ competitiveness thanks to their green credentials. The fishing industry is estimated to contribute some USD300bn to global GDP, a figure that, according to the World Bank, could increase by over a quarter if fish stocks were managed and exploited sustainably. Significantly reducing or eliminating IUU fishing, overfishing, harmful subsidies, and pollution, among other negative impacts, would contribute to sustainability and build resilience among fishing communities in developing countries—which are responsible for nearly a fifth of global production. Greening includes reducing the fuel consumption of fishing vessels which, together with refrigeration, is the biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions from the fishing industry. However, solutions being considered, such as alternative fuels and new sources of energy, have not yet matured. Read Dr Manfred Klinkhardt’s article on page 48 Sand eels are a very important part of marine ecosystems and a critical resource for the European fishmeal industry. The species is also a popular bait in longline and sport fishing. Sand eels are not, however, the target of human consumption probably because of their bony nature. But if sprats and anchovies are widely consumed in the Mediterranean it could be the lack of a culture for eating sand eel that inhibits consumers. It is certainly not their nutritional profile, which includes plenty of vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and high-quality proteins. While sand eel stocks are generally assumed not to be under threat, the exact situation is not clear. Some consider the stock to have declined over the last years. The Danish industrial fishing fleet is the main exploiter of sand eel which is intended for reduction to fishmeal and fish oil at Danish plants. Industrial fishing accounted for close to half the value created by the Danish fishing sector in 2019, but catches fluctuate significantly depending on external conditions including the availability of the plankton on which they feed. Read more about the biology and economic value of these small fish on page 51 Technology used in the fish processing sector is a huge industry. At the Brussels (now Barcelona) seafood show, the seafood processing technology industry essentially has its own exhibition running in parallel with the seafood show. Seafood processing presents several challenges to technology manufacturers. The physical fragility of many kinds of seafood, the huge variety of fish, its short shelf life, the generous use of water during processing operations, and the harsh factory environment, all place special demands on processing machinery. The need for high food safety and hygiene adds another layer of requirements for the manufacturer to comply with. The industry is populated mainly by small and medium companies specialised in certain kinds of equipment. A few of them are featured from page 54

EUROFISH Magazine 2 / 2022

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Table of News 6 International News

NO

Events 14 Norwegian exhibitors at SEG share an interest in sustainable and well-managed oceans Global interest in Norwegian seafood 16 Danish suppliers of equipment for the seafood industry return in force to SPG Barcelona will be the entry point into Spain

DK

16 IceFish 2022 addresses companies along the entire seafood value chain A combined in-person and online event

IR

18 Innovation and sustainability are key themes at the 2022 AquaFarm event Spotlight on artisanal fisheries and aquaculture

UK

NL

19 Promoting cooperation between EU, Mediterranean, and Arab aquaculture sectors Greek aquaculture event to focus on impact of EU policies

DE

BE LU

Poland 22 The Polish fisheries industry adapts to fallout from the pandemic, but challenges remain A gradual return to normality

FR

CH

25 Polski Karp celebrates its 10 years anniversary Ten years of helping its member farmers turn a “common” fish into a national pride

IT

28 Polish farm Fario raises and processes trout The future of farmed trout is RAS 31 Gosławice Fish Farm, producer of Antonius Caviar brand A family’s passion for fish farming lies behind Europe’s largest sturgeon caviar producer

T ES

34 Dąbie Hatchery, Polish salmonid egg producer Product, perfected for trout farmers throughout Europe and beyond

Estonia 37 Finding fish remotely for commercial and research purposes using unmanned vehicles Autonomous fish surveys 38 COVID-19 induced market impacts result in benefits to those who may need it most Estonian perch fillets intended for Europe distributed to the needy

DZ TN

40 Estonian POs have built a fishmeal and fish oil factory to make use of low value species and waste Joining forces to create a success 41 The activities and impact of an Estonian campaign to promote fish consumption ‘Fish sounds good’

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Credits for main cover photo: Gospodarstwo Rybackie Gosławice

Contents 42 Modelling nutrient flows associated with fishing and fish farming in the Baltic Reducing environmental impacts of marine aquaculture

EE

43 The Green Deal sets the course for structural changes Making the EU carbon neutral by 2050

RU

Aquaculture

LV

SE

45 Setback for growth in commercial aquaponics No organic certification for aquaponic products in the EU

LT RU

Fisheries

PL UA CZ SL AU SI

MD

HU

RO

HR RS

BA

BG

ME

(CC BY-SA 3.0) Map based on https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Location_European_nation_states.svg

by Hayden120 and NuclearVacuum

BY

Species 51 Sand eels – the little fish with huge economic importance Important target species for industrial fishing

Technology 54 Cretel, Belgian maker of fish skinning machines Quality and service keep international customers for this machine manufacturer 55 Bandall bundling and banding solutions Meet today’s and tomorrow’s sustainability standards for packaging 56 Craemer Group presents novelties and classics at the Seafood Processing Global and IceFish trade fairs High-quality load carriers for first-class fish catches 57 FIAP profiwork fish stunner Rapid and painless fish slaughter

MK

57 Challenging project for Reich and Kalaneuvos Oy Strong partners grow together

AL

59 Uni-Food Technic looks after its customers like a good friend Service checks ensure high operational reliability

EL Worldwide Fish News

MT

48 Green strategies for transforming the global fishing industry Protecting the climate and the environment is paramount

Albania

page

10

Bangladesh

page

13

Belgium

page

10

Denmark

pages

6, 8

France

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11

Italy

pages

Latvia

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Norway

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Peru

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UK

page

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8, 12

Guest Pages: Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson 63 Vertical integration of its companies contributes to Iceland’s status as a top-quality supplier Long and close collaboration between science and industry

Service 60 Fish Infonetwork News 65 Diary Dates 66 Imprint, List of Advertisers

Scan the QR code to access the Eurofish Magazine website (www.eurofishmagazine. com), where you can also sign up to receive the Eurofish Magazine newsletter.

EUROFISH Magazine 2 / 2022

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Eurofish International Organisation has a new director Marco Frederiksen, senior project manager at Eurofish, has been appointed the new Eurofish director following the unexpected death of the former director, Aina Afanasjeva, in March last year.

Marco, a Danish national, was appointed by the Eurofish Governing Council on Wednesday, 26 January 2022, following a competitive process. His term officially began on 1 March 2022.

Marco has a master’s degree in fishery technology from Aalborg University and a Ph.D. in seafood traceability from the Technical University of Denmark and has been working at Eurofish since 2008. Since he joined the organisation he has been involved in project acquisition and execution, a vital source of the organisation’s funding, and the means to provide benefits to the Eurofish

member countries. Before joining Eurofish he worked at DTU Food, a department at the Technical University of Denmark for several years with secondments to Japan and Australia. I am greatly honoured by the trust placed in me by the representatives of the Governing Council and look forward to working with them and our other partners for the benefit of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the Eurofish member countries, said Marco, following the decision in his favour.

The International organisation for the Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Europe (Eurofish) is an intergovernmental organisation that contributes to the development of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Europe. For more information visit Eurofish.dk.

Marco Frederiksen has been elected Director by the Eurofish Governing Council.

Norway: Strong start for seafood exports in 2022 According to the Norwegian Seafood Council, Norwegian fish and seafood export value hit record highs reaching NOK 10.3 billion in January, increasing 26 or NOK 2.1 billion compared to January last year.

“January this year gave the highest export value ever, and thus the strong trend continues from 2021. Despite challenges with the corona pandemic, prices for many of our products increased.

It was also a January record in both value and volume for salmon”, said Renate Larsen, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Accounting for 70 of the total export value, salmon is the driving force for Norwegian seafood

Increased sales in salmon and cod markets outside the EU have driven Norwegian exports to a record high, up 26% compared to 2021. Image credit: Norwegian Seafood Council

exports in January. The growth was registered especially for fresh salmon across eastern and western markets, such as Asia and North America, due to reviving of the Ho-Re-Ca sector

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and improved value chains and logistics.

In addition to salmon, cod enjoyed a very good start of the year too. In January, Norwegian

export of fresh cod reached a value of NOK 47 million, increasing 82 compared with the same month last year. The highest growth of Norwegian export was registered in markets outside of the EU.

2628 APRIL 2022 / BARCELONA, SPAIN FIRA BARCELONA GRAN VIA VENUE

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Official Media

[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Mediterranean: Sharing results of the GFCM research programme on European eel Over the past 18 months, the GFCM research programme on European eel has made great strides towards achieving a coordinated framework for management of eel towards the preparation of a multi-annual management plan in the Mediterranean. On 23 February 2022, experts and partners gathered to share the results of this research programme with the Mediterranean community and more widely.

European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a temperate catadromous species with a wide distribution range, including coastal, transitional and inland waters of Countries in Europe and in the Mediterranean Region. It is a migratory species displaying a unique life cycle, with spawning taking place in the Sargasso Sea (in the NW Atlantic) and larvae being transported by currents across the Atlantic Ocean to the coasts all over Europe. European eel decline has been recognized as the result of a

At an online event the GFCM has disclosed the development in creating a multiannual management plan for European eel in the Mediterranean.

combination of natural causes and anthropogenic pressures, including fisheries, impacting it and its habitats at different life stages.

Following Recommendation GFCM/42/2018/1 and discussions held at the 2019 GFCM Working Group on the management of European eel, the GFCM implemented a research programme in the Mediterranean.

The main objective of this research

programme was to devise a coordinated framework for the collection, collation and analysis of available data and for the assessment and management of the resource with a view to laying the foundations for a long-term multiannual management plan for European eel in the Mediterranean.

As the result of region-wide consultations, the research programme was executed as a concerted action

achieved by joining forces with ongoing research activities and sharing expertise. It has involved nine scientific partners and nine administration focal points from as many countries. The research programme covered numerous aspects related to the biology, habitats, monitoring and data collection of the European eel population in the Mediterranean, as well as to the assessment and management of its fisheries.

Installation of onboard cameras on Danish bottom-trawlers in the Kattegat In March 2022, the Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark, Rasmus Prehn, decided on the installation of cameras onboard bottomtrawlers in the Kattegat Sea to strengthen the historically endangered cod stock and to protect the Norway lobster fishery.

After several discussions with the parliamentary parties, the industry, and advisors, DTU Aqua, it was decided to ensure mandatory instalment of cameras so that Danish fishing of Norway lobster can continue, and that the critically endangered cod stock is preserved. Since 2020, 12 vessels in the Kattegat have been part of a pilot project, as a part of an

agreement with the EU in 2019, which secured Danish fishermen a by-catch quota for cod.

“The marine environment is historically stressed and we have to take it very seriously. At the same time, we have a clear agreement with the EU: If there is no camera on the vessels, then the by-catch quota for cod is in serious danger. The latter will mean a total stop to Norway lobster fishing in the Kattegat, therefore, I have chosen to install cameras”, said Rasmus Prehn. The large pelagic vessels in the Danish Pelagic Producers’ Organisation announced that they were voluntarily installing cameras on their vessels in March.

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Installation of onboard cameras are now mandatory on bottom trawlers in the Kattegat to ensure cod and Norway lobster quotas.

[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Renewal of the Italian support scheme for companies in fishery and aquaculture sectors approved In the context of the corona virus pandemic, the European Commission has approved the renewal of the Italian scheme to support companies active in several sectors, including fishery and aquaculture sectors, involving EUR 500 million budget increase in accordance with the state aid Temporary Framework. The Commission approved the original scheme

on 15 July 2020. The framework of the scheme comprises aid in the form of direct grants, tax and payment advantages, repayable advances, reduction or withdrawal of the payment of social security and welfare contributions, and other payment services.

The Commission indicated that the renewal of the Italian

scheme is in line with the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework as amended on 18 November 2021. The Commission concluded that the scheme continues to be necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a member state, in line with Article 107(3)(b)

TFEU and the conditions set out in the Temporary Framework.

On this basis, the Commission approved the measures under EU state aid rules. Addressing the liquidity needs of companies and enabling them to continue their activities during and after the pandemic is the main purpose of the scheme.

Scientists from Riga Technical University have developed a technological solution for the production of oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids, using agro-industrial byproducts as the main raw material. By using by-products there’s an opportunity to reduce the cost of the oil production. The by-products used are food grade, which expands the application of this solution. The invention would be beneficial to the aquaculture, animal husbandry, pet food sectors as well as food supplements for humans. The invention is based on cultivation of unique single-cell oil producing microorganism. As

the microorganism consumes the by-products they produce the oil.

Multiple innovations have been applied into the post-fermentation processing of microbial biomass and oil extraction. Single-cell oil can be used as an ingredient in fish and animal feeds or as a food supplement for humans. The University is looking for a Licensee, who will receive exclusive rights to commercialize this technological solution, which includes a Latvian patent and description of technological know-how after the preparation of the patent. More information is available at http:// inovacijas.rtu.lv

Albanian Minister visits Eurofish Ms Frida Krifca, the Albanian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ms Elida Petoshati, the Albanian Ambassador to Denmark visited the Eurofish offices in Copenhagen to discuss future collaboration. Eurofish has strong ties to

Albania, as one of the founding countries together with Denmark, Latvia, Romania, and Norway who signed the agreement for the establishment of Eurofish back in 2002. Future focus areas for Eurofish could be the mussel industry and exports into the EU.

Albanian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Frida Krifca (center) and Ambassador Ms Elida Petoshati (right) met with Eurofish Director Marco Frederiksen (left) to discuss potential cooperation between Eurofish and Albania.

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Manfred Klinkhardt.

Latvian scientists develop innovative solution for production of Omega-3 oil from by-products.

Fish waste can through an innovative process be used to produce the valued Omega-3 oil.

[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] EU: One Ocean Summit strengthens EU leadership in protecting the ocean One Ocean Summit took place between 9-11 February 2022 in Brest, France, “to take action against the threat to the ocean.”

One Ocean was realized by the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union supported by the United Nations. At the Summit, EU Commission President von der Leyen launched the highambition coalition on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). The initiative underlines the EU’s role as the leading actor on global marine conservation.

Areas beyond national jurisdiction represent 95 of the ocean and their biodiversity provides invaluable ecological and socioeconomic benefits to humanity.

The EU’s research mission is to

restore our ocean and waters by 2030. One Ocean’s goal was to unite the ambitions of the international community in providing solutions to marine issues and transform them into tangible commitments.

Speaking at the One Ocean Summit, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Our mission to protect the ocean needs to be as big as our shared responsibility. That is why we have come to Brest today to join forces and turn the tide. Europe can make a huge contribution, as a maritime power. But only together can we step up protection and let our oceans teem with life again.”

Peru’s oil spill impacts small-scale fishermen A large oil spill in Peru is having a devastating effect on “poverty line” fishermen who depends on the small quantities of fish they harvest near the shore for his or her each day revenue. 2 500 fishermen whose livelihoods have been forged into doubt on account of the big crude-oil spill on the Spanish-owned Repsol oil refinery on January 15. Peru has characterised the spill of 11 900 barrels in front of a Repsol refinery as its worst ecological disaster. The spill happened when the Mare Doricum, an Italian-flagged tanker, was unloading oil at the La Pampilla refinery, just off Peru’s coast north of the capital.

The ship’s captain told the South American country’s Congress that oil spilled into the ocean for at least eight minutes.

The spill has had a devastating impact on fishermen who are among the most economically

weak in Peru. They harvest small quantities of fish very near the coast, typically from small boats or from the shore, stated Juan Carlos Sueiro, from the worldwide conservation group Oceana.

Shortly after the spill, the federal government proclaimed that it would give monetary help to these affected. Authorities took three weeks to list the fishermen whom they would assist. Two weeks later the federal government stated it would now be Repsol which would give USD799 in compensation to all of the 5,600 individuals affected by the spill, Aljazeera reports.

However, many fishermen in Peru cannot certify that fishing is their livelihood. For example, De la Cruz, 60, does not have these documents, but has been trading fish for 30 years with a basket on his back, selling fish to restaurant owners or directly to consumers.

The ocean is of vital importance to current and future generations. Having the largest maritime space in the world, the EU takes responsibility for protecting it; as the largest market for seafood

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Italy: Sea urchin ban threatens fishermen's livelihoods The orange core of the urchin, the roe, is in Italy eaten raw with lemon or as an ingredient in pasta sauces. Gabriella Murgia, the Environment Minister of Sardinia in Italy, imposed an island-wide ban on harvesting of sea urchin, saying research shows that the urchin population had fallen to nearly zero in some areas. Sea urchins have sharp spines to ward off predators but now an island-wide ban on their harvesting in Sardinia is proving a thorn in the side of the fishermen whose livelihood depends on the culinary delicacy and who say they now face ruin, Reuters reports.

The fishermen say the real problem is that there are many illegal, unlicensed urchin harvesters and also complain that the establishment of many protected areas increased pressure on the populations of the areas still open. Sea urchins feed on micro algae, a process which is essential for marine biodiversity. While their own survival is threatened by

over-fishing, too many urchins would severely

diminish the micro algae necessary for other

marine life. The government has promised

compensation to the fishermen.

UK: Mussel fingers and clam nuggets?

A new survey which aims to help the seafood sector develop novel products that encourage more people to eat species such as clams and mussels, as part of a healthy and sustainable diet, is currently open for responses, reports the Fish Site.

Part of a project by Jacob Gawel at the University of Cambridge, the study seeks to improve the seafood sector’s understanding of public perception towards farmed bivalve shellfish. Jacob Gawel explains; “Our food choices are central to our health

and environmental footprint.

Despite their health and environmental benefits, bivalves remain an unpopular source of protein for people in the UK. The project offered a chance to learn about the factors that influence people’s food behaviours, and to help inform bivalve product development with potentially important consequences for the sustainability of our UK food system,” According to Jacob Gawel , there is a need to encourage

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more people to eat farmed bivalves is a win-win, for both the environment and human health. “Bivalves have higher levels of iron, zinc, vitamin A and B12, and omega 3 fatty acids, and a similar protein content to popular fish such as cod and tuna. Regarding sustainability, bivalve aquaculture uses almost no land or freshwater – relying on seawater instead – and has lower greenhouse gas emissions than many meats and plant crops.

Bivalve reefs also provide

ecological benefits such as water filtration, provision of nursery habitats for fish and coastal flood and storm protection,” he reflects. “It’s a combination of the perceived inconvenience of preparing shellfish, a lack of familiarity with the taste of bivalves, gaps in knowledge about their health and environmental benefits, concerns about food safety, and social norms more generally. However, this is by no means an exhaustive list and this question needs more investigation.”

[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Supporting women fish farmers in Bangladesh following pandemic losses The Bangladesh Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project (BSCMFP), an initiative from the World Bank and Bangladesh’s Department of Fisheries, has provided emergency support for women fish farmers, restoring the local logistics chain and improving the food supply by getting fish to markets. Women in Bangladesh have been deeply engaged in aquaculture production and value chain activities.

Before Covid-19, this consistent work made vital differences in their lives, helping to sustain their families and boost livelihoods.

The work can be a source of empowerment and it is often the first means of livelihood for rural women. However, the pandemic

led to the collapse of many family fishing businesses. Many women told The Bangladesh Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project (BSCMFP) researchers that the pandemic had placed their families in more precarious conditions as fish prices dropped and feed became unaffordable, if it arrived at all.

Women fishers have long been invisible in many countries, and often their contributions to fisheries can be underrepresented or ignored in country GDP figures. Bangladesh has a strong history of women’s involvement in fisheries, most often through aquaculture, yet more can be done to include women on all

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levels of business and decision making. Women contribute to a variety of stages of the value chain, from fishing and fish farming to handling and processing. In Bangladesh, poor fishers and women are looking for fuller participation at the higher levels of the sector. For many women, the work can be empowering and provide a significant contribution to family income. For others, however, their labour is unrecognised as they have less access to finance and do not have decision-making authority. The Covid-19 pandemic added another layer to this set of vulnerabilities, with long periods of joblessness for husbands as well.

Through work in the World Bank-funded Bangladesh Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project (BSCMFP), agencies have provided emergency support, helped to restore the logistics chain and improved food supply by getting fish to markets. The emergency support provided fishers electronic cash transfers and technical assistance to purchase feed and relieve debt. The BSCMFP project was conducting community field work when the pandemic struck in 2020. The team had completed aquaculture training in 16 coastal districts where more than 35 million people live.

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[ EVENTS ] Norwegian exhibitors at SEG share an interest in sustainable and well-managed oceans

Global interest in Norwegian seafood Norwegian seafood exports increased again in 2021. The Norway pavilion at Seafood Export Global in Barcelona promises to be a popular destination for exhibitors and visitors to the event.

Eighty companies will exhibit at the Norwegian national pavilions at SEG / SPG in Barcelona, presenting high-quality seafood, innovative technology, and solutions for the fishery and aquaculture industry.

