Eurofish magazine 3 2016

www.euroďŹ shmagazine.com

ISSN 1868-5943

June 3 / 2016 C 44346

June 3 / 2016 Eurofish Magazine

Latvia Sustainability certiďŹ cation for stocks EUROFISH International Organisation

Seafood Expo Global: Business as usual North Atlantic Seafood Forum: Reduce waste to increase seafood supply Aquaculture in Albania: Promising despite the challenges is a member of the FISH INFO network

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C 44346

Salmon slicers

Eurofish Member Countries at the European Seafood Exposition Ecofishman discusses draft of new fisheries management system EcoFishMan

Interview with Anne Christine Brusendorff, ICES General Secretary is a member of the FISH INFO network

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In this issue

Fisheries enrolling in certification schemes The Latvian fishing and processing sectors have been going through a challenging period with the closure of important markets in eastern Europe. Both sectors are looking for ways to compensate for the loss of these markets. The canning industry is responding strongly by developing products that cater to different tastes as well as by actively looking for new markets. Fishermen that belong to producer organisations have drawn on storage mechanisms, but they too are looking for other customers for their frozen blocks of Baltic herring and sprat. In other developments Interest in certification is growing and the sprat fishery in the Baltic Sea is currently in the process of being certified. This may open up new markets for the fish and fishers are now considering initiating the process for herring in the Gulf of Riga.

Read more on page 34

Germany: Germans are not the biggest consumers of fish in Europe for a number of reasons. Consumption per capita has stubbornly remained at somewhere between 14 and 15 kg for several years, significantly below the average in the EU. Part of the reason is the lack of a deep rooted culture of fish eating.

Another is consumers’ awareness of green issues, which makes them shun fish that is not from sustainably managed stocks or that is farmed in ways that reportedly damage the environment or is harmful for consumers. There are however two websites where consumers and others can go for unbiased information. The one deals with fish stocks of interest to the German market, while the other, a more recent development, offers information on aquaculture. Another website, supported by the fish processing industry among other partners, aims to inform and educate people about fish and seafood. In time perhaps these sources of information will contribute to an increase in the consumption of fish and seafood.

Read more on page 47

The approval by America’s Food and Drug Administration of a genetically modified salmon has opened a vociferous debate. The salmon in question has been modified to grow faster than conventional salmon resulting in lower costs from less feed, shorter holding times, less pollution, and less labour. However, although the fish will be grown in land-based containment facilities minimising the risk of escapes and maximising control of the environment, there are many who feel that with its approval the FDA has potentially opened up a Pandora’s box. Apart from the debate surrounding the salmon itself relating to health and safety of the fish, consumers, and the environment, the approval has also provoked questions about the ethics of genetically modifying animals. Read Dr Manfred Klinkhardt’s article on page 50

Sorting and grading are among the important primary processing stages that fish has to go through before it continues further down the processing chain. Sorting and grading are slightly different with the former referring to a categorisation on objective criteria such as size weight or gender, while the latter is commonly based on more complex criteria that often have a subjective element, for example using freshness, colour, or overall impression to reflect a certain quality. Both grading and sorting result in more uniform products which is an advantage when the fish has to be processed further, say in a filleting machine, or when it has to be packaged and sold. But sorting has other uses too. In an aquaculture hatchery for seabass and seabream for example the fish must be graded to reduce the incidence of cannibalism.

Depending on the task there are a variety of machines that can sort products, but mechanical sorting is not always a viable option and then it is necessary to use manual labour. Read more on page 56

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Table of News 6 International News

Events 13 SEG and SPG in Brussels: safe and better organized Successful fairs despite less exhibitors and visitors 16 DG Mare promotes its market intelligence tool at the European Commission stand EUMOFA data provides snapshot of EU seafood sector

NO

17 Dizmar, Croatia Plywood boxes for bivalves 17 Randa, Latvia Fervent believers in cod 17 Albania and EUROFISH exhibit together at the Brussels seafood show Joint participation for the second year running

SE DK IR

18 Gamma A, Latvia Growth in sales to Japan

UK

18 Italy Taste, health, and variety at the Italian pavilion

NL

DE

BE

19 Estonian Trawling Association Estonians explore new markets as old ones close

CZ

LU

19 Sabiedriba IMS, Latvia Clever marketing to unlock the US market

FR

20 Ziegra Ice Machines, Germany Solar powered ice machine

SI

21 Iras, Denmark New mega-grader gets good response

HR

IT

22 ASMI, USA Modern presentation to inspire more young people to eat seafood 23 Riga Sprats Association, Latvia An array of new products

AU

CH

B

ES

23 Mardesic, Croatia Canned products from the Adriatic 24 GlobalG.A.P. introduces aquaculture label for consumers Fish and seafood from GGN certified aquaculture 25 Iceland exported less fish in volume terms but increased export value Fish industry is biologically and economically sustainable 26 Norfisk, Germany Smoked fish from sprat to mackerel in MAP

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

by Hayden120 and NuclearVacuum

MT

27 Stingray, Norway Optical salmon louse control ready for use 28 Kaija, Latvia New tuna line to come on stream soon 29 Eurofish at the Seafood Expo Global Winnning friends and influencing people 32 NASF/MSC Sustainability and Communication Seminar Sustainability critical to consumers ‌ apparently 4

Cover picture courtesy Roma-ns Kozlovskis

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Contents Latvia 34 The Latvian fisheries and aquaculture sector Industry responds strongly to the challenges it faces

FI

39 Anna Fish Company plans a big increase in capacity Large rainbow trout for retail markets 41 SIA Baltijas zivis – 97 uses imported and local raw materials A vast range of fish products for the local market 43 Mere Shrimp Farms breeds vannamei in a recirculation plant Successful trial leads to ambitious expansion plan

EE RU

45 Any further decline in quotas will hurt Varita EU support programmes have been very useful

LV

Germany

LT

47 Understandable, comprehensive, objective German websites with detailed information on fish stocks and aquaculture

RU BY

Aquaculture

PL

50 Genetically modified salmon: Hope or threat?

Start of transgenic salmon production getting nearer

UA

53 Albania’s national fisheries strategy Sector shows potential for growth

SL

MD

HU

Technology 56 Machine solutions for sorting and grading Higher profits through uniform products

RO

HR RS

BA ME

BG Worldwide Fish News

Trade And Markets

TR

FYROM Albania

page

6

Croatia

page

6

Denmark

page

7

EU

pages

Netherlands

page

8, 11, 12 CY LB 12

Norway

page

12

Romania

page

6IL

Russia

page

10

Spain

pages

Sweden

page

6

US

page

10

AL EL

MT

59 SEAC AB has moved from renovating second hand machines to producing new ones Processing tiny fish into fillets

61 Tighter supplies and rising prices expected for crab in 2016 Crab trade declines after four years of growth

Guest Pages: Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, 62 The Norwegian Seafood Council works closely with industry Building and sustaining the reputation of Norwegian seafood

Service 65 Diary Dates 66 Imprint, List of Advertisers

9, 10 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.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Croatia to protect artisanal fisheries as cultural heritage

Croatian MEP (Member of the European Parliament) Marijana Petir believes that there is a strong need to designate artisanal fisheries as a cultural heritage. Small scale and artisanal fisheries are the only source of income for many families along the Croatian coast and are also an old tradition and non-material heritage. Fisheries are a part of local traditions and skills. Starting this procedure would protect small scale fisheries which were banned in the Croatian part of the Adriatic after the end of the transition period set by the Croatia-EU Accession Treaty.

The MEP has therefore sent a letter to the new Croatian Minister

of Culture, Zlatko Hansanbegovicv, asking him to initiate the procedure to designate these fisheries as a cultural heritage.

Abolishing small scale fisheries worsens living conditions on the Croatian coast and islands, areas that are already facing depopulation. Petir noted that the former government was acquainted with the problem and aware that it was created by a lack of action from Croatian institutions, which was also confirmed by Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries during a discussion in the EU Parliament.

Romania has kick-started funding under EMFF Romania has officially commenced funding under the EU’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) until 2020. On 21 April in Tulcea, the launch of the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Operational Programme 20142020 took place at an event organised by the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Tulcea City Council.

It was attended by government officials, including the head of the Management Authority, as well as potential beneficiaries and local authorities. The EMFF 6

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supports fishermen in the transition towards sustainable fishing, helps coastal communities to diversify their economies, and finances projects that create jobs and improve quality of life along European coasts.

Under the Romanian programme, the EU will contribute with more than €168 million to increase production in aquaculture and processing, preserve biodiversity and ensure environmental protection, and to maintain and create jobs, particularly in the fishing sector.

Sweden extends quota system for Baltic pelagics The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SaWM) closed fishing for herring and sprat in the northern Baltic, but has instead decided to open the fishery in the Gulf of Bothnia by allocating individual quotas for vessels of 15 metres or longer. It will not affect the existing pelagic fishing with its ten-year licenses and some of the regions trawlers of over 30 metres have already fished their 2016 quotas, but will now have the opportunity to exchange with other license holders. Marie Ingerup of the Department for Fisheries Management announced that they have opened fishing of herring and sprat for larger fishing vessels in the Gulf of Bothnia.

The national quota for herring in the Baltic Sea is divided into three areas, the Gulf of Bothnia, eastern Baltic Sea and the Western Baltic.

For sprat there is only one quota for the entire Baltic Sea which this

year is 193 tonnes allocated to the coastal fleet, primarily small fishing vessels and a few larger trawlers.

Marie Ingerup said; “The larger trawlers that fish for herring in the Gulf of Bothnia and sprat in the socalled coastal ratio this year have caught large quantities of sprat.

If we allowed them to continue fishing at the same rate we risk fishing out the entire sprat quota.

It is almost impossible for these larger vessels to avoid sprat catch in the herring fishery. Therefore the Agency for Marine and Water Management took the step of closing their herring fishery in the Gulf of Bothnia. We had previously proposed introducing individual allocations for herring and sprat in the Gulf of Bothnia. But as the feedback was negative, we decided to wait. With the fishing ban, we had a more urgent situation and there is now a more positive attitude to such a system. This gives us an opportunity to lift the ban.”

Albania signs agreement to ban illegal fishing An agreement was signed between the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Resources, Edmond Panariti, and FAO with the support of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry. The aim of this agreement is to detect and eliminate illegal fishing by denying fishing vessels engaging in illegal fishing from using Albanian fishing ports.

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is a serious threat to stocks and fair competition, and on a global scale IUU is estimated to amount to 26 million tonnes per year, worth more than 2 billion euro. The Port State Measures Agreement contribute to a long-term sustainability of

marine resources and marine ecosystems with several advantages, such as it prevents illegal fishing and increases the efficiency of the fishing fleet. It also formalizes the fishing business and protects the rights of legal activities, increases state control over the fishing fleets and improves fisheries management at all levels and meeting the international standards. Edmond Panariti, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Resources, said that that illegal fishing was a serious threat to stock diversity and that Albania would join the EU, USA, and 20 other countries and sign the Port State Measures agreement to combat illegal fishing. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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Denmark: Fishing grounds off limits to Danes and Swedes yet open to others The Danish Supreme Court upheld an earlier ruling by the High Court, where three fishermen were found guilty of having fished in an area of the Kattegat, which Denmark and Sweden have closed to fishing. North of Gilleleje in Denmark in the Kattegat, where three fishermen were found guilty of violating a fishing ban, is the area causing the dispute. A fishing ban for the area was introduced as a Danish-Swedish agreement in 2009 due to declining stocks. Today Danish and Swedish biologists assess that a fishing ban is only needed in the first quarter of the year to protect cod, but that fishing should be allowed for the rest of the year. The Danish authorities therefore want to lift the ban but the Swedes do not. So, while Danish and Swedish fishermen are prohibited from fishing in the area, the Germans and other nationalities, who are not bound by this agreement, can.

Leif Jørgensen

Danish fishermen argue that according to EU law it is only EU who can legislate on fishing in this area. The Danish Supreme Court apparently think otherwise. The chairman of the Gilleleje Fishermen’s Association, Jan Nordahl Petersen is very displeased with this decision.

He fears that this will have serious consequences for the 25 commercial fishermen in the area. ”It is a disaster for the fishermen, since the area is of great importance. Why are the German fishermen allowed to fish in this area, while we are not?"

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The Supreme court maintained the ruling against the three fishermen who opposed to Germans have fished illegally. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Global aquafeed market expected to reach €137 billion by 2022 Allied Market Research has published a new report on analyzing the growing aquafeed sector and the increase in feed prices worldwide. The world aquafeed market will reach an estimated €137 billion by 2022 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13,3 between 2016-2022. Aquafeeds are compounded meals prepared for aquatic animals by mixing various raw materials and additives, which provides nourishment and enhances overall growth and productivity. These blends are prepared according to specific requisite of the species and age of the animal.

Aquafeed has become crucial to aquaculture industry due to its

nutritional, immunity building, and growth promoting properties.

High quality aquafeed is exponentially more beneficial to fish, molluscs, crustaceans and other aquatic animals than farm-made feed due to its balanced and need specific composition.

The world aquafeed market is expected to grow rapidly due to higher global consumption, increasing consumer awareness and concerns, and regulatory pressure to avoid any outbreaks of diseases. It is segmented on the end consumption, additives and geography. The end consumption segment is further split into fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and others.

The demand for fish and molluscs is rising due to an increase in income levels and demand for protein rich healthy food products globally, and is expected to grow at around 13 per year. With a rise in aquaculture to sustain the demand for seafood for the increasing population, the aquafeed industry is also growing.

Fish is further segmented into various types such as carp, salmon, tilapia, and catfish among others. Carps have been observed to have the highest market share in the fish feed market. This is due to their abundant availability and popularity as common carp types are tolerant to most water

conditions. Around half the fish feed produced was consumed by carps and salmon collectively in 2015. Factors such as increasing raw material prices (fish meal, fish oil, wheat barley including others) and stringent regulatory structures formulated for manufacturing aquafeed additives, could hinder market growth.

Shrimp accounted for 21 of aquafeed production worldwide, with 82 percent coming from Asia (India at 66 percent, Thailand at 42 percent and Indonesia at 33 percent). Salmon feed production represented 11 of total aquafeed production, and at 52, Europe was the number one player in this species sector.

EU reaches deal to protect bluefin tuna

First DNA vaccine to protect EU salmon

An agreement has been reached on a proposal to implement measures of a recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

The proposal is aimed at transposing into Union law measures of the multiannual bluefin tuna recovery plan adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) at its annual meetings between 2012 and 2014.

Martijn van Dam, the Dutch

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended granting a marketing authorization in the European Union for Clynav, which is a DNA vaccine that protects Atlantic salmon against a life-threatening infectious disease called Salmon Pancreas Disease (SPD) caused by salmon alphavirus subtype 3. SPD is a serious infectious disease that causes damage to the heart, pancreas and skeletal muscle and ultimately leads to the death of the salmon.

The disease has become established in some Member States and outbreaks of SPD cause significant losses in salmon farms in the EU.

Minister for Agriculture, representing the Netherlands Presidency, stated, “I would like to commend the work of all parties involved. This agreement allows us to be in line with the latest international recommendations for the protection and conservation of bluefin tuna”. The agreement must still be validated by the Coreper (Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Council) and by the European Parliament.

An agreement to employ International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) recovery plan procedures has been reached as an important step under the Dutch Presidency.

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Clynav will be the first DNA vaccine to be recommended for marketing authorization in the EU. A DNA vaccine consists of a genetic sequence that triggers the production of proteins directly in the cells of the vaccinated animal.

These proteins stimulate a protective immune response, in the case of Clynav against salmon alphavirus subtype 3, thereby preventing

or reducing the impact of the disease should the fish subsequently be exposed to this virus. Clynav has been tested in fresh water and sea water trials that showed intramuscular injection reduced mortality and the damage to the heart, pancreas and muscle tissue that is associated with the disease.

EMA’s Committee for Veterinary Medical Products (CVMP) considered that the protection provided by vaccination is clinically relevant and provides direct benefit to the salmon in terms of improved health and welfare.

The committee was satisfied that any potential risk to the environment from the use of the product in salmon was negligible. As any vaccine residues are rapidly degraded in the gastrointestinal tract after ingestion, the committee concluded that vaccinated salmon are safe to eat. The CVMP opinion will now be sent to the European Commission for the adoption of a decision on an EUwide marketing authorization. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] APROMAR celebrates 30 years of working for the mariculture industry in Spain Marine aquaculture in Spain Production Species

Javier Ojeda Gonzalez-Posada, APROMAR; D. Andres Hermida, Secretary General of Fisheries, Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment; José Carlos Rendon, APROMAR

In 1986, APROMAR was created as an association to defend the interests of the marine aquaculture sector. This year at the APROMAR General Assembly held on May 12,

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and opened by MAGRAMA Secretary General of Fisheries, D. Andrés Hermida, APROMAR celebrated 30 years of working for the aquaculture industry in Spain.

2014

2015

Vol. (t) Value (m euro) Vol. (t) Value (m euro)

Seabream

16230

88,50

16231

94,80

Seabass

17376

100,60

21324

120,30

Turbot

7808

58,60

7715

56,80

Meagre

1090

5,40

1642

8,80

Sole

551

5,50

664

6,80

Others

542

5,10

489

4,70

Total

43597

263,70

José Carlos Rendon and Javier Ojeda Gonzalez-Posada of APROMAR highlighted some of the issues of importance for the sector.

These included the National Strategic Aquaculture Plan, where he felt greater efforts were needed to implement the plan and to create awareness among local authorities

48065

292,20

about the need to streamline administrative procedures. Mr Rendon also said that the long delay in making funding from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund available to the sector was another important issue. While acknowledging the importance of mussel production, he pointed

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] out that production growth is possible in many other species too. Mr Rendon reminded the audience that APROMAR, backed by more than 60 of European producers of seabass and seabream, had filed a complaint with the European Commission against the government of Turkey for the subsidy that it pays to farmers for these species.

If Turkey does not withdraw its subsidies, the European Commission should impose a duty on these products, he demanded. The final decision will be known in midSeptember.

Innovation is an essential element for sustainability, said the president. To foster innovation a

“Network of Marine Aquaculture Experimentation” (REMA), has been established that seeks to organise the efforts of partner companies and prevent duplication.

There are great hopes that these research plans will help solve many of the challenges in the production and the market in this sector.

Mr Rendon also drew attention to

the importance of market information for making business decisions. The European Commission launched the EUMOFA Market Observatory a few years ago, he said, and while the quality of the data in the observatory is slowly improving, the figures for Spain were still not the latest, something he hoped would be rapidly resolved.

Spain closes the net around pirate fishing

Reorganisation of Russian aquaculture

Spain has broken up a group of internationally renowned fishing pirates that has been active worldwide for several years. Fourteen countries cooperated with Interpol and Spain’s Guardia Civil where the aim was to break up the group, whose profits exceed EUR10 million a year in illegal trade. The pirates targeted Patagonian toothfish, which is a lucrative species which is essential to the environmental balance of Antarctic waters. As a result of “Operation Yuyus”, 6 people were arrested and another 16 are under investigation for environmental crime and belonging to criminal organizations. The Spanish

The Russian aquaculture sector will receive a cash injection of 260 million rubles (EUR 3,5 million) until 2017, as part of a reorganisation of the industry to support scientific development following a meeting between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Fisheries’ Agency, Rosrybolovstvo. Over the last two years the fisheries’ agency has been overseeing the implementation of new laws for a new legal framework for the sector. This reorganisation of the industry will focus on inland water bodies, allowing regions more power to facilitate the

Ministry of Agriculutre, Food and Environment has announced that a network of companies linked to notorious Spanish-based fishing company, Vidal Armadores, has been fined a total of EUR 17.84 million. The company has been suspected in over 40 cases of illegal fishing activity globally, from using banned fishing gear to targeting protected species of shark.

development of aquaculture.

Companies are showing interest in the aquaculture sector but funds are hard to get by as banks are hesitant to make loans to the sector. Interest from the banks low with fears of poor returns.

Rosrybolovstvo is trying to change this perception through meetings with representatives of financial institutions to develop more flexible lending to commercial farms. This year eight projects worth over 4 billion roubles (EUR 56 million) have aquired subsidies of about 200 million roubles (EUR 2,7 millon).

Aquaculture is a relatively new industry that is misunderstood and therefore underutilized in US waters. The US market continues to import many millions of pounds of farm-raised seafood from all over the world while exporting its production knowledge and innovations to other countries more willing to give such technological advances a chance to prove themselves on the water. According to Michael Rubino, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s office and Gunnar Knapp, Professor of economics at the University of Alaska, the United States has become an aquaculture incubator.

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Government regulatory policies and social acceptance are critically important to the growth of marine aquaculture in the United States.

In much of the country, opposition to marine aquaculture by local and national interest groups and local, state, or national policies have limited marine aquaculture to a scale far below its potential. Knapp and Rubino laid out the top five reasons why aquaculture remains limited in U.S. marine waters: Marine aquaculture is relatively small, diverse, and (with some notable exceptions) unproven; marine waters are public resources; some Americans perceive potential negative effects of marine aquaculture without offsetting positive effects; aquaculture

faces significant social opposition; the governance system for leasing and regulation hinders the development of U.S. marine aquaculture.

As aquaculture provides an evergrowing share of both global and U.S. seafood consumption, the more Americans understand, learn, and appreciate the benefits of the domestic aquaculture, the more they are likely to accept and embrace the idea that there is a need to farm seafood in U.S. marine waters. Knapp and Rubino propose some broad strategies to advance marine aquaculture in the United States. These include: fixing problems; creating benefits; building partnerships; arguing effectively; and reforming governance.

NOAA.gov

The challenges facing marine aquaculture in the United States

Marine aquaculture remains far below its potential in the United States. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] EU launches Mediterranean Strategy on stock recovery At the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, committed to reversing the decline of Mediterranean fisheries. There is a need for action in this area, and it should be done at international level through a dialogue with ministers from EU and nonEU countries. In contrast to the North-East Atlantic, where more and more stocks are becoming sustainable, in the Mediterranean there is a continuous decline despite the conservation efforts of both regulators and fishermen. The European Commission is committed to its agenda on jobs and growth,

and is concerned with what this could mean for the thousands of fishermen active in the Mediterranean. There are several reasons for this sorry state, including pollution and climate change, but a key cause is extensive overfishing. The EU is willing to take the lead in seeking out solutions but also needs the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean neighbours on board. Furthermore, the EU’s key partners, Algeria, Turkey, and Tunisia, share the opinion that action is urgently needed across all stocks. Only a comprehensive approach and a sense of engagement from all actors and countries around the sea can produce concrete results.

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The EU is willing to take the lead in finding a solution for the Mediterranean, where 93 per cent of the fish stocks assessed are over-exploited and a clear threat to the way of life of fishing communities, Karmenu Vella has said.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] EU’s Arctic policy applauded can be more effectively addressed through regional or multilateral cooperation.

