Fish Farmer August 2022 by Fish Farmer Magazine

Fish Farmer AUGUST 2022

KAMES 50 years of steelhead trout

Housing in crisis

What can employers do?

WAVE ENERGY

Shellfish

Harnessing the ocean’s power

Here’s what not to do

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16/11/2021 12:51 08/08/2022 09:45:29

WELCOME Welcome

Editor’s Welcome Editor’s

Welcome

ierra del Fuego, the southernmost province of Argen�na, has a good claim to the �tle “The end of the world.” Earlier this month the regional legislature of the province voted to ban open net salmon farming. Coming on top of the Danish government’s decision last autumn to ur cover this celebrates Fish Farming, which is in curtail any further growth ofmonth fish farming at sea,Kames and the ongoing struggle ofthis the year industry marking a half century of raising steelhead trout. For one of the pioneers Canada to resist the closure of farms in the Discovery Islands, it is clearer than ever that the in Scotland’s fish farming industry to be still operating as an independent, fish farming industry needs to make its case in order just to stay in business. family-owned company, is an achievement in its own right. It’s to Kames’ It’s not all gloom, however. At the North Atlan�c Seafood Forum – held online this year credit, then, that as well as looking back to the past, the company is using –the Norway’s PrimeasMinister Erna Solberg reiterated her belief investment in for thethe bluefuture. anniversary a springboard for the next 50 years, withthat ambitious plans economy is a route to saving the environment, not harming it. Also at the NASF, chief You can find out more in our feature article, in this issue. execu� ves andone analysts were in on agreement that industry’s biggest challenge Meanwhile of thealike constraints growth in thethe sector, and for business in theis fiHighlands nding waysand to meet thegenerally, world’s growing demand for their product – arguably, that’s a good Islands is the shortage of affordable accommodation, which problem to have. has worsened as prices have shot up over the past few years. Hamish Macdonell explains In this issue we report and alsoSandy present thehighlights first part of a preview Aqua Nor Salmon Scotland’s takeon onthe theNASF issue, while Neil what the fishoffarming 2021, oneitself, of theamong industry’s biggest tradeto shows. industry others, is doing try and mitigate the housing crisis. What’s happening in aq The issue also you features a profiabout le of Norcod, currently the front between runner in wave the race to AlsoJuly in this issue, can read the potential partnership power in the UK and around th and aquaculture, the impact ofFind Brexit theNorcod’s seafoodChief sector in the and an EU,Riber, and about revive the cod farming industry. outon why Execu� ve,UK Chris� What’s happening in aquacu how Italians a taste for salmon. believes this �are meincreasingly they have a developing model that works. w in the UK and around the wo Don’t ouronfeature on Shellfish –JENNY which on the errors We alsomiss focus two aquaculture projects in includes Guatemala andHolmyard The Bahamas thatrookie are being HJUL –– EDITOR JENNY HJUL EDITOR Nicki to avoid when starting Kvarøy out in this well as features on Antifouling and supported by Norway’s Arc�sector c, and –onasthe “Øymerd” project which is se� ng Net out to JENNY –– EDITOR JENNY HJUL HJULand EDITOR Cleaning, and Management Monitoring Analysis. create a fish farm based on a floa�ng concrete island. Steve Bracken SSC’s record results Stewart Graham The final sessions Finally, on a personal it wasshmy huge pleasure to meet the winning students in Nicki Holmyard looks atnote, the shellfi farmers’ ba�le against tubeworm and this issue also Aquaculture Awards for the Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture Research (CSAR), at features special industry reports on Breeding and Gene�cs, Transport and Logis�cs and Steve Bracken SSC’s record results Stewart Graham The final sessions the University of Swansea, and to see the CSAR facilities. The ofvideos the next salmon farming sector in Scotland, when it was to he focus this month istoenthusiasm on Europe, the internati T HE is coincidence that pictures andwhere of unhealthy Sno Fish Farmer went press, there was sti lltold no offi cialonal Li� ing and Cranes. generation of aquaculturalists gives confidence for the next 50gathering across the industry. be thewere subject of a be parliamentary inquiry, embraced the industry will soon for the joint (European salmon sent to news outlets just as the Scotti sh news from the Scotti shyears, parliamentary inquiry into salmon farming sector in Scotland, when itEAS was tosalmon 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 opportunity this would provide to explain how it operated. Aquaculture and WAS Aquaculture Society) parliament went back to work at (World the start of month. These farming, conducted earlier this year by thethis Rural Economy Best wishes, be the subject of aSociety) parliamentary inquiry, embraced industry willsent soon be gathering the EASinto (European salmon were to news outletsfor just asjoint the Scotti shthe news from the Scotti sh parliamentary inquiry salmon Best wishes Current trends In good Julie Hesketh-Laird The had nothing to hide and, if given fair hearing, Meet thehealth new chief exe conference, to be staged over five days in theait southern images had this litt le to doprovide with theto current state of Scotland’s ficould sh and industry Connecti vity (REC) committ ee. MSPs have now heldFrench five Robert Outram opportunity would explain how operated. Aquaculture Society) and WAS Aquaculture Society) parliament back to work at (World the start of month. These farming, went conducted earlier this year by thethis Rural Economy Robert Outram address much of the criti cism levelled against it. city of Montpellier. As well as highlighti ng the latest technological farms where sea lice levels are in decline and, in fact, at a fi vemeeti ngs, in private, to consider their report and we must be Current trends In good Julie Hesketh-Laird The had to hide and, if given fair hearing, Meet thehealth new chief executiv conference, to benothing staged over days in theaof southern images had litt le to do with thefive current state Scotland’s ficould sh and industry Connecti vity (REC) committ ee. MSPs have now heldFrench five Fish Farmer supported this but at times salmon advances in our fast moving sector, Aqua 2018felt willthat alsohas feature year low (htt p://scotti shsalmon.co.uk/monthly-sea-lice-reports). pati ent. However, waiti ng forview, their recommendati ons been address much of the criti cism levelled against it. city ofngs, Astolevels well asare highlighti ng the latest technological farms -Montpellier. where sea lice in decline and, inwe fact, at abe fivemeeti in private, consider their report and must farmers were being drowned out bywhich theREC noisier elements offarming the sessions on emerging markets and look atinvolves the role ofthe fishusual This latest propaganda campaign, all made harder by leaks from within to anti -salmon Fish Farmer supported this atthe times salmon advances in our fast moving sector, Aqua 2018felt willthat alsohas feature year low (htt p://scotti shsalmon.co.uk/monthly-sea-lice-reports). pati ent. However, waiti ng forview, theirbut recommendati ons been angling lobby, which had called foras the investi gatiRural on. But asngs the farming in alleviati ng poverty. Increasingly, industry meeti anti -aquaculture suspects, came Holyrood’s Economy acti vists. The latest of these (see our news story on page 4) farmers were being drowned out bywhich theREC noisier elements offarming the sessions onpropaganda emerging markets and look atinvolves the role fishusual This campaign, allofthe madelatest harder by leaks from within the to anti -salmon sessions progressed, and eventually farmers’ voices were heard, are broadening their scope, tackling subjects such asthat thethe social and Connecti vity committ ee returned the summer recess we to makes grim reading for the industry asfrom itgati suggests committ ee angling lobby, which had called for the investi on. But as farming inThe alleviati ngof poverty. Increasingly, industry ngs anti -aquaculture suspects, came as Holyrood’s Rural Economy activists. latest these (see our news story onmeeti page 4) became more opti misti c.into Weand now believe that MSPs, perhaps with acceptability of aquaculture the contributi on it makes to global consider its draft report the future of salmon farming. members have been willing to listen to those campaigning to sessions progressed, and eventually farmers’ voices were heard, are broadening their scope, tackling subjects such asthat the committ social and Connecti vity committ ee returned the summer recess we to makes grim reading for the industry asfrom it suggests ee Serving Worldwide Aquaculture Since 1977 food security and saving the planet, aindustry move that is toanti welcomed. the excepti on ofvaluable one or two Greens cahoots with -farming Those who want toWe shut down thein asbe shut down this sector, rather than to those who operate became more misti c. now believe that MSPs, perhaps with acceptability ofopti aquaculture and the contributi on ithave, makes toexpected, global consider its draft report into the future of salmon farming. members have been willing to listen to those campaigning to Also investi gati ngacti initi aties, veswhich inregard thenow developing world, Harrison campaigners, will, on balance, the industry in a Dr favourable stepped their viti involve the within it.up food security and saving the planet, a45 move that is tobreaching welcomed. the excepti on ofvaluable one or two Greens cahoots with anti -farming Those who want to shut down thein industry asbe expected, shut down this sector, rather than tohave, those who operate Meet the the team Fish Farmer: Volume Number 08 Meet team Charo Karisa of WorldFish writes about the farming potenti al inthe Fish Farmer: Volume 44 Number 07 light. They will hopefully see that farmers take their environmental biosecure environments of farm sitesindustry to snatch photographs in Of course, such stories may be inaccurate and, in any case, Also investi gati ng initi ati ves in the developing world, Dr Harrison campaigners, will, on balance, regard the in a favourable stepped acti vitiish es,and which nowculti involve breaching the within it.up their Editorial Advisory Advisory Board: Editorial Board: Nigeria, both in catf ti lapia vati on. Contact us responsibiliti es seriously and that businesses will only ever invest in the hope of fi nding incriminati ng evidence against farmers. One committ ee’s fi ndings are not binding. Scotland’s fi sh farmers Contact us Charo Karisa of WorldFish writes about the farming potenti al in light. They will hopefully see that farmers take their environmental Steve Bracken, Bracken, Hervé Hervé Migaud, Migaud, Jim Jim Treasurer, Treasurer, biosecure environments of131 farm sites tosomething snatch ingame Of course, such stories may be inaccurate and,photographs inofany case,ngthe Steve In Scotland, the summer has been aofwaiti Tel: +44(0) 551 1000 What’s in a name? Dr Nick Lake Phil Thomas growth that is sustainable. Tel: +44(0) 131 551 1000 campaigner fi lmed himself searching, unsuccessfully, for dead have always been fortunate to have the support their minister, Nigeria, both catfish and tilapia culti vati on.against responsibiliti seriously and will only ever invest Chris Mitchell, Mitchell, Jason Jason Cleaversmith Cleaversmith the hope of fies nding incriminati ng businesses evidence farmers. Onein committ ee’s fiin ndings are not binding. Scotland’s fish farmers Fax:ee +44(0) 131 551 7901 Chris while the parliament is inthat recess and thethose members of Holyrood’s Fax: +44(0) 131 551 7901 If the committ members, especially who have yet to of Phil fi sh at a Marine Harvest site. Another said he saw ‘hundreds’ Fergus Ewing, to grow sustainably. In Scotland, the summer has been something of a waiti ng game What’s in a name? Dr Nick Lake Thomas growth that isfibeen sustainable. and Hamish Hamish Macdonell Macdonell Email: editor@fi campaigner lmed himself searching, unsuccessfully, forto dead haveRural always fortunate toshfarmermagazine.com have the support of their minister, and Economy and Connecti vity committ ee conti nue weigh up Email: shfarmermagazine.com visit aparliament farm, like tothe learn more about theagainst of infested salmon in awould pen, but we only have his word that But itsalmon should not go unchallenged that some MSPs onsubject the REC while the isroutram@fi in recess and members of Holyrood’s If the committ ee members, especially those who have yet to Editor: Robert Outram fi sh at a Marine Harvest site. Another said he saw ‘hundreds’ of Fergus Ewing, to grow sustainably. the evidence in their inquiry into salmon farming. We don’t expect Editor: RobertRural Outram Head Offi ce: Special Publica� ons, Fe� esto Park, their we have plenty of good stories in our May Even and Connecti vity committ ee conti nue weigh up Head Offi ce: Special Publica� ons, Fe� es Park, of theinquiry, professional vets and biologists who manage theissue. welfare of committ ee, with their own agendas against the growth of a Economy farm, like to learn more about the ofthetime infested salmon in go awould but we only have his word against that Buttheir itsalmon should not unchallenged that some MSPs onsubject the REC report unti l pen, the autumn but hope the MSPs are using the Designer: Andrewvisit Balahura 496 Ferry Road, Edinburgh, EH5 2DL bett er,farms they could head to Highlands later this month, where 496 Ferry Road, Edinburgh, EH5 2DL We the evidence in their inquiry into salmon farming. don’t expect Designer: Andrew their Balahura these on a daily basis. industry, are in breach of the Code of Conduct for MSPs. As they wefully have plenty of good stories in ourgrowth May toinquiry, become acquainted with the facts about fithe shissue. farming. of the professional vets andagendas biologists who manage welfare of committ ee, with their own against the of theEven Commercial Manager: Montpellier report Dr Marti n Jaff a Doug McLeod meet the aquaculture industry en masse at Scotland’s theirthey report unti l the autumn but hope the MSPs areas using theittiis, meit Ifthey the is proud of its high standards, itsalmon says are inwill aindustry positi on to inflthe uence the future course of farming, Commercial Subscriptions bett er, could head to Highlands later this month, where This month also sees reti rement of Marine Harvest’s longest JaniceManager: Johnston these farms on a daily basis. industry, are in breach of the Code of Conduct for MSPs. As they Subscriptions to become fully acquainted with the facts about fi sh farming. biggest fi sh farming show. must mount aaquaculture much more robustWe defence oftrouble itself, through its and of businesses vital Scotland’s economy, we have a right Janice Johnston Subscrip� onsto Address: Fish Farmer Montpellier report Dr Marti n Jaff a Doug McLeod jjohnston@fishfarmermagazine.com they will meet the industry en masse Scotland’s serving employee, Steve Bracken. had no Subscrip� ons Address: Fish Farmer If the isto proud of its high standards, as itsalmon says itcollecti is, it ng are in aindustry positi on inflthe uence the future course ofat farming, This month also sees reti rement of Marine Harvest’s longest We will certainly be at Aquaculture UK inindustry, Aviemore and look jjohnston@fiCommercial shfarmermagazine.com representati ve body, the SSPO, than it has done to date. The to know who they are, and we hope the through its Magazine Subscrip� ons, Warners Group warm tributes from his friends and colleagues to mark the biggest fi sh farming show. Assistant: Magazine Subscrip� ons,economy, Warners Group must a much more robustWe defence itself, through its and ofmount businesses vital toBracken. Scotland’s we have a right serving employee, Steve had noof trouble collecti ng forward toand, seeing many of you there too. campaigners, we now see, willrest stop at nothing, representati ves, will pressure the parliament toand investi gate before Publica� ons plc, The Mal� ngs, Publisher: Alister Benne� milestone along with of the industry, thefarmers team Richard Ellio� We will certainly be at Aquaculture UK in Aviemore and look Publica� ons plc, The Mal� ngs, representati vethey body, the SSPO, than itthe has done tothrough date. The to know who are, and wethe hope industry, its at Fish warm tributes from his friends and colleagues to mark the should be prepared toyou fiBourne ght back. the to REC report isStreet, published. West Street, Bourne Farmer wish him all the very best for the future. West Publisher: Alisterforward Benne� seeing many of there too. campaigners, we now see, will stop at representati ves, will pressure the parliament toand investi gateatbefore Rising stars Marti nBrown Jaff a Orkney anniversary Janet milestone and, along with the rest of thenothing, industry, thefarmers team Fish Lincolnshire PE10 9PH Lincolnshire PE10 9PH should prepared to fivery ght back. the RECbe report published. Farmer wish himisall the best for the future.

Conte Conten 4-15 4-14 News 4-15 4-14 News

Fair hearing French connection Farmers must Uphold the codefight back Fair hearing French connection Farmers must Uphold the codefight back

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16-21 16-17 16-22 Industry pioneer News Extra platform Parliamentary in 16-21 16-17 16-22 Industry pioneer News Extra platform Parliamentary inquir 22-23 18-19 24-27 Salmon SSPO 22-23 18-19 market 24-27 Salmon SSPO market

Robert Outram

24 20 20-21 28-29 BTA Shellﬁsh Comment 24 20 20-21 28-29 BTA Shellﬁsh Comment

Cover: Kenneth MacPherson Cover: Fishwith farma Kames steelhead trout maintenance ship in Skanevik�orden, Norway Photo: Shu�erstock

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26 22-23 30 BTA Shellfi sh Comment 26 22-23 30 Shellfi sh Comment BTA 28-31 24-25 32-33 SSPO Comment Scottish Shellfi sh Sea Far 28-31 24-25 32-33 SSPO Comment Scottish Shellfi sh Sea Farms Rising stars Marti nBrown Jaff a Orkney anniversary Janet 32-33 26-27 26-30 34-35 Shellfi shfiSea Cleaner sh Far Scottish Comment 32-33 26-27 26-30 34-35 Janet Machrihanish Orkney farm Marti nBrown Jaff a visit Shellfi shfiSea Cleaner sh Farms Scottish Comment 13

Janet Machrihanish Orkney farm Marti nBrown Jaff a visit Advisory Board: Steve Contact Tel: +44(0) us 131 551 1000 MeetEditorial the team www.fishfarmermagazine.com Fax: +44(0) 131 551 7901 33 Bracken, Scott Landsburgh, Hervé Steve Bracken, Scott HervéLandsburgh, Migaud, Editorial Advisory Board: Steve Tel: +44(0) 131 551 1000 Migaud, PatrickJim Smith and Jim Hervé Patrick Smith, PatrickMigaud, Smith, Treasurer and Fax: email: +44(0) 131 551 7901 Bracken, Scott Landsburgh, Hervé Steve Bracken, Scott HervéLandsburgh, Migaud, jhjul@fi shupdate.com Treasurer, Wiliam Jim Treasurer and Dowds William Dowdsemail: William Dowds Marti nofJaff a era Vaccines New player Dawn new Migaud, PatrickJim Smith and Jim Hervé Patrick Smith, PatrickMigaud, Smith, Treasurer and Editor: Jenny Hjul jhjul@fi shupdate.com 08/08/2022 15:30:20 Treasurer, Wiliam 12/07/2021 Jim Treasurer and Dowds William Dowds William Dowds Head Office: Special Publications, Dawn Marti nofJaff a15:32:14 Vaccines New player new era

34-35 28-29 32-33 36-41 Comment Cleaner Orkneyvisitﬁsh Farm 34-35 28-29 32-33 36-41 Comment Cleaner Orkneyvisitﬁsh Farm

CONTENTS

Fish F armer

In the August issue... News

What’s happening in the UK and around the world

Processing News

Update from the processing sector

Comment Martin Jaffa

Salmon Scotland Hamish Macdonell

Shellfish

Nicki Holmyard

Shellfish update CSAR Awards

Winning dissertations from Swansea

Management, Monitoring & Analysis Housing Sandy Neil

Brexit

Vince McDonagh

Wave Energy Colin Ley

Italy

Vince McDonagh

Antifouling & Net Cleaning Kames

Celebrating 50 years at the pioneering trout farmer

Cleaner Fish Sea Lice Rimini Preview

Looking ahead to the EAS Conference

What’s New

Monthly update on industry innovations and solutions

Industry Diary

All the latest aquaculture events, conferences and courses

Aqua Source Directory Find all you need for the industry

Opinion Nick Joy

6-20 22-23 24-25 26-27 28-30 32-33 34-35 36-37 38-41 42-43 44-45 46-47 48-49 52-61 62-63 68-69 72-73 77 78 80-81 82

www.fishfarmermagazine.com

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08/08/2022 09:46:47

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

United Kingdom News

Urgent action demanded to fix Channel hold-ups

UK News.indd 6

Above: UK Fisheries Minister Victoria Prentis with Tavish Scott, Chief Executive, Salmon Scotland

DELAYS at the UK’s Channel ports following Brexit need to be addressed urgently, Scotland’s salmon industry has warned. On 2 August Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of industry body Salmon Scotland, met in Shetland with UK Fisheries Minister Victoria Prentis to highlight the disruption, and the importance of salmon exports for island and rural communities. Fresh salmon from Scotland will normally arrive in France the following morning, but in recent weeks there have been delays of up to 48 hours due to queues on the UK side of the Channel – and there are concerns of repeat problems. Hauliers and holidaymakers have been enduring long delays at French border posts set up at UK ports, particularly at Dover. Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, UK travellers must have their passports checked and stamped before entering France. The UK Government has blamed France for failing to resource its border posts sufficiently, while others have argued that the delays are an inevitable consequence of Brexit. The vast majority of the UK’s fresh salmon exports go to or through France, and hold-ups of up to 48 hours can either greatly reduce the value of a shipment, or make it unsaleable. Salmon Scotland has called on the UK Government to

introduce immediate contingency plans for perishable goods to have priority status when delays occur at peak times such as the summer holidays. But, the organisation said, there also needs to be a longerterm permanent post-Brexit solution after schools return, with extra capacity in place to avoid delays for all transport, and flexibility built in to adapt for shifts in demand. Salmon Scotland has also pointed out that, in contrast to the French side of the crossing, the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone does not have a “buffer zone” to park nonessential traffic so that priority shipments can get through Scottish salmon competes in the European marketplace with Norway, which is not experiencing the same disruption to exports. Tavish Scott said: “This meeting was a welcome opportunity to set out the challenges currently facing salmon exporters and the risk to the Scottish and UK economies unless urgent action is taken. “As the UK’s biggest food export, it is vital for jobs in Scotland and for the UK economy that we avoid any holdups at the Channel. “Fresh Scottish salmon is perishable and needs to arrive with customers as quickly as possible. “We have urged the UK Government to prioritise the movement of perishable goods. Following today’s constructive meeting, we are hopeful of swift action.”

www.fishfarmermagazine.com

08/08/2022 15:11:35

Macduff, Skagen to supply support vessel for AQS SHIPPING company AQS has selected Skagen Ship Consulting and Macduff Ship Design as main contractor and designer for a new 18.5 metre hybrid service vessel for aquaculture support services. A key feature of the vessel will be the ability to operate on a zero emissions basis for extensive periods, giving it a lower carbon footprint. AQS, Skagen and Macduff are all working towards Above: How the AQS support vessel will look greener solutions both and equipment package, and the vessel on this vessel and more will be built at TRX Marine in Yalova, widely. Macduff Ship Design is currently working with several operators on hybrid Turkey. Sustainability, well-being and safety for solutions and is investigating future zero the crew on board have been central to emission technology. the development of the vessel, which is Skagen Ship Consulting will be designed for round the clock operation. responsible for the delivery of the design

Aquaculture awards recognise students’ excellence FOUR third year students at Swansea have been recognised in the University’s Aquaculture awards. Karolina Yague-Barantchikova won the award for the Best Undergraduate Dissertation in Aquaculture & Fisheries with her dissertation Sucker for Welfare! Developing a method to exclude lumpfish (Cyclopterus Lumpus) with deformed suckers. Her dissertation was based on a study of a new sorting mechanism which proved to be 79% effective in identifying individual fish with sucker deformities. Albert Broomfield won the award for Most Innovative Dissertation in Aquaculture & Fisheries for his offering: Routine disinfection disrupts the formation of the zebrafish microbiome. He showed that disinfection at the larval stage can adversely affect the fish’s beneficial bacteria, potentially leading to health issues. A collaboration between Hannah Bridge and Rebbecca Warren won the award for the Best Aquaculture Practical Report: How does cohabitation of lumpfish and wrasse affect fish behaviour and welfare? They described a study looking at the impact of mixed-species cohabitation on lumpfish and wrasse, concluding that lumpfish do not do so well when they are sharing a tank with wrasse. The awards were presented on the University of Swansea’s graduation day, 28 July. The prizes, in the form of Amazon vouchers, were sponsored by feed specialist Pacific Trading Aquaculture, and Fish Farmer magazine was media sponsor. For a full report see page 34.

Above: (From left) Karolina Yague-Barantchikova, Rebbecca Warren and Hannah Bridge. Far Right: Albert Broomfield

The crew accommodation has galley, mess and lounge facilities with individual cabins for the four crew and includes a lounge area within the spacious wheelhouse. The vessel will be equipped with a diesel electric hybrid package developed by Bertel O. Steen Power Solutions with a large battery capacity of 1,156 kWh.The vessel will feature a hydraulic deck machinery package supplied by SHM solutions, including two Palfinger deck cranes, and a full suite of aquaculture service equipment. The project has seen significant initial development work by Macduff Ship Design in collaboration with Skagen Ship Consulting and AQS to ensure a bespoke vessel, with an arrangement to match the specific operating profile of AQS, alongside flexibility for future aquaculture roles.