T

he ocean is a major focus area for Norway. We are dependent on an ocean that can yield high-quality seafood for a future growing population. Sustainability, research-based management, knowledge, stringent regulations and green technology play a key role in the entire Norwegian seafood industry.

These are the shared prerequisites and values for approximately 80 Norwegian companies that will exhibit at the national pavilions at SEG / SPG in Barcelona this year.

The exhibitors are presenting a wide range of high-quality Norwegian seafood (at SEG), innovative

technology and solutions for the fishery and aquaculture industry (at SPG).

In fact, 2021 was the best year ever for Norwegian seafood exports. In total, Norway exported 3.1 million tonnes of seafood worth close to 13 billion EURO last year. This is a record in both volume and value – corresponding to 42 million meals every day for a year.

Norwegian salmon is the most valuable product, with 70 percent share of the total seafood export from Norway last year.

That represents an increase of 16 percent in value and 11 percent

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in volume. There is also a growing demand for wild-caught fish from Norway, with a growth of 14 percent in value and 14 percent in volume in 2021.

The numbers show a global increase in interest for seafood from Norway, responding to important trends in demand like sustainability, taste, accessibility, health and wellness.

Companies from Norway are present at Seafood Expo Global: (stand 2E400, 2E401, 2E501, 2f401,2F501) The Norway pavilion at SEG is placed in Hall 2. The number of

Norwegian exporters participating the pavilion is 64. The exhibitors are representing the Norwegian seafood export business with a wide range of high quality seafood products.

Seafood Processing Global: (stand 3HH601, 3GG601) The Norway pavilion at SPG is placed in Hall 3, with the participation of 14 Norwegian exhibitors, providing a broad scale of technology and services.

Both pavilions are organized by Innovation Norway. See event details: https://norwayevent.com/ events/seafoodexpo-22/

Automatic Skinner

Tabletop Skinner

[ EVENTS ] Danish suppliers of equipment for the seafood industry return in force to SPG

Barcelona will be the entry point into Spain Equipment manufacturers from Denmark are hoping that their presence at Seafood Processing Global in Barcelona will facilitate access to the vast Spanish market.

D

anish equipment manufacturers are frontrunners within intelligent solutions which add value and make fish processing more efficient. The SPG show is strategically important for finding new partners and customers both in Europe and globally.

Martin Winkel, Head of Fish Tech at Danish Export Association, and organizer of the Pavilion of Denmark, believes that moving the trade show to Barcelona will offer new opportunities to Danish equipment producers: “Spain has the largest fish

processing industry in Europe, but to continue to be competitive, the processors need to optimize and streamline thew production. This alone offers valuable opportunities for Danish companies at Seafood Processing Global.”

Thirty Danish exhibitors will showcase the solutions that maximize the value generated from fish and meet the increased demands for automation, sustainability, long lasting equipment, food safety, hygiene, innovative packaging, waste handling and many more.

The Danish team had great success at Seafood Processing Global in Brussels, and looks forward to achieving even more in Barcelona.

Meet Denmark at: Pavilion of Denmark will be situated in Hall 3, with booth

numbers 3CC201, 3DD201, 3EE201, 3FF201, 3EE401, and 3FF401.

IceFish 2022 addresses companies along the entire seafood value chain

A combined in-person and online event The 13th edition of the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition (IceFish) -- since 1984 the largest commercial fishing exhibition in northern Europe – will be held in Kópavogur on June 8-10, 2022, after a five-year gap.

T

he triennial event was postponed in 2020 due to covid risks and restrictions but is now set to go. Running concurrently with the IceFish exposition, the 4th edition of Fish Waste for Profit Conference will take place from 9-10 June 2022 at the same location.

IceFish exhibits will cover the whole seafood industry, from fishing, processing, and packaging,

right through to the marketing and distribution of the end product, targeting an international business audience. The packed exhibition halls will feature familiar long-term exhibitors as well as an abundance of new companies. Large National pavilions will be present from Denmark, Norway, Faroe Islands and, new for this exhibition, Spain.

June’s event will also welcome new initiatives including:

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A dedicated area for Processing/ Value added/Fish farming and By-products, this is to recognise and reflect industry developments and to align with the 4th edition of the Fish Waste for Profit Conference, taking place on day 2 and 3 of the exhibition. This conference will show how by-products in fish processing are used by the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and agrifood industries, creating profit while reducing waste.

Icefish Connect – the virtual community: Introduced for the first time in 2021, IceFish Connect, is the new virtual exhibition platform, brought in to compliment the ‘in person’ 13th Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition. IceFish Connect will have rich and engaging content that enables visitors and exhibitors to meet, network and develop business online.

[ EVENTS ] The 8th Icelandic Fisheries Awards will take place on the first night of the exhibition.

Hosted by the City of Kopavogur the awards have since 1999 been recognising outstanding achievement in the International and Icelandic fishing, processing, and seafood sectors.

Persons who would like to sponsor, exhibit or attend IceFish 2022, can contact the Mercator Media events team on +44 1329 825335 or email info@icefish.is.

A must-attend event for all commercial fisheries organisations and associated businesses, Icefish hosts the latest developments from the industry showcasing new and innovative products and services

Innovation and sustainability are key themes at the 2022 AquaFarm event

Spotlight on artisanal fisheries and aquaculture The 2022 edition of AquaFarm, the international exhibition and conference dedicated to the aquaculture and sustainable fishing industry, will be held face-to-face on 25-26 May 2022 in Pordenone, Italy.

T

he key topics of the event include “Enhancing innovation and sustainability in Adriatic aquaculture”, “Aquaculture social sustainability: conditions and acceptability”, “The new FEAMPA fund: innovations and new programs”, “Aquaculture 4: technologies and innovations”, “SOS costs! The rising cost of energy in food production”, “Markets and improvements of products quality”.

Co-located in the frame of AquaFarm, Pordenone Fiere also opens its premises to other two events: “AlgaeFarm” and “NovelFarm”.

“NovelFarm” is the most important Italian event exclusively devoted to new cultivation techniques and vertical farming. “AlgaeFarm” is a forum dedicated to technologies and applications in algae cultivations.

“AlgaeFarm” will be an opportunity

to present the status and outcomes by professionals within the algaculture sector, by enabling discussions of scientific research, equipment manufacturers, and experts in nutraceuticals, food and energy.

Improving the productivity of cultivated microalgae is among the main topics of the research, as well

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as technologies and innovations for microalgae cultivation.

This fifth edition of AquaFarm includes a “Special Conference Day” on May 27 dedicated to a series of conferences including artisanal fisheries and aquaculture. The event is organized in

collaboration with FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), API (Association of Italian Piscicultures) and GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean). For more information please visit www.aquafarmexpo.it

[ EVENTS ] Promoting cooperation between EU, Mediterranean, and Arab aquaculture sectors

Greek aquaculture event to focus on impact of EU policies After the success of the 1st Aquaculture Congress in 2018, the 2nd Aquaculture Congress entitled "Challenges and Prospects for a Blue-Green Aquaculture" is organized by AMBIO with the support of the Hellenic Organization of Aquaculture Producers - HAPO.

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he Congress took place on 15-16 April 2022, at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre in Greece. The main focus of the congress was to highlight the dynamics of the industry in light of the new CFP, the recent developments on EU aquaculture guidelines, the Green Agenda and related initiatives such as “The Mediterranean: a model sea by 2030”, where the need for national and international collaborations are emphasized.

The agenda included the transition to a sustainable and competitive aquaculture, capable of contributing to climate neutrality, zero pollution, the development of the circular economy, ensuring nutritious and healthy food. At the same time, investment opportunities were highlighted to develop a sustainable and competitive fish farming and to promote a spirit of cooperation between European, Mediterranean and Arab countries. This will

enhance transnational and crosssectoral economic cooperation.

The Congress was be attended by Greek Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the European Commission Vice President Mr. Margaritis Schinas. They were be accompanied by the Minister of Development and Investments and the Minister of Rural Development and Food, amongst other distinguished guests and speakers from Greece and abroad. In addition to the participation

of the Greek aquaculture industry, companies and speakers from India, Norway, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Saudi Arabia participated. The presence of foreign investment groups with a global reach, who have invested in Greek and European fish farming, is of particular importance, giving an international character to the Congress.

For more information about the event visit the website of the Congress www.aquaculture-congress2022.gr.

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Great Seafood.

We live by it.

Discover why UK seafood has gained award-winning global status.

The UK’s clean, nutrient-rich waters are renowned for producing world-class seafood.

But great seafood is about more than just premium quality produce.

It’s highly skilled seafood communities with a wealth of knowledge and expertise honed over generations.

It’s a commitment to sustainable stocks and responsible management to help a rich diversity of marine life thrive for years to come.

It’s exceptional standards in traceability and food safety, ensuring that every bite of seafood harvested from our rich and varied coastline is full of flavour.

For us, it’s a way of life.

Visit the UK Pavilion at Seafood Expo Global, Barcelona (26 – 28 April 2022) to hear more about the UK’s seafood story and meet leading UK producers across a range of species.

UK Pavilion location: Hall 2, stand 2I601

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The Polish fisheries industry adapts to fallout from the pandemic, but challenges remain

A gradual return to normality The Polish fisheries and aquaculture sector partly adapted to the circumstances imposed upon it by the pandemic with digitalisation and increased e-commerce. As restrictions are lifted and production, trade, and consumption return to pre-pandemic levels, there are still serious challenges such as the impacts of global warming that farmers and fishers must learn to live with. A longawaited development is the return of Seafood Expo Global as an in-person event, now in Barcelona, where Poland will be strongly represented. Marta Rabczyńska-Kapcińska, Director in the Fisheries Department, offers the administration’s perspective on some of the issues facing aquaculture and fisheries in Poland.

Marta Rabczyńska-Kapcińska, Director, Fisheries Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland

Y

ou were deputy director for several years before you took over as director when your predecessor retired recently. What do you see as the main challenges facing the fisheries and aquaculture sector in

Poland, and what are your top priorities as director? What are your personal ambitions with this position?

I have been working in fisheries administration for more than

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15 years. I have a broad view of functioning of all main areas in this sector. It will be no surprise if I say that the main challenge in fisheries is how to make this activity profitable while wild fisheries resources are shrinking,

how to ensure the viability of coastal communities affected by reduced availability of fisheries quotas and how to respond to the demands of a society that expects fisheries to be a part of local landscape with all its

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attributes meaning, for instance, vessels on sandy beaches on a sunny day. At the same time there is an aquaculture sector with the potential to develop further but which is still facing the challenge of increasing production.

As an idealist I would like to see a growing fisheries sector offering job opportunities in coastal communities and an increasing aquaculture production which meets consumers’ expanding demand for fish and seafood.

And the common goal is to function in harmony with other land and sea users.

As the coronavirus mutates into less lethal variants and restrictions are gradually loosened do you foresee a return to business as it used to be prepandemic, or do you think the virus has introduced lasting changes in the fisheries and aquaculture industry?

The first wave of the pandemic was a surprise not only for the fisheries sector, but for all industries. Fortunately, with the development of a vaccine and the acquisition of some skills to deal with a pandemic and the mutation of the virus to a less lethal variant, there is hope to be back in business in pre-pandemic form. All the time, however, one has to be careful with certain statements, because there is no certainty as to how the situation will develop further. In any case, I hope to get back to the pre-pandemic world and business.

The most critical time for the industry was 2020. The unexpected situation of the outbreak of the pandemic and its multifaceted dimension caused

an economic shock. The introduced restrictions and restrictions on movement, in the functioning of the hotel and catering industry and recreation facilities, as well as in consumer behavior and choices, caused disturbances in the demand for fishery and aquaculture products, but also problems on the supply side, caused by disruptions in supply chains and employee absenteeism. It seems that this shock will also affect future business and consumer decisions and behaviors. All the more so as new serious threats have appeared on the horizon.

On the one hand, it is necessary to consider the increased risk in the implemented projects, on the other hand, computerization and remote servicing of businesses and consumers through e-commerce activities have accelerated even more.

important of them is water retention, and thus shaping the water conditions in the catchment area, shaping the local microclimate, protection against local extreme phenomena, such as floods or droughts, and improving water quality by reducing nutrients and suspended solids. Carp ponds are also very important habitats for plants and animals, including those rare and endangered.

The functioning of ponds should therefore be considered through the prism of a valuable element of nature, positively influencing the environment.

climate change, such as high temperatures or access to water, and their impact on production conditions. Bearing in mind that these phenomena may disrupt the production cycle and affect the financial liquidity of breeders, under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, we have envisaged an intervention financial support mechanism for aquaculture entities in the event of the above-mentioned force majeure and environmental incidents, such as flood or drought.

Regardless of the above, carp farms are actually struggling more and more often with problems resulting from progressive

The use of technology is becoming widespread even in sectors that have traditionally been low tech. Carp farmers

The impact of global warming can be felt by the aquaculture sector in Poland, where carp farmers are facing unprecedented extreme weather phenomena such as high temperatures, and a lack of precipitation. How can the administration assist farmers in these circumstances? Is the administration also encouraging farmers to adopt mitigation strategies that reduce their contribution to global warming?

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The Polish carp economy is an example of sustainable aquaculture and negligible contribution to global warming. Fish breeding is carried out in the natural conditions of an earthen pond, in an extensive way, based on natural food. Nevertheless, the non-production values of carp ponds and the services they provide for the environment are also an important role. The most

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in some countries, for example, use automatic feeders, mechanical weed cutters, sensors to monitor oxygen levels in the ponds, software to manage all the operations on the farm, and drones and camera systems to prevent theft. Can these developments also be seen in Poland? What impact do these changes have on the sector, its output, and the quality of the products?

Compared to other types of fish farming, such as trout, carp farming is indeed still carried out in a more traditional way.

However, this is due to the specificity of the breeding technology of this species. This does not mean, however, that the industry is not modern and carp breeders are not looking for the possibility of introducing changes in the functioning of their facilities. An important role in this aspect was played by Poland’s accession to the European Union and the possibility of using EU funds.

During nearly 20 years, a large percentage of carp farms took advantage of the opportunities and possibilities for modernization and development, increasing their profitability and competitiveness in the market. The facilities have been equipped with modern infrastructure and technical means in the field of production, sorting, distribution and storage that meet the highest safety and fish welfare standards. A number of investments have been made to diversify production. The farms invested in small processing plants, smokehouses, catering outlets, food trucks, which, while maintaining or even improving the current quality, significantly made the carp product more attractive and improved its availability on the market throughout the year,

and not only traditionally in the pre-Christmas period.

This year is the third year that the landing obligation has been fully in force. What has been the impact of the landing obligation on Poland’s Baltic Sea fisheries? Has it led to the introduction of more selective gear? Is there a system in place that can collect and process landings of undersized fish that may not be used for human consumption?

The necessity to introduce the landing obligation is obvious.

Minimizing the volume of discards should improve the situation of the Baltic Sea fish by reducing the fishing pressure.

Poland does not get the impression that the introduction of the landing obligation has a negative impact on fishermen.

Already in 2014, it was indicated in the Sea Fisheries Act that the landing obligation is carried out within the limits of the fishing quota. On the other hand, in the case of fishermen who do not have a quota of a given species subject to the landing obligation, the landing obligation is performed within the limits set out by the minister responsible for fisheries from the Polish total catch quota.

Work on solutions for new selective fishing gear was carried out as part of regionalization - as part of BALTFISH. In 2021, BALTFISH developed a joint recommendation on technical measures for Baltic bottom trawling to reduce cod by-catch and conserve cod stocks. Also in 2021, studies were carried out in Poland on the application of changes in the design of towed bottom fishing gears aimed at

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minimizing the by-catch of Baltic cod in fisheries targeting flat fish. The joint recommendation and its implementation are in the hands of the European Commission at this moment.

Under the EMFF, two measures were implemented to fulfil the landing obligation, including 1.5 Ports and harbors - Landing and use of all catches, and 1.2 Reducing the impact of fishing on the marine environment and adapting fishing to species. Under Measure 1.5, nine agreements were signed for a total amount of EUR 4.5 million. Beneficiaries were recognized fish producer organizations, or other fishing organizations implementing statutory tasks in the field of sea fishing. The scope of support included: – systems for selecting and sorting fish – technological lines for sorting demersal fish – technological line pelagic fish sorting system – freezer set – means of internal transport – a freezer unit and a mechanical-vacuum transport system Under Measure 1.2 one tender for funding applications was published under which 349 applications for funding were submitted and 270 contracts for funding were signed. Support under this measure amounted to approximately EUR 3.5 million. The submitted applications concerned the replacement of fishing gear with more selective ones Poland’s status as one of the biggest processors of fish in the EU is based partly on low costs.

But the fish processing sector in Poland suffers from a lack of labour. What are the solutions to

this issue being discussed among stakeholders? Can, for example, greater automation result in Poland losing this status?

Yes, it is true. Poland is one of the largest fish processors in Europe. The industry employs nearly 20,000 people, some of them come from abroad, including Ukraine. Despite this, there is a shortage of manpower. The solution to this problem may be to increase the employment of immigrants and the simplification of formalities related to taking up a job in Poland. The question is how quickly processing operations can be automated.

When it comes to automation of production, such a process would undoubtedly help reduce the need for human labour.

Unfortunately, investments in this direction are expensive and it is not always possible to automate all processes.

A recent trend among consumers is the increase in vegetarianism, veganism, flexitarianism, and other eating habits. How can the fisheries and aquaculture sector work with these developments to ensure that young people continue to eat fish and seafood?

When it comes to working with product development, one should focus on vegetable and fish products, such as fish salads (fresh vegetables with fish), but also on seaweed products, which actually takes advantage of the flexitarian trend. Consumers should also be educated about the need to consume products containing essential fatty acids from marine sources (DHA, EPA) - not only the fish industry (promotional campaigns), but also by the public administration (nutritional education).

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Polski Karp celebrates its 10 years anniversary

Ten years of helping its member farmers turn a “common” fish into a national pride Polish Carp Producer Organization, Polski Karp, has good reason to celebrate its tenth year in operation. Over the past decade the number of member farms has grown, production is less erratic, and by working together, Polski Karp and its members have taken a generic -- some might say boring! -- fish and added to a distinctive part of Polish food and culture.

F

or a long time in Poland, the price of carp paid by retail chains to fish farmers was set by the retailers, by virtue of the chains’ relatively small number and consequent

control of the market compared to the less powerful farmers. That long time started coming to an end in 2012 when 13 carp farmers joined forces to form a cooperative to negotiate with buyers.

But combining Polish farm forces into a single group did not fully solve another problem: the ready availability of imported carp to the retailers. From the retailers’ viewpoint, imported carp was

identical to the domestic version and sometimes, allegedly, wrongly marketed to consumers as Polish fish. So, the group of farmers went further and formed a Producer Organization, as many

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Although carp ponds are man-made, it is difficult to relate them to their primary purpose, as they look completely natural.

fishermen and farmers across Europe do, with both a name for the group and a trademark for its members’ product, “Polski Karp”.

Pawel Wielgosz, president of the board of Polski Karp, describes the organization today and the current state of carp farming in Poland. “We are now 80 farms,” he said, producing around 5,000 tonnes of carp annually.

Carp, however, grows in a twoyear cycle, and supply does not always meet demand. If demand suddenly grows next year, supply can only respond with a twoyear lag. This can pose problems, but there is little that can be done; such cyclical behavior

happens in markets for many farmed products, where price increases are followed only later with production increases, which lead to price declines, followed by reduced production, and so on.

When a year’s sales depend on a single day’s meal Such mismatched supply and demand can be a big problem, especially when 90% of a year’s production is sold for consumption on a single day, Christmas Eve. Perhaps more than any other country, people in Poland associate carp with dinner on Christmas

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Eve. But Polski Karp is trying to improve upon that, with promotional efforts to spread consumption more broadly, initially throughout the colder months. So far, headway is being made in the restaurant sector, with at-home consumption taking longer to react.

As with fish consumers everywhere, a lack of familiarity with carp recipes beyond the staple served at the Christmas table hampers Polski Karp’s promotional efforts. So, the organisation, in cooperation with experienced chefs, has developed recipes to spark the imagination of home cooks and restaurant

chefs alike. At Polfish and other seafood industry exhibitions, Polski Karp sets the stage with chefs and all the raw material and kitchen supplies they need to prepare carp in many ways, such as carp chowder and even sushi and other Asian cuisine favorites. At these important trade events, Polski Karp hopes to enlighten exhibition attendees who will then spread the word that carp is not just for Christmas anymore.

Exports by Polski Karp member farms are a small share of total sales but are diverse, ranging from fillets for Czech Republic, to whole fish all the way to the UK

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and Ireland. The same seasonal trends are found in those markets, with winter months dominating yearly sales.

