Eurofish Magazine 3 2018

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World Congress on Global Fisheries Production

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08:00-09:00 h. REGISTRATION. Centro Social AfundaciĂłn. Policarpo Sanz 24-26, Vigo. 09:00-09:40 h. OPENING

Moderated by John Sackton, editor Seafoodnews 09:40 -10:00 h. State of Fisheries. Manuel Barange, FAO Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division 10:00 -10:15 h. Perspectives on trade in an unstable geopolitical situation*

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09:40-10:35 h. SESSION I: GLOBAL FISHERIES OUTLOOK

10:15 -10:35 h. PANEL DISCUSSION 10:35-13:35 h. SESSION II: GLOBAL FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION Moderated by Manuel Barange, FAO Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division 10:35 -11:00 h. Global whitefish Production. Gorjan Nikolik, Senior Industry Analyst, Food & Agribusiness Research & Advisory en Rabobank International 11:00 -11:25 h. Global Cephalopods Production* 11:25-12:00 h. COFFEE BREAK 12:00 -12:25 h. Global Tuna Production. John Connelly, President of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) 12:25 -12:50 h. Global Shrimp Production. John Sackton, Editor Seafoodnews 12:50 -13:15 h. Global Salmon Production* 13:15 -13:35 h PANEL DISCUSSION 13:35-14:35 h. LUNCH

Norway

14:35 -14:50 h. Certification in the sector. Herman Wisse, managing director, GSSI. 14:50-16:10 h. SESSION III: SEAFOOD TRADE AND THE SDG'S (SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS) Moderated by Erik Hempel, Seafood Consultant 14:50 -15:05 h. World Bank. IUU Fishing and economic impact. Xavier Vincent, Global Lead for Fisheries. 15:05 -15:20 h. OECD. The role of the private sector in achieving the SDG's. Claire Delpeuch, Analyst Trade & Agriculture Directorate 15:20 -15:35 h. UNCTAD. Opportunities and challenges to implementation of the trade related aspects of SDG 14 by

Issues of sea lice and salmon escapes approach resolution

developing countries. David Vivas, Legal Officer

15:35 -15:50 h. WTO. Bilateral agreements and seafood trade*

16:10-16:30 h. SUMMING UP Manuel Barange, FAO Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division

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In this issue

Impressive efforts to eliminate lice, prevent escapes Farmed salmon production in Norway has stagnated over the last few years. Among the reasons are sea lice and escapes. Although sea lice numbers on fish have declined since their peak in 2014 the figure needs to come down further. Fish suffering from sea lice have reduced appetites, which slows down their growth, and are more vulnerable to secondary infections. Another issue that the salmon industry is battling is that of escapes. Farmed fish that manage to slip free from their cages and make their way into Norwegian rivers may breed with wild salmon causing undesirable genetic changes in the wild stock. They may also compete with the wild fish for prey and breeding territory. Escapes were 0.03 of the stock in 2016 and have reduced even further since then with improvements in technology and farm management. However, both sea lice and escapes provide ammunition to those against salmon farming, so the industry is working hard to eliminate them altogether. Read more on page 43 The North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Bergen attracted over 900 people to what it bills as the world’s largest seafood business conference. Participants were treated to a vast smorgasbord of sessions, themes, and speakers that addressed almost every issue that directly or tangentially touch upon the seafood industry. Speakers noted that marine aquaculture is going to play a critical role in meeting the dietary needs of the estimated 10bn people expected to inhabit the planet in 2050, not only because of the high nutritional value of seafood, but also because of its lower environmental impact. The issue of sustainability framed much of the debate at the conference as the general consensus was that care for the environment was the only way to secure consumer acceptance. Eurofish Magazine will bring a series of articles by Dr Manfred Klinkhardt’s from NASF over the next few editions. Read more on page 46 Aquaculture: The commitment to rein in greenhouse gas emissions and the focus on environmental issues in general have provoked a wave of projects to make cities in many parts of the world greener. While bicycle paths and electric public transport are being tried in several places, aquaponics, which combines fish breeding with vegetable cultivation, has also found supporters. Recirculation systems that provide a closed and controllable environment for the growth of fish have a relatively small physical footprint. Cleaning and recycling the water means that water consumption is minimised and if the nutrients in the water that derive from the fish can be used to cultivate vegetables then one system is providing multiple benefits at little cost to the environment. Urban fish farming is still very much a niche idea, but one that surely has potential and certainly appeals to city dwellers interested in their environment. Read more from page 31 Fishing: A combination of regulation and pressure from the retail sector is driving the increased emphasis on sustainability seen in the fisheries sector. This is manifesting itself in fisheries management measures, but also in the use of more selective fishing gear and innovative methods that make fishing more sustainable by protecting fish stocks or result, for example, in lower fuel consumption. Management measures include discard bans, spatial and temporal bans, restrictions on fishing days, closed seasons etc. Fishing gear is now often designed to prevent by-catches, repel marine birds and mammals, and allow non-target animals to escape unscathed. Finally, vessels are also being rethought to make them more energy efficient and to lower their carbon footprint including by switching them to battery power or to using hybrid power supplies. Read more on page 55 Mussels are nutritious and can tolerate a wide range of salinities as well as temperatures and are therefore cultivated in many parts of the world. They are filter feeders and are sometimes used in combination with aquaculture installations to compensate for the nutrients released into the water by the farmed fish. But mussels are used primarily for human consumption. Methods to produce mussels vary even within Europe between the bouchots of northern France to the rafts used in Galicia, to the bottom culture seen in the Netherlands, and the long lines on the Italian east coast. However, mussel production in the EU is largely stagnant for a variety of reasons including shortages of high quality spat, a lack of space to expand or grow mussels, bureaucracy with regard to permits, fragmentation in the sector, and the inability to vertically integrate. Read how some of these issues can be addressed on page 59 Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

3

Table of News 6 International News

Events 16 AQUA 2018, 25-29 August, Montpellier Future demand for fish will be met from aquaculture 17 Seafood Expo Global, 24-26 April, Brussels Innovation, convenience, sustainability define event 17 Delicrab, Spain Crab meat for gourmet restaurants 18 Atlantic Surimi Seafood, Latvia A versatile product for retail and food service 18 Karavela, Latvia Transparent lids emphasise products’ appeal 19 Itasystem, Italy Food safe tags to brand whole fish 19 Seamark, UK Healthful tasty, and ready-inminutes 20 Liman, Turkey Certified to sustainable standards by mid-year 21 Ankriset, Estonia Fish from Lake Peipsi to distant destinations 21 Cromaris, Croatia New feed formula benefits fish and consumers 22 AB Seac, Sweden Machines for processing fish down to 6 g 22 Badinotti, Italy Supplies everything from nets to fish farming rigs 23 ANFACO CECOPESCA, Spain Helping the fish processing industry help itself 23 Baltijos Delikatesi, Lithuania Canned fish for private label 24 Danish technology and quality control on display at Seafood Processing Global 26 Apulpeira, Spain An ancient tradition in new garb 26 Almar, Italy High quality mussels for year-round delivery 27 Friedrich Dick, Germany Knives and sharpening equipment since 1778 28 Adamas, Italy Caviar from five sturgeon varieties 28 Glud & Marstrand, Denmark High quality cans for the food industry

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Aquaculture 29 Conference on freshwater aquaculture in Szarvas, Hungary Environmentally and economically viable pond systems 31 Urban fish farming: A realistic model or unworldly utopia? Will tomorrow’s fish be farmed on a roof? 34 Belgian BIGH inaugurates its first urban farm for the sustainable production of fish and greens Valorising rooftops in the city centre 35 Urban aquaculture in Bangladesh Stinging catfish proves profitable to farm in RAS 4

Cover photograph courtesy Marius Fiskum, Norwegian Seafood Council

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Contents 36 6th Turkish Aquaculture Producers Workshop, February 2018, Anatalya Industry and government share a common objective – sustainable development

Projects 39 New mathematical tools contribute to development of healthier seafood products Putting math to food use

Norway 41 Generic marketing of Norwegian seafood promotes the product and the country where it originates Making seafood from Norway known around the world

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43 Solving the issues of sea lice and salmon escapes is a question of time Improvements now need to be consolidated 46 NASF 2018: The fish industry’s responsibility for global food supply is growing Sustainable use of resources is the central guideline

Estonia 49 Some 25,000 visitors attend Open Fishing Ports Day Marked enthusiasm for all things fish 50 With EMFF support the Ministry of Rural Affairs is improving energy and resource efficiency among fish processors Better technology can yield significant savings

Slovenia 52 Fisheries and aquaculture in Slovenia Sustainable catches from the north Adriatic

Fisheries 55 Multi-species models, more selective nets and more efficient fishing vessels Innovative concepts are changing the fishing industry

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Worldwide Fish News Albania

page

8

Belgium

page

9

Denmark

pages

Italy

page

8

Norway

page

6

Spain

pages

Thailand

page

UK

pages

USA

page

10

Vietnam

page

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11, 14

12, 13 12 6, 10

Species 59 Traditional and modern methods of mussel farming Mussel seed bottlenecks slow down production

Guest Pages: Paul Magnus Oma 63 Norges Sildesalgslag is responsible for first sales of all pelagic fish in Norway A 100-year-old institution adapts to new times

Service 65 Diary Dates 66 Imprint, List of Advertisers

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

Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Seafood from Norway partners up with world’s 50 best restaurants The 17th annual list of the world’s 50 best restaurants that, together with the Michelin-guide, is viewed as the most important restaurant award in the world, will be announced at an event at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao on 19 June. The awards bring together the brightest stars of the culinary skies from all over the globe. The Norwegian

Seafood Council is the official seafood partner of the event. At the awards ceremony chefs, restauranteurs, food bloggers, journalists and others will be served several dishes with exclusive Norwegian shellfish. The event is a unique opportunity to build a valuable network at the highest level of restaurants and will be a great meeting point

for businesses already working with, or that have the capacity to deliver shellfish to, this segment of the industry. Following the awards in Bilbao, the Norwegian Seafood Council will continue working with restaurants and chefs on the list to highlight the quality and the stories behind Norwegian produce.

The goal, of course, is for more of these restaurants to put Norwegian shellfish on their menus but also to raise awareness of other Norwegian seafood products. The list is the result of the votes from 27 panels comprising over 1,000 restaurant critics, chefs, restauranteurs, and other foodies across the world.

A major discovery that could “revolutionise� the understanding of omega-3 production in the ocean has been made by an international team of scientists, led by the University of Stirling. Research has found, for the first time, that omega-3 fatty acids can be created by many invertebrates inhabiting marine ecosystems, including corals, worms and molluscs. This finding challenges the generally held principle that marine microbes, such as microalgae and bacteria, are responsible for virtually all primary production of omega-3. Lead scientist Dr Oscar Monroig, of the Institute of Aquaculture, said that the findings strongly suggest that aquatic invertebrates may make “a very significant contribution to global omega-3 production. Our study provides a significant paradigm shift, as it demonstrates that a large variety of invertebrate animals, including corals, rotifers, molluscs, polychaetes and crustaceans, possess enzymes called “desaturases� of a type that enable them to produce omega-3, an ability thought to exist almost exclusively in marine microbes�, he explained. Since invertebrates represent a major component of the biomass in aquatic ecosystems such as coral reefs, abyssal 6

Line K Bay

UK: Scientists make major breakthrough on omega-3 production

New ďŹ ndings show that aquatic invertebrates can make a “very signiďŹ cant contribution to global omega-3 productionâ€?.

plains and hydrothermal vents, their contribution to the overall omega-3 production is likely to be significant. The research involved an international consortium of scientists from the Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of

St Andrews; CIIMAR - University of Porto; the Spanish National Research Council; the Australian Institute of Marine Science; and Deakin University. Certain omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential for human health, particularly in western countries with a high prevalence of

cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases for which omega-3 oil supplements are commonly prescribed. Therefore, the new research is not only likely to impact the scientific community, but also the public and various industries involved in the production of supplements.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Vietnamese seafood exports up 13% ,Q WKH ¿ UVW IRXU PRQWKV RI 9LHWQDP H[SRUWHG PRUH WKDQ (85 ELOOLRQ D LQFUHDVH FRPSDUHG WR WKH VDPH SHULRG WKH \HDU EHIRUH DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH 9LHWQDPHVH 0LQLV WU\ RI $JULFXOWXUH DQG 5XUDO 'HYHO RSPHQW 9LHWQDP3OXV UHSRUWV In April alone, the country’s seafood exports totalled EUR550 million. The United States, Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea were the biggest importers of seafood, accounting for 52 of Vietnam’s exports. The Netherlands, China, and the UK showed the highest growth of imports with 56, 45, and 34 increases compared to the same period in 2017. Imports of seafood also increased significantly (by 27.4) compared with the same period last year reaching EUR450m.

Vietnamese seafood exports reached a record high of EUR7billion in 2017.

Vietnamese seafood exports reached a record high of EUR7 billion in 2017, up 18 compared to 2016 and VASEP, the

Vietnamese Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, expect this figure will exceed EUR7.2 billion in 2018 even

though the US and EU markets are still affected by catfish inspection, anti-dumping and IUU fishing.

THE PERFECT CUT The new Salmon Deheader performs high-precision cutting that’s adapted to the size of each and every fish for optimum yield. Take a closer look at: marel.com/salmondeheader

Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] FAO releases report on food fraud in the ďŹ sheries sector

Albania to promote sustainable practices in the seafood sectorÂ

Fish fraud is committed when fish is illegally placed on the market with the intention of

complex task that requires the strengthening of national food regulatory programmes and the development of effective, science-based traceability systems and improved meth ods for fish authen ! ! ! ticity testing. It highlights the need for the fish industry to develop and implement systems 29(59,(: 2) )22' )5$8' ,1 7+( ),6+(5,(6 6(&725 2 for fish fraud vulnerability assessment in order to identify potential sources of fish fraud within their supply chains, and to prioritize control measures to minimize the risk of receiving fraudulent or adulterFighting ďŹ sh fraud calls for stronger ated raw materials or regulation, more effective traceability ingredients. The pubsystems and improved testing methods. lication also indicates an important role for deceiving the customer, usu- the Codex Alimentarius Commisally for financial gain. However, sion – to work in collaboration its precise scale and nature in with countries in order to develop the wider global food market is international principles and largely unknown. The FAO has guidelines designed to identify, released a new publication, Over- manage and mitigate fraudulent view of food fraud in the fisheries practices in food trade and to sector, written by Professor Alan develop guidelines to standardReilly, former Chief Executive ize food safety management sysOfficer of the Food Safety Author- tems for fish fraud vulnerability ity of Ireland, that presents evi- assessment. The report concludes dence highlighting the serious “The number of reports and consequences of fraud for the reviews published in both the scifishies sector. It describes the entific literature and the popular different types of fraud that can media in the past decade provide take place along the fish sup- adequate documentary evidence ply chain, like: intentional mis- that fish fraud through mislabellabelling, species substitution, ling and species substitution is overglazing and overbreading, a widespread problem in both and the use of undeclared water- national and international marbinding agents to increase prod- kets for fish and fishery products. uct weight. The report shows The report is available for downthat combating fish fraud is a load at fao.org. !

8

From left, Paolo Bray and Paola Elpidi (FOS), Anxhela Seferi (Rina Albania), and Roland Kristo, (Vice Minister in the Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development)

Albania is taking clear steps in making the seafood sector more sustainable. To promote environmental sustainability in the fishing industry, the Albanian government will cover half the cost seafood companies have to bear to undergo a sustainability certification audit through its agreement with Friend of the Sea (FoS). The Albanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development invited the certification organisation to attend meetings with institutions in Tirana and lead a workshop about certification, where major Albanian enterprises operating in the sector showed their interest in applying for their certification. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration, capture fisheries in 2016 amounted to 4,306 tonnes 35-40 of which

are demersal species. The inland catch amounted to 532 tonnes of which turbot, mullet, seabass, seabream and eel were the main species. Production from aquaculture amounted to 604 tonnes, while mussel output was 302 tonnes. The export value of fisheries and aquaculture products in 2016 amounted to EUR28 million. The main destinations for Albanian exports that year were Italy (57 of the total value) followed by Spain (19), and Romania (6). Albania does not export aquaculture products with the exception of some processed (marinated) molluscs. The certification may support the development of sustainable aquaculture in Albania, but FoS’ report on Albania foresees challenges in certifying Albanian fisheries in the near future as the main stocks are overexploited and overfished (or in overfishing).

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] New step towards recovery of swordďŹ sh in the Mediterranean The European Commission has approved using stronger means to help salvage Mediterranean swordfish stocks. A new regulation incorporates the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Recommendation 16-05 into EU law, a key step towards better management of this troubled stock and towards achieving the main objective of the MedFish4Ever Declaration: ensuring the environmental, economic and social sustainability of Mediterranean fisheries now and for future generations. Recommendation 16-05 establishes a recovery plan promoting coastal fishing activities and taking into account the use of

Allocated swordďŹ sh quotas 2017 and 2018 (in tonnes) Member State

Allocation Key (%)

Quotas 2017

Quotas 2018*

Croatia

0,216

16,00

Cyprus

0,796

59,00

15,52 57,23

Spain

24,593

1822,49

1767,82

France

1,714

127,01

123,21

Greece

16,280

1206,45

1170,26

Italy

50,419

3736,26

3624,17

Malta

5,982

443,26

429,96

7410,48

7118,17

EU

100,00

* Quotas 2018 are 3% lower than 2017 ďŹ gures

selective types of gear and fishing techniques that reduce the environmental impact and ensure a fair standard of living for local fishing communities. Measures such as quotas, the closed period (January to March) and the

relaxation of the landing obligation were already integrated in EU legislation at an earlier stage. The EU submitted its fishing and inspection plan to the ICCAT Secretariat in mid-March including

the number of EU vessels authorised to fish Mediterranean swordfish in 2018: 7,537 of which 5,464 are recreational vessels and 1,918 are long-liners less than 24 m in length. The swordfish fishery is open from April to December.

Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Silicon Valley investors are looking at aquaculture

The aquaculture sector has been noticed by investors in Silicon Valley, who are funding, among others, companies developing technology for the sector.

Fish is not normally something that is associated with Silicon Valley and the money that flows there but the world’s protein shortage and population growth estimates are convincing venture capitalists that aquaculture can be a potential great investment, Quartz Media reports. In 2050 the world population is estimated to reach 10 billion people and demand for securing stable food sources will increase substantially. Aquaculture now supplies half of all fish

for human consumption (up from 26 in 1994). Investors have taken notice. Since 2013, the number of venture capital investments that deals in aquaculture-related companies have grown steadily from zero to nine in 2016, according to PitchBook, a private equity research firm. Some investments do have a tech side to them making use of advancements in machine learning and machine vision, and

high-speed computing to track, count, and manage millions of fish and shellfish in difficult underwater environments. Aquabyte (ca â‚Ź3 million raised) and XpertSea (ca. â‚Ź8,5 million raised), for example, focus on using technology to improve counting fish. The technology for aquaculture is effectively the same used thousands of years ago, Andrew Beebe of Obvious Ventures (which backed XpertSea) said.

XpertSea uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to count and size live feed such as shrimp larvae, so aquaculture growers can better avoid wasting feed. Just as with farms on land, the digital technology of factories will be adapted to grow seafood delivering just the right amounts of feed, medicine and other resources. “Our view is that aquaculture is the next phase of precision agriculture,� Beebe said.

Lidl becomes ďŹ rst UK discounter to join Ocean Disclosure Project Lidl, one of the fastest growing supermarket chains in the United Kingdom, has joined the Ocean Disclosure Project (ODP) according to Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP). The supermarket has published a public profile on the ODP website which includes a list of all the fisheries supplying wild-caught seafood to Lidl UK, 10

alongside information on fishery management, catch method, and environmental impact. Lidl has been working with its suppliers and the wider seafood sector to help shape a more sustainable fishing industry and was one of the first British supermarkets to independently certify its fish and seafood as sustainable. Lidl

UK has established a new sustainable seafood policy, which further underlines the supermarket’s commitments to responsible sourcing of products including the support for Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs). The goal of the initiatives is to drive transparency and safeguard fish stocks for the future.

The Ocean Disclosure Project was started by SFP in 2015 to provide a valuable information resource for responsible investors, seafood consumers, and others interested in sustainable seafood. Today, 13 other companies, including retailers, suppliers, and aquaculture feed manufacturers from Europe and North America, have participated.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ]

Atlantic Sapphire

Taking Danish ‘Bluehouse’ salmon project to full scale commercialisation in Miami

The Atlantic Sapphire construction site just south of Miami Florida which, when completed, will be the largest land-based production facility of salmon in the world.

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18 FISHFORUM20

10-14 DECEMBER ER 2018 FAO HEADQUARTERS, TERS, ROME - ITALY

Better science for better advice Healthy seas and sustainable fisheries Economic analysis and technology for societal benefit

A ďŹ rst-of-its-kind event encompassing oceanographic, social and economic science and ďŹ sheries research. A forum to build a lasting network, discuss research trends, integrate scientiďŹ c knowledge in decision-making and identify priorities to shape the future of Mediterranean and Black Sea ďŹ sheries.

Giving voice to the wide community of scientists, managers, researchers, engineers, academics and practitioners. An opportunity for young scientists to join the community. Keynote speakers, thematic and transversal panels, scientiďŹ c sessions, workshops, side events, poster session, call for abstracts.

Information and registration: FishForum2018@gfcmonline.org www.fao.org/gfcm/FishForum2018

Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Spain: Galician seafood industry promoted in Mexico Juan M. Vieites, Secretary General ANFACO-CECOPESCA, accompanied a business delegation of the Xunta de Galicia and Alberto Núùez Feijoo, its president, on a trip to Mexico City at the beginning of May to participate in a gastronomy event, where the Galician agri-food sector had a chance to promote itself to its Mexican counterparts. Mexico is an important trade partner for Galicia, with Galicia exporting products to Mexico worth EUR412 million

Galician ďŹ sheries and aquaculture exports to and imports from Mexico (1000 â‚Ź) Year

Exports

Imports

Balance

2016

4.255

3.563

692

2017

6.442

1.639

4.803 Source: ESTACOM

and importing products worth EUR503 million in 2017. Although this is a negative balance in Mexico’s favour if you look at fisheries and aquaculture products only, Galicia comes out on top with exports (EUR6.4 million)

exceeding imports (EUR1.6 million) by EUR4.8 million in 2017, a 594 increase in Galicia’s trade balance compared to 2016. Galician exports of fishery and aquaculture products to Mexico

represented 35 in volume and 49 in value of the total of Spanish exports in 2017 with the main exported products being frozen skipjack tuna (52), canned tuna (7), sardines (7), cuttlefish and squid (6), and mussels (6).

@ThaiNOIUU

Thailand: Worker situation in ďŹ sheries sector shows drastic improvement

Thai government initiatives have improved the situation for workers in the ďŹ sheries sector.

