Norway lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus), called prawns and marketed as Scottish langoustines or scampi in Scotland, live around the Scottish coast as part of the largest fishery for this species anywhere. This fishery provided UK82 million (€96.7 million) to Scotland in 2012, making it the second most valuable fishery after mackerel.

These crustaceans live in areas of the seabed composed of soft mud, where the lobsters build semi-permanent burrows that shelter them from predators. The biggest area of this kind of mud and which hosts the largest Norway lobster population is the Fladen Ground in the northern North Sea and stretching nearly 30,000 sqkm.

In the first four months of 2013, Norway lobster landings have plummeted by 52 percent, representing an 11-year-low and following a poor year in 2012, for unknown reasons. The situation has also replicated on the West Coast this year, though not as dramatically.

This year’s value of North Sea Norway lobsters landed by Scottish prawn vessels so far this year has been 62 percent lower than in the same period in 2012. Besides, the North Sea vessel landings and value for the first trimester (January-April) is lower than in any of the previous 11 years. The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary has since urgently requested a brief summary of the problem from Marine Scotland.

“North Sea prawns were worth UK34.6 million (€40.8 million) to Scotland’s fishermen last year, so the impact of this situation on the 99 boats fishing for prawn in the Fladens is huge,” Scotland’s Fishing Minister Richard Lochhead said.

He admitted that environmental phenomena can disrupt fishing activities from time to time, and said everyone hopes this will only be a short-term problem.

“Recent unusual environmental conditions appear to be limiting the emergence of the Nephrops from the burrows in which they live, this in turn is limiting the opportunities for a fishery,” explained Marine Scotland Scientist Nick Bailey, author of the article.

“The reasons for this are unclear but this may be because of lower than usual water temperatures or prolonged spells of severe weather in the winter which have affected the hydrodynamics of the region,” he added.

The directors of the company, considered the country’s largest one in its field, explained that this reduction will occur as a result of the limited production of fishmeal, following a more restrictive capture policy set by the Peruvian government.

According to Humberto Speziani, TASA director, sales will recover in 2014 due to the improved catch and production levels.

“2013 turnover is going to be around US$500 (€388.048) million and next year it will be raised and it will return to the levels of US$600 (€465.658) million,” stated the executive at the Reuters Forum for Latin American Investment.

Peru is the world’s largest fishmeal producer and its exports, whose main markets are Europe and China, generate about US$1,800 (€1,396.973) million per year, Perú21 reported.

In October 2012, the Peruvian government drastically reduced the anchovy fishing quota, which is the main input to produce fishmeal.

That decision was announced after the sector was declared in a state of vulnerability due to the 41 percent biomass reduction, reaching about 5.3 million tons.

Speziani estimated that 2013 production would be similar to the one last year (846,000 tons), due to a more cautious Government’s policy and in spite of the improved fishing conditions in the Pacific Ocean.

Meanwhile, for 2014 a fishmeal production recovery level is expected, amounting to over 1.2 million tons.

“The biomass is healthy, the sea conditions are better, there has been good spawning, but [the government] has set a low quota. I am not criticising the fact that the quota is low, it is understandable, they have not wanted to take risks,” he continued, Reuters reported.

The water filter is coated with silver nanoparticles that prevent fungal infections from forming in fish farmed indoors. The use of this filter could lead to replacing the practice of directly releasing nanoparticles into tanks, which has proved toxic to young rainbow trout.

The filter’s creation follows a study published in the Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, which determined that the direct application of colloidal silver nanoparticles to tanks containing fish should be banned, especially for rainbow trout, whose largest world’s producer is Iran.

“We believe that the direct release of colloidal nanoparticles into the environment, especially in the aquaculture industry, must be prohibited,” Mohammad Reza Kalbassi, associate professor of aquaculture biotechnology at Tarbiat Modares University, Iran, and co-author of the study, SciDev.Net reports.

“However, indirect use in a filter or via other instruments after scientific consideration may improve [the aquaculture] industry in future,” the professor added.

He noted that using the new filter, made from nanosilver-coated minerals commonly used as commercial adsorbents, lengthened the rainbow trout’s survival rate.

“In contrast to the control group, where around 6 percent of fish had an infection caused by the fungus Saprolegnia, no infections were observed during the incubation period in the incubators containing nanosilver-coated filters,” he continued.

The filter has since been patented in Iran, he stated.

“The first challenge to the filter system is to contain the nanoparticles without loss as the water is passed through,” said Graeme Batley, chief research scientist at the catchment chemistry and ecotoxicology program at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

Batley pointed out that water passing through the filter could provoke a continuing release of low concentrations of ionic silver, which could result in a “build-up of ionic silver that could become toxic with time”.

After 3 years of research and development, the most outstanding issue is the achievement of a biological cycle of sea cucumber in harvest conditions, “therefore we can say that the company has ensured the sustainability of this business,” the NPC stated.

