What’s happening in the UK and around the world

NEWS...

RSPCA Assured lifts Loch Spelve suspension

Above: Scottish Sea Farms’ Loch Spelve site. Below: Wounded fi sh (photo: Scottish Salmon Watch)

ANIMAL welfare body RSPCA Assured has lifted its suspension of the Loch Spelve site operated by Scottish Sea Farms, following an investigation of complaints brought by activists.

The site’s RSPCA certifi cation had been suspended following a complaint made to regulators over fi sh welfare by anti-fi sh farming group Scottish Salmon Watch, and the release of a covertly fi lmed video which appeared to show damaged fi sh at the site.

Scottish Salmon Watch has formally brought its allegations to the attention of the Animal & Plant Health Agency, Police Scotland’s Wildlife Crime Unit and the Scottish Government’s Fish Health Inspectorate.

RSPCA Assured said in a statement last night: “We were very concerned by some of the footage and allegations of poor welfare and immediately suspended the farm whilst we urgently investigated.

“Following our detailed investigation, which included a rigorous in-person inspection by a specially-trained RSPCA farm livestock offi cer, we found no evidence to support the allegations made.

“Unfortunately, it’s a reality of farming any animal – and also pet ownership – that from time to time there can be disease outbreaks and other welfare challenges. What’s most important is that the person responsible acts swiftly to address them.

“We are fully satisfi ed that the issues identifi ed in the video were being swiftly and responsibly addressed by the farm at the time, in accordance with the RSPCA’s welfare standards. Therefore, we have today lifted their suspension.”

The statement added: “Any allegations of animal welfare issues, or breaches of the RSPCA Assured membership agreement, are taken very seriously and always thoroughly investigated. But, thankfully, welfare concerns on RSPCA Assured certifi ed farms are extremely rare, and many millions more farm animals are having a better life thanks to the work of the charity.”

Scottish Sea Farms had strongly rejected the accusations, maintaining that the visible wounds showed the harm that predatory seals can infl ict on farmed salmon, with the affected fi sh removed as swiftly as possible and dispatched quickly and humanely.

Commenting on the reinstatement, Scottish Sea Farms Managing Director Jim Gallagher said: “As farmers, we do everything in our power to protect our livestock, including from the threat of natural predators such as seals and sea birds, but no approach or measure is 100% failsafe all of the time.

“Seeing even a small number of our fi sh succumb to a predator attack or ill-health is hugely distressing for all involved but doubly so when it is misrepresented as neglect or abuse.”

AKVA supplies 160m pens for Mowi on Harris

Above: Frank Byrne (L) and Don MacLeod

AKVA group has installed Mowi Scotland’s first 160m pen installation at Loch Seaforth on the Isle of Harris.

In addition to the 10x160m pens, AKVA supplied the sites with two new mooring grids, bird nets and fibreglass poles. AKVA also delivered two HDPE nets in partnership with net maker Tufropes.

Don MacLeod, Mowi Scotland’s Seaforth site manager commented: “The installation of 160 metre pens – the largest pens now used in Scotland – are important as we look to raise salmon at exposed locations that offer excellent growing conditions but also offer increasing weather challenges from storms. The installation of 160 metre net pens and other infrastructure supplied by AKVA group will significantly improve our containment systems and safety.”

Frank Byrne, AKVA group Scotland pens, nets and moorings manager, said: “We worked very closely with Mowi to deliver on time to what was a very tight schedule. This new cage infrastructure will be combined with the existing AKVA barge in service on one of Mowi Scotland’s largest sites.”

Grieg raises book value of its Shetland assets

GrIEG Seafood appears to have added another £15m to the sale price of its Shetland business.

In its Q1 presentation paper in May, the business put the net book value of the division, as at 31 March, as NOK 1,635m. At today’s exchange rates, this would make the price – based on book value – around £140m. A few months ago, a figure of £125m was quoted.

Chief executive Andreas Kvame told shareholders “…the process to divest our business in Shetland is ongoing and is proceeding according to plan.”

So far no contender has come forward, but the CEO’s comments could suggest that talks are taking place. The presentation report also said Grieg expects to conclude a sale “within 2021”, adding there was strong production on mainland Shetland during the first quarter. Harvesting on the Isle of Skye has now ceased.

According to reports from Norway, Grieg took a big hit on the Oslo Stock Exchange with analysts predicting the company will need the proceeds from a Shetland sale to strengthen its financial situation.

Above: Grieg Seafood’s Shetland farm

Loch Duart launches new ‘person overboard’ alert system

Above: David McKeown, Safety Manager

SCOTTISH salmon farmer Loch Duart has introduced a new “person overboard” (POB) system, which it says will provide greater safety for all its team who work at sea.

The system, which leads the way in the aquaculture sector, is an industry first for the independently owned business which has sea sites off the coast of Sutherland and the Outer Hebrides. Once activated on contact with water, the new POB system sends a distress signal to alert all radios, boats and landing craft in the vicinity that the person is overboard. Loch Duart’s Health and Safety manager David McKeown (pictured) worked with engineering firm Watt Marine Ltd. to develop the system. He also consulted with the Marine Coast Guard Agency who approved the new system.

While safety measures for the team already meet regulatory requirements, this new, robust system, unique to Loch Duart, means that the company is now going above and beyond current standards for team safety, the company says. The new person overboard system, developed and adopted by Loch Duart, means that all Loch Duart staff working at sea will be fitted with a personal location device.

If a person goes overboard by accident or due to weather conditions, the device is automatically activated when the life jacket is deployed - all life jackets automatically deploy when in salt sea water.

Within 15 seconds of activation the system sends out a distress signal and alerts all radios, boats and landing craft in the vicinity that the person is overboard.

Within 45 seconds the personal location device sets off an audible alarm on the farm. Within one minute the personal location device sends a further distress signal to the Coastguard and other vessels within the area. David McKeown said: “Our people are the most important pillar of Loch Duart’s success, and we are always looking at ways to further improve their safety. We worked closely with Watt Marine Ltd to push the standards higher and improve safety at sea beyond the industry norm. Loch Duart is now, arguably, ahead of everyone else in the sector regarding safety at sea.” Struan Eaglesham, Director of Watt Marine Ltd. who helped develop the system, added: “Watt Marine Ltd has supplied, installed and serviced marine electronics systems to Loch Duart for many years. With no off-the-shelf solution available, we designed, developed, tested and implemented the new system to further improve workforce safety. Working with Echomaster Marine Ltd we then developed and implemented the man overboard system, which utilises Personal Flotation Devices, VHF radios and Automatic Identification System systems.“

Kerrie Forster, Chief Executive Officer of The Work Boat Association, said: “Loch Duart has made big strides to better protect the welfare of those working on Loch Duart sites. Thanks to the open sharing of the project’s outcomes at industry safety groups, such as the Workboat Association Safety Forum and the Aquaculture Safety Group, they have championed change across the whole sector. Well done to all the team involved.”

Mowi Scotland doubles first quarter harvest volumes

Above: Ivan Vindheim SALMON farming giant Mowi has announced global record high volumes for the fi rst quarter of 2021, with Scotland’s improved biological performance leading to a doubling of production and a big increase in operating profi t.

Worldwide, Mowi harvested 125,000 tonnes of salmon and sold 62,000 tonnes of value added products while reducing farming costs by 9% at the same time – all in a period still impacted by coronavirus lockdown measures.

But the quarter also saw a welcome increase in salmon prices. CEO Ivan Vindheim said: “Although extensive lockdown measures are still in place, out-of-home consumption has started to improve in some markets compared with the previous quarter.

“Demand in retail has continued to be very good, something Mowi has yet again capitalised on through our integrated value chain.”

Vindheim also believes demand for salmon is on its way back to full recovery.

The turnaround in Scotland, which has had problems in recent years, must be highly encouraging for the company. Harvest volumes increased from just over 9,000 tonnes in Q1 last year to 18,273 tonnes this year.

The operational EBIT for Scotland was €26.6m (£22.9m) against €5.7m (£4.91m) in 2019, while the accounting EBIT was €40.2m (£34.6m) against a loss of €18.2m (£15.7m) last year. The operational EBIT per kg more than doubled from €0.63 to €1.46 (£0.54 to £1.26).

