GOAL 2014 ISSUE
GLOBAL AQUACULTURE ADVOCATE
Volume 17, Issue 5
September/October 2014
september/october 2014
January/February 2009
DEPARTMENTS
From The President
From The Editor
GAA Activities
Industry News
GAA Calendar
Advocate Advertisers
28 The Bottom Line
Changing The Paradigm – Feed Is An Investment,
Not A Cost
Thomas R. Zeigler, Ph.D.
30 New IFFO Position: Fish As Food Or Feed
IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organisation
On the cover:
34 Soy-Fed Fish News
Genetic Markers Help Track Soy Protein
Utilization In Shrimp
With white, mild-flavored flesh and plentiful supplies from Vietnam,
Pangasius has become a top farmed species.
Dr. Richard H. Towner, Dr. Anant Bharadwaj,
Dr. George W. Chamberlain, Bonnie Mulligan
38 Gamma Irradiation Enhances Nutritional Value
Of Animal By-Products
Page 28
Changing
The Feed
Paradigm
Sergio Nates, Ph.D.; Kent Swisher
42 Thomas Zeigler – Quality Feed, Feeding Key To Advances
Changing decision
making regarding feeds from a
focus on cost only
to viewing feed as
an investment can
increase profitability.
Steven Hedlund
44 Genetic Improvement Programs For Shrimp
Vary Between Asia, Americas
2
3
6
92
94
96
Thomas Gitterle, Ph.D.; John Diener
48 ‘Big Picture’ Connects Shrimp Disease, Inbreeding
Roger W. Doyle, Ph.D.
50 Bacillus Probiotics Improve Hatchery, Nursery Production
In EMS-Hit Mexico
J. Jaime Munoz M.; F. Marino Pinzon M.; Rodolfo Rivera F.;
Olivier Decamp, Ph.D.
54 Seaweeds: Top Mariculture Crop,
Ecosystem Service Provider
Dr. Thierry Chopin
57 Sustainable Aquaculture Practices
Atmospheric Pollution Affects Water Quality
Claude E. Boyd, Ph.D.
59 What Size Are Your Postlarvae?
Ana Paula G. Teixeira, Ana Carolina B. Guerrelha
62 Seafood And Health
Use Your ‘License To Gill’
Roy D. Palmer, FAICD
66 Seafood Marketing
Sea Bream Price Integration Along Value Chain In Spain
José Fernández Polanco, Ph.D.; Ignacio Llorente, Ph.D.;
María Odriozola
70 Value Chain Analysis Helps Overcome
Gender Barriers In Aquaculture
Eastern Fish is one of the world’s largest importers and marketers of shrimp and our Sail® Brand product has become
the gold standard for quality and consistency. Our everyday goal is to provide fresh, premium quality shrimp to our
customers. We take our global responsibilities seriously and are committed to making a positive difference.
800-526-9066 easternfish.com
ii
September/October 2014
global aquaculture advocate
Paris Edwards, M.S.; Hillary Egna, Ph.D.; Stephanie Ichien, M.S.;
Jenna Borberg, M.S.
73 Food Safety And Technology
U.S. Moves Catfish Inspection: FDA to USDA
George J. Flick, Jr., Ph.D.; David D. Kuhn, Ph.D.
76 U.S. Seafood Markets
Paul Brown, Jr.; Janice Schreiber; Angel Rubio
Page 80
Multi-Phase
Shrimp
Production
Large-scale
production of rotifers and copepods
and sequential
pond inoculations
can shorten shrimp
growth cycles and
boost production.
80 Multi-Phase Shrimp Production In Sun-Driven
Honduran Ponds
Brian M. Boudreau
82 Optimizing Depuration Of Salmon In RAS
John Davidson, M.S.; Kevin Schrader, Ph.D.;
Christopher Good, Ph.D.; Steven Summerfelt, Ph.D.
86 Aquaculture Engineering
Constant Flow Technology – Useful Pump Automation
For Aquaculture
Thomas Losordo, Ph.D.; Zack Pickard
88 Operational Risk Management Tool
Applied To Offshore Aquaculture
Prof. Ignacio Llorente, Ph.D.; Prof. Ladislao Luna, Ph.D.;
Prof. José Fernández-Polanco, Ph.D.; María Odriozola, Ph.D. Candidate
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
1
from the president
GLOBAL AQUACULTURE
ALLIANCE
The Global Aquaculture Al­li­ance is an international non-profit, non-gov­ernmental
association whose mission is to further en­vi­
ron­men­tally responsible aqua­culture to meet
world food needs. Our members are producers, pro­cessors, marketers and retailers of seafood prod­ucts worldwide. All aqua­­culturists
in all sectors are welcome in the organization.
OFFICERS
George Chamberlain, President
Bill Herzig, Vice President
Lee Bloom, Secretary
Jim Heerin, Treasurer
Iain Shone, Assistant Treasurer
Jeff Fort, Chief Financial Officer
Wally Stevens, Executive Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bert Bachmann
Lee Bloom
Rittirong Boonmechote
George Chamberlain
Shah Faiez
Jeff Fort
John Galiher
Laura Garrido
Jim Heerin
Bill Herzig
Ray Jones
Alex Ko
Jordan Mazzetta
Robins McIntosh
Sergio Nates
John Peppel
John Schramm
Jeff Sedacca
Iain Shone
Wally Stevens
RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
Sally Krueger
sallyk@gaalliance.org
EDITOR
Darryl Jory
editorgaadvocate@aol.com
PRODUCTION STAFF
Assistant Editor
David Wolfe
davidw@gaalliance.org
Graphic Designer
Lorraine Jennemann
lorrainej@gaalliance.org
HOME OFFICE
4111 Telegraph Road, Suite 302
St. Louis, Missouri 63129 USA
Telephone: +1-314-293-5500
FAX: +1-314-293-5525
E-mail: homeoffice@gaalliance.org
Website: http://www.gaalliance.org
All contents copyright © 2014
Global Aquaculture Alliance.
Global Aquaculture Advocate
is printed in the USA.
ISSN 1540-8906
2
September/October 2014
Finding Solutions
Through
Collaboration
In its young history, aquaculture has shown a
remarkable ability to innovate and re-invent itself.
For example, when white spot syndrome virus
George
caused a global epidemic during the 1990s, the
Chamberlain, Ph.D.
shrimp-farming sector responded with specificPresident
pathogen-free stocks and more biosecure production
Global Aquaculture Alliance
methods that allowed it to quadruple production.
georgec@gaalliance.org
Advances continue at an ever-increasing pace at
each level of the production chain, including diagnostic labs, breeding programs, hatcheries, farms, feed mills and processing plants. It is
inspiring to witness the ingenuity and determination of the men and women who are
driving these incremental improvements. Together, they are lifting the overall efficiency
and sustainability of aquaculture.
However, as the industry grows, it is inevitably confronting challenges, especially
from disease outbreaks and resource constraints, which are simply too complex or broad
in scope to be overcome by individual businesses or even individual countries. For
example, the shrimp-farming sector is now stymied by early mortality syndrome
(EMS), and the feed sector is struggling to overcome environmental and social issues
regarding use of fishmeal.
If left unaddressed, these issues threaten to cause stagnation or decline of the aquaculture sector. They require a broader collaborative effort. As Albert Einstein once said,
“You can’t solve a problem on the same level that it was created. You have to rise above
it to the next level.” This is GAA’s mission – to harness the strength of collaboration to
enable the sustainable development of aquaculture.
Over the years, GAA has been proud to have worked with businesses, academia,
NGOs and government organizations to resolve a range of such broad environmental,
social and market issues including mangrove conversion, effluents, child labor, antibiotic usage, artificial trade barriers and animal welfare. In that process, the resulting best
management practices have been captured in GAA’s comprehensive Best Aquaculture
Practices certification standards. The standards provide ongoing, third-party assurance
that responsible practices are in place.
The upcoming GOAL 2014 meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, will be an
important opportunity to discuss today’s most daunting issues and develop consensus solutions. We invite buyers, producers, researchers, investors, NGOs and government organizations to join us in these discussions. Among the key issues to be discussed at GOAL are
EMS, the sustainable use of fishmeal in feeds, food safety and marketplace accessibility.
In the case of EMS, an ongoing GAA survey is revealing improvements in diagnostic
testing, management methods, feed additives and genetic improvement, which promise
an imminent recovery and rebound of the sector. To better manage the mounting risk of
outbreaks, the GOAL program will also include discussions about the need for improved
zone management to control such factors as trans-boundary movement of animals, proximity of farms and discharge of wastes. These are broad policy issues that require input
and collaboration from many levels, including the regulatory and financial sectors.
In the case of fishmeal sustainability, GAA will seek to bridge the gap in certification
standards between feed mills and fishing vessels. It will also provide a forum for discussion
of innovations in fishmeal substitution to reduce the pressure on fishmeal supplies.
If we can overcome such major obstacles through collaboration, we will unleash
continuing innovation and sustainable growth. In so many ways, the promise of aquaculture relies on unity and cooperation.
from the editor
Leadership
Needed
GAA’s GOAL conferences in Chile in 2011 and
in Thailand in 2012 introduced and revolved around
five major challenges we must effectively address to
reach our objective of responsibly expanding production in a decade: disease management, feed supply,
Darryl E. Jory, Ph.D.
environmental limits, financing and market accepEditor, Development Manager
tance. At GOAL 2013 in France, GAA Executive
Global Aquaculture Advocate
Director Wally Stevens added leadership as a sixth
editorgaadvocate@aol.com
major challenge.
At GAA, industry leadership is so important that
our flagship annual meeting is named Global Outlook for Aquaculture Leadership (GOAL). In fact, “Celebrating Leadership” is the
theme for our 2014 meeting in Vietnam in October.
Leadership is variously defined in dictionaries as the power or ability to lead other
people toward a common goal. For some, a leader is just someone whom people follow,
or a person who guides or directs others. In our context, the former is required if we are
to achieve the common goal of responsibly multiplying seafood production.
However, the growth of our industry appears to be slowing down. A year ago, Arni
Mathiesen, assistant director general of FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture, said during
the opening ceremony of Aqua Nor 2013 that aquaculture currently produces 62.17
mmt of fish and seafood every year, but the growth rate for aquaculture declined in the
last decade. He added that this could lead to a shortfall in fish supply by 2050, and that
the solution is to reach growth through new technology, knowledge transfer and
research. “We have to make an intelligent and scientifically informed attempt” to cultivate the world’s waters, he said. “We need to do more.”
So, what else can we do to increase industry growth? I believe two areas are critical,
and pursuing both requires significant leadership.
The first involves our need for innovative changes leading to new technologies that
improve efficiency and sustainability, and better management practices for more control
over diverse production systems. We need more selective-breeding programs and development of lines resistant to specific pathogens for better performance, as well as
improved health management, disease detection and disease prevention. We also need a
better understanding of the nutritional requirements of commercial species and how to
meet them by utilizing an expanding base of renewable ingredients.
The other critical area is industry financing, because to significantly increase aquaculture production requires tremendous investments that can only come from professional investors.
Our industry’s future is interesting from many perspectives, including that of business. The global market for aquaculture is expected to reach U.S. $202.96 billion by
2020, according to a report released in July by Grand View Research, Inc. Worldwide,
the aquaculture market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 2.0%
from 2014 to 2020.
In the words of the late and distinguished management consultant, educator and
author Peter F. Drucker, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the
right things.” Our farmed seafood industry needs innovative change throughout all the
components of the production and marketing chain to greatly increase production.
Who will take the lead so we do the right things to reach the farmed seafood production levels our growing population will need in the coming decades?
We encourage your suggestions for topics you would like us to cover, as well as your
contributions of brief articles. Please contact me at your convenience for details about
our guidelines, and let us know how we can best represent and serve our industry.
Sincerely
Sincerely,
George Chamberlain
Darryl E. Jory
global aquaculture advocate
FOUNDING MEMBERS
Agribrands International Inc.
Agromarina de Panamá, S.A.
Alicorp SAA – Nicovita
Aqualma – Unima Group
Aquatec/Camanor
Asociación Nacional de Acuicultores de Colombia
Asociación Nacional de Acuicultores de Honduras
Associação Brasileira de Criadores de Camarão
Bangladesh Chapter – Global Aquaculture Alliance
Belize Aquaculture, Ltd.
Bluepoints Co., Inc.
Cámara Nacional de Acuacultura
Camaronera de Coclé, S.A.
Cargill Animal Nutrition
Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods
Continental Grain Co.
C.P. Aquaculture Business Group
Darden Restaurants
Deli Group, Ecuador
Deli Group, Honduras
Delta Blue Aquaculture
Diamante del Mar S.A.
Eastern Fish Co.
El Rosario, S.A.
Empacadora Nacional, C.A.
Expack Seafood, Inc.
Expalsa – Exportadora de Alimentos S.A.
FCE Agricultural Research and Management, Inc.
High Liner Foods
India Chapter – Global Aquaculture Alliance
Indian Ocean Aquaculture Group
INVE Aquaculture, N.V.
King & Prince Seafood Corp.
Long John Silver’s, Inc.
Lyons Seafoods Ltd.
Maritech S.A. de C.V.
Meridian Aquatic Technology Systems, LLC
Monsanto
Morrison International, S.A.
National Fish & Seafood Co./
Lu-Mar Lobster & Shrimp Co.
National Food Institute
National Prawn Co.
Ocean Garden Products, Inc.
Overseas Seafood Operations, SAM
Pescanova USA
Preferred Freezer Services
Productora Semillal, S.A.
Red Chamber Co.
Rich-SeaPak Corp.
Sahlman Seafoods of Nicaragua, S.A.
Sanders Brine Shrimp Co., L.C.
Sea Farms Group
Seprofin Mexico
Shrimp News International
Sociedad Nacional de Galápagos
Standard Seafood de Venezuela C.A.
Super Shrimp Group
Tampa Maid Foods, Inc.
U.S. Foodservice
Zeigler Brothers, Inc.
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
3
Join the world’s leading
aquaculture organization
Aquaculture is the future of the world’s seafood supply.
Be part of it by joining the Global Aquaculture Alliance,
the leading standards-setting organization for farmed
seafood.
Access science-based information on efficient aquaculture management. Connect with other responsible
companies and reach your social responsibility goals.
Improve sales by adopting GAA’s Best Aquaculture
Practices certification for aquaculture facilities.
Annual dues start at U.S. $150 and include a subscription to the Global Aquaculture Advocate magazine,
GAA e-newsletters, event discounts and other benefits.
Visit www.gaalliance.org or contact the GAA office
for details.
Global Aquaculture Alliance
Feeding the World Through Responsible Aquaculture – www.gaalliance.org – +1-314-293-5500
GOVERNING MEMBERS
Alicorp S.A. – Nicovita
Alltech
Aqua Bounty Technologies
Blue Archipelago Berhad
Capitol Risk Concepts, Ltd.
Cargill Animal Nutrition
Chang International Inc
Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL
Darden Restaurants
Dataj Aquafarm Inc.
Delta Blue Aquaculture LLC
Diversified Business Communications
Eastern Fish Co., Inc.
Ever Nexus Sdn. Bhd.
Grobest USA, Inc.
High Liner Foods
Integrated Aquaculture International
International Associates Corp.
INVE B.V.
King & Prince Seafood Corp.
Lyons Seafood Ltd.
Maloney Seafood Corp.
Marine Technologies
Mazzetta Co. LLC
Megasupply
Morey’s Seafood International
National Fish & Seafood Inc.
Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems
Pescanova USA
Preferred Freezer Services
Red Chamber Co.
Rich Products Corp.
Sahlman Seafoods of Nicaragua, S.A.
Sea Port Products Corp.
Seafood Exchange of Florida
Seajoy
SeaVina Joint Stock Co.
Thai Union Group
Tropical Aquaculture Products, Inc.
Urner Barry Publications, Inc.
Wuhan Lanesync Supply Chain
Management Co., Ltd.
Zeigler Brothers, Inc.
4
September/October 2014
SUSTAINING MEMBERS
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Ammon International, Inc.
Anova Food Inc.
Apex Frozen Foods
Aqua Star
Aquatec Aquacultura Ltda.
A.Z. Gems Inc.
BioMar Group
Blue Ridge Aquaculture
Camanchaca Inc.
Channel Fish Processing Co., Inc.
Direct Source Seafood
DNI Group, LLC
DSM Nutritional Products
Fega Marikultura P.T.
Fortune Fish Co.
Gorton’s Seafood
Great American Seafood Imports Co.
H & N Foods International, Inc./Expack
H & T Seafood, Inc.
Hai Yang International, LLC
Harbor Seafood, Inc.
Harvest Select
International Marketing Specialists
iPura Food Distribution Co.
Long John Silver’s, LLC
Mahalo Seafood LLC
Maritime Products International
Merck Animal Health
Mirasco, Inc.
North Coast Seafoods
Odyssey Enterprises, Inc.
Orca Bay Seafoods
Ore-Cal Corp.
Pacific Supreme Co.
Quirch Foods
Rubicon Resources
Seacore Seafood, Inc.
Seafood Industry Development Corp.
Seattle Fish Co.
Seattle Fish Co. of New Mexico
Seattle Shrimp & Seafood Co., Inc.
Slade Gorton & Co., Inc.
Solae, LLC
Star Agro Marine Exports Ltd.
Tampa Bay Fisheries, Inc.
Tampa Maid Foods
The Fishin’ Co.
global aquaculture advocate
The Great Fish Co.
Trident Seafoods
United Seafood Enterprises, L.P.
ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
All China Federation of Industry
and Commerce Aquatic Production
Chamber of Commerce
American Feed Industry Association
Asociación Latino Americana
de Plantas de Rendimiento
Associação Brasileira de Criadores
de Camarão
Australian Prawn Farmers Association
Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation
China Aquatic Products Processing
and Marketing Association
Fats and Proteins Research
Foundation, Inc.
Indiana Soybean Alliance
Indonesian Aquaculture Society
International Fishmeal and
Fish Oil Organisation
Malaysian Shrimp
Industry Association
Marine Products Export
Development Authority
National Fisheries Institute
National Renderers Association
Oceanic Institute
Prince Edward Island Seafood
Processors Association
SalmonChile
Salmon of the Americas
Seafood Importers Association
of Australasia
Seafood Importers
and Processors Alliance
Soy Aquaculture Alliance
Thai Frozen Foods Association
Universidad Austral de Chile
U.S. Soybean Export Council
Washington Fish Growers Association
Washington State China Relations Council
World Aquaculture Society
World Renderers Organization
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
5
gaa activities
After Productive Vietfish, GAA Builds
Momentum In Vietnam
The Global Aquaculture Alliance made a splash at the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2014) in Ho
Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in early August.
In addition to exhibiting at the three-day exhibition – hosted
by the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
and organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters
and Producers – GAA actively participated in the opening ceremony and conference program, and met individually with a
number of key industry leaders in an effort to advance the organization’s mission of feeding the world through responsible
aquaculture.
“Vietfish was a great experience for GAA, giving us the
opportunity to renew old ties with groups like VASEP, while
forging new relationships with groups like the Vietnamese
Pangasius Association,” said Peter Redmond, vice president of
market development for GAA’s Best Aquaculture Practices
(BAP) division. “We were touched by the generosity and hospitality provided. Vietfish was a great opportunity to familiarize
ourselves with the supply chain of the aquaculture industry.”
Vietfish 2014 kicked off with an opening ceremony that
included Redmond among the distinguished guests invited to
participate in the ribbon cutting.
GAA staff later attended the welcome reception and took to
the stage to present awards to three Vietnamese companies for
their commitment to the BAP third-party certification program.
Minh Phu Seafood Group, Stapimex Group and UTXI
Aquatic Products Processing Group were recognized with
GAA’s “Commitment to Excellence” awards. All three companies, which are qualified to offer “four-star” BAP shrimp denoting their shrimp-processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed
mills are all BAP-certified, expressed honor for receiving the
awards and that BAP certification has helped their companies
gain marketplace access overseas.
In its booth at the exhibition, GAA met with industry leaders who included Vo Thi Thu Huong, vice general secretary of
the Vietnamese Pangasius Association, to discuss the promotion
of responsible farming practices in the Pangasius sector through
the BAP program.
Carson Roper (left) presented GAA awards to (from left) Minh
Phu President and CEO Le Van Quang, Stapimex Technical Manager Nguyen Dang Khoa and UTXI Vice Chairman
Nguyen Hoang Nha. Also on stage was VASEP General Secretary Troung Dinh Hoe.
GAA actively participated in the August 7 conference program at Vietfish. Redmond and Ken Corpron, BAP’s AsiaPacific coordinator, led a seminar titled “BAP Certification and
Market Opportunities.” Also representing GAA was Jane Bi,
BAP’s market development manager for Asia, and Nguyen Thi
Thanh Binh, who works with BAP-certified facilities in Vietnam on behalf of GAA.
On August 6, Roper participated in a panel discussion at the
Vietnam Pangasius Forum as a marketplace expert. The forum
was organized by VASEP and the European Union-funded
SUPA (Establishing a Sustainable Pangasius Supply Chain in
Vietnam) project.
After Vietfish 2014, the GAA staff visited the Minh Phu
Aqua Mekong Shrimp Vet Laboratory, Vietnam’s first shrimp
pathology lab. The primary mission of the lab is to support
research toward sustainable aquaculture for Minh Phu and its
partners. The lab also provides free services and consultancy to
thousands of farmers in Vietnam and colleagues throughout
Southeast Asia.
GAA Partners With National Fish,
SFP On Project For Small Farms
The Global Aquaculture Alliance is collaborating with
National Fish and Seafood and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) in a project to bring small-scale shrimp farmers
closer to Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification.
With the support of GAA, National Fish and Seafood will
pilot the first four groups of shrimp farmers in Vietnam, Indonesia and India. These four groups will be tapped to launch the
first Aquaculture Improvement Projects through SFP to document improved practices at the farm and zonal levels.
Farms within the groups will practice similar culture methods and be located within the same geographic region. Although
6
September/October 2014
operating independently, they will receive centralized direction
and review regarding compliance with certification standards
and quality management. The system is expected to provide sufficient traceability for effective desktop audits in preparation for
site audits and formal certification.
“We are very excited with this collaboration,” said Peter Redmond, BAP vice president of market development. “It is great to
see the whole supply chain working together to get the job done
and deliver meaningful change on the ground, while delivering
more two-star BAP shrimp to the marketplace.”
global aquaculture advocate
GAA Signs MoU With China Aquatic Alliance
GAA President George Chamberlain (left) joined Chen Si,
president of the Zhanjiang branch of CAPPMA, in formally
signing the memorandum.
The Global Aquaculture Alliance has signed a memorandum
of understanding (MoU) with the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance (CAPPMA) in which the two
organizations will work collaboratively to advance responsible
aquaculture in China and globally through the exchange of
information and research.
GAA and CAPPMA inked the agreement during the inaugural
China International Aquatic Products Exposition in Zhanjiang,
China, on June 18. GAA exhibited at the exposition and participated in the CAPPMA-organized forum.
“This is an extremely important agreement,” said Peter Redmond, vice president of market development for GAA’s Best
Aquaculture Practices (BAP) division. “We recognize the role
that CAPPMA plays on both the domestic front and export
front, and together we believe that we can bring about real
change and deliver great results through this MoU.”
GAA President George Chamberlain signed the MoU on
behalf of GAA along with Chen Si, president for Zhanjiang
Aquatic Products Promoting and Marketing Alliance, the Zhanjiang branch of CAPPMA.
In the MoU, CAPPMA agreed to help identify and enroll
facilities in the BAP program to increase the number of BAPcertified facilities in China and to help identify marketplace
endorsers in China. CAPPMA will also tap GAA’s expertise in
its efforts to establish good aquaculture practices in China
regarding food safety, environment responsibility, social responsibility and animal welfare.
In return, GAA pledged to help identify market endorsers to
further promote responsibly produced Chinese farmed seafood
products to retailers and foodservice operators worldwide. GAA
also agreed to offer training and seminars to help Chinese producers apply the BAP standards and improve their practices.
GAA Co-Hosts, Exhibits At China Aquatic Expo
GAA President George Chamberlain (left) presented the awards to Guolian President
Li Zhong and representatives of Allied Pacific at the China International Aquatic Products
Exposition.
The Global Aquaculture Alliance co-hosted and exhibited at
the inaugural China International Aquatic Products Exposition
in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China, from June 18 to 20. Organized by the National Federation of Fisheries Aquaculture
Chamber of Commerce, the expo drew hundreds of exhibitors
from around the world. The China Aquatic Products Processing
and Marketing Alliance (CAPPMA) and Fisheries Advance
magazine also co-hosted the event.
The expo ran concurrently with the International Shrimp
Industry Development Forum, organized by CAPPMA. GAA
President George Chamberlain gave a presentation at the Shrimp
Forum on early mortality syndrome,
which continues to take a toll on the
global shrimp-farming sector,
although advancing knowledge is
leading toward improved practices
and better control of the disease.
Carson Roper, international business development manager for the
Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)
certification program, spoke on marketplace issues at the conference. Also
attending the expo were Jane Bi,
BAP’s market development manager
for Asia, and Ken Corpron, BAP’s
Asia-Pacific coordinator.
GAA Presents
Excellence Awards
GAA presented Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products Co. Ltd. and Allied Pacific Group with
“Commitment to Excellence” awards during the China expo in
recognition of their commitment to BAP certification.
To qualify for the award, a company’s first facility must be
certified for at least seven years, offer a minimum of three-star
product and demonstrate dedication to the ecosystems and communities in which it operates beyond the requirements of the
BAP standards.
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
7
‘Impressive Representation’ At BAP Auditor
Course In Australia
Auditor candidates and observers represented eight countries
at the Adelaide course.
The Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) division presented its first auditor-training course in
Australia from June 1 to 7. Held at the Rockford Hotel in Adelaide, the course was attended by 12 returning auditors and new
auditor candidates, and eight observers.
The course covered all BAP certification standards and
included a seafood HACCP course for processing plant auditor
GAA’s Jory Keynotes
At Nicovita Symposium
Dr. Darryl Jory, GAA development manager and editor of
the Global Aquaculture Advocate, was a keynote speaker at the VII
Nicovita Symposium held in Panama City, Panama, on August
12 and 13. Organized by the aquafeed company Alicorp-Nicovita, the event drew around 300 industry leaders from Latin
America.
Jory’s presentation was titled “The Global Aquaculture
Industry Needs Continuous Change: Production, Challenges
and Technological Perspectives Needed To Move Forward.”
Jory gave a critical overview of the status, challenges and outlook
for world aquaculture production and emphasized the need for
significant additional seafood production. He also discussed current hurdles for further industry expansion and the need for
more cost-efficient, responsible production technologies.
Article Submissions
Contact
Editor Darryl Jory
for author guidelines.
E-mail:
editorgaadvocate@aol.com
Telephone: +1-407-376-1478
Fax: +1-419-844-1638
8
September/October 2014
candidates. The course was taught by BAP Vice President Lisa
Goché and Jeff Peterson, BAP director of quality control.
Attendees hailed from Australia, China, India, Indonesia,
Thailand, Singapore, the United Kingdom and United States.
“In addition to the returning auditors and new auditor candidates, we had impressive representation from industry and governmental agencies, including Cargill Animal Nutrition, DHI Singapore, Monterey Bay Aquarium, U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Petuna Seafoods Tasmania,” Goché said. “Opening the
course to observers allows them to see first-hand how BAP trains
auditors. We place a lot of emphasis on class participation, and this
class was an excellent example of the interplay between the intent of
the standards and the application in real-world situations.”
“The fact that all BAP standards share so many common elements – legal compliance, social responsibility and traceability,
to name a few – allows us to teach those portions of the standards collectively and still leave time to focus on those portions
of the standards that are unique,” Peterson said.