Warning over wild salmon numbers WILD Atlantic salmon stocks in rivers around the UK are reaching crisis point, the Environment Agency (EA) has warned. Salmon Stocks and Fisheries In England and Wales 2021, the Agency’s latest stock assessment report for England and Wales, estimates wild salmon numbers are at their lowest levels on record, with English rivers facing the most acute threat. Out of 64 major salmon rivers, 51 are classified as “at risk”. At 80%, this represents the highest proportion recorded in this category. The Environment Agency report says many factors are impacting on numbers at freshwater and marine sites. It says: “In particular, climate change is leading to rising sea and river temperatures and overfishing are impacting on salmon stocks globally. “Water quality in rivers and estuaries can also affect the fish lifecycle as well as barriers stopping salmon travelling upstream.” The report adds: “Through the Salmon Five Point Approach action is being taken by the EA and its

partners to remove barriers to migration with 19 fish passes improved in the last year. “Work is also taking place to improve water quality and reduce the exploitation of salmon by both net and rod fisheries.” Kevin Austin, Deputy Director for Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment for the Environment Agency said this latest assessment was of great concern, warning that without urgent action wild Atlantic salmon could be lost from UK rivers “within our lifetime.” He said: “We have seen some real successes through our work with partners, particularly on the river Don and Tyne, but more much progress is needed.”

www.fishfarmermagazine.com

UK News.indd 7

08/08/2022 15:12:19

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

Fish farm waste is a feast for sea cucumbers, study finds SEA cucumbers can thrive on organic waste from fish farms, according to research from the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture. While the marine invertebrate is not so popular with Europeans the sea cucumber is a delicacy in Asia and Mediterranean sea cucumbers can fetch between €30/kg dried and €120/kg as processed product, while farmed sea bream are currently worth just six euros per kilo, The research, part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020-funded project Tools for Assessment and Planning of Aquaculture Sustainability (TAPAS), was carried out with AquaBiotech Group and the University of Palermo. It involved a study of sea cucumbers at a fish farm off Malta. The research combined two analytical techniques to prove the cucumbers were successfully processing fish waste. Stable isotopes, used to assess diet, showed that the sea cucumbers were using the fish waste as their dominant food source. Fatty acid analysis in sea cucumbers grown near fish cages showed the presence of terrestrial, plant-based ingredients that could only have come from fish feed, showing that these sea cucumbers were using this source of organic waste to grow. Karl Cutajar PhD researcher at the Institute of Aquaculture, said: “This research shows the feeding connectivity between fish and sea cucumbers under marine commercial fish cages, which means that farming them together in an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system is viable. “Our results show that sea cucumbers take up fish farm waste and how this helps the sea cucumber to grow. “Something that removes organic waste, which can have a negative impact on the seafloor, whilst being a valuable commercial product, without the need for feed input, is an exciting discovery that presents environmental and economic opportunities.” In Asia sea cucumbers are highly in demand for food but supply is short, even causing overfishing in some areas. Sea cucumbers also have antibacterial and anticancer properties, and are increasingly being investigated for medicinal and pharmaceutical uses worldwide. Professor Trevor Telfer of the Institute of Aquaculture, who oversaw the research, said: “There is increasing interest in IMTA systems in aquaculture, as there is in circular economy systems in other industries, as a way to find sustainable solutions to future challenges in seafood production. We are very excited by these findings.” The paper “Culturing the sea cucumber Holothuria poli in open-water integrated multi-trophic aquaculture at a coastal Mediterranean fish farm” is published in Aquaculture. The paper “Stable isotope and fatty acid analysis reveal the ability of sea cucumbers to use fish farm waste in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture” is published in the Journal of Environmental Management.

Above: Sea cucumber, Holothuria poli

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Loch Duart brings the Highlands to the Hamptons INDEPENDENT Scottish salmon farmer Loch Duart was one of the main sponsors at a high-end fashion event in New York, showcasing designers from Scotland. The Dressed to Kilt charity fashion show took place in New York on 23 June at Mill Neck Manor on Long Island. The event is a major platform for leading fashion designers whose work incorporated a tartan style, inspired by the event’s theme of “Dress for Adventure: From the Highlands to the Hamptons.” Guests were treated to Loch Duart Hors d’oeuvres and an exclusive fashion show, including a surprise runway appearance from Loch Duart Salmon itself, in the form of Adam Gray, Marketing & Communications Manager,

Above: Adam Gray, Marketing & Communications Manager, Loch Duart

sporting a Glen Orchy Tweed jacket and waistcoat with Oban Mist tartan supplied by Macgregor and Macduff. All funds raised were donated to the Navy SEAL Foundation.

Tilapia farmer opts for humane stunning solution

Above: Regal Springs tilapia farm

REGAL Springs, one of the world’s largest tilapia producers, is investing in a humane stunning system from UK-based company Ace Aquatec. The award-winning in-water stunning solution is designed to allow slaughter with the least impact on fish welfare. Originally developed by Ace Aquatec for salmon, the company has adapted it for use with tilapia. The project began after Ace Aquatec was awarded £1m in funding from the Humane Slaughter Association to provide pilot stunning equipment to fish farms that had no humane harvesting. Ace Aquatec approached Regal Springs on a trial basis, and collaborated with Nautilus Collaboration and The Centre for Responsible Seafood (TCRS), to provide regulators with the evidence to support welfare improvements worldwide. Emily McGregor, Regal Springs sustainability manager, said: “This is a huge step forward from thermal stunning to a more humane and controlled stunning process, and, with this, towards better fish welfare. As a side effect, process and quality parameters improved: reduced bruising, better quality of the fillets, better working conditions for staff.”

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08/08/2022 15:14:18

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08/08/2022 09:51:31

UNITED KINGDOM NEWS

Loch Duart and BioMar team up for community fund

Above: Loch Duart and BioMar community fund football strip

INDEPENDENT salmon farmer Loch Duart has announced the first projects supported by the new community fund it has set up with feed giant BioMar. The Loch Duart and BioMar Community Fund has already helped a range of projects including schools initiatives and local sports clubs. The fund focuses on the communities local to Loch Duart’s operations – the islands of North and South Uist, in the Hebrides, and Sutherland in the north of Scotland. Supported initiatives so far include £2,000 for staff well-being days

at Durness Primary staffroom, Kinlochbervie Primary, Scourie Primary and Kinlochbervie High School, and the Goblin racing car building project for schools in north west Scotland, in which pupils built an electric go kart. Rebecca MacInnes, Loch Duart HR Manager, and Community Fund administrator, said: “It’s an honour to announce some of the successful projects which have become the first recipients of the new Loch Duart and BioMar Community Fund. With a focus on supporting schools and health and wellbeing, we are ensuring that the

funding goes to groups who really need this extra bit of money to carry on their important work. “Whether it’s giving school environments a much needed makeover for both pupils and teachers, or wellbeing hampers and events being created for staff to give them a boost, it shows that a little bit of help can do a whole lot of good. We’re looking forward to sharing more news about the projects we’re supporting across Sutherland the Uists.” Mike McLeish from BioMar, partners with Loch Duart behind the Community Fund, commented: “BioMar is delighted to supply high-quality, nutritionally balanced, sustainable salmon feed to Loch Duart’s farming operations in the Scottish Northwest and Hebrides. As part of this relationship, we have partnered to set up the Community Fund to ensure that the communities around Loch Duart’s farming sites have access to funding aimed at improving people’s lives through a range of amazing projects. We look forward to seeing how these brilliant communities use our funding to transform the Uists and Sutherland.” BioMar provides a bespoke feed for Loch Duart, which seeks to replicate a wild fish’s diet as closely as possible with a high proportion of “increasingly sustainable” marine ingredients.

OTAQ sees revenue rise, profits fall MARINE technology business OTAQ achieved revenue growth in 2021/22 but recorded a loss for the same period as questions continue over whether its seal scaring devices will be allowed to operate in some major markets. Based in the UK and Chile, OTAQ supplies international customers including aquaculture, renewables and offshore energy. For the 12 months to 31 March 2022, OTAQ reported revenue up 5.9% to £4.29m, thanks partly to acquisitions and new technology which have strengthened the company in new sectors such as shrimp farming. Gross profits were down to £2.03m, however (2020/21: £2.3m) and adjusted EBITDA showed a loss of £49,000 compared with a profit of £524,000 in the previous period. The company’s net debt was £1.27m (2020/21: net cash £670,000). OTAQ said growth was strong in the Offshore, Connectors and Technology Divisions. During the period, the company acquired Minnowtech LLC, which has developed technology to monitor shrimp biomass, and also took a 10% stake in Blue Lion Labs, a Canadian data management and software company focused on monitoring harmful organisms in water. Meanwhile, however, the regulators’ position on acoustic deterrent devices, particularly in the key salmon producing markets of Scotland and Chile, has hit profits in OTAQ’s Aquaculture division. OTAQ hopes that its new live plankton analysis system for detecting harmful algal blooms will prove a new source of revenue. Phil Newby, Chief Executive at OTAQ, said: “Product innovation

UK News.indd 10

is at the core of OTAQ’s ability to partner with clients to maximise welfare and production yields, continually broadening our portfolio of complementary products. The addition of technologies in shrimp sonar, live plankton analysis systems and water quality monitoring now give OTAQ and its customers a new level of analysis and responsiveness in managing stocks and improving performance.”

Above: The OTAQ SealFence

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08/08/2022 15:15:20

Orca hunt through mussel farm caught on video VIDEO footage has recorded how a harbour seal attempted to use the shelter of a mussel farm off Shetland to escape from a pod of orca. Local drone pilot Nick McCaffrey captured 38 minutes of the hunt, which involved eight orca at the Grunna Voe mussel farm, operated by Shetland Mussels. The seal hid in between two lines Above: Orcas hunting at the mussel farm off Shetland of mussel ropes and was able to evade the whales for a time, but when it broke out and headed into open water it was caught and killed. Emily Hague, a PhD student at Heriot-Watt University, said the interaction shows how marine mammals are increasingly interacting with manmade structures at sea. She analysed the footage as part of her research into the impact of human activities on these creatures, and concluded that while the farm may have temporarily helped the seal, it was also placing the orca at risk. Hague said: “Interactions involving man-made structures are rarely, if ever, caught on camera.This makes this footage

extra special and very insightful from a scientiﬁc point of view. “It gives us a whole new perspective on how marine life, in this case two top predators, are living with manmade structures in our seas. “It’s fascinating that these novel structures in the marine environment are potentially being used by prey to hide from predators. “Interactions like this can also shed light on potential risks to marine mammals. “Last year a juvenile member of this killer group died entangled in rope and was found on Orkney. If this group is spending a lot of time around marine structures, then this may have associated risks, like entanglement.” Hague published her full ﬁndings in the journal Aquatic Mammals (Issue 48.4). Nick McCaffrey and other wildlife enthusiasts were alerted to the orcas’ arrival by the Shetland Orca Sightings Facebook page and a dedicated WhatsApp group, both managed by wildlife photographer and guide Hugh Harrop.

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08/08/2022 15:19:28

EUROPEAN NEWS

European News

Trout farmer in wave power world first

Above: The Havkraft wave power plant

NORWEGIAN trout farming company Svanøy Havbruk is set to become the world’s ﬁrst aquaculture business to use wave power to generate electricity. The work was carried out at the company’s site on the south side of Svanøy in the Vestland region. A contract has been signed by Svanøy Havbruk for the installation of a full-scale Havkraft N-Class wave power plant close to the island of Svanøy, in western Norway. This marks the start of commercialisation of Havkraft’s oscillating water column (OWC) wave power plants, a technology the company says can compete with any other energy source in its market segment near the shore. The project is being supported

by Sparebanken Vest and other unnamed partners, and will be installed on site next year. The development is designed to help Svanøy Havbruk decarbonise its operations and move away from using polluting diesel fuels. Havkraft has developed two types of OWC power plants – the ﬁrst being the Havkraft N-Class which is ﬁtted for nearshore locations, while the second – dubbed Havkraft O-Class – is more suitable for offshore operations. Both products are based on the Havkraft Wave Energy Converter (H-WEC) and equipped with Bosch permanent magnet generators. Havkraft manger Geir Arne Solheim said his company has the technology available at the pilot stage, but the

involvement of Sparebanken Vest means it was now possible to move forward to something larger. He believes his company possesses a unique technology able to produce enough power for a ﬁsh farm, and which can be scaled up. Svanøy Havbruk R&D manager Solveig Willis, said the company is proud to be involved with this new development. She added: “It has been our strategy for many years that we should produce good, clean food with the least possible impact on the environment.” Since 2020, the company has electriﬁed the four locations that are in use as of today, which corresponds to an annual CO² reduction of 1,000 tonnes.

RAS trout farm secures major investment “This will be sold to European and LONDON-based investment international salmonid markets company JLEN Environmental via an offtake agreement with an Assets is moving into the established Norwegian seafood Norwegian aquaculture business. distribution company with global JLEN, which describes itself as reach.” an environmental infrastructure Richard Ramsay, Senior fund, is setting aside up to £40m Independent Director at JLEN, over the next three to four years said: “We are pleased to make our for Hima Seafood, a Norwegian Above: Hima Seafood’s farm will take water from first investment into land-based company building the world’s Telemark’s mountains aquaculture, contributing to the largest trout farm. sustainable supply of trout to meet rising consumer The farm, to be built in Rjukan in Norway’s Telemark demand. We consider that this investment will deliver region, will be a RAS (recirculating aquaculture system) facility. Hima Seafood has identified and secured a licence environmental benefits to the food system and offer a product to suit today’s consumer needs.” to obtain water from a huge groundwater reservoir in The water in the area is exceptionally clean, which Vestfjorddalen, just below where the facility will be. is an important factor in trout farming, but the Hima JLEN said: “It is expected that partial operations will project will also use warm water from the nearby Green commence in 2024 with full operations expected in 2025, Mountain data centre cooling system, which will then be following which, the facility is forecasted to produce returned to the centre. approximately 8,000 tonnes of trout annually.

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08/08/2022 15:00:24

Mowi reports big jump in profit for Q2 MOWI more than doubled its operating profit, year on year, during the second quarter of this year the company has disclosed, with Scotland producing an improved financial performance. Fuelled by higher salmon prices, the group’s EBIT (earnings before interest and taxation) was €320m (£273m) against €137m (£117m) a year ago. For Scotland the operational EBIT per kilo was €1.60 (£1.36) against €1.55 (£1.31) in Q2 2021 on a 6,000 tonne lower harvest of 13,000 tonnes. There was a dramatically improved performance from Canada, which turned an operational loss last year into a healthy profit. Farming Norway and Farming Ireland also reported higher operating profits.

The global salmon farming group announced a total harvest of 103,000 tonnes, 5,000 tonnes down on a year ago. The national breakdown is (2021 ﬁgures in brackets): • Norway 60,000 tonnes (56,000 tonnes); • Chile 14,500 tonnes (15,000 tonnes); • Scotland 13,000 tonnes (19,000 tonnes); • Canada 10,500 tonnes (13,500 tonnes); • Ireland 3,500 tonnes (2,000 tonnes); and • Faroe Islands 1,500

tonnes (2,500 tonnes). The operational EBIT per kg (2021 ﬁgures in brackets) is Norway €3.95 (€1.65); Scotland €1.6 (€1.55); Chile €1.05 (€1); Canada €3, including €3.85 in Canada West (loss of €0.50); Ireland €2.80 (€2); Faroe Islands €5.8 (€1.9). Mowi said the operational EBIT for Consumer Products was €18m [£15.26m] (compared with €16m [£13.57m] in Q2 2021) and Feed €2m [£1.70m] in Q2 2022 (€3m [£2.54m] in Q2 2021). The reported ﬁnancial net interest-bearing debt (NIBD) was approximately €1.240bn (£1.052bn) at the end of the quarter (excluding IFRS 16 effects). The complete Q2 2022 report will be released on 24 August.

Ireland launches aquaculture information portal DETAILED information on aquaculture licences in Ireland will be available to the public online as part of a new information management system that the government says will become a “one-stop shop” for aquaculture. The public online viewer represents phase one of the new system, AQUAMIS (Aquaculture Information Management System), an overall information system for aquaculture licences in Ireland. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has digitally mapped Ireland’s coastline and integrated data sets from both the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Marine Institute. The aquaculture portal will also allow for the digital processing of aquaculture licence applications. The viewer can be accessed at dafm-maps. marine.ie/aquaculture-viewer/

Above: The AQUAMIS portal

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European News.indd 13

08/08/2022 15:02:06

EUROPEAN NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF

Irish aquaculture wins €20m Brexit aid package A €20m scheme to help the Irish aquaculture sector overcome the impact of Brexit has been approved by the European Commission under EU State aid rules. The scheme (equivalent to £17m) is aimed at “mitigating the adverse impact on employment in the coastal communities, by supporting the development of an alternative source of raw material supply for seafood processors and by enhancing the viability of aquaculture companies”, the Commission said. It will be open to aquaculture producers who are planning to purchase and install new machinery and equipment, as well as construct new premises. The Commission said the aid will take the form of direct grants, covering up to 50% of the actual investment costs and will run until December next year.

Norwegian authority approves SalMar deals THE Norwegian Competition Authority has approved SalMar’s takeover of the NTS integrated aquaculture group. It has also given the green light to a merger between the salmon farming businesses of SalMar and Norway Royal Salmon. While some industry Above: Norway Royal Salmon farm observers thought that SalMar could become too powerful because most of its salmon farming activities are based in Norway, the competition authority approval for both deals was widely expected.There remain further regulatory hurdles to jump, as the various proposals need to be approved by European and other authorities.

Benchmark says Ectosan spill had ‘minimal’ impact AN accidental release of the new sea lice treatment Ectosan earlier this year had a minimal impact on the marine environment, according to Benchmark Animal Health. The spill took place on 1 June off the coast of northern Norway, during a course of treatment at a fish farm at Heggvika, Nordland. The release, of 110 cubic metres (corresponding to around 110,000 litres of Ectosan), was reported to the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries on the same day. Benchmark developed Ectosan, a sea lice treatment based on the neonicotinoid pesticide imidacloprid, for use with its CleanTreat closed system. The system is designed to treat the waste water and remove the pesticide before discharge into the sea. Imidacloprid is of low toxicity to vertebrates like fish and marine mammals, in the concentrations used in Ectosan, but could kill a range of insects, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Benchmark stressed, however: “Ectosan® Vet degrades rapidly on exposure to water and sunlight.” The company said that, following the incident: “We worked closely with a third-party specialist to analyse water and sediment samples as part of our response to the event. Analysis of the initial samples taken within 24 hours of the incident suggested that the potential impact would be minimal. Subsequent sampling confirmed this initial conclusion. We have no evidence of any known impact on the environment. This is consistent with the sample results received and our extensive knowledge of how the product behaves in the marine environment.” Benchmark is understood to be working with the wellboat company to ensure no similar errors occur in future.

Rabobank’s Smit appointed as CEO at Aqua-Spark RABOBANK executive Lissy Smit has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer at Aqua-Spark, the Netherlands-based fund set up to invest in sustainable, innovative aquaculture. Smit is currently Head of Credit Approvals at Rabobank Group, and will take up her new post on 1 September. Mike Velings and Amy Novogratz, co-founders of Aqua-Spark, said:“Lissy Smit’s expertise and track record as a change-maker within Rabobank, one of the largest financiers of the seafood industry, is what we feel Aqua-Spark needs to professionalise further and to expand to this next level.”

Above: One of the vessels fitted with Benchmark’s CleanTreat system

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08/08/2022 15:03:14

Cod farmer wins major supply contract

British Made Cage Nets In Nylon & Dyneema Predator Exclusion Nets THE Norwegian cod farming company Statt Torsk said it has won a large new fish supply contract worth around NOK 70m – almost £6m. The name of the customer has not been disclosed. Deliveries will start in September and approximately 1,600 tonnes (whole fish equivalent) have been sold. It is not just salmon which is hitting high prices. Sea-caught cod prices are currently at record levels and likely to go even further as northern hemisphere quota cuts loom. Gustave Brun-Lie, CEO of Statt Torsk ASA, said: “This is a significant agreement with a customer who already knows the company and our fish. “It is good for both the company and our new

industry to get confirmation of the quality of farmed cod, especially with a customer who has high demands on both product and supplier.” He continued: “Although we will never be satisfied with the price we achieve, the agreement represents a good increase compared to last year’s price achievement. “The security that follows an agreement with such a customer is also important for the Company’s development in unstable times. Now we see the result of the changed production cycles from 18 to 30 months.” The agreement will involve two weekly deliveries and approximately 30% of the company’s initiated and expected production.

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NRS culls 800,000 salmon in new disease blow NORWAY Royal Salmon has been forced to cull around 800,000 triploid salmon after stocks were affected by a parasitic infection. The company made the announcement in an Oslo Stock Exchange statement on 14 July, which said: “NRS’s farming have detected the fish disease Parvicapsulose caused by the parasite Parvicapsula, and have therefore, for welfare reasons, chosen to cull all fish at the site Elva in Alta municipality [in Finnmark, northern Norway]. “The site has 0.8 million (800,0000) triploid fish with an average weight of 0.65 kilos. The incident will have an impact on the result of the third quarter of 2022 and will reduce NRS’s expected harvest volume for 2022 by around 2,000 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes.” Parvicapsula infections in

farmed Atlantic salmon in Norway are not generally common but can result in mortalities, from lowgrade to significant levels. The statement added: “NRS continues to analyse the consequences and we will return with more information when reporting for the second quarter of 2022.” The NRS group is licensed for 36,085 tonnes MAB (maximum allowable biomass) for salmon farming located in Troms and Finnmark, and 21,800 tonnes (MAB) for salmon farming and 5,300 MAB for trout farming on Iceland through the company Arctic Fish. In addition, the group has a minority interest in two associated Norwegian fish farming companies which together own nine fish farming licences.

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European News.indd 15

08/08/2022 15:04:18

EUROPEAN NEWS

BioMar’s appeal over smolt feed patent fails

Above: Norwegian Supreme Court

THE long-running dispute between BioMar and STIM over a patent for smolt feed has finally come to an end, with a Norwegian Supreme Court ruling in favour of STIM. STIM had alleged that BioMar’s Intro Tuning smoltification feed, which has been developed to stimulate faster growth for juvenile salmon in full light, copied the formula created by STIM for its own SuperSmolt Feed. The Supreme Court Appeals Selection Committee has thrown out the appeal from BioMar against a ruling from Norway’s Borgarting Court of Appeal, which had ordered the feed producer to pay STIM more than NOK 36m (around £3m) in compensation for infringing the latter’s patent. Ida Espolin Johnson, attorney for STIM, said: “We are happy that this case is now concluded with the correct result. Additionally, it has provided some important judicial clarifications, especially regarding indirect patent infringement, which will be of significance for future cases.” Biomar was held to have infringed both directly and indirectly on the STIM patents, but it was also criticised in the Borgarting ruling for breaching the business code of conduct. During the court process, Biomar referred to the existence of traditional salt feeds for seawater acclimation as an argument for rendering the SuperSmolt patents invalid. All

judicial authorities have rejected the argument, stating “the method that the patent states, contributes to smoltification, prevents desmoltification, provides low mortality and good growth performance both in freshwater and seawater.”* STIM launched SuperSmolt FeedOnly in 2015, at a time when faulty smoltification was one of the biggest causes of fish mortality in the salmon industry. The innovation made it easy to ensure a homogenous smolt status within the fish groups, so that every fish could be safely transferred to seawater without welfare issues relating to low tolerance for salinity. STIM CEO Jim-Roger Nordly said: “I am satisfied, but of course not surprised, by the Supreme Court rejecting Biomar’s appeal. Most of all I am happy that we finally can put this case behind us and focus fully on new innovations and solutions that can benefit the industry.” Håvard Yngve Jørgensen, Managing Director, BioMar Norway, commented: “We are disapointed with the decision by Norway’s Supreme Court and are taking note of it.” An Oslo District Court ruled in 2020 that BioMar could continue to produce and sell Intro Tuning – albeit with a revised formula – following the replacement of a key amino acid, L-Tryptophane, in the BioMar product. * (STIM’s translation from the Norwegian).

Norwegian salmon exports march on to July record AFTER a record-breaking first half for 2022, July was the strongest single month ever logged, by value, for Norwegian salmon and trout exports. The Norwegian Seafood Council said the export price for a number of other species and products was a record high last month with salmon once again leading the way . Seafood exports of all types totalled NOK 11.6 billion (almost £1 bn). In fact the value of Norway’s seafood exports has doubled since 2015. So far this year, Norway has exported seafood valued at of NOK 81.7 bn (£6.8bn). This is an increase of NOK 18.5bn (£1.55bn) or 29% compared with the same period last year. Børge Grønbech, the seafood council’s acting CEO, said: “July was the strongest single month for salmon and trout ever.” But he cautioned: “Despite the strong growth in the value of seafood exports, challenging times can affect development going forward.” July has emerged as the best month for salmon exports to date despite a 5% drop in volume to 95,000 tonnes. Rising prices meant the value increased by 27%. to NOK 8.7bn (£732m) . The average price per kilo was NOK 84.87 (£7.14). Seafood council analyst Paul T Aandahl said: “We are still seeing a high demand for Norwegian salmon, although the export volume is behind last year’s level. “The price for fresh whole salmon in July was therefore 35% higher than compared to the same month last year. He added: “ We have seen the pattern of increased volume and lower prices in late summer and autumn in recent years.” Last month was also a record for farmed trout earnings despite a 16% drop in volume to 5,200 tonnes. The value rose by 40% to NOK 531m (£44m) with the US the main market.

