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What’s happening in the UK and around the world
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SEPA to take on bigger aquaculture role
THE Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is set to take on more powers as the lead authority for protecting wild salmon, including a key role in assessing whether new fi sh farms present a threat to wild fi sh.
The announcement comes as part of the Scottish Government’s response to the fi nal report of the Salmon Interactions Working Group (SIWG), which was established to provide advice on a future approach to the interactions between wild and farmed salmon. The SIWG’s main focus has been the potential harm to wild salmon from sea lice, which some believe is exacerbated by the presence of fi sh farms.
The SIWG report calls for the reform of Scotland’s fi nfi sh aquaculture regulatory regime “to ensure that it is fi t for purpose, comparable with the highest international and domestic regulatory standards and in line with the Scottish Regulators Strategic Code of Practice”.
The report recommends that District Salmon Fishery Boards should continue to be statutory consultees in the future regulatory regime. It also calls on the Government to undertake a holistic, evidence-based review of the approach to sea lice treatment.
The SIWG also recommends that Marine Scotland should take an overarching role to manage interactions at the local level through the use of agreed standards for current, interim delivery of Environmental Management Plans; and that one single lead body should be assigned responsibility for regulating wild and farmed fi sh interactions.
The Scottish Government has said that SEPA will take on the lead role as regulator and that development proposals involving increases in the numbers of fi sh farmed, including applications for new farms or expansion of existing farms, will be assessed using Scotland’s new spatially based risk-assessment framework, which is currently being developed.
The Scottish Government also supports the SIWG’s recommendation that “local engagement mechanisms between fi nfi sh farmers and wild fi shery managers should be established as a minimum to facilitate pre-application consultation, agree joint local management priorities and projects, act as a forum for information and data exchange, and identify research priorities and request management action as appropriate.”
The new consent regime will also give the regulator powers to demand the relocation of farmed salmon biomass if its current location is seen as hazardous for wild fi sh.
The Government also announced funding of more than £650,000 to extend the salmon counter network.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “The funding and broad programme of work announced today demonstrates that we have moved beyond the status quo and shows our commitment to improving the scientifi c evidence base.
“It underlines the importance of supporting a sector that provides a low-carbon source of protein enjoyed nationally and internationally, while sustaining well-paid jobs in some of our most fragile rural communities.”
Dr Sam Collin, the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Living Seas Manager, represented Scottish Environment LINK on the working group. He said: “We’re pleased to see the Scottish Government supports the recommendations put forward by the working group. It has already delivered one of the key recommendations of the working group by appointing SEPA to take on the responsibility of addressing the impact of salmon farming on wild salmonids... we encourage the Government to move quickly on the other recommendations made by the group to ensure needed changes in regulation are made without delay. An important fi rst step towards reversing the decline is to deliver stronger regulation of the aquaculture industry to help reduce the pressure on wild salmon from sea lice and escapes from salmon farms.”
The latest announcements do not, however, provide total clarity on how the future of fi sh farming regulation will look. The Government’s Wild Salmon Strategy will not be published until December, and the independent report into streamlining fi sh farming regulation, headed by Professor Russel Griggs OBE, will also not report until the end of the year.
Crown Estate Scotland, which grants leases for marine aquaculture, is reviewing its current arrangements and the Government has asked it to take the latest recommendations into consideration.
Researchers developing PCR test for oyster diseases
AQUACULTURE researchers in Scotland are developing a PCR method that will help detect the presence of a range of diseases and biofouling species affecting oysters and mussels, in a project that could be a significant boost to the health and wellbeing of the shellfish.
With nearly £200,000 of funding from the Seafood Innovation Fund and the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre, the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute will build a validated testing system that allows oyster growers to proactively test for Bonamia ostreae – a common and potentially fatal disease that is otherwise difficult to detect.
The 15-month project will also receive support from companies and organisations across the oyster farming and research sectors, as well as from practitioners looking to restore the shellfish to their native habitats.
Once present on a site, Bonamia ostreae cannot be eliminated and, historically, it has only been diagnosable after infection has occurred. Access to a rapid, cheap, pre-emptive test will help farmers to make more informed decisions on whether to move oysters to different locations, helping to prevent the spread of the disease.
Designed to be affordable and easy to use for growers, the testing system will also detect the presence of oyster herpes virus and vibrio bacteria, along with biofouling species such as tube worms.
UK postpones new import controls until 2022
THE UK Government has bowed to pressure to postpone new controls on animal-based products imported to the UK from the European Union.
The EU already imposes physical checks and extra paperwork on meat, seafood and other animal-related products imported from the UK, but the UK had delayed the imposition of equivalent controls until 1 October (for additional declarations) and 1 January 2022 (for physical checks).
Announcing what it said was a “pragmatic new timetable”, the UK Government yesterday said that full customs declarations and controls would not be imposed until 1 January 2022, while export health certificates – which involve inspection by qualified veterinary professionals – will not be mandatory until 1 July 2022.
Under the revised timetable:
The requirements for pre-notification
of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) goods, which were due to be introduced on 1 October 2021, will now be introduced on 1 January 2022.
The new requirements for export
health certificates, which were due to be introduced on 1 October 2021, will now be introduced on 1 July 2022.