The European Union has adopted a new integrated policy for the Arctic region. The policy aims to protect and preserve the Arctic in cooperation with the people who live in this region, as well as promote the sustainable use of resources and international co-operation. A safe, stable, sustainable and prosperous Arctic is important not just for the region itself, but also for the European Union and for the world. The EU has a strategic interest in playing a key role in the Arctic region. Eight states (three from the EU) have territories in the Arctic; Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. While the Arctic states have primary responsibility for tackling issues within their territories, many of the issues affecting the Arctic region

The Danish Foreign Minister, Kristian Jensen has commended the European Union for adopting the new integrated policy concerning the Arctic region. Kristian Jensen has noted that it was aligned with Denmark’s objectives and that EU has decided to include many of the issues that the Commonwealth of Denmark (Greenland and Faroe Islands included) have been working on, such as sustainable and economic development, and also research into the Arctic environment and climate. Adapting strategies are needed to help Arctic inhabitants respond to the serious challenges they face because of climate change. The EU’s Arctic policy will be an important element in implementing the global agreement reached at the 21st Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change in December 2015, which sets out a global action plan to limit global warming to well below 2 °C. Climate change has an exaggerated effect on the Arctic, which is warming at almost twice the global average, according to the WWF.

Netherlands: Bacteria eat ammonia in fish gills Microbiologists and fish researchers from Radboud Univeristy, Netherlands, have discovered that bacteria in the gills of fish convert harmful ammonia into harmless nitrogen gas. Fish excrete excess ammonia through their gills. Fish produce a lot of ammonia, which is a waste product from their protein metabolism. Ammonia also pollutes the water in which they live and in excessive concentrations can even be deadly. To find out why the ammonium balance was not heading in the wrong direction, the biologists removed the gills from the fish for further study. The research showed

that the gills of both zebrafish and carp were filled with nitrogen cycle microorganisms. To identify these microorganisms, microbiologists used a variety of microscopic techniques and DNA finger printing. This study also provides a lesson for aquaculture. Feeding leads to a peak in the ammonia production. For the symbiosis between fish and bacteria, it is better if the ammonia production fluctuates less. It is therefore better to feed often with small amounts than with large amounts once or twice a day. The bacteria, and therefore the fish, benefit from this feeding tactic.

Bacteria in fish gills improves feeding procedures in aquaculture.

Norway approves offshore aquaculture development project The Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Fisheries has approved Norway’s first development project of ocean farming to establish an automated exposed aquaculture facility. This means that ocean farming has received the first development permits to develop ocean net pens based on offshore technology and will have to invest NOK 690 million (EUR 72,2 million) in this full-scale pilot project. The licenses are granted for a duration of 7 years.

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The new facility will be located outside of Trondheim and will be a significant step in Norway’s efforts to deliver technical solutions to address the impending global food gap challenge. It will be developed to overcome the challenges of more traditional inshore fish farming facilities, which are located closer to the coast. The new facility will combine marine engineering, marine cybernetics and marine biology.

It will initially support salmon

farming, but will include other fish species in the future. This will make it more ideal for aquaculture on “the fish’s terms”, due to water depths of 100 to 300 meters.

The project combines the best of existing technology and solutions from the Norwegian fish farming industry and the offshore oil and gas sector.

The project will be the first in the world to use a ‘big data’ approach combining data from

all the underwater sensors and in this way offer decision support systems for the operators controlling and monitoring the feeding of the salmon and the overall physical environment of the sea.

There are also several benefits of offshore fish farms such as steady currents that limit exposure to sea lice infection. Besides this the facility will be fully automated with normal operation requiring a crew of just three to four people. www.eurofishmagazine.com

03/06/16 4:53 pm

[ EVENTS ] SEG and SPG in Brussels: safe and better organized

Successful fairs despite less exhibitors and visitors Just four weeks after the deadly terrorist attacks on the airport and the metro, the Brussels seafood show was held for the 24th time. This year under difficult conditions. Although as a consequence several exhibitors cancelled their participation and a lot of visitors preferred to give the fair a miss, the event lived up to its reputation. The fair organizers and the city of Brussels had drawn up a solid safety concept to ensure the exhibitions’ successful outcome. The following pages review a selection of exhibitors who were present at the show.

I

t‘s not often that a fair report begins with the remark that the event was peaceful and safe. But it is certainly justified this year after the terrorist attacks of 22 March 2016 in Brussels killed over 30 people and injured more than 300, leading to doubts about the general security situation in the city and causing many companies to rethink and even cancel their participation in the seafood fair. This was a difficult situation for the city government and the trade fair organizers and posed quite a challenge, as every day brought with it anxious inquiries, critical comments and specific security requirements. For Diversified Communications, which organizes the seafood show and in the past had not always been given top marks for customer and visitor friendliness, perfect service and smooth organization, the fears and concerns of exhibitors and visitors were understandable. „We felt that our customers have a lot of trust in us and so we focused on creating a secure environment for the fair as an important business tool on the global stage,“ said Liz Plizga, the Group Vice President of Diversified at the opening ceremony.

If there existed something like an HACCP concept for trade www.eurofishmagazine.com

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fairs then surely one would have to consider all the places where large numbers of people gather as „critical control points“. For example during transport in the metro, at the reception point or at certain booths that might be seen to be of particular significance for terrorists. The city and the fair organizers succeeded – as far as is feasible at all – in responding to these delicate points with specific security measures and giving trade fair participants the feeling that they had the situation under control at all times. (… Even in the run-up to the show, because security updates on the internet informed participants daily.) And it was both amazing and encouraging to see that in spite of the security controls deployed many routines and processes worked better and more quickly than in previous years. Careful preparation of such big events pays off and the responsible parties went out of their way to provide a safe environment. The city’s shuttle service to the fairgrounds worked perfectly. Admittedly there were long queues at the entrance, especially on the first day, but the controls were quick and thorough. Even the deliberately unobtrusive security guards patrolling the halls were hardly noticeable among the activity of the fairs.

Consequences of the terrorist attacks still tangible Brussels’s convincing efforts did a lot not only towards keeping the exhibition in the city, but also towards renewing the event’s slightly battered reputation which had developed among trade fair visitors and tourists not only since the terrorist attacks.

Brussels was expensive and offered too little for the price was a frequently heard complaint.

The decline in visitor numbers this year could be felt throughout the city. Empty restaurants where you could hardly find a table in the past, hotel rooms available even during the fair: one can at present only guess at the economic consequences.

The seafood show apparently coped somewhat better with the cancellations by well-known exhibitors such as Cermaq or Lerøy Seafood, HB Grandi, Salmar, the Pacific Seafood Group, Viciunai or Trident, which only recently bought the Pickenpack factory in Riepe. Certainly, there were large gaps in the halls due to the absence of such exhibitors, but this didn’t particularly bother visitors thanks to the loosely arranged seating which offered welcome opportunities

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[ EVENTS ]

The fair organisers went to great lengths to ensure a secure and smoothly run event - and some sunny weather!

for small breaks and a chance to sit down and talk, away from the exhibition stands. The fact that the smaller exhibition area (according to Diversified a reduction of 5 percent) was hardly noticeable was also thanks to a lot of new exhibitors, among them companies from Barbados, Tanzania, Uganda and the Seychelles as well as several national and regional pavilions from Finland, Russia, Scotland and Uruguay which added to the overall offer. Against all odds the Seafood Expo this year asserted its position as the world‘s most important trade fair for the seafood industry. In figures: more than 1,650 exhibitors from 14

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76 countries, including 72 national and regional pavilions, on an area of 35,893 square metres.

However, the events prior to the fair did have an effect on the number of visitors. Although exhibition organizer Diversified announced shortly before the opening that there was no evidence for a relevant drop in attendance the subjective impression gained inside the exhibition halls suggested a different perception. This year a lot less visitors were to be seen in Brussels, in particular it seemed from Asia. Possibly because Brussels airport had only partially resumed operation at the

start of the fair. Some day-visitors from neighbouring countries were also probably put off by the cold, wet weather. Nevertheless, most of the exhibitors were satisfied with their exhibition business because hardly anyone who uses this fair regularly to buy fish had pulled out of the trip to Brussels this year. Buyers from the big, important companies such as Metro or Ahold, Sodexo and Delhaize were there as usual to meet suppliers, find new products, identify current industry trends, and discover anything new among the presented fish products. One exhibitor summed up his impressions in a nutshell: „Although there

were fewer visitors altogether that didn’t mean I sold even one kilogram less fish. The business deals made at the fair remained virtually the same „.

The fairs gained from more thorough preparation A lot of exhibitors and visitors even found the less packed halls more pleasant than in previous years: the noise level was lower, they didn’t need to do a slalom course to get through the aisles, there was more time for talking business. In addition to the usual exhibition programme the fair this year offered an unusually www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ EVENTS ] broad array of events, meetings and workshops. A lot of countries, companies and organizations took the opportunity to draw visitors’ attention to their quality standards, new developments and products, services or certification programmes. The focus here was on efforts towards more sustainability and the fight against IUU fishing which is also gaining more importance outside the EU, too.

And so summing up, and contrary to many fears in the run-up to the event, the SEG and SPG were very positive. City administration and exhibition organizers coped well with all the difficulties and succeeded in putting on a fair that under difficult conditions was in some ways even better than the events of previous years. Many exhibitors and visitors, who had perhaps only cancelled their participation for

the sole reason that the money they had paid for the exhibition stands, hotels and travel would have been irretrievably lost had they stayed at home are likely to have breathed a sigh of relief.

For many participants the effort had once again paid off: the fairs were a success. We can only hope that the exhibition organizer Diversified, who in the past often annoyed and irritated visitors and exhibitors with abstruse

requirements, has learned from this year’s experience and will in future understand its role as a service provider and focus on convincing its customers with excellence. The opportunity will be coming round again next year, for the continuity of the Brussels seafood shows was maintained despite all difficulties. The next edition of SEG and SPG will take place in Brussels from 25 to 27 April 2017.

Seafood Excellence Global instead of Prix d‘Elite

Kagerer wins top award for Best Retail Product With 39 ďŹ nalists from 15 countries around the globe the SEG’s product competition met with greater interest than in previous years. One of the two main prizes – awarded for ďŹ rst time under the name Global Seafood Excellence – went to Kagerer & Co. from Munich. The ďŹ ve-member jury awarded the top prize for Kagerer’s dim sum combination „Quick ‘n‘ Easy“ as the Best Retail Product. The three dim sum products (har kao, shao mai and gyoza) can be steamed or cooked in the microwave, and each served with their own dips. The second major prize for the Best HORECA Product went to Freshpack from San Martin les Boulogne (France). The product contains raw king crab meat, which is removed completely from the shell using high-pressure treatment, individually vacuum wrapped and frozen. The jury praised the freshness and succulence of the product which makes calculating easier for restaurant operators and allows almost any form of preparation.

In addition to the two main awards ďŹ ve special prizes were given. The Special Prize for Health and Food went to L‘huĂŽtre Noisette from SAS Kermaree in Blainville-sur-Mer, France. The medium sized oysters are especially designed to convince occasional eaters of the noble shellďŹ sh, and they are packed in an attractive wooden box with a rope handle. The Special Prize for Convenience was awarded to the Mini Gourmandises from Marine Harvest (Boulogne sur Mer, France). It is an elaborate appetizer consisting of a creamy smoked salmon mousse and oak smoked salmon cubes, packed on a special black tray. La Famille Boutrais from Saint Coulomb (France) was awarded the Special Prize for Innovation for its special gold oysters. These special oysters are ripened for at least 36 months and have a deep, gold speckled shell with tender meat. An individual certiďŹ cate inside the packaging offers information on the origin and the date of harvest of the oysters.

Marine Harvest France received a second Seafood Excellence Global award, the Special Prize for the Most Original Retail Packaging, for its ASC Salmon Traiteur which is doubly protected. The salmon ďŹ llet is wrapped in a gas-permeable but liquid-tight foil before packing it in an additional ďŹ lm under protective atmosphere. This means the trader can present the product in an upright position without it dripping. The

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salmon retains its moisture and has a longer shelf life. Delpierre from Saint Aignan de Grand-Lieu (France) was awarded the Special Prize for the Best New Seafood Product Line. It consists of seven fresh ďŹ sh ďŹ llets that have been pasteurized at high pressure and can thus be kept for up to three weeks without preservatives.

The criticism of previous years remains: the right backdrop has not yet been found for the product competition, the new name alone is not enough.

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[ EVENTS ] DG Mare promotes its market intelligence tool at the European Commission stand

EUMOFA data provides snapshot of EU seafood sector At the European Commission stand Xavier Guillou, from DG Mare, introduced the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture (EUMOFA), a market information tool for the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Its objective is to increase the transparency and efficiency of the EU market, to analyse its dynamics, and to support business decisions and policymaking. As a publicly accessible intelligence tool EUMOFA publishes weekly prices, monthly market trends, and annual structural data along the supply chains. Available in 24 languages, the database is built on data that are provided and validated by EU Member States and European institutions. The EUMOFA website can be reached at www.eumofa.eu.

EUMOFA data show that the EU is the world’s largest importer of fish and seafood with imports increasing by an impressive 6 in 2015. With that, the EU’s dependence on imports for seafood continued to rise and the already negative trade balance increased by 1 billion (+ 7) compared to the previous year (2014).

At 18 billion euros the EU’s trade deficit in seafood reached a historical high in 2015. Based on their commercial value, imports of seafood into the EU are four times higher than meat imports.

The value of EU fish imports has increased every year by about 6 since 2009. The drivers behind this development are mainly imports of salmon, cod and tropical shrimp, which together accounted for approximately 8.5

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Xavier Guillou from DG Mare showed some trends on the EU market for seafood provided by the EUMOFA database.

billion euros in 2015. Over 50 of imports are frozen products.

Norway and China continue to be the most important EU supplier countries, Norway especially for salmon and cod, and China as a processor of white fish. If one adds to this the internal seafood trade between EU nations the European Union is the world’s largest trader of products from fisheries and aquaculture. In

2015, trade (including intra-EU trade) amounted to 49.3 billion euros, corresponding to a product volume of 13.8 million tons.

Compared to the EU’s enormous imports their exports were quite modest in 2015 with a value of 4.5 billion euros. Exports consisted almost solely of products from fisheries, and production from aquaculture remained

almost completely within the EU countries. The value of EU aquaculture production amounted to 3.48 billion euros in 2015, which was slightly more than the previous year. However, the increase was due to higher prices, since production volume fell further.

Only 1.21 million t. of seafood were produced in aquaculture in 2013, the poorest result since 2003.

www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ EVENTS ] Dizmar, Croatia

Randa, Latvia

Plywood boxes for bivalves Fervent believers in cod

R

D

izmar came to the Seafood Expo Global to demonstrate its range of plywood boxes made for packaging bivalves such as oysters, and other shellfish. Made of 3 mm thick beech plywood the interior of the box is lined with a plastic mesh to ensure the box is leak proof. The box is assembled using a non-toxic adhesive and is offered as a rectangular or a conical box. A separate lid is also available. This goes with the box and is not invoiced separately.

The box comes in dimensions of 20 x 30 cm with a height that can be 6, 9, 12, or 16 cm giving sizes for 1, 2, 3, or 5 kg. The buyer can also ask for 7 kg and 10 kg capacities, if he needs those. The number of units on a pallet, whether rectangular or conical, varies from 1,500 to 3,500 depending on the size of the box.

Branko Ticak, the sales manager, says the box is particularly valuable because it is made of natural materials that are completely biodegradeable, but also because the box is made from beech wood.

Wood has good insulating properties – it preserves heat, cold, and humidity – and is thus able to maintain these parameters when the product is packaged, prolonging the shelf life.

Boxes made from wood for packaging bivalves are environmentally friendly and give the product an attractive rustic look.

Dizmar has a capacity of 1 million pieces a month and is currently selling to a number of clients in Europe – in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, and Croatia. Japan, Korea, and China as big bivalve producers are also very interesting markets. The company also offers a way for a company to brand its product by printing a logo or by burning a stamp on the box.

The latter is both more economical and more rustic, which complements the box and conveys a message of a natural, high quality, and healthy product.

anda, a Latvian company, specialises in products from Atlantic cod imported from Norway. Oskars Grosmanis, the CEO, displays chips produced from cod skin made by deep frying the skin, salting it, and cutting it into bite sized pieces. There are currently two variants of the product, one just with salt and the other with wasabi. Other products include a paste made with cod liver, and another using cod roe. The latter two products are sold in easy open cans, while the chips are packaged in pouches. Altogether, Randa produced some 1m cans in 2015.

The company has existed since independence, when it started producing canned sprats, but because

this product is so widely produced in Latvia by so many different companies, Mr Grosmanis decided that he needed to produce something that would stand out. Today Randa does not process sprats at all. The company’s markets now are in Latvia, but also in other countries in the Baltic region including Finland and Poland, and it is waiting for the results of an application to be allowed to export to the US. The canned products, says Mr Grosmanis, are healthful with vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, and other vitamins and minerals that benefit the consumer. Randa is flexible about branding and is willing to produce under a private label if the customer requires it.

Oskars Grosmanis and Tatjana Gasparovica flanked by their codbased products.

Albania and EUROFISH exhibit together at the Brussels seafood show

Joint participation for the second year running Eurofish International Organisation plays a key role in the promotion of and dissemination of information about the fisheries industry in its 12 member countries through its flagship publication, Eurofish Magazine. Eurofish www.eurofishmagazine.com

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engages in active information and promotion work and cooperates closely with media, various partner organisations, the fisheries industry and its member states authorities. These relationships are fostered at important events

like the Brussels seafood show, the biggest and most international fair of its kind in the world. Among the benefits Eurofish offers its member countries is the opportunity to participate in a joint stand at this event, which this year

featured more than 1,700 exhibiting companies from over 75 countries. The offer is open to private companies, to the administration as well as to other stakeholders from the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The stand provides a Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2016

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[ EVENTS ]

Edmund Panariti, Albanian Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Resources (middle) visited the joint stand with Eurofish.

place to meet and offers far greater visibility than can be achieved by merely visiting the show. In 2016 three companies from Albania as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and, Water Resources were represented.

Edmund Panariti, the Minister, visited the stand showing his support for the initiative and his interest in the Albanian industry.

Mark Babani the owner of Mare Adriatik a company that processes

salted and marinated anchovies as well as farms mussels found the event useful to get in touch with potential new customers.

Helidon Rruga from Koral, who was returning for the second time, found the SEG an excellent place to contact raw material suppliers from all over the world. Koral processes and trades high value fish and seafood with the retail and HORECA segments within Albania.

Gamma A, Latvia

Growth in sales to Japan

J

apan is another market that Latvian exporters of canned products are looking at. Julija Kuznecova, sales manager at Gamma A, says her company has been selling cans to Japan and that sales are increasing, a trend she finds interesting considering that the Japanese are best known for their appreciation of the finest fresh fish. Sales to Japan started four years ago, but last year a cooperation started with another company that resulted in much bigger volumes being sent to Japan, some of which are also being sold through the retail

chains. Japan, however, is one of 56 countries to which Gamma A sells its products. But the company would like to increase its sales within Europe and to that end has started producing dried sprats as well as the more traditional smoked product. The dried sprats are also placed in the oven (like the smoked products) but they are not smoked, just allowed to dry and then canned in olive oil.

Dried sprats taste different from smoked sprats, but for customers concerned about the health impacts of smoked products this is a very good alternative. Gamma

Sales of canned fish to Japan have been increasing. The lighter coloured fish to the left in the images are dried but not smoked sprats.

A still manufactures mainly spratbased products because it has the raw materials and like other

canning companies Gamma A too produces both under its own brand and private labels.

Italy

Taste, health, and variety at the Italian pavilion

I

taly always has a substantial presence at the SEG and this year was no exception.

The pavilion was designed with a view to give it a distinctly Italian identity and specifically that of a typical Italian seaside village. The 45 companies present at the stand represent 13 regions in Italy, says Francesca Liani, who is responsible for the pavilion, and we wanted the space to be recognisable as something from Italy and at the same time highlight

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two characteristics of Italian seafood, taste and health. In addition, seafood from Italy in all its diversity is exported globally and to promote these attributes the organisers had five chefs holding cooking sessions at the stand for all the three days of the show.

Companies participating included producers, for example, of caviar, farmed fish, wild fish, shellfish, bivalves, cephalopods, and other seafood. Various

Giuseppe Castiglione, Undersecretary of State; Riccardo Rigillo, General Director, Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ EVENTS ] company forms were represented, individual companies, cooperatives, and associations.

Marco Mancini from the organising team says that the seafood sector in Italy includes producers of fresh fish and seafood, but also those who create highly value-added products including ready-to-cook or ready-to-eat items. The HORECA sector is very important in Italy he says and companies cater to this sector combining innovation with traditions to produce well known

recipes with a twist. Another feature is sustainability, which is increasingly sought after by retailers, and which companies are using to market their production. The Italian Under Secretary of State Giuseppe Castiglione, who visited the pavilion, said that the degree of interest and participation from the Italian industry was very encouraging particularly in light of the somewhat gloomy economic climate. He noted that the pavilion brought together representatives

from all the stakeholders – private industry, cooperatives, the administration, certification bodies, and associations – and felt that this would foster valuable cooperation in the sector both within and across borders. Riccardo Rigillo, General Director for Fisheries and Agriculture also visited the pavilion showing his support for the industry holding meetings.

At the cooking demonstration a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Rome explained

the value addition in the dish he has created. Mullet, a simple fish that used to cost EUR3 a kilo, now sells for between EUR10 and 12 a kilo, he said, because it is sustainably produced. Using Italian and Japanese techniques the chef imparted extra flavour to the fish by the judicious application of heat. By adding certain herbs, the roe from the fish, artichoke flowers, and chips also made from artichokes, the humble mullet was transformed in to a spectacular tasting and looking dish.

Estonian Trawling Association

Estonians explore new markets as old ones close

E

xports of frozen pelagic fish from Estonia too have been hit by the Russian embargo. Mauno Leppik, managing director of the Estonian Trawling Association, says that when too much fish is chasing too few markets, it naturally has an impact on the price. Fish from all the Baltic countries that was being absorbed by the Russian market now has to be diverted to other customers creating a buyers’ market. The main buyers for block frozen sprats and herring are still in the east, he says, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Romania, as well as Latvia and Lithuania.

But other areas could also be interesting, particularly those where people are in the habit of consuming pelagic fish. Another

factor to take into account when identifying new markets is the distance. Pelagic blocks are not a high value product and transport costs need to be reasonable in relation to the price. Though having said that the association has made deliveries to China.

The Estonian Trawling Association is not just producing fish in blocks, but is also manufacturing bags with IQF herring and sprat that can also be sold directly to the retail sector. Value added products is being considered as a way to differentiate itself from competitors and to ensure a higher price for the fish. Fillets, for example, are a possibility, either in the form of frozen blocks to producers of marinated fillets

Mauno Leppik, managing director of the Estonian Trawling Association explains how the Russian embargo has created a buyers' market.

or for the catering sector. With the current uncertain situation on markets in the east and generally weak economic growth in Europe

the association is not making any long term strategic plans, waiting instead to see how the situation develops.