In response to a Human Rights Watch statement on how vulnerable migrant workers in Thailand from neighbouring countries are recruited into the fishing sector, prevented from changing employers, forced to work, and not paid in accordance with Thai law, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement stressing the efforts that have made the last three years, which have drastically 12

improved the situation for workers in the fisheries sector. Since 2015, the Thai authorities have prosecuted 87 cases of human trafficking in the fisheries sector and 503 cases of labour rights violation, accounting for 11 percent of all inspections carried out on fishing vessels and seafood processing establishments. In the events that the labour inspectors

found cases of child labour under 18 years old, forced labour, debt bondage or human trafficking for labour exploitation, such cases are reported to the police immediately. In addition, Thailand has set up special arrest teams for fishingrelated crimes at sea. From the operation during 11 to 22 March 2018, the teams arrested both Thai and non-Thai vessels for violations of fisheries and labour laws,

resulting in 50 cases. All cases were prosecuted both in criminal courts and via administrative sanctions. The Thai government also mentioned that efforts would continue paying close attention and trying its utmost to increase the effectiveness of enforcement to ensure that workers in the fisheries sector receive full legal rights and protections.

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Spain: Mapping European marine data At the latest “European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet)â€? meeting at AZTI Tecnalia’s headquarters in Donostia, San SebastiĂĄn, some of the project’s upcoming releases were disclosed. EMODnet is working extensively on its vessel density maps of EU waters, which will be made available for view and download. These maps contain enormous quantities of data. A typical day generates about 12 million Automatic Identification System (AIS) messages which have to be processed, analysed and stored to show an intuitive map of movements and activities. Multiply that by the year’s 365 days and one needs even more processing power. The density maps will also be able to provide additional data

products: noise maps, fish trawling density maps, human pressure index maps, as well as estimates of the probability of litter distribution or the introduction of alien species. The possibilities are many and the usefulness of the maps needs to be assessed to provide the most useful data. The dataset on maritime spatial planning and waste collected in EU ports will also be released in the coming months. Other potentially new datasets might include power plants located on the coast and socio-economic data on fisheries and aquaculture. These developments can be followed on the EMODnet portal (http://www. emodnet.eu/) which is about to be upgraded with the new features on its interactive map.

Analysing the daily 12 million AIS messages to provide a vessel density map takes enormous processing power.

Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] Several projects presented at Baltic Sea Advisory Council meeting

International study on predators’ impact on coastal ďŹ shers to deliver results soon

Four projects were presented at the BSAC Executive Committee meeting 8th May in Copenhagen. The Marelitt project was presented by Marta Kalinowska from WWF Poland. The aim of the project is to reduce impacts by derelict fishing gear (DFG) in the Baltic Sea. The methods were presented and partners in Estonia, Germany, Poland and Sweden work closely with local fishermen to find and remove ghost nets/lost fishing gear. There is no general applied methodology that they have been able to use for this work. The project will end with a handbook on DFG cleaning 14

methodologies, as well as an evaluation of dragging operations and documentation of lessons learned. www.marelittbaltic.eu.

Sally Clink

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he Baltic Sea Advisory Council brought together the members of its Executive Committee and General Assembly on 8th and 9th May 2018 in Copenhagen. The first task was to report on the activities and expenditure for the BSAC’s working year 2017-2018. With that in place, the BSAC looks ahead to another year to deal with Baltic Sea fisheries management, technical measures, the landing obligation, fishing opportunities, eel management and ecosystem based issues. It will be another busy year for the BSAC. One of the first tasks will be for the BSAC to provide input on the specific control and inspection programme for the Baltic, taking into account the landing obligation and the need to ensure its effective control and enforcement.

How do changes in nutrient load effect the Baltic Sea environment? Sieme Bossier and Rasmus Nielsen from DTU Aqua in Denmark presented the “Baltic Sea Atlantis Model� which models the Baltic Sea ecosystem and environment impacts due to changes in climate, nutrient load, fishing and predation pressures. The model was discussed and well received, but time prevented a more detailed discussion. Esko Taanila from the southern Finland Fisheries Local Action Group presented the transnational project on seals and cormorants with 14 FLAGs from Estonia, Finland, Germany and Sweden. The project has started with interviews of coastal fishermen about the economic impact that seals and cormorants have for them. The project expects to deliver its preliminary results in October 2018. More information www.balticfisheries.com. Wolfgang Albrecht from the German Association of Fisheries Protection presented a draft Joint Declaration on the protection and rebuilding of the eel stock. One of

Reine Johansson, the outgoing chairman of the Baltic Sea Advisory Council

the issues is the lack of knowledge on eel. There is a need for a pan European effort to be able to succeed. The Commission has started a public consultation on the EU’s management plan for eel. The BSAC has written to the Commission and welcomed the Commission’s initiative and stated the need for eel management to be carried out at solid, pan European level. This will be on the agenda for coming BSAC work.

Standing ovation as Chairman steps down after 12 years Finally, the end of an era. BSAC Executive Committee chair Reine. J. Johansson stepped down after twelve years of hard work and

commitment to the BSAC since it started in 2006. Before joining the BSAC, Reine Johansson was president of the Swedish fishermen’s Federation. There was a standing ovation to thank the outgoing ExCom Chair for his work for the BSAC. Eva Kjer Hansen, Minister for Fisheries and Equal Opportunities and Nordic Cooperation called in on the BSAC General Assembly and in her speech she acknowledged his dedication and patience. The BSAC was unable to agree on a new chairman for its Executive Committee. Work continues under the guidance of Dr Steve Karnicki, who besides being General Assembly honorary chair, is now acting Executive Committee chair until a successor for Reine Johansson can be agreed on.

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[ EVENTS ] AQUA 2018, 25-29 August, Montpellier

Future demand for ďŹ sh will be met from aquaculture AQUA 2018 promises to be one of the largest aquaculture conferences and tradeshows in the world with participants from an expected 60 countries.

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he AQUA events are jointly organised by the World Aquaculture Society and European Aquaculture Society every six years. AQUA 2018 to be held this year in Montpellier will celebrate the fact that since the last event in Prague in 2012 aquaculture production for human consumption at 93m tonnes (2016) has exceeded capture fisheries production (82m tonnes). Global per capita consumption of fish has increased to 20.5 kg and is set to increase

further in most regions of the world over the next decade. The supply needed to meet this demand is forecast to come from better utilisation of capture fish resources by reducing waste, using industrial species for human consumption instead, and from capture fisheries, but, above, all from an increase in fish farming. However, although projections show that production from fish farming will increase, the growth rate will continue to decline. Between 1970 and 2010 global aquaculture production has increased by 8.3 per annum, a rate that slowed to 5.3 p.a. over the last 10 years and that is projected to drop to 2.3 in the coming decade. Various measures could contribute to sustaining the growth in aquaculture – intensification in Asia, expansion in Latin America and Africa, increasing acceptance in western countries, improved feeds, genetic improvements in brood stocks, cultivation of more lowtrophic-level species, and innovations in farming systems and technologies.

Harvesting marine plants amounts to 1% of capture production, but 28% of aquaculture. Apart from the nutritional value, plants are at the lowest trophic level and there are environmental beneďŹ ts to consuming them rather than species higher up the seafood pyramid.

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These will be among the topics that are addressed at AQUA 2018, which will include a scientific conference, workshops, industry forums and student events, as well as trade exhibition. The

two keynote speeches will be given by Robins McIntosh, Executive Vice President of Charoen Pokphand Foods PLC, and by Ă˜yvind Oaland, Global Director, R&D and Technical, Marine Harvest ASA. The former will use his two decades of experience at the company to discuss issues such as disease and certification, public perception and socio-economics. Mr Oaland will show how technological innovations and new production platforms will contribute to the sustainable development of the industry. The conference will be split into 12 themes covering every aspect of the aquaculture sector. In addition, there will be oral and poster presentations, as well as excursions to visit farming sites in the vicinity. For more information visit www.was.org.

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[ EVENTS ] Seafood Expo Global, 24-26 April, Brussels

Innovation, convenience, sustainability define event Seafood Expo Global lived up to the expectations of thousands of visitors and hundreds of exhibitors again this year.

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ith close to 2,000 exhibitors from almost 80 countries and over 39,000 sq. m of space the show was bigger than last year’s suggesting renewed optimism in the global economic situation in general and the seafood sector in particular. The show is a magnet for buyers from different industries, retail, hospitality, travel and tourism among others, who come to look for the latest trends and newest products on the market. This year the Prix d’Elite for best retail product and best HORECA

product went to two smoked items, salmon and haddock respectively from two French firms, Labeyrie Fine Foods and J.C. David. Other prizes went to a spirulina product, to cobia, a farmed whitefish, to surimi-based lasagna sheets, and to sustainable scallops. The prize-winning entries were only some of the altogether 40 finalists, many of which were highly innovative products. If there was a common thread running through the different products it was perhaps convenience. Many of the products could be eaten

directly from the packaging, while others needed just a few seconds in the microwave or few minutes in the oven. Unsurprisingly, salmon, tuna, and shrimp dominated, but products were also based on whitefish, shellfish, seaweed and krill.

entire factory. Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, the Internet-of-things, and data generation and analysis were some of the terms that could be heard in the aisles showing the equipment for the seafood industry too is becoming smarter and smarter.

The show includes Seafood Processing Global where manufacturers of processing machinery displayed their products and services. The equipment ranges from individual machines to turnkey solutions for an

Several Eurofish member countries had pavilions at the show and as usual we have reviewed a selection of companies from there as well as from other countries, their products and activities in the following pages.

Delicrab, Spain

Crab meat for gourmet restaurants

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sturias in northern Spain hosts the company Delicrab, a processor that works with crab – mainly brown crab, but also spider crab and velvet crab. The raw material is imported live from Ireland, Scotland, and France as well as

sourced in Spain, with consignments freighted in the company’s own trucks to the processing facility. Delicrab has two areas of activity, one is to sell the crabs live, while the other is to process the meat. To retrieve the meat, the crabs are boiled in salty water, and

then the meat is extracted manually. The leftover shells are cleaned and sold separately. Some of the meat is processed into blocks which contain no additives or preservatives. This product is typically sold to the food service sector, in particular fine-dining

restaurants, where it can be made into seafood pies, croquettes, soups, surimi or be used as a filling for pasta, fish, peppers, tomatoes, or other vegetables. The product is sold primarily in Spain, but is also exported to Portugal, France, Germany, USA, and Italy.

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Brown crab meat is prepared in different ways depending on the clients’ preferences.

emoved from the can. Fish cans may also need a special coating if they have to withstand low pH without corroding. The company therefore works closely with the client to ensure that the final product is a safe and attractive can, and draws on engi neers,

chemistry specialists, designers and others to achieve this. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ EVENTS ] Atlantic Surimi Seafood, Latvia

A versatile product for retail and food service

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urimi, a product based on minced fish combined with several other ingredients, is very palatable and highly popular. One of the reasons is its versatility – it can be processed in to many different shapes including sticks, chunks, bites or shredded. It also lends itself to being coloured adding to the effects it can create when displayed on its own or with other seafood. In Europe, France is the biggest consumer of surimi followed by Spain and Italy. The most commonly used fish species used to make the mince that goes into surimi production is probably Alaska pollock, but fluctuations in catches of this species plus developments in technology have enabled producers to success-

fully use a range of different fish, including threadfin bream, hoki, Pacific whiting, jack mackerel, atka mackerel, sardine, blue whiting, and Peruvian anchovy. Even the giant squid (Dosidicus gigas) can be used to produce surimi. The surimi yield from different species varies depending on the quality of the surimi to be achieved and the characteristics of the fish. Among the companies at the Latvian pavilion at SEG was Atlantic Surimi Seafood. Maris Bakanovskas, director for trade and marketing, sources the raw material for his production mainly from Asia, specifically from China, India and Vietnam, with a proportion also

Shredded, bites, chunks, and sticks of different lengths are some of the forms surimi can take.

from the US. The fish used is blue whiting, Alaska pollock, and threadfin bream. The raw material is processed into surimi at the company‘s factory and is currently exported to Italy, Spain, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. At Atlantic the surimi is entirely gluten-, soya-, and GMO-free, says Mr Bakanovskas, which is a way of differentiating

his production from that of other manufacturers. Surimi is often used by sushi manufacturers and Atlantic sells surimi sticks that are 21 cm long and suitable to be processed by sushi robots. The surimi is packaged both for retail as well as for the HORECA sector and has a shelf life of 90 days under refrigeration and 18 months when frozen.

Karavela, Latvia

Transparent lids emphasise products’ appeal

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company that successfully switched its markets from east to west when Russia shut off its markets to EU agri-products in 2014 was Karavela. Innovation, investments, clever marketing, and new products meant that by 2017 two thirds of its exports were to five markets in the EU, and in total the company exports to 40 countries around the world. Among the innovations was the use of transparent lids on canned products. First used by the Latvian canning industry on cans containing Riga sprats, these are now being used for several different products. In Karavela’s case cans of tuna, mackerel, and sardines are all available with the transparent lids. The

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advantage of these lids is that the product is visible, and particularly in the case of sardines and sprats, which are carefully arranged within the can for the most aesthetic effect, this creates an undeniable impact. Canned tuna is essentially a commodity, but Karavela’s product has distinguished itself from others on the market not only with the transparent lid, but also through the addition of vegetables (e.g. green pepper, olives) and aromatic oils. Skipjack tuna is generally the variety that is used, but the raw material comes from stocks that have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. Our retail customers insist we only use fish from certified fisheries, say Sanita Legajeva, the

Cans with transparent lids make for an attractive display of the product within.

sales director, which to some extent restricts the areas from where we can source the raw material. One of the most popular products is mackerel fillets in a water base, which is exported to Sweden in large quantities, but mackerel is also smoked

and canned in oil, or cooked and combined with a mustard sauce or with the classic tomato sauce. Herring cooked or smoked (kippers), salmon both farmed and wild are some of the other products in the assortment.

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[ EVENTS ] Itasystem, Italy

Food safe tags to brand whole fish

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lthough fish is increasingly sold to consumers as packaged easy-to-prepare portions, fillets, or steaks, particularly in northern Europe, it is also sold whole. The possibilities for labelling fresh whole fish are more limited

compared to packaged products as the latter offer a surface which is printable. Itasystem, an Italian company based in Brescia that specialises in printing, labelling, and traceability services, offers a simple solution to the challenge of

branding unpackaged fresh fish. The answer is arrow tags, chips of food-grade plastic, both sides of which can be printed on and which are then injected into the fish with a pneumatic tagger. The tags can display the company logo or product information or even traceability information. The advantage of the tags is that they are sturdy and do not break inside the fish nor do they leave traces when removed. The tags are available in three sizes, medium, large, and maxi, and are sold as

Pre-joined clips of arrow tags are loaded into a pneumatic tagger, with which an operator can shoot individual tags into the fish at 6,000 tags an hour.

Seamark, UK

Healthful tasty, and ready-inminutes

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eafood Expo Global is the ideal show to launch new products as it attracts exhibitors and visitors from all over the world as well as a strong media contingent. New products are thus given coverage and their potential success can be roughly

gauged from the response the product generates. The show encourages this by offering its own prize, the Prix d’Elite, to the best products in several categories. This year Seamark, a UK company specialised in shrimp, came to the show with three new items,

King Prawn Stir Fry, King Prawn Pak Choi and King Prawn Quinoa, which are marketed as â€œâ€Śfreshly frozen, easy to prepare, well-balanced prawn and vegetable-led dishes‌â€? With peeled king prawns and green beans, red peppers, sweetcorn, water chestnuts, mushrooms, beansprouts and bamboo shoots the stir fry is a tasty and nutritious meal that can be personalised by the cook with the addition of, for example, soya sauce, toasted sesame oil, or another condiment. The pak choi is equally healthy containing sugar snap

pre-joined clips. The clip is loaded into the tagger which then can fire tags out in rapid succession. A single operator can apply up to 6,000 tags an hour. Another version of the tagger is the dataprint pneumatic tagger, which can print information such as batch numbers and the date of production on the tag as it is fired. Printing a bar code on the tag is also possible. Giovanna Martinelli, the managing director, says that the company is certified to the ISO22000 standard which addresses food safety management issues. Apart from providing the hardware the company offers assistance with graphic design and layout for the tag. The company’s products are used mainly in Europe, but there is also a project in Saudi Arabia with an association promoting farmed fish, as well as another in Thailand with tilapia, to which Itasystem is supplying its tags. Organic or bio producers of fish are particularly interested in the product, says Ms Martinelli, pointing out that the company provides the tags, the tagger as well as the graphics service. Target markets include associations who may want to put the same tag on the fish for all their members. The tags are not suitable for fillets, so the company has developed a system of labels that are also made with food grade plastic that can be attached to the fillet using a nylon fastener.

peas, spinach, soya beans and pak choi together with the king prawns, while the quinoa version includes brown rice, curly kale, leek, tomatoes, red onion and aromatic spices along with quinoa and king prawn. Nahid Iqbal, the sales director, envisages consumers returning home from a day’s work and being able to put a healthy meal together within minutes that will also appeal to children. But because it is so quick to prepare, she feels it could potentially also be used at lunch in an office equipped with a kitchen. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ EVENTS ]

One of the new products Seamark launched at the seafood show aimed at consumers looking for speed, health, nutrition, and the ability to customise it to their own tastes.

The three products will be available in 800 g packages on the continental market where prawns are wellknown and popular products, says Ms Iqbal, in contrast to the UK where the market for prawns is not quite as developed. The company considers a 600 g package would me more suitable in the UK. For Seamark, while developing the product, taste, health, speed of preparation and the ability to personalise it were key considerations, says Ms Iqbal. An 800 g bag will contain approximately 24 prawns or just over half the weight. The company is waiting to see how its regular customers respond to the products and can then adjust the recipe if necessary. The products are manufactured at Seamark’s own facility in the UK which means that any changes can be swiftly implemented.

Liman, Turkey

Certified to sustainable standards by mid-year

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ainbow trout farming companies in Turkey are still suffering from the tariffs the EU levies on their production forcing them to seek markets elsewhere. Some companies have managed to increase the percentage of exports to the Middle East and Russia. Liman, a trout producer with several sites, produces portion sized rainbow trout, about 300 g, for the domestic market and for export. While some freshwater rainbow trout producers send part of their production to be on-grown in the Black Sea, Liman has so far elected to stay away from this activity. Instead, says Kemal Papila, one of the company directors, we profit when fish is diverted from the market to on growing as this can sometimes cause a shortage of fish and a rise in the price. The duties imposed on Turkish trout by the EU, until then the 20

most important market for Turkish producers, has not resulted in structural changes in the industry. Instead farmers are producing many more larger fish than before. This, according to Mr Papila, is not viable because it takes two years to produce the large fish, yet the price does not compensate for the additional costs. Liman has focused on 400 g fish which take 8-10 months to grow to market size. We reserve only a proportion of our capacity for the production of large fish, which are grown to a maximum of 1.5 kg. Altogether, the volume would be some 400-500 tonnes of large fish as opposed to 2,000 to 2,500 tonnes of portion-sized pieces. Turkey is an important market for the company, but domestic consumption of fish, Mr Papila feels, has declined. The silver lining is that prices of other meats, both red and

Liman farms and processes trout into different products for export to several countries including Russia. Tariffs imposed by the EU on imports of Turkish trout mean the common market is no longer so attractive.

white, have increased, so that in time consumers may switch to eating fish in larger quantities. Liman has initiated an audit for one of its facilities to be certified to the ASC standard, which should result in certification

in June 2018. The site produces primarily for the export market, which explains why it will be certified first. Once that has been achieved the company will request an audit for its other sites.

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[ EVENTS ] Ankriset, Estonia

Fish from Lake Peipsi to distant destinations

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he 3,500 sq. km Lake Peipsi hosts some 22 species of fish, but just five – pike-perch, perch, pike, bream, and roach – are the most important commercially. The transboundary lake, the largest in Europe, is shared by Russia and Estonia and supports several individual fishermen as well as fishing companies. The stocks in the lake are jointly managed by the two countries and on the Estonian side there are various restrictions in place to ensure that stocks are not over exploited. The limitations placed on fishers are related primarily to the periods, species, and permissible

gear. Catches tend to peak in September when all the different kinds of gear, trap nets, gill nets, Danish seines, and trawls, are deployed. Ankriset has specialised in fish from the lake which is caught and processed into fillets at the company’s plant and sold either fresh or frozen, mainly to Canada, the United States, Switzerland, and Germany. The company has agreements with several of the fishermen who supply it with fish including perch, bream, pike-perch, roach, pike, and smelt. While catches of the first four are significant those of the remainder tend to be small. Catches

Fillets of freshwater species including pike-perch, pike, perch, and roach from Lake Peipsi are processed by Ankriset and exported to North America, Germany, and Switzerland.

are seasonal with different species are caught at different times of the year and the volumes tend to fluctuate. The weather too plays a role as if it gets too rough the fishers cannot go out. But buyers are aware of this, says Andrei Krekhov, the general manager, and accept that there are periods when

volumes are low and others when they are high. The company has two locations, the processing facility is located on the Russian side of the lake, while the sales and marketing activities are based on the Estonian side. The fishers with whom the agreements are reached to supply the factory are also Russian.

Cromaris, Croatia

New feed formula benefits fish and consumers

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romaris, a Croatian producer of farmed seabass, seabream, and meagre, dominated the Croatian pavilion this year. While production is sold on several markets in the EU, Italy is by far the biggest. By next year Davide Furlan, general manager of the Italian office, expects to have eight staff in his office up from four a couple of years ago. We’re becoming a big company, he says, with sales of 4,000 tonnes just in Italy, and now we are seeing significant growth on the French market. Part of the growth he attributes to a new fish feed that the company has developed and is now using for its fish. The nutritional value is higher than that of conventional feed and we can see the results in the fish, says Mr Furlan, and now we ask all our feed suppliers to use our formula when preparing feed for us. The

secret, he says, lies not just in the higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acids, but in the relation between omega-3 and omega-6, which is similar to that found in wild fish. When that ratio is right then it improves the omega-3 content of the fish meat – something that is going to be apparent with the forthcoming generation of fish that will have been raised on the new feed. The information will also be used to market the fish, with every customer getting information about the new fatty acid profiles of the fish which they can use to promote the healthfulness of Cromaris’ products. The breakthrough was the result of in-house research being performed in this area over a period of some years and as a collateral benefit has led also to a faster growth rate and lower mortalities, says Mr Furlan, but the main motive

Davide Furlan (left) and Marko Kajmak expect to see the benefits of a new feed formula in the next generation of market-sized seabass and seabream.

was to improve the omega-3 content of the fish meat. In 2018, the company expects to reach a total production of more than 8,000 tonnes. While most of this is seabass and seabream sales of meagre are also doing well. Meagre has a very light-coloured meat and the fish themselves are grown to the large sizes favoured by the food ser-

vice sector, which often cut the fish in to steaks or serve it as carpaccio. In addition, the unit price is very favourable compared to seabass, thanks to meagre’s rapid growth rate. Cromaris is processing the fish in to consumer-friendly fillets and steaks, each of the latter with a minimum weight of 100 g, while heads and tails are sold to other markets. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ EVENTS ] AB Seac, Sweden

Machines for processing fish down to 6 g

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B Seac, a manufacturer of fish processing machinery, has concentrated on developing machines that process small pelagic species. Earlier this year companies from three European countries, Romania, Latvia, and Russia, approached the company for machines to process their fish, sprats. Some of the fish were really small, recalls Ulf Groenqvist, the CEO, but after extensive testing and adapting he could report that the machine was able to belly clean and fillet fish down to 6 g. The fillet is naturally very small, but the machine could handle it. Although, Seac specialises in machinery for small fish, five years ago Mr Groenqvist had not imagined

that his machines would be expected to process fish of 6 g. I forecast many years ago that fish sizes were going to get smaller and smaller, he says, and the goal for our machines was to be able to deal with 10 g fish. But now we can even deal with specimens that are smaller than 100 fish per kilo. Capacity, however, is always the bottleneck. The company’s nobbing machines can process 300-350 fish per minute, but with filleting the rate falls to 250 fish per minute, which Mr Groenqvist would like to improve. The ability to nob and fillet small fish opens up the possibility to start using these resources rather than focusing on species higher up the trophic

Ulf Groenqvist says Seac’s heading and gutting machines are capable of processing fish down to 6 g.

chain. There are so many small fish that are not used for human consumption at least in Europe, he says, like capelin, but also other regions such as the Far East, are facing the same issue. Successful tests have also been carried out on an invasive species in the Baltic that is popular in Russia as well as on southern school whiting (Sillago bassensis), a 50-60 g fish found in Australian waters, for which the company rebuilt its herring filleting machine. The general reduction in the sizes of the fish has

been beneficial for Seac. Machines were built to process larger fish, says Mr Groenqvist, but the gradual decline in fish size has meant that processing companies have to reinvest in machines that can process smaller fish. And because Seac’s machines gut the fish mechanically rather than using suction, the quality of the raw material is less of an issue. Today the company has some 40 machines in the Far East, and about 50 machines in Croatia, as well as machines in Peru and Spain for anchovy.

