CORPORATE NEWS
IQSHRIMP
Cargill introduces new software to aid shrimp producers manage farms
Commodities trader Cargill has launched a new software that gives shrimp farmers real-time visibility into their farm operations.
Dubbed iQShrimp, the software captures data from shrimp ponds through mobile devices, sensors and automated feeders to record data about shrimp size, water quality, feeding patterns, and health and weather conditions.
"Shrimp farming has inherent weather and disease risks," explained Neil Wendover, Cargill's digital insights product line director for aquaculture. "By working directly with shrimp farmers, our data scientists can use machine learning to deliver insights to inform decisions that directly impact the growth and economics of their operations."
He said the system combines production and environmental information into a "live operations dashboard" to provide insights and recommendations, such as feeding management strategies and optimal harvest dates.
"Producers get a world-class software solution that is ready to connect to any device and provides the foundation for leveraging data as a competitive advantage without having to make a large technology investment," Wendover said.
The technology is tailored to meet the needs of local producers. At present, iQShrimp is available for producers in Mexico, Central America, Ecuador, New Caledonia, Southeast Asia and India. It will expand to other geographies in the coming months, Cargill said.
Also over the next several months, Cargill said it will expand iQuatic offerings to other species including tilapia and salmon.
JÉRÔME LE FRIEC
Diana Aqua has new GM
Diana Aqua has a new general manager in the person of Jérôme Le Friec.
Le Friec's mission is to define and implement the aqua business strategy by developing, coordinating and managing the company's aqua activity in accordance with Diana's objectives.
He will lead the growth and profitability increase of Diana Aqua, coordinating the different departments involved in the activity, through the development of functional solutions dedicated to the aquaculture market.
He will also explore and develop external strategic partnerships.
Jérôme has 24 years of international experience in animal nutrition industry and feed additives. He began his career with Timab, which is part of the Roullier Group, where he spent 17 years. He then joined Olmix where he was a managing director for six years before taking the position of deputy general manager at Mixscience (Avril group) in 2016.
Diana Aqua develops and delivers advanced natural and sustainable solutions for the aquaculture feed industry, enhancing the nutrition and health of farmed fish and shrimp and, indirectly, the consumers' well-being. It is part of Diana, a division of Symrise AG.
A FIRST IN N. AMERICA FOR AQUACULTURE
Enterra's new insect-based feed ingredient for salmonids OKd
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has approved Enterra Feed Corp.'s request to include Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal in feed for salmonids (which include salmon, trout and arctic char) in its list of authorized feed ingredients. The supporting material and the change in the definition was reviewed and supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal is an insect-based feed ingredient.
"This is the first time an insect meal product has been approved in North America for the aquaculture industry and we're excited to be the first to market," said Andrew Vickerson, chief technology officer at Enterra.
The company's first product, Enterra Whole Dried Larvae, was approved by AAFCO in 2016.
Enterra manufactures feed ingredients derived from the larvae of the black soldier fly, a beneficial insect species that can be found naturally in tropical and temperate regions around the world. The larvae are reared under controlled conditions on locally sourced, pre-consumer food waste containing valuable nutrients that would otherwise be lost in landfill, compost or waste-to-energy facilities.
The insect larvae consume and convert the waste nutrients into usable protein, fat and energy. The larvae are then dried to produce Enterra Whole Dried Larvae, or defatted to produce Enterra Meal, a powdered protein ingredient similar to fishmeal but "with much less impact on the environment".
Enterra also received approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to sell Enterra Whole Dried Larvae in Canada as a feed ingredient for tilapia, as well as poultry. This builds on previous approvals for the same product in salmonid feed in 2017 and broiler chicken feed in 2016.
Enterra Whole Dried Larvae are produced at the company's farm facility in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.
Enterra is now registered in the EU Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES), which allows the company to export its insect feed ingredients to all member countries of the European Union. New EU regulations permitting the use of insect ingredients in aquaculture feed became effective on July 1, 2017.
Enterra Feed Corp. specialises in the development and manufacture of sustainable insect-based feed ingredients for the aquaculture, pet food and poultry feed industries.
WALDO NUEZ ORTIN
Nutriad appoints lead scientist for aquaculture
Multinational feed additives manufacturer Nutriad has announced the appointment of Dr. Waldo Nuez Ortin as lead scientist for aquaculture.
The Belgian company said it was fully committed to grow in the dynamic aquaculture markets across the world and that therefore it consistently hires top professionals who bring value to the company's customers.
