Fish Farmer April 2019 by Fish Farmer Magazine

Fish Farmer VOLUME 42

NUMBER 04

APRIL 2019

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

Serving worldwide aquaculture since 1977

RAS REVOLUTION

STANDS AND DELIVER

INTO THE WILD

SEA LICE SUCCESS

Leaders of the land based breakthrough

Boston reports and Brussels preview

Jim Treasurer on the state of wrasse stocks

Mowiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good news story for fisheries managers

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STRIVE FOR FIVE

DO YOU STORE YOUR VACCINES AT THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE?

AIM FOR 5°C. ABOVE 8°C SHORTENS SHELF LIFE. BELOW 2°C REDUCES EFFECTIVENESS. FREEZING DESTROYS VACCINES.

The importance of vaccine storage is paramount for both safeguarding vaccines and the efficacy once administered on fish stocks. The correct storage of vaccines will have direct influence on your fish health and investment.

STRIVE FOR FIVE AIM FOR 5°C. ABOVE 8°C SHORTENS SHELF LIFE. BELOW 2°C REDUCES EFFECTIVENESS. FREEZING DESTROYS VACCINES.

Best practice fridge tips:

HAVE A SEPARATE POWER SUPPLY FOR YOUR FRIDGE

CHECK THE SEAL BY PLACING A TORCH INSIDE AND CLOSING THE DOOR. IF LIGHT SHINES THROUGH, THE SEAL IS FAULTY

AVOID USING THE FRIDGE FOR OTHER ITEMS SO THAT IT’S NOT OPENED FREQUENTLY

DON’T PUT VACCINES AT THE BACK OF THE FRIDGE WHERE ICE CAN FORM

2 DO NOT DRINK

PLACE A BOTTLE OF WATER MARKED ‘DO NOT DRINK’ IN THE FRIDGE TO HELP STABILISE TEMPERATURE

ENSURE THERE IS SPACE AROUND THE FRIDGE TO ALLOW AIR TO CIRCULATE

AVOID FRIDGES WITH FREEZER COMPARTMENTS

MONITOR MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM FRIDGE TEMPERATURES DAILY

MSD Animal Health, providing the best solutions and services in supporting professionals directly. www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/ Copyright © 2019 Intervet UK Ltd trading as MSD Animal Health. All rights reserved. GB/AQC/0219/0002

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Contents 4-15 4-14 News

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

16-21 16-17 16-22 extra Industry pioneer News Extra platform Parliamentary inquiry

JENNY JENNY HJUL HJUL –– EDITOR EDITOR

Fair French connection Farmers must Uphold the codefight back Showhearing and tell

TIA C

Steve Bracken SSC’s record results Stewart Graham Aquaculture Awards The ﬁnal sessions

salmon farming sector in Scotland, when itunderway was to he focus this month istopictures on Europe, the internati T HE is coincidence that andwhere videos of unhealthy Sno Fish Farmer went press, there was sti lltold no offi cialonal ONFERENCE and exhibition season is now well be the subject of a parliamentary inquiry, embraced the industry will soon gathering the EASinto (European salmon sent tobe news outletsfor just asjoint the Scotti shchoice, news from the Scotti shindustry parliamentary inquiry salmon andwere the aquaculture has been spoilt for opportunity this would provide explain how itMarch. operated. Aquaculture Society) and WAS (World Aquaculture Society) parliament went back to work atto the start of this month. These farming, conducted earlier this year by the Economy with several, sometimes clashing, events inRural The Fish The industry had to and, if given aof fair hearing, conference, to benothing staged over ve days in the southern French images had le to do be with the current state Scotland’s ficould sh and Connecti vity (REC) committ ee. MSPs have now held five Farmer teamlitt couldn’t athide allfiof them but we have endeavoured address much of the criti cism levelled against it. city ofngs, As well asare highlighti ng the latest technological farms -Montpellier. where sea lice in decline and, inwe fact, at abe fivemeeti in private, tolevels consider their report and must to bring news from our more intrepid correspondents. Janet Fish Farmer supported this view, but at ti mes felt that salmon advances in our fast moving sector, Aqua 2018 will also feature year low (htt p://scotti shsalmon.co.uk/monthly-sea-lice-reports). pati ent. However, waiti ng for their recommendati ons has been Brown made it to the World Aquaculture Society’s show in New farmers were being drowned out bywhich the(page noisier elements offarming the sessions on emerging markets look atinvolves the role fish This latest propaganda campaign, allofthe usual made harder byshe leaks from within the REC to24), anti -salmon Orleans, where delivered aand paper while Hamish angling lobby, which had called for the investi gati on. But as the farming in alleviati ng poverty. Increasingly, industry meeti ngs anti -aquaculture suspects, came as Holyrood’s Rural Economy acti vists. The latest of these (see our news story on page 4) Macdonell of the SSPO (and Fish Farmer editorial board member) sessions progressed, and eventually farmers’ voices were heard, are broadening their scope, subjects such asthat the social and Connecti vity committ eetackling returned the summer recess we to makes grim reading industry asfrom it suggests committ ee made his first visit tofor thethe Boston seafood expo (page 22). became more opti misti c. We now believe that MSPs, perhaps with acceptability of aquaculture and the contributi on it makes to global consider its draft report into the future of salmon farming. members have been willing to listen to those campaigning to Closer to home, there was much to learn at the Fish Vet food security and saving the planet, areport move that isthis toanti welcomed. the excepti on ofvaluable one two Greens cahoots with -farming Those who want toor shut down thein industry asbe expected, shut down this sector, rather thanon tohave, those who operate Society’s annual seminar, which we in issue, and Also investi gati ng initi ati ves in the developing world, Dr Harrison campaigners, will, on balance, regard the industry in a favourable stepped activities, which now involveworkshop, breachingwhich the we within it.up their the Institute of Aquaculture’s finfish sterility light. They will see that farmers take their environmental Charo Karisa ofhopefully WorldFish writes about farming althe inthe biosecure environments of farm sites to snatch photographs inwild Of save course, such stories may begiven inaccurate and, inpotenti anyinto case, will for May. We were also athe closer insight Nigeria, both in catf ish and ti lapia culti vati on. responsibiliti es seriously and that businesses will only ever invest the hopeworld, of fifinding incriminati ng evidence against farmers. Onein committ ee’s ndings are not Scotland’s fish farmers sector’s reporting on abinding. special salmon farming session, In Scotland, the summer has been something of a waiti ngdead game growth thatby isfibeen sustainable. campaigner lmed himself searching, unsuccessfully, for have always fortunate toPringle have the support of their minister, addressed Mowi’s (page 18). Next month we while the parliament isGideon in recess and the members of Holyrood’s If ee members, especially those have yet to fi shthe atforward acommitt Marine Harvest site. Another hewho saw ‘hundreds’ of Fergus Ewing, grow sustainably. look toto meeting up with manysaid of you again at the mighty Rural Economy and Connecti vity committ ee conti nue to weigh up visit a salmon farm, would like to learn more about the subject of infested salmon in a pen, but we only have his word against that But it should not go unchallenged that some MSPs on the REC Brussels expo, whichinquiry we preview on page 44. Also ondon’t the horizon the evidence in their into salmon farming. We expect their inquiry, we have plenty of good stories in our May issue. Even of the professional vets and biologists who manage the welfare of committ ee, with their own agendas against the growth of the is thereport RAStech in Washington inMSPs May, are a gathering their untiforum l the autumn but hopeDC the using theoftime the bett er, they could head to Highlands later this month, where these farms on a daily basis. industry, are in breach of the Code of Conduct for MSPs. As they international pioneers aquaculture, of whom to become fully acquaintedland withbased the facts about fishsome farming. they meet the aquaculture industry en masse Scotland’s If the isto proud ofmonth. itsthe high standards, as itsalmon says itlongest is, it are inwill aindustry positi on inflthis uence future course ofat farming, we have interviewed This month also sees the reti rement of Marine Harvest’s biggest fish farming show. must mount a much more robust defence of itself, through its and of businesses vital to Scotland’s economy, we have a right Sadder news is that one of my predecessors, Stuart Banks, serving employee, Steve Bracken. We had no trouble collecting We will certainly be at Aquaculture UK inremember Aviemore and representati vein body, the SSPO, than itthe has done tothrough date. The to know who they are, and weof hope industry, itswill passed away March. Some you will him and warm tributes from his friends and colleagues to mark thelook forward to seeing many of you there too. campaigners, we nowpressure see,the will stop at and representati ves, will the parliament to investi gateatbefore milestone and, along with rest of thenothing, industry, thefarmers team Fish no doubt have encountered him on his many travels around the should be prepared to fimagazine ght back. the REC report published. world on behalf the (obituary, page 66). Farmer wish himisof all the very best for the future.

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Meet the team

Editorial Advisory Advisory Board: Board: Steve Editorial Bracken, Scott Landsburgh, Hervé Steve Bracken, Scott HervéLandsburgh, Migaud, Jim Treasurer, Chris Mitchell, Migaud, PatrickJim Smith and Jim Hervé Migaud, Patrick Smith, Patrick Smith, Treasurer and Jason Cleaversmith and Hamish Treasurer, Wiliam Jim Treasurer and Dowds William Dowds William Dowds Macdonell Editor: Jenny Hjul Designer: Andrew Editor: Jenny Hjul Balahura Designer: Andrew Balahura Designer: Balahura Adverti singAndrew Manager: Team Leader: Advertising Dave Edler Team Leader: Dave Edlershupdate.com dedler@ﬁ Adverti sing dedler@fishupdate.com Adverti sing Executi Executive: ve: Advertising Scott Binnie Executive: Scott Binnie sbinnie@ﬁ shupdate.com sbinnie@fishupdate.com Publisher: Alister Bennett Publisher: Alister Bennett

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

Cover:Steve Alisonsh Hutchins, Cover: Bracken explains Lumpsucker Scotti Sea Farms regional Cover: Stirling launch of Dawnfresh the farmingfarming director, Loch Etive. salmon toon Prince Charles producti on manager for Orkney, Women in Scottish Aquaculture Picture: Scott during his visit Binnie to Graham Marine Richard Darbyshire (left), Harvest and the (WiSA) network: Black, in 2016. Photo: Iainat Ferguson Westerbister team Scapa Pier Charlotte Maddocks and Heather Jones. Photo: Jeff Holmes

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Contents – Editor’s Welcome

48-49 41-43 42-44 38-39 Brussels RAS 2018 Innovation Aqua Aquaculture Salmon market Montpellier preview From shrimp torobust salmon Investor advice Freshwater focus

44-46 46-49 40-41 50-55 RAS 2018 Innovation Brussels Aqua Aquaculture Technology leader New processors’ groupon Sti rling course Pictures atmarket the exhibiti Insurance

18-19 22-23 18-19 24-27 News extra Salmon market SSPO Salmon interactions

Current trends In good Julie Hesketh-Laird Meet thehealth new chief executive

20-21 News extra Women’s voice

56 44-45 48-49 50-58 42-45 Book review Brussels Training Aqua 2018 Innovation Aquaculture

24 20 20-21 28-29 Comment BTA Shellﬁsh

46-51 57 53-55 60-63 48-49 Brussels Aquaculture Nor Fishing Aqua 2018 UK Net cleaning Sandy Neil reports

22-23 26 22-23 30 SSPO Shellﬁ sh Comment BTA Best of Boston

56-59 58-59 60-63 68-69 51 Wild bass wrasse UK Aquaculture Australia Training Sea Jim Treasurer reports

Whatofon Brexit effect? Martyn Haines Conference round-up Best the start-ups Focus cleaner ﬁsh

Introducti onons Farming angle Focus Africa Robot on soluti

Phil Thomas What’s in a name? Dr Nick Lake Phil Thomas

Barramundi boom Martyn Haines European leaders Chris Mitchell

Montpellier report Dr Marti n Jaﬀ a Doug McLeod

24-25 28-31 24-25 32-33 ASSG SSPO Comment Scottish Shellﬁ sh Sea Farms New Orleans Rising stars Marti nBrown Jaﬀ a Orkney anniversary Janet

26-27 32-33 26-27 26-30 34-35 Comment Shellfi shfiSea Cleaner sh Farms Scottish Comment Martin Jaffa Janet Machrihanish Orkney farm Marti nBrown Jaff a visit

13 13

29 34-35 28-29 32-33 36-41 RAS RAStechvisit round-up Comment Cleaner ﬁsh Orkney Farm Marti nofJaﬀ a era Vaccines New player Dawn new

36-39 32-35 34-35 43-45 IoA careers Wild salmon Cleaner ﬁsh decline Orkney

69 64-67 70-73 52-54 60-63 UK Aquaculture Nigeria Networking Research FishConley Vetproducti Society Meet the team Boosti ng on Dave Chris Mitchell

Antibiotics and vaccines

81-82 76-77 56-59 65 From the Archive Value chains Aquaculture Processing &UK Retail News Awards David LittinleChina reports Growth Developing trends Hope for Pinneys

The mackerel hypothesis Transport Leask Marine Sti rling students

91 78-79 63 66-67 Retail Marketing Processing & Retail News Stuart&Banks

30-34 RAS

92-93 68-69 80-81 64-65 Aqua Source Directory

Figure 9. 9. Development Development of of salmon salmon nominal nominal catch catch in in southern southern and and northern northern NEAC NEAC 1971 1971 to to 2016. 2016. Figure Text at at top top inserted inserted by by author. author. Filled Filled symbols symbols and and darker darker line line southern southern NEAC. NEAC. Text

Atlantic Sapphire

36-37 46-47 40 37 36-37 DNB Bank Brussels Backing a gem Innovation Cleaner ﬁshconference Aquaculture Innovation

Save Pinneys jobs Carlisle jobs Recruitment Eat more ﬁshchallenges Obituary

Find all all you you need need for for the the industry industry Find

94 70 82 66 Opinion

Figure 10. 10. Examples Examples of of the the young young mackerel mackerel currently currently growing growing up up ‘all ‘all over’ over’ the the North North Sea, Sea, Figure Norwegian Sea Sea and and along along the the Norwegian Norwegian coast coast at at the the moment. moment. These These were were caught caught in in aa ‘washing ‘washing Norwegian set’ by by the the purse purse seiner seiner ‘Brennholm’ ‘Brennholm’ at at an an arbitrary arbitrary position position 100 100 nm nm west west of of the the Lofoten Lofoten Isles Isles in in set’ January 2018. At this stage these small mackerels are competitors to the postsmolt salmon, January 2018. At this stage these small mackerels are competitors to the postsmolt salmon, later they they will will be be both both competitors competitors and and potential potential predators. predators. The The new new and and abundant abundant availability availability later Printed in Great Britain for the proprietors Wyvex Media Ltd by J Thomson Colour Printers Ltd, Printed in Great Britain for the proprietors Wyvex Media Ltd by J Thomson Colour Printers Ltd, Printed Printed in in Great Great Britain Britain for for the the proprietors proprietors Wyvex Wyvex Media Media Ltd Ltd by by JJ Thomson Thomson Colour Colour Printers Printers Ltd, Ltd,of juvenile mackerel in the multi sea winter salmon feeding areas may be a good explanation to of juvenile mackerel in the multi sea winter salmon feeding areas may be a good explanation to Glasgow ISSN 0262-9615 Glasgow ISSN ISSN 0262-9615 0262-9615 why the the MSW MSW fishes fishes have have such such aa good good condition condition at at present present despite despite their their poor poor early early sea sea growth. growth. Glasgow Glasgow ISSN 0262-9615 why Photo JC JC Holst. Holst. Photo

Introducti on Novel technology Temperature Introducti on

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By Nick Nick Joy Joy By

09/05/2018 18:05:09 08/08/2018 15:36:28 06/09/2018 16:32:15 04/10/2018 09:15:28 02/04/2019 18:05:09 17:26:52 09/05/2018 08/08/2018 15:36:28 06/09/2018 16:32:15 04/10/2018 09:15:28

United Kingdom News

NEWS...

Mowi Scotland volumes down 36 per cent in 2018 SCOTLAND’S biggest salmon farmer, Mowi, reported a signiﬁcant drop of 21,300 tonnes, or 36 per cent, in production volumes last year. Health issues such as anaemia and gill disease, as well as mortality at the new Inchmore hatchery and ﬁsh damaged in a storm, all contributed to the drop in output from 60,186 tonnes gutted weight in 2017 to 38,444 tonnes in 2018, the company said in its annual report, released in March. However, good pro-

origin was EUR 77 million for 2018, compared to EUR 153.7 million in 2017, due to increased costs as well as lower volumes. Operational EBIT per kg was EUR 2.0 in 2018 compared to EUR 2.55 in 2017. In Norway, operational EBIT was EUR 545.6 million in 2018, compared to EUR Above: The feed plant on Skye 463.0 million in 2017. gress was achieved in The salmon industry And EBIT per kg was controlling average sea in Scotland overall has also up, from EUR 2.01 in 2017 to 2.95. lice numbers in Scotreported the lowest Volumes in Norway land – and also in the sea lice levels since rose by 20,275 tonnes Faroes and Canada, 2013, SSPO ﬁgures to 230,427 tonnes with a slight increase show. observed in Norway The operational EBIT gutted weight, mainly and Ireland. for salmon of Scottish due to Region North,.

Performance in Chile was also impressive in 2018, said Mowi, with operational EBIT at EUR 74.2 million compared to EUR 58.6 million in 2017. In Scotland, less ﬁsh was stocked in 2017 in order to ensure control of biological issues witnessed in previous years, the report said. The total cost per kg for salmon of Scottish origin harvested in 2018 increased by 20.1 per cent compared with 2017. However, by the end of 2018, Scotland reported an improving

trend in ﬁsh survival and good control of sea lice prevalence, Mowi Scotland expects a bumper harvest in 2019, up to around 65,000 tonnes gutted weight, according to the January issue of the company newsletter, Scoop. Mowi has invested heavily in its Scottish operation, with the Inchmore hatchery opening last year and the new £100 million-plus feed plant, at Kyleakin on Skye, due to become operational shortly. Sea lice under control: Page 18

Grieg back in SSPO fold

Ewing upbeat on post-Brexit market

ALL Scotland’s salmon farmers are now represented by the industry body following the re-admittance of Grieg Seafood Shetland. In a letter to Rural Economy minister Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) conﬁrmed that the company, which was expelled from the SSPO in 2014 following a dispute over smolt imports, had rejoined the fold. In 2014, Grieg Seafood reportedly transported more than one million live smolts from Norway to Shetland without the quarantine period mandated by the Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finﬁsh Aquaculture.The company has since appointed a new managing director, Grant Cumming, with wide experience in the Scottish salmon sector. ‘I’m very pleased for the company to be part of the SSPO membership,’ said Cumming. ‘The SSPO offers considerable value to the industry across its technical, sustainability and communications functions.’

extremely damaging. THERE are opportunities Ewing said he was taking a post-Brexit for Scotland’s pragmatic approach to the chalseafood industry to grab a bigger lenges, for instance working with share of the world market, once the SSPO over export health certhe practical challenges are tificates, which were estimated overcome. to increase from around 50,000 a This was the message from year to 200,000 at an additional Rural Economy minister Fergus cost of £15 million. Ewing to delegates at the SeaAbove: Fergus Ewing with He said an approach had been food Summit in Aberdeen last Marcus Coleman agreed with local authorities, month. Food Standards Scotland and the UK governHighlighting the importance of the sector ment to meet the requirements of the EU. to the Scottish, and UK, economy, he said Other proposals to ease trade following the seafood represented more than 5,000 jobs split with Europe included alternative routes to on fishing vessels, 8,000 processing jobs and market – such as air freighting more products 12,000 aquaculture jobs north of the border. from Scotland. In England seafood exports only account for Ewing said he was also engaging with nine six per cent of food exports, but in Scotland major UK retailers to encourage them to the figure is 60 per cent. source more Scottish produce: ‘They take their A no deal would have a disproportionate responsibilities seriously and want to do what impact on Scotland, with access to labour a they can to help deal with any practical probparticular challenge. The seafood processing lems that arise in the event of a no deal. sector was dependent on non UK nationals ‘We have a great product and we have the – some 70 per cent in the Grampian area, for potential to promote it further to markets example. throughout the world – that’s an untapped Non-tariff barriers, such as the increased potential,’ he told delegates at the two-day requirement for certification, customs checks summit. and delays at ports, had the potential to be

Above: Grieg managing director Grant Cumming

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All the latest industry news from the UK

Medicine use halved in sea lice fight Companies are now reporting this data after SCOTTISH salmon farmers have dramatically reduced either one month or two, not three, as was the case their use of medicines to treat sea lice, with spendpreviously, said Hesketh-Laird. ing dropping 47 per cent, from £18.4 million to £9.7 ‘Fish health and welfare is at the very heart of million, over the past three years. successful salmon farming. In spite of changing and The news comes as the industry reported its lowest challenging marine conditions, salmon farmers are average sea lice levels for six years, down to 0.46 adult working successfully to innovate, collaborate, take females in 2018, according to the Scottish Salmon action and manage fish health and welfare. Producers Organisation (SSPO). ‘Scotland is leading the world in the reporting of SSPO chief executive Julie Hesketh-Laird, speaking salmon survival data and in the sustained manageat the Fish Vet Society conference, near Edinburgh, in ment of sea lice. March, said the industry’s change of approach, from ‘This demonstrates our willingness to be open medicines to a range of other measures, including about our operations and standards of fish health cleaner fish and fresh water treatments, had successAbove: Julie Hesketh-Laird and welfare. fully driven down lice numbers. ‘The sector’s reporting of its performance is above However, she said the industry will continue ‘to argue strongly for access to traditional medicines if we are to truly conquer the and beyond the many other levels of regulation and voluntary data already shared. sea lice challenge’. She said the fact that SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) is ‘From today, we will be publishing more current farm-by-farm sea lice currently restricting the use of the sea lice treatment emamectin benzo- and survival data, moving from three-month reporting schedule we have ate (known as Slice), even in well operating salmon farms, ‘demonstrates a worked to in the past. ‘This enhanced level of transparency should reinforce trust in this distinct lack of joined upnesss’. Hesketh-Laird also said it was the industry’s job to spell out more clear- important Scottish farming sector.’ Earlier in the month, Hesketh-Laird asked the government to tighten ly what kind of regulatory regime it thinks might facilitate future growth. sea lice enforcement measures to ‘help keep momentum’. ‘The current regulatory regime is not fit for purpose,’ she said. ‘There Salmon farmers have called for a reduction of the enforcement trigger are multiple actors with different opinions, and layer upon layer of level from eight to six and the reporting threshold from three to two bureaucracy that we have to fight through to keep our salmon farming adult, female lice. sector strong, and this simply doesn’t deliver for anybody’s interest.’ ‘To maintain the direction of travel, we recommend a further tightening The SSPO also released farm-by farm results for salmon survival which of the enforcement trigger level to four from February 2020,’ wrote showed the average monthly salmon survival on farms last year was 99 Hesketh-Laird in a letter to Fergus Ewing. per cent. The data release marks the start of a new SSPO-led reporting Medicines go down: Page 60 schedule for sea lice and survival figures.

The world moves forward Feeding is the most important task in aquaculture. Therefore, you should choose the best and most advanced tool. 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 have raised the bar once again. We present Next Generation FeedStation!