Badinotti, Italy

Supplies everything from nets to fish farming rigs

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well-known manufacturer of nets, Badinotti produces for the fish farming  and  fishing sector. The range of nets includes, fish farming nets, fishing nets, sport nets and safety nets, but the emphasis is on nets for the fish farming and fishing sector. An Italian company with its headquarters in Milan, the company has factories in Slovakia, Chile, and Peru. While the production of nets is the company’s core activity, it is today also supplying the aquaculture sector with equipment such as cages and cage-related gear. This activity takes the form of turnkey projects covering the equipment and services required to establish a functional fish farming site. In addition to the overseas factories,

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the company has also invested in service stations, where the nets can be maintained (repaired, cleaned, disinfected, dried, impregnated with anti-foulant) and cages can be prepared and assembled. Currently, there are two service stations in Canada and one in Chile. Moreover, catamaran-based service stations (four in Canada, two in Chile) are in operation for the on-site washing and service of the cages. Today, 70% of the company’s turnover comes from South America, from Chile and Peru. In Europe sales are in the Mediterranean area, in Greece, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and the northern European region – Denmark, the Faroe

The Oceanis I cage at the Genova site. The cage can be submerged when the weather is rough. The company presented the third version of the cage at Aquaculture UK this year.

Islands, Finland, Scotland, and Russia. The company has carried out turnkey projects in Albania, and Croatia, and is planning two in Algeria. The move to siting cages offshore has meant that the company has had to adapt some of its equipment. Jon Espilla, who is responsible for business development, says that offshore the waves are bigger, currents are stronger, and the challenges more complex. In response the company has developed submersible cages that do not go deep under water but can

be lowered below the surface when the weather is bad. One of these has been in operation off Genova since 2000, where the waves can be up to 12 m. Submerging the cages mitigates the impact of these forces. Two models of the submersible cage Oceanis I and Oceanis II have been available for long, while a third, Oceanis III, was presented at Aquaculture UK in Scotland in May this year. This is a 50 m diameter cage that will be able to go down deep enough to avoid sea lice.

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[ EVENTS ] ANFACO CECOPESCA, Spain

Helping the fish processing industry help itself

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NFACO CECOPESCA, an association for the fish processing industry in Spain, was also represented at Seafood Expo Global with booths at the Xunta de Galicia pavilion (the association is based in Vigo) and at the MAPAMA, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment, pavilion. Roberto Carlos Alonso, the scientific and technical coordinator, explained that the association was present to promote Spanish products to a global audience, to interact with the European Commission and government representatives from other countries, and to help member companies promote their relationships with their suppliers and customers by providing meeting places and hospitality. We provide an interface for the rest of the world to get in touch with the Spanish industry and to do this we actively go out and try to understand the needs of the industry in other countries to see where Spanish companies can play

a role. The information gathered and the contacts made are then shared with the association’s members to potentially create new relationships and additional business opportunities. The interaction between the association and the industry in other countries is also a chance for ANFACO CECOPESCA to promote some of the things it does within the fields, for example, of quality, innovation, and export capacity. The association is a window to the fish and seafood processing industry in Spain in general and in Galicia in particular, showing the outside world that the Spanish industry is capable of competing with other countries or regions when it comes to product quality, variety, or service. The Spanish canning industry has a long tradition and today is highly mechanised with a strong focus on quality. Given a level playing field the sector can compete with producers

Roberto Carlos Alonso and Felicidad Fernandez Alonso represent ANFACO CECOPESCA, an association of the marine and food industries that provides laboratory and other services through its technology centre.

from anywhere else in the world, says Mr Alonso. For example, if other producing nations treat IUU fishing with the same seriousness as the Spanish government, if labour is respected the way it is in Spain, if the parameters for success are innovation, quality, variety, global networks of buyers and suppliers and other commercial factors, then the Spanish industry will be able to compete. The industry is slowly but surely implementing Industry 4.0 which will more closely integrate industry and the Internet

to make factories smarter, increase automation, improve communication, use data-driven analysis to automatically increase efficiencies and result in a host of other changes. The circular economy is also something the industry is working on, reducing waste, reusing resources where possible and becoming more sustainable. ANFACO CECOPESCA is supporting the industry as it implements these changes, which should result in a more efficient and competitive fish processing sector.

Baltijos Delikatesi, Lithuania

Canned fish for private label

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ne of the main producers of canned fish in Lithuania today, Baltijos Delikatesi was established in 2002 and today produces around 5m cans a year. Until Russia closed off its market in 2014 60% of the company’s production was exported there. Since then the company has successfully pivoted towards the EU, so that currently the main markets are Poland, Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece. In addition, since its products were approved by the FDA in the United States, the company has also exported there as

well as to Canada and South Africa, says Valerij Karakulov, the deputy director. The raw material is mainly from the Atlantic area and includes several pelagic species, mackerel, sardine, sardinella, while from the North Sea it is herring and mackerel. Cans are also produced with cod liver and cod roe sourced in Iceland and Norway, and finally the company is also working with species from the Pacific, such as chub mackerel and tuna. The raw material is imported from all around the world through distributors as this is more reliable than working directly

Baltijos Delikatesi produces a variety of items based primarily on fish imported from the North Atlantic. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ EVENTS ] with fishermen, says Mr Karakulov. The distributors know the price, quality, availability and besides they stock many varieties of fish so a processor can buy all that he or she needs from a single source or at the most two. All the raw material is frozen except for cod liver as freezing this delicate product has an impact on the taste.

The company has recently moved into a new line of products – glass jars. These are so far in 200 g sizes, while the cans go down to 100 g for the cod liver and the cod roe. Much, though not all, of the production is under private label for which the company adapts both the container and the contents to the requirements of the customer. If, for example, the

specifications call for transparent lids, we can use them, if the customer wants lithography on the cover, we can provide that, or if he wants labels we can print those too, says Mr Karakulov. The empty cans are imported from Latvia or Germany and the lids can be either easy-open or require the use of a key. Either way Baltijos Delikatesi has the equipment at its

factory to fill and seam all kinds of cans by adapting the machines slightly from one shape and size to another. Although the company has focused on the production of cans for the last 15 or 16 years Mr Karakulov does not rule using other kinds of packaging in the future. It will depend on developments in the markets, what our clients want, and our own ideas, he says.

Danish technology and quality control on display at Seafood Processing Global

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he Danish Fish Tech Group promotes Danish manufacturers of fishing, aquaculture and processing equipment, increasing their visibility abroad and helping to increase their exports. One way to do all this is by organising the companies’ presence at industry events such as SPG. “Last year we attended 10 events in Iceland, Scotland, Norway, Iran, Morocco, US, Faroe Islands, to name a few,� says Martin Winkel, head of the group. “These initiatives abroad and at home, create a strong basis for the companies within the field. It is very much about creating platforms for Danish companies, so they can help to increase their exports.�  This year at Seafood Processing Global the Pavilion of Denmark hosted 28 companies in an area of 700 sq. m, showing the highest Danish presence ever. It was also one of the largest pavilions at the entire show.  Following the world’s growing interest in aquaculture, the number of Danish companies which provide technologies and equipment for the sector increased compared to the previous years. Though the processing industry was still in focus, it attracted more and more visitors from the aquaculture production sector as well. Explaining the components of the Danish equipment manufacturers’ 24

Largest Danish Presence at SPG ever

success, Martin Winkel names efficiency, innovative solutions, solutions being made in collaboration with clients, and high flexibility of such solutions. Danish companies are well-known for their efficiency and high standards of technology as well as for high-end products for their customers. In addition, the business climate in Denmark is excellent, and for potential customers the benefits include complete oversight

of production by Danish companies because production is entirely in Denmark, and being near to the center of Europe, there is a lower running time for delivery of products to customers, which benefits the client in the end both in terms of delivery time and quality control. “The years of 2017 and 2018 have proven that this exhibition is very much of high value for the people

visiting and exhibiting. The great way is that everything is gathered in one place and people just fly in, so they can meet pretty much everyone at one place instead of having to travel to several different countries. All together the feedback from the show has been very positive and most of the exhibitors made some very good contacts from most parts of the world. This has been a good edition of the show,� concludes Martin Winkel.

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Photo Credit: Octavio Aburto/Marine Photobank

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S E A FO O D S U M M I T.O R G

[ EVENTS ] Apulpeira, Spain

An ancient tradition in new garb

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o people from outside, all of coastal Spain is associated with high quality seafood, but among Galicians there is no doubt that it is their autonomous community that has the best seafood in Spain. Among the seafood traditions in Galicia is the consumption of octopus cooked, cut into pieces and served with nothing more than paprika and a drizzle of olive oil, sometimes on a bed of boiled potato. Building on this tradition the company Apulpeira is creating the same delicacy with a modern twist. In order to recreate the freshness and juiciness of a freshly cooked octopus the company had

to revisit the whole concept. Cooking the octopus in water results in some of the goodness being lost in the water and in addition there is a lot of manual handling between cooking and packaging. Apulpeira’s idea was to cook the octopus sous vide, that is placing it in a sealed bag and putting the bag in a bath of that is maintained at a relatively low temperature. This cooks the octopus slowly so that it retains all the characteristics of a freshly caught and cooked animal. When it is ready the bag is not opened, but has a label slapped on it and is placed in storage for shipment to the market. In other words, the octopus is not handled

The octopus is gently cooked and frozen and can then be woken up in the microwave. Here it is prepared in the traditional Galician way with paprika and a drizzle of olive oil.

after it is placed in the bag, reducing the risk of contamination. The package with the octopus can also be frozen to increase shelf life. Today even if the raw material does not

come from Galicia, but is imported instead from Africa, Apulpeira’s processing method manages to recreate the taste for which Galicia became famous decades ago.

Almar, Italy

High quality mussels for year-round delivery

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lmar is a shellfish farming cooperative with sites in the northern Adriatic, specifically in the Marano lagoon and the provinces of Trieste and Ferrara. The cooperative handles the breeding, pre-growing, site management, and harvesting of clams and mussels. In addition, it manages a purifying, packaging and despatch centre, and carries the sales and marketing of the products. For the last 18 months or so Almar has been supplementing the mussels it produces in Italy with mussels bought from Spain, Greece, or even the south of Italy that are placed in Almar’s growing sites in the north Adriatic, where they are allowed to develop further. Over the course of

26

three weeks, the transplanted mussels change completely and acquire a taste that is similar to the mussels native to these waters, says Aurelio Zentilin, who is responsible for bivalve quality and health at Almar. In addition, the mussels have a minimum of 15% meat when cooked. Both the time they are kept in the water and the percentage of mussel meat, as well as 12 hours spent in depuration are guaranteed by the cooperative. The origin of the mussels is also acknowledged by Almar on the packaging. The volume of mussels that are imported this way varies depending on the season, the demand, and also the availability. While these mussels, like the rest of Almar’s production, are marketed

By importing mussels from Spain and placing them in the water in Italy, Almar can now supply mussels even when it is not the season in Italy.

under the striking Almar label, Mr Zentilin emphasises that it is not the label, but the quality of the product behind it that is critical.

Offering these guarantees enables Almar to charge a premium for these mussels, but as Mr Zentilin says, the quality is also better.

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[ EVENTS ] Open Blue’s “Exclusive Product Launch Reception�

Premium range of super frozen cobia products Now that Open Blue has expanded and stabilized its offshore farm activities in Panama (which are certiďŹ ed to ASC, GlobalGAP, BAP, FoS and ISO 9001 standards) they are focusing more strongly on processing and marketing the ďŹ sh produced there. To better meet the growing demand for ďŹ llet portions of deďŹ ned weight for the convenience market Open Blue has invested several million dollars in a new BRC-certiďŹ ed processing plant in Panama City. The plant has the technical and human resources for the production of cobia ďŹ llets, loins and cobia parts with ďŹ xed weights of 100 and 130 grams. The products are IQF-super frozen at minus 35°C (sashimi grade) and individually vacuum packed and are completely natural, without additives and unglazed. The entire logistics of the cold chain during transport to Europe and other regions of the world is also geared to a temperature of -35°C. This demanding performance ensures that the excellent product properties of the ďŹ sh – its avour, physiological freshness, the appearance and texture of the ďŹ llet meat – are optimally preserved. After defrosting, the portions are practically indistinguishable from fresh products. Open Blue’s super frozen cobia products are particularly suitable for the upscale gastronomy sector, food service and the retail trade, and

Friedrich Dick, Germany

Knives and sharpening equipment since 1778

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s fish consumption gets more popular the need for knives and knife sharpeners increases too. More fish needs to be processed, and even if machines are

getting smarter there is still place for people equipped with skills and good knives. The pre or post processing preparation of fish calls for some skill, lots of practice, and

Friedrich Dick has been making cutting and sharpening tools for almost 250 years.

the company presented the range in Brussels at its stand in Hall 11, where Chef Hernan Correa prepared Caribbean-inspired creations. On the evening of the first day of the fair there was an exclusive Product Launch Reception at “The Bistronomy�, a stylish and trendy bistro in the premises of Living Tomorrow on the outskirts of Brussels. The company had invited about 130 guests to this event at which five top chefs from four countries demonstrated the culinary versatility of the super frozen cobia range with various methods of preparation. Cobia is suitable for numerous traditional and ethnic preparations, for culinary experiments that make use of exotic spices and new aromas. Whether raw as sashimi or cooked in different ways – the fish is always convincing. Open Blue had two reasons to celebrate that evening: at the same time as the event at “The Bistronomy� began, the company was named winner of the Seafood Excellence Award for Convenience at Seafood Expo Global for its super frozen sashimi fillet as the best new food service product in 2018, an acknowledgement that is sure to boost demand on the European and other markets.

good tools. At home too, dealing with a fish one has caught oneself or bought whole round from a fisherman or retailer also requires the proper implements. Friedrich Dick’s assortment of knives and tools for the fish sector includes knives specialised for filleting, and for removing fish heads; shears for cutting fins (such as on flatfish) and for cutting through fish bones; scrapers for removing scales; and tongs and tweezers for pulling large and small bones from the flesh. Most of the company’s knives, and all the more expensive models, are still made in Germany – a very important point for us, says Michael Vilz, who is in charge of sales and distribution, whether we export or sell our products on the domestic market. The meat industry is a major customer for the company’s equipment, but also the food service sector, retail chains, and fishmongers. The meat

industry requires knives that are larger and tougher, while in the fish sector more flexible knives are called for. But apart from that there are no products that are exclusively for one industry or the other. Mr Vilz feels that the longevity of the company is down to the quality of its products. Our knives are not very expensive, but they are of extremely high quality. Apart from knives Friedrich Dick also produces grinding machines for domestic and industrial purposes. These vary from simple table top machines for use in shops and catering outlets to water-cooled industrial machines intended for processing plants with over 500 employees on the factory floor. While in the past the knives were made overwhelmingly by hand today we use machines for a lot of the production, says Mr Vilz, especially robots. Despite the automation the company still employs some 240 people. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ EVENTS ] Adamas, Italy

Caviar from five sturgeon varieties

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taly is the largest producer of caviar within the European Union with much of the production situated in the northern part of the country, in areas where fresh water from the Alps is abundant. Salmo-Pan is based in the Cremona province of Lombardia and has been farming sturgeons since 1989 in a former trout farm. When sturgeons were declared endangered by CITES, Sergio Nannini, a partner in the company, sensed an opportunity and converted the trout farm into a sturgeon-breeding facility. This shift took place about 15 years ago and the first caviar was produced some 10 years later. The company has five varieties of sturgeon, Acipenser baerii, two hybrids (baerii x naccarii and baerii x gueldenstaedtii), A. gueldenstaedtii, and A. ruthenus. The main

markets for the caviar are in Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, as well as in the west. The difference is that in western Europe the caviar is sold in small vacuum cans under the company brand, Adamas, which means diamond in Latin – appropriate to convey the glamour and luxury with which caviar is associated. To the other countries the caviar goes in unbranded bulk cans and the customer uses it under his own brand. Production at the farm was about nine tonnes last year and this year Mr Nannini is hoping to do 11-12 tonnes. Sales of caviar as a luxury product are influenced by the general state of the economy. In the years of the financial crisis that started around 2008 followed by the more general economic

Adamas means diamond in Latin, an appellation that accurately conveys the value of the caviar.

crisis things were tough for manufacturers of luxury products. Adamas was spared the worst of it as they only really started the production of caviar in 2013 after the worst of the crisis was over. The outlook for the company is good, feels Mr Nannini, as the company is still relatively small and there is considerable scope for growth. The sturgeon broodstock is either produced on the farm (A. baerii and the two hybrids) while for A. gueldenstaedtii the company buys the juveniles from producers in Italy and Germany. For caviar producers the

female fish are naturally important, the males less so. Depending on the species sturgeons can take many years before it is possible to distinguish males from females. Some companies slaughter the males for the meat. At Salmo-Pan the males are usually sold to fishing clubs as the market for the meat in western Europe is very small. However, Mr Nannini is experimenting with preparing the meat the way one does tuna (cooked and served with herbs and olive oil) and suspects that there may be some potential there.

Glud & Marstrand, Denmark

High quality cans for the food industry

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etal packaging, cans, has been used for decades thanks to metal’s properties as a barrier to the oxygen and light that tend to shorten a product’s shelf life. In addition, metal also prevents odours from escaping which is also an advantage when dealing with fish and seafood products. Glud & Marstrand, a venerable Danish company now owned by the Envases Universales Group of Mexico, has been producing metal cans for use in the seafood (and other) sector for many years. Today the company employs 1,000 people, and has five factories in Denmark and one in Sweden. The high quality of our cans is what makes us competitive, despite the fact that we are based 28

in Scandinavia where wages tend to be high, says Lars Lundvang-Larsen, the sales manager. Food safety is one of the most important issues facing producers of food and the cans meet all the requirements needed to ensure that they are completely safe. Cans for the fish industry are a significant part of the company’s business and it is expected to grow in the future. With this in mind the company has invested in one of its Danish factories that produces cans specifically for the fish industry. Each of the factories has its speciality even though the starting point is the same for all the cans, a flat sheet of metal. These are made into cans and supplied to the customer with a lid. After the can is filled the lid

A conical Hansa can was introduced at the Brussels seafood show. The can is designed for easy and reliable seaming and should increase process speed during production.

is seamed. In addition to making cans and lids the company also offers a suite of services to its customers, including graphic design, laboratory facilities, courses in seaming, and technical service that can help the customer at each step of the production process. Cans are constructed differently, for example cans for meat products are coated with a meat-release lacquer on the

inside that enable the product to easily be removed from the can. Fish cans may also need a special coating if they have to withstand low pH without corroding. The company therefore works closely with the client to ensure that the final product is a safe and attractive can, and draws on engineers, chemistry specialists, designers and others to achieve this.

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[ AQUACULTURE ] Conference on freshwater aquaculture in Szarvas, Hungary

Environmentally and economically viable pond systems In the framework of the Hungarian Presidency of the Visegrad Group (V4) of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, the Ministry of Agriculture of Hungary and the Research Institute for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre (NARIC HAKI) co-organized the V4 Freshwater Aquaculture Conference in Szarvas, Hungary, on 26 April 2018. The objectives of the conference included a review of the status of EU freshwater aquaculture, including its opportunities and constraints, to support efforts to get the complex role of freshwater aquaculture better acknowledged.

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he conference was attended by the representatives from 11 EU Member States (Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia), as well as invited speakers and observers from the European Commission, FAO, EATiP and EUROFISH.

Innovative methods in freshwater aquaculture Although freshwater aquaculture contributes over 20 of farmed fish production in the EU, there is still considerable potential for the sustainable growth of the sector, and thereby, improved food security. However, there is a need to apply innovative methods to Csaba Kakuk

The main topics of the conference included an overview of the potential for freshwater aquaculture development in the EU, the ecosystem services provided by extensive

freshwater fish ponds, and the possibilities of sustainable intensification of pond fish production without jeopardizing these functions.

Participants at the freshwater aquaculture conference in Szarvas, Hungary, came from 11 EU Member States and several institutions.

pond fish farming, which is the dominant type of aquaculture in Central and Eastern Europe. It is a significant challenge to produce more fish and increase employment opportunities without increasing the fishpond area, while maintaining the level of ecosystem services. There are limitations in conventional intensification of freshwater fish farming by increasing stocking density and applying formulated feed for reasons such as environmental and animal welfare regulations, social concerns, and increasing competition for freshwater. The answer is sustainable intensification, which is a relatively new and evolving concept that has been defined as a form of production wherein “yields are increased without adverse environmental impact and without the cultivation of more land�. Innovative methods such as Combined Intensive Extensive (CIE) production systems, the multifunctional use of fish ponds, or various recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) including open-air RAS for fish ponds, and flow-through systems, offer new opportunities to increase production and employment in freshwater aquaculture. The commercial viability of these systems has been

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demonstrated at a number of innovative farms in Hungary.

Fish pond water recycling or outdoor recycling aquaculture systems (RAS) In this type of system, small ponds (e.g. modified wintering ponds) are used for intensive fish production from where the effluent is diverted into a large extensive pond where the excess nutrients are utilised in the fish pond ecosystem. Then the water is transferred back either by gravity or by low-head pumps to the intensive ponds. In this system the extensive pond also provides ecological services for water-related animals and plants. A good example of the commercial application of an outdoor RAS is the system at Halas Ltd. in JaszkisĂŠr, where wintering ponds (2,000 m2) were converted into intensive production ponds. The effluent from the intensive ponds was treated in a large (20 ha) extensive pond. The water between the small intensive ponds and the large extensive pond was circulated by a low-head, highcapacity propeller pump. An indoor RAS can be also integrated in fishpond production either in a traditional or a CIE &VSPlTI

[ AQUACULTURE ]

Pond-in-pond and cage-in-pond systems In this type of Combined Intensive Extensive (CIE) system, an intensive production unit (e.g. floating tank, cage) is placed in an extensive pond. The organic wastes (metabolic products and uneaten feed) from the intensive unit are utilised in the extensive pond as nutrients. The distribution of the organic wastes in the extensive pond is assisted by low-head pumps or paddle wheels. The intensively cultured fish are higher market value species, while those in the extensive pond are the traditional species cultivated in polyculture. In the pond-in-pond system at the Halas fish farm, hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis x M. chrysops) produced in the intensive unit yielded 40 kg/mď˜ť. In the extensive pond market size common carp was reared from 300 g to 1.5 kg with a yield of about 1 t/ha.