Phytosanitary Certificates and
physical checks on SPS goods at border control posts, due to be introduced on 1 January 2022, will now be introduced on 1 July 2022.
Safety and security declarations on
imports will be required as of 1 July 2022 as opposed to 1 January 2022.
Full customs declarations and controls will be introduced on 1 January 2022.
Importers and logistics companies, already dealing with extra controls on exports to the EU and staff shortages as a result of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, had called for more time to be ready for the new regulations.
Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, Lord Frost, said: “Businesses will now have more time to prepare for these controls, which will be phased in throughout 2022.
“The Government remains on track to deliver the new systems, infrastructure and resourcing required.”
Ian Wright, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation, has criticised the lateness of the decision, given that businesses had already invested considerable time and expense in preparing for the new measures to be implemented in October.
Royal visitors meet Organic Sea Harvest team
Above: Alex McInnes (left) meets the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay
HRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall sampled smoked salmon from Organic Sea Harvest (OHS) on a visit to meet local businesses on Skye.
The royal couple, accompanied by Lord-Lieutenant Joanie Whiteford, were visiting businesses in Portree, Skye. They met with OSH’s co-founders, Alister Mackinnon and Alex MacInnes, and Chief Operating Officer, Robert Wyvill.
Earlier this year, OSH carried out its first commercial harvest and delivered a fillet of organic smoked salmon to Clarence House, residence of the Prince of Wales.
HRH Prince Charles, whose title in Scotland is the Duke of Rothesay, is a longstanding supporter of the organic movement.
Alex McInnes said: “It was an honour to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay to Skye. I was delighted to share with them our carefully produced organic salmon. We are proud of our product and were thrilled to present it to the Duke, given his long-term devotion to organic farming methods.
“The Duke asked about our salmon farming methods, including our stocking density and how we handle sea lice. It was a pleasure to talk to someone so knowledgeable and interested in our mission to create top-quality, organic salmon. He was very positive and commented on our sustainability.”
WiSA launches online forum
NETWORKING group Women in Scottish Aquaculture (WiSA) has launched an online forum to connect women working in and with the industry.
The forum is intended to connect the group’s 300-plus members, promote diversity and highlight the range of opportunities for women in the sect or.
The launch follows the success of a similar initiative by the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC), which launched a collaboration hub for its consortium members in July. WiSA was founded in partnership with SAIC and launched on International Women’s Day 2019 to celebrate the role of women in aquaculture, promote diversity and support career development.
The digital forum has been funded by Marine Scotland and will provide a virtual space for members to connect with one another, access exclusive events, share career and training opportunities, and engage in discussions around diversity and inclusion in the sector.
WiSA has also announced three new members for its core team: Donald Waring, learning and development manager at Mowi; Helena Reinardy, training fellow and researcher at SAMS; and Matilda LomasMacKenzie, biology and cleaner fish co-ordinator at the Scottish Salmon Company.
Teresa Garzon, WiSA chair, said: “The launch of the digital forum is an important milestone for WiSA. More than ever, we have come to recognise the power and value of online connections and resources during the past 18 months. Our aim is to ensure that aquaculture companies continue to have access to a diverse talent pool that can help the sector to develop and grow, with equal opportunities for all.”
Heather Jones, CEO of SAIC, added: “Aquaculture in Scotland has a wide geographical spread, which only reinforces the need for equality and fair opportunities for people all over the country. With an online platform to encourage engagement and discussion, our members can get involved with important conversations around diversity in aquaculture and pave the way for the next generation coming into the sector.” Find out more online at wisa.sustainableaquaculture.com/ wisa-forum
Campaigners bring fresh abuse claims
ANIMAL welfare campaigners have lodged a welfare complaint against salmon and steelhead trout farmers in Scotland, following the publication of more secretly filmed video footage. The farm operators concerned have hit back, arguing that the images do not reflect standards of welfare at the farms.
The allegations concern sites run, respectively, by The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) and Kames Fish Farming on the west coast of Scotland. The covertly filmed videos appear to show dead or damaged salmon and trout, with sea lice clearly visible.
The pictures have been jointly published by Scottish Salmon Watch, the campaigning organisation set up by anti-fish farming activist Don Staniford, and charity Animal Concern, which Staniford has recently joined.
The filming allegedly took place at SSC’s West Strome site in Loch Carron and the Kames Fish Farming site at Shuna Castle in the Sound of Jura in September this year.
Scottish Salmon Watch said it had filed welfare complaints against Kames and SSC with Police Scotland’s Wildlife Crime Unit, Marine Scotland’s Fish Health Inspectorate and the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) for breaches of the Animal Health & Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 (Section 19: “Unnecessary suffering” and Section 24: “Ensuring welfare of animals”).
The APHA, which is responsible for regulating animal welfare in farming, would not confirm or deny details of any complaint, but told Fish Farmer: “We take breaches of animal welfare legislation very seriously and investigate every allegation that is reported to us. We will always take appropriate action where welfare regulations are breached.”
Previous complaints brought by Scottish Salmon Watch were investigated, separately, by APHA and RSPCA Assured, but not upheld.
SSC said the mortalities were atypical and related to recent weather conditions. A spokesperson for the company said “Fish health and welfare is fundamental to responsible salmon farming.
