The Aquaculturists

Researchers have revealed that genetically modified Camelina plants produce omega-3 fish oils suitable for feeding Atlantic salmon. The new GMO plants can produce up to 20 percent of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), one of the two omega-3 LC PUFA conferring health benefits, Science 2.0 reports.

Consumption of omega-3 fish oils, specifically long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 LC-PUFA), through eating oily fish like salmon and mackerel, has been linked with improved cardiovascular health and cognitive development. The primary dietary sources of these fatty acids are wild or farmed fish.

http://www.science20.com/news_articles/fewer_wild_fish_needed_genetically_modified_plants_produce_omega3_fish_oil-152784

Fish accumulate the omega-3 fish oils through eating other organisms in the marine food chain or, in farmed fish, through fishmeal and fish oil in feeds. Currently there is a gap between supply and demand for these fish oils and new sources are required for the aquaculture industry and for direct human consumption.

Professor Christine Williams of University of Reading, an expert on the impact of dietary fats in human health who was not involved in the new work, said, "Long chain omega 3 fats are essential components of the developing brain and play a vital role in maintaining heart health. However they are made in the body in only very small amounts and need to be supplied in the diet.

"Although fish are the richest dietary source of these fats there have been concerns about their low levels in farmed fish. In recent years fish farming has needed to use a mixture of fish oils and vegetable oils in the feeds of the fish due to the lack of availability and increasing costs of fish oils. This study showed this novel GM source of long chain omega-3 fats was able to replace fish oils. This will allow farmed fish – the major source of fish in the UK diet – to retain the levels of essential long chain omega-3 fats needed for human health."

Extracted oils from the plants grown in the glass house were used as a replacement for marine fish oil in feeds for Atlantic salmon. Growth performance, feed efficiency, fish health and nutritional quality for the human consumer were unaffected when dietary fish oil was substituted with oil from the GM plants. The study is published today in the journal Scientific Reports.

Rothamsted Research scientists have being carrying out research into metabolically engineering plants to produce omega-3 fish oils for more than 15 years. In the current study they used five microalgal and fungal genes to engineer Camelina plants (Camelina sativa) in order to generate a renewable terrestrial source of omega-3 fish oils.

Dr Monica Betancor, who carried out the experiments at the University of Stirling, said,"With this work we had the opportunity to test the potential of this novel source of EPA to substitute for fish oil in fish feeds. We used three diets, one containing the standard fish oil used routinely in the fish feed industry, one containing oil from Camelina plants that have not been genetically engineered and one that contained oil derived from plants that have been engineered to produce 20 percent EPA in their seeds. Each diet was tested with three separate groups of Atlantic salmon for seven weeks.

"At the end of the experiment we examined fish from the different treatments and found that the oil derived from the GM plants can effectively substitute for fish oil in salmon feeds. This is highly significant because fish oil is a finite and limited resource, very expensive and the increasing demands for it by the fish farming industry will not be met in the future. So we really need to develop effective alternatives like this one."

Professor Douglas Tocher, leading the salmon feeding study at the University of Stirling, added, "There is a fundamental lack of omega-3 LC-PUFA to satisfy the recommended dietary requirements for humans, and fish are our main dietary source. The development of these novel plant oils, tailored to human requirements, represent a sustainable way to farm fish with high levels of omega-3 fish oils that maintain their high nutritional value to the human consumer while preserving wild fish stocks."

Read the article 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

From small-town entrepreneur to worldwide leader. With a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work, brothers Joe and Louis Wenger founded Wenger Mixing Company in a small town in Kansas, USA 1935. They went on to design a machine that blended molasses with dry feedstuffs and produced pellets in 1948.

Theirs was the first extrusion cooking system and the basic technology for all commercial extruders used today. The Wenger brothers' novel idea created a worldwide industry. And 75 years later Wenger Manufacturing Inc is still a family-owned business committed to groundbreaking innovation in the extrusion market.

Read the article HERE.

In an attempt to reduce the risk of parasites, the city's health department has proposed a rule that would require restaurants to keep raw fish frozen until it's served, Gothamist reports.

The new regulation would apply to fish intended to be served raw or raw marinated (think ceviche), though farm-raised fish and wild-caught tuna would be exempt.

http://gothamist.com/2015/01/30/raw_deal_for_sushi_chefs.php

Chris Hickey, NYC regional director of the New York State Restaurant Association, said the new rule would force restaurants to invest in pricey freezer equipment, in addition to hampering business at highly-regarded restaurants.

"This affects the high-end restaurants like Marea and Le Bernardin that specialize in seafood, and the sushi restaurants like Nobu," he said.

The frozen fish policy was just one bit of red tape proposed by the agency during a hearing yesterday: Others on the table include requiring restaurants to undergo DOH inspections prior to opening, mandating that juice companies post warning labels on homemade packaged juices alerting consumers to potential pathogens, and requiring that restaurants use ammonium to sanitize utensils.

A spokesperson said the proposals were in response to new federal regulations.

The Department of Health did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read the article HERE.

Chinese authorities have pledged to crack down on Chinese tourists behaving badly in the disputed Paracel Islands, Quartz reports.

After mainland travelers posed for photographs with freshly caught fish, many of them endangered species like the long-tailed thresher shark, the deputy mayor of Sansha in Hainan, where many tours set off from, said that police would begin targeting such “illegal tourist activity.”

http://qz.com/337882/chinese-tourists-are-hunting-endangered-fish-on-disputed-islands-in-the-south-china-sea/

Other photos showed tourists posing with red coral and other rare sea creatures, sparking a wave of criticism online. (You can see more photos here.) China is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which pledges to protect over 30,000 species of endangered animals and plants.

The Paracels, a set of potentially oil-rich islets in the South China Sea, are claimed by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan, but that hasn’t stopped over 3000 Chinese tourists from visiting since 2013 when a tour operator began offering cruises. The area is advertised within the mainland as ‘China’s Maldives.’

