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Aker BioMarine invests for future growth
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Dr Neil Auchterlonie Byproduct utilisation
aving been involved in several meetings in Europe this year relating to the notions of the circular and blue bioeconomies, it has been surprising to listen to discussions about the need to “valorise” so-called waste streams from fish processing. This was again reinforced at a meeting in Brussels several weeks ago, but that is not an isolated occurrence for this kind of discussion. Present at that meeting were a range of attendees, many from academia, with some also from blue start-ups, but also, interestingly, European Commission officials in support of the objectives of this initiative. So, it’s a mystery then (according to some): What are we going to do with the waste streams from fish processing? Well, at those meetings IFFO made the point forcibly that there is an industry that for several decades already has been working to the objectives of the blue bioeconomy, and the circular economy, by utilising the trimmings, offcuts and byproduct from fish processed for food in order to produce valuable products. Those products are fishmeal and fish oil, and their manufacture in turn helps to support additional global protein production through their use in aquafeed, thereby supporting the developing aquaculture industry. Despite IFFO and its predecessor organisations communicating this point over that period of time, the message still seems to be lost. We are talking about a substantial volume of material that comes from this segment. Of the roughly 20 million tonnes used very year to make five million tonnes of fishmeal and one million tonnes of fish oil, roughly about a third (c.7 million tonnes) comes from the fish processing sector. The trend is also for this segment to increase over time, recognised by the FAO for the major contribution that it makes to global food security. Interestingly there are also regional differences. IFFO commissioned a study with the University of Stirling to look at the availability of fish processing material. That study showed that in Europe the proportion is actually 54 percent of the raw material, with that increased figure being partly down to improved logistics and practicalities of collection and transfer to fishmeal plants. The research also showed that actually there is more material available than is currently being used, partly due to processing fish at sea and other activities which makes collection difficult. What is very interesting is that as aquaculture grows, there are more opportunities for byproduct utilisation with even more volume of supply possible ultimately. As aquaculture product processing also tends to be centralised, it is easier to collect this material, maintain it at low temperatures (important for quality), and use it quickly and efficiently in fishmeal and fish oil production. Respecting some constraints on feeding to the same species (at least in European regulations) this volume will be able to support some additional fishmeal and fish oil production over time and will be very welcome in feed formulations for additional aquaculture development. Aquaculture will help to support its own development, partially through the utilisation of processing material into fishmeal and fish oil, much needed ingredients for more aquafeed.
Dr Neil Auchterlonie is the Technical Director at IFFO. He has managed aquaculture and fisheries science programmes in both public and private sectors. Academically he holds a BSc in Marine and Freshwater Biology from Stirling University, a MSc in Applied Fish Biology from the University of Plymouth, and a PhD in Aquaculture (halibut physiology) from Stirling University. 8 | August 2019 - International Aquafeed
espite challenges in the market, Aker BioMarine increased revenues year on year by 24 percent, from US $125 million to US $155 million with 1.28 billion doses of Superba Krill sold worldwide in 2018. In addition, Aker BioMarine helped provide 325 million additional servings of seafood with QRILL Aqua and contributed to the fact that 850,000 dogs could enjoy eating dogfood containing QRILL Pet. Aker BioMarine delivered a net loss of US $1 million in 2018, driven by significant investments in new technology, science initiatives and people. These investments have been critical to reach the necessary scale in order to grow the krill segment in a very competitive global omega-3 market. “From a business perspective, we met our targets for 2018 with robust performance in all our segments, despite some headwinds in the market. Costs increased more than I ideally would like them to, driven both by external factors, like high fuel prices but also internal elements in order to facilitate the rapid growth and development we are facing. “As a result of this, we have strengthened and equipped the organisation with the resources and tools required for future growth,” says Matts Johansen, CEO of Aker BioMarine. The most eye-catching of these investments is the new, state-of-the-art vessel, Antarctic Endurance. Commissioned for NOK 1,1 billion ($140 million) Antarctic Endurance is the very first krill harvesting vessel designed and constructed from scratch. Built at the Norwegian shipyard VARD, it uses the latest environmental technology, which significantly reduces its CO2 footprint by up to 30 percent. Antarctic Endurance began operations at the start of the 2019 harvesting season.