Sabiedriba IMS, Latvia

Clever marketing to unlock the US market

S

abiedriba IMS is another example of a company that is adapting to a new situation with regard to products and markets. Vyacheslav Kochetkov, the general director, explains

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that with the loss of markets in Russia and Belarus the company was forced to take some radical decisions. This included developing two brands, Petit Pate, and Brisling Sardines. The former is

intended for markets in Europe, while the latter is for the United States. It took a whole year to develop the two brands, says Mr Kochetkov, from conception to the actual sale. So far Petit Pate

is being sold in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Germany and possibly in the future also in Sweden. The company does however have the advantage that it has been working with customers in Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2016

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[ EVENTS ] the US already for 10 years selling its regular assortment of products.

There are differences however, he notes. Until now sales in the US have been directed at the populations of people of Baltic origin who are familiar with the product, but now the company has greater ambitions. With its new line of canned sardines, the company wants to target all Americans, selling the products in the retail sector. We will emphasise the health aspects of the product, but more importantly we will market it as a snack rather than a canned product, explains Mr Kochetkov.

The product is aimed at younger people, a segment that does not typically look at canned fish. To overcome this the can is designed in pastel colours with a young person dressed to play a sport. A line of text will link the sport to the snack. The whole image of the product is trendy, youthful and dynamic to attract that particular segment of the market. The range comprises nine products based on three fish species, salmon, sardines, and cod and there are five sauce variations, spring water, oil, barbecue and two kinds of tomato.

Pastel colours, fun figures, and designation as a snack should increase these cans’ appeal to young people in the US.

Ziegra Ice Machines, Germany

Solar powered ice machine

Z

IEGRA presented at the SPG a solar powered ice machine that offers advantages especially to rural areas in tropical countries where power supply is often fragile. The solar powered system was not a readymade solution, said Regional Sales Manager Martin Klages, but was devised on the basis of the specific site requirements and put together from commercially available components from the solar panel to the battery for the night hours. Ziegra delivered the ice machine and had the necessary engineering expertise to assemble all the parts. Martin Klages sees particularly good opportunities for the solar ice machine in African countries where fresh fish often spoils rapidly because insufficient cooling options are available. Compared to solar panels, current generators were not a suitable alternative because the transport of fuel over poor roads was complicated and expensive. In addition, the devices were often switched off

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because they make a lot of noise and residents mostly reject them after a short time.

Ziegra already gathered experience in Senegal with solar energy for smaller machines (ZBE 375) which provides about 375 kg of ice in 24 hours. It has a power requirement of 1.7 kW, which is backed by a 7 kWp PV system with charge controller Steca Tarom and 8 batteries per 12 V 230 Ah. Ice production takes place late into the night and doesn’t turn off until the early morning.

The operator of the machine in Senegal is the GIZ which uses the produced ice to cool fish in a place without adequate power.

According to Martin Klages, the smallest ice machine suited to combination with solar panels produces about 150 kg of ice daily. Interest in this system in African countries was large, said Klages, but willingness to buy rather low. Cooling with ice is currently still perceived there as a “luxury” and a cost factor.

Martin Klages, Area Sales Manager. The prerequisite for operation of the solar powered ice machine is an adequate water supply, preferably no warmer than 18°C.

That is why a lot of people try to do without wherever they can.

Nevertheless, Ziegra is optimistic because in these countries, too,

a consumer base is developing with a higher quality awareness and thus a desire for fresh, absolutely hygienic fish products. www.eurofishmagazine.com

03/06/16 4:54 pm

[ EVENTS ] Iras, Denmark

New mega-grader gets good response

D

enmark traditionally has a high profile presence with prominent pavilions at both Seafood Expo Global and Seafood Processing Global. Among the several technology companies present in hall 5 of the event is Iras, a maker of machinery for handling fish and ice. Peter Rasmussen, the sales manager of the company is very happy with this year’s event.

There have been slightly fewer visitors than we have had in the past, he says, but the quality of the visitors has been excellent. To illustrate, he points to a pump on display at the stand that has just been sold to a customer on Malta.

The fair has brought a number of contacts that Mr Rasmussen will have to follow up on. As its core business, Iras supplies the international fishing and aquaculture industry with equipment for grading and distributing fish.

One of the most recent developments in the company is a pelagic grader, that Mr Rasmussen says is the biggest on the market. The company was approached by a customer 18 months ago, who asked whether Iras could make a roller grader with 5 m long rollers. The company’s largest grader up to then had 4.5 m long rollers.

However, using 5 m long rollers would mean that the grader would practically have to be reengineered if it were to perform as efficiently, safely, and reliably as it should. Among the issues was whether the structure could be made strong enough to bear the weight of both the longer rollers and the fish to be graded. After making some careful calculations Iras felt comfortable that they could build a machine that met the specifications.

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Bigger, faster, better The new grader performed very well and since then Iras has in fact built two more for another pelagic processing factory in Scotland, and is hoping to build another couple in the not-too-distant future. A grading machine of these dimensions can process 50 tonnes of fish an hour depending on the species, while the previous largest machine could handle 40 tonnes of fish an hour. The speed of the machine is determined by the number of fish there is in a kilo. The larger the fish, and the fewer per kilo, the faster the machine works. The machine is intended to work primarily with mackerel and herring, but can also be used to grade blue whiting and other larger pelagic species. For smaller pelagics such as sardines, anchovies, and sprats, Iras has another grader that works on the same principle, but with rollers that are smaller in diameter. Developing the new grader took some time, but the company wanted

to be quite sure that the machine would meet the customer’s expectations and live up to the company’s own standards. We do not want to waste the customer’s time, but we absolutely do not want to produce something substandard, says Peter Rasmussen. Apart from the higher speeds and greater volumes, the new grader introduces another refinement. While the company’s other machines only grade into a maximum of five size categories, the new machine offers six. The more accurate grading has an impact further down the processing chain as well. Often the fish after being graded are fed into a filleting machine, and the more uniform the fish, the higher the yield from the filleting. Although Iras does not produce filleting machines it has worked together with other manufacturers to deliver turnkey processing solutions.

In addition to the grading machinery, the other part of the company’s core business is

pumps for the fisheries and aquaculture industry. Over the last year the company has refined two of its smaller model pumps equipping them with a new and completely automated control system. This means that the user can essentially start the pump and then leave it to its own devices. Any changes, for example, to the height of the column that the pump has to reach, will be taken care of automatically. This allows employees at, for instance, smaller fish farms around the world, to concentrate on growing fish rather than adjusting pumps. The pumps are highly versatile and are being used in different part of the world to move a number of species of fish including seabass and seabream, barramundi, trout, salmon, tilapia, and even eel. If a pump for another species is called for the company will perform several trials ideally on site to ensure that the fish are moved swiftly and safely.

Peter Rasmussen, sales manager at Iras, and an installation for pumping fish in the background.

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[ EVENTS ] ASMI, USA

Modern presentation to inspire more young people to eat seafood

T

he Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) was represented again this year at the seafood expo in Brussels. The exhibiting team, which also included well-known companies such as Arctic Storm Management Group, Blue North Trading Company, Icicle Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Seafood Producers Cooperative and Triad Fisheries, presented an original show which conveyed an easy optimism that probably not only appealed to “old customers” but increasingly

to younger ones, too. At the centre of the presentation were of course the tried and tested fish and seafood products that form the backbone of Alaska’s seafood industry. These mainly include the five wild salmon species (king, sockeye, coho, chum and pink) and Alaska pollock, but also other demersal fish such as Pacific cod, sole, halibut and plaice species. Other species of commercial importance include crustaceans such as king and snow crab. All species are fished according to the strict guidelines

of the State of Alaska and within the recommended fishing quotas which are set annually by fisheries scientists. The northernmost US state’s commitment to sustainable use of resources is even enshrined in their constitution.

This ensures that future generations will be able to benefit from the huge marine resources in the waters of Alaska.

The highlight of this year’s trade fair presentation was the Alaska Seafood Truck. The truck’s three-member operation team

prepares tasty and innovative dishes with seafood from Alaska and thereby closes a gap, for so far fish and seafood have not often been seen at such events.

For ASMI, the truck has the potential to convince younger consumers of products made with high-quality wild salmon, Alaska pollock or other seafood species. Street food dishes and small culinary snacks which are currently very popular and arouse great interest among young people are an important part of the regular range offered.

On the first day of the fair the Food Truck Team served delicacies to visitors at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute reception.

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[ EVENTS ] Riga Sprats Association, Latvia

An array of new products

I

mants Cirulis, chairman of the association Riga Sprats explains that members of the association are producers of the well-known Riga sprats in oil, a product that has long been exported in vast quantities to Russia as well as to other countries in the east. Russia however closed its borders to imports of canned products from Latvia and the Latvian producers have therefore switched to other products and are making efforts to develop new markets. Nearly all the companies have brought their new products while presentations of Riga sprats have almost vanished, says Mr Cirulis. The importance of

launching new products and finding new markets was among the factors that weighed heavily in favour of attending the SEG, he adds. Some of the new products include Baltic sardines in oil with different sauces, fish patès, chips produced from cod skin, canned cod liver. The new markets being targeted with these products include the US, Japan, Mexico, and China. Falling interest in sprats among processors has also had an impact on the fishing sector.

Fishermen are freezing and storing their catches of sprat partly because there is less domestic demand, but also because export markets for block frozen sprat (and herring) in

Belarus, for instance, have also been affected by the Russian embargo.

Another solution being considered is for the fishermen to establish their own fishmeal production plant.

Members of Riga Sprats association have seen their turnover fall by 40 over the space of a year. Cans of just Riga sprats numbered some 20m in 2014 and half of that in 2015, and because sprat processing is so labour intensive the number of employees has declined by 1,700 people, a very large number in a small country. On the brighter side none of the companies has closed down or filed for bankruptcy.

Imants Cirulis, chairman of the association Riga Sprats.

Mardesic, Croatia

Canned products from the Adriatic

W

ith more than a 100 years of history behind it Mardesic is among the oldest names in the canning business in Croatia. As in the past today too it produces cans of sardines, tuna, and mackerel and jars of salted anchovies. The sardines, anchovies and some of the mackerel are caught in the Adriatic while the tuna is imported. In the cans fish is combined with different ingredients, sometimes nothing more than oil, other times sauces with vegetables. Canned products are essentially timeless, says Marina Depolo, the company’s managing director, the recipes are tweaked, the technology to produce the cans is modernised, but the products themselves are not radically different from those produced many years ago. Modern innovations like transparent plastic lids she says are very interesting, but cans being a price sensitive product, introducing www.eurofishmagazine.com

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these refinements depends very much on their impact on the price.

We feel that the basic can is the one that creates the sales, variations on that are interesting but are only niche products. For us, sardines canned in sunflower oil are our bread and butter, that is what makes the volumes, she says. To illustrate, Ms Depolo mentions fried sardines canned in olive oil, a product the company decided to reintroduce recently after a long break.

Although an excellent product it really only appealed to the small group of buyers who knew that it had a tradition and was something different and special. It was a prestige product for the cognoscenti, but not one that enjoyed huge sales, confirming the need to focus on products that deliver sales. The company has a production of about 7 m cans a year and in summer also sells salted anchovies in big barrels. The company has applied for

European support to modernise the factory and is hoping to get the approval soon. The renovation will

focus on improvements in quality with a view to expanding into new markets.

Marina Depolo, Managing Director of Mardesic, a producer of canned fish.

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[ EVENTS ] GlobalG.A.P. introduces aquaculture label for consumers

Fish and seafood from GGN certified aquaculture

Kristian Möller, GlobalG.A.P.; Mark Nijhof, Heiploeg; Martin Hofstede, Clama; Guy Callebaut, VBT/BelOrta and Brian O’Hanlon, Open Blue. GGN is a new individual and partner seal for farmers and consumers.

G

lobalG.A.P., the internationally acknowledged B2B standard for Good Agricultural Practice, announced in Brussels that it would be introducing its own consumer label for certified aquaculture as from mid2016. The GlobalG.A.P. quality seal which is already used by more than 160,000 farmers, food manufacturers and retailers worldwide and enjoys great confidence is thus to be made available to consumers, too. GlobalG.AP CEO Dr. Kristian Möller stressed that it was not a question of creating a completely new label or scheme in competition with existing certificates.

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The aim was to actively support customers from trade, industry and aquaculture with a clearly identifiable consumer label and a new online service. “GGN” stood for certified products from Good Aquaculture Practice and at the same time pointed to production to GlobalG.A.P. standards. GGN is the abbreviation for “GlobalG.A.P. number “, via which all farms participating in the certification system of GlobalG.A.P. can be identified. Already today trade and industry use the GGN to check online whether a farm that they might be considering as a supplier has completed the certification

process successfully. Together with the GGN label GlobalG.A.P. as from May 2016 also provides a new online platform which end consumers can use to get specific information via the GGN about the farms and products that are of interest to them.

The GlobalG.A.P. number on the end product allows consumers to get information about the farm that produced the product.

The GGN is thus the key to transparent communication from the consumer right back to the farm. The online portal with the GGN farm search is also to be

made available to other standards. Already before the official launch GlobalG.A.P. established a collaboration with the standard “Friend of the Sea”. The new consumer label is based on the current GLOBALG.A.P. standard version 5 which includes a wider range of species than most comparable standards. It also addresses important issues such as food safety, animal welfare, occupational safety, and environmental protection. Currently 30 fish and seafood species from aquaculture in 28 countries have already been certified (as of 31 March 2016). www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ EVENTS ] Iceland exported less fish in volume terms but increased export value

Fish industry is biologically and economically sustainable

I

celand’s fisheries sector presented itself at the Brussels Exhibition in strong shape as usual. Even during the economic and financial turmoil of recent years the industry impressively confirmed its position as the economic backbone of the country.

According to provisional data, companies within the fisheries industry exported fish products with a total value of 265 billion ISK (about 1.9 billion euro) in 2015, an increase of 8 over the previous year. This export value was achieved with an export volume of 632,000 tonnes of fish products, 23,000 t. less than the previous year. The increase in export value despite lower export volume is due to the growing share of processed products that are exported.

This trend is also reflected in the declining share of frozen products, which are increasingly being forced out of the market by fresh fish. Frozen products accounted for only 47 of total of export value in 2015, compared to 53 in the previous year.

Broken down into individual species, cod is the most valuable export product. With 100 billion ISK (ca. 720 million euro) this species represented 38 of total export value. It is particularly pleasing for the Icelandic industry that the vast majority of cod is in the meantime exported fresh. Particularly to France, which has become the main target market for fresh cod from Iceland. The value of exports to France more than doubled within a few years, with a share of 4 in 2008 increasing to 9 of export value in 2015. In the ranking of the main export species www.eurofishmagazine.com

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cod is followed by capelin (11 export share), redfish (5.7) and hake (5.6). The UK continues to be the largest buyer of Icelandic fish and seafood products although the share of total export value has dropped to 18. From 2004 to 2009 it had remained constant at 23 to 27 per cent. This, too, can be seen as an achievement because the industry’s dependence on one single buyer market has thus been further reduced. This success is all the more impressive because it was achieved despite the closure of most sections of the Russian market. In 2014 Iceland had delivered seafood worth almost 24 billion ISK

(ca. 173 million euro) to Russia.

One year later export value had fallen to 10 billion ISK (ca. 72 million euro).

The basis of Iceland’s economic success in the fishing sector are the strong, healthy fish stocks and their sustainable usage.

Incidentally, this was already the case at a time when many other nations were only beginning to recognize the importance of, and implement this management strategy. In line with this commitment, Iceland developed its own standard for the certification of fisheries, the IRFM label (Icelandic Responsible Fisheries Management). The IRFM

standards meet internationally recognized criteria that have been defined by the FAO for responsible and environmentally friendly fishing. As prescribed in the IRFM certification programme the standards have to be reviewed and updated every five years. This process began in October 2015 and ends with a 60-day inspection period (20 April to 19 June 2016) during which appeals, comments and amendments by the stakeholders are possible. This process is to increase the value and credibility of the IRFM label and further strengthen the fish stocks as the economic basis of the Icelandic fisheries industry.

Gudny Karadottir (IRFM). Iceland’s fisheries sector is solely dependent on healthy fish stocks since it does not get any financial support from the government.

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[ EVENTS ] Norfisk, Germany

Smoked fish from sprat to mackerel in MAP

N

orfisk was previously mainly known as a supplier of salmon products but has now added some interesting smoked specialities to its range. These include Asian inspired smoked salmon products with lemon grass and wasabi which complete their offer in the light food segment, but now also conventional smoked products such as sprat, Greenland halibut and mackerel. With these products Norfisk was responding to the wishes of numerous customers who wanted to their suppliers to offer as full a range as possible, said Julia Loth from the group’s sales department. As a specialist for smoked products Norfisk has sufficient know-how and experience to be able to offer other fish species than salmon in the required high quality. Packing the products under protective atmosphere (MAP) with a euro hole hanger option enabled an attractive and fast-selling presentation in the refrigerated section and also a relatively long shelf-life.

In addition to sprat and Greenland halibut the extended product range currently includes three mackerel products: r 8IPMF NBDLFSFM EJŀFSFOU TJ[FT individual pricing dependent Julia Loth, Norfisk Sales Department. The raw materials for Norfisk products come from certified on weight) aquaculture or sustainable wild catches and are processed according to audited standards. r .BDLFSFM êMMFU QMBJO ħīĦ H

r .

BDLFSFM êMMFU XJUI QFQQFST (150 g). quality. The fish are filleted directly The sprat and halibut are also from fisheries that adhere strictly before processing in Poland and (almost without exception) to the management guidelines The raw materials are caught in then hot-smoked. This renders the caught in the Celtic Sea. The laid down for sustainability. The the Northeast Atlantic (Celtic Sea) mackerel particularly succulent smoked sprats are available in new Norfisk products have been at the best fishing time between and gives them their typical strong 180 g MAP, the halibut pieces in available for several months and July and February and frozen at flavour which is then enhanced by 170 g MAP trays. Norfisk buys customer response was very sea to preserve their freshness and spicy pepper. fresh fish from wild stocks solely good, said Julia Loth.

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[ EVENTS ] Stingray, Norway

Optical salmon louse control ready for use

T

he salmon louse is an ectoparasite. It sits on the surface of the fish’s skin, draws its blood, weakens the fish and can transmit diseases, and it is currently considered the biggest problem facing salmon farmers in Norway. Every year salmon farmers spend millions to combat salmon louse, but so far without finding any satisfactory solutions. Neither chemical agents nor biological methods such as the use of cleaner wrasses have been able to reduce the salmons’ infestation with sea lice as hoped.

Stingray has developed an optical technique which selectively kills the dreaded parasites directly in the enclosures. For this, a device measuring 1.50 metres in height and weighing about 150 kg, the “Stingray laser”, is attached to a buoy in the salmon enclosure.

Using a precise image recognition system individual salmon lice are identified on salmon as they swim past and then killed with a precisely aligned laser pulse.

The Stingray laser for optical delousing of salmon is the result of years of research and development. Until the completion of the prototype in 2014, the company’s engineers and IT specialists had invested around 65,000 hours of work in the project. Since then, about the same number of hours has been added again. Partners from the salmon industry such as Marine Harvest, the Lerøy Seafood Group and Salmar were also involved in the high-tech development process. The aim, as John Arne Breivik, the General Manager of Stingray said, was to find a sustainable and environmentally

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friendly solution for the salmon louse problem.

After extensive field testing which began in October 2014 the device is now ready for use in salmon farms. Breivik says that in the case of normal salmon louse infestation after placing the device in the net pen, the

infection is almost completely eradicated within a day. For very large enclosures it was advisable to use two Stingray systems simultaneously, positioned at different water depths. Since the salmon are re-infected after a short time the unit must be used repeatedly during the season. So far, already more than

50 Stingray lasers are in operation at ten different locations. The company had just sold the first units outside Norway to customers in Scotland. Stingray is now working in an R & D project to provide the software of the “laser gun” with additional options for counting and calculating the fish biomass in the enclosures.

John Arne Breivik next to a model of the Stingray Laser. The new optical method for controlling salmon louse infestation is safe and gentle on the salmon.

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[ EVENTS ] Kaija, Latvia

New tuna line to come on stream soon

A

ndris Bite and Janis Endele, joint owners of Kaija, a canning company in Latvia agree that the last year (2015) has been a difficult one for the canning industry. A number of things have happened, says Mr Bite, but on the positive side it could mean that our industry of some 20 fish canning companies emerges stronger than ever before after these tribulations.

The majority of these companies had been selling their products to Russia for years. The products were known, prices were good, the trade proceeded smoothly. In June 2015 however Russia closed its borders to canned fish as did Belarus and Kazakhstan a little later. In retrospect Mr Bite feels that the development was in some respects a favourable one. The worsening economic situation in the three countries and the depreciation of their currencies might have led to greater losses for the Latvian canning industry than what they have suffered so far. Of course, companies were exposed to these three markets to different degrees, some more, some less, which meant that all companies were not equally affected by the loss of these markets. However, other markets such as in Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and other countries have also suffered from depreciating currencies, making it impossible to sell Latvian cans there either. Canned fish producers were forced to rethink their strategies and adapt to the situation. Most companies are reconciled to the fact that the situation is not going to change overnight and that they are going to have to do a fundamental rethink. When these markets eventually reopen, companies will be ready, but in 28

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Janis Endele and Andris Bite joint owners of Kaija, a company that is successfully shifting its markets to western Europe.

the meanwhile alternate products and markets need to be developed. North America and Japan have turned out to be promising, but companies have been forced to work harder to develop new products and actively look for other areas to sell them, a process which should lead to a leaner and fitter industry. Janis Endele says the effects of these decisions can already be seen. But we need more information about these new markets and the kinds of products that are popular there, says Mr Endele, given time the canning industry in Latvia is more than capable of responding to these demands.

In the meanwhile, the industry has been limiting its operations, some companies have let go of staff, and others have reduced the number of processing facilities in use.

Mr Bite reckons that employments in the industry has probably fallen by 50. However, on the

positive side, none of the companies has closed down its operations. Among the new products being considered is canned bristling sardines, which is similar to canned Baltic sprats, but has a slightly different taste, appearance and packaging. But the right market information is critical and the industry has commissioned in-depth market research to get an insight into different markets and the potential they offer.

Kaija itself is in a slightly different position from most of the rest of the industry having taken a decision some four years ago to reduce its dependence on its traditional markets and develop customers in the west. The efforts are bearing fruit as over the last year sales to western countries increased by 30 becoming 73 of the total, while those to the east declined by 49. Kaija produces a wide range of products based

on small pelagics from the Atlantic, including sardines, mackerel, herring, but also farmed and wild salmon. The company is also planning to establish a canning line for tuna, which would complement their existing products.