But these trips aren’t just about getting a taste of long-tailed shark. The country’s decision to promote tourism to the area is only “the latest in a series of unilaterally provocative actions in the area,” Vietnam’s state-run paper the Thanh Nien wrote last year. Quartz pointed out last year that China’s construction of roads, a kindergarten, banks, and a supermarket on one of the islands, Yongxing, serve to bolster Beijing’s argument that it fits the United Nation’s definition of an island—specifically that it can support human and economic activity—and is part of China’s exclusive economic zone.

For the flora and fauna on the Paracels, the bad behavior of some Chinese tourists is nothing new. In 2013, a tourist boasted in a post in Chinese social media about dining on giant clams, which are deemed at risk and conservation dependent by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Read the article and see the pictures HERE.

In an alarming revelation, researchers looking to Hawaii's coasts have determined that the concentration of mercury found in common commercially caught fish is climbing at a rate of nearly four percent per year, Nature World News reports.

That's at least according to a study recently published in the journal Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry, which paid particular attention to yellowish tuna caught in North Pacific commercial fisheries.

http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/12470/20150203/mercury-contamination-fish-climbing-experts.htm

"The take-home message is that mercury in tuna appears to be increasing in lock-step with data and model predictions for mercury concentrations in water in the North Pacific," lead author Paul Drevnick, from the University of Michigan Biological Station and School of Natural Resources and Environment, explained in a statement.

These model predictions were based on assessments of atmospheric mercury release caused by industry - namely smelting and the widespread burning of coal for power - and were compared to historical records and published reports on yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) caught near Hawaii over the past half century.

The resulting data showed that indeed, mercury concentrations have been rising since the industrial revolution, and have yet to plateau.

"This confirms that mercury levels in open ocean fish are responsive to mercury emissions," Drevnick added.

If nothing is done, he and his colleagues warned, the current "business as usual" of industry could double concentration of the toxic metal in the Pacific by 2050.

And that would fly directly in the face of a pledge recently made by 120 countries to fight the threat of mercury poisoning on a global scale. The pledge, made and renewed at last September's UN General Assembly, tacked on even more promises for the "The Minamata Convention on Mercury."

The convention was designed to have nations working together to reduce industrial mercury emissions and prevent another tragedy like the one that occurred to the Japanese city of Minamata in 1956, which resulted in at least 54 cases of mercury poisoning. Most of those cases resulted in death or devastating cognitive impairment within the year.

Experts have argued in the past that aside from pursuing ways to reduce mercury pollution via safe industrial practices, regulative attention should be brought to atmospheric emissions, namely those from gold smelting and coal burning.

"Future increases in mercury in yellowfin tuna and other fishes can be avoided by reductions in atmospheric mercury emissions from point sources," Drevnick and his colleagues pressed.

Read the article HERE.

Local shrimp were in short supply this past fall, making it especially hard for restaurants to make good on their menu claims now that the commercial season is over, The Post and Courier reports.

“The biggest problem is we don’t have enough shrimp to really keep him busy,” Carolina Seafood’s Leland Rutledge says of Georgetown, US, processor Johnny Roundtree, who’s equipped to freeze mass quantities of Carolina whites for Lowcountry restaurants.

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150202/PC0301/150209956/1017/iop-restaurant-buys-two-tons-of-local-shrimp-for-off-season

Roundtree four years ago started freezing shrimp to carry buyers through the off-season, a time during which chefs are often forced to source their seafood from the Gulf. But because of the shrimp shortage, he’s working primarily on a contractual basis, and Rutledge says his services are financially out of reach for many restaurants.

For Acme Lowcountry Kitchen on Isle of Palms, the expense was worth it. Executive chef and managing partner Frank Kline recently arranged to have two tons of local shrimp frozen.

“We definitely don’t buy Asian shrimp, but we bought every American market we could,” Kline says of previous years.

“It’s not what we wanted to do. Now we can guarantee local shrimp all of the time.”

In order to accommodate the shrimp shipment, Kline’s restaurant acquired a new 10-by-10 foot freezer.

“Basically, we bought a boatload,” Kline says.

At Acme, shrimp figures into dishes including eggs benedict; Lowcountry eggrolls; pasta, tacos and six kinds of shrimp-and-grits. Kline estimates his shrimp inventory will last until May.

While Acme may still have shrimp in its freezer when the spring season begins, Kline stresses that open waters aren’t a guarantee of shrimp availability. Shrimpers have struggled with significantly depleted crops in recent years.

Crosby’s Seafood sells frozen local shrimp, but wholesale manager Dan Long says his stock will probably sell out in the next two or three months. Kate Ditloff of the S.C. Aquarium’s Good Catch program, which promotes sustainability, isn’t aware of any other distributors freezing local shrimp on a large scale.

“If you get into Asian (shrimp), you can save a whole ton of money,” Kline says.

“But a few years ago, we switched our theme to local: No disclaimers.”

Read the article HERE.

While the Indian frozen shrimp export market is expected to reach nearly Rs271.51 billion (US$4.4 billion) by 2017, over-exploitation of the crustacean has led to a market imbalance, a study conducted by an industry association said Monday, The Navhind Times.

According to industry body Assocham, there is an urgent need to promote brackish water aquaculture for shrimp production through focused research on increasing productivity.

http://www.navhindtimes.in/indian-shrimp-exports-to-touch-rs27151-cr-by-2017/

“Over-exploitation of shrimp from natural sources and ever-increasing demand for shrimp and shrimp products globally has resulted in wide demand-supply gap, thereby necessitating the need for exploring new avenues for increasing production of prawns and increasing brackish water area under culture,” DS Rawat, Secretary General of the Industry Body said.

Indian shrimp exports in 2013-14 accounted for 301,435 tonnes valued at US$3,210.94 million and the volume export of cultured shrimp grew by 31.85 percent in the time period.

