Charting a future for salmon farming in British Columbia P. 14
TROUT FARMING
The mayor and the monger
Fish farmer’s role as caretaker prepared Jesse Preiner for public office. P. 8
FISH FEED
Replacing marine fish ingredients in aquafeed
Inroads for the use of microalgae oil in aquafeed formulations P. 10
SALMON IN REVIEW
Climate risks: Beyond temperature
New research on how aquaculture can adapt to climate change P. 18
2023 OUTLOOK
Bright horizons
Experts forecast business growth and broader support for U.S. shellfish and seaweed farming. P. 24
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Testing new feed ingredients support further inroads for the use of microalgae oil in aquafeed formulations.
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VOLUME 13, ISSUE 6 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
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FROM THE EDITOR
A moment to reflect
The year is coming to an end, and it has been an eventful one indeed, especially for the salmon farming sector.
When we mention salmon farming, British Columbia has definitely been the star of the year, starting last March, when Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans re-affirmed her commitment to move open net-pen salmon farming in British Columbia to closed containment farming systems.
And of course, we don’t forget the two Indigenous peoples in British Columbia, the Gwa’sala and the ‘Nakwaxda’xw peoples, who re-asserted their authority over their territories “with or without the Canadian Government,” including how fish farming and fisheries will be managed, as many of the salmon farming operations in B.C. are operating within First Nation territories. Canada’s salmon farmers responded to the government’s decision to renew B.C. licenses for two years, saying that the Federal Government’s decision to renew the licenses
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BY MARYAM FARAG
and establish a process for the salmon farms in the Discovery Islands “is good for Canadians.”
A lot has happened since then, reaching the government’s net-pen “transition plan.” The future of salmon farming in B.C still remains uncertain, and “the effects of an uncertain regulatory framework, and an economy still reeling from the effects of a global pandemic, have put aquaculture at a disadvantage,” As Mari-Len De Guzman describes in our cover story, To Protect and Save.
The story still hasn’t ended, and we remain to watch closely what happens and hope for the best outcomes, especially when it comes to farm-raised salmon, aiming to secure home-grown fresh food supply.
Of course, a great deal still needs to be done, and we hope the new year brings the good news.
From all of us at Aquaculture North America, stay safe and well.
Canada’s seafood farmers elect new members to the Board
During its annual meeting held September 28-29, 2022, the members of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) elected new officers, two new Executive Committee members and two new Board members.
Ian Roberts, director of communications at Mowi, will serve as the new chair of the CAIA Board of Directors.
“The seafood farming community in Canada is focused and resilient. We are the seafood growth pathway for Canada with many coastal communities looking to grow sustainable foods and economic opportunities. With positive support from our communities and governments, Canada can realize this great sustainable, healthy and secure food opportunity for Canada,” said Roberts.
Additionally, Amédée Savoie, La Maison BeauSoleil and Cyrus Singh, k’awat’si
of Directors
Development Corporation were newly elected to the Executive Committee while four others were re-elected including: Joel Richardson, Cooke Aquaculture Inc. (vice-chair), Cyr Couturier, Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland (treasurer), Mia Parker, Mowi Canada West (secretary) and Linda Sams, Cermaq Canada.
Four new CAIA Board members were also elected:
• Larry Johnson, Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood Limited Partnership (BC)
• Cyrus Singh, k’awat’si Development Corporation (BC)
• Jeff MacPherson, Atlantic Aqua Farms Ltd. (PEI)
• Jennifer Wiper, Aquaculture Association of Canada (NB)
“In particular, I’d like to recognize Larry Johnson, president of Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood Limited Partnership and co-chair of the CAIA Indigenous Partners Network, and also Cyrus Singh, CEO of the K’awat’si Development Corporation,” said Timothy Kennedy, president and CEO, CAIA. “We’re very pleased to have two leaders from Indigenous-owned seafood businesses elected to the Board, and that they will lend their voices and talents to developing the national aquaculture discussion.”
“I’d like to specially thank our outgoing Chair, Jennifer Woodland and outgoing treasurer, John Rose of Icy Waters Ltd, for their service to CAIA over the past number of years. These talented experts in Canada’s aquaculture landscape have been instrumental in shaping the future of this organization,” said Kennedy.
BC Salmon Farmers respond to in-person consultations with Minister Murray BC Salmon Farmers had the opportunity to meet with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard (DFO) Minister Joyce Murray. Throughout the week, the Minister met with various salmon farming companies and other members of the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) and toured several salmon farming facilities across Vancouver Island.
In addition to the tours, productive meetings were held between salmon farmers, suppliers, and the Minister, where she expressed her interest in co-developing a transition plan with the sector “that will provide a range of metrics and tools to meet environmental objectives and protect wild salmon.”
“Salmon farming is continuously evolving, improving, and innovating, which can come as a surprise to those outside of the farming community. It was a pleasure to meet with the Minister and her team to not only discuss these improvements but
showcase them, as she visited several farm sites and a hatchery,” said Ruth Salmon, interim executive director for the BCSFA.
“It was heartening to hear that the Minister is seeking to work with us to support the development of the Transition Framework. In order to successfully drive further innovation and technology adoption, there needs to be flexibility to allow for various pathways. The ecosystems in which we operate, as well as the priorities of the Nations in whose territories we operate are diverse. We need to have a full suite of tools and options available to ensure we are meeting the expectations of the Nations, protecting wild salmon populations, and providing healthy and sustainable meals,” said Salmon.
While the salmon farming sector is fully committed to working with the Minister to develop this transition plan, it does have concerns about the rushed timeline that
Minister Murray has set for this process. The short time frame set for consultations on the farmed salmon production areas in the territories of the Laich-kwil-tach, which has been referred to in the past as the Discovery Islands region, are of particular concern.
“The farms in these areas, are critical to the future of the sector, as well as to those First Nations who view salmon farming as a means to socio-economic stability for their communities. Given the importance of the production areas within the Laich-kwil-tach territories, our sector stresses the importance of those First Nations to be integrated into the larger discussion of the Transition Plan, instead of being addressed as a separate region,” added Salmon.
BC Salmon Farmers stated that they look forward to additional dialogue with the Minister around these important issues, as well as the opportunity to host more farming and processing tours in the future.
S1000
Grieg Seafood BC appoints Jennifer Woodland as managing director
Grieg Seafood announced the appointment of Jennifer Woodland as managing director for its BC operations.
“We are excited to welcome Jennifer as the new managing director of our British Columbia operations. Reconciliation and the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is at the heart of all activities in B.C. I am confident that Jennifer is the right person to develop our B.C. business based on these principles,” said Andreas Kvame, CEO, Grieg Seafood ASA.
Woodland has held roles within the salmon farming industry, on both the east and west coast of Canada since the 1990s. She has also been active through CAIA, and served as the Chair from 2020 to 2022. Most recently, Jennifer has been the CEO of Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood LP, a role she held for over six years.
“My passion is sustainable food production, Indigenous reconciliation, and rural economic development. The core values of Grieg Seafood align with my passions and personal commitments. I am excited to work with the talented team at Grieg Seafood BC and the First Nations communities in which they operate, to see positive developments for the salmon farming sector in British Columbia,” said Woodland.
Throughout her career, Woodland has dedicated much of her work to developing meaningful partnerships between First Nations and the aquaculture industry - ensuring First Nations are leading the growth of aquaculture.