The company sells its products under its own brands but the majority is sold under private labels. At the SEG the company had samples of the bristling sardines and smoked salmon among others, which were promoted to existing and potential customers. A research and development unit has been built up in order to cater to the very different demands from the three markets the company serves, Baltic, western Europe, and eastern Europe.

Janis Endele explains that it is important to have a central unit that manages the product development, the packaging, all the technical requirements, and the quality for all the three markets. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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Eurofish at the Seafood Expo Global

Winnning friends and influencing people As ever Seafood Expo Global brought the world’s seafood sector to Brussels in the last week of April. Despite the tragic explosions at the Brussels airport and the Maelbeek metro station a month earlier, it was largely business as usual at the event. While seafood products and equipment dominate the show, the event provides a fertile meeting ground for other players in the sector, the NGO’s, trade promotion bodies, and above all regional, national and international institutions. For Eurofish International Organisation, the three days of the SEG provide a highly effective opportunity to meet and talk with partners from all over Europe.

Aina Afanasjeva, Director Eurofish International Organisation; Professor Edmond Panariti, Albania’s Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Resources; and Mark Babbani, President Mare Adriatik

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Giuseppe Castiglione, Undersecretary of State, Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies; Riccardo Rigillo, General Director, Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture, Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies

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Ja-nis Du-klavs, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia; Sanita Pavl,uta-Deslandes, Ambassador, and Permanent Representative of Latvia to the EU; Aina Afanasjeva, EUROFISH Director; Didzis Smits, President, Union of Latvian Fish Processing Industries

Abdelatif Belkouch, Director, Infofish; Aina Afanasjeva, EUROFISH Director

Ja-nis Du-klavs, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia (left); Valdur Noormagi, Chairman, Estonian Association of Fishery

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From left, Piotr Słowik, Market, Processing and Fishery Statistics Unit, Department of Fisheries; Krzysztof Kozłowski, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation, Poland; Leszek Pilka, Counsellor, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union; Aina Afanasjeva, EUROFISH Director

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From left, Jose Miguel Corvinos, Director-General for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Spain; Andrés Hermida Trastoy, Secretary-General for Fisheries, Spain; Aina Afanasjeva, EUROFISH Director; Carlos Larrañaga Ces, Director-General for Fisheries Management, Spain; Borja Velasco Tuduri, Permanent Representative of Spain to the EU

Aina Afanasjeva, EUROFISH Director; Carola Gonzalez Kessler, Markets and Trade Unit, DG Mare, European Commission; Carlos Larrañaga Ces, Director-General for Fisheries Management, Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, Spain

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Antonio Paolini, Italian journalist and food & wine critic; Aina Afanasjeva, EUROFISH Director; Gianfranco Pascucci, Italian Chef, Pascucci al Porticciolo

03/06/16 4:55 pm

[ EVENTS ] NASF/MSC Sustainability and Communication Seminar

Sustainability critical to consumers … apparently As in previous editions of the North Atlantic Seafood Forum, a half day seminar on sustainability and communication was organized during the event in Bergen in March 2016. Chaired by Horst Lang from Globus SB Warenhaus, Germany, the seminar focused on consumers’ perception of sustainability, communication with consumers, and anticipated trends in the retail sector.

M

eeting the challenge of a growing world population and increasing global demand for animal proteins, the seafood industry has to increase productivity and efficiency along its entire value chain, and to implement sustainable practices if it is to develop further.

The rise of China, presented by Mr Jason Clay, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), illustrated that China doubled its GDP at 12 times the speed of Britain during the Industrial Revolution (1983 – 1995) and at 100 times the scale, lifting about 400 million people out of poverty.

Moving sustainability from niche to norm As the largest global producer, consumer, exporter and processor of seafood, over 70 of Chinese production of fisheries

and aquaculture products is represented by aquaculture. However, the rapid growth of global aquaculture production, which has recently surpassed production of beef, has a huge impact on resources. According to a forecast by WWF, with world population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, current seafood supply needs to be doubled. The main pillars of supply growth are productivity and efficiency, and waste reduction. Comparative projections indicate that 10 to 20 million tonnes could be achieved from improved management, and 20 to 25 million tonnes by reducing seafood waste. “Sustainability must be moved from niche to norm. On our finite planet, should consumers have a choice about sustainable products or should all choices be more sustainable?” asked Jason Clay.

Horst Lang, Director Quality and Sustainability, Globus SB Warenhaus, Germany, and Camiel Derichs, Regional Director Europe, MSC 32

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The sustainability imperative with Millennials and Generation Z Nowadays consumers are trying to be responsible citizens of the world, and they expect the same attitude from corporations. In a report on consumer expectations Mr. Jean Jacques Vandenheede, Nielsen, highlighted important features about the development of consumer behaviour and anticipations. The research conducted by Nielsen in 13 markets including 13 product categories and 1,300 brands, showed that 66 of the global respondents said that they were willing to pay more for brands with a commitment to sustainability. Over 50 of those respondents were influenced by factors, such as fresh, natural and/or organic

ingredients (69), environmental friendliness of the producer (58), and the producer’s commitment to social value (56).

For this group, these values are more important than personal benefits, such as cost or convenience. According to the results of the research, 73 of Millennials (those under 34 years old), and 72 of Generation Z (those under 26), while only 51 of Baby Boomers (those older than 52), are willing to pay a premium for brands with a commitment to sustainability.

An interesting conclusion was that 42 of global consumers want more new products in the market that are socially responsible and environmentally friendly.

Sustainable brands outperform their counterparts and drive business growth. In fact, over 4

Serious subjects were discussed at the sustainability seminar, but it also had its lighter moments. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ EVENTS ] greater sales were made in brands with a demonstrated commitment to sustainability, while those without grew less than 1.

At the same time, social responsibility (or the lack thereof) seems to have a marked influence on the reputation of consumer goods companies.

The UK market sets the sustainability trend At the national level, sustainable issues in the food service in the UK were discussed by Mike Berthet, M&J Seafood. Street food in the UK is changing and new foods are on the way. Adherence to specifications is likely to be crucial in the next years. Innovation will also be key, but it will be driven by individuality rather than mass consumption, however, this will pose challenges for storage, distribution and inventory control.

In the UK all high street and corporate caterers will have to follow minimum sustainable standards as an entry requirement to the market. According to Mike Berthet, this pressure is being exerted already by the “Fish to Fork” service, the campaigning restaurant guide for those who want to eat sustainable fish, which rates restaurants according to the impact their seafood has on the seas and marine life.

It is reviewing “Blue Chip Caterers” and forcing change through reputational image. Other core activities are campaigning for improvements in the way fisheries around the world are controlled and operated, and to disseminating information about the sustainability of seafood.

Launched in the UK in 2009, the service has since expanded to rate restaurants in France, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and the USA. “All products will need www.eurofishmagazine.com

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some sort of certification both sustainable and ethical”, said Mike Berthet, “and the industry has to be prepared to meet more demanding specifications.”

At the international level, many leading retail chains have committed to the sustainable use of fish resources in environmental, social and economic terms. Metro Cash and Carry Group, the largest distributor of fresh fish in Europe with 2,200 locations in 31 countries, has a fish procurement policy which emphasizes transparency. Sustainable sourcing is transparent for the customers and compliance with ever more stringent statutory regulations on product traceability strengthen the trust of consumers over the long term. Jurgen Matern presented the group’s vision on integrated sustainability which takes into account food security, climate change, industry, tourism and other areas to ensure the sustainability of fisheries products.

Hans-Jürgen Matern, Director, Metro Group, Germany

Metro offers consumers a traceability app

to agree on and adopt common international standards and protocols for tracking seafood products and for sharing digitalized data about their origins.

An example of the transparent supply chain for fish was the introduction of a new technology that allows the detailed tracking of the fish. When purchasing fish, customers can use an app to find out the main product data such as species, origin, in which waters and with which method the fish was caught or farmed, the time of processing etc. The special feature of this technology is that it is accessible to all and therefore offers the opportunity for a harmonized and a more effective traceability system. Referring to the Presidential Task Force on Combatting IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud, Mr. Matern highlighted that industry and other stakeholders should launch a global dialogue

During the panel debates “Are we communicating the right thing?” the aspect of communicating sustainability to consumers was one of the main themes. Mr. Bart van Olphen, a seafood story teller and entrepreneur, shared his vision of awareness creation and changing seafood consumption habits.

There are three main types of seafood consumers: “Seafood Eater” who is a traditional fish eater and has a low interest in seafood background, “Seafood Lover”, a middle- and higher- educated consumer who is potentially willing to pay more for quality products, and “Seafood Expert”, who is highly educated prioritizing quality over price. The industry should have different approaches to these

consumer types, but what they have in common is the need for inspiration and the need for transparency. These can be communicated using different tools which he classified into “owned media” (website, social media and packaging” and “earned media” (printed media, TV and radio, digital media and blogs).

The final remarks of the discussion were that nowadays most consumers expect to receive information about products’ origins in the same way as perfect quality and product safety. Sustainability is the key for increasing quality and safety of the products, but it needs to be communicated to consumers appropriately, meeting their expectations and even exceeding them.

Katia Tribilustova katia.tribilustova @eurofish.dk Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2016

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LATVIA

The Latvian fisheries and aquaculture sector

Industry responds strongly to the challenges it faces The fisheries sector in Latvia is multifaceted and is represented by fishing, processing, trading, and fish farming. The fishing segment relies on the Latvian coastline that has a length of 500 km along the Gulf of Riga and the Baltic Sea as well as 2,400 sq. km of inland waters.

In 2015 the total catch in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga amounted to just under 65,000 tonnes of which 2,600 tonnes was from the coastal fishery. Inland water fisheries and aquaculture production together amounted to about 1,000 tonnes. Total fisheries production in Latvia in 2015 thus amounted to some 81 thousand tonnes a significant drop from the year before when production was 120,000 tonnes. The reduction was essentially due to a fall in catches by the Atlantic fleet.

Seals make fishermen's lives difficult The fishing fleet in Latvia is segmented into the coastal fleet, the offshore fleet, and the high seas vessels. The coastal fleet numbers about 600 vessels with a total tonnage of 735 GT and a capacity of 4,440 kW. Although these vessels constitute 90 of the total Latvian fleet in terms of numbers, they are very small vessels often only 5 m in length and without an engine.

They make up 3 of the tonnage and 10 of the capacity of the entire fleet. Coastal fishermen use various fixed gears; traps, nets, and pots, to catch fish. These nets are set and then emptied at regular intervals. The coastal fishermen catch mainly herring, flounder and cod with insignificant volumes of several other species. This segment of the fleet caught 2,600 tonnes 34

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The Latvian fleet in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga comprises over 60 vessels targeting sprat, herring, cod and salmon. Here a vessel belonging to the company Varita returns to port after fishing in the Gulf of Riga.

of fish in 2015, of which herring was the dominant species. Many of the smaller coastal vessels are used for subsistence fishing, where the catch is consumed by the fisherman and his family rather than sold commercially. One of the challenges coastal fishermen often bring up is the damage to their catches caused by seals. In summer and autumn when catches are better the menace from seals is also more prevalent. The seals are not native to Latvia, but are migratory creatures swimming from Finland or Estonia, where

they breed. The administration is now considering compensation for fishers affected by seals subject to the fishers providing data on the nature and extent of the damage.

Trials with seal repelling equipment have also been carried out, but the results have been inconclusive.

The fleet in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga consists of 63 vessels of which 12 are between 12 and 24 m, while 51 are above 24 m. The number of vessels in this fleet segment has been reducing steadily since

2011 as quotas have fallen. EU support for vessel decommissioning was available from the EU, and profitability needed to increase. In 2015 these vessels had a combined tonnage of 7,000 GT and a capacity of 18,000 kW, corresponding to 29 and 43 respectively of the national fleet. While most of the vessels in both length categories are trawlers targeting small pelagic species, a few of the vessels above 24 m use fixed nets. These are used to net mainly cod, flounder, smelt and salmon. Catches from the Baltic Sea and the Gulf www.eurofishmagazine.com

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LATVIA

Latvian fishing fleet, 01.01.2016 Fleet segment

Total

The Baltic Sea and the Guld of Riga:

Tonnage, GT 63

7,103

Capacity, kW 18,403

Of which, trawlers 12-24 m

12

535

2,424

trawlers > 24 m

44

5,960

14,568

vessels using net as main gear > 24 m Coastal waters High seas

Total

7

608

1,411

612

735

4,442

11

16,838

20,455

686

24,676

43,300

Source: Ministry of Agriculture

of Riga consist primarily of herring and sprat. These two species alone accounted for over 85 of the catch in 2015. The quota utilisation for the two pelagic species was very high in 2015 at 98 for herring and 99 for sprat. The other main species caught in the Baltic Sea are cod and flounder, while in the Gulf of Riga it is European smelt.

Drop in quotas worries fishermen The Latvian quota in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga for three of the four main species, herring, sprat, cod, has fallen in 2016. For salmon the quota has stayed stable at 12,600 pieces. The cod quota shows the most drastic decline at 20 to just under 4,000 tonnes, due to concerns about overfishing. A series of measures was also agreed on by the European Commission, including the extension of the closed season to protect the spawning stock, monitoring of the impact of recreational fishing by Member States around the Baltic, and close surveillance of the development of the stock by scientific advisory bodies. For herring and sprat the reductions were smaller at 7 and 5 respectively. Latvia’s herring quota for 2016 now stands at 23,700 tonnes higher than any of the seven years prior to 2015. The 2016 sprat quota on the other hand is following a consistently declining trend since www.eurofishmagazine.com

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2008. The sprat, herring, and salmon quotas are in line with scientific advice and consistent with provisions in the Common Fisheries Policy that legally require the maximum sustainable yield exploitation rate to be achieved by 2020 at the latest for all stocks.

Over the last few years the cod fishery has been affected by the poor quality of the fish, which have been characterised as skinny. While the Latvian quota for cod in the Baltic Sea has averaged 6,000 tonnes for the five years to 2015, catches have averaged 3,400 tonnes. Average utilisation of the quota was only 54 due to the poor condition of the fish. Had the fish been twice as large as they were, utilisation would have been much higher.

Mr Voits, a former trawler owner himself, says today all the cod are the same small size, while in the past it was possible to find a mix

of fish of different sizes. He would therefore like to see the cod fishery closed for two or three years for all the countries around the Baltic and the fishermen given compensation instead for the expenses they incur while their vessels are in port. However, according to Poland’s National Marine Fisheries Research Institute there are many possible factors behind the

cod’s skinny condition, including the state of other stocks such as sprat on which cod preys, changes in the hydrological conditions in the Baltic, migration of sprat to different areas of the sea, spawning conditions for cod, the size of the cod stock, the abundance of other species on which cod feeds, and so on. Given all these influences on the condition of the fish, whether a theoretical Baltic-wide moratorium on fishing cod will have the desired impact is questionable.

Mr Voits himself admits that even among the fishermen around the Baltic there is no consensus on the issue or its solutions.

Bycatch not an issue in the pelagic fisheries Latvia has quotas for herring in the Gulf of Riga and in the Baltic Sea. The allocation in the Gulf of

Latvian quotas in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga in tonnes Year

Herring

Sprat

Cod

Salmon*

2010

23,095

52,565

5,018

38,783

2011

22,569

39,949

5,715

32,965

2012

18,630

31,160

6,564

16,153

2013

18,956

34,583

5,983

14,335

2014

22,650

32,080

6,745

9,049

2015

25,404

29,548

4,967

12,644

2016

23,712

27,990

3,973

12,644

*individuals

Catches in the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga, 2015 Year

Baltic Sea and Gulf of Riga

Coastal area

Total

Use of quota (%)

Total

62,044

2,626

64,670

Cod

2,904

94

2,998

55

1327/4.0

22

Salmon (pieces/t)

137/0.4

1190/3.6

Baltic herring

23,278

1,988

25,266

98

Sprat

30,493

8

30,501

99

Flounder

1,949

124

2,073

not applicable

Smelt

1,083

43

1,126

not applicable

Other species

2,337

365

2,702

not applicable Source: Ministry of Agriculture

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Normunds Riekstins, Director, Fisheries Department, Ministry of Agriculture

President, Latvian Fisheries Association and Chairman, National Fisheries Producer Organisation

Riga is the main one generally accounting for over four fifths of the total. About 15 of the quota is reserved for the coastal fishers, who fish in a zone up to a depth of 20 m using small boats often without engines and gear such as trap nets. Herring and sprat are often caught together and are then sorted. Bycatch in the small pelagics fishery is not really an issue. In 2015 Mr Voits made some calculations on the amount of potential discards and found that in the last three months these were 4.6, 3.7 and 1.7.

The fish was exclusively cod and was not actually discarded but brought back to shore for use as fishmeal and fish oil. Discards in the pelagic fishery are thus minimal, which is also confirmed by Normunds Riekstins, the director of the Fisheries Department.

Even before the introduction of the landing obligation fishermen were landing everything, he says.

However, the logistics of reporting the amount of bycatch, say cod, and of dividing it up into fish above and below the minimum reference size, when the catch is not sorted on board is posing problems. How this fish is finally utilised also remains to be decided. Producer Organisations are being invited to submit

certification will probably have an impact on the sector as many customers and companies ask for it. It is very important for the market, says Mr Voits, in a number of countries, such as Denmark, Germany, and the UK. Latvian fishermen in the National Fisheries Producer Organisation Pelagic Trawl started the certification for the sprat fishery in the Baltic Sea at the end of 2015 a process that is expected to take to the middle of 2017 to complete. The certification is expected to open new markets for sprat initially in the Netherlands and the UK, but also in other countries. Mr Voits says that a number of enquiries have been coming in asking when the fishery will be certified.

Part of the interest is in response to trials that the Latvians have made with the sprat, whereby the fish are mechanically headed and gutted giving a clean and user-friendly product. The interest in certified fish has spurred Latvian fishermen to also consider having the herring stock in the Gulf of Riga certified.

Here the quota is about 20,000 tonnes as opposed to 4,000 tonnes in the main basin of the Baltic Sea.

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proposals with suggestions as to how this fish can be used. One of the proposals is for the POs to have their own fishmeal and fish oil production plant which can use this fish. Latvia is also part of BaltFish, a regional grouping of representatives from countries around the Baltic, where discussions are taking place on technical measure for the Baltic Sea on how to improve the status of cod.

Increasing interest in sustainability certification Cod stocks in the Baltic Sea are divided into the eastern stock and the western stock. Five fisheries targeting the eastern stock from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and Latvia have been certified to the Marine Stewardship Council standard. The Latvian fishery as recently as July 2015.

In December 2015 however the certification was suspended following an audit that concluded that the 2015 stock assessment by ICES was insufficient to provide advice on stock status. The fisheries have responded with an action plan the implementation of which will be monitored by the certification bodies who will finally reaudit the fisheries. The loss of the

Latvia for the first time held the presidency of the Council of the European Union from January to June 2015. For a small country

with a small administration leading regulatory developments in the EU is always a challenging task. Normunds Riekstins, director of the Fisheries Department is broadly satisfied with the Latvian efforts in the fisheries sector. Mentioning the multispecies multiannual management plan for the Baltic Sea, he says although it was only finalised a year later, Latvia played an important role in moving it forward from the initial presentation of the regulation to the consultation and agreement with the European Parliament, setting an example for how efficiently legislation can be guided through the parliament. The major issue is how fishing opportunities are going to be set for future years. These will be based on developments in the stocks that will be monitored by scientists who will furnish the advice each year. One of the differences the plan will introduce says Mr Riekstins is that there will be less scope to adjust the TACs through negotiation between the different bodies (Council, Commission and Parliament) as the plan will lay down the law and the emphasis will be on stable stocks rather than a stable fishery. Latvia also efficiently steered regulations on the landing obligation and the reduction of discards through the www.eurofishmagazine.com

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LATVIA

Canning companies are developing novel products with attractive designs to appeal to consumers in different segments on new markets.

A variety of products are made for the domestic market based on imported fish such as herring, mackerel, salmon, and seafood.

parliamentary procedures. An important issue was international relations, for example, the fisheries partnership agreements and the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) and North Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) agreements, where the presidency leads the EU’s internal consultations.

hovered around 300 tonnes for the last several years though with a slight declining trend. This may be attributed to restrictions placed on the use of certain gears in inland waters. River lamprey, bream, pike, and tench are the most common species caught by inland fishermen. Another activity, highly popular in Latvia, though not of commercial significance, is angling. Sport fishers need a license and typically fish in inland water bodies, however fishing from boats in the sea is also increasing in popularity. The proceeds from the sale of angling licenses is used to fund a substantial restocking effort, where larvae and juveniles of several freshwater and a few marine species are grown and released. In recent years burbot, vimba, river lamprey, pike and

High seas fleet makes use of fisheries partnership agreements The Latvian high seas fleet consisted of 11 vessels in 2015, which, with a gross tonnage of 16,800 GT and a capacity of 18,000 kW, accounted for 68 and 47 respectively of the tonnage and capacity of the national fleet. These vessels have in fact increased in number for the first time in three years returning to the numerical strength they last had in 2011. Despite this increase in number catches by this fleet segment in 2015 were poor in relation to previous years for all the main species. Compared with 2014 horse mackerel catches declined by 77, mackerel by 56, redfish by two thirds and catches of sardinella fell to almost nothing from 10,100 tonnes. The gear used by these vessels is mainly trawls. These vessels are active off the coasts of Mauritania and Morocco in West www.eurofishmagazine.com

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Africa, where they target pelagic fish thanks to fisheries partnership agreements that the EU has signed with these countries. These agreements combine commercial, political, and humanitarian aspects and are therefore quite complicated, but they are of interest to the vessel owners because they offer substantial fishing opportunities. In fact, in good years, Latvian catches under these agreements are more than the country’s total catch from the Baltic. However, most of the fish is traded without ever returning to Latvia.

Latvian vessels also fish in the convention areas of the NAFO and the NEAFC, where the important species are red fish and shrimp.

Altogether, high seas catches of the main species amounted to about 15,000 tonnes in 2015 down from some 60,000 tonnes the year before. Over the last couple of years a new fishery has developed in the NEAFC area of the Barents Sea for queen crab (Chionoecetes opilio), which are fished using pots. Latvian vessels have been active in targeting this resource which is either processed on board or on land and in some instances also shipped live to the final destination.

Latvia also has a small inland fishing activity where catches have

salmon are among the fish bred for restocking.

Processing industry invests in new products and markets The processing industry in Latvia is highly dependent on imported raw materials in particular mackerel, horse mackerel, Atlantic herring, salmon, and other kinds of fish and seafood, much of which is landed in Klaipeda in neighbouring Lithuania, where vast refrigeration facilities make it convenient to store the fish. In 2015 Latvian imports of fish products were valued at EUR145m, while exports were EUR174m. Both imports and exports have fallen for the second consecutive year.

