Fish Farmer Magazine March 2017

Fish Farmer VOLUME 40

NUMBER 03

MARCH 2017

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

Serving worldwide aquaculture since 1977

FIT FOR THE FUTURE

PROTEIN CRUNCH

WESTER ROSS

VILLAGE LIFE

Educating and training the next generation

Could avian alternatives feed the industry’s growth?

Gilpin Bradley on his new farm and new role

Inside Grimsby’s state of the art seafood hub

Mar Cover.indd 1

06/03/2017 16:33:06

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Contents 4-13 News

What’s happening in aquaculture in the UK and around the world

Marching on

A

17-19 Workshop

36-37 Training & Education

Assessing avian protein

NAFC Marine Centre

20 Comment

38-39 Training & Education

21 BTA

41-43 Training & Education

Phil Thomas

Doug McLeod

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com www.fishupdate.com

22-23 Shellfish

52-55 Grimsby

24-25 Comment

58-59 Storvik

Meet the team

Martin Jaffa

Editorial Advisory Board: Steve Bracken, Scott Landsburgh, Hervé Migaud, Patrick Smith and Jim Treasurer Editor: Jenny Hjul Designer: Andrew Balahura Advertising Manager: William Dowds wdowds@fishupdate.com Advertising Executives: Dave Edler dedler@fishupdate.com Scott Binnie sbinnie@fishupdate.com Publisher: Alister Bennett

Tel: +44(0) 131 551 1000 Fax: +44(0) 131 551 7901 email: jhjul@fishupdate.com

27 Training & Education

Subscriptions

Welcome - Mar.indd 3

28-31 Training & Education Dawnfresh

New partnership

60 Retail News

Sustainable Sainsbury’s

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Stirling study tour

Scottish showcase

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Janet Brown

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Lantra

New farm, new role

month is a long time in the aquaculture industry, although the pace may seem slow at remote farms. Much happens between one issue of Fish Farmer and the next and the past four weeks have been no exception.

News of a change in management at the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation caught many by surprise. However, chief executive Scott Landsburgh, who announced his retirement, is not leaving immediately, and the new (interim) chair, Gilpin Bradley, is well known in salmon circles, so a level of continuity will be maintained.

More worryingly, the sector has come under renewed attack from a small but vocal group of anti-aquaculture lobbyists. It would be easy to dismiss the bad publicity, especially when it emanates from dubious sources. Nevertheless, a better approach might be to counter the criticism by setting the record straight and telling the story about the importance of this industry, locally and globally. That is easier said than done but, as scientists involved in controversial GM experiments reveal, engaging in debate can help change perceptions (see pages 18-19).

The main focus of our March magazine, though, is the next generation. We look at the development of skills provision that will equip new and existing recruits to work in this industry and lead it through its next phase of growth.

Cover: Students from Stirling University on a study tour of the west coast

34-35 Training & Education

14-16 Wester Ross Fisheries

JENNY HJUL – EDITOR

Fish Farmer is now on Facebook and Twitter

Contents – Editor’s Welcome

63-65 Aqua Source Directory

Find all you need for the industry

32-33 Training & Education Harper Adams University

66 Opinion

By Nick Joy

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06/03/2017 16:32:13

United Kingdom News

NEWS...

Marine Harvest welcomes Scottish feed plant approval MARINE Harvest secured planning approval for its Sottish feed plant on Skye, following a meeting of Highland Council last month.

Construction of the £93 million facility will start by the end of March and is expected to be completed during 2018.

The state of the art feed plant will employ 55 people and will be one of the most efficient and sustainable fish feed plants globally, said the company.

Above: Marine Harvest plans one of the world’s most sustainable feed plants

The salmon farmer also intends to go ahead with building a visitor centre on Skye and already has

a site earmarked and is currently looking at architect plans.

Marine Harvest also announced it would

Hope for growth at aquaculture meeting THE first meeting of the new aquaculture Industry Leadership Group discussed challenges and opportunities for the sector, looking at how it can grow sustainably between now and 2030.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing attended the meeting, held in Inverness on February 27, after being involved in establishing the landmark leadership group, created to oversee the future of Scotland’s aquaculture industry and double its contribution to the Scottish economy to £3.6 billion a year.

The ILG, co-chaired by Gael Force Group’s Stewart Graham and

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Scottish Sea Farm’s Jim Gallagher, examined opportunities to help sustain growth, particularly in rural and coastal areas, and boost longterm employment.

It focused on subjects ranging from: the need for proportionate regulation and a more enabling approach from regulators; the strong sustainability credentials of Scottish aquaculture; the growing global demand for protein and Scottish aquaculture’s potential to play a world leading role in providing resource efficient food; the launch of a roadmap for innovation to 2030; the ongoing work and investment by the aquaculture industry to address biological challenges; next steps in delivering the recommendations of the 2030 strategy, and progress on that to date.

The minister welcomed the aspirations to support an industry currently worth £1.8 billion to Scotland’s economy, while recognising the need to address the biological and environmental challenges.

start to investigate the business case for a small scale fish meal and fish oil plant in Scotland.

Bjorn Erik Flem, managing director of Marine Harvest Ingredients, said: ‘We are seeing rapidly increasing demand for salmon meal and salmon oil in sectors such as pet food and

human nutrition, due to the health benefits associated with omega-3 fish oils.

‘At the same time, we see the current solution for salmon mortality is expensive and not as sustainable as we would like. I am confident we can do this better and as we integrate the business in Scotland, we must create an efficient and circular green economy.

‘Firstly, we can produce fish feed or fishmeal/fish oil from salmon by-products such as heads, guts and backbones. Then, in addition, we can generate e biogas from salmon mortality in one part of the plant to use as an energy source for the production of

the fish meal or oil in another part of the plant.’

Marine Harvest first announced its plans to build a feed plant in Scotland early last year.

The site at Altanavaig (or Allt Anavig) quarry at Kyleakin is more than large enough to accommodate the development which will include the feed plant itself as well as raw material storage silos, product storage and packaging, a loading area and car parking.

Managing director Ben Hadfield said: ‘I’m delighted with the positive decision from the local authority and even more heartened by the overwhelming support we have had from the local community.’

No truth in antibiotic claims ANTIBIOTIC use in salmon farming remains low and does not pose a risk to human health, according to the Scottish government.

‘Antibiotics are not used on a long-term basis but intermittently for short periods – five to 14 days – to control outbreaks of disease,’ said a government spokesman, in response to claims by anti-salmon farming campaigners.

Figures produced by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) have been ‘skewed’ by campaigners to suit their agenda, said the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organ-

isation chief executive Scott Landsburgh. ‘False and unfounded accusations have the potential to damage the reputation of the UK’s favourite fish – and Scotland’s largest food export, which is often seen as the pillar of Scotland’s rural economy.’

Sepa’s figures include several drugs which are not antibiotics.

They also reflect the total weight of drugs prescribed, rather than actually used, including any active antibiotic ingredients.

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 16:30:08

All the latest industry news from the UK

Changes at the top of Scottish salmon THE Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation has announced that its chief executive and chairman will both be leaving the group, following a recent strategic review.

Scott Landsburgh, who has been chief executive of the SSPO for the past eight years, is to retire, although he has been asked to stay on, possibly for another year, during the transition process.

Meanwhile, Anne MacColl, who was recruited from Scottish Development International to chair the SSPO, is standing down, less than a year after her appointment.

An experienced director from the industry, Gilpin Bradley of Wester Ross Fisheries, is to assume the chair of the organisation this month to see it through this period of change.

Bradley thanked MacColl for her services and contribution as chair.

‘The board is grateful to Anne MacColl for her work as chair of the SSPO during the past year and wishes her well for the future.’

Recruitment to find Landsburgh’s successor will commence in the spring.

He said: ‘It’s a great job and a fascinating industry. It has real ambition and the capital to achieve its ambitions.

‘The challenge facing my successor is delivering a public acceptance for this ambition of

Above: SSPO boss Scott Landsburgh is due to retire

the industry to grow. I know he or she will get as much help as they can from members of the industry.

‘As we embark on our path to exit the European Union, I feel proud to have played a part in helping farmed salmon become Scotland’s largest food export.

‘This is, therefore, an opportune time for me

Health issues hit SSC growth hopes

THE Scottish Salmon Company said biological challenges and mortalities contributed to a drop in harvest volumes and a rise in operating costs in its final quarter of 2016.

Strong market prices resulted in year on year growth, with revenue reaching £110.0 million for the year, compared to £100.4 million in 2015, but the company reported an average EBIT/kg of £-0.17.

Revenues for the quarter were £27.2 million (Q4 2015: £23.9 million) on harvested volumes of 5,733 tonnes (Q4 2015: 6,059 tonnes).

Operating costs rose by 15 per cent, from £22.7 million to £26 million in the fourth quarter, said the SSC in its Q4 report.

Throughout Q4 the company focused on increasing capacity and improving operational efficiency.

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Trials on its new harvest station in Ardyne, Argyll, were completed during the quarter and the facility became fully operational in January, along with the company’s new well boat, the Ronja Supporter. Both of these investments will allow greater capacity and flexibility and improve speed to market, said the SSC. The 1,800-tonne well boat, leased from Solvtrans, is almost double the size of its sister ship, the Ronja Viking, which is used in the SSC’s farms in the Hebrides.

The SSC consolidated a number of smaller farms in the north region into a single 3,400 tonne operating site, to improve efficiencies and economies of scale.

Export sales accounted for 44 per cent of output, an increase of seven per cent.

CEO Craig Anderson said: ‘Taking into account the consequences of the current biological challenges, we are now guiding harvest volumes of 25,000 tonnes volumes for 2017.’

to hand over the reins to ensure we continue to enjoy this success in European, UK and overseas markets post Brexit.

‘This is an industry of which Scotland should be proud. I am delighted to have contributed to its success over the past eight and a half years and look forward to seeing it continue to flourish in the future.’

Faith in Fusion for offshore site LOCH Duart has placed a major order with Fusion Marine to equip its exposed offshore site at Lochmaddy, North Uist.

The contract for 12 Triton 400mm 80m circumference pens and net support wheels follows on from a previous order in 2014 for Oceanflex 315mm 80m pens for the company’s Oldany site in Sutherland.

According to Mark Warrington, Loch Duart director of operations, it was the excellent performance of this equipment which led to this latest order for North Uist.

‘Once again, Loch Duart chose Fusion Marine based on their

competitive pricing, proven performance and reliability, along with excellent customer service and assistance in coming up with the best option for one of our more exposed sea sites in Uist,’ he said.

‘Our site in Sutherland has similar conditions and the proven reliability of the Fusion Marine equipment there played a major role in our decision making process.’

The pens are currently under construction at Fusion Marine’s coastal base at Barcaldine in Argyll and they are expected to be delivered during the first quarter of this year.

Above: Iain Forbes, sales director of Fusion Marine (left), and John Paul Walker, area manager (Hebrides) of Loch Duart

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06/03/2017 16:30:24

United Kingdom News

Salmon survey provides insights

Above: In the survey, 74 per cent rated a single-injection vaccine

SALMON producers in Scotland have provided insights to MSD Animal Health’s aquaculture team thanks to its first fish health survey.

With results now in, the MSD Animal Health team has been able to gain sight of what value the products used are to a business, what issues

are being discussed in the industry and where they can offer increased support and value to its customers.

More than 78 per cent of customers said Slice, the market leader of feed premix that targets sea lice in salmon, was valuable to their business.

And 74 per cent

rated Aquavac PD3, a single-injection vaccine that protects against the three main pathogens affecting salmon in the UK, as medium to high value.

There was also a positive response to questions about customer service.

The survey revealed that 86 per cent

Automated net washing launched A SCOTTISH based company has launched an automated net washing machine, created by a New Zealand firm for the international market.

The AutoBoss is a ‘smart’ machine that quickly covers the net surface using a flexible range of operator-set washing cycles.

Situated in a compact, fully self-contained floating pontoon, the machine runs close to the net surface using hydraulically driven thrusters, minimising the loss of high pressure water while maximising cleaning power and efficiency.

Trimara Services of Stirling introduced the AutoBoss- developed in New Zealand by Boss Net Washing- in the North American market, following the launch of a prototype in 2014.

This was followed by field testing in New Zealand and British Columbia over the next two years.

Units are now in commercial operation in New Zealand and North America and repeat orders are confirmed for commissioning this year.

of respondents felt MSD responded in a timely manner and that 66 per cent of customers wanted to hear more about MSD products and services.

It was also revealed that additional input would be welcome in staff training, vaccination planning and biosecurity.

Dafydd Morris, business manager of aquaculture, said the team will now use the feedback to enhance MSD’s product development and services.

‘We strive to continually improve our services, so to gain insight like this is an excellent way to listen to and learn directly from our Above: The smart net cleaner AutoBoss customers.’

The world moves forward

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We in Steinsvik have worked with feeding systems since the 80s. Time after time, systems like Are 126, MultiFeeder, GMT Feeder and FeedStation have set the standard for what is possible to achieve with a central feeding system. Around the world, our solutions are used both for land and sea based farming. Now we are getting ready to raise the bar once again.

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UK news.indd 6

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06/03/2017 16:30:45

All the latest industry news from the UK

SAIC links with friends in the north AN initiative to encourage innovation and support for remotely located aquaculture businesses was launched last month in Reykjavík.

The international partnership brings together experts from the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Ireland, Norway and Scotland, and is led by the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).

Called the Aquaculture Innovation Network for the Northern Periphery and Arctic (AINNPA), it is backed by the European Regional Development Fund.

There will be a sixmonth preparatory phase to map out current aquaculture

Above: The partners include (l-r): Jón Árnason and Birgir Örn Smárason of Matis in Iceland; Julie Maguire of Indigo Rock Marine Research Station in Ireland; Alex Leeper of Matis; Robin Shields, SAIC; and Knud Simonsen of the Aquaculture Research Station of the Faroes

innovation support across the NPA territory; identify existing and emerging opportunities for SMEs; and build a collaborative network across participating regions.

Robin Shields, aq-

uaculture innovation manager and AINNPA representative at SAIC, said: ‘We know what we want to deliver through the international partnership – namely, to offer SMEs a stronger

support network than they would otherwise be able to access, so that they can innovate solutions to existing and emerging challenges facing the aquaculture sector.

‘For the initiative to be a success in the long term, we need the insights of key stakeholders from an early stage,’ said Shields.

‘For example, regional development agencies, aquaculture producer organisations and other trade associations who can help identify the priorities for innovation and who, ultimately, will be one of the main conduits for encouraging uptake of AINNPA.’

‘Surprising’ advances in land Salmon exporters in prize line-up based salmon LAND based salmon farming has advanced to the extent that the biggest facilities will soon have the capacity to produce more than 150,000 tonnes, according to a DNB analyst.

Tone Bjørnstad Hanstad, of the leading Norwegian bank, told a conference in Trondheim that there had been significant developments in land based farming.

The company analysed some of the largest land based salmon sites around the world and identified 20 to 25 projects that will have the capacity to achieve a combined production of 150,000 tonnes.

‘We are surprised,’ Hanstad said, ‘and the main findings show that these systems have evolved much further than we expected, both technologically and in terms of the number of projects. Which projects will be successful we do not yet know.’

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LOCH Duart Salmon, Cooke Aquaculture Scotland and Wester Ross Salmon have all been shortlisted in the HSBC Scottish Export Awards 2017.

The awards, which will be announced at a ceremony in Glasgow on March 22, attracted record nominations this year, with 125 exporters representing £470 million in exports from Scotland.

Loch Duart has been nominated in the large exporter or the year category, which includes companies with a turnover exceeding £15 million.

It has also made the export team shortlist, as has Cooke Aquaculture.

Wester Ross has been named in the small exporter of the year shortlist, which covers firms with a turnover between £2 million and £15 million.

St James Smokehouse, one of Scotland’s few family owned traditional smokehouses, has been shortlisted for the most entrepreneurial export of the year prize.

Scottish Sea Farms see profits rise

SCOTTISH Sea Farms reported an operating profit of NOK 24.39 per kg gutted weight in the final quarter of 2016, up from NOK 18.59 per kg in the previous quarter and from NOK 0.82 per kg in the fourth quarter of 2015.

It harvested some 5,800 tonnes of fish in the quarter, 2,300 tonnes less than in the previous quarter and 500 tonnes less than the corresponding period in 2015.

Operational EBIT for the whole of 2016 was NOK 16.90 per kg gutted weight compared to NOK 4.50 in 2015.

The biological situation was good in all the company’s operating areas, but there was a slight rise in lice numbers in Shetland.

As a result, Scottish Sea Farms ‘increased its level of salmon-lice preparedness’, and non-medicinal delousing equipment (including a Norwegian built Thermolicer machine) has been installed in the region.

The company expects to harvest around 30,000 tonnes in 2017 as a whole, compared to 28,000 tonnes in 2016.

SalMar, which along with Leroy owns Scottish Sea Farms, had a mixed year, said acting CEO Gustav Witzøe.

‘Fish farming in Northern Norway performed very well, while the results posted by fish farming in Central Norway were affected by the biological situation,’ he said.

SalMar harvested 26,500 tonnes of salmon in the quarter, 11,600 tonnes less than in the same period the year before. Operational EBIT was NOK 557.0 million, up from NOK 374.3 million in the fourth quarter 2015.

Gross operating revenues totalled just under NOK 2.5 billion in the quarter, up from approximately NOK 2.0 billion in the corresponding period in 2015.

Although the lice situation for fish farmers in Central Norway remains challenging, SalMar has invested heavily in non-medicinal delousing equipment in recent quarters.

This, combined with improved access to lumpfish, has improved the segment’s preparedness and response capacity.

The biological situation for Northern Norway is less demanding.

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06/03/2017 16:31:22

European News

NEWS...

Go ahead for new fish farm designs NORWAY’S Fisheries Directorate has given conditional support to two experimental fish farm designs.

First unveiled last year, a joint concept by Norway Royal Salmon and Aker ASA won preliminary backing, as did Marine Harvest’s ‘Donut’ proposal, but it has ruled that in both cases additional information must be provided.

Norway Royal Salmon and Aker said their submersible offshore cages project included a high degree of innovation

and investment.

Marine Harvest said the approval had the potential to take aquaculture in Norway forward. The regulator

Bakkafrost Q4 earnings up THE Bakkafrost Group, the main fish farming company on the Faroe Islands, unveiled substantially increased profits for the final quarter of 2016, despite slightly lower harvested volumes.

The total operating EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) was 349.6 million Danish kroners (DKK) compared to DKK 257 million for the fourth quarter in 2015.

Harvested volumes were 12,900 tonnes (13,675 tonnes in 2015) gutted weight. The company said the combined farming and VAP segments made an operational EBIT of DKK 340.9 million.

The farming segment made an operational EBIT of DKK 401.6 million, which corresponds to NOK 37.70 per kg. The VAP segment made an operational EBIT of DKK -60.8 million for Q4 2016.

Bakkafrost said: ‘Salmon spot prices increased in the quarter and had a positive effect on the farming segment. The VAP segment realised higher prices, but the increase did not match the increase in the spot prices, thus the VAP segment still had negative margins.

‘The EBITDA for the FOF [fishmeal, Above: Profits up oil and feed] segment was DKK 71.1 million.’

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said the applications to build the designs that won backing will now go to the next stage in the approval process.

However, the Fisheries

Directorate said it had rejected three proposals, including Marine Harvest’s ‘Beck cage’ concept as well as two designs proposed

by Eide Fhordbruk and Norsk Marin Fisk/Stjernefarm.

The Directorate of Fisheries awards permits to operators who develop technology and solutions that can solve challenges in the aquaculture industry.

Together, Norway Royal Salmon ASA (NRS) and Aker ASA (Aker) say they have developed a new offshore farming concept that facilitates sustainable growth in areas that the technology thus far has not been able to exploit

‘NRS and Aker have an industrial ambition to combine knowledge from the aquaculture industry with offshore competence,’ said CEO Charles Høstlund of Norway Royal Salmon and CEO Øyvind Eriksen of Aker.

They added that the consent would allow them to develop the aquaculture farms of the future. By placing the farms further away from the coast, the concept increases the area utilisation of Norwegian waters.

Record earnings for Marine Harvest MARINE Harvest achieved all-time high earnings in 2016, doubling its operational EBIT to EUR 700 million, compared to EUR 347 million in 2015.

Announcing the figures, the Norwegian company said its fourth quarter EBIT was EUR 259 million, compared to EUR 90 million in the corresponding quarter of 2015.

‘Driven by high salmon prices on strong demand and reduced supply, we achieved record high operational results in the fourth quarter,’ said CEO Alf-Helge Aarskog.

He said 2016 was ‘a great year for Marine Harvest, with both record earnings and cash flow generation.

The company said total harvest volume was 99,634 tonnes in the

final quarter, a drop of almost 10 per cent compared to 110,551 tonnes in the same period in 2015.

Problems with lice in Norway was an important reason why Marine Harvest produced 30,000 tonnes less salmon than planned last year.

Harvest guidance for 2017 is 403,000 tonnes, which is in line with the previous

guidance.

Salmon of Norwegian origin achieved an operational EBIT per kilo of EUR 2.70 (1.47) in the fourth quarter, while salmon of Scottish and Canadian origin reported operational EBIT per kilo of EUR 1.83 and EUR 3.33 respectively (EUR -0.30 and EUR 0.36).

Salmon of Chilean origin reported operational EBIT per kilo of

EUR 2.61 in the quarter (EUR -1.31).

In Scotland, results in the final quarter were impacted by low harvest volume and high cost due to biological issues. Consequently, biological costs per kg increased by 28 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared to 2015.

However, the cost level improved compared to the third quarter of 2016, due to a general improvement in the biological performance of the fish being harvested.

The company also announced plans to open a new processing facility in British Columbia this year, following the recent expansion in Dallas at the end of 2016.

But the group will be delisting from the New York Stock Exchange.

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 16:26:22

All the latest industry news from Europe

Cermaq ‘positive’ about sea lice counts NORWEGIAN farmer Cermaq said the use of sea lice treatment was down in all its farming regions, and preventive measures to manage sea lice counts have shown positive results.

In its latest quarterly report, the company also said the 12-month survival rate for Atlantic salmon varies between the regions from 91 to 95 per cent.