Ortin has more than 10 years of academic and industry experience in aquaculture research and project management. He obtained his MSc in animal nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada and completed a PhD on fish nutrition at the University of Tasmania and CSIRO in Australia.
In between his MSc and PhD studies, he worked as an aquaculture technical manager in the feed additive industry. After his PhD, he continued as lecturer/researcher at James Cook University (Australia), where he actively collaborated with industry and academic partners in the evaluation and development of novel feed ingredients and additives.
"I am excited to join the Nutriad team and hope to contribute to [the company's advancement] with my academic and practical knowledge of aquaculture research, biotechnological tools and experimental design to support the high need for innovation in aquaculture specialty additives", Ortin said.
Nutriad delivers products and services to over 80 countries through a network of its own sales offices and distributors. It is supported by four application laboratories and five manufacturing facilities on three continents.
SALMON SHOW STRONG GROWTH
Scottish Sea Farms' new anti-sea lice shields successfully tested
Leading salmon producer Scottish Sea Farms' anti-sea lice shields, the latest in a series of proactive, preventative measures by the company to enhance the health and welfare of its farmed salmon, have been reported to have significantly reduced the administration of anti-lice medicines.
Specially engineered to suit Scottish marine conditions, each shield consists of a permeable fabric that lets water and oxygen move freely into fish pens whilst keeping natural health threats out.
This fabric fully encases the pen to a depth of 6 metres, providing a barrier against sea lice which are most commonly found in the first few metres below the water's surface.
The new shields were first introduced at the company's farm in Slocka, Ronas Voe, on Shetland in May 2017. In the nine months since, sea lice levels have successfully remained below the Marine Scotland threshold, and the salmon are showing strong growth and biological performance, the company said.
Scottish Sea Farms has now invested over £800,000 (US$1.12 million) with two Scottish suppliers—William Milne Tarpaulins in Aberdeen and W&J Knox in Ayrshire—to roll out similar protection to 11 of its other farms.
The company is also working with neighbouring salmon growers to synchronise use of the shields, as part of a farm management agreement for those same areas.
"We strive, wherever possible, to replicate the natural conditions that salmon are known to thrive in. As any farmer will understand however, this comes with its own risks as the marine environment presents new challenges all the time. We are continually exploring and investing in new ways of dealing with these challenges, and it's hugely encouraging to see positive early results such as these at our trial project in Shetland", said Jim Gallagher, managing director of Scottish Sea Farms.
This latest advance is part of a wider £11.8-million ($16.5-million) investment in 2017 by the company to enhance the health and welfare of its salmon, over 85% of which is being spent on non-medicinal approaches.
Together with other methods to control the sea lice, such as the use of cleaner fish (so-called because they "clean" salmon by eating any sea lice) and the new Thermolicer technology that bathes salmon in such a way as to dislodge and catch sea lice, the anti-sea lice shields have significantly reduced the need to administer medicines, with six of the company's farms requiring no sea lice interventions at all in 2017, Scottish Sea Farms said.
YELLOWFIN TUNA SLICES AND CREAMY MASAGO
Thai Union, Iceland's Finest awarded for best products at seafood expo
Thai Union - Chicken of the Sea and Iceland's Finest were declared winners for "Best New Foodservice Product" and "Best New Retail Product" at the recent Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America.
Thai Union was awarded for its Yellowfin Tuna Slices and Iceland's Finest for its Creamy Masago Bites.
Iceland's Finest describes Masago, which is made of capelin roe, as having "a subtle taste with a crunchy texture and a sensational sense of freshness".
Winners were selected from among 12 finalists during a live judging by a panel of seafood buyers and industry experts from the retail and foodservice industries. This year's judges included Johnny Poche, director of culinary/R&D Chef, Maggiano's; Mark Hogan, director of Center of the Plate Category, SGC Food Service; and Andy Caron, assistant category manager, Hannaford Brothers.
Finalists were previously selected through a screening of products participating in the Seafood Expo North America New Product Showcase. The New Product Showcase features seafood products, condiments and culinary dishes launched in the past year by exhibiting companies.
The Seafood Excellence Awards recognise the product leaders in the North American seafood market. The new products are judged based on several criteria including uniqueness and appropriateness to the market, taste profile, market potential, convenience, nutritional value and originality.
Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America is North America's largest seafood exposition, where thousands of buyers and suppliers from around the world attend the annual, three-day exhibition to meet, network and do business. This year it was held in Boston, Massachusetts last March 11-13.
