Proprietary crossbreeding program tackles challenges in shellfish aquaculture P. 16
SHELLFISH
More than a job
As climate threatens Maine’s lobster industry, will sea scallop aquaculture help preserve the working waterfront? P. 10
SALMON
Norway’s aquaculture tax’s impacts
Observers are curious to see what impacts the tax will have on North American industry. P. 22
LONGFIN SMELT
Tiny smelt fights for life in West Coast waters P. 20
SUSTAINABILITY
Kelp forests fight for survival against marauding sea urchins P. 24
6 U.S. bill to slow use of gillnets becomes law
By Julia Hollister
8 Fish keep ‘warm’ in frigid Alaskan waters
By Julia Hollister
SPOTLIGHT ON SHELLFISH
10 More than a job
As climate threatens Maine’s lobster industry, will sea scallop aquaculture help preserve the working waterfront?
By Lynn Fantom
16 High hopes for hybrid
Proprietary crossbreeding program tackles challenges in shellfish aquaculture
By Mari-Len De Guzman
20 Tiny smelt fights for life in West Coast waters
The Longfin smelt – living in bays and estuaries from Northern California through Alaska – is in trouble and loss of freshwater flows is the reason.
By Julia Hollister
22 Norway’s aquaculture tax’s impacts
Observers are curious to see what impacts the tax will have on the North American industry. By
Matt Jones
24 Kelp forests fight for survival against marauding sea urchins By
Julia Hollister
ANA_ReefInd_MarApr23_CSA.indd
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Work in progress
As we advance a new issue of Aquaculture North Americ a, we tend to keep in mind the importance of diversity, and the voices of our audience. Aquaculture is, indeed, a wide industry, full of new topics, ideas and innovations. Every issue, we try to shed light on a particular topic or innovation in aquaculture, but this time, we decided to take our words to action and ask the experts themselves.
I would like to welcome and introduce Aquaculture North America’s new Editorial Advisory Board for years 2023-2025. Our board presents six prominent names in the aquaculture industry, who are knowledgeable in various sectors, including salmon, shellfish, trout, fish feed, and marketing and communications.
With their guidance, Aquaculture North America will continue to be the voice of aquaculture professionals and will continue to help them perform to the best of their abilities by being a regular source of trusted and useful industry
BY MARYAM FARAG
content, helping them make informed decisions at their operations.
This issue, we call out our fellow shellfish farmers and experts to check out our shellfish spotlights. Focusing on sea scallops and lobster, Lynn Fantom discusses, “As climate threatens Maine’s lobster industry, will sea scallop aquaculture help preserve the working waterfront?”
In addition, our cover story features a program claimed to be a game-changer for shellfish aquaculture at Pacific Hybreed Inc., a company that developed “the first-of-its-kind shellfish breeding program, creating genetic lines of superstar oysters that can withstand a changing climate, survive diseases, and significantly improve a farm’s production yield.” writes Mari-Len De Guzman.
I hope you enjoy reading this issue, and as always, I am open to ideas and suggestions. From all of us at Aquaculture North America, stay safe and well.
Aquaculture North America’s Editorial Advisory Board: Ian Roberts | Sandra Shumway | Jason Mann | Jeanne Mcknight | Mykolas Kamaitis | Jamie Baker
U.S. bill to slow use of gillnets becomes law
A bipartisan bill to phase out the use of harmful, large mesh drift gillnets in federal waters, has been signed into law.
The Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) was included in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus government funding bill.
Large mesh drift gillnets, which are between a mile and a mile-anda-half long and can extend 200 feet below the ocean surface, are left in the ocean overnight to catch swordfish and thresher sharks. However, at least 60 other marine species, including whales, dolphins, sea lions, sea turtles, fish and sharks, are also regularly entangled in the large mesh net “walls,” injuring or killing them.
Most of these animals, referred to as bycatch, are then discarded.
The use of large mesh drift gillnets by a single fishery based in California is responsible for 90 per cent of the dolphins and porpoises killed along the West Coast and Alaska.
In 2018, California passed a four-year phase-out of large mesh drift gillnets in state waters to protect marine life. A majority of the driftnet fishermen have voluntarily participated in that phaseout. The Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act would extend similar protections to federal waters within five years and authorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help the commercial fishing industry transition to more sustainable gear types, including a grant program to supplement state funds.
“I’m excited that our bill to phase out harmful drift gillnets was included in the omnibus government funding bill and is poised to become law,” Feinstein said. “Large mesh drift gillnets kill indiscriminately,
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On behalf of the Newfoundland and Labrador aquaculture industry, we invite you to join us for our Annual Cold Harvest Conference and Trade Show; full of exciting and informative discussions related to aquaculture and its potential in our province. With world-class keynote speakers and guests, sessions and panel discussions related to aquaculture innovation, technology, human resources and consumer trends, this event should not be missed!
More information will be available soon For enquiries, please contact: Roberta Collier at 709-538-3454 or roberta@naia.ca www.coldharvest.ca
leaving a trail of dead or injured marine life behind. We must be better stewards of our oceans and fisheries.”
Federal waters off the coast of California are one of the last places these deadly nets are still being used. The bill would finally remove them while helping the sword fishing industry transition to more sustainable and profitable alternatives.
– Julia Hollister
Canadian RAS farmer loses stock in power outage
The recent deep freeze that caused widespread power outage in many parts of Canada was a disaster for New Brunswick land-based fish farm operator Pisciculture Acadienne.
The business, which raises Arctic char in a facility Bas-Caraquet on the Acadian Peninsula, said it lost 95 per cent of its stock or 95,000 to 100,000 fish worth at least $600,000, when power was knocked out due to extreme cold. Wind chill was recorded at -40 to -50 C (-40 to -58 F) during that time.
“It takes like two years to build an inventory like that. I don’t know what’s going to be next, but for sure we’re going to need help,” said owner Emmanuel Chiasson in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC).
More than 29,000 customers of the New Brunswick Power Corporation, lost their power during the deep freeze, according to a report from CBC.
The incident highlighted the dependence of indoor, landbased operations to electric power. The extreme weather caused a power outage. Later on, the facility’s generator failed. Without power the water in the tanks could not circulate. Soon the fish ran out of oxygen.
Chiasson said the fish could survive without power for about one hour. It took Pisciculture Acadienne staff over two hours to restart the facility’s system.
– Nestor Arellano
Minnesota university’s yellow perch RAS project aims to help local fish farmers
For several years now, Minnesota fish farmers have been in search of a fish species that was a higher market value than tilapia. Yellow perch, with its mild, sweet flavour with firm, flaky white flesh, appears to be the answer. Unfortunately, the supply of yellow perch fingerlings for aquaculture is limited.
An ongoing recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) project at the University of Minnesota might soon have the answer for them. Moving production of the yellow perch from outdoors to indoors could increase growth and production rates and provide and “expand the season when fresh yellow perch fillets would be available to consumers,” according to Amy Schrank, MNSG fisheries and aquaculture extension educator and project lead.
The Minnesota Sea Grant’s Egg-to-Market Yellow Perch Project, which kicked off some two years was designed to create a detailed how-to manual for small to medium-scale yellow perch producers.
Yellow perch project team will grow two batches of fish from embryo to harvest size. The team will compare fish growth in two separate systems: RAS and flow through system.
The yellow perch embryos by the researchers hatched into thousands of skinny little larvae around one-fourth of an inch in length. While the larvae grew into juvenile fish, the project team plumbed the flow-through and constructed the recirculating aquaculture systems.
The RAS tanks only require around 33 gallons of new water per day. The flow-through system tanks use more than 15,000 gallons of water per day. For a quick look at how the team put together the systems you can check out this link.
Recently, the team transferred 1,752 fish into four, 250-gallon circular tanks (438 per tank) that now form the project’s RAS and flow-through systems so they could continue to grow.