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United Kingdom News

forum to focus on global outlook UK strikes deal with Norway and Iceland AEdinburgh SEMINAR focusing on the outlook audience on a whistle-stop tour of

THE UK struck a deal with Norway and Iceland on March 18 which will see trade continue unchanged in the event of a no deal exit from the EU. Trade secretary Liam Fox said: ‘This is the second biggest agreement we’re rolling over and trade with EEA (the European Economic Area) is worth nearly £30 billion.’ Continued trade with the other EEA member, Liechtenstein, and with Switzerland, which is neither an EU nor EEA member but is part of the EU’s single market, is covered by an agreement already signed in February. With Brexit talks ongoing, Britain is seeking to replicate around 40 EU bilateral trade deals ahead of leaving Europe. The leave date of March 29 has since been delayed following the defeat of the third (at the time of going to press) meaningful vote on Theresa May’s withdrawal deal. Several indicative votes on motions put forward by MPs have also all been rejected. If Britain leaves without a deal, existing bilateral trade agreements will cease to apply. The Norway and Iceland accord, described by Bloomberg as temporary, will ensure continued access for British businesses to the European

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Economic Area if there is no deal, said Fox. It will maintain zero tariffs on established quotas on seafood and agricultural products. The deal also establishes a basis for negotiating a permanent agreement to ensure the continuation of as much of the open trade arrangement that the single market represents, the Norwegian foreign ministry said. Norway’s fisheries minister, Harald Tom Nesvik, said during a visit to London in January that his country wanted to strike its own deal with the UK. ‘There is no doubt Norway and Britain truly depend on each other and that is why it is crucial to ensure predictable and uninterrupted trade between our two countries,’ said Nesvik at the Norwegian Seafood Council’s London summit. Liam Fox said of the new deal: ‘Combined with the agreement we have already signed with Liechtenstein and Switzerland, it accounts for close to half of the trade we’re seeking continuity for. ‘This is good news for British businesses and a major milestone in getting the UK ready for Brexit, no matter the terms of our withdrawal.’

global aquaculture production; and Dave Little, Professor of Aquatic Resources and Development in Stirling University’s Sustainable Aquaculture Group, will provide a run-through of some prime examples of international collaboration and cooperation in the sector. Clifford Spencer, goodwill ambassador for the African Union and chairman of Aquaculture without Frontiers, will give a presentation about engagement with Africa. The event is free, but spaces are limited. For more information contact Rob Fletcher (rob.fletcher@5mpublishing.com) or Ksenia Warnett (ksenia.warnett@5mpublishing.com). 2019 Aquaculture Awards shortlist: Page 16 Photo: Therese Soltveit

Above: Liam Fox

for aquaculture in the world beyond Europe will be held in Edinburgh in May. The event will include insights into aquaculture’s role in securing global food security, and also provide examples of international collaboration in the industry. Organised by 5m Publishing and the Fish Site, the seminar will take place at Dynamic Earth on May 29, ahead of the 2019 Aquaculture Awards at the same venue. Nigel Balmforth, 5m’s head of publishing, said:‘Although we don’t yet know the full impact of the UK’s (possible) departure from the EU, our aquaculture sector is increasingly looking for additional opportunities that lie beyond the Continent.’ Speakers will include Kolbjørn Giskeødegård, senior seafood analyst at Nordea Bank; Melanie Siggs of the Global Aquaculture Alliance; and Patrick Blow, aquaculture manager at Marks & Spencer. Nicki Holmyard, owner and founder of Offshore Shellfish, will take the

Above: Kolbjørn Giskeødegård

Study explores impact of RAS on salmon THE impact of recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS) on salmon smolts is to be investigated by a consortium led by Stirling University’s Institute of Aquaculture (IoA). The £2 million Robust-Smolt study – involving 14 institutions and organisations – will compare the robustness and susceptibility of RAS reared Atlantic salmon to pathogens. Over the next three years, the research, backed by leading salmon farmers, will aim to provide new knowledge and scientific tools to monitor and enhance farming practices. The IoA’s Professor Herve Migaud, principal investigator on the project, said: ‘The rapid global expansion of the salmon industry has been made possible through the adoption of new farming technologies – including contained systems such as RAS – and husbandry regimes. ‘These systems have clear advantages over land based flow through and freshwater loch systems, and young salmon produced in RAS under manipulated regimes – such as constant temperature and light – reach larger sizes and can be transferred to seawater earlier than ever before. ‘However, our knowledge of the impacts these new rearing systems have on salmon physiology is very limited.’ Both Mowi and Scottish Sea Farms, which are part of the consortium, have invested in new RAS hatcheries, growing larger smolts on land before transferring them to sea pens. The consortium also includes the Scottish Salmon Company, Cooke Aquaculture Scotland and Grieg Seafood; the universities of Aberdeen, Exeter and Edinburgh; CEFAS; BioMar; Pharmaq; SAIC and the SSPO. Above: Herve Migaud

RAStech: Page 29

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02/04/2019 17:09:07

All the latest industry news from the UK

Salmon firm’s six-boat boost for Arran

Above: Kiscadale/Arran Workboats, leading marine fabricator

IN another boost for the Scottish boatbuilding industry, a leading salmon producer has announced a six-figure contract for six new vessels. The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) has ordered the new workboats from Kiscadale Engineering/Arran Workboats, a family run business based on Arran. The boats will be delivered to SSC sites across the Outer Hebrides, from Lewis to Mull, between April and September this year. Over the past two years, SSC has taken delivery of nine boats from Arran Workboats, located on the island’s Whiting Bay. These vessels are now central to the company’s fleet and are used for tasks such as transportation around the sites. The Isle of Arran has played a long-term role in SSC’s operations and its Lamlash Bay site, one of the first fish farms in Scotland, was established more than 30 years ago. SSC employs 600 people across 60 sites on the west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides and the company is committed to supporting local suppliers and investing in Arran and the other rural communities in which they are based. Kiscadale Engineering, historically a general plastic and stainless steel fabricator, has evolved in recent years to become a leading marine fabricator on Arran. Run by husband and wife team Iain and Sandra Monteith, it provides secure employment on the island. Craig Anderson, chief

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Three stars for ‘finest’ Scottish salmon cased its Lochlander Salmon. THE Scottish Salmon ComAnderson said: ‘To be pany has become the UK’s awarded a 3-star certificafirst salmon producer to be tion within a year of our first recognised with a 3-star Best and second recognises the Aquaculture Practice (BAP) commitment and expertise certification. of our people, and also reinThe company was awardforces our commitment to ed a third star for sourcing producing the finest quality its feed from BAP certified suppliers. It already holds two Scottish Salmon responsibly and sustainably.’ stars for its processing sites Mike Berthet, BAP’S marat Marybank and Cairndow, ket developand all its marine ment manager sites throughout for the EU, said: the west coast of ‘Yet again, SSC Scotland and the proves its deHebrides. termination to Craig Anderhave a seamless son, chief execuBAP certified tive of the SSC, operation.’ accepted the BAP is adminthird star at the istered by the Seafood Expo Global AquaNorth America (SENA) in Boston Above: Craig Anderson with BAP’s culture Alliance (GAA). where SSC show- Mike Berthet at SENA

executive of the SSC, said: ‘The Scottish Salmon Company has a long history with Kiscadale Engineering, having first worked with them over 30 years ago. ‘We are committed to using local suppliers from the communities in which we live and work wherever possible. ‘Kiscadale Engineering is a quality local business who will supply us with best in class equipment, and our close AN apprentice with the Scottish Salmon Company scooped three big working relationship allows us prizes at the Lantra Scotland Land-based and Aquaculture Learner of the to work together to design im- Year Awards. provements in the vessels and Janis Brivkalns from Dunoon was named as joint overall Learner incorporate new technology.’ of the Year, as well as winning the Aquaculture Learner of the Year Ian Monteith said: ‘Multiple and the Modern Apprentice of the Year accolades, at the awards orders like this help secure in Dunblane. For the first time the Learner of the Year honour was shared, employment and provide train- with Amy Park, an apprentice in mixed farming, the joint winner. ing for local young people - this Brivkalns said: ‘I feel very honoured with these Lantra Awards, I wasn’t contract has allowed us to expecting to win and to find that I’ve won three awards is amazing. create one new role and also ‘My job is incredibly rewarding, it’s a real privilege to work with the team, supports four workers who are at the heart of salmon production. I enjoy being part of an industry that is under 30. so important to Scotland’s economy and heritage.’ ‘SSC demand a very high Runner up in the aquaculture category was Scottish Sea Farms’ apprenstandard for their boats and tice Billy Welsh, from Stromness in Orkney. And vet Harry Hamlin-Wright we have a well trained workof Dawnfresh was awarded one of four CARAS (Council for Awards of force dedicated to building the Agricultural Societies) prizes. Also honoured as an aquaculture finalist was best boats of their class. Andrew Richardson, a masters student at SAMS. ‘Manufacturing businesses like this help the local economy in many ways.With the logistics of island trading we are fortunate to work with Arran Haulage who bring in our raw materials and deliver the completed boats all over Scotland. ‘The cycle is completed by Arran Haulage delivering 100 per cent of our plastic waste to the state-of-the-art recycling centre at Inchinan. ‘We are delighted to be awarded this second contract for the SSC and appreciate their policy of supporting local Above: Lantra’s aquaculture winners businesses.’

Prize apprentice scoops three awards

02/04/2019 17:11:03

UK news

Orkney farm’s £3m boost for Scottish business

NEW salmon farm on Orkney is set to generate more than £3 million of business with Scottish suppliers as well as creating jobs. The Scottish Sea Farms site off Lober Rock in the Scapa Flow, which will be operational this autumn, will see a total infrastructure investment of £3.3 million, over 90 per cent of which will be spent with Scottish companies. The newly awarded contracts include £1.74 million with the Gael Force Group in Inverness to build a 200 tonne steel feed barge – the first to be built at the former Corpach Boatyard in Fort William – along with moorings, 12 x 80m salmon pens, underwater cameras and environmental monitoring technology. Macduff Shipyards in Aberdeenshire has been commissioned to build a 14m catamaran workboat at £665,000. And W&J Knox of Ayrshire has won £324,000 of orders, which include Seal Pro netting systems to maintain Scottish Sea Farms’ record of no seal shootings in Orkney in more than three years. Meanwhile, £106,000 will be spent with local company Leask Marine in Orkney to secure the moorings, barge and pens. Scottish Sea Farms’ managing director Jim Gallagher said: ‘These orders will equip our new farm with the latest technologies, ensuring we’re Scottish Technical Standard 2020 compliant and giving our salmon the very best environment in which to grow. ‘We’ve worked with several of these suppliers for many years now as part of our long-standing policy of buying Scottish wherever possible, and know their

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products to be tried and tested with regards to withstanding Orkney marine conditions.’ The new salmon farm is set to benefit non-aquaculture businesses too, said Scottish Sea Farms. Regional production manager for Orkney Richard Darbyshire said: ‘Not only will we be working with local suppliers to the sector, but our salmon pens will be constructed by Gael Force Fusion on the remote island of Sanday, generating spend on everything from hauliers, ferry travel and accommodation at the nearby Kettletoft Hotel, to generators, welfare units and sundries for as much as three months or more.’ The new farm will also create six new full-time roles and lead to further job creation across the supply chain. Gael Force Group founder and managing director Stewart Graham said: ‘As part of a planned increase of 10 new employees in Lochaber, we have already advertised six newly created fabricator roles as a direct result of the barge being built at Gael Force Boatbuilding in Corpach, and we are also increasing our workforce with multiple new roles at our pen building facility, Gael Force Fusion in Oban.’ Managing director of Leask Marine Douglas Leask also welcomed Scottish Sea Farms’ expansion. ‘It secures steady employment for our specialist dive teams, increases opportunities for one of our larger vessels operating in Orkney waters and, in turn, will bring additional onward spend in our local communities.’ These latest contract awards come on the back of a year in which Scottish Sea Farms spent a record £113 million across 676 local suppliers, said the company. Some £33 million of this was investment in the farmer’s new RAS smolt hatchery at Barcaldine. There are plans to invest a further £25 million in capital infrastructure projects over the next 12 months. It’s estimated that Scotland’s salmon farmers combined spend in excess of £595 million annually procuring goods and services from Scottish suppliers. FF

We’ve “ worked with several of these suppliers for many years and know their products to be tried and tested

”

Above: SSF’s farm at Westerbister in Orkney

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02/04/2019 17:21:55

European News

NEWS... Two innovators join Aqua-Spark stable

Above: Mike Velings and Amy Novogratz, co-founders of Aqua-Spark

AQUACULTURE fund Aqua-Spark has announced two new investments, taking its portfolio to 16 companies. The latest enterprises to attract backing from the Dutch based group are BioFishency, an Israeli innovator in water treatment systems for use in land based aquaculture, and Molofeed, a Norwegian company with a feed formula that replaces live feed early in the larval rearing cycle. Aqua-Spark, which focuses on sustainable aquaculture projects, is a primary investor in BioFishency’s latest round of funding, which raised $2.4 million in total. BioFishency will use the additional funds to support its innovative R&D strategy and expansion in China. Aqua-Spark’s investment in Molofeed will be put towards marketing and increasing production capacity. Mike Velings and

Amy Novogratz, co-founders of Aqua-Spark, said: ‘These two companies exemplify what we set out to do with Aqua-Spark. ‘While in different parts of the value chain, through advanced technology and innovative thinking, they’re each moving the needle for a more sustainable future for aquaculture. ‘As the industry continues to grow, we need to support the practices and technologies that are improving how we grow fish so that aquaculture can reach its potential as the healthiest, most resource efficient animal protein.’ BioFishency said its systems have already increased farmers’ productivity, including a 95 per cent reduction in water use for intensive tanks, a two to fivefold increase in yields for large ponds, and a

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doubling of nitrification. The systems are currently operating in Israel, Congo, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and China, and there is interest in the units in Nigeria and Vietnam (for the shrimp market). With more than $1.3 million in sales for 2018, BioFishency has more than doubled its total 2017 revenues. Igal Magen, co-CEO and co-founder, said: ‘BioFishency is extremely pleased and honoured to join Aqua-Spark’s portfolio of investments. ‘As a leader in the aquaculture investment ecosystem, Aqua-Spark’s mission is one we identify with, and we hope to do our part to contribute to an industry that is more sustainable and accessible to fish farmers worldwide.’ Molofeed, meanwhile, has developed larval feed for marine finfish and shrimp based on proprietary

micro-encapsulation technology. This makes it possible to include pre-digested and other water soluble components in a capsule, and slow release nutrients after feeding. The technology has several additional potential applications, including acting as a delivery system for bioactive peptides, immunostimulants, and probiotics. Because of their size and digestive capabilities, young fish require highly specific feeds -commonly sourced from live prey, such as artemia and rotifers, which are costly, carry disease-risk, and have a significant environmental footprint. Molofeed is able to substitute more live feed than current products, with a vision of one day replacing live feeds altogether. Ingmar Høgøy, founder of Molofeed, said: ‘We share the same vision as Aqua-Spark - a more sustainable aquaculture industry that’s capable of meeting our global food production needs. ‘We are honoured to be part of the Aqua-Spark family of companies working towards growing an improved aquaculture industry.’

Salmon tax debate hots up AN intense political debate has broken out in Norway over future plans for taxing its fish farming industry. The government is said to be looking at using the water and land resources that fish farms take up as a possible source for excise revenue, dubbed the salmon tax. This suggestion has already met with growing opposition from the Progress and Liberal members of parliament, who help make up the governing coalition, along with the Conservatives and Christian Democrats. An independent committee, set up by the Oslo government last year, is investigating new methods of taxing both the aquaculture and fish catching sectors and it is expected to publish its final recommendations in November. In addition to the normal corporation tax on profits, aquaculture companies pay substantial sums for new licences. Most of that is channelled back to the communities where the new development will take place to help fund schools, medical centres and social amenities. Last year, these communities received the sterling equivalent of almost £250 million. But industry profits have risen sharply over the past two years and some politicians are casting envious eyes on the companies when looking for new sources of taxation The backing for a land and water resources tax has found more favour with parties on the left of Norway’s political spectrum. Seafood Norway, which represents both fish farmers and trawler companies, is arguing strongly against new tax.

Above: Norwegian salmon farm

02/04/2019 16:58:26

European News

Iceland ﬁsh farm growth moves east…

THE Icelandic salmon and trout farming company Ice Fish Farm has been given the go-ahead to significantly increase its output at two sites in the east of the country. The locations, near the towns of Berufirði and Fáskrúðsfjörðu, are interesting because much of the fish farming activity in Iceland is concentrated along the west coast. The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, known as MAST, said that Ice Fish Farm (under the Iceland name Fiskeldi Austfjarða) can up its annual salmon and trout harvest from 11,000 tonnes to 20,800 tonnes in total. MAST said that that the Marine Research Institute’s risk assessment was taken into account before it issued the new operating licences. However, permission is also subject to a licence being granted by the Environment Agency. Established just seven years ago, Ice Fish Farm said it operates eco-friendly fish farming.

..while MPs embark on Norway fact ﬁnder nual aquaculture conference in Reykjavik last AS Iceland gears up to expand its aquaculture month, said in a LinkedIn post: ‘Iceland has a sector, a group from the country’s parliament, large potential in salmon farming, bigger than the Althingi, has completed a fact finding misNorway relative to the size of the population. sion to study how the Norwegians successfully ‘The annual value creation per job in this developed their own industry. industry is NOK 3 million in Norway, compared Eleven members of the parliamentary employment committee had been in Bergen for to the national average of NOK 1 million (ex oil). And most of those jobs are in small coastthe North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) last al communities which may not have survived month and then went to see how a fish farm without them.’ operates. This, he said, was a similar situation to the The group, comprising six women and five West and East Fjords in Iceland. men, visited one of the lesser known, family Sletmo said of the Norwegian experience: owned salmon and trout businesses, some 30 ‘There are many pitfalls, including regulations. miles outside Bergen, before going on to look Regulations should be very strict in terms of at a feed station and at sea farming operations biosecurity, otherwise liberal. and research bodies. ‘Norway started out way too strict (nobody Speaking on behalf of the committee, Lilja Rafney Magnúsdóttir, said she thought the visit could own more than one licence), Chile started out way too liberal. Both countries have would come in useful when future legislation now migrated towards the middle, with much on aquaculture is discussed at parliamentary better results.’ committee level. ‘I think the trip has been particularly informative because we have been able to learn about what the Norwegians have done well, as well as understanding how to avoid some of the problems they have faced.’ Meanwhile, a leading Norwegian industry analyst has said Iceland’s salmon farmers can learn lessons from Norway. Dag Sletmo, DNB senior vice president and Above: Xxxxx seafood analyst, who addressed Iceland’s an- Above: The Icelandic MPS in Norway

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All the latest industry news from Europe

Salmon drives Norway export boom NORWAY reported its best February seafood export performance so far, thanks once again to the rising value of salmon. Although volumes were down by 57,000 tonnes on a year ago, this reduction was mainly due to a big drop in fishing for capelin. The overall value rose by nine per cent to NOK 7.8 billion (£683.5 million), explained Norway Seafood Council analyst Kristine Pettersen. She said revenues from farmed salmon, white fish and pelagic species such as Above: Kristine Pettersen herring and mackerel were all well up. But it is salmon which is clearly wearing the export crown. In February, 80,000 tonnes of salmon worth NOK 5.1 billion (£447 million) went overseas, a volume increase of seven per cent, but a value increase of 11 per cent or NOK 492 million. Already this year, 166,000 tonnes of salmon have been exported at a value of NOK 10.7 billion (£937.5 million), around NOK 1.1 billion more than 12 months ago. Seafood Council salmon analyst Paul T. Aandahl said: ‘The largest emerging markets in February were Poland, Denmark and Lithuania. ‘These are markets where a high proportion of salmon is processed for export to other markets, mainly within the EU. ‘We see positive trends, especially in the consumption of smoked salmon in markets such as Germany, France and Italy.’ The average price for fresh whole salmon in February was NOK 58.94 per kg, compared to NOK 58.34 per kilo in February last year. Sales of farmed trout, which appeared to be sluggish not so long ago, are also picking up sharply following an equally successful January start. The February export figure rose by 22 per cent to 3,600 tonnes, while the value went up by 37 per cent to NOK 251 million.

Threat to Mowi world heritage site licence MOWI has been told it may lose its fish farming licence in the Vega Islands World Heritage Area in the north of Norway. The warning has been issued by the Norwegian Environment Agency, which is looking again at the impact of aquaculture in what is viewed as a unique natural habitat. The Vega region is a cluster of dozens of small islands just south of the Arctic Circle, covering a land and water area of more than 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres) and is home to 230 species of birds. The islands bear testimony to a simple way of life, dating back 1,500 years, based on small scale fishing and, in particular, the breed-

ing and harvesting of eider ducks. Nordland County Council had earlier granted Mowi permission to begin salmon and trout farming in part of the Vega cluster. However, the state broadcaster NRK reports that the move has met with strong opposition from such powerful groups as Unesco and the Forum for Nature and Outdoor Life, which claim that fish farming can harm the duck population. The Environment Agency has rejected

some of the environmental claims because they were lodged too late. But it has also said it is considering whether to call back the permit granted to Mowi because it feels it does not have enough information on the impact of aquaculture on bird life. In the meantime, Mowi has said it will put development work on hold while it looks carefully at some of the environmental arguments now being put forward.

Battery powers farm’s CO2 cuts only necessary to power A SMALL family owned them up by running the salmon farmer has diesel unit for a short succeeded in cutting time. They then CO2 emissions by up have enough power to 70 per cent thanks to run for a full 24 to the development hours. of innovative new ‘We not only cut battery technology. CO2 emissions by Based in the north of Norway, the firm, Kvarøy 70 per cent, but have Fiskeoppdrett, said it Above: Alf-Gøran Knutsen reduced our diesel has also reduced the consumption by 80 per consumption of diesel fuel by up to cent or up to 180,000 litres a year.’ 80 per cent. Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett is thought CEO Alf-Gøran Knutsen said his to be the first salmon company to company has a clear goal of being invest in this new method of electric out in front when it comes to envioperation, and will be introducing it ronmentally friendly fish farming. on at least two of its sites. He has been working with the Knutsen said he is now looking at technology company Aqua Group using ‘shore power’ to operate at to develop large battery packs two other sites, but if that becomes to power feed vessels and other too expensive then the battery equipment at the farm. packs will be brought in. Knutsen said running a fish farm However, with the price of a pack many miles from the normal elecat around three million kroner tricity supply infrastructure, such as (£265,000), adopting the new systhe national grid, is not easy. tem is not cheap, and it is expected The battery packs have been to take more than a year before the designed in such a way that it is company recovers its investment.

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02/04/2019 17:00:25

European News

Novel feed firm expands team

Above: Karim Kurmaly

NOVEL feed producer Veramaris has expanded its team as it prepares to open its full scale production facility in the US this summer. The Dutch firm makes natural marine algal oil at three sites on two continents, North America and Europe. The third and largest facility, in Blair, Nebraska, is currently under construction and expected to come on stream in the middle of this year, to supply commercial quantities of algal oil. Veramaris’ highly concentrated algal oil will, the company said, enable the aquaculture industry to keep up with the

increasing demand for omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, and reduce its dependence on fish oil obtained from wild stocks. The new team includes Ian Carr, global business development director; Lalen Dogan, Asia Pacific business development director; Gaelle Husser, global business development director; Christian Martin, global business development director; Steven Severino, new business development director; and Jorge Torres, Latin America business development director. Veramaris CEO Karim Kurmaly said: ‘I am looking forward to working with our highly committed and

experienced talents on solving the global challenge of reconciling economic growth with the urgent need to conserve finite natural resources. ‘Collaborating with partners along the value chain, we will together do our best to support the sustainability of aquaculture, to provide healthy and nutritious food for all.’ Kurmaly will be speaking at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Bergen last month. He took part in the NASF Sustainability Workshop, outlining how novel ingredients can help the continued growth of aquaculture.

Fjord Maritime generates good news

Above: Oyvind Bakke

NORWEGIAN aquaculture supplier Fjord Maritime has signed a contract with Grieg Seafood in Finnmark to supply four of its Fjord Hybrid systems.