In Norway there was one escape incident, with 400 escaped fish this quarter, which resulted in a total of 426 fish escaped in Cermaq operations throughout 2016, of which 425 were in Norway.

‘Our customers show a growing attention and interest in the transparency about the products and our production,’ said Geir Molvik, CEO of Cermaq.

‘Providing fresh data in the form of quarterly reporting is providing customers the best basis for building partnerships.’

Wenche Grønbrekk, head of Sustainability and Risk in Cermaq, said: ‘Cermaq’s approach is

Above: Preventive measures kept sea lice levels down

based on transparency, partnerships and performance.

‘We believe a company which openly reports its results also has a better overview of risk and op-

portunities, a stronger basis for dialogue with stakeholders and a better ability to actually make progress on material topics.’

Cermaq, is a fully owned subsid-

iary of Mitsubishi Corporation, and is the world’s second largest company farming salmon and trout, with operations in Norway, Chile and Canada.

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06/03/2017 16:26:53

European News

Leroy costs ‘extraordinarily high’

Norwegian salmon exports still rising ALTHOUGH average prices fell slightly last month, the value of Norwegian farmed salmon exports rose by 16 per cent compared with February last year, the latest figures show.

Total Norwegian overall seafood exports reached 7.5 billion kroners (NOK) with salmon accounting for almost two thirds. The Norwegian Seafood Council said salmon prices fell slightly but the average price of NOK 64.11 per kg was still nine kroners higher than the same period last year. During the first two months of this year Norway exported 142,000 tonnes of salmon to a value of NOK 10 billion.

LEROY, the big Norwegian salmon farmer and now trawler fishing company, tripled its profits in the fourth quarter of last year.

Thanks to record high prices for salmon, the Lerøy Seafood Group reported a turnover of NOK 4.9 billion during the

final three months of 2016 compared to NOK 3.6 billion in the same period last year.

The group achieved an operating profit before fair value adjustment of biomass of NOK one billion against 353 million in the same period in 2015.

CEO Henning Bel-

testad said: ‘In 2016, Lerøy Seafood Group achieved a record high result, and can report the highest revenue and highest operating profit, before fair value adjustment of biomass, in the group’s history, ‘We are naturally delighted with such a great result.

‘We can look back on a quarter with extremely high salmon and trout prices, strong demand but also some biological challenges and a relatively high share of contracts at prices below the spot price.’

He said costs remain ‘extraordinarily high’, particularly feed costs and the costs required to remain in compliance with statutory limits for salmon lice.

‘We have implemented a number of

The February salmon export figure was 72,800 tons in volume (broadly the same as February 2016) and NOK 4.9 billion in value, an increase of NOK 692 million or 16 per cent. As with trends in January exports to EU countries overall fell once again - by 3,900 tons Geir Håvard Hanssen Norwegian Seafood Council, said exports to the United States once again increased.. In fact the US, along with Poland and France were the biggest buyers of salmon from Norway.

However, the value of farmed trout exports continued to decline emerging at NOK 187 million

measures and expect to see a reduction in production costs for salmon and trout, but have to acknowledge that it is difficult to specify a timeline for such a development,’ said Beltestad.

For 2016 as a whole, the group reported revenue of NOK 17,269 million, up 28 per cent from 2015.

Operating profit before fair value adjustment of biomass was NOK 2,843 million in 2016 compared with

NOK 1,380 million in 2015.

The profit figure before tax and fair value adjustment of biomass in 2016 was NOK 2,926 million compared with NOK 1,321 million in 2015.

Last September the company acquired control of Norway Seafoods and the fishing company Havfisk, which has a fleet of around a dozen trawlers, and their consolidation is continuing.

netic modification should be covered by a Gene Technology Act. Until now, a fairly large proportion of Norwegian consumers have been sceptical of genetically modified products.

Any genetically modified organism must be weighed against the consequences for health, safety, sustainability, social benefit and ethics, he added.

Researchers develop sexless GM salmon RESEARCHERS in Norway have developed a genetically modified salmon which they believe could help the industry.

Described as a ‘gender free or sexless salmon’, the research team at the Biotechnology Council in Bergen says it should eventually be able to prevent some of the problems facing aquaculture.

The council says more work needs to be done, but it should be allowed to continue with its research. According to

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the newspaper Bergen Tidende, the salmon are all ‘hens’ but taste as good as ordinary farmed salmon.

Geneticist Anna Wargelius at the Institute of Marine Research says they cannot spawn with wild salmon if they escape.

Wargelius and her team believe the sterile salmon can overcome the problem of farmed salmon on the run. They can also be more disease resistant and contain higher levels of omega-3, she claimed.

Last year around

185,000 salmon and rainbow trout escaped from Norwegian fish farms. Critics of salmon farming say one of the major problems is that the salmon then spread diseases and at spawning can cause genetic changes transmitted to wild salmon.

But the research team says this does not happen with genetically modi-

fied salmon. However, under Norwegian law, carrying out work on genetically modified salmon must have special approval.

Ole Johan Borge, director at the Biotechnology Council, told the paper they are discussing whether all forms of ge-

Above: Tastes good

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 16:27:17

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06/03/2017 12:36:01

World News

NEWS...

BioMar upgrades Chinese feed plant

Above: BioMar’s Niels Alsted and Haiwei general manager Mr Liu at the inauguration

DANISH feed group BioMar further developed its market in China with the upgrading of its Haiwei plant in the south of the country.

Along with its joint

venture partner, the Chinese Tongwei Group, BioMar last month inaugurated a new production line for extruded feed and a new warehouse at the Haiwei facility.

BioMar-Tongwei has had a good start to the year at the plant, which continues the growth experienced in the last couple of years.

The Haiwei factory

is located in the Pearl River Delta in an area with a large production of, among other species, Japanese sea bass and snakehead.

Henrik Aarestrup, vice president of

emerging markets at BioMar, who attended the inauguration with Niels Alsted, vice chairman of the board of BioMar-Tongwei, said: ‘The new extruder line is part of an upgrade of the factory where we have replaced older equipment with more efficient technology.

It will make us more flexible towards the customers and allow for continued growth.

‘We expect to sell around 60,000 tonnes this year. We have a very strong team, headed by our general manager Mr Liu, in place in Haiwei, and they have already more than doubled

their sales in the last three years.’

The farmers represented at the inauguration lunch together produce more than 200,000 tonnes of fish a year, he added, ‘so we still have room for growth with Haiwei’.

The aquaculture production in the Pearl River Delta is competing with a fast urban development.

‘Access to water and space suitable for fish farming is an increasing challenge,’ said Aarestrup.

‘Our know-how in high performance environmentally friendly diets will therefore become more relevant in the years to come.’

Insect pioneer signs 200 fly farm deal SOUTH African insect feed pioneer AgriProtein has signed a US$10 million deal to build 200 fly farms around the world in the next 10 years.

The partnership, with international engineering group Christof Industries, will involve the construction of up to 25 fly farms a year, up-cycling organic waste into insect protein for animal feeds.

Using a high-tech blueprint developed with Christof Industries, AgriProtein plans to roll out 100 factories by 2024 and a further 100 by 2027.

The agreement will help bring insect protein into the mainstream of feeds used in aquaculture, poultry farming and pet food, claims the company.

AgriProtein rears fly larvae at an industrial scale on organic waste that would otherwise go to landfill, and harvests the larvae to make natural, high-protein feed products as a sustainable alternative to fishmeal and soybean meal.

The company’s co-founder and CEO, Jason Drew, said: ‘Waste-to-nutrient technology is starting to get traction and price per tonne is key in the fight to replace fishmeal. Christof’s expertise has enabled us to boost output and reduce costs, making us even more competitive and giving us a sound model for rapid global expansion.’

Christof Industries will deliver the factories on a turnkey basis as AgriProtein’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner.

The fly farms will be operated by local licensees of AgriProtein technology in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.

The contract follows Christof Industries’ upgrade of AgriProtein’s industrial plant in Cape Town, in which it enhanced existing automation to more than

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World News.indd 12

double waste-processing capability. AgriProtein is now able to up-cycle up to 91,000 tonnes of organic waste a year to produce up to 7,000 tonnes of insect meal and oil.

Johann Christof, CEO of Christof Industries, said: ‘We now have an EPC model to deliver cost-efficient, high-volume fly farms anywhere in the world.

‘The demand for sustainable insect protein is growing rapidly and as AgriProtein’s partner we will help meet that demand.’

AgriProtein’s industrially scalable solution to the depletion of fish stocks in the Indian Ocean was a key success factor in winning an AU$ 450,000 award in the Australian government’s Blue Economy Challenge in November 2016. And its contribution towards reducing waste to landfill won the company a place in the Global Cleantech 100 list announced last month.

Drew added: ‘Our mission is to find a better way to feed the world.

Replacing fishmeal with insect meal in animal feed allows the oceans to heal and reduces greenhouse gases.’

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 16:24:49

All the latest industry news from around the world

Feed focus at Patagonia research centre IN another development, BioMar has now embarked on its research programme at its new centre in Patagonia, the company announced in February.

Following an agreement in October last year with AquaInnovo to purchase and use 30 per cent of its aquaculture research and development centre in Lenca, Chile, BioMar has set a comprehensive agenda for its research activities.

The new facility – named the Aquaculture Technology Centre Patagonia (ATC Patagonia) – will focus on R&D in fish nutrition and health.

Håvard Jørgensen, global director of R&D at BioMar, said: ‘We look forward to innovating aquaculture and aquaculture feeds by utilising the research resources that are available, in Chile as well as elsewhere in the world.

‘We have set a comprehensive agenda of research projects and our agenda for 2017 is made up of research related to nutrition for freshwater and seawater species, focusing on raw material knowledge, feed model building and health aspects, mainly on salmon rickettsial septicaemia (SRS), which has caused significant losses to the salmon Above: The most modern aquaculture centre in the southern hemisphere farming sector, and not only in Chile.’

BioMar has a long history of collaboration with external research partners and its in-house research and development facilities have steadily been expanding.

ATC Patagonia now forms part of the group’s global network of research centres.

Jørgensen emphasised the value of ATC Patagonia: ‘The work that BioMar is A LEADING advocate of offshore aquaculture in the US is planning to going to carry out at ATC Patagonia will be transversal and cover diverse require- look at the industry further afield, to promote the global growth of fish ments for different species and farming conditions where our feed is utilised. farming.

‘We have chosen to invest in this research facility because we are convinced Neil Anthony Sims, president of the Ocean Stewards Institute, said that that it is perfectly suited to bring many advances in solving the challenges faced having achieved success in the States, with the opening of some federal by the aquaculture industry. waters to development, it was time to investigate the broader opportu‘ATC Patagonia will reduce the take to market time, making us more flexible nities in offshore aquaculture. and robust - all for the best of our customers.’

‘The Ocean Stewards have worked diligently with our partners in the US BioMar and AquaInnovo will share the facilities of ATC Patagonia which, says over the years to successfully lay the foundation for offshore aquaculBioMar, is the most complete and modern aquaculture research centre in the ture growth in US federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico,’ said Sims. southern hemisphere.

‘This is a notable achievement. However, now that we have established The research capacity that is not being used by BioMar will be available for a Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for aquaculture in US federal waters, developing trials and research projects through AquaInnovo. we need to consider the broader, pressing global needs – and the opportunities in this sector.’

Sims said that the Ocean Stewards will now focus on supporting offshore aquaculture initiatives wherever they may be, irrespective of national boundaries.

TASMANIAN salmon farmer Tassal’s operations were to be inde‘All the oceans of the earth are connected,’ said Sims. ‘We need to suppendently audited, it was announced last month, following legal port a more expansive, more inclusive offshore aquaculture community.’ action by the company’s main competitor, Huon Aquaculture, over An FMP for aquaculture in federal waters was set up in February 2016, the state of Macquarie Harbour. after more than 10 years of work. NOAA (the National Oceanic and Sustainability auditor SCS Global, on behalf of the Aquaculture Atmospheric Administration) is currently in the scoping phase for estabStewardship Council (ASC), will interview farm managers and lishing a similar FMP for aquaculture in the Western Pacific region. workers, community and environmental groups about the Mac‘The Ocean Stewards will pursue the broader opportunity for connectquarie Harbour operation in the coming week, the Hobart Mercury ing offshore industry partners worldwide, and for better supporting the reported.

Tassal will also destock one of its Macquarie Harbour leases after industry in other jurisdictions,’ said Sims.

Much of the next stage of being ordered to do so by the Environment Protection Authority. growth in offshore aquaculture The site was subject to 14 non-compliance issues after an underis expected to be in waters water survey in September. where there is already an active Tassal was the first aquaculture company in the world to achieve aquaculture industry, such ASC certification for all its fish farms. Certification means that Tasas in Norway, Chile, Turkey, sal’s farmed salmon operation conforms to seven core principles Left: Neil and Indonesia. Sims said the relating to biodiversity preservation in the surrounding ecosystem, Anthony Sims Ocean Stewards seek to bring water quality protection, commitment to sustainable sourcing, and together those entrepreneurs, transparency with stakeholders. researchers, fish farmers, feed Salmon farming is worth about AU$700 million in the island state, with the Tasmanian government committed to making it a $1 billion and equipment manufacturers. industry by 2030.

Offshore advocate in global drive

Tasmanian farmer faces ASC probe

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06/03/2017 16:25:04

Wester Ross Fisheries

Roaring

forties

Salmon farmer marks significant birthday with new farm and SSPO role

S

COTLAND’S oldest indigenous salmon farmer, Wester Ross Fisheries, has just announced plans to buy a neighbouring farm and expand capacity by 30 per cent.

The move will enable the company to create more jobs in Rossshire, help secure its long term ambitions for growth and meet booming export demand.

And in a further boost for the independent business, it received almost £1 million in EU and Scottish government funding last month for the modernisation of its facilities.

It certainly seems that 2017 is shaping up to be Wester Ross’s year, not least because this is also the company’s 40th anniversary. But suggest that to modest managing director, and majority shareholder, Gilpin Bradley and he says ‘don’t go overboard!’

Bradley has another reason to blow his own trumpet, having been

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appointed interim chairman of the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation last month, but he chooses to keep a low profile – though that may now become difficult.

Wester Ross farms on Loch Kannaird as well as Loch Broom, has a processing plant in Dingwall and employs around 60 people in total.

The new farm, at Ardessie in Little Loch Broom, is in fact a site Wester Ross has been operating for several years on a lease from farmers Johnnie and Clare Parry.

‘Having finally purchased it, we’re able to expand our activity there and that’s the key thing for us. It gives us security to invest,’ said

Above: Gilpin Bradley.

Opposite: Hands-on experience at Wester Ross.

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06/03/2017 16:22:44

Roaring forties

Bradley. ‘We’re planning to upgrade equipment and utilise more of the capacity.’

Funding came from the Bank of Scotland, which last year indicated its intention to strengthen its aquaculture involvement, having funded the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) for the first time.

The bank said the development of Wester Ross ‘is a strong signal of sector confidence and highlights the importance of the Scottish salm-

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Wester Ross.indd 15

the trade association plays a really key “roleI think and it’s very important that it reflects the range of views within the membership ”

on farming industry to the local economy’.

Wester Ross is on a far smaller scale to the SSC but Bradley said they have been with the Bank of Scotland since 2006, when a management buyout took place, and their support has been crucial – ‘we’re very grateful for it’.

He is also obviously delighted with the EMFF and Scottish government decision to hand out £951,309 to Wester Ross, part of which will pay for the Ardessie expansion - ‘we will spend it very wisely and create more jobs.’

Although he acknowledges that the regulatory regime is the ‘number one constraint to expansion’ in the industry, for the smaller players, working capital finance is as great a hurdle. The Ardessie site already has full planning consent but funding has been the obstacle.

‘We would wish to expand further but the

challenges that face the privately owned independent farmer have not changed.

‘If you’re listed on the Oslo stock exchange raising new capital is significantly cheaper than if you’re privately owned and rely on internal resources or external debt funding.’

Apart from opening the new farm, Bradley said any celebrations for their landmark 40 years in the industry will be held with those who matter most, their customers.

‘We put a lot of effort into customer relations.

The strength of our customer base and the support that we’ve got is a big factor in allowing us to reach 40 years, so that’s what we prioritise.’

About 70 per cent of these customers are overseas – ‘all over the world ’, said Bradley.

‘We’re shipping to the US, Dubai, Japan, China, Singapore, Lebanon, Switzerland.’

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06/03/2017 16:23:15

Wester Ross Fisheries

This month he will be at the Boston seafood expo, and in April he’s off to Brussels. Both shows ‘yield a good dividend’, but America is a particularly important export market, as the US economy grows, and the current weak pound helps ‘The thing about the American market is you’re dealing with a very highly educated consumer. They want a strong story as to why they should buy our salmon. If you can tune into that there is a big potential market.’

Wester Ross has a strong story, with what Bradley calls an ‘all natural’ approach to salmon farming generating global demand.

Above: Gilpin Bradley and ‘The fact that we’re selling to the same customers every week is bethe team. cause they like the taste of the product. We’re supplying a product that is noticeably different to the alternatives.

‘Also, hand feeding is important to them. They like a high level of fish husbandry when we’re growing our salmon, completely all natural, no medicines, and only wrasse being used for sea lice treatments.’

The introduction of cleaner fish at Wester Ross in 2013 has made a significant difference, not just in controlling sea lice but in the way the staff work. They use wrasse exclusively and are now in their third year of not having to use treatments.

‘The culture within our teams has changed dramatically and I think that’s a key consideration when you move on to using cleaner fish,’ said Bradley.

‘It’s a different mindset; the welfare of cleaner fish, whether wrasse or lumpies, is just as important as the welfare of the salmon. That’s a real challenge for farming companies, changing that culture within their teams.’

But the net result, he said, is ‘zero treatments, zero medicine, and happy fish’.

‘It didn’t happen overnight. But cleaner fish isn’t quite as hard work as carrying out treatments every month. Our dedicated staff realise it’s in their interests to make this work and all credit to our team who are making the change very successfully. It’s worked well for us and made a big difference.’

It helps perhaps that there is a wealth of experience at Wester Ross, ‘hands-on salmon farmers’ who have worked there for many years.

‘We now have some third-generation staff, which is quite an achievement. There are not many salmon farmers that can claim that.’

Bradley will not be drawn on how long he will serve as chair of the SSPO but the appointment of a seasoned industry insider has been welcomed.

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Wester Ross.indd 16

‘I think the trade association plays a really key role and it’s very important that it reflects the range of views within the membership. In the SSPO we’ve managed to do that successfully over the years.

‘We want a really strong Scottish salmon voice and I’m very pleased to be chairing a team that’s going to continue to make that happen.

‘There will always be strong views in salmon farming companies in Scotland. But the important consideration is that the trade association can come to a consensus view which reflects all interests.

‘There are only seven integrated companies left and it’s key that we have one body that can speak for them all.’

Grieg Seafood is the only Scottish firm not involved but maybe Bradley’s leadership will bring them back on board.

‘A trade association’s preference is always to have full membership so I couldn’t suggest any timing but the preference would always be to have them within the body.’ FF

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 16:23:43

Feed workshop

Will it fly?

Avian proteins could reduce costs and help the industry grow but only if the market is ready

A

n industry and academic partnership exploring the use of avian proteins in salmon feed presented the findings of its initial investigations at a workshop this month.

The broader aim of the initiative, launched last year, is to build resilience into protein supplies in Scotland, which is relatively constrained in its options compared to other salmon producing countries.

Leading the scientific team, Brett Glencross, research director of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, said the range of resources available to the feed sector included the old and reliable, such as marine ingredients, and the novel and sometimes contentious.

The industry has long diversified from traditional diets, with marine ingredients dropping from 80 per cent to around 30 per cent in salmon diets over the past 10 to 20 years, and more recently, completely fish-free feed has been developed.

The problem, said Glencross, is that the UK is heavily dependent on imported protein- of the 270,000 tonnes of fish feed used in the UK each year 220,000 tonnes was from non-UK fisheries sources.

Since most global feed commodities are traded in dollars, this makes the industry vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations, as witnessed with the pound’s

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Workshop.indd 17

Above: Professor Brett Glencross is leading the scientific investigation into alternative protein sources

plummet after the Brexit vote last June. Feed prices, already the major operational cost for salmon farmers, are likely to rise as a result of a weak sterling.

Drawing on his own background in Australia, both as an academic and in the feed company Ridleys, Glencross suggested the solution was to produce more protein locally.

‘In Australia, we would deal with this by making our own,’ he said, explaining how Ridleys bought the country’s two biggest rendering plants so they could control the whole value chain.

Alternative proteins such as blood and feather meal are widely and openly used in Australia, and in North and South America, but since the BSE scandal of the 90s in Britain, there has been something of a cultural shift and the use of animal products in feed in much of Europe, although now legal, has been curtailed.

The workshop, held in Dunblane, near Stirling

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06/03/2017 16:20:37

Feed workshop University on March 2, heard from several of the partners involved in the alternative proteins project.

Feed company BioMar – which joined forces with the retailer Morrisons, the University of Stirling, Saria, which processes animal by-products, and the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) – pointed out that the use of alternative raw materials is restricted by several factors, including a limited supply in some cases and perceived consumer acceptance.

Much of the day’s discussions centred around the latter issue, particularly in relation to avian protein.

Karolina Kwasek, product developer at BioMar, listed fish by-products, GM plants, land animal proteins, insects and zooplankton among the possible alternative ingredients for feed.

More use could be made of fishery by-products, but fishing fleets lack the logistics and incentive to bring waste ashore. Fish farming has a better record in utilising trimmings from processing.

The current focus on insects as a feed ingredient could see global production increase, but public acceptance may be a problem, despite the fact that insects are a natural food for many fish species. A recent change in EU legislation removes some of the obstacles to the growth of this sector.

With land animal protein, such as poultry, the legislation is already in place for its use in fish feed, said Kwasek. Furthermore, tests have shown that there is no difference in health or performance of farmed salmon when these raw materials are introduced.

‘This is a safe and rich protein source; considerable quantities are available; and it could reduce our reliance on imports of feed ingredients. If we could use these as ingredients, it could have an effect on feed costs.’