Mowi said Scotland achieved all-time high harvest volumes for a fi rst quarter following improved biological performance plus improved earnings on lower cost and increased volumes.

Despite lower market prices in the quarter, price achievement was good and impacted by strong spot performance and positive contract contributions.

Globally, Mowi achieved an operational EBIT of €109m, the same as the corresponding quarter in 2020. The company reported operational revenues of €1,022m (€885m in 2019 million). Full-year harvest guidance for 2021 is unchanged at 445,000 tonnes.

The Mowi board has decided to pay out NOK 0.77 per share in ordinary dividends in the second quarter of 2021, equivalent to 50% of the company’s underlying earnings per share in the fi rst quarter of 2021.

UK prawn farmer goes into administration

GREAT British Prawns, the UK’s fi rst producer of sustainable land based and clean water prawns, has gone into administration.

The pioneering company has blamed a fall in demand caused by the closure of restaurants during the long coronavirus lockdowns. Around 18 jobs at the company will be lost.

It opened two years ago in the Scottish village of Balfron in Stirlingshire with a plan to harvest up to a million Litopenaeus vannamei (Pacifi c whiteleg shrimp) prawns in the fi rst few months of operation. Great British Prawns was also a leader in its fi eld, using aquaculture technology and sustainable energy to produce warm water king prawns in clear and clean water. Up to that point king prawns came mainly from Asia and Central America.

The business suffered an initial setback in 2019 when many of its fi rst batch of imported juveniles turned out to be infected with the shrimp virus IHHNV (infections hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus), and had to be destroyed.

Then, within a year of starting up its main markets, in hospitality, were closed down by the Covid-19 pandemic. The company tried to fi nd alternative outlets such as home deliveries, but this could not make up for the loss of the restaurant trade and was clearly not enough to save the business.

Co-founder Dougie Allen said at the time that the company intended to be a leader in a more intelligent approach to growing food.

The joint administrator Graeme Bain, from Johnston Carmichael, said: “Unfortunately the business had already ceased to trade prior to the appointment of administrators, and the majority of employees had been placed on furlough. Regrettably, with no ongoing trade, all 18 jobs at the business have been lost. With the vast majority of demand for the company’s product coming from the hospitality industry, Covid restrictions undoubtedly had a signifi cant impact on the business.

He added: “The administrators are currently looking to realise value from the company’s assets.”

Food distributor invests in Loch Long Salmon

LOCH Long Salmon has attracted another investor for its project to construct a semi-closed fi sh farm at Beinn Reithe on the west coast of Scotland.

Golden Acre, a food distribution company with operations in Glasgow and Surrey, has agreed to invest an undisclosed sum. Golden Acre said its aim was to fi nd sustainable, low-impact food production opportunities.

Loch Long Salmon’s proposed Fiizk semi-closed farming systems are intended to protect the fi sh from sea lice – since they will draw lice – since they will draw water from lower, licewater from lower, licefree depths – and they free depths – and they will also have the capacity to capture salmon waste, which can then be used as a fertiliser or in green energy production.

Stewart Hawthorn, a founding partner of Loch Long Salmon, said: “Right now salmon waste is lost from the open nets and is dispersed into the environment. We want to capture as much of this as possible and turn it into a resource. We can capture more than 85% of this waste by adapting the currently available technologies.”

Neale Powell-Cook, owner of Golden Acre said: “We want to contribute to improving the environmental performance of the UK food sector. We really appreciate Loch Long Salmon’s genuine commitment to sustainable salmon farming in Scotland and are anticipating a strong market demand for these special fi sh. We have been convinced by the expertise brought to this project by the Loch Long Salmon team.”

Christoph Harwood, Director of Loch Long Salmon, said: “Our goal with Loch Long Salmon is to establish a new salmon farming company that addresses concerns about sea lice and organic waste accumulation. Semi-closed farming systems deliver this and support rural development in Scotland. We are delighted that Neale Powell-Cook and the team at Golden Acre have joined us to ensure that this goal becomes a reality.”

The next step for the Beinn Reithe site development process is to apply for planning permission and a SEPA CAR licence. Loch Long Salmon expects to have full planning permission by the end of 2021. Site construction will commence in 2022 and fi rst stocking is planned for early in 2023.

Accident probe finds safety failings at Mowi

A MARINE Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report into the death of a Mowi Scotland assistant manager last year has highlighted a number of serious failings in work practices.

The victim, Clive Hendry, drowned after falling into the water from a feed barge access ladder during a boat transfer on the afternoon of 18 February 2020.

He was attempting to climb onto the barge from the workboat Beinn Na Caillich and fell into the water after being crushed between the boat and the barge.

The MAIB said a fi sh farm technician attempted to stop the assistant manager from entering the water by holding onto the back of his personal fl otation device and oilskin jacket, but the severely injured casualty slipped out of them.

The report found: “The investigation concluded that the conduct of the boat transfer had not been properly planned or briefed and was not adequately controlled.

“A risk assessment for the transfer of personnel to and from the fi sh farm installations had not been carried out and a documented safe system of work had not been produced.

“Recommendations have been made to the vessel and fi sh farm owner, Mowi (Scotland) Ltd, to apply The Workboat Code Edition 2 to its fl eet and implement a safety management system that complies with the principles of the International Safety Management Code.”

The investigation concluded that the conduct of the boat transfer had not been properly planned or briefed and was not adequately supervised or controlled and the MAIB has highlighted the following failings: the transfer of personnel by workboat had not been properly risk assessed, and safe systems of work had not been put in place  the crew on board Beinn

Na Caillich were not fully prepared to deal with the emergency situation. They had not conducted regular

‘manoverboard recovery drills’ and were not familiar with the vessel’s recovery equipment  the workboat and fi sh farm owner of Beinn Na Caillich did not have an effective marine safety management system and lacked staff with the experience to oversee its marine operations. A Mowi spokesperson told Fish Farmer Magazine: “Clive had been a truly valued member of our team for 12 years and we all continue to be deeply affected by his death.

“Our sympathies go to Clive’s family, friends and colleagues. As detailed in the report, preventative actions were immediately implemented and we are now reviewing the learnings from this report that include two recommendations made by the MAIB.”

Above: The workboat Beinn Na Caillich

Effective ship loaders and ship unloaders

– low impact on feed and environment.

Ship loader solutions from FM Bulk Handling – Fjordvejs are built to last and tailor-made for each ship or land-based installation. When fitted to a ship, our ship unloader provides equally effective and low-impact distribution of feed into silos on the water at the individual farms.

Specialising and solving problems for over six decades

Fabriksvej 14, V. Lyby DK-7800 Skive +45 97 58 42 00

post@fmbulk.com

AquaGen led team in salmon health breakthrough

LED by AquaGen Scotland, a team of international aquaculture researchers has made a significant breakthrough with the identification of two new genetic markers that indicate greater resistance to a bacterial infection in Atlantic salmon.

The project is backed by the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) and headed by AquaGen Scotland, with partners from the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, DawnFresh Farming, and Cooke Aquaculture Scotland.

The consortium has been exploring the genetics that determine whether fish are resistant to Flavobacterium psychrophilum – a bacteria which can lead to health issues in salmon fry.

The scientific milestone is expected to pave the way for selective breeding programmes, which could boost the health and welfare of farmed Scottish salmon by breeding new fish from parents that possess the genetic resistance markers and are, therefore, expected to display increased resistance to the bacteria.

Flavobacteriosis – the disease caused by the bacteria – can be a particular threat to smaller, juvenile fish and is a widespread challenge for the aquaculture sector, with infections also reported in Chile, Norway and Canada. However, current prevention and treatment programmes are limited – vaccination by injection cannot be used due to the size of the fish and, as the sector continues to move away from antibiotic treatments, a genetic breakthrough could hold the key. To identify the two genetic markers, more than 4,000 fish from AquaGen were tested for more than 70,000 genetic markers using a specially designed lab-based model, which mimics the natural infection route. The next stage of the research programme is to conduct field trials at one of Cooke Aquaculture’s sites using salmon eggs specifically selected by AquaGen. It is hoped that in the event of a natural outbreak of the bacterial disease being detected, these fish can be tested to validate the effect of the genetic markers.