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Powered by maritime approved lithium batteries, the Fjord Hybrid system can reduce the running time of diesel generators on feed vessels and will be utilised on Grieg Seafood’s feed barges. Bergen based Fjord Maritime is now focused on Norway but plans to look to international markets by the end of the year. Marketing manager Oyvind Bakke explained the benefits: ‘Generator running times are reduced to a minimum, from 24 hours down to two hours per day, leading to a significant reduction in fuel consumption and service costs, and a much healthier working environment.’

Bigger smolts boost Bakkafrost THE Faroese fish farmer Bakkafrost outlined two important developments in its annual sustainability and financial reports, published in March. First, there will be a significant increase in the number, and size, of smolts released this year. About 12.6 million smolts were released during 2018 and 9.9 million in 2017. The company now plans to raise that figure to more than 13.5 million in 2019. Bakkafrost also intends to almost double the smolt size to 500g by 2021, with the sustainability report adding: ‘The benefits (of this move) are a shorter production time at sea as well as a reduced biological risk.’ The company is constructing a massive smolt facility with 29,000 m³ capacity, scheduled for completion this year, as part of a major investment in its smolt operations. In a further development, Bakkafrost said that 86 per cent of its salmon harvested this year will be certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). Seven farms were ASC certified last year, ahead of the planned target of four farms, and this year it expects a further seven farms to be audited. Two further sites have already been certified since January. The Bakkafrost 2018 Healthy Living Sustainability Report details the launch of a DKK 10 million community investment fund, plans to build the Faroe Islands’ first biogas plant, and continued progress introducing measures to minimise environmental impacts on the fjords. In its farming operation, Bakkafrost focused on improving treatment methods against sea lice. Medical bath treatments were not used and in their place freshwater and lukewarm seawater, in addition to lumpfish, were adopted. ‘Initially, these new mechanical treatments resulted in elevated mortality, but after a start-up phase and more experience and better knowledge of the equipment and the treatment methods, the mortality level has improved, but Bakkafrost is still working on improving the negative side effects of these mechanical treatments,’ the report said. Towards the end of last year, Bakkafrost started production of salmon meal and salmon oil in its new production facility at Havsbrun and this is expected to increase the value of the offcuts in its salmon production. The report said that the company has managed to phase out the use of ethoxyquin in all fishmeal used in salmon feed in favour of natural antioxidants, while also managing to maintain high omega 3 levels. It has also tested alternative feed ingredients to increase nutritional value. And it has almost entirely phased out the use of formalin in its hatcheries, in favour of natural seawater treatments along with changing stunning methods from electrical to mechanical, so improving quality and minimising stress. Presenting the sustainability report CEO Regin Jacobsen said: ‘In 2019, we will begin planning for the next phase of our sustainability strategy. The emphasis here will be to continue to integrate it into our corporate strategy and investment plans.’ Bakkafrost’s harvest guidance for 2019 is 54,500 tonnes gutted weight, up from 44,591 tonnes in 2018. The company reported a profit of DKK 960.3 million (£110.7 million) in 2018, compared with DKK 511.4 million (£65.5 million) the previous year.

Above: Salmon smolt

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02/04/2019 17:00:53

World News

NEWS...

US gives GM salmon the ﬁnal ‘all clear’ THE word’s first genetically modified salmon can now be farmed in the US, following a decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lift its final restrictions. AquaBounty Technologies, which is based in Prince Edward Island, Canada, described the decision as a milestone for its AquaAdvantage salmon. The company can now go ahead with its farming operations at a land based RAS (recirculating aquaculture system) grow-out facility in Indiana. Sylvia Wulf, CEO of AquaBounty, said: ‘We will immediately start the process to import AquAdvantage eggs from our hatchery in Canada to begin grow out at our Indiana facility. ‘As FDA notes in this announcement, our salmon was approved by the agency over three years ago based upon a very comprehensive science based review process, which established that our salmon was safe, nutritious, and environmentally sound and met all other regulatory requirements.’

The decision involves deactivating a 2016 import alert over labelling that prevented GE salmon from entering the US. The FDA said in a statement: ‘This fish is safe to eat, the genetic construct added to the fish’s genome is safe for the animal, and the manufacturer’s claim that it reaches a growth marker important to the aquaculture industry more rapidly than its non-GE farm-raised Atlantic salmon counterpart is confirmed.’ The agency added that, based on ‘the multiple forms of physical and biological environmental containment measures proposed by the company’, AquAdvantage salmon would not cause a significant impact on the US environment. AuqaBounty, which has been developing its technology for more than 20 years, has produced small amounts of salmon in Panama and Canada, where the broodstock are reared. The farm in Indiana has been used to grow con-

Above: Sylvia Wulf, CEO of AquaBounty Technologies

ventional Atlantic salmon, to prepare the site for the AquaAdvantage product. It is expected to produce 1,200 tonnes of salmon annually when it is fully operating. The company said it is also establishing operations outside of North America with projects in Brazil, Argentina, Israel, and China. The transgenic fish – engineered from chinook and Atlantic salmon genes – have been on sale in Canadian supermarkets since last year.

Canada debate must be evidence based and productive: minister CANADIAN fisheries minister Jonathan Wilkinson has called for more constructive discussions over the country’s aquaculture industry. In an article for the Georgia Straight, reprinted by Seawest News, he wrote: ‘Over the past several years we have witnessed a sometimes acrimonious debate regarding aquaculture. All interested parties, including his own government department, needed to ‘engage in a more productive conversation’. To this end, he said a new science adviser post had been created, along with an advisory committee to

structive discussions will, however, require that we are forthright in our use of information,’ said the minister. ‘Too often over past years has one side or the other misconstrued Above: Jonathan Wilkinson information for the purpose of making provide an extertheir point.’ nal perspective on He cited the case aquaculture science of an environmenpriorities. tal activist making Areas of study by inaccurate statements the committee, which about the compulsory encompasses BC First testing of smolts for Nations representPRV (piscine orthoreatives and the BC ovirus) before being Salmon Farmers transferred to open Association, among net pens. others, will include In fact, he said, his land based and ocean department’s policy based closed conhad not changed and tainment, as well as that that it was not offshore aquaculture necessary to test for production systems. PRV. ‘Having more con-

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02/04/2019 16:54:22

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Scot to head Cermaq Chile AQUACULTURE veteran Steven Rafferty has been appointed the new managing director of Cermaq Chile, it was announced last month. He joins the company - which he last worked for as chief financial officer Above: Steven Raﬀerty and chief operating officer farming between 2008 and 2010 - from London based Global Maritime. The Scot was managing director of Skretting Global Salmon and Fish Feed Southern Europe until September 2017, based in Stavanger in Norway, and a member of the Nutreco executive committee. Rafferty previously worked for Marine Harvest in the 1990s, with roles in Scotland, Chile and the US, rising to chief farming officer in 2005. He remained with the company when it was acquired by Nutreco (Skretting’s owner), later joining Nutreco in 2012, after it had sold Marine Harvest. Rafferty, who lived and worked in Chile for six years, said: ‘I very much look forward to lead Cermaq’s operations in Chile. Cermaq CEO Geir Molvik said Rafferty, who takes up his post in Puerto Montt, on June 1, was ‘definitely the right person for this task, bringing with him broad knowledge from the industry’.

BioMar $17m deal to meet Chile demand DANISH feed company BioMar has acquired the remaining 50 per cent of the Chilean factory ASPA, giving it access to significantly greater capacity. The deal, said to be worth US$17 million and subject to competition approval, involved AquaChile selling its 50 per cent stake, acquired in a joint venture with BioMar in 2007. ASPA produces around 120,000 tonnes of salmon feed a year and is the main feed supplier to AquaChile, which was bought by Agrosuper last summer. Carlos Diaz, CEO of BioMar Group, said the acquisition reinforces the company’s commitment to the Chilean market. ‘BioMar Chile will achieve a better possibility to serve the broader customer base and plan for future upgrades.’

Tanzania acts to develop aquaculture

Above: Dr Rashid Tamatamah

TANZANIA’S government is set to introduce an Aquaculture Development Act to create a conducive environment for business operators, African Daily Voice reported. The new act will replace the Fisheries Act of 2003, said the country’s agriculture minister, Dr Rashid Tamatamah, at a meeting of farmers and traders to discuss the new legislation. The act is expected to help the country adapt to science and technology advances. ‘The new act will provide the government with a legal framework to improve protection of the aquatic organisms, and enhance security against smuggling of aquatic creatures as well as uplifting the level of their productions,’ said the minister.

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MORE than 20 women are working as welders in Chile’s aquaculture industry, after a special rectuitment programme. They have been trained for the production line following an inclusion scheme introduced by Norwegian owned AKVA Group that is promoting sustainable development. The company created the programme at its Puerto Montt base last year, training local women in its production processes and welding workshops. ‘We want to see more empow-

ered women working in the salmon industry,’ said Andrew Campbell, regional president of AKVA Group for America, UK, and Australasia. ‘For a year we have been developing inclusion and training projects for women in the welding area, to create excellent products, with the best welders from both genders.’ There are now 23 women in the welding workshop. They were previously trained in the AKVA academy, which initially offered men-only courses, then mixed classes and, finally, the first women-only course.

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18/02/2015 11:57

Above: Female welders at AKVA Group in Puerto Montt

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02/04/2019 16:54:45

All the latest industry news from around the world

Chinese tourists ﬂock to ﬁsh farm

Above: Tourist attraction

OFFSHORE aquaculture installations have become increasingly popular in China, not only to farm fish but as tourist attractions. Tourists visiting aquaculture farms off the coast of Rongcheng in Shandong Province can take a boat to distinctive

yellow platforms where fish are being raised in deep water facilities, according to a recent report by Seafood Source. The visitors can feed the fish and go fishing. The local Ocean and Fisheries Bureau in Rongcheng claims the leisure fishing side of the

industry was worth US$372.3 million to the city in 2018. The city government is now working with local aquaculture firms and fishing cooperatives to build nine leisure fishing platforms this year, alongside seven offshore aquaculture facilities, and seven more platforms farming various species. Traditional aquaculture and fishing in coastal regions have been hit by environmental regulations and fishing moratoriums, forcing the government to create new jobs.

Salmon farmers adopt ‘trusted’ algae feed MORE than 350,000 tonnes of aquafeed containing an algae based protein source have been sold to salmon farmers over the past two years, the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Bergen heard last month. AlgaPrime DHA, made by Netherlands based Corbion, is being sold to Norwegian salmon farmers in feeds formulated by BioMar. Developed to reduce dependency on marine fisheries and enhance the nutritional value of seafood, AlgaPrime DHA is a native, whole algae ingredient that contains approximately three times the level of DHA of fish oil, said Corbion. It enables farmers to reduce fish-

in, fish-out ratios while improving omega-3 levels in the feed. The company acquired the feed’s inventor, TerraVia, in 2017, and last year it bought Brazil based Bunge’s stake in the joint venture for a reported US $22.5 million (£17 million). Corbion’s algae operations are based in San Francisco, and the company operates pilot facilities in California as well. Bunge’s factory is in Brazil. Salmon brands that include AlgaPrime DHA are now available in US, UK and EU markets, said Corbion. The product was awarded the 2017 Global Aquaculture Innovation Award by the GAA.

Focus on disease risk in shrimp project THE Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) has launched a new sustainable aquaculture improvement project in Indonesia. The two-year scheme, in Banyuwangi, East Java, will focus on improving the sustainability of aquaculture in the region, as well as governance and management of ongoing shrimp farming. ‘Effective management of the natural resource base and protection from disease is critical to ensure the long-term investability of the shrimp industry,’ said SFP aquaculture director Anton Immink. The Indonesian fisheries ministry, the planning ministry, and the Financial Service Authority of Indonesia will all be collaborating on the project, together with NGOs. The approach is designed to address disease risks and environmental impacts, to attract investment and insurance, and create a scalable model that can be exported to other geographies.

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02/04/2019 16:56:04

News extra – 2019 Aquaculture Awards

Prize line-up goes global Finalists from Orkney to Nigeria make for a truly Dynamic night

HE shortlist for the 2019 Aquaculture Awards has been announced, with a strong focus on international high fliers. Taking place in Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, on May 29, the awards have eight, mostly new, categories this year and highlight the range of talent involved in the global aquaculture sector. Event organiser Susan Tinch said: ‘We were pleased to gather a diverse panel of judges, featuring Alex Adrian, aquaculture operations manager of Crown Estate Scotland; Martin Gill, head of aquaculture and fisheries at Lloyds Register; Nicki Holmyard, director of Offshore Shellfish; Professor Dave Little, head of research at Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture; Ruth Layton, co-founder and sustainability director of Benchmark Holdings; and the Fish Site’s Rob Fletcher.’ The judges met in Edinburgh on March 29 to draw up the shortlist. ‘It was an interesting day, with no shortage of debate over the relative merits of the 67 entries and nominations,’ said Tinch. ‘But the six judges managed to whittle down the contenders for each category to make the shortlists. And we look forward to announcing the winners on May 29. ‘We’d like to thank the judges and all those who entered these hotly contested awards. ‘We look forward to welcoming all those shortlisted, and the wider aquaculture community, to the awards dinner, tables for which are being booked up quickly,.’ The shortlists for each of the categories are: Applied research breakthrough – Sponsored by Lloyd’s Register • Aqua BioTech Group – the Maltese firm has established a multi-species hatchery and smolt facility at Buckieburn, Scotland • Nutrition Research Group – optimising the use of omega-3 oils in salmon production, Institute of Aquaculture, Scotland • BioMar/Mowi/Scottish Sea Farms/the University of Stirling and SAIC – closing the cycle for captive ballan wrasse, Scotland • Troutlodge – the US firm has used genetics to combat losses caused by bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) in rainbow trout Sustainability – Sponsored by Cargill • Bioretur – converting fish waste to biogas and fertiliser, Norway • Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta – providing training to boost catfish farming productivity in Nigeria • Ictyogroup – developing effective Streptococcus vaccines in Ghana • Veramaris – algal oil producer, Netherlands

Above: Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, venue for the awards ceremony

• Richard Derbyshire – Orkney regional production manager, Scottish Sea Farms • Yilin Li – quality control supervisor, INVE Aquaculture, Salt Lake City • Nathan Pyne-Carter – managing director, Ace Aquatec, Scotland Most promising new entrant – Sponsored by Primer Design • Foover mort removal system - Underwater Contracting Limited • Kendal Hunter – farm manager, Mowi Scotland • Manolin - software analytics to help farmers optimise treatments and improve their fish health • Clara McGhee – farm technician, Mowi Scotland Animal welfare – Sponsored by Benchmark • Ace Aquatech – Hell Raiser electric seal deterrent • Europharma – SuperSmolt FO • Marks & Spencer - the M&S Welfare Outcome Measure Programme • Seneye – smart water quality sensor Technical innovation – Sponsored by MOWI • Benchmark Animal Health – CleanTreat, purification of water used in bath treatments • Pentair – Pentair Vaki Smartflow System • Underwater Contracting Limited – Foover mort removal system • XpertSea – the Canadian firm’s Growth Platform

Diversity – Sponsored by Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre International impact – Sponsored by BioMar • Open Blue Sea Farms – offshore cobia producers, Panama • Hatch – aquaculture accelerator, Bergen • Scottish Sea Farms – one of Scotland’s leading salmon producers • Nutrition Research Group - nutritional analysis with a global reach, Institute of Aquaculture, Scotland *The winner of the people’s choice category is to be decided by an open • Prarie AquaTech – Me-Pro soy based, phosphorous reducing feed ingredi- vote. Any individual involved in the aquaculture sector can vote for one of ent, South Dakota the five candidates who have been nominated. Details of how to vote will be • Veramaris – algal oil producer, Netherlands released shortly. The awards’ dinner is taking place at Dynamic Earth, in Edinburgh, on People’s choice* May 29, at 7.30pm.The event follows on from the Fish Site/5m Publishing’s • Gorkha Ahedo – field team supervisor, InnovaSea Systems, Panama seminar on the international outlook for UK aquaculture. • Caitriona Carter - France based author of The Politics of Aquaculture: Sustainability interdependence, territory and regulation in fish farming Visit https://www.aquacultureawards.com/tickets/awards-dinner-ticket-2019/ FF

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02/04/2019 17:23:12

Wednesday 29th May 2019 at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh The Aquaculture Awards recognise the achievements within the sector and give due recognition to those making an exceptional contribution to the industry, now and in the future. The winners of the Aquaculture Awards 2019 will be announced with a special awards dinner at the spectacular Stratosphere, Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh.

Join friends and celebrate. Reserve your seat at www.aquacultureawards.com or call Ksenia on 07880 230399 Awards Sponsors

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02/04/2019 14:09:32

News extra – Fisheries Management Scotland conference

‘Lice under control’ Mowi tells wild sector Farmers increased their ammunition in fight against parasite

COTLAND’S leading salmon farmer, Mowi, has ‘full control’ of sea lice on its farms, the company’s farming operations director, Gideon Pringle, told wild fisheries managers. Speaking at the annual Fisheries Management Scotland conference, held in Edinburgh on March 29, Pringle explained how a change in strategy, a new team, new thinking, new methods and new resources had reduced parasite levels to a record low in the west of Scotland. ‘As an industry, there is a reason for us to say we can get our house in order, and it is in order, at a rapid pace now, because we have very new methodologies that all work very, very well,’ he said. The conference, whose audience was principally from the wild salmon sector, was looking at pressures on wild salmon stocks, which are now showing up to 99 per cent mortality rates at sea. Sea lice from salmon farms have long been blamed as one of the main reasons for this decline, although scientific evidence to back up the claim is lacking. Pringle said his company accepted there is an ‘unquantified hazard to wild fish, particularly in poorly flushed sea lochs, when levels of farm derived lice are not well managed’. Showing graphs covering more than a decade of sea lice levels, he said

FMS News Extra.indd 18

that by 2015, Mowi, then Marine Harvest, ‘was really struggling to control lice’, after traditional treatments such as Slice stopped working. ‘The industry has only really ever had one, maybe two, medicines and if the whole industry is using that same medicine, year in, year out, very quickly lice become resistant….we had run out of ammunition.’ Sea lice are seen as a major threat to business and the company invested in Thermolicers, Hydrolicers, Skamic fish washers, freshwater methodologies, and cleaner fish, which all work well against lice, particularly if they are targeted very early in their development. Mowi in Scotland has also pioneered a new way of making Salmosan work, which allowed the company to take back control while they figured out the new machines. Mowi was the first company in Scotland to introduce the Norwegian mechanical methods

Above: Gideon Pringle explains Mowi’s sea lice strategy at the Fisheries Management Scotland conference

www.fishfarmermagazine.com

02/04/2019 16:50:41

‘Lice under control’ Mowi tells wild sector

Focus on farms fails to explain paradox of east coast collapse of sea lice control, before they were proven, said Pringle. ‘We’re just a bunch of farmers and with some of the technologies, we sometimes scratched our heads about how to make them work to their optimum,’ he said. But they have since proved an effective tool and Mowi shares the technology with other salmon farmers in Scotland. The industry as a whole had chosen not to be commercially competitive in this area, said Pringle, and Mowi machines are used by other companies 50 per cent of the time. However, most businesses have now invested in the systems because ‘they won’t be able to farm without them’. Mowi, which voluntarily published sea lice levels on its farms before the practice became industry-wide, offers ‘full transparency and justification’ of its farming methods. These methods include the key strategy of targeting infection levels at a much lower level than previously, with thresholds set at 0.2 adult females per fish. The point was to stop the parasite breeding, and Mowi aimed for levels even lower than this on its farms. ‘The lice find it difficult to find each other and mate and simple population metrics apply,’ said Pringle. ‘If you keep lice very, very low then the development of these populations and the number of infections also stays low.’ But he warned that despite the success of the measures used – which have achieved, since August last year, the lowest lice levels in Mowi’s fish since records began in 2007 - ‘we must not repeat the sins of the past’. Lice show resistance very quickly to every single one of these new machines, and even to freshwater and cleaner fish. Therefore, it is imperative that all the new control methods are used and rotated to prevent the rapid re-emergence of genetic resistance. Pringle concluded by assuring delegates that Mowi wanted to play its part in rectifying the low investment in west coast rivers, but he added that this was a ‘shared obligation’. FF

Sometimes we “ scratched our heads

about how to make the new technologies work to their optimum

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THIS year has been declared the International Year of the Salmon to raise awareness of the precarious state of wild stocks. In his opening speech to the Fisheries Management Scotland conference, chief executive Alan Wells spelt out how worrying the picture was for the species in Scottish rivers. Although official figures for last year’s catches were not yet available, these were likely to show the lowest total on record. The picture of decline is worldwide and marine survival of Atlantic salmon is at a historic low, below five per cent, he said. ‘We hope the International Year of the Salmon will galvanise people to work together.’ The wild fisheries sector holds salmon farms, among other impacts such as climate change, accountable for the wild stocks decline. The FMS wants to see any new salmon farms sited away from known migratory routes for wild salmon, and opposes current applications from farmers for increased production in the ‘aquaculture zone’. Wells, who stressed that his organisation was ‘not anti-salmon farming’, said the FMS wanted to achieve the right developments in the right locations. The FMS is involved in the Interactions Working Group and the Farmed Fish Health Framework, along with Marine Scotland, the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation, and salmon farmers, including Mowi. Wells said last year’s parliamentary inquiries into the salmon farming industry concluded that the regulatory framework for salmon farms was confusing and poorly coordinated. ‘Wild fish tend to fall through the cracks just about at every stage [of the regulatory system],’ he said. FMS is working with other partners, including Mowi, to develop techniques to sample wild fish and assess impacts of sea lice at a local level. ‘We are engaged in a very productive discussion with Mowi and the Argyll Fisheries Trust, with a view to developing an Environmental Management Plan which will meet the needs of fisheries managers,’ Wells wrote in the FMS annual review, distributed during the conference.

Above: Alan Wells

He told delegates that wild fisheries wanted adaptive management that could react to what’s happening on the ground. ‘We’re operating in a data poor environment so it’s something we’ll continually keep under scrutiny and we’ll be working hard with the sector and regulators to achieve a way forward.’ The focus on salmon farming, however, was later questioned by Jens Christian Holst, the Norwegian scientist who has developed a hypothesis that overgrazing and predation by mackerel is behind post smolt depletion. ‘We have an almost total salmon collapse in eastern Scotland, with no salmon farming, a collapse more severe than in Norway with 1.3 million tonnes of salmon farming,’ he said, following a presentation by Eric Sterud, who challenged Norway’s traffic light system of sea lice management. ‘How would you explain this paradox? Doesn’t it really intrigue you? Are you not interested in trying to find out about it.’ Sterud said he couldn’t explain the paradox because he wasn’t a scientist, but he conceded that ‘the scientists all agree that the problem is in the ocean’. ‘The problem is that the ocean mortality is way too high these days,’ Sterud said. ‘There is something going on in the marine environment, it could be due to lice, it could be due to other things…it could be different factors in different ecosystems.’