Above: Norwegian salmon

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08/08/2022 15:05:05

Norway maps out new offshore zones NORWAY’S Fisheries Directorate has mapped out the three possible trial areas for offshore ﬁsh farming, with one of them more or less adjacent to Orkney and the north east coast of Scotland. In what could the next big step forward in salmon farming, a number of companies are either planning or considering setting up operations dozens of mile from an increasingly crowded Norwegian coastline. The areas, spread almost from top to bottom of the country, are Norskerenna south, Frøyabanken Nord, and Trænabanken. Norskerenna south is the area across from Scotland although it is some 350 kilometres (220 miles) from the UK coast. The Directorate said it has been asked by the Ministry of Trade and Industry to carry out a systematic review and selection of the three most relevant areas with 11 more areas

recommended for future assessment. “Among the 11 areas that were recommended for further assessment and possible facilitation for aquaculture at sea, three areas will be selected that will be impact assessed, “ it states. “Of the three areas, one should preferably point to an area in the south, one in the middle and one in the north of the country.” The order points out that the Area Report

is from 2019 and that new information about land use and potential conﬂicts may now be available. “It therefore appears from the order that the Directorate of Fisheries can take as its starting point its own map solution and make a new review of available information about the 11 areas that are recommended for further investigation.” Last year SalMar, which operates Ocean Farm 1, teamed up with Aker to create the offshore business SalMar Aker Ocean, while Nordlaks has the giant offshore platform Jostein Albert. Also last year Norway Royal Salmon launched its ﬁrst sea cage built with the Aker Group for its Arctic Offshore Farming project. Following the SalMar takeover of NRS, only time will tell if the two offshore initiatives remain as separate projects.

Samherji set to focus on expansion SAMHERJI, Iceland’s largest integrated fishing and seafood company, is planning to invest 60 billion kroner (£365m) on expanding its aquaculture business over the next few years. Announcing its financial results for last year, Samherji CEO Þorstein Más Baldvinsson, said the emphasis would be on land based salmon farming. The group announced profits after tax of ISK 5.5 bn (£33m) , an increase of ISK 1bn on 2020. Total sales for the year were ISK 56.7bn (£346m). He maintained: “We at Samherji have a lot of faith in land farms, but their construction is hugely expensive. “That is why it is of the utmost importance that the company is as financially strong as ever. Our consolidated financial statements shows that this is the case.” For this reason the company’s general meeting decided not to pay a dividend this time, with investment directed into new projects such as expanding salmon farming. Two months ago Samherji completed a US $26m share capital increase to help fund its aquaculture expansion plans.

Samherji has also appointed former Mowi CEO Alf-Helge Aarskog to its board of directors. The company described him as one of the most experienced experts in the field of aquaculture. Currently the company is expanding in the north east of Iceland with a pilot project for a land based farm at Öxarfjörður, and there is a plan for an even larger, land-based farm in the south west of the country near the capital, Reykjavik.

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09/08/2022 11:10:26

World News

WORLD NEWS

ASC publishes documents to support new farm and feed mill standards

THE Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has released a set of documents to help operators comply with new standards covering farms and feed mills. The new publications include revised Certification and Accreditation Requirements (CAR) and Certification Requirements for Unit of Certification (RUoC) for the ASC Farm Standards, and new CAR and RUoC documents for the Feed Standard. The new RUoC documents provide farms and feed mills in the ASC certification programme with a

description and a step-by-step guide to conform to the administrative and process requirements necessary to obtain or maintain certification. Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) will use the CAR, which sets out requirements for certification to enable CABs to audit farms and feed mills in a consistent manner. CABs are the independent certification bodies that audit farms and feed mills against the relevant ASC Standards. The revised CAR strengthens ASC’s assurance process, in particular by setting

out strict protocols for conducting remote audits, introducing a requirement to conduct unannounced surveillance audits on at least 10% of single site certificate holders each year, and using the ASC Social Audit Risk Assessment Tool, that details the depth of checking on the social requirements of the standard. A new requirement ensures that auditors are rotated, to limit the number of times one can audit the same unit of certification, traceability requirements have been boosted, and a recommendation included on when to sample and test for antibiotics and banned veterinary substances during audit.The revised CAR reinforces to CABs that companies carrying out fraudulent activities confirmed by a statutory authority and those involved in child labour, slavery, human trafficking or forced labour are not eligible to hold ASC certification. The effective date for the Farm CAR & RUoC is 14 July 2023.The ASC Feed CAR and RUoC will become effective from 14 January 2023, meaning initial audits against the Feed Standard can take place. This also marks the start of a 24-month transition period, during which time ASC farms must switch completely to using ASC compliant feed in order to continue meeting the ASC Farm Standards. The documents are available at www. asc-aqua.org/

Bid to oppose Kingfish Maine plant fails She added: “We have said from the beginning AN attempt to block land-based fish farming in we want to be in a town that will welcome us Jonesport, Maine, where the Kingfish Company as a collaborating business partner, one that is planning to build a new yellowtail production will provide jobs and economic benefits to the facility, has failed. community. The Jonesport Planning Board voted down “We are thrilled to see the confidence of this a proposed moratorium on aquaculture town in their own town government and in the developments by 201 votes to 91. potential of this project in Jonesport.” Kingfish company CEO Ohad Maiman said: “We Meanwhile, the Jonesport Planning Board has are grateful for the overwhelming local support at Above: Ohad Maiman accepted Kingfish Maine’s building application the town vote. which is now being reviewed. A review meeting is scheduled “When we chose the Jonesport site, we spent significant for early next month. time getting to know the community and making certain we This Planning Board application is the last of the critical were welcome. This vote confirms that that we have made the approvals needed for the Jonesport project. right choice.” Kingfish Maine has already received all Maine The Kingfish Company is planning to build a recirculating Department of Environmental Protection (Maine DEP) and aquaculture system (RAS) facility with the capacity to US Army Corp of Engineers permits. produce 6,000 - 8,000 tonnes of yellowtail kingfish. “We are grateful for the continued support we receive from Operations Manager Megan Sorby said: “The defeat of the town of Jonesport and look forward to working with the moratorium demonstrates that town residents have the Planning Board as we proceed through the municipal confidence in Jonesport’s Planning Board and the existing process,” said Megan Sorby. town ordinances.”

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World News.indd 18

08/08/2022 14:55:48

Fish and shrimp farmers’ proﬁts set to slip

A downturn in consumer demand, combined with rising production costs, is set to hit aquaculture producers’ profits in the second half of this year. That’s the warning from the research arm of Rabobank, in its latest Global Aquaculture Update. Rabobank says that it expects to see weaker consumer demand in Europe and North America in H2 of 2022, compared with the first half. Driving this is an expected fall in foodservice demand for seafood. The report says that with softening demand, price corrections, and persistently high production costs, salmon and shrimp farmer profits are likely to decline from recent highs. China remains an unknown, the report adds, depending on whether the country is able to emerge from

its cycle of Covid lockdowns. Gorjan Nikolik, Senior Global Specialist, Seafood at Rabobank, said: “The US remains a strong demand driver for seafood, but foodservice demand is clearly declining.This could be the beginning of a long challenging period in the US. “Though we remain optimistic that China will once again become an important driver of shrimp and salmon demand before the end of the year, Covid lockdowns and import restrictions greatly decrease the probability.” The forecast for ﬁshmeal producers is more positive, however. Rabobank says:“Fish meal supply remains relatively stable. However, the recordhigh prices of vegetable substitutes make marine ingredients relatively competitive in feed formulas, supporting demand and prices.” Rabobank says farmers are facing continuing high feed, freight and energy costs, and the high levels of proﬁtability seen in the early part of 2022 are not likely to persist in the second half of the year. Global Aquaculture Update 2H 2022: On the Brink of Recession is available at bit.ly/Rabo-Aqua-update

AKVA wins contract for Cooke hatchery AQUACULTURE technology business AKVA has been awarded a contract to design and build Cooke Aquaculture’s post-smolt salmon hatchery in Nova Scotia. The hatchery is for Cooke subsidiary Kelly Cove Salmon. The facility, in Centreville on Digby Neck, Nova Scotia on Canada’s Atlantic coast, is projected to produce three million salmon a year, from egg to the post-smolt stage, for Cooke’s salmon farms in the region. Approval for the Digby Neck hatchery was granted by the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries

and Aquaculture in March 2021. Joel Richardson, Cooke Aquaculture’s Vice President of Public Relations, said at the time: “We have been sustainably operating Atlantic salmon farms for over twenty-three years in Nova Scotia for food production, and our aim is to grow responsibly by taking a coordinated, thoughtful, science-based approach and going through all the appropriate licensing and permitting steps. “We were pleased to see so many of the businesses, organisations and local governments who we have worked with over the years express support of our growth in Nova Scotia.” The contract will be worth €14.3m (£12.14m) to AKVA. Design work is due to start this month, with commissioning in Q4 2024.

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World News.indd 19

08/08/2022 14:56:18

WORLD NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF

Former Huon chief joins Cooke in Canada

the Tasmania Salmon COOKE Aquaculture has Growers Association. appointed former Huon He has held various Chief Executive Philip senior commercial Wiese as Managing management roles Director of its East in finance, insurance Coast aquaculture and trading in the operations in Canada. manufacturing, The Tasmania-based Above: Philip Wiese distribution and retail Huon Aquaculture business areas. Group Limited, Cooke said its decision to Australia’s second largest salmon create the role of Managing farming business, was acquired Director of East Coast by Brazilian meat giant JBS last Aquaculture Operations has year. been brought about by the Wiese was Chief Financial company’s significant growth Officer at Huon and he is over the past few years. also a former Director of

Pringle returns to Mowi FORMER Mowi Scotland Operations Director Gideon Pringle has returned to the company he left almost three years ago, as Managing Director of Mowi Canada East’s operations. Pringle first joined Mowi (Marine Harvest) in 2016 after five years as Farming Director with the trout farmer Dawnfresh. In 2019 he left Mowi to take up the role of Director of Farming with Scottish Sea Farms. Pringle takes over from Alan Cook who had been in the role for the past two years. Cook, who has worked in several countries including New Zealand and the United States, described his time with Mowi as an “incredible experience.” He added: “I’m going to take a break and then start thinking about next steps. This will be my first summer off in 30 years!”

Major investors backing Atlantic Sapphire INVESTOR interest in the Florida-based salmon farming company Atlantic Sapphire increased significantly last month, with two major share transactions in the space of a few days. The Norwegian billionaire and businessman Petter Stordalen has bought heavily into the Miami business through his investment company Strawberry Capital, according to the latest shareholder list. A self-proclaimed environmentalist, his net worth is estimated at US $1.3bn (£1.08bn) through investments in high-end hotels, shopping centres and property. Meanwhile London investment banking company Pelham Capital, through its Pelham Long/ Short Small Cap Master Fund, was allocated 7.2 million shares.

The new shares in the private placement were approved by an extraordinary general meeting held on 20 July and have now been registered with the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises. This is the second purchase by Pelham Capital, making it Atlantic Sapphire’s second largest investor with just over 5 million shares.

Above: Atlantic Sapphire salmon

Barramundi producer plans to farm in Arizona

Left: Gideon Pringle

Support vessel commisioned for US oyster farm BOAT builder US Watercraft is developing a new aquaculture support vessel for an oyster farmer in Chesapeake Bay,Virginia.The vessel has been commissioned for Matheson Oyster Co, which grows oysters in baskets on an adjustable longline system in waters up to five feet deep. The new 26-foot boat is equipped with a powerful electric davit, flush deck, and 12-inch freeboard that will allow the crew to winch up the baskets and slide them on deck quickly, safely, and efficiently.The deck is also equipped with a series of removable guard rails that store out of the way during harvest and are easily replaced to secure the baskets (and serve as hand holds for the crew) while under way. US Watercraft is the commercial boatbuilding division of Waterline Systems, operating out of a 65-acre waterfront facility in Hubert, North Carolina. The boat is currently under construction and after launching will run year-round on Chesapeake Bay.

Above: The Matheson Oyster Co boat

BARRAMUNDI producer MainStream Aquaculture has announced the purchase of a land-based farm in Arizona. The 1,100 acre facility, where it already has a pilot plant, will eventually be used to produce barramundi for the North American market. The move also reverses the recent trend of Australian aquaculture businesses being the target of overseas predators. MainStream is one of the world’s largest producers and suppliers of barramundi and exports into 27 countries across ﬁve continents. It said the purchase will allow it to expand its growing portfolio of assets to US domestic production. The statement adds: “MainStream’s rapidly growing aquaculture business in Australia provides a template for a successful USA business that can be scaled to meet domestic market demand. “The Arizona farm is MainStream’s ﬁrst international acquisition and a major step forward in its core long-term objective to globalise its sustainable seafood business model.” It described the new farming site in Arizona as a desert oasis with pristine natural water sources which will become a central hub for Barramundi production in the USA. The Arizona business will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of the MainStream Aquaculture group.

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World News.indd 20

08/08/2022 14:56:53

- the gentle and efficient delousing system Salmon lice present a significant challenge for the aquaculture industry and are a major threat to fish welfare, not to mention a large burden on the economics in the sector. Hydrolicer handles the fish gently with controlled speed, low pressure and low lifting height during the entire delousing process.

Immediately after the treatment, the fish is ready for feeding. With the main focus on good fish welfare at all stages of the delousing process, Hydrolicer has achieved excellent results and become a recognised and preferred system across a wide range of sites in the industry.

Hydrolicer uses only water taken directly from the sea to process the fish. No chemicals or hot water are used. All transport water is filtered through a drum filter on board the vessel. Lice, egg strings and eggs are collected and destroyed.

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World News.indd 21

08/08/2022 09:52:52

Processing News

PROCESSING NEWS

Innovation Fund announces latest grants

The UK seafood sector is set to see an exciting influx of innovation, with a third round of projects funded by the UK Seafood Innovation Fund (SIF) now underway.

MORE than £1.29m was awarded in the latest round of funding from the UK government programme, split across 28 feasibility studies. Each of these projects have been awarded between £13,600 and £50,000 to support cutting-edge ideas designed to improve the sustainability and resilience of the UK fishing, aquaculture, and seafood sectors. “SIF has enabled all sorts of innovations from right across Great Britain, looking to boost the UK’s blue foods, from prawns to trout, seaweed to salmon” said SIF Steering Group member Heather Jones. “The fund supports sustainable food production, with projects ranging from proving novel feed ingredients for farmed fish, to repurposing waste from shellfish production, to using renewable energy to run fish farms.”

The successful projects address diverse issues across the UK industry, with five focusing on sustainability, eight on aquaculture, and seven on seafood processing and the supply chain. The remaining projects are exploring innovative approaches to topics such as humane slaughter, challenges in the underdeveloped seaweed market, and improvements in vessel stability. “We were really pleased to receive such high quality applications to our third funding call. It is great to be able to support a range of innovative projects through this Fund, aiming to improve the sustainability and future resilience of the UK fishing, aquaculture and seafood sectors” said Fiona Lettice, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, University of East Anglia (UEA) and Chair of the SIF Steering Group.

One of the recently funded projects, Recycling Ocean Resources, aims to use chitin - a substance extracted from the shells of certain shellfish - to create carbon for battery storage technology. Another, The Cornish Seaweed Company, is developing a land-based cultivation system which could enable the expansion of the sustainable seaweed market, while a project led by Mimica Lab is adapting existing technology used to reduce waste in the meat industry for the seafood sector, with temperature-sensitive tags that can warn when food is likely to spoil (pictured, left). Aquaculture technology business Ace Aquatec has also received a grant to develop a compact, humane electrical stunner for small-scale fish farmers. Katie Patullo, Product Coordinator at Ace Aquatec said: “The impact that this new product will have on welfare in smaller scale farms is immeasurable, and is the right step for a future of sustaining and growing aquaculture humanely and ethically.” Visit the UK Seafood Innovation Fund Website to learn more about these exciting projects: www.seafoodinnovation. fund/projects.

We were really pleased to “receive such high quality applications ”

Mowi processing awarded AA+ for food safety MOWI Consumer Products UK (CPUK) in Rosyth has been awarded an AA+ for food safety under the BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards) framework following an audit which took place over a 28hour period at the end of May. The audit, occurring unannounced, requires operational excellence and preparedness across every department at CPUK including Production, Technical, Hygiene, Procurement, NPD, Facilities, Engineering, Human Resources, Logistics, Training, and Health and Safety. Mariann Szita-Varga, Technical Compliance Manager at CPUK, explained the process: “When Covid restrictions started to ease we decided to return to the unannounced scheme as that is a standard requirement for our retail customers. Since the audit is unannounced, it is imperative that the site maintains the standards throughout the year. We continuously monitor compliance via our wellestablished systems, for example, internal auditing. “Additionally, when the audit window opens, the Technical department reviews the relevant sections of the Standard with each department and has an audit agenda prepped

with all roles, responsibilities and deputies agreed so everything goes as smoothly as possible from the time the auditor arrives on site.”

Above: The Mowi team with award

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Processing News - Aug 22.indd 22

08/08/2022 14:49:45

Marel reports higher revenues, lower profits for H1 INTERNATIONAL food processing equipment manufacturer Marel saw a strong order book and increased revenue for the first half of 2022, but the group’s net profits were slashed by nearly 30% year on year. Marel, which is headquartered in Iceland, has reported an order book of €893.5m (£748.3m) for H1 2022, compared with €740.7m (£620.3m) for the same period last year. Revenue for H1 2022 was €768.9m (£644m), compared with revenue for H1 2021 of €661.5m (£554m). Net profit for the first six months of this year was €31.3m (£26.2m), down from €44.5m (£37.3m) in H1 2021. The EBIT (earnings before interest and taxation) margin was 7.3%, a fall from 11.6% in H1 2021. The reported results were in line with a profit warning issued earlier in July. Marel said the acquisitions this year of US firm Wenger and Netherlands manufacturer Sleegers Technique had contributed positively to the group’s order book and revenues.

The H1 statement said margins had been hit by high operating expenses, costs pressures due to inflation, logistics and continued supply chain disruption as well as “as slower ramp up of revenues than expected.” Marel said it expected improved operational performance in the second half of this year, having already taken action to cut the workforce by 5% and resolve bottlenecks. CEO Árni Oddur Thórdarson said: “Second quarter results are

Felixstowe faces industrial action

mixed; on one hand we are seeing record orders received of €472m at new price/cost levels that will support profitability going forward, while on the other hand revenues at €397m and EBIT 6.3% were below expectations. “As stated in the preliminary Q2 2022 results... we are taking immediate action to lower our cost base with a 5% reduction of our global workforce. This kind of decision is always difficult, and we will do our best to assist affected employees… we have

actively raised prices in recent quarters. In hindsight we were too late to raise prices when faced with the inflationary environment last year. The all-time high orders reflect our strong brand and market position, being able to pass on costs in an inflationary environment that demands more automation and sustainable use of raw materials.” Above: The Marel stand, TecnoCarne, Brazil 2022

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SEAFOOD importers are bracing themselves for a strike that could bring one of the UK’s busiest ports to a standstill. As this issue of Fish Farmer went to press, talks were ongoing between management and unions at Felixstowe, in Suffolk. Members of the trade union Unite had voted by 92% in favour of industrial action following a pay offer of 5%, less than half of the current UK rate of inflation. If strike action does go ahead it is expected take place towards the end of August. While the cluster of processing companies around Grimsby is less likely to be affected, delays at Felixstowe could be problematic for seafood businesses elsewhere. Felixstowe is a critically important transport hub for container vessels. The threatened strike action follows industrial disruption in continental Europe over the past few weeks.

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Processing News - Aug 22.indd 23

08/08/2022 14:50:34

COMMENT

Selective science Why is “Freedom of Information” being used to curtail debate about the facts? By Dr Martin Jaffa

eaders of my reLAKSation blog will know that I have repeatedly referred to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy committee meeting of 18 November 2020 in which SEPA’s Head of Ecology said that sea lice from salmon farms are not responsible for the decline of wild fish. I keep mentioning this because the wild fish sector would prefer if this testimony had long been forgotten. By comparison to this statement, Marine Scotland Science’s summary of the science claims that the body of scientific information indicates that there is a risk of sea lice from aquaculture facilities negatively affecting populations of salmon and sea trout on the west coast of Scotland. Clearly different views are being expressed by the two organisations, but which accurately reflects what is happening on the west coast? I would argue that the only reason MSS now suggest that the body of scientific evidence indicates there is a risk is because they have been selective in the science they have used. There is plenty of other scientific evidence that indicates the contrary view, but if they choose to ignore it, then they can arrive at their preferred conclusions. I have tried to discuss the evidence with MSS for at least eight years and on every occasion, they have managed to avoid doing so (and I always thought science was about exploring different viewpoints). My latest experience highlights the measures that MSS embrace to avoid the discussion. Every scientific paper provides the email address of the corresponding author. Presumably this is to allow anyone reading the paper to correspond, especially if they have any questions or wish to raise any points. Members of MSS have published a paper about

modelling sea lice dispersion from farms. As there are other published papers that indicate that sea lice are mainly retained within salmon farms, I wrote to the corresponding author to ask whether the model had been validated in the wild, ie. did they carry out any research to see if sea lice are actually dispersed as the model indicates? I was therefore extremely surprised to receive an email from the Office of the Freedom of Information (FOI) section of the Scottish Government telling me that my FOI request was incomplete because I had not included my full name and contact details. Firstly, the MSS scientist in question is aware of who I am and secondly this was not an FOI request. This was a scientific question to the scientific author of a scientific paper. Despite writing to point this out, I received a second email to say that a reply would be forthcoming within the prescribed 20 working days. When did scientific debate descend into becoming an FOI request?

Above: Scottish salmon farm Left: Is “Freedom of Information” another way to restrict debate?

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08/08/2022 14:43:15

Protecting the official line?

”

This is not the first time I have received such a response. Yet, I have also written to other scientists at MSS over the years and received helpful and friendly responses with offers to provide further information should I wish. This is how it should work, and it seems MSS even think so themselves as they provide a directory of scientists working for them on the Scottish Government website. This directory includes a full biography detailing areas of expertise as well as contact details. Why provide such a directory if they don’t want the public to contact these scientists directly? It seems that the common factor between deeming my questions to be worthy of a direct reply from any scientist or whether any enquiry is despatched into some “official channel” is if the question is about salmon farming and especially about sea lice. In my opinion, it would appear that MSS scientists are now reluctant to answer

MSS scientists are now reluctant to answer questions about salmon farming

questions about salmon farming in case any response they might give will compromise the official line that the body of scientific information indicates that there is a risk that sea lice from aquaculture facilities negatively affect populations of salmon and sea trout on the west coast of Scotland. Instead, any enquiry or question is sent centrally for an official response. The problem for MSS is that SEPA have already undermined the argument that sea lice from salmon farms are negatively impacting wild fish populations. How can MSS now not expect others to question the science they have used when SEPA have clearly stated that sea lice from salmon farms are not responsible for the declines? As for my own question, the paper does not seem to mention anything about validation of the models used to predict the spread of sea lice from salmon farms. Fortunately, I have now received the response to my FOI request. Rather surprisingly, this comes directly from the scientist, begging the question why this MSS scientist could not have just answered the question in the first place rather than sending it into the FOI process, especially as the answer is just one sentence long. The response states: “Sea lice distribution validation is outwith the remit of this paper which is concerned with setting out the algorithms for interactions between wild fish and lice.” I am left wondering how MSS scientists can create a model of sea lice dispersion but then feel it is totally unnecessary to actually demonstrate that the model reflects the actual way that sea lice are dispersed at sea and not just on some computer screen. If nothing else, the pandemic has shown that algorithms can be notoriously unreliable. Why should we believe the MSS model is any different when there has been no attempt to validate it? Why this is important is that this modelling is the basis of SEPA’s planned risk assessment framework and so far, there is not a shred of evidence that sea lice disperse as the model predicts, let alone infest any wild salmon passing through the proposed protection zones.