First, though, consumer attitudes in the UK have to be tested and a distinction drawn between the perceived risks of using avian protein and the real (if any) risks.

BioMar global R&D manager Jorgen Holm said the Danish based company was routinely using animal protein in trout feeds in Denmark, so public perceptions clearly differ within Europe.

The big retailers are sensitive, of course, to their customers’ opinions and although they make decisions on their behalf, they are weary of scare stories in the mainstream press that may encourage the ‘yuk’ factor.

When the avian protein project was first mooted, one newspaper report was headlined: ‘Coming soon to a fish counter near you, the salmon that’s truly fowl.’

Ally Dingwall, Sainsbury’s aquaculture and fisheries manager, said the negative press was a problem and the more ‘anti’ stories there are, the more they will drive perceptions over time, which could be hard to counter.

‘We can put as much information out there as possible but unless we direct consumers to it, it’s useless,’ he said.

Stirling’s Dave Little presented the results of a consumer survey to gauge perspectives on two alternative protein sources: Calysta’s high tech bacterial based feed derived from methane gas, and poultry by-products.

More than 200 salmon consumers were shown the above newspaper headline and also a video of Calysta’s production process and then asked if they would eat salmon fed with both alternatives.

A majority said they would eat the Calysta fed fish, agreeing the method was environmentally sustainable in that it helps protect wild fish

stocks. A large group said they wanted more information, however.

With poultry by-products, there were fewer in favour than for Calysta but, said Little, a majority – 58 per cent – said they would eat salmon fed with this protein.

The conclusion, at least from this small study, was that the public is not against alternative ingredients in principle. The survey also found that the country of provenance – Scotland in this case - was more important to consumers than what the fish were fed, and that presentation is crucial, as is fish welfare.

Interestingly, no one mentioned BSE, and nor was there any talk of the healthy omega-3 properties of farmed salmon, said Little.

‘I don’t think consumers are linking this [protein] at all with issues in the food chain despite having read the [largely negative] press.’

For those tiny proportion of consumers who do have concerns, there is a case for making more information available, but who would be most trusted to give that information?

The next step would be to conduct a more indepth consumer survey but, Little believes, ‘we are pushing at an open door’.

‘The fact that they [avian proteins] are in regular use in the rest of the world with no adverse effects is a good selling point.’

However, there was scepticism, not just from the retail sector, but also from some feed manufacturers.

Viv Crampton, principal scientist at Ewos, now part of Cargill, defended the widespread use of soy protein concentrate in salmon feed.

‘Well sourced plant proteins are very high quality if you know which ones to choose. Any other alternative raw material has to compete with these very good plant ingredients,’ he said, citing Ewos research that showed it was easier to produce fish free feed with just plants than with land animals.

Ally Dingwall said there was a question of prioritisation in tackling the avian protein issue above other fields of research.

But those involved in the project said they did not want this to be ‘an opportunity for innovation lost’ and would be looking at ways to move it along – preferably before Brexit sees European research funds drying up.

The project team was due to convene the following morning and reflect on progress so far.

Ideally, said Dave Little, avian protein also needs to be put to the test in trials on a Scottish salmon farm. The debate goes on. FF

The fact “ that they are in regular use in the rest of the world with no adverse effects is a good selling point

”

Be as open and transparent as possible Scientist shares lessons from 20 years of GM experiments

T

HE aquaculture industry could learn much about public perceptions from another controversial area of scientific investigation.

So believes Professor Johnathan Napier, of Rothamsted Research, who spoke at the workshop about important

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Workshop.indd 18

lessons gleaned from 20 years’ GM research conducted in the public eye.

The overriding conclusion he has drawn from his experience is that scientists must be ‘as open and transparent as possible’ – by engaging in a

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06/03/2017 16:21:08

Be as open and transparent as possible

public dialogue, by communicating, not spinning, the story and by being proactive in doing so.

He believes the debate about GM crops is ‘slowly shifting’ in the scientists’ favour, and although this is not necessarily a result of better public relations, he said they had put in a lot of effort into changing people’s preconceptions.

He told a tale of two GM trials to illustrate the evolution of public attitudes. The first, from 2011-2013, was a wheat experiment and the second, from 2014-2017, was with camelina plants (see Fish Farmer, May 2015).

The benefit of the wheat trial was more for farmers, who would have to crop spray less, than consumers, whereas the camelina project was to produce health giving omega-3.

Napier pointed out that no GM crop has ever been commercially grown in the UK, although other EU countries, such as Spain, produce thousands of tonnes of GM maize. Brexit, he suggested, may herald a change in Britain.

Against this backdrop, GM experiments cannot be done covertly. Applications for field trials must be advertised in the Times and anyone can write to Defra to object – a welcome level of transparency, Napier believes.

However, he admitted that in 2011 they were not proactive in explaining their work and in 2012 a lobby group threatened to destroy the entire GM wheat crop.

‘We realised we’d need to do more,’ said Napier. The scientists wrote an open letter to the protestors in the pages of a national newspaper and there was a mas-

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Workshop.indd 19

Above: Stirling’s Dave Little leads a discussion during the workshop.

Left: Wheat was the subject of a GM trial.

Opposite: Johnathan

Napier

sive police presence on the day of the demonstration, which turned out to be a ‘damp squib’.

But more was spent on the security bill than on the experiment and the Rothamsted team learnt from this. When the wheat project ultimately failed in the field trial ‘we made a big thing about it,’ said Napier, who was fast learning the merits of transparency.

By the time they embarked on the camelina trials they were on ‘the front foot’ and put a lot of information in the public domain.

Positive headlines followed – ‘Fish oil from GM plant to be saviour of oceans’ the Times proclaimed in 2015- and although they still have to conduct trials behind security fences, their work from start to finish has been filmed by a BBC crew (for Countryfile).

A spokesman from the Food Standards Agency, also at the workshop, said ‘the GM mailbag had abated big time over the last 15 years’.

‘We managed to get our message clarified,’ said Napier, ‘having dedicated a lot of time and effort into doing so.

‘In our experience, a lot of the opposition was focused on globalisation and its impact on the food chain, rather than on GM per se. People want to understand what the benefits are for them so it’s important to lay out cogent reasons.

‘Think of dialogue more as a tool,’ advised Napier, who also said the Rothamsted team had found the Science Media Centre, based in London, very useful in relaying science stories to the press. FF

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06/03/2017 16:21:35

Trade Associations – SSPO

Comment

BY

BY PROFESSOR PROFESSOR PHIL PHIL THOMAS THOMAS

Not quite Underpinning business as provenance usual Do we think enough about what gives the

industry itsthreats edge increate key markets?

Referendum unwelcome investor uncertainty

IA

t may not be politically correct to say so at present but farmed Atlantic salmon would on fromScotland’s my last column, there’s not month have become leading food a new spring in the step of many export without the Crown Estate’s Scots. positive February sawaquaculture Scotland’s international engagement with development team rise to its highest ever position back inrugby the 1980s. ofNow, fifth in the world rankings andcant thatpart has lifted aquaculture is a signifi of the spirits and captured the zeitgeist. agency’s marine leasing portfolio and is reguSome other things also moved forward. larly celebrated by have the Crown Estate’s Scottish The public debate about ‘false facts’ in and Marine Aquaculture Awards event. news This year’s media to have on runthe its course with nothe sign of event seems in Edinburgh 11 June was ausual resolution the problem.

Rather, itfor seems achighlytosuccessful showcase Scotti sh cepted that it is here to stay and the public needs aquaculture and a rare opportunity for indussimply to wise up to the situation. try to join together to mark its success.

As it happens, fish farming has long experience The Crown Estate is presently at the centre of the phenomenon. Some well-known anti-farmof further devolution discussions between the ing activists and their symbiotic journalists have alUK government and Scottish government. The most made a career of using dubious, discredited long-term future of key Scottish functions reand irrelevant ‘facts’ and misrepresentations. But mains unclear and professional expertise could farmers should get used to it, because it seems to be squandered in the process of organisational be here to stay. change.

The aftermath of the US presidential election Both the Crown Estate’s core expertise and has continued to attract the attention of the UK the Aquaculture arecontinued imporpressMarine and media.

PresidentAwards Trump has tant in maintaining the disti ncti ve coherence to startle and dismay. ofFollowing Scotland’s and itspeech wouldtobethe a his aquaculture very statesmanlike tragedy if they becameon casualti es of joint session of Congress February 28,politi therecal change. seems a growing feeling that ‘things are going year’s and Awards event was hosted and by toThis be alright’, that the responsibilities actress, writer and comedian Jo Caulfi eld, an influences of the Office of President are melding inspired choice by- at whoever the the man to the job least at made the time ofbooking. going She was very funny and entertaining and kept to press. the proceedings going with swing. once In the UK, a two-clause Bill toaallow theOnly signing of Above: Nicola Sturgeon did she stray, when she wondered what ‘proveArticle 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and start the formal nance actually meant’. two-year period of ‘Brexit’ negotiations with the room full of folk whose livelihoods EUInisapassing through Westminster.

It is on course to allow Brexit negotiations to 12 before the summer. Present and former begin parliamentarians have seized the opportunity to

The “ We should “suggested

be organtiming ising our appears very training difficult and to educati justify on provisions much better

” ”

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SSPO.indd 12

Phil Thomas.indd 20

proffer views for or against Brexit. However, no one is seriously proposing a rerun of the EU referendum vote so the direction of travel is firmly set.

The UK government’s objective is to establish the most unconstrained negotiating remit possible; and to convey to EU partners that it is prepared for the negotiations to fail (that is, no deal is better than a bad deal).

Few UK businesses would wishoftotheir end up with a ‘no outcome (and depend on the provenance products shedeal’ quickly sensed an auneither exporters the EU). everyone will understand diencewould response and in moved to However, safer comedic material: there arethe some logic of Mrs hard positioning in preparation for the negotiations to things youMay’s just don’t joke about! come.

However, her remark left me asking myself whether we think enough To add the to the complexity, Scotland’s First Minister, Nicolash Sturgeon, about underpinning of the provenance of Scotti farmedisfish – and threatening a second Scottish independence referendum during the course for me that’s farmed salmon. of the two-year period that of Brexit negotiations.

There is no doubt Scotti sh provenance is important to our indusUnless areusclosely in tune with SNP thinking, the logic behind this try – it you gives the edge in all our key markets. proposal is unfathomable.

Provenance can be defined in various ways but most people will agree Initially, the case was made on the basisand of outrage Scotland’s 62 per that it goes beyond the appearance sensorythat qualiti es of the final cent vote toflremain in the EUvisual was being ‘disregarded’. product: avour, texture, presentati on and product consistency However, EUfactors referendum was a UK-wide you cannotisignore are alwaysthe key in consumer appealpoll butand provenance aboutthe democratic principle that the UK-wide majority view should prevail. much more.

Subsequently, the case was presented as a response the intransigence of It reflects a wider concept of consumer quality to assurance, including: the UK government in not accepting special status for Scotland, so it could be the place where the fish is grown and processed; the professional treated differently from the on restand of the UK and seek to remain the quality, EU. integrity of the producti processing methods; andinthe Then, most recently, the case has been presented as a response to a suscommitment and care of the people involved – the professional skills, pected (but strongly denied) move by the UK government to reclaim powers expertise, passion and dedication of the producers themselves. from Scottish parliament. all this seems a little you, youadvanare In the Scotland our ‘place of Ifproducti on’ gives usfrantic a hugetonatural not alone. tage because we grow fish in the pristine coastal waters of some of Whether you ultimately believe in Scotland’s secession from the UK or not, the most beautiful and wild scenic areas of the world, and our brand is the suggested timing of the referendum appears very difficult to justify. protected by its PGI status.

It will present voters with a series of wholly imponderable uncertainties Likewise, adoption of the Scottish Finfish Code of Good Practice about almost every aspect of Scotland’s future, including its relationship with allied with the industry’s deep commitment to a range of independent the UK and with the EU. farm quality assurance programmes, including the RSPCA fish welfare It looks as if it may be putting party interests above the economic and social scheme, builds on the underlying strength of our statutory regulatory interests of the country, and the majority of voters seem unlikely to buy into systems to assure our production systems. that.

Finally, the skills, expertise, passion and dedication of our farmers If there is a case for a further referendum, it would make more sense after can be demonstrated in abundance day in and day out – and they were the outcome of the UK Brexit process is known. showcased the recent awards event.

The case for by Scotland’s secession from the UK and possible accession to the whollyevaluated. objective and forward looking, it is this third EU However, could thenbeing be properly area of provenance wherereferendum the Scottish industry has greatest scope for Meanwhile, the continuous threats are creating unwelcome systemati c development.

That is not to say that our industry’s skills business and investor uncertainties to the detriment of the Scottish econoand professional experti se are not of the highest calibre, but it is to my. They also potentially weaken the UK’s negotiating position in respect of recognise thattoo our vocati onal educati and training structures, and Brexit, and that is not in Scotland’s bestonal interests.

Throughout Scotland, companies striving to carry on with ‘business as www.fishfarmer-magazine.com usual’ will wish to see the referendum situation quickly resolved. Then things FF might get back to something like normal.

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com 03/07/2015

14:31:33

06/03/2017 16:19:52

Trade Associations – British Trout Association

Farming flatlines Euro initiatives signal yet another attempt to address problems

BY DOUG MCLEOD

E

U aquaculture production has been volumetrically stagnant over the past decade or so, in contrast to many other parts of the world, despite the injection of financial support.

This finance has come through structural funds such as the FIFG, EFF and currently the EMFF, which has a total aquaculture budget of a relatively generous 1.2 billion euros for 2014 to 2020.

Furthermore, there has been the issuance of ‘guidance’ to member states through the development and distribution of strategic guidelines on the sustainable development of the sector.

In 2002, the first publication was the ‘Strategy for the sustainable development of European aquaculture’, followed by an update in 2009 when the Commission published ‘Building a sustainable future for aquaculture’.

A further assessment and vision was produced in 2013 with the publication of the ‘Strategic guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture’, which was, in my opinion, a well balanced and researched paper which reflected months of consultation with industry and other stakeholders, and built on the experience gained from the previous exercises.

However, flatlining appears to continue to be the name of the game for EU aquaculture, much to the dismay of Eurocrats.

Indeed, a recent reorganisation within DG MARE (the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) appears to reflect a wish to have a more positive attitude towards aquaculture, by moving responsibility for the sector from the Division of the Common Fisheries Policy to a new Division of Blue Growth, resulting in a wholesale change in personnel.

In addition, the ‘Horizontal Issues’ Working Group of the recently established Aquaculture Advisory Council (AAC), the formal interface between the aquaculture sector and the European Commission, has identified an analysis of EMFF aquaculture spending as a priority for their work programme.

This project, which will involve a contracted expert, is justified as ‘the EU has spent large sums on supporting growth in aquaculture but production has not increased; why is this?’

The working hypothesis suggested is that ‘public spending cannot compensate for environmental regulation that prohibits growth’.

It should be noted that the AAC is the ‘aquaculture sector’ in the widest sense, as representatives of the value chain, such as the British Trout Association, are joined by social stakeholders such as bird, fish and environmental NGOs.

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All these organisations have seats on the General Assembly and Working Groups, with the value chain, which spans finfish and shellfish producers, feed manufacturers and processors, enjoying 60 per cent of the seats (and votes).

Finally, at least at the time of writing, comes the latest crie de coeur from EU authorities, published in the Official Journal in February 2017, an Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Removing obstacles to sustainable aquaculture in Europe’.

The committee notes that the current internal EU market totals around 13.2 million tonnes of aquatic products, with 65 per cent supplied by imports, 25 per cent from capture fishing and 10 per cent from aquaculture (that is around 1.2 million tonnes), data that indicates a weakness regarding present and future food security.

Indeed, the Committee Opinion states that this external trade balance is ‘unacceptable, both from an economic point of view … and from a social point of view, given the missed opportunities for employment’.

Raul Rodriguez of Copa-Cogeca (the voice of European farmers) highlighted these statistics at a recent meeting of the AAC Fish Working Group, and proposed a set of long term fisheries targets, namely a reduction in imports to 50 per cent of EU fisheries products consumption, and 25 per cent of supply for each of EU fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

This would see an increase in aquaculture production from 1.3 million tonnes to some 3.3 million tonnes – an ambitious target, but an illustration of the level to which EU aquaculture output has fallen behind market requirements.

So where next for EU aquaculture? For an economic unit such as the EU (population of 500 million, GDP in 2016 of Euro 16.5 trillion, equivalent to 22.8 per cent of the global GDP) to have such a limited portion of its seafood supplies produced by domestic aquaculture clearly indicates that there is major room for improvement in the national, member state approaches to promoting the sector.

As an interested observer, I await the results of the implementation of the UK multi-annual strategic plan for aquaculture and EMFF, to measure our progress towards an improved contribution to seafood supplies. FF

The EU has “spent large

sums on supporting growth in aquaculture but production has not increased; why is this?

”

Above: Improved contribution

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06/03/2017 16:18:08

– ASSG SG and SSPOTrade – to Associations into oyster growing around the globe and also an t topics of the day overview of the Hungarian aquaculture industry, which is ors respectively. beginning to evolve from production of carps to higher d we hope you’ll value predatory fish. We hope you enjoy all the changes. FF

Rob Fletcher News Editor

Shellfish – conference

has 0 years of the stry. Now ournalist, er afood magazine.

ry Board

ws

ons aculture

BY JANET BROWN H BROWN

Paul Wheelhouse is Scotland’s Minister for the Environment and Climate Change and is an MSP for the South of Scotland.

Janet Brown works to support and promote all aspects of sustainable shellfish culture and restoration via The Shellfish Team and edits The Grower.

Dutch culture The other side of the pond From sand flats and conflicts over wildlife to Can the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers learn anything from off-bottom oyster rearing 8 the way America’s East Coast Shellfish Growers Association is organised?

OD

nce again the temperatures were below freezing for the Dutch Shellfish Conference held at the Deltapark in Neeltje Jans at the end of January.

Anyone who had been at the previous event two years ago would r Robert B Rheault – more commonly have been pleasantly surprised since conference organiser Jaap Holknown as ‘Skid’ Rheault (Rheault being stein had set up the trade fair the day before so the heating of the enormous pronounced ‘row’) or Bob – set up the building was well in progress.

East Coast Shellfish Growers Association This was just one manifestation of the planning that had gone into the ols (ECSGA) in 2004 and has been its executive conference and Jaap, jointly with Cora Seip, provided a really excellent and director for six years. d truly international event, complete with two-way Dutch-English translation Skid became involved in the idea of an asvia headsets. sociation because he had been working as an The two-day conference had two themes: for the first day ‘More value with oyster farmer in a state without an aquaculshellfish’, and the second day ‘Innovation in shellfish culture’, but the pattern ture industry at the time – Rhode Island. to concentrate mostly on oysters the first day and mussels the second. rectory was ‘I had to be very active on the state level to It wouldn’t be a conference in Holland without some good meaty arguget things going,’ he said. ‘I established a state ment, but it all opened quietly enough with Aad Smaal talking on ecosystem growers’Herve association with a few allies, started asurer, Steve Bracken, Miguad, Kadri and Ken Hughes services provided by shellfiSunil sh aquaculture. writing an industry newsletter and sent it to all n: Andrew Balahura While everyone is familiar with shellfish as a source of food and as food the state legislators, brought in guest speakers withshupdate.com particularly advantageous nutriti onal benefi ts, it is important to explain wds wdowds@fi Publisher: Alister Bennett from other states where things were going work going one-mail: in building up the evidence for the many additional eco0 Fax: +44 (0)the 131 551 7901 editor@fi shfarmer-magazine.com well and where nary a negative word was system services that shellfish provide- especially to a mixed audience such as e.com www.fiheard. shupdate.com Eventually we got some traction and this one. There was a very healthy mix of shellfish practitioners, equipment regulations thatEH5 were2DL holding back ettes Park, 496fixed Ferrythe Road, Edinburgh suppliers, researchers and civil servants. industry.’ er’, P.O. Box 1, the Crannog Lane, Lochavullin Industrial Estate, PA34 4HB The second talk took us out of the harmony zoneOban, but it Argyll, was an extremely This led on to a larger consortium, with a 0) 1631 568001 interesting one, by a civil engineer, on the use of oyster reefs to stabilise sand number of growers getting together at various Clockwise from top right: movement in the Oosterschelde. of world £95 including postage.

All Air Mail.

ECSGA meeting; oyster; meetings and the idea of establishing an East When you the aphorism ‘GodLtd., created the world the Dutch creatrietors Wyvex Coast MediaShellfish Ltd hear

by Headley Brothers Ashford, Kent ISSN Drbut Robert B0262-9615 Rheault.

Growers Association was baned the Netherlands’, you realise that they have a different understanding of died about. They had seen how well organised the natural environment than other nations. the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association m The construction of the storm surge controlling dam (PCSGA) had become, how effective they could at the mouth of the Oosterschelde has resulted in be in meetings with regulators, how they smaller tidal volumes flowfocused government research dollars toward ing in and out, with key problems – they wanted that. consequent changes While setting up the ECSGA, Skid continued in deposition patto run his own company, farming and marterns of sand. keting oysters trading as Moonstone Oysters The sand flats working out of Narragansett, Rhode Island, that have been so and he is still an adjunct faculty member in productive and so the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. He established the East Coast Shellfish Research Institute and has been successful in attracting several

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ASSG.indd 22

substantial federal research grants to address critical industry research priorities.

How has the ECSGA grown and is it still growing?

We grow in membership by about 10 to 20 per cent a year and we had a sharp increase this past year, but we still only have a small fraction of the industry as members. Of the estimated 1,300 farms on the East Coast, we only have about 15 per cent. The nature of the industry is such that many farmers are very small, part-time operations who won’t pay dues. There are few large farms, and several of these believe they don’t need to join an association. They can hire their own lobbyist. important for both shellfish culture and bird life What are the main issues facing ECSGA? and this also has safety implicaWe spend a lot of time are anddiminishing energy dealing with shellfish sanitation tions. control seems to dominate much of my issues. Vibrio parahaemolyticus sandthe flatstrade mitigated a lot the of wave energy and time. We are also trying toThe rectify war with EU so we can Top left: Harvest time thus have providedwe protecti onEU for markets the last defence restore some of the lucrative connections had in five to market inundation of large areas of the country, years ago. cut We down are trying against to get acknowledgement for the ecosystem in Canadawewith the through the dyke.