02/04/2019 16:50:59

News extra

Widening the talent pool Women in aquaculture group aims to improve gender balance

HE assembled female high achievers who turned up for the launch of the Women in Scottish Aquaculture (WiSA) network in March suggested an industry with a healthy gender balance. In the room, at the Stirling Court hotel, were, among others, the Institute of Aquaculture’s new head, Selina Stead; Dawnfresh farming boss Alison Hutchins; the CEO of the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), Heather Jones; and aquaculture professor Sandra Adams of the University of Stirling. There are other notable female leaders in the sector: the head vets at some of the big salmon companies, and several women who are running marketing and sales departments, and occupying critical positions in aquaculture’s export drive. And the chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation is a woman. But the statistics tell a slightly different story. In the UK as a whole, 53 per cent of the workforce is male, and 47 per cent female. In Scottish aquaculture, between 2012 and 2016, 88 per cent were male and just 12 per cent were women, according to Marine Scotland data. There are more part-time males employed in Scottish aquaculture than there are full-time females, said Heather Jones. ‘So not only have you got more men to start with, but they are getting parttime opportunities – and there aren’t that many of these. ‘There’s a challenge there back to the companies and any employers, including the university: what are you doing to make it easier for women to have flexible careers and work flexibly if they need to?’ Jones spearheaded the WiSA initiative following a survey conducted by SAIC, which revealed backing for such a women’s group, with 73 per cent of respondents, both male and female, noting their interest in joining. The aim of the new group, which drew representatives from across the aquaculture industry in Scotland to its launch, is to encourage more women to join the sector and to offer them mentoring and support. The group will be industry led and co-chaired by Char-

Women in Aquaculture.indd 20

lotte Maddocks, health manager at Mowi, and Noelia Rodriguez, operations manager at Scottish Sea Farms. It will also include Rowena Hoare and Sophie Fridman, both senior research fellows at the Institute of Aquaculture, as well as Robin MacLean, policy manager at Marine Scotland. Mary Fraser, head of skills and talent at SAIC, will act as group secretary. Jones, who will sit on its leadership group, said: ‘The creation of WiSA is an incredibly exciting and important step for aquaculture in Scotland. ‘Our aim is to raise awareness of the opportunities available to women in the industry, encourage more female participation at all levels in the sector, and provide support to those entering or already working within aquaculture. ‘The industry is full of potential; however, if it isn’t attracting the best people from across the talent pool, it’s unlikely to fulfil that.’ Graham Black, head of Marine Scotland and one of the speakers at the WiSA launch, said he believed the gender imbalance was something ‘we can change and reasonably quickly’. ‘I see a huge change in the organisations I’ve worked in – civil service organisations, in the UK and Scotland – a huge change in attitude. ‘We used to put some of the slowness down to generational issues but I don’t think we can use that as an excuse any more. ‘Although no spring chicken, the people I was at university with, I don’t think we had that history of thinking in terms of gender stereotypes to the same degree. ‘[There are] a lot of people in positions now who really are ready for a significant change. And we can change.’ He said when he arrived at Marine Scotland a couple of years ago there were no women on the senior team; now about a third are women. That was not achieved with positive discrimination, but by doing simple things, such as making sure job adverts are more open to diverse working patterns, making sure the language used is reasonable and open rather than bedded in the past, and making sure people in recruitment are trained in unconscious bias. However, he said there is still ‘a bit of a glass ceiling, certainly in science’, some of which is

Clockwise from top right: Cutting the cake to mark WiSA’s launch were Graham Black of Marine Scotland, Charlotte Maddocks of Mowi, and Heather Jones of SAIC; Jones with Evelyn Chan of SAIC; Dawnfresh boss Alison Hutchins (right) with colleague Valentina Romano; Romano with Lynn Chalmers, University of Stirling, and Charlotte Maddocks; Institute of Aquaculture head Selina Stead (centre) joins a round table disucssion; delegates at the launch includved Stirling scientist Monica Bettenncourt-Dias. Photos: Jeff Holmes

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02/04/2019 16:48:37

Widening the talent pool

your valuable contribution to the “Bring table and change the conversation ”

down to when vacancies arise and people staying in jobs a long time. ‘We have a good proportion of women in Marine Scotland Science and yet it’s quite difficult to see people getting into (and beyond) a certain level – that’s as far as it goes. ‘A lot of it is about confidence, identifying opportunities when they arise, and that’s where the network will help. It will make a big difference to industry and a big difference to Scotland.’ WiSA co-chair Charlotte Maddocks said they had secured First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s support when they visited the parliament the day before the launch. She even agreed to come out to a farm, her first visit, with WiSA. Maddocks, who was aquaculture manager at Tesco head office before ‘fulfilling the dream’ and working out on the sea as a fish vet for Mowi in the Outer Hebrides, said it can be tough for women in the industry.

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Women in Aquaculture.indd 21

‘The gender pay gap results are published in the morning and you realise you’re the wrong side of that statistic; you try to join in the lunchtime conversation until you realise that you hate golf, you despise shooting; then, at your afternoon meeting, you look around at a packed room but out of the 20 humans in the room you are the only female.’ At Tesco, a mentor told her to stop apologising and just speak up more. She reflected and realised she had taken a step back, especially when there were a lot of loud, assertive voices in the room. ‘And if I wanted to be heard, as my mentor put it, I had to stick my neck out. I started to speak up, be heard and stop apologising, and immediately it was evident that what had been assertive voices changed to more diverse and rewarding conversations for everyone. ‘You can look at all this as an opportunity to be the change. Bring your talented, hard-working, valuable contribution to the table and change the conversation.’ The WiSA group will host a series of networking events during the year at the major salmon, trout and shellfish producing regions of Scotland, featuring special guest speakers. The group will also launch a Facebook networking group and an online platform, hosted on SAIC’s website. Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said ahead of the launch: ‘We are fortunate to have so many talented women working in our farmed fish sector, bringing a wealth of expertise, knowledge and skills to businesses all over Scotland and particularly in remote rural areas. ‘I hope that WiSA will now help to encourage more young women with science, technology, engineering and maths related degrees and qualifications to take up careers in aquaculture businesses.’ For more information visit www.scottishaquaculture.com FF

02/04/2019 16:48:57

Trade Associations – Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation

BY HAMISH MACDONELL

Boston soup party Seafood on the menu as Scots do business in North America

T was the cullen skink that did it. They came from all around, partly because it smelled so good, partly because word had spread and partly because it was so different from the nibbles being offered at every other stall. It was day one of Seafood Expo North America (SENA), the massive event in the Boston convention centre which draws seafood producers, buyers, distributors and journalists from all over the world every March. The Scottish stand was not the biggest or showiest in the huge hall this year but it had cullen skink: and that seemed to make a difference. John and Catriona Frankitti, of Fish for Health, who organised much of the Scottish presence, started serving the famous smoked haddock and potato soup early on that first day and they didn’t seem to stop. When all the other samples being handed out across the hall could be measured in millimetres, the generous cups of Scottish soup proved an undoubted winner. In an event as big as SENA, where everybody is trying to make themselves appear bigger, better and brighter than everyone else, a point of difference is invaluable. If the cullen skink was one point of difference then Mark Greenaway was another. This chef from Edinburgh spent his days preparing dishes on the cooking surface at the front of the Scottish stand and only seemed to break from that when he was on the main stage doing the same thing. For the three-day event, the Scottish stand became the hub for trade, meetings, negotiations and relationship building. There is a section in the hall devoted to technology with water purifiers

SSPO.indd 22

rubbing shoulders with packaging companies but, really, this is an event for the buyers and distributors. Some of the enquiries were straightforward: how can we get Scottish salmon to a restaurant in Pittsburgh? Others were harder to deal with: I want Scottish sardines, I want them from Aberdeen and I want to import them into the United States in tins. But John and Catriona and the others there dealt with them all, skilfully and patiently, leaving none disappointed. What goes on in the hall is only one part of this convention, however. A regular series of talks, lectures and panel discussions takes place in rooms around the top of the venue, working through issues as varied as sustainability in tilapia farming to federal fishing limits off the US coast. But there’s more too, outside the hall. A meeting of the International Salmon Farmers Association (with the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation closely involved), in a corporate boardroom in downtown Boston, worked on plans for the first proper global communications approach to the salmon farming sector. This could – and should – be an important development. The rationale is simple: if the regulators and the sector’s critics communicate across borders, then the PR teams should do so too. Left and opposite: Scottish For a convention newbie, like myself, the expo seafood on show in was invaluable for learning from others: the CanaBoston. dian east coast farmers, the west coast farmers, the salmon producers from Maine, from Chile, from Norway and from Iceland. All have associations similar to the SSPO, all have been through – and are going through – similar issues as the Scottish sector and, as I found on every occasion and at every meeting with them, all have valuable advice and guidance to offer. It is easy to believe the expo is a success for everyone: it may not be.

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02/04/2019 16:47:10

Boston soup party One entrepreneur from Maine was trying to sell the idea of snail caviar, a very expensive product given that each egg has to be extracted by tweezers. I hope she found a distributor, she certainly seemed to have found a niche nobody else had: she had a point of difference. The stallholder who displayed a huge dorado on ice, with a cigarette in its mouth, was another, while those who chose ice sculptures to highlight their wares certainly had a point of difference – unless they melted. Boston loves the show for understandable reasons. It attracts more than 20,000 people every year, the hotels and restaurants enjoy a boomtime during a time when St Patrick’s Day provides the only real hospitality highlight. But the presence of so many fish experts can be problematic. One chef at a noted seafood restaurant felt compelled to come out and talk to a group of diners after one particular after-show meal last year. He wanted to know what was wrong. Fourteen people had dined in his seafood restaurant and not one had ordered fish.

leaders worked “Salmon on the ﬁrst global

communications approach to the sector

”

He was told that, if he had spent the last three days surrounded by, immersed in and sampling every manner of seafood from all over the world, he might have chosen the steak too. As with many things American, the Boston show is not just big, but it revels in its size.The sheer scale, seen from the vantage point of the convention centre entrance is simply staggering and it really appears impossible to get round it all. But the sobering truth is that the Brussels show is coming up in May and that, everyone tells me, dwarfs the Boston event in every way. However big it is, though, I have every faith that the now famous Cullen Skink will cut through there too. The only diﬀerence is that Catriona and John might need a bigger pan. Hamish Macdonell is the SSPO’s director of strategic engagement. • Seafood expo season - Page 44

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02/04/2019 16:47:44

Shellfish

BY JANET H BROWN

The Big Easy choice Oyster restoration and chance encounters at New Orleans conference

HE recent triennial meeting held in New Orleans was a coalition of the National Shellfisheries Association (NSA), the World Aquaculture Society, and the fish culture section of the American Fisheries Society and the National Aquaculture Association. The first person I met on arrival at the conference venue was Sandra Shumway, the main organiser of the event, and I remarked to her that I was surprised how cold it was in New Orleans, where the Scottish winter garb I had travelled in was just perfect. ‘You think this is cold?’ she replied. ‘When I left home this morning it was 15 degrees.’ That sounded quite balmy to me for a split second – then it served as a reminder to get back to thinking in Fahrenheit in the US. I was glad I had arrived early. It helped with the jet lag, but in such a huge programme, with 15 parallel sessions, one had to plan ahead carefully. With sessions on mussels running concurrently with those on oysters, and mollusc health and disease sessions clashing with shellfish restoration, it was not an easy choice, and some of the most interesting talks turned out to be chance encounters. The session I had been invited to, and the reason for my attendance, Ostrea spp biology, ecology and physiology: is this genus a tractable prospect for restoration , was organised by Zoë Holbrook, PhD student at the University of Southampton. Zoë’s attendance owed a great deal to her winning free registration while at the Montpellier EAS conference last October. From this one piece of fortune she was invited by Jay Parsons, co-programme chair for Aquaculture 2019, to chair a session, and she organised quite a number of European Ostrea specialists to join the conference. With aquaculture of the native European flat oyster established on both the east and west coasts of the US, there was the potential for useful discussion. But the additional value of this group travelling to America was for the opportunity to hear at first-hand about a variety of oyster restoration projects in the States. These mainly deal with restoration of their native species, Crassostrea virginica, which is now farmed increasingly. Certainly, the availability of oyster seed provided for restoration projects stimulated aquaculture of the species in some states, but hearing of the progress and benefits can only be helpful and encouraging for those working on O. edulis. After an introductory talk at the session from me to argue the importance of re-establishing oyster reefs, which were probably all destroyed in the mid-19th century, it was interesting to hear the echoes in the talks from US speakers. They still carry out the practices as described in the Royal Commission on Sea Fisheries of 1866 (my talk really delved into the history of oyster fisheries management in the British Isles), but they have some reefs to provide spat, and now know and understand that preserving these reefs is essential.

Shellfish.indd 24

At the time of the Royal Commission, both the commissioners and the fishermen only knew that the oyster fisheries were in trouble. But they did not connect that with the fact that deep banks of oysters had been discovered in the English Channel and on the east coast that they had systematically been harvesting (destroying) in the years leading up to the commission’s opening. So, for the most part, UK and some mainland European restoration is working from a very much more impoverished starting point than the US. Yet the talks in the session were optimistic and upbeat, with Joanne Preston on the establishment of the UK and Ireland oyster network, and Aad Smaal and Luca van Duren on two separate approaches in the Netherlands, where there is real progress to utilise protected areas around wind farms. Similarly, different approaches were presented from the UK, with the PhD projects of Zoë Holbrook investigating performance of oysters growing in raised cages, and Luke Helmer of culturing broodstock in suspended cages, both in the Solent. Not all of Europe presents bad news on the native oyster either. Sweden, as reported by Åsa Strand, in fact has comparatively healthy populations, possibly due to the fact that they have a total ban on dredging in inshore waters. But, on the other hand, they have huge settlement of the non-native Crassostrea gigas that they cannot control, since dredging is not permitted in inshore waters! Alison Debney reported on yet another approach, in which her project is working with fishermen in the West Mersea area in Essex with the aim of restoring ‘natural populations’ or ‘rewilding’ oyster habitats, and had succeeded in getting a 284km2 marine conservation zone or MPA to recover both

featured heavily “but,Microplastics for once, there appeared to be a positive side ”

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02/04/2019 16:41:16

The Big Easy choice

Opposite top: The new

logo for the recently established Native Oyster network of UK and Ireland. Above: From left, Zoë Holbrook who organised the special session on Ostrea spp, Zoë Hilton, Sarah Culloty, Åsa Strand, Alison Debney, Luke Helmer, Joanne Preston, Luca van Duren Janet Brown and Aad Smaal

native oysters and native oyster habitat. While the positive side of all this was knowing that there is such a concerted effort underway in Europe towards the recovery of this important habitat forming species, there was less upbeat news from the other side of the world. Zoë Hilton, from the Cawthron Institute in New Zealand, speaking of the NZ native, Ostrea chilensis, told a tale of woe. This species is not nearly as fecund as other oysters, only producing 50k to 250k eggs, but also has the novel characteristic of its larvae settling almost immediately after release from the mother oyster. They get 98 per cent settlement within minutes. There were parallels with the UK situation historically since they have also been under threat since the 1860s. The fishery, however, continues in the Foveaux Strait, albeit with larger dredges, and reefs have been substantially broken up. The parasite, Bonamia exitiosa, has been a presence for some time but then Bonamia ostreae arrived in 2015 and all farms dealing with this species have been closed, with the aim of preserving the wild stock (and fishery). This is a very difficult situation which has yet to be resolved but it very much highlights the real conundrums disease presents in restoration projects. One of the chance encounters mentioned earlier, made possible in such a huge conference, was a session on interactions between aquatic animals

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and contaminants of emerging concern. Microplastics featured heavily but, for once, there appeared to be a positive side. Microplastics are defined as being of size 5mm to 0.1μm. Prof Evan Ward (University of Connecticut) said that for all the large amount of publicity, concentrations documented so far in animals are low to moderate, with bivalves having from 0-9 particles per individual. Lugworm figures were 1-3/g, and for fish 0-10 particles/individual but this is expected to increase and there have been adverse effects found on feeding, digestion, energy reserves and cell biochemistry. As part of their studies they had asked the question: are bivalves a good indicator species? On the face of it, being ubiquitous, sedentary, and interactive with their environment, they should provide a good baseline of environmental levels. They investigated this and found that, in fact, the oyster was pretty good at not taking in the microparticles. There was some superb video film of different size particles being transported across the gills, with different sizes going at dramatically different speeds and then being ejected in the pseudofaeces. Not all particles were ejected this way, but a very high proportion were ejected from the body in less than three hours in the faeces- the larger the particles, the greater the speed of rejection. In the case of microfibers, however, there was no trend in relation to size in either oysters or mussels but more than 50 per cent were rejected. So the final results seem to be that very few microplastics are actually ingested into bivalves and, no, they are not a good indicator species for this purpose. The overall tenor of the papers presented seems to be that the bivalve could protect itself pretty well from accumulating microplastics. Ward concluded the final discussions by saying we are more likely to breathe in microplastics than eat them! FF

02/04/2019 16:41:36

Comment

BY DR MARTIN JAFFA

Ducking the issue Salmon farming blamed for wild stock decline…on the Tweed

NYONE getting the train north to Fort William will be familiar with the remote railway station at Corrour. This, the highest mainline station in Britain, serves the Corrour sporting estate, which aims to promote biodiversity among flora and fauna. To achieve this, the estate has culled its three thousand head of deer down to a thousand, which means that the deer now have a much reduced impact on seedlings and shrubs, allowing native trees to regenerate which, in turn, helps animals and ground nesting birds. Jonny Hughes is the (now outgoing) chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust. He has been fortunate to have a regular column in the Scotsman, in which he can express his views. His latest column is in response to the decision by Scottish Natural Heritage to grant a licence to the River Tweed authorities to shoot a number of goosanders for research purposes, to investigate what these fish-eating birds are eating. Hughes writes that the total salmon catch on the Tweed last year was just 6,129 fish, a drop from 7,003 the previous year and more than 15,000 down from five years ago. Sea trout numbers have fallen from 2,594 in 2017 to 1,158 last year. In contrast, goosander numbers are on the rise. Flocks of 50 to 100 birds have been seen hunting together along the Tweed. Hughes asks whether they could be to blame for the decline in wild fish. He said that it is likely that the study will show that goosanders do have some impact, but he said that other impacts are far more important. He suggests that the warming of the oceans and rivers is disrupting salmon migration and feeding patterns, but then goes on to say that sea lice from salmon farms can be a significant cause of mortality on ‘nearby’ wild fish populations. Although Hughes is chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, his knowledge of Scottish geography appears rather poor. The River Tweed is located along the border with England, at least 350 miles south of the nearest salmon farm. Is this really nearby? Is it really necessary to raise the issue of salmon farming in a discussion about ducks on the River Tweed? The problem with the environmental sector is that the notion that salmon farming is damaging to the ecosystem has become so ingrained that salmon farming has to be implicated in any discussion about the impacts on the aquatic environment in Scotland, even when it is totally innocent. Hughes continues that we should be careful not to use goosanders as

Martin Jaffa.indd 26

scapegoats for the many pressures facing wild salmonids. By comparison, he seems to have no scruples about scapegoating salmon farming instead. Of course, this should not be a surprise. He has co-authored a blog on the Scottish Wildlife Trust website with Sam Collin, their marine planning officer. The blog, ‘Time for change in Scottish salmon farming’, argues that salmon farms are breeding grounds for diseases and pests that pose a risk to wild fish in the vicinity (clearly vicinity means over 350 miles). They say that sea lice are a particular threat to sea trout because they live in coastal waters (no mention of salmon). They say that sea trout are exposed to high concentrations of sea lice that, if in sufficient numbers, can cause death. They say that this is one of the reasons why the salmon industry should undergo radical reform. They hope that farmers will be given new incentives to encourage them to move away from current practices towards new technologies that will eventually negate environmental impacts. Hughes’s views on salmon farming cannot be any clearer. Diverting slightly from this thread, it is worth mentioning that Sam Collin has a seat on the Scottish government’s Salmon Interactions Group, where he is no doubt free to join the anglers and Scottish Natural Heritage, whose policy on shooting goosanders his chief executive is so against. We suspect that such issues will vanish in their united cause against salmon farming. Hughes argues that demonising these wonderful birds should be avoided and that any demands for mass killings justified by ‘fishermen’s tales’ should be resisted.

notion “The that the industry is damaging to the ecosystem has become so ingrained that it is implicated even when it is totally innocent

”

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02/04/2019 16:39:07

Ducking the issue

Above: Male goosander in flight

The same could be said for salmon farming, since over the years the industry has been vilified by endless ‘fishermen’s tales’ to the point that salmon farming is the number one enemy of the Scottish environment. You may be wondering what any of this has to

do with Corrour in the middle of the Scottish Highlands. Well, Scottish Wildlife Trust chief executive Jonny Hughes is also a non-executive director of the Corrour Estate. It seems that there is nothing wrong in culling deer to protect other wildlife on this estate, but he appears dead against the culling of goosanders along the River Tweed in order to protect wild salmon. FF

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02/04/2019 16:39:24

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RAS-TEC.COM 02/04/2019 11:56:10

Future

RAS – Introduction

of farming?

Recirculating aquaculture systems under the spotlight

EARLY all the global supply of Atlantic salmon is produced at sea in net pens but growing demand for protein, together with restraints on the expansion of conventional farming, have encouraged the emergence of land reared fish. Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are hailed by pioneers as the future of fish farming, with a lower environmental impact, as well as proximity to the biggest markets. But while there has been significant investment in RAS hatcheries by the salmon sector, the jury is still out on full cycle farming on land. The risks are seen by many as too high, with insurers unwilling to back projects. The world’s biggest fish farm insurer said that RAS had so far been a loss maker. Speaking at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) in Bergen last month, Geir Myre, global head of aquaculture insurance at insurance company AXA XL Catlin, said the proliferation of RAS projects are not ‘dream objects’ for his company. ‘(RAS has) less than two per cent premium, but over five per cent of the losses. This has so far been a loss making project for us,’ said Myre. He said the risk factors include water quality, biology, crew, technological risk, genetics and hydraulics. ‘There are many small things that can go wrong. We need more expertise in place before we can assure it or if we are going to insure it.’ Spearheading that expertise are companies like Atlantic Sapphire, currently building the world’s biggest land based salmon farm in Miami. The company’s CEO, interviewed on page 30, is one of several RAS experts who will address delegates at RAStech, the technical conference and trade show devoted to farming fish on land, to be held in Washington in May. There are now plans to build RAS plants with biomass of up to 45,000 tonnes of salmon, Geir Myre pointed out, much of this in the US, the world’s biggest market for salmon. Approximately 350,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon are consumed in the US, more than 95 per cent imported, and it is hoped that production of salmon in RAS plants will reduce dependence on

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RAS Intro.indd 29

There are “now plans

to build RAS plants with biomass of up to 45,000 tonnes of salmon

”

seafood imports. RAStech will feature companies at the forefront of RAS ingenuity, such as AquaBounty, which last month overcame the final hurdle in its efforts to farm genetically modified salmon in the US. Syliva Wulf, president and CEO, will deliver the keynote speech. Leading RAS scientists and engineers, oxygen specialists, waste disposal experts, aquaponics innovators, and RAS feed, including live feed, manufacturers will present papers and participate in panel discussions. Above: Testing the water The technology behind systems for freshwater and marine fish, and - Billund Aquaculture’s shrimp, will be examined, and commercial challenges will be addressed Christian Sorensen too. Speakers include Bjarne Hald Olsen of Billund Aquaculture in Denmark, Craig Browdy of Zeigler Bros, Ivar Warrer-Hansen, advisor to Nordic Aqua Farms, and Steven Summerfelt, formerly of the Freshwater Institute and now running the aquaponics venture, Superior Fresh. RAStech will run from May 13-14, at the Capital Hilton, Washington. A preview of some of the RAS developments, with insights from farmers, researchers and financiers, features over the following pages. FF

02/04/2019 16:38:17

RAS – Pioneer

Florida, the salmon state Norwegian farmer sees ﬁnish line in sight for Atlantic Sapphire

OHAN Andreassen is not daunted by the vast scale of the RAS farm he is building in Miami. The main diﬀerence between this plant and the facility in Denmark where the technology has been tested is in the number of units. ‘It’s a little bit like if you can drive one car you can drive ten cars. It’s not like it’s a bigger car, it’s just multiple cars,’ the founder and CEO of Oslo listed Atlantic Sapphire told Fish Farmer over the phone from Miami last month. Andreassen is the driving force behind the world’s biggest land based salmon farm, which aims to produce 90,000 tonnes of ﬁsh to market by 2026, and ‘make Florida a salmon state’. ‘It’s a blueprint of the Denmark facility but we’re building it six times bigger, so we have six farms, six systems next to each other here in Miami, with the identical size and dimensioning as our phase two

RAS - Atlantic.indd 30

expansion in Denmark,’ he said. ‘It’s not like we’re doing something here that we haven’t done before on a systemic side, just that we have multiple systems next to each other.’ Many of the companies behind the Miami farm also supplied Atlantic Sapphire’s Langsand Laks farm in Hvide Sande, Denmark. The design and engineering partner for the RAS technology is Billund Aquaculture. And there are other companies that deliver diﬀerent phases into the project, that is known as the Bluehouse. Some of the equipment is more advanced

Below: The vast Miami plant is built on a ‘unique’ aquiﬁer Opposite: Atlantic Sapphire CEO Johan Andreassen

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02/04/2019 16:34:41

Florida, the salmon state

The ultimate dream has “always been to do this in America ” and bigger, such as Norwegian company Optimar’s harvesting machinery that also makes fillets and ‘looks like a Norwegian salmon processing plant’, said Andreassen. In Denmark, the technology has been honed since 2011, and now has achieved a biomass of 870 tonnes (real live weight), which will produce an annual yield of 2,900 tonnes. Andreassen told the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) in Bergen in March that the Langsand venture had achieved proof of concept, with ‘considerable learning from continued process improvements, as well as mistakes’. It is this hard won expertise that has inspired the confidence of investors – Norway’s influential DNB bank has now backed the Miami farm (see page 36) – and industry veterans, such as Bjorn Myrseth, a fish farmer with more than 40 years’ experience and past president of the European Aquaculture Society, who is on Atlantic Sapphire’s board. Denmark will continue to serve as centre for innovation and testing of new technologies for global adoption across the organisation, according to Atlantic Sapphire. Meanwhile, the Florida farm introduced the first batch of 800,000 eggs – supplied by StofnFiskur of Iceland - into the hatchery last November. The company said it is well underway with construction of its phase one build out, with some 1.15 million fish in the 400,000 square feet site. The projected harvest of approximately 10,000 tonnes of salmon annually is due to begin in Q3, 2020. In January, Andreassen was upbeat about future earnings: ‘We will be in full operation and make money from subsidiary level in Denmark already in the second quarter of this year, when we are in full operation and the plant produces what it should. Then it will be another year before the plant in Miami comes out with harvesting fish. From mid-2020, the entire group will be ‘cash positive’,’ he said. To minimise the risks, the farms in Miami are separated so that if a problem occurs in one unit it is contained. ‘Once the water comes out of the ground or

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RAS - Atlantic.indd 31

the well, it is diverted into independent systems and it never crosses, so it’s biosecure,’ said Andreassen. The water, 99 per cent of which is recycled, is being continuously puriﬁed to remain clear by a state of the art ﬁltration system.