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08/08/2022 14:43:46

SALMON SCOTLAND

Home truths

Housing is a big problem for Scotland’s rural communities, but fish farming companies could help. By Hamish Macdonell

ometimes you can just see it when the penny drops. I was with an MSP on an island salmon farm not so long ago. The MSP – it would be unfair to name them – had listened politely to all the talk about salmon farming health and welfare, rearing and harvesting without really engaging. But it was only when one of the farm managers explained how workers were being brought in by boat from the mainland every day that the MSP switched on. “I am a constituent of yours. I am part of this community,” the manager said. “I live on the island with my family. My children go to the local school. “But him, and him, and her,” he said, pointing to his colleagues standing around him on the feed barge. “They can’t be part of this community. They want to live here. They want to make it their home but they can’t. They can’t get anywhere to live. “And what’s worse is that they have all have roots here, roots they are going to have to abandon if they can’t find somewhere to live. It can’t go on.” It was at that point that this particular MSP got it. They realised how rural Scotland is a jigsaw, how every part works with every other part to create the whole. There is no point lamenting the exodus of young people to the cities if there is no infrastructure to support them remaining in their communities; and there is no point simply congratulating companies for creating jobs, unless there are houses for the employees to live in. Housing is the most acute logistical issue facing our farmers. We all know only too well what the causes are: second homes, holiday homes, retirees, remote working and the burgeoning number of B&Bs, guest houses and short-term (“Airbnb”) lets. A lack of supply and rising demand have driven house prices up more sharply in rural areas than in Scotland’s urban centres. The Scottish Government keeps insisting that depopulation is a pressing concern. Well, if it is, then it has to do something about this key driver of depopulation – housing. Partly, that means acknowledging that every part of society has a role to play in solving the crisis and partly it means coming up with proper, realistic solutions which can really make a difference. Last year the Convention of the Highlands and Islands

Opposite: Employers could provide a vital piece to help solve the housing puzzle

produced a paper on the housing crisis. It was well-meaning and solid and it recommended a range of measures from action plans to strategies, from government funds to the regulation of short-term lets. Yet at no point in the paper’s 20 recommendations was there any mention of business or local employers and the role they play. Scotland’s salmon farm companies represent probably the biggest private sector employment group in Scotland’s west coast and island communities. But government doesn’t appear to believe it can be part of the solution; or rather, government’s default position (amply demonstrated through the convention’s paper) seems to be to go just to the usual suspects – councils, housing associations and so on – without thinking about who could actually help. The reality is that all of Scotland’s salmon companies are taking real, concrete steps to solve this problem on the ground. In many cases, this means buying properties so workers have somewhere to live. This is an inadequate short-term fix. It won’t help the overall housing crisis. In fact, in some cases it will do the opposite because it will reduce still further the supply of housing in an area. In other cases, salmon farmers are building houses, in others they are gifting serviced plots to local communities while building houses themselves, stepping in where the state bodies have failed to make progress. That same paper from the Convention of the Highlands and Islands actually used the Colonsay Affordable Housing Project as a case study, highlighting the pioneering work done

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Salmon Scotland.indd 26

08/08/2022 14:40:40

”

by Mowi to help deliver affordable homes for the island population. Yet those who came up with the recommendations still seemed to forget how important private local employers are in this equation when it came to making their recommendations. So the first step to solving this issue is to make sure that big private sector employers are right at the heart of the discussions. They are already helping but they could achieve much, much more if their efforts were coordinated alongside other bodies, including those with a close relationship to planners and council decision makers. But there is another role that salmon farmers could play. The money they pay for seabed rent could – and should – be used directly to benefit local communities, and the most pressing need that local communities have is for more housing. Scotland’s salmon farmers are on course to pay £10m to the Crown Estate this year to use the sea to farm. That money should

Every part of society has a role to play in solving the crisis

go to build affordable homes in the communities that support those farms. These seabed rents go into a central pot and are then redistributed to local authorities to be spent on local communities but there is no sign that any of this is being used to create more affordable housing. If that money was allocated, ring-fenced and invested in bricks and mortar it would be a win-win situation, both for government and for salmon farmers. Government would find the money it needs to meet its commitment to build another 1,100 homes in rural areas in the next ten years and communities would see real benefits from the money generated by the salmon farming businesses they support. But, to do this, government would need to change the distribution of resources radically. There are so many vested interests in the public sector that no-one in government – and certainly not the Crown Estate – is ever going to suggest something like this. Ideas like this tend to come from the private sector which can disregard the overlapping interests and risk-averse culture of the public sector. Listening only to the usual suspects – as the Convention of the Highlands and Islands appears to want to do – is not going to provide the answers our communities need. Government needs to free itself from the cautious shackles of state-sponsored solutions and look elsewhere for answers to this most pressing of problems. Scotland’s salmon sector has presented ministers with one possible solution. All they need is the courage to pick it up and run with it. See also No place like home, page 38

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08/08/2022 14:41:12

SHELLFISH

Shellﬁsh farming is (not) easy! Common misperceptions about the sector underestimate the challenges it faces. By Nicki Holmyard

hellfish farming must be easy, or at least that is the common reaction from people when I tell them what we do. Put out some rope to catch mussels then harvest them a year or so later, or fill a bag with oysters and watch them grow? In theory, it is easy, but if only it were that simple! Shellfish farmers are currently battling with water quality issues, unresolved Brexit problems, a mountain of export paperwork, planning and licensing concerns, and Natural England’s antioyster sentiment, to name but a few. Where is the support for our clean, green, carbon-sequestering, highly nutritious protein-growing industry? “Take up cat herding, it’s a lot easier,” is the advice from Tim Edwards, who operates oyster farms in Devon. He adds: “The Icelanders have a saying that roughly translates as a man may never give up. My advice if you’re thinking of getting into shellfish farming, is that you need to have a bloody-minded stubbornness and a robust heart, impervious to stress. Forget degrees in marine biology or fisheries economics. The hide of a rhino is far more useful. That, and lots of money to pour into it!” A poll of other shellfish farmers in the UK brought similar sentiments, and a call to Bob Rheault, Executive Director of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association (ECSGA) in the USA, found similar issues on the other side of the pond. Rheault pointed me in the direction of his “Rookie Mistakes” page on the ECSGA website, which is a mine of information to help newcomers avoid the many pitfalls our industry throws up. “I’ve been in and around the shellfish industry a long time, and seen so many people make the same costly mistakes, time and time again, that I thought I would help out a bit. We’ve all been there and made way too many errors, so I came up with a fun list and a video presentation with lots of great advice. I hope many will take the time to have a look,” Bob told Fish Farmer. Rheault’s advice includes: • “don’t think you know it all” – volunteer to get experience; • “start small” – you can learn just as much by killing a few thousand shellfish as you can by killing millions; • “don’t quit your day job right away” – plan for the possibility that you will lose the whole crop once a decade; and • “sh*t happens” – there will be storms, disease, oil spills.

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All wise words! Rheault warns that when scaling up, the mortality rate will be greater, the growth slower, and the costs higher than predicted, and points out the importance of having a marketing plan in place for the business, because, as he puts it: “Oysters can’t read spreadsheets!” Michael Tait of Shetland Mussels believes that the biggest mistake is to think you ever fully understand mussel farming. He says: “It keeps creeping up and teaching you new lessons, so I’m not sure we ever move out of ‘rookie’ status. We always seem to be learning new ways to do the job better.” In the early days, the Taits operated independently from other companies, with their own sales, small factory, depuration unit and harvesting boat.

Left: Bob Rheault shucking oysters Opposite from top: Launch of the MV Triploid, Othniel Oysters; Michael Tait, Shetland Mussels; Gary Wordsworth, Othniel Oysters

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08/08/2022 14:36:55

Photo: Freya Tait

“We were not very efficient, to put it mildly, but by learning to collaborate with others, we were able to unlock much more potential in the way we farm, and hopefully we have passed on a few tricks along the way. For example, last year I was working alongside another farmer, and learned new innovative, quick and secure way to tie floats on, and that has made a significant difference to how we operate this year,” he says. Gordon Turnbull, Isle of Mull Oysters, cautions shellfish growers to “remain optimistic, but be realistic with your numbers.

”

We always seem to be learning new ways to do the job better

It’s better to over-deliver than to put yourself under all sorts of unnecessary pressure,” he said. His heartfelt advice comes from experience! “When I first started out, I was very optimistic with my production forecasts and it caused all sorts of bother for SSMG [the Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group, of which he is a member]. My father and I ended up spending one particularly depressing week grading 120,000 oysters to get 10,000 marketable sized ones out,” he said. “Just because you can draw it on paper, doesn’t mean it will work in the water,” John Holmyard, MD of Offshore Shellfish advises. “And don’t forget that developing a shellfish business is always going to take longer than you think – every year is unique, and every year throws up a new surprise!” He also points out that mussels can grow quicker, and the lines sink faster than you can put floats on, when you take a weekend off. Although, he adds: “There is no such thing as a weekend off!”

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08/08/2022 14:37:29

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Judith Vajk, of Caledonian Oysters, reflects that one of the worst mistakes she made was putting new spat into bags which had too large a mesh. “Either they disappear altogether, or all their little beaks get caught in the mesh trying to escape. Always make sure you’ve got enough bags of the correct mesh!” she says. From Gary Wordsworth, Othniel Oysters, come two of his favourite quotes: “Aquaculture is something you do with other people’s money!” and “If you want to make a small fortune from aquaculture, start off with a large one!” He warns oyster farmers to buy the biggest oyster seed they can afford. “I cringe at the time and effort we’ve wasted growing oysters from 500 microns upwards. Hatcheries and nurseries do it much more efficiently and take the losses in their stride,” he said. Wordsworth also advised industry to be “helpful and kind to all new fisheries management personnel. Show them the ropes – in 10 years’ time, they may be making decisions that could make or break your business!” Interestingly, Wordsworth won’t employ anyone with a degree, unless they are from an agricultural college. “Newly minted marine biologists don’t seem to realise that the job entails much more shovelling than thinking,” he says. So… if you thought shellfish farming might be an easy career option, my own advice is to Be Prepared! Find out more at the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association (ECSGA) website ecsga.org/rookie-mistakes/ Left: Judith Vajk, Caledonian Oysters

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08/08/2022 14:39:11

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08/08/2022 09:55:46

SHELLFISH

Shell Fish Farmer brings you all the latest shellfish news and updates France Naissain’s unique advantage

France Naissain is the worldwide leader of diploid and triploid oyster seed production. Located on the Polder des Champs between Bouin and Beauvoir sur Mer on France’s west coast, France Naissain benefits from the unique advantages of the Baie de Bourgneuf. The Baie’s underground salt water table means there is an extremely high concentration of nutrients for phytoplankton at a constant temperature. The company is ASC-certified and guarantees full traceability, from hatchery to production sites, with regular and strict independent analysis on each batch. Mulitilingual sales teams follow all oyster spats and part grown oysters in farms throughout the world, providing bespoke technical advice. www.francenaissain.com/en/

Marinove – expertise in oysters

For more than 15 years, Marinove has been raising shellfish from the larvae to T8. Thanks to our experience and know-how, we produce and deliver gigas oyster spats, edulis oyster and manila clam spats all over the world. Our micro-spats are raised in a hatchery to provide them with the best health and safe conditions of growth. Then the spats keep growing in our nurseries, thanks to the production of phytoplankton with the best quality water. Based at the heart of an exceptional natural site and close to our customers, we aim to be innovative and traditional. www.marinove.fr/en

Hatcheries around the world rely on Reed Mariculture’s innovative feeds

Reed Mariculture Inc (RMI) is at the cutting edge of new product development to ensure the success of hatcheries. Founded in 1995, RMI feeds are used by over 500 hatcheries, universities, and marine ornamental operations in 90-plus countries. RMI’s unique Instant Algae® & Instant Zooplankton® are the most convenient and effective feeds for growth, enrichment, and greenwater productivity. New products include ARPods™ 500 (live copepod and artemia replacement), RotiGrow OneStep™ with Taurine (for maximum rotifer production with full enrichment), probiotics, Artemia, and other single species algae. Learn more at: www.ReedMariculture.com

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08/08/2022 10:54:52

ellfish Shrimp not fussy about salt, Kentucky study finds

Inland shrimp farms rely on salt to create an approximation of the marine environment. But what kind of salt? Producers typically use commercial marine salt mixes, but a study carried out by researchers at the Kentucky State University Sustainable Aquaculture Development Lab (SADL) suggests that lower cost alternatives could work just as well. The study (Fleckenstein, LJ et al 2022 in Aquaculture Reports, June 2022), found that using lowcost artificial sea salt (LCS) led to measurable differences in DO (dissolved oxygen) levels, pH, salinity, and turbidity. Importantly, however, these appeared to have little effect on the overall performance of the shrimp, including average weight, survival and growth rates.

Shrimp sustainability summit takes place in Ecuador The Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) together with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), hosted the first “Shrimp Summit” in Guayaquil, with the aim of showcasing to key seafood suppliers how shrimp is farmed in Ecuador. More than 20 representatives of retailers and suppliers from North America visited shrimp farms and processing plants and experienced first-hand the commitment of Ecuadorian producers to comply with the standards of ASC certification. Pamela Nath (pictured), SSP Director, said Ecuadorian producers “have demonstrated great capacity to adapt to the needs of the marketplace, while always prioritizing the well-being of consumers and employees, as well as preservation of the local ecosystem”. www.sustainableshrimppartnership.org

Mussel rope innovation from Sheehan’s Fishing Company

One of Ireland’s leading providers of mussel ropes to the aquaculture industry, Sheehan’s Fishing Company supplies innovative products from Spanish rope-maker Itsaskorda. Through close collaboration with mussel farmers, Itsaskorda have helped develop industry specific ropes for growing mussels that include main and anchor lines, spat collectors and growing out rope (pictured). These new ropes have enabled Irish mussel farmers to achieve better growth rates and higher yields. The advantage of the spat collecting rope is that there is an option of it being self-sinking with natural material, so that these ropes are eco-friendly and without lead. For further information, contact Sheehan’s on 00353 027 703 40.

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09/08/2022 11:13:27

SWANSEA UNIVERSITY AQUACULTURE AWARDS

Top of the class Routine disinfection disrupts the formation of the zebrafish microbiome

Figure 1

very year Swansea University’s Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR) is proud to award the best undergraduate dissertations in aquaculture and best third-year reports, writes Sara Barrento. This year, we secured sponsorship from feed specialists Pacific Trading Aquaculture (“PTAqua”) and Fish Farmer Magazine. The winners of this year’s awards were announced on 28 July 2022. Karolina Yague-Barantchikova tested a lumpfish sucker grader and found out that the separator can sort 79% of healthy lumpfish accurately. Albert Broomfield found that, while disinfection disrupts microbiome development, probiotic strains are readily incorporated into the microbiome of larval zebrafish. Hannah Bridge and Rebbecca Warren excelled in their third-year aquaculture module reports on how lumpfish and wrasse cohabitation impacts on health and welfare. The four winners were: 1 Best Undergraduate Dissertation in Aquaculture & Fisheries: Karolina YagueBarantchikova, for her dissertation Sucker for Welfare! Developing a method to exclude lumpfish (Cyclopterus Lumpus) with deformed suckers. 2 Most Innovative Dissertation in Aquaculture & Fisheries: Albert Broomfield, for his dissertation Routine disinfection disrupts the formation of the zebrafish microbiome. 3 Best Aquaculture Practical Report: Hannah Bridge and Rebbecca Warren.

In aquaculture, fish are routinely disinfected during embryonic development to prevent the spread of pathogens. As microbial communities are important for host health, disruptions to their formation during primary colonisation can have adverse health effects. There is little knowledge of the effects of disinfection on the microbiome. Probiotic use is increasing to improve the survival of farmed fish, but there is uncertainty over its effectiveness when applied during early life stages. During this study, zebrafish were incubated within a probiotic solution for the first five days of larval development. The aim was to compare the combined and independent effects of disinfection and probiotic conditioning on the gut microbiome of juvenile zebrafish, Danio rerio (six weeks posthatching). Sucker for Welfare! Developing Relative bacteria abundance was measured a method to exclude lumpfish using qPCR (a test that can identify DNA) and (Cyclopterus Lumpus) with deformed culturing identified specific taxa including suckers the probiotic genera Bacillus subtilis, It is well known that cleaner fish are used Bacillus licheniformis, and Bacillus pumilus. in salmon farms for the control of sea lice. Survival parameters were recorded including Deformities in fish are a problem in the mortalities, malformities, hatching and growth. aquaculture industry, however, with negative Disinfection of fertilised embryos with welfare, economic and ethical impacts. bleach and sterilised incubation resulted Morphological deformities are common in in a significant decrease in the abundance hatcheries which produce cleaner lumpfish of bacteria within the gut microbiome. (Cyclopterus Lumpus), particularly of their Embryonic development was significantly ventral suckers, and only healthy individuals are affected by disinfection as hatching was selected for use in salmon sea cages. Current induced earlier than in control fish. Culturing selection methods in the industry involve the suggested that probiotics could enhance the removal of deformed individuals during visual proliferation of bacteria post-disinfection. inspections, but this involves manual handling The results demonstrate the sensitivity of and resources are wasted on individuals that the zebrafish microbiome to disinfection in will not be deployed in salmon cages. early life. In combination with the stressors This study tested a novel method that associated with aquaculture, disinfection could will allow the rapid automated screening increase the susceptibility of fish to disease. for lumpfish with sucker deformities at an Probiotics could potentially offset the effects earlier life stage. Trials were run to test the of disinfection by encouraging recolonisation. performance of the separator prototype Further investigation is required, however. and the suckers of sorted and non-sorted individuals were sampled and analysed. The main results show that the separator can sort 79% of healthy lumpfish accurately and most lumpfish (78.9%) are sorted within the first five minutes after being placed in the separator. This study will contribute to the welfare of lumpfish in the salmon industry and highlights the need for further research in automated methods for the screening of morphological deformities in cleaner fish.

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08/08/2022 14:30:05

Figure 2

How does cohabitation of lumpfish and wrasse affect fish behaviour and welfare? Figure 1: Picture of the separator viewed from above taken during a trial experiment (CSAR labs, 2021). A-Ini�al tank chamber, where lumpfish are placed at beginning of the experiment; B- Sorted fish end up in this chamber; C- Rota�ng drum; D- Paddle wheel powered by air stone. Figure 2: Total bacteria quan�fied in zebrafish at three stages of development A) 24 hpf, B) 72 hpf and C) 6 wpf (n= 6 replicates), in the different treatment: control (C), control with probio�c (CP), disinfected (D) and disinfected with probio�c (DP). Figure 3: L-R, Biometry data collec�on of wrasse, students syphoning the tanks, lumpfish hiding in seaweeds.

Figure 3

Every year Marine Biology third-year students at Swansea, attending the Aquaculture and Fisheries module, participate in a 26-day applied research trial on a theme that is relevant to the aquaculture industry. The assignment changes every year. This year, the experiment examined how cohabitation of lumpfish and wrasse affects their behaviour and welfare. Overall, it was concluded that health and welfare can be impacted when these two species cohabit in a tank environment. Lumpfish had poorer welfare in cohabitation than in isolation. Most importantly, all 23 students had the opportunity to experience what it is like to work with a RAS (recirculating aquaculture system) facility, as a group and individually, working alongside aquaculture technicians, managers, and academics. The experiment set-up had three treatments: 1) lumpfish-only tanks, 2) wrasse-only tanks and 3) mixed fish. All treatments had three replicates, repeating the same conditions. Each tank had either a total of 24 fish of a single species or a combination of 12 lumpfish and 12 wrasse. All tanks had hides made up of plastic seaweeds. Students were responsible for cleaning the tanks, feeding the fish with 3% of their body weight, collecting biometry at the beginning and end of the 26-day trial, and collecting daily behaviour and welfare data using the lumpfish welfare watcher app. The students also benefited from the Lumpfish e-learning course which was developed specifically for the salmon aquaculture industry. The wrasse welfare scoring index was adapted from that developed for lumpfish, and instead of scoring sucker deformities (wrasse don’t have suckers), eye darkening was used instead. Swansea University has the best aquaculture facilities in the country. CSAR is committed to training the next generation of aquaculture professionals; we support undergraduate and postgraduate students, young researchers and academics. We also provide applied research services to aquaculture-related companies to further develop their R&D.

Find out more or contact CSAR: CSAR webpage: www.swansea.ac.uk/bioscience/csar/ Lumpfish Welfare app and E-learning: www.swansea.ac.uk/bioscience/csar/tools/ Sara Barrento, Science Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Swansea University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research s.i.barrento@swansea.ac.uk +44 (0)7884121703. Paul Howes, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research manager p.n.howes@swansea.ac.uk +44 (0) 1792 602 030 Prof. Carlos Garcia de Leaniz, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Director c.garciadeleaniz@swansea.ac.uk, +44 (0)7891 615806. Dr Tamsyn Uren Webster, Microbiome Research Leader, Swansea University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research t.m.urenwebster@swansea.ac.uk

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08/08/2022 14:31:19

MANAGEMENT, MONITORING & ANALYSIS

Management, Moni to All the latest news and updates on management, monitoring & analysis from around the world SeaState now forecasting at Cermaq Canada sites

Scoot Science, a specialist in ocean analytics, has announced that Cermaq Canada is the first company to unlock the full power of the new forecasting tools in Scoot’s proprietary SaaS platform SeaState. SeaState, the world’s first ocean intelligence platform for aquaculture, is now running across 26 Cermaq sites in Canada. Real-time temperature, salinity, and oxygen levels are integrated with publicly available data to produce forecasts with regional and site-specific ocean conditions. The multi-day forecasts of ocean conditions are updated four times per day to give farmers the warnings they need to improve fish welfare, increase survivability, and operate more sustainably and profitably. www.scootscience.com

Connected in all weathers

Extreme weather events are becoming more common and global warming is set to see this trend continue. That places extra pressure on communications infrastructure, particularly in exposed locations like a fish farm out at sea. How can operators ensure remote monitoring of farm sites when conventional communications may be affected? According to Craig Fleming, Head of Business Development with communications specialist R3-IoT: “The answer lies in harnessing multiple communications protocols from one smart solution.” The R3-IoT package automatically switches between multiple cellular and satellite networks, depending on availability. Utilising robust satellite technology, coverage is guaranteed everywhere, and if a cellular network is knocked out, the satellite system will keep data flowing. r3-iot.com

OTAQ introduces new wireless water quality monitoring system

OTAQ‘s new wireless water quality monitoring system is part of a range of products focused on making monitoring simple and accessible. The system provides continuous 24/7 logging of a wide range of environmental parameters, giving the user essential insight into their site conditions. With low power demand and multiple communication options, it is easily adaptable to any site arrangement. Including unique live plankton analysis technology, camera systems and mobile monitoring devices for ﬁsh transfer operations, OTAQ provides a wide range of monitoring solutions to help maintain ﬁsh welfare. Contact: info@otaq.com Visit: aquaculture.otaq.com

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08/08/2022 10:58:09

ni toring & Analysis 5G-connected underwater cameras capture seaweed growth in Dorset

5G RuralDorset project partner JET Engineering System Solutions has successfully deployed and demonstrated a livestreaming 4K underwater camera on one of its 5G-connected buoys. This marks another innovative use of 5G technology for the project, which is led by Dorset Council and funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport demonstrating a capability that could drive efficiencies and information delivery for many sectors in the marine environment. Continual video streaming over 5G from underwater is a brand new concept and a major milestone for JET’s product development, and for the project. jet-eng.co.uk

Innovasea unveils tagless fish detection technology

Innovasea, a global leader in technologically advanced aquatic solutions for aquaculture and fish tracking, announced earlier this year that it has begun testing a new tagless fish detection technology that can detect, count and classify fish in real time using a combination of imaging sonar, optical cameras and artificial intelligence. The promising new technology has been shown in early trials to be 90% accurate in properly counting and identifying wild fish. The tagless detection technology was developed to help Nova Scotia Power monitor fish passage around its hydroelectric dams in Nova Scotia. www.innovasea.com

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ANB Sensors is proud to present the first multi-parameter sensor providing pH, salinity, and temperature testing – all without the need to calibrate. This next-generation sensor’s intrinsic antifouling capacity allows for long-term, hands-off deployments. Ease of use and integration are key design considerations so the sensor carries multiple comms for deployment as a standalone unit or for simple integration into data platforms and networks. Available at various depth ratings (5m, 50m, 300m, 1,250m), the sensor meets the needs of RAS facilities, hatcheries, wellboats, open pens, ponds and depuration plants. www.anbsensors.com

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08/08/2022 10:58:38

HOUSING

No place like home The people who work in fish farming need somewhere to live – but employees and employers alike are facing a housing crisis in rural Scotland. By Sandy Neil “In this 21st Century Clearance, it is young people who are having to leave rural communities – not forced out in favour of flocks of sheep, but by flocks of tourists and the cash-rich seeking a post-Covid rural idyll. “They can’t compete with the house prices willing to be paid by wealthy retirees. They can’t find anywhere to rent as more property is moved into the lucrative Airbnb market for tourists. They can’t find social housing – there is just half the urban level of social housing available in rural Scotland. Financial support to buy homes is concentrated in urban areas. They are stuck living with their parents. “The paltry investment in rural housing and the dearth of innovative solutions to the housing needs of young people in rural Scotland is failing them, and our rural communities. The post-Covid ‘escape to the country’ is driving the gentrification and geriatrification of our rural communities. Rural communities face a demographic time-bomb that threatens their viability.” Facts and figures from Holyrood back this up. The number of second homes in Scotland has remained stable, despite an end to council tax discounts. After April 2017, local authorities were given the option to remove the council tax discount of between 10% and 50% on second homes. For 2021-22, 25 out of the 32 local authorities removed the council

oemi Lorenzo-Vidaña began work as a seawater health manager and veterinarian at Mowi Scotland earlier this year. She says: “When I started my new job in aquaculture, I was very excited about the new challenge it presented, and especially because the Highlands and Islands is such a wonderful area. “However, the biggest challenge, and most stressful, has been finding accommodation.” Noemi and her partner have searched for months for affordable and reasonable accommodation near Fort William, without success. She is currently having to commute from Aberdeen on a weekly basis. “The search has been very discouraging because it is affecting me not only on a personal level, but also on a professional level,” she adds. “It’s difficult to be able to put all my energy into work when my situation is so unclear. I really hope I can live and contribute to the local community very soon.” Noemi’s case is far from exceptional. In fact, stories like hers are endemic in the Highlands and Islands, where there is a critical shortage of available, affordable housing. Scottish salmon generates more than 2,500 jobs across the Highlands and Islands, and the sector plays a key role in attracting people to come and live and work in coastal communities, while also retaining locals to help to tackle depopulation. The shortage of housing is preventing key vacancies from being filled, and acting as a drag on the local economy. Derek Logie, CEO of Rural Housing Scotland explains: “Young people across the countryside are unable to find somewhere affordable to live. There is much less council and social housing in rural Scotland, and demand for second homes and holiday lets is reducing the number of private lets and increasing house prices.