There is therefore planwe to move sand services provide nutrient credit trading,a and are contruck on the from the deep channels where harvest the sandareas. is now stantlyright working to ice. improve water quality and expand Above: John Holmyard accumulati to the or sand and thenmainly to hold Are there different chapters in thengECSGA areflats members with chair for the the sand in the new position by the construction oyster folk? session Dr Nathalie oyster We represent about 60ofper centreefs. clam farms, 40 per cent oyster farms Steins WMR. Joãoindustry.

Salvado presented this information and and there is a nascent mussel Opposite: of the howabout the oyster were working, with I have Winner heard you talk at explained conferences the reefs importance of lobbysustainability one positioned to keep sand in place and one to ing – what doaward you advise?

Marinus Padmos with tohelp reduce energy striking theput dyke.

It is really important ensure thatwave the regulators don’t youThese out of Prof Aad Smaal. reefs have to be self-sustaining and he showed business.

If you are not involved in the process of writing the regula3 Belo: Ashley that from 2014 to 2016 they had grown. tions, thenTurner the lawofof unintended consequences dictates that they will BST, who gave further The next speaker, JildouYou Schotanus, probably hurt you if you don’t protect yourself. need toexpanded participate encouragement this, posing the questi onthe as toeducation whether mussel in the scientific research,on the public outreach and of your towards off-bottom beds11:24:01 could act in ainsimilar sothe theysustainable could prolegislators.

By demonstrating the growth greenway jobs, 08/02/2013 culture the Dutchand vide defence against erosion, biodiversity, seafoodfor production the ecosystem benefits, we increase can enlist the help oyster industry, withthe regulators and provide a harvestable product. of politicians when get crazy, or if we have a need of rehis wifedollars.

Lynda. Educating the Thelegislators fact remained, however, that than search is a constant task.more There is huge of sand has been from the tidaldon’t flats as turnover and they know 1m nothing about your lost industry.

If you have graphically illustrated in Eric This van Zanten time to do it then you need to pay someone tothe do talk it forbyyou. is why from the of Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and busy professionals are members trade associations. thefor Environment - Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) in his Is export a major interest your growers? on.in the market for oysters right We are experiencing anpresentati explosion With the next and finalto speaker on this topic now, so there is not a lot of surplus production send overseas, but being a lawyer, Werner Lindhout, this became much more of a local issue but conflicts between www.fishfarmer-magazine.com wildlife and shellfish culture have been an issue in the past in the Netherlands and there was talk of compensation.

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www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 16:16:46

Dutch culture

“

It wouldn’t be a conference in Holland without some good meaty argument

”

While this may seem very much a problem for the Dutch with their manmade impacts on manmade constructions, shoreline defence provided by shellfish reefs is of far wider reaching significance and already embraced in the US, so it was most interesting to hear of the success here so far.

With simultaneous translation one gets the words but not always the full meaning. But the replies from the floor of the ministry official, whose responsibility it was to deal with this case and the potential compensation, was comprehensible in any language, easy, graceful and good humoured – a masterclass!

After lunch the meeting moved on to off-bottom culture which, remarkably, is a new concept in relation to oysters in the Netherlands.

They are being forced to look at ‘such measures’ because of the increasing impact of the Japanese oyster drill Ocinebrellus inornatus, which has spread with their movements of oyster spat and aided by their culture practice of just laying them on the sea bed.

Pauline Kammermans introduced the topic with some baseline research on best practice for the Dutch situation and this was then taken further

by Ashley Turner of BST, presenting their system as developed over years of experience in Australia

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ASSG.indd 23

by Jacob Cappelle of WMR, talking on yield of mussels in delta areas.

Arjan Gittenberger of Gimaris spoke about mussel genetics, a topic that has been of great interest to Scottish growers. He argued that the two ‘species’ they have in the Netherlands, Mytilus edulis and M. galloprovincialis, cannot be identified by external appearance, but furthermore, the gene Me15/16 which he used to identify the species, codes for adhesiveness of the beard which mussels use to attach to their substrate.

Therefore, the gene can simply be more strongly expressed in areas where greater adhesive powers are required, and there will be different selection pressures depending upon what habitat a mussel is in. He was essentially arguing that since all three species hybridise so easily they are in fact one species.

John Holmyard of Offshore Shellfish in south Devon gave an excellent talk on the progress of his offshore farm, his travails in establishing it and what looks likely to be very promising progress currently.

He also showed photos that would indicate the productivity benefits that shellfish culture can provide to a previously over-fished area and it is encouraging for that reason that so much preliminary surveying was carried out. and many other countries.

John is funding a PhD programme through the Ashley also showed a neat home-made filter Marine Institute, Plymouth University, but this set up in his home town to clean run-off from presents an interesting conundrum: are positive the town’s roads. It was basically a filter system results of more help to competitor mussel farms and reed beds to keep their growing waters clean in aiding them to obtain licences or is it helpful which could well be of wider application wherever as part of a general push to encourage consumheavy rainwater can make a sudden impact of ers more of the huge advantages of eating the harvestable quality of shellfish. product? Either way it married up neatly with the He also had a very special aphorism, ‘no one opening talk on ecosystem services. makes money growing oysters!’ This must always There was further interesting discussion of prick the ears of shellfish farmers – what? No, of off-bottom culture from Kent Ferguson of GoDeep course they only make money selling oysters.

Canada. There would seem, from the choice of Avoiding LSBs also was an important element in guest speakers, that there is a real move to get his valuable advice that caused the interpreters Dutch growers to consider off-bottom culture for some difficulty, calling the long thin misshapen economic reasons rather than to simply avoid flak oysters that have been grown too crowded tofrom the environmental lobby, but clearly every gether ‘long skinny bitches’ instead of ‘long skinny country has its special issues. The photo of the bastards’! truck parked on the ice to take the mussel harvest Ashley suggested that they might consider clearly demonstrates one essential difference that setting up lines of BST suspended oysters in lieu Canada enjoys! FF of the oyster reefs protecting the dykes in the Oosterschelde. They can absorb a considerable amount of wave energy and provide a harvestable AS part of the conference this year, the organisers had invited nominations for product!

He also gave a talk on eradicating the oyster drill the most sustainable shellfish operations which is very much on Dutch minds and essential- – the companies or individuals who were ly keeping the oysters high enough off the sea bed innovating to make their business more can do the trick. If the drill is such a pest a change sustainable. The winner, seen above with Prof Aad Smaal, was Marinus Padmos who in culture practice is clearly essential. was recognised for his sustainable working The second day was more centred on mussel practices and his innovations (such as the culture and more specifically the output from ‘starfish mop’), which he generously shares research, funded by the mussel producers’ with his colleagues. A starfish mop - strips organisation. of cloth that work like Velcro - mops starfish One of the areas of concern is survival of the from bottom plots so there is less predation. mussel seed and this was tackled in the first talk

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Comment

BY DR MARTIN JAFFA

Fake excuse Sea lice are a problem for the industry but they are not responsible for price changes

T

HE year is still young but already the salmon farming industry has been the target of a campaign of misinformation and negative spin.

The media has been awash with stories that have been repeated and republished around the world with the inevitable effect that they get fused and confused.

One example appeared in the Guardian newspaper and quickly became accepted as fact, when the reality is that nothing could be further from the truth.

The Guardian told readers that they are unlikely to have heard of Lepeophtheirus salmonis and less likely to have spotted one, but this humble salmon louse is creating waves that are about to wash up on to dinner plates. The wave that the Guardian alludes to is that salmon prices are expected to soar because a surge of sea lice has hit production.

According to the paper, wholesale prices leapt as much as 50 per cent last year after problems with the parasites, which feed on the blood and tissue of the salmon.

Global supplies fell by nearly nine per cent last year and are expected to continue to fall as the problem worsens. The source of the Guardian’s information was the Norwegian bank, Nordea.

Scottish production fell by four per cent to 171,722 tonnes in 2015 and was set to increase in 2016 but the paper said the target is unlikely to be met due to sea lice. This was not helped by the deaths of 175,000 fish during a treatment with a Thermolicer.

The paper said that as a result of reduced supplies, the cost of Scottish salmon had gone up as much as 100 per cent. Forman’s, the smoked salmon specialist, told the paper that they had had to put up prices three times last year.

However, industry analysts said price rises had been slow to filter through to the supermarket shelves because fish is generally bought on contract and salmon is one of a basket of items targeted in the supermarket price war. Supermarkets keep their prices low to tempt shoppers through the door. The Guardian reported that prices were starting to go up in some stores.

As someone who watches supermarket prices closely, I can report that prices have started to move over the past weeks. The biggest movements can be found in those stores that sell salmon at the lowest prices.

The prices have hardly moved at all so far at the higher end of the su-

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Martin jaffa.indd 24

permarket spectrum. The question is whether these price rises are the result of sea lice infestation or other factors.

It is certainly convenient to link rising prices to sea lice for those trying to paint the salmon industry in the worst light. Sea lice are an issue for salmon farming and an issue that costs the industry significant sums to keep under control, but it is easy to forget in the media limelight that sea lice have been with the industry for decades and have never caused prices to rise before now.

The reality is that salmon prices have been rising for a couple of years as producers, especially in Norway, seek higher prices for their fish and have thus diverted fish away from the traditional markets.

This is not the first time this has happened.

Above: Creating waves When the Chilean industry succumbed to a major disease problem, causing production to plummet, many European producers saw an opportunity to fill the gap in the US market.

The hope was that without cheaper Chilean competition, European salmon could become permanently established in North America. At the time, most of the salmon was heading for the traditional European marketplace but this

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 16:15:34

Fake excuse

The media “has been

market became secondary as the US became the priority. Europe soon suffered a shortage and prices consequently rose and demand declined.

Once Chile recovered and Chilean salmon started to flow back into the US, European producers found that they were being squeezed and although some supplies were maintained, it was not viable to continue exporting large volumes so production was diverted back to Europe.

However, as the European market was not as lucrative, producers sought more rewarding markets elsewhere - first to Russia and Eastern Europe but then to the Far East.

Consumers in these distant markets were not used to salmon as a low cost high volume product and thus were willing to pay a much higher price. One Norwegian representative recently said that the Chinese were willing to pay NOK 100/kg for fresh salmon.

With the reopening of relations between China and Norway, more salmon than ever is being targeted at China and other Far Eastern markets.

The UK is a high consumer of salmon but it also has its own production in Scotland. De-

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Martin jaffa.indd 25

spite the local market, Scottish producers have for a long time sought to satisfy the export markets.

There has always been a shortfall between supply and demand in the UK, which has meant that the UK has imported salmon from Norway to fill the gap. This has steadily increased over the years but this year it is likely that imports from Norway will fall as salmon is diverted to other markets in search of higher prices. Inevitably, prices in the UK have risen.

Interestingly, if fish were dying of sea lice and there were less fish reaching the markets, then prices would be continuing to rise but the latest price reports suggest that prices are, at the time of writing, in decline.

I don’t think that this is too unexpected because I believe there is a price limit to what the market will pay. This is based on my observations of the marketplace. Industry analysts prefer to look at charts and spreadsheets and I think this can cloud the issue because it doesn’t take consumers into account.

Prices have gone up in British supermarkets and, in the past, my view is that they would eventually be reversed as consumer demand falls away. This year, the situation is different as the price of other fish species has also gone up, although the picture is mixed.

Higher prices across the fish counter mean that salmon doesn’t stand out as any more expensive. This is the fallout from Brexit and other political events.

Sea lice are a problem for the salmon farming industry but they are not responsible for price changes in the retail sector. This is more likely due to an increasingly competitive market place. FF

awash with stories that have been repeated and republished around the world with the inevitable effect that they get fused and confused

”

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06/03/2017 12:36:55

Training and education

Tomorrow’s people

Courses keep pace with transformation in aquaculture careers

C

AREERS in salmon farming have been transformed in recent years to adapt to the industry’s technological innovations, and with this change has come a steady progression in the education and training of the next generation.

In Scotland, the increasing importance of Modern Apprenticeships in the sector was marked by the triumph of a young farmer at the Lantra Learner of the Year awards. Jack Fraser of Marine Harvest was not only named Aquaculture Learner of the Year but scooped the overall Modern Apprentice of the Year prize, the first time the award has been given to an aquaculture trainee.

Apprenticeship schemes have helped businesses develop competent and committed workforces and enabled young people to find fulfilling employment, often in remote regions.

Over the following pages, Lantra’s Ishbel Crawford explains how Modern Apprenticeship programmes have been kept up to speed with technical developments and new legislation – and how new higher level MAs are preparing the leaders of the future.

Some companies run their own bespoke training initiatives, which can be the first stage in the recruitment process. The graduate scheme at Dawnfresh, now in its third year, gives rising stars experience in every aspect of an aquaculture business, as we found out from talking to graduate vet Harry Hamlin-Wright.

Martyn Haines describes the Europe-wide collaboration to address ‘the perceived lack of skills in aquaculture’ compared to other industries, and how a consortium of 12 countries is aiming to help the industry meet de-

Rising “stars

experience every aspect of the business

”

Above: European partners collaborate on new skill sets

mands for an increasingly skilled labour market.

The UK sector certainly punches above its weight in the field of education and research, with internationally respected universities and institutions across the British Isles.

Devin O’Connell looks at the Carna research centre in Connemara, an Irish launch pad for many aspiring aquaculture professionals, while in England, Professor Simon Davies is behind the construction of an exciting new marine centre at Harper Adams University.

A feature on aquaculture training and education would not be complete without mention of Stirling. We leave it to the students there to tell us about some of the highlights of life at the world renowned institute. FF

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Training and education – Graduate scheme

Switch to

fish

Young vet transfers skills from small animals to large trout

H

arry Hamlin-Wright says he became known as ‘Fish Boy’ at vet college once he chose to divert from the typical small animals career path and further his studies at Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture.

But while it might have been an unusual decision - he was the only one of some 115 students at Nottingham University to follow such a course - it turned out to be a shrewd move.

His future is now looking full of possibilities since he secured a coveted place on the graduate programme run by the UK’s largest trout farmer, Dawnfresh.

The company has been running the scheme for three years and selects candidates from stiff competition.

Harry said aquaculture didn’t feature much in Nottingham, apart from a few lectures on related topics, but he had kept an open mind about his veterinary options.

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‘I got to final year and I was going through rotations of different vet practices,’ said Harry.

‘My original plan was to do small animals and maybe a bit of exotic stuff as well, but I started to think about what else I could do with that degree.

‘I come from an arable farming background in Norfolk and there are parallels between aquaculture and agriculture, such as food security, sustainability, pesticides and so on.’

He then had an option to do two elective placements and he ended up with the Fish Vet Group in Inverness and Shetland Vets, both for two weeks, the latter shadowing the vet David Sutherland, who also edits the Fish Veterinary Journal.

Harry spent a lot of time on cage sites in Shetland and, already the outdoors type, found he enjoyed the work. Those weeks, he said, convinced him.

Following Nottingham, he secured a place at Stirling, from where he graduated last year with an MSc in aquatic veterinary studies.

During his studies he encountered AGD and sea lice for the first time, and went on to investigate AGD in Atlantic salmon for his research project, a collaborative effort with a fellow student, Harper Adams University, the Fish Health Unit in Ireland, the Roslyn Institute in Edinburgh, and Machrihanish.

It was towards the end of the project that he heard about the 18-month graduate training programme at Dawnfresh.

‘It appealed to me because I get experience in lots of different areas of the company,’ said Harry. ‘It’s important for me in learning how

“

This appealed to me because I get experience in lots of different areas of the company

”

Left and opposite: Harry Hamlin-Wright at Frandy hatchery

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Switch to fish

the company works – obviously I’m interested in fish health and welfare but I wanted to learn about everything.’

He is spending his first three months at the Dawnfresh hatchery in Frandy - a ‘logical’ place to start! – and then will move to the Kinnaird hatchery in Brechin for three months.

‘If you’re looking to go into industry like me, having schemes like this is very good. I hadn’t had much previous experience, it’s a real eye opener.

‘Before I started the Stirling course I didn’t appreciate how important the whole supply chain was. I was focusing on fish farming but it extends before and after that, you have to try

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Dawnfresh.indd 29

to get it right all the way along.

‘A vet can add value – you’re thinking about how the site is run, and the risk of disease.’

He said he relishes the scientific challenges of working in a relatively new industry, with much unknown territory to explore.

Dawnfresh technical manager Alison Hutchins said only ‘stand-out candidates’ are selected for the graduate programme, not all of them vets.

‘What we do within the graduate training programme in Dawnfresh is we tailor that candidate to specific projects so Harry will be taking on more veterinary projects,’ she said.

‘We’ll still give him a real overview of the

company and how it works but to keep him enthusiastic we’ll give him projects slanted towards him.’

He will get experience of quality assurance work, the processing factory, and harvesting sites - seeing the process all the way through, ‘a vision of what goes on in business’.

‘If he’d joined the company as a vet he probably wouldn’t have had the chance to do all this.’

Hutchins said since 2014 they have had some graduates who have stayed on with the company and some who’ve gone to other fish farming groups, ‘but they’ve gone in good roles’.

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06/03/2017 16:05:50

Training and education – Graduate scheme

Keeping sea lice levels low

‘We’d love to keep all of them but that’s not going to happen every year.’ Dawnfresh already employs a full time fish health manager and a full time vet.

Harry is keen to continue working in industry. ‘There are loads of possibilities but Dawnfresh are investing in me and I’d like to stay as long as possible.

‘The whole point of the programme is to learn the business from the ground up and this is somewhere I’d like to be long term.’

The company is expanding, having added on 15,000 tonnes, an additional third of capacity, in 2013. There is a ‘growth plan’ for Loch Etive (where Dawnfresh has three farm sites), said Alison, but the company is currently investigating other areas, suitable for trout farming but not necessarily salmon.

Harry believes there is a lot going for the industry and fish health is a priority for any farm.

‘All the farms I’ve been to want to produce the best fish and take a lot of pride in it. Also, from a sustainability point of view, nothing comes close. There are a lot of positives. Vets can help promote that. Working alongside farm managers and biologists, vets can play an important role.

‘It’s still an evolving relationship between vets and aquaculture – before there was a bit of reluctance to have vets involved in some companies but it’s important that we can work alongside biologists.

‘We can bring another way of thinking, we’re trained to be logical and work through cases. We’re part time psychologists in a way because you do have to deal with the owners – just the same as with pets and farmers.

‘Also, you have to be able to communicate clinical things and surgical things in a way that they understand and isn’t vet lingo.

‘At first, when I made the switch, people said you’ve spent the last six years learning about cats and dogs and cows and horses, you’ve wasted your time. But that’s not the case at all. A lot of it is transferable. You have to try to add value any way you can.’

Alison said Dawnfresh will be advertising for another graduate intake at the end of this year.

‘We’re very proud of the graduate scheme and the students who’ve gone through it are very engaged. They keep us on track, asking questions, challenging the way we do things. It’s hugely important for every person in the company to have an input.’ FF

FROM what he’s seen so far, Harry said sea lice is a big issue, although rainbow trout are slightly more resistant in general than Atlantic salmon. The strategy at Dawnfresh is to have a diversity of treatments.

‘One of the main problems at Loch Etive is the variation in salinity, so you can go from having high rainfall and not having too much of a problem and then the next year not having much rainfall. It’s the unpredictability of that. It has a massive effect on planning and managing the treatment.’

They don’t use cleaner fish because the diseases cleaner fish can carry can also be disastrous for rainbow trout.

‘We’re investigating all the other strategies - non-chemical treatments, chemical treatments, the way we produce fish, production cycles,’ said Alison.

‘Our threshold is 0.1 over 25 fish. If you’ve got cages and one cage is 0.1 we treat that cage straight away. That pen by pen strategy has been effective.’

They have borrowed a hydrolicer but availability with these and Thermolicers is an issue – ‘it would be good if everybody had their own’ said Alison.

‘We’re site by site fallowing at the moment – we can’t fallow the whole loch although that is a long term strategy. We’re keeping the fish as healthy as possible, keeping the nets as clean as possible, keeping the sites running really well and if we do need to treat, we either chemical treat or non-chemical treat, a mixture of the two.’

There is an in situ net cleaner – ‘you can’t treat fish if the nets are dirty so the guys are on it every day, cleaning clean nets – you only ever want to be cleaning clean nets so you don’t get to the stage where they’re really dirty’.

‘Our fish go in quite big, even bigger than what the salmon farmers call super smolts, so we’re already shortening the lifecycle in seawater.

‘It comes down to observation of the fish, making sure they’re eating okay and at the first sign they’ve gone off their food or that their behaviour has changed, the vets are called in.

‘We always have a slight advantage but we do a lot of monitoring and testing and have very low levels now.’

Harry said: ‘One of the positive things I saw about the industry before I even came to Stirling was the amount of data they collect on a daily basis. They have to look at it for very small changes – it can be the smallest indicators, a drop in FCR, for instance - and catch things before they start to snowball.

‘Also, having been at Stirling, they’re going to develop lots of quick tests, screening for certain diseases – one is a snap test for ISA, which is now used quite commonly. I think there’ll be more and more of these things that will help site managers and vets if they can be used for other diseases too.’

Off to a good start

Frandy fish closely observed from the earliest stages

F

randy Farm is leased to Dawnfresh by nearby Gleneagles hatchery Saint Mungo’s Farm. The fish get the best start in life, said farm manager Ali Sutherland, with the cold spring of water known as Saint Mungo’s Well, which is also the source of Highland Spring water.

New batches of eggs are hatched and fish transferred to Frandy, where they are dropped into a Vaki grading unit.

The unit has four channels and fish go through this and the ERM (enter-

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Dawnfresh.indd 30

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Off to a good start

ic redmouth) dip vaccination in one process that grades and vaccinates together.

It’s a good set up, said Ali, and what used to take three people three days now takes one person one day.

‘It’s a fish friendly process - the fish want to eat straight away so obviously they are not stressed.’

Frandy is a flow through hatchery with a flow of 236 litres of water per second. It is about to have a new oxygen system installed that will provide super saturated (300 per cent saturation) water into each of the 33 x 19.5 cu m tanks.

