The Aquaculturists

The so-called 'disco clam' is one eye-catching mollusc—nestled in coral reefs off Indonesia, the animal generates brilliant flashes of light that earned it its festive name, National Geographic reports.

Though fascinating, this flamboyant bivalve (Ctenoides ales) is still poorly understood, something Lindsey Dougherty, a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley is trying to change.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150106-disco-clams-animals-science-oceans-light-predators/?sf6852971=1

Earlier this year, Ms Dougherty shed light on how the clam's flashing works—by reflecting light through tiny bits of silica near the edge of its shell and not through bioluminescence like other species.

Now Ms Dougherty and her colleagues have gotten closer to why the clams put on their marine light show: to warn predators or lure prey.

"Most animals don't do something that's energetically costly unless there's [a payoff]," said Ms Dougherty, who presented the new research this week at the annual conference of the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.

For instance, "light displays are often used to try to attract a mate or to attract prey, and some of the displays can also be defensive, like with the [extremely poisonous] blue-ringed octopus," she said.

Ms Dougherty and her team tested three hypotheses for the clam's brilliance: attracting a mate to spawn eggs, catching the attention of light-seeking plankton, or sending a warning to potential predators.

The scientists tested the three hypotheses by introducing threats, food, and the opposite sex into tanks with captive clams and observing how the molluscs reacted.

The team found little evidence that the disco flashing draws in suitors, since the clams' eyesight is likely too poor to see the flashes.

But the other two hypotheses bore (at least preliminary) fruit.

When the team moved a fake predator toward a disco clam, its flash increased in frequency, from 1.5 to 2.5 hertz, she said.

"So it has a really obvious reaction to potential predators."

When plankton were introduced to the tank, the disco clams flash rate also increased, although not as much.

In both instances, "... they get excited, you could say. Excited or scared."

The team was surprised to find sulphur in both the tentacles and mantle—the fleshy protruding part—of the disco clam.

"Sulphur is the main ingredient in sulphuric acid, which is really distasteful to predators," Ms Dougherty said.

To further test the predator hypothesis, the team introduced the mantis shrimp, a type of aggressive crustacean, into the tank.

The shrimp then started acting strangely, "We have some footage of a mantis shrimp sort of recoiling and then cleaning its mouth parts and then going into a catatonic state after interacting with the disco."

Ms Dougherty says that suggests that the predator ignored the clam's flashing only to taste something it didn't like, like sulphuric acid.

She added that more research is necessary in the wild to determine whether plankton can actually see the disco's visual displays, and whether similar types of clams also secrete sulphuric acid.

That's no problem for Ms Dougherty. "For me," she said, "the most fun place is underwater with the clams."

Read the article and watch the video HERE.

The Aquaculturists

This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
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For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news

“A fish with a glass eye” sounds like the punchline to a joke that starts with an angler and an optician walking into a bar.

But two rockfish at the Vancouver Aquarium in Canada are now sporting bright yellow ocular prosthetics, thanks to a technique honed in Seattle, USA, the Bulletin reports.

The fish, who each lost an eye to disease, were restored to their former good looks by the operation. The primary goal, however, was to prevent them from being harassed by other fish, which seem to view an empty eye socket as a sign of weakness, said Seattle Aquarium veterinarian Dr Lesanna Lahner.

http://www.bendbulletin.com/nation/2764189-151/seattle-aquariums-glass-eyes-help-protect-fish-from

“There’s an aesthetic piece, but my main concern is fish health,” said Dr Lahner, who has been fine-tuning the procedure over the past few years.

A handful of fish at the Seattle Aquarium have received the implants, and Dr Lahner assisted Vancouver vets with their one-eyed rockfish last month.

The staff at the British Columbia aquarium was very worried about a copper rockfish that had an eye surgically removed after a cataract rupture. The 6-pound fish started avoiding its tank mates and hiding in nooks and crannies, said Dr Martin Haulena, the aquarium’s head veterinarian.

“Fish were picking at it,” he said. “Its fins were tattered, and it was really getting banged up.”

With life spans that can exceed a century in the wild, quality of life is particularly important for captive rockfish.

During the 20-minute procedure, a technician bathed the anaesthetised animal’s gills and skin with water, while Dr Lahner popped the prosthetic into the socket and coached Dr Haulena on the best way to thread fishing line through bone to hold it in place.

The glass eyes are the kind taxidermists use in trophy trout and salmon mounted for display. Dr Lahner glues two of the flat-backed inserts together to form a sphere.

Fake eyes for fish aren’t new, she pointed out.