At the Aranyponty fish farm in Retimajor, a cage-in-pond system was used for the intensive culture of European catfish (Silurus glanis). The cages were placed in an extensive pond where, besides conventional species (common carp, silver carp, grass carp), plankton feeding paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) was also stocked. The yield from the cages was 10 kg/m3, while from the extensive pond it was 700 kg/ha.

Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture (IMTA) System Geothermal water offers good opportunities for intensive aquaculture in Hungary, however the proper disposal of the effluent is a major challenge. The application of an integrated system, where the effluent is utilised to produce various aquatic species at different trophic levels contributes to decreasing the environmental impact and generating some extra income. A good example of freshwater IMTA is the system used commercially by Szarvas-fish Co. in the HortobĂĄgy region.

Peter Lengyel, Deputy Head, Department of Angling and Fisheries Management, Ministry of Agriculture. The ministry together with NARIC HAKI organised the conference.

Csaba Kakuk

system through the production of high quality seed even out of season tailored to the need of the growout production component.

The conference included an excursion to the HAKI fish farm, where participants met a sturgeon.

In the intensive unit of the system with a total water volume of 3,600 m3 African catfish is produced (about 1,000 t/year). The effluent flows into extensive ponds after settling, where filter feeding species are cultured. A constructed wetland is used for the final treatment of the effluent. Natural materials such as reeds are cultivated on the wetland, which is a traditional material for construction and decoration. The wetland also provides a habitat for water-loving animals and plants and also attracts tourists.

Multifunctional pond fish farms

farm is a pioneer in Hungary, and in Europe, in the development of multifunctional fish farming. The farm has a total area of about 1,000 ha situated in a Ramsar site and provides ecosystem services for numerous birds but also for many water-loving species. Tourist services are provided mainly for anglers, but the farm is a popular place among tourists interested in wildlife, fish culture, or fish gastronomy. The diversified multifunctional activities of the farm are a source of additional income and employment opportunities through the various services, and also contribute to the economic stability of the local community.

The multifunctional character of pond fish farming has been recognised for a long time; however, recently it has also been realised that the deliberate multidimensional use of fish ponds (production, angling, landscape and water management, recreation, education etc.) offers additional economic benefits. The experience of operating multifunctional fish farms in Hungary has clearly shown that the diversification of activities is a promising way to develop sustainable pond fish farming. Aranyponty fish

In conclusion it can be said that the viability of new types of fishpond systems is well demonstrated by innovative farms in Hungary. There is a need, however, for further efforts to improve efficiency through innovation to increase the share of these systems in total aquaculture production. Further efforts are also required to promote exchange of information and best practices at the international level, so that the specificities and benefits of such systems become more widely known.

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[ AQUACULTURE ] Urban fish farming: A realistic model or unworldly utopia?

Will tomorrow’s fish be farmed on a roof? As more and more people strive for better quality, freshness and control of the foods they eat, an increasing number is trying to produce part of their daily food requirements themselves, not only in rural areas but in urban environments within the conďŹ nes of large cities. In doing so they hope to inuence production conditions. Is urban farming just an ambitious hobby or is a new method of food production emerging that can seriously compete with established food industries?

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hether urban gardening (mostly the small-scale use of urban areas for horticulture), or urban aquafarming (the rearing of fish in small, often only bathtub-sized tanks and facilities of various types) the motives for pursuing such activities are usually identical. The forerunners in this field strive to both produce and consume food locally, thereby saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions through short transport routes. Careful waste management helps maintain natural material cycles. Above all, however, pioneers are looking to produce healthy food in a sustainable, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable manner. And that means without the use of chemicals and antibiotics or other drugs, and without pesticides or hormones, the use of which (according to most urban farmers) was common in conventional industrial food production. With this positioning, the urban farming movement claims to be a better, fairer, more environmentally and climate-friendly method of feeding humanity. To a certain extent it presents an alternative as an attractive model that anticipates the future of our nutrition and brings it into the present day. Apart from the fact that the total production of all urban farms is

currently not even measurable in the per mil range of global food production, the idea of producing food in the city and avoiding complex and costly distribution systems and refrigerated transports that require energy and pollute the environment has a certain charm. City farmers take responsibility for their supplies of fresh produce and contribute towards improving the urban microclimate. Their awareness of and interest in a sustainable lifestyle increases and they experience first-hand the pleasures and problems, the joy and suffering entailed in the rearing of plants and animals. Especially in cities, where more and more people spend their lives far removed from nature, there is growing concern about the way we live and what we eat. People have begun to ask themselves whether certain products can still be eaten at all without health risks. The longing for natural, sustainably produced food has developed into a megatrend in many western societies.

Urban aquafarming often uses aquaponics technology The idea of urban farming has long since reached aquaculture, too. Like locally produced vegetables,

The idea of combining fish farming with plant production has long been practised in Asia. Tilapia are grown there in rice fields, for example.

locally or regionally produced fish and seafood are in tune with the times. Apart from a few producers such as Urban Seas Aquaculture in Greenville (USA, South Carolina) which specialises exclusively in indoor shrimp farming (Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei) the majority of urban aquafarmers combine fish production with the cultivation of plants, mostly herbs or vegetables, in aquaponics systems. The term aquaponics is a composite of the words aquaculture and hydroponics, also called hydroculture. Hydroculture is a demanding, highly intensive horticultural method in which higher plants are cultivated without soil in an aqueous

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nutrient solution. In aquaponics systems, fish and plants exist in a certain sense in a symbiotic relationship to each other. The treated water from the fish farming facility (aquaculture) contains large amounts of nutrients, especially nitrates, which serve as a perfect fertilizer for growing plants (hydroponics). The plants extract the nutrients from the waste water and use them for their growth and thus contribute towards purifying the water so that it can be used again for fish production. This reduces the need for new/fresh water by 80 to 90 per cent compared to conventional aquaculture. Economical water consumption combined with relatively small space &VSPlTI

[ AQUACULTURE ] requirements for urban aquafarming make aquaponics systems particularly suitable for town/city environments. With hydroponic cultivation the plants do not need soil but grow just as well on artificial substrates such as rock wool or expanded clay or can even float directly on the water surface.

Choice of fish species produced is relatively small

convinces and inspires numerous people. This might explain why not only qualified specialists but also ambitious do-gooders or eco enthusiasts invest in such systems. Browsing the internet numerous aquaponics companies can be seen to present the same or similar arguments: that aquaponics technology was the future, for example; that the foods produced on the roofs of many houses would soon be able to meet the needs of their inhabitants for fruit, vegetables and fish. In these future “recycling townsâ€? people’s lives would improve, thanks to sustainable, environmentally friendly production. Because aquaponics systems did without genetic engineering, antibiotics and pesticides the work was pleasant and the resulting products tasted good. But some of the attempts to stand out positively against conventional aquaculture seem debatable on closer inspection. A German company that produces African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), for example, points out that their animals are very robust and still have a wide genetic range‌which could not be said for pangasius from intensive farming systems in Southeast Asian fish farms. This criticism is surprising, given the fact that there are up to 2,000 fishes in the company’s tanks which only measure four cubic metres in size! If they are harvested at an average weight of 1 kg that is equal to a fish stock density of 500 kilograms per cubic metre, which puts the accusation of “intensive farmingâ€? into rather a different perspective. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones...

Despite these difficulties, however, the aquaponics concept has a certain magic that readily

Besides African catfish it is mainly tilapia species that are produced in aquaponics systems.

The basic idea of aquaponics is not new and comparable systems were already used centuries ago by civilizations such as the Aztecs. The production of fish in flooded rice fields, which is widespread in Asia, is also in line with this concept. Although relatively simple archaic aquaponics systems still exist today the majority of modern systems have been technically upgraded and are controlled by computers to increase their efficiency. Sensors record all relevant data and important water parameters and transmit them to a central control unit which constantly analyses and optimises the system operation. Most users and suppliers of aquaponics systems have their own electronic control system. At TopFarmers they call it “Cloud GrowControl�, while ECF Farm Berlin uses the term “Smart Connection�. Linking fish and plant production via the nutrient-rich water, which in theory seems logical and simple, has shown itself to be a highly sensitive technology in practice, and it requires a good balance between both components. This holds particularly true if the farm is run on a commercial scale and has to deliver the high yields and high product quality that are essential for lasting economic success.

These fishes are resistant and can cope at least temporarily with sub-optimal water conditions. A US plant manufacturer also names five species of trout and char, plus large-mouth bass, as possible fish species for aquaponics systems. Farming these species, however, is quite demanding and it seems questionable whether they are really suitable for routine farming. With regard to the horticultural side of aquaponics systems the range of possible species is considerably larger. The favourites are lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and various culinary herbs, mainly basil and watercress, but also coriander, fennel and mustard. In the USA, dwarf or “baby� varieties of herbs and vegetables, so-called “microgreens�, are often produced. Some farms also offer sprouts of peas and sunflowers and even bananas and passion fruit. From time to time you can also find onions, spinach and chard, radishes, pak choi and kale from aquaponics systems.

Numerous technologies and methods are being tested System operators have little room for manoeuvre when choosing which fish they want to rear because the technical conditions of the water purification system set narrow limits. They have more freedom, however, when it comes to plant production, where there is not only one path to the desired goal. Sometimes the plants float on foam boards directly above the tanks with only their roots protruding into the water. Some farmers prefer constant flow systems, while others believe that pulsating irrigation on the ebb and flow principle is better. In some systems the plants grow out of holes

in horizontal or vertical tubular structures attached to a wall. The water required for irrigation trickles directly to the roots of the plants from drip systems like those used in horticulture worldwide. And some farmers even continue to grow their plants in soil, although aquaponics technology actually manages without such substrates. The aquaponics company TopFarmers has chosen this method, which it calls “aquaterraponics�. The design of the aquaponics farms is just as varied as the spectrum of methods used for plant cultivation. Roofs are often believed to be the best location for urban aquafarming but at the end of the day the systems are more often built on the ground. Installing roof structures is expensive and great care must be taken not to endanger the statics of the original building. Transport to and from aquaponics farms (e.g. for waste disposal and collection of market-ready products) is difficult at roof height and suitable transport systems have to be found. The process of setting up an aquaponics farm on a roof is not as easy or fast as bold visions of the future might suggest. At the moment the number of roof farms is still quite small. Even the Roof Water Farm in Berlin-Kreuzberg is situated – despite its name – on the ground. The reason given is that it is a test facility. Only when the technology was fully developed could it be relocated to a rooftop. One of the few aquaponics roof farms in Europe is located in Bad Ragaz, in Switzerland, and in Brussels a 2,400 m2 urban aquaponics farm on a house roof next to the historic abattoir was to go into operation at the end of 2017 (see next article). Further farms of this type are planned in Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Italy. Germany’s first urban

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[ AQUACULTURE ] rooftop farm is being built on the roof of the new job centre in Oberhausen.

Lots of suitable sites for urban farming

indoor aquaponics system in St. Paul in an old brewery (Schmidt Brewery). 300 tilapias are sold to local restaurants and about 600 kg of vegetables and herbs to markets and food shops every month.

In practice, containers are often used for smaller aquaponics systems. Such portable systems are particularly suitable for display and demonstration purposes in public places, for example in front of schools or supermarkets. The designers usually plan the fish section inside the container and place a greenhouse for plant production on top. In the prototype of the Urban Fish Farming (South Africa) fish farm, which produces tilapia in a 12-metre insulated shipping container in summer and trout in winter, the fish tanks are arranged in three levels on both sides of the container. It is located on the premises of a non-profit centre in Philippi (Cape Town) and is used for training unemployed people from poor communities, for aquaculture beginner courses, and in business development training programmes.

The Canadian company AquaGrow Farms operates its facility in the Mississauga Food Bank warehouse, which delivers “about 645 portions of fish and 10,800 portions of greens per yearâ€?. The British GrowUp Urban Farm in Beckton also uses an old warehouse for the production of tilapia and microgreens. Agua Dulce Farm in Texas chose a certified organic farm in southeast Austin for the construction of its facility which, in addition to 2,000 tilapia, mainly produces Asian vegetables from pak choi to mizuna, but also sorrel, rocket and celery. The aquaponics system of Urbanfarmingguys for 1,000 fish is situated in a greenhouse, as is the experimental plant of the University of Applied Sciences in Wädenswil, Switzerland.

Yield from these little boxes is naturally limited. For that reason the Berlin-based company TopFarmers located its plant, which it claims to be “Europe’s biggest glass city farm�, in an old greenhouse area. 30 tons of salad (“Berlin City Salad�) have been produced there annually since the beginning of 2017, and 50 tonnes of African catfish are to be added in 2018. The ECF Farm Berlin uses an old malt factory in Berlin-Tempelhof for the “aquaponic cultivation of capital basil and capital perch� in what is supposedly the “largest urban aquaponics farm in Europe�. 35 tons of vegetables (tomatoes) and 30 tons of tilapia are to be produced annually. The US-American Urban Organics operates its urban

The advantages of urban farming are indisputable. There is no need for a large plot, and one can grow fish and plants in a small area. Self-produced food is nutritious, inexpensive and healthy. Pests are more easily controlled in an enclosed environment, for example without chemicals using biological means such as green lacewings. Local production shortens transport routes, saves refrigeration costs, and reduces the ecological footprint of production. In addition, a lot of plants grow very quickly: lettuce, for example, is already on the plate just six weeks after sowing. However, the picture is only complete when one also points to the negative aspects of urban farming. The purchase and operation of such systems is rela-

Technology still has to prove its future viability

Tilapia is farmed particularly frequently in aquaponics systems because this fish species is robust, resistant and relatively undemanding.

tively expensive and it can take quite a long time to reach breakeven point‌ if ever. Fish tanks take up a lot of space, are heavy and have to be kept warm, which requires a lot of heating energy, especially in winter. And aquaculture systems lead to high humidity levels which can be quite uncomfortable to bear. Moreover, rearing even relatively undemanding fish species such as Clarias catfish or tilapia requires quite a lot of effort and it is definitely not – as some system suppliers claim – something one can do as a side-job. Electronic controls can certainly help and support the plant operator, but will not replace him. Anyone who decides to invest in a small system for private use should also bear in mind that it will fix their daily menu for some time ahead. Home-grown salad and fish from one’s own production might be delicious, but eating the same food day in and day out can be a bit monotonous in the long run. Some people might also have difficulties when it comes to slaughtering the market-ready fish which have to be stunned, killed and gutted in accordance with the applicable standards and slaughter regulations. If you want

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to sell fish to other buyers, you need a slaughter room and have to observe strict hygiene regulations. You have to be able to scale and fillet a fish and know where to put the resulting waste. And not only amateurs, but experts, too, can reach their limits when it comes to marketing the products. Even professional companies, whether urban fish farms or urban aquaponics projects, still have to prove that they are economically viable and profitable in the long term. Many of them live from subsidies, donations or sponsors who are convinced of the idea’s value. With production volumes currently averaging between 4 and 20 tonnes per year for fish and 50 tonnes per year for plants some enterprises could face the risk of insolvency right from the start. Especially since they often employ too many fulltime or part-time staff. So the outlook is sobering at the moment. The technology is not yet making the contribution to human nutrition that urban farmers self-confidently claim for themselves; conventional aquaculture remains indispensable. There is as yet no convincing evidence for the sustainability and future viability of aquaponics and urban farming. MK &VSPlTI

[ AQUACULTURE ] Belgian BIGH inaugurates its ďŹ rst urban farm for the sustainable production of ďŹ sh and greens

Valorising rooftops in the city centre BIGH, short for Building Integrated Green Houses, is a Belgian company that conceives, ďŹ nances, builds, and operates integrated greenhouses. It recently inaugurated its ďŹ rst rooftop aquaponic operation on the rooftop of a building in the heart of Brussels.

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quaponics combines two concepts, hydroponics – the cultivation of plants without soil, with aquaculture. BIGH uses aquaponics to demonstrate that technology, sustainable practices, and local communities can be combined to produce food in the heart of a city in a way that is economically and environmentally sustainable.

A virtuous circle In its first urban farm, Ferme Abattoir in Brussels, BIGH, has rented the roof top of a building in the heart of the city. The building was chosen for a purpose – it houses a meat processing plant with refrigerating and freezing facilities that generate a lot of heat, one of the inputs needed by the project. On the farm, fish and vegetables, in this case tomatoes, are cultivated in two closed loop systems, where nutrients from the water used by the fish are used to fertilise the plants. As a result hardly any additional fertiliser needs to be used for the plants. The fish production, says Mathias de Vos, the technical manager, is important for several reasons. The fish is a commercial product that contributes to the economy of the whole project. Moreover, sustainable fish cultivation in a recirculation system is an asset in terms of creating a good image for the project. The species being cultivated is hybrid striped bass, a cross between white bass (Morone chrysops) and striped bass

A newly inaugurated urban farm in Brussels is using aquaponics to produce hybrid striped bass in combination with tomatoes and basil.

(M. saxatilis), says Olivier Soulas, the director of aquaculture operations and production is expected to reach 35 tonnes. From the outset the commercial viability of the project has been a focal point, says Mr de Vos, for the investors and for the board. The purpose is to try and create a model for financially viable and environmentally sustainable production of fish and vegetables in the middle of the city that can be replicated in other parts of Brussels as well as other cities in Belgium and indeed in other countries in Europe. And the fish production is an important part of this calculation. Following this model, BIGH is already working on other projects in Brussels some of which are in the final stages of development.

Urban farms are part of the local community

Hybrid striped bass for an exclusive market

Integration in the context of the project refers to the technical integration of heat from the building into a system that yields foodstuffs. However, it also refers to the social integration of a greenhouse in the middle of the city where it will be highly visible and will have an impact on the surrounding environment. Its central location means that people, customers, curious members of the public, and others with a personal or professional interest in the greenhouse and its activities will be able to visit, which is something we want to encourage, says Mr de Vos, as this serves to embed the project in the local community, which is one of the goals of the project.

The fish production has not been without the odd hiccup. Hybrid striped bass is a robust fish, generally not sensitive to water quality, but it needs space to swim, says Mr Soulas. If placed in small tanks it will just stop growing. As a result, for the moment, the project is producing 500 g fish for the market, but bigger tanks will enable the production of 1 kg specimens. Hybrid striped bass is a relatively exotic fish in Europe, but for Mr Soulas it was important to find a high value species where he could dictate the price. Seabass or seabream are much more common, but that also means the price is set by the market. The hybrid striped bass on the other hand is aimed at a niche market, where it

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[ AQUACULTURE ] can command a higher price. At the same time, because it is related to the European seabass, a fish that is well-known, hybrid striped bass is acceptable to customers saving on the expense of having to introduce a completely new species to the market. While the fish is currently being sold fresh, it is also an ideal fish to smoke because of its high fat content. Various value-added products are being tested including smoked, canned, and a mousse. The tomatoes benefit from the nutrients in the water used by the fish reducing the need for fertiliser.

Tomatoes and basil are the two crops being cultivated in the aquaponics system and yields are

expected to be 16 tonnes of tomatoes and 2,700 pots of basil a week. In a traditional aquaponics system the water from the fish is used by the plants and then is returned to the fish. At Ferme Abattoir however this latter part of the cycle is not implemented. The reason, Mathias de Vos explains, is that it reduces the commercial viability of the project and could thereby jeopardise the entire concept. For more information, contact Ms NoĂŠmie Benoit, noemie.benoit @buildingintegratedgreenhouses. com

Urban aquaculture in Bangladesh

Stinging catfish proves profitable to farm in RAS A.B.M Shamsul Alam has been involved with ďŹ sh breeding, both hatchery production and on-growing, for 20 years. As a ďŹ sh farmer he had often wondered how ďŹ sh could be produced in a safer and more hygienic way than in a pond, where monitoring and adjusting the different parameters is difďŹ cult. In addition, the accumulation of ďŹ sh waste and uneaten feed in the water prolongs the growing period, adding to the costs, and delaying sales. In 2016, his company, Agro 3, started a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS) in the city of Mymensingh, Bangladesh

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n Bangladesh, production from ponds exceeds demand yet the fish lacks the quality that would enable it to be exported. A lack of water quality maintenance, poor pond management, low fish feed quality and the use of medicines are among the reasons the fish cannot be sold abroad. But fish is popular in Bangladesh and people who can afford it buy better quality products that are not farmed in ponds. In light of this, Mr Alam decided to invest in a RAS in the urban area of Mymensingh. For him the advantages were that it takes up less space than a pond farm and recycles the water.

Lack of experience meant learning by trial and error This was the first initiative of its kind in Bangladesh and Mr Alam had to learn to operate the system by trial and error as nobody in Bangladesh had the expertise to share with him. Initially, he faced a lot of problems because a RAS is a complex piece of equipment. The biofilter is one of the most important parts of the system and consists of small elements that provide a substrate for bacteria that purify the water in the tanks in which the fish live and grow. It takes two to three weeks for

A RAS system in an urban setting in Bangladesh demonstrates how the impact of traditional pond farms on rice cultivation can be avoided.

bacteria to grow on the elements, which change colour as a result from white to deep brown. The elements last three to four years, after which more need to be added. They also get discolored

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(neither white, nor deep brown) as a result of the bacteria being killed, for example, with the use of antibiotics. So, the discoloration of media also indicates use of chemicals. &VSPlTI

[ AQUACULTURE ] The system consists of eight tanks, each with a capacity of 10,000 liters of water. All the tanks are connected through PVC pipes. All the dirty water, about 50,000 liters per hour, goes from the tanks, first to a mechanical filter and later to the biological filter after which it is returned to the tanks. In the RAS, removing solid waste is an important process carried out by the mechanical filter using a 100 micron screen. Nearly 25-35 of the feed is converted to solid waste, called total suspended solids (TSS).

toxic ammonia from the water. First, nitrifying bacteria convert toxic ammonia to nitrite (NO2) which is also toxic, and then to nitrate (NO3) which is harmless. These bacteria are aerobic and they need sufficient amount of dissolved oxygen to grow on the substrate. Therefore, air is blown through the water to ensure sufficient oxygen both for the fish and the nitrification process. The biofilter is most efficient when the pH is maintained between 7 and 8 and the water temperature is about 27-28 degrees centigrade.

The biological filter is a critical and sensitive part of the system

The RAS has now been operating for about a year. It was difficult to run it smoothly in the beginning due to a lack of experience. Initially, Mr Alam tried different local species of fish,

The biological filter uses a process of nitrification to remove

butter catfish (Ompok bimaculatus), Gangetic mystus (Mystus cavasius), which were possible to produce, but took long to grow, had high feed conversion ratios (FCR), and production per cubic meter was not satisfactory. Later he tried with striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), but the sales price was not at all satisfactory. Finally he tried stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis), which, has proved to be a profitable species. The FCR is low (0.7) and the production period is shorter than other fishes. The fish are healthy, it is possible to harvest every four months and the yield is almost 60 kg/m3. The annual yield from the RAS is about 7 tonnes, which is about 180 times the yield from a

conventional pond with the same surface area.

