Fish Farmer magazine - February 2016

Fish Farmer VOLUME 39

Serving worldwide aquaculture since 1977

NUMBER 02

FEBRUARY 2016

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SEA LICE SPECIAL

GROWTH INDUSTRY

THE OFFSHORE RULE

OYSTER MAN

The latest ploys to purge the parasite

Scotland must upscale salmon production

America opens new frontier to aquaculture

Jersey farmer nurtures native species

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Contents 4-13 News

What’s happening in aquaculture in the UK and around the world

14-15 Letters

JENNY HJUL – EDITOR

Lice work

T

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Meet the team

Contact us

Editorial Advisory Board: Steve Bracken, Hervé Migaud, Patrick Smith, Phil Thomas and Jim Treasurer Editor: Jenny Hjul Designer: Andrew Balahura Advertising Manager: William Dowds wdowds@fishupdate.com Advertising Executive: Dave Edler dedler@fishupdate.com Publisher: Alister Bennett

Tel: +44(0) 131 551 1000 Fax: +44(0) 131 551 7901 email: editor@fishfarmer-magazine.com

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Welcome.indd 3

36-39 Award winner Kiranpreet Kaur

40-41 SAIC

Cleaner future

Marine ingredients

he issue of sea lice continues to preoccupy salmon farmers and, therefore, is a subject we have to tackle in some depth.

Although there are few months when we don’t mention the pest, it becomes a special focus in our February magazine. We have asked a number of experts, in the industry, research institutions and government, to outline their latest work combating a problem that costs the salmon farming sector millions every year.

From advances in genetic selection, to drug resistance, from innovative nets, to functional feed - and not forgetting the progress being made with cleaner fish, we have covered some of the current approaches to what has been described as salmon farming’s major challenge. Emerging from all these efforts, in different centres in different countries, is a growing consensus that no single solution will beat sea lice. A combination of the best available science, technology and husbandry practices, along with even greater collaboration between researchers, farmers and regulators, is the industry’s most hopeful strategy.

Elsewhere, we look at the fortunes of Scotland’s salmon exports compared to Norway’s, while Professor Phil Thomas calls on ministers to fulfil their promise to make the expansion of the industry a priority.

The Americans are also looking at expansion, and their recent decision to permit offshore aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico is causing waves. We talk to those whose mission it is to make the US seafood self-sufficient.

We have also launched a letters page and welcome your opinions on anything and everything (within reason!) aquaculture related.

Fish Farmer is now on Facebook and Twitter

Contents – Editor’s Welcome

Head Office: Special Publications, Fettes Park, 496 Ferry Road, Edinburgh, EH5 2DL

16-17 Salmon report The ups and downs

18 SSPO

42-43 On the frontline

20-21 ASSG

58-61 US offshore

Go for growth

Jersey venture

Gulf widens

64 Retail News

Seafood champion

22 Sea lice

65 Processing News More Morpol

Introduction

23-25 Industry pioneer

66-67 Nutriad

Peter Coutteau

John McHenery

26-28 New breed Genetic tools

30-33 Marine Scotland Wild interactions

68-69 Archive

Taking stocks

63-65 Aqua Source Directory

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MSD’s Camilla MacDonald

Find all you need for the industry

34-35 Stirling

66 Opinion

By Nick Joy

Armin Sturm

3

08/02/2016 09:54:22

United Kingdom News

NEWS...

Marine Harvest cuts 100 jobs in Scotland

Above: Live fish are harvested at Mallaig

UP to 100 jobs are to go at Marine Harvest Scotland as part of a restructuring plan, the company announced last month.

The news, which follows a recent review of the business, was given at a meeting with staff representatives.

They were told the

company was making changes to its operations in order to make the business more efficient and sustainable.

Ben Hadfield, the recently appointed managing director of Marine Harvest Scotland, said: ‘We will be sorry to see staff leaving as we have a highly

skilled and talented team here at Marine Harvest Scotland.

‘However, the industry is moving at a fast pace and fish farming is in a very different place today from where it was ten or even five years ago.

‘We have to ensure the business is sustainable and is fit

to meet the challenges we face moving forward.

‘By taking this action now we can be more certain of maintaining jobs in the future.’

The Norwegian group said it expected to report operational earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of NOK 850 million in

the fourth quarter of 2015, down from NOK 1 billion the previous year.

Start-up costs at the Rosyth processing plant in Scotland have reportedly also been higher than expected and have impacted results negatively by NOK 70 million (£5.55 million), the company said.

Marine Harvest Scotland has issued a 30-day notice and will now enter a period of consultation with staff representatives about which posts – out of a total of 658 employees - will be affected.

The restructuring will affect jobs in different departments across all the regions.

The company is contacting local agencies

and politicians and will do everything it can to assist staff in gaining new employment.

Marine Harvest operates four hatcheries, five freshwater loch sites and 48 sea farms, with farm operations situated across the Highlands, Argyll and the Western Isles.

Live fish are harvested at Mallaig and processed at the Blar Mhor processing plant in Fort William. The company has offices at Fort William and Rosyth.

The processing plant at Rosyth is not affected by this announcement as it is part of the Marine Harvest Consumer Products division and not Marine Harvest

Scottish Sea Farms expands international sales team

Above: Victoria McDowell, (L), and Cheryl Scott THE international sales team at Scottish Sea Farms has been boosted by two key appointments. Victoria McDowell has been appointed commercial manager, joining from Glasgow Airport where she was commercial manager for eight years.

Cheryl Scott joins the team as export and UK sales manager. She will be working with new customers and brings a wealth of experience in the food and drink industry from her time working in sales with Diageo and, before that, with Paterson Arran.

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All the latest industry news from the UK

Farm will bring jobs to Orkney

SCOTTISH Sea Farms is to expand its business in Orkney after winning planning approval for a new site at Westerbister.

The company will invest more than £3 million in the farm, which will see the creation of six new jobs and significantly increase production.

The Westerbister site will consist 16 x 100m cages, with consent for 1,791 tonnes of salmon production, making it the second largest Scottish Sea Farms site in Orkney.

SSF regional manager Richard Darbyshire said: ‘This is really good news for both Scottish Sea Farms and the local community.

‘This planning approval has been the culmination of four years of consultation and hard work.’t

Search for feed plant site on Scotland’s west coast MARINE Harvest is looking for a site in Scotland to locate its £80 million fish farm feed plant.

The development, announced before news of job cuts at the firm broke, will create full-time employment for 55 people, as well as significant opportunities in related service industries.

Further jobs will also be created during construction of the plant, which will take between a year and eighteen months.

The move follows a recent decision by the board of Marine Harvest to invest in a plant in Scotland that will produce feed for use on their Scottish fish farms, as well as for Ireland, Norway and the Faroes.

After opening and operating a large feed plant in Norway, Marine Harvest hope to replicate their success in Scotland.

Marine Harvest Scotland managing director Ben Hadfield, who is also the chief operating officer of feed for Marine Harvest globally, said: ‘This is a large investment in Scotland and should be welcome news for the host community, given the number of jobs. We have a similar plant in Norway which has proved enormously successful.’

Hadfield, who lived and worked in Fort William for 15 years, added: ‘This plant will allow us to meet our aspirations on sustainability, as well as learn from our experience at the Norwegian plant.

This is a large investment in Scotland and should be welcome news for the host community

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UK news.indd 5

‘For example, it will use Liquid Natural Gas for most of its energy, providing a much reduced carbon footprint over current arrangements.

‘What we have done in Norway has created jobs directly in the local community and also generated employment for local contractors and suppliers.

‘We are in discussions with the owners of a number of sites and are seeking the views of local regulators, as well as Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and hope to be in a position to make a final decision on a preferred site within the next month.’

The feed plant needs to be in the west of Scotland and centrally located to provide easy access to Marine Harvest’s salmon farms on the west coast of the Highlands, Argyll and Bute and the Western Isles.

And as the feed will be delivered by boat to the farms, it needs to be a site on the coast with direct access to an existing jetty or pier, or offer the potential for one to be built.

The site needs to be a minimum of four acres to accommodate the various buildings that make up the feed plant.

ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL

New funding for feed research FUNDING for research into sustainable feeds and diagnostic solutions was announced by the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) last month.

To be eligible, expressions of interest must be led by an industry partner.

The open calls were issued following two SAIC workshops in January.

Attending the feeds workshop, Brett Glencross, newly appointed professor of nutrition at Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, said: ‘Feed

Above: The new feed plant needs to have access to a jetty or pier

invertebrates. There are many interesting avenues for applied research in this area.’

The deadline for diagnostics solutions is March 16 and sustainable feeds, March 21.

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08/02/2016 10:04:35

United Kingdom News

Breeding gives Benchmark a boost BENCHMARK has had a year of ‘transformational growth’, underpinned by the performance of the group’s breeding and genetics division formed through the acquisitions of Salmobreed and Stofnfiskur.

Announcing its preliminary results for the year ended September 30, 2015, the company said revenue increased by 25 per cent to £44.2 million (2014: £35.4 million), driven by Breeding and Genetics; Malcolm Pye, CEO of Benchmark, said: ‘It has been a busy year

for the company. Following the acquisition of Salmobreed and Stofnfiskur last year we have successfully integrated the new Breeding and Genetics division, and are particularly proud of its contributions.

‘Our strategy of diversification has proven successful,

and that endeavour will be furthered again following the transformational INVE acquisition.

‘Our continued investment into R&D has seen our product pipeline increase from 47 to 61, and we are continuing to develop cutting edge capabilities at our research and manufacturing facilities in Ardtoe and Braintree.’

The acquisition of INVE Aquaculture, for $342 million, created ‘the fifth and final ‘cog’ in the gearbox.

Shetland demand for Crown Estate funds CROWN Estate income from the seabed around Shetland should be reinvested in the NAFC Marine Centre, a salmon farming seminar heard last month.

Shetland MSP Tavish Scott told the meeting in Lerwick that the Crown Estate revenue, set to be devolved from London to Edinburgh under the Scotland Bill, should be reinvested in the islands’ fish farming, reported the Shetland News.

The SNP government has agreed to devolve the income to Shetland and other island communities as part of last year’s Smith Commis-

sion process in the wake of the independence referendum.

Scott said he wanted to see the powers devolved immediately, and claimed the government had yet to ‘fully endorse this approach’.

Above: Tavish Scott

Salmon farmers help restock rivers says SSPO

THE Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation (SSPO) has defended salmon THE Scottish government announced new laws to protect the nation’s declining farmers in the face of wild salmon populations last month.

Measures include a three-year ban on killing fish outwith estuary limits and strict fresh criticism about controls on the number that can be taken from inland waters, with targets to be set the industry’s impact on wild fish stocks. annually based on the health of stocks in particular rivers.

SSPO chief execuAll fisheries districts will also require a conservation plan, regardless of the tive Scott Landsburgh health of local populations. The new regulations – previously known as the ‘kill licence’ – have been welcomed by fisheries managers, who say they provide clarity said joint working and information sharing while also offering ‘flexibility’ for improvement. about both wild and There has been a steady decline in the numbers of Atlantic salmon in Scottish farmed salmon was rivers in recent years. Total catch was estimated at 500,000 in 1975, but this had crashed to about 100,000 by 2000. The fish face threats from predators, poor wa- ‘surely the productive way forward’. ter quality, disease and parasites, barriers to migration and the effects of climate Blaming declining change. The new rules come into force on April 1.

Changes in licence to kill salmon

wild stocks on salmon farming ignored other factors.

Landsburgh was speaking after Scotland’s aquaculture industry, worth more than £1.4 billion, came

under renewed attack from anglers.

Salmon and Trout Conservation Scotland (S&TCS) launched a parliamentary petition last month calling for tighter regulation of salmon farms.

S&TCS director Andrew Graham-Stewart said: ‘The current regulatory regime for fish farms gives very little protection to wild salmon and sea trout and is untenable.’

Five aquaculture finalists in awards RISING stars in the aquaculture industry Hayley Eccles, Lisa Askham, Marcos Garcia, Martin Mladenov and Matthew Anderson have been shortlisted for Lantra Scotland’s Learner of the Year Awards 2016.

The winners will be announced at the Land based and Aquaculture Learner of the Year Awards ceremony, on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at the Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro Hotel.

Hayley, 31, from Strathcarron in the Highlands, has recently finished a Modern Apprenticeship SVQ Level 3 in Aquaculture at Scottish Sea Farms and Inverness College UHI. She is working as a freshwater technician at the Couldoran Hatchery in Kishorn.

Lisa, 24, from Lochcarron, has completed her Modern Apprenticeship SVQ Level 2 in Aquaculture at Inverness College UHI while working as a freshwater

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operative at Russelburn Hatchery, Kishorn, owned by the Scottish Salmon Company.

Marcos, 23, originally from Portugal and now living in Newtonstewart in County Tyrone, studied Zoology at Cardiff University, before completing an MSc in Sustainable Aquaculture at Stirling University.

He then went on to join the Dawnfresh Graduate Programme where he now works as an assistant farm manager.

Martin, 29, has completed his Modern Apprenticeship SVQ Level 3 in Aquaculture at Scottish Sea Farms and NAFC Marine Centre, part of the University of Highlands and Islands.

He is working as a husbandryman for SSF, feeding and monitoring salmon, observing behaviour, taking weekly samples and making sure they remain healthy. His ambition is to become a site manager.

Matthew, 23, from Oban did a BA (Hons) Degree in Aquaculture and is now working as an assistant farm manager for Dawnfresh Farming.

Organised by Lantra Scotland, the sector skills council for the land based, aquaculture and environmental industries, the awards recognise Scotland’s From top: Hayley Eccles; most talented trainees from across the rural sector, Matthew Anderson; Martin as well as encouraging employers to invest in skills.

Mladenov. Right: Marcos Garcia

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08/02/2016 10:35:24

NEWS...

All the latest industry news from Europe

Akva to explore submersible farming AKVA Group is to work on industrial scale submersible salmon farming in Norway.

In partnership with the companies Sinkaberg-Hansen and Egersund Net, it has established the company Atlantis Subsea Farming, to develop submersible fish farming.

It has applied for six development licences to enable large-scale development and testing of the new technology and operational concept.

The work on Atlantis started in summer 2014, and experts from all three companies have been and will continue to be involved with the Atlantis concept, Akva said.

The new firm aims both to contribute to better and more sustainable use of current farming sites, as well as enable use of more exposed sites than is currently possible.

The goal is to achieve production gains and improve fish welfare by submerging the

facilities, as they will be far less exposed to the environmental and physical conditions than in a surface position. ‘The further progress of the project... depends on our being granted development licences,’ said Akva.

The aim is also that the technology and operating methods developed through Atlantis can be made available and be adopted by the industry relatively quickly.

Egersund: page 29

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08/02/2016 10:36:20

European News

Bakkafrost expansion plans ‘well on track’

BAKKAFROST, the main salmon farming company in the Faroe Islands, said its expansion programme is well on track despite a few minor delays.

The company said: ‘We are about halfway through the expansion plans, which were presented in the summer of 2013.

‘Several big projects are on-going and some projects are in progress.’

The purpose of the expansions was: to produce bigger smolts (with the aim of reaching a total of 300g in 2018); to minimise the biological risks; to gradually enhance the total production capacity by 10-15 per cent; to have a higher efficiency and a safer investment by integrating production units on land; and to save about DKK 70-90 million a year from 2017.

Bakkafrost’s new production plant and headquarters were progressing, said the company.

Two months ago the company told shareholders that it was looking to the future with increasing confidence. It is also expecting salmon prices to increase.

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Fish exports to Russia may resume this year FISH exports to Russia from the EU, Iceland and Norway could resume this summer.

France’s economy minister Emmanuel Macron said after a meeting with French businessmen in Moscow that he hoped trade sanctions imposed by the West following Russia’s intervention in the Ukraine border war can be lifted, or at least eased, in the next few months.

The sanctions were imposed in September 2014 and badly dented Norway’s farmed

salmon sector for a time, although it has managed to make up for this important loss by finding new markets in other parts of the world.

Norwegian salmon exports are now at record levels and if Russia does come back into the frame it would not only further boost sales, but prices for salmon are likely to harden even further.

Although Iceland and Norway are not members of the EU they were party to the action in an act of solidarity with the US and

the rest of Europe. Iceland’s foreign ministry said last week that unilaterally walking away from sanctions, as some people in the country had wanted,

would badly damage the country’s reputation.

Icelandic and Scottish companies were also big exporters of mackerel and other

pelagic species to Russia.

Macron said he hoped the implementation of the Minsk agreements would lead to an end to the conflict in Ukraine and the lifting of sanctions on Russia by the summer, it was reported.

‘Our common goal is to have the sanctions lifted this summer,’ he said. Earlier last month, at the Davos World Economic Forum, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that the sanctions might be lifted in the next few months.

sustainable, and leaves no mark on the environment (95 per cent of the materials used are recyclable).

Its system allows for halibut to be farmed on land, with technology that provides high aeration and oxygenation of the water to keep disease at bay.

Aqua-Spark’s $2.75 million investment will be used to scale

up production from 50 tonnes to 800 tonnes and to integrate Calysta’s FeedKind feed, which is key to making Sogn Aqua completely sustainable.

‘To transform an industry, we’re looking across the sector – from feed to plate – and determining how we can have the greatest impact,’ said Mike Velings and Amy Novogratz, co-founders of Aqua-Spark.

Aqua-Spark backs halibut farmer

DUTCH group Aqua-Spark, the only investment fund focused solely on sustainable aquaculture, has announced its latest projects.

They are joined by Cargill for a major investment in US based biotech company Calysta, which makes Feedkind protein.

In 2014 Aqua-Spark invested in Calysta because of its untapped potential to make fish feed healthier and more environmentally sound.

Now they’ll be investing an additional $4.1 million in Calysta’s $30 million financing, alongside the likes of Cargill and a few others.

Calysta has pioneered FeedKind, a methane-eating natural microbe that produces protein.

Calysta and Cargill will be collaborating in the North American manufacturing and global marketing of FeedKind.

The second investment is in Sogn Aqua, a Norwegian fish farm that could change the way Atlantic halibut is farmed.

Through a number of innovations, Sogn Aqua’s system for growing bigger halibut is more sustainable and efficient than competitors.

Its patented water system pumps water from the clean depths of the fjord, through the farm and – after removing pollutants –

back into the bottom of the fjord. The system is low maintenance,

Joint effort to combat net fouling NORWAY’S Steen-Hansen, manufacturer of impregnation and net protection products, has teamed up with a Swedish research group.

The agreement, with SP Technical Research Institute, will accelerate the development of new anti-fouling products, the company hopes.

The co-operation between Steen-Hansen and SP adopts new principles to achieve even more efficient, predictable and environmentally friendly products.

Better and faster testing of new products is necessary for launching products more quickly. One of Steen-Hansen’s objectives is to establish Norway’s – and the industry’s - most advanced laboratory for life-time testing of Above: Better and faster testing nets.

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

08/02/2016 10:37:05

All the latest industry news from Europe

Irish call for review of licensing

Gibraltar group plan RAS salmon farm

recognised. Each fish farm job supports two and half more in the local economy.

‘Food production is the backbone of rural Ireland and needs a cohesive approach by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.

‘The commitment in the department’s FoodAbove: Richie Flynn wise 2025 document to review the licensing of THE Irish Farmers’ meet demand around aquaculture is crucial to Association has again the coast and produce removing the logjam in called for the issue of a lot more in terms of the licensing system.’ aquaculture licensjobs and exports.

Flynn added: ‘It is ing in Ireland to be ‘Aquaculture busivital that producers addressed, following nesses like oyster, who have been waiting the announcement last salmon and mussel an extraordinarily long month of new Eurofarmers want to move time for licence applipean funded seafood forward. They want cations to be renewed schemes. to meet consumer are allowed access to Welcoming the demand and continue all schemes. schemes under the to develop our inter‘The last thing European Maritime and national reputation that industry or the Fisheries Fund (EMFF), with the highest quality country needs is a IFA Aquaculture standards. situation where this executive Richie Flynn ‘Companies who have programme of measures said: ‘If the aquaculture invested decades in is under-utilised and licensing issue was this industry want the funding is handed back, addressed and all com- ability to clearly plan particularly considering panies involved in the for succession to the that our European comsector could access this next generation. petitors have access to funding, there is no ‘The importance of the same schemes in doubt that the fund for having export oriented much larger measure aquaculture could be businesses in pebut without the licenscomfortably doubled to ripheral areas is well ing problems.’

A Gibraltar company is planning to build a $60 million land-based salmon farm in Spain, Undercurrent News reported last month.

The Rodsel Group hopes to site its farm in Zamora in Spain, in a 25 ha plant that it expects will produce 3,000 tonnes of salmon a year using recirculation technology.

The company will invest $30 million in the first phase of the development, which will involve setting up breeding tanks. It is hoped this will get underway in the third quarter of 2016.

It then plans to build a processing plant by 2019, as well as a feed mill, and hopes to create between 150 and 175 jobs eventually.

By 2020, the first batches of land reared salmon should go on sale and the company said it already has contracts to sell 99 per cent of the product to Russia and Japan.

Rodsel director Santiago Rodriguez said: ‘We have hired a company from Israel, which will take charge of the technological development to farm salmon on land.’

Above: New farm

The venture, he said, has ‘huge business potential’ since ‘there’s no other on-land salmon farm in the world able to produce 3,000 tonnes.

‘Until now, salmon farming in the sea was cheaper. This is why the project has not been made before, but we now have the technology.’

He also said the method was more sustainable than traditional ways of farming salmon.

Salmon gives Norway exports a boost NORWEGIAN seafood exports surged to NOK 6.7 billion last month, a rise of 18 per cent or one billion kroners.

The farmed salmon sector, which accounted for well over half that total, once again played a major part, although wild species such as cod also showed a significant rise.

Marit Rein from the Norwegian Seafood Council said: ‘We have left behind a strong year in 2015 and we are entering the New Year with an equally adventurous start.’

Although salmon volumes were down during January, continued rising prices meant that values were up by almost 20 per cent.