“Grieg Seafood’s most important relationship is the relationship we have with our Indigenous partners and First Nations communities in whose territory we operate,” added Woodland. “I am looking forward to leading the team at Grieg to further our relationships, help drive improvements and create an atmosphere where local communities, Nations, wild salmon and aquaculture are thriving.”
Cargill executive joins Northwest Aquaculture Alliance Board of Directors
The Northwest Aquaculture Alliance (NWAA) announced the appointment of Sebastian Perversi, North America commercial director for Cargill Aquaculture & Nutrition, to its Board of Directors.
A 19-year Cargill veteran, Perversi previously held the position of the Strategic Marketing and Technology Director (EMEA) for Cargill Animal Nutrition, residing in the Netherlands. He now resides in Washington state.
“Sebastian Perversi brings to NWAA a deep understanding of the role that feeds play in the growth of aquaculture worldwide,” said Jim Parsons, president of NWAA. Parsons, who is also CEO of Jamestown Seafood, said he and the other NWAA board members look forward to working with Perversi “at a time when aquaculture is undergoing rapid growth and acceptance, and the feed sector is leading the way with innovative products to make the production of aquatic foods increasingly nutritious and sustainable.” He added, “We are very fortunate to have Sebastian Perversi join our leadership team.”
OYSTER GRADING TECHNOLOGY
Jennifer Woodland
Sebastian Perversi
The mayor and the monger
Fish farmer’s role as caretaker prepared Jesse Preiner for public office. BY
Fish farming is in Jesse Preiner’s blood. Between working at his father’s farm and his own business, called The Trout Monger, he has a lifetime of experience. For more than 20 years now, Preiner has been a fixture at the Minneapolis Farmers Market, where he sells fresh and smoked trout he raised at his small, solar-powered trout farm.
In 2018, the farmer has taken on a new role as the mayor of his hometown of Columbus, Minnesota, a small city with a population of just over 4,000.
“I’m not a seasoned politician. But I’m pretty experienced in life so I’m able to listen and think of what’s good for the city, what’s good for the residents and what’s good for the taxpayers,” he said.
In the late 1960s, his father started raising minnows for bait, and eventually transitioned to using those minnows to feed farmed trout. Preiner watched as the family farm evolved over time, including establishing a restaurant, Trout Haus in 1974.
“In those days, you just learned as you went,” said Preiner. “We increased our production and we learned from our mistakes and eventually had a very nice business built up.”
MATT JONES
The farm features five man-made trout ponds, with solar energy supplementing the power required for water pumping and other purposes.
After his father’s death in the late 1990s, his family sold the property and Preiner would establish The Trout Monger on a 60-acre lot only a couple of miles away. The farm features five man-made trout ponds, with solar energy supplementing the power required for water pumping and other purposes.
“That reduces my carbon footprint,” said Preiner. “In the summertime, in long days of great sunshine, it really does produce a lot of power.”
Much of Preiner’s business revolves around the local farmers market. Preiner spends his Thursdays smoking trout and his Fridays cleaning the fresh fish so that they’ll all be ready for sale at the market on Saturday mornings.
The Trout Monger weathered the storm of the COVID-19 pandemic fairly well; while sales to restaurants dried up, the farm’s direct
sales skyrocketed.
“Everybody who couldn’t go to a restaurant learned to go shopping for good food,” said Preiner. “We were sort of the original Farm to Table 40 years ago and now it’s really catching on. That part has been busier and I think it compensated for the decline in restaurant sales. We’ve seen very strong sales over the past two years.”
Preiner said he has not seen a “giant revolution” of consumers looking for fresh seafood in Minnesota. Instead, he and other producers are changing minds one sale at a time.
Answering the call
Preiner’s entry into local politics was not something he had planned; rather, it something that was thrust upon him. As someone who’s family has lived in the area since the late 1800s, he said he felt compelled to answer that call.
“About five or six years ago, the last mayor and city council decided to change some zoning regulations and brought in an asphalt plant right at the entrance to our city. Of course, it has the potential for water pollution, air pollution, dump trucks running up and
A lifetime resident of Columbus, MN, trout farmer Jesse Preiner became the mayor of the city in 2018.
down the streets like crazy and they pay very, very little property taxes to the city, county or state. Against the wishes of the majority of our residents, they jammed that baby through.” he said. Preiner was a member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission at that time. Residents asked him if he would
and needs of his community.
“Once something is built, that’ll last for 75 more years. We’ve all long been gone and this guy would still have his asphalt plant there and still be doing what it does. One has to consider the long-term effects. People were just crestfallen about its approval.”
Asked about how his work in aquaculture informs his decisions as mayor, Preiner notes being a farmer has prepared him for the role.
run for mayor. He was elected in 2018 and, while the asphalt plant was already established by that point, he said he did his best to represent the desires
“Farming is taking care of things – checking for this, watching for that. It’s a caregiver role. And I think being a good mayor is part of that reflex. Being a farming has helped me with my roles here at city hall. You listen, you watch, you think and you come to conclusions that are the best for the situation. In the farm, if the tank is full, and you have to take the trout out and clean it. If you wait another week, it might be too late. Same thing with the city stuff.”
Solar panels on site at Trout Monger provide power for water pumps and other equipment and help reduce the farm’s carbon footprint.
Replacing marine fish ingredients in aquafeed
BY TREENA HEIN
There are several potential approaches that can be taken to reduce nutrients in the wastewater from trout farms (and other land-based aquaculture operations), which is an important sustainability goal for the industry.
According to the United States Trout Farmers Association website, there 334 trout farms in the US. However, the organization did not provide insight into where the wastewater goes for these farms (municipal wastewater treatment systems, for example) or how many farms have their own water treatment systems and what type. The group would also not comment on whether phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) excretion from US trout farms is more of an issue in certain states, and so on.
One sure way to reduce nutrients in
effluent is through changes in feed. Low-polluting fish feed formulas contain as little N and P as possible, and they also provide these nutrients in forms that are more easily digested and absorbed. This all results in a minimizing of the amount of these nutrients that fish excrete.
A team based at the University of California Santa Cruz is just beginning new collaborative research to develop, test, and evaluate new low-polluting fish feed formulas for farm-raised rainbow trout. The study is based at UC Santa Cruz’s ecological aquaculture lab, and is supported by a three-year US$1 million federal grant.
The team is being led by Associate Research Professor Dr. Pallab Sarker, Professor Dr. Anne Kapuscinski and Luke Gardner, a
The research team uses Schizochytrium sp . in some of their feed formulas and recently conducted a life cycle assessment to better understand the overall sustainability of this ingredient.
California Sea Grant extension specialist affiliated with UC San Diego.
They will create experimental aquafeed formulas that contain marine microalga as an ingredient, with the resulting formulas field-tested at working trout farms in California.
This will first involve testing various methods for processing microalgal ingredients to make them as digestible as possible for rainbow trout. They will then figure out how much microalgae can ideally be substituted for marine fish-based ingredients. This will be followed by developing the actual diets, and trials with trout to see how they perform and also how much N and P is in their effluent.
This research is a continuation of research done for years by Sarker, Kapuscinski and various colleagues to examine recycled leftover biomass from the commercial production of marine microalgal species (such as Schizochytrium sp ) for human omega-3 dietary supplements and aquaculture feeds.
Professor Anne Kapuscinski offers an experimental feed to fish inside UC Santa Cruz’s ecological aquaculture facility.
There has already research published on how combining different marine microalgae can be used to replace traditional fish meal and fish oil feed ingredients sourced from wildcaught fish.
Of course, it’s important to also evaluate the economic feasibility of the new feeds at a commercial scale, and that will be done once the feeds are prepared.