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02/04/2019 16:34:59

RAS – Pioneer

The site, in Homestead to the west of Miami, was chosen after a search of 14 states in the US and has ‘unique advantages’, Andreassen added. ‘It’s the geology in south Florida that makes it possible. ‘Where you locate these farms is very, very important; it’s a little bit like you need certain natural given conditions to do net pen farming, but you also need, or you should have, natural given conditions to do large scale land based farming as well. ‘It’s not a chicken barn that you can locate wherever you find a piece of land.’ The site benefits from unlimited water in an ancient artesian aquifer, an underground layer of water-bearing rock. The water is more than 20,000 years old and has never been exposed to man-made contamination, the company said. The area is the only one the company found with high quality salt and fresh groundwater in sufficiently large quantities. Just as important, is a sustainable, cost efficient means of disposing of the waste water. ‘Those two factors in combination is why we are where we are and we think it is a very unique advantage,’ said Andreassen.

RAS - Atlantic.indd 32

He appointed Eric Meyer, a hydrogeologist who knows ‘the most about ground water in Florida’, and secured permits to drill wells for both freshwater and saltwater, and for waste disposal. The waste water is injected through a big well that goes 3,000 feet below the surface into a layer called the boulder zone. ‘It is a zone where the municipality is disposing of treated human waste and other things so it’s actually a zone where our waste water will never enter the ocean or any river or any lake. ‘So we don’t have to deal with the concerns you have in other places where you actually have an impact on the environment locally.’ The waste generated in the Miami Bluehouse will be used as fertiliser and for the creation of

Above: Milestone for the Miami Bluehouse. The ﬁrst two commercial batches of salmon from the hatchery go into the brand new start feeding unit. Opposite (top): Atlantic Sapphire salmon. (Below): Atlantic Sapphire has started its production of Atlantic Salmon in its Miami Bluehouse

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02/04/2019 16:35:29

Florida, the salmon state

renewable energy in the form of biogas. As for fish health and welfare, Atlantic Sapphire said its salmon will never have contact with sea lice or be exposed to wild fish diseases. And the fish are free to swim against strong currents, as they do in the wild. The company has recruited 25 people on to the payroll so far in Miami and this will increase to 100 within the next year and a half, said Andreassen. Americans who are new to the system are sent to Denmark on an exchange programme, using the Danish farm for training. ‘We are sending Americans and others over there to learn, and some people are being moved from the Danish facility to our American facility.’ Andreassen said he and the company are approached by a lot of interested players, from America, Asia and Europe, but he stressed that these tend to be from projects still at the proposal stage. While Atlantic Sapphire has fish in the water, the others are ‘just designing, talking about it and raising money’. ‘I think it’s a stretch to say there are a lot of farms coming up in America. There are a lot of proposed farms in America but, to my knowledge, no big farms have been built at this time.’ Andreassen told delegates at the NASF that

It’s not like we’re doing “ something here that we haven’t done before ” www.fishfarmermagazine.com

RAS - Atlantic.indd 33

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02/04/2019 16:35:50

RAS – Pioneer

‘Proper expertise’ makes Miami mission a gem for investors

Above: The Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Carlos Gimenez, at the Bluehouse site with Johan Andreassen (right)

some analysts are overestimating the impact of land based production in the early years. ‘Realistically, I do not expect more than 20,000 to 30,000 metric tons coming from land based production by 2022,’ he said. He told Fish Farmer that rearing significant harvest volumes on land ‘will take more time than people think’. ‘You have to keep in mind that this is a very, very large construction, unseen in the aquaculture sector, it’s more comparable to a large oil manufacturing refinery. ‘It’s massive investment, a lot of capital, a lot of talent, you need permits, design partners, construction partners, you need to procure all the equipment. A lot of things go into this. ‘It takes a lot of time to design it, then it takes a lot of time to build, and then you have to raise the fish, which takes at least 20 months. ‘So, knowing that, and then you look at the calendar, it’s quite obvious what harvest volumes will come out of land based in the next few years. ‘It’s not realistic I think until 2022 maybe 2023 - I don’t see farms that are not yet in construction having harvests any time before that. What happens from 2023 on, that’s a different story and that is yet to be seen.’ His own project, though, is a source of pride after the years of research and trial and error. ‘I’ve spent nine years so far on land based. The ultimate dream has always been to do this in America, where you have to bring in fish in planes. To see that the US plant is coming up is fantastic. ‘It’s still a risk, things can and will happen, obviously. It’s live animals and I don’t expect it to be smooth sailing by any means. ‘But we see the finish line now, it’s exciting times for sure.’ FF

RAS - Atlantic.indd 34

‘THERE is a reason investors are so close to Atlantic Sapphire,’ Johan Andreassen told the Norwegian business newspaper Finansavisen. ‘There is proper salmon expertise behind it. I have done nothing but salmon since I went to secondary school. The same applies to the others in the organisation.’ Andreassen has been living in Miami full-time for the past seven years, but his salmon farming career began in Norway. He founded Atlantic Sapphire in 2010 with fellow salmon entrepreneur Bjorn-Vegard Lovik. According to the company’s website, they had pioneered the use of cleaner fish in Norway in the 1990s when building up Villa Organic, the first Norwegian organic salmon farming company. ‘Atlantic Sapphire was founded as a result of the lessons learnt in Villa Organic, along with a vision to continue to lead the salmon farming industry towards a more sustainable future,’ said Atlantic Sapphire. ‘One of the main realisations was that no matter how sustainable the farming methods are, salmon farmers still have to fly the fish across the globe…in order to deliver to end markets, such as the United States.’ Andreassen and Lovik partnered with Danish recirculation aquaculture expert, Thue Holm, and created a commercial pilot of a RAS system in Denmark. This has now has been operating since 2011 and has produced more than 25 generations of Atlantic salmon to date, said the company.

Land reared salmon tastes like…salmon LAND reared farmed salmon has gone on sale in UK stores, after Atlantic Sapphire entered an agreement with Whole Foods Market UK. The first consignments arrived at the Whole Foods Kensington, in London, in March, labelled ‘Atlantic Sapphire. Responsibly Farmed Salmon Fillet’, Intrafish reported. The salmon is being supplied from Atlantic Sapphire’s Danish farm, Langsand Laks, and will be sold throughout Whole Foods Market’s seven UK stores, all of them in London. It is the first time Atlantic Sapphire has sold salmon in a European country outside Denmark, with a ‘commitment from both parties that this is a long-term partnership for the UK’, Andreassen told Intrafish. Atlantic Sapphire’s salmon is also sold to US retailers New Season Market on the west coast, Wegmans in the north east, and Blue Apron nationwide, as well as to the Canadian retailer Sobeys, in Quebec. Fish Farmer columnist Martin Jaffa was one of the first UK customers to sample the RAS farmed salmon, which he reviewed in his Callander Mcdowell blog ‘Although the label on the fish counter states Atlantic Sapphire Responsibly Farmed Salmon, there is no mention that the fish comes from a land based closed containment facility,’ he wrote. ‘This is the only farmed salmon on the counter so shoppers have no idea that it is different to the salmon they might have bought last month. The label doesn’t even mention where the fish is farmed.

‘The label on the pack is even less informative: Salmon fillet - Approved Responsibly Farmed Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar). Origin – Scotland, Norway, Iceland or Denmark. ‘And the taste? It tastes of salmon and why not? These are fish grown in seawater and therefore shouldn’t be different to fish grown in open water seawater. ‘It is only salmon that are grown in freshwater that are reported to sometimes have associated off-tastes.’

Above: Land reared salmon on sale

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02/04/2019 16:36:38

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02/04/2019 12:01:24

RAS – Finance

Surprises more normal than success How bank’s perspective on land based farming has evolved

ORWAY’S leading seafood banker said her thinking on land based farming has ‘evolved, despite decades of disasters’. DNB global head of seafood Anne Hvistendahl told delegates at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Bergen last month that full cycle land based farming will succeed sooner or later, and the bank’s attitude towards the sector had become more ‘nuanced’. Quoting Bill Gates’s famous maxim, ‘don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction’, she said RAS technology had been honed in big smolt hatcheries, and a handful of industrial scale, full cycle projects, sited close to their end markets, were now being planned or developed, particularly in the US. DNB has helped finance just one of these so far, Atlantic Sapphire, which is building a salmon RAS farm in Miami, Florida. DNB has been involved in both raising equity and providing loans. DNB’s involvement - the only large debt financing of such initiatives so far, and arranged with the Danish Export Credit Agency (EFK) - was increased to $86 million in February, following equity rounds of NOK 600 million ($70 million) in 2017 and NOK 640 million ($74 million) in 2018. DNB’s funding will be used to complete phase one of Atlantic Sapphire’s RAS facility in Florida, which is expected to produce nearly 10,000 tonnes a year to start with. Hvistendahl said equity must be the key source of finance until the known challenges of the sector have been solved. Atlantic Sapphire, which plans to produce 90,000 tonnes by 2026 in the US, also operates the world’s first commercial land based salmon farm, Langsand Laks, in Hvide Sande, Denmark. Set up in 2011, this plant has undergone several production cycles and recently achieved its target biomass of 870 tonnes (real live

RAS - DNB.indd 36

weight), which will produce an annual yield of 2,900 tonnes. Hvistendahl said there were now several small producers in operation globally, including Kuterra, Jurassic Salmon, and Swiss Lachs; and a handful of industrial scale ventures such as Atlantic Sapphire, Nordic Aquafarms, and Whole Oceans, which are all establishing or planning to establish farms in the US. On top of these, there are many Norwegian projects in the pipeline. She told Fish Farmer last year that DNB gets ‘a lot of inquiries from companies all around the world who want us to take a look at their land based projects’. ‘DNB Markets made a survey two years ago that summed up all the planned land based farming in general and they totalled 220,000 tonnes. Now we think this ﬁgure is around 350,000 tonnes. But very few are built and very few have ﬁnancing from banks.’ Many of these projects will struggle to actually be constructed. It was important for salmon farmers to be cost competitive, and also at lower prices than the current ones, she said. Prices for land based salmon would be higher while this was a niche

Above: Anne Hvistendahl Opposite: Atlantic salmon smolt

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02/04/2019 16:31:38

Surprises more normal than success product, but the premium would disappear if this form of production became mass market. While land based farms might incur higher capex and greater depreciation, the licences were free. And for producers based close to their markets, such as in North America, there were potential savings of NOK/kg 15 in air freight. Hvistendahl, discussing the risks banks take, said: ‘We are cautious, but handle all requests seriously.’ In DNB’s view, investors in RAS should be prepared for challenges and setbacks while the land based sector is immature, and while ‘challenges and surprises are more normal than financial success’. She listed some of the challenges in land based farming as: • RAS are large complex process facilities with high requirements for continuity and stable environmental conditions; • Must have top level cross disciplinary competence in farming, biology, water chemistry, technology, electricity, and so on; • Combining complex process and cost efficient operations; • High salinity gives H2S risk; • Freshwater increases sexual maturity; • Growth problems; • Soil taste; • Use of land, water usage, handling of waste, increased CO2 emissions and energy use; • New ways of production have historically created new disease challenges; • Possible higher production costs; • Access to capital. But Hvistendahl also spelt out many of the benefits: • Strong market, land based volumes can be absorbed without major impact on prices. • Satisfies the demand pull when traditional production technology

struggles due to biological challenges; • Possible to create niche products at higher prices; • Air transport cost advantage; • Potentially important way of farming salmon in the long run; • Environmentally friendly; • More controlled environment – may leverage digital technology better; • Not subject to economic rent tax. FF

cautious but handle all “We are requests seriously ”

FOR ALL THE LATEST AQUACULTURE NEWS AND RECRUITMENT www.fishfarmermagazine.com www.fishfarmermagazine.com

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02/04/2019 16:32:04

RAS – Freshwater Institute

Fresh idea

Unconventional grow-out strategy is feasible say researchers

HE Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute (FI), a global leader in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) research and development, will be hosting a full session at the RAStech conference in Washington DC this May. Entitled ‘Freshwater Institute Research Update: A Holistic Approach to Fish Production in RAS’, the session is designed to highlight a range of important aspects for RAS facilities, including engineering, fish health and biology, production system management and operation, fillet and product quality attributes, wastewater treatment, economics, and more. The FI team will be in attendance to present recent work encompassing these topics. Many of the talks will centre on research evaluating Atlantic salmon production in RAS, a focus driven by increased interest and rapid investment in this industry sector in the US and abroad. Director of research, Dr Christopher Good, will kick off the session with an overview of FI’s multi-year collaboration with CtrlAQUA, Norway, a partnership specifically designed to study RAS based salmon production. FI’s focus in the CtrlAQUA research programme is post-smolt Atlantic salmon production and grow-out in freshwater RAS, while European scientists are evaluating smolt production in land based systems in support of the existing salmon farming industry.

Above: John Davidson Photo: Kata Sharrer Below: The main research lab with the semicommercial scale RAS with salmon in the foreground. Photo: Scott Tsukuda

ons “stiQuesti ll remain

in this relatively new frontier of salmon farming

”

RAS Freshwater.indd 38

FI’s research facility in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, houses a semi-commercial scale RAS and replicate experimental systems where research with a variety of aquaculture species, including Atlantic salmon, is carried out. FI’s focus on Atlantic salmon grow-out in freshwater RAS is unique and somewhat unconventional, but the research has proven that it’s biologically and technologically feasible to raise salmon to market size with this approach. A likely advantage of Atlantic salmon production in freshwater is that it expands the possibility for siting land based RAS facilities to locations away from the coastline and closer to major markets. John Davidson, research scientist at FI, said: ‘If you have access to a viable freshwater supply anywhere in the US, you can potentially grow Atlantic salmon there.’ However, he is quick to point out that Atlantic salmon production in freshwater RAS has not been without challenges. FI has experienced a relatively high degree of early maturation during some of their Atlantic salmon grow-out trials. Salmon maturation is a highly flexible process that is influenced by many factors, such as photoperiod, water temperature, and genetics. FI researchers are diligently working to define the right combination of conditions to limit early maturation, which causes downgraded fillet quality. Experience with early salmon maturation will also be described by FI staff at the RAStech meeting. Questions still remain in this relatively new frontier of salmon farming, but FI is poised to help the RAS industry and its stakeholders. A core competency of the Freshwater Institute programme is its research, development, and engineering of RAS technologies, which will be on display at RAStech. Research associate Christine Lepine will present research entitled, ‘Woodchip bioreactors for treating RAS wastewater: Evaluating performance, economic feasibility, and environmental impact’. This presentation will demonstrate adoption of a farmer friendly technology used in tradi-

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02/04/2019 16:20:43

Fresh idea

tional agriculture for denitrification treatment of RAS effluents. Engineering design metrics, including optimal hydraulic retention time, inlet design, and nutrient removal efficiencies will be discussed. Also related to the development of next generation technologies, John Davidson will describe integration of membrane biological reactors within the water recycle loop of RAS. His research indicates that this advanced waste treatment technology can reduce water use and waste discharge by six to seven times compared to traditional RAS, while maintaining suitable culture conditions for salmonids. Further reductions in water use and waste discharge are potentially important aspects to consider with the growing scale of salmon RAS facilities. Other presentations with overlap to RAS based salmon production will also be provided, including a talk by assistant aquaculture production manager Curtis Crouse entitled, ‘Practical

problem solving and management techniques to address RAS challenges’. This talk will offer insights into select tank side challenges that FI fish production managers have encountered, along with innovative solutions that have been developed to solve these problems. In addition, an overview of FI research on off-flavour remediation techniques, humane slaughter, and Atlantic salmon product quality will be provided. To close out the list of FI talks, project engineer Laura Bailey will present an analysis of economies of scale for land based salmon RAS, evaluating capital costs for production scales from 1,200-3,600 tonnes. Salmon RAS facilities that are currently being planned or constructed are large, ranging from 1,000 tonnes up to > 30,000 tonnes. This final presentation will provide insight into the relationship between economies of scale and production costs of salmon RAS facilities. The session will conclude with an open panel question and answer forum, where FI staff will be available to answer questions about their work: past, present, and future. FF

Above: Salmon from the RAS facility ready to go to a processing plant Above left: Looking through a porthole window of the semicommercial-scale RAS. Photos: Kata Sharrer

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02/04/2019 16:21:02

RAS – Technology

Game changer

How Israeli RAS expert AquaMaof is hastening the pace of development AquaMaof is the technology partner of Pure Salmon, which has announced plans to roll out RAS systems globally with an annual production target of 260,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon. Here, Shai Silbermann, vice-president marketing and sales at AquaMaof, answers questions about future growth.

construction stage or advanced design stage. The locations of these projects include Canada, Russia and Japan. As for additional projects – not all of them will be announced as we wish to respect our customers’ requests for confidentiality, although we do look forward to announcing a few more locations throughout the coming months. It’s an exciting time for land based aquaculture, seeing technology take a much more important role in the industry, and AquaMaof aims to pioneer the next generation of RAS based facilities with technologies that already have a proven success in many facilities worldwide.

AquaMaof has had 30 years’ experience in indoor aquaculture systems – how recent was the move into salmon? AquaMaof has been involved in growing salmon and salmonids for more than 15 years, starting by running salmon installations in North America. We also planned and built a facility in Russia that has been successfully growing salmon trout for the past five years. Then, three years ago we adapted the Global Fish facility, which was previously growing tilapia, to salmon production. Today, we co-own the facility in Poland with 8F private equity fund (which is behind Pure Salmon), which uses it to grow salmon that has reached a market size of 4-6 kilos. And we are using this facility as a test bed for further developing our technology, as well as a training centre for training our clients’ staff on the technology and operation. What other species has the company developed technology for? We have also been involved with the growth of grouper, trout, tilapia, barramundi, seriola, catfish, and other species. We are currently researching several popular seafood species in order to develop tailored solutions for their production. Our flexible technology allows for easy adaption to additional species, as needed. Is the company involved in all Pure Salmon’s ventures globally? 8F’s Pure Salmon project is an extraordinary initiative that is looking to produce a total capacity of 260,000 tonnes of salmon worldwide, and we are very excited to be a part of it. We are proud to have been selected as the project’s technology providers, following a rigorous due diligence process, that compared our technology to competing ones in areas such as consumption of resources, operational costs, reliability and more, and found ours to be advantageous. Their goal is to produce 260,000 tonnes annually in five to six years – is that realistic? As technology providers we confirm that in terms of the technology – yes, the goal is achievable. Our technology is completely scalable and this is one of the reasons that we were selected for this project. We also have complete faith in 8F, with their profound background and experience with large-scale business management, financing, and recruitment of operations personnel, and are confident that they will be successful in meeting the financial requirements. And what other projects does AquaMaof have on the horizon? We currently have dozens of projects in the pipeline over the next two to three years, with more than 10 physically in the works, either in

RAS Technology - AquaMaof .indd 40

It’s an “exciting

time for land based aquaculture, seeing technology take a much more important role

”

Is the AquaMaof facility in Poland operated on a commercial or trial basis? The facility in Poland is operating commercially, growing harvest sized salmon of 5-6 kilos, and also serving as an R&D and training centre. The facility has allowed us to conduct trials with the different technologies we are developing, with the goal to create a streamlined process with low operating costs and minimal carbon footprint of all future facilities. What is its current production? We expect to get to the full capacity of 580 tonnes within the next four months. How much salmon has AquaMaof produced so far (in total) from land based plants? So far we have produced hundreds of tonnes of salmon. How does the cost of setting up a RAS salmon farm now compare to the cost of a conventional farm? The gap is narrowing as restrictions on fish farmers by authorities are becoming more severe. They face much stricter quotas limitations and the price for fish farming licences is rising all the time. When you add to that the cost of mortalities and disease treatment, and the fact that RAS technologies keep advancing and becoming more and more efficient, we believe that the small gap in cost comparison will be eliminated soon.

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02/04/2019 16:10:33

Game changer

Is there enough expertise in this sector globally to manage all the new RAS farms? We cannot speak for the entire industry, but we have anticipated this challenge, thus establishing a training centre, where our experts train our customers’ employees on our technology. In this way, they do not need to depend on an experienced workforce and they can bring new people to the industry to properly train. Our technology is also simple to operate and relies heavily on automatic procedures, so that the required experienced workforce in the operation is minimal.

What are the main problems of scaling up? As mentioned previously, our technology is more than ready for scale-up. Any challenges in scaling-up could be exterior and not related to technology, such as market demand, eggs and feed supply. Is the AquaMaof technology suitable for any location/size? In theory yes; however, there is a minimum of site size that will allow profitability and economics of scale. Typography is another challenge. While we can work with any given typography, if there is a need to flatten the area, it is a costly task that will affect the profitability of the project. The same goes for infrastructure – if there is no infrastructure in the area, and we need to include that in the planning and construction, it will increase the project value. How much is site location influenced by local water/energy resources? Our technology is extremely economic in terms of electricity and water consumption. AquaMaof facilities re-use about 99 per cent of the water, and one third of the electricity when compared to other available technologies. Still, water and electricity are factors we need to keep in mind as they do need to be part of the available infrastructure on the site. What about waste disposal? Absolutely. Although our technology allows for minimal discharge of water, there is still a need for an authority permit for waste disposal.

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RAS Technology - AquaMaof .indd 41

Clockwise from top left: Shai Silbermann of AquaMaof; the company’s Global Fish facility in Poland, which has grown several large batches of salmon to market size.