The auditor training course took place before the World
Aquaculture Society’s World Aquaculture Adelaide 2014, at
which GAA exhibited and participated in the conference program. BAP Standards Coordinator Dan Lee gave a presentation
on the value of third-party certification on June 10, while Roy
Palmer, BAP market development manager for Australasia, led a
panel on seafood health and nutrition.
New GAA Members
From Vietnam, India
As an international non-profit, non-governmental association, the Global Aquaculture Alliance welcomes producers, processors, marketers and retailers of seafood products worldwide.
All aquacultures in all sectors are welcome in the organization.
SeaVina Joint Stock Co. is GAA’s newest Governing
Member. SeaVina is a seafood processor and exporter based in
Can Tho City, Vietnam. Established in 2009, it exports shrimp
and Pangasius to Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Middle East.
In conjunction with the Global Seafood Shareholding Co.
farm in Vietnam’s Kien Giang Province and the Grobest Industrial Co. Ltd. feed mill in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai, Vietnam,
SeaVina supplies shrimp bearing labels with three stars under
the Best Aquaculture Practice (BAP) certification program.
The SeaVina processing plant produces both black tiger and
white shrimp in a variety of raw, cooked and value-added forms.
It is also BAP-certified to process Pangasius.
Apex Frozen Foods recently joined GAA as a Sustaining
Member. Based in Andhra Pradesh, India, the integrated operation produces shrimp bearing three BAP stars. Apex has five
farms – RVR Chinnaro, Siri Aqua Farms and Export, K. Venkata Satya Narayana Murty, R. Gopala Rao and Venkateswara
Harjiana Welfair Society – in a BAP integrated operating module. The Apex Frozen Foods processing plant is in Kakinada,
and its NSR Aqua Farms Pvt. Ltd. hatchery is in the Vishaka
District of Andhra Pradesh.
global aquaculture advocate
The workshop on farm certification was attended by more than 90 participants.
BAP Holds Certification Workshop In Vietnam
The Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) division held a successful farm certification workshop in Can Tho, Vietnam, on June 11.
Organized with assistance from the Vietnamese Association
of Seafood Exporters and Producers, the workshop was attended
by more than 90 participants from the Pangasius, shrimp, tilapia
and barramundi sectors. Representatives from government agencies, certification bodies and NGOs were also in attendance.
The workshop included updates on BAP’s multi-species
farm standards and the process of certifying farms. It was taught
by BAP Asia-Pacific Regional Coordinator Ken Corpron with
assistance from Thi Thanh Binh Nguyen, BAP’s authorized representative in Vietnam.
“The BAP topics generated lively discussions, and participants expressed great satisfaction with the workshop, asking that
follow-up workshops be scheduled to cover some subjects in
greater detail.” Corpron said.
BAP’s management team regularly holds such workshops in
Southeast Asia and worldwide to help move farmers closer to
certification.
GAA Maintains Commitment To Social Justice
Following the U.S. State Department’s downgrade of Thailand, Malaysia and two other countries to a Tier 3 designation in
its June 2014 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, the Global
Aquaculture Alliance reiterated it is appalled by the abuse and
exploitation of workers in any industry.
GAA remains fully committed to social justice through education, advocacy work and its Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)
third-party certification program.
The 30 BAP-certified shrimp-processing plants in Thailand
and Malaysia – and all BAP-certified processing plants, farms,
hatcheries and feed mills – are required to meet standards for
adequate wages, a safe and healthy working environment, and
the prevention of child labor and forced labor. The facilities are
independently audited annually for social compliance and are
subject to unannounced audits throughout the year.
GAA will continue to proactively address these matters by
working with all aquaculture stakeholders on practical solutions.
GOAL 2014 Workshop To Address Fishing Issues
To address the issue of social justice aboard fishing vessels
for reduction fisheries, GAA will include this as a key topic at an
October 7 feed workshop featuring representatives of leading
seafood non-governmental organizations before the organization’s GOAL conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
GAA recognizes that all relevant organizations and government agencies need to be at the table if solutions are to be realized. For more information on the GOAL 2014 program and
attending the feed workshop, contact GAA Communications
Manager Steven Hedlund at +1-207-517-2191 or steven.
hedlund@gaalliance.org.
Long John Silver’s Endorses BAP Certification
Add Long John Silver’s, the United States’ largest quick-service seafood restaurant chain, to the growing list of retailers and
foodservice operators that endorse Best Aquaculture Practices
(BAP) certification.
In adopting BAP certification as part of its sustainable seafood
procurement policy, Long John Silver’s will work with the Global
Aquaculture Alliance and its suppliers to ensure that its farmed
seafood, when available, is sourced from BAP-certified facilities.
“As a seafood restaurant leader, our mission is to promote
seafood, and we are really focusing on sustainability,” said Marie
Zhang, chief food innovation officer and senior vice president of
research and development, quality assurance and supply chain at
Long John Silver’s. “We think we can work with GAA to promote sustainably farmed seafood that’s not just good quality, but
that’s also environmentally and socially responsible.”
Currently, all farmed shrimp sold at Long John Silver’s restaurants originate from BAP-certified farms in India and Ecuador, she
said. The partnership with GAA will help enable Long John Silver’s
to secure other products sourced from BAP-certified farms.
Owned by the LJS Partners consortium based in Louisville,
Kentucky, USA, Long John Silver’s has than 1,200 restaurants.
In addition to being a market endorser, the company is joining
GAA as a sustaining member.
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
9
New Facilities Enter BAP Program
As the Best Aquaculture Practices certification
program extends its presence across the globe, BAP
welcomes the addition of new shrimp farms in Asia
and processing plants that handle shrimp, tilapia,
salmon, Pangasius and mussels in various parts of the
world. BAP also welcomes three newly certified feed
mills in Vietnam and Thailand.
Hundreds of BAP-certified facilities worldwide
GOAL 2014
To Highlight
Aquafeed
Sustainability
now supply seafood produced in compliance with the
BAP standards developed by the Global Aquaculture
Alliance. By implementing Best Aquaculture Practices standards, program participants can better meet
the demands of the growing global market for wholesome seafood produced in an environmentally and
socially responsible manner.
Table 1. Recent BAP certifications around the world.
Facility
Location
Country
Species
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
India
Shrimp
A. Muang, Ranong
Thailand
Shrimp
Chau Thanh District, Dong Thap Province
Vietnam
Pangasius
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
India
Shrimp
Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island
Canada
Mussels
Klang, Rayong
Thailand
Shrimp
Phong Dien District, Thua Thien Hue Province
Vietnam
Shrimp
Farms
Sandhya Marines Ltd. – IOM 1
The Union Frozen – TSM 3
Processing Plants
An Phu Seafood Corp.
Coastal Corp. Unit 2
Confederate Cove Mussels
C.P. Thailand – Klang
C.P. Vietnam Corp.
Crimasa Criaderos de Mariscos, S.A.
Investment Commerce Fisheries Corp.
Ocean Edibles International
Acuagranjas Dos Lagos S.A. de C.V.,
Planta de Procesos Amacohite
Planta Comsur
Duran, Guayas
Ecuador
Shrimp
Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Shrimp
Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu
India
Shrimp
Ostuacan, Chiapas
Mexico
Tilapia
Puerto Montt
Chile
Salmon
Richmond, British Columbia
Canada
Funing County, Yunnan Province
Chile
Salmon
Tilapia
Zhongshan, Guangdong
China
C.P. Vietnam – Bau Xeo
Trang Bom District, Dong Nai
Vietnam
C.P. Vietnam – Ben Tre
Chau Thanh District, Ben Tre
Vietnam
A. Singhanakorn, Songkhla
Thailand
Seven Seas Fish Co., Ltd.
Yunana Honghao Fisheries
Zhongshan Dai Sing Frozen Food Co., Ltd.
Feed Mills
Gold Coin Specialties Co., Ltd.
10
September/October 2014
global aquaculture advocate
Tilapia
Recognizing aquafeed supply as one of
the major challenges facing aquaculture,
GAA is setting aside an entire day, in
addition to one hour of the plenary, to
aquafeed at GOAL 2014 in Vietnam.
The goal of the day-long breakout –
which takes place on October 7 from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Park Hyatt Hotel,
adjacent to the Sheraton Saigon – is to
generate a series of recommendations
that GAA can present to the aquafeed
sector as it continues on its path toward
greater sustainability. The recommendations will be summarized during a
GOAL panel discussion on October 9.
Key questions to be posed at the
breakout include: What is needed to
ensure a responsible aquafeed supply?
What roles are innovation and technology playing in improving feed formulations? How can aquaculture compete for
ingredients with other food sectors, especially for marine protein ingredients?
What is the outlook for the fishmeal and
fish oil supply? What can the industry do
to address allegations of labor abuse
aboard fishing vessels in bycatch and
reduction fisheries?
The aquafeed breakout will be moderated by Melanie Siggs of HRH The
Prince of Wales’ International Sustainability Unit, who also moderated the
aquafeed breakout at GOAL 2013.
Confirmed to speak at the breakout are
Andrew Mallison of IFFO, Anton Immink
of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership,
Libby Woodhatch of Seafish’s Responsible
Fishing Scheme, Lukas Manomaitis of the
U.S. Soybean Export Council, Steve Hart
of the Soy Aquaculture Alliance, Ari Jadwin of AquaFude, independent consultant
John Kilpatrick, Johannes Pucher and
Ulfert Focken of the Life Science Center of
the University of Hohenheim in Germany,
and Katrina Nakamura and Pramod
Ganapathiraju of Labor Screen Safe and
the Sustainability Incubator.
Additional speakers may also participate. Please check the GOAL 2014 program webpage for the latest list: www.
gaalliance.org/GOAL2014/goal-program.php.
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
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Leadership
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Join Us In Vietnam
Learning
Help make aquaculture’s journey toward greater
production and sustainability possible by joining the
300-plus seafood professionals from around the
world who attend GAA’s annual Global Outlook for Aquaculture Leadership conference. Through
GOAL, GAA strives to carry out its mission of responsible aquaculture by providing a venue at which
leadership development, cooperation and education
are encouraged.
Why Attend GOAL?
Since its inception in 2001, GOAL has evolved into
a must-attend event for many top-level seafood
executives and aquaculture thought leaders. GOAL
features three days of information and analysis on
the farmed seafood value chain, with a plenary
session each morning and breakout sessions
in the afternoon. GOAL also features networking,
socializing opportunities and aquaculture tours.
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Jim Anderson
GOAL is attended by a cross-section of representatives
from industry, retail and foodservice, government,
academia, the investment community and the NGO
community. Join other seafood thought leaders representing thousands of outlets and millions in buying
power in Ho Chi Minh City, as GOAL returns to Vietnam after a nine-year hiatus.
Melanie Siggs
Feed: A day-long workshop on aquafeed
sustainability is the highlight of Day 0.
Moderated by Melanie Siggs of HRH The
Prince of Wales’ International Sustainability
Unit, it will feature representatives of
various ingredient sectors, including
fishmeal, soymeal, processed animal
proteins and other alternatives. Competition for feed ingredients and social
responsibility are among the subjects to be
addressed in depth.
Øistein Thorsen
Health Management: On Day 1,
GAA’s George Chamberlain will lead a
panel on “lessons learned” from early
mortality syndrome (EMS) to develop a
strategy on disease risk management.
Shrimp pathologist Tim Flegel of Mahidol
University is among the panelists.
Chamberlain will also present the preGeorge Chamberlain liminary results of GAA’s EMS case study.
Program Highlights
As outlined in the program schedule on the following
pages, GOAL 2014 sessions and breakouts cover the
issues faced by those in the aquaculture and seafood
industries. The schedule also includes time for discussion and consideration of possible solutions.
Production Trends: To set the stage
on Day 1, attendees will hear overview
reports on global production for major
farmed species from experts Jim Anderson
of the World Bank and Ragnar Tveteras of
the University of Stavanger. Their figures
will reveal ongoing changes in supply due
to disease and other problems that shift
markets and affect pricing. As traditionally
strong producing areas falter, others rise.
George Watene
Small-Scale Farmers: A Day 2 panel
featuring Jeff Sedacca of National Fish &
Seafood and Anton Immink of Sustainable
Fisheries Partnership will center on work
being done to engage small-scale shrimp
farmers in the responsible aquaculture
movement through certification. George
Watene of the 4C Association will also
present on the coffee industry’s 4C
approach to sustainability through industry
collaboration and smallholder engagement.
A highlight of Day 2 will be
the presentation of the
Preferred Freezer Services
Aquaculture Innovation &
Leadership Award. The
annual award recognizes innovative practices that overcome
production challenges or mitigate negative environmental or
social impacts in aquaculture. This year the award has been
expanded to include leadership to coincide with the GOAL
2014 theme.
Steve Otwell
Scan to access the GOAL 2014 registration page.
®
Food Safety: Food safety is one of the
major pillars of the Best Aquaculture Practices third-party certification program. On
Day 2, Steve Otwell of the University of
Florida and Ivan Bartolo of Seafish and
the Seafood Importers and Processors
Alliance will present on the impacts of
existing and forthcoming U.S. and E.U.
food safety legislation on imported seafood.
Marketplace Access: Moderated by
GAA’s Peter Redmond, Day 3’s roundtables are a GOAL fixture. More than 20
prominent North American and European
retailers, foodservice operators, suppliers
and NGOs will take the stage to address
the challenges facing aquaculture,
including Chris Brown of ASDA, Ally Dingwall of Sainsbury’s, Charlotte Maddocks
Chris Brown
of Tesco, Julian Mahieu of Delhaize,
Jean-Louis Meuric of Davigel/Nestlé, Huw Thomas of
Morrisons, Marie Zhang of Long John Silver’s and Joe Zhou
of Red Lobster.
Zhu Changliang
www.gaalliance.org/GOAL2014
Aquaculture Insurance And Risk
Management: “Investment capital”
has been identified by GAA as one of
aquaculture’s major challenges. Øistein
Thorsen, principal consultant at Triel, will
lead off Day 2 with a presentation
encouraging the investment community
to invest in aquaculture, followed by a
panel on aquaculture insurance and risk
management, headed up by Paddy
Secretan of AUMS Ltd.
China’s Marketplace: As CEO of
Wuhan Lanesync Supply Chain Management Co. Ltd., Zhu Changliang has 20
years of experience in seafood and
foodservice, as well as insights into the
restaurant and logistics industries. A Day
3 keynote, he will share perspectives on
how to succeed in the burgeoning
Chinese marketplace. Zhu’s company
supports 35,000 restaurants and hotels,
and also operates 200 retail outlets.
Day 2 – Thursday, October 9
Day 0 – Tuesday, October 7
Aquafeed Workshop
Time
Grand Ballroom 3, Park Hyatt Hotel adjacent to the Sheraton Saigon
Subject
7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Registration – Park Hyatt, Grand Ballroom 3
9:00-9:15 a.m.
Introduction
Speaker(s)
Melanie Siggs, HRH The Prince of Wales’ International
Sustainability Unit
9:15-9:45 a.m.
Toward a Sustainable Feed Industry
To be announced
9:45-10:00 a.m.
Development of Feed Standards
Dan Lee, Best Aquaculture Practices
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Registration – Sheraton Saigon, Level 3
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Updates From Feed Sectors
Fishmeal/Fish Oil
Soy
Processed Animal Proteins
Alternative Proteins (Insect Meal)
Alternative Proteins (Worm Meal)
12:00-1:30 p.m.
Lunch Break – Park Hyatt, Opera/Square One Restaurants
1:30-2:00 p.m.
Social Responsibility
Andrew Mallison, IFFO
Anton Immink, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Lukas Manomaitis, U.S. Soybean Export Council
Steve Hart, Soy Aquaculture Alliance
To be announced
Ari Jadwin, AquaFude
John Kilpatrick, Independent Consultant
Johannes Pucher and Ulfert Focken,
Life Science Center, University of Hohenheim
Libby Woodhatch, Seafish’s Responsible Fishing Scheme
Katrina Nakamura and Pramod Ganapathiraju,
Labor Screen Safe and the Sustainability Incubator
2:00-2:15 p.m.
Innovation
2:15-2:30 p.m.
Marine Feed Ingredients
Disease Risk Management
2:30-2:45 p.m.
Challenges for Feed Manufacturers
2:45-3:45 p.m.
Discussion
6:30-9:00 p.m.
Welcome Reception – Sheraton Saigon, 23rd Floor
Tim Flegel, Thai National Center for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology
Time
Subject
Speaker(s)
8:00-8:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks
To be announced
8:15-8:45 a.m.
Keynote: Investing in Aquaculture
Øistein Thorsen, Trie
8:45-9:30 a.m.
Panel: Aquaculture Insurance and Risk Management
Paddy Secretan, AUMS Ltd.
Au Quan Hien, AEGIS Co. Ltd.
Cesar Real, RMB Insurance Brokers
9:30-9:45 a.m.
(Subject to change)
Leadership and Innovation
Ted van der Put, IDH (the Dutch Sustainable Trade
Initiative)
9:45-10:00 a.m.
Leadership and Innovation
George Watene, 4C Association
10:00-10:30 a.m.
Panel: Providing Small-Scale Farmers
Access to the Marketplace
Jeff Sedacca, National Fish & Seafood
Anton Immink, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
10:30-11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break
11:00-11:30 a.m.
Presentation: Preferred Freezer Services
Aquaculture Innovation and Leadership Award
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Panel: Recommendations From Aquafeed Workshop
12:30-1:00 p.m.
Panel: Food Safety
1:00-2:30 p.m.
Lunch Break – Sheraton Saigon, 23rd Floor
3:00-5:00 p.m.
Breakouts: Aquaculture Insurance and Risk Managment,
Food Safety
6:00-6:30 p.m.
6:30-7:30 p.m.
7:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Buses Depart Sheraton Saigon and Park Hyatt
Gala Reception – Tajmasago
Gala Dinner – Cham Cham Restaurant
To be announced
Steve Otwell, University of Florida
Ivan Bartolo, Seafish, Seafood Importers
and Processors Alliance
Day 3 – Friday, October 10
GOAL 2014: Market Issues
Day 1 – Wednesday, October 8
Time
GOAL 2014: Production Data, Disease Management
Time
GOAL 2014: Challenges
Subject
Speaker(s)
Subject
Speaker(s)
8:00-8:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Peter Redmond, Best Aquaculture Practices
8:15-8:45 a.m.
Keynote: Accessing the Chinese Marketplace
Zhu Changliang, Wuhan Lanesync Supply Chain
Management Co. Ltd.
8:45-9:00 a.m.
Presentation
To be announced
9:00-9:45 a.m.
Retail Roundtable #1
See below
9:45-10:15 a.m.
Coffee Break
7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Registration – Sheraton Saigon, Level 3
8:00-8:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks
Wally Stevens, Global Aquaculture Alliance
8:15-8:30 a.m.
Welcome Address
Cao Dúc Phát, Vietnam’s Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development
8:30-9:00 a.m.
Keynote: Early Mortality Syndrome – Lessons Learned
George Chamberlain, Global Aquaculture Alliance
10:15-11:00 a.m.
Retail Roundtable #2
See below
Tim Flegel, Thai National Center for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology
11:00-11:45 a.m.
Retail Roundtable #3
See below
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Retail Roundtable #4
See below
12:30-1:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Travis Larkin, The Seafood Exchange
9:00-10:00 a.m.
Panel: Disease Risk Management
10:00-10:45 a.m.
Global Shrimp Production Data and Analysis
Jim Anderson, World Bank
11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Global Finfish Production Data and Analysis
Ragnar Tveteras, University of Stavanger
12:00-12:30 p.m.
Future of Aquaculture in Southeast Asia
To be announced
12:30-1:00 p.m.
Presentation: Lifetime Achievement Award
1:00-2:30 p.m.
Lunch Break – Sheraton Saigon, 23rd Floor
2:30-4:00 p.m.
Best Aquaculture Practices Stakeholder
Consultation – Sheraton Saigon, Danang-Hue
Dan Lee, Best Aquaculture Practices
3:00-5:00 p.m.
Breakout: Disease Risk Management and EMS
George Chamberlain, Global Aquaculture Alliance
Featured Retail Roundtable Panelists
Mike Berthet, M & J/Brakes
Patrick Blow, Marks & Spencer
Estelle Brennan, Lyons Seafood
Chris Brown, ASDA
Josanna Busby, Delhaize America
Rich Castle, Giant Eagle
Bill DiMento, High Liner Foods
Ally Dingwall, Sainsbury’s
Steve Disko, Schnucks Markets
Anton Immik, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Charlotte Maddocks, Tesco
Julian Mahieu, Delhaize
Jean-Louis Meuric, Davigel/Nestlé
Kathleen Mullen-Ley, FishWise
Wendy Norden, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Dawn Purchase, Marine Conservation Society
Carl Salamone, Wegmans
Jeff Sedacca, National Fish & Seafood
Huw Thomas, Morrisons
David Wier, Meijer
Scott Williams, B.J.’s Wholesale Club
Laky Zeraduchi, Seafood Direct
Marie Zhang, Long John Silver’s
Joe Zhou, Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants
National Fish & Seafood
Investing Today For Seafood Tomorrow
In late July, National Fish & Seafood, Inc.
launched a project to broaden the accessibility
of third-party aquaculture certification to
benefit small-scale shrimp farmers and drive
improvements in environmental protection,
biosecurity and traceability.
From the early days of the seafood
sustainability movement to today’s on-the-ground work with small-scale
shrimp farmers, National Fish & Seafood, a U.S.-based division of Pacific
Andes International Holdings, has positioned itself as an industry leader in
seafood sustainability. The company’s newly coined slogan, “Investing
Today For Seafood Tomorrow” — which will make its official debut at the
Global Aquaculture Alliance’s GOAL 2014 conference — resonates across
all of its activities.
INVESTING TODAY FOR
PROUD TO CO-HOST
SEAFOOD TOMORROW
Those activities date back to GAA’s formation in 1997. National Fish &
Seafood is a Founding Member of the non-profit organization and since
then has been actively involved at the board level, supporting GAA’s
mission of responsible aquaculture. The company has also witnessed firsthand the growth of GAA’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) third-party
certification program.
Today, National Fish & Seafood is affiliated with more than 50 BAPcertified processing plants, spanning three species (shrimp, tilapia and
Pangasius) and six countries (China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand
and Vietnam). The majority of the shrimp is from farms contracted by
National Fish & Seafood through partnerships with local processing plants, allowing the company to control
production. The company has also hosted more than 100 hours of responsible shrimp aquaculture seminars in India,
Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam since 2004. This degree of partnership ensures supply chain integrity and prevents
supply disruptions.
What’s more, in 2012, National Fish & Seafood committed at a corporate level to sell only shrimp from facilities with
two, three or four BAP stars. However, family farmers can be marginalized in the sustainability movement.
That’s why National Fish & Seafood is collaborating with GAA and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) on a
project to bring small-scale shrimp farmers closer to BAP certification. With the support of GAA, National Fish &
Seafood will pilot the first four groups of shrimp farmers — two in India, one in Vietnam and one in Indonesia. These
four groups will be tapped to initiate the first Aquaculture Improvement Projects through SFP to document improvements in practices being made. National Fish & Seafood will strive to provide marketplace access for more than 120
small-scale farmers.
I N V E S T I N G T O D AY F O R S E A F O O D T O M O R R O W
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governing member
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National Fish & Seafood is also working with Farmforce to develop state-of-the-art
technology for seafood traceability. The software is helping to change the game by using
mobile technology to make traceability and compliance an integral part of small-scale
farm production. The use of a mobile, cloud-based platform for tracking traceability on
the farm presents a new and cutting-edge innovation that will give the company real-time
access to each farm’s activities.
IO
National Fish & Seafood is also pioneering the concept of network integration within the
global seafood industry. Network integration is different from vertical integration in that
National Fish & Seafood owns the product, not the facility, giving the company the
flexibility to overcome supply disruptions, which is especially important during outbreaks
of diseases such as early mortality syndrome.
L C E R I F I C AT
T
Feed Mill
12072
National Fish & Seafood, Inc.
11-15 Parker Street • Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930 USA • Tel: +1-978-282-7880 • Web: www.nationalfish.com
N AT I O N A L F I S H A N D S E A F O O D , I N C .
1 1 - 1 5 P a r k e r S t r e e t , G l o u c e s t e r, M A 0 1 9 3 0 , U S A
T 978.282.7880
F 978.282.7882
advocate
September/October
2014
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H & T Seafood, Inc.
Simply Reliable
H & T Seafood and its affiliated
companies comprise an
integrated group that combines
effective sourcing with modern
processing and a nationwide
distribution system to supply topquality seafood products to restaurant and supermarket
customers throughout North America.
Since its founding in 1993, H & T Seafood has solidly built its
business on two guiding principles: competitive pricing, and a
passionate dedication to providing our customers with the
highest-quality seafood products. The underlying foundation of our business is our long-term supplier relationships,
along with a proven track record of supply chain management and a strong financial base.
Competitive Advantages
H & T Seafood is a primary producer of shrimp and swai fillets, as well as
a full range of processed fish products. To maintain total quality control,
our company owns and operates dedicated processing plants in Vietnam
that produce over 10,000 metric tons of seafood products per year.
H & T distributes a full line of shrimp products, including raw, peeled and
cooked, along with our all-natural, chemical-free shrimp under our
Double Blue Shrimp® label. H & T’s Fresh Harvest® seafood line also
includes head-on, headless and a wide range of value-added products.
We offer a wide range of fish products that includes swai fillets, tuna,
tilapia, salmon, pollock, cod, whiting, mahi mahi and ocean perch.
Our plants incorporate multiple production lines for efficiency, as well as high-capacity cold storage and freezing
capabilities. We are certified under the Best Aquaculture Practices program, and meet various international food
safety standards, including HACCP, British Retail Consortium (BRC), International Food Standard (IFS), ISO 22000
and ISO 14000.
Continued Dedication
With over 20 years in business, H & T Seafood is here to
stay with annual revenues exceeding U.S. $700 million
and growing. Our 2,000 employees worldwide comprise a
professional team capable of delivering our expertise and
experience to our many customers.
Our home office is located within our 125,000-squarefoot distribution center located in Bell, California, USA.
Please contact us for your seafood needs, and expect the
best every time. We’re Simply Reliable!
H & T Seafood, Inc.
5598 Lindbergh Lane • Bell, California 90201 USA • Tel: +1-323-526-0888 • Web: www.htseafood.com
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
19
Grobest Global Service, Inc.
Bring Value To Life
For decades, Grobest has operated with quality,
professionalism, innovation and integrity, and been
committed to promoting sustainable aquaculture in
major producing countries across Asia. We believe
that only by respecting local cultures and taking part
in regional development can bring long-term benefit
to all parties.
Sustainability
Sustainable aquaculture has to reconcile prosperity with nature. Grobest R&D programs are environment-oriented
and people-oriented. We care if we create more value from the natural resources we utilize. Grobest has developed
bioactive feed additives and environmentally friendly green feed to improve animal health, growth performance and
flesh quality, and at the same time, reduce impacts on the farm environment and water resources.
Food Safety & Traceability
Supplying farmed seafood with freshness and safety is not the ultimate goal, but the starting point. Grobest is involved
in hatchery, farming, feed and processing for tilapia and shrimp. Every step of our traceability and safety control
system is carefully linked to ensure our Best Aquaculture Practices-certified products supplied to consumers are of the
highest quality.
Social Responsibility
Grobest grows with local societies. We care about people and the communities surrounding us. Through the Grobest
Education Foundation and other programs, we sponsor activities related to education and charity.
Wherever in the world, Grobest upholds its commitments to bring value to life and achieve the ultimate goal
of sustainability.
Grobest Group – Grobest Global Service, Inc.
2125 Wright Avenue C-5 • La Verne, CA 91750 USA • Tel: 1-909-596-9990 • Web: www.grobest.com
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
21
Thanks To You...