Urban farms can prevent rice fields from being converted to ponds RAS are in many ways preferable to farming fish in traditional ponds. Not only is the yield higher, but the system requires little in terms of area. Ponds, on the other hand, take up space that could otherwise be used to cultivate rice, a staple food in Bangladesh. There are thus multiple potential benefits from the use of recirculation aquaculture systems, says Mr Alam. A.B.M Shamsul Alam, proprietor of Agro 3, a fish hatchery and on-growing farm based in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, www. agrothree.com

6th Turkish Aquaculture Producers Workshop, February 2018, Anatalya

Industry and government share a common objective – sustainable development The 6th Aquaculture Producers Workshop was held in Antalya from 23 to 25 February 2018. It was organised by the Central Union of Aquaculture Producers with the support of several sponsors from the industry.

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he sector and the administration were well represented at the event and speeches were held, among others, by Faruk CoĂźkun, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Central Union of Aquaculture Producers, Necati Tulgar, Deputy General Director of Agricultural Research and Policies, and Dr M. AltuĂš Atalay, General Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Courtney Hough, General Secretary of FEAP (Federation of European Aquaculture Producers) referred in his speech to the European aquaculture sector 50 years ago, when the issues were the quality of fish feed, fish health, environmental issues and the price of fish in the market. Five decades later, he said, the same issues are still on the agenda. Binhan GanioĂšlu, chair of the session said

that the cooperation with FEAP would be useful both for Europe and Turkey in terms of determining more positive and constructive strategies based on research. He expressed his personal hope that the duties applied on seafood products exported by Turkey to Europe would be reviewed this year, adding that the repeal of the duties would be a great support for Turkish producers.

Investments in technology and innovation needed to boost growth Mr. Paul Steinar Valle, (Kontali Analyse, Norway) stated that the protein needs of an increasing population would have to be met at least partly from production in the sea. He mentioned that Turkey was a leading producer of farmed fish and that

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[ AQUACULTURE ] should be developed and introduced to the consumers.

From left, Ă–zerdem MaltaĂź, Head of the Department of Aquaculture, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock; Ăşbrahim Halil SĂśzmen, Director of Aquaculture Branch in Konya Directorate; M. AltuĂš Atalay, General Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock

new markets were emerging for Turkish seabass and seabream, for instance, in northern Europe and in Japan. He added that Turkey needed to consider whether there was adequate space for production to grow and suggested that investments in technology and innovation would be also needed if output is to increase. Ekaterina Tribilustova, (Eurofish International Organisation, Denmark) informed the audience about trends in Europe in terms of products and production techniques. She said that demand for fish was growing all over the world and that the annual consumption of fish and other aquaculture products had increased to 16 million tons worldwide. She added that technical innovations in the packaging field could now prolong shelf life, maintain quality, and contribute to greater brand recognition. Innovations in logistic

and sales were leading to new distribution channels, for example, fish sold through Amazonlike platforms and other e-trade channels. Traditional fish markets are also diversifying their products and providing various services to attract customers. For example, the product could be promoted by offering samples served with wine. She also mentioned a number of products such as seaweed, seahorse, abalone, and sea urchins for which new markets are emerging.

Promotion campaigns to increase domestic fish consumption Hßseyin Yildirim, the President of the MuÚla Trout Producer’s Union emphasised the need for the widespread deployment of technology in the aquaculture production sector as this would enable better planning and improve productivity. He

said that fish from Turkey should be branded as such and promoted as a high value, healthful product. It was also important to increase the domestic consumption of fish with the help of promotion campaigns. Regarding fish feed, Mr Yildrim suggested that it should be made compulsory to provide on the label the digestibility value of the feed and the origins of the protein and oil content. In this manner the producer would be able to compare the price and the ingredients and select the most appropriate one. The issue of promotion and marketing was also addressed by HĂźseyin SalihoĂšlu, General Consultant Trabzon Inner Aquaculture Producers Union, who stated that marketing should be a priority issue for the sector. He felt that more should be done to increase the sales of live fish, but also that campaigns to increase fish consumption should continue, and that new fish cooking techniques

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In his intervention, Atilla ErtĂźrk, reported on the production of rainbow trout and carp in dams, which dates back to 1995. There are some advantages to this kind of production as the establishment period is short and the costs are lower compared with traditional ponds which take longer to construct and are more expensive. On the other hand, when comparing the two types of production it is also useful to consider the economic and environmental sustainability. In general, he said that it was important to establish the carrying capacity of the planned facility, monitor the water quality parameters at the infeed, outflow and in the ponds, use feed with high feed conversion ratios and low phosphorus content, check the digestibility ratio, and prevent feed losses. He added that species feeding on plants (such as carps) rather than extruded fish feed (such as trout) have a lower impact on the environment with reduced nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus loads. Rotating the use of ponds also reduces the impact on the environment and should be taken into account at the project design stage along with certification programs like GlobalGAP (Good Agriculture Practice), BAP (Best Aquaculture Practice), BMP (Best Management Practice). The Mediterranean Aquaculture Research, Production and Training Institute is one of four research institutes under the Directorate General of Agricultural Research. Dr Mahir Kanyilmaz, an associate professor at the institute, told the audience that the institute works on issues demanded by the industry, for example, analysing the feed on &VSPlTI

[ AQUACULTURE ]

The 6th Turkish Aquaculture Producers Workshop was well attended by representatives from the industry, associations, academia, and the public administration.

the market, testing new feeds, and assessing raw materials for their potential use in feeds. He added that as one of the first institutes to farm trout in Turkey the institute had a lot of experience with this species.

Various initiatives in support of the industry AltuĂš Atalay, General Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture told the attendees that for aquaculture production to be sustainable it was necessary to protect the environment, the water, and the fish. Referring to the previous

Aquaculture Producers’ Workshop, where there had been calls from the industry to establish dedicated aquaculture production zones, he pointed out that the necessary amendments had been made to the regulation and these zones could now be established. Physical infrastructure at ports is also being improved so that the logistics of transferring the farmed fish to land from sea could be made easier, said Mr Emrah from the Ministry of Development and Özerdem Maltaß, Head of the Department of Aquaculture, said that the cultivation of new species by fish

farmers would be supported by the ministry. The meeting concluded with Turgay Tßrkyilmaz, Deputy General Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture acknowledging the importance of these meetings which provided a forum for dialogue between the sector and the ministry, a point that was taken also up by Mr Atalay, who said that the role played by the Central Union and the Provincial Unions was critical to ensuring a productive cooperation between the producers and the ministry. He added that the Turkish aquaculture sector and government shared the goal of

sustainable development of the industry to increase production from 253,000 tons (2016) to 400,000 tons in 2023. To achieve this the government would encourage the use of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), and the sustainable cultivation of new species. It would also assist in finding new export markets for fish and production technology, and in increasing domestic consumption to 10 kg per capita, the target for 2023. Gßlser Fidanci, Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, gulser.fidanci@tarim.gov.tr

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[ PROJECTS ] New mathematical tools contribute to development of healthier seafood products

Putting math to food use A recently completed Danish project with focus on salt reduction has developed new and comprehensive mathematical models and software to predict how growth of undesirable microorganisms can be controlled in seafood products. These tools have contributed to a new series of Nordic Keyhole-labeled seafood products from Royal Greenland with less salt, a more natural taste and higher food safety.

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he dietary recommendations from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration indicate that Danes should eat more fish and less salt. Intake of more fish and less salt will reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, as well as bringing other health benefits. It is estimated that reducing salt intake by 3 g/day per person on average will result in an annual saving of EUR 130-260 million in health care costs in Denmark. Similarly, in other Scandinavian countries there has been significant focus on producing in accordance with the Nordic Keyhole label, where less salt is one of the primary goals. However, this represent a challenge for seafood companies and particularly for those producing lightly-preserved seafood including smoked and marinated fish, shellfish in brine, and pasteurized lumpfish roe with

a relatively long shelf life, when refrigerated. The challenge is that less salt allows both pathogenic microorganisms such as Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium botulinum as well as spoilage microorganisms such as Pseudomonas and lactic acid bacteria to grow better and potentially reach critical concentrations in the products. The purpose of the project “Developing seafood products with improved health value, food quality and food safety (LOW SALT)� within the Danish Green Development and Demonstration Program (GUDP) was therefore to develop new predictive models and software to be able to predict how the composition of seafood can be modified to achieve products with reduced salt content. This 4-year GUDP project, which was completed in December 2017,

has been carried out by the Na t i o n a l F o o d Institute (DTU Food) at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in close cooperation with Royal Greenland Seafood A/S.

The Nordic Keyhole label The Nordic Keyhole is the official nutrition label of the Nordic Council of Ministers and it is intended to alert consumers to healthier choices when shopping, eating out, or following recipes. Food, menu items, and recipes labelled with the Nordic Keyhole must meet specific requirements

regarding fat, sugar, salt and dietary fiber content. The Nordic Keyhole label makes it easier to choose healthier products and comply with official dietary recommendations. On September 1, 2016, the requirements for the Nordic Keyhole label became more restrictive. Smoked and marinated fish as well as caviar and other lightly preserved seafood must contain no more than 3.0 salt. Delicatessen products (e.g. fish cakes) must contain no more than 2.5 salt, whereas other seafood products including brined shellfish must contain no more than 1.5 salt.

Development of new predictive models and software Predictive models and software can predict the growth and survival of microorganisms in foods. Predictions are used to

The new lightly preserved seafood products from Royal Greenland with the Nordic Keyhole label.

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[ PROJECTS ] determine food safety and shelf life, depending on the product characteristics, and storage and distribution conditions. The use of predictive models and software for food safety documentation is supported by the EU legislation (EC 2073/2005) as well as by recommendations from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (www. foedevarestyrelsen.dk). Within the LOW SALT project, DTU Food has developed new and comprehensive predictive models for psychrotolerant, i.e. able to grow at low temperatures, Clostridium botulinum and Pseudomonas bacteria. These models are particularly relevant for seafood products with reduced salt content, as salt is specifically used in lightly preserved seafood products to prevent the growth of psychrotolerant Clostridium botulinum. The new models can be used together with existing and popular predictive models for Listeria monocytogenes and lactic acid bacteria. This

is of great practical importance in product development, where predictions make it possible to formulate recipes with reduced salt and at the same time compensate for the lost effect of salt on preservation through targeted change of other product properties. As examples, such changes could be addition of alternative preservatives and/ or a reduction of pH. In this way, the use of predictive models and software contributes to faster, better and cheaper product development, as it would be costly and time consuming to obtain the same information from product trials.

Development of new seafood products at Royal Greenland During the project period, Royal Greenland developed 37 new lightly preserved

seafood products with the Nordic Keyhole label, including 25 smoked/marinated products. In 2017, four new products of pasteurized lumpfish roe were launched with less than 3.0 salt compared to the usual salt content of approximately 4.5, corresponding to a reduction of more than 30. Both taste and healthfulness of the Nordic Keyhole-labeled roe products were significantly improved. Royal Greenland has also launched eight new Nordic Keyhole-labeled products of coldwater prawns in brine. The salt content of these newly developed brine products is below 1.5, compared to the usual 2.0-3.0, representing a reduction of 25-50 salt. Expressed in another way, the total amount of prawns made by Royal Greenland in 2017 contained eight tons less salt than just a few years ago. The new products taste fresh, more natural and have a far more unique and authentic prawn taste than the “traditionalâ€? cold-water prawns in

brine, which often contain more than 3.0 salt. The successful launch by Royal Greenland of these new high-quality products with lower salt content and improved taste and food safety has been facilitated by the development of two new predictive models for psychrotolerant Clostridium botulinum and Pseudomonas. In practice, the models mean that Royal Greenland has become much more innovative and effective in the development of recipes for low-salt seafood products without compromising either taste or food safety. Authors: Ole Mejlholm, Jan Soinjoki and Niels BøknĂŚs, Royal Greenland Seafood A/S. Ioulia Koukou and Paw Dalgaard, National Food Institute (DTU Food) at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The project was supported by the Green Development and -Demonstration (GUDP) program in Denmark.

Food Spoilage and Safety Predictor

A tool to forecast the growth of microorganisams

The Food Spoilage and Safety Predictor (FSSP) program contains mathematical models that can predict the growth of both pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms. FSSP is used by more than 10,000 people from companies, institutions and authorities in more than 100 different countries. FSSP was developed by Professor Paw Dalgaard at DTU Food and is freely available from http://fssp.food.dtu.dk. The program was introduced in 1999 and version 4.5 will be released during 2018. XXX VSPlTIN DPN

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NORWAY

Generic marketing of Norwegian seafood promotes the product and the country where it originates

Making seafood from Norway known around the world With a 130,000 km of coastline, unpolluted seas, and well managed stocks, Norway has carefully nurtured its resources to become one of the most successful seafood nations in the world. In terms of seafood export value, it is second only to China.

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globally, says Renate Larsen, managing director of the Norwegian Seafood Council.

New label prepares for a future when seafood is Norway’s dominant export Norway’s main export is still oil and gas and related equipment which accounted for just over half the country’s total export in

2017. However, exports of oil and gas have been decreasing since 2012 with a slight uptick last year, and many in the seafood industry believe that seafood will play an increasingly important role in the country’s economy as well as in the global supply of healthful and sustainably produced food. With the “Seafood from Norway� label the Norwegian Seafood Council intends to build a brand that will propel the seafood industry

towards a future where seafood is the country’s most important export product. The natural geographical advantages that contribute to Norway’s position as a seafood-producing nation are complemented by an administrative framework that ensures the sustainable management of seafood resources, and by long traditions of innovation in product development and of trade. Today Norway boasts clusters of Tom Haga/Norwegian Seafood Council

ith its reputation for clear and clean waters and healthy seafood Norway promotes its exports of seafood with the help of a label “Seafood from Norway� that emphasises the Norwegian origin of the products with all the underlying positive attributes that are associated with Norway. The label guarantees the origins of seafood from Norway and contributes towards a stronger position for Norwegian seafood

The Norwegian Seafood Council has proved adept at linking Norway with the traditions and quality of its seafood. Pictured, klipďŹ sk in a box with the former seafood from Norway logo. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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expertise in every aspect of the seafood industry – research, management, and technology development.

Stringent requirements for use of brand The new label is intended to create visibility for and recognition of the Norwegian origin of the seafood across markets, products, and species. While other labels are typically associated with a region or an even smaller area, the Norwegian label has been deliberately created to represent the whole country. The council has found that for nearly 70 of consumers in the most important markets for Norwegian seafood, country of origin is an important factor when selecting a product. In addition, consumers are willing to pay a premium for seafood bearing the label, which they associate with values such as quality, modernity, authenticity, and reliability. Use of the label is administered by the Norwegian Seafood Council and it is a common voluntary brand for the entire seafood industry. To ensure the integrity of the label the council has laid down several criteria for its use. Thus, it may only be used with products for human consumption that contain exclusively Norwegian seafood, defined as fish and seafood naturally inhabiting Norwegian waters; caught or farmed in compliance with Norwegian management; and which has been landed on Norwegian territory. A further prerequisite relates to audit procedures and specifies that use of

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the label is subject to the product being completely traceable all along the value chain and back to a consignment of Norwegian raw material.

Norwegian Seafood Council has a multifaceted marketing strategy The label is used for council activities as well as by importers, distributors, manufacturers and retail chains. In Poland and Germany, respectively the biggest and ninth biggest export markets for Norwegian seafood, the council is cooperating with exporters who are launching new products this year, says Gitte Hannemann Mollan, director of the Norwegian Seafood Council for these two markets. The new label has been very well received by the industry, she says, and it modernises a version that had been used by the council for the last 17 years. Strong brands are crucial to differentiating products on the market and the Norwegian label manages to convey different messages simultaneously, for example, quality and sustainability. However, the label is only part of a multi-pronged strategy to market Norwegian fish around the globe that includes communication that associates the elements – natural conditions, the sea, people – as well as long traditions and sustainable management with Norwegian seafood. This not only creates a positive awareness of Norwegian seafood, but also creates a favourable image of Norway. Another tool is the market and consumer research

that the council carries out for the industry giving it a profound understanding of seafood markets around the world. Generic marketing campaigns and actions contributing to industry and product reputation building are among the activities carried out by the council to promote Norwegian seafood.

Making a product stand out on a supermarket shelf Linking the country and its seafood closely together as the council does is similar to the use of protected designations of origin (PDO) or protected geographical indications (PGI) within the EU, which serve to differentiate PDO or PGI-marked products in crowded international markets. The notion that consumer interest in quality and tradition stokes demand for products with specific characteristics linked to their geographic origin was recently reported on by researchers from the University of Beira Interior (Spain) in a January 2018 article in Food Research International. The Norwegian Seafood Council has been particularly effective at exploiting this with its emphasis on the quality and tradition of Norwegian seafood products. In Poland, Przemysław Cieŋlik, General Manager at Contimax, confirms that Norwegian seafood has a very good reputation. His company, one of the earliest importers of seafoood from Norway, has been sourcing raw material there for the last 28 years using it to manufacture products for the domestic market as well as for export.

Today Contimax imports some 7,000 tonnes of herring, mackerel, and salmon from Norway and Mr Cieŋlik is very happy with the quality of the fish. The Seafood from Norway brand links the quality with the country, which he finds interesting and useful, however he also feels that unlike the former logo, the new one does not always lend itself to the design of the packaging that his company is using. As a result, the label can only be used on some of Contimax’ portfolio of around 300 products. That does not seem to have inhibited his sales as his long-standing customers are all aware that Contimax has been using Norwegian raw material for decades and the presence or absence of the logo does not alter that commitment. The Norwegian Seafood Council has done such a good job of promoting seafood from Norway that at least in some contexts buyers do not need to show that the seafood is from Norway – it is enough if their customers know that it is.

The new logo replaces a 17-yearold one.

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NORWAY

Solving the issues of sea lice and salmon escapes is a question of time

Improvements now need to be consolidated Sea lice and escaping ďŹ sh are two of the salmon farming industry’s biggest concerns. The goal in Norway is to eliminate the one and prevent the other so that the government’s vision of a ďŹ ve-fold increase in salmon production by 2050 can be realised. The problem of lice is one that continues to confound the global salmon industry. Sea lice are naturally occurring marine parasitic crustaceans that attach themselves to the salmon and feed on its mucus, skin and blood. An attack by lice causes wounds on the fish leaving it weakened with reduced appetite and vulnerable to secondary infections. The degree of damage is influenced by the number of lice and the size of the host.

SpeciďŹ c to salmonids The sea louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is a parasite on

all salmonid species including salmon, trout and char. Infestation of other species is temporary until the louse finds a salmonid host. Sea lice develop faster in warmer temperatures, and in the early growth stages cannot survive low salinities. An adult female can produce some 1,700 eggs over the course of her existence. The life cycle of sea lice is divided into eight stages, three free-swimming, two stationary, and three mobile, starting with the egg that hatches into a free floating nauplius. After moulting, the nauplius enters the infective copepodit stage which attaches to the host fish. The louse moults

several times attached to the fish before becoming a mobile preadult at which point it can move on the surface of the fish and can swim. While sea lice have always been present in nature they have become more of a problem with the spread of salmon farming as the presence of large numbers of salmon living in close proximity to each other is thought to provide conditions conducive to the proliferation of the parasite. Higher temperature seas as a result of global warming are also likely to cause sea lice to multiply. There are several issues associated

with sea lice: they have a negative impact on salmon production both directly, by damaging or, in extreme cases, killing the fish, and indirectly by making the fish more susceptible to disease; the spread of sea lice may also be affecting wild salmonids adding to the impacts of commercial fishing, climate change, and habitat destruction on these fish; finally combating the problem with drugs or chemicals often has a wider environmental impact. Ways to treat sea lice infestations include the use of drugs in the feed, bathing the fish in chemicals, and the use of cleaner fish, which live in the cage with the salmon and feed off the lice. But, according to a report prepared for the Scottish Parliament reviewing the environmental impacts of salmon farming in Scotland, nearly all these methods are expensive, not effective, and must be repeated. In addition, sea lice are demonstrating resistance to many of the drugs being used to treat the fish.

Fighting sea lice is a costly affair

Sea lice are marine parasitic crustaceans and a signiďŹ cant nuisance for the salmon industry.

For the salmon industry sea lice are a source of additional costs caused by direct losses, as well as by the cost of chemicals/ medicines, increased manpower requirements to treat the fish and to deal with weight loss, stress Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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among the fish, etc. In Norway, the applied research institute Nofima has estimated the cost of fighting sea lice at NOK3-5 per kilo. For the Norwegian industry, with a production of 1.2m tonnes of salmon in 2016, this translates into NOK3-5bn. The country is the world’s biggest producer of the fish and sea lice pose one of the main health issues for the industry and have contributed to stagnating production since 2012. According to the Norwegian Veterinary Institute sea lice can be found in marine cages with salmon or rainbow trout all along the Norwegian coast, the degree of infestation however depends on control measures implemented by the cage owners, as well as conditions in the cage. The density of the fish in the cage as well as the water temperature are closely linked to the degree of infestation with higher density and temperature leading to increased rates of infection. Sea lice are monitored by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research and the Food Safety Authority, which, together with the Veterinary Institute, also runs a programme to monitor drug resistance in lice.

for the number of lice per fish in a cage. To lessen the risk of wild salmon smolts getting infected as they make their way to the sea, the permissible limits are reduced in spring. Fish farmers are expected to respect these limits and ensure they are never breached. If the number of lice approaches the limit the farmer takes counter measures. In the past the use of drugs, either in the fish feed or as a bath, was the main method to combat lice. However, over the years the lice have developed resistance to many of the drugs approved to fight them and farmers are therefore deploying other methods, such as cleaner fish, thermic and mechanical delousing, and the use of freshwater baths. Since 2014 a device that uses lasers to eliminate lice has also been working at several sites, adding to the list of non-medicinal therapies used in the fight against the parasite. In general, the number of non-medicinal treatments increased rapidly in 2016 and 2017, while prescriptions for drugs to use against the lice has fallen.