The idea was pioneered in the 1990s by Drs Craig Harms and Greg Lewbart, Dr Lahner’s mentors at North Carolina State University. They developed a surgical procedure tailored for ornamental koi. Collectors will pay tens of thousands of dollars for a single, exquisitely patterned specimen, and there’s little tolerance for one-eyed fish in an industry built around beauty.

Dr Lahner adapted her mentors’ method to work in cold-water species, eliminating an adhesive that can cause inflammation and devising a way to anchor the prosthetic with fishing line and titanium clips.

“It’s still a work in progress,” she said. “I would not say by any means this technique is perfected.”

Fish with a missing eye used to be routinely euthanised at aquariums because they were considered unsightly, Dr Haulena said.

Read more HERE.

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AtAquaSur 2014 the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) launched its inaugural progress report ‘Building the Foundation for a Sustainable Future’, in International Aquafeed. This is the first report to come from the industry-led collective, and highlights its approach and progress towards advancing significant improvements in the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the salmon farming industry.

The release of the report comes just over a year since GSI was formally launched in August 2013, and the day before GSI member CEOs was due to speak at the AquaSur 2014 Pathways to Sustainability seminar in Puerto Montt, Chile.

http://issuu.com/international_aquafeed/docs/iaf1406_w1/1

“As we reflect on our successful first year, we are very proud to release this progress report, which shares what we have been working on. We now prepare for tomorrow’s session where we will be taking the stage with major industry players and our partners WWF, FAO and Rabobank to discuss the biggest challenges the industry faces looking ahead to 2020. We will also discuss the pathways in which we can collectively improve industry sustainability, while continuing to keep in mind the critical challenge of providing the highest quality protein to the world’s consumers”, said Ricardo Garcia GSI Co-Chair and CEO of Camanchaca.

The report provides an overview of the initiative’s current activities, and highlights progress in improving biosecurity, sourcing sustainable feed, achieving the ASC standard, building partnerships and enhancing transparency in reporting and communications. In addition to the growth of its membership, and expansion into three new farming regions, key 2013–2014 highlights reflected in the report include:

13 GSI salmon farms have achieved the rigorous ASC standard certification
All GSI member companies are actively working to raise industry standards and plan for future certification
New biosecurity protocols have been developed and implemented, as a result of knowledge and best-practice sharing across companies and regions. Such action has resulted in a reduced sea lice count for this period in Chile
Efforts to source and evaluate sustainable feed through alternative
EPA+DHA-rich resources have been initiated
GSI is developing a reporting dashboard that will track progress towards key environmental and social indicators, as well as report progress towards the ASC standard

GSI, now comprising 18 salmon producers across 9 countries, has also released a short film to accompany the report. The film shares the story behind the creation of GSI, the importance of its mandate, and its key achievements to date.

“We want those in our industry and beyond to understand the importance and impact GSI’s efforts are having on improving the sustainability of salmon farming. The ability to create a prosperous future for our industry depends on our success in continuing to cultivate change and improve the way things have been done. Over the past year, GSI has proven that we can come together and do just that, but despite significant progress we still have a way to go,” said Jon Hindar, GSI Co-Chair and CEO of Cermaq.

The Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) is a leadership initiative established in 2013 by global farmed salmon producers focused on making significant progress on industry sustainability. Today GSI comprises 18 companies, representing over 70 percent of the global salmon production industry, that are fully committed to realizing a shared goal of providing a highly sustainable source of healthy food to feed a growing global population, whilst minimizing our environmental footprint, and continuing to improve our social contribution.

GSI member companies are Bakkafrost; Blumar; Cermaq; Compañía Pesquera Camanchaca; Empresas AquaChile; Fjarolax ehf.; Grieg Seafood; Huon Aquaculture, Lerøy Seafood Group; Los Fiordos; Marine Harvest; Multiexport Foods SA; New Zealand King Salmon; Norway Royal Salmon; Pacific Star Salmon; SalMar; The Scottish Salmon Company; Scottish Sea Farms and Ventisqueros. GSI companies have a presence in Canada, Chile, the Faroe Islands, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland and Tasmania, and make significant contributions to the economies of these respective countries.

Read the magazine HERE.

Fish exposed to low levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a common chemical used in plastics, canned goods and cash register receipts, showed evidence of hyperactive behaviour, according to research published Monday, Yahoo! News reports.

However, some experts warned that the results do not prove that the chemical affects humans the same way, and that more research is needed.