Salmon exports totalled NOK 4.3 billion during the period, an increase of NOK 644 million, or 18 per cent.

The average (salmon)

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price increased last month from NOK 44.21 in January 2015 to NOK 55.62 per kg this year.

In volume terms, exports totalled 73,500 tonnes, down by 3,300 tonnes. Poland, France and Spain were once again Norway’s largest customers for salmon.

Markets: page 16

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08/02/2016 10:37:32

World News

NEWS...

Saudis sign up to BAP standard THE Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Aquaculture Society (SAS) in which the country’s aquaculture facilities will be required to earn Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification.

All existing Saudi Arabia processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills will be required to attain BAP certification by the end of 2016, and BAP certification will be a condition of licensing new aquaculture facilities by the Aquaculture Department of the Ministry of Agriculture for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (ADMA).

Effectively, the commitment establishes the BAP

Above: (L-R): GAA president George Chamberlain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Minister of Agriculture H E Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Muhsen Al-Fadhly and SAS chairman Engr Ahmad R Al-Ballaa

third-party certification programme as the national standard for all Saudi Arabia aquaculture facilities.

The Kingdom of Saudi

Arabia has pledged to grow its seafood production to 600,000 tonnes by 2030. Its ministry has agreed to provide direction,

support and resources to aquaculture facilities pursuing BAP certification, while SAS agreed to act as a coordinator between

the BAP programme, ADMA and Saudi Arabia aquaculture facilities.

In turn, GAA agreed to provide technical support to SAS.

At the end of 2015, 1,058 processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills were BAP certified, up from 701 a year ago.

Chilean farms first to win ‘cluster’ standard MARINE Harvest Chile has completed the Best Aquaculture Practices’ (BAP) new multi-site zone cluster programme.

Nine of its salmon farm sites and two of its processing plants attained BAP certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced last month.

Thanks to the biosecurity measures implemented by Chile’s regulatory authorities, the BAP multi-site zone cluster programme is an ideal fit for Chile’s salmon and mussel facilities, claimed the GAA. The programme allows an applicant with multiple farm sites in a federally set zone, also known as a barrio or neighbourhood, to apply for BAP certification for more than one site at a time.

In addition to the multi-site zone cluster option, farms can be certified as a group.

‘At Marine Harvest, we are proud to achieve three-star BAP for our operations in Chile, which confirms the high standards of our operations, our commitment toward sustainability and our engagement with our customers,’ said Gianfranco Nattero, Marine Harvest’s managing director of sales and marketing in the Americas.

‘This certification will allow us to continue to grow and develop the salmon category in the US market.’

Peter Redmond, BAP’s vice-president of market development, said: ‘We are extremely pleased that Marine Harvest Chile achieved BAP certification with

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two processing plants and nine farms, which is demonstrating real change on the water.

‘The BAP programme continues to be dynamic and responsive to the marketplace’s needs. The new group and multi-site zone cluster programmes finally allow for multiple farms to apply for certification at one time rather than one farm at a time. It’s costly and, in a lot of cases, unnecessary.

‘The feed mill that Marine Harvest Chile uses for its farms is already BAP certified, so the company is essentially going from no BAP stars to three star BAP overnight. It’s quite an accomplishment.’

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

08/02/2016 10:45:22

All the latest industry news from around the world

ASC trains new auditors to meet Asian demand THE Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has trained 35 new auditors in China in response to the demand for certification across Asia.

During the six-day training course, held in Beijing from January 4-9, certifying body SAI convened a group including other certification bodies SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, a number of independent auditors, and staff from WWF and Tesco to undertake training for the ASC shrimp, tilapia and bivalve standards.

All ASC training includes a mandatory exam to test the auditor candidate’s understanding of the standards.

A traceability module was also provided by MSC on Chain of Custody Requirements for certification, which are now included in the ASC’s new Certification and Accreditation Requirements.

‘This auditor training will allow us to meet the groundswell of demand for ASC certification throughout the Asian region,’ said Bas Geerts, Standards Director at ASC. ‘The overwhelming majority of farmed fish comes from Asia and ASC is expanding operations so more Chinese farms have the opportunity to become engaged in the ASC certification programme.

‘The recently trained auditors will be able to work with farms across the region as they seek to become certified against the most comprehensive standards for reducing environmental impacts, improving conditions for farm workers and reducing

Above: New auditors

the impact of farming operations on local communities.’

Of the 35 candidate auditors, 26 were trained in all three species standards.

On successfully passing the final exam administered by the ASC by appointed trainers, they will be able to conduct independent assessments in China and other countries across the Asia-Pacific region.

Over the last two years, ASC certification has surged in Asia. AEON, the largest retailer in Japan, recently made ASC certified shrimp available across all stores nationwide.

In Hong Kong, YATA collaborated with KLG Fine Food to promote a limited-time, exclusive range of ASC offerings.

Late last year, Qionghai Zhongpingzi Grobest tilapia farm and Chengmai Xingyuan Development Co become the first Chinese farms to achieve ASC certification.

Russia asks Japan to join fish venture RUSSIA is inviting foreign partners to help it develop fisheries around Pacific islands where Moscow and Tokyo have rival territorial claims.

Tokyo will be given priority but if it doesn’t seize the opportunity, other investors will, said President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for Russia’s Far Eastern region, Yuri Trutnev.

The offer was part of a broader plan that includes developing fish farming in the region.

Disputes over the islands known as the Kuriles in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan have strained relations between the two countries since World War Two, when Soviet forces occupied four of the islands.

Japan says the islands are part of its territory, lying at their southernmost reach less than 20km (12 miles) from Hokkaido.

‘We want to develop the Kuriles at a brisk pace,’ Russian Deputy Prime Minister Trutnev said during the World Economic Forum in Davos.

‘The conditions are ideal there for fishing and fish farming. So

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

World News.indd 11

we are inviting Japanese companies, and are ready to give them priority in joint ventures.

‘But if they turn it down – we will find others who are willing to work with us. And I know that it can be of great interest to other foreign investors,’ he said.

Japan has shown no interest in such offers in the past, because they imply Russian sovereignty.

Trutnev said Russia, the world’s biggest country by territory with one of the world’s longest coastlines, is responsible for only two per cent of global fish farming and should boost this industry by several times.

Delighted to Supply New Technology Nets to Scottish Sea Farms

Above: One of the Kurile Islands

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08/02/2016 10:45:41

World News

Cooke hatchery plan COOKE Aquaculture say they still want to build a fish hatchery in the Digby area of Nova Scotia, Canada, but they no longer have plans to build a salmon processing plant in Shelburne.

Cooke spokeswoman Nell Halse told the Digby Courier last month that the New Brunswick based salmon farming company has submitted a proposal for approval by the Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture to build a fresh water hatchery in the Digby area.

‘It’s sitting with them (the provincial government),’ said Halse.

‘The intention is to build a hatchery in the Digby area. We’re ready to roll, we’re good to go.’

in innovation and improvements at the fish farming sites – but they failed to build a hatchery or fish processing plant.

‘We obviously didn’t meet the timeline by end of 2015 and there’s lots of reasons for that,’ she said.

‘Mostly because of Above: salmon eggs the regulatory review and no new sites The hatchery was one The plan was being considered.’ part of an expansion originally to build a The Nova Scotia project the company hatchery in Digby, government issued a and the provincial expand a feed mill in government announced Truro, expand the fish moratorium on any new fish farm sites in in 2012 when the prov- farming sites around ince also announced the province and build the province in May a total of $25 million a fish processing plant 2013 while the government conducted a in funding for Cooke in Shelburne – all by regulatory review of Aquaculture. the end of 2015. the industry.

Cooke has accessed Halse says Cooke ‘Down the road, we about $18 million of Aquaculture did may come up with that funding but Halse complete some parts another plan for a says the expansion pro- of that plan – the ject as outlined in 2012 expansion at the feed processing plant,’ said Halse. is now off the table. mill and investments

Offshore conference programme announced THE programme has now been released for the 6th Offshore Mariculture Conferene taking place at the World Trade Centre in Barcelona, Spain, from April 6-8, 2016.

The two-day conference will be followed by a technical visit on day three to a processing plant.

With the ongoing need for growth in aquaculture to feed

the human population, the conference will help fish farmers and producers to grow their business, whether it be through moving from coastal to offshore/high energy sites or by adding value through intelligent processing.

The conference will be chaired by Alessandro Lovatelli, aquaculture officer for the FAO.

Above: Barcelona

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World News.indd 12

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08/02/2016 10:46:05

Vacancy: 1 x Full Time Freshwater Operative Location: Ardtaraig Hatchery, Loch Striven, Dunoon Cooke Aquaculture Scotland is a leading company in the Scottish Salmon Industry producing exceptionally high quality products for an increasingly demanding market. We have operations throughout Scotland, Cumbria and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland, together; we pledge a strong dedication to achieving a sustainable aquaculture industry.

We are currently seeking candidates to take on the position of Freshwater Operative at our Ardtaraig Hatchery, Argyll. As part of a small team, they will assist their colleagues in building strong key relationships and ensuring a safe working environment for all.

The Role: The successful candidate will find themselves reportable to the Freshwater Manager for Ardtaraig.

Qualifications/Skills required but not essential as full training can be given: • 2 years’ experience working in a Freshwater Hatchery environment • Ability to participate in an ‘Alarm Duty’ rota system • Good understanding of the aquaculture industry • Candidate must be flexible with regard to hours worked, weekend working will be required • Be a good team player but have the ability to work alone when required • Inter-personal and excellent communication skills • Clean UK driving licence The ideal candidate will be committed to achieving the best results in a challenging environment and delivering the highest standards of performance possible. In return, we offer a highly competitive salary, employer pension contribution, company bonus scheme and salary sacrifice programmes.

If you feel you have the necessary attributes to successfully fulfil this position and contribute to a progressive, results orientated company, then please send your covering letter and CV to vicci.laird@cookeaqua.com by 24 February 2016.

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08/02/2016 09:00:56

Letters

LETTERS...

Making a meal of fish

Feed competition ‘gives misleading impression’ about sustainability of marine ingredients

W

hile the marine ingredients industry (including fishmeal and fish oil producers) accepts the need for a wider range of alternative aquaculture feed ingredients to support the continued growth of fish farming, the call for fish free feed innovation (‘Fish free challenge’, Fish Farmer January 2016) shows a lack of understanding of the feed formulations already available and gives a misleading impression about the sustainability of marine ingredients.

The quotation ‘Maybe this could be the aquaculture version of grass-fed beef’ is particularly confused. If grass-fed beef is preferred, it is because grass is the beast’s natural feed, to which it is well adapted.

The natural feed of many fish is often other fish, and calling, for example, farmed salmon to be fed only vegetable protein is far from being a natural choice and is certainly not a diet to which it is adapted.

In terms of fish free feeds, several large volume aquaculture species, including carps, tilapia and catfish, are already provided with largely or wholly vegetable based feeds.

Presumably, although it is not clear from the [fish free feed] competition website, the call for fish free formulations applies to diets that currently include fish (farmed salmon, for instance). There are several key points here: a) Fish free diets for carnivorous fish already exist. However, as these farmed species are not evolved to digest carbohydrate, the use of vegetable ingredients may cause inflammation of the digestive tract, slow growth and impair fish health. As a result, such diets represent a health and welfare risk to some farmed fish species when used at high levels. We assume the competition judges will take fish health and welfare into account when considering any alternatives. b) The sustainability of the alternatives can be unclear. The marine ingredients industry has embraced responsible production and over 40 per cent of the world production is now from factories that comply with an independent, third party certification scheme

14

Letters.indd 14

which requires any whole fish raw material to be sourced from well managed fisheries.

This far exceeds the percentage of certified alternatives available and discouraging the use of marine ingredients also discourages further certification and progress towards better fishery management. Again, we trust the sustainability of the alternatives will be assessed by the judges, including dependency on increasingly scarce resources of fresh water and land. c) An increasing amount of fishmeal and fish oil is derived from recycled by-product of fish processing. Currently around 35 per cent of total raw material, this fraction is expected to increase as consumer markets move away towards more pre-processed products, allowing by-products to be recovered within the value chain. Implying that fishmeal is somehow undesirable in feed therefore discourages the use of recycled material that would otherwise be under utilised and become waste on land or at sea.

where the species exploited are managed by governments or regional organisations that have national/regional TACs and quotas. Management of stock is based on sound scientific advice. f) The ecosystem services provided by forage fish are recognised by the industry and the importance of providing prey for marine predators is understood. However, there are several studies that demonstrate predators typically take the juveniles of the forage species whereas the fishing mortality is of the mature, spawning stock.

The use of marine ingredients has allowed the successful culture of commercially valuable farmed fish species – they are the most digestible and best performing feed ingredients currently available. However, their volumes are limited and, by necessity, inclusion rates have fallen as the volume of feed produced has increased.

Most farmed fish diets are now predominantly soya based, with both protein and oil coming d) It is well documented and widely accepted from vegetable sources to the extent that, that long chain Omega 3 fats in fish oil are across all fed aquaculture, there is now 1kg of beneficial to human health. However, there fish produced from every 0.3kg of fish used in would be no production of fish oil if the feed. co-product fishmeal had no market as the two There is no justification for fish based inarise from the same process. gredients to be excluded on the basis of their sustainability, or competition with marine e) The ethical question over feeding fish to fish predators or human consumption. instead of humans does not arise as the small The marine ingredients industry has welpelagic species used in fishmeal, such as ancomed calls for novel sources of Omega 3 to choveta, have little or no human consumption supplement that from fish oil to support the market despite years of active promoting and continued growth of the aquaculture industry. subsidy by governments. When human conWe also support the need for innovation to prosumption markets do exist, as has been seen vide a wider choice of protein sources for use in in mackerel and herring, fishers will supply this aquaculture feeds, providing they are responsimarket in preference to fishmeal production bly sourced and do not prejudice fish welfare. due to the higher financial returns available.

It is unfortunate that, for the sake of grabbing In the absence of a human consumption attention and headlines, this competition has market, these short lived species are therefore been launched under a banner that implies fish harvested for fishmeal to return some value based ingredients are undesirable as this is both to the local economy and do not detract from misleading and misinformed. fish available for human consumption. All IFFO members support and implement the Andrew Mallison, Director General IFFO, the FAO code of conduct for responsible fisheries, Marine Ingredients Organisation

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

08/02/2016 11:01:25

Making a meal of fish

LETTERS

Fish Farmer welcomes feedback from readers. If you want to comment on anything that has appeared in the magazine – or on issues related to the industry generally – please contact the editor (jhjul@fishupdate.com)

from top: Carp; tilapia and catfish are already provided with

vegetable based feeds

support the need for innovation “toWeprovide a wider choice of protein sources for feeds ”

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08/02/2016 11:02:19

Salmon report – Market watch

Scottish exports drop Mixed fortunes for farmers as Norway increases its market share

E

XPORTS of Scottish salmon fell by £100 million in value last year, according to figures from HMRC released last month. After reaching a record £500 million in 2014, figures for 2015 recorded a downturn of around a fifth in sales.

The Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation (SSPO) said the industry was looking to cut costs as a result.

The volume of salmon sold to Europe rose slightly - from 33,438,830 kilos in 2014 to 34,158,300 kilos in 2015. However, crucial markets in the US and Canada and the Far East bought almost 30 per cent less fish.

SSPO chief executive Scott Landsburgh said that ‘2015 was a very challenging year for us’. Exchange rates were not in Scotland’s favour, and there was a glut of salmon due to the Russian trade embargo – ‘these things conspired to make it a very tough year’.

He said the US, which is Scotland’s main export market, demands large fish all year round and that’s where ‘we are falling a bit short’.

‘A key part of fulfilling exports in international markets is fulfilling what the customer looks for and in these markets they are looking for large fish all year round.

‘Because we’re a relatively small industry in international terms we have difficulty supplying that size of fish all year round – it’s impacted on us quite a bit.

‘In 2002 we produced the same volume as we did last year, whereas Norway has been growing year on year for the past five years.

‘We were 12 per cent of the international market in 2002 and dropped to seven per cent in 2015.That is not what I would call a sustainable industry.

‘We’ve been talking to the Scottish government about this for five years now…we want to improve the planning process.We produced a planning paper which has been in their in tray for a number of years and I’m glad to hear they’ve now decided to conduct a consenting review.’

Exchange rates The FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) Globefish report for January to September 2015 said the strong pound had made Scottish salmon less appealing to US buyers, who can choose from Canadian or Norwegian sources for their fresh Atlantic salmon, where a strong US dollar has greater purchasing power.

Scottish farmers also faced biological challenges and both harvests and revenues were down. On the import side, volumes and prices were also down, by some 13 per cent and nine per cent respectively, for the first nine months of 2015.

However, consumer surveys point to continued strong domestic demand for salmon. In fact, shoppers are increasingly choosing salmon over canned tuna, reflecting both the recent negative media coverage of tuna fishing practices, as well as the improved image of salmon in terms of health and sustainability.

Norway In Norway, currency trends affected export patterns and prices too, but the effect was diametrically opposite to the one in the UK, reported Globefish.

Norwegian exporters reaped the rewards of high, stable prices and increasing market shares, and although high levels of sea lice prompted unplanned harvesting on a number of occasions, there were relatively few price shocks for Norwegian farmed Atlantic salmon traders to contend with.

16

Salmon Report.indd 16

Above: The US market demands large fish Opposite page: The image of the product drives demand

Both Chilean and UK exporters lost market share to Norway in the large US market, and together with a revitalised French demand for Norwegian fish, this was enough to keep prices high.

The year began with relatively higher biomasses of Atlantic salmon in Norwegian pens, and a smaller proportion of larger fish. Combined with forced harvesting due to sea lice, this kept prices below 2014 levels until approximately mid-year, when tightening supply saw 2015 prices rise above the previous year’s.

In late November, seasonal demand then pushed prices further upwards, reaching NOK 50.2 per kg by week 49 according to the NASDAQ salmon index, some NOK 3 higher than the previous year.

Due largely to a continuous weakening of the NOK (on average seven per cent down versus the euro and 28 per cent down versus the US dollar in 2015), higher prices did not overly affect demand growth in core markets.

Indeed, in October, the Norwegian Seafood Council reported all-time record salmon export sales for a single month at NOK 4.7 billion.

By the end of November, total year-to-date

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

08/02/2016 11:04:39

Scottish exports drop

CHILE FACTS

“

In 2002 we produced the same volume as we did last year, whereas Norway has been growing for the past five years

”

Concern among Chilean industry players is growing as a steep drop in prices, mainly reflecting economic deterioration and a shift in retailer sourcing strategies in major markets, saw aquaculture companies incur substantial losses in 2015, said Globefish.

Two fundamental factors underlying the erratic profitability of the Chilean salmon farming sector is high pen density, increasing disease incidence and hence the need for antibiotics, and a general lack of consolidation.

The industry is now looking to regulators to address these issues before sustainable growth can be achieved.

Despite the appreciation of the dollar against the Chilean peso (a factor that has benefited the Chilean export industry), low sale prices of salmon, coupled with high production costs, led to very poor performance for the industry for 2015.

The decision by major US retailer Costco Wholesale in March to switch to Norway for two thirds of its fresh farmed salmon filet supplies was a significant blow too.

According to preliminary figures from Sernapesca, during the first nine months of 2015, some 257,607 tonnes of Atlantic salmon were harvested, 43.5 per cent less than the same period in 2014.

Prices are expected to reach a turning point in 2016, however. Supply should not grow higher than levels forecasted and towards the end of the year, supplies of Atlantic salmon are expected to tighten. As a result, there could be some strengthening of prices, especially if the price growth for Norwegian salmon continues.

exports of Norwegian salmon came to 943,000 tonnes, for a total value of NOK 42.7 billion, yearon-year increases of four per cent and eight per cent respectively.

While the EU continued to be by far the best performing market, export figures in Asia and the US were also impressive for 2015, with total value up 28 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.

Norwegian salmon’s increased presence on the US market and its returning presence on the French market were both particularly welcome developments for the industry.

In the US case, the improved image of Norwegian salmon from a sustainability perspective attracted the attention of retailers, while importers were also incentivised to source Norwegian by the favourable exchange rate.

For France and other large EU markets, such as Poland, the UK and Spain, currency strength was also an important factor, particularly when the British pound has been gaining against the euro (on average up 11 per cent in 2015).

The outlook for the Norwegian industry is still very positive, particularly with recent forecasts for minimal production growth in 2016.

Combined with biomasses that are currently marginally below last year’s, this has steadily pushed prices upwards. Fishpool.eu reports averages of NOK 46 per kg for 2016 as a whole.

In January iLaks.no reported prices of NOK 70 per kg, the highest level in thirty years.

So long as Norwegian farmers can keep feed and biological costs from spiralling out of control, low production and strong demand in the EU, Asia and the US suggest that 2016 will be another profitable one for the Norwegian industry.

The stark contrast between Norwegian and other suppliers’ outcomes in 2015 reflects the dynamics of a number of different demand factors. One of these is exchange rates, whose importance is naturally greater when a market, for example the US, has more options to choose from in sourcing for different segments.

The other is the image of the product and the reputation of the industry. Norway has invested heavily in achieving and communicating sustainability and it is now seeing some return. FF Phil Thomas: next page

Given the continuous demand increase in the main global markets, along with the recovery of purchasing power and the levelling of the exchange rate of their currencies, the level of prices could perhaps return to more attractive levels. However, in order for Chile to build back to its competitive global position, consolidation, regulatory revision and brand building will all need to be undertaken.

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

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08/02/2016 11:05:12

Trade Associations – SSPO Trade Associations – SSPO

BY PROFESSOR PHIL THOMAS

Underpinning Time to focus provenance on growth Scottish finance minister Do we think enough aboutJohn whatSwinney gives thehas a lot on hisits plate butinsalmon must be a priority industry edge key markets?