“The amount of feed is increased as the fish grow and every 30 days our team weighs and measures around 10 per cent of the fish in each tank to track their progress,” according to the MNSG aquaculture extension associate Kieran Smith. “Just 12 months after they hatch into larvae, the adult fish will be ready for harvest, processing, and eating! Fish tacos anyone?”
– Nestor Arellano
Cooke Aquaculture named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers
Cooke Aquaculture Inc. has been named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers, a designation that recognizes the employers in Canada’s four Atlantic provinces “that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.”
The annual competition is organized by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.
“We’re a family company. That’s important to us as our seafood business has grown through Atlantic Canada and around the world,” said CEO Glenn Cooke. “We’re connected to our communities, and we’re committed to helping them grow. As a company and as individuals, we value qualities like respect, compassion, and generosity. It’s those values, and it’s our people, which make our company successful.”
In 2022, the company added Connors Transfer Limited – a 143-truck fleet based in Stellarton, N.S. – to its transportation team.
Cooke also expanded its global market reach by acquiring the shrimp processing company in Western Europe, Morubel N.V., as well as Australia’s vertically integrated seafood producer, Tassal Group Ltd.
Cooke made a partnership investment into family-owned Ganong Bros., Ltd. “to help grow Canada’s oldest candy and chocolate company,” an employer in southwestern New Brunswick based in St. Stephen.
When the Alaskan “freeze up” begins in September, humans hunker down, but what about fish survival?
Biologists agree the answer to fish survival in climate extremes of the Subarctic and Arctic streams, rivers, and lakes ecosystems is a product of evolution resulting in “many morphological, behavioral, and physiological adaptations”.
J.B.Reynolds’, Ecology of Overwintering Fishes in Alaska Freshwaters, states that one of the main responses for winter survival to fish of all life stages is migration to a habitat, “either within a system (e.g. movement from upriver to lower river reaches) or among systems (e.g. marine to freshwater) that provide refuge from freezing.” These conditions generally create situations where fish activity and energy use is significantly decreased throughout the winter until seasonal conditions warm and food resources become available.
The adult Alaskan Arctic Grayling is an example of a freshwater fish that makes seasonal migrations to wintering habitat seeking deeper riverine waters with stable flow and temperature relative to summer breeding and feeding in smaller tributaries. This migratory strategy is common to other Alaskan fish species overwintering in freshwater.
Alaskan freshwater fish come in a variety of shapes and sizes from the newly hatched (a few millimeters) up to adult fish (a few centimeters to over one meter). Each species has its own tactics for survival and occupy unique habitat suited for their survival during all seasons of the year.
Moyle, P. B. and J.J. Cech in their book, Fishes, An Introduction to Ichthyology, states kidneys do not impart heat that would make a noticeable temperature difference in a physiological context in Alaskan freshwater species.
“Most fish, as cold-blooded vertebrates or ectotherms, resemble the temperature of their environments very closely because of metabolic heat losses via the skin or gills. The low rate of metabolic heat production, compared with mammals, and the high heat capacity of water result in continuous heat losses and cool bodies for most fish.”
– Julia Hollister
NOAA announces new rules for Gulf of Mexico fish farming
The first-ever federal regulations for large-scale fish farming in the ocean were recently issued, opening a new frontier in the harvesting of popular seafood species such as red drum, tuna and red snapper.
The new rules allow the farming of fish in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The rules were announced in New Orleans by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan said the Gulf rules could spur similar rules in other U.S. waters. She said it was time for the U.S. to open up this new market, which could help the U.S. meet its seafood demands.
Fish farming, however, is contentious, with fishermen and environmentalists warning it can harm the marine environment and put fishermen out of work. Opponents maintain that the Gulf of Mexico has changed significantly, with the effects on fisheries, habitat and communities from hurricanes such as Katrina in 2005, and the 2010 oil spill, all still emerging.
Opponents also contend industrial, open-ocean aquaculture can be environmentally damaging. Problems include the release of untreated waste, increased risks of diseases and parasites in wild fish by transmission from farmed fish, and escapes of farmed fish, altering wild populations. Furthermore, cages used to contain fish are flow-through, meaning anything from the pens can go directly into Gulf waters, including excess feed, fish wastes, and any chemicals.
Typically, offshore farming is done by breeding fish in large semi-submersible pens moored to the seafloor. The practice is common in many parts of the world, and some feel the U.S. has fallen behind. About 90 percent of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported and more than half of that is farmed.
The new rules allow up to 20 fish farms to open in the Gulf and produce 64 million pounds of fish a year. The farms can start applying for 10-year permits starting in February.
Sullivan said the fish farms would be kept away from sensitive habitats and fishermen would be allowed to fish near them. She envisioned little competition between the farms and fishermen. – Julia Hollister
DFO confirms sea lice not associated with farmed salmon
A new peer-reviewed Science Response Report published on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) website by the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) concludes that sea lice on farm-raised salmon does not impact sea lice levels on wild juvenile salmon in British Columbia.
This CSAS report adds to the nine previous CSAS science reviews (2020) on salmon aquaculture in B.C., that concluded “minimal risk” to Fraser River Sockeye salmon from all relevant fish pathogens of concern. The current report indicates that “there is no statistical correlation between sea lice counts on wild and farmed populations of salmon – meaning that the presence of farmed salmon does not appear to have a measurable impact of sea lice counts on wild salmon populations.”
According to the BCSFA, sea lice naturally occur in the Pacific Ocean, and farm-raised salmon enter the ocean free of sea lice. The BC Salmon Farmers, under DFO stringent regulations, diligently practice precautionary management measures to minimize sea lice transmission from farmed to wild salmon.
Through innovation, the sector has continuously improved management practices to reduce the risk of sea lice interactions between wild and farmed salmon populations. This includes focused integrated pest management with a suite of treatment tools. This latest science review is a confirmation that the hard work is paying off.
“As a sector, we continue to improve and innovate to ensure that our operations have minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystem,” says Brian Kingzett, executive director of the BCSFA. “As farmers, and as British Columbians, we care about wild salmon and agree whole heartedly with DFO Minister Joyce Murray regarding ensuring the protection of wild Pacific salmon.”
BC Salmon Farmers stated that they are committed to the continuation of monitoring sea lice on wild salmon in all operating areas as a condition of federal licensing for Atlantic salmon farms. The sector will continually strive through innovation and Indigenous oversight to lower sea lice levels on farms and build on the results reflected in this recent CSAS review, to show that farmed and wild salmon can coexist sustainably.
Fish keep ‘warm’ in frigid Alaskan waters
Nofima appoints new CEO
Nofima research institute has announced the appointment of Bente E. Torstensen as CEO, succeeding Øyvind Fylling-Jensen upon his retirement this summer.
“We are confident that we have found the best one for Nofima,” said Thomas Farstad, chairman of the Board.
“Bente has a solid research background. She also has plenty of management experience, a good network and understanding of the industry’s needs.”
Bente Torstensen has worked at Nofima as division director for aquaculture since August 2017. Prior to that, she worked at Marine Harvest (now Mowi) and Nifes. At Nifes, she started as a researcher before progressing to senior researcher, research manager and research director. She has a Ph.D. in nutritional biology from the University of Bergen. She is also a graduate of Harvard Business School in Boston (Executive Education).
“I can’t wait to start my new job this summer. All credit to Øyvind Fylling-Jensen for the work he’s done continuously since 2009 that has resulted in today’s relevant and solid Nofima. My goal is to further develop Nofima as one of the world’s most recognized research institutes for sustainable food systems,” said Torstensen.
Torstensen is a member of the portfolio board of HAV under the Research Council of Norway, a board member of NCE Seafood Innovation Cluster, the Aquaculture Station in Tromsø and chair/ president of EAS (the European Aquaculture Society).