The study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal, was led by the University of Calgary, Canada.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/bpa-linked-hyperactivity-study-fish-223920530.html#6Ho6tTP

Scientists exposed zebrafish embryos to concentrations of BPA and bisphenol S (BPS) - the chemical that often replaces it in products labelled "BPA-free" - that are found in the Bow and Old Man rivers of Alberta, Canada.

They found that exposure changed the timing of when neurons formed in the brains of the fish.

These changes in development led to hyperactivity later in life in zebrafish, which are considered a good medical model for the human brain because they develop similarly and about 80 percent of human genes have a counterpart in the zebrafish's genetic makeup.

"What we show is that the zebrafish exposed to BPA or BPS were getting twice as many neurons born too soon and about half as many neurons born later, so that will lead to problems in how the neurons connect and form circuits," said co-author Deborah Kurrasch, a member of the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute and the department of medical genetics.

"I was actually very surprised at our results. This was a very, very, very low dose, so I didn't think using a dose this low could have any effect."

Researchers were also surprised to see that the BPA and BPA targeted androgen receptors in the zebrafish brains. Previous studies have suggested BPA may induce physical changes by mimicking oestrogen, not testosterone.

"Finding the mechanism linking low doses of BPA to adverse brain development and hyperactivity is almost like finding a smoking gun," said co-author Hamid Habibi, a professor of environmental toxicology and comparative endocrinology in the University of Alberta's the Faculty of Science.

The research team said more work is needed to explore whether the chemicals may act the same way in humans, but in the meantime urged pregnant women to avoid exposure to bisphenols as much as possible.

"While a very interesting paper, it is not cause for alarm," said Ian Musgrave, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Adelaide.

Musgrave, who was not involved in the research, said the concentrations of BPA in the study were much higher than the levels at which humans would be exposed.

"The concentrations of BPA the zebrafish embryos were exposed to that resulted in hyperactivity were roughly 1000 times higher than found in the blood of children with high exposure to BPA," he said.

"Human embryos at a similar developmental stage are protected by the placental barrier and the mother's enzymes that remove BPA from the circulation," he added.

Read the article HERE.

Weather and climate change has led to an increase in the prices of Emiratis favourite fishes in Dubai, with some up by as much as 40 percent, The National reports.

According to Al Ittihad, the Arabic sister paper of The National, this led consumers to file complaints and ask authorities to curb increases and minimise it over the coming period, knowing that the wintry weather is still causing instabilities and high waves.

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/environment/fish-prices-on-the-rise-as-bad-weather-hampers-uae-fishermen

Emirati fishermen have confirmed the price increase, explaining the increased risks and dangers while going out at sea in bad weather.

They confirmed that decreased supply is contributing to the rise of prices and that consumers’ acceptance of such prices contributed to their inflation.

Fish prices rose in Ras Al Khaimah markets on Sunday due to a lack of supply and as a result of recent weather changes.

Salesmen at the RAK fish market said that fish supply is sufficient to meet the demand during the day, whereas quantities of fish are brought in from Dubai, saying that prices are good and affordable.

Read the article HERE.

A peptide originally found in fish could help fight cardiovascular disease, new research has claimed, the Business Standard reports.   

A review by the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) in Switzerland has pulled together the vast literature on Urotensin II (UII), a peptide first isolated from teleost fish.   

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/fish-peptide-could-help-fight-heart-disease-study-115011300347_1.html

UII activates a G protein-coupled receptor called UT to modulate a number of signalling pathways including intracellular Calcium, researchers said.   

Interestingly, the peptide can constrict some blood vessels yet dilate others, they said.   

The review by researchers, including Professor David Lambert from the University of Leicester, UK, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, has shown that UII can modulate a vast array of biological activities encompassing the cardiovascular system, kidneys and central nervous system.

  "We have been working on this exciting peptide for a number of years; it exhibits a very interesting pharmacological profile.

"Design and evaluation of small molecule drugs has potential for use in the treatment of several cardiovascular diseases," Lambert said.   The research was published in the journal Pharmacological Reviews.

Read more HERE.

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We at Biomin are dedicated to finding innovative, trend-setting solutions that empower our customers to master existing and future challenges in animal nutrition – the natural way. The application of our scientific know-how and expertise, based on an in-depth understanding of our customer’s needs & concerns, enables us to deliver solutions that support animal health, optimise performance and production efficiency.

Research and development is one of the cornerstones of Biomin. Our strong in-house research and development, and global cooperation with leading institutions and organisations form the basis by which innovative solutions are developed for our customers. Through joint projects with renowned universities and research institutes, Biomin is constantly in touch with the latest scientific know-how, from which novel feed additives are developed and produced. Our global network of collaborating institutions has grown to over 100.