Dr Rowena Hoare, research fellow at the Institute of Aquaculture, said: “Flavobacteriosis is known to be problematic for salmonid culture in freshwater globally for decades. This project has shown how fruitful it can be to combine the expertise of academic and industry researchers to address a complex and economically important disease.”

Cadman brings in two aquaculture specialists

PRIVATE equity firm Cadman Capital Group has announced two appointments for its aquaculture portfolio. Forrest Petersen joins the Orkney Shellfish Hatchery team as Oyster Hatchery Consultant, while Cristian Cox joins Ocean On Land Technology in the specialist role of Recirculation Aquaculture Systems Designer & Engineer.

Cadman owns Orkney Shellfish Hatchery, Ocean On Land Technology® and Caribbean Sustainable Fisheries, the latter based in the British Virgin Islands.

Forrest Petersen is a shellfish hatchery specialist with more than 14 years of experience in the operation and management of shellfish farms and hatcheries around the world, including managing the University of Hawaii’s bivalve oyster hatchery. He has also worked on a number of private projects, most recently at Hawaiian Shellfish. In his role as Oyster Hatchery Consultant, he will be responsible for scaling up the bio-secure production facility at Orkney Shellfish Hatchery, as it looks to move to commercial production of European native oyster spat.

Cristian Cox is an aquaculture engineer with more than 24 years of international experience. He has worked in aquaculture facilities in a range of countries. As Recirculation Aquaculture Systems Designer & Engineer, he will focus on enhancing and optimising Ocean On Land Technology’s existing product range, including its flagship Aquahive® product.

Scottish salmon exports to Europe up 74% on 2020

DESPITE the headwinds of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, Scotland’s salmon exports to European Union countries in the first quarter of this year were up by 74%, by volume, compared with the same period last year.

Figures compiled by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) from information supplied by all of Scotland’s salmon producers reveal that 19,410 tonnes of Scottish salmon, worth more than £100m, were exported to the EU in Q1 of this year. That is an increase of more than 8,200 tonnes on Q1 in 2020, and a record total for Q1 in any year.

The level of prices in 2021 means, however, the value of exports did not increase by the same rate.

Exports to the EU now account for 69% of global sales for Scotland’s salmon producers, by volume, compared with 56% in 2019.

SSPO Chief Executive Tavish Scott said: “This is a great result for the Scottish salmon farmers and the Scottish economy. As the country and companies start to bounce back from the huge problems presented by Covid these figures show the worth of the salmon sector as an economic driver for Scotland, aiding the country’s renewal through job creation and tax revenues.

“Salmon farmers remain vulnerable to the problems caused by Brexit. Export volumes to the EU may well be up for the first quarter of the year but increased delays in getting products to our EU markets have kept values low.

“The SSPO will continue to work with the UK and Scottish governments to find ways to streamline red tape and ensure our members can offer their customers the certainty of getting fresh, nutritious fish to EU markets on time.”

Scott said that additional bureaucracy, paperwork, delays and confusion arising from Brexit have left salmon farmers incurring costs of at least £11m million, but added that he remains confident that 2021 will be a strong year for the sector.

The SSPO estimates that salmon producers in Scotland are spending an additional £200,000 a month on extra paperwork because of Brexit, while each seafood load is taking around two more hours to process, since the end of the Brexit transition period.

Mairi Gougeon takes on Rural Affairs role

SCOTLAND has a new Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, following First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s post-election reshuffle. Mairi Gougeon takes on the brief, which includes responsibility for aquaculture, succeeding long-serving Secretary Fergus Ewing, who is stepping down from the Cabinet.

Mairi Gougeon is MSP for Angus North and Mearns. She has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 2016 and was appointed as Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment in 2018, before being promoted to Minister for Public Health and Sport in 2020. Her new post includes responsibility for agriculture, food and drink policy, fisheries and aquaculture as well as cross-government coordination of policies for island communities. She is the only junior minister promoted to the Cabinet in the latest reshuffle.

Fergus Ewing had served as Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy from 2016, having held junior ministerial posts from 2007 onwards.

Nicola Sturgeon said: “He has brought diligence and endeavour to all of the jobs he has held. In particular, he has worked tirelessly with and on behalf of Scotland’s rural sector over the past five years since the Brexit vote, fighting their corner at every turn. Fergus has been a champion for Scotland’s farmers and crofters during one of the most difficult, challenging and uncertain periods our agricultural sector has ever faced, and he has the gratitude of many in the industry for his efforts to protect their interests.”

Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation also paid tribute to Fergus Ewing. He said: “The fish farming sector has had a productive, thoughtful and positive relationship with Fergus over five years. We greatly valued his can-do attitude and will miss his drive and enthusiasm. Our entire sector wishes Fergus best wishes for the future.”

Scott also welcomed the appointment of Mairi Gougeon, saying: “The Scottish Government has been hugely supportive of fish farming in our commitments to be net zero in greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and to lead the Covid-19 recovery as Scotland’s largest food export. We are delighted that Ms Gougeon has been appointed to the Cabinet with responsibility for aquaculture and rural issues and the Islands.

“I will be asking for an early meeting with Ms Gougeon so we can start work on the SNP’s welcome manifesto commitment to regulatory reform and the myriad of other pressing issues affecting our members.

“It is particularly important that this manifesto commitment is in the 100 days plan that the First Minister has already announced and I look forward to working with our new Cabinet Secretary on that important change agenda.”

James Withers, used Twitter to welcome Mairi Gougeon’s appointment, saying: “A warm welcome to @MairiGougeon as the new Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs & Islands (and food and drink!). Well known across the sector from her time as Minister. Will be great Above: Mairi Gougeon

to have that knowledge back as farming, fishing, food & drink takes the next big steps forward.”

He also said of Fergus Ewing: “He has been a passionate advocate of farming, fishing, food, drink and tourism. No more so than during the last year and recent months, helping us to drive forward an industry recovery plan.”

Netwax E4 Greenline

Netwax E4 Greenline offers excellent protection against fouling on pen nets

► Powerful waterbased antifouling that offers excellent protection against fouling ► Protects against UV radiation ► Keeps nets soft and pliable ► Controlled leaking of the active ingredient, which is approved by Ecocert (Institute for Marketechology) and listed by OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute)

Slalåmveien 1, NO-1410 Kolbotn, Norway Ph.: +47 66 80 82 15 - post@netkem.no

NEWS...

UK and Norway agree free trade deal

NORWAY and the United Kingdom have fi nally reached agreement on a free trade deal which will provide improved access for seafood.

The deal, confi rmed by Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, entails a continuation of all previous tariff preferences for seafood, including farmed salmon, and improved market access for whitefi sh, shrimp and several other products.

Fisheries and Seafood Minister Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen said the UK was the country’s third largest market in volume terms for seafood, and the fi fth largest in value worth NOK 6.2bn a year.

Norway’s main seafood exports to Britain include cod, salmon, haddock, saithe and shrimp.

He added: “The agreement contributes to increased predictability for trade in seafood to one of our most important export markets. The agreement ensures the continuation of all tariff preferences for seafood that Norway had while the United Kingdom was a member of the EU. In addition, important improvements have been achieved.

“Our goal has been to get the best possible terms for trade with the UK. The agreement means that effective border control is planned to ensure that goods do not deteriorate at the border and that they enter the market quickly. This is especially important for the seafood industry,” said the Minister.

For exports in excess of the duty-free quota reached for this year, the duty will be reduced from 7.5% to 5%. For exports in excess of the duty-free quota of 1,560 tonnes in 2022, the duty rate has been further reduced to 2.5%. Zero duty applies from 1 January 2022.

The talks have been taking place since last summer and there were fears at one time that an agreement might not be reached. The main stumbling blocks concerned the export of agricultural goods such as cheese and meat to Norway which brought strong opposition from Norwegian farmers. Norwegian fi shermen were also concerned about some aspects around seafood exports.

A similar free trade deal has also been reached between the UK and Iceland, another key seafood supplier to the UK although it mainly involves whitefi sh at this stage. The move should benefi t fi sh markets such as Grimsby. Liechtenstein has also agreed a free trade deal with the UK today.

The UK’s international trade secretary, Liz Truss, said the deal will be “a major boost for our trade with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, growing an economic relationship already worth £21.6bn, while supporting jobs and prosperity in all four nations at home”.