In what ways is AquaMaof’s RAS technology more advanced than that of its competitors? Generally speaking, our technology has a completely different approach: the fact that it is scalable allows improved capex and opex. Low power consumption enables lower energy costs. With no drum filters in the process, our facilities are extremely robust, requiring minimal mechanical maintenance. Since approximately 99 per cent of the water is recycled, the technology has low water consumption and water discharge. Self-developed techniques ensure low risk for hydrogen sulfide toxicity (H2S), high efficiency on carbon dioxide stripping (CO2), reduced cost for oxygen supply and oxygenation technology, and reduced consumption of alkalinity adjustment chemicals. Comprehensive and effective biosecurity protocols eliminate the need for system disinfection between batches, allowing continuous operations. Our technology includes extensive redundancy in piping, oxygen, air and pumps, with manual override as an option. We are currently conducting R&D on zero liquid discharge technology and on innovative off-flavour control technology. More projects under development include various advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data, IoT, machine learning and more. They will all be integrated into our technology to allow higher efficiency and streamlined operations, as well as lower footprint on the environment. FF

02/04/2019 16:14:02

Untitled-1 42

02/04/2019 12:02:41

RAS – Technology

Breathing space James Flaherty explains an oxygen system that lowers mortality risk

EVERAL years ago, Adsorptech attended its first Aquaculture America trade show in Las Vegas, curious about fish farmer needs regarding oxygen supply. One night at a happy hour, sipping a cold beer, fate put a major RAS design engineer and a farm insurance agent at the same stand up table. As a curious engineer, the question was asked: ‘What is important to the fish farmer about oxygen supply?’ In addition to the obvious cost reply, both low power consumption and reliable supply surfaced as critical. Conference papers were presented about the infancy stage of Low Head Oxygen (LHO) technology advances. Lowering water pressure would substantially improve the farm’s overall power operating cost. Many presentations discussed how RAS might just be turning the corner from interesting to profitable if all equipment suppliers were to ‘row in the same direction’ to improve RAS economics. After the show, the Adsorptech team put our heads together to see if we could come up with something innovative and cost effective in the oxygen capacity range that present and future fish farmers would need. From many long and oftentimes boisterous brainstorming sessions and more than a year of prototype testing, the EcoGen Oxygen VPSA (vacuum pressure swing absorption) was born. Polling several farm technologists, all targeted circulating water pressures below 3 barg (43 psig). Two standard EcoGen models were created, one each at 1 and 3 barg (15 and 43 psig) to satisfy all farm and LHO developers’ targets. At either pressure, EcoGen represents the most power efficient source of oxygen in the world. A 1 barg system requires 0.24 kw/kg oxygen which is 10 per cent less power (and 20 per cent to 25 per cent lower capital), both major improvements for farm return on investment. The farm designer noted that at 50 per cent of the oxygen availability, the fish would not grow; but they also would not die. One cannot make a profit with dead fish. The EcoGen is the only oxygen production technology in the world to have built in 50 per cent redundancy. When one of the front end components is out of service for any reason, such as annual oil change, the EcoGen can still operate at 50 per cent of its production capacity, thereby lowering mortality risk

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RAS - Oxygen.indd 43

“

Both low power consumption and reliable supply are critical to the fish farmer

and avoiding higher back-up liquid oxygen cost. The insurance agent mentioned earlier claimed that the farm insurance premium could be lower as a result of lower mortality risk. Another unique EcoGen feature is its packaging, with only two parts to install compared to multi-component systems requiring additional installation cost, time, and risks. EcoGen packaging eliminates the need for a building to house the oxygen equipment, and the system is currently operating in environments ranging from nearly 120F to-40F. As the average size of RAS farms increase, the importance of EcoGen rises proportionally. The model range is perfectly suited for farm sizes of about 300 tonnes per year requiring 1,800 kg/day oxygen and more. When purchasing your own oxygen generating equipment, about 20 per cent to 30 per cent of your already lower total oxygen costs escalate – power and maintenance. Also, multi-year LOX contract obligations will impact the farm balance sheet which is something most people simply do not realise. James Flaherty, president and CEO of Adsorptech, will be presenting a paper on the technical and economic impacts of alternative oxygen sources at RAStech. Adsorptech will be available in booth 31 at the RAStech trade fair. FF

”

Above: EcoGen model Below: An EcoGen en route to an Israeli farm in 2016

02/04/2019 16:09:05

Seafood expo season

Section sponsored by

May date No Brexit effect as Brussels gears up for bumper exhibition

AS the countdown begins to the slightly later than usual Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, Fish Farmer asked Wynter Courmont, event director for organiser Diversiﬁed Communications, what the world’s biggest seafood show has in store this year. What impact do you think Brexit will have on the expo? We have not seen any impacts from Brexit to date. You have expanded the exhibition space this year – where has the demand for growth come from? This year we are on track to exceed last year’s net square metres of exhibit space occupied. The demand for growth has come from both the seafood and processing sides of the event. Some of the growth comes from new exhibitor participation from countries like Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Scotland, Spain and China. We still have about ﬁve weeks left before the event and are still receiving a lot of interest from companies wanting to participate.

applications. There are a great number of products based on traditional Asian dishes, flavours and ingredients. Seaweed in a variety of products and applications is also an emerging trend. The exposition is the place where seafood buyers from around the globe can find the latest product trends in the industry and see the best products presented at the event. At the Seafood Excellence Global Awards reception (May 7), winners for the Best Retail Product and the Best Hotel/Restaurant/Catering (HORECA) Product will be announced. Consumers are paying more attention to what they eat and where the seafood they buy comes from. There will be a lot of conversations around sustainability, traceability, transparency, and certification across all levels of the supply chain. Are you anticipating a record year in terms of visitors? At this time, it is too early to comment on visitors’ numbers as we still have five weeks left before the event. Last year’s Seafood Expo Global/ Seafood Processing Global broke a record in verified attendance with a total of 29,130 buyers and sellers coming from around the globe.

Is the expansion only in the processing part of the expo? As mentioned above, the expansion is on both the seafood and processing sides of the Expo. Seafood Expo Processing will now encompass Hall 3 and Hall 4 at the Brussels Expo with additional seafood processing companies exhibiting. Seafood Expo Global will now occupy Halls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and the Patio with seafood exhibits. The Seafood Excellence Global stand will now be located in Hall 8. We are always looking into expanding the event as we continue receiving interest from both seafood and processing companies from around the world. Do you see any particular trends in exhibitors/registrations (so far) this year – in terms of countries participating, or products? Based on the products entered in the Seafood Excellence Global Awards competition, we can see continued interest in smoked products in traditional and ultra-premium formats, as well as new smoked species and product

Sponsored by

Brussels.indd 44

Left: Visitors at the Brussels show Opposite: The huge Norwegian presence in Hall 5

www.fishfarmermagazine.com

02/04/2019 17:28:42

May date

Has the aquaculture sector become a bigger part of the expo this year? Over the past few years, we have seen more and more visitors in aquaculture attending Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global. From the 2016 to the 2018 edition, this segment (in terms of visitors) has increased by more than 16 per cent (based on visitor registration data from 2016-2018). On the exhibitor side, the number of companies self-reporting as being involved in aquaculture/farm raised has increased by 31.5 per cent from 2016 to 2018.

Do you know yet what political delegations are visiting this year? Appointments with oﬃcial governments are being arranged at this time so it is too early to comment on who is attending. Last year we welcomed more than 74 oﬃcial delegations from 34 countries at Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global.

What kind of seminar programme are you running alongside the exhibition? This year, the event is launching the first session of the Seafood Expo Global Series on Women in Leadership. This inaugural event will kick off with a panel discussion, What Government and the Private Sector Can do to Support the Inclusion of Women in the Seafood Industry, featuring Canadian officials and speakers in the global seafood industry. They will discuss the importance of supporting women in the industry, with examples of companies that are already promoting the participation of women at all levels. Following the panel, Mary Larkin, president of Diversified Communications, will interview Marie Christine Monfort, co-founder and president of the International Organisation for Women in the Seafood Industry (WSI). She will share her experiences as a seafood market analyst advising private businesses, national public institutions, and international organisations, before promoting gender equality in the seafood industry through WSI. This event is open to all registered attendees of Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global.

Any surprises for 2020? While we are already thinking about 2020, our focus at the moment is on delivering a successful event for our exhibitors and visitors this May 2019, in Brussels.

Will the expo always be held in Brussels? The location of our event is continuously evaluated as many factors need to be considWho are the ﬁrst time exhibitors (countries) in 2019? ered in order to host an event of more than Among this year’s exhibitors, more than 70 national and regional 29,000 exhibitors and visitors every year. pavilions will showcase their seafood products and equipment, with Brussels oﬀers many advantages for our event: new pavilion participation from Taiwan Fishing Gears Manufacturing Industries Association (Taiwan) and from South Korea, including Busan- easy access from many countries, infrastrucTechno Park, Jeonnam Bioindustry Foundation – Marine Biotechnology ture, airport, train station, highway, metro and bus systems to make it easy for international Research Centre, and Tongyeong City. New country participation will include Angola, Colombia, Greenland, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, attendees to come in and out of the city, and a variety of housing options. Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda.

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Brussels.indd 45

Seafood Expo Global and Seafood Expo Processing, Brussels, May 7-9. FF

The number of companies self“reporti ng as being involved in

aquaculture has increased by 31.5 per cent from 2016 to 2018 Sponsored by

”

02/04/2019 17:29:01

Seafood expo season

Shows must go on

Scottish salmon sector thinks positive as it pushes product in US and Europe BY SANDY NEIL

COTLAND’S salmon farmers and smokeries have a lot to gain, and lose, in the markets of North America, the Far East and Europe. Every year, many seek their fortunes at the world’s largest seafood trade events, the first in March in the US, and the second, this year in May, in Europe. As Brexit looms, how, and where, are these Scottish companies drumming up business abroad? To find out, this month we look back, and forward, to these two expos in Boston and Brussels. There is a lot at stake. After whisky, salmon is Scotland’s biggest food export - and it is the UK’s biggest too. Its export value doubled over the last decade, hitting a record high of £600 million in 2017, an increase of 35 per cent from the previous year, according to Scottish government figures. In 2018, exports were worth £505 million, with France overtaking America to become the largest market, buying £165 million worth of Scottish salmon. US imports were worth £139 million, China’s amounted to £68.3 million, and Taiwan’s were valued at £21.8 million. Around 20,000 industry professionals descended on the vast Massachusetts

Convention Centre in Boston on March 17-19, for the annual Seafood Expo North America (SENA). ‘More than 90 per cent of seafood consumed in the US is imported,’ its website explained, ‘making SENA a sizeable sales opportunity for suppliers from everywhere to bring their products to buyers.’ More than 1,300 exhibitors turned up from 49 countries- fewer than the 57 that made it last year, in the face of a record breaking blizzard that dropped 15 inches of snow. Scotland’s salmon companies were not deterred by bad weather. The Scottish pavilion, harbouring Loch Fyne Oysters, the Scottish Salmon Company, Dawnfresh, Wester Ross and Scottish Seas, among others, may have been dwarfed by Canada’s pavilion, but it had an edge. ‘We got a tremendously positive response selling

Left: Boston, a sizeable sales opportunity Opposite: Amazing product that Americans love

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Brussels.indd 46

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02/04/2019 16:02:37

Shows must go on Brussels – Seafood Expo Global 2018

“ and will be sold

‘It makes sense to buy Pinneys’ says St James Smokehouse boss It is in high demand THE owner of the award winning Scottish salmon company St James Smokehouse said speculation that he was planning to buy Pinneys was correct. Brendan Maher said he and his factory Scotti sh salmon into North manager, Leo Sprott , hadAmerica,’ spent 10explained hours at the Lorraine Bruce Helmkay of Scotti sh Development factory in Annan, which Young’s Seafood has Internati put up onal. for sale. ‘It‘We is viewed verythere best here. Theat story of spentas 10the hours looking it and our crystal clear waters, our animal welfare, our getting a feel for the building, and to see if we pen those thingsand create an candensity, changeallthe waywonderful they operate make amazing thatMaher Americans love.’Farmer it moreproduct efficient,’ told Fish Beside the recepti on,show, therewhere was victory during the warm Seafood Expo St James for a Scotti sh company too in the expo’s Seafood Smokehouse was exhibiting as part of the Excellence Awards, when Annan based St James Scottish pavillion. Smokehouse Best New Retail awardonforPinits He said it won madethe perfect sense to take Saint Pure Salmon, produced at its Miami site, and neys because they both do smoked salmon and smoked withbased orangeinand grapefruit. were both Annan, with many of their Thereinterchangeable were politics too.over At last show, a talk staff theyear’s years. entiMaher, tled ‘Global a World of Local Pop- said whoTrade set upinhis business in 2003, ulism’ was given by Professor Mark Blyth of Brown his goal then was to be as good as Pinneys, ‘the University, a Scotti sh politisalmon, cal scientithe st from Dundee Rolls Royce of smoked benchmark’. well-known for hisand early predicti onsbett of Donald ‘Fast forward we’re doing er than Trump’s and Brexit.ng ButPinneys this year,had themade officiala them,’ victory he said, suggesti Brexit date was less than a fortnight away, and plans mistake in only having one customer, Marks & had to be inwhich place.ended its contract recently. Spencer, Loch Fynesaid looked ‘We at Loch Fyne lookof Maher the chipper. company also lost its focus forward to exporti ng ourof products across the when world being the Rolls Royce smoked salmon and always look forward to new challenges,’ its sales it decided to diversify into other products.

regardless of Brexit

”

Contrary to previous reports, he said he wouldn’t be able to retain all 450 staff at the site, but hoped to employ a maximum of 100. Above: Brendan Maher ‘No company on planet earth could retain 450 there and remain profitable,’ he said. St James Smokehouse currently employs 100 staff in Scotland and a director Simon Briggs said. further 50 in the US, where Maher has set up another smokehouse in ‘Therespending are lots of£7-8 opportuniti allthe overproject. the world, at the moment the Miami, millioneson He but described it as a ‘cool’ most exciti ng markets are the USA, Canada, the Caribbean and Asia, in additi on smokehouse, more like an Apple store than a fish facility. toHe oursaid longstanding partnerships throughout Europe. he wanted people to drive past and then go in and ask for an ‘The USA a key focus our business 2019, andstore. we aim to make our iPhone 10 is because theyforthought it wasinan Apple Loch Fyne smoked Scotti sh salmon available from coast coast.’ ‘I’ve built an Apple store! It’s not your usual stinkyto fish factory. It’s minLast year its smoked salmon became available in ‘Central Market’ gourmet imalist, serene with lots of glass… and a terrace of orange trees.’

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02/04/2019 16:03:03 09/05/2018 16:12:09

Seafood expo season

“

grocery stores throughout America’s second largest state, Texas. This year it was pushing its ‘Mey Selections’ range of smoked salmon, inspired by HRH Prince Charles. Briggs explained: ‘The Duke of Rothesay, as he is known in Scotland, launched Mey Selections to foster closer connections between farmers, fine food producers and customers, helping to maintain a balanced way of life in the Highlands of Scotland. ‘It’s a range which is of particular interest to consumers in the US because our royal heritage is very popular overseas.’ The bigger challenge, Briggs said, came from the Argyll firm’s local council, rather than Brexit: ‘We have made no secret of the fact that a huge rise in export charges imposed by Argyll and Bute Council has been an unwelcome burden and I know other seafood companies have joined our call for local councils to help rather than hinder Scotland’s seafood industry.’ The Scottish Salmon Company, which attends both the American and European expos, sounded confident in its plan.

‘Like any business, we have been monitoring Brexit negotiations closely,’ a spokesperson said, ‘but we have a global perspective and long-term strategy in place to support growth. ‘We export around 60 per cent to 26 countries across the world, and are focused on driving exports to key markets in North America and the Far East, where demand for quality, traceability and Scottish provenance continues to grow. ‘We have seen significant growth in these key markets, with sales to North America growing sixfold in the last two years. Sales to the Far East in the last two years have doubled. ‘Provenance underpins all that we do and differentiates us in the global market. We will be showcasing our premium Scottish salmon, including

We have a global perspective and longterm strategy to support growth

”

Ace ‘delighted’ by Boston debut DUNDEE based Ace Aquatec said it was delighted with the leads and opportunities provided by its first-time participation in the Seafood Expo North America in Boston. The Scottish aquaculture technology supplier, which is looking to expand its international markets, introduced its award winning Humane Stunner Universal (HSU) to potential customers in North America at the March show. The HSU is an in-water electric stunning system that can stun up to 100 tonnes of fish per hour. Ace Aquatec head of sales and marketing Mike Forbes – who attended the expo along with commercial and marketing specialist Michelle Wildeboer - said that the company was delighted to bring electric stunning to North American lobster and crab farmers, as well as the growing RAS market. He said Ace also introduced its new Electric Fish, which is a predator solution for areas that have regulations in place against acoustic deterrents. And another product that received a great deal of interest was Ace Aquatec’s biomass estimation system, the BioCam 3D. This uses revolutionary time-of-flight technology to capture biomass in real-time and will be available later this year.

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Ace Aquatec will also be attending Seafood Expo Global in Brussels from May 7-9 (stand 4-6105) and Aqua Nor in Trondheim from August 20-23.

Above: Ace Aquatec’s Michelle Wildeboer and Mike Forbes in Boston

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02/04/2019 16:03:46

Shows must go on

Above: Scottish salmon

Tartan Salmon Label Rouge, Lochlander Salmon and our award winning Native Hebridean Salmon, a truly unique and native strain of Scottish salmon with Hebridean provenance and heritage.’ Across the Atlantic Ocean from Boston, an even bigger seafood trade event awaits in Europe: the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels on May 7-9. More than 29,100 seafood professionals from 152 countries attended the fair in 2018, and this year welcomes newcomers Guyana, Uganda and Tanzania. As trade has grown, so has the event, its website explains: ‘Some 60 million tonnes of total fish and fish products exported in 2016 represent a 245 per cent increase [since] 1976. During the same period, world trade in fish and fish products also grew significantly, with exports rising from $8 billion in 1976 to $143 billion in 2016. ‘Food fish consumption has grown from nine kilograms per person in 1961 to 20.2 kilograms per per-

son in 2015, at an average rate increase of about 1.5 percent per year. World fish consumption in 2030 is projected to be 20 per cent higher than in 2016.’ This bigger, closer to home event has drawn many more Scottish exhibitors, including the Scottish Salmon Company, Dawnfresh, Loch Duart, Mowi, Scottish Sea Farms, Wester Ross Fisheries, Macduff Shellfish, Associated Seafoods Limited, St James Smokehouse, John Ross Jr, the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), Scottish Development International, Scottish Enterprise, and Seafood Scotland, which is organising the Scottish pavilion, one of 70 in the arena. Amid the Brexit uncertainty, just days before flying to Boston and the postponement of Brexit beyond March 29, the SSPO’s chief executive, Julie Hesketh-Laird, said: ‘The EU is a big market for Scottish salmon, worth over £290 million annually, playing its part in fuelling increasing global demand for what has become a much sought after product. ‘A no deal exit would cause immediate problems for the Scottish farmed salmon sector, including tariffs for product being exported to European markets and the very real threat of logistical delays of getting salmon into the EU. ‘For hauliers carrying perishable goods such as fresh fish, this is obviously more of a risk than for other carriers. ‘There is still confusion over how many certificates will be required, who can

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02/04/2019 16:04:09

Seafood expo season

Danes drive fish tech treated as a valuable part of production, said Kristina DANISH companies will be out in force at the Brussels show Joensen, CEO, Dantech - Danish Technology Centre, that supthis year, with the largest ever pavilion, representing 36 plies waste water treatment solutions to the fish processing businesses. industry worldwide. The Danes bring solutions built on a long tradition and ‘If done right upstream, waste is eliminated and turned strict requirements within the fishing and aquaculture indusinto high quality profitable products used in, for example, tries in Denmark. the health or pharmaceutical industry,’ she said. ‘For years, Danish suppliers have been front runners in ‘The environmental impact is also reduced significantly developing new technology and constantly focusing on when waste is no longer leaving with the process water.’ meeting the ever increasing demand on the world markets, Also, the Danish company Landia, which supplies grinding making them leading suppliers to the industry,’ said Martin tanks for producing silage, is experiencing a high demand for Winkel, head of Danish Fish Tech Group, organiser of the solutions that help the fish industry maximise the use of the Danish pavilion and Denmark’s largest export network for fish. Jesper Borch Svendsen, area sales suppliers to the global fishing, aquaculture manager for fish, at Landia said: ‘The and seafood processing industries. breeders are really focusing on the ‘The companies are showcasing soluenvironmental aspect and making use tions that meet the increased demand for of all of the fish as part of their green automation, sustainability, long lasting profile. equipment, food safety and strict hygiene, ‘Norway has for many years been as well as innovative packaging solutions ahead of the development, due to and waste handling to maximise the value demands from public authorities. generated from fish,’ said Winkel. ‘Now an increased number of counThe handling of waste products, in tries are looking for solutions that can particular, has over the last five years help them convert waste into silage become increasingly important to the fish instead of, for instance, burning or processing industry. landfilling the waste.’ What was earlier looked upon as waste Meet the 36 Danish suppliers in and a cost has now turned into a valuable Brussels, from May 7-9, in Hall 4 at the product. Above: The pavilion of Denmark at the The industry has discovered that waste 2018 expo, where 30 Danish suppliers following booths: 5819, 5835, 5905, 5911, 5915, 5927 and at 6015. can add new, profitable products when met the industry

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issue them and even if there will be a temporary grace period when the certificates won’t be needed. ‘The current withdrawal deal poses problems as it couples all seafood exports to Europe with access to North Sea fishing grounds and caught fish quotas. ‘We believe salmon exports should continue, regardless of discussions over quotas and fishing grounds and we will be arguing for that to continue.’ Mowi, formerly Marine Harvest, added their call for clarity. ‘Our voice is very important in the Brexit discussion as Scottish salmon is both the UK’s and Scotland’s single largest food export,’ Georgina Wright, Mowi’s head of sales UK, said. ‘A hard Brexit indicates immediate move to WTO rules and the UK and Scottish government do not currently have the infrastructure to manage exports under these terms. ‘The Scottish salmon industry is a business that operates seven days a week, which requires government infrastructure to match. The continued lack of clarity is most frustrating, but fortunately our sector has a strong Brexit working group which continues to highlight the importance of frictionless trade to both the UK and Scottish government. Above: The Scottish ‘We are not overly concerned about any longsalmon industry sees a bright future ahead term impact of Brexit, considering global demand outstrips supply. ‘We have a premium food product that is in high demand and will be sold regardless of Brexit. That said, a two per cent export tariff under WTO rules is negative and, as we have pointed out, the UK does

outstrips the supply so we can cater for the top end of the market

”