Imported fish and seafood provide the raw material for a variety of

Catches in high-seas (Mauritania, Morocco, NEAFC and NAFO areas) 2015 Horse mackerel

6,879

Mackerel

6,657

Sardinella

124

Other species

231

Sardine

412

Redfish

538

Total

14,841 Source: Ministry of Agriculture

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Fish is removed from the hold prior to being sorted and finally block frozen. Russia was an important market for frozen blocks of small pelagics until the embargo. Blocks are also exported to Ukraine, Estonia, Lithuania, and Denmark.

products, fresh, frozen, prepared and preserved, as well as dried, salted, and smoked, that are sold on the domestic market as well as exported. Historically Latvia's main export partners have been its neighbours, Estonia, and Lithuania as well as Russia, while imports are mainly from Estonia, Sweden, Lithuania, Denmark, and Norway.

The embargo in 2015 on exports of canned fish to Russia, Latvia’s single most important market for these products, has had an impact on the sector. Russia absorbed 50 of the Latvian export of canned fish. Now, with the embargo in place since June 2015 the fish processing sector needs smaller volumes of raw material, which in turn has an impact on the fishing sector. Latvian exports of frozen fish to Russia had already been blocked in August 2014. Making matters worse, from the start of 2016 Belarus, the main importer of frozen sprat from Latvia, also closed its borders to this product. Ukraine could pick up some of the slack as consumers there know the products and the sector has a history of trading with Ukraine, but the problem there is the currency devaluation and the fall in living standards, which has made Latvian products 38

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more expensive. Currency fluctuations have also affected shipments to the central Asian countries that were good markets. In addition, Russia has also stopped the transit of goods through its territory, which has made it much more expensive to ship products to Central Asia. As a result of these developments, Inarijs Voits, President of the Latvian Fisheries Association and Chairman, National Fisheries Producer Organisation, expects a significant change in the export figures for 2015. The only way out of this situation is to find new export markets. Among the possibilities he names are Moldova and Georgia. The closure of markets has meant that the national fisheries producer organisation, of which he is chairman, has withdrawn 2,500 tonnes of frozen sprat and 800 tonnes of herring from the market and placed it in storage since the start of 2016.

Close cooperation between research and industry to foster innovation The fish in storage was caught during the winter months and is therefore of the highest quality. In contrast, fish caught between April and September when the water in the Baltic Sea is warmer tends to be of lower quality. Mr Voits feels that at least half the stored materials are able to be sold to the processing industry later in the year.

As he says, Russia, which was half the market for Latvian exports of canned fish, is now closed, but the other half of the market, some 40 countries, is still open for business.

Normunds Riekstins, director of the Fisheries Department, says that the sector is responding by looking for new markets for their products in China, USA, and Latin America as well as looking at developing

new product lines that will be attractive to other markets. He feels that companies will try and keep their employees on standby so that in case the situation improves companies will be able to rapidly ramp up production. Part of the answer to the loss of traditional markets may lie in the emphasis on innovation in the new European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. Each year the ministry holds a conference on funding opportunities and innovation will be one of the topics for discussion at this year’s conference. Different research institutes will present results from their work that could benefit industry and at the same time establish a dialogue to ascertain what the industry’s requirements are. In general support opportunities through the fisheries operational programmes are well utilised in Latvia. Companies are active at seeking the support and last year almost 100 of the available funding was utilised, says Mr Riekstins.

The search for new products and markets is necessary because at least in Russia Inarijs Voits feels that the situation will not improve for a while. The Russian rouble too has depreciated and even if the embargo is lifted consumers are going to struggle to pay for western goods. The impact is already being felt in the canning sector, where the number of cans produced has reduced drastically, some companies have faced difficulties and others are developing new products. The most vulnerable being those that were exporting the bulk of the production to Russia.

Import and export of fish products in Latvia 2010-2015 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Fish products, including canned fish export, million EUR

135

156

200

223

182

174

Fish products, including canned fish import, million EUR

101

126

153

165

153

145

34

30

47

58

29

29

Latvian fish products trade balance, million EUR

Source: Ministry of Agriculture

www.eurofishmagazine.com

03/06/16 5:30 pm

LATVIA

Anna Fish Company plans a big increase in capacity

Large rainbow trout for retail markets A number of fish species are produced by the fish farming sector in Latvia, but only three or four are produced in significant quantities. These include carp, sturgeon and rainbow trout. The volumes produced of other species, including tench, crucian carp, and pike, are between 10 and 15 tonnes a year. Rainbow trout production jumped in 2014, by a factor of 9 from the year before, from 4 tonnes to 35 tonnes. The huge increase in production is all the more impressive if one considers that average annual production for the 10 years to 2013 was 4.3 tonnes.

Although trout farming in Latvia is relatively new, as a farmed species trout is very well established elsewhere. Trout is farmed in 17 EU countries and accounts for 14 of the value and 15 of the volume of fish farmed in the EU. Of the top 10 species farmed in the EU trout is number two in terms of both value (following salmon) and volume (after mussels). Rainbow trout is a thoroughly-studied fish and every aspect of it is well documented.

It is farmed in different systems, in ponds, raceways, and recirculation plants, and the availability of eggs, specialised feeds, and hatchery and on-growing equipment for trout is widespread.

Focus switches to rainbow trout In Latvia a company that has recently started breeding trout in a recirculation system is the Anna Fish Company. It started 10 years ago farming fish in small ponds, but then some seven years later changed to a recirculation system. We started with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), tiger trout (a cross between brown trout, Salmo trutta, and brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis) and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus alpinus), says Kristaps Romanovs, the chairman, but are now planning to focus only on rainbow trout as in Latvia there is far more

Currently eggs are imported from Denmark, but as production grows the company will consider investing in its own broodstock. www.eurofishmagazine.com

06_LATVIA.indd 39

demand for that than for the other species. The paucity of demand can be attributed to a general lack of awareness about these new species as well as a reluctance to try something new and unfamiliar. Changing this attitude will call for a concerted and long term effort and for now the company would like to focus its endeavours on switching to supplying the species for which demand is high on its markets in Latvia and Lithuania.

For the moment Anna Fish does not have its own broodstock.

Instead the company buys eggs from a Danish supplier with whom it has had a collaboration

for the last four years. We know the quality of the material he supplies and that his deliveries are reliable so we are not buying eggs from others. The company has divided its production into two units, one is the hatchery for incubation and juveniles up to a maximum of 100 g. This unit has three independent systems which allows the company the flexibility of being able to purchase eggs at any time rather than having to wait until the system is ready to accept them. This is a bit different from other systems which tend to run a batch of eggs from the first stage to the last before introducing a new batch, according to Mr Romanovs. The

In summer when the temperature is higher the fish are introduced into ponds for the final growth phase.

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Newly designed modified atmosphere packaging will give the fish a shelf life of about 12 days and is intended for retail outlets without a fresh fish counter.

second unit is the on-growing phase, where the fish are grown to market size, which in this case is 500 g to 1,000 g. Currently, Mr Romanovs says, the company is growing fish to 500 g because the demand is so strong that they cannot let the fish grow any bigger. The idea originally had been to sell 1 kg fish, but as the leader of a newly launched company, Mr Romanovs was concerned about building a market for the product and felt that marketing fish at this size may call for bigger investments and higher risks.

Recirculation systems are more reliable than raceways Today, three years later, however, he is planning to apply for support from the EMFF to expand the production facility, because he knows that there is a market for the large-sized fish.

Some of this is taken by Norwegian salmon that is diverted to Latvia from the Russian market that is now closed, but Mr Romanovs maintains that this fish does not pose a problem for him. Anna Fish has a capacity of 100 tonnes, while production last year was of 50 tonnes mainly 40

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due to the premature harvesting at 500 g. The new project to expand the production facility will enable the introduction of a higher number of eggs and Mr Romanovs is hopeful that at least some of the stock will be grown to 1 kg. The shift to a recirculation facility from ponds was a big change. There is no comparison, says Mr Romanovs. Outside there are so many factors that cannot be controlled yet that can influence the production – weather, temperature, water quality etc.

And while they may also have a positive influence, with so much uncertainty the risks are much higher. In a recirculation system, on the other hand all the parameters can be carefully controlled and the fishes’ environment can be maintained at a level with only minor fluctuations.

The retail shops in Latvia often do not have counters where fresh fish can be placed on ice.

The company has therefore developed a series of modified atmosphere packages that will give the fish a shelf life of 12 days. The design and execution of the packages was a long and demanding process, but the end result is a smart package which

Mr Romanovs wants to use in retail shops that do not have fish counters. Currently, more than nine-tenths of the production is sold in Latvia through a big retail chain with a network of over 130 shops across the country. So far the final product is whole and gutted fresh fish, but frozen products are an option too once the production increases. In addition, the company is experimenting with adding a small package with a marinade to the fish. Fillets are also produced, but that too is on hold as a result of the lack of stock. Five years ago if someone had told me that the market for trout in Latvia was 500 tonnes I would not have believed it, says Mr Romanov, but today I am sure it is possible.

For the last two years we have been selling the fish under our own brand and now consumers are starting to recognise it and choosing it over fish from Lithuania or Poland, not only because of the brand, but also because they feel local fish must be more fresh.

Feed, electricity the main running costs While growing the fish to a market size of around 500 g takes about 10-15 months, if the weather is suitable then the fish

can be placed in ponds outside and they will grow faster. But to grow fish to 1,000 g will take 2.5 to 3 years. Anna Fish is getting its feed from a Finnish company.

The company tried various suppliers and finally settled on the company in Finland as the feed met all the fishes’ nutritional requirements and the company was flexible and accommodating even though the volumes are not large. Recirculation systems use the water in the plant repeatedly, filtering it after each use so that it can be returned to the system again. However, small volumes of new water are added with each cycle. The water is sourced from a spring and each hour 500-700 litres are added to the plant. The water is however not the biggest running cost. Feed and electricity are bigger posts in the budget, the latter because the water has to be heated from a temperature of 9 degrees, when it is pumped up to about 15 degrees, which is the temperature at which the system is maintained. This is the temperature most suited to the bacteria in the biological filter, the heart of any recirculation system. Anna Fish is planning an expansion during the course of 2016 which will result in a three-fold increase in production capacity as well as storage for frozen products.

Anna Fish Company Lacplesa Str. 124 LV-1003 Riga Latvia Tel.: +371 2232 3738 kristaps@annaszivjaudzetava.lv www.annaszivjaudzetava.lv Chairman of the Board: Kristaps Romanovs Activity: Fish farming

Species: Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Weights: 500-1,000 g Product: Whole, gutted fish; fillets Market: Retail chains in Latvia Volumes: Currently 100 tonnes per year. After expansion, 300 tonnes per year Customers: Retail chains Employees: 11

www.eurofishmagazine.com

03/06/16 5:30 pm

LATVIA

SIA Baltijas zivis – 97 uses imported and local raw materials

A vast range of fish products for the local market The Latvian seafood processing sector produces a wide variety of products based on locally sourced as well as imported raw materials. Consumption of fish and seafood at 27,5 kg per capita is above the EU average (24,9 kg/capita) and local supermarkets offer an impressive range of products – canned, smoked, salted, marinated, and fresh using many different species.

Baltijas Zivis 97 plans to expand the processing facility and to renovate the interior to increase production.

Baltijas zivis - 97 was founded (in 1997) by Antonina Moisejenko, a fish technologist with many years of experience gained from working in a big fish processing factory. Originally the company manufactured five products that were exported to Russia, but then decided to develop the market in Latvia as a backup. Today the company produces over 150 products that are sold primarily on the domestic market with a small proportion exported to neighbouring countries (and none to Russia).

The processing factory, a former farming collective, is located in the village Mandegas some 60 km north of Riga close to the highway, which is convenient for the www.eurofishmagazine.com

06_LATVIA.indd 41

prepared the raw material is then either marinated in a vinegarbased solution for 48 to 72 hours or salted in barrels. Kristina Antonenko, the company technologist, says that in total about 1.5 tonnes of raw material is processed in a day. Of this herring and mackerel make up the majority, while squid and Baltic herring constitute the rest. In contrast to the herring, which is delivered already processed into fillets, the mackerel is whole and is headed, gutted, and filleted in the factory.

The waste – heads, guts, bones etc. – goes as raw materials to fish meal factories. The fillet production is done manually as that

trucks that deliver the raw material. Block frozen herring fillets and whole mackerel is imported from Norway primarily, though also from Iceland and Scotland, and forms the raw material used in the production. More recently the company has also been importing frozen squid from Peru to create a new product.

Atlantic herring and mackerel the main raw materials The frozen blocks of herring fillets take 12 to 24 hours to thaw at 8 - 15°C temperature after which the fish is washed. Depending on the product that is to be

Kristina Antonenko, the fish technologist, is responsible for production.

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it contributes to the development of the area by increasing the demand for labour. At other times of the year the company works with frozen Baltic herring that is already headed and gutted. This development is fairly recent however; until last year all the Baltic herring raw material was whole fish.

Baltic herring is headed, gutted, and cut into butterfly fillets that are then rolled up – a highly labour intensive process.

offers the best yields and currently the volumes are insufficient to justify investing in machines.

In addition, the current location does not have enough space to install such equipment.

Recipes are usually developed by the company, but then are adapted to the customer’s preferences.

Among the products the company has developed is one based on seaweed. The seaweed, laminaria, is imported dry from China washed to rehydrate it and then marinated. It is a very tasty salad, says Ms Antonenko, but because people are unfamiliar with eating seaweed, we have to educate them on the health benefits and the good taste before they will buy it. However, once they try it they usually like it. Marinated laminaria is not the only atypical product that the company makes. Another is squid meat balls. The squid is ground up and mixed with other ingredients giving a farcemeat that is then manually formed into spheres and then either fried or steamed.

The balls are then combined with a sauce to give the final product.

The squid meat balls are among the most popular of the company’s palate of products.

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All processing is done by hand Baltic herring, a smaller version of the Atlantic herring is also among the raw materials the company uses. Latvia catches significant quantities of Baltic herring mainly in the Gulf of Riga, but also in the Baltic Sea. At Baltijas Zivis both fresh and frozen Baltic herring is used in the production. The fresh fish is from a fishing company located in the vicinity whose vessels fish in the Gulf of Riga. In summer when fresh fish of the right quality is available the company buys whole Baltic herring as the quality is better than the frozen variety. The fish is processed differently from the Atlantic herring. In the case of Baltic herring the fish is made into butterfly fillets which are then rolled up and placed in containers that are topped up with a marinade and spices. To head and gut the fish and then remove the bones and make these rolls is highly labour intensive work. However, using the fresh raw material achieves two objectives: it has a positive impact on the quality of the final product, while on the other hand Ms Antonenko says

The production is distributed to the retail sector, all the supermarkets like Rimi, Maxima, and Stockmann, as well as to smaller fishmongers throughout the country. In 2003 and 2004 goods were also being exported to the US and Canada. Having been employed in the fish processing sector all her working life, Antonina Moisejenko has seen a number of changes in the Latvian market. The market has become bigger, she says, people are adding more fish to their diet, and we feel we cannot keep up with the demand. While most of the production is sold under the company’s own label, some products are manufactured with the supermarkets’ labels. The different products have different shelf lives, but on average shelf life varies from 30 to 60 days.

The company has a new refrigerated storage facility, but the production in fact spends very little time there. We are responding to demand from our customers, explains Ms Antonenko, so when an order comes in we manufacture and ship almost immediately. For distribution within Latvia the company has its own fleet of vehicles that deliver the products around the country. In other cases the buyer may come to the factory and collect the goods itself.

EU funds contribute to company expansion The company has benefited from EU funds which it used to renovate the exterior of the factory some five years ago. Now, says Ms Antonenko, we are working on a project that will allow us to completely renovate the interior of the factory with the help of support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

The plans include an extension to the processing area and more equipment so that the production volumes can be further increased and some of the production processes automated.

SIA Baltijas zivis - 97 Ikrini, Mandegas, Skultes pag.

LV-4025 Limbazu nov.

Commercial director: Mr Roman Doncenko baltijaszivis97@apollo.lv Tel.: +371 64065175 www.bz97.lv Director: Ms Antonina Moisejenko Technologist: Ms Kristina Antonenko tehnologs.bz97@gmail.com

Raw materials: Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, Baltic herring, laminaria, squid Volumes: 1.5 tonnes of raw material processed per day Products: A range of smoked, salted, and marinated products; salads; squid meat balls Markets: Latvia (95%), Lithuania, Estonia, Ireland Customers: Retail chains, fishmongers Employees: 54

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LATVIA

Mere Shrimp Farms breeds vannamei in a recirculation plant

Successful trial leads to ambitious expansion plan Aquaculture in Latvia consists primarily of the production of common carp farmed in earthen ponds. The volume of ďŹ sh produced has remained broadly stable for the last decade at about 500 tonnes. Although carp production still dominates the total output from the aquaculture sector, its relative importance has gradually decreased over the last decade, from about nine tenths of the total production to about three fourths. The reason is the gradual increase in the production of other species including rainbow trout, sturgeon, crucian carp and pike. Production of these species has led to 26% increase in the total farmed ďŹ sh production in the decade to 2014 to 680 tonnes.

Developments in technology, and support from European funds have contributed to the increase in production. Recirculation systems that use very modest quantities of fresh water relying instead on a system of filters to clean and reuse the water several times are becoming more common. The ability to closely control all the parameters influencing the growing environment makes it easier and more predictable to manage a farm and these systems are therefore increasing in popularity. In Latvia, sturgeon, trout, and most recently, whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei), a warmwater shrimp, are among the species being cultivated in recirculation systems.

farmer operates a biogas system using the biomass produced on the farm to generate electricity.

The excess heat generated by the plant is used to warm the water to the temperature that is needed to grow the shrimp. A cheap source of heat was a compelling argument to move the cultivation to the dairy farm despite the cost and effort of dismantling and rebuilding the system and Mr Dzelme immediately began to consider expanding the operation. The plan is to develop the facility in three stages each of which will

result in a production of about 35 tonnes of shrimp. Much of the preliminary work has been completed and now the drawings are being prepared so that building for the first stage will commence around the middle of 2016.

In contrast, the pilot plant that is currently running has a production of 2 to 2.5 tonnes. This is very small, says Mr Dzelme, and it means that although we are selling the shrimp, we cannot start approaching the retail chains or food service sector as we do not

yet have the volumes they need us to supply. We have been surprised by the demand for the product, which despite its high price is very popular. The company has therefore temporarily stopped all marketing activity as it has led to expectations from customers that Mere Shrimp cannot yet meet.

The expansion plans include the building of a hatchery as the production of large volumes of shrimp is more economical when the post larvae are produced inhouse. Currently, with a much lower level of production, the

Excess heat from biogas unit is a cheap source of energy The cultivation of warmwater shrimp was started by Gints Dzelme in 2013 in Riga. The facility was a pilot unit, which operated for about six months during which time the system was tested.

Following this the company relocated to Dobele an hour outside Riga, where a dairy farmer offered them space. In addition to the production of milk, the www.eurofishmagazine.com

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Annual production is currently limited to some 2.5 tonnes, but plans to expand this to 35 tonnes are almost finalised.

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Gints Dzelme, Director, Mere Shrimp Farms

company is importing the post larvae from the United States.

Once the new facility is built and production moved there the existing facility will be repurposed into a hatchery.

Expertise in waste water treatment is used to grow shrimp

The shrimp take five to six months to reach a size of around 25 g.

While this is an acceptable weight for the market, larger sizes command higher prices. However, the costs of growing the crustaceans to a larger size needs to be weighed against the benefits. As with most aquaculture, feed is the Marcis Baltskars

Mr Dzelme has a background in the area of waste water treatment.

For more than 15 years he has been supplying aquaculture farmers and others solutions for the treatment of waste water. We are very familiar with how to design and build these systems, he says, but it took a little longer to understand about shrimp production. While

finding information about these processes is relatively easy, it is far more complex to actually build these systems, learn how to control them, and decide how automated they should be. Growing shrimp is not just a question of placing the organisms into a tank. A successful commercial enterprise will have to do far more than this, otherwise it would just be a hobby.

Freshly harvested shrimp are best consumed raw

can sometimes have problems with the levels of oxygen dissolved in the water, an issue that is solved by using deeper tanks. The water used to farm the shrimp is freshwater to which salt is added to give a concentration of 20 ppt.

The recirculation system maintains a very stable environment for the shrimp; oxygen, pH, temperature, and salinity are all controlled, and other pollutants are taken care of by the filters so there are no problems with disease.

Both the shrimp and the feed are tested at regular intervals at independent laboratories to ensure that no unwanted substances are present. In fact, says Mr Dzelme, we are so confident of the quality that we recommend that they be consumed raw. The shrimp is distributed very fresh and can even be delivered to the restaurants live, which is quite unique. Selling live tropical shrimp to restaurants in northern Europe is something not many can emulate.

The bioflock agglomerations are on the surface of the water. With vannamei shrimp this however is not a problem as they swim throughout the tank at the surface as well as the bottom. The tanks the shrimp are currently being raised in have a depth of 1.7 m and a volume of slightly over 40 cubic m. Three hundred to 350 kg of shrimp can be raised in tanks of this size. The depth of these tanks is greater than that of some of those used when the facility was located in Riga as shallow tanks

The shrimp farm the company has established has given it the experience necessary to participate in shrimp projects in other parts of Europe. Currently, the company has an interest in ventures in Germany, in Italy, England, Russia, and Ukraine, where it’s knowledge and experience about the technology behind farming shrimp is proving very valuable.

In addition to farming shrimp itself Mere Shrimp Farms is also a consultant to the European shrimp cultivating industry.

single biggest cost in the production. At Mere Shrimp the feed is specially formulated to reduce the protein content. Mr Dzelme explains that is because the company is using bioflocks which provide a protein-rich source of feed.

Bioflocks are agglomerations of microorganisms and waste matter that function both as a source of feed and as water treatment plants. The bacteria, algae and micro-fungi that constitute the flocks feed on the nitrogen, phosphorus and other elements that result from the breakdown of the waste feed and the excretions of the shrimp, thereby cleaning the water in the production tanks. The shrimp in turn feed on the bioflocks and thereby reduce their dependency on the protein content of the regular feed. We only need a protein content of 25 in the feed, says Mr Dzelme.

Mere Shrimp Farms Lutrinu Street 1 LV 1002 Riga Latvia The shrimp is distributed very fresh and can even be delivered to the restaurants live, which is quite unique. Selling live tropical shrimp to restaurants in northern Europe is something not many can emulate.

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Tel.: +371 29425870 gints@mereshrimpfarms.com

Director: Gints Dzelme Product: Farmed vannamei shrimp Production: Currently 3 tonnes; planned 35 tonnes Market: Latvia Customers: Restaurants

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03/06/16 5:31 pm

LATVIA

Any further decline in quotas will hurt Varita

EU support programmes have been very useful In the Baltic Sea the main catch in terms of volumes is of sprat followed by herring, cod, and flounder. In the Gulf of Riga on the other hand, Baltic herring is the primary catch followed by European smelt, while the coastal fishery targets mostly herring and flounder.