Read more HERE.

The University of Stirling has contributed to a major international research project to investigate the dangerous pressure China’s aquaculture industry is putting on world fish supplies.

In a new paper in the journal Science, the researchers offer the clearest picture to date of the enormous impact China is having on wild fisheries and present a more sustainable alternative to the current practice of using wild-caught fish to feed farm-raised fish.

China is the world's leading producer, consumer and processor of fish, contributing one-third of the global supply. Its booming aquaculture industry relies increasingly on fishmeal made from wild-caught fish, a practice which depletes wild fish stocks and strains fragile ocean ecosystems.

One of the researchers - the University of Stirling’s Wenbo Zhang, who conducted the research whilst completing his PhD at the University’s internationally renowned Institute of Aquaculture, said: “Our research shows that so significant is China’s impact on the world’s seafood supply chain – the future availability of global seafood will be dependent on how China develops its aquaculture and aqua feeds sector.”

Fishing in the coastal waters of China is poorly-regulated and often indiscriminant. The result is that large volumes of assorted “trash fish” – species that are undesirable for human consumption – end up in animal feeds, including in fishmeal that is fed to farm-raised fish. Many of the species of wild fish used for feeds have been fully exploited or overexploited, and reducing this demand will help protect fragile ocean ecosystems.

One promising solution is to recycle the waste by-products from seafood processing plants across China. This waste, which can be 30-70 percent of the incoming volume of fish, is often discarded or discharged into nearby waters.

The team’s analysis shows that these processing wastes could satisfy between half and two-thirds of the current volume of fishmeal used by Chinese fish farmers, replacing much of the wild fish currently used in feeds.

Zhang added: “Issues of quality and food safety are two possible obstacles to implementing this fish processing waste alternative because the waste is lower in protein than wild-caught fish and its use also raises concerns about contamination and disease transmission.

“However, these concerns could be addressed by adding alternative plant-based protein sources to the fish feed, and through conducting further research on the safety risks and introducing more efficient regulating of using fish processing waste.”

Lead author, Ling Cao, a postdoctoral scholar at the Center on Food Security and the Environment at Stanford University said: "This is a critical juncture for China. If the country makes proactive reforms to its aquaculture sector, like using fish processing wastes instead of wild fish, and generally reducing the amount of fishmeal in aqua feeds, it can greatly improve the sustainability of the industry. If not, the consequences for the entire global seafood supply chain are going to be really serious."

Led by Stanford University, USA, the research brought together a consortium of scientists from around the world. Zhang worked with colleagues from Leiden University, the Netherlands; the University of Wollongong, Australia; Stockholm University, Sweden; The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Sweden; and Shanghai Ocean University, China.

The University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture is the leading international centre in its field and the largest of its kind in the world. It brings together cross-disciplinary, world class researchers to meet the wide range of challenges faced as aquaculture grows to meet global demands. Stirling’s Aquaculture research performed outstandingly in REF2014 in the Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science category, with Stirling ranked 4th in the UK and 88 percent of research being rated as either world-leading or internationally excellent.

Read more HERE.
(M1501)

Opening early 2015, the new Biomin aquaculture research center will drive research and development of innovative and effective solutions to pressing challenges in the industry. The facility, which will be located at Nong Lam University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, further solidifies the dedication of Biomin to the aquaculture industry.

In line with its expansion plans in the aquaculture industry, Biomin will unveil its new 600m2 aquaculture research center at Nong Lam University in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam in early 2015.

The new facility signifies the continued collaborative efforts of Biomin in conducting innovative research to provide effective solutions to the industry with the focus on several key areas: nutrition and feed formulation; gut health; immune modulation; waste management and feed safety.

Research and development will be centered on several of the most important species for the aquaculture industry in the region including marine and fresh water species such as catfish, tilapia, sea bass and shrimp.

As part of the investment, Biomin will take over and expand the facilities of the aqua research center at Nong Lam University. Activities at the new research center will be jointly coordinated by the Biomin Research Center in Tulln, Austria and the technical staff at the facility.

The research facilities will be equipped with five different recirculating systems and two challenge rooms. A feed formulation lab for preparation of test diets, including a lab scale feed extruder that will allow testing of different ingredients and solutions under conditions similar to those found in the aquaculture industry, is also in place.

In partnership with Sanphar, a veterinary products and services company that is also under the Erber Group umbrella, a state-of-the-art microbiological lab will be established to screen and investigate the status of infectious diseases in both livestock and aquaculture.

Biomin will also collaborate closely with Nong Lam University to build the academic and research pipeline in Vietnam by creating undergraduate research opportunities and mentorship for local students.