Ali decided this year to hand feed the fish at Frandy during the winter months, from about November until April or May, when the water temperature is below 5 degrees. When the water gets warmer he will revert to the automatic feeding system.

‘We mimic what the big sites do with automatic feeders and get great results,’ said Ali. ‘It makes a huge difference.’

The skills of the team are very important in ensuring little food is wasted, all the fish are fed and there is the best FCR. Harry, who takes his turn to feed the fish along with other Frandy staff, said hand feeding also offers great opportunities for watching the fish.

They feed 10 to 15 times a day, so there is a high degree of vigilance.

Ali says ‘we pride ourselves on making early diagnosis’ by watching the fish in the tanks constantly.

As soon as they show signs of ill health – swimming apart from the shoal around the edges of the tank, for instance – they are removed for closer analysis.

‘If you rely on dead fish to make a call on treatment you are already too

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Dawnfresh.indd 31

Above: The Frandy team include farm manager Ali Sutherland, Harry Hamlin-Wright, Emma Rey and Chris Edmunds.

Opposite: Harry in the lab.

late,’ he said. ‘Looking at the fish is the most important thing.’

A major disease challenge is rainbow trout fry syndrome (RTFS) but Ali says the new oxygen system will help deal with this better.

He said it is harder now to treat bacterial infections because the bacteria have changed and are more resistant. What used to take three days of treatment now takes 10 days and early diagnosis is key.

There is also a small laboratory on site, where all the team are able to check samples under the microscope. The bacteria are often a secondary thing, possibly caused by a parasite.

‘We prevent a lot more outbreaks of disease with regular health checks,’ said Ali. In the lab, they have charts of parasites to look out for and an incubator where cultures are grown from samples.

Ali says he encourages all the team to look for sick fish, then euthanise them and put them under the microscope.

‘The microscope is worth its weight in gold!’

All the fish from here are pumped into a lorry when they are 50-70g, for on-growing at Braevallich on Loch Awe, the third largest freshwater loch in Scotland. FF

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06/03/2017 16:06:43

Training and education – Harper Adams University

Launching

careers

New plans for an English Aquaculture Innovation Centre

H

ARPER Adams University in England has launched a suite of postgraduate degrees in aquaculture with a focus on fish nutrition, feed technology, fish health management and welfare, leading to the award of a masters or PhD at its developing English Aquaculture Innovation Centre.

Based near Newport, Shropshire, within a first class campus setting, students will experience academic excellence in selected multi-disciplinary subjects underpinning the aquaculture sector, with leading academic experts and links with key industries and stakeholders.

The core specialised areas will be delivered in a format comprising intensive short modules delivered in one-week blocks or, in future, via novel distance learning platforms.

Professor Simon Davies, one of the world’s leading academic experts in fish nutrition with more than 35 years’ university experience, leads this aquaculture initiative, together with Dr Therangani Herath, who specialises in fish health and disease.

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Harper Adams.indd 32

The facility will serve as a training centre for students and will be available too for contract research.

As Professor Davies said: ‘This is an interesting and dynamic time to be involved with such an enterprise in a university that places an emphasis on applied teaching and making significant investments in new areas such as aquaculture.

‘It is a worthwhile goal to create this English Aquaculture Innovation Centre for the benefit of the next generation of students and researchers, and I am proud of our achievements so far.’

Harper Adams is uniquely positioned to provide aquaculture teaching and research due to its long history of the agriculture sciences.

It has a track record in terrestrial animal production (poultry, pigs and ruminants) and related food sciences that can provide innovative approaches to similar issues in fish culture systems.

It is expected that students will gain from the latest developments in the applied science and technology underpinning this rapidly expanding sector of agri-business on a local, national, European and global scale, with expert visiting Professor Davies is also supported by Dr speakers and collaborations with industry and Stephen Mansbridge, who is an authority in mo- academia. lecular nutri-genomics in mono-gastric nutrition The MSc taught programmes and M.Res and will be involved in advance research train(masters by research) are run over a one-year ing methods and project supervision. or two-year part-time period. They also receive The university is now in the process of inAdvanced Training Partnership awards with vesting in new laboratories for nutrition, feed, associated institutions to promote modules on biochemistry and molecular analysis. fish health and disease as well as nutrition and It is also building a dedicated aquaculture feed technology with input from other leading facility for fish feeding trials to include trout, universities in the UK. tilapia, carp and catfish, as well as ornamental The modules and course would appeal to fish in the exotic animals unit. graduates in marine biology, fisheries and The fish facility should be operational in early aquatic sciences and environmental biology. summer 2017 and will comprise three separate Animal nutrition, production and veterinary recirculation systems in one building, and fully biosciences students, as well as veterinarians, computer operated control of all life support would advance their knowledge and skills in parameters. aquaculture.

“

The university places an emphasis on applied teaching and making significant investments in new areas

”

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Launching careers

There are considerable opportunities for jobs in aquaculture where, increasingly, training with experience is required and a masters is also a natural progression to higher degrees such as a PhD. A major component is the project element that spans about five months for the typically taught MSc course and around seven months for the M.Res masters, encompassing research training and the project as the main focus for the programme. These are also attracting sponsors from industry and are encouraged to give students a wider choice of topics.

The masters programmes have been fully validated academically and endorsed by industry. With agreement, many students may undertake the project phase at locations within the UK or abroad in specialist facilities or at their work place if deemed feasible.

Another focus is the introduction of aquaculture at undergraduate level with specialised lectures for final year students and placement in companies as internships.

The first internships can apply to all courses. For example, a business school student is presently working at the company Grow Up Aquaponics in London.

The placements integrate very well with the fouryear degree system at Harper Adams. Professor Davies believes strongly in fostering vocational skills and the new initiative at HAU will provide such opportunities for foundation degree students and outreach to schools and colleges alike.

Also, a new Applied Zoology BSc programme is being developed at HAU with an aquatic biology module to provide aspects of fisheries sciences and conservation with some aquaculture elements included.

All courses start in the autumn of 2017.

Professor Davies has supervised 32 PhD students and some 400 masters students’ projects and is the author of 150 peer reviewed scientific publications. He is uniquely placed to direct the new aquaculture programmes at Harper Adams University and has been in post for 18 months after 29 years at Plymouth University.

Professor Davies is also an honorary professor at the University of Nottingham and a visiting professor at Bristol Veterinary School. He is the editor-in-chief of International Aquafeed. FF

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Clockwise from top : Artist’s impression of the new aquaculture centre; scenes from HAU campus.

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06/03/2017 16:04:26

Training and education – Lantra

BY ISHBEL CRAWFORD

Level best

Modern Apprenticeships offer route into the many different job roles in aquaculture industry

F

OR what is still a relatively young industry, Scottish aquaculture is almost unrecognisable from its early days in the 1960s and 1970s, with farmed salmon now a key part of Scotland’s world renowned food industry and accounting for around 40 per cent by value of Scottish food exports As the industry has grown so has the requirement to develop appropriate training to meet the skills needs of the workforce - from practical skills such as banksman training, through statutory requirements, such as the powerboat certificate, to training to address specific gaps, such as leadership and management, right through to degree programmes in marine biology, aquaculture and more.

The industry has recognised the need for training and the finfish sector has been very proactive in engaging with Lantra and others in the development of National Occupational Standards (NOS). NOS state what an individual should know, understand and be able to do in order to be considered competent in any one element of their work.

Over the past few years, the industry has been particularly keen to embrace vocational qualifications, some of which are bespoke in-house qualifications, while others include the Modern Apprenticeship (MA) in Aquaculture, which has grown in popularity over the past five or six years and continues to develop and expand to accommodate progression in the industry and meet the needs of employers.

Many registrations to date have been existing employees rather than new entrants, as employers have taken the opportunity to address skills gaps and to support structured staff development.

However, as a route into the industry and to facilitate progression and career development, the modern apprenticeship is hard to beat.

Candidates are employed by a business in the same way as any other employee, but are also registered on the modern apprenticeship programme at an appropriate level.

Those with little or no previous experience

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Ishbel Crawford.indd 34

[Training and education – Lantra] would be registered on a level 2 MA, pitched at level 5 on the Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework (SCQF). Others coming into the in[Level best] dustry with some experience and the ability to work unsupervised would registered on athe level 3 MA, pitched levelin7 aquaculture on the SCQF.industry] [Modern apprenticeshipsbe offer route into many different jobatroles Individuals work through the programme at their own pace and their [‘Employers have taken the opportunity address skills gaps and staff meandevelopment’] learning is built to into the working practi cessupport of theirstructured place of work, ing the employee becomes competent and the employer has someone

By Ishbel Crawford on his/her team whose training has been tailored to the needs of his/her business – win, win!

Over the past couple of years, Lantra’s Standards and Qualifications’ team hasindustry, been busy consulti ng with industry to unrecognisable make sure the existi FOR what is still a relatively young Scottish aquaculture is almost fromng its early Modern Apprenti ceship is up to speed with technical developments days in the 1960s and 1970s, with farmed salmon now a key part of Scotland’s world renowned and food any new legislation. industry and accounting for around 40 per cent by value of Scottish food exports Throughout 2015, Lantra co-ordinated a review of the NOS, which was very wellthe supported by employers, providers and As the industry has grown so has requirement to develop training appropriate training toother meet stakethe skills needs holders.

Among the areas focused on during the review was ensuring such as of the workforce - from practical skills such as banksman training, through statutory requirements, Below: Registration that containment was adequately covered in all the NOS; there was a the powerboat certificate, to training to address specific gaps, such as leadership and management, right figures for the Modern particular focus on hygiene and biosecurity; and attention was paid to throughceship to degree in marine biology, aquaculture and more.

Apprenti in programmes fish health and welfare, with a new standard added to address this.

Aquaculture. Opposite A review of the Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) and Modern The industry has recognised the need for training and the finfish sector has been very proactive in engaging top: The 2016 Lantra Apprenticeship in Aquaculture at levels 2 and 3 also took place to make with Lantra and others awards ceremony.

Below: in the development of National Occupational Standards (NOS). NOS state what an sure they incorporated the changes to the NOS and addressed any other Where the Technical individual should know, understand and be able to do in order to be considered competent in any one Apprenti sitswork. issues identified by industry. elementceship of their The revised MA level 2 (SCQF level 5) had only included Emergency First in relation to other Aid as a required enhancement to achieve the MA but following feedback qualifi cati ons.

Over the past few years, the industry has been particularly keen to embrace vocational qualifications, some from industry at the review, it now includes ‘one or more industry-specifof which are bespoke in-house qualifications, while others include the Modern Apprenticeship (MA) in ic courses/qualifications appropriate to the apprentice and the business Aquaculture, which has grown in popularity over theshould past five or sixthe years and continues to develop and in which s/he works’.

This ensure apprenti ce undertakes expand to accommodate training progression in the industry and meet the needs of employers. appropriate to employer requirements.

Although the qualifications on each level of the SCQF framework are not equivalents, the framework does give an indication of the level of difficulty at a particular level. You can see, therefore, that the new Technical REGISTRATION FIGURES FOR MODERN APPRENTICESHIP IN AQUACULTURE 2009 – JAN 2017 Modern Apprenticeship Aquaculture

200910

201011

*Certificates Issued **Registered on MA

*

**

*

Level 2

4

3

3 9

0 0

0 8

15 48 39 43 39 36 23

39

Level 3

0

0

0 0

2 5

4 12

4

16

201112

201213

** * ** * **

201314

201415

201516

2016-Jan 2017 (10 mths only)

*

*

*

*

**

**

**

36 24 25 48 40 13

**

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06/03/2017 16:02:22

Level best

“

Employers have taken the opportunity to address skills gaps and support structured staff development

”

Apprenticeship in Aquaculture is a Higher Education level qualification.

With the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and University of Highlands and Islands (UHI) approval in place, NAFC is the first training provider to pick up the challenge of developing the teaching and learning materials to deliver the new, higher level award. (See page 46.)

Sitting in the wings, meantime, is talk of Foundation Apprenticeships.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) will commission development of these apprenticeships, which are linked to growth sectors of the Scottish economy and which are being phased in, industry by industry.

It is SDS’ ambition to have them part of every school’s offer by 2020.

Lantra understands that SDS will start to look at Foundation Apprenticeships in the food and drink sector from 2017-2018, potentially including one or more to support the land-based and aquaculture sector – we will keep abreast of developments and will help spread the news.

A number of schools are offering the National Progression Award at SCQF levels 4 and 5 to pupils in S3 and S4, which they complete under the Skills for Work programme and which offers work based experience and a flavour of what a career in the industry might involve.

With so many levels as a starting point, as well as supporting candidates to achieve a nationally recognised qualification, the Modern Apprenticeship offers a route into the many different job roles in the aquaculture industry today.

Recognising the benefit to their businesses and the workforce, employers are fully committed to its continuing development. It will be interesting to see where it goes next. SCQF level 10…11…..??

Ishbel Crawford has worked with Lantra Sector Skills Council for seven and a half years in a number of roles. She takes a keen interest in supporting the development of vocational skills for the aquaculture industry and, during her time with Lantra, has played a significant part in promoting the Modern Apprenticeship programme to employers in the sector. Ishbel is retiring from Lantra at the end of March this year.

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Ishbel Crawford.indd 35

SCQF SQA Qualifications levels

Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions

SVQs/Modern Apprenticeships

12

Doctoral Degree

Professional Apprenticeship

11

Masters Degree, Integrated Masters Degree, Post Graduate Diploma, Post Graduate Certificate

Professional Apprenticeship SVQ 5

10

Honours Degree, Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate

Professional Apprenticeship

Bachelors/Ordinary Professional Degree, Graduate Development Diploma, Award Graduate Certificate

Technical Apprenticeship SVQ 4

9

8

Higher National Diploma

Diploma of Higher Education

Technical Apprenticeship SVQ 4

Certificate of Higher Education

Modern Apprenticeship SVQ 3

7

Advanced Higher, Awards, Scottish Baccalaureate

Higher National Certificate

6

Higher, Awards, Skills for Work Higher

National Certificate

5

National 5, Awards, Skills for Work National 5

Modern Apprenticeship SVQ 2

4

National 4, Awards, Skills for Work National 4

SVQ 1

3

2

1

Modern Apprenticeship SVQ 3

National 3, Awards, Skills for Work National 3, 3 Awards, National 2, Skills for Work Awards National 2, Awards

Caption: Where the Technical Apprenticeship sits in relation to other qualifications

35

Although the qualifications on each level of the SCQF framework are not equivalents, the framework 06/03/2017does 16:02:41

Training and education – Shetland

Meeting demand

New online welfare course makes learning even more flexible

Development Scotland (SDS).

Fitzsimmons said: ‘It should be a really interesting and challenging course for the current site/ assistant site managers and all those aspiring to have a career in aquaculture. We have responded to industry demand and so now it’s time to start delivering.

‘There has been excellent interest from the industry and five companies have asked for placements starting in the 2017-18 financial year.

‘Just like Modern Apprenticeship level 2 and level 3, Aquaculture SDS will pay a contributory rate for each student’s training.

TUDENTS can now complete the NAFC Marine Centre’s fish ‘One of the main differences between level 2 and welfare training course without attending college, following the intro- level 3 is that the level 4 is Higher Education as duction of an e-learning version of the course online. opposed to Further Education.

The course is aimed at a wide range of people working in the ‘The NAFC Marine Centre has been through an aquaculture industry, including fish farm operatives and fish transport and approval process with the UHI to gain permission processing staff. to develop and run this new course.

It covers the principles and responsibilities of fish welfare to meet the ‘The delivery will mainly be via UHI online blackRSPCA’s Freedom Foods standard and the syllabus includes a wide range of board facility and follow strict SQA assessment welfare issues, including live fish transfer, harvesting and production. procedures for the SVQ certification. Lantra is Stuart Fitzsimmons, head of aquaculture training at the Scalloway based the awarding body for the Modern Apprenticecentre, told Fish Farmer: ‘We have had 18 enrolments in two weeks and ship.’ more enquiries (developed in response to industry demand).

Candidates are required to demonstrate that ‘We are also still having excellent enrolments of face-to-face classroom de- they are competent to undertake a broad range livery as well. We will be looking to add more certificated training courses of management activities, many of them complex Top left: The NAFC Marine online as the year progresses.’ and non-routine, and will be required to demonCentre Also in response to industry demand, the NAFC launched the new Techni- strate considerable autonomy and responsibility cal Award in Aquaculture at level 4 in January. including the management and supervision of It offers progression and on-the-job learning for those in higher level and other employees. managerial positions within the industry.

On successful completion of the programme The training programme will require up to 24 months of study by online candidates will receive a Scottish Vocational Qualdistance learning, supported and assessed by staff at the NAFC Marine ification at level 4 (SCQF level 9), equivalent to an Centre.

Ordinary Degree, and a Modern Apprenticeship.

The study and assessment methods allow flexibility to fit with candidates’ The NAFC Marine Centre currently has 32 stuwork and other responsibilities. dents throughout Scotland enrolled on its level 2 The programme has been approved by the Scottish Qualifications Author- and 3 Modern Apprenticeships in Aquaculture, and ity (SQA) through the University of the Highlands of the Islands (UHI) and more than 150 students have previously completis certificated by Lantra. It has also been approved for funding from Skills ed these programmes.. FF

We will be “looking to

add more certificated training courses online as the year progresses

S

”

Prize students THE NAFC Marine Centre’s most outstanding SVQ Aquaculture level 3 student award has been won by Sam Spence, a farm worker and modern apprentice from Cooke Aquaculture Scotland.

And John Blance was awarded the Jim Tait Prize for Aquaculture for the best level 2 Modern Apprenticeship student.

The awards were presented at the annual prize giving at the Shetland centre last month.

Sam, who lives and works on Unst, Shetland, was first recruited to the industry by Cooke Aquaculture Scotland in 2013.

He successfully completed SVQ level 2 prior to achieving SVQ 3, where he has excelled in

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NAFC & Lantra.indd 36

Right: Stuart Fitzsimmons, John Blance (MA L2 winner – Grieg Seafood), Sam Spence (MA L3 winner – Cooke Aquaculture), Laurence Pearson (aquaculture trainer), Saro Saravanan (internal verifier).

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06/03/2017 16:01:05

Training and education

Double win for ‘ambassador’ Lantra honours top aquaculture Learners of the Year

J

ACK Fraser of Inverness College UHI and Marine Harvest, and John Blance of NAFC Marine Centre UHI and Grieg Seafood, were crowned winner and runner-up respectively in the Aquaculture Learner of the Year category during last night’s Lantra awards ceremony.

Jack went on to make it the double by beating off the land-based competition to win overall Modern Apprentice of the Year – the first time that the title has gone to an aquaculture learner.

The 2017 awards, which recognise exceptional talent and willingness to learn across 13 different categories, were presented to the trainees by farmer and TV presenter Adam Henson at a ceremony in Dunblane on March 2.

Jack, 22, has been doing a Modern Apprenticeship SVQ Level 2 and 3 in aquaculture through Inverness College UHI while working as an assistant manager at Marine Harvest in Fort William and hopes to become a site manager in the future.

In addition to his day job, Jack has also taken on an ambassadorial role, actively engaging with young people and promoting career opportunities in the aquaculture sector.

He said: ‘I cannot believe I’ve won the Modern Apprentice prize and the Aquaculture Learner of the Year Award. It’s a dream come true and something I will never forget.

‘The support I’ve had from Inverness College UHI and Marine Harvest has made this all possible. I’d also like to thank Lantra Scotland for giving me the chance to be at these awards.’

A PhD student undertaking a project in shellfish aquaculture won the Lantra Learner of the Year Award for Higher Education, a category supported by the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).

practical skills and written theory.

The award was introduced by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) Shetland last year to recognise the achievements of the students and to mark the role aquaculture plays in rural communities.There are 413 people working in salmon farming in Shetland alone.

David Sandison, general manager for SSPO Shetland, said: ‘The judges had tough decisions to make choosing between the enthusiastic students, who are all producing very good quality work, but Sam pipped his peers to the post on this occasion thanks to his excellent written work and exceptional practical skills. I’d personally like to

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Kati Michalek, originally from Germany and now living in Oban, is undertaking her PhD study – part of the pan-European project, Calcium in a Changing Environment (CACHE) – through the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and the Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI (SAMS).

It is anticipated that Kati’s PhD study, which examines levels of calcification and selection in farmed versus wild blue mussels in naturally varying habitats, will help increase understanding of the impact of changing climate conditions on the performance and shell production of four commercially important species.

Above: Adam Henson and winner Jack Fraser.

Right: The 2017 award winners.

congratulate Sam on a job well done!’

Colin Blair, managing director of Cooke Aquaculture Scotland, said: ‘We are delighted that Sam has been recognised and rewarded for his hard work in completing the programme.

‘He is one of the 13 people on Modern Apprenticeships in Shetland. As a company, we strongly believe that providing our staff with key skills and formal qualifications is a head start for them in the field they want to work in and a fantastic way for us to attract enthusiastic talents with fresh ideas.’

Meanwhile, John Blance joined the aquaculture industry as a career change after working in the

Royal Mail for 25 years. Employed by Grieg Seafood Shetland, he was initially based at their Setterness marine site where he undertook most of his apprenticeship training. He has recently transferred to work in NAFC’s marine hatchery to rear lumpsuckers for Grieg.

He was also a prize winner in the 2017 Lantra land-based and aquaculture awards in recognition of his exceptional work during his training (see above).

Stuart Fitzsimmons said: ‘The standard of work done by all students studying both level 2 and level 3 has been excellent, so choosing an overall winner has been a difficult decision.’

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06/03/2017 16:01:33

Training and education – BlueEDU

BY MARTYN HAINES

Raising the game New alliance will address demand for specialist skill set

T

HE recently formed BlueEDU Aquaculture Sector Skills Alliance, approved in July 2016 in support of the European ‘blue growth’ agenda, had a very productive two days when it met in Brussels early in February.

By the end of the project meeting, it was clear that there is much for partners to look forward to from a unique opportunity for European aquaculture, which will start by putting our current workforce development practices under the spotlight.

The overriding ambition of this investigative Erasmus+ funded project is to inform the future development of innovative aquaculture Vocational Education and Training (VET) through partnership.

