Aquaculture

Funding totaling GBP 5.1 million (USD 6.5 million, EUR 5.7 million) has been granted by the government-funded U.K. Research and Innovation (UKRI) public body to 12 research projects aimed at addressing key challenges facing U.K. aquaculture. 

Among the recipients are a project that uses algae to create vaccines designed to keep fish free from disease.

Other projects include studying genetics and breeding patterns, looking at how shellfish

Nordic Aquafarms, the Norwegian company planning to build a USD 500 million (EUR 439 million) salmon recirculating aquaculture system in Belfast, Maine, announced that it has officially opened an office in the city. 

According to a 6 December company newsletter, the office “will serve as our local base of operations while our salmon farm is being permitted and built, as well as an information center and exhibit space where the public

Farmed seafood producer The Kampachi Company is in the process of closing an equity investment from Althelia Sustainable Ocean Fund (SOF), the firm announced on 19 November. 

The investment from Althelia’s SOF – which is managed by Mirova Natural Capital – will go toward The Kampachi Company’s operation in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and will help fund sustainable offshore production of King Kampachi,

Whole Ocean’s proposed Maine-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) salmon farm recently cleared a hurdle when the Maine Department of Environmental Protection granted the company a wastewater discharge permit. 

The planned facility, which was announced in February, would be located on the site of a former paper mill in Bucksport, Maine. Whole Oceans has an initial goal to produce 5,000 metric tons of salmon in the RAS

In 2016, the world’s supply of farmed salmon fell by almost 10 percent as a result of sea lice infestations. The pest’s economic impact has been estimated at EUR 0.10 to 0.20 (USD 0.11 to 0.23) per kilogram of salmon produced, with total losses of around EUR 300 million (USD 340 million) per year.

Sea lice, which have found to be prevalent in the Atlantic salmon farming industries in Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and Chile,

Three opponents to Nordic Aquafarm’s bid to build a USD 500 million (EUR 435.5 million) salmon recirculating aquaculture system in Belfast, Maine, have lost their bids to become councilors in the city. 

Two of the candidates – Ellie Daniels and Jim Merkel – ran as write-in candidates, and the third candidate – Joanne Moesswilde – was on the ballot. Daniels lost her race 2,199 to 691 to incumbent Mary Mortier,

A sea lice infestation at Cermaq Canada’s Fortune Channel salmon farm caused the farm to be closed this past summer. 

The exact number of salmon that were euthanized was not disclosed, but according to Johnson, the company typically has “several hundred thousand fish” at each of the company’s farm sites. 

“Closing the site was the right thing to do as the fish were never going to recover well and would

Production of vannamei shrimp is estimated to reach around five million metric tons in 2019 – with a turnover of EUR 100 billion (USD 115 billion) according to the Food and Agriculture Organization – and growth of the industry is set to continue. 

With a current average production capacity of around 1,500 kilos per hectare, the challenge is to optimize growth through more effective use of technology.

Spanish company Marine

Researchers in New Hampshire have received federal funding to create an offshore aquaculture program that will be used to recruit fishermen in northern New England interested in raising steelhead trout and blue mussels.

Officials from the University of New Hampshire – which manages the state’s Sea Grant program – along with the state’s federal leaders announced the USD 747,673 (EUR 655,574) award last week. The grant was

Having purchased the assets of TerraVia in September 2017, Corbion is seeking to leverage the algae platform to develop an innovative new algae-based shrimp feed additive in Asia, according to company executives.

Jill Kauffman Johnson, Corbion’s head of global market development for algae ingredients, told SeafoodSource Corbion’s takeover had been a net positive AlgaPrime DHA, the long-chain omega-3-rich aquaculture