The study has stated the exports in the coming years are expected to rise by 36.71 percent in volume and 92.29 percent in terms of dollar valuation.

According to the study, although the shrimp production potential is enormous for the country, estimated at over 1.1 million hectares (ha) available for brackish water, only about 100,000 ha, accounting for 8.5 percent, has been brought under shrimp cultivation. Brackish water is needed for shrimp farming and is the natural habitat of the crustacean.

Though West Bengal had the largest available brackish water area of over 400,000 ha, the state had brought a meagre 12 percent area of about 47,488 ha under brackish water culture as of 2009-10, the study said.

The state, which had the highest share of over 46 percent in total area under brackish water culture, however, has decreased by about six per cent in four years.

Gujarat, ranked second in terms of potential brackish water area of over 370,000 ha, had brought only 0.5 percent or about 1916 ha of area under brackish water culture.

However, it is the only coastal state where the area under brackish water culture has increased by about 48 percent, from 1297 ha in 2005-06 to 1916 ha as of 2009-10, added the study.

Read more HERE.

http://www.aquafeed.co.uk/CC/IAF1404_andritz.png

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Visit the website HERE.

All the fish in Clissold Park are to be poisoned in a drastic operation to eradicate a deadly species of non-native fish, The Hackney Citizen reports.

At only 8-10 centimetres long with a characteristic upturned jaw and shimmering purple scales topmouth gudgeon (also known as the stone moroko) might look innocuous, but is one of the most invasive species of fish in Europe.

http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2015/02/03/clissold-park-ponds-poisoned-wipe-out-deadly-topmouth-gudgeon-fish/

Topmouth gudgeon take over by eating the eggs of other fish, breeding rapidly and out competing native fish for food and habitat.

The Stoke Newington park is one of 32 locations in the country where the fish has been identified.

The water in Clissold Park’s ponds and moat will be poisoned with ‘piscicide’, a pesticide specifically designed to kill fish, to “eliminate risk” of topmouth gudgeon spreading.

All other species of fish will be killed in the operation.

The Environment Agency said that the native fish can not be removed before the operation starts because there are no “holding areas” for quarantined fish at such a small site.

According to the authority, the use of piscicide will not harm any of the other mammals or birds in the park although it could have a “low impact” on invertebrates. Humans and pets will not be harmed.

Neil Winter, Fisheries Technical Officer for Hertfordshire and North London area said: “Although the ponds and moat in Clissold Park are not connected to any other waters, there are a number of ways in which the topmouth gudgeon could accidentally be transferred to other adjacent ponds, reservoirs or rivers where they could have a disastrous effect on the native fish population, their habitat and the wider ecology. We intend to eliminate this risk.”

Caroline Millar, of Clissold Park User Group (CPUG), said that while the solution to the problem was drastic, there was “no alternative” to poisoning the ponds.

Ms Millar said: “We recognise that the topmouth gudgeon have to be removed to protect the wildlife in the park and beyond.

“It does feel very drastic to be killing all the fish but it is clear that there is no alternative and we will be working with the council and the park management to consider how to make sure the ponds are looked after in the future.

“It is important that people understand the very serious consequences of dumping unwanted fish and other wildlife in ponds and other waterways.”

Cllr Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture, said: “We fully support the Environment Agency in their removal work. The topmouth gudgeon poses a significant threat to the biodiversity of Clissold Park and, if left, could result in serious environmental problems on a national scale.

“This process is necessary to ensure the future health of not only Clissold Park’s waterways, but of rivers and ponds across the country.”

Topmouth gudgeon originated in Asia but have spread rapidly through Eastern and Western Europe. Out of the 23 identified populations, 15 have already been removed as part of a 5 year eradication programme by the government.

The reinstatement and management of the waterbodies following eradication will be decided by Hackney Council.

Read the article HERE.

Matt Loder estimates nearly 12 percent of business at his Crabby Bill's restaurants is grouper, Florida's most economically important seafood product.

But if he's charging US$19.99 for a grouper dinner while a competitor is charging US$6.99 for what in fact may be fake grouper, "that makes me look like the bad guy in the marketplace," he tells the Tampa Bay Times.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/science/new-handheld-device-can-fish-out-fake-grouper/1264792

So imagine if there was a hand-held device — think a fish Breathalyzer — that would help Mr Loder, seafood wholesalers and food inspectors know for sure that the grouper is grouper and the Asian catfish is not.

It was the prevalence of imposter species and the unveiling of that handy device that brought Mr Loder and nearly 20 other fish industry professionals and restaurateurs to the University of South Florida St Petersburg on Wednesday for a hands-on grouper authentication workshop co-sponsored by the College of Marine Science and Florida Sea Grant. USF professors John Paul and David Fries led the group through an hourlong experiment of test tubes, pipettes and a tiny machine called a QPyre Handheld Sensor in order to do this: verify DNA markers in fish species to quickly determine what was grouper, and what was not.

This represents real progress from 2006, when a Times' special report about grouper revealed the prevalence of imposter species in the Tampa Bay marketplace. Back then, each sample had to be sent away for testing, requiring weeks of time and thousands of dollars.

This new grouper testing apparatus, about twice the size of an iPhone, is still a ways from being cheap or easy to use. It costs US$2500 and requires a multistep process: Extracting a sample from the fish, soaking it in chemicals, purifying the genetic material and then putting the sample into the handheld machine for fluorescence detection (grouper species exhibit a higher fluorescence). Computer software analyzes the data and accurately determines whether it's grouper or not.

A less expensive ‘blister pack’ field version is in the works, using cellphone software to analyze the data. At the workshop, the group discussed the importance of this kind of testing.

Bob Jones, executive director of Southeastern Fisheries, said he thinks technology of this sort may jump-start progress toward transparency in the industry.

