Eurofish Magazine 3 2023

TROUT FARMERS LOOK FORWARD TO RAISING THEIR FISH IN THE BLACK SEA

Conference of the Western European Fish Technologists’ Association – WEFTA

The 51st Western European Fish Technologists Association (WEFTA) Conference will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark from 16th-20th October 2023.

WEFTA is the central platform in Europe for institutions engaged in fish processing, applied food science, aquaculture, seafood technology, health effects of seafood consumption and consumer studies. WEFTA aims at improving safety and quality of seafood on and from the European and other markets through research within this area. Research activities of the WEFTA institutes are coordinated to the benefit of research institutes, the fishery industry, consumers, stakeholders and governments. The annual WEFTA conference is a valuable occasion for scientists, students and the seafood industry to meet and present recent research achievements and to share experience. Besides, the conference constitutes an outstanding forum for discussions and networking.

WEFTA consists of 17 European universities and organisations within fisheries and aquaculture research

in Europe (Belgium, Poland, Finland, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Türkiye).

The theme for this year’s conference is: Sustainable utilization of aquatic resources – changing the way we Seafood. Through the following topics, we intend to broaden our knowledge and thus the way we Seafood. All aspects of fish technology, which lead to sustainable utilization of aquatic resources, can affect the way we Seafood.

The topics will be:

• Sustainable aquaculture and its link to seafood quality

• Micro-/macroalgae and its applications in food

• Side streams for food and non-food products to reach zero waste production

• Processing and quality of seafood

• Safety and authenticity

• Consumer attitudes, societal challenges and seafood products

The conference is organised by Nina Gringer from the Technical University of Denmark—National Food Institute (DTU-Food).

Romanian fish farmers increasingly add value to their products

e sheries and aquaculture sector in Romania, as in other countries in the EU, has been a ected by the steep hike in the prices of energy and other inputs triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ese increases cannot simply be passed on to consumers as in ation has already reduced their purchasing power. e government is considering measures that will o set the increased costs of production, such as a reduction in the duty on diesel used by the aquaculture sector. To promote the consumption of sh various measures are being included in the national aquaculture and sheries programme that will be supported through EU funds. e measures include campaigns to raise awareness of the health and environmental bene ts of farmed sh, drives to promote sh consumption, and support for e orts to reduce the length of the supply chain for shorter delivery times to the end consumer. Developing a more varied range of value added products to tempt consumers is among the objectives of the national strategic plan for aquaculture which also seeks to encourage farmers to diversify their sources of income by o ering services such as angling, accommodation, and restaurants. Read more about Romanian sheries and aquaculture from page 18

Arti cial reefs have existed for many years but really took o in the late 20th century as the bene ts they provide became more apparent. ey are used to protect, restore, and regenerate marine habitats and can also o er educational and recreational opportunities. Arti cial reefs can be created from di erent structure, some purpose built, while others, such as oil rigs or railway coaches, may be repurposed to function as reefs. While arti cial reefs may help to increase populations of marine creatures in and around them, whether they do so at the expense of nearby areas is the subject of some debate. In addition, arti cial reefs may facilitate the multiplication and spread of invasive species. e placing or construction of an arti cial reef must consider the speci cities of the area it is planned for and its possible impacts on biodiversity, abundance, and distribution of marine life in the area. Read more about arti cial reefs from page 38

e Port of Vigo in Spain is Europe’s largest in terms of landings of sh and seafood. Much of the port infrastructure has been created with concrete, the production of which contributes signi cantly to greenhouse gas emissions. e port is therefore experimenting with a more environmentally friendly version of concrete that may also accelerate the accretion of marine organisms thanks to its biomimetic properties. Learning more about the possibility to switch from grey to green infrastructure is the primary objective of the project, but another aspect is to deepen the interaction between the port and the people of Vigo by creating a museum about port activities and their social, economic, and environmental impacts. e project started out by studying the development of a community of marine organisms that attached to di erent structures designed to attract marine life. is development could then be compared with similar development on traditional structures. In the next phase environmental objectives were combined with engineering goals, while in the last phase activities from the rst two phases will be scaled up. Read more on page 40

Fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world with a death rate 10 times higher than in passenger and merchant shipping. Poor safety at sea among some shing vessels can partly be attributed to the di culty in de ning and implementing uniform safety standards in particular for the small-scale eet, which forms over four fths of the global total of shing vessels. Small boats (less than 12 m) are vulnerable because they are often open, and are crewed mainly by unskilled people, who take risks either unaware of the possible consequences or in the interests of the pro tability of the shing trip. Even in developed countries death rates in the shing industry are multiple times the national average, while in poorer nations, despite the lack of reliable data, estimates suggest that fatality numbers are even higher. Vessel sinking, falling overboard, and mishaps on deck are the three leading causes of death at sea, while non-fatal injuries though common are not well documented. e lack of reliable data on deaths and injuries at sea in turn make it more di cult to implement measures that could prevent some of the incidents. Risk factors include lack of skills, high pressure to perform, fatigue, carelessness, and improper sta ng. Read Dr

Manfred Klinkhardt’s

article on page 45

Ghost nets are a well-documented threat to marine life. However, a study conducted in Lake Ohrid, a transboundary body of water shared by Albania and North Macedonia, showed that abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded shing gears (ALDFG) are also a threat to animals in freshwater systems such as lakes. Ghost nets are a threat to life in the water because they continue trapping and killing sh and other organisms after they have been abandoned or lost. In addition, they contribute to pollution in the water as wear and tear releases plastic particles into the environment. e Lake Ohrid project tested ways of nding and removing ghost nets using di erent combinations of equipment and divers and identi ed the most e ective methods to use. e researchers recommended regular joint activities between the authorities in North Macedonia and Albania to identify and remove ghost nets. Read more on page 48

Events

11 The Fifth Baltic Sea Fisheries Forum, 12 April 2023, Tallinn Management of the fishing fleet needs modernising

13 International Conference on Aquaculture, 29-31 March, Vukovar

Aquaculture is an economically strategic sector

14 Highlights from the fifth ECCWO symposium

Interdisciplinary collaboration for effective adaptation

16 RASTech 2023: Flexibility and cooperation are critical to a successful aquaculture operation

Cashing in on collaboration

Romania

18 Romanian fish and shellfish farming in the Black Sea could soon become a reality

Legislative frameworks falling into place

21 Closer cooperation between fish farmers’ associations in Romania and the Republic of Moldova

Benefits to sector in both countries

22 The SCR Group has ambitious plans for its trout breeding operations

Doubling production is just a first step

25 Entrepreneur expands from tourism into fish processing

Diversifying income streams

27 Pelicanul Distribution adds trout farming to its fish producing operations

Looking to develop direct sales to consumer

29 Persuading conservative customers to try processed fish products can be a struggle

Getting consumers out of their comfort zones

Aquaculture

32 Advances and perspectives in farming and exploiting microalgae

Immense potential remains to be realised

34 AquaNet, a new organisation in the Danish aquaculture sector, holds its first conference

Shaping the future of Danish aquaculture

Environment

38 Artificial reefs are useful structures, but much about them remains unknown A need for more research

Spain

40 Port of Vigo tests an environmentally-friendly alternative to concrete for its facilities

Converting infrastructure from grey to green

Ukraine

43 Ukraine seafood imports: Impacts of Russia’s war against Ukraine Industry proves resilient despite huge challenges

Fisheries

45 Statutory safety concepts for small-scale fisheries not in place

Thousands of accidental deaths at sea worldwide every year

48 Study of the ancient Balkan Lake Ohrid identifies ghost gear as a hazard for its fauna

Derelict fishing gear threatens inland water bodies too

Trade And Markets

51 Fish sausage: high-quality nutritional alternative to cheap gap fillers

An attractive and sustainable recycling opportunity for fish

Technology

54 Cretel’s next generation of table top fish skinners The new F360M is ready to be rolled out

54 FIAP launches the innovative profifeed SolarFeeder Reduce energy costs when feeding

55 Borgarplast makes durable insulated containers for the food industry

Proper handling prolongs shelf life

Norway: Government reduces aquaculture tax after industry concerns

A controversial tax on salmon farms in Norway, which was proposed in 2022 “to ensure that local communities along the coast and that society as a whole will receive a greater share of the value created by the fish farming industry,” has been modified. Originally proposed at 40, the resource rent tax is now planned to be 35. The government said the salmon industry, which “generates

particularly high earnings,” uses a common good resource, and “all of us should be able to derive greater benefit from the significant value that is created.” The tax is based on the market price of salmon when they are removed from the pens.

The Finance Ministry said its proposal, which mirrors a tax on the petroleum industry in Norway’s

waters, “sees society receive a share of the profits generated from the utilisation of its natural resources that have served Norway well. The resource rent tax on petroleum has played an essential role in building up the Government Pension Fund of Norway. We are continuing this tradition by also introducing a resource rent tax on aquaculture, which will make it possible to create

employment and generate earnings, while local communities and society as a whole are also able to receive a share of this value by making coastal areas available to the industry,” the ministry said.

It said that a standard deduction of NOK 70 million means that only companies with significant profits will pay resource rent tax. The tax will enter into force in 2023.

Denmark: Hørkram Foodservice hold semiannual trade fair with a new twist

Hørkram Foodservice A/S, one of the three largest Danish catering wholesalers and food-service suppliers, held one of its two annual fairs on 18-19 April in Copenhagen. The event attracted 4,000 visitors who could meet about 200 different exhibitors with all the well-known brands. Many niche producers and suppliers were also present.

For 50 years Hørkram Foodservice has provided a full range of seafood and other products, and a full array of supplies, to everyone in the food service industry “whether a gourmet restaurant or a nursing home,” said a company official.

After decades of providing attendees with a large fair restaurant featuring a sumptuous buffet, Hørkram Foodservice decided to try a new twist this

year—a street food concept with smaller, lighter dishes. Street food is very popular in Copenhagen, for its affordability and convenience. For Hørkram Foodservice it was practical considerations—mainly a lack of space for a full-scale restaurant—that spurred the change. The venue featured a rustic décor adorned with tulips and microgreens to complement the cloudless spring weather. The concept proved very popular and will continue to be a part of their fairs held each year in Copenhagen and Fredericia.

In business for half a century, Hørkram Foodservice offers 30,000 unique items to the catering and food service industry. By long-standing tradition, this year’s second fair will be held in Fredericia, in south-central Jutland, on 4-5 October.

Belgium: Interests call for reduction or elimination of fishing fuel subsidies

Facing challenging years, the EU has offered incentives such as fuel subsidies to fishing fleets. But such subsidies conflict with EU efforts to “be green” because the subsidies don’t encourage more efficient vessels or lessen their “carbon footprint.” Plus,

the subsides cost money: they cost the EU (and taxpayers) between 700 million and 1,4 billion euros a year. A recent report reminds the Commission of these facts. https://our. fish/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ SFFS-FINAL-REPORT_V5.pdf

The report calculates, over the decade 2010-2020, the tax exemption for large- and smallscale fleets and compares them with land-based activities and determines the money can be better spent in ways that help

the fishing industry. Support that doesn’t in any way encourage reduced use of fossil fuels, or innovation to become more “green,” is not in the EU’s or the public’s best interests, the report finds.

The fish and seafood section of the Hørkram show was as spectacular as always.

Eurofish

Estonia: Cormorants appetite for fish triggers legal conflict

Cormorants, a protected sea bird, eat much of the Baltic Sea’s fish. Fishermen and fish farmers, detest the bird’s love of seafood, it is even on an Estonian hunting schedule, but sportsmen have not so far solved the problem. But there is no problem, says the Estonian Ornithological Society, which has challenged in court a government rule allowing the spraying of cormorant eggs with oil (which prevents hatching). They say reports from numerous government and private bodies stating that 33,000 pairs of cormorants devour thousands of tonnes of Estonian fish are not important. The court challenge to government rules to restrict cormorant populations has evoked the expected reactions. Ornithologists say that oiling eggs will not cause the birds to leave the territory and is ineffective. Also, the cormorant eats the round goby, an invasive species with no

Due to human activity, cormorants almost went extinct in the 1970th. The EU Birds Directive adopted in 1979 made illegal to kill, capture, disturb them, destroy, or rob their nests. The measures have helped the cormorant population in Europe to bounce back showing over twenty-fold increase within the past 30 years, reaching about two million.

commercial value that fishermen equally detest. The Ornithological Society also testified that the catch of fish by Estonian fishermen has almost doubled in recent years.

On the other side of the contest are coastal fishers’ groups and the government. Fishers’

groups sound alarms about the increased numbers of cormorants in the Väinameri Strait, in the Gulf of Riga and the Gulf of Finland, as well as in the vicinity of the Pärnu River. According to fishermen, the intensive breeding of cormorants threatens Estonian fish stocks, the state of nature and the successful spawning

of fish, especially salmon and European smelt.

The government, which has decided the bird is not an endangered species but that Estonian fish may be, has concluded its oil spraying policies and other efforts will solve the issue. The case will now be settled in court.

Belgium: European Commission targets illegal tuna fishing in Indian Ocean

With a large distant-water purse seine fleet in the Indian Ocean, the EU has an interest in the sustainable management of that area’s tropical tuna fisheries. As a member of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), the EU works with other countries to sustain fisheries’ development in that region. The vast Indian Ocean supports valuable fisheries for yellowfin, skipjack, and other tunas. But IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing remains a problem. As an IOTC member, the EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries recently proposed a number of measures to combat

illegal fishing and otherwise maintain the fisheries. Among them:

• A multi-annual plan for the management of tropical tunas, to improve the management of the three tropical tuna stocks (yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack), lasting for three years, to bring down the level of catches in line with scientific advice. Within the plan, the EU proposed a proportional catch reduction taking into account both the current level of catches for each IOTC member and their development status to ensure that developing countries are treated fairly

• A scheme for the boarding and inspection of vessels in the high seas

• An update of the rules of the IOTC Compliance Committee to improve the compliance process to make sure that fishing activities are conducted in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and conservation measures

• A new resolution for the management of drifting FADs (fish aggregating devices, which are important in tuna fisheries). The EU’s objective is to improve the obligations that are technically difficult to implement, to clarify unclear

provisions, and to align the text to scientific advice.

FADs and other IOTC regulations are a contentious problem in the fishery’s management. The EU commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevi ius, said “The EU believes that IOTC members should work in a cooperative manner and all efforts should be exhausted to reach consensus. Conservation measures should not include provisions that are not implementable or unclear. It is also essential that management decisions in RFMOs are underpinned by scientific advice.”

Spain: Team of experts test canned fish’s quality after the best before date

Should you throw away that can of clams because the label says it expired last year? Will the clams be a glob? Will tuna be jellied over, better for stew than a salad (if at all safe to eat)? Not according to the results of an impromptu taste-test carried out recently at La Taberna Los Asturianos in Madrid, with, among others, afficionados Luis Gutiérrez, critical wine taster from the Robert Parker Wine Advocate team; the Galician canner José Peña, the champagne expert Omar Bravo, and the host and owner of the premises, Alberto Fernández. The team sampled and evaluated the quality and taste of an array of canned products, ranging from clams and other molluscs to bonito and other finfish, all many years old.

The assembled experts looked at the products one by one. José Peña folding back the lids of some cans

A panel of experts concluded that fish and shellfish from some cans opened well past their expiry dates looked and tasted as good as if the cans had just been manufactured.

of clams exclaimed, “look how white they are, they look freshly made, 24 pieces in amazing condition after 13 years!” Luis Gutiérrez opened a can of sardines aged a decade beyond the label advisory. He noted the fantastic appearance of its whitish and golden loins, and

wonderful aroma and flavor. Not only can canned fish be like the day it was canned, but in fact, like a bottle of Tempranillo in a Spanish nobleman’s wine cellar, it can mature with age. The fish or shellfish merges over the years with the medium in which it was packed.

Thus, while not like a 200year-old bottle of fine wine, a can of fish or shellfish— even clams—can be delightful, even after it has been sitting behind everything else in the cupboard for a few decades.

Global Food Talk

How can the seafood sector contribute to healthier and more sustainable food systems?

Developments and innovations in the seafood sector are important drivers towards more sustainable food systems. is Global Food Talk highlights where and how the shing, aquaculture, and processing sectors can propel the reliable and sustainable supply of seafood to consumers worldwide.

Register (the event is free of charge): https://foodnation.virtualhive.live/ Contact: Emil Meulengracht, emme@foodnationdenmark.dk

Mai Mortensen

Government seeks a third of Danish waters for offshore wind power

On April 19, the Danish government announced a proposal to reserve one-third of the country’s marine waters for offshore wind generation, an idea that the Danish Fishermen’s Association says needs a rethink. Wind power, both at sea and on land, provides much of Denmark’s electricity, but in both environments, there are competing uses for the locations of the huge turbines, their hard-to-miss blades, and the large bases that hold them up. In Denmark’s extensive Exclusive Economic Zone, offshore wind turbines collectively take up a lot of space on the sea bottom. Fishing operations near wind turbines are possible, but there are risks and fishing boats give each wind turbine a wide berth. The potential conflicts aren’t going away, because to meet the country’s electricity demand, more turbines are always being planned.

The government’s proposal to set aside a third of the country’s waters seems good for the wind power sector. But the competing interests in this case—the fishing boats who will be cut off from those waters—believe there must be a way for coexistence and are asking for dialogue with the government to find a compromise. The Danish Fishermen’s

Association says wind turbines are, of course, needed for the green transition, but fishermen provide healthy, climate-friendly food and many jobs. A dialogue between the government and the two competing interests, the association states, can give the

government better advice as to where to put wind turbines, rather than simply reserving huge swaths of ocean area for them. Environmental impact should also be considered, the association says. Collecting turbines all in one area could have severe consequences

for marine ecosystems despite a lack of fishing. Spreading turbines around, and spacing them appropriately, according to fishing interests, allowing fishermen to operate near them, is feasible, without the severe plan the government currently proposes.

Italy: EU aid helps Ligurian seafood sector alleviate costs from Russian war

The vice president of the council of the northwest Italian region of Liguria has announced that aid from Brussels will be forthcoming to the region’s fisheries and aquaculture sector to help offset economic costs caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine. Announcing from the region’s capital Genoa,

Allesandro Piana, vice president with responsibility for fisheries, said the European Commission’s EMFF (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund) has agreed to provide financial support, set to start with at EUR 52,000. “Our attention to the sector continues with all the funds we can gather,”

he said, including specific measures aimed at mitigating the disruption of costs and the market caused by the conflict in Ukraine.

The war’s impacts have disrupted the fishery and aquaculture sector in Italy and throughout Europe, pushing up

input costs (fuel, electricity, gas) and volatility in markets at home and abroad. Coming on top of the consequences of the pandemic and Brexit, the war has threatened fishermen, processors, distributors, and others to—or in some cases past—the point of insolvency.

Eurofish

Denmark was the first country in the world to install an offshore wind farm in 1991 and since then remains the front-runner of the sector.

The Fifth Baltic Sea Fisheries Forum, 12 April 2023, Tallinn

Management of the fishing fleet needs modernising

On 12 April 2023, the fifth Baltic Sea Fisheries Forum took place in Estonia, the central theme of which was the need to limit the fishing fleet within the framework of modern fisheries management. Held in Tallinn, the forum saw the European Commission, policy makers, experts in the field, operators, and researchers from countries bordering the Baltic Sea and elsewhere sharing their views and experiences.

In the European Union, the basic regulation of the Common Fisheries Policy establishes ceilings on the shing capacity of the marine eet of each Member State. is does not take into account the measures and special sheries management put in place in various regions, let alone in the individual Member States, to protect sh resources. At the same time, the current

technical condition of the shing eet, age, shing methods, and eet segments vary from one Member State to another. At the forum, it was noted that the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy—to ensure the sustainable exploitation of sh resources— could be achieved taking into account regional speci cities and valid sheries management measures in the di erent regions.

How the shaping of the European Union’s Common Fisheries Policy has led to a point where, on the one hand, it is necessary to deal with the limitation of shing activities by means of shing quotas and controlling catches and, on the other hand, it is important to regulate the shing capacity of the European Union’s shing eet, requires us to take a look into the past.