Lice are considered an illness and the authorities prescribe the limits

The challenge posed by the lice to stocks of both farmed and wild

Expansion in production is hindered

Year end live stock of salmonids (Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, and trout, 1,000 individuals) 2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

404,246

403,743

403,454

403,601

387,482

392,245

360,236

Source: Directorate of Fisheries, Norway

salmonids has held back growth in aquaculture production as the government has linked new production licenses with farmers’ ability to deal with the lice. In 2015 the government proposed to regulate growth in the salmon farming industry using a new system based on environmental sustainability that used sea lice as an indicator. The coast was divided into 13 regions which were colour-coded according to whether environmental conditions, and specifically the impact of sea lice on wild salmon, allowed the salmon-farming industry to grow or not. Called the traffic-light system, a region where growth was possible was coloured green, where no growth was permitted was yellow, and where production had to decrease was red. Following an evaluation of the impact of sea lice on wild salmon in 2017 two of the 13 regions were labelled red, 3 yellow and the rest

Sea lice in numbers by coastal county* 2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Finnmark

0.32

0.34

0.37

0.46

0.49

0.31

0.29

Troms

0.60

0.62

0.53

0.40

0.59

0.55

0.55

Nordland

1.45

0.90

0.86

0.63

0.70

0.70

0.43

Nord-Trøndelag

1.32

1.70

1.55

2.01

0.98

0.73

0.60

Sør-Trøndelag

1.13

0.62

1.19

1.15

1.37

0.55

0.23

Møre og Romsdal

1.11

0.94

1.59

2.04

1.00

0.97

0.74

Sogn og Fjordane

1.81

1.45

2.50

2.19

2.22

2.47

2.73

Hordaland

2.43

1.72

2.95

1.64

1.54

1.44

1.88

Rogaland og Agder

1.27

0.85

0.85

0.69

1.13

0.94

1.14

Grand Total

1.56

1.12

1.60

1.26

1.18

1.04

1.07 Source: Lusedata.no

*Average number of stationery, mobile, and adult females per ďŹ sh

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green. The system limited growth to 6 up (green regions) or down (red regions) and the evaluation is to be repeated every second year. The new system could increase production capacity by 24,000 tonnes in 2018. The main objective of the new system was to provide the salmon farming industry with a framework for predictable growth that also paid greater attention to the environment. While sea lice is the indicator currently being used, others may be introduced in the future. Official attempts to tackle the challenges posed by sea lice have broad backing. The Federation of Norwegian Industries (FNI) issued a report in 2017 that envisages the complete elimination of sea lice. From 2022 the report proposes the introduction of a levy linked to the number of sea lice in the cages, ASC (or equivalent) certification for all farms, and by 2027, parasite-free cages. The Norwegian Seafood Federation which represents the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Norway supports the need to have sea lice as the indicator that determines where growth is possible. However, the organisation considers it decisive that the data underlying these decisions is accurate. Geir Ove Ystmark, the managing director, has pointed out that several experts have questioned the reliability of the data and says the consequence of taking decisions based on inadequate data could be the loss of significant production and

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revenues. He also is concerned that any reduction in production could have a substantial impact on individual farmers. The issue of high quality data is also taken up in the FNI report, which suggests that the counting of sea lice should be handed to independent operators to ensure objective and reliable data. Environmental bodies also support the measures outlined in the FNI report as well as the authorities’ efforts. In June last year a group of green organisations (including Greenpeace and WWF) in a letter to the leader of the Labour party laid out their priorities for the aquaculture sector, which included the three zero tolerance goals for lice, escapes and waste of resources defined in the FNI report. The organisations also supported the government’s proposals linking increased production to the impact of sea lice on stocks of wild salmon.

Escaped ďŹ sh may harm wild salmon stocks While sea lice are one issue tormenting the salmon industry another is escapes. Over the last decade some 200,000 salmon on average are reported to have escaped from cages each year. Escaped salmon have been monitored for the last 30 years under various plans, but in 2014 these were all rolled into one national

monitoring programme. In recent years the impact of escaped fish on the environment in general and on stocks of wild salmon in particular have become more apparent. Some escaped fish perish, but others swim into rivers and breed with wild salmon bringing about undesirable genetic changes in the wild stock. Farmed fish are genetically selected over generations for characteristics that are appropriate for fish being raised in cages and not necessarily for life in the wild. Interbreeding with wild salmon can therefore have negative consequences such as changes in the smolt maturation age and size. Local populations of wild salmon have also adapted to local conditions and breeding with escaped salmon can cause a genetic reduction in the differences between populations that have evolved over thousands of years in response to local conditions. Other issues that could affect wild fish are competition from escaped fish for food and breeding territory as well as possible increases in the number of predators due to an increase in the number of prey. That said, the genetic impact of escaped farmed fish on wild salmon is complex, notes the FNI report, depending on the proportion of escaped salmon in the wild population, their reproductive success, the status of the wild population and the extent of the genetic difference

between the wild and the farmed fish. The impact of interbreeding will vary between populations of wild salmon. The progeny of escaped fish in the wild and hybrids of farmed and wild parentage have been shown to have reduced longevity compared with wild salmon.

Several measures to reduce the number of escapes Salmon escape for a variety of reasons of which the most common are technical failures, inappropriate use, or damage to nets caused by vessels or propellers. In Scotland a report for the Scottish Parliament identified 14 causes of escapes over a 15-year period from 2002 to 2017. However, 80 of the escape events had just four causes: hole in the net, human error, weather, and predators. In Norway the number of escapes has been on the decline, from a peak of almost 1m escaped fish in 2006 to 15,000 in 2017, though 59,000 escapes have been recorded already half way through 2018. Although there is a degree of uncertainty associated with these numbers, which may well be under-reported, the reduction in escapes has been accomplished among others by improvements in technology, stricter regulations, the implementation of standards,

Salmon escapes in Norway

and more training to personnel. The government has introduced several measures with the ultimate goal of eliminating escapes altogether. Technical standards for cages and other structures at farming sites have been tightened; the industry is obliged to put in place and monitor measures that ensure the safety of the environment and the health and welfare of the fish. The authorities make certain that the industry complies with rules and regulations including the obligation to report escapes, whether from their own farms or not. In addition, the government is responsible for annual surveys that estimate the proportion of escaped fish in wild salmon populations. Escaped fish that end up in Norwegian rivers and streams and that are deemed to constitute a threat to wild salmon are removed by an organisation set up for this purpose. The Farming Industry’s Union for the Removal of Escaped Salmon (OppdrettsnĂŚringens sammenslutning for utfisking av rømt Oppdrettslaks – OURO) is an industry-financed body that uses data from the national monitoring programme to plan and execute the removal of these fish from rivers. Rods, harpoons, nets and traps are used to remove fish. Trude H Nordli, who leads OURO says the organisation can distinguish farmed from wild fish in the rivers by analysing the fish scales. A new tracking system that is being developed for the aquaculture industry will combine the analysis of fish scales with other data to identify the origin of the fish.

Source: Directorate of ďŹ sheries, Norway

Given the resources that are being put in to understanding and combating both sea lice and escapes it is surely only a question of time before these issues are resolved and the salmon industry can once again expand production. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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NASF 2018: The ďŹ sh industry’s responsibility for global food supply is growing

Sustainable use of resources is the central guideline With an annual trade value of more than 150 billion USD seafood products are today already one of the most traded commodities in the world and their signiďŹ cance will continue to grow. At the beginning of March, some 900 experts and executives from the global seafood industry met at the 13th North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) in Bergen, Norway, to discuss the ensuing opportunities and challenges for ďŹ sheries, aquaculture, processors and trading companies.

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he world’s population is expected to grow to 10 billion people by 2050, and feeding this huge number will push today’s food production systems to their limits. The FAO has declared that food production must increase by 50 by the year 2050 if future nutritional needs are to be met. All the available land is already being used to the full, however. This makes it clear that marine aquaculture is going to have to make a larger contribution to the growth of food production than it has so far. And the fact that aquatic animal proteins are of particularly high nutritional value and that the production of fish, shellfish, crustaceans or algae has less impact on the environment than animal husbandry also points to a more important role for aquaculture in the sustainable nutrition of the world in the future. This development and the growth in world trade together offer enormous economic potential but at the same time place more responsibility on the global fish industry. These topics defined the framework of the 13th NASF, this time under the programmatic title "Seafood Trade and Market Access - Seafood in a New Geopolitical Role". The North Atlantic Seafood Forum, the largest and probably most important conference for global

46

NASF, the largest conference for international ďŹ sh industry executives, attracts more than 900 participants from 300 companies and 35 countries to Bergen every year.

fish industry executives, attracts more than 900 participants from 300 companies in over 35 countries every year. The event lasted three days and comprised 16 sessions during which some 150 top-class speakers presented their views on key topics in the fish industry: innovations, technology, research, politics, finance, trade and commercialisation – hardly any topic was missing. In addition, the NASF’s social fringe programme gave participants ample opportunity to make contacts and discuss

key issues facing the industry, worthwhile financing opportunities, or new technologies.

Norway to triple seafood production by 2030 The central, all-embracing ideas that ran like a thread through lectures and discussions were sustainability and climate and environmental protection in all areas of the fish industry. Representatives from science, politics and business agreed that future

developments will only meet with public acceptance if they respect these goals. This already became clear on the introductory day, i.e. the day before the main conference, at the sustainability seminar where these concerns were in the foreground. Ă…smund Bjordal from the Norwegian Institute for Marine Research pointed out that our oceans are not only threatened by overfishing but that global warming and pollution also have a negative impact on marine ecosystems. The fish industry was

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Roy Angelvik, Deputy Minister of Fisheries (Norway) gave an outlook on the development of the seafood industry in Norway, which aims to triple its production by 2030.

Vera Agostini (FAO) warned that climate change is not a temporary problem but one which will have a lasting impact on all areas of our lives.

particularly dependent on clean, productive oceans. This was why it had to join forces with scientists, other industries, suppliers and politicians so that they can cooperate to develop joint strategies that will meet these challenges.

global aquaculture will probably not be achieved solely through technically advanced and correspondingly expensive production systems. Less expensive systems that dominate aquaculture in other parts of the world will also make an important contribution. Here too, the new digital age offers promising opportunities for improved production and higher environmental standards.

Seafood products would only continue to play an important role in supplying the world with nutritious food if fisheries and aquaculture were sustainable. The task of eradicating hunger through sustainable use of marine resources is known to be enshrined in two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations to be achieved by the year 2030. Norway’s seafood industry feels itself to be particularly responsible for the production of healthy, sustainable food. At NASF, it announced the ambitious goal of tripling seafood production by 2030! To encourage and support this growth during the remaining 12 years the industry recently established a national Seafood Innovation Cluster which combines expertise, innovative projects and entrepreneurship to help the industry achieve its objective. “The fish industry must take a leading role in finding solutions for sustainable food production to feed the growing world

population,� said Einar Wathne, Chairman of the Seafood Innovation Cluster and President of Cargill Aqua Nutrition.

Fisheries and aquaculture offer enormous economic potential and opportunities Although Norway is one of the largest mariculture producers and has for decades been a world leader in the development of modern aquaculture technologies there is still a growing need for innovative ideas and inventions to expand production even further. NASF has repeatedly underlined the indispensability of industrialization, digitization and the use of new technologies to give the industry additional growth impetus. Machine learning, artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies are just some of the solutions upon which great hopes rest. Several speakers expected to see marine technology manufacturers in Norway alone looking to achieve sales of almost NOK 125 billion (around EUR 13 billion) in 2050. So there are some interesting investment opportunities in the field of marine technology. But the targeted level of growth in

The main task of the fish industry is, and will remain, the sustainable use of the oceans, stressed Roy Angelvik, Deputy Minister of Fisheries in Norway. And this task did not only concern the fishing sector but all those involved in the value chain. If IUU fishing were to be reduced it would be necessary to clearly define where illegal activities start and then join forces with like-minded parties to combat them. In Roy Angelvik’s opinion, aquaculture in Norway can continue to grow if it fulfils its responsibility to society. By setting up “traffic light areas� for the control of sea lice infestation the state authorities have created conditions that offer the salmon industry numerous opportunities. New farming

concepts ranging from ship-like net enclosures for use on the high seas to enclosed systems were arousing great interest. It was not the government, said Angelvik, but the industry itself that through active engagement would decide how quickly it made progress. “Industry itself is at the wheel.�

Ocean Action Agenda will focus on marine issues in 2020 Vera Agostini (FAO) pointed to regional differences in food supply. The situation was particularly difficult in Africa and Asia, where fish and seafood traditionally account for a high proportion of animal protein. Agostini believes that a lot of people do not take the consequences of climate change seriously enough. Climate change was not a temporary problem that just needed to be bridged over for a short time but one that would have a lasting impact on all areas of our lives, for example on the availability of seafood, the dates and duration of fishing seasons, the productivity of stocks and, last but not least, the prices of many economically important fish species. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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Dominic Waughray, World Economic Forum (Geneva), called on all companies to contribute with concrete projects to the success of the “Ocean Action Agenda� in 2020.

Svein Sundby, Institute of Marine Research (Norway), described to NASF participants the extent to which the Arctic Sea has already changed as a result of climate change.

The Global Risks Report which is compiled annually by the World Economic Forum identifies and discusses the many challenges and key risks awaiting us in the year ahead. It placed extreme weather events and natural disasters high on the agenda in its 13th edition in 2018, said Dominic Waughray (WEF Geneva). This list, which one might say gives an account of “the current misery of the world�, was very helpful in bringing stakeholders together, discussing acute and chronic problems, and initiating solutions. In addition, the report was a useful instrument for guiding decisions on where the available money was most urgently needed and should go. Since 2015, marine issues such as warming, acidification and pollution of the seas, and overfishing had been ranked higher and higher in the list of problems. Waughray announced that with “Ocean Action Agenda� a global conference – similar to the World Climate Conference – will take place in 2020 (probably in Portugal) to discuss the present state and future outlook of the seas. The conference will address globally important issues such as the need to halt marine pollution, the development of

sustainable fisheries and aquaculture as indispensable protein supply systems for humanity, and the realisation of a better balance between production and environmental protection. So the spectrum ranges from mangroves and coral reefs to IUU fishing and plastic waste in the seas. Preparations for the conference are already underway. Waughray called on all companies to participate with concrete projects and to gear planned activities to this date. The project could only succeed if everyone participated.

The polar regions were generally more severely affected by global warming than other regions of the world. For laymen it was difficult to recognize the full extent of the effects because many processes overlapped each other and individual observations could even seem to run against basic trends. In an optimistic scenario, i.e. a temperature rise of 2°C, there would still be summer ice in the Arctic after 2050. In the pessimistic scenario (+3°C), which in the meantime appears more realistic, the Arctic would be completely ice-free in summer.

Climate change affects the productivity of the seas

Sundby believes that the productivity of the oceans will change noticeably. Although temperature is not the only decisive factor it has a strong influence on the speed of change processes. The Arctic region is likely to benefit because productivity will increase where the ice sheet disappears. In other parts of the sea, however, thermal stratification can be expected to become more stable. The lack of circulation in the water body then prevents nutrients from the depths from reaching the euphotic zone at the surface and stimulating a mass development of plankton. Svein Sundby says that the

48

In a rather disquieting lecture Svein Sundby (Norwegian Institute of Marine Research) described to NASF participants developments in the Arctic and the Norwegian Sea which are already a result of climate change. Since 1979, the summer ice has been shrinking there by 13.4 every 10 years. At present the ice sheet is rarely older than 1 to 2 years, and more than 4 year-old ice is hardly to be found. From 1901 to 2000, average temperatures in the region rose by 0.84°C.

extremes are intensifying: areas that today have an abundance of fish are expected to become even more productive, and regions on the equator with not much fish will probably have even less in the future. These processes have already begun, as the northward migration of individual fish species has shown. However, the Northern countries should not have too high expectations of more productive fishing because there are extreme biological barriers in the Arctic and adjacent waters. Photosynthesis does not take place in the polar night, for example, due to the lack of light. Plankton production does not proliferate until the end of March. The reproduction of traditional fish species in the area is biologically linked to this, and they spawn exactly at that time. This will not necessarily be the case with newcomer fish species so that the peaks of plankton development and the spawning season might differ in time, which will ultimately lead to weak year classes. The consequences of climate change for regional fisheries are difficult to predict in detail. mk

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ESTONIA

Some 25,000 visitors attend Open Fishing Ports Day

Marked enthusiasm for all things fish Estonia's second national Open Fishing Ports Day took place on 28 April and welcomed tens of thousands of interested people. Reports suggest nearly 25,000 visitors to ports across the country.

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fishing-rod training sessions were organised for children. Initial reports reveal that the 23 ports were visited by about 25,000 people. Pärnu, where the fish processing company Japs had placed its quay at the disposal of the organisers, saw a record number of 5,000 visitors, while over 1,800 people visited Leppnurme Port in Harju County. “The Open Fishing Ports Day is a chance to examine the work

done in fishing ports and to make direct contact with fishermen,� said Tarmo Tamm, Minister of Rural Affairs, adding “every family should have a fisherman of its own, so to speak, to go to fish for fresh Estonian fish. On Open Fishing Ports Day we can show people the day-to-day work in fishing ports and demonstrate how fish ends up on our menu.� Eleven fishing ports across Estonia participated in the first Open Fishing Ports Day in 2017 and

some 6,000 visitors were recorded in total, despite appalling weather with a snowstorm and winds of up to 25 m/s. Over the year, the number of fish enthusiasts and interest in fishing ports has grown significantly. The 2018 Open Fishing Ports Day was organised by the Ministry of Rural Affairs and the Fisheries Information Centre and the event was funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. Department of Public Relations, Ministry of Rural Affairs

o less than 23 ports registered for the Open Fishing Ports Day, each with its own programme offering something for the whole family. Ichthyologists shared their knowledge with visitors, while cooks specialised in fish dishes prepared snacks. Guests could participate in handicraft and educational workshops and visit fish cafĂŠs. Boat rides and performing artists were also part of the entertainment on offer. Separate fish workshops, science shows and

Sales of freshly-caught fish from the vessel directly to the consumer. The freshness more than compensates for the cleaning and gutting that the customer may have to do.

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With EMFF support the Ministry of Rural Affairs is improving energy and resource efďŹ ciency among ďŹ sh processors

Better technology can yield signiďŹ cant savings Support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) can be used to carry out energy or resource audits for companies processing ďŹ shing and aquaculture products in order to determine the best solutions for energy or resource efďŹ ciency.

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n energy or resource audit must be carried out by competent auditors. An energy audit is defined as a systematic procedure that is carried out to analyse the existing energy consumption profile of a building or an industrial operation. A report is drawn up that identifies and quantifies costeffective energy savings opportunities.

An audit is the first step towards more efficient production A resource audit, on the other hand, is the systematic study of the resource usage of a company and includes an analysis of the production equipment in use and of production stocks, the production factors of goods and services, and the amount of waste generated during production. The purpose of the audit is to assess the potential for resource savings in the company and the findings are documented in a report. The first call for applications for support took place from April 2017 to December 2017. A total of nine applications were received, amounting to 50,000 euros. The second call lasts from April 2018 to the end of the year.

Support from the EMFF is available for investments in energy and resource saving measures in fish processing plants. Pictured, the freezing facility of the Estonian Trawling Association.

EMFF support can also be used to make fish processing companies more energy or resource efficient. The purpose of the support is to improve the energy savings and resource productivity of the company by introducing more efficient technologies and solutions and thereby reducing the impact the processor has on the environment. Upon applying for support it is essential for an energy or resource audit to have

been carried out in the company during the last three years. This audit proposes energy and resource saving projects that the company should undertake. The first call took place in December 2017. Six companies applied for investment support for energy or resource efficiency amounting to 1.6 million euros. Companies applied for investment support to improve lighting, save energy, and to purchase equipment that

enables energy and resource savings (raw material, water, packing materials, waste, etc.). The second call is planned for summer 2018.

Half the envisaged investment can be covered by EMFF support For the audit support the applicant’s own contribution is 50, meaning that the person

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applying for the support has to cover at least 50 of the investment to be made. Microenterprises and small and medium-sized fish and seafood

processors qualify for support. The maximum amount of support for carrying out an energy audit is 7,500 euros, 15,000 euros for carrying out a resource audit

and 500,000 euros for investments. The amount designated for implementing the measure during the EMFF implementation period 2014-2020

is 9,000,000 euros, 75 or 6,750,000 is covered from the budget of the EMFF and 25 or 2,250,000 is covered by the national budget.

Lake Peipus organisation popularises fish from the lake

Encouraging the consumption of local species them, and how to maximise the use of local ďŹ sh. The workshop demonstrates what to do with ďŹ sh skin, how to make a ďŹ sh stock from by-products, and provides recipes to encourage people to consume more local ďŹ sh and to learn to appreciate it more. The biggest upcoming event in 2018 is the “Lake Peipus Food Street Festival 175 km!â€? on 25 and 26 August, when 100 pop-up restaurants will be opened along the coast serving mainly products from the region. Additional information about Lake Peipus region is available at https://www.facebook.com/peipsimaamaitsed/ (in Estonian)

Ăœlle Jukk

Peipsimaa Community Kitchen NPO is an organisation that stands for the development of the Lake Peipus region’s food culture and leads the entrepreneurs’ network, Peipus Food. The network has 27 members along the shore of Lake Peipus shore (175 km), among them community kitchens, food producers, ďŹ shermen, ďŹ sh processors, companies offering accommodation, and family farms. The region has many ďŹ sh festivals, fairs, and traditional Fishermen’s Days owing to the widespread ďŹ shing and related activities that the lake supports. Peipsimaa Community Kitchen has seven years of experience organising Lake Peipus ďŹ sh workshops. At the workshops people learn how to ďŹ llet the different species that can be caught from the lake (including perch, pike-perch, pike, burbot, bream, roach, bleak, ruffe, Peipus smelt, and Peipus vendace), how to prepare

At the fish workshops visitors learn about the local species of fish and how to deal with them.

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SLOVENIA

Fisheries and aquaculture in Slovenia

Sustainable catches from the north Adriatic The ďŹ sheries and aquaculture sector in Slovenia is diverse with a marine capture ďŹ sheries industry, marine and freshwater farming of ďŹ sh and shellďŹ sh, an angling industry, and ďŹ sh processing.

S

lovenia lies in the heart of Europe and covers an area of 20,273 km2. To the north it is bordered by Austria; to the east, by Hungary; to the south, by Croatia; and to the west by Italy. Although small, Slovenia is very green with more than 60 of the country covered in forests. Slovenia is a topographically very diverse country, the only one in Europe that combines the Alps, the Mediterranean, the Pannonian Plain as well as the Karst. In a single day you can take a morning walk in an autumn forest, bathe in the Adriatic in the afternoon, and go skiing in the evening. Slovenia became independent in 1991, a member of NATO and of the European Union in 2004,and adopted the euro on 1 January 2007.

Maritime ďŹ sheries and mariculture The Slovenian coastline is only 46 km long and comprises four local communities (Koper, Izola, Piran, Ankaran). Commercial sea fishing is an important and centuries-old traditional activity closely connected to the way of life and the cultural characteristics of the coastal region. It is also linked to other economic sectors, notably tourism. Fishing is mostly a family activity that facilitates the intergenerational transfer of know-how. Most Slovenian fishing vessels are designed for small-scale coastal fishing (vessels under 12 m without towed fishing gear). Commercial sea fishing also plays an important role in the preservation of Slovenia’s identity as a maritime country.