Torstensen will take over as CEO of Nofima on June 25, and will continue as division director for the aquaculture division in the period ahead.
Elanco Aqua appoints senior technical consultant
Elanco Aqua announced the appointment of Samuele Zamparo as senior technical consultant, based out of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
“Samuele brings a great scientific and technical skill set to the role and is incredibly passionate about fish health and the aquaculture industry. He will lead the local strategy to re-ignite Elanco’s customer-centric technical services and strengthen Elanco’s presence in Canada and the U.S.,” said Marta Gameiro, farm animal & aqua North America sales
director at Elanco Canada.
Zamparo graduated as a doctor in veterinary medicine at the University of Padua, Italy, in 2016, and holds a post-graduate diploma in breeding, hygiene, pathology of fish and control of derived products at the University of Udine, with a thesis on disinfection trials in striped Snakehead (SSN1) cell cultures on Betanodavirus.
Zamparo served as a health manager and medicated feed manager of the Rossi Group, a rainbow trout company in Italy. He also acted as the health manager in various other operations in sturgeon, sea bass and sea bream production.
Bente E. Torstensen
Samuele Zampar
MORE THAN A JOB
As climate threatens Maine’s lobster industry, will sea scallop aquaculture help preserve the working waterfront?
BY LYNN FANTOM
At the beginning of Andrew Peters’ first Econ 101 class at elite Middlebury College in 2005, the professor asked students to introduce themselves and share their career interests. “Law,” “technology,” and “investment banking” echoed among the 80 or so in the lecture hall, with one stand-out. “Lobsterman,” Peters stated.
It was a goal the Albany native had fixed on as a 12-year-old during a family sailing trip and, although he eventually worked for several years as a sternman, the profession proved out of reach because of the limited number of commercial lobstering licenses in Maine. A job at Google would have been easier to nab.
But now Andrew Peters is making his way on the water in a role that defines entrepreneurship. He is one of just a handful of ocean farmers growing sea scallops in Maine. If his econ professor were to illustrate his vocation as a Venn diagram, it would lie at the intersection of passion, hard work, and innovation.
Peters’ foray into sea scallop aquaculture comes as the future of Maine’s $730 million lobster industry faces serious challenges, including northward lobster migrations due to warming waters and federal regulations of
Farms are now selling to a wholesaler and directly to restaurants. “The whole sector is evolving, but markets are definitely an evolving piece as well,” said Dana Morse of Maine Sea Grant at the University of Maine.
gear related to right whale entanglements. But at the same time, fisheries are diversifying with bivalve and kelp farming, and the economy has been invigorated with an influx of Millennials, including remote workers who permanently fled cities to Maine’s great outdoors and more affordable real estate during the pandemic. Despite wariness about the lobster fishery, there’s a sparkle in Maine’s Blue Economy.
Risks and rewards
Entrepreneurs are driven by a vision. “Yeah, I guess I’m a dreamer, too,” Peters said, whose degree is in geology. But, by definition, entrepreneurs also shoulder risk. And there’s a lot of risk in growing sea scallops. No one has done it yet as a sustainable enterprise in Maine—or anywhere in the U.S. Getting a lease is time-consuming and arduous. Startup costs are steep and, even with funding, delivery of some equipment can approach a year. Seed is not available commercially (see sidebar) and takes about 9 months to collect and cultivate in the wild. Plus, the animal itself Placopecten magellanicus is fragile and needs at least two years before it’s marketable. It’s clearly not a get-rich-quick idea. “The time scale is just extraordinary,” Peters said. On the other hand, “the market is seemingly endless,” he added. The key evidence is the wild scallop fishery. According to NOAA Fisheries, Atlantic sea scallop catch in the New England – Mid-Atlantic regions totaled $670 million in 2021. (That compares to the regional American lobster landings of $925 million, 80 percent of which occurred in Maine.) And to satisfy Americans’ appetite for scallops, the
C (50–59 F). Sea temperature is the most significant predictor of growth.
country imports $300 to $350 million more. The role of aquaculture to supplement the wild harvest has emerged as an opportunity that could be a boon both to the region’s economy and individual livelihoods. And this species—in contrast to, say, kelp, which requires some consumer education—is one Americans already love and pay more for at the fish counter.
Two decades of research
In 1999, an eclectic group—including a scallop processor, writer, professor, community
development specialist, and scallop fisherman as well as farmer—formed a delegation to visit Aomori, Japan, the second largest producer of scallops in Japan and the national birthplace of scallop culture. The goal was to see if experts there might help solve problems plaguing Maine’s wild scallop industry, which was “in serious trouble,” the group reported.
During the following decade, efforts in Maine focused on the collection of seed (spat) as “an enhancement technique for wild fishing,” said Hugh Cowperthwaite, senior program director of fisheries and aquaculture
Oyster Trays stacked with quality
at Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI). Then, in 2010, another delegation visited the Japanese prefecture, which had a formal sister-state relationship with Maine. It was at that point that “the light bulb went on,” said Cowperthwaite, and attention turned to, “Why aren’t we doing this? We can farm this species and truly try to ramp it up.”
That paved the way for a series of trials exploring equipment (like lantern and pearl nets) and grow-out methods (using long lines in deeper water). The ear-hanging technique, which required drilling a tiny hole in each
S4000 nursery trays
S1000 oyster trays
Farming sea scallops has the potential to help satisfy strong market demand year-round and diversify Maine’s working waterfront, including lobstering.
PHOTO: COASTAL ENTERPRISES INC.
Farmers drill a tiny hole in each scallop and attach it to a dropline to grow out in deep, cold water—ideally 10–15
PHOTO: COASTAL ENTERPRISES INC.
SPOTLIGHT ON SHELLFISH
Cylindrical lanterns nets (here at PenBay Farmed Scallops in Stonington) are most widely used in Maine because of handling and stocking advantages, although researchers have documented better growth with pyramidal pearl nets.
Whole sea scallops (female with coral-colored roe and male with whitish milt/seminal gland) are enjoyed on Asian and European culinary scenes and are starting to come to market in Maine. PHOTO: DANA MORSE, MAINE SEA GRANT.
scallop individually and attaching it with a plastic pin to a dropline, became the symbol of the painstaking farming process.
But Maine approached the challenge as a group project. Successful scallop farms were already operating in Argentina, Peru, France, and, of course, Japan, where there were 1,900 of them. “How is scallop farming done in other parts of the world and how do we adapt it for Maine?” became the mantra
of nonprofits, university departments, federal agencies, and aquaculture practitioners up and down the coast.
And now?
This massive push produced many studies on optimal environment and culture practices so that evidence-based production guidelines (such as Struan Coleman’s 2022 article in “Aquaculture”) exist today. Plus, Aomori
Belfast resident Andrew Peters has taken on the challenge of farming sea scallops. “It’s not a lighthearted enterprise. It takes money and time and being fully invested. It’s inspiring to watch,” said Dana Morse of Maine Sea Grant. PHOTO: VERTICAL BAY.
relationships opened up the opportunity for nonprofits and federally funded programs to purchase specialized equipment. For example, from Japanese manufacturer Mutsu Kaden Tokki Co., CEI acquired an ear-hanging drilling machine, scallop grader, and washing system, which have made their way among trial farming sites statewide.
Among those spearheading automation was family-owned Hollander and de Koning
Andrew Peters
PHOTO: DANA MORSE, MAINE SEA GRANT.
PHOTO: COASTAL ENTERPRISES INC.
“Growing and selling scallops on a small scale is pretty straightforward; it’s how you scale up to a profitable enterprise that can sustain itself and its employees,” said Peters. ”It’s more capital intensive than I originally thought. I wouldn’t wave the flag and say we’re there yet. But potentially, we are the proof of concept for a future industry. And that’s really exciting.”