A brief history of the CFP

The Common Fisheries Policy first began in 1983, with the entry into force of a corresponding Regulation of the Council of Europe. It essentially created a system for the conservation and management of fish resources. The original objective of the Common Fisheries Policy was to ensure the protection and

From left, Anton Paulrud, Swedish Pelagic Federation; Ain Soome, Head of the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Rural Affairs of the Republic of Estonia; Sander Loite, Senior Specialist, Estonian Marine Institute, University of Tartu (Moderator); Ragnar Árnason, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Economics, University of Iceland; Mart Undrest, Estonian Fishermen’s Association, Member of the Board

balanced use of fishing grounds and biological marine resources under sustainable economic and social conditions. For the sustainable management of fish resources, total allowable catches and quotas were set. At that time, the main topic was the increase in production capacities, through which as much food as possible could be supplied to the population. Before the foundation was laid for the Common Fisheries Policy, it was customary to encourage the modernisation and renewal of the fleet through various support mechanisms. This, in turn, led to a 60 increase in fleet capacity. As time went on, the conclusion was reached that fish resources were not unlimited and that the fleet, which grew with the aid of support mechanisms, had a direct impact on fish resources. At the same time, an immediate restriction on fishing would have had an impact on the profits and livelihoods of a fishing fleet that had already grown in size. Significant expenditures had been made on acquiring and maintaining a new fleet, and therefore the investments made in the renewal of the European Union’s fleet had to somehow justify themselves. This was also one of the main reasons why the set total allowable catches were higher than would have been optimal to ensure the sustainable management of fish resources. A sharp fall in catches would, in turn, have negative consequences for operators. However, even after the introduction of the Common Fisheries Policy, support for fleet renewal and modernisation continued. Even though one of the objectives set by the Member States was the reduction

of the fleet, by the end of the 1980s the kilowatt capacities of the entire European Union fishing fleet decreased by approximately 2.

e new Common Fisheries Policy, which entered into force in 1993, set an even more ambitious goal for the reduction of the shing eet, and the resulting e ects were intended to be mitigated by structural assistance measures. Support was paid both for the scrapping of vessels as well as the shermen who lost their jobs on board a vessel that had been removed from shing. At the same time, support for the modernisation of the eet continued at its own pace. e reform provided for a reduction in shing capacity by 20 for demersal species and 15 for pelagic species. In reality, the reform managed a reduction of 15 for demersal species and 10 for pelagic species.

The 2003 reform provided for the establishment of multi-year recovery plans, which laid down rules on how fishing quotas were to be agreed upon in the European Union, which would take greater account of the state of fish resources and scientific recommendations. With the newer reform, the provision of support for the construction of new fishing vessels was abandoned, while the possibility of modernising the engines of existing vessels was retained, and support became even more active for scrapping the fleet. The European Fisheries Control Agency was established, which made it possible to step up controls.

e reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, introduced in 2014

and currently in force, must ensure the long-term environmental, economic and social sustainability of the shing and aquaculture sectors. e aim is to bring the exploitation of sh resources up to the maximum sustainable yield, which would ensure the natural regenerative capacity and preservation of sh resources. e aim of adapting the capacity of the shing eet to meet shing rights is to ensure the economic sustainability of shing vessels.

In Estonia, vessel owners take their own economic decisions

At the Baltic Sea Fisheries Forum, it was acknowledged that today the management of the European Union’s shing eet has become outdated in an era of modern sheries management, particularly in sheries management regulated by individual shing quotas. Cited as an example was the reform of the allocation of Estonian shing rights, where the shing quotas allocated to Estonia by a regulation of the European Union are allocated to operators as individual transferable shing opportunities. Although Estonia has also used a support measure for the scrapping of the shing eet to reduce its shing eet, in the last 20 years the number of shing vessels in the open part of the Estonian Baltic Sea has decreased from 153 to 25 vessels, of which more than 60 of the vessels have been removed from shing by operators without support. us, over time, operators active in the shing sector have been able to take their own economic decisions in order to bring their eet into line with

the allowable catch allocated to each operator.

In a situation where the sustainable exploitation of sh resources is ensured by limiting the allowable catch, then, in terms of the sustainable use of sh resources, it does not matter how many vessels are used to harvest the allowable catch. Since the maintenance of each vessel entails costs for the operator, the operators themselves keep their eet at such a size so as to keep the costs as low as possible and to earn the highest possible pro t.

Restrictions on the fleet size are superfluous

An ageing fleet and the current policy of regulating the fishing capacity of the fishing fleet serve as a limiting factor to making the fishing fleet more energy-efficient, which would also reduce dependence on fossil fuels being used.

e harvesting of sh resources regulated at the European Union level is limited in the Baltic Sea by total allowable catches and each Member State is allocated a national shing quota, which in turn is shared in one way or another between the persons holding shing rights in the Member States. e forum recognised that in the case of such sheries management there is no need to impose further restrictions on the size of the shing eet, as the sustainable exploitation of sh resources is ensured by the total allowable catch.

Eduard Koitmaa, Fisheries Economics Department, Estonian Ministry of Rural A airs, Eduard.Koitmaa@agri.ee

International Conference on Aquaculture, 29-31 March, Vukovar

Aquaculture is an economically strategic sector

Sustainable development of aquaculture was the theme of the 14th edition of this event organised by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Vukovar. The sector is expected to continue to invest in switching to green energy and in reducing its carbon footprint.

One of the key take home points from the event was that the aquaculture and sheries sector recorded a signi cant increase in production, employment, income, and in trade despite disruptions in the market, rising prices of energy and raw materials, and other challenges that the economy has been facing in recent years.

Organised by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Ru er Boškovi Institute, Croatian Veterinary Institute, University of Zagreb

Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology

University of Zagreb, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek

Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, College of Applied Sciences “Lavoslav Ruži ka” in Vukovar and the University of Dubrovnik with support from the Ministry of Agriculture of Croatia and Vukovar-Srijem county, the conference gathered more than 150 experts from ten European countries.

Participants from several European countries give event an international flavour

e event is an important meeting place for producers, scientists

more sustainable.

and state administration o cials from Croatia, other EU countries, as well as from non-EU countries. e event also attracted representatives from international associations and organisations such as the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) and Euro sh International Organisation.

At the conference the current state of the sector was presented. Interventions revealed the latest strategic, technological, economic, and scienti c knowledge with speakers discussing potential ways to successfully overcome the challenges and sustainably develop this important economic sector. Special emphasis was

placed on the relationship and interaction with nature, the protection of biodiversity (especially in pond sh farming), and raising awareness of the importance of a healthy environment.

Croatian aquaculture shows positive results despite challenges

In his opening speech Dragan Kova evi , vice-president for agriculture and tourism in the Chamber of Commerce, said that in these demanding times shing and aquaculture have justi ed their status as economically strategic sectors. ey have shown positive trends in commercial terms and have made a signi cant

contribution to the development of local, coastal, and rural environments, environmental protection, and the preservation of resources.

Ante Mišura, Director of the Directorate of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture expressed the sectors’ goals to increase the annual amount of production by 30 percent, the annual value of primary production by 20 percent, and the added value in processed aquaculture products by 35 percent. Ivan Leko, president of the Mariculture Group of the Chamber of Commerce Fishery Association and chairman of the board of directors of Cromaris, a big Croatian producer of farmed

The Vukovar aquaculture conference was held for the 14th time and attracted participants from several European countries. The audience heard how the sector is expected to continue its efforts to become

sh and shell sh, commented that mariculture must continue to diversify its product portfolio—new species, innovative processed products, and more organic cultivation. He expected continued support, as well as continued investments in energy e ciency, in the green transition, and increased competitiveness and resilience of the entire sector.

Noteworthy proposals for new institutions

Euro sh International Organisation was represented by Marco Frederiksen, the director, who presented Euro sh and its activities, and by Toni Bartulin, project manager, who gave a presentation on developments in the EU market for farmed sh and

Highlights from the fifth ECCWO symposium

sh products. Several initiatives were proposed at the conference including one to establish the Croatian Institute for Freshwater Fisheries and Aquaculture and another to launch the Centre for the Recovery and Reintroduction of Danube sturgeon.

e conference takes place every two years and covers all

topics of interest for aquaculture Accepted papers, presentations and posters are published on the conference’s website. For more information visit: https://hgk. hr/14th-international-aquaculture-conference announcement.

Toni Bartulin, Euro sh International Organisation, toni.bartulin @euro sh.dk

Interdisciplinary collaboration for effective adaptation

The 5th Symposium on the Effects of Climate Change on the World’s Ocean (ECCWO5), organised by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (IMR), was held in Bergen from 17 to 21 April 2023.

This year’s event was a hybrid version with both in-person and online attendance. e symposium brought together experts from around the world to discuss the latest knowledge on the e ects of climate change on the world’s oceans, the risks, challenges, and gaps, as well as potential solutions for adapting and mitigating these impacts. e very rich programme covered topics such as climate vulnerability assessments, which involve assessing the risks that climate change poses to various socio-ecological systems, marine spatial planning, reducing carbon dioxide emissions from shing vessels, and improving ecosystem management and species dynamics, among many others.

e topic of vulnerability received particular attention—it was discussed on three days of

the event at di erent sessions. In addition, a special workshop was held prior to the event to prepare attendees for the in-depth discussions that were to take place. e sessions consisted of 10-15 presentations each day and they showcased various studies providing valuable observations into the complexities of climate change’s impacts on sheries and related dependent communities. Some studies provided insights into the multidimensional nature of vulnerability, which includes social, political, ecological, and economic aspects. One of the speakers explained how vulnerability results from the lack of access to capital assets—human, physical, natural, social and nancial—meaning the absence of well-being. Hence, building resilience, the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to hazardous events, trends, or disturbances related to climate,

represents a way of dealing with vulnerability and responding to challenges. Existing tools to assess the vulnerability and risks to the impacts of climate change were also presented.

Artisanal fishers competing with industrial fleets are less able to adapt to climate change

Specifically, the risk assessment framework, developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was applied in a case study on Ghanaian fisheries to evaluate the most climate-sensitive species, and the most vulnerable fisheries in the area. Among the 39 species assessed whose catches have been recorded in Ghana, using indicators such as biological traits, habitat preferences, and species’ thermal tolerance,

the study identified snappers, groupers and Congo dentex as the most climate-sensitive species of these fisheries. Among the nine fishery sectors present in Ghana, the artisanal demersal purse seine sector was shown to be the most sensitive fishery with a low adaptive capacity compared to other fisheries due to competition with industrial fisheries and the catching of highly sensitive species such as the bigeye grunt. Difficulties in adapting or transforming due to competition with industrial fisheries seem also to occur in artisanal fisheries targeting small pelagics in Galicia, Spain. These fishers appear to be more vulnerable than others due to the effort control management in place and to the total allowable catch (TAC) control measure in which artisanal fishers have to compete for the same resources with industrial

fisheries. The case study identified how artisanal small pelagic fishers are more likely to exit the sector from climate impacts due to their vulnerability.

This research will continue trying to understand fishers’ historical perspective on TAC regulation and the related impacts on artisanal fisheries, since a higher number of fishers used to target small pelagics in the past compared with today. Other studies also revealed that adaptation strategies to be effective should consider different characteristics including individual factors such as personal knowledge, and experience, community dynamics—bonding relationships among fishers and institutions, management context, and co-production of knowledge with local communities. A study conducted in the Sundarbans, Bay of Bengal, sheds light on the impact of climate stressors on small-scale

inland fishing, specifically on forest fishers who catch prawns and crabs. The study shows that cyclones have a significant effect on local fisheries and that the co-production of knowledge with local communities can lead to better adaptation strategies. The research stresses the active role of fishers in coping with the risk generated by cyclones. In response to the challenges faced, the communities have improvised and started using ponds in their own households instead of continuing fishing in the inland forest. However, fishers were facing some challenges as they needed some scientific and technical knowledge. In response, academics and fishers have started a co-production of a training module for inland fishing. The co-learning experience also helped in re-understanding the way climate change is explained from an academic point of view. Overall, the study illustrates the importance of

co-producing knowledge with local communities to develop better adaptation strategies that are more relevant to their needs and realities.

Fishers’ associations play an important role in their members’ ability to adapt to climate change

Another study conducted with six small-scale sheries communities in the Nayarit region of Mexico, a hotspot of climate change, sought to assess the potential response of shers to a decrease in their catch due to climate impacts. e study found that shers’ perceptions of their catch volume between 2011 and 2021 decreased by 50, with the majority of species caught decreasing except for Sphyraenidae. e study highlighted the role of community dynamics, shing permits, and sheries management in the

capacity of shers to adapt to climate change. e interactions of shers with their peers facilitated the process of continuing shing, as did the availability of shing permits provided by patrons. Fishers’ associations were found to be crucial in creating safety nets within the communities, supporting each other in terms of knowledge and capacity. is study emphasised the importance of participatory approaches and co-production of knowledge, as shers need to organize themselves to be resilient to the future. e ndings suggest that supporting shers’ associations and providing relevant information can help small-scale sheries communities adapt to climate change, and this is a critical aspect to consider for the long-term sustainability of small-scale sheries in the region.

Overall, the symposium highlighted the urgent need for action to address the impacts of climate change on the world’s oceans. Experts explained that the consolidation of e ective adaptation strategies requires interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge among the many actors involved to address the multidimensional nature of vulnerability and support resilience in shery systems. However, they also emphasised the need for continued research to better understand the complex interactions between climate change and marine ecosystems and to develop more e ective solutions to adapt and cope with these impacts.

Francesca Barazzetta, Euro sh International Organisation, francesca.barazzetta@euro sh.dk

The 5th Symposium on the Effects of Climate Change on the World's Ocean (ECCWO5) was held physically in Bergen, Norway, and virtually. The event was attended by over 700 people of which a third logged in remotely.

Sonia Batten, PICES

RASTech 2023: Flexibility and cooperation are critical to a successful aquaculture operation

Cashing in on collaboration

Collaboration and the ability to pivot rapidly are key survival tools in today’s ever changing aquaculture landscape. This was a point frequently stressed by industry experts who spoke at the recently concluded RASTech 2023 Conference and Trade Fair in Orlando, Florida.

The two-day, sold-out event was held at the JW Marriott Orlando in Grand Lakes. It was attended by more than 400 people from 16 countries who shared their experiences and knowledge in aquaculture and the recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) industry.

During the rst keynote session titled Lessons Learned speakers discussed their strategies for dealing with crucial challenges

their businesses faced. Among the panelist in this session were Damien Claire, chief sales and marketing o cer at Atlantic Sapphire; Justin Henry, owner of Henry Aquaculture Consult and aquaculture business director at University of British Columbia; Per Heggelund, founder of AquaSeed, Sweet Spring Salmon, and now, Andfjord Salmon; and Sylvia Wulf, president and chief executive of AquaBounty Technologies.

Working closely with partners can make a big difference

ey agreed that from dealing with supply chain challenges in a post covid business environment to getting a handle on perennial technical issues and production problems, the exibility to quickly shift tactics and form strategic alliances can spell the di erence between foundering and thriving. “Really establishing those

partnerships, and working with your collaborators is critical,” according to Sylvia Wulf. For instance, in the months following the covid outbreak shipping issues disrupted the delivery of electrical equipment and components needed by aquaculture companies. Prices of materials skyrocketed. In response, AquaBounty conducted weekly and monthly consultations with its contractors and suppliers. “We were in constant collaboration

Held in Orlando, Florida the 2023 edition of the RASTech Conference and Trade Fair attracted 400 participants from 16 countries.

with our partners to make sure we understood what the critical supplies were, when did we need them, and what was going to happen with pricing,” said Wulf.

At one time the cost of copper was shooting up. AquaBounty needed to make decision on whether to buy the material at a high price or wait a bit but run the risk of supply disappearing. “Sometimes, we need to buy at a higher price than what we had planned for because we will need the product at some point in time. You have to have a plan, but you need to be exible,” Sylvia Wulf explained. “…We have really been closely working with our engineers and our subcontractors to make sure we consider every e ciency we can nd.”

Collaboration also means connecting with academia, research organisations, and industry knowledge centres that can provide your business with vital research information, according to Heggelund. “ e Freshwater Institute has been the nucleus for all of us … the University of Maryland has been in the same position,” he noted. “ ey may not have seen the same growth issues

we saw, but they keep working on and solving these issues. We are fortunate that we have so many institutions that can support us as we learn and move forward.”

Later on in the conference, while speaking at a business tract titled Creating a RAS Business Model, Justin Henry drilled down on the areas where a RAS business might need to find collaborators. “You should ask yourself who should be involved in creating your business RAS model,” he said. By doing this exercise, businesses can develop a list of areas where expertise is needed. “You will need finance expertise, you will need expertise in regulatory framework for the location you want to operate in, you will need RAS technology expertise, you will need operational expertise, RAS design expertise, sales and marketing expertise,” Henry said. This could require “several people, several groups of people, or just one person” but it will mean collaborating.

Making the most of a challenging situation

Asked for his advice on what companies can do when met

with a challenge such as a pandemic, Justin Henry said you can either fall back temporarily or meet the hurdle head on. “For a lot of the projects in the last one or two years, the answer was maybe a bit of a slowdown. Scaling down was the solution of some people who were forced into a decision,” he explained. “What we’ve done was to take this opportunity to focus on design. We worked together with Pure Aqua to drive cost down through design.” He said they looked at things such as minimising the use of high-cost materials and reducing footprint.

Like most aquaculture operations, the Miami RAS arm of the Norwegian company Atlantic Sapphire suffered supply delays and rising materials cost, according to Damien Claire. “Pre-covid we had a budget of $225 million which we had to revise to $270 to $300 million, which is quite significant,” he stated. To cut costs, Atlantic Sapphire shifted strategies by changing the design of its RAS tanks. “In our Phase II construction, we actually moved the fish from steel tanks to concrete tanks,” he said. “Cost is the main reason for the change.”

Following some “setbacks” with its Phase I Miami facility, Atlantic Sapphire also decided to change RAS partners. “We are still working on xing some of those issue a couple of years later,” noted Claire. “Our biggest lesson was we decided to move with a new construction team.” Instead of an integrated RAS designer, Atlantic Sapphire chose to partner with a local engineering rm that specializes in water treatment. “What we learned in Miami is that very

strong local partnership with water treatment experts is what we need for Phase 2,” according to Claire. “Water treatment is very similar to RAS. Ultimately, we are a very big water treatment plant with sh in it.”

Drawing on expertise pays off in the long term

AquaBounty also sought outside help in deciding the design for its three North American facilities. Sylvia Wulf said the water filtration system of her company’s Indiana facility was designed by the Freshwater Institute while the technology used at the Prince Edward Island location came from Innovasea. “We are using the Indiana facility and technology to train, improve and retain our talent pool and the PEI technology we are designing into our Ohio facility,” she said.

Jamie Stein, co-founder of international land-based aquaculture investment firm Devonian Capital, summed up the importance need for collaboration and sharing of knowledge in the RAS industry. During the Investor’s Forum he said the RAS industry is a fingerling that has just hatched “but it’s not a zero-sum game. Every project we invested in, we worked with talent, experience and hard work from a whole bunch of people,” he said. “…We can provide capital but there’s only so much we can do. Collaboration is critical. Every failure hurts us all, and every time we share experience, we grow the pie.”

Jean Ko Din, Editor, Hatchery International, RAStech, JKoDin @annexbusinessmedia.com

Networking was an important part of the 2023 RASTech Conference and Trade Fair.

Romanian fish and shellfish farming in the Black Sea could soon become a reality

Legislative frameworks falling into place

Romanian entrepreneurs have long tried to farm shellfish in the Black Sea, but the activity has failed to get off the ground due to a lack of the relevant rules and regulations. This may finally be changing, potentially opening the doors not only to mussel farming but also to the on-growing of rainbow trout, an industry that is flourishing in Turkish Black Sea waters.

The sheries sector in Romania includes production from both aquaculture and from capture in the Black Sea and inland waters. e latest FAO statistics refer to the year 2021 and reveal that aquaculture production in Romania declined by 9 since 2019 reaching 11,714 tonnes. Of the ve main species (with a production of around 1,000 tonnes or more) four are carps, common, bighead, silver, and crucian while the fth is rainbow trout. e latter is the only species production of which has grown consistently over the three years to 2021. Trout is also the second-most produced species after common carp. If trends in production of common carp and of trout continue as they have, it is only a question of a couple of years before rainbow trout output exceeds that of common carp. Bighead carp production increased slightly in 2021, but is still 13 below its level in 2019, while silver carp volumes have also uctuated falling 18 in 2021 compared to the year before. Minor volumes (less than 200 tonnes) of grass carp, cat sh, sturgeon, and paddle sh were also produced in 2021.