“Operating in the natural environment brings unique biological challenges, some of which have been exacerbated by the current exceptional warmer water temperatures and lack of rain.
“These conditions have caused a sudden and unforeseeable environmental bloom of jellyfish and plankton, and an escalation in sea lice settlement at one of our sites. These environmental factors damaged the gills of our fish, compromising their overall health and their vulnerability to operational handling.
“Unfortunately, there were a number of fish mortalities and they have been disposed of responsibly in line with current regulations.”
SSC stressed that “swift action” was taken and “significant resources” deployed to protect the fish, adding: “We acted in accordance with responsible farming practices and remain committed to the stringent health management of our fish.”
A spokesperson for Kames said: “We are proud of our record on fish health and welfare in all Kames Fish Farming Ltd operations and can confirm that all our sites, including Shuna Castle, are routinely (and very recently) inspected and audited by accreditation bodies such as the RSPCA and also regulatory bodies such as Marine Scotland, amongst others. Neither of these are reporting any issues or concerns as we maintain our focus on quality and sustainable production of our steelhead trout.
“Like any livestock farm, unlawful intrusion and selective filming will inevitably pick up isolated and thankfully rare examples of poorly doing animals. The recent footage featured by Staniford is out of context and not worthy of discussion.”
Study aims to help wild salmon survive climate change
WARMER temperatures globally are presenting major challenges to Scotland’s wild salmon population, according to Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.
The Scottish Government has announced a £550,000 fund, including £150,000 provided by Crown Estate Scotland, for research into the impacts of climate change and pollution on wild salmon, and on ways to mitigate them – including planting trees by rivers in order to create shade for the fish.
The study will involve sampling of juvenile and adult salmon by local fisheries trusts and boards to collect scales and other biological information from fish captured in rivers throughout Scotland. The data will be used to help target interventions to conserve salmon and increase the numbers and size of wild fish leaving rivers for the ocean. Over the last 40 years, salmon numbers returning from the sea to Scottish rivers have declined by around 40%.
Announcing the fund at Glen Clova in the Highlands, Mairi Gougeon said: “We take the issue of our declining salmon stocks very seriously, with the reasons for it wide-ranging and complex.
“The investment in monitoring will help us to better understand these pressures.
“We know that high river temperatures during the summer are a pressure on wild salmon and we are identifying priority stretches of waterways to target tree planting, providing living parasols to provide shade and encourage good survival and growth of salmon.”
She said the Scottish Government was working with landowners and land managers to encourage them to take measures such as tree planting to support salmon conservation.
Gougeon added: “However, it is believed that salmon mortality at sea has increased in part due to the effect of climate change on ecosystems and shifts in locations where food is abundant.
“That is why it is vital, especially as we head towards COP26, that we continue to address the double challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.”
As part of her visit to Glen Clova, she planted the first tree in an area earmarked for reforestation.
Rural Affairs Minister opens Holywood Breeding Centre
Left: Mairi Gougeon (centre) with staff at the Holywood facility Above: The hatchery
SCOTLAND’S Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, has presided at a long-overdue offi cial opening for AquaGen Scotland’s hatchery at Holywood.
AquaGen acquired the Holywood Breeding Centre, near Dumfries, in March 2019 and the company has invested more than £5m, rebuilding and repurposing the facility for salmon egg production. The offi cial reopening of the facility was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “Aquaculture and its wider supply chain is an essential component of Scotland’s economy, adding valuable jobs and contributing to the local economies in some of our most fragile and rural communities.
“We are working to continually improve the policy and regulatory framework to mitigate environmental impact and at the same time support sustainable growth, and I welcome plans by AquaGen to increase egg production for domestic and export markets.
“I am delighted to see this important part of the breeding sector develop in Scotland, which will support better biosecurity by providing a robust ova supply in Scotland, selected for their performance in the Scottish marine environment.”
She also noted that an estimated 75% of Scottish aquaculture supply chain spend is already in Scotland and the centre would further help the country to reduce its reliance on ova imports.
2020 saw growth halted for Scottish salmon sector
PRODUCTION of farmed Atlantic salmon in Scotland was down 5.8% to 192,129 tonnes in 2020, but this was still the second highest level recorded. Farmed brown and sea trout numbers were also down, but there was a small increase in rainbow trout.
The fi gures come from the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2020, published by Marine Scotland Science. The annual survey also shows that there was a small decline in the number of staff employed in marine salmon production, which was down 1.27% to 1,630.
The total number of smolts produced in 2020 decreased by 0.9 million (2%) to 50.5 million.
Brown and sea trout production decreased from 25 tonnes in 2019 to 24 tonnes in 2020. Production tonnage of rainbow trout, however, increased by 2% to 7,576 tonnes.
The Production Survey details statistics on the employment and production from Scottish fi sh farms. It is structured to follow industry trends within the farmed Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout and other species sectors.
The survey also shows that the smolt survival rate for Atlantic salmon for the 2018 input year class increased to 75.9% (2017: 73.8%).
Mortality is included in the number of fi sh not harvested for human consumption, including escapes. The report notes that approximately 1,600 rainbow trout and 205,000 Atlantic salmon were reported as escaped or likely to have escaped.