In addition, the team will do a ‘life cycle assessment’ or LCA to compare the overall environmental impact of the new formula with conventional feed across a wide range of categories such as greenhouse gas emissions.
Life cycle study completed
This research on how microalgae can be used to make low-polluting fish feed builds on a new LCA that Sarker, Kapuscinski and others of UC Santa Cruz’s Department of Environmental Studies just published, an analysis which was led by Dr. Brandi McKuin.
This new LCA examines the environmental benefits and impacts of using the marine microalga Schizochytrium sp. as an alternative aquaculture feed ingredient to replace fish oil sourced from wild-caught fish.
The replacement of wild-caught ingredients in aquafeed is an industry priority. Here are some statistics from McKuin and her
colleagues which illustrate the urgency. Production of aquafeeds is expected to increase to 73.15 million tonnes by 2025. Currently, about 16 million of the 29 million tonnes of the forage fish annual global catch currently goes into aquaculture feed. Worldwide, the aquaculture sector consumes 68.2
per cent of total global fish meal production and 88.5 per cent of total global fish oil production.
At current rates of wild-caught fishmeal and fish oil consumption, production of aquafeed could outstrip the supply as soon as 2037, 15 years from now. That time will come sooner if global fish stocks are affected for any reason.
Inside the assessment
To do the LCA, the team used data from published literature and patents to model the sustainability impacts of ingredient options, with input gathered about their assumptions from volunteer industry advisors.
McKuin and her colleagues also looked at several different methods of preparing Schizochytrium sp. for inclusion in fish feeds, since it can either be used as whole cells or processed into oils using microwave or solvent extraction techniques.
Overall, the LCA found that Schizochytrium sp. could be a more sustainable feed ingredient than fish oil in categories like global warming impact and use of biotic resources from living organisms.
However, in other areas of the assessment, there were comparatively-greater environmental impacts. These include land use, freshwater use, and nutrient pollution potential in both marine and freshwater bodies of water, relating to steps in microalga production that are linked to land-based agriculture.
Options for industry
The team found that combining Schizochytrium and canola oil in aquafeed supports
significantly-decreased use of wild-caught fish, but how algae is cultivated needs to change in order to mitigate environmental sustainability trade-offs.
McKuin explained that future innovations on this front could involve “reuse of carbon-rich biomass wastes” instead of sucrose or glucose that’s currently used. Biomass is currently extracted from crops such as sugar cane, beets or corn, with sugars processed from renewable waste products like crude glycerol from biodiesel production (for example, from soybean oil or recycled grease).
She notes that substances like crude glycerol are attractive because they are low cost.
But “scaling up production from these sources presents logistical challenges that will require innovation,” McKuin said. “An example of the type of innovation needed is to co-locate Schizochytrium [production sites] with the renewable waste production.”
Another possible carbon-rich biomass waste source is ligno-cellulosic biomass from non-food sources such as sugar cane bagasse, corn stalks, leaves and woody biomass. “However, this would require processing steps to break
help to address these bottlenecks,” she said. “Our lab previously conducted a type of economic analysis to estimate the implied market prices of two marine microalgae, defatted Nannochloropsis oculata meal and whole cell Schizochytrium sp., and the economic conversion ratio of formulated feed. Going forward a robust techno-economic analysis is needed to better understand the economic viability of Schizochytrium.”
down their complex carbohydrates into simple sugars,” said McKuin, as simple sugars are the only fuel Schizochytrium can utilize.
Schizochytrium production
Kapuscinski explains that while Schizochytrium oil is already being used in some commercial aquafeeds, it’s just beginning to realize its full potential. “This industry,” she said, “is expected to grow. This early-stage of adoption is a good time to provide our deeper analysis of environmental sustainability of Schizochytrium as an alternative to fish oil.”
In terms of how much its use should increase each year to displace marine-based oil, and how that might go, McKuin first explains that there are several factors that determine whether or not fish oil is generally replaced by an alternative ingredient. “These are,” she said, “a consistent and large supply with sufficient availability, cost competitiveness and equivalent nutritional value.”
On these fronts, Schizochytrium has the potential to fill the “oil gap” as aquaculture expands (the gap in volume of oils that have equivalent levels of omega-3 fatty acids as fish oil), but McKuin says producers need to overcome scale-up and production cost hurdles.
“Investment in R&D could
As to whether companies could be mandated to switch gradually away from marine-based oils and when, Kapuscinski points to the fact that adoption of new innovations generally occurs when there are various factors in place, such as the availability of superior products, incentives that boost demand (in this case for example, the F3 Challenge) and policy actions like federally-funded R&D. “It’s never one thing,” she said.
Will the industry ever reach a point where no marine oil is being used? Of course, it’s hard to say.
Kapuscinski’s response is that she and her team think Schizochytrium has the potential to complement the supply of oils high in omega-3 fatty acids from fisheries that are sustainably managed, and from other sources. “This could change in the future,” she said, “but making a good projection requires conducting an analysis that was beyond the scope of our study.”
Overall, this study does confirm that microalgae oils could be more sustainable feed ingredient than fish oil in some categories, but each benefit and impact related to the environment have to be examined within global and regional contexts.
When the LCA was first released, Kapuscinski stressed that there are always trade-offs in a life cycle assessment. “There is no one silver bullet,” she stated, “but laying out estimates like these of what the impacts are, based on the best scientific evidence available, can really help with informed decision making in sustainability efforts.”
Freeze-dried whole-cell flakes of the marine microalga Schizochytrium sp
PHOTO: DEVIN FITZGERALD/UC SANTA CRUZ
Leading the way: Women in North American Aquaculture
Aquaculture North America’s inaugural WINAAS brought together female influencers from different sectors of aquaculture.
BY MARYAM FARAG
The Women in North American Aquaculture Summit (WINAAS) aimed to understand the road to equal opportunity in the industry, tackling solutions for equal pay, entrepreneurship, innovation, training and mentorship.
Julie Kuchepatov, founder of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE) kicked off the event by her keynote, Shine Bright Like a Diamond, sharing insights into the challenges women in the aquaculture sector face and how they compare to those experienced by the inspiring music sensation, Rihanna.
After that, a Recruitment and Mentorship
panel took place, featuring Kathleen Offman Mathisen, CHRO at Grieg Seafood Norway, Leah Stoker, senior consultant at Aquaculture Talent, and Tina Garlinski-Gonsky, director of human resources at Grieg Seafood BC.
The discussion revolved around the challenges met when looking for aquaculture jobs and finding career mentors.
The next session featured a panel discussion, Women in Leadership: “View from the Top”, and panelists included Diane Morrison, Managing Director, MOWI Canada West, Briana Warner, CEO, Atlantic Seafarms, and Jennifer Woodland, former Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood CEO, and now managing director at
Grieg Seafood BC. The panel, full of women in the C-suite level, shared their journeys and stories about leadership and how they got there.
Jeanne McKnight, executive director, at Northwest Aquaculture Alliance presented Aquaculture Advocacy: “Empowering an Industry”, where she discussed the challenges and the opportunities of the aquaculture industry, the blue economy ecosystem, strategies that are making a difference, and ways to advocate for the aquaculture industry.
The final panel moderated by Imani Black, founder and CEO of Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA). It featured an open discussion with Black and MIA members Natalie Abdo, Taja Sims-Harper and Anoushka Concepcion about their different experiences as women of colour in the aquaculture industry.