Preferred Freezer Services
Headquartered in Chatham, New
Jersey, USA, Preferred Freezer Services
(PFS) is dedicated to designing,
constructing and operating state-of-theart, temperature-controlled warehouses
throughout North America, Asia and
the world. Beginning from a single
facility in 1989, the company is now a
global leader in temperature-controlled supply chain services.
Miami III
®
PFS recently completed the rollout of its frozen LTL trucking
network providing customers with end-to-end logistics service.
PFS can assist customers at every link in the supply chain: from
managing drayage services for import/export containers, to
facilitating the third-party warehousing of strategic inventories,
to ensuring the delivery of products across the United States.
In order to meet the growing needs of its customers, PFS recently opened two new facilities located in San Leandro,
California, and Miami, Florida. The San Leandro facility adds 15 million cubic feet of cold storage to the company’s
total footprint, contains three different temperature zones and is the largest facility the company has built to date. This
is the company’s seventh facility in California and its first in northern California. The newest Miami location (its fourth
facility in Florida and third in southern Florida), adds 9 million cubic feet of cold storage space and on-site inspection
capability to the company’s presence in Florida. Both facilities are open for business.
Dedication
to Innovation
As part of the company’s continuing domestic expansion, PFS is currently managing the development and
construction of new projects in several strategic regions. The company is expanding one of its existing warehouses in
Houston, Texas, as well as constructing its eighth warehouse in its home state of New Jersey. The Houston expansion
will add 5 million cubic feet of cold storage, and the New Jersey facility will add 8 million cubic feet.
Additionally, the company is constructing its first warehouse in the state of Washington. The warehouse, located in
Richland, will add over 40 million cubic feet of cold storage capacity and will feature automation throughout the
facility. The facility has an automated shuttle track system that provides 207 miles of pallet support and can handle 50
rail cars per day. Upon completion, the Richland facility will be the largest single cold storage facility built at any one
time in the world.
Strategic Locations, Sustained Growth
All PFS facilities are strategically and conveniently located. Locations include port areas, strategic intermodal hubs and
highly traveled distribution lanes throughout California, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and China.
PFS continues to follow the vision of Founder and CEO
John J. Galiher. The company strives to be a
multinational gateway service provider through the use
of state-of-the-art, ecologically sensitive facilities in every
country. PFS continues to aggressively pursue markets
where it can meet the needs of customers engaged in
the international import/export of frozen seafood,
aquaculture products, proteins and any commodities
that require supply chain services. The company’s
sustained growth stems from its reputable customer
service and its commitment to hiring outstanding people
with the talent and drive to perform.
San Leandro, CA
Twenty-Five Years Servicing the Best in the Industry
We Get It Done!
TM
Preferred Freezer Services
1 Main Street, 3rd Floor • Chatham, New Jersey 07928 USA • Tel: +1-973-820-4070 • Web: www.preferredfreezer.com
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
23
Mazzetta Company, LLC
Mazzetta Company literally goes to the
end of the earth for its customers.
Mazzetta Company sources products from
20 countries around the world. By
extending its reach around the globe for
well-managed, environmentally sound
aquaculture and wild-caught fisheries,
Mazzetta Company is able to meet an
ever-increasing demand for premium-quality fish and shellfish.
Based on this diversity, Mazzetta Company enthusiastically touts the
benefits of certified products. At a minimum, a certified product – be it
under Best Aquaculture Practices, the Marine Stewardship Council or
another program – carries a measure of social, environmental and food
safety principles. Certification alone does not satisfy Mazzetta Company’s requirements, but the benefits are such that
striving to increase the percentage of certified products the company offers remains an annual goal. Likewise,
Mazzetta Company has a short-term goal of significantly expanding the requirements of its third-party social-auditing
program. These audits ensure the absence of child labor, forced labor, human trafficking, harassment and abuse, and
guarantee worker health and safety.
Quality Assurance
Mazzetta Company’s on-the-ground presence and extremely high standards, driven in large part by a layered audit process,
separate Mazzetta Company from its competitors. Mazzetta Company’s quality-assurance program is comprised of three
main pillars: third-party food safety audits, internal quality assurance audits and third-party social audits.
Many of the farms and facilities Mazzetta works with are regarded among
the most modern and professionally managed seafood companies in the
world. They incorporate state-of-the-art production procedures,
comprehensive training, employee medical-screening programs and
sophisticated recall and traceability procedures. In addition, their recordkeeping systems, HACCP programs and approved vendor control
programs are excellent, and their laboratory analytical capabilities and
sanitation methods exceed industry standards.
As of 2014, 100% of Mazzetta Company’s warmwater shrimp are BAPcertified. Achieving this goal has a lot to do with the internal high standards of Mazzetta Company, but it is also likely
a reflection of the continuing maturation of the shrimp aquaculture industry. It is Mazzetta Company’s belief that by
awarding business to farms and plants that are committed to sustainability through high certification standards, they
reaffirm their own commitment to these important issues.
Shared Commitment
to
Sustainability
Mazzetta Company’s operating practices aim at meeting customers’ needs
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs. This idea has been embraced in the marketplace through terms like
sustainability and corporate responsibility.
At Mazzetta Company, business decisions that consider preserving
environmental resources have always been a part of the bottom line. Being
responsible in every aspect of business decision making not only helps to
produce the highest-quality products, but also demonstrates to customers a shared commitment to the products they
bring to their family’s dinner tables. In the long run, Mazzetta Company sees that as the right decision for the growth
and viability of the industry, and also essential to ensure that future generations have the same resources available to
them that exist today.
Mazzetta Company, LLC
P. O. Box 1126 • Highland Park, Illinois 60035 USA • Phone: +1-847-433-1150 • Web: www.seamazz.com
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
25
MSD Animal Health
MSD Animal Health aquaculture
business is focused on
developing and delivering
scientifically proven and
economically valuable health
solutions for the major farmed fish species around the world.
Our company has been involved in many of the innovations that
have occurred in the global fish-farming health area over the past
30 years. This has given us a leadership position in the industry.
Our participation in the GOAL 2014 conference celebrates a
series of breakthroughs in supporting aquaculture worldwide. This
year, MSD Animal Health registered vaccines for Streptococcus,
Tenacibacterium martitimus, irrido virus and Pisiricketsia salmonis
(SRS), and extended claims for our AQUAFLOR® (florfenicol 50%) product. All of these developments fill gaps in the
range of solutions available to fish farmers.
Breakthrough Innovations
Our business has grown from its pioneering roots with the merger of companies that have been responsible for some
of the major scientific breakthroughs in the field of aquaculture health. Notable among these are the first-ever
commercial fish vaccine (Wildlife 1976), the first European registered fish vaccine (AVL 1982), the first IPNv and
recombinant IPNv vaccines (Intervet Norbio® 1994), the first oral vaccine and first oral virus vaccine (AVL 1993 and
1999), the first registered fish antibiotic (Coopers 1975), the first tilapia vaccine, the first oil adjuvanted vaccine in
Japan and the first PDv vaccine (2008).
In addition to its long history of innovation in vaccine development, MSD Animal Health has developed pharmaceutical products suitable for treating fish destined for E.U., Japanese and U.S. markets, meeting the highest regulatory
standards required. These include the parasiticide SLICE® for the treatment of sea lice and AQUAFLOR®
for treating a wide range of bacterial infections.
Strategic Commitment
MSD Animal Health is committed to the science of healthier fish to
meet the challenges the aquaculture industry faces now and in the
future. Our focus is to work closely with fish farmers, fish health
experts, and veterinary and industry partners to develop and deliver
innovative, integrated fish health platforms to meet the needs of
sustainable aquaculture production worldwide.
In line with this strategic commitment, we have developed a series
of health programs to support our business around the world.
These include an active strain collection and identification program conducted with our customers farming tilapia
worldwide. The SLICE® sustainability, SLICE® Monitor and Ring Fence programs support best practices for sea lice
treatment using SLICE® in Europe, Canada and Chile. We have introduced PD Monitor in support of the Norvax®
Compact PD vaccine now widely used in all at-risk farms in Norway, Ireland and Scotland.
MSD Animal Health has two dedicated aquaculture innovation sites, in Bergen, Norway, and Singapore. These sites
have the teams and facilities to conduct the work required to develop aquaculture vaccines and other medicines for
the future.
MSD Animal Health
Web: http://aqua.merck-animal-health.com
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
27
focus on feed
the bottom line
Changing The Paradigm
Feed Is An Investment, Not A Cost
Thomas R. Zeigler, Ph.D.
Senior Technical Advisor
Past President and Chairman
Zeigler Brothers., Inc.
P. O. Box 95
Gardners, Pennsylvania 17324 USA
tom.zeigler@zeiglerfeed.com
Feed is a key factor in aquaculture profit. Making feed-purchasing decisions based
on the lowest-cost feed is likely to marginalize profit opportunities.
Summary:
In aquaculture, managing feed
costs is a primary focus because
feed normally is the largest single
cost input. Changing decision
making regarding feeds from a
focus on cost only toward viewing
feed as an investment can result
in greater profitability. Highperformance aquafeeds must
meet demanding criteria in terms
of palatability, particle size, buoyancy and water stability in their
formulation, manufacture and
application. Although lower in
price per unit, lower-performing
feeds affect water quality and
reduce productivity.
Managing costs is a continuous challenge for all businesses. In aquaculture,
managing feed costs is a primary focus
28
September/October 2014
because feed normally is the largest single
cost item when compared to all other
inputs. Frequently, the approach taken
when managing this cost item is to
reduce the total cost of the feed used and/
or reduce the unit cost (price) of the feed.
In either case, the focus is on “cost.”
Is this the best business strategy?
Likely not, because it is a much better
business practice to consider what we pay
for feed as an investment and not as a
cost. Cost is an outlay of money required
to get something, whereas an investment
is an outlay of money with the expectation of gaining a profit. In the latter case,
the focus is on return on investment, not
just cost or price. Almost any additional
cost may be justified if the return is
increased.
If the above assumptions are correct,
then the primary profit opportunities in
aquaculture do not lie in production
ponds, but rather in the minds of the
influencers and decision makers concerned with feed purchases. The challenge thus becomes changing the paradigm so that feed is viewed as an
investment and not as a cost.
Feed Drives Production
Feed influences the outcomes and
productivity of aquaculture animal production systems to a far greater extent
than it does for warm-blooded animal
production systems for chickens and pigs.
In both cases, feed significantly influ-
Table 1. Growth rates of shrimp fed varied commercial feeds.
Treatment
Growth
(g/week)
Percentage
of Control
Statistics*
Feed 1 (Experimental)
Feed 2 (Control)
Feed 3
Feed 4
Feed 5
Feed 6
Feed 7
Feed 8
Feed 9
2.51
2.13
1.92
1.92
1.72
1.52
1.51
1.48
1.32
118
100
90
90
81
71
71
69
62
a
b, c
d, c
d, c
d, e
e, f
e, f
e, f
f
*Treatments associated with the same letter are not statistically different at the 5% level.
global aquaculture advocate
ences growth rate, survival, feed efficiency, reproductive efficiency and consumer product quality. However, the
situation is much more complicated in
aquaculture systems.
For example, either directly or indirectly, feed contributes significantly to
declines in water quality. Aquatic feeds
must meet unique requirements in terms
of palatability, acceptability, particle size
and texture, buoyancy, water stability
and nutrient profile. In addition, aquatic
animals are much more susceptible to
pesticide and mycotoxin feed contaminants. Feeding methods are also more
demanding.
High-performance aquaculture feeds
must meet these more demanding criteria
in their formulation, manufacture and
application. The lack of attention to these
criteria results in lower-performing feeds,
declining productivity and reduced profits.
Feeds Perform Differently
In 2013, Zeigler Brothers undertook
a project to compare the growth performance of different commercial shrimp
feeds available in the Western Hemisphere marketplace. The feed trial was
conducted in an indoor research facility
using recirculated clearwater.
On November 7, each of the 0.03-m3
tanks were stocked with five animals
averaging 8.43 g in weight from a commercial shrimp hatchery in the continental United States. Each feed was fed to
eight replicates with feeding occurring 15
times a day. Salinity was 33 ppt, and the
temperature was 29° C. Lighting was
provided 12 hours on and 12 hours off.
The results of the 35-day study are presented in Table 1.
Eight of the feeds had 35% protein,
while feed 9 was 28% protein. Feed 1 was
specially formulated to produce maximum growth. Feed 2 was arbitrarily designated the control feed to which all
other feeds were compared on a percentage basis.
Shrimp growth through the study was
considered normal for this type of experiment. Shrimp given feed 1 grew the fastest, 2.51 g/week, which was statistically
different than all other feed treatments
except the control, in which shrimp grew
at a rate of 2.13 g/week. The growth rates
for all of the other feed treatments was
numerically (some statistically) lower
than that of the control.
The different commercial feeds
resulted in different weekly rates of
growth, from 1.32 to 2.13 g. From this
controlled-conditions study, it cannot be
concluded that these feeds would perform
in the same manner under commercial
pond conditions, but it does clearly illustrate that different commercial feeds do
indeed perform differently when comparing growth rates, which are directly correlated to the dietary integrity of each
feed when not influenced by natural productivity.
Although the growth data are quite
definitive, no data was accumulated on
feed efficiency, survival, stress tolerance,
integrity of the immune system and resistance to disease. These and many other
factors affecting profitability are well
known to be related to nutrition, feeds
and feeding.
We Can Do Better
Economic modeling using current
economic data showed that a 15%
improvement in growth rate could absorb
a 25% ($0.279/kg) increase in feed cost
and still break even. This clearly illustrates that making feed-purchasing decisions based on the lowest-cost feed is
quite likely to marginalize profit opportunities.
A much more successful and profitable aquaculture industry is on the horizon, if and when the paradigm can be
changed to view feed purchases as an
investment and not as a cost. Both customers and suppliers alike would be well
served through a concerted team effort to
change the paradigm.
Bottom Line: Invest more
wisely in feeds and watch
profits grow.
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
29
focus on feed
New IFFO Position: Fish As Food Or Feed
IFFO – The Marine Ingredients
Organisation
Unit C, Printworks
22 Amelia Street
London SE17 3BZ United Kingdom
secretariat@iffo.net
marine sources of protein and oil can carry anti-nutritional factors that compromise growth and fish health. To date, only
marine ingredients provide the long-chain omega-3 oils in
farmed fish that are important for good human nutrition.
The use of small, bony fish for reduction to a dried protein
(fishmeal) and oil fractions is a well-established industry and was
historically based on stocks of fish for which there was little or
no direct human consumption market. Populations of these species can be huge. The largest fishery in the world, with an annual
catch of approximately 5 mmt, is for the Peruvian anchoveta.
The fish are near the beginning of the food chain and can be
grouped under a heading of low-trophic-level species (LTLS).
The protein and oil they contain, however, can be used in a
number of applications, the most important of which is as ingredients for farmed animal feed and, in the case of oil, for health
food supplements.
Recently, concerns have been expressed over this industry,
claiming the use of LTLS species for animal feed deprives marine
animals as well as local communities of a nutritious food source.
Fisheries are said to be badly managed and environmentally
unsustainable. Farmed fish consume more wild fish than they
convert to growth, critics say.
members of IFFO that all stocks must be managed in a responsible
manner to ensure the long-term survival of the industry and the fish
stocks on which it relies. The main stock used for reduction, Peruvian anchoveta, was recognized in a 2008 study by the Fisheries
Centre at the University of British Columbia in Canada as well
managed. The permitted catch is regulated each year to protect
recruitment of juveniles and in response to environmental changes.
Approximately 42% of the global fishmeal and fish oil production comes from factories that are certified to the IFFO Responsible Supply standards, an independent third-party scheme that is
accredited under ISO 65 guidelines and includes a requirement to
observe the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.
The level of precaution applied to the stock management is a
matter for regulators, who should balance the need for a healthy
ecosystem with the need for a viable industry, making decisions
based on the best and most current scientific advice. IFFO
members support responsible management of fisheries and
believe calls to remove fishmeal from animal feeds ignore the
availability of responsibly sourced raw material and remove
incentive for improvement.
The Biological Argument
The Social Argument
Low-Level Species
Anchovy fisheries support fishmeal production in many areas
of the world.
Summary:
The use of small, bony fish as feed for farmed fish is
important for global food security and appropriate if
fisheries are well managed and do not deprive local communities of food. Although its overall production is rising, aquaculture is using less fishmeal and fish oil in feed
fornulations, and increasing amounts of this fishmeal
and oil come from by-products of fish processing. Stock
management regulators should balance the need for
healthy ecosystems with the need for a viable industry,
making decisions based on the best scientific advice.
Recent reports in the media and from some lobby groups have
misrepresented the value of small fish and ignored the good management practices now in place in many fisheries and improvement projects driven by market demand. Claims that it is wrong
to feed fish to farmed fish ignore the decreasing amounts of fishmeal used in feed, the increasing amounts of fishmeal recovered
from the by-products of fish processing that would otherwise be
waste and the lack of markets for direct human consumption of
small, bony fish.
It is also important to remember that the natural diet of
many farmed fish species is predominantly other fish, which provides them the optimal nutrition. The use of alternative non-
30
September/October 2014
Significant levels of the protein content previously supplied
by fishmeal has already been substituted with soya and other
land-based proteins.
In 2012, the Lenfest Ocean Program report “Little Fish, Big
Impact” highlighted the views of a wide panel of fishery scientists
on the vulnerability of forage fish, i.e., the small species that form
the prey for larger fish and marine mammals. The report called for
more precautionary approaches to stock management to recognize
the dependence of the wider ecosystem on a stock, rather than managing the stock to maintain a reproductive and viable population of
the target species. While the need for an ecosystem approach is
becoming more recognized, many of the Lenfest reports’s conclusions were based on questionable economic arguments.
The 2014 “State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture”
(SOFIA) report from the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) of the United Nations highlighted the problem of socalled “trash fish,” low-value species caught in Southeast Asia’s
tropical trawl fisheries by fine-mesh nets and used in fishmeal.
This is a different situation than fishmeal from well-managed
stocks and is clearly an unsustainable practice. Members of the
IFFO – The Marine Ingredients Organisation are working with
governmental and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners
to introduce better practices in this region.
Fishery science is an evolving area, and as with any field, scientific opinions vary. However, there is widespread acceptance by
global aquaculture advocate
Many countries, particularly in the developing world, have
poor nutrition, and the protein contained in LTLS fish caught
locally is a possible option. There is an argument for local fish to
be directed for human consumption rather than conversion to feed
for high-value farmed species for export to other markets.
However, this assumes the local consumers want to eat the wild
species landed and denies the community of earning income from
farming that can be used for discretionary purchases of food or other
goods and services. Despite years of marketing and promotion by
government and independent activists, the consumption of anchoveta in Peru for human consumption is still extremely low at around
2% of the catch, leaving a significant surplus.
A recent trend finds fewer whole fish used in fishmeal production. Species that previously were reduced, such as herring, mackerel and blue whiting, now have human consumption markets
offering better returns for fishers and processors. This reduction
has been offset by an increasing amount of by-products and trimmings from fish processing entering fishmeal production. FAO’s
latest SOFIA report estimated that 35% of all raw material now
comes from recovered by-products and is likely to increase.
A 2012 report for FAO concluded that feeding fishmeal and
fish oil to farmed fish and crustaceans did not deprive communiglobal aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
31
ties of food, but increased the effective annual supply of fish for
human consumption by 7 to 8 mmt. “Halting industrial fishing
would lead to an immediate loss of fish for food,” the report said.
“The practice of using fish as feed is viable, that is, is capable of
surviving as a practice within the coming decades.”
Annual fishmeal production has been steady at around 4.5
mmt for the last few years, yet feed volumes have increased with
the growth of aquaculture, necessitating a reduction in the percentage of fishmeal used. Much of the protein content has already
been substituted with soya and other land-based proteins to the
level where further reductions could incur a penalty in fish growth
or health. Typical inclusion rates for farmed salmon diets are now
at around 10% fishmeal, compared to 40% or more in the past.
Small species of oily fish of the kind used in fishmeal and
fish oil can be rich in the important long-chain omega-3 fatty
acids. If there is no direct human consumption of these species,
inclusion in the diets of farmed fish can transfer these nutrients
into products demanded by consumers.
The Economic Argument
Although, in principle, it would be wrong to deprive local
populations of fish for direct human consumption, there is also the
consideration of the rights of fishers to market their catch for their
best return. If they receive greater economic returns by selling
their catches for reduction rather than direct human consumption,
regulators would be interfering with market mechanisms and the
livelihoods of fishers if policies seek to influence sales.
One of the main references arguing against the use of small
species of fish for the production of fishmeal is the previously
mentioned Lenfest report “Little Fish, Big Impact.” This report
quoted the value of forage fisheries globally as U.S. $5.6 billion,
compared to the value of the larger fish that eat them at $11.3
billion. Therefore, it is better to leave these fish in the water as
food for larger, more valuable fish. Unfortunately, this argument
is flawed for several reasons.
The price of forage fish in the report was taken from a database published in 2007 by U. R. Sumaila and co-workers. This
database itself was compiled from prices collected between 1950
and 2002. For much of this period, forage fish had little or no
value, and fish oil was routinely burned for fuel. Now, with the
opening of markets for health supplements and animal feed since
the 1990s, the last decade of the database period, the value of fish
oil has increased by four to five times, and the value of fish protein
has tripled, with a corresponding increase in the value of the catch.
The report compared the landed price of, for example,
anchoveta with that of tuna. This compared two different stages
of the food chain and undervalued the LTLS fish, which as
stated, have little value as whole fish. Their value is realized
when they are reduced to their constituent protein and oil for
further applications. A more relevant comparison would use
prices of products as consumed by humans, for example, farmed
salmon partly fed on fishmeal from anchoveta versus tuna.
In hunting prey, predators like tuna expend a significant amount
of energy that is therefore not available for growth. Farmed fish,
partly fed on fishmeal, are fed without the need to hunt and convert
far more of the energy consumed to growth.
There are many claims that farmed fish consume five or more
times their body weights in wild fish through their diets. This
figure is completely out of date, as fishmeal levels in diets have
been reduced in favor of soya and other non-marine protein
sources. Taken across all species of farmed fish that are given
feed, about 1 kg of fish is grown for each 0.3 kg of whole fish
used in the diet. Farmed fish are net producers of fish protein.
The higher-value farmed species most in demand perform
best when their diets includes a percentage of fishmeal. Removing fishmeal requires the use of alternative protein sources, usually vegetable, which can incur a growth penalty and may compromise the health of the fish, both resulting in costs to farmers.
Taken across all species of farmed fish
that are given feed, about 1 kg of fish is
grown for each 0.3 kg of whole fish used
in the diet. Farmed fish are net producers
of fish protein.
Next Steps
IFFO members have demonstrated their commitment to
responsible fishery management and will continue to engage
with other stakeholders to apply good management practices.
Improved programs and liaison with the scientific and NGO
communities are key parts of the effort to raise standards for the
future. In conjunction with this, IFFO will communicate with
regulators and policy makers to help them make informed decisions based on accurate, current data and good science.
Editor’s Note: This article was based on a longer document available
at www.iffo.net/node/602 that represents the views of the members
of IFFO, the international trade association for the fishmeal, fish oil
and wider marine ingredients industry. IFFO members represent
over 50% of the global production of fishmeal and fish oil and approximately 75% of the traded value.
32
September/October 2014
global aquaculture advocate
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
33
focus on feed
soy-fed fish news
Genetic Markers Help Track
Soy Protein Utilization In Shrimp
Fishmeal
Diet (%)
High-Soy
Diet (%)
Fishmeal, Peruvian sardine
Soybean meal, 48%
Wheat
Krill meal
Lecithin
Monocalcium phosphate
Vitamin/mineral premix
Fish oil
Cholesterol
D.L.-methionine
L-lysine
20.05
35.00
36.89
3.00
1.29
1.05
0.25
2.41
0.06
–
–
–
64.44
23.00
5.16
1.87
1.64
0.25
3.30
0.13
0.10
0.10
Integrated Aquaculture International
4111 Telegraph Road, Suite 302
St. Louis, Missouri 63129 USA
anantb@iaqua.com
Proximate Composition
Dry matter
Crude protein
Crude fat
Ash
Crude fiber
91.00
37.50
7.00
8.00
2.20
91.00
37.50
7.00
6.20
2.84
Integrated Aquaculture International
Nutrient Composition
Arginine
Lysine
Methionine + cystine
Threonine
Total phosphorus
Eicosapentaenoic acid
Docosahexaenoic acid
Cholesterol
Phospholipids
2.30
2.30
1.40
1.37
1.12
0.42
0.46
0.15
1.50
2.40
2.30
1.40
1.33
1.02
0.41
0.44
0.15
1.50
Dr. Richard H. Towner
GenTec Consulting
Boise, Idaho, USA
Dr. Anant Bharadwaj
Dr. George W. Chamberlain
Bonnie Mulligan
The use of markers can accelerate the development of shrimp
lines with improved soy protein utilization.
Summary:
Recent research by the authors discovered genetic
markers for the identification of Pacific white shrimp
with enhanced capability to convert soy protein in feed.
The shrimp received colored elastomer tags to differentiate families in a growth trial. Another trial was then
conducted with the top-performing families to determine their performance when fed either a fishmeal or
high-soy diet. These findings indicated the shrimp
were capable of utilizing relatively high levels of dietary
soybean meal, and that some families were more
capable of doing so.
Annual global fishmeal production has been relatively stable
at around 5 mmt for several decades, but aquaculture has grown
rapidly over the same period. While aquaculture only consumed
32% of the global fishmeal supply in 1999, consumption
increased to 73% in 2010. Crustacean feeds alone consumed 21%
of the global fishmeal supply in 2010. Continued use of high
levels of fishmeal in crustacean feeds is not sustainable.
Research with rainbow trout by geneticist Kenneth Overturf
in 2013 showed that genetic variations exist for utilization of
plant protein. A strain of rainbow trout developed by the United
States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service for improved utilization of plant-based diets was compared
to two other strains of trout. The selected strain outgrew the
other two strains on plant-based feed and was found to grow
better on the plant-based feed than on fishmeal feed.
In recent research sponsored by the Soy Aquaculture Alli-
34
September/October 2014
ance, the authors discovered genetic markers for the identification of shrimp with enhanced capability to convert soy protein
when fed a ration that contains little or no fishmeal and high
levels of dietary soybean meal.
Methods
At Integrated Aquaculture International in Hawaii, USA, 20
full-sib families were produced from broodstock maintained in
the IAI breeding program. From fertilization through hatching,
each family was kept in an individual 40-L aquarium. After
hatching and until the families reached the P.L.10 stage, approximately 21 days post-spawning, they were maintained in individual 100-L tanks. At P.L.10, 500 postlarvae from each family were
divided between two, 700-L round fiberglass tanks with automatic feeders and self-cleaning bottoms.
From stocking to a weight of 1 g, the shrimp were fed a standard fishmeal-based diet at a rate approximately equal to 7% of
the biomass. When that average weight was reached, all animals
were marked with colored elastomer tags on their abdomens to
differentiate families and redistributed with four animals from
every family in each tank, making 80 animals/tank. This experimental design allocated 20 replicates for each diet and 20 replicates for each family to enable discrimination of family differences in growth rate between diets.
A fishmeal-based control diet was fed in 20 tanks, and a soy
protein diet was given to shrimp in the other 20 tanks (Table 1).
The diets were formulated to contain approximately 38% crude
protein and 7% fat. Soybean meal and other plant proteins were
the primary replacements for fishmeal. The fishmeal diet contained approximately 20% fishmeal, a common inclusion level
currently found in commercial shrimp feeds. The fishmeal diet
also contained soybean meal and wheat. The high-soy diet substituted all of the fishmeal with soybean meal and other plant
ingredients.
After eight weeks, each animal was individually weighed and
its sex was recorded. The families were ranked according to their
growth rates on each diet. In addition, tissue samples were taken
for DNA analysis from the six largest males, six largest females,
six smallest males and six smallest females from the five fastest-
global aquaculture advocate
Table 1. Composition of experimental
diets fed to Pacific white shrimp.