More details from the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2020 will be available in the Fish Farmer Yearbook for 2022, out this December.
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Mowi obtains €1.8bn for sustainability investment
FISH farm giant Mowi has secured a major “green” credit facility giving it access to loans totalling €1.8bn (£1.54bn).
The company said the new arrangement was linked to its sustainability targets and would last for fi ve years.
The arrangement is with a number of banks including agreements with DNB Bank ASA, Nordea Bank Abp, fi lial i Norge, Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Danske Bank A/S, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) and Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank.
Mowi described the move as a signifi cant step towards its goal of 100% green fi nancing.
Interest on the facility is linked to Mowi’s performance against key performance indicators, which are consistent with Mowi’s overall environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy.
Mowi CEO Ivan Vindheim said recently: “At Mowi we have embraced sustainability as an opportunity and are very proud of producing food that is healthy for people and good for local communities and the planet.
“Leading a Blue Revolution is not easy, but we believe Mowi’s unique strengths of a global presence, being fully integrated and a front runner on environmental stewardship and innovation will make a positive impact in the world.”
The company said oceans cover 70% of the planet’s surface, yet only 2% of our calorie intake is seafood. This means, Mowi argues, there is great potential for the oceans to produce more sustainable food.
“This plan will allow us to achieve our goal of producing more food from the ocean thus meeting the demands of a growing population while respecting the planet and helping local communities to fl ourish,” said Catarina Martins, Chief Sustainability Offi cer at Mowi.
“In committing to leading the Blue Revolution, we have set the bar high and while our sustainability targets will not be achieved overnight, they will be achieved through key innovations, partnerships and a shared vision.”
“The Blue Revolution plan is built around a tasty and nutritious product, fi nancial responsibility and transparency, and taking care of our planet and its people.”
Bakkafrost chief condemns Faroes dolphin slaughter
FAROESE salmon farmer Bakkafrost has moved swiftly to distance the company from the controversial slaughter of dolphins that took place on the islands last month.
Islanders on the Faroes have traditionally taken part in whale and dolphin hunts, driving the animals on shore and killing them for their meat. The most recent hunt, however, which saw more than 1,400 white-sided dolphins slaughtered, attracted widespread condemnation around the world and even from some quarters in the Faroes.
Bakkafrost CEO Regin Jacobsen said in a statement: “Bakkafrost condemn this episode and fi nd it totally unacceptable. We confi rm that Bakkafrost had no involvement and none of Bakkafrosts’s assets were used.”
The traditional hunt or “grind” normally targets pilot whales, but in this case a large pod of dolphins was driven on shore. The “humane harpoons” normally used to despatch pilot whales were too large for the dolphins, so knives were used, and also the large number of animals in relation to the number of hunters meant that a number of animals were beached and in distress for some time.
The Faroes’ Prime Minister, Bárður á Steig Nielsen, has said that the government will “look closely” at dolphin hunts for the future.
NTS preparing to become salmon giant
NTS is poised to become one of the world’s top 10 salmon farming companies if Norway Royal Salmon (NRS) and SalmoNor come together, it has emerged.
By combining their operations they have the potential to produce at least 100,000 tonnes in Norway plus a further 24,000 tonnes in Iceland through Arctic Fish.
It is thought this will put them at number seven or eight in the global salmon producing league.
The board of NTS has now decided to initiate a strategic dialogue with NRS about a possible merger of NRS and SalmoNor, the salmon farming division of NTS.
NTS beat off rivals Mowi and SalMar in a bidding war in June to acquire SalmoNor, a family owned business.
A few weeks later it outfoxed SalMar again to become the largest single shareholder in NRS.
NTS said in a Stock Exchange
announcement: “Initial discussions have been initiated between the management of NTS and NRS, but the possible transaction has not yet been discussed with the board of NRS.”
Above: Charles Høstlund It was that decision
that led to the resignation earlier this month of NRS Chief Executive Charles Høstlund after seven years in charge. Both the managements of NTS and NRS said they saw significant synergies in a merger, which would lead to the establishment of a “fully integrated, large-scale salmon producer with an attractive licence portfolio in regions with high capacity”. They further stated that the management of both companies saw a clear rationale for, and value-creating potential in, a “merger of SalmoNor’s operational practices with NRS’s growth opportunities”.
ISA suspected at farm with 925,000 salmon
THE Norwegian salmon company Midt-Norsk Havbruk (MNH) is facing a potentially serious threat over a suspected infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) outbreak at one of its largest sites.
Investigations are currently under way at the MNH Kvingra farm in central Norway which has close on a million fish, according to reports.
The suspicions are yet to be confirmed, but if they prove correct the cost could be very large as the site is home to 925,000 salmon with an average weight of 3.6kg. Infected cages will have to be emptied and the fish culled.
Further tests will be carried out, and if ISA is present then travel and other restrictions will come into force to prevent further spread.
It is hoped that any infection can be contained. MNH said it was waiting for confirmation from the new tests, adding that the consequences were difficult to estimate. It will continue to map the possible extent of any infection.
A suspected ISA case was reported at a Norway Royal Salmon site in the Troms and Finnmark region in September. Confirmation is awaited.