More fillets, please During its decade in existence, Polski Karp has seen a shift in consumer preferences from whole carp toward fillets. Fillets command a higher retail/restaurant price than the equivalent quantity of meat from a whole fish for two reasons: first, producing fillets costs more than producing whole fish, and second, consumers, particularly younger or more affluent ones, are willing to pay more for convenience. There will always be demand for whole carp among consumers who use the heads and bones for soups, but especially in the restaurant

Consumer preferences have switched from whole carp to fillets, notched ones in particular – faster to cook and safer to eat as the bones in the fillet are cut into small pieces.

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sector, a preference for fillets is growing. Polski Karp’s chief Pawel Wielgosz doesn’t think selling whole carp on ice is a good idea, because in three days the fish looks dead. But what the consumer wants, they get.

attention from consumers who have seem the promotions.

a growing segment of retail seafood sales.

“Buy Polish” wins customers

Other services provided to members

Acting as one in negotiations with retailers over price and other contractual elements was the original impetus for forming the producer organisation and this benefit provided to members remains vital today.

Polski Karp’s member farmers benefit from their association in many ways. The most important, in Pawel Wielgosz’s view, is the promotional efforts described earlier, efforts that if undertaken by individual farmers would be prohibitively expensive, not to mention duplicative if everyone did it. A farmer can have their own brand on their product, but joining it with the trademark “Polski Karp” on the label gets more

Another benefit is the savings from buying inputs in bulk.

When Polski Karp buys fish feed, for example, it buys in bulk for its whole membership and passes the bulk discount on to members. Small filleting machines are bought for members, as well as two large, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) machines for member use, whose cost would be prohibitive for small companies. This helps members meet

Exactly ten years ago, the founders of Polski Karp saw an injustice perpetrated by retailers who had imported carp from abroad and marketed it as “Polish,” an affront to not just their bottom line but their national pride.

While conceding that in some ways “a carp is a carp,” these farmers also knew that a carp truly from Poland must be valuable to consumers if the retailers were willing to falsely advertise such a claim to gain favor from buyers.

By creating the “Polski Karp” trademark, the farmers’

association was able both to fend off import competition and to boost the public’s national pride, especially on a key civic and religious holiday. While other challenges remain, such as climate change impacts on water quality, levels and temperature, and the seemingly intractable two-year production cycle, consumer pride in purchasing authentic Polish carp is a lasting testament to the power of fish farmers working together.

Polski Karp Spolka z o.o – Organizacja Producentow Jozefitow Str. 4/3 30-039 Krakow Poland +48 12 623 72 80 biuro@polskikarp.eu https://polskikarp.com/

Polish farm Fario raises and processes trout

The future of farmed trout is RAS Carp and, increasingly, trout dominate Polish aquaculture. Polish fish farmer Fario does everything with trout, operating a hatchery, traditional raceway farms, a modern RAS facility, and a processing plant. With a keen eye on current operations and a view into the future, the company sees RAS as a cost-effective way to expand trout production.

W

hen Grzegorz Balcerzyk’s father was a fisherman more than four decades ago, he realized the costs of his long trips at sea included missing out on his baby daughter’s growth. So, in 1978 he stepped off the fishing boat one last time and built a fish farm, called GR Łupawa in Zochowo, Poland. According to Grzegorz, who now runs Fario, the processing business, his father chose the company’s name from the Latin name for river trout, morpha fario, a subspecies of brown trout, Salmo trutta. The farm was, and is, based in a local river.

Trout is the second largest species farmed in Poland and traditional flow-through facilities dominate the production.

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Today, the company has three river-based farms, a RAS facility, a hatchery, and a processing plant, producing trout for major retailers all over Poland and in neighboring Central European countries.

Together, the trout farms employ about 20 people and generate a turnover of 30 million zloty (6,5 million euros). The processing plant, built in 2004, is a separate company with a turnover of 80 million zloty (17,4 million euros) generated by the efforts of 110 employees. The processing plant also handles trout imported from Italy and Denmark when the company’s own farmed supplies are low, as well as carp and sturgeon from Polish suppliers and sea bass and sea bream imported from Greece and Turkey. The fish other than trout are mainly for seasonal sales: the carp for Christmas, and the sea bass and bream for the barbeque season.

MAP maintains quality, reduces costs One reason for company’s success is the focus on modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for

its products for retail. This type of packaging was adopted by Fario with the commencement of its processing operations in 2004.

Before that, retail fish – whole or fillets – was displayed on ice, and no other companies were selling fish in MAP on a large scale. The company’s founder spent years convincing retailers with large-format stores to market his MAP fish and eventually began to win them over. The large retail chains came on board sooner than smaller discount stores, but eventually Fario succeeded. Smaller stores are the perfect customers for MAP, as selling fish on ice involves time and costs to maintain ice displays, and the fish has a shorter shelf life than with the atmosphere-controlled packaging. In 2007 the company started selling carp in MAP for Christmas and was the first one in Poland to do so. As of today about 80 percent of the company’s processing segment are MAP products – gutted fish or fillets, and the share of the latter keeps growing.

Most of the sales are domestic, with smaller volumes going to Czechia and Slovakia.

RAS makes higher quality trout, year-round As Fario expanded from one farm operation on a river to three, another innovation in the fish farming industry has caught the company’s attention: recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). RAS has taken longer to be adapted in commercial aquaculture mainly because it has significant up-front costs of facility construction and ongoing costs for energy. But for their fourth farm operation, Fario decided the costs are justified by the higher quality control enabled by RAS and improved planning to keep reliable flows of trout to customers year-round.

RAS investment factors in another, longer term, consideration: climate change. The rivers used for trout farms 10-15 years ago were a lot colder than now, the level of water was higher, and the of pollution was not as high.

Farming trout in river-based facilities these days is becoming harder. RAS systems have less

need for fresh, clean water, as long as filtration and oxygenation systems are in place. The fish, although stocked in high densities, are protected from environmental risks and diseases. There is always the risk of an electricity shortage, threatening the lives of thousands of fish if not addressed within hours, and for that Fario says its next big investment will be a biogas plant, generating fish safety and predictable operating costs as well as electricity.

Private-body certification is required but is it necessary?

Polish laws regarding food product safety and quality are modern and sufficient, says Fario, but retailers want more. Their customers want to see the labels of well-known international seafood certification bodies. The standards of some of these certification bodies are often met by adherence to Poland’s food laws but require the added costs of payments for private inspection

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and certification. In such cases, the company believes, it is not very beneficial to be certified twice, by government and by private inspection.

To meet retailers’ requirements (and to facilitate export sales), Fario has International Food Standards (IFS) certification, governing its whole production chain and, ensuring standards that exceed legal rules, which the company supports. Also, the company has applied for ASC certification, which essentially duplicates legal requirements and is expensive, but retailers want it.

The sooner the better Most of Fario’s sales are domestic, within Poland, primarily to discount retailers. Fresh product – even longer-lived MAP trout -must move fast, and the company can satisfy customer needs by limiting its marketing boundary to Poland and neighboring countries. In addition to providing top quality fish fast, the company does it year-round thanks to RAS production.

The investment in processing

by Fario’s founder was prescient: the company has seen retail consumer preferences shift over the years from whole gutted fish to more convenient fillets, and in the HoReCa sector, from frozen to fresh fish. Customers are becoming more educated and can easily tell if a fillet is fresh or thawed, making the company’s fresh quality and quick delivery from the processing plant significant advantages.

To help the end consumer, Fario includes brief cooking hints on its labels. These are simple instructions with basic information (e.g., temperature) and one or two

Customers need fish seven days a week, all year round, and RAS system allows planning the production to meet the demand.

spices or garnishes with which to adorn the cooked fish. Simple is best, states the company, to best enjoy trout’s flavor.

Price prediction and other challenges Selling fresh fish that has occasional supply problems to buyers who like long-term contracts is a risky business. In raceway trout farming, disease and other sudden dangers can threaten supply, and in RAS production electricity can be cut or, as recently happened in Poland and elsewhere, rise sharply in price. Meanwhile, the selling price established in 6or 12-month contracts with retailers is unchanged.

Fario is actively dealing with these and other challenges.

The company plans investing in solar power “as quickly as

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we can,” providing dependable power independent of national grids and their unpredictable prices. A greater share of its fish can thereby be RAS-produced.

A large investment is planned in a biofuel plant with multiple goals, including the supply of controlled-temperature water for RAS, added electricity creation by processing fish wastes, and diversification by Fario into aquaponics with the plant’s warm water. Solar power and biogas generation is expensive, however, and much of this investment, it is hoped, will be supported with the EU funds, which the company has used for past expansion projects.

The key challenges for Polish aquaculture include improving competitiveness by using resources more efficiently, expanding the market with better

distribution chains, improving product quality and marketing, and protecting the environment. Fario is working hard toward meeting all these challenges. The company pioneered MAP fish in Polish retail chains and is the country’s largest RAS trout farmer, which has made it a leader in fast delivery of fresh fish, produced in an efficient and environmentally friendly way. Fario’s vision for trout farming and marketing has been and continues to be clear, ensuring a bright future.

Contact: Fario s.j.

76-230 Potegowo Zochowo 19/1 Tel. +48-59 846 35 89 biuro@fario.com.pl www.fario.com.pl Director: Grzegorz Balcerzyk E-mail: gb@fario.com.pl

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Gosławice Fish Farm, producer of Antonius Caviar brand

A family's passion for fish farming lies behind Europe’s largest sturgeon caviar producer Gospodarstwo Rybackie Gosławice (Goslawice Fish Farm), established in 1966, was producer of farmed carp, and trout fingerlings using treated water from an adjacent power station. Young ichthyologist Antoni Łakomiak, just graduated from the university, joined the farm in 1986. Many years later, Goslawice Fish Farm, maker of Antonius Caviar brand, has become Europe’s largest (and the world’s second largest) producer of sturgeon caviar, using the knowledge and experience the Łakomiak’s family still running it has gleaned from decades of farming several different species of fish.

F

ollowing the dismantling of the USSR, the impacts on eastern bloc countries like Poland led many companies to

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make major changes. For Antoni Łakomiak, President of the Management Board of Gosławice Fish Farm or CEO of Gosławice Fish

Farm, the changing business environment induced him to expand his original carp and catfish farm to include sturgeon, a shift that

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would completely redefine the company’s direction and growth from a supplier of whole or filleted fish like carp to the leading

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producer of perhaps the world’s leading gourmet delicacy.

Long road to caviar production Gosławice Fish Farm, who started farming sturgeon for meat in 1992, has not been even thinking about caviar production until the CITES convention in 1998 put most of sturgeons on the “Red List,” and many companies worldwide started considering farming sturgeons for their roe. Between 1998 and 2005, countries like Kazakhstan, Russia, and Iran had quotas in the Caspian and Black Sea, but after that the quotas stopped, forcing all caviar to be produced from aquaculture.

In 2004, Gosławice began breeding sturgeon for caviar continuing breeding for meat, with the biomass of sturgeons intended for caviar rising from around 100 tonnes in that year to 4,000 tonnes today. With the learning curve common in a new line of business, caviar production took a long time to develop and didn’t yield commercial quantities until 2014. The money to finance this decade-long venture came from the company’s established production of carp, trout, catfish, and other farmed species, which included the purchase of a second farm to raise trout, which also became very successful. In 2012 the company became the major stakeholder of Olsztyn II Fish Farm and now has two farming facilities in RuĞ and in Patryki villages in northern Poland, where the company raises sturgeon and operates a large, modern caviar plant.

Gosławice also owns Lubicz Fish Farm. Together, the company has 2000 hectares of lakes, and 600 hectares of earthen ponds.

Łakomiak family, from left to right: Antoni Łakomiak (President of the Management Board of GOSŁAWICE Fish Farm), Hanna Łakomiak (Proxy of GOSŁAWICE Fish Farm), Agata Łakomiak-Winnicka (Marketing & Sales Director at Antonius Caviar), Szymon Łakomiak (Production Director of Olsztyn II Fish Farm and Development & Export Director of ‚Goslawice Group‘).

So many sturgeon species to choose from Of the 27 species of sturgeon in the world, the company started farming five or six, to see which were best suited for the climate in Poland. Two were selected: Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) and Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii).

Siberian sturgeon is a small fish (9 kg), relatively easy to farm, offering roe after nine years. Russian sturgeon is larger (upwards of 100kg in the wild), much harder to grow to sexual maturity, but it fares well in waters supplied from Polish rivers. About 75% of the company’s production is Siberian caviar, but the plan is to increase Oscietra (caviar from Russian sturgeon) output to bring the ratio to 50/50. The company also plans to add more products to the existing range, says Szymon Łakomiak, Production Director at Olsztyn II. Last year the company started the production of caviar from albino

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sturgeon, and breeding of beluga is already in progress though it will take few more years before the fish will be mature enough to produce caviar.

Scepticism about the plan could not stop the success Antoni Łakomiak says he endured a lot of scepticism from outsiders when his plans for Polish caviar production became known. Caviar from Iran, of course, maybe even from France – but Poland?

At trade shows like Seafood Expo Global, those days in Brussels, visitors to his booth asked if the caviar is from Astrakhan, or Iran. But he persevered and, step by step, sales grew. In the first year, 2014, production was planned for three tonnes of caviar but ended with seven tonnes and new storage had to be built. In 2016 production rose to 14 tonnes, followed in 2017 by 18 tonnes, and by 2019 production and sales hit 29 tonnes. The

pandemic caused 2020 output to fall by 35%, but this rose to more than 40 tonnes in 2021, establishing Gosławice as Europe’s leading caviar producer. (The world leader is the Chinese company Kaluga Queen, but Antoni Łakomiak says Kaluga Queen farms only part of its sturgeon, and the rest it buys, while Gosławice produces all of its sturgeon, keeping control over the entire process. So, Łakomiak’s company may be the world’s largest producer of caviar from ownraised fish.)

From 35 employees in 2004, today the four farms and processing plant of Gosławice employ 100 expert technicians, half are women, and more than half of all the employees have degrees in ichthyology, biology, and food technology. The high quality of Antonius Caviar comes largely from the genetic make-up of the fish, the quality of water and different feeds they require as they mature over the years, and how the roe is handled immediately after

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harvest. Knowledge combined with passion enabled the company’s technicians and scientists develop today’s gourmet product.

Nowadays, Antonius Caviar is sold to hotels and restaurants, the cruise lines, airlines, all the HoReCa sector, as well as to private buyers in Europe and beyond. The best markets for caviar generally are in Europe: France, Switzerland, Germany, and eastern Europe, including Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine, while other strong markets include the US and Canada, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia.

Antonius Caviar is sold in many of these markets, except Russia, as well as in the Middle East, particularly in Dubai. In most of the countries the company uses distributors and in others (mainly in the EU) it sells directly to restaurants and hotels. In the EU orders can be

filled within 24-48 hours, but it is difficult to sell directly outside the EU because exports require CITES approval which adds one month to the process. Using distributors eases the process, however.

Dreams come true For many years our family had a dream, says Antoni Łakomiak, and now this dream is coming true: the company is creating a new department to produce cosmetics from sturgeon. The collagens from sturgeon skin are similar to human collagen, and caviar is rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. The plan for next year is to start the production of cosmetics, with the eventual goal that customers who are buying Antonius Caviar online or in a restaurant will also add a jar of facial cream to their purchase.

Attention to every smallest detail during the production process results into an excellent gourmet product, “black gold”, Antonius Caviar.

The cream will contain minimum if ingredients and maximum of fish eggs and shall be used within one to three months because like the caviar it is unpasteurized and perishable, i.e., products that are as natural as possible.

So, with the passion for quality that comes from a business

run by a family, the company has turned a small carp farm (which it still operates) into a world leader in caviar, and it is looking into the future for even more opportunities. Clearly, its history shows, it hasn’t always been profit driving Gosławice Fish Farm owners and managers, instead it’s the passion.

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The largest commercial fishing exhibition in the north The Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition covers every aspect of the commercial fishing industry from locating, catching, processing and packaging, right through to the marketing and distribution of the end product

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Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition June 2022 Much more than just an exhibition, REGISTER TO VISIT NOW! The largest commercial fishing exhibition in the North since 1984, finally returns to Kópavogur, June 8-10, 2022 after a covid enforced 5 year gap. From locating, catching, processing and packaging, right through to the marketing and distribution of the end product, the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition has produced an international business environment for the commercial fisheries, processing, aquaculture, seafood and byproducts sectors. Following nearly two years of pandemic restrictions this June’s Icefish will provide exhibitors and visitors with the long overdue facility for multiple face to face business meetings in one place.

THE EVENT Since its inception in 1984, the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition has become one of the world’s leading fishing events and anyone needing to keep up with the latest technology and developments should attend. Held once every three years, the 2022 event will make a welcome return. It will include many new Icelandic and international exhibitors taking up over 13,000m2 of inside and outside exhibition space.

Around 500 companies are expected to showcase the latest developments in the commercial fishing industry and include National Pavilions from Norway, the Faroe Islands, Denmark and Spain.

KEY LOCATION Iceland is heavily dependent on Fishing with 40% of the country’s export coming from Fish or Fish related products and 10,000+ people directly employed in the sector.

Skippers and owners of 1,561 registered vessels continue to modernise their fleet providing the perfect business platform for the every 3 year Icefish.

INDUSTRY VARIETY The sector continues the move into sophisticated processing of seafood, value added, aquaculture and commercialisation of by-products, which will have its own dedicated area in this year’s show.

NETWORKING The last exhibition, held in 2017, saw a 41% increase in overseas exhibitors and a business focused attendance of 13,621 from 52 countries. The successful match making meetings will again be offered at this year’s show.

NEW FOR 2022: In addition, Icefish have launched a virtual exhibition and community platform, which will give exhibitors & visitors in June a reach, far beyond the face to face experience in the exhibition halls over the 3 show days.

4th CONFERENCE The 4th edition of Fish Waste for Profit will now take place in 2022 alongside the IceFish Exhibition from 9-10 June 2022.

The reutilisation of fish processing by-products is a lucrative add-on to regular fish processing, serving the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Estimates reveal that 43% of fish and shellfish resources end up as wastage, which represents a significant amount of potential profit that could be generated from otherwise discarded material.

This is a must attend event for those looking to discover new innovations and industry insights, and to develop relations with key industry stakeholders. icefishconference.com

For further information and a list of exhibitors visit: www.icefish.is < ICEFISH PRE-REGISTRATION > BEAT THE QUEUES and visit www.Icefish.is to pre-register online with your unique code code IFE22 to gain faster entry into the exhibition

OPENING HOURS: 10:00-18:00 10:00-18:00 10:00-17:00

Wednesday, 8 June Thursday, 9 June Friday, 10 June

ORGANISERS The Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition and Awards are organised by Mercator Media Ltd who also publish World Fishing and Aquaculture magazine.

For further information on the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition or the Icelandic Fisheries Awards contact Marianne Rasmussen-Coulling tel: +44 (0) 1329 825335 email: mrasmussen@mercatormedia.com • www.Icefish.is

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Dąbie Hatchery, Polish salmonid egg producer

Product, perfected for trout farmers throughout Europe and beyond Dąbie Hatchery is the brainchild of two ichthyologists who saw a need in the salmonid farming industry. Traditionally, many trout farmers generate their own eggs by setting aside a portion of their farmed fish for breeding, or import the eggs from abroad. This tends to produce acceptable but not excellent results. Dąbie Hatchery was formed to focus on production of eggs, and only eggs, to sell to farmers for top-quality fish. It can supply eggs every week of the year, giving its in-house stock of fish the genetic make-up to produce year-round. Despite myriad challenges to the fish industry and the economy generally, Dąbie Hatchery is now one of the largest salmonid egg producers in the world.

Facility in Dąbie: with outdoor and indoor sections it is possible to produce eggs year-round

W

hen the plans for establishing what would be Dąbie Hatchery was formulating nearly 20 years ago, the Polish trout farming industry had been expanding

for a long time. But there was a problem with trout egg supply. It wasn’t about price; it was about availability. Some farmers were producing their own, but it wasn’t always very professional

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and supplies from Polish egg producers were unreliable and completely unavailable much of the year when female trout weren’t spawning, from late spring to early autumn. Some

farmers imported trout eggs mainly from Denmark and also from South Africa, but the quality was not all the same, and because of the long transportation distance the imports were

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creating some uncertainty on the market. But consumers want trout year-round.

Two ichthyologists and experienced fish farmers, Krzysztof Grecki and Jacek Juchniewicz, decided to join forces with a different approach to the egg supply problem, and in 2003 they formed Dąbie Hatchery to supply local farmers engaged in trout farming at any time of the year. The trained scientists went to work to breed their own fish and exercise complete quality control of the product.