About the company
Biomin, a leading company focusing on health in animal nutrition, develops and produces feed additives, premixes and services to improve animal health and performance, in an economically viable way. Leveraging on the latest technologies and extensive R&D programs, Biomin offers sustainable quality products which include solutions for mycotoxin risk management, a groundbreaking natural growth promoting concept as well as other specific solutions which address dietary requirements for swine, poultry, dairy and aquaculture

Read more HERE.

The Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences (CAMS) at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Oman recently organised a new fish tasting event: 'Barrakat Barramundi'. The event was the first phase of a research-extension project, The Times of Oman reports.   

Saad Al Amri, the chairman of the Marine Sciences & Fisheries (MSF) student society along with members of the group, prepared the event as one of the society's activities with the full support of Mohamed Al Rawahy, CAMS administrator.   

http://www.timesofoman.com/News/45724/Article-SQU-conducts-special-fish-feast-to-boost-aquaculture

They prepared three different types of barramundi dishes -- barbecue, deep fried and traditional Omani style dish (Sallonah). All the participants were asked which dish did they rate as the best form of 'barramundi' cooking. In the event, Bada Al Bawiqi, who is the leader of the aquaculture group at the MSF, explained the history of 'barramundi' aquaculture at the SQU, and thanked the VC's special funding in particular and his consideration and support to the aquaculture sector.

Commenting on the 'Barrakat Barramundi' event, Prof. Anvar Kacimov, Dean of the CAMS, lauded the efforts of the faculty, staff and students for organising such a unique event.   

"You should think big, act big and gain big. Students are on the frontline of the aquaculture revolution -- transition from scavenging the sea to cultivation of algae, fish and other species. The MSF students sweated in the field over days and nights in hot conditions, and the achievements are clearly visible today. It is a marvellous achievement of our students and proof of their capability to adapt their theoretical knowledge in a practical way," the Dean observed.  

Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is known as barramundi around the world. Barramundi is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region from the Arabian Gulf to China, Taiwan Province of China, Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia. Aquaculture of this species commenced in the 1970s in Thailand and rapidly spread throughout the world.   

Often these farms will culture a mixture of species including barramundi, groupers, and snappers. In 2010, its global production reached 75,000 tonnes. Most 'barramundi' are marketed at 500–900g although a small number of larger fish (weighing 1-3kg) are also sold.  

There are two main farmed barramundi products: 'plate size' ranging from 350–500g, although larger (banquet) fish may be up to 800g, and fillet product generally in the range of 2-3kg.   

The Department of Marine Science and Fisheries at the SQU introduced 5000 barramundi (average 3cm and weighing 1.5g) in November 2013 from Thailand for research purposes under the VC's special aquaculture sponsorship.   

Students in the department grew them at the AES and Al-Hail aquaculture stations. Now they have reached the commercial size of around 700g and more.   Bada Al-Bawiqi said, "The culture of barramundi is much harder than culture of tilapia but as per my experience, this species is the most suitable among aquaculture species for Oman."  

Dr Gil Ha Yoon, supervisor of this project, added, "Barramundi grow very fast; ideally they reach a harvestable size (350g-3kg) in six months to two years even in hot water temperatures and they can grow very well in any level of water salinity. Therefore, there are many optimal places for barramundi cultivation.

“Saltwater-influenced agriculture farms will be the best place for this species in Oman. At the moment, we do not have a commercial size aquaculture farm at the SQU but I hope that this event, 'Barrakat Barramundi,' will catch the eye of other aquaculturists and investors who will support our future plans in scaling up barramundi production to commercial level.”

Read the article HERE.

Workers have been catching fish inside the flooded abandoned New World shopping centre in Bangkok, The International Business Times reports.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/thailand-workers-catch-3000-fish-flooded-abandoned-new-world-shopping-centre-bangkok-1483191

In 1997, Thailand's supreme court ordered the demolition of a seven-storey extension of the shopping centre when it was revealed the developers only had permission to construct a four-storey building.

The demolition left a roofless four-storey structure. Over the years, rain turned the ground floor of the mall into a pond – an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

People living near the shopping centre released fish into the pond to take care of the mosquito problem.

Veera Watcharagoneyotine, director of a fishery, estimated there were about 3000 fish in the shopping centre, mostly mango fish, catfish and striped catfish.

The captured fish will be held at fisheries in Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya provinces before being released into reservoirs, canals and rivers.

Read the article and see more pictures HERE.