As the Norwegian Government pointed out, however, the UK’s trade settlement with the three jurisdictions concerned does not fully replicate the freedom of movement for goods and services which existed as part of the UK’s relationship with the European Economic Area, prior to Brexit.

NTS earnings hit new high

NTS AS, the integrated Norwegian aquaculture group, came close to doubling its income during the fi rst part of this year.

Unveiling its 2021 fi rst quarter results, operating revenues totalled NOK 636m (£55m), up from NOK 343m (£29.8m) 12 months ago – a rise of 85%.

NTS said the higher revenues were the result of the merger with Frøy ASA, the provider of wellboats and other vessels, along with a wide range of key salmon farming supply services.

In addition, revenues from Farming Norway increased due to signifi cantly higher harvest volumes. A total of 5,686 tonnes of gutted fi sh were harvested in the fi rst quarter, compared with 3,098 tonnes in the corresponding period last year.

The wellboat, service boat and freighter business areas are grouped in Frøy ASA, which was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange at the end of March this year. NTS ASA owns 74.2% of the shares in Frøy which operates a fl eet of 14 vessels and, almost quadrupled its sales from NOK 92m (£8m) in Q1 2020 to NOK 356m (£31m) this year.

The NTS group operating profi t or EBIT for Q1 came out at NOK 67m (£5.8m) while pre-tax profi ts were NOK 47m (£4m), up by NOK 9m on a year ago.

January’s cyber attack cost AKVA £4m Aquanor will go ahead, organisers say

THE cyber attack which hit the AKVA group at the beginning of this year has cost the business more than £4m or NOK 49.7m.

The fi gure is disclosed in the global aquaculture services company’s 2021 fi rst quarter fi gures.

The attack took place on 10 January, seriously disrupting a number of AKVA’s systems for a time, mainly connected to cage-based technology. It is believed the attackers were looking to extract a ransom from the company.

The group delivered revenues of NOK 719m (£62m) against NOK 752m (£65m) for the same period last year, a decline of 4%. It is paying a dividend of one krone per share.

AKVA’s EBITDA (less the oneoff cost of the cyber attack) fell from NOK 86m (£7m) in Q1 2020 to NOK 83m this year.

The fi nancial profi le remains strong, AKVA said, and the group is fully fi nanced to execute on the organic growth strategy.

Cage-based technology (CBT) revenues in Q1 totalled NOK 590m (£51m) against NOK 657m (£57m) last year, while the EBITDA and EBIT (excluding cyberattack costs) for the segment ended at NOK 69m and NOK 29m respectively. The related EBITDA (and EBIT) margins were 11.7% (12.3%) and 4.9% (5.8%), respectively. The CBT order intake was NOK 569m against NOK 686m in Q1 2020.

Land-based technology (LBT) revenues rose from NOK 79m (£6.8m) to NOK 115m (£10m) while the EBITDA and EBIT (excluding cyber-attack costs) for this sector ended higher at NOK 9m and NOK 7m respectively. The related EBITDA and EBIT margins were 8.2% (3.7%) and 5.9% (-0.1%). The LBT order intake was also up – from NOK 10m to NOK 69m.

FOLLOWING the Norwegian government’s latest guidance on Covid-19 regulations, Aquanor 2021 will go ahead in August, the organisers have confirmed.

Aquanor, one of the biggest trade shows for the aquaculture industry, will be held this year as a “hybrid” event, with inperson presentations and stands, accompanied by a digital platform for those who cannot attend. The event is scheduled to take place in Trondheim, Norway over 24-27 August.

The event is organised by the Nor-Fishing Foundation. Announcing the latest news, the organisers said: “The board of the Nor-Fishing Foundation has decided that Aqua Nor 2021 will be carried out as planned in August. That means we will be meeting in Trondheim – as well as digitally.

“It is with great joy we announce that we can finally meet in Trondheim once again. The exhibition will be planned and executed in accordance with all infection control rules and guidelines to keep all participants safe.”

For UK industry representatives, Norway is currently an “amber list” country – which means that travellers would have to quarantine for 10 days on their return to the UK – and the UK is on Norway’s “red list”, which means that travellers from the UK other than EU/EEA citizens or those resident in Norway are generally not permitted to enter the country.

Aqua-Life Aqua-Life Aqua-Life

PRODUCTS

NTS wins bidding war for SalmoNor

SEAFOOD giant NTS ASA has beaten rivals Mowi and SalMar in the contest to acquire Norwegian salmon farming business SalmoNor AS. NTS plans to merge SalmoNor with its wholly owned fish farming subsidiary, Midt-Norsk Havbruk (MNH).

The deal brings together two of the earliest pioneers in Norway’s aquaculture sector. Both SalmoNor and MNH can trace their origins back to two of the earliest fish farming licence holders, 50 years ago, on Norway’s Namdal coast. The merged Above Vibecke Bondø business will have an annual chased from existing shareholders. production of 37,000 tonnes and employ 120 The merger agreement entered into must people. It will trade as SalmoNor, so it appears be approved by the Norwegian Competition that the deal will mean the end of the MNH Authority and NTS says it is expected that the brand. transaction can be completed by the end of the

The transaction, announced today, follows a third quarter of 2021. competitive bidding process in which SalMar Like MNH, SalmoNor is a fully integrated and Mowi also took part. The deal values Sal- salmon farmer, with control of the entire moNor at almost NOK three billion (£255m) value chain from hatchery to slaughterhouse. after payment of NOK 380 million (£33m) in SalmoNor also has its own exhibition license dividends to the shareholders in SalmoNor in Nærøysund in collaboration with the Norbefore the merger. NOK 100 million of the wegian Coastal Museum in Rørvik. SalmoNor consideration is conditional on the achievement and MNH together own approximately 74% of of some predetermined milestones. the shares in one of Norway’s most modern

The shareholders in SalmoNor receive 20 slaughterhouses, SalmoSea AS, on Flerengstranper cent of the settlement in cash, consisting da. of NOK 495 million in fixed remuneration and SalmoNor’s general manager Vibecke Bondø NOK 100 million in additional remuneration. said: “The merger of two strong and compeThe shareholding (remaining 80 per cent) tent aquaculture companies such as SalmoNor corresponds to 26.44 million shares in NTS at a and MNH will be a good industrial solution price of NOK 90. The consideration shares will that triggers significant synergies. The merged consist of a combination of own shares in NTS, company will build on the employees who new shares issued by NTS and shares repur- are in the company today, and contribute to a further development of competence and jobs. For us, this is about facilitating further sustainable growth and new jobs on the coast. We also want in the future to be a clear social actor that contributes to building viable local communities.” NTS CEO Harry Bøe also commented: “This strengthens NTS’s position as a central Norwegian aquaculture group. The merged company will be a significant player and employer in Nærøysund municipality, and gives new impetus to healthy and sustainable aquaculture growth.”

Salmonor is based in Rørvik in Trondelag, in south central Norway, where it employs more than 50 people and generates some £50m in sales from 14,000 tonnes of salmon.

The company has seven food fish permits, one display permit, two R&D permits and its own hatchery.

It says it has always had a strong focus on the environment and environmentally friendly operations, believing “that a good environment for fish will also provide healthy food, secure jobs and profitable operations.”

Working with the local museum, the site is also popular with tourists as home to a viewing centre which tells the story of the aquaculture industry.

Operations include quality salmon production at five locations which it claims to be among the best in the country. Its hatchery and ancillary smolt production activities make itself sufficient in smolt. It also conducts preventive fish health work in collaboration with a veterinarian.

Salmon Evolution ‘uniquely positioned’ for RAS

LAND-based aquaculture business Salmon Evolution is continuing to burn money, its Q1 financial results for 2021 show, but the company says it is on track to produce around 25,000 tonnes per year by 2024.

Salmon Evolution has one production site under construction at Indre Harøy in Norway and a joint venture, “K Smart”, with Dongwon Industries for a 16,800 tonnes production facility in South Korea. Construction on this is due to start in 2022, with first grow-out production targeted in 2024.

Ahead of any commercial revenue, the company has reported negative EBITDA of NOK 6,721,000 and a pre-tax loss of NOK 5,581,000. Following a successful share issue in March via private placement, which raised NOK 500m, the company reports that it had available cash of NOK 1,015 million as at 31 March 2021. It has since signed a committed term sheet for a NOK 625 million bank debt financing package with Nordea, Sparebanken Vest and GIEK on “very competitive terms”, securing a fully funded platform for Indre Harøy Phase 1 and equity commitment for K Smart.