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02/04/2019 16:04:36

Shows must go on

Wester Ross top in taste test WESTER Ross Fisheries could not have had a better start to this year’s Boston show, after its salmon was chosen as the world’s joint best by the influential Boston Globe newspaper. Globe reporter Sheryl Julian conducted a trial, making and tasting more than half a dozen salmon brands ahead of the expo last month. All North Atlantic salmon sold in the supermarkets is farmed, she pointed out, as it is no longer fished commercially. ‘We sampled salmon from Eastern Canada, Norway, Iceland, British Columbia, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands,’ she wrote. ‘We also tasted wild Sockeye salmon from Alaska. ‘All of the farmed salmon looks similar — that familiar pinkish colour with fat stripes in a zig-zag pattern. Only the Sockeye stands out for its intensely deep hue. ‘In the tasting, our two favourites were Wester Ross from Scotland and HiddenFjord from Faroe Islands.’ Julian wrote. ‘Norway and Scotland salmon were on opposite ends of the taste spectrum. Norway salmon ($9.99/pound at Whole Foods Market, fish from Kvaroy Fish Farm) is what I think of as ‘wedding salmon’. This is what you get at events. The fish has big, deep, pink flakes, it’s moist, and if you close your eyes, you could be eating any mild fish. It has little salmon flavour. ‘The Scottish salmon we tasted ($14.95/pound at Captain Marden’s, raised at Wester Ross Fisheries) is everything salmon should be: perfect moist texture, delicious flavour that tastes of the sea, almost buttery. This topped our list of favourites, along with Faroe Islands. ‘Faroe Islands salmon ($14.99/pound at Marden’s, from HiddenFjord), tastes fattier than the Scottish, but not the least bit strong, with a dense, appealing texture. This fish and Scottish salmon tasted the best. ‘Iceland salmon ($8.99/pound at Whole Foods), a pale, almost pink, colour, melts as you eat it; but the texture is too soft and the taste unremarkable. ‘Farmed Eastern Canada salmon ($12.99/pound at Captain Marden’s) is a little chewy, mild to the point of being bland. It’s a little dry and doesn’t flake easily. ‘Organic farmed King salmon from British Columbia ($25/pound at Captain Marden’s) is shiny with very white fat streaks. It has a mild salmony taste with a beautiful, firm texture. We didn’t think it was worth the premium price. (Note: Though this is farmed, it’s King salmon, not North Atlantic salmon.) ‘Wild Alaska Sockeye ($14.99/pound at Whole Foods, previously frozen) is very dark, almost red, with lean, firm flesh that seems meaty. It has more flavour than farmed, but the dense texture isn’t winning.’

not currently have the infrastructure to manage a no deal exit. ‘The EU is Mowi Scotland’s largest foreign market, with France being the biggest within the EU. However, we do export to another 29 countries, so we have a well balanced portfolio.’ Scottish Sea Farms had prepared its pitch for the European expo. ‘Brexit will undoubtedly be a key discussion point, and we have been liaising internally and externally with suppliers and partners to ensure that, whatever the outcome, we can continue to fulfil customer orders smoothly,’ its export sales manager, Celine Kimpflin, said. ‘In the six short years since Scottish Sea Farms put in place its own dedicated export team, our export volume has grown by 61 per cent – rapid growth by anyone’s standards – therefore our priority is to strengthen those relationships and ensure we’re meeting our customers’ every need. ‘We will be highlighting the positive impact of ongoing investment in our farms: from the increased use of cleaner fish to keep our salmon in tip-top condition and the roll-out of Seal Pro nets to help ensure that salmon and seals safely co-exist, to our humane harvesting techniques. ‘We’ll also be discussing the advances we’re making with regards to trialling more carbon friendly packaging; something we’ve done successfully for our UK customers.’ Loch Duart is taking its own tack. ‘Loch Duart is already broadly spread across 20 plus countries globally, and wishes to continue to grow organically in these markets,’ said Andy Bing, sales director. ‘Loch Duart will be making the crucial link between farming practices, the best feed and taste. ‘Producing less than four per cent of Scottish farmed salmon, we don’t supply supermarkets, instead supplying niche markets, generally to wholesalers and hotels. The demand outstrips supply, so we cater for the top end of the market. ‘There are always new and emerging challenges when farming in the healthy seas off the Scottish coast, with interesting biological challenges around every corner.’ Bing added that with changing sea water temperatures, and especially warming waters, salmon farms now face challenges that didn’t exist previously. ‘We are already exploring new ways to address challenges and find new ways to take our farming to the next level. ‘We are also reaping the success of our fight against food fraud by working with Oritain, experts in scientifically proving the origin of food products, to prevent fraudsters from passing off other salmon as Loch Duart.’ Despite the Brexit uncertainty, which looked set to continue at the time we went to press, the SSPO was keen to push a positive message: ‘The Scottish salmon farming industry is optimistic in the long-term, and sees a bright future Above: Wester Ross boss Gilpin Bradley (left) with Wheeler Seafood’s team ahead.’ FF

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02/04/2019 16:05:09

The Scottish Salmon Company – Advertorial

Passion for provenance Leading the way with heritage brands and new smoked salmon range

EOPLE are at the very heart of The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) and we employ more than 600 staﬀ across the west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides – many areas which are described by Highlands and Islands Enterprise as fragile rural economies. As a major employer in these remote communities, people are integral to our business. Their passion, dedication and expertise are essential ingredients in producing the ﬁnest quality Scottish salmon. We now operate over 60 sites along the west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides and are headquartered in Edinburgh. We produce around 30,000 tonnes of Scottish salmon each year.

We are focused on responsible business growth, and central to this is our focus on developing exports, retaining value and driving employment in the rural communities in which we live and work. Sustainable production of healthy and nutritious food will increase to meet the demands of the growing global population. Salmon is one of the most energy eﬃcient ways of producing protein, and the develop-

Above: Unique natural environment sets Scottish salmon apart

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SSC - PED.indd 52

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02/04/2019 17:12:48

Passion for provenance

ment of the salmon farming industry has brought prosperity to many coastal areas, generating new job opportunities, investment in local economies and retaining value in Scotland. In line with the Scottish government’s pledge to create a healthier and wealthier nation is our focus on supplying healthy, locally produced food while investing in the local economy. Scottish salmon, as the UK’s largest food export, plays an integral role in the growth of the food sector. The Scottish Salmon Company is the leading salmon producer exclusively farming in Scotland, and we recognise our role in producing

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SSC - PED.indd 53

responsibly, and providing a nutritious quality food with Scottish provenance guaranteed. Recognising the importance of provenance to our business, SSC is committed to responsible stewardship of the unique natural environment in which we farm. We pursue global best practice and were the first salmon producer in the UK to be awarded three star Best Aquaculture Practice (BAP) certification. In addition, we conduct our operations in accordance with the industry’s Code of Good Practice and Community Engagement Charter. Our own Community Charter brings our values of pride, passion and provenance to life and details our commitment to working closely with our people, suppliers and communities. Our commitment to Scottish provenance and the finest quality standards set us apart in the international marketplace and represent our key differentiators. Providing value for customers and delivering winning brand propositions for consumers will further underpin our export efforts. We have developed a range of strong flagship export brands with a trademark of ‘Scottish Provenance Guaranteed’: • Native Hebridean Salmon – a truly unique and native strain of Scottish salmon descended from wild stock from North Uist, Native Herbidean Salmon is reared exclusively in the Hebrides. Our broodstock programme has been in development for more than 10 years and has garnered international acclaim due to its distinctive heritage, taste and nutritional value. We have also just introduced our first smoked salmon, available in a range of premium cuts targeted at speciality export customers. • Lochlander Salmon – launched in March 2018, this premium export brand was introduced exclusively to the North American market in response to research highlighting consumer trends of increased demand for quality, traceability and Scottish provenance. It is tailored specifically for restaurateurs, up-market hotels and top class chefs. • Tartan Salmon Label Rouge – established by the French Ministry of Agriculture, the Label Rouge accreditation certifies superior taste and recognises food products which meet strict criteria on quality, husbandry, feed and traceability. SSC is the leading supplier of Label Rouge. We launched Tartan Salmon Label Rouge to further differSponsored by

“

We recognise our role in producing responsibly, and providing a nutritious quality food’

”

02/04/2019 17:13:06

The Scottish Salmon Company – Advertorial

entiate our oﬀering in the marketplace and introduced innovative retail ready ﬁllets as part of our consumer focused range. We are currently developing a sashimi cut for sushi. Targeted at high end retailers and chefs, it is particularly popular in France, where Scottish

SSC - PED.indd 54

salmon is the first non-French food to be awarded this prestigious certification. At our stand, ‘Provenance Guaranteed’, at Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, customers will be offered the chance to sample our delicate Native Hebridean Smoked Salmon our unique native strain, descended from wild stock from North Uist. Farmed exclusively in the waters surrounding the Hebrides, it is harvested and delivered fresh to our Stornoway smokehouse. Fillets are hand cured with our blend of finely crushed sea salt and demerara sugar before being laid out for the aromatic oak kiln smoke. Our innovative smoking process minimises water usage, reducing environmental impact, and we are the only producer to smoke salmon pre-rigor. This product offers a globally unique proposition: Hebridean provenance and heritage, firmer texture, dedicate flavour and end-toend supply chain integrity and traceability. Native Hebridean Salmon is a heritage brand. Its traceability, lineage and covetable ‘Produce of the Isles’ branding is unique in the marketplace.

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02/04/2019 17:14:56

Passion for provenance

Evolution has conditioned our “ salmon to prosper in these nutrient rich waters ”

Above: Waters where Hebridean salmon have thrived for generations. Left: Superior quality. Above right: Premium on provenance.

We have been proactive in leveraging this cultural capital to access customers who place a premium on provenance and quality. All our Native Hebridean Salmon’s genetic lineage and heritage can be traced to the wild salmon sourced from the freshwater loch systems in North Uist, and they have been reared in the waters surrounding the Inner and Outer Hebrides. They are heir to an ancestral bloodline stretching back millennia and are only reared in Hebridean freshwater and sea lochs. Evolution has conditioned our salmon to prosper in these nutrient rich, though cold and turbulent, waters where they have thrived for generations. It is this genetic lineage and heritage, together with the geographical environment and Hebridean provenance, that makes our Native Hebridean Salmon unique and produces a naturally robust, firmer fish and superior flesh quality. Our brand ambassador, Gary Maclean (Scot-

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SSC - PED.indd 55

land’s National Chef and MasterChef The Professionals winner), has visited our smokehouse, situated on the picturesque Scottish island of Lewis, and all other stages of the production process. His advocacy adds credibility when targeting leading chefs and highend restaurants and his passion for the product also helps us tell the brand story. An exciting new development for the business in 2018 was the £3.6 million acquisition of the Harris & Lewis Smokehouse on the Isle of Lewis. The smokehouse and restaurant, based in the Hebrides, represent a new consumer facing focus for our business and extend our value chain to ‘ready to eat’ smoked salmon, as well as allowing us to showcase our salmon in the local community. It is also key in our wider plans to develop more consumer facing brands – one of the core opportunities for our business in the next five years. Our exports have more than doubled since 2011, currently accounting for around 60 per cent of revenue. Growing our presence in North America and the Far East remains our biggest opportunity, and our strategy focuses on identifying niche market opportunities underpinned by our commitment to Scottish provenance. The Scottish Salmon Company will be at the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, on the Scottish Pavilion in Hall 9, stand 4217. FF

02/04/2019 17:15:42

Cleaner fish

What’s the

Unravelling the wrasse fisheries statistics

catch?

BY JIM TREASURER FAI AQUACULTURE

HE wrasse fisheries in Norway, England and Scotland have provided good quality live fish for sea lice control and, together with mechanical methods, have contributed to a large reduction in medicine use. They have also been an opportunity and economic boost for inshore fishermen. However, some NGOs were critical of the fishery. A report from the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) to last year’s ECCLR (Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform) committee (January 2018, http://www.parliament.scot/ S5_Environment/Inquiries/009_Marine_Conservation_Society.pdf) mentioned the size of the wrasse fishery to supply cleaner fish. It talked about a ‘decimation of local populations of wild caught fish’. Much of the information from this submission was from the MCS report on cleaner fish of 2013 (IFFO RS/MSC Standards Comparison Project paper).

I think that the 2013 report did not give the committee the most up to date information on the cleaner fish fisheries, nor the current knowledge on cleaner fish welfare requirements. Wrasse remain one of the most abundant inshore fishes on the south and west coasts of the UK and Ireland. They are captured with passive fishing gear, such as traps and fyke nets that are both environmentally friendly and non-damaging to wrasse, ensuring they are in good condition and that fish outwith size retention limits can be returned to the sea intact. The MCS submission to the Scottish parliamentary inquiry quoted that the wrasse fishery in the UK was divided in volume as two thirds from English fisheries and one third from Scottish waters. Trying to get updated figures for the size of the wrasse fishery in Scotland has not been easy. Also, accurate wrasse fishery data were not available for Scotland prior to 2014. I attempted to track down the fishery statistics for 2017, which are always reported about one year in arrears. In contrast, fishery data for wrasse from Norway are normally known within a month or two of the year end. Some 26.6 million wrasse were captured in Norway in 2017. The fishery quota for Norway in 2018 was assigned as 21 million fish.

Left: Company staff hauling wrasse traps in north-west Scotland (Matthew Zietz). Opposite: Ballan wrasse (Felix Sproll)

Wrasse.indd 56

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02/04/2019 15:58:24

What’s the catch?

I checked the official fisheries statistics for both Scotland and England and Wales. Initially, a freedom of information request for statistics on the wrasse fishery in 2017 to Marine Scotland was rejected as the statistics were not collated. However, the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 2017 were published in September 2018 (www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-Sea-fisheries-statistics-2017). It was surprising that wrasse were not listed in the report, unlike previous years. But, following a direct request to both Marine Scotland and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), that regulates fisheries in England, for equivalent figures for England and Wales (mostly the English Channel), they supplied me with the wrasse catch returns for 2017. A drawback with the ‘official’ published figures is that fisheries reporting data are supplied in live weight only (tonnes) and not as numbers of wrasse. This is less helpful in management of these small inshore fish, where numbers are more meaningful. The weight nominally estimated for wrasse by Marine Scotland Fisheries Inspectorate is 60g. I don’t know if readers would agree with that average weight. Ballan is a larger wrasse species but the size for stocking should not exceed 24cm, which does ensure that larger ballan that are potential broodstock are being returned to the sea. Many of the wrasse captured until recently were the smaller species, goldsinny and rock cook, which can dominate wrasse catches in many areas of west Scotland, and can comprise from 70 to 83 per cent of catches. These wrasse species are small and much of the wrasse catch may be less than 60g, so 50g may be a better average estimate of weight for all wrasse species. The figures 50-60g have therefore been used to give a range in the estimates of wrasse catch. In recent times, the minimum size of wrasse retained in Scotland has been increased from 11 to 12cm, so smaller wrasse species may comprise a minor proportion of the retained catch in 2018 and 2019. The total reported live weight of wrasse captured and retained in

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Wrasse.indd 57

2017 was 39.5 tonnes in Scotland which approximates to 658,000-790,000 wrasse. The figure quoted by the MMO for England and Wales is 14 tonnes, equivalent to 233,000280,000 and much less than the over one million fish annually quoted in a CEFAS report (Ellis et al., 2017). The larger share of the catch is therefore coming from local waters in Scotland. Also, some of the wrasse caught in England may be supplied as food fishes (see the Cornwall Good Seafood Guide) or for use as creel baits. For example, wrasse catches in England and Wales were reported by the MMO as 22 tonnes in 2000, 25 tonnes in 2001, and 21 tonnes in 2002, but I cannot recall large numbers of wrasse being stocked in these years in salmon farms! The technique had taken a dip, due in part to the introduction of new sea lice medicines. Only very small numbers of wrasse, and locally caught, were being stocked in Scotland in the early 2000s and this was mainly in the Western Isles. This would suggest that many, if not all, of the wrasse being captured in England at that

remain one of the most abundant “They inshore ﬁshes on the south and west coasts of the UK and Ireland ” 57

02/04/2019 15:58:50

Cleaner fish

production figures. However, many in the industry, and especially in Norway, currently require access to wild time caught wrasse to supply sufficient cleaner fish were not for stocking. destined for salmon farms, In the meantime, the collection and suband this may still be the case. mission of accurate catch data for wrasse The wrasse fishery in Scotland is managed and there is fisheries, and also the proportion of the catch compliance of wrasse fish with fishery management measures by inreturned to the sea, will help management of dustry, following consultation with Marine Scotland, and also in welfare the stock. compliance with RSPCA Freedom Foods standards (2018). This has been Catch data and purchases by fish farming aided by support and guidance on good practice by the SSPO (Scottish companies are therefore being made available Salmon Producers Organisation). to Marine Scotland and further study will assist The length size limits for the catch are 12-17cm for smaller wrasse in good management practice. species - that is, goldsinny, rock cook and corkwing. This means that the What may be of equal importance to the bulk of the smaller wrasse catch is no longer retained. For larger wrasse species, namely cuckoo and ballan, the catch limits are 12 to 24cm. The size limits in Norway are slightly different, as illustrated here (see graph, right). The lower size limit ensures that the smaller wrasse species have the opportunity to spawn over several years before being retained by the fishery. The maximum retention length of 24cm for ballan wrasse ensures that larger fish that are potential broodstock are returned to the sea. A closed season for fishing in Scotland from December 1 to May 1 was agreed voluntarily. Similar size retention limits are set for wrasse in the English Channel fishery. The ultimate goal is to farm all wrasse that are required by salmon farmers, and efforts are being made to improve on current ballan wrasse survival in the hatchery and to increase

Wrasse.indd 58

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02/04/2019 15:59:14

What’s the catch?

“

The larger share of the catch is coming from local waters in Scotland

Methods for measuring stocks

”

THE Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has asked that the wrasse stock be estimated. Several studies have already examined wrasse density from diver surveys and from catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) data from fishing in volume of the wild wrasse catch are welfare Scotland, Ireland and from CPUE in Norway (Sayer et al., 1996). issues, and fishermen and salmon farming Catch-per-unit-effort can be used to assess the impact of the companies have to comply with the RSPCA fishery, but several elements need to be standardised, such as gear assured standards (2018), which stipulate that type, soak time, season, and water temperature, and it also differs wrasse are captured and handled with the by wrasse species. highest regard for welfare. The data also need to be benchmarked further and some studies These standards include ensuring that the by- have expressed catch as wrasse catch/hour, while some have quoted catch of other fish species, crabs and smaller catch/day. wrasse is carefully handled and returned to Kousoulaki et al. (2018) summarised these available data from the sea. various countries; for example, from 0.1-3.9 fish/day were captured The recommended environmental conditions, per pot in Norway and 0.98-1.92 wrasse/24 hours using trap and fyke especially fish densities, water temperature net in west Scotland. and oxygen, should be strictly adhered to durDirect census can also be made of wrasse populations by divers, or ing fish capture, storage and transport. using cameras along marked seabed transects (Costello et al., 1995). The stocking of wrasse should follow best Wrasse may retreat into rock crevices when not active and the practice, with the provision of supplementary index actually represents wrasse activity, so repeat surveys had to be feed and adequate numbers of hides, and undertaken along the same seabed transects (Costello et al., 1995). perhaps also stocking fish into small nursery Wrasse numbers on transects in two locations in Scotland were aspens within the main pens to acclimate wrasse sessed by diver survey and these gave the highest densities in sumbefore release. mer months, of 1.1 to 3.9 wrasse/m2 (Sayer et al., 1996). However, More information on both the wrasse and this type of survey can be costly and time consuming. lumpfish fisheries in Europe is given in a fishA third method of assessing the effects of fishing is by comparing eries chapter (Kousoulaki et al., 2018) in the abundance of wrasse in fished area and marine protected areas. publication Cleaner Fish Biology and AquaculThis appeared to show the effects of fishing on corkwing wrasse in ture Applications (5m). This summarises data Norway but the impact on goldsinny wrasse was not so clear (Halfrom lumpfish and wrasse fisheries, gives the vorsen et al., 2017). current fishery regulations, and reports catchOther factors could also be relevant, such as the natural high proes in Ireland, Scotland, England and Norway. ductivity of MPAs, and undocumented fishing effects before these It also gives suggestions for improved fishery studies commenced. management practice. FF The topography and rock structure of the seabeds and macroalgal cover need to be described during the surveys to ensure comparisons between areas are valid/standardised, as advised by Halvorsen et al. (2017). A fourth technique in assessing the effects of fishing is to look at fish size, age structure, sex ratio, age of maturation, and responses to REFERENCES fishing, such as changes in density dependent growth rate. Costello, M., Darwall, W. and Lysaght, S. (1995). It has also been stressed that the population characteristics of Activity patterns of north European wrasse wrasse vary between geographical areas, and the biological dynamspecies and precision of diver survey techniques. Biology and Ecology of Shallow Coastal ics have to be assessed for each area (Sayer et al., 1996). Waters, p.348. Halvorsen, K.T. et al. (2017). Impact of harvesting cleaner fish for salmonid aquaculture assessed from replicated coastal marine protected areas. Marine Biology Research 13, 359-369. Kousoulaki, K., Treasurer, J. and Fitzgerald, R. (2018). Fisheries for cleaner fish species in EuOpposite (top): Jim rope. In: Treasurer, J. (ed.) Cleaner fish biology Treasurer and aquaculture applications, pp. 330-356, 5m, (Middle): Minimum retention length Sheffield. of wrasse in the Riley, A. et al. (2017). Northern European Norwegian wrasse Wrasse. Summary of commercial use, fisherfishery (Norwegian ies and implications for management. CEFAS, Directorate of Fisheries) Lowestoft. 18 pp. (Below): Catch records Sayer, M.D.J., Gibson, R.N. and Atkinson, for the wrasse fishery R.J.A. (1996). The biology of inshore goldsinin Norway (Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries) ny populations: can they sustain commercial exploitation? In: Sayer, M. Costello, M. and Treasurer, J (eds.) Wrasse biology and use in aquaculture, pp. 91-99. Fishing News Books, Oxford. 283 pp.