Ingredient
Table 2. Performance across 20 families
of Pacific white shrimp fed diets based
on fishmeal or soymeal for eight weeks
in the first phase of the study.
Response
Fishmeal Diet
High-Soy Diet
Survival (%)
Initial weight (g)
Final weight (g)
Weight gain (g)
Weight gain (%)
Growth rate (g/week)
Feed-conversion ratio
93.50 ± 0.80
1.03 ± 0.02
11.94 ± 0.21
10.91 ± 0.20
1,065.50 ± 20.4
1.36 ± 0.02
1.29 ± 0.02
95.10 ± 1.02
1.02 ± 0.02
14.89 ± 0.28**
13.86 ± 0.27**
1,355.90 ± 23.50**
1.73 ± 0.03**
1.22 ± 0.02*
* P < .01
** P < .001
growing families and five slowest-growing families fed the soy
protein diet.
Feeding Trial
Immediately following the first phase of the study, animals
from the five top-performing families were combined into 4
tanks/family on the fishmeal control diet and 4 tanks/family on
the soy protein diet. A six-week feeding trial was conducted to
determine the performance of the families fed either the fishmeal
or high-soy diets.
Performance, feed conversion and survival were analyzed for
differences among diets, families and tanks within families, with
family and diet as main factors and initial weight as covariate.
The objective was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms
(SNPs) that showed a large positive or negative correlation with
the growth rate of shrimp fed a high-soy-protein diet.
The results of the data collected will determine the feasibility
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September/October 2014
35
Table 3. Average final weights across 20 families
of Pacific white shrimp fed diets based on fishmeal
or soymeal for eight weeks in the first phase
of the study. The top five families are highlighted.
Family
Fishmeal
Diet (g)
High-Soy
Diet (g)
Average
(g)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
11.07
10.81
10.42
10.97
11.66
12.04
13.15
12.57
11.75
11.27
12.04
12.25
11.93
12.42
13.69
12.29
12.62
12.35
12.51
11.70
14.62
14.48
13.30
14.36
15.18
14.09
15.43
15.17
13.63
15.14
14.76
14.39
16.32
15.30
16.97
15.59
15.60
14.77
14.64
14.31
12.84
12.65
11.86
12.66
13.42
13.07
14.29
13.87
12.69
13.20
13.40
13.32
14.13
13.86
15.33
13.94
14.11
13.56
13.58
13.00
of using a traditional selection program or a marker-assisted
selection program to improve the utilization of soy protein in a
strain of L. vannamei shrimp.
Results
The data from phase 1 indicated that both family and diet
significantly affected the performance of shrimp. In general,
shrimp fed the high-soy diet outperformed shrimp fed the fishmeal diet (Table 2), suggesting a high tolerance for high inclusion levels (approximately 60% of the diet) of soybean meal in
the families of Pacific white shrimp evaluated.
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Table 4. Mean performance of the five
top-performing families from phase 1 fed
diets based on fishmeal or soymeal for six
weeks in the second phase of the study.
No significant performance differences
were detected among families (P < 0.05).
High-Soy Diet
Fishmeal Diet
Family
Weight
Gain (g)
Growth
Rate
(g/week)
Weight
Gain (g)
Growth
Rate
(g/week)
17
13
15
7
16
12.78 ± 0.60
14.75 ± 0.99
12.98 ± 1.28
15.10 ± 0.70
14.27 ± 0.47
2.13 ± 0.10
2.46 ± 0.17
2.16 ± 0.21
2.52 ± 0.12
2.38 ± 0.08
13.18 ± 0.58
12.46 ± 0.71
12.62 ± 1.20
13.48 ± 1.02
11.73 ± 0.91
2.20 ± 0.10
2.08 ± 0.12
2.10 ± 0.20
2.25 ± 0.17
1.96 ± 0.15
Changing the way fish,
and the industry, view protein.
There were also differences in final weights among different
families fed the high-soy diet, indicating that some families were
more capable of utilizing and tolerating soybean meal than others. The average animal weight within families ranged 11.9 to
15.3 g (Table 3), and there was a highly significant diet x family
interaction. This was due to families changing rank in growth
response when fed the fishmeal and high-soy diets.
Some families had the ability to grow better on the soy diet
than on the fishmeal diet, while other families grew better on the
fishmeal diet. However, the three fastest-growing families performed well on both the fishmeal and high-soy diets (Table 4).
Perspectives
These findings indicated that Pacific white shrimp are capable of utilizing and tolerating relatively high levels of dietary soybean meal and that some families are more capable than others
of utilizing higher levels of dietary soy.
Although these results need to be corroborated, they suggested that selection of families of shrimp with higher tolerance
for soy could result in an increased use of soy and other plant
proteins that could ultimately result in decreased dependence on
fishmeal in dietary formulations for shrimp. Further work is
needed to evaluate these findings in longer-term commercial
production trials. There is also a need to assess the effects on gut
morphology, immune function, flavor and texture of shrimp.
Fifty-three percent of the 5,405 SNPs discovered in this
population had significant differences in allele frequency and
genotype frequency between the fast- and slow-growing families.
The dissimilarity in genotypic frequency of some of the SNPs
was related to significant differences in weight between the fastand slow-growing families. Considering the effects of two or
more SNPs on weight simultaneously increases the accuracy of
predicting weight from the SNP genotypes. The combined use
of six SNPs to predict weight was equal in accuracy to traditional
quantitative genetics methods. An additional study is needed to
confirm the relationship between the important SNPs and
weight in the next generation of L. vannamei.
Pacific white shrimp are capable
of utilizing and tolerating relatively high
levels of dietary soybean meal, and
some families are more capable than others
of utilizing higher levels of dietary soy.
global aquaculture advocate
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that provides the nutrition fish need. To learn more, visit e75aqua.com.
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
37
focus on feed
Controlled irradiation can improve the microbiological quality of rendered meals and help eliminate the risk of feed-borne diseases.
Gamma Irradiation Enhances
Nutritional Value Of Animal By-Products
Sergio Nates, Ph.D.
Summary:
Much research to develop substitutes for fishmeal and
fish oil in aquafeed has focused on animal by-products
such as poultry meal, blood meal, and meat and bone
meal. Gamma irradiation treatment presents a possible
processing technique for reducing anti-nutrients and
improving the nutritive quality of many feed ingredients. Irradiation at up to 50 kGy can convert feed
components into easily digestible forms and improve
the microbiological quality of rendered meals. However, changes in the physicochemical properties can be
noteworthy.
Aquaculture is expanding rapidly throughout the world. The
driving forces for this expansion include the need for additional
food resources and the recognition of marine oils and other
products as healthy substitutes for other traditional products.
38
September/October 2014
President
Latin American Rendering Association
San José, Costa Rica
snates@alapre.org
Kent Swisher
Vice President, International Programs
National Renderers Association, Inc.
Alexandria, Virginia, USA
New potential aquatic species are being studied and cultured
each year, creating a need for specialized feed formulas and feed
ingredients. However, one of the major challenges faced by the
aquaculture industry worldwide is sourcing alternative proteins
and oils for aquaculture feeds.
Animal By-Products
global aquaculture advocate
Because many aquatic species require rations high in protein,
http://www.nationalrenderers.org/global aquaculture advocate
September/October
s p o n s o r 2014
39
and oxalic acids, glucosinolates and gossypol. Other organic
compounds include substances that inactivate or increase the
requirement of certain vitamins, alkaloids and cyanogens.
Gamma Irradiation
The use of radiation increases protein digestibility in meals
and oils by converting the feed components into easily
digestible forms.
a wide variety of animal and marine meals of very similar appearance are used. Of all the ingredients used in the manufacturing
of aquaculture feeds, fishmeal is typically considered the most
critical, as it is required in certain quantities for the health and
performance of many species.
Much research to develop substitutes for fishmeal and fish oil
is now focused on commodity animal by-products such as poultry meal, blood meal, meat and bone meal; oilseeds, especially
soybeans; and microbial proteins.
While the fishmeal content of some feeds has been reduced
considerably, the complete replacement of fishmeal and fish oil
in aquaculture feeds faces challenges. In particular for carnivorous species, vegetable proteins seem to have inappropriate
amino acid balance and poor protein digestibility, although the
inclusion of animal by-products can help overcome this problem.
On the other hand, species that feed at a lower trophic level or
that are omnivores can be fed a prepared feed that includes a
high percentage of plant proteins.
Anti-Nutritional Factors
A useful way to evaluate a protein is to consider its biological
value – not only how rich it is in essential amino acids, but also
how well it can be digested by the target species. However,
dietary anti-nutritional factors have been reported to adversely
affect the digestibility of protein, bioavailability of amino acids
and protein quality of several ingredients widely used for the
manufacturing of aquaculture feeds.
Most anti-nutritional factors produce sublethal effects such
as reduced growth, poor feed-conversion rates, and biochemical
and hormonal changes. On occasion, tissue and organ damage
can also result.
Among the anti-nutritional compounds are protease inhibitors, hemagglutinins, saponins, polyphenolic compounds, phytic
Table 1. Ionizing radiation doses accepted
by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration.
Product
Wheat, wheat flour
Fish, mollusks, shellfish
(fresh or frozen)
Poultry and meats
Animal feed and pet food
Enzymes (dehydrated)
40
Dose (kGY)
Purpose
0.2-0.5
0.5-7.5
Insect disinfestation
Storage exension
2.0-7.0
2.0-25.0
Max. 10
Microorganism removal
Salmonella control
Microbial control
September/October 2014
In order to inactivate or reduce the anti-nutritional substances, various processing methods have been used, such as dry
heating, extrusion or boiling in water and other solvents. However, none of these methods is able to completely remove all
the detected anti-nutrients present in most of the feed materials currently used. Gamma irradiation treatment presents a
possible alternative and additional processing technique for
reducing anti-nutrients and improving the nutritive quality of
many ingredients.
Irradiation is a technology that enhances food safety, quality
and commerce (Table 1). It is the process in which food is
exposed to gamma rays from a radioactive source such as cobalt.
These gamma rays can penetrate ingredients, feed and its packaging. Sometimes, it is referred to as “cold pasteurization,” as it
does not increase the temperature of the treated material.
Gamma irradiation at doses of 30 to 45 kGy can increase the
crude protein digestibility of meat and bone meal (MBM) by 13
to 15%. In addition, the results obtained in experiments carried
out to study the effects of different doses of gamma irradiation
on nutritive components and chemical aspects affecting the
quality of MBM showed that gamma doses of 5 to 20 kGy had
no effect on the total acidity values, but increased the values of
lipid oxidation and total volatile basic nitrogen.
Whether fat content affects irradiation-induced oxidative
changes is unclear. MBM contains less than 2% of the polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid, and
studies revealed no significant change in the levels of trans-fatty
acids as the irradiation dose increased. However, peroxidation of
lard and tallow can be greatly increased with minimum exposure
to gamma irradiation.
Ongoing research is investigating the effects of radiation
processing on poultry meals, with emphasis placed on the availability of certain amino acids, particularly lysine. Preliminary
results indicated that gamma irradiation can induce minor
effects on the chemical compositions of the meals. Radiation
treatment at a dose level of 5 kGy caused no loss in available
lysine, while the contents of peptides increased with increases of
the irradiation dose.
Perspectives
The utilization and digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates are improved with the use of radiation by converting the
feed components into easily digestible forms. Gamma irradiation also offers potential for improvement of the nutritional values of numerous feed ingredients.
The use of radiation at up to 50 kGy can improve the microbiological quality of rendered meals, thus eliminating the risk of
feedborne diseases. However, changes in the physicochemical
properties of animal by-products can be noteworthy due to
gamma irradiation.
Additional research is needed to scrutinize the interactions
between protein partitioning and production of key molecules
present in animal by-products, which will improve the production of novel feeds.
global aquaculture advocate
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
41
focus on feed
Thomas Zeigler
Quality Feed, Feeding Key To Advances
gler said. “Absolutely not. When the
price of fishmeal gets too high, other
commodities will work their way into the
formulation of lower-cost feed, and the
price of fishmeal will go down. It’s a matter of economics.”
But it’s also a matter of technology.
“Fishmeal provides two important criteria: protein and omega fatty acids,” Zeigler explained. “Concerning protein,
there’s no problem replacing fishmeal
with other animal and plant proteins.
Concerning unsaturated fatty acids, technology is going to deal with that in terms
of those produced in soy, algae and
genetic engineering of high-fat plants.
Natural selection and genetic engineering
do the same thing. The only difference is
the speed at which it takes place.”
Over 50-plus years at U.S.-based Zeigler Brothers, Inc., Dr. Thomas R. Zeigler has witnessed aquaculture’s growth
from niche to mainstream. When Zeigler
joined the family company in 1961 as its
director of nutrition, the commercialization of aquaculture was just getting off
the ground. Today, aquaculture generates
half of the global seafood production.
As aquaculture has grown, so has Zeigler Brothers. In 1967, Zeigler became the
company’s president and shifted its focus
from commodity feeds to specialty aquatic
and animal nutrition. His fingerprints are
on many of the advances in aquaculture
diets, from his research with the National
Institutes of Health in the 1970s to work
with the International Aquaculture
Research Center in the 1980s. He cofounded Vitamin Technologies Inc.,
which developed more than 70 unique
nutritional technologies and products.
As senior technical advisor, past president and chairman of Zeigler Brothers –
and a frequent contributor to the Global
Aquaculture Advocate – Zeigler is also a big
proponent of responsible aquaculture.
Fishmeal
Competition for fishmeal as a feed
ingredient based on a finite resource is a
hot-button issue as of late. But when it
comes to aquaculture, Zeigler isn’t concerned about competition and rising costs
for fishmeal.
“Am I worried about fishmeal?” Zei-
42
September/October 2014
Nutrition, Feeding Practices
Zeigler is far more concerned with
nutrition and feeding practices, especially
in shrimp aquaculture.
In his “Bottom Line” column in the
May/June edition of the \, Zeigler wrote
that improvements in performance
through improved genetics and nutrition
will not be fully realized unless appropriate
feeding practices are implemented. He
compared feeding shrimp to feeding a
human baby – feed them a high-quality
diet, and feed them frequently.
“It’s pretty fundamental,” Zeigler said.
“There’s nutrition and the need for a balanced diet, and then there are eating habits. The feed has to be presented to the
animals the way the animals want it, not
the way people want to present it to
them.” He suggested multiple applications of smaller amounts of feed for
shrimp, for example.
Zeigler contemplated that greater
amounts of shrimp can be produced if
feeding practices are improved. But without quality feed that provides proper
nutrition, improving feeding practices is a
moot proposition.
“The shrimp industry has gone
through some tough times, and the mentality is that feed represents the largest
single cost of production,” Zeigler said.
“The farmers demand lower-priced feed,
and the feed companies acquiesce and
produce lower-quality feed, which winds
up affecting the productivity of shrimp
global aquaculture advocate
Steven Hedlund
Communications Manager
Global Aquaculture Alliance
steven.hedlund@gaalliance.org
farms. It’s a downward spiral. There are
countries that could probably increase
their productivity by 30% if they would
just get it right.”
Disease Factors
The prevalence of early mortality syndrome (EMS) – and its financial drain on
farmers and processors – an only worsening matters. The silver lining is the industry is seemingly learning from its missteps.
“Early identification of the cause of a
disease is key,” Zeigler said. “With EMS,
it took a couple of years to realize what
was causing it. We need to go all out”
when a disease first hits.
“And I can’t comment enough on
biosecurity,” Zeigler continued. “Marginal feed and marginal farming practices
predispose animals to disease. If you can’t
maintain the natural immune systems of
the animals through proper management,
disease will break out.”
“There’s also the genetic factor,” he
said. “People have been breeding these
animals for faster growth. I learned years
ago that if you concentrate the desirable
factors, you’re also concentrating the
undesirable factors. Identifying fast
growth, that’s fairly easy. But you’re not
testing for resistance to disease.”
Nursery Feeding Program
nutrition through innovation
Lower Your Risk,
Increase Your Prots.
Proper design and management of nursery systems for shrimp culture has been shown to greatly
increase protability while reducing risk at the farm. Feeds and feeding drive these systems and are
fundamental to juvenile performance and water quality.
After extensive research, Zeigler has developed a feeding program specically designed to support
hyper-intensive nursery systems.
Stage
Nursery 1
Nursery 2
Nursery 3
Nursery 4
Nursery 5
Particle Size
0.3–0.6 mm
0.6–0.8 mm
1.0 mm
1.5 mm
2.0 mm
Animal Size
2-10 mg
10-100 mg
100-400 mg
400-1500 mg
1.5-3.0 g
}
 Concentrated nutrient prole to compensate for
reduced feeding in managing water quality.
 Food particle sizes target animal weight, not stage.
 Customized feeding rates recommended based
upon specic nursery conditions.

Vpak added to support animal health and
disease resistance.
Contact a Zeigler representative to learn more about the program.
Confident Future
Despite the challenges aquaculture
faces, Zeigler is optimistic about the
future of aquaculture and its potential to
meet the world’s food needs. He is also
confident about the future of Zeigler
Brothers, which is in its third generation
of leadership.
“Personally, I feel that one of the
most important aspects of our future is
the ability and desire to live by our values,” Zeigler said. “Values are important
in corporate success. Our values include a
love of what we do and whom we work
with, integrity, value (or our continuing
contribution) and elegance (or our performance as a team). I think our new slogan,
‘Nutrition Through Innovation,’ provides
us with a vision that we fully intend to
continue as a leader in innovative nutritional products for aquaculture.”
nutrition through innovation
717-677-6181 phone
www.zeiglerfeed.com
info@zeiglerfeed.com
global aquaculture advocate
www.nutrimar.com.mx
September/October
2014 43
www.g.ventas@nutrimar.com.mx
production
Genetic Improvement Programs
For Shrimp Vary Between Asia, Americas
Thomas Gitterle, Ph.D.
Breeding and Genetics Director
SyAqua Group
140 One Pacific Place 19th Floor
Unit 1902-4, Sukhumvit Road
Klongtoey District, Bangkok 10110
thomas.gitterle@goldcoin-th.com
John Diener
Managing Director, Aqua Division
Gold Coin Group
Newton, Singapore
For their smaller, intensive production ponds in Asia, farmers typically look for SPF
shrimp postlarvae with potential for fast growth. In the Americas, shrimp farmers
generally use specific pathogen-resistant rather than specific pathogen-free lines.
Summary:
There is a clear difference between
the shrimp postlarvae traits that
are economically important in
Central and South America
versus those of Asia, creating a
challenge for breeders to satisfy
the somewhat opposing breeding goals the regions demand.
In the Americas, farmers look
for specific pathogen-resistant
shrimp. In Asia, they desire
specific pathogen-free animals
with fast growth. Early mortality syndrome has changed the
breeding emphasis to more balanced models. Open breeders sell
broodstock, while closed internal
hatcheries sell postlarvae but not
broodstock to third parties.
The application of genetic improvement programs in the shrimp industry is
relatively young compared to their use
with other cultured species like salmon
and tilapia. Commercial breeding programs for shrimp started with Pacific
white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, facilitating the rapid global adoption of this
44
September/October 2014
species and displacement of black tiger
shrimp, Penaeus monodon, as the most cultivated shrimp within just a few years.
However, unlike those in the salmon
sector, shrimp farmers do not follow a
common model of cultivation. Those in
the Americas mostly apply an extensive,
low-density model versus the intensive,
high-density model that predominates in
Asia. The two cultivation models emphasize different requirements for postlarvae,
which presents a challenge to breeding
programs trying to satisfy the needs of
the two regions.
A second unique characteristic of
shrimp versus other species is an industry
structure wherein genetic improvement
programs are concentrated in a few global
programs. Several programs are owned by
feed companies that tend to “bundle” feed
and fry in servicing shrimp farmers. Some
of these breeding programs sell their
broodstock to third-party hatcheries in an
“open” system, while others maintain a
“closed” system of internal hatcheries
offering postlarvae but not broodstock to
third parties.
Breeding Goals
All breeding programs set goals for
the performance of their animals and
thereby set “economic weights” for vari-
global aquaculture advocate
ous breeding parameters to achieve the
goals. In shrimp, there is a clear difference between the traits that are economically important in Central and South
America versus those of Asia.
In the Americas, shrimp production
tends to be extensive, with stocking densities ranging 10-30 animals/m2 in ponds
with areas between 6 and 10 ha. With
such large ponds, it is difficult to apply
good biosecurity measures and disinfect
the water before stocking. Animals in
such conditions cohabitate with endemic
pathogens, so disease resistance is a critical quality in the postlarvae stocked. In
the Americas, shrimp farmers look for
specific pathogen-resistant (SPR) rather
than specific pathogen-free (SPF) lines.
On the other hand, Asian production
systems tend to be intensive, with stocking densities from 90 to as high as 200/
m2 in ponds of less than 1 ha that require
mechanical aeration. This model requires
high biosecurity, disinfection of water
before stocking, the use of crab and bird
netting, and other measures. Consequently, most viral diseases tend to
appear 60 days or more after stocking,
when water exchange increases.
Under this scenario, disease resistance
is less important than fast growth in a
race against time to get the shrimp to
harvest size before they are hit by disease.
This creates an obsession with average
daily growth (ADG) as the only parameter that matters in selecting postlarvae.
Hence, in Asia, farmers looking for SPF
animals with potential for fast growth.
EMS Triggers Shifts
However, with the appearance of
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
45
All breeding programs establish “economic weights” for various breeding
parameters to achieve the traits required
by customers.
early mortality syndrome (EMS) in Asia,
the focus on ADG became problematic.
Mortality appeared earlier, typically during the first 30 days post stocking, and
the biosecurity measures applied before
didn’t seem to help much. EMS changed
the emphasis from ADG to a more balanced breeding model wherein disease
resistance (robustness) became more
important than fast growth.
It would appear the breeding goals to
satisfy Latin American farmers and those
in Asia have found common ground in
resistance, but Asia still needs fast-growing animals. Since there is a proven negative genetic correlation between fast
growth and resistance to at least two
major viral disease pathogens (white spot
syndrome virus and Taura syndrome
virus), it has been very difficult to select
animals that fulfill the needs of producers
in both regions.
Since growth has a higher heritability
than resistance to disease, the progress for
that trait is easier to demonstrate at
farms. Thus, the breeding companies that
were strongest in growth led the market
for both postlarvae and commercial
broodstock in Asia.
With the global expansion of EMS,
some breeding companies modified their
breeding goals and applied a more balanced approach including selection traits
like growth, pond survival and disease
resistance. After all, the ultimate goal is
to offer animals that could maximize the
46
September/October 2014
value of the customer’s harvest, with
lower inputs and higher yield. Survivability has always been an important element
of yield, which was perhaps underappreciated in Asia prior to EMS.
already narrow genetic base with few
families. Hence, reproducing those animals in succeeding generations will result
in a high inbreeding level with negative
effects on survival, fecundity and growth.
Distribution Channels
Industry Structure
Breeding companies distribute their
stocks through two main channels: selling
commercial broodstock to independent
hatcheries (an “open” system) and selling
postlarvae directly to shrimp farmers (a
“closed” system). The first approach
involves less capital investment, requiring
a nucleus breeding center and a broodstock-multiplication facility. Many
breeding companies follow this model,
since it is easier to manage, and the
demand for SPF broodstock is still significant in Asia, especially in China.
There is a threat to this model. Some
hatcheries use the animals produced from
the original lines of these breeding programs to raise their own broodstock and
sell second-generation (F2) postlarvae
under the same genetic brand. This is a
risk – not only for the breeding companies but also for the farmers, since F2
postlarvae are most certainly inbred.
Currently, breeding companies distribute the commercial stocks from an
Genetic improvement programs for
shrimp have consolidated down to a few
large world-class programs in the short
history of L. vannamei cultivation. In
Asia, feed companies started to develop
their own breeding programs or purchased existing breeding companies to
offer customers genetically improved seed
as well as feed as a competitive advantage
against other feed operators. Considering
the significant time and investment
required to establish a competitive breeding program, this creates a barrier to
entry in markets where broodstock and
quality postlarvae are in short supply, as
in Indonesia and Malaysia, for example.
In Asia, postlarvae distribution may
continue to consolidate around programs
owned by feed companies that insist on
bundled feed/postlarvae purchases. Independent breeding companies can compete
with superior-performing animals, but
new entrants may find it difficult to penetrate such markets. This is a potentially
Mass Selection From Ponds
Without Inbreeding Control
Mass Selection From Ponds
With Inbreeding Control
5%
10%
45%
71%
Wild
Tested, Selected in Ponds
From Family-Based
Programs
14%
25%
1%
Specific Pathogen-Free,
Locally Produced
Specific Pathogen-Free,
Imported From U.S.
Figure 1. Broodstock segmentation in the Americas. Total annual demand 240,000 units.
Pedigreed, Specific
Pathogen-Free, Locally
Produced
37%
38%
62%
25%
Pedigreed, Specific
Pathogen-Free, Imported
From U.S.
scary scenario for shrimp farmers who
may be forced to buy feed from a supplier
they don’t prefer out of desperation to get
postlarvae. Thus there is customer support for open systems.
It is worth pointing out that China is
the largest global market for shrimp
broodstock, yet it lacks a world-class
genetic program. However, because
China only cultivates for part of the year,
it is costly to maintain a breeding program just for this market. We may see
genetic programs develop, funded by
government or feed companies or independents. However, it will take some
time for a new program to close the performance gap with existing programs.
Broodstock Segmentation
In the Americas, many breeding companies are fully integrated and use their
animals for their own production. Many
companies use mass selection as their
selective-breeding strategy, keeping different lines or populations and crossing
them to reduce inbreeding (Figure 1).
This strategy has been successful for local
production, but it prevents the possibility
of regional or worldwide distribution due
to sanitary regulations imposed by the
producing countries.
On the other hand, in Asia, the
industry follows an SPF broodstock concept, in part because L. vannamei are not
endemic to the region. Most of the global
breeding programs focus on SPF shrimp
for the Asia market. However, we still see
many hatcheries using F2 broodstocks
selected from culture ponds (Figure 2).
Restrictions imposed by local authorities on moving live animals across borders
and their quarantine strategies have
resulted in a shortage of high-quality
broodstock in some markets. In that scenario, hatcheries began using F2 animals
from ponds, which are less costly and
more readily available. This practice poses
a threat to the industry since there is no
inbreeding control, the genetic merit of
the animals deteriorates rapidly, and the
sanitary conditions of the ponds could
easily spread local diseases.
The utilization of F2 broodstocks
from local hatcheries is probably the main
limitation for the shrimp industry to gain
the benefits from selecting breeding and
evolve into a mature industry like salmon
culture.
Non-Pedigreed, MassSelected From Ponds
Without Inbreeding
Control
Figure 2. Broodstock segmentation in Asia. Total annual demand 900,000 units.
global aquaculture advocate
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September/October 2014
47
production
Exposure To Pathogens
‘Big Picture’ Connects Shrimp Disease,
Inbreeding
Roger W. Doyle, Ph.D.
Genetic Computation Ltd.
1-4630 Lochside Drive
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
V8Y2T1
rdoyle@genecomp.com
Smaller shrimp aquaculture operations may face the greatest risks from problematic
breeding practices.
Summary:
Disease problems on shrimp
farms may be partly driven by an
interaction between management
practices that cause inbreeding in
small hatcheries and the amplification by inbreeding of susceptibility to disease and environmental
stresses. The possible causal paths
to shrimp disease include the
relationship between susceptibility
to pathogens and other environmental stresses and inbreeding.
The author believes inbreeding is
fundamentally a management issue
that should be controlled at farm
level through access to information
on the genetic quality of postlarvae
and resulting selection of postlarvae suppliers.
The main effect of inbreeding among
animals is to make a bad environment
worse. As environments deteriorate,
inbred animals die faster than noninbreds. The more inbred the stock, the
greater the difference in survival between
inbred and non-inbred animals.