Farmed and wild production could benefit from proposed split in fisheries law

Capture sheries production comes from the Black Sea and

inland waters, the Danube in particular. Catches of the marine snail Rapana venosa accounted for over 40 of the total capture production in 2021. Production of this mollusc however has fallen by 63 since 2018. Gold sh (Carassius auratus) and pontic shad (Alosa immaculata) are signi cant species in terms of captures, but they too have declined in volumes since 2019. Total capture production has fallen 43 over the last three years. Michael Leonov, State Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

says an increase in production and pro ts could lead from the splitting of the sheries law into a sheries law and an aquaculture law. e division was made to clarify speci c regulations for each activity and to ensure more e cient and precise management of these activities. e adoption of these laws is expected to increase transparency and e ectiveness in regulating shing and aquaculture activities. ese outcomes are expected to lead to better protection of aquatic resources and the environment, as well

as better management of shing and aquaculture activities in accordance with international standards. However, he adds, to ensure that these bene ts are realized, there must be adequate implementation and continuous monitoring of compliance with these laws. e laws are currently under discussion and analysis in the Romanian Parliament and will be adopted after the proposed amendments and modications are taken into account and subjected to a nal vote in Parliament.

Michael Leonov, State Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Marian Avram, the president of ANPA, the National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture, prioritises the development of aquaculture partly to reduce pressure on wild stocks. Although shing capacity in Romania is among the lowest in the EU it is unlikely to increase although he thinks the status of the stocks would allow it. One of the main objectives of Romania’s national strategy for sheries and aquaculture for the period 2023-2027, that is currently being developed, is to increase domestic sh production through mariculture. While attempts to promote mariculture in the past have foundered for want of a legislative framework, Mr Avram says that now through a joint e ort of the regulatory institutions, acts have been adopted facilitating the establishment of marine aquaculture farms and investments.

War in Ukraine has multiple impacts on Romanian aquaculture

e decline in aquaculture production may also be in uenced by the challenges freshwater pond farmers face in getting loans from commercial institutions. With the privatisation of the aquaculture

sector at the end of the 90s title to a pond farmer’s land was retained by the state. is means that it cannot be used as collateral to get a loan from a bank. Mr Avram says that land areas under water currently cannot be the subject of a concession or privatisation contract concluded between the Romanian State and farmers, as the legislative provisions are incomplete. He suggests that other assets—dams, monks, pumping stations, water supply facilities, buildings etc.— owned by the farmer may constitute suitable collateral for the farmer to secure a loan. While this has long been an issue for the aquaculture sector, a more recent challenge is the spike in energy prices the Russian invasion of Ukraine has provoked. Mr Avram notes that the increase in fuel costs have forced producers to raise their prices, yet at the same time in ation has whittled away consumers’ purchasing power. e European Commission has approved a number of speci c measures designed to support shermen and farmers through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, and to compensate them to some extent for the increased costs on the production line. In addition, he says, the government has drafted a measure that aims to reduce excise

Aquaculture production in Romania (tonnes)

duty on diesel used in aquaculture to supplement the support to this sector. Fuel is not the only input to have increased in price. e cost of feed too has skyrocketed. e aquaculture sector’s trials are compounded by a prolonged drought recorded in 2022 all of which will have an impact on competitiveness in 2023, says Mr Avram.

Production in Romanian freshwater aquaculture is characterised primarily by two technologies, traditional earthen ponds which account for about 75 of the sales from all production systems and concrete-lined raceways or tanks that account for a further 18. e remaining production is split broadly between oating cage and recirculation systems. e latter are highly e cient in terms

of the water they consume. ey also allow the micromanagement of the environment within the system and can be sited close to urban centres which is an advantage for logistics and distribution. However, they are expensive to buy, install, and run, and require skilled personnel. In Mr Avram’s opinion these systems o er a sustainable way of sh production if the energy they use comes from renewable resources and their use should therefore be encouraged. However, he is aware that the increase in fuel, energy, and feed costs has drawn the competitiveness of these units into question, so that without alternative sources of energy such as solar cells, or the production of value-added items from the sh raised in such systems, it will be di cult to have a

Marian Avram, President, National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (ANPA)

Sales of production from concrete-lined tanks accounted for about 18 percent of sales from all production systems. The main species grown in these structures is rainbow trout.

Source: FAO. 2023. Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics

nancially viable operation using recirculation aquaculture.

Activity diversification and more added-value products are a priority

e importance of adding value to sh is in fact one of the objectives of the national strategic plan for aquaculture and diversifying the range of products is a goal that is supported through di erent mechanisms. Improving and diversifying the consumption of sh and sh products can be achieved by promoting high quality local, fresh, chilled, and live sh and sh products, says Mr Avram. Diversi cation refers not only to the variety of sh and sh products but also to the farms and their activities, he feels. O ering homestays, catering and restaurants, angling, bird and animal watching and other activities could provide the farmer with additional sources of income. e development of new, sustainable, and value-added commercial activities and products that are attractive to consumers, as well as of new marketing approaches that increase competitiveness, are among the development objectives

set out in the multiannual national strategic plan for aquaculture. Market measures that support shorter supply chains and more rapid delivery of products to the nal consumer as well as the spread of knowledge about the, nutritional qualities of shery products, the food safety of aquaculture products, and public awareness campaigns on aquaculture are written into the national aquaculture and sheries programme and co- nanced by the EMFAF, says Mr Leonov. Regional, national, or transnational communication and promotion campaigns are envisaged to raise public awareness of aquaculture products and environmentally friendly aquaculture production methods. In the rst phase, we will analyse existing data on the consumption of aquaculture products in Romania and assess consumer behaviour in relation to aquaculture products, especially those produced in our country, Mr Avram states. In a second phase a comprehensive strategy to promote the sector at the national and international level based on an analysis of the information obtained will be de ned and developed. is strategy could be

Capture fisheries production in Romania (tonnes)

developed through workshops organised with the participation of aquaculture associations. He is considering a two-pronged approach: one involving national campaigns to promote sh consumption and the other to promote local farmed sh products.

Small-scale fishers sceptical of digitalisation efforts

e sheries sector too has suffered from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to Mr Avram, commercial shermen in the Danube Delta and the Black Sea, who, in addition to the obvious uncertainty they have experienced since the beginning of the con ict, have had to interrupt their shing activity more often than in previous periods. ey have been prevented from accessing shing areas during military exercises conducted by the Ministries of Internal A airs and of National Defense, activities that have intensi ed and expanded since the war. Another factor is the presence of mines in traditional shing areas on the Romanian coastline, which translates into a signi cant decrease in shing activities carried out during the night, reducing the quantities landed and traded. e eet comprises mostly

small-scale vessels that sh using traditional stationery gears. For the authorities, monitoring these vessels has proved to be di cult as the shers tend to reject digitalisation, says Mr Leonov. On commercial shing vessels exceeding 12 meters in length, there are functional data localization and transmission systems which transmit information regularly to international institutions such as the EU and EFCA (European Fisheries Control Agency), including daily and weekly reports on control activities carried out in the Black Sea, in accordance with current regulations. Since 2020 Romania has increased the digitalization of its shing control system by, for example, creating an integrated database for shing in the Black Sea, the direct transmission of catch information by vessels over 12 meters, the use of electronic devices for inspections at landing and sales points, and the transmission of information to the Fleet Monitoring Centre in Constanța. Although, as Mr Leonov points out, not all these projects have been completed, he believes that technological advancements bring added value to control activities in the Black Sea and to data collection which is the basis for scienti c studies and analyses that contribute to better resource and control management.

Value-added items such as this jar of trout roe are a way to diversify the product range and increase economic effi ciency.

Closer cooperation between fish farmers’ associations in Romania and the Republic of Moldova

Benefits to sector in both countries

On 23 June 2022 the European Council granted the Republic of Moldova EU candidate country status. This development follows the signing in 2014 of an EU Republic of Moldova Association Agreement, which included a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). The agreement provided the basis for stronger political association and economic integration and promotes common values and enhanced cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Exploiting the closer political relationship between the Republic of Moldova and the EU, sh farmers from Romania and the Republic of Moldova decided to enhance their dialogue and share good practices on the sector’s organisation and development. On 15 and 16 March 2023, the National Fish Farmers’ Association from the Republic of Moldova invited the Romanian Fish Farmers Association, ROMFISH, to a meeting in Chişinău with sh farmers, scientists from the “AcvaGenResurs” Institute and government authorities. e purpose of the meeting was to discuss aquaculture related issues including speci c legislation and administrative procedures, the role of pond aquaculture in biodiversity management, access to space for sh farmers, and means to increase the resilience of the sector as an important contributor to food security in the region.

e participants also sought to identify solutions to the multiple challenges that inhibit aquaculture development.

Collaboration covers several areas within aquaculture

At the talks, the two national organisations decided to intensify and widen their cooperation to support the development of the aquaculture sector in both countries. The cooperation will focus on drafting

adequate national legislation to encourage aquaculture activities including adding value to primary production, developing marketing tools and campaigns for consumer information, implementing prophylactic measures on fish farms, disease mitigation, exchanging information, trading broodstock for various farmed species, arranging reciprocal study tours for farmers in both countries, strengthening communication and economic exchanges between the two organisations, and supporting participation in international events, such as the International Carp Conference, the sixth edition of which will be

held in Hungary from 30 August to 1 September this year.

Fish farming has much in common in the two countries

e Republic of Moldova has at least 4,000 ponds with a total area of 20,000 ha available for sh production which consists mainly of common carp reared in polyculture with Asian carps to better exploit the ponds’ natural trophic potential. As in Romania, pond sh farming has a long tradition going back to about the fourteenth century. Yearly aquaculture production hovers around 12,000 tonnes and per

capita consumption is 10.8 kg/ year, according to the National Programme for Aquaculture Strengthening and Development in the Republic of Moldova 2020–2030 produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development, and Environment.

Following the meeting a joint press conference was held by Gheorghe Gheorghiu, President of the National Fish Farmers’ Association of the Republic of Moldova and Cătălin Platon, President of ROMFISH to explain the nature and purpose of the meeting.

C ă t ă lin Platon, ROMFISH, asrom sh@gmail.com

Cătălin Platon, President of ROMFISH (centre left), Gheorghe Gheorghiu, President of the National Fish Farmers’ Association of the Republic of Moldova (centre right), and two fish farmers from the Republic of Moldova association.

IPN © Elena Covalenco

The SCR Group has ambitious plans for its trout breeding operations

Doubling production is just a fi rst step

Rainbow trout is the most commonly farmed species in Romania after common carp. Production is in raceways, ponds, tanks, and even in cages in lakes, and the fish are grown to sizes up to several kilos depending on the end customer.

Possibly the country’s biggest producer of rainbow trout is the company, Păstrăvăriile Ceahlăului, that has a production facility in a hydropower dam lake near Bicaz, some 150 km west of Iasci. e company is part of the SCR Group, a conglomerate with interests in chemicals, industry, and electronic devices, among other activities. Within the group an entity called the Blue Division is responsible for sh farming, sh processing, and related areas of business such as restaurants. Păstrăvăriile Ceahlăului has an area of three hectares on the lake which host thirty-two 16 m diameter and eight 20 m diameter cages. Access to the cages is a short boat trip from the shore of the lake. Burak Unalan, the manager of the facility says the volume of trout sold last year was 650 tonnes out of a total production of 900 tonnes.

Cheap imports make life difficult for Romanian producers

e entire production from the farm is sold, but Mr Unalan is concerned at the volume of trout that is entering the Romanian market from abroad and at rock bottom prices. A couple of years ago it was sh from Turkey that was undercutting locally produced trout, though that seems to have dried up as more Turkish sh is diverted for on-growing to

the Black Sea. But now, according to Mr Unalan, trout from other EU countries is entering Romania and being sold at prices that are hard to believe as they barely cover the cost of feed and juveniles. We buy a good, though not a top-of-the-line, feed from a reputed company and the price of a truck load of feed (23.5 tonnes) has risen from EUR23,000 in 2019 to EUR32,000 today, he says. e cost of feed although a signicant part of the costs of running a sh farm is not the only outlay. ere have been steep increases in energy and fuel costs and the cost of labour is going up as well. Explaining the cheap price of sh from other parts of the EU, Mr Unalan guesses that it is the higher volume per production unit that enables the producers to sell at low prices as the high production volumes reduces the cost per unit. In Romania we are not in the same position, he says. Here, we are probably the only farm with a production of close to 1,000 tonnes. But because of the multi-year production cycle on big farms in other countries, the higher degree of automation, and the lesser dependence on labour, production per person is higher than it is in Romania. On our farm, Mr Unalan says, production per person is 90 tonnes while in other countries it can be 120 to 130 tonnes. Moreover, in case of emergencies such as a lack of water or the threat of disease, it

is better to sell at any price than to let the sh go waste. Processing plants are also bigger and can handle large volumes of sh, 40-50 tonnes of sh a day is not uncommon, unlike in Romania where facilities tend to be more modest.

Plans include greater value addition and growing trout in the Black Sea

Catalin Platon, president of the Romanian Fish Farmers’ Association, says that trout is like a commodity, the technology is established, the feeds are well

developed, the prices are similar, and the margins are meagre, so to make money a farmer must have the volumes. Of course, adding value to the sh, by processing it is another way to improve the bottom line, but at Păstrăvăriile Ceahlăului currently 80 of the sales are

ice. e remaining 20 is llets. e company also has a small production, 10 of the total, of what Mr Unalan calls salmon trout, which is essentially rainbow trout raised on a specially pigmented feed and grown to a 2.5 kg. e feed gives the sh esh a pink to orange shade like salmon, hence the name salmon trout. Mr

would like to increase

fresh on

Unalan

Burak Unalan manages the production of trout on the farm. He plans to expand the number of cages from 40 to 52 once the approval comes through from the authorities. This will double the production to 2,000 tonnes a year.

Alexandra Bizu supervises the production of processed products, now mainly gutted fish but due to include smoked trout shortly.

this fraction because it is more pro table. Increasing production of this salmon trout would not add to the costs except for that of feed and so would contribute to the pro t margins. Mr Unalan would consider growing rainbow trout in the Black Sea, something that Turkish companies are doing very successfully. e sh grow very rapidly in that environment, but the Romanian authorities have not yet allowed aquaculture there, so Mr Unalan must wait with his plans. In any event the company must be prepared for signi cantly higher costs when growing sh in the Black Sea. Cage infrastructure must be stronger, feed volumes increase, the cost of logistics goes up, and more labour is required than for a comparable facility in a lake.

Consumers tend to favour domestically-grown trout

e salmon trout in the dam lake is grown to 2.5 kg which gives a net weight of over 2 kg when they are cleaned. At this size the colour is

also better, and so is the yield when it is processed into llets or other cuts. It takes two summers to reach this size, as there is little growth in the winter, the water temperature being too low. is year in February it was 2 degrees C and even in April was only 5 degrees C. e rainbow trout, on the other hand, is grown to 500 g over a period of about six months. We grow the

rainbow trout to this size to reduce the cost of the ngerlings, which are sourced from other companies, as a proportion of the price of the sh, says Mr Unalan. We do everything we can to keep our costs low and e ciency high. As a Romanian producer he nds that consumers are generally willing to pay a little extra for sh produced in Romania. is is a big advantage and enables us to compete with cheaper products from other countries, he says.

e company’s customers are mainly the supermarket chains within Romania. Current production just covers the demand from clients, but with the launch of the new processing line the company also hopes to start exporting. Mr Unalan hopes to add another 12 cages of 20 m diameter to the production facility which should take production to 2,000 tonnes without major investments. e twist is that permission is needed from the authorities to put the cages in the water and that is a slow process. e time taken to get permits and clearances will also a ect another project Mr Unalan would like to initiate.

is is the production of striped bass (Morone saxatilis), a sh with delicate white meat and very few bones that lends itself to cold smoking. On the other hand, common carp, though a popular sh in Romania, is slow growing and would call for a separate processing line, so diversifying into this species would be complicated. But rst, we want to optimise our production of trout, says Mr Unalan, to double our existing volumes. Selling the sh will not prove di cult; the product is extremely fresh as it is harvested one day and the next morning it is at the supermarket counter which is an advantage when compared to imported products. ese take a couple of days longer to reach the market implying a product that is not as fresh and that has a shorter shelf life. Trout does not retain the fresh look and feel for as long as marine sh, so a couple of days longer in transit makes a di erence to its appearance.

Gains in production must go together with improved efficiency

Since he started working for Păstrăvăriile Ceahlăului, Mr Unalan,

Freshly harvested and processed fish prior to being covered with ice before it is shipped to the customer.

a Turkish national, has focused not just on increasing the production but also on e ciency. As he says, anybody can grow sh, the point is to do it pro tably. is means keeping costs under control and staying competitive. e sh are grown in two cycles, a longer one in autumn that starts in October, and another starting at the end of March. At the end of December the water temperature falls to under 5 degrees C and only goes beyond that at the end of March. Below 5 degrees C it is very challenging to acclimatise the ngerlings; the air temperature might be as low as minus 15 degrees C, which is tough to work in, the water in the tanks that hold the ngerlings is 8 degrees C and the water in the lake may be 3 degrees C, so the risk of the ngerlings getting a shock is too high. In the spring the water temperature rises rapidly and the metabolism of the sh takes time to adapt, so Mr Unalan slows down the production by feeding the sh only half of what they are willing to eat. e sh thus take a little longer to reach the desired weight than they would, for example, in Turkey where conditions are better. Occasionally the oxygen level in the water may also fall below the optimum. en too the feeding is reduced to help the sh better

cope. All the di erent parameters must be monitored constantly to ensure the welfare of the stock and to achieve the planned production targets.

More value added products are on the cards, but the owner of the company believes in vertical integration and is reluctant to outsource the processing operations. A processing facility has been built in Bicaz a few kilometres away from the lake so the sh can be harvested and processed immediately. A gutting machine is used to gut and clean the sh of a certain size, while bigger specimens are gutted manually. e bulk of the production is gutted sh on ice but in a few weeks the company will also hot smoke the sh, tests for which are currently being conducted. In 2024 the factory will be expanded to the neighbouring building to increase capacity. e ground level will then hold the primary processing while secondary processing such as modi ed atmosphere and skin packaging will be on the upper oor. is will increase the shelf life of the products from 10 to hopefully at least 20 days, says Eduard Voza, the director of the facility. A gourmet line of products will be introduced as well as high quality

products for the Horeca sector. is will mean a reduction in the volumes of sh on ice in favour of processed sh.

Product targeted at retail chains and boutique shops

Marian Gavrilescu, who manages the sh-related activities at the head o ce in Bucharest, says sh is a small part now, but we expect it to play a signi cant role in the group in the future. is expectation is built partly on the prospect of raising rainbow trout in the Black Sea when

the relevant legislation has been enacted. e sh is currently being sold primarily to the retail chains, Selvgros, Metro, Cora, Carrefour among others, but Mr Gavrilescu plans to develop sales to boutique shops, delicatessens, specialist shmongers and to organise events such as a trout festival to promote the company’s brands, Păstrăvăriile Ceahlăului and Trout from Bicaz, as well as trout consumption and sales. e products bearing the brands include gutted sh, but also spreads made with trout, and the smoked sh, when it appears on the market.

P str v riile Ceahl ului

Strada Barajului 47 Dodeni 615100

Romania

Farm manager: Burak Unalan

Ceahl ului Trout Processing Unit

Director: Edward Voze

Engineer: Alexandra Bizu

Blue Division, SCR Group

Director: Marian Gavrilescu

Activities: Farming and processing of rainbow trout

Production volumes: 900 tonnes per year raw material

Fish sizes: 500 g, 2.5 kg

Products: Fresh gutted fish on ice, smoked fish

Brands: Păstrăvăriile Ceahlăului, Trout from Bicaz

Employees in processing facility: 18

Markets: Romania

Customers: Retail chains

Other assets: Trout hatchery

The trout are fed both manually (left), but also using a feed barge from where the feed is pumped into the cages. The volume and frequency of feeding depend on a number of factors including the temperature of the water.

Entrepreneur expands from tourism into fish processing

Diversifying income streams

Zakuska, a spread made of vegetables, is found in one form or another across the Balkans. The ingredients and spices may vary somewhat but the concept remains the same. A company, Sat Vacanţă Gura Portiţei SRL, in Jurilovca south of the Danube delta adds different fish species to its version of zakuska with excellent results.

Sat Vacanţă Gura Portiţei SRL is a company whose main activity is tourism. e company runs a restaurant and rents cottages to tourists on a reef that separates a large lake complex south of the Danube Delta from the Black Sea. e facilities are open in the season from 1 May to 30 September or 15 October. In 2018 Gabriel Cristi, the owner of the company, used support from the European Maritime, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Fund to build a small sh processing facility in the village of Jurilovca. e facility was in fact a shermen’s shelter that Mr Ditu remodelled and equipped to process sh. e idea behind the processing facility was to process sh in exactly the way it was required by the restaurant. Before it was established Mr Ditu had to deal with other processors who would cut and prepare the sh as he requested. But they were not able to cut the sh exactly the way we wanted, he says, which was why we nally decided to invest in our own facility.

