Dave Conley, AwF executive director

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Dave Conley as the first executive director of Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF). Mr. Conley joined the Board as a director in February 2010 and has been very active over the past 17 months volunteering his time to completely redesign the AwF website, reaching out to other NGOs working in aquaculture/agriculture development, and managing our communications program. He has also undertaken to update our volunteer database with the goal of better utilizing this resource to expand the reach and effectiveness of our organization.

“We are extremely pleased with all the work that Dave has done since joining us,” said AwF Founder and Patron, Michael New, OBE. “He has made numerous suggestions to help us become more efficient and has impressed me with his energy and dedication to achieving the mission of AwF.”   Read the rest of this entry »

Cod Academy Classes:  Learning Fish Farming

Purpose: Train large boat fishermen from Hancock and Washington Counties in the necessary skills and knowledge of cod farming by offering a free course that consists of classroom and hands-on instruction. After attending the June informational meeting, fishermen who enroll will take classes, starting in mid-August and running 1 day/week for 12-15 weeks. Classes will be held in Franklin and Sorrento.

Partners: Maine Aquaculture Association, Great Bay Aquaculture of Maine, Coastal Enterprises Inc., Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research of the University of Maine, with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Overview: We believe that fishermen trained in cod farming and given the means to successfully make the transition from fishing to farming will offer eastern Maine working waterfront families an option to stay on the water. This training course and start-up business model was used successfully in Norway to assist herring fishermen become successful salmon farmers. It can work here with cod farming.

For more info, click here.

To view TIMEVideo – Teach a man to (farm) fish, click here.

Oceans: the real final frontier by Carlos M. Duarte

Tapping into our ocean wealth could not only change the face of food production for growing populations – it could also open up a new world of discovery. To read this opinion piece click here.

The Aquaculture Communications Group (Tor-Eddie Fossbakk and Dave Conley) wishes to express our deepest sympathy to our Norwegian friends and colleagues in the aquaculture community during this time of great sorrow as a result of last Friday’s horrific events in Oslo and on the island of Utoya. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

DuPont and AquaChile announced a partnership that will join together the collective innovation andaquaculture expertise of the companies to sustainably raise fish and provide nutritious protein for a growing population.

The partnership began in 2007 with an initial focus on Atlantic salmon. Farming of salmon and troutis an estimated $10 billion business globally and growing 6-10 percent annually due to growing consumer demand for healthy seafood. During the course of the partnership, several new innovations have been discovered in consultation with leading non-governmental organizations, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) through its Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue. The partners have developed a new feeding strategy that dramatically reduces the need for wild-caught feeder fish by 75 percent, as part of the salmon’s diet. It is based on a breakthrough new feed ingredient developed by DuPont.   Read the rest of this entry »

Nofima’s three new research reports show that we know too little about how farmed salmon affect wild salmon, and that it is not communicated clearly enough what we do actually know. Researchers from Nofima are critical about the lack of correlation between the public administration’s communication and the actual scientific basis.

The Canadian Aquaculture Research and Development Review 2011 has been published with support and funding provided by Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Aquaculture Research and Development Program (ACRDP) and support from the Aquaculture Association of Canada (AAC).

Similar to the first three editions in 2005, 2007, and 2009 this national review of aquaculture research and development provides brief summaries of current research projects, in-depth coverage of select projects, and overviews of the various funding organizations in Canada supporting aquaculture R&D.

Key areas in this edition include the Canadian Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture Network, Finfish: Freshwater, Salmon and Marine, Shellfish, Sea Lice and Environment Interactions.

A new inventory of research on salmon aquaculture in Canada has now been posted online and is available to the general public.

The Salmon Aquaculture Database is being hosted by the Aquaculture Association of Canada, which has a mandate to disseminate scientific and technical information on aquaculture in Canada, following its development for the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) with funding from the federal government.

“This is a great resource for anyone who wants a clear idea of the research that has been completed regarding salmon farming in Canada,” said Mary Ellen Walling, Executive Director of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. “It’s really impressive to see the thousands of papers catalogued through the document.”  Read the rest of this entry »

Meeker’s Aquaculture, of Evansville, Ontario, Canada has won a second regional Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. The honour was awarded to Mike Meeker at an Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs ceremony in Sturgeon Falls on Monday June 27th.

On-farm innovations are helping Ontario farmers provide more of the healthy food that is grown, processed, and sold across the province. Ontario’s local farmers are using innovative ideas that drive our local economies and strengthen our agri-food industry.

“We are very proud of Mike and all of his environmentally conscious achievements,” said Karen Tracey, Executive Director of the Northern Ontario Aquaculture Association (NOAA). “Mike is a true ambassador for the aquaculture industry and an excellent example of a very innovative entrepreneur that gets the job done while improving the ecosystems around his farm operation.”  Read the rest of this entry »

A Norwegian research project has attempted to map all available scientific and evidence-based knowledge about infection between farmed and wild fish. In order to be able to get through the extensive amount of scientific material in the report, we asked one of the scientists behind the report, Lill-Heidi Johansen from Nofima, to tell us what we actually know?