With two farms now, in Dąbie and Budowko, and 40 dedicated employees (reportedly fishing when they’re not working),

Dąbie Hatchery mostly produces eggs from rainbow trout and sparctic trout (a cross of Arctic char with brook trout) that is popular with recreational fishermen. Sparctic is still a niche product with limited amount of clients mainly located in Western and Central Europe. Rainbow trout, on the other hand, is widely consumed, and the company exports to 42 countries in Europe, Asia, and soon, South America. In addition, the company participates in a Baltic Sea restocking program, supporting the sea trout farming sector. In 2021, 30% of combined production was sold in Poland and 70% are exported all over the world, a total of 185 million eggs.

Selective breeding yields top quality Production of eggs, a live product, is a complex process. The first step is raising the fish who will be parents, the broodstock to produce the eggs. In principle, this would take, at a minimum, four years to obtain fish to get the eggs ready for sales. Rainbow trout matures after 3 years in the local condition, and marketable eggs aren’t taken from the first spawning, but the second.

In fact, it is a longer period than four years, because the selection of fish takes time. The company doesn’t take just any fish, they have a number of selected socalled “pure lines” of high-quality

fish. Then, from those pure lines they cross the milts from one line with another, to get eggs whose progeny are of the highest quality.

It is the eggs from this generation that can be sold in the market. It is something that has taken Dąbie many years to accomplish.

Transport to their new homes in no more than three days After an incubation period but prior dispatch, the ready-formarket eggs are sorted mechanically and manually. Then they are packed in sealed boxes which are specially conditioned according to the shipment duration.

The transport of eggs should not be longer than 72 hours. Means

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of transport are approved by the District Veterinary Officer. They are subject to strict hygienic and sanitary requirements, supervised by the veterinary inspection authorities.

Dąbie packs the eggs in styrocontainers, with up to 100 000 eggs per box. Boxes on ice go by road to their local customers, but those headed abroad are driven to the airport for travel to the final destination. There are two types of packages, one made for longer transportation time and one for standard transport, usually up to 48 hours transport from hatchery to hatchery.

Make sure all the eggs are alive How to ensure the quality of its eggs, Dąbie says, is straightforward. The first criterion is availability. A contract to supply a product must be fulfilled.

Second, the shipment has to be good looking, meaning when you open the box you shall see 100 000 live eggs. They have to all be alive, no white ones, for when an egg is dead it becomes white. And then, the real value is when a little fish is growing from the egg, when the farmer recognises the quality of the eggs, seeing not so much the eggs, but the fish which are coming out from these eggs. These days the market is getting more and more interested in the bigger fish. About 40 years ago the official standard for trout in Poland was 225 grams. Today farmers sell in different sizes - from 300 grams to few kilos. In the old days fish could be fried on a pan, but these days trout is processed a lot, and the yield is important.

Fish that are more resistant to diseases, growing faster, and with higher yields of meat, are

Final product before dispatching. When it will reach the customer, all eggs will be alive.

the factors which any farmer is interested in. But farmer will not know until he tries the product. Dąbie says, take part of our product, try eggs from another farm, grow them in parallel, and then you will see.

Obstacles and opportunities everywhere Climate change affects everyone. Lack of water is a big issue in the trout aquaculture sector, compounded by higher water temperatures that are forcing changes in some of the farms that have to turn to other species like sturgeon, for example, that

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tolerate higher water temperatures and can be grown in the same type ponds as trout. This is shrinking the market for trout eggs. Some countries have fantastic water conditions and trout farming is not developed there yet, so Dąbie sees those as areas for growth.

The covid pandemic was very challenging for the company because some of the airline companies stopped flying, and it had to deliver the eggs to different places. The farmers are suffering from increases in energy price, which affect the costs of supplying oxygen and many other inputs. With rising inflation, the

costs of production are growing rapidly. But Dąbie’s management observes that fish prices are not growing as fast, sometimes even decreasing, because retailers have a lot of power over fish prices.

All this brings uncertainty to the market in which Dąbie operates.

“We can assume that the tough times are coming for fish breeders,” co-founder Jacek Juchniewicz says, “and some brands will collapse, some will fight. The good thing is that salmon and trout are more and more consumed, and many more countries are undertaking trout farming, developing the sector.”

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Finding fish remotely for commercial and research purposes using unmanned vehicles

Autonomous fish surveys The main commercial pelagic fish species in Baltic Sea are European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) and Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras), whose stocks are regularly monitored using regular acoustic-trawl surveys. Such surveys consist of two components of data: acoustic soundings and trawl catch analysis.

A

coustic data is continuously recorded and enables us to obtain large amounts of data about abundance and distribution of organisms in the water. Unfortunately, the sonars are currently unable to distinguish fish species and other important biological information (sex, age, etc.). For more accurate information, trawl hauls are used to get physical samples of the organisms detected by sonars.

The combination of these methods gives us rather cost-effective solution for extensive surveys.

Simplifying the data collection process With the rapid development of autonomous and unmanned vehicles, which are now able to travel long distances in offshore areas with minimal human interaction, their use in marine research is finding

greater attention from several institutions. Amongst these is the Estonian Marine Institute. Our analysis has shown that current surveys using only research vessels could be modified to combine autonomous vessel with research vessel, using the latter for only biological sampling.

Currently, considerable amount of survey time by large vessels is used to collect acoustic data, despite the fact that the sonar itself is a machine weighing about 100 kg and fully capable of working autonomously.

The simple and semi-automatic work does not need a large research vessel with numerous crew members manning it. Using a smaller autonomous vehicle for the collection of the acoustic data would reduce the cost of survey and enable us to collect more accurate information. Based on GRAHS survey conducted in the Gulf of Riga, in the Baltic Sea the use of the research vessel

The need for the research vessel Baltica, for fisheries surveys in the Baltic Sea, can be significantly reduced through the use of an autonomous vessel.

would be reduced by approximately 25%, which is a considerable economic and environmental saving.

At the same time, commercial trawl vessels targeting pelagic species have similar problems. Due to the mobility of pelagic fish, each fishing

trip starts with locating a suitable school of fish. Usually this means sailing around to find the best fishing spot. Depending on the situation, this process can take hours, which again means that large vessels with huge diesel engines are used as an echosounder to locate the fish. This

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process could also be optimized with the use of autonomous vessel, which could do the targeting work and provide this information to the trawlers.

Test vessel could reduce economic and environmental costs To test the possibilities of using autonomous research vessels on Baltic fish surveys, the Estonian Marine Institute has initiated a project (funded by European Maritime Fisheries Fund 20142020) called: “Development of an autonomous research vessel for economical commercial fishery and fisheries research.”. The project aims to develop and test an autonomous self-navigating vessel, which is able to navigate long distances according to a preplanned trajectory or through directions received via a network connection. The vessel is able to record and transfer live data about the position and parameters of fish schools. The vessel can be used for scientific research as a cost-effective solution for tracking and estimating fish school

parameters and in principle also to direct commercial fishermen to the location of the fish. The result of the project will substantially decrease the economic and environmental cost of commercial fishery and fisheries research. In addition to the fisheries research and commercial fishery, the vessel itself could be used for numerous different applications in other marine fields that need continuous data collection.

The project is currently ongoing with estimated finalization by early summer 2023. By that time, a physical prototype will be produced and tested. The estimated range of the vessel with a working speed of 5 km per hour is 36 hours or 200 nautical miles while carrying up to 400 kg of instruments.

This should enable the vessel to work under conditions similar to Baltic Sea, where refueling is possible at least after every 200 nm.

To maintain such long autonomy, a diesel-electric propulsion system is currently used. With the further development of alternative fuels (e.g. hydrogen) and batteries, the

The herring survey conducted in the Gulf of Riga, Baltic sea. The dark line represents the track of acoustic recordings and black dots the trawl haul locations. Source: Guntars Štrods

plan is to refrain from the use of fossil fuels in the future.

Elor Sepp Junior Research Fellow in Ichthy-

ology and Fisheries Science Estonian Marine Institute University of Tartu Estonia

COVID-19 induced market impacts result in benefits to those who may need it most

Estonian perch fillets intended for Europe distributed to the needy 2021 continued to be affected by the spread of COVID-19 around the world. Established supply chains got overwhelmed by unexpected obstacles at unexpected times, each in their own way. The spread of COVID-19 has had an unforeseen and significant economic impact on the processing of fishery and aquaculture products: unexpected changes in many markets at the same time, disruptions in supply chains, a sharp drop in overall demand, and price changes.

Unsold stocks piling up calls for innovative solutions The contraction of external markets has led to high inven-

tories of fishery products, and reduced consumer demand due to economic uncertainty and price sensitivity. Uncertainty in the economy persists, which means that market conditions

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will not improve quickly. When inventories of fishery products destined for external markets remained unsold, companies had to find other ways to dispose of them.

At a time when social life continues to be restricted in one way or another and restaurants in Estonia and elsewhere in the world have closed their doors either temporarily or permanently, it was necessary to find new

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ways of getting already produced food to the people. For example, the Estonian Association of Large Families and Food Banks were given local frozen perch fillets (Perca fluviatilis) to distribute alongside other foodstuffs in Estonia, which originally were intended for restaurants in Switzerland and Western Europe.

In an unexpected situation of market failure, when perch exporting companies were unable to deliver the fish and a surplus was created on the market, it was decided to offer fish through the Food Bank to those most in need of food aid. This way food waste was prevented and businesses were assisted in overcoming the economic difficulties caused by COVID-19 restrictions while providing high quality Estonian fish to those in need.

Common principles of valuing and saving food The ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy at the heart of the European Green Deal, which focuses on building a food system that is fit for consumers, the climate and the environment, identifies the reduction of food waste as one of the issues to be tackled. The preferred options for dealing with food surpluses are, hierarchically: 1) avoiding the creation of food surpluses, 2) feeding deprived people through charity, 3) providing these for animal feed, 4) industrial use. The least preferred option is sending food to a landfill. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) encourage every country to halve food waste by 2030.

In 2021, a comprehensive study researched the creation of food waste and food loss in the Estonian food supply chain1. In addition to 1

2 3 4 5 6

the prevention and reduction of food waste at a strategic level and in businesses, and the prevention and reduction of food waste in primary production, the study recommended promoting food donation and raising awareness. Over the past years, various campaigns have been carried out in Estonia, with the support of the State and also at the initiative of the private sector, aimed at raising awareness of different actors in the food supply chain. For example, ‘Tarbi toitu targalt’ (Consume Food Wisely) (SEI Tallinn, with support from the Environmental Investment Centre (EIC))2, ‘Respect Food Completely!’ (Ministry of the Environment)3, ‘Kokkame koos!’ (Let’s Cook Together!) (SEI Tallinn, Daily, with support from the EIC)4, ‘Tarbime targalt’ (Let’s Consume Wisely) (Rimi)5, ‘Hoiame head toitu’ (Don’t Waste Food) (Rohetiiger)6. The topic has also been covered in print media, radio, television, and social media.

The Food Bank transfers food from where there is a surplus to where there is a shortage The Food Bank is a social cohesion movement initiated by the Estonian-Dutch Charity Fund Foundation. Most of the food distributed by the Estonian Food Bank is food rescued from supermarket chains, plus donated food and food aid from the European Union. In 2020, the Food Bank’s food turnover was 2.47 million kg, of which 73% was rescued food, 17% food purchased by the European Union, and 10% donated food. In 2020, food turnover was 32% higher than in the year before. Rescued food is fresh food with a soon-to-arrive expira-

The ‘Let’s cook together’ (Kokkame koos) is one of the several campaigns that have been featured over the last couple of years to prevent food waste.

tion date (‘use by’ or ‘best before’).

Every day, large and small grocery stores, importers, food producers and farmers donate the food they save to food banks, with the aim of getting it to the tables of those in need, free of charge, through the Food Bank. On average, 13,550 people receive donated food every week. This is twice as much as a year ago. In addition, the Estonian Food Bank distributes around 60,000 packages of food aid bought by the European Union four times per year. The aim of the Food Bank is to fight poverty, reduce food waste, and build solidarity between people. The Food Bank provides free food aid to people living in subsistence difficulties. Food aid is prioritised for families with young children, including single-parent families. They are followed by other vulnerable groups in society, such as the disabled, the lonely, elderly, the homeless, and others in crisis. Food aid is distributed on the basis of lists drawn up by the social departments of various local governments and through charities, some of which help a wider target group of people in need in addition to their own members.

Frozen perch fillets distribution through the Food Bank Exceptional support to companies engaged in the processing of fisheries products helped to mitigate the negative economic impact of COVID-19 and prevent food losses. According to Kerttu Olõkainen, Project Manager of the Food Bank, more than 25 000 kg of fish and fish products were donated to each of the fifteen different Food Banks in each county during November and December 2021, a record amount at that time. In total, nearly 69 000 kg of perch fillets were donated to the Estonian Association of Large Families and the Food Bank.

‘The frozen perch fillets that have reached people have not left anyone with cold feelings; in fact, the opposite is true – people are looking forward to this. Despite the restrictions, thousands of people are still enjoying restaurant-quality food thanks to the Food Banks – all it takes is a few good recipes to cheer them up and fill their tummies. We can say that perch fillet sounds good,’ Olõkainen elaborated.

Kairi Šljaiteris

The study ‘Toidujäätmete ja toidukao teke Eesti toidutarneahelas’ (Creation of Food Waste and Food Loss in the Estonian Food Supply Chain) (2021), 1.52 MB,.pdf, in Estonian https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/toidujaatmete-ja-toidukao-teke-eesti-toidutarneahelas-2021.pdf https://tarbitoitutargalt.ee/ https://envir.ee/toiduj%C3%A4%C3%A4tmed https://www.sei.org/featured/kokkamekoos/ https://www.rimi.ee/projektid/tarbimetargalt https://rohetiiger.ee/hoiatoitu/

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Estonian POs have built a fishmeal and fish oil factory to make use of low value species and waste

Joining forces to create a success

F

ish is a perishable commodity, and it is important for the fisherman to find a buyer for the fresh fish at the right price in the port. Failing that, they must accept the market situation, which can sometimes mean lower profits, and it is not uncommon for a fishing trip to end in a loss. Consequently, a strategic objective set in the last decade was that fishermen must be able to trade fish on the market themselves, which requires primary processing and conservation conditions. This ensures a higher selling price and the economic model of the fisheries sector does not have to be based solely on the supply of low-priced raw materials.

Making use of waste products To implement the strategy set out within the framework of the Estonian fisheries policy, the creation of producer organisations was encouraged and the State granted the possibility to apply for investment aid for the construction of new cold storage facilities, which allowed for the primary processing and preservation of fish. The lack of alternatives encouraged fishermen to work together, and entrepreneurs became more involved in the development of producer organisations. Today, three producer organisations have been set up in the sprat and Baltic herring fishery, which catch almost 95% of the total sprat and Baltic herring quota of Estonia.

For fishermen, low-value fish ending up in their fishing gear had become a daily occurrence, and there was processing waste for which it was difficult to find a suitable market. The volumes

that entrepreneurs were generating were significant, and over time it was realised that competing with each other was not a desirable solution for anyone. So, the three producer organisations – the Estonian Fishing Association, the Estonian Commercial Fishermen Association and the Estonian Trawling Association – decided to set up a new umbrella organisation, the Central Association of Estonian Fish Producers, to make use of the waste produced and low-value fish, in order to find a better solution to the current situation. In 2018, the Central Association of Estonian Fish Producers completed a new fishmeal and fish oil factory with the support of funds from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014–2020, and production commenced in 2019. Recycling lowvalue fish avoids being forced to give up raw materials quickly and with low-price. Thanks to the longer shelf life of fishmeal and fish oil, it is also possible to find suitable buyers on the markets for products made from raw materials not suitable for human consumption.

Today, the fish component factory is in daily operation from August to mid-June, when fishing is most active at sea. Competition between operators has turned into a cooperative activity, and the factory produces fishmeal and fish oil from lowvalue sprat and Baltic herring and their processing waste. In a 24-hour period, the fish component factory can process 250–300 tonnes of sprat, herring, and processing waste. The factory produces 6 000 tonnes of fishmeal and around 2 500 tonnes of fish

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Laura Freivald

The fishmeal and fish oil factory established by the Central Association of Estonian Fish Producers in Paldiski started production in 2019. Until a few years ago, the three owners of the factory were competitors in the Baltic fishing and fish processing industry.

Each of the operators were daily faced with catches of low-value fish and processing residues for which it was difficult to find a market. This highlighted the need for a uniform solution that would do something about the processing residues and low-value fish.

The fishmeal and fish oil factory, producing around 6 000 tonnes of fishmeal and 2 500 tonnes of fish oil has not needed to market itself to customers.

oil per year, which represents 1% of fishmeal and 1.6% of fish oil production in Europe.

Factory leads to vertical integration among fishing companies The fish component factory has enabled fishermen to vertically integrate throughout the production chain – being able to catch efficiently, process raw materials, have adequate raw material storage capacity, and coordinate distribution. High-quality raw material is one of the pillars of processing. The majority of sprat and Baltic herring in Estonia are caught in areas not far from the coastline and therefore, fresh raw material is available close to the processing plant. Members of the Central Association of Estonian Fish Producers must ensure that raw material supplies are balanced, preserving fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for future generations.

In addition to normal production activities, the environmental footprint of the processing factory itself is

becoming increasingly important. In order to ensure the most environmentally friendly processing possible, the component factory has its own wastewater treatment plant with a capacity comparable to that of, for example, some smaller towns. In addition, a process air purifier is an important part of the factory, using a two-stage wet scrubber. The first stage of the wet scrubber is acidic and the second is basic, which neutralises the waste produced using acid and base. The factory holds MSC CoC certification and is in the process of applying for MarinTrust, a certification for marine ingredients, which has taken longer than expected due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a member of the European Fishmeal and Fish Oil Producers, the fish component factory is one of the few representatives of the Baltic Sea region there.

High protein content leads to trademark Customers value the company’s reliability, which is guaranteed by the defined level of quality of its products

ESTONIA

and the stable quantities for which it has developed a solid quality standard. ‘For example, while fishmeal contains 60–72% protein on average, the Central Association of Estonian Fish Producers is able to offer fishmeal with a protein content of at least 69% in each batch. All raw materials are used in the processing to avoid waste, which is a major challenge if the aim is to produce a high-quality product.

So far, we have been able achieve this,’ explained Toomas Kevvai, Chief Executive Officer of the factory. Ensuring

such quality standards has, over time, led to regular customer satisfaction and more stable deliveries, which helps to better manage the whole process. ‘While in the first years of the factory’s operation the products did not have their own trademark, by now, we have created our own trademark PRO Fish Meal & Oil (www.fishoil.ee),’ Kevvai explained.

Fishmeal and fish oil have a number of nutritional properties, which is why they are used as a protein sup-

plement in feeds for fish and livestock, for example. As there are no large processing units in Estonia that use fishmeal and fish oil, the output of the component factory is exported.

‘As this is a very specific product group and the demand on the global market is growing, so far customers have found us themselves and marketing is mostly done through personal contacts,’ said Kevvai.

consumption find their way into our diets through high-quality fish, poultry or animal feed, instead.

For example, 1 kg of feed made from fishmeal already produces 5 kg of fish today, allowing us to provide a more varied diet for the growing world population. The component factory plays a much broader role in food security than society realises.

Processing waste and low-value fish that are not valued as human

Eduard Koitmaa, Estonian Ministry of Rural Affairs

The activities and impact of an Estonian campaign to promote fish consumption

‘Fish sounds good’ The consumption of fish and fishery products in Estonia has been on a downward trend in recent years, as in most European Union Member States. According to a fish consumption survey conducted in 2020 by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research, the average fish consumption per Estonian was just over 15 kg per year, which is well below the European Union average.

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o improve the situation, the Ministry of Agriculture has launched the ‘Fish sounds good’ campaign to promote the consumption of fish and fishery products, which started in February 2021 and will run until spring 2023.

The main objective of the campaign is to increase the consumption of fish and fishery products in Estonia.

If everyone added an extra sushi roll or two to their regular menu each week, the amount of fish they ate would increase by a kilo per year. It sounds simple and doable, but is it really?

An initiative based on seafood recipes At the heart of the campaign is the website www.kalatoidud.ee, which has collected exciting recipes over the first year. Through recipes, we introduce people to the rich world of fish, offering dishes from more exotic fish, adapted to local tastes, and familiar home-cooked dishes of Baltic herring, flounder, zander

and perch caught in our own coastal waters. We are using the campaign to convince people and show them that cooking fish is easy, affordable and, most importantly – delicious.

We invite people to the website through social media, radio and TV advertising. Fascinating and educational articles on fish as a beneficial food have appeared in various online publications and magazines.

Delicious fish dishes have been made with chefs on several TV programmes, and influencers have also encouraged people to make friends with fish. In all major supermarkets, we have provided fish counters with promotional materials, and in-store radio broadcasts encourage people to make fish choices right at the point of purchase because after all, fish sounds good.

