INDUSTRY NEWS
Indian farmers in Punjab are producing better-quality fish. Their secret? Herbs. They're mixing powdered ginger, garlic and aloe vera, among others, with fish feed. And this herbal mixture gives not only health-augmenting qualities to the fish but also more protein, as attested to by scientists' findings.
A MIX OF POWDERED HERBS
Indian fish farmers innovate with feed
Fish farmers in India's Punjab state are adding garlic, ginger and aloe vera to their fish feed as, according to fishery experts, these have health-augmenting qualities.
"I add around 20 grammes of organically-grown garlic powder to 1 kilogramme fish feed. It gives good results in terms of better fish health which means better quality of fish meat," Jasvir Singh, a fish farmer from Khanna said as per a report in The Tribune.
The report cites findings of experts that supplementing fish feed with herbal ingredients like garlic, aloe vera, ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), amla (Indian gooseberry) and ginger enhances the quality of fish meat. Around 10-20 grammes of a mix of these in powdered form is added to 1 kg of fish feed.
"These plants are natural immune-stimulating growth promoters. They help in developing resistance of fish to various diseases. They also enhance the quality of fish meat in terms of its protein nutrient. Besides, they are cost-effective, eco-friendly and hardly have any side-effect," said Dr Meera D. Ansal, head of the Department of Aquaculture, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana.
Ansal added that the meat of the fish fed with natural immunostimulants tastes no different from the "regular" fish meat. However, the flesh quality of the fish administered such herbal feed is much better, she claimed.
22% RISE
Vietnamese tra fish exports seen to exceed US$2B in 2018
Tra fish export value is expected to rise 22% to US$2.1 billion this year compared with 2017, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
VASEP's general secretary, Truong Dinh Hoe, said tra fish exports will continue to increase in the last months of this year, even as the export value of this product in the first nine months surged year-on-year by 24% to $1.6 billion.
Meanwhile, the price for raw material of tra fish in the Mekong River delta since late September has stood at VND35,000-36,000 (US$1.50-1.55) per kilo, Hoe said as per report of congthuong.vn.
Tra fish processors, however, face a shortage of raw material for export processing because many farmers have stopped tra fish production as they lack fingerlings, Hoe said.
IN CONFLICT WITH STATE BAN ON FISH FARMS
Alaska in quandary over federal plan to boost deep-sea fish farming
Alaskans have expressed concern over a federal plan to increase aquaculture production by boosting open-ocean fish farms.
According to a news report published by juneauempire.com, the Alaskans made known their reservations over the plan to acting Undersecretary Tim Gallaudet of the Department of Commerce during a listening session recently at the end of a weeklong gathering of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) experts in Juneau.
Gallaudet said the strategic plan was an "initiative to grow the American blue economy," referring to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health.
He also said that the commerce department aimed to "reduce the seafood trade deficit".
The report also mentioned President Donald Trump's trade war with China as having resulted in Chinese tariffs on Alaska seafood exported to that country, and American tariffs on processed Alaska seafood products imported from China.
"A strong U.S. marine aquaculture industry will serve a key role in US food security and improve our trade balance with other nations", the plan states.
Alaska's concern over the federal plan stems from the fact that Alaska bans fish farms. Its jurisdiction extends only to waters three miles offshore. Beyond that is considered federal waters, and the state ban does not apply.
Aquaculture in Alaska is almost limited to the production of shellfish and aquatic plants. These include Pacific oysters, blue mussels, littleneck clams, scallops and bull kelp. However, non-profit mariculture continues to provide a steady supply of aquaculture in the state.
"We are very concerned about the aquaculture activities," Frances Leach, director of the United Fishermen of Alaska, was quoted as saying in the report.
She suggested that any National Marine Fisheries Service guidelines allow an opt-out clause applicable to Alaska.
But Chris Oliver, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries and former director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, said concerns about aquaculture were misplaced.
"In terms of finfish, I think we're talking about very contained operations, as opposed to hatchery operations", he said.
BENEFITS SHELLFISH HATCHERIES
New law boosts Alaska's growing mariculture industry
Small businesses in Alaska's mariculture industry will now have access to capital after Alaska Governor Bill Walker signed recently House Bill 76 into law, which now allows 40% of the Alaska Mariculture Revolving Loan Fund to be used for loans to help pay for shellfish and seaweed hatcheries or enhancement projects.
Rep. Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan) sponsored House Bill 76 after learning that many of the small businesses in Alaska's mariculture industry were having trouble securing financing for improvement projects through private lending institutions.
Expanding the purview of the loan fund to include hatcheries will allow those invested in the mariculture industry to develop a stable supply of seed for resident marine plants and shellfish at no additional cost to the State of Alaska.
"Where private banks see too much risk I see too much potential to pass up," said Ortiz. "We have a growing mariculture industry in Alaska that is ready to thrive with some much-needed investment, and we have small businesses in the industry that want to expand. A lack of access to capital is holding back those ready to put in the hard work to ensure success. I believe we took a step forward in solving that problem today with House Bill 76 becoming law."
The Alaska Mariculture Revolving Loan Fund was created in 2012 with a $5 million investment, for the purpose of providing loans for the development of Alaskan-owned mariculture operations. To date, the Alaska Mariculture Revolving Loan Fund has made seven loans totalling $598,000.
To better accommodate the time-consuming nature of the mariculture industry and the long lag time from seed to a product that can be sold, HB 76 includes provisions allowing loan repayments to be deferred for up to six years for most loans and up to 11 years for the new hatchery loans authorised by the bill.
House Bill 76 passed the Alaska House of Representatives last year by a vote of 26-14. The Alaska State Senate unanimously passed the bill in May by a vote of 19-0. Alaska Governor Bill Walker signed HB 76 into law on Aug. 27 during a ceremony at the Hump Island Oyster Farm north of Ketchikan.
POOR PINK SALMON RETURNS TO RIVERS
Alaska salmon harvest this year less than expected
Alaska's fishery officials have described the US state's salmon fishing season as "unusual," with commercial harvest around 31% below the preseason forecast level.
According to the "Preliminary 2018 Alaska Salmon Harvest and Fishery Update" released by the Alaska Department of Fishery and Game, statewide harvest may not reach the expected 147 million fish.
"Most of the harvest shortfall has come in the form of poor pink salmon returns to streams and rivers flowing into the Gulf of Alaska where pink salmon harvest is approximately half the preseason forecast amount", the update report said.
Several major sockeye salmon stocks also displayed unexpected run timing in 2018. For example, the Kvichak River sockeye salmon run peak was 10 days later than average, the slowest run since 1956.
There were other unusual run timing events that, according to the fishery department, created uncertainty for fishery managers, who depend on relatively consistent run timing to ensure fisheries are managed sustainably. These also resulted in foregone harvest opportunity for commercial fishermen.
While lower-than-expected returns and unusual run timing reduced fishing opportunity across much of the state, fishing closures and restrictions allowed enough salmon passage to meet or exceed many established escapement goals including Yukon River summer and fall chum salmon and Canadian border king salmon passage.
"Meeting these escapement goals increases the probability future salmon returns will provide harvestable surplus for all harvesters", the fishery department stressed.
Notwithstanding the troublous situation, the 2018 season has bright spots, notably in Western Alaska where Bristol Bay experienced the second-largest sockeye salmon harvest on record (nearly 42 million fish) and the fourth consecutive season with harvest exceeding 35 million sockeye salmon, the report said.