To view event recordings, visit www. aquaculturenorthamerica.com/virtual-events/ women-in-north-american-aquaculture/
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Charting a future for salmon farming
in B.C.
BY MARI-LEN DE GUZMAN
The future of salmon farming in British Columbia has never been more uncertain, as the province’s aquaculture community finds itself navigating some turbulent waters, pushed into the path of the federal government’s blue economy strategy.
At the centre of this shifting public policy paradigm is an 11-month consultation process initiated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) with the end-goal of developing a transition plan that will phase out net-pen farms in favour of more sustainable alternatives.
The goal of the government’s net-pen transition plan: To “advance innovation and growth in sustainable aquaculture in British Columbia that progressively minimizes or eliminates interactions between salmon open-net pens and wild salmon while also
taking into account social, cultural and economic objectives.”
This engagement process is an opportunity for communities that rely on this industry for their business and livelihood to have a say in shaping the future of salmon farming in the province and, by extension, their own futures. It is a tight timeline, they say, but it is a positive step forward and a far cry from where things were just less than two years ago, when then DFO Minister Bernadette Jordan abruptly announced the closure of salmon farms in the Discovery Islands near Campbell River, B.C.
That order was later overturned by a federal court ruling in May 2022, but it caused the culling of nearly a million juvenile salmon at Mowi Canada West’s Big Tree Creek Hatchery, the temporary closure of the company’s Dalrymple Hatchery and several job losses.
The struggle is unique to the West Coast province, where the federal government sets public policy on aquaculture operations. But it is a cautionary tale for its provincially regulated Atlantic Canada counterpart,
whose future may yet be tied into a changing national public policy regime.
Economic impact
The developments in British Columbia and the direction the federal government is taking with regards to ocean farming may yet influence aquaculture operations throughout the country, says Tim Kennedy, president and CEO of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, the national association representing seafood farmers in Canada.
“British Columbia’s seafood producers for instance, Grieg (Seafood BC) and Mowi (Canada) in particular, are on both coasts of Canada. Those companies see Canada as one investment destination; it’s not coastal for them. So inevitably, what the Government of Canada does, if they implement negative policies or regulatory frameworks, that’s going to have negative implications for the entire country,” said Kennedy.
Already, the effects of an uncertain regulatory framework, and an economy still reeling from the effects of a global pandemic, have
put aquaculture at a disadvantage. Since 2019, when the federal government unveiled its blue economy strategy, investments in Canadian aquaculture have been “very poor,” Kennedy added.
Earlier this year, Mowi Canada West announced the closure of its fish processing plant in Surrey, B.C., calling the move a “direct result of the Liberal government’s decision” in December 2020 to cancel salmon farming licences in the Discovery Island.
“The government has not provided, even to now, a signal from the national level about a positive future for salmon farming, and broadly for aquaculture in general,” Kennedy said.
In 2020, Canadian aquaculture generated more than C$3.8 billion in economic activity. That’s down $1.4 billion compared to 2019 and $2.2 billion compared to 2018 performance, according to data from Ottawa-based economic consulting firm RIAS Inc.
Aquaculture production volume is down from 191,000 tonnes in 2017 to 170,805 tonnes in 2020. The sector’s employment generation activity is also on a downward trend from 24,790 full-time employees in 2018 to 14,520 full-time workers in 2020.
Seafood exports offer a more positive outlook, however, up from $897 billion in 2019 to $1.06 billion in 2021. The 2021 figures are more at par with earlier performance numbers of more than $1 billion annually from 2017 to 2019.
Aquaculture production volume is down from 191,000 tonnes in 2017 to 170,805 tonnes in 2020. The sector’s employment generation activity is also on a downward trend from 24,790 full-time employees in 2018 to 14,520 full-time workers in 2020.
As the consultation process gets underway, B.C.’s salmon farmers are given licence to operate as usual for the next two years. It’s about four years short of what the producers would have wanted to match their salmon production cycle, but they are taking it, in the hopes that the consultation process for
the proposed “new framework for sustainable aquaculture in British Columbia” will produce favourable and reasonable solutions.
“While elements of the proposed framework are challenging, given the ambitious timeline set out, we are encouraged that the federal government will rely on reconciliation and peer-reviewed science as a foundation for planning,” the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) said in a statement.
Indigenous perspective
Many of the salmon farming operations in B.C.’s coastal waters are operating within First Nation territories. Although not all First Nations in B.C. are supportive of salmon farms, about 17 of them do have some formal agreements with salmon producers, generating an estimated $42 million in economic benefits and nearly 250 jobs within First Nation communities, totalling more than $12 million in wages per year, according to data from the Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship (FNFFS).
The FNFFS view salmon farming as a “path to self-determination and reconciliation,” and while they welcome the federal government’s public consultation, the coalition is aiming to
COVER SALMON IN REVIEW
develop an even more targeted dialogue.
“We’re going to ask for a more refined process with the actual Nations who have this industry and sector participating in their territories,” said Dallas Smith, spokesperson for FNFFS. “And we’ve gotten support from the provincial government to lead a process and they would play within our process. So it’s just a matter of getting the federal government to our table now.”
That separate consultation, Smith said, will seek to define what the transition means and explore available technologies that can limit wild salmon interactions with farmed salmon. Protecting wild salmon populations is crucial for First Nations communities.
“I think one thing that the general public doesn’t understand is that the 17 and some odd Nations that are involved in the industry right now have been working on this for a couple of years,” said Smith.
Protecting wild salmon does not have to preclude protecting the socio-economic opportunities for Indigenous communities, however.
“As long as we continue to protect wild salmon, we need to protect these opportunities because they’re a vast part of what builds our communities and keeps our kids healthy and all the other things general society sort of takes for granted.”
Smith acknowledges there isn’t a one-sizefits-all solution to protecting wild salmon, and that technology applications will vary from site to site, depending on regional conditions.
“What happens on the west coast of Vancouver Island may not work on the east coast of Vancouver Island, because there’s different wind conditions, different water flow conditions, different depths.
“So our consultation process wants to open the government’s eyes to the fact that there’s three or four different regions that need to approach this differently on
Columbia. But at the same time, they have to be backed up by credible science, they have to have traditional ecological knowledge, that’s First Nations knowledge, coming into the discussion,” Smith said.
The FNFFS is encouraged to see the government opening up to the idea that landbased farms are not the only solutions.
“It’s been comforting to see the minister
the coast of British
Dallas Smith (third from right) and the Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship work to continue the dialogue with the federal government and other community leaders to help shape the future of salmon farming in First Nations territories.
Ryan Beckthold
(Joyce Murray) start to use language we’ve been using with her around transition towards greener technologies as opposed to on land,” said Smith.
Landing on technology
With British Columbia accounting for 64 per cent of the nation’s total aquaculture production, the stakes are high for the aquaculture community in Canada’s West Coast. For now, B.C.’s salmon farming community is determined to make the federal government take a more reasonable approach to the transition process, one that can achieve the government’s sustainability objectives without jeopardizing the livelihood of thousands.
Technology and innovation will play a crucial role in shaping the future of salmon farming in B.C. And the land-based alternative the government seemed to have in mind when it set out to propose a transition from net-pen farming may not be realistic for the volume of Atlantic salmon produced in the province.
“To replace 100,000 tonnes of production in a short order is not going to happen in British Columbia, period,” says Steve Atkinson, managing director of Taste of BC Aquafarms in Nanaimo, B.C. “There’s also the big challenge of trying to transition Atlantic salmon in British Columbia, because this is the wrong place to build Atlantic salmon farms if you’re going to build RAS (recirculating aquaculture systems).”