Amplification of stress mortality has
been shown time and time again in
humans, fish, shrimp and many other
48
September/October 2014
animals and plants in laboratory, farm
and natural environments. As far as we
know, all non-accidental causes of mortality, including disease, nutritional and
temperature stress and competition, are
amplified by inbreeding.
It is very important to realize that
inbreeding does not cause, but amplifies
disease mortality. In this, it is like the
way drunk driving amplifies the death
rate from highway accidents. Sober drivers have accidents, too, for all kinds or
reasons, but the mortality from accidents
is higher when drivers are drunk. By
analogy, mortality from all kinds of lethal
stress, including disease, is higher when
stocks are inbred.
Causal Paths, EMS/AHPN
The environmental stress of most
concern to shrimp aquaculture right now
is a disease called early mortality syndrome (EMS) or acute hepatopancreatic
necrosis (AHPN). The causal path diagram in Figure 1 summarizes the current
widely held “big picture” relationship
between diseases, including EMS/
AHPN, and the aquaculture industry.
The disease mortality variable on the
right side lumps together various measures of the seriousness of a disease, such
as incidence, prevalence and morbidity.
The biosecurity regulations variable on
global aquaculture advocate
the left lumps together most, if not all,
current and planned regulatory actions
intended to diminish the disease problem, such as prohibition of stocks that are
not officially free of listed pathogens,
prohibitions on the transfer of animals
among geographical regions, quarantines
and “kill orders” imposed on infected
farms and hatcheries.
The causal paths in Figure 1 work in
the following way. When something
increases mortality in a farming region,
like the emergence of a new pathogen,
rising concern among farmers, hatcheries
and breeders puts pressure on bureaucrats, scientists and consultants who, in
turn, increase the level of regulatory
activity. The path that connects disease to
regulation is labeled “Fear” in Figure 1.
The fear pathway is positive because
when the cause (mortality) increases, the
effect (regulation) increases, too.
The second causal path in Figure 1 is
labeled “Exposure” because the essential
purpose of most regulatory activity is to
reduce exposure of animals in the farm
ponds to pathogens. The exposure pathway is negative, because when regulatory
activity goes up, mortality goes down.
Figure 1 is obviously a simplified
model of the disease/regulatory relationship. Whenever you simplify a model,
you should also simplify the question you
ask of it. In this case, we simply ask, “Is
the system stable?”
Any engineer, statistician or audio
technician will answer “yes,” because Figure 1 is a negative feedback loop. Something outside the loop drives mortality
up, fear drives regulation up, increased
regulation drives exposure down, and as
exposure goes down, so does mortality.
The model in Figure 1 is self-damping
and predicts that when a new pathogen
arises, the aquaculture system should
-
Biosecurity Regulations
Disease Mortality
Fear
+
Figure 1. Beneficial paths between biosecurity regulation and mortality from disease.
Susceptibility To Pathogens
+
Biosecurity Regulations
Disease Mortality
Fear
+
Figure 2. Detrimental (inbreeding paths)
between biosecurity regulation and disease
mortality.
Exposure
-
Biosecurity
Regulations
Susceptibility
+
Greater Effect On Mortality?
Disease
Mortality
Fear
+
Figure 3. Estimated relative strengths of
beneficial (blue) and detrimental (red) paths.
“vibrate” around some stable level of regulation and disease mortality. If the big
picture path diagram in Figure 1 is essentially correct, then our handling of disease
crises is on the right track.
Susceptibility
Good breeding companies never sell inbred
postlarvae to hatcheries or farmers. The
inbreeding problem arises from “copying.”
Requirements for specific pathogenfree status also limit diversity. Both kinds
of regulations reduce local availability of
postlarvae because of limited production
capacity and/or high prices. Small “copy
hatcheries” that use few and often closely
related breeders and do not follow good
broodstock management practices
increase production to fill the demand for
postlarvae.
Increased mortality raises the level of
fear and therefore regulation in a positive path. Regulation increases inbreeding and susceptibility to stress, also in a
positive path. Susceptibility increases
mortality. And so we go, round and
round, because Figure 2 is a self-amplifying feedback loop.
However, the path model in Figure 1
is incomplete. A third causal path flows
from biosecurity regulation to disease
mortality, labeled “Susceptibility” in Figure 2. Susceptibility to pathogens and
other environmental stresses is where
inbreeding enters the picture. As mentioned above, inbreeding amplifies the
effects of environmental stress from poor
pond management and exposure to
pathogens.
The susceptibility path is positive for a
very simple reason. More biosecurity means
more postlarvae are produced by matings
among close relatives and are therefore
inbred. Or in genetic terms, increased regulation reduces the effective population size
of the gene pool available to breeders and
hatcheries in a farming region.
Closed borders inhibit the entry of
new genetic diversity. Breeders respond
to the increased value of their broodstock
by selling postlarvae that generate inbred
offspring when they are used as breeders.
All three causal paths are shown in
Figure 3. So we ask the simple question,
“Which has the greater effect on mortality, the negative, stabilizing exposure path
or the positive, destabilizing susceptibility
path?”
The best answer we have now, unfortunately, is that the susceptibility path is
dominant, and the big picture of the current shrimp disease management system
is unstable. In a technical paper by the
author on shrimp inbreeding (available
online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com),
the author estimates that at least 70% of
farm postlarvae come from hatcheries
that enjoy none of the benefits of
increased regulatory activity (lower exposure), but suffer the consequences of
inbreeding (higher susceptibility). The
path diagram in Figure 3 is weighted
accordingly.
How did this come about? Why does
the current, widely held consensus resemble Figure 1 rather than Figure 3? It is
partly because current proposals for disease management (increasing regulations
to reduce exposure to pathogens) generally ignore inbreeding as a side effect.
Partly because geneticists have focused on
telling hatcheries how to manage their
broodstock properly fully thinking
through what happens in the poorly run
hatcheries that produce 70% of the postlarvae. Partly because of a technical
glitch: inbreeding at the farm level is
often estimated incorrectly with microsatellite markers.
What Happens Next?
We know that self-amplifying feedback
systems tend to end up either generating a
sustained, unbearable howl at maximum
amplitude or shake themselves apart. The
component of shrimp aquaculture systems
most likely to disappear during self-destruction is small-holder farming.
There is another possible outcome that
retains the direct, beneficial effect of biosecurity regulation. The people who care
about the industry could weaken the indirect (susceptibility) path that leads from
biosecurity, through increased inbreeding,
to mortality. But is it possible to do this
while allowing the present diversity of
hatchery and farming styles to persist?
Perhaps. Up to now, inbreeding has
been considered solely a problem in
broodstock management rather than farm
management. Yet it is on the farm that
mortality occurs from disease; from interactions among disease, oxygenation,
competition and weather; and from
inbreeding interactions – with all of these
stresses alone and in combination.
Up to now, inbreeding has
been considered solely a
problem in broodstock
management rather than
farm management. Yet it is
on the farm that mortality
occurs.
Perspectives
It is my personal opinion that
inbreeding is fundamentally a management issue that should be controlled at
farm level by giving farmers access to verifiable information on the genetic quality
of postlarvae, just as they need verifiable
information about feed quality, SPF status and oxygen levels to manage ponds
properly. Farmers can control inbreeding
by choosing the postlarvae supplier,
which can be either a big or a small company. If it is a small company, farmers
should be able to tell which supplier produces postlarvae that are inbred, and
which are not.
It might surprise many non-geneticists
that obtaining and verifying this kind of
information need not be technically difficult or expensive on a routine basis.
Editor’s Note: The quantitative assertions
made or implied in this article are documented in a pre-publication technical paper
that is freely available for downloading from
the journal Aquaculture Research. Search
the website http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com
for the phrase “Doyle inbreeding disease
shrimp.”
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
49
production
The second phase of test rearing took place in the raceways of the Fitmar hatchery.
Bacillus Probiotics Improve Hatchery,
Nursery Production In EMS-Hit Mexico
Summary:
J. Jaime Munoz M.
In early 2014, a trial to evaluate the effects of a mixture
of Bacillus strains on early mortality syndrome bacteria
during the larviculture and nursery phases for shrimp was
carried out at a commercial hatchery in Mexico. The application of the Bacillus mixture during the initial growth
of nauplii through P.L.3 led to a clear improvement in
survival. At the end of a second phase reflecting growth
to P.L.15, continued probiotic treatment increased overall
postlarvae production as well as animal size.
The ongoing outbreak of early mortality syndrome/acute hepatopancreatic necrosis (EMS/AHPN) has had dramatic impacts on
shrimp producers in affected countries in Asia and Mexico. Following reports of the disease being associated with broodstock management – for example, through the use of contaminated polychaetes –
there has been a renewed focus on larval quality.
Investing in quality larvae fits well in the holistic approach
required to achieve consistently successful shrimp production
through the combination of biosecurity measures, stocking of
healthy postlarvae and management of rearing conditions by
controlling nutrition/feeding, sediment and water quality, and
microbial communities.
EMS Treatments
In Mexico, INVE Aquaculture has been evaluating the activities of a commercial biocide and probiotic Bacillus strains against
EMS-virulent Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains isolated by the team
of Dr. Bruno Gomez-Gill at Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo (Center for Food Research and Development).
More specifically, one of the probiotics was shown to inhibit the
growth of 10 pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains.
The strains of Bacillus had been selected for their ability to
inhibit pathogens, be metabolically active in shrimp guts and culture water, degrade organic waste and improve feed digestibility.
The practice of nursing postlarvae to a larger size before stock-
50
September/October 2014
Ensuring
aquaculture
catches on
INVE Aquaculture México, S.A. de C.V.
Avenida Camarón Sábalo # 51
Local 6, Interior, Plaza Riviera Zona
Dorada Mazatlán
Sinaloa 82110, México
j.munoz@inveaquaculture.com
F. Marino Pinzon M.
Rodolfo Rivera F.
Proveedora de Larvas, S.A. de C.V.
Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México
Olivier Decamp, Ph.D.
INVE Aquaculture
Tambon Nong Lum,
Amphoe Wachirabarami, Phicit, Thailand
Inset photos copyright © 2013 Bell Aquaculture, LLC® — All Rights Reserved
It’s not enough to simply think about smarter solutions
for our future seafood needs. We have to take action and bring
others on board to collectively innovate in ways that will make
our industry viable. Soy Aquaculture Alliance is working hard
to ensure sound research can translate into impactful solutions.
It’s only through collaboration and shared commitment that
we can find the right answers and see change happen on
a scale that makes a difference.
ing into ponds has been strongly encouraged since the onset of the
EMS epizootic. By itself, this will not solve the problems of
EMS/AHPN. However, provided it is done with the appropriate
biosecurity and suitable feed and water management, a nursery
phase can contribute to improved postlarvae performance. The
application of effective nursery protocols, whether in raceways or
ponds, allows better control and stabilization of growth conditions, shorter cycles in open ponds and more crops per year.
Support SAA and ensure the future of the
seafood industry. For more information, visit
SoyAquaAlliance.com
Study Setup
In early 2014, a trial to evaluate the benefits of a select mixture of Bacillus strains during larviculture and nursery was carried
out under commercial conditions at the Fitmar hatchery in
Sinaloa, Mexico. Postlarvae production at this site increased
from 615 million in 2010 to 1.6 billion in 2013.
Larval rearing is carried out in two phases at the hatchery,
which was built in 2009. In the first phase, N5 nauplii from the
same spawning tank were stocked in two control and two treatment tanks at 6 million/30-m3 tank. After 11 days, P.L.3 or
global aquaculture advocate
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
51
The application of the selected mixture of Bacillus strains led
to a clear improvement in survival. In the first phase of rearing,
the survival was increased from 32 to 36% (Figure 1).
At the end of the second phase, this improvement in survival
led to an increase in the number of shrimp that could be harvested (Figure 2). At over 1.3 million postlarvae, the number
represented a 39% increase in output. Furthermore, the application of the Bacillus probiotic led to the production of almost 10%
larger postlarvae (Figure 3).
Perspectives
This trial showed the benefits of applying a mixture of
selected strains of Bacillus with proven action against Vibrio
pathogens in both early and later phases of larval production.
Although no microbiological data were collected during this
trial, it is likely several mechanisms were involved in the
improvements: colonization of the gut, inhibition or competition
with Vibrios leading to a reduced abundance of potential pathogens and improved stimulation of the animals’ immune systems.
52
September/October 2014
Survival %
36
35
34
33
32
31
30
Control Treatment
Probiotic Treatment
Control Treatment
Probiotic Treatment
Figure 1. Survival of shrimp postlarvae at the end of the first phase
of rearing.
5,000
Postlarvae (x 1,000)
Results
37
4,500
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Figure 2. Number of postlarvae harvested at the end of the second
phase of rearing.
0.0069
Average Weight (g)
P.L.6, postlarvae were transferred to two, 60-m3 raceways to
allow following the performance of the shrimp to P.L.15 during
the two-phase production cycle. Microbial products were used in
both phases of culture.
Fitmar hatchery is managed with limited water consumption.
In the first phase, tanks were filled with 50% water, then algal
culture until they reached full capacity. In the second phase, the
raceways were initially filled fully with water, and no water was
exchanged during the whole cycle.
To boost the immune systems of the larvae, a complementary
feed product was given to the larvae at the end of the first phase
and then throughout the second phase. Commercial probiotics
were applied in the control tanks and the control raceway. The
mixture of Bacillus was used for the two treatment tanks and
raceways. The Bacillus probiotics were applied when the nauplii
were stocked in the tanks and the postlarvae were stocked in the
raceway to reach a final concentration of 5 x 105 cfu/mL.
In the first phase, the Bacillus mixture was also applied on a
daily basis in order to reach a final concentration of 1 x 105 cfu/
mL. In the second phase of rearing, the same mixture was coated
on feed to reach a final concentration of 1 x 108 cfu/g.
0.0068
0.0067
0.0066
0.0065
0.0064
0.0063
0.0062
0.0061
0.0060
0.0059
Control Treatment
Probiotic Treatment
Figure 3. Average wet weight of postlarvae harvested from
the control and treatment raceways.
global aquaculture advocate
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
53
production
Seaweeds: Top Mariculture Crop,
Ecosystem Service Provider
Dr. Thierry Chopin
Canadian Integrated Multi-Trophic
Aquaculture Network
University of New Brunswick
100 Tucker Park Street
Saint John, New Brunswick,
E2L 4L5, Canada
tchopin@unbsj.ca
Western world? Probably not much,
because 96.3% of seaweed aquaculture is
concentrated in six Asian countries:
China (with over 54.0% of production),
Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea, Japan
and Malaysia.
Integrated Multi-Trophic
Aquaculture
At this IMTA site in the Bay of Fundy, Canada, kelps are cultivated in proximity
to salmon cages and provide key services to the ecosystem.
Summary:
Seaweed aquaculture represents
approximately half of the world
mariculture production, but
since seaweed farming is mostly
concentrated in Asian countries,
there is a lack of appreciation
for this resource in the Western
world. Although seaweeds are
typically valued only for their
biomass trading value, they
provide significant ecosystem
services: nutrient biomitigation,
oxygen provision, carbon sequestration and reduction of ocean
acidification – which should be
valued and lead to the establishment of nutrient trading credits
used as financial incentive tools.
It seems aquaculture conferences do
not typically attract the phycological community, so knowledge on seaweeds, their
functions in ecosystems and their numerous uses in our everyday lives remains
minimal, especially in the West. However,
seaweed aquaculture is very significant.
Seaweeds constitute the largest group of
organisms cultured at sea since 2004. In
2012, seaweed represented 49.1% of the
world mariculture production (Table 1).
54
September/October 2014
In 2012, 95.6% of the world seaweed
supply came from aquaculture, and only
4.4% was harvested from wild beds.
Compared to what the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations designates as “food fish” – finfish, crustaceans, mollusks and other
aquatic animals for human consumption
– seaweeds were the first group of organisms to pass the 50% farmed/wild harvest
threshold, in 1971.
The global seaweed aquaculture production was 23.8 mmt in 2012 for a value
of U.S. $6.4 billion, and it is estimated
that production reached 26.1 mmt in
2013. Its average annual growth rate has
been 7.7%. From an estimated 10,500 species of seaweeds, only six genera provide
98.9% of the production and 98.8% of the
value: Saccharina, Undaria, Porphyra,
Gracilaria, Kappaphycus and Sargassum.
How much of this is known in the
Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture
(IMTA) offers an opportunity to reposition the value and roles seaweeds can
have in integrated food production systems and in ecosystem health. Seaweeds
are the inorganic extractive component of
IMTA – they recapture the dissolved
nutrients released from the fed component (fish or shrimp, for example).
The extractive sequestration of nutrients by seaweeds provides ecosystem services that need to be recognized and valued appropriately. Much has been said
about carbon sequestration and the development of carbon trading taxes. In
coastal environments, mechanisms for the
recovering of nitrogen and phosphorus
should also be highlighted and accounted
for in the form of nutrient trading credits
(NTCs), a much more positive approach
than taxing.
One often-forgotten function of seaweeds is that they are excellent nutrient
scrubbers. If the composition of seaweeds
Table 1. Evolution of the world mariculture
production of major species groups.
Production (%)
Species Group
Mollusks
Seaweeds
Finfish
Crustaceans
Other aquatic animals
global aquaculture advocate
1996
2000
2004
2008
2010
2012
48.0
44.0
7.0
1.0
–
46.2
44.0
8.7
1.0
0.1
43.0
45.9
8.9
1.8
0.4
42.7
46.2
8.9
1.8
0.4
37.2
50.9
9.1
1.8
1.0
30.7
49.1
11.4
8.1
0.7
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
55
At the high-end
Rossmount Inn
in St. Andrews,
IMTA salmon and
kelp products are
combined with
other local products into delicious
recipes.
can be averaged at around 0.35% nitrogen,
0.04% phosphorus and 3.00% carbon, and
nutrient trading credits are valued at U.S.
$10-30/kg, $4/kg and $30/mt for the
compounds, respectively, the ecosystem
services for nutrient biomitigation provided by the 23.8 mmt of worldwide
annual seaweed aquaculture can be valued
at between $892.5 million and $2.6 billion
– as much as 40% of its present commercial value. This significant value is, however, never noted in any budget sheet or
business plan. Seaweeds are typically valued only for their biomass trading value.
The above calculations are based on
the costs of recovering nitrogen and
phosphorus in wastewater treatment
facilities and values often cited for carbon
tax schemes. It is interesting to note that
the value for carbon is per metric ton,
whereas those for nitrogen and phosphorus are per kilogram, a factor of 1,000.
Nobody seems to have picked up on that
when looking at the sequestration of elements other than carbon. Moreover, having organisms able to accumulate phosphorus is becoming increasingly
attractive, as this element will soon be in
short supply.
The recognition and implementation
of NTCs would give a fair price to
extractive aquaculture species. They could
be used as financial incentive tools to
encourage single-species aquaculturists to
contemplate IMTA as a viable aquanomic option to their current practices.
Beyond Nutrient
Biomitigation
Seaweeds can be cultivated without
the addition of fertilizers and agrochemicals, especially in an IMTA setting,
where the fed aquaculture component
provides the nutrients. Seaweed cultiva-
56
September/October 2014
tion does not require more arable soil and
transformation of land for agricultural
activities with accompanying loss of some
ecosystem services. If appropriately
designed, it can be seen as engineering
new habitats and harboring thriving communities, and can be used for habitat restoration. Moreover, it does not need irrigation, on a planet where access to water
of appropriate quality is becoming more
and more an issue.
As photosynthetic organisms, seaweeds are the only aquaculture component with a net production of oxygen. All
other fed and organic extractive components are oxygen consumers. Hence, seaweeds contribute to the avoidance of
coastal hypoxia.
While performing photosynthesis,
seaweeds also absorb carbon dioxide and
hence participate in carbon sequestration,
even if in a transitory manner. Consequently, they could be a significant player
in the evolution of climate change, slowing down global warming, especially if
their cultivation is increased and spread
throughout the world. By sequestering
carbon dioxide and increasing pH in seawater, seaweeds could also play a significant role in reducing ocean acidification.
Integrated Sequential
Biorefinery
For too long, the products of fisheries
and aquaculture have been processed
according to a simple scheme: one species/
one process/one product. Seaweeds remain
a relatively untapped resource with a huge
potential. With careful planning at the
time of harvesting and sequential processing, more than one product can be manufactured from seaweeds.
Seaweeds are prime candidates for the
integrated sequential biorefinery (ISBR)
global aquaculture advocate
approach. On one hand, they can yield a
wide range of bio-based, high-value compounds: edible food, food and feed ingredients, biopolymers, fine and bulk chemicals, agrichemicals, cosmetics, bioactives,
pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and
botanicals. On the other hand, lowervalue commodity bioenergy compounds –
biofuels, biogases, bioalcohols and other
biomaterials – can also be generated from
seaweeds.
Over the last decade, the Canadian
Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
Network at the University of New Brunswick has adopted this ISBR diversification strategy with an industrial partner,
Cooke Aquaculture Inc., in Atlantic
Canada. IMTA kelps recapture some of
the inorganic dissolved nutrients from
fish farms, and the partners are developing markets for kelp use in human consumption, cosmetics, fish feed and biochar production, along with ecolabeling
and organic certification.
production
sustainable aquaculture practices
Atmospheric Pollution
Affects Water Quality
Claude E. Boyd, Ph.D.
School of Fisheries, Aquaculture
and Aquatic Sciences
Auburn University
Alabama 36830 USA
boydce1@auburn.edu
Pollution factors such as acid rain and higher atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration
are leading to reduced pH levels in surface and ocean waters, which negatively affects
fish and shellfish.
In areas with highly leached, acidic soils
and low-alkalinity surface waters, acidic
rain can lessen alkalinity and lower pH.
Declines in pH of one to two units have been observed in some
lakes in the eastern United States and Canada, and adverse effects
on fish health, reproduction, survival and growth have been noted.
Perspectives
The Western world’s animal-biased
aquaculture should recognize and take
advantage of the environmental, economic
and societal benefits provided by seaweeds.
If we compare the evolution of food production on land and at sea, in 2012, agriculture production was 7.0 bmt, split
85/15% between plants and animals, while
the total aquaculture production was 90.4
mmt, split 26/74% between seaweeds and
animals. The mariculture production was
48.5 mmt, comprised of 49% seaweeds
and 51% animals.
Mariculture could appear more balanced than total aquaculture, although, as
mentioned above, 96.3% of seaweed
aquaculture is concentrated in six Asian
countries. Consequently, if aquaculture is
to make a major contribution to the efficient and responsible food production
systems of the future, far more production and application of inorganic extractive seaweeds and aquatic plants, and
organic extractive animals must be developed in a more evenly distributed manner
throughout the world.
It is time to make the Blue Revolution
greener and apply agronomic principles to
the management of aquatic environments
and “aquatic fields”, i.e., it is time for the
Turquoise Revolution and aquanomy.
Humans will soon not be able to think of
mostly land-based agricultural solutions
for securing their food and many derived
products. They will have to turn increasingly to aquanomy, as we enter a new era
of ecosystem responsible aquaculture.
Summary:
Human activities have altered the concentrations of
gases and other compounds in the atmosphere. Acid
rain typically does not heavily affect aquaculture operations, and application of agricultural limestone can
buffer water against the impacts of acid rain at facilities
that use stream water. Due to higher carbon dioxide
concentrations in the atmosphere, the amount of
carbon dioxide that will dissolve in ocean water has
increased. Decreased pH can thin the shells of some
molluscan shellfish and reduce survival.
Effects In Aquaculture
Acid-base relationships are important in aquaculture water
quality, because they influence pH and concentrations of carbon
dioxide and alkalinity. As a general rule, most types of aquaculture can be conducted best in waters that are slightly basic with
pH of 7.5 to 8.5. In ponds, waters should have sufficient total
alkalinity to buffer against pH change during periods of rapid
phytoplankton photosynthesis.
Acidic Rain
Since the mid-1970s, there has been concern over contamination of the atmosphere with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides. Global emissions of sulfur dioxide by human activities
increased from about 55 mmt in 1950 to over 120 mmt in 1975.
Nitrous oxide emissions were less than those of sulfur dioxide
during that period, but they increased at a similar rate.
In the atmosphere, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are oxidized to sulfuric acid and nitric acid, respectively, and reach the
earth as dry fallout or precipitation – the acid rain phenomenon.
Because it is saturated with carbon dioxide, rainfall naturally
is acidic with a pH of around 5.6. In and around heavily populated and highly industrialized areas, rainfall can have an average
pH between 4.0 and 4.5, and rainwater from individual storms
can be even more acidic.
There has not been much concern about the effects of acidic
rain in pond aquaculture. In areas where surface waters are susceptible to acidification by acid rain, the application of agricultural
limestone traditionally has been used to increase total alkalinity.
This treatment buffers water against the impacts of acid rain.
Trout hatcheries and farms supplied by stream water can be
impacted by acid rain. Following heavy rainfall, the pH of water in
some streams of the eastern U.S. can drop drastically. At some
trout farms, inflow must be treated after heavy rains with lime to
avoid the negative effects of low pH on fish. Acid rain is not considered a threat to the ocean, because ocean water is well buffered.
News media coverage of acid rain subsided in recent years.
Although this was partly because implementation of air pollution
control measures lessened the total quantities of sulfur and nitrogen
oxides emitted, it was mainly because attention shifted to the possible
effects of increasing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gas into the atmosphere on the world’s climate. Of course, with
the emergence of China and India as major industrialized nations
with improving economies during the past two decades, emissions of
sulfur and nitrogen oxides are again on the increase.
Greenhouse Gases
There is no doubt that human activities have increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. Atmospheric carbon
dioxide concentration was around 280 ppm at the beginning of
the industrial revolution in the mid-1700s. The average annual
atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration measured at the reference station in Hawaii, USA, increased from 316 ppm in 1959
to 396 ppm in 2013. During the first 200 years of the industrialized era, the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere
increased by 36 ppm – it rose 80 ppm in the past 50 years.
The possible effects of increases in carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases on global climate change and sea level are
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
57
highly publicized and politicized. Although we hear less about
ocean acidification, it is definitely occurring.
Because of a higher carbon dioxide concentration in the
atmosphere, the amount of carbon dioxide that will dissolve in
surface water has increased. Solubility tables for carbon dioxide
in water used for many years were based on an atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration of 320 ppm. The saturation concentration of carbon dioxide at 20° C formerly was given as 0.537
mg/L for freshwater and 0.457 mg/L for normal seawater. The
corresponding concentrations for present-day atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are 0.653 mg/L and 0.555 mg/L, respectively.
Carbon dioxide is acidic in water, and raising its concentration decreases pH. The pH of the ocean declined from about
8.12 in the late 1980s to 8.09 in 2008. This decline is expected
to continue as atmospheric carbon dioxide rises.
A decrease in ocean pH will increase the solubility of calcium
carbonate minerals such as aragonite and calcite, which comprise
the shells of many marine organisms. There already are reports
of thinning of shells that could eventually threaten their existence and the biodiversity of the ocean. Of course, molluscan
shellfish aquaculture will be negatively affected by ocean acidification along with wild organisms.
Pollution Predictions
It is interesting how some predictions about pollution do not
work out as anticipated by many scientists and environmentalists.
The acid rain phenomenon is a good example.
Acid rain has not led to acidification of streams in the eastern
U.S as predicted. In fact, recent scientific papers report that
many streams in the area are increasing in pH, and the alkalinity
of some rivers has doubled since the 1960s. The reason given is
increased weathering of soils and mineral formations by acidic
rain, especially in areas with limestone formations. However, this
explanation does not make sense, because the input of acidity in
rainfall should neutralize alkalinity.