The BlueEDU mission Over the next two years, through extensive engagement with industry and education and training providers in the 12 BlueEDU partner countries, the future skills needs and the nature of industry demand for VET will be established.

This will be correlated to the existing VET supply, including public and private sector provision and in company training, in an attempt to future proof VET provision.

Marine cage farming, at husbandry and site

The “ European

aquaculture workforce is relatively unqualified compared to other industries

manager level, is the chosen focus and common denominator between northern and southern European aquaculture. However, once proven, the methodology can be transferred and expanded to include other sectors.

From the outset, the perceived lack of skills in aquaculture to match the growing needs within the European labour market has been the subject of much debate. This is perhaps unsurprising as aquaculture has become a highly technological and demanding occupation.

The industry requires a workforce with an increasingly specialist skill set in order to get the best from the modern equipment and digital technology that companies have invested in.

The repercussions within the vocational education and training sector are significant and some providers have already recognised the growing challenge of keeping up to date with the pace of technological change.

How has the industry been coping?

Although colleges in some European countries continue to provide an important role in educating and training new entrants as well as work based learners, many aquaculture companies have done a commendable job in establishing their own staff development programmes.

This has included the provision of in-house induction and short courses for technical updating, as well as more comprehensive company bespoke Opposite:Project manager training schemes. While some have been delivered in partnership with Vytaute Ezerskiene; education and training providers, linked to the achievement of national John Bostock, Catherine qualification, many remain uncertificated.

Pons, Martyn Haines, There is no doubt that new recruits have benefited. However, there Dag Willmann, Panos is also evidence to suggest that the European aquaculture workforce is Christoflogiannis; (front) John Birger Stav relatively unqualified compared to other industries. This need not remain the case, as by modernising the way we deliver vocational education and training to widen access to respected national qualifications, our workforce could stand alongside European counterparts with their professionalism more widely recognised.

”

Education and training providers’ perspective Added to the difficulty of keeping up to date, the practicalities of educating and training a widely dispersed workforce has been vexing aquaculture VET providers.

There is an emerging view that more could be done to increase the accessibility and quality of work based learning and vocational qualifications by modernising delivery methods.

Providers are mindful that from an employer’s perspective, as well as being technically up to date, any vocational education and training system must deliver reliable qualifications in a time and cost efficient manner.

While many are confident that the quality and accessibility and efficiency of aquaculture qualifications can be improved through the smart deploy-

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06/03/2017 15:58:08

Raising the game

ment of learning technologies, it is important that this is done with industry and not to industry, if we are to successfully change the aquaculture VET paradigm.

This is a big ask, and difficult for any provider to achieve in isolation. Collaborative development would appear to be the most logical way forward if the VET sector is serious about raising its game, assisted by a revitalised partnership with the aquaculture sector.

Innovative education and training developed in partnership The BlueEDU investigative phase will conclude by December 2018, and the results will inform subsequent bids to support the collaborative development of VET and qualifications in demand.

It is envisaged that clusters of national and pan European education and training development partnerships will form, and that a more productive working relationship between providers and the aquaculture industry will be catalysed.

Industry involvement To these ends, the BlueEDU partners will be organising demonstrations of innovative education and training methods and focus groups with industry and VET providers, in order to gather and record feedback.

Information will be posted on websites and social media to widen participation. It will require a concerted effort and a range of technologies and approaches to collect a reliable and representative data set to evidence the industry’s education and training needs within compelling bids subsequently.

Everyone in the producer and aquaculture supply companies, from fish husbandry staff to the CEO, will be encouraged to assist, so we can all make the best of this opportunity.

The BlueEDU partnership looks forward to working with its associated partners and the industry to enhance work based learning in all its forms.

Our vision is to make high quality innovative vocational education and training that makes respected national qualifications a first choice, transforming the way that we support our growing aquaculture workforce.

More information and details on the BlueEDU aims and objectives are

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available on the Pisces Learning website www.pisceslearning.com Martyn Haines is director of Pisces Learning Innovations, an education consultancy and partner within the BlueEDU Aquaculture Sector Skills Alliance, and welcomes your questions. He can be contacted by phone (01387 840697) and at info@pisceslearning.com. FF

The 12 BlueEDU countries Northern Europe: Norway, Scotland, Faroes, Ireland, Finland and Iceland Southern Europe: Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Croatia and Cyprus

The BlueEDU partnership Professor John Birger Stav, Norwegian University for Science and Technology (NTNU) and lead partner John Bostock, University of Stirling Catherine Pons, Federation of Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) Martyn Haines, Pisces Learning Innovations Ltd Dag Willmann, Guri Kunna VET School Panos Christioflogiannis, AQAURK

BlueEDU contribution to Erasmus+ Aims • Modernising aquaculture Vocational Education and Training (VET) across Europe.

• Enhancing Vocational Education and Training (VET) as a first choice, which is Priority 3 for the New Skills Agenda for Europe • Deploying the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) to enable different national qualifications in aquaculture to be compared across countries

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06/03/2017 15:58:35

Training and education – St Andrews

Aquaculture advantage Online courses offer opportunities to industry professionals

A

S the aquaculture industry grows, further learning is imperative to its success and sustainable development. Aquaculture professionals who have committed to ongoing education will have a distinct advantage in an increasingly competitive jobs market.

This can be a challenge for people balancing work and other commitments, a key factor in the success of the part-time online distance learning courses in Sustainable Aquaculture run by the University of St Andrews in collaboration with 5m Publishing.

Skills development was identified as a strategic priority for the aquaculture industry in the recent strategic growth plan for Scottish aquaAbove: Dr Neil Hazon culture, Aquaculture Growth to 2030.

Distance learning or blended learning will be crucial in delivering this strategic development priority and supporting the sustainable growth of aquaculture in the future.

The St Andrews courses have received scholarship support from both the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC).

The CSC support provides scholarships for students from developing countries that were formerly part of the commonwealth, including

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Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Lesotho and South Africa. Course director Dr Neil Hazon said the CSC now supports 15 student places in this academic year, up from 10 last year, so there are now 25 Commonwealth students on the two-year course, some in their first year and some in their second.

St Andrews offer courses ranging from an introductory undergraduate-level Certificate Course in Sustainable Aquaculture to advanced level Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MSc Sustainable Aquaculture qualifications.

In addition, modules offered within the Postgraduate Diploma are now made available for students to study as individual modules in a short course format.

This enables students to study the modules that are directly relevant to their career aspirations or current work.

If students wish to study for a full Postgraduate Diploma at a later date they may transfer their credits into a full course registration, giving them the option to graduate from one of the postgraduate courses in Sustainable Aquaculture.

All the courses are modular, part-time and taught and examined 100 per cent online, and course content covers all aspects of environmental, ethical and economic sustainability.

Students study via online lecture material and associated interactive online lessons, online tutorials and discussion groups, webinars and videos accessed via the web-based course-learning platform.

Sustainable Aquaculture graduate Matt Paget, who works at Marine Harvest, chose distance learning as he wanted to gain further qualifications without giving up work or having to travel long distances to study.

‘It meant I could balance my family life with work and gain a higher qualification all at the same time,’ he said.

‘Studying at St Andrews has helped me to develop in my current role as I have gained knowledge and self-assurance. I am confident about the impact the course and the institution will have on my CV when the time comes to progress in my career.’

Dr Hazon will be chairing a session at the inaugural Aquaculture UK Conference to be held in Stirling from June 14-15, 2017.

The session, entitled ‘Skills development, education and training: what is the industry looking for?’ will cover best practice education for the aquaculture industry at all levels, from school leavers entering the industry to the next generation of industry leaders and innovators. FF

has helped me to develop in “myIt current role as I have gained knowledge and self-assurance ” www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 15:53:45

Training and education – Students’ view

Best of the

west

Farm tour gives Stirling group taste of what’s ahead

BY VIRGINIA IGLESIAS VILLEGAS AND DARIO MASCOLO

S

TUDENTS from Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture were given a very entertaining and interesting study tour of the west coast of Scotland towards the end of last year.

Our group was composed of four accompanying lecturers and 41 students from across the Institute’s MSc courses (Aquatic Veterinary Studies, Aquatic Pathobiology, Sustainable Aquaculture and Aquatic Food Security).

We came from 23 different countries, resulting in a great mix of people from a wide range of cultural and scientific backgrounds, all conjoined in a love for aquaculture and aquatic animal health.

The tour, lasting five days, involved visiting many different facilities which allowed us to explore hands-on the world of commercial aquaculture and fish health research by meeting experts.

The tour started on the morning of Monday, November 28, when we

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were given the day’s programme and divided into three smaller groups.

After a small yet panoramic drive through the scenic landscapes of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, we arrived in Loch Fyne.

This beautiful site is currently home to a proficient oyster farming activity and the site manager guided us through the various facilities.

In particular, we were shown the harvesting and grading equipment as well as the purging plant that was at the time at full capacity.

Finally, we were shown how the oysters were selected, packaged and shipped; also many details on marketing, commercial and practical aspects of this business were given.

Our journey then continued south along Loch Fyne’s western coast and on to the peninsula of Kintyre. We arrived in Machrihanish at dinner time and we were accommodated in a beautiful hotel by the sea.

On the following morning we were taken to visit the detached research facility of the Institute of Aquaculture, the Marine Environmental Research Laboratory (MERL). Here, we were able to observe the many experimental research programmes, including trials on ballan wrasse nutrition, vaccine trials on Atlantic salmon, as well as new sea lice drug testing.

After a frugal lunch, we attended a very interesting talk about cleaner fish and their current Above: The study group at status in the industry, given by the directors of MERL and Marine Harvest’s ballan wrasse Marine Harvest’s Loch Leven site hatchery.

The latter was the focus of our afternoon visit, and here we were able to observe all the stages

We explored the world of commercial “aquaculture and fish health research by meeting experts ”

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Training and education – Students’ view

of growth of ballan wrasse, as well as inspect the husbandry equipment.

Much information was also shared by the staff on the management of the facility and its broodstock, as well as the challenges that breeding wrasse may pose.

The day finished with dinner at the hotel, followed by a few pints and a good social time with guitar playing and singing in the nearby pub!

Probably the most exciting part of the trip was the third day, when we headed out early in the morning for Ardrishaig to get a ferry across Loch Fyne, with views of the beautiful coastline dotted with salmon cages.

The friendly team at Otter Ferry Seafish welcomed us and led a tour through their highly equipped facilities. Not only were we impressed by the size of the trusting Atlantic halibut broodstock, but we also got to learn in more detail about how the juvenile production and feeding regimes of ballan wrasse and lumpsucker culture work on site.

At the end of the day, after an interesting presentation by David Patterson about the characteristics and history of the site and the farming of halibut in general, we were treated to smoked halibut and were delighted by the unique flavour.

Over the last days we were involved in several activities carried out in the sites and facilities of Marine Harvest.

We visited the processing plant in Fort William, where we met several members of the staff, including the health laboratory team, and we were taught about the different stages and machines involved in the processing of salmon: gutting machines, grading systems, types of packages and packing, macroscopic and microscopic quality control and, especially, hygienic measures carried out during the whole process.

Later on we visited the site in Loch Leven, where the staff showed us the cages and explained in detail about the feeding regimes. We could see the sea lice counts in vivo, as well as spot some wrasse in the cages.

Furthermore, we learnt about the important function of the underwater cameras in the management of feeding, and also the functioning of the slaughtering machine.

On our return to the hotel we attended two lectures, delivered by

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Chris Read and David Cockerill, Marine Harvest’s environmental and fish health managers respectively.

They highlighted the importance of both environmental and health management in salmon farming, and covered relevant topics such as site selection, the social aspects Above: (Clockwise) At involved in the setting up of new fish farms in Marine Harvest’s small communities, and the control of currentprocessing plant; ly important diseases for the salmon industry students Dario Mascolo, such as sea lice and AGD. Umi Salmah and Following the seminar, and after a tasty dinVirginia Iglesias Villegas; ner in the hotel, most of us attended a karaoke oysters; cleaner fish. event in the town’s local pub.

On our last day we were taken to Loch Ailort, where Marine Harvest has a hatchery and recirculation facility, one of the largest and most advanced in the world, with a production of 17,000,000 juveniles a year.

The manager of the site explained the function, organisation and challenges of the RAS system, and we had a panoramic view of the different components of the site.

Later on we visited the on-growing site, where several nutrition trials take place for research. The characteristics of each trial were explained and some of the vet students were allowed to dissect pre-vaccinated lumpfish to check the efficacy of the procedure.

The trip was a great opportunity, not only to get to know personally the people involved in Scottish aquaculture but also to gain experience in fish farming and create bonds that will be very useful for the future. FF

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06/03/2017 15:49:56

Training and education

Networking day Chance to meet future employers at university event

W

HAT is believed to be the UK’s only aquaculture specific careers day will be held at Stirling University next month, with a top line-up of industry

speakers.

Organised for the third year running by the Aquaculture Students’ Association, the event – on April 18 – is aimed at fourth year undergraduates, masters and PhD students wishing to broaden their knowledge of career paths and network with professionals from the sector.

The event will take place in the Pathfoot building at the Institute of Aquaculture and is an opportunity for students of aquaculture to engage directly with prospective employers.

Speakers from eight organisations have been invited to speak from all corners of the aquaculture sector.

They include Marcos Garcia from Marine Harvest and Teresa Fernandez from the Scottish Salmon Company, who will provide students with an up to date view of what it’s like to work for leading salmon producers.

Companies involved with fish health and welfare will be represented by Sean Black from Fish Guard and Matthijs Metselaar from Benchmark Animal Health, who will outline what it takes to join leading companies who find solutions to some of the sector’s most significant challenges.

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Alan Bourhill from Skretting, a leading supplier of innovative feeds, will represent the feed sector, without which fish aquaculture would not be possible.

And Rhuaraidh Edwards from Fusion Marine will speak about careers in companies that deliver engineering solutions to clients in the sector.

The key aim of the day is to encourage students to get thinking about careers and to give them an opportunity to hear about the diversity of roles available across the aquaculture sector.

Although the day is mainly focused on Scottish aquaculture, some short video clips will also identify the types of roles available further afield.

For instance, Warren Turner from Nam Sai Farms will talk about being an entrepreneur in Thailand and what it’s like to set up a large scale tilapia business.

Pietro Allasia, who works as an aquatic veterinarian for Fish Guard, met Fish Guard at the first careers day in 2015.

‘During the event, students had the chance to meet in person with some of the key employers,’ said Pietro.

‘Moreover, I was able to ask questions relevant to my ongoing job application process that improved my specific knowledge and gave me a better chance to achieve my present position.’

One of the organisers, PhD student Sam Houston, said after last year’s event: ‘The Aquaculture Careers event is a truly invaluable opportunity for students to find out first-hand about the sheer range of opportunities available across a range of disciplines within aquaculture.’

If you are interested in attending please see: https://www.eventbrite. co.uk/e/aquaculture-careers-2017-tickets-30249545204, where more information can be found.

Coffee and a modest lunch will kindly be provided by the Institute of Aquaculture and the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC). FF

I was “ able to ask

questions relevant to my ongoing job application process

”

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06/03/2017 15:50:12

Training and education – Ireland

Centre for everything Carna evolves into the most comprehensive Irish research facility

BY DEVIN O’CONNELL

T

he old Congested Districts Board building, on the end of a weather beaten pier among the barren landscape of Connemara, doesn’t sound like an appealing place, or somewhere that could grow into a highly respected and active research facility.

Yet this is what happened and the site is now home to the Carna Research Station, part of the National University of Ireland’s Ryan Institute.

Since the 1950s it has grown from a simple field station to a purpose built aquaculture research facility, hosting undergraduate and postgraduate students and contributing to major EU and international projects.

The Congested Districts Board building and adjoining pier was one of many constructed throughout Ireland between 1891 and 1923 to help alleviate poverty and encourage economic development in rural areas through investment in local infrastructure.

The board was dissolved in 1923 and by the 1950s the building had been repurposed as a field station, providing practical training to undergraduate zoology students of University College Galway (now NUIG).

In the following decades shellfish aquaculture started to become more prevalent on the

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Clockwise from opposite top:

View from the end of the pier; the orginal Carna building; the whole site; outside tanks.

west coast of Ireland. Investigative projects were beginning to appear in search of suitable aquaculture species and to optimise production.

By the 70s it had become apparent that a facility, dedicated to applied research and teaching in the fields of aquaculture and marine science, was needed. So, in 1974 University College Galway secured funding to expand the field station at Carna by constructing a new laboratory and teaching facility.

The new building was constructed alongside the old field station and used the pier to provide the base of a pump-ashore seawater system.

The site then became known as the Shellfish Research Lab. Over the years, the facility conducted fundamental and applied research in the rearing techniques of a wide range of species. From pacific oysters to the purple sea urchin, staff at the facility have provided essential research and knowledge to the field of aquaculture.

Much of the pioneering work carried out at that time is still relevant to the industry and species continue to be cultured using the techniques developed by the team at Carna. Despite the Shellfish Research Lab moniker, the facility also began early research into the culture of seaweeds and microalgae.

Throughout the years the laboratories’ remit expanded to include finfish species and the shellfish label was mostly dropped.

The most well known finfish research began in 2009 with the ECOFish and Eircod projects. ECOFish was a major EU funded project to establish rearing techniques and protocols for the use of wrasse as cleaner fish.

Together with international partners, a number of comprehensive documents were produced, including advice on the care of broodstock, hatchery techniques and health monitoring, among others.

The research has provided an excellent knowledge base for current and future cleaner fish projects.

Eircod was an ambitious project which aimed to develop cod farming in Ireland. In partnership with local business and government, a cod hatchery was established at Carna to provide juvenile fish for on-growing in sea cages. The project was successful and attracted much commercial, academic and consumer interest when the first cod were harvested.

It was around this time that the facility was further expanded with the construction of the Marine Innovation building and upgrades to the seawater filtration and pumping systems.

Carna now had the capacity to house multiple projects of commercial and academic value. The many species being cultivated on site now included numerous varieties of seaweed and even ornamental shrimp.

Much of the work behind the publication of various ‘How to’ manuals for seaweed cultivation was carried out at the facility by Dr Maeve Edwards. The ubiquitous ‘Aquaculture explained’ manual on the cultivation of Laminaria digitata is now required reading for almost everyone with an interest in seaweed aquaculture.

Both Eircod and ECOFish supported numerous internships, postgraduate and undergraduate projects. The facility’s original remit as a place of training and education was bolstered by the appointment of Dr

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Centre for everything

There will always be a need for country “specifi c knowledge as new species and technologies are developed ”

Richard Fitzgerald as training and research coordinator in 2006.

He became a supervisor for many aspiring aquaculture professionals and a great ambassador for Carna, leading the facility through various trials, tribulations and changes, until his death in December 2016.

Carna continues to provide valuable research capabilities to Irish aquaculture and beyond. The site has evolved significantly from its early days and the current facilities are perhaps the most comprehensive in Ireland.

With multi replicated tanks systems, a >20l/s UV filtered seawater system, effluent treatment and dedicated hatchery, nursery and broodstock units, Carna Research Station is an impressive asset for future industry and academia.

Recent projects include the use of seaweed in salmon diets, further research on wrasse biology and the production of lumpfish.

Lumpfish production at the site is currently headed by Dr Majbritt Bolton-Warberg and funded by both BIM (Irish Sea Fisheries Board) and Marine Harvest Ireland. The team at Carna have proven their worth by producing more than 350,000 lumpfish since 2015.

As the salmon farming industry expands in Ireland there is likely to be greater demand for a sustainable, local source of cleaner fish.

There will also always be a need for country specific knowledge as new species and technologies are developed. This gives Carna the

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potential to become an even greater asset to the development of a lucrative and sustainable industry on Ireland’s west coast.

Though it is now mostly used for storage, the Congested Districts Board building still stands on the site, a bleak contrast to the modern buildings that have appeared around it. Despite its relegation to a shed, it could be argued that in some way it continues to serve its original purpose by encouraging the development of new industry in often neglected regions. FF

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06/03/2017 15:42:19

Health – Investment forum

OYVIND OALAND

Putting technology to the test Marine Harvest’s R&D chief on beating biological obstacles

O

yvind Oaland, Marine Harvest’s global director for R&D, has a broad remit, overseeing the company’s feed and fish performance, fish health and welfare, environment and sustainability, quality and food safety, and new technology platforms.

But he has no hesitation naming his biggest challenge over the next couple of years: sea lice. A vet by training, he has been with Marine Harvest for more than 16 years and head of research and development since 2008.

Sea lice has become more of a problem but, while cautious, he does see light at the end of the tunnel through following an integrated solution.

‘I think we are heading in the right direction for sure…we have now developed more and more knowledge.’

He said they will be more dependent on non-medicines, cleaner fish will be the basis in all the farms using cleaner fish, and even greater attention will be paid to the environment.

But future strategies may involve ‘something that’s not around yet’. With his R&D role, the ‘something’ may come from his department.

‘A lot of money is invested in finding non-medicine solutions. Also, the pharma companies are investing. And then there are the new technology platforms which are emerging because of the biological challenges - semi closed, closed systems, more offshore systems.’

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We “ are not

confident which concept is the best, so we have to try several in parallel

”

Above: Animal health forum in London

Marine Harvest’s applications for Norway’s development permits have had some success so far, with their ‘Egg’ concept the first to win partial approval.

‘We have a small number of licences but they’re not finally approved and we have others that are being looked at,’ said Oaland.

Since he spoke to Fish Farmer, Norway’s Directorate of Fisheries said it would consider an application for the award of one or more development permits for the company’s ‘Marine Donuts’.

But its Beck Cage proposal – based on cylindrical cages which can be raised and lowered to prevent salmon being affected by lice, algae and jellyfish – was turned down.

The company applied for eight licences for the Marine Donut pens, based on a new typed of closed system that should prevent escapes.

They are designed in Norway and will be tested in Norwegian fjords, but can also be placed in exposed locations. Is the company confident that these type of inventions will be the future of salmon farming?

‘We are not confident that that will be the solution but we are confident that we need to test these concepts in parallel with other ways of solving the biological challenges. So we will do the work and run these trials, that’s definitely needed and important.’