Above: Noemi LorenzoVidaña, Mowi Right: Colonsay Housing development, Mowi Opposite from top: Rum staﬀ housing, Mowi; ©ColinKupris Sco�shSeaFarms Millhaefen, Eday

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tax discount on second homes. “The number of second homes (23,890) is 2% (576 homes) lower in 2021 than in 2020 and after remaining at broadly similar levels in 2019 and 2020,” stated a Scottish Government quarterly update in December 2021. Rural house prices have also doubled over the last 20 years. Salmon Scotland, quoting statistics from the Registers of Scotland, showed average home prices in areas where salmon farms operate have risen more sharply than the national average. In Argyll and Bute, the average house price increased from £84,084 to £199,179 - a rise of 137%. In the Highlands, it climbed from £80,625 to £210,958, up 162%. In Orkney, it soared from £61,029 to £184,333, up 202%, while in Shetland it rocketed from £56,474 to £178,358, up 216%. In the Western Isles, it jumped from £52,359 to £160,941, up 207 per cent. Across Scotland as a whole, it surged from £91,139 to £202,075, up 122%. Salmon Scotland’s Chief Executive Tavish Scott sums it all up: “The most pressing crisis facing our Highland and Island communities is the complete lack of access to available, affordable housing.” Salmon farmers are not the only employers

struggling to recruit. On Skye, up to 1,700 jobs will lie vacant this year due to the home shortage, according to research published in July by the Skye Business Housing Needs survey. More than 140 local businesses – with 78% of them involved in tourism or hospitality – responded. Two in five businesses reported having recruitment problems. One in five people employed were found to live outside Skye and Lochalsh, and one in four did not live in their own home. The survey showed that people looking to buy “affordable” housing on Skye still had to be able to get a mortgage of between £170,000 and £200,000, and find a substantial deposit. Researchers said given average wages in the area, this is unachievable for many people. Clare Winskill, Director of business organisation SkyeConnect, says recruitment problems are expected to get worse: “There is no confidence that the extreme recruitment issues will abate. We are looking at a significant contraction of our economy here if the rapid building of affordable housing – that will allow recruitment and retention of a workforce – does not take place.” “Housing is the most acute logistical issue facing our farmers,” echoes Salmon Scotland’s Director of Strategic Engagement Hamish Macdonell, in his column for Fish Farmer this month (see page 26). “There is no point lamenting the exodus of young people to the cities if there is no infrastructure to support them remaining in their communities; and there is no point simply congratulating companies for creating jobs, unless there are houses for the employees to live in.” So, as local employers, what can Scotland’s aquaculture sector do to

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HOUSING

help alleviate the housing problem? Scottish Sea Farms’ sites are located in areas where demand for housing and holiday homes is high, and the shortage of available, affordable housing is acute. The company helps new or relocating employees find available, affordable accommodation – whether to rent or buy – in its more remote locations. Whilst it does help towards relocation costs in many instances, such is the present-day demand for homes and holiday homes that many employees are being priced out of the market. “The lack of available, affordable housing on the islands has been a real issue for many years now,” says Richard Darbyshire, Scottish Sea Farms Regional Manager for Orkney for 14 years, and now Regional Manager for its expanded Shetland region. “The more remote you get, the harder it is to recruit and retain employees. So much so that to safeguard the long-term viability of our farm at Eday, we recently partnered with local landowners Willowstream to bring six greener homes to the island: four for the farm team, enabling them to work a two-week on/off rota instead of commuting for several hours every day, and two for visitors, be they travelling for business or pleasure. “Whether it’s building all-new housing such as this, or renovating the many houses that lie empty to make them habitable once again, Orkney desperately needs more homes if it is to retain its younger generations and attract newcomers onto the islands.” One such “newcomer” is Scottish Sea Farms Fish Health & Welfare Manager Amanda Smith, originally from Aberdeen. She has worked and lived in Orkney for six years now, but without managing to secure a property of her own. Smith says: “Both myself and my husband, who moved up from Thurso, are working full-time and earning good salaries, yet we just can’t get our first foot on the property ladder. The few homes that do become available sell incredibly quickly, often at well over the asking price, and demand for properties to rent is just as fierce. “If it hadn’t been for Scottish Sea Farms building employee housing on Eday, then more recently the help of Orkney Housing Association Limited (OHAL), we literally wouldn’t have a roof over our heads or be able to continue living and working here.” Scottish Sea Farms, which won an award in 2020 for its work on Eday, is exploring similar projects in other regions. Mowi is also collaborating with rural communities to support housing developments. Nowhere is the shortage of affordable housing more acute than in island communities, it says, so, building on the success of projects built on the Isles of Muck and Rum in 2015 and 2019

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The lack of available, affordable housing on the islands has been a real issue for many years Above: Gregor Cushnie,

Rum

Opposite from top: ©Willowstream

Millhaefen Lodges; Richard Darbyshire, Sco�sh Sea Farms; ©Sco�shSeaFarms Millhaefen, Eday preconstruc�on

respectively, the company has more recently partnered with the Colonsay Community Development Company. On Muck, Mowi developed three houses between 2015 and 2019, providing accommodation for up to eleven Mowi farm staff, and a farm manager and family. A new pontoon was also installed and is used on a shared basis by Mowi and non-Mowi vessels. On Rum, Mowi provided financial support for a local housing development by the Isle of Rum Development Trust, in collaboration with The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust, that has provided office space and accommodation for Mowi staff as well as rental properties for the island. Mowi provided the community with four fully serviced plots when building the staff houses and helped with additional financial contribution to the building of the houses. Mowi also provided 10 yacht moorings in the bay, which has brought more visitors to the island, and additional revenue to the community. One of the attractions for the new residents to Rum has been fast broadband, enabling them to move to the island and work from home. Mowi installed the fast broadband connection to the benefit of the entire island, with fibre optic installed in the village. The island of Colonsay lies in the Inner Hebrides, just north of Islay. Colonsay Community Development Company (CCDC) has been working since 2012 to try and solve the housing issue by providing affordable homes. Historically, finding land to buy for the community to develop has always proved a major hurdle. In April 2020, after eight years of effort and with funding from Scottish Land Fund, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Argyll & Bute Council and Mowi, CCDC finally managed to procure two sites in Scalasaig; one for affordable housing which will accommodate up to 24 units, and the other for two business units. The initial phase of development currently underway will provide two houses for low-cost home ownership, four houses for affordable rent, three discounted serviced self-build plots, and three houses for the local fish farm, operated by Mowi, to provide worker accommodation. Dougie Hunter, Technical Director at Mowi, says: “We want our employees and their families – whether local and looking to stay, or from away and wanting to make the Highlands and Island their new home – to feel welcomed, secure and stable. These are key reasons why our company is very committed to supporting new community housing developments in the regions where we do business.” What else can be done? Salmon farmers are calling for £10m a year in licence fees to be reinvested in local communities, with a focus on affordable housing, to tackle the growing property crisis in rural Scotland.

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Salmon Scotland has launched a campaign to overhaul the current system so that the millions sent to Crown Estate Scotland in Edinburgh are instead directly ringfenced for coastal areas where farms operate. This would echo the system in Norway where rents are used to benefit local communities. A recent independent review of aquaculture regulation in Scotland by Professor Russel Griggs recommended a new single licensing payment for the sector, which he said should “address community benefit as well”. Councils are also attempting to reduce the number of empty homes. In the Western Isles, a study conducted by its council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, found in 2017 that there were 522 long-term empty properties in private ownership on the Outer Hebrides and that 231 of these were vacant for 12 months or more. It equated to 3.5% of local housing stock, more than twice the national rate of empty properties. Some areas were more affected than others: In Stornoway 4% of homes are lying empty but that rises to 8% of homes being long-term empty in the more rural areas. In 2018, the Comhairle introduced a dedicated Empty Homes Officer, to help bring long-term, privately-owned empty homes back into use. This year Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Argyll & Bute Council joined the winners at the 11th Scottish Empty Homes Awards, which celebrate the work undertaken to bring back many of the country’s longterm empty homes. There are currently 47,333 empty houses in Scotland, of which 7,152 are in Edinburgh, 3,536 in Glasgow, 2,943 in Fife, and 2,595 in Highland, according to the Association Of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC). The ASSC was making the case against new rules, cracking down on short-term lets, which are intended (among other things) to help open up the market for people looking to buy or rent a home. In January 2022, MSPs passed new regulations requiring landlords to have licences for short-term lets, to tackle the growth of rentals on platforms like Airbnb in popular tourist locations like the Isle of Skye and the city of Edinburgh. Local authorities will be able to decide whether a short-term let is suitable based on density, residential amenity, and housing shortages in the area. Councils will each have to devise a licensing system for such properties by October. All short-term let properties will require a licence by 1 July 2024. Fees to apply for a licence are

uncapped under the government’s plans, with individual local authorities able to set their own rate. Another campaigner against these regulations, a voice for rural businesses Scottish Land and Estates, says it is “extremely disappointed”. Simon Ovenden, the group’s policy adviser, argues: “While we understand the need for action in some localised situations, we have constantly warned of the dangers of a one size fits all approach. “This urban-focused licensing order [is] being imposed on rural Scotland, with evidence suggesting that the excessive bureaucracy and spiralling costs could now lead to many businesses closing with a knock-on impact to the local communities they serve. This is particularly disappointing given the significant difficulty rural businesses have faced during the last two years.”

The ASSC argues the housing challenges facing Scotland are far more multifaceted than the existence and growth of short-term and holiday lets alone. “Policymakers should not use holiday accommodation as a means to solve housing challenges in Scotland, instead focusing on building more affordable homes and tackling the scourge of empty properties,” it said. A look at newspapers in the Highlands and Islands reveals plan after plan for new housing developments. While the housing system may be “broken”, Rural Housing Scotland’s CEO Derek Logie sees rays of hope: “We could do so much better by designating land for housing which integrates environmental and social benefits; by releasing land for community-led housing; self-build; co-housing; mutual homeownership cooperatives and social housing; by creating opportunities for innovation and new forms of housing which build the community cohesion and mutual support that are vital in the post-Covid 19 future. The pandemic offers the opportunity to develop new ways of living and working.”

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BREXIT

Seafood pays the price

An EU report says Brexit has had a negative effect on seafood trade flows in both directions. By Vince McDonagh

HE day after the EU referendum vote in June 2016, a Humber fish merchant, who had campaigned vigorously for Brexit, was spotted outside his factory sporting a long face. The value of sterling on international currency exchanges had slumped to a 30-year low following the result, making the fish he was buying from Iceland – not an EU member – immediately 10% more expensive. “They didn’t tell us that was going to happen,” he moaned to colleagues. Sterling has remained in the doldrums ever since, but the merchant’s discomfort that morning was only a small taste of the problems that lay ahead for the UK seafood sector. A recent case study on UK-EU post Brexit trade flows by EUMOFA, the European Market Observatory on Fisheries and Aquaculture, shows that Brexit has had a negative impact in both directions, largely thanks to new administrative problems. While the UK was part of the EU, it benefited from fishery and aquaculture products (“FAPs”) moving freely and without tariffs inside the single market.

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Trade between the EU and UK was lower in 2021 than in previous years

These products are now subject to the terms agreed in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) which cover tariffs and nontariff measures. Before the 2016 vote the UK was just behind Spain as the EU’s largest aquaculture producer and ranked 25th in the global league table. Even now it remains one of the world’s leading aquaculture nations with an annual output of 221,000 tonnes, mostly Scottish salmon. The UK fishing fleet also lands 626,000 tonnes a year. The EUMOFA case study says: “Overall, the trade between the EU and UK was lower in 2021 than in previous years, both in terms of volume and value. Although the UK on one hand enjoys tarifffree access to EU markets for FAPs under the trade co-operation agreement, non-tariff barriers (i.e. expensive administrative duties) have become an obstacle that seems to be translated into a decrease of trade flows in both directions. “This effect is more substantially impacting UK trade flows because UK exports to the EU represent the majority of UK exports of FAPs (69% of exported FAP volume in 2021), whereas in the other direction the UK market is only one of the markets to which the EU exports (13% of FAP export volume in 2021). “As such, there are grounds to conclude that Brexit has on a global scale negatively impacted seafood trade in both directions, but the relative impact is more severe on the UK side.” Last year, European member states imported 368,000 tonnes of fishery and aquaculture products, worth just over €1.5bn, from the UK. EUMOFA says that although this amount was lower than the preceding two years, imports from the UK of some species such as salmon (up 74% by volume in 2021 compared with 2020) and blue whiting have increased both in volume and (to a lesser extent) value.

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EU imports from the UK exhibit some seasonality, according to the report, with peaks around March, October, and November. The majority of imports in 2021 were live/fresh products (57%) and frozen products (30%). In 2021, France received 44% of the EU’s imports from the UK, followed by the Netherlands (21%), Ireland (16%), and Denmark (9%). But the trade in seafood moves in both directions. Last year EU countries exported 302,000 tonnes of fishery and aquaculture products into Britain, worth more than a billion euros. This trade largely included soups and preparations, covering 16% of the exported volume and 15% of the value, followed by fishmeal (13% of volume, 6% of value), and marine fish “of unknown species”, which covered 12% of volume but 16% of value. The so called “unknown” fish species are likely to consist mainly of farmed sea bass and sea bream from Spain and Greece, along with sardines from Portugal.

Industry unprepared for new red tape The EUMOFA survey says some of the main issues hampering seafood trade between Britain and Europe revolve around the new post-Brexit bureaucracy. It argues: “Stakeholders, traders and exporters in the UK were not Top: Trouville ﬁsh market, prepared for the administrative burdens and increased paperwork France: volumes starting from 1 January, 2021. of seafood trade “This unpreparedness had a negative impact on the volume of trade between the EU and UK in January 2021, although trade flows have since gradually recovered decreased in 2021 and normalised compared to previous years.” Above: SSPO, Sco�sh “The month of January 2021 shows a severe drop in exports. Salmon for export According to some industry stakeholders, data delays during the Opposite: SSPO Sco�sh first months of 2021 were caused by changes to the export system Label Rouge Salmon implemented to facilitate an easier supply chain to the EU with fewer checks and delays at ports. “Part of the decision to simplify customs to facilitate an easier supply chain to the EU involved dropping a check which registered the goods as having arrived in the EU.

“To handle this change, exporters were expected to tick an extra box on the export declaration; something they did not know they had to do. “The result was that although goods were leaving the UK and arriving in the EU, they were not registered in the UK customs as ‘arrived’.” The study says that if an exporter or declarant failed to comply with the changes, the transaction did not register as “completed”, thus the declaration remained “open” for a period of 60 days. At that point, HMRC received a notification and “closed” the declaration before including it in the current trading month. This change was put into effect as from 1 January, so it did not affect any trade data prior to 2021. However, registered export data from HMRC in February and March 2021 may likely contain trade that occurred as much as 60 days prior to this. In other words, the report says: “Volumes and values of UK trade flows which occurred in January 2021 may appear in the February 2021 or March 2021 data.” It goes on: “Unfortunately, HMRC does not seem to have made revisions and adjusted the data published for the first quarter of 2021.” “When comparing UK exports in January 2022 with those of January 2021, an increase can be seen for all commodity groups with the exception of freshwater fish which was 98% lower than in 2021. “On the other hand, when comparing UK exports at the start of 2022 with those in January 2020, export volumes are lower for all the main commercial species with a few minor exceptions.”

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08/08/2022 14:17:31

WAVE ENERGY

Partnership potential Wave energy firms see the benefits of working with the aquaculture sector. By Colin Ley

Photo: EMEC

Photo: Colin Keldie

AVE energy leaders are targeting aquaculture as a potential development partner with the industries combining to harness the power of the ocean to their mutual benefit. The prospect of taking energy from wave power units to run feed barges, feed pumping systems and farm-cage lighting, was a recurring theme during Wave Energy Scotland’s 2022 conference in Edinburgh, back in May of this year. Wave power/aquaculture synergies are also being explored by Carnegie Clean Energy in North Fremantle, Western Australia, where the company’s MoorPower™ design is already earmarked to be used to power the feed barges that supply offshore fish farms. The unit is already the focus of an AUS $3.4m (£1.96m) project which includes input from two of Australia’s largest aquaculture companies, Huon Aquaculture and Tassal Group. Starting at the WES event in Edinburgh, however, the idea that offshore fish farms could become one of the first commercial outlets for wave energy designers was headlined by Simon Grey, CEO of AWS Ocean Energy, Inverness. He told Fish Farmer, “There are several points in favour of wave energy and aquaculture working together, especially as fish farms move further offshore into increasingly energetic sites, which are equally good for fish growth and wave power generation. The increasing size of modern aquaculture units is also creating opportunities for wave power units to be integrated into offshore structures, especially for an absorber design, such as our own company’s Waveswing unit.” Designed to function as a submerged wave power buoy, AWS’s Waveswing reacts to changes in sub-sea water pressures, caused by passing waves, with the unit converting the resulting rise and fall motion of the water into electricity via a direct-drive generator. Described by the company as a “simple telescopic can which pulsates beneath the surface”, the Waveswing unit is suitable for use in water depths of more than 25m, working either as a single buoy or as part of an integration into a multi-absorber structure. Measuring seven metres high and four metres in diameter, the Waveswing is capable of producing continuous power of 16kW in moderate seas. The unit recently completed the first phase of sea trials at the

European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Scapa Flow, Orkney. “There are certainly ways in which the unit could integrate power generation into an aquaculture structure,” said Grey. “Fish farms clearly have a growing need for power in offshore locations. Feed barges, feed pumping and keeping lights on for growth and production purposes, all require a reliable energy source. Providing power for lighting, which is a predominantly winter demand, would sit well with our own peak power output period, when the waves are at their most active. “We’ve had early discussions in the past with a few fish farming companies but are now at the stage where we would welcome more detailed customer engagement. We need to know what fish farmers really want, what risks they can tolerate and which they can’t. Clearly, with millions of pounds worth of fish in the sea, farmers can’t have power units that break free or ones that fail to produce power when needed. “We can satisfy these requirements but

This page from top:

AWS Ocean Energy, Waveswing on the pier; AWS install Waveswing WEC at EMEC Scapa Flow test site; Simon Grey AWS Ocean Energy

Opposite from top:

AWS Waveswing arrival on Coplands Dock; Michael Matheson, Minister for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, Scottish Government; Impression of the MoorPower™ system aboard a feeder barge

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Photo: Colin Keldie

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Fish farms clearly have a growing need for power in offshore locations

need to start working with fish farming companies now so that our engineering design is totally in line with their needs.” Adding wave energy to future fish farm designs will take time, however. AWS’s Waveswing unit isn’t forecast to be fully commercial for a decade, for example, although application to individual offshore farms should be before then. “The point is that, if we’re to get wave energy delivering a meaningful contribution to Scotland’s net-zero targets by 2040, we need to start planning now,” said Grey. “We need a strategic roadmap for wave energy, based on proof of concept from developers and a valid business plan for the industry. Support for this isn’t going to come from venture capitalists, however. It will have to be backed first by government; only then will investors be willing to step up to take the sector forward.” He is convinced, nevertheless, that Scottish waters have the potential to produce “hundreds of megawatts” of power. In Australia, meanwhile, Carnegie’s MoorPower unit is reported by the company to be nearing the completion of its commercial scale design, building on its earlier scaled demonstrator design. “Progressing both the commercial scale design and the scaled demonstrator design will ensure that that the scaled demonstrator deployed in North Fremantle meets the requirements and objectives of our commercial scale customers,” says Carnegie. Designed for use with moored vessels,

the MoorPower system is seen as a solution to the challenge of securing clean and reliable energy for offshore activities, while also reducing the reliance on diesel generation. The MoorPower project is being supported by funding from the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) in Australia and is scheduled to be delivered in collaboration with a consortium of partners, including Huon Aquaculture and Tassal Group. The project is set to run for two more years, during which time Carnegie is committed initially to design, install and operate a scaled demonstrator from its research facility in North Fremantle. Provided this demonstration period is successful, the company is confident that its major aquaculture industry partners will be “most likely” to become the first adopters of MoorPower as a commercial product. The development of wave power to its current stage in Scotland has been backed by close to £48m of public funding since 2014, when Wave Energy Scotland (WES) was formed at the request of the Scottish Government. This is a level of commitment which is set to continue, according to Scotland’s Net Zero Minister, Michael Matheson, who told the WES2022 conference that he believed the country has reached “exciting time for wave energy”. “You can be assured,” he told delegates, “that the Scottish Government will continue to provide its support for the development of marine and tidal energy in the years ahead.”

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ITALY

Buon appetito! Italians have emerged from the pandemic with a new-found taste for salmon. By Vince McDonagh

Photo: Chris�na Neumann

talians, noted for their sports cars and world class cuisine, have discovered a new addiction – salmon. According to the latest report from the Norwegian Seafood Council, sales of the pink fish took off during the pandemic and they are now rising at one of the fastest rates in Europe. Sushi is, apparently, the new pizza. The news was relayed at a salmon seminar at the beautiful Palazzo Delle Stelline in Milan in May, where grocery store owners met with suppliers and Norwegian industry officials to examine what has been happening in the past 12 months. They also used the gathering as a crystal ball to look at what lies ahead. Gunvar L. Wie, the Seafood Council’s representative in Italy, says Italians are consuming salmon more than ever before. And this is happening through a variety of channels including takeaways, home delivery and conventional stores. He adds: “Salmon is also the fish that has gained the most new customers in the last two years. It shows [in] figures from reports presented during the annual salmon seminar in Milan in mid-June. The upward trend has continued, even now after the worst pandemic period is over. “With the exception of May this year, Norwegian salmon exports to Italy have set new volume records every single month for the past 17 months.” Italy was arguably the European country hit first and hardest by the pandemic. Everyone remembers the harrowing scenes from hospitals in the north of the country during the first months of the outbreak. When Covid was at its worst, it significantly affected salmon exports to the country, says the Council. But, according to the global market intelligence company Gfk which presented insights at the seminar, looking at the last two years as a whole, salmon has come out well from the pandemic period. Gfk has looked at retail sales of salmon in the period between April 2020 to April 2022. The figures show that the growth in the number of new salmon customers, ie those who did not buy salmon before, is 8.4%. No other seafood category has had such a

strong increase in new customers. The figures also reveal that for those who already buy salmon, 15.4% are now buying more of it. Gunvar L. Wie explained: “It is said that sushi is ‘the new pizza’ in Italy. And sushi, with salmon as a favourite topping, has taken up more and more space on Italian restaurant tables. “At the same time, Italians are diligent restaurant guests, both for lunch and dinner. However, much has changed in the wake of the pandemic. “Naturally, both takeaway and home delivery increased sharply in the period 20192021, while restaurant visits fell.” But Italian spending on restaurants outside the home has still not returned to normal, with spending almost 30% down on before the pandemic, according to analysis from the NPD market research group. NPD has looked at how things have gone with salmon and other fish during this period and says: “Salmon, together with tuna, were the only seafood species that increased in

Above: Gunnvar Wie checking selec�on of seafood at Italian supermarket Left: Gunnvar Wie Opposite: Sushi in Italian supermarket

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Photo: Maia Neumann NSC

the category takeaway and home delivery during this period. “Last year, almost 40% of all fish that went to home delivery were salmon. This is an increase from 24% in 2019. “Between 2019 and 2021, the proportion of salmon for takeaway also almost doubled. Of all fish that went to takeaway, the salmon share increased from approximately 13% to 24%.” Wie believes some of the success lies in good traction from last year’s salmon campaigns in Italian media and shops: “The campaign effects were measured by Ipsos. They concluded that the campaign has had a significant positive impact on sales and new customers. “But perhaps most importantly, we have managed to change the Italians’ thoughts on how salmon can be cooked and eaten in new ways, not just as sushi. “Thanks to the sushi boom, the volume of Norwegian salmon exports to Italy has increased by 231% since 2010. With that, Italy has become Norway’s seventh largest export market for salmon.”