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02/04/2019 15:59:38

Fish Vet Society conference – Antimicrobial resistance

Medicines go down But antibiotic use still plays crucial role in ﬁsh welfare

QUACULTURE gets a bad reputation in the debate on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) but this is unfair because there are just three antibiotics licensed in the UK for farmed fish. The sector is in fact at a disadvantage compared to other sectors, and it is essential to ensure that the ‘vital and precious’ tools it does have are effective, in order to maintain fish welfare. The development of AMR in aquaculture, and specifically in cleaner fish pathogens, was the subject of a talk by Andrew Desbois of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture at last month’s Fish Vet Society conference. Bacteria that are not susceptible to therapeutic concentrations of antibiotics may lead to treatment failure, Desbois explained. He highlighted the differences between AMR bacteria and AMR genes, and intrinsic resistance and acquired resistance. Intrinsic resistance is where bacteria was never susceptible to that particular antibiotic; antibiotic resistant genes are entirely natural and have existed for millions of years. ‘What we are more concerned about is acquired resistance, where the bacteria has undergone a genetic change to make it resistant to an antibiotic,’ said Desbois. The reason AMR has become a problem is because for the last 75-80 years or so there has been massive production of antibiotics. ‘If you have a mixed population of bacteria, you apply an antibiotic, the antibiotic resistance gene will defend the bacteria against that antibiotic, and those will be the bacteria that are selected.’ This is not so much a problem in the environment but it becomes a problem when these genes are in pathogens or are moved into pathogens – for example, via genetic exchange. ‘Antibiotics are vital tools and it’s essential to make sure they remain

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effective when we need them, to maintain high standards of animal welfare. ‘When you start farming any organism, at one time or another you’ll come up against disease problems, typically bacteria disease problems, and these need to be treated with antibiotics in the first instance.’ The three antibiotics that are licensed for aquaculture in the UK are oxytetracycline hydrochloride, florfenicol, and amoxicillin trihydrate, all for furunculosis in Atlantic salmon. Desbois described experiments carried out by IoA PhD students. Athina Papadopoulou characterised the diseases causing the biggest problems in cleaner fish. Elizabeth Buba then collected strains of atypical Aeromonas salmonicida that were causing diseases in wrasse, in order to see how they reacted to antibiotics. They were tested for oxytetracycline susceptibility and florfenicol susceptibility and all the strains were found to be susceptible to both antibiotics. ‘In 2015 we see the first strain that has intermediate resistance to oxytetracycline. And in 2016 we pick up a high level of resistance, particularly to oxytetracycline. The majority of the strains collected that year were resistant

Above: Delegates at the Fish Vet Society conference in March Opposite: FVS president Matthijs Metselaar congratulates poster prize winner Chiara Bosco

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02/04/2019 15:54:33

Medicines go down

to oxytetracycline. ‘In 2017-2018, there was a reduction in the number of strains that are resistant to oxytetracycline but this may stem from changes in prescription. We found at the same time, there was an increase in resistance to florfenicol. ‘When we look at the strains that are resistant to both antibiotics, we see that around 2015-2016, there was selection of the oxytetracycline resistant strains that then seem to acquire this resistance to florfenicol.’ Desbois suggested this AMR in cleaner fish was a problem because it was essential for fish welfare that antibiotics remain effective against the key pathogens. ‘While there is no evidence of any transfer of pathogens, resistant or otherwise, between the cleaner fish and the salmon, this is something we need to bear in mind. ‘It is certainly a problem with regards to the government strategy to move towards a low use of antimicrobials in aquaculture.’ Also, antibiotic resistance is increasingly being seen as an environmental contaminant by government, which is something the sector needs to be more aware of, said Desbois. The best way to tackle AMR is disease prevention. With cleaner fish, there have been huge leaps in understanding of the fish that have improved husbandry and diets, and ultimately reduced stress. These measures have seen quite dramatic reductions in the need to use antibiotics for controlling outbreaks of bacterial diseases, said Desbois. There has also been development of effective vaccination, with the injected autogenous vaccines used now for wrasse giving about 90 per cent protection. ‘Effective vaccination is very important and

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so is improved biosecurity, and having a better understanding of the pathogens and their biology. There is also better use of the antibiotics we do have available.’ Greater vigilance of pathogens, with a surveillance scheme for aquaculture similar to that adopted by other sectors, and alternatives to antibiotics such as disease resistant breeds, better nutrition, probiotics and prebiotics would all help the industry deal with AMR. Also on the issue of AMR, Amy Jackson of RUMA (Responsible use of Medicines in Agriculture) said there was an extremely strong political

The public “forget why

antibiotics are important in veterinary medicine as well as in human medicine

”

02/04/2019 15:54:57

Fish Vet Society conference – Antimicrobial resistance

biotics are vital tools and it’s “Antiessenti al to make sure they remain eﬀective ”

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will globally to act on AMR, and it was critical for the industry to manage damaging, incorrect perceptions in the public or media. She said that informal constraints - such as retailers not stocking certain items in response to public pressure - were just as important as formal constraints. ‘We have to act before things get out of control and that’s where we were going with the AMR debate. We also need to demonstrate we’re driving action with reductions but that’s increasingly becoming more about stewardship as reductions get down to a level where we can’t actually reduce an awful lot more. ‘But we also need to avoid any negative impact on animal welfare – the public forget why antibiotics are important in veterinary medicine as well as in human medicine.’ Jackson said there had been a ‘targets task force’ which had produced ‘a fantastic response from the farming community’, with sales of antibiotics at their lowest in 25 years. ‘We’re on a trajectory to keep getting lower; the government said it wants us to be 25 per cent lower than the 2016 figure by 2020 and we’re on track to do that.’ Targets for fish are 5mg per kg for salmon, and 20mg for trout by 2019. There has been a new approach to communicate better and quicker, and not be in denial about everything. ‘Let’s start getting reductions, refinements, replacements in antibiotic use. But let’s focus on the science though.’ FF

Top: Andrew Desbois. Above: MSD’s Camilla Wilson, who discussed PD mapping and innovative vaccination tools. Left: Amy Jackson of RUMA.

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02/04/2019 15:56:42

Medicines go down

Poster plaudits for Stirling trio THREE students from the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture were awarded prizes for posters displayed at the Fish Vet Society conference. Chiara Bosco won first prize for her work, and was presented with a copy of ‘Cleaner Fish Biology and Aquaculture Applications’, sponsored by publisher 5m. Bosco, who is doing an MSc in Aquatic Pathobiology in Stirling, completed her first MSc two years ago at the University of Bologna, Italy, with a final research project titled ‘Survey on Anisakis infection in different fishing grounds of the central-southern Adriatic Sea’. She explained: ‘The aim of my work was to determine the distribution of the larvae of Anisakidae nematodes owing to the genus Anisakis in fish, in particular sardines and anchovies, caught in the different cen-

tral-southern fishing ground of the Adriatic Sea, and comparing the results with the data available for the northern Adriatic area. ‘Anisakis is a zoonotic parasite, it has a cosmopolitan distribution and represents a risk for humans when consuming raw fish like sushi (or another delicatessen like chevice in Chile or marinated fish like herrings/ anchovies/sardines in European countries, especially Italy and Spain, where there is a tradition of eating raw fish in the village next to the coast, even before the advent of the globalisation of the sushi and sushi restaurant all around the globe!).’ This parasite nematode causes a disease called Anisakiasis in humans, and in Europe the fish must be frozen at -20°C for not less than 24 hours to kill the parasite, said Bosco. Elizabeth Leuchte and Kerryn Illes received special mention for their posters, which

Above: Poster winners Kerryn Illes, Chiara Bosco and Elizabeth Leuchte at the FVS conference

focused, respectively, on environmental remediation and the elimination of hepatic neoplasia in winter ﬂounder residing in Boston Harbour, and hypoxia and environmental management in the Murray Darling Basin in Australia.

Industry collaboration behind vaccine evolution Furthermore, there has been a very pragmatic and THE introduction and mass uptake of vaccines has flexible approach to regulation from the authorities, played a very significant part in the dramatic drop in which has enabled different types of vaccines to be antibiotic use, said Ben North, of Pharmaq. deployed quickly. In Norway, in 1987, to produce 50,000 tonnes of North said: ‘This is particularly true in the Norwegian salmon required 50 tonnes of antibiotics; by 2017, to medicines agencies, where they’ve allowed us pharmaproduce about 1.3 million tonnes of salmon the figure ceutical companies to launch products under special was just 300kg. licences…without requirement for a field trial, which In the UK, farmers are typically using between less would add two years or so. than one to three or four tonnes of antibiotics in a ‘We also have an industry that is up for vaccination, bad year, to produce about 160,000-170,000 tonnes and that gives pharmaceutical companies the confiof salmon. That compares very favourably with other dence to develop products knowing that they will be types of livestock production. used.’ North set out the evolution of fish vaccines, from the Above: Pharmaq’s Ben North Industry consolidation has also helped, particularly the launch in the 1980s of early water based, immersion vertical integration, with companies producing the eggs, vaccines, to injectable water based vaccines. the fry, and growing on the fish. This has been important Then came the furunculosis vaccine which, earlier, Iain for mass vaccination programmes. Berrill of the SSPO said had defined the industry, helping it recover But there are challenges ahead, with several ‘unmet needs’, includfrom the deadly disease. ing CMS, HSMI, Tenacibaculum, and Pasturella. The real breakthrough in vaccine development, though, was when Increasingly complex combinations of vaccines are required to meet adjuvants began to be used, leading to oil emulsion vaccines that customer needs, co-injection is now commonplace, and different offered salmon better protection. vaccine technologies are being combined – for instance, inactivated In the 1990s came the first viral components, for IPN, and then plus live or DNA, or water based and oil based, and bio-devices will there were improvements in formulation, with less of the ‘nasty side play an increasing role in the delivery of vaccines. effects’ of some of the early oil based vaccines. There was also a reduction in dose sizes. In 2008, the ISA component was introduced; in 2015, PD7, the seven component vaccine with PD virus adjuvant was introduced; and in 2018, the first plasmid DNA vaccine was launched. North said this successful vaccine evolution has been facilitated by several factors. For a start, the production cycle for salmon is very well suited for vaccination programmes. Salmon begin life in freshwater and they can be vaccinated then, mainly to protect them against the challenges for when they go to sea, developing their immunity before they’re moved. ‘There are not many forms of aquaculture where we see that clear distinction between freshwater and seawater phases,’ said North. Crucial, too, has been the close collaboration between government, veterinarians and fish health professionals in the pharmaceutical industry, and, most importantly, the farmers.

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02/04/2019 15:56:59

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02/04/2019 12:03:58

Processing and Retail News

Scottish processors seek help to expand

Above: Michael and Francis Clark, directors of Nolan Seafoods, Kate Forbes MSP and Jimmy Buchan, executive officer of the Scottish Seafood Association.

SCOTLAND’S seafood processing sector is challenging ministers to help remove a series of blockages that stand in the way of its modernisation and development. The Scottish Seafood Association (SSA), which represents 81 small, medium and large processors, up from 67 just 18 months ago, has identified a range of issues which are holding the sector back. During a ‘constructive’ meeting last month with the Scottish minister for public finance and digital economy, Kate Forbes, at Nolan Seafoods in Aberdeen, SSA executive officer Jimmy Buchan highlighted several key issues. First was the need to extend the Scottish government’s current proposed window of 12 months for business rates exemptions. Also, the industry wants government to explore the reclassification of premises from industrial buildings to food production units to reduce business rates. And it stressed the importance of a level playing field for large and small companies when it comes to State Aid. ‘We had a very constructive meeting with the minister, who is genuinely willing to help and recognises the rather unique situation and needs of the sector,’ said Buchan. ‘Ministers have agreed to support focused management to help steer the industry towards a profitable future through innovation and the identification of potential efficiencies. ‘For that, we are very grateful. However, more work needs to be done and quickly to allow our members to expand and prevent greater volumes of fish being trucked directly for processing in other parts of the UK.’ Buchan said the proposed year-long business rate exemption was too short. ‘For processing businesses to have the confidence to invest in new builds or extensions, three to five years on a sliding scale would be more realistic given the variations in the availability of raw materials caused by fluctuating TACs (total allowable catches).’

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Russian buyer to reopen Pinneys THE Scottish salmon plant Pinneys, shut by Young’s Seafood last year, is set to reopen this autumn after being bought by a Russian company. More than 100 jobs are set to be created at the factory in Annan, with potentially more in the future, the Scottish government has announced. The factory in Dumfries and Galloway has been bought by food processing company Bhagat Holdings, with an investment of £9 million in the site. The closure of the factory saw the loss of some 450 jobs and various potential buyers, including nearby St James Smokehouse, had shown an interest in taking over the business. The Scottish government came under pressure to rescue the firm and now has stepped

in through the quango Scottish Enterprise, with a £1.7 million Regional Selective Assistance grant. The grant will help the Russian company expand its European interests in Scotland. Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: ‘This is great news for the people of Annan, and for the south of Scotland more generally. ‘I’m delighted that an international company like Bhagat Holdings has chosen to invest in Scotland, with the immediate creation of a significant number of jobs, which will make a real difference to local people and the local economy.’ Scottish Secretary David Mundell, whose constituency includes Annan, said: ‘The reopening of the former Pinneys factory and creation of 120 jobs is very welcome news for

Annan and the surrounding area. ‘Pinneys’ closure last year hit hard. I saw first-hand the tremendous efforts partners, workers and the whole community made to try and save the site. ‘I welcome Bhagat Holdings Limited’s arrival and plans to start production in the autumn – with the prospect of even more jobs being created in the future.’

Above: David Mundell

Buckie firm scoops top food prizes Workforce’ initiative, SALMON company Assowhich bridges the gap ciated Seafoods Ltd (ASL) between education and won two awards at the employers. North East Scotland Food Furthermore, ASL supand Drink Awards 2019 ports the ‘Career Ready’ in March, for its export scheme, which offers success and investment in senior school pupils the jobs. opportunity to learn about The Buckie based firm work experience and won the ‘Investing in Skills Development’ award Above: Victor West, ASL managing director, prepare them for life in the workplace. because of the training and at the Seafood Expo in Brussels. ASL also won the ‘Export development programmes it (photo: ASL) Business of the Year’ categoprovides. ry, following another year of sustained growth The company has appointed a manager of its premium Scottish smoked salmon in key dedicated to staff training and improvement, and also takes part in the ‘Developing the Young global markets, including North America.

Death of seafood giant Frank Flear first job was as a seafood buyer with Ross Group, FRANK Flear, one of the UK’s great seafood piowhich merged with Bluecrest over a decade ago neers, has died at the age of 84. to become Young’s Seafood. A larger than life figure, he created and built Ross Group later gave him a factory to run in two major companies, Bluecrest, which later what he once described as the most of exciting became an integral part of Young’s Seafood, and of times to be in seafood. It also gave him the latterly Seachill, now one of the biggest salmon desire to run his own business and at the age of and white fish processors in the country, as well 42 he set up Bluecrest Foods. as providing employment for thouFlear later helped save hundreds of sands of Grimsby people. jobs by taking over a seafood factory He also helped save Grimsby’s fishfrom Findus, which was pulling out of ing industry by successfully leading a Grimsby, a move he described as one campaign to build a modern new fish of his proudest moments. market just as the old building was on Then, with a number of other the brink of collapse. former Bluecrest executives, he Born into a family of nine children Above: Frank Flear launched Seachill 14 years ago. and steeped in fishing tradition, his

02/04/2019 15:51:37

Obituary

Stuart Banks

Fish Farmer editor, publisher and pioneer

ONG serving former editor of Fish Farmer and industry pioneer, Stuart Banks, has died, aged 82, after a short illness. Banks was editor and publisher of the magazine from 1985 to 2003, when it was sold to Scottish Farmer. With his wife, Rosemary, as advertisement manager, he established the reputation of the title over 18 years, introducing innovations such as the International File. ‘We made many good friends in the industry,’ said Rosemary. ‘I am sure many of your readers will remember him and his attention to detail, accuracy, and as a great supporter of the fish farming industry, in Scotland, the rest of the UK, Europe and worldwide. ‘Stuart had, of course, been editing Fish Farmer from the 1970s when it was part of the International Publishing Corporation.

Sturat Banks.indd 66

‘He had the foresight to realise the potential of the fish farming industry and, given the chance, bought the magazine from the group and we set out alone. ‘With luck and hard work we increased circulation and travelled the world with the magazine.’ In a varied career, Banks edited other titles, including British Baker, where he was so inspired by all the icing he saw at exhibitions, he taught himself how to do intricate run-out lace collars for cakes, said Rosemary. He became a very talented cake decorator and made more than 100 flowers in icing sugar for his daughter’s wedding cake. He enjoyed fishing, writing poetry, and wrote and had published (by Ward Lock in 1979) a book called The Complete Handbook of Poultry Keeping, completed while he was editor of Poultry Industry as well as Fish Farmer. After retirement, Stuart and Rosemary both enjoyed reading for an Open University degree in Humanities, spent time travelling to China and Egypt, and enjoyed several cruises around the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Sea, as well as visiting family and friends at home and abroad. ‘Stuart and I celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary, with our family, just four days prior to his death- when we drank champagne together,’ said Rosemary. ‘He was a quiet man of many talents. His interests were eclectic and he was interested and fascinated by nature and astronomy. ‘He was also a good photographer and developed his own film and made short family cine films. He was an avid reader and, before Google, he was my ‘oracle’! I shall miss him so much.’ Banks also leaves behind his daughter, Linda, who worked on Fish Farmer as assistant editor, son Peter, and five grandchildren. Stuart Banks, born May 12, 1936, died March 20, 2019. FF

Above: Stuart Banks, a great supporter of the industry Left: Stuart celebrating his 80th birthday

to realise the potential “He hadofthetheforesight fish farming industry ”

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02/04/2019 15:49:51

From the archive: January/February 2003

Stuart’s final Editor’s Diary for Fish Farmer is reproduced below.

Editor’s Diary A new use for tankers? THE sinking of the tanker Prestige off the Galician coast towards the end of last year left more than a physical oil slick of growing proportions. Questions of compensation apart- and we all know how long they can continue- it re-opened the whole debate about the state of fragile, elderly tankers staggering past some of the world’s most vulnerable coastlines. While the decommissioning of single hulled vessels has been on the cards for some time, the pensioning-off of those perilous craft, tied to the cost of replacement and many political factors, still seems an inordinately long way off, especially as the accident rate seems to be rising. In the specific case of the Galician disaster, the full extent of the damage is still an unknown quantity, threatening not only the valuable shellfish resources, but also the on-shore investment in turbot production units. Turbot has been one of the big success stories in European aquaculture of recent years. A high-value fish, it has been backed by a lot of advanced technology and has repaid this confidence by overtaking its wild caught brethren. But such investment still needs to be protected. In relation to high-value products, however, a report I saw recently of an Australian enterprise, made a connection in my mind. This was a reference to the Destiny Queen, a ship specially adapted to grow abalone. Its holds have been fitted with 1,000 tanks to contain the shellfish and it has access to approved anchoring zones in the Spencer Gulf, off Port Lincoln, where cold clear water will provide ideal growing conditions. In the warm climes of Australia, it seems, land-based abalone farms have been experiencing difficulties with high temperatures and disease. According to the report- by FIS World Newsabout 40 tonnes of abalone will be produced in the 2003 season, generating export sales of around 6 million Australian dollars (about £2.2 million) and more than justifying an outlay of 2 million dollars on refitting the vessel and installing a special ultraviolet treatment system. Up to 80 litres of sea-water per second can be sterilised. The company responsible for this business, Destiny Abalone, maintains that it achieved growth rates of 12mm a month last year with its green lip abalone, compared to 4-5mm in land-based units. The Destiny Queen is a relatively small, 123-metre motor vessel of 6,500 tonnes, and no comparison with a vast, multi-thousand tonnes tanker. Abalone can be kept in compact surroundings, but they are not the only high-value commodity in the aquaculture armoury and some- like turbot- need more space. When legislation finally catches up with them, ship owners are going to be looking for homes for a multitude of redundant single-hulled tankers. You get my drift…?

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Ardtoe at risk IT never fails to amaze me that, at a time when the need for research in the industry has never been higher, it still has to fight so hard for a share of the purse. The latest potential casualty is Ardtoe, which I understand the Seafish Industry Authority is prepared to disband or sell off, on the grounds that it has failed to match funding targets in recent years. There is good reason to watch costs, of course, and research is sometimes seen as an expensive luxury, but the returns can be inestimable, particularly, as now, when momentum is building up for a brand extension of Scottish fish farming into alternative species in the face of parallel expansion in Norway. Ardtoe has a good record on marine fish and shellfish in particular. Seafish derives about £8.5 million from its £11 million annual budget from a levy imposed on the fishing industry. Government assistance and funds from research clients make up the difference. The Ardtoe facility, with 18 staff, costs around £1 million a year to run. One would expect that the fish farming community would be pressing to retain this valuable research resource. The crunch date seems to be January 22, when Seafish will discuss the issue at their next Board meeting. Has anybody else tried zander? AMONG the innumerable items which cross my desk daily, I noticed a statistic recently which listed zander as a candidate for future development. Although I can’t immediately trace the references, it related, I believe, to an Eastern European country. No matter- the fact that it is regarded as a commercial proposition is the point, because a Leicestershire reader has emailed me to express his interest in producing zander for the table.

Toby Hicks, of Parklands Farm, has been drumming up publicity for his idea with an interview on a TV programme ‘Heart of the Country’, in which a chef prepared and cooked zander in four samples, battered , fried, steamed and baked. All were ‘fantastic’, he reports, not dissimilar to cod or haddock. Somewhat optimistically he sees a potential replacement for the beleaguered North Sea cod, but he has done some homework on this relatively unknown species. ‘We’re currently a registered fish farm, but we’ve only bred cyprinid fish (common and mirror carp) up to now in restock angling waters,’ says Toby. Initially his zander stock would come from electrofishing and netting, but he envisages a breeding programme in the future. He reports encouraging feedback from CEFAS and EA contracts. Restaurants seem to require specimens of about 1kg, probably achievable in three years, he thinks. These could be fed on small ‘fodder’ fish such as gudgeon and roach, plentifully available. Permission to ‘farm’ zander would lead to creation of dedicated earth ponds and recirculation systems to grow them. Zander spawn in pairs when water temperature reaches 12-16oC, in water depths of 1m with hard, sandy or gravel beds. A nest is excavated by the male, and eggs of 1-1.5mm diameter are laid at a rate of about 200,000 per kilo of female. At 1114oC, guarded by the parents, they hatch in about eight days, reports Toby. He would like to pioneer a breeding programme. Toby has applied for the relevant licences to hold live zander on his farm, and does not anticipate any problem, so a UK-based source of filtered or smoked zander could be on the cards in the future. He would welcome comments, I am sure, from interested readers, on info@fish-factory.fsnet.co.uk Above: My picture this month is a bit dated, going back to last October, but it illustrates the level of information-sharing that Norway maintains with Scotland. Enjoying the Norwegian sunshine were members of the Scottish Parliament on a fact-finding tour sponsored by EWOS and Aquascot. L to r: Kjel Bjorda; (chief executive EWOS), Tavish Scott, Alex Ferguson, Robin Harper, George Lyon and John Farquhar Munro. My thanks to Per Sveidqvist of EWOS for sending it.

02/04/2019 15:50:10

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02/04/2019 12:05:32

Opinion – Inside track

What’s the alternative? BY NICK JOY

ANY years ago, I was asked on to a panel in Selfridges in London to discuss aquaculture and the ways forward. It was a time, as now, when the industry was being attacked by the usual dogmatic and ill-informed people. The difference with this panel was that it would be hosted by a TV presenter, who would both field and ask questions. Unsurprisingly, the subject came round to fishmeal and its sustainability. I replied, as always, that fishmeal production had been stable for a very long time. She asked about the future and again I replied about alternative options and their issues. Most importantly, I said we did not need the alternatives simply to replace fishmeal but to allow the industry to grow and produce more and more, healthy nutritious food. So this is where the discussion started to get audience interest, particularly when I mentioned that we should be wary of feeding animals a diet which did not correspond to their natural one at least at some level. BSE was still very much in the public consciousness then, and the question developed into what things were appropriate. Of course, the easy answer is vegetable protein and fat as these are readily available and cheap. But the use of these leads to the obvious argument of why not feed them direct to humans and avoid the natural wastage of feeding it to another species. Also, one can hardly argue that vegetables are a natural food source for fish. Our company, Loch Duart, was high in its fishmeal use (I still have no issue with this) but, when pressed, I mentioned possible alternatives such as fly and worm production using waste. And then I moved on to meals produced by other industries, such as chicken bone and feather meals. The universal view of the group present and the panel chair was that this was disgusting and they did not want to know about it. It was a very useful lesson for me. The public want sustainability and they want to stop waste but the decisions required to implement these changes are not easy to address in the public eye. What’s more, the media love stories about feed ingredients for any form of farming, especially if they can make them sound disgusting. For our industry, so predicated on finding new ways, this could prove a very challenging issue. I laud all of the people who are working to find alternatives that don’t include sources that can be fed direct to humans. The work to try to find ways of producing food from the parts of animals that we don’t eat is incredibly important in an overpopulated world. Sadly, however laudable all of this is, it will be utterly useless if the outlets for this feed cannot use it for risk of being exposed, even when it is the right thing to do. I don’t need to remind the reader that our industry is almost never fairly represented and that too many people make a living out of finding shock stories about our production. The industry has not been the best at dealing with potential negative press. We tend to be against proactively acting in our own best interests by facing these challenges before government acts or we get attacked in the media. So, for a change, why don’t we take the initiative on this issue? There is

Nick Joy.indd 70

media “loveThestories

about feed ingredients if they can make them sound disgusting

”

not one company in our industry that would not use these products if they were safe, effective and good value. But there is not one company that isn’t afraid of the potential damage in the marketplace from some irrational piece of bad journalism. I believe it is time to get a group together and start a proper dialogue in the public eye about these products before they are in general use. We need to find a group of people who are not actively involved in aquaculture to lionise their use and to be willing to go public with their weight behind these products. The companies that produce these alternatives have taken a huge commercial risk and the benefits accrued from their endeavour will help the world move forward. Some will say they should do their own PR but, let’s face it, it took the salmon industry 50 years before it began to get its act together. Maybe we should put a shoulder to the wheel to ensure that our markets and others don’t founder because we knew what would happen and did nothing. FF

www.fishfarmermagazine.com

02/04/2019 15:42:33

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