Salmon Evolution is planning a public share listing on the Oslo main stock exchange in the third quarter of this year.

CEO Håkon André Berg said: “The joint venture with Dongwon Industries represents a massive opportunity for Salmon Evolution to leverage its human capital and build on the experiences from Indre Harøy as well as securing the company a very tangible pipeline for the coming years.”

Its report states: “With funding in place and projects well under way, Salmon Evolution is uniquely positioned to take a global frontrunner position in the future development of land-based salmon farming.”

NORWEGIAN cod farmer Norcod has secured certification under the Global GAP Aquaculture Standard, one of the world’s leading food safety benchmarks.

Norcod is the first cod farmer to achieve the GAP standard. The company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Hilde Storhaug, said: “We are very pleased and proud to be the first within our industry to obtain this certification. It demonstrates the clear operational focus we’ve had from the outset on sustainability, and that Norcod is a responsible player in the aquaculture industry.”

The standard covers the entire production chain from broodstock, seedlings and feed suppliers to farming, harvesting and processing, setting out detailed requirements for legal compliance, employees’ occupational health and safety, animal welfare, food safety and environmental and ecological care.

Norcod is now in the process of applying for compliance with the Aquaculture Stewardship Council standard.

Grieg Seafood reports financial loss for Q1

GRIEG Seafood said lower market prices negatively impacted on earnings to the tune of NOK 141m (£12m). Q1 Revenues fell by 43% to NOK 660m (£57m). The company’s Shetland arm is now classed as “discontinued operations” and is not included in the first quarter results which show an EBIT or operational loss of NOK 16m (£1.4m), compared with a profit of NOK 216m (£19m) in Q1 2020. Oversupply of downgrad-

Above: Andreas Kvame ed salmon due to winter

ulcers also affected margins in Norway, but there was good biological performance in Rogaland (Norway) and in British Columbia.

Harvest volumes during the quarter dropped from 16,315 tonnes in 2020 to 13,583 tonnes this year.

Commenting on the group’s performance, CEO Andreas Kvame, said: “The first quarter turned out largely as expected. Covid-19 continued to characterise our markets, impacting price achievement. Equally, our employees and supply chains continued to show resilience and flexibility, keeping the wheels turning on a steady pace.

“Our plan stays firm; we will improve profitability, streamline the organisation, and secure financial capacity.” LINN.eu

THE LATEST GENERATION OF OXYGEN ENRICHMENT Proven a thousand times over!

Oxygen enrichment system LOXY®

0,25 / 0,37 or 0,55 kW

• trend-setting technology • safe + maintenance-free • super price-performance ratio • light + compact • very effective • completely mounted

Linn Gerätebau GmbH An der Sauerlandkaserne 1 Gewerbegebiet Sauerlandkaserne D-57368 Lennestadt-Oedingen Telefon: +49 (0)2725 22021-0 info@linn.eu0 www.linn.eu

• Fish Cage Nets – Nylon & HDPE • Predator Solutions • Net Service Plant • Treatment Tarpaulins • Lice Skirts • Supplier of LiFT-UP • Wrasse Hides

Norway takes action over IHN fears

FISH farms in Norway have been put on alert over the possible spread of a serious new viral disease.

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute says that Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis (IHN) has been detected in Denmark and Finland and there is reason to fear that it could spread to Norway via imports of roe, live fish and fresh products of rainbow trout and other susceptible species.

It warns: “The introduction of IHN to Norway will have serious consequences for fish health and the Norwegian aquaculture industry.”

So far, IHN has never spread across the border. With Norwegian salmon farms hit by increasing Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) outbreaks this year, it is something the industry could well do without.

The virus that causes IHN has recently been detected in rainbow trout in two fish farms in Jutland, Denmark. This year, fish showing signs of IHN in Denmark have been exported to a number of European countries including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland.

The Veterinary Institute said: “The receiving facilities are now being followed up with testing and infection tracing, and so far confirmed infection of rainbow trout has been exported to Åland in Finland. Here, signs of disease were detected compatible with IHN. Several Danish fishing facilities are also under investigation for IHN. The situation must therefore be described as confusing and serious.”

Åse Helen Garseth, fish health expert at the Institute, added: “There is reason to fear that the disease may also be introduced to Norway via imports of roe, live fish and fresh products of rainbow trout and other susceptible species. It is therefore particularly important that importers are aware of this risk and show caution, among other things through tracing their origin.” It could also spread through sports fishing activities, so the Institute is advising that all fishing equipment should be disinfected before moving from one site to another. IHN is a serious disease caused by the infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus It affects salmonids such as rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon, char and Pacific salmon, but a large number of other fish species are also susceptible, but it cannot affect humans. The most important signs of IHNV infection are protruding eyes and fluid in the abdominal cavity due to problems with fluid balance and blood circulation. Internal signs may be minor bleeding in organs and swollen kidney. It is usually small fish that get sick, while larger fish can be carriers of the virus without showing signs of disease. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority said if there is the slightest suspicion of IHN it must be notified immediately and care taken to prevent further spread of infection.

NRS faces fresh ISA threat

NORWAY Royal Salmon faces the prospect of being hit by Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) for the second time, as the number of suspected cases continues to mount.

The company, through its NRS Farming operation, has reported a possible outbreak at sea site 16055 known as Kråkeberget in Troms and Finnmark county.

Just ten days ago a case was confirmed at Korsnes, another NRS site, also in the Troms and Finnmark region.

Following this latest report NRS Farming has notified the Norwegian Food Safety Authority Tuesday this week of findings compatible with ISA at the Kråkeberget site.

As with most incidents of this type, the suspicion is based on positive analysis results (PCR) on samples analysed for ISA after sampling of fish at the site, it is stated in a report from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

An inspection of the facility is planned soon and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will take follow-up samples so that the Veterinary Institute can confirm whether the disease is ISA.

The farm contains more than a million salmon with an average weight of around 2.6 kilos and it is possible that NRS may have to cull the entire farm, which would prove hugely costly.

As is often stated, ISA presents no threat to humans, but it is taking a high financial toll on those companies unfortunate enough to be affected. The Norwegian fish health related authorities have yet to find a solution to this growing problem where suspected cases are appearing on an almost weekly basis. Meanwhile, following tests, another suspected case was reported on 27 May at sea site 30559 in Austrheim municipality in Vestland county which is run by the farming company Kobbevik and Furuholmen oppdrett AS.

SalMar performs well in Q1

SCOTTISH Sea Farms generated higher revenues and turned loss into profit for the Norwegian salmon giant SalMar during the first quarter of this year, figures show today.

SalMar, which announced outstanding group-wide Q1 results, shares ownership of Scottish Sea Farms (which it calls Norskott Havbruk) with Lerøy Seafood.

It previously told Fish Farmer magazine (see report, May 2021 issue) that it plans to expand its operation in Scotland and Shetland, with details expected later in the year.

SalMar said Scottish Sea Farms generated gross operating revenues of NOK 396m (£34.5m) during the first three months of this year, compared with NOK 264m (£23m) in Q1 2019. It said: “The increase is attributable to a larger volume harvested. Norskott Havbruk harvested around 5,900 tonnes of salmon in the quarter, up from 2,900 tonnes in the first quarter last year. “

The EBIT per kg (gutted weight) came to NOK 12.39 in the first quarter 2021, compared with NOK 14.36 per kg in Q1 2019. The decrease is attributed to lower salmon prices, partly offset by lower costs at harvest. The contract rate for the quarter came to 50%. SalMar’s share of Scottish Sea Farms’ pretax profit came to NOK 116m (£10m), against a pre-tax loss of NOK 38m (£3.3m) in Q1 2020. The report said the standing biomass status was good with low sea lice levels in all regions. Norskott Havbruk expects to harvest 36,000 tonnes of salmon in 2021.

SalMar’s principal fish farming activities are in Norway and on a group level it delivered an operational EBIT of NOK 627m (£55m) and an EBIT per kg of NOK 17.02. The group expects to harvest 163,000 tonnes in Norway and 14,000 tonnes in Iceland (Icelandic Salmon) this year.

