A new report on mariculture (marine aquaculture) has urged Pacific nations to think twice before embarking on sea-farming enterprises. It found that many mariculture projects had been undertaken in the past without proper economic studies, particularly of the costs involved and the potential markets for fish products

Total catfish feed delivered in the United States during February 2012 was 7,612 tons, up 53 percent from February 2011, and up 30 percent from the previous month. Foodsize catfish feed delivered totaled 7,298 tons, up 58 percent from the corresponding month a year ago. Feed delivered for fingerlings and broodfish totaled 314 tons, down 4 percent from the corresponding month a year ago

The report summarises the monitoring data from 2010 on the presence of residues of veterinary medicinal products and certain substances in live animals and animal products (including aquaculture)in the European Union. Download report (PDF) from the link below:

CTSA has recently released two videos: a profile of microalgae producer, Cyanotech on the Big Island of Hawaii, and a feature on the pearl industry in Micronesia Cyanotech

FEFAC predicts trend to continue in 2012 in a difficult economic environment for the feed and livestock industries

Global Soybean Supplies Fall to a 3-Year Low Based on shrinking prospects for South American crops, USDA’s forecast of the 2011/12- average soybean price received by U.S. farmers fell to $11.40-$12.60 per bushel from $11.10- $12.30 last month. Similarly, USDA raised its forecast of the season-average price for soybean meal to $310-$340 per short ton from $290-$320 last month. Global soybean production for 2011/12 is forecast down this month to 245.1 million metric tons for the largest year-to-year decline (19.2 million tons) ever. For Brazil, deteriorating conditions for the soybean crops in southern Brazil prompted a lower production estimate of 68.5 million tons from 72 million last month. Likewise, the soybean production estimate for Paraguay was revised down to 5 million tons from 6.4 million. For Argentina, earlier damage to first-crop soybeans prior to the return of rainfall in January was responsible for lowering the production forecast by 1.5 million tons to 46.5 million.

The U.S. season-average soybean price range for 2011/12 is projected at $11.40 to $12.60 per bushel, up 30 cents on both ends of the range. Soybean meal prices are forecast at $310 to $340 per short ton, up 20 dollars on both ends of the range. Soybean oil prices are forecast at 50.5 to 54.5 cents per pound, unchanged from last month

Total catfish feed delivered in the United States during January 2012 was 5,834 tons, up 420 percent from January 2011, and up 47 percent from the previous month. Foodsize catfish feed delivered totaled 5,658 tons, up 441 percent from the corresponding month a year ago. Feed delivered for fingerlings and broodfish totaled 176 tons, up 132 percent from the corresponding month a year ago

The March/April 2012 Global Aquaculture Advocate is now available for free online viewing. This issue contains a number of feed-related stories. Here are our picks:

New Zealand Aquaculture - Issue 44 November_December 2011 is now available to download. Cover story: Red Koura have unique potential

Total catfish feed delivered in the United States during December 2011 was 3,960 tons, up 19 percent from December 2010, but down 69 percent from the previous month. Foodsize catfish feed delivered totaled 3,930 tons, up 20 percent from the corresponding month a year ago. Feed delivered for fingerlings and broodfish totaled 30 tons, down 44 percent from the corresponding month a year ago.

This paper reviews the dietary feeding practices employed for the production of the major cultured fed species, the total global production and market availability of the major feed ingredient sources used and the major constraints to feed ingredient usage, and recommends approaches to feed ingredient selection and usage for the major species of cultivated fish and crustacean. Emphasis is placed on the need for major producing countries to maximize the use of locally available feed-grade ingredient sources, and, in particular, to select and use those nutritionally sound and safe feed ingredient sources whose production and growth can keep pace with the 8 to 10 percent annual average annual growth of the fed finfish and crustacean aquaculture sector. Albert G.J. Tacon FAO Consultant Hawaii, United States of America Mohammad R. Hasan Aquaculture Officer Aquaculture Service FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Rome, Italy and Marc Metian Littoral Environment and Societies University of La Rochelle La Rochelle, France FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2011

Global oilseed production for 2011/12 is projected at 457.4 million tons, down 0.3 million with lower soybean production more than offsetting higher projections for sunflowerseed and rapeseed. Global soybean production is projected at 257 million tons, down 2.2 million mostly due to lower production forecasts for South America - read complete WASDE report from the USDA

The guidelines cover a number of issues relevant to the use of wild fish in feeds in aquaculture, including ecosystem and environmental impacts, ethical considerations on the responsible use of fish as feed, aquaculture technology and development, and statistics and information needs for managing the development of aquaculture

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. 1061/5 FIRA/C1061/5 (En) ISSN 2070-6065 (PDF)

World 2011/12 corn production is forecast up 8.5 million tons this month to a record 868 million tons, mostly due to a large increase in China’s production based on recently published government estimates. Global ending stocks are boosted 6 million tons to 127 million, down just 1 million from the previous year

AwF funded small-scale aquaculture project in Nepal Barakhandapat Ornamental Fish Breeding Unit, Odisha, India Aquaculture Development and Personal Transitions Embryonic and larval development of Waigieu seaperch Culture feasibility of freshwater mullet in ponds in India Management in seed production of an endangered catfish

Shellfish News’ is produced and edited by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It is published twice yearly (Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter.

World coarse grain production is projected to reach 1,135.8 million tons in 2011/12, down slightly this month as the U.S. reduction mostly offsets an increase in foreign countries, the latest Feed Oulook report released by the USDA reports

High sea temperature severely reduces appetite and growth rates in farmed salmon