In 2016 Slovenian commercial fishermen landed 152 tonnes of fresh fish and seafood, mostly demersal species (45), pelagic species (31), molluscs (cephalopods, bivalve molluscs and gastropods, 19) and crustaceans (5) . Mariculture production began in the 1970s with pilot projects such as the trial farming of Mediterranean mussels, which yielded promising results and is still developing today. In 2016 mariculture production represented 664 tonnes of mussel and fish together. The possibilities for the development of mariculture are mostly limited in terms of space to the already designated areas where no expansion is currently envisaged. The existing areas,

Landings by Slovenian ďŹ shing vessels and breeding of marine organisms (tonnes) 2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Landings in total

719,6

329,4

238,0

254,1

196,2

152,4

Fish

660,8

279,2

204,2

216,7

169,1

115,9

Cephalopods

51,8

48,6

32,8

34,1

23,4

27,6

Crustaceans

4,2

1,3

0,6

2,1

2,6

7,5

Bivalve molluscs and gastropods

2,8

0,3

0,4

1,2

1,2

1,3

494,9

364,3

387,6

496,3

631,1

664,1

9,2

9,3

9,3

6,2

6,0

15,2

1.223,7

703,0

634,9

756,6

833,3

831,7

Mariculture production Sport ďŹ shing Landings, mariculture and sport ďŹ shing

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia

52

however, do provide possibilities for increasing sustainable production of both Mediterranean mussels in line arrays and fish such as European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in floating cages. There is also potential to farm other bivalves in the existing fields as is already being done large extent abroad (e.g. oysters, etc.). The possibility of farming the warty venus (Venus verrucosa) in offshore areas, is also being investigated. Slovenia allows sport and recreational marine fishing through different fishing permits (daily, weekly, yearly), since recreational fishing from shore is free. Catches from sport fishing amounted to 15 tonnes of fresh fish in 2016. Annual landings of commercial marine catches have drastically decreased since 1990 for many different reasons. The decline in marine capture production is partially compensated through increasing marine aquaculture production, which contributes to the sustainability of the Slovenian marine fisheries sector.

Freshwater aquaculture Despite its small size, Slovenia is a geographically highly diverse country. In the mountainous northwestern, central and south-eastern parts of Slovenia, aquaculture

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Albert Kolar

m. fario) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) account for a slightly smaller share of the trout bred for consumption. The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is the dominant species of warm-water fish farmed for consumption, while other species farmed together with common carp in polyculture systems occasionally appear on the market. Slovenia has a century-long tradition of farming trout and carp, however production had been negligible until the 1970s when larger aquaculture farms began to be built for the farming of fish for consumption. Production peaked at the end of the 1990s when trout production reached around 1,000 tons and carp production was 250 tons. Since then, production has fluctuated around the same level.

Slovenia offers perfect conditions to those interested in angling.

farms farm cold-water fish, while warm-water farms prevail in the north-western Pannonian part.

has thus also been put on the development of new marketing and promotional activities.

Since Slovenian aquaculture production is mainly carried out by small family production facilities, which are also often engaged in agricultural or other activities, aquaculture products are mainly sold directly to final consumers on local markets. In the majority of cases, fish breeding primarily represents an additional source of income. The administration has taken measures to add value to aquaculture products ensuring a higher product quality to the consumers. Some of the larger fish farms (including marine aquaculture farms) are selling their products through supermarket chains. To increase the competitiveness of the Slovenian farms, emphasis

Coldwater species of fish farmed for consumption in Slovenia include trout, of which the most farmed species is the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), while brown trout (Salmo truta

Traditional forms of aquaculture are the most common. Coldwater aquaculture farms have flow-through systems in place, while warm-water aquaculture farms have semi-intensive farming systems in man-made ponds. Various species are farmed that are not intended for consumption but rather for the repopulation of both salmonid and cyprinid species of fish. Slovenia has two lowcapacity warm-water aquaculture farms that have certified organic production, and efforts continue to set up recirculating aquaculture systems.

In Slovenia, commercial freshwater fishing is prohibited, but the country has marvellous natural conditions for recreational fishing including for fly fishing. Grayling, brown trout or rainbow trout, can be fly fished on crystal-clear rivers like the Sava Bohinjka, the Radovna or the SoĀa and Idrijca. The annual catch from angling in 2016 was 142 tonnes of fresh fish.

Fish processing industry in Slovenia The fish processing industry in Slovenia has a long tradition. The oldest company which processes fisheries products and produces fish cans was established in 1879 and processes around 2,000 tonnes of fish per year. The main products are primarily fish cans which are exported to foreign markets. The second largest fish processing company produces salmon and tuna patĂŠs and is spreading also to Asian markets, apart from Europe. Other processing companies are smaller and mostly supply the local market. The fish processing industry relies predominantly on raw materials imported from abroad: sardine, tuna, mackerel and salmon.

Common ďŹ sheries policy, EU funds and funding opportunities Slovenia has significant natural potential for the development of

Aquaculture production (tonnes) 2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Freshwater rearing total

901,9

790,3

846,7

944,6

958,9

940,0

– Coldwater

682,0

634,4

691,5

795,8

797,7

798,2

– Warmwater

219,9

155,9

155,2

148,8

161,2

142,3

Sport ďŹ shing

167

159,9

154,1

145

141,0

141,8

– Coldwater

29

26

20,8

22,2

23,1

23,2

138

133,9

133,3

122,8

118,0

118,6

1068,9

950,2

1000,8

1089,6

1099,9

1081,8

– Warmwater Aquaculture in total

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia

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SLOVENIA

Fishing vessels catch mainly pelagic and demersal species from the north Adriatic.

aquaculture, i.e. both traditional forms of aquaculture and those associated with new technologies. In doing so, EU and national policy rules in the fields of environmental protection, water management and use, as well as protection of habitats, and the health and welfare of farmed animals need to be observed. Given the small scale of the Slovenian fisheries sector and the fact that commercial marine fishermen mostly target fish stocks in the northern Adriatic Sea that are shared with other countries of the northern Adriatic, Slovenia contributes to achieving the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for fish stocks in the northern Adriatic Sea by cooperating with its neighbours, Italy and Croatia. Slovenia contributes to realising the objectives of the EU Common Fisheries Policy among others by reducing the impact of fisheries on the marine environment, including avoidance and reduction, as far as possible, of unwanted catches.

development in the context of local needs, allowing an increase in social welfare and creation of new business opportunities. Activities within CLLD focus on promoting economic growth, social inclusion, job creation and employability and mobility of the workforce in coastal and inland communities that depend on fisheries and aquaculture, including diversification of activities in the fisheries sector and other maritime economy

Implementation of communityled local development (CLLD) within the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund has been identified as an important development opportunity for the fisheries sector in Slovenia. This approach increases the added value of local areas and provides possibilities for 54

sectors. In the coastal zone, CLLD makes it possible to maintain the tradition of commercial sea fishing and conserve the natural and maritime cultural heritage of the local area (ports and fish farms on the Slovenian coast of Istria, traditional fishing vessels as well as tangible and intangible aspects of traditional fishing and aquaculture practices). It enables the wide inclusion of local actors in community development: fishermen, mariculture workers, the freshwater aquaculture sector, municipalities, scientists, institutions, NGOs and other stakeholders operating in the local area. An example of CLLD is the fisheries local action group (FLAG), the Fisherman, which was cofinanced under the EFF (2007-2013). The FLAG area consisted of the three municipalities and covered all Slovenian fishers. The FLAG sought to diversify the fishers’ activities giving them additional sources of

revenue as well as to add value to the products they caught and sold. In addition, the FLAG strategy included the conservation of protected areas as well as preserving and promoting traditional Slovenian fi shing heritage. Among the projects supported were a mobile catering vehicle to promote and diversify sales of fi sh and seafood and the renovation of fi shing vessels to enable fi shers to provide fi shing tourism services. Under the 2014-2020 period supported by the EMFF the administration included aquaculture in CLLD, and combined support from three funds: the Rural Development Fund, Regional Fund, and the EMFF.

Forestry, Hunting and Fisheries Directorate Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Slovenia

The junction of breeding, conservation of endemic species, sports ďŹ shing, and a culinary tradition

Marble trout in Slovenia The marble trout (Salmo marmoratus), called SoĹĄka postrv in Slovenian, is a trout species endemic to Slovenia which only populates rivers that flow into the Adriatic Sea. Sadly, today it is extinct in most of these rivers. However the largest and best preserved population inhabits the river SoĂža with its tributaries, though it too was threatened with extinction. The main reason that marble trout is endangered is restocking with brown trout (Salmo trutta) with which it can crossbreed successfully. It is the largest among the trout species, reaching up to 120 cm of length and over 25 kg of weight and is very interesting for anglers. Initially, this had resulted in an interest to breed it with the aim of freshwater restocking. Fish eggs for further breeding for restocking purposes were harvested from natural spawning grounds through the selection of fish for breeding on the basis of phenotype. But in 1985, “pureâ€? (as confirmed through subsequent genetic analysis) SoĂža trout was found in ZadlaĹĄĂžica; This enabled the restoration of a pure marble trout population in the whole SoĂža river basin. Today, the marble trout is being farmed in a number of aquaculture facilities from broodstock which have previously been genetically examined and selected. Production from farming exceeds the quantities needed for restocking, so adult fish are sold to local restaurants in the world-famous tourist destination of the upper SoĂža river basin (PosoĂžje). This is a unique example of the interconnection between the breeding of the marble trout (aquaculture), the conservation of this endemic species in the Adriatic river basin (preservation of biodiversity), world promotion of fly (sports) fishing and culinary delicacies (tourism).

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[ FISHERIES ] Multi-species models, more selective nets and more efďŹ cient ďŹ shing vessels

Innovative concepts are changing the ďŹ shing industry The latest reform of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has accelerated and reinforced the shift towards sustainable ďŹ sheries. About two thirds of ďŹ sh stocks in European waters are already ďŹ shed according to MSY principles. Fisheries policy, ďŹ sheries management, ďŹ shing vessels and gear must be constantly reviewed and improved in order to drive forward this positive development and make it irreversible Rolls Royce

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nfortunately, only a few of the many strategic objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy are perceived selectively by the general public and the degree of attention paid to individual measures or changes that are planned is not always consistent with their actual importance. While little notice is taken of MSY (Maximum Sustainable Yield) management of fish stocks or of the regionalisation of certain decisions in the fisheries sector, the ban on discards, as a key element of the reformed CFP, gets much greater attention. In reports, comments and discussions, the ban on this unfortunate practice which is associated with economic losses and ecological and ethical problems is almost without exception welcomed. For many people, it was long overdue for it finally puts an end to the waste of valuable resources. And in principle this is correct, but it is often overlooked that although the discard ban solves some problems the resulting landing obligation creates new ones. For example, fishermen are not happy with the fact that they have to land fishes of which a large share could survive being caught and discarded, but which are now lost for ever for the stock and for subsequent fishing. In addition, the landed bycatch species are included in the

The “Ramoenâ€? is a state-of-the-art factory trawler with an on-board processing line for ďŹ lleting and freezing white ďŹ sh species at sea immediately after the catch.

catch figures that are taken into account in the catch quota. And with that there is a danger that, as a choke species, they lead to under-fishing of the actual target species of the fishery. In the case of mixed fisheries, fishing activities must be halted as soon as the choke species quota is exhausted, even if the TACs for the target species would allow fishing to continue. These examples show that the development towards sustainable exploitation of fish stocks poses considerable challenges to fisheries policy and management.

For one thing it means that fisheries management must be given an even stronger ecological, economic and social focus than before. Europe’s fisheries need reliable economic parameters within which they can operate. These include the science-based determination of total allowable catches and their allocation within the national quota system, as well as fisheries agreements with third countries. Wherever and whenever fishing takes place it must be ensured that the methods used do not unduly harm fish stocks and biodiversity, that unwanted by-catches are largely

excluded, and that the ecosystem is not irreversibly damaged. Key fisheries management measures in the EU include discard bans and landing obligations, multi-annual management and recovery plans for numerous fish stocks, and the reduction of overcapacity in the fishing fleets. Decisions on fisheries management must take into account the impact of fishing on marine ecosystems and oceanic habitats. This point is becoming increasingly important as the marine environment undergoes severe changes due to climate change and commercial exploitation. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ FISHERIES ] OverďŹ shing is an ecological and economic problem The sociopolitical responsibility of modern fisheries management reveals itself in the balance between the protection, conservation and usage of fisheries resources. In other words, in a strategy that does not focus exclusively on the ecological sustainability of fishing but also takes due account of its economic viability and social obligations. The introduction of multi-species models requires a rethink because the individual species that are caught in mixed fisheries may have different MSY parameters. In such cases, the target limits cannot be set at 100 for every species, and a fishery may have to be content with slightly lower yields in order not to jeopardise the sustainability of their business. Overfishing is not only an ecological but also an economic problem. As fish stocks decrease, fishing effort has to be increased in order to catch the same amount of fish. The immediate result is that fishing trips are longer and more fuel is consumed, which increases the fisherman’s costs. This provides some protection for

the fish because, if at some point the costs are no longer covered by the resulting earnings, the answer will presumably be to stop fishing. However, this logical outcome often fails to materialize when fishing is subsidised because state aid undermines the “economic regulator� and renders it ineffective. Sustainable fishing can be achieved much more quickly if subsidy policy is ended.

Modern ďŹ shing gear increases the sustainability of ďŹ shing It is not only fisheries management that is undergoing changes. Fishing practice is also changing. It makes use of new, more selective fishing methods and innovative techniques that protect both fish stocks and the environment and are also energy-saving. In the past this factor was not, or at least only rarely, taken into account in many development processes. Fishing techniques became increasingly sophisticated but they put increasing pressure on fish stocks and the marine environment. Efficiency and value of fishing gear are today not only measured on the catch per unit time but also on their selectivity and ability to

As with beam trawls, the nets of “shrimpers�, which are held open at the sides by otter boards, are weighted down by tickler chains at the bottom of the net openings. 56

prevent unwanted by-catches. Despite remarkable progress in this area new fishing gear is not always readily accepted. Critics are very sceptical, and environmental associations condemn or completely reject almost all fishing gear. Greenpeace, for example, criticises trawls as one of the most environmentally damaging types of fishing and the WWF claims that few fishing methods are ecologically harmless. This is why they have for a number of years been organising the worldwide “Smart Gear� competition. “Smart� fishing gear is expected to reduce by-catches, keep seabirds away from longlines, scare whales and dolphins away from gillnets, and allow turtles and marine mammals to escape from trawls. But even without the criticism of environmental associations, more selective fishing and survey techniques have long since become a focus of fisheries research in the international arena. In the past, mesh sizes and shapes used to be changed in the hope of influencing the selectivity of the nets. Although nearly everything has been tried in this direction it is still sometimes even possible to achieve considerable

effects using quite simple means, as the example of the T90 nets shows with their mesh configuration twisted by 90 degrees. Many fishermen had noticed that small animals were often caught in trawl nets despite the fact that the meshes were theoretically large enough to allow them to escape. However, the back pressure created during trawling caused the meshes to deform and the more fish were caught in the net the more constricted the space was. Fishing technicians were able to solve the problem with a simple trick: they twisted the net meshes at an angle of 90 degrees which allowed them to maintain their original width even under tensile load.

Selective trawls “sortâ€? the ďŹ sh already under water There are a lot of different ways to influence the selection properties of trawls and other fishing gear. Some are applied at the front of the trawl, others at the back, in the so-called codend. It is there at the latest that the fishes no longer try or manage to avoid body contact with the net and they slip through the meshes if these are

About 95% of the cod are alive when taken on board. They are placed in holding tanks immediately after the catch in order to relieve stress until they are killed.

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[ FISHERIES ] large enough. The possibility of escaping is not only determined by the shape and size of the net meshes but also the species-typical behaviour and the body shape of the fish. For example, while fish species like cod or herring that have a round-oval body crosssection slip effortlessly through square net meshes this is often not possible for broader flatfish. Fishing experts and technicians are looking for practical solutions to such problems so that juvenile fish and undersized animals, desirable and undesirable species can be sorted as far as possible underwater in the net and not on board the fishing vessel. The morphology of individual fish species provides important starting points for finding solutions but a deeper understanding of the fishes’ typical behaviour is also necessary. Underwater cameras are used to investigate the characteristic behaviour of fish in front of and inside the net. Based on these observations special selection devices are then designed and integrated into the fishing

gear. The fact that plaice tend to swim down to the bottom when distressed, while cod usually flee towards the water surface has led to the development of “topless nets� which significantly improve the selectivity of flatfish fishing. These nets have an opening at the top of the front section, leaving the escape route open for cod and other gadids. Because almost every species of fish presents a different challenge there is of course not just one way to avoid bycatches. Through detailed design the fishing gear technicians have in mind a kind of toolbox from which the fishermen could pick and choose the right equipment for each fish species, fishing location and situation. A selective trawl net called “Freswind� which was specially developed for the capture of gadids has, for example, escape windows with parallel rods in the net side walls through which flatfish such as plaice can escape. This effect is further enhanced by a guiding device at the centre of the net, which virtually shows by-catch species the escape route. Flatfish swim out

Some measures to increase selectivity are applied in the codend of the trawl net. There at the latest the ďŹ sh can no longer avoid body contact with the net.

to the side, while cod continue straight ahead into the codend. The second example of more selective trawls is also based on the different behaviour of individual fish species. The FLEX net, derived from “Flatfish excluder�, is based on the observation that cod prefer the upper part of the net while flatfish usually swim in the lower part. That is why the net has been opened in a wide slit at the bottom through which flatfish

Fisheries policy and management must now be geared more strongly than before to environmental, economic and social sustainability.

reach freedom as on a ramp. This simple and inexpensive solution was able to reduce the by-catch of flatfish in cod fisheries by up to 80 per cent.

Electric pulse ďŹ shing remains banned in the EU for the time being But not every effort to make fishing gear more selective and environmentally friendly is ultimately successful, as the European Parliament’s ban on electric pulse fishing in January 2018 shows. The decision has yet to be confirmed in negotiations between the Member States (with capital M and S), the European Commission and Parliament, but it looks as if this technologically modern but highly controversial fishing method will be “bannedâ€? from EU waters. Electric pulse fishing is a special adaptation of beam trawls which is mainly used to catch flatfish such as sole and plaice, but also partly during shrimp fishing in the North Sea. Instead of the usual tickler chains which in traditional beam trawls drag across the seabed in front of the net opening and startle the fish, electrodes attached in the tow direction of the trawl take over this task in pulse fishing. They emit short Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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Optimar

[ FISHERIES ]

Fitting a processing line into the conďŹ ned space of a ship’s interior is a special challenge that requires a great deal of knowledge and experience.

electrical pulses and generate a limited electric field above the seabed, which rouses the fish, numbs them and drives them into the nets. Supporters of this fishing method say that electric pulse fishing is efficient and energy-saving and that it prevents the damage caused by traditional bottom trawling. Its opponents, on the other hand, claim that the method is cruel, that it could cause pain to the fishes and damage benthic ecosystems. In fact, this unconventional fishing method has been officially banned in the European Union since 1998. Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No. 850/98 states that catching marine organisms using explosives, toxic or narcotic substances or electricity is prohibited. Exemptions to this ruling have been granted, for instance for research purposes, but these have mainly been used by the Dutch fishing fleet. In 2012, more than one hundred fishing vessels are said to have used electric pulse generators. Some gear conversions were even financed with EU funds. In 2016, the Dutch pulse fishery only narrowly missed getting the MSC’s sustainability certification. 58

However, the discussion about the destructive potential of electric pulse fishing did not die down. In 2016, an article in the Independent compared electric pulse fishing with fracking (breaking open of underground rocks to release the gas contained in them). Both technologies are supposedly clean and safe, but their medium- and long-term effects have hardly been researched. In 2017, after a special session of the EU Parliament, electric pulse fishing was actually to be given the go-ahead. The European Commission and the Dutch fishing industry urged the withdrawal of restrictive rules on electric pulse fishing. In November 2017, the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries decided to allow the expansion of electric pulse fishing. Then, on 16 January 2018 the European Parliament voted against the decision of the EU Commission. Dutch fishermen may, however, continue fishing with their electric gear until the ban comes into force.

New concepts are emerging as ďŹ shing vessels are completely re-thought It is not only fisheries policy, management and gear that are

subject to continuous appraisal and improvements. Fishing vessels, too, are under detailed examination. This is not only about technical, functional and ergonomic requirements, but also about energy efficiency, fuel consumption and the carbon footprint of the fishing industry. Particularly successful examples of ultra-modern fishing vessels that meet all the requirements of the 21st century can be found in Norway. One such is the “Ramoenâ€?, a factory trawler with an automated processing line for white fish species, which are filleted and frozen at sea immediately after the catch. To achieve this the complete processing line had to be installed on board in a very confined space. More than 200 sensors in all sensitive areas of the fishing vessel provide the ship’s central computer with important information on the condition, load, wear and possible defects of all systems every second. Fitting a processing line into the confined interior of a ship is quite a challenge. Unlike in the past, when fish were kept in ice-cooled boxes until they were processed, modern trawlers today often keep them alive for several hours for this has a beneficial effect on quality. About 95 of white fish are alive when taken on board. If they are put into holding tanks immediately after the catch it reduces stress in the fish. Keeping the fish alive means that they can be processed on board in a largely stress-free and animalfriendly manner. On a processing line from Optimar they are electrically anaesthetised, killed individually and humanely, and then bled out for about 20 minutes which noticeably improves the quality of the fish.

Another important trend in fish processing at sea is the more complete use of marine byproducts. If such products are produced fresh on board, the quality and yield is significantly higher. Hydrolysis processes with enzymes at low temperatures are currently particularly popular for the treatment of gutting waste, and this saves energy and protects the raw material. Moreover, hydrolysis on board is technically less complex and cheaper than fishmeal production. The hydrolysate can be used in many ways as a liquid protein concentrate. In 2016, Nordic Wildfish commissioned the F/T “Molnesâ€?, the world’s first white fish factory trawler with its own hydrolysis plant for liquefying the trimmings on board. And what else is changing? There are already luxury electric powered yachts, since 2015 the world’s first all-electric car ferry has been operating in the Norwegian Sognefjord, and we now have the first electric commercial fishing boat. Admittedly the “Karolineâ€? has a diesel engine as well (just to be on the safe side) but it normally only runs on an electric motor. “Karolineâ€? produces no exhaust fumes, vibrations or noise, and the energy supply lasts up to 12 hours a day, which is completely sufficient for coastal fishing. At night, the batteries can be recharged in the home port of Tromsø with electricity from renewable sources. They are designed for approximately 30,000 charging cycles. On the first 30 days of operation at sea the “Karolineâ€? caught 58 t of fish, and the energy required to power the ship was 80 per cent lower than that of a diesel engine. It almost seems as if a worthwhile new option for coastal fishing might be emerging here... mk

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[ SPECIES ] Traditional and modern methods of mussel farming

Mussel seed bottlenecks slow down production We know from archaeological ďŹ nds that mussels were already on the menu of many coastal inhabitants in Europe and North America more than 8,000 years ago. Early reports of mussel culture date back to the 13th century. This makes the common mussel one of the ďŹ rst marine organisms that mankind knew how to produce. Some of the breeding methods used at that time are still practised today, but modern methods are also gaining signiďŹ cance.

T

he scientific name “Mytilus edulis� already points to the mussel’s culinary value: the Latin word “edulis� means edible. It is the type species of the genus Mytilus and the Mytilidae family, which besides common mussel (Mytilus edulis), the economically most important species, also includes the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and the Pacific mussel

(Mytilus trossulus). A fourth species which could be added is the Chilean mussel (Mytilus chilensis), whose natural distribution area lies on the coasts of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and the Falkland Islands. The taxonomic classification of Mytilus chilensis was for a long time controversial among scientists. Some regarded it as a subspecies of the Mediterranean mussel, others placed it closer to Edulis. However, recent

studies on the histology of mussel spermatozoa show that probably none of these assumptions is correct. Findings from these studies revealed that M. chilensis is only a synonym for the Montevideo mussel (Mytilus platensis), which according to the current rules of zoological nomenclature would actually now be obsolete. Despite this, the name Mytilus chilensis remains persistent.