Freshwater species and fish from the Black Sea

e facility started operating in February this year processing sh bought from the local shermen. e sh is typically caught in Lake Razim, the largest lake in a complex of coastal several lakes or lagoons. e initial processing operations are heading, gutting, and removing the tail. e facility is also equipped with band saws with

which frozen sh can be sawed into pieces. e sh can then be packed into bags which are vacuum sealed before being introduced into a chamber where the sh is rapidly frozen. e production is usually fresh, but in May and June shing is prohibited in the lake as a sheries management measure. To continue to supply guests at the restaurant with sh and to make the value added products at the factory even during these months some sh must be frozen during the season. Only a small fraction of the sh comes from the Black Sea. It is expensive, says Mr Ditu. Here in the northern part of the Romanian Black Sea a sher needs as least six people to place the gear in the water, he needs a boat with a fairly powerful engine, a tractor on the shore to manoeuvre the boat, all of which adds to the cost of shing in the Black Sea.

For four years from 2016 to 2019 Mr Ditu’s company had a shing net on the Black Sea. Catches were best in the rst year and gradually declined over subsequent years. Finally, when one of the shers left to work in Ireland, Mr Ditu decided to stop the activity. According to him, there are shers on the southern coast of the Romanian Black Sea who have been active for many years, but catches are far better there than in the north. In the north, for example, we never see gar sh, but in the south they can catch it regularly. Here we nd mainly anchovies and horse mackerel

and there are perhaps 10 shers catching Danube shad. But in general in the north part of the Romanian Black Sea, catches are low partly because the costs are high, but also because several shers decided to decommission their vessels and pull out of shing altogether. at was a mistake, says Mr Ditu, because it essentially destroyed the industry. Whether the low catches in the northern part of the Romanian Black Sea are because of a lack of vessels or a lack of sh, Mr Ditu is not sure. In conversations with vessel owners, he learned that at depths of 15 m there were schools of sh in the water. Most shers

have their gear at 5-6 m and here the catches have just declined from year to year. In 2019 Mr Ditu and two other shers had nets at 4, 6, and 8 m respectively, but the production from all the nets was the same. All the three shers pulled out of the activity that year.

Imported fish is also processed for the restaurant

Some of the supply of sh to the processing plant still comes from the Black Sea, but it comes from the southern part, from Constanta and the surrounding area. Other supplies are imported, for

Gabriel Ditu has just started production at his fish processing facility which will supply products to his restaurant as well as to shops and restaurants in the area of Jurilovca.

example, sturgeon from Italy and fresh anchovies from Greece. Mr Ditu is enthusiastic about the Greek product. We get anchovies from the Black Sea as well and they are very tasty, but the Greek anchovies have a longer shelf life, he says. is may have something to do with the fact that salinity in the Black Sea is lower than in the Aegean. It means, however, that if the local sh is not processed within a few hour it must be discarded, while anchovies from Greece can be stored for 48 hours without trouble. ey can even be gutted one day and lleted the next. From Lake Razem Mr Ditu obtains some cat sh, common carp, and pike-perch. ese three species amount to just under a third of the total supply. e lake has been a big supplier of these species, but in the last 10-15 years resources have been declining partly because of poaching. Catches of what Mr Ditu terms non-valuable species, crucian carp, bream, and roach, which he also uses in his production, are more or less stable however.

e number of shers in the lake is also declining as shers move to other jobs or to other countries. Currently in the village there

are about 30 shers who have a licence. Gill nets are the most common gear to catch the sh. Purse seines operated by hand were also used but now there is not enough sh to justify the use of this gear. Mr Ditu hopes that the resource situation on the lake improves in the future but it is impossible to predict. For the moment there is enough sh to supply the restaurant and the local market where Mr Ditu sells his products. We have no intention of supplying to the retail chains because the capacity of the facility is limited. We want to start supplying to other restaurants because this is an area for tourists and in the season there are a number of restaurants that cater to them. e season covers late spring, summer, and early fall. At other times the weather is characterised by a lot of wind and a damp cold that is severe even though the temperature does not fall below freezing point.

High content of fish in the zakuska

At the facility the fish is cut into pieces, the vegetables are chopped and everything is mixed by machine and finally

filled (manually) into jars. The jars are placed in a vacuum machine to seal them and are then labelled and stored. The brand on the jars, Gura Porti ţ ei, is the same as the name of the restaurant and the cottages so that tourists can make a connection between the product and the services. The zakuska is made with catfish, sturgeon, or the low value species, but the fish content is always 60. Mr Ditu plans to open a shop to sell the products, but this will not be in the facility but closer to the harbour where there is more traffic. Another product

is fried and marinated fish for which the cheaper species, crucian carp, bream, and roach, are mainly used. Unlike marine fish which retain their texture when marinated untreated, freshwater fish need to be fried before they can be placed in the marinade due to the physiological properties of the flesh. Since production has just started the levels are still modest and all of it is sold locally. But Mr Ditu has plans to approach markets further afield once he can increase the volumes and ensure that they remain at the same level throughout the year.

Sat Vacan Gura Porti ei SRL

Jurilovca

Romania

Tel.: +40 724 568674

ghe_gabriel@yahoo.com

https://guraportitei.ro/en/

Director: Gabriel Ditu

Activity: Tourist cottage rental, restaurant, fish processing

Products: Zakuska with fish

marinated

Packaging: Glass jars; plastic tubs; vacuum-sealed bags

Main fish species: Common carp, pike-perch, catfish, crucian carp, bream, roach, sturgeon

Customers: Fish shops, restaurants in and around Jurilovca

Raw material for processing: 50 tonnes of fish a year

Sources: Lake Raizem, Black Sea, imports

pieces;

fish; fresh and frozen fish

Two of the main products manufactured at the factory are zakuska, a traditional spread of vegetables to which pieces of fish have been added (in the jars) and fried and marinated fish (in the tubs).

The main business of the company, Sat Vacan Gura Porti ei SRL, is a restaurant and the rental of tourist cottages built on a reef separating coastal lakes from the Black Sea.

Pelicanul Distribution adds trout farming to its fish producing operations

Looking to develop direct sales to consumers

Pelicanul Distribution is active in widely different areas. Originally an architectural design and construction company, it diversified into the farming of common carp and other freshwater fish species about a decade ago. More recently it has acquired a trout farm dating back to the seventies where it is growing rainbow trout and brown trout.

Located in Oestil Ungureni, slightly south of the geographical centre of Romania, the trout farm draws its water from a lake in the surrounding mountains. e water supplies rst a hydroelectric dam and then continues downstream through a channel from where it feeds the farm. As a result, the water is unaffected by weather conditions and does not collect silt or debris or become turbid as it would if it was drawn from a river. At the farm, George Ionescu, the owner of Pelicanul Distribution, grows rainbow trout and a native species of trout, the brown trout. e latter is produced mainly for restocking natural waters with only a small part of the production intended for consumption. Being a wild sh that has not been farmed for generations and in large quantities like rainbow trout, it is more di cult to breed.

A farm with a long history

e facilities are much the same as they were 45 years ago. When Mr Ionescu took over in 2021, the site had been lying idle for 30 years under the national forest administration. Under the previous regime the farm was used mainly to repopulate natural waters with trout, but this changed after it came under the purview of the forest

administration in the 90s. Since cultivating sh was not a focus area for the forest administration, the site was largely ignored. In 2021 the new owner discovered that the basic infrastructure, the water supply, the ponds, and the buildings including a hatchery, was old but serviceable. Mr Ionescu attributes the farm to Poul Decei (1926-2003), a renowned Romanian specialist who created a network of farms to restock mountain waters, dams, and lakes with salmonids. His work was in response to destruction caused by logging operations in the 50s and 60s in the mountains. e rivers were used to oat logs downstream which was highly damaging to natural habitats and the aquatic life that populated them.

At the farm, water from the channel is rst directed to a pond where it stays for some time to allow any debris to settle to the bottom. is process both cleans the water and allows its temperature to increase by a couple of degrees which makes it more suitable for use in the hatchery and for the ngerlings. Before entering the hatchery the water goes through a simple but ecient ltering process involving layers of gravel of di erent sizes followed by layers of sand. is system was put in place when the farm was built and

can still be used 45 years later. e only substantial change we made when we moved in, says Mr Ionescu, was to replace some of the piping leading from the channel to the farm, an investment of some EUR100,000. e farm’s theoretical capacity is 250300 tonnes, while current production is about 100 tonnes. e water temperature is generally favourable for breeding trout as it does not get hot in summer. I have not experienced 14 degrees C here, says Mr Ionescu, compared to other areas where it can go up to 22 degrees and more. On the other hand, the low temperature

means the sh do not grow as fast. Slow growth, however, is re ected in the texture of the esh, which is better than when the sh grows rapidly. It is like high quality wood, Mr Ionescu points out, the longer it takes to grow the better the structure and strength.

Breeding procedure follows time-tested methods

When the eggs hatch the larvae are grown in tanks in the hatchery before being moved to the nursery where they reach

George Ionescu is now producing trout in addition to carps and related species grown in polyculture.

1.5 to 2 g. Before they reach this size, it is inadvisable to place them in outdoor ponds as they cannot tolerate direct sunlight. At about 2 g the sh are moved to the on-growing ponds. e process followed is essentially the same as was done back in time when the farm was rst built. At that time experiments were also carried out on breeding the Danube salmon (Hucho hucho). It was thought that circular ponds were better than rectangular bonds for this purpose and so a couple of circular ponds were built and populated with Danube salmon broodstock imported from the Republic of Moldova. e experiments were not successful, however, for various reasons.

e water supply to the farm amounts to about 250 litres/second. e water is circulated through the farm before being channelled to a slow moving 1 km long stream where any impurities are allowed to settle or are absorbed by the vegetation growing in the water and along the banks. e out owing water is tested regularly by the company and the authorities arrive unannounced can also take samples. However, the stocking density on the farm is under 6 kg/cubic m (2080 kg/cubic m is more common on trout farms) so the level of pollution is very low and the water that leaves the farm does not have to be specially treated in any way. Mr Ionescu’s priorities when he took over the site were rst to secure a reliable supply of clean water and then to clean up the ponds. Now that is done and production has started he intends to look for support from EU funds that will enable him to renovate and modernise the facility. is will include investing in aerators, repairing ponds that need it, and putting modern incubation systems in the hatchery. e total could be anything between EUR600,000 and 1 million

of which 60 will be reimbursed by the fund.

Developing a closer relationship with the end consumer

e rainbow trout and brown trout grow at radically di erent rates. Using specially selected individuals a rainbow trout can grow to 8 kg in 2.5-3 years while the brown trout only reaches 2 kg. We have created a market for these large sh in Romania, says Mr Ionescu.

e kilo price is a fraction of that of salmon although the product is fresher and the fat content is lower.

e frozen llet is priced at EUR18/ kg on the supermarket shelf, while for salmon it may be EUR30/kg. Mr Ionescu is keen to deepen the relationship between producer and end consumer. In his view if the consumer places an order directly with a producer, the exact amount of sh ordered can be prepared and delivered. ere will be no waste and the consumer gets exactly what he wants. For a supermarket this is more di cult as it must balance what it orders from a supplier with the estimated demand from consumers. Inevitably this leads to waste, and with a highly perishable

product like sh the waste tends to be signi cant. e price a supermarket charges the consumer re ects this waste. He feels consumers need to be educated to sacri ce some of the spontaneity of going to a supermarket and getting whatever is available. Instead, by planning more in advance the consumer can eliminate the waste and get a very fresh product. He foresees the use of technology to place the order, package the product, and deliver it rapidly as the way to building a closer association with the end consumer.

Pelicanul Distribution is a member of a cooperative that includes ve or six farms. As a cooperative recognised by the EU at least 50 of the combined production of all the members must be sold to the cooperative which then sells it further. Projects designed for the

bene t of the cooperative rather than the individual members are also supported at higher rates creating an incentive for the producers to work together. A cooperative has more power than individual companies when negotiating with customers and suppliers, for example, of feed. It can hire specialists who can work for all the member farms. e cooperative also implemented a project with an educational institution for students studying aquaculture. ree or four students rotated between the farms gaining practical experience to supplement the theoretical part of their education. With this combined experience the students can go on to take more advanced quali cations or even join university. e process bene ts both the students and the producers and contributes to the long term future of the industry.

Pelicanul Distribution Srl

Bucharest Romania

office.pelicanul@gmail.com

Owner: George Ionescu

Activity: Production of freshwater farmed fish

Volumes: 900 t per year carps and related species; 100 t per year rainbow trout

The ponds are covered with nets to protect the fingerlings from avian and other predators.

Persuading conservative customers to try processed fish products can be a struggle

Getting consumers out of their comfort zones

Diadem Vasile Atodiresei is the biggest producer of carp in polyculture in Romania. At his two sites, one in Botosani and the other in Podu Iloaie, close to Iasci in the north eastern part of Romania, he produces some 1,500 tonnes of fish a year.

The output is a mix of freshwater species, common carp dominates the production, but bighead, silver, and grass carp, some European catsh, pike-perch, crucian carp, and paddle sh are the other species produced. Over the past years Mr Atodiresei has focused on optimising his production at the two sites, using better quality feeds, automating feed delivery, optimising the time and frequency of feeding, aerating the water, and other measures that have brought his yield to about 2 tonnes per ha. Now, however, he has added a small processing facility to the new farm in Podu Iloaiei close to Iasci, which is used for the manufacture of value-added products.

Moving up the value chain from fresh to processed fish

While Mr Atodiresei concentrates on managing the production from the two sites, his wife and his daughter, Sabina, are responsible for activities at the processing plant. Sabina Atodiresei returned from studying business and management in England a year ago and has been running the processing facility ever since. Alongside, she is studying for a master’s degree in food quality and safety at the University of Iasci. At the processing plant the products manufactured are value-added items and can be broadly categorised into

smoked and non-smoked items.

e former comprises smoked sh pieces and sausages made of sh meat, while the non-smoked items consist of zakuska (a paste of sh meat and vegetables, variations of which are produced across the Balkans) among other products. e zakuska comes in two variants, one that is half sh and half vegetables and another that is mainly sh with the vegetables added as seasoning. All the products are sold fresh (not frozen) and are ready to eat. Even the sh sausages do not have to be cooked further but can be eaten right away.

e company, SC Rompescaris

SRL, has its own chain of shops from where the processed products are sold, but it also collaborates with boutique stores across most of the country—in Iasci, Botosani, Bucharest, and Constanta— for sales of its products. We have not yet penetrated Transylvania, says Sabine Atodiresei, a region in central Romania. It is quite complicated with shipping as the products have to be kept under refrigeration and customers (both the consumers and the vendors) are sometimes unwilling to bear these costs, besides the logistics of

getting a consignment to the region can also be di cult. In addition, Ms Atodiresai, nds that when consumers agree to pay the shipping costs, they tend to expect a higher level of convenience, such as home delivery, which is tough to o er as an independent producer specialising in fresh products. It is di erent with a supermarket where consumers will typically buy a relatively large number of products that the supermarket can then ship directly to the door. In the niche production that Rompescaris represents, this distribution model is di cult to

Sabina Atodiresai is responsible for the marketing, sales, and distribution of the fish and fish products. Andrei Gorban is the farm manager.

replicate. Ms Atodiresai is also talking to supermarkets as potential clients, but nds that the retailers are cautious about placing their bets on a supplier they do not know and they are anxious about reliability of supply among other factors. ey like the taste of the sausages and of the smoked sh, so that is not an issue, they need to be convinced that we are not a risk.

Maintaining appropriate conditions during distribution is important

e products are additive free which, while adding to their appeal, also reduces the shelf life and is another source of concern. e products have a shelf life of 36 days which means they have to be shipped and sold in a relatively short space of time. Stock levels too may not increase beyond a point to prevent waste, all of which add to the logistical complexity, as the product must be packaged and shipped as soon as it is ready and then quickly distributed from the main warehouse. We are talking to some regional supermarkets, Ms Atodiresai says, which is easier in some ways as they are closer to us, and we can if necessary do some of the distribution ourselves. Currently, she takes care of the distribution to areas that are relatively close while leaving more distant destinations

to a professional shipping company. Rompescaris delivers some of its fresh sh as well and the vehicles will carry processed products for distribution when convenient. Using a delivery company is not without risks, says Ms Atodiresai, as you can never be quite sure how the product is treated when in transit. e products are packaged appropriately for transport but ascertaining the integrity of the cool chain throughout the journey has proved more di cult.

At its own stores Rompescaris sells not only its own products both fresh and processed, but also products from other Romanian suppliers, such as seafood and trout. e market for processed sh products in Romania is still small. Most consumers, when they buy sh, tend to buy whole gutted or even live sh, says Ms Atodiresai, and many are only interested in sh around the time of certain religious events, when sh is traditionally consumed. We are trying to educate them about the bene ts of sh and to encourage them to try processed sh products also when there are no religious events to commemorate. We try and get them out of their comfort zones, she says, convince them that the raw material in the processed products is precisely the same fresh sh only now in another form and

with a di erent taste. It works best at food fairs because this is when people seem to be most receptive to trying something new. O ering samples at the stores does not seem to elicit the same response, some people will try, of course, and a few might even buy the products, but most will just purchase what they came for. e seafood show in Barcelona would have been a good place to o er product samples, but Sabina Atodiresai feels she is not quite ready to face the intricacies of exporting. We would like to rst have a rm grip on the domestic market before we venture abroad, she says. In addition, she is keen to promote the consumption of locally produced fare and exports counter that philosophy. For now, the preference of her customers for fresh sh is re ected in Rompescaris’ output, only 20 of which is processed items.

Processed fish products are mostly based on bighead carp

Bighead carp is the most commonly used sh for the processed products. It is nutritious and because it is large is easy to handle. Moreover, it is cheaper than, for example, common carp. Products are also made from common carp, but they are more expensive than those made from bighead

and so tend only to be produced when the company is attending food fairs. e smoked sh products are also based on bighead carp and are usually parts of the sh that are smoked individually rather than the whole sh or even the llet. Smaller smoked portions are convenient also because once the vacuum packaging is opened the product should be consumed quickly and this is easier with a portion than with a llet. At the company stores customers can ask for the fresh sh they buy to be gutted, descaled, headed, cleaned, and cut into pieces whichever way they want ( llets, portions, steaks, etc.). e sh is very fresh as it is typically harvested the same day it is sold. Some of the sh is kept live in tanks for customers who want the freshest sh.

A gradual move towards greater sustainability

Rompescaris started experimenting with recipes for processing the sh at the end of 2021 and have been on the market for a year. Promotion at local food fairs has give Sabina Atodiresai insights into consumers in di erent parts of the country. In Iasci, the city close to where the company has its ponds and processing facility, people are more familiar with sh, they know more about it and consume it more

A fish paste that combines fish mince with vegetables is packaged in glass jars that can be recycled.

The processed fish products, smoked fish, sausages, and pastes, are mostly made from bighead carp, a large fish that is easy to handle.

than, for example, in Bucharest. In the capital, knowledge about sh is more limited and consumption is less linked to religious events, so sales are not as good as they are in Iasci, but, by the same token, consumers may be more willing to try new products, so for now Ms Atodiresai will continue to supply Bucharest. e company is also looking at expanding its portfolio of processed products, and Ms Atodiresai is considering canned products that she feels will be able to compete with traditional canned sh such as sardines and tuna. Like many of her generation

Ms Atodiresai is concerned about the environment and is trying to do her bit for sustainability. Metal cans and the glass jars used for the sh pastes t well into this strategy because they can be recycled. She is less enamoured of other forms of packaging such as lms though she realises that some compromises are necessary. She is exploring different options trying to nd the right balance between sustainability, functionality, and price. Being sustainable is important to me personally and I am trying to move the company in that direction too, she says.

SC Rompescaris SRL

Podu Iloaiei Iasci Romania

Tel.:+40 749 099190 office@bunatatidelaiaz.com Sabina.ato99@gmail.com www.bunatatidelaiaz.com

Owner: Diadem Vasile Atodiresei

Sales and marketing specialist: Sabina Atodiresei

Farm area: 580 ha in Botosani, 388 ha in Iasi

Production: 950 tonnes (Botosani), 550 tonnes (Iasi)

Species: Common carp, Chinese carps (bighead, silver, grass), crucian carp, European catfish, pikeperch, paddlefish

Clients: Carrefour, Auchan, restaurants

Own shops: 4

Product: Live fish, fresh on ice, smoked fish, fish sausages, fish pastes

Employees: 50-60 in Botosani, 45-50 in Iasi

Fish sausages are smoked ready-to-eat products with a fish fraction of 90-95%.