Atkinson is a pioneer in RAS farming in B.C., and has been producing steelhead salmon on land for more than a decade. Despite its numerous economic and environmental benefits, RAS is not primed to produce the same large volume of Atlantic salmon as netpen farms — at least not in a way that would make viable business sense.
“The reason British Columbia has a strong Atlantic salmon industry is singular — that is because we have good ocean conditions,” said Atkinson. Take away the ocean, and the struggle becomes real. “If you’re going to build RAS for Atlantic salmon, you’re going to build it close to the market. Because our (Atlantic salmon) is not sold in western North America; it’s primarily sold in the Eastern Seaboard. So if you’re going to build on land, it would make more sense to build in the East than the West.”
The cost of building massive land-based fish farms in B.C. will also be astronomical, given the high cost of land in the West Coast and the amount of electricity that will be required to power these RAS farms, he added. Despite the limitations, there is potential for land-based aquaculture to grow in B.C. but it is only one among other solutions to
transitioning net-pen farms. And Atkinson cautions the government against moving the transition too quickly, however.
“If the government moves too quickly, then critical infrastructure that we need will be lost — feed mills, support industries — that isn’t an easy thing to transition in a short-term. It’s taken 30 years to build that support structure.”
Atkinson is not the only one to acknowledge that land-based farming alone will not get the industry to where it needs to be under the blue economy goals. B.C.’s biggest salmon producers are at different stages of testing and evaluating technologies and processes to make their operations as sustainable as possible.
Cermaq Canada is carrying out a trial of its semi-closed containment at its Millar Channel farm site, off the west coast of Vancouver Island. The system uses a patented material to form a fully enclosed lining, or bag to effectively eliminate interactions between farmed salmon and wild populations. Water is pumped into the system through four screened sea water intakes, and exits the bag through 12 deep-level screened ports, allowing for greater precision farming.
Growing smolts longer on land so they spend less time at sea, therefore providing less period of of interaction with wild population, is a process being explored by Grieg Seafood. Allowing smolts to grow larger in the hatchery also makes for stronger, healthier fish that can better handle transition from fresh to saltwater.
For Kennedy, addressing what an “acceptable” solution is should be part of the conversation. “If our current operations in the ocean are able to reduce risk to wild salmon by 80 to 90 per cent, is that acceptable? And if not, what is acceptable? Because to the extremes and activists, most of the time, they’re saying, 100 per cent we have to get rid of every risk. And for any human activity, that is impossible.
“Whereas, we want a reasonable pathway forward to say, ‘Where are there risks that need to be reduced and addressed?’ I think we’ve done an amazing job over the last 20 years in addressing those (risks) with very strong regulations by the Government of Canada and British Columbia.”
Mowi, Grieg and the BCSFA declined requests for comment, citing early days in the consultation process. Cermaq Canada did not return this writer’s request for an interview.
CLIMATE RISKS: BEYOND TEMPERATURE
New research on how aquaculture can adapt to climate change
BY LYNN FANTOM
In the real world, climate stressors do not occur in isolation. Yet, much research has focused on the impact of single factors, like temperature.
Long-time collaborators Dr. Elisabeth Ytteborg of Nofima in Norway and Dr. Lynne Falconer of the University of Stirling in Scotland took on the challenge to delve into the complexity of climate change in aquaculture. The result is a new paper offering a targeted and detailed analysis of climate change impacts, risk assessments, and adaptation planning.
Its title feels like a call-to-action, “Insight into real-world complexities is required to enable effective response from the aquaculture sector to climate change.”
The research, some three years in the making, brought together climatologists, modelers, biologists, and industry stakeholders. Its publication in PLOS CLIMATE last March comes at a time when climate events
have already affected aquaculture production worldwide—prawns in Bangladesh, mussels in Greece, and salmon in Canada.
“Climate change may seem like a distant horizon, but impacts are already occurring. To adapt, producers need knowledge. This paper brings forth key research findings in ways that we hope are very accessible and customizable,” said Ytteborg.
Focusing on salmon aquaculture in Norway, the researchers identified seven key stressors: sea level rise, storms, temperature (air, sea), extreme temperatures and heatwaves, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and precipitation. Then, they set a broad scope for which they would examine climate impact on salmon aquaculture—not only the grow-out phase, for example, but the entire spectrum of production stages (breeding and hatchery, juvenile, grow-out, and processing), as well as the wider supply chain (feed and transport).
With such an ambitious charge, the team pinned down the links between climate stressors and their impacts through an extensive review of research literature and industry news.
An important finding was that almost all impacts were linked to multiple climate stressors.
“Climate stressors are interlinked and you have to consider all of them,” said Ytteborg, who has authored 57 publications at Nofima, a leading food research institute based in Norway.
Asked for an example of this multifactorial impact, she points to salmon mortality events in Atlantic Canada.
“From research trials, we know that salmon can withstand temperatures up to 23 C,” she said. “But, if you take into account the complexities of the environment as well as real-life activities at the farm, high temperature
Nofima scientist Elisabeth Ytteborg
PHOTO: JOE URRUTIA
alone is not what the fish actually experience.
“In Canada, the fish had been handled for sea lice treatments three weeks before, then the temperature increased and the oxygen also dropped at the same time. So, the fish started actually to die at only 17 C. These are the real-world complexities of multiple stressors.”
In the published research, the comprehensive analysis of these stressors yielded not only an in-depth discussion but also a matrix that readers can download and open in Excel.
“We are hoping that this spreadsheet will be used in discussions between researchers and industry as they prioritize which projects to pursue,” said Ytteborg.
The Norwegian and Scottish researchers also identified a total of 101 adaptation responses, in four categories: biological (e.g., reduce handling; adjust feeding to encourage salmon to swim
deeper), environmental (e.g., use spatial models to select most suitable sites; improve jellyfish and harmful algae bloom detection), policy (e.g., develop action plans to respond to fish health hazards; review and revise regulation on
may be interactions between them that influence how effective they are,” added Lynne Falconer, who is a research fellow at the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling.
“Industry will need to make
Focusing on salmon aquaculture in Norway, the researchers identified seven key stressors: sea level rise, storms, temperature (air, sea), extreme temperatures and heatwaves, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and precipitation.
potential feed ingredients), and technical (improve feed storage facilities; use oxygen pumps).
The paper also puts these adaptation responses in the context of the different production stages.
But adapting in the real world will bring challenges. “Not all adaptation responses are suitable at all locations, and there
EWOS TRANSFER CLEAR
decisions on what to prioritize. Some responses will be farm-specific, while others will be industry level,” she said.
Examples of adaptation responses include technology that is already available, such as oxygen pumps, as well as longer-term strategies.
“In addition to what we identify
in the paper, there are also transformative changes such as species diversification,” she noted.
The paper can also serve as an organizing tool or model for thinking about climate impact for other species, production systems, and environments. The approach could be applied to other sectors, from mussel farming in New Zealand to land-based finfish production in California.
The researchers also stress that adaptation is a process, and the study is a starting-point. “One of the key points in the paper is to embrace knowledge gaps rather than ignore them. Adaptation plans should also acknowledge where there are uncertainties and a lack of knowledge,” Ytteborg said.
While knowledge gaps exist and real-world complexities present challenges, research like what Ytteborg and Falconer initiated is moving aquaculture forward in its ability to contribute to the global food supply.
Different reasons for swimming earth’s waters
While farmed salmon is emerging in markets and on dinner plates, it is sparking discussions with wild salmon devotees.