Campaign visibility In the autumn, after more than eight months of visibility, we looked at the impact and visibility of the ‘Fish

sounds good’ campaign. Online surveys conducted by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research and Socio Research Centre showed that the campaign had caught the attention of 60% of people aged 18–74 across different channels. At that, 33% of respondents recognised the campaign simply by mentioning the slogan ‘Fish sounds good’.

The campaign was more visible on TV, online and in-store media. Followers of the same channels were also the most likely to visit the campaign website to check out the recipes. 51% of survey respondents said they liked the campaign, which is significantly better than the average for campaigns in the FMCG sector (39%).

According to the Socio Research Centre survey, the campaign generated interest to explore further, with as many as 47% of respondents doing so, which is also significantly stronger than the sector average (28%).

It is important to note that almost half of the people who noticed

the campaign reached the campaign’s information and recipe website kalatoidud.ee. The majority of visitors to the website were satisfied with the seafood page, with a particularly high satisfaction rate (100%) among young respondents aged 18–29. The fish recipes on the website were the ones that attracted the most attention; people felt that there could even be more. The survey showed that almost half of the respondents who used to eat fish once per month started eating fish more often. Almost half of the visitors to the fish recipe website admitted that they had tried a new recipe for fish dishes.

In its first year, the campaign’s website attracted nearly 500,000 hits; more than 20 articles and over 100 recipes were written. The Nielsen IQ report for the fourth quarter of 2021 showed that purchases of fishery products had increased significantly compared to the same period in previous years. &VSPl TI Magazine 2 / 2022

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ESTONIA

Children and young people love fish An important part of eating habits mainly comes from childhood. Fish is a useful and necessary food, and nutritionists say that children should eat fish 2–3 times a week, but this is not always the case in every family.

Therefore, we planned to specifically target the campaign to promote fish dishes among children.

With children in mind, we created a mascot for the campaign, Siia-Miia the fish cat, who visited the various sub-events in the first year. At the beginning of the year, Siia-Miia, the cat, invited all children to take part in a fish cooking competition.

To do this, the children had to find a fun fish recipe at home, or with their friends, at school, or in a hobby group, and try to cook it themselves.

A picture of the dish and, if possible, a video of it had to be uploaded to the fish food campaign page for all to see. Siia-Miia drew two lucky teams from all of the participants who will get to go with one of the head chefs to their kitchen to prepare fish dishes.

Over 200 recipes were added to the website by children and young people during the campaign, which ended in February. They tried different types of fish, made pasta dishes, steaks, the much-loved fish stews and burgers, as well as very well-constructed dishes that took colours and shapes into account. The feedback from the instructors and the children was very positive and we sincerely believe that we have attracted quite a few young people to the family of fish eaters, and the website also got a lot of new exciting recipes which must be easy, because even children have managed to prepare these dishes.

Surprises for the year that begun Visitors to Tallinn will have already come across a proudly designed fish tram with the words ‘Fish sounds good’. The fish tram started serving passengers in mid-February and is expected to remain on track until almost the end of the summer. What makes the fish tram special is that every month, a keen rider will find two delicious fish recipes in it, and not only that – they can also occa-

An example of the ‘Fish sounds good’ campaign promoted on the tram in Tallinn where commuters can find fish recipes and occasionally the fish cat mascot Siia Mia.

sionally find Siia-Mia, the fish-cat, on the tram. The cat is sure to entertain children during the Children’s Day celebrations, and will probably also hand out flyers in the run-up to the Open Fishing Port Day. The Open Fishing Port Day at the end of April is a welcome event for adults and children alike. On that day, fish lovers can chat with fishermen and take fish home directly from the harbour. In addition to buying fish, visitors can taste fish prepared by experienced fish chefs, take part in various workshops, and participate

in a variety of entertaining programmes.

In the second half of the year, a TV show is due to hit the screens, in which a much-loved presenter and popular fish chef will visit Estonian coastal fishermen and producers of aquaculture products. The plan is to introduce the life of the coastal people and to cook together in a way that will make the TV viewer on the other side of the screen feel hungry for fish. We already know that fish sounds good!

Laura Freivald and Iiris Saluri

Modelling nutrient flows associated with fishing and fish farming in the Baltic

Reducing environmental impacts of marine aquaculture Nutrient levels in the Baltic Sea are too high, and inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus should be limited to improve water quality. Excessive nutrient inputs lead to eutrophication, i.e. changes in the aquatic ecosystem, excessive growth of algae, and oxygen deficiency at the bottom of the water body.

Calculating the impact of fish farms on the marine environment

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ishery is also a contributor to eutrophication, but to assess how commercial fishing, the production of feed from caught fish, and the use of such feed in fish farms impacts the nutrient load of the sea, it is necessary to assess nutrient flows for the whole aforementioned chain.

The Estonian Marine Institute of the University of Tartu assessed the amount of nutrients removed from the Baltic Sea environment by com-

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mercial fishing and determined the impact on the regional nutrient load of the use of fish feed produced from the fish caught. As the first step, the amounts of nutrients removed by catching sprat and Baltic herring were measured to an accuracy of 1 km2 in different Estonian marine

regions. Then, the nutrient balance of the fish feed production process was used to calculate how much of the nutrient content of the fishmeal/oil produced is accounted for by the caught sprat and Baltic herring. The characteristics of a fish farm suitable for Estonian condi-

ESTONIA

tions were used as a basis, and the nutrient flows from the farm to the marine environment were modelled. The calculations show the amount of nutrients released from the farm to the marine environment per unit of fish produced, and the amount of nutrients removed from the marine environment during the removal of the cage-farmed fish.

Environmental benefits of using locally-sourced fish for feed.

Commercial fishermen trawl most of Estonia’s sprat and Baltic herring quota, but commercial coastal fishing in the Baltics also plays a very important role. Most of the catch comes from commercial coastal fishing for Baltic herring in the Gulf of Riga. For example, Estonian fishermen’s 2020 catch in the Baltic Sea totalled over 24 000 tonnes of sprat and over 28 000 tonnes of Baltic herring, removing over 685 tonnes of nitrogen and over 120 tonnes of phosphorus from the Baltic Sea. The study identified that the planned development of marine aquaculture must consider the environmental status of the Baltic Sea. It would be most sensible to use

fish feed made from fish caught in the Baltic Sea (mainly Baltic herring and sprat) in the planned fish farms.

In this case, fish farming does not actually add nutrients to the Baltic Sea, but rather removes excess nutrients. In terms of phosphorus, such an approach would actively remove phosphorus from the Baltic Sea, and in terms of nitrogen, it could offset most of the nitrogen load originating from fish cage farming. This study has shown that a well-selected location of a fish farm, its maintenance and size can help significantly reduce negative environmental impacts. Given the right location, such an activity is not expected to have a measurable negative environmental impact on the bodies of water of the Baltic Sea.

Filming to show oxygen-deficient areas in the se The study also included seabed filming in the area around the fish farm. This made it possible to see the presence of sulphate reducing bacteria (sulphur bacteria) in the sea. This indicates the presence of oxygen-deficient conditions. If the most environmentally friendly feed

By including locally sourced fish in the marine aquaculture feed, a substantial reduction in the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus added to the marine environment can be seen.

is used, only 4% of the total phosphorus in the feed is released into the water in the form of dissolved phosphorus compounds, orthophosphates, totalling 0.1 kg per tonne of fish produced. Thus, if no regional fish are used in the fish feed, and the amount of nutrients removed by the removal of farmed fish is not taken into account, the estimated release to the Baltic Sea is 36.0 kg of nitrogen and 2.6 kg of phosphorus per tonne of fish produced. If fish caught in the Baltic Sea were to be used in the feed, and the amount of nutrients removed by harvesting farmed fish

is not taken into account, 27.8 kg of nitrogen and 1.6 kg of phosphorus would be added to the marine environment for every tonne of fish produced, and 17.5 kg of nitrogen and 3.8 kg of phosphorus would be removed from the Baltic Sea with harvesting.

In terms of nitrogen, for every tonne of fish produced, 10.3 kg of nitrogen is retained in the sea, of which 79% (8.1 kg) goes directly into the pelagic (coastal and ocean) biogeochemical cycle and 21% (2.2 kg) settles to the seabed as particulate matter and is largely incorporated into the biomass of marine shellfish.

The Green Deal sets the course for structural changes

Making the EU carbon neutral by 2050 The accelerating pace of climate change and environmental degradation are major threats for Europe and the whole world.

The Green Deal has been created to solve these problems, to promote a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy for European Union Member States. The Green Deal has been concluded at the European Union Member State level, backed by investments in green technologies, sustainable solutions and new businesses.

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s negative changes in the climate and the environment are attributed to the increased impact of global warming which, according to various studies, is mainly the result of excessive burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture,

the main objective of the Green Deal is to make the European Union CO2 neutral by 2050.

A number of milestones have been set to achieve the main target, which includes the Green Deal package ‘Fit for 55’. This will include a

review of climate, energy and transport legislation to effectively achieve the targets set for 2030 and 2050. The legislative provisions in the package mainly cover stricter emission standards, and energy and resource efficiency.

Estonia well ahead of its renewable energy targets for 2030 One of the European Union’s key targets for 2030 is to achieve a share of at least 40% of renewables in the overall energy mix. &VSPl TI Magazine 2 / 2022

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Last year, in the Baltics as a whole, electricity production grew by six per cent and consumption by four per cent compared to the previous year, with Estonian power plants producing a third more last year than in 2020. In 2021, renewable energy production in Estonia accounted for more than 40% of Estonia’s electricity production, and for almost a third of total consumption.1 Thus, Estonia has already met the national target for 2030 for the use of renewable energy sources. In addition, in 2021, Estonian power plants produced about a fifth more electricity from renewable sources than in 2020, of which the largest increase was in solar energy for the third year in a row.

The amount of electricity generated from solar energy doubled compared to the increase in 2020. Year-on-year, the number of renewable energy producers has increased significantly, practically tripling compared to the past. In this context, grid connection works are also under way on around 2,600 generating units with capacities up to 50 kW.2 When constructing solar power plants in Estonia, it is possible to use investment grants and production subsidies. Thanks to rapid technological developments and growing demand, the cost of building solar power plants has fallen significantly in recent years, shortening their payback period and making solar energy more competitive and costeffective, in turn.3

1 2 3

4 5

Electricity

2397

Gas

2390

Hybrid

18899

Diesel

419143

Petrol

477941

Registered vehicles by engine type as on 20 February 2022

Support for using renewal energy sources in the fisheries sector

Transport sector in Estonia needs to up its game

This year, in addition to investment and production aid, businesses processing fishery and aquaculture products can apply for support for the purchase of a renewable energy source, including solar panels.

This is not a first, as in the past, the 2014–2020 European Maritime and Fisheries Fund has supported the introduction of green energy by companies in the fishery and aquaculture sector. Now, with electricity and gas prices having risen significantly, there has been a surge of interest in greener options from businesses in the sector. In addition to reducing pollution, this option is also economically more advantageous. Supporting such green actions will allow operators in the fishery and aquaculture sector to make a smoother transition to more sustainable equipment, while contributing to the objectives of the ‘Fit for 55’ package.

In the context of the targets set in the ‘Fit for 55’ package to make emissions standards stricter, it will no longer be possible to place passenger cars and vans with internal combustion engines on the EU market from 2035. Cutting emissions also includes maritime transport, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy used on board ships by up to 75% by 2050 by promoting the use of more sustainable marine fuels. In Estonia, the transport sector – on land, at sea and in the air – is most dependent on imported fossil fuels.

Imported transport fuels are mainly petrol and diesel, but also heavy fuel oils and aviation fuels. While in 2018, two biomethane production plants were in operation in Estonia, in 2020, two more plants were added, and in 2022, a fifth biomethane production plant will start production. Today, however, imported fuels are still the predominant source of energy, and this has an effect on national security. The

Estonian transport sector needs a major change to increase energy self-sufficiency, either through hydrogen fuel or something even more innovative.4 According to the Transport Administration5, at the beginning of 2022, there were more than 900,000 vehicles registered in the vehicle register, of which only about 2% were hybrid, 0.31% gas-powered, and 0.26% electricpowered.

Estonian fishery and aquaculture product promoters will be able to move to more environmentally friendly vehicles using EMFF funds, in order to also shift the logistics phase of the food production sector to a greener one. For consumers, the production of food is no longer just about processing, but logistics is also an important part of the whole production process. The adoption of more sustainable motor vehicles by operators in the fishery and aquaculture sector is therefore also important for consumers, as the purchase decision process can be a determining factor in the journey from catch to consumption.

Laura Freivald

Elering (2022) https://www.elering.ee/elektritootmine-eestis-kasvas-moodunud-aastal-kolmandiku-vorra-tarbimine-kuus-protsenti Elering (2022) https://www.elering.ee/taastuvenergia-tootmine-kasvas-eelmisel-aastal-15-protsenti Lauri Kolberg (2020). Technological possibilities and economical effect of solar power plant dimensioning. https://dspace.emu.ee/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10492/5981/Lauri_Kolberg_MA2020_EK_magistrit%C3%B6%C3%B6.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Statistics Estonia (2021) https://www.stat.ee/et/uudised/kas-sailitame-rohepoorde-kaigus-energiasoltumatuse Transport Administration (2022). https://www.mnt.ee/et/ametist/statistika/soidukite-statistika

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[ AQUACULTURE ] Setback for growth in commercial aquaponics

No organic certification for aquaponic products in the EU Aquaponic systems create an opportunity to produce fish and plant products in an efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable way. In 2015, the European Parliament even characterised aquaponics as one of the “Ten technologies that could change our lives”.

Despite its importance and the advances it has made in certain respects, it has been difficult for this much-praised technology to gain wider acceptance. Why is this the case?

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quaponics is an innovative production method for the cultivation of fish as well as other aquatic animals in combination with crop plants, primarily vegetables and herbs. Both areas are connected via the flow of water.

Water used for fish farming (aquaculture) is enriched with nutrients from fish excrement, nitrates in particular. These nutrients are processed by microorganisms so that they can serve as valuable fertiliser for cultivating the plants. The plants do not grow in typical horticultural soil beds, they are instead grown hydroponically, i.e. directly in an aqueous nutrient solution. In a nutshell, aquaponics is therefore the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics in artificially created environments that are optimally designed to meet the demands and needs of the fish and plants occupying them. Modern aquaponics systems are high-tech, designed for efficiency and computer-controlled. Sensors record all important water values and other relevant data. This data is transmitted to the central control unit, which constantly analyses and optimises the operation of the system. Depending on their technical concept, aquaponics systems can be divided into coupled and decoupled systems.

In coupled systems, the water flows back into the fish area once it has passed through the plant area. This

Tropical plants grown in a greenhouse at the Tropenhaus Ruswil in Switzerland, where wastewater from the cultivation of tilapia was used to irrigate and fertilise the plants.

creates a genuine cycle, making it possible to use the same water multiple times. In decoupled systems, the water remains in the horticultural area and is largely fixed in place in plant biomass.

Aquaponics could therefore contribute to solving several problems that we need to solve in order to stop climate change and secure food supplies for growing populations. Because fish production takes place almost exclusively in recirculating aquaculture systems

(RAS), aquaponics maximises the production quantities generated, while at the same time minimising the consumption of resources.

The productivity and resource efficiency of these systems are significant. They also save water, prevent the pollution of natural bodies of water and do not require any fertiliser. Since aquaponics is based on recirculation technologies, these operations are relatively locationindependent and can be located in urban areas. The production of food close to where it will later

go to market shortens transport routes and reduces the carbon footprint of the value chain.

Because anything that could harm the system-sustaining microorganisms must be avoided in aquaponics systems, no chemicals harmful to bacteria, pesticides, antibiotics or other drugs may be used. This ensures a high degree of biosecurity as the food is produced in a healthy environment.

Despite these advantages however, aquaponics is viewed

EUROFISH Magazine 2 / 2022

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[ AQUACULTURE ] critically by many. What appears to make sense from an environmental perspective is disputed from an economic perspective.

The coupling of fish and plant production via the nutrient-rich flow of water (liquid fertiliser) requires a carefully balanced relationship between the two areas, with highly complex and demanding technology that is difficult to manage. There are justified doubts as to whether this connection would actually be more profitable if separate production facilities were created that focused in a more targeted way on the needs of fish and plants. Moving aquaculture production on land as a solution for climate problems is also controversial. Due to their high energy requirements, RAS systems are one of the biggest CO2 emitters in aquaculture. From a climate politics perspective, landbased production could perhaps prove to be a “boomerang”.

Interest in recirculation technologies remains high Despite these criticisms, aquaponics systems are undergoing a minor boom in Europe and North America. Europe’s aquaponics market was estimated at a value of almost 200 million USD in 2021 and is predicted to grow at an annual CAGR growth rate of almost 15 percent to approximately 330 million USD by 2026.

However, it is not expected that this technology will make an appreciable contribution to global food production, as it makes up a barely measurable proportion of food production, in the tenths of a percent range. Many aquaponics startups that have received significant attention and widespread media coverage seldom produce more than 4 to 20 tonnes of fish and 50 tonnes of plants per year on average. These companies are

also often initially supported by subsidies, crowdfunding or donations from sponsors that are fascinated by the idea. It is often only evident whether or not an aquaponics project is actually economically viable in the long term when the operation stands on its own feet and must make a profit.

This aside, there are impressive initiatives and startups in numerous European countries that are attracting attention. Belgium appears to be far ahead of the pack in this regard. For example, Smart Farmers won the Ghent Innovation Award for Short Chain Food Production in 2015 with its project The Urban Smart Containerfarm, which produces tilapia, shrimp, leafy vegetables and microgreens.

The Schoolvis project, which produces strawberries and trout in a glasshouse farm, was started in 2017. Vasch Aquaponics, located in Beerlegem in Belgium, has been in the market since 2007 and, among other things, tries to network aquaponics specialists across Europe. The Brussels aquaponics company BIGH, which was established in 2015, was created following a previous initiative of the consulting firm Lateral Thinking Factory, which had been promoting the idea of a circular economy for years. In 2016, the Brussels Aquaponic Farm model was developed as a decoupled system. Its products have been marketed since May 2018 in the Brussels region. BIGH wants to establish a European network of municipal farms that are concentrated in urban locations with gross production areas between 2,500 and 3,000m² or more.

Blue Acres Aquaponics, which was founded in 2014 in VortumMullem, was the first professional aquaponics company in the Netherlands. It produces trout and catfish in combination with lettuce,

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herbs, various vegetables and edible flowers. In 2016, Blue Acres began the Stichting Duurzame Kost project in Eindhoven. The French startup Les Nouvelles Fermes in Bordeaux has invested 2 million euro in subsidies in the construction of an aquaponics farm that is probably one of the largest in Europe. It intends to benefit from experience gained since 2019 in the Pauline test facility in Lormont.

Pauline produces 2 tonnes of rainbow trout and 20 tonnes of fresh vegetables per year. The planned Odette project, a 5,000m² urban farm, began at the end of 2021 and is to employ up to 17 people. The aquaponics philosophy is also receiving increasing attention in North America. A professional network intended to serve as a shop window for these technologies and for concept development and to meet the rising demand for aquaponics was set up as part of the Noma project, which ran from 2011 to 2014. Bioforsk, the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, has also founded an aquaponics centre to bundle the expertise and knowledge regarding these technologies in one place.

While most aquaponics concepts are designed for freshwater species, Simtap in Brazil is trying out a marine system on an experimental basis. The feasibility study is examining whether cultivating Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) can be combined with growing marine salt-tolerant plants such as perennial glasswort (Sarcocornia ambigua). In one study, researchers from the federal university of Santa Catarina gave the project good prospects for success. Stadtfarm in Berlin, which has been operating what it claims is Europe’s largest AquaTerraPonik farm since 2017, also seems to be quite successful. The insertion of “Terra” into the name indicates

the special feature of this system, in which the plant production – unusually – takes place in soil beds.

The glazed Stadtfarm produces 50 tonnes of African sharptooth catfish and 30 tonnes of lettuce, herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers as well as bananas, Ceylon spinach or passion fruit in a closed circuit.

Actual practical impact still very limited The Stadtfarm in Berlin is one of the few operations on the aquaponics scene that is actually primarily designed for production.

Many other companies are more focused on research and concept development, building networks or selling specialised aquaponics equipment. The level of organisation within the sector is still relatively limited. In some countries there are national associations for aquaponics, but aquaponics is still not represented in the EAPO, the European Association of Fish Producers Organizations.

As part of COST (Cooperation in Science and Technology) however, the four-year EU Aquaponics Hub networking action was started, which brings scientists, researchers and SMEs together in order to promote aquaponics in the narrow sense and sustainable fish and plant production more broadly. The EU Aquaponics Association (EUAA), based in Vienna, was founded in 2018 as a representative body. The need for research in the aquaponics sector is indisputable. However, the industry is currently running the risk of going too far in this direction and losing sight somewhat of actual production.