Olav Huslid (OH): This research project carried out by Nofima, the Institute of Marine Research and the Norwegian Veterinary Institute, with financial support from the Fishery and Aquaculture Industry Research Fund (FHF), appears comprehensive. I have gone through the report and searched for conclusions, but my initial impression is that the report first and foremost provides an overview of what we know about the various diseases and risks of infection, as well as which knowledge requirements and future research is necessary to combat the problem. Is this correct?

Lill-Heidi Johansen (LHJ): The objective of the project was to compile a review of the knowledge status in the field of infection between wild fish and farmed fish, and a description of future research requirements. Consequently, the report gives an overview of what we know (and don’t know) about the various diseases and risks of infection, as well as what future research is necessary in order to enhance the level of knowledge in the field.

To read the conclusions, click here.

Dave Conley, Senior Consultant and Founding Partner, Aquaculture Communications Group (ACG), was interviewed by Steven Hedlund, editor of SeafoodSourceNews, last week regarding the potential for aquaculture development in the United States given the recent release of the U.S. government’s national marine aquaculture policy. The interview and Hedlund’s commentary were published yesterday.

To read the interview – Q&A: Dave Conley on U.S. aquaculture’s potential - click here.

To read the commentary – Clock’s ticking - click here.

A previous article – Business Trends: Opportunity awaits? - in the November 2010 issue of SeaFood Business Magazine discusses some of the same issues – click here.

October 5 & 6, 2011, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

International and national participants at this three-day conference will include high-ranking decision-makers, academics, students, representatives of government, the private sector, international agencies, and civil society.

This is an exceptional opportunity to be part of a high-level, well recognized and well established international event on global food security. Learn more and register.

For archival news on global food security, please click here.

Aquaculture information is now available on a new website called eXtension. The site is a partnership between 70+ universities and contains information on a variety of topics. The aquaculture page can be accessed by clicking here. It has many of the Extension publications that were on the former AquaNIC website. Below is a very helpful note on how to participate in developing the site.  Read the rest of this entry »

August 1, 2011 - Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Join the National Algae Association (NAA) in Santa Fe on August 1, 2011 to discuss algae production and deployment strategies, lessons learned, business practices, progress made and partnerships created. The partial agenda includes New Mexico State University and Santa Fe Community College, along with updates from NAA’s Algae Oil Spec Committee, the USDA, the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (“NAABB”), and MerckMillipore, New Solutions Energy, Waterwheel Factory, Solutions4CO2, CBO Financial and industry updates by Algae Industry Magazine and Emerging Markets Online. The day will end with a tour of New Solutions Energy’s Algae Base Station and SFCC’s new Trades and Advanced Technologies Center, a state-of-the-art building that provides hands-on, compelling learning opportunities promoting up-and-coming high-demand, high-wage “green” jobs and careers. Join the collaborative effort in advancing the algae production industry!!!  Read the rest of this entry »

“Embracing the Future through Innovation”
15-18 September 2011
Hobart Function and Conference Centre, Hobart Tasmania

On-line registrations for the 4th International Oyster Symposium (IOS4) are now open – Click here to register now for Early Bird registrations.

IOS4 is being organised jointly by Oysters Tasmania, the World Oyster Society and NSW Industry and Investment and is to be held in conjunction with shellfish futures 2011, the annual Tasmanian oyster industry conference.

To Read more about IOS4, including the First Announcement, Abstract Submittal Form and important deadlines, go to the Oysters Tasmania website.

Oral and poster presentations are invited within the following key objectives/areas:

· Innovation in supply
· Innovation through diversification
· Innovation in a changing environment
· Innovation in promotion, handling and marketing

Contact the Secretariat – 4th International Oyster Symposium
email: IOS4@oysterstasmania.org
phone: +61 3 6231 9033

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland has further enhanced its support for the global aquaculture industry through a new Master of Technology Management (Aquaculture) and a Technical Certificate in Aquaculture (Salmonid or Mussel). The programs, offered via MI’s School of Fisheries, will provide abundant benefits to employers and employees in this field.

The Master of Technology Management (Aquaculture) focuses on aquaculture technology and its management. This 10-course program, which will be offered online starting September 2011, allows professionals to continue working while advancing their skills and careers through education.

The Technical Certificate in Aquaculture (Salmonid or Mussel) involves a series of short industry-based courses and workshops designed to enhance the skills of current and new farm workers, while improving farm performance. Presently this is being offered in partnership with the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association (NAIA) and other community agencies.