Mussel Farms near Mount Desert Island, where Alex de Koning, who earned an engineering degree from University of Maine, was pursuing a special interest in scallop aquaculture that dated back to a 2009 high school project. With a grant from NOAA Fisheries, the farm purchased an all-in-one drilling and pinning machine from another manufacturer, HAMADE. It triples the production that can be accomplished by hand. This foray with a different manufacturer suggests a new kind of acceleration in the industry as more entrepreneurs explore new relationships.
Farms are now selling to a wholesaler and directly to restaurants. “The whole sector is evolving, but markets are definitely an
evolving piece as well,” said Dana Morse of Maine Sea Grant at the University of Maine, whose experience with scallops dates back to the 1999 delegation to Aomori. The traditional market has been for the adductor muscles or meats. But there’s a lot of buzz now around selling the whole animal live, which yields a higher price but also requires costly biotoxin testing. “It remains to be seen, which is going to be more profitable,” he added.
On the farm
Andrew Peters’ farm, called Vertical Bay, is about a mile and a half from the mainland. A static submerged long line, moored on both ends to the bottom about 45 feet below, is
Most Complete Selecc
on
the main infrastructure. From that 800-foot horizontal line, Peters hangs lantern nets and dropper lines into the cold, nutrient-rich water of Eastern Penobscot Bay. He’ll be able to expand beyond this 3.91-acre plot with more lines when his application for a bigger lease gets the greenlight from the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
When he is working—at certain times, with a helper or two—the only signs of the farm’s existence are yellow buoys, perhaps a high flyer, and his boat. The view of a scallop farm fits right into what wealthy coastal property owners think of as iconic scenery.
Peters has had gear in the water since 2018, when a grant of $12,339 from Maine Technology Institute helped him “get started.” He went from 200 scallops to 40,000 the next year. “It was important to go for it and not hobby along. Any business like this needs to find that sweet spot where there’s enough volume to make money but the work is also manageable,” he said. Working with the University of Maine has produced a viable “bioeconomic model.”
The relationship between how much space scallops need to thrive and the costs to provide that in nets is another one of the challenges in scallop farming. “Scallops do not like to be crowded,” said Sea Grant’s Morse.
of Microalgae for Your Bivalve Hatchery, Including 2 Blends
SPOTLIGHT ON SHELLFISH
They don’t clamp their shell parts tight like other bivalves and can actually “knife” others if too close.
This means that managing density within the nets as the scallops grow is a key husbandry task. It also means a much greater budget for growing gear to accommodate the same amount of marketable product.
Most days on the water now for Peters are a solo enterprise—collecting spat in bags in September and safeguarding its growth in the ocean, transferring the baby scallops to nets in the spring, managing density and cleaning nets in summer. But, that solitary work is only part of the picture. Peters said, “My biggest surprise was how
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IPHOTO: COASTAL ENTERPRISES INC.
collaborative the industry is. There’s a lot of support, informational funding, just motivation through all these entities, whether it’s the university, CEI, private people.”
Still, the challenge remains. A scallop farm needs scale to be a viable business. “Growing and selling scallops on a small scale is pretty straightforward; It is how you scale up to a profitable enterprise that can sustain itself and its employees,” said Peters. “It’s more capital intensive than I originally thought. I wouldn’t wave the flag and say we’re there yet. But potentially we are the proof of concept for a future industry. And that’s really exciting.”
n November 2022, the FDA finalized the Traceability Requirements for Certain Foods, a component of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Their objective is laudable: “faster identification and rapid removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and/ or deaths.” But complying will take time and energy.
The new rules cover most fresh foods, including almost all seafood products. Firms will be required to supply key information in a “sortable spreadsheet” within 24 hours of request. The records must cover Critical Tracking Events (such as harvesting, shipping, receiving, and processing) and required Key Data Elements (certifications, harvest dates, locations, receiving/shipping times, temperatures, etc.).
These records must be linked with a Traceability Lot Code (TLC) that does not change unless the product is transformed. TLCs should be assigned by either the First Land-based Receiver or a processor who is transforming the product. The rule will be implemented over the next three years — but it’s best to start planning now.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT YOU NEED TO:
1. Track where all your seafood came from and where it went at a granular level.
2. Maintain a digital record of all tracked seafood that includes Key Data Elements you may not capture today.
3. Create a unique Traceability Lot Code that travels with the product.
NEED HELP?
BlueTrace offers an affordable solution on your phone that satisfies these requirements and works with existing systems — plus makes your team more efficient. Visit blue-trace.com to learn more and request a demo.
Dana Morse (second from left), Andrew Peters, (third from left), and Hugh Cowperthwaite (far right) visited Era Machine Industry Co., Ltd. in Aomori, Japan, during a trip in January.
Spat is collected in bags in September and grows in sheltered waters until spring, when it is sieved and sorted, as shown here on the boat of PenBay Farmed Scallops. PHOTO: COASTAL ENTERPRISES INC.
CRACKING THE SHELL
For most aquaculture activity around the world, there are commercial hatcheries to provide seed, but that is not the case with sea scallops—yet. Currently, Maine farmers must collect spat from the ocean themselves or buy it from others who collect in volume.
This challenge rises from the biology of the species itself: Placopecten magellanicus has one of the longest larval periods of any scallop, taking up to 45 days to settle. (In contrast, Eastern oysters require 12 to 20 days.) During that time, much can go wrong. Hatchery costs also build up.
To address the hatchery phase—which executive director of the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center Chris Davis describes as “a major challenge to overcome”—NOAA Sea Grant last October funded a three-year research project known as “Cracking the Shell.” The effort is coming at the problem from different angles by tapping aquaculturists, shellfish biologists, microbiologists, aquatic immunologists, and economists from organizations, including Downeast Institute, Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, Maine Sea Grant, Mook Sea Farm, Milford Marine Laboratory, and University of Maine.
All seasoned shellfish experts, team members were off to a fast start last fall, as Davis reported to the Milford Aquaculture Seminar in January. But the clock is ticking and the obstacle formidable. “Although there have been some successes with research-scale sea scallop hatchery production, repeatable, large-scale seed production has remained elusive and unreliable,” the team reported. “No commercial hatchery for sea scallops exists in the U.S. or anywhere else.”
Let’s Tie One on Together in 2023
Flag Tie Markers
Flag tie markers are another cost-effective way to secure and identify shellfish equipment. They are available in a variety of lengths and marking area sizes to accommodate specific requirements. They can also be hot stamped for identification purposes.
• Lengths from 3" to 18"
• Flag sizes from 1-1/8" x ¾", 1-7/8" x 1-1/8" and 2" x 3"
• Tensile strength of 120 lbs.
• Available in Blue, Green, Ivory, Orange, Red, Yellow
• Available with blank flags that may be custom printed or Write-on
Cable Ties
Cable ties are vastly used in the shellfish industry for securing cages and bags. They are a cost-effective and simple way to ensure equipment is not susceptible to tampering. Available in a wide range of colors, they are also used for identification purposes.
• Lengths from 4" to 60"
• Tensile strengths from 18 lb. to 250 lb.
• Available in 16 different colors, including UV black and fluorescent
• Can be custom printed with company name, date, lot number, etc.
We also provide custom printed heat shrink tubing for identification.
HIGH HOPES FOR HYBRID
Proprietary crossbreeding program tackles challenges in shellfish aquaculture
Crossbreeding Pacific oysters to improve resilience and produce higher yield could be a gamechanger for shellfish aquaculture, and proponents of Manchester, Wash.-based Pacific Hybreed are getting ready to test drive their innovative breeding program at farms in a variety of environments across North America.
Co-founded by scientists Joth Davis and Dennis Hedgecock, both international experts in shellfish biology and genetics, Pacific Hybreed has developed what it claims is the first-ofits-kind shellfish breeding program creating genetic lines of superstar oysters that can withstand a changing climate, survive diseases, and significantly improve a farm’s production yield.