Chefs' recipes and a quest for novelty may be behind a rise in the number of people in the UK eating freshwater fish, but, according to a new report, they may be putting their health at risk. Scientists found that fish such as perch and roach caught in unmanaged inland waterways, including canals, may contain significant levels of toxic chemicals, The Independent reports.

"There is growing evidence that more people in the UK are consuming fish taken from inland waterways. This may be partly due to the increased numbers of migrants from Eastern Europe where this is part of traditional culture, and partly because of a desire to try new foods encouraged by celebrity chefs," say researchers from the Food Standards Agency and the Food and Environment Research Agency, whose study will appear in the coming March issue of the journal Chemosphere.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/chemicals-in-freshwater-fish-put-health-at-risk-9970343.html

"This is the first study of a comprehensive set of contaminants in freshwater fish, and as such is unique. Some samples greatly exceeded limits [for chemicals] that apply to fish on retail sale for human consumption. On this basis, it appears that regular consumption of coarse fish from unmanaged waterways, especially those in areas with an industrial history, could pose a higher risk to health."

Chefs Gordon Ramsay and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have endorsed the benefits of freshwater fish as a sustainable alternative to more endangered ocean species such as cod. Fearnley-Whittingstall's programme Escape to River Cottage showed the chef preparing jellied pike, while the freshwater species often appears on the menu at Ramsay's restaurants. This has aided in elevating the popularity of a fish that, while generally safe to eat when sourced by a restaurant, can contain potentially damaging levels of chemicals in the wild.

Inland waterways, especially those close to industrial areas, are known to be prone to levels of historic or localised pollution which can, in turn, lead to contamination of fish. But freshwater fish are not part of the traditional UK diet and are not subject to contaminants regulations that protect consumer health.

The researchers say some anglers are known to consume their catch, as are migrant workers from Eastern Europe where consumption of river fish is a cultural norm, and others keen to explore consumption of new or wild foods.

Carp is a staple of the Polish, German and Czech Christmas dinner and it is believed there is a significant rise in the number caught in Britain around the festive period, leading to increased concerns about the safety of consumption.

Mike Berthet, director of fish and seafood at M&J Seafood, voiced his concerns at the growing tendency of angling for personal consumption.

"The inland water in the UK is notoriously polluted," he said.

"Anyone not buying fish from registered companies or markets with requisite quality control is always going to be at risk."

Researchers collected fish from 23 sites around the UK and tested for a wide range of contaminants. Anglers were also interviewed. Potentially harmful chemicals found included polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), man-made organic chemicals whose manufacture in the UK was banned more than 30 years ago, and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF), both industrial by-products and environmental contaminants.

Read the article HERE.

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GMP+ Feed Responsibility Policy
Johan den Hartog – Managing Director of GMP+ International
Published in International Aquafeed, November - December 2014

There is an increasing interest for sustainability regarding food production internationally. Sustainability is not a hype, because more and more people realise that our globe has limited resources and also human activities have an impact on climate too due to the use of fossil energy sources. It is also clear that phosphate sources reach their bottom. Additionally, the increase of the world population and the increase of purchase power will also result in an increase of the production volume of food of animal origin next decades. Therefore sustainability is a must for life on earth on the long run. In the production of animal products, like milk, meat, eggs and aquatic produces, feed products are a substantial input factor with sustainability related aspects.

In certain regions and markets, feed companies are confronted with questions about the sustainability or responsibility of the production of feed ingredients and mixed feeds. The retail, and animal processing industry are developing sustainability policies, which results in increasing attention for the feed supply chain. Therefore international holders of Good Agricultural Practices systems like GLOBALG.A.P. and Aquaculture Stewardships Council, but also national G.A.P. systems are defining sustainability requirements, including for the input of animal feed.

Sustainability or responsibility is not a well-defined term with uniform requirements. We prefer the use of the term “responsibility’ instead of ‘sustainability’, to express that responsibility requirements are a movement in the direction of a higher degree of sustainability. We notice differences in the market about the definition of responsibility, depending on the market segment, region of country. In some cases, also non-genetically modified products are considered more sustainable that modified one. For that reason, the feed companies have to cope with different demands, especially international operating companies.

The core business of GMP+ International is managing a Feed Safety Assurance (GMP+ FSA) certification scheme. Over 13,100 feed companies in the whole feed chain in over 65 countries are GMP+ FSA certified. It is about companies in the whole feed chain (see figure 1) and active regarding collection of arable products, processing arable products, feed ingredient production, trade, storage & transshipment, transport, pre-mixture and compound feed production.

