Significant Aquaculture Innovation
Organisations are going to enormous lengths to gain the confidence of wholesalers, retailers and end users by providing evidence about the source and quality of their fish.
Atlantic Fresh Linited illustrates its processes through this video as part of its web marketing effort.
It is interesting to see the role that information can play in enhancing the value of a product. The value uplift derived by aquaculture product is described in more detail in this FishUpdate.com article.
Snapperfarm operates an open ocean aquaculture facility off Puerto Rico where it is growing cobia.
In mid 2002, Snapperfarm installed its first cages. Snapperfarm currently utilizes SeaStation™and Aquapod™ offshore submersible cages with a combined capacity of 3,000 cubic meters.
Because of the strong currents, extreme wave energy and exposure to hurricanes, the cages are operated fully submerged and are only surfaced for maintenance or harvest.
The decision was made to focus efforts exclusively on Culebran Cobia™ (Rachycentron canadum) due to the excellent traits for aquaculture exhibited in early trials.
Substantial improvements to the growth efficiency of Culebran Cobia™ and operational efficiency of the submerged open ocean operation have been made since 2002.
Working with JC Seafood, Inc. in Miami, Florida, Snapperfarm has successfully introduced Culebran Cobia™ to health and environmentally conscious markets in the U.S.
If you would like to gain a cobia’s eye view of the Snapperfarm cages in operation you can view a 3 minute video showing aspects of their aquaculture operations here.
Seafood Innovations is making a name for itself around the world with its innovative capabilities.
Industry-scale trials have been carried out at one of Marine-Harvest’s salmon farming plants in Rogaland, Norway of an automated slaughtering machine.
The system has now been trialled in several places around the world and on several fish species.
In the Norwegian trial, salmon were pumped directly from aquaculture pens to a vessel especially outfitted for the trials. The machine kills the fish instantaneously with a blow to the head. Next, the fish are cut for bleeding and transported to a tank containing cold sterile seawater where it is bled out.
Scientists from Fiskeriforskning have confirmed that the fish are killed instantly when the machine delivers a correctly aimed blow.
An article ‘Good News for the Salmon Industry’ in a recent Fiskeriforskning newsletter confirms that the current method using CO2 will be banned from 1 July 2008.
More details about the device including videos of it in operation can be seen here.
One of the patents associated with the device may be accessed here.
Listened to a television program on the ABC last night (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) which covered some of the themes being covered at the 2008 World Poultry Congress. There are some interesting parallels in the issues that are being addressed in poultry and aquaculture - as aquaculture seeks to increase its scale and intensity of production.
One of the keynote speakers at the Conference, Professor David Farrell from the University of Queensland was interviewed about the key factors that have allowed the poultry industry to intensify its production so successfully. Professor Farrell identifies the following factors as key contributors:
At the 4.20 minute mark in the video (see the link below) Professor Farrell reviews the conversion efficiency of the three major livestock industries. He states the feed conversion ratios as:
This makes the peak feed conversion ratios in aquaculture of 0.8:1 look very good.
Can anyone help by pointing out the latest data on feed conversion ratio in aquaculture both in the lab and in the farm setting?
The video of the interview with Professor Farrell is available here.
The World Poultry Congress site is here.
In the television documentary Animal Pharm the presenters attempt to balance the arguments for and against genetic manipulation. One segment within the first of a two part documentary shows salmon that grow four times faster than normal in their first year of life.
The program, screened on ABC in Australia, case studies a variety of different types of genetic manipulation from the selective breeding (normal practice in modern farming) through to transgenics - the ability to identify individual genes, extract them and then move genes between species. Various types of procedure in pigs, chickens, cattle and horses are reviewed as well as genetic manipulation in aquaculture.
Looking at the ‘pharmed’ salmon and the non GM salmon swimming side by side in the same tank is amazing. The bulk of the fish with the transgene present is astounding.
The work to produce the high growth salmon has been conducted by Mr Joe McGonigal. The fish with the transgene grows faster during its first year of life.
Normally salmon grows in warmer water. McGonigal has taken a gene which controls growth from a fish that is a cold water species. By introducing this gene to the Super Salmon, the fish are able to grow year round - whatever the temperature.
McGonigal justifies his work by pointing out the food conversion ratio efficiencies in the genetically manipulated fish. He claims a 30% higher weight gain per gram of feed over non GM salmon.
He points out that the salmon have been created sterile to negate the chance of potential escapees interbreeding with wild stocks.
Could this be part of the solution required to break the nexus between limits on our ability to sustainably supply fish meal and filling the global fish production gap?
Information about the the program is presented here.
What other examples of genetic manipulation for growth promotion in fish exist? Are their species other than salmon in which similar work has been conducted? What conditions must be met for safe practice?
Are there any other resources that you can point to that will help our community of interest appreciate the key issues?
Who is leading practice in these areas world wide?