This is also indicated by the online Survey of Aquaponics in Europe, which was carried out by Morris Villarroel and his team on aquaponics research and production. Of the 68 respondents in

[ AQUACULTURE ] 21 European countries, 43% were working at a university and only 19% were commercial producers.

Only 11.8% of respondents had sold any fish or plants at all in the previous 12 months. The overwhelming majority of respondents (80.4%) indicated that aquaponics was not their main source of income. The production quantities were correspondingly low: not even 10 respondents produced over 1 tonne of fish or plants per year (mainly tilapia or catfish and herbs or lettuce). Over a third of facilities were financed by state subsidies. Most respondents indicated that they wanted to use their aquaponics systems mainly for educational purposes.

Only 25% saw in them an opportunity to produce their own food.

This study reveals a very different picture to the numerous reports in the media about aquaponics. Serious production remains in the background for many operators, aquaponics continues to be a playground for research, particularly as the technology offers many starting points for ever more exciting studies. The impression given to the public, on the other hand, is that the paradigm shift in aquaculture and food production is advancing rapidly. The disparity between research and production is also demonstrated by an interactive map that shows the locations of research institutes and companies actively engaged in aquaponics in Europe. It was created in 2017 during a meeting of Working Group 1 (Aquaponics Overview, Strategic Focus on Aquaponics in the EU) of COST FA1305 in Dubrovnik and at that time it listed 50 research centres (in blue) and 45 companies (in red). The participants saw this as a good balance between research and production, but it can of course be interpreted differently.

Sustainable yes, but not organic or environmentally friendly Given the importance that aquaponics could have for our food production in the future as an emerging technology, and the widespread public popularity that it enjoys, it is astonishing how ambivalently the EU is behaving in this regard. On the one hand, the technology is enthusiastically desired and sought-after. In Resolution 2017/2118 (INI) of the EU Parliament, the member states were called upon to promote innovative and environmentally friendly technologies such as aquaponics. In the “Report on technological solutions for sustainable agriculture in the EU”, aquaponics is mentioned as a research and financing priority. The EU umbrella programme Horizon 2020 already provides subsidies for aquaponics initiatives.

As part of the EU-financed project INAPRO, aquaponics facilities were developed on an industrial scale in order to demonstrate resource-efficient solutions under a variety of geographic and climatic conditions in Spain, Germany, Belgium and China. However, this model has failed to produce any ripple effects since, much less imitators.

On the other hand, however, the EU is not doing much to mitigate or entirely clear away administrative hurdles and bureaucracy that are preventing real advances in aquaponics. Currently there are no specific regulations or directives for aquaponics either at EU level or in most member states.

Potential investors and innovators are subject to numerous different and sometimes contradictory regulations that put the brakes on almost any prospects for the development of aquaponics projects by making them absurdly difficult. One reason for this may be that aquaponics touches on many

areas of licensing law, as it lies on an interface for which hardly anyone feels responsible. Is it industrial or municipal aquaculture?

There are usually different regulations in peripheral regions than in city centres. Are aquaponics farms commercial operations or agriculture? This comes down to the details with regard to water rights and wastewater recycling. Because plants in aquaponics facilities very seldom grow in the ground, i.e. in “real soil”, some authorities do not see them as agricultural enough for rural regions. For urban areas, they are frequently too agricultural and so will not receive regulatory approval in commercial, industrial and residential areas. Some applications manage to get to grips with the administrative nightmare, but many more remain stuck with their projects in a bureaucratic jungle and eventually give up their investment plans in exasperation.

Anyone who has managed to get an aquaponics facility off the ground will finally be confronted with harsh reality when their products are finally brought to market and they wish to make vital profits. Given the sustainable and water-saving concepts of aquaponics, which dispenses with pesticides and inorganic fertiliser, the sector is determinedly lobbying for organic status, which would justify significantly higher proceeds, would better cover the high investment and operation costs of production and would also create a more secure future for aquaponics in general. This hope was dashed, however, by Regulation (EU) 2018/848, which specifically excludes aquaponics systems from the chance to be certified organic. The reasons for this decision include that aquaponics is at the interface of two technologies, namely horticulture and agriculture, for which different environmental production

regulations apply and for which different regulatory and political areas are responsible. In the EU they are administered by separate Directorates General, the DG for agriculture and rural development (AGRI) and the DG for maritime affairs and fisheries (MARE). Also, aquaponics production is being driven by technological measures and not by organic agroenvironmental advances which should be one of the core principles of organic production. In reality it may be very difficult to explain to consumers, who imagine pure nature, green meadows and clear streams when they hear words such as “organic” and “environment”, that highly intensive, comprehensively technical and computer-controlled facilities made from glass, plastic and concrete are also somehow organic.

In the EU certification system for organic agriculture, aquaponics is not mentioned, as it qualifies as a hydroponics technology, which is not permissible for this method of production. Article 4 of Regulation (EC) 889/2008 explicitly forbids the use of hydroponics systems in organic agriculture.

Since January 2022, plants may only be grown in the ground in organic agriculture. Organic plants must receive their nutrition primarily from the soil ecosystem. Regulation (EC) 710.2009 excludes the use of recirculating aquaculture systems from organic certifications. The EU clearly distinguishes itself from Canada here, where aquaponics products can be certified as organic in accordance with the standard CAN/CGSB-32.312-2018. In the USA, aquaponic plants can carry an organic designation (USDA National Organic Program NOP) but not aquaculture products, as they continue to be excluded from organic certification. mk

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[ FISHERIES ] Green strategies for transforming the global fishing industry

Protecting the climate and the environment is paramount Thuenen Institute Thuenen Institute

Thuenen Institute

For many centuries, fishing was usually geared towards large catch quantities and greater efficiency. Today, in times of growing environmental awareness and increasing concern about the global climate, other topics are also gaining in importance. The fishing industry and fishing technologies should be more sustainable and climate-friendly and protect the environment better. What ideas and concepts exist to help implement these requirements as soon as possible?

In the EU, the use of selective fishing gear could be rewarded with a higher share of fishing rights in the future. Pictured, a T90 codend using a 125 mm mesh proved to be the most efficient at allowing cod to escape while retaining flatfish in trials carried out in the Baltic by researchers from the Thuenen Institute.

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rom steam engines to diesel engines – the range and extent of the fishing industry have dramatically expanded at least since wind-independent propulsive engines were adopted on fishing vessels. Critics claim that this has made the fishing industry lose its sustainable character and become destructive. Thanks to their powerful engines, trawlers can travel to fishing grounds further and faster and, despite having smaller crews, can deploy larger nets at ever greater depths.

Advances in positioning technology ensure that today even the smallest schools of fish can be found in the great expanses of the oceans. What was once celebrated as success is today met with incomprehension and rejection, because the signs of regional overfishing are unmistakable. Even within the fish-

ing sector, hardly anyone disputes that healthy wild fish stocks are of enormous significance for the economic development of numerous countries and for human food security. Worldwide, the fishing industry contributes almost 300 billion US dollars to global GDP. This could be even more if resources were managed and used sustainably. Fish and seafood are among the most frequently traded foods in the world. Some 35 to 38 percent of global production enters international trade, of which more than half comes from developing countries. A fragile construct that is being put at increasing risk by overfishing, IUU fishing, harmful subventions, environmental pollution and climate change. The World Bank estimates that the global fishing industry could generate around 83 billion more US dollars each

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year through a comprehensive transformation towards more sustainability.

It is now common knowledge that healthy ecosystems are the key to the ongoing productivity of the fishing industry. The problem is not lack of knowledge, but rather implementing it in practice. Although the pressure to act is increasing due to climate change, marine pollution and the growing global population, the political system often reacts with hesitation and without the required consistency. The UN sustainable development goals (SDG 14) also continue to refer to the need for sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems. Those with political responsibility are called upon to introduce responsible guidelines and practices that contribute to reaching this goal.

SDG sub-paragraph 14.4 shows them what direction to pursue by reminding them of the urgent need to curb overfishing and suggests eliminating harmful subsidies that contribute to illegal and unreported fishing. Particularly since 84 percent of fishing subsidies tend to only benefit large fishing fleets anyway. The EU is also trying to reduce overcapacity in fishing fleets; direct and indirect subsidies such as fuel tax exemptions are to be removed.

The EU is seeing the first successes of its new fishing policy The commitment of the EU Commission to an environmentally sustainable and economically viable fishing industry is shown in the realignment of the Common Fisheries Policy, the EU biodiversity strategy

[ FISHERIES ] and the European Green Deal.

The strict catch quota specifications in accordance with scientific recommendations from fisheries management have led to a significant recovery in fish stocks. There are 50% more fish in the waters of the North-East Atlantic today than in 2003, and fleet segments have become more profitable in recent years. The requirement to bring the whole catch to shore however, which is aimed at avoiding discards, is not yet being implemented everywhere with the necessary strictness and consistency. The suggestion of redistributing the allowable catches, i.e. the awarding of catch quotas, has also met with significant resistance in some EU member states. Until now, the total allowable catches (TAC) in the EU have been distributed between the countries on the basis of historical catch quantities. Any country that fished a lot in the past therefore automatically received the right to continue to fish disproportionately more. This system of relative stability which was introduced in 1982 has, however, in the opinion of many experts, created false incentives and contributed to European fish stocks being overfished for a long time. If one fishing country was allocated a high quota for its fishing industry, the others could also demand high catch quotas, as – according to the principle of relative stability – these were to be kept constantly in the same proportions. This frequently led to biologically feasible catch quantities being exceeded. The new suggestion is based on the distribution of catch quantities based on sustainability criteria. Each country and each fishing industry will be evaluated individually for this purpose. Those who selectively use environmentally friendly fishing gear, do not require a lot of energy, provide a safe working environment and follow all of the regulations receive the highest number of points and

therefore a larger share of the fishing rights. Any country that tolerates fishing methods that are not selective or does not do enough to tackle illegal fishing could even end up with no fishing rights. It remains to be seen how successful this new regulation will be; resistance to the idea is high.

The EU-wide obligatory designation of origin for fish is to be expanded. This serves to provide information to consumers and would also be an effective instrument to combat IUU fishing. An additional measure being considered across the EU is a Green Certificate for professional fishers.

They would receive a kind of basic education in marine ecology which could even become a prerequisite for obtaining a fishing licence. It is hoped that these training courses would result in fishers acting with more awareness of protecting and preserving aquatic ecosystems and fish stocks. Because currently less than one percent of the world’s oceans are protected from fishing, environmental organisations are also calling for the expansion of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

They should be formed into a global network that can contribute towards the recovery of marine ecosystems and the preservation of marine biological diversity.

Climate protection is also a hot topic for the fishing industry In contrast to these ideas, which may only be realised well into the future, the reduction of CO2 emissions is already part of the day-today operations of many fishing companies. Even if only to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals. Since there is no binding international standard for calculating the carbon footprint, the ISO 14064 standard is usually used as a blueprint. The new standard ISO

2948 (Carbon Footprint for Seafood – Product Category Rules for Fish, CFP-PCR) also defines the product categories that are required for calculating and effectively communicating to the public the CO2 footprint for seafood.

The carbon footprint is not an end in itself however, but rather offers a basis on which to take targeted climate protection measures such as restricting global warming to a maximum of 2 degrees. Multiple studies show that the largest sources of CO2 emissions in the fishing industry by far are the fuel for fishing vessels and the energy used for refrigerating the fish caught. These are the two areas in which the greatest climate effects can be achieved, if consistently pursued. Despite some good ideas, however, their concrete implementation remains difficult, because the alternatives must be both available and reliable, as well as not harmful to the environment and affordable. It also takes corresponding infrastructure to be able to offer low-carbon, or even better, no-carbon alternative energy sources everywhere in the required quantities. In a 2018 study (“Nature Climate Change”), Robert W.R. Parker and his colleagues calculated that the fishing industry had consumed 40 billion litres of fuel and generated a total of 179 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent in the year 2011 (4% of global food production). The emissions from the global fishing industry rose by 28% between 1990 and 2011, although catches barely increased during this period. The development of more environmentally friendly fuel for fishing vessels is therefore a real challenge, especially as currently hardly more than 600 vessels (including trading vessels and cruise liners) in the world’s fleets use alternative fuels.

The Paris Climate Agreement of 2015 does not state any goals for

the greenhouse gas emissions of vessels. In 2018, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) published its climate strategy for international shipping. According to this, the average CO2 intensity (CO2 per tonne mile) should be reduced by at least 40% by 2030 and 70% by 2050. These specifications are mainly targeted towards trade vessels, but they also provide a general direction for fishing vessels. By now it should be clear to all participants that the decarbonisation of vessel propulsion requires bold ideas, huge efforts and investment. Small cosmetic adjustments such as more energy-efficient designs will not be enough on their own. In order to be able to meet the requirements for 2050, the global fishing industry must also change to alternative fuels and new sources of energy.

Many of the solutions available today are not yet mature or are not suitable for use at sea. There is therefore a great need for research.

The European Parliament in its European Green Deal also calls for decisive action on stopping the use of heavy fuel oils in shipping and for more initiatives around the development of emissions-free vessels.

The search for alternative maritime fuels worldwide Electric engines, such as are favoured in road traffic on land, only make sense at sea for a limited number of areas such as ferry traffic, because these vessels dock regularly and can be recharged.

The Norwegian boat building company Selfa Arctic did introduce the world’s first electrically operated fishing boat in August 2015, that is intended to operate primarily in waters directly off the coast. To be precise, this is not a purely electric boat, but is more like a hybrid variant, since it still has one diesel engine on board for safety. Many experts doubt whether alternative

EUROFISH .BHB[JOF

[ FISHERIES ] fuels such as hydrogen or ammonia have the required energy density for use on fishing vessels, which often spend several days or weeks at sea. However, liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) could also be used as a short-term interim solution until better-suited alternative engines are developed. However, that would be a dead end on the way to decarbonisation, because both are of course fossil fuels.

The Norwegian cruise company Hurtigruten announced in 2018 that it would be using biogas generated from fish waste to power its vessels. Liquid biogas does reduce air pollution from vessels at sea, but it is still only a partial solution, because the manufacture of the gas on land is not entirely environmentally friendly. Hurtigruten wanted to operate six vessels with biogas, LNG and batteries in 2021. Fish waste also plays a central role in the Salmo project of the British biofuel technology developer Green Fuels.

Waste biomass from salmon farming is converted to drop-in fuels that are suitable for ship diesel engines. If the bio-diesel is mixed with conventional fuels, it can even be used in the engines and fuel systems without modifications.

Green Fuels is advancing with a similar project in Vietnam based on pangasius waste. With average fish mortality rates of 20%, there are approximately 400,000 tonnes of energy-rich pangasius waste material available there for the manufacture of biofuels. The use of fish waste for powering vessels is highly controversial however, since this raw material is also in high demand from fishmeal producers.

Where the material ends up will be finally decided by the market and prices.

Researchers from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed an efficient and economi-

cal process for converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into ethanol without expensive platinum catalysts, that can be used at an industrial scale.

Although the suitability of ethanol for powering vessels has not yet been finally clarified, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) sees a lot of potential here. According to an EMSA study, it would be a useful alternative fuel for vessels, since ethanol burns cleanly, is sulphur-free and is biodegradable. It will probably be some time before it is actually used at sea, however. It currently seems almost as though there is no way to get away from “good old diesel” for powering vessels. In this respect, it is good news that scientists from Montana State University have discovered the tree fungus Gliocladium roseum in the Patagonian rainforest, which produces chemicals that are largely identical to diesel and can be used in diesel engines. In contrast to normal diesel however, fungus diesel is environmentally friendly and does not cause any air pollution.

Another option would be processing plastic waste into propellants for diesel-operated vessels. A factory is currently being established in Amsterdam port that aims to convert around 35,000 tonnes of plastic waste into more than 30 million litres of fuel per year. And there is another idea worth listening to: instead of using corn and sugar cane for the manufacture of biodiesel, algae can also be used for this purpose. Algal biofuel or algal oil does release CO2 when burned like fossil fuels, but only as much as was previously removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis.

Both macroalgaes such as kelp and microalgaes, which are easily cultivated, can be used for this purpose.

In 2017, Synthetic Genomics and ExxonMobil made a breakthrough in the development of innovative biofuels. Through genetically engineered changes, they were able to double the lipid content of a strain

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of the microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana from 20 percent to 40–55 percent. There have therefore been encouraging advances in the area of environmentally friendly vessel propellants.

Lots of small measures will add up to success But, despite their overwhelming importance, fuels are only one part of the puzzle to be solved to achieve a more environmentally friendly and sustainable fishing industry. The entire spectrum extends from more selective fishing gear that prevents bycatch and does as little damage to the marine environment as possible, up to tiny technical details of vessel equipment and new materials.

For example, due to the design of vessel propellers in the form of a kort nozzle, the flow losses at the ends of the propeller blades can be reduced, which saves propulsive energy and increases the efficiency of the propeller. Escape windows and sorting grids in nets offer undersized fish and non-target species the chance to quickly escape from the fishing gear again.

In longline and hook and line fishing, reinforced so-called protective hooks are being used that do not have any barbed hooks. These ensure that fish that escape from the hooks do not have any permanent injuries. Turtle excluders in trawl nets also operate according to the same idea. All are small but very important contributions to not overly endangering marine biodiversity.

Given the increasing problems of plastic waste and above all microplastics in the world’s oceans, the use of biodegradable materials that decompose after some time in the water without harming the environment is gaining enormously in importance. This not only affects fishing nets, lines and

Different bio-fuels are being developed that are a better choice than fossil fuels. Algal biofuel, for example, also releases CO2 when burned, but only as much as was previously removed from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.

angling lines, but also and to the same extent artificial bait, boots, chest waders, weather-proof clothing and other equipment that is practically indispensable at sea. Increasing attention is also being focused on the popular lead weights, which, for example, hang on the bottom edges of gillnets in order to stabilise the fishing gear in the water column. Lead is not only poisonous to humans, it is also dangerous for fish, because it causes physical damage and can also result in behavioural changes. Instead of poisonous lead, many manufacturers are already switching to non-dangerous materials such as brass, steel, tungsten or tin. Paints, varnishes and other coating materials must be chip-proof in order to prevent flakes of paint coming off that could be swallowed by fish and other marine animals.

Without wanting to let the fishing industry off the hook for occasional failures, even critics must admit that there is hardly any other group with more of an interest in protecting the seas and exploiting their resources sustainably than fishers themselves. There is therefore good reason to be confident that they will apply and implement all measures required to serve their basic interests. mk

[ SPECIES ] Sand eels – the little fish with huge economic importance

Important target species for industrial fishing The commercial importance of a fish species does not depend on how well-known it is, nor on how often it ends up on our plates.

This is shown by the example of the sand eel, which hardly any consumers know or eat. These small fish play an extraordinarily important role in many marine ecosystems, and are also almost indispensable as a raw material for the European fishmeal industry. can dive into loose sand or seashell fragments in an instant, making them invisible and inaccessible to most predators. However, this does not always work, because some predators have adapted to this game of hide-and-seek. They can target, track down and dig up their concealed prey.

However, sand eels do not just hide in sediment when fleeing from predators, they camouflage this way for protection all the time whenever they are not feeding.

Some species even bury themselves in wet sand in intertidal areas during the ebb tide and only come out again when the water returns with the next high tide. Then they often form large shoals which move around within their area looking for food, but still remain relatively close to their original location. Sand eels spend the first weeks of their lives in open water before switching to a sea floor-based lifestyle when they are approximately five centimetres long, and then they remain in the same area almost constantly.

Half a dozen sand eel species with similar biology Sand eels are represented by six species in the North Atlantic, five of which living along European coasts have commercial significance for industrial fishing,

Jarrow Birder

T

he name is deceptive, since sand eels are not eels at all, despite their moniker. The name probably refers to the long, eel-like, almost cylindrical shape of their bodies as well as their unusual lifestyle – like eels, sand eels spend many hours of their day buried in sand. Sand eels form their own family (Ammodytidae), comprising 18 species (some authors even believe there are up to 30 species), which are primarily benthic (sea floor dwelling) and live in shallow coastal waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The typical features of these small shoaling fish include deeply forked tail fins in addition to their body shape and long dorsal fin ridge, which extends over almost the entire length of their body.. These fish do not have pelvic fins or swim bladders. Their high fat content means that sand eels make nutritious food for many predatory fish, seabirds and marine mammals, and also most sand eel species remain comparatively small and easy to catch. Almost every nature lover has seen images of puffins carrying multiple sand eels in their colourful beaks at once. The most important defence for these small fish that are so highly prized by predators is, above all, how they conceal themselves in sediment, in addition to forming shoals which confuse attackers by pretending to be a much bigger ‘super-organism’. Fleeing sand eels

Sand eels are hunted by puffins but also targeted by industrial fishing fleets which supply it to fishmeal factories.

including in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Apart from their different maximum sizes, which range from 20 to 40 cm, these species are so similar in their appearance and way of life that precise differentiation between them is seldom done in the fishing industry in practice.