JI

ohn Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for t may not be politically correct to say so at Finance and Deputy First Minister in present but farmed Atlantic salmon would the Scottish government, is much in the not have become Scotland’s leading food news. Already involved in tough negoexport without the Crown Estate’s positive tiations with the UK Treasury over the ‘fiscal engagement with aquaculture development framework’ underpinning the devolution of back in the 1980s. tax-raising powers to Scotland later this year, Now, aquaculture is a significant part of the he is also facing a full scale rebellion in local agency’s marine leasing portfolio and is regugovernment over budget cuts which will cause larly celebrated by the Crown Estate’s Scottish losses of services and jobs all over the country.

Marine Aquaculture Awards event. This year’s Meanwhile, the Scottish economy generally event in Edinburgh on the 11 June was the is going through a distinctly rocky patch. Key usual highly successful showcase for Scottish concern is the Scottish oil industry; ravaged by aquaculture and a rare opportunity for indusplunging world oil prices, the industry is facing try to join together to mark its success. major retrenchment with a potential impact The Crown Estate is presently at the centre on 65,000 jobs. of further devolution discussions between the Additionally, several significant sized emUK government and Scottish government. The ployers in different parts of the country are long-term future of key Scottish functions resignalling hard times, raising concerns about mains unclear and professional expertise could job losses and the impact on local economies. be squandered in the process of organisational Scotland, which is always reliant on exports, change. is feeling a cold economic draught. Official Both the Crown Estate’s core expertise and Scottish government statistics for 2014 pubthe Marine Aquaculture Awards are imporlished in January showed exports overseas tant in maintaining the distinctive coherence were down by £920 million, although slightly of Scotland’s aquaculture and it would be a offset by a £76 million increase in exports to tragedy if they became casualties of political other parts of the UK. change.

Some 17.3 per cent of exports were accountThis year’s Awards event was hosted by ed for by food and drink, which has been a actress, writer and comedian Jo Caulfield, an strong growth sector in the Scottish economy inspired choice by whoever made the booking. over recent years. Scotch whisky and Scottish She was very funny and entertaining and kept farmed salmon have been leading export the proceedings going with a swing. Only once performers but they too are now showing did she stray, when she wondered what ‘provedownturns in export figures. nance actually meant’.

In a room full of folk whose livelihoods

18 12

SSPO - Mar.indd 18

““

We should Scotland be organneeds a ising scaleour of training and production educati on that will provisions prevent it much becoming bett er a niche supplier

” ”

Does the situationof reflect single underlying cause?

In an audepend onpresent the provenance their aproducts she quickly sensed practice, it’s a bit more complicated than that.

The fall in oil prices is a dience response and moved to safer comedic material: there are some crucial factor, onlyjoke in itself but because of its impacts on currency things you justnot don’t about! exchange.

However, her remark left me asking myself whether we think enough For Scottish salmon farming, relatively strong pound and a relatively about the underpinning of theaprovenance of Scotti sh farmed fish – and weak NOK is never a good situation.

It makes our production systems for me that’s farmed salmon. and products comparatively expensive in our export markets andinduscomThere is no doubt that Scotti sh provenance is important to our pared largest try – itwith givesthe us world’s the edge in all salmon our key supplier. markets.

Beyond that,can however, facing the consequences of a protractProvenance be defiwe nedare in various ways but most people will agree ed period of slow growth in Scottish salmon farming which, that it goes beyond the appearance and sensory qualities ofdespite the final significant industry expansion, seen Scottish market share product: flavour, texture, visualhas presentati on andworld product consistency fall 12key perfactors cent inin2002 to seven per cent now, while Norwegian are from always consumer appeal but provenance is about production much more.has surged ahead.

The underlying reasons for of theconsumer Scottish situation have beenincluding: endlessly It refl ects a wider concept quality assurance, rehearsed.

A complex, poorly functioning planningthe system has created the place where the fish is grown and processed; professional barriers restructuring industrymethods; growth. and the quality, integrityfor of farm the producti on andand processing A dysfunctional ‘Audit and Review’ process older farmsskills, into commitment and care of the people involvedto– bring the professional the planning system has been a further impediment.

Failure to declutexpertise, passion and dedication of the producers themselves. terInthe planning and toon’ institute aggressive national goals Scotland ourbureaucracy ‘place of producti gives us a huge natural advanfor hasgrow beenfiashmissed by the Scottish governtageexpansion because we in the opportunity pristine coastal waters of some of ment. the most beautiful and wild scenic areas of the world, and our brand is The lessons from are nothing new but are still worth repeating. As protected by its PGIthis status. a small country, Scotland’s rests in being the biggest but by Likewise, adopti on of thefuture Scottish Finfinot sh Code of Good Practice offering thethe best. allied with industry’s deep commitment to a range of independent However, a large and still expanding world market, Scottish farmed farm qualityinassurance programmes, including the RSPCA fish welfare salmon needs a scale of production that will prevent it becoming a scheme, builds on the underlying strength of our statutory regulatory niche supplier.

Thisour is not abouton gaining new markets, it’s about supplysystems to assure producti systems. ingFinally, the markets already secured. the skills, experti se, passion and dedication of our farmers Thus, while John Swinney currentlyday hasina and lot on plate, there an can be demonstrated in abundance dayhisout – and theyiswere urgency for him to get back to the priority of creating growth in the showcased by the recent awards event.

Scottish economy.

The farmed would be aitgood However, being wholly objectisalmon ve and sector forward looking, is thisplace thirdto FF start. area of provenance where the Scottish industry has greatest scope for Phil Thomas was chairman Salmon Producers’ Orsystemati c development.

Thatofis the not Scottish to say that our industry’s skills ganisation from 2008 until the end of last year. and professional expertise are not of the highest calibre, but it is to recognise that our vocational educational and training structures, and

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y issues affecting Meanwhile many of you will no doubt be involved in, our resident design or affected by, the forthcoming Aquaculture and FisherAndrew Balahura, ies (Scotland) Bill and we have been fortunate enough to ring it more upsecure an extensive interview with Scotland’s recently apl columns from pointed Minister for the Environment, Paul Wheelhouse.

Trade associations – ASSG est aquaculture Looking further afield there are also interesting insights – ASSG SG and SSPOTrade – to Associations into oyster growing around the globe and also an t topics of the day overview of the Hungarian aquaculture industry, which is ors respectively. beginning to evolve from production of carps to higher d we hope you’ll value predatory fish. We hope you enjoy all the changes. FF

has 0 years of the stry. Now ournalist, er food magazine.

ry Board

s

ons culture

BY JANET H BROWN

Rob Fletcher News Editor

Paul Wheelhouse is Scotland’s Minister for the Environment and Climate Change and is an MSP for the South of Scotland.

Janet Brown works to support and promote all aspects of sustainable shellfish culture and restoration via The Shellfish Team and edits The Grower.

The other side of the pond Going native Can the Association of Scottish Shellfish Growers learn anything from 8 the Jersey farmer explores special but ‘simple’ way America’s East Coast Shellfish Growers Association is organised? techniques for an extra special product

TD

a mutual benefit. Restoration of the natural populations improves water he native B oyster has –been popular so long, r Robert Rheault more commonly substantial federal research to address quality for establishing successful aquaculture, which ingrants turn can lead to critical industry research yet it hasasbeen and less available since known ‘Skid’less Rheault (Rheault being better recruitment for thepriorities. wild populations. the Japanese oyster pronounced ‘row’) became or Bob –the setaquaculup the hashas thebeen ECSGA grown andthe is itstandard still growing?

Our native oyster, OstreaHow edulis, farmed using ture species of choice in Europe.

East Coast Shellfish Growers Association bag (poche) and trestle systems We grow in membership by about 10 to but they perform poorly in these in 20 per cent a year and we ols While some natiand ve oyster fisheries survive or (ECSGA) in 2004 has been its executive hadoyster. a sharp this past year, comparison to the Japanese Soincrease interest in farming thembut haswe still only have a small fraceven thrive, as in Loch Ryan where prodirector for such six years. tion ofthey theare industry as members. the estimated 1,300 farms on the d somewhat dwindled, although successfully farmedOf in suspended ducti on has improved fairly steadily since Skid became involved in the idea of an 2004, asEast Coast, we only have about 15 per cent. The nature of the industry culture on the west coast of the US. why has the farmingheofhad natibeen ve oysters been sociation because working asso an is such that just many farmers areneeds very small, part-time operations who So could it be that the nati ve oyster has different for successoutshone by the species? oyster farmer in imported a state without an aquaculwon’t pay dues.

There are few and several of these believe ful farming? This is the challenge Tony Legg of Jersey Sealarge Farmsfarms, took on, Thisindustry is an important questi on. With the ture at the time – Rhode Island. but not directly at first. they don’t need to join an association. They can hire their own lobbyist. benefi ts of on shellfi restorati rectory overwhelming ‘I had to be very active thesh state levelon to What are the issues facing ECSGA? Tony was farming Japanese oysters verymain successfully in Jersey until the demonstrated by the work in the US in get things going,’ he said. ‘I established terms a state oyster herpes virus arrived We spend a lotand of decimated time and energy dealing with shellfish sanitation there in 2011 his young stock. of improved fisheries (oyster reefsallies, provide growers’ association with a few started issues.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus controlthat, seems What was he to do in the face of this disease striking a species in to dominate much of my asurer, Steve Bracken, Herve Miguad, Sunil Kadri and Ken Hughes shelter, cularly for juvenile fi sh),sent improved writing parti an industry newsletter and it to all comparison to the native time.

Wehad areseemed also trying to rectifyfree theoftrade war with the EU so we can species, remarkably disease n: Andrew Balahura water quality and enhanced amenity general the state legislators, brought in guestinspeakers restore some of the lucrative connections we had in EU markets five wds wdowds@fi Publisher: Alister Bennett problems until then?

-from it isshupdate.com tiother me Europe following thisgoing lead. states started where things were years ago.

We are trying to getculture, acknowledgement for the ecosystem He had already developed his own type of suspended the Fax: +44 (0)There 131 551 7901 e-mail: editor@fishfarmer-magazine.com is one major snag. well and where nary a negative word was services provide through nutrient credit and we are conOrtac. He was lucky enough to getwe nati ve oyster seed for trials and, to trading, his In theEventually US, the natiwe ve got species is traction also the species .com www.fiheard. shupdate.com some and stantly working toOrtac improve water and expand harvest areas. surprise and delight, he discovered that his cages werequality just what farm, Crassostrea virginica, thus there is fixed the regulations that were2DL holding back ettes Park, 496they Ferry Road, Edinburgh EH5 Are there different chapters native oysters had been needing in order to grow well. in the ECSGA or are members mainly industry.’ oysterpoche folk? system, the natives are easily er’, P.O. Box 1, the Crannog Lane, Lochavullin Industrial Estate, Oban, Argyll, 4HB ‘With thePA34 conventi onal oyster represent about per centbut clam 0) 1631 568001This led on to a larger consortium, with a killed,’ he said. ‘The feedingWe current flow was one60problem thefarms, other 40 per cent oyster farms Clockwise from top right: number of growers getting together at various is and there is a nascent mussel industry. ‘cutti ng in’. f world £95 including postage. All Air Mail.

ECSGA meeting; oyster; I have heard you talk at conferences about the importance of lobbymeetings and the idea of establishing an East ‘This is where two adjacent oysters lock shells and cannot close properietors Wyvex Coast MediaShellfish Ltd by Headley Ltd., Ashford, ISSN Dr Robert B0262-9615 Rheault.

GrowersBrothers Association was ban- Kent ing – what do youes.’ advise? ly and this can lead to a cascade of mortaliti died about. They had seen how well organised It is really important to ensure that the don’t put you out of In the Ortac cages the bags rock in the water and the curvature of regulators the the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association large internal surface areabusiness.

If you are to not‘ecomorph’. involved the gives process of writing the regula3 inThis m causes the oysters (PCSGA) had become, how effective they could a curvature to the shell rather tions,than thenthe theconventi law of unintended consequences dictates that they will onal flat surface which be in meetings with regulators, how they probably if you don’t protect yourself. gives the native its common name –hurt the you flat oyster.

This curvature makes You need to participate focused government research dollars toward in the scientific research, thesays, public outreach the interlocking of the shells much less likely.

As Tony ‘simple in and the education of your key problems – they wanted that. legislators. By demonstrating the growth in green jobs, the sustainable 08/02/2013 11:24:01 hindsight’.

While setting up the ECSGA, Skid continued seafood production and the benefits, we can enlist the help He also looked at ways to improve the grow-out.

Theecosystem Ortac system to run his own company, farming and marpoliticians when the regulators get crazy, or works well and has taken of two year classes of 4mm grade seed through to if we have a need of reketing oysters trading as Moonstone Oysters search dollars. Educating the legislators is a constant task. There is huge 85-120g market size oysters. working out of Narragansett, Rhode Island, andhas they know nothing about yourin industry. If you don’t have One aspect of the nativeturnover oyster that been very much overlooked and he is still an adjunct faculty member in time to do it then you need to pay someone the UK and Europe, because it was so intensively managed as a fishery, to do it for you. This is why the University of Rhode Island’s Department busy professionals was that left to itself, it will form natural reefs.are members of trade associations. of Fisheries and Aquaculture. He established Is export a major forsurface your growers?

In areas where it is growing well, oft en theinterest only clean for the the East Coast Shellfish Research Institute Wenew aregrowth experiencing an explosion in in thethis market for oysters right young spat to settle is on the of an adult oyster and and has been successful in attracting several now, so there is not a lot of surplus production to send overseas, but

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Going native

way reefs are formed.

It is possible, and there is research evidence to support this, that this preference in settlement is more than just convenience but a real choice, and native oysters may prefer to live in close proximity.

Tony’s design may test this hypothesis since what he has come up with is ‘Microreef’ – individual compartments for oysters from 20g in size.

The design maximises water flow and is designed for mechanical handling. The 20g oysters are placed in something like a plate drainer, a rack for 10 oysters which can then be packed in a 1 metre squared and 0.5m deep steel mesh gabion.

Water can flow freely through this and the oysters are protected. They can be left undisturbed for two years as they grow to market size.

It will be very exciting to see how this work continues. Recent research, part funded by Natural England and carried out in Poole Harbour, showed that native oysters actually perform better physiologically when grown on raised structures in close proximity – that is, a reef structure but man-made.

This research trial was set up to test the hypothesis that reef habitat enhanced the physiological performance of the oysters.

The researchers studied filtration and respiration rates, condition index, blood factors and gonad maturation.

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These oysters actually perform better “physiologically when grown on raised structures in close proximity ”

Clockwise from above: John Hamilton of Loch Nell oysters with Ortak cages; the basic component of the microreef, the plate drainer equivalent; Tony Legg, Jersey Sea Farms; natural settlement of native oysters, in this case on mussel shells; growth trial showing benefits to native oysters of being grown in Ortak cages; the plate drainer equivalent.

For some of the factors measured, the oysters on the raised reef performed significantly better, with significantly higher filtration rates, increased blood cell counts (which could indicate a better defence against disease) and greater rates of gonad maturation.

The authors are at pains to say that this is very much a pilot study but it represents at least first indications that there could be real benefits to growing native oysters on raised structures.

If there are such indications for the benefits of raised reef type structures the results to be obtained from the Microreef will be eagerly awaited.

The potential benefits from restoring the native oyster can only be guessed at, but judging from the beneficial impacts from shellfish restoration in the US, they could be profound. But we are starting from a much lower base.

Attempts at oyster restoration have been taking place for more than a hundred years and sadly this is how many of the diseases and pests that have worked against the native oyster have been introduced.

But if the aquaculture of the native oyster can become more economically viable, the base line will be raised and restoration of the natural reefs with their concomitant ecosystem services could be more easily achievable.

If successful aquaculture actually involves growing in an analogue to a reef, the benefits could potentially accrue much faster. Let’s hope that further trials with the Microreef are successful. FF Janet H Brown is editor of The Grower (www.assg.co.uk)

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08/02/2016 11:10:07

Sea lice – Introduction

The lice challenge

Advances in the fight against persistent pest

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t is telling that many in the salmon farming industry prefer to call the scourge of sea lice a challenge rather than a problem. A problem requires a solution, certainly, but a challenge demands more.

A challenge is defined as something that needs great mental or physical effort to be done successfully, and therefore is a test of ability. It is a very apt term, considering the combined intellectual might, and serious funding, devoted to combating this particular pest.

Some of the efforts, mostly mental, directed at Lepeophtheirus salmonis are described over the following pages. They include the latest research in the fields of genetic selection and in drug resistance, and technical developments, such as Tube Nets and lice ‘skirts’, that demonstrate the inventiveness of the industry.

Details of an ambitious ten-year project that looks at sea lice interactions between salmon aquaculture and wild salmonid populations are revealed by Marine Scotland, along with an update of their work on sea lice dispersal within the marine environment.

This month, the focus on biological controls also intensifies, as a new three-year Scottish project is launched. Bringing together world leading companies involved in salmon and cleaner fish production, feed manufacturing and vaccine development, with Stirling academics pioneering cleaner fish research in the UK, the aim will be to establish a secure supply of lumpfish for salmon farms.

Later in the year, the Marine Institute of Ireland will host the eleventh International Sea Lice Conference, in Westport, County Mayo.

The biennial gathering, to be held from September 26 to 28, gathers together the world’s most prominent sea lice researchers, with papers, presentations and posters of the most up to date research in this area.

The goal is to foster collaboration and communication on sea lice research and to advance the industry’s understanding of the key biological, environmental and management factors associated with the parasite in both wild and farmed settings.

The conference, the major world forum of sea lice research, will investigate sea lice biology, sea lice epidemiology, sea lice genomics and

sustainable production- as well as integrated pest management.

As sea lice expert John McHenery says, ‘there has never been a magic bullet. We need an integrated approach’. FF

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08/02/2016 11:14:26

Sea lice – Industry pioneer

Medicine man

Industry must deploy sound scientific principles to win battle, says John McHenery

J

ohn McHenery has been involved in sea lice treatments for nearly 30 years. After graduating from Glasgow University he continued with a Fellowship at the University Marine Biological Station Millport (UMBSM), then left for the DAFS Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen.

He joined the industry in the early 1990s, mainly as an environmental consultant, and moved to the pharmaceutical sector in 2000.

In 2009, he joined Novartis Animal Health, now Elanco (part of Eli Lilly and Company), where he is currently in research and development, working on a wide range of safety aspects.

Here, he speaks to Fish Farmer about the continuing challenge of sea lice and the best solutions available to fish farmers.

How much does the scientific community know now about the biology of sea lice?

The salmon louse was named almost 180 years ago and in the last 30 to 40 years it has been extensively studied, corresponding with when it became a major issue for salmon farming. Only in the last three years have we learned that we were wrong about its basic life cycle. I think it is fair to say that while we know a lot about its biology we should not be too relaxed about the surprises to come.

What should the researchers be focusing on?

Ideally, selection of lice-resistant strains of salmon and vaccines. However, until we can be sure that lice will not be a problem, we will need safe and effective medicines as part of the tool-box, at the very least as a fail-safe for vaccines, cleaner fish and mechanical systems.

We need to remember that each new medicine/ approach has been seen as the way forward until resistance develops or the cleaner fish cannot keep up with the lice. There has never been a magic bullet and we need an integrated approach.

What is the latest medicine and when was it launched?

The last new medicine to be introduced globally was, emamectin benzoate, which came into use

While we know a lot “about its biology we

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in a number of countries in 1999. However, despite it being authorised in the UK by the VMD (Veterinary Medicines Directorate) in early 2000, vets and farmers in Scotland were prevented from using it by the regulatory process until late 2000 and then through 2001 and 2002.

What are the best treatments? Medicines, better husbandry, technical measures, genetic selection, feeds or cleaner fish?

All of the above have a place and should be used to optimise the farming process and ensure the welfare of the fish. What is needed is research to determine what combinations of approaches work best, but there will not be one answer for all farms.

A number of the new technologies show promise but remain to be proven under the wide range of environments where farming is undertaken.

Above: John McHenery

Should treatments be rotated?

If we do not rotate we drive resistance development and this was one of the main pushes of the Integrated Sea Lice Management (ISLM) group in Scotland. Unfortunately, the research to determine what approaches held

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Sea lice – Industry pioneer

most promise was not undertaken, but this would have been reactive rather than preventative.

After 40 years, the industry is still suffering devastating losses – are there signs that it’s getting to grips with the parasite?

In some cases there has been remarkable progress but in others success is not so obvious. The sea louse might not be clever, and it doesn’t need to be. All it has to do is deal with the problem it faces and at that, it has been continuously successful. We need a balanced, monitored programme to maintain control and delay the resistance to any new medicines, which will develop if we do not exercise sound scientific principles.

Why is this proving to be such an insurmountable challenge?

Because it is a good parasite and has adapted from living in the wild to surviving on farms. With so many eggs per string it only has to have one or two survivors per string to carry on any new trait, which gives it potential to overcome our efforts.

How could the industry’s lice management strategy be improved?

Definitively through sound scientific data and fact based regulation.

Is information sharing better than it was?

Certainly between farms and with the wider public, and in many countries, including Scotland, information is publicly available, but there is always room for improvement. I think farmers need to be assured that data are gathered with scientific rigour and made available.

Right: John McHenery with colleague Leiv Aarflot. Below: McHenery at work. All photos provided by John McHenery

Do regulations help or hinder sea lice control?

In an ideal world, regulations would not be needed but we do not live in an ideal world. One approach might be a coordinated regulatory system, which balances welfare of the fish with the means to control disease, such as lice, and the wider environment. Different countries have different approaches but there needs to be a demonstrable realisation that the veterinarians and farmers need to be able to use all approaches, including medicines, if the lice numbers are to be controlled. Dictating that something must be done will only ever work if people are able to do what is required.

Is current monitoring (of sea lice populations) comprehensive enough?

It is hard to see how the monitoring could be increased but perhaps there should be more use of the data to see if there are patterns arising, which might have been missed.

What are the effects on wild stocks?

Decline in wild stocks have clearly occurred but what triggered it is likely to be multi-factorial. It is important to focus on good interpretation of scientific data.

How close are we to a vaccine?

