the interview Patrick Lavens, New Business Development & Innovations Director Patrick LAVENS joined Inve Aquaculture in 1999 as technical-commercial manager for the European-African sector. In 2001 he was appointed Business Unit Manager of the new Health Division and became part of the Management Team of INVE. In 2010 he has been appointed Innovations Director of INVE Aquaculture, a division that takes care of R&D and product development, and combines this function with New Business Development. Before 1999, Mr Lavens was a Guest Professor in Aquaculture at the university of Gent, Belgium, Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Centre where he coordinated the research activities, (including international projects), on live feeds, fish & shrimp hatchery nutrition and broodstock nutrition. He is (co-)author of more than 150 publications in international journals, and (co-)editor of several books. Mr Lavens was the President of the European Aquaculture Society from 1986 to 1988 and during his tenure he focused specifically on bridging the gap between scientists and producers and established close links with FEAP and EU-DG Fisheries.
Can you tell us briefly about the background of INVE?
First of all, INVE always had the goal to be a leader in specialty products, be it in larval nutrition, health and environment. I believe that we have global recognition for our innovative role because we bring out performing and cost-effective products that bring a better production performance to our customers and new solutions to existing bottlenecks. Stimulating and caring for healthy growth and performance in aquaculture has always been and will remain INVE’s main driver. In Europe and Latin America, we control our distribution. In Asia, particularly we are either controlling distribution ourselves towards bigger clients as a key account approach, or through distributors with whom we have built up long-term business relationships with. For Thailand, Vietnam, India, China and Indonesia, which are key producer countries in Asia, we also have local entities in place to assist local sales.
How does INVE operate given that you are primarily under Benchmark but you are also independent?
Prior to the takeover, INVE had put together a ‘Strategy Plan’ for further growth in order to cement our role as a strategic partner in a fast evolving sector. We were a perfect match for Benchmark because together we have a wide-ranging toolbox enabling us to serve our clients globally with a plethora of solutions. For example, we have uniquely and successfully combined INVE’s advanced nutrition knowhow with Benchmark’s in-depth expertise in disease control, diagnostics, breeding and genetics. Benchmark’s Animal Health Division has a large product pipeline and the biggest aquaculture veterinary team in the world, the two are growing to help every aspect of disease control. In the Breeding and Genetics Division, consisting of salmon units in Norway and Iceland, tilapia-breeding centers in the USA and South America and the very recent acquisition of Ceniacua, a shrimp-breeding project in Colombia, we have some of the best genetics in the world. In the Sustainability Science Division, a team of scientists look at environmental control and non-biological methods of tackling disease. Together we cover all the essential tools needed to shape the future of aquaculture - breeding, health, environment and nutrition. Of course none of these factors work in isolation and we must now take advantage of the unique synergies between these units and become a global knowledge and solutions platform – supporting sustainable growth and longterm success of the industry.
What projects and developments has INVE been working on for the food ingredient and nutrition side of aquaculture?
Firstly, in our health section, we are aiming for a holistic approach on the disease prevention side. Therefore, we are working now on functional ingredients for feed such as novel probiotics, natural antimicrobials and novel components that can increase the robustness of animals. This goes via new
pathways of heat shock protein interference that is a normal process occurring in animals. We can demonstrate right now how you can improve on robustness in combination with managing the microbial ecosystem so that you ultimately improve upon the total status of an animal during production, including at gut level. So for example up to 20 percent of mortality can occur when post-larvae are transported from controlled hatchery conditions and exposed to a pond environment, but through increasing robustness, we should be able to reduce this kind of mortality. We are now also running trials on fish to see if we can increase their robustness if we transfer them to cages. And, together with Benchmark Animal Health, we are developing tools for oral vaccination, which could be a major breakthrough for disease control. As the leader in larval diets for marine fish and shrimp, we are constantly making sure that we reflect upon the needs of these markets. For example, there is a limit on Artemia availability for hatcheries. We are the biggest Artemia supplier in the world, but nevertheless invest in projects to develop novel products where we can minimize or even eliminate the Artemia from the hatchery protocol, but crucially without affecting the actual fry output AND quality in the hatchery. At the same time two novel types of Artemia will soon be introduced to the market.
Since you were the President of the European Aquaculture Society from 1996-1998, how would you say the industry has progressed?
Firstly, I would say that with over 1500 people present and with a great scientific program, Aquaculture Europe 2016 reflects the organization’s professionalism and how it has evolved to the position of serving aquaculture activity within Europe. Indeed, when I was president, I specifically aimed to bridge industry and academia together and what I see right now is that EAS has evolved in that way. Together with FEAP, EAS has put together a strategic research agenda for Europe, with the focus of the industry - not the scientists - and as a result of that, we have a European Commission that is using it as a core for their developmental strategy. It is my personal belief that Aquaculture is at a stage of transformation: not only is now being considered as a fastgrowing and important bluegreen economy for the future as a logical necessity for the future of fish consumption, and recognition of this is reflected in the number of investment companies and big conglomerates investing in it today. At the same time, it is moving from an empirical approach towards a knowledge-based and sustainable bio-industry with full understanding of the fundamental biology of animals and their environment. Further integration will play an important role here, however, especially in Asia smaller producers will also apply this knowledge to safeguard their business and income for the future and for their future generations. Having said this, we still have work to do towards shaping a positive public perception of the industry.
66 | November | December 2016 - International Aquafeed