Advances and perspectives in farming and exploiting microalgae

Immense potential remains to be realised

Microalgae are a large and diverse group of aquatic microorganisms that can perform oxygenic photosynthesis—the conversion of sunlight and carbon dioxide into oxygen and biomass that serves as food, feed, fuel, and fibre. Microalgae are found in various aquatic environments, including oceans, lakes, and rivers as well as terrestrial and extreme habitats.

Microalgae can be grown on non-arable land and in non-drinkable (brackish or marine) water. ey show rapid growth and high photosynthetic conversion of light energy to biomass compared to land plants. Nowadays they are considered one of the most promising and largely untapped sources of biomass—with a limited carbon and environmental footprint—for biofuel production, food, and feed, as well as for use in the pharmaceutical, bioplastic, fertiliser, and other industries. e global microalgae market was estimated at USD 1 billion in year 2022 and is projected to reach USD 1.6 billion by the year 2030 expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.71.

Europe’s microalgae industry is relatively small

In Europe, microalgae exploitation is still in the early stages of development, but it is a rapidly growing industry with a lot of potential due to increasing awareness of the valuable functional compounds possessed by microalgae. e EU has identi ed microalgae as a key area of research and development as it is considered a way

of contributing to the objectives of the European Green Deal. Enhanced EU production and use of microalgae will support sustainable food and farming systems, economic circularity and biobased products2. Other EU documents such as the Farm to Fork Strategy, the Strategic Guidelines for EU Aquaculture, and the Sustainable Carbon Cycles Communication recognise the potential of algae, both macro and microalgae, for the blue carbon economy.

Sustainable and circular bioeconomy criteria may be met by using suitable wastewater rich in nutrients (phosphorous, nitrogen, trace metals) for algal cultivation. e use of wastewater o ers collateral bene ts in the form of adding to the freshwater supply, reducing algae biomass production costs, which are still quite high, and mitigating the environmental impacts of wastewater. In the EU algae are cultivated by companies in several countries. A recent JRC

algae industry database3 o ers an updated overview of the existing enterprises operating at di erent steps of the algae value chain (most biomass producing are also biomass processing enterprises) and based in 20 EU Member States as well as in Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK. In the cited work data belonging to the genus Arthrospira, commonly referred to as Spirulina, have been separated from data on other microalgae as Spirulina has

A tubular photobioreactor growing Spirulina, one of the most common commercially-grown microalgae in Europe. 1 Microalgae: Global Strategic Business Report, 2023 2 Towards a strong and sustainable EU algae sector 3 European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Vazquez Calderon, F., Sanchez Lopez, J., An overview of the algae industry in Europe : producers, production systems, species, biomass uses, other steps in the value chain and socio-economic data, Publications O ce of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/813113

a long history of use and it can be commercialised in the EU without the need to comply with Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foods (EU, 20154).

Photobioreactors the preferred system to grow microalgae in Europe

Among the identi ed enterprises, 21 of them cultivate microalgae in production plants based in 17 European countries and 52 of them cultivate Spirulina in 15 European countries. France is the country with the largest number of cultivation and production enterprises (169), followed by Spain, Ireland, Norway,

and Italy with more than 20 enterprises in each country. e mostly cultivated species of microalgae in terms of number of enterprises are Chlorella spp. (31) and Nannochloropsis spp. (28); the cultivation system employed (61 of the total) is a closed plant consisting in photobioreactors (PBRs). PBRs guarantee a better crop protection and control of the growth environment; it is therefore easier to reach higher biomass yield and to direct algal carbon allocation to target compounds with respect to cultivation in open ponds. However, PBRs require higher energy input and risk photosynthetic build-up of O2

(with a consequent inhibition of algal growth).

On the contrary, Spirulina cultivation employs open ponds in Europe (65 of the enterprises) due to the alga’s ability to thrive at extreme pH which avoids easy contamination by wild algal strains, grazers, and pathogens. Most microalgal biomass produced in EU (from 54 of the enterprises) is allocated to the food and feed markets (food supplements, animal feed and human food). About a fth of the enterprises belong to the cosmetics and wellbeing industry, another 8 of the enterprises allocate their biomass to

produce pharmaceuticals, and 7 to produce fertilisers and biostimulants. Spirulina biomass is, in contrast, almost completely allocated to human food, food supplements and nutraceuticals due to its high nutritional value. Microalgae are rich in high quality proteins, essential amino acids, long chain PUFAs, vitamins, antioxidant molecules (e.g. astaxanthin, b-carotene, phycocyanin), and mineral salts.

Production of biofuels from microalgae beset by challenges

Microalgae are also suitable as nutritional supplements in

THE WORLD OF ... the summer is here!

profiair EPDM

The profiair EPDM air vent from FIAP is of very high quality and has a high ozone, heat, solvent and weather resistance. The perforated ventilation hose is ideal for municipal use suitable for sewage treatment plants, holding tanks and aquariums.

4 Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on novel foods, amending Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1852/2001.

livestock feed formulations, for example, replacing sh meal and sh oil in aquaculture. However, exploiting the full potential of microalgae biomass in food production systems is still limited due to a low social acceptability and challenges in policy implementation. Using algal biomass as feedstock for biofuel production su ers from several challenges. e impact of biological and technological constraints on microalgal composition (e.g. lipid content as dry weight percentage) and doubling time raises the cost of raw materials, harvesting and processing. According to a recent paper5 by an Italian research team in algal physiology based in Università Politecnica delle Marche (Ancona) and led by

Dr Alessandra Norici, the most productive species or cultivation plant would still require roughly half the area of Italy (corresponding to the country’s entire stock of arable land) to ful l 9 of the energy demanded in 2030 by the transport sector—the estimated goal for biofuel quota according to the Sustainable Development Scenario6 (International Energy Agency, 2020).

Microalgae production in Italy is mainly at laboratory scale

Italy has 21 producers (20 of them cultivating also or only Spirulina) with a total of 70 employees (Calderon and Lopez, 2022). Most activities concerning the microalgae sector are at

university research level and on a laboratory or pilot scale. ey often investigate the integration of a side-stream microalgae process for the treatment of domestic/pig farm/agro-industrial wastewaters. Among the challenges facing the development of a microalgae industry in Italy, is the lack of appropriate regulations and incentives to support the development of this sector. In 2018 the Italian Association for the Study and Applications of Microalgae (AISAM, https://www.aisam-microalghe. it/) was established. It currently includes over 100 individuals, 20 companies and 2 institutions as its members. It is a non-pro t association that aims to promote scienti c research and youth training and to support Italian

companies in the sector, encouraging exchange and cooperation in the production, processing, and use of microalgal biomass. AISAM activities include conferences, workshops and webinars focused on fundamental and industrial issues. It is also concerned with regulatory and ethical issues, and it cooperates with national and international bodies (such as the Italian ministry of agriculture) to propose guidelines for the industrial exploitation of microalgae.

For more information, contact: Dr Alessandra Norici

Università Politecnica delle Marche Dip. Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente

Via Brecce Bianche 60131, Ancona a.norici@univpm.it

8:213. doi: 10.3389/ fenrg.2020.00213

6 International Energy Agency (2020). Transport Biofuels -Analyses. Available online at: https://www.iea.org/reports/transport-biofuels (accessed June 24, 2020).Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1852/2001.

AquaNet, a new organisation in the Danish aquaculture sector, holds its first conference

Shaping the future of Danish aquaculture

On 13 April 2023, the new Danish aquaculture organisation, AquaNet, held its first symposium, “Towards a green transition in Danish aquaculture: Opportunities, challenges and new directions” at the University of Copenhagen. More than 100 participants from Danish and foreign research organisations, companies, interest organizations, and public agencies discussed the future of Danish aquaculture as the food sector in general contemplates a green transition.

The background for the establishment of the network and the symposium was the increased global focus on the need to produce high quality protein more sustainably to feed a growing world population. As we face a global climate crisis and a world population that has exceeded

8 billion people, it is more important than ever to discuss how to support and ensure sustainable, e cient, and safe ways to produce food in the future. Aquaculture is the fastest growing sector for animal-based food production for human consumption in the world, and is a signi cant source of

high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.

Danish aquaculture production has been stable for years

On a global scale, farmed sh production has increased by 56

from 78 million tonnes in 2010 to 122 million tonnes in 2020. Production is mainly in Asia (92). European aquaculture only contributes 2.7 to the global total, and only one third of that is produced in the EU. In Denmark, production has remained relatively constant over the past 30

5 Gerotto C, Norici A and Giordano M (2020) Toward Enhanced Fixation of CO2 in Aquatic Biomass: Focus on Microalgae. Front. Energy Res.

years at 45,000-50,000 tonnes per year even though Danish production systems are among the most environmentally e cient and o cial governmental goals for several years have been to create growth in the sector.

In addition to being an important source of healthful and proteinrich food, aquaculture has also a lower climate and environmental footprint than most land-based animal production, such as pig and cattle. Fish are also more e cient at converting feed into protein than warm-blooded animals, which contributes to a more climate friendly production. CO2 emissions from beef-based protein production is, for example, on average 20 times higher than the emissions from the production of sh protein from rainbow trout. Carbon emissions and environmental impact are particularly low for seaweed and shell sh production. Consequently, there is a potential positive environmental and climate e ect from a large-scale transformation of land-based to aquaculture-based production of protein for food.

Due to increasing demand for aquaculture products in the EU,

a very large part of the supply is covered by imports from Asia where production often takes place in a non-sustainable way. It has therefore become a stated goal of the EU to reduce dependence on foreign aquaculture products and to increase production within the EU with a particular focus on sustainability. us, there is increasing recognition of the aquaculture sector’s potential as a supplier of sustainable and nutritious food. e Danish and European aquaculture sector can potentially play an important role in this development.

A powerhouse in RAS development and production

Denmark leads in the development of land-based recirculated aquaculture systems (RAS) and is the biggest producer of rainbow trout from RAS in the EU. Moreover, there is a high degree of experience and expertise regarding the development of new types of feed, disease prevention without antibiotics, organic production, utilisation of aquaculture side streams, and production at lower-trophic levels (seaweed, shell sh). Danish researchers also study how to

optimise regulation of the sector to ensure the largest possible societal contribution with the lowest possible climate and environmental e ects. e sector thus has a good starting point for expanding production and contributing with knowledge and solutions which can secure sustainably produced food of high quality, thereby reducing dependence on imports of aquaculture products from non-EU countries. us, promoting sustainable aquaculture in Denmark will increase exports and economic growth, create new jobs in rural areas and contribute to increasing employment in ancillary industries (e.g. side stream processing, feed and equipment manufacturing).

Despite the economic and climatic potential of expanding production in Denmark, there are several limiting factors. ese relate to other environmental issues associated with the industry such as the discharge of nutrients, organic matter, and drug residues. An expansion of production must be sustainable and in accordance with environmental requirements. is includes reduced discharge of nutrients and reduced use of antibiotics. Danish (and European) aquaculture must become an even more blue/green

industry with a further reduced climate and environmental footprint which supports the EU’s “Farm-to-Fork” strategy.

Further research and development is crucial for Danish aquaculture’s green transition

is can be achieved with targeted research and development e orts to promote new technologies, production and regulatory methods, and new farmed species that can reduce the environmental impacts from the industry, reduce disease outbreaks and optimise resource and energy consumption, as well as to develop alternative healthful food products. Research that focuses on new blue/green technologies will contribute to exploiting the climate and economic potential that lies in a blue/ green transition and will place Denmark in a favourable position regarding the expected expansion of European aquaculture.

To address these important issues, to promote collaboration between stakeholders supporting green transition initiatives in the sector, a group of scientists from the University of Copenhagen established

Denmark harbours deep reserves of knowledge within aquaculture feeds, disease prevention without antibiotics, exploitation of waste from fish farms, and organic farming among other aquaculturerelevant areas. This provides a solid base for the expansion of sustainable farmed fish production.

The AquaNet conference brought together stakeholders from research, NGOs, and the industry to discuss the future of Danish aquaculture.

the Danish aquaculture network, AquaNet. It is led by Professor Mathias Middelboe, Department of Biology in collaboration with Assistant professor Moonika Marana and Professor Kurt Buchmann, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences; Associate professor Rasmus Nielsen and Associate professor Max Nielsen, Department of Food and Resource Economics; and Assistant professor Violetta Aru, Department of Food Science with support from the Green Solutions Centre at the University of Copenhagen.

A new forum to accelerate sustainability in the sector

AquaNet is an eclectic mixture of scientists, stakeholders, private companies, and NGOs with a shared interest in developing and supporting the sustainable transition of the aquaculture sector in Denmark. is includes:

1. describing long-term goals for the green transition of Danish food production by focusing on aquatic production

2. identifying and resolving societal, environmental, and technical challenges associated with sustainable growth in the aquaculture sector

3. promoting collaboration between stakeholders in Danish aquaculture sector and supporting green transition initiatives

4. identifying speci c research projects that can target national and international funding calls and move the eld forward, and

5. putting aquaculture on the agenda as a strategic solution in the green transition of national (and global) food production.

To initiate this process and to discuss these issues, the AquaNet symposium programme included a number of sessions with presentations from experts in the di erent topics:

Session 1: Challenges and limitations in Danish aquaculture production

Session 2: Aquaculture technology – Increasing production

and reducing environmental impact

Session 3: Economic aspects and perspectives: What is required to develop a more climate friendly and economically viable aquaculture industry with a better reputation?

Session 4: Food biotechnology –optimization of aquaculture products

Session 5: Animal welfare: Is an increased aquaculture production compatible with high animal welfare?

Session 6: Disease prevention –sustainable alternatives to antibiotics

Session 7: Funding landscape –opportunities for aquaculture funding in DK and EU

e contributions from the speakers were combined with round table discussions with a panel of experts with di erent backgrounds and interests to promote interaction and discussion among all participants in the symposium.

Overall, there was general agreement at the symposium that an expansion of sustainable aquaculture is critical for the future blue/green food production. e outcome of the symposium was the identi cation of a number of key topics and challenges that must be addressed in the coming years to promote an expansion of the industry and the development of more sustainable food production. A report from the network discussions and conclusions on the topics, technology advances, resources, regulatory challenges etc, which were identi ed at the symposium is in preparation and will soon be published at the AquaNet web page: https://www1.bio.ku.dk/ english/research/mbs/projects/ cross-disciplinary-network-fora-green-transition-in-the-aquaculture-sector/

Professor Mathias Middelboe Department of Biology

University of Copenhagen

mmiddelboe@bio.ku.dk

www1.bio.ku.dk/english/ research/mbs/Middelboe-Lab

Danish aquaculture technology such as these water filters contribute to reducing the environmental impact of farmed fish production in different parts of the world.

Artificial reefs are useful structures, but much about them remains unknown

A need for more research

Artificial reefs are man-made structures that are designed to imitate the physical structure of natural reefs to create a habitat for fish and other marine organisms. They should also emulate some functions of a natural reef, like protecting, regenerating, concentrating, and/or enhancing populations of living marine resources.

The objectives of an arti cial reef may further include the protection, restoration and regeneration of aquatic habitats, and the promotion of research, recreational opportunities, securing coastlines, and educational use of the area.

A source of some controversy

Arti cial reefs are not recent developments. ey have existed for centuries all over the world but became more common in the late 1900s and much more complex regarding their purpose and the materials used to make them. e move towards complexity has resulted both in very successful arti cial reef projects and in outcomes that have been di cult to quantify with certainty. e development of novel 3D structures of arti cial reefs has provided good insights into their possibilities for enhancing diversity in the area they are placed. Arti cial reefs can provide unique bene ts in addition to some of the functionality of natural reefs. ey can provide a sustainable habitat for marine life, act as wave-breakers, and help to increase sh populations in and around the reef. Despite being designed to mimic natural reefs, arti cial reefs are still not the same as their natural counterparts and there are still many debates on certain characteristics of arti cial reefs. Some researchers believe that arti cial reefs

increase growth and survival of organisms, while others consider that any increase in population seen as a result of arti cial reefs is simply due to aggregation. Additionally, some scholars believe that changing the environment with the presence of arti cial reefs will cause more harm than good, as it can have unintended consequences on local communities (e.g. in some cases arti cial reefs provide a habitat for invasive species).

There are some factors that need to be investigated each time a

new artificial reef is considered. The environmental, ecological, social and economic conditions, and intended purposes related to a reef are often unique, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution that can simply be replicated for each new artificial reef.

When the construction of a new artificial reef is considered, possible effects on biodiversity, abundance and distribution of aquatic plants and animals should always be dissected. As coastal reef habitats face diverse

threats, like overharvesting, habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change, and as artificial reefs are planned to mitigate them, there is no general solution for their construction as a tool for habitat enhancement. Artificial reefs should be deployed strategically based on scientific assessments fully considering the specificities of a location and resources available to maximise benefits. Artificial reef deployment strategies should therefore be guided by local contexts rather than global or regional generalities.

One of the functions of an artificial reef is to increase biodiversity in an area and provide a habitat for marine creatures. This block has attracted marine life in much the same way an artificial reef does. Reefs are often constructed from such structures.

Francisco Barreiro, Port of Vigo

Do artificial reefs really increase fish abundance?

Even though an arti cial reef may have a high density of sh, it is also important to consider how this has developed. ere are two basic arguments regarding the abundance of sh at articial reefs: Some researchers suggest that this is mainly the result of attraction and arti cial reefs simply redistribute shes without signi cantly extending their numbers. Others, however, are of the opinion that they provide new habitat in a previously saturated environment. is means that there will be room for more sh to settle and survive. Even though it is most likely that arti cial reefs both attract and produce sh biomass, it is still critical to understand more precisely, how arti cial reefs a ect the reef system, to be able to better evaluate their use in management, e.g. de ning shing quotas or identifying areas closed to shing. However, currently not enough research data is available on the topic.

e placement of any arti cial reef should only be undertaken once there is a thorough understanding of the local weather conditions and the environment, including waves and currents, sediment transport, the seabed, water and sediment quality, and biological communities. Such environmental information will assist in determining whether the reef is likely to meet its objectives, since local conditions will potentially a ect the stability of the reef, and whether it will provide a suitable environment for target species.

Size, construction material with special focus on e.g., crevices, and the distance between

artificial habitats, all have considerable influence on both the environment and on the biodiversity of an area. These characteristics strongly influence the biomass that can settle on the reef, the abundance and age composition of species, but also on the appearance of non-indigenous, invasive species, about which many researchers and other stakeholders are concerned. Deployment of artificial reefs in most cases involves the introduction of a hard substrate to a soft bottom environment, which alters both the abiotic and biotic properties of the environment. A thorough understanding of such effects, together with possible impacts of local hydrodynamics that also distribute nutrients, or of weather events like hurricanes is fundamental to ensure the highest level of success without polluting or degrading the marine environment.

Scour protection measures can also form artificial reefs

Not all arti cial structures placed on the seabed are constructed to serve as arti cial reefs (e.g. oshore wind farms, oil rigs). An arti cial reef can also be established to ful l multiple tasks (e.g. shore protection). is adds additional elements to the construction which should also be considered. When the main aim is something other than just providing a new habitat for marine organisms, the need for scour protection needs to be analysed as well. Scour protection is a measure used to prevent the erosion of seabed sediment around the foundations of arti cial structures. is occurs when a steady current (e.g. tide or wave activity) encounters a vertical

structure on the seabed causing local increases in ow speeds and turbulence levels and ultimately leading to the creation of a scour pit around the structure. e magnitude of scouring is a ected by the current speed, water depth, and the sediment type. Scour protection often consists of rocks that are positioned on the seabed to prevent erosion. As such, it may resemble a marine rocky reef and could have important ecosystem functions. However, there are no appropriate data available. us, this area also needs to be further investigated. When additional functions of an arti cial reef are considered they should not contradict the main purposes of the reef.

Arti cial reefs are not only used by marine organisms but also by humans leading to the need to manage interactions between di erent human user groups. Groups with di erent interests may all use arti cial reefs, sometimes damaging the interests of other groups or the reefs themselves. Research shows, arti cial reefs can increase catch rates in the short-term, however, increased harvests could eventually lead to over shing and/or stricter regulations and shorter harvest seasons. Local businesses could bene t from arti cial reefs as they can attract tourists to deployment areas, but if tourists are attracted to one area, it may decrease tourism in other areas. If shers and divers use the same locations, lost shing gears can disturb the experience of divers, moreover, they also have a negative e ect on the abundance and biodiversity of species. All these should be considered when planning a reef, to avoid more serious problems and challenges later.