The company’s cutting-edge crossbreeding platform is the offshoot of decades of research conducted by Davis and Hedgecock while working as scientists at Taylor Shellfish, also in Washington state.
“(Pacific Hybreed) was based on research that we published that just described the use of crossbreeding as a means to improve the yield and other characteristics of oysters.
“We took the opportunity to develop a private breeding company to see if we could utilize the approaches that we learned to basically create a way of improving yield
BY MARI-LEN DE GUZMAN
and other characteristics in both oysters and other shellfish,” said Davis, cofounder and chair of the board at Pacific Hybreed.
Pacific Hybreed’s research hatchery is located within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Research Station in Manchester, Washington. The company also has a production and genetics facility in Kona, Hawaii, which is where the actual genetic lines will be produced, according to Davis.
Pacific oyster presents a great opportunity for Pacific Hybreed to serve a climate-challenged shellfish aquaculture sector facing increasing ocean acidification and diseases that threaten crop survival.
“The opportunities with just Pacific oysters are enormous. It’s the most-farmed oyster across the planet,” said Davis. But the technique can also be applied to other shellfish such as Eastern oysters and Manila clams, which are next on the company’s crossbreeding agenda.
This summer, the company is planning to test its hybrid stock at different farms to see how they hold up in different environments.
“We’ve been operating since about 2019... to develop the genetic lines that we will be using in what are referred to as test crosses and see how the environment and the genetics of the Pacific oyster lines interact
to create, hopefully, (genetic) combinations that do very well,” Davis explained.
The strategy, he adds, is to establish a good number of genetically distinct families composed of pair-mated lines which will be tested to see how they perform in different combinations of temperature and salinity and other environmental factors.
Plant-based
Traditional shellfish aquaculture uses selective breeding to enhance production. Pacific Hybreed’s approach uses crossbreeding, taking a page from traditional plant breeding techniques. In plants, crossbreeding involves botanically mixing two plant species to create a hybrid that takes only all the best traits of the parent plants.
“What we found is that the genetics of some agricultural crops, such as corn and rice, and oysters, actually, behave fairly similarly. No one else is using crossbreeding the way we are for crop improvement in oysters and other shellfish,” Davis said.
With crossbreeding, he explained, every line is genetically distinct with all the different traits – such as shell characteristics, the depth, cup and color of the oyster – they can all be highlighted with individual pair-mating among oyster lines.
“So down the road, we could also, for example, focus on designer oysters... So, if a grower or hatchery really likes the color of the shell, or the deep cup, or whatever it might be, there’s going to be a catalog, essentially, of the different phenotypes that are available to the grower or to the hatchery. We’re just really getting into the opportunities associated with crossbreeding that are different than what you find in a pure selection program,” said Davis.
Francis Pan, Pacific Hybreed’s director of genetics and breeding, says field testing is a key component of the program.
“We take a base population, a wild population, so there is abundant genetic variation in our population. And we create pair-mated families, where each is quite unique in their genetic background. We field test those genetic lines, propagate them and find the elite lines for crossbreeding between families... So, in that case, we can always go back to the same families and do the same mating again,” Pan explained.
The company’s success will be measured by how well its hybrid broodstock performs on a commercial farm and its bottom line.
“We actually deploy our families under the environmental condition that commercial production will take place. So, we’ll be looking at survival (rate) and growth on farms for selected lines,” Pan said.
Field testing is also a big part of the business model the company is proposing, according to Davis, which provides farms an opportunity to test Pacific’s crossbred hybrids without necessarily incurring the cost upfront.
Participating farms will be given Pacific Hybreed seeds to grow at their farm, alongside a generic oyster seed, serving as the control group. If the Pacific Hybrid stock produces better yield than the control seed, the company will take a percentage of the revenue from that gain, Davis explains.
“One of our jobs is to develop these collaborations (with growers), as we get the available seed to test with different growers to establish
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Field test site, Bay Water Shellfish.
COVER | SPOTLIGHT ON SHELLFISH
Two different oyster families produced by controlled, pair-mating using different female and male brood oysters. Families were reared under the same hatchery conditions and show distinct shell-colour patterns. Individuals having darker-color shells belong to one family, and the animals with lighter-colour shells came from another family.
these test spots that, very importantly, have control lines that are generic oyster seed embedded so that we can quantify the difference between our seed and that generic oyster seed. That would be our fundamental value proposition,” Davis said.
Baywater Shellfish, a shellfish farm that Davis founded with his wife Karen in 1990, will be one of the first companies field-testing Pacific’s broodstock.
Climate resilience
Climate change and rising ocean temperatures have wreaked havoc on shellfish farming. Pacific Hybreed wants to create a new breed of shellfish that can thrive in changing water conditions and survive diseases.
With global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, global food security is an increasing concern. If aquaculture is to produce the protein the world will need, it will require cutting edge innovation in farming technology. Through its crossbreeding program, Pacific Hybreed aims to help create a stable and sustainable supply of high-performing shellfish for the aquaculture market. Testing their seeds in different environmental conditions will allow Pacific Hybrid
to develop climate-resilient genetic lines. So, the company plans to conduct test crosses in a variety of ocean conditions.
“Our plan is to put out test crosses in places as diverse as Alaska, Southern California and perhaps Mexico. So that covers the range of places where Pacific oysters are cultivated for aquaculture,” Davis explained.
“That allows us to focus on the traits that do well under different geographic conditions... We’re seeing heat waves or increasing local coastal acidification, or we’re seeing changes in rainfall patterns that impact salinity number, or for that matter, disease outbreaks... We will learn, in theory, which lines do better than others, and will obviously focus on the lines that do better. And so that allows us then to develop the broodstock for hatcheries and growers to use for the production of oyster seed for their operations.”
Next steps
Pacific Hybreed is currently in talks with farms to field test its seeds. Davis says it’s still a long road ahead for the company before it fully realizes its goals.
“One of the biggest challenges we have is that it takes time to develop the different
In a controlled spawn in Pacific Hybreed’s laboratory, eggs from each brood oyster are removed from the animal and kept segregated in a container from eggs from other females. Photo shows a series of beakers containing eggs from the female in front of each beaker. Beakers and oysters are labeled for identification. This allows controlled, pair-mating for genetic breeding to improve production traits.
generations necessary. The way it works is we establish what we call a G zero line, which is basically taking a wild male and a wild female from nature and crossing that together to make a family and then that family line grows up. And then to develop the inbred lines, we take a brother and a sister from each of the founder lines and cross those to make a partially inbred line. And then those are then put out and grown right to reach (reproductive) maturity... and then the unrelated inbred lines are then crossed to create an intraspecific hybrid line. And those lines are what are tested in the different environments.
“And so, we’ve been working on developing the G zero lines, the founder lines and inbred lines. And we’re really focused now on this first generation of hybrid lines,” Davis explained. He expects this first generation will be ready by early summer.
Funding is another challenge. As the company continues to operate its breeding program and run a hatchery, raising capital is an on-going undertaking. The company has attracted some lucrative investments in the past, though, including an $800,000 investment from Builders Vision and Pacific6 last year.
Davis may be a scientist by heart but running a business is not new to him, having started Baywater Shellfish in 1990. And with Pacific Hybreed, he gets to wear both hats.
“I get to focus on science, to some extent, and business to some extent, as needed. So that’s more or less my role these days, which is fine with me. We’re young, we’re developing, we’re pre-revenue, but we’re having a fun time doing it.”
SEAPA USA
In 2023, SEAPA marks twenty-five years of helping farmers grow better oysters, faster, by developing more user friendly and effective systems.
SEAPA’s farming systems are used worldwide, with great success. With the connections and knowledge gained over the last twenty five years, SEAPA has become a trusted advisor, partner, and supplier of cost-effective oyster farming equipment to some of the most respected American and international oyster farms.