The sprat and herring fishery together from all fishing zones amounts to some 50,000 tonnes.

This fishery provides the raw material for the Latvian fish processing sector including for the canning industry. In addition the fish is block frozen and is exported to countries in Eastern Europe. This trade has been hit lately by the embargo on exports to Russia and other countries of the customs union with the result that fishers and processors are working hard to find new markets for their pelagic fish.

trawlers targeting herring and sprats in the Gulf of Riga. Varita catches some 3,200 tonnes of fish a year in total, which is the size of its annual quota. Each year, however, the quota has been decreasing.

Figures from the Latvian Ministry of Agriculture show that the quota for sprat in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga has almost halved over the last decade from 58,000 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes in 2015, while the quota for herring has been more stable moving from just under 25,000 tonnes to just over that figure over the same period.

Quotas have been sliding for a decade

Mr Lapins says the fall in quotas is based on the evaluations by the scientists studying the resource, evaluations that he finds difficult to agree with. But companies can do little to prevent

In Saulkrasti, 50 km north of Riga along the coast, Agris Lapins owns a fishing company with four

The company has four vessels fishing for sprat and herring in the Gulf of Riga. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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the decline in quotas, he says, but the situation is not good for us. The only way to compensate for smaller quantities of fish is to create a product with more added value, to make more with less. When the weather starts to warm up the vessels will load up with ice from an ice generator in the factory so that the fish can be stored in ice as soon as it arrives on board. The four vessels in the Gulf of Riga can be tracked in real time. A vessel monitoring system shows the positions of all the vessels in the area, the ports they come from, whether they are fishing vessels or not, and other data besides. With a glance at the screen Mr Lapins can tell what his vessels are doing out on the water, whether they are fishing or returning to port. The

vessels fish throughout the year with the exception of a month in summer from 10 May to 10 June when the fish are spawning. If in summer it gets very hot (beyond 20 degrees centigrade) then too fishing is interrupted because the quality of the fish tends be lower.

From October to the end of April is the period when the quality of the fish is at its peak. When the temperature of the water is 6 degrees the quality of the fish is good. In summer the fish tends also to have more fat, though this does not impact the quality in any way, says Lelde Lielmane, the sales manager. The decrease in the quota allocated has meant that the company really works for only seven or eight months in the year. The four months in summer (May to August) are used for

The processing factory is just a few meters away from where the fish is landed.

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LATVIA

Lelde Lielmane, Sales Manager, and Agris Lapins, Chairman, of Varita

maintenance work on the vessels, the nets, and in the factory.

Before the first half of December there is usually no quota left, so there is no more fishing activity for a further three to four weeks.

If quotas go any lower it will be difficult for us to continue, says Mr Lapins.

Fish is processed immediately into blocks Typically the vessels will leave the harbour early in the morning and return in the afternoon. As a vessel returns to port a forklift truck gets ready to receive the fish. Three of the vessels are the same size, while the fourth is a little smaller.

A crane on board reaches down into the hold and starts unloading the tubs. As they are landed the forklift whisks them away two at a time. In the processing facility the tubs are emptied into a grading machine that sorts them by size.

Sprat and herring often school together so the catches when they come on board tend to be a mix of the two species. While there is some overlap in sizes – small herring can be the same size as large sprat – the two types of fish can largely be separated in the machine. The sorted fish is then filled into plastic bags, which are frozen at minus 40 degrees, a process that takes about 8 hours. The final product, a 10 kg block of fish, 46

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is then placed in storage at minus 18 degrees.

The blocks are sold to customers in Ukraine, Denmark, Lithuania, Estonia, as well as in Latvia.

Most of the catch is treated in this way, but part of it is also sold fresh, to processors in Latvia or to companies in Estonia that freeze the fish themselves. In Ukraine companies use the fish as raw material for smoking, for making conserves, or for other products used for human consumption. In contrast, Danish buyers look for smaller sizes of fish that is then used in the fishmeal manufacturing industry.

Varita has been heavily affected by the Russian embargo on imports from the EU. We used to sell 50 of our production on the Russian market, says Ms Lielmane, but since 2014 when the market closed we have been looking for other opportunities.

The Latvian canning industry provided one such opportunity.

Smoked Riga sprats in oil are a well-known product made by several Latvian companies for markets in Eastern Europe, and Varita started supplying its products to this industry. However, Russia, the single biggest market for these canned products blocked imports in the middle of 2015, which was another setback for Varita.

An employee washes the last few fish from the tub into the grading machine.

EU support helps the company and the local community We are satisfied with our current markets, explains Mr Lapins. The price we get for our fish is a bit lower, but we know we will get it.

In Russia the price was higher, but so was the uncertainty. Varita is a member of a producer organisation together with 12 others. Among the benefits of membership is that the PO supplies fish tubs to all its members which are used to transport and store the fish on board and in the factory. The PO also supported the company to apply for the European funding that contributed to building the processing factory and installing the machinery.

Ms Lielmane also explains how the PO helps its members by buying fish from them if prices fall below

a certain level. And if the company stores the fish because prices are too low, the PO will pay the company for the storage. Both she and Mr Lapins agree that it is very useful organisation. Without the PO and without the support from European funds Varita would not have been able to build and equip the factory, she emphasises, nine tenths of the costs were covered.

In addition, the company also got support for a couple of trucks that are used to deliver the fish to customers.

On the other hand the factory helps to preserve the local community. And in a small way it has also reduced the migration of people to other areas in search of livelihoods.

Four people who had left for the UK have now come back to work in the factory, says Ms Lielmane.

Varita Skultes iela 3 Saulkrasti LV 2160 Saulkrastu nov.

Latvia Tel.: +371 67954808 Fax: +371 67954809 varita@apollo.lv Chairman of the Board: Agris Lapins Sales Manager: Lelde Lielmane

Activity: Fishing, processing Vessels: 4 Quota: 3,200 tonnes in the Gulf of Riga Species: Baltic herring and Baltic sprat Products: Frozen 10 kg blocks; fresh fish Markets: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Ukraine Employees: 51

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GERMANY

Understandable, comprehensive, objective

German websites with detailed information on fish stocks and aquaculture Although fish and seafood products have a positive image in Germany and are generally perceived as contributing towards a healthy diet per capita consumption has for years remained about a quarter behind the global average. One reason for this is the concern that many consumers have with regard to overfishing of the seas or unsustainable aquaculture methods. Internet portals are now to enlighten the public by providing objective information which could dispel such prejudices.

Production standards and technical progress in aquaculture are advancing so rapidly that a lot of consumers can no longer follow developments.

A

ccording to Germany’s Society for Consumer Research (Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung) German consumers spent about 3.5 billion euros on fishery products in 2014. Not a bad result at all but,

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given an average population of 80 million, sales could in fact be expected to exceed that sum.

Per capita consumption of fish and seafood in Germany has for years remained persistently at a level of between 14 and

15 kilograms which is an unsatisfactory result for a highly developed and prosperous industrial nation. The reasons for the relatively low demand for seafood are numerous and varied. On the one hand most consumers are aware

that fish is one of the most valuable foods we have and thus an important part of a healthy diet.

On the other hand the tradition of eating fish is not very deeply rooted in much of the country – it is mainly served on special Eurofish Magazine 3/ 2016

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Despite the growing flood of MSC products there remain doubts about the sustainability of fisheries and many media stoke the fear of “empty seas”.

occasions and at holidays such as Easter, Christmas or New Year.

And that is also why the general level of knowledge about certain fish species and products, as well as their origin and preparation, is rather limited.

Germany’s fish industry is dependent on imports Germany’s fish processing industry has adjusted to this situation and offers a range of mainly frozen ready meals that are also exported. Exports account for nearly one quarter of sales. More than 85 of German fish demand is satisfied by imports. The country’s own fishing capacity has shrunk steadily over the years and in 2014 there were only 7 German fishing and processing vessels in operation in the deep sea. The fleet of cutter and coastal fishing vessels comprises 1,485 vessels, and 1,139 of them measure under 12 metres. With that, German fishing vessels account for only 48

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three per cent of the EU fishing fleet. The overwhelming dominance of imported fish products is also reflected in the preferred presentation forms in the retail sector. Frozen products continue to be well to the top of consumer favourites and in 2014 they accounted for nearly one third (30) of sales. They were followed by canned products and marinades (26), crustaceans and molluscs (14) and smoked products (12). Although fresh fish has only a relatively low market share of 9 this sector is very dynamic.

Discounters, in particular, have contributed to this development since they took fresh fish products (kitchen-ready whole fishes, fillets and portions) packed in modified atmosphere (MAP) into their range. Salmon fillet is particularly popular, with sales volume rising almost tenfold between 2012 and 2015, but also cod, pollock, plaice, trout and dorade. And indeed, discounters play a central role in fish sales today, for 49 of total

fish product sales in Germany are sold via this sales channel.

Supermarkets account for nearly 37 and fishmongers for only 6.

Alaska pollock ranks first among the five most popular fish species with a market share of 22.9 in 2014, ahead of salmon (18.7), herring (14.5), tuna species (12.5) and trout (5.5).

One of the major problems facing the German fish industry when it comes to marketing their products is the deep mistrust that many consumers have towards fishing and aquaculture. In spite of the growing flood of MSC products on the market (in Germany alone over 4,200 products with the MSC label are available at the retailer’s) a lot of people are not convinced that the fishing sector is operated sustainably. And they think that aquaculture destroys the environment, pays little attention to animal welfare, and uses drugs and chemicals to combat diseases. Negative examples of

salmon that have been treated with antibiotics, mangroves that have been destroyed by shrimp farms, or pangasius that have been farmed in heavily polluted ponds persist in the minds of consumers who are generally willing to believe unsubstantiated rumours and suspicions.

The repeated allegations of some environmental NGOs and a large number of negative reports in magazines and on TV make no small contribution to these concerns. Of the 115 fish and crustacean species that are listed in the new Greenpeace shoppers guide only carp fully complied with the dubious criteria. Such recommendations are supposed to help consumers to choose and eat only fish species that are farmed in an acceptable manner or are not threatened by overfishing.

Fish Information Centre supports the fish industry Already in 1997 companies and organisations from the German fish industry, among them the deep sea fishery and the fish processing industry, the fish wholesale and retail trades, and fish caterers founded the Fish Information Centre (Fisch-Informationszentrum FIZ) with the aim of informing, enlightening and advising the public objectively about producers and products. Over the course of the years FIZ has become the place to go to get information and find answers to any questions concerning fish. The centre is supported by a large number of experts from the fish industry and cooperates with specialists from research and science. Through specific consumer information, regular reports and interviews for the daily, industry and consumer press as well as the preparation and dissemination of current market research data FIZ aims to further upgrade the perception www.eurofishmagazine.com

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GERMANY

and thus more knowledgeable debate on fisheries.

Understandable presentation of detailed knowledge on aquaculture

The range of products at fish counters is wide. Many consumers do not know whether they can really trust products from fisheries and aquaculture.

of fish, crustaceans and mollusc products and highlight their significance for a modern, healthy diet (www.fischinfo.de).

Objective basic data on the state of fish stocks

At the end of 2008 on the initiative of the “Roundtable Sustainable Fisheries” of the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) the idea arose to set up an internet data file on the basis of scientific information on the stock situation of commercially fished marine stocks. Up to this point in time there had been no easily understandable (in German language), scientifically correct and publicly accessible data collection on the state and sustainable usage of fish stocks that are relevant for the German market. Already in 2009 the prototype of the new internet platform “Fischbestände www.eurofishmagazine.com

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online” was presented at ANUGA in Cologne. It makes use of the expertise of the Thünen Institute (Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries) and the technical administration is in the hands of the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) (www.fischbestaende.portal-fischerei.de).

“Fischbestände online” provides comprehensive current information on the state of fish stocks that are of significance for the German market. In addition to a brief introduction to the different species the information is broken down into individual fish stocks whose development can vary widely in the different reproduction units. At the moment the database includes 130 fish stocks of 30 worldwide fish species and it is constantly being expanded. It offers important information that can be relevant for the appraisal of

a sustainable fishery. As common in scientific practice the source of the information is always given.

This offer is geared to the interested public, but also and in particular to companies from trade and the processing sector to make it easier for them to pay increased attention to sustainability in their fish buying policy on the basis of scientifically accurate information. Of course, environmental associations, school children, students and press representatives can also use the website as a source of information. The data, facts and information are as a rule updated annually on the basis of reports published by international scientific organisations. “Fischbestände online” provides information but refrains from making any judgement – this is then left to the user. This internet offer makes a valuable contribution to sustainable usage of marine resources and enables greater objectivity

The third pillar in the comprehensive information concept was recently introduced: the web platform “Aquakulturinfo” (www. aquakulturinfo.de). This website also addresses the general public, consumers and businesses in the aquaculture sector, fisheries and trade. “Aquakulturinfo” provides comprehensive information on all the various aspects of aquaculture, for example aquaculture technology, the farmed species, the different feeds that are used, reproduction, genetics, and animal welfare. And with that it presents for the first time a databased encyclopaedia for this important sector of food production. The website “Aquakulturinfo” is supervised by employees of the Leibniz Institute for Water Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) who organize and update the information on the basis of scientifically recognized standards. This gives interested users direct access to wellfounded information from many areas of aquaculture which can be further deepened as required thanks to the fact that all the information includes references for further reading.

With the Fisch-Informationszentrum (FIZ) and the web portals Fischbestände-online and Aquakulturinfo the German public now has current, comprehensive and understandable sources of information available with which representatives from science and industry can finally confront the countless speculations, unproven assertions and rumours that abound in this important sector.

MK Eurofish Magazine 3/ 2016

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[ AQUACULTURE ] Genetically modified salmon: Hope or threat?

Start of transgenic salmon production getting nearer In November 2015 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave its approval for genetically modified salmon to enter the human food chain. The concerns of environmental, animal welfare, and consumer protection organisations were rejected. Transgenic salmon would not even have to be specially marked. Only two months later the authorization was suspended because details on product labelling had to be addressed again after all. However, the market launch is only postponed, not cancelled.

T

he FDA’s decision on approval of AquAdvantage genetically modified (GM) salmon came as a surprise even to Ron Stotish, the founder and CEO of AquaBounty, the company behind the new product. There had previously been no signs that the application for approval (which was submitted in 1995) would now suddenly come to a conclusion.

The agonizingly long approval process had time and again demanded new requirements, inspections and documentation, and when it seemingly come to an end after nearly 20 years a load probably fell from Stotish’ shoulders. It is almost a miracle that the small technology company AquaBounty from Maynard (Massachusetts) managed to survive this long stretch at all.

One would have to be absolutely convinced of the idea and the product to withstand the crossfire of international public criticism that showered down on Stotish and his company. According to Stotish the development of the genetically modified salmon and the disputes over its approval cost the company nearly 85 million US dollars. Perhaps that is one reason why Intrexon Corp. (Blacksburg, Virginia) took over 48 of AquaBounty in 2010 and in the meantime even holds 62 of the shares.

But it seems that this investment could finally be paying off: only one day after the FDA decision 50

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AquaBounty’s share price rose on the London Stock Exchange by 122 to GBP 27.75 (EUR 39.70).

So what kind of salmon is this that can raise such tremendous hopes among some people while others who have been trying to stop the fish’s production for years cannot cease from uttering incessant warnings. Really, the idea of transgenic salmon is irresistibly easy. Traditional animal breeding, as pursued by all pigeon or rabbit breeders, is also geared to clearly defined breeding goals. In the case of farm animals this usually concerns features such as better feed conversion, resistance to disease, and faster growth. With conventional farming methods it normally takes numerous generations to achieve the aspired objectives. And even then, it is not always possible to fulfil all the breeder’s dreams.

Traditional breeding methods will always fail, for example, if certain prerequisites – the necessary genes for a desired feature in the genetic material of the particular species – are missing. But that is where modern genetic engineering can help.

With this method it is possible to cut the required gene sequences from the genetic material of one species and transfer them to another target species, in this case, a salmon. This saves time, is relatively accurate, and often even bestows onto genetically modified

The US state of Alaska sees the image and markets for its wild salmon under threat and has thus positioned itself clearly against genetically modified AquAdvantage salmon.

The growth parameters of “normal” salmon from aquaculture have already been significantly improved – without genetic engineering – through well-planned selective farming.

products additional features which they would never have developed naturally in the course of evolution.

And that is exactly what AquaBounty did. In 1989 researchers

in the company’s laboratory in Fortune (Prince Edward Island, Canada) put together a molecular structure consisting of the growth hormone gene of Pacific chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and a promoter, also called a www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ AQUACULTURE ]

Conventional salmon farming is mainly carried out in net cages in the sea. Genetically modified salmon would, however, be farmed in land-based systems to avoid escapes.

primer, from the American ocean pout (Zoarces americanus). In technical jargon geneticists refer to this gene construct for short as “opAFP-GHc2”. The genes that produce the growth hormone are very similar in both chinook and Atlantic salmon.

A comparison of their basic building blocks, the nucleotide sequences, showed 90 conformity. And the produced hormones are also almost identical: 95 conformity in the case of the protein sequences and 98 of the amino acids. This explains why the growth hormone of chinook was just as effective in Atlantic salmon when the researchers injected their opAFP-GHc2 construct into the eggs of Salmo salar. Without any complications the construct was integrated into the genetic material of Atlantic salmon which consists of nearly 40,000 genes. The “foreign gene” was immediately active and remained stable over several generations as could be demonstrated in backcross experiments. AquaBounty had created a new salmon line with unusual growth characteristics and they protected it under the brand name AquAdvantage salmon. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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“Time is money” holds true in salmon farming, too What makes the AquAdvantage salmon special is its growth rate, which is two to four times higher than that of the conventional farmed salmon Salmo salar which are indeed already trimmed to growth through targeted breeding.

But note: AquAdvantage salmon are not larger than normal salmon, but they grow much faster and therefore reach their marketing weight of 4 to 5 kg already 16 to 18 months after hatching instead of the usual three years. The explanation for the speed lies in the combination of the growth hormone gene with the primer, which starts or stops the reading of the gene.

Normally, the primer switches off the gene in the autumn when the days get shorter and the temperature drops. The fishes then take a break in growth until spring, when the growth hormone gene is activated as the temperature rises. In the case of AquAdvantage salmon the researchers insert a primer which renders the gene “activated” throughout the year, especially in cold weather. The American eelpout or ocean pout lives in the icy waters of the Subarctic. From

their genetic material the AquaBounty researchers isolated a primer which actually controls a gene that produces special proteins to protect the blood and body fluids of the fish from the cold.

For understandable reasons it is mainly during the winter that the so-called “antifreeze proteins” are needed, which is why the primer activates the gene particularly at this time. The clever researchers incorporated the “winter active” primer into “opAFP GHc2” with the result that the AquAdvantage salmon grow in cold water, too.

AquaBounty celebrates the development of their fast-growing salmon as a revolutionary breakthrough in aquaculture. Halving farming time naturally reduces the use of resources, means less feed, work, water pollution and lower costs.

Because the GM salmon would be farmed in land-based recirculating systems, production could be carried out close to the markets, too.

This shortens transport paths and reduces the carbon footprint of farming. Apart from that, diseases and parasites that are often a plague to salmon farms in the open sea are easier to control in the indoor facilities which would render the use of drugs unnecessary.

Opponents of the use of genetic engineering in food production, however, fear the incalculable risks of such methods for humans, animals and the environment.

Nobody could at present seriously estimate what long-term consequences eating genetically modified foods might have for consumers. Allergies, diseases and other health hazards could not be ruled out for certain. If GM salmon escape from a farming facility and by mating with wild salmon spread their growth genes among these populations this could even lead to the extinction of that species. In this context reference is usually made to the theory of “Trojan genes” and their catastrophic consequences.

The theory is based on an insight gained in experiments that large males are much more attractive to females than their smaller rivals. Thus, they can spread their growth genes more rapidly, which can weaken and eventually extinguish fish populations.

In contrast to Darwinian Theory it is then not the fittest, but the least fit individual that mates most frequently. Computer models show that in a group of 60,000 wild fishes already 60 transgenic fish suffice to bring the population to extinction in only 40 generations.

GM salmon allegedly no different from normal salmon Studies of GM salmon had so far revealed no evidence of a significantly increased allergen potential compared to normal salmon, says the FDA. Biologically, however, there are several differences between AquAdvantage salmon and their wild counterparts. GM salmon eat proportionately more, for example, which is probably connected to their rapid growth.

In an overall comparison over Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2016

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[ AQUACULTURE ] tunate choice, for Frankenstein’s creature was initially rather more naive than evil. It did not become a monster until its well-meant attempts to make contact with human beings were rejected with outright hostility.

Although the growth of global salmon production is currently stagnant the question arises whether there is really a need for genetically modified salmon which the majority of consumers rejects.

their entire lifespan they need less food than normal salmon but their individual appetite is greater.

In contrast to a salmon’s normal behaviour they are also often found individually at the water surface. GM salmon are allegedly not such good swimmers as wild salmon. Their muscle fibres are thinner than usual and the fishes therefore need more energy to achieve a similar performance.

Some immune functions of the GM salmon are also said to be reduced. And whether transgenic salmon would be viable at all in the wild is uncertain. Due to their rapid growth they would smoltify earlier, however, migrate to the sea and then also return a lot sooner to spawn in the rivers. The spawners’ performance is also a controversial topic. Allegedly the males develop weak hooked chins and are of a pale colour. Their nest building is said to be unsatisfactory. Semen analyses show that the GM salmon produce relatively few sperm and these are also atypically slow and sluggish.

AquaBounty believe they have eradicated the possible risks caused by escapes. AquAdvantage salmon are all female and they are triploidised, i.e. rendered unfertile, at the start of 52

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their development. The success rate of this sterilisation is 98.9, and batches with a share of over 5 diploid fishes are destroyed.

Apart from that, GM salmon are to be farmed in land-based facilities. There were thus already several physical barriers that make the fishes’ escape practically impossible – with the exception of malicious activities. FDA has already announced that the farms will be monitored regularly and particularly thoroughly.

But opponents of genetic engineering have ethical concerns, too, and think that with the genetic modification of animals human beings are crossing a moral border, playing God, intervening in evolution, and creating new creatures based purely on utilitarian criteria and thus completely alien to nature. Already now up to 80 of all processed foods in the USA contain genetically engineered components but these were mainly cereals, maize, soy or potatoes. Approving the production of GM salmon was thus a precedent that could open up Pandora’s Box. To help “waken up” the public, opponents of genetic engineering like to use terms such as turbo or rocket salmon, monster salmon and “Frankensalmon”. An unfor-

Throughout the world, laboratories and genetic engineers seem to be waiting for a start signal like the approval of GM salmon. In China researchers have created a GM goat with more muscle and longer hair, and Intrexon, to whose company network AquaBounty belongs, has a whole arsenal of surprises waiting which ranges from cloned bulls to genetically modified anti-dengue fever mosquitoes.