Monitoring an artificial reef to ensure healthy functioning

Even if arti cial reefs are deployed in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way, they might need regular management, maintenance, and monitoring, including proper rules and legislation, to ensure that they develop and function as anticipated. Maintenance work may include, for example, shifting reef construction or removing invasive/unwanted species. In certain areas shing e orts and/or the interest of tourists and divers may also need to be controlled and regulated to preserve healthy reefs.

In conclusion, no universal solution exists for the deployment of arti cial reefs. Best practices of arti cial reef deployments should involve all stakeholders, consider local speci cities, such as site con guration, governance, ecosystem, and availability of human and nancial resources for surveillance, and de ne the volume and design of arti cial reefs based on these parameters. A strong legislative framework, with detailed environmental and social impact assessments for implementation, including considerations of long-term governance is recommended. ere is also a need to increase research on arti cial reefs to help the development of enhanced technologies as well as to raise the awareness of people and di erent interest groups about the bene ts and possible disadvantages of arti cial reefs.

Eva

Kovacs, Euro sh International Organisation, eva.kovacs @euro sh.dk

Christian Philip Unmack, Euro sh International Organisation, christian.unmack@euro sh.dk

Port of Vigo tests an environmentally-friendly alternative to concrete for its facilities

Converting infrastructure from grey to green

The Port of Vigo in collaboration with ECOncrete, a leading company in the field of eco-friendly marine infrastructure, DTU, the technical university in Denmark, and Cardama Shipyards is installing biomimetic structures made with a concrete that is more environmentally friendly than conventional concrete. Marine organisms that naturally attach to the structures over time are being quantified. The results will show whether the organisms that colonise the structures are more biodiverse and more numerous than those that colonise conventional concrete.

The European Blue Growth strategy aims to support sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sector by exploiting the potential of the seas and oceans to contribute to the European economy. e blue economy comprises all the economic activities related to the oceans, seas, and coasts, including activities in both established and emerging sectors. Coastal and environmental protection are among the economic activities included in the emerging sector. Activities are termed emerging because of the low level of information and the lack or inadequacy of statistical data, standardised indicators, and other tools useful to measure their economic impact.

Artificial reefs can have multiple functions

One of the methods of coastal protection is by building articial reefs, which, by decreasing the force and velocity of waves, protect coastlines from the e ects of storms and ooding. Reducing the impact of the waves also mitigates shore erosion and land retreat. However arti cial reefs also serve other purposes. For example, they can create high value biodiversity hotspots by o ering refuge to di erent sh

species, and they can increase the biomass of sh and shell sh in the area of the reef. is in turn can bring socioeconomic bene ts in the form of enhancing the catches of the local shermen, or by increasing tourism and thereby employment in an area. Arti cial reefs take many di erent shapes and sizes and a variety of material are used to build them. But the design, production, and installation of arti cial reefs, must take sustainability criteria into account in terms of minimising the use of non-renewable resources, energy, the production of waste, and emissions of greenhouse gases.

Climate change and the risks it imposes is forcing cities not only to adapt their infrastructure but also to take steps to reduce their contribution to global warming. Today some 70 of coastal infrastructure is built with traditional concrete which is toxic to many marine creatures, and requires regular maintenance.

In 2018, the Port of Vigo in Spain embarked on a complex threephase programme, Peiraos do Soplor, the aim of which is to change the “grey” infrastructure in the port to “green”, that is, improve the integration of port and coastal facilities with the environment. It will develop

structures that support natural processes of bio deposition and growth. e programme also has a social perspective—to improve the interaction between the port and the city. e environmental bene ts of the programme stem from the development of new ways to reduce the impact of coastal and port infrastructure on the environment, says Carlos Botana, Head of the Sustainability Department, at Vigo Port Authority. We think it is possible for the activities carried out in the port to be compatible with

the environment. e interaction with the public is important to give people an idea of the port activities and their economic and environmental impact. We need to protect and conserve the ecosystem in and around the port and to do this we need to involve the public and other stakeholders. e programme, among other activities, will see the design and installation of structures made from a special concrete as well as the construction of several meters of arti cial reef using the same material.

Living Ports, phase II of the Peiraos do Soplor programme, involves ECOncrete, Israel; DTU, Denmark; Cardama Shipyards, Spain; and Port of Vigo, Spain. The partner will create a sea wall, coastal armour units, and five bio enhanced moorings combining environmental goals with engineering.

e Port of Vigo is not the only European port investing in articial reefs. In Rotterdam, the port authorities in partnership with other organisations have just completed construction of a trial living breakwater made of 17 concrete blocks. e wave barrier will protect the shore from large ship waves but will also restore the intertidal environment and provide shelter for sh such as sturgeon and eels as they migrate between the Atlantic and the river Meuse, thus restoring and preserving biodiversity. e arti cial reef is 25 m long and 3 m high so the top layer will be visible at low tide. It is designed to allow the passage of water and sediments enabling ecological foreshores to develop that will grow with rising sea levels. e arti cial reef uses recycled and innovative materials and will create a sheltered area for migratory sh, birds, and aquatic plants. Concrete is commonly used in the construction of articial reefs, but it is by no means the only material used for this

purpose. Ships, train coaches, oil rigs, tyres, even aircraft are among the structures that have been sanitised and placed in the sea to form arti cial reefs. Over time they are colonised rst by lower marine life forms which in turn attract higher forms to create an ecosystem.

In Vigo the rst phase of the Peiraos do Soplor programme, PuertAlMar, was executed in collaboration with the University of Vigo and it mapped over the course of a year the development in the community of organisms that attached to structures designed to attract marine life. e structures were made of various materials, concrete, stone, etc., formed into di erent shapes. e researchers used biomimetics, the science of reproducing natural forms in arti cial structures, to create objects that would maximise, both in terms of number and diversity, the attachment of lifeforms. ese objects were installed under existing piers and the abundance, composition, diversity, pattern of succession, and functions of the new ecosystem created were monitored. e

results (some 180 species on a piece 20 cm square in the course of a year) could be compared with those from the colonisation of conventional, non-biomimetic, infrastructure. e port authorities are responsible for the preservation of the environment in the entire bay or ria in which the port is located. Knowing the species that colonise these structures will in uence the design of infrastructure in the future to make it more attractive for the colonising organisms. e structures will also be deployed in coastal areas in the bay that have been a ected by the industrial activities in the port. e monitoring o ered insights into communities of organisms that could function as carbon sinks as well as into the rebuilding of commercially valuable sh stocks. Such communities could be important for their climate change mitigation e ects, while commercial sh stocks are of socioeconomic value for shers. Improving the environment in the port will also directly bene t the artisanal shers who are active in the bay by improving stocks of the species they target.

Combining engineering objectives with environmental goals

Based on the results from the rst phase, PuertAlMar, of the Peiraos do Soplor programme, the second phase, Living Ports, involves a collaboration with three other partners to create a sea wall, coastal armour units, and ve bio enhanced moorings. e programme thus combines environmental objectives, the restoration and conservation of ecosystems, with engineering goals, the design and construction of port infrastructure. It increases the ecosystem services the port provides by recreating natural habitats that were lost during the construction of the port infrastructure. ese natural habitats will o set some of the carbon dioxide that was emitted during the construction. e programme coordinator is ECOncrete, a rm that makes bio-enhancing concrete solutions for coastal and marine construction projects that has the same structural performance as conventional concrete. Infrastructure built with the new

Other ports too seek to reduce their environmental impact

School children visiting the Living Ports observatory can learn about the environmental impacts of infrastructure development and the need to find sustainable solutions.

Marine organisms attached to a 20 cm square tile made of a more environmentally-friendly concrete. Researchers are studying whether the new concrete is better than the conventional type at attracting marine life.

concrete will store carbon and contribute to regenerating ecosystems. Moreover, compared to the traditional type, the new concrete o ers increased compressive strength and chloride resistance improving durability and longevity. e new structures have the potential to reduce environmental mitigation costs and will require less frequent maintenance which will also save on costs. e growth of marine life on the structures is monitored by a team from DTU, a technical university in Denmark, and the idea is to establish whether there are more sh in the vicinity of structures made with the new concrete than near structures made with conventional concrete. e structural properties of the new concrete are also monitored to assess it in relation

to conventional concrete. e project will also monitor noise levels in the water to see whether marine life that attaches to one side of a wall reduces the noise levels on the other side of the wall. If there is a reduction in noise levels it would be yet another bene t of these structures that could be promoted to the public.

An observatory integrates the public into the project

e project includes a public information and dissemination element to educate the local population about the environmental impacts of infrastructure development and to highlight the need to nd sustainable solutions so that economic development is not at the cost of the

The Peiraos do Solpor programme receives global recognition

Four international awards in as many years

1. Peiraos do Solpor, the entire program, in 2020, received the award “World Ports Sustainability Program” in the category of “Community outreach and Port and City dialogue” from the International Association of Ports and Harbors.

(https://sustainableworldports.org/project/port-of-vigo-sunset-dockproject/)

(https://sustainableworldports.org/wp-content/uploads/Report-SunsetDocks-project-Port-of-Vigo-1.pdf)

2. Puertalmar, December 2022, the European Commission awarded “The Atlantic Ports and Blue Economy Projects award” to the Puertalmar project. (https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/news/puertalmar-reducingcarbon-footprint-port-vigo-2023-02-27_en)

3. Living Ports project, in May 2022, won the “World Ports Sustainability Program”, in the “infrastructure category”. (https://sustainableworldports.org/winning-projects-of-the-iaph2022sustainability-awards-are-announced/)

4. Living Ports, in March 2023, received in World Maritime Week Awards, the recognition in the category of “Futureport” (https://wmw. bilbaoexhibitioncentre.com/las-sinergias-y-los-grandes-desafios-de-laindustria-maritima-protagonistas-en-world-maritime-week/)

environment. Called Nautilus, the underwater observatory o ers visitors a view of a large area of specially designed concrete panels established to attract the marine life that populates the intertidal zone as well as underwater. e aim of the observatory is both to entertain and to educate and it is aimed both at school children and scientists. e young people also bene t from workshops and other educational activities that inform them about the ports’s marine ecosystem, the services it o ers, and the importance of preserving it. Since it opened on 24 March 2023 the observatory has recorded over 11,000 visitors in one month.

Cross-disciplinary teams can bring about better results

In the third stage of the Peiraos do Soplor programme all the activities from the rst two stages will be scaled up. e project proposal is currently being written, says Mr Botana, and it envisages another underwater observatory, and di erent structures designed for di erent stakeholders. e plan is to include all the developments successfully tested in the earlier phases of the programme and to scale them up. Ultimately, the programme seeks to verify that the structures

built with the new material do o er environmental bene ts to the area. Since replacing existing concrete infrastructure with the new material is not feasible, the results from the programme will be used when building new facilities in the future. e programme also demonstrates how the engineering and sustainability departments at the port and the department of ecology at the University of Vigo can work together in the design and construction of infrastructure in the port and coastal areas in the bay. e infrastructure being built must take into account the potential impacts of climate change such as loss of biodiversity or the occurrence of extreme weather events. Infrastructure built of a new material with greater structural strength will be more resilient to such events and will have a proportionately lower impact on the environment than infrastructure made of traditional materials. For Mr Francisco Barreiro, environmental technician at Port of Vigo, who comes originally from the department of ecology at the university, it is critical that all the relevant knowledge, whether technical, environmental, social, or economic, is brought together when creating coastal infrastructure more integrated with the environment and to reduce the risk of undesirable impacts.

Peiraos do Soplor programme

Phases: PuertAlMar (I), Living Ports (II), Peiraos do Soplor (III)

Partners: ECOncrete, Israel; DTU, Denmark; Cardama Shipyards, Spain; Port of Vigo, Spain European support: EUR3.1m from H2020 programme http://bluegrowthvigo.eu/en/ project/peiraos-do-solpor-en

Contact: Carlos Botana Lagarón, Head of Sustainability Department, Port of Vigo; Francisco Barreiro, Environmental Technician, Port of Vigo, franciscobarreiro @apvigo.es

Ukraine seafood imports: Impacts of Russia’s war against Ukraine

Industry proves resilient despite huge challenges

Amid the chaos created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, small companies supplying a key food suffer from all sides. Thus it is for Ukraine’s seafood importers. From damaged or destroyed transport infrastructure to blocks on currency conversion to pay suppliers, from delivery straight from the dock to shipments laboriously trucked through multiple countries, fish import suppliers suffer but weather the storm from war.

This is the first in a series of articles in the Eurofish Magazine dedicated to seafood businesses in Ukraine and how they work and survive during the war.

The Ukrainian Importers of Fish and Seafood Association (UIFSA) is an industry group consisting of 25 companies that together account for half of all sh and seafood imports into Ukraine, and represent about a quarter of the seafood importers operating in the country’s market.

UIFSA is a founding member of Ukraine’s Business Council, comprising over 100 trade associations in many sectors of goods and services, to inform policymakers and to guide their member companies. Euro sh spoke with Dmitry Zagumenny, the head of UIFSA, about the seafood import situation in Ukraine, policies and regulations a ecting its member companies, and the impacts of Russia’s war.

Imports fill the gap from vulnerable local supplies

Just as during the Chernobyl disaster, local catches of sh in Ukraine’s huge reservoirs and rivers have been banned by government due to causes beyond the shing industry’s control. Likewise, marine sheries have been all but shut down by the closures

of activities in the Black and Azov Seas. e only shing sector that remains unscathed is distant water shing for krill in Antarctic waters, which while important, is carried out by only one Ukrainian vessel. us, domestic sh production has been put in turmoil by the war, and imports have become more important for lling the gap in consumption.

While Ukrainians like sh, production has historically been small, and imports provide most of the country’s seafood supply. O cial data indicate domestic production (in 2020) was 90,000 tonnes and net imports totaled 415,000 tonnes; this production estimate is probably low because a good deal of sh harvesting or farming output (perhaps 50,000 tonnes) is not recorded. erefore, adding o cial plus unofcial domestic production to net imports gives an estimated total consumption of 555 million kg. After dividing this gure by population (37 million people according to 2019 census), per capita consumption of sh and shell sh in 2020 equaled 15 kg, about 80% of which was imported.1

This year marks 10 years since Dmitry Zagumenny became the head of the Ukrainian Importers of Fish and Seafood Association (UIFSA).

1 EU average per capita consumption is 24 kg, but that is live-weight equivalent, whereas the estimate for Ukraine is product weight and cannot be compared. If one assumes a 0.50 conversion from live to product weight, the Ukraine number would be 30 kg live-weight equivalent.

One of the big tasks for seafood importers is meeting the food quality standards of the EU, which Ukraine is on course to join one day. is is more of an opportunity than a problem, because quality seafood products are good regardless of the motivation of the suppliers, and consumer demand for high quality seafood is always strong.

e European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement, which came into force in September 2017, has spurred changes in government regulations to conform with EU standards, and UIFSA, along with other Business Council industry associations, is working with member companies to meet these standards and resolve any practical issues. Communication with state authorities—especially in the veterinary area, for perishable seafood—takes up 20-30% of an importer’s time, and the importers’ association is invaluable with this.

Huge disruptions in transport logistics

Even before the February 2022 invasion, Russia’s war was underway. e 2014 military annexation of Crimea quickly eliminated half or more of Ukraine’s sh harvesting capacity in the Black and Azov Seas. In 2013, domestic production was about 250,000 tonnes; between 2014-2017 the production was 90,000 tonnes, and most recently, 61,000 tonnes. As a result, the demand for imports has grown over recent years. e February 24 invasion had an immediate impact on imports, which fell dramatically from February to March. But imports quickly began to recover, rising every month from April through November before dipping slightly at year’s end.

A big disruption caused by the war is in the physical transport of imported seafood to Ukraine’s border. Before the Black Sea coast was closed by the war, 35% by volume of all Ukrainian seafood imports arrived by sea, particularly products destined for Kyiv or for areas to the east of the capital. Ships carrying imported seafood arrived in port and the containers were loaded directly on to trucks. Now, the ships unload in ports of other countries—mostly in Klaipeda (Lithuania), and sometimes in Turkey—and the goods are carried by truck to Ukraine’s border. At each border between an EU and a non-EU Member State there can be di erent regulations and import controls on products, truck/container speci cations, and so on, adding to the logistical complexity in contrast to what was a straightforward change in transport mode at a Ukrainian maritime port.

A ship’s container weighs 27 tonnes, but the EU sets a truck container’s maximum size at 20 tonnes, and so the ship’s containers must be unloaded and repacked into smaller truck containers. All this must be documented by the country of reloading as well as by Ukraine, as the final destination. Before the war, a ship’s container would be reloaded in one of the ports of Ukraine and further transported by local road transport or be sitting in a licensed warehouse with the importer taking products from it when needed. Further, the veterinary service, to approve the imports into Ukraine, requires veterinary certificates from the countries through which territory the shipment travels.

Here, the UIFSA is of immense help to companies, sorting out the various domestic and foreign paperwork challenges. If a dispute arises and is serious enough for legal action—say, over Customs’ declaration of a shipment’s value—the UIFSA provides advice; such disputes take up half of the association’s time, according to its director.

e war also a ected currency availability and value for seafood importers. Conversion of the Ukrainian currency, the hryvnia, to foreign currency was banned for all businesses not engaged in “necessary” goods.

Fish and shell sh were initially considered by the government to be not necessary. Over time, UIFSA worked successfully with the authorities to convince them to add seafood to the list, persuasively arguing that canned sh, for example, is a household staple, low in cost and ready to eat even if the electricity goes out. Canned sh was allowed rst, followed by frozen sh, and by July 2022, all products were included.

However, the value of the hryvnia has plummeted. From 28-30 hryvnia per euro in the months before Russia’s invasion, the currency’s value has dropped by a third, to 40-41 hryvnia per euro during spring 2023. e currency is now open for conversion, but it buys a fraction of what it could not very long ago. is has hurt imports, which are correspondingly more expensive.

How the war changed the industry’s plans

Market promotion was the original focus of UIFSA. Before the

pandemic, association officials and company representatives traveled to many countries, looking for opportunities for importing new products that Ukrainian consumers would enjoy. They were successful because, though Ukraine’s population was on the decline even before the pandemic and the war, both imports and per capita seafood consumption were rising. Exports of fish and seafood have also been growing: from 10,500 tonnes in 2018 to 17,000 tonnes in 2021. In 2022 exports fell to 10,000 tonnes.

The war, and just before that, the pandemic, somewhat shifted UIFSA’s focus to assistance with logistics and interaction with government authorities. Promoting demand remains important, but getting the product to Ukraine’s processors, retailers, institutional sellers, and the final consumer is an equal priority.

A battered but sturdy import sector still feeds Ukraine

Ukraine’s seafood importers stay in business despite war and pandemic because the companies are led by resourceful managers and because they are assisted by a dedicated industry association. Faced with currency restrictions, bans on maritime ship deliveries from abroad, new rules and regulations, the industry works around these challenges. Imports are again on the rise, feeding Ukraine with sh and seafood from around the world.

Aleksandra Petersen, Euro sh International Organisation, aleksandra.petersen@euro sh.dk

Statutory safety concepts for small-scale fisheries not in place

Thousands of accidental deaths at sea worldwide every year

Fishing is one of the most dangerous industries in the world. ILO (International Labour Organization) estimates, up to 24,000 fishermen die every year in accidents on fishing vessels. That is more than ten times as many as in merchant and passenger shipping. It is very difficult to define internationally uniform safety regulations, and there are no binding standards, especially in small-scale fishing.

When it comes to fishing, many people still hold a romantic image of the profession. The endless expanse of sea promising a fulfilment of the age-old longing for freedom and adventure to many of us. On board, that long-lost forgotten world can be lived out. The struggle against the unpredictability of the harsh sea strengthens the sense of camaraderie between fishermen. Unfortunately, the reality is very different. Fishing is a backbreaking job and fishermen are exposed to countless risks and hazards every single day on board. There are hardly any regulations for working hours and statutory breaks, the so-called “work-life balance” which is extremely important to many of us today, but is sadly lacking in fishing. In the industrialized countries, there is also a demanding training profile, which includes, among other things, fishing techniques, nautical science, engine/mechanical knowledge and biology. Ship safety, fire protection and first aid are also on the curriculum, but not yet everywhere in the world. In many countries, especially in the poorer regions, fishing is a typical “unskilled job” that can be practised by anyone without a lot of in-depth knowledge. In some areas, even forced labour is still possible on fishing vessels. The high number of accidents

with fatalities and injuries gives an idea of the consequences for safety and health while at sea.