After a period of several weeks without an outbreak, ISA appears to be returning to parts of Norway with a vengeance.
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Norway seafood exports set to hit 2021 record
Above Bxxxx
Above: Renate Larsen Right: Norwegian seafood
NORWEGIAN seafood exports look certain to well exceed the NOK 100 billion barrier again this year.
Figures from the Norwegian Seafood Council show that for the first nine months of 2021 they already total NOK 84.7bn (£7bn), 10% up on the same period last year, with salmon leading the way.
The total figure for September was NOK 11.8bn (almost £1bn), the highest total yet for a single month.
Seafood Council CEO Renate Larsen said: “A gradual reopening of the markets has given a boost to the demand for Norwegian seafood.
“From a fall in exports at the beginning of the year, we see a sharp growth in the third quarter. This is the strongest quarterly result of all time and now everything indicates that 2021 will be a record year for Norwegian seafood exports.”
Norway’s salmon farmers sold 912,000 tonnes of fish during the first months of this year, worth a total of NOK 56.9bn (£4.75bn), a volume rise of 14% and a value increase of 10%. The average price per kilo was NOK 57.81, 3% down on last year, although it rose by 7% last month.
September salmon exports increased by 24% to 115,000 tonnes. Seafood Council analyst Paul T. Aandahl said: “Poland, France and Denmark have been the largest recipients of Norwegian salmon.
Demand for salmon is back on track after a fall in the first 12 months of the pandemic. This is shown, among other things, by salmon prices in September. He said China and Italy had shown the strongest growth.
Farmed trout exports are down, however, totalling 44,400 tonnes between January and September, a decline of 16%.
The value fell by NOK 76m (£6.2m) or 3% to NOK 2.8bn (£239m) over the nine-month period, although the September value was up by 15%.
Out of other species, cod and mackerel have performed particularly well since the start of the year.
Grand welcome for Bakkafrost’s new service vessel on Faroe Islands
BAKKAFROST’S new farming service vessel, designed primarily to develop farming operations in Scotland, has been delivered to the company in a colourful ceremony watched by up to 500 guests.
The Bakkanes arrived at Glyvrar, the company’s Faroe Islands headquarters, where it was welcomed by company CEO Regin Jacobsen and a group of VIPs at a reception accompanied by brass-band music and cheers.
Bakkafrost purchased the former 241-foot long North Sea energy support vessel earlier this year as part of its value chain investment programme to develop farming operations in Scotland. The vessel had previously been working off the coast of Norway.
After tenders from 10 European and Scandinavian shipyards, including one in Scotland, the contract for adapting Bakkanes as a farming service vessel was given to Faroese company MEST, which has also fitted a delousing system.
Atlantic Sapphire expected to focus on Florida
Above: Bluehouse salmon, Atlantic Sapphire
LAND-based salmon farmer Atlantic Sapphire is circling the wagons around its Florida operation, following a major fire last month that all but destroyed its Danish land farm.
Investors believe the likely insurance settlement of around US $33m will be ploughed into its new land farm project now under construction near Miami, thus avoiding the embarrassment of a new share issue.
Important though it was, Denmark was always going to play second fiddle to the company’s ambitions for Florida.
However, the company’s shares are still down by 20% on the Oslo Stock Exchange and the situation remains brittle to say the least.
CEO Johan E. Andreassen tweeted: “Heartbreaking to see a decade of game-changing innovation gone. Today, we’re relieved that there were no injuries and send our love to the team in DK. We’re proud to see the legacy of all the hard work in DK in the US, where the rest of AS is focused on one thing: EXECUTION!”
Atlantic Sapphire has suffered a catalogue of serious incidents since the beginning of the year, although many of these look like sheer bad luck for the company.
They included various technical problems and the recent loss of biomass when the company was temporarily faced with a shortage of liquid oxygen due to a surge in demand from US hospitals under pressure from coronavirus.
The fire struck early on 16 September at the Hvide Sande building in Denmark, part of which was built less than 10 years ago. Now only the smolt plant remains intact.
All the fish at the facility, probably worth around £23m, have been lost, but the biomass at the site was lower than normal when the fire occurred. This was the second incident at the Danish site this summer.
Industry analysts are saying that any money from the insurance settlement will be sent to shore up the US project, in which the company still has great faith.
The RAS sector in fish farming is generally under some pressure, and other businesses in that field will be watching developments at Atlantic Sapphire closely.
PG Flow wins delousing pump contract
PUMP specialist PG Flow Solutions has been selected to provide two fish pumps for the refit of BB Orca, a delousing vessel operated by Norwegian shipowner Buksér og Berging.
The Orca is a former platform supply vessel, previously named Olympic Elena PSV, which is 70 metres long and formerly served the offshore oil and gas sector. It is currently being refitted as a delousing vessel for aquaculture.
PG Flow Solutions, based in Vestfold, Norway, will supply two of its PG-Tornado fish pumps. The Tornado has been jointly developed along with Smartline AS, based in Stokmarknes, also in Norway.