"We've been working on detecting imposter fish for a decade. The only progress we've made is with (consumers). As far as (labeling) the right fish, we go somewhere between 50 and 70 percent."

There are 56 kinds of fish the FDA allows to be called grouper. The scientists behind the QPyre have got their hands on 35 of these with reliable results. Many of the remaining fish are exotics and unlikely to be in this marketplace. The apparatus works on raw, cooked or frozen samples, and requires just a tiny punch sample from a fillet (meaning minimal loss of fish).

USF's Mr Fries, who developed the technology, says, "This is kind of a front-line apparatus to screen a large number of samples rapidly."

The results reveal whether the sample is grouper or not, and exactly which species of grouper it is (a boon to those who prefer Florida's gulf species).

While further testing is needed to identify an imposter species, the technology could be re-engineered to work for other highly prized, often-faked fish species.

"The sky's the limit for other species if you have the time to develop the assays and tests," says Mr Paul of USF.

In a market routinely glutted with cheap import fakes, the question then becomes, where in the supply chain does it make sense to institute tests of this kind: At the state regulatory level? At the docks or wholesale fish markets? Or in the restaurants themselves? These are details yet to be hammered out.

Mr Loder can envision hiring an independent contractor to use this technology on grouper coming into Crabby Bill's restaurants, representing a value-added service to customers.

Mr Jones agrees.

"If you're paying US$25 for grouper, you're entitled to grouper. This changes the dynamic. The restaurant and seafood industries have had a big problem. Fish substitution isn't something that can be done under the cover of darkness anymore."

Read the article HERE.

When it comes to organic certification, food producers must follow strict guidelines.

For an organic steak, for instance, the cow it came from has to be raised on organic feed, and the feed mix can't be produced with pesticides, chemical fertilizers or genetic engineering.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/02/03/383360748/how-fish-could-change-what-it-means-for-food-to-be-organic

Now, the US Department of Agriculture is considering a set of rules for organic farmed fish. Several consumer groups, though, say the recommended rules don't go far enough to meet the strict standards of other organic foods, The Salt reports.

The feed that the fish eat is at the center of the debate.

On one side of the issue: the National Organic Standards Board, a federal advisory board whose members are appointed by the secretary of agriculture. NOSB recommended guidelines for how fish can be grown organically in pens in the ocean and how much wild-caught fish can be ground up as fish meal to feed the fish.

"What the National Organic Standards Board recommended was that there would be some allowance for nonorganic fish feed that would be phased out after a 12-year period of time," says Miles McEvoy, the deputy administrator of the USDA's National Organic Program.
Farmed fish, like these rainbow trout, are at the center of a debate within the organic industry.

Many organic stakeholders, however, say an organic diet is important for organic livestock and fish.

Lisa Bunin, the organic policy director at the Center for Food Safety, says fish farmed under the recommended standards shouldn't be certified as organic, because the wild fish used in the fish meal can't be certified as organic.

"It's not 100 percent organic — and organic requires all animals to have an organic diet," she says.

Bunin is also concerned about raising farmed fish in pens in the open ocean, as farmers can't control the toxins the fish are exposed to. Ocean-based fish farms could also be a source of pollution. Diseases can pass between populations of wild and farmed fish.

"The particles from these facilities eventually settle on the ocean floor and can dramatically alter the oxygen [available] and reduce the population of bottom-dwelling animals," Bunin says.

Consumer groups like Food and Water Watch and Consumers Union have also opposed the recommended standards for organically farmed fish.

The labeling question has big monetary implications: The organic food market is exploding — it's currently worth about $35 billion a year — and many fish farmers and retailers want in.

But some in the organic industry worry that certifying farmed fish as organic would mark a watering down of organic standards.

"There will be a significant consumer education piece involved in what is the difference between a conventionally farmed fish and an organically farmed one," says Nathaniel Lewis with the Organic Trade Association.

"And how does that relate to the difference between a conventional egg and an organic egg?"

With so many labels on food products at the grocery store, some worry that an organic label might lose its power.

Fish farmers and scientists are working to create more sustainable aquaculture. Some farms are using closed loop systems that recycle water. And researchers are experimenting with fish feed made from ingredients like soybeans and animal byproducts, which could possibly make up certified organic feed.

The organic debate is an important one for fish farmers like Merritt Van Landuyt. She and her husband, Dennis, run Troutdale Farm, which sits at the end of a dirt road near the edge of Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks. An upwelling spring feeds about a dozen cement raceways filled with rainbow trout. Workers use nets to pull out basketfuls of fully grown fish.

The Van Landuyts took over the farm in 2002 and revamped it with a new water system. They also decided against the use of any chemical additives, growth hormones or antibiotics. It's a minimalist approach that Merritt Van Landuyt says she's proud of.

"We just decided to build a system that seemed like it could actually be more sustainable into the future," she says.

The Troutdale fish aren't technically organic, but Van Landuyt says she'll consider seeking that certification if regulations are passed. Ultimately, she says, it will depend on what her customers want — and on what the added cost will be to her farm.

"It's really fun to go out and play with the fish," she says. "And it's really nice to see those little eggs grow. But darn it, you're still a business."

The USDA plans to publish its organic standard proposal for farmed fish by summer. That will open a public comment period of at least 60 days.

Read the article HERE.

Calibrin-Z is a bacterial toxin control product that protects vital digestive organs from the damaging effects of Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) in shrimp. EMS is caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V.p.) exotoxin. When the V.p. bacterium enters the body, it secretes a toxin that kills the hepatopancreas cells, a critical digestive organ necessary for growth and development of healthy profitable shrimp.

As part of your ongoing feeding regimen, Calibrin-Z works by absorbing the V.p. bacterial toxin in the body, increasing the rate of survival in your shrimp crop. Recent studies conducted by a leading researcher of EMS have shown significant improvement in survivability of shrimp fed Calibrin-Z when challenged with the V.p. bacterial toxin. All combined, these studies show that under a V.p. toxin challenge shrimp survival increases up to 84 percent versus controls. To date, no other product has shown results as positive as these.