BY JULIA HOLLISTER
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization forecasts a global seafood shortage of 50-80 million tons by 2030. One answer is aquaculture.
By 2030, the world’s population is predicted to increase by another two billion. The amount of food that will be consumed in the world in the next 50 years will exceed all the food eaten in human history to date.
Today, more than half of all fish and seafood consumed in the world originates from aquaculture. Farmed Atlantic salmon can help meet the growing global seafood demand, and take the pressure off wild stocks.
Oliver Cox, with the Maine Fish and
Wildlife Service, has another view of farmed salmon in his state.
“Aquaculture has also been pointed to as having a negative effect on Maine wild Atlantic salmon associated to disease and parasites like sea lice,” he said. “We do encounter aquaculture Atlantic salmon that have escaped from their net pen from time to time. When we catch them at a fish way we can identify them by their appearance and the scale patterns.”
However, he added, “The relationship with Cooke Aquaculture and the restoration community has many angles, but, overall, it is positive and even collaborative at times.”
“We raise our Atlantic salmon in land-based, closed containment farms designed with multiple layers of containment and which utilize Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), that are good for the fish and the environment,” said Sylvia Wulf, president and CEO of AquaBounty Technologies Inc., based in Maynard, Massachusetts. “Like salmon in the
wild, our salmon school and swim naturally. But unlike in the wild, or sea-cage farms, our carefully monitored production systems and indoor tanks protect the salmon from disease and contaminants, eliminating the need for antibiotics.”
Salmon eggs arrive at the Albany, Ind. farm from the breeding and egg production facility in Rollo Bay, P.E.I., Canada and are placed into hatchery incubators. Soon after hatching, these “fry” are moved to small tanks where they begin to actively swim and feed on a special starter diet to help them thrive. AquaBounty raises all-female and sterile fish for market.
When the juvenile salmon reach 50-100 grams, they are transferred to carefully monitored, circular grow-out tanks with plenty of room to grow, school and swim naturally. Each tank is fitted with a jump net to keep the fish safe. When the salmon reach 500 grams, they are transferred to larger tanks where they grow
Underwater salmon swimming in grow-out tank.
to harvest weight (4–5 kilograms).
The production cycle is an 18 -to-20-month process from egg hatch to harvest weight.
Wulf said the global demand for salmon exceeds the supply, and currently, approximately 90 per cent of all farmed Atlantic salmon consumed in the U.S. is imported from overseas. By raising the salmon on land-based farms, AquaBounty is expanding the volume of domestically produced Atlantic salmon. Raising the fish closer to major consumer markets, is reducing the transportation distance to market, resulting in a fresher product with a smaller carbon footprint than salmon being imported into the U.S. by air freight.
“We have seen an increase in proposals to build more land-based salmon farms in the U.S, but these have been delayed for a variety of reasons,” said Wulf. “This delay includes the permitting process and the rapidly changing economic landscape coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Traditional sea-cage farmers are trying to increase production volumes but are challenged in this regard as well by the same constraints.”
Wulf said the biggest challenge facing salmon farmers in 2022 is the volatile economic situation that is delaying the building of new farms by driving up the costs of inputs, such as building materials and equipment. Shortages are another challenge, whether that is for raw materials or finished products, such as technology components. Sea-cage farmers face detrimental environmental changes and constraints due to stricter regulations and changes in taxation.
At Mollie Stones, a high-end grocery and fish market in San Francisco, customers have a choice of salmon at the counter.
“Most of our customers want the wild salmon over the farmed but price has a definite effect on the choice,” said Art Mortenenegro, fish monger at Mollie Stones. “Wild salmon sells for US$37.30 a pound and a pound of farmed variety is $25.90. In my opinion, the farmed salmon – fed on ground fish and potatoes – tastes just as good as the wild type.”
Donavon Hilligoss, community supported fishery director with Sitka Salmon Shares in Alaska said harvesting wild-caught seafood using small boats and low-impact gear has minimal effect on the environment.
“In fact, it could be said that small boat fishermen are some of the best stewards of our oceans,” he said. “Many are multi-generational and live in the coastal communities where they fish. These fishermen also use gear that limits bycatch and they avoid environmentally sensitive areas. They are the most well-managed in the world with the sustainability of the ocean’s resources as the guiding tenant. ”
Integrated pest management
Sea lice are considered a significant challenge for salmon farmers around the world.
Ectoparasites can be one of the major infectious pathogens an aquaculture operation has to manage and treat. Not least of these parasites are sea lice, which continue to present significant challenges for salmon farmers around the world.
The cornerstone of managing ectoparasites, particularly sea lice, is the practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a strategy employed by various industries, from agriculture to forest management, and of course aquaculture. IPM is a multifactorial approach to managing pests; this includes applying the knowledge of a given pest’s biology and lifecycle to the development of effective management strategies, including the utilization of a broad range of control measures and treatments. Regular monitoring of the host and pest of interest is also a key component of IPM.
Through the effective use of IPM, we can keep pests which pose a threat to our livestock at bay, while preserving the use of the treatments we have available to us.
Having a thorough knowledge of a parasite’s
biology is critical to effectively managing it, including information such as its stages and length of development, and how these might differ depending on certain environmental parameters (e.g. temperature), which stages of development are not susceptible to treatment, and how and when the parasites reproduce. Understanding when a parasite is vulnerable to various treatments and /or control measures is also crucial information. This knowledge can then be used by your veterinarian to design a management strategy, including the timing of treatment options.
In the case of sea lice, several species and subspecies of lice are of fish health concern in salmon aquaculture (e.g. Lepeophtheirus salmonis, Caligus spp.); these vary depending on where in the world you are farming fish. Each of these species has their own unique traits and characteristics which influences how we manage them. Furthermore, the regulatory requirements for sea lice management can vary significantly between different jurisdictions. Regulatory requirements are hopefully based on various biological factors
(e.g. species of sea lice present, wild fish populations, environmental conditions, etc.), though sometimes regulations can be a bit arbitrary and/or made in response to political pressure. Understanding biological factors such as how quickly an attached immature louse (chalimus stage of development) becomes sexually mature, as well as knowing which stages of development are vulnerable to specific treatments will influence the treatment schedule.
Chemotherapeutants, particularly those delivered in-feed, have played a huge role in the treatment of sea lice, and continue to be an important component of sea lice management. The importance of IPM in the context of sea lice came to the forefront when sea lice in certain regions stopped responding to in-feed treatments. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), wherein pests and pathogens become decreasingly responsive to certain treatments, is a significant threat to aquaculture and fish health management. Particularly when there are so few treatments and products available, it is even more important to protect the tools we have, to ensure their continued efficacy. In certain places of the world, some sea lice treatments are now largely ineffective or only effective against immature attached stages of sea lice. In other parts of the world, resistance to certain treatments started to develop, largely because no other treatment options were licensed and/or available to fish farmers. With the approval and introduction of additional treatments, and improved ability to utilize IPM strategies, the increasing tolerance of sea lice to certain treatments was curbed, and reversed to the point where treatments with previously decreasing efficacy could be successfully used again with confidence.
In certain places of the world, some sea lice treatments are now largely ineffective or only effective against immature attached stages of sea lice.
In addition to in-feed chemotherapeutants such as SLICE (emamectin benzoate), there are several other medicinal and non-medicinal sea lice treatment modalities available to farmers. One of these modalities includes in-water or “bath” treatments, which can include the use of chemicals or pesticides, for example hydrogen peroxide, or can be performed with freshwater to successfully treat sea lice. Bath treatments of salmon generally involve significant infrastructure, whether using a wellboat or large tarps to perform the treatment.