More than 20 years ago, when I worked in Aberdeen, research was

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John McHenery

Scotland used to be central to a “ lot of the field research but this now does not appear to be the case �

underway on vaccines and at the time the researchers said it was 10 to 15 years away. They have still not arrived yet, although there are some promising signs.

How long have you worked in this field and what changes have you witnessed?

I have worked with sea lice treatments for 28 years. When I was finishing my microbiology degree at Glasgow University in 1976 I tried, unsuccessfully, to get into disease control in the developing salmon farming sector, only to be told by a number of companies there was no need.

I stayed at Glasgow for a second degree, then I was lucky enough to get a Fellowship, where I researched with Harry Birkbeck on the interactions of bacteria and shellfish at the University Marine Biological Station Millport (UMBSM).

Following UMBSM I moved to the DAFS Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen.

At that time, the salmon farming industry relied on dichlorvos alone to control sea lice and I became involved in determining the environmental safety of this, and potential new medicines, to enable sustainable control.

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I moved to industry in 1991 and after a short time in the oil sector became an environmental consultant, largely on the environmental safety of animal and human medicines, where I was involved in the testing and authorisation of a number of the sea lice control medicines, as well as antibiotics.

I moved from consultancy to the pharmaceutical sector in 2000 and, in 2009, joined Novartis Animal Health, now Elanco, where I am in research and development.

I am lucky; Elanco realises the importance of aquaculture in providing food for people in a changing global environment and is committed to ensuring that essential research is funded to ensure sustainability.

Throughout my career I have had the chance to work with great colleagues around the world from whom I have learned so much.

In many ways, the problems have remained the same for medicines in aquaculture. But one of the major changes is that when I first started, Scotland was central to a lot of the field research which was undertaken to bring new medicines to the salmon and trout sectors, but this now does not appear to be the case. FF

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Sea lice – Research

BY ALASTAIR HAMILTON

Fish chip

Extraordinary power of genotyping tool opens door to new breeding technology

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quiet revolution is unfolding in aquaculture breeding. The very latest genomic technologies being used in human medicine to bring us, almost daily, news of exciting breakthroughs in our understanding of the genetic basis of diseases from cancer to Alzheimer’s, are now being deployed by scientists at Landcatch Natural Selection and Hendrix Genetics to breed healthier fish.

Targeting sea lice resistance was the first priority, and use of these technologies is ensuring that every successive year class of Landcatch fish now go to sea with progressively greater resistance to sea lice than their parents’ generation.

Getting to this stage has been a lengthy odyssey with many technical challenges to be overcome along the way, but nevertheless one which has delivered progress that could not have been imagined at the outset.

The journey began in 2007 when, working with researchers from the University of Glasgow and Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, Landcatch scientists began to study the susceptibility of individual salmon to sea lice.

They quickly concluded that it was possible to accurately count the number of sea lice on a fish and that these counts were remarkably stable for up to two weeks.

More importantly, the differences observed in the counts were strongly linked to the individual’s family – there were resistant and susceptible families with very different average family counts.

This suggested that resistance to sea lice was in large part inherited and that improvement in the next generation could be ensured by avoiding the most susceptible families when selecting broodstock.

This discovery in turn stimulated further research, aimed in particular at finding ways to identify, not just the most resistant families, but also the resistant individuals within each family. This was a daunting task at the time as almost nothing was known as to what the genetic mechanisms controlling resistance might be.

A significant breakthrough in that quest came with the discovery of a genetic marker that appeared to be strongly associated with sea lice resistance.

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Genetic markers are simply polymorphisms or genetic differences between individuals that are easy to measure. The most common type is known as a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism or SNP. They tend to be co-inherited with genes that are physically close to them in the genome, so the association of this particular marker with sea lice resistance suggested that it was close to a gene that influenced this trait.

Since genetic markers are easily discriminated, it was possible to use the marker to predict which variant of the gene each individual carried and hence predict its susceptibility to sea lice.

Using genetic markers in this way effectively means using something that is easily measured to predict something that is not.

Such genetic markers are known to geneticists as Quantitative Trait Loci, or QTLs. They have been widely used in plant and animal breeding programmes to identify individuals carrying favourable variants of genes, a process known as Marker Assisted Selection, or MAS. Though there are few examples in aquaculture, the use of MAS to select for resistance to IPN in salmon, pioneered by Landcatch, has been one of the most successful uses of this technology recorded in animal breeding.

The phenomenal success of marker assisted selection in breeding IPN resistant fish was possible because IPN resistance in salmon is largely controlled by a single gene that could be easily selected in a breeding programme.

Above: High density Affymetrix SNP chip

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Fish chip

LANDCATCH FACTS

Further research into sea lice resistance

by Landcatch scientists quickly suggested that this was not the case with this trait. Sea lice resistance, like most diseases in animals, appeared to be controlled by many genes.

A handful, like the one associated with the identified genetic marker, had a relatively large effect. However, the majority of the difference in susceptibility observed between individuals is controlled by a large number of genes, each with a very small effect – far too small to be detectable by the technology used to identify the existing sea lice QTL. So while encouraging progress through MAS was possible, the ultimate prize of being able to identify and predict all the genetic variation between individuals remained beyond reach at this stage.

In order to develop the tools required to identify the more elusive genes involved in sea lice resistance, Landcatch began a large collaborative project in 2011 along with Affymetrix Inc and the Universities of Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh, including the Roslin Institute.

The project, sponsored in part by UK Technology Strategy Board, aimed to construct the first high density genotyping SNP chip for Atlantic salmon. Such a tool would enable the collaborators to tease out all the genetic

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Landcatch is part of the global Hendrix Genetics multi-species animal breeding organisation whose mission is to help the world meet its food needs through innovative and sustainable genetic techniques.

The ultimate prize of “ being able to identify all the genetic variation remained beyond reach

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variation in sea lice resistance by screening hundreds of thousands of SNPs simultaneously.

The extraordinary power of such a genotyping tool opens the door to an entirely new way of looking at breeding known as genomic selection. The ability to genotype so many genetic markers simultaneously means that there will be at least one marker in close association with almost every gene. Thus, associations between a trait and even genes with relatively minor effects become detectable.

Instead of focusing on just one or at most a handful of major QTLs, we can now take into account all associations across the whole genome.

Genomic selection exploits this capability by genotyping a ‘discovery population’ of individuals with known characteristics – in this case a

In addition to Landcatch’s groundbreaking technology development in salmon breeding, the aquaculture business unit of Hendrix Genetics includes salmon breeding operations in Norway, the UK and Chile.

It also includes Troutlodge, the world’s leading trout egg producer.

Landcatch’s aquaculture genetic and genomic technology is now successfully applied in salmonid species in four countries, three continents and two hemispheres.

Hendrix Genetics, based in the Netherlands, provides expertise and resources to producers in more than 100 countries, with operations and joint ventures in 24 countries. It has more than 2,500 employees worldwide.

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Sea lice – Research

Genomic selection has become a “further tool to improve the health and welfare of farmed salmon ”

Above: Atlantic salmon Right: Eggs were

specially selected

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population that has been exposed to sea lice and whose susceptibility is known – and then comparing these genotypes with those of candidate broodstock.

The comparison can be used to assign a Genomic Estimated Breeding Value (GEBV, essentially the sum of the effects of all the SNPs) to the candidate broodstock based on the relationship of their genotypes to the discovery population genotypes.

Genomic selection is a relatively new technology and considerable challenges remain – not least the computational challenges of analysing such huge datasets. Nevertheless, the significant improvements that the technology has brought to terrestrial animal and crop breeding have now been brought to aquaculture.

In autumn 2014, Landcatch eggs were fertilised with specially selected milt from males predicted to have low sea lice count via their GEBV. The fertilised eggs will be used in the Landcatch breeding programme and supplied to customers for testing to measure improvements in sea lice resistance in the field.

Salmon growers in Chile face similar problems with sea lice, though a different species, Caligus, is far more common there than the Lepeophtheirus prevalent in Europe.

A particularly exciting development of genomic selection is its use to develop resistance to Caligus also, work which began in 2015 and is actively underway.

Not only will comparison of the genetics of resistance of the two species be of enormous biological significance, but the possibility of using data collected across two continents to improve GEBV accuracy FF exciting. is tremendously Breeding is a long-term process that will involve extended collaboration between Landcatch and its customers, but with improvement estimated to be 10 to 15 per cent per generation, genomic selection has become a further tool in the armamentarium available to growers to combat sea lice and improve the health and welfare of farmed salmon.

F Dr Alastair Hamilton is head of Molecular Biology at Landcatch. FF

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08/02/2016 11:21:27

Sea lice – Innovation

Tube Net put to the test Norwegian farm reports 90 per cent reduction in lice with system

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gersund Net is claiming significant success with its Tube Net, or ‘snorkel’ system, for farming salmon deep below the surface of water, where sea lice levels are much lower.

After extensive trials at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research between 2011 and 2014, Bremnes Seashore became the first commercial client to put the Tube Net to the test.

And at its sites in Rogaland in the southern part of Norway it reports up to 90 per cent reductions in sea lice with the Tube Net compared to ordinary nets.

But as Egersund’s export sales manager Tom Asbjorn Hatleskog stresses, this is still a product in its early stages.

‘It’s not a trial, it’s now a commercial product, but we are closely monitoring and following up the findings,’ Hatleskog told Fish Farmer. ‘The Tube Net is a fairly new product and needs to be modified for each client and location.

‘Bremnes is the only commercial client still and they installed the first Tube Net in early May 2014. What Egersund decided was not to jump on to other clients yet because we needed to watch what would happen.

‘The Tube Net has its operational challenges.

Number one is cleaning. Bremnes is using copper antifouling, which is definitely an advantage. We are a firm believer that antifouling is the most environmental method of keeping the nets clean and at the same time achieving good fish health.

‘The second challenge is the net change, which can be complicated. What we are looking into is to have the option of a full-generation net – that would facilitate the Tube Net operation,’ said Hatleskog.

Bremnes reported production cost savings of NOK 1.5-2.0 per kg due to reduced treatments for lice only.

They also used the Tube Net to facilitate fresh water treatment of AGD, and that gave additional savings in production cost.

‘With Bremnes, we put inside the tube a strip of PVC and Bremnes filled it with fresh water so it stayed afloat atop of the sea water,’ said Hatleskog.

‘Once the fish learnt that there was fresh water inside the tube they headed for that to clean their gills. Within a brief period, the amoeba was gone.

‘That is a modification we have continued to use, exchanging the tarpaulin for a PVC strip. But you need to have access to fresh water. What was good in Bremnes’ case was that they have a fresh water reservoir nearby so they just put out pipes to fill up the tube.

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‘You have to have some constant refilling because the fresh water will eventually dissolve with the sea water.

‘With this fresh water treatment you have less stress for the salmon because you are not moving them, you don’t need to starve the fish as you do with some other treatments. The fish will maintain their appetite so you still get good growth.’

Hatleskog said there were other good aspects emerging from partially submerging the fish; ‘these will become clearer in the near future’.

‘We are telling all salmon growers about the Tube Net but we are emphasising that this is a new way of farming and it needs to be modified for each client.

‘So we encourage the client to come to Norway and see what Bremnes is doing, and speak to them.

‘We are also currently reaching out to clients in Ireland and Scotland to see if there is any interest in a trial or cooperation.’ FF

This is a new way of farming and it “ needs to be modified for each client ”

Above: Diagram of the Tube Net

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Sea lice – Marine Scotland

Building a better picture Ten-year project examines farm impact on wild salmon

BY JOHN ARMSTRONG, DAVID MORRIS, CATHERINE COLLINS AND ROB RAYNARD

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rowing a sustainable salmon aquaculture sector and the conservation of wild Scottish salmon and associated fisheries are important objectives for the Scottish government.

It is recognised, however, that salmon farms increase the number of sea lice in the environment and that this may have an impact on wild salmon.

Existing studies in other salmon producing countries have shown that sea lice infestation of young salmon leaving the river (smolts) can affect the numbers of wild salmon returning to rivers.

Many factors can influence the extent to which sea lice may affect salmon populations, such as the size of the fish, the distance and the areas through which salmon smolts migrate when heading to open ocean, sea lice distributions and densities, sea lice control measures on farms and the status of wild salmon populations.

Therefore, impacts in one country or region do not necessarily apply to others.

Currently, there is no information on the impact of sea lice from aquaculture on wild salmon in Scotland, but Marine Scotland has started a ten-year programme of research to investigate any potential risk to wild salmon from sea lice in the Scottish coastal environment.

It will complement and extend another project being undertaken

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Marine Scotland - 10 Year researcht.indd 30

by the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum (SARF), looking at the scale of sea lice impact on numbers of wild salmon returning to Opposite (fig 1): Fyke net spawn, by collecting data from a network of used to trap migrating sites in which survival of smolts treated with smolts anti-lice chemicals will be compared with controls.

Below (fig 2): The Scottish The project will examine the outward Shelf Model (http:// migration of salmon smolts using acoustic www.gov.scot/ tracking in key coastal areas, coupled with Resource/ modelling of salmon movement patterns based 0048/00489709.pdf). on swimming behaviour in relation to tides The outer boundary of the area covered by the and currents. model is indicated in In parallel, maps of sea lice distribution in white. The model has coastal waters will be generated, indicating only been fully validated areas of high and low concentrations of the within Scottish shelf parasite. waters, and case study The maps will be based on sea lice data from areas are highlighted farms, and modelling of the dispersal of sea lice by prevailing winds or currents.

Information on the distribution of smolts and of sea lice will be combined to assess the risk of interaction and data will also be collected to estimate the proportion of the lice in the fish’s environment that can be expected to settle on the salmon.

This information will be coupled with assessment of the effects of different numbers of settled lice on the welfare of the salmon.

In this way, it is hoped that any risk due to interaction and the impact of that interaction will be better understood.

Modelled predictions from this suite of studies will be compared with the evidence of impacts from smolt treatment experiments.

The approaches and the data collected to look at sea lice distribution can also provide information on connections between different farming areas and how lice spread and establish between them.

This assessment, in combination with information on salmon movement and locations of lice, can be used to look at options for development and improved management of aquaculture and conservation of wild salmon stocks.

The first year of the project has involved considerable preparation and detailed planning, along with commencement of some elements of fieldwork.

Groups of salmon have been trapped at two sites (Figure 1) - one on the east coast and the other on the west coast of Scotland - to

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Building a better picture

assess effects of sea lice on rates of return of salmon as adults.

This assessment is achieved by tagging all the fish, treating half in each group with an anti-lice agent and then catching those that survive and home to their natal stream.

This year, we intend to extend recent observations of movements of salmon through Loch Linnhe, a sea loch on Scotland’s west coast, and will be following the next stage of migration.

Wild salmon smolts will be captured in the local river system and each fish will be tagged with an acoustic transmitter.

Curtains of acoustic receivers will be deployed around the Isle of Mull near the mouth of the sea loch to detect tagged fish, so providing information on speed and direction of travel in relation to tides, currents and wind.

Looking towards a broader scale, the first component of a model to predict smolt distribution in the marine environment is now available in the form of a detailed description of currents around Scotland, the Scottish Shelf Model (SSM) (Figure 2).

We also plan to link the SSM to a model that the Scottish government has already developed (see next page) to predict dispersal of sea lice from farms and other sources. Models are important for combining information to predict distribution of sea lice and smolts, but must be tested to ensure that they are valid.

The application of towed cages of salmon smolts is one approach for such testing that is now being trialled. The method may be useful for comparing the number of lice that settle on groups of fish towed along a range of different possible migration pathways.

Over the ten years of the Marine Scotland project, the Scottish

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Information on lice and “salmon smolts at sea is

hard won but invaluable for informing aquaculture planning

�

government will publish interim updates, as results become available, through their website, presentations to stakeholders, and to the scientific community.

Information on lice and salmon smolts at sea is hard won but invaluable for informing aquaculture planning. This project is bringing a range of research approaches together to build a better picture of the underlying biology to inform on the development of management options.

The Scottish government is grateful to operators in both aquaculture and wild fisheries for their support and collaboration in the work. They also wish to acknowledge SARF for funding the initial work to investigate the impact of anti-sea lice treatments on wild salmon numbers returning to natal rivers. FF

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08/02/2016 11:24:59

Sea lice – Marine Scotland

Lousy life

Study looks at parasite’s dispersal in the marine environment

W

hen most people think of salmon lice, they picture a parasite attached to the side of a salmon or a trout.

However, before this occurs, salmon lice spend around two weeks of their life as passively transported plankton, moving with the currents of the sea.

In the first five days or so, nauplii salmon lice do not have the ability to settle on a host and only do so after maturing into infective copepodids. They then have about ten days to chance upon a potential host.

As they age they become less likely to settle on a host and not all salmon lice eggs released from gravid females will find a host.

Within the sea, plankton salmon lice move in all directions and become diluted, are preyed on by predators, and die due to running out of

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energy reserves before finding a suitable host. They also have the added challenge of entering into waters which are too fresh.

Should a salmon louse come within close proximity of a host it has the ability to chemically sense and make small localised burst swims towards a host. Should the host not be swimming too fast then settlement can occur.

As with any disease agent, understanding how salmon lice are passed from one individual or population to another informs potential prevention methods.

However, determining the transport of such small animals in a fluid environment can be difficult. Therefore, computational models provide a useful method of simulating the transport of salmon lice between farms.

Salmon lice dispersal models require the integration of outputs from physical oceanographic models representing the movement of the seas, with biological models of the life-cycle of salmon lice accounting for maturation and death.

With these models, predictions can be made such as: where in the marine environment plankton salmon lice are more or less likely to be

Above: Infected salmon Inset: Sea lice

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Lousy life

found, the proportion of salmon lice that are released from one farm arriving at another, the distance salmon lice can travel and the contributing sources of salmon lice on a farm.

Marine Scotland Science (MSS), supported by producers, has been developing techniques for modelling salmon lice transport for over a decade. In addition to making advances in sampling for salmon lice in the environment using plankton nets and proxy, sentinel caged fish have enabled the assessment of models against reality.

In Scotland, the modelling methods were first applied to Loch Torridon and Shieldaig and more recently expanded to the larger Loch Linnhe system.

These techniques have been shared widely and have led to other organisations, such as the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS), working alongside commercial producers, developing similar salmon lice transport models for other areas, such as Loch Fyne.

The models have demonstrated that in small systems, such as Loch Torridon and Shieldaig, salmon lice plankton are strongly influenced in their movements by the direction of winds.

However, in larger, more complex systems the movement of salmon lice is less clear cut and predictable.

Undertaking simulations at different time points, with varying conditions, allows for the possibility of producing an average situation of salmon lice transport. This enables an

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“

We are improving the techniques used to produce models which are more representative of reality

estimate of the average relationship status between sites, which helps inform potential control area structure.

Models are only a representation of reality and, like weather forecasting, estimates can vary as to what is observed. MSS is, therefore, improving the techniques used to produce models which are more representative of reality.

”

Additionally, these principles are planned to be applied to estimate the interactions between farm management areas across Scotland’s west coast using the Scottish Shelf Model.

Using models to supplement the knowledge of operators will offer an opportunity to enhance the integrated approach to salmon lice management, says Marine Scotland. FF

For further information regarding Marine Scotland publications relating to sea lice dispersal see: Amundrud T.L. & Murray A.G. (2009) Modelling sea lice dispersion under varying env ronmental forcing in a Scottish sea loch. Journal of Fish Diseases 32, 27–44 http://goo.gl/ wIJCpo Salama NKG, Murray AG, Rabe B (in press) Simulated environmental transport distances of Lepeophtheirus salmonis in Loch Linnhe, Scotland for informing aquaculture area management structures. Journal of Fish Diseases http://goo.gl/zzAUPH Salama NKG, Collins CM, Fraser JG, Dunn J, Pert CC, Murray AG, Rabe B. (2013) Development and assessment of a biophysical dispersal model for sea lice. Journal of Fish Diseases 36:323 – 337 http://goo.gl/ytK5n6 Salama NKG, Rabe B. (2013) Developing models for investigating the environmental transmission of disease-causing agents within open-cage salmon aquaculture. Aquaculture Environment Interactions. 4: 91 – 115 http://goo.gl/pwtX5F Salama NKG, Murray AG, Rabe B (2011) Modelling dispersal of salmon lice in a large fjordic system: Loch Linnhe, Scotland. 19th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation.

Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand. 12 – 16 Dec, Perth Australia http://goo.gl/8aeaqJ

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08/02/2016 11:27:28

Sea lice – Stirling

BY DR ARMIN STURM

Making a marker Research into mechanisms of genetically based drug resistance supports control strategies

S

ea louse infections constitute a significant disease problem in Atlantic salmon mariculture, giving rise to estimated yearly global costs of more than £300 million worldwide.

Control of sea lice employs an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, which employs a diverse range of different tools.

Treatment of infected fish is still central to effective control, employing veterinary drugs that are added to the feed or administered as bath immersion treatments.

In addition, management measures reducing

the risk of infections include the use of single year class stocking and the fallowing of sites between production cycles.

A number of non-medicinal approaches are also increasingly implemented and include biological control by cleaner fish, cage designs lowering infection rates and selective breeding of more resistant salmon.

Despite the increased use of non-chemical control approaches, veterinary drugs are still essential to the management of sea louse infections and can be expected to remain a key component of IPM strategies.

However, the well documented ability of sea lice to develop genetically based drug resistance constitutes a threat to medicinal control approaches. The risk of resistance development is particularly high when a small number of compounds are over used with insufficient rotation.

Left: Detecting resistance Opposite page: Farms must use an integrated approach

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Making a marker

Conversely, limiting drug treatments by use of alternative control strategies and rotating between treatments having dissimilar modes of action can contribute to the delay or prevention of resistance development.

At present, relatively little is known about the molecular mechanisms of resistance of sea lice to anti-parasitic drugs. Recently, the group of Tor Einar Horsberg at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science found that sea louse resistance against the organophosphate azamethiphos (Salmosan Vet®, Fish Vet Group) is based on a mutation of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, known to constitute the target site for this drug class.