Amlan International knows and understands toxin absorption. This knowledge has led to a full line of products that mitigate toxins and reduce the negative effects of disease in multiple livestock species. Through the use of Amlan International products producers, nutritionists, veterinarians and farmers around the world are able to achieve peak operational performance.

Visit the website HERE.

First published in International Aquafeed, November-December 2014

http://issuu.com/international_aquafeed/docs/iaf1406_w1/30?e=1620985/10049203

Loc H Tran, PhD is a young scientist who has been working with aquaculture and aquaculture pathology in Vietnam since 2006. He is now Assistant Professor at Nong Lam University at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and working closely with the shrimp industry in his home country to control the AHPND. He is also a senior consultant for Minh Phu Seafood Corp.,Vietnam, the largest shrimp company in Vietnam and founder/director of the Minh Phu AquaMekong Shrimp Vet Laboratory, the very first shrimp research centre in Vietnam. Recently, Loc developed technologies that allow to produce EMS/AHPND free post larvae and methods to control the disease in shrimp farms.

More information:
Email: thuuloc@email.arizona.edu
Read the magazine HERE.

The latest status report on Western Australia’s fisheries and aquatic resources reinforces the State’s highly-regarded reputation for fisheries science and management.

Executive Director of Research for the Department of Fisheries, Dr Rick Fletcher said the risks to most aquatic ecological resources in WA continued to be at acceptable levels.

“This State is one of the only jurisdictions in the world with a fully implemented, comprehensive and practical, Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management framework,” Dr Fletcher said.

“A key part of this risk-based comprehensive approach is that it examines the status of target species, plus the broader impacts on the environment; including by-catch and habitats. It also examines the impacts of external factors on the ecosystems within each of the State’s Bioregions, such as changing climate and aquatic pests.”

Dr Fletcher said the latest reports showed that approximately 97 percent of stocks targeted in WA’s commercial fisheries required no new or enhanced management approaches.

“Most of the current risks to stocks and the fisheries they support have been generated by adverse environmental conditions,” he said. “Even though fishing-related activities have not been the cause of the declines within these systems, adjustments to fishing activities are often still required to ensure ongoing sustainability of these resources.

“Past examples include management action to protect the State’s iconic western rock lobster fishery, when it encountered a series of poor recruitment years.

“Protecting the breeding stocks through that period has seen beneficial returns for both the commercial and recreational sectors after good recruitment levels returned.”

Dr Fletcher said current management actions for the Australian herring and abalone stocks were aimed at taking the fishing pressure off species that had been impacted largely by increased water temperatures.

“Similarly, the series of poor recruitment and adult survival levels observed for crabs and scallops in Shark Bay and the Abrolhos Island region started after the marine heat wave in 2011, with these fisheries still closed or facing additional restrictions,” Dr Fletcher said.

“This reinforces the importance of ongoing research and adaptive management strategies, to both identify and respond to any concerns that do arise in WA’s fisheries.”

Visit the Department of Fisheries website HERE.

Scientists are puzzling over how to stop sperm whales stealing Alaskan fishermen's catch, the BBC reports.

Deep beneath the surface of the Gulf of Alaska an extraordinary marine crime has been taking place.

Sperm whales, the ocean’s largest predators, have been targeting the boats of black cod fishermen and swiping their catch off their lines.

This giant animal’s deft trick was filmed for the first time by a group of scientists based in Alaska, US, and was shown in the programme Alaska: Earth’s Frozen Kingdom on the UK's TV channel BBC Two.

It shows a sperm whale using its long jaw to create tension on the line, which in turn snaps fish off the hooks. This feeding behaviour is called depredation and experts think it is learned by the whales.

“I don’t know how to quantify their intelligence but their effectiveness is almost perfect,” says Stephen Rhoads, a boat skipper who has been fishing in the area for 20 years.

“That they’re getting better at this every single year and it’s less work for them to hang out with us and take our fish than it is to dive down and get them off the bottom.

“There’s no doubt that these creatures are very smart.”

Long-line fishermen fish on the sea bed using hook-and-line equipment that can be up to five miles long.

Black cod and other deep water fish are natural prey for sperm whales in the region.

Crews fishing for black cod, or sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) first reported sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) removing fish from their lines in the Gulf of Alaska in the 1970s.

Since then the fishing season has been extended from around two weeks to eight months and commercial whaling has also been banned, both of which are thought to have added to the problem by increasing the numbers of whales and the length of time they have to perfect their technique.

Reported incidents of depredation began to rise in the mid 1990s and the damage done by the whales’ attacks is now estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each year and led the industry to approach scientists for help.

The Southeast Alaska Sperm Whale Avoidance Project (SEASWAP) was launched in 2003 to try to understand the mysterious mammals and uncover ways to stop them from following fishing vessels for their dinner.

Scientific research has been combined with the fishermen’s observations and has produced a number of revelations about sperm whale depredation.

It has also provided several new findings about the Gulf of Alaska sperm whale population as a whole, including determining their genetics and their movements.

In the SEASWAP study area 120 sperm whales have been observed, all of which are male, scientists estimate there may be 235 in total. Up to 10 whales have been seen around fishing boats, which is unusual as adult males usually hunt on their own and could also point towards depredation being socially transmitted between whales.

They also discovered that the whales, who hunt using echolocation, are alerted to the fact fishing is taking place by the sound of boat engines shifting gear as the crew haul in the catch, this can be detected from several miles away.

“They’re premeditated,” says Mr Rhoads, “but they are using clues of how we’re fishing to know that there’s definitely gear on the bottom, that we have fish on hooks a half mile under the surface and the whales have figured out the sounds of our boats in action meaning that the fish are coming up.”