Other treatment modalities include mechanical removal with equipment such as a Hydrolicer, or in some cases, by hand picking (e.g. if dealing with a small valuable population such as broodstock) and thermal removal with equipment such as a Thermolicer or an Optilicer. Sea lice treatment modalities continue to evolve and develop, and newer technology is always on the horizon.
Through using multiple treatment modalities as part of IPM, we can help ensure the continued efficacy of our sea lice treatment options. Much like with bath treatments, many of these technologies represent a significant expense to the fish farmer. Unfortunately, the cost of these treatments makes it especially difficult for smaller producers to have access to their use; this emphasizes the importance of having a regulatory framework which enables new treatments and control measures to enter the commercial market more efficiently, particularly when such treatments are already being used safely and successfully in other parts of the world.
As previously mentioned, a key component of IPM is regular monitoring, including quantifying and qualifying infections. Without knowing if there is an active parasitic infection, how serious the infection is and at which stages of development those parasites are in at the time of monitoring, it becomes much more difficult to time appropriate treatment and management strategies. Establishing a regular and consistent monitoring program with trained staff is something that should be implemented by any operation looking to effectively manage parasitic infections in its livestock.
As with sea lice management, IPM can also play an important role in managing other parasites, whether in saltwater and freshwater, such as various amoeba species, parasitic copepods (Salmincola spp.), or Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, to name a few. With increasing threats to the stability of our food supply and food production systems, effective management of our livestock’s health and productivity is critical to continued sustainable food production. Your veterinarian would be more than happy to help you further develop and implement IPM at your operation.
Dr Mykolas Kamaitis is a private practice aquaculture veterinarian and owner of Belwood Lake Veterinary Services in Ontario, Canada. He previously worked in the salmon industry in British Columbia as a vet and Fish Health Manager with Mowi Canada West. During his time at Mowi, Mykolas developed a strong background in production medicine and continues to take a preventative and production-focused approach to fish health management. He was named president of the Association of Aquaculture Veterinarians of British Columbia (AAVBC) in 2018 and continues in the role to this day.
Organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society, this year’s NW Fish Culture Concepts will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Portland 1000 NE Multnomah Street, Portland, OR 97232
Conference information: Contact Jesse Rivera at 360-604-2541 or Jeremy Voeltz at 623-670-2854
Trade show/Vendor information: Contact Bob Turik at 509-538-2755 or Hayley Muir at 231-233-4761
Experts forecast business growth and broader support for U.S. shellfish and seaweed farming
BY LYNN FANTOM
While media coverage has often cast controversial salmon operations in a harsh spotlight, seaweed and shellfish farms have been bathed in a golden glow, like an Instagram filter that subliminally suggests environmental benefits and sincere, smallscale entrepreneurs.
That reputation is well deserved and will
serve the industry well as operations grow larger because, though exhausted from Covid, these farmers are pragmatic, smart, and not likely to be satisfied with the status quo. They’ve looked up from the mudflats and see new things on the horizon.
“The future is bright,” said David O’Brien, the acting director of NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, “but there’s a lot more work to be done.” Here’s some of what’s ahead.
Expect to see public interest in seaweed and shellfish farming increase.
Awareness of aquaculture is growing as food shortages and the climate emergency intensify. “Over the past few months, terrestrial farming has been under major pressure,” said O’Brien, pointing to the droughts and record-high fertilizer prices that have been making headlines.
Seaweed and shellfish culture, on the other hand, requires no inputs and, as a regenerative form of farming, is winning public praise. Research presented at the Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition last April found that messages related to environmental benefits—versus jobs or affordable seafood, for example— rank as the strongest reasons to support marine aquaculture’s expansion.
Quantification of those ecosystem benefits will further impact positive public perception. Case in point: oyster and clam aquaculture delivered US$2.8-$5.8 million in ecosystem services to remove excess nitrogen from the coastal waters of Greenwich, CT, according to a study last year. Also improving water quality—and gaining fans—are over 150 community oyster gardens off the north shore of Long Island, New York, just across the sound.
On a larger scale, Island Creek Oysters has been working with Northeastern University and the Nature Conservancy to quantify the environmental impacts its Massachusetts farm is having on the local ecosystem, according to Chris Sherman, CEO.
Stay tuned for what environmental mitigation could mean for farmers.
Such activities have led to “a really positive dialogue” that has put aquaculture’s environmental benefits “more on people’s minds,” said Sherman. It’s sustainable and restorative. And those benefits could have another tangible upside.
“There are great opportunities for both seaweed and shellfish farmers to be forerunners with innovative tools for carbon credits or even nitrogen credits for water quality issues,” he added.
“It remains to be seen exactly what the business opportunity for the industry is to leverage our impact there. But I think in the next few years, we’ll definitely see some breakthroughs on that front.”
Watch the U.S. federal government step up, big time, with support on multiple fronts.
For the first time since 1983, Washington is updating the National Aquaculture Development Plan. Three new strategic plans—for Science, Regulatory Efficiency, and Economic Development—will provide the basis for a holistic approach to expand domestic aquaculture.
These pillars “really demonstrate this very strong and growing cross-agency initiative for aquaculture development,” said NOAA’s O’Brien, who co-chairs the task force on the economic development plan. Members of that group, for example, include federal employees not only from the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce but also the Small Business Administration and the State Department,
Your Choice for Organic Integrity
among several others.
To advance climate-smart food production through aquaculture, Washington is rallying many departments in a whole-of-government approach. “It’s a big deal,” O’Brien said.
Get ready for trade with the European Union (EU) to grow.
In February, the Biden Administration concluded negotiations to resume bilateral trade of live shellfish for the first time since 2011, starting with U.S. producers in Massachusetts and Washington and EU farms in Spain and the Netherlands.
Taylor Shellfish Farms, which had “a vibrant market” in Spain for manila clams before it was shut down in 2010, jumped on the opportunity and found demand is still there, according to public affairs director Bill Dewey. The Washington-based company, which is the largest producer of aquaculture shellfish in the US, resumed exports to Spain last June.
“We are excited to have the ability to ship to Europe again,” Dewey said.
Adds Sherman of Island Creek Oysters, “It’s an opportunity to expand our horizons, which I think is good ultimately for the
industry. It’s a big shift that I definitely expect to have a market impact in 2023.”
Keep an eye on Alaska, as the 49th state’s ‘mariculture’ comes on strong.
Although Maine grew more than 85 percent of the cultivated seaweed in the U.S. in 2021, Alaska, which only began issuing kelp farming permits in 2016, will be working hard at catching up—with more than a little help from the government.
As announced by President Biden in September, the Alaska Mariculture Cluster was among the 21 winners of the $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge, a competitive federal grant program.
That means a $49 million award to boost both shellfish and seaweed production in Alaska, with projects that include an integrated hatchery network, workforce training, and a loan fund to help businesses grow. The approach has been structured with partners which serve tribal, rural, and underserved communities.
Follow how food production will morph formats to reach more people. This year, part of Maine-based Atlantic Sea
Farms growth strategy has been to “kelp everything”— going beyond frozen and fermented retail products to wholesaling seaweed in various formats as an ingredient for cheese, noodles, crackers, and dietary supplements. Starting in October, new plant-based crab cakes will feature Atlantic Sea Farms kelp.