In Saudi Arabia, a one of its kind project is growing and investing in technology and research. The sea cucumber is an excellent example on this effort and comes with high expectations. Ninety tons of Holothuria Scabra, known as sea cucumber, is expected to be harvested within the first year.

This huge success took place after overcoming a long process of investigation, development and careful monitoring. NPC workers have put their hearts and set their minds and determination on this project, which will guarantee a sustainable marine base production (marine culture) to fulfill market’s needs and maintain a balanced marine life.

Pointing out this achievement, Ahmad R. Al-Ballaa, managing director of NPC and board chairman of Saudi Aquaculture Society, said: “We own the pride of achieving such a big project, which is one of its kind in the region. It has consumed more than 3 years of constant researching and experimenting carried by a team of professionals in the field of aquaculture. This is an additional achievement added to our series of the like in this domain.”

He added: “Our first steps and achievements on this long path were the ones toward a successful shrimp project, which are followed by the fish projects that are getting thumbs up worldwide. An additional milestone in this journey in the Saudi land known for its fertile nature would be the sea cucumber brood stock’s ability to lay its eggs, producing herewith 23 million larvae.

This will ensure availability of a stock for coming years of wild mothers, which are belonging to the different strains that have been collected from different places in Saudi coasts.”

‘Good news’

It said this threatened conservation and wants those farms to be moved or closed. Marine Harvest, which has farms in the north west of Scotland and on the Western Isles, said it would be seeking certification for its Scottish fish farms from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. Fish farms will only receive ASC certification if they exceed current legal requirements governing chemical use and the problem of parasite transmission between farmed and wild salmon.

Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: “The salmon farming industry’s activities have quite rightly come under close scrutiny recently, so this announcement is really good news for Scotland’s environment. “However, it is only when all salmon farm operators embrace the standards that we will know if, as an industry, they are really serious about operating sustainably and reducing their impacts on the environment.”

But Alan Sutherland, managing director of Marine Harvest in Scotland, conceded it would be the end of the decade before all of the company’s farms met the required standards. Mr Sutherland said: “This is a relatively new industry and we have been working hard in recent years to improve our environmental performance and our sustainability. “We aim to have all of our farms certified under the scheme by 2020. In the meantime, we will report on our progress towards that target”.

Wrong places

The Salmon and Trout Association in Scotland welcomed the news that Marine Harvest would meet its demand to publish sea lice data for all of its farms on a weekly basis. But association spokesman, Guy Linley-Adams, told BBC Scotland News: “This isn’t the end of the story. Marine Harvest still has fish farms in the wrong places. “These are too near to wild salmon rivers, threatening wild fish conservation. Those need to be relocated.

“Loch Ewe is perhaps the most infamous case of a fish farm in the wrong place.” A Scottish government spokesman said: ‘while we welcome the announcement that Marine Harvest is aiming to achieve ASC certification for all its salmon by 2020 that is clearly a long-term objective. “The Scottish government maintains its support for the enhanced voluntary reporting of sea lice data for 30 areas based on recognised wild fish catchments.”

Dyadic International Inc Address

Dyadic International Inc
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Suite 404
Jupiter, FL 33477
USA

Tel: +1 561 7438333
Email: enzymes@dyadic.com
Web: www.dyadic.com

Dyadic International Inc Products

Feed & Feed Ingredients
• Enzymes
• NSP – Enzymes

Dyadic International Inc Review

Dyadic International Inc is a global biotechnology company headquartered in Jupiter, Florida with its research and development center in the Netherlands. Dyadic uses its patented and proprietary technologies to conduct research, development and commercial activities for the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of enzymes and other proteins.

“Our Hoosier soybean farmers are committed to helping grow our state’s soybean industry by supporting our state’s aquaculture industry,” said Jeanette Merritt, chair of ISA’s aquaculture committee from Peru, Ind. “Aquaculture is a promising and growing market for our soybeans and our board is committed to supporting this industry within the state as we continue to look to help build strong markets for our soybeans.”

Currently, most Indiana aquaculture producers import their fish feed from Utah, Pennsylvania or Louisiana. This study will show if it makes sense economically to eliminate the transportation costs associated with shipping soybeans from Midwestern states, like Indiana, to be manufactured into fish feed and then shipping the fish feed to Indiana.

“This grant will allow us to take the next step in determining if Indiana could have enough volume of fish production to justify a feed mill dedicated to aquaculture,” said Shelia Lingle, director of aquaculture for the Indiana Soybean Alliance. If the grant shows that a feed mill focusing on serving the aquaculture industry would be viable in Indiana, it would not only grow a new market for Indiana soybeans, but it could also grow the state’s aquaculture industry as well.

“As part of our long-term strategic plan, ISA has a goal to triple Indiana aquaculture production and build a feed mill in Indiana,” said Lingle. “A feed mill closer to the actual commodity for local aquaculture producers just makes sense, especially as soy-based fish feeds become more widely used.”

The Indiana soybean checkoff has funded several studies showing soybean meal to be a good substitute for fish meal in various fish species diets. Additionally, ISA has commissioned a study to survey the volume of fish currently produced in a 20-state area touching Indiana. Both of these efforts will provide valuable information for the feed mill feasibility study.

