BioMar Group has increased its shrimp research capabilities with the opening of its Aquaculture Technology Center in Ecuador. The ATC is a state-of-the-art trial facility dedicated to researching the full lifecycle of shrimp. It houses multiple water recirculation systems to ensure full control of the parameters during trials, and is capable of evaluating more than 150 diets per year. “Our new research facilities will help us continue to evolve our shrimp feed range while allowing us to respond faster to market and customer needs. In BioMar, we have for many years been contributing to minimizing the environmental footprint of the industry, enhancing efficiency and strengthening the health of the fish. Now, we are ready to conduct local product test supporting our global research within raw materials, process technology, health and nutrition.”

The UK Government’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) has launched two International Centers of Excellence for Aquatic Animal Health and Seafood Safety. “As the Government’s marine and freshwater science experts, our mission is to help keep our seas and oceans healthy and productive and our seafood safe and sustainable. We do this by providing the best data and advice to the UK Government and our overseas partners. Innovative, world-class science is central to this mission and that of our International Centers, which aim to ensure that our science capability continues to develop and keep step with UK and global science challenges."

The SERIOLA project in Spain is making progress in improving the larvae stage and optimizing fattening of greater amberjack. In addition to launching a series of validation trials for fattening of greater amberjack juveniles, the project is also carrying out tests on nutritional profiles and diet performance. Thus far, researchers have established the optimum levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3 (n-3 PUFA) to add to fattening diets; a new test has been launched to assess the addition of different functional ingredients in feed.

AquaShip has bought Artic Shipping, one of the largest players in the segment of shipping of fish feed. The company has 5 self-discharging vessels, which operate on TC contracts with EWOS. "With this acquisition AquaShip is represented in the segments of service boats, shipping of fish feed, harvest vessels and live-fish-carriers, giving us a unique position as a complete supplier of maritime services in maritime aquaculture. This is a position we intend to exploit in our further growth."

El Niño is favored to form in the next couple of months and continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2018-19. The official forecast favors the formation of a weak El Niño, consistent with the recent strengthening of westerly wind anomalies and positive temperature trends in the surface and subsurface ocean. 

NOAA Fisheries is accepting public comments on a proposed regulation to implement a traceability program for U.S. farmed shrimp and abalone. The regulation will establish comparable reporting requirements to those required for imported seafood products under the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP). Congress has directed the Secretary of Commerce to establish this domestic traceability program by December 31, 2018. Comments are due by November 26.

Nor-Feed and the SONAS research unit of the Angers University have launched their joint laboratory FeedInTech, which aims to develop precision animal nutrition by connecting the human resources, know-how and cutting-edge research equipment of both partners. FeedInTech will investigate animal nutrition using a three-step process that starts with the characterization and quantification of molecules inside an additive. The next two steps are studying the physiological response of an animal whose diet has been supplemented and completing biological modeling. FeedInTech is now operational and working on citrus extracts and their benefits on the gut microbiota.

Two recent studies have demonstrated that adding phytase to tilapia diets offers producers a threefold benefit of improvements across nutrient digestibility and retention, as well as mineral status and feed conversion rates. “Strategies for reducing feed costs – which can account for 60% of total production expenditure – and minimizing ecological damage are becoming increasingly important in the fish industry. The effect of phytase represents benefits for both: the improved mineral status spares 0.25% of available phosphorus, reducing production costs, whilst the increased retention of nutrients results in lower levels of water pollution.” The studies will be presented AB Vista at this month’s LACQUA.

At the recent GOAL 2018 conference, Nicovita and the GAA promoted the Pre-Fishery Improvement Project during a special session titled ‘The power of collaboration: driving improvements in the feed fisheries.’ According to Nicovita, the 'power of collaboration' is the perfect example of what has happened in Ecuador with the company's efforts to finalize the start of the FIP: Improvement Project of the Small Pelagic Fisheries, "thus initiating the path of local production of sustainable marine ingredients that contribute to the development of the aquaculture industry.”

Last week, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo ruled in favor of environmental, public interest and fishing groups who filed suit against the federal government two years ago, claiming NOAA Fisheries did not have the authority to regulate aquaculture through the Magnuson-Stevens Act. 