“Large companies want domestic sources of seaweed—that’s the most exciting thing happening now,” says chief executive Briana Warner.
The Island Creek team is also looking at how to bring oysters to customers in new ways, such as frozen or canned formats.
“Delivering a fresh product is an expensive endeavor,” says Sherman. “New formats can help us bring this food product to people along all points of the economic spectrum, plus reduce the carbon footprint and supply chain.
“To do that, it’s also about scaling up production and achieving efficiencies in a way where we can deliver the product at a more affordable price.” He believes such innovation could come in the next year or two.
Expect ocean farmers to become larger and more vertically integrated.
The larger the farm, the more profitable, notes a financial benchmarking report published by the Maine Aquaculture Association. What’s more, vertically integrated companies in this industry are developing distinctly different specialties as they grow.
Atlantic Sea Farms, which prides itself
as a model for doing well by doing good, houses seaweed hatchery operations, processing, consumer product development, and marketing under one roof. It does everything except actually grow the kelp, but it supports its network of 27 partner farmers, mostly lobstermen, with everything from free seed to lease application assistance. It’s a structure that works, as evidenced by a record-breaking harvest of almost one million pounds of kelp this year.
Island Creek Oysters, on the other hand, built its vertically integrated company from the core of a farm. As top chefs at restaurants—and the White House—began featuring its eponymous oyster, it launched hatchery operations, a distribution company representing over 100 farms, a retail business, and a restaurant group.
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Likewise, Hoopers Island Oyster Company in Maryland started as a grower and expanded not only into hatchery operations but also equipment manufacturing. When managing partner Ricky Fitzhugh, an entrepreneur at heart, saw needs in the industry, he started businesses to meet them. In August, he announced a new oyster restoration division that works with environmental groups and watermen associations to plant spat-on-shell on reefs in the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the US.
Don’t
expect workforce challenges to disappear, alas.
Like other companies, Fitzhugh acknowledges the difficulty of recruiting and retaining employees today. “I don’t see that
changing any time in the next year or so,” he added. That’s another reason Hoopers Island is moving forward aggressively with labor-saving equipment.
With customers in the U.S., Canada, and Japan, its products range from nursery tanks to farm gear to sorting/grading equipment. Fitzhugh points in particular to the industry’s first laser-guided processor, which allows a single operator to grade, sort, and package more than 6,000 oysters an hour. Another product, a shell chipper, increases shucking production by about 40 percent.
At Hoopers Island, the equipment division accounts for approximately 60 percent of company revenue, proving the value of new lines of business.
Look for cultivation of other shellfish species to accelerate.
Harmful algal blooms (HAB), diverse and frequent, have become an increasing threat in coastal regions globally. Researchers have learned that different algae species impact different types of fish and shellfish.
“In the last 10 or 15 years, everyone has grown a lot of oysters. Particularly in the Northeast, the industry’s become pretty monolithic and could become subject to some sort of large-scale shift in the environment, like an algae bloom,” said Sherman.
To manage that vulnerability, farmers are putting on the hats of risk managers and exploring differentiation. At Island Creek Oysters, founder Skip Bennett “has been working almost exclusively on R&D for other species,” said Sherman. Bay scallops, surf clams, and even hard clams all remain possibilities for the future. Island Creek already offers seed for all of these species from its hatchery.
“Making sure the technology is ready so that we can capture the opportunity when things do shift is a big priority for us,” Sherman said.
Ace Aquatech installs new stunners at Cedar Crest
Ace Aquatech recently installed its Humane Electrical Stunner at one of Canada’s leading trout producers, Cedar Crest Trout Farms.
This is the first trout stunner the company has installed in Canada. The company said its stunning technology is meant to “reshape the narrative around ethical slaughtering processes” in the region.
The in-water electrical stunner has a 100 per cent stun rate with a record for reducing stress at harvest for salmonids, sea bass & bream, yellowtail and tilapia.
“Cedar Crest has established a new standard in Canada for the humane slaughter of farmed trout,” said Sam Bowman, Ace Aquatec’s North America regional manager. “The installation and operation of the electric stunner went smoothly thanks to the resourcefulness of Cedar Crest’s farm team who worked closely with Ace Aquatec’s senior scientist and technicians.”
Scale AQ launches net cleaning solution
Aquaculture nets supplier ScaleAQ has partnered with MEOX to provide net cleaning solutions to its customers.
MEOX net cleaners use cavitation washing technology to remain gentle on the net’s coating and net line, but effective. The cleaners are designed to create millions of tiny air bubbles in the water flow to create a high-pressure jet that is “softer” than a pure jet of water. This cavitation technology also means that it will demand less water (about one-third less) and energy than convention cleaning techniques.
The company cites a Sintef research project from 2015-2019 that found that cavitation washing at a full 200 bar was found to have no impact after a single wash and to have stripped away only two to nine per cent of the impregnation after repeat washes.
“We believe that cavitation cleaning will be important for our CAS (closed aquaculture systems) investments,” said Audun Fjeldvær, vice-president of Product Solutions at
ScaleAQ. “Development and testing of specialized washing rigs for closed facilities at sea and on land is already well underway. It’s not only nets that require gentle treatment; damage to tanks and tarpaulins can quickly become expensive. Therefore, we are convinced that the cavitation cleaning technology will be important here as well in the future.”
Innovasea launches new management platform
Innovasea has unveiled a new high-powered aquaculture management platform.
Realfish Pro is a cloud-based platform that enables users to monitor, manage and control operations remotely at any time. The technology is meant to combine real-time data from environmental sensors and cameras with powerful analytics software.
“Realfish Pro is a giant step forward for fish farmers looking to increase their production and profitability,” said Tim Stone, Innovasea’s vice president of product development. “Rather than rely on educated guesses or gut instinct, farm managers can now make data-driven decisions using accurate, up-to-the-minute information that’s always available, no matter where they are.”
The new platform comes with two modules. AquaEnvironment uses wireless sensors to monitor water conditions like temperature, oxygen levels and algal blooms. AquaControl will help farmers aerate and oxygenate water in fish pens to counteract poor conditions and enhance fish health. It can also automate the aeration and oxygenation regimens.
Realfish Pro is able to provide automated reporting of farm site conditions or meet industry certifications.
CABI’s Aquaculture text releases 4th edition
A newly updated version of “Aquaculture: An Introductory Text” has been released.
This fourth edition is written by well-known experts, Robert Stickey and Delbert Gatlin III, with increased coverage of open-ocean cage culture and sea lice issues with salmon culture; coverage on the significant progress made in nutrition; information on biofloc technology uses; and updated statistics and lists of approved anaesthetics.
The update also includes the latest information about sustainable aquaculture development, culture systems, hatchery methods, nutrition of aquaculture species, reproductive strategies and many other topics.
This textbook provides a comprehensive look at the culture of fish, molluscs and crustaceans for food production. The book also covers other forms of aquaculture, such as seaweeds, recreational fish and ornamental fish.
ANA_Aquaculture Association of Canada_NovDec22_CSA.indd 1 2022-10-20
AQUACULTURE BUSINESSES: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ECONOMICS AND
This exciting new book provides practical guidance and advice for individuals who are seeking to manage and develop a successful aquaculture business. Starting with an overview of the types of challenges faced by managers of aquaculture businesses, the book then presents and contrasts the differences in challenges faced by new, startup businesses and those that have been in business for many years.
The book includes step-by-step guidance on how to find key markets, locate customers and determine their preferences, how to develop estimates of capital requirements for land, construction of buildings and production facilities, and to purchase equipment.