The Tornado has a good lifting height and no moving parts that can injure the fish when being pumped into or out of the vessel. On the Orca, it will carry the fish to a
Above Steve Paulsen (L) and Øyvind Berg
16-line delousing system supplied by SkaMik. Øyvind Berg, Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, at PG Flow Solutions, said: “It has not been long since we first introduced thePG-Tornado to the market, and so far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Our experience is that the aquaculture industry is increasingly seeking the most optimal solutions for fish welfare and gentle transfer of fish. This is exactly what PGTornado and PG-HydroFlow do.”
CleanTreat is awarded ASC’s highest rating
BENCHMARK’S CleanTreat delicing system has been awarded the highest level of certification for sustainability by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
CleanTreat is a new system only just being rolled out by Benchmark Animal Health. Combined with the company’s treatment, Ectosan, it involves treating salmon in a closed tank and then applying a water purification process, which the company says removes all traces of the pesticide.
After an extensive review, the ASC has concluded that CleanTreat merits a score of “zero” – the best possible rating – for environmental impact.
Trond Williksen, Benchmark’s CEO, commented: “Our mission is to drive sustainability in aquaculture and we are delighted to have received the highest recognition possible by the ASC for our CleanTreat system. We are proud to help farmers and the wider industry take a responsible approach to medicine use and are excited to play a major role in driving sustainability across the industry.”
Ectosan is a controversial treatment, as it is based on the neonicotinoid imidaclopid, which has been associated with the decline of bee and other insect populations. Imidacloprid is now banned in the European Union for most agricultural uses.
Ectosan has been approved for use in CleanTreat by EU regulators, but members of the European Parliament are trying to reverse that decision. Meanwhile the green light from the EU means that CleanTreat is currently being introduced for commercial use in Norway.
THE site that holds the giant Nordlaks offshore platform Havfarm 1 has been certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
The company is fighting a decision by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries not to allow the conversion of its development licences on fish welfare grounds.
Nordlaks has launched an appeal, arguing there is no justification for the Directorate’s decision.
Havfarm 1 is currently positioned in the Ytre Hadseløya locality in the Hadsel municipality in Vesterålen.
Built in China at a cost of £84m, the 385-metre-long platform is officially named “Jostein Albert” after a former Nordlaks chairman. It was brought to northern Norway in June last year, following a 15,000 mile sea voyage that took it around the Cape of Good Hope. It can hold 10,000 tonnes of salmon.
Bounty offered for escaped salmon
THE authorities in Norway are still working to track the whereabouts of thousands of salmon that have escaped from a Norwegian fish farm.
The incident, which involved around 39,000 fish, was at a facility north of the Trøndelag region. The site is owned by Midt-Norsk Havbruk (MNH), part of the NTS group that acquired Norway Royal Salmon last month.
The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries said significant numbers of farmed salmon, thought to total more than 8,000, had already been recaptured in the area around the farm.
A recapture exercise, with a bounty for recovered fish, is currently under way. MNH is paying a bounty of NOK 250 (around £20) for every salmon caught.
Bounties are only given for farmed fish caught within a specific areas along the coast of Trøndelag and Nordland. There are also restrictions on sports fishing until the authorities are satisfied that as many escaped fish as possible have been rounded up.
The Directorate was first notified of the incident by MNH towards the end of August. The company discovered a large hole in the net following a period of bad weather.
Since then the Directorate has also been receiving reports of farmed salmon sightings from commercial fishermen and members of the public.
Fish farm security became a major issue in Norway two years ago when more than 300,000 salmon escaped. The Government then ordered the industry to take action or face stiff penalties.
The warning brought big improvements, with just 20,000 escapes in 2020 and fewer than 1,500 between January and June this year.
NRS offshore project moves up a gear
Above: The fi rst sea cage in the Arctic Offshore Farming project from Norway Royal Salmon is now in place at Fellesholmen, north of Tromsø
NORWAY Royal Salmon (NRS) says the first sea cage in its Arctic Offshore Farming project is now in place at its location north of Tromsø.
The large cages are designed to operate in more exposed areas and can withstand a wave height of up to 13 metres. The cage weighs around 3,000 tonnes and a second cage will eventually be taken to the site.
The project was designed by Aker Solutions, which delivers a wide range of products and services to the global energy and marine related industries.
NRS describes the project as “Salmon Farming of the Future” using ground breaking technology. Arctic Offshore Farming is a semi-submersible offshore fish farm that is specially built for hard weather areas. NRS says the concept is thus able to provide access to waters further from the coast.
NRS Executive Vice-President Klaus Hatlebrekke told the Norwegian regional news site Nordlys: “Through innovation and a willingness to invest in the weather-exposed areas in northern Norway, we have developed the next step for salmon farming.
“This will enable the use of more weatherexposed locations than is possible with current technology.”
The facility will consist of two cages. Each cage is 80 metres in diameter and 22 metres high. Together, the two cages will hold around 1.2 million salmon.
Outgoing NRS CEO Charles Høstlund said recently: “Offshore aquaculture will give us the opportunity to use new areas and thus help create sustainable growth for the Norwegian aquaculture industry. Through this, Norway will contribute to realising FAO’s (UN) ambitious goals for growth in aquaculture globally.”
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Biomar invests in Ecuador plant
AQUAFEED producer BioMar Group is investing in an expansion of its capacity for producing extruded feed in Ecuador.