A supportive government helps, he agreed, and the development licences for new technologies that require big investment are ‘a great incentive scheme in moving that technology forward’.

While the current level of innovation in Norway may be impressive, and there are a lot of ideas floating around, Oaland said ‘it’s hard to say which one could be the solution – that’s why we take the ‘have a go’ approach and try out different concepts.

‘We believe in doing several at a time or we wouldn’t have applied for several licences. We are not confident which is the best, so we have to try several in parallel.

‘We believe that all of them have strengths, of the ones we have applied for,’ said Oaland, acknowledging that there may be new diseases and new environmental challenges around the corner.

Will industry in 10 years’ time look very different or will it be more or less the same production methods but on a larger scale?

‘We will most likely see some of these concepts, complementary to the great benefits of open net pens. And we will have more big-smolt production...including in closed systems.

‘With the biological challenges we have, which are linked to the sustainability of the industry, finding solutions is the key and whether that is solved with current technology or with new technology, we need to solve the challenges independent of that.’

Only one thing seems certain and that is Oaland’s own future in the industry. Asked if he ever considered taking his skills elsewhere, he said salmon was still too ‘exciting…I don’t need another challenge!’ FF

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06/03/2017 15:28:21

Putting technology to the test

One step ahead Aquaculture is the newest kid on the block in protein production so has more to prove

A

quaculture was included for the first time this year in the annual Animal Health Investment Europe forum.

Held over two days in London at the end of February, the event was attended by around 350 delegates and drew several senior figures from the aquaculture industry, who got together at the end of day two to discuss innovation and sustainability in aquaculture.

The panel was chaired by health care consultant Ralph Sutton, who is also involved with the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI), and included Steven Rafferty, CEO of Skretting; Morten Nordstad, CEO of Pharmaq; Oyvind Oaland, Marine Harvest’s global director of R&D; and Malcolm Pye, CEO of Benchmark.

Below are highlights of the session, which covered subjects ranging from growth to the role of the GSI and how the industry can take a leadership role.

Where is the biggest potential for growth?

Oaland: Demand for protein and an increase in protein consumption have been significant and aquaculture has unique characteristics to meet this demand.

The ocean covers 70 per cent of the world’s surface yet only two per cent of protein is produced in the sea. Aquaculture has 50 per cent higher protein retention than pork, poultry and so on, lower CO2 emissions, plus the health benefits, so it is part of the solution.

Nordstad: Salmon aquaculture is well developed but other species, such as tilapia, can be grown in many parts of the world, producing local protein at local prices.

Pye: Growth rates of salmon are strong in the northern hemisphere, at around three to six per cent. But in the southern hemisphere, aquaculture growth is more dynamic, seven to 10 per cent. In the north, growth is driven by demand for fish as a healthy food; in the south, it is driven by the emerging middle class. These are big drivers of demand that aren’t going away.

Also, wild catches have peaked so all the demand for growth will be met by aquaculture.

The limiting factor is technology – for breeding, keeping the young alive, disease control, feed efficiency. If we unlock these problems then the industry can grow.

Rafferty: Skretting’s roots are in salmon but the company is diversifying elsewhere- in Asia, Latin America and more recently in Africa. The most growth will come from Africa and Asia.

How can we farm healthier?

Nordstad: Water is difficult to control and antibiotic resistance is harder to control in water. We have to take care of the environment, and maybe

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even more so in fresh water.

Pye: A huge amount of money is spent on human health and we’re on a journey replicating that focus in how we produce food. This is driven by a growing awareness of quality standards, and the first point of that journey is health. Animal health affects everything.

Oaland: The way we farm today in open net pens is resource effective but has challenges. We don’t own the farm and control it 100 per cent ourselves. It’s about zone management, with zones owned by several companies and communities. As we don’t control the environment, we need strong solutions…controlling infectious disease is the core of growth.

The GSI has a collaborative model – how effective a model is it?

Rafferty: The GSI is unique in our industry, which is a very young industry; it’s the first true attempt at collaboration in the salmon industry.

It doesn’t represent 100 per cent, but a substantial part. Producers, feed companies and so on can talk about what affects sustainability. Without healthy animals we don’t have a sustainable industry.

The GSI is looking at preventative measures and provides a real opportunity to look at the industry holistically.

Oaland: Companies collaborate – you have to solve challenges together and the health companies, academics, suppliers and farmers have collaborated for a long time. Working together to solve our challenges has a great history. We can’t solve problems alone.

In five years’ time what will the most important innovations be and where should investment be targeted?

Pye: The big area where we’re looking to see more innovation is biotechnology. There’s been a long period of amazing research, with applications created, constructing proteins, new technology platforms, deeper understanding of genetics. We need to draw all this together in biotechnical tools that offer mankind huge potential. Aquaculture is looking at this science to drive the pace of innovation.

Rafferty: Aquaculture can learn from other industries. New health tools – such as rapid diagnostics – can diagnose much faster. There are opportunities to be more proactive with new technology.

Nordstad: The whole way of farming generally, and the equipment – I’m very optimistic listening

to the animal health presentations here and think much could be applied to aquaculture.

Oaland: In five years we need to have better solutions to control sea lice. And we need better vaccinations. We are fantastic with most bacteria now – we treat one farm every four years in Norway with antibiotics. But the viral challenges in Norway need more vaccines.

As for the technical platforms we’re developing, more investment is needed.

Human health investment is huge, veterinary investment is smaller, and aquaculture investment is smaller still. We need investment from more creative biotech companies – much more attention should be paid to this, but look at the audience who have stayed! [Many disappeared before the aquaculture panel started.]

Aquaculture is the newest kid on the block in protein production. Does the industry have a tougher job demonstrating its sustainability and can it take a leadership role?

Rafferty: Aquaculture has advantages over land based farming in terms of FCRs…I’m proud of aquaculture. We have a privileged place in food production and there is no more sustainable way of feeding the world.

But we’re over-attacked by NGOs…we have some way to go but bodies like the GSI help us deal with how to market aquaculture species.

Oaland: We are under more pressure. We farm in the open environment and that puts pressure on us. We borrow the environment, it’s not ours.

We have the GSI and the commitment to the ASC which is a tough environmental standard, but we have more to prove, given the conditions.

What are the technical innovations that will be used to support growth?

Pye: We need to prevent infections without impacting the environment. Vaccines require investment in technology. We are winning but it is a journey. In the early years we used pesticides that were used for humans and in livestock farming, then we used them at lower concentrations, then we treated the fish in separate vessels.

The next stage is breeding fish that are resistant to parasites. Selection will drive this so sea lice attachment will go down.

It’s a path of development to an endpoint where sea lice is no longer a problem. We have a high profile so we have to be one step ahead of other production systems, which have been going for so much longer.

Nordstad: We’re moving in the right direction.

Working together to solve our challenges has a “great history. We can’t solve problems alone ”

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06/03/2017 15:29:14

Seafood Expo Global – Brussels

Scotland takes a stand Best of UK products to be showcased at massive European event

T

HE Scottish presence at the world’s biggest seafood show is set to outstrip previous years this April, with almost 30 companies and organisations booking exhibition space.

Many will be grouped together in the Scottish pavilion in Hall 9 at the trade event, which runs from April 25-27.

Among those representing the best of Scottish seafood are salmon farmers Scottish Sea Farms, the Scottish Salmon Company, Loch Duart, Cooke Aquaculture, and Wester Ross Fisheries, all in Hall 9. Marine Harvest Scotland will be on the Marine Harvest Group stand in Hall 5.

14

Cooling of small haddoCk sTored in iCe

12

Source: Seafish Scotland

Temperature (°C)

16

When

qualiTy

10 8 6

Flaked ice

4 2

Pumpable ice

0 -2 0

1

2

3

4

Time: (hours)

5

6

Above: The Scotland pavilion plays host to the best of the country’s seafood products.

· Super chilling fish for over 16 years

matters!

It’s very important to keep fish cold throughout processing.

· Over 300 vessels use Optime-ICE®

Also under the Scotland banner will be, among others, Dawnfresh Seafoods – the UK’s largest supplier of trout, the Crab Company of Peterhead, Whitelink Seafoods of Fraserburgh and the multi award winning St James Smokehouse.

Associated Seafoods Ltd (ASL) will be returning to Brussels this year, following a successful Seafood Expo Global in 2016, to promote the quality and provenance of its premium the Pride of Scotland Scottish smoked salmon.

The Pride of Scotland smoked salmon is now exported to five continents around the world and features on the menus of some of the world’s top hotels and restaurants.

The new eye-catching and modern look to the brand, which was launched in Brussels last year, was well received by customers and has aided sales growth over the past 12 months.

Henry Angus, export manager for ASL, says the key to the success of the brand has been a focus on the guaranteed Scottish provenance of the product, using only the best farmed Scottish salmon, which is then smoked in Scotland using time honoured techniques to deliver a delicious and subtle flavour.

‘It is all about making our premium Scottish smoked salmon stand out from the crowd,’ he said.

‘Our modern new-look to the brand reflects the quality of the Scottish salmon we use and the care and attention we take during the smoking process.

‘The Pride of Scotland is all about our pas-

You will get a better yield and a better quality.

· Used all over the world

“

Our new look to the brand reflects the quality of the Scottish salmon we use Midhraun 2

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210 Gardabaer

Iceland

Tel. 354 587 1300

optimar@optimar.is

www.optimar.is

”

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06/03/2017 15:31:15

Scotland takes a stand

sion for Scottish salmon and the traditional craft of smoking. We believe that the Scottish provenance of our smoked salmon is one of the most important drivers in developing new markets.

‘All our salmon is Scottish and only sourced from farms we work incredibly closely with and which practise the best standards of husbandry. We then take great care in ensuring we produce the very best Scottish smoked salmon – for example, we always dry cure our fillets with sea salt before smoking so as to ensure great taste and texture.’

The Pride of Scotland range includes Traditional Oak Smoked Salmon, Whisky Infused Smoked Salmon, Gravadlax and Royal Fillet Scottish Smoked Salmon.

Another Scottish company, Ace Aquatec of Dingwall, is exhibiting in Brussels for the first time, in Hall 8. The firm has pioneered a range of cutting edge equipment, from seal deterrents to processing systems, and won the inaugural Aquaculture Innovation Award last year.

The processing sector is concentrated in Hall 4, where specialists in freezing, grading, weighing, cutting, filleting, and packaging will be displaying their latest products.

More than 26,000 seafood professionals from more than 144 countries typically visit Seafood Expo Global, staged at the Brussels Expo, with around 1,700 taking stands. Fish Farmer will be there again this year to report on all the latest seafood news from Europe and beyond. FF

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A brand new concept that has already proven itself in the skinning industry.

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ls se s u 1 Br 620 t a us h 4 t si t Vi Boo

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07/03/2017 09:22:53

Seafood Expo Global – Brussels

Above: The Expo in Brussels showcases seafood from around the world. Previous exhibitions have attracted more than 26,000 seafood professionals and exhibitors from 144 countries.

FISHmachinery.com bringing buyers and sellers together online

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06/03/2017 15:32:51

Processing – Knuro advertorial

Clean machine Enhancing efficiency in salmon and trout production lines

A

N ingenious cleaning machine for salmon and trout processing, launched 13 years ago in Bergen, has become a huge success, prompting Knuro AS to focus fully on enhancing the efficiency of entire production lines.

Knuro’s history started out with the cleaning of farmed fish. Machines gutted the fish automatically, but clearing innard remains and removing bloody membranes was done manually.

That’s when electricians and inventors Knut Inge Seim and Ronny Solberg, at the request of Sekkingstad AS, were challenged to improve this section of the gutting process.

Patented fish cleaner ‘We developed and patented an automatic fish cleaner. The machine was such an incredible success that copies quickly turned up in processing plants elsewhere, and we were forced to defend our patent. As at today’s date we have supplied 120 machines and counting,’ said manager Knut Inge Seim.

‘We have expanded the product range with software and services to raise efficiency at processing plants.’

Research and development manager Ronny Solberg said: ‘Research and further development is the key factor for our enterprise. Our aim is to be renowned for reliable and speedy customer support and being a stable cooperating partner.’

Hands-on installation The two founders, together with sales manager Oddvar Raunholm, comprise the total staff and ownership of Knuro. The company base deliveries mainly through sub-contractors, so the enterprise provides employment to many more in Scandinavia than the three Knuro colleagues.

‘Installation and testing is our responsibility so customers can be certain the installations function as they should,’ said Raunholm. ‘Proximity to and knowledge of the slaughter process is the core competency for Knuro.’

Tasmania and Canada Their order reserve is solid. On the customer list are heavyweights such as Marine Harvest, Leroy Seafood, Firda Fiskefarm, Slakteriet AS and

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Knuro - PED.indd 51

Sjotroll, and also Huon Aqua in Tasmania and Marine Harvest Canada.

‘In operations with one shift, the investment will have paid for itself in less than a year and a half, said Seim. ‘The Australian and Canadian orders are an exciting breakthrough for us on the global market.’

Above: (Left to right) Oddvar Raunholm, Ronny Solberg and Knut Inge Seim.

Electronic analysis equipment The Cleaner Machine also contains electronics that supply data continuously to the programme Knuro Analysis.

‘The analysis instrument collects and processes data, raising productivity and efficiency, leading to cost savings,’ said Seim.

Solberg added: ‘We’ve also developed the management system Knuro ‘The Boss’. It provides a graphic overview of production and you can manage the whole plant through the system.

‘We now have ‘The Boss’ operating in five factories. We adapt the system to the customers’ requirements, providing a unique overview and management of all processes.’

Latest news Knuro has developed a new fish counter in cooperation with Bekas AS in Bergen. With a precision rate of more than 98 per cent, these are already being snapped up by customers, said the company Knuro will be exhibiting at Seafood Expo Global in Brussels on stand 4 – 5857. FF

adapt “theWesystem

to the customers’ requirements, providing a unique overview and management of all processes

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06/03/2017 15:35:33

Processing – Grimsby

BY VINCE MCDONAGH

A force in fish State of the art seafood village secures region’s future in the industry

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06/03/2017 15:23:36

A force in fish

I

T is probably the most diverse fish processing centre in Britain – and certainly the most modern.

On a sprawling dock estate which has seen better days, the Grimsby Seafood Village stands out as a beacon to the rest of the industry, delivering a powerful message that Grimsby is still a force in fish.

A few months ago it welcomed its latest tenant when Steve Lovett’s River Bay Fisheries moved away from the older part of the docks. It also brought the number of people working in the village to almost 400.

What started as a casual conversation by two local fish merchants during a Sunday morning stroll almost 15 years ago has turned into a multi-million pound reality.

Peter Dalton and Gary Cadey were walking along the seafront at nearby Cleethorpes when they agreed that the fish processing facilities which existed at that time needed a radical overhaul.

The fish docks estate dated back almost 100 years and fish merchants were working in premises that had changed little from the Edwardian era.

The pair were then joined by Lee Kirwin, a third investor. When they unveiled their grand plan to the world a few months later it was greeted with some scepticism from within the industry.

They certainly faced numerous challenges, including finding the right site at the right price. Eventually, Associated British Ports made available a four and the work went out of business. a half acre piece of land on the edge of the fish docks.

‘Yes, there were few bumps along the road,’ said Then, when construction finally got underway, the building company doing Dalton. ‘But we never had any doubts. I knew we would get this project to work – if only because there was no alternative for Grimsby. We always had confidence in ourselves and a vision which no one was going to stop.’

Gary Cadey said that when the seafood village finally opened almost five years ago he felt a huge sense of achievement that so much hard work had

All the businesses who have moved “ here tell me their trade has increased by between 25 and 40 per cent ”

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Left (Left to right) Gary Cadey, Ivan JainesWhite, Lee Kirwin, fisheries minister George Eustice and Peter Dalton. Top: Processing in the modern units

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06/03/2017 15:23:58

Processing – Grimsby

come to fruition.

Tucked away behind two of Young’s larger factories, the village comprises 20 spacious modern processing units in its own private park. A few of the units have been sub-divided into smaller processing workshops.

It is fair to say that Dalton and his business partners have never received the full recognition they deserve for what they have created. Without the village fish processing in Grimsby would be in a very poor state indeed.

A couple of years ago they invited seafood entrepreneur Toby Baxendale, the man who created Direct Seafoods, to become chairman.

‘I have known Toby for many years and he has a great track record within the industry,’ said Dalton.

‘He didn’t hesitate when I asked him to become chairman.’

Baxendale says on his website: ‘The rationale behind this action is to ensure that the bulk of the fish processing businesses survive and continue to operate by providing state of the art facilities to

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Above: Marcus Coleman of Seafish with Ivan Jaines-White. Opposite: State of the art processing equipment

replace their current ageing and inadequate premises.

‘This new facility will comply with all environmental and safety requirements for years to come, safeguard jobs, knowledge and expertise and continue to provide products and services to the fish processing industry in the area.’

Today, the complex is a hive of round-the-clock activity where dozens of independent fish traders buy, sell and process fish.

Certainly, the most impressive part is the wide variety of fish processing that takes place on the complex – from traditional cod, haddock and plaice to shellfish, salmon and fish by-products. Fish smoking is carried out on site by one firm.

Dalton said: ‘Personally, the most satisfying message is that all the businesses who have moved here tell me their trade has increased by between 25 and 40 per cent. And to think some of them were a little nervous about moving to us.

‘They have somewhere they can show off with pride, but I also believe the reason for this success is that the processors have every service at their fingertips, whether it is transport, refrigeration, a fish box company or the disposal of fish offal.

‘UFI – United Fish Industries – has a base here and this is very important because without this company the merchants would have to take their waste all the way to Scotland for disposal. Just think how much that would cost.

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06/03/2017 15:25:18

A force in fish

‘These days you cannot take fish waste to landfill if there is a viable alternative, even though it might be many miles away.

‘We also have two contract filleting firms who are doing an excellent job in preparing fish for the larger companies.’

The seafood village is also home to two transport companies- Colley Brothers, which has a large fleet of vans, and Cornwall Transport, which takes fish across to the Continent.

‘Fish leaves here at four in the afternoon and arrives at its destination in France by early the next morning,’ said Dalton. ‘We also export to Vietnam.’

There is spare land for further expansion, if required. But the directors say this is a time for consolidation and improving on what they already have.

Ivan Jaines-White, the seafood village commercial director, said: ‘There

is a great community spirit with people exchanging services and buying and selling fish to each other.’

The Grimsby Seafood Village has also attracted international interest, mainly from Europe, but also from Australia and the United States.

Fleetwood is planning a similar project, and a delegation from that once great west coast port has visited Grimsby a number of times.

In short, the Grimsby Seafood Village has become a benchmark for the UK processing industry as a whole. FF

“is aThere great

community spirit with people exchanging services

”

Preparing next generation Training school addresses urgent demand for skills ONE of the biggest threats facing fish processing is not the lack of supply or overfishing, but the acute shortage of young people coming into the industry and the skills crisis this is creating.

It is something that has been worrying Ivan Jaines-White, commercial director of the Grimsby Seafood Village, for many years.

So in 2014 he decided to do something about it and set up the Grimsby Seafood Village Seafood Training School.

This modern centre now provides arguably the country’s most comprehensive skills training facility attracting people from all over the country – and, occasionally, from overseas.

Some of the large supermarket chains send their fish counter staff, usually in teams of around 10 at a time, to Grimsby for training in fish handling and presentation skills.

Jaines-White, who is now a director of the school, said: ‘These are people who meet the fish buying public so they need to know all about what they are selling, how it should be prepared and cooked. It is no good telling the customer to look it up on Google.’

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The training school – the first of its type on the east coast for many years – has been approved and supported by Seafish, and Jaines-White said he had received tremendous support in his endeavour from Seafish’s head of onshore training, Lee Cooper.

The school also has the backing of the main local college, the Grimsby Institute, and received funding from the European Fisheries Fund.

Jaines-White, who has spent 50 years in processing, working with the big names and running his own business, is a member of the Seafood Skills Strategy Group. He is convinced the industry urgently needs new blood.

‘The older people are now retiring and their skills are going with them. Unless we receive new recruits, this sector will be facing serious problems in a few years’ time.’

The school offers training in filleting, seafood handling and pre-operational skills, in fish smoking, and theory subjects such as sustainability and best practice.

Last summer the school was one of a number of training organisations that signed up to drive skills

provision and future-proof Grimsby’s seafood industry.

The Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Seafood Training Network brings together five skills focused organisations to help develop the next generation of industry workers, and potential leaders.

One of the toughest jobs is in persuading schools that seafood offers a worthwhile career, but Jaines-White believes that is now changing.

‘There are a lot of opportunities in management or for those who want to launch their own business.’

He has recently returned from a trip to the Antipodes where he helped the New Zealand King Salmon company with a smoking project.

He has also trained an American salmon boss from Florida in Grimsby smoking techniques and another seafood owner from Australia, who later purchased two smoking kilns from Afos in Hull and then set up his own business.

But it is the UK industry which he believes needs the most immediate attention. And the training school is ready and equipped to take on that challenge.

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06/03/2017 15:25:47

Processing News

Young’s unveils £128m quarter turnover

YOUNG’S Seafood has posted a first quarter turnover of £128.8 million amid talk of tough challenges ahead coupled with solid growth in retail frozen fish.

The company operates on a September to September financial year so quarter one is October to December.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) for the three-month period to December 31, 2016, emerged at £3 million thanks, says the company, to

strong management tackling exceptional challenges and robust cash management.

Bill Showalter, who became CEO of Young’s last year, said: ‘We worked collaboratively with our retailer partners to mitigate exceptional Brexit driven foreign exchange and raw material inflation.

‘With strong operational cost management, the results reflect both our underlying direct cost efficiency and our indirect cost management.

‘The anticipated chal-

Rosyth boosts MH results

MARINE Harvest Consumer Products recorded a record high operational EBIT, the company announced last month, which was in large part down to its Scottish facility in Rosyth.

Operational EBIT for Consumer Products for the final quarter of 2016 was EUR 22.9 million (compared to EUR 9.8 million in 2015), which is an all-time high.

‘In spite of significantly increased raw material prices, our Consumer Products organisation has been able to improve earnings,’ said Marine Harvest’s report.

‘The increase is due to operational improvements as well as sales prices having been adjusted to reflect rising raw material costs.