From a purely technical point of view the possibilities in this area have exploded since the development of the sensational CRISPR technology with which DNA can be accurately cut and modified (genome editing). That is why the people at Intrexon no longer speak of genetic engineering but of synthetic biology. Up to now, however, the problem has been the political environment and the lack of an official production licence which would enable these skills to be put to practical use.

Approval of GM salmon breaks a taboo worldwide It was in the tense atmosphere of all these factual and emotional arguments that the FDA had to come to a decision on AquaBounty’s application. The FDA was, of course, aware of the magnanimity of the decision: it would be of far-reaching, indeed global significance, would kick up a dust in the economic and political landscape and possibly open the gate to a new era.

The desire to do everything right

and allow no mistakes does not, however, explain why this process took an agonizingly long 20 years and why it is still not at its end. The FDA explains the long processing time with the new kind of concerns which the application entailed and for which there were so far no routine procedures. After all, it was the first of its kind. Not until the new version of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act had there been a legal basis for the approval process. On this basis the FDA examines the genetically engineered changes in the animals concerned according to the same rules as an animal drug, something which critics immediately condemned. They accuse the authorities of squeezing a new, cutting-edge technology into an old, outdated legal framework. The White House is now examining whether the current legal framework still “fits” genetically modified products or has to be revised.

In 2010 an advisory committee of the FDA announced that it was highly unlikely that genetically modified salmon would have adverse effects on human beings and the environment and that it was just as safe as conventional salmon. Critics accuse the authorities of basing this appraisal mainly on data and information provided by AquaBounty themselves. Apart from that, the bar had been set much too low. AquaBounty disagreed, saying that AquAdvantage salmon was probably the best studied fish in history and that the technology was safe and sustainable. Objections were again filed, examined, and deadlines extended. In 2013 the environmental agency in Canada allowed the commercial production of genetically modified salmon eggs at the AquaBounty www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ AQUACULTURE ] Hatchery on Prince Edward Island. On 19 November 2015 the FDA approved the production of AquAdvantage salmon and released it for sale and consumption for US consumers. This led to protests, not only in the USA but – as was to be expected – worldwide.

Virtually all the big salmon producers renewed their promises not to produce genetically modified salmon. More than 200 wholesalers, restaurants and seafood chains in the USA want to do without GM salmon, nearly half a million US citizens demand in a petition to the state authorities that production be prohibited.

They are supported by 300 environmental, consumer and health organisations that also oppose GM salmon. Several US supermarket chains said they would not sell genetically modified salmon, among them Whole Foods Market, Target, Trader Joes, Aldi and Costco. And the first US states have opposed AquAdvantage

salmon, especially Alaska that is worried about the impact on the image of its wild salmon and on the markets they serve.

A lot of people find it particularly outrageous that GM salmon does not have to be marked in any particular way. After all, in the USA, too, there are strict rules for the declaration of ingredients in foods. Consumers can then recognize whether a food is an organic product, a free-range chicken or hormonefree beef, and how much fat and calories it contains. But a clear indication that a product is a genetically modified product is not required. The FDA gives the reason for this idiosyncratic practice with the finding that there are no appreciable differences between the biology and the nutritional profile of genetically modified and normal salmon. Under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act the FDA can only demand additional labelling on foods if there

are considerable differences between the products. AquaBounty welcomes the decision: both products were identical, consumers would not notice any differences. A GMO label could irritate customers because it suggests that AquAdvantage and normal salmon have different qualities. Consumer protection organisations claim that the customer has a right to know exactly what he is buying and what he is eating.

In Europe, the approval of genetically modified salmon by FDA strengthens resistance against the EU-USA trade agreement TTIP. Opponents of the agreement fear that Intrexon will submit an application for the salmon’s admission to the EU market. Since the fish does not have to be marked genetically modified in the USA the producer could complain at the ominous arbitration courts if the EU were to insist on its labelling obligation. Already today the

meat from offspring of cloned animals can be marketed in the EU without special labelling.

Evidently the storm of protests and concerns has had effect: At the beginning of February 2016 the FDA imposed a provisional import and trade ban on genetically modified salmon until the authority has formulated and adopted exact guidelines for the correct labelling of salmon.

Experts believe that this could again take several years. AquaBounty took note of the decision, saying they could not have delivered the salmon at this point in time as the transgenic salmon farm in Panama first had to start up their production. The first GM salmon would be ready to enter the market at the earliest in two years’ time. So the issue is only postponed and not cancelled. Both sides, the supporters and opponents of genetic modification, have just gained a bit more time to gather additional arguments and reposition their troops.

MK

Albania’s national fisheries strategy

Sector shows potential for growth Albania’s rich water resources promise an abundant future for the country’s aquaculture sector, both freshwater and marine, but many problems and limitations must be overcome before that promise is realised, according to the aquaculture section of the national fisheries strategy.

G

iven the slow and ultimately finite growth of marine and coastal capture fisheries, it is likely that future growth in seafood production will come mostly from aquaculture.

However, aquaculture productivity in Albania has remained static for the past eight years at approximately 2,500 tonnes annually.

Aquaculture has not continued to grow, mainly because of the low levels of technology and husbandry used, the current dependence on www.eurofishmagazine.com

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expensive imported products such as juveniles and feed, and Albania’s proximity to the much larger and more efficient aquaculture industries of Greece, Croatia, and Italy.

Opportunity for different kinds of fish and shellfish farming In its marine and estuarine waters, Albania benefits from a wide range of environmental conditions that make it suitable for different forms

of aquaculture. Its coastline of 418 km is divided between the shallow Adriatic Sea in the north and the deep Ionian Sea in the south. The coast also features 10,000 ha of lagoons that are used to cultivate fish and shellfish, as well as rivers, lakes, artificial lakes, and reservoirs. Salinity, temperature, wave height, and current-flow conditions make Albanian waters suitable for the marine farming of high-value species such seabass, seabream, and potentially, meagre.

Inland waters also offer conditions conducive to aquaculture, which are concentrated in the lakes Ohrid, Shkodra, and Prespa. And the abundance of groundwater also offers opportunities to farm different species of freshwater fish.

Production dominated by mussels and seabass In 2013, aquaculture production in Albania provided approximately 1,700 tonnes of finfish and Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2016

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[ AQUACULTURE ]

Mussels being harvested from waters in the Shengjin bay. Producers look forward to being able to export to the EU.

750 tonnes of mussels. Excluding longline production of mussels, the main production systems are sea cages for seabass (982 tonnes) and seabream (336 tonnes) with six operators working in the town of Sarandë in Vlorë County in southern Albania, where they take produce in the Ionian Sea. The production of trout in raceways is the second largest form of finfish aquaculture. Twelve operators produced 379 tonnes, mainly located in the cooler highlands of southern and eastern Albania. Eighteen tonnes of carp were produced in earth ponds in the lowland areas, where water temperatures are sufficiently high to maintain pond productivity and fish growth.

Competitive environment for marine aquaculture Marine aquaculture is the fastest growing subsector of Albanian aquaculture, but is still very small and unsophisticated compared with seabass and seabream production in Greece, Italy, and Turkey. Currently, no marine hatcheries operate on a commercial basis in Albania, and so 54

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all fingerlings are imported, as is feed. As a result, Albanian farms are simple on-growing units that cultivate the fingerlings from <5 g up to 300–500 g over 16 to 18 months. Generally, most sales are to local restaurants and outlets, but some of the large processors such as Koral Fish now buy from local farms.

The largest sea-cage farm produces approximately 450 tonnes a year. The smallest produces only 12 tonnes annually. Although marine-cage culture has grown quickly since 2000, there are signs that this growth is not without problems. Low ex-farm prices (the result of strong production from the rest of the Mediterranean) and the high cost of imported fingerlings and feed mean that producers will continue to struggle with narrow margins.

capacity, with two farms delivering more than 75 tonnes annually, and the remaining 12 producing less than 35 tonnes. There is also an unquantified number of small, subsistence farms producing less than 5 tonnes annually for subsistence farms and local sales.

Most farms are small, single-site operations with 2–3 full-time staff and 1–2 part-time staff. Approximately a third of trout farms have their own hatcheries, but all feed is imported. Inland carp production reached only 18 tonnes in 2013, much reduced from previous years. The decline in extensive agriculture systems, and the encroachment of urban development into agricultural lands, means that many water bodies no longer exist, and the demand for carp restocking has fallen dramatically over the past decade. Today, only four active carp hatcheries exist, with a total pond capacity of approximately 28 ha.

Another area of Albanian aquaculture has been the restocking of Ohrid Lake with trout. The main programme is the rearing of the koran in circular tanks for restocking to support this important commercial fishery. The governmentowned hatchery, Stacioni i Linit,

in Pogradec is fed by a spring with a constant temperature of 10 °C. The hatchery produces approximately 800,000 fingerlings (3–4 g) that are released into the lake each autumn.

Mussel production rises and falls A significant production of ropegrown mussels is farmed in the Butrinti lagoon and in waters off the port of Shengjin. In 2014, mussel production doubled to roughly the 2010 level of 1,500 tonnes. Mussel farming has been practised in Albania since the 1960s with volumes ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 tonnes per year. Mussels from Albania were even exported to the EU until the mid-1990s, when problems with disease resulted in an EU ban that has not yet been lifted.

The production is therefore sold locally with some exports to neighbouring countries. The inability of the mussel industry to have the ban lifted, however, is a symptom of deeper underlying problems in the industry.

The mussel farming industry is concentrated in Butrinti lagoon, where approximately 25 producers are growing mussels.

Freshwater aquaculture focuses on trout In inland aquaculture, the farming of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) takes place mainly in raceway systems using diverted river water. The farms vary in

Koran (Salmo letnica) is bred at a government hatchery to restock the Ohrid lake. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ AQUACULTURE ] modern aquaculture practices and technology. Some of these needs can be addressed through training, but knowledge must be developed through experience, suggesting that joint ventures with experienced and wellregarded foreign partners will play a key role in strengthening Albania’s domestic aquacultural capacity into the next decade.

Currently, the only higher education establishment for aquaculture is at the Agricultural University of Tirana, which also manages the Fisheries and Aquaculture Laboratory in Durrës and operates Tapiza Carp Hatchery and the Tapiza water reservoir.

How to create a competitive industry?

Freshwater aquaculture consists predominantly of trout farming, but production is limited to about 400 tonnes.

Owing to the producers’ failure to form a growers’ association, they compete among themselves, resulting in lower prices, which prohibits investment.

This creates a downward spiral of limited production, indifferent quality, and low prices that is hard to break.

The water in Butrinti lagoon is classified as B grade, which requires that all mussels undergo a period of purification (depuration) before export to the EU. A depuration centre was established some years ago, but has been used only infrequently since then. Further, exports to the EU are contingent upon a robust system of recall that will ensure that products found to be hazardous can be traced and removed from sales channels quickly and efficiently. In addition, the safety of products must be demonstrated with reliable and accurate laboratory analysis. In Albania, this infrastructure is not yet in place, making the lifting of the ban impossible. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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Sector support through aquaculture planning Currently, aquacultural regulations are included in the fishery law, but a new aquacultural act has been drafted and is currently being finalised. Although this brings Albanian aquacultural regulation up to date and includes essential elements such as the development of allocated aquaculture zones (AZAs), it may be necessary to develop aquacultural-specific environmental impact assessment (EIA) controls and regulations, especially as marine aquaculture expands.

Spatial planning is a major element missing from Albanian aquaculture planning. A comprehensive assessment of potential aquacultural areas is needed, both at sea and on land, in order to identify AZAs. Although long established in Albania, aquacultural development is still chiefly small-scale and semiintensive. However, as Albania moves closer to EU membership, foreign partners are showing

increasing interest, both technical and purely financial, in developing aquaculture in marine waters as well as the lakes, streams, and groundwater resources in upland areas for trout and other highvalue species. With this potential expansion comes a need to ensure sustainability in environmental implications, social responsibility, and integrated planning. A key to this will be allocating AZAs that will allow cumulative EIAs and environmental carrying-capacity studies, strict water quality standards that are aligned with the EU’s Water Framework Directive, and importantly, the high-level inclusion of aquaculture in coastal and rural development planning. A further element is biosecurity, in both marine and inland waters.

The need for further education and training A major barrier to development of the private aquaculture sector is the limited experience of sector participants in

The high-level objective for aquaculture is to establish a competitive and sustainable aquaculture industry that contributes to national food security and blue growth. There are four specific development objectives: – Develop the aquaculture sector through a holistic, ecosystem-based, strategic-planning approach that is reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

– Facilitate investment in aquaculture by identifying allowable aquaculture areas as part of a multisectoral marine and inland-water spatial plan.

– Develop a diverse, technically competent, and internationally competitive aquaculture industry that thrives in and contributes to European seafood production.

– Create synergies between national research programmes and collaboration within and between the industry and the scientific community.

Albania's national fisheries strategy was prepared in association with Hydra, Albania.

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] Machine solutions for sorting and grading

Higher profits through uniform products At all levels of production, from the origin of the raw materials in fishing and aquaculture, through processing and packaging, to the retailer’s, products are sorted and graded on the basis of defined characteristics. Standardised products are easier to process, homogeneous qualities and grades better to market and, on top of that, they get higher prices. The criteria for sorting and grading are extremely diverse.

W

e all know that Buridan’s ass starved in the end because it couldn’t decide between two equally large and equally distant piles of hay. This thousand year old parable that is said to have been written by the Persian philosopher Al-Ghazali effectively describes a dilemma we still often face today when we are asked to choose between two supposedly identical alternatives. In computer science we speak of a “deadlock” when the available alternatives for solving a problem virtually “jam” and block each other. All categorizing, grading, graduating and classifying, separating and sorting derives from detectable differences between products, clearly defined criteria which make this kind of allocation possible at all. The clearer the differences, the easier it is to make decisions and the more accurate the decisions will be. Fishes and seafood are natural products, which makes individual deviations from the “species-specific standard” virtually inevitable.

From the recognition and removal of damaged fishes and unwanted catches to the quality-based classification of processed products, decision-making is required every day at all levels of the value chain.

The English language makes a fine difference between “sorting” and 56

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“grading”. Although there is some overlap with similarities between the two processes the term “sorting” is primarily used for processes involving separation and differentiation of seafood products according to objectively measurable criteria such as exact species, size, weight, maturity and sex. In contrast, “grading” is used more to classify and evaluate on the basis of complex decision criteria that can be distinguished in degrees and also be subjectively influenced. A typical example of grading would be the quality assessment of a fish or product that can be influenced by many factors such as freshness, colour, appearance, or overall impression. The transitions between the different assessments are often smooth and differences are then represented using a scale to denote varying grades or quality levels.

The objective of both sorting and grading, however, is to establish a greater “uniformity” within defined product groups. Good sorting helps to avoid losses in the production process. A lot of machines operate more effectively and achieve a higher yield when processing more uniform raw materials. Standardized products are more attractive to customers and often have a higher market value. Farmed turbot in the 3-4 kg range costs 12.15 EUR / kg on average which is about 50 more than the price demanded

for small fishes weighing 1-2 kg (8.50 EUR / kg). Vannamei shrimp (HOSO) in large counts of 20-30 per kg cost 8.96 EUR / kg which is about double the price of small 91-110 counts. In the case of seabass from aquaculture the price differences between the different sizes are even more pronounced: small fishes (200-300 grams) cost about 3.80 EUR / kg, particularly large specimens over 1 kg around 10 EUR / kg.

In general it is possible to sort and classify fish and fish products either manually or by machine.

Manual sorting demands a keen eye, a quick hand, accurate product knowledge, and a lot of experience.

The wider the range of different

quality levels, the harder it will be to come to a decision. Where large amounts of products have to be classified it will hardly be possible to avoid mistakes. Although the use of sorting machines reduces the stress and workload for the staff there are not always suitable mechanical solutions for every need… especially since even the best technology does not relieve a person of the decision on the criteria according to which the machine should separate the goods. Great hopes currently rest on automated sorting systems that use methods of intelligent image recognition and powerful sensor technology.

They capture not only a variety of conventional data such as size, body shape, flesh texture or colour

Every shrimp boat in the North Sea has a sorting drum on board to sieve the shrimps out of the catch. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] small products fall through first, larger ones follow accordingly later. This allows a continuous sorting process without product jams. Current sorting systems separate the product flow into four to seven size categories, depending on the device’s construction.

Sorting technology based on image recognition still in its infancy Grading is an important step during the processing of all kinds of seafood, finfish, crustaceans, and as pictured here, bivalves.

but could also provide additional information on the freshness, water or fat content of the fillet.

Such automated systems could thus enable sorting and grading to be carried out in a single process.

Unwanted by-catch already rejected in the net During the fishing process, initial sorting sometimes already takes place in the fishing net. Sorting grids, escape windows and other selective devices are used to ensure that only the target species get into the net, and unwanted by-catches are avoided. Starting points for selective fishing are primarily the species-specific size and behavioral differences between the fishes which try to escape either upwards of downwards from the net, for example.

The electronic “Fish Selector” from the Icelandic company StarOddi can allegedly even distinguish fish according to size and species underwater in the fishing net. The Fish Selector uses automatic image recognition to identify the target species and unwanted fishes are diverted out of the trawl. Since the device can be programmed not only to certain species, but also to their www.eurofishmagazine.com

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size it will also prevent catching juveniles. Apart from that, the Fish Selector collects and stores important additional information, such as fishing depth and water temperature which are of significance for fisheries management. Despite the advantages, however, it is questionable whether the device will be used widely in practice. It has to be installed at the net opening, which would probably change the hydrodynamic properties of the net. And in addition, if the net is “lost” or destroyed the expensive Selector would also be gone.

That is why many fishermen probably prefer to sort the catch on board for the time being.

Every small shrimp boat in the North Sea for example, has a sorting drum on board to sieve the shrimps from the catch and return the by-catch to the sea.

Carsoe Seafood Processing provides sorting systems which can be installed either on board or on land as single units or integrated into complete processing lines.

The Bycatch Separator, for example, examines the body shapes and sizes of the fishes. It functions mainly on the basis of grid slits that gradually widen in the direction of product flow. Thus,

While demersal species such as cod and saithe are usually sorted by hand, mechanical solutions are often used for pelagic fish that occur in much larger quantities. The fishes slide individually down an inclined grid made up of gradually widening slits until they fall through the grid according to their size. Some sorting machines have fixed grids that vibrate strongly to move the fish to the desired position for sorting. Other systems use diverging rollers or conveyor belts with grid slits in. This simple technology has a high sorting capacity but also a relatively high error rate because it bases individual differentiation on the thickness of the fish. However, the thickness of a fish correlates only poorly with its length, which is why this method often leads to incorrect sorting. With the Smartline Grader from Marel such errors can, however, be eliminated. The system is flexible, accurate, and works fast. It can be used for sorting both whole fish and fillets and pieces by size.

In this area, too, many machine manufacturers are working on automatic systems which with the help of computerized image recognition can register fish species as well as their length and weight. There are already viable sorting systems available on the

market that can recognize more than 20 species of fish, more than 100 colour variants, and a good dozen variable characteristics in body shape. However, many systems prove too slow under working conditions and the error rate is relatively high. It is particularly juveniles that present problems as they often lack the speciesspecific characteristics upon which differentiation is based.

Flatfishes are also not easy: they look different on the eye and blind side. More powerful and more reliable systems are possible in principle but would often be so expensive that investment in them would hardly be worthwhile for the companies concerned. However, when it comes to complex assessment of subtle quality characteristics current image-based sorting systems come up against their performance limits, too. When grading and sorting stockfish, which can include more than a dozen categories of “prime” and “second grades”, automatic systems will probably not be able to replace manual work and the human eye for the time being.

Sorting by size enables optimal feeding Sorting requirements in aquaculture are particularly varied and wide. They range from the egg, through fry and fingerlings, to the adolescent and marketable fish. For some fish species, fry measuring only a few millimeters have to be separated according to size because cannibalism often occurs in this early phase of life: the larger fishes attack their smaller siblings.

Fast and slow growers must also be separated regularly because sorting by size enables optimal feeding and more uniform growth of the fishes. Requirements are particularly high Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2016

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] when sorting live fish because injuries and loss of scales must be avoided at all costs. Any intervention into the familiar living environment and situation is stressful for the animals and mostly leads to refusal to eat and poorer growth. For this reason they should remain in the water for as long as possible or at least be kept constantly wet. Mechanical intervention and direct hand contact should be reduced to the unavoidable minimum. Sorting fry is particularly challenging for they are often sensitive to external influences. If possible, one should use the natural activities of the fishes themselves for the sorting processes, for example allowing them to swim independently through grids with different gap widths. Such sorting scales and grids are simple, work reliably and are inexpensive, but only allow separation into two size groups. Small fishes slip through the slits and larger juveniles remain on the grid. A flexible solution for multiple sorting are sorting grids whose outer frame can be moved like a parallelogram. This reduces the width of the grid slits so that several size

groups can be screened in succession with the same device.

The range of available sorting technology is extremely broad. In practice, one finds both universal solutions for various application fields as well as individual systems that have been specially developed for a particular userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s existing operational structures.

Not every method and technique is equally appropriate for each species. It is particularly difficult, for example, to sort eels, which are very flexible and can change their body shape, which is why current sorting methods fail with them. In contrast, the grading and sorting of fish eggs, which usually occur in very large quantities would hardly be possible without mechanical assistance. The AGM Fish Egg Sorter from Skala Maskon assesses the quality of trout and salmon eggs for example on the basis of several characteristics by computer analysis. To do this, two photos are taken of each egg from opposite sides and evaluated using special software.

Not only unfertilized and dead eggs are recognizable, but also other criteria such as twin, smalleyed, and coagulations in the fish

A lot of machine manufacturers are working on automatic systems which can register fish species, lengths and weights using computerized image recognition systems.

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embryo. Abnormal eggs can thus already be recognized at an early stage which reduces economic losses and the risk of diseases during the subsequent farming process.

When sorting larger fish automatic graders are often used such as those offered by Faivre and Milanese. These systems are very gentle on the fish because the fishes remain constantly in the water except for the brief sorting process. Using spiral conveyors, bucket conveyors or hydro-pneumatic fish pumps they are carried directly from the tank to the sorting machine where they pass over counter-rotating rollers between which the gap gradually widens in the direction of the product flow.

During this process they are constantly washed over with water by powerful pumps to keep stress to a minimum. Depending on the fish size and the construction of the grader differentiations are possible into several size groups. In the case of juveniles and smolts up to 100 grams, the number of groups is usually between five and eight, with larger animals three or four.

After the animals have passed between the rollers they can

often swim through plastic pipes directly into the tank provided for their size group. Such sorting systems can be fitted with optional fish counters and weighing scales for recording and monitoring of fish stocks. Even more accurate results and more gentle treatment of the fish is promised by the use of advanced ultrasound technologies that some equipment developers are already testing.