SEAPA takes great pride in the close relationships it has built with US and international farmers. These relationships taught SEAPA the best way to design, develop and supply products that create real benefits for the shellfish farming community.
Oyster farmers always think about environmental sustainability, which is why SEAPA does not rely on single-use plastics and prioritizes using recyclable materials. Further, attachment systems which are the most durable available to the industry minimize the risk of plastic components detaching to become marine pollution.
A unique oval shape and SEAPA’s labor-saving features attracted the interest of North American oyster farmers more than 20 years ago. SEAPA continues to cultivate deep relationships with oyster farmers to understand their needs and support them in growing top-quality shellfish.
There are four primary deployment systems for SEAPA baskets; Adjustable Longline System (ALS), fixed intertidal racking, subtidal, and surface floating, but the ALS is the most popular in the US.
The ALS system is undoubtedly the most efficient farming method in intertidal waters and limits environmental impacts by getting farming gear off the sea floor with secure and simple attachment methods. Oyster baskets are suspended from cable running between posts that have been driven into the sea floor stretching over a length of 300 ft. Regularly exposing oysters to the air as the tide recedes forces the oysters to close, developing their adductor muscle, reducing biofouling, and preventing parasites such as mud worms and boring sponges.
Additionally, baskets encourage regular tumbling from wind and wave action, ensuring deep cups and strong shells for easy shucking and premium pricing to the half shell market.
ALS systems have been successfully installed around the coastline of North America and have proven resilient in exposure to heat, ice, hurricanes, and the countless other challenges seen on an oyster farm. ALS infrastructure can be customized to find a solution for any farmers’ intertidal area.
One innovation that sets ALS apart from other forms of intertidal systems is the riser post clips which allow easy line height adjustment to ensure the oysters always get the right amount of feed, rumbling, and exposure time.
SEAPA’s flexible range of products can be adapted to suit all oyster farms with mesh sizes from 3mm to 20mm and 15-liter, 20-liter, or 25-liter volumes available. SEAPA’s 1mm and 1.6mm spat liners are particularly useful for farmers seeking to save money by buying smaller seed or desire flexible nursery capacity.
All SEAPA baskets are quick and easy to assemble, adaptable to multiple farming systems, and made with extremely strong and durable materials.
“We are constantly talking about and making improvements in our gear and product offerings to help farmers maximize their efficiencies on the farms,” said West Coast Sales manager Erik Schlagenhauf.
Key to SEAPA’s success is the fact it controls the complete production process from product design, tooling development, molding, logistics and distribution in it’s own factory. Complete ownership of the production process is why SEAPA has an unparalleled ability to develop tools which solve farmers’ most challenging issues.
SEAPA’s long-term association with prominent American oyster farmers like Hog Island Oyster Company on the West Coast and N SEA Oyster Company on the East Coast, and Murder Point Oyster on the Gulf Coast are just a few high-level oyster producers who have collaborated with SEAPA to help improve farming equipment.
SEAPA offers after sales service and stocks all parts of the farming system in America for easy delivery to parts of the country.
Tiny smelt fights for life in West Coast waters
The Longfin smelt – living in bays and estuaries from Northern California through Alaska – is in trouble and loss of freshwater flows is the reason.
BY JULIA HOLLISTER
Environmentalists say the tiny fish is vital to the ecosystem.
“The smelt occupies the San Francisco Bay Estuary and areas of the Pacific Ocean out to the Farallon Islands,” said Tamara N. Ward, assistant field supervisor, and spokesperson for External Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “It requires appropriate water temperatures and salinity levels to carry out their life functions. The amount and duration of freshwater flowing into the estuary greatly influences the location and extent of where those appropriate conditions exist.”
In November 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposal to list the San Francisco population of the little-known fish as an endangered special. If finalized, a process that could take about a year, conservationists hope it can help bring the population back.
Bay-Delta longfin are anadromous, meaning older juveniles and adults can migrate to the ocean, but must return to fresh water to spawn.
Longfin smelt can be distinguished from other smelts mainly by their long pectoral fins. Habitat for longfin and Delta smelt largely overlap, but adult longfin habitat extends further west, including the coastal ocean. Longfin smelt generally also spawn earlier in the season, and longfin usually live two years while Delta smelt usually only live one year.
This fish species is 3.5 to 4.3 inches long with a translucent silver appearance on its sides and gut, while its back has an olive to iridescent pinkish hue. The fish lives about
“The diet of Bay-Delta longfin smelt is very specific and varies by age, class and location within the estuary.”
two to three years in bays and estuaries from Northern California north along the coast through Alaska. Reproduction begins in late fall/early winter and extends into the spring as water temperatures and salinity levels allow.
Why is it in trouble?
Ward says its habitat loss and primary threat is mainly due to the long-term reduction and alteration of freshwater flows into the estuary. This threat is exacerbated by limited food resources and impacts associated with climate change.
Changes to the San Francisco estuary and the introduction of competing non-native species like the overbite clam have altered the food web that supports longfin smelt and reduced its natural food base.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list the longfin smelt as an endangered species.
(There are 140 species –threatened and endangered – on the list.) Since 2018, The FWS added 45 species (domestic and foreign) to the Lists of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants and delisted 25 species. Overall, the lists have increased over the last five years.
The recovery planning process identifies actions to halt and reverse the species’ decline, and identifies criteria for when a species may be downlisted or delisted. Implementation of recovery actions generally requires the participation of a broad range of partners, including other federal agencies, states, tribes, nongovernmental organizations, businesses and private landowners. Examples of recovery actions include habitat restoration, research, captive propagation and reintroduction, and outreach and education.
If this species is listed, funding for recovery actions will be available from a variety of sources, including federal budgets, state programs and cost-share grants for non-federal landowners, the academic community and nongovernmental organizations. Listing will also require federal agencies to consult with the Service when proposing projects within the DPS’ range and will enable the designation of critical habitat.
The federal Endangered Species Act allows the Service an additional year to publish a critical habitat designation. Longfin smelt are currently listed as a threatened species under California Endangered Species Act, which prohibits unpermitted possession, purchase, sale or take of listed species.
“The diet of Bay-Delta longfin smelt is very specific and varies by age class and location within the estuary,” Ward said. “Bay-Delta longfin smelt larvae select strongly for the
Environmentalists say the tiny Longfin Smelt is vital to the ecosystem but is endangered due to loss of freshwater. PHOTO: JACOB STAGG
copepod as their food resource. All other prey types combined account for only about 10 percent of their diet.”
When Bay-Delta longfin smelt reach about one inch in length, their diet switches and is nearly all mysids, such as opossum shrimp. The overbite clam is not a prey item for longfin smelt, which are a pelagic foraging fish. Rather, it is a competitor, as the clam filter feeds on small plankton at the bottom of the water column, and effectively depletes the food web and energy available to longfin and other pelagic fish in the Bay/Estuary.
As a very selective predator, the fate of the longfin smelt follows productivity and availability of its specific prey, and the environmental conditions leading to their respective densities in the water column.
Longfin smelt play a key role in the food web, and its disappearance could affect species both higher and lower in the food chain. Species decline is also an indicator of overall environmental quality. The longfin smelt decline is one of numerous indicators of environmental problems in the estuary that should be considered when choices about resource use are made. Others species that rely on the Delta that have seen steep declines in recent years include Chinook salmon, steelhead, green sturgeon and Delta smelt. Is climate change the culprit for Logfin smelt’s demise? Ward and other scientists at Fish and Wildlife have some hard facts.
Numerous decades of declining abundance indicate the species’ inability to sustain itself and respond to the threats it’s facing. After reviewing the best scientific and commercial information available and seeking input from experts as well as federal and state agencies and academic, local and private entities with experience in longfin smelt, estuary ecosystems and water-management activities, field surveys show the Bay-Delta longfin smelt abundance, density and distribution throughout the San Francisco Bay estuary have substantially declined over time.
