On the 29th and 30th of August, EUfishmeal and Nordic Marine Think Tank hosted a conference on the perspectives of fishmeal and fish oil at the North Sea Center in Hirtshals, Denmark. On the second day of the conference the focus shifted from management of the fishery to the role of fishmeal and feed in the value chain. The latest research in fishmeal and fish oil was presented and the need for even more research within the composition of feed and the unique characteristics of fishmeal and fish oil was identified by different stakeholders in the audience.

The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA), China Entry Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association (CIQA) and Seafood HACCP Alliance (SHA) at GAA’s GOAL 2016 conference in Guangzhou, China, on Sept. 20. The four organizations agreed to establish the International Aquaculture Products Quality Safety and Certification Partnership Program. The program, which aims to build trust for aquaculture products that require less regulatory attention and instill confidence in buyers, will drive aquaculture operations to meet major seafood markets’ food safety requirements.

Senators Fabian Manning and Elizabeth Hubley have reissued a report on the aquaculture industry that calls for a doubling of the industry in the next decade. They made the presentation before the Aquaculture and Cold Harvest Conference in St. John\'s VOCM\'s. The report calls for a renewed Aquaculture Act to be passed by the federal government that will give the $2-billion industry more ability to grow across the country.

In response to a review on antimicrobial resistance, United Kingdom’s Government has committed to a reduction in antibiotic use in farmed fish farmed for direct human consumption in two years, using methodology harmonised across other countries in Europe. In the case of aquaculture, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) explained the reduction in antibiotic use be amount to an average of 50mg/kg from the most recent 2014 figure of 62mg/kg.

In a world of depleting fish stocks, Pacific Ocean Culture PTE Ltd will produce a premium organic farmed product at their farm in Navua, to provide a nutritious food source for the people, create direct employment, provide practical training to students of the Fiji National University (FNU) and set the benchmark for commercial aquaculture in the Pacific.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment has published the call for aid for research in the National Aquaculture Plans for an amount of EUR 2 million. Public research organizations, public universities, instrumental public entities of the autonomous public sector developing R & D + i and technology centers and those supporting technological innovation of public and state level character will be able to request these aids.

A company in Oita Prefecture said it has succeeded in the world’s first farming of bluefin tuna using only formulated feed. Hyoshoku Co. said Wednesday that using the feed makes it easier to control the quality of the tuna regardless of the season. The company will start selling the tuna locally before shipping it to other parts of the country.

Acting U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Ken Hyatt recently announced that St. Joseph, Michigan-based American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) will receive $260,112 from the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP). The award will help ASABE and its member companies to work to develop international standards for feed machinery. Utilizing these Federal resources, ASABE aims to increase exports through trade standardization.

At the recent Aquaculture Chennai 2016, conference, Lallemand Aquaculture Product Manager Stéphane Ralite delivered a talk on \"A novel approach in securing aquaculture production with a synergetic association of yeast extracts,” which highlighted challenges of shrimp farm management and the development of innovative microbial based solutions. He focused the discussion on the microbial management of the pond, possible through biocontrol or bioremediation strategies, and gut microbial management through the use of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in feed.

USSEC Vietnam will focus on the ingredients taurine and lecithin in an upcoming Asian Aquaculture Feed Formulation Database (AAFFD) workshop. USSEC’s goal is to give aquaculture feed formulators more confidence in using a cost-effective soy-optimized diet. The U.S. Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) will be a key method to promote U.S. Soy products.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in farmed shrimp threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections that are caused by bacteria. Skretting has confirmed that the right combination of novel functional ingredients in the shrimp feeds will work in synergy to support the functioning of the immune system and to help protect shrimp against hostile threats. “Thanks to this knowledge and expertise, we have proved that shrimp farmers do not have to rely on antibiotics and risk building up AMR in their stocks.”

While presenting at the 2016 Biomin Aqua Days held in late August, Dr. Alessio Bonaldo, Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences at the University of Bologna, argued that farmed fish are weaker than in the past due to two factors. First, less fishmeal and fish oil in diets, and second, the intensification of aquaculture have led to weakened immune systems. Part of the solution involves meeting the nutritional requirements of farmed species. “It is possible to completely replace fish meal in shrimp feeds, provided that you have correct supplementation.”

H.J. Baker is pleased to announce that Dr. Malik Hashim will join the Technical Services team as the new Formulation Manager. Hashim will be working to manage H.J. Baker’s feed formulations. Additionally, he will assist in managing and supervising the company’s ongoing research studies and field trials of all products, in order to continually improve the products for customers.

The Skretting Ecuador brand has been officially launched in Ecuador and Peru. Skretting Ecuador will use the company’s worldwide R&D knowledge, combined with its local insight and experience, to support shrimp farmers with the overriding aim to increase their production in a more sustainable manner. “The arrival of Skretting Ecuador is a very important milestone for Latin America’s aquaculture industry.\"

Artemia egg importers and shrimp breeder producers have lodged a complaint to the Prime Minister about the imposition of the 5 percent import duty which they say will harm the shrimp breeding industry. Artemia, the best shrimp feed product, has to bear the high import tax of 5 percent but the other feed products have only zero percent.

The governments of Mexico and China established a scientific and technical cooperation link in aquaculture through signing a memorandum of understanding. The objective of this agreement is to strengthen the aquaculture industry in Mexico and establish common health protocols that allow a fluid trade between the two countries.

On September 1, Aller-Aqua commenced building their new factory in the Shandong province in China. Aller-Aqua Qingdao already employs 5 skilled staffs and temporary offices are in place. The factory should be ready for production in the second quarter of 2017. Aller-Aqua also announced the launch of a new Spanish-language website. The new website provides easy access to detailed information in Spanish about the company and its products and services.

ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) recently signed an MoU with Marine Private Limited to transfer the ‘Vannameiplus’ technology to develop cost effective and quality feed using indigenous feed ingredients for vannamei farming. Westland Marine plans to use ‘Vannameiplus’ on their own farms, and to also supply small and medium sized shrimp farms in their general proximity.

The Alltech Young Scientist (AYS) program seeks to attract future innovators for its 2017 term. Regional first-place winners will be invited to attend an all-expense-paid Alltech Young Scientist Discovery Week, culminating at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Here, the brightest minds will compete to obtain a fully funded Ph.D. position (undergraduate) or fully funded postdoctorate position (graduate) in addition to cash prizes of $5,000 USD and $10,000 USD, respectively. Registration is now open for the 2017 competition and will close on Oct. 31, 2016.

Corpesca plans to invest USD 55 million to unite and modernize the two fishmeal and fish oil production plants it has in Arica: the Northern Plant and the Southern Plant. This project involves the relocation of the existing equipment at both factories, which will be incorporated into the sheds 1 and 3 existing in the Northern Plant. The company will also adapt these sheds to transport equipment.