At the start of 2021, the company secured NOK 7.5bn in green financing, which will be used to finance continued sustainable growth.

CEO Gustav Witzøe, said: “Towards the end of the first quarter, the price of salmon rose steadily compared with the levels seen in the autumn of 2020 and at the start of this year. Together with a strong operational performance from our employers along the entire value chain, this enabled SalMar to announce yet another good result, with margins up on the previous quarter.”

All the latest industry news from Europe Hydroniq wins fourth wellboat contract with Myklebust Verft

Above How the new wellboat will look

HydrONIQ Coolers has won a contract to install its hull-integrated seawater cooling system in a new wellboat being constructed by shipbuilder Myklebust Verft.

Both companies are Norway based and the contract is the fourth in a row for Hydroniq with the shipbuilder.

Marine cooling systems use seawater to reduce temperatures in a ship’s engines and other auxiliary systems, to avoid overheating of the engine and other critical systems.

“Four newbuilds in a row demonstrate Sølvtrans’ ambitions and Myklebust Verft’s ability to deliver. We consider it a mark of quality to be chosen as subcontractor to the fourth wellboat in a row,” said Magnar Kvalheim, sales manager at Hydroniq Coolers. design for the newbuild, no. 78 is based on Kongsberg NVC 390 LFC and developed in close collaboration between Sølvtrans, Kongsberg and Myklebust. Steel cutting of the hull started on Saturday 1 May, and the plan is that delivery of the vessel will take place in the fourth quarter 2022.

While the first three vessels in the series (newbuilds 75, 76 and 77) have a storage capacity of 4,000 cubic metres, the latest newbuild (78) will have a storage capacity of 5,000 cubic metres of live salmon or trout. The vessel will be 92.5 metres long and 20 metres wide.

The wellboat will be equipped with the rack seawater cooling system, which differs from other cooling systems as it is integrated in the hull below the vessel’s main engine room, freeing up valuable space in the engine room.

“We know that the rack seawater cooler is well suited for vessels that operate with large loads and at low speeds, such as for example wellboats. The technology is also highly energy efficient, which is positive with regards to keeping operating costs and emissions to air as low as possible,” added Kvalheim.

Hydroniq Coolers will manufacture and assemble the seawater coolers at its headquarters outside Aalesund, Norway, and deliver it to Myklebust Verft located at Gursken in Møre og romsdal county, Norway. The company has not disclosed the value of the contract.

Hydroniq Coolers is owned by Norwegian investment company SMV Invest AS (formerly Sperre Mek. Verksted AS).

Norway’s salmon exports see volumes dip, prices rise

NORWEGIAN salmon export volumes dipped slightly during May, but values are continuing to rise thanks to higher prices, the latest monthly figures show.

The country’s fish farmers sold 83,000 tonnes of salmon last month, a drop of 1%, but the value rose by 6% to NOK 5.9bn (£502m). The largest markets were Poland, France and the United States.

Paul T Aandahl, analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council said: “The growth in export value in May is due to a strong price increase. But because of a strengthened Norwegian krone, Norwegian producers and exporters are still not allowed to benefit from the entire price increase in the markets.”

He added: “Our calculations show that the strengthening of the krone in May reduces the value of salmon exports by about 10%.

“Italy is the market with the strongest value growth this year, which we see in connection with weak sales last year due to closed fresh food counters and restaurants.”

Exports of farmed trout fell by 20% in volume terms to 4,300 tonnes during May. Revenues totalled NOK 276m (£23m), a drop of 6% on May last year.

Total seafood exports, including cod, haddock, shellfish and pelagic species, were worth NOK 8.3bn (£706m), up by 6% in value on 12 months ago, making it the third best May performance to date.

Renate Larsen, the Seafood Council’s CEO, said: “We have experienced an adventurous increase in exports of snow crab and king crab to the USA and Asia. Although there are still some challenges, there is reason to be cautiously optimistic on behalf of seafood exports.”

Larsen said she expects growth to continue as restaurants open up in a number of European countries such as the UK and Italy.

Above Norwegian salmon

Bakkafrost exceeds expectations

THE Bakkafrost group, owners of the quarter last year. Despite such increase Scottish Salmon Company, delivered a total in supply, salmon prices increased during operating EBIT or profit of 223.5m Danish the quarter... we expect this positive dekroner (£26m) during first three months of velopment to continue as Covid-19 mass this year, higher than some analysts were vaccination progresses in the key markets suggesting. for salmon. All in all, the salmon market

The group harvested 21,000 tonnes gutted outlook is good for the rest of 2021 as weight, with 7,000 tonnes coming from its the global supply is expected to decrease Scottish operations. somewhat, compared to the same period

The combined farming and Value Added last year.” Products (VAP) segment produced an oper- He added: “We are especially pleased ational EBIT of DKK 218.3m (£25m) with the strong results from the VAP seg-

The group made a gross profit for Q1 2021 ment. Once again, we have seen the beneof DKK 407.7m (£47m) against a loss of Above Cxxxx fit of having a flexible value chain which is DKK 148m (£17m) in Q1 last year. of great importance to us to maintain our

CEO Regin Jacobsen said that overall he competitive position. was satisfied with the results, adding that “The farming segment in the Faroe Is-

the performance from Scotland was gradually improving. He also predicted brighter Above Regin Jacobsen lands has performed well and the biology has been strong with good growth and low

days ahead for the salmon industry. feed conversion factor.

Jacobsen said: “The salmon market has been severely hampered “Quarter by quarter our average smolt size increases which also was by the Covid-19 pandemic, but during this quarter we have also seen the case in this quarter. In Scotland, the farming performance is graduclear signs of improvements in the market. The global supply of ally improving, and we expect to see some increase in average smolt salmon in this quarter increased by nearly 16%, compared to the first size by the end of this year.”

Iceland shines for NRS, but Norway disappoints

NORWAY Royal Salmon today announced a first quarter operating profit of NOK 60m (£5m) during the first quarter of 2021, down from NOK 75m (£6m) a year earlier. The latest quarter’s profits were also appreciably lower than the NOK 87m (£7.46m) some industry analysts were expecting.

Although Arctic Fish, its recent Icelandic acquisition, performed particularly well, CEO Charles Høstlund made it clear he was not satisfied with some aspects of operations in Norway.

The operating profit or EBIT per kilo was NOK 6.4 (£0.55) against NOK 16.53 in Q1 2020 (£1.42).

Høstlund said: “Arctic Fish had a very good development in production costs and the company is harvesting more and more salmon. It is a growing company, and harvest volumes are expected to increase substantially in the coming years. Recently, Arctic Fish was awarded new licences, which will support the company’s future growth ambition to harvest 24,000 tonnes by 2025.”

But the CEO said he was not satisfied with farming operations in Norway, particularly in relation to production costs which were showing too much variation between the best and worst sites.

He concluded: “In the first quarter, the salmon price was significantly lower than in the same quarter last year, but higher than in the previous quarter. On the other hand, the price increased during the (this) quarter and has continued to increase after the end of the quarter.”

Farming Norway produced an operational EBIT of NOK 77.2m (£6.5m) against 89,4m (£7.6m) last year, while the operational EBIT in Iceland was up from NOK 14.6m £1.2m) to NOK 21.5m (£1.8m).

NRS said it expects to harvest 52,000 tonnes this year, 40,000 tonnes from Norway and 12,000 tonnes from Iceland.

All the latest industry news from Europe Lerøy hit by winter sores and weak prices

Above Henning Beltestad

THE Lerøy Seafood Group today reported 2021 first quarter revenues of NOK 4,925m (£420m), down from NOK 5,305m (453m) last year.

The main factors behind the drop were lower prices for salmon and other fish, but the company also had problems with winter sores in some of its farming operations.

Lerøy is a fully integrated seafood business combining salmon and trout farm, conventional trawl fishing and fish processing.

The company jointly owns Scottish Sea Farms (called Norskott Havbruk in Norway) with SalMar. The Scottish business produced revenues of almost NOK 460m (£39m) - as an associated company this figure is not incorporated in the group results for Lerøy.

Lerøy’s group operating profit, before fair value adjustment related to biological assets, was NOK 455m (£39m), compared with NOK 816m (£69m) in Q1 2020, around NOK 20m lower than predicted by analysts.