‘Our Rosyth plant in Scotland contributed EUR 11.4 million of the total EUR 13.1 million improvement in Operational EBIT for the fourth quarter of 2016 compared to the fourth quarter of 2015.’

The results for the Rosyth plant improved significantly from the end of 2015 and the first lenging quarter 1 also part of 2016, when they were heavily impacted by saw industry wide preparation and start-up costs. fish supply availability challenges.’

Young’s is clearly fighting back after the loss of the Sainsbury’s salmon processing contract to Marine Harvest two years ago, which is said to have cost the company £98 million in turnover.

Since then it has been picking up new business. But the seafood market is Exceptional challenges highly competitive with contracts changWe worked collaboratively to mitigate exceptional Brexit driven foreign ing hands between exchange and raw material inflation companies at regular intervals.

“

”

Processor showcase at Boston expo

YOUNG’S Seafood said it planned to focus on its strong British heritage when it exhibits for the first time at Seafood Expo North America in Boston this month.

Until recently the Young’s market has been mainly in the British Isles but now it is expanding on to the international stage as it

56 44

Processing News.indd 56

looks abroad for new markets. The company told Fish Farmer it carried out consumer research into the US domestic market and believes that its products can be a success on the other side of the Atlantic.

It said: ‘The team at Young’s Seafood are set to have a strong presence at the Seafood Expo North America.

‘This follows USA consumer research highlighting appetite for a range of Young’s products that will address the needs of American consumers and retailers.

‘The range – on display at the Boston Seafood Show - will focus on heritage, quality and expertise, all of which are famously associated with the Young’s brand.’

Ahead of the show, Nick Munday, who was recently appointed international sales director by Young’s, said: ‘We are very pleased to be attending this year’s event in Boston.

‘As a great British brand – the number one fish and seafood business in the UK – our presence here reflects the international interest in Young’s Seafood and our strong British heritage.’

Seafood Expo North America runs from March 19 to 21.

Salmon plant wins Poland’s first BAP THE world’s largest value added salmon processing plant is now Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certified.

Morpol Spółka Akcyjna has attained BAP certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced.

It is Poland’s first ever aquaculture facility to do so.

Located in Ustka on the coast of the Baltic Sea, the 95,000sq m facility employs about 3,700 people and processes more than 90,600 tonnes of salmon raw material annually, with the capacity to process more.

Morpol is owned

by Marine Harvest Group.

Marel to launch new salmon deheader THE Icelandic food processing company Marel says it has developed a new salmon de-header that minimises manual handling and improves quality and yield.

The MS 2720 automatic de-heading machine is still in its pre-release phase and Marel is working with key salmon industry operators to finalise its development.

It is expected to be on sale in Q4 2017. The de-header is designed to achieve optimum yield by measuring each fish and adjusting the cutting tools accordingly.

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 15:21:47

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pharmaq.com

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06/03/2017 12:25:12

Storvik Aqua – Advertorial

Stronger together

Collaboration brings offshore innovation to aquaculture industry

V

ARD Group AS, one of the major global designers and shipbuilders of specialised vessels, acquired Storvik Aqua AS in the final quarter of 2016 to take advantage of each other’s complementary competences.

The deal brings the expertise of Vard, a builder of offshore support vessels, to the aquaculture sector and strengthens the position of both companies in the industry.

Vard and Storvik Aqua have collaborated closely over the past year, and this acquisition opens up an innovative environment with a focus on customised, integrated and environmentally sound solutions.

Storvik Aqua will continue to operate under its existing brand name.

The company has a production facility at its headquarters in Sunndalsora, Norway, plus subsidiaries in Chile and Scotland.

From feed control systems and equipment, to oxygen diffusers, and from biomass measuring to Aqualog – which tells you everything you need to know about water quality, Storvik Aqua’s products will enable Vard to deliver specialised vessels for fish farming.

Vard’s reputation for technology and innovation in ship design and shipbuilding is renowned in those industries. In aquaculture, the company plans to take environmental sustainability to a higher level and ensure, with its Vard 8 series, a good working environment and comfort for life on board.

Storvik Aqua has a close interaction with the Vard Aukra shipyard, which is dedicated to the group’s focus on aquaculture, and has in the course of a short time developed and delivered a portfolio of vessels and solutions

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Above: Vard 8 52 feeding barge

that have been well received in the market.

Vard Aukra stands out in the market by having innovative integrated solutions for specialised fish farming vessels.

And, with a 30-year track record in the industry, Storvik Aqua has an established customer base that allows Vard Aukra to broaden its relations with potential clients in the aquaculture business.

Storvik Aqua Ltd in Scotland is very excited about this opportunity and believes that the combined product portfolio and development of new technologies and solutions will enable the company to grow in an ever increasing industry.

Lorraine Campbell, director of Storvik Aqua Ltd, said of the future with Vard: ‘Storvik Aqua have been in the UK market since 2000 and welcome this opportunity to bring new technologies and solutions to the industry.

‘Vard is a well-known global firm in the ship building industry and it will be hugely exciting to play a part in bringing their futuristic designs into Scotland. The combined product portfolio will strengthen our presence and bring the company forward.’

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06/03/2017 15:19:11

Stronger together

“

It will be hugely exciting to play a part in bringing their futuristic designs into Scotland

CEO and executive director Roy Reite said at the time of the acquisition: ‘Through this acquisition, Vard confirms its position as a provider of innovative solutions for the aquaculture business.

”

‘We are excited about the opportunities this generates for Vard and welcome the employees, new clients and business partners to Vard.’ FF

QUALITY FOR LAND AND SEA Storvik Aqua Ltd Equipment and Technology for Aquaculture Serving the industry for 30 years Providing support and solutions

www.storvikaqua.co.uk lc@storvik.co.uk Tel: 01546 603989

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06/03/2017 15:19:36

Markets & Retail News

Sainsbury’s top sustainable seafood retailer

Above: Moving up the league table

SAINSBURY’S was named the ‘best sustainable seafood supermarket in the world’ in a league table published by the Marine Stewardship Council on March 1.

The annual MSC Supermarket League rates British supermarkets on their sustainable seafood range.

It says Sainsbury’s reached the top spot in Britain and the top spot worldwide with the most MSC labelled products of any national supermarket, by providing 225 MSC

certified sustainable choices.

In contrast, rivals ASDA and Morrisons were at the bottom of the league.

MSC programme director, Toby Middleton, said: ‘It’s all about choice. Most of us don’t have the time to read up on sustainable sourcing and we shouldn’t have to.

‘The MSC label means the ‘science bit’ has been done for you. Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Tesco, Lidl and Aldi are offering their customers clear labelling and

Clear labelling The MSC label means “the ‘science bit’ has been done for you ”

the chance to make a difference, helping to protect fish stocks for our children and our grandchildren.

‘In contrast, at the bottom of the league, there simply isn’t the independent information you need to help you choose and those shoppers are missing out.’

MSC said the biggest change since 2016 has been Tesco, which has rocketed four places up the league to reach third place.

Tesco has added nearly 80 MSC certified products to its range in the past year, with plans to add further to the range in 2017.

But it says in contrast M&S has continued to slide down the league, falling from 3rd to 5th place last year and down to 7th place in this year’s league table.

MSC claimed the league table shows a huge improvement in all of the top five supermarkets.

Fish and chips in line for Michelin star The west country fish and chip shop voted Britain’s best takeaway chippy last month could be in line for a Michelin star.

IF so, the Kingfisher in Plymouth would become the first such establishment to achieve this coveted recognition and join some of the world’s most sophisticated restaurants.

Kingfisher Fish & Chips was awarded the title of Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year at the 2017 National Fish and Chip Awards, beating nine other restaurants from around the UK. It was also named as having the world’s most sustainable seafood menu.

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Retail News.indd 60

Michelin said: ‘We are aware of this establishment and our inspectors are taking it into consideration when they visit Plymouth.’

The shop, which only has a few tables, was acquired by joint owners Nikki Mutton and Craig Maw in 2012 and they decided on a fresh approach to Britain’s most popular takeaway dish.

It now includes whole lobster on its menu along with smoked herring and Cornish fish cakes, as well as traditional cod and haddock.

All the species it serves have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and it is one of only two UK fish and chip businesses with a three-star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Maw said: ‘Neither of us have ever eaten in a Michelin starred restaurant but we’re delighted Michelin are considering us. Who’d have thought a fish and chip shop could be Michelin starred? ‘

Eat more seafood, Scots told A NEW campaign targeted at Scotland aims to increase levels of seafood consumption to at least two portions of fish a week.

Despite 74 per cent of adults in Scotland being worried about their health, a survey carried out

by Seafish found that 70 per cent aren’t eating enough fish.The NHS and health professionals recommend eating two portions of fish each week – one of which should be an oily fish – as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

The research highlighted just how many people in Scotland weren’t aware of the recommended fish consumption (82 per cent), but after being told the health benefits of fish, 71 per cent said that this encouraged them to eat more.

Seafish’s ‘Fish 2 a Week’ campaign will encourage people to try alternative species.

Chippy’s millennium markdown THOUSANDS of fish and chip fans turned up at the award winning Harbour Lights fish restaurant in Cornwall, as it turned the clock back 17 years by selling at millennium prices.

The Falmouth establishment was crowned Independent Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year at the 2017 National Fish and Chip Awards ceremony in London in January.

Owners Pete and Sue Fraser decided to mark the award from Seafish by taking prices back 17 years to when they began their fish and chip journey at the Harbour Lights in the year 2000.

A piece of fish was fried every 15 seconds as takeaway portions were priced at £2.50 and eat-in meals at £3.75 – to the delight of customers who travelled from far and wide.

Luke Ellis, home from Brunel University, saw the Harbour Lights offer on Instagram.

‘It is such a great restaurant with an amazing view that I am not surprised it won this national award.’

Ruth Johns, who eats at the restaurant three or four times a week, said: ‘I think it is the best fish and chip restaurant anywhere.’

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 15:17:44

AquaGen – Advertorial

Selecting Scotland Company confirms commitment to industry with Stirling move

A

QUAGEN, the world’s leading supplier of genetics to the global salmonid aquaculture sector, has confirmed its commitment to the Scottish industry by forming a new company, AquaGen Scotland which will be based at a new office in Scotland.

‘I am delighted to announce that we have taken an office at the Stirling University Innovation Park,’ said group marketing director Odd Elvebø.

‘It is close to the Institute of Aquaculture, with whom we maintain close ties, and will enable us to reinforce our collaboration with academia.’

In particular, the new premises will enable the company to strengthen its Scottish team, and to develop existing and new relationships with the country’s growing aquaculture industry. At present, AquaGen employs more than 200 people in Norway and Chile, with just one representative in Scotland.

‘We are currently recruiting for an experienced technical sales manager, to improve our customer support,’ said Andrew Reeve, who heads AquaGen’s sales and marketing effort in the UK and Ireland.

‘The new appointee will help our customers to establish practices for the optimal utilisation of our products and follow up with them in the collection of performance data from smolt and seawater operations. Documentation of effects in the field will play an increasingly important part of our work, and help to shape the direction of our future research and development activity.’

To date, AquaGen’s R&D has largely been carried out through collaborative projects in Norway and Chile, but trials have recently started with Scottish farmers.

‘Our company is already a major supplier of eggs to the Scottish and Irish salmon farming industries, but there are exciting developments underway in

Above: Andrew Reeve

eggs “These have the potential to help solve the sea lice problem

”

the field of genomic selection and we look forward to sharing these with fish farmers,’ said Reeve.

AquaGen recently delivered the first eggs to its customers in Scotland, bred especially for their resistance to sea lice, which has become a major issue in all salmon producing countries. Annual global losses associated with sea lice are estimated to be around €300 million.

‘The eggs were produced from parent stock selected using two generations of genomic breeding values for sea lice resistance, amoebic gill disease (AGD) resistance and growth. In combination with the use of genetic markers that eliminate sea lice susceptible fish from populations, these eggs have the potential to make an important contribution in helping the Scottish industry to solve the problem posed by sea lice,’ said Reeve.

Genomics involves selection using 55,000 gene markers for salmon and enables AquaGen to identify the best individuals from the best families, to give faster genetic progress.

‘This is a first for global salmon aquaculture, and is just one of the developments that has helped AquaGen to develop a range of products to meet with customers’ needs,’ said Reeve. FF

AquaGen is the world’s leading supplier of genetics to the global salmonid aquaculture industry. The business employs more than 200 people and is a part of EW Group, which also owns companies such as Aquabel, GenoMar Genetics and Vaxxinova. The main group activities within the aquaculture sector include breeding and health programs for Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, Pacific salmon (Coho), lumpfish and tilapia.

Our marketing department in AquaGen Scotland is looking for an experienced, ambitious and enthusiastic person to fill the role of:

Technical Sales Manager Key responsibilities will be to: • Support and develop sales of our products to both new and existing customers • Establish practices for the optimal utilisation of our products and to follow up with customers in the collection of performance data from both smolt and seawater operations Location: The position is based at Stirling University Innovation Park To apply: Please submit a covering letter and C.V. to jobb@aquagen.no before 31st March 2017 For further information or to discuss the opportunity in confidence, contact: Sales Manager Andy Reeve, andrew.reeve@aquagen.no, phone +44 7867 748446 or Group Marketing Director Odd Elvebø, odd.elvebo@aquagen.no, phone: +47 908 37 403 Read more about AquaGen at www.aquagen.no/en

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

AquaGen.indd 61

61

06/03/2017 15:02:30

From the archive – September 1984

In the dark on fish feeds Dr Ted Needham: an independent view

F

FISH farmers think a lot about the way they feed their fish. Yet they take on considerable trust what the manufacturers put into their diets. Compared with the standard dairy or beef farmer we are spending thousands of pounds on surprisingly little information.

We are told that one brand ‘maximises profits’, another ‘really pays’ while a third ‘tastes better’.

What we would like to see is experimental data carried out independently that shows how or why one diet is better than another. Indeed, one fish farmer’s definition of better may well vary from another.

Rainbow trout and salmon farmers do differ on their requirements. With salmon we need to keep performance up for most of the time ¬- most salmon farmers will pay a little extra for the very best. In contrast, trout farmers have to keep costs down. Performance is not everything.

The best diet for many trout farmers is one that can be fed to appetite without feed conversions deteriorating. There could be a need for cheaper diets with non-polluting fillers- the fish equivalent of the bran diets that are supposed to do us so much good.

On occasions the salmon farmer might require the same thing. For example, diets for potential second year smolts in cages in the winter could be nearer the trout type than summer smolt or first feeding diets.

No manufacturer yet produces differing summer and winter diets. I understand that the ability to digest saturated fat falls away as the temperature drops, so surely the protein requirement could be eased.

With these and many other feed questions in mind, I attended part of the International Symposium on Feeding and Nutrition in Fish in Aberdeen this July.

The Fisheries Society of the British Isles had done an excellent job in attracting nearly 200 scientists from 20 countries. As the only fish farmer present, most of the material was above my head. Nutritionists, like pathologists, seem to be unable or unwilling to discuss the finer points of their work in language intelligible to ordinary mortals. But there was some gold.

I liked the work on feeding stimulants carried out by scientists of the Institute of Marine Biochemistry in Aberdeen. They found that salmonids feed largely on sight, snapping at anything that looks like food. They will only swallow it if it tastes good. The range of tastes is quite liberal and, provided a broad cocktail of amino acids is present, the feed will be acceptable.

In complete contrast, turbot respond to only one chemical, called inosine.

Sole are a little more catholic, requiring diets flavoured with mussels and in particular the chemical glycine betaine. Plaice, sea bass and eels are less choosy – like the salmonids.

The good research led me to visit the Institute of Marine Biochemistry and read their Research Report for 1980-84. Unfortunately, the excellent section in the report detailing progress in fish nutrition was spoilt by a quite outrageous statement in the introduction which claimed that the programme of fish nutrition at Aberdeen gave considerable impetus to the emerging fish farming industry in the late 1960s.

I find that a little rich, as the trout farmers were using diets that were, and still are, based on published formations developed in Scandinavia and the USA. British nutrition scientists have done little more than tinker at the edges – albeit some of the tinkering has been very helpful.

I was pleased to see the Aberdeen team reporting on vitamin E and selenium deficiencies and failing to confirm any of the syndromes reported by some pa-

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thologists in the absence of experimental evidence.

The feed manufacturers can breathe a sigh of relief here but they only have themselves to blame. If they would submit their suspected problems to nutritionists working in tandem with pathologists rather than pathologists alone, they might get better answers.

Anyway, it seems likely that the ‘problems’ in both farmed trout and salmon ascribed to vitamin E or selenium deficiency in the past were due to something else that might have nothing to do with the diet.

Returning to the conference itself, I learned of some interesting work from the University of Helsinki. There they showed that different commercial salmon diets had a significant effect on the ability of smolts to osmoregulate fully, following seawater transfer.

The two workers Solvio and Buckstrom were very coy about naming which were the best and which were the worst diets, yet this work is of such crucial importance to the salmon farming industry that we really need to know. Perhaps somebody can repeat the work and make the results freely available.

The other good salmon results came from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland at Pitlochry. There, Higgins and Talbot have refined some of Thorpe’s earlier observations on the S1/S2 split in salmon parr. Many of us in industry dispute Thorpe’s bias towards interpreting his results using abstruse genetic calculations. I believe that environmental influences predominate and that if the fry are treated properly the S1 percentages will be raised, swamping any genetic influence that could be forcing it down.

Higgins developed a technique of feeding iron filings and tracing them down the gut of salmon fry. He found that from a very early stage the fish separated into two groups. In one the filings and the feed passed rapidly down the gut and the fry ate and grew more; in the other the feed was passed slowly and the fry grew less. This was good evidence that the S1/S2 percentage in a salmon fry population was being determined early in the fry stage.

This work could be extended to help the salmon farmer. Should he grade as early as possible? If so there is a danger that by separating out his potential S1s too soon they will grow too big and he will be forced to keep less at the end of the day. Is it worth trying to push the marginal fish into the S1 bracket? What is the optimal size for an S1?

These are fascinating questions that Pitlochry have the means to answer. I hope that they can be moved from studying the esoteric into more applied areas that could be of considerable benefit to the salmon farmer.

Meanwhile, the diet manufacturers can do a whole lot more to justify our continuing faith in them. Most of us buy a particular brand out of loyalty and a genuine respect for the representatives. Sometimes we follow rumour. Rarely is our purchase based on sound knowledge that one particular diet is better than another.

As announced in July Fish Farmer, one among the best of the fish feed representatives has left the industry. Jonnie Shepherd has served us well, starting with a respected PhD thesis in 1973 on the economics of trout farming. He was deputy director of the Fish Disease Unit at Stirling University in its crucial formative years when he wrote most of the Handbook of Trout and Salmon Diseases.

Passing through Fish Farm Developments mainly on overseas assignments he joined Unilever as their diet and new projects manager. I am only sorry that our industry is not large enough yet to keep such a thoroughly nice person.

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 14:59:26

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65

06/03/2017 12:53:28

Opinion – Inside track

Never a step backwards

BY NICK JOY

I

n my spare time I am a trustee of a wild fish charity, which I have worked with for more than 20 years.

It is a lovely group of people, of very different persuasions, trying to do their best for the environment. I could wax lyrical (or as close as I can get) on what they do and how but I will spare you that.

The last three years have been a trial for this Trust because the impending or never ending Wild Fisheries Review, with its complication and lack of clear outcomes, has meant funding, liaisons, relations and many other things have been extremely difficult.

Nobody likes uncertainty and no one wants to invest in an organisation (or country) that has an uncertain future.

Now it would appear that the government (of the Scottish variety) has taken a very significant step back.

It would appear that the abolition of the District Fishery Boards is not going to happen. Previously, they were going to change into Fishery Management Organisations, which would have been far fewer in number and would have required significant amalgamations.

This process was so far along that the Association of Salmon Fishery Boards (ASFB) and River and Fisheries Trust of Scotland (RAFTS) had decided to amalgamate into Fisheries Management Scotland (FMS).

Then suddenly, without warning, the process stopped! The District Fishery Boards will not be disbanded (as I understand it currently).

The future is not clear but what is clear is that a rethink has taken place.

I am not sure that I can approve of the outcome because, as we are, I don’t know what it is.

However, I can say that I approve thoroughly of someone stopping a process and reversing it when it has gone wrong.

I was listening to a radio programme as I travelled north the other day. It was about politicians and voters who have changed their allegiance during their lives.

The interviewer asked a politician why he had changed sides in the House of Commons. The politician replied that his views had not changed since he was young but he believed that, now, these could be satisfied by either main party.

I fear he was afraid of the very British attitude that it is bad to admit you were wrong and worse to change because of it.Yet look at this more closely and you wonder at the sanity of someone who suggests that you should learn nothing to change your view between the age of 20 and 60!

Could this ever be seen as a good thing? I am never surprised that people learn and change and, more importantly, government should learn to do it more often, especially when they have got things wrong.

I am minded of an objection I received through the council to a site planning application. It was on the headed paper of a government organisation but was not worded in a way that made me feel that it was official.

I rang the man involved. He replied and I explained who I was. He stated that he objected in principle to salmon farming and that is why he had sent in the objection.

I pointed out that he had objected on his organisation’s headed paper. A short silence ensued and then I asked if I should write to his boss to see if he agreed with the objection.

Another much longer silence ensued before the man said he

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I approve “thoroughly

of someone stopping a process and reversing it when it has gone wrong

”

thought this might not be such a good idea.

I waited and, sure enough, without any prompting, he suggested that he would like to withdraw the objection. He stepped back and I like to think learned a fairly valuable life lesson.

Learning should encourage us to change our positions. Changing positions may be construed as inconsistency but it can also be a clear indicator of learning. I want a government that learns.

Now that the Scottish government has rethought its position on the Wild Fisheries Review, I hope it will show the same consideration to the aquaculture industry and puts its shoulder to the wheel.

Our industry has stagnated for many years due to overweening bureaucracy and a planning system fit only for the purpose of saying no.

Oh, I realise that I am asking for far too much but if we are going to have some blue sky thinking, maybe we could all learn that the wild salmonid industry and the farming one need to work together, rather than trying to get government to solve their problems. FF

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

06/03/2017 14:57:50

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