The oval-triangular shell with its two bulbous halves which can be brownish or black in colour usually makes it easy to recognize blue mussels.

This confusion is the result of a very tangible practical problem: it is not possible to distinguish between the different mussel species by external features such as shape, structure or shell colour. Reliable species identification is only possible with the help of molecular biological and biochemical laboratory methods. What at first glance might seem to be of purely academic interest can lead to difficulties when dependable statements are required‌ for example, concerning the distribution areas of individual mussel species which have settled in other regions of the oceans as a result of either non-intentional or intentional (for aquaculture purposes) introduction and have in the meantime spread almost worldwide. In contrast to what the name Mediterranean mussel might suggest this mussel is not only found on southern European coasts but in the meantime also in South Africa and in large parts of the North Pacific (Russian Far East, North China, Japan, as far as South Korea and California). There, it is considered as invasive almost everywhere. And who would suspect that one of the areas with the highest production of Mytilus galloprovincialis is in China? Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ SPECIES ] Mussels tolerate a being torn off into the sea. Muswide range of sels prefer to live in the tidal zone environmental conditions and in shallow water to a depth of Mytilidae always have two equally sized shells of elongate and triangular shape which are strongly bulbous at the front. The shells are relatively thin, rather brittle and consist of several layers. The thin outer layer is blue-black to dark brown in colour. In older specimens, the shells have concentric growth rings on the outside with coarser lines that were formed during pauses in growth. All mussels have two sphincters of different size (“anisomyar�). The front sphincter lies directly at the front end of the shell. It is so small that the contact point on the shell is barely visible. In contrast, the posterior sphincter is considerably larger and the muscle easily recognizable. Almost all mussel species have a strong byssus thread (“beard�) which is tear-resistant, but at the same time flexible and elastic. With this they can attach themselves to substrates or to each other. This means they can form robust mussel banks in the current off highly exposed coastal areas, for example in the breaker zone of rocky coasts, without danger of

50 metres. In nutrient-rich locations they often live in compact stocks with up to 20,000 mussels per square metre. Beneath the low water line of the tidal zone the mussel beds can be more than one metre thick. The byssus thread that they excrete at their base consists of an amino acid-containing sticky substance (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) whose macromolecules crosslink in the water to form a polymer matrix and harden. The ability of the byssus to solidly combine organic and inorganic substances in a liquid environment is now attracting the interest of medical researchers. Conceivable areas of application would be in dentistry or surgery, for example. The world-wide occurrence of mussels already shows that they are extremely tolerant with regard to environmental conditions. They are “euryhaline�, i.e. able to tolerate a wide range of salinity, so can live both in high marine salinities and almost fresh brackish water, for example in the Baltic Sea, where their distribution limit is 4 per mil.

To collect the mussels, the boat pulls the dredge closely over the bottom. 60

The cultivation of bottom cultures requires large, seaworthy service boats that take care of the plots and collect the mussels.

However, this tolerance towards low salt contents has its price, for growth rates are lower as from 18 per mil. Mussels are similarly tolerant to temperature and can even survive months of freezing in winter or summer heat of up to 30°C, but they prefer a range of between 5 and 20°C. They are thus clearly classified as “eurythermalâ€? organisms. How long they live is strongly influenced by temperature. They grow very slowly under cold conditions and can reach an age of over 20 years there. In warmer waters they often reach only half that age. Mussels from such areas, however, reach maturity and are ready to spawn already after 1.5 years, compared to three years in colder areas. Mussels are dioecious, i.e. having the male and female reproductive organs in separate individuals. The synchronous ejection of large clouds of sperm, which colour the water above a mussel bank milkywhite, is regarded as the starting signal that initiates the spawning process, sparking the females to release between 5 and 12 million tiny eggs measuring just under 0.07 mm. They float freely in the water and pass through several larval stages in this phase of their life before they proceed to a benthic existence as veliger larvae

after about four weeks and develop their first shells in the course of metamorphosis. Depending on the location, such spawning acts can take place up to three times a year. Mussels feed by filtering nutrientrich plankton and detritus, organic waste material from decomposing matter. The food particles are carried with the inflowing, oxygenrich water over the gills, to which they adhere, and are then wafted towards the mouth opening with the help of the cilia.

Breeding methods from bouchots to bottom cultures Mussels thus have favourable prerequisites for production. They grow fast, filter their feed out of the water themselves, and produce huge quantities of offspring which only have to be provided with suitable substrates. In the 13th century the first mussel cultures emerged on the Atlantic coast of France with “bouchots�, the basic features of which have remained almost unchanged to this day. In Aiguillon Bay, Fouras and Brouage this ancient technique is still used to produce blue mussels. Wooden poles – four to seven metres long and 15 to 25 cm thick – serve as substrates. They are driven vertically into the sea bed within the tidal zone about

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[ SPECIES ] within 14-24 months. Before they can be marketed, however, mussels from bottom culture must be kept sufficiently long in clear water to free their intestines from the sand they have absorbed.

nutritional conditions there. The larger they grow, the further they are moved to the inside of the batea. Boats with hydraulic lifting devices are used for this. Towards the end of the growing phase a rope can hold 200 to 220 kg of mussels.

New cultivation methods allow for almost sand-free mussels In Galicia, five areas are eligible

The regular care programme of the mussels includes, among other things, cleaning them. They must be freed from parasites and predators.

two to three metres deep. In the farming areas the poles form rows of 50 to 60 metres in length, each 25 metres apart. Rows of poles intended for collecting mussel spat contain 120 to 130 individual poles, and additional horizontal coconut fibre ropes are often stretched horizontally between them to increase the settlement area for the mussel larvae. When they have reached a size of about 1 cm the mussel spat is removed and filled into closemeshed netting tubes, which are then wrapped spirally around the poles where the mussels are to be further cultivated. The distances between the poles are slightly larger here to improve food supply. Usually there are 80 to 90 poles per row. The material of the netting tube decomposes rapidly in the water so that the young mussels can colonize and grow to marketable sizes along the entire pole. Usually a pole delivers about 60 kg of mussels (live weight). The disadvantage of this method is the somewhat longer production time due to the fact that the growing areas fall dry at low tide and the mussels cannot take in food during this time. However, this is more than offset by the mussels’ high market value, for bouchot mussels are considered to be the

highest quality mussels in France and demand is accordingly high. The second production method, with European centres in the areas of Zeeland in the Netherlands and on the North Sea coast, is bottom culture. Here the approximately 1 cm large mussel seed is laid in thin layers on suitable, firm, cleaned plots that are free of large stones. In Zeeland, the first areas for growing mussels are said to have been divided into plots already in 1825, and they have also been leased since 1870. During their growth, depending on nutrient supply and plot size, the mussels are picked up several times by dredges, cleaned, sorted by size and freed from macroalgae growth as well as predators, especially starfish. Subsequently, they are often transferred to other plots with better food supply. However, despite all the care taken, about half of the mussels are lost when this production method is used: they get covered with sand during storms, are washed away by the current, eaten by predators or crushed by the dredges. If all goes well, within 14-24 months, a biomass of 25-30 tonnes of young mussels can grow to 50-70 tonnes of marketable mussels per hectare

The third method of rearing mussels is probably the youngest, for hanging cultures were first established at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, Spanish mussel farmers, especially in the Galician region, began to cultivate their mussels on ropes up to 15 metres long, suspended from anchored floats in the water. Usually, up to 500 ropes are attached to the raft-like floats, called “bateas�, which are about 25 by 25 meters in size. On these the young mussels grow to a marketable size in just under two years. The mussel farming process using bateas runs from the outside to the inside. The ropes hanging on the outside serve as a substrate on which the larvae can settle, for they also have particularly good

for mussel farming with bateas. These river estuaries, called RĂ­as Baixas, cut fjord-like up to 25 km deep into the land. RĂ­a de MurosNoia, RĂ­a de Arousa, RĂ­a de Pontevedra, RĂ­a de Vigo and RĂ­a de Ares-Sada offer optimal conditions for mussel growth because they are 2 to 25 km wide, 40 to 60 m deep and very nutritious. Plankton, which is a prerequisite for the rapid growth of the mussels, enters the rias regularly with the tidal current, which on average differs 4 meters in altitude. The advantages of the batea method include the fact that water washes constantly around the mussels even at low tide, and that they have no contact with the ground and are therefore completely free of sand. Harvesting in these near-natural farming conditions

Bouchot mussels are advertised in France as the highest quality. Their price is often twice as high as that of “ordinary� mussels, for example from bottom cultures. Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018

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[ SPECIES ] takes place without any significant impairment of the marine fauna and flora. Since 1 January 2007 mussels from Galicia (M. galloprovincialis) have been classified under the Protected Designation of Origin “MexillĂłn de Galiciaâ€? of the European Union. With that, Galician mussels are probably the first seafood species to hold this special protection status. In the 1970s, a variation of the traditional hanging culture was developed: long -line technology, and this is now available in a number of variants and modifications. The decisive advantage of this method, in which the mussels grow on both horizontal and vertical lines, is the possibility of completely submerging the systems below the sea surface. This can be done as protection against strong tides, to prevent damage caused by storms and strong waves, or to be able to carry out mussel farming in climatically less suitable areas. During the winter months, for example, the mussel lines can be lowered deep below the surface ice, thereby enabling farming to continue. In addition, this cultivation method is very easy to mechanise, which reduces the amount of personnel, time and effort required and also saves costs. In order to take advan-

tage of all the advantages of these systems, however, it is essential to control buoyancy, which is necessary for the precise adjustment of the desired depth level. Because this is relatively complex, technically challenging and in consequence expensive, many mussel farmers do without this option and operate their longline cultures – similar to bateas – only as floating systems on the surface. Nonetheless, longlines are considered to be particularly “future-proof� and are likely to become even more widespread in many regions of the world. On average, annual yields of longline crops vary between 18 and 20 tonnes per hectare of farm area.

Incubation in hatcheries could stabilize mussel seed supply After harvesting, the marketable mussels are washed and cleaned – either on board the service boats or in processing plants on land – and separated, freed of the byssus and sorted according to size. Water quality is constantly controlled in mussel farming areas as part of monitoring and surveillance programmes. These controls also ensure that any emerging dangers for consum-

Longline technology is a modern variant of the traditional hanging culture that was developed in the 1970s. 62

Traditionally, the bateas in the RĂ­as Caliciens were mostly made of eucalyptus wood, which is particularly robust. Today, however, other materials are also used.

ers arising from eating mussels are identified as early as possible. Special emphasis is placed on toxic algae blooms (“red tides�) and contamination of the water bodies with faecal germs or heavy metals. In order to protect consumers, EU Regulation 853/2004 and often national laws stipulate that live mussels must remain in specialised purification plants, also known as “depuration stations�, for at least 48 hours before being marketed. Approved purifying plants have sufficiently large tanks that are constantly filled with purified seawater. The live mussels remain there until they have excreted any harmful substances they may contain and are safe for human consumption. Mussels are nutritious, tasty and can be produced with simple means in a relatively environmentally friendly and cost-effective way. However, there are some obstacles to the expansion of production. The lack of mussel seed, which has led to stagnation or even a decline in the quantities produced in many locations in Europe, is particularly noticeable. Many European mussel farms still use seed taken from natural mussel beds. However, their production has in recent years been much weaker than expected, and in some places the so-called “seed fall� was almost completely absent.

This development can be attributed to many causes. For example, mussel beds and fields being damaged by dredging work, or the use of mussel seed can be restricted for nature conservation reasons in order to ensure that eider ducks, oystercatchers and other bird species have sufficient food reserves. Climate change also has an impact on the production of young mussels within the mussel banks. And, in addition, mussel seed imports are often prohibited. In Germany, for example, the import of mussel seed from Ireland has been banned since 2012 (Administrative Court of Schleswig, file number 1 A 104/08). One solution to the mussel seed problem would be to make greater use of hatcheries, as is the case in China, for example. Mussel production there is today based almost exclusively on mussel seed that has been artificially incubated in consistently good quality at an acceptable cost. The technologies for the stimulation of the spawning process as well as for the breeding of larvae have matured and now meet practice requirements. These methods also enable the application of modern breeding methods such as polyploidy, hybrid crossbreeding and the selection of particularly suitable strains. mk

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Norges Sildesalgslag is responsible for ďŹ rst sales of all pelagic ďŹ sh in Norway

A 100-year-old institution adapts to new times Norges Sildesalgslag can trace its roots back to the 1920s when pelagic ďŹ shers got together to create an organisation that would increase their clout when it came to negotiating prices for their highly perishable ďŹ sh. It was established in its current form in 1989, the result of a merger of three pelagic organisations, and is responsible for the ďŹ rst sale of pelagic ďŹ sh from both Norwegian and non-Norwegian vessels. However, setting prices is only part of the organisation’s function. It is also responsible for monitoring stocks, documentation, traceability, and quality, all of which contribute to the environmental and economic sustainability of the ďŹ shery.

The pelagic fishing fleet has been quite profitable over the last two decades. It has led to investments into very efficient and high-tech vessels. Consequently, one needs fewer fishermen to fish the allocated quotas. The system of individual vessel quotas has allowed buying of quotas, which means that the vessels remaining in the fishery can fish more. I foresee that this development with fewer and bigger vessels will continue, but at a slower pace than we have seen in the past. The number of fishers will continue to decrease in the pelagic sector. Fewer and bigger vessels have an impact on the structure in the processing industry as well. They too must be bigger. Over the last couple of years, we have seen several mergers and acquisitions in the sector, and I believe that we will see a further consolidation in the processing industry. The number of processing plants will go down,

but the ones that survive will be bigger and more technologically advanced. As in other countries, fisheries policy in Norway has to reconcile political priorities with economic ones that often do not overlap or share the same objectives. It is politically important that the fishing industry contributes to the development of coastal areas and the communities that live there by providing employment opportunities. For the industry, on the other hand, productivity and competitiveness are critical. Whose interests does Norges Sildesalgslag mainly represent and what position does the organisation take on this issue? As an organisation owned and govern by the fishermen we of course take the position of the fishermen. The Norwegian fishermen believe strongly that the fishing fleet shall be owned by fishermen. That means that the ownership of the fleet is rooted in the coastal areas, and it contributes to employment and wealth creation in these areas. This point of view is also shared by most of the politicians in Norway. However, some outside the fishing sector would like to see a liberalisation of ownership of fishing quotas and vessels. So far, this view has not gained substantial support.

Roar Bjürnesøy,Norges Sildeslagslag

The number of fishermen in Norway increased slightly the last couple of years, but in general the trend both among fishers and vessels has been a decreasing one. If this trend continues what impact do you foresee it having on the pelagic fishing and large processing sector as well as on the communities where these activities are based?

Paul Magnus Oma, Managing Director, Norges Sildesalgslag

Climate change and global warming are already having an impact on fish stocks and fisheries. How has the Norwegian pelagics industry been affected and how has it responded to these changes? What are the possible scenarios it foresees for the future and how does it propose to tackle them? The Norwegian pelagic industry has been quite critical and very vocal towards the current state of stock assessment for the most important pelagic species. We do not think that the scientists and

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the marine institutes in Europe, including ICES, have adapted their methods and surveys rapidly enough to the new situations. As an example, the Norwegian pelagic industry believes that mackerel stock is severely underestimated by the scientists, and the quotas are set far too low. Consequently, this low fishing pressure allows the mackerel stock to grow even further, which leads to negative effects on other stocks like the Norwegian spring-spawning herring. The ecosystems have changed the dynamics in the different stocks &VSPlTI

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have changed due to warmer water. We need more scientific knowledge about what is going on in our oceans. The marine research needs to be prioritised, and more resources should be given to the marine institutes. They need to develop new methods and develop more accurate stock assessments. A new quota system for Norwegian fisheries is currently being discussed in a committee (Eidesenutvalget) in the Norwegian Parliament. What direction would Norges Sildesalgslag like to see the new policy take, and which aspects of the current policy would it like to retain? It is indeed a very political issue which may have a big impact on our industry. However, as a sales organisation, Norges Sildesalgslag, does not take part in that discussion. That may strike some people as odd, but in Norway we have divided the different political issues between sales organisations and other organisations for the fishermen. There are other fishermen’s organisations that are involved in that matter. Norge Sildesalgslg merely follow the discussions with great interest, but I am sure that the point of view of the fishermen will be heard. A fish resource rent in Norwegian fisheries that would spread the benefits of wealth creation from the oceans to wider society has been discussed. Other countries such as New Zealand and Iceland have introduced their versions of this rent system. What would this new mechanism mean for the Norwegian fishing industry in general and for pelagic fishermen in particular? It would mean lower profitability, and I do not believe that a system with taxation of the resource rent will benefit the coastal areas better than the current system. I fear that

if you add a new tax on some (or all) in the fishing fleet, you will see a sharp reduction in the investments in new vessels and technology. My personal view is that the pelagic fleet already pays a resource rent through our organisation. The pelagic fishermen pay for landing control and quota control systems, and our resource control effort is an integral part of the resource control system in Norway. The certification of fisheries is becoming increasingly important to secure access to certain markets. For example, in Denmark, the fishermen’s association is committed to having all fisheries certified to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard. Several Norwegian fisheries are already certified, but is there a need to extend this to other fisheries as well? Today, mackerel, Norwegian springspawning herring, North Sea herring and blue whiting are certified by MSC. We are in the process of certifying Norway pout and sprat, and we are going to apply for certification of capelin. It is a necessity to be certified. Earlier, MSC-certification gave the exporters a competitive advantage. That it is no longer the case. Today, MSC-certification is a condition for market access in many markets. Without MSC-certification products will be excluded from many markets in Western Europe. The UK was the fourth largest European importer of Norwegian fish and seafood in 2017. What are the possible impacts of Brexit on the Norwegian pelagics industry given that both management of pelagic stocks as well as access to the UK market for Norwegian fish are likely to become issues? There are many possible impacts, but at this stage everything is just

speculation. Nobody knows what the outcome of Brexit will be. However, the Norwegian fishing industry takes a key interest in this topic, and we follow the process closely. We have four priorities regarding Brexit that we have presented to the Norwegian authorities. a) There should be free trade in seafood between the UK and Norway. This means that Norway should enter into negotiations with the UK on a free trade agreement. b) Norway should demand better market access for Norwegian seafood to the EU-market after the UK, as one of the most important seafood producers in the EU, leaves the union. It would make no sense if the UK after Brexit has better access to the EU-market than Norway. We are after all a member of the European Economic Area (EEA). c) Make sure that the trade in raw material (UK landings in Norway) continues. This is of vital interest to the Norwegian processing industry. On average Norway import 100.000 – 125.000 tonnes of mackerel and herring from the UK through Norges Sildesalgslag. d) Norway shall not take part in the “divorce settlement� when the UK and the EU shall divide their fishing resources. The Norwegian shares shall not be affected. The Sildesalgslag plays a unique role in the sales and management of pelagic fish in Norway. As it moves towards its 100th anniversary, what challenges do you foresee the organisation facing in the medium term, and what strategic changes do you envisage for it to tackle these issues? Last year we adopted a new strategy for Norges Sildesalgslag with the purpose of making sure that organisation is at least as strong as

a 100-year-old as we are today. In the strategy there are 4 steps: a) Strengthen and develop the organisation. We have made some organisational changes, and we are looking into further changes. b) Increase the knowledge about our organisation. We will strengthen our communication towards politicians and other stakeholders. c) Become a stronger international organisation. As the consolidation in the industry continues, we need to broaden our appeal to new fishermen and customers abroad. d) Be a relevant and attractive partner for cooperation. We have strengthened our cooperation with other sales organisations and other organisations in Norway. The important work of implementing the strategy into concrete action is now underway. There are many threats to an organisation like ours. They may be political, external or internal. Some politicians may want to change the framework for the organisation of first hand sales of fish in Norway. Some in the industry may want to see more integrated companies encompassing both fishing vessels and processing industry. We have strong economic arguments against such developments, and we must be very vocal and argue strongly for maintaining our framework conditions. However, the most important task is to make sure that our owners (the fishermen) support Norges Sildesalgslag. We must make sure that we create added value for them and for the whole pelagic value chain. If we succeed in doing this I am certain that we have a very bright future.

XXX VSPlTIN DPN

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SALMCO Technik GmbH Reinskamp 1 D-22117 Hamburg Tel.: +49-40-713 14 72 Fax : +49-40-712 98 70 Internet: www.salmco.com E-Mail: info@salmco.com

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www.euroďŹ shmagazine.com

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World Congress on Global Fisheries Production

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08:00-09:00 h. REGISTRATION. Centro Social AfundaciĂłn. Policarpo Sanz 24-26, Vigo. 09:00-09:40 h. OPENING

Moderated by John Sackton, editor Seafoodnews 09:40 -10:00 h. State of Fisheries. Manuel Barange, FAO Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division 10:00 -10:15 h. Perspectives on trade in an unstable geopolitical situation*

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09:40-10:35 h. SESSION I: GLOBAL FISHERIES OUTLOOK

10:15 -10:35 h. PANEL DISCUSSION 10:35-13:35 h. SESSION II: GLOBAL FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION Moderated by Manuel Barange, FAO Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division 10:35 -11:00 h. Global whitefish Production. Gorjan Nikolik, Senior Industry Analyst, Food & Agribusiness Research & Advisory en Rabobank International 11:00 -11:25 h. Global Cephalopods Production* 11:25-12:00 h. COFFEE BREAK 12:00 -12:25 h. Global Tuna Production. John Connelly, President of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) 12:25 -12:50 h. Global Shrimp Production. John Sackton, Editor Seafoodnews 12:50 -13:15 h. Global Salmon Production* 13:15 -13:35 h PANEL DISCUSSION 13:35-14:35 h. LUNCH

Norway

14:35 -14:50 h. Certification in the sector. Herman Wisse, managing director, GSSI. 14:50-16:10 h. SESSION III: SEAFOOD TRADE AND THE SDG'S (SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS) Moderated by Erik Hempel, Seafood Consultant 14:50 -15:05 h. World Bank. IUU Fishing and economic impact. Xavier Vincent, Global Lead for Fisheries. 15:05 -15:20 h. OECD. The role of the private sector in achieving the SDG's. Claire Delpeuch, Analyst Trade & Agriculture Directorate 15:20 -15:35 h. UNCTAD. Opportunities and challenges to implementation of the trade related aspects of SDG 14 by

Issues of sea lice and salmon escapes approach resolution

developing countries. David Vivas, Legal Officer

15:35 -15:50 h. WTO. Bilateral agreements and seafood trade*

16:10-16:30 h. SUMMING UP Manuel Barange, FAO Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division

16:30-17:00 h. CLOSING SESSION

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* Speaker to be confirmed

LIMITEDY IT CAPAC

VIGO, October 1st. 2018

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15:50 -16:10 h. PANEL DISCUSSION

Hungary aquaculture event shows potential of innovative pond systems Convenience and sustainability widespread at Seafood Expo Global Open ďŹ shing ports day in Estonia records huge increase in visitors is a member of the FISH INFO network

EUROFISH

Copenhagen

GLOBEFISH Rome

INFOSAMAK

INFOPECHE Abidjan

INFOPESCA

Montevideo

INFOYU Beijing

Casablanca

INFOFISH Puchong

INFOSA

Windhoek

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