The installation, planned in two stages, will bring a total of four new lines with a combined capacity of 200,000 tonnes at BioMar’s facilities in Guayaquil.
The investments are part of preparation for the introduction of new advanced shrimp feed concepts, the company said, which are planned for launch in the market from 2022.
Henrik Aarestrup, VP LATAM, Shrimp & Hatchery, at BioMar Group said: “We are planning for a new range of high-performing products as well as new functional feeds targeting the unique farming practice and environmental parameters encountered in Ecuador. Furthermore, we see larger farmers in the market being ready to start up the process of co-designing tailored product ranges for the markets in the US and Europe. These will focus on both feed composition and environmental footprint, farming practice and quality of the resulting shrimp, enabling a targeted positioning of the shrimp towards retailers and end consumers. This requires more capacity and more fl exibility in our production setup.”
Meanwhile, BioMar has appointed Franck Bodin as Managing Director for the new BioMar Viet Uc feed business unit in Vietnam.
Bodin is an established figure in the Vietnamese aquaculture industry, as he founded aquafeed company Tomboy, which was acquired by Skretting.
Above: The BioMar site in Ecuador Inset: Franck Bodin
Mussels ‘could replace fi shmeal’ in prawn feed
TRIALS are under way in Australia to see whether wild-caught fi shmeal in prawn feed could be replaced by sustainably farmed mussels.
So far, initial tests carried out in Thailand have suggested that farmed prawns and barramundi prefer mussel meal to fi shmeal. Dried mussel meal is a compact feed containing 50% protein and a naturally occurring appetite stimulant, betaine.
The trials are being carried out by Australian company Green Blue Health. The mussels will be tested at various inclusion rates in sustainable formulations using poultry by-product and plant-based ingredients to assess growth rates, intake, digestibility, prawn yields and consumer acceptance. The sustainable formulations will also include a seaweed additive currently used in Mexico, Brazil, Korea, and Vietnam.
This will be compared against a commercially relevant fi shmeal diet. Black tiger prawns are renowned for being picky when it comes to their feed, Green Blue said. Positive results could also help to improve the palatability of other sustainable protein sources, including insects.
Green Blue’s Technical Director, Karlie Wilson, said: “We see this study as opening the door for inclusion of mussel meal for a number of other aquaculture species, including mud crabs, lobster and barramundi.”
The company hopes that diets with the inclusion of mussel meal will increase the black tiger prawn acceptance of locally available and sustainable ingredients such as by-product meals from protein crop production in Australia.
The study is being conducted at the CSIRO research facilities at the Bribie Island Research Centre in Queensland, Australia. Results should be available early in 2022.
Calysta appoints CFO after fundraising round
ALTERNATIVE protein producer Calysta has announced two senior appointments. The company has appointed Keysha Bailey as Chief Financial Offi cer, while Rabobank veteran Jacqueline Pieters-Zetsma joins the Board of Directors as an independent non-executive board member.
Calysta uses a process involving the fermentation of natural gas to create a protein that can be used to produce FeedKind, its proprietary animal and aquafeed. The world’s fi rst commercial-scale FeedKind® production facility is being developed in China by Calysseo, Calysta’s 50/50 joint venture with feed giant Adisseo.
As CFO, Keysha Bailey brings more than 20 years of strategic fi nancial and operational leadership in both the public and private sectors, including investment and capital markets experience with JP Morgan and Prudential. She was most recently CFO at Rocketship Education in California.
Bailey commented: “I’m delighted to be joining Calysta as the company begins a signifi cant new chapter in its history. I’m looking forward to working as part of the senior team to steer the organisation as it plans to enter the Asian market and works to address the very real challenge of making our global food system more sustainable.”
News of the appointments came days after
Above Keysha Bailey (L), Jacqueline Pieters-Zetsma (R) Calysta announced completion of a $39m equity fi nancing round, led by bp ventures, to support commercial production of FeedKind protein. Joining bp ventures in the round were Adisseo and AquaSpark, as well as other existing Calysta investors.
Calysseo is in the process of building the world’s fi rst FeedKind commercial production facility in Chongqing, China, with 20,000 tonnes expected to come onto the market in 2022 with a further 60,000 tonnes shortly thereafter. Investors in Calysta include bp, Adisseo, Temasek, AquaSpark, Mitsui and Cargill.
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Mowi estimates Gorge losses could reach 450,000
MOWI believes the number of fi sh lost in a mass-mortality event at one of its sites in eastern Canada could be as many as 450,000.
The losses are being blamed on low dissolved oxygen levels at Mowi’s farm at the Gorge, on the south coast of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The provincial Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture posted an update on 22 September with the estimate, which accounts for around 24% of fi sh on the site. The department said the incident was “site-specifi c” and stressed that no abnormal mortalities had been identifi ed at any other sites in the region.
The department said: “Under oversight of the department, the company is taking all responsible steps to address the incident. Mitigation measures include deeper nets and aeration equipment at the site. Department staff have been conducting sampling and observing seining activities, with the full cooperation of the company.”
The statement added that Mowi had been fully transparent and co-operative with the department throughout the process.
Mowi reported in late September that 212,100 mortalities had been removed from the site to date. Harvesting of the remaining fi sh at the site began at the start of the week commencing 20 September.