In contrast, while resistance has been reported for other types of salmon delousing agents, including the avermectin emamectin benzoate (SLICE ®), the pyrethroids cypermethrin (no longer available) and deltamethrin (AMX ®) and the disinfectant hydrogen peroxide (PARAMOVE ®), the mechanisms by which sea lice acquire tolerance to these treatments remain to be unravelled.

An ongoing BBSRC funded research project by the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture aims to identify the genetic basis for sea louse drug resistance and to provide greater understanding of resistance mechanisms.

This three-year project is a collaboration with Dr Karim Gharbi (Edinburgh Genomics) and Dr Ross Houston (Roslin Institute) of the University of Edinburgh, and employs the latest DNA- and RNA-sequencing technologies to track the inheritance of resistance in genetic crosses and to follow differences in gene expression in response to drug exposure.

External partners of the project include the Salmon Louse Genome Project (Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway), the pharmaceutical companies Zoetis and MSD Animal Health and the salmon producer Marine Harvest.

Aims of the project are to obtain insights into the mechanism of resistance and to isolate molecular markers that can be used in diagnostic tests for drug resistance.

A key requirement for effective resistance management is the availability of methods to detect resistance that are robust, fast, cost-effective, accurate and specific.

At present, resistance monitoring relies on so-called bioassays, which are small-scale treatments of sea lice conducted in Petri dishes involving the rating of the parasites’ movement and ability to attach to surfaces after drug exposures.

Bioassays need to be conducted by trained staff and require high numbers of sea lice belonging to specific developmental stages.

Unfortunately, bioassays are error prone and susceptible to interfering factors, particularly under farm conditions.

In contrast, genetic tests are more specific

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a more complete array of genetic “Once tests has been developed, treatment failures can be avoided ”

and robust, do not require specific parasite stages and allow for the performance of multiple different tests using the same biological material. Moreover, genetic tests are more sensitive in detecting low levels of resistance than bioassays, allowing the timely implementation of measures to prevent or slow down resistance formation.

In addition to providing improved diagnostic tools, molecular methods can further be expected to contribute to advancements in sea louse control by providing insights into resistance mechanisms.

Three types of insecticide resistance mechanisms are known in terrestrial pests. First, the target site of the insecticide may change through genetic mutation, interfering with the insecticide’s binding and disrupting its action.

Second, resistance may depend upon enhanced detoxification pathways eliminating the compound. Third, resistant pests may show decreased insecticide uptake rates as a result of altered cuticle composition or behavioural changes.

While resistance based on the modification of target sites generally affects only a single class of compounds, the other mechanisms mentioned above may alter susceptibility to multiple types of control agents.

Once a more complete array of genetic tests has been developed, drugs that are still effective to treat a given sea louse infestation can be identified and treatment failures avoided.

Understanding resistance mechanisms will also help the planning of the most effective rotational strategies between drug treatments and non-medicinal approaches. Advances in both areas will help to extend the life-time of current and future anti-salmon louse agents, and thus increase the sustainability of intensive salmon farming and global finfish mariculture.

Dr Armin Sturm, senior lecturer at the Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, leads the project ‘Identifying molecular determinants of drug susceptibility in salmon lice’, which started in December 2014 and is due to conclude at the end of November

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08/02/2016 11:29:08

Sea lice – Elanco

In the

fast track

Young scientist of the year recalls a rewarding trip

K

iranpreet Kaur, of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, spent a week last year with Elanco scientists at the company’s headquarters in Switzerland. It was part of her prize after being named Elanco Young Scientist of the Year.

Elanco Animal Health regularly recognises a young, talented scientist involved in aquaculture related research and gave the award to Kiranpreet for her work studying the genetic basis of sea lice resistance to organophosphates.

Here Kiranpreet, who was selected by a jury of

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external academic experts, describes her research in aquaculture and her impressions from the meeting in Switzerland.

Below: Dr Kaur with Elanco sea lice research scientists Opposite page: Dr Kaur with Dr Hafid Benchaoui, head of Research and Technology Acquisitions and Dr Christian Epe, head of Parasitology at Elanco

How did you get involved in aquaculture industry?

In 2010 I moved to Norway to be with my husband. I came as a PhD qualified molecular geneticist with a diversity of research experience in molecular and cell biology, population genetics and stem cell biology.

In 2012, when I started working for the Pharmacology and Toxicology Department at the Norwegian University of Life sciences in Oslo, I learned how vitally important aquaculture research was to one of the Norwegian economy’s main business sectors.

That is why, how, and when I started researching the resistance mecha-

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In the fast track

agnostics company called PatoGen Analyse AS, a biotechnology company that develops and commercialises gene technology analyses (Real-Time PCR) that are used to reduce disease-related loss in the aquaculture industry.

Working together with PatoGen we have been able to use our knowledge of the genetic markers for organophosphate resistance to assist them in developing a rapid diagnostic assay that will help fish farmers determine whether the L. salmonis present on their farm(s) are sensitive, or resistant, to azamethiphos and hence decide on their treatment strategies.

In the long term, working with PatoGen through the SLRC, we would like to develop a diagnostic tool that will be able to test for sensitivity/resistance to a wider range of parasiticide treatments so that treatment sensitivity can be assured.

We see this benefiting producers in two ways, firstly, by removing the cost of ineffective treatments and, secondly, by ensuring rapid reduction in sea lice infestations post treatment.

nisms of salmon lice against various anti-parasitic agents using my understanding of molecular genetics.

How did you choose your area of study?

In many ways the area of study presented itself to me. My university is a partner in the Sea Lice Research Centre (SLRC), based at the University of Bergen. This project is a collaboration between nine international partners - four academic and five industrial- and aims to ‘fast track’ the development of new methods for lice control to counter growing concerns over resistance to current treatments.

SLRC members have expertise in parasitology, functional genomics/molecular biology, pharmacology, immunology and host-parasite interactions.

A uniting cross discipline factor is the desire to utilise the salmon louse and salmon fish genomes to identify new treatment targets and to use a molecular approach to increase the knowledge about key biological processes in sea lice.

My background in molecular genetics puts me at the heart of this shared desire and I have been working alongside others to identify what genetic mechanisms are causing the evolution of resistance.

How is your research progressing?

Well, I think! I had the privilege of presenting our work to the 10th International Sea Lice conference 2014 in Portland, Maine, and in 2015 my group published two papers on PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science, an online library of peer reviewed scientific articles). In one of these papers we discuss our findings on the genetics based resistance mechanisms of L. salmonis sea lice to the organophosphate, azamethiphos.

Now we are engaged in a similar study to identify the candidate genes associated with the resistance mechanism of L. salmonis to avermectins.

We are hopeful to be able to publish something definitive on this in the next 12 to 18 months.

In all, we would like to review resistance mechanisms to all four major classes of parasiticides that have been commonly used to help control sea lice on salmonid fish farms in the northern hemisphere.

How can your research on these resistance mechanisms be applied to help?

One of the other partners in the SLRC collaboration is a commercial di-

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I would “like to

maintain a continued involvement with likeminded commercial entities

”

Did your trip to Elanco provide you with any extra ideas?

I was able to have a great exchange of ideas with Elanco’s multi-disciplined team there. It was really interesting to witness, first hand, how their parasitology research programmes are conducted and to observe the bio-analytic protocols and technologies they have developed.

During the week I had the opportunity to present my work to a variety of groups and get their objective thoughts that I am sure will benefit my future research.

It is my sincere hope that we can stay in touch and hopefully undertake some further collaboration that will improve the management of sea lice infestations on salmon farms.

We share the same passion for our work, not only in the laboratory, but also for the practical outcomes that may be achieved in the field as a result of our science.

How do you see your future?

Well right now I am totally immersed in our project trying to identify genetic markers for resistance of sea lice to parasiticide chemicals.

Alongside that I am excited about working to develop rapid diagnostic assays that will harness our scientific research to improve the health status and productivity of salmonid fish farms.

I can see the next few years being consumed in this fashion but beyond that I would like to be a scientist that has a balance of academic research and practical field involvement. I have found that collaborating with commercial companies, like PatoGen and Elanco, has given me an added insight into what is possible – I would like to maintain a continued involvement with like-minded commercial entities. FF New tools: next page

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08/02/2016 11:32:57

Sea lice – Norwegian University of Life Sciences

New tools Gene clue provides breakthrough in breaking down resistance

BY KIRANPREET KAUR

T

he salmon louse is an ectoparasite that feeds on mucus, skin and blood of salmon in seawater. Norwegian governmental regulations require reduction of the salmon lice burden if the abundance exceeds 0.5 adult female parasites per fish in salmon farms.

The chemical treatments have been the most commonly used tool to combat this parasite. Unfortunately, the limited number of chemical treatments available and their overuse over the years have led to widespread resistance. Understanding and unravelling the biochemical pathways underlying this resistance is, therefore, the need of the hour.

It would lead to the development of better tools to control resistance, and this would possibly improve management strategies and help in preventing economical loss due to ineffective treatments in the aquaculture industry.

So far, bioassays have been used to determine the sensitivity status of salmon louse in fish farms. However, bioassays are toxicological tests performed on live parasites, and are thus labour intensive and associated with several sources of biases.

I am working on resistant mechanisms of two different classes of chemicals used against salmon louse (organophosphates and avermectins).

Organophosphates (OPs) belong to a group of anti-parasitic agents that act by inhibiting a vital enzyme, acetylcholine esterase, in cholinergic synapses. The inhibition blocks the cleavage of

We “ are quite

positive that we will be able to unravel the real culprits in the near future

”

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New tools

the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine and results in elevated levels of it in the synaptic cleft thereby causing excitation, paralysis and death of the organism.

Organophosphates have been used against salmon lice in Norwegian salmonid aquaculture since the late 1970s. The first agent used was metrifonate (Neguvon), followed by dichlorvos in 1986 (Nuvan) and azamethiphos (Salmosan) in 1994.

In 1991, the first cases of reduced efficacy of organophosphate treatments were noted in Mid-Norway. When the use of azamethiphos was terminated during 1999, the problem of reduced sensitivity in salmon lice against azamethiphos was widespread.

At that time, the cause for resistance in salmon lice against azamethiphos was not determined.

Azamethiphos was re-introduced as a treatment against salmon lice in 2008. In 2009, the first new reports of reduced efficacy of treatments came from the field.

When we started the project in 2012, the resistance in salmon louse towards OPs and other chemicals was a known fact and a major issue, with reports of treatment failure coming from different regions across the Norwegian coast, as well as other salmon producing countries such as Scotland, Canada and Ireland.

However, no tool was yet available to identify resistance because of the lack of knowledge about the molecular mechanisms involved in resistance. After two years of hard work, and with the aid of an extensive set of molecular, biochemical and enzymatic assays, we could successfully identify the mechanism of resistance towards organophosphates (azamethiphos) in the salmon louse.

Based on our results, we could state that a gene coding for acetylcholinesterase enzyme (ace1a) is the primary target for azamethiphos in the salmon louse. Besides, a single mutation in this gene (Phe362Tyr) is primarily responsible for conferring reduced sensitivity in the parasite towards azamethiphos.

In order to take our findings further, from lab to field, we collaborated with a company called PatoGen Analyse AS. Based on our results, PatoGen Analyse developed a rapid diagnostic assay to screen the samples from fish farms throughout the Norwegian coast for Phe362Tyr. It was very interesting to see that our findings held true for the resistance towards azamethiphos in fish farms across the whole Norwegian coast, from south to north.

These findings resulted in a patent in collaboration with PatoGen Analyse. The latter has been efficaciously using the diagnostic assay developed, since 2014, in determining the resistance level in different fish farms across the Norwegian coast. This is a very precise tool with high specificity to guide fish farmers towards the usage of organophosphates based on resistant parasites.

This success has attracted other salmon producing countries and we are now working on the

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Opposite left: This image shows the salmon fish infected with salmon lice. Top: This figure shows the distribution of mutation (Phe362Tyr) in ace1a gene in salmon louse across the Norwegian coastline. RR (red color) represents the salmon lice samples with both mutant copies of the ace1a gene, RS (yellow color) are the salmon lice samples with one mutant copy of the ace1a gene and SS (green color) are the salmon lice samples without the mutation in ace1a gene, respectively. The figure clearly indicates that mutation (Phe362Tyr) is widespread on the fish farms across Norwegian coast. This distribution correlates very well to the resistant level in salmon lice towards OPs

screening of salmon louse samples in a collaborative project with Atlantic Veterinary College, of the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada, and the Marine Institute in Ireland; Scottish samples have been provided by PatoGen Analyse.

The goal is to establish whether the same molecular mechanism is responsible for resistance towards OP in the salmon louse in these countries as well.

Apart from organophosphates, I am working on the resistance mechanisms of another chemical called emamectin benzoate (EMB). EMB belong to a class of chemicals called avermectins, a group of 16-membered macrocyclic lactones.

Emamectin benzoate (EMB; Slice) was introduced as a treatment against salmon lice in the late 1990s. It is administered to the fish via feed, thus a much easier treatment than bath treatments.

Because of this, and an excellent effect on all developmental stages, it became very popular in all salmon producing countries. It was the dominant product for sea lice treatments In Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Chile until 2006.

At that time, reduced efficacy became evident in Ireland, Scotland and Chile, and a year later in eastern Canada.

In Norway, EMB was used to a lesser extent. The practice there was to use EMB on fish during the first summer in sea, and then bath treatments with azamethiphos or pyrethroids the second year. Thus, a systematic rotation between chemicals was the standard practice.

However, resistance problems emerged in Norway as well, with the first incidents reported in 2008. Since then, the problem has spread along the Norwegian coast, and today EMB resistant parasites are found in all the regions.

We are at present working on identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in resistance towards EMB. As per the limited literature available from various species, the resistance towards EMB is more complex than with OPs. Several different mechanisms have been suggested but none has been shown substantially to be responsible for resistance towards EMB. We are using various different approaches comprising a battery of classical and modern tools, and are quite positive that we will be able to unravel the real culprits in near future. FF

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08/02/2016 11:34:57

Sea lice – Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre

BY HEATHER JONES

Funding the future Discovering the benefits of applied research and industryacademic collaboration - a platform for sustainable growth

J

ust over a year ago, the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) held its first major workshop, bringing together 80 specialists to discuss opportunities for applied research on sea lice control using cleaner fish.

A number of memories remain from that day.

The first were some fairly gruesome visuals of animal parasites. The second was the success of the 10-minute rule – having a quick turnaround time for speakers helped us cover huge amounts of ground, and is a formula I recommend.

The third – and the most important - is the spirit of collaboration evident among the attendees. At subsequent workshops and events we run, we still see this same desire to

collaborate and innovate.

Stuart Fancey, interim director of research and innovation at the Scottish Funding Council, one of our major public sector stakeholders, said: ‘The hunger for innovation across the length and breadth of the supply chain in aquaculture appears to be very, very strong. ‘[From] small suppliers of equipment … to major fish farm producers, they’re confirming to us what we thought, which is that innovation in this industry is crucial for its survival, its development, its export, its growth.’

Not surprisingly, the appetite for innovative solutions for sea lice control is especially strong. At our annual event last November we invited attendees to send a ‘postcard to the future’, setting out what they thought were aquaculture’s main challenges and main opportunities.

The responses we received were fascinating and will help us set our future agenda for supporting the industry. One firm message is that industry, researchers, students and other stakeholders believe parasites are one of

Left: Wrasse (picture Scottish Sea Farms) right: Lumpfish Above and right (pictures Pablo Gordillo Chueca)

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Funding the future

the major challenges facing the industry.

As a result, we will retain sea lice control as our number one Priority Innovation Area (alongside alternative sustainable feeds for finfish, rapid detection methods for pathogens and diseases, and development of secure health-certified Scottish mollusc spat production systems).

Outcomes of our first sea lice workshop But back to December 2014. The important

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outcome of that sea lice workshop was how much activity it set in motion. Following the discussions and the connections forged that day, SAIC has funded four important projects on sea lice control.

In total, we’ve launched projects worth £9.2 million, of which £2.3 million is SAIC funding. The sea lice projects alone involve a dozen different partners from industry and academia.

The four projects are: • A large-scale project at Machrihanish to upscale the use of farmed wrasse on salmon farms; • A vaccination project to enhance the efficacy and welfare of cleaner fish; • A project to establish a secure and sustainable supply for lumpfish for Scottish salmon farms and to optimise their deployment for effective sea lice control; • A project to improve the welfare – and thus efficacy – of lumpfish deployed on farms.

As is evident from those very brief descriptions, we’re coming at sea lice control from all sides – using complementary species of cleaner fish, and developing different expertise and techniques to boost their availability and effectiveness.

We are also looking beyond biology, discussing with researchers from other disciplines their ideas for tackling sea lice. Our investment in par-

asite control, in multiple projects, constitutes our first planned programme of sea lice research.

The future of the industry It’s early days on SAIC’s cleaner fish projects – especially with lumpsuckers. But progress is good, and there are developments to celebrate.

For example, there are now two new PhD students from the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture involved in the Machrihanish wrasse project, one working on nutrition and one on health management.

There is also a post-doctoral research assistant on the project, also focusing on health.

These early-stage academics will aid progress on the project itself, which will ultimately support commercial success and feed into Scottish economic growth.

And on top of that, their involvement is helping to build a cohort of researchers who understand the needs of industry, and see the benefits of applied research and industry-academic collaboration.

Researchers who’ll help tackle sea lice (or other issues) not just in the lab, but at a salmon farm near you. That’s a wonderful platform for sustainable growth. FF Heather Jones is CEO of the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre

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08/02/2016 11:36:57

Sea lice – Interview

Fighting on the front line Biologist’s new role keeps her at the forefront of fish health

M

arine biologist Camilla MacDonald might have left her role at one of Scotland’s biggest salmon companies but her new job will keep her at the forefront of the Scottish industry.

She joined MSD Animal Health as its technical manager last November, after three and a half years’ overseeing fish health at the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC), and brings to the task considerable insights into the challenges facing the sector.

Left: More than one solution Opposite page: Camilla MacDonald

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One of those challenges, of course, is the impact of sea lice, which MacDonald has seen from the financial as well as the technical perspective.

Her role now is different to what she was doing in terms of sea lice but she will still be immersed in the problem. ‘We’re always looking at innovative ways to manage the sea lice situation,’ she said.

Having run the Scottish Salmon Company’s cleaner fish programme from 2013 when production and capacity started to increase, she sees biological controls as part of any future sea lice strategy.

‘It’s agreed in the industry that cleaner fish definitely have a key role to play…and most companies have moved towards partially using one or other species (wrasse or lumpfish),’ she said.

At MSD, one of her responsibilities will be the SLICE Monitor, the firm’s technical support package for SLICE, its key sea lice product which is used extensively in the industry.

‘It’s well established, but all the pharmaceuticals in the market for sea lice have been commercially available for quite a number of years.’

And will it continue to play a big role even with the development of the cleaner fish programmes?

‘Yes, because there is not one solution to sea lice; each area is different, each salmon population is different and needs its own sea lice strategy, so I think there’ll continue to be use of medicines, and there’ll continue to be use of cleaner fish, and there’ll continue to be use of mechanical methods that are being trialled at the moment. Medicines will still have a key role in sea lice management.’

MacDonald spends much of her working week disease mapping and monitoring, out and about on sites, both for SLICE and also with her colleague, technical assistant Liam Docherty, who does the auditing for the AQUAVAC monitor, the technical support package for MSD’s vaccines.

And is she despatched if there’s a major disease outbreak?

‘No, it doesn’t work like that! Each salmon company has a health department and that may be in-house vets or third party vets or health

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Fighting on the front line

managers in the company.

‘But wherever companies are utilising SLICE we’ll do best practice procedures to ensure they get the most efficacious treatments.

‘We do a lot of training courses with SLICE Monitor. We’re there to support the product, so ultimately that’s supporting the customer.’

MacDonald is holding one-on-one sessions with companies over the coming weeks to discuss how SLICE is working for them, and to go over best practice principles.

‘The uptake of the training programme is very good in the industry overall. There’s been good consistency of samples being supplied and uptake of these training sessions with managers, before I started in this position.’

While there have been no new pharmaceuticals for sea lice for a number of years, MSD continues to invest heavily in R&D, said MacDonald. Part of her job is to be the interface between this research science and the industry.

‘It’s about talking to the industry and finding out what the biggest challenges are, then relaying that to R&D so they can work towards the things that are most needed.’

Her role also includes managing research projects. MSD’s research team is based in Bergen in Norway but some of the trial work and research is done within Scotland, either in field trials or lab trials, at various facilities, such as Machrihanish, in Kintyre.

‘We try to collaborate with customers if there’s a particular aspect of SLICE or a vaccine or anything they’d like to look at. If we do small research projects or trial work with different companies I act as a sort of go between.’

MacDonald, a prize winning graduate of Newcastle University, has been involved in aquaculture since 2012, but acknowledges that expertise comes gradually – ‘it’s such a changeable environment, everyone is constantly learning’.

This quest for more experience and more knowledge was behind her career move.

‘I felt I wanted to develop personally and it was an area that had interested me for quite a while. And I liked the aspect of still trying to help the industry.

‘In my previous job I liked the technical side of finding out what industry’s needs were, working towards goals, and helping them to apply medicines most appropriately. These were some of the parts of the job I enjoyed but I was looking to challenge myself and develop my skills in a new area of aquaculture.

‘The health of fish is at the heart of MSD’s ethos, something I feel extremely passionate about.’

She thinks gill health is perhaps as big a challenge to the industry’s growth as sea lice.

‘Overall, we have to have a holistic approach

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It’s such a changeable “environment, everyone is constantly learning ”

– and consider all the other health challenges that come along and compound sea lice challenges.

‘What’s difficult about the gill challenge at the moment is there’s no treatment for it – obviously there’s peroxide for AGD but for proliferative gill damage there isn’t. It’s a matter of the gills having a period to recover.

And the manner in which we farm fish, the handling, the sea lice treatment - all those things can exacerbate the issue.’

But she remains upbeat about the future.