CEO Henning Beltestad said despite weaker prices during the quarter the company was experiencing a strong underlying demand for seafood, adding that the shift towards retail was increasing.

He revealed that Lerøy had challenges with winter sores in its Norway-based Lerøy Aurora region, which have continued into the start of the second quarter. This is having a significant negative effect on price achievement, Beltestad said, which was likely to show up in the Q2 results.

Lerøy Havfisk also runs a fleet of ten modern trawlers which produced catches totalling 25,721 tonnes, the highest in the company’s history.

The company said that it was continuing with plans to go into land-based fish farming technology and is in negotiations about a possible further development in the west of Norway. This development will be carried out in three stages.

NEWS...

AquaBounty’s GM salmon approved for Brazil

Above: AquaBounty salmon

US-based fi sh farmer AquaBounty Technologies has gained permission to sell its genetically modifi ed salmon in Brazil.

The news was announced this month as AquaBounty also confi rmed that it has started the fi rst harvest of its GMO salmon at its farm in Albany, Indiana.

AquaBounty’s “AquAdvantage” GMO Atlantic salmon have had elements of two other fi sh species – Chinook salmon and ocean pout – added to their genetic make-up in order to achieve faster, more effi cient growth. They have been reared in the company’s recirculating aquaculture system (RAS).

The company said that with the approval of its application to Brazil’s National Biosafety Technical Commission for the sale of GMO Atlantic salmon in Brazil, it “moves closer to realising an exciting new market opportunity in South America.”

Sylvia Wulf, Chief Executive Offi cer of AquaBounty said: “This is another signifi cant achievement for AquaBounty as we seek to expand our presence into new international markets. This approval now enables us to seek production and distribution partners in Brazil, the largest and most populated country in South America with signifi cant demand for salmon.”

Aquabounty has also received regulatory approval for sale in the US and Canadian markets.

Wulf also said: “We are thrilled to commence commercial-scale harvesting of our GE salmon at our Indiana farm.The fi rst weeks of our harvest supply are fully committed and our customers are excited to introduce the salmon in their markets. We will continue to ramp up production to the farm’s full capacity throughout the course of the year.”

AquaBounty also announced that Gail Sharps Myers – the EVP, Chief Legal Offi cer, Chief People Offi cer and Corporate Secretary for Denny’s Corporation – was elected to its board of directors at the Company’s annual shareholders’ meeting held on 28 May, 2021. She joins recently appointed Director, Dr Ricardo Alvarez, President and CEO of Richelieu Foods Incorporated.

Ramboll wins Kingfi sh RAS contract

AQUACULTURE technology business Ramboll has been awarded a further contract by The Kingfi sh Company for design and engineering services for a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) site being built in Jonesport, Maine.

The RAS facility, to be run by subsidiary Kingfi sh Maine, is projected to produce 6,000-8,000 metric tonnes of yellowtail kingfi sh per annum. Ramboll has already provided support for the earlier stages of the project and this deal ensures the company will now be involved all the way through to completion.

The Kingfi sh Company currently operates the Kingfi sh Zeeland land-based RAS facility in the Netherlands. The company has received a number of sustainable practice awards and is the fi rst land-based farm to receive Best Aquaculture Practices certifi cation and the fi rst Aquaculture Stewardship Council certifi ed source of yellowtail kingfi sh.

Ramboll has led several major projects in the aquaculture industry around the world, helping companies implement innovative and sustainable strategies to improve seafood production, reduce environmental impacts, use energy and water more effi ciently, and get product safely to market. Most recently, Ramboll was selected to help design and build the fi rst large-scale, landbased salmon farm in Sweden.

Ohad Maiman, founder and CEO of The Kingfi sh Company, said: “Based on collaboration with Ramboll over the past year, and their experience with RAS facilities in Scandinavia, we are confi dent in this global partnership and the anticipated operational results of our advanced RAS technology facility in Maine.”

Mark Travers, Executive Vice President, Global Practice Development at Ramboll, said: “We’re excited to expand our partnership on this project, which is aligned with Ramboll’s mission to create sustainable societies where people and nature fl ourish, and to help design and build the high-tech infrastructure needed to make effi cient, large-scale production of yellowtail in the US a reality.”

Above: Yellowtail kingfi sh.

NUTRECO’S aquaculture division Skretting has announced plans to expand its production capacity in Australia through the purchase of Ridley’s extrusion facility in Westbury, Tasmania.

The company said the move was a continuation of Skretting’s long-term commitment to the Australian and New Zealand aquaculture industries.

“We have been producing aquafeed from our Cambridge facility in Tasmania since the 1990s, and today proudly employ over 90 staff,” said Melissa Abbott, General Manager of Skretting Australia.

She added: “I am pleased that we are expanding our manufacturing capacity to enable us to continue our long-term commitment to clients and partners across the broader Australian and New Zealand aquaculture industries. I am very proud of what our team has, and continues to achieve, and the role that we play in supporting local communities. It’s an exciting day for the Skretting team,.”

Nutreco CEO Rob Koremans said: “Skretting Australia is an important part of our global business. This is a strategically important investment for us in a growing and leading industry, and we intend to continue to partner with local leaders for many years to come.”

The transaction is subject to approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission which is expected to conclude this year.

Based in Stavanger, Norway, Skretting says it is the global leader in providing innovative and sustainable nutritional solutions for the aquaculture industry, with production facilities in 19 countries on fi ve continents. Producing high quality feeds from hatching to harvest, its total annual production volume of feed is more than two million tonnes.

Above: Ridley’s extrusion facility

Norway and Vietnam agree to co-operate

NORWAY and Vietnam have agreed to work closer together on the development of industrial scale aquaculture.

Representatives of the two countries, both major fi sh farming nations, took part in a webinar last month. Norway is of course well known as the world’s largest salmon farmer, while Vietnam exports tilapia and shrimp worldwide.

The news outlet Vietnamplus reports that the participants included the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Norwegian Embassy in Vietnam, Innovation Norway and the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Deputy Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Phung Duc Tien told the digital gathering that Vietnam’s strategy over the next decade and beyond was to expand aquaculture into an industry producing large volumes of products both for export and home consumption.

But he also pointed out that Vietnam’s fi sh farming industry faced challenges in a number of areas, including infrastructure, technology and on biological issues.

Vietnam’s marine aquaculture areas have posted average annual increases of 23.3% over the last decade, producing about 610,000 tonnes.

Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Grete Lochen said Vietnam had considerable potential when it came to aquaculture growth, adding that Norway had the experience to promote the sustainable development of fi sh farming. on an industrial scale.

Salmon industry making ‘major sustainability strides’

THE farmed salmon industry has emerged as one of the most environmentally conscious and sustainable food production methods in the world, a new report argues.

The Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) has published its Annual Sustainability Report, providing eight years of data across 14 key indicators – 10 environmental and four social – and it paints a highly encouraging picture.

The GSI is a CEO-led initiative of 13 salmon farming companies, representing 40% of the global salmon production industry with all members fully committed to showing measurable progress in the sustainability of their operations through greater collaboration, transparency and innovation.

Key trends from the 2020 Sustainability Report include:  A 60% reduction in the average use of antibiotics since GSI’s foundation in 2013, which can be attributed to the improvements in antibiotics stewardship, disease control and fi sh welfare led by GSI members;  Continued efforts to accelerate availability and uptake of alternative responsible feed ingredients, such as novel oils (i.e. algae) and fi sh byproducts, are supporting a growing industry to reduce its dependence on marine ingredients. This has led to an average decrease of marine ingredients in fi sh oil of 11% and fi sh meal of 40% since 2013; and  A shift towards a more holistic approach to preventing and managing sea lice resulted in a 50% decrease in medicinal use on average among

GSI members since 2013, with a 96% decrease in in-feed treatments as companies shift to non-medicinal management practices.

When compared with other animal proteins, farmed salmon represents an environmentally conscious choice, with a lower carbon footprint, requiring less land, and more effi cient use of feed resources.

Farmed salmon is a nutrient-dense food that supports healthy diets. Since its formation in 2013, GSI members have targeted their efforts on accelerating progress against the most signifi cant environmental challenges facing the sector: biosecurity and sustainable feed sourcing, as well as motivating industry progress towards third-party certifi cation.