Tasmanian fi sh farming set to expand offshore
THE Australian and Tasmanian governments have agreed to work together on a framework that could see the development of offshore aquaculture in Tasmania.
A memorandum of understanding between the federal and state governments has given the green light to research into the feasibility of expanding fi sh farming into sites further out at sea. It comes as the industry has faced fi erce criticism over the impact of fi sh farms, especially salmon, in inshore waters.
Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries and Senator for Tasmania Jonathon Duniam, and Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water Guy Barnett said the joint agreement between the Australian and Tasmanian governments would help examine the economic, environmental and operational feasibility of offshore aquaculture.
The research will be led by the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), an independent not-for-profi t company funded under the Australian Government’s CRC Program.
Senator Duniam said: “Currently, aquaculture in Australia is operated in state or territory waters, and by moving further offshore – more than three nautical miles – we can harness recent technological improvements and investigate the potential environmental and resource access benefi ts available from undertaking aquaculture in deeper waters.
“In 2017, the Australian Government committed to developing arrangements for aquaculture in Commonwealth waters, and this is a signifi cant step towards reaching that goal.
“The outcomes of this work won’t just be about Tasmania. This will provide valuable information on the potential for offshore aquaculture for all states and territories.”
He added that aquaculture is currently worth $1.6bn nationally. By going offshore, Duniam said, the Australian Government is backing growth towards its $100bn Ag2030 goal.
Barnett said: “The Tasmanian aquaculture sector has been a national success story, with the industry growing steadily to provide world-class products while also delivering jobs in regional Tasmania.
“In 2020, Tasmanian aquaculture gross value of production increased by over 7% to $931m and this MOU with the Commonwealth fi ts perfectly with our recently announced 10-Year Salmon Plan.”
The Tasmanian Salmonid Growers Association, which represents major salmon companies Tassal, Huon Aquaculture and Petuna, said it welcomed the commitment to establish a framework for sustainable aquaculture opportunities in Commonwealth waters.
The announcement was not welcomed, however, by Federal Green Senator Peter WhishWilson, who told broadcaster 7News that the “deeply troubled” industry shouldn’t be given a free pass to the ocean.
He said; “A global tide of marine plastic, climate change, and invasive species are putting radical pressures on the marine environment.
“We are very concerned [by] this national push to farm our oceans when they already face such enormous pressures.”
Tasmania has been deeply divided over the future of aquaculture, with the publication of Toxic, a book by anti-fi sh farming campaigner Richard Flanagan and billboards condemning the sector, while the Tasmanian Government and the industry itself have robustly defended their record.
Barramundi sees revenue and losses increase for H1
Above: Cone Bay Ocean Barramundi AUSTRALASIAN aquaculture business the Barramundi Group’s revenue grow by more than 18% year on year for the first half of 2021, but it also reported a net loss of more than S$6m.
Barramundi Group operates in Australia and Singapore. Since August this year, it has been listed on the Oslo Euronext Growth stock market, but it reports in Singapore dollars.
Barramundi’s report for H1 2021 shows revenue at S$17.1m (£9.35m), up 18.2% on H1 2020, which the company said was achieved through higher selling prices in Singapore due to a change in customer mix and sales volume growth in Australia.
In terms of production performance, Barramundi achieved a total biomass of 2,237 tonnes across its Singapore and Australia operations.
The group, however, also reported fair value losses on biological assets of S$50,649 (£27,706) and fish mortalities, accounting for S$1.25m (£686,454). Along with increased finance expenses and currency translation losses, these contributed to a net total comprehensive loss of S$6.52m (£3.57m).
Andreas von Scholten, Chief Executive Officer of the Barramundi Group, commented that the company’s 2021 performance to date was reflective of the changing global palate and a growing demand for responsibly produced protein.
He said: “Our strong sales growth performance in H1 2021 in the midst of a global pandemic is a testament both to the hard work of our team and a growing consumer demand for sustainably grown barramundi as a protein of choice. Even though we have had to adapt certain parts of the business due to changing business conditions caused by Covid-19, we are heartened by the fact that demand continues to be strong. In Australia and China, demand continues to outstrip our current production capabilities.”
Meanwhile, Barramundi has also announced a partnership with the not-for-profit organisation World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) Singapore to help improve the group’s two existing sites in the south of Singapore and a new grow-out facility between Lazarus and St. John’s Island.
WWF-Singapore will provide advice and guidance, and it will also help to track progress against sustainability objectives.
Barramundi has also asked WWF-Singapore to help the group pass the benchmark for Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) accreditation – which would make it the first aquaculture business in Singapore to achieve this.
R. Raghunathan, Chief Executive Officer, WWF-Singapore, said: “WWF-Singapore’s collaboration with Barramundi Group is an important step forward in increasing the domestic supply of responsible seafood – supporting both the Green Plan 2030 and the ‘30 by 30’ goal.
“It is also a critical milestone for our Responsible Seafood Action programme, which aims to help Singapore develop into an internationally recognised hub for responsible aquaculture production, while encouraging responsible seafood consumption by engaging stakeholders... we look forward to transforming Singapore’s aquaculture sector together.”
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