A couple of years ago, GMP+ FSA certified companies asked GMP+ International also to support the companies with the possibility of certification regarding feed responsibility aspects. The main reason was to obtain combined certification of feed safety assurance and feed responsibility assurance and in order to be able to cope with expected market demands. For that reason, GMP+ International has defined its Feed Responsibility Policy in close collaboration with its partners about a one-stop shop – multiple certification solution in a dynamic and varying market.
The baseline of the flexible approach regarding feed responsibility assurance is providing support to companies who are are operating in different markets with varying responsibility requirements.

Another important baseline is that the downstream market partners are leading in defining responsibility requirements and demanding for feed products complying with these requirements. Ultimately, they are the demanding parties. For that reason, GMP+ International seeks for (non-exclusive) collaboration with scheme holders active a) in the primary production (arable production, marine sourcing, and mining) upstream and b) in livestock farming and aquaculture downstream in the food chain. In this way, will embed the feed chain in a longer chain of custody of food production.

Therefore, GMP+ International looks for collaboration with market initiatives, which have or will define responsibility requirements for the feed supply chain. GMP+ International chooses a so-called plug-in model (see figure 2). A certification system consists roughly of three components: normative requirements, quality management system requirements and certification rules. GMP+ International aims to link the feed responsibility requirements of a market initiative with a recently developed GMP+ B100 Feed Responsibility Management System standard containing the other two components mentioned before. That together will be offered to interested feed companies to obtain a certificate that complies with demands of the market initiative. The GMP+ B100 standard will be determined before end 2014. At this moment, we have deliberations with the first market initiatives for collaborations as mentioned before.

In this way, GMP+ International intends to offer a one-stop shop - multiple certification solution. It is a multiple certification, when a company wants to provide products complying with requirements of different market initiatives. It is also a multiple certification solution for combining certification of feed safety assurance and feed responsibility assurance. The quality management requirements for assuring compliance with the normative requirements in the daily operations for both aspects are more or less the same. The certification procedure can also be combined easily to save costs. Nevertheless, we do not intend to force companies to combine participation in the GMP+ Feed Responsibility Assurance certification with the GMP+ Feed Safety Assurance certification. Certification against the GMP+ B100 Feed Responsibility Management standard is possible stand-alone, also for companies certified against another feed safety assurance system.

Read the magazine HERE.

The MarineStewardship Council (MSC) has appointed Brian Perkins, a former commercial fisherman and international seafood trade show executive, as Regional Director Americas. This appointment is part of a new strategy to continue to expand the MSC’s presence in the Americas and increase availability of MSC certified sustainable seafood across the region.

Mr Perkins joined the MSC’s senior management team on January 5^th. He will work alongside the organization’s Chief Executive, Rupert Howes and Global Commercial Director, Nicolas Guichoux. Mr Perkins will also work closely with industry and the conservation community to recognize and encourage sustainable fishing practices that support healthy marine ecosystems.

http://www.msc.org/newsroom/news/marine-stewardship-council-appoints-brian-perkins-as-regional-director-for-the-americas

Mr Perkins will be based in Washington DC at a new office location that will serve as the MSC’s Americas region headquarters. The MSC’s Seattle office will be retained as its USA headquarters.

Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of the Marine Stewardship Council, said: “I am delighted to welcome Brian, who joins the MSC as our first Regional Director for the Americas under a revised and newly implemented regional structure. Brian has a unique blend of skills and experience that will enable him to lead the team in their drive to add value to partners. He brings a wealth of knowledge, which will help us to expand both the supply and demand of certified sustainable and fully traceable seafood throughout the region. I am very much looking forward to working with Brian over the coming years.”

Globally, more than 245 fisheries are certified as sustainable against the MSC’s robust standard for environmentally sustainable fishing. These fisheries meet strict science-based criteria for sustainability so that the MSC ecolabel can be displayed on their products, assuring consumers that they are purchasing seafood from a sustainable source. Together they are responsible for around 10 percent of annual global harvest of wild-capture fisheries.

Around half (53 percent) of fisheries in the USA and two thirds (62 percent) of Canadian fisheries are engaged with the MSC program. Together these fisheries account for 3.2 million metric tonnes of seafood caught every year. A further 370,000 metric tonnes originate from fisheries engaged with the MSC program in Latin America.

Mr Perkins has worked within the seafood industry for more than 40 years. He started at a salt fish factory in Iceland and went on to become Executive Vice President and COO of Diversified Business Communications, organizer of Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America and Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global. During his 16-year career at Diversified, Mr Perkins oversaw 18 seafood trade shows focusing on areas including seafood processing, commercial fishing, ethnic food and organic products. He was instrumental in launching and managing new expositions in Europe, Singapore and San Francisco and provided counsel on strategic direction for the company. He was also responsible for industry publications, National Fisherman, Seafood Business and WorkBoat.