Information on populations and distribution should therefore be treated with some caution.

The greater sand eel (Hyperoplus lanceolatus), which is said to reach up to 40 cm in length, is usually cited as the largest species. It can be identified by a dark spot on the side of its snout. Corbin’s sand eel (Hyperoplus immaculatus) reaches a maximum length of 30 cm. The lesser

sand eel or sand lance (Ammodytes tobianus), which only reaches 20 cm in length, is the most common species in the North Sea. At 25 cm, Raitt’s sand eel (Ammodytes marinus), which is also known as the Raitt’s lesser sand eel, is only slightly larger. The fifth species in the family is the smooth sand eel (Gymnoammodytes semisquamatus), which, with its maximum length of 23 cm, lies between the two Ammodyte species. The taxonomic status of the Mediterranean sand eel (Gymnoammodytes cicerellus), which is said to be no larger than 16 cm, is currently disputed. Some biologists believe that G. cicerellus simply replaces the smooth sand eel (G. semisquamatus) in the

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Mediterranean, others are of the opinion that the Mediterranean sand eel is perhaps a synonym for the lesser sand eel.

Since the different species of sand eel are largely similar in their biology and way of life, the key data for all of the species is processed together centrally using the example of the greater and lesser sand eel, all the more so as these species often occur in shoals together. Typical of both species and all sand eels without exception is their softly radial fins and uniform body colouration with green-blue backs, silvery sides and white bellies. While the tip of the pectoral fin in greater sand eel ends before the beginning of the dorsal fin, in the lesser sand eel it extends to the beginning of the dorsal fin. The long and noticeably pointed head has a relatively deep mouth, and the lower jaw clearly protrudes. The protractile mouth, which forms a kind of tube when catching prey, is characteristic of sand eels. Both species occupy the same habitat, which extends from the coast until the water reaches a depth of 30 m.

In winter, however, the shoals move further out to sea. There they prefer sand banks at deeper locations which provide them with especially good hiding opportunities. The distribution range of the greater sand eel in the North Atlantic extends from the eastern Murmansk coast over Spitsbergen, Iceland and the British Isles to Portugal and on through the English Channel into the North Sea. This fish can also regularly be found in the Baltic Sea. This distribution area is almost identical to that of the lesser sand eel.

Short-lived plankton feeders with high fertility Sand eels become sexually mature at the age of two years, when they have reached a length of approximately 10 cm. Considering their

huge distribution area, spawning is taking place almost all year round in one place or another, depending on the water temperature. Sand eels in the North Sea mainly reproduce from April to September, i.e. in spring and summer. The females attach their eggs at a depth of 20 to 100 m in small heaps on sandy ground or gravel banks made of shellfish fragments. The fertility depends on the species of sand eel, the size of the fish and its condition.

For the lesser sand eel, the number of eggs varies between 3,000 and 20,000, and the greater sand eel lays up to 35,000 eggs. The eggs are 0.8 to 1.0 mm large, and the larvae are 4-8 mm long. They ascend to the upper levels of the water for several weeks, where they feed on plankton organisms of a suitable size. The maximum documented age of the sand eel is approximately 10 years, which few animals reach, because they have a very large number of predators. Sand eels are part of the prey spectrum of almost all larger marine fish species, from sea trout and salmon to cod, shellfish, pollock and whiting, and mackerel and numerous flatfish species. Marine mammals and seabirds also prey on them. For their part, sand eels feed on the lower trophic levels of plant and animal plankton such as copepods, cladocera and small fish.

Humans are another major exploiter of the sand eel, catching these fish mainly for use as bait for longline and sports fishing and as an important target species for so-called industrial fishing. These comparatively small fish are only very rarely used for culinary purposes, although experienced cooks will attest that they are tasty and simple to prepare. What probably stops fish lovers from consuming them, in addition to the lack of a culinary tradition and scarcity of these fish in the retail trade, is primarily their limited size and the fact that they are relatively bony.

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Dave Fitzpatrick

[ SPECIES ]

Sand eels are represented by six species in the North Atlantic, five of which live along European coasts. Here a greater sand eel (Hyperoplus lanceolatus) on a beach in Ireland.

However, there is nothing really standing in the way of putting these fish on our table every now and then. Fried sardines and anchovies, which are not much bigger, have after all conquered the Mediterranean kitchen, where they are very popular, and the annoying bones are said to become so tender when the fish is fried that they are hardly noticeable when eating. Although sand eels are one of the most underestimated edible fish species, with average weights per fish between 15 and 40 grams, many interesting and tasty-sounding recipes can be found on the Internet. For example, grilled sand eel in lemon butter or – like the widely loved fried herring – coated in rye flour and fried in melted butter. One recipe even recommends placing the fish, gutted and with heads removed, in a pan so close to one another that they stick to each other when frying and can be eaten almost like an omelette.

Enormous ecological and commercial significance From a nutritional perspective, sand eels have a lot to offer. In

addition to high-quality protein with all essential amino acids, they contain plenty of vitamins, above all A, D and B12, and are also an excellent source of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. However it should be noted in this context that the quantity of omega-3 fluctuates throughout the year along with the fat content of the fish. This is especially noticeable for sexually mature sand eels over 10 cm long. They have only 2 to 6 percent fat at the beginning of the spawning season in April, while this figure usually rises to 6–13 percent in June at the end of the reproduction period. For initial culinary experiences with these fish, catches from the second half of the year should therefore be used if possible.

Depending on the intended use, various methods are used to catch sand eels. Sports fishers, who need sand eels for angling bait, often turn to local fishers, who occasionally catch these small fish as bycatch in trawl nets.

Some anglers also try to dig sand eels hidden in tidal flats out of the ground. The success of these methods, however, requires quite precise knowledge regarding the

[ SPECIES ] preferred hiding places of the sand eels. The third method for individual catching of limited quantities is the use of paternoster angling, which is familiar from herring and mackerel angling.

This works very well in dense shoals, although the small fish are seldom hooked properly by the mouth, but usually somewhere in the body instead. When it comes to larger catches, whether for use as bait fish for longline fishing industry or for industrial uses, close meshed trawl nets or seine nets are used.

As regards the ecological significance of sand eels for the marine ecosystem and their heavy use by the fishing industry, the question naturally arises as to how the stock situation is looking for these important species. When estimating stocks in fisheries biology, a distinction is not made between the individual species, instead all of them are recorded together as the Ammodytes-Hyperoplus group of species. Like the capelin (Mallotus villosus) or the Peruvian anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) and other relatively short-lived fish that feed planktiverously at low trophic levels and are very fertile, sand eel stocks are also subject to frequent strong fluctuations in natural stock levels. Stocks can also recover very quickly following weaker years if the external conditions are right and sufficient plankton food is available.

In order to be able to precisely model and predict these developments, a particularly comprehensive and detailed database would be required, which cannot be achieved to a sufficient extent for the sand eel. It is generally assumed that none of the fished sand eel species are currently seriously endangered and stocks are not threatened, but

the precise situation is unclear for the most part. This is why the precautionary approach is particularly valued when determining catch quotas (TAC). Nevertheless, some are of the opinion that sand eel stocks have been declining in recent years. This is particularly concerning for the ornithologists among the nature conservationists, who see the food supply of some seabird species becoming endangered as a result.

Danish industrial fishing is the main user of sand eels Almost reflexively, Danish industrial fishing is then blamed for the situation, although it emphasises strongly that it complies with all legal provisions and with the catch quantities approved according to the TAC. During the 18-week sand eel fishing season in 2020, which began on 1 April and ended on 31 July, approximately 238,000 tonnes of fish were landed by Danish and foreign fishing vessels in Danish ports for the country’s fishmeal industry. 171,700 tonnes of this was landed by Danish fishing vessels, 39,700 tonnes by Norwegian and 23,500 tonnes by Swedish fishing vessels, as well as 3,100 tonnes by vessels of other nationalities. Sand eels are in fact only one of the fish species that are processed into fishmeal and fish oil in Danish factories.

Without exception these are small, short-lived species such as the capelin, blue whiting, sprat, Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii) and boarfish (Capros aper), which have little or no commercial value for human consumption. Their fishing mortality is usually much lower than their natural mortality and the size of the stocks can

fluctuate significantly from year to year. All fishing industries are strictly regulated and the catch quotas are based on the scientific recommendations of the ICES. Cutoffs, i.e. carcasses, cuttings, trimmings and other leftovers from fish processing are growing in importance as a raw material for the fishmeal industry. Depending on the fish species and product, often only one to two thirds of the body of the fish is used. Processing them into fishmeal is a sensible use for these remaining scraps.

This also applies to undersized fish from bycatch that have been accumulating in EU countries since the landing ban. Fishmeal is therefore not a waste of valuable marine resources, but rather the exact opposite – it is making an indispensable contribution to their full use.

Denmark is the most important industrial fishing nation in the EU, and accounts for a large part of the catch quotas for the relevant pelagic species. In 2019, its share made up approximately 84% of the EU landings for this sector. Industrial fishing therefore makes up a significant portion of the Danish fishing sector. In 2019 it accounted for almost half of the value created at 43%. The significance of the sand eel for supplying raw material to the Danish fishmeal industry varies, however, due to the large fluctuations in stock from year to year. Measured against the Danish catch quotas, sand eel contributed almost half of fishmeal production in 2017, but only 10 to 15 percent in 2012 and 2016. The individual sand eel species are characterised by medium to high resilience, which for fishery biologists is a measure of the resilience of fish species. While the greater sand eel (Hyperoplus lanceolatus) takes approximately

1.4 to 4.4 years to double its population, the lesser sand eel manages to do the same in less than 15 months. These figures are reflected in strong fluctuations of the TAC and landing quantities, which is also confirmed by the official statistics from the Danish fishing authorities. From 2016 to 2017, for example, within only one year, sand eel landings increased by a whopping 900 percent. In 2018 and 2019, the two subsequent years, they halved again.

These changes do not result from overfishing but are the logical consequence of a sustainable fishing industry where the catch quota always follows the development of stocks.

Similar developments can also be seen for other industrial fishing species. Since the turn of the millennium, EU landings of fish species intended for non-food purposes fluctuated between under 1.1 million tonnes (2000) and 433,000 tonnes (2012). In the past, sand eels and sprats were the two main industrial fishing species. Although sand eels could become very important in the future, they currently appear to be declining in relative importance. The proportion of blue whiting has increased; in 2019 it made up 20% of total landings. Despite its economic significance, industrial fishing is, however, a relatively small sector compared to other types of fishing. In 2019, the value of industrial fish made up only 3% of total EU landings. And this value will probably decrease further, because the demand for small pelagic species such as herring and mackerel for human consumption is growing. Danish fishmeal manufacturers are also feeling this, as their production declined by 39 percent between 2000 and 2019. mk

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] Cretel, Belgian maker of fish skinning machines

Quality and service keep international customers for this machine manufacturer Attention to customers and a focus on quality keeps this seafood processing machine manufacturer growing. Its latest machine, to be launched in Barcelona, is low-maintenance, ergonomically designed for worker safety, and sports a newly designed frame to ensure hygiene for top-quality fish.

C

retel nv is a Ghent, Belgium-based maker of highquality fish skinning machines and a wide range of related equipment for food, pharmaceuticals, and agribusiness. Its 40 employees in Belgium are supported by a worldwide network of dealers trained to offer tailor-made solutions to Cretel customers.

Focus on quality, hygiene, and efficiency A subsidiary of the Belgian conglomerate ATS Groep, Cretel shares that company’s focus on attention to customer needs with products that meet quality, safety, health, and environment standards. Its fish-skinning machines are manufactured with a focus on hygiene, durability, and efficiency, a combination designed to produce the highest benefit-tocost ratio for customers.

An even more efficient fish skinner At this year’s Seafood Processing Global, Cretel will launch its new generation of table-top fish skinners. The company’s engineers have been working intensively on re-engineering the existing

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The new generation of the manual top skinners.

machines with focus on better hygiene, ergonomic design, user friendliness, safety, and easy maintenance. This year in Barcelona, Cretel will launch the F 360 M, the new generation of the popular manual table-top fish skinner 365F, which has a newly designed hygienic frame that combines the

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starroller cleaning system with the standard cleaning system. The starroller has a lot of advantages when skinning with hard fish. In addition, Cretel also improved the entry of the machine: angled instead of straight. The F 360 M will become the ultimate all-around manual table-top fish skinner.

Cretel by ATS, Langerbruggekaai 15, 9000 Ghent, Belgium Tel. +32 9 376 95 95 info@cretel.com www.cretel.com https ://www.linkedin.com/ company/cretel-nv/

[ TECHNOLOGY ] Bandall bundling and banding solutions

Meet today’s and tomorrow’s sustainability standards for packaging Reducing packaging waste and using more sustainable packaging materials are of growing importance in the fish industry. This industry requires a specialist touch when it comes to packaging due to the different sizes, weights, and packaging requirements.

Bandall is able to provide this specialist touch in packaging and labelling your products, from skinpacks to canned fish, and everything in between.

B

andall offers many different sustainable banding applications and packaging solutions, from stacking, bundling and even branding fish cans to labelling skinpacks.

The irregular shape of skinpacks is no problem for the Bandall Banding machines, which also handle the many different shapes that cans come in. The band helps your product stand out on the shelves.

The already flexible Bandall machine can achieve even more flexibility with the Multi-Width option. This option allows your machine to process different band widths on one machine by easily installing the system.

Combined with flexible print options during the banding process, Bandall banding solutions might be the most flexible in the world.

With the recently developed ECO.BANDING® your customers can be sure that their products meet both current and future sustainability regulations.

Skin packaging is not a problem for Bandall’s banding machines.

The ECO.BANDING® consists 98 of paper, and the ECO. SEAL is compliant with the European single-use plastic guidelines. The end-consumer can throw the ECO.BANDING® in the paper recycling container without even thinking about it.

Bandall offers machines from regular standalone machines to state-of-the-art fully automated and customized systems. The company works with its customers towards the best banding solutions and for their specific packaging challenges. Meet Bandall at Seafood

Processing Global in Barcelona to discuss the opportunities for your product and to get your own customized sample. Visit the company’s stand 3LL901 in Barcelona. www.bandall.com ; sales@bandall.com

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] Craemer Group presents novelties and classics at the Seafood Processing Global and IceFish trade fairs

High-quality load carriers for first-class fish catches The success of the fishing industry depends on various factors, including quality and reliability from the fishing vessel and the crew to the processing and logistics systems on land and at sea. Craemer fish boxes have been an integral part and essential guarantor for safe and smooth operations in this process chain for more than 40 years.

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Functional design for daily handling Craemer continuously responds to the ever-changing market requirements with innovations. Examples for fish boxes are the unique melt water drainage system with lateral water drainage to the front, the optimised bottom geometry preventing water accumulation after washing, and the integrated and patented RFID transponder solution.

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Fish boxes from Craemer in various sizes and designs impress with their innovative design, high impact resistance and excellent load-bearing capacity.

In addition to fish boxes in various sizes and designs – with individual labelling, lids or bottom perforations – the fishing industry has various plastic pallets and pallet boxes at its disposal.

New in the portfolio are the TC Palgrip® pallet with full-surface anti-slip deck and two pallet box models: the extremely robust SB3 and the large-volume CB3 High with industrial dimensions (1200 x 1000 millimetres, with 610 or approx. 1000 litres volume). Craemer will be showing these robust, one-piece injection-moulded load carriers along with other innovations and classics at the Seafood Processing Global trade fair in Barcelona (hall 3, booth 3DD801) and the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition (booth E50b).

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The Craemer Group The Germany-based Craemer Group is an international family-run company specialising in the core businesses of metal forming, plastics processing,

and tool making. The headquarters is Craemer GmbH, founded in 1912. Today, Craemer Group has three additional production sites in Europe and a global network of its own sales offices and partners.

Craemer Group

Craemer fish boxes are injectionmoulded from pure, food-safe PE and are designed for daily use, both at sea and on land. They meet all the technical and hygienic requirements of the international fishing industry.

Thanks to their high impact resistance and excellent load-bearing capacity, the fish boxes are ideal for a wide range of applications – from fishing to processing to trading. The innovative box design allows spacesaving nesting and stacking, thus significantly reducing freight costs.

Craemer Group

ith sound know-how and decades of experience in plastics processing, Craemer is one of the leading developers and manufacturers of high-quality products made of durable and robust PE. For the fishing industry, Craemer Group traditionally offers an extensive range of fish boxes, storage and transport containers made of plastic, as well as plastic pallets, which have been specially developed for this type of application.

Craemer’s new pallet box models, SB3 (left) and CB3 High, are available in industrial size with closed or perforated walls and three longitudinal runners or nine feet.

[ TECHNOLOGY ] FIAP profiwork fish stunner

Rapid and painless fish slaughter When slaughtering fish in the EU, farmers or processors must apply the basic principle that governs the slaughter of terrestrial species, according to a report by the Aquaculture Advisory Council from 2017. This principle states that animals shall be spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations. Fish should therefore be slaughtered using humane methods as far as possible. The report goes on to list systems with the potential to deliver humane slaughter, one of which is electrical stunning followed, if necessary, by a separate killing method.

T

he FIAP profiwork fish stunner is a robust and low-maintenance device for stunning and killing farmed fish. The current delivered by the device can be adjusted digitally depending on the fish size, weight, number, and conductivity of the water, among other factors. Tissue bleeding can be prevented by setting the current at the appropriate level.

In contrast to models with grid electrodes, the stunner’s plate electrode guarantees a uniform electric field, which stuns or kills the fish depending on the strength of the field. In FIAP’s

profiwork fish stunner a setting between 1 and 4 serves to stun the fish, while a setting of between 5 and 9 kills the fish. The stunning time is set by default at 90 seconds.

The device is sold ready for use and is available in three sizes. The package includes a container, a digital control unit, and a contact switch for the container lid.

The profiwork fish stunner allows fast and painless killing of fish in accordance with legal requirements for animal welfare.

The FIAP profiwork fish stunner is a robust and low-maintenance device for stunning and killing fish. The device is available ready for use and is available in three sizes.

Challenging project for Reich and Kalaneuvos Oy

Strong partners grow together Fish is an expensive and precious commodity. It is varied and challenging in its thermal treatment possibilities. Intelligent and expert drying and smoking is therefore a basic requirement for successful, flavoursome and visually attractive products. Ever more fish processing companies are therefore relying on one of Reich’s concepts in the production of smoked fish. Kalaneuvos is a prime example of such partnerships.

R

eich is Germany’s oldest name in the field of thermoprocessing systems for food and is one of the leading providers in this industry worldwide. It offers solutions for the thermal processing of fish, meat and sausage products, poultry, cheese, convenience

food, vegan and vegetarian products and pet food.

Founded in 1975 and based in Sastamala, Finland, fish processor Kalaneuvos has partnered with Reich since 2009 to expand its production possibilities.

Kalaneuvos recently invested

30 million Euro to more than double its production capacity, making it the largest smoked fish producer in the Nordic countries.

Exceptional project Since 2009, Reich is Kalaneuvos’ partner in providing hot and cold

smoking technology to this exceptional project. The latest factory expansion by Finland’s largest seafood firm was commissioned in early 2020, and this major investment brings the production facilities of the facility in Sastamala to over 11,000 square metres.

Kalaneuvos aims at securing the

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[ TECHNOLOGY ]

Uncompromising quality paired with the highest possible performance and efficiency is the philosophy behind Reich’s products.

supply of Finnish fish and increasing eco-friendly food production in Finland, and with this huge expansion the facility can smoke over 10 million kilograms and fillet over 12 million kilograms of fish each year.

Since the beginning of the cooperation between Kalaneuvos and Reich, five specialized fish smokehouses of the Reich Airmaster® UKQ Airjet series, with the famous and unique Reich horizontal-crossflow-system, have been installed and commissioned in Sastamala. From the beginning, all new smokehouses were 58

designed for both hot and cold-smoking processes, combined with intensive cooling functions to quickly cool down ready-smoked products at the end of the smoking process.

By doing so, the smokehouses deliver ready-to-slice or readyto-pack products in just one cycle, without any further handling. This technology goes hand in hand with Reich’s-wellknown advantages of the highest possible product loadings (up to 450 kg of salmon per trolley) and absolute uniformity of the products, thanks to the powerful Reich-original horizontal-crossflow-system.

