Samuel Chen is head of corporate and business development at Hudson Valley Fish Farms in Hudson, New York, U.S.A., the largest land-based recirculating farm system growing egg-to-plate steelhead trout in North America. With an annual production capacity of 1,200 metric tons, Hudson Valley Fish Farms grows antibiotic-free, hormone-free steelhead and is presently piloting Pacific white shrimp in indoor systems.
SeafoodSource: Why is it important to your business that the steelhead be hormone- and antibiotic-free, and what kind of challenges are involved in producing hormone-free and antibiotic-free steelhead?
Chen: I think growing fish that are antibiotic- and hormone-free is part-challenge, part-commitment. On the commitment side, we believe in producing a healthy, tasty and sustainable fish and will never compromise for faster growth or profits. We believe there is a market demand for quality fish that has been grown in the most sustainable way, as differentiated from a lot of other farmed products – and I’m not just talking about fish. There is increasing consumer awareness of the risks of the use of drugs in food production.
Our commitment does lead to some challenges on the husbandry side. This is why we have such stringent biosecurity measures (so please don’t ask for a visit to the farm). To prevent the use of drugs, we try to keep any risk of disease out. This begins with the eggs we bring in and involves how our staff and partners operate. The eggs we use are specific pathogen-free (SPF) and are sterilized before entering into our system. The incoming water is treated with both ultraviolet (UV) and ozone before entering into our system. Our staff must change clothes and work boots before entering into the facility. Our staff is also our first line of defense because they see our fish daily. In addition, we also work very closely with our veterinary partner to monitor our animal health.
SeafoodSource: What's the significance of the recirculating systems? What impact do they have on the whole operation in terms of efficiency, hygiene and cost)?
Chen: Most people think of recirculating systems as an aquaculture method that allows for the most efficient use of water. This is true, but even more than this, indoor recirculating systems give fish farmers full control over growing parameters including temperature, oxygen injection and CO2 stripping, flow rates (which directly impact how fish swim) and waste removal. Further it allows for biosecurity by isolating both the external environment from the fish and also the fish from the external environment.
One of the unique challenges of recirculating aquaculture systems is that externalities that other culture systems do not have to account for become costs to the business. For example, in flow-through or net-pen systems fish feces and CO2 are put directly back into the environment. In recirculating systems, these need to captured and removed. So why would anyone in their right mind take on these costs? Part of it is the belief in environmental stewardship and long-term sustainable food production, the other part is an underlying principle that by concentrating and separating these externalities, they can become a potential revenue stream or at least a net-neutral output.
SeafoodSource: How important is it that the fish are organic?
Chen: On the topic of organic fish, currently there is no U.S. organic standard. We believe the fundamental tenants of organic food production are sound and have worked this into our operating protocols and choice of feed. For example, we have decided not to use feather meal, opted to use fish oil derived from wild fishery co-product rather than soybean meal as well as chosen to use an organic source of astaxanthin (antioxidant/pigment used in salmon feed). But the question for us right now is whether certifying our fish as organic using the Canadian or European Union standard makes sense. There is a cost to this and we will look to the market to tell us whether this is something that truly makes sense for our customers.
SeafoodSource: You're piloting Pacific white shrimp farming in addition to the steelhead. Why? What are your expectations for this part of the business?
Chen: We are currently piloting Pacific white shrimp in indoor systems. We believe that there is immense potential for live and fresh shrimp domestically produced. As shrimp the most-consumed species, we believe consumers are increasingly growing concerned about supply chain of shrimp, which has typically come from countries with less-stringent standards. What we can offer is full traceability of the shrimp from post-larvae through to market.
SeafoodSource: If there was a nugget of wisdom you could impart to seafood industry leaders as it relates to your segment of the industry, what would you say?
Chen: Fish farming, particularly in recirculating aquaculture systems, is much more complex than just fish and water. Aquaculture is an interdisciplinary business and requires collaboration and ongoing development between different fields. If there is one thing I can share it would be that despite what designers, consultants and entrepreneurs pitching the concept would say, we are not there yet in terms of recirculating aquaculture systems. However, in the words of one of my favorite philosophers, Lao-Tzu, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Hudson Valley Fish Farms is our first step in the journey towards land-based aquaculture and our hope is that we are the tip of the spear for more development in this space in the U.S.