Possibly the cause is increased weathering of carbonate and
silicate minerals by the greater carbon dioxide concentration. For
example, the equilibrium concentration for total alkalinity in a
container of pure water containing solid calcium carbonate and
open to the atmosphere has been reported as 55 mg/L at 320
ppm atmospheric carbon dioxide. The equilibrium alkalinity
should increase to about 70 mg/L at present atmospheric carbon
dioxide concentrations – an increase similar to that observed in
some streams.
The author has worked for many years with ponds on the E.
W. Shell Fisheries Center at Auburn University that are filled by
water from a small stream draining a catchment with acidic soils
of the Piedmont Plateau. In the early 1970s, the stream consistently had a total alkalinity of 14-18 mg/L. Today, the stream
has an alkalinity of 25-35 mg/L. As there are no limestone formations on the catchment of the stream, the source of increased
alkalinity apparently is weathering of silicate minerals.
Reports about alkalization of streams in the eastern U.S. and
elsewhere consider it an undesirable phenomenon. Increasing
alkalinity usually would not be detrimental to aquaculture. For
example, at the E. W. Shell Fisheries Station, ponds traditionally have required limestone applications at one- to three-year
intervals to maintain acceptable alkalinity. The increase in alkalinity in the source water from the stream lessens the need for
limestone.
production
Does chronological age provide the best information on shrimp postlarvae to farmers? Size and weight are also important
in aquaculture science.
What Size Are Your Postlarvae?
Summary:
Although the characteristics of
shrimp postlarvae have changed
over time, the standard method
used to identify their size has
not. Usually, the “size” of
postlarvae is considered their
chronological age after completing metamorphosis. However,
length and weight – as well as
their mathematical relationship
– are also of vital importance in
aquaculture science. After an
analysis of biometric data for 480
postlarvae from different culture
systems, the authors agreed that
weight is more relevant than age
in the expression of postlarvae size.
Whenever someone asks a shrimp
farmer, what is the size of your shrimp,
the answer usually comes back as the
weight of the animals (e.g., 7 g, 15 g, 20
g). Why, then, is the size of shrimp postlarvae described in age (e.g., P.L.10,
P.L.15, P.L.20)?
Usually, the “size” of postlarvae in the
market is considered their chronological
58
September/October 2014
global aquaculture advocate
Ana Paula G. Teixeira
Aquatec Aquacultura Ltda.
Av. do Pontal, s/n – Barra de Cunhaú
Canguaretama/R.N. –
Brasil 59.190-000
anapaula@aquatec.com.br
Ana Carolina B. Guerrelhas
Aquatec Aquacultura Ltda.
age after completing the metamorphosis
period. A P.L.10, for example, is an animal that went through complete metamorphosis (involving nauplii, zoea and
mysis stages) and has been a postlarva for
10 days. At this point, the animal has
completed its morphological and physiological development, and the standard
larval-rearing process would be finished.
Changes In Commercial
Postlarvae
Factors such as species adaptation,
genetic improvement, diversification and
modernization in production have led to
significant advances in the Pacific white
shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, postlarvae
that arrive on shrimp farms from com-
mercial hatcheries in Brazil. The P.L.10
from 20 years ago is definitely not the
same product seen today.
Not only have there been changes in
the P.L.10, the product most used by Brazilian shrimp farmers, but in the last five
years, there were also changes in market
demand. A demand for product diversification has called for acclimation of postlarvae to extreme salinities from 0 to 70
ppt and with ionic balance. Postlarvae
with higher size uniformity and/or fast
initial growth are sought, as well as
“older” postlarvae.
These “older” postlarvae are the product of an extended rearing period, which
can reach up to 30 days. In general, the
farmer who works with this product is
looking for stronger seedstock, which can
bring more tolerance of stocking management and higher weight gain during the
first days in the pond. The latter is of huge
importance to farmers affected by white
spot syndrome and those producers who
don’t have nursery facilities at their farms.
To provide some perspective on this
market, Aquatec Aquacultura Ltda.
launched its P.L.20 product in January
2009. Since then, it has sold more than
1.5 billion P.L.20 and 500 million P.L.15,
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
59
Identifying Size
effectively supplying an increasing
regional demand.
Products like the P.L.20 reflect the
modernization of larval rearing, especially
when it comes to size. That is because
after P.L.10, the animals enter another
rearing phase inside the hatchery that is
mainly focused on weight gain.
Facing so many changes, questions
continue to arise: Should we continue to
identify postlarvae merely by chronological
age? Does this provide the most important
information to shrimp farmers?
Although age has been an internationally established method for identifying postlarvae since the beginning of
marine shrimp commercial hatcheries,
this information alone ignores the particularities of postlarvae of the same age but
from different origins and production
management techniques. In addition to
age, information such as length and
weight – as well as their mathematical
relationship – are recognized to be of vital
importance in aquaculture science.
80
60
40
20
0
P.L.15
P.L.16
P.L.17
P.L.18
P.L.19
P.L.20
Length (mm)
Postlarvae/g
P.L.22
20
15
15
5
5
10
10
0
0
P.L.15
P.L.16
P.L.17
P.L.18
Figure 2.
Individual
growth in length
and uniformity evaluation
through variance
coefficient for
P.L.15 to P.L.22
shrimp.
Weight
20
Length P.L.19
P.L.20
P.L.21
P.L.22
Variance Coefficient
200
35
180
30
160
25
140
120
20
100
15
80
60
10
40
5
20
0
0
January- April-
July- October- January March
June SeptemberDecember March
MinimumMaximumPrecipitationCondition
TemperatureTemperature
Factor
Average Precipitation
(mm)
Average Temperature
(° C)
P.L.21
Figure 1.
Number of
postlarvae per
g and individual weights for
P.L.15 to P.L.22
shrimp.
Variance Coefficient
100
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Weight (mg)
Postlarvae/g
120
Weight (mg)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
22 232425 26272829
Open Ponds
Greenhouse
Raceways
60
September/October 2014
Greenhouse Tanks
global aquaculture advocate
Figure 3.
Historical
climate averages
and average condition factors for
P.L.15 to P.L.22
shrimp.
Aiming to better understand the
growth pattern of “older” postlarvae and
the influence of three culture systems on
their development, the authors analyzed
biometric data for 480 P.L.15 to P.L.22
postlarvae from Aquatec’s SpeedlineHB12 lineage collected between February
2013 and February 2014.
Growth: P.L.15 To P.L.22
Figure 1 shows the growth curve for
P.L.15 to P.L.22, on which a breakpoint
for weight gain appears at P.L.20. Figure
2 shows the growth curve on length and
information on the variance coefficient,
illustrating uniformity along with growth.
As indicated on the second curve, uniformity decreases as age increases. In addition, the gains in length are smaller than
the gains in weight, confirming the idea
that at this stage, animals are more in a
process of weight gain than physiological
development.
The next step was to cross the information above with different seasons and
cultures systems, analyzing the influence
of these factors on the animals’ performance. This study used the Fulton’s condition factor, a measure of fish health
that assumes the standard weight of a fish
is proportional to the cube of its length.
Seasonal Effects
In the graphs of the parameters analyzed during five, three-month periods
between February 2013 and March 2014,
greater differences are observed among
ages in weight than in length. On the
other hand, the similarity of the condition factors along the seasons for all ages
is remarkable. They all present an average
decrease of 18% in the second trimester,
followed by recovery during the next
three trimesters of 4, 22 and 5%.
The average historical climate data for
each trimester is also plotted in Figure 3.
The months with maximum precipitation
and minimum temperatures are identified
by the red rectangle.
Effects Of Culture System
Figure 4.
Shrimp weight
gain during the
last week of the
third hatchery
phase in different culture
systems.
To study the effects of the culture system, the data was divided into three systems, as shown in Table 1. It is important
to emphasize that the results from each
system is a sum of effects from the rearing environment and rearing facility (type
of tank; aeration system; water entrance,
drainage and movement) plus management (which includes as main differentials the preparation and maintenance of
the tank and water, along with feeding).
It is also important to consider the
Table 1. Description of
the three systems evaluated.
Culture System
Open
Greenhouse
Greenhouse
Tank Type
Tanks, 13-m³
Raceways. 45-m³
Round tanks, 30-m³
order in which the authors worked with
each system, presented on the table. The
changes from one system to another came
due to production demand, but also while
searching for improvement of the zootechnical results and production line efficiency.
Comparing the three systems (now
considering days of hatchery and no longer age, Figure 4), the animals cultivated
in greenhouse-covered tanks had the best
performance. To verify the conditions
under which the animals where reaching
this higher productivity, the condition
factor was calculated for each hatchery
day for the three systems, with the greenhouse tanks still having the best results.
Randomly selecting a fixed weight of
20 mg under the greenhouse tank system,
this weight could be reached in 23 days,
while it took 25 and 27 days under the
raceway and tank systems, respectively,
for shrimp to reach 20 mg. This means
that with changes and adaptations in infrastructure and management, it was possible
to “gain” four days of production while
maintaining average survivals near 100%.
This makes the initial question even
more intriguing: Is age, by itself, enough
to identify the animals we stock in growout ponds?
New Concept To Consider
This study showed there can be
P.L.20 weighing from 19 to 45 mg, which
is the same as saying 53-22 P.L./g. Same
age, but different sizes/weights. Which is
better for the farmer: older or bigger?
As pioneers in the marketing of P.L.20
in Brazil with 25 years of experience selling marine shrimp postlarvae, Aquatec
Aquacultura Ltda. believes that after the
age of P.L.10, the expression of the size of
shrimp postlarvae is more relevant by
weight than by chronological age.
Based on this concept, the company
has been selling new “jumbo” postlarvae
since March 2013. The shrimp, which
have an average weight of 16 mg and
reflect a range of 50-80 animals/g, are all
produced in greenhouse-covered tanks.
Some of the shrimp have reached even
higher average weights than the ones
described in this article. The authors
therefore believe this may be a new step
for the Brazilian shrimp-farming industry that improves the relationship
between hatcheries and farms.
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global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
61
marketplace
seafood and health
Use Your ‘License To Gill’
Roy D. Palmer, FAICD
GILLS
2312/80 Clarendon Street
Southbank Victoria 3006 Australia
roydpalmer@gmail.com
www.gillseafood.com
The author presented the many positive aspects of farmed seafood at the Monaco Blue
Initiative in Santiago, Chile.
Summary:
Fish is the world’s most traded
protein – and a healthy choice that
will help feed the world’s growing
population into the future. Fish
provide more protein for comparably lower calorie intake than
other meats, experts say. Fish,
particularly small freshwater fish,
have more iron than beef. In a list
of “Gold Medal” food groups vital
to brain health, the only whole
animal products were salmon, trout
and sardines. Aquaculture represents the most efficient method
by which to convert feed to edible
protein, and its use of marine
ingredients is being addressed.
How many chances do you get to
address royalty? Rarely, in my case, so
when offered the chance to highlight the
importance of aquaculture (with specific
reference to Latin America) to Prince
Albert II of Monaco at the Monaco Blue
Initiative in Santiago, Chile, I grabbed it
with both hands.
Knowing that the audience was essentially anti-aquaculture was not especially
easy for me, but as an industry, we should
not be afraid of confronting issues. I
believe the world needs to embrace aqua-
62
September/October 2014
culture for many reasons, but especially
for food security and nutrition. Millions
are hungry, and children are dying daily
due to malnutrition.
As I shared with the audience during
my presentation in Monaco, I hear a lot
of gloom and doom about the fish industry, but what is forgotten is that fish is
the world’s most traded protein. The sector is twice the size of the coffee trade. It
had an estimated export value of U.S.
$136 billion last year. According to an
article from the environmental think tank
Earth Policy Institute, global production
of farmed fish has overtaken the production of beef.
More than 120 million people in the
world already depend directly on fisheriesrelated activities, which in turn support
the livelihoods of over 1 billion people.
While we can maintain wild fish harvests
through strategic management and cutting
out wasteful practices, however, wild fish
can not support the whole population.
Farmed seafood will be pivotal in helping
to supply food and jobs for the future.
Healthy Food
Of course you already know fish is good
for you. But just how good? An outstanding graph in a report on obtaining essential
omega-3 fatty acids from fish published by
the High Level Panel of Experts to the
United Nations Committee on World
global aquaculture advocate
Food Security confirmed that the level of
iron in beef is lower than in most fish, particularly small freshwater fish.
The knowledge on the health aspects
of seafood just keeps coming. In light of
the increasing evidence of neurodevelopmental benefits from eating fish, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration has
revised its dietary recommendations to
encourage pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers and young children to eat
more of it – two to three servings a week.
This is an important message that needs
to be heeded by all governments that
want to have healthy people with fewer
chronic diseases, thus alleviating heavy
health costs and underpinning better
gross domestic product prospects.
1,000 Days Program
The 1,000 day program highlights the
most important period of anyone’s life –
the time from conception to the second
birthday, which forms an essential window of opportunity to shape healthier
and more prosperous futures. The right
nutrition during this 1,000-day window
can have profound impacts on a child’s
ability to grow, learn and rise out of poverty. It can also shape a society’s longterm health, stability and prosperity.
In the real world for children under
the age of 2, the consequences of undernutrition are particularly severe and often
irreversible, and reach far into the future.
During pregnancy, undernutrition can
devastate the healthy growth and development of a child. Babies who are malnourished in the womb have a higher risk
of dying in infancy and are more likely to
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
63
face lifelong cognitive and physical deficits, and chronic health problems.
Eating more fish can help. But in
Australia, the Meat and Livestock Association promoted advertising espousing
that we were meant to be born eating red
meat! While the Neanderthals ate lots of
red meat, modern humans became modern by eating lots of oysters, mussels and
fish. As revealed in “When the Sea Saved
Humanity,” an article in Scientific American, when the number of breeding
humans crashed to about 600 in five locations across Africa, it was seafood and
root vegetables that helped us survive, not
red meat. As we move toward the future,
and noting that the earth is 72% ocean,
the same situation may return.
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64
September/October 2014
Obesity And Seafood
Seafood can help tackle the global
obesity crisis, said health writer Martin
Bowerman, author of “Lean Forever: The
Scientific Secrets of Permanent Weight
Loss.” Speaking at World Aquaculture
Adelaide, Bowerman said fish provided
more protein for comparably lower calorie intake than other meats, and this “calorie efficiency” was key to a high-protein
weight-loss diet.
In “Don’t Miss the Bus,” a new book
drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience from the University of California,
is a list of a dozen “Gold Medal” food
groups vital to maintaining brain health
and preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease. The only whole animal products
on the list are fish – specifically salmon,
trout and sardines.
In a recent report prepared for Canada’s aquaculture industry, “How Higher
Seafood Consumption Can Save Lives,”
the authors quoted a study from the Harvard School of Public Health and the
University of Washington that found
older adults with high blood levels of
fish-derived fatty acids lived, on average,
2.2 years longer than those with lower
levels. Increasing levels of fish consumption to the recommended levels could
save about 7,000 lives in Canada annually, the report concluded.
It is the position of the U.S. Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics that dietary fat
for the healthy adult population should
provide 20 to 35% of energy, with
increased consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and limited intake
of saturated and trans fats. Two “longchain” omega-3 fatty acids found in fish –
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – are not made by
the human body, meaning we need to get
them from a dietary source. Many people
get omega-3 fatty acids from plant
sources like flax seeds and walnuts,
although this type of “good” fat only partially converts to EPA and DHA in the
body and doesn’t have the same amount
of research behind it that omega-3s
derived from fish do.
In Latin America, seafood consumption is below the world average, and in
South America, Brazil had annual seafood
consumption of less than 5 kg/capita until
it embarked on a strong aquaculture program with tilapia that raised consumption
to nearly 10 kg/capita. In Mexico, where
seafood consumption has been on a downward spiral, plans and budgeting are put in
place to promote seafood consumption
alongside increasing aquaculture activity
global aquaculture advocate
based on specifically training the workforce through the value chain.
Fishmeal, Fish Oil
There are two important points to
make regarding fishmeal and fish oil. The
first is that aquaculture is far from the
biggest user of the products. That honor
lies with land-based animals. The second
is that evidence from the salmon industry
shows that its investment in feed research
over 20 years has enabled the quantity of
fishmeal and fish oil to drop from around
89% of the feed to 32%, and more progress is expected in this area.
The anti-aquaculture lobby seems to
be stuck in the past on these issues and
either lacks current data or is stuck with
antiquated concepts. Their emphasis
often falls on feed issues regarding
salmon and other carnivorous species.
But the freshwater fish such as carp, tilapia and catfish that dominate global
aquaculture production are herbivore species not reliant on fishmeal and fish oil.
Producing more from less is the consistent aim. Massive amounts of time, money
and effort are going into feeds for the
future. As an example, CSIRO Australia
has perfected a prawn feed additive that
results in 30% faster growth without using
fish products. Several concepts getting
attention include the use of proteins from
worms, insects and algae in aquafeeds.
While all farmed animals need to be fed,
aquaculture represents the most efficient
method by which to convert feed to edible
protein. Of course, species such as oysters
and mussels do not need to be fed at all.
Perspectives
Seafood harvested from aquaculture is
a complete nutrient package and the
major source of animal proteins and
micronutrients for many coastal populations. It is a renewable and sustainable
source of polyunsaturated fatty acids for
optimal brain development and the prevention of coronary heart disease, and an
important source of vitamins generally
scarce in rural diets. People should consume seafood weekly to comply with
dietary guidelines.
I urge you to read the “Sustainable
Fisheries and Aquaculture for Food
Security and Nutrition” report just issued
by the High Level Panel of Experts.
Applying our collective “Licence to Gill,”
we need to work together to maximize
our use of the oceans and fully utilize the
resources in sustainable growth. Working
to assist the poorer nations and increasing
food security and nutrition are essential
elements of this work.
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
65
marketplace seafood marketing
Sea Bream Price Integration
Along Value Chain In Spain
José Fernández Polanco,
Ph.D.
Universidad de Cantabria
Ignacio Llorente, Ph.D.
In Spain, all levels of the sea bream value chain adjusted their prices to changes in the
wholesale level, whether for domestic or imported fish.
Summary:
Work by the authors analyzed
price competition for farmed
sea bream from Greece, Turkey
and Spain across the value chain.
They found that sea bream from
the three origins competed in an
undifferentiated market, where
price changes by one competitor
were replicated by the others. The
ex-farm prices of sea bream in
Spain were partially affected by
international competition, but
retailers adjusted pricing according to farmers’ costs and also
responded to consumer demand.
All levels of the value chain
adjusted prices to changes at the
wholesale level.
Sea bream aquaculture in the Mediterranean Sea faces various constraints
that include increasing supply in fully
developed markets, the effects of financial
crises in many consumer countries and
the difficulties of negotiating with concentrated retailers. These constraints have
raised interest in analyzing the ways in
which prices are set in the international
market and along the value chain.
Horizontal price integration allows
identification of who exerts price leader-
66
September/October 2014
ship in markets, while vertical integration
informs about the transmission of prices
across value chain levels and potential
issues of market power. The authors
studied the value chain for sea bream in
Spain as it relates to competition between
different producing countries and its
impact on the prices of local traders.
Study Setup
The prices for sea bream at ex-farm,
wholesale and retail levels have been collected weekly for sea bream from 2009 to
2013 by Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture and
Food through the Observatory of Food.
Prices for Spain’s imports from Greece and
Turkey were obtained from the European
Commission’s Eurostat trade database.
Integration among the price series
was analyzed using the Johansen test, a
procedure for testing cointegration of
several time series. The limited sample
size of the available data did not allow
conducting a single model. Instead, two
separate models were used to illustrate
horizontal and vertical price integration.
The first model studied price competition among Greece, Turkey and Spain,
the three largest producers of sea bream.
A second model studied transmission
across ex-farm, wholesale and retail
prices. One limitation of this partial analysis and the sample size was that results
were conclusive for rejecting issues of
market power, but could not conclude
global aquaculture advocate
Departamento de Administración
de Empresas
Facultad de Ciencias Económicas
y Empresariales
Universidad de Cantabria
39005 Santander, Cantabria, Spain
llorentei@unican.es
María Odriozola
Universidad de Cantabria
whether any agent in the value chain was
acting like a cartel.
Results
The model involving the prices of
imports from Greece and Turkey and the
Spanish ex-farm prices resulted in one
cointegrating vector (Table 1). This implicated that the three origins compete in the
same undifferentiated market. Subsequent
tests indicated that Greek prices were
endogenous, meaning that price changes
for Greek sea bream followed the rest of
the market changes and were caused by
the prices of Turkey and Spain.
The prices of Turkish imports and
domestic Spanish ex-farm product were
related to each other, with Turkey acting
as price leader. However, Spanish prices
were found to be exogenous, caused by
variables not included in the model, such
as long-term contracts with local retailers
or other institutions. Ultimately, changes
in the prices of any of the three competitors were replicated by the other two in a
perfectly delineated market.
The model assessing price transmission along the Spanish value chain also
found one cointegrating vector (Table 2).
In this case, it confirmed that shifts in exfarm price reached the retail level, suggesting that no actors exerted definitive market power. Furthermore, ex-farm and
retail prices were found to be endogenous,
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September/October 2014 67
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and can be explained by the links among
them and the wholesale level. The prices
at the wholesale level, instead, were exogenous and affected by causes not included
in this model. Domestic ex-farm prices
were related to retail prices, but they did
not seem to affect wholesale prices.
To clarify the relationships among the
different price series, paired causation
tests were performed crossing domestic
and import prices. When the prices of
Turkish imports were substituted for
domestic ex-farm prices, one cointegrating vector was found (Table 3). Once
again, wholesale prices were exogenous,
affecting both Turkish and retail prices.
This meant that Turkish exporters were
adopting the prices of Spanish wholesalers, and Spanish retailers adapted their
prices as the wholesale price changed.
Perspectives
The ex-farm prices of sea bream in
Spain are partially affected by international
competition led by Turkish imports and by
the prices set by wholesalers. Despite this,
there is still a place for negotiation and
trade agreements, as well as the possibility
of effective differentiation, since a significant part of their variation is not explained
by international competitors.
Table 1. Price integration across Greece, Turkey and Spain.
Rank
Eigenvalue
Trace
P Value
L-max
P Value
0
1
2
0.505
0.351
0.097
59.503
25.703
4.911
0***
0.050*
0.615
33.800
20.791
4.911
0.002***
0.028**
0.617
Table 2. Price integration across ex-farm,
wholesale and retail prices in Spain.
Rank
Eigenvalue
Trace
P Value
L-max
P Value
0
1
2
0.783
0.439
0.004
101.36
27.809
0.003
0***
0***
0.975
73.553
27.805
0.003
0***
0***
0.975
Table 3. Price integration across Turkish
imports, wholesale and retail prices in Spain.
Rank
Eigenvalue
Trace
P Value
L-max
P Value
0
1
2
0.640
0.556
0.153
96.167
47.037
7.985
0***
0***
0.260
49.130
39.052
7.985
0***
0***
0.260
Spanish farmers’ prices also interact
with the retail level in a bidirectional relation indicating perfect price transmission
between agents. Retailers accommodate
the prices of sea bream according to
changes in farmers’ costs, and also respond
to the levels of consumer demand. No evidence was found that retailers exerted
power over farmers has been found, or that
farmers behaved as a cartel.
While the results in assessing the
exercise of market power at any level of
the value chain were not conclusive, there
was evidence that Spanish wholesalers
could exercise a degree of negotiation.
While totally independent of the behavior
of the other actors, wholesale prices for
sea bream affected all other observed
prices. All levels of the value chain
adjusted their prices to changes in the
wholesale level, whether for domestic or
imported sea bream.
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sophistication Leonardo da Vinci
ORI
www.skretting.com/mhf
68
September/October 2014
global aquaculture advocate
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
69
marketplace
Value Chain Analysis Helps Overcome
Gender Barriers In Aquaculture
Paris Edwards, M.S.
Research and Gender Coordinator
Hillary Egna, Ph.D.
Director
Stephanie Ichien, M.S.
Graduate Research Assistant
Jenna Borberg, M.S.
Research and Communication Manager
AquaFish Innovation Lab
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon 97331 USA
jenna.borberg@oregonstate.edu
Drying seaweed on a new rack. Photo courtesy of Kevin Fitzsimmons.
Summary:
The AquaFish Innovation Lab
has conducted research using
value chain analysis as a tool to
increase income and nutrition for
small-scale fish farmers through
improved market participation
and efficiency. Integrating
women into the aquaculture value
chain is part of a systems approach
to improve the economic and social benefits of aquaculture. Work
in Africa and Asia has identified
some of the underlying barriers to
women’s participation and begun
to develop strategies for overcoming them.
By the middle of this century, global
population is expected to reach 9.6 billion, and food production must keep
pace. The current and expected growth of
aquaculture across the globe will continue
to require innovation and adaptation,
especially in the emerging markets of
developing countries. Successful aquaculture supply chains require access to market information, reliable transportation,
good communication and relationships,
and increasingly, access to technology.
70
September/October 2014
Value chain analysis (VCA) is a tool
used to improve efficiency and equity in
aquaculture markets. Value chains are
complex, and VCA studies in aquaculture
look at both economic and social elements
of the value chain, focusing on where value
can be added. This increases transparency
and opens up opportunities for economic
improvements to quality, processing, safety
and value-added products.
Attention is also paid to who is
involved along the chain, the intricate
relationships between linkages and how
individuals and groups stand to benefit or
be harmed from a given policy, change in
management or technology. With a more
thorough understanding of all reference
points along the aquaculture value chain,
opportunities arise for improved performance of the entire aquaculture sector.
Gender Integration
Both women and men are vital to the
viability of the aquaculture industry in
developing countries. Thus, gender integration is essential for the successful
growth of the sector. Women are
involved in aquaculture from pond to
platter, playing significant roles in global
food production and ensuring the nutritional well-being of households. Understanding value chains can help uncover
where women are involved and how they
global aquaculture advocate
can benefit or be harmed by interventions
along the chain.
In developing countries, women produce over half the food, bear most of the
responsibility for household food security
and increasingly contribute to the household through income-generating activities.
In recent years, women’s involvement in
agriculture activities has expanded to meet
increasing global food production demands.
However, their roles are often limited by
lack of access to economic opportunities,
education, capital and technology.
Typically, women are not equally represented along value chains. Rather, they
tend to be concentrated in high-risk and
low-power positions in the middle.
Workshop for women fish traders in Mumias, Kenya. Photo courtesy
of Purdue University.
ducted a VCA and consumer preference
study to ascertain the roles of women in
aquaculture in Kenya and Ghana. In
Kenya, the goal was to identify the primary constraints to participation for
women in tilapia and catfish aquaculture.
Major actors in the value chain
included input suppliers, suppliers of juve-
nile seed fish, fish farmers and fish marketers. Women represented the majority of
wild fish marketers and also the majority
of wild and farmed fish consumers.
In response to dwindling wild fish
stocks and the resulting economic
impacts, project partners held a workshop
for women wild fish traders in Mumias,
Kenya, in November 2010 to provide
outreach on crossing over to aquaculture.
The aquaculture industry in Kenya is
growing rapidly and women can improve
their economic welfare by increasingly
entering the chain as fish farmers and
hatchery producers.
Concurrent research was conducted in
Ghana to assess the value chain of farmed
tilapia. The study showed that women
dominated fish processing and interacted
with all of the key value chain actors in
this role. They provided fish-gutting and
scaling services to traders, foodservice providers and consumers at distribution points
and sales outlets. The women involved
were mostly enterprising individuals
accountable to themselves, but some
worked in groups and provided their services together at markets.
The study suggested that growth in
the sector was expected to increase
opportunities for processors, but communication and safety must be improved in
order to benefit from this growth. Organizing into cooperative groups was one
suggested method to help both the processers and consumers gain access to government assistance. As demand for fish
increases and more safety standards are
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AquaFish Research
The AquaFish Innovation Lab
(AquaFish), headquartered at Oregon
State University in Oregon, USA, has
conducted research using VCA as a tool
to increase income and nutrition for
small-scale fish farmers through
improved market participation and efficiency. Integrating women into the aquaculture value chain is part of a systems
approach to improve the economic and
social benefits of aquaculture.