Brian Perkins, Regional Director Americas, added: “Working for the MSC is a great opportunity to make a difference within an industry which has been such a big part of my life. I join the team at an exciting time and look forward to working with fisheries, commercial partners and conservation organizations. The MSC team has established the gold standard for third party certification of wild fisheries and I believe that continued growth of the program will bring both environmental and socio-economic benefits to the Americas.”

In his position as Regional Director Americas, and as part of an internal restructure of MSC’s Americas region to focus more deeply on specific geographies, Brian will oversee Program Directors and their teams in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. In the United States, Geoff Bolan, located in Seattle, Washington State, was recently appointed Program Director USA. Jay Lugar, located in Halifax, Canada has been named Program Director Canada. The MSC plans to recruit for the Program Director Latin America position in 2015-16.

Visit the MSC website HERE.
(IAF 1501)

Dozens of labor and human-rights groups have condemned a plan by the Thai junta to use prison labor on fishing boats, which are already notorious for violence, human trafficking and slavelike conditions, Time reports.

The coalition of 45 international organizations has penned an open letter to Thai army chief Prayut Chan-ocha, who has run the Southeast Asian nation since staging a coup d’état on May 22, urging him to end a pilot project that sends prisoners out to sea.

http://time.com/3668625/thailand-fishing-boats-prisoners/

Much of the fish, shrimp and shellfish caught ends up on dinner tables in the US and Europe.

“Thailand cannot run from the trafficking problem in its fishing fleet,” said Judy Gearhart, executive director of the International Labour Rights Forum, one of the signatories.

“And sending prisoners to sea will not address the systematic, pervasive labour problems in Thailand’s fishing industry.”

Currently, migrant workers from Burma (officially known as Myanmar) and Cambodia comprise the bulk of workers on Thai fishing vessels.

Systemic abuses have been widely documented with many workers receiving little or no pay, getting traded from boat to boat so they never see land for years, and, in the very worst cases, simply tossed into the sea when they inevitably fall ill.

“Thailand has repeatedly said that it’s committed to end forced labor and human trafficking, but this pilot project heads in precisely the opposite direction and will make things worse,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, who also said the initiative “should be immediately scrapped.”

Read the article HERE.

Nature lovers are surprised at a spate of tropical fish sightings on the north Norfolk coast, UK, over the New Year period, EDP reports.

Washed up dead ocean sunfish, known as mola mola, have been spotted on Blakeney Point and Cley, Holkham and Sheringham beaches.

Identified by its distinctive fins, Mola Mola prefer water over 13C - the water around Blakeney Point is around 7C.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/spate_of_rare_tropical_fish_sightings_on_north_norfolk_beaches_1_3914126?usurv=skip

The last time this particular fish was spotted on Cley beach and Blakeney Point was two and three years ago, respectively.

A giant sunfish was washed up on Overstrand beach in 2012 and another mola mola was spotted on Sea Palling beach in 2010.

Ajay Tegala, coastal ranger for the National Trust on the north Norfolk coast, saw the rare fish which was just under one metre long by the lifeboat house on Blakeney Point this month.

He said: “It was a bit of a surprise because it was the first time I have seen one. It is not something you commonly see.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more fish like this because we are getting more species in our waters.”

A sunfish was spotted on Sheringham beach before Christmas and another was seen on Cley beach on December 21.

At the start of this year there were sightings on Holkham beach on January 3, Blakeney beach on January 4 and the Blakeney Point lifeboat house on January 8.

Christine Pitcher, display supervisor at Great Yarmouth Sea Life Centre, said the fish off north Norfolk could have been blown off course from warmer waters.

She said: “It could be down to strong currents or wind. We could have more sightings of this kind of fish if the waters warm up or currents change. Mola mola are fairly rare around the UK and especially rare around north Norfolk because the sea is not warm at this time of year.”

If anyone spots a sunfish they should not touch it and if one is spotted around Blakeney Point area they should call 01263 740241.

Read the article HERE.

Lesaffre was founded in 1853 and has now become a leader in the domain of bread-making yeast and yeast extracts.

The independent French family-run group has a presence on all five continents and works with over 7000 employees.

Lesaffre has unique technical skills that it has thoroughly mastered, and enjoys top-level expertise in the production, fermentation and the transformation of yeast in all its forms.

Lesaffre always works with the same high standards in its use of materials and expertise in all its products and services related to bread-making, taste, nutrition, fermentation and distillation.

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