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A great team success This unique efficiency and Reich’s excellent reputation in the fish industry were just some of the reasons for Mr. Veijo Hukkanen, owner and CEO of Kalaneuvos, to choose Reich as his partner for this big step forward.

Already in 2017, the planning for the new smokehouse expansion began, involving Finnvacum Oy, Reich’s partner for sales and service in Finland and Sweden. At the end, as a great team success between the experts with Kalaneuvos, Finnvacum and Reich, eight new Reich Airmaster® UKQ 7500 BE smokehouses have been

commissioned since early 2020.

In total, thirteen smokehouses with a capacity of 39 trolleys are now in operation, to produce a growing amount of delicious smoked fish products, mainly salmon, rainbow trout, and whitefish. New features of the latest Airmaster® UKQ Airjet generation and a technical facelift of the existing Reich ovens ensure that the new Kalaneuvos facility is ready for the future.

Reich doesn’t want to miss the chance to say “Thank you!” to the teams of Kalaneuvos and Finnvacum, for the always pleasant and cooperative partnership.

[ TECHNOLOGY ] Uni-Food Technic looks after its customers like a good friend

Service checks ensure high operational reliability Uni-Food Technic has over 30 years’ experience in supplying the fish processing industry with innovative equipment for processing salmon, white fish, mackerel, and herring, also adding new species to the list (e.g., barramundi and tilapia in recent years). Their fully automatic machinery reduces the need for operators, thus reducing labour costs and diminishing the risk of contamination.

Over 90% of the equipment is sold outside Denmark. But it is one thing to supply the equipment, and another thing to provide the customers with service for maintenance of the purchased equipment. Uni-Food Technic makes sure it does both.

Highly competent business partner Danish fish processor Norlax has a 13-year-old skinning machine from Uni-Food Technic, which processes around 10,000 sides of salmon every day – almost non-stop. One of the reasons for the operational reliability is the annual service check of processing equipment which Uni-Food Technic offers its customers.

In the cold stores at Norlax in Outrup, in the southwestern part of Jutland, one-meter-high stacks of boxes with raw salmon from Norway are waiting to be processed. The transformation from whole fish to fillet ends at the skinning machine, which has handled tonnes of salmon and trout every working day since 2008 – with only a few operational issues. The skinning machine and the other processing equipment are operating in a challenging environment of salt and water.

Twenty tonnes a day Technical Manager at Norlax, Lars Nielsen, describes how around 10,000 sides of salmon, totaling to 20 tonnes, are skinned daily. But even though the production will not stop if the skinning machine

Twenty tonnes of salmon skinned every day. The secret is not only to supply intelligent equipment, but also to provide a customer with a good service.

should pause temporarily, the operational reliability is much appreciated by Nielsen in the daily operation at the factory.

Service pays “I have no doubt that without the annual service checks we could have challenges every week. Worn cogwheels, chains or bushings cause backlash, and consequently

operational problems. But the operational reliability is high with us, though,” says Nielsen.

“The annual service check takes place during the summer holidays, where all vital parts are replaced.

Apart from this, Norlax always keeps two motors and two gearboxes and some bushings in stock, so they can be replaced immediately, if required,” Nielsen continues.

From his point of view, it does not pay to have an extra skinning machine available if they have a break down, because they rarely have any problems.

Therefore, the costs of the annual service are money well spent.

Read more about Uni-Food Technic’s service here: https://unifood.tech/service.aspx

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[ T he FISH INFOnetwor k (FIN)

EUROFISH INFOYU

INFOSAMAK INFOPÊCHE

INFOFISH

INFOPESCA

The FISH INFONetwork (FIN) consists of seven independent partners who cover all aspects of post-harvest fisheries and aquaculture. Fifty national governments have signed international agreements with the different FIN services and are using the expertise of these services to develop the fishery sector worldwide.

The FIN pages are a regular feature in the four network magazines - INFOFISH International, - INFOPESCA Internacional, - EUROFISH Magazine - INFOSAMAK Magazine They present the FIN-wide spectrum of activities, showing actions and results.

EUROFISH INFOYU

INFOSAMAK INFOPÊCHE INFOPESCA

INFOFISH

FISH INFONETWORK

]

News

Peru joins INFOPESCA The Government of the Republic of Peru has approved its entry into INFOPESCA. Approval of the draft legislative Resolution 219/2021 that proposes membership to INFOPESCA was granted during the Plenary of the Congress of the Republic of Peru in a session on November 16, 2021. Previously, it had been approved unanimously by the Foreign Relations Commission.

The amendment approved by the General Assembly will enter into force for Peru once the internal procedures for the improvement of treaties under national law are completed. This must be internally ratified by the

President of the Republic through Supreme Decree. INFOPESCA continues to work intensely to incorporate more countries in the region to complete the tasks and goals of the organisation.

Project: Strengthening of sanitary policies in hydrobiological products of Peru

The FIN has more than 70 full-time staff and works with more than one hundred international experts in all fields of fisheries.

Through its link from FAO GLOBEFISH to the FAO Fisheries Department, it also has access to the latest information and knowledge on fisheries policy and management issues worldwide.

The execution of multilateral and bilateral projects is one of the main activities of the network. It is also widely known for its range of publications and periodicals as well as for the organisation of international conferences, workshops and training seminars. All eight services offer different possibilities for co-operation with the private sector, institutes, government offices and donors.

For more information on the FISH INFONetwork visit the website http://www.fao.org/in-action/globefish/background/fishinfonetwork/en/.

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INFOPESCA participated in a project called “Strengthening Sanitary Policies in Hydrobiological Products of Peru” and whose main activity consisted of planning, organising and delivering nine virtual training courses for officials of the National Fisheries Health Agency of Peru (SANIPES).

The training carried out by INFOPESCA included the participation of a wide range of international consultants and experts in each of the topics.

in sanitary control based on risks, thus ensuring the safety of hydrobiological products exported worldwide. The technical assistance also consisted of the design of training materials and suggestions to the participants on the methodological tools discussed during the training course to apply to daily tasks. The course was attended by approximately 50 officials, selected by the Peruvian authorities.

The main objective of this technical assistance was to strengthen the capacity of the agency

The international organisation COWATER was a partner in this project funded by the Canadian

[ Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development for the benefit of the Trade and Development Expert Deployment Mechanism (EDM) in Peru.

The nine courses were: 1. Strengthening the competent fisheries health authority: The fisheries health authorities at the international level (USA, Canada, EU, Ecuador, Uruguay, Chile) gave presentations. A SWOT analysis was carried out on the fisheries health authority of Peru (SANIPES); 2. Value chain of fishery products and risks at each stage of production: Exports of Peruvian products to Canada/Anatomy and physiology of fish/Disease-causing agents in different

EUROFISH INFOYU

INFOSAMAK INFOPÊCHE INFOPESCA

INFOFISH

FISH INFONETWORK

products /The use of technology in sanitary control/Deterioration of fishery products; 3. Competence of fisheries inspectors in the different stages of the value chain: Examples and experiences of the countries of the region/ Domestic market, export and import; 4. HACCP principles: Details of the different principles/HACCP in Peru/Experiences with regard to ships, markets, plants, transport.

5. Requirements for the entry of new products in the Canadian market: Sanitary, quality and ecological certifications; 6. Traceability of fishery products (sanitary and political): Operation and examples of traceability systems in different countries;

] 7. Alerts and notifications: Food notifications managed at three levels: alerts, information, rejections. Types of problems reported in various countries: Presence of foreign bodies, bacteria, substances not declared on the label or risk/hazard characteristics related to the food product; 8. Product testing and laboratory work: Development of a laboratory work protocol and experience in different laboratories. Virtual visit to an Italian laboratory and virtual visit to the SANIPES laboratory; and 9. Training for trainers: This course included all the previous topics with the intention of training SANIPES officials so that they can replicate the courses autonomously.

Training programme for hatchery staff features multiple species INFOFISH organised a virtual training programme entitled Marine Fin Fish Hatchery Operations, Grow-out Farming and Health Management during 19-20 January 2022, in response to requests from INFOFISH Member Countries.

The resource persons were Dr Jose Domingos, Associate Professor and Principal Research Fellow Aquaculture, Centre for Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University Singapore; Mr. Chin Chiu Lin (Alex Lin), Chief Technical Officer and Project Manager, Thethis Corp. Taiwan; and Dr Kua Beng Chu, Director, Fisheries Research Institute, National Fish Health Research Division, Department of Fisheries, Malaysia. INFOFISH Director Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy expressed gratitude to Mr V Subba Raju Penmetsa, a seabass farmer from India and Mr Donnie Chen, a grouper framer from Malaysia, who

participated in the ‘Meet the Farmer’ session and shared their practical insights among the trainees through interactive questions and answers.

On Day 1, Dr Jose Domingos started the training with his presentation entitled Operation and management of a commercial seabass hatchery where he discussed seed quality, life cycle, broodstock and larval rearing, mass spawning techniques, hatchery and larval feed management of seabass. His second technical presentation was entitled Commercial farming and management of a barramundi farm where he discussed seabass production in ponds, cages and RAS facilities, water quality, feed and management of seabass farms. Finally, Dr Kua Beng Chu spoke about Health management of farmed seabass, focusing on major infectious and non-infectious diseases, and health management of farmed seabass through

vaccine and alternative medicine (herbal products).

On the closing day, Mr. Alex Lin offered a technical presentation entitled Operation and management of a profitable grouper hatchery where he discussed the basic components of quality marine finfish hatchery facilities (hardware), key activities in a finfish hatchery (software), and the human characteristics (people). He continued with a second technical presentation, this time on Operation and management of a profitable grouper farm where he discussed the quality criteria for grouper fingerlings, as well as pre-grow out and grow out farm management of groupers.

The final presentation was from Dr Kua Beng Chu who spoke about the Health management of farmed groupers focusing on major infectious and non-infectious diseases, and control measures for major grouper diseases.

EUROFISH .BHB[JOF

For insights into the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Europe visit us at SEG on 26-28 April in Barcelona, Hall 2-C205.

We are proud to host two Eurofish Member Countries at the stand: Lithuania

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Vertical integration of its companies contributes to Iceland’s status as a top-quality supplier

Long and close collaboration between science and industry Matís was founded in 2007 as a public limited company by joining three government agencies specializing in research and development in the food industry. With the Fisheries Research Institute, Keldnaholt Food Research, and the Environment Agency’s Laboratory merged into one, Matís had great insight and expertise to fill its role to strengthen the competitiveness of Icelandic products and the economy, to ensure food safety and sustainable use of the environment, and to improve public health. Its activities today are under the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries. We have invited Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson, Head of Value Creation at Matís to share his visions for the future of the Icelandic fisheries sector.

Iceland has a sterling reputation for top quality raw material from its fisheries. Delivering this quality calls for efforts that start from the time the fish is pulled on board the vessel. How do fishers ensure the quality of their catch and what role has Matís played in this?

Icelandic fisheries are characterised by stable and predictable supply year-round. The fisheries are managed by an individual transferable quota (ITQ) system that has been in effect for almost four decades, resulting in concentration of quotas by relatively few and large vertically integrated seafood companies.

These seafood companies cover the whole supply chain, from capture all the way to market.

Having these integrated supply chains enables the seafood companies to more efficiently control supply and quality. Also, by having strong and profitable seafood companies has allowed for investment in state-of-art technology where each link in the value chain is optimised. Matís and its predecessor, the Fisheries Laboratories, have worked with the seafood industry and its service sector to improve

quality, processes and yield for over 50 years. This collaboration has been extremely successful in maintaining Iceland’s competitive advantage on the global wild capture seafood markets.

The role of Matís in this respect has been to provide the necessary scientific know-how, and to link the industry, academia, and authorities on its way toward more profitable and sustainable seafood sector.

The quality that Icelandic fisheries deliver today has evolved over time with incremental changes over the years. What are the factors behind this evolution, and do you think it can continue indefinitely? Do you anticipate the difference between product quality now and 15 years into the future will be the same as it was 15 years into the past?

New knowledge, technology and innovation has paved the way for improved quality of seafood.

Although most people may think that this is a conservative sector that does not change much from one year to another, the fact is that the sector is constantly adapting to new requirements. This became

Jónas Rúnar Viðarsson, Head of Value Creation at Matís.

apparent in the Covid pandemic, where supply roots were affected, demand changed dramatically as restaurants and food service disappeared over night, and access to labour became unreliable. Today’s seafood suppliers rely on automation, artificial intelligence, computer vision,

remote monitoring of shipments and full traceability of each lot.

Throughput in finfish processing has increased tenfold (kg/person hour) in the last 15 years in Icelandic seafood processing with increased automation, which has also improved detection of quality defects. This is a development

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that does not have an end-point.

You can always do better! It is therefore no reason to believe that we will not see similar advances in the next 15 years, as we have seen in the last 15 years. The focus could however be different, as attention may shift towards for example the capture process, packaging or logistics.

If the shelf life of a product reaches a peak beyond which it cannot be extended in an economically or environmentally sustainable way, what other avenues exist for adding value to the raw material that have acceptable costs and environmental impact?

Extending shelf life is obviously a key target from an economic and environmental perspective.

The onboard handling is probably the single most important factor in deciding the quality and shelf life of the products, and it is simply not possible to produce top quality seafood from second rate raw materials.

Efforts should therefore always be on optimising quality in each link of the supply chain. But in the end the quality of the raw materials will always vary, and it is therefore important to divert raw materials to their appropriate production lines. This is a cascading process where the best quality is delivered as fresh products, then frozen, and so forth. It is however always possible to create value from bioresources, even though in some cases the fish can only be used for feed, fertilizer or biofuel.

The processes that are initiated to maintain the quality of the raw material all along the supply chain are probably highly energy intensive. Is the sustainability of these processes a

factor that is considered when they are developed?

Energy efficiency and sustainability is a key target in high-tech industrial fisheries today. This is both to meet consumer demand and to reduce cost. New fishing vessels in Iceland, for example, use only half the fuel they used 15 years ago, measured in kg catch / kg fuel. Refrigerants are becoming more environmentally friendly and logistics are also aiming to be more energy efficient. Many suppliers are for example refraining from air transport because of its environmental footprint.

The fresh fish exported from Iceland is known for its quality. Other countries also export fresh fish, but their products do not enjoy the same standing.

How has Iceland managed to develop this reputation and why is it apparently difficult to reproduce in other countries?

Iceland has a competitive advantage in supplying fresh cod and haddock to demanding markets.

A big factor in this advantage is the stable supply of top-quality fresh fish year-round. Most other countries are subjected to seasonality in their fisheries, where majority of the catches are taken in only few months of the year.

Key issue for high paying markets is to be able to offer stable and consistent supply and quality, which Icelandic seafood companies can deliver.

Developing innovative ways to add value to raw material calls for close collaboration with partners from industry, where this research is put into practice.

How does Matís foster this kind of cooperation to ensure that solutions developed are practically feasible?

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Matís has worked closely with the seafood industry (and its service sector) for decades in developing new solutions and processes. Trust and respect for mutual benefit has been built up along the way. Matís has also played an important role in education of future employees in the industry, by teaching at universities and working with students during their BSc, MSc, or PhDs. As results, there is a strong bond between Matís and many of those working within the industry.

Improving product quality is a process that has evolved over decades in Iceland. What advice can you offer other countries that seek to emulate this process? Does Matís cooperate with institutions or industries in countries outside the EU to assist them develop these capacities?

Linking industry, science, academia and government is a key for successful cooperation. Too often the scientists work is wasted because they do not listen to the needs of the industry. Finding a solution to a problem is worthless if it is not taken up by the end user. I would therefore say that in order to emulate what has been done in Iceland, it is absolutely necessary to foster cooperation between industry, science, academia, and government.

Matís cooperates quite a lot with institutions and companies abroad. This is mostly through Nordic and EU funding mechanisms, which are then primarily involving European cooperation.

Matís does however also work with non-EU countries and companies to develop capacities in fisheries and processing.

Matís has been involved for many years in utilising

by-products from fish processing to create new raw material and products. What are the trends within utilisation of byproducts today? Have you now reached full utilisation of the raw material within cod processing in Iceland?

We do aim for 100% utilisation, but we are not there yet. A recent study by the Icelandic Ocean Cluster indicates that utilisation of cod is up to 90%. We should however not focus solely on utilisation factor, as emphasis should be made first on optimising the value of each raw material. The current trends have been on increasing what is used to produce human food, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals.

Globally, catches of raw material have stabilised and so cannot keep up with the demand from a population that is growing in number and in prosperity.

Under these circumstances one must do more with less, that is, adding more value to the existing resource. With this in mind, where do you see the future of value addition?

We are obviously not likely to see more catches in wild capture fisheries, unless we will see advances in utilisation of mesopelagic species. Increasing utilisation is therefore an absolute must and to produce human food from what today is often regarded as “unwanted” catches. I do however feel that change in mentality is needed in respect to wild capture fisheries. Wild catch is a limited resource, which should be regarded as just that………wild capture! Consumers are happy to pay a premium for other wild captured animals, but not for fish. This is something I hope will change.

DIARY DATES Restrictions imposed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic may cause changes. Readers are advised to check the event websites for the latest information.

8-10 June 2022 Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition Reykjavik, Iceland Tel.: +44 1329 825 335 jmiller@mercatormedia.com https://www.worldfishing.net/icelandic-fisheriesexhibition 26-28 April 2022 Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global Barcelona, Spain Tel.: +1 207 842 5590 sales-global@seafoodexpo.com www.seafoodexpo.com

3-5 May 2022 Aquculture UK Aviemore, Scotland, UK Tel.: +44 1273 645110 info@aquacultureuk.com https://aquacultureuk.com

9-13 May 2022 Sealice Conference International Hvalvik, Faroe Islands Tel.: +298 474747 fiskaaling@fiskaaling.fo https://sealiceconference.net/

13-15 June 2022 AquaVision Conference Stavanger, Norway eivind.helland@blueplanet.no https://www.skretting.com/en/aquavision/

15-18 August 2022 Aquaculture Canada and WAS North America 2022 Newfoundland, Canada mario@marevent.com https://www.was.org/meeting/code/wana2021

14-16 September 2022 Polfish Gdansk, Poland Tel.: +48 58 554 93 62 monika.pain@mtgsa.com.pl http://www.polfishfair.pl/

15-17 September 2022 China International (Guangzhou) Fishery & Seafood Expo 2022 (FISHEX) Guangzhou, Guangdong, China info@gzboyi.com.cn http://www.chinafishex.com

27-30 September 2022 Aquaculture Europe 2022 Rimini, Italy mario@marevent.com https://www.aquaeas.org

4-6 October 2022 Conxemar Vigo, Spain Tel.: +34 986 433351 conxemar@conxemar.com https://conxemar.com/en/conxemar-exhibition-2022

23-26 August 2022 Nor-Fishing Trondheim (and online), Norway Tel.: +47 7356 8640 post@nor-fishing.no https://nor-fishing.no/en/ 3-5 November 2022 Future Fish Eurasia Izmir, Turkey Tel: +90 212 347 10 55 info@eurasiafairs.com www.eurasiafairs.com

25-27 May 2022 AquaFarm Pordenone, Italy Tel.: +39 0434 232.261 pdeodorico@fierapordenone.it http://www.aquafarm.show/en/

4-6 September 2022 fish international Bremen, Germany Tel.: +49 421 3505 260 info@ fishinternational.de www.fishinternational.de

29 November – 2 December 2022 World Aquaculture Singapore 2022 Singapore mario@marevent.com https://www.was.org/meeting/code/WA2020

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ISSN 1868-5943

April 2/2022 C 44346

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, a member of the FISH INFO network

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08/04/22 9:24 AM

Eurofish Magazine

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Smárinn Kópavogur Iceland

2022

TO

ISSN 1868-5943

www.eurofishmagazine.com

April 2/2022 C 44346

April 2 / 2022

8 2022 10

13 th

& Awards

IN PERSON l ONLINE

The largest commercial fishin e hi i ion in he o h

We thank all our exhibitors for their continued support and look forward to welcoming them at the show

Eurofish Magazine

The Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition covers every aspect the c e ci fishi i st c ti c tchi cessi c i i ht th ht the eti ist i ti the e ct

Poland Caviar enjoys a global reputation

#2022Icefish

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Official cial International International Magazine: Magazine: Offi

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EUROFISH International Organisation

e iinformation ti aboutt e hi iti isiti For more exhibiting, visiting or sponsoring, contact events team.. s s i c t ct the e e ts te Visit: Icefish.is Contact: +44 1329 825335 or email: info@icefish.is

Estonia promotes the consumption of fish IceFish returns as a hybrid in-person and online event Guest pages: Jónas R. Viðarsson, Head of Value Creation, Matis, Iceland

WORLDFISHING & AQUACULTURE

Published by

SINCE 1952

, a member of the FISH INFO network

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