A NATION OF CANNY CONSUMERS

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We have managed to change the Italians’ thoughts on how salmon can be cooked

MOST Italians plan what to have for dinner before going to the store. This is shown by the latest consumer surveys by the Norwegian Seafood Council. The surveys provide insight into everything from shopping habits and associations to seafood to where people shop and why they shop one item over another. The insight says a good deal about market trends in the years to come. Wie says: “We also see that many Italians are interested in offers and discount coupons. They are easily influenced by campaigns and promotions. “Most Italians have also become more concerned that the food they eat not only tastes good - it must also be healthy and sustainable. We must use this consumer insight to consolidate the strong position that salmon has gained during the pandemic, and to increase growth further.”

LERØY’S NEW ITALIAN VENTURE With a new factory in Porto Viro, 28 miles south of Venice, Lerøy Seafood Italy is ready to make inroads in the Italian market. Fronting it all is Italian Irene Monetta, the site’s general manager, who is also the youngest person to serve in the normally male-dominated downstream role in the country. Despite this, she has found that the people on her team are both openminded and welcoming of the change. “They realise that women can conquer the world if they so decide. I think they see it as an advantage that I’m a woman,” she says. Irene’s career at Lerøy began with an internship back in 2012. The plan was to stay for three months and then return to Milan to complete her master’s degree. When she had completed her internship she was invited to stay on in a temporary position. “Irene quickly stood out as a major sales talent during her early days at Lerøy. She understood the market opportunities and was a hungry and proactive sales agent,” says CEO Henning Beltestad.

Right Irene Mone�a

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ANTIFOULING & NET CLEANING

Antifouling & N Fish Farmer brings you all the latest Antifouling & Net Cleaning news and updates

A new approach for HDPE

Ryan Ganfield, chemical engineer at W&J Knox, has been developing a method to adhere antifoulant to HDPE netting and he has seen some success in water trials. Whilst knotless nylon netting readily absorbs water-based paint, HDPE is naturally hydrophobic,so Ryan worked alongside antifoulant manufacturer Steen-Hansen to develop new dipping methodologies. Treated samples of HDPE netting have been in the water since late summer 2021 and they have shown limited growth. Trials will now be expanded. Knox’s Indian manufacturing partner, Garware Technical Fibres, has developed fibres with an in-built antifoulant effect, thereby reducing the cleaning cycles required per crop of fish. Nets made with this V2 material are already being trialled. Speak to the Knox team on 01505 682511 for the latest details. www.wjknox.co.uk

Garware fish nets compatible with antifouling paints

Garware’s Star V4 high-density polyethylene nets, by Garware Technical Fibres in Chile, can be painted with traditional waterbased antifouling paints. “Until before this technology, HDPE was not paintable. With its development, the nature of the fibre surface is modified, allowing traditional paint to be perfectly fixed with complete compatibility”, explains Marcos Jofré, Business Associate, Garware Chile. According to Garware, the Star V4 net does not elongate, shrink, or lose its characteristics over time. They also claim it has a high resistance to abrasion in humid conditions, incorporates anti-UV additives, and has the highest manufacturing standards worldwide. www.garwarefibres.com

Net waste could be hot property

Waste material from net cleaning could be used as a fire retardant for wood, according to researchers in Sweden. A team led by Edita Garskaite of the Luleå University of Technology investigated the potential of dried solid waste from aquaculture net cleaning to reduce the flammability of Scots pine sapwood. A series of tests were set up to see how the waste material – which had been treated to ensure that any organic waste decomposed before it was used – reacted at high temperatures. Results were promising, indicating that the aquaculture waste could be employed as an effective fireretardant.

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& Net Cleaning Ulriksen in charge at Steen-Hansen

Aquaculture antifouling business Steen-Hansen announced earlier this year that it had appointed Ulrik Ulriksen (pictured below) as its new CEO. He succeeds Svein Ove Rabben, who had led Steen-Hansen since 2012. Ulriksen comes from the position of Chief Operating Officer in the company. He has extensive experience in the aquaculture industry, as former service manager in Aquasmart (now AKVA Group), leader of development work for both Arena and Ocea (now ScaleAQ) as well as other leadership roles in both Norway and Chile. Steen-Hansen AS is a global leader in impregnation and coating for aquaculture, and offers both copper-reduced and copperfree products for net protection. The company also produces specialised paint systems for industry.

Smart solutions for net cleaning and farm inspections

Ocein (Ocean Innovations) is an innovation and development company that works with world-leading technology and smart solutions for aquaculture services. Its product portfolio includes the StealthCleaner (pictured) – an efficient and gentle net cleaner that combines a large amount of water with low pressure to minimise wear on the net. The company also offers the Ocein ROV, specially developed for inspection of moorings and other farmingrelated tasks down to a depth of 1,000 metres. Vectorised thruster setup provides high thrust power in all directions and high speed. The rounded edges and plastic frame makes it suitable for inspections inside fish nets as well. www.ocein.no/en

Egersund Net to get new service station

The global aquaculture company AKVA group has announced that subsidiary Egersund Net will open a new net cleaning service station at Sandstrand, Norway. The project has been affected by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. This has led to difficult contract negotiations, price increases and longer delivery times, and thus delays, the company says. “We are very happy that we are finally getting started with this exciting project at Sandstrand, which will be completed early in January 2023. The project and new service station will create several new jobs in the region,” says Geir Henning Risholm, service manager at AKVA group, Egersund Net. www.egersundnet.no/home

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Powerful ROV • 21 kw thruster power • 1000 M Depth

KEY FEATURES A very powerful ROV for it’s size. Designed for all kinds of inspections on a fish farm, especially long mooring lines. Smooth rounded edges also make it perfect for inspecting nets. Lots of connections and tooling capabilities.

MAIN CAMERA HD with 30x optical zoom and low light function.

THRUSTERS 7x Ocean Robotics LX thrusters, 3kW each.

TOOL CAMERA 3x HD cameras

POWERSUPPLY 230V or 400V, 30kva

PAN/TILT Electric with absolute position feedback.

ROV Winch

D H L W C 2 W

• 1000 M Tether • Back tension

www.ocein.no Ocein - DPS.indd 50

08/08/2022 10:12:29

360 degree free-flying, ROV based net cleaner The StealthCleaner is built on ROV technology and makes use of a control system that allows the Stealth to freely rotate in any direction around its own axis. When rotating, the StealthCleaner can easily be rotated up/ down, laterally and in all axes. The StealthCleaner is a multitool which can be supplied with various accessories and tailored for each individual customer.

DIMENSIONS Height: 530 mm Length: 1840 mm Width: 2390 mm Cleaning width: 2330 mm Weight: 350 kg

DISK DETAILS Number of cleaning discs : 8 Nozzle cleaner: rotating Number of nozzles: 3 pr. disc

CLEANING DETAILS Cleaning pressure: 50-250 bar Water flow: 400-600 Litres Water hose dim. : 1” - 1 1/4” Water hose length: 80-120 m

Optional: • Sparepart box • Umbilical and hose reel • Maintenance table • Hamsterwheel cleaner • Mooring cleaner • Electric grabber and rope cutter

POWER DETAILS Power supply: 25 kva Supply: 230 V 3~, or 400 V 3~ Tether diameter: 27 mm Tether length: 125 m

PDU Height: 1200 mm Length: 820 mm Width: 460 mm Weight: 200 kg Topside unit: 19” rack

Learn more, request an offer, and see the StealthCleaner in action: Ocein.no/StealthCleaner. Tlf: +47 412 96 500

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08/08/2022 10:13:07

KAMES FISH FARMING

Steely determination Scotland’s biggest independent family-owned fish farmer doesn’t produce salmon - but the team at Kames are passionate about steelhead trout. By Robert Outram

hen the Fish Farmer team visited Kames’ headquarters in Kilmelford, the west coast of Scotland had just seen several days of heavy rain. The water in the hatchery tanks, normally clear, was as dark as whisky thanks to peat washed down from the hillside. It was a reminder that a farm is never separated from its natural environment, and for a farm to be sustainable it must be able to work in harmony with nature. 2022 is a big year for Kames Fish Farming, marking 50 years since Stuart Cannon – who is still Chairman – cofounded what is now Scotland’s largest independent, family-owned fish farm. In an industry dominated by salmon, Kames produces steelhead trout. Described as “the rainbow trout that migrates to the sea”, steelhead may not have the name recognition among consumers that salmon has, but spend any time with the team at Kames and you will soon be an advocate for this close relative that is, arguably, both more robust and more delicately flavoured (see sidebar, page 56). Of course, Kames threw a party to celebrate 50 years of success in a challenging industry, with a ceilidh and the company’s own version of the Highland Games. But even more importantly, the team is looking ahead to the next half century. Kames employs around 60 staff and produces around 3,000 tonnes of steelhead trout annually, less than a tenth of the production of Scotland’s biggest salmon farmer, Mowi. The company has six seawater sites (five along the west coast and one off the Isle of Skye) and five freshwater cage sites, plus three hatcheries. The fish are mainly processed at the Loch Duart processing plant in Dingwall, in the north of Scotland. Some of the fish are

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destined for the restaurant trade, some for retail or sale direct to the public, and some go to smokehouses – steelhead makes for a firmly textured and tasty smoked fish. In May this year, at the UK Aquaculture Awards, Kames was named Best Aquaculture Company and its Fish Health Manager, Andre Van, was joint winner of the Rising Star award. Kames’ product has been recognised too. For example, it was highly commended in the Great British Food Awards in the Fresh Fish & Seafood category, where Mitch Tonks – one of the judges – said: “Sea trout are magnificent fish and superior to salmon in my eyes. It’s really great to see them raised in lochs like this.” The company is not resting on its laurels, however. Neil Manchester, who succeeded Stuart Cannon as Managing Director last

When you’re trying to market something quite unique, it’s great if you can just directly show people

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Farm visit – Marine Harvest

year, has been given an ambitious brief to double the size of the company in the next five years, to create the critical mass that will see it stepping into the next 50 years. The long-term strategy – which the company calls “Future50” – will, Manchester says, be based on Kames’ core values: quality, sustainability and community. And, he stresses: “It starts with our people.” Recruiting the best talent is a key aim. Kames’ awards success has made a noticeable difference, Manchester says, in attracting excellent people to a branch of the industry that has sometimes been seen as salmon’s poor relation. With all sites fully staffed, Kames is now focusing on retention, which includes maintaining the “employer brand”. As Manchester puts it: “We want everyone to continue to be proud to work for this company.” Branding for the product is also critical. Part of the Future50 initiative has been refreshing the brand, including a new logo and website. Marketing Manager Cate Cannon explains: “We started with our values and we aimed to create the logo and branding around that. The logo speaks to Scotland and the sea, the round shape is a nod to the cage concept, and we kept the colours fresh and bright. We wanted it to feel quite modern.” The “quality” message for customers is not just about the quality of the product – it’s also about quality and reliability of service, Manchester stresses, with the company winning some contracts because other providers had failed to deliver. The campaign also involved the launch of a new directly marketed product range. Cate Cannon says: “When you’re trying to market something quite unique, it’s great if you can just directly show people, just give them a pack and let them take it home and try it. It quickly wins support from customers – from wholesalers to chefs to the end consumer – when they taste what we’re talking about.” To overcome the challenges of online ordering, Kames is partnering with Fishbox, which specialises in delivering chilled, fresh seafood. So far, so good, but how will the team go about doubling

the size of the company? It starts with increasing profitability, in addition to keeping to the core values, Neil Manchester stresses. He says the key areas in which Kames is investing to achieve this are breeding, technology, efficiency, innovation and facilities. Kames already has its own broodstock, developed with years of experience. Not all trout take well to the saltwater environment and the development of Celebrating 50 a hardy strain has been crucial to the Celebrating 50 years with company’s success. Now, Kames is formalising and developing that process with the help of genetics specialists Xelect, based in St Andrews. With a demand for around two million eyed eggs each year and a three-year cycle before improvements bring material benefits, it’s a challenging task but Manchester’s background – he previously held a senior Opposite from top: international role with Loch Craignish ﬁsh farm; Hendrix Genetics – certainly Neil Manchester helps. Top left: Andre Van In terms of technology, Left: New recruit Joe Stuart Cannon has always Tus�n been an innovator – see interview, page 58 – but the pace of change, Manchester

Feorlig Marine Ltd Feorlig Marine Ltd, are proud to provide net cleaning services to Kames Scotland and would like to congratulate them on 50 years in the business and wish them well for the next 50! • Innnovation • Reliability • Success

Arranmore Mallaig Inverness shire PH41 4QN Neil: 07803 933595 John: 07876 197809 feorligmarine@gmail.com

Kames 50th site visit (Main).indd 53

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years w

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08/08/2022 13:59:59

KAMES FISH FARMING

believes, needs to pick up even further. His concept is “salmonisation” – learning the lessons from the salmon industry and applying them to steelhead trout. This will include, for example, increasingly sophisticated underwater cameras to track what is happening below the surface. This has already started, but the next generation of devices should enable staff at a central location to keep track of fish behaviour, uneaten food and so on while staff at the site can get on with day to day husbandry. Investment in facilities and vessels is also critical, and Kames recently took delivery of a new vessel from Coastal Workboats. The company’s main site on land at Kilmelford is a collection of functional, but elderly buildings, some of which date back to a seaweed processing plant built in the interwar years, and which also includes a fish health lab, equipped by Andre Van, set in a shipping container. In the near future, it could look very different. Manchester says: “We want our headquarters in Kilmelford to be seen as the centre of excellence and innovation for steelhead trout farming in Scotland.” All of this will also depend on Kames working with its supply chain – such as Cargill, its main feed supplier (also, the Kames farm in Skye is supplied by Mowi’s feed arm and Kames are also trialling feed from BioMar); RSPCA Assured, which audits animal welfare; Aquatic Vets and Wellfish Diagnostics, which help manage fish health; Pharmaq, which provides vaccines; Boris Nets, W&J Knox and Feorlig Marine, which supply and clean the nets; haulage business D&J Campbell; and technology suppliers such as ScaleAQ, Sterner Aquatec and Gael Force. Kames is also audited to Global GAP standards and by Quality Trout UK (QTUK). Even within its existing licences, Kames could take production to

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We have to operate to a high standard, but that’s not a bad thing

From the top: Kames hatchery, Kilmelford; juvenile steelhead; workboat and crane

over 4,000 tonnes. Expanding further could be a challenge, however. It is no secret that, like everyone else, the company is looking with interest at the sites operated by Dawnfresh, another trout farmer, which is now in administration and looking for a buyer. Deep-pocketed salmon companies are also eyeing up the target, however. Gaining permission to set up a new site at sea is expensive and timeconsuming, and land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) facilities would be prohibitively costly, but Neil Manchester is looking with interest at semi-closed cage systems. The key breakthrough, Manchester argues, will come when the cost of semi-closed cages – which are still largely in the prototype stage – comes down, and when there is an economical way to collect waste from the bottom of the cage. Viable uses for the recovered waste, such as biogas production, will be critical. He points out that SEPA, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, has indicated that licensing decisions will be related to the proportion of waste that is collected, so an effective semiclosed system could allow much greater production at existing sites. Sustainability has always been a crucial value for Kames. It speaks volumes that Loch Melfort, where Kames has farmed for half a century, is also the site of a successful, ongoing native oyster restoration project – oysters require pristine waters in order to thrive. Kames actively supports this and other rewilding projects, and more recently the company has signed up to the SeaFurther environmental initiative launched by Cargill. As part of the SeaFurther initiative, Cargill has provided an expert assessment to help Kames focus on reducing carbon emissions, primarily in two areas: feed, which accounts for around half of the company’s spending and emissions, and diesel, which Kames is looking to replace with hybrid power where possible. The company’s hatchery is already run on hydro power from the same streams that supply its water. SeaFurther offers a further option of carbon offsetting, which Kames has to date opted not to take up, preferring to concentrate on real changes it can make in its own operations. Support for local environmental projects is just part of Kames’ community involvement. Other aspects include supporting local sports teams and music,

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• Fish Cage Nets – Nylon & HDPE • Predator Solutions • Net Service Plant • Treatment Tarpaulins • Lice Skirts • Supplier of LiFT-UP • Wrasse Hides CONGRATULATIONS TO KAMES ON THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY!

Congratulations to Kames on 50 years “A milestone event and wishing you many more years to come” www.qualitytrout.co.uk www.britishtrout.co.uk

Congratulations to Kames on this signiﬁcant occasion

HAPPY GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY!

Tel. +44 (0) 779 969 1422 matt@aquaticvets.com www.aquaticvets.com.

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KAMES FISH FARMING

on the NPA Aquaculture course created by UHI Shetland. Fish farming has its critics, of course, and it is highly regulated for good reason. Neil Manchester would like to see the licensing process streamlined, but he adds: “We have to operate to a high standard, but that’s not a bad thing.”

Left: Stuart Cannon (L) and Andre Van

What is steelhead trout? including piping, and also helping to provide opportunities for young people. Kames was named Employer of the Year by Lochgilphead School and this year took on Joe Tustin the first student from Lochgilphead (and from Argyll as a whole) to enrol

Above: (From le�) Georgia Smith, David Maguire and Cheri Arvonio (Diversiﬁed Communica�ons, with Richard Ellio� (Fish Farmer) Below: Carsten Holm, Managing Director, Diversiﬁed Communica�ons UK Joining Fish Farmer magazine on the visit to Kames were the team from Diversified Communications, organisers of – among other major events – Aquaculture UK and the Aquaculture Awards. Cheri Arvonio, Portfolio Director, Ocean Business, Aquaculture UK & Marelec with Diversified says: “We had an amazing and insightful few days with our long-standing media partner Fish Farmer magazine and Kames Fish Farm - the winner of our Aquaculture UK Best Aquaculture Company and Rising Star awards in May. “We were so impressed with how open and transparent the Kames team were with answering all of our questions, and allowing us to explore their sites. We learnt so

much about how each of their sites operates, from their hatchery to their feed barge on the fish farm itself. We are also now trout converts! “It’s so important for us to understand what challenges the fish farming industry are facing so that we can tailor our event, and do all we can to support the industry moving forward.” The next Aquaculture Awards take place on 15 June 2023, and Aquaculture UK returns to Aviemore on 14-15 May 2024. She adds: “The team and I are loving getting to know all we can about the sector, and can’t wait to celebrate this amazing industry at the next Aquaculture Awards taking place on 15 June 2023, and of course welcoming everyone back to Aviemore at Aquaculture UK 2024 on 14-15 May 2024.

Kames produces steelhead trout – but what is it? “Steelhead” is the seagoing form of the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, a species native to the Pacific coast of North America. As Kames’ Neil Manchester explains: “Steelhead is the rainbow trout that migrates to the sea.” Kames prefer this designation to “sea trout”, as that is more commonly applied to native British brown trout that migrate to sea. These are the trout, Salmo Trutta, commonly caught by anglers at sea. As an anadromous fish, the steelhead lifecycle is very similar to that of the salmon. In the wild, the fish hatch and grow in fresh water before swimming out to sea as smolts to forage and grow to full size, before returning to rivers to spawn. There are differences – for example, the physical differences rainbow trout go through in smoltification are less profound than they are for salmon. As Manchester explains: “It’s more about tolerating salt water than the full physiological adaptation that salmon go through.” Not all rainbow trout thrive in the sea, and a key element in Kames’ broodstock programme has been to develop a strain of trout that do well in this environment. “Steelhead” is a core brand for the company, but restaurants will often describe it as “sea trout”, while it can be found in some supermarkets under the name “loch trout”. In Tasmania, farmed steelhead is referred to as “Tasmanian ocean trout”. Loch Etive Trout, part of the Dawnfresh Group, appears to use the term “steelhead” when marketing to North America, but not in the UK. Steelhead trout does not quite carry the price premium of salmon, but it has a delicate flavour, excellent texture and is less fatty – while still being rich in healthy omega-3 oils. Maciek Szymik, Executive Chef at Edinburgh’s New Chapter restaurant, says of steelhead: “[It] has a great, subtle flavour, a delicate texture and is not quite as popular as salmon, so it inspires more creativity. It also helps that it is great value for money at the moment.” As Szymik explains: “’Sea trout’ is the name our customer would recognise. Adding ‘steelhead’ to the mix would definitely spark extra questions, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. I’m guessing whether the name catches on is probably dependent largely on how it’s marketed to the end consumer.”

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Here at D & J CAMPBELL LTD, we would like to congratulate KAMES FISH FARM on their 50th Anniversary. What a fantastic achievement this is and having assisted the local fish farms throughout the decades, we look forward to continuing our support of Kames and wish them the very best for the future.

D & J CAMPBELL LTD, General Haulage Contractors. Family run for over 75 years, providing a wide range of services to the fish farming industry including: • Hiab Hire for net replacement and general goods. • Refrigerated transport and harvest movements. • Transport of feed pipes and cages • Fish food collection and delivery. We are also a licensed livestock haulier. Hay, Straw, and Lime Supplier

D & J CAMPBELL LIMITED, 1 BLACK CROFTS, NORTH CONNEL, OBAN, ARGYLL, PA37 1QX TEL: 01631 710882 MOB: 07917792607 EMAIL: TRAFFIC@D-JCAMPBELL.CO.UK

Choose Mowi Feed to rear strong, healthy fish Mowi’s feed mill in Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye produces feed for salmon and trout at all lifecycle stages and for fresh and seawater environments. R&D is central to everything we do at Mowi Feed and ongoing field trials inform our approach to optimising raw materials, growth rates and animal robustness. We have a robust policy on sustainability and all ingredients used in fish feed are traceable. Mowi also holds certifications for feed production according to the GlobalGAP CFM, Label Rouge and organic (Naturland and Soil Association) standards and we are already working towards gaining accreditation to the forthcoming ASC Fish Feed Standard. Mowi is regularly audited by many of the major European retailers and comply with the quality standards prescribed by a wide diversity of retail outlets. We offer bulk deliveries using our own vessels and we can deliver in bags by sea or road transport.

To find out more contact: kyleakinfeedsales@mowi.com +44 7817 099 334 www.mowi.com/sustainability/mowi-feed

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08/08/2022 10:09:54

KAMES FISH FARMING

From Argyll to Iraq – and back Kames and Stuart Cannon have come a long way since the pioneering days, but the drive to succeed remains the same. By Robert Outram

n 1972 Richard Nixon was still in the White House and Ted Heath was Prime Minister of the UK, while David Bowie’s alter ego Ziggy Stardust was bringing a unique brand of glamour to the pop charts. And on the west coast of Scotland, a new venture was under way: farming steelhead trout. Kames’ operation today is based on the experience, innovation and – inevitably – lessons from setbacks gained in fifty years of fish farming. Stuart Cannon, now Kames’ Chairman, set up the company along with two friends, Tony Dalton and Eddie Gully. Cannon had grown up in a farming family in Lincolnshire, albeit a very different kind of farming – arable rather than aquaculture. He had grown to love trout at an early age, however, as a schoolboy fishing with a friend on the River Dove. Cannon first came across the idea of farmed fish in an article in Farmers’ Weekly, which suggested that the return on capital could be a lot higher than for conventional farming. When he started his course at Harper Adams Agricultural College in Shropshire (now Harper Adams University), he asked for his placement to be with a fish farm. It was with Kenmure Fisheries, a freshwater trout farm in Galloway, founded by aquaculture pioneer Graeme Gordon, and the experience helped to convince Cannon there was a future in the sector. Cannon says: “[Graeme] was a wonderful mentor and he gave me the confidence to say ‘gosh, I think I can do this’. Previously I had thought it was really for the big mega-companies.” Cannon also enrolled on the first short aquaculture course at the University of Stirling, where he met Tony Dalton, whose father was a distinguished vet who had developed a vaccine for the disease coccidiosis in livestock.