Data from the Fall Midwater Trawl from 1967 until 1986 showed abundance was highly variable but steadily declined over time. Since 1987, when the overbite clam was introduced into the SF Bay-Delta, the median longfin abundance has been less than 1/10 th the median abundance of the pre-clam period. The maximum value of the index during the last 10 years is only about 2 percent of the maximum value from the pre-clam years. The decline has also most likely led to reductions in the DPS’ genetic diversity, thereby reducing its adaptive capacity.
North American jurisdictions would present a significant reduction in transportation costs.
HOW SHOULD NORTH AMERICAN OPERATORS PREPARE?
What this means for companies that are already operating within North America, however, is that the market may become more crowded. In such an environment, its more important than ever for aquaculture companies to ensure that their operations are as efficient and responsible as possible and that their markets and relationships with their distributors and other partners are strong and well-developed.
“Embrace technologies that allow you to produce fish responsibly, sustainably and economically,” advised Timmons, who cites his own work with Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) as an example. The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to the supply chain, making domestic production a priority in many areas. Timmons was recently recruited to work with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to help set up domestic production to replace all of the country’s imported freshwater seafood. He
also teaches a virtual course on RAS systems, which he recommends to any aquaculture producer who is interested.
ALTERNATE APPROACHES
The resource tax is, in essence, an effort to make industry pay for the use of a natural resource in order to offset environmental and societal impacts on local communities. But there are other potential approaches. One would be, rather than implementing a ground rent tax on every company of a certain size,
to implement environmental standards with much more significant penalties. As it stands currently in many different jurisdictions and industries, companies simply view fines for violations of environmental standards as a cost of doing business – a fine of millions of dollars is not much of a deterrent when the company stands to make billions off their product.
“Let the Norwegians come to a reasonable set of environmental standards that have to be met, and if you violate those there are severe penalties,” said Timmons. “Penalize the wrong doer, don’t penalize everyone.”
That being said, Timmons himself hopes that the Norwegian tax does go through – for the benefit of the North American industry.
“I’m really selfish, I’m American,” Timmons said with a laugh. “I hope Norway puts in as huge a tax as possible and they drive all the production out of there and over to Canada and the U.S. That’s what I hope. Go ahead and kill your golden goose over there. The demand for salmon is going up. If you decrease the supply, what happens to the price? It’s just simple economics. It just boggles my mind that people ignore basic economic principles.”
and Ian Roberts, Director of Communications at MOWI Canada, Scotland, Ireland
with Mari-Len De Guzman, Aquaculture Writer and Editor
Kelp forests fight for survival against marauding sea urchins
BY JULIA HOLLISTER
Sea urchins seem to have opposing roles in the earth’s playbook: it is a delicious delicacy on the menu at popular seafood restaurants and dangerous, deadly predators of kelp forests.
Denise Macdonald is with Urchnomics. com, a company that was founded in Norway in 2014 with the goal of studying the sea urchins. It was a vision of founder Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda.
There are many studies going on all the time on sea urchins at multiple universities
AQUAMESH
and government institutions around the world. When the company opened in California, scientists worked with San Diego State University and University of California-Davis on testing, and among other things – the viability of ranching purple urchins.
“The resilience of our kelp forests is under strain in many parts of the world due to the release of unprecedented amounts of carbon into our air and sea,” said Takeda. “This is due to the cumulative impact of global warming, ocean acidification, combined with over fishing.”
“All these factors have created the perfect conditions for the humble sea urchin to reproduce unhindered, to overgraze on the kelp forests and transforming this habitat into a near lifeless, empty, barren desert void of shelter and breeding grounds for fish.”
No kelp means no fish, no carbon sequestration and no jobs.
Urchins don’t like small fish on their daily menu. They feed on algae and kelp, but they can live dormant for decades with very little nutrients. These are the barren urchins and the ones that Urchinomics’ study include.
The purple urchin is a species of urchin. “Barren” just refers to the fact that they are in starvation mode. So, all species can have barren urchins. These barren urchins are often located in urchin barrens where the kelp has been over grazed.
PHOTO: CHRIS NELSON
“The urchins’ munching on kelp has not always been a threat,” Macdonald said. “But, because of overfishing, pollution and climate change, they have multiplied at a staggering rate in parts of the world and caused an imbalance in the ecosystem.”
Macdonald said the sea urchin population increased massively over the last five years.
Sea urchins have always been predators of kelp. Macdonald said there are too many urchins in oceans now to keep the ecosystem balanced and their predators know the difference between barren urchins and urchins that contain roe.
Luke Gardner, aquaculture specialist, California Sea Grant, Research Faculty, Moss Landing (Calif.) Marine Laboratories covers a myriad of sea urchin studies.
“I started studying sea urchins in 2019 as a class project for an aquaculture course I was teaching at Moss Landing Marine Labs,” he said. “It was an interesting project to introduce and engage students in the concept of urchin ranching that joins different interest groups together, including commercial divers, aquaculture operators, and environmental groups with a common goal to help restore endangered kelp forests.”
There are lots of different urchin studies underway concerning the ecology and size of the issue. In terms of aquaculture, there are a number of studies investigating the feasibility of the ranching practice generally. Specifically, this concept is trying to find a diet that generates gonads of suitable quality, this includes taste, colour and texture.
Also, there are studies to understand the husbandry conditions necessary for their culture, including how to control their reproductive cycle to stop the species going into game-to-genesis. Active game-togenesis reduces the quality of the gonads for market. Studies are also underway to investigate and look at the economic feasibility of urchin ranching.
Gardner said he doesn’t put sea urchins in the predator category, but eating kelp has always been a threat.
“Last I heard, the population was up 10,000 percent on normal levels,” he said. “I’m not sure the population is still increasing or not, because, as the urchins eat all the kelp, there is nothing left for them to use, and reproduction becomes difficult. Urchins, however, don’t seem to readily die after they eat all the kelp and seem to persist in a dormant state or on very little nutrients.”
“I wouldn’t really call sea urchins predators, they are more grazers but will also eat just about anything if given the chance. Urchins don’t eat all small fish species, but they will eat dead fish.”
Ordinarily, urchins eating kelp is part of a balanced ecosystem and isn’t an issue. But with changes in the system, including a mass die off of a major urchin predator (sunflower sea stars from wasting disease) their numbers flourished. This also coincided with an unusual warm period in the ocean water of the surrounding region. The kelp species needs colder temperature to reproduce, and so, that was a double whammy being that kelp didn’t reproduce well during that time and the main predator of the urchins was absent.
But there is tasty news about the urchin’s rising popularity in the culinary sector. It is usually called ‘uni’, and is actually a delicacy in many parts of the world. It’s known for a creamy, buttery flavour and is usually eaten right out of the shell.
Kevin Sancimino with Swam Oyster Depot in San Francisco said most of the tastiest urchins come from the north coast of California.
“We like to run them through a water rinse and sell them live,” he said. “This results in a clean, stronger taste.
“But, eating live sea urchins is similar to an observation by Forrest Gump in the movie: It’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are getting.”
Rigid Sapphire X18 sea lion net for vertical drop design
Garware Fibres has released Sapphire X18 seal net, used for the design of vertical drop seals, implying a decrease in diving man-hours, and is appropriate for the periods of sowing, harvesting and changes of nets.
“It emerged as a specific development for a local customer requirement and now our customers in general are already testing it; it works well, some have even migrated to this rigid wall solution, noting good operational results in the farming centers,” said Marcos Jofré, business associate at Garware Technical Fibres Chile.
According to Garware Fibres, Sapphire X18 is easy to install and uninstall, presenting less breakage, damage and deformation, its depth and width are adaptable to the characteristics of any cultivation center, with higher abrasion resistance, optimal for exposed cores and significantly more economical in its class. After uninstallation, it keeps its shape and it is easier to service it at the nets workshop.