The number of fishing vessels has fallen significantly since the turn of the millennium. According to the latest SOFIA report from 2022, the global fishing fleet shrank by almost a tenth to 4.1 million vessels between 2015 and 2020 alone. Of these, only about 45,000 vessels were larger than 24m, the majority (81 per cent) were small open boats less than 12m in length – and this is one of the main causes of the safety problems in the fishing industry, especially since these small open boats are mainly operated in Asia and Africa. Even in these regions, people are well aware of the risks and dangers at sea. Despite this, there are hardly any regulations or mandatory requirements with respect to the safety of the boats and their crews. Construction and equipment regulations in most countries usually only apply to larger vessels over 24m and are only adhered to by small boat operators on a voluntary basis, if at all. Their crews mostly consist of unskilled workers who not only lack seamanship and fishing-specific knowledge, but often also the necessary awareness of the hazards and dangers. Under the constant pressure for profitable catches in order to be

economically viable, some crews take risks that are difficult to assess. Often straying too far from the coast, going out to catch on the high seas even when storms are imminent and in their often poorly maintained and inadequately marked boats, they are constantly in danger of capsizing or being rammed by larger ships.

It is not possible to determine exactly how many fishermen are exposed to such dangers, as the statistics collected in many countries do not calculate fishermen separately, but they are grouped together with workers in fish processing plants and aquaculture, sometimes even together with agricultural, hunting and forestry workers. The FAO estimates, with

some uncertainty, the number of full-time marine fishermen worldwide at around 15 million of whom around 98 per cent work on vessels smaller than 24 m. If one also includes part-time and freshwater fishermen and people involved in aquaculture, this number increases to 36 million. When comparing fatal accidents in ‘normal’ jobs, the fishing industry scores alarmingly badly. In Australia, the death rate of fishermen is 18 times the national average. In Denmark, fishermen are up to 30 times more likely to die on the job than those working on land. Even in the US, the mortality rate among fishermen is 16 times higher than that of firefighters or police. In spite of the fact that the safety standards in

The structural condition and technical equipment of fishing vessels vary considerably from one region of the world to another.

such countries count among the best in the world in terms of accident prevention, survival training and search and rescue after accidents at sea. In many developing countries the problems are likely to be much greater and comparisons are difficult as there are large gaps in reporting of accidents and statistics are correspondingly uncertain. Conservative estimates suggest that the fatality rate in Sri Lanka’s offshore fisheries could be ten times higher than in Norway. In Guinea, around 500 deaths per 100,000 fishermen are estimated each year. In other countries on the West African coast, the mortality rate in small-scale fishing is said to vary in the range of 300 to 1,000 per 100,000 fishermen. Figures from South Africa show 585 deaths per 100,000 fishermen.

Maintaining records of the causes of accidents is often inadequate

More than half of all fatalities are directly related to the vessel sinking, mostly due to capsizing, damage, collision, fire or explosion. If the ship is lost, the likelihood that crew members will lose their lives increases. The second leading cause of fatal accidents in

fishing is falling overboard. Fishermen who do not wear buoyancy aids or who venture out to sea alone are particularly at risk here. The third most common cause of death among fishermen is serious injuries on deck, such as from falling, broken lines or motor winches. Almost every fisherman has, at some point, suffered a minor injury at sea or at least seen someone else on board have an accident. Non-fatal injuries are common in the fisheries, but the documenting of such incidents by national health services and social security agencies in many countries suffer from serious shortfalls. Detailed records are very important in clearly identifying the causes of accidents and enable us to define preventive and/or protective measures. Only those who can clearly understand where, why and how accidents occur can take appropriate countermeasures.

Accidents at sea will probably never be entirely preventable with absolute certainty. The working conditions on fishing ships are unique, cannot be planned in every detail and therefore remain potentially dangerous. Some risks are almost unpredictable, such as engine defects, sudden changes

in weather or the specific working conditions on the fishing grounds. Other factors can be influenced to some extent, such as the design, construction and regularity of ship maintenance. It becomes particularly hazardous when the human factor is not included or only insufficiently included in the design and implementation of any security concept. Poor training, lack of experience and skills, carelessness, understaffed or incorrectly staffed ship crews, fatigue and working under pressure are important risk factors that are among the main reasons for accidents and disasters in the fishing sector. These factors can be summed up by stating that the greatest hazards always arise when fishing vessels are operated in an unsafe condition, at unsafe locations, at unsafe times and with unsafe crews.

Risks and dangers lurk in almost every corner of the vessel

Even with all due care and precaution, certain residual risks still remain. In general, these risks are much larger on small open boats than on trawlers. Trawlers have the best technical equipment, are perfectly designed and built for

purpose and are professionally piloted by competent staff. While there are dangers from barn doorsized trawl boards, huge winds, and gigantic sweep lines moving freely across wet, slippery decks on swaying ships in rough seas, but even breaking the surf in the shore zone on a small open boat launching from the beach can be a life-threatening adventure. Working on board a moving ship places extremely high demands on fishermen. They often have to adopt working postures that are physically demanding, tiring and associated with a high risk of injury. This hazard is exacerbated by the extraordinarily long working hours they often have to endure. Smaller ships in particular are also threatened by loss of stability, for example when hauling in heavy nets or the catch slipping in rough seas. This increases the risk of capsizing, and fishermen falling overboard. The age of the ships is also an on-going concern when it comes to safety. Newer, more modern ships are clearly much better equipped with the latest technology in terms of working conditions and safety equipment. In many industrialized countries, this would entail “telemedical concepts” with the help of which the appropriately

Internationally uniform regulations for the construction of new fishing vessels could ensure that vessels with a lack of seaworthiness do not go out to sea in the first place.

According to the FAO’s SOFIA report, around 4.1 million fishing vessels were registered worldwide in 2020. Of these, 81 per cent are uncovered boats smaller than 12 meters.

trained crew members can receive qualified help and support via satellite and Internet in the treatment of colleagues who have had an accident. However, this valuable, often even life-saving option is rarely available on older ships and therefore the age of the fishing fleets is of considerable importance in safety matters. However, statistics from Lloyd’ s Register of Shipping show that the average age of fishing vessels over 24m worldwide is now more than 25 years.

Reliable data is not even available for small-scale fishing sectors. However, it is hard to imagine that manual fishermen renew their boats more frequently than the owners of large vessels. The fact that most of these small boats are in relatively poor condition and therefore pose a serious safety risk is also sufficiently documented by numerous field studies, some of which were commissioned by the FAO. In some sea areas, smallscale manual fisheries are further threatened by rampant predatory and illegal fishing. Overfishing of fish stocks close to the coast forces many small-scale fishermen to go further and further out to sea in their inadequately equipped boats, where they are exposed to enormous dangers. Not only

caused by winds, weather and sea conditions, but also by predatory fishermen. They turn off their navigation lights and tracking systems to avoid detection. This increases the risk of collision, which often has deadly consequences for small-scale fishermen. Unfortunately, not all states that have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea sufficiently fulfil their responsibility to ensure safety at sea for all ships flying their flag.

Since there are obvious connections between the level of professional training of fishermen, the level of equipment on fishing vessels and safety at sea, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has initiated and implemented dozens of fishing projects since its inception. One of the most important initiatives was probably the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries published in 1995, which defines voluntary guidelines for environmentally conscious and sustainable fishing. With the manual on Safety at sea for small-scale fishers, the FAO recently presented

aims to improve the culture of safety awareness among fishermen, reduce the number of accidents and increase the chances of surviving accidents. Available in multiple languages, the book provides guidance on safety issues associated with working on small fishing vessels, such as fire and deck safety, lighting and ventilation, essential lifesaving equipment and navigational safety. In addition, the reader learns which controls and safety procedures should be carried out and are useful before any fishing trips. Practical tips for surviving at sea are also included in the manual.

Although the safety risks in fishing have been known for a long time, it has not yet been possible to establish internationally binding minimum standards for this sector. A first attempt was the 1914 Convention on Safety at Sea, called SOLAS for Safety of Life at Sea, which was initiated after the sinking of the Titanic in 1911. Since then, SOLAS has been one of the most important international agreements as it defines general standards for the construction, equipment and operation of ships as part of the basic requirements for their safety. However, with the

exception of Chapter V, which primarily deals with aspects of navigational safety, SOLAS does not apply to fishing vessels. The amendments and extensions to SOLAS adopted in 1929 and 1948 did not remedy this shortcoming of the Convention. When the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was founded in 1958 as a special organization of the UN to regulate international shipping, one of its first activities was to attempt to bring the safety standards on fishing ships nearer to the level of those in merchant shipping. After all, a fisherman’s life is as precious as that of any other seafarer. The initiative was again futile: when SOLAS was amended in 1960, the fisheries industry fell through the cracks again.

As a partial success with SOLAS 1960,, however, IMO was able to get those involved to adopt three resolutions on fishing vessels. The first concerned equipping vehicles with rescue equipment for the crews. The second required all governments to inform the IMO of the extent to which SOLAS requirements are already being applied to fishing vessels. The third resolution dealt with

The diverse nature of fisheries makes any uniform solutions very difficult to implement

Boats with small crews are exposed to particularly great dangers at sea because rapid assistance is almost impossible in the event of an accident or disaster.

In many coastal regions, there is not even a protective harbour available. The boats are constantly exposed to winds and waves where the catch is landed directly on the beach.

the stability and seaworthiness of fishing vessels. The conference also decided that SOLAS will be continuously revised and adapted to the ever-changing conditions. Fishing industries also benefit from this, albeit not to the extent hoped for or that are necessary. Despite these failures, those involved in the SOLAS process cannot be accused of having no interest in the safety of fishermen and fishing vessels. The devil is in the detail, as the global fishing industry is extremely diverse and many different methods are used. The number of ships alone ranges from primitive one-man canoes and dugout canoes to huge, highly mechanized factory trawlers. This makes it extraordinarily difficult to formulate universally applicable, uniform standards and guidelines that are binding for everyone.

Even any small successes would be some progress

Despite these limitations, there have been a number of initiatives in recent years, both at national and international level, aimed at improving safety in fisheries. For example, the ILO, IMO and FAO, the three organizations of the United Nations, jointly presented the Code of Safety for Fishermen and Fishing vessels decades ago. Part A, adopted in 1968, deals with elementary Health and Safety Practices for Skippers and Crews. Part B (Health and Safety Requirements for the Construction and Equipment of Fishing Vessels) from 1974 is a guide to the formation of relevant national laws and regulations. However, the application is once again limited to fishing vessels with lengths of 24 m and more. There

are still no internationally standardized safety regulations for small vessels between 12 and 24 meters in length and for the many hundreds of thousands of small boats under 12 m. The safety of these vessels is left to individual national regulations, which can vary in severity, and compliance with which is more or less controlled or often even absent altogether.

Both the 1977 Torremolino Convention, updated in 1993, and the STCW-F principles that came into force in 2012, which define minimum requirements for certification and training for crews, are limited to ships with lengths of 24 meters or more. This also applies to the Cape Town Agreement, adopted in 2012, which sets out the criteria for the seaworthiness of fishing vessels. They affect the availability of life-saving

appliances, communication equipment and fire protection to an extent that can only be provided on fishing vessels with a minimum length of 24 metres. The demand to finally create significantly more safety for small-scale fishing on small boats, which make up the bulk of the global fishing fleet, through uniform, internationally binding minimum standards, will therefore remain a major challenge for the fishing industry in the coming years. Even small measures, such as the obligation to wear buoyancy aids, regular emergency exercises, training courses on how to behave in the event of accidents at sea or carrying emergency signals that make it easier to find people who have fallen overboard, could ensure that thousands of fishermen would no longer lose their lives every year at sea.

Manfred Klinkhardt

Study of the ancient Balkan Lake Ohrid identifies ghost gear as a hazard for its fauna

Derelict fishing gear threatens inland water bodies too

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gears (ALDFG) also known as derelict nets or ghost nets, are fishing nets that have been abandoned or lost at sea or in other water bodies. These nets can continue to fish indiscriminately, entangling and killing marine or freshwater life for years or even decades.

One of the main reasons that ghost nets are so harmful is that they are made of synthetic materials such as nylon, which do not biodegrade quickly. Instead, they persist in the water for decades, continuing to fish and entangle different species. Ghost nets can trap and kill a wide range of animals, including fish, turtles, fish eating birds, and even dolphins, whales, and sharks in the seas.

They can also cause damage to the seabed, destroying important habitat for bottom-dwelling species. Ghost nets are a particularly significant problem in areas where fishing activity is high, such as near shorelines or in fishing grounds. They can also be more prevalent in areas where there are high winds and currents, which can cause fishing gear to become lost or abandoned.

The challenge of lost or abandoned gear is not restricted to marine waters

Efforts to address the problem of ghost nets have focused on prevention and removal. Preventative measures include implementing regulations to require the use of more durable and biodegradable fishing gear, increasing education and awareness

among fishermen, and improving tracking and retrieval systems for lost gear. Removing derelict nets from water bodies is challenging and costly. It often requires specialised equipment and expertise, as well as significant funding. However, there are several initiatives underway to address the problem of derelict nets, including the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, which aims to tackle the problem through a combination

of prevention, removal, and recycling. While ALDFG is usually associated with marine and coastal waters where much of the world’s fishing efforts are concentrated, inland water bodies suffer from the problem too, though it is less well documented. In Lake Ohrid, a transboundary lake in the south-western Balkans shared by North Macedonia and Albania, a pilot study was carried out in 2017 to evaluate the technical possibilities to detect and remove ALDFG and to analyse the catches made by the nets to gauge their impact on the ecosystem. The study1 was conducted by a team of researchers from institutes in North Macedonia and Germany as one of the activities for the trilateral Project Transboundary Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity at Lakes Prespa, Ohrid and Shqodra/Skadar.

Lake Ohrid, the deepest of the Balkans’ three freshwater seas is also known as the oldest lake in Europe, oligotrophic, a museum of “living fossils”, rich in biodiversity, with relatively low fish production but with high endemism, is inhabited among others by

very attractive and commercially valuable fish as Lake Ohrid trout (Salmo letnica) and Ohrid belvica (S. ohridanus). Three hatcheries are involved in the artificial spawning and breeding of Lake Ohrid trout (two in North Macedonia and one in Albania) for restocking purposes. Since 1935 the main purpose of the North Macedonian Hydrobiological Institute—Ohrid hatchery is to replace what is taken from the lake by fishing. Commercial fishing in Lake Ohrid dates back 100 years. Nowadays, apart from the commercial fishing in the Albanian part of the lake, which is conducted by some 100 fishers organised into a fisheries management organisation there is also illegal fishing present on both sides of the border mainly targeting trout species but also carp, bleak and eel.

The most commonly used fishing gear both for commercial and illegal fishing is gillnets of different mesh sizes, but fishing with lines and seines is also practiced. Gillnets are a passive gear and therefore a fuel-efficient way of catching fish. A

suspended like a curtain in the water column using anchors and buoys and does little damage to the benthic communities. It is also selective, catching fish of a certain size while allowing juveniles to escape. However, if a gillnet is lost, abandoned, or discarded it can continue to trap and kill fish and other species. In addition, as it gets worn down it contributes to the plastic pollution in the water body for many decades.

Different tactics used to detect and retrieve ghost gear

Depending on the bottom configuration and depth, three different methods were deployed by the researchers for locating, mapping, and removing ALDFG: echo sounder, divers, and dredging, of which the two latter were combined. Using previously known information about the areas where ALDFG had been recorded

gillnet is

1 Z. Spirkovski, D. Ilik-Boeva, D. Ritterbusch, R. Peveling, M. Pietrock, Ghost net removal in ancient Lake Ohrid: A pilot study, Fisheries Research, Volume 211, 2019, https://doi. org/10.1016/j.fishres.2018.10.023.

Photo 1: Lake Ohrid viewed from the Albanian side. North Macedonia is on the far side. Ghost nets are a challenge that joint action by the two countries’ authorities can help mitigate.

Photo 2: Mapped echo sounding routes of ALDFG detection and removal.

either by professional or recreational fisherman, local citizens or divers from the local diving clubs, and the experience of the Hydrobiological Institute in Ohrid, for the first time a systematic removal of ALDFG from Lake Ohrid was performed.

The fieldwork resulted in the detection of 243 nets of which 36 were completely and 163 partially recovered. Lengths of the nets varied from 5 to 500 m with mesh sizes from 12 to 140 mm and hight ranged from 1.7 m to 6 m. The total length of nets retrieved was close to 13 km. All the nets, except one, were single layered gillnets and most were made of synthetic materials, but also threaded nets more than five decades old were recorded entangled with nylon nets. They were typically found stranded on the rocky bottom of the lake or on other underwater obstacles, with a few free-floating nets as well. The team’s experience was that echo sounding was effective up to a depth of 60 m and when the net was free floating. At greater depths the echo sounder did not give a reliable signal. Lake Ohrid is a deep lake with maximum depth of 298 m and mean depth of 151 m, so only part of the lake’s volume was explored (Photo 2). The divers detected 173 nets at two different sites, one along the shore in the area of Lake Ohrid trout spawning grounds and the other at 40 m depth in the immediate vicinity of the drinking water pump system of the City of Ohrid, entangled to form a wall of nets 6 m high, totalling over 10 km in length.

The creeping devices that were towed along the lake bottom retrieved over 1,100 m of nets at depths ranging from 15 to 80 m. This was achieved by engaging nine fishermen or fish guardians from both countries that share

the lake, as transboundary activity paired in five fishing boats. In addition to nets, other ghost fishing gear was recovered included fishing lines with spinners and jigs, polyamide ropes, monofilament, hooks and net anchors (Photo 3).

The retrieved nets provided insights into the damage ALDFG does as they revealed different species that had been trapped. Both living and dead animals in various stages of decomposition were found totalling 116 fish and four birds. Barbell, Ohrid belvica, and roach were the most frequently present species accounting for 97 of all the fish in the removed nets. The researchers also established that more fish were found in the floating nets than in those that were entangled on the ground or wrapped around other underwater obstacles. The nets trapped not only fish but also crustaceans and birds. In addition, they can be dragged along the ground by currents and are likely to negatively affect benthic communities. Moreover, the abrasion of nets as they move along the bottom adds to plastic litter which can ultimately enter

food chains as it degrades into tiny particles (microplastic). The presence of decomposing fish in nets located in fish spawning areas may cause spawning fish to avoid these areas, especially the two trout species.

Prevention is cheaper and better than cure

The researchers also concluded that reliable detection of the nets was critical to efforts to remove them. While echo sounders could detect floating nets, they were not as efficient when the nets had sunk to the bottom. More sophisticated technology such as remote underwater vehicles equipped with cameras may prove better at detecting nets on the lake bottom. Using creeping devices was time consuming but effective at detecting ghost nets on the bottom as well as removing them if they were in good condition and not entangled on the ground. These devices could be used to clear larger areas of the lake bottom although dragging the devices along the ground can potentially damage benthic features thereby reducing the quality of the bottom habitat. Diving on the other hand was useful if

it was targeted at areas that were known to accumulate abandoned nets, but it was also dangerous as divers often got entangled in the nets themselves. Recovery of the ghost nets required the services of a suitable vessel equipped with winches to pull up the nets. The vessel also supported the work of the divers to lift the nets from the bottom with the help of airlifts. The research showed that ALDFG in freshwater environments is a source of issues similar to those found in marine habitats and deserves closer study and more action to remove it. The scientists recommended that joint activities by North Macedonian and Albanian authorities to identify and remove ghost nets should be carried out annually, the reporting of lost nets by fishers should be made mandatory, and the synthetic material used for nets should be replaced with biodegradable compounds.

Following on from the project, this year two activities regarding ALDFG detection and removal are planned in North Macedonia with governmental support, one at Lake Ohrid and the other at Lake Prespa.

Photo 3: Fishers and fish guardians from North Mаcedonia and Albania exchange knowledge and skills during this joint operation on Lake Ohrid.

Fish sausage: High-quality nutritional alternative to cheap gap fillers

An attractive and sustainable recycling opportunity for fish

Fish sausage has existed for thousands of years. However, it has largely fallen into oblivion as its filling has been replaced by pork and beef products. Nevertheless, it has never completely disappeared from the market thanks to committed entrepreneurs who believe in the success of healthy sausage alternatives and are always generating new product lines. Is this persistence finally paying off?