AquaFish work in Africa and Asia
has identified some of the underlying
barriers to women’s participation and has
subsequently begun to develop strategies
for overcoming them.
Improving Women’s
Participation In Africa
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September/October 2014
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1
play
a critical role in efficient aquaculture markets. Therefore, access to market information and the nature of information flow
have become key factors for maintaining
competitiveness for men and women.
AquaFish researchers worked with the
Kenyan government to examine women’s
access to market information in the fishery
sector and analyze mobile information
networks for women fish marketers. This
foundational work has become a model for
research on market-based cell phone data
in neighboring Uganda. Research planned
through next year aims to improve text-
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September/October 2014
based fish market and fingerling supply
information to Ugandan markets and provide a new extension mechanism for
broad-scale outreach to fish farmers.
Expanding Markets In Asia
AquaFish research conducted in the
rural northwestern province of Aceh,
Indonesia, from 2009 through 2013 combined VCA and technical training to successfully introduce seaweed farming to
communities recovering from a 2004 tsunami that devastated shrimp aquaculture
in the area. Research efforts addressed the
challenge of rebuilding shrimp aquaculture
with a renewed focus on sustainability.
Training activities focused on best
management practices for small-scale
tambak ponds through seaweed and shrimp
polyculture. An effort that started out as
restoration assistance grew from cultivating
Gracilaria seaweed for pond effluent
removal to a broad VCA of the seaweed
markets of Indonesia and a series of
workshops to enhance the benefits of
growing and selling seaweed.
AquaFish conducted a VCA of the
seaweed market in Aceh in response to
growing demand in the ports of Jakarta,
Sulawesi and Surabaya, the major transshipment points of seaweed products.
The study looked at the roles of key players in the industry, logistics, transaction
flows between market levels and external
market influences. The results suggested
that communication about product quality standards and adequate facilities for
optimal drying were some of the major
barriers for building successful relationships between rural farmers and professional buyers.
Organization and communication play a critical role
in efficient aquaculture
markets. Therefore, access
to market information
and the nature of information flow have become key
factors for maintaining
competitiveness for men
and women.
In response, AquaFish partners reached
over 220 farming families through nine
workshops to teach men and women how
to farm, dry and process seaweed for optimal sale quality. One such workshop taught
farmers how to construct drying racks from
local materials to maintain quality for prof-
global aquaculture advocate
itable, high-grade agar production. Indonesia is one of the world’s largest exporters of
agar, a seaweed by-product used throughout the food industry and in pharmaceuticals as a thickener and stabilizer.
Additional workshops taught women
household recipes and the nutritional benefits of using Gracilaria. Over 100 famers
adopted seaweed polyculture in Aceh.
A commercial seaweed buyer in
Medan, Sumatra, committed to buying 14
mt a month and to lending baling equipment and additional drying tables to farmers. Thanks to the efforts of AquaFish
researchers and partners, this budding new
seaweed market is contributing to more
sustainable shrimp farming and has become
a promising new source of income generation and nutrition in rural Indonesia.
marketplace
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
food safety
and technology
U.S. Moves Catfish
Inspection: FDA To USDA
George J. Flick, Jr., Ph.D.
University Distinguished Professor
flickg@vt.edu
Gender Equity
In Value Chains
Gender integration in value chains
represents an important innovation in our
understanding of the significant roles
women play in the health of households,
economies and aquaculture development.
This awareness, along with the early VCA
efforts described in this article, inspired
AquaFish’s leadership in the first globally
focused meeting on gender equity in aquaculture value chains.
Three special sessions on “Markets
and Value Chains for Small Aquaculture
and Fisheries Enterprises With a Focus
on Gender” at the International Institute
of Fisheries Economics and Trade Conference helped bring gender integration
to the forefront of VCAs. These sessions
included 17 presentations, representing
different streams of scholarship from
around the globe attempting to understand the complex relationships that
influence market performance for smallholder farmers, including value-added
distribution, optimal institutional
arrangements and policy approaches.
Common patterns emerged among
the presenters, acknowledging the concentration of less-educated, resourcepoor women at the low value end of
chains. Outcomes of this visionary global
forum can be found at the Gender in
Aquaculture and Fisheries website –
http://genderaquafish.org, and session
proceedings are available on the AquaFish website at http://aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/page/proceedings. Based on
past research, collaboration, education
and outreach successes, AquaFish and
partners are continuing to use VCA as a
tool to enhance aquaculture markets and
improve gender equity in the sector.
Inspection and verification activities by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service
will include marketplace sampling and screening for chemical residues, organoleptic
and other hands-on verifications, and reviews of monitoring records.
Summary:
The 2014 U.S. farm bill moved
inspection of catfish and Siluriformes fish products from the
Food and Drug Administration to
the Department of Agriculture’s
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The agencies entered
a memorandum of understanding
to improve interagency cooperation and prevent duplication. The
FSIS inspection program will not
differ substantially from the 2011
proposed rule guidelines, with
implementation in four phases.
The proposed FSIS regulation
will impact the ways Siluriformes
fish are produced and processed.
In 2008, the comprehensive farm bill
that functioned as the main agricultural
and food policy tool of the United States
government moved responsibility for catfish inspection from the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA).
However, there was some concern
whether the bill actually removed all catfish inspection from the FDA. Therefore,
both agencies had responsibility, but no
catfish really received inspection.
Because of the confusion, the 2014
farm bill included language directing
FDA and USDA’s Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) to enter a
memorandum of understanding (MOU)
to improve interagency cooperation and
prevent duplication of inspection services.
The transition of catfish inspection
from FDA to FSIS will cause major
changes for domestic and international
producers and processors. It is important
that all producers and processors are
informed and prepared for the changes.
A failure to understand and accommodate the proposed legislation could result
in rule violations and a failure to have
products accepted for import into the
United States.
Substance Of Agreement
Enacted February 7, the 2014 farm
bill called for the MOU to improve interagency cooperation on food safety and
fraud prevention, and maximize the
effectiveness of limited personnel and
resources. The bill sought to ensure that
inspections conducted by FSIS satisfy
requirements under the Federal Food,
Drug and Cosmetic Act, and inspections
of shipments and processing facilities for
Siluriformes fish – including commercial
David D. Kuhn, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
davekuhn@vt.edu
Food Science and
Technology Department
Center for Applied Health Sciences
Duck Pond Drive
Virginia Tech (0418)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 USA
catfish, basa and Pangasius – by the agencies are not duplicative. The information
resulting from examinations, testing and
inspections is considered in making riskbased determinations and establishing
inspection priorities.
In the memorandum, the departments agreed to plan for the orderly,
phased transition from FDA to FSIS of
primary regulatory oversight of domestic
and imported Siluriformes fish and fish
products. The agencies will coordinate in
issuing regulations and guidance and in
conducting outreach specific to Siluriformes. They will also exchange information relevant to regulatory oversight andtake advantage of the inspection
capabilities of each other to achieve the
maximum utilization of resources with
regard to Siluriformes fish and fish products.
According to the MOU, FSIS will
exercise primary regulatory oversight over
Siluriformes fish products and inform
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
73
FDA if an apparent violation is encountered involving other fish. FDA will continue to oversee all other fish and fish
products, and inform FSIS regarding
apparent violations involving Siluriformes.
Unless requested by FSIS to do so,
FDA will not inspect domestic and foreign establishments that grow, slaughter
or process Siluriformes fish. It will also
not sample or analyze Siluriformes fish
products bearing a USDA inspection legend or import mark.
FSIS Implementation
The transfer of inspections to USDA
has significant impacts on both domestic
catfish producers and imported Siluriformes fish and fish products. In 2011,
USDA’s FSIS published a proposed rule
in the Federal Register whose main
points will likely carry over to any new
proposed rule.
The 2011 proposed rule said, “FSIS
anticipates that moving the catfish industry from FDA’s regulatory regime to the
FSIS inspection system will have some
impact on the industry.”
Under the rule, all catfish-processing
establishments are required to follow the
regulations in Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 9, part 416, for sanitation and
meet the FSIS sanitation performance
standards. FSIS will verify that HACCP
plans comply with the requirements of
part 417 and have been validated.
Verification activities by FSIS include
marketplace sampling and rapid screening
tests for chemical residues, organoleptic
and other hands-on verifications, and
reviews of monitoring records. FSIS will
also verify the conditions under which catfish are raised and transported to the processor, both as a check on the effectiveness
of the establishment’s HACCP plan and
to provide additional reassurance that only
safe, wholesome raw materials are processed for human food.
Implementation Phases
USDA proposed phasing in implementation for the regulation in four phases.
Highlights of the phases are as follows.
Phase 1
FSIS will deploy inspection personnel
to domestic catfish-processing establishments. The processors will be required to
continue to comply with the requirements
of 21 CFR, part 123, until the proposed
FSIS sanitation procedures (under proposed 9 CFR, part 537) are in place.
Foreign countries exporting catfish to
the United States when the final rule is
74
September/October 2014
global aquaculture advocate
published will need to submit documentation to demonstrate they have laws or
other appropriate legal measures that
provide authority to regulate the growing
and processing of catfish for human food.
At this phase of implementation, FSIS
will accept written documentation that
countries have provided under FDA’s
regulations.
FSIS will recognize current arrangements und`until complete implementation of the final rule or determination by
FSIS whether foreign inspection systems
are equivalent to those of the United
States.
Phase 2
Persons and firms covered by the
record-keeping requirements in proposed 9
CFR 550.5 will have to register with FSIS.
Phase 3
Domestic and foreign establishments
will be required to comply with the sanitation requirements in 9 CFR, part 416
(proposed 9 CFR, part 537).
Phase 4
The transitional measures will expire.
FSIS will require that all establishments
that produce catfish and catfish products
comply with all provisions of the final
catfish inspection regulations.
Foreign countries that export catfish
products to the United States will be
required to have catfish inspection programs equivalent to the U.S. inspection
program and be listed in proposed 9
CFR, part 557.
Perspectives
All catfish and catfish product producers and processors affected by the transfer
of regulatory oversight are encouraged to
be aware of any proposed rule that may be
published in the U.S. Federal Register.
Ignoring this important change in regulations could have severe financial impacts
on firms and countries.
Foreign countries that
export catfish products to
the United States will be
required to have catfish
inspection programs
equivalent to the U.S.
inspection program.
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u.s. seafood markets
Vietnam Catches Thailand In Value-Added Shrimp Imports
Paul Brown, Jr.
Urner Barry Publications, Inc.
P. O. Box 389
Toms River, New Jersey 08752 USA
pbrownjr@urnerbarry.com
Ecuador
Shrimp imports from Ecuador appeared to be at record levels
in June. Ecuador’s shrimp production was higher, as exports to
Europe and Asia from that country continued strongly along
with those to the U.S.
The U.S. imports were mostly HLSO 26-30 count and
Janice Schreiber
Angel Rubio
Urner Barry Publications, Inc.
Imports of peeled and other value-added forms of shrimp
were up YTD in June.
Current U.S. imports continue in those count sizes with relatively low costs. However, much of that product was under contract
and has been having limited effect on the current spot market.
Recently, as the spot market has firmed, farmers have been
holding back on raw material delivery to processing plants. There
was a brief period of increased offerings from packers of 16-20 and
larger shrimp. Currently, replacement offerings from India are limited and not expected to ramp up again until September or October.
imports up 9.9%. Cooked imports were up 24.9% in June, and
breaded shrimp rose 13.6%.
June volumes of shrimp imported to the United States
were up 25.2% compared to the import levels a year
ago. Peeled, cooked and breaded shrimp imports were
all up YTD. Total salmon imports remain higher YTD.
The lack of fish from Europe and the Northeast created
greater demand for larger West Coast whole fish. The
volume of Chilean fillets was 14.0% higher YTD. U.S.
imports of frozen whole tilapia increased over 50.0%
from May to June, but were 8.5% lower than in June a
year ago. Reflecting seasonal trends, fresh fillet imports
softened, while frozen fillets rose. Catfish imports
declined from May to June in counter-seasonal activity.
June Pangasius imports were down YTD after high volume early in 2014.
June volumes of shrimp imported to the United States were
up 25.2% compared to the import levels a year ago (Table 1), led
by shipments from India, Indonesia, Ecuador, Vietnam and
China. Imports from Thailand continued to run sharply lower in
June. However, it’s important to note that imports in 2013 were
heavy in May and less significant in June as importers prepared
for the potential impact of the countervailing duty that ended
when the U.S. International Trade Commission found no injury.
Year-to-date (YTD) imports were up 10.7% with volumes
from all major shrimp-producing countries sharply higher with
the exception of Thailand. Headless, shell-on (HLSO) imports,
including easy-peel shrimp, were up 28.3% in June and 7.4%
YTD. The bulk of the increases in the month were in 41-50 and
smaller-count shrimp.
Peeled shrimp imports were up 25.6% in June, pushing YTD
Imports of HLSO shrimp of 36-40 and larger counts from
all areas were full steady to firm in mid-August, while smaller
shrimp steadied after a weak period. Easy-peel shrimp also
ranged full steady to firm. A full steady to firm bias persists for
26-30 and larger-count value-added shrimp, which is in line
with the overall trend for larger-count shrimp.
Vietnam
June’s shrimp imports from Vietnam were up sharply – 77%
– from the import levels of a year ago. HLSO imports were far
outpaced by imports of peeled and also cooked shrimp. Vietnam
was on par with Thailand, which has been the leader in valueadded processing, in imports of cooked shrimp through June.
Anecdotal reports indicate Vietnamese imports have been heavy
in 21-25 through 31-40 shrimp.
Indonesia
Imports from Indonesia have been heavy. Through June,
Indonesia was the leading supplier to the U.S. market, beating
out India and Ecuador. Imports of HLSO (likely easy-peel destined for retail) have been centered on 26-30 and 31-40 shrimp.
Indonesia is also the YTD leader in peeled shrimp imports to
the U.S., likely in those same counts. Production slowed during
Ramadan, but should now resume.
India
U.S. imports of Indian shrimp were 22.0% higher in June and
about 10.0% higher YTD. Imports were split between HLSO
(including easy-peel) and peeled shrimp. HLSO count sizes were
centered on 21-25 and 26-30, with some 16-20 and 31-40
shrimp. It is likely that pattern of count sizes was similar for peeled
shrimp.
Table 1. Snapshot of U.S. shrimp imports, June 2014.
Form
June 2014
(1,000 lb)
May 2014
(1,000 lb)
Change
(Month)
June 2013
(1,000 lb)
Change
(Year)
YTD 2014
(1,000 lb)
YTD 2013
(1,000 lb)
Change
(Year)
Shell-on
Peeled
Cooked
Breaded
Total
34,754
37,261
12,026
6,934
90,975
31,566
38,257
11,392
6,863
88,078
10.1%
-2.6%
5.6%
1.0%
3.3%
27,094
29,655
9,822
6,103
72,674
28.3%
25.6%
22.4%
13.6%
25.2%
200,165
225,188
67,498
43,556
536,407
186,410
204,883
57,014
36,233
484,540
7.4%
9.9%
18.4%
20.2%
10.7%
China
As typhoon Rammasun bore down on southern China, there
was a rush to harvest shrimp, which led to reports of shrimp
prices falling precipitously. Chinese authorities reported significant damage across the southern provinces of Guangdong,
Hainan and Yunnan, and in the region of Guangxi, according to
China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs. At this writing, the effects on
shrimp production and infrastructure were unclear.
There have been reports of continuing active sales of shrimp
into Chinese processors, which may be needed to supplement
the lack of the country’s own raw material.
Salmon Trend Continues: Whole Fish Off, Fillets Up
June YTD imports of salmon to the United States continued
the year with a 5.5% increase when compared to import levels from
the same time last year (Table 2). Fresh whole fish imports had a
YTD decrease of 19.7%. Fresh fillet imports remained higher,
18.8% up from 2013 YTD levels. Total month-to-month data was
lower for June – down 11.3% when compared to May’s imports.
June imports were 4.1% higher than in June 2013, however.
Shrimp Market
Summary:
smaller YTD, with the bulk in 31-40, 41-50 and 51-60 sizes.
HLSO imports were 13.5% higher YTD. Peeled imports have
also been significant – 30% higher YTD.
U.S. imports of
fresh and frozen
salmon fillets were
significantly up
YTD in June.
Whole Fish
In June, YTD figures for imports of fresh whole salmon continued the year with a decrease of 19.7% below June 2013 YTD
figures. Similarly, a monthly comparison revealed a decrease of
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Sources: Urner Barry foreign trade data, U.S. Department of Commerce.
76
September/October 2014
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September/October 2014
77
11.8% from May to June. Looking at June 2013 versus June
2014, fresh whole fish imports saw a decrease of 11.4%.
Down 45.0%, YTD imports from Canada continued to reflect
decreases in June. When looking at Europe, we saw large increases
from Norway and the U.K. – up 44.8 and 74.7%, respectively.
The Northeast whole fish market during the beginning of
August was steady on all sizes of whole fish. Supplies ranged
adequate to barely adequate for a moderate demand. A lack of
large whole fish both from Europe and the West Coast has created good demand for 12-up fish. All sizes were at or above their
three-year price averages in June.
The European whole fish market was unsettled, with both
higher and lower offerings noted. The sanctions against Norway
from Russia may have an effect on the market going forward.
The European whole fish market is seeing prices above the
three-year averages.
For the West Coast, whole fish saw the beginning of August
barely steady to weak on smaller sizes, while larger sizes were full
steady to firm. The lack of fish from Europe and the Northeast
created a greater demand for larger West Coast whole fish. Chil-
ean whole fish continued to be available, and the market has
been steady. All sizes were trending toward and just below the
three-year price averages.
Fillets
June’s YTD import volumes of fresh fillets revealed an
increase of 18.8%. Monthly overall fillet imports were down at
22.5 million lb, which was 12.8% lower than in May 2013.
When comparing June 2014 to June 2013, imports saw a
17.2% increase. The U.S. imported 17.0 million lb of fillets from
Chile during June, which put Chile’s YTD volume 14.0%
higher. Norway’s numbers were 153.6% higher YTD. The U.S.
imports from all countries was 138.5 million lb through June.
The market for Chilean fillets weakened during July and was
steady into August. Supplies were adequate to fully adequate for
a moderate demand. Market participants reported that supplies
of 3-up fillets were more readily available than 2- to 3-lb fillets.
All sizes were above their three-year price averages. The European fillet market was unchanged.
Table 2. Snapshot of U.S. salmon imports, June 2014.
Form
June
2014 (lb)
May
2014 (lb)
Change
(Month)
June
2013 (lb)
Change
(Year)
YTD 2014
(lb)
YTD 2013
(lb)
Change
(Year)
Fresh whole fish
Frozen whole fish
Fresh fillets
Frozen fillets
Total
13,781,754
371,491
22,517,832
8,047,287
44,718,364
15,632,062
726,132
25, 794,411
8,264,270
50,416,875
-11.84%
-48.84%
-12.70%
-2.63%
-11.30%
15,562,098
579,561
19,219,984
7,588,297
42,949,940
-11.44%
-35.90%
17.16%
6.05%
4.12%
83,487,885
4,011,281
138,543,178
52,737,879
278,780,223
104,007,265
2,747,514
116,660,765
40,838,716
264,254,260
-19.73%
46.00%
18.76%
29.14%
5.50%
Sources: Urner Barry foreign trade data, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Whole Tilapia Imports Jump As Fresh Fillets Soften
The market for
fillets has remained
seasonally steady.
Frozen Whole Fish
Volumes of frozen whole tilapia imported to the United
States increased over 50.0% from May to June, but were 8.5%
lower than in June a year ago (Table 3). However, after four
straight months of pricing falling under the three-year average,
imports in June managed to surpass this level. Still, year-to-date
(YTD) cumulative imports were down 15.5% from 2013.
Fresh Fillets
June imports of fresh fillets declined from the previous
month and when compared to the same month a year ago – and
with prices below the three-year average. Imports from Costa
Rica, the second-largest supplier to the U.S., were 15.0% lower
on a YTD basis. Shipments from Honduras and Mexico have
increased 37.5 and 124.0%, respectively, year over year. Volumewise, June’s YTD monthly average imports were down from last
year, when imports reached a record high.
The market has remained generally steady to about steady.
This was seasonally normal, as consumption during the summer
usually softens. Replacement costs, expressed by dividing value
and volume reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce,
reached its highest level at U.S. $3.52/lb in June.
have been reported adequate to ample at times.
Either way, it is more than clear that carryover inventories
from late 2013 contain high holding costs. Average import
prices from China have been reaching record highs month after
month since February, with YTD imports surpassing those from
last year. Still, YTD imports are not at a record high, but are
13% higher than in 2013.
Catfish Decline But Still Strong, Pangasius Steadying
Channel Catfish
June’s U.S. imports of channel catfish declined from May
levels and when compared to those of the same month a year ago
(Table 4). The seasonal pattern observed this year (after the first
two months) looks very similar to that of last year, which historical data suggested was counter seasonal. On a YTD basis, catfish
imports during the first five months of the year were over 11%
greater when compared to the same period last year and the largest since 2008.
The market has remained steady after firming up prior to the
start of summer. The undertone is generally steady going forward.
June imports of Pangasius increased from the previous month
but were significantly down when compared to the same month
a year ago. Prices were under the three-year average – again. As
with April’s and May’s import figures, this was merely a result of
high imports recorded in February and March, just prior to the
administrative review results release. June’s drop in imports
placed YTD import volume below 2013 and 2012 levels.
In early August, the market held a steady undertone after
firming up slightly in late April and early June, mostly due to rising replacement costs. Inventories were reportedly adequate,
despite lower YTD imports.
Form
Pangasius
Channel catfish
Total
June
2014 (lb)
May
2014 (lb)
Change
(Month)
June
2013 (lb)
Change
(Year)
YTD 2014
(lb)
YTD 2013
(lb)
Change
(Year)
12,887,741
688,922
13,576,663
11,281,891
1,396,861
12,678,752
14.23%
-50.68%
7.08%
25,164,561
1,658,715
26,823,276
-48.79%
-58.47%
-49.38%
98,826,750
8,882,821
107,709,571
106,917,904
7,986,212
114,904,116
-7.57%
11.23%
-6.26%
Sources: Urner Barry foreign trade data, U.S. Department of Commerce.
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sustaining member
Frozen Fillets
June’s frozen tilapia fillet imports increased from the previous
month and when compared to the same month a year ago. Historical data suggested this was seasonally normal. This year, the
future is uncertain, given that the market currently holds a mixed
undertone. Replacement costs have reached record highs over
the last five months. On the other hand, inventories in the U.S.
Form
June
2014 (lb)
May
2014 (lb)
Change
(Month)
June
2013 (lb)
Change
(Year)
YTD 2014
(lb)
YTD 2013
(lb)
Change
(Year)
Fresh fillets
Frozen whole fish
Frozen fillets
Total
4,445,562
7,098,717
29,697,320
41,241,599
4,864,730
4,548,799
23,196,377
32,609,906
-8.62%
56.06%
28.03%
26.47%
4,748,665
7,757,500
25,866,089
38,372,254
-6.38%
-8.49%
14.81%
7.48%
29,863,598
35,335,384
159,698,495
224,897,477
31,198,303
41,829,331
140,911,052
213,938,686
-4.28%
-15.52%
13.33%
5.12%
Sources: Urner Barry foreign trade data, U.S. Department of Commerce.
September/October 2014
Pangasius
Table 4. Snapshot of U.S. catfish imports, June 2014.
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Table 3. Snapshot of U.S. tilapia imports, June 2014.
78
Bids and offers from the upcoming harvests in China will
provide a clearer picture of the position that traders in the U.S.
are likely to take. Recent anecdotal evidence suggested offers
from China have trended lower. In addition, there have been
lower offerings noted in the U.S. spot market for smaller-sized
fillets due to reportedly fully adequate inventories.
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Wonton Filo Shrimp
19300 S. Hamilton Ave. #160. Gardena, CA 90248 Tel: 310-323-8458, Fax 310-323-8292 • Contact Person: Steve Kao • skao@PSEseafoods.com
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September/October 2014
79
innovation
Multi-Phase Shrimp Production
In Sun-Driven Honduran Ponds
Brian M. Boudreau
Director of Aquaculture Operations
Grupo Granjas Marinas
Barrio El Cortijo, Choluteca
Choluteca, Honduras
brianboudreau01@yahoo.com
Honduras-based Grupo Granjas Marinas (GGM), a fully integrated shrimp producer with facilities from intensive biofloc
nurseries to large extensive pond systems,
is fine tuning what nature already has to
offer by more efficiently producing zooplankton biomass in multi-phase ponds
systems. To date, it has converted 400 ha
of old ponds with plans to build out an
additional 700 ha in 2015.
Multi-Phase Inventory
Management System
For GGM, productivity is the single
most important factor affecting the bottom line. Its new low-density, high-cycle
multi-phase inventory management sysNancy Murillo feeds a polyculture of rotifers and copepods in 600-mt raceways
tem (MIMS) is improving productivity
at Grupo Granjas Marinas.
by increasing growth and survival rates
with shorter growout cycles. With a
three-phase system, shrimp inventories
are transferred from smaller to larger areas as the shrimp grow,
thereby using production area more efficiently without increasSummary:
ing stocking densities.
Honduras-based Grupo Granjas Marinas believes that
Traditionally, GGM used a two-phase system to raise small
large-scale production of rotifers and copepods and sejuveniles in nurseries before transferring them to growout ponds.
quential pond inoculations, in combination with short
But this limited the size of the juveniles due to the logistics
shrimp growth cycles can significantly increase shrimp
involved in transporting live biomass great distances. What
production while reducing dependency on other sources
MIMS does differently is minimize the transfer distance with a
of protein in feeds. In its three-phase system with a
patented transfer system that facilitates moving large juveniles
central nursery pond, shrimp are transferred to larger
with minimum stress.
areas as they grow, using production area efficiently
MIMS is a three-phase system with a central nursery pond
without increasing densities. The multi-phase invenconfiguration for easy transfer of large juveniles, the key productory management system has produced 15-g shrimp in
tivity driver. The first phase utilizes a 1,200-mt-capacity multieight weeks with an average survival of 74%.
purpose enclosed nursery for starting juvenile shrimp, as well as
mass culture of rotifers and copepods to inoculate the central
nursery ponds.
Open pond aquaculture, where radiant light energy flows
With an average survival of 74% in 350 ha of ponds harvested
from the sun through a complex myriad of aquatic food webs to
to date, MIMS has produced 15.0- to 16.0-g shrimp in eight
the final target animals, is a very efficient form of culture with
weeks. Animals with an initial average weight of 4.2 g were inisignificant untapped potential to improve efficiency beyond curtially stocked at a density of 8.1 juveniles/m2. The weekly growth
rent levels by enhancing the conversion of free solar energy into
rate was nearly 1.4 g, and the harvest yield was 912.0 kg/ha.
secondary producer biomass. Natural food organisms rich in proMIMS is not only increasing culture efficiency, but also
opening up new opportunities to develop environmentally
tein and other essential growth elements are very important food
cleaner feeding strategies. Large quantities of nutritious zoosources in ponds.
80
September/October 2014
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Paola Ordoñez monitors rotifers in 40-mt raceway tanks.
plankton biomass can be quickly produced to feed shrimp with
positive implications for the economics and sustainability of the
business.
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and easily. Revisit Global Aquaculture Alliance
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Zooplankton Management
Grupo Granjas Marinas believes that zooplankton management through large-scale sequential inoculation strategies in
combination with short shrimp growth cycles can significantly
increase the energy conversion from the sun toward shrimp production while reducing dependency on other sources of protein
in feeds.