“Industry representatives have been helpful in providing information on ranges of production it would take to justify a dedicated feed mill, but this study will help us refine those numbers,” Lingle added. “If the results of the study say that Indiana can support this type of feed mill, the study itself can be a tool for others to use to go out and secure funding – both private and other USDA grants – to help build a feed mill here.”

The USDA Value-Added Producer Grant provides US$15,000 (€11,596.8) for the feasibility study with ISA providing matching funds for the study. The USDA grants focus on supporting rural producers and local economies. The ISA grant was one of 110 awarded by USDA in May, including three others in Indiana.

“I am pleased the USDA has recognised the hard work the Hoosier ag community does for their communities and our entire state,” said Senator Joe Donnelly in a recent release about this program. “The ag community is the backbone of Indiana’s economy, and the investment in these business owners will allow them to develop better products and create more opportunities for hardworking Hoosiers who want a job close to home.”

To learn more about ISA’s aquaculture initiative, click here.

This decision to delist the firm was justified by Minh Phu’s senior executives as a result of the pressure from its foreign shareholders, the liquidity and the lack of capital for long-term investment projects. “Listing is meant to raise funds, but for us it’s like being caged,” Minh Phu chairman Le Van Quang said, the Saigon Economic Times reports.

If Minh Phu’s planned delisting is approved, the firm will be able to offer private placement to foreign investors by 2014.

The company currently has two foreign investors, Red River Holding and Vietnam Investment Fund, which hold 16 percent of Minh Phu’s chartered capital. The two biggest shareholders, Le Van Quang and his wife Chu Thi Binh, now hold 48 percent of stakes, making them the real biggest owners of the seafood firm, VietNamNet Bridge reports.

Despite the delisting, Minh Phu is doing well: its 2012 finance report showed a cash flow of VN$1.260 trillion (US$59.7 million) in cash and assets. Some have been guessing that the real reason behind the delisting could be that MPC now wishes to “play the defense.”

A year ago, Thai CP Foods Group showed interest in buying 40 percent of stakes of Minh Phu. Minh Phu rejected the bid despite its great need for capital, however, because while it was negotiating the contract, Minh Phu obtained some orders – and mainly because CP Foods tried to set certain terms which showed their intent to eventually take over Minh Phu, which is what MPC’s General Director Le Van Quang wanted to avoid.

Now, sources say that Quang has vowed to retain MPC no matter what and to transfer the company to his daughter. Meanwhile, many other companies have also been delisting themselves to keep curious big “sharks” in the dark.

In principle, the delisting would harm the companies’ capital mobilisation plan and shareholder benefits, as they would find it harder to transfer stocks. However, some don’t consider it a bad thing, as given that it has become very difficult to seek capital in the stock market, the listing does not bring high benefits.

According to the head of the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission(Conapesca), Mario Aguilar Sanchez, this international forum will help strengthen the Mexican fishery and will make it possible to project the state of Veracruz to the world.

Representatives of Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Canada, United States, Panama, China, France, Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Japan, European Union, Costa Rica, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Ecuador, Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia and Cook Islands will attend the annual meeting.

In addition, the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (Sagarpa) announced that industry representatives, scientists and NGOs will also attend the meeting.

Aguilar Sanchez said the CIAT is an international tuna conservation organisation regulating 20 percent of world tuna production. He noted that it is considered as the most trustful entity in terms of sustainable seafood and marine environmental protection.

On the other hand, the officer met with the governor of Veracruz, Javier Duarte de Ochoa, and the meeting stressed that the growth of the fisheries sector of Veracruz will significantly contribute to the food supply Mexico needs.

The financing deal to obtain the Peruvian fish meal firm was shut out by about 37 percent of shareholders, which left Cermaq with less than the two-thirds needed to complete the deal with Copeinca.

“At the same time 62.5 percent of the shareholders voted in favour of the financing, demonstrating that a significant majority of the company’s shares supports the acquisition of Copeinca. Today Cermaq holds almost 20 percent of the shares in Copeinca, and the board will now evaluate alternative courses of action for Cermaq’s further engagement in Copeinca,” stated Chair of Cermaq’s Board of Directors Bard Mikkelsen.

“This voting is more a general expression of the desire to create an opportunity for an offer on all shares in the company than an opposition against the Copeinca transaction as such,” he continued.

As a result, shareholders did not get a chance to vote on the proposal on authorisation to issue shares in a private placement for the same purpose.

Mikkelsen noted that the Board will take this into consideration as it looks at strategic alternatives, and in particular as related to the importance of better visibility of the underlying values of Cermaq.

Now that the Copeinca transaction is no longer an obstacle for Marine Harvest, the Board expects that Marine Harvest – which already owns 5.4 percent in state-controlled Cermaq - will present an offer for the shares in Cermaq. Marine Harvest has communicated that such an offer will have a higher price than the stated offer of US$1.7 (€1.314) billion, Reuters reports.