Sperm whales have also been shown to feed off the line at different depths, some diving fairly shallow and others much deeper, similar to natural foraging dives.

Of the solutions the SEASWAP team have tried to keep sperm whales away from the boats, monitoring has proved the most successful. This involves putting satellite tags onto the whales so they can be tracked, fishermen can then use a website or contact the SEASWAP team directly, to find out where the whales are.

The scientists hope to eventually tag 10 individuals – known as the 'bad boys'– who are seen around boats most often. One of the most regular visitors has even earned the name Jack the Stripper after being seen nine out of the last 10 years in the same part of the Gulf.

“We think that they’re a little bit better at what they do or a bit more interested in depredation,” says Lauren Wild from SEASWAP.

“Maybe the other whales drive by and take fish if they’re by a boat but they’re not seen as frequently.”

Four of the 10 serial depredators have so far been tagged, giving the fishermen the option to avoid fishing near them.

“I don’t know if there’s one answer to the depredation issue but I think being informed and aware of how these animals are behaving are all important to really get a grasp on what they’re doing and how they’re doing it in order to prevent it,” says Ms Wild.

“As we learn more, we hone down better ideas of what to do.”

SEASWAP is now collaborating with scientists studying depredation by whales in other parts of the world and continue to work with the fishermen to devise and test potential answers to the problem.

“It was only 160 years ago that the classic novel Moby Dick was written, capturing the dramas at sea of whalers,” says Alaska: Earth’s Frozen Kingdom producer Jane Atkins.

“Now the tables have turned, whaling is banned, and sperm whales are returning and learning to take on fishermen in bold and surprising ways – and so far there is very little the fishermen can do about it.

“The conservation questions are far more complex, and it will certainly be an interesting story to follow in years to come.”

Read the article and see the pictures HERE.

Mohn Aqua Group was formed early in 2011 after the aquaculture division of Bennex was purchased by two Norwegian companies - offshore ROV and diving services provider Mohn Drilling AS and ROV manufacturer Argus Remote Systems AS. Both these companies bring a wealth of very valuable technological expertise to Mohn Aqua.

The Group consists of three companies at present - Mohn Aqua Group AS and Mohn Aqua (Norge) AS in Norway and Mohn Aqua (UK) Ltd in the UK. Our bases are in Bergen, Norway and Forres, Scotland. We operate in Chile and other key markets through carefully selected sales and service partners.

Visit the website HERE.

by Ioannis Zabetakis, assistant professor of food chemistry, university of Athens, Greece

First published in International Aquafeed, January - February 2015

Given the increasing need for fish oil in the aquafeed industry, scientists and formulators around the globe are in a constant quest for alternative sources of fish lipids. Wild fish stocks are decreasing fast and sardine oil may soon be too dear. Therefore many believe that krill oil is the next big thing. But is it?

http://issuu.com/international_aquafeed/docs/iaf1501_w1/7

Because krill oil delivers omega-3 fatty acids in phospholipid form, krill experts maintain that krill oil is a more effective, better-absorbed delivery system for omega-3 fatty acids than fish oils, which contain these fatty acids mostly in a triglyceride form.

But Nordic Naturals just released ‘Omega-3 Phospholipids’, a fish oil product combining standard fish oil with phospholipid-bound omega-3 fatty acids from herring roe (fish eggs). The result is, according to the company, the highest omega-3 DHA and EPA content (thanks to the fish oil) as well as the highest phospholipid content and a broader range of phospholipids compared to krill oil. (It is especially high in phospholipid-bound DHA.)

The product features 520mg of EPA and DHA, 143mg of which are phospholipid-bound. Company CEO and founder Joar Opheim calls these levels “more meaningful amounts of EPA and DHA” that meet the minimum 500-mg EPA/DHA dose per serving that experts recommend.

Nordic Naturals is marketing Omega-3 Phospholipids as “the potent alternative to krill,” contending that it offers more than twice the level of omega-3s compared to all leading krill products on the market.

“All leading krill oil products provide significantly less than 500mg EPA+DHA per day,” says Scott Minton PhD, Nordic Naturals’ scientific advisor.

“Because Omega-3 Phospholipids provides more omega-3 EPA and DHA in both triglyceride and phospholipid-bound forms compared to any krill product, the opportunities for absorption are increased.”

The choice of herring roe (from wild, sustainable Norwegian herring) was due to roe’s high content of phospholipid-bound EPA and DHA, the company says.

“Gram for gram, krill oil and herring roe oil have a similar amount of phospholipid content,” says Minton.

“However, the herring roe oil has a broader spectrum of phospholipids and a higher amount of phospholipid-bound omega-3 DHA.”

Not all fish eggs are high-phospholipid candidates, though.

“In general, the percentage of phospholipids present in a fish egg will vary with many factors, including the fish species, the developmental stage of the egg, water temperature and life-history features of the adult fish,” Minton says.

“Using special laboratory equipment, the amount of phospholipids in different fish roe can be measured.”

Taking this story a step further, at the University in Athens we are carrying out research (for an example, click HERE) on the cardioprotective properties of hen’s egg polar lipids. The future could be eggy indeed by valorising egg lipids into aquafeeds.

Read the magazine HERE.

Two talented aquaculture trainees have both been short-listed for Lantra Scotland’s prestigious Land-based and Aquaculture Learner of the Year Awards 2015.

Stuart Simon, 27, from Dunoon in Argyll, and Andrew Moore, 28 from Taynuilt in Argyll, were chosen by an independent judging panel from what’s been called an exceptionally talented pool of nominees, with judges praising the quality of entrants across all categories.