Shrimp ponds are complex food webs in which energy is
passed from one trophic level to the next. As we learn more
about their functional ecologies, our interest is drawn toward the
incredible growth and reproductive capacity of the secondary
producers and their important roles in the energy flow through
pond ecosystems. Although algae are the principal primary producers that convert solar energy into organic compounds, secondary production is where the real untapped opportunity lies,
because algae play such an important role as carriers of energy to
higher trophic levels.
With the superior growth seen in ponds with higher copepod
counts, GGM is convinced that the natural protein produced in
the ponds is nutritionally superior to that present in formulated
feeds. More emphasis is now being placed on the quality and
composition of the cereal grain and feed distribution system
throughout the company’s facilities.
Biomass Management
The best candidates for secondary biomass production are rotifers and copepods, because they are capable of rapidly reproducing
nutritious biomass and tend to dominate under GGM’s typical
pond conditions. GGM’s biomass production methodology was
initially developed at the shrimp hatchery in 40-mt raceways.
Its green technology team now raises rotifers up to 80 rotifers/mL and copepods to 16 copepods/mL in eight, 600-mt
raceways. Final copepod counts reach 10 billion/raceway before
the inoculation of 7-ha nursery ponds and replication up to 250
billion. The standing biomass can reach about 544 kg/ha in
seven days. The rotifer production can reach nearly 2,270 kg/ha
in four days. The GGM team is working to affirm the largescale inoculation technology.
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81
innovation
PENTAIR AQUATIC ECO-SYSTEMS
Optimizing Depuration Of Salmon In RAS
John Davidson, M.S.
SPARUS™ PUMP
WITH CONSTANT FLOW TECHNOLOGY™
The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute
1098 Turner Road
Shepherdstown, West Virginia 25443 USA
j.davidson@freshwaterinstitute.org
Kevin Schrader, Ph.D.
United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
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The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute
Schematic of the semi-commercial-scale RAS used to culture
Atlantic salmon at The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater
Institute. © The Conservation Fund.
Summary:
In a study to evaluate operating practices and system
designs that could potentially enhance depuration of
off-flavors from Atlantic salmon cultured in a semicommercial-scale freshwater recirculating aquaculture
system, disinfection with hydrogen peroxide before
stocking and a lack of water aeration media resulted in
fish with lower off-flavor (MIB and geosmin) concentrations. Other findings were that off-flavor concentrations varied widely among fish, and depuration systems
should be as simple in design as possible.
Fish cultured within recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS)
can bioaccumulate the off-flavor compounds geosmin and
2-methylisoborneol (MIB) in their flesh. These off-flavor compounds are produced by actinomycete bacteria associated with
biosolids and biofilms that form on tank walls and the submerged surfaces of unit processes.
These off-flavors are often described as “earthy” or “musty”
by consumers, and if present at high enough concentrations can
result in product that is unpalatable and unacceptable for the
marketplace. Therefore, it is critical for RAS facilities to establish effective standard operating procedures that consistently
mitigate off-flavor and result in good-tasting end products.
Removing Off-Flavor
The standard practice used to remove off-flavor from RASproduced food fish prior to slaughter is known as depuration or
purging. Ideally, fish are relocated to separate systems operated
with some water flushing, such as flow-through or partial-reuse
systems with no biofilter. While fish are held in depuration sys-
82
September/October 2014
tems, they are kept off feed for a period depending upon a variety of factors, such as fish species and size, temperature and
water quality of the purge system and supply water, and intensity
of the off-flavor in the fish flesh.
When concentrations of geosmin and MIB are maintained at
sufficiently low levels within depuration systems, off-flavor compounds gradually diffuse out of fish flesh, thereby resulting in
“on-flavor” fillets. At The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater
Institute research facility, rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon are
effectively purged for six days while held in clean partial-reuse
systems flushed with odor-free, 12-14° C spring water.
Although depuration is arguably one of the most important
steps for RAS food fish production, very little research has been
devoted to optimizing standard operating procedures to mitigate
off-flavors. Therefore, the authors recently conducted a study to
evaluate operating practices and system design parameters that
could potentially enhance depuration of off-flavors from Atlantic
salmon cultured to harvest size of about 4 kg within a semi-commercial-scale freshwater RAS.
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Key Design Parameters
The key system design parameter evaluated during the trial
was the presence or absence of water aeration media within the
gas transfer columns of each depuration system. This focus was
based on anecdotal evidence that ineffective purging can occur in
partial-reuse systems that contain biofilm-coated water aeration
media. The high-surface-area media was suspected to harbor
actinomycete bacteria and biofilms associated with off-flavor
production, which could explain inadequate purging experiences.
Water aeration media is often used within RAS and partialreuse systems to evenly distribute water to facilitate gas exchange
such as carbon dioxide removal or oxygen addition during aeration.
Such media is purposely designed with high specific surface area.
However, the increased surface area also provides significant
substrate for the attachment and growth of bacterial biofilms. In
addition, it creates a challenge for effective disinfection, because
water tends to channel around layered media, thereby inhibiting
complete contact of recirculated disinfectants with all surfaces.
With this in mind, the second variable evaluated during the
study was the use of hydrogen peroxide to disinfect depuration
systems prior to stocking fish. It was hypothesized that salmon
depurated in systems disinfected with hydrogen peroxide and
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September/October 2014
83
1,200
No Disinfection/No Media
Disinfection/Media
MIB (ng/kg)
1,000
Disinfection/No Media
No Disinfection/Media
800
600
400
200
0
0
3
6
10
Days of Depuration
Figure 1. MIB concentrations in Atlantic salmon fillets purged over
a 10-day period.
No Disinfection/No Media
Disinfection/Media
The high surface area of the water aeration media
used to facilitate gas exchange in RAS systems also
provides substrate for the growth of bacterial biofilms.
© The Conservation Fund.
void of water aeration media would purge more effectively in
comparison to alternative treatments.
Geosmin (ng/kg)
500
Depuration Study
The depuration study was conducted using 12 partial-reuse
systems of 0.5-m3 volume, each operated with a recycle rate of
95% on a flow basis. The systems were relatively simple in
design, consisting of a circular single-drain tank, a water aeration
column and a magnetic drive pump that recirculated the water.
Four combinations of the two key treatments were evaluated by
using three replicate systems per treatment.
It is important to point out that rainbow trout were intentionally cultured in the experimental depuration systems prior to
the study to create biofilm-coated surfaces and a potential “worst
case scenario” to purge off-flavors. One day prior to the study,
the trout were removed, and the tanks were thoroughly brushed.
However, the water aeration columns and media within them
were not brushed or cleaned.
Six partial-reuse systems were disinfected with 250 mg/L
hydrogen peroxide for one hour with no dilution. The peroxide
was then flushed from these systems. The next day, 14 Atlantic
salmon weighing 3 to 5 kg each were stocked into each experimental depuration system.
Six fish were removed directly from the semi-commercialscale RAS and filleted to obtain samples for baseline assessment
of off-flavor. On days 3, 6 and 10, three to four fish were
removed from each depuration system to evaluate off-flavor mitigation kinetics. Fillet samples were vacuum sealed, frozen and
shipped to the Lacombe Research Centre in Alberta, Canada,
for analysis of MIB and geosmin concentrations.
Results
The results of the study matched the hypothesis that salmon
depurated in disinfected systems void of water aeration media
purged more effectively than fish depurated using alternative
84
September/October 2014
Disinfection/No Media
400
No Disinfection/Media
300
Off-Flavor Detection
200
100
0
0
3
6
10
Days of Depuration
Figure 2. Geosmin concentrations in Atlantic salmon fillets purged
over a 10-day period.
treatments. Figure 1 illustrates that Atlantic salmon held in disinfected systems without the media depurated faster and had
lower MIB concentrations throughout the depuration period
compared to other treatment combinations. Conversely, salmon
depurated in systems that were not disinfected and contained
water aeration media released off-flavor at a slower rate and contained the highest concentrations of MIB.
Similar results occurred relative to the depuration of geosmin
(Figure 2). From days 0 to 6, salmon held in pre-disinfected systems
and void of water aeration media depurated faster and had lower
geosmin concentrations compared to other treatment combinations.
Conversely, salmon depurated in systems that were not disinfected and contained aeration media released geosmin at a slower
rate and contained the highest geosmin concentrations within
fillets. There was no significant difference in geosmin between
days 6 and 10 for this treatment, indicating reduction of geosmin
might have reached a low threshold.
Another key finding from the study was that off-flavor concentrations within individual Atlantic salmon varied widely. For
example, the range of MIB concentration for salmon purged
within disinfected systems void of media was 74-226 ng/kg.
Interestingly, salmon depurated in these systems had the tightest
range of off-flavor concentrations, while salmon depurated using
other treatments had wider-ranging concentrations.
global aquaculture advocate
RAS facilities should establish operating procedures that
consistently mitigate off-flavor and result in good-tasting
end products. © The Conservation Fund.
The goal of depuration should be that all fish have undetectable off-flavor concentrations prior to final harvest. Based on the
range of off-flavor compound concentrations measured during
this study, tasting only one fish is likely not a representative
method to determine market suitability. RAS producers might
consider filleting three to five fish and conducting an on-site flavor evaluation with trained panelists before the product is considered on-flavor and ready for market.
It is important to point out that the geosmin and MIB concentrations measured during this trial were possibly below the
average human sensory detection thresholds for Atlantic salmon,
which have been preliminarily reported in literature as greater than
900 ng/kg for MIB and 400-500 ng/kg for geosmin. More
research is needed to specifically define these detection thresholds.
Perspectives
The findings from the study indicated that water aeration
media with high specific surface area should not be used within
depuration systems unless it is removed between each lot of fish
and thoroughly washed, cleaned and disinfected. The absence of
the media within depuration systems should not present a problem relative to carbon dioxide removal, because the aeration columns still function without packing, though at a lower gastransfer rate. However, this is mostly offset in depuration
systems, because fish produce less carbon dioxide and use less
oxygen when they are kept off feed.
Carbon dioxide and dissolved-oxygen concentrations were
not substantially different in systems with and without water
aeration media. Based on the study results, it is also reasonable
to conclude that depuration systems should be as simple in
design as possible and avoid unit processes, excess piping and
other components that are difficult to clean and disinfect.
Editor’s Note: More details on this study can be found in a recently
published paper in the July 2014 Aquacultural Engineering.
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
85
innovation
aquaculture engineering
VFD. The operator could program the
backpack drive to maintain a set flow rate
regardless of the system operating conditions upstream.
Constant Flow Applied
To Aquaculture
Programmable variable-speed pumps can provide a constant flow to an aquaculture system even when pressures vary within the system.
“Backpack” controller systems can display motor speed or pumping flow rate.
Constant Flow Technology
Useful Pump Automation For Aquaculture
Summary:
By minimizing the speed of a pump to achieve only the required output, significant energy savings can be achieved in a pumping system. Controlling the
speed of a pump motor with a variable-frequency drive to maintain output is
more efficient than controlling the pump’s flow with a valve. New variablespeed pumps fitted with a small “backpack” variable-frequency drive can maintain a set flow rate even when system operating conditions change upstream.
It’s difficult to sound non-biased in
covering new aquaculture technology
when it was invented by the company for
which you work. However, as a participant
in aquaculture research and development
for the past 40 years, I have been in a good
position to see important new and different technology emerge and be adopted by
the industry. Risking the wrath of my colleagues, this column provides a look at a
technology I feel holds tremendous promise for various segments of our industry.
Variable Speed Technology
Variable-speed pumps have been
available since the invention and mass
production of variable-frequency drives
for electric motors. Variable-speed pumps
can be set at a prespecified speed to
deliver the amount of water needed
within a system or process at the time
they are set. A variable-frequency drive
86
September/October 2014
(VFD) is generally wall mounted near the
electric motor to control and hold the
motor at a specific speed.
When used with a pump, a VFD can
provide energy-efficient flow from a
pump at varied flow rates. Controlling
the speed of the pump motor is more
efficient than restricting the pump’s flow
with a valve on the outflow side of the
pump, where “artificial” head is produced
to reduce the flow rate.
By minimizing the required pump
speed, significant savings can be achieved
in a pumping system – especially when
pumps are in continuous service, as they
are in many aquaculture applications. In
fact, reducing a pump’s motor speed by
10% can reduce the energy consumed by
the pump motor by 33%. However, variable-speed pumps cannot maintain constant flow when conditions in the system
“upstream” of the pump change, such as a
global aquaculture advocate
Thomas Losordo, Ph.D.
Principal Scientist and Chief Engineer
Aquaculture Systems Engineering
Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems, Inc.
1791 Varsity Drive, Suite 140
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606 USA
tom.losordo@pentair.com
Zack Pickard
Product Manager
Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems, Inc.
filter becoming clogged or a valve setting
being changed.
Media filters such as this air-washed
bead filter are perfect applications for
the use of constant-flow pumps.
constantly change the speed of the pump
or run the system at a flow rate higher
than needed between backwashes to
maintain the predetermined minimum
flow rate through the filter.
Operating the system in this manner
between backwash cycles wastes energy
and leads to significantly higher energy
costs. This has been a major problem for
the swimming pool industry for years.
Pool operators would often oversize
pumps to meet the flow demand caused
by clogged swimming pool sand filters.
To address this problem, Pentair
introduced a variable-speed 3-hp centrifugal pump fitted with a small “backpack”
Leveraging the success of this work in
the pool industry, Pentair expanded its
Constant Flow Technology™ line with
an aquaculture-specific pump incorporating the same foundational technology.
The new Sparus™ pump is equipped
with stainless steel inserts within an otherwise all corrosion-resistant pump.
Designed to operate with motor speeds
from 1,100 to 3,450 rpm, the pump can
be set at any flow from 75 to 530 Lpm.
The integrated drive on this pump
has an aquaculture-specific set of menus
and features to address the needs of the
industry’s unique applications. The pump
can be programmed to turn on and off or
run at various speeds at various times
throughout the day. The drive also has an
integrated RS-485 port that allows serial
communication with the programmable
logic controllers (PLCs) commonly
found in aquaculture facilities and aquaculture-monitoring systems. However,
being able to have the confidence that a
system will flow at a constant rate under
conditions that change is what provides
the most useful benefit to aquaculturists.
Media filters such as air-washed bead
filters are excellent applications for the
use of Constant Flow Technology™. As
the filter clogs with waste, the pump
speeds up to maintain a constant flow
rate through the filter.
Components that add oxygen to the
water of fish culture systems can also
benefit from constant flow control.
Depending on their sizes and configurations, these systems have optimized oxygen gas flow and water flow rates at specific pressures.
An example of one configuration is
the pressurized packed column shown in
Figure 1. A pump with Constant Flow
Technology™ and a solenoid gas control
valve can be controlled by a PLC with
real-time oxygen measurement to provide
near-optimum performance, all the while
maintaining the minimum flow rates
required for the process.
Figure 1.
Pressurized
packed column oxygenators can be
combined
with constant
flow pumps
and programmable controls
to provide efficient oxygen
addition to a
wide variety
of aquaculture
systems.
the scientific way to protect your investment
Increase Yield
Maximize Survival
Improve FCR
Constant Flow
Have you ever wanted to operate a
system at a constant flow rate when the
system head downstream of the pump
changes over time? For example, when a
media filter clogs with waste solids from
an aquaculture operation, the pressure
builds, and the flow is reduced. In many
cases, the operator will either need to
shrimpshield.com
800.493.4831 or 970.568.7754 (US)
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
87
innovation
Artificial intelligence tools such as particle swarm optimization can help optimize the results, minimize the costs and eliminate
the uncertainty of aquaculture enterprises.
Operational Risk Management Tool
Applied To Offshore Aquaculture
Summary:
Aquaculture managers must regularly make decisions that affect
efficiency, competitiveness and
economic performance. Although
qualified managers can make
excellent decisions, human nature
potentially limits their results. To
overcome this limitation when
evaluating all possible strategies
for maximized performance, firms
can apply optimization tools. For
example, a particle swarm optimization algorithm can be implemented to assist in determining
strategies that maximize gross
margins and minimize operational
risk in both day-to-day and longer-term strategic decisions.
Nowadays in aquaculture production,
managing the uncertainty of costs is more
complicated than determining what they
are. For a given set of production factors,
why do we not always get the same
results? The uncertainty over the outcome of the production process is called
operational risk. During the farming pro-
88
September/October 2014
Prof. Ignacio Llorente,
Ph.D.
Universidad de Cantabria
Avenida de los Castros s/n 39005
Santander, Cantabria, Spain
llorentei@unican.es
Prof. Ladislao Luna, Ph.D.
Prof. José Fernández-Polanco, Ph.D.
María D. Odriozola, Ph.D. Candidate
Universidad de Cantabria
cess, the courses taken by events can
result in different levels of production.
The volatility of the results can be used as
an indicator for measuring operational
risk. So the difference between the best
and the worst results shows the level of
exposure to uncertainty.
Aquaculture Factors
Offshore aquaculture production
involves a large number of factors whose
evolution cannot be controlled by companies, or their control is costly or not cost
effective. Such factors include weather
conditions, water parameters like salinity
or oxygen levels, feed prices and diseases.
global aquaculture advocate
However, there is another factor – management – that firms can influence to
reduce their uncertainty.
Aquaculture management, particularly involving decisions about operational
strategy, does not often receive the same
attention management gets in other sectors. Yet aquaculture managers must regularly make decisions that affect efficiency, competitiveness and economic
performance. Decisions on stocking and
harvesting times, ration sizes, types of
feed, or even the location of production
facilities are under the responsibility of
managers.
Potential Risks
Uncertainty over the outcome of the
production process is a risk that affects
different areas of activity. When a strategy does not evolve as expected, the company may be unable to supply the agreed
quantity of fish to its customers, or it may
not have the money needed to meet the
repayment of a loan. These imbalances
have a high cost for the company in terms
of both economics and reputation.
One way to reduce the level of uncertainty associated with decisions is to
employ qualified managers who not only
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
89
have biological and technical knowledge,
but also economic and managerial skills.
However, this is a partial solution, since
human rationality does not guarantee
optimal operational planning. To overcome this limitation when evaluating all
possible production strategies in determining the one that maximizes economic
performance, firms can apply different
optimization tools.
Swarm Intelligence
Adding Value
Donostia – San Sebastián
SPAIN
October 14-17, 2014
www.easonline.org
One method that can be applied to
improve risk management in aquaculture
is the application of “swarm intelligence,”
which includes all the artificial intelligence techniques used to describe the
collective behavior of decentralized systems and self-organized systems, natural
or artificial.
The authors particularly use a “particle swarm optimization” (PSO) algorithm, a population-based optimization
technique inspired by the social behavior
of birds or fish.
A PSO algorithm based on a bioeconomic model can be implemented to help
managers of aquaculture firms in the process of decision making. It determines
the production strategy that maximizes
the operational gross margin and minimizes operational risk.
The PSO algorithm developed for
aquaculture helps users deal with two
types of decisions. For operational decisions, the algorithm obtains the optimal
solution under the conditions determined
by the manager to plan the daily activity
of a facility for a given period. For strategic decisions, the algorithm can be
applied to obtain the optimal economic
result in different scenarios under different conditions for the factors analyzed.
Among others, the algorithm can assist
in decisions on site selection, feed, production capacity or harvest weight.
cover artwork courtesy of AZTI-Tecnalia
Influence Of Location
As an example, the algorithm is
applied to determine how environmental
conditions affect the profitability and
operational risk level for offshore aquaculture of gilthead sea bream in the two
main production regions in Spain, the
Canary Islands and the Mediterranean
east coast. There are significant differences in water temperature between these
locations. The production conditions
considered a time horizon of five years,
maximum biomass density of 20 kg/m3,
5% interest rate, maximum delay of 60
days between harvest and restocking, harvest weight of 300 to 700 g and weight
range for fingerlings of 3 to 10 g.
The results in Table 1 show how the
higher average water temperature in the
Canary Islands would generate faster
growth and higher returns. However, the
operational risk in the Canary Islands is
higher due to the greater number of potential operational strategies that increase
uncertainty about the gross margin.
If a manager chose a production strategy based on knowledge and experience,
the economic result would likely fall
between the worst and best strategies
obtained by the algorithm. However, if a
manager uses this type of approach, the
result will be the production strategy that
allows achieving the maximum economic
return given the conditions of production. This removes the risk arising from
the uncertainty associated with manager’s
decisions.
Perspectives
Aquaculture production management
is an activity that depends on human
knowledge and rationality. Determining
optimal stocking and harvesting strategies allows managers to maximize results
and eliminate operational risks. Artificial
intelligence techniques such as PSO are a
tool to optimize the results, minimize the
costs and eliminate the uncertainty of
aquaculture enterprises. These new methodologies open a future line of work in
operational risk analysis in aquaculture.
The development of tools like a decision support system would allow managers
to make decisions considering multiple
aspects that affect the growing process,
even if they do not have an expert knowledge of the same. Additionally, such systems would support the fast and efficient
processing of large volumes of data.
Greater capacity to address changes in the
environment allows aquaculture companies to be more competitive and adapt to
the rapid changes in markets.
Table 1. Operational risks at sample sea bream mariculture facilities.
Best Operational Plan Worst Operational Plan
AE2014 Gold Sponsor
90
Organised by
the European Aquaculture Society
September/October 2014 global aquaculture advocate
in cooperation with AZTI-Tecnalia
Location
Units
Gross
Margin
Canary Islands
Eastern Spain
5
4
U.S. $255.75/m
U.S. $185.69/m3
3
Units
Location
4
4
U.S. $181.80/m
U.S. $160.43/m3
Operational
Risk
3
40.66%
15.76%
global aquaculture advocate
September/October 2014
91
industry news
Report: Aquaculture Reduces
Poverty In Bangladesh
Working
together with
the Bangladesh
Institute of
Development
Studies, WorldFish has highlighted aquaculture’s link to
poverty reduction in a report
titled “Is AquaPhoto courtesy of WorldFish.
culture ProPoor? Empirical
Evidence of
Impacts on Fish Consumption in Bangladesh.” Data gathered
over a 10-year period provides important evidence for the need
to invest in the sector to help alleviate poverty and hunger.
By analyzing fish consumption in Bangladesh between 2000
and 2010, the peer-reviewed report shows that growth in aquaculture has led to greater consumption among poor consumers in
Bangladesh. In a country where malnutrition costs an estimated
U.S. $1 billion a year in economic productivity, fish are an
important, low-cost source of high-quality protein and nutrients.
It had previously been thought the benefits of aquaculture
were derived mainly from increased employment.
Co-authors Kazi Ali Toufique and Ben Belton note that
while aquaculture has increased, the wild fish supply has diminished. Policies are needed that support both sectors in parallel.
WorldFish is an international, non-profit research organization committed to reducing poverty and hunger through fisheries
and aquaculture. For more, visit www.worldfishcenter.org or contact Toby Johnson at t.johnson@cgiar.org, +60-175-124-606.
Cargill Launches New Tool
To Battle EMS
Cargill Animal Nutrition has launched a new EMS Risk
Tool to help customers determine the best farm management
programs to manage the risks of early mortality syndrome
(EMS) at their shrimp farms.
With this tool, Cargill can identify the main risk factors for
individual farms and provide tailored recommendations to help
reduce the severity of the disease and promote shrimp survival.
The tool assesses risk based on available knowledge of the varied
factors associated with the disease, including seed quality, genetics, sanitary practices, environmental and farm management,
shrimp nutrition and shrimp health.
“This tool is the next step in our journey to mitigate the
effects of EMS,” said Ryan Lane, Cargill’s global aquaculture
technology director. “Helping shrimp producers manage risks of
diseases like EMS will lead to better farming practices.”
In combination with strong biosecurity, studies have shown
that high-quality hatchery and farm feeds are better at delivering
nutrients to young fish and shrimp. Cargill’s products include
Liqualife®, Aquaxcel® and Purina® and Cargill® feeds.
For more information, visit www.cargill.com.
92
September/October 2014
People, Products, Programs
Please send short news items and photos for consideration to:
Darryl E. Jory
4111 Telegraph Road, Suite 302
St. Louis, Missouri 63129 USA
E-mail: editorgaadvocate@aol.com
I. Chiu Liao Receives Awards
From Japan
Dr. I. Chiu Liao was honored
in June with a citation and medal
from the Japanese government in
recognition of his efforts to promote aquaculture exchanges
between Japan and Taiwan.
An academician at Taiwan’s
top research institution, Liao
received the citation from the
Dr. I. Chiu Liao
Japanese representative to Taiwan, Sumio Tarui, and was later
awarded the Order of the Rising
Sun by Japanese Deputy Representative Izuru Hanaki.
In 1968, Liao developed the world’s first farming techniques
for giant tiger prawns, which helped boost Taiwan’s production
for local consumption as well as export. Liao made significant
contributions to Taiwan’s prawn industry in the 1970s and
1980s, and shared his experiences with Japanese experts.
Liao also played an important role in the artificial breeding
of mullet in 1969, complete life culture of mullet in 1976 and
complete culture of milkfish in 1978. These breakthroughs
established artificial breeding techniques and resulted in the
rapid development of mullet and milkfish culture.
Liao received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the
Global Aquaculture Alliance in 2012.
Preferred Freezer Services
Opens New Facilities In U.S.
Preferred Freezer Services, a global leader in advanced design
and engineered temperature-controlled warehouses, has added
new facilities in Florida and California, USA.
The new Miami-area warehouse is the company’s fourth cold
storage facility in Florida and the 13th in the United States. The
new facility has over 254,000 m3 of storage capacity, an 1,850m2 dock area, an oversized truck yard and a 24/7 online information system. Located close to major roadways, it can perform onsite inspections and offers packing and labeling services.
The new 23,225-m2 facility in San Leandro, California, is
Preferred Freezer’s seventh in the state. It has 424,750 m
of storage capacity, an oversized truck yard space and 23 dock
doors with levelers. The cold storage warehouse offers three different temperature zones, providing cold chain distributors the
opportunity to store a wide range of products under one roof.
For more on the Miami facility, contact sales manager Rod
Armesto at +1-786-845-8000 or rarmesto@preferredfreezer.com.
For information on all 33 PFS locations, visit www.preferredfreezer.com or contact Dan DiDonato at +1-973-820-4040.
global aquaculture advocate
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Omega Protein
61
Pacific Supreme Co.
79
Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems
83
Preferred Freezer Services
23
Prilabsa29
Randox Food Diagnostics
96
Rangen Inc.
71
Resiliensea Group
41
Seajoy
31, 53
Sea Port
85
SeaShare36
Skretting68
Soy Aquaculture Alliance
51
Sun Asia Aeration Int’l Co., Ltd.
91
Sunwell32
Tropical Aquaculture Products, Inc.
5
Tyson Animal Nutrition Group
75
Uni-President Vietnam Co., Ltd.
69
Urner Barry
77
U.S. Soybean Export Council
63
WengerOBC
YSI, a xylem brand
58
Zeigler Bros., Inc./Nutrimar
43
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September/October 2014
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September/October 2014
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TX-3000 RAISES ThE BAR ON AQUATIC FEED PRODUCTION
Our business in life is not to get ahead of others,
but to get ahead of ourselves.
—Stewart B. Johnson, Dutch Artist
Leave it to Wenger to redefine aquatic feed production via twin screw
extrusion. Based on the proven Wenger Magnum twin-screw series, the
new TX-3000 features barrel geometries that allow greater capacities
than any other extruder in its class.
The combined features allow increased production capacity of up to 30
percent compared to previous and competitive aquatic machines — totally
redefining cost/benefit. The TX-3000 can be equipped with either the
High Intensity Preconditioner (HIP) or the High-Shear Conditioner (HSC)
to match specific process and capacity requirements, making it ideal for
processing a full range of aquatic feed products.
Contact us now. With new concepts and visionary leadership, we’re ready
to help you select the right tools for your extrusion and drying needs.
Turning ideas into opportunities.
PROGRESSIVE AQUAFEED PROCESSING
Imagine the possibilities
wenger.com
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