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Celebrating 50 years with

Above: Stuart Cannon on workboat

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The Kames fish farming business started off with a hatchery in old seaweed sheds on the shore of Loch Melfort, Argyll, at a site which remains the company’s headquarters up to the present day. As well as Cannon and Dalton, the start-up was backed by the Gully family, particularly Ed Gully, who remains a board director and who has farms on Shuna and other islands off Argyll. Cannon says: “It was a pure learning curve. In the first year we didn’t produce any more than about 20 tonnes of fish, so it was a very slow development.”

He gave me the confidence to say ‘gosh, I think I can do this’ 08/08/2022 12:29:41

engineered for the elements

COASTAL WORKBOATS SCOTLAND LTD AND DAMEN SHIPYARDS TOGETHER WOULD LIKE TO WARMLY CONGRATULATE OUR VALUED CUSTOMER KAMES FISH FARMING ON REACHING 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS. A FANTASTIC MILESTONE. Together our companies were honoured to deliver the new Damen LUV2208 Tiffany II to Kames earlier this year to support production and harvesting operations. We look forward to supporting Kames in the future as the business enters its second half century. Both Coastal Workboats and Damen are family run businesses and together we take great pride in working with other family businesses with similar core values such as Kames and being a part of their success story. Coastal Workboats Scotland Ltd and Damen Shipyards together would like to warmly Coastal Workboats Scotland Ltdcongratulate and Damen Shipyards together would likeFish towould warmly our customer Kames Farming on reaching 50 years in business. Coastal Workboats Scotland Ltd andvalued Damen Shipyards together like to warmly congratulate ourcongratulate valued customer Kames Fish Farming on reaching 50 years in business. fantastic milestone. our A valued customer Kames Fish Farming on reaching 50 years in business. A fantastic milestone. A fantastic milestone. Together our companies were honored to deliver the new Damen LUV2208 Tiffany II to Together our were honored to deliver the LUV2208 new DamenTiffany LUV2208 to Together our companies werecompanies honored deliver theyear new II toTiffany IIoperations. Kames to earlier this toDamen support production and harvesting We look Kames earlier this year to support production and harvesting operations. We look Kames earlier this year to support production and harvesting Weaslook forward to supporting Kamesoperations. in the future the business enters its second half century. forwardKames to supporting Kamesasinthe thebusiness future as enters the business entershalf its second forward to supporting in the future its second century.half century.

Both Coastal Workboats andrun Damen are family run businesses and together we take great Both Coastal Damen family businesses we take great Both Coastal Workboats andWorkboats Damen areand family runare businesses and togetherand we together take great pride in working with other family businesses with similar core values such as Kames and working withbusinesses other family businesses with values similar such core values suchand as Kames and pride in workingpride withinother family with similar core as Kames being a part of their success story. beingsuccess a part ofstory. their success story. being a part of their Coastal Workboats andScotland Damen Ltd have a stock series of Damen LUV2208’s under construction Coastal Workboats Scotland Ltdand and Damen Shipyards together wouldlike like warmly Coastal Workboats Damen Shipyards together would totowarmly in the UK with availability end 2022Fish andFarming further on units available 2023. congratulate ournext valued customer Kames Fish Farming onreaching reaching 50throughout yearsininbusiness. business. congratulate our valued customer Kames 50 years Coastal Workboats andCoastal Damen have a stock and seriesDamen of A fantastic milestone. Workboats have a stock series of A fantastic milestone. Coastal Workboats Support Mobile Planned Coastal Workboats andServices Damen have a stock series ofMaintenance Damen LUV2208’s under construction in the UK with Service is also available. Damen LUV2208’s under construction in the UK with Damen LUV2208’s under construction in the withunits available next availability end 2022 andUK further

next availability 2022LUV2208 and further Tiffany units available Together our companies were honored deliver thenew newend Damen LUV2208 Tiffany next availability endwere 2022honored and further available Together our companies totounits deliver the Damen IIIItoto throughout 2023. throughout 2023. Kames earlier this year to support production and harvesting operations. We look throughout 2023. Kames earlier this year to support production and harvesting operations. We look Coastal Support Services Mobileenters Plannedits second half century. forwardtotosupporting supportingKames KamesWorkboats thefuture future asthe thebusiness business forward ininServices the as enters its second half century. Coastal Workboats Maintenance Service isPlanned also available.Support Services Mobile Planned Coastal Workboats Support Mobile Maintenance Service is also available. Maintenance Service is also available.

BothCoastal CoastalWorkboats Workboatsand andDamen Damen arefamily familyrun runbusinesses businessesand andtogether togetherwe wetake takegreat great www.damen.com Both are pride in working with other family businesses with similar core values such as Kames and www.damen.com pride in working withwww.damen.com other family businesses with similar core values such as Kames and www.coastalworkboats.co.uk beingaapart partof oftheir theirsuccess successstory. story. being www.coastalworkboats.co.uk www.coastalworkboats.co.uk

www.coastalworkboats.co.uk Coastal Workboats Scotland Ltd.indd 59

www.damen.com

08/08/2022 12:26:05

KAMES FISH FARMING

Above: (From le�) Cate, Stuart, Andrew and Shelagh Cannon Right: Loch Craignish

Other aquaculture projects Cannon has been involved with include ventures in Kuwait, Malaysia, the Falkland Islands, Nigeria and Egypt. Kames’ involvement in Selonda finally came to an end in 2005 and since then, Cannon has largely focused on the core Scottish business. The company has had its share of setbacks. In the early days, an outbreak of bacterial kidney disease (BKD) meant the whole stock had to be culled, and in the 1980s the spread of infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) in Norway closed off an important source of ova. There was a strategy to diversify into halibut, in shelved cages because halibut swims near the seabed rather than in open water. This ended abruptly in 2007 when animal rights activists “released” the fish into the wild, where most perished. Kames lost around 200 tonnes of harvest fish plus smaller fish. Kames was one of the founders of Scot Trout, the UK’s first collective cooperative of farmed trout producers, which became Scotland’s leading trout processor, with a market share reported around 80%, as well as running some farming operations. Unfortunately the global financial crisis hit bank lending just as Scot Trout had borrowed The stock were firstly mixed sex, but with the males maturing before to build another wing for its processing plant 3kg-plus harvest weight, all female fish were developed, because and expand its farming production to meet females do not mature so quickly. And as with salmon, a sexually growing demands. mature fish is not palatable for human consumption. After some trial Cannon recalls: “The bank said, ‘the team and error, the company adopted a technique of treating the eggs don’t think fish farming is the thing to do’.” under pressure to make them triploid, thus sterile which is still the The final straw came when Scot Trout’s approach today – albeit at a larger scale than in the early days. invoice finance facility was withdrawn, and The trout were fed on a feed that was composed, basically, of fish offal and minced prawn shells. In the first few years Kames then moved the business was sold to Dawnfresh in 2008 (Dawnfresh itself went into administration on to high protein, pelleted chicken type feed and then commercial earlier this year and the processing plant, at feed mills started producing fish feed for the growing farmed sector. Uddingston near Glasgow, has since been Cannon describes this as a massive improvement for the whole acquired by Thistle Seafoods). emerging industry. Not surprisingly, there have been offers Initially, the smolts were released into wooden cages in the loch. It made for Kames from the early days onwards. was clear that something bigger would be needed, and initially the Cannon has always resisted, preferring instead farm experimented with steel cages. Unfortunately these were prone to create a sustainable business. Now, his son to metal fatigue and Cannon developed a large, modular wooden Andrew is on the board and his daughtercage up to 30 x 20 metres. The design meant the cage could be assembled on site, and the Kames model became a standard for many in-law Cate, who was previously a marketing director in the book industry, is Marketing fish farms in the UK and overseas. The sites were challenging in some ways because the tidal flows were Manager. Achieving a critical mass is central to the very strong – although this also helped, not only for dispersing waste strategy, but so is being aware of the duty of and ensuring good quality, but also in building up the trout’s muscle care to the environment and to the animals mass through swimming against the tide. One of the challenges, commercially, was overcoming the perception under the farmer’s care. Cannon says: “I was lucky I was a farmer that what they were producing was the same as freshwater trout, which because I understood husbandry, care and was and is viewed as a “portion” fish – that is, one for which the whole welfare. fish is one serving. “My father always said you’ve got to farm for Steelhead are not only larger than freshwater trout, so they can be tomorrow. He was a third-generation farmer, served as fillets or portions, but also being raised in the sea gives the and there’s something in that!” fish a much better flavour and texture. The success of the cage side of the business led to opportunities to get involved more directly with fish farming around the world. For example, a contract to supply cages to Selonda Aquaculture, a sea bream and sea bass farmer in Greece, led to Kames taking a 25% stake in the business and running farms for the company. Cannon has also been involved in setting up and running fish farms in Chile and in Iraq, the last of which came to an abrupt end when the Second Gulf War led to the destruction of a local dam and with it, the farm.

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Your Red meat just got Pink

Congratulations

WellFish Kames Fish Farmer Article

to Kames on 50 years of success

RO edited

Strapline: WELLFISH – CLIENT CONTENT Headline: A pioneering approach Intro: Kames Fish Farm supports innovation and the development of WellFish Diagnostics Pull quote if needed: “It is making a significant contribution to fish health and welfare”

A pioneering approach Stuart Cannon and Kames Fish Farm were the first to support the innovative, blood-based method to assess fish health developed by the University of the West of Scotland that developed into WellFish Diagnostics. It began over a bowl of soup. Stuart described how he was reliant on lethal histopathology to assess fish health, and we discussed the potential of using non-lethal, blood-based clinical chemistry to assess fish health using repurposed human medical technologies. In collaboration with Mowi we were awarded funding from the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) to develop this idea. Kames was fundamental in the further development of this research (including an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)) that was commercialised through the Scottish Enterprise High Growth Spinout Programme (HGSP), resulting in WellFish Diagnostics. WellFish Diagnostics now offers blood-based fish health assessment for the Scottish and international aquaculture industry. Since its formation in September 2021 it has attracted £1.2m in investment and created 10 new jobs, and it is making a significant contribution to fish health and welfare in aquaculture. Through measuring multiple biomarkers from one blood sample we can assess gill, heart, muscle, liver, kidney, and pancreatic function as well as mineral and lipid profile and immunology. This approach facilitates routine health monitoring for the early identification of health challenges as well as diagnostic testing, aquafeed optimisation and peak smoltification.

Stuart Cannon and Kames Fish Farm were the first to support the innovative, blood-based method to assess fish health developed by the University of the West of Scotland that developed into WellFish Diagnostics. It began over a bowl of soup. Stuart described how he was reliant on lethal histopathology to assess fish health, and we discussed the potential of using non-lethal, blood-based clinical chemistry to assess fish health using repurposed human medical technologies. In collaboration with Mowi we were awarded funding from the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) to develop this idea. Kames was fundamental in the further development of this research (including an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)) that was commercialised through the Scottish Enterprise High Growth Spinout Programme (HGSP), resulting in WellFish Diagnostics. WellFish Diagnostics now offers blood-based fish health assessment for the Scottish and international aquaculture industry. Since its formation in September 2021 it has attracted £1.2m in investment and created 10 new jobs, and it is making a significant contribution to fish health and welfare in aquaculture. Through measuring multiple biomarkers from one blood sample we can assess gill, heart, muscle, liver, kidney, and pancreatic function as well as mineral and lipid profile and immunology. This approach facilitates routine health monitoring for the early identification of health challenges as well as diagnostic testing, aquafeed optimisation and peak smoltification. Many congratulations to Stuart, Neil and the team at Kames and we look forward to working with them during the next 50 years.

Many congratulations to Stuart, Neil and the team at Kames and we look forward to working with them during the next 50 years.

WellFish Diagnostics Ltd University of the West of Scotland, F117 Henry Building West, Paisley, PA1 2BE, Scotland T: +44 (0)141 8483877

www.wellfishdiagnostics.com www.fishfarmermagazine.com

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CLEANER FISH

Cleaner F All the latest Cleaner Fish news and updates from around the world Fostering ﬁsh health and wellbeing in Scotland and abroad

TM Tarpaulins recognise that fish welfare is paramount for the sustainable growth of the industry – happier fish mean better harvests and operational benefits. When it comes to their range of naturalistic kelp curtains and hides, however, the benefits are not aimed at the salmon themselves, but at the vital cleaner fish that keep them free of sea lice infestation. As an anti-sea lice measure many fish farms are opting for the introduction of cleaner fish – chiefly lumpfish and ballan wrasse – into salmon cages. These fish feed on the sea lice that can cause devastation to salmon stocks. Cleaner fish do a great job of sea lice management, as long as they themselves are well managed. www.tm-tarpaulins.com

Learning from wild lumpﬁsh

The Institute of Aquaculture at Stirling (UK), Aker Biomarine (Norway), Bakkafrost, Havsbrun and Fiskaaling (Faroe Islands) are investigating the impact of nutrition on robustness and welfare for lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus). The project is led by IoA Associate Professors Sonia Rey and Monica Betancor and Dr Asa Johannesen at Fiskaaling. Significant mortalities in the weeks post-deployment and whilst in cages are thought to be mainly due to the lack of tailored feeds leading to poor health and welfare. Jessica Di Toro, a matched funded PhD student between project partners, said: “Assessing key differences between farmed and wild lumpfish regarding welfare and nutritional status, will help us to identify nutritional deficits and novel feeds can then be formulated to boost the fish robustness”. www.aquaculture.stir.ac.uk

VAF Feed Blocks

These innovative cleaner fish feed blocks offer a complete and balanced diet for wrasse and lumpfish with ease and efficiency in mind. Designed to be strategically deployed on bespoke feeding stations, the VAF system enables users to disperse the cleaners about the sea pen, maximising exposure to sea lice. Studies have shown reduced cataract development, stable controlled growth rates and overall improvements to fish health and welfare – increasing efficacy and longevity. Practical advantages for personnel include considerable reductions in preparation time, maintenance, storage space and energy costs. VAF Feed Blocks are ready to use straight out of the pack and require no refrigeration, with a two-year shelf life. www.vitaaquafeeds.uk

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r Fish How fit are your fish?

Assessing the wellbeing of a cleaner fish population from samples can be tricky, so the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR) at Swansea University has developed an easy-to use online application for checking the health of lumpfish. The Lumpfish Operational Welfare Score Index (LOWSI) uses weight data (body mass index) and a visual inspection by staff at the farm site to indicate whether the health of the group as a whole is “good”, “moderately compromised” or “severely compromised.” It will also recommend appropriate action, based on which areas of the score are particularly problematic. The LOWSI can be accessed, free, via any web browser at: bsciweb.swan.ac.uk/lumpfish/

Warning over wrasse genetics

Wrasse used as cleaner fish in salmon farms could change the genetic makeup of local populations if they escape, a researcher with the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, has warned. Ellika Faust (pictured above), doctoral student at the Department of Marine Sciences, says: “A large proportion of wild cleaner fish are caught in areas other than the locations of the salmon farms. Many cleaner fish escape from the salmon farms and interbreed with the local populations. We do not know for certain how ecosystems are affected by these imports.” Her study of corkwing wrasse, many of which are caught on the Swedish west coast, shows that the wrasse from Sweden and Norway’s south coast are quite separate, genetically, from those native to Norway’s west coast. www.gu.se/en

Canada’s cunning plan

In Canada, Ballan wrasse is not a native fish and there is an understandable reluctance to deploy them in marine pens, given that escapes could risk impacting the environment with an invasive species. Instead, for some years now the Canadian aquaculture industry has been investigating whether the cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus), another member of the wrasse family, could be a local alternative. A Canadian government study back in 2012 concluded that cunner wrasse, which are often found swimming around wharves in shallow water on Canada’s east coast, have potential as a cleaner fish. Since then, the challenge has been to breed cunner on a commercial basis – if that works, Canadian fish farmers have a viable native alternative.

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Salt of the earth

A salt company with 150 years’ experience has a legacy you can trust

t Peacock Salt we will be celebrating our 150-year anniversary in 2024. This makes us, by far, the oldest salt company in the United Kingdom, and indeed one of the oldest in the world. We have successfully supplied salt over the last 148 years to customers within the UK. For the last 30 years the Fish Aqua sector has become a key customer for our business. We supply a range of products to all points of the industry, from hatcheries using our Seamix product to create clean bacteria-free artificial seawater, to fish processing plants looking for salt for use in brining, curing and preserving. Seamix is a DEFRA-approved specially formulated product that when combined with tap water creates a high-quality artificial environment ideal for aquaculture operations. Seamix is available in 15kg and 25kg bags. Our wide range of high quality Sea Salts, Rock Salts and Vacuum Salts provide a full range of options for fish processing and aquaculture. Our BRC accreditation offers peace of mind. Peacock Salt works closely with its haulage partners to ensure both the best price and on time delivery. We work with a significant number of food and food processing customers on a bespoke basis, creating mixes and blends to a customer’s exact specification and packing them as required. We can help and advise on the “hows” and the “whys” of your ongoing project, or help you in planning of new projects.

Throughout this time, we have maintained strong relationships with our customers, from private individuals, businesses large and small to local authorities and private operators who trust our service and products.

Sharing expertise A new e-learning collaboration makes welfare training for lumpfish care more accessible

wansea University has made the E-learning on lumpfish welfare course more accessible to fish farmers working at Mowi – the world’s largest supplier of farm-raised Atlantic salmon. Swansea University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR), a global reference in fish welfare research and training, announced that the recently developed E-learning course on lumpfish welfare will be available for use at Mowi’s online learning portal “MOWI Academy”. “The Lumpfish Welfare E-learning Course Peacock Salt - PED.indd 1 complements Mowi’s existing fish welfare policies and was designed with farmers in mind: it provides easy-to-follow videos, interactive visual exercises, and tailored instructions. This collaboration between Swansea University and Mowi will allow cleaner fish professionals to improve and implement lumpfish welfare assessments,” notes Dr Sara Barrento, content developer and instructional designer.

Page 064.indd 64

Above: Screenshot of Lumpﬁsh Welfare E-learning course contents page

“Our employees are located all over the UK, which creates obvious logistical challenges when delivering training,” says Donald Waring, Mowi’s Learning and Development Manager. “MOWI Academy is key to delivering vital training for safety, sustainability, policy and fish welfare, and was especially important during a sustained period of covid isolation. The E-learning course for lumpfish welfare delivered by Swansea University is an important tool now made very accessible to all of our company’s farmers and fish health professionals.” This course was developed at CSAR in collaboration with The Scottish Salmon

Company; MOWI Scotland; The Cleaner Fish Company; Ocean Matters; and Three Sixty Aquaculture. The Course had the support from the UK Seafood Innovation Fund, the INTERREG Atlantic Area programme through the Access2Sea project, the Welsh Government, and the European Regional Development Fund through the SMARTAQUA project. Contacts: • Sara Barrento, Science Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Swansea University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic02/08/2022 Research s.i.barrento@swansea.ac.uk +44 (0)7884121703. • Paul Howes, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research manager p.n.howes@swansea.ac.uk +44 (0) 1792 602 030 • Prof. Carlos Garcia de Leaniz, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research Director c.garciadeleaniz@swansea.ac.uk, +44 (0)7891 615806.

10:40:53

www.swansea.ac.uk/bioscience/csar

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08/08/2022 10:15:45

WORLD FEEDS LTD - CLIENT CONTENT

Hatching a plan for cleaner ﬁsh welfare Acclimating cleaner species to the Feed Block diet

enowned feed innovators World Feeds Ltd have been making significant developments in cleaner fish welfare and the war on sea lice. Their innovative VAF Feed Blocks are now used by six of the seven largest salmon producers in Scotland, as well as major operations across Norway. Farms that have adopted the blocks into their feeding protocols have recorded notable improvements to fish health and welfare, stable growth and reduced mortality rates – improving longevity and efficacy for the fish as sea lice hunters. The company has a long history producing

tailored diets for multi-species exhibits in some of the world’s largest public aquariums, creating innovative and practical presentation methods to deliver the best standard of nutrition. Sales Director Tom Noble was invited recently to talk at the Cleaner Fish Conference in Stord, Norway to discuss the company’s impact on cleaner fish and the multitude of benefits that VAF Feed Block diets hold for the aquaculture industry. Bolstering the effectiveness of the feed block diet, the company are now introducing them at the hatchery stage. Encouraging juvenile fish to feed at depth (as opposed to the surface as with pellet dispensers) at this early stage acclimates them to do so when deployed in the sea pen. This behavioural conditioning ultimately increases their contact time with salmon, and by extension sea lice. A new “Platinum” version of the feed block, containing key dietary components known to support the immune system and maximise health and condition, is now available. The company recommends its use as part of a

feeding programme during the pre/post deployment period, which offers optimum results for fish welfare during times of stress, such as the transportation process. Above: Cleaner ﬁsh distribu�on, pellets vs. feed block Above left: Juvenile lumpﬁsh quickly acclimated to feed block

• SEA LICE POPULATIONS

• FISH HEALTH & WELFARE

• CATARACT PREVALENCE

• MORTALITY RATES

• AGGRESSION DURING FEEDING • ENERGY CONSUMPTION • STORAGE SPACE & COSTS • MEDICAL TREATMENTS • FEED PREPARATION TIME

IMPROVED

REDUCED

COMPLETE, TAILORED FEED BLOCK DIETS FOR LUMPFISH & WRASSE

• STABLE, CONTROLLED GROWTH • LONGEVITY & EFFICACY • BEHAVIOURAL CONDITIONING • PRACTICAL FEEDING METHODS • DAILY OPERATIONAL COSTS

THE INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO CLEANER FISH MANAGEMENT & SEA LICE CONTROL

www.vitaaquafeeds.uk

Produced in the UK by

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SEA LICE

Sea L Fish Farmer brings you all the latest sea lice news and updates Aquaculture partnership named “outstanding” by Innovate UK

A partnership between Pulcea and the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture has received the highest possible accolade from Innovate UK for collaboration between business and academia, after being recognised as “outstanding” for its Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). Key to the success was the appointment of a veterinarian, Rachel Brown (pictured left), experienced in ultrasound in other food production sectors and keen to transfer her knowledge and expertise into aquaculture. By combining existing hydrogen peroxide tarpaulin bath treatments with Pulcea’s acoustic-based technology, the KTP has proved it is possible to improve sea lice treatment efficiency and dramatically improve fish experience and welfare. www.pulcea.com

Intership orders two large wellboats

The Norwegian wellboat company, Intership, has ordered two vessels from Turkey’s Sefine Shipyard. These wellboats are specially developed to treat farmed salmon for lice using large quantities of fresh water produced on board. Both are due for delivery during Q3 2024, with the larger vessel contracted on a long-term basis to a major salmon farming company. Since 2016, Intership has been developing freshwater treatment for lice using a reverse osmosis system. “With our method for freshwater treatment, we achieve a very good score for all welfare indicators, and the fish resume feeding immediately after treatment,” says COO Kjetil Opshaug. www.intership.no

Hope for sea lice vaccines

Three new vaccines may help to increase salmon’s resistance to sea lice. The vaccines are based on two proteins, cathepsin and peritrophin. A study compared three test groups – one each with a vaccine based on a single protein, and one with a combined vaccine – against a control group. All the vaccines demonstrated some effect, but the mixed version was most successful, with a 52% reduction in sea lice infection. The research team is based at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Aquaculture Research (INCAR) at the University of Concepción, Chile, and the study, Exploring Sea Lice Vaccines against Early Stages of Infestation in Atlantic Salmon (Casuso et al) was published in the journal Vaccines (vol 10, issue 7).