It allows the boats to approach with less danger of breaking and with a reduction in diving hours, which entails the reduction of associated risks and without danger to ships.
“When a sea lion nets is opened or released, for example, for planting, harvesting, treatments, handling or changing nets, that is when the sea lions takes the opportunity to hook, whereas the Sapphire X18 net protects better,” said Jofré. “Also, fewer turnbuckles are used in rigid designs, approximately 50 per cent less. After the incubation and development of this solution, it was put into operation and some clients are already in their second cycle.” www.garwarefibres.com
Aquaculture North America is hosting an Aquaculture Technology “Lunch & Learn” Webinar Week from May 24-26, providing eight industry suppliers with an opportunity to present their technology to our Aquaculture North America audience.
Explain the benefits of your products, offer tips around use and maintenance, answer any technical questions – it’s a great chance to connect with customers. Limited to just 8 technology providers over 4 days, each “Presentation package” includes the following:
PRESENTATION PACKAGE
Webinar (20 mins) – you present, we record. Either present in real time or record a virtual tour of your products and facility which we show to our audience. Either way, participate in the following Q&A session and address any questions.
Website exposure – All presentations are recorded and posted at the ANA website until the end of 2023 with sharable links.
E-Connect and E-Blasts – All presentations are distributed direct to the inbox of thousands of aquaculture professionals who subscribe to our ANA e-newsletter.
Social media – Using ANA’s LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter channels, we’ll also share your technology presentation via social media Analytics – We’ll provide metrics regarding who and how many professionals are engaging with your presentation. www.aquaculturenorthamerica.com
Prairie AquaTech is now Houdek
Prairie AquaTech, a leader in the development and production of fermented plant-based ingredients, announces that it has changed its operating name to Houdek.
The company was co-founded in 2011 by South Dakota Innovation Partners and South Dakota State University professors to use fermentation technology to create plant-based protein ingredients for aquaculture feed.
In 2019, the company began production of its signature aquatic and terrestrial feed ingredient brand, ME-PRO, at its Volga, SD manufacturing facility. ME-PRO has since made a big splash in the global aquaculture industry, winning international awards in addition to its inclusion in fish and shrimp diets worldwide.
“Because of our team members’ innovation and relentless focus on market needs over the past decade, it is important for our name to reflect the impact we are having in aquaculture and beyond,” said Mark Luecke, co-founder and CEO of Houdek. “In order to better communicate this impact and our vision to the broader market, we created Houdek as a way to articulate our unique value proposition in each important, but very different, market segment.”
The name Houdek was chosen as it is the official soil of South Dakota, the foundation of the crops that are grown by our farmers and used in the company’s fermentation process. www.prairieaquatech.com
Merck Animal Health announces results of consumer transparency research study
Merck Animal Health announced the results of the company’s first-ever consumer transparency research study, finding that two-thirds of consumers say transparency in animal protein is extremely or very important.
The study explored consumer desire for transparency in animal protein, such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy, and their perceptions of industry transparency when it comes to animal welfare and sustainability. It also looked at the interplay of transparency and traceability and consumers’ willingness to pay for transparency label claims.
“The survey results tell us consumers want more information than ever in order to make informed decisions about the food they put on their dinner tables,” said Allison Flinn, DVM, executive director, value chain and consumer affairs at Merck Animal Health. “Our DNA Traceback technology, which uses nature’s bar code – DNA – with data analytics, provides an evidence-based animal protein traceability solution to accurately trace meat and seafood that is verifiable from farm-to-table to help build trust in food labels.”
Highlights from the study include:
• Two-thirds or 66 percent of consumers reported transparency in animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs and dairy) is extremely or very important and the reasons are personal – health and nutrition top the list;
• 86 percent of consumers who reported transparency is important also rank traceability as extremely/very important and 40 per cent of those consumers also want to know where the livestock comes from;
• Over 50 percent of consumers surveyed reported they were willing to pay a five per cent premium for transparency on the label and want more information than ever about how their food is grown and raised to make informed decisions at the grocery store;
• High-transparency seekers, or those who consider transparency most important to their purchasing decisions and are willing to pay for it on the label, are typically millennial, non-Caucasian, educated males who live in urban areas with their children – and they do the grocery shopping;
• Environmental sustainability and animal welfare are important animal protein purchase considerations with 55 percent surveyed reporting environmental sustainability as very/extremely important and 66 percent reporting animal care/treatment as extremely important/very important. www.merck-animal-health.com
Poseidon appoints Gaskill as CEO Poseidon Ocean Systems announced the appointment of Jamie Gaskill as chief executive officer.
Gaskill has served as a board member of Poseidon for the past eighteen months and with this transition, will move into an active leadership role within the company.
Gaskill brings to the Poseidon team over thirty years of experience across the entire salmon farming value chain—including smolt production, sea-farming, in-sea closed systems, harvesting and processing.
“I’ve been impressed by the impact that Poseidon has had in the industry over the past seven years, and I’m excited to contribute to the development of new technologies and make meaningful change in areas such as reducing carbon emissions and improving farmer’s yields. My family and I are also looking forward to returning to Campbell River.” Said Gaskill.
Co-founder and current CEO Matt Clarke will transition to the role of chief technology officer where he’ll focus on continuing to develop new technologies to improve the aquaculture industry.
“We’ve had the privilege of working closely with Jamie as a key member of the Poseidon board for the past eighteen months, and are confident that Jamie’s years of experience in the industry and passion for business are the perfect fit to take on the role of CEO to lead us into the next phase of our growth.” said Clarke. www.PoseidonOS.com
North Carolina Aquaculture Development Conference scheduled for March 2023
The 35th annual North Carolina Aquaculture Development Conference is scheduled to take place March 23 -25 at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center in New Bern, North Carolina, U.S.
The conference is designed to bring together the general public, current and prospective fish farmers, scientists, and personnel from regulatory agencies to collaborate on developing aquaculture in North Carolina, according to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, which is organizing the event.
Attendees will learn about several topics relevant to aquaculture species in North Carolina and find out about the latest aquaculture equipment and products by browsing the ongoing trade show.
“We begin on Thursday with an introductory session and farm tour for freshwater producers and wrap up Saturday morning with targeted workshops for mariculture. In between, all attendees look forward to our famous NC Cultured Seafood Festival, an ‘all you care to eat’ gathering, that closes out a full day of seminar and trade show activities on Friday.”
The North Carolina Cooperative Extension said anyone with an interest in fish or shellfish farming, including prospective growers, researchers, teachers, students or agency persons with jobs related to aquaculture, as well as those who sell goods or services to the aquaculture industry, are the conference’s key audiences. www.ncaquaculture.com
Jamie Gaskill
The aim of this book is to provide practical advice and awareness of health management and disease control in sea bass and sea bream, the most widely-farmed fish in the Mediterranean region.
This important book gives particular emphasis to rapid diagnosis and response to the most dangerous pathologies, which can cause severe economic losses in affected fish farms.
JOIN US ONLINE
OCTOBER 18, 2023
The 1st World Trout Culture Summit will bring together trout culturists from around the globe including:
• trout farmers & hatchery technicians
• fish & wildlife professionals
• enhancement/restocking technicians
• trout nutrition and health experts
• freshwater fisheries associations
• industry suppliers, investors, academia and more!
AGENDA*
11:00AM to 11:50AM Fish health and welfare panel
11:50AM to 12:00PM Break
12:00PM to 12:50PM Trout restocking panel
12:50PM to 1:00PM Break
1:00PM to 1:50PM Trout aquaculture panel
* Agenda is subject to change
Featuring live presentations, Q&A sessions and panel discussions, plus a host of on-demand presentations from some of the industry’s leading experts, this new virtual event promises to give trout culturists some valuable take aways to consider.
MAKE A SPLASH with one of our Sponsorship packages at the online trout event of the year!