‘In terms of the government projection of 210,000 tonnes by 2020 there is definitely scope and ability for growth in the industry, albeit that there are challenges, both policy and health wise. Our role at MSD is to support the industry and promote fish health.’ FF

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Sea lice – Storvik

Skirts go to great lengths Norway firm’s cage tarpaulins help reduce lice by 50 to 80 per cent

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ea lice are a growing concern for farmers and the industry today faces many challenges over how this can be controlled.

Storvik Aqua is the UK distributor for Botngaard AS, a supplier of tarpaulin and perma skirts, based in Valsenest, Norway. Botngaard AS was established in 2009 and service only the aquaculture industry.

Botngaard AS has been heavily involved in research and development for the use of skirts on cages to help reduce the lice mark. In recent years, Botngaard AS supplied a record number of skirts to the Norwegian market and Storvik Aqua has brought these skirts into the UK market with growing success.

The idea is to wrap the cage with one skirt.

This can be mounted both inside or outside and will overlap at the meeting point and will Clockwise from top: The webbing and ropes on the skirts; the skirt tied on to the cage; the perma skirt on the cage

have a depth of around 5.4 metres. Tests carried out show that lice are generally in the first five metres of the cage, and the principle is that the skirt will prevent the lice getting through. In Norway, the results show a significant reduction in lice between 50 to 80 per cent.

Storvik Aqua, based in Lochgilphead, Argyll, is proud to be working with Botngaard AS. Lorraine Campbell, general manager at Storvik Aqua, said that the customer feedback from companies that have bought not only the skirts but full cage tarpaulins has been very positive.

‘We are in this industry to support our customers and to provide solutions to the challenges they face on a day to day basis,’ said Campbell. ‘Until there is something in place that eradicates the issue with lice altogether we have to continue to work with our customers and help to find and provide solutions that will better control this problem.

We see perma skirts as a lasting contribution to the tool box.’

For more information contact Storvik Aqua on 01546 603989 or email lc@storvik.co.uk FF

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Advertorial

We have to “ continue to work

with our customers to provide solutions

�

QUALITY FOR LAND AND SEA Storvik Aqua Ltd Equipment and Technology for Aquaculture Serving the industry for 30 years Providing support and solutions

www.storvikaqua.co.uk lc@storvik.co.uk Tel: 01546 603989

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Sea lice – EWOS

Robust approach Controlling spring settlement is key to integrated management

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armers in Scotland and Norway face the ongoing challenge in 2016 of managing sea lice, with its increasing economic toll on the industry.

The support feed EWOS ROBUST was the first anti-attachment feed available to Nor-

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wegian and Scottish salmon farmers, and is now a well established product in both markets.

This year, the level of lice challenge remains high and, faced with a diminishing range of treatment choices, choosing the correct feed has never been more critical to maintain optimal health and performance while delivering results to sustain investor confidence in the sector.

Below: Checking for sea lice

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Above: The Type 1 inflammatory response is quickly up-regulated when feeding EWOS ROBUST. This increases anti-viral factors and helps the salmon attack attaching sea lice. The Type 2 response is activated by default when sea lice attach.

This leaves salmon more vulnerable to lice attachment as they are far less able to mount an effective inflammatory response.

This year, EWOS continues to invest in sea lice research and remains part of an active international Sea Lice Research Centre that focuses on several key lice areas.

One important area of research includes the development of anti-attachment feeds and the profiling of gene expression in the host and parasite to better understand feed mediated anti-attachment effects.

EWOS’ anti-attachment feed ROBUST reduces lice settlement when used strategically, while also having a significant effect in supporting the fish immune system - reducing susceptibility to grazing damage from sea lice and viral challenge.

Failure to control sea lice compromises the salmon’s immune system, leaving it more susceptible to a wide range of viral pathogens, such as those that cause PD, HSMI, CMS and ISA.

Promoting an effective inflammatory response As sea lice attach, they suppress and divert the salmon’s immune system. This compromises the salmon’s ability to mount an inflammatory response effective at killing the parasite.

EWOS ROBUST promotes a strong Type 1 inflammatory response - increasing effective killing mechanisms. Without feeding EWOS ROBUST, the Atlantic salmon immune system is directed towards the Type 2 pathway, promoting a far less effective antibody response.

Dr. Simon Wadsworth, who leads EWOS Innovation’s health feed research, said: ‘Our recent work clearly shows significant up-regulation of the genes associated with the Type 1 inflammatory response.

‘This includes rapid increases in vital factors in the skin, such as Interleukin 1βand an-

Below: When challenged with the same levels of L.salmonis in laboratory conditions, coho salmon effectively kill off sea lice within two weeks, whereas Atlantic salmon succumb to higher lice settlement.

Source: Fast et al.

(2002)

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Sea lice – EWOS ti-microbial peptides. The protective factors are maintained or increased within the mucus without increasing overall mucus levels.

‘We are confident that EWOS ROBUST promotes the most effective immune response pathways that benefit fish by improving their overall resilience to both sea lice and viral challenge.’

Understanding defence mechanisms Studies on coho and pink salmon demonstrate that these species are highly effective at killing Lepeophtheirus salmonis (L. salmonis) when it attempts to attach.

Coho and pink salmon can 1. Quickly up regulate their Type 1 immune response systems 2. Starve the attaching louse of iron/heme By understanding these mechanisms deployed by other salmonid species, we can aim to stimulate Atlantic salmon to respond in a similar way.

In comparison, Atlantic salmon produce little or no cell proliferation allowing the louse to invade relatively unabated.

Top: Atlantic salmon show very little skin cell proliferation on parasite attachment, indicating very little inflammatory response (Caligus spp).

Source: Helle Jodaa Holm Above: Coho salmon demonstrate high levels of cell proliferation surrounding an attaching louse, indicating rapid immune response to the parasite and mounts a powerful kill response in return (Caligus spp).

Source: Helle Jodaa Holm.

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Iron deprivation There is now growing evidence that degradation of vital heme and iron deprivation is part of an effective strategy deployed against lice attachment.

When challenged with L. salmonis, pink salmon show a significant down regulation of a number of genes involved in heme biosynthesis. This can systematically weaken lice, starving them of heme which they cannot synthesise, and disrupts a number of essential metabolic processes.

EWOS scientists and the Sea Lice Research Centre are working to reproduce this response by trialling new functional components in anti-attachment feeds. To date these show promising results and we can now further help Atlantic salmon to mount an effective defence against sea lice, weakening attaching lice by starving them of vital host components and promoting the right type of inflammatory response.

A recent study by EWOS Innovation found that lice sampled from salmon fed EWOS ROBUST showed a highly specific expression pattern of a number of genes involved in the regulation of nutrient metabolism and louse development.

These findings indicate that host defence mechanisms, possibly similar to those used by coho and pink salmon, can be achieved through the feeding of EWOS ROBUST. Controlling spring settlement remains key In addition to these new findings, the timing of the deployment of anti-attachment feeds and lice medicines has been found to be critical in minimising spring lice settlement.

This year, temperatures in Scotland have not reached their typical low levels, and so farm-

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Advertorial ers must be prepared for greater sea lice egg viability and higher lice pressure in the spring settlement period.

By the end of March and into April, gravid females switch to higher quality egg production. This results in large numbers of highly viable copepodid stages being present in the sea. As sea temperatures begin to rise so too does the potential for sea lice infection.

By mid-May to mid-June (weeks 19-25) a peak in chalimus stage settlement occurs. It is critical to minimise this peak in settlement to maintain control over sea lice in the warmer months EWOS ROBUST should be fed strategically in anticipation of the spring settlement period and integrated with other control measures to minimise lice settlement and strengthen immunity.

Simon Wadsworth, Christopher Hawes and Jorge Pino, EWOS Innovation Helle Jodaa Holm and Stanko Skugor, NMBU Contact ewan_cameron@cargill.com for further details.

REFERENCES: Fast MD, Ross NW, Mustafa A, Sims DE, Johnson SC, Conboy GA, Speare DJ, Johnson G & Burka JF. (2002) Susceptibility of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch to experimental infection with sea lice Lepeophtheirus salmonis. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 52, 57-68.

Above: Chalimus numbers are low during the winter months. Numbers rapidly increase between weeks 19 - 25. It is at this stage that lice settlement needs careful control. Secondary populations can subsequently develop, increasing infection risk over the rest of the production cycle, and potentially a higher frequency of chemotherapeutic treatments.

速

ROBUST SUPPORT

- SPECIALISED HEALTH FEED TO BE USED AS PART OF AN INTEGRATED SEA LICE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

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significant reduction in the number of mobile and adult lice with the treatment.

There are now 10 Thermolicers, made by Steinsvik, in use in Norway, and that number is expected to double by the end of March 2016.

Sea lice – Steinsvik

Steinsvik also reports that it has Thermolicer customers in the Faroes and Chile, and there is ‘quite a lot’ of interest in the product, too, Canada and the UK. This is not surprising, says the firm, considering the results this ‘green machine’ has achieved so far.

‘Green’ machine [The principle]

For the past eight years, Ocea/Steinsvik has been developing its machine, which is based on the principle of using heated seawater as the only active de-licing agent.

The method makes use of the discrepancy in size between salmonids and sea lice and the large How environmentally friendly system based on surface of the lice’s body.

heated water is helping to reduce lice problem

Lice are very sensitive to sudden temperature changes and a short and sudden exposure to heated water kills them.

are very sensitive to sudden “Licetemperature changes ”

T

large surface of the lice’s body.

hermal de-licing is a relatively new,

Lice are very sensitive to sudden temperature changes and a short and Thisnon-medicinal fact was first documented Forsøkstasjon in Norway (Miljømessig method of combating seaback in 1997 at Gildeskål sudden exposure to heated water kills them. lice, which has been tested with positive avulsing av laks, Per S. Brunsvik, project manager: Trond Helge Skogland).

This fact was first documented back in 1997 at Gildeskål Forsøkstasjon results. A report from the Norwegian VetAbove: 1. The fish enters

erinary Institute last year recorded a significant via the fish pump. 2.

In addition this,of itmobile hasand been Elliot et al reduction in the to number adultshown Waterby strainer/removal lice with the treatment. of seawater. 3. Seawater temperatures up to 30 to 34 degrees. is filtered and released There are now 10 Thermolicers, made by Steinsvik, in use in Norway, and that number is from the system. 4. expected to double by the end of March 2016. The fish are introduced to tepid water. 5. The Steinsvik also reports that it has Thermolicer fish move through the customers in the Faroes and Chile, and there system filled with tepid is ‘quite a lot’ of interest in the product, too, water. 6. Water level in Canada and the UK. treatment chamber. 7.

This is not surprising, says the firm, conTepid water removed. sidering the results this ‘green machine’ has 8. Fish leave the system. achieved so far.

9. Tepid water led back The principle For the past eight years, Ocea/Steinsvik has been developing its machine, which is based on the principle of using heated seawater as the only active de-licing agent.

The method makes use of the discrepancy in size between salmonids and sea lice and the

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in Norway (Miljømessig avulsing av laks, Per S. Brunsvik, project manager:

Trond Helge Skogland).

(1981) that salmonoids are able to withstand

In addition to this, it has been shown by Elliot et al (1981) that salmonoids are able to withstand temperatures up to 30 to 34 degrees.

The Thermolicer exposes the salmon and sea lice to lukewarm water for a short period (25 to 30 seconds). This is enough to kill the lice, while the salmon passes through the water before the heated water affects it.

to the heating tank for filtering, aeration and reheating. 10.

Treatment water is pumped back to the treatment chamber.

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crowded and pumped into the machine.

The treatment water is kept at 30 to 34 degrees, depending on the ambient sea temperature, and the treatment water is filtered, aerated, oxygenated and re-used in the system.

This simple treatment has a capacity of about 70 tonnes of fish per hour, and its effect on adult ‘Advertorial female lice is well above 90 per cent.

The machine The Thermolicer is placed in a transport container, which is then placed on a barge. The fish are crowded and pumped into the machine.

The treatment water is kept at 30 to 34 degrees, depending on the ambient sea temperature, and the treatment water is filtered, aerated, oxygenated and re-used in the system.

This simple treatment has a capacity of about 70 tonnes of fish per hour, and its effect on adult female lice is well above 90 per cent.

Green tech Salmon farming is and will continue to be one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways to produce food. The use of antibiotics is just one example of this. From frequent use in the early days of the industry, antibiotics are now close to non-existent, with less than one per cent of fish treated annually in Norway, a decrease of 99 per cent since 1987.

Steinsvik hopes that the Thermolicer will help reduce the use of chemicals and pharmaceuticals further. the lice’s osmosis regulatory system. Steinsvik plans to utilise this finding Further development [Green tech] Above: The Thermolicer so as to further improve the de-licing results.

The company is currently focusing on two is placed in aistransport farming and will continue be the oneThermolicer of the most efficient environmentally friendly Until to now, has beenand equipped with electrical heater elmajor developments: increasing capacity per Salmon which is then in its bottom In the months come, a number of Thermoto produce food.

The useements of antibiotics is just tank. one example of this.to From frequent use in the hour, and using fresh water as a substitute for wayscontainer All delivered onthe a barge licers benow equipped with boiler tankswith andless heatthan exchangers, increasing seawater. earlyplaced days of industry, antibiotics are close to non-existent, one perBarges cent ofstacked Eiffel Towerwill Burj Khalifa Steinsvik the capacity from 500 kWm1987. to 780 kW per machine. 1800 m 324 maheating 828 Small-scale dip tests have shown that the licefish treated annually in Norway, decrease of 99 per cent since The increase in capacity is expected to be instant, thereby reducing the drops of the fish faster in warm fresh water, Steinsvik hopes that the Thermolicer will per helpcage, reduce use of chemicals and pharmaceuticals time spent andthe a considerable reduction on crowding time in than in seawater with equal temperatures.

FF further. the cage for the fish waiting to be treated.

Most likely, this is caused by the added stress on

Every 3rd farmed salmon in the world is documented in Mercatus

Did you know Mercatus is in use daily on 600 sites around the world?

Half of these sites are in Norway, the rest is spread over 5 continents and 9 different countries. 65 different companies use the software, and these vary from some of the biggest to some of the smallest salmon producers. Mercatus started as a separate company 15 years ago, and has been run by Ocea, and now Steinsvik.

Our experience in both fish farming and software development makes us the natural choice for fish farmers around the world.

steinsvik.no

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Sea Lice – Stranda Prolog AS

Floating

a new idea HeliXiR Fish Hospital a winning concept in fish health

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tranda Prolog AS has developed an award winning fish health solution, the HeliXiR Fish Hospital, along with its business partner Masoval Fish Farming Co. The hospital not only improves animal health and welfare, but also reduces the environmental impact of treatments.

It uses a small and recirculated treatment tank giving users full control of time, concentration and temperature while the fish are exposed to treatment.

The project was launched two years ago when Stranda and Masoval joined forces to develop a closed treatment process against sea lice.

Both companies are family businesses, now in their third generations, and they are regarded by many of their peers as pioneers in the industry with more than 40 years’ experience.

A plan was hatched in January 2013 to treat salmon against sea lice with medicine in a HeliX tank which was placed on a barge out on the farm.

From this loosely developed concept – first devised by Stranda in 2007 - the idea was fleshed out with intense engineering work to develop and finance the pilot.

This took a total of 19 months, followed by a further nine to build the prototype.

The HeliXiR was then ready to start its trials. These were successful, proving that the concept worked. The

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trials then continued throughout 2015.

The HeliXiR Fish Hospital consists of a 32x12 metre barge; a Triplo fish pump for continuous suction and delivery; a de-watering unit with grading functionality to grade fish and provide cleaning and lice filtering for the water; a 133x3 metre HeliX processing tank with a filtrating water treatment system; a heat pump for +/- 60 degrees celsius; an aeration unit and a water intake with algae filter.

The expected capacity is between 50-100 tonnes per hour, delivering a greater than 90 per cent reduction in chemical consumption.

The system filtrates all emission fluids and can also be closed to avoid any and all emissions. The user retains total control of the fish during treatment and throughout the entire process.

Stranda’s administration director Klaus Hoseth told Fish Farmer that he was delighted with the success of the new Triplo pump, which is used in conjunction with other technologies such as the Thermolicer.

‘During the past year we have sold 20 complete systems of this new pump,’ he said.

‘Vacuum pumps have a huge advantage for a delivery height of five metres that is normal for de-licing set-ups.

‘With the new Triplo design, we can deliver a pump with constant suction from the cage, reducing stress from the crowding and increasing welfare from the gentle tank designs.

‘We can even put an AquaScan fish counter on the inlet for correct counting and biomass estimation.’

For more information visit www.stranda. net. Klaus Hoseth can be reached on +47 7140 1403. FF

Left: Planning the process Opposite page from top: HeliXiR Fish Hospital; HeliXiR in action; Triplo fish pump; sorting the fish

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The user retains total “control throughout the entire process �

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Sea lice – Linde Group

Target market

Linde drives gas-enabled innovation in aquaculture

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he Linde Group is the leading gases and engineering company in the world with approximately 65,500 employees working in more than 100 countries around the globe.

Industrial gases produced by Linde are used worldwide in virtually every branch of industry, commerce, science and research.

Reaching beyond the production and supply of industrial gases, the Gases Division also specialises in the development and delivery of innovative application technologies, hardware solutions and supporting services for various target markets.

Aquaculture – or fish farming under controlled conditions – is one such market.

Global demand for fish products has roughly doubled over the past 50 years and it is estimated that fish consumption will rise by nearly 40 per cent to 180 million tonnes by the year 2030.

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Wild catch alone is no longer able to meet this global demand. Marine catches have been stagnant since the 1980s, with many stocks depleted or overfished.

Open water aquaculture facilities are one alternative to wild catch.

This farming method still accounts for around half of all fish available for human consumption.

Oxygen in focus According to Linde, however, onshore fish farms are an increasingly viable alternative. In fact, they are an essential link in the agricultural chain as they protect the oceans from further overfishing and produce healthy food with extremely high feed conversion efficiency.

As fish absorb oxygen through direct contact with water, dissolved oxygen is the most important success factor in achieving good results in onshore fish farming.

Fish farmers are thus challenged to ensure efficient oxygenation of fish tanks so that fish stocks can thrive – from infancy to maturity.

Adequate oxygen levels in the water at all times not only ensure growth, oxygen also promotes the health, appetite, performance and general well-being of the fish. The right oxygen levels also help to reduce

Clockwise from above: Solvox Dropin in operation; inside the Innovation Centre; outside the centre; preparing the Solvox Dropin for submersion

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stress and potential outbreaks of disease in fish populations.

Innovation leadership At Linde’s world leading aquaculture innovation centre in Ålesund, Norway, experts are busy researching and developing energy efficient oxygenation solutions for all fish farming models.

Based at the heart of the global aquaculture industry, this innovation centre combines pioneering R&D labs with proof-of-concept test and demo aquaculture tanks.

The largest of these tanks is 55 cubic metres and has been built to a highly innovative specification. A highlight of the innovation centre, the tank will allow both aquaculture technologists and customers alike to observe how the latest oxygenation technologies impact fish development in an onshore farming enclosure. The centre thus gives customers the opportunity to see pioneering oxygenation systems in operation first hand.

Innovations tried and tested at the Ålesund centre include Linde’s innovative fish farming oxygenation technology, SOLVOX® DropIn. This highly effective, patented, lightweight technology improves the delivery of oxygen into fish farming sea cages. The system is designed to be dropped into sea cages or tanks which experience unhealthy water conditions due to poor oxygen levels or where supplementary oxygen is needed, for example in harvesting tanks.

Sea lice under control It is also a powerful tool in the fight against sea lice. Sea lice can compromise the health of fish. While they occur naturally in the marine environment, they can represent a particular issue among farmed fish where a more concentrated population raises the risk of infestations.

Sea lice treatments typically require the sea cage to be encased in tarpaulin to maintain the necessary concentration of delousing agent within the water.

However, this also cuts off the oxygen supply to the fish as there is no water flowing into the cage during the treatment period.

SOLVOX DropIn solves this dilemma, providing a flexible, dynamic solution that can be deployed on demand. It is just one of the many oxygenation breakthroughs that Linde Gas has developed and delivered under its SOLVOX series – all of which are inspired by a dedication to increasing

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fish farming efficiency for customers through new and innovative technologies.

As the most innovative gas company in aquaculture, Linde is aiming for above market growth in gas-enabled aquaculture applications on the strength of innovations such as SOLVOX DropIn. FF

“

Dissolved oxygen is the most important success factor in achieving good results in onshore farming

”

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Sea lice – SkaMik

Removal

firm SkaMik’s mechanical treatment has ‘significant’ success rate

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ground-breaking Norwegian aquaculture company specialising in new technology claims it has introduced a significant breakthrough in the mechanical treatment of sea lice in the form of its Avluser product.

SkaMik was founded in 2009 by Geir Skarstad and Frode Mikalsen and works in close collaboration with farm owners, Environment Service AS and Norwegian Fish Transport.

The company’s mission is to help the aquaculture industry achieve ambitious growth targets while maintaining its commitments to sustainability and the environment.

The SkaMik Avluser offers pioneering technology for the mechanical delousing of salmon.

The solution is one of the first to offer sea lice removal without medical or chemical treatment.

Following full-scale tests, the Avluser, says SkaMik, has demonstrated that the technology kills up to 90 per cent of all sea lice.

The experiments were conducted in close cooperation with fish health professionals and focused on fulfilling all the requirements for fish health and safety.

The SkaMik system is a modular one that can easily be extended to reach a capacity of 270 tonnes and can be adapted to fit boats, rafts and fixed installations. It can also be combined with other operations, such as the sorting, splitting and moving of salmon.

The SkaMik Avluser contributes to the environment with its chemical free discharge, re-

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“

It all adds up to a cost effective, efficient and environmentally friendly solution Clockwise from top: Images of the equipment on the barge built by Alsaker Havbruk AS

”

duced infection pressure and a reduced spread of resistant sea lice. The Avluser also promotes smoother production, easier internal logistics and lower costs.

Once the salmon are transported from the cage they are split into two groups and counted.