In Canada the aquaculture industry employs more than 14,000 people, in addition to an equal number working in the processing and service sectors. The Marine Institute is playing a key role in the growth of the Atlantic Canada industry, and its aquaculture graduates continue to be major contributors to the national and international industry development.

A new and comprehensive analysis released by the WorldFish Center and Conservation International (CI) has investigated the environmental impact of the world’s major aquaculture production systems and species, and today offers a first-ever global assessment of trends and impacts of cultivated seafood. The analysis has found that, from the 75 species-production systems reviewed, more production means more ecological impact, but that compared to other forms of animal protein production such as livestock, aquaculture is more efficient.

The report, “Blue Frontiers: Managing the environmental costs of aquaculture”, along with a companion policy recommendations paper, was released today in Bangkok, Thailand at the ASEAN SEAFDEC Conference (Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center) on “Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security Towards 2020”. It concludes that the demand for aquaculture products will continue to grow over the next two decades as a key source of animal protein for growing urban populations, and that the industry needs to meet this demand with improved efficiencies and reduced environmental impacts. Read the rest of this entry »

We would like to bring your attention to the new book – The History of Aquaculture – by Colin E. Nash and published by Wiley-Blackwell. Many of you may know Dr Nash, or be familiar with his work in aquaculture research, which he did for more than four decades. He was also the chief editor for Aquaculture for ten years; the director of the program for FAO Aquaculture Development, the technical director of France’s Cofrepeche, and finally most recently NOAA.

The Washington Fish Growers Association (WFGA) is selling copies signed by the author, who lives in the Seattle area.

Information on how to order is posted at the WFGA website.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on June 9th released national marine aquaculture policies that will help the U.S. meet increasing demand for healthy seafood, create jobs in coastal communities, and protect vital ecosystems.

For more information and to view the policies, check out the Aquaculture Policy page. View the press release on NOAA’s homepage.

The new policies reflect significant public input gathered through regional ‘Listening Sessions’ and two public comment periods. The policies prioritize making timely management decisions based on the best scientific information available; advancing sustainable aquaculture science; ensuring aquaculture decisions protect wild species and healthy coastal and ocean ecosystems; developing sustainable aquaculture in locations compatible with other uses; working with partners domestically and internationally; and promoting a level playing field for U.S. aquaculture businesses engaged in international trade.

Additional information is available on the NOAA Fisheries Facebook page.

Partnerships between U.S. seafood producers and U.S. soybean farmers continue to produce results as both seek ways to improve the U.S. aquaculture sector as a sustainable source of nutritious finfish and shellfish.

The United Soybean Board (USB), which administers U.S. soybean farmers’ checkoff investments, along with state soybean checkoff boards fund projects to benefit domestic aquaculture producers. Most of these projects fall into one of two categories:

1. Research to enhance aquaculture production, including:

• Researching new soybean traits that to improve soybean meal characteristics for aquaculture diets
• Upgrading the efficiency of aquaculture production through the use of best practices and standard operating procedures at critical control points

2. Working through the National Aquaculture Association, the checkoff helps to promote U.S. aquaculture’s health, economic and environmental benefits, including:

• Educating consumers, the food industry and health care professionals on these benefits
• Conducting workshops to teach farmers how to improve product marketing and help shape public perception at the local level
• Maintaining a website to serve as a central source for aquaculture information
• Earning positive media coverage of the U.S. aquaculture sector  Read the rest of this entry »

Researchers at Norway’s Institute of Marine Research are proposing four possible measures to improve the lives of farmed salmon and simultaneously increase production. By releasing feed below the surface and using underwater lights, you can lure the fish away from the sea lice larvae on the surface, and greater monitoring will make it possible to optimise the environment. If simple procedures are also developed to spot abnormal behaviour, fish farmers will be able to discover signs of disease at an earlier stage.

These proposals for possible measures are based on the results of many years’ work. The scientists have described in detail how salmon behave and respond to the cage environment, and how fish farmers can best use that knowledge to increase production. Read the rest of this entry »

You are a click away from A World of Business Opportunities … please read our program, ask about your Country code to benefit from the delegation price, and join us. Do not hesitate to contact me. Looking forward to meeting you in Nantes in September.

BIOMARINE BUSINESS CONVENTION 2011

Dedicated to Marine Bio-resources

From Algae producers to companies tied to marine bio-resources, from Clean tech, to health, Biotech and Cosmetics, from CEO, R&D, Business development researchers to investors… 

2 days of debates and 1 to 1 meetings 

Unique Networking opportunities 

World-class speakers from industry, science or civil society

1 discovery day (Marine renewable energy- Biomass- By products)
· Scale down your prospection costs and meet your future partners or investors
· Identify the most promising start-ups and cutting-edge companies worldwide
· Strengthen your impact as a small, medium or national company on the international stage
· Exchange with scientific and business experts in the marine Bio-resources sector

This is what BioMarine Business Convention 2011 is about !