The quote wrongly attributed to the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, “Laws are like sausages – it’s better not to be present when they are made”, subtly resonates with the accusation that some things are not quite right in the manufacture of sausages. Even today, the suspicion that some sausages contain ingredients that simply should not be there still persists. But who decides and where is it written which raw materials are allowed in a sausage? Sausages were originally used to preserve meat and to utilise as much of the edible parts of slaughtered animals as possible.

at’s why sausages are also one of the oldest foods known. References to them can be found on 7,000-year-old depictions of life in Egypt, Syria and China back then. Etymologically, “sausage” means something like “mix or blend something together”. However, this de nition leaves completely open, what exactly that can or should be. Pork and beef are the classics, but venison and sh sausages have also been recorded historically at court festivals since the 13th century.

e sh sausage has been somewhat forgotten today but it used to be appreciated by high society as it lightened the culinary dreariness of periods of fasting

(Lent). Eating “four-legged animals” was forbidden on up to 150 religious fasting days each year.

Fish, on the other hand, was allowed and thus sh sausages served as a kind of “nutritional emergency supply”.

Incidentally, even in historical times, the production of sausages corresponded to those ethical principles that many feel today, as predominantly regional and seasonal ingredients were used. Added to that, sausage preparation was very sustainable as the whole of the slaughtered animal was processed into a foodstuff. Think of

black pudding or meat in aspic, for example. Although interest in fish sausage declined after the Middle Ages, it never died out entirely. Take Germany. Considered the home of the sausage, with its Wurst-heavy food culture and an estimated 1,500 types of sausages from Lyoner to Bratwurst, Weisswurst and Currywurst to Salami, even there, fish sausages have never completely disappeared. German butchers are willing to experiment and have attempted various recipes many times. However, neither the fish salami nor the Leberwurst with anchovies nor the crab bratwurst has

managed to seriously compete with the good old pork or beef sausage.

After all, as early as 1937, “Die Umschau” newspaper reported on attempts at the Institute for Sea Fisheries in Wesermünde (today Bremerhaven) to produce boiled sausages from sh meat. A good twenty years later, the news magazine “Der Spiegel” (5/1949) wrote about “Prime Sausage without” at a price of 50 pfennigs each, which the German Fish Sausage Factory (De fa) in Bremerhaven produced from haddock. De fa’s production program was relatively broad and, in addition to liver sausage made

Sausage products based on fish meat can be found all over the world. Raw materials used include salmon, African catfish and cobia.

from herring, it also included ham sausage, bratwurst and bockwurst, for which red sea bass, haddock and cod were blended together through the meat grinder. “Since sh has now become socially acceptable as a sausage lling and is served with sauerkraut even in higherend restaurants, other companies have also started to unleash their meat grinders on to the blessing of the seas”, wrote Der Spiegel. All sh sausage manufacturers shared the hope that sh sausage could gain a permanent place on the German sausage butchers’ hook.

Comparable health benefits to fish

In fact, sausages made from sh –whether for grilling, roasting or cooking – deserve more attention and appreciation in retail and among customers. It doesn’t really matter whether they are sea or freshwater sh or a combination of both. In times when vegan sausages are celebrating success in retail, there should be just as much space on the shelves for

sh sausages. Not every sh sausage is suitable for vegetarians (many are in natural casings, sometimes pork fat is mixed into the sh meat), but the large volume of sh eaters should still be happy, especially since sh sausages also o er very similar advantages to “real” sh. ey almost always consist of highquality sh llet, contain plenty of protein with essential amino acids and the valuable omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Not only health-conscious consumers but also children, who prefer sh ngers, are easily won over to sh when it comes in the form of a familiar Bratwurst that is guaranteed to be bone-free. Compared to conventional sausages made from warm-blooded animals, sh sausage contains on average only half as many calories, around 80 percent fewer fats of higher quality and three quarters less cholesterol. Fish sausage is therefore a healthier nutritional alternative.

Although the nutritional and health bene ts of a diet rich in sh

are well known, the large retail and catering chains rarely o er the sh sausages and usually only as a test. In 2022, for example, the Nordsee restaurant chain carried out a campaign with sh curry and sh bratwurst. ese attempts, which started with great enthusiasm and expectation, were almost always abandoned as the hoped-for sales successes did not materialize and too much product had to be written o . However, one reason for the failure of such e orts is probably precisely this short-term thinking. If sh sausage is only available sporadically, almost as an extravagant speciality, and not permanently, only a few consumers will be enthusiastic about it and demand will stagnate.

In the trade, fish sausage is extremely rare

e list of attempts to develop appealing sh sausage recipes and successfully establish them on the market is getting longer and longer. In 2008, the East Frisian master butcher Peter Bolduan

from Aurich allegedly presented Germany’s rst sh salami, which tasted “slightly sour and shy”. e enthusiast worked on the recipe for three years until he eventually landed on the correct mixture. His salami contained red sea bass, wild salmon, cat sh, butter sh and pollock. Salmon provides a juicy pink, the butter sh imitates the bacon bits. A Mediterranean spice mix of pepper, curing salt, lemon grass, sugar and garlic gave the sh mixture the taste of salami. Years earlier, Bolduan had tried to introduce a seafood product for the grill with his sh sausage “Fjordi”. is was a clear success, which is proved when glancing at the refrigerated shelves of the stores where sh sausage currently plays practically no role. Other vendors fared like Bolduan, and their accepted good sh sausages met with little interest. Just a reminder of the “Wienys” from the Commercial Agent for Seafood Specialities “Schekerka” or the wieners from llets, which were made from sustainably produced African cat sh.

The Saxon sausage manufacture Meister’s (Bautzen) produces not only the classic sausage products but also an attractive range of fish delicacies.

The aquaculture company Aquanova and Hans Raab’s Catfish Farm in Switzerland, which was closed in 2011, had their marketing concepts heavily focused on fish sausage.

Austrian graffiti artist Hendrix is known for his whimsical compositions like this surreal work, Fischwurst (fish sausage).

A fundamental question is, should products such as sausages made from sh taste like the “original” meat or, what would be more authentic and honest, like the actual original, i.e. sh? Currently, almost all attempts are aimed at imitating the taste of “real” sausage. is may be one of the reasons why many consumers stubbornly stick to the original, despite the healthier alternative made from sh. If there are no di erences in taste and sh sausage usually costs more, it is difcult to see why you should switch.

Fish sausage suppliers such as Fischmaster even advertise that their sh sausages made from Claresse llet, a hybrid of the African catsh species Heterobranchus longilis and Clarias gariepinus, do not taste or smell like sh at all. e Fischmaster range of products includes sh salami crackers, sh fried and sh boiled “meatloaf style” sausage – all produced by hand without preservatives and avour enhancers.

Fish sausage at branded products level

e Saxon sausage manufacturer Meister’s Wurst und Fleischwaren also produces a wide and very attractive range of sh delicacies in addition to the classic sausage products made from beef, pork and poultry. e sh used, African

cat sh (Clarias gariepinus) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), all come from Saxon aquaculture in Kirschau. at’s why Tilapia is also somewhat cryptically listed on the product labels as “Saxon perch”. In addition, there is carp, the most important species of sh in the Saxon pond farming. It’s amazing what the butchery experts at Meister’s conjure up from these three types of sh. Bratwurst, sh grills and patties, sh cakes and boiled sausage as well as two tasty varieties of sh in aspic. Some of them even in various avours from paprika & chilli to spicy lemon to herb butter & orange. ere are also smoked products made from skinless Tilapia llets and bone-cut carp llets. Everything is very attractively sealed for self-service using vacuum packing or in skin shrink packs. An eye-catching, sh-based all-in-one package that will do credit to any sh department and is sure to peak customer interest.

e North German butcher Mühlenbeck in Schi dorf-Spaden has expanded its traditional range of boiled and fried sausages, cooked sausages, cooked cured products as well as spreadable and sliceable Mettwurst sausages with some sh sausage products. In cooperation with the Bremerhaven sh wholesaler Transgourmet Seafood, the family company Mühlenbeck, founded in 1908, has developed a

bratwurst and a currywurst based on African cat sh, which can hardly be distinguished from the original products in terms of appearance and taste. During blind tastings, test persons, who had no idea of the “ shy” origin of the sausages, were amazed when they were informed about the composition of the products. It is obvious why numerous producers are particularly fond of using llets of African cat sh when making sh sausages. Above all, the low price and the constant availability should be mentioned here, because this sh is now reared in recirculation systems in many European countries. In addition, the rm cat sh meat is particularly suitable for sh sausage. Its proportion in sausage meat usually varies between 70 and 90 percent.

However, a look at the Internet shows that far more types of sh are used for the production of sh sausage worldwide. e search engines show more than 100 million websites with relevant information, recipes and preparation methods under the terms “ sh” and “sausage”. Tuna, marlin, bonito and salmon are used particularly frequently as raw materials for the production of sh sausage. Processing is usually done at relatively low temperatures because sh proteins are quite delicate and will denature prematurely when exposed to high heat. is sometimes causes problems, because harmful bacteria have a better chance of surviving in the raw sh sausage meat at low temperatures. In order to limit bacteria growth, it is often necessary to use preservatives such as sodium sorbate when making sh sausages.

Possibility of exploitation for less popular fish species

It is also economically viable to use sh as a raw material, in particular as the possibility exists of

using lower-quality sh species that are otherwise very di cult to market, as well as mechanically separated meat that remains stuck to the bone after lleting. In Brazil, for example, targeted studies were carried out on how by-catches from shrimp sheries can be used to make surimi and sh sausage. Fish species with little commercial value were tested, such as the Brazilian athead (Percophis brasiliensis), for which there is otherwise little demand. In tastings, the sh sausages were very popular with consumers attaining acceptance values of almost 90. e authors of the studies concluded that this results in a real opportunity to use previously despised sh species sensibly for healthy sh sausage with high nutritional value, which is very popular with consumers and a pleasure to eat.

Although the per capita consumption of sh in Brazil has already risen signi cantly after massive advertising campaigns, it was still at a relatively low level in 2020 at around 9.5 kg, according to FAO estimates. e main reasons for this are, according to experts, the considerable problems in sales and marketing, traditional eating habits, which primarily favour meat and sausage products, and the lack of knowledge about how to prepare the sh alternative. One way to solve this problem of changing consumer interests in connection with an increasingly urban lifestyle is to o er an even broader range of readyto-eat or semi-ready foods that can be prepared quickly and easily. Fish sausage could easily exist within these requirement concepts. It is therefore worthwhile for everyone involved, from manufacturers to retailers to consumers, to continue to push the development of sh sausages.

Manfred Klinkhardt

Cretel’s next generation of table top fish skinners

The new F360M is ready to be rolled out

Cretel, the Belgian machine manufacturer of food processing equipment, is set to roll out the F360M. is new generation of table top sh skinners will be available in Q3 of 2023. Cretel engineers have been working intensively on re-engineering the existing versions of the machine to improve even further their hygiene, ergonomic design, user friendliness, safety, and ease of maintenance. A subsidiary of the ATS Group, Cretel is known for high quality machines that focus on durability, e ciency, and hygiene and have an excellent price quality ratio. e F360M is no exception. It is the next generation

of the popular manual table top sh skinner 362 and will also replace the 365F. e F360M has a newly designed hygienic frame that complements the improved standard cleaning system with the star roller cleaning system from the old 365F. e star roller has several advantages when skinning sh or sh cuts with hard skin, like ray and skate wings. Cretel has also improved the machine’s infeed which is now angled instead of straight. anks to all of this, and equipped with a safe 24-volt foot switch and pressing roller, the F360M has truly become the ultimate all-round manual table top sh skinner.

FIAP launches the innovative profifeed SolarFeeder

Reduce energy costs when feeding

FIAP, a supplier of equipment for the aquaculture industry, has added an innovative feeder to its portfolio.

e FIAP pro feed SolarFeeder is powered by solar cells thus helping operators reduce their energy consumption. It is available in ve sizes with capacities ranging from 3 to 60 kg. e Bavaria, Germany based company says its multipurpose pro feed SolarFeeder features a user-friendly design, numerous functions, and a perfect price-performance ratio. e feeder is digitally controlled with

up to seven adjustable feeding times per day and an ejection radius of up to 2 m. e spreading range of the feeder can be determined by regulating the motor speed, while the variable feeding time of 1–59 seconds can be used to dose the amount of food (pellets from 1 to 10 mm) the sh receive.

e pro feed SolarFeeder is supplied complete as a kit with assembly instructions, a 6 V battery, and a solar panel. For more information visit www. ap.com

info@cretel.com

www.cretel.com

https://www.linkedin.com/ company/cretel-nv/

The F360M, Cretel’s new generation of table top fish skinners.

The innovative profifeed SolarFeeder runs on solar power thus reducing the consumption of conventional electricity.

Cretel by ATS, Langerbruggekaai 15, 9000 Ghent, Belgium Tel. +32 9 376 95 95

Borgarplast makes durable insulated containers for the food industry

Proper handling prolongs shelf life

The company Borgarplast specialises in the production of insulated containers for the food industry. The containers are used for the storage and transport of fresh fish, meat, and poultry, where maintaining the product at or below a certain temperature is critical for food safety and shelf life.

An Icelandic company with a history that dates back over half a century Borgarplast has been one of the pioneers of the insulated bulk container industry. Iceland has been successfully exporting high quality sh for decades, a trade partly enabled by the proper handling of this highly perishable product. Fish quality is at its peak as it leaves the water, from then on it starts to deteriorate, a process that can be retarded with proper handling. Insulated containers that maintain the sh at the right temperature play an important role in achieving this.

Tailoring containers to meet customer needs

Today, with the expansion of the land-based salmon industry, the company is developing solutions that are tailored for this sector, says Kristján Benediktsson, the sales manager, to try and steer them away from using EPS boxes.

e company’s polyethylene (PE) and polyurethane (PUR) plastic containers o er a sustainable solution as they can be cleaned and reused over and over again. Moreover, enough sh can be placed in a container without the sh in the lowest layer suffering any damage. is means the container cannot be too deep but must have a large volume. To create a container with the right dimensions the company is currently in discussions with the salmon industry to better

understand its needs. While the dimensions of the container being considered will be customised for the salmon sector, other features, such as the concave base which eliminates the need for a third supporting skid under the box, will remain the same as in the rest of Borgarplast’s insulated containers. A solution to the third skid was needed because it accumulated dirt from the ground which could contaminate the contents of the lower container, when two or more containers were stacked together.

e skid, however, provided strength and stability to the

container base so removing it called for some kind of compensatory mechanism to maintain stability. e answer was a container designed with a concave base, so that the weight of the product in the container was distributed to the four corners rendering the middle skid superuous. e new container under consideration for the salmon industry will also feature the rounded corners and smooth walls of all the company’s containers. ese facilitate the thorough cleaning of the container as pathogens and contaminants cannot stick easily to smooth surfaces, which is very important

considering its use in the food industry. Essentially, Mr Benediktsson says, if we customise a container for a certain industry, we will always base it on our tried and tested designs. Existing products are designed with grooves on the sides so that they can be stacked securely and the lids too have grooves so that covered containers can also be stacked without compromising safety.

PE and PUR each have their benefits and their costs

e containers are insulated with two di erent materials,

Kristján Benediktsson, sales manager, is discussing the customisation of insulated containers for the land-based salmon industry in Iceland.

polyurethane, which has better insulation qualities than the other, polyethylene. On the other hand, containers using PE have stronger walls as the inner and outer surfaces and the layer of insulation in the middle are all made with PE. Apart from greater strength these containers are completely recyclable. In a container, where PUR is the insulating material, the presence of two materials, inner and outer PE walls and a middle layer of PUR insulation, make it more di cult to recycle. e two types of tubs are also made in di erent ways. PUR is pumped in between the outer and inner walls of the tub where it expands after which the tub is pressed. A PE tub is removed from the oven, the PE inserted and the tub put back in the over to allow the PE to expand. e lifetime of the containers is 15-20 years, but the tubs insulated with PUR are 9 kg lighter than comparable tubs insulated with PE. Some Icelandic vessels carry 600 tubs on board so the di erence in weight is an important factor to consider. Not only do PUR tubs reduce the vessel’s fuel consumption, but because PUR o ers better insulating properties, more sh can be transported with less ice. On the other hand, tubs made with PE have more solid walls which allow more to be stacked one above the other. So, companies must carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the two types of containers.

Borgarplast also manufactures other products such as septic tanks, hot tubs, and large dimension pipes in its factory. Cut o plastic material from the tubs is pulverised, mixed with virgin material and used to create some of these products. e recycled

material cannot, however, go into the tubs as it would compromise their food grade quality rating. Mr Benediktsson recounts that the company made cold tubs from recycled hot tub material and sold them to private customers in Iceland who installed them outside, lled them with icy water, and bathed in them. is illustrates an innovative way of using a sidestream from one production line to create a new product, something that the EU is also trying to foster with its strategies for sustainability. Insulated tubs are the company’s main line of business—the other products are a side line—and they are usually produced to order rather than being kept in stock. Companies often want the tubs customised with a certain colour or their logo, which is easy to do before the actual manufacturing. e other products are usually made when there is an opening in the production line. Big products such as large volume insulated containers, septic tanks, hot and cold tubs are made in the larger of the two ovens in the factory, while the smaller one is used for the smaller insulated tubs. e big oven takes two products at a time, for example a large insulated tub and a hot tub. e hot tub will be placed in stock and the sh tub delivered to the customer.

Fishing industry feedback goes into the design of insulated tubs

Tests have revealed the using 10 recycled material in a septic tank or a hot tub does not a ect the quality. is combination is also used in oil separators that the company makes for the car hire industry among others. When the car is washed down the oil in the

wastewater is removed in an oil separator. Although insulated sh tubs are its core business, Borgarplast hedges its bets by producing EPS boxes at another factory. But we are looking at the future, maintains Mr Benediktsson, and gradually moving away from EPS, but there is no denying it is lightweight with very good insulating properties and is highly suited to transporting sh between countries. But an EPS box is a single use product, while the insulated containers can be reused. ey have also evolved over the years as comments and suggestions from the shing industry are incorporated into the design. e insulated containers produced today are the result of an ongoing

dialogue between the company and the users of its tubs. Customers come not only from northern Europe but also from countries further a eld like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Uganda, and the Maldives. e company is looking to expand exports of its tubs to more countries, while keeping production in Iceland. Both PE and PUR tubs have been subjected to all kinds of stress tests, including being dropped from a height or rammed with a forklift, and passed with ying colours. We stand by the product quality and design, and we want to disseminate the message that Borgarplast tubs are an investment in equipment with a lifespan of 10-15 years, says Mr Benediktsson.

Borgarplast ehf.

Völuteigur 31

270 Mosfellsbær

Iceland

Tel.: +354-561-2211

borgarplast@borgarplast.is

www.borgarplast.is

Sales manager: Kristján Benediktsson

Products: Double walled insulated tubs for the food industry; septic tanks, hot/cold tubs, oil/fat separators

Types: Tubs insulated with polyethylene or polyurethane

Production: In Iceland

Markets: Iceland, rest of Europe, Africa, Asia

The double walled insulated containers have incorporated comments and suggestions from the fishing industry over the years.

21-22 June 2023

Seagriculture

Trondheim, Norway

Tel.: +31 85 401 73 97 info@dlg-benelux.com https://seagriculture.eu/

11-13 September 2023

Seafood Expo Asia

Singapore

Tel.: +1 207 842 5590 sales-asia@seafoodexpo.com www.seafoodexpo.com/asia/

14-15 September 2023

9th Fish Congress

Sopot, Poland

22-24 August 2023

Aqua Nor

Trondheim, Norway Tel.: +47 73 56 86 40 post@nor-fishing.no https://aquanor.no/en/

Tel.: +48 58 620 56 59 kongres@mprfish.com www.kongresrybny.pl

10-12 October 2023

DanFish

Aalborg, Denmark

Tel.: +45 99 35 55 18 ehe@akkc.dk www.danfish.com

23-25 August 2023

SIFCE

Shanghai, China Tel.: +86 21 6127 6560 fine.wang@ite-gehua.com http://www.ffb2b.com/en/

18-21 September 2023

Aquaculture Europe

Vienna, Austria mario@marevent.com www.aquaeas.org

12-15 December 2023

AlgaEurope

Prague, Czechia

Tel.: +31 85 401 73 97 info@dlg-benelux.com https://algaeurope.org/

5-7 September 2023

Global Shrimp Forum

Utrecht, Netherlands www.shrimp-forum.com

3-5 October 2023

Conxemar

Vigo, Spain

Tel.: +34 986 433351 conxemar@conxemar.com https://conxemar.com/es/feria-conxemar-2023

25-27 February 2024

fish international Bremen, Germany

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fishinternational.de info@fishinternational.de

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