They are then sorted into two further groups before a set of soft brushes treat each salmon individually. A filter then collects and destroys the lice before the process water is filtered.

It all adds up to a cost effective, efficient and environmentally friendly solution to one of the biggest problems facing the industry today.

For further information, contact SkaMik’s CEO Geir Skarstad on +47 995 36639 or visit www. skamik.no FF

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Offshore – Gulf of Mexico

The new

frontier

US gives go ahead to aquaculture expansion in federal waters for the first time

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t has been described as the new frontier but offshore aquaculture has yet to fulfil its potential for increasing worldwide fish production.

That may be about to change, though, with the decision last month by the US to grant farm permits in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico.

Beginning in early February, commercial marine farmers could seek permits from the National Marine Fisheries Service, an agency of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

NOAA’s five-year strategic plan calls for marine aquaculture production to jump 50 per cent by 2020, and expanding into federal waters is key.

Some 90 per cent of seafood consumed

by Americans is imported, despite the US having an EEZ (exclusive economic zone) of more than 4.7 million square miles. It is something the Obama administration vowed to rectify, by expanding fish and shellfish farming into federal waters.

The new rules will allow up to 20 facilities to produce up to 64 million pounds (about 30,000

tonnes) of fish each year in the Gulf.

Each permit will be issued for a 10-year period, renewable in five-year increments. Those with permits will also be able to maintain a hatchery.

NOAA administrator Kathryn Sullivan said: ‘As demand for seafood continues to rise, aquaculture presents a tremendous opportunity not only to meet this demand, but also to increase opportunities for the seafood industry and job creation.’

In the US, federal waters begin where state jurisdiction ends and extend out to 200 miles

offshore. In the Gulf of Mexico, federal waters begin three nautical miles off Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and nine nautical miles off Texas and the west coast of Florida.

In addition to a NOAA permit, farming fish in federal waters also requires permits from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers. NOAA Fisheries is working with these agencies to set up a coordinated permitting process for the Gulf.

The US already supports many aquaculture operations in state waters, with species such as oysters, clams, mussels and salmon, and marine and shellfish farm products generated $1.4 billion in value in 2013 — 20 per cent of total US seafood production and fishery products by value.

There are currently no commercial aquaculture operations in federal waters. But three offshore mussel farms received federal permits from the US Army Corps of Engineers last year — two off Massachusetts and one off California. FF

Has NOAA opened the floodgates?

The stage is set for industry to explore opportunities in the Gulf of Mexico

S

peaking to Fish Farmer from Washington at the end of January, David O’Brien, deputy director of NOAA’s Office of Aquaculture, explains the new offshore rule in more detail.

What is ‘offshore’?

Depending on who you ask and what country you’re in, offshore has different meanings. In the US, though, it’s quite clear. We mean in federal

“

It took a long time but we now have a template to go on

”

Above left: David O’Brien.

Left: Salmon farming

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waters. In most states in the country that means three nautical miles away from the coastline.

But in the west coast of Florida and Texas, both of which border the Gulf of Mexico, the state boundary goes out to nine miles.

Have you had any applications yet?

No, the regulation will come into effect on February 12 and that’s the first day we can accept any permits.

Do you expect to be deluged?

I believe there’ll be a lot of folks waiting on the sidelines to see how the first permits go. I don’t expect we’ll get 20 initially. I think it will be a smaller number, a handful, and then the efficiency, the expenses involved, and any legal challenges that may come with the initial permits will affect how quickly others may proceed.

We’ve been focused at NOAA on trying to de-

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Offshore – Has NOAA opened the floodgates? velop a streamlined regulatory system, and the industry has been focused on that to a large extent as well. But once you get beyond that it becomes a practical matter of raising fish three or more miles from shore and the expense and challenges that come with that.

Could you review the farm limit in the future?

Yes. One of the interesting things about this rule is that it uses our fishery management law for aquaculture; it’s a novel way of doing it.

This is the first time we’ve used the law for a regional-scale aquaculture system. But the same rules apply to aquaculture as for any other fishery so if, for example, several years from now the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council decides it wants to increase that limit or reduce that limit they can take various steps they deem appropriate. That’s true for any fishing management plan. Any such changes would be subject to review for potential environmental impacts.

Have you any idea what the offshore farms will look like?

In terms of species, there is interest in red drum, cobia and almaco jack.

But we can’t say for sure yet. We are expecting that, given the expense of moving offshore, finfish of higher value will be grown, and most likely in some kind of submerged cage. But there is a range of species that could be grown and technologies that could be used.

How involved is NOAA in developing the innovations?

One of NOAA’s primary roles is to work with federal and state partners to develop a more streamlined, effective regulatory system. We also work on the science side, both in terms of developing the science to inform good regulations – for example, how much of a certain species can be raised in a certain area before it becomes a risk to the environment – and in spurring technological innovation, both at our science centres and through grants to external partners.

What are the benefits of farming offshore?

If you move into deeper waters and stronger currents it can alleviate a lot of the potential environmental impacts and disease management issues – not that they’ll go away entirely but in general they’ll be lessened.

Of course, the trade-off is that it’s much harder to get out to your fish and shellfish to see what’s going on and take care of them.

Given the technological advances that have been made and the global need for more seafood, I expect the aquaculture industry will find ways to make offshore aquaculture work.

What about the legal challenges?

It would not be a surprise if we had legal challenges. In an early stage of the process some groups did challenge our use of fishery management law for aquaculture. That could come up again.

One thing that’s interesting in the US is that over the last few years there has been a shift in public perception about aquaculture. A few years ago there was stronger opposition from certain groups…but some have moved on to other issues.

In part this is because the challenges with aquaculture have been largely addressed through good science and better management. I’m not saying it’s perfect by any stretch, but a lot of improvements have been made.

For example, look at how salmon farming in the north east of our country was manage 30 years ago compared to today – there have been significant improvements in sustainability. We’ve learned a lot in the past 30 years, as have our European colleagues and others around the world.

ception toward aquaculture. Where there used to be opposition from fishing groups who saw aquaculture as the outsiders, many folks coming to aquaculture in the past ten years or so are coming from fishing families.

They are the sons and daughters of fishermen and it’s amazing that in a relatively short space of time, in some parts of the country aquaculture has become part of that fishing community and not an outsider to it.

NOAA has been saying for some time that aquaculture complements wild fisheries. Both support largely the same infrastructure- the same docks, the processing plants and so on. Once those seafood products come to the dock it doesn’t matter where they came from or how they were produced – they all help to create jobs and stimulate local economies.

Is offshore aquaculture a personal mission?

I do personally feel strongly about it but, more importantly, it is part of NOAA’s mission to increase our seafood supply through sustainable aquaculture. Publishing this final Gulf aquaculture rule is a step in the right direction.

Will it help NOAA reach its growth target?

It’s a little too soon to tell but I think it certainly helps. We’ll see how the next year or two goes in terms of how many permits come in, and how difficult it is to issue them. Even before this rule came into place we were having good growth, mainly in coastal shellfish aquaculture. Moving offshore will add to that.

It’s called the ‘new frontier’ – will the world be watching with interest?

In talking to European colleagues it’s pretty clear we have the same challenges with respect to aquaculture and chief among them is crowded coastlines. This is generating interest in Europe and elsewhere in finding ways to move sustainable aquaculture offshore.

Do you see this blossoming in the way that aquaculture did 30 years ago?

Time will tell. One of our jobs at NOAA is to develop an effective and efficient regulatory system. There are market factors well beyond our control that come into play, but if we do our job and set the stage, we hear from the aquaculture industry that they want to take advantage of this opportunity and they will pursue offshore aquaculture.

After the Gulf of Mexico what’s next on the map?

The process is driven by regional interests. We know that in some other parts of the country, Fishery Management Councils are interested in what’s Is the public embracing marine aquaculture now? happening in the Gulf of Mexico and may pursue similar actions, but it’s I think the more we can demonstrate that aquaculture can be managed sti ll early in the process. sustainably the more accepted it will be.

One good thing about the Gulf plan experience is that we now have a There are always going to be critics of aquaculture and any kind of farming…but either we’re going to accept a global seafood deficit or we’re going template for other regions- we know what worked, what didn’t work, and where we can be more efficient. It took a very long time to get to this stage to have to find ways of growing more, and to do so sustainably, and I think in the Gulf and I genuinely hope that if and when the next council comes we’re well on the way to doing that. forward with their own version of a regional fishery management plan we’ll Within some traditional fishing communities we are seeing shifts in perbe able to move on it more efficiently. FF

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Offshore – Gulf of Mexico

Pioneer celebrates

‘milestone’

But he warns there is still a lot of work to be done

A

mong the first organisations to welcome NOAA’s ruling for the Gulf of Mexico was the Ocean Stewards Institute.

Headed by Neil Anthony Sims, CEO and founder of Kampachi Farms, the institute noted that the rule represents ‘more than a decade’s work on this issue by the Ocean Stewards Institute and a number of other industry partners, the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council, and other federal agencies’.

‘Let’s celebrate this important milestone,’ said Sims, ‘but recognise that there is a lot of work that still needs to be done to build a responsible aquaculture industry in the offshore waters of the Gulf, to bring back America’s working waterfronts, to create the seafood jobs that we need, and to make the US seafood self-sufficient.’

The Ocean Stewards Institute has expressed concerns that the short permit duration may be a disincentive to investment, and runs counter to Above: Neil Anthony long-term stewardship of the oceans.

Sims. Below: A diver But while the permit renewal process is not yet defined, the institute is inspecting the cage optimistic that the rule is a positive starting place.

‘While we hope that the rule will be improved over time, it sets the stage for development of this critical industry,’ said Sims.

‘We hope to bring to open ocean aquaculture the same spirit of ‘continuous improvement’ that’s used to good effect in organic agriculture: improving the processes on the farms, and refining the governing regulations to make them more efficient, and more effective.’

The Ocean Stewards also see the new rule as an opportunity to assuage common misconceptions and misunderstandings about open ocean aquaculture.

‘There is a lot of misinformation out there, but there is also a growing body of sound science that shows that open ocean aquaculture— when implemented properly—has minimal, often non-measurable environmental impact,’ said Sims.

His own business, which has long explored open ocean aquaculture in Hawaii, may be one of the companies that exploits the new US rule.

Last year he said: ‘I hope that inside of a year we will have filed an application for a commercial permit for the Gulf. That is a fervent hope, but I don’t think it’s an irrational hope.’

Now, asked it the rule affects his plans, he told Fish Farmer: ‘Well, it certainly piques our interest. But there are still a lot of elements that need to be better defined. We understand that NOAA is working towards that end.’

Also welcoming NOAA’s ruling was the American Soybean Association (ASA), which represents the nation’s soybean farmers, who often produce fish feeds with their prominent crop.

‘ASA supports this plan as the first step to realising offshore aquaculture development and growth in federal waters,’ said ASA president Richard Wilkins.

‘As the domestic offshore aquaculture industry grows, it creates multiple positives for American

There is a growing “ body of sound science

that shows open ocean aquaculture has minimal environmental impact

”

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Offshore – Pioneer celebrates milestone consumers, workers and farmers alike.

‘It creates and supports jobs in coastal communities and all along the inland supply chain to retail and food service; it generates an American grown source of nutritious and in-demand protein; and it further expands a growing market for the meal that we as farmers produce on our farms.’

Legal challenges But not everyone is happy about expanding fish farming in the Gulf of Mexico and several groups are threatening legal challenges.

Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food and Water Watch, said: ‘Just like factory farms on land, industrial offshore fish farms risk the health and welfare of communities, the environment and wildlife. This plan to allow a private industry to abuse our public resources must stop now.’

Marianne Cufone, environmental attorney and executive director of the Recirculating Farms Coalition, said: ‘Offshore industrial fish farming is outdated and unnecessary.

‘The Coalition uses on-land farming techniques that reuse water and wastes in closed-loop systems to raise fish.’

The protesters maintain that the Gulf of Mexico has changed significantly in the time it has taken NOAA to make its ruling, with the effects on fisheries, habitat and communities from hurricanes such as Katrina in 2005, and the 2010 oil spill, all still emerging.

Cufone said: ‘The Gulf of Mexico is still recovering from hurricanes and the 2010 oil spill; we don’t need more problems from fish farms.’

In addition to concerns about harm to the environment and local businesses, the process used to create the regulation was unusual and legally

questionable, it was claimed.

Rather than passing a law specifically to regulate aquaculture, the agencies used existing fishing laws to manage this new and fundamentally different activity, industrial aquaculture, as ‘fishing’.

‘Worse, while only the Gulf of Mexico is affected by the new regulation right now, the law-making process could be replicated in other parts of the country to allow industrial fish farms elsewhere,’ said Cufone.

‘This is a misguided decision,’ said George Kimbrell, senior attorney from the Centre for Food Safety.

‘We need to better manage and protect our native fisheries, not adopt destructive industrial practices that put them at risk.’

The groups are collectively analysing their legal options to challenge the new regulations. FF

Climate of change Sustainability summit aims to shift entrenched attitudes

A

t the SeaWeb Seafood Summit held in Malta earlier this month, the challenges of offshore aquaculture expansion were one of the topics under discussion.

A panel, that included NOAA’s David O’Brien and Kampachi Farms’ Neil Anthony Sims, debated issues such as the permitting process, public acceptance, and what they see as the major obstacles and opportunities for the future of this industry.

Ned Daly, director of the SeaWeb programme, said the main theme of this year’s summit, the eleventh organised by the organisation, was the future of sustainable seafood.

‘We looked at where the real opportunities to advance were and we also tried to bring in new and different perspectives that people may not run into in their day to day work but related to what they do,’ he told Fish Farmer.

‘If everyone is eating more aquaculture products, that may impact the sustainability of aquaculture simply because it will be on a much larger scale… and there will be more pressure on it.’

Daly believes people are inquisitive about offshore aquaculture, though they aren’t sure necessarily what it means or how it will change things.

Convincing everyone that aquaculture is also about sustainability in the long term may be difficult.

‘There are a lot of different camps out there. Firstly, the ‘not in my backyard camp’; I’m not sure you can ever change those guys’ opinions.

‘Then there’s another camp of ‘ocean conservation first’; they are just going to look at the value to ocean conservation and are probably more worried about lice than they are about feeding the planet or some of those larger sustainability issues.

‘That’s not to undermine those issues it’s just a different perspective. I think some of those folk can change.

‘And then I think there’s a big contingent of people who are just a little sceptical about aquaculture and either it’s based on old information or they don’t have a good sense of what fish farming is.

‘They came in with some preconceived notions – but I think we can change those people.’

Daly said he hoped the Malta summit would attract a good mix of people whose attitudes could be shifted. But the next challenge was to continue the debate after the summit is finished and take it to a wider audience.

‘We did used to get those very anti aquaculture people coming to the summit. But their voices have been pushed out, not with any intent, but

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because the rational discussion has risen to the top and the irrational, on both sides, has been pushed out. It was an interesting process.’

He believes some of the perception problems with aquaculture are due to ‘a lag time of bad information out there’.

‘I know the aquaculture industry gets so frustrated with people quoting old information and I just don’t know how to solve it. It’s not necessarily nefarious it’s just people are a little slow on the uptake sometimes and that’s a really big challenge.

‘One of the drivers [for aquaculture growth] will be the market looking for a protein with a sustainable profile and aquaculture has that.

‘I think the market is going to start promoting aquaculture more and more and that’s going to drive this because it’s a good opportunity for them to have a good sustainable protein in the market place.

‘They [the retailers] are the ones getting most of the questions now and having to deal with the misinformation, and that makes them a great point of contact to move some of these issues forward.’ FF

Rational “discussion

has risen to the top and the irrational has been pushed out

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FARMER CASE:

HJALTLAND GRIEG SEAFOOD Where: Whalsay and Gonfirth sites – Shetland What: Replacement programme of 39 nets in 90m circ + 8 net in 100m circ for Super Mono

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ARE THE BEST FITTING NETS WE HAVE EVER HAD AT OUR FARM. UNDOUBTLY THEY ARE VERY WELL MADE NETS. THE WASHER BOYS SAYS THE SAME AND IN FACT SAY THAT THESE ARE THE BEST GROWER NETS THEY HAVE EVER WASHED. WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE”

William Sandison, Site Manager at Hjaltland Grieg Seafood

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08/02/2016 12:08:42

Nylon Super Mono With focus moving away from copper based antifouling and towards in-situ washing – the chase is on for materials tailored to cope with the strain from regular high pressure washing. Introducing nylon Super Mono.

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08/02/2016 12:08:59

Markets & Retail News

UK’s best fish and chip shop announced THE winner of the UK’s 2016 National Fish & Chip Awards is Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, based Simpsons Fish & Chips.

The shop scooped the ultimate title - Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year - during a ceremony in London.

Simpsons owners Bonny and James Ritchie said: ‘After coming in second for this award twice over the last few years, we really are over the moon to have finally won – third time lucky!

‘During the last year we’ve really upped our game, streamlining our marketing activities, expanding the shop to double the size of our restaurant facilities, and launching our very own children’s book to increase awareness of fish sourcing and species.

‘We’ve really pushed the boundaries of

Gordon Ramsay to open Las Vegas ‘chippie’

THE Michelin star TV chef Gordon Ramsay is to launch his own fish and chip restaurant in Las Vegas during the summer. He is opening a traditional chippie - with added style - called Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips.

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Above: Award winners Bonnie and James Ritchie

that traditional, stereotypical ‘chippy’ image, developing a strong brand which can compete with some of the familiar big catering businesses brands that are found on the high streets of the UK. ‘This is just the beginning for us.

We’re determined to

Third time lucky During the last year “we’ve really upped our game ”

push fish and chips forward and keep growing our business.’

Chris Middleton, head of communications and marketing at the awards organiser, Seafish, and chair of the judging panel, said: ‘Simpsons were without a doubt ready to be crowned champions – they represent a young, fresh face to the industry, backed up with tremendous experience and skill.

‘They stood out for their robust sourcing policies, passionate work with local communities, innovative approach to branding and marketing, and continual business growth and expansion.

‘With boundless energy and vibrant personalities, they are the modern face of fish and chips in the UK – as champions, I have no doubt they will go on to be supreme ambassadors for our industry.’

Ally is a seafood champion SAINSBURY’S aquaculture and fisheries manager Ally Dingwall has won a Seafood Champion Award for Leadership.

The annual Seafood Champion Awards recognise individuals and organisations for excellence in promoting ocean health and environmentally responsible seafood with honours in four categories: leadership, innovation, vision and advocacy.

The awards were announced at the opening reception of the SeaWeb Seafood Summit in Malta earlier this month.

Dingwall was hailed as a model of how individuals can make a difference in large companies. His leadership led to Sainsbury’s earning recognition as MSC Fish Retailer of the Year in 2014, serving as an integral member of many sustainable seafood organisations, and advancing its commitments to sustainable sourcing of wild and farmed seafood.

Dingwall also encouraged other UK retailers to reach MSC commitments.

The judges chose winners from a group of 16 finalists from Australia, Canada, the UK, Indonesia, Japan, the Maldives, the Marshall Islands, New Zealand and the US.

Above: Ally Dingwall with his award

Seafood revenue up, but volumes down Overall sales of seafood in the UK are continuing to rise, but slowly. Seafish, the industry authority, said purchases over a 12-month period to mid-September 2015 rose by two per cent to £6.3 billion RETAIL sales (excluding discount chains such as Aldi) accounted for £3.14 billion. But volumes were down, which suggests that consumers are paying more for what they buy.

During the period under review, volume sales amounted to 333,086 tonnes, down by 6,767 tonnes or two per cent.

The frozen sector was hit the hardest, with

volumes declining by five per cent overall and fresh fish sales also seeing a very slight decline (0.7 per cent). Sales of canned fish were up by a fraction.

Fresh fish was the only sector to see a growth in value terms – up by 1.1 per cent to £21.6 million.

The frozen sector is currently worth around £22.9 million a year, down 3.2 per cent on 2014.

Britons also seem to remain as conservative as ever in their fish buying habits, with salmon still the top seller. Cod has overtaken tuna to capture second place.

Sales of haddock continue to decline, with the species falling into sixth place behind prawns, both the warm water and cold water variety.

The latest figures provide good news the foodservice sector. To the year ended June 2015, consumers spent £51.3 billion on eating food of all types away from home, an increase of 1.9 per cent on the previous year.

Seafood accounted for £3.2 billion of this total, an increase of 5.3 per cent on the previous 12-month period.

Despite all the publicity about seafood and health, Seafish says that 73 per cent of British adults still do not know they should eat at least two portions of fish a week, one being of the oily Omega-3 variety.

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Processing News

Young’s abandons Spey Valley plan

YOUNG’S Seafood announced last month that it has been forced to abandon plans to revive production at its Spey Valley smokehouse after the landlords, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said the company could not buy the site.

The company had some potentially forward looking proposals for the Granton-on-Spey facility including trade marking products created on site, before Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Scottish government’s regeneration body, vetoed the idea.

Young’s had also been in discussion with retailer custom-

ers about the potential to deliver new contracts from there in September and had outlined plans to refurbish the factory in readiness for these contracts.

Although the smokehouse is currently mothballed with only one or two staff, the plan was to rehire some of those who had been made redundant following the loss of the Sainsbury’s salmon processing contract last year.

Young’s is already planning to save around 250 jobs at its Fraserburgh production site.

‘Young’s Seafood provided the necessary contractual notice to the landlord

Findus brand may disappear

THE Findus frozen food brand in Britain looks set to disappear after almost 60 years. The company was famous for an entire range of products, ranging from fish fingers to crispy pancakes Young’s Seafood, which still holds the name in the UK, is reported to be ready to drop Findus while keeping some of its most popular products, but relaunching them with new names.

So far, Young’s has refused to comment on the reports. But it is not denying them either.

The plan is that Findus Crispy Pancakes will be replaced by a like-for-like product under the new Original Pancake Co brand and the rest of the Findus frozen meals range will be relaunched under a separate Chef’s Classics brand.

