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.\"

Fish 2.0 is launching a track dedicated to U.S. aquaculture ventures in its 2018–19 business competition cycle. Supported by NOAA Fisheries, the track is open to all kinds of growing aquaculture businesses—production, finfish, feed, technology, algae, aquaponics, land-based, marine-based, and others—in all 50 states. The track kicks off with a series of workshops in Baltimore, Mississippi, and Seattle. “People were clamoring for more aquaculture opportunities in the last competition, and now we’ve got them. In addition to the U.S. Aquaculture track, we’ve just opened up a global aquaculture track. The time is right for aquaculture to take off. In addition to a huge, underserved national market that wants product, there’s growing global demand for sustainably farmed seafood.”

For the first time in its 13 year series, the International Aquaculture Forum will feature an aquafeed workshop. Led by Dr. ALbert Tacon, the English and Spanish language workshop will focus on aquafeed technology in the morning session and formulation in the afternoon, with plenty of time for interaction between the presenters and delegates.

Lallemand has shared the results of several new studies focused on fish mucosal surfaces. The company led five presentations at AQUA 2018 to share its innovative analysis approach to immunomodulation studies in Atlantic salmon, as well as the results of multiple trials to test the efficacy of Lallemand’s single-strain and multi-strain yeast fraction products. Studies found that the yeast fraction products have a positive effect on the skin mucosal barrier in salmon, rainbow trout, and gilthead seabream. Lallemand also shared research on different kinds of functional feed ingredients, specifically a primary antioxidant source in the form of melon pulp concentrate naturally rich in the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Mississippi State University will lead a new $15 million USAID initiative that continues efforts to reduce poverty and improve health outcomes for global populations dependent on aquaculture-led economies. Known as the Fish Innovation Lab, the project will implement integrated aquaculture and fisheries programs in developing countries, initially focusing on West Africa, East Africa, and Asia. The Lab will conduct research focusing on improved production, reducing and mitigating risk to fish production systems and improving human outcomes.

EuroProtein is touting the potential of rapeseed protein concentrate (RPC) as a main aquaculture feed ingredient. RPC was assessed in a feeding study on salmon, and performed equally to soy protein concentrate. \"We think that rapeseed protein concentrate should be a main feed ingredient in European aquaculture feeds, especially if you can produce it at a price point similar to SPC in an industrial process that we have fully proven, together with our engineering partners.\"

Yara has announced they are entering the aquaculture industry with a line of phosphate additive products intended to reduce adverse environmental effects and overall cost. \"We have full control over the entire value chain. For example, we use our own ammonia and our own phosphoric acid from our own mine, which makes the phosphoric acid virtually free from impurities.\"

According to the latest El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) diagnostic discussion issued by the Climate Prediction Center/NCEP/NWS and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, El Niño will likely begin sometime during the Northern Hemisphere fall and continue through the winter.

In an industry that is consistently changing, it is important to note that the way aquatic feed is produced is changing and advancing as well. While specifically focusing on micro aquatic feed, twin screw extruder technology exists that will allow for production of direct extruded feed as small as 0.5 mm.

Iran has removed its ban on the export of fish feed. Earlier in July, the Iranian government banned the export of 18 agricultural products including fishmeal, fish feed, and additives for fish feed \"until further notice.\" The decision came as a move to save foreign currency after the Iranian rial plunged to a record low against the US dollar after President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal with Tehran. Prior to the ban, Iran was exporting some 15,000 tons of fish feed annually at a value of $1-1.2 per each kilogram.

Ten of the world’s largest seafood companies, including Skretting and Cargill, have announced that they will increase their efforts to strengthen sustainable practices in the seafood industry. The announcement followed a dialogue in Japan where the companies made a shared commitment to advance sustainable practices within their global operations and supply chains. The dialogue marks the third in a series of keystone dialogues for the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) initiative. In the dialogue, the SeaBOS organization was also formally established with the appointment of Knut Nesse, currently CEO of Nutreco, as managing director of SeaBOS from January 1, 2019.

Recent trials found that a new feed additive derived from sugarcane can offer key benefits such as improved growth rates and feed conversion ratios in shrimp and fish. Trials of the patented additive Polygain, produced by Australian company The Product Makers (TPM), were conducted in Bangladesh on three prominent species: shrimp, pangus, and tilapia. “The aim of the University trials, were to confirm the suitability of natural polyphenol product in commercial fish and prawn pellets used at low doses. The industry has been looking for a natural non antibiotic based growth improver and this has the potential to expand the value and volume of exports.” 

One of the most important feeding strategies to tackle the complex problems of maintaining health in aquaculture is feed management. Feed is the most practical, and sometimes the only way (as in shrimp), to support and improve the health status in the animals

A recent study aiming to assess and compare the efficacy of commercial and indigenous sources of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus lichenformis in shrimp diets found that commercial probiotics may offer a higher resistance to environmental stressors. The study assessed the efficacy of the bacteria as probiotic dietary supplementation on the growth performance, immuno-physiological variables and resistance response to some stressors in white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Researchers measured growth and feeding parameters including final weight, growth rate, and FCR, and found that all diets containing probiotics significantly influenced each factor. Better growth performance and survival were observed in the CP group when compared with other treatments.

The Nyeri Agriculture department has started training farmers on fish feeds formulation to lower production cost, which account for up to 70 per cent of total production cost. The fisheries department also plans to revive Wamagana Fish Factory. “We are encouraging other fish farming technologies such as the cage culture system. In 2017-18, 10 cages were constructed, installed and stocked with 10,000 tilapia monosex fingerings at Chinga Dam.”