Stuart Simon

Stuart is studying for a Modern Apprenticeship Level 3 in Aquaculture at Inverness College UHI whilst working with The Scottish Salmon Company and Andrew has completed his Modern Apprenticeship SVQ Level 3 in Aquaculture whilst employed by Dawnfresh Farming Ltd.

http://www.lantra.co.uk/News-Media/News/Aquaculture-success-for-two-brothers-at-the-Scottish-Salmon-Company.aspx

Andrew Moore

Ryan Binnie, 18, and Ryan Walker, 21, both from Stirling, have also been short-listed for the Fisheries Management and Environmental Learner of the Year Award - both were chosen by an independent judging panel from what’s been called an exceptionally talented pool of nominees, with judges praising the quality of entrants across all categories.

Ryan Binnie

Both are studying for a Modern Apprenticeship Level 2 in Environmental Conservation at SRUC Oatridge whilst employed by Stirling Council Fisheries.

Ryan Binnie was nominated by Scott Mason, a Manager at Stirling Council Fisheries, who by coincidence won the same award back in 2013:

“It is great to be able to nominate Ryan for the award I won two years ago. Ryan first came to the attention of Stirling Council Fisheries service when Stirling Council’s Youth Services (SCYS) got in touch to discuss potential work experience for him. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength, and thoroughly deserves to be nominated for this prestigious award. We wish the very best of luck to both finalists.”

Ryan Walker

Aquaculture is one of eight industries represented at Lantra Scotland’s Learner of the Year Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner, which celebrates the achievements of employees of all ages across the country.

Winners will be announced at the event on Thursday 5th March at the Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro, and along with the finalists, guests will include industry trainees, training providers, employers and key representatives from across the sector. The main sponsor for this year’s event is The Scottish Salmon Company.

Lantra Scotland is the sector skills council for land-based, aquaculture and environmental industries and every year invites industry, training providers and schools to put forward nominations for the awards.

This year there are 15 award categories - the highest number since the awards began in 2003 – including the prestigious CARAS Awards, the Overall-Winner Land-based and Aquaculture Learner of the Year Award and the Modern Apprentice of the Year Award.

There are also industry awards covering the key sectors of agriculture, aquaculture, equine, horticulture, game and wildlife, trees and timber, land-based engineering, fisheries management and environmental conservation. The highly successful Urban and Rural Schools Awards make a return, as does the Higher Education Award and School Pupil Award.

The independent panel of judges is chaired by Ray Jones, former Chairman of Scotland Food and Drink, and comprises: Erika Hay, agriculture and rural affairs journalist; Keith Paterson, Learning and Development Manager at Forestry Commission Scotland; Keith Redpath, of Redpath Farms; Lisa Connell, Training & Development Manager with The Scottish Salmon Company and Rebecca Dawes, Communication & Rural Affairs Manager with the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs. Peter Alexander, a Blairgowrie farmer and Non-Executive Director of Algo, recently retired from the judging panel after eleven years involvement in the awards.

Kevin Patrick, Interim Director Lantra Scotland comments: “We are delighted to announce our finalists for the Land-based and Aquaculture Learner of the Year Awards 2015 and are extremely grateful to the independent panel of judges for all their hard work. These awards continue to play an important role in communicating and celebrating the value of gaining qualifications, developing skills and improving standards.

“This year the standard of award entrants was exceptionally high, which is making the process of choosing our finalists an increasing challenge for the judges. We are also receiving nominations from a growing pool of employers and training providers, which suggests an increasing realisation of the importance of supporting and celebrating our future generation of talent. All of the nominees, whether selected as finalists in 2015 or not, should be extremely proud of their work and I really look forward to celebrating their achievements in Dunblane on 5th March”.

Craig Anderson, Managing Director at The Scottish Salmon Company, the awards main sponsor, said: “We have been involved with LANTRA for the past number of years and we are very proud to be the main sponsor of this year’s event. Training and development of staff is an integral part of The Scottish Salmon Company and, we believe, that by improving the quality of training offered to those in the land-based and aquaculture industries LANTRA helps to reduce the current skills gap.

“The standard of this year’s finalists is particularly high and is reflective of the strength and talent of the workforce across both the land-based and aquaculture industries in Scotland. Best wishes to all finalists for this year’s awards,” said Craig Anderson, Managing Director at The Scottish Salmon Company.

Ray Jones, Chair of the judging panel, comments: “Winning a prize in the Land-based and Aquaculture Learner of the Year Awards puts a person in the best of the best category.”

“The judging this year has been extremely challenging due to the high quality of modern apprentices coming through the system. This is a tribute to the individuals, their employers and the staff at various colleges throughout Scotland.”

Tickets for the awards and gala dinner are currently on sale and those interested in attending are encouraged to book early to guarantee places.
To find out more call 01738 646762, e-mail lantra.scotland@lantra.co.uk or visit www.lantra.co.uk/Nations/Scotland. Lantra Scotland is also on Twitter and Facebook as @LantraScotland.

Visit the website HERE.
(IAF1502)

“Towards Sustainable Aquaculture in the Middle East” will be the theme of this first edition, which will focus on vital industry issues affecting the key Middle Eastern aquaculture producing countries.

DWTC, Dubai, April 5-6, 2015 – www.meaf.ae

Plenary speaker Ahmad Al Ballaa (MD of National Aquaculture Group
and Chairman, Saudi Aquaculture Society) says:

"Aquaculture has a pivotal role to play in global food future. Conservative estimates indicate that output from aquaculture must at least double to meet the demand for aquatic protein by 2050. With a current population of more than 400 million, the Middle East region has an increasingly important role to play in this future, on both the demand and the supply side. In order to meet that future opportunity, we must however develop aquaculture responsibly.