The Findus brand on the Continent was hived off and sold last year to Nomad Foods of America, to purchase the (Spey which also owns Birds Eye/Iglo, in multi-million Valley) site,’ the firm pound deals. told Fish Farmer.

Findus, with its deep orange/red and white flag A Highlands and symbol, has been a family favourite food brand Islands Enterprise rivalling the likes of Birds Eye since 1958.

(HIE) spokesman Findus pulled out of Grimsby in the 1980s, said: ‘HIE’s smokemoving to the North East. house at Grantown is a valuable economic asset for the town.

Our aim is to see it continuing to support local jobs for many years to come.

‘Now that Young’s Seafood is no longer running any contracts from Grantown, it is in the best interests of the community that the smokehouse Tourist should remain in pubattraction lic ownership through HIE, at least in the It is in the best interests short term.’ of the community in ‘The Spey Valley the short term smokehouse had become something of a tourist attraction.

“

”

Morpol invests €10m in Polish plant MORPOL is investing more than €10 million to expand its processing plant in Poland, reported Undercurrent News last month.

The move, which is expected to be fully implemented during the first half of 2016, will add at least 10 per cent floor space to the 80,000 sq m factory. Already the biggest salmon unit in the world, the Ustka plant will have a capacity to process more than 100,000 tonnes of salmon per year, according to Marine Harvest, Morpol’s owner.

‘The investment will allow us to take our factory to the next level, in terms of efficiency, increasing flexibility, food safety and capacity,’ said John Paul McGinley, Morpol’s chief operating officer who is also commercial director of chilled at Marine Harvest Consumer Products.

Morpol, bought by Marine Harvest from Polish entrepreneur Jerzy Malek four years ago, announced €11.6 million investment in 2012 to upgrade the plant.

The company has also branched into Sweden with a new sales office in the hope of exploiting the Swedish market for smoked, marinated

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and fresh salmon products.

Marine Harvest Sweden, as the new company is called, aims to be the market leader in VAP [value added products] salmon in the country within three years, according to McGinley.

Dawnfresh sells scampi business

ONE of Scotland’s biggest seafood companies, Dawnfresh, sold its scampi business last month to the English firm Whitby Seafood.

The Scottish company, whose main business is trout, employs more than 500 people but said the sale would not affect any Dawnfresh workers.

Dawnfresh is the largest trout producer in the UK and the largest supplier of Scottish loch trout in the world.

Its aquaculture division, Dawnfresh Farming, has a number of farms and hatcheries .

Euro fund open to English fishing firms FISHING, aquaculture and seafood processing companies in England are being urged to take advantage of a 243 million euro (around £186 million) European Maritime Fisheries Fund which has just been opened.

The Marine Maritime Organisation (MMO) says the scheme will bring much needed benefits to the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, as well as coastal communities.

MMO chief executive John Tuckett said: ‘The scheme provides significant opportunities for hard working fishermen, associated businesses and the wider marine sector to gain much needed funding to assist their important work.’

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Nutriad – Brighter future

DR PETER COUTTEAU

Enhancing our chances Biologist Peter Coutteau calls on the industry to reinvent itself to ensure a brighter future. Report by Dave Edler

I

t’s fair to say that Nutriad’s business unit manager Peter Coutteau has been around the block a few times when it comes to the aquaculture industry.

Coutteau spent a total of nine years at the University of Ghent studying to complete a PhD and continue with post-doctoral studies on fish and shrimp nutrition.

He states on his company profile that ‘water is life and my life is all about water’ and so it was no surprise that he switched from the academic workd to join INVE Aquaculture as an R & D

manager. While there, he worked in a new department focusing on feed mill nutrition, eventually becoming the product manager for farm nutrition before the division was incorporated into Nutriad, a global player in feed additives.

The following year he helped to set up the Aquaculture Business Unit at Nutriad along with CEO Erik Visser and he now heads up that department.

Fish Farmer talked to Coutteau about the state of the industry today.

What are the diseases and parasites that threaten economic sustainability across almost all fish species today and how can Nutriad’s product offering help counter that?

All major species are under threat and these threats are evolving on

Left and opposite: Whiteleg srhimp (Penaeus vannamei)

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Advertorial

an almost daily basis. As an example, I have just returned from an event, Aqua India, at which the hot topic was microsporidians and the threats they pose in India, Thailand and Indonesia within shrimp farms.

We are still dealing with Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) and White Faeces Syndrome and every year something new is emerging. The aquaculture industry is very dynamic and is reinventing itself all the time – indeed, it needs to be constantly doing this as the challenges are continuous.

Shrimp farming will be reinvented within the next two years with better disease control but there are always lots of angles, it’s always multi-dimensional and there certainly isn’t one single solution in the feed.

There is still a long way to go but I’m optimistic. We expect fast progreess through a combination of improved biosecurity measures in shrimp breeders and hactheries, genetics and husbandry procedures at the farm and functional feeds. Our programmes include species specific digestibility and metabolic enhancers that improve feed utilisation effi-

“

Feed is always going to be one of the major inputs

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”

ciency, reduce costs and improve performance.

What differentiates Nutriad from its competitors?

We focus on two specific areas - health and digestion, which are the bottlenecks in the industry at present. We have developed a range of natural products using ingredients which improve the immune systems of the fish and the shrimp and improve the balance between good and bad bacteria in the digestive system.

We also offer sophisticated mycotoxin deactivators, additives to preserve aqua feeds and marine ingredients, as well as low inclusion pellet binders.

We are commercialising these products in all the major aqua markets in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and South East Asia and our main focus species include marine fish, shrimp, trout, tilapia, pangasius and catfish.

What are your thoughts on the future of the industry over the next two to five years?

The major developments are going to be in genetics, as well as cultivating technologies, and an increased use of nurseries.

Feed is always going to be one of the major inputs, not just in terms of some of the nutrients but also needing to be functional and well digested to allow the shrimp to fight diseases.

Mexico has recently seen major advances in its shrimp production that gives an indicator of the potential bright future ahead.

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67

08/02/2016 12:22:41

Archive – From November/December 1984

Scotland’s Business of The Year is looking for a…

SENIOR BIOLOGIST Lochgilphead Office, Argyll Competitive salary dependent on experience …to join our team of passionate aquaculture professionals.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Biologist to provide expertise to the business in all aspects of aquaculture, from understanding and managing the growth in both freshwater and marine hatcheries and farms to supporting the communication process with local and industry stakeholders.

The role will involve monitoring the health status of all fish stocks, producing risk assessments, as well as planning and delivering audit schedules. Managing fish medication, liaising with regulatory authorities, and producing investigation/trial proposals for practical research will also be a fundamental part of this role.

Furthermore, providing regular guidance and advice, including delivering training to Marine and Freshwater staff in alignment with the Company’s training plans.

The successful candidate will have a degree in Biology or experience working as a health or site manager on production sites, with direct responsibility for managing teams and fish health. Knowledge of fish diseases would be advantageous.

Scotland’s Business of The Year looking forCompany a… is 100% focused Theis Scottish Salmon

on Scotland. We produce our salmon with a pride recognised at home and around the World. We require passionate individuals dedicated to delivering the highest standards in all aspects of our business from animal husbandry to customer service.

In return we offer a competitive salary package within a successful and innovative company committed to sustainability. To apply and/or request a detailed job specification please use the contact details below.

Please note applications are requested by CV and covering letter.

To apply, please contact: Lisa Connell, HR and Training Manager The Scottish Salmon Company 8 Melville Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7JA Tel: 0131 718 8519 lisa.connell@scottishsalmon.com Closing date for applications: Friday 19 February 2016

www.scottishsalmon.com

68

Archive - Feb.indd 68

Are farmed salmon a genetic threat to wild stocks?

Dr Ted Needham: an independent view

U

nlike the woolly-hatted brigade from the towns, or the shrill minority of born-again biologists, professional conservationists operate at a low political profile. They know that, particularly under the present government, much of their cause has been ruined by the activities of the unrepresentative few; the fanatics who are prepared to deny reasonable people a chance to make an adequate living in the countryside.

It is of interest, therefore, when a professional conservationist breaks cover and offers an opinion on salmon farming. Peter Maitland of Edinburgh’s Institute of Terrestrial Ecology has done just that in an important paper delivered at the Fisheries Management’s annual study course at Stirling this September. His analysis of the possible impact of salmon farming on the wild species bears examination because it is based on scientific fact rather than ill-informed emotion.

Maitland’s premise is that all Atlantic salmon do not belong to a common stock. There are demonstrable genetic differences between North American and European Atlantics and in Europe itself there are at least five subdivisions. Within the British Isles there could be some 74 separate river stocks each with their own identity.

All these stocks have been – and continue to be – under threat from a variety of influences including acid rain which has been known to be a problem since the 1920s. Other threats are from hydro development, river obstruction and water abstraction; pollution; environmental enrichment, and now fish farming itself.

Any negative effect of salmon farming is not immediately obvious and therefore has not received much attention. The supposed influence is quite subtle. It concerns an effect we could be having on the genetic make-up of wild stocks through indiscriminate releases and escapes.

Maitland’s claim that this is happening already is particularly pertinent as this month we select and strip our salmon broodstock and wonder yet again how best to dispose of surplus freshwater stocks culled at the bottom end of their grade.

It is clear as we attempt to domesticate our farmed salmon by line breeding of individual stocks that we are going in precisely the opposite direction to wild stocks breeding naturally in a river. Most of us will be stripping our biggest and ‘best looking’ two- and even three-sea-winter fish in the rather faint hope that we are selecting for both late maturity and rapid growth.

Because these aims are totally conflicting, nobody has yet achieved any dramatic changes in performance from so-called selective breeding work with Atlantic salmon.

If we bred from fast-growing grilse we might, as John Thorpe of DAFS suggested long ago, produce faster growing families. On the other hand, grilsing late maturity seem to be under so many environmental influences that one would have to breed from very late maturing fish indeed to supply any overriding genetic influence on late maturity. Late maturers tend to be slower growers.

Whatever we are breeding, Maitland argues that we are producing fish for farming that could well have less chance in the wild. Accordingly, he advised any fishery manager not to stock with salmon that have gone through more than two generations in captivity. He goes on to express a concern over possible effects of large scale escapes from salmon farms and suggests that cage farming should be avoided where there is any likelihood of association with important wild stocks.

Although he does not state precisely what he means by important, he could be referring to river stocks that may be threatened by other factors

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

08/02/2016 12:24:44

Archive – From November-December 1984

Once “ ‘pristine’ wild stocks are identified we will accord them the necessary respect

”

like increased afforestation and other environmental changes. By implication then he must favour salmon farming in Shetland voes which have no salmon rivers rather than at some of the estuarial sea lochs on the Scottish mainland.

Recognising that breeding salmon in captivity is here to stay, Maitland offers guidelines, some of which would have alarming consequences if we followed them. For example, he wants to see hatcheries and stocking banned on at least some of the river systems which might still contain ‘pristine’ stocks of salmon.

I wonder if many ‘pristine’ stocks actually exist, because most have been thoroughly adulterated by landowners and district fishery boards releasing ova and fry from different river systems. Just how pure is any wild salmon population with a less than 100 per cent homing instinct?

Apart from banning hatcheries in certain areas, Matiland states that where they exist they should regularly use wild broodstock. This should be local stock from the area of any intended release. There must be no selection of ‘desirable’ characteristics in broodstock. Ideally, over 500 broodfish should be used. Hatching conditions should be as close as possible to nature.

By following these guidelines the present risks to wild salmon apparently raised by the deliberate of accidental release of farmed stocks will be minimised. Indeed, Maitland believes it could be to our advantage as an industry to ensure that ‘uncontaminated’ wild populations remain.

We might well have to return regularly to the wild to collect fresh genes to counteract problems arising in domestication. These could range from simple in-breeding depression to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases.

All this is pretty profound. The industry will have to brace itself for a response. I think we should state clearly that we are in the business of growing the equivalent of pigs and not preserving wild boars. I just hope we are doing it properly.

I am tempted to say that pigs have never presented much of a threat to wild boar populations but that is too simple. We in industry must concede the point that wholesale release of ‘foreign’ stocks is foolish. Meanwhile, Maitland needs to demonstrate whether there are any ‘pristine’ stocks of

salmon worthy of protection. Once identified, I am sure we will accord them the necessary respect.

In spite of this difficulty I suspect most salmon farmers will see something in the conservationist view. We all want to see sympathetic management of the wild stocks and we do not stupid mistakes. It is now up to the authorities to guide us in how far our activities should be restrained so that any real threat to wild stocks is minimised. FF

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08/02/2016 12:25:05

FishMagazine Farmer Wellboats– Introduction

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s the salmon industry becomes more consolidated, and vertically integrated, wellboats are now being used routinely for a variety of essential tasks that help with the efficient running of salmon farms. Custom designed, wellboats are used to transfer smolts to sea water sites, to grade fish, transfer fish between seawater sites and to carry fish to harvest. Wellboats are also sometimes used to carry out bath treatments for sea lice.

There are a number of risks associated with the use of wellboats, in particular the transfer of pathogens to live fish within the wellboat, and into the sea as a result of discharging potentially infected water. In Scotland, these issues have been acknowledged with the establishment of the Wellboat Technical Standards Working Group in 2013. Amongst its recommendations include: that all marine vessels should log and record their position and the status of their valves; that all water from

16

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

dead-haul of fish to processing plants should be treated on-shore; that all water should be filtered prior to discharge into the sea; and that of wellboat transport water be proposed as a priority for the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre.

For their part, the wellboat manufacturers are already working hard to address these issues, and the modern wellboat is a technically sophisticated piece of kit, with a number of features that address issues of biosecurity. For

example, Sølvtrans, the world leading company within transport of live salmon uses a closed valves system, ensuring that when they transport live fish, no water is loaded or discharged to the sea during transportation or unloading.

Its new vessels are also equipped with lice filters with 150 μ for circulated water, which collect lice and other organic materials from the water, minimising the risk of any transported fish being contaminated by diseases, infection, sea lice etc from the nearby fish farms. FF

17

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

Under control

Norway – Research Council

“

The environment is more stable and the fish use less energy adapting to it

Under control

Above: Project participants at the centre’s opening. Right: CtrlAQUA scientists.

Photos by Terje Aamodt/Nofima.

Joint approach between scientists and industry to address challenges of closed-containment systems

F 001_ff03.indd 4 06/03/2015 14:28:03

our Norwegian research institutions, two outside Norway and several industry partners from technology and the aquaculture industry have started operations at a centre for innovation in closed-containment systems.

The centre, CtrlAQUA, has been given NOK 200 million and eight years to reach its goal of making closed-containment systems for salmon up to one kilogram.

Innovations in closed-containment, where the salmon is separated from the outside environment by a tight barrier, can be important for the further development of the industry,

helping to address challenges such as sea lice, diseases and escapes, as well as reduce production times.

Closed systems can be land-based, where water is recycled, or sea-based, in which large floating tanks receive clean water from depth.

In CtrlAQUA, the research will deal with both approaches.

The main focus of the centre is innovation in closed-containment systems for the most vulnerable periods of the salmon production cycle, such as the first sea water, post-smolt, phase.

The centre will also contribute to better production control, fish welfare and sustainability

in closed-containment farms. This will happen through the development of new and reliable sensors, minimising environmental impact through recycling of nutrients and reducing the risk of escape, and diseases transmission to wild stocks.

Senior scientist Bendik Fyhn Terjesen, from Nofima, who is the director of the centre, said that closed-containment systems for salmon up to one kilogram have further advantages than simply preventing lice and escapes.

‘We can control the environment in which the fish lives in a closed-containment system.

The environment is more stable and the fish

32

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

use less energy adapting to it. This means that the salmon has more energy available for growth and good health.’

Closed systems for strategic phases in salmon farming can help to make the Norwegian vision of an eight-fold growth in value creation from aquaculture possible, and lead to an increased number of jobs and the production of healthy seafood.

In the centre there will be three departments: technology and environment, led by Dr Fyhn Terjesen; preventative fish health, led by Harald Takle, also from Nofima; and fish production and welfare, led by Lars Ebbesson of Uni Research.

CtrlAQUA is one of 17 Centres for Research-Based Innovation (SFI), a major programme created by the Research Council of Norway.

The primary goal of the SFI programme is to strengthen companies’ capacity for innovation, and to develop leading industry relevant research.

Nofima is accompanied by five solid institutions in CtrlAQUA: Uni Research, the University of Bergen, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the Freshwater Institute in the US and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

The University of Bergen will have principal responsibility for research education at the centre. The total budget for CtrlAQUA will be

”

NOK 196 million, spread over eight years.

Industrial partners from the supplier industry are Krüger Kaldnes AS, Pharmaq Analytiq, Pharmaq AS, Oslofjord Ressurspark AS, Storvik Aqua AS and Aquafarm Equipment AS. Participants from the aquaculture industry are Marine Harvest ASA, Grieg Seafood ASA, Lerøy Vest AS, Cermaq Norway AS, Bremnes Seashore AS, Smøla klekkeri og settefiskanlegg AS, Marine producers Norway AS and Firda sjøfarmer AS. The formal opening by the Research Council took place at the end of May at Nofima, Sunndalsøra. Norwegian fisheries minister Elisabeth Aspaker, present at the ceremony, said the goal of the CtrlAQUA SFI is perfectly compatible with the government’s ambitions for the aquaculture industry.

‘I have great expectations for the achievements of CtrlAQUA. Even though eight years is a long time, it is urgent that we find solutions to reach the goals. CtrlAQUA is an important part of this.’

The director of innovation in the Research Council, Eirik Normann, presented the SFI plaque to Fyhn Terjesen, saying: ‘You have put together a very strong consortium. I want to point out that the committee that evaluated the application was fascinated by the innovation that the concept brings with it, and it believes that the centre will probably produce important innovations within aquaculture.’ FF

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NOFIMA FACTS With 360 employees and customers from 49 different countries, Nofima’s turnover in 2014 was £527 million The company is currently engaged in 620 projects worldwide.

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Nofima carries out research for the fisheries, aquaculture and food industries, including: breeding and genetics; capture-based aquaculture; fish health; and consumer and sensory sciences.

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49 71 www.fishfarmer-magazine.com www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

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02/10/2015 15:09:06

07/09/2015 10:33:56

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08/02/2016 09:36:46

Opinion – Inside track

Necessity is the mother of invention

BY NICK JOY

T

he more I read Fish Farmer the more I notice surges in behaviour, which is not unique to our industry but perhaps is a factor of human nature.

Nevertheless, it does make me question how our industry develops. If a man walks towards you with a big stick, looking threatening, it is not good strategy to wait to see if he whacks you on the head!

Avoidance is a logical conclusion until another better methodology is in place.

Having been in the industry so long means that I have seen many situations come and go: effective medicines, resistance, new medicines and then resistance again. It is the way of modern agriculture too, so we should not feel alone.

However, the thing that has always intrigued me is how a group of people can acknowledge a problem for so long and yet confine research to very limited areas.

The salmon farming industry’s solution to sea lice has been primarily medicine based for as long as I can remember. Seeing some of the new weird, wacky and wonderful solutions being promulgated now is interesting but also a product of the warming seas, regulatory atmosphere and growth of our industry.

I might also add that it is a function of size of pen, size of site and practices which are short term in nature. Added to this, we all exist on Scotland’s coast together and the cohesion with which we were dealing with the problem was non-existent and, though improving, is still way short of where we need to be.

The ‘new’ technologies lean heavily on the old. For many years, Loch Duart has known that venturi pumps remove significant numbers of sea lice, but physical removal comes with issues, just as in all stock handling.

Does the intervention result in a change in the animal’s behaviour, which further diminishes its natural resistance? Too often it does and the result is good clearance, followed by further and larger settlement.

This can lead to a vicious circle. Please don’t think that I am against this method - quite the contrary, but every control method has downsides.

I would like to say that I was not party to some level of complacency in the early 2000s when a very effective medicine came along but I was.

Research was not nearly high enough in everyone’s mind set and we spent too little time looking at mixed strategies.

The sea is a difficult place to do research and our lack of knowledge was devastatingly exposed when it was discovered a few years ago that several stages of the louse lifecycle were found not to exist at all.

So we have to acknowledge that there are large areas about this wildborn parasite that we simply do not know, but we need to know.

The combination of physical removal with methods for deterring settlement has to be one of the weapons of the future. We need to understand the lifecycle in the sea, not in the laboratory. While I am sure that models have their place, nothing is going to beat work done in each locale. On one site that I know, a mixture of tarpaulins and wrasse has resulted in almost negligible lice numbers.

In agriculture, the focus has become far more on the individual nature of the site. A friend of mine, who is constantly innovating on his own farm, has made a business out of evaluating fields for farmers and then helping them to anticipate the problems.

Our industry will face many more new problems because we

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Opinion - Feb.indd 74

We need to “understand the lifecycle in the sea, not in the laboratory

”

are still in the very early phase of this form of farming, so we have to look at how our neighbours in agriculture have developed.

Knowing all of this, we must ensure that we are analysing the full breadth of the problem not becoming over focused on one area.

The epidemiology must come first and continue alongside all other solutions. Prevention must come next, and by this I mean limiting settlement, which can include genetic advantage and immune stimulants.

It follows logically that physical removal should come next as no parasite can become resistant to it. This must involve natural remedies, such as wrasse and lumpsuckers.

Finally, we have to look at medicinal intervention or prevention. Using all of these methods will get us the best chance to control this naturally occurring parasite but will also prolong any medicines that we do have.

Necessity may be the mother of invention but we have to predict our problems and become proactive rather than reactive. This will result in better health, less stress (for farmers and fish) and, of course, better profits. FF Nick Joy was co-founder and managing director of Loch Duart

www.fishfarmer-magazine.com

08/02/2016 12:26:41

Ace Aquatec.indd 75

08/02/2016 09:44:50

Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC)

Edinburgh, Scotland 20-23 September, 2016

Organised by the European Aquaculture society with the cooperation and support of Marine Scotland, part of the Scottish Government, and The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland AE2016 Gold Sponsor

www.easonline.org EAS.indd 76

08/02/2016 09:43:45