October is National Seafood Month. This month provides an opportunity to celebrate the important role of seafood in the “blue economy.” NOAA is using the opportunity to highlight the success of U.S. seafood as among the world’s most sustainable. Throughout the month of October, NOAA Fisheries will be highlighting the success stories behind U.S. seafood and the U.S. fishermen and fish farmers who make it possible.

BioMar has announced this week that they will be collaborating with shrimp farmers in Ecuador to bring a new sustainable innovative shrimp product to reality. "BioMar remains committed to sustainability and the work we started a decade ago. We can take the learnings from other species and apply them to create a truly sustainable shrimp choice for retailers and the end-consumers. We hope to initiate new projects with our customers, which can accelerate the development of high value shrimp products."

A state-of-the-art feed mill for production of pelleted trial feeds has opened at Nong Lam University, Vietnam, as part of a scientific collaboration with Evonik. The facility will produce mash feed for research trials and is designed for handling various small batches, while minimizing cross-contamination. As well as providing a basis for better research, the feed mill will also be an important teaching resource. “The collaboration with Evonik will put us at the forefront of animal nutrition research in Vietnam. The company’s global R&D expertise complements our existing capabilities, and together we can drive more innovative solutions for the future.”

Gael Force Group has announced its plans to expand its business overseas with the supply of marine equipment, technology and services to Atlantic Canada’s aquaculture market. Gael Force will supply and service customers with a full and established product range, including pen and barge moorings, plastic fish pens, concrete and steel feed barges, offshore feeding systems and pellet detection software, and underwater technology including cameras and lighting. “We fully understand the need for us as a supplier to have a highly skilled and dedicated service team on the ground in Canada to be ready to respond to the specific needs of those customers, and that is something we are totally prepared to commit to.”

The European Percid Fish Culture Group (EPFC) is inviting all interested scientists to submit high quality research articles to a Special Issue (SI) of the Aquaculture International (AQUI) journal (IF=1.095). This SI is being convened by the EPFC coordinating team and Editor-in Chief of AQUI Prof. Gavin M. Burnell. This Special Issue is open to original research articles related to percid fishes (including biology, physiology, reproduction, larviculture, genetics, pathology, nutrition, production systems, etc.), though other type of articles – such as review papers, technical notes or short communications – will also be considered for publication.

Fish farmers in Punjab are growing garlic, ginger and aloe vera along the banks of their fish ponds to add to their fish feed. “These plants are natural immune-stimulating growth promoters. They help in developing resistance of fish to various diseases. They also enhance the quality of fish meat in terms of its protein nutrient. Besides, they are cost-effective, eco-friendly and hardly have any side-effect.”

Tassal’s has made a $20 million investment in a state-of-the-art remote feeding center. The technology delivers high definition video-feed to the center, while also measuring dissolved oxygen levels, water temperature, currents and salinity levels. “Feeding is not as simple as simply distributing pellets at set times during the day. Feeders monitor for environmental conditions and fish behavioral conditions which optimize the feeding environment promoting better feed conversion rates and less wasted feed.”

Sebas van den Ende has been appointed as the new General Manager for Victam International B.V. Sebas has over fifteen years of experience in the exhibition industry, first at RAI Amsterdam and after that in Brazil, where he set-up his own exhibition company.

A West Australian research program is using soldier fly pupae as feed for barramundi and rainbow trout diets in an attempt to lower the FCR rate for the fish. So far, results have shown that trout fed on a diet consisting wholly of soldier fly pupae had growth matching those eating fishmeal or combinations of both. In the next phase, the research group hopes to demonstrate that the nutritional benefits of the insect-based diets would outstrip feed produced using lupins and soybeans.

A new innovative software tool is being developed under the umbrella of the Danish Green Development and Demonstration Program (GUDP) to improve the environmental footprint of aquaculture and optimize processes in fish farming. The GUDP-project aims to develop an advanced tool that can gather and process data from stakeholders throughout the aquaculture business including suppliers and fish farmers, in a shared cloud-based database. The project is led by OxyGuard International and builds on contributions from many innovative Danish aquaculture companies including BioMar and Aller Aqua. \"The GUDP-project aims at combining IT and aquaculture to develop smart, easy-to-deploy, user-friendly tools that can lead to a new era of connected, responsible and efficient, and thus, sustainable aquaculture.\"