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a Lice Filtered water for lice treatments

FiiZK Aqua’s Nanofiltration (NF) membrane filtration technology removes salts and metals from seawater to provide an effective treatment water for sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus elongatus) and amoebic gill disease (AGD). NF is successfully used commercially in Ireland to remove these costly parasites and farmers in Scotland are now investigating its potential. Scientific trials at the Marineholmen RASLab AS were conducted to test NF water on the removal of sea lice and results showed that 100% of all stages of sea lice were removed at six hours of exposure. For further information see our webpage fiizk.com/en/product/bath-treatments/ or contact us at info@fiizk.com or ashleigh.currie@fiizk.com

The nanofiltration process for seawater

Wellboat solution for sea lice

Norwegian company SkaMik and long-time partner Moen Marin AS have worked to develop and produce technology that contributes to increased sustainability, better fish welfare and greater efficiency and profitability in the aquaculture industry. In particular, they have striven to provide cutting-edge technology for non-chemical delousing of salmon. The Wellfighter solution is based on the original SkaMik 1.5 concept, and after intensive development over several years it offers a unique combination: high delousing effect, good fish welfare, and gentle treatment of the salmon. To read more about the Wellfighter system, see pages 60-61. www.moenmarin.no/en

The cost of sea lice

Nofima estimate sea lice cost the Norwegian industry NOK 6.6bn (£553m) annually. In 2021, more than NOK 1.9bn (£159m) was spent on preventative measures, such as net cleaning, lice skirts, and smolt size. The data, presented by Benchmark’s John Marshall (pictured) at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum, includes a breakdown of the true cost of sea lice per kilo produced, noting that, in 2021, this actually decreased as production increased 11%. Factors contributing to the overall figure include a relative increase in bath treatments, a slight decrease in non-medical treatments and a reduction in the use of cleaner fish and feed treatments. www.nofima.no

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SKAMIK – CLIENT CONTENT

The ﬁght against sea lice

Wellfighter is helping to separate salmon from lice

n the Norwegian coast, in the most natural area for Atlantic salmon, the company SkaMik has grown into a key developer and partner. One of the answers to future sustainable food production at sea is Wellfighter. Fresh seawater in the ocean current along the Norwegian coast is the best starting point for Atlantic salmon to thrive. The challenge has been to separate the fish from the natural parasite, salmon lice. As fish farming has increased in spread and volume, the demands on fish welfare, efficiency and profitability have risen. The “simple” solution from the pioneer era with extensive chemical bath treatment was not sustainable. The need for a serviceable non-medicinal treatment of the salmon became clear early on.

Endurance Wise minds with insight into the industry quickly realised that mechanical treatment was a very promising alternative, but taking ideas and theory into well-functioning practical solutions requires presence and persistence. In the same way that technology and new modes of operation have improved production itself, SkaMik has, through a unique and close collaboration with the industry, developed its solutions for mechanical delousing. The total demands from ambitious fish farmers and demanding customers have resulted in both improved machines and new methods – delivered by SkaMik through longtime partner Moen Marin AS.

The Wellfighter solution One example involves combining the large freshwater capacity in new wellboats with a compact delousing system. The Wellfighter solution is based on the original SkaMik 1.5 concept, and after intensive development over several years and the completed documentation process can demonstrate a unique combination: high delousing effect, good fish welfare and gentle treatment of the salmon. Even with a compact design, the capacity is high: 60 tonnes per hour per unit. The Wellfighter is mounted on the wellboat’s existing unloading system and flushes the fish with low pressure after about two hours’ holding time in fresh water. In this way, delousing is also possible when delivering to waiting cages at the processing plant or after AGD treatment in freshwater – in addition to ordinary delousing during the production run. The efficiency of the well-boat’s resources is enormous, as four to five cargoes are often deloused before the need to replace the fresh water on board. An important element about the system is that it is easily scalable based on capacity requirements and the size of the well-boat, and

that the design makes both cleaning, service, and maintenance easy. So far, more than 20 Wellfighter systems are in full operation. Both trout and salmon of all sizes – and in very large numbers – are deloused with the combination of freshwater and Wellfighter.

Fish welfare is the key Through several projects and cooperation with fish farmers and fish health personnel, tomorrow’s solution for chemical-free, nonmedicinal delousing is in place and in daily operation. The great development work has had an effect: a more controllable process with an emphasis on fish welfare and gentle treatment. The advantage of the combination is a better delousing effect, with a lower impact on the fish. The setup has proven effective at all lice stages, in addition to utilising the capacity the modern wellboat is capable of. “What primarily drives us? Optimal biological solutions. At the

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same time, the market and customers demand sustainability at all levels. Although salmon farming is highly efficient protein production for humans, we cannot take shortcuts in any area,” emphasises sales director Lars Ivar Elvertro at Moen Marin AS.

The development continues … The history of SkaMik and the pioneers who took up the sea lice challenge goes back nearly 25 years. And the founders are still actively involved. In close cooperation with the Norwegian farming industry, the development continues steadily. Geir Skarstad, General Manager at SkaMik, says: “Experience has shown that the salmon

lice have had their own ability to stay ‘one step ahead’. But now we have reached a turning point. New forms of operation, combined with high capacity and constant development and improvement of technology, means that the industry can handle the challenge better. At SkaMik, we are proud to have contributed with gentle and effective solutions, while at the same time working hard towards new products and focus on development. We are very confident in our products and the development job we have done together with our customers.”

Above: “Ronja Nærøysund”is one of five state of the art wellboats in opera�on with SkaMik Wellfighter. Far left: Close-up of the system in opera�on. Middle: The setup on this vessel has a capacity of 300 tons per hour – with 2 hours holding �me in freshwater. Left: Fish welfare is given high priority - and the vets have their own area to examine the fish a�er delousing in Wellfighter.

Contact us to experience the SkaMik Wellfighter system in operation. Contact: Lars Ivar Elvertrø Sales Director +47 40238823 Lars-ivar.elvertro@moenmarin.no

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AE2022

Green future for the blue economy Rimini plays host in September to some of the world’s leading experts in aquaculture

ach year, Aquaculture Europe brings together leading academics, producers and policymakers in the sector to share ideas and learn about the latest research in aquaculture, under the auspices of the European Aquaculture Society. The venue for Aquaculture Europe 2022 (AE2022) is Rimini, Italy, and the event takes place between 27 and 30 September. The theme of AE2022 is “Innovative Solutions in a Changing World”, and the focus will be on the issues of compatibility and mutual synergy between the users of marine, brackish and freshwater resources and their relationship with the quality of those ecosystems. How can aquaculture adapt to environmental changes such as rising global temperatures and increasing acidification in the oceans? The issues of compatibility and mutual synergy between the users of marine, brackish and freshwater resources and their relationship with the quality of those ecosystems are central in promoting the sustainable development of the Blue economy and aquaculture. Traditional and emerging Blue economy sectors are expected to grow and expand over the next years and to sustainably contribute to food production, biofuel and clean energy. Nevertheless, scientific literature provides clear evidence that, according to current trends and within 10 years, our coastal and marine environment will change due to sea acidification and warming, sea-level rise and coastal erosion and all water bodies will be affected by flooding, eutrophication and pollution, with important effects on ecosystem services, fish and shellfish stocks and food security. Climate change, depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity, food security and safety, environmental pollution and waste represent important sustainability challenges for further expansion of European aquaculture and the ambition of the European Green Deal and the “Farm to Fork” Strategy. It will be necessary for the sector to address these externalities, but also focus on the way in which we choose, use and reuse resources, as we move towards a circular Blue economy. How aquaculture is facing these challenges, and the solutions put in place to develop a sustainable, responsible and productive and climate neutral European aquaculture sector for key marine and freshwater fish, shellfish and algal species are the main themes for the AE2022 event in Rimini.

A packed programme The AE2022 parallel sessions will cover the full scope of European aquaculture and will comprise submitted oral and ePoster presentations. AE2022 will also feature an international trade exhibition, industry forum, student sessions and activities,

satellite workshops and updates on research in Europe. As usual Aquaculture Europe will feature scientific plenary and parallel sessions, as well as the annual Student Spotlight Awards and awards for the best ePosters. This year’s event also includes some special sessions. For example, The European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATIP), the European Commission and the European Aquaculture Society will be jointly hosting an Innovation Forum (“From Policy to Solutions”). The AE2022 Innovation Forum is aimed at industry actors, policy makers, knowledge transfer experts, and those engaging in aquaculture knowledge development and collaboration. It will inform how best to ensure meaningful knowledge and innovation transfer addressing research gaps and priorities for action whilst ensuring impact. There will also be a special day led by

”

The AE2022 parallel sessions will cover the full scope of European aquaculture

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the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), on 28 September. The FAO has a mandate to encourage sustainable food production worldwide, and with the theme “International Processes and their Implications to the European Aquaculture Industry”, topics covered in the FAO day will include: • sustainable aquaculture; • managing genetic resources; • markets for aquaculture products; and • a celebration of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture.

High performance Also featuring at the conference will be a series of discussions led by PerformFISH, a project that brings together 28 partners from 10 countries striving to increase the competitiveness of the Mediterranean Marine Fish Farming (MMFF) sector, while addressing social and environmental responsibility and reinforcing the European sustainable blue economy and food security. PerformFISH has entered the final phase of implementation and AE2022 offers the perfect stage for presenting its outputs and achievements to scientists, producers and policy-makers. The initiative has generated and validated new knowledge in commercial settings to improve the performance of the MMFF, measured through accepted Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the sector, while engaging with consumers and societal actors to identify barriers and drivers and to increase confidence in aquaculture and promote the brand of MMFF practices and products. PerformFISH will have a strong presence throughout the scientific sessions of AE2022, and has a dedicated final event scheduled on Thursday 29 September 2022.

A dedicated booth will also host an ongoing exhibition of the project outputs in the form of videos, printed and digital material. As well as the Mediterranean, the Atlantic will be well represented in the form of the All Atlantic Ocean Sustainable, Profitable and Resilient Aquaculture (ASTRAL) initiative, a collaborative project under the European Union’s Horizon 2020. ASTRAL focuses on integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), and the ASTRAL sessions will include insights into both open water and land-based aquaculture systems. Plenary sessions at AE2022 cover Climate, Circularity and Innovation in successive days, and presentations throughout the conference cover a wide range of topics from nutrition to robotics, and species from sturgeon to sea cucumbers. AE2022 also features a trade show at which international companies in the sector will be represented, and of course there will be a programme of social events to facilitate networking for delegates.

Opposite from top: The Tiberius bridge in Rimini; the Clock tower at Three Martyrs Square This page from top: Rimini marina and seafront; Fish farm in the Mediterranean

Sponsors for AE2022 are Biomar (Gold sponsor), the US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) (Silver sponsor) and Lallemand (Session sponsor). For more information see the EAS website www.aquaeas.org

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PANAFERD-AX - CLIENT CONTENT

Nature’s solution

The natural carotenoids from Panaferd-AX have benefits for RAS farms. By Dominique Corlay

Figure 1

olour is the symbol of salmon and a good pigmentation is considered as a major quality parameter in the industry. Meanwhile, demands from the markets all over the world lean towards more products free of any synthetic additives when possible. Natural pigment sources such as Panaferd®-AX have grown significantly over the past 10 years, becoming the standard in the Scottish salmon industry. Panaferd®-AX is a unique natural source of carotenoids. It contains not only astaxanthin but also other carotenoids (Fig.1). For RAS farming, the use of natural pigment also brings several major benefits. Benefits for image: For consumers, land-based farming may appear full of pipes and complex water filtration system far away from their natural environment and the image of fjords and lochs. Among positive claims for salmon RAS farms to strengthen their image and re-connect to nature, a key element is the use of sustainable feed, free of synthetic additives such as pigment. A majority of consumers state that the appearance of the fillet is important and that they are willing to pay more for organic salmon than conventional salmon if the fillet colour is similar (Olesen et al., 2010). Most premium RAS farms well understand this strategy and benefits. To give a few examples: In Poland, RAS Jurassic Salmon farm feed their salmon with natural pigment, giving an extra value to their ASC-certified salmon, delivered daily to the Polish and German markets (www.lososjurajski.pl). In Switzerland, Swiss Lachs RAS salmon farm is using Panaferd and delivers, to customers all over Europe, fresh whole salmon, fillets, steaks or smoked, with a fantastic natural colour (www.swisslachs.ch ). Swiss

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ANCI Global - PED.indd 74

Figure 1: Carotenoid proﬁle in Panaferd®-AX Figure 2: Tissue astaxanthin content comparison in rainbow trout under normoxia (12 weeks) and hyperoxia (1 week) environments. Source adapted from Kalinowski et al.,2019. Opposite below: Salmon ﬁllet from RAS salmon farm Swiss Lachs

”

Lachs has recently confirmed the expansion of its production capacity to supply a growing demand. Benefits for fish health: in RAS farms, farming conditions might be challenging for fish through high densities and optimal growth conditions year-round. For salmonids, carotenoids have proven numerous effects such as antioxidants and immune health promoters, vitamin A precursors, reproduction and growth enhancers. A 13-week feeding trial (Kalinovski et al., 2019) was carried out with juvenile rainbow trout to test two diets: a control diet without astaxanthin (CTRL diet), and a diet supplemented with 100 mg/ kg of astaxanthin (ASTA diet). During the last week of the feeding trial, fish were exposed to episodic hyperoxia challenge for eight consecutive hours per day. Episodic hyperoxia induced physiological stress responses expressed by a significant increase in plasma cortisol and hepatic

Salmon colour deserves to be natural

08/08/2022 12:11:18

Figure 2 hyperoxia which could be related to the higher antioxidant enzyme activity in this tissue (Fig 2: Adapted from Kalinowski et al.,2019). Another study (Ytrestoyl, et al., 2021) investigates the effect of astaxanthin on performance and gene expression of seawater-adapted Atlantic salmon, fed diets with a low content of marine ingredients (similar to actual feed formulations) for 84 days. Salmon (initial weight around 200 g) were fed two similar diets, except astaxanthin at below 1 and 48 mg/kg, respectively. At the end of the trial period, there was no significant effect of astaxanthin on survival, growth rate and final body

All references available upon request.

Photo: Swiss Lachs

glycogen, with a decrease in plasma glucose levels. In this study, the decrease of plasma glucose and the increase of hepatic glycogen content due to hyperoxia were significantly emphasized with the ASTA diet. Moreover, hyperoxia decreased most of antioxidant enzyme activities in liver, whereas dietary AX supplementation specifically increased glutathione reductase activity, major antioxidant protective enzymes. Furthermore, the increased muscle AX deposition together with higher TBARS levels recorded after the hyperoxia challenge may suggest a high susceptibility of the muscle tissue to oxidative damage. Showing an opposite trend to muscle, liver displayed a lower AX content after episodic

weight. But transcriptome responses in different organs suggested that no dietary astaxanthin has functional consequences in salmon fed low marine diets. In the intestine of salmon without astaxanthin, decreased expression was observed on several immune genes including genes of innate antiviral immunity. In the liver, the effects of astaxanthin deficiency on lipid metabolism and especially on increased mono-, di- and triacyl glyceride were clearly described, similar to fish fed diets deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. The greatest transcriptome changes of astaxanthin deficiency were observed in skeletal muscle with an up-regulation of immune-related genes and multiple genes with well-established association with stress. The transcriptome profile suggested mild inflammation, similar by the gene expression profiles in virus infected tissues. The future of RAS farming is tremendous in many countries. Salmon colour deserves to be natural and Panaferd-AX has a strong, positive claim to add value for farmers and consumers. Furthermore, in the toolbox of functional feeding, carotenoids have confirmed their nutritional benefits at various steps of the production cycle. Dominique CORLAY, Aquaculture Natural Solutions For more information on Panaferd-AX, visit Panaferd.com

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Early starter feeds New commercial products to enhance juvenile quality and improve bottlenecks in larvae production

acific Trading Aquaculture, PTAqua, have from the early days been focusing on supplying specialized diets for the marine hatchery industry. With the introduction of fresh liquid chlorella from Japan to Europe in 2004 the demand of the marine hatchery industry to have a constant, stable supply of live and high-quality rotifer feeds was satisfied. Through this, Mediterranean Bream and Bass producers managed to predictably produce high density, high quality and highly nutritional Rotifers. Since then, the marine hatchery segment has drastically expanded to new species and territories. A recent boom of marine finfish production in Norway, largely related to the production of cleaner fish for the salmon industry and a revival of cod production have increased the demand for even more specialized early stage diets and live feeds.

To expand its portfolio of starter feeds, PTAqua have now partnered up with SPAROS, to introduce a new line of products to European hatcheries. These unique products include WINWrasse, an early stage weaning diet and ENRICO, a premium Rotifer and Artemia enrichment. The unique processes used in the production of both diets include microencapsulation of essential amino acids, most prominently Taurine, to counter its hydrophilic properties. Also, only human grade marine ingredients of highest available standards, such as cod fillets are used in the production to counter palatability issues related to delicate taste preferences of certain species. With these additions, PTAqua expects to further strengthen its position as the leading marine hatchery feed supplier in Europe. Visit PTAqua at the Aquaculture Europe event in Rimini, Italy. Booth 124

Above left: Björn Ronge, CMO PTAqua. Top: João Henriques, CMO Sparos and Charles Cross, hatchery manager, MOWI Anglesey. Above: Ballan Wrasse, MOWI Anglesey

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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

What’s NEW Monthly update on industry innovations and solutions from around the world

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OXIVIA™ N series by Kemin AquaScience™ is an innovative solution for the aquaculture industry, with natural liquid and dry antioxidants. Its unique formulation includes a synergistic blend of natural active ingredients, like specially selected tocopherol and rosemary extract, to offer complete protection against autoxidation. Fishmeal, fish oils and other meals and oils are among the main raw materials in aquafeed. The chances of oil oxidation and rancidity are high. Oxivia™ N 100 delays the oxidative deterioration of active ingredients in oil, helping to preserve aquafeed and prevent it from going rancid. To learn more about Oxivia™ N100, please scan the QR code.

Study examines effects of black soldier fly meal in fish feed

A recent meta-analysis of the effects of black soldier fly meal (BSFM) in fish feed suggests that “high substitution levels had no effect on fish growth”. The analysis concluded that “The issue of total substitution of FM [fish meal] by BSFM is not completely resolved; however, it is conceivable that high levels of substitution could be achieved without necessarily risking a negative impact on fish.” Can Insect Meal Replace Fishmeal? A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Black Soldier Fly on Fish Growth Performances and Nutritional Values (Gougbedji, A. et al) was published in the journal Animals (vol. 12, issue 13).

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ALGAE-IN-A-BOX is the latest innovative product on the market from Ocean on Land Technology, a world-leading developer of proven hatchery and industryspecific aquaculture systems. Algae-in-a-box is an algal production system designed for the aquaculture and shellfish industry. It can be fitted with its own culture lab providing the user with an end-to-end experience. Designed with an “ease of use” and “plug and play” ethos, Algae in-a-box comes fully fitted and ready to run. The units are fitted into a bespoke 20 ft or 40 ft shipping container (box) making it easily transportable, giving users the added benefit of installing them anywhere in the world. www.oceanonland.com

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INDUSTRY DIARY

Industry DIARY The latest aquaculture events, conferences and courses SEPTEMBER 22 LIVESTOCK & AQUACULTURE INNOVATION SUMMIT

www.livestockinnovationsummit.com Devoted to innovation in aquaculture and the common issues this sector faces along with landbased farming.

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AQUACULTURE AMERICA 2023

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New Orleans, Louisiana, USA February 23-26, 2023

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Vienna, Austria September 18-21, 2023

London, United Kingdom September 6-8, 2022

SEAGRICULTURE CONFERENCE seagriculture-usa.com/

Portland ME, USA September 7-8, 2022

APRIL 23 LACQUA23 www.was.org

Panama City, Panama April 18-21, 2023

AQUACULTURE EUROPE 2022

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San Antonio,Texas, USA February 18-21, 2024

MAY 24

www.aquaeas.org The European Aquaculture Society’s annual conference focuses on “Innovative Solutions in a Changing World”.

AQUACULTURE UK 2024

Rimini, Italy September 27-30, 2022

MAY 23 WORLD AQUACULTURE 2023 www.was.org

Darwin, Northern Territories, Australia May 29-June 1, 2023

NOVEMBER 22 WORLD AQUACULTURE 2022 www.was.org

Singapore November 29-December 2, 2022

AUGUST 23 AQUA NOR 2023 www.aquanor.no/en/

Trondheim, Norway August 22-25, 2023

Aviemore will once again be the venue for this biennial trade fair and conference. It is undoubtedly the most important aquaculture exhibition held in the British Isles. The show has a tremendous following and with increased investment for 2024 it promises to reach even further across the broader aquaculture markets in both the UK and Europe.

Aviemore, United Kingdom May 14-15, 2024

JUNE 24 AQUA 2024

www.aquaeas.org - www.was.org

Stavanger, Norway June 24-28, 2024

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OPINION – INSIDE TRACK

This is going to get messy By Nick Joy

fter last month’s tirade, I decided that I had better do some more research to try to back up my view of what is really going on. I was expecting to find a great deal more comfort than I actually found. So many things, including government and Bank of England forecasts, tended to suggest that most of our problems will go away next year. This is what they call a “hockey stick” forecast: a little down and then a long slow rise. It is too often used when no one has a clue. Underlying my curiosity was a feeling that things didn’t really match up with what was being said. For instance, beef prices have been much higher than I would have expected since around the middle of last year. And whilst the fact that farmers have been reducing their herds might suggest a shortage, it didn’t quite seem right. They continue high and are edging slowly higher. If you think salmon farmers are poor at communication, then you will be stunned by the beef industry, which in the UK is dominated by small players who rarely have the leisure to talk to each other, except at the mart. Farmers of all sorts also don’t like to discuss the fact that they have a problem; most will tell you that the industry’s problems are much bigger than on their farm. So information is generally poorly gathered and disseminated. The first thing I found was that Argentina has banned a significant amount of its sales of beef. As the world’s fifth largest supplier this is having an impact on global prices because, like salmon, you can’t just produce more overnight. At the moment I can buy a cow in calf for about £1,200. If I wait for it to calf, once it is fattened, I can sell the cow for £1,800. I still have the calf as additional profit. But surely the most short-sighted can see that if we sell off the breeding base of the national herd, we won’t have any more beef. So having done this, I looked for more countries starting to control food exports. Nearly all of these are doing this because their citizenry are unable to get enough food or they are being priced out of staples. From Indonesia banning palm oil sales to India restricting wheat sales or China stopping rice exports, there are issues at every level all around the world. There is talk of banning sales of food, currently used for animal feed, that could be used for human consumption. Some countries are discussing stopping the use of crops for biodiesel. I would like to say the situation isn’t scary but it really is. The combined effects of environmental policies, like the ones that poor Sri Lanka faced, added to weather issues (crop failures) and the Ukraine war could lead to a truly biblical problem. The area I can’t find enough statistics on is the amount of reserves around the world. I know that one country has suggested that its reserves are way down but I can’t really check if that is true. If reserves are not big enough, farmers know that turning this around won’t take minutes. The comfortable level at which most people have been living has resulted in enormous pressure on

”

I would like to say the situation isn’t scary, but it really is

our farming system to become more sustainable, more welfare-orientated, more everything but productive. To change that takes time, especially as our oil-based fertilisers are so high-priced now (not that I would advocate their use). The soil system is badly damaged by their use already and so their use now would only put off the problem for a short while. The GM (genetic modification) guys will no doubt leap out of the woodwork suggesting that they could save the day – except that I have never seen a crop proposed by them that generates more food from significantly less inputs. So I really hope I am wrong. I truly wish that we could have a stable, profitable food supply, but I fear there is worse to come. If you want a crumb of comfort – from the producer’s point of view – then I foresee food prices rising for some time. However I also see sourcing food ingredients getting tougher. The current trend in food is to avoid red meat and eat more vegetables. My advice to everyone is to try to learn how to eat less, and to farmers, try to produce more. We’re going to need it.

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Fish F armer AQUA NOR SEPTEMBER 2021

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GREEN-ISH? The new deal at Holyrood

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NET BENEFITS Containment solutions

Bright futures Great careers in aquaculture

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U.S. Soy has the lowest carbon footprint when compared with soy of other origins. U.S. Soy farmers are committed to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We are leading the way by producing more while using fewer resources, implementing farming practices that reduce carbon footprint, and helping to preserve forestland. Since 1980, U.S. Soy farmers have: • Increased soy production, using roughly the same amount of land by 130%

• Improved energy use efficiency per bushel by 46%

• Improved water use efficiency per bushel by 60%

• Improved GHG emissions efficiency per bushel by 43%

• Improved land use efficiency per bushel by 48%

• Improved soil conservation per acre by 34%

From 1982–2017, the U.S. increased forest land by 2.1 million hectares and reduced crop land by 21.4 million hectares. But we won’t stop there. U.S. Soy farmers’ ongoing commitment to sustainability enables you to produce food, feed, energy and other products to support a healthy society, even as we preserve the planet for future generations. See how we’re going further for you, your customers and the planet at USSOY.org/solutions.

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