“Contributions at MEAF from world renowned experts and local farmers on their hard earned lessons in issues such as rearing practices, disease management, diversification and markets will provide valuable information which will dramatically shorten the costly learning curve for new ventures in the region. This forum will be the first of many such meetings that will offer a important and timely opportunity for researchers, governments and investors to jointly develop a roadmap for sustainable aquaculture in the region. "

MEAF15, the forumwhere Middle East Aquaculture Experts will discuss the future of sustainable aquaculture in the Middle East, includes:

- Nutrition: Dr Albert Tacon will give a plenary presentation on ‘'Future feeds for a growing aquaculture sector in a hungry world”, with *Dr Muhammed Alsaiady* from Arasco feed company delivering the keynote presentation of the nutrition session.
- Industry: Eng. Ahmad Al Ballaa will give a plenary presentation on the first day of the event.
- Synbiotics and probiotics: Prof. Einar Ringo will give the keynote presentation showing the latest results in this field.
- Outlook of Aquaculture in the Region: latest updates will be provided by Dr HaydarAlsahtout.
- Dr Farshad Shischensian (President Asia Pacific Chapter of the World Aquacultue Society) will talk about: “The status of shrimp farming and new advance systems in Asia”.
- Dr SherifSadek will deliver a talk on “The concept of integration of aquaculture and agriculture in the Middle East”. This presentation will focus on the culture of various species using fresh ground water (tilapia/catfish/carp/freshwater prawn) and/or brackishwater (red tilapia/blue tilapia/seabream/seabass/shrimp)".

The Middle East Aquaculture Forum, Dubai, 5-6 April 2015 will be hosting workshops, industry presentations and an exhibition for aquaculture suppliers and producers and is sponsored by the European Aquaculture Society (EAS) and the World Aquaculture Society (WAS), with the Arab Aquaculture Society (AAS), the Pakistani Aquaculture Society (PAS) and the Saudi Arab Aquaculture Society (SAAS) as affiliate sponsors. All these societies are welcome to hold their annual meeting at MEAF15 and invite all their members to Dubai to join this unique forum.

Abstract submission is open until 15 February 2015: www.meaf.ae.
Advanced online registration is recommended: www.meaf.ae.
Exhibition: There are just a few booths left now. Industry partners can contact us by e-mail to find out about sponsorship opportunities: mario@marevent.com

April 7th - Aqua Feed Production Workshop in Dubai
Organizer: Dr Mian N Riaz, Head, Extrusion Technology Program.
Food Protein R&D Center, Texas A&M University System, College Station,
Texas, USA.
Please register by contacting
E-mail: mnriaz@tamu.edu or info@meaf.ae

For regular programme updates please visit: www.meaf.ae or contact
info@meaf.ae.

Looking forward to seeing you in Dubai at this exciting Forum.
Middle East Aquaculture Forum Secretariat

Visit the website HERE.

Marine Harvest achieved an operational EBIT of 1032 million Norwegian Krone (NOK) (US$137.95 million) in the fourth quarter of 2014, compared to NOK 1037 million (US$138.62 million) in the corresponding quarter of 2013.

Marine Harvest delivered a strong operational EBIT in the fourth quarter of 2014. As a consequence of the good result, the Board has resolved a quarterly dividend of NOK 1.20 (US$0.16) per share, says CEO Alf-Helge Aarskog.

http://www.marineharvest.com/about/news-and-media/news/strong-performance-in-fourth-quarter-for-marine-harvest/

Marine Harvest Group reported operational revenues of NOK 6863 million (NOK 6743 million in 2013) in the fourth quarter of 2014, which is a record high. Total harvest volumes were 105,122 tonnes in the quarter (103,378 tonnes in 2013). Harvest guidance for 2015 is 440,000 tonnes.

“We have increased our feed self-sufficiency in Norway from 60 percent to 80 percent. Through the gradual in-sourcing of feed, we expect lower feed costs as well as improved growth, better feed conversion ratio and improved quality of the end product,” says CEO Alf-Helge Aarskog.

Salmon of Norwegian origin achieved an operational EBIT per kilo of NOK 12.59 (NOK 12.04 in 2013) in the fourth quarter, while salmon of Scottish and Canadian origin reported operational EBIT per kilo of NOK -3.42 and NOK 3.69 respectively (NOK 10.25 and NOK 10.20 in 2013). Salmon of Chilean origin achieved an operational EBIT per kilo of NOK 0.35 (NOK 2.48 in 2013).

The figures include contribution from Sales and Marketing, including VAP Europe and Morpol Processing. Marine Harvest VAP Europe reported an operational EBIT of NOK 36 million compared to NOK -37 million in the fourth quarter of 2013. Morpol Processing reported an operational EBIT of NOK 81 million (NOK 63 million in 2013).

“I'm excited about the contemplated merger with AquaChile. Our already strong position within salmon farming in Chile will be further strengthened, and the combined entity will benefit the entire Chilean industry from a sustainability point of view,” says Aarskog.

Visit the website HERE.

02/02/2015: Fewer wild fish needed: genetically modified plants produce omega-3 fish oil

Wenger company profile

02/02/2015: Proposed New York, US, rule would require raw fish to be frozen

03/02/2015: Chinese tourists hunting endangered fish on disputed islands in South China Sea

03/02/2015: Mercury contamination of fish is climbing, say US experts

03/02/2015: US restaurant buys two tons of local shrimp for off-season

03/02/2015: Indian shrimp exports to touch US$4.4 billion by 2017

ANDRITZ company profile

04/02/2015: Ponds in London, UK park to be poisoned in bid to wipe out deadly fish species

04/02/2015: New handheld device can fish out fake grouper

04/02/2015: How fish could change what it means for food to be organic

Amlan company profile

04/02/2015: Photoshoot at Nong Lam University Shrimp Pathology Lab

05/02/2015: Research and adaptive management the key to good West Australian fisheries

05/02/2015: Sperm whales target fishing boats for an easy meal

Mohn Aqua Group company profile

05/02/2015: Towards eggy fish oils

06/02/2015: Aquaculture finalists in Lantra Scotland’s Learner of the Year Awards revealed

06/02/2015: Middle East Aquaculture Forum (MEAF)

06/02/2015: Strong performance in fourth quarter for Marine Harvest