  Read the rest of this entry »

The LIFECYCLE project is a part of the EU vision that by strengthening basic and need-driven research, a strong Knowledge Based Bio-Economy (KBBE) will be created. To this end, LIFECYCLE will deliver a knowledge-base to improve competitiveness and sustainability of European aquaculture, through a combination of question- and problem-driven approaches. The focus is on development and growth, environmental adaptation, immunology, puberty and sex determination. Strong focus is placed on key life-stage transitions such as metamorphosis, smoltification and puberty, which often represent current production bottlenecks.

To advance current knowledge on mechanisms governing essential biological functions in fish, state-of-the-art physiological research is combined with functional genomics by leading European research groups. LIFECYCLE will focus on all major life stages of sea bass, sea bream, Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout, and some aspects of Atlantic cod and halibut biology. For these important aquaculture species, substantial resources and biological information exists which will be exploited and integrated to potentiate the overall impact.

Don’t miss these Keynote and Plenary speakers

Gavin Gibbons (Keynote)
Director of media relations, National Fisheries Institute (US)

As NFI’s spokesman, he has been featured in everything from the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post to USA Today and has been the voice of fisheries issues on CNN, NPR and the Fox Business Network. Gibbons joined NFI in 2007 after more than a decade as an award-winning television news producer that saw him work for a variety of local television affiliates, as well as MSNBC and the Fox News Channel.

The Message, the Media and the Market: Changing how we communicate about seafood 

Read the rest of this entry »

University of Maine researchers have published a paper in which they demonstrate that the blue mussel can eat larvae of the sea louse, a parasitic pest that has recently made a comeback on fish farms, decimating populations of farmed finfish.

The findings were published recently in the journal Aquaculture and have implications for the farmed salmon industry in Maine. If further analysis in the field holds up, the use of mussels on salmon farms could be another disease management strategy for reducing the infectious pressure of sea lice in a finfish farm.

Postdoctoral researcher Sally Molloy, a microbiologist in UMaine’s School of Marine Sciences, made the discovery last summer along with graduate student Michael Pietrak. Ian Bricknell, the Libra Professor of Aquaculture Biology and director of UMaine’s Aquaculture Research Institute, and Debbie Bouchard, manager of the Maine Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory at UMaine, provided research support. Read the rest of this entry »

Newton Fish combines the sustainability of aquaculture products with value added production, manufacture and marketing.

Newton Fish was formed by Mr. Tony Fish, a seafood marketing specialist and Dr. Stephen Newman, a marine microbiologist and an aquaculture expert to bring their combined expertise to a clientele wishing to take the next steps in their aquaculture businesses. Read the rest of this entry »

ISTA 9 will be held in conjunction with the Ninth Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum, 22-25 April 2011. This will bring together one of the largest aquaculture conferences and trade shows ever held in Asia. The meetings will be hosted at the new campus of Shanghai Ocean University about 20 km south of the Pudong International Airport, the main international arrival point to Shanghai.

The focus of ISTA 9 will be the continued growth of tilapia into one of the most important seafood items in international trade, while remaining a key source of protein for some of the planet’s poorest farmers. The role of tilapia as the “Aquatic Chicken” continues to be even more important. Sessions on nutrition, reproductive biology, farming systems, health and disease control, marketing and processing, genetics, and regional reports are being organized.

Several sponsors will be supporting special sessions on vaccines, rural development, and feed technology.

For more information contact Dr Kevin Fitzsimmons kevfitz@cals.arizona.edu.

Aquaculture Canada: Facts and Figures
Aquaculture Management Directorate is pleased to present the new Facts and Figures publication.

This new brochure presents key statistical information regarding the Canadian aquaculture industry over the last decade. How much is the industry worth? How much fish and seafood was produced last year? How many jobs does the aquaculture industry provide? What kind of species are grown and where?

The information is presented in a visually compelling, map-style, and easy-to-read format. The brochure is a handy reference guide for DFO employees, industry representatives and many stakeholders. Read the rest of this entry »

Water technology development and application always encompasses financial needs – in terms of financing infrastructure and funding technology development (i.e. funding companies). In addition, water related charity activities are looking for donors. This issue has been neglected in all the congresses, summits and fairs taking place all over the world. There are many start-ups and SMEs around looking for funding and “courageous” clients (i.e. first movers); on the other side there are many interested investors (Venture Capital, private equity, corporate investors, business angels) – they all need to match. Creating references is always difficult for start-ups as actual structure are very conservative.  Many problems within fresh water can only be solved by a combination of new – and simple to apply – technology and a change in behaviour and attitudes – thus “inventors” are encouraged to cooperate with larger companies (as growing interest by corporate investors points out!).  Read the rest of this entry »