Building on a nearly decade-long partnership, GSI and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are developing an industry-wide reporting framework to measure greenhouse gas emissions for the aquaculture sector and identify ways to mitigate climate impact.

As a member of the UN Food Systems Summit Champions Network and recent co-host of a Food Systems Summit Dialogue, the GSI is helping to identify and activate game-changing solutions for food systems transformation. In doing so, it seeks to demonstrate the essential role blue foods play in current and future food systems that are inclusive, healthy, sustainable and resilient.

Publication of the report also marks the launch of GSI’s new resource hub, which includes infographics and case studies highlighting the work of GSI task forces and how GSI drives salmon farming and food system change at speed and scale. To access these resources and learn more about how GSI members’ farmed salmon is raised to be better, visit www. RaisedToBeBetter.org Regin Jacobsen, Bakkafrost CEO and GSI co-chair said: “What started out as a means of making each of us members accountable has become a key tool in helping us identify where we need to make greater progress, and then challenging the GSI platform to fi nd solutions and implement them – with the end goal of ensuring a more sustainable industry and a more responsible product for consumers.” The other co-chair, Sady Delgado, CEO of AquaChile, added:“ As an industry we continue to face challenges, and no doubt will face more in the years to come. I believe the platform GSI provides will be crucial in helping us move forward, and we can only move forward when the facts are laid on the table. For this reason, the Sustainability Report remains as crucial to our progress as it did in year one.”

Ace Aquatec expands North America division

Above: Sam Bowman

AQUACULTURE technology group Ace Aquatec has made two senior hires for its North America division, based in Canada.

The North America division will be led by Ace Aquatec Regional Manager, Sam Bowman, who previously held senior management positions at two of the world’s largest salmon aquaculture producers, Mowi and Cermaq. He joins Dr Jenny Bouwsema PhD, Director of Scientifi c Research, who has worked alongside a number of fi sh farms and hatcheries across the globe to help develop technical solutions and carry out welfare research, and fellow new recruit Adrian Hulme, Product Engineer and Design Consultant with more than 35 years’ experience in underwater engineering.

Ace Aquatec, which is based in Dundee, Scotland, also opened operations in Chile and Norway last year.

Sam Bowman said: “We are a nation known for providing some of the world’s best quality fi sh so it’s great to be working alongside Ace Aquatec, who have an extensive background in providing some of the best aquaculture technology in the world.

“Their ethical and sustainable approach is something to be welcomed by the North American market and I look forward to working alongside the team to grow their presence.”

Nathan Pyne-Carter, CEO at Ace Aquatec, said: “Over the last year, we have taken the decision to grow Ace Aquatec’s presence internationally by making our technology and research knowledge more accessible to fi sh farmers across the globe.

“We’re continuing to see the growing demand for more productive, ethical and sustainable methods of fi sh farming, so expanding our team in North America was the next logical step in our strategy.”

Aid deal for fi sh farmers in Nigeria

NIGERIA’S beleaguered fi sh farming sector is set to receive a lifeline, thanks to an aid and co-investment package funded by US Aid and a non-governmental organisation, Partners For Development.

Fish farmers in the country have seen rising costs and falling prices for their product throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The aid package, a coinvestment partnership between the USAIDfunded West Africa Trade & Investment Hub and global organisation Partners for Development, will leverage $1.1m (£0.77m) of private funds in addition to a grant from the Trade Hub of $500,000 (just under £352,000) to build the industry’s resilience.

Key project goals include improving production, helping sales rebound, and increasing employment in the aquaculture sector, including for women and young people in the fi sh supply chain.

The co-investment partnership will strengthen the capacity of eight fi sh farmers associations and 600 fi sh farmers to enable them to use improved aquaculture and business management practices to increase their productivity by as much as 25%.

The project also aims to boost the capacities of 15 hatcheries and 15 fi sh feed distributors that supply the farmers with fi ngerlings and fi sh feed, respectively. Hatcheries and fi sh feed distributors are expected to improve the quality of their inputs and increase production capacity by 25%.

John Marrkand, Executive Director, Partners for Development, said: “We are looking forward to not only strengthening the capacity of fi sh farmers, hatcheries, fi sh feed distributors, and key offi cials, but to also providing loans to expand and improve the performance of those working in the aquaculture value chain.”

Industry calls on Biden to back US aquaculture

A coalition representing the aquaculture industry has written an open letter to US President Joe Biden, arguing that more farming in the seas could help mitigate climate change, as well as meeting the world’s increasing demand for food.

Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) advocates for increasing Americans’ access to “healthful, sustainable and affordable seafood” produced in the US. The letter was signed by more than 70 aquaculture advocates, including American scientists, environmental advocates and industry leaders.

SATS notes that, according to forecasts by the United Nations, the human population is projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 and the global demand for animal protein will rise by as much as 88 percent.

It also argues: “Well-managed marine aquaculture development could increase the resiliency of our food systems to future environmental, social, and economic shocks, including the impacts of climate change.

“Certain types of marine aquaculture, such as seaweed farming, also have the potential to sequester carbon and may be used as a tool to mitigate global warming by removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

“In addition to carbon sequestration, aquaculture can provide other ecosystem services such as improving water quality, regulating ocean acidifi cation, protecting coastlines, providing habitat for other species, and more.”

The full text of the letter can be found at the SATS website.

Margaret Henderson, Campaign Manager of Above: Joe Biden Stronger America Through Seafood, said: “As our federal leaders seek innovative solutions to address the climate crisis, aquaculture, one of the most resource-effi cient methods for protein production, should be considered as a tool to help feed our growing population responsibly while protecting our planet. Through federal action, the Administration and Congress can establish a clear regulatory pathway for permitting offshore aquaculture that would support a sustainable seafood future, increase the resiliency of our food systems, and create new jobs in communities nationwide.”

She was supported by Dr Kevan L Main, Director of Mote Aquaculture Research Park, who said: “If we are going to feed the growing world population, we must continue to advance the development of sustainable marine fi sh farming technologies. Protein production from sustainable aquaculture systems is more effi cient and less damaging to the environment than other animal protein production.” A bill with bipartisan support, the Advancing the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture (AQUAA) Act, is being supported by Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) Marco Rubio (R-FL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Representative Steven Palazzo (R-MS). This would open up selected federal waters for aquaculture. Under the administration of President Trump, an executive order was signed encouraging the development of seafood production, including marine aquaculture, but there is also vocal opposition in the US to netpen farming at sea.

Algal blooms cost Camanchaca $12m

THE algae bloom attack which struck Chile in March cost Salmones Camanchaca, one of the country’s largest salmon farming companies, at least $12m (£8.52m). The company, publishing its 2021 first quarter results, also revealed that the loss in biomass was around 3,700 metric tonnes.

Salmones Camanchaca SA is a vertically integrated salmon producer engaged in breeding, egg production, recirculating hatcheries for Atlantic salmon and pass-through or lake hatcheries for Pacific salmon and trout.

The company admitted the attack hit the business hard, adding that its harvest estimate for this year is now down from between 55,000 and 57,000 metric tonnes to between 41,000 and 44,000 tonnes. Two principal locations were affected: Reñihué Fjord, where there are three operational sites and cost the business 2.4m fish and $4.5m (£3.19m), and Comau Fjord, which has four sites and cost 3.2m fish and led to a financial impact of $7.5m (£5.32m).

However, Camanchaca says that despite “extraordinary events” the company will maintain its long-term cost targets, while the double digit decline in Chilean supply this year is expected to lift sale prices, which are now above pre-pandemic levels.

Revenue for the quarter fell by just over 17% to US $70m ($49.7m), while the impact from Covid-19 meant that both sales volumes and sales prices were 11% lower compared to a year ago. The better news is that prices are now 19% higher than in the final quarter of last year.

The company announced an EBIT or operating loss of $11.37m (£8.07m) against an operating EBIT or profit of $11.43m (£8.11m) in Q1 2020.

Camanchaca’s two main markets for Atlantic salmon are the United States, where it sells around half of its production, and Mexico which accounts for 26% of sales. The company said that following the opening of a new sales operation in Mexico, there had been a significant increase to that country.

British Made Cage Nets In Nylon & Dyneema Predator Exclusion Nets Anti Foul Coatings Ropes - Large Stock All Sizes Floats, Buoys, Cushion Buoys Chain & Chain Weights Tarpaulins