Automatic UltraGraders could reduce the sorting workload even further for they enable greater accuracy without endangering the fish. In the systems developed so far, which are mostly still in the experimental phase, the fishes are separated and guided to the sensor unit. There a photoelectric sensor detects the fishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s length while at the same time its body thickness is measured by ultrasound. From this data the computer can calculate the weight of each fish and assign it to the appropriate group.

Objective measurement or subjective perception?

What is needed in the fisheries and aquaculture sector is also required in the processing

Sorting scales and grids are simple, work reliably and are inexpensive but they only allow separation of the fish into two size groups. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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[ TECHNOLOGY ] area. At many points in the production process products have to be sorted and evaluated in order to reduce the variability in sizes, shapes and weights, in textures and colours. At the slaughter lines for salmon this often begins with image recognition systems that enable accurate, precise contour cuts when heading, filleting and trimming the fish. Minor faults, such as defects in the scales, shorttailed or hump-backed, are recognized and taken into account during category allocation of the products. Optimization of the cuts reduces losses, provides more consistent results and thus enables better quality.

So far, the quality of a salmon is

usually classified visually and manually. This method works well, but is not completely free of errors. Image recognition systems could objectify selection using measurable parameters and show deviations from the species-specific standard objectively and unerringly.

Basically two important goals are to be distinguished during classification and evaluation in the production sector. “Defect grading” is primarily used to eliminate defective products from the production process, for example because the specified weight is not correct, due to the discovery of foreign bodies in the packaging, or because additives

were declared incorrectly.

“Value grading” on the other hand arranges the products into specific individual groups on the basis of certain quality criteria, consumer acceptance and the products’ commercial value. It may be economically worthwhile, for example, to take absolutely flawless products as desired by some consumers out of the regular range and market them in the premium segment.

Image recognition systems are probably not capable of such selection procedures, however. They are only suitable for “hard grading” which evaluates products according to objective, strictly defined criteria.

“Soft grading” (also called fuzzy

grading) focuses on the subjective, emotionally influenced perception of the products, on the external impression, appearance, harmonious shapes and sensory properties such as firmness, colour and smell. It will probably still be some time before machines will be able to judge and select according to such criteria but it cannot be fully ruled out. Cabinplant already offers sorting machines that evaluate salmon fillets on the intensity of the red colour of their flesh in accordance with industry standard NS 940 to enable producers to serve specific market segments according to their accurately defined colour preferences.

MK

SEAC AB has moved from renovating second hand machines to producing new ones

Processing tiny fish into fillets As the global consumption of fish increases resources that were previously used for the production of fishmeal and fish oil are increasingly being considered for use by humans. Many of these fish are small in size and processing them involves a lot of manual labour. Some companies have however sensed an opportunity and are producing machinery that can relieve workers of this drudgery. One such company, SEAC AB from Sweden, specialises in machines to process small pelagic fish ranging from sardinella/ mackerel in the range of 2-8 fish per kg to European anchovy or vendace which ranges from 60 to 110 fish per kg.

T

he company started out renovating fish processing machines built by another Swedish company Arenco an activity that it continue today.

However, SEAC has also developed its own fish nobbing machine that has been in production since 2012. The machine is based on an Arenco machine from the 60s, but is a completely updated and contemporary version. Called the SEAC FPM-200 (Fish Processing Machine) the machine can remove the head, the guts and the tail of wide range of species. Possibly the most important characteristic www.eurofishmagazine.com

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of the machine is the presence of a unit that places fish of different sizes (within a certain range) in the optimal position for heading with minimal wastage. This mechanical head measuring device gives a yield up to 15 higher than normal two-knives-vacuum-guttingmachines and the accuracy is up to 99, according to Ulf Groenqvist, the company president.

Machines that add value to very small fish He says that the company took a strategic decision about five

Filleting fish adds value to the resource. Processing enables species that were exclusively for fish meal and fish oil to be used for human consumption.

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03/06/16 10:31 AM

[ TECHNOLOGY ] years ago to move from exclusively renovating second-hand equipment to developing brand new machines. Since then the company has developed its own brands that specialise in very small fish and has discovered that for now at least it seems to be one of the very few on the market that can supply this kind of equipment.

The very small fish Mr Groenqvist refers to are indeed small. Anchovies of less than 10 g, the same size as sprats from the Baltic, are being filleted by a SEAC machine in Peru. The result is a very small fillet to be sure, but it is a fillet, says Mr Groenqvist. At the other end of the scale, the machine can fillet a fish of 65 to 120 g, though this requires some adjustment to the machine. Fish bigger than that SEAC leaves to its competitors.

Before making this strategic shift the company was renovating perhaps five or ten machines a year, while now it is doing triple the number of new machines. Altogether, to date the company has sold some 70 of the new machines showing that the level of interest is very high. The change to building new machines was partly provoked by developments in the field. Already several years ago Ulf Groenqvist had noticed that the fish being processed was getting smaller and smaller. As a result the machines he was rebuilding at the time had to be adapted to processing fish smaller than the fish for which the machines were originally conceived. This was a niche that was not being supplied by other players in the market and was naturally of interest to the company. Fish is becoming smaller everywhere says Mr Groenqvist, in the Mediterranean, in the Far East, and in the Baltic. The machines that many processing companies are using today are designed for bigger fish. We saw that there was an opportunity here that we could 60

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not ignore and this decision is now paying off.

Fruitful collaboration with Peruza The company targets processors of small pelagic fish, sardines and anchovies mainly, but also small mackerel and small redfish.

SEAC has for over twenty years been working with Peruza, a Latvian maker of equipment for the fisheries industry. This collaboration has become closer over the years and today for its machines SEAC can offer accessories that are built by Peruza, for example, a feeding unit that can supply the SEAC nobbing machines. Peruza’s strength lies in its expertise in automation, says Mr Groenqvist.

While a SEAC nobbing/filleting machine without a feeder will need 10 people to supply it, with a feeder it only needs two. The feeder that Peruza has developed is being used at a plant in the Philippines where a single feeder is supplying two nobbing and filleting machines resulting in a speed of 600 fish per minute. During May 2016 ten more such units are being installed over there to automate a further 20 SEAC FPM200s.

Even in countries where labour is much cheaper than it is in the west, companies are looking for a higher degree of automation. Partly this is because labour although cheap is getting increasingly expensive, and partly because finding people to work in the fish processing business is becoming progressively more difficult as the job is unattractive.

Processing small pelagics may be SEAC’s bread and butter, but it is also testing its machines against new species, including a small whitefish species in Australia. The fish is 60-80 g a

Ulf Groenqvist (left) and Arnis Petranis, chairman of Peruza, stand next to the nobbing machine made by SEAC with an infeed system from Peruza.

piece from which the machine is successfully producing single fillets. All SEAC’s machines meet European norms and regulations with regard to hygiene and safety.

Today the company has switched almost completely to building new machines rather than renovating old ones and is selling them primarily in Asia. The EU market has also opened up and the company has installed several machines in Croatia, the Baltics, and, for the first time, in Sweden, a particular source of pleasure for Mr Groenqvist. Here the machine is being used for vendace. Another species that can be filleted is capelin, but so far there has been no interest in producing these fillets.

And in the Mediterranean there are also a number of species, such as small horse mackerel and red mullet.

Fish for food instead of feed The ability to add value to small fish by filleting them is something that authorities in many countries would find attractive as they wish to encourage their populations to eat fish, and in particular species that are not normally considered for human consumption. SEAC machines are thus playing a role in the development of new seafood resources.

SEAC AB Slaanbaersvaegen 4 SE 38690 Oeland Sweden Tel.: +46 485 65200 info@seac.se seac.se

and other small fish species, renovating of second-hand machinery Fish sizes: Lower limit, 60-110 fish per kg; upper limit, 2-8 fish per kg Markets: Baltic countries, Latin America, Asia

President and CEO: Ulf Groenqvist Activity: Nobbing and filleting machines for small pelagic www.eurofishmagazine.com

03/06/16 10:31 AM

[ TRADE AND MARKETS ] Tighter supplies and rising prices expected for crab in 2016

Crab trade declines after four years of growth Russia and the USA are preparing to cooperate in order to fight IUU crab fishing. This may lead to tighter supplies as illegal crab could be removed from the market.

Harmless for animals yet potentially lethal for humans According to the California Department of Public Health, the acid is associated with the blooming of a single-celled diatom, Pseudo-nitzschia. The toxin can accumulate in fish and shellfish apparently without causing harm, however if the contaminated animals are consumed by humans, it can prove fatal. The fishery will remain closed until the authorities determine there is no further risk to public health.

In Alaska, the Alaska Fish and Game Department decided to cut the snow crab quota by 40, to roughly 18,145 tonnes, due to worries about the shrinking biomass of this species. The king crab quota for northern Norway has been increased by 60 for 2016 and 2017, to 2,000 tonnes. It is expected that Russia will also increase its quota considerably, www.eurofishmagazine.com

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which is likely have an effect on prices.

US crab imports up, while Japan’s crash World trade in crabs has declined in 2015, after having been on the rise since 2011. In the first three quarters of 2015, world crab imports declined by 15.5 when compared with the same period of 2014 to 200,000 tonnes. Japan, Hong Kong SAR and China registered the sharpest declines in crab imports, while imports into the Republic of Korea and the USA grew slightly.

In fact, US crab imports grew by 5, with all major suppliers registering increases. Canada is still by far the largest supplier, accounting

for almost half (48.6) of US crab imports. Other main suppliers include Argentina, Russia and China.

In Japan, crab imports during the first three quarters declined by as much as 25 compared with the same period in 2014. The major supplier, Russia, accounted for the bulk of the decline, as shipments dropped from 18,700 tonnes during the first nine months of 2014 to just 9,800 tonnes during the same period in 2015. Japanese prices for snow crab from eastern Canada expressed in US dollars went down by 4-5  during the first half of 2015, according to information from Minato-Tsukiji, an Internet news service operated

by a Japanese seafood newspaper. Greater quotas in Alaska and Newfoundland contributed to this price reduction. However, due to the depreciation of the yen, local prices in yen increased by 15-18 compared with the previous season. Prices were thus at record levels. This is also partly due to lower supplies from Russia and strong demand for snow crab in Japan. Demand in the USA has been strong as well and is thought to be linked to greater supplies and lower prices.

Overall, cuts in some crab quotas coupled with efforts to curb illegal crab fishing may lead to a tighter supply situation and consequently higher prices. ©FAO GLOBEFISH Johan Wildhagen, Norwegian Seafood Council

I

n Russia, the Agency for Fisheries, Rosrybolovstvo, announced the first crab quota auction since 2012. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife decided in November 2015 to delay the commercial dungeness crab season. At the same time, they have also decided to close the commercial rock crab fishery, normally open all year, due to the presence of domoic acid.

In 2016 Norway changed the quota structure for its king crab fishery.

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GUEST PAGES

The Norwegian Seafood Council works closely with industry

Building and sustaining the reputation of Norwegian seafood Through its marketing campaigns depicting the high quality of Norwegian fish and its origins in the cold clear waters of Norway, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) is the reason behind the fame of its country’s seafood industry. The NSC’s promotion efforts and brand-building exercises are strongly backed by another of its activities, the production of rigorous market intelligence that supports Norwegian exporters in their decision making. Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, Consumer Insight Director, talks here about the role of the NSC as one of the key players in the Norwegian seafood sector.

Norwegian seafood is exported to over 140 countries in the world today. When do you expect to achieve complete world dominion? What are the reasons behind the successful export of Norwegian seafood, apart from great marketing?

What are the other ingredients in the mix?

Seafood has for centuries been the main export income for Norway. The fish in the sea has defined the whole structure of our society, and is the main reason why our long coast line is inhabited. The sea gave food and wealth, but was a dangerous work place. This has, through generations, shaped people’s knowledge about the sea and how to harvest it in a more efficient and safer way. Finding methods of processing different species of seafood, into products like stockfish, clipfish, salted herring and so on, has been important for conservation, storage and export. These seafood products were the currency used in trade with other nations, that brought foreign products to Norway. The enormous amount of fish, made it a necessity to be export oriented, which early on made the Norwegian seafood industry a global business. This heritage is, in my opinion, the 62

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main reason for our successful development of salmon aquaculture into what it is today. Norway is today a world dominating producer and exporter of seafood, just “beaten” by China. Our steady focus on innovation in harvesting and production methods, product quality, as well as a continuous international market focus, is the main reason for our global position.

The NSC meets significant differences in cultures and consumer approaches, so marketing strategies differ considerably from market to market. How do you tailor your message to these different markets and can you provide some examples of unusual strategies or marketing tools that the NSC has used?

Overall the positon of Norwegian seafood is that it is raised in cold clear water, and that the world’s best seafood comes from Norway.

Our communications are based on the elements: natural conditions, people and the sea, and sustainable management. However, consumers around the globe are quite different, and the different elements can receive different attention in our communication.

Market and consumer insight is our sharpest tool for applying

Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit, Consumer Insight Director, Norwegian Seafood Council

strategies that at all times are the most efficient. Further, it is essential for the NSC to understand how the different actors in the Norwegian seafood industry position themselves in the different markets, so we can achieve both generic and specific companies’ goals in the best possible way. I am proud to say that no

other seafood nations have the insight about the seafood market that the Norwegian industry does, and this is a potential competitive advantage that in the future could bring the Norwegian seafood industry even further. To benefit from this potential advantage, the industry needs to invest in this knowledge. www.eurofishmagazine.com

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Exports of Norwegian seafood are dominated by farmed seafood and in particular by farmed salmon. Do you see any risk in this, in the sense of placing too many eggs in one basket? Are efforts are being made to balance in some way the role played by salmon in seafood exports with other species or products?

Although salmon is our largest export product today, the whole seafood industry in Norway knows where the knowledge and the heritage comes from. Without the knowledge from fisheries in Norway, we would never have seen a salmon industry like it is today. It is the steady work over many generations that has made it possible for us to export to approximately a 140 nations today. This cannot be described as “all eggs in one basket.” The way Norwegian exporters of both wild-caught fish and salmon handled the situation with the Russian embargo, is a good example of how Norwegian export is diversified, and not solely dependent on single markets. I would however like to see that Norwegian seafood species were diversified into a lot more products. Both processed into different consumer products as well as into a bigger variety of brands.

The last few years have seen steady growth in the value of Norwegian seafood exports.

This suggests the sector is good at foreseeing and dealing with challenges before they become insurmountable. What is the NSC’s vision of the future of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Norway and its position in relation to the sector in other countries? What changes do you foresee both within Norway and without that could affect www.eurofishmagazine.com

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the sector and how can the NSC contribute to measures that will better enable the sector to meet these challenges?

Approximately 2 of all human protein consumption come from seafood. With a growing population and shrinking land available for food production we need to harvest the sea more efficiently.

Aquaculture is to my understanding the answer. Hopefully the industry can increase production in the future. When demand is rising, and production and catches are low, prices will rise if you are able to deliver steady quality. However, prices on salmon and fresh cod tells us that many more markets could be supplied with fresh, quality fish from Norway. If production is not growing, growth can only come from price. I believe that the big volume markets will be relatively less important in the years to come. There is no reason to sell high quality salmon on promotion in France or Norway, if it can be sold at triple the price in a supermarket in South Africa or Iran. I believe that the NSC can play an important role in the development of new markets. The presence of the NSC in markets that have high potential but low accessibility, will give Norwegian seafood exporters a competitive advantage.

Further, when it comes to defending and building reputation for the Norwegian seafood industry and Norwegian seafood products the NSC as an organization can fill this role with great integrity.

This is therefore an area that the NSC will focus even more on in the future.

The Russian embargo as it turned out had apparently little impact on overall exports of Norwegian seafood. But are

there lessons to be drawn from this situation? Are there ways of if not preventing then at least mitigating the impact of the loss of a large market?

This is a very difficult question, and I would like to reply with a question that I think the whole industry asks itself: What would be the situation if the Russian market had been open? What would the price of salmon have been then? In the pelagic industry we have experienced difficulties in several market at the same time. The situation for the pelagic exporters would probably have been lot more difficult if we hadn’t seen a reduction in quotas.

expensive. How can these two factors be reconciled?

For consumers to be willing to pay a price premium they need to experience that the value added to products is relevant. The seafood industry has, in my opinion, miles to go before it is at the same level as other industries when it comes to value adding. Both when it comes to product benefits and brand value. This without considering where the production takes place.

The NSC has full confidence that these are issues that the industry takes very seriously, and works hard every day to solve. Resolving the sea lice challenge is a condition laid down by the government for the industry to increase production. This is a powerful incentive together with the fact that the sea lice challenge is driving production costs. We believe that the huge amount of money spent on research and development by the industry, will result in good and lasting solutions to these challenges.

Labour cost is of course a challenge in Norway. Labour intensive operations will therefore always be an issues as long as labour cost are high. However, a Bader machine should operate on more or less the same cost where ever it is placed (as long as it is maintained). It is easier to ensure good quality with production near or at the place of harvest. Quality is in my opinion a relevant attribute of value adding. Huge volumes of cod are still processed into clipfish in Norway, and this industry seems to be able to make a profit. The currency situation has of course made the situation a little bit better for Norwegian companies that produce in Norway. I am not a nostalgic and I do not believe that all seafood produced or caught in Norway can be processed into ready-made brands at home.

However, I believe that the industry can develop their knowledge within these fields, to benefit from the obvious advantage of being close to the resources.

Wild fish catches have stayed more or less stable the last several years and are unlikely to increase drastically in the future? Adding greater value is thus the only way to earn more from this resource. On the other hand adding value in Norway is

The NSC has long been the face of Norwegian seafood. Within the sector is there a discussion on the merits of generic marketing versus branding by individual companies? What are the strategic objectives of the organisation over the next five years?

Sea lice and salmon escapes are two negative issues that are associated with farmed salmon.

How serious are these problems and what progress is being made to solve them?

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Tom Haga, Norwegian Seafood Council

GUEST PAGES

Seafood from Norway is exported to more than 140 countries in the world today thanks in part to the efforts of the Norwegian Seafood Council.

Will it continue to focus on developing markets and providing market intelligence? Does it see other or additional roles for itself?

If we compare the seafood industry with other industries when it comes to marketing, in my opinion I do not think that we spend too much on marketing (generic or brand specific). It has always been important for the NSC to work together with the industry to achieve the best possible result of every activity we engage in. We have always felt that it is important that companies built strong individual brands to be able to maximise the effect of the national generic marketing. I do not see national generic marketing and branding by individual companies as opposite measures of the same scale. It is very important that the 64

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NSC engages in activities that supplements the Norwegian exporters and their strategies, and by no means obstructs them. There has therefore been a discussion about the role of the NSC in in-store activities in markets where the industry itself is active. The NSC has adjusted its activities in accordance with input from the industry.

In our new strategy we are focusing more on creating value for the Norwegian industry within market insight, market access, communication, preparedness, and industry and product reputation building, relative to marketing in established markets. Working more extensively in promising new markets with high potential but low accessibility is also a prioritised area in the years to come. Building demand and preference for the Norwegian origin will still be important as long

as it is stated in our articles of association by our owner, and generic marketing campaigns will therefore be an important part of our marketing mix.

Finally, on a more personal note, what are your favourites when it comes to seafood? Do you cook it yourself? Are there particular species, products, or recipes that you would recommend enthusiastically?

When I started in the NSC my first job was as a project leader for a national seafood program for kids. In this project we anticipated that children should participate in the preparation of seafood dishes, and that the parents should stay away. The reason for this is that tasting and eating becomes a lot more exiting when they had ownership of the

preparation process. The reason for keeping parents away, is that for some obscure reason parents expect children to dislike seafood. “Eat your fish, and you will get something good afterwards”.

Intelligent kids respond to their silly parents, and hate the fish…

In my family we serve a big variety of fish, both at weekdays as well as at special occasions, and everyone eats the same meal.

At weekdays we alternate with oven baked salmon, salted cod, pan fried saithe, fish fingers, fish cakes, fish soup, all served with rice, pasta or potatoes, and a good mix of vegetables. Cold water prawns or sushi are a sure winners on a Friday evening. For special occasions my favourites are halibut, Skrei “mølje” (with cod liver and roe) or clipfish done the Portuguese way. www.eurofishmagazine.com

03/06/16 10:37 AM

DIARY DATES 25-26 May 2016 AquacultureUK 2016 Aviemore, Scotland, UK Tel.: +44 114 2464799 info@aquacultureuk.com www.aquacultureuk.com

4-6 August 2016 ASEAN Fisheries and Aquaculture Conference and Exposition Bangkok, Thailand Tel.: +662 579 79 41 info@enaca.org www.ASEANfishexpo2016.com

16-19 August 2016 Nor-Fishing Trondheim, Norway Tel.: + 47 73 56 86 40 mailbox@nor-fishing.no www.nor-fishing.no

2-4 June 2016 Future Fish Eurasia Izmir, Turkey Tel.: +90 212 347 10 54 Fax: +90 212 347 10 53 info@eurasiafairs.com www.eurasiafairs.com

2-4 June 2016 Middle East and Central Asia Aquaculture (MECAA) 2016 Izmir, Turkey info@marevent.com www.marevent.com

6-8 September 2016 Seafood Expo Asia Wanchai, Hong Kong Tel.: +1 207 842 5504 customerservice@divcom.com www.seafoodexpo.com

15-22 September 2016 MEDCOAST International Training Workshop on IMP and MSP in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea Dalyan, Turkey Tel: +90 252 284 44 50 Fax: + 90 252 284 44 05 medcoast@medcoast.net www.medcoast.net

13-15 June 2016 AquaVision Stavanger, Norway Tel.: +47 5187 4743 post@blueplanet.no www.aquavision.org

3-5 August 2016 Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (VIETFISH) Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam Tel.:+84-08-62 81 04 42 quocthanh@vasep.com.vn www.vasep.com.vn

19-23 September 2016 ICES Annual Science Conference Riga, Latvia Tel: +45 33 38 67 00 Fax: +45 33 93 42 15 Anna.Davies@ices.dk www.ices.dk

20-23 September 2016 Aquaculture Europe Edinburgh, Scotland mario@marevent.com www.marevent.com 3 October 2016 World Congress on Cephalopods Vigo, Spain Tel.: +34 986 433 351 Fax: +34 986 221 174 congresos@conxemar.com www.conxemar.com

4-6 October 2016 Conxemar Vigo, Spain Tel.: +34 986 433 351 Fax: +34 986 221 174 conxemar@conxemar.com www.conxemar.com 15-18 November 2016 EuroTier Hanover, Germany Tel.: +49 69 2478 8307 b.schmidt-puckhaber@dlg.org www.eurotier.com/aquaculture.html

7-9 June 2017 POLFISH Gdan´sk, Poland Tel.: +48 58 5549 362 monika.pain@mtgsa.com.pl www.polfishfair.pl

27-30 June 2017 WORLD AQUACULTURE 2017 Cape Town, South Africa www.was.org

A d d y o u r e v e n t t o w w w. E